England thereby to strengthen his Interest against his Brothers sent the said Dionysius into England who having writ to his Master that nothing was wanting to make up the Match but his presence the Prince would have gone forthwith into England if his Father had not opposed it who sent in his stead his second Son John and Steen Sture These being very civilly entertained by Queen Elizabeth at their return Home told the Prince that they believed nothing to be wanting to compleat the Marriage but his presence which was very joyfully received by the Prince But the old and wise King who soon perceived that they had mistaken Complements for Realities thought it advisable to Communicate the business with the Estates Assembled at Stockholm who after having confirmed the former Hereditary Union and the King's Testament at last gave their consent to this Marriage granting a considerable Supply towards the defraying of the charges of this Marriage But whilst the Prince was preparing for his Voyage part of his Baggage having been sent before he being near ready to follow in person King Gustave dyed at Stockholm and King Erick not thinking it advisable to trust his Brother with the Kingdom was forced to put by his Journey into England § 10. King Erick was twenty seven years of age when he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom His first business was to prescribe certain new Articles to his Brothers thereby to maintain the Royal Authority against them which though sorely against their will they were forced to subscribe at the Dyet held at Arboga At his Coronation he first introduced the Titles of Earls and Barons into Sweden alledging that in an Hereditary Kingdom there ought to be also Hereditary Dignities among the Nobility At his very first Accession to the Crown he was engaged in the Troubles which then sorely afflicted the Liâ—landers For some of them having put themselves under the Protection of Denmark some under the Crown of Poland those of Reval and the Nobility of Esthenland that were nearest to Sweden sought for Protection to King Erick Whereupon the King having sent an Army under the Command of Claes Horn who was joyfully received at Reval took them into his Protection and confirmed to the City and Nobility their former Privileges As soon as the Poles heard of the arrival of the Swedish Army at Reval they sent an Ambassadour to demand Reval from the Swedes who having received no other answer but that the Swedes had at least as good a Title to Reval as the Poles returned Home again and the Swedish Garrison that was besieged by the â—olish Forces in Reval forced them to quit that Enterprise Soon after the King being fully resolved to pursue his intentions concerning the Marriage with Queen Elizabeth of England Embarked at Elshorgth to go thither in person but was by a violent Tempest forced to return As he was very inconstant in his Temper and very Superstitious being much addicted to Astrology so after this misfortune he laid aside the thoughts of this Marriage for a while making his Addresses by his Ambassadours and with great Presents to Mary Queen Scotland and the Princess of Lorain both at one time and not long after to Katharine the Daughter of the Landgrave of Hessen but succeeded in neither In the mean while his Borther John had married Katharine Daughter of Sigismund King of Poland which having been done without Ring Erick's good liking who was both mistrustful of the Poles and his Brother put him into such a rage that he besieged his Brother in the Castle of Aboa which having been taken by Strategem he caused him to be sentenced to death which Sentence he however changed into a perpetual Imprisonment for that time but seemed to repent of it afterwards when the Russians demanded the said Katharine his Brother's Wife in Marriage for their Great Duke The Poles to revenge this Affront stirred up the Danes and Lubeckers against the Swedes and the Danes having affronted the Swedish Ambassadours at Copenhagen preparations were made on all sides which soon broke out into a War wherein the Swedes routed the Danes and Lubeckers in several Sea Engagements but also lost their Admiral which Ship carried two hundred Brass Guns and by Land there was great havock made on both sides with almost equal Fortune except that the Swedes had pretty good success in Livonia But whilst King Erick was engaged in War with all his Neighbours round about him the inward discontents began to increase more and more among his Subjects by the ill management which he had shown both in his Affairs and Amours being surrounded with a Seraglio of Mistrisses among whom one Katharine an ordinary Country Wench had the greatest sway over him whom he also married afterwards whereby he lost his Authority among the Nobility Besides this he was guided in most concerns of moment by one Joran â—erson his Favourite and his former Tutor Dionysius Beuraeus who fomented a continual jealousie betwixt him and the Family of the Stures which at last broke out into a fatal revenge For there having been Witnesses suborned against Suarte Sture and his Son Erick they were with several others of that Family not only committed to Prison and miserably murthered there by the King's command but he also with his own hands stab'd Nils Sture and repenting soon after of so barbarous a Fact caused his former Tutor Dionysius who advised it to be slain by his Guards A great part of the Kingdom having been put into confusion by these enormous cruelties of which the King feared the consequences he thought it his best way to prevent further inconveniencies to set his Brother John at Liberty under certain conditions and to lay the blame of these barbarities upon Joran Peerson his Favourite who having been committed to Prison the Intestine Commotions seem'd to be appeased for the present But the King having not long after been very succesful in several Engagements against the Danes whom he beat quite out of Denmark he soon after released his Favourite and not only declared him free from any imputation but also justified the death of those Lords formerly murthered at Vpsal By his advise also he would have taken from his Brothers those Provinces which were allotted them by their Father's Testament in exchange of which he proffered them some Possessions in Livonia But the Brothers having refused this proffer he again resolved to make away his Brother John at the Nuptials which were to be celebrated at Stockholm betwixt his Mistress Catharine and himself and to give his Widow in Marriage to the Grand Duke of Russia But the Brothers having been advertised of the King 's sinister intentions did not appear at the Wedding and having made an Association with several of the Nobility that were Kindred of the Lords murthered at Vpsal they resolved to dethrone King Erick The better to execute their intentions they had by the intercession of the King of Poland
French Army in Germany having declar'd for that side but he was fain to leave the Army which was kept in Duty by the help of a good Summ of Money And tho' Matters were afterwards reconcil'd a second time at St. Germains yet the Design against Mazarin was not laid aside the Prince of Conde who had brought over the Slingers to his Party not ceasing to stir them up against him But because they had a different Aim for the Slingers were for totally pulling down of the Cardinal but the Prince of Conde would only have humbled him the Cardinal cunningly rais'd a misunderstanding betwixt them by setting the Prince of Conde against the Slingers Whereupon the Slingers were reconcil'd with the Cardinal The Cardinal taking hold of this Opportunity caused the Prince of Conde and his Brother the Prince of Conti and their Brother-in-law the Duke of Longueville to be taken into Custody This was putting Fuel into the Fire every body being dissatisfy'd at the Imprisonment of the Princes The City of Bourdeaux openly rebell'd The Spaniards upon this Occasion took from the French Piombino and Porto Longone in Italy The Archduke Leopold struck Terrour into the City of Paris it self on the side of the Netherlands And tho' the Cardinal beat Turenne near Rethel he being gone over to the Spaniards yet the Hatred against him encreas'd daily and the Faction of the Slingers the Parliament and the Duke of Orleans were absolutely for having the Princes set at Liberty The Cardinal therefore perceiving that nothing was to be done by open Violence resolv'd to avoid the Storm by setting the Princes at Liberty And he himself retir'd to Bruel the Court of the then Elector of Collen Then he was by a Decree of the Parliament for ever banish'd the Kingdom of France Mazarini being thus remov'd the Prince of Conde began to disturb the publick Quiet with more freedom having engag'd himself with the Spaniards and being gone to Bourdeaux he began to make open War against the Government And the Spaniards taking hold of this Opportunity recover'd Barcellona and with it all Catalonia Then the Queen recall'd the Cardinal who having strengthen'd the King's Army by such Troops as he had got together fought several times very briskly with the Prince of Conde But seeing that the Hatred which the Faction of the Slingers and the Parliament had conceiv'd against him did not diminish he took this Course that he publickly declar'd he was willing to leave the Kingdom to re-establish the publick Quiet He hoped by so doing to lay the Blame of the Intestine Divisions upon the Prince of Conde alone which Design prov'd successfull for thereby the Eyes of the People were opened who now plainly perceiv'd that the Cardinal sought the Good of the King and Kingdom but the Prince of Conde his own Interest Dunkirk and Graveling being lost in the Fray The Prince of Conde therefore perceiving that he had lost the Favour of the People retir'd with his Troops into the Spanish Netherlands Then the Cardinal return'd to Court and ever after had the Administration of the chiefest Affairs of the Kingdom till his Death without any further Opposition The City of Paris return'd to its due Obedience the Faction of the Slingers was dissolv'd the Duke of Orleans left the Court Rez was taken into Custody and Bourdeaux forc'd to submit In the Year next following the French began again to make War on the Spaniards they took Mommedy with great difficulty and fortunately reliev'd Arras But they were beaten from before Valenciennes and Cambray France having just made an Alliance with Cromwell the joint Forces of France and England besieged Dunkirk under the Command of Turenne And the Duke John d' Austria and Prince de Conde who came with an Army to relieve it being repuls'd with great loss the City was taken and deliver'd to the English from whom the King afterwards redeem'd it for four Millions About the same time Graveling was also retaken At last a Peace was concluded between France and Spain near the Pyrenaean Mountains by the two chief Ministers of State on both sides viz. by Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro by vertue of which France was to keep Roussilion and the greatest part of the places which were taken in the Netherlands Mary Theresa the Daughter of Philip IV. was to be married to the King and the Prince of Conde to be receiv'd into Favour again This last point met with great Opposition for a considerable time In the Year next following died Mazarini who as 't is said left the King among others this Lesson That he should govern himself and not trust entirely to any Favourite The first thing of moment which the King undertook was to settle his Revenues in a good order He began with the Lord High Treasurer Fouquet whom he took into Custody and made a strict Inquisition against all such as having had hitherto the management of his Revenues had enrich'd themselves therewith The Sponges which were swell'd up with Riches being soundly squeez'd out brought an incredible Treasure into the King's Coffers In the Year 1661 a Difference arose betwixt the French and Spanish Embassadours in London about the Precedency at the solemn Entry made by Count Nile Brake the Swedish Embassadour where the French Embassadour's Coach was put back by Violence This might easily have prov'd the Occasion of a War if the Spaniards had not given Satisfaction to the French and agreed That where-ever there were any French Embassadours resident the Spanish should not appear upon any publick Occasions Which the French do interpret as if Spain had thereby declar'd That the Spanish Ministers were always to give place to the French of the same Character In the Year 1662 the King made an Agreement with the Duke of Lorrain according to which he was to exchange his Dukedom for an Equivalent in France and his Family to be the next in right of Succession if the Family of Bourbon should happen to fail Which Agreement the Duke would fain have annull'd afterwards but the King who did not understand jesting in such a point forc'd him to surrender to him Marsal In the same Year the Duke de Crequi the French Embassadour at Rome was grossly affronted there by the Corsi Guards which the King resented so ill that he took from the Pope the City of Avignon But the Difference was compos'd by the Mediation of the Grand Duke of Tuscany at Pisa and the Pope was fain to send a splendid Embassy to give Satisfaction to the King About the same time the French would have got footing at Gigeri on the Coast of Barbary but were repuls'd with considerable loss by the Moors The King also sent some Troops to the Assistance of the Emperour against the Turks who behav'd themselves bravely in the Battel fought near St. Gothard and contributed much to the Victory Notwithstanding which the
11. Before we come to Rome we must say something of Carthage This City having long contested with Rome for the Superiority so that the Roman Government did not think it self well secured as long as this City was in Being This City though it was rather fitted for Trade than War yet having acquired vast Riches by its Traffick and being vastly encreased in Power and Inhabitants forced not only the next adjacent Countries in Africa to pay them Tribute but also sent vast Armies into Sicily Sardinia and Spain This occasioned the Wars betwixt them and the Romans the two First they maintain'd with extraordinary Resolution and Valour but in the Third they were brought to utter Destruction If they had avoided to meddle with the Roman Affairs they might in all probability have been able for a great while to defend their Liberty Ambition therefore was the chief Cause of their Ruin since the Constitution of their Government was such as being Adapted for Trade did not require any great Possessions except a few Lands for the use of their Citizens and some Sea-Ports in Spain and Sicily for conveniency of Commerce and Shipping But the Conquests of large Countries were more hurtfull than profitable to them For those Generals who Commanded their Armies abroad proved at last dangerous to them thinking it below themselves after so much Glory and vast Riches obtained to be put in the same Rank with their Fellow Citizens The Inhabitants besides of this City were not so well fitted for Land-service so that they being obliged to fill up their Armies with Mercenary Souldiers collected out of several Nations these were a vast and certain Charge to them the hopes of the Benefit remaining uncertain And besides this their Faith was very inconstant and the Conquered places could scarce be trusted to those whose Faith might easily be bought by Money After their first War with the Romans they Experienced almost to their utter Ruin how dangerous it is to wage War altogether with Foreign and Mercenary Souldiers And therefore they could not possibly hold out against the Romans who fought with a much greater Constancy for their Native Country than these Foreign Mercenaries did for their Pay 'T was a Capital Errour in the Carthaginians that they did not take care in time so to Establish their Power at Sea that they needed not to have feared any thing from the Romans that way But after they had once let the Romans become Masters at Sea they could not but expect them one time or another at their City-gates At the time when Hannibal had such prodigious Success against the Romans it proved also a fatal Neglect in them that they did not timely send fresh Supplies to Re-inforce him so that he might have prosecuted the War to the Destruction of Rome For after they had once given leisure to the Romans to recollect themselves they conscious of their former danger never rested till they had rased Carthage to the ground § 12. It is worth the while to trace the Common-wealth of Rome back to its Original because none ever yet Equall'd it in Power and Greatness and because young Students are first Entred and best Read in the Roman History This City was perfectly made for War from whence the first had her Rise and afterwards her Fall Its first Inhabitants were a sorry Rabble of Indigent People the very Dregs of Italy being ignorant of what belonged to Commerce and not expert in any Handy-craft's Trade For the carrying on of the first Rome was not Commodiously Situated and the Latter was at that time unknown in Italy That small parcel of Ground which at first they had possess'd themselves of was not sufficient to maintain a considerable Number of People nor was there any vacant Ground in the Neighbourhood which could be Tilled for their use If therefore they would not always remain Beggars nothing was left them but their Swords wherewith to cut out their Fortune And truly Rome was nothing else but a Den of Wolves and its Inhabitants like Wolves always thirsting after their Neighbour's Goods and Blood living by continual Robberies It was then necessary for a City under these Circumstances to keep up a constant Stock of Valiant Citizens To effect this the better Romulus commanded that no Child should be kill'd except such as were very Deformed which barbarous Custom was also then very common among the Grecians Besides this he ordered that all Slaves at Rome together with their Liberty should have the Privilege of the City from whom afterwards descended great Families their Posterity being ambitious by great Deeds to Efface the Memory of their base Original But above all one thing did mightily contribute towards the Increase of Rome that Romulus did not suffer the Men to be put to the Sword in such places as were taken by force by the Romans nor would let them be sold for Slaves but receiving them into Rome granted them the same Privileges with the rest of the Citizens The Roman Writers give this for one reason why Athens and Sparta could not so long maintain their Conquests as Rome did since they seldom Naturalized Strangers whereas Romulus frequently used to receive the same as Citizens of Rome in the Evening with whom he had fought in the Morning For War cannot be carried on without a good Stock of Men nor can Conquests be maintain'd without a considerable Number of Valiant Souldiers upon whose Faith the Government can rely in case of an Attack But that the Conquered places might not be left destitute of Inhabitants and Rome might not be fill'd up with too much Rabble they used only to Transplant the best and richest Men of the Conquered places to Rome filling up their places with the poorest of the Roman Citizens who setling a continual good Correspondence betwixt the Conquered and the Romans served also for a Garrison in these places By these means the most Valiant and Richest Inhabitants of the Neighbouring Countries were drawn to Rome and the poorest among the Romans obtained thereby in those places large Possessions But although Necessity gave an Edge to the Roman Valour 't was not that alone that made them so War-like a People for the Courage of their Kings who instructed them in Military Affairs and hardned them to Dangers had a great share in it though the thing rightly considered it is not always adviseable to lay the Foundation of a State upon Military Constitutions since the Changes of War are uncertain and then it is not for the Quiet of any State that Martial Tempers should prevail too much in it Wherefore Peaceable times did never agree with the Romans and as soon as they were freed from the Danger of Foreign Enemies they sheath'd their Swords in each other's Bowels § 13. There were also other things worth our Observation which did greatly advance the Military Affairs of Rome One of the chiefest was That their King Servius Tullius had ordered that only the
for he not only lesien'd his Authority at Naples but also being suspicious that he either intended to keep that Kingdom for Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand or else for himself Ferdinand undertook a Journey in Person to Naples on purpose to bring Gonsalvus handsomly away from thence and taking him along with him into Spain he treated him ill for his great deserts In the mean time died the Queen Isabella which occasion'd some Differences betwixt Ferdinand and his Son-in-law Philip the Netherlander Ferdinand pretending according to the last Will of Isabella to take upon him the Administration of Castile And to maintain his Claim the better he enter'd into a Confederacy with France by marrying Germana de Foix Sister to Lewis XII hoping thereby to obtain a powerfull Assistance in case Philip should come to attack him But Philip coming into Spain and taking upon him the Administration of the Government in the name of his Lady Joan Ferdinand retir'd into Arragon But Philip died soon after whose Queen Joan being not in her right Wits yet undertook the Administration of the Government not without the opposition of some of the chief of the Nobility wherefore the Administration of the Government was by common consent committed to Ferdinand after his return from Naples notwithstanding the Emperour Maximilian did pretend to it in the right of his Grandson Charles In the Year 1508 Ferdinand enter'd into a Confederacy against the Venetians whereby he regain'd the Cities of Calabria Brindisi Otranto Trano Mola and Polignano which the Venetians had formerly obtain'd for some Services done to the Neapolitans But as soon as Ferdinand perceiv'd that the Venetians were like to be swallow'd up by the Emperour and France the Pope and he left the Confederacy thinking it more convenient to preserve the State of Venice since by adding the Territories of Venice to those of Milan which were then possess'd by the French they would have grown too powerfull in Italy Hence arose a War in which John d' Albert King of Navarre taking part with the French was upon instigation of Ferdinand excommunicated by the Pope under which pretext Ferdinand took an opportunity to possess himself of that part of the Kingdom which lies on the Spanish side of the Pyrenean Mountains which since that time the French have in vain indeavour'd to recover In the Year 1510 the Spaniards took Bugia and Tripolis upon the Coast of Barbary but were routed in the Island of Gerbis This wise King died in the Year 1516. § 10. Him succeeded his Grandson by his Daughter Charles the fifth Emperour of that Name who with the assistance of the Cardinal Ximenes immediately took upon himself the Administration of the Government his Mother to whom the same did belong being incapable of Administring it This Prince who since Charles the Great was the most Potent Prince that hath been in Europe spent the greatest part of his Life in Travels and Wars In the very beginning of his Reign there were some Commotions in Spain which were soon appeased John D' Albert also made an Inrode into the Kingdom of Navarre in hopes to recover it but was quickly repulsed But with the French during his whole Life he waged continual Wars For though in the Year 1516 he made a League with King Francis I. whereby the Daughter of Francis was promised to him in Marriage yet was this Tie not strong enough to withhold the Animosity of these two courageous Princes Charles who was flush'd up with the great Success of his House had always in his Mind his Motto Plus ultra But Francis who was surrounded every-where by so potent a Prince did oppose his Designs with all his Might fearing lest his Power should grow too strong both for him and all the rest of Europe Charles obtain'd a most particular advantage When the Imperial Dignity was conferr'd upon him to obtain which for himself or some-body else Francis had labour'd with all his Might but in vain Robert de Mare Lord of Sedan withdrawing himself from the Emperour and putting himself under the Protection of France with whose assistance he attack'd the Lord of Emmerick who was under the Emperour's protection administer'd new matter of jealsousie which quickly broke out into an open flame in the Netherlands In which War the French lost Tournay and St. Amant but beat the Imperialists from before Meziores Charles also did intend to drive the French out of Milan upon instigation of Pope Leo X. Charles pretending that Francis had neglected to receive this Dutchy in fief of the Empire beat the French near Bicoque Fonterabie also which they had taken by surprize was re-taken by force from the French It proved also very disadvantageous to them that the Constable Charles of Bourbon sided with the Emperour and entring Provence besieged Marseilles Which nevertheless he was forced to quit as soon as Francis march'd with all his Forces that way into Italy to recover the Milaneze Where he took the City of Milan but at the Siege of Pavia was Attack'd by the Imperial Generals who totally routed his Army and having taken him Prisoner carried him into Spain The King himself was in part the occasion of this loss he having sent a great part of his Army towards Naples and Savona and those that remained with him were most Italians Swiss and Grisons who did not perform their Duty in the Battle and most of his Generals were of opinion to avoid the hazard of a Battle by retiring under the City of Milan The French also succeeded ill in the Diversion which they endeavour'd to give the Emperour for by the help of Charles Duke of Geldres and the Friselanders for they were at that time worsted by Charles's Forces There were some that advised Charles to set Francis at liberty without any Ransome and by this Act of Generosity to oblige him for ever But he followed the Counsels of such as did advise to make advantage of so great a Prisoner He therefore imposed very hard Conditions upon him which Francis refusing to accept of out of discontent fell into a dangerous Sickness so that Charles himself went to visit and comfort him Though he was advised to the contrary by his Chancellour Gallinaca who alledged that such a Visit where he did not intend to promise the Prisoner his liberty would rather seem to proceed from Covetousness and fear of losing the advantage of his Ransome than from any civility or good inclination towards him And this Sickness was the real cause why at last the Treaty concerning his Liberty which had been so long on foot was finish'd the Emperour fearing that his Discontent might plunge him into another Sickness or Death it self In the mean time the prodigious Success which attended the Emperour did raise no small jealousie among other Princes and by instigation of Pope Clement VII three Armies were raised to maintain the Liberty of Italy To prevent this Storm
and especially to withdraw the Pope from the Confederacy the Emperour's Generals marched directly against Rome which they took by Storm where Charles of Bourbon was slain and for several days together plunder'd the City and committed great Out-rages The Pope himself was besieged in the Castle of St. Angelo and Charles at the same time that the Pope was enclosed his own Forces caused Prayers to be made for 40 days together for his deliverance at last forced by Famine he was forced to Surrender and to renounce the above-mention'd League The Conditions on which Francis had obtain'd his Liberty were That Francis should surrender the Dukedom of Burgundy to renounce the Sovereignty over Flanders and Artois quit all his pretences upon Naples and Milan to marry the Emperour's Sister Eleonora and to give his two Sons as Pledges for the performance of these Articles But as soon as he got into his own Kingdom he protested against the Treaty which was extorted from him during his Imprisonment And making a League with the Pope England Venice the Suiss and Florence sent an Army into Italy under the Command of Odet de Foix Lord of Lautree This occasion'd not only that very gross words pass'd betwixt these two Princes but they also gave one another the lye and a Challenge pass'd betwixt them But Lautree who had at first great success being destroy'd with his Army by Sickness in the Siege of Naples a Peace was at last concluded at Cambray in the Year 1529 by virtue of which Francis paid for his Sons 2550000 Rixdollars renounc'd his Pretensions to Flanders Artois Milan and Nalpes and marry'd Eleonora Sister to the Emperour out of which Marriage if a Son should be born he was to be put into the possession of the Dukedom of Burgundy In the Year 1530 Charles was Crowned by Pope Clement VIII at Bononia whereby he obtained from the Emperour that the Common-wealth of Florence should be made a Principality and the said City was by force obliged to admit this Change Alexander de Medicis being constituted Duke to whom the Emperour married his natural Daughter Margaret In the same Year the Bishop of Vtrecht resign'd the Soveraignty of that City and the Province of Over-yssel into the Hands of Charles and the Provinces of Geldren Zutphen Groningen the Twente and Drente also fell into his Hands In the Year 1535 he went with a puissant Army into Africa took Tunis and Goletta restoring the Kingdom of Tunis to Muleassa who was banished before by Haradin Barbarossa but in Goletta he left a Garrison In the Year 1537 another War broke out betwixt Charles and Francis For the latter could not digest the loss of Milan and being advised by the Pope that when-ever he intended to Attack Milan he should first make himself Master of Savoy and Francis Sforzia dying at the same time he fell upon Charles Duke of Savoy and under pretence that he defrauded his Mother of her Dowry drove him quite out of Savoy and conquered a great part of Piedmont But the Emperour who was resolved to annex the Dutchy of Milan to his Family came to the assistance of the Duke of Savoy and at the Head of his Army entring Provence took Aix and some other Places but his Army being much weakned with Sickness for want of Provisions he was forced to retire again In the Netherlands the Imperialists took St. Paul and Monstrevil Killing great Numbers of the French Through Mediation of the Pope Paul III. a Truce of 10 Years was concluded at Nissa in Provence after which these two Princes had a friendly Interview at Aigues Mortes And in the next following Year the Emperour against the advice of his friends ventured to take his way through the very heart of France being desirous with all possible speed to compose the Disorders which were arisen at Ghent Yet had he before by the Connestable Anna Montmorancy cajolled Francis into a belief that he would restore to him the Dutchy of Milan which however he never intended to perform In the Year 1541 he undertook an Expedition against Algiers in Africa at the latter end of the Year against the advice of the Pope and others of his friends who persuaded him to stay till next Spring He there Landed his Army with good success but a few days after such prodigious Storms and Rains did fall which dispersed his Ships and spoiled the Fire-locks of the Souldiers that the Emperour was obliged with the loss of one half of his Army to return into Spain In the Year next following Francis broke with him again under pretence that his Ambassadours Caesar Fregosus and Anthony Rinco which he had sent through the Milanese by the way of Venice to go to the Ottoman Port were upon the River Po Murthered by Orders of the Governour of Milan Wherefore William Duke of Cleves entring Brabant on one side the Duke of Orleans on the other side took Luxemburgh and some other places The Dauphin besieg'd Perpignan but was oblig'd to raise the Siege The famous Pirate Barbarossa did by the instigation of Francis great mischief on the Sea-coasts of Calabria destroying Nissa in Provence by Fire Charles seeing himself at once attack'd in so many places setting aside the Differences which were arisen about the Divorce betwixt Henry and his Aunt Catherine made a League with Henry King of England wherein it was agreed That the Emperour should force his way through Champaigne whilst Henry enter'd into Picardy that so they might by joining their Forces ruine the whole Power of France The Emperour therefore with an Army of 50000 men beat the Duke of Cleves in the Netherlands forcing him to surrender Guelderland and after having recover'd the places in Luxemburgh taken before by the French enter'd into Campaigne taking by force Lygny and Disier Francis kept with his Army on the other side of the River Marne and not daring to fight the Imperialists contented himself to ravage the Country which they were to march through to endeavour to cut off their Provisions Nevertheless the Imperial Army found a sufficient quantity at Espernay and Chasteau Thierry This occasion'd such a Terrour and Confusion in Paris that the Citizens were for leaving the City if the King by his Presence had not encourag'd them to stay And if on the other side King Henry had acted according to the Agreement they might easily have got the French Army betwixt them and in all likelyhood would have put a period to the French Greatness But Henry being detain'd at the Sieges of Bologne and Monstrevil sent word to the Emperour That he would not stir further till he had made himself Master of these two places Charles then began to suspect the King of England whom he perceived meerly to be for his own Interest and did not think fit to trust any longer considering also with himself what vast charges he was at in this War and how thereby his Designs were retarded which he
extraordinary conceit of their own Abilities and taking the Netherlanders for Cowards did not think they had Courage enough to oppose their Designs The Spaniards also were well pleas'd to see the Netherlanders to begin first hoping the King would thereby take an opportunity to clip their Privileges and by making them all alike obtain an absolute Dominion over them This done they hoped to make these Countries their Armory and Store-house from whence they might with more ease invade France and England and raise the Spanish Monarchy to the highest degree of Greatness But the Netherlanders on the other side were resolv'd not to part with their Liberty nor to be treated as a conquer'd Nation And when Philip at his departure would leave Spanish Garrisons in the Netherlands and to soften the matter constituted the Prince of Orange and Earl of Egmont Generals over them yet could they not be persuaded to accept of the same alledging That the Netherlanders had got but very small Advantages by the Peace with France which they had procur'd by their own Valour if they now should be in danger of being subdu'd themselves by a foreign Power The neighbouring Princes also but especially Elizabeth Queen of England took an opportunity by these troubles to empty the vast Treasures of Spain and to exhaust its Strength The Protestant Princes also of Germany who hated the Spaniards were glad of this opportunity and assisted the Prince of Orange upon all occasions And the Emperours thought it more convenient to be at quiet and to please the Germans than to be too forward to assist their Cousins These Commotions in the Netherlands did also occasion the War betwixt Philip and Elizabeth Queen of England she not only affording assistance to the Netherlanders but also the English Privateers doing considerable mischief to the Spanish West-India Ships and the famous Francis Drake plunder'd the very Southern Coast of America On the other side Philip by supporting the Rebels in Ireland proved very troublesome to Queen Elizabeth At last Philip did resolve with one stroke to put down the whole Strength of England to which purpose he was equipping a great Fleet for several Years together which he call'd The Invincible the like never had been seen before those times The Fleet consisted of 150 Sail of Ships which carried 1600 great pieces of Brass Cannon and 1050 of Iron 8000 Seamen 20000 Souldiers besides Volunteers the Charge amounted daily to 30000 Ducats but the whole Preparations to twelve Milions of Ducats The Pope Sixtus V. also excommunicated Queen Elizabeth assigning her Kingdom to Philip. But all these Preparations came to nothing the greatest part of this Fleet being destroy'd partly by the English and Dutch partly by Tempests few return'd home and that in a most miserable condition so that there was scarce a Noble Family in Spain but went into Mourning for the loss of some Friend or another But the evenness of Temper is much to be admir'd in Philip who receiv'd this bad news without the least alteration giving only this Answer I did not send them out to fight against the Winds and Seas Afterwards the English and Dutch Fleets being joined beat the Spanish Fleet near Cadiz taking from the Spaniards not only a great many Ships richly laden but also the City of Cadiz it self which nevertheless was again left by the English General the Earl of Essex after he had plunder'd it to the great dishonour of the English who might from thence have done a great deal of mischief to the Spaniards Neither did Spain get any advantage by having entangled it self in the Troubles and as it was call'd the holy League made in France Philip 't is true propos'd to himself to have met with a fair opportunity by excluding the Bourbon Family to annex the Crown of France to his House or by raising Divisions in this Kingdom to swallow up one piece or another or to assist one of his Creatures in obtaining that Crown or at least by dividing it into so many Factions so to weaken its Strength as that it should not be able to recover it self for a considerable time But by the Courage and good Fortune of Henry IV. all these Measures were broke and he declaring himself a Catholick took away the Foundation whereupon the League was built Thus Philip lost his vast Expences and besides this suffer'd extreamly in his Affairs for in the mean time that he sent the Duke of Parma Governour of the Netherlands to the assistance of the League in France the Confederate Netherlanders had leisure given them to put themselves and their Affairs into a good posture Philip acted in this business according to the old proverb That he who hunts two Hares at once commonly catches neither of them Besides Henry IV. after he had restor'd his Affairs in France declar'd War against Philip which was nevertheless carried on in the Netherlands with various success the Count de Fuentes taking Cambray in the Year 1595 and in the Year next following the Archduke Albert Calais On the other side Henry recover'd Fere from the Spaniards In the Year 1597 the Spaniards took Amiens by surprise which Henry recover'd not without great difficulty At last a Peace was concluded in the same Year betwixt France and Spain at Vervin because Philip was unwilling to leave his Son who was but young entangl'd in a War with so great a Captain as Henry was and Henry was sensible that the Kingdom of France being enervated did greatly want a Peace Philip also waged several Wars against the Turks for the Pyrate Dragutes had taken from the Spaniards Tripoli after they had been in possession of it for forty Years To retake this Philip sent a strong Army which took the Isle of Gerbis but being afterwards beaten by the Turkish Fleet he lost together with the Island 18000 Men and 42 Ships In the Year 1564 Philip retook Pegnon de Velez In the Year 1566 Maltha was besieg'd by the Turks during the space of four Months which was reliev'd by Philip he forcing the Turks to raise the Siege with great loss In the Year 1571 the Confederate Fleet of Spain Venice and other Italian States under the Command of Don John of Austria did obtain a most signal Victory over the Turkish Fleet near Lepanto whereby the Turkish Naval Strength was weaken'd to that degree that they were never afterwards so formidable in those Seas as they were before But else the Spaniards had got no great Reputation in this War for by their delays that considerable Island of Rhodes was lost before In the Year 1573 Don John of Austria pass'd with an Army into Africa to retake Tunis which succeeded so well that he forc'd the City and added a new Fortification to it But in the Year next following the Turks sent a puissant Army thither and retook the City its Fortifications being not quite perfected as also Goletta which being not very well
thereby to avoid the hatred which the Spaniards naturally bear against the French And such is the Spanish pride that tho' they think it below themselves to meddle with those trifles yet they do not think much to be a poor Centinel in some Fort or another all their life time the honour of the Sword and hopes of becoming in time an Officer making them amends for what hardship they endure Their Pride Covetousness and rigorous proceedings make them hatefull to all such as are under their Command which are very unfit Qualifications for the maintaining of great Conquests For no body is willing to be despised by Foreign Governours Spain being mightily exhausted of Men and therefore incapable of raising great Armies within it self is very unfit to maintain vast Countries for which several reasons may be given For the Women here are not so fruitfull as in the Northern parts which is to be attributed to the heat of the Climate and the constitution of their spare Bodies Those parts also which are remote from the Sea-shore are not well peopled some of these Grounds being very barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Mankind Whoring also being publickly allowed of here a great many of them will rather make shift with a Whore than to maintain a Wife and Children These also who have taken upon them holy Orders of whom there is a great number are obliged not to marry The Wars which they have waged against so many Nations but especially in Italy and the Netherlands have devoured a great many Spaniards A vast number have transplanted themselves into America being glad to go to a place where they may with a small beginning come to live very plentifully Before the discovery was made of America Ferdinand the Catholick had at once before the City of Granada an Army of 50000 Foot and 20000 Horse tho' Arragon did not concern it self in that War and Portugal and Navarre were at that time not united with Castile At last this Country was mightily dispeopled when Ferdinand after the taking of Granada and Philip III. banished a great many thousands of Jews and Marans who could not be kept in obedience in Spain these settling themselves in Africa retain to this day their hatred against the Christians robbing their Ships in those Seas But this is evident enough that the Spaniards could never have made a Conquest of those vast Countries by force of Arms if the greatest part of them had not fallen into their Hands by easier ways § 16. Concerning those Countries which are under the Jurisdiction of this Nation Spain is large enough in extent for the number of its Inhabitants but it is not fertile alike in all places for the most remote parts from the Sea-coasts are many of them barren not producing any thing for the subsistance of Men or Beasts But for the most part nearer to the Sea-side it is very fine and fruitfull There is abundance of Sheep here They have also very fine Horses but not in very great quantities having scarce enough for their own use This Kingdom is very well situate for Trade having on the one side the Ocean and on the other side being almost surrounded by the Mediterranean where they have most excellent Harbours The product of their Grounds and Commodities fit for Exportation are especially Wooll Silk Wine Oyl Raisons Almonds Figs Citrons Rice Soap Iron Salt and such like In former times the Spanish Gold-mines were most famous but now-a-days neither Gold nor Silver as far as I know is digged out in Spain Some will alledge for a reason That it is forbidden under severe penalties to keep it as a reserve in case of a great extremity But I am rather apt to believe That those Gold-mines have been long a-goe quite exhausted by the Avarice of the Spaniards § 17. The greatest Revenue of Spain comes from the East Indies from whence Gold and Silver like Rivulets are conveyed into Spain and from thence into the other parts of Europe At what time and by whom this Country which had been so long unknown to the Europeans was first discover'd we have already mentioned Tho' there are that pretend That America was discovered in the Year 1190 by one Madoe Son to Owen Gesneth a Prince in Wales who they say made two Voyages thither and having built a Fort in Florida or Virginia or as some say in Mexico died in America And this is the reason why in the Mexican Tongue abundance of British words are to be met withall and that the Spaniards at their first coming into America did find the remnants of some Christian Customs among the Inhabitants From whence some inferr That if the first discovery of a Country gives a good Title of Propriety to the Discoverers England would have as good if not a better Title to America than Spain but this we will leave to be decided by others But it is not so evident from whence Spain could claim a right of subduing that Countrey by force of Arms. For what is alledged among other pretences concerning the Bull of Alexander VI. wherein he did grant those Countries to Spain this does not only seem ridiculous to us but also to those Barbarians themselves who have ridicul'd it saying The Pope must be a strange sort of a Man who pretended to give away that which was none of his own But let this be as it will the Spaniards think it sufficient that they are in possession of it and if an exact scrutiny should be made into other matters of this nature it would appear that the Titles to most conquered Countries were none of the best But some of the most conscientious Spaniards do not justifie what Cruelties their Country-men committed in the beginning against those poor People of whom they kill'd without any provocation given a great many hundred thousands or destroyed them by forcing them to undergo intolerable hardships and making the rest their Slaves Tho' afterwards Charles V. being informed of their miserable condition ordered all the rest of the Americans to be set at liberty But the Spaniards are not Masters of all America but only of the middle part of it viz. The Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico and those vast Islands of Hispaniola Cuba and Porto Ricco Jamaica having been taken from them by the English These parts of America are now-a-days inhabited by five several sorts of People The first are the Spaniards who come thither out of Europe these are put in all Offices The second are called Crioliens who are born in America of Spanish Parents These are never employ'd in any Office as being ignorant of the Spanish Affairs and too much addicted to love their native Country of America wherefore the King is cautious in giving them any Command fearing lest they should withdraw themselves from the Obedience of Spain and set up a Government of their own especially because these Crioliens bear a great hatred against the European Spaniards For
greatly beloved both by his Father and the People and caused D. Agnes de Castro a very beautiful Lady who was without his consent married to his Son Pieter barbarously to be murthered which so exasperated Pieter that he taking up Arms against the Father did considerable mischief till at last the business was composed He died in the Year 1357. His Son Pieter was commonly called the Cruel tho' some will have this rather to have been spoken to his praise as having been an exact observer of Justice never sparing any Offender He died in the Year 1368. His Son Ferdinand contended with Henry the Bastard who had murthered his Brother Pieter sirnamed the Cruel King of Castile about the Kingdom of Castile because his Mother Beatrice had been Daughter of Sanctius IV. King of Castile and a great many of the Nobility and some Cities of that Kingdom declaring for him he waged War against the forementioned Henry But he being too strong for him he could not maintain his Pretensions but was obliged to make Peace However the War broke out afresh again betwixt them because Ferdinand had protected some who were banished out of Castile for High Treason neither would upon demand surrender them To revenge this Henry made an inrode into Portugal and finding no resistance over-ran the greatest part of the Country After the death of Henry Ferdinand made a Peace with his Son John but the same was soon violated again by the Portugueses who encouraged the Duke of Lancaster that married Constantia Daughter of Pieter King of Castile to pretend to the Crown of Castile He came with a good Army into Portugal but the English being quickly grown weary of the War in Spain and living very disorderly in Portugal a Peace was concluded on both sides At last Ferdinand married his Daughter Beatrice to John of Castile under condition that such Children as were born of their Bodies should succeed in the Kingdom of Portugal which was afterwards the occasion of bloody Wars This Ferdinand who by his frequent Wars had proved very pernicious to Portugal died in the Year 1383 being the last of the true Race of the Kings of Portugal § 3. After the death of Ferdinand great Troubles arose in Portugal most of the Portugueses not being able to brook living under the Subjection of the Castilians whom they mortally hated It was 't is true agreed on in the Articles of Marriage made betwixt the King of Castile and Beatrice Daughter of Ferdinand That her Mother Eleonora should have the Administration of the Government in Portugal till such Children as should be born of this Marriage should be of age But this Eleonora leaving all to the management of the Count of Ancira her much suspected Favourite she drew upon her self the hatred of the Portugueses John therefore natural Son of Pieter King of Portugal privately murther'd him whereby he got both the Favour of the People and encreased the hatred against the Queen Dowager But some of the Portugueses being much dissatisfy'd at these proceedings begg'd the King of Castile to take upon him the Crown of Portugal which he might in all likelyhood have obtained if he had been quick enough either by fair means or by force to have put himself into full possession of the same But he being uncertain in his Resolutions gave by his delays time and opportunity to the adverse Party to strengthen it self Wherefore he coming without an Army into Portugal his Mother-in-law resign'd to him the Government but he found but an indifferent Reception among the Portugueses they being very averse to him because he used very rarely to speak or converse with them Nevertheless a great many of the Nobility and some Cities did side with him but most out of a hatred to the Castilians chose for their Leader John the Bastard a wise and brave Man and much belov'd by the People The Castilians thereupon besieged Lisbon but their Army being for the most part destroyed by the Plague they were obliged to leave it without having got any advantage In the Year next following the Portugueses declar'd this John their King who very courageously attack'd those places which had declared for the Castilians and subdued the greatest part of them The Castilians then entred with an Army into Portugal but were entirely routed by this new King near Aliubarotta which Victory is yearly celebrated to this day among the Portugueses After this Battel all the rest of the Cities did without more adoe surrender themselves to the new King The Portugueses also calling unto their aid the Duke of Lancaster unto whom they had promised the Crown of Castile they enter'd into that Kingdom with an Army But the English having suffer'd extreamly by Sickness the Duke of Lancaster thought it most convenient to conclude a Peace with the Castilians whereupon it was agreed That the Son of the King of Castile should marry his only Daughter Catharine which he had by Constantia Daughter to Pieter King of Castile A Truce was also made betwixt Portugal and Castile at that time but the War soon breaking out again at last an everlasting Peace was concluded betwixt both Kingdoms so that John had the good fortune to maintain himself in the possession of the Crown of Portugal and reign'd with great applause After he was quietly settled in the Throne he undertook an Expedition into Africa and took the City Ceuta whose Son also first found out the Isle of Madera This King died in the Year 1433 and left a Memory that is to this day dear to the Portugueses § 4. His Son Edward was a very Virtuous Prince but did not reign long for at that time Portugal being over-run with the Plague he got the Infection by a Letter and died in the Year 1438. During his Reign his Brothers undertook a most unfortunate Expedition into Africa where being themselves taken Prisoners before Tangier they promised to restore to the Moors Ceuta for a Ransom leaving Don Ferdinand as a Hostage behind them But the States of Portugal refusing to stand to the Contract the Hostage was forc'd to end his days in Prison Alfonsus Son to this Edward was but six years old when his Father died whose Tuition was committed by his Father's last Will to his Mother But the States refusing to submit themselves to the Government of a Foreign Woman conferr'd the Administration of the Kingdom on Don Pedro Duke of Conimbria Brother to King Edward but he received a very slender Recompence for his Services for being falsely accused before the new King he was slain as he was going with some Troops to the King to justifie himself Alfonsus V. was else a very good Souldier and a brave Prince under whose Reign the Portugueses took several places on the Coast of Africa viz. Tangier Arcilla Alcassar and some others Good store of Gold was also transported out of Guinea into Portugal which he employ'd
pretending that the Spencers had diverted the King's Love from her retir'd first into France and from thence into Hainault and returning with an Army took the King Prisoner and caused the Spencers to be executed The King was carried from place to place and greatly abused during his Imprisonment having been forced before by the Parliament to resign the Kingdom to his Son Edward At last about six Months after his Deposition he was miserably murther'd § 11. Edward III. was very young when the Crown was conferr'd upon him wherefore the Administration of the Government was during his Minority committed to his Mother and managed under her chiefly by her Favourite Roger Mortimer She immediately at the beginning made a dishonourable Peace with Scotland whereby Edward renounced the Sovereignty and all other Pretensions upon that Kingdom and the Scots renounced their Title to Cumberland and Northumberland This and some other matters laid to their charge was the reason why some Years after the Queen was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment and Mortimer was hanged Afterwards a most cruel War broke out betwixt England and France for Lewis Philip and Charles all three Sons of Philip sirnamed the Handsom dying without Issue Edward did pretend a right to the French Crown as being the late King 's Sister's Son alledging That if his Mother as being a Woman might be thought incapable of governing the Realm the same ought not to be prejudicial to him as being a Man But Philip de Valois notwithstanding he was a degree farther of as being the late King's Father 's Brother's Son yet prevailed with the States who under pretence of the Salick Law and the hatred they bore to a Foreign Sovereign being besides this encouraged thereunto by the Earl of Artois set him upon the Throne Edward being afterwards summon'd by Philip to come in person and to do Homage for the Dukedom of Aquitain went thither in person he being then but young and England full of intestine Commotions notwithstanding this seemed to be very prejudicial to his Pretensions And King Edward appearing in the Church at Amiens with the Crown upon his Head his Sword and Spurs on was ordered to lay them aside and to take the Oath upon his Knees which so exasperated Edward that France afterwards felt the effects of it Not long after Edward Baliol Son of John Baliol made pretensions to the Crown of Scotland against the young King being assisted by King Edward notwithstanding King David of Scotland had married his Sister During which Commotions the English recovered Barwick upon Tweed and in one Battel killed 30000 Scots whereupon Edward Baliol did do Homage to the King of England for the Crown of Scotland By this time King Edward being come to his riper years upon the instigation of Robert Earl of Artois undertook an Expedition into France and taking upon him the Title and Arms of France renewed his Pretensions to that Crown In this Expedition he entirely routed the French Fleet near Sluys which was sent to hinder his landing and defeated 30000 Men. and after he had besieged Tournay he made a Truce with them for twelve Months In the mean while the English were engaged in a War with the Scots who under the Conduct of their former King David had driven out Edward Baliol. The time of the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh in France where among other places the English took Angoulesme King Edward himself came with a great Army into Normandy and took both there and in Picardy a great many places from the French At last a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them near Crecy in Picardy wherein the English tho' but 30000 strong fought against 60000 French killing 30000 upon the spot among whom were 1500 persons of Quality The next day after 7000 French were cut to pieces by the English who not knowing what had happened the day before were upon their march to the French Camp In this Battel no Quarter was given on either side Much about the same time King David of Scotland enter'd England with an Army of 60000 Men to make a Diversion in behalf of France but he was defeated in a great Battel and himself taken Prisoner The English had no less success the same Year in Britainy and Guienne In the Year next following King Edward took the City of Calais which he fill'd with English Inhabitants Prince Edward Son to Edward III. whom his Father had sent with an Army into Guienne behaved himself very valiantly making great havock where-ever he came John King of France drew out an Army against him of 60000 Men tho' the Prince was not above 8000 strong upon this the King thinking he had catch'd the Bird in the Net would not accept of any Conditions tho' never so advantageous But Prince Edward having posted his Men betwixt the Bushes and Vineyards from thence so gall'd the French Horse with his long Bows that they being repulsed put all the rest in confusion King John himself was taken Prisoner as also his youngest Son and above 1700 persons of Quality were slain This Battel was fought about two Leagues from Poictiers At last after King Edward had with three Armies over-run the greatest part of France a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of the Pope at Bretaigny not far from Chartres The Conditions of this Peace were That England besides what it had before in France should be put in possession of Poictou Zaintogne Rochelle Pais d' Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limoisin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with an absolute Sovereignty over the same besides this the City of Calais the Counties of Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Crowns were to be given as a Ransom for the King and that King John should give his three younger Sons his Brother and thirty other persons of Quality as Hostages for the payment of the said Summs But that on the other side the English should restore all the other places which they had taken from the French and renounce their Right and Title to the Crown of France The Peace being thus concluded Prince Edward to whom his Father had given the Dukedom of Aquitain restored Peter King of Castile to his Kingdom But in his Journey the Souldiers being very mutinous for want of Pay he levyed an extraordinary Tax upon his Subjects which they complaining of to the King of France he summon'd the Prince to appear before him who answer'd He would suddenly appear with an Army of 60000 Men therefore Charles V. King of France denounced War against the English pretending that the promised Sovereignty at the last Peace was void because the Prince had not fulfilled the Articles of the same and had committed Hostilities against France But whilst Prince Edward was busie in making great Preparations against France he died suddenly and with him the English good Fortune for the French took from them all the Dukedom of
Aquitain and Poictou was immediately after married to Henry Duke of Normandy afterwards King of England the second of that Name who by this Match annexed these fair Countries to the Crown of England In fine having been kept in a continual alarm by his petty Vassals but especially by Henry II. King of England He died in the Year 1180. § 7. His Son Philip II. sirnamed Augustus or the Conquerour was at first engaged in a War against Henry II. King of England from whom he took several considerable places which however he restored afterwards to his Son Richard with whom he enter'd into a League to retake Jerusalem from the Saracens pursuant to which both the Kings went thither in Person with a considerable Force But a Jealousie arising betwixt these two Kings nothing was done worth mentioning for Richard accused Philip that he had an ill design against him in Sicily in their Voyage besides that he had refused to consummate the before intended Match betwixt his Sister and Richard Wherefore as soon as Ptolemais had been taken by their joint Forces Philip under pretence of Sickness returned into France leaving only with Richard Hugh III. Duke of Burgundy with some Troops who envying Richard hinder'd the taking of the City of Jerusalem After his return from that unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land he undertook a War against Richard which he also carried on against his Brother John wherein Philip had much the better of the English for he took from them Normandy the Counties of Anjou Maine Touraine Berry and Poictou He was very instrumental in deposing the Earl of Tholouse who because he had taken into his Protection the Albigenses was excommunicated by the Pope Philip also obtained a great Victory near Bouvines betwixt Lisle and Tournay against the Emperour Otho IV. who being joined with the Earl of Flanders attack'd him with an Army of 150000 Men whilst the King of England was to fall into France on the side of Aquitain This King was so successfull in his Wars against England that his Son Lewis was very near obtaining the Crown of England And tho' he was chased again out of England yet did he after his Father's Death pursue his Victories against the English in France taking from them among others the City of Rochelle But this Lewis VIII did not reign long for he died in the Year 1226 leaving for Successour his Son Lewis IX sirnamed the Holy during whose Minority his Mother Blanch of Castile had the Supream Administration of Affairs and tho' some of the Nobility raised great Troubles against her she subdued them all by her singular Prudence In the Year 1244 the City of Jerusalem was ransack'd by some Persians who called themselves Chorasmii Lewis being about the same time dangerously ill made a Vow That if he recovered he would undertake an Expedition against those Infidels which he afterwards perform'd But before his departure he issued out his Proclamation throughout the Kingdom intimating that whoever had received any damage by his Souldiers should have Restitution made him which was performed accordingly In this Expedition he took the strong City of Damiata but the overflowing of the River Nile hindered him from taking Grand Cairo After the River was returned to its usual Bounds he vanquish'd the Enemy in two Battels but they having receiv'd new Reinforcements cut off the Provisions from the French who were also extreamly pester'd with the Scurvy The King then resolv'd to retreat towards Damiata but in his March thither they attack'd him gave him a terrible overthrow and took him Prisoner yet released him again for a Ransom of 400000 Livres he being obliged to restore also to them the City of Damiata Thus he marched with the Remainders of his Army which from 30000 Men was moulder'd away to 6000 to Ptolemais where after he had given what Assistance he could to the Christians he at last returned home Under the Reign of this King France got first an Opportunity to intermeddle in the Affairs of Italy from whence yet this Kingdom never reapt any great Benefit Manfred natural Son of the Emperour Frederick II. having first kill'd King Conrad his Brother made himself King of Naples and Sicily But the Pope on whom this Kingdom depended as a Fief being dissatisfy'd with Manfred offer'd the same to Charles Earl of Anjou Brother of Lewis IV. King of France which he having accepted of was crowned at Rome with Conditon that he should pay to the Pope 8000 Ounces of Gold make a yearly Present of a White Horse as an acknowledgment and if he was chosen Emperour that he should not unite that Kingdom with the Empire the Pope being unwilling to have any one more powerfull than himself in Italy Charles thereupon vanquish'd Manfred and having murthered him and his Children took possession of the Kingdom The young Conradin Duke of Swabia came with an Army to recover the Kingdom which was his Inheritance from his Grandfather but having been overthrown in a Battel near the Lake of Celano was made a Prisoner and in the Year next following had his Head cut off at Naples upon the Instigation of the Pope who being ask'd by Charles What he had best to do with his Prisoner answer'd Vita Conradini mors Caroli Mors Conradini vita Caroli i. e. The Life of Conradin is the Death of Charles The Death of Conradin the Life of Charles And as by the Death of this young Prince was extinguish'd the Noble Race of the Dukes of Swabia so this Charles laid the first Pretensions of France to the Kingdom of Naples In the mean while King Lewis being not satisfy'd with his former unfortunate Expedition against the Infidels resolved to try again his Fortune against Tunis either because he found that this place lay very convenient for his Brother's Kingdom of Sicily or because he hoped thereby to open a way for the Conquest of Egypt without which all the Expeditions into the Holy Land were likely to prove ineffectual But in this Siege he lost a great part of his Army by Sickness and he died himself there in the Year 1270. From a younger Son of this Lewis IV. viz. from Robert Earl of Clairmont sprang the Bourbon Family which now sways the Scepter of France § 8. His Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy succeeded him under whose Reign that considerable Earldom of Tholouse was united to the Crown of France Alfonsus Son of Lewis IX who had married the only Heiress of this Country happening to die without Issue in an Expedition into Africa Under the Reign also of this King fell out the so much celebrated Sicilian Vespers whereby all the French were at one blow extirpated out of Sicily The Business was thus Some Frenchmen had ravish'd the Wife of John of Porchyta born at Salerno who enflam'd with Revenge did seek for Aid of Pieter King of Arragon hoping by his Assistance to drive Charles
forc'd to fly into Italy Notwithstanding the English had made an Inrode into Picardy Francis sent again an Army into the Milaneze under the Command of the Admiral Bonnivet which was beaten back with considerable loss by the Duke of Bourbon This Bonnivet persuaded the King to go in Person into Italy with this prospect that if Things succeeded well he should have the Glory of having been the Adviser but if they succeeded ill the Misfortune would be cover'd by the King's Person Francis therefore went with a good Resolution into Italy because he saw the Duke of Bourbon who in the mean time having enter'd Provence had besieged Marseilles did retreat before him and having laid Siege to Pavia he for two Months together harrass'd his Army in that Siege In the mean while the Imperialists drew their Forces together and march'd against him who was encamp'd in the Parks with an Intention either to sight him or to relieve Pavia Francis engaged with them in a Battel but was defeated and taken Prisoner And thus the French were again driven out of Italy Francis was carry'd into Spain and kept very hardly so that he fell sick for Grief which hastened his Liberty it being fear'd that he might die through Vexation Besides that England and the Italian Princes enter'd into a Confederacy to hinder the growing Power of Charles The Conditions upon which he obtain'd his Liberty we have touch'd upon in another place but besides this Francis gave his Parole of Honour if the said Conditions were not fulfill'd That he would return a Prisoner But the wiser Sort did sufficiently foresee that Francis would not perform the Agreement wherefore Gattinata the Chancellour refused to sign the Treaty alledging That Charles could get nothing else by this Treaty but the implacable Hatred of the French and to be ridicul'd by every Body that he had been bubbl'd and disappointed in his covetous Designs And Francis having obtain'd his Liberty after thirteen Months Imprisonment pretended That what had been done was done in Prison and contrary to his Coronation Oath which he had taken at Rheims That the Kingdom was not in his disposal he having only the use of the same for Life The same was alledged by the Estates and especially by the Burgundians who would in no ways consent to be separated from the Crown of France If Charles was so much for having Burgundy he ought to have taken care to have been put into possession of the same before he set Francis at liberty As soon as Francis had got his Liberty he made it his first Business to renew the League with England and the Italian States And the new Treaty having proved fruitless which was set on foot with the Emperour both Kings denounced War against him Charles afterwards accusing Francis of not having kept his Parole the latter gave the first the Lye sending him also a Challenge which Matters were look'd upon by the World as very unbecomming the Grandeur of such Princes Francis sent after this an Army into Italy under the Command of Odet de Foix Lautree which having made considerable progresses in the Milaneze enter'd the Kingdom of Naples and having taken a great many places there laid Siege before the Capital City it self But the French Affairs receiv'd the first Shock there when Andrew Doria the Admiral leaving the French side went over to the Emperour he being dissatisfy'd that the King had refus'd to conferr upon him the Government of his Native City Genoua and to restore to the Genouese Savona This Doria is deservedly praised for that when he might have been Lord of his Native Country he chose rather to procure its Liberty which it enjoys to this Day But Doria leaving the French side was the occasion that the City of Naples could not be cut off of their Communication by Sea And the Plague began to reign in the Army during this long Siege which devoured the greatest part of it and the General himself The Remnants of the Army were miserably treated the Officers being made Prisoners and the common Souldiers disarmed the French were also oblig'd to quit Milan and Genoua At last the Emperour having obtained his Aim and Francis being very desirous to see his Children at Liberty again a Peace was concluded betwixt them at Cambray by vertue of which Francis pay'd two Millions of Ducats as a Ransom for his Sons and renounced the Sovereignty over Flanders Artois Milan and Naples And this was all the Benefit which this King and his Predecessours had reapt from the Italian Wars Nevertheless some Years after the War began afresh at which time Francis found a new way to make himself Master of the Milaneze by first securing to himself the Dukedom of Savoy Wherefore he made Pretensions upon Charles Duke of Savoy concerning the Inheritance of his Mother descended out of the House of Savoy and for some other Reasons he fell upon him and took most of his strong Holds In the mean time died Francis Sforza Duke of Milan wherefore the Emperour was resolv'd to annex this Country to his House but Francis could by no means digest the loss of it Charles therefore entered Provence in person with an Army of 40000 Foot and 16000 Horse ransack'd Aix and besieged Marseilles which however he could not take his Army being in a Month's time greatly diminish'd by Sickness An Army of 30000 Men also enter'd Picardy from the Netherlands which took Guise but was beaten from before Peronne yet afterwards took St. Pol and Monstrevil Francis summoned the Emperour before him as his Vassal concerning Flanders and Artois alledging that the Sovereignty of these Provinces was inseparable from the Crown and made an Alliance with the Turks The first seemed to be very ridiculous to most People the last very unbecoming a Christian Prince The French however reply That this Alliance was eagerly sought for by the Emperour himself At last by the Mediation of the Pope the Truce which was the Year before made at Nissa in Provence was prolong'd for nine Years and these two great Rivals gave afterwards one another a Visit at Aigues Mortes And when in the Year next following the City of Ghent rebell'd Charles had such a Confidence in Francis that he took his Journey through France tho' Charles in the mean while had cunningly given Francis some Hopes of the Recovery of Milan which however afterwards he would not acknowledge because upon the Persuasions of the Constable Montmorency the King had not taken from him any Security under his Hand during his stay in Paris which some alledge to be one reason why Montmorency afterwards fell into Disgrace But the Truce was broke again under pretence That the Governour of Milan had caused to be kill'd Caesar Fregosus and Anthony Rinco the Ambassadours of Francis as they were going along the River Po in their Way to Venice the first of whom was to have gone
Intentions Some of the Nobility made the first beginning who enter'd into an Association which they called the Compromise whereby they engag'd themselves to oppose the Inquisition and to stand by one another if any one should be molested for his Religion but solemnly protested That they had no other Aim by so doing but the Glory of God the Grandeur of the King and the Peace of their native Country This Association was drawn up by Philip Marnix Lord of Aldegonde and subscrib'd by 400 Persons of Quality among whom the chiefest were Henry of Brederode Lewis Earl of Nassau Brother of the Prince of Orange the Earls of Culenburgh and Bergh These met at Brussels and deliver'd a Petition to the Regent wherein they desir'd That the Proclamations issu'd forth touching Religion might be annull'd The Regent answer'd them in courteous but general terms telling them That she would know the King's Pleasure in the Matter 'T is said That the Earl of Barlemont who stood then near the Regent did tell her That they were no ways to be fear'd because they were only Geusen or Beggars which has render'd the Name of the Geusen very famous afterwards they having had a Beggars Pouch the Coat of Arms of that Confederacy In the mean while abundance of Pamphlets were spread abroad which did more and more exasperate the People And because Philip had given but a very indifferent Reception to those Deputies which were sent into Spain to pray for a Mitigation of these Proclamations and had refus'd to comply in the least with the Sentiments of the People it came to an open Insurrection So that the new Religion was not only publickly profess'd and taught in a great concourse of People but the Rabble also fell to plundering of Churches and pulling down of Images And tho' the Prince of Orange and the Earl of Egmont did what they could to appease this Tumult yet had the King conceiv'd a shrewd Suspicion as if they had been in the bottom of it wherefore they were consulting their own safety but could as yet not come to any Resolution In the mean time the Regent having rais'd some Troops and endeavour'd either by Fear or fair Words or any other ways to reduce the dissatisfy'd Party to Obedience some of whom did by Submission and other Services endeavour to be reconcil'd to the King And this Design succeeded so well that without any great trouble and the punishment of a very few the Country was restor'd to its Tranquility Nevertheless because it was rumour'd abroad that a great Army was marching out of Spain against them a great many of the Inhabitants and especially of the Handycrafts Trade did retire into the neighbouring Countries The Prince of Orange himself disliking this calm retir'd into Germany § 4. It was then the Advice of the Regent that the King should come in person without any great Force into the Netherlands and by his Presence and Clemency endeavour entirely to heal the ulcerated Minds of the People But he follow'd the Advice of the Duke of Alva who advis'd to make use of this Opportunity to bring the Netherlands under the Yoak and to strike Terrour into the rest he march'd with a brave Army through Savoy and Burgundy into the Netherlands and having immediately taken into Custody the Earls of Egmont and Hoorn whom he pretended to have been underhand the Authors of these Troubles declar'd all those guilty of High Treason that had had any hand in the Association the Petition and pulling down of the Images And a Court was erected of twelve Judges from which no Appeal was to be allow'd where Judgment was to be given concerning these Matters this Court was commonly call'd The bloody Council Before this Court the Prince of Orange and some other Lords who were fled were summon'd to appear and upon non-appearance they were declar'd guilty of High Treason and their Estates Confiscated The same Severity was us'd against others of less note This caus'd such a Terror among the Inhabitants that they left their Habitations in Troops He caus'd also Citadels to be built in several great Cities among which one of the chiefest was that of Antwerp In the mean time the Prince of Orange had brought together considerable Forces in Germany some of which under the Command of Lewis his Brother falling into Friesland beat the Count of Arembergh the Governour of that Province But soon after the Duke of Alva having first caus'd the Earls of Egmont and Hoorn to be beheaded march'd against him in person Not long after the Prince of Orange fell with a great Army into Brabant but was beaten back by the Duke of Alva and his Forces dispers'd The Duke of Alva puff'd up with this great Success did not only cause a most magnificent Statue to be erected at Antwâ—rp but having also form'd a Design to conquer the Netherlands with their own Money he impos'd a Tax upon them of the hundredth Penny to be paid of the whole value of all Estates and besides this the twentieth Penny to be paid of all Moveables but the tenth of all Immoveables as often as they were sold This did exasperate the Netherlanders to the utmost degree And whilst the Duke of Alva being in great want of Money was busie in squeezing out these Taxes and was upon the point of forcing the Inhabitants of Brussels who refus'd to pay it News was brought That the banish'd Netherlanders who were turn'd Privateers and had about 24 Ships of indifferent Strength had under the Conduct of the Earl of March taken the City of Briel in Holland Then most Cities of Holland out of a Hatred to the Spaniards and the tenth Penny revolted from the Spaniards except Amsterdam and Schonhoven which remain'd for some time under the Obedience of Spain It was a grand mistake in the Duke of Alva that during his Regency of four Years he had not secur'd the Sea Coasts The revolted Places chose for their Governour the Prince of Orange swearing to him Allegiance as the King's Stadtholder as if they had only revolted from the Duke of Alva and not the King A great many Privateers then join'd from France and England who within the space of four Months made up a Fleet of 150 Ships who had their Rendezvouz at Flushing and afterwards did great Mischiefs to the Spaniards The Duke of Alva was not in a condition to resist this Storm because the Earl of Bergh had not only at the same time taken a great many places in Gueldres Friesland and Over-yssel but also Lewis Earl of Nassaw had with the Assistance of the French surpris'd Mons Which City the Duke of Alva endeavour'd to recover by force of Arms and the Prince of Orange who with an Army newly rais'd in Germany had made prodigious havock in Brabant had in vain endeavour'd to relieve it was retir'd into Holland Wherefore this City was surrender'd upon Articles to the Duke of Alva He then
try'd all ways to reduce the revolted places to Obedience by force having among others pillag'd Malines and Zutphen quite destroy'd Naerden and taken Haerlem after a tedious Siege the Inhabitants of which City were most barbarously treated § 5. The Affairs of the Spaniards in the Netherlands being by the rigorous proceedings of the Duke of Alva who us'd to bragg that during his Regency of six Years he had caus'd 18000 to be executed by the Hangman put into Confusion he was recall'd in the Year 1573. Lewis Requesenes succeeded him a Man of somewhat a milder Temper but who had a very ill beginning of his Regency the Fleet which he had sent out to relieve Middleburgh being destroy'd before his Eyes and the City surrender'd to the Prince of Orange Yet the Prince also receiv'd a great Blow for his Brother Lewis who led an Army to his Assistance out of Germany was routed near Grave upon the Mockerhyde where he and his Brother Henry were slain in the Field After this Victory the Spanish Souldiers mutiny'd for want of Pay and liv'd upon free Quarters in Antwerp till all was paid Then the Siege of Leyden was undertaken which was reduc'd to the utmost extremity by Famine till a Dyke of the Maese was cut through by which means and the help of a North West Wind at Spring tide the Country round about being put under Water the Spaniards after a great loss sustain'd were forc'd to leave it In the Year next following the Emperour endeavour'd by his Mediation to compose these Troubles and a Meeting was held for that purpose betwixt the Deputies of both Parties at Breda which prov'd fruitless Then the Spaniards took Ziricuzea after a Siege of nine Months but before the place was taken Lewis Requesenes died After his Death the Council of State took the Administration of the Government into their Hands which was approved by the King § 6. In the mean time the Hatred of the Netherlanders against the Spaniards was more and more encreas'd especially after the Souldiers who were grown mutinous for want of Pay and had committed great Outrages that the Council of State had declared them Enemies giving leave to the Inhabitants to take up Arms against them During which Disturbances Maestricht and Antwerp were plunder'd Which disposed the rest to enter upon a Treaty with the Prince of Orange at Ghent which contained That the Provinces had made a Peace betwixt themselves That the Proclamations issued forth during the Regency of the Duke of Alva should be annull'd and the Spaniards sent out of the Country Which Contract tho' it was ratify'd by the King yet he had taken a Resolution quickly to disunite them again For this purpose he constituted Don John d' Austria his natural Brother Governour of the Netherlands The Prince of Orange forewarn'd the Netherlanders That he ought not to be trusted notwithstanding this he was receiv'd by plurality of Voices they having oblig'd him to subscribe the Contract made at Ghent and to send away the Spanish Souldiers But the Prince of Orange and the Provinces of Holland and Zealand were not well satisfy'd with this Agreement and the rest also quickly began to mistrust him He gave them sufficient occasion to believe that their Jealousie was not ill grounded when he by Surprize made himself Master of the Castle of Namur under pretence to secure his person against any Attempts which so disturb'd the Netherlanders that they took up Arms to drive him out of Namur They also took all the strong Holds where any German Garrison was left and demolish'd the Castles And sending for the Prince of Orange to come to Brussels they constituted him Grand Bayliff of Brabant This encrease of the House of Orange made some great Men envious who made a Party to balance it among whom one of the chiefest was the Duke of Arshot These called in Matthew Archduke of Austria whom they made Governour of the Netherlands who coming with all speed was also receiv'd by the Party of the Prince of Orange under condition that the Prince should be his Lieutenant and he not do any thing without the consent of the Estates On the other hand Alexander Duke of Parma came with an Army out of Italy to the Assistance of Don John d' Austria who bringing with him a good number of old Spanish Troops beat the Army of the Estates near Gemblours and took Louvain Philipville Limbourgh and several other places The Estates then finding themselves alone not strong enough offer'd to put themselves under the Protection of Henry III. King of France and he having refus'd to accept it the same offer was made to the Duke of Alenson his Brother who having accepted of it came into the Netherlands But could do nothing of moment the Provinces and great Men being so divided among themselves that no body knew who was Master There arose also a new Division among the Estates when upon Request of those of the Reformed Religion Liberty of Conscience was allow'd in the Netherlands which was willingly consented to by those of Ghent and others but Artois Haynault and some other Wallooon Cities that were very zealous for the Catholick Religion did oppose it with great violence and having by degrees separated themselves from the rest set up a new Faction who were call'd the Malecontents During these Troubles Don John d' Austria died leaving the Government to the Duke of Parma who was confirmed in his place by Philip. He began his Regency with the taking of Maestricht and bringing over the Wallon Provinces viz. Artois Haynault and the Walloon Flanders to the King's Party by accord § 7. The Prince of Orange therefore perceiving that the Contract of Ghent was quite broke and that the Great Men who envied one another and the several Provinces that were of a different Religion were scarce ever to be United And yet being desirous to secure himself and to establish the Protestant Religion he got the Estates of the Provinces of Gueldres Holland Zealand Friesland and Vtrecht to meet Here it was agreed that they would defend one another as one Body that they would consult concerning Peace and War Taxes and the like with common Consent and that they would maintain Liberty of Conscience This Union made at Vtrecht wherein also afterwards Over-Yssel and Groningen were included is the Foundation of the Common-wealth of the United Netherlands At that time their Affairs were in so low a Condition that they coined a Medal wherein their State was represented by a Ship without Sails or Rudder left to the Mercy of the Waves with this Inscription Incertum quo fata ferant The Fortune of the Prince of Orange absolutely depending now on this Union he made it his business to hinder the Conclusion of the Treaty of a general Peace which by the Mediation of the Emperour was set on foot at Collen because a general Peace might
easily have dissolved this Union And because the Affairs of the Netherlands grew worse and worse every day the Spaniards having taken one after another the Cities of Bois le Duc Breda Tournay Valenciennes Malines and Others and a great many of the Great Men being gone over to the Spanish Party The Prince of Orange on the other hand being well assured that the Spaniards one time or another would revenge themselves upon him and his friends and finding himself not in a capacity to maintain the Cause against them he persuaded the Estates of the Netherlands that they should renounce all Obedience to Philip who had violated their Privileges confirmed to them by Oath and make the Duke of Alenson their Soveraign with whom he had underhand made an agreement That the United Provinces should fall to his share And the Estates of Holland Zealand and Vtrecht were then for making him their Soveraign except the Cities of Amsterdam and Gouda and questionless it would have been done afterwards if his unexspected Death had not prevented it § 8. The Duke of Alenson having obtained the Soveraignty raised the Siege of Cambray which was besieged by the Spaniards and in the year next following was at Antwerp proclaimed Duke of Brabant and at Ghent Earl of Flanders But his Power being confined within very narrow Bounds by the Estates he by the advice of his Friends resolved to make himself Absolute He proposed to the Estates That if he should die without Issue these Countries might be United with the Crown of France which being denied him he took a strange Resolution viz. By surprize to make himself absolute Master of Antwerp and some other Cities For this purpose several Thousands of French were already got privately into Antwerp which were beaten out by the Citizens with considerable Loss They made the like Attempts upon several other Places on the same day which every-where miscarried except at Dendermond Dunkirk and Dixmuide And thus the French having lost at once all their credit and the affection of the Netherlanders the Duke of Alenson full of shame and confusion returned into France where he died soon after The French intermedling with the Affairs of the Netherlands had drawn with it another Evil which was That Foreign Souldiers were again brought into the Netherlands which was against the Agreement made with the Walloons Then the Duke of Parma re-took Dunkirk Newport Winoxbergen Menin Alost and some other Places in Flanders Ypres and Bruges did also submit And in the same Year the Affairs of the Estates received a great Blow by the Death of William Prince of Orange who was stabb'd in his Palace at Delft by a Burgundian whose Name was Balthasar Gerhard By whose Death the Netherlands being without a Head were left in great confusion § 9. After the Death of Prince William the Estates did make Maurice Son of the deceased Stadtholder of Holland Zealand and Vtrecht and he being but eighteen Years of Age they constituted the Earl of Hohenloe his Lieutenant But the Soveraignty they proffered to the King of France who being at that time distracted with intestine Wars was not at leisure to accept of it The Duke of Parma in the mean while taking advantage of this juncture of Affairs reduced Antwerp by Famine within a Twelve month's time as also Dendermond Ghent Brussels Malines and Nimeguen by Force After the Loss of Antwerp the Estates who were for submitting Themselves to any body but the Spaniards offered the Soveraignty over them to Queen Elizabeth which she refused to accept of Yet she entred with them into a more strict Alliance by virtue of which she obliged her self to maintain a certain number of Souldiers at her own Charge in the Netherlands which with all the other Forces of the Estates were to be Commanded by an English General And the Estates did Surrender to the Queen as a Security for the Charges she was to be at the Cities of Flushing Briel and Rammakens or Sceburgh upon Walchorn which were afterwards restored to the Estates for the Summ of One Million of Crowns The Queen sent Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester as General into Holland who being arrived there was made by the Estates their Governour-General and that with a greater Power then was acceptable to the Queen but he did no great Feats For the Duke of Parma not only took Grave and Venlo and forced him from before Zutphen but he also administer'd the publick Affairs at a strange rate to the great dissatisfaction of the Estates to whom he had rendred himself suspected Their Discontents were much augmented after William Stanley who was by the Earl of Leicester made Commander in Chief in Deventer had betray'd that City to the Spaniards The Year next following the Earl of Leicester attempted the Relief of Sluce in Flanders but to no purpose and being returned into Holland where he by several suspicious Undertakings augmented the Differences betwixt him and the Estates he returned very ill satisfied into England where by Command of the Queen he resign'd his Office of Governour § 10. Hitherto the Affairs of the United Netherlands whom henceforward we will call Hollanders had been in a very ill Condition but from this time forwards they began to mend a-pace and became more settled This was partly occasioned by the Ruin of the two Provinces of Brabant and Flanders which were reconciled to the King upon condition That such as would not profess themselves Roman Catholicks should leave the Country within a prefixed time A great many of these flocking into Holland made its Cities very populous Especially all the Traffick of Antwerp was transplanted to Amsterdam which rendred that City very Rich and Potent at Sea Besides this Philip like those who will hunt two Hares with one Dog did not only attempt to Invade England with a great Fleet but also sent in the Year next following the Duke of Parma with an Army to the Assistance of the League in France both which proving fruitless the Hollanders had in the mean while leisure given them to put themselves into a good posture Whereas the Duke of Parma had wisely advised the King that he should with all his Power first subdue the Hollanders before he engaged in another War For Maurice whom they had after the Departure of the Earl of Leicester made their Generalissimo both by Sea and Land had restored their lost Reputation His first Attempt was upon Breda which he took by a Stratagem In the Year next following he took Zutphen Deventer Hulst and Nimeguen And in the Year 1592 Steenwyck and Coeverden In the same Year the Death of the brave Duke of Parma proved a great Loss to the Spaniards For the Spanish Souldiers growing Mutinous every-where did not a little advance the Progresses of the Hollanders Gertrudenbergh was taken in the sight of the Spanish Army In the Year next following Groningen was reduced whereby the
Years and the Church Benefices having been rather bestowed upon Favourites or such as payed well for them than such as deserved them furnished the Pope with a specious Pretence to make a Decree that it was not the Emperour 's right to bestow Bishopricks or other Church Benefices upon any Body but that it did belong to the Pope The Emperour was also summoned to appear at Rome and to give an Account concerning his Mis-behaviour and in case of failure he was threatened with an Excommunication On the other Hand the Emperour having declared the Pope unworthy of his Office would have deposed him So the Pope excommunicated the Emperour discharging all his Subjects from their Allegiance due to him which proved of such Consequence in those Times that all his Authority fell to the Ground at once among most of his Subjects whereby he was reduced to the greatest Extremity For most Princes assembled at Trebes where they deposed Henry which Sentence however was so far mitigated afterwards that the same should be left to the Pope's decision Henry therefore accompanied by a few was obliged to undertake a Journey in the midst of the Winter into Italy and being arrived at Canuâ—io was fain to stay three Days barefooted in a coarse Woollen Habit in the outward Court and in an humble posture to beg the Pope's Absolution which he at last granted him But the Emperour received no great Advantage by it for the Italians were quite disgusted at this Demeanour of his which obliged the Emperour to make use of his former Authority to reduce them to Obedience In the mean while the Princes of Germany by instigation of the Pope did elect Radolph Duke of Swabia their King but the Bavarians Franconians and the Countries next adjacent to the Rhine did remain in obedience of the Emperour Henry Thus a bloody War ensued wherein Radolph and the Saxons were vanquish'd in two battels and in the third he lost his right hand and life Then Henry call'd together an Assembly of the Bishops and having deposed Hildebrand he caused another to be chosen in his room He also return'd home himself and banish'd Hildebrand But the Saxons persisted in their Rebellion against the Emperour who was again Excommunicated by the Pope and having first set up Herman Duke of Luxenburgh and after his death Ecbert Marquess of Saxony for their Kings but to no purpose they at last stirr'd up the Emperors Son against the Father Against him the Emperour raised a great Army whom the Son met and in a deceitful manner begg'd his pardon Upon his perswasions the Father having abandon'd his Forces and being upon his Journey to the Dyet at Mayence accompanied by a few this antient Prince was made a Prisoner and Deposed He died soon after in great misery who in sixty two battels which he had fought in his life time generally obtained the Victory § 5. As soon as Henry V. was made Emperour he followed his Fathers example in maintaining the Imperial Dignity For as soon as he had settled the Affairs of Germany he marched with an Army towards Rome to renew the antient Right of the Emperours in nominating of Bishops and to be Crowned there The Pope Paschal II. having got notice of the Emperours design raised a great Tumult at Rome where the Emperour was so close beset that he was fain to fight in Person for his safety But the Emperour having got the upper hand made the Pope a Prisoner and forced him to give his consent to his demands And this their Agreement was confirmed by solemn Oaths and Execrations yet no sooner had the Emperour turn'd his back but the Pope having declared the Agreement void stirr'd up the Saxons and the Bishops in Germany against the Emperour With these Henry was engag'd in a very tedious War and perceiving at last that there was no other way left to compose these differences he granted the Popes demands by renouncing his Right to nominate Bishops at the Dyet held at Worms which resignation as it greatly diminish'd the Emperour's Authority so on the other hand it strengthened the power of the Pope This Emperour died without Issue Him succeeded Lotharius Duke of Saxony who had for a Rival in the Empire Cunrad Duke of Franconia whom he quickly oblig'd to beg fair Quarters This Emperour having twice undertaken an Expedition into Italy did with great Glory restore Tranquility to that Country and because he used to flatter the Pope he was in great esteem among the Clergy He died in the year 1138. After his death Cunrad III. obtained the Imperial Dignity who was opposed by Henry Duke of Saxony and Bavaria and his Brother Wulff which occasioned bloody Wars against him But peace being restored among them he undertook an Expedition into the Holy Land where he underwent great Calamities for tho he fought his way through the Saracens and arriv'd safely at Jerusalem yet after he had lost the greatest part of his Army without doing any thing of moment he was fain to return home But whilst he was busie in making preparations for another Expedition into Italy he died in the year 1252. § 6. Frederick I. succeeded him who by the Italians was Surnamed Barbarossa Duke of Swabia who immediately at the beginning of his Reign having setled the affairs of Germany did afterwards reduce Italy under his obedience which however was not of long continuance for the Milaneses quickly Rebell'd but were severely chastis'd their City having been laid level with the ground He was also in continual broils with the Pope against whom and his Associates he obtained several Victories yet being at last tired out with so many wars he made peace with him especially since his Son Otto had been taken Prisoner by the Venetians At the concluding of this Peace 't is said that Pope Alexander III. did set his foot upon the Emperours neck which by a great many is taken for a fable This Emperour was the last who maintained the Authority of the German Emperours in Italy Last of all he undertook an Expedition into the Holy Land against Saladin the Sultan of Egypt who had taken the City of Jerusalem He beat the Saracens several times but endeavouring to pass over a River in Cilicia on Horseback or as some will have it intending to wash himself in the River he was drowned And tho his Son Frederic after his Fathers death did take a great many Cities in Syria yet the whole Expedition had a very bad end the greatest part of the Army together with the Duke Frederick having been consumed by the Plague or Famin. Frederick was succeeded by his Son Henry VI. in the Empire who with his Lady Constantia got the Kingdoms of Sicily Calabria and Apuiia This Emperour went to Rome to receive the Crown from Pope Celestin when the Pope sitting in his Chair and the Emperour on his knees put first the Crown upon his head but immediatly struck the
he prosecuted with more patience than vigour He died in the year 1493. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian I. who had the good fortune by his Marriage with Mary the Daughter of Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy to annex the Netherlands to the House of Austria As he was very fickle in his undertakings so the success was generally answerable to it and various and his Wars with the Switzers and those in Italy against the Venetians had but a very indifferent end The chiefest thing of moment done by him is that whereas formerly all differences in Germany were decided by the Sword he reestablished the Peace of the Empire He died in the year 1519. § 13. Him succeeded his Grandson Charles V. King of Spain and Sovereign of the Netherlands under whose Reign the face of Affairs in Germany was remarkably changed which was occasioned by the Religious Differences set on foot about that time For the Pope had caused Indulgences to be sold here in so scandalous a manner that the wiser sort began to be asham'd of it Wherefore Martin Luther Doctor of Divinity and Professor in the University of Wittenbergh held a publick Disputation against it wh◠being opposed by others all the neighbouring Countries were alarm'd at it Luther at first did submit himself to the decision of the Pope but finding that he favour'd the Indulgence Merchants and that he was condemn'd by him he appealed to a free General Council and then began to go farther to examine the Popes Authority and having laid open some Errours and Abuses which were crept in among them his Doctrine was so approved of by some of the Princes and free Imperial Cities that they began to banish the Priests and Monks out of several places and to reduce their Revenues And tho the Emperour did declare Luther at the Dyet of Worms an Out-Law and endeavour'd by several Proclamations to put a stop to these Proceedings and Innovations nevertheless the Emperour being then engag'd in a war with France and therefore not in a capacity to apply himself in good earnest to the suppressing of this Division Luthers Party grew daily stronger Perhaps he was afterwards not very sorry to see the wound encrease that he might make the better benefit of the Cure there having been a Proclamation publish'd at the Dyet of Spiers which was in no ways agreeable to the Lutheran Princes they protested against the same from whence they are called Protestants In the year next following they delivered a Confession of their Faith to the Emperour at Augsburgh and entered into a Defensive Alliance at Smalkald which League was renewed in the year 1535. when a great many Princes and Free Imperial Cities were received into it This League made at Smalkald was a great eye-sore to the Emperour who used all means to dissolve the same But the Protestants who now began to trust to their own strength standing by one another the Hostilities began on both sides and the Protestants did bring into the Field an Army of 100000 Men under the Conduct of John Frederick Elector of Saxony and Philip Landgrave of Hesse If they had fal'n immediately upon the Emperour whose Forces were then not joined they might in all probability have worsted him but having lost the first opportunity the Emperour strengthen'd himself that he forced the Protestants to quit the Field and to disband their Forces He also caused a diversion to be given the Elector at home by his Kinsman Maurice which had such influence upon the Free Imperial Cities that they were oblig'd to submit themselves and to pay considerable Fines In the year next following the Emperour fell into Saxony and having defeated the Elector near Michlbergh took him prisoner against whom he pronounced sentence of Death which however he chang'd into an Imprisonment Philip Landgrave of Hesse having also submitted himself was contrary to agreement made a Prisoner whereby the Protestant Religion in Germany was reduc'd to great extremity The Electorat of Saxony was given to Maurice Duke of Saxony who at last being resolved not to permit any longer that both the Religion and Liberty should be quite destroy'd neither that his Wifes Father the Landgrave of Hesse who upon his Parole had surrendred himself to the Emperour should be detain'd a Prisoner fell so suddenly with his Forces upon the Emperour that he was very near having surprised his Person at Inspruck Henry II. King of France having also made an Inroad on the other side of Germany surprized Metz Tullie and Verdun King Ferdinand therefore the Emperours Brother interposing his Authority a Peace was concluded at Passau where their Religion was secured to the Protestants till matters could be better setled at the next ensuing Dyet The Landgrave was released as likewise John Frederick the Elector who was dismissed out of prison a little before by the Emperour At last the Religious Peace in Germany was establish'd at the Dyet at Augsburgh where it was provided that neither Party should annoy one another under the pretext of Religion and that such of the Church Lands and Revenues as the Protestants had been possess'd of before the Peace concluded at Passau should remain in their possession The Boors also in Germany raised a most dangerous Rebellion under the Reign of Charles V of whom there were kill'd above 100000. In the year 1529. the City of Vienna was besieg'd by Solyman the Turkish Emperour but to no purpose he being oblig'd to raise the Siege not without considerable loss And afterwards the Turks who were marching with a great Army into Austria were beaten back again In the year 1534. the Anabaptists were for erecting a new Kingdom in Munster in Westphalia under the Conduct of John a Taylor of Leiden and one Knipperdolling who receiv'd the dire Reward of their madness At last this great Prince Charles V. surrender'd the Imperial Dignity to his Brother Ferdinand I. King of Hungary and Bohemia who united these two Kingdoms to the House of Austria he having Married Anna Sister of Lewis King of Hungary and Bohemia who was slain in the battel fought against the Turks near Mohatz He Reign'd very peaceably in Germany and died in the year 1564. Him succeeded his Son Maximilian II. who also Reign'd in peace except that a Tumult happen'd at that time in Germany raised by one William Grumpach and his Associates who having first murther'd Melchior Zobel the Archbishop of Wartzburgh had plunder'd that City they also endeavour'd to stir up the Nobility and to raise disturbances in other places This man having been declar'd an Outlaw was protected by John Frederick Duke of Saxony who paid dearly for it Gotha one of his best strong Holds having been demolish'd and he himself taken Prisoner Maximilian died in the year 1576. Him succeded his Son Rudolph II. who Reign'd also very peaceably in Germany except that the
that the Poles in the mean time should keep in their Possession the Dukedom of Severia Zernigo and Novogrod which they had taken during these Troubles in Muscovy In the mean time George Farenbach did surrender several places in Livonia to the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus but it was suspected that he intended to betray the King for soon after the same Farenbach was reconciled to King Sigismund unto whom he restored all the places except Pernau In the Year 1620. the Poles were engaged in a War against the Turks that were as 't is supposed stirred up by Betlem Gabor Prince of Transylvania for Sigismund having assisted the Emperour against him Betlem Gabor was for making them a Diversion by the help of the Turks The Turks therefore entred Moldavia with an Intention to banish that Duke who sided with the Poles the Polish General Zolkieuski coming to the Assistance of the Duke of Moldavia advanced too far into the Country and as he was marching back was totally routed and himself slain upon the Place In the Year next following the Turks marched with their whole Froces against Poland who were met by the Poles near Chocim under the Command of Prince Vladislaus The Polish Army was about 65000 strong but the Turks 392000 Men commanded by the Turkish Emperour Osman in Person The Turks did attempt three times to take the Polish Camp by Storm but were as often repulsed with great Loss But the Poles in the mean while suffered extreamly for want of Ammunition and Provisions and were mightily weakened by Sicknesses and the Mortahty among their Horses Nevertheless the Turkish Emperour made a very honourable Peace with them after he had lost 60000 Men in these several Storms made upon their Camp and a greater Number in his march back to Constantinople In the mean time King Gustavus Adolphus falling into Livonia took the City of Riga without any great Resistance And the rest of Livonia except Dunneburgh was Conquered by the Swedes in the Year 1625. King Gustavous entred Prussia with an Army in the Year 1626. where he took the Cities of Marienburgh and Elbing besides some other Places This War was thus carried on without any General Engagement till the Year 1629. when Hans Wrangel the Swedish General defeated the Poles near Gorzno Then the Emperour sent some Forces to the Assistance of the Poles who in a Battel fought near Stum were very near having made King Gustavus their Prisoner But the Polish Affairs being after this Battel fallen into great Confusion a Truce was concluded by the mediation of France and England till the Year 1634. the Swedes being in the mean while to keep in their Possession Elbing Memel Braunsberg Pillâ—u and what else they had taken in Livonia Sigismund died in the Year 1632. § 11. After his Death his Son Vladislaus IV. was declared King who in the Year next following obtained a signal Victory over the Muscovites that had besieged Smolensko for he not only forced them to raise the Siege but also brought the Muscovite Army into such streights that they were forced to surrender themselves And the Turks who would have made a Diversion to him were also bravely repulsed At last Vladislaus made a very advantageous Peace on his side with the Muscovites by vertue of which these renounced all their Pretensions upon the two large Dukedoms of Smolensko and Ozernichow This begot such a Terrour among the Turks that they freely made him Restitution for the Damages sustained in their last In-road having also caused the Bashaw who commanded these Forces to be strangled The Truce with Sweden was prolonged at Stumdorf in Prussia for 26 Years where the places possessed before by the Swedes in Prussia were restored to the Poles because the Swedish Affairs in Germany were then after the Battel of Norlingen in a very ill Condition and besides this the English and Dutch were extreamly dissatisfied with the Tolls that were paid in Prussia In the Year 1637. the Foundation was laid of the War with the Cosacks which has brought unspeakable Mischiefs upon the Poles The business happened thus As the number of the Cosacks was greatly encreased by the great number of Boors which frequently ran into them so the great Men in Poland had purchased great Estates in the Vkraine who were of Opinion that their Revenues would be considerably encreased if the Liberty of the Cosacks were reduced into more narrow bounds Wherefore they having advised the King that they ought to be more restrained for the future the Polish General Konicepoliski did cause the Fortress of Hudack to be built just at a point where the River of Zwamer falls into the Dnieper or Borysthenes The Cosacks endeavoured to prevent the perfecting of this Work by force but being routed by the Poles were obliged to surrender their General Pauluck and some of their Chief Men among them who were all notwithstanding a Pardon was promised them before hand beheaded Besides this it was decreed in the Dyet that all their former Priviledges and the Fortress of Techtimorovia should be taken from them and that in their stead a new body of Militia should be settled there To put this Decree in execution the Polish Army marched into the Vkraine against which the Cosacks fought with great bravery promising nevertheless that they would be faithful to the Crown of Polana if their ancient Priviledges were confirmed to them which the Poles did promise them bur did not perform nay did even treat some of them very ill For among other oppressive Methods they took also from them some of their Greek Churches Their General Chmielinski was also grosly Affronted for which he could obtain no Satisfaction For the King having granted him a Priviledge to build some Mills a certain Gentleman whose Name was Jarinski burnt the same having also ravished his Wife and afterwards killed both her and her Son § 12. In the mean time Vladislaus died whom succeeded his Brother John Casimir Then Chmielinski to revenge himself stirred up the Cosacks against the Poles who with Burning Plundering and Ravishing did what Mischief they could to the Polish Nobility And the Senators having desired the King to march out into the Field against them they were answered by him That they ought not to have burnt down their Mills Whereat the Poles being extreamly dissatisfied brought together an Army of 50000 Men which being defeated by the Cosacks there were killed 10000 upon the Spot and besides this they took the City of Kiovia To revenge this Affront the Poles summoned the seventh Man throughout the whole Kingdom and marched against the Cosacks without the Consent of the King but were again miserably beaten by them But Chmielinski celebrating the Nuptials of his Son with the Daughter of the Prince of Vallachia the Poles surprised the Cosacks thereabouts plundered the City and took the Grecian Patriarch prisoner The Cosacks then sent to the King to know
whether this had been done by his Authority and the King having answered No but that it had been done by the Nobility to take revenge of the Cosacks these joined with the Tartars and fell into Poland against these the King went in Person into the Field at the Head of the Nobility and defeated them in a Battel but the King having afterwards made an Agreement with them the Nobility was greatly discontented with the King's proceedings alledging that the King had granted too much to the Cosacks Whilst the Jealousies reigned in Poland the Muscovites fell into Poland and having brought the Cosacks over to their Party besieged Smolensko which they took in the Year next following and having ravaged every where in Lithuania they took Wilea and some other Cities where they committed great Barbarities In the Year 1655. another Storm threatened the Poles For Charles Gustavus King of Swedeland having with an Army of chosen Men entred that Kingdom first Conquered great Poland and Masovia and afterwards the lesser Poland with the capital City Cracovia from whence he marched into Prussia where almost all the Cities surrendred themselves except Dantzick where were at first a great many Citizens that favoured the Swedes but by the perswasions of some Ministers were kept in Obedience to Poland The Resistance which was made by this one City was the main Reason why all the Advantages got by the Swedes proved fruitless at last and that they could not maintain themselves in Prussia notwithstanding that not only the whole Militia of Poland and that part of Lithuania which was not under the subjection of the Muscovites had submitted themselves to the Swedish Protection but also that King John Casimir himself fled into Silesia For the Poles having recollected themselves after the first Constemation was over and being joined by the Tartars fell upon such of the Swedish Forces as were dispersed up and down the Country The Lithuanians also revolted and killed all the Swedes that were in Winter Quarters with them King Charles Gustavus also had greatly weakened his Army not only by the great March towards Jeroslavia but also Czarneski the Polish General did often with his Light-Horse fall upon on the Rear of the Army and did considerable Mischief In the mean while the Poles also had retaken Warsovia where they had made the Swedish Governour Wittenbergh and some other great Officers Prisoners contrary to the Articles made at the surrendry of the Place And tho' King Charles Gustavus having been joined before by the Elector of Brandenburgh's Forces did vanquish the Poles and Tartars in a memorable Battel which lasted three Days and was fought near Warsovia yet all the Princes of Europe began to look about them and to consult about a Diversion to be made Sweden The Muscovites fell into Livonia where they besieged Riga but to no purpose The Hollanders did give plainly to understand that they were not willing that Prussia should come under the subjection of Swedeland And the Danes also began to be in motion On the other hand Ragozi Prince of Transylvania entred Poland with an Army to try whether perhaps he could obtain that Crown for himself But the King of Sweden being obliged to march out of Poland against the Danes Ragozi made a bad Market of it for before he could reach his own Country he was totally routed and oliged to make a shameful accord with the Poles Which misfortune however he might have avoided if he according to the advice of the King of Sweden who promised to keep the Poles so long in play till he was out of danger would have taken his march directly over Brescie Pinsk and so further towards his own Frontiers But Ragozi would by all means take his way near Cracaw Then the Poles retook Cracaw and Thorn and chased the Swedes out of Curland who had before taken the Duke of that name Prisoner The Poles also besieged Riga but were beaten from thence by the Swedish General Helmfeld And tho the Poles by the Peace made at Oliva recovered all Prussia again yet were they obliged to renounce all their pretensions upon Livonia and to leave the Muscovites in the possession of Smolensko Severia and Kiovia Neither could they appease the Cosacks some of them having put themselves under the protection of the Muscovites some under the Turks whereby they shewed the way to the Turks into Poland Neither could the King put an end to the intestine divisions and jealousies wherefore at last tired with these troubles John Casimir resigned the Crown and living a retired life in France in the Abby of St. Germain he there dyed a few years after § 13. There being now left none of the Royal Family in Poland several Foreigners pretended to the Crown But at last a Piastus whose name was Michael Witsnowizki was declared King chiefly by the Votes of the lesser Nobility His short Reign was full of intestine commotions and the Turks in the mean while did not cease to do considerable mischief in Poland having in the year 1672. taken Caminieck in Podolia which Fortress having been formerly thought impregnable serves them now for a door through which they may enter Poland at pleasure A Peace was then concluded with the Turks by vertue of which the said Fortress remained in the possession of the Turks the Poles also having promised to pay to the Turks a yearly Tribute This King dyed in the year 1673. In whose stead in the year next following the Polish General John Sobieski was made King of Poland he having in the year before attack'd the Turks in their Camp with such success that of 32000 Men scarce 1500 escaped alive He renewed the War with the Turks but concluded a Peace with them in the year 1676. by vertue of which the Turks kept the Fortress of Caminieck but remitted the yearly Tribute to the Poles He being a Man of great capacity it is hoped that he may prove a good King of Poland § 14. It is to be considered concerning the Polish Nation that whosoever is not a Nobleman in Poland is esteemed a Boor. For the Inhabitants of the Cities are very little regarded and the Tradesmen are most Foreigners But the Boors are esteemed nor used no better than Slaves being also very raw and barbarous both in their Life and Conversation wherefore when we talk of the Poles thereby ought only to be understood the Nobility They are therefore commonly downright and honest very seldom given to the art of dissembling they are of a very generous spirit and expect a great deal of respect And if you give them as much respect as they pretend to they are no less courteous and will willingly pay a respect again to you and their words and behaviour are full of Pomp and Ceremony They are very liberal or rather profuse and not given to be parsimonious tho they should want the next day This Nation also is very fierce
Haldan Sivand Erick Haldan Vngrin Regnald About the year 588. Rodolf was King of the Gothes but being vanquished by the English whom he left in the possession of that Kingdom he himself fled into Italy where he sought Sanctuary of Dicterick the King of the Gothes In the mean while Frotho either the Son or else a Kinsman of Regnald was King of Sweden whom succeeded these following Kings Fiolmus Swercher Valander Vislur who was burnt by his own Sons Damalder who was Sacrificed by his own Subjects to their Idol at Vpsal Domar Digner Dager Agnius who was hanged by his own Wife Alrick and Erick who flew one another in a single Combat Ingo Hugler Haco Jerundar Hacquin surnamed Ring under whose Reign that most memorable Battel at Brovalla was fought betwixt the Swedes and Danes where thirty thousand Men were killed on the Danish and twelve thousand on the Swedish side This King Sacrificed nine of his Sons to the Idol at Vpsal and would have done the same with the tenth who was the only Heir left to the Kingdom if he had not been prevented by the Swedes Him succeeded his Son Egillus whom followed in the Kingdom of Sweden Othar Adel Ostan Ingvard Amund Sivard Hirot or Herolt who married his Daughter Thera to Regnerthethen King of Denmark Ingellus the Son of Amund succeeded Hirot in the Kingdom of Sweden who the night after his Coronation caused seven of those petty Princes that were Vassals of the Crown of Sweden to be burnt in their Lodgings and afterwards exercised the same Cruelty against five more of the same Rank His Daughter Asa that was married to Gudrot a Prince of Schonen exceeded her Father in Cruelty for having murthered her Husband and his Brother she betrayed the Country to the Enemies which so exasperated Ivan the Son of Regner King of Denmark that he fell with great fury upon Ingellus who had taken his Daughter into his Protection destroying all with Fire and Sword Ingellus being reduced to the utmost extremity by the advice of his Daughter burnt himself his Daughter and the whole Family in his own Palace except his Son Olaus who sheltered himself in Wermeland After the death of Ingellus a certain Nobleman of an antient Family in Sweden whose name was Charles assumed the Royal Title and Power but Regner King of Denmark who pretended that it belonged to his Son did send a challenge to the said Charles and having killed him in the Combat transferred the Kingdom of Sweden to his Son Bero or Biorn who was Hirots Daughters Son § 3. Under the Reign of this Bero or Biorn Ansgarius a Monk of Corvey and afterwards Bishop of Bremen was sent into Sweden by the Emperour Lewis the Pious to Preach the Gospel in that Kingdom But the King refusing to hearken to his Doctrine was by the Swedes banished the Kingdom together with his Father Regner His Successor Amund did also Rule but a very few years and having raised a most horrible Persecution against the Christians was also banished the Kingdom The Swedes being quite tired out with Amund's tyrannical Government did call in Olaus out of Wermeland to be their King who to establish himself in the Throne married the Daughter of Regner to his Son Ingo and thereby obtained the quiet possession of the two Kingdoms of the Swedes and Gothes Not many years after Ansgarius rerurned into Sweden and Converted Olaus who then resided at Birca a most populous City to the Christian Faith Olaus then marched with a Potent Army into Denmark and having committed the Administration of that Kingdom to his Son Ennigruus returned into Sweden where he was by his Heathen Subjects Sacrificed to their Idol at Vpsal His Son Ingo the better to Establish himself in the Throne married the King of Denmark's Daughter and afterwards was killed in the War against the Russians Him Succeeded his Son Erick surnamed Weatherhat famous for his skill in Witchcraft who was succeeded by his Son Erick surnamed Seghersell who Conquered Finland Curland Livonia and Ehestland From Denmark he retook Halland and Schonen and at last drove the Danish King Swen out of Denmark who could not recover his Kingdom till after his death His Son Stenchill surnamed the Mild was Baptized at Sigtuna a great City at that time and having destroyed the Idol at Vpsal and forbid his Subjects upon pain of death to Sacrifice to the Idols the Pagans were so enraged thereat that they slew and burnt him near Vpsal and with him the two Christian Priests that were sent to him by the Bishop of Hamburgh His Brother Olaus nevertheless obtained from King Etheldred of England several Christain Priests who not only preached the Gospel in Sweden but also the King and a great number of People were Baptized by one of these called Sigfried in a Fountain called Husbye which is called St. Sigfrieds Kalla Wel to this day This Olaus was surnamed Skotkonung because upon the persuasion of the English Priests he granted to the Pope a yearly Tax against the Saracens which was called Romskot This Olaus took from Oluf Tryggeso the Kingdom of Norway which he however recovered afterwards This Olaus Skotkonung was also the first who made a perfect union betwixt the two Kingdoms of the Swedes and Gothes who had hitherto been often at great enmity with one another To Olaus succeeded his Son Amund under whose Reign the Christian Religion increased very succesfully in Sweden after whom Reigned his Brother Amund surnamed Slemme a Man very negligent both in maintaining Religion and Justice He was slain with the greatest part of his Army by Cnut King of Denmark near a Bridge called Strangepelle After his death the Gothes and Swedes disagreed about the Election of a new King the first choosing Haquin surnamed the Red. the latter Stenchill the younger At last it was agreed betwixt them that Haquin being pretty well in years should remain King during his life and should be succeeded by Stenchill After the death of Haquin who Reigned thirteen years Stenchill the younger Olaus Skotkonung's Sisters Son began his Reign who vanquished the Danes in three great Battels Him succeeded Ingo surnamed the Pious This King utterly destroyed the Idol at Vpsal which so enraged his Pagan Subjects that they Banished him the Kingdom and afterwards murthered him in Schonen he was buried in a Convent called Waâ—heiâ—â— in West-Gothland After him reigned with great applause his Brother Halstan whom succeeded his Son Philip Ingo Philip's Son and his Queen Ragoild were also very famous for their Piety and other Vertues she was after her death honoured as a Saint and her Tomb frequently visited at Talge This King left no Sons but two Daughters Christina and Margret the first was married to St. Erick the second to Magntis King of Norway He was poisoned by the East Gothes
himself Master of the said Fort having first beaten the Poles that came to its relief who nevertheless in the mean while had forced Meve to a surrendry Soon after both Armies encamped near Dirshaw where King Gustave having drawn out his Forces in Battel array the Poles did the like having a boggy Ground before them which the King did not think fit to pass with his Army but when the Poles began to draw off again into their Camp the King falling into the Rear killed them a great number of Men. But some days after attacking them in their Camp he received a shot in his left Shoulder with a Musquet Bullet which his Forces being dismayed at they returned without any further Action into their Camp Towards the latter end of the year a new Treaty having been set on foot betwixt the two Kings the Treaty was so far advanced that King Sigismund had resolved to sign it the next day if the Austrians who did promise to send 24 Men of War and 12000 Men to his assistance had not prevented it After the Treaty was broke off King Gustave before his Army went into Winter-quarters took several places from the Poles and at the beginning of the year next following attacked a Fort near Dantzick but was repulsed with loss Soon after he had a smart Engagement with the Poles wherein 3000 of them were killed upon the spot the Swedes having taken four pieces of Cannon and fourteen Standards tho' not without great blood-shed on their side Then the King advanced nearer unto Dantzick having sent eight Men of War to block up that Harbour but the Dantzickers with ten Men of War having attacked the Swedish Squadron they killed the Swedish Admiral Nils Sternshield took his Ship forced their Vice-Admiral to blow up his own Ship and put the rest to flight tho' the Dantzickers also lost their Admiral and 400 Men in this Engagement King Gustave then having detached 1000 foot Souldiers who passed the Veixel in Boats they surprised Niewburgh which being a Magazin of the Poles they took most of their Baggage and 600000 Crowns in Money But in the year next following he gave them more work for Herman Wrangel raised the Blockade of Brodnitz where 3000 Poles were killed 1000 taken Prisoners with five Pieces of Cannon and 2000 Waggons with Provision The Poles being frightened at this Defeat were very desirous then to receive the Imperial Forces which were sent to their Assistance under the command of Arnheim who with 5000 Foot and 2000 Horse joined Koniccpoliski the Polish General near Graudentz King Gustave on the other hand encamped with an Army of 5000 Horse and 8000 Foot near Quidzin and tho' the Swedes were much inferiour in number yet did they not refuse the Combate and both Armies soon after having met near Stum there happened a brisk Engagement betwixt them wherein the Swedâ—sh Horse were first repulsed with the loss of five Standards but the King coming up in Person with more Forces soon forced the Poles to retreat who would have passed over a Bridge which they were laying over the River of Nogat But King Gustave endavouring to cut off their retreat that way the Fight was renewed on both sides with great fury so that the King venturing himself too far was taken hold of by his Shoulder-belt which he slipping over his head got free of them leaving his Hat and Belt behind him But immediately after another catching hold of his Arm. would have carried him off if one Erick Soop had not shot the Polander and delivered the King In this Action the Swedes got seventeen Colours and five Standards the Imperial Forces having received the greatest damage Not long after there happened another Engagement about the same Bridge where the Poles were again repulsed and in the attack of Stum they lost 4000 Men of their best Forces The Poles having imputed these Losses chiefly to Arnheim the Imperial General who being a Vassal of the Elector of Brandenburgh was suspected by them to hold a correspondence with the said Prince and being grown quite weary of the Imperial Forces being also pestered with Famine and the Plague by the mediation of France England Brandenburgh and Holland a Truce was concluded for six years by vertue of which King Gustave was to restore to Poland Brodnitz Wormdit Melsack Stum and Dirshaw Marienburgh was committed to the custudy of the Elector of Brandenburgh King Gustave kept the Castle and Harbour of Pillaw and Memâ—l as also Elbingen and Braunsbergh besides all what he was possessed of in Livonia so that King Gustave Adolph had ended both the Russian and Polish War to his eternal Honour and the great Advantage of his Kingdom § 14. But he was not long at rest before Germany was the Scene where he acquired everlasting Glory to his Nation and performed some of the greatest Actions that were ever seen in Europe As soon as the Protestants in Germany began to be jealous of the Roman Catholicks sinister Intentions against them they were then for bringing King Gustave over to their Alliance but he being at that time entangled in the Polish Affairs was not at leisure to engage himself with them But Christian IV. King of Denmark who was ambitious of that Honour having in the mean while received a great Defeat from the Imperialists who since that had made themselves Masters of the Lower Saxony and got footing on the Baltick King Gustave fearing the consequence of it pressed the harder upon the Poles to oblige them to a Peace or Truce and having called together the Estates of Sweden he represented to them the danger which threatened Sweden from the Imperialists who had not only got footing on the Baltick but also made themselves Masters of a part of Denmark whereupon it having been resolved by the Estates that it was not advisable to stay till the Enemy should attack them at home but to meet him abroad and to keep him from getting footing on the Borders of the Baltick the King only waited an opportunity to put this Design in execution which presented it self in the same year For Albert Wallenstein Duke of Friedland the Imperial General having laid a Design against the City of Strahlsund the King who was then in Prussia offered his Assistance to that City and having sent them voluntarily some Ammunition and exhorted them to a vigorous Defence the Citizens accepted of the King's offer making an Alliance with him for the Defence of their City and Harbour and to maintain their Commerce in the Baltick Pursuant to this Treaty the King sent some of his Forces to their assistance who were very instrumental in defending that City against the Imperialists but he did not think fit to attempt any thing further at that time because Wallenstein and Tilly were with two considerable Armies not far off But as soon as the â—olâ—sh War was ended he resolved not to make any further delay Having therefore in vain proffered
his mediation for the procuring of a Peace in Germany and represented again to the Estates of Sweden the necessity of meeting the Imperialists with an Army abroad he with all expedition prepared himself for the next Campagne and having sent Alexander Lesley with some Troops before to drive the Imperialists out of the Isle of Rugen which he effected and settled his Affairs at home he embarked with 92 Companies of Foot and 16 of Horse which were however considerably augmented afterwards by some Regiments raised in Prussia and landed the 24 of June at Vsedom Upon his arrival the Imperialists having left their Forts thereabouts and at Wollin he re-embarked his Souldiers with a Train of Artillery in some small Vessels and directly took his course towards Stetin and having obliged the Duke of Pomerania to receive him and his Forces into that City he made a defensive Alliance with him From hence he marched to Stargard Anclam Vckermund and Wolgast all which places he took without much opposition And whilest King Gustave acted with such Success against the Imperialists in Pomerania Christian Withelm administrator of Magdeburgh who had been deposed by the Emperour had got into the possession again of the City and Territories of Magdeburgh whither King Gustave sent Dâ—cterick of Falekenbergh to be assisting to the said Administrator in settling his Affairs that were then in great confusion In the mean while several Regiments of Liflanders and Finlanders were arrived under the Command of Gustave Horn these having been joined by such Troops as were lately come out of Prussia the King left his Camp near Stetin he himself marching with his Army into Mecklenburgh In his absence the Imperialists had endeavoured to force the Swedish Camp near Stetin but were vigorously repulsed and at his return he also beat them out of Greiffenhagen and Gartz nay even out of the furthermost parts of Pomerania and the New Marck The Archbishop of Bremen Duke George of Lunenburgh and William Landgrave of Hesse then entred into an Alliance with the King and the Protestant party in general being encouraged at the Success began to consider of ways and means to rid themselves of the Roman Catholick yoke At the beginning of the next ensuing year King Gustave at last concluded the so long projected Alliance with France by vertue of which he was to receive a yearly Subsidy of 400000 Crowns from the French King Having thus strengthned himself he notwithstanding the Winter Season took Lokenitz Prentzlow New Brâ—ndenburgh Clempenow Craptow and Leitz without much opposition Demmin also where the Duke of Lavelli was in Garrison with two Regiments was surrendred after a Siege of three Days and Colberg surrendred after a Blockade of five Months The Emperour in the mean while perceiving that his Generals were not able to cope with King Gustave Adolph had given to Tilly the Bavarian General the supreme Command over his Forces who being an antient experienced and renowned Captain marched directly to the relief of Demmin but having received intelligence that the place was surrendred before he fell with great fury upon Kniphausen who lay with two Regiments of Swedes at New Brandenburgh which being a place of no defence he forced after a brave resistance killing most of the Common Souldiers But perceiving that King Gustave being strongly entrenched was not to be forced in his Camp he directed his march upwards to Magdeburgh in hopes to draw the King out of his advantageous Post But King Gustave marched directly towards Franckfort upon the Oder where the Earl of Shaumburgh lay with a small Army notwithstanding which he took the place by Storm after a Siege of three Days slew 700 of the Enemies and took 800 among whom were a great many Officers of note From hence he sent a Detachment to Landsbergh to endeavour to drive also the Imperialists from thence About the same time a general meeting of the Protestant German Princes was held at Leipzick where a League was proposed to be made in opposition to the demanded resâ—itution of the Church-Lands Thither King Gustave sent some of his Ministers to exhort them to a mutual Union against the Emperour and to demand some assistance from them of Men and Money But the Elector of Saxony was very backward in declaring himself positively pretending several reasons but in effect intended to make himself head of the Protestant League and in the mean while to take this opportunity of putting the Protestants in a good posture and to keep the ballance betwixt the Emperour and the Swedes King Gustave therefore perceiving that the Protestants in Germany were so very cunning and over-cautious thought it his best not to venture his Army at the discretion of others wherefore tho' he was very willing to have relieved the City of Magdeburgh which was reduced to extremity yet did he not think it advisable to march thither before he had secured his retreat To render therefore his design effectual he marched with his Army strait to Berlin and having obliged the Elector of Brandenburgh partly by fair words partly by threats to put into his hands the Forts of Spandau and Custrin for the security of a retreat over the two Rivers of the Havel and Oder he would have straitways marched to the relief of the City of Magdeburgh if the Elector of Saxony would have joined him but whilest the said Electors made a great many tergiversations the said City was taken by Storm by General Tilly who miserably burnt the City and killed most of the Inhabitants there having been but 400 left of a great many thousands After this Disaster King Gustave having published his Reasons why he could not timely enough relieve that City and having cleared the whole Pomerania of the Imperialists he divided his Army and having sent part of his Forces to the assistance the Dukes of Mecklenburgh he marched with the rest into Marck and encamped at Werben near the River Elbe to observe Tilly who having received Intelligence of the King's arrival near that River was obliged to alter his march which he intended to have directed towards Saxony in hopes to force the King to a Battel But the King surprised his Avaint-Guard near Wolmerstadt where he totally ruin'd three Regiments of Horse Notwithstanding which Tilly approached near the King's Camp at Werben but the King refusing of fight and he not daring to attack him in his Camp he was for want of Forrage obliged to march back to his former Camp at Wolmerstadt In the mean while the Dukes of Mecklenburgh had with the assistance of the Swedish Auxiliaries driven the Imperialists out of their Territories except Domitz Wismar and Rostock which places they also kept block'd up And about the same time James Marquis of Hamilton came with 6000 English and Scots into Pomerania but stood the King in no great stead most of them dying in the same year by several Diseases But Tilly seeing that he could not attack the
King near Werben decamped from Wolmerstadt and marched to Eisleben and from thence to Halli from whence he marched with 40000 Men to Leipsick which he took soon after The Elector of Saxony being thus put to a nonplus was then forced to send to King Gustave and to desire him to join his Army which lay encamped near Torgawi the King who had foreseen what would befal him being already advanced near New Brandenburgh and tho' the King was very glad of this opportunity yet because the Elector being now put to a nonplus now desired what he had resused before he proposed to him certain Conditions which the Elector having readily granted he passed the River Elbe near Wittenbergh with 13000 Foot and 9000 Horse and joined the Elector near Dieben Then a Council of War having been called where the Elector of Brandenburgh also was present the King who did not exspect that the old cunning General would give them any opportunity to fight was for acting very cautiously but the Elector of Saxony was not for protracting the War telling them that if the rest refused he would fight alone This opinion at last prevailed the King then thought it most convenient to attack him immediately before he could be joined by the Generals Altringer and Tieffenbach the first of which was already arrived near Erffurt the second being on his march out of Silesia Thereupon the command of the right Wing being left to the King that of the left to the Electors they marched towards the Enemy Tilly had no sooner been informed of their approach but he began to fortifie himself in his Camp near Leipzick But Papenheim and the rest of the Imperial Generals trusting too much upon the bravery of their Veteran Bands and despising the new Levies of the Saxons and the Swedes that were tired out by long march would by all means fight the Enemy in the Plains near Braitenfeld where Tilly lost the fruits of his former Victories He had possessed himself of all the rising Grounds where he had planted his Cannon and had also the advantage of the Wind but King Gustave who had put some Battalions of Foot among the Squadrons of Horse by wheeling about got the advantage of the Wind from him and having obliged the Imperialists to open their left Wing John Banner fell in among them and brought them into confusion But the greatest force of the Imperialists fell upon the Saxons whose Infantry and some of the Militia Horse were put to flight which obliged the King to fall with his Wing upon the Enemy's Horse that were in pursuit of the Saxons whom he quickly also forced to fly But the Imperial Infantry still held out till Gustave's Horse with some Squadrons of the right Wing fell into their Flank and the King about the same time having taken all the Enemy's Artillery they were put to an entire rout on all sides leaving 7600 Men dead upon the spot besides what was killed in the pursuit 5000 Prisoners took Service under the King Tilly himself who refused Quarter was likely to have been killed by a Captain of Horse if Rodulf Maximiliun Duke of Saxon-Lauenburgh had not delivered him by shooting the Captain thro' the head The Swedes took above 100 Standards and Colours but lost 2000 Men most of them Horse the Saxons lost 3000 who quickly retook Leipzick whilest the King marched towards Merseburgh where he out to pieces 1000 of the Enemies and took 500 Prisoners Then it was resolved at a Council of War held at Halle not to follow Tilly who was retired towards the River of Weser but to carry their victorious Arms into the Emperour's hereditary and other Roman Catholick Countries thereabouts After some dispute it was agreed that the King should march towards Franconia whilest the Elector of Saxony entred the hereditary Countries of the Emperour Pursuant to this agreement the King marched towards Erffurt where William Duke of Weimar was received without opposition and from thence into Franconia where he took Koningshofen and Sweinfurt without any opposition and the Castle of Wurtzburgh after some resistance In the mean while Tilly the Imperial General having been reinforced by several Troops that were before dispersed in Germany was come to the relief of Wurtzburgh but coming too late marched toward the River of the Tauber to cover the Bavarian and the Emperour 's hereditary Countries on that side but in his march the Swedes falling into his Rear cut off four entire Regiments The King having then made an Alliance with the Marquis of Anspach marched towards the Rhine surprised Hanaw but Franckfort on the River of Mayn surrendred voluntarily and having possessed himself of the whole Country of Ringau directed his march into the Palatinate which was then in the possession of the Spaniards Soon after entring the Berghstrate he took Gersheim and passed the Rhine near Stockstadt having defeated the Spaniards that would have disputed his Passage and at Oppenheim he cut 500 Spaniards in pieces but the Garrison of Mayence surrendred upon Articles and Landaw Spiers Weissenburgh and Mainheim fell soon after into the King's hands Rostock also and Wismar having in the mean while been surredred the Baltick Sea-Coast was cleared from the Imperialists And the Members of the Circle of the Lower Saxony at an Assembly held at Hamburgh had resolved to levy 6000 Foot and 500 Horse for the defence of that Circle The Elector of Saxony in the mean while having refused the offers made to him by the Spanish Ambassadour had sent his Army under the command of Lieutenant General Arnheim into Bohemia where among other places they had taken the City of Prague but having conceived a jealousy against the King whom he suspected to aim at the Imperial Crown he could not be prevailed upon to march further into Moravia and Austria And the Imperial Court seeing that Tilly was no more able to cope with the King resolved to give the supreme Command of the Imperial Forces to Wallenstein who being an old experienced Souldier and in great Authority among the Souldiers had besides this gathered such riches that he was able to raise an Army at his own charge He having been at last prevailed upon to take upon him the supreme Command raised an Army of 40000 Men against the next Spring But whilest these Preparations were making at Vienna the King's Forces notwithstanding the Winter Season having beaten the Spaniards upon the Moselle had taken Creutznach Braunfels Kobenhausen and Kirchbergh and the King having left the supreme direction of Affairs on the Rhine to Axel Oxenstirn he himself towards the Spring marched into Franconia But Tilly at his approach retired on the other side the Danube the King possessed himself of all the places along that River as far as Vlm from whence he marched towards the River of Lech where Tilly had entrenched himself in a Forest on the other side of that River Here it was that General Tilly was wounded by a Canon Bullet
therefore sent some Regiments back into Sweden he divided his Army and having sent 14000 Men under the Command of George Duke of Lunenburgh into the Lower Saxony and Westphalia the last were ordered into Franconia and some Forces were also detached towards Silesia These Forces acted with good success agaist the Imperialists especially in Westphalia where the Duke of Lunenburgh took several places defeated the Earl of Mansfeld near Rinteln and besieged the City of Hamelen But in Silesia the Common Cause was not carried on with the same forwardness by reason of the misunderstanding betwixt the Swedish and Saxon Generals the latter of which keeping a secret Correspondency with Wallenstein left the Swedes in the Lurch who were at last miserably beaten by the said Wallenstein But in all other places they had better success where their Generals took several places of note and the Duke of Lunenburgh had also retaken the strong City of Hamelen by accord after having defeated 15000 Imperialists that were coming to its relief whereof 2000 were killed upon the spot and as many taken Prisoners Thus the Swedish Army were every where flourishing but in Silesia nevertheless the burthen of the War grew heavier upon them every day most of their Confederates being grown weary of the War and willing to be rid of the Swedes Whilst they laboured under these difficulties Wallenstein being faln in disgrace and killed by the Emperour's order they hoped to reap some advantage by this Change but the Emperour having made the King of Hungary his Son General of his Army who having taken Ratisbonne and being joined by the Spanish Forces that were marching towards the Netherlands besieged Nordlingen where the Swedish Avantguard intending to possess themselves of a Hill near that City were engaged with the Imperialists which occasioned a Battel betwixt the two Armies and the Swedish Left Wing having been brought into disorder by the Polish Hungarian and Croatian Horse was forced back upon their own Infantry which also were brought iuto Confusion and totally routed 6000 having been slain upon the spot a great number taken Prisoners among whom was Gustave Horn and 130 Colours were lost besides the whole Artillery and Baggage After this Battel the whole Upper Germany being over-run by the Imperialists and the Elector of Saxony having made a separate Peace with the Emperour the Swedish Affairs seem'd to be reduced to a very ill condition especially since the Elector of Brandenburgh also had sided with the Saxons and the Truce with the Poles was near expired about the same time which made the Swedes very desious of a Peace but the same not being to be obtained in Germany they were fain to prolong the Truce with the Poles for twenty six years and to restore to them their so dearly beloved Prussia and to draw France into Germany to their assistance to put them in the Possession of Philipsburgh Thus having in a manner settled their Affairs the War broke out betwixt them and the Elector of Saxony who offered them a recompence of mony for the Archbishoprick of Magdeburgh which the Swedes refusing to accept of there happened a sharp Engagement betwixt them near Allenburgh upon the Elbe where of 7000 Saxons one half were killed and the rest taken Prisoners Notwithstanding this advantage the Swedes had no small obstacles to surmount since the Emperour was in Possession of the whole Upper Germany and had besides this set the Elector of Saxony upon their Back which obliged the Swedes to take new Measures and being now left by all their Confederates they were at liberty at least to act more unanimously though perhaps with less force the effects of which appeared soon after for though the Elector of Saxony had the good fortune to retake Magdeburgh from the Swedes yet they soon after revenged this loss near Perlebergh where they attacked the said Elector with a less number in his fortified Camp and having routed his Army killed 5000 upon the spot besides what were killed in the pursuit 1100 being killed on the Swedish side and 3000 wounded and having soon after droven the Imperialists out of Hessia into Westphalia and regained Erffurt they were again in a fair way to get footing in High Germany They had also in the next ensuing year several Encounters with the Imperialists and Saxons which proved most to their advantage Banner having defeated eight Saxon Regiments near Edlenburgh and soon after 2000 more near Pegau and when the Imperialists thought to have got him with his whole Army into their Clutches near Custrin he got off with great dexterity but could not prevent but that the Imperialists took several places in Pomerania as also near the Rivers of Havel and Elbe George Duke of Lunenburgh having also declared against the Swedes who also began to be extremely jealous of Brandenburgh by reason of his pretension upon Pomerania after the death of Bagislaus XIV the last Duke of Pomerania who dyed this year an Alliance was concluded betwixt them and France for three years The Swedes having been brought the year before somewhat in the straits they now after having received fresh Recruits began to recover what they had lost the year before Banner having driven Gallas the Imperial General back even into the Hereditary Countries of the Emperour And Bernhard Duke of Weimar had the same success on the Rhine where having besieged Rhinefelden he fought twice with the Imperialists that came to its relief and having routed them in the second Engagement took Rhinefelden Kuteln and Fryburgh in Brisgau After this exploit having blocked up Brisack so closely that it was reduced to the utmost by Famine the Imperialists endeavoured to relieve it with 12000 Men which were so received by the said Duke that scarce 2500 escaped And not long after the Duke of Loraine having attempted its relief with 3500 Men the same were also cut in pieces and the place surrendred to the Duke The Imperialists having been thus routed both near the Rhine and in the Lower Saxony the Duke and John Banner had both taken a resolution to carry the War into the Emperour's Hereditary Countries and Banner marched straitways after several Defeats given to the Imperialists and Saxons into Bohemia where he in all likelihood might have had great success if the untimely death of Duke Bernhard who was to join him had not broke his Measures This Duke being sollicited by the French to surrender Brisack into their Hands which he refused was Poisoned by them and his Army with great promises and mony debauched to submit under the French Command The Imperialists then growing too strong for Banner alone in Bohemia he marched back into Misnia and Thuringia and having been joined by the Duke of Longueville who Commanded the Army of the lately deceased Duke of Weimar and by some Hessians and Lunenburghers near Erffurt which made up an Army of 21 Brigades and 2000 Horse he would fain have Fought the
Imperialists but these avoiding to come to a Battel the Campagne was most spent in marching up and down the Country But at the beginning of the next ensuing year Banner had very near surprised the City of Ratisbonne where the Emperour and the Estates of the Empire were then assembled if the Ice which was by which was by a sudden Thaw loosned in the River had not hindred them from laying a Bridge of Boats which design having miscarried Banner resolved to carry the War again into Moravia Silesia and Bohemia But the Weimarian Forces under the Command of the French General having left him thereabouts the Imperialists had so closely beset him that there was no way left to retreat but through the Forest of Bohemia which was done with all expedition having left Colonel Slange with three Regiments of Horse behind who after a brave resistance were all made Prisoners of War but saved the Swedish Army which would else have been in great danger if they had not detained the Imperialists the Swedish Army being arrived but half an hour before them at the Pass of Presswitz where they stopt the Enemies march Not long after dyed the famous Swedish General John Banner whose death caused some dissatisfaction in the Army notwithstanding which they beat the Imperialists near Wolffenbuttel at two several times and Torstenson who was made General being arrived in the Camp directed his march into Silesia where he toook Great Glogau with Sword in Hand and a great many other places the chiefest of which was Sweinitz where he defeated the Imperialists that came to its relief under the Command of Francis Albert Duke of Saxon Lauenburgh who was killed himself and 3000 Horse Afterwards he besieged Brieg but was forced to raise that Siege the Imperialists being superiour in number who also prevented him from marching into Bohemia Wherefore having directed his March towards the Elbe and passed that River at Torgaw he straightways went to besiege the City of Leipzick But the Imperialists under the Command of the Arch Duke and General Piccolomini coming to its relief a bloody Battel was fought in the same Plains near Breitenfeld where King Gustave Adolf before had obtained a signal Victory against the Imperialists In this Battel the Left Wing of the Imperialists having been brought into confusion the Left Wing of the Swedes underwent the same fate but the Swedes Left Wing rallying again and falling in the Flank of the Imperialists Right Wing they put them to the rout 5000 being killed upon the spot and 4500 taken Prisoners The Swedes lost 2000 Men and had a great many wounded After the loss of this Battel Leipzick was soon forced to surrender but Freybergh which was soon after besieged by Torstenson defended it self so well that the Swedes upon the approach of the Imperial General Piccolomini were forced to raise the Siege with the loss of 1500 Men. And the Weirmarian Army under the Command of the French General Gebrian was for the most part ruined by the Bavarians In the mean while Torstenson had received Orders to March with his Army into Holstein the Swedes provoked by a great many injuries having resolved to turn their Arms against Denmark which was executed with great secresie so that the Swedes coming unexpectedly upon the Danes took the greatest part of Holstein beat their Troops in Jutland and Shonen and ruined their Fleet made themselves Masters of the whole Bishoprick of Bremen and the Isle of Bernholm which obliged the Danes to make a disadvantageous Peace with them at Bromsebtoo given to the Swedes Jempteland and Herndalen Gothland and Oesel besides other advantages Torstenson having then made a Truce with the Elector of Saxony marched again into Bohemia where another Battel was fought near Janowitz betwixt the Imperialists and Swedes wherein the first were routed with the loss of 8000 Men one half of whom were killed the rest taken Prisoners The Swedes had 2000 Men killed The Swedes then marched through Bohemia into Moravia and from thence into Austria where having been joined by Ragozi they were in a fair way of making greater progresses if Ragoz who had received satisfaction from the Emperour had not left the Swedish Army and marched Home with his Forces The French also under the Command of Turenne having been again routed by the Bavarians Torstenson marched back into Bohemia who having put his Forces into Winter Quarters near the River of Eger and growing very crazy left the Supreme Command of the Army to Wrangel who finding the Enemy too strong for him thereabouts marched further back into Misnia and from thence towards the Weser But having not long after been joined by Turenne near Gieslen they attacked Augsburgh which being reinforced with 500 Men they were forced to quit the Siege upon the approach of the Imperialists who also retook several places in the Hereditary Countries of the Emperour Not long after Wrangel also made a Truce with the Elector of Bavaria which however lasted not long the said Elector having upon the persuasion of the Emperour broke the same a few months after and joined his Forces with the Imperialists But Wrangel marching early out of his Winter Quarters in conjunction with Turenne pressed so hard upon the Bavarians that they were forced to retire to Saltzburgh leaving a great part of the Country to the discretion of the Allies where these burnt a great many Houses because the Inhabitants refused to pay Contribution About the same time Koningsmark had surprised the Suburbs of Prague where he had got a prodigious Booty in the Imperial Palace and other Noble-Mens Houses which are all built on that side of the River but could not take the City which was defended by 12000 Citizens so that having sent his Forces into their Winter Quarters thereabouts whilst Wrangel was marching into the Vpper Palatinate they received the News of a Peace being concluded at Munster This Peace had been long in agitation before it was brought to perfection the Imperialists having endeavoured after they saw the Swedes recover themselves so bravely after the Battel of Nomingen to persuade them to a separate Peace without including the Protestant Estates in Germany But the Swedes having refused these offers as being neither honourable nor secure seven years were spent in the Preliminaries and these having been adjusted the Treaty it self was begun at Osnabrug and Munster where the Emperours Spanish and Dutch Ambassadours as also those of the most Roman Catholick Estates and the Popes Nuncio were Resident but in the first the Imperial Ambassadours also and those of most of the Protestant Estates were assembled where at last a Peace was concluded by vertue of which Sweden got the Dukedoms of Bremen and Veerden the greatest part of Pomerania the Isle of Rugen and the City of Wismar to hold these Countries in Fief of the Empire with all the Priviledges thereunto belonging and five Millions of Crowns towards the
dissatisfied because she could not Act according to her own Will that she retired into Flanders and from thence into England where she made some stay and at last died in a very low Condition in Cologne In the Year 1633. the King took from the Duke of Lorrain his Countrey because he had declared himself for the Emperour And when afterwards viz. after the Battel fought near Nordlingen the Swedish Affairs were in a very low Condition and the House of Austria began to hold up its Head again France broke out into open War with Spain to balance the growing Power of the House of Austria He took for a pretence that the Spaniards had surprized the City of Treves and taken the Elector of Treves Prisoner who was under French protection And then the War began in Italy Germany the Netherlands and Roussilion which was carried on with various Fortune yet so that the French got the better of it at last To touch upon some of the most remarkable Actions The first Attack which the French made in the Netherlands did not succeed very well they having been forced to raise the Siege of Lovain with great Loss In the Year 1636 Piccolomini marched into Picardy and Galias into Burgundy but did nothing of moment On the other hand the French beat up the Siege of Leucate in Roussilion and the brave Duke Barnhard of Saxen-Weimar took the Fortress of Brisac he carrying on the War with French Money And after the Death of this Duke which happened not long after the King of France brought both that Fortress and his Army over to its side with Money Yet the French miscarried in the same Year before St. Omer and Fontarabia before the last of which Places the Prince of Conde sustained a considerable Loss In the same Year viz. on the 5th of September Lewis XIV was almost by a Miracle born of a Marriage which had proved unfruitfull for twenty Years before In the Year 1639 the French were beaten before Thionville In the Year 1640 they took Arras and in the same Year Catalonia revolting from Spain threw it self under the French Protection In the Year 1641 a great Misfortune hung over Richlieu's Head the Count the Soissons having raised a dangerous Rebellion but he being killed in an Engagement wherein otherwise his Party had the better establish'd by his Death the Cardinal's Authority and the Quiet of France In the Year 1642 Perpignan was taken at which Siege the King and Richlieu were both present Monsieur Cinqmats did about that time first insinuate himself into the King's favour hoping thereby to undermine Richlieu And the better to balance the Cardinal he had made some under-hand Intrigues with Spain But the Cardinal having discovered the business caused his Head to be cut off as also de Thou the younger's because he had been privy to the business tho' he had advised against it yet had he not discover'd it From the Duke of Bouillon who had been also of the Cabal he took for a Punishment his strong Hold Sedan In the same Year Richlieu died to his great good fortune the King being grown quite weary of him notwithstanding he had laid the first Foundation of the Greatness of France which is now so formidable to Europe The King also died not long after § 24. Lewis XIV was but Five years of Age when he came to the Crown his Mother 't is true bore the name of Regent of France but in effect the Cardinal Julius Mazarini had the chief Management of the Kingdom which was then in a very flourishing Condition but every Body was for enriching himself out of the Kings Purse during his Minority and Mazarini was very liberal thereby endeavouring to make them in love with his Government But the Treasury being become empty new Taxes were of necessity to be imposed upon the People which caused a great dissatisfaction against the Government Nevertheless for the first Five years every thing was pretty quiet at home and War carried on abroad At the very first beginning of this new Government the Duke d' Austria obtained a signal Victory against the Spaniards near Rocroy after which he took Thionville and Gaston the Kings Uncle Graveling Anguin revenged the loss which the French had sustainded the Year before near Dutlingen and having first beaten the Bavarian Forces near Friburg in Brisgaw he took Philipsburg in the Year 1646. he beat the Bavarian Troops near Norlingen and afterwards took Dunkirk But in the Year next following he in vain besieged the City of Lorida In the Year 1648. a Peace was concluded at Munster in Westphalia betwixt the Emperour and France by Vertue of which the latter got the two Fortresses of Brisac and Philipsburg the Countrey of Puntgau and part of the upper Alsatia But as France by this Peace was freed from one Enemy so on the other hand the intestine Commotions put a stop to its great Progresses The chief reason of these Troubles was that some envying Mazarini as being a Foreigner they would by all means have him removed from the Helm and this they sought with the greater Importunity because they were not in awe of the King who was but a Child neither of his Mother she being an outlandish Woman Some of the great Men also were for fishing in troubled Waters But above all the rest the Prince of Conde would fain have been Master and have made the Cardinal dance after his Pipe The Cardinal was for bringing of him over to his Party by a Marriage propos'd to him but the Prince of Conde perceiving that the Cardinal was for maintaining his old Post nor would depend on him rejected the Offer as unbecoming the Grandeur of his House There were also some Women of a restless Spirit concern'd in these Intrigues among whom was Mad. de Longueville Sister of the Prince of Conde Mad. Chevreuse Mombazon and others The first beginning was by slanderous Papers and Libels which were daily dispers'd in Paris There was also a certain Faction set up who called themselves the Slingers because they openly undertook to knock down the Cardinal as David struck down the Giant Goliah by the help of his Sling The Heads of this Faction were the Duke of Beaufort and Guadi the Archbishop of Paris afterwards call'd the Cardinal de Rez With this Party also sided the Parliament of Paris which did pretend to have a great Authority against the Government at that time The first Insurrection was made in Paris occasion'd by the taking into Custody of one Braussel a Member of the Parliament whereupon the King left the City Yet the Business was compos'd for that time some things having been granted to the mutinous Party But the Faction of the Slingers renewing their former Disturbances the King left the City a second time The Parliament having then publickly condemn'd the Cardinal grew every day stronger Turenne who then commanded the
payment of their Armies Besides this they had the Honour of having been instrumental in re-establishing several German Princes in their Territories and setling both the Quiet and Protestant Religion in Germany The War being thus ended to the great Honour of the Swedes the Queen who had already then taken a resolution of surrendring the Crown to her Nephew Charles Gustave would willingly have put an end to the Differences betwixt Sweden and Poland which were likely to revive again after the Truce expired but the Poles were so haughty in their Behaviour and refractory in their Transactions that no Peace could be concluded at that time Having therefore settled her Affairs and reserved a certain yearly allowance for her self during her life she surrendred the Crown to the said Charles Gustave her Nephew at the Dyet at Vpsal where he was Crowned the same day when she resigned the Government § 16. Charles Gustave finding the Treasury exhausted obtained at the first Dyet from the Estates that the fourth part of such Crown Lands as had been granted away since the Reign of Gustave Adolfe should be reunited with the Crown and having again settled the Military Affairs which were somewhat decayed since the last Peace resolved to force the Poles to an honourable Peace The better to execute his design he marched in Person into Poland where he met with such success that after having defeated some that would have opposed his passage not only the Polanders but also the Lithuanians submitted voluntarily swearing Allegiance to him and John Casimir their King was forced to fly into Silesia But whilst the King of Sweden was marched into Prussia the Poles with the assistance of the House of Austria having with the same readiness again forsaken his Interest were faln upon the Swedes in their Quarters of whom they killed a great many especially in Lithuania forcing the rest to seek for shelter in some strong Holds which were in their possession The King having put an end to the differences betwixt him and the Elector of Brandenburgh concerning Prussia in conjunction with the said Elector marched back towards Warsaw where he obtained a signal Victory over the Poles and Tartars and being in the beginning of the next year joined by Bogislaw Radzivil Prince of Transylvania would in all likelyhood have humbled the haughty Poles if the Danes had not threatened a dangerous diversion near Home and actually denounced War to Sweden This obliged the King to draw his main Army that way where he not only made great progresses both in Holstein and Bremen but also by a prodigy scarce to be believed by Posterity marched over the Ice into the Island of Tuhnen and from thence to other Islands and at last into Sealand where he carried all before him which brought the King of Denmark to such a distress that he was forced to clap up a sudden Peace at Rocshild giving to the Swedes Schonen Halland and Bleckingen the Isle of Bernholm besides several other Possessions in Norway But this Peace was of no long continuance for the King having again conceived a jealousie at the Danes Embarked his Forces in Holstein and under pretence of going towards Datzick landed in Sealand and besieged Copenhagen whilst Wrangel reduced the strong Fortress of Cronenburgh But the Danes being chiefly encouraged by their King's presence defended themselves bravely till the Dutch Fleet gave them relief which obliged the King after having attempted but in vain to take it by Storm to raise the Siege But the greatest misfortune befel the Swedes in the Island of Tuhnen where being over numbred by the joint Forces of the Imperialists Poles Brandenburghers and Danes they were totally routed near Nyborgh their Infantry being most cut to pieces and the rest made Prisoners The King being busie in repairing this loss was seized with an Epidemical Fever of which he dyed on the 23. of February § 17. Charles being but five years old when his Father dyed the Swedes applyed all their care to obtain an honourable Peace which was concluded with the Poles in the Monastery called Oliva near Dantzick wherein were also included the Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh and King John Casimir resigned his pretension to the Crown of Sweden and the Poles to Livonia In the same month a Peace was concluded with Denmark much upon the same conditions which were agreed on formerly at Rocshild except that the Danes kept the Isle of Bornholm and Druntheim in Norway For the rest the Swedes were for preserving Peace with their Neighbours during the minority of the King till having broke off the Triple Alliance made betwixt them and the English and Dutch they sided with France against the Elector of Brandenburgh whom they pretended by sending an Army into his Territories to draw from the Interest of the Empire But this occasioned a heavy War to the King at the very beginning of his Reign wherein the Elector having routed the Swedish Army took all what the Swedes were possessed of in Pomerania as the Lunenburghers got into their possession the Dukedoms of Bremen and Veerden and the King of Denmark the City of Wismar and several considerable places in Shonen but the Danes having at last been routed at two Battels in Shonen the King after the Treaty of Nimeguen by a particular Peace was put again into the possession of his Countries in Germany very few excepted and Denmark was forced also to restore the places taken from the Swedes in Shonen This Peace having been again settled in Sweden the King married Vlrica Eleanora the present King of Denmark's Sister since which time the King has chiefly applied himself to settle his Military Affairs and Revenues and to maintain the Peace with his Neighbours § 18. The Swedish and Gothick Nation has antiently been famous for Warlike Archievements and is very fit to endure the Fatigues of War yet were their Military Affairs in former times but very indifferently ordered their chiefest Force consisting in the Boors till Gustave and his Successours with the assistance of some Scotch and German Officers and Souldiers have introduced such a Discipline as that now they do not stand in so much need of foreign Souldiers except it be to make up the number of Men wherewith they are not overstock'd especially since the late great Wars As in most other Kingdoms of Europe by reason of the multitude of their populous Cities the Estate of the Citizens is the fundamental part of the State so is in Sweden that of the Boors who enjoy more liberty in Sweden than in other Kingdoms and also send their Deputies to the Dyet where their consent is requisite to any new Taxes to be levied upon the Subjects This Nation loves to shew a great deal of gravity and reservedness which if not qualified by conversation with other Nations often degenerates into mistrustfulness They generally are apt to think