to make Head against the dissatisfy'd people Notwithstanding all which the King pursued his Resolution and having ask'd the Opinion of Men skill'd in the Law who told him That it was allowable for the publick benefit to levy Money by his own Authority he imposed several new Taxes whereby he augmented his yearly Revenue from 500000 l. to 800000 l. Besides this he laid a Tax for maintaining of a Fleet which amounted to 200000 l. All which caused great dissatisfaction among the Subjects against the King Besides the King was thought by the Puritans to deal hardly with them and too mildly with the Papists by the Counsel of Archbishop Laud a Man of great Resolution who at that time apprehended that Faction very dangerous both to Church and State which was by the Puritans interpreted as if the King was resolved by suppressing of them to introduce Popery to insinuate this into the Multitude abundance of Libels and scurrilous Papers were scatter'd abroad against the King and the Bishops and Commissioners being appointed to inquire into them they were rather exasperated than appeas'd by its Severity § 26. Both Nations being therefore full of Discontents the Flame first broke out in Scotland For the King endeavouring to root out Puritanism there to establish the Authority of the Bishops and an Uniformity in Religion he order'd a Church Liturgy to be composed abrogating all Presbyteries Classes and Provincial Synods and enjoining every one under severe penalties to conform to the same there was a general Insurrection raised by that party in Scotland There was also another reason for at the time of the first Reformation the Revenues of a great many Church Benefices were appropriated to the use of the Crown but without any remarkable advantage for they were lett out for the most part to younger Brothers of Noble Families These having found the benefit of them had by getting from time to time the Survivorship continued the same in their Families and kept them as their own Propriety Nay they did more than this for during the Minority of King James VI. they had obtained the Titles of Lordships for some of the most considerable of these or some lesser Benefices joined together King James afterwards perceiving that thereby they had bound him up from rewarding such with these Benefices as deserved well of him would have recall'd the beforesaid Grants but met with such opposition in the Nobility that he desisted from it But the King undertook the business effectually employing the said Revenues towards the augmenting of the Salaries of the Clergy These therefore who had been losers by this Revocation joined with such Ministers as were mortal Enemies of the Liturgy did with all their might help to stirr up the Rebellion Alexander Lesley also who had been a Commander in the German Wars and having refused to serve under John Banniers there was returned into his native Country in hopes to make his advantage of these Troubles He put himself at the Head of the Rebellious Party and by persuading the Nobility that the King intended to take away their ancient Privileges stirr'd up a great many against the King And to make a fair shew to the common people they made use of the Religious Cloak of Conscience ordering a Directory to be compos'd by the Ministers quite opposite to the former Liturgy They thereupon enter'd into an Association confirm'd by solemn Oaths That they would maintain the same against all even the King himself This Association was called the Covenant which being subscrib'd by the greatest part of the Nobility and Clergy a Council was constituted unto whom was committed the supream direction of their Affairs To suppress these Commotions the King sent the Marquiss of Hamilton into Scotland who dealing mildly with them only encouraged the adverse party For the King calling a Parliament in hopes to remedy these Disorders the Covenant was by its Authority confirm'd the Episcopal Authority quite abolish'd and Puritanism establish'd in defiance of the Royal Authority There being then no other way left to reduce the Rebellious Party to Obedience but force and the King being in want both of Money and a sufficient number of faithfull Subjects he was forc'd to make some use of the Papists to obtain both wherefore he did not only raise an Army wherein were some Papists but also was assisted by them with some Summs of Money all which however was in no ways sufficient to supply the want of the King and a Supply being demanded from the Subjects very few except the King's Servants and Officers were for contributing any thing And it being divulged that a great many thousand of Irish Papists and Germans were ready for the King's Service to try whether by this way the Subjects could be frightened out of some Money it served only to exasperate the Minds of the people Yet the King's Forces might in all probability have been successfull against the Scots if they had fallen upon them immediately But because they had leisure given them they did not only settle a Correspondency with France and Holland from whence they were supply'd with Money and Ammunition but also sent their Deputies into England who so well knew there to represent the state of their Affairs that the King being persuaded by the English made a dishonourable Agreement with them Which nevertheless did not last long the Court being asham'd of the Agreement and the Scots not trusting the King the King had in the mean while intercepted a Letter wherein the Scots had sollicited for some Officers and Money to be sent them from France this he hoped might prove an inducement to the English to oppose the Treachery of the Scots and to furnish him with some Supplies of which he stood in great need at that time He calling therefore a Parliament the Letter was read but to no great purpose the Members of the House of Commons being most of them Puritans who were great friends of the Scots so that the Parliament was a little while after dissolv'd by the King's Authority The King had caused to be made Prisoner in London the Scotch Commissioner who had subscribed the abovementioned Letter whereupon the Scots took up Arms and took the Castle of Edinburgh The King having with great difficulty for want of Money got together an Army went in person against the Scots but as a party of his Army endeavouring to force their passage was beaten back with loss which augmented the Discontents of his Subjects the Souldiers for want of Pay being to be maintained by those Counties where they were quartered Besides this ten thousand Men which were raised by the Parliament in Ireland for the King's service were forc'd to be disbanded for want to Pay There was then no other remedy left but to make a Truce with the Scots and to call a new Parliament in England which began to sit in November in the Year 1640. § 27. But in the
Administration of the whole Society was committed to him who appeared most Considerable for his Wisdom and Valour It is also very Probable that such as by Common Consent sought out new Habitations chose a Leader who both in their Journey and in the Country which they possessed themselves of had the chief Direction of Affairs And this office of a Judge Head or Leader by degrees degenerated into that sort of Government which Aristotle calls Heroical which is nothing else but a Democracy under the Authority of one of the Citizens who has a Power rather to Advise than to Command the rest And this seems to be the most ancient Form of Republicks for the Fathers and Rulers of their Families could not so soon forget their Liberty as not to Reserve to themselves a share in the Government by which their Consent was required to be given unto all Matters which were to be decreed in the Name of the whole Society § 3. But at what time precisely these Societies were first Instituted and which of them is to be esteemed the most Ancient is not easie to be determined for though commonly the Assyrian Empire is taken for the first Monarchy yet it is not from hence to be concluded that the same was the first civil Society since it is evident that this Empire acquired its Greatness by swallowing up Lesser States And those Wars which the Assyrian Kings waged against other States do abundantly testifie that besides the Assyrian there were also other Civil Societies even at that time in the World And here is to be observed that as all human Affairs do not come immediately to Perfection so were the first Institutions of Civil Society very simple and imperfect till by degrees the Supreme Civil Power together with such Laws and Constitutions as were requisite for the maintaining of a Civil Society were instituted The first Common-wealths also were very small and their Territories of a very little extent so that it was easie for the Citizens to assemble either to Consult or to Defend themselves against a Foreign Power It is evident out of History that the deeper you search into the most ancient Times the more Separate small Common-wealths you will meet withal out of the Union of which great Empires in Process of time did arise some of those Uniting themselves by common Consent others being Subdued by the more Powerfull § 4. Among these great Empires the Assyrian is commonly reckoned the most Ancient the reason of which may probably be That those Parts were Sooner and More Inhabited than other places which being later possessed had Fewer Inhabitants Wherefore the Assyrians might without much difficulty overcome one small Common-wealth after another and by Subduing some make way for an Entire Conquest over the rest that had not then learned the advantage of a joint Power and Confederacy The vast Armies with which Ninus and Semiramis the first Founders of this Monarchy did over-power far distant Nations make the common Chronologies very doubtfull But to settle this is not to our present purpose But by what means the Kings of this vast Empire did bridle the Conquered Nations ought to be remembred Two of them being most remarkable The First was That they intending to imprint an Extraordinary Character of their Persons into the Minds of the People they always kept themselves very close in their Palaces and being seldom to be seen by any but their nearest Servants they never gave Answer to their Subjects Petitions but by them Whereby they possessed the People that they were much above the Common Rank of Mankind The Second was That every Year they used to draw a certain number of Souldiers out of each Province and these being Quartered in and about the place of their Residence and Commanded by such a one as was thought most faithfull these Forces struck Terrour both into the Subjects at Home and the neighbouring Nations Abroad This Army was again Disbanded every year and another drawn out of the Provinces that the General by the Authority he had with the Soldiers might not be in a condition to Invade the Empire The Ruin of this Empire under Sardanapalus is not so much to be ascribed to his Effeminacy as to this That the Kings allowed too much Power to the Governours of Provinces of so vast an extent These grew at last too Powerfull for the Kings themselves who being lull'd asleep by Voluptuousness the effects of Peace and Plenty did not as they used to do formerly by great Actions endeavour to maintain their Authority among the People Out of the Ruins of the Assyrian Empire two new Kingdoms were erected Arbactes taking upon himself the Sovereignty of Media where he was Governour as the Lord Lieutenant of Babylon did the same in his Province both which were afterwards re-united under the Persian Monarchy § 5. Cyrus the first Founder of the Persian Empire did besides what formerly belonged to Media and Babylon also Conquer a great part of the Lesser Asia This Prince besides other remarkable Constitutions did wisely institute this as a most necessary one to preserve the Peace of his Empire That in all Provinces where he sent his Lords Lieutenants he Constituted Governours of the Fortresses chosen out of the Commons who being not under the Jurisdiction of the Lords Lieutenants had their dependence immediately on the King These therefore living in continual Jealousies served as a Bridle to one another The Lords Lieutenants without the Assistance of the Governours of the Fortresses were not in a Capacity to Mutiny against the King who not only Observed all their Actions but also frequently Informed the King concerning their Behaviour From the Governours of the Fortresses nothing was to be feared because being of Mean Condition and a very Limited Power they were not capable of making any great Factions or drawing any considerable Party after them Cambyses annex'd Egypt to the Persian Empire But whenever the Kings of Persia did undertake to extend their Conquests further it always proved fruitless Cambyses did in vain Attack the Aethiopians as Darius Hydaspes did the Scythians And Xerxes was shamefully beaten by the Greeks But the following Kings Artaxerxes Longimanus Darius Nothus and Artaxerxes Mnemon did Manage their Affairs with more Wisdom against the Greeks whom they did not Attack but leaving them at rest they quickly saw Intestine Wars kindled amongst themselves wherein they so well knew how to play their Game that by always affording Assistance to the weaker Side they rather protracted than finished these intestine Wars till the Greeks quite tired and exhausted were obliged to accept of such Conditions of Peace as were projected by the Persians whereby each City being declared free and independent of one another Greece was disabled hereafter to undertake any thing of Moment Notwithstanding Macedon an obscure Nation of Greece proved the Ruin of the Persian Monarchy through a defect of Policy in their Kings in not early
their General Hamilton a Prisoner But during the absence of Cromwell the Parliament had re-assumed the Treaty with the King and the business was carried on so far that there was no small hopes of an Accommodation when the Souldiers headed by Ireton Son-in-law to Cromwell broke off the Treaty taking Prisoners such Members of the House as did oppose them So that there were not above forty Members left in the Parliament and those were either Officers or at least favourers of the Army These decreed That no Treaty should be set on foot for the future with the King That the Supream Power was to be lodged in the People which was represented by the House of Commons But the Regal Power and the Authority of the House of Lords should be quite abolished Then they order'd a Court of 250 persons to be erected by whose Authority the King was to be summoned sentenced and punished notwithstanding that the generality of the people look'd upon this Court as an abominable thing some Presbyterian Ministers cry'd out aloud against it in the Pulpits the Scots protested against it and the Dutch Ambassadours and other Princes did their utmost to oppose it Before this Court where sat among the rest a great many of very mean Extraction the King was accused of High Treason Tyranny and of all the Murthers and Robberies committed since the beginning of these Troubles And the King as in justice he ought to do refusing to acknowledge its Authority was sentenced to be beheaded tho' there were but 67 of these pretended Judges present the rest abominating the fact had absented themselves among whom was Fairfax But the King having been miserably abus'd by the Souldiers was beheaded with an Ax upon a Scaffold erected for that purpose before Whitehall § 29. After the death of the King the outward shew of the Supream Power was in the Parliament but in effect it was lodged in the Generals of the Armies Their first design was to banish the King's Son and the whole Royal Family and to suppress all such as adhered to him Cromwell was sent into Ireland where the Royal Party was as yet pretty strong which Island was reduced in the space of one year by Cromwell's good Fortune and Valour In the mean while the Scots had proclaimed Charles II. tho' under very hard Conditions their King who also arriving there safely out of France whither he was gone for Shelter was crowned King of Scotland The Parliament thereupon recall'd Cromwell out of Ireland and having made him General for they had deposed Fairfax whom they mistrusted sent him into Scotland where he beat the Scots several times but especially gave them an entire defeat near Leith taking among other places the Castle of Edinborough which was hitherto esteemed impregnable The King in the mean while having gathered a flying Army enter'd England in hopes that a great many English would join with him But he was deceiv'd in his hopes very few coming to him and Cromwell overtaking him with his Army near Worcester his Forces were routed and dispersed so that he was forc'd to change his Cloaths in his flight and after a great many dangers was miraculously saved and escaped by the help of a Merchant-ship into France The King being thus driven out of the Island the Scots were entirely subdu'd under the Conduct of General Monk who was sent thither by Cromwell who having imposed upon them very hard Conditions according to their deserts intirely subjected them to the English This done the Parliament began to take into consideration how to disband part of the Army and to quarter the rest in the several Counties But Cromwell sent away that Parliament which had been the cause of so much troubles and constituted a new Parliament consisting of 144 Members most of them being Fanaticks and Enthusiasts among whom Cromwell had put a few cunning Fellows who being entirely devoted to his Service did make the rest dance after his pipe These having first let these silly wretches go on in their own way till by their phantastical Behaviour they had made themselves ridiculous and hated by every body then offer'd the Supream Administration of Affairs to Cromwell who having accepted of the same under the Title of a Protectour selected a Privy Council wherein were received the Heads of the several Sects Thus they who had shown so much aversion to the Royal Power and hatch'd out a Monarch of their own who without controul ruled the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland at pleasure Cromwell to have a fair pretence to keep on foot his Sea and Land Forces which were the Foundation of his Power began a War with the Dutch who seem'd to despise this new Monarch But Fortune was so favourable to Cromwell in this War that he took above 1700 Merchant men from the Dutch and beat them in five Sea Engagements in the last of which the Dutch lost Martin Tromp and twenty seven Men of War The Hollanders then were oblig'd to beg for Peace and to accept of such Conditions as were propos'd to them among which one was That the Province of Holland should exclude the Prince of Orange for ever from succeeding in his Father's place Another was That they should not receive the banish'd King Charles II. into their Territories Which some alledge as a reason that he was always ready afterwards to revenge himself upon them tho' at his return into the Kingdom they endeavoured with aboundance of flattery to make amends for the former affront It is very likely also that the King was suspicious that the Dutch had fomented the Differences betwixt his Father and the Parliament Cromwell acquired so much Glory by this War that most Princes sent their Ambassadours to him as if he had been a lawfull Sovereign and desir'd his Friendship He was no less fortunate in discovering several Plots which were made against him For which purpose he entertained his Spies every where even near the King's person having besides this a cunning way to draw the people over to his party and to suppress such as envy'd his Fortune He sent also a Fleet into the Mediterranea◠wherewith he curb'd the Pirates on the Coast of Barbary Another was sent into the West Indies where his Designs against St. Domingo and Hispaniola miscarried but Jamaica he took from the Spaniards notwithstanding that a great many of his Men were taken off by Sickness and he did considerable mischief to the Spaniards by ruining their Silver Fleet. He sent some Auxiliary Troops to the French in Flanders who in recompence surrender'd to him Dunkirk He died in the Year 1658 having been as great and formidable as ever any King of England He was a great Master in the Art of Dissimulation knowing how to make his advantage of Religious Pretences wherefore he gave liberty of Conscience to all Sectaries whereby he not only got their Favours but also by dividing the people into
and turn'd to the great advantage of those Cities But this King perceiving that his own Subjects might as well make the same benefit of it he set up the Woollen Manufactury in his Kingdom which increased prodigiously afterwards when at the time of the Troubles in the Netherlands a great many of these Weavers did settle themselves in England The Riches of England also are as it seems not a little increased because it is not permitted there to any Body to carry any Gold or Silver of their own Coin out of the Land except it be perhaps to the value of ten pound Sterling for a Traveller But Scotland does not come near England neither in Fertility nor Riches having not any Commodities fit for Exportation except Salt-fish Salt Lead and Coals The Western and Orkney Islands also produce nothing but Fish Ireland abounds in Cattel and especially in Sheep tho' the Irish Wooll is not so fine as the English but for the rest it is a fertile and plentifull Country In America belong to the English Crown the Islands of Bermudos Virginia and New England and some of the Caribby Islands whither the English have sent their Colonies and have also begun to settle themselves on the Continent of Guiana The Product of these Countries is chiefly Tobacco Sugar Ginger Indigo and Cotton They have also a Colony in the Island of Jamaica from whence the English Buckaneers and Privateers do great mischief to the Spanish West Indies For it is a custom with the English That tho' they are at Peace with the Spaniards in Europe they do them nevertheless all the Mischief they can in the West Indies Tangier King Charles II. got as a Dowry with the Infanta of Portugal Lastly The English also are possess'd of some places in the Banda Islands and thereabouts in the East Indies which are of no small consequence to them § 35. The Constitution of the Government in England is chiefly remarkable for this that the King cannot act at pleasure but in some Matters is to take the Advice of the Parliament By this Name is to be understood the Assembly of the Estates of England which is divided into the Higher and the Lower House In the first sit the Bishops and the Lords in the latter the Deputies of the Cities and of the 52 Counties or Shires into which the whole Kingdom of England is divided The first origin of the Parliament as 't is related was this That the former Kings of England did grant great Privileges to the Lords by whose assistance they had conquer'd the Country and kept the common people in obedience But these in conjunction with the Bishops growing too head-strong proved very troublesome especially to King John and Henry III. wherefore to suppress their Insolence Edward I. took part with the Commons And whereas formerly out of each County or Shire two Knights and two Citizens only were call'd to represent their Grievances which having been debated by the King and the House of Lords they used to receive an answer and to be sent home again This King Edward call'd together the Commons and consulted with them concerning the publick Affairs tho' there are some who will have their origin to be much more ancient This House after it was once establish'd did extreamly weaken the Authority of the Lords and in process of time did not a little diminish the Regal Power for ever since that time the Rights of the People were maintained with a high hand the House of Commons imagining that the Sovereignty was lodg'd among them and if the Kings refused to gratify them in their Requests they used to grumble at their proceedings And because the Power of the Parliament is not so much establish'd by any ancient Laws as Precedents and Customs this is the reason why it is always very jealous of its Privileges and always ready to make out of one single Precedent a right belonging to it ever after This Parliament the King is obliged to call together as often as any extraordinary Taxes are to be levy'd for the Parliament did assign this King at first for his ordinary Revenue 1200000 l. per annum which has been considerably augmented since or any old Laws are to be abrogated or new ones to be made or any alteration to be made in Religion For concerning these matters the King cannot decree any thing without consent of the Parliament The Parliament also used to take into consideration the state of the Kingdom and to present their Opinion to the King yet is the same of no force till approved of by the King It often also calls into question the Ministers of State concerning the Administration of publick Affairs and inflicts Punishment upon them with the King's approbation And it is a common rule in England that whatever is committed against the Constitutions of the Realm is done by the Ministers and Officers for the King they say does never amiss but his ill Counsellours which is not altogether contrary to Truth But if the Parliament should pretend to transgress its bounds the King has power to dissolve it yet ought the King also to be cautious in this lest he should by an unseasonable Dissolution of the Parliament exasperate the People § 36. If we duely consider the Condition and Power of England we shall find it to be a powerfull and considerable Kingdom which is able to keep up the Balance betwixt the Christian Princes in Europe and which depending on its own Strength is powerfull enough to defend it self For because it is surrounded every where by the Sea none can make any attempt upon it unless he be so powerfull at Sea as to be able entirely to ruine the Naval Forces of England And if it should happen that the English Fleet were quite defeated yet would it prove a very hard task to transport thither such an Army as could be suppos'd to be superiour to so powerfull a Force as the English Nation is able to raise at home But England ought to take especial care that it fall not into civil Dissentions since it has often felt the effects of the same and the Seeds of them are remaining yet in that Nation which chiefly arises from the difference in Religion and the fierce Inclinations of this Nation which makes it very fond of Alterations Nevertheless a Wise and Courageous King may easily prevent this evil if he does not act against the general Inclination of the People maintains a good Correspondency with the Parliament and for the rest is very watchfull and as soon as any Commotions happen takes off immediately the Ringleaders Lastly England and Scotland being comprehended in one Island whose chiefest Strength lies in a good Fleet it is evident that this King need not make any great account of such States as either are remote from the Sea or else are not very powerfull in Shipping Wherefore as the King of England takes no great notice of Germany except as far as
him Infallible which point is stretched to the utmost by the Jesuits because if that stands fast all the rest is soon proved Wherefore what has been taught formerly and if I am not mistaken is taught even to this Day by the Doctors of the Sorbon viz. that the Councils are equal to or rather above the Pope is destructive to the very fundamental Constitution of the Popish Monarchy since this Doctrine smells strongly of a Democracy which is directly contrary to a Monarchy And it is not easily to be reconciled how the Pope who pretends to have such great Prerogatives above all others should be subject to the Censure of his Cretures and Vassals For as they will have it whatsoever either the Holy Scripture or the antient Fathers have attributed to the Church ought altogether to be applied to the Pope in like manner as what is spoken of a whole Kingdom is commonly to be understood of the King The Laiety has been debarred from reading the Holy Scripture by which means not only the Authority of the Clergy is maintained among the People as if the Priests were the only Men that have a privilege to approach to the Divine Oracles but also the Laiety is thereby prevented from finding out those points in the Scripture which are repugnant to the Interest of the Clergy For if the People should once get a true Understanding of the Scripture they would not be so forward to follow so blindly the Instructions of the Priests They also by this means prevent the Laiety from diving too deeply into Divinity which they pretend belongs only to the Clergy and for this reason it is that they attribute the Power of explaining the Scripture to the Pope only that nothing may be brought to light which may in any ways be prejudicial to the spiritual Monarchy For the same reason the Pope pretends to have the sole Authority of deciding all Controversies whatsoever It is also given out among the People that the Holy Scripture is imperfect which must be explained by antient Traditions whereby they gain this point that if they invent any Doctrine for the Interest of the spiritual State whereof there is not the least footsteps to be found in the Holy Scripture they without any other proof may only have recourse to the antient Traditions The distinction betwixt Venial and Mortal Sins as also what is alledged de casibus reservatis is barely invented for the benefit of the Clergy That infinite number of Books of Confession enough to fraight whole Fleets withal is not published with an intention to correct Vices but that by laying a Tax upon the same the Clergy may the better be able to maintain their Grandeur and satisfie their Avarice The most comfortable Doctrine of remission of Sins has wholly been accommodated to the Interest of the Clergy For because it would not have turned to the profit of the Clergy if every one who truly repented should obtain remission of his Sins only by Faith in the Merits of Christ it has been the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that it was an essential piece of penitence and the means to obtain forgiveness of Sins if a most exact and precise account of every individual Sin committed was given to the Priest By which means they not only keep the People under their Devotion and make such impressions upon them as are fitting for their purpose but they also come thereby to the knowledge of all Secrets Counsels Designs and Inclinations of the People which they make good use of for their benefit notwithstanding that they are under an obligation not to reveal any thing that is told them by way of Confession for else it would be impossible for them to persuade the People to act against the natural Inclination of all Mankind The Priest has also a Power to command works of satisfaction to be done whereby he commonly has his good share For tho' certain Prayers Pilgrimages Fasts Flagellations and the like are often imposed upon them for Penances yet they also very often condemn some and especially the richer sort in a good sum of Money to be given instead of a Penance to a certain Monastery Church or the Poor among whom are the Mendicant-Fryars These honest Fellows call themselves minimos fratrum according to the 25. Chap. of St. Matthew that they may have a fair shining pretence to fill their Purses For by this Interpretation the Christains have got this benefit that they are obliged to feed and maintain 100000 lazy idle Fellows Besides this the first sort of Penance may be redeemed with Money if you think it too hard to be performed And who that is wealthy would not be civil and liberal towards his Father-Confessour to oblige him to a mitigation of the Penance or because he has already shewed himself favourable before Why good Works have been made meritorious and the means of obtaining Salvation from God Almighty is easily to be guessed For when they were to give a definition of good Works they were sure to put in the first place that the Pople ought to be liberal towards the Clergy Churches and Monasteries and to perform every thing which is commanded them by the Pope and his adherents tho' never so full of Superstition and Hypocrisy Neither must this be forgot that they also have taught that the Monks are not only able to perform good Works sufficient for themselves but that also they have an overplus of Merits which they can fell to the Laiety And out of this overplus they have laid up an inexhaustible store very profitable to the Clergy which costs them nothing which does not grow musty nor ever decays and which cannot be returned upon their hands when the Buyer finds out the Cheat. Their Religious Exercises are so full of Ceremonies so many superfluous Feasts and Processions are instituted so many Chapels are Altars erected only to employ so great a number of Clergymen who else would appear like so many idle Fellows whereas now it turns all to their profit which is also the reason why they have encreased the number of Sacraments of seven since they know that none of them can be administred but the Priest gets by it The Mass without Communicants has been introduced and proclaimed a Sacrifice both for the dead and the living that they might have an opportunity to put both the dead and the living under Contribution For no body undertakes any thing of moment but he has a Mass sung first for the good success of the thing in hand No body of wealth dyes but he orders a good store of Masses to be sung for his Soul all which brings grist to the Priest's Mill. On the other hand after it once was become an abuse that the Laiety did receive the Sacrament without partaking of the Cup it was made into a Law And tho' the contrary was very evident both by the Institution of Christ and
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 Siâ—ge 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
insinuate himself with every body and as for Money he made no other use of it than to advance his designs He was a most experienced Warriour and had made the Macedonians so excellent Souldiers that the Macedonian Phalanx first invented by him was terrible even to the Romans And because he was always at the Head of his Armies continually exercised his Souldiers and punctually paid them there were no better Souldiers in his days than the Macedonians Being arrived to this Greatness so that he was chosen by the common consent of Greece their General against the Persians and being busie in making preparations for this expedition he was barbarously murthered leaving his Son Alexander the glory of pursuing it § 8. There is scarce in all History to be read of an Expedition more famous than that of Alexander the Great wherein he with thirty odd thousand Men conquer'd so vast and potent Kingdoms and by his victorious Arms extended his Empire from the Hellespont to the Indies If we enquire into the causes of so uncommon and happy progresses it is undeniable that besides the Providence of God Almighty who has put bounds to all Kingdoms upon Earth the incomparable Valour of Alexander himself had a great share in the same who having an Army of chosen Men fell upon his Enemy's Army with such swiftness and vigour that it was impossible for any new levied Forces though never so numerous to resist him Yet Darius committed a grand mistake when he offered Battel to Alexander it being evident that the Persians never were equal to the Greeks in Pitch'd Battels Besides this the Persians having lived for a considerable time in Peace had few experienced Souldiers among them so that the greater the number was of such undisciplined Souldiers the sooner were they brought into disorder at the time of Battel Darius was ignorant of that great Art of protracting the War and by posting himself advantageously and cutting off the Provisions from his Enemies to take off the edge of fierce Alexander And because he had neglected to give him a diversion at home with the assistance of the Greeks who envied his Greatness no other Event could reasonably be expected than what afterwards followed § 9. But the untimely Death of Alexander robb'd both him and his young Children of the fruits of his Victories For these being young lost not only their Father's Kingdom but also the fatal Wars carried on after his Death betwixt his Generals brought the conquer'd Nations under great Calamities who else would have been in hopes to have changed their Kings for a much better and greater Prince But that it seem'd was next to an impossibility that these so suddenly conquered Countries should so soon be united in one Kingdom Since a firm Union betwixt so many Nations could not be established without a singular Prudence of their supream Head and a considerable time We find also that a sudden Greatness is rarely lasting there being no less ability required to maintain than to acquire a thing of this nature The Conquests therefore of Alexander being of so vast an extent that the small number of his Macedonians was by no means sufficient to keep them in awe and to make those Provinces dependent on the Macedonian Empire there was no other way to maintain such vast Conquests than to treat the conquered Nations in the same manner with his native Subjects and not to oblige them to recede from their ancient Laws and Customs or to turn Macedonians but rather for him to turn Persian that the conquered might not be sensible of any other change but what they found in the Person of their King Alexander understood this very well wherefore he not only used himself to the Persian Customs and Habit but also married the deceased King's Daughter and had a Persian Guard about him Those Writers who reprehend Alexander's Conduct in this matter only discover their own indiscretion But to settle a right understanding betwixt the Conquerours and Conquered did require a considerable time to effect which Alexander seemed to be the fittest Man in the World as being endowed with a more than ordinary Valour Magnanimity Liberality and Authority If he had left a Son behind him not unworthy of so great a Father the Persian Throne would questionless have been entailed upon his Family § 10. The Death of Alexander the Great was the occasion of long and bloody Wars For the Army puff'd up with the Glory of its great Actions esteemed no body worthy of the supream Command And the Generals refusing to obey one another were grown too potent to live as private persons 'T is time Arideus had the name of King but this poor Man wanted both Authority and Power to bridle the Ambition of so many proud and great Men. Wherefore all spurr'd on by their hopes some of obtaining the whole Empire some of getting a considerable share they waged a most bloody and long War among themselves till their number was reduced to a few from a great many who first pretended to the Empire Five of them took upon themselves the Title of Kings and the Sovereign Dominion of their Provinces viz. Cassander Lysimachus Antigonus Seleucus and Ptolemy But only the three last transmitted their Kingdoms to their Families There were then no more than three Kingdoms remaining in the power of the Macedonians viz. That of Syria Egypt and Macedon That part of the Persian Empire which lay Easterly beyond the River Euphrates being become a vast new Kingdom under the name of the Parthian Empire The above-mentioned three Kingdoms were afterwards swallowed up by the Romans and the Kingdom of Macedon was the first as lying nearest unto Italy For the Romans after having subdued all Italy began to extend their Conquests beyond the Seas and perceiving that Philip an active King bid fair for the Conquest of all Greece they did not think it advisable to let him grow more Powerfull he being so near to them that in time he might easily prove troublesome to Italy They entring therefore into a League with the same Cities of Greece which were Attack'd by Philip under that pretence made War upon Philip and having driven him back into Macedon restored Liberty to all Greece By which means the Romans at the same time divided their Strength and gain'd their Affections at length they Conquer'd Perseus and with him the Kingdom of Macedon Then they turn'd their Arms against Syria and took from Antiochus the Great all that part of Asia which extends as far as Mount Taurus And though this Kingdom did hold out for a while after yet being miserably torn to pieces by the Dissentions which were risen in the Royal Family it Surrendred it self to Tigranes King of Armenia But he being Conquered by Pompey the Whole was made a Province of the Roman Empire Egypt at last could not escape the Hands of the Romans after the Emperour Augustus had defeated Cleopatra and her Galant Mark Antony §
not been made sensible of the benefit they received from the Government of the Nobility they might easily have opened the Gates again to Tarquin Wherefore Valerius Papicola did strive to please the People especially in letting down the Rods or Fasces the Ensigns of Authority before them and allowing Appeals to the People as a tacit Confession that the Supreme Power of Rome did belong to them It was by all means requisite if the Noble-men did intend to maintain the newly acquired Authority to have a particular care of these two things First To take heed that they did not exasperate the Common people with their Pride And Secondly To find Means to maintain the poorer sort that they might not be forced to seek for Remedies against their Poverty and Debts by disturbing the Publick But neither of them were sufficiently regarded by the Nobility There being at that time no written Laws at Rome and the Nobility being in possession of all publick Offices Justice was oftentimes administred according to Favour and Affection the poorer sort being often though unjustly oppressed by the more Powerfull And because the Citizens were obliged to serve in the Wars at their own Charge at that time when little was to be got they were thereby miserably exhausted so that they had no other remedy left them but to borrow Money from the Richer sort These used such as were not able to satisfie their Creditors in so barbarous a manner by Imprisoning laying of them in Chains and other Cruelties that the Commons quite put into despair unanimously retired out of the City neither could they be persuaded to return before the Senate had agreed to constitute Magistrates called Tribunes of the People who were to protect the Commons against the Power of the Nobility § 17. This was the Original and Cause of the Division of the Romans into two Factions viz. One of the Nobility and the Other two Parties of the Common people The continual Jealousies of which did afterwards minister perpetual fewel for Civil Dissentions It seem'd at first sight but equitable and of no great consequence that the Commons might have for their Heads some who could upon all occasions protect them against the Nobility But in this the Nobles did commit a grand Errour that they allowed to the Common people which made the major part of the City a protection independent of the Senate making thereby the Body of the Common-wealth as it were double-headed For the Tribunes spurr'd on by Ambition and the Hatred which is common in the Plebeians against the Nobility were not satisfied with affording their Protection to the People against the Nobility but also were always endeavouring to be equal in Power nay even to surpass the Senate in Authority And first by their continual Contests they obtained a Privilege for the Commons to intermarry with the Nobles Afterwards they forced also the Nobility to consent that one of the Consuls should be chosen out of the Commonalty They took upon themselves the Power of a Negative Voice so as that no Decree of the Senate could pass into a Law without their consent nay and even without the consent of the Senate to make Laws and to exercise the other Acts of Sovereign Authority The Senate 't is true to divert and employ the People continually engaged them in one War or another that they might not have leisure to contrive any thing against the Government This though it did very well for a while and the Power and Territories of Rome were mightily thereby encreased yet did arise from thence some other inconveniencies which did not a little contribute towards the indisposition of the State For whereas the conquered Lands ought to have been given to the poorer sort of the people whereby the City would have been freed from a great many needy Citizens the Nobles under pretence of Farming the same took them into their own possession and what with these Revenues and the great Booty which fell in the Wars almost all to their share as being Commanders in Chief the Riches of the Nobles encreased prodigiously whereas a great many of the Plebeians had scarce wherewithall to maintain themselves The Commonalty being for these Reasons extreamly dissatisfied with the Senate there were not wanting some of the Nobility and others of an ambitious Spirit who having taken distaste at some Transactions of the Senate did under pretence of maintaining the Liberties of the People make a considerable Party among them though in effect their chief aim was with the assistance of the Plebeians to carry on their ambitious designs Those being by force opposed by the Senate it came quickly to a Civil War and they sheath'd their Swords in each other's Bowels § 18. In the mean time partly by the vast Increase of the Roman Empire partly by Inadvertency of the Senate another Evil had taken root viz. That vast and rich Provinces together with great Armies were committed to the Government of some of the Roman Citizens and that for several years From which as it created in them an aversion to a private life so it gave an opportunity to have whole Armies at their Devotion It is not adviseable for any State whatsoever to let any of its Citizens mount to that degree of Power For he that has a potent Army at his Devotion will scarce be able to resist the temptation but will be apt to attempt to make himself Sovereign It is evident that the Ambition and great Power of Marius Sulla Pompey and Caesar did spur them on by Intestine Wars to suppress the Liberty of their native Country and after Rome was quite broken by them to introduce an alteration in its Government There was scarce any remedy left against this Evil after the Citizens had once laid aside the respect due to the Senate and the Souldiers had tasted the Sweets of the Booty got by Civil Commotions Wherefore this Common-wealth at the very time when it was arrived to the pitch of its Greatness it return'd again to a Monarchy but not of the best kind where the Army exercised Sovereign Authority Augustus was the first Founder of this Monarchy which he by his wife and long Reign seem'd to have establish'd pretty well And truly this new introduc'd form of Government did for a while promise very fair since Augustus assum'd only the Title of Prince and maintaining the Senate and the rest of the great Officers in their Stations took upon himself no more than the administration of Military Affairs But in effect this Monarchy was not founded so much upon the consent of the Senate and People as upon the Power of the Souldiery by whose assistance it was introduc'd and maintain'd And because the ancient Nobility could not brook to be commanded by one single person and was always for recovering its former Liberty the Emperours left no Stone unturn'd either to diminish or quite to extinguish the Splendour of the ancient Nobility so that
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
Aquitain except Bourdeaux and Bayonne The King was so troubled at the loss both of so brave a Son and his Conquests in France that he died within ten Months after his Son § 12. Him succeeded Richard II. Son of that brave Prince Edward who being but eleven Years of Age when he came to the Crown was despised by the French who burnt several places on the English Coast The Scots also made an Inrode on the other side of England and the War being carried on with various Fortune after several Truces expired a Peace was at last concluded There were also great commotions in the Kingdom under this King's Reign For in Kent and other neighbouring Counties there was an Insurrection of the Rabble occasioned by the Insolence of one of the Receivers of the Poll Tax This Rabbles Intention was to have murthered both the Nobility and Clergy except the Mendicant Fryars but were soon restrained by the King's Valour But there were continual Discontents betwixt the King and the Lords the King being resolved to rule according to his Pleasure and to maintain his Favourites against the Lords who were for removing his Favourites and bringing his Royal Power into a more narrow compass by the Authority of the Parliament But it was the King's custom as soon as the Parliament was dissolved to reverse all that was concluded upon before yet once the Parliament got him at an advantage when it forced him to permit most of his Favourites to be either kill'd or banish'd and obliged him by an Oath to promise That he would administer the Government according to the Advice of his Lords Not long after a Conspiracy among the Lords was discovered against him a great many of them paid for it with their Heads the King seemed at last to have master'd his Enemies but he was nevertheless ruin'd at last which was occasioned thus Henry Duke of Lancaster accused the Duke of Norfolk as if he had spoken ill of the King and the latter giving the lye to the former they challenged one another but the Duel was prevented by the King's Authority who banish'd them both out of the Kingdom Henry of Lancaster retired into France raising there a Faction against the King by inviting all dissatisfy'd persons to him who promised to set him on the Throne of England He landed but with a few in England but at a time as King Richard's ill Fortune would have it when he was in Ireland and the Wind proving contrary he could not have notice of his Enemies arrival in England till six Weeks after which gave them opportunity and leisure to strengthen their Party The King also committed a great errour for that he afterwards against his Promise tarry'd so long in Ireland which was the cause that such Forces as were brought together by his Friends whom he had sent before were again dispersed before his arrival in England Coming afterwards in person into England and being informed how powerfull his Enemies were he despair'd of his Affairs and having dismiss'd his Forces that were ready to fight for him till the last gasp he was made a Prisoner Henry of Lancaster calling immediately hereupon a Parliament a great many things were objected to Richard and he was declared to have forfeited the Crown But before this Resolution was published he resign'd himself and was not long after miserably murthered in Prison § 14. Thus Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster came to the Crown he being after the Deposition of King Richard declared King by the Parliament tho' if the Pretensions of Henry together with the Power of the Parliament be duely examined the Title of Henry IV. to the Crown of England will be found to have a very ill Foundation For what some pretend that Edmund from whom the House of Lancaster descended was the eldest Son of Henry III. and that he being very deformed was obliged to give way to his Brother Edward I. is rejected as a frivolous Fable by the English Historians This King did labour under great difficulties at the beginning of his Reign all which he at last overcame For the Design of the French to restore Richard ended with his death And a Conspiracy of some Lords against him was discover'd even before Richard died The Scots who made War on him got nothing but blows The Welshmen also in hopes of having met with an opportunity to shake off the English Yoke joined with a discontented Party out of England and rebell'd against him but before they could join all their Forces the King came suddenly upon them and overthrew them in a great Battel wherein 't is said the King kill'd six and thirty with his own Hands Yet the discontented Party did not rest but enter'd into a third Conspiracy against him which was soon discover'd A great many of them retir'd afterwards into Scotland where they stirr'd up the Scots against England for these never used to miss an opportunity of being troublesome to England but they got nothing but blows again for their pains This King died in the Year 1413. § 15. After him reigned his Son Henry V. who in his younger Years did not promise much but after he came to the Crown shew'd himself one of the most valiant Kings the English ever had And as he was very Aspiring and Ambitious so he thought he could not meet with a better opportunity of gaining Glory than by entring into a War with France and renewing the ancient Pretensions upon that Crown He sent therefore his Ambassadours to Charles VI. to lay claim to that Crown and to make this Proposition to him That if he would resign to him the Crown of France he would marry his Daughter Catharine But it being not usual that Princes are persuaded to part with a Crown thus the next way was to try their Fortune by Arms. Henry therefore enter'd France with an Army took Harfleur and obtained afterwards a most signal Victory near Agincourt in Picardy against the French who according to the English Historians were six times stronger than the English Ten thousand of the French were kill'd upon the spot and as many taken Prisoners not above some Hundreds being slain of the English Yet at that time Henry did not pursue his Victory But not long after the French Fleet having first been beaten by the English near Harfleur Henry made a second Descent upon France taking one place after another in Normandy and at last the City of Roan it self He met with very little opposition in France at that time because all was in confusion at the French Court the King Charles VI. being not in his right Wits and the Queen being fallen out with her Son the Dauphin who had taken from her all her Jewels and Money alledging That they might be better employ'd upon the Souldiery Which was the reason that the Queen siding with John Duke of Burgundy did promote him to the place of chief
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
God and having once more by his Ambassadours sollicited the Pope but in vain to decide the matter the King had the same adjudged in Parliament and divorced himself from her yet conversed with her in a very friendly manner ever after till her death except that he did not bed with her since the time when this scruple first arose Some Months after he was married to Anna Bullen by whom he had Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen Anno 1535 the King caused himself to be declared Supream Head of the Church of England abrogating thereby all the Pope's Authority in that kingdom and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Thomas Moor the Lord Chancellour refusing to acknowledge him as such it cost them their Heads Yet would Henry never receive the Doctrine of Luther or Zwinglius but continued in the Roman Communion because he was mightily exasperated against Luther For Henry had formerly got a Book to be published under his Name against Luther in favour of the Pope for which he acquired the Title of Defender of the Faith which Title the Kings of England retain to this day But Luther setting aside all the Respect due to a King writ an Answer to the same full of Heat and bitter Reflections Yet because he esteemed the Monks as a sort of people that were not only useless but also such as depending on the Pope might prove very pernicious to him at home he gave free leave to all Monks and Nuns to go out of the Convents and Nunneries and by degrees converted unto his own use the Revenues of all Nunneries and Convents Colleges and Chappels as also those of the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem nevertheless he employed some part of them in erecting six new Episcopal Sees and Cathedral Churches and to the advancing of Learning in the Universities A great part also he gave away or sold for a little Money to great Families intending thereby to oblige them for the future to maintain the alterations he had made It is reported that these Church Revenues which were so reduced did amount yearly to 186512 l. or as some others will have it to 500752 l. He also abolished the superstitious worship of Images and made some other alterations in Religious Worship so that in effect he laid the Foundation of the Reformation Nevertheless England was at that time in a miserable condition for a great many Roman Catholicks that would not acknowledge the King for the Supream Head of the English Church were executed And a great many more Protestants received the same punishment because they would not own the Corporal presence of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament tho' this effusion of blood was not so much caused by the King as by the Bishops who had first brought in use such rigorous Laws and now executed them with as much severity In the Year 1543 another War happened with the Scots who making an Inrode into England were beaten by a few English which did grieve King James V. to that degree that he died for trouble leaving behind him one only Daughter Mary whom Henry would have engaged to his Son Edward thereby by to unite these two Kingdoms and the business was like to have succeeded very well if the Archbishop of St. Andrews had not opposed it Henry also enter'd into a League with the Emperour against France wherein it was agreed to join their Armies of 80000 Foot and 22000 Horse near Paris to plunder that City and to ravage the whole Country as far as the Loire But neither of them acted according to the Agreement for Henry wasted his time in the Siege and taking of Boulogne which he afterwards by the Peace concluded in the Year 1546 promised to restore to France within the space of eight Years in consideration of the Summ of 800000 Crowns to be paid him for the same which was performed accordingly under Edward VI. Neither do I believe that Henry was in good earnest by ruining the French to give such great advantages to Charles V. After his Divorce with Catharine of Arragon he was very unfortunate in his Marriages for Anna Bullen was beheaded for Adultery and Incest tho' some are of opinion that it was more the Protestant Religion than the Crime which proved fatal to her It is certain that the Protestant Princes of Germany did so resent this matter that whereas they intended to have made Henry the Head of their League they afterwards would hold no correspondency with him After Anna Bullen he married Jane Seymour Mother to Edward VI. who died in Child-bed Then he married Anna of Cleves whom he also pretending I know not what bodily infirmity in her quickly dismiss'd The fifth was Catharine Howard who was beheaded for Adultery The sixth Catharine Parre Widow of the Lord Latimer who outlived him Henry died in the Year 1547. § 20. Edward VI. was nine Years of age when he came to the Crown during whose Minority his Uncle the Duke of Somerset had the Administration of Affairs His first design was to force the Scots to agree to a Match betwixt Edward and their young Queen Mary wherefore he fell into Scotland and overthrew them near Muskelborough in a great Battel Nevertheless he miss'd his aim for the Scots sent their Queen into France who was there married to the Dauphin afterwards King of France by the Name of Francis II. Under this King Edward the Reformed Religion was publickly established in England and the Mass quite abolished which occasioned great disturbances in the Kingdom which were nevertheless happily suppress'd In the Year 1550 there was a Peace concluded betwixt England France and Scotland when also Boulogne was restor'd to the French But King Edward falling sick the Duke of Northumberland who had before destroyed the Duke of Somerset persuaded King Edward under pretence of settling the Protestant Religion to exclude by his last Will and Testament his two Sisters Mary and Elizabeth for of the Queen of the Scots they made but little account at that time from the Succession of the Crown and to settle it upon Jane Grey Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whom he had by Mary Daughter of Henry VII which afterwards proved fatal both to Jane and the Author For after the death of Edward the Duke of Northumberland caused Jane to be proclaimed Queen in the City of London but Mary eldest Sister of Edward did immediately lay claim to the Crown in her Letters to the Privy Council And Letters proving ineffectual they began to come to blows but most of the Nobility unto whom Mary promis'd not to make any alteration in Religion did side with her and a part of the Army and Fleet most of the Privy Counsellors and the City of London taking her part proclaimed her Queen Northumberland himself being now willing to go with the tide did proclaim Mary Queen in Cambridge notwithstanding which he
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 Maâ—thias 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
Session of this Parliament the Ulcer which had been long gathering in the Minds of the people broke out For the Parliament in lieu of assisting the King against the Scots enter'd into a Confederacy with them promising a monthly Subsidy towards the maintaining of the Scottish Army which was to be ready at the English Parliament's command Then they began to reform the States to clip the King's Authority to punish his Ministers and Servants and to take away the Bishops Liturgy and fall upon Papists The better to obtain their aim they forced the King to consent that he would not dissolve the Parliament till all such as were criminal were punished and the State were entirely reformed In a word that they should have the liberty to sit as long as they pleased Which in effect put an end to the Royal Authority To try the King's Patience and their own Strength they brought the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland to his Tryal who notwithstanding he made a good Defence and the King did his utmost to preserve his beloved and faithfull Minister yet the Rabble of London then encouraged by the House of Commons making an Insurrection he received Sentence of Death in the House of Lords And the King refusing to sign the Warrant for his Execution was obliged thereunto partly by the importunity of the Parliament partly by the Insurrection of the Rabble of the City of London and partly by a Letter from the Earl desiring him to do it Then the rest of the King's Ministers went to rack some of them saving themselves by flight some being imprisoned The Bishops were excluded from the House of Lords The Star-chamber the Authority of the Privy Council and the High Commission were suppressed the Customs and power over the Fleet were taken away from the King Some of these and some other things which proved very prejudicial to him the King was forced to grant them in hopes thereby to heal the ulcerated Minds of the people He went also in person into Scotland where he granted them all what they could desire About the same time a horrid Conspiracy broke out among the Irish Papists who pretended to maintain the Popish Religion and to redress some Grievances by force of Arms which occasioned afterwards a most cruel slaughter At last it came to an open Rebellion For the Parliament not ceasing to encroach daily more and more upon the Royal Authority the King resolved to assert his Authority wherefore he summoned five Members of Parliament whom he accused as Traitors and authors of all the Differences And the House of Commons taking their part the King went into the House accompanied with some Officers and spoke to them with a due resentment of their Behaviour which however they made but little account of being not ignorant of his want of Power of which he seem'd to betray himself when he immediately afterwards condescended and came nearer their Expectations The House of Commons thereupon stirr'd up the neighbouring Counties and especially the London Apprentices who made such an Insurrection that the King not thinking himself safe in London retir'd into the Country And the Parliament order'd all the Governours of the Sea-ports not to obey the King's Commands It was certainly a great errour in the King that in such troublesome times he had not taken care to secure to himself the Sea-ports by which means he might have hoped for some assistance from abroad For when the King intended to possess himself of the Fort and Harbour of Hull he was not admitted so that there was nothing left but that the Parliament had not as yet taken from the King the disposal of Offices But for the rest it was evident that their Intention was to abolish totally the Royal Power and to introduce a Democracy And after the King had once given his Assent to the exclusion of the Bishops from the House of Lords where they had six and twenty votes and the rest of the King's Friends had once absented themselves from both Houses it was easie for the remainder quite to abolish the Authority of the House of Lords Thus after there had been long contests by Words and Writings betwixt both parties the King now as well as the Parliament began to Arm themselves And the King having at several times at first beat the Parliament Forces the Parliament stirr'd up the Scots entring with them into a Confederacy Whereupon the Scots came with a considerable Force to the assistance of the Parliament which turned the Scale the King's Forces being routed near York and he obliged for want of Men and Money to give himself up to the protection of the Scots who nevertheless did surrender him to the English for the Summ of 400000 l. under condition that he should not be abused by them The King was afterwards carried a Prisoner from place to place for a considerable time § 28. By these means the Puritans or Presbyterians had under the pretext of Religion overthrown the Royal Power But that they could not long enjoy their usurped power was occasioned by a certain Sect that called themselves Independent because they would not depend on any certain from of Faith or Spiritual or Temporal Constitutions nor acknowledge any of the same whereby they opened a door for all sorts of Fanaticks to come under their Protection These under pretence of a particular holy Zeal had not only got a great sway in the Parliament and had been against any peaceable accommodation propos'd by others but also by their cunning insinuating way crept into the chief Civil and Military Employments For in the place of the Earl of Essex Thomas Fairfax was made General and Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant General over the Army the last of which was the Head of the Independents a sly and cunning Fox And out of this party all vacant places were supply'd in Parliament The Presbyterians therefore perceiving that the Independents began to be very strong in the House and that most Military Employments were in their Hands proposed in the House That one part of the Army should be sent into Ireland that some Forces only should be kept in England and the rest be disbanded Cromwell made use of this to stirr up the Souldiers telling them that they were likely to be disbanded without pay or else to be starv'd in Ireland Thereupon the Souldiers enter'd into an Association among themselves taking upon them not only the Military but also all the Civil Power they took the King from the Parliament into their own custody pretending they would give him his liberty but made themselves Masters of the City of London and acted in every thing at discretion For they quickly after broke off the Treaty with the King and a great many of the Subjects who were not able to bear their Tyranny taking up Arms were dispers'd by Cromwell who also beat the Scots that were come into England to the assistance of the King making
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
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
former times it has been objected to them That they were very brave at the first Onset but after their first Fury was a little cool'd their Courage us'd to slacken if they met with a stout and brave Resistance wherefore they us'd to make great Conquests but seldom kept them very long And after they had good Success they us'd to grow careless insult over the conquer'd and put them to great Hardships under their Government But in our last Wars they have shewn sufficiently that they as little want Constancy at last as Heat and Fury at first There is a great number of Nobles in France who make Profession of the Sword and make no difficulty to expose themselves to any Hazards to gain Glory In former times the French Infantry was good for nothing wherefore they always us'd to employ Swiss and Scotch but now a-days their Foot are very good and in attacking of a place they are to be preferr'd before all other Nations This Nation always hath a great Veneration and Love for their King and as long as he is able to maintain his Authority is ready to sacrifice Life and Estate for his Glory The French are also brisk forward and of a merry Constitution as to their outward appearance in their Apparel and Behaviour they are generally very comely and some other Nations whose temper is more inclined to gravity and do attempt to imitate them appear often very ridiculous there being a vast difference in these matters betwixt what is natural and what is affected They are of a Genius fit to undertake any thing whether it be in Learning Trade or Manufactures especially in those things which depend more on ingenuity and dexterity than hard labour On the other side the levity and inconstancy of the French is generally blam'd which is easily to be perceiv'd by such of them as are raw and unpolish'd and a great many of them glory in amorous Intrigues oftentimes more than is true and under Pretence of Freedom they commit great Debaucheries § 26. The Country which is possess'd by this potent Nation is very conveniently situated almost in the very midst of the Christian World wherefore this King may conveniently keep Correspondence with them all and prevent Europe from falling into the hands of any one Prince On the one side it has the Mediterranean on the other the Ocean and on both sides a great many pretty good Harbours and is well water'd with Rivers besides that great Channel with twelve Sluces by which the present King has joyn'd the Rivers of Garonne and the Aude and consequently the Mediterranean with the Ocean which proves very beneficial for Trade It is also very near of a circular Figure and well compacted so that one Province may easily assist another On the side of Spain the Pyrenaean Mountains and on the Italian side the Alpes are like a Bullwark to the Kingdom but on the side towards Germany and the Netherlands it lies somewhat open For out of the Netherlands Paris it self has often been hard put to it And this is the reason why the French have been so eager in getting a good part of these into their Possession in which they have been successfull in the last War and thereby have mightily strengthen'd their Frontiers and for the same reason they have made themselves Masters of Lorrain to fortify themselves on the side of Germany and by degrees to become Masters of the Rhine the ancient boundary of Gaul which seems the only thing wanting to the Perfection of France Next to this France may be one of the most happy and most fruitfull Countries not only for the equal Temperature of its Climate betwixt an immoderate Heat and an excessive Cold but also because it produces every thing which seems to be requisite for the Sustenance and Conveniency of Mankind so that scarce a spot of Ground is to be found in France but what produces something or other for the benefit of Man And its Product is not only sufficient for its Inhabitants but also plentifull enough to be exported into foreign parts The Commodities exported out of France are chiefly Wine Brandy Vinegar Salt innumerable sorts of Silk and Woollen Stuffs and Manufactures Hemp Canvas Linen Paper Glass Saffran Almonds Olives Capers Prunello's Chesnuts Soap and the like Yet in Normandy and Picardy grow no Vines but the common people drink Cyder Scarce any Metals are to be found in France and not Gold or Silver Mines But this want is supplied by the ingenuity of the French and the folly of Foreigners For the French Commodities have drawn Fleets of their Money into France especially since Henry IV. set up the Silk Manufactury there There are some who have computed that France sells Stuffs A-la-mode yearly to Foreigners only to the value of 40 millions of Livres Wine 15 millions Brandy 5 millions Salt 10 and so proportionably of other Commodities Mr. Forcy an Englishman says that about the year 1669 the Commodities which were brought from France into England exceeded what were carried from England to France in value 1600000 lib. Sterl And it is notorious that by help of such Commodities as they send into Spain they get a great part of their West-India Plate-Fleet Yet Navigation does not flourish so much in France as it might The reason seems to be that the French Nation is not so much addicted to the Sea and that other Nations have been before-hand with them in the East and West-Indies Which is the reason that the King tho' he has above 100 Capital Ships yet cannot set out so great a Fleet hitherto as the English and Dutch as some think wanting able Seamen For it is not sufficient to Man out a Fleet once but in time of War Recruits must also be had Nevertheless it may be this King will first settle his Maritime Affairs and afterwards take his opportunity to surprize his Neighbours France has very few Plantations abroad except what is in the Caribby Islands the Isles called Tartuges and on the North-side of Hispaniola They apply themselves also to fishing upon the great Sand Bank before Newfoundland and catch in Canada and New France good store of Bevers They have set several Projects on foot for the East-India Trade but without any great success hitherto the Dutch who are so powerfull there opposing them with all their might Lastly the great strength of France may be judged of by this that the Revenue of the Clergy which is possess'd of two fifth parts as 't is said of the Kingdom amounts to 104 millions and 500000 Crowns yearly The King's Revenues are computed to amount now to 150 millions of Livres whereas in the last Age it did not amount to above 9 or 10 millions At the time of Henry IV. to 16 millions and in the year 1639 to 77 millions which vast difference is in part to be ascribed to the different value of Money since those times and
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
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
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 preteâ—d 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
he prosecuted with more patience than vigour He died in the year 1493. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian I. who had the good fortune by his Marriage with Mary the Daughter of Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy to annex the Netherlands to the House of Austria As he was very fickle in his undertakings so the success was generally answerable to it and various and his Wars with the Switzers and those in Italy against the Venetians had but a very indifferent end The chiefest thing of moment done by him is that whereas formerly all differences in Germany were decided by the Sword he reestablished the Peace of the Empire He died in the year 1519. § 13. Him succeeded his Grandson Charles V. King of Spain and Sovereign of the Netherlands under whose Reign the face of Affairs in Germany was remarkably changed which was occasioned by the Religious Differences set on foot about that time For the Pope had caused Indulgences to be sold here in so scandalous a manner that the wiser sort began to be asham'd of it Wherefore Martin Luther Doctor of Divinity and Professor in the University of Wittenbergh held a publick Disputation against it wh◠being opposed by others all the neighbouring Countries were alarm'd at it Luther at first did submit himself to the decision of the Pope but finding that he favour'd the Indulgence Merchants and that he was condemn'd by him he appealed to a free General Council and then began to go farther to examine the Popes Authority and having laid open some Errours and Abuses which were crept in among them his Doctrine was so approved of by some of the Princes and free Imperial Cities that they began to banish the Priests and Monks out of several places and to reduce their Revenues And tho the Emperour did declare Luther at the Dyet of Worms an Out-Law and endeavour'd by several Proclamations to put a stop to these Proceedings and Innovations nevertheless the Emperour being then engag'd in a war with France and therefore not in a capacity to apply himself in good earnest to the suppressing of this Division Luthers Party grew daily stronger Perhaps he was afterwards not very sorry to see the wound encrease that he might make the better benefit of the Cure there having been a Proclamation publish'd at the Dyet of Spiers which was in no ways agreeable to the Lutheran Princes they protested against the same from whence they are called Protestants In the year next following they delivered a Confession of their Faith to the Emperour at Augsburgh and entered into a Defensive Alliance at Smalkald which League was renewed in the year 1535. when a great many Princes and Free Imperial Cities were received into it This League made at Smalkald was a great eye-sore to the Emperour who used all means to dissolve the same But the Protestants who now began to trust to their own strength standing by one another the Hostilities began on both sides and the Protestants did bring into the Field an Army of 100000 Men under the Conduct of John Frederick Elector of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hesse If they had fal'n immediately upon the Emperour whose Forces were then not joined they might in all probability have worsted him but having lost the first opportunity the Emperour strengthen'd himself that he forced the Protestants to quit the Field and to disband their Forces He also caused a diversion to be given the Elector at home by his Kinsman Maurice which had such influence upon the Free Imperial Cities that they were oblig'd to submit themselves and to pay considerable Fines In the year next following the Emperour fell into Saxony and having defeated the Elector near Michlbergh took him prisoner against whom he pronounced sentence of Death which however he chang'd into an Imprisonment Philip Landgrave of Hesse having also submitted himself was contrary to agreement made a Prisoner whereby the Protestant Religion in Germany was reduc'd to great extremity The Electorat of Saxony was given to Maurice Duke of Saxony who at last being resolved not to permit any longer that both the Religion and Liberty should be quite destroy'd neither that his Wifes Father the Landgrave of Hesse who upon his Parole had surrendred himself to the Emperour should be detain'd a Prisoner fell so suddenly with his Forces upon the Emperour that he was very near having surprised his Person at Inspruck Henry II. King of France having also made an Inroad on the other side of Germany surprized Metz Tullie and Verdun King Ferdinand therefore the Emperours Brother interposing his Authority a Peace was concluded at Passau where their Religion was secured to the Protestants till matters could be better setled at the next ensuing Dyet The Landgrave was released as likewise John Frederick the Elector who was dismissed out of prison a little before by the Emperour At last the Religious Peace in Germany was establish'd at the Dyet at Augsburgh where it was provided that neither Party should annoy one another under the pretext of Religion and that such of the Church Lands and Revenues as the Protestants had been possess'd of before the Peace concluded at Passau should remain in their possession The Boors also in Germany raised a most dangerous Rebellion under the Reign of Charles V of whom there were kill'd above 100000. In the year 1529. the City of Vienna was besieg'd by Solyman the Turkish Emperour but to no purpose he being oblig'd to raise the Siege not without considerable loss And afterwards the Turks who were marching with a great Army into Austria were beaten back again In the year 1534. the Anabaptists were for erecting a new Kingdom in Munster in Westphalia under the Conduct of John a Taylor of Leiden and one Knipperdolling who receiv'd the dire Reward of their madness At last this great Prince Charles V. surrender'd the Imperial Dignity to his Brother Ferdinand I. King of Hungary and Bohemia who united these two Kingdoms to the House of Austria he having Married Anna Sister of Lewis King of Hungary and Bohemia who was slain in the battel fought against the Turks near Mohatz He Reign'd very peaceably in Germany and died in the year 1564. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian II. who also Reign'd in peace except that a Tumult happen'd at that time in Germany raised by one William Grumpach and his Associates who having first murther'd Melchior Zobel the Archbishop of Wartzburgh had plunder'd that City they also endeavour'd to stir up the Nobility and to raise disturbances in other places This man having been declar'd an Outlaw was protected by John Frederick Duke of Saxony who paid dearly for it Gotha one of his best strong Holds having been demolish'd and he himself taken Prisoner Maximilian died in the year 1576. Him succeded his Son Rudolph II. who Reign'd also very peaceably in Germany except that the
three-several ways First Whether this Necessity arises from the Nature of each Religion in general Or Secondly Whether it arises from the Genius of the Christian Religion in particular Or Thirdly Whether the same is imposed upon us by Divine Institution or the particular Command of God That it should proceed from the natural Constitution of Religion in general I am in no ways able to find out For Reason does not tell me that if I intend to serve God I must of necessity make a division in the State and thereby introduce two different Powers independent of one another The dismembring of the supreme Power or such a double-headed Sovereignty in a State administers continual Fuel which at last breaks out into Jealousies Divisions and intestine Commotions On the other hand it is in no ways contrary to Reason to serve God and at the same time leave the supreme Direction of the outward Matters belonging to Divine Service to such as have the supreme Power in the State if we suppose that those who have the supreme Power in their Hands will not impose any thing upon their Subjects which is false or erroneous It cannot be denied that as every one is bound by the Law of Nature to serve God also is it at the same time in his Power to perform the outward Ceremonies in such a manner as he believes they are most pleasing to God But after Civil Societies were instituted that same Power is thereby devolved to those who have the supreme Administration of Affairs in a Civil Society And the most antient Fathers who did not live under any regulated Government exercised this Power in their Families which used to be transferred to the Eldest Son as haereditas eximia or a hereditary Prerogative if the Brothers after the Father's death did resolve to live together in one Community But when afterwards Civil Societies were instituted the same Power was transferred to the Heads of these Societies and that out of a weighty Consideration For if every one had been left to his free Choice in this Point the various and different Ceremonies in the Divine Service must needs have introduced Confusions Divisions and intestine Commotions And tho' by the Jews the publick Ministry was hereditary to one particular Family yet the inspection and supreme Direction was among them reserved to those who had the supreme Civil Power in their Hands as the same is practised among most other Nations § 7. Neither can any Reason be given why the Christian Religion is particularly so qualified as to imply a necessity that the abovementioned Direction should be committed to any other than the supreme Magistrates tho' it contains something more than is taught us by the Light of Nature since we suppose that by vertue of this directive Power they ought not to impose any thing upon us contrary to the Word of God nor be a hinderance to the Priests in performing the Ministry according to the Ordinances of God in the Holy Scriptures Neither can I find out any Reason why the supreme Magistrates should want means duly to qualify themselves for this Administration or Direction At least they may let this Direction be exercised under their Authority by such as have acquired sufficient abilities for the same In like manner as Sovereigns exercise their Power by others in Civil Affairs so the Power of making Laws was never denied to appertain to Sovereigns tho' it is certain that a Doctor or Professor of the Law ought to be better instructed in them than is required from a King For both in these and other Matters Sovereigns ought to act with the Advice of such as have applied themselves throughly to such Affairs And as it is against the Interest of a Good and Wise King if this Power be not well exercised so it is both his Duty and Interest to see the administration of Religious Matters well performed For the more zealous and earnest he is in maintaining the Christian Religion the more obedient and better qualified his Subjects are likely to be and he may the better hope for the Blessing of God Almighty Neither can any thing be alledged why God Almighty should not as well afford his Assistance to a Christian and Orthodox Sovereign as to any other to perform this Government praise-worthily Lastly because the Christian Religion does not in any other way derogate from Civil Ordinances and Laws or from the Power of Civil Magistrates as far as they are founded upon the Law of Nature so it is not to be supposed that it disagrees from this in this one Point except a positive Command of God can be alledged for the proof of this Assertion Whether there be such a Command in the Holy Scriptures which expresly forbids Sovereigns to intermeddle with this Direction and allows the same to others in the highest degree of Sovereignty without any dependency at all those are obliged to prove who endeavour to maintain this Assertion In the mean while we will inquire into the first Occasion and by what degrees this Ecclesiastical Monarchy was established in the Western Churches § 8. The Apostles therefore having after the Ascension of our Saviour according to the Instructions received from his own Mouth begun to spread the Doctrine of the Christian Religion in far distant Countries met with great approbation in a short time both among the Jews and other Nations but more especially among the Common People which having hitherto lived in gross Ignorance and in a miserable Estate very joyfully received this Doctrine which enlightened and comforted them in the miseries of this Life The Apostles also themselves who were of mean Extraction and of no great Authority used to converse most among this sort of People as having the most easie access to them as their equals But Men of Quality and Learning did scare at first think it worth their while to apply themselves diligently to search into the bottom of this Religion and very few of them would profess it If we may inquire into the Reasons why it was the pleasure of the Wise God to choose this way of planting the Christian Religion it seems very probable that God was not pleased to introduce the Christian Religion by the Power and Authority of Civil Magistrates nor by the Assistance of Learned Men because it might not be deemed hereafter a State Trick or a Philosophical Speculation but that whenever a due comparison might be made betwixt the slender beginnings and prodigious encrease of this Religion the World might from thence conclude that the whole was something above humane Power And because the Learned had proved unsuccessful with all their subtilties in their Discoveries concerning Divine Matters and that Socrates and some others who were sensible of the vanity of the commonly received Superstitions and had condemned them as such had not been able to abolish those and in lieu thereof to introduce a better Religion God Almighty was willing to convince the
the encouragement of Princes and other great Men that endowed them with great Revenues But when the Charity and Liberality of the People seemed almost to be exhausted by the great Charges bestowed upon so many rich Monasteries and yet there were not enough to contain all such as were desirous to enter into this sort of Life at last in the Thirteenth Century the Order of the Mendicant-Fryars was erected These made a great shew of Holiness because they would not be taken for such as were forward to choose a Monastick Life to live in plenty but for such as had taken a resolution to bid farewel to all the Pleasures of this World and at the best maintain themselves by Alms. A great many have embraced this severe Order out of an Opinion of a particular Holiness and Merit which they believed did belong to this Order or rather an Ecclesiastick Ambition the Pride of Mankind being so great and natural to some that they did not think the Commands of God sufficient but rather would receive Heaven from God Almighty as a desert than as a gift and were ambitious of having a preference before others even in the other Life Some there are who embrace a Monastick Life out of desperation some out of laziness A great many are by their Parents and Relations sent into a Monastery out of Superstition or Poverty and to prevent the ruin of a Family by the division of the Estate among a great many Children And out of these Fryars the Pope has chosen his Regiment of Guards which he lays in Garrison not only to plague the Laiety but also to curb the Bishops and the rest of the Clergy It was for this reason that the Pope did uphold the Fryars with so much zeal against the Bishops in the Tenth Century especially when they withdrawing themselves from the Jurisdictions of the Bishops did submit themselves to the immediate Authority of the Pope And the Popes know so well how to handle them that tho' there are great Jealousies on foot betwixt their several Orders as for example betwixt the Franciscans and Dominicans they nevertheless keep so even a ballance betwixt them and so equally dispose of their Favours towards them that one Order may not oppress another or that any of them may have any reason to complain of the Pope's partiality These Fryars also used to interfere often with the regular Clergy as pretending to a great share in the Legacies and Burials of the richer sort to the direction of Consciences and the administration of the Sacraments From hence did arise a continual envy and hatred from the Bishops and regular Clergy against these Fryars who being upheld by the Pope's Favour were not concerned at their anger And therefore whenever any Bishop attempted any thing against the Pope's Authority these Fryars with their clamour and noise pursued him every where like so many Hounds and rendred him odious to the common People amongst whom they were in great veneration through their outward appearance of Holiness and from thence it came to pass that the Bishops who opposed the Pope's Authority never could make a great Party among the common People Besides this the Fryars always kept a watchful Eye over the actions of the Bishops giving continual advices concerning them to their Generals residing at Rom◠whereby by the Popes were enabled to oppose timely any design intended against their Authority And these Fryars proved the main obstacle why the Bishops could not so effectually oppose the Pope's Authority which he assumed over them so that being destitute of means to help themselves they were forced to follow the current Tho' it is also certain that some of them were very well satisfied with it as believing that they did participate of the Grandeur of their supreme Head and that thereby they should be exempted from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrates which was more dreadful to them than a foreign Jurisdiction exercised by those of their own Order from whom they had all the reason to expect more Favour Nevertheless it is also undeniable that a great many Bishops especially among those on this side the Alps bear a grudge to the Pope's Authority to this very day which evidently appeared at the Council of Trent where the French and Spanish Bishops did insist very closely upon this Point that it might be decided whether Bishops are not obliged to Residence by the Law of God which is also the Opinion of the Jansenists as they are called in France and the Netherlands The more refined sort did easily perceive what their Intention was by making this Proposition For if God had commanded them this it must also be a consequence that he had given them means and instructed them with sufficient Power qui dat jus ad finem dat jus ad media and that therefore they were not obliged to go to Rome first and to purchase an Authority to exercise their Function The Pope met with great Difficulties before he could surmount this obstacle at the Council of Trent wherefore it is very likely that this will be the last Council since the Pope will scarce hereafter put his Grandeur to the hazard and the decision of such an Assembly which also seems now to be of no further use since the Jesuits and some others have taught that the Pope is infallible and above Councils from whom they ought to receive a confirmation and a binding or obliging Power But let it be as it will the Bishops are for their own sakes obliged not to withdraw themselves from the Popes subjection since thereby they would fall under the Jurisdiction of the Civil Power and would be obliged to seek for Protection from their Sovereigns who must be Potent Princes if they should protect them against the Pope wherefore they are now forced to choose the least of two Evils § 19. Tho' the Church was never so abounding in Riches and in great numbers of Ecclesiasticks yet was it absolutely necessary that the Pope if the intended to establish an Ecclesiastical Monarchy should not be in any ways dependent on any Temporal Prince and that he should reside in a place which was free from all subjection to any Civil Power but himself that he also should be possessed of such an Estate as might be sufficient to maintain his Grandeur and not to be liable to be taken away from him upon any pretence whatsoever where also his adherents might find a safe retreat whenever they should be pursued by the Civil Power To establish this was a business of a considerable time and labour neither could it be effected without great opposition and that by a great many Artifices and knavish Tricks And it is certain that as long as there was an Emperour in the Western Empire and as long as the Empire of the Goths lasted in Italy the Bishops of Rome could not so much as think of this Greatness But this having been destroyed under the
they made use of the Examples of Ambrose and Theodosius they used to relate how the Spanish Bishops had obliged King Wamba by way of penance to lay down the Crown As also how the Bishops of France had deposed Lewis Surnamed the Pious who afterwards could not recover his Crown without the Consent and Authority of another Assembly of Bishops They alledged for another Example how Fulco then Archbishop of Rheims had threatened Charles Sirnamed the Simple to absolve his Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance if he made an Alliance with the Normans who were then Pagans They supposed that it was without question that the Pope's Power did extend it self beyond that of all other Bishops since it was not limited by any thing except by the express Canons of Councils and Decrees of the Popes wherein nothing was contained against this Power of deposing of Kings and they say it was not to be supposed that they could have been forgetful of this point And because they had assumed a Power to give the Name and Title of a King to some who either prompted by their Ambition or Superstition had begged the same from them they supposed that by the same Right they might take away the Crown from such as they esteemed unworthy of wearing it They also had forbid to marry within the seventh degree of Consanguinity and the fourth of Affinity whereby they often met with an opportunity to be troublesome to Princes For because it seldom happened among those of so high a Rank but that one side or other was within one of these degrees they stood in continual fear lest the Pope should disturb their Negotiations except they humbly begged for a Dispensation and in both cases the Popes knew how to make their advantage of them Lastly the Popes having abundance of Business to dispatch did thereby draw the best and most refined Wits to their Courts who used to go thither to look for Imployment and to perfect themselves in the great School of Europe These were always for promoting the Pope's Interest and Designs from whom they expected their promotion besides that the whole Clergy did adhere to him as to their supreme Head Pope Boniface VIII did clearly give us to understand his meaning at the Jubilee kept in the year 1300. when he appeared sometimes in the Habit of an Emperour sometimes in that of a Pope and caused two Swords to be carried before him as the Ensigns of the Ecclesiastical and Civil Power § 23. But the Popes could not long enjoy this unsufferable Usurpation in quiet for it was so often called in question till they were obliged to draw in their horns and to make their pretensions a little more plausible 'T is true in the Business with the Emperours the Henrys and the Fredericks they got the upper hand nevertheless they met betwixt while often times with very indifferent entertainment and such things were sometimes publish'd against them as were little to their Honour and from whence it might easily be judged by those that were impartial that not the Glory of God but their own Grandeur was the chief aim of their undertaking But when Boniface III. pretended to play the same Game with Philip Surnamed the Handsome King of France he watched his opportunity so well and gave him such a blow that the Pope felt the smart of it And to avoid the Scandal which the common People might take at these so severe proceedings against the Pope use was made of this pretext that what was done against his Person was not intended against the Vicar of Jesus Christ but against a pernicious Person who by unlawful means was got into the Chair and that a general Council ought to be called to free the Church from his Oppressions But the ensuing Schisms have proved the most pernicious to the Popes Authority as also the double Elections which have been made at several times when the Cardinals being divided set up two Popes at once who used by turns to excommunicate and revile one another and to maintain themselves in the Chair were fain to flatter the Kings and acknowledge that they were beholding to them This Division was an evident sign that the Elections of these Popes had not been guided by the Holy Spirit but been influenced by some ill Designs and Intrigues Wherefore it was also the Opinion of the Wiser sort that in such a case neither of them ought to be acknowledged as Pope but that a new one ought to be chosen which was also put in execution at the Council of Constance The first Schism arose according to my Opinion in the year 1134. or as some will have it 1130. when after the death of Honorius II. Innocent II. and Anacletus were both chosen Popes And tho' the first had the greater party on his side yet did the King of Sicily and Duke of Aquitam vigorously uphold the latter and his adherents did after his death choose another in his stead who called himself Victor with whom Innocent made an agreement so that he voluntarily relinquished his pretension and acknowledged him his Superiour But after the death of Adrian IV. two Popes were again elected at one time viz. Alexander III. and Victor IV. To the first adhered France England and Sicily to the latter the Emperour Frederick I. all Germany and the Clergy of Rome And after his death those of his party chosen three successive Popes all whom Alexander out-lived These used to make a common Trade to excommunicate and revile one another and each of them were fain to behave themselves towards their Protectours more like a Client than a Master But much greater was the Schism after the death of Gregory IX when again two Popes were elected at once whereof one resided at Rome the other at Avignon This Schism lasted through several successions near the space of Forty Years during which time both parties excommunicated one another very frequently and committed great Cruelties France Scotland Castile Savoy and Naples were of the side of the Pope that resided at Avignon but all the rest of Christendom declared for the other at Rome Both parties took great pains to set out the great numbers of Saints that were of their party and what Miracles and Revelations were made concerning their approbation And both sides knew how to produce such Reasons that at last there was no other remedy left them but to force both the Anti-Popes to abdicate themselves at the Council of Constance and to choose a new one in their stead The last Schism of all arose when the Council of Basil having deposed Eugenius IV. did in his stead elect Felix V. Pope unto whom the former would not submit And these Dissentions were continued till after the death of Eugenius when Nicholas V. was chosen in his stead unto whom Felix for quiet sake did resign the Chair upon very advantageous terms in the year 1488. It is very easily to be imagined how these Divisions did
be obliged never to marry which seemed most suitable to the gravity of this Court since a great train of Ladies living in great splendour and plenty would have made such a figure as must needs appear but little suitable to excite others to a Holy Life and Devotion Wherefore it was the main design by a fained hypocrisy to impose a belief upon the People as if the Court of Rome was so wholly taken up with spiritual Affairs that there was no room left for worldly Pleasures It was also reasonably supposed that a Prince who had Wife and Children might sometimes be led away to take more to heart the private Interest of his Family than the publick Good of the State since there can scarce be any thing more prevailing upon a Man than the consideration of the welfare and preservation of Wife and Children And what Alexander VI. and Paul III. did with their Bastards have been convincing Instances of this position to the Court of Rome It is possible that they also rook this into consideration that if a Temporal foreign Prince should obtain this Dignity he would entail it upon his House which inconveniencies are now avoided by the Obligation which is laid upon the Pope never to marry The Conclave is also a most admirable Invention to bridle the immoderate Ambition and prevent those Schisms which used formerly miserably to afflict the See and weaken the Authority of the Popes besides that thereby a long Vacancy of the Chair is prevented and by means of this Election it is much easier to pick out one that is fitly qualified to represent the great and artificial Hypocrite and afterwards to make the People believe that are ignorant of the Intrigues of the Conclave that it was by the particular providence of God Almighty that such a Person was chosen as was the most worthy to be God's Vicar upon Earth Thus much at least may be obtained by an Election that such a Person is chosen as is well versed in the Arts of Policy and their ambitious Designs and whose Age being above the folly and extravagancies of young Men may by his years and long experience appear more venerable in his Function It is also a very wise Ordinance concerning the Election of a Pope that he is to have two third parts of the Votes in the Conclave which seems to have been introduced that the new Pope might not be displeasing to a great number of Cardinals Now a days it is a general maxim in the choice of a Pope to elect an Italian which is not only done because they rather will bestow this Dignity and Advantage upon a Native of Italy than upon a Foreigner but also because the security and preservation of the Papal Chair depends in a great measure on the ballance which is to be kept betwixt France and Spain which is not to be expected from a French of Spanish Pope who would quickly turn the Scale and by granting too great Prerogatives to his Country-men endeavour to exclude others from the Papal Chair They also choose commonly a Pope who is pretty well in years but very seldom a young one that also others may be in hopes of attaining the same Dignity and that a young Pope during a long Regency may not undertake to alter their Customs and Maxims or to make his Family so Rich and Potent and set up so many Creatures of his own as thereby to entail the Papal Chair upon his House Besides that in this station where the Pope need not to go into the Field there is more occasion for a grave antient Man than a vigorous young Person It is also another Maxim among them to take care that he may not be too near a Kin to the deceased Pope that the vacant Church-Benefices may not fall into the Hands of one Family and the new Pope may be the sooner prevailed upon to amend the Faults of his Predecessor Lastly They are commonly for choosing such a one as is neither too much addicted to the Spanish nor the French Interest yet that he be not hated by either of these two parties Wherefore it is a Custom among them that both these Crowns give in a List of such Cardinals as they would have excluded from being elected Pope Notwithstanding all this it often so happens that one is chosen Pope of whom no body thought before when the Cardinals are tired out by so many Intrigues and are glad to get out of the Conclave It is also often observed that a Pope proves quite another Man after he is come to sit in the Chair than he was before when yet a Cardinal The Pope at his entring upon the Government is not tied to any certain Rules or Capitulations since it would seem very unbecoming to controul by humane Laws and Contracts the Power of him who is pretended to be endowed with the Holy Ghost But the College of the Cardinals is as it were the standing Council of the Ecclesiastical State in like manner as the Chapters of the Cathedrals are to the Bishops in Germany With those the Pope advises concerning Matters of the greatest moment nevertheless it often happens that the Popes and their Nephews make but little account of their Advice but act as they please The chief Prerogative of the Cardinals consists chiefly in that they have the Power of choosing a Pope and that out of their own Body they being supposed to be the next to him and best acquainted with the Affairs of the Court of Rome which is one necessary qualification of a Pope Their ordinary number is Threescore and Ten which is seldom complete They now a-days are treated by the Title of your Eminency according to a Decree of Pope Vrban VIII whereas they were formerly called Most Illustrious Illustrissimi which Title was grown very common in Italy And because the Cardinals had got a new Title the Princes of Italy pretended also to be treated by the Title of your Highness Altazza whereas formerly they were very well satisfied with the Title of your Excellency Excellenza The Election of the Cardinals depends absolutely on the Pope's pleasure who nevertheless constantly takes notice of such as are recommended to that Dignity by France Spain and other Princes The Parasites of the Court of Rome are not ashamed to maintain that the Cardinal's Cap is equal in Dignity to a Crowned Head and to this day they pretend to have the precedency before the Electors of the Empire Ever since the time of Pope Sixtus IV. viz. since the Year 1471. the Popes have made it their Business to enrich their Families out of the Church Revenues of which there are very remarkable Instances For it is related that Sixtus V. during his Regency of five Years did bestow upon his Family above three Millions of Ducats and Gregory XV. had in two Years and three Months got together the value of three Millions in Lands without reckoning what he left in ready
the practice of the Church for a great many Centuries yet did they persist with great obstinacy because it should not seem that the Clergy had committed an Errour and also that they might have a Prerogative before the Laiety in this Sacrament And to ridicule the more impudently both God and Men they give to the Laiety a Chalice which is not consecrated which in very despicable Terms they call the rinsing Chalices as People when they have eaten any uncleanly thing use to rinse their Mouths Marriage also was to be made a Sacrament tho' nothing is more absurd that the Clergy might have an opportunity to draw all matrimonial Causes under their Jurisdiction which are often very profitable very various and of the greatest Consequence since the welfare inheritance and succession of most People nay even of whole Kingdoms depend thereon This obliged Mary Queen of England to endeavour the re-establishment of Popery in that Kingdom for without the Pope's Authority she must have passed for a Bastard And Philip III. King of Spain was among other reasons obliged to the Pope because he had given Dispensation to his Father to marry his own Sister's Daughter of whom Philip was born which Marriage would not easily have been approved by other Christians There were also so many prohibited degrees introduced on purpose that the Clergy might have frequent opportunities to give Dispensations whereby they know how to feather their Nest By the Extreme Ointment the Priest takes an occasion to exhort the dying people to leave Legacies for pious uses which they commonly know how to apply to the advantage of their own Order Purgatory was invented for no other purpose but that the dying Man who at that time is not so greedy of worldly Goods which he is to leave to others might be liberal towards the Clergymen in hopes by their intercession and a good number of Masses to get the sooner out of this hot place The Veneration paid to the Reliques has also been very beneficial to the Clergy these are employed besides other uses to reward people of Quality that have done great services to the Pope with a piece of an old Bone in lieu of a better present The Adoration of the Saints serves for a pretext to build the more Churches institute more Feasts and employ and feed a greater number of Priests The power which the Pope has assumed of Canonization gives him a considerable authority among the People as if it were his prerogative to bestow Dignities and Offices upon whom he thinks fit even in Heaven and that God Almighty cannot but accept of such Referendaries as the Pope is pleased to represent to him By this means he makes himself Master of the Inclinations of the People though living in far distant places unto whom he proposes this as a Recompense of their Credulity and Ambition if they stick at nothing to promote his Interest And ever since this Superstition has taken root in Christendom those who have been Canonized have for the most part been Clergymen who either by a new invented Hypocrisie or outward appearance of Holiness had made themselves famous in the World Or if by chance one Layman or another has attained to this Dignity either he himself or at least those that interceeded for him have been fain to deserve very well of the Papal Chair Not to mention here in what manner they by fictitious Miracles several sorts of Images Apparitions Exorcisms Indulgences Jubilees prohibition of divers sorts of Victuals and such like tricks used to fool the People out of their mony § 34. Next to what has been said the Universities which have partly been Instituted by the Popes Authority partly by other States yet so that most of them have been Confirmed by the Popes who also have claimed the Supreme Direction over the some have been mainly instrumental in maintaining the Popish Sovereignty It is evident enough of what Consequence this Direction must needs be to the Pope For since in the Universities Men are first imbued with such Opinions as they afterwards are to make use of during their whole Life and instil them into others the Universities and Sciences there to be taught were to be sure to be accommodated to the Popes Interest Neither were the Professours of Divinity here who claimed the Precedency before all others the only Creatures of the Pope but also the Professours of the Canon Law who were as busie as any to put his Decrees upon the World and to maintain his Authority For the World may thank the Canon-Law for the first Introduction of those long Law Suits which the Clergy pretended to belong to their Jurisdiction that by receiving of Bribes they might the sooner satisfie their Avarice The greatest-part of the Philosophers were also the Popes Slaves and if one or another attempted to investigate the true causes of Things he was sure to be kept under by all the rest The Divinity and Philosophy which was professed in these Universities were not taught with an intention to make the young Students more learned and understanding but that the ingenious by these confused and idle terms might be diverted from throughly investigating those matters which would have led them to the whole discovery of the Popish Intreagues For their Scholastick Divinity is not employed in searching and explaining the Holy Scripture but for the most part entangled in useless questions invented chiefly by Peter Lombard Thomas Aquinas Scotus and the other Patriarchs of Pedantry And what they call Philosophy is nothing else but a Collection of foolish Chimer's empty Terms and very bad Latin the knowledge of which is rather hurtful than profitable if you have not been better Instructed otherwise So that all what they pretended to was to take care that the Sciences might not be fundamentally taught to the Students With these Trumperies the Universities were not only over-run during the former barbarous times but even continue to this very day and tho most Sciences are so much improved the old Leaven is with great Industry preserved and propagated on the contrary all the solid Science especially such as are Instrumental in discovering the Vulgar Errors of the World are suppressed Above all the rest the most useful of all Doctrine of Morality is much misinterpreted and entangled in an endless Labyrinth that the Fathers Confessours may not want means to domineer over the Laymens Consciences and to entangle them with so many dubious and double meaning insinuations that they are thereby rendred incapable to examin and rule their Actions according to solid Principles but are obliged to be guided blindfold according to the pleasure of their Fathers Confessours § 35. But because Learning had given the main blow to the Pope at the time of Luther's Reformation the Jesuits who may well be called the Popes Guard du Corps have afterwards taken upon them the management of the Youth for they not only teach publickly in the
Universities but they have also engrossed to themselves the Instruction of the Youth in the Schools that they might have all the opportunity so to guide and direct them in their Studies that they might not only not prove prejudicial but rather advantageous to the Kingdom of Darkness For by this way of managing the Youth they have not only acquired vast Riches and Authority to their Order but also have been very instrumental in maintaing the Popish Monarchy which they are bound to do by a particlar Vow above all the other Monks They make it their business to imprint into the tender minds of the Youth a Veneration for the Pope and so to guide their inclinations as they think it most profitable to the State of the Church They use the young people from their infancy to persist obstinately in their conceived Opinions and that no Reasons ought to prevail against them whereby they render them incapable of ever attaining the knowledge of Truth They have also an opportunity throughly to investigate and discover the Capacities and Inclinations of their Disciples which they make good use of to their advantage whenever these are imployed in State Affairs But such as they find of an extraordinary Capacity or abounding in Wealth they endeavour by all means to draw into their Order So that the main intention of their School Discipline which is so famous throughout the World is to uphold the Pope's Sovereignty They boast of extraordinary methods to teach the Latin Tongue to young people but they take a particular care that they do not let their Disciples grow too wise except such as are to be received into their Order And because they have by this management of the Youths brought a great many able Men over to their Order and are besides this very gentile and civil in their Conversation in which point they are far above all the other Monks who are most of them full of Incivility and Pedantry they have found means under pretence of being Confessours to creep into most Courts and to insinuate themselves into the very Secrets of the State so that in a great many Courts they have the greatest sway in the Councils And there you may be sure they will never be forgetful of the Popes and their own Interest Nevertheless by their insatiable Avarice and forwardness of medling in all Affairs they have made themselves odious in some places And because the Jesuits have trespassed upon the Authority and advantages of the other Monks who are of more antient Orders these are grown jealous of them to the highest degree Neither ought it to be passed by in silence that the Pope and his adherents pretend to have a right of Censuring and Licensing all Books whatsoever whereby they may easily prevent that nothing may come to light which might prove prejudicial to them And in Censuring of Books they are so impudent as not only to strike out of the antient Authors when the same are to be reprinted at pleasure such passages as they dislike but also they do not stick to insert such new passages as are suitable to their intentions If any Book is to be published in their Territories first the same is exactly revised and corrected And if it should happen by chance that something should be overseen in the first Edition which does not suit with their Interest it is marked in an Index made for that purpose that it may be omitted in the next Edition But the Books of their Adversaries are prohibited nay the reading of them is not allowed but to some particular persons and that not without special leave and these are such as they know to be thorough-paced and intirely devoted to their Interest By so doing they may lay to their Adversaries charge what they please since their Subjects never get sight of the others Refutation It has been a general observation that since the scandalous life of the Monks had not only been very prejudicial to the Popish Monarchy but also that the Protestants had set out their Vices in their natural colours The Papists have bespattered the Protestant Ministers with the same Vices as they were charged withal and have not only representedthe infirmities of some particular persons to the World but also have laid to their charge the most heinous crimes they could invent and afterwards have challenged their Adversaries to prove the contrary which Calumnies have such influence at least upon the simple and common sort of People that it gives them a great aversion to the Protestants They also do not want impudence to set out at a high rate their Miracles Martyrdoms and other great Feats which generally are transacted in far distant Countries by which means they gain a great Credit at least by the inconsiderate multitude Among others Edwin Sandys an English Knight has discovered abundance of these tricks in his Treatise concerning the State of Religion § 36. The Pope also makes use of more violent means to maintain his Authority In former Ages his Excommunication was a most terrible thing when whole Countries were forbidden the exercise of Religious Worship by which means the Popes have often obliged Emperours and Kings to come and creep to the Cross But now adays this Weapon is not frightful to any body except to some petty States in Italy Nevertheless in Spain and Italy they have set up a certain Court which is called the Office of the Holy Inquisition where Information is taken and all such proceeded against as have in any ways tendred themselves suspected of Heresie And it is counted the worst sort of Heresie if any one attempts any thing against the Popish Law and Doctrine or against the Pope's Authority This serves for a Bridle to curb the People withal and to the Inhabitants of those Countries is as terrible as the Plague since matters are transacted with so much severity in this Court that scarce any body that falls under the Inquisition escapes their hands without considerable loss § 37. Though the Supreme Direction and Administration of the Romish Religion together with their other rules which serve to uphold it and have been alledged by us here are a sufficient awe upon the People And besides this the Popish Clergy know how to manage their Affairs with that dexterity as to give some satisfaction to every one so that I am apt to believe that a great many who live under the Popish subjection are verily persuaded to believe what the Priests tell them to be real since they want means and opportunity of being better instructed Nevertheless it is very probable that a great many of the more learned and wises sort are sufficiently convinced in what manner things are carried on among them and that therefore it is in respect of same particular considerations that they do not free themselves from this Yoke I am apt to believe that most are kept back because they do not see how to remedy this Evil And yet they are
Protestants together by the Ears flattereth the Protestant Princes and takes care that many of them may marry Roman Catholick Ladies the younger Brothers out of the greatest Families he obliges to come over to his Party by bestowing upon them great Dignities and Church-Benefices all that will come over to his side are kindly received and very well used neither do they write so much against the Protestant Divines but rather endeavour to set up and maintain Controversies among them By these Artifices the Popish Clergy had got very visible advantages in this Age over the Protestants and are likely to get more every day since they see with the greatest satisfaction that their Adversaries do weaken themselves by their intestine Quarrels and Divisions § 40. From what has been said it is easily to be judged whether those Differences which are on foot betwixt the Roman Catholicks and the Protestants may be amicably composed either so that both Parties should remit something of their pretensions and agree to one and the same Confession of Faith leaving some by-Questions to be ventilated in the Universities or so that both Parties may retain their Opinions and yet notwithstanding this Difference might treat one another like Brethren in Christ and Members of the same Church Now if we duly weigh the Circumstances of the matter and the Popish Principles such a Peace is to be esteemed absolutely impossible since the Difference does not only consist in the Doctrine but both Interests are absolutely contrary to one another For first the Pope is for having the Church-Possessions restored but the Protestant are resolved to keep them in their possession The Pope pretends to be the supreme Head of Christendom but the Protestants States will not part with their Prerogative of having their Direction circa Sacra which they look upon as a precious Jewel belonging to their Sovereignty And to pretend to live in Communion and Amity with the Pope and not to acknowledge his Sovereignty in Ecclesiastical Affairs is an absolute contradiction In the same manner as if I would be called a Subject in a Kingdom and yet refuse to acknowledge the King's Authority Besides this the infallibility of the Pope is the Foundation Stone of the Popish Sovereignty and if that is once removed the whole Structure must needs fall wherefore it is impossible for the Pope and that for reasons of State to abate any thing from his 〈◊〉 wherein he differs from the Protestants For if it should â—e once granted that the Pope had hitherto maintained but one single erroneous point his infallibility would them fall to the ground since if he has erred in one point he may be erroneous in others also But if the Protestants should allow the Pope's infallibility they aâ— the same time must deny their whole Doctrine And it seems not probable that the Protestants can ever be brought to contradict and at once to recal their Doctrine concerning the vanity of the Popish Tenets Nay if it might be supposed that the Laiety should do it what must become of the Clergy Where will they bestow their Wives and Children Wherefore how good soever the intention may have been of those that have proposed a way of accommodation betwixt the Papists and Protestants which is commonly called Syncretism thâ—y are certainly nothing else but very simple and chimeâ—ical Inventions which are ridiculed by the Papists who in the mean while are well satisfied to see that the Protestant Divines bestow their labour in vain as to this point since they the Papists are no loosers but rather the gainers by it For this Syncretism does not only raise great Animosities among the Protestants but also does not a little weaken their Zeal against the Popish Religion It is easy to be imagined that some who do not thoroughly understand the Differences and hear the Divines talk of an accommodation betwixt both Religions are apt to perswade themselves that the Difference does not lie in the fundamental points and if in the mean while they meet with an advantageous proffer from the Roman Catholicks are sometimes without great difficulty prevailed upon to bid farewel to the Protestant Religion It is taken for a general Rule that a Fortress and a Maiden-head are in great danger when once they begin to parly § 41. But if the Question were put whether the Pope with all his adherents be strong enough to reduce the Protestants under his Obedience by force it is evident enough that the joint power of the Papists is much superiour to the strength of the Protestants For Italy all Spain and Portugal the greatest part of France and Poland adhere to the Pope as also the weakest part of the Swiss Canâ—ons In Germany those hereditary Countries which belong to the House of Austria the Kingdom of Bohemia and the greatest part of Hungary all the Bishops and Prelates the House of Bavaria the Dukes of Neuburgh and Marquisses of Baden besides some other Princes of less note some Counâ—s Lords and others of the Nobility and some Imperial Cities besides others of the Roman Catholick Communion that live under the Jurisdiction of the Protestant States all which according to my computation make up two thirds of Germany There are also a great many Papists in Holland neither is England quite free of them But of the Protestant side are England Sweden Denmark Holland most of the Secular Electors and Princes and the Imperial Cities in Germany The Hugonots in France are without strength and the Protestants in Poland being dispersed throughout the Kingdom are not to be feared Curland and the Cities of Prussia may rest satisfied if they are able to maintain the free exercise of their Religion neither is Transylvania powerful enough to give any considerable Assistance to the Protestant Party The Papists also have this Advantage above the Protestants that they all acknowledge the Pope for the supreme Head of their Church and at least to outward appearance are unanimous in their Faith whereas on the contrary the Protestants are not joined under one visible spiritual Head but are miserably divided among themselves For not to mention here those Sects of lesser note viz. the Arminians Socinians Anabaptists and such like their main Bod is divided into two Parties of very near equal Strength viz. into the Lutherans and those of the Reformed Religion a great many of which are so exasperated against one another that they could not be more against the Papists themselves Neither are the Protestants united under one Church-Government or Liturgy but each of these States regulate the same according as they think sit Neither can it be denied but that the Roman Catholick Clergy in general is more zealous and industrious in propagating their Religion than the Protestants a great many of these making no other use the Church-Benefices than to maintain themselves out of them just as if it were a meer Trade and the propagating of the Christian Faith is the least
had been given to them since the year 1454. but also several other Church Lands and precious moveables all which he annexed to the Crown In the mean while the Bishops and their party were not idle but were contriving all manner of mischief against the King though with small success For the Dalekerls who had made an Insurrection were frightened by the King to comply with his commands and to send away their Leader the supposititious Sâ—ure and Sigismund King of Poland unto whom the dissatisfied party had proffered the Crown did not think fit to accept of it so that Bishop Brask despairing at last of the Roman Catholick Cause under pretence of a Journey retired to Dantzick The King having surmounted all these difficulties thought convenient not to defer any longer his Coronation which having been solemnized at Vpsal with the usual Solemnity he summoned the Rebellious Dalekerls to appear before him at Thuana threatning them with Fire and Sword if they did not appear at the appointed time The Rebels being throughly frightened by the King's severity appeared without Arms at the appointed place where he caused several of the Ringleaders to be Executed and dismissed the rest after having promised to be obedient for the future In Helsingland he appeased the tumultuous multitude with threats and fined their Leaders and having called together a Synod of the Clergy at Orebro where the King's Chancellour was President the chiefest Points of the Popish Doctrine were there abolished and in their stead the Protestant Religion introduced where it was also ordered that a Protestant Professor of Divinity should be Constituted in each Cathedral This wrought in a manner Miracles among the Inferiour Clergy and Monks who left their Monasteries were married and became Ministers in the Protestant Churches But the Bishops and their party entred into an Association with some of the dissatisfied Lords in West Gothland who accused the King of Heresie and other Crimes renouncing their Allegiance to him These were Headed by Thuro Johanson the Rix Marshal who raised an Insurrection among the Dalekerls and endeavoured also to stir up the West and East Gothes whom he persuaded to make Magnus Brynteson a Man in great Authority among them their King But the King having again appeased this tumult by granting his Pardon to them Magnus the Bishop of Skara and Thuro Johnson fled into Denmark but Magnus Bayteson Nils Olofson and Thuro Erickson having been Convicted of High Treason at the Dyet held at Strâ—ngness the two first were Executed and the third paid a considerable Fine The King then to settle the minds of his Subjects having renewed his Pardon caused the superfluous Bells to be taken out of the Steeples the same being granted to him by the Estates towards the payment of a Debt due to the Lubeckers Which proved a new Subject for an Insurrection for the Dalekerls not only seised upon some of these Bells but also pretended to hold an Assembly at Arboga to consult about the Deposing of King Gustave which obliged the King to call together the Estates at Vpsal whither he came in person with a good Army and meeting with great opposition from the mutinous People ordered his Soldiers to fire among them which so terrified them that upon their Knees they begged his Pardon promising to be more Obedient for the future Things being thus pretty well settled the King married Catharine the Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxen Lauenburgh and having received intelligence that King Christian was landed in Norway with a considerable Force he sent some Troops under the Command of Lars Sigeson the Rix Marshal to the Frontiers of Norway who having been joined by some Danes forced King Christian to raise the Siege of Banus who at last surrendring himself to the Danes was by Frederick King of Denmark committed to Prison where he died after twenty seven years imprisonment But no sooner was this storm over but the Lubeckers raised another against Sweden For they having demanded from the King to grant them the whole Trade on his Northern Sea Coasts which he refused to consent to peremptorily demanded their Debt and having joyned with a great many Refugies of King Christian's party and made John Earl of Hoya who had married King Gustave's Sister their Head did propose to themselves no less than the Conquest of the Northern Kingdoms having inticed some Citizens of Stockholm under pretext of making that City a free Hanse Town to lay violent hands on the King And after the death of Frederick King of Denmark when that Kingdom was divided into several Factions persuaded the Senate of Copenhagen and Malmoe to enter into the Confederacy of the Hanse Towns Being thus strengthened by a considerable party within that Kingdom they had great success against the Danes till these having declared Christian III. their King and being assisted with Mony Ships and Forces by King Gustave beat the Lubeckers near Heâ—sinburgh and afterwards in a Sea-Fight defeated their whole Fleet and carried a great many of their Ships into Denmark Soon after King Gustave to strengthen himself the better at Home married Margaret the Daughter of Abraham Erickson Governor of West Gothland which Alliance stood afterwards his Son Duke John in great stead against King Erick King Gustave having also conceived a jealousie against the Emperour Charles V. whom he suspected to be for making Palls Grave Frederick Son in Law of the imprisoned King Christian King over the Northern Kingdoms took a resolution to strengthen himself with the Alliance of France To put this design in execution he sent his Secretary into France who having first made a Treaty of Commerce betwixt these two Crowns did also afterwards conclude a defensive Alliance betwixt them Gustave having thus settled his Affairs called a Dyet to be held at Westeraas where the Estates of the Kingdom declared the Succession Hereditary for the future Constituting Erick Gustaveson who was then but eleven years old his Father's Successor At the same Dyet the Popish Religion was quite abolished and the Lutheran Religion Established in Sweden the King and the Estates having obliged themselves by a Solemn Oath to maintain the same with all their power In the year 1551. King Gustave after the death of his Queen Margaret married Catharine the Daughter of Gustave Olufson and ruled the Kingdom of Sweden with great Tranquility except that the Russians had faln into Livonia and Finland with whom having made a Peace and being now grown very old he by his Testament gave to John his second Son the Dukedom of Finland to the third Son Magnus the Dukedom of East Gothland and to Charles the youngest of all the Dukedom of Sudermanland Nericke and Wermeland which Countries they were to hold in Fief from the Crown But his eldest Son Erick who was â—o succeed him in the Kingdom having been persuaded by his Tutor Dionysius Burraeus a Frenchman to make his Addresses to Elizabeth Queen of
England thereby to strengthen his Interest against his Brothers sent the said Dionysius into England who having writ to his Master that nothing was wanting to make up the Match but his presence the Prince would have gone forthwith into England if his Father had not opposed it who sent in his stead his second Son John and Steen Sture These being very civilly entertained by Queen Elizabeth at their return Home told the Prince that they believed nothing to be wanting to compleat the Marriage but his presence which was very joyfully received by the Prince But the old and wise King who soon perceived that they had mistaken Complements for Realities thought it advisable to Communicate the business with the Estates Assembled at Stockholm who after having confirmed the former Hereditary Union and the King's Testament at last gave their consent to this Marriage granting a considerable Supply towards the defraying of the charges of this Marriage But whilst the Prince was preparing for his Voyage part of his Baggage having been sent before he being near ready to follow in person King Gustave dyed at Stockholm and King Erick not thinking it advisable to trust his Brother with the Kingdom was forced to put by his Journey into England § 10. King Erick was twenty seven years of age when he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom His first business was to prescribe certain new Articles to his Brothers thereby to maintain the Royal Authority against them which though sorely against their will they were forced to subscribe at the Dyet held at Arboga At his Coronation he first introduced the Titles of Earls and Barons into Sweden alledging that in an Hereditary Kingdom there ought to be also Hereditary Dignities among the Nobility At his very first Accession to the Crown he was engaged in the Troubles which then sorely afflicted the Liâ—landers For some of them having put themselves under the Protection of Denmark some under the Crown of Poland those of Reval and the Nobility of Esthenland that were nearest to Sweden sought for Protection to King Erick Whereupon the King having sent an Army under the Command of Claes Horn who was joyfully received at Reval took them into his Protection and confirmed to the City and Nobility their former Privileges As soon as the Poles heard of the arrival of the Swedish Army at Reval they sent an Ambassadour to demand Reval from the Swedes who having received no other answer but that the Swedes had at least as good a Title to Reval as the Poles returned Home again and the Swedish Garrison that was besieged by the â—olish Forces in Reval forced them to quit that Enterprise Soon after the King being fully resolved to pursue his intentions concerning the Marriage with Queen Elizabeth of England Embarked at Elshorgth to go thither in person but was by a violent Tempest forced to return As he was very inconstant in his Temper and very Superstitious being much addicted to Astrology so after this misfortune he laid aside the thoughts of this Marriage for a while making his Addresses by his Ambassadours and with great Presents to Mary Queen Scotland and the Princess of Lorain both at one time and not long after to Katharine the Daughter of the Landgrave of Hessen but succeeded in neither In the mean while his Borther John had married Katharine Daughter of Sigismund King of Poland which having been done without Ring Erick's good liking who was both mistrustful of the Poles and his Brother put him into such a rage that he besieged his Brother in the Castle of Aboa which having been taken by Strategem he caused him to be sentenced to death which Sentence he however changed into a perpetual Imprisonment for that time but seemed to repent of it afterwards when the Russians demanded the said Katharine his Brother's Wife in Marriage for their Great Duke The Poles to revenge this Affront stirred up the Danes and Lubeckers against the Swedes and the Danes having affronted the Swedish Ambassadours at Copenhagen preparations were made on all sides which soon broke out into a War wherein the Swedes routed the Danes and Lubeckers in several Sea Engagements but also lost their Admiral which Ship carried two hundred Brass Guns and by Land there was great havock made on both sides with almost equal Fortune except that the Swedes had pretty good success in Livonia But whilst King Erick was engaged in War with all his Neighbours round about him the inward discontents began to increase more and more among his Subjects by the ill management which he had shown both in his Affairs and Amours being surrounded with a Seraglio of Mistrisses among whom one Katharine an ordinary Country Wench had the greatest sway over him whom he also married afterwards whereby he lost his Authority among the Nobility Besides this he was guided in most concerns of moment by one Joran â—erson his Favourite and his former Tutor Dionysius Beuraeus who fomented a continual jealousie betwixt him and the Family of the Stures which at last broke out into a fatal revenge For there having been Witnesses suborned against Suarte Sture and his Son Erick they were with several others of that Family not only committed to Prison and miserably murthered there by the King's command but he also with his own hands stab'd Nils Sture and repenting soon after of so barbarous a Fact caused his former Tutor Dionysius who advised it to be slain by his Guards A great part of the Kingdom having been put into confusion by these enormous cruelties of which the King feared the consequences he thought it his best way to prevent further inconveniencies to set his Brother John at Liberty under certain conditions and to lay the blame of these barbarities upon Joran Peerson his Favourite who having been committed to Prison the Intestine Commotions seem'd to be appeased for the present But the King having not long after been very succesful in several Engagements against the Danes whom he beat quite out of Denmark he soon after released his Favourite and not only declared him free from any imputation but also justified the death of those Lords formerly murthered at Vpsal By his advise also he would have taken from his Brothers those Provinces which were allotted them by their Father's Testament in exchange of which he proffered them some Possessions in Livonia But the Brothers having refused this proffer he again resolved to make away his Brother John at the Nuptials which were to be celebrated at Stockholm betwixt his Mistress Catharine and himself and to give his Widow in Marriage to the Grand Duke of Russia But the Brothers having been advertised of the King 's sinister intentions did not appear at the Wedding and having made an Association with several of the Nobility that were Kindred of the Lords murthered at Vpsal they resolved to dethrone King Erick The better to execute their intentions they had by the intercession of the King of Poland
could bring over his Brother Charles to his party whom he sollicited by his Delegates to introduce the Liturgy into his Territories who having made answer that it was according to their Father's Testament neither in his nor in the King's power to make any Innovation in Religion this proved the subject of a great misunderstanding betwixt them Next the King had his recourse to the Pope who also having disapproved his undertaking he demanded from the Clergy at Stockholm to give their approbation of the said Liturgy but these answered that thereby a door was opened for the Roman Catholick Religion to be re-established in Sweden and having made their Appeal to a General Synod of that Clergy in the Kingdom a Convocation of the Clergy of the Kingdom except those in the Duke's Territories was held by the King's Authority where the King's party prevailed so that the Liturgy was confirmed not only by the said Clergy but also by the Temporal Estates who declared all such Traitors as should for the future oppose the same The King having gained this point banished and imprisoned some of those that would not conform to the said Liturgy notwithstanding which a great many of the Clergy that were professed Enemies of the said Liturgy and upheld by Duke Charles did not only boldly discover the deceitful snares of the adverse party but also sent to the German Universities of Wittembergh Leipzick Helmstad Francfut and others where their Zeal for the Augsburg Confession was approved and the said Liturgy condemned as dangerous to the Protestant Religion Hitherto King Erick had suffered a very hard imprisonment during the space of nine years but he having in the mean while by several ways endeavoured his delivery and King John now fearing that perhaps these Intestine Divisions might furnish him with an opportunity to make his escape he sent his Secretary to give him his last Dose which he did accordingly having poisoned him in a Pease Soop The King being rid of this danger began now to act more barefaced than before for now the Invocation of Saints was publickly taught in the Pulpits those that contradicted it were imprisoned a new University of Papists was to be erected at Stockholm he sent his Ambassadour to reside at Rome and the Pope had his Nuncio at Stockholm and to compleat the matter a great many young Scholars were sent to the Jesuits abroad to be duely instructed in their Principles In the mean while the War betwixt the Swedes and Moscovites was carried on without any remarkable advantage on either side till it was agreed betwixt the two Kings of Poland and Sweden that each of them should act separately against the Moscovites and what either of them could gain by his Sword should remain in his possession Then it was that Stephen King of Poland having attacked the Moscovites vigorously on his side the Swedes also under the Command of Pontus de la Gordie took from the Moscovites the strong Forthress of Kekholm the Castle of Padis Wesenburgh Telsburgh Narva where 7000 Moscovites were killed Jawmagrod and other places of note which raised such a jealousie in the Poles that they not only made a separate Peach with the Moscovites but also demanded several of those places taken from the Moscovites by the Swedes for their share which put a great stop to the Swedish progresses and occasioned a Truce of two years which was afterwards prolonged for four years longer betwixt them and the Moscovites Whilst these things were transacting the misunderstanding betwixt the King and his Brother Charles could not be removed notwithstanding that the Duke had shown his inclination of having these Differences composed but the King having called together a Dyet at Wadstena sent a summons to the Duke to appear there in person The Duke on the other hand who did not altogether trust the King having assembled some Forces in his Territories did not appear at the said Dyet but lodged himself in some of the adjacent Villages were at last by the mediation of some of the Senators the Brothers were reconciled the Duke having begged the King's pardon and referred the Differences concerning the Liturgy to the decision of his Clergy who at an Assembly held at Strengness rejected the aforesaid Liturgy In the mean while died Stephen King of Poland and his Widow Arâ—â—a being Aunt of Prince Sigismund the Son of King John she prevailed with some of the great Men in Poland to make him their King which was done accordingly tho' not without great difficulty on the Swedish side who could not for a great while agree to the several Propositions made to them by the Poles and King Sigismund himself seemed soon after to repent of it As soon as Sigismund had left Sweden his Father King John began to renew his Care for establishing the new Liturgy in the Duke's Territories but the Clergy there trusting upon the Duke's Authority and Protection remaining stedfast in their Opinion the King at last being tired out by their constancy sent for his Brother Charles to Stockholm where a hearty reconciliation being made betwixt them Charles was so dear to him ever after that he did nothing without his Advice or Consent which Friendship continued betwixt the two Brothers till a little before the King's death when Charles having married Cloristina the Daughter of Adolph Duke of Holstein the former jealousy was renewed in some measure in the King which soon ceased by his death which happened a few Months after at Stockholm § 12. After King John's death had been kept secret for two days the same having been notified to Duke Charles he forthwith came to Stockholm and having sent a Messenger to King Sigismund in Poland he in the mean while took upon him the Administration of the Government with the Consent of the Senate which was confirmed to him by King Sigismund for that time Soon after he called together the Swedish and Gothick Clergy at Vpsat the Finns refusing to appear where the Augsburgh Confession was confirmed and the Liturgy as also Popish Ceremonies newly introduced quite abolished This Decree having been approved of by the rest of the Estates they also made another wherein was declared That no body should appeal out of Sweden to the King in Poland and that the King should subscribe these Decrees before his Coronation This proved the subject of great broils afterwards for the King having understood what had passed at Vpsal he declared that he being a hereditary Prince in Sweden would not oblige himself to any thing before his Coronation and as to the Decrees made at Vpsal he declared them void which the Estates looked upon as an ill Omen for the Protestant Religion in Sweden Their jealousie was also not a little augmented when they saw King Sigismund come into Sweden accompanied by the Pope's Nuncio by whose advice the King demanded a Church for the Roman Catholicks in each City that the new Archbishop should be deposed
and that he would be Crowned by the Pope's Nuncio which obliged the Estates to send their Deputies to Duke Charles to desire him to interpose his Authority with the King Charles therefore having in conjunction with the Estates in vain endeavoured to perswade the King to a compliance with the Estates entred into an Association with them for the defence of the Protestant Religion and mustered his Troops near Vpsal The King perceiving them to be in earnest thought it his best way not to let things run to extremity but having consented to most of their Propositions which he surrendred to them the same morning when he was to be crowned the Coronation was performed by the Bishop of Strengness But no sooner was he returned to Stockholm but he took a resolution quite contrary to his Promise with an intention to obtain by force what he could not get by fair means Wherefore having sent for some Forces out of Poland he hoped to terrifie the Estates into a compliance at the next Dyet but these being backed by Duke Charles and having raised the Delekerls remained stedfast in their Resolution The King seeing himself disappointed again in his Design resolved upon the advice of the Poles to leave the Kingdom and the Government in an unsettled Condition hoping thereby to oblige them to be more pliable for the future But as soon as the Senators understood that he was sailed towards Dantzick they in conjunction with Duke Charles took upon themselves the administration of the Government deposed the King's Governour of Stockholm he being a Papiâ—t and forbid the exercise of the Romish Religion And soon after a Peace having been concluded with the Muscovites a Dyet was held at Sudercoping where after the Estates had justified their proceeding in a Letter to the King the Augsburgh Confession was again confirmed the Popish Religion abolished and all Swedes that adhered to the same declared incapable of any Employments in the Kingdom and several other Decrees were made against the Papists and for the maintaining of the Privileges of the Subjects Then they constituted Duke Charles Regent of the Kingdom to govern the same with Advice of the Senate and the whole Transaction was published in the Latin Swedish and German Tongues This having occasioned a general flight among the Roman Catholicks out of Sweden King Sigismund was so dissatisfied thereat that he quickly sent some Commissioners out of Poland to disswade the Duke from these proceedings but also when this proved ineffectual by his Letter to the Estates he committed the whole management of Affairs to the Senate excluding the Duke from the Regency In the mean while some Senators either to curry favour with the King or upon some distaste taken against Duke Charles had shewn themselves great Favourers of the King and declined to appear at the Dyet which was appointed to be held under the Duke's Authority at Arboga Notwithstanding which the few Senators and the Estates there present did again confirm the Decrees lately made at Vpsal and Sudercoping declaring Duke Carles sole Regent of Sweden But Niclaco Flemming the King's General being in Arms and having lately killed a great number of the Boors the Duke also thought it not fit to fit still but having gathered what Troops he could possessed himself first of Gothland and not long after of the whole Kingdom of Sweden the King's Governours and those of the Senators that had not appeared at the last Dyet held at Arboga flying in great numbers to the King in Poland King Sigismund then perceiving that his presence was absolutely necessary in Sweden resolved to go thither in Person with 6000 Men which the Duke having been advertised of called together the Estates of the Gothick Kingdom at Wadstena and having made known to them the King's intention it was unanimously resolved to meet the King with an Army near Calmar But the West-Goths and Smalanders having taken up Arms for the King and the Finns equipped some Ships for this Service the former were beat back by the Boors headed by two Professors of Vpsal and whilest Duke Charles was sailed with his Fleet to reduce the latter which he did with good Success the King without any opposition arrived at Calmar Several Treaties were then set on foot to endeavour the settlement of the Kingdom and to reconcile Matters betwixt the King and Duke which proving ineffectual both Parties had recourse to Arms. The first encounter happened near Stegeburgh where the Duke's Forces being surrounded were quickly put to the rout but laying down their Arms obtained Pardon from the King but the Duke soon made amends for this Misfortune at Stangbroo where having surprised part of the King's Army he killed 2000 of them upon the spot with the loss of 40 Men on his side This Defeat occasioned an agreement betwixt the King and Duke upon certain Articles of which the Estates were to be Guarrantees and the King promised to come forthwith to Stockholm to settle the Affairs of the Kingdom whither he would needs go by Sea tho' it was in October but in lieu of sailing to Stockholm directed his Course from Calmar where he was droven in by contrary Winds to Danâ—zick The Duke being surprised at this unexpected departure called together the Estates of the Kingdom who having once more constituted him Regent of Sweden at their second meeting at Stockholm renounced their Obedience to King Sigismund offering at the same time the Crown to his Son Vladislaus in case he would come within a twelve Months time into Sweden and be educated in the Lutheran Religion but in case of failure he and his heirs to be excluded from the Crown Duke Charles thereupon marched against the Finns whom he quickly forced to Obedience and having made an Alliance with the Russians convened the Estates of the Kingdom in the next following year at Sincoping where some of the Lords that were here having before fled into Poland were condemned of High Treason and executed accordingly and not only King Sigismund declared incapable of the Crown but also his Son Vladislaus because he had not appeared within the limited time excluded from the Succession About the same time the Duke being certified that the Eastlanders and especially those of Reval were inclined to his side he marched thither with a great Army and being received very joyfully by the Inhabitants of Reval the Polish Governours left the rest of the places of Esthland voluntarily to the disposition of Charles The same fortune artended him at first in Livonia where he took several places of note without much opposition but was forced to raise the Siege of Riga upon the approach of the Poles who retook Kakenhausen and some other places thereabouts Charles having in the mean time got notice how the Poles had set up the false Demetrius and assisted him against the Muscovites under pretence of being afraid of the designs of the Poles against Sweden desired to resign But these having
King near Werben decamped from Wolmerstadt and marched to Eisleben and from thence to Halli from whence he marched with 40000 Men to Leipsick which he took soon after The Elector of Saxony being thus put to a nonplus was then forced to send to King Gustave and to desire him to join his Army which lay encamped near Torgawi the King who had foreseen what would befal him being already advanced near New Brandenburgh and tho' the King was very glad of this opportunity yet because the Elector being now put to a nonplus now desired what he had resused before he proposed to him certain Conditions which the Elector having readily granted he passed the River Elbe near Wittenbergh with 13000 Foot and 9000 Horse and joined the Elector near Dieben Then a Council of War having been called where the Elector of Brandenburgh also was present the King who did not exspect that the old cunning General would give them any opportunity to fight was for acting very cautiously but the Elector of Saxony was not for protracting the War telling them that if the rest refused he would fight alone This opinion at last prevailed the King then thought it most convenient to attack him immediately before he could be joined by the Generals Altringer and Tieffenbach the first of which was already arrived near Erffurt the second being on his march out of Silesia Thereupon the command of the right Wing being left to the King that of the left to the Electors they marched towards the Enemy Tilly had no sooner been informed of their approach but he began to fortifie himself in his Camp near Leipzick But Papenheim and the rest of the Imperial Generals trusting too much upon the bravery of their Veteran Bands and despising the new Levies of the Saxons and the Swedes that were tired out by long march would by all means fight the Enemy in the Plains near Braitenfeld where Tilly lost the fruits of his former Victories He had possessed himself of all the rising Grounds where he had planted his Cannon and had also the advantage of the Wind but King Gustave who had put some Battalions of Foot among the Squadrons of Horse by wheeling about got the advantage of the Wind from him and having obliged the Imperialists to open their left Wing John Banner fell in among them and brought them into confusion But the greatest force of the Imperialists fell upon the Saxons whose Infantry and some of the Militia Horse were put to flight which obliged the King to fall with his Wing upon the Enemy's Horse that were in pursuit of the Saxons whom he quickly also forced to fly But the Imperial Infantry still held out till Gustave's Horse with some Squadrons of the right Wing fell into their Flank and the King about the same time having taken all the Enemy's Artillery they were put to an entire rout on all sides leaving 7600 Men dead upon the spot besides what was killed in the pursuit 5000 Prisoners took Service under the King Tilly himself who refused Quarter was likely to have been killed by a Captain of Horse if Rodulf Maximiliun Duke of Saxon-Lauenburgh had not delivered him by shooting the Captain thro' the head The Swedes took above 100 Standards and Colours but lost 2000 Men most of them Horse the Saxons lost 3000 who quickly retook Leipzick whilest the King marched towards Merseburgh where he out to pieces 1000 of the Enemies and took 500 Prisoners Then it was resolved at a Council of War held at Halle not to follow Tilly who was retired towards the River of Weser but to carry their victorious Arms into the Emperour's hereditary and other Roman Catholick Countries thereabouts After some dispute it was agreed that the King should march towards Franconia whilest the Elector of Saxony entred the hereditary Countries of the Emperour Pursuant to this agreement the King marched towards Erffurt where William Duke of Weimar was received without opposition and from thence into Franconia where he took Koningshofen and Sweinfurt without any opposition and the Castle of Wurtzburgh after some resistance In the mean while Tilly the Imperial General having been reinforced by several Troops that were before dispersed in Germany was come to the relief of Wurtzburgh but coming too late marched toward the River of the Tauber to cover the Bavarian and the Emperour 's hereditary Countries on that side but in his march the Swedes falling into his Rear cut off four entire Regiments The King having then made an Alliance with the Marquis of Anspach marched towards the Rhine surprised Hanaw but Franckfort on the River of Mayn surrendred voluntarily and having possessed himself of the whole Country of Ringau directed his march into the Palatinate which was then in the possession of the Spaniards Soon after entring the Berghstrate he took Gersheim and passed the Rhine near Stockstadt having defeated the Spaniards that would have disputed his Passage and at Oppenheim he cut 500 Spaniards in pieces but the Garrison of Mayence surrendred upon Articles and Landaw Spiers Weissenburgh and Mainheim fell soon after into the King's hands Rostock also and Wismar having in the mean while been surredred the Baltick Sea-Coast was cleared from the Imperialists And the Members of the Circle of the Lower Saxony at an Assembly held at Hamburgh had resolved to levy 6000 Foot and 500 Horse for the defence of that Circle The Elector of Saxony in the mean while having refused the offers made to him by the Spanish Ambassadour had sent his Army under the command of Lieutenant General Arnheim into Bohemia where among other places they had taken the City of Prague but having conceived a jealousy against the King whom he suspected to aim at the Imperial Crown he could not be prevailed upon to march further into Moravia and Austria And the Imperial Court seeing that Tilly was no more able to cope with the King resolved to give the supreme Command of the Imperial Forces to Wallenstein who being an old experienced Souldier and in great Authority among the Souldiers had besides this gathered such riches that he was able to raise an Army at his own charge He having been at last prevailed upon to take upon him the supreme Command raised an Army of 40000 Men against the next Spring But whilest these Preparations were making at Vienna the King's Forces notwithstanding the Winter Season having beaten the Spaniards upon the Moselle had taken Creutznach Braunfels Kobenhausen and Kirchbergh and the King having left the supreme direction of Affairs on the Rhine to Axel Oxenstirn he himself towards the Spring marched into Franconia But Tilly at his approach retired on the other side the Danube the King possessed himself of all the places along that River as far as Vlm from whence he marched towards the River of Lech where Tilly had entrenched himself in a Forest on the other side of that River Here it was that General Tilly was wounded by a Canon Bullet
that the Poles in the mean time should keep in their Possession the Dukedom of Severia Zernigo and Novogrod which they had taken during these Troubles in Muscovy In the mean time George Farenbach did surrender several places in Livonia to the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus but it was suspected that he intended to betray the King for soon after the same Farenbach was reconciled to King Sigismund unto whom he restored all the places except Pernau In the Year 1620. the Poles were engaged in a War against the Turks that were as 't is supposed stirred up by Betlem Gabor Prince of Transylvania for Sigismund having assisted the Emperour against him Betlem Gabor was for making them a Diversion by the help of the Turks The Turks therefore entred Moldavia with an Intention to banish that Duke who sided with the Poles the Polish General Zolkieuski coming to the Assistance of the Duke of Moldavia advanced too far into the Country and as he was marching back was totally routed and himself slain upon the Place In the Year next following the Turks marched with their whole Froces against Poland who were met by the Poles near Chocim under the Command of Prince Vladislaus The Polish Army was about 65000 strong but the Turks 392000 Men commanded by the Turkish Emperour Osman in Person The Turks did attempt three times to take the Polish Camp by Storm but were as often repulsed with great Loss But the Poles in the mean while suffered extreamly for want of Ammunition and Provisions and were mightily weakened by Sicknesses and the Mortahty among their Horses Nevertheless the Turkish Emperour made a very honourable Peace with them after he had lost 60000 Men in these several Storms made upon their Camp and a greater Number in his march back to Constantinople In the mean time King Gustavus Adolphus falling into Livonia took the City of Riga without any great Resistance And the rest of Livonia except Dunneburgh was Conquered by the Swedes in the Year 1625. King Gustavous entred Prussia with an Army in the Year 1626. where he took the Cities of Marienburgh and Elbing besides some other Places This War was thus carried on without any General Engagement till the Year 1629. when Hans Wrangel the Swedish General defeated the Poles near Gorzno Then the Emperour sent some Forces to the Assistance of the Poles who in a Battel fought near Stum were very near having made King Gustavus their Prisoner But the Polish Affairs being after this Battel fallen into great Confusion a Truce was concluded by the mediation of France and England till the Year 1634. the Swedes being in the mean while to keep in their Possession Elbing Memel Braunsberg Pillâ—u and what else they had taken in Livonia Sigismund died in the Year 1632. § 11. After his Death his Son Vladislaus IV. was declared King who in the Year next following obtained a signal Victory over the Muscovites that had besieged Smolensko for he not only forced them to raise the Siege but also brought the Muscovite Army into such streights that they were forced to surrender themselves And the Turks who would have made a Diversion to him were also bravely repulsed At last Vladislaus made a very advantageous Peace on his side with the Muscovites by vertue of which these renounced all their Pretensions upon the two large Dukedoms of Smolensko and Ozernichow This begot such a Terrour among the Turks that they freely made him Restitution for the Damages sustained in their last In-road having also caused the Bashaw who commanded these Forces to be strangled The Truce with Sweden was prolonged at Stumdorf in Prussia for 26 Years where the places possessed before by the Swedes in Prussia were restored to the Poles because the Swedish Affairs in Germany were then after the Battel of Norlingen in a very ill Condition and besides this the English and Dutch were extreamly dissatisfied with the Tolls that were paid in Prussia In the Year 1637. the Foundation was laid of the War with the Cosacks which has brought unspeakable Mischiefs upon the Poles The business happened thus As the number of the Cosacks was greatly encreased by the great number of Boors which frequently ran into them so the great Men in Poland had purchased great Estates in the Vkraine who were of Opinion that their Revenues would be considerably encreased if the Liberty of the Cosacks were reduced into more narrow bounds Wherefore they having advised the King that they ought to be more restrained for the future the Polish General Konicepoliski did cause the Fortress of Hudack to be built just at a point where the River of Zwamer falls into the Dnieper or Borysthenes The Cosacks endeavoured to prevent the perfecting of this Work by force but being routed by the Poles were obliged to surrender their General Pauluck and some of their Chief Men among them who were all notwithstanding a Pardon was promised them before hand beheaded Besides this it was decreed in the Dyet that all their former Priviledges and the Fortress of Techtimorovia should be taken from them and that in their stead a new body of Militia should be settled there To put this Decree in execution the Polish Army marched into the Vkraine against which the Cosacks fought with great bravery promising nevertheless that they would be faithful to the Crown of Polana if their ancient Priviledges were confirmed to them which the Poles did promise them bur did not perform nay did even treat some of them very ill For among other oppressive Methods they took also from them some of their Greek Churches Their General Chmielinski was also grosly Affronted for which he could obtain no Satisfaction For the King having granted him a Priviledge to build some Mills a certain Gentleman whose Name was Jarinski burnt the same having also ravished his Wife and afterwards killed both her and her Son § 12. In the mean time Vladislaus died whom succeeded his Brother John Casimir Then Chmielinski to revenge himself stirred up the Cosacks against the Poles who with Burning Plundering and Ravishing did what Mischief they could to the Polish Nobility And the Senators having desired the King to march out into the Field against them they were answered by him That they ought not to have burnt down their Mills Whereat the Poles being extreamly dissatisfied brought together an Army of 50000 Men which being defeated by the Cosacks there were killed 10000 upon the Spot and besides this they took the City of Kiovia To revenge this Affront the Poles summoned the seventh Man throughout the whole Kingdom and marched against the Cosacks without the Consent of the King but were again miserably beaten by them But Chmielinski celebrating the Nuptials of his Son with the Daughter of the Prince of Vallachia the Poles surprised the Cosacks thereabouts plundered the City and took the Grecian Patriarch prisoner The Cosacks then sent to the King to know
whether this had been done by his Authority and the King having answered No but that it had been done by the Nobility to take revenge of the Cosacks these joined with the Tartars and fell into Poland against these the King went in Person into the Field at the Head of the Nobility and defeated them in a Battel but the King having afterwards made an Agreement with them the Nobility was greatly discontented with the King's proceedings alledging that the King had granted too much to the Cosacks Whilst the Jealousies reigned in Poland the Muscovites fell into Poland and having brought the Cosacks over to their Party besieged Smolensko which they took in the Year next following and having ravaged every where in Lithuania they took Wilea and some other Cities where they committed great Barbarities In the Year 1655. another Storm threatened the Poles For Charles Gustavus King of Swedeland having with an Army of chosen Men entred that Kingdom first Conquered great Poland and Masovia and afterwards the lesser Poland with the capital City Cracovia from whence he marched into Prussia where almost all the Cities surrendred themselves except Dantzick where were at first a great many Citizens that favoured the Swedes but by the perswasions of some Ministers were kept in Obedience to Poland The Resistance which was made by this one City was the main Reason why all the Advantages got by the Swedes proved fruitless at last and that they could not maintain themselves in Prussia notwithstanding that not only the whole Militia of Poland and that part of Lithuania which was not under the subjection of the Muscovites had submitted themselves to the Swedish Protection but also that King John Casimir himself fled into Silesia For the Poles having recollected themselves after the first Constemation was over and being joined by the Tartars fell upon such of the Swedish Forces as were dispersed up and down the Country The Lithuanians also revolted and killed all the Swedes that were in Winter Quarters with them King Charles Gustavus also had greatly weakened his Army not only by the great March towards Jeroslavia but also Czarneski the Polish General did often with his Light-Horse fall upon on the Rear of the Army and did considerable Mischief In the mean while the Poles also had retaken Warsovia where they had made the Swedish Governour Wittenbergh and some other great Officers Prisoners contrary to the Articles made at the surrendry of the Place And tho' King Charles Gustavus having been joined before by the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces did vanquish the Poles and Tartars in a memorable Battel which lasted three Days and was fought near Warsovia yet all the Princes of Europe began to look about them and to consult about a Diversion to be made Sweden The Muscovites fell into Livonia where they besieged Riga but to no purpose The Hollanders did give plainly to understand that they were not willing that Prussia should come under the subjection of Swedeland And the Danes also began to be in motion On the other hand Ragozi Prince of Transylvania entred Poland with an Army to try whether perhaps he could obtain that Crown for himself But the King of Sweden being obliged to march out of Poland against the Danes Ragozi made a bad Market of it for before he could reach his own Country he was totally routed and oliged to make a shameful accord with the Poles Which misfortune however he might have avoided if he according to the advice of the King of Sweden who promised to keep the Poles so long in play till he was out of danger would have taken his march directly over Brescie Pinsk and so further towards his own Frontiers But Ragozi would by all means take his way near Cracaw Then the Poles retook Cracaw and Thorn and chased the Swedes out of Curland who had before taken the Duke of that name Prisoner The Poles also besieged Riga but were beaten from thence by the Swedish General Helmfeld And tho the Poles by the Peace made at Oliva recovered all Prussia again yet were they obliged to renounce all their pretensions upon Livonia and to leave the Muscovites in the possession of Smolensko Severia and Kiovia Neither could they appease the Cosacks some of them having put themselves under the protection of the Muscovites some under the Turks whereby they shewed the way to the Turks into Poland Neither could the King put an end to the intestine divisions and jealousies wherefore at last tired with these troubles John Casimir resigned the Crown and living a retired life in France in the Abby of St. Germain he there dyed a few years after § 13. There being now left none of the Royal Family in Poland several Foreigners pretended to the Crown But at last a Piastus whose name was Michael Witsnowizki was declared King chiefly by the Votes of the lesser Nobility His short Reign was full of intestine commotions and the Turks in the mean while did not cease to do considerable mischief in Poland having in the year 1672. taken Caminieck in Podolia which Fortress having been formerly thought impregnable serves them now for a door through which they may enter Poland at pleasure A Peace was then concluded with the Turks by vertue of which the said Fortress remained in the possession of the Turks the Poles also having promised to pay to the Turks a yearly Tribute This King dyed in the year 1673. In whose stead in the year next following the Polish General John Sobieski was made King of Poland he having in the year before attack'd the Turks in their Camp with such success that of 32000 Men scarce 1500 escaped alive He renewed the War with the Turks but concluded a Peace with them in the year 1676. by vertue of which the Turks kept the Fortress of Caminieck but remitted the yearly Tribute to the Poles He being a Man of great capacity it is hoped that he may prove a good King of Poland § 14. It is to be considered concerning the Polish Nation that whosoever is not a Nobleman in Poland is esteemed a Boor. For the Inhabitants of the Cities are very little regarded and the Tradesmen are most Foreigners But the Boors are esteemed nor used no better than Slaves being also very raw and barbarous both in their Life and Conversation wherefore when we talk of the Poles thereby ought only to be understood the Nobility They are therefore commonly downright and honest very seldom given to the art of dissembling they are of a very generous spirit and expect a great deal of respect And if you give them as much respect as they pretend to they are no less courteous and will willingly pay a respect again to you and their words and behaviour are full of Pomp and Ceremony They are very liberal or rather profuse and not given to be parsimonious tho they should want the next day This Nation also is very fierce