whom as afterwards with Childeric II. his Son she had great Interest and Power This done Grimoald confidently sets up his Son upon the Throne there are proofs of some Royal Acts he did but this attempt lost him all the veneration the Austrasians had for the memory of Pepin and gave them such horror for their Mayre and his Son that having taken them in some Ambuscades laid for them they led Grimoald to Paris to King Clovis who caused him to be put to death or as others will have it confined him to perpetual imprisonment however there was Year of our Lord 652 no more heard of him It is not said what became of his Son nor whether the Austrasians elected another Mayre Perhaps Erchinoald executed that Office in all the three Kingdoms for since the Decease of Floacat the Burgundians had created none CLOVIS II. Solus Year of our Lord 653. c. In these Minorities there being no Authority great enough to curb the Grandees they audaciously undertook to do any thing what pleased them best and most commonly deciding their quarrels by the Sword they put all the Kingdom into a combustion The Authors of those times accuse Clovis with giving himself up to the Debauchery or pleasures of the Mouth and Women and make a mighty noise for his having plucked off an Arm from the Body of St. Denis to place it in his Oratory They say he immediately fell into a fit of Madness as if he had been smote from Heaven Year of our Lord 655 and attribute to this attempt which at the worst was but an indiscreet Zeal all the mischiefs that afflicted the Kingdom of Franee during the Reigns of his Successors The same year this King aged only 21 or 22 years but having his Brain much shaken Year of our Lord 655 with frequent Convulsions dries up at the Root and dies in the spring of his age He did not Reign Seventeen years if we leave out that whole year wherein Dagobert dyed as the Authors of these times usually do but if we account from the very day he succeeded him he was entring into the Eighteenth he was interred at St. Denis His Mayre Erchinoald had amongst his Domestiques a young English Maid named Batilda of a rare Beauty but whom he had bought out of the hands of Pyrats who had stollen her away amongst some other Captives for in those days they brought great numbers from those parts he bestowed her upon this young Prince for a Wife about the year 548 or 49. and of his Slave made her the Wife of his Year of our Lord 548 King It was given out that she was of the Blood of the Saxon Princes who Reigned in England By this Batilda Clovis had three Sons Clotaire Childeric and Thierry Clotaire was saluted King of Neustria and Burgundy under the Government of his Mother and Erchinoald and Childeric made King of Austrasia whither he was Conducted and left he and his Kingdom under the management of Vlfoad Mayre of that Kingdom Thierry had no share perhaps because he was but yet in his Cradle Clotaire III. King XIII POPES VITALIANUS Elected in August 655. S. Thirteen years three Months EBROIN Mayre CLOTAIRE III. King in Neustria and Burgundy aged at most but Five years CHILDERIC King of Australia aged Three or Four years Year of our Lord 655 THe Government of the Mayre Erchinoald ended with his Life which hapned in a few Months after the death of Clovis the II or as others say a short time before Some with probability enough make him the prime stock of the House of Alsatia whence is issued that of Lorrain of these days which for Nobility yields to none in Chistendom unless that of France The French bestowed that Office upon Ebroin a man active valiant and who being greatly in friendship with the most Holy Men of those times and Founder of some Churches was held a good Man and he lived in that Reputation many years Year of our Lord 655 c. Queen Batilda Governed with as much Goodness Prudence and Justice as any wiâ—e King could have done And indeed for Ten years together there hapned no Trouble in her Sons Reign Before her time the Gauls as well those Infants that lay in their Cradles as their Fathers paid a great Tribute by Poll which restrained many from Marrying or obliged them to expose their Children the good Queen discharged them from it and forbid those Jews that used to buy such poor innocent Children and send them into Forreign Countreys to deal any longer in so inhumane a Trade Nay she bought several that those Infidels had already purchased and likewise such as had been stollen away by Thieves and sold for that purpose but she exhorted them to put themselves into Monasteries which she very greatly desired might be well Peopled She had a very particular care for all that concerned the Church For some time past the Princes had taken Money for Spiritual Promotions and the Bishops sold by Retail what they bought in the Lump She forbad that Sacrilegious Traffick Year of our Lord 656. 57 c. Besides she enriched divers Monasteries with Possessions and precious Ornaments obtained immunities for them and exemptions from Tribute built two famous Monasteries one for Women at Chelles the other for Men at Corbie on the Somme and invited many Holy persons to Court but to tell truth she gave too much access to the Bishops either for the good of the Church or her own Reputation Year of our Lord 664 or 65. Amongst the rest there were two in very great credit and esteem Leger whom she had made Bishop of Autun and Sigebrand we cannot tell of what place This last extreamly proud of the Queens Favour which gave occasion of much jealousie and ill report amongst the envious did so highly distaste the great ones that they put him to death without any form of Process or Trial. After this attempt whether they apprehended the Resentments of that Princess or had slandered and bespattered her on purpose to make her uncapable to Govern they besought her so importunately to retire that she was obliged to condescend Even those whom she had most gratified with her Goodness were of the party Some of the Grandees conducted her to her Monastery of Chelles where of a Queen she became only a simple Nun and yet was more Illustrious in her Humility then she had been in her exalted Greatness She lived till the year 686. Year of our Lord 665. c. It is to be believed that Ebroin the Mayre had managed all this contrivance that he might be left sole Governour for when the Reyns were off his Pride his Avarice his Cruelty and Treachery began to appear bare-faced He seized the Goods he took away the Offices he hunted away the Greatest that were about the Court and forbid any others to come in there without his leave Above all he hated Leger the Bishop of Autun because he was a Creature of
Burgundy and the Earldom of Nevers on the one part and Bourbonnois Beaujolois Lyonnois and Forez on the other Then it proceeded a little further at Nevers in the interview of Charles Duke of Bourbon and the Burgundian whose Sister Charles had Married These two Princes having accommodated those Affairs that were between them concerning the Homage for some Lands which the Duke of Bourbon refused to render him and for which they had made a rude War for some time began to fall into discourse of the Affairs of the whole Kingdom and agreed together that there should be a Conference held at Arras to find out the best means for procuring Peace between the two Crowns and between the King and the Burgundian Year of our Lord 1435 According to this Resolution there was held at Arras the greatest and the most noble Assembly that ever this Age had heard of All the Princes of Christendom had their Ambassadors there the Pope and the Council each their Legats The Harbingers took up Stabling for ten thousand Horse This was opened the Sixth day of the Month of August Year of our Lord 1435 The Duke was obliged in honour not to Treat without the English provided they would be satisfied with reasonable Conditions They were profer'd Normandy and Guyenne if they would do Homage for them but when he found they would relinquish nothing of their Pretensions he disengaged himself from them and made a separate Treaty the Popes Legat having absolved him of that saith he had given them The Popes did often practise this believing it a part of the power which our Lord Jesus Christ had given to bind and unbind Here is the Summary of the chiefest Articles The King by his Ambassadors disown'd that he had consented to the Murther of Duke John wickedly perpetrated and by wicked Counsel for which he was sorry with all his heart Promised he would do justice and cause such as were guilty to be prosecuted whom the Duke should name to him That if they could not be taken he would banish them from the Kingdom for ever and never admit them upon any Treaty He obliged himself to build for the Soul of the deceased Duke the Lord de Novailles and of all those that died since in that quarrel a Chappelat Montereau on the place where the Body of that Duke lay interred to set up a Cross on the Bridge to found a Monastery or Chartreuse where should be twelve Friers and a high Mass that should be sung every year in the Church at Dijon To pay fifty thousand Gold Crowns at 24 Carats c. for the Goods and Equipage taken when the Duke was Murther'd Moreover he relinquished and acquitted him of all Homage due for any Lands he held of the Crown and his Service and Personal Assistance during his life Gave him to perpetuity for him and his Heirs Males and Females the Countries of Mascon and Auxerre the Lordship of St. Jengon the Bailliwick of St. Laurence the Castlewick or Chastelleny of Bar upon the Seine and as security for four hundred thousand Crowns payable at two certain terms the Chastellenies of Peronne Roye and Montdidier and the Cities of the Somme that is St. Quentin Corbie Amiens Abeville and others As also the County of Pontieu on either side the Somme and the enjoyment of the County of Boulogne for him and the Heirs Male of his Body with all the Rights of Tailles Gabelles and Imposts all profits of Courts of Justice of the Regalia and all others arising from all those Countries That the Burgundians should not be obliged to quit the St. Andrews Cross even when they were in the Kings Army That in case of any contravention of the Subjects both of the one and other of these Princes should be absolved from their Oaths of Fidelity and should take up Arms against the Infringer That the King should tender his submissions for the compleating of this Treaty into the hands of the Legats from the Pope and the Council upon pain of Excommunication Reagravation Interdiction of his Lands and all other to which the Censures of the Church can extend That to the same purpose he should give the Seals of the Princes of his Blood the Grandees of the State the most noted Prelats and the greatest and chiefest Cities Year of our Lord 1435 And to make this Reconciliation the more firm and durable there was added the promise to bestow Catharine the Kings Daughter upon Charles Earl of Charolois the Dukes Son both as yet very young Four years after they sent this Princess to the Duke of Burgundy to compleat the Marriage Year of our Lord 1435 Besides this weighty blow which amazed the English much they received another which was the death of the Duke of Bedford Regent in France after whom they never had any but Men that were very violent hare-brain'd without either prudence or conduct The French in the mean time time took Diepe by Escalado and the kind usage they shewed to the Inhabitants brought them all the places of the Country of Caux Year of our Lord 1435 At the same time which was about the last day of September died the Queen Mother Isabella de Baviere in the Hostel de Saint Pol at Paris where she lived in a mean condition since the time of her Husbands death justly hated by the French and ingratefully despised by the English Some have written that to save the expences of her Funeral they conveyed her Corps in a small Boat to St. Denis attended only by four People Her death is attributed to an inward grief occasioned by the outrageous railleries of such as delighted to tell her face that King Charles was not the Son of her Husband Year of our Lord 1435 and 36 One of the greatest faults they committed after they had refused the offers made them at Arras was their not treating the Duke of Burgundy well their giving him reproachful language and not suffering him to be Neuter as he desired but to fall on his People wherever they met them endeavouring to surprize his places and harrasing him so perpetually that at length they constrained him to become their utter Enemy The Parisians comparing the pride and wretchedness of these Strangers with the courtesie and magnificence of their Natural Kings could no longer endure them or if any thing did yet with-hold them it was some remainders of that affection they preserved for the Duke of Burgundy But this knot being broken they now sought nothing but the opportunity to free themselves from their Bondage Year of our Lord 1436 The English having therefore been beaten at St. Denis by the Constable the honest Citizens of Paris took that opportunity to treat about their surrender to him Having obtained an Act of Oblivion and the confirmation of their Priviledges in such form as they desired they introduced him by the Gate called St. James This was on the Friday after Easter When he was entred the People fell upon the English
he gave Robert the Cities of Chaumont and Pontoise and the French Vexin Year of our Lord 1033 It was then likewise he yielded the Dukedom of Burgundy to his Brother Robert From whom issued the First Race of the Dukes of Burgundy of the Blood Royal. The Earl of Champagn did not hold himself vanquish'd by the defeat of the Party to make him lay down his Sword the King was forced to beat his Army twice and Year of our Lord 1033 and the following the third time put him to a rout and made him fly away half naked and hide himself before he could compel him to shake hands About the year 1032. or 33. Geofrey surnamed Martel made a cruel War upon William V. called the Gross Duke of Guyenne and Earl of Poitou whose Mother-in-Law or his own Fathers second Wife he had Married She was named Agnes Daughter of the Earl of Burgundy The Subject of the Quarrel was the Earldom of Saintonge and the Country of Aulnis which he disputed for The Authors do not tell us plainly by what Title he claimed but that he vanquish'd the Duke in a great Battle near Monstrenil-Bellay took him Prisoner and did not release him till three years end after he had yielded up Saintonge and paid a lusty Ransom Year of our Lord 1033 Rodolph or Rouel King of Burgundy beyond the Jour and of Arles dying in the year 1033. instituted his Heir Conrad the Emperor who had Married Gisâ—lle his youngest Sister and had by her a Son named Henry and made no account of Eudes Earl of Champagne the Husband of Berthe his eldest Sister because while he was living he would have forced him to acknowledge him for King and had bred Factions and Stirs in his Country By this Institution the Kingdom of Burgundy and Arles passing over to German Princes was by them as it were united and joyned to the Germanick Kingdom and the Empire who being at too great a distance have insensibly let it slip through their Fingers and after they had lost the Possession have likewise lost the very Title to it In these days lived Humbert Surnamed White-hands Earl of Maurienne and Savoy Stem of the Royal House of Savoy which at this day holds a great Rank amongst Christian Soveraigns the Off-spring of this Humbert having by Marriages Successions Conquests and other means assembled and joyned all the several pieces whereof that State is composed Some Historians make this Prince to be descended from Boson King of Provence others from Hugh King of Italy and some from the ancient Counts of Mascon but Tradition and which appears most probable makes him the Son of one Berald of Saxony who descended from Vitekind by the same Branch as the three Otho's Emperors or by some other Year of our Lord 1033 34 The Earl of Champagn not able to endure that Conrade should allow him no part of a Patrimony of which the best share ought to be his took his time when that Prince was employ'd in Hungary and with his own Forces and those of his Friends made himself Master of a great part of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1035 But Conrad at his return having led his Army into those Countries drove Eudes Garrisons forth of all the Places he had taken put in his own and received Hommage Year of our Lord 1034 of all the Lords In fine he handled him so roughly that all help failing and perhaps an apprehension getting into his thoughts that the King of France who hated him might agree with the Emperor to strip him he went and surrendred upon Mercy and humbled himself before him Year of our Lord 1035 Robert Duke of Normandy by force of Arms constrains the Bretons to do him Hommage Year of our Lord 1036 He dies the year after at Nicea in Bithynia upon his return from a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem At his departure he had instituted an only Son of his but a Bastard named William to be his Heir begotten on a Citizens Daughter of Falaise leaving him at Paris in the guard and protection of King Henry who had very great Obligations to him and giving the Regency of the Country to Alain Duke of Bretagne Year of our Lord 1036 William had two Paternal Uncles Mauger Archbishop of Rouen who was Married and had Children and William Earl of Argues to whom the Nobility of the Country would much rather have obey'd then to a Bastard This was the occasion of great Troubles and would have ruined Normandy had the French King's Forces been but as great as his desire to regain it Year of our Lord 1003 and the following About this time the name of the Normands began to grow famous and potent in Italy especially in Puglia and Calabria In the year 1003. forty Adventurers of that Nation upon the quitting the Holy Land having acted some things there almost incredible against the Saracens in favour of Gaimar Duke of Salerna who was hugely tormented by them being returned into Normandy loaden with Honour and Presents had excited other brave Men of their Country to go seek their Fortunes beyond the Mountains The first that try'd was a Gentleman named Drengot-Osmond who being forced to quit the Country for killing one William Repostel in the presence of his Prince having vapoured that he had abused his Daughter went with four more Brothers and some others of his Kindred to offer his Service to Mello Duke of Bary and Pandolphus Prince of Capoua who were Revolted against the Greeks They received them with open Arms and gave them a City and some Lands to maintain themselves Then after these were setled not without many hazards Combats and Adventures six of the Sons of Tancrede d'Auterville a Gentleman of the Bishoprick of Constance who had twelve all of them brave and courageous arrived there and carried their same to a higher pitch then the former Year of our Lord 1036 Normandy was all in Fire and Blood by the particular Feuds of some Lords upheld by the Uncles of the young Duke Alain III. Duke of Bretagne his Guardian being come to appease them could not avoid a Mortal Poyson given him by the Factious Antagonists Conan II. his Son but then in his Cradle succeeded him Year of our Lord 1037 About these times William the Gross Duke of Aquitain was delivered out of Prison and died the same year Otho or Eudes his second Brother succeeded him Two years after he inherited the Dukedom of Gascongne taking possession thereof in the Church of St. Severin at Burdeaux according to the Custom He had this Lordship in Right of his Mother Brisce who was the Daughter of Duke Sance Thus the House of Gascongne resolved or dissolved into that of Poitiers or Aquitain Year of our Lord 1037 The Pretensions of Eudes Earl of Champagne to the Kingdom of Burgundy not being wholly stifled he fell with an Army into the Kingdom of Lorrain which belonged to the Emperor and took the City of Commercy but as he
into Africk with the Count de Harcour the Lord de la Tremonille and other Lords and Gentlemen to the number of Eight hundred and a much greater number of Adventurers of divers Countries with whom he signaliz'd his Courage and Conduct against the Moors of Barbary The King of Armenia Minor sprung from the Blood of Luzignan flying from the cruelty of the Turks who had conquer'd his Kingdom and kept his Wife and Children in Captivity came for relief and assistance to the French Court where the King gave him Honourable Entertainment during all the rest of his days He enjoy'd it to the year 1404. then died at Paris and was interred at the Celestines Year of our Lord 1383. and 84. As to the Affairs of Naples Charles de Duras and his Captains behaved themselves so well that cutting off all Provisions from Lewis of Anjou and either following or flanking him so as to prevent his Fighting them they reduced him to the extreamest want of all necessaries even of Cloaths insomuch as this Prince who had carried away all the Kings Treasure had no more left him then a Coat of painted Cloth to wear and one Silver Bowl to drink in He had sent Peter de Craon an Angevin Lord into France to bring him Money and Succours this faithless Friend made no haste to return amusing himself at Venice with the divertisement of some Courtisans After the unfortunate Prince had waited a long time without any tidings of him he sunk under his grief and died the Tenth day of October in this year 1384. or Year of our Lord 1384 as some others will have it the One and twentieth day of September the year following The Earl of Savoy died in the month of March either of the Plague or by drinking Water out of a Fountain that had been poyson'd His Son Ame VII Surnamed Le Rouge succeeded him We must observe that this Amè VI. was the Institutor of the Order of the Collar which was composed of Love-knots together with the Symbolical Letters of the House of Savoy and had at the end a kind of a Ring or wreathed Coronet Duke Charles III. being at Chamberry Anno 1518. changed the name of this Order to that of the Annunciado to honour the Holy Virgin in that mystery which is the most agreeable to her adding Fifteen White Roses to the Fifteen Love-knots in remembrance of her Fifteen Joyes and filled the Pendant with Figures of the Annunciation Year of our Lord 1385 The unhappy remnants of the Duke of Anjou's Army perish'd by Famine and Want excepting such as dispersing by small parties retired into France begging their lively-hood and receiving more injuries and opprobrious words in their Travels then they got bits of Bread The Angevin party was not for all this quite extinct in that Kingdom it subsisted yet in the hearts of some Lords of that Countrey whereof Thomas de St. Severin was the Chief and who afterwards served very well upon occasion For this time the Kingdom rested quietly under Charles de Duraz. The Truce with the English being expired the King who began to take cognizance of his Affairs held a grand Council to deliberate whether they ought to continue it It was the interest of the Duke of Burgundy because of his Low-Countreys to have a Peace with the English but to counterpoise his Power and to flatter Year of our Lord 1385 the young Kings heat they resolved on a War and even to carry it into their own Countrey To this purpose they fitted up a great Fleet at Sluce and they sent to the Scots to oblige them to a rupture of the Truce on their side Year of our Lord 1385 By the methods the Kings Uncles Governed it appeared plainly they had a mind to suck the Peoples Blood to the very last drop The Clergy that they might secure something for their subsistance held an Assembly where they decreed that their Revenues should be divided into three parts the one to be for the maintenance of the Churches the other for Ecclesiastical Persons and the Third for the King without any mention of the Poor Pursuant to the recommendation of the late King Charles the Wise the young Kings Uncles sought a Wife for him in Germany the opinions in Council were different and divided the Duke of Burgundy carried it for Isabella Daughter of Stephen Duke of Bavaria Count Palatine of the Rhine The King Married her at Amiens the .... of July In the preceding month of April the Nuptials between John the Duke of Burgundy's Son and Marguerite Daughter of Albert Duke of Bavaria Earl of Hainault Holland and Zealand were consummate Year of our Lord 1385. and 86. The great design upon England being laid aside after a vast expence that something might come of it John de Vienne Admiral went with Threescore Sail to Scotland and there landed to attaque the English on that side He made an irruption into their Countrey and took some Castles but the savage humour of the Scots could not comply with the free liberty of the French Besides Love had invaded the Admirals Heart and Head which made him courta Lady of the Kings Parentage whereat that wh ole Court not being acquainted with those Gallantreys took such offence that he found it the best way to make his escape with all diligence Year of our Lord 1385 The obstinate Ghentois would not yet bend they had two new Leaders Francion and Atreman who hardned them against all apprehensions of punishment This obliged the King to make a third step into Flanders They had no Port could receive any English Succours but Damm the king having taken that by force and afterwards burning all the Houses round about their City the Rebels in the end began to hearken to Propositions for an accommodation being inclined by the more pacifique humour of Atreman one of their new Chiefs in despite of all the practises of John du Bois and returned to the obedience of the King and the Duke of Burgundy their Lord. This Prince quite wearied with this tedious War which ruined all his Countrey gave them a general Amnesty for all things that were past and the confirmation of all their priviledges upon condition they would renounce all Leagues and that the first that should violate the Peace might forfeit his Life and all his Goods The Treaty was Signed the Eighteenth of December A Truce was renewed likewise between France and England for some Months Charles de Duraz not being satisfied with having invaded the Kingdom of Naples went also into Hungary and usurped that upon Mary one of the Daughters of Lewis the Great his Benefactor who died Anno 1381. and Wife to Sigismund Brother of the â—mperour Wenceslaus whom he detamed in captivity with the Widow Queen his Mother After so many Treacheries and cruel Ingratitudes Heaven suffer'd him to be murther'd himself by the order of Nicholas Gato one of the Palatines of that Kingdom who was very
come to his majority Year of our Lord 1422 The one and twentieth of October following King Charles VI. the weakness of whose Brain stupified with so many relapses made him a prey to every one that could but come to deal with him ended his Life and his unhappy Reign in his Hostel of St. Pol at Paris attended only by his first Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber his Confessor and his Almoner His Funeral was at St. Denis no Prince of the Blood went to it not even the Duke of Burgundy who was ashamed to give place to the Duke of Bedford This last as soon as the Ceremony was over caused young Henry his Nephew to be proclaimed King of France Charles VI. Reigned two and forty years and five and thirty days and lived fifty two He had by Isabella of Bavaria six Sons the three first of them died in their infancy the other three Lewis John and Charles appeared on the Theater and the last survived him and Reigned He had the same number of Daughters Isabella Jane Mary a second Jane Michel and Catharine The first was Married to Richard II. King of England then to Charles Duke of Orleans the second died in her Cradle the third devoted her self to God in the Convent at Poissy the fourth Married John VI. Duke of Bretagne the fifth Philip who was Duke of Burgundy and the last Henry V. King of England Before him the Kings of France were wont at all Ceremonies to appear with all their Regal Ornaments and wear some marks about them every day as their Robes lined with Ermines and a Crown upon their Hoods or their Hats In the Army a Coat of Armour Sem'd with Flower-de-Luces and a Hoop with Flowers pretty high upon their Helmets This King neglected all these Ornaments and did not distinguish himself at all from other People so that he seemed to have degraded himself of all Royalty That Quarrel which Pope Boniface had with King Philip the Fair was the Rock whereon the Papal Power both Spiritual and Temporal was split and shipwrack'd which till then had Master'd had Lorded it over the Emperors and other Western Princes The translation of the Holy See to Avignon brought them lower yet by removing them out of their natural place and laying open their defects which exposed the Court of Rome to the great contempt and scorn of all that did but make the least observation on their ill Conduct But to say the truth France that thought to aggrandise it self by this Spiritual Power of the Popes Court gained nothing but their Vices with the plague of Litigious Disputes and the Maletost or extraordinary Taxes But if the multitude of Cardinals were an advantage to the State France might have vaunted that she alone had as great a number as all the other parts of Christendom besides We have seen how Clement V. promoted to the Papacy by a method not strictly Canonical extinguished the Order of the Templers who were found to be all guilty in France but innocent in divers other Countries John XXII was the first who made it a fixt and permanent right to reserve the Fruits of vacant Benefices for the Holy See He bestowed the same Honour on the Bishoprick of Toulouze but thinking it too rich and of too great extent he divided it into five whereof Toulouze is one Montauban Lavaur Rieux and Lombers are the other four which he would have to be its Suffragants as also Mirepoix and Lavaur created new by him Moreover he restored the Bishoprick of Pamiez to that of Toulouze which had been taken away and brought under Narbonne by Boniface VIII when he erected it To recompence Narbonne in some manner he made two more in the same Territory these were Alet whose See was first at Limoux and St. Pont de Tomieres He likewise made four for that of Bourges Castres of a portion of that of Alby St. Flour of part of Clermont Vabres of part of Rodez and Tulles of part of Limoges He likewise erected four for the Archbishoprick of Bourdeaux which had been dismembred Condon from the Territory of Agen Sarlat from that of Perigueux Maillezais and Lucon from that of Poitiers Most of these sixteen Churches were Abbies changed into Bishopricks and their Abbots converted to Bishops The Popes return to Rome was attended with a Schism of forty years which troubled all Christendom but afflicted France particularly overthrew the Discipline of Elections and of Collations filled all the Churches with Mercinary Pastors nay hungry Wolves and absorded all her Revenues not only by ordinary Taxes upon each of them by Annats and Rights of Provision but by extraordinary Taxes and Tenths The Princes first the Duke of Anjou then the Duke of Berry and after him the Duke of Orleans favoured the cupidity of the Popes of Avignon that they might share in the prey the Cardinals gorged themselves the Prelats either for want of courage or in hopes of getting into fatter Benefices gave their consent the lesser ones were so much under the pawes of the Wolf they durst not so much as open their mouths The University of Paris alone opposed these disorders and notwithstanding the Princes menaces the corruptions of the Court of Avignon the tricks and artifices of the Popes that were Competitors they saved the Temporals of the Gallican Church and restored the Universal Churches Peace by extinguishing the Schism And truly this great work is in the first place due to their zeal and labour and in the second place to the care and perseverance of the Emperor Sigismund who called and maintained the Council of Constance and who made divers Voyages into Italy France and Arragon to establish Unity and Peace There was not in all the Kingdom so powerful a Body as the University as well for the multitude of her Scholers which sometimes exceeded the number of thirty thousand as because she was the Nursing Mother of all the Clergy of France The remonstrances she took the liberty to make to the Princes the care she had to procure the reformation of the State during the troubles and that which hapned to Savoisy are very strong proofs of it But we will add two more The one that in the year 1304. the Prevost of Paris having caused a Scholer that was a Clerk to be hanged they carried their complaints to the King and left off their Exercises till they had satisfaction He was fain to go to the Pope for his absolution The other was thus in the year 1408. William de Tignonville who was at that time in the same Office having likewise sent a couple of Scholers to the Gallows who well deserved it but were Clarks was forced together with his Lieutenant to go and unhang them to kiss their Feet and cause them to be brought with great ceremony to the Matburins where yet their Epitaph is to be seen We find by the Letters of Pope John XXII that the Oriental Languages the Greek the Arabian the
During the Truces the Marquiss de Belle-Isle being gotten into Mount St. Michel intending to surprize it was kill'd by a Captain of his own Party whose name was Ker-Martin He thought that by carrying the Keys of that place to the King he should in recompence have at the least a Mareschals Staff After the Kings intentions were made so manifest to the Provenceaux that they had no room left for doubt the Provisions for the Duke of Guise being registred in Parliament and sortified by a thundring Decree against Espernon and all his Adherents those that had follow'd him only as their Governor forsook him and such others as Year of our Lord 1596 were closest riveted to his interest much shaken Being diffident of every one he month January changed some Governors amongst others Anchot de Mesplez whom he put out of St. Tropez one of his best places In effect Mesplez was the Man for the King who had Orders not only to dispossess him of the Province but also underhand to hinder Lesdiguieres from taking root there Which he shewed plainly enough when Lesdiguieres having besieged Cisteron and being on the point of forcing it he treated with the Governor Ramefort and got into the place with three hundred Men to defend it against him Now although Lesdiguieres did very well know this cross Game was dealt him by a higher hand he omitted not to continue his Services which every where succeeded prosperously and took five or six places more from the Espernonists but when he observed his progress redoubled the jealousies of the Duke of Guise and the Provenceaux and that he could now make no further advantage either as to his own Affairs nor the Kings he returned into Daufine upon some pretence the juncture of those times offer'd him When the Duke of Guise was become Master of all the Forces of the Province he month January and February did alone what he would not have done with a Companion and soon quieted the Province labouring at the same time to drive out the Savoyards and the Duke of Espernon and to reduce the City of Marseilles The Savoyards held yet two places there Grace and Berre he recover'd the first by means of two Captains who kill'd the Commander of it and block'd up the other with two Forts However a while after one Captain Alexander Governor of the last making a great Sally slew all the Men that were in those Redoubts and razed them so that he preserved the place for the Duke till the Treaty of Vervins The Reduction of Marseilles was the more important work several designs which they made trial of for this purpose had all miscarried Famine and Misery had mightily wrought upon and disposed the meaner People to a change but the Duumvirs Lewis d'Aix and Charles de Casaux stood but the more upon their guard and having offended so many People by their violence and severity that they could hope for no security amongst a generation so inclined to Resentment they rather chose to treat with the King of Spain who promised to give them two Dutchies in the Kingdom of Naples then with their natural King They had therefore to this end dispatched three of their Confidents to Madrid and in the mean time had obtained of John Andrea Doria Prince of Malfy a succour of twelve hundred Men brought to them in four Galleys by his Son with hopes of a much greater number in a few days Year of our Lord 1596 This Re-inforcement could not prevent their ruine which proceeded from that month February cause whence they could least expect it that is to say from a Bourgeois named Peter Libertat who was one of the most intimate Friends to Casaux in so much as he had intrusted him with the Guard of the Port Royal. This Man originally a Corsican Valiant daring and one that desired to raise himself by some brave Action having long before prepared his Party treated with the Duke of Guise to receive him into the City provided they would give him the Office of Viguier a Patent of Nobility for him and his the Government of Nostre-Dame de la Garde and fifty thousand Crowns in Silver When he had gotten his Securities they appointed the Seventeenth of February for execution That day the Duke of Guise approached the City within half a League and much nearer yet placed in Ambuscado some Troops commanded by Alamanon In the Morning Lewis d'Aix going out of the Royal Gate as his custom was with some Arquebusiers to search round the Walls Libertat who was there upon the Guard with his People pulls up the Draw-bridge and shuts him out Casaux was within the Town and not knowing they had put this trick upon Lewis d'Aix came with some belonging to him towards the same Gate as usually Libertat goes to meet him charges him and kills him Lewis d'Aix in the interim gets over the Walls being Craned up by a Rope and a Basket draws together a good number of his Friends amongst others the two Sons of Casaux and with these he comes and attaques Libertat and regains the Port. But the Advocate Bernard whom the Duke of Mayenne after his Treaty had sent to the Duumvirs to persuade them to return to their Obedience goes forth into the Street with his Pike in Hand and a white Handkerchief in his Hat followed by five or six noted Citizens crying out Vive le Roy In a quarter of an hour he got near a Thousand Men together and at the same time Alamanon advances from without with three hundred Soldiers upon whose appearance Lewis d'Aix loses courage falls back and gets into the Fort St. Victor the two Sons of Casaux threw themselves into the Fort de la Garde the Spaniards leap into the Water to recover their Galleys and stand off to Sea In fine the Duke of Guise is received into the City and his presence so astonishes those that had Cantonized themselves in their Towers and Forts that they immediately surrendred at discretion Year of our Lord 1596 Thus this great City was brought to its Obedience in less then two hours time without effusion of any other Blood but that of Casaux and three more As to Lewis month February d'Aix and the Sons of Casaux the first escaping by night from his Fort fearing to be deliver'd up by his Soldiers and the others having been turned out of theirs by one of their best Friends who desired to deserve his pardon to their cost they all retired to Genoa where they ended their miserable lives in want and contempt Marseilles reduced the Duke of Guise bent all his Strength against the Duke of Espernon As he was coming to the relief of the Citadel of St. Tropes which Mesplez had besieged de Guise charged him so impetuously that he forced him to repass the River of Argence which he did with so much precipitation that the greater part of his Troops were drowned or knock'd at Head month March As vain were
in the Kings House or in the Houses of great Officers and Trained up to all noble Exercises more honourably then Pages are in these days The Kings Revenues consisted in Lands or Demeasns and in Imposts which were taken only of the Gauls for it was thought odious to take any of the French Some of them were levied in Moneys others in Goods When they made the Division of Lands into Acres or Furlongs the Kings for their shares had much of the best especially about and near the greatest Cities They made their Residence and built them Palaces in the most pleasant places and especially near some great Forests for they delighted in Hunting and made a general one every Autumn In all those places which they called Villae Fiscales they had Officers or Servants who were named Fiscalins and he that commanded them Dom stick There they laid in Stores of Provision as Wines Wheat Forage Meat especially Venison and Pork Amongst the Lords they always chose out some to eat at their Table and that was one step towards the highest Employments They only took the Quality of Illustrious which was common to all the Grandees of the Kingdom Sometimes the Title of Dominus was given them which was likewise ordinary to all that were any way considerable also of most Glorious most Pious most Clement and Precellentissime The Kings wrote their names under that of the Bishops when they wrote to them On the contrary Pope Gregory I. and the Emperor Mauritius preposed theirs before that of any Kings Gregory II. did not do so The Popes and Councils stiled them sometimes their Sons and sometimes the Sons of the Catholick-Church Their Male-Children in their young age were named Damoiseaux and at their Birth they gave some Fiscalins their Freedom in all the Lands and Houses belonging to the King their Father They oft took Wives of mean Birth and servile Condition on whom they did not bestow the Title of Queen till after they had born Children nor always then neither The Daughter of a King had that Title as soon as they were Married They had their Dower in Lands some Possessions in proper which their Kindred inherited their share of the Houshold Goods and great Officers just the same as the Kings had Oft times the Sons of France before they came to Reign were called Kings and the Daughters Queens There were but two Conditions of Men the Free or Ingenuous and the Slaves Amongst the Free there were Nobles who were so by Blood and by Antiquity not by Exemptions and amongst the Nobles the Grandees optimates I believe that those they called Majores were the Noble and the Minores those that were not so One knew not then what People of the Gown or Robe meant all the French made profession of bearing Arms Justice was rendred by People Armed their Battle-ax and Buckler hung upon a Pillar in the midst of the Malle In the Kings House it was the Count of the Palace that administred it sometimes the King himself took the Seat together with the Bishops and the Grandees and having heard Causes of highest concern pronounced Sentence himself In Villages the Centeniers in Cities the Counts and Dukes that gave Judgment without any thing of Pleadings or Writings They were called in general terms Judges and Seniors The Kings gave them these Offices for time and frequently continued them for Money Sometimes it was left to the People to chuse them and perhaps it was their Right There were no Degrees of Jurisdiction all judged without appeal because they took Cognisance of nothing but what was proportionable to their Degree It is true the Parties had a way of carrying their Complaints to the King if they believed they had not been judged according to Law but if the Complaint were not made good they were condemned is * Persons of Quality to a pecuniary Mulct the other to be Whipp'd The Counts and Dukes had Viguiers or Lieutenant-Generals who did Justice in their absence and several petty Viguiers which administred it in the Country They had Assessors whom they called Rachinbourgs they sat on every eighth or every fifteenth day according to the multiplicity of Affairs But the Dukes held the Grand Assizes from time to time where the Bishops of the Province were bound to be present There were likewise a kind of Commissary's or Envoys some for the King others for the Dukes who went about to visit the Provinces In their Proceedings and Publick Acts they counted their Terms by Nights As the Galls governed themselves according to the Roman Rules and Laws they were forced to have Judges that understood them and the French might perhaps imitate and follow them in many of their Contracts for the Salick Law was not extensive enough to comprehend and regulate every particular case The same Counts and Dukes as judged the French led them to the Wars There were no other Soldiers but the Militia They commanded those of the nearest Provinces or of any Province as they thought fit those that failed were put to a Fine they gave Letters of Dispensation to such as were grown over-aged in the Service In all the Provinces and particularly on the Frontiers they had Magazines of Provisions and Forage but as I believe they had no pay but their Plunder which was brought together and so shared always equally amongst them They put those into the condition of Slaves or Servants whom they took Prisoners of War as likewise such as were sent them for Hostages if they broke their Faith The great ones that were accused of any Crime were judged Militarily by their Equals the Execution was performed with a Sword or Battle-Ax sometimes by Dukes and Counts themselves Often times their Kings would not wait till Judgment was given their Wrath or Covetousness made Death go before any Sentence As for the People of a meaner Stamp they were extended on a Stake and were either Strangled or Whipp'd In some places they were Hanged on a Gallows or they were branched upon a Tree For lesser Crimes they were condemned to grind like Mill-Horses to dig Vineyards to work in Quarries and sometimes they were Branded with a hot Iron When a Man was accused for a Crime of State they tore off his Military Girdle and his Clothes and dressed him all in Rags Between Private Persons they might seek their satisfaction with their Swords and do themselves justice whence proceeded infinite Murthers if the King did not prevent it Murtherers bought their Lives with their Money and the punishment of most Crimes unless they were Crimes of State were pecuniary and determined by the Law The whole Kindred were liable to the payment if the guilty Person were insufficient When the Parties wanted Evidence to prove the Fact they came to a Combat either in Person or by those Champions they could procure This they said was to determine a Cause by the Judgment of God Almighty The Ordeal-Trial by red hot Irons
and perhaps at his request he set their youngest Year of our Lord 747 Brother Griffon at liberty Treated him Honourably in his Court and gave him some Counties for his allowance The ambition of this young Prince not being tamed by a Prison could Year of our Lord 748 not be so by kindness he made his escape and went and stirred up the Saxons in his quarrel Pepin followed him close the Sorabe Sclavonians who were divided from the Turingians by the River of Sal the Abrodites and other Sclavonians who were spread all along the Frontiers of France brought him 10000 Fighting Men. Insomuch as the Saxons Nordsqaues overwhelmed with his numbers submitted to his pleasure and received Baptisme Griffon with the other Saxons was Encamped and Intrenched on the other side of the River Ovacre fear seized upon them they deserted their Post in the night time and their Countrey remained exposed to the mercy of the French so that not finding himself any longer in safety there he leaves them to make their Peace and retired to Bavaria where he seized on that Dutchy usurping it from the young Tasillon aged but 6 or 7 years who was the Son of his Sister Chiltrude and Odillon This Countrey no more then that of Saxony could not protect him from the pursuit of Pepin who joyning Gold and his Favours with his Sword and Threats soon unhinged his Party The Bavarois made their agreement Landfroy Duke of the Almans and Suidgard Earl of Hirsberg did the same and he finding himself alone was compelled to follow their Dance and come to his Brother He receiv'd him most kindly and assigned him the City of Mans and Twelve Counties in Neustria but the very self same year he made a third escape and cast himself into the Arms of Year of our Lord 749 Gaifre Duke of Aquitain Pepin having gained the better over all his enemies had no more left him to do Year of our Lord 750 but to sit down in the Throne a thing his Father durst not undertake He saw all the power in his own hands with the Treasures of the Kingdom and the Affections of the French and there was no other Prince of the Merovignian Race remaining but one young stupid and witless Man He therefore assembled a Parliament which being wholly Devoted to him were very willing to confer the Title of King on him but he was glad that he might be disengaged from his Oath of Fidelity to consult with the Pope who had great authority over the Galican Church and whose Answers passed for Oracles though not for Laws He who sate then in the Holy Chair was Zachary a most intimate friend of Pepins who wanted his assistance against the Lombards and who could well apprehend that what was desired of him was a most favourable prejudgment for the Popes Year of our Lord 750 against the Emperours Besides it seemed reasonable and just that France after so many Idols and Shadows should now have a King in reality and therefore he could not but answer favourably to the point that Pepin propounded and consulted him about and his Reply was certainly of great weight It is in this sence according to my opinion that we must understand some Authors of those times who tells us that Boniface set him upon the Throne by the Command of Zachary Otherwise we should say the French did not truly understand their own Right and that this Pope attributed to himself what did not belong to him Upon this Answer the French having called another Parliament at Soissons degraded Year of our Lord 751 Childeric and elected Pepin There is some likelyhood that this was done in the general Assembly which was held in the month of March The Bishops were there in great numbers Boniface Arch-Bishop of Ments being in the head of them who declared to them the validity of the Popes Answer and indeed this King and his Successors as if they had some obligation to the Clergy for their Royalty gave them a great share in the Government By the same Decree Childeric was shaved and made a Monk at Sitieu There are some affirm that from thence he was removed to the Monastery of St. Himeran at Ratisbonne and his Wife being vailed to that of Conchiliac But others believe he was not Married though he were of an age ripe enough for it Thus endeth the First Race of the Kings of France who if we reckon from the year 418. to the year 751. had Reigned 333 years and had 21 Kings only accounting those of Paris but Thirty six if we take in all those that had the Title as well in Austrasia where there was but one that resided at Mets as in Neustria while sometimes three of them at the same time had their Seats at Orleans at Soissons and at Paris The first Four of these Kings were Idolaters and all the rest Christians But their Baptisme did not quite purge away their Barbarity they were Savage and Bloody till Clotaire II. Those that followed were more Benigne Merciful and Religious excepting Childeric II. But all being either shallow-Brain'd or Minors they fell necessarily under the Government of others End of the First Race The Second Race OF KINGS Which have Reigned in FRANCE And are Named CARLIANS OR Carolovinians THIS Second Race is commonly called the Carlian or Carolovinian Race We know not whether it took that denomination from Charles Martel or Charles the Great After it had been raised to a great height by the Vertue of its Five first Princes to wit the two Pepins Charles Martel Charlemain and Lewis the Godly and had extended their Empire much beyond the Bounds of the First It began to decline under the Children of that Lewis and in the end was reduced to so narrow a compass all the Lords having made themselves Masters in their Governments that their last Kings had nothing left which was properly their own but the Cities of Laon and that of Reims It is observed That they had much resemblance with the First Race in that they had a very fair beginning and an unhappy end That Charles of Lorraine their last Male was deprived of the Crown as Childeric had been and that they had several stupid and senceless Princes amongst them But this held one Advantage above the other That they Reign to this day in all Europe by the Males in the House of France and by the Women in that of the other greatest Princes Insomuch that the Carlovinian Blood is held for the most Noble in all the Earth whereas there is not any remaining of that of Meroveus PEPIN named the Breif OR The Little King XXII Aged XXXVI or XXXVIII Years POPES ZACHARY One Year during this Reign STEPHANUS II. in 752. S. 2. Years 3. days STEPHANUS III. The same Year S. 5. Years 20 Days PAUL I. Elect in May 717. S. Ten Years one Month. CONSTANTINE and PHILIP False Popes in 767. STEPHANUS IV. In August 768. S. 3. Years 5 Months
our Lord 790 This very Year was begun as some do hold that indissoluble Alliance between France and Scotland Charles having sent four Thousand Men in assistance of King Achaius who made him a present say the Scottish Authors of Claudius Clement and Alcuinus an Anglo-Saxon two learned Men for that Age. It is added that they came to Paris and erected some publick Schools Beginning of that Famous Vniversity the Mother of all those that are in Europe Year of our Lord 791 France having at this time no other Affairs Charles thought it was time to take his Revenge of the Huns but so as it proved a blessing to them by their being subdued to embrace the Christian Faith They had say some Autâ—ors seven Ringues or Vast Enclosures lock'd within one another and wonderfully Pallisadoed and strengthned with Rampires into which they made their retreat with their Spoil which they had practised above two hundred Years Charles having passed the River Emms which divides Bavaria from their Country went forwards with his Forces who marched along the two sides of the Danube attended with a Fleet which sailed on the same River and at the same time another Body of Eastern French-men entred upon them from Bohemia Upon his arrival they all fled and left two of their Ringues to him and afterwards he made his way and ravaged as far as the River Rab. Had it not been for a great mortality which almost destroy'd all his Horses he would have push'd his Conquest further We must observe That the Country of those Avari which lay on the East of Bavaria was by the French because of their Situation Eastward in respect of them called Oosterich whence comes the name of Austria Year of our Lord 792 An eminent danger wherein he found himself the following Year prevented his return thither as he had projected The French Austrasian Lords offended at the lofty behaviour of the Queen Fastrade conspired to be freed from her to ridd themselves of their King her Husband and to set up one of his Bastards named Pepin in his stead who had a handsome face but crooked and as malicious as it was possible The plott was discover'd by a poor Priest who being accidentally in the corner of a Church where they met for this purpose over-heard them discoursing of the design Charles by Sentence of the Estates caused several to be beheaded some their Eyes to be put out others hanged and his Bastard to be shaved and thrust into the Abby of Prom which is in the Bishoprick of Triers Year of our Lord 793 This Year Liderick de Harlebec Great Forester of Flanders was made Earl of it but not hereditary though from him are descended the Earls of that Country Year of our Lord 793 The same Year a Tumult was raised in the Dutchy of Benevent contrived perhaps by Grimoald and the rest of the Lombards which proved so dangerous that Lewis King of Aquitaine went into Italy with his Forces to assist his Brother Pepin Year of our Lord 793 Whilst Charles was at Ratisbon and had laid a Bridge over the Danube to go and subdue the Avari A Design was propounded to him which would have proved of great benefit in that War and for ever after to all Europe Which was to make a Communication between the River Rhine and the Danube and by consequence between the Ocean and the Black-Sea by cutting a Channel from the River Almuâ—s which discharges it self into the Danube to the River Redits which falls by Bamberg into the Meine which does afterwards run into the Rhine near Ments To which end he caused a world of men to work but the continual Rains that hapned filling up his Trenches and over-flowing and washing away his Banks ruined that brave and useful Undertaking Besides he was diverted by two accounts of ill tydings one the revolt of the Saxons who having kept themselves quiet seven or eight years now threw off again both the Yoake of Obedience and of Religion The other that the Forces Commanded by his Counts in the Marea of Spain were defeated by the Saracens Year of our Lord 794 Felix Bishop of Vrgel had in his answers to Elipand Bishop of Toledo published a most dangerous heresy That Jesus Christ as Man was but the Adopted Son of God the Father And although about two Years before the King having sent for him obliged him to recant and to go to Rome to abjure his Errour nevertheless he began anew to dogmatize Wherefore he caused a Councel of French Bishops to assemble at Francfort as also several Bishops of Germany and Lombardy who all condemned that Error in presence of the Pope's Legat They also rejected the Second Councel of Nice which had ordained the adoration of Images and pronounced that it did not deserve the title of Oecumenique Whilst the King was at Francfort died Queen Fastrada his third Wife Year of our Lord 794 From thence he went and fell with all his Forces upon the Saxons Country his Army being divided in two whereof he Commanded one part himself and his Eldest Son the other struck so great a Terror thorough all those Provinces that instead of running to their Arms they came running to him to begg for Mercy and this good Prince sparing the blood of those obstinate People contented himself with the taking away of one third of all such as were capable of bearing Arms and transporting them to the Sea-Coast of Flanders Year of our Lord 796 Upon his Return he passed away his Winter in the Country of Juliers where having discovered some hot Baths he built a fair Palace and a Church to the honour of the Virgin Mary For which reason that place was called Aix la Chapelle These Baths had in former times been accommodated and adorned with handsome Structures by some great Lord or Roman Governor whose Name was Granus it is not well known in what time from whence in Latin it takes the name Aquis Granum But I should have told you that before this Year was expired the Saxons had once more play'd the enraged Devils cutting in pieces an Army of the Abodrites in the Passage to the Elbe as they were marching by the King's Command upon an Expedition against the Avari Viltzan who Commanded them was slain which put the King into so great Wrath that he gave up all Saxony to the mercy of the Sword and at this time there were slain at the least Thirty thousand of those People bearing Arms. Pope Adrian his intimate Friend being dead Leo was Elected by the Senators and the Principal of the Clergy at Rome He sent him an Ambassadour to give Year of our Lord 796 him notice of his Election and to carry the Keys of St. Peter's Church with the City Banner and other honourable Presents to him desiring him to send one of his Princes thither to receive the Oaths of Fidelity of the Romans a certain proof that the King in quality of Patrician held
Lotaire Those Lords that accompany'd Charles observing these Artifices believed the best way was to breake thorow them all with a brave resolution and advised he would march directly to him Thus the two Armies were found to be within Six Leagues of each other the City of Orleans lying between them Then the Lords on either part endeavoured to bring them to an accord as was the usual custom of the French Those of Charles's party finding themselves by much the weaker yielded to an agreement very disadvantagious whereby was left to him only by provision Aquitain Languedoc and Province with some Counties between the Loire and the Seine and it was said they should meet at the Parliament to be holden at Atigny to compose all their differences but they added this Clause that in the interim Lotaire should attempt nothing upon Charles nor Louis otherwise they should be quit of their Oathes and promises Year of our Lord 841 This Treaty finished Charles marched towards Bretagne to quell the motions of some Lords of that Country From thence he returns on his way to be at the Parliament of Atigny Lotharius had in the mean while endeavoured to shut up the passages against him broken down all the Bridges over the Seine and ordered Forces on either Shoar who coasted along incessantly Which did him no good because Charles having information that there were several Vessels at Roüen Seized them with great diligence and wafted over his Army with them His enemies betook themselves to Flight upon the first appearance of his Standard At the same time Lotharius by the advice of Albert Earl of Mets his chief incendiary and Othbert Bishop of Ments were dealing with the French Austrasians and knowing that Louis of Germany was upon his march to joyn with Charles caused some Troops to pass over the Rhine to meet him and did entice away a part of his men so that he was councell'd fearing he might lose the rest to retreat into Bavaria where it had been easy for Lotaire to have crushed him had he but pursued it Year of our Lord 841 Charles marching up along the River Seine makes his Prayers in the Church of St. Denis joynes some Troops which two or three of his Counts brought him near Montereau on Yonne beats two of the Counts that Lotaire had sent to oppose him in his March goes on to Troyes where he celebrated the Feast of Easter From thence he went to Atigny to let them know he would not neglect to meet at the conference appointed between him and Lotaire After his having remained there some days he Marched towards Chaalons and there finds his Mother the Empress Judith and those Forces she brought him out of Aquitain He had intelligence at the same time that his Brother Louis having gained a Battel against Albert Count of Mets made all possible hast to joyn with him Wherefore he goes that way to meet him Lotaire gave out a report that he fled and pursues him Mean time Louis arrives and thus the two young Brothers being united were found to be the strongest Lotaire therefore gains some days time by his feigned negotiations till Pepin who was upon the March could joyn with him When he had this re-inforcement he talked of nothing but bringing them to obedience and having a Monarchical Soveraignty All the tenders they could proffer did but confirm his resolution of having all So that they were constrained to send him word they would give him Battel the next morning about the second hour of the day which was the 25 th of June Year of our Lord 841 The two Armies being encamped against one another near the Burrough of Fontenay by Auxerre The whole Power of France all the bravest Officers and most of the Grandees and Nobility were about the Four Kings who were to be both the Witnesses and rewarders of their Actions Since the Beginning of the French Monarchy to the very day I write these Lines there hath not been so much French Blood spilt in any Battel whatever A Hundred Thousand men perished there a horrible wound and which weakned the Carlovinian-House so greatly that it could never well recover it self again The victory fell to the younger Brothers share They used it with all humility and would not give the Emperor chace for fear of spilling more blood They likewise caused his men to be buried and took care to dress the wounded as their own proclaiming a general pardon to all those that would accept thereof Year of our Lord 841 The most part of those Officers that had been with these Princes being gone away they could not reap all the Fruits might have accrued upon so notable an advantage Louis repassed the Rhine and Charles took his way towards Aquitain to drive Pepin entirely from thence But some dissention hapning in his Councels so that he acted not vigorously enough Pepin who had been brought very low and would certainly have submitted re-assumed his courage On the other hand Lotaire having gathered up his scatter'd men and raised new ones appeared soon after in Neustria where he had a great many abetters His Army and Charles's drew near each other about St. Denis the River betwixt them Charles's being the weakest saved themselves in the Forrests of Perche Lotaire pursued them but not able to compel them to a Battel he sent back Pepin whom he had called thither with his Forces of Aquitain Year of our Lord 842 The two young Brothers at their parting had appointed to meet again at soonest As soon as Charles found the way open and clear he went to the banks of the Rhine to his Brother and both of them being met the 22 th of February in the City of Strasburgh made a new League and Alliance of Friendship promising by Solemn Oath never to forsake each other This Treaty was framed and written in two Languages viz. Romance the Original of the present French and the Tudesque It mentioned that if either of the two Brothers contravened their Subjects should be no longer obliged to serve them Which was in truth to leave a gap open for them to change their Soveraign when they pleased Year of our Lord 842 This union having reassured their Subjects brought back those whom Lotaire had inveigled and encreased their Forces they sought for him to give him battel but he left the Country in so much hast that he made no stop till he was gotten to Lyons and by his slight abandoned all Austrasia to them and part of the Kingdom of Burgundy Year of our Lord 842 When they were come back to Aix the Bishops by them Assembled pronounced a Solemn Judgment whereby they deprived Lotharius of all his Portion of Lands on this side the Mountains and yet they would not admit the two Brothers till they first were assured by them that they would govern according to the Commandments of God To which having answered that they desired so the Bishops told them And we by
fit we observe that at the Coronations of Kings they forgot not their own Interests nor failed to make them promise solemnly to maintain the Rights of the Church But we do not find them always so careful and zealous for the good of the People and the Prerogative of the Nobility Of those that appeared with most Splendor some were such as were noted for Intrigues and Factions and of them were a great number Ebbon of Reims Agobard of Lyons and Bernard de Vienne active in the degrading of Louis the Debonnaire Ebroin of Poictiers for disposing Aquitain to surrender themselves into the hands of that Emperor who would bestow it upon Charles his beloved Son Thietgaud de Colen and Gontier de Ments touching the marriage of Valdrade And Hincmar of Reims for his resisting the Pope and intermedling with all affairs both of Church and State wherein he acted with as much heat as judgment during the Reign of Charles the Bald. The others were illustrious for their Learning as the same Agobard Theodulfe and Jonas his Successor Rabanus Maurus of St. Bennets Order and Arch-Bishop of Mentz Hincmar of Reims who had been Abbot of St. Denis and the other Hincmar his Nephew Remy de Lyons Adon de Vienne Hilduin Abbot of St. Denis Loup Abbot of Ferrieres in Gastinois Henry Monk of St. Germain d'Auxerre Valafride Strabon Abbot of Richenoue Florus Master of the Church of Lyons that is a Divine and John Scot or Scotus surnamed Erigena This last was a great Philosopher and for the Beauty and Delicacy of his wit highly cherished by Charles the Bald even to the lying in his Chamber But in Theology he passed for one of a raving Brain whose sentiments were not right and sound As for Hincmar de Reims we have his works whereof every one may judge The other Hincmar his nephew very zealons for the Popes authority collected their Decretal Letters and was the first that durst put down the names of some Ancient Popes who till that time had none but which Isâ—dore Mercator had already gathered together Other Canonists followed his error till at length the more judicious found they were but fictitious Adon de Vienne composed a Matyrology which is yet in being Hilduin wrote the life of St. Denis the Areopagite by command of Louis the Debonnaire from the Memoires of Methodius Patriarch of Constantinople who to flatter the French endeavour'd to have two things believed which the Criticks pretend to condemn of false-hood The one that this Saint Denis had been Bishop of Paris the other that those Writings which go under his name were his own We have the Epistles of Loup de Ferrieres which give a great light in the affairs of those times And the Monk Henry wrote the Life of Saint Germain de Auxerre in more Elegant Verse then the roughness of that Age could promise I shall observe en passant that Latin Poetry began to rouze its self under Charles the Bald and amongst other Poets that flatter'd him there was one that made a Piece containing three hundred Hexameters in praise of the Bald where every word began with the Letter C. Some for their good lives deserved to be placed in the Catalogue of Saints as Anscher taken out of the Order of St. Bennet by Louis the Debonnaire to be the first Arch-Bishop of Hamburgh Established by that Emperor and to Preach to the Danes and Swedes the same Rabanus whom we have mentioned Two Audrâ—'s one of Sens the other of Mans Ayos de Bourges Prudence de Troyes Hildeman de Beauvais Foulquin and Hunfroy de Teroüanne Amant de Rodez and Bernard de Vienne This last had Adon above-named for Successor both in his Sanctity and his See But he had very few in that good Christian Maxim so often in his Mouth and ever in his Soul That the Riches and Goods of the Church are the Patrimony of the Poor and that a Clergy-man hath no right to them but for his necessities Nor did he keep any more Domestique Servants but one Priest and one Lay-man Proclaiming to all Prelats by this noble example That he who is great in himself hath no need of other Equipage or Train of Servants to make him appear so LOUIS IV. Surnamed TRANSMARINE King XXXII Aged XIX or XX Years POPES LEO VII in 936. S. 3 years 6 Months STEPHEN IX Elect. in 939. S. 3 years 4 Months MARTIN II. Elect. 943. S. 3 years 6 Months and one half AGAPET II. Elect. 946. S. 9 years 7 Months Louis IV. surnam'd Transmarine in France Otho I. in Germany Rodolph II. in Burgundy Transjurane HUGH and Lotaire his Son in Italy Year of our Lord 936 OF all the French Lords Hugh le Blanc Earl of Paris and Orleans Duke of France and Brother in Law to the late King had the greatest Authority in the Kingdom He durst not however take the Crown because Hebert Earl of Vermandois and Giselbert Duke of Lorraine two very potent Enemies would have broke his Measures He found it therefore more safe to make a King of the Blood of Charlemaine who should be wholy obliged to him for his Crown To this purpose he dispatched a Famous Deputation of Prelats and Lords whereof William Arch-Bishop of Sens was the Chief into England to beseech Ogina the Widdow of Charles the Simple to bring back her Son Louis whom the French desired to own for their King She granted their request but not without great opposition of King Aldestan her Brother He apprehended his Nephew might be destroy'd by some treachery as his Father had been and therefore would not be satisfied with only their Oaths but took Hostages besides Hugh and the other Lords came to receive their King at his Landing at Bullogne tender'd their Hommage on the Strand and thence conducted him to Laon where he was Anointed by Arnold Arch-Bishop of Reims the 20 th day of June Year of our Lord 936 Immediately after his Coronation Hugh who still retained the Administration of the Kingdom carried him into the Dutchy of Burgundy for his own ends for there were some pretences but how grounded we do not well know And Hugh le Noir appropriated it to himself as Heir of the Deceased Rodolph his Brother who had it from Richard his Father on whom Boson had bestowed it when he was made King of Burgundy Le Noir or the Black had therefore Seized on the City of Langres after the Decease of King Rodolph but the new King and Hugh thrust him cut again without striking one blow and engaged him to yeild up one half of the Dutchy to Hugh le Blanc or the White An. 937. King Rodolph died having Reigned 25 years in Burgundy Transjurane and only five in the Kingdom of Arles He left three Children Conrade who Succeeded him but whom Otho Seized upon and detained fourteen years Burchard Bishop of Lausanne and Adeleis a most Illustrious Princess who by her first marriage was Wife to Lotaire King of
be in their own power He therefore took this Business mightily to heart and dispatched the Abbot Leon to France with an order to the Prelates to Assemble in Council about that Affair and to Seguin Archbishop of Sens to Represent his Person amongst them Year of our Lord 994 Hugh complained opposed it and held good some time against this Enterprize But a new born Royalty could not but comply and yield at last to those Orders for fear of being quickly tumbled down again The Council which was held at Reims deposed Gerbert and restored Arnold to his See after three years imprisonment Gerbert withdrew himself to his Disciple King Otho who bestowed upon him the Archbishoprick of Ranonna from whence some years after he was raised to the Holy Chair Year of our Lord 994 In the year 994. the unhappy Charles died in Prison at Orleance It is not said what became of his Wife but he two Sons Otho and Lewis and two Daughters Gerberge and Hermengarde All these Children went to the Emperor Otho III. The eldest enjoyed the Dutchy of the lower Lorrain some years and died without Heirs The other is not mentioned Hereafter we shall take notice to whom his Daughters were Married Year of our Lord 994 and the following King Hugh as well as Pepin and all such Princes as set up by a new Title amongst People that are not perfectly Barbarians was truly Religious Devout and a lover of the Church and Church-men gave up all the Abbies he held and surrendred the Right of Election to the Clergy and Monks By his Example those Lords that possessed Church-Lands as their own Patrimony not only restored them but for Restitution of their unjust Enjoyment and Detention founded divers Monasteries which they peopled with reformed Monks who certainly were much less good and more interested then the former had been Year of our Lord 996 He ended his Life Anno 996. the 29th of August or according to others the 22th of November aged about Fifty five years having Reigned nine years and some months He was buried at St. Denis If he Married Blanche the Widow of Lewis last Carolovinian King he had no Children by her but by his first Wife Adeleide Daughter according to some of William II. Duke of Aquitain he had a Son named Robert and three Daughters Haduige or Avoye Wise of Renier IV. Earl of Monts and of Haynault Adelais Wife to Renand I. Earl of Nevers and Gisle who Wedded Hugh I. Earl of Pontieu to whom she brought the City of Abbeville in Marriage Year of our Lord 996 The same year 996. Richard surnamed Sans Peur or without Fear Duke of Normandy ended his days in his Palace of Fâ—scamp aged Sixty four years of which he had Reigned nine and was Interred before the Portal of the Church there His Son Richard II. succeeded him About these times that Sacred Fire which they named the Burning Sickness and had otherwhile made great destruction broke out and kindled again cruelly tormenting France especially for two Ages It seized again on a suddain and burnt the Intrails or some other part of the Body which fell off piece-meal Happy were those that escaped with the loss of a Leg or an Arm. This caused many great Donatives to be given to those Saints whose help they believed they had received in the midst of their dreadful Torments as likewise the frequent sounding of Hospitals for such as were infected with this Distemper The Calamity which Anno 994. destroyed in Aquitain Angoumois Perigord and Limosin above 40000 Persons in a few days time wrought at least this good that the Grandees who had troubled this Province by their private Feuds fearing the Wrath of God made a Solemn Oath amongst themselves to do Justice to their Subjects and for this end formed a Holy League which drew other Provinces by their Example to do the like It was likewise in this Age that Pilgrimages to the Holy Land grew very Frequent I mean amongst the Seculars for the Monks and Clergy-men travelled to those Holy Places from the time of King Clovis If the Tenth have deserved the name of the Iron Age which is commonly bestow'd upon it must have been for the continual and very Bloody Wars between the Western Princes and for the terrible Devastations of the Normans the Hungarians and the Saracens but if they called it so for the ignorance and irregularity of their Manners it was rather in respect to the Church of Rome where in truth there were horrible Disorders and Crimes then those of France and Germany It is certain that the Bishops and Abbots notwithstanding the Prohibitions of Princes and Councils bore Arms and went to the Wars a Custom which passed into a Law and Obligation and lasted a long time in the third Race That several were plunged into Vanity Luxury and Dissolution and lived rather like Princes of this World then Apostles of Jesus Christ That those Wars which scourged them made them yet but more worthy of Chastisement for the Disorders and Licentiousness they fell into That their Manners run to ruine with their Buildings and that as there hardly remained any Monastery or Church entire so there was scarce any Discipline left not even amongst the very Monks That in fine many Churches were without a Pastor for example there was but one Bishop in all the Country of Gascongny who enjoyed the Revenue of six or seven Bishopricks But after all these Ruines they began before the middle of this Century to gather up the broken pieces or fragments and reform the behaviour of the Clergy as well as rebuild their Churches William Duke of Aquitain and Auvergne having founded the Monastery of Clugny in the year 910. and St. Mayeule having raised as it were a Nursery of Religious good Men they took some Plants from thence to stock and furnish those Abbys which the Princes re-edifi'd This Abbot and Odillon his Successor furnished at least twenty or thirty who remained still in submission to their common Mother and formed the Congregation of Clugny As much did William Abbot of St. Benigne at Dijon as likewise Abbon de Fleury to some others about Aquitain Subordinations which may procure much good and perhaps much greater evils St. Gerard of the Blood of the Dukes of Lorrain having embraced a Monastick Life reformed Eighteen or twenty Adalberon Bishop of Metz Brother to Frederic first Earlo Bar made a Regulation in those of his Bishoprick amongst others in that of Gorze and at St. Arnold from whence he expelled the Canons who were grown disorderly to place Monks in their stead Abbon de Fleury going to settle his Reformation in the Monasteries of Squirs upon the Garonne which therefore was called the Rule and in the Language of that Country La Reovle and near to which was built a City of that name was knock'd down by a Sedition which the Gascon Monks of that place and the Women had raised against him Amongst the Bishops there
Vassals judging him uncapable to succeed from the imbecillity of his understanding a defect very ordinary in the Carolovinian Race Henry left all his Three Sons under the Guardianship of Baldwin Earl of Flanders who had Married his Sister and likewise entrusted him with the Regency of the Kingdom Queen Anne his Widdow retired to Senlis where she was building a Church in Honour of the Martyr St. Vincent Her Solitude was not so Austere but she could listen to the Addresses of Rodolph Earl of Grespy who was of that neighborhood She made no difficulty to Marry him and this Second Flame had like to have kindled a Civil War not for the difference in their Qualities for the Grandees went almost equal with their Kings but because Rodolph was of Kin to the First Husband for which reason the Bishops Excommunicated that Lord but nothing could make him let go his hold of her save death which untied him from his Princess Ann. 1066. Being a Widow and destitute of support she returned to end her days in her own Countrey Philip I. King XXXVIII Aged Seven or Eight years POPES Vacancy of Three Months Alex. II. Elect 1 Octob. 1061. S. Eleven years and neer Seven Months Gregory VII Son of a Carpenter Elect in April 21. 1073. S. Twelve years One Month. Victor III. Elect in May 1086. S. about One year Four Months Vacancy Five Months Urban II. Elect in March 1088. S. Eleven years and Four Months Paschal II. Elect 12. August 1099. S. Eighteen years and Five Months Year of our Lord 1060 61 and 62. ALL quietly gave Obedience to the Regency of Baldwin the Gascons only refused to submit themselves apprehending said they lest by that Title he should destroy his Pupil to invade the Crown upon pretension that he was Married to the Daughter of King Henry He wisely dissembled this injury but two years after marched an Army towards the Pyreneans giving out it was to make War upon the Saracens in Spain and when he had passed the Garonne he stopp'd in the Rebels Countrey and brought them to their Duty without striking a blow Year of our Lord 1062 Guy Gefroy-William Duke of Aquitain believed that Gefroy Martel Earl of Anjou being dead without Children his Nephews Sons of his Sister had no right to Xaintongne He would therefore seize it and besieged Xaintes his Army was defeated by the two Brothers neer Chef-Boutonne but the following year he got another Army and took the Town from them Year of our Lord 1062 and 63. The two Brothers minded not the relieving it they were at mortal feud amongst themselves Foulk le Rechin the younger of the two gained the Lords of Touraine and Anjou who betraid his Brother Gefroy and unfortunately deliver'd him up with the City of Anger 's In the mean while the Duke of Aquitain having re-conquered Saintongne led his victorious into Spain where he forced the City of Barbastre at that time very rich and renowned The Zeal of Religion did often lead the Princes and Lords of Aquitain and Languedoc into Spain to succour the Christians against the Saracens and their assistance raised and very much supported the petty Spanish Kings Year of our Lord 1064 Edward King of England whose Christian Virtues have placed him in the number of Saints dying without Children left his Kingdom by Will and Testament to William the Bastard Duke of Normandy in consideration of the good Reception and Treatment he found in the House of Robert his Father when he was driven out Year of our Lord 1064 of his own Countrey as likewise because he was neer of Kin. But the English not affecting the Government of a Stranger gave the Crown to Harold Son of Godwin one of the great Lords of the Kingdom The Bastard on his side sought from all parts the assistance of his Friends and Allies to get himself into possession of his Right insomuch as having got by his large promises a powerful Army of Normans French Flemmings and others together he landed in England gave Battle to Harold the 14th of October who was slain in the Fight with his chief Commanders and left England to the discretion of the Conquerour A Revolution thought to be presaged by a terrible Comet which for Fifteen days blazed with three great Rays over-spreading almost all the Southern parts of the Heavens Before William past the Sea hapned the death of Conan Duke of Bretagne it was said he caused him to be poysonn'd because he claimed the Dutchy of Normandy as belonging to him by his Mother Daughter of Duke Robert Hoel who was Married to his Sister succeeded him Year of our Lord 1067. and the following The English ill-Treated by Williams Lieutenants and Officers Revolted the following years and called in the Danes to their aid but that only increased their misery and yoak for he took from them almost all their Lands and even their antient Laws introducing and imposing those of his own Countrey as he did that Language in all Courts of Justice and instruments of Law withal putting such Lords as follow'd him in possession of English Mens Estates the greatest part of them being punished or slain Thus ended the Reign of the English in that Island which hath notwithstanding retained their Name but in effect hath ever since been sway'd and is still by the Norman Blood their Kings and the greatest of the Countrey being descended and holding their Rights of this William the Bastard to whom was given the Surname of Conquerour Year of our Lord 1067 Baldwin Regent of the Kingdom of France and Earl of Flanders ended his days An. 1067. He had Two Sons Baldwin called of Monts who was Earl of Flanders and Robert who was Surnamed the Frison as being Lord of that Countrey of Friesland Year of our Lord 1069 It is observed that in the year 1069. Arnold Lord of Selne began to build the City of Ardres upon the ruines of his Castle of Selne A War did soon break out between Baldwins two Sons the Eldest thinking to devest the Younger was by him beaten and slain in the field of Battle leaving two Sons Arnold and Baldwin very young The Guardianship of these begot a bloody contest between Robert their Uncle and Richilda their Mother This Princess supported by Gefroy Crook-Back Duke of the lower Lorrain defeated Roberts Army and thrust him out of a part of his Countreys This happy success made her so haughty Year of our Lord 1068 towards her Subjects that the Flemmings Flammengant forsook her and she had none left but the Walloons and the Hennuyars The King would have made himself Judge and Arbitrator between both parties but Richilda coming to Paris with great Presents gained his Counsel and engaged him openly to take her quarrel Year of our Lord 1070 The King inflamed with the heat of Youth would needs go in person to make his first Essay in War and Arms. It proved not very successful for he was beaten and pursued Richilda taken and carried
Italy to embark in Fuglia these conducted home the Pope and restored him to the Chair in despite of his Enemies They all got into Greece and thence passing the straight of the Hellespont or arme St. George arrived in Bithynia But those who were led by Peter the Hermit and Gautier de Saint Sauveur being ill conducted were almost all cut in pieces by Solyman Sultan of the Turks in Bithynia Year of our Lord 1096 Amongst the Chief Commanders of these Forces were Hugh the Great Brother to King Philip Robert Duke of Normandy the Earls Raimond of Toulouze Stephen de Chartres Baldwin of Hainault Hugh de St. Poll Rotrou du Perche William de Forez Rambol of Orange Baldwin of Mets Fulke of Guisnes Stephen d'Aumale another Stephen of Franche Comte William of Angoulesme Herpin de Bourges who sold his Earldom to the King Boemond Duke of Apulia Tancred his Nephew Son of Robert Guischard and above two hundred other Lords of note All these being passed into Bithynia elected for their Chief Godefroy Duke of Bouillon and the lower Lorrain Son of Eustace Earl of Boulogne An Election so glorious for him that all the Scepters of the Universe together are not comparable to it Year of our Lord 1096 For several nights together it was seen to rain down Stars by intervals but thick and very small as if some sparks had fallen from the shatter'd Orbs. Year of our Lord 1097 and 98. The City of Nicea in Bithynia was the first exploit of these Christian Adventurers The defeat of Solymans Army followed with the surrender of the places in Lycaonia Lycia Cilicia and Pamphilia the Second and the taking of Antioch which held them seven Months and cost them a great deal of Blood and Trouble the Third After they were got in they went to meet Corban or Corbaget General of the Army to the Sultan of Persia or Babylon fought him and slew an hundred thousand of his Men which weakned the power of the Turks so much that the Sultan of Egypt who was a Saracen took from them Judea and the Holy City of Jerusalem Year of our Lord 1099 He kept it but a little while the Christian Army besieged it the 9th of June and carried it by main force the 15th of July All the chief Commanders agreed to give it with all its dependencies and the Title of a Kingdom to Godfrey of Bouillon their Prime General who notwithstanding was so humble that he would never suffer them to put the Crown upon his Head nor give him the Title of King in a City where the King of Kings had been Treated like a Slave The Sultan of Egypt with reason apprehending left the Christians after so many advantages should deprive him of his Countrey likewise without which it is very difficult to preserve the Holy Land Seeing them therefore much weakned so that they had scarce 5000 Horse and 15000 Foot left he got together an hundred thousand Horse and four times as many Foot giving the Conduct of them to a Lieutenant to cut them off Godfrey the greatest Soldier of his age charged them so resolutely that he put them into disorder and slew above an hundred thousand So great a Victory gave him all Palestine one or two places only excepted Year of our Lord 1099 This year therefore commenced the Kingdom of Jerusalem under which were the County of Edessa the capital City of Media the Principality of Antioch in Celosyria and the County of Tripoly which was not conquer'd till many years afterwards upon the Maritime coasts of the Phenician Syria At that time was Caliph in Babilon Albuguebase Achamet the Son of Muquetady the Eight and twentieth of the House of Guebase Year of our Lord 1100. and 1101. The Fame of this Conquest published in the West by those Princes that returned excited such others as had not been there to go and signalize their Names They made therefore a Second Croisade composed of above 300000 Men French Almains and Italians William VIII Duke of Aquitain carried an hundred thousand two thirds of them being his own Subjects Hugh le Grand the Kings Brother and the Earl of Burgundy who had been in the first Expedition went also in this and divers Prelats and many illustrious Ladies would go this Voyage Godfrey being dead the preceding year his Brother Baldwin succeeded him in the Kingdom of Jerusalem Year of our Lord 1101 This Army took their way by Hungary and Thrace and by the straight crossed over into Asia In their passage Duke William saw the Grecian Emperour and in too lofty Language deny'd to pay him Hommage for those Lands he should conquer from the Infidels The persidious Emperour being offended in his mind ordered them such Guides who having harass'd and enseebled them by the difficulties of the bad ways and want of Food made them pass over a River where the Enemy waiting for them with advantage kill'd above Fifty thousand in one day the rest made their escape as they could in Cilicia Hugh the Kings Brother went to Tarses where he died of his wounds These Voyages to the Levant renewed and extreamly increased the hatred the Greeks had conceived against the Latins or Western People insomuch that those Traitors did them more mischief a great deal then the Infidels themselves Hereafter we shall mention no more of these Wars then what relates to our History But we must not forget to tell that they gave beginning to the use of Coats of Arms In all times every Nation bore some Figure or Symbol in their Banners or Ensigns The Roman Legions were distinguished by the different painting of their Shields or Bucklers and the different Lines traced or drawn upon them Particular Men did likewise adorn their Shields with devices which made known their birth or their brave acts or their Wit and Humour Now in these Expeditions to the Holy Land those that had such Symbols before made them more proper for them and those that had none contrived and made choice of such as might render them conspicuous and remarkable in Battle their Armour for the Head hindring them from being known by their Faces as well as to distinguish them from others And likewise that those Coats of Arms might serve them as it were for Surnames for in those days there were yet but few or none Some therefore to shew they were going in these Croisades took Crosses in their Shields of which there was infinite variety and several sorts others to make known they had been in the Levant and passed the Seas took Besants Lions Leopards or Escollop Shells Others framed their Arms of the Linings of their Mantles or Cloaks according as they were Checkie Varie Diapred Gyroned Lozanged Vndulated Paled Some there were that chose rather to charge their Field with some piece of their Arms as the Spurs Lance Maillets and Sword Several chose such things as had resemblance to the Surnames people had given them or to the Lands
Popes Legat. Afterwards the Archbishop of Sens gave him leave to explain and make good his Propositions against St. Bernard But being come for that purpose to the Council of Sens he would or durst not dispute there but appeal'd to the Pope Being on his way towards Rome to pursue his Appeal he stopt at the Abby of Clugny and there led a holy Life in the Habit of St. Bennes which he had long before taken upon him These Prosecutions were carried on by the Zeal of St. Bernard Abbot of Clervaux a Burgundian Gentleman who had raised himself to so high an Esteem for several years before amongst the Clergy the Nobility and Common People that there hapned no Cause in Matters Ecclesiastical no considerable Contest no important Enterprize wherein his Judgment was not required together with his Counsel and Mediation To shew us that the Wise and Virtuous have a more natural ☞ Empire then that which proceeds from Power or the Institution of Man Year of our Lord 1141 The Clergy of Bourges had elected for their Archbishop one Peter de la Chastre a Person of singular Learning and Piety The King whether he did not like him or desired that Benefice for another refused to give his consent Peter would therefore have desisted but Pope Innocent enjoyned him to perform his Duty which the King obstructing it bred a great deal of trouble and grew to that height that the Pope Excommunicated the King and put the King under an Interdiction Thibauld Earl of Champagne a Lord of great Authority as well for his Power as his Vertues having intermedled somewhat too much about this business offended the King whose anger was yet more inflamed upon another occasion which was this Rodolph de Vermandois who was in effect the first Prince of the Blood but in those days that Title was not known those Princes being considered only according to the Year of our Lord 1141 42. dignity of their Lands caused his Marriage with Gerbete Cousin German to Thibauld to be dissolved upon pretence of Parentage that he might have Alix-Pernelle the Sister of Queen Alienor for his Wife The Pope at the instigation of Thibauld Excommunicated Rodolph and interdicted the Bishops that had pronounced the Divorce Lewis lays all upon Thibauld and enters his Lands in Hostile manner Thibauld has recourse to the Pope who to deliver him from that War which oppress'd him takes off the Excommunication but as soon as that was over he thunders it a second time and then the King more exasperated then before turns his Army into Champagne They take Vitry by force putting all to the Sword and setting Fire on the Church wherein three hundred poor innocent People were burnt who were got in to secure themselves Year of our Lord 1143 and 1144. At the recital of this Cruelty the Kings Bowels yearned and his Conscience was mightily troubled He mourned and dispairs St. Bernard had much ado to persuade him that he might obtain Mercy from God upon his Repentance In this Condition it was easie to persuade him to restore the Archbishop of Bourges to his See and procure a Peace for the Earl Year of our Lord 1143 and 1144. Fulk King of Jerusalem being dead Anno 1142. the Government being in the hands of Melisenda his Widow his youngest Son Baldwin and the Christians of that Country worse then the Turks their Affairs ran all into confusion so that Sangnin Sultan of Assyria tore the Principality of Edessa from them one of the four Members of the Kingdom of Jerusalem The King had before Vow'd a Voyage to the Holy-Land these sad Tidings moved both him and the other French Princes to carry them Relief St. Bernard the Oracle of those times being consulted with herein refers the business to the Pope who sent him orders to Preach the Croisade over all Christendom Year of our Lord 1146 Beginning with France he Conven'd a National Council at Chartres by whom he was chosen for Generalissimo of that Expedition but he refused the Sword and was content to be the Trumpet only He proclaim'd it every where with so much fervour so great assurance of good success and as they believed with so many Miracles that the Cities and Villages became Deserts every one listing themselves for this Service Year of our Lord 1147 The Emperor Conrad and the King were the first that took the Badge of the Cross with an infinite number of Nobility Each of these Princes had a Legat from the Pope in his Army Conrad led threescore thousand Horse he went away first and arrived at Constantinople about the end of March in the year 1147. Year of our Lord 1147 The King staid some while in France after him to receive Pope Engenius who by the Revolted Romans was forced to quit that Country He set forwards a fortnight after Whitsontide in the same year and having marched thorough Hungary and Thrace passed the Bosphorus so that the following Lent in Anno 1148. he got into Syria whilst on the other hand his Naval Force was put to Sea to meet him there Year of our Lord 1147 By Advice of his Parliament held at Estampes he left the Regency of the Kingdom to Rodolph Earl of Vermandois and Suger Abbot of St. Denis who was in great Credit at Court even from the time of Lewis the Fat. Before his departure he went according to the usual Custom into St. Denis Church to receive his Staff and Scrip the Badges of Pilgrimage and the Standard de L'Oriflamme on the Altar of the Holy Martyrs It is fit we should tell you the Kings of France of the Second Race display'd at the head of their Armies St. Martins Cope or Mantle But Capet and his Line after their great Devotion to St. Denis made use of the Banner belonging to his Church which they called Oriflamme It had wont to be carried or born by the Count de Vexin-Francois who was Hommager to the Church of St. Denis After the Kings had possession of this County they appointed some Person of great Merit and Illustrious Birth to carry it There is not that wicked or mean Artisice and Treachery but the perfidious Manuel Emperor of Greece put in practise to destroy both the Emperors and the Kings Armies Against the first he had his will by Poysoning their Meal he was to furnish them withall with Lime and Plaster and appointing such Guides as having led them a long way about which made them waste all their Provisions at last delivered them half dead and languishing into the hands of the Turks who cut them all in pieces so that there was not a tenth part of them escaped Year of our Lord 1148 The King being likewise gotten into Asia found the Emperor Conrad at Nicea where he comforted him in the best manner he could Then he marched along by the Sea-side and ran the same hazard as the other had done however he saved himself more by good fortune then
that he left all his Warlike Engines behind and part of his Men who were kill'd or drowned upon the Retreat Never after durst he shew his head in any place where he knew Lewis could come and abandoned all Anjou to him and his new Fortifications of Anger 's which were presently demolish'd Year of our Lord 1214 Before the Month was expir'd after Lewis's Victory King Philip his Father gained a much more signal one nigh the Village of Bouvines which is between L'Isle and Tournay against the Emperor Otho and his Confederates They had an Army of 150000 fighting Men his was weaker by one half but strengthned with the flower of the Nobility and many Princes of the Blood viz. Eudes Duke of Burgundy Robert de Courtenay Robert Earl of Dreux and his Brother Philip Bishop of Beauvais The Battle was fought the 25th of July and lasted from Noon till Night Guerin Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and a little before elected Bishop of Senlis to whom the King left all things drew up the Army in Battalia Matthew Baron of Montmorency William des Barres Seneschal to the King Henry Earl of Bar Bartholomy de Roye Gaucher Count de Saint Pol and Adam Vicount de Melun had the greatest shares in the Danger and in the Victory Guerin fought not with his hands because of his Quality of Bishop nor did Philip Bishop of Beauvais smite with the Sword but a Wooden Club believing that to beat out Peoples Brains was not shedding of Blood The King ran a great hazard in his own Person having been beaten down trod under the Horses Feet and wounded in the Throat but in fine his Enemies were worsted every where Otho put to flight his great Standard being a Dragon with an Imperial Eagle over it and the Chariot which bore it broken all to pieces and five Earls amongst whom were Ferrand and Renauld with two and twenty Lords that carried Banners taken Prisoners The Fortune-tellers had assured the old Countess of Flanders Ferrands Aunt that there should happen a great Battle that the King should be overthrown Horses tread over him and that Ferrand should enter in Triumph into Paris The first part of this Prediction held good without Equivocation the second was likewise true but after another manner then they imagined for indeed they carried him into Paris in Triumph but in quality of a Captive loaden with Chains and linked fast in a Chariot drawn by Ferrand Horses that is according to the Language then used of an Iron-grey-Colour The Parisians made the King a most pompous Entrance and Celebrated his Victory with Solemn Joy for eight days together Ferrand was shut up in the Tower of the Louvre without the City Walls and Renauld in the new Tower of Peronne with Shackles on his Legs and a Chain that fastned him to a great piece of Timber Philip had made a Vow in the midst of his Joy for this most happy success to build an Abby in honour of God and of the Blesled Virgin his Son Lewis performed it by founding that of Nostre-Dame de la Victoire near Sanlis The Lords of Poitou that had favour'd the English finding that Lewis was Victorious sent to tender him all manner of Submission He would not trust to their words but went into the Country with his Army to bring things to a full period The Vicount de Touars the most considerable of them all obtained the Kings Pardon without much ado by the intercession of Peter Duke of Bretagne the rest were utterly lost and King John who was then in Partenay could not have avoided being taken if he had not bethought himself of interposing the Popes Legat to demand a Truce That power was so formidable that the King durst not deny him and agreed to it for five years Year of our Lord 1215 When that was done Prince Louis or Lewis whether out of devotion or jealousie of the Power of Count de Montfort took up the Cross on him against the Albigeois and made a Voyage to Languedoc Montfort came to Vienne to meet him and the Legat to Valence Montfort who accompanied him received Bulls from the Pope Year of our Lord 1215 which in Consequence of the Decree of the Council of Montpellier held some Months before gave him the Tolosian Territories in guard or keeping and all those other that had been Conquer'd by the Adventurers of the Cross upon Condition to receive Investiture of the King and render him Feodal Duty So that we may say ☜ the Pope named and the King Confer'd upon his Nomination From thence Lewis was at Montpellier then at Beziers where he gave order the Walls of Narbonne and Tolose should be demolish'd Mean while the Lateran Council notwithstanding the pitiful Remonstrances of the Count de Tolose who was there in Person with his Son adjudged the propriety of his Lands to Montfort reserving only those he had in Provence for his Son and four hundred Marks of Silver yearly for his Subsistance to be understood if they shew'd themselves obedient to the Holy See From that time Montfort took on him the Quality of Earl of Toulouze and came to receive Investiture from the King in the City of Melun While Lewis was yet in those Countries the English Lords sent to offer him the Crown of England and demand Assistance against the Tyrannies of John who was Excommunicated by the Pope and who had robb'd them of their Liberties and Priviledges for which cause they had taken up Arms to Dethrone him They had the City of London and some other places for them nevertheless their design did not go on well and their dispair forc'd them to seek their safety by some Foreign Assistance Year of our Lord 1215 16. The Tyrant seeing his loss infallible stuck not to abase the Dignity of his Crown to gain the Popes Protection He satisfies him therefore and becomes his Vassal and Tributary of a thousand Mark of Silver but this abasement added scorn to the execration his Subjects had for him Now the Holy Father resolv'd highly to protect his new Vassal Excommunicated the English and sent a Legat into France to divert Lewis from that Enterprize and desired King Philip to put a stop to it Philip makes protestation of all Respect and Obedience to the Holy See but said he could not impose upon his Son that necessity not to pursue the Rights of his Wife who was Neece to King John So that Lewis accepted the Crown of England and landed with a great Equipage in the Isle of Thanet thence went to London where he was solemnly Crowned John being excluded from his Capital City retired to Winchester and by his flight gave him full leisure to receive the Hommage of all the Nobility and secure all about London The Legat not being able to put a stop to Lewis by any Arguments or Persuasions Excommunicated him and all his Adherents but he appeal'd to the Pope they had not yet found out the
would have guessed the business had been at an end but his Wife Margaret Daughter of Robert Earl of Flanders a wise and couragious Princess who made good use of her Head in Council and of her Sword upon occasion as well as the deepest Politician or the bravest Soldier of her time could have done upheld that ruined party and not only so but even raised it again by her heroick Virtue She retired to Brest fortify'd her places put her Son who was but four years old in a place of safety having sent him into England and pressed King Edward so earnestly for the assistance he had promised to her Husband that he sends it by Sea to her It came inde ed somewhat too late to preserve Rennes but early enough to save Hennebond whit her he was retired It was however too weak to maintain the cause the Enemies were Masters of the Field and took the Towns but Charles de Blois I cannot tell by what motive gave her some respite by a years Truce during which this Princess goes over into England to represent the state of her Affairs there Year of our Lord 1342 In the Month of April of this year 1342. hapned the death of Benedict XII This good Pope moreconcerned and affectionate for the exaltation of the Holy See then of his own Family left a vast Treasure to the Church and nothing at all to his kindred but good instructions for the saving of their Souls Peter Roger Native of the Village de Rose in Limosin and Arch-Bishop of Rouen succeeded him by the name of Clement VI. This Man behaved himself quite contrary he scrupled not at all to make use of his Wealth to enrich his Relations and restored the Nipotisine very prejudicial to to the Church Year of our Lord 1342 The Countess Margaret acted so successfully at the Court of England that she brought back a powerful supply commanded by Robert d'Artois The Naval Forces of the Genoese and Spaniards which were under the Command of Lewis of Spain Brother of Alphonso who was Constable set upon them smartly and might well have hindred their Landing if a sierce Wind had not obliged him at night to put out to Sea fearing his great Vessels should run aground their Ships being smaller got to Port near Vannes Robert d'Artois being landed besieged that City and carried it by Assault which he made upon them in the night presently after another very hot one which he had given them in the day time But after that the Captains of the contrary party knowing he had sent the greatest part of his Army to besiege Rennes and that himself staid in Vannes they came and besieged him and press'd so hard upon him by repeated Assaults that they regained the place Himself was hurt in the last attaque and with much ado saved himself by a postern and got to Hennebond from thence he went into England where he thought to find best Chyrurgeons he died of his wounds in London detested of all good and loyal Frenchmen and passionately regretted by Edward who promis'd him to revenge his death And in effect he landed soon afterwards in Bretagne where all at one time he besieged Vannes Rennes and Guincamp protesting he did not intend to break the Truce made with the French but only he would defend and protect the Lands of a Pupil he meant Montfort's Son to whom he had promised his Daughter in Marriage On the other hand the Duke of Normandy thought he did not infringe it if he assisted Charles de Blois his Cousin German Year of our Lord 1342 After divers exploits of War on either part the Duke hemm'd in Edward before Vannes both by Sea and Land Now as the English were reduced to hunger and the French extreamly incommoded with the Autumn Rains they were glad on both sides to get out of these straights by a Truce for two years which was concluded betwixt them only for Bretagne The Legats of the new Pope brought this about and withal got the promise of both Kings that they should send to Avignon to the Holy Father there to determine all their Disputes by a firm and lasting Peace Year of our Lord 1343 The Twenty eighth of January hapned the death of Robert the Wife King of Naples who left his Kingdom to Jane Daughter of his Son Charles and the Sixteenth of September that of Philip King of Navarre Charles his Son who since ws surnamed the Bad came to the Crown under the Guardianship of Queen Jane of France his Mother Year of our Lord 1343 The Duke of Normandy and the English Deputies met at Aviguon to Treat about a Peace and although they could not come to an agreement in any one thing yet nevertheless it was believed they would conclude a Peace at last because the Popes Mediation was pleasing to both Princes But here an unhappy accident falls in their way and not only stopt their proceedings towards a Peace but set them at farther distance then ever they were and overwhelmed France with a deluge of woes Year of our Lord 1344 Oliver de Clisson and Ten or Twelve Lords Bretons of the French party having accompanied Charles de Blois to a Turnament that was held at Paris the King caused them to be all made prisoners upon some suspition of their holding intelligence with the English and soon after beheaded without any Trial or Hearing of their Case to the great astenishment of all the World and indignation of the Nobility whose Blood till then had never been shed but in Battle and indeed this too severe King who revenged even his own mistrusts did so alienate the affection of his Grandees that they served him but very ill when he had need of them upon great occasions Year of our Lord 1344. and 45. The death of these Lords of Bretagne enraged the King of England he was almost like to have done the same to Henry Lord of Leon of Charles de Blois his party whom he held a prisoner but upon the humble intreaties of the Earl of Derby he gave him his Life and Liberty upon condition he should go and declare to King Philip that the Truce was infringed by this Murther and that he was now going to begin the War anew as he quickly did as well in Guyenne by the Earl of Derby assisted by the Gascon Lords under his obedience as in Bretagne by Montforts party till he could go himself and carry a War into the very heart of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1344 The people of France had liberally granted to King Philip very notable Subsidies of Money for his Wars he raised them by much and which was worse he setled a new one upon Salt for which cause Edward by way of railery called him the Author of the Salique Law This impost which makes the Sun and Water to be sold so dear was the invention of the Jews mortal enemies to the name of Christians as the word or term Gabel denotes
have no more war on that side but the Nobility liked rather to be under the King of France who had Employments and Offices to bestow Henry de Villars Arch-Bishop of Lyons and John de Chisy Bishop of Grenoble byass'd the Dukes mind so as to make it run that way He had therefore in the year 1343. made a Donation to King Philip of the Lordship of Daulphine and the Lands adjoyning upon condition that all their priviledges should be preserved intirely that it should be incorporated for ever in the Crown of France and that the Kings eldest Son should enjoy it and bear the Title and the Arms of Daulphine for which the King gave him Forty thousand Crowns of Gold and ten thousand Florins Rent to be levied on the Countrey Year of our Lord 1349 This year 1349. he confirmed the Contract and afterwards retired himself into a Convent of the Jacobins where he took on the Habit. The Pope tyed him to the Church by Sacred Orders fearing he might start back and gainsay the thing He received them all on Christmass-day the Subdiaconal at midnight Mass the Diaconal at Mass by break of day and the Priesthood at the Third Mass The same day he Celebrated and eight days after was promoted to Episcopacy and honoured with the Title of Patriarch of Alexandria Year of our Lord 1350 In 1350. Philip had likewise either by purchase or by engagement of James of Arragon King of Majorca the Counties of Rousillon and Cerdagna in the Pyreneans and bought of the same Prince the Barony of Montpellier in Languedoc which the House of Arragon held in Under-Fief of the Crown of France for the sum of Sixscore thousand Crowns of Gold currant Money In the Month of June of the year 1350. the Truces wer prolonged between the Kings for three years Year of our Lord 1350 Two Months afterwards Philip fell sick at Nogent le Roy perhaps of the toil and fatigue of his new Marriage very often mortal to antient people that take beautiful Wives Feeling his last hour draw near he sent for his Children and the Princes of his Blood and gave them warning and counsel to live in amity and concord with one another make a Peace if it could be had maintain good Order and countenance Justice case the People and other fine and excellent things which Princes oftner recommend to their Successors at their deaths then practise themselves while they are alive He expired the Two and twentieth day of August in the seven and fiftieth year of his age and in the Three and twentieth of his Reign Very brave in his own person more happy in Negotiations then in Battle hard-hearted towards his Subjects suspitious vindicative and one that suffer'd himself to be too far transported by the impetuosity of his anger He had two Wives Jane and Blanch that the Daughter of Robert II. Duke of Burgundy and this of Philip d'Evreux King of Navarre By the First he left two Sons John who Reigned Philip who was Duke of Orleans but had no posterity and one Daughter named Mary who Married John Duke of Limburgh Son of John III. Duke of Brabant By his Second he had but only one Daughter Posthumus she was named Jane who died at Beziers in the year 1373. as they were conducting her to Barcelona to marry John Duke of Girona eldest Son to Peter IV. King of Arragon The Queen her Mother survived her Husband almost Fifty years which she passed in perpetual Widdow-hood Thus under the Reign of King John there were two Queens Dowagers in France this same and Jane d'Evreux widdow of Charles the Fair who died in the Month of May Anno 1970. John I. King L. By some called the Good King Aged XLII years POPES CLEMENT VI. Two years three Months during this Reign INNOCENT VI. Elected in December 1352. S. Nine years and near Nine Months URBAN V. Elected the Eighth of October 1362. S. Eight years and above Two Months whereof one year and Six Months during this Reign Year of our Lord 1350 AFter John had assisted at the Funeral of the King his Father he was Crowned at Reims with his Second Wife Jane of Boulogue the Twenty sixty day of September From thence he came and made his entrance into Paris the Seventeenth of October sate in his Seat of Justice in Paris gave the Order of Knighthood to his two eldest Sons to some other Princes and Lords and began some shew of labouring about the Polity and the Reformation of the whole Estate The Prince having maturity of age the experience of Affairs a valour tried in occasions the example of his faults before his Eyes and four Sons that would soon be able to draw their Swords promised a happy conduct and a most flourishing Government yet having the same defects as his Father too much of impetuosity and precipitation for revenge little prudence and as little consideration for the miseries of his poor people he fell into greater misfortunes and such as did not let go their hold but stuck to him till his death The Blood wherewith he sullied the entrance of his Reign was a presage and perhaps a cause of it much likelier then the prodigious Comet which appeared this year Rodolph Earl of Eu and of Guisnes Constable of France a prisoner of War to the English ever since the Battle of Caen had made divers voyages into France Year of our Lord 1350 to procure his own deliverance and that of his Compagnons Some perswaded the King were it true or false that under this pretence he practised some contrivances in favour of the English he was then arrested by the Prevost of Paris the Sixteenth of November and the Nineteenth beheaded obscurely and without form of Process in presence of the Duke of Bourbon and seven or eight Lords of note before whom it was given out in publique he had confessed his crime His spoil was thus divided his Office of Constable was given to Charles d'Espagne de la Cerde Favourite to the King the Earldom of En to John d'Artois Son of that Robert of whom we have mention'd so much and that of Guisnes to Jane the only Daughter of the defunct whose first Husband was Gualter Duke d'Athenes and her Second to Lewis Earl d'Estampes of the Branch d'Evreux from which sprung that of the Earls d'Eu Princes of the Blood Year of our Lord 1351 That he might not be inferiour in magnificence to the English who was a sumptuous and liberal Prince who had instituted the Order of the Garter King John instituted or rather revived the Order of the Star in a famous Assembly which he held in his Palace of St. Ouyn neer Paris and ordained that whereas those Knights did formerly wear the Star upon their Helmets or Crest or hung about their necks they should now have them embroidered on their Cloaths The Chapter was held upon Twelfth-day Charles the Fifth his Son observing this Order much debased by the multitude of mean
was almost the only Man who was capable of revenging him for all these Affronts to this end the second day of October he puts the Sword of High Year of our Lord 1370 Constable into his hands which Moreau de Fiennes too much broken with age and toil could bear no longer but gave him few Soldiers that he might only observe the Enemy and not fight them Du Guesclin who had another aim encreased the numbers at his own expence having sold all his Jewels and rich Household Furniture he had gotten in Spain to buy up more Soldiers After he had followed and annoyed the Enemy for some time he had an opportunity to be t up one of their Quarters near the Pont Valain in the Country of Mayne By this means having broke the ice he put them to a rout then defeated them piece after piece till even Knolles himself had much ado to escape Year of our Lord 1371 From thence he turned up into Berry and drove out the English who fled into Poitou cleared Touraine and Anjou and did the like in Limosin and in Rovergne Year of our Lord 1371 He also rendred a most important piece of Service to France having brought the King of Navarre to an Enterview with King Charles In the present posture of Affairs that Prince might have done a great deal of mischief by introducing the English into Constentin where he held Cherbourgh with some other places and into the County of Evreux which was all his own But he being as irresolute as malicious he neither knew how to keep his Faith nor break it to his own advantage Though he had made a Truce the preceding year he still deferr'd the concluding of the Peace by his Artifice In fine he suffers himself to be led to it when he had least need and was contented with the City of Mâ—ntpellier which was put into his possession Upon which Consideration he renounced the English Interest at that time when it would have been more advantage not to do it Year of our Lord 1371 In the year 1367. Pope Vrban V. had made a Voyage to Rome in appearance to give some Orders for the Affairs of Italy but indeed out of anger for that the Army going into Spain had oppressed and extorted a great deal from him After he had staid there two years and an half he returned to Avignon where in short time he died the 19th of December The Cardinals placed in the Holy Chair Peter Roger who was Son to William Earl of Beaufort in Valee and Jane Sister of Pope Clement VI. In the Month of May of this same year David King of Scotland Son of Robert Bruce died without Children Thus that Crown passed into the House of the Stewarts by one Robert who was his Sisters Son He ratifi'd the Truce with the English and prolonged it for thirteen years The Maritine Cities of Flanders being all filled with Merchants had no other Interest to mind but Trade Wherefore neither considering that of their Earl nor Year of our Lord 1371 the Kings they made a League with the English thereby to secure their Commerce which appeared more advantageous from that side then from the French Within a while after the new Constable had re-conquer'd Perigord and Limosin from the English the Prince of Wales though he could not stir but in a Litter draws his Men together at Cognac and went to besiege Limoges His Hurons or Miners of which he had great numbers having thrown down a great part of the Wall into the Ditches the Town was taken by Storm He was so enraged against the Inhabitants that he took cruel Vengeance even upon the very Women and Children above four thousand of them dying by the edge of the Sword This was his last exploit in War afterwards he retired very much indisposed into England where yet he languished three years When he was gone the Affairs of the English ran every day into decay the greatest part of the Lords and Commanders in Guyenne whom his Valour and Bounty tied to his Court going over to the French Year of our Lord 1372 He had left the care of his Affairs to the Duke of Lancaster who stay'd no long time in Guyenne but went over into England to be present in a great Council which was held about the concerns on this side the Water At his departure he Married the Daughter of Peter the Cruel and stiled himself King of Castille his Brother the Earl of Cambridge likewise took the youngest Sister to his Bed Year of our Lord 1372 This was to declare a Mortal War against King Henry who besides being engaged to the Crown of France resolved as well for his own security as out of gratitude to Year of our Lord 1372 serve it with all his power He knew the English were sending an Army into Poitou Commanded by the Earl of Pembrooke he put out a Fleet of forty great Ships to Sea well stored with Canon and Fire-Arms who lay in wait for the Earl of Pembrooke at the chops of the Rochel Channel The Fight lasted two days the Eves-eve and the Eve of St. Johns Feast the Rochellâ—rs looking on in cold blood not to be persuaded by their Governor to go out to the aid of the English who in the end were overcome and all either taken or sunk The Victors carried away the Earl of Pembrooke with the rest of the Prisoners into Spain all laden with Chains This was the Custom both of the Spaniards and Germans towards their Enemies the French and English treated theirs with more generosity and civility ☜ This disaster was the utter ruine of the English Party The Constable besieged Year of our Lord 1372 and took all places with ease After he had help'd the Duke of Berry in reducing St. Severe which was believed to be impregnable he came to take possession of the great City of Poitiers that opened her Arms to him The Commanders that kept the Field were all amazed at it but much more astonished upon the defeat of the Captal de Buch who marching to relieve the City of Soubise situate at the mouth of the Charente sound himself surrounded and taken by the Spaniards whose Fleet hover'd about that Coast No Ransom nor Exchange could persuade the King to set him at liberty a second time he was shut up in a Tower belonging to the Temple at Paris where he died four years after Year of our Lord 1372 The Rochellers could never agree with the English humour scarce compatible with any Nation whatsoever they studied how to withdraw themselves from their Government and for this purpose it was that the Spaniards kept so nigh to favour their design The Castle only hindred them the Mayor bethought himself of a Wyle Having given the Captain a Dinner he presented him certain Letters Sealed with King Edwards Signet out of which he read That they were ordered to make a Muster of the Garison in the Castle and the City Militia There
Kingdom This year he held a great Assembly of Notables and Deputies of the Lords of the Estates at Orleans where it was resolved that a Peace should be endeavoured without which all designs for reformation would be useless and indeed impossible and that in the mean while the Souldiery should be all reduced into Companies established and well regulated every Gentdarm to three Horses who should be paid every Month. Before this they had seven or eight and a great number of Roguy-boys who devoured all the Country where-ever they passed Year of our Lord 1440 This reform could not be pleasing to the Grandees nor Captains who grew fat by eating up the People whose misery was their happiness They interrupted it by a dangerous Commotion which was named La Praguerie The Dukes of Alenson Bourbon Vendosme the Bastard of Orleans and divers others had a hand in it They complained that the King allowed no share in his Government but to three or four private Persons and thereupon entred into a League against his Ministers La Trimouille who was in disgrace joyned also with them that so he might by any means whatever be brought into play again at Court Year of our Lord 1440 The Conspiracy being made the Duke of Alenson hies to Niort to debauch the Dauphin who was his Godson aged but Sixteen years but Married already to Marguerit Daughter of James I. King of Scotland and turned away the Count de Perdriac his Governor and all those the King had placed about him The King ran immediately to quench this new lighted Fire after he had well provided his Frontiers against any attempts of the English he takes the Field accompanied with his Constable the Earls de la Marche and Dunois whom he had drawn off from that League with eight hundred Men at Arms and three thousand others He pursued the Leagued so smartly into Poitou and from Poitou into Bourbonnois taking all the places where they thought to stand at Bay and make Head that they were forced to give up his Son to him and come and beg his pardon on their knees Year of our Lord 1440 A marvellous change Charles Duke of Orleans who was detained Prisoner in England for five and twenty years was delivered from captivity by that hand from which he had the least hopes in the world to expect it It was by Philip Duke of Burgundy who desiring to put a final end to the mortal quarrel between his Family and that of Orleans by a principle of goodness as generous as it was politique contrived the deliverance of this Prince and helped him to pay his Ransom which was three hundred thousand Crowns These two Princes by a sincere and cordial Reconciliation quenched the mortal Enmities their Fathers had begot Philip received Charles with great honour in his Year of our Lord 1440 City of Graveline the Twentieth of November gave him his Order of the Fleece and accepted the Order of the Porcupine from him Moreover Charles Married his Niece Daughter of his Sister and of Adolph first Duke of Cleves In fine each strove to shew the other all the marks and tokens of the most sincere and perfect amity Amongst the Mareschals of France there was one Giles Lord de Raiz of an illustrious House and very valiant but a great squanderer of Wealth whose mind was so depraved that he addicted himself to all sorts of Vice and Sins both against God and Nature entertaining Sorcerers and Enchanters to find out Treasures and corrupting young Boys and Girls whom he afterwards Murther'd that he might have their Blood to compound his Charm and Spells This being a publick Scandal he was put into the hands of Justice the Bishop of Nantes made his Process the Seneschal of Renes Judge-General of that Country assistant the Cause being of a mixt nature He was condemned to be burnt alive in the Field of Nantes The Duke was present at his Execution but mitigating the Sentence he permitted them first to strangle him and then to bury his Body not much consumed by the Flames I think I do remember in his Process that there was some Crime of State against the Duke who was glad he had this occasion to revenge that offence in punishing those hainous offences against Almighty God Year of our Lord 1441 The King had laid Siege before Pontoise which charge the Parisians were to defray The City having been re-victualled three or four times by Talbot the honour of the English Commanders his heart seemed to fail and he withdrew to Poissy but observing this retreat despicable he courageously returns commanded a general assault and by his presence so animated his People that he carried it by main strength That done he went to clear all the Country of Poitou and Angoulmois of those Robbers that infested them and to effect this he turned all the pilfering Captains out of their places and put honest Men in their steads Returning thence he came to keep his Court at Limoges during the Feast of Pentecost where he received the Duke of Orleans and his Wife and gave him 160000 Franc's towards the payment of his Ransom and six thousand Livers Pension From thence he went to Gascongne saved Tartas which had Capitulated to surrender to the English if they were not relieved by a prefix'd day He presented himself Year of our Lord 1442 before the place on the Eve of St. John's day with so considerable an Army that the Enemy durst not appear St. Sever was forced Dacqs compounded so did Marmande and la Reole But so soon as the King had but turned his back the English by correspondence regained Dacqs and St. Sever. The King spent the Winter at Montauban Year of our Lord 1442 which was so sharp that all the Rivers in that Country were frozen up and kept the Soldiers in their quarters not able to stir abroad Year of our Lord 1442 Whilst he was there he secured himself of the succession to the Earldom of Cominges Matthew de Foix had for his fourth Wife Married Jean who was the Countess of it As she was very aged and had no Children by him he kept her Prisoner in a Castle to compel her to make a donation of all she had to him The King having received the good old Womans complaint fails not to take this advantage for himself and at the same price delivers her and brings her into his Court. Year of our Lord 1443 Dying shortly after in Poitiers the Earl of Armagnac who had at his second Marriage wedded a Daughter of hers by another Husband seized upon her Lands He did not hold them long the Dauphin Lewis going into that Country ensnared him with fair words and clapt him in Prison as also his Wife and his Children The Earl of Foix by his intercession got him out again but not without much trouble and a surrender of all the Lands he had usurped Year of our Lord 1443 The Eight and twentieth of the Month of August John V.
and Richard Duke of Gloucestre You have seen how he put the first to death upon some ill grounded suspicion Now thus the other revenged it upon his Children Edward before his Marriage to her by whom he had them had clandestinely espoused a woman who was yet living The Bishop of Bathe who Marry'd them reveales it to Richard who being easily persuaded that Edward's Children were not Legitimate Seized upon his two Sons the Eldest of them being but Eleven years of age and named Edward V. put to Death five or six of the greatest Lords who plainly foresaw his ill intents and then having dispatched these Two young Princes out of the World and made their Sisters to be declared Bastards he set the Crown upon his own Head all Christian Princes even Lewis XI himself having this deed in horror It is pleasant to read in History what the fear of Death and of losing his Authority made King Lewis do during the last years of his Reign The dancing of young Lasses about his House and the Bands of Musicians that play'd on Flageolets which were brought from all parts to divert him the Processions ordained over all the Kingdom for his Health the publick prayers to God to hinder the blowing of certain Winds which incommoded him a great heap of Reliques which were sent for by him from all Corners even the St. Ampoulle or Holy Oyle with which he seemed as if he would Arm himself against Death the great sway his Physician James Coctier had over him who grumbled at him as he had been his Servant and squeezed from him 55000 Crowns and many other Boons in five Months space the Baths of Childrens Blood which he made use of to sweeten his sharp and pricking Humours in fine his voluntary Imprisoning himself in the Castle du Plessis le Tours where none could enter but through a Wicket the Walls thereof being Armed with Iron Spikes and lined Day and Night with Cross-Bow-men Every hour he was upon the Brink of his Grave and nevertheless he strove to persuade them that he was well sending Embassy's to all Princes Buying up all manner of Curiosities of Forreign Country's and making it appear he was alive by the Bloody effects of his Vegeance which could not die but with him Year of our Lord 1482. And 83. His greatest hope was in a Holy Hermit called Francis Martotile a Native of Calabria Founder of the Order of Minimes whom he caused expresly to come into France upon the Fame of those wonders God had wrought by his Ministery He Flattered him Implored him fell on his Knees to him He Built too Covents for his Order the first within the Park de Plessis les Tours the second at the Foot of the Castle de Amboise that he might prolong his days But this good Man in answer talked to him of God and Exhorted him to think more of the other Life then this Feeling himself grow weaker every day he sent for his Son from Amboise gave him excellent Counsel exhorting him to be Governed by the Advice of the Princes of the Blood the Lords and other Notable Persons not to change his Officers after his Death to ease his Subjects and reduce the Leveys of Moneys to the Ancient orders of the Kingdom which was to raise none but by consent of the People He had encreased the Taxes to 4700000 Livers a Sum so excessive in ☞ those days that the People were miserably over-burthened He died in fine the 29 th Day of August and accordingly as he had ordained was Interred at Nostre-Dame de Clery for which he had a particular Devotion The Course of Life had lasted Sixty one years compleat his Reign 22 years and one Month. Comines describes him to us as very wise in adversity very able to penetrate into the Interests and thoughts of men and to allure them and turn them to his ends infinitely suspicious and jealous of his power most absolute in his will who pardoned not mightily oppressed his Subjects and yet withal this the best of Princes in his time He had caused above 4000 people to be put to Death by divers cruel Torments and sometimes pleased himself in being a Spectator The most part were Executed without Form of Process or Trial many Drôwn'd with a Stone about their Necks others precipitated passing over a turning Plank whence they fell upon Wheels armed with Spikes and sharp Hooks others stifled in Dungeons Tristan his Creature and the Provost of his House being alone both Judge Witness and Executioner Besides his Devotion at least in appearance his persuasive and attracting Eloquence his Marvellous craft in setting his Enemies at variance with one another and unravelling their quarrels again his Liberality in recompencing the Services done for him when they hit his fancy we must not deny two things worthy of praise in him at the Latter end of his days one that he would not suffer an Ambassador which Sultan Bajazet sent to him to come nearer then Marseilles not believing one could be a Christian and have Communication with the Enemies of Jesus Christ the other that he had undertaken to reduce all the Weights and Measures to one Standard and to set up a General Custom in all the Provinces of the Kingdom I will add a Third that he resolved and intended that exact Justice should be dealt to all particular People He Instituted two Parliaments that of Bourdeaux which had been promised by Charles VII and that of Burgundy The Letters Patents for the first are Dated the 7 th of June 1462. that of the second the 18 th of March 1476. If he suffered not his Son to be brought up to good Learning it was because he apprehended to make him too knowing or hurt his delicate and tender Complexion by the Labour of Study It was not that he despised it or was altogether ignorant of it as some have believed since Comines says That he was well enough Read that he had had another sort of breeding then the Lords of that Kingdom and that according to Gaguin he understood Books and had more Erudition then Kings were wont to have Add that he much encreased the Royal Library which Charles V. had begun at Fountainbleau and which was transferr'd to the Louvre by Charles VI. That he kindly received and favoured those Learned Men who had made their escape from Greece after the taking of Constantinople That he took delight in alluring some out of Forreign Country 's with great Presents amongst others the Famous Galeotus Martius And that he gave himself the Trouble to compleat the reformation of the University of Paris by the care of John Boccard Bishop d'Auranches and a Cordelier named Wesel Gransfort a Native of Groningue Besides it is certain that the Kings of France and particularly those of the third Race have all been instructed in good Learning and loved it excepting Philip de Valois He married two Wives to wit Margret Daughter of James I. King of Scotland
to Table and made both him and all his Prisoners Some days before Emard de Prie with five or six thousand Men was gone to Genoa to attack Alexandria and some other Towns on this side the Po. Octavian Fregosa had at the same time treated with the King who left to him the Signeury of Genoa to be not a Duke but only Governour in his Name These tydings brought to Lyons the King parted from thence the fifteenth day Year of our Lord 1515 of August accompanied by seven Princes of the Blood and an infinite number of Great Lords having before-hand left the Regency to Louise de Savoy his Mother who was stiled Madame As he was going forth arrives an Ambassador from England to let him know from his Master that he ought not to pass into Italy for fear of disturbing the Peace of Christendom which only served to discover the inconstancy of that Prince and the jealousy he had left a young King should out-strip him in the Race of Honour who had lived a much longer time King Ferdinand's Menaces signified as little as the King of Englands Remonstrances He was but too well pleased that the first Efforts and Attempts of this new Conqueror were to fall upon Italy and not upon Spain And therefore as soon as he was certain of his March that way he disbanded the greatest part of his Forces and little cared for that League he was entred into for the defence of Milan This Shock or Surprize of Prospera Colomna's being very considerable because Year of our Lord 1515 it was the first essay of the whole Enterprize greatly changed the disposition of the Minds of the Emperor the Pope and even the Swisse who after having burnt Chivas and Verceil retired to Novarre whilst the King was assembling his Troops at Turin He immediately set forwards to follow them without delay being informed how they began to disagree and judg'd he had a fair opportunity either to vanquish them during their disunion or to treat the more advantageously with them And indeed some of their Chiefs began to give ear to the Propositions that were made by him but knowing he was come to Verceil they dislodg'd from Novarre and retired to Galerate He followed the same Pace and got into all their Towns without striking one Blow Being thus repulsed and at variance with each other they set a Treaty on Foot by the mediation of Charles Duke of Savoy their ancient Allie He obtained them all the satisfaction they could hope for that is to say great Summs of Money as well for their Pensions as to make good the Treaty of Dijon and a very fair settlement in France for Duke Sforza in recompence for his Dutchy of Milan But thereupon arrives a re-inforcement of ten thousand Men from their own Country who desiring to have their share in the Honor and Spoil as well as their Compagnons whom they found very rich broke off all and led them back to Milan This did not however take away all hopes they might be pacified by adding an over-plus Summ to stop the Months of the most Troublesom and Active but one Day when all seemed to be at an end and the King was ready to send Money for performance of the Articles the Cardinal of Sion whilst they were all met to make the final Conclusion begins to Harangue them with so much earnestness that he made them take up their Arms to come and Charge the French who were lodged at Marignan within a League of Milan and expected no less then such a sudden Onset Therefore the thirteenth of October about four in the Afternoon they came and Charged the French Van-guard with impetuosity who having been forewarn'd received them much better then they imagined they could not however hinder them from gaining the enclosure of their Camp and some Pieces of Canon But the King hastning to that part with the Flower of his Nobility and Gentdarmerie prevented them from piercing any further Never was there a more furious scuffle not heavier Blows the Fight lasted four hours in the Night nought but their over weariness made Truce between them till break of Day but did not part them many of both Parties lying down by each other all the Night The King with his Armor on rested himself upon the Carriage of a Gun where the great Thirst his toyl had brought upon him made him relish even a little Water mixed with Dirt and Blood brought to him by a courteous Soldier in his Morion Year of our Lord 1515 He did not waste all the Night in reposing himself but the greatest Part in placing his Guns his Musquetiers and Gascon Cross-bow Men. The Day appearing the Swisse returned to the Assault with more vigour then the Night before but the Cannon broke their Battallions the Bullets and Arrows made a great Slaughter then the Horse sallied and ran over them some of their Companies were driven into a Wood who were all cut in Pieces About nine in the Morning the rest thinking themselves vanquisht because they had not been able to Vanquish and withal observing Alvaine approach with the choice of his Venetian Cavalry began to make their retreat towards Milan none endeavouring to pursue them excepting Alvaine who thinking to Charge them in the Rear soon found by their fierce resistance that they dreaded their Italian Lances but little This was all the Share he had in this Battle whatever the Authors of that Nation are pleased to relate The French kept the Camp cover'd with ten thousand dead Swisse and three or four thousand of their own Men but of the bravest and for the most part Gentlemen Francis de Bourbon Brother to the Constable the Prince of Talmont only Son of Lewis de la Trimoville Bussy d'Amboise Nephew to the Cardinal of that Name the Count de Sancerre and eight or ten other Lords of Note were slain there Claude Duke of Guise who commanded the Lansquenets in the absence of Charles Duke of Gueldres his Maternal Uncle was trod under Foot a German Gentleman his Esquire saved his Life at the expence of his own by covering him with his own Body and receiving the Blows they made at his Master This ill Success begot new discords between the Swisse those that would have agreed with the King demanded Money of Sforza that they might be gone they knew well enough he had none and thereupon they returned by way of Coma which the King had left open for them The rest follow'd them the next day but left fifteen hundred of their Men with Sforza to maintain the Castle together with five hundred Italians he had there promising in a short time to come back to his assistance as likewise on his side the Cardinal of Sion going to the Emperor for the same purpose vow'd to return again speedily So that upon this assurance he shut himself into the Castle with one John Gonzague Jerome Moron and some Milanese Gentlemen The City surrendred the next day
it The Emperor remanded him to give him the Government of Milan which he took from Ferdinand de Gonzague The Duke had much ado to get lieve to keep this General with him till the Siege were over The Emperor therefore substituted Gomez de Figueroa in the stead of Gonzague who being Year of our Lord 1554 fitter for a States-Man then a Soldier suffer'd the Affairs of Piedmont to decline very much The first three Months the Duke of Florence had the disadvantage Ascanius de la Corne one of his Commanders thinking to surprize Clusio lost Twelve Hundred Men and was made Prisoner by a double dealing intelligence Strozzi defeated Medequin in a Ren-contre near Petia where he slew him Two Thousand Men Then having received a great re-inforcement brought him by Octavia Farnese and the Count de Miranda he regained one of the Bastions of Sienna which Malatesta had surprized by treachery and ransacked over all the Dukes Country to the very Gates of Florence But this fortune changed immediately Leo his Brother who was just Arrived with Twelve Galleys with which he lay at Port-Hercole expecting a re-inforcement that was to come from Provence was slain by a shot from behind a Hedge as he was viewing the ill favour'd Castle of Scarlin Then himself coming to releive Marcian besieged by Medequin lost a Battel near that City The sault was laid upon his presuming to make a retreat in the open day-light before an Enemy stronger then himself the cowardize of the Count de la Miranda who sled at the beginning with all the Cavalry whom he commanded as Collonel and the treachery of some Italian Companies of his Van-Guard who proved to be Turn-Coats He escaped to Montalien where he rallied up what he could of those shatter'd Forces and did yet give the Florentines a great deal of trouble He had intreated the King to let him have some good Officer to be his Second particularly to Govern the City of Sienna He sent him Blaise de Montlue whether of his own Choice or named by the Guises which was the ruine of that Republique for the Constable considering him as the Creature of his adversaries did not care he should Succeed and so sent no relief that way He came into that Country much about the time when Leo was slain before Scarlin During all this Reign there were divers changes made amongst the Officers of the Finance and Judicature and great number of Creations all to get Money the thirsty Ministers inclining the King to draw the purest Blood of the Nation to satisfie their greedy appetite The Parliament of Paris seemed to have too much power and sometimes opposed their injustice they made it Semestre that is one half to sit and attend Six Months and then the other alternately and almost doubled the number of the Judges who till then were not above one Hundred taking in the Six Masters of Requests and the Twelve Dukes and Pairs The Edict for this was not verified and yet it took place but within three years after when they had sold all those new Offices they suffer'd the two parts to be joyned again in one By another Edict they augmented the number of the Kings Secretaries who were Sixscore already that is to say more by half than was necessary and added Fourscore so that in all there were Two Hundred By another yet they set up a Parliament in Bretagne composed of four Presidents two and thirty Counsellors two Registers two Advocates and an Attorney for the King They divided it into two Semestres in one of which the Officers were necessarily to be Natives of that Province Necessity extorted from the Ministers for those of Guyenne what compassion towards those people had never been able to obtain Observing there was a great deal of danger and yet a much greater expence in settling the Gabelle in that Province they took it off but constrained the people to pay Twelve Hundred Thousand Crowns to redeem themselves from that vexation Year of our Lord 1554 After the rebuke received by Strozzi at Marcian the Marquiss de Marignan being Master of the Field took most of the places belonging to that little State and laid a formal Siege to Vienna which he had before invested Blaise de Montluc kept up the Spirits of the Siennois and withstood the Attaques of the Enemies near Eight Months as he particularly relates in his Memoires and Commentaries At length his provisions failing extreme Famine forced him to capitulate This was upon the One and Twentieth of April Year of our Lord 1555 The Treaty contained that they should enjoy their Goods Liberty and Republique in all security but the Emperor failed them in his promise and faith he soon subjugated and fetter'd that unfortunate City and gave it to his Year of our Lord 1555 Son Philip who in Anno 1558. yielded it to the Duke of Florence retaining only the maritime places And indeed the chief Citizens foreseeing or guessing the Imperialists would not make good the Treaty went out with the French Garrison to the number of Eight or Nine Hundred and retired to Montalcino In that City they chose them Magistrates and preserved the Form of their Republick till the time of the Peace betwixt France and Spain in the year 1559. Brissac Besieged Valfenieres in Piedmont and the Spaniards were in the Field to relieve it when the Battel of Marcian was fought The news thereof heightned the courage of the Enemies very much and it was to be fearâ—d it might cast a great damp upon the spirits of the French so that he found fit by the advice of his Councel of War to raise the Siege Some time afterwards having given the Enemy a repulse and thinking he had put all Piedmont in a condition of safety at least for some Months he formed a great design It was to have gone straight forward resolutely to Sienna with a Body of Eight Thousand Foot he had Fifteen or Sixteen Thousand of the best in the World to fall immediately upon the Besiegers and force one of their Quarters to put Provisions into the City But the jealousie his great reputation gave to those that Govern'd the Kings Mind would not permit him to execute so brave an exploit The Constable though related to him did not wish him well he having obtained the Government of Piedmont by the Craft of the Dutchess of Valentinois and without his knowledge nay even in despite of him who was then upon the point of endeavouring to have it for his Nephew Gaspard de Coligny Chastillon The Duke of Guise highly esteemed him and yet as the brave cannot well endure one another he very often took occasion to quarrel and thwart him Thus to ruine his reputation and fame they ruin'd the Kings Affairs in Piedmont And yet all these obstructions could not hinder him from taking this year Vercel and Ivree nor when he had fortified Saint la from compleating a design he had contrived upon Casal by the
Tenth of June and makes them continue the debate before him His presence did not so much daunt them but that three amongst the rest Anne de Bourg Councellor Clerc proceeded boldly to deliver their Sentiments upon the principal points of Religion and concluded by demanding a Council and that in the mean time Executions might be suspended He had the patience to hear them to the very last Argument and then to make the Clerk read over the Result of all Having thus discover'd their opinions he gave order to seize upon Du Bourg and Du Faur in the place and afterwards sent to take the President Ranconnet and the Counsellors Paul de Foix and Anthony Fumee all which were carried to the Bastille The President du Ferrier the Councellors Viole Du Val and Regnaute had met with the same treatment could they have been found Never did that August Assembly receive so great and so shameful a rebuke and blemish They appointed Commissioners for Trial of the Prisoners The Tragical accident which interven'd three Weeks after put some stop to those vehement prosecutions The Court being filled with all manner of Mirth Divertisements and expressions of Joy for the Nuptials of the Kings Daughter which was celebrated by Proxy the Seven and Twentieth of June and there being Turnaments and Carousels within Lists made cross the Street Saint Antoine from the Palace Royal des Tournelles to the Bastille Death as we may say having placed himself in Ambush amidst those pastimes and pleasures gave a blow as fatal as un-foreseen which converted all those gawdy Liveries into Mourning Weeds About the end of the third dayes tilting which was the Thirtieth of June the King had a great desire who had before broken several Lances with a great deal of dexterity to Just or Tilt agen with his Beaver open against the Earl of Montgommery Son of the Lord de Lorges one of the Captains of his Guard du Corps The Earl excused himself as much as he could but he would absolutely have it so now it hapned Year of our Lord 1559 that the Earl having broken against his Breast Plate hit him likewise above the right Eye-brow with the Truncheon that remained in his hand The stroke was so great that it threw him backwards on the ground and deprived him both of knowledge and speech He never recover'd them more which may convict of falsity those different discourses which both the one side and the other did put into his Mouth suitable to their divers interests and passions Notwithstanding he survived yet near eleven dayes and breathed not his last sigh till the tenth day of July He was in the fourth Month of the one and fortieth year of his Life and the thirteenth of his Reign About the end of June the Duke of Savoy was come to Paris accompanied with the Duke of Brunswic the Prince of Orange and an Hundred Gentlemen of Quality He had been received with extraordinary Civility by the King who met him at the Foot of the great Stair-Case in the Louvre When he found they dispair'd of the Kings Life he so much press'd the consummating of his Marriage that it was performed in Nostre Dame without any Pomp the ninth of July Margaret his Wife was in the seven and thirtieth year of her Age. They blamed King Henry of too much Indulgence or to speak better too great weakness towards his Mistress and his Favorites but they applauded a generous bounty in him to his Domesticks a great moderation and sweetness an agreable Conversation and a marvellous facility of expressing himself as well in publick as in particular He might have been praised likewise for his love to Learning for indeed he cherished it if the dissolutions of his Court authorised by his example had not perverted the best and choicest Wits to Compose Romances full of ☜ extravagant Visions and Lascivious Poems to flatter those Vices and that Impurity which had all the rewards in custody and to furnish that Sex with vain delights and amusements who still reign and govern by Fopperies Most of those Vices which ruine great States and draw down the wrath of Heaven reigned in that Court their gaming was seen in Triumph Luxury Impudicity Libertinage Blasphemy and that curiosity as foolish as impious to look into the Secrets of what is to come by the detestable Illusions of Magick Art Catherine de Medicis after a ten Years Barrenness brought this King ten Children as many of the one as of the other Sex the Eldest at this time being but seventeen Years old One of the Sons and two of the Daughters died in their Cradle There remained four Sons and three Daughters The four Sons were named Francis Charles Alexander and Hercules the names of the two last were changed at their confirmation Alexander was named Henry and Hercules changed for Francis The three first reigned after each other and all four died without Children The three Daughters were Isabella Claude and Marguerite Isabella Married Philip II. King of Spain Claude Charles III. Duke of Lorrain and Marguerite Henry de Bourbon who was then King of Navarre and afterwards King of France He had besides two Illegitimate Children Diana whom he Married to Horatio Farnese then to Francis Eldest Son of the Connestable de Montmorency and Henry who was Grand Prior of the Order of Malta and Governor of Provence The End of the Second Volume A Chronological Abridgment OR EXTRACT OF THE HISTORY OF FRANCE By the Sieur de Mezeray TOME III. Beginning at King Francis II. and ending at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Translated by John Bulteel Gent. LONDON Printed for Thomas Basset Samuel Lowndes Christopher Wilkinson William Cademan and Jacob Tonson MDCLXXXIII FRANCIS II. King LIX Aged XVI Years and VI. Months POPES PAUL IV. 27 dayes under this Reign PIUS IV. Elected the 26 of December 1559. S. Five Years and eleven Months and a half Year of our Lord 1559 IF in a State it be a certain sign of it's decadency the want of good Heads for Council and good hands great Soldiers for Execution it is as certain a fore-runner and cause of troubles and Civil Wars to have multitudes of Princes and over-grown Nobility when there is not an Authority great enough to contain and keep them to their duty This misfortune hapned to France after the death of King Henry II. as soon as he was no more the Factions which were formed during his Reign began to appear and by an unluckly fate met with to fortifie themselves differing Parties in Religion great numbers of Malecontents lovers of Novelties and which was more and worse Soldiers of Fortune who having been disbanded would needs get themselves some employment at what rate soever On one side were to be seen the Princes of the Blood and the Constable on the other the Princes of the House of Guise betwixt these two Parties the Queen Mother who was bargaining to make her best Market and sided sometime with
Princes had passed the Loire and advanced towards Paris between Montargis Bleneau and Chastillon sur Loing The King 's was come to the Valley of Aillan as it were to stand betwixt them and home and barricade the way to Paris when after a Truce of some days the Negociation for a Peace often broken and as often renewed again finally succeeded to a Treaty of Peace which was concluded the fifteenth of August notwithstanding the Remonstrances month August and great Offers made by the King of Spain to obstruct it for he apprehended least after a Peace the two Armies should be United to fall upon the Low-Countries The King the Queen his Mother the Princes of the Blood those of the Council and all the Grandees about him swore to it solemnly at Saint Germain en Laye On the Huguenots part Beauvais la Nocle was dispatch'd to carry the News to Rochel and Guyenne and Teligny to the Army where it was Proclaimed the one and twentieth of the Month and sworn to by all the Protestant Nobility expresly assembled Five days after it was so likewise in the Catholick Army which Marched towards Lorrain to Convoy the Germans home again and dismiss them That of the Princes went as far as Langres when they caused theirs to be conducted to Pot a Mouson by the Marquiss de Renel they then returned towards la Charité and from thence crossing Linosin and Angounois they proceeded to Rochel having Count Ludovic with them That which was most particular in this Edict besides the Articles in the former was That they allowed them to Preach in the Suburbs of two such Cities as should be Assigned them in each Province That they should be admitted indifferently in the Universities Schools Hospitals and Spittles as also in all publick Offices Royal Seigneurial and belonging to Cities and Corporations Moreover that they should have the Liberty to except against an Appeal from a certain number of Judges in all Parliaments in some more in others fewer and generally from the whole Parliament of Thoulouze to the Requests of the Hostel who should be Soveraign Judges in those Cases That to take away all possible suspition doubt or jealousie they should keep as Pawns for security in their own hands the Cities of Rochel Montauban Cognac and la Charité upon condition the two Princes and twenty Gentlemen with them would oblige themselves joyntly and swear to surrender them up in the same condition at the expiration of two years It was likewise stipulated that they should restore to the Prince of Orange and Ludovic his Brother the Principality of Orange and all other the Lands belonging to them in France together with all their Titles and Writings that had been taken from them The reasons that enclined the Huguenots to this Peace were manifest the long and tedious absence from their Families the eminent and perpetual dangers they were in the utter ruine of their Estates and Goods as well by the Invasions of Year of our Lord 1570 the Catholicks as the expences themselves were at to maintain the War their Dwellings exposed to Plunder and Firings their Wives and Children to Affronts and Massacres with this their ill fortune which had ever disappointed them in their great enterprizes And in fine the cutting reproaches to all that were honest amongst them for flying out so often to Rebellion against their Soveraign and being looked upon and accounted the glowing Fire-brands of their Native Country The Motives which led the Court to this agreement were variously guessed at and talked of The Queen-Mother would have it believed that she had consider'd the prayers of the Princes of Germany and the Emperor's Advice Some fancied she made this Peace that she might have leisure to think upon the Marriage of her Son others that she condescended to it out of the jealousie she had to find the Spaniard concerned himself so much in the Affairs of France not as a friend only but as one interessed and apprehensive that having subdued the Low-Countries he might endeavour to bind the French in the same Fetters Many believed with good probability that this Princess a great lover of Divertisements and Pleasures was quite wearied with such continual troubles and melancholy consultations and the eternal danger she was in And indeed never any one that was more fond of or did more delight in the soft Past-times of the Galanteries Dancing Hunting Feasting and all sorts of Sports than she Wherever she went she always carried a compleat Equipage of the most voluptuous Divertisements in her Train and particularly two or ✚ three hundred of the most beautiful Women of her Court who drew a Pack of twice as many Courtiers after them In the mid'st of the greatest Embrass of War and Affairs the Balls and Musick must be sure to go on says Montluc The sound of the Violins must not be stifled by the Martial Trumpet the same Teams dragg'd along the Machines for their Plays and their Engins for War and in the same Lists were to be seen the Sons of Mars cutting each others Throats and the fair Off-Spring of Venus at their Carousels where the Ladies freely tasted every pleasure Others more penetrating believed that her designs tended to disarm the Huguenots tyred with the miseries of War and by degrees calm and lay all their jealousies asleep that they might the more easily be led into their snares which time and opportunity might direct her to contrive hereafter for them if perhaps she had not long before resolved which way to bring it about The event seems to confirm this suspicion though it is very probable that the many Accidents different Interests and various Humours and Minds of those that contributed to such a terrible Council made them often shift and change their Methods and Resolutions She had two excellent Lures to deceive and decoy the Queen of Navarre and the Admiral and consequently the whole Party I mean a War against the Spaniards in the Low-Countries which all the Huguenot Chiefs blindly gave credit to because they desired it with passion and the Marriage of Margaret the Kings Sister with Henry Prince of Navarre This last had been already propounded but the great Love the Duke of Guise had for that Princess was some obstacle The King who was extream Cholerick and Violent having observed it commanded Henry d'Angoulesme his bastard Brother to kill him when he went out to Hunt the Duke having a hint of it was advised to avoid the anger of the King by Marrying at soonest as he did with Catherine de Cleves Widdow of Anthony de Croüy Prince of Portian Some Months before Lewis de Vourbon Duke of Montpensier had for his Second Wife Married in the City of Anger 's Catherine Sister to that Duke The Cardinal de Lorrain negotiated this Alliance to gain the said Prince who before was much an Enemy to their House though at the same time he had a mortal Aversion to the Huguenots It was high time
gained the Princes favour so entirely that he could not have liv'd a moment without him Seven or Eight dayes were past and the King of Poland went not though all his Equipage were ready and his Goods loaden The King attributes it to the month September Queen and told her with an Oath that one of the two must leave the Kingdom but the Duke of Guise with-held him still upon hopes of a sudden enjoyment and offer'd him Fifty Thousand men to defend him from the wrath of his Brother At Three dayes end the King verily believing the Queen his Mother was the cause of his delay and that it was to hatch some dangerous Conspiracy caused his Closet Door to be rudely shut against her and resolved to prevent their designes by some others which no doubt would have been very Tragical The Peril was Evident both for her and her Son yet notwithstanding she could hardly resolve to part with him The King would needs Conduct him to the Frontiers rather to hinder him from Cantonizing himself in any of the Provinces then out of any Affection He could not accompany him so far as he desired but was forced to stop at Vitry in Partois for in a few dayes after he had menaced his Mother he was seized with a lingring but Malignant Feaver which made him very giddy in his Head and sick at Heart almost every Minute The Queen Mother with the Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre Conducted him as far as Blamont in Lorraine There the Mother and the Son took their Leaves of each other amidst their Embraces Sobbs Sighes and Tears she most imprudently let fall these words Farewel my Son you shall not stay there long which being over-heard by several and quickly divulged did much encrease the sinister suspicions they had of the Kings Malady though others attributed it to his constitution which was of adust Choller and to the violent exercises he used as Hunting Riding the great Horse playing at Tennis Five or Six hours together hammering and forging of Iron which had so over-heated his mass of Blood that he slept but little and had sometimes Fits like those that so much afflicted Charles VI. King Henry after his departure from Blamont having Travell'd cross all Germany Arrived at Miezrich the first City of Poland about the end of the Month of January He had in his Train the Dukes of Nevers and Mayne the Marquiss d'Elbcuf the Count de Rais lately made Mareschal of France Roger de Sainct Lary Bellegarde Ten or Twelve other Lords of Note and above Five Hundred of the bravest Gentlemen besides these several Men of the Gown amongst others Bellievre Ambassadour of France to him Vincent Lauré Apostolick Nuncio and Pibrac the Kings Attorney in the Parliament of Paris All the Princes thorow whose Territories he passed strove to pay him the honour due to his Birth and Dignity there was none but Frederic Count Palatine of the Rhine that Treated him otherwise That Prince one of the gravest of his time desiring to make the young King and his bloody Council know the Injustice of the Massacres received him after a manner not much obliging and took pleasure in putting him into some apprehension of a most terrible Revenge At first that Noble and Majestick Air which outwardly appeared in all his Actions and the Profusion he made with both hands got him the passionate Love of the Nobility and adoration of the People but soon after the discomposedness of his Mind proceeding from Vapours of the Spleen his Melancholly for not receiving so early as he wished the News he expected from France a disgust of the Manners and Conversations of those People rendred him un-easie to himself and to his Subjects He sought for solitude in his own Closet communicated himself to none but his Favourites was sad and silent but that which aggravated Year of our Lord 1573 his Sorrow the more was the Proposition made him by the Senate to Marry Anne Sister of the Deceased King ill-favour'd and old whose dis-agreeable aspect did but more encrease those Flames in his Breast first kindled at Paris by the bright Eyes of the charming Princess of Condé There was some likely-hood that his departure from France would contribute much towards the calming of the Affairs in the State That the fears of the Huguenots who dreaded him and his Favorites ceasing their emotions would cease likewise That the Queen Mother having none now to rely upon would be forced to obey in her turn and that her Italians who excited the publick hatred and perverted the Just and Ancient Laws of Government to Introduce a new and Tyrannical Power would loose their Credit and Interest But on the contrary the Huguenots believing themselves the Stronger had not laid down their Arms in Languedoc but being confirmed and encouraged in their Assembly of Millaud and afterwards in those of Montauban and Nismes they became more audacious in their demands than if they yet had their Admiral at the Head of Thirty thousand Men to fight their Battels And besides the Duke of Alencon and the Politiques believing they were now Masters of all by the absence of the Duke of Anjou would needs dispose of things as they pleased The Duke d'Alencon ready to embrace any Enterprize without consideration and to give it over as lightly without thinking forged several in his own head but chiefly two amongst the rest the one to undertake the Lieutenancy of the War in the Low-Countries against the Spaniards and the King would gladly have sent him thither to ridd his hands of such a turbulent and restless Spirit the other was to demand the General Lieutenancy as the Duke of Anjou had it The Mareschal de Montmorency was of opinion he should stick to the latter and earnestly desired it for him with such persuasive Arguments and Reasons that the King thought fit to grant it Year of our Lord 1574. January c. But the Queen Mother who did expect no more acknowledgment or respect from this Son than she had shewed affection towards him who besides feared he would wrest her Authority from her and if the King hap'ned to die might perchance shut her dear Son the Duke of Anjou out of the Kingdom studied to break his measures and desired the Lieutenancy for the Duke of Lorrain who had Married the Fondling of all her Daughters Now when she found the King had promis'd it to the Duke of Alencon she contrived the Matter so well that instead of a Patent he only made a Declaration by word of Mouth and gave Letters under the Privy-Seal to some Governours shewing thereby plainly enough he meant to recall his Word as he soon after did and confer'd that eminent Title upon the Duke of Lorrain In the mean time the Duke of Alencon had contracted a most particular tye with the Huguenots and had promised to take them into his Protection The King of Navarre and the Prince of Condé were entred into this
them The Duke of Nevers in the mean time besieged Issoire in Auvergne situate upon the torrent de la Couse A Gentleman whose name was Chavagnae Commanded within Matthew le Merle Son of a Wooll-comber of Vzez but advanc'd to be a Captain during these Troubles had surprized it three years before This Merle was gone to the Sevennes to pick up some Men to relieve it but he staid so long perhaps obstructed by some bags of the Kings Money thrown in his way that the place was forced to surrender at discretion That done the Duke of Anjou with the Duke of Guise returned back to Court which was then at Blois leaving the Command of his Army to the Duke of Nevers The Affairs of the Huguenots could not be in a worse condition the whole party was full of Divisions of Jealousies and of Cabals the Lords of the King of Navarres Court could neither agree amongst themselves nor with him because he gave too much credit and Faith to Lavardin who was known to be tied to the Queen-Mothers Interest insomuch as La Noüe forsook that King and Turenne and the rest served him not without much Anxiety and suspition There was also a mortal feud between the Prince and the Lord de Mirembeau about the business of Broüage a scurvy misunderstanding between the said Prince and the Rochellers for the nomination of a Maire and other points concerning the liberties of that City Eternal Picques between the Bourgeois and the Nobless and every moment some quarrel between the Commanders of their Forces withal most strange disorder and licentiousness amongst their Soldiers who were horribly ungovernable as well because of the want of Pay and the little authority of their Captains as by the mixture of their Politiques the most part Atheists and addicted to all manner of Vices Year of our Lord 1577 The confusion the Duke of Mayenne observed in that party gave him the prospect of subduing Rochel and also to that effect and purpose to hinder all Trade and Provisions from coming to them by Sea by taking the Islands and Broüage as by Land he had already got most of the Towns and Castles that furnish'd or stood them in any stead The Rochellers were jealous of the growing greatness of Broüage The Count of Montgomery who was Governour of it had by his debauches consumed the Soldiers pay and tormented the Inhabitants grievously Captain Lorges his Brother with his Regiment vexed and plundred the Islands so that both the one and the other desired a change that remedy of the unthinking vulgar who ever believe ☞ the present evils the most troublesome The King had equipped a Navy for this Siege the Prince and the Rochellers prepared one to hinder it Clermont Commanded it as Lansac did the Kings Both these met in the canal of Broüage that for the Huguenots was beaten by not keeping out at large Five Gallies brought thither by the young Montlue tearing them in pieces with their Guns during a calm In the mean while the Besiegers press'd upon them at Land and the King was come to Poitiers to encourage his Men. Their amazement was so great in Rochel that all the Suppliesthey endeavour'd to send thither were either taken or put to flight When the Besieged were almost at the greatest extremity the rumour was that the Duke of Anjou after the taking of Issâ—ire was coming to reinforce the Siege with that Army which breathed nothing but Blood and Slaughter the fear they were in that they should have no quarter made them hasten the capitulation and the Duke of Mayenne fearing that Prince would rob him of the Honour of his enterprize granted them Conditions favourable enough The King of Navarre who had taken the Field to succour them finding the business was decided desired to raise up the spirits of his party again by some famous exploit and if he could possibly give battle to that victorious Army but they were already gone to refresh themselves having no Orders to undertake any more Many were of that judgment that if they but push'd on their advantages against the Huguenots in the confusion they were then under they had been laid flat on the ground For it was not in their power then to set an Army on foot their Officers Year of our Lord 1577 were at daggers drawing the Council belonging to the Princes full of Traitors the People grieved at their ill Conduct and in despair for their being pillaged Besides Damville over-perswaded by his Wife and by his Secretaries whom they had bribed and withal picqued for that the Huguenots did not respect him enough had drawn his Sword against them in Languedoc and besieged Montpellier But was indeed upon the point of receiving an affront For Chastillon had bravely pierced thorow his Army and thrown Three thousand Men into the place and would have given him battle the next day if the news of the Peace had not prevented It could not be certainly known what the true Reasons were that induced the King to make it in a juncture that seemed so favourable unless it were his apprehensions of the Reisters coming again to ransack and waste his Kingdom and of the Rochellers giving themselves up to the English or else the intrigues of the Duke of Anjou who infinitely desired to go into Flanders and draw the Army after him or his own weak and uncertain temper not able to undergo the burthen and difficulties of any weighty Affair This Fifth Treaty of Pacification was concluded at Bergerac between the King of Navarre and the Duke of Montpensier The Edict was drawn up at Poitiers in the month of September and verified in Parliament in the beginning of October It was different from the last in that it restrained the exercise of their Religion to the limits of the preceding ones removed it Ten miles from Paris forbid it in the Marqulsate of Salusses and the County of Venaisin exchanged Montpellier for Beaucaire with them and did not restore them Issoire The Consistorians who had much more obstinacy then knowledge could hardly be brought to allow of this restriction but the Chiefs who better understood the state of their Affairs accepted it as very advantageous and the Prince caused it to be proclaimed by Torch-light at Rochel There must have been to make it firm and lasting a Will and Resolution in either party to keep and maintain it and to this end they should have renewed and restored a real confidence and true faith in each other but as the first being wanting the other became impossible they presently started up a thousand doubts and difficulties concerning the execution and it was the delight and interest of the Queen-Mother to be brangling and trucking with the one and the other to keep the Authority in her own hands and to shew her dexterity in disintangling those snarles and knots which she her self most commonly had tied The King her Son had learnt of her to make excessive expences and as he had
the Respect and Affection they had born him which the Heads of the League took advantage of and confirmed their aversion and contempt of him Towards which the insolence of his Favorites did not a little contribute by setting themselves above Princes making the Grandees follow them and absolutely disposing of all Affairs month In August Sebastian King of Portugal having lost a great Battle against the Moors as may be seen in the History of that Countrey and never appearing aftewards whether he were slain there or otherwise Henry his great Uncle who was Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Evora took the Crown which belonged to him as being the nearest Prince of the Blood We must know that Sebastian was the Son of Prince John Son of King John III. Son of King Emanuel That this Emanuel besides King John had three other Sons Lewis Duke of Beja the Henry of whom we speak and Edward Prince of Portugal and two Daughters Isabella who was Mother of Philip II. King of Spain and Beatrix who was Mother of Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy That Lewis had a natural Son named Don Antonio Prior of Crato That from Edward sprang two Daughters Mary Wife of Alexander Farnese First of that Name Duke of Parma and Mother of Rainutio and Catherine Wife of John Duke of Braganza Year of our Lord 1578 Now as Henry was very infirm and almost Septuaginary all those who pretended to the Crown after his death began from that time to mak their parties and interest and proclaim their Titles Wherefore omitting the Pope and the Abbot de Clervaux who shewed by some old Titles that the said Kingdom had submitted to their Sense and Homage there presented themselves Philip King of Spain Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy Rainutio Farnese Catherine Wife of John of Braganza and Anthony Prior of Crato As for Philipebert he yielded it King Philip who was issue of the eldest of Emanuels two Daughters and demanded only they should have a regard to his Right in case Philip died before him They said that Rainutio his Mother being dead as she then was could not dispute it with Catherine he being one degree remoter then she The question remained therefore between Philip and Catherine It was most certain that Philips Mother had she been living would have been excluded by Catherine but as she was dead her Son Philip pretended they ought not now to have any regard to that but that he and Catherine being at equal distance for both of them were Germain to Sebastian he was to be preferr'd because he was the Male. As for the right of Anthony King Henry made no account of that because he had a perfect hatred for him and his Father as it was said had by his Will declared him illegitimate nevertheless all the People the Clergy and the Friers excepting only the Jesuits who were perswaded that the grandeur of the House of Austria was the main and truest support of the Catholique Religion were entirely for him Amongst the Contenders Queen Catharine de Medicis was also a Stickler perhaps to make the World believe she was of a Family good enough to pretend to the succession of a Kingdom And thus she founded her right Alphonso III. King of Portugal about the year 1235. Married one Matilda Countess of Bolognia then did repudiate her to take a Wife much younger She said he had a Son named Robert by that Matilda but to his prejudice and wrong had left the Inheritance to the Children by this second Wife That from the said Robert came the Counts of Bologna from whom she was descended But this derivation besides the injury it did to all the Kings of Portugal from the time of Alphonso and to all the Pretenders that were issued from them as necessarily qualifying them Bastards and Usurpers was false in the most essential point for Matilda had no Child by Alphonso and Robert was Son of a Sister to that Queen Year of our Lord 1579 The most apparent Right according to the Lawyers of Coimbre who ought to know better then any others the Laws and Customs of those Countries was that of Catharine Wife of the Duke of Braganza And indeed the Nobility and the Estates to whom the resolution of all Questions of such importance do most properly belong inclined that way but Henry was so weak he durst not declare in her favour but engaged himself for Philip and that the more readily as finding the Duke of Braganza grew slack withall his Confessor persuading him that the glory of God and the advancement of the Catholick Religion required it Year of our Lord 1580 Upon this he happens to die the last day of January in the year 1580. having Reigned seventeen Months Philip who had prepared himself to make good his Title by force did immediately order the Duke of Alva to enter Portugal with a good Army Anthony was already proclaimed King but could not make head against him the Forces he had got in haste together being raw unexprerlenc'd Men were worsted the first time and quite dispersed the second So that having nothing left him on Land and the Sea beating him churlishly back every time he endeavour'd to set sail he was forced to disguise himself under a Monks Hood and hide himself for eight Months in several places the Portuguese not discovering him though Philip had promised fourscore thousand Crowns to any that would produce him At length finding his opportunity he embarqued on a Vessel which transported him into Holland from whence he came to the Court of France All the Islands of Azores excepting that of St. Michael which submitted to Philip remained still firm to his Party by means of certain Monks who were mightily increased there These Islands are usually called Terceres from the third which is the greatest of them all there are nine in number As to the Duke of Braganza he agreed with King Philip who gave him the Office of Constable of the Kingdom but in our days his Grandson John happily raised himself again and was restored to the Crown according to a wonderful Prophecy which may be seen in the first Volume of the Annals of the Cisteaux i. e. White Friers composed by a Religious Spaniard of that Order some years before that miraculous Revolution The Order of St. Michael had been in great reputation and request under four Kings but during the Reign of Henry II. the Women had made it Venal and in those Year of our Lord 1579. January of Francis II. and Charles IX Queen Catharine had rendred it so contemptible that the Nobility never demanded it but for their Servants or Valets This year the King without abolishing the former instituted another named the Order of the Holy Ghost to which it serves as a necessary disposition He declared himself Soveraign Head and for ever united the Soveraignty of it to the Crown of France He solemnized the Feast on the first day of January in the Church of the Augustins
side he seized about the end of September upon the City of Carmagnoles and invested the Castle The Lieutenant surrendred it in few days after Salusses Cental and all the other small month September and October places of the Marquisate made but very little or no defence excepting Ravel The Joss was very great to France as well because there was in Carmagnoles an inestimable Magazin of all sorts of Arms and four hundred pieces of Cannon as because that Country was the only passage the French had left them to get into Italy Now as in all misfortunes we still lay the blame on them we most hate the King failed not to accuse the Duke of Guise for this though he appeared to be altogether innocent for he was so far from corresponding with the Duke of Savoy at least at this very time that he was at great variance with him Therefore he profer'd to pass the Alpes and tear this Usurpation again out of his hands and engaged the Estates to declare a War against him Year of our Lord 1588 In the mean time the King tired with the difficulties and troubles that started up every day and which he believed were created by that Duke was often transported month November and December to passion and had thoughts of the extreamest revenge but when those fits were over fell into great astonishments and unexpressible thoughts of despair Nay sometimes he took so much disgust at the burthen of Government that he would needs ease himself and lay the whole weight thereof upon the Queen Mother and during these intervals or weakness of Spirit he seem'd to have an entire confidence in the Duke of Guise even so far as to seal the same with a solemn Oath upon the sacred Mistery of the Altar both having communicated as it was said at the same Table either of them taking one half of the same consecrated Wafer But immediately after the remembrance of things past the fear of what was to come and the never-ceasing reports of the Quarente-cinq who craftily intermixed calumnies with truths bad him repent his weakness gave him new fire to his indignation and made him once for all determine to put him to death Those of his Council and amongst his Servants who had any sence of honour and month December generosity were of opinion he should act King-like and rid his hands of him by ways that were both just and irreprochable The Mareschal d'Aumont would have him brought to Trial and forfeit his Head if he deserv'd it Grillon Mestre de Camp of the Regiment of Guards refused to assassinate him but offer'd to make him draw his Sword assuring the King he would kill him or forfeit his own Life The contrary advice notwithstanding took most with the King and this not so much for any strength of reason as the present disposition and humour he then was in which this exactly suited For we must know that during any great Frosts such as were at this very time and had lasted above three weeks he was hugely tormented with vapours from the Spleen which rendred him extream chagrin and severe Those that were well acquainted knew it very dangerous to offer to disturb him at such Seasons and it is held that Chiverny and Miron had often hinted to the Duke that if he plaid his Game with him whilst he was invaded with those black and pricking fumes he would certainly repent it This resolution could not be kept so private but it was known to many Persons the Duke had notice from above a hundred by word of Mouth and Writing they quoted even the very particular circumstances and all his Friends press'd him to retire the Archbishop of Lyons only was of a contrary sentiment and prevailed above all the rest He made him believe that all those reports and the notices given him came from the King to fright him away so to ruine his Reputation and afterwards make his Process in his absence This Prelat was since reproached that he had thus exposed the life of his Friend only out of fear lest if he left the Court the King would have hindred his promotion to the Cardinal-ship which he hoped would be done at Rome after St. Lucies-day Year of our Lord 1588 The Duke was so imprudent as to lodge within the Castle and thereby exposed month December himself to the mercy of his Enemies and was deprived of the assistance of above five hundred Gentlemen and a thousand other Persons who were his Friends that quarter'd about the Town The better to draw him in the King pretended he must dispatch several weighty Affairs before the Christmas Holidays and gave order all the Council should come thither early the next Morning being the Three and twentieth of December The Council sat in a Hall of the Castle near the Kings Chamber who had his Apartment in the second Story the Queen Mother making use of the first The King had caused little Cells to be built upon one side of his Chamber in those he placed his Quarente-Cinq about four hours after mid-night leading them thither himself with a small Wax light In the morning about Eight of the Clock the Duke being come to the Council-Hall with the Cardinal his Brother the Archbishop of Lyons and some others the King sends for him to come speak with him in his Chamber Nine of those Forty-five who were placed at the entrance of the passage fall upon him some catch him by the Collar others hold him by the Arms and Legs give him twelve or fifteen stabs with their Daggers he shakes them drags them along and used all the efforts of an invincible despair till being thrust into the Reins with a Sword he falls down at whole length with these words Ab thou Traytor Immediately the Mareschal d'Aumont seizes the Cardinal and the Archbishop in the Council Hall and shuts them up in a Garret others in divers places lay hold on the old Cardinal de Bourbon the Dutchess of Nemours the Prince de Joinville the Dukes of Nemours and Elboeuf de Hautefort St. Agnan Bois-Daufin Brissac la Bourdaisiere and Picard the Dukes Secretary At the same instant almost Richelieu Grand Prevost de l'Hostel enters the Council Hall bawling out they would have murther'd the King and lays hands on the President de Nully la Chappelle Morteau Prevost des Merchands two â—sehevins of Paris and Vincent le Roy Lieutenant Civil of the City of Amiens The rest ran forth in great confusion Some made a shift to get to Orleans such as could not make their escape because the Gates were strongly guarded were forced stay behind and cover their apprehensions with a seeming joy Those that had slain the Duke dreading lest the Cardinal should another day demand satisfaction for his Blood sollicited the King with so much vehemence that he consented likewise to his death Two things amongst the rest moved him to determine it the one was they reported he spit forth all the injurious
Bouchard and even Chastelleraud it self open'd their Gates to him From thence he advanced as far as Argenton in Berry to aid the City which held for the King against the Castle that stood for the League Which gave so much jealousie to la Chastre that he declared for the League and made the City of Bourges declare with him The happy progress of this Prince and his Proximity gave the King some reason Year of our Lord 1589 to court his assistance in his extream necessity the Duke of Nevers who apprehended month April this medley of Huguenots and Catholicks might bring Religion into danger dissuaded him with all his might and there were withal great obstructions on either hand On the Kings part the fear of farther offending the Court of Rome and scandalizing the Catholicks the Conscience of so soon violating an Oath twice reiterated before the Estates and the shame of being forced to call into his assistance him whom he had so roughly persecuted On the King of Navarres part the just suspicion lest they should sacrifice him to appease the fury of the League for this King that invited him was himself one of the principal Authors of the bloody St. Bartholomew and the constraint of stooping to the Favourites who sported with the lives of those that did not bow the knee before them Notwithstanding Du Plessis Mornay and some others by their prudent management removed all these Obstacles and accommodated every thing between these two Kings upon condition the Treaty should not be divulged till the King should think it fit It contained an agreement of a Truce for a year during which time the King of Navarre should aid him with all his Forces and should give him up all such places as he should take from the common Enemy Reciprocally the King should give him the Pont de Ce upon the Loire and one place in every Bailiwick as a retreat for his sick Men. When the Legat had discover'd this new Confederation he employ'd all his power and interest to incline the Duke of Mayenne to an Accommodation even so far as to offer him Conditions much beyond the power of his Commission The King finding he did but only lose time that in the Dukes Army they gave him no better Title then the Tyrant the Massacrer and dethroned Henry and that the Duke was at Chasteaudun within three days Journey of Tours he caused the Truce to be proclaimed though with a great deal of repugnance There were at Rome some Envoys on his behalf to sollicite for his Absolution and others in behalf of the League to oppose it The thing was found to be much more difficult to obtain of the Pope then he had imagined In that Court the Blood of a Cardinal is not so lightly valued and Pope Sixtus who gloried in trampling upon Crowned Heads would be sure not to let slip this opportunity of magnifying his own power He demanded before any further proceedings that they should set the Cardinal de Bourbon and the Archbishop of Lyons at liberty Charles d'Angennes Bishop of Mans had made him believe the King would grant him this but when in stead of a compliance that Prelat entertain'd him with excuses and ragione di stato and at the same time they were informed by Letters from the Legat of the Kings Confederation with the Head of the Huguenots the Pope le ts fly a Monitory the Fifth of May by which he demanded and commanded to set the Cardinal and the Arch-Bishop Year of our Lord 1589 at liberty within ten days after publication and to give certain notice month May and June thereof within thirty by an authentick Act In default whereof he declared he had incurr'd the Censures Ecclesiastical especially those which are contained in the Bull in Coena Domini of which he could not be absolv'd but by the Pope himself unless at the point of death and upon giving security to make satisfaction cited him to appear personally at Rome within sixty days allowing him twenty days for each Admonition and disanulling all Indulgences Faculties and Priviledges to the contrary granted by the Holy See either to him or to any of his Predecessors This Monitory was published in Rome and affixed upon the Church doors of St. Peters and St. John de Latran the Three and twentieth of May and the Month of June following in the Cathedral of Chartres in that of Meaux and some other Churches in France but the King still pretended cause of ignorance He notwithstanding had well enough foreseen this thing and the apprehension he had of it hastned him to satisfie the King of Navarre by giving him a passage upon the Loire Du Plessis Mornay by his Address brought it so about as in lieu of Pont de Ce a very ill-favoured place he gave him the City of Saumur whereof his Master gave him the Government This security being granted the two Kings met about the Thirtieth of April about the hour of One in the Afternoon at Plessis Les Tours in the Park he of Navarre was come to the Bridge de la Motte which is a Rivolet a quarter of a league beyond Tours and had brought part of his Forces which were quarter'd about two leagues beyond that but would venture no farther Nevertheless d'Aumont and Chastillon having informed him that such mistrust displeased the King pressed him so home that they prevailed with him to pass the River of Cher and come into the Park His old Captains trembled both for anger and for fear lest the King said they in a season wherein treachery may be so advantageous to free himself out of that Labyrinth whereinto another had drawn him should have agreed for his Absolution at the price of this Princes Life and destined his Head a present to the Pope to accompany the Admirals The same day to dispel their fears he returned to his lodgment but the next day by six in the morning and without giving them notice he repasses the River with only one Page and came to the King as he was rising The two Princes spent all that morning and the next in consulting of their Affairs Their resolution in gross was to attaque Paris the principal head of the League and that which gave motion to all the rest They reckon they should for this purpose have the Forces of the Huguenot Party and great numbers of the Nobility a powerful assistance which the King expected from England and a levy of twelve thousand Swiss whom Sancy was gone to raise in the Protestant Cantons After they had remained together two days Year of our Lord 1589 the King of Navarre went to Chinon to bring forward the rest of those Troops he month April had left there In the Provinces the two Parties had had divers Rencounters Sautour a Royalist besieging Mere upon Seine Hautefort who qualified himself Lieutenant General for the Union in Brie and Champagne charged him kill'd or caused most of his Men to drown themselves
de Bourbon and the Archbishop at liberty While he was entring the second time upon his Confession he fell into a swoon then utterly losing his speech he expir'd about four in the morning the Second day of August which was the next after his being wounded The preceding Evening the King of Navarre informed of the danger he was in came to visit him the frequent sits of fainting he fell into every moment would not allow him to make long discourses but when dead the several Factions made many different ones for him according to their Interests The Catholicks reported he exhorted him to abjure his Heresie and to profess the true Faith the Huguenots on the contrary that he desired them to refer those Disputes to the Convocation of the Estates General some others that he conjured them to remain united and pursue the Revenge for his Death but it is most certain that he embraced him several times and that he called him his good Brother and his lawful Successor They carried his Corps to St. Cornille de Compeigne where it reposed till the year 1610. when it was brought to St. Deuis with that of the Queen his Mother which was at Blois to accompany the Funeral Pomp of Henry the Great Both of them were placed in the Mausoleum of the Valois Benoise Secretary of the Closet a faithful Servant caused his Heart and Bowels to be buried in a private place of the Church of St. Cloud then when Henry IV. had restored France to its perfect Peace he placed an Epitaph there which is yet to be seen and founded an Anniversary for him Henry III. ceased to live in the Eleventh Month of the Nine and thirtieth year of his Age and the second of the sixteenth of his Reign He had no Children by Queen Louisa his Wife she survived him till the year 1601. and the Forty seventh of her Age. She made choice for her retirement of the Castle of Moulins which was part of her Dower where she passed the remainder of her days in the continual exercise of Piety and Christian Vertues With this King ended the Branch of the Valois who had Reigned One hundred and sixty one years accounting from Philip IV. and furnished France with thirteen Kings most of them Magnificent Liberal Valiant Religious and Lovers of Polite Learning bâ—t to say the truth not over-fortunate in War who notwithstanding have acquired to this Kingdom by good Conduct rather then by force Daufine Year of our Lord 1589 Burgundy Provence and Bretagne and chaced the English wholly out of France after a War of an hundred and thirty years together with various success and fortune But who began to burthen the People with Tails and Impositions little known in the Reigns of their Predecessors unless in cases of urgent necessity by grant of the Estates and only for a time who have alienated the Sacred Demesns of the Crown permitted Plebeians to possess Fiefs taken away Canonical Elections of Benefices introduced the Venality of Offices and even of Nobility multiplied Officers of Justice and of Finance composed great numbers of Reiglements and Ordonnances changed the ancient Militia of the Kingdom to entertain Soldiers upon pay level'd the power of the great Lords called Women into the Court and in fine made many other changes whereof we must refer the Judgment to the Sages whether they be more profitable or prejudicial to the State Henry IV. King LXII POPES SIXTUS V. near thirteen years under this Reign URBAN VII Elected the 15th of September 1590. S. only twelve days GREGORY XIV Elected the fifth of December 1590. S. ten Months ten days INNOCENT IX Elected the 29th of October 1591. S. two Months CLEMENT VIII Elected the 30th of January 1592. S. thirteen years and one Month. LEO XI Elected the first of April 1605. S. twenty seven days PAUL V. Elected the 16th of May 1605. S. fifteen years and near nine Months whereof five years under this Reign HENRY IV. King LXII Aged Thirty five years and eight Months Year of our Lord 1589. August ALthough there had been hitherto no example in France of a Prince that came to the Crown from a degree so remote as was Henry King of Navarre in respect of King Henry III. to whom he was of Kin but in the tenth or eleventh nevertheless it was the Sentiment both of the People and the Lawyers that this succession in a Masculine Line extended to infinity And indeed those that would have excluded him did not make this distance beyond the seventh degree any part of their pretence but the defect of his Religion and they believed they had so shut up all the Avenues by the Edict of Re-union which the Estates General and the deceased King had twice sworn and by Pope Sixtus his Bull that they imagined he could never attain it even though he were converted During the night between the Second and third of August whilst his Predecessor was in his greatest agony he held several Councils tumultuarily in the same House with his most cordial Servants then when he saw he was giving up the ghost he retired to his quarters at Meudon followed at first by a good number of the Nobility who accompanied him out of curiosity rather then affection And there being lock'd up in his Chamber he consulted sometimes with one sometimes with others shewing great confidence to all but generally suspecting every one Some though but a very few swore fealty to him without any Condition Biron the most considerable and the most imperious of all those that were there believing the Kingdom was going to be dismembred as it had been at the end of the Carlien Race made known he desired to have the County of Perigord for his share The King commanded Sancy to offer it to him but Sancy who could not claim the like advantage for himself did so picque him with generosity as he renounced that demand and went along with him to the Swiss Soldiers to persuade them to remain in the Service of the new King The fear they had of losing their pay was a strong charm to hold them by however some of them disbanded This was a great advantage for the new King but as to the rest he was without Money and without Credit the Princes of the Blood had neither the power nor will to serve him the old Cardinal de Bourbon was his Concurrent the Cardinal de Vendosms ambition gave him jealousie the humour of the Count de Soissons agreed but ill with his the Prince of Conty Brother to those two Princes was of little effect by reason of his deafness and his other natural defects Montpensier their Cousin the richest and most powerful of them all was well enough content he should be King and never would have endured any other but he desired he would abjure his Religion Year of our Lord 1589. August As to the Lords who were in the deceased Kings Army they were not very well inclined towards him Those that had
Archbishoprick Year of our Lord 1594 of Sens called first an Assembly of the Curates of Paris who unanimously month April acknowledge they were convinced by his Reasons Then another Body of the University in the Royal Colledge of Navarre the Two and twentieth of April where the Rector all his Deputies and a great number of Scholers and Religious Votaries of all Orders Sware to be faithful to the King even to the shedding of their Blood renounced all Leagues and retrenched the Refractory from their Bodies as spurious and rotten Members The same week returned the Members of Parliament and other Companies who were at Tours The Governor of Paris this was Francis d'O whom the King had restored to that Command a great number of the Nobility and the most noted Citizens went to meet them as far as Bourg-la-Reyne Thus all were re-united without trouble to any Man unless it were about some fifty Persons to whom the King sent Tickets to quit the Town These were most notorious People nevertheless many others took so hot an alarm upon it that it was like to have produced very ill effects Paris thus reduc'd the other Cities came in with so much haste as if striving to precede each other The Six and twentieth of April Villars brought in Rouen Havre Montivilliers and Pont-Audemer but of all the Chiefs of the League he set the highest price upon what he did and would abate nothing of Twelve hundred thousand Livers in Money sixty thousand Livers Pension the Government of all those Cities without owning for three years time the Duke of Montpensier who had that of the Province and the Office of Admiral Biron having this it could not be taken from him without wounding his very Heart and that the more deeply for that Villars was his Concurrent both in Valour and Reputation month April and May At the same time or soon after May-David returned to his Duty with the City of Verneuil As also the Magistrates and Bourgeois brought in Monstreuil and Abbeville in Picardy Troyes in Champagne after they had forced out the Prince of Joinville the Governonor Sens in Burgundy and Rion in Auvergne Montluc Governor for the League in Agenois brought in Agen Villeneuve and Marmanda During this Torrent of Prosperities the King had information that Count Mansfeld after a Conference which the Duke of Mayenne held with him had besieged la Capelle and going to relieve it found it at the last gasp He had his revenge upon the City of Laon. The Duke had left his second Son in it with the President Jeannin as his chief Council and Adviser The King besieged it about the end of May the Enterprize was hazardous for him he wanted Ammunitions and the discontent of the Mareschal de Biron who was the Soul of his Enterprizes were a Year of our Lord 1594 dangerous Remora Mansfeld approached to relieve it his Army was posted upon month May and June a rising ground not far from the Kings for seven or eight days Then wanting Provisions and having seen two Convoys of his bravest Men went to fetch some from la Fere defeated he retired into Artois where Sickness compleated the ruine of his Forces The Place defended it self yet a long time and very obstinately not capitulating till the Two and twentieth of July to surrender upon the First of August if they were not relieved by that day In the Attacks Givry was slain the most accomplish'd Cavalier of the whole Court both for his Heroick Valour his skill in all Polite Learning his ready wit and ingenious gallantry An Amorous despair occasioned month July and Aug. by the infidelity of a Princess made him so often court and seek a kinder fate in death that in the end he met his wishes During this Siege the Baron de Pesche Treated with the King for the Town of Chasteau-Thierry and the Inhabitants of Poitiers for theirs the Government of it and of the Provinces were left to the Duke d'Elboeuf After the Capitulation of Laon the Magistrates of Amiens Beaâ—vais and Peronne alarmed for that the Spanish Cabal would have engaged them to take a new Oath returned to their Duty those of Amiens having forced the Dukes of Mayenne and Aumale to quit their City Dourlens which in the Reign of Henry III. had been given as a place of security to the Duke of Aumale would needs be comprehended in the Edict of the Reduction of Amiens month September In the Month of September the King laid Siege to Noyon Descluseaux who commanded within gave it up the Eighteenth of October Thus he recover'd all Picardy excepting three places Soissons Ham and la Fere which were in the power the first of the Duke of Mayenne the second the Duke of Aumale and the third of the Spaniards For Colas Vice-seneschal of Montelimar who was Master of this last had given himself up entirely to them and in Recompence they gave him the Demaine with the Title of a County month June and July There were yet certain Contrivances hatching in Paris to re-imbroil the Kingdom The greatest part of the Royalist Lords were angry that the Leaguers carried away most of the Money and the best Rewards they repented likewise the having dispatched and advanced the Kings Affairs so soon that he was now almost in a Condition not to want their further help The Parisians were more alarmed at the fifty Persons he had banished the City then they could be assured by all his Declarations The Cardinal de Bourbon could not put the ambitious-pleasing imagination of a Crown out of his thoughts The Count de Soissons his Brother was wounded to the very Soul because the King refused to let him have his Sister after he had most solemnly promised it and Biron afflicted and discontented they had deprived him of Year of our Lord 1594 month June and July the Admiralty was come to divert his melancholy thoughts at Paris where he met with so kind a Reception that the King conceived some jealousie and ran thither from the Siege of Laon that by his presence he might dissipate those practises which possibly they would have carried on against his Interest As for the Cardinal of Bourbon death put an end to his aspiring hopes and the Kings fears soon after about the end of July He believed he was poyson'd by month October a Lady whom he had tenderly loved In the Month of October following Francis d'O Sur-Intendant des Finances ended his life in his Hostel at Paris his Soul and Body being equally corrupted by all sorts of Villany The King was easily consoled for his loss because he made prodigious devastations and yet held him as it were under Tutelage After this he for a time ordered his revenue to be managed by four or five in Commission but finding no satisfaction in a multitude still disagreeing and self-interessed he restored the Sur-Intendance and gave it to Sancy and Rosny While the Chiefs and the Cities of the League were pressing their
the War he was gone on too far not to finish the Treaty and sent to his Deputies to conclude it provided they could first obtain the Cessation of Arms for his Allies which had been so earnestly demanded and promised the English that he would not Ratifie it till forty days after his Deputies had Signed it month May. Now they did Sign it the Second day of May and on the Twelfth they put it into the hands of the Legat praying him to keep it secret till the two Months of the Cessation were expired And yet the King made no scruple of publishing it to the Estates of Bretagne telling them he was going into Picardy to carry the Ratification himself In effect he went away with that design having first given the Government of Bretagne to the little Duke of Vendosme upon the surrender of the Duke of Mercoeur his Father in Law but an indisposition befell him on his way which constrained him to return to Paris The Queen of England unable to prevail with him to allow one Month beyond the forty days wrote to him of it with Reproaches and in terms which accused him of unthankfulness The English declaimed most outrageously in the Court of France against his proceeding and made their Complaints come to the Ears of all the Protestant Princes the Hollanders behaved themselves more modestly It was endeavour'd to satisfie both the one and the others with weighty Reason of State and with many examples of the like and they were often-times exhorted to enter into the same Treaty by that Door which was left open for them This seems to have been done only out of good manners for they knew well enough it was not their interest to come in and perhaps some would have been much puzled if they had been persuaded to it However it were the Deputies of the latter sent the King word the term of two Months was too short to Assemble the Estates of all their Provinces and the Queen of England made him understand she would not be divided from them Having as he believed therefore satisfied in every point of that devoir he owed to his Alliance and his Reputation he sent his Ratification to his Deputies about the end of May the date in Blank with order not to fill it up till the Twelfth of June at which time expired the forty days granted to Queen Elizabeth That day month May. the Peace was proclaimed at Vervins and afterwards in all the Cities both of France and the Low-Countries with such lowd Expressions of Mirth and Joy as resounded thorough all the Kingdoms of Europe and gave no less terror to the Turks then content to the greater part of Christians Year of our Lord 1598 month June The same four Lords whom the Arch-Duke gave as Hostages for the restitution of Places viz. Charles de Crouy Duke of Arschot Francis de Mendozze Admiral of Arragon Charles de Ligne Earl of Aremberg Knight of the Golden Fleece and Lewis de Velasco Grand Master of the Ordnance serving as Ambassadors with Richardot and Verreiken brought the Ratification to the King and Witnessed his Swearing to the Treaty in Nostre-Dame the One and twentieth of June there being present on behalf of the Duke of Savoy Gaspard de Geneva Marquiss de Lullins and Reonard Roncas his Secretary of State Reciprocally the Mareschal de Biron Billievre and Sillery did the same for the Arch-Duke at Bruxels the Six and twentieth of the same Month and William de Gadagne Boteon at the Duke of Savoy's who did not Swear it till the Second day of August at Chamberry King Philip the Second Signed the Articles indeed but being prevented by Death could not Swear to them with the same Ceremonies as the rest of the Princes had done This is the Substance of the most Essential Articles The Treaty was concluded conformably and in approbation of that of Cateau-Cambresis of which and the precedent ones nothing was to be innovated but such things as should appear to derogate from this same If any Subject of either of these two Kings should go to serve their Enemies by Sea or Land they should be punished as Infractors and Disturbers of the Publick Peace Such as had been forced out of their Lands Offices and Benefices accompting from the year 1588. should be restored however they should not enter upon any Lands of the Kings without Letters Patents under the Great Seal In case the King of Spain should give the Low-Countries and the Counties of Burgundy and Charolois to the Insanta his Daughter she and her Territories should be comprised in this Treaty without making any new one for that purpose The two Kings should mutually surrender what they had taken the one from the other since the year 1559. viz. the Most Christian King the County of Charolois and the Catholick King the Cities of Calais Ardres Monthulin Dourlens la Capelle and le Catelet in Picardy as also Blavet in Bretagne For security whereof he should give up four Hostages these were the above-named Both the one and the other reserving all his Rights Pretensions and Actions to what he had not renounced but should not pursue or prosecute the same but only by way of amity and Justice This had regard to Navarre and Year of our Lord 1598 the Dutchy of Burgundy It was likewise said That this Treaty should be Verified month June Published and Registred in the Court of Parliament of Paris Chamber of Accompts and other Parliaments and on the same day in the Grand Council other Councils and Chambre des Comptes of the Low-Countries The Interests of the Duke of Savoy were therein treated in such manner as we have related There was nothing mentioned of the Duke of Florence because he pretended not to be in War and said he had seized on the Islands of Marseilles only for satisfaction of certain Sums of Money owing by the King to him and whereof they had stopp'd or diverted the Assignments Add that d'Ossat was gone to Florence to month May. determine the said difference In effect he did decide it the Ninth day of May upon these Conditions That the Duke should render the Islands of If and Pommegues and might carry thence his Cannon Equipage and Ammunition For which the King should own himself his Debter for Two hundred thousand Crowns That good Assignments should be given him for it and for Security of the said Payment twelve Notables of the French whom himself should nominate Thus were extinguished to the very last Spark not only that Civil War the League had kindled in the Bowels of France but likewise those Firebrands which that Faction had fetched in from other Countries And this Kingdom being now in perfect quiet had no more to do but by gentle degrees endeavour to repair the infinite damage they had suffer'd and to recruit their Strength and Forces half consumed by so many ghastly Wounds and so great an effusion of their best Blood The first discharge
the Sacred Purple in the Church of Nostre-Dame de Haux within two Leagues of Bruxels and left the Government of the Low-Countries to the Cardinal Andrea of Austria in the name of the Infanta Isabella who had there been owned for Princess He passed by Tirol whence he carried Margaret Daughter of the Archduke Charles who was dead and the Widow his Mother to Ferrara They were received very solemnly and Pope Clement who had been in that City from the Eighteenth of May celebrated the Marriage of King Philip III. with Margaret and of the Archduke with the Infanta Isabella Albert being Proxy for the King of Spain and the Duke of Sesse for Isabella The new Queen and the Archduke did afterwards stay two Months in Milan then in the Month of February of the following year they embarqued at Genoa for Spain where this double Marriage was Celebrated between the said Parties in the City of Valentia in the Month of April month October A little before Mid October the King being at Monceaux an Estate which he had given to his Mistress as he was beginning to enter upon a Diet he fell ill of a retention of Urine attended with a higher Fever and frequent fits of fainting which gave some apprehension that he was near his end but the cause being remov'd he was immediately relieved and left his Bed within two days His Mistress having thus seen her self so near the Precipice did sollicite him eternally to Marry her and press'd him with the more confidence as her tender care month November and watchfulness express'd in this occasion seemed to oblige him to make good his Promise and really she was not unworthy of that Honour setting aside some inconveniencies might have ensued Soon after the Cardinal de Medicis being come to take leave for his return to Rome the King discover'd to him the design he had to satisfie her and intreated he would do him the good office to persuade the month December Pope to dissolve his Marriage with Queen Margaret The Legat answer'd very coldly that his Holiness had sent him into France for no other business but what concerned the Peace which having successfully mediated he was now going to give an account to the Pope The King repented he had discover'd his Heart so openly to Year of our Lord 1598 one whom he perceived was no favourer of his design and therefore the year after month December when he sent Sillery to Rome he enjoyned him expressly to assure that Cardinal all those fancies were dispell'd Year of our Lord 1599 In the beginning of the year 1599. three or four illustrious Marriages filled the month January c. Court with Divertisements First that of Madam Catharine the Kings Sister with the Duke of Bar which was Celebrated on the last day of January some while after that of Charles Duke of Nevers with Catharine Daughter of the Duke of Mayenne and that of Henry Son of that Duke with Henrietta Sister of Charles and then that of Henry Duke of Montpensier and Henrietta Catharine only Daughter of Henry Duke of Joyeuse and Heiress of that rich House The King the same year erected Aiguillon to a Dutchy and Pairrie in favour of the Duke of Mayennes Son The Duke of Bar had great repugnance for his Marriage to a Huguenot Princess who besides was of Kindred in the third and fourth degree and therefore stood in need of a double dispensation the one for diversity of Religion the other for Parentage but the Duke his Father thinking to find great advantage in this Match passed over all those Scruples of Conscience The difficulty was to find a Prelat that would adventure to Celebrate this discordant Marriage many whom they sollicited did flatly refuse it the Archbishop of Rouen Bastard Brother to the King after a little intreaty lent a helping hand and tied the Nuptial Knot in the Kings Closet and in his presence thinking it unbecomming to deny so small a piece of Service to him who had so lately promoted him to so fair an Archbishoprick After the Solemnities of those Weddings were past two unexpected changes gave the Court just cause of admiration the one was of that same Henry Duke of Joyeuse who had newly Married his Daughter the other of Antoinetta Sister to the defunct Duke of Longueville and Widow of the Marquiss de Belle-Isle The first as we have formerly related came out of the Capucins Covent Anno 1592. Now being moved with his Mothers Tears a Lady very devout and very scrupulous pressed by the summons of his own Conscience peequ'd at some words utter'd by the King and sollicited by the Popes secret Admonitions for he had given him dispensation to tarry abroad in the World but while the Catholick Religion should need his assistance he resolved to make good his Vow and having sent his Mareschals Staff and blew Ribbon to the King retired to the Capucins Covent in Paris They were much amazed three or four days afterwards to see him in a Pulpit where that Penitential Habit and his Sermons much fuller of Zeal then Learning gave him more lustre in the opinions of the People then either his Birth or Dignity had gaven him at Court For the Marchioness of Belle-Isle one of the handsomest and wittiest Ladies of her time having left Bretagne without communicating the design to any of her Relations Year of our Lord 1599 she went and cast her self into a Covent of Fucillantines newly instituted at Toulouze month May. It was said that a secret displeasure for that a Soldier whom she had employ'd to revenge the death of her Husband upon Kermartin was Hanged she not being able to obtain his Pardon gave her so much distaste that she would never converse more with the World by whom she had been so slighted In the beginning of the year Sillery being sent to Rome about the business of the Marquisate of Salusses had Orders likewise to follicite the dissolution of the Kings Marriage The hopes of having the Seals upon his return was a powerful motive to make him act with all his might for the Dutchess of Beaufort had promised she would get them for him without any regard to the Interest of the Chancellor de de Chiverny a good Friend to her Sister de Sourdis believing she had done sufficiently for her by obtaining a Cardinals Hat for her eldest Son The first point of Sillery's Commission had not proved difficult but only for that Queen Margaret knowing very well the King after he had repudiated her would Marry the Dutchess gave notice to the Pope how for that very reason she would never consent And the Pope for the same cause had repugnance enough to it For he did not see very well how he could Legitimate Children that were born in Adultery and foresaw great troubles for the Succession of the Kingdom for as much as the Princes of the Blood would never have agreed to it and besides the Children that should have come afterwards being
Prevost des Marchands and the Eschevins went a good way into the Fauxbourg to receive him and made him a Harangue the Governess replied to it In the Month of April a difference arose which was like to have embroiled all month April Provence between the Archbishop of Aix Paul Huraud de l'Hospital and the Parliament A Priest had forced a little Boy of Six or Seven years old the Parents giving information the Arch-bishops Official or Chancellor order'd that the Parties should proceed before him but upon the Parents appeal the Parliament ordained one of the King's Judges should have the hearing of it In fine month April the Priest by Sentence was Condemned to such Death as his Abomination deserved Before Execution the Parliament summon'd the Archbishop to degrade him but as in Provence the Ecclesiasticks were wont to enjoy the same Privileges and Franchises as those of Italy enjoy'd the Archbishop complaining they had infringed the Liberties of the Church excommunicated all such Councellors as had been assisting in this Prosecution forbid any within his Diocess to administer the Sacrament to them and sent a Brief to all the Churches containing their several Names This Scandal was the greater as hapning to be near the time of Easter The Parliament offended with this proceeding cited the Archbishop and upon default of Appearance declared his Brief calumnuous and his Excommunication null and abusive ordained he should take it off and enter the same in the Court Register or upon Record within three days in default whereof he should pay Ten thousand Crowns fine In the mean time the Archbishop was obstinate to persist and the Parliament to compel him the People were divided into two Parties and grew hot even to the danger of some great Commotion Nevertheless the Parliament having order'd a seizure of the Archbishop's Temporal Estate the only Bridle for the Clergy when they more value their Revenues than either their Duty or their Dignity he soon complied took off his Excommunication month May. purely and simply and sent to his Diocesans to receive those Judges to the Communion whom he had deprived Year of our Lord 1602 The following year in the Month of March almost the like Scandal hapned at month March Bourdeaux The Archbishop who was the Cardinal de Sourdis a hot-brained man had demolished an Altar in the Church Saint André his Cathedral without communicating it to the Chapter The Canons endeavouring to Rebuild it were drove away somewhat too rudely by his People The Parliament took the Cause in hand and upon their Complaint put the Mason in Prison who had pull'd down the Altar The Cardinal breaks the Prison doors and takes him thence Some days after the Parliament assisted by the Jurats who came with a strong hand caused the Altar to be Rebuilt The Cardinal was so enraged that the Sunday following being informed the first President by Name Godfrey Malloüin Sessac and the President Verdun were hearing Mass in the Church of Sainct Project he went thither with his Archiepiscopal Crosier and the Holy Sacrament and there Excommunicated them by Bell Book and Candle The Parliament in great wrath for the injury done to all their Body by this affront to their Head made a Decree which enjoyned him to revoke his Censures and to cause the same to be published in the same Church upon the Penalty of Four thousand Crowns Fine forbidding all Bishops to use the like for the future to any Judges for doing their Office upon Pain of Ten thousand Crowns The King having received the Complaints of either Parties brought the Business before himself and there kept it to allay the heats on either hand There were divers Reglements published this year necessary to discharge the King's Debts and make the Money circulate Amongst others the Suppression of the Triennals created upon necessity of the Siege of Amiens and their Reimbursement by the Ancient and Alternatives They did however reserve those of the Espargne Parties Casuelles Extraordinaries for War and some others The Prohibition against Transporting Gold or Silver out of the Kingdom or exposing any more Foreign Coin except Pistols and Reals of Spain Another forbidding the wearing of Gold or Silver upon their Cloaths or to squander away that precious Metal in guilding The King authorized this last by his own Example and look'd very sowrely upon a Prince who presumed to appear before him with that Gawdry This Reformation did much discountenance the Gossips and Year of our Lord 1601 Gallants and was reckoned one of the Publick Grievances by that sort of Cattle who have no other Perfections but what they borrow from the Lace-man ✚ and the Taylor The most Universal cause of all the Disorders and Corruptions sprang from Luxury the extraordinary Taxes first brought forth and Nursed this proud and dainty Monster tho'to say truth both of them were as yet but in the Cradle The Contractors and Exchequer-men having abundance of Money which for the most part cost them but the dash of a Pen did lay it out in all manner of Vanity And most of the Gentlemen who were picked to equal those foolish Expences did by over-swelling and strutting burst themselves like the Frog in the Fable Then when they were so ruined and had nothing left to sell but their Honour they Married with those Fellows Daughters to get great Portions which they could not have met with in Houses of Repute or Quality not considering that from such corrupted Blood nothing but a corrupt and vicious generation ☜ could proceed It was therefore become most necessary to repress the insolency of these Robbers and their Pillage or unlawful Gains that caused it The King for that purpose establish'd a Royal Chamber composed of Judges of known and approved integrity selected from amongst the Masters of Requests belonging to his Parliament and the Cour des Aides of Paris The People who are easily fed with vain hopes imagined that the Gallows would soon do them Justice upon those Robbers under the specious title of Officers and that their Spoil would be restored at least in part to such as had been fleeced by them but by vertue of great Presents and Intrigues they found out able Mediators for some of the greatest Lords many fair Ladies together with the Ministers of the King's Pleasures attaqu'd the Clemency of that good Prince with so many Engines and Importunities that he admitted those Rascals to Composition after the Chamber or Court had sat till the year 1604. and so punish'd them only in their Purses and that but very lightly Thus the Publick far from receiving that Satisfaction they so justly expected had the displeasure to find this Inspection served only to secure that booty to them who had so unmercifully rifled the Kingdom Nor could they distinguish the Innocent few as they were from the Guilty since not the most wicked but the more weak were the most roughly handled The Adventures of a Man who said he was Sebastian King of Portugal
they treat the good Catholicks After his Confinement unless at those times when he fell into perfect raving his mouth was ever full of Reproaches Imprecations and Rodomontado's Year of our Lord 1602 When they came to interrogate him he disown'd the Project then owned it without any necessity denied and then confessed divers Facts and upon this so ticklish an occasion whereas the wisest speak but by Monosyllables he launched into tedious Discourses and thereby often and very much entangled himself As to the Witnesses he reproached them not till after he had heard their Depositions though he had been fore-warn'd that if he had any thing to object it must be before-hand Thus he owned Laffin for an Honest man and his good month June Friend Then when they had read what he deposed he Curs'd him as the worst of all Mankind a Sorcerer a Traytor and a Sodomite Had he said this in due time it might in some measure have weakned his Evidence He said that if Renazé had been alive he could have testified the contrary and justified him he did not imagine he was so near at hand and was much amazed when they read his Deposition and brought him to confront him This fellow had made his escape from the Prison at Quiers with his Keepers so opportunely one would have guess'd the Duke of Savoy was of Intelligence with the King The Witnesses alone Convicted him for most of his Writings were dated month July before the Pardon the King had granted him at Lyons All things being ready they led him to the Parliament to give Judgment He was convey'd thither by Boat with a strong guard The Chambers were assembled the Chancellour presided not one of the Dukes or Pairs were there although they had been summon'd in due form He defended himself somewhat better there than he had done before his Commissioners They gave him full liberty and time to Plead and this time he did Plead as he had often Fought that is he did wonders All the strength of his defence consisted in an endeavour to make it out that the Will without any Effect or a Design without an Overt act was not punishable that his Services ought to over-poise and excuse some transports of passionate and indecent words and thoughts that had no farther consequence And above all he laid his main stress upon this that the King had Pardon'd him in the Cordeliers at Lyons To these Reasons and Arguments he added so lively a Representation of his brave deeds and so many Motives for Compassion that he drew Tears from the Eyes of some of his Judges and if they had at that instant given their Opinions perhaps he might have found some mercy but they having then not time enough to take all their Votes the Business was deferr'd till Monday in the mean while he was remanded to the Bastille On Monday while the Judges were in Consultation an Order was brought them under the Great Seal whereby he revoked the Pardon he had given him by word of mouth at Lyons Some of his Ministers finding the Prisoner stood so much upon that and apprehending his fury if he should escape prevailed with the King to make the said Revocation though it were a thing altogether unnecessary and somewhat contrary to his Natural Clemency The Judges as one Man gave all their Votes for his Death They declared him Convicted of High-Treason for Conspiracies against the Person of the King Designs upon the State and Treaties with the Enemies and Condemned him to have his Head cut off in the Greve his Estate confiscate to the King the Dutchy of Biron to be Extinguish't and those Lands and others if he had any which were held of the King reunited to the Crown The Sentence being brought to the King he put off the Execution till the next day and changed the place from the Greve to that of month July the Court in the Bastille Which to his Friends was interpreted as a Favour though it was purely an effect of the fear they had of some Commotion not so much amongst the common People as the Soldiery who loved him most entirely Upon Tuesday the last day of July about Noon the Chancellour with some Councellors of State and of the Parliament went to the Bastille to put the Sentence in Execution So soon as Biron saw him he cried out he was a Dead man and asked if there were no Pardon The extravagancies and the transports he shewed in this last Scene where his Courage ought to have shew'd its force if he had had any demonstrates enough that some who dare venture into dangers with Bravery because they have a prospect of overcoming have not the resolution to stare Death in the face when there 's no possibility of escaping The Year of our Lord 1602 Chancellour having given Order they should lead him to the Chappel he gave ☜ himself up to Cries to Complaints and to Reproaches protested his Innocency summon'd the Chancellour to appear at the Bar of Almighty God accused the King of Ingratitude and Injustice After he had thus spit all his fire and venom he fell into the other extreme his too great love of life flatt'ring him yet with a faint beam of Hope made him beseech his Judges to intercede once more for him and made him even beg the favour of Rosâ—y though he esteemed him his most mortal Enemy Then when he found they all were deaf and dumb to his requests he fell into more fury than before They had at first no little trouble to bring him to that condition a Criminal should be in to hear his Sentence pronounced yet he heard it patiently enough excepting those words which accused him of having Conspired against the Person of the King this he could not endure but cried out That was False and he persisted to his very death that he was innocent as to that point It was a mighty laborious task the Doctors had to prepare and dispose him to his Death he had scarce any settled intervals They thought fit not to tye him lest that should put him out of all his Senses When they led him to the Scaffold the sight of the Executioner put him into a new rage He would not let him touch him nor tye a Handkerchief over his Eyes he bound it on himself and then unbound it again two or three times At last the Executioner took his time and blow so dexterously as made his Head fly off at one stroke As it was full of Fire and Spirits it was observed to make two Rebounds and cast forth a much greater quantity of Blood than came from the whole trove of his Body His Corps month July was interred in the Church of Sainct Paul with a marvellous Confluence of People who flocked thither from all Parts and served for his Funeral train He was of a middle Stature and for Corpulence gross enough had black Hair beginning to turn grey his Physiognomy cloudy and ominous his Conversation rough
the one and then with the other In the midst of all these a young King as weak in mind as in body exposed to the first occupier and the prize contended for the Government of the Kingdom As for the Guises they were Five Brothers the Duke the Cardinal de Lorraine the Duke d'Aumale the Cardinal de Guise and the Marquess d'Elbeuf we are not to make any reck'ning of the three last because they acted nothing but by the inspiration and motion of the other two The Duke drew his Party to him by the Reputation of his Valour his Liberality and his Affability the Cardinal de Lorraine by his Eloquence and his Learning They were notwithstanding of very different humors the Duke moderate just undaunted in dangers the Cardinal hot undertaking and vain puffed up with good success but trembling and faint-hearted at the least frowns of Fortune Amongst the Princes of the Blood there was Anthony King of Navarre Lewis Prince of Condé the Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche-sur-yon Anthony was a voluptuous and fearful Prince and more considerable for his Quality then his Power Lewis was Valiant Hardy and one the greatness of whose Courage and meanness of whose slender Fortune made him fit to undertake every thing Anthony did not stand firm but abandoned his younger Brother to his Year of our Lord 1559 very death he fluctuated in doubts of Religion and was neither a good Catholick nor right Lutheran His Brother followed the Opinions of Calvin The Guises seized upon the Kings Person because he had Married their Niece Mary Steward Queen of Scotland and upon the favourable pretence of the Catholick Religion The others made sure of the Male-contents the disbanded Souldiers and the protection of the Religionaries whose dispair was yet much greater and stronger then their numbers The Mareschal de Saint André a Lord as brave as witty and polite but very Luxurious and over-head and ears in debt devoted himself wholly to them and promised the Duke to bestow his Daughter upon which of his Sons he pleased with all the Estate belonging both to him and his Wife reserving only the clear revenue during their term of Life This he did fearing to be devoured by his Creditors should he ever happen to be expell'd the Court. The Constable a great temporiser and who had wont to be prime Minister of State could not stoop now to be Inferior He admitted the flatteries and caresses of both Parties but at length adhered to the Guisians in hatred to the novel opinions being perswaded by his Wife and second Son that the Title he bare of the first Christian Baron would not allow him to linck himself with those who did impugne the Catholick Religion The Duke of Montpensier and the Prince de la Roche Sur-Yon though both of the House of Bourbon were led by the same motives and did not so much respect the proximity of Blood as the name of the Ancient Church and the King from whom they would not start aside for any other Consideration whatsoever A motive directly contrary to the Constables cast the Admiral de Coligny and his Brother Dandelot Colonel of the French Infantry on the side of those Princes who favour'd the new Religion of which they were thoroughly convinced and perswaded besides that they had the Honour to be Allied to the Prince of Condé For he had Married Elenora de Roye Daughter of one Magdelain de Mailly who was their Sister by the Mothers side she and they being Born of Louisa de Montmorency who was first Married to Frederic du Mailly Then to the Mareschal de Chastillon Father of these two Lords When King Henry II. received his hurt the Queen Mother was in suspence a day or two whether to joyn with the Constable or the Guises She looked upon both the one and the other as her Enemies being all Allied to the Dutchess of Valentinois whom she hated mortally though in her Husbands Life-time she feigned to love her even to the height of confidence But she thought her self much more affronted by the Constable then the Guises because it was he that had last adventur'd to contract an Alliance with that Woman Besides the Guises utterly abandoned her notwithstanding the repugnance of the Duke d'Aumale who was her Son in Law and withal they promised this Queen so much Service and so great Submission that she resolved to stand by them To which me may add that being Uncles to the young King as they were it might perhaps have been out of the reach of her power or interest to have set them aside When the Constable perceived his Game was near lost he sent in all post hast to the King of Navarre to press him to come and take that Place and Authority his Birth justly claimed under the young King but that Prince who was slow and irresolute and who withal did not much confide in him because he had once advised the deceased King to seize upon the remainder of his petit Kingdom did not make much hast This signal fault and after this his strange irresolutions and the weakness of his Conduct during all this and the following Reign may be accounted indirectly amongst the principal and main causes of all the Troubles and Misfortunes that befel the Kingdom of France Wherefore the Guises having gained the Mastery at Court the King declared to the Parliaments Deputies when they came to wait on him That he had committed the direction of his Affairs to them that is to say the Intendance or Over-sight of all the Affairs of War to the Duke and that of the Finances or Treasury to the Cardinal Being thus establish'd they consider'd of removing out of the way all those that might be obnoxious They left the Constable and Mareschals of France no more Commission but to Bury the late King and sent the Princes of Condé and de la Roche Sur-Yon into Spain the first to carry the Coller of the Order to King Philip the other to get the Treaty of Peace confirmed They likewise banished the Dutchess of Valentinois from the Court but first obliged her to restore and deliver up the Jewels and the rich Furniture and Year of our Lord 1559 Goods the late King had bestowed upon her and took away her fair House of Chenonceaux to accommodate the Queen-Mother in exchange for the Castle of Chaumont upon the Banks of the River Loire Desiring by embellishing the face of their new Government with a shew of Goodness and Justice towards the publick to condemn the Government past they took the Seals from Bertrandi Cardinal and Archbishop of Sens whose reputation was not of the best and restored them to the Chancellor Ol vier a person really of a much more then ordinary merit and of great probity but who soon perceived they had recalled him to servitude rather then to a freedom of function in the highest Office of the Kingdom The Queen-Mother in the mean time