naturall princes mainteine the one part which is least plausible and agreeable with the French nation much lesse aucthorised by Princes and forrein potentates whose weapons they hope to vse when neede shall require To the end also with lesse labor and greater pretence to hoyst vp the Ladder of their driftes they haue procured the writing of a number of bookes which within these fewe yeres are come to euery mans hands concerning the discents of the Princes of Lorrain whome gladly they would bring aboord into this quarrell if possibly they could meaning with them in mens hartes to imprint falsely to perswade that our Kings and Princes are no lawfull Successors but tyrants and vsurpers of this crowne from those of the auncient race of whome they would make the Lorrains to be discended so to procure them to be Captains of their conspiracie 2 But these Princes haue euermore sought to bee accompted too wise iust and vpright dealers to haue their eares so ticklish as to let them selues be led with such false inductions which could bring them no other but speedy shame perpetuall ignominie of their race for doing as the husbandmans Serpent who when hee had well refreshed himselfe at his fier would haue driuen him also out of his house As also to shewe that they neuer thought vpon so detestable a deede That euery man therefore may knowe it to be too euident an abuse to say that they be come of the famely of Charlemagne I will vse onely that Booke that themselues did in the yere 1549. to cause Edmond of Boulay the chief Herault and King of Armes of their house to publish wherein with the common opinion they doe mainteine that Charles of Lorrayn brother to Lothair King of France the last of Charlemagnes posteritie of whom the seditious do make so great accompt left a Sonne named Ottho who was Duke of Lorrain and died without issue so as in him ended the males of Charlemagne In deede the said aucthor saith that Godfrey with the beard Earle of Ardenne succeeded his Cossen If then he were Cousen to the said Ottho the same kindred might come by beeing discended of a daughter of the said Charles wife to LaÌ„bert Earle of Bergues or Monts who was Merquize of the Empire Earle of Brabant so consequently by the Salique Lawe vncapable of this Realme By reason whereof Pope Benedict the eight beeing at Pauy with the Emperour Henry the second and Robert sonne to Hugh Capet in the yere a thousand two hundred and three declared the sayd Robert to be lawfull King and Lord of the Crowne of Fraunce Besides the Author is forced to confesse that this Male ligne of Godfrey Countie of Arden failed againe and fel into the person of Ide wife to Eustace Countie of Bolongne on the Sea the father and mother to Godfrey of BoloÌ„gne King of Hierusalem who in Lorrain succeeded his vâ—kle by the mother Godfrey with the crouch backe so doe the Males of the house of Bologne are by the same writer continued vntil Lady Isabell the onely daughter and heire of Charles Duke of Lorrein who in the yeere 1418. maried Rene of Aniew pety sonne to King Iohn of Fraunce Thus we see by the domesticall testimony of the Princes of Lorrein the third distaffe in the house of Lorrein since the sayd pretended Ottho Sonne to Charles of France of which the first had bene sufficient to depriue them of the Succession Royall not withstanding their auncesters had drawen their Orriginall from the Masculine house of the saide Charlemagne For in respect of the house of Aniew extract out of the royall stocke of Fraunce and grafted into the Dutchy of Lorrain by the marriage of the said Rene with Isabell of Lorrain the same Lorrain Historiographer agreeth y t it ceased in Nicolas Marquize of Pont sonne to Iohn the second that dyed in y e yere 1433. whose succession was gathered vp by his Sister Yolland wife to Ferry of Vaâ—demont who was the yonger of the auncient house of Lorraine sonne to Antony sonne to Ferri brother to Charles Father to the foresaid Isabell 3 I will and that truely auowe that the house of Lorrain now being is so farre from being issued out of the race of Charlemagne either by Male or Female farre or néere that contrariwise the Dutchy of Lorraine hath chaunged stock or family fower or fiue times since the posteritie of Charlemaigne First in the house of the Counties of Ardenne when after the decease of Ottho Sonne to Charles of France in the yere 1005. Henry the second Emperour gaue Lorraine to Godfrey the sonne of Godfrey Earle of Ardenne whose seruice he had vsed against the sonnes by whome the Duke of Lorrain had bene emprisoned and soone after deceased without issue After hym succeeded his brother Gothelo in the yere 1019. in the time of Robert King of France Then in the yere 1033. Conrade the Emperour gaue to Gothelo Mosele after the decease of Frederick Earle thereof so as hee grewe mightier in Lorrain then before Against this Gothelo marched Odo Earle of ChaÌ„pagne seazed vpon Bar but the Lorrain gaue him battaile wherein the said Odo deceased Gothelo had a sonne named Godfrey vnto whom the Emperour Henry the fowerth refused to giue the Dutchy of Mosele and therefore hee would not also be Duke of Lorrain but in the yere 1044. rebelled against the Emperour who tooke him prisoner and after released him taking his sonne for Hostage who being dead the father reuolted again stirred vp Baldwin Earle of Flanders to help him to warre vpon him And this Godfrey slew Albert to whom the Emperour had giued Mosele for which cause the Emperour inuested Euerard of Alsatie in Mosele Fredericke vnckle to Baldwine of Flanders in the Dutchy of Lorraine Godfrey seeing him selfe so oppressed passed into Italie and there maried the daughter of Marquize Boniface but was by the Emperour soone after driuen out of Lomberdie wherefore he retired into Flanders and accompanied with the saide Baldwine besieged Fredericke in Antwarpe but the Lorrains came to his succour This Godfrey had a brother called Frederick sonne to Gothelo who retourning from Constantinople became a Monck at Mount Cassin and was after y e 157. Pope called Steuen in the time of Henry King of France After the decease of Frederick of Flanders inuested in the Dutchy of Lorraine Euerard of Alsatye was Duke of Lorrain but both the said Godfrey Euerard being dead in the yere 1070. the Emperor gaue Mosele to Deoderick son of the saide Euerard and restored Godfrey with the crooke back sonne of Godfrey aforesaid to Lorraine This man wholy destroyed the Frizons but was in the end slaine by Richarius in the yere 1089. so as by his death began the second house of Lorrain in the person of Ide sister to the last Godfrey with the crouche backe and wife to Eustace Earle of Bolongne whose Children were Dukes of Lorrain
to the Lady Loise married into the house of Roch-sur-you the Countie of Montpensier and landes of Combrailles which in so doing he rected into a Dutchy meete for the heires of the sayde Lady who at this day do beare the same name of Bourbon and are extract out of the second principall braunch of this house which we left of aboue vntill we had ended the first braunch of the elder And now to returne to the sayde Sir Charles in him dyed the ligne male of the principall stock of the house of Bourbon As for his two Sisters the one called Claude was wife to good Duke Antony of Lorrain whose stocke yet remaineth The other Loise was maried into the other principall braunch of Bourbon who hath left issue of the name of this house 13 Now let vs take the seconde braunch the first chiefe partition of this race which is the stocke of the latter yonger borne and yet remaineth to this day in the roume of the eldest and beareth the Name and full armes thereof as remayning alone after the default and ending of the elder Concerning y â— males this ligne beginneth againe in Iames of Bourbon the yonger Sonne of Lewes first Duke of Bourbon of whom we haue spoken before This Iames was Constable of FraÌ„ce after Charles of Spaine who flew Charles King of Nauarre in the time of King Iohn He had to wife Iehane of Saint Paule and was and so named himself Earle of Marche Of him came one onely sonne named Iohn who succeeded hym and married Catherin Countesse of Vendosme and Castres who brought into this house those two Counties togither with the landes of Carcuecy Lupe Conde Espernon MoÌ„doubleau and others Of these two issued three children Male Iames Lewes and Iohn also three daughters Anne wife to y e Duke of Bauiere Charlot maried to the King of Ciprus and Mary to Robert of the Crosses who tooke his saide wife by force and therfore fled and it was said he was drowned In his tyme hee gouerned King Charles the seuenth Now to retourne to the issue male Iames had to his protion the Counties of March and Castres Lewes the CouÌ„tie of Vendosme As for Iohn he had the Lordship of Carcuecy and maried a gossip of his called Margaret a Vandosmois by whom hee had some Children and got a dispensation to haue her to Wife notwithstanding the said children were not aduowed into this famely neither succeded in his goods but by sentence were declared illegitimate and which is more the said Iohn of Bourbon the Father in his Testament willed great giftes and substitutions to the behoofe of his other two sonnes Iames Lewes in whose persons he planted him selfe and raised the first after bough and vnder twigge of this second principall branch 14 This Iames of Bourbon eldest sonne to Iohn liued in the time of Charles the sixt and had two wiues the first Beatrix of Nauarre the yoÌ„ger daughter of the house of Nauarre which was the first alliaÌ„ce of those two houses They two had issue a daughter named Leonor After the decease of the saide Beatrix the said Iames of Bourbon allyed him selfe by marriage as it is pretended with Iane Queene of Naples who had before as the speech went promised marriage to the King of Arragon and deceiued them both So as the sayde Iames of Bourbon beeing gone into the Realme of Naples was in the ende forced to leaue the sayd Iane and to retire into Fraunce where after his returne he still bare the title and name of King of Naples notwithstanding the sayd Iane had afterward giuen it to others and finally deceased leauing for his onely heire the sayd Leonor his Daughter who succeeded him in the sayd Counties of Marche and Castres She maried Bernard of Armanack Earle of Pardiar a yonger sonne of the house of Armanack These two had issue two sonnes Iohn Bishop of Castres and Iames who succâ—eded in the sayd Counties of his father mother and besides in the right of his sayd mother Beatrix of Nauarre layd claime to the land of Nemours which he procured to be erected into a Dutchy tooke possession thereof and enioyed it He married the Daughter of Charles of Anieow Earle of Mayn and of Isabell of Luxembourg his wife This Iames of Armanack at the beginning was in fauour but afterward fall into suspition with Lewes the eleuenth and was executed at the Halles in Paris the 24. of August 1147. he left fower Children two Sonnes and two Daughters Iames Duke of Nemours and Lewes Earle of Guyze the two Daughters Margaret Charlot married into the house of Rohan who deceased without issue of their bodies so as in them failed this vnder twigg both male and female 15 Now remaineth to bee spoken of the ligne of Lewes brother to Iames. He for his part had the Countie of Vendosme and was taken at the battell of Agincourt in the tyme of Charles y e sixt He maried first Lady Iane of Roussy secondly Lady Iane of Lauall of whom discended one only sonne called Iohn of Bourbon who maried Lady Isabell of Beaumount of these two were borne two sonnes the one called Francis the other Lewes They had also sixe Daughters Iane wife to the Lord of Ioyâ—use the scond Iane first maried to Iohn Duke of Bourbon who was of the line of the elder of this house and secoÌ„dly to Iohn of the Tower Earle of Bologne of whome is issued Lady Katherine of Medecis Queene mother to the king Kitherin wife to Sir Gilbert of Chabaues in Limosin Charlot maried to Gilbert of Cleue of whoÌ„ came the last Lord Duke of Neuers Rene Abbesse of Fronteuout Isabell Abesse of Caen as for the two Sonnes Francis the Eldest succeeded in the Countie of Vendosme Mondoublean Espernon and other Lands houlden of that famely wherto was added the Lordshippe of Saint Calais Lewes the yonger was made Lord of Rochsur-yan and of the landes of Lupe and Conde in Henault 16 Now because concerning the question now to be delt in wee are to argue of the succession of the elder we will seeke out the farthest and will first speake of the Branche of Lewes the yonger sonne Prince of Roch suryen He maried Loise of bourbon who was of the elder liue and sister to Sir Charles of Bâ—urboun the last Of this mariage proceeded two Sonnes and a Daughter the elder sonne was Lewes who died but lately bearing the title of Duke of MontpeÌ„sier by the coÌ„position made in the time of the late Francis the first after the decease of Sir Charles of Bourbon Hee left one heire Male named Francis of Bourbon nowe Duke of Montpensier and sundrie daughters This Francis hath of his mariage with the daughter of the Marquize of Mezieres one onely sonne called Henry Prince of Dombes The other sonne of Lewes Prince of Roch-sur-you and of Lady Loyse of Bourbon was Prince of Roch sur-you who died within these fewe yeres without issue Wee must now then
to bee borne ouer vs Will wee graunt that to force that belongeth to reason In my opinion we deceiue our selues if we weene by weapons to wrest any thing from Mars especially in whatsoeuer concerneth Religion which among honest and the best men goeth nearer and is of greater efficacie then all other humaine actions So as to the contrary I doe stedfastly beleeue that wee haue the more cause to hope well of the gouernment of the said Lord King of Nauarre if it should happen For sith his enemies are forced to coÌ„fesse that of himself he is a Prince wise well taught discreete and reasonable also that our selues see him assured and by weapons in expugnable in that which from his infancie hee hath bene perswaded to bee good for him in respect of y t feare that he hath of God how great a peece of the work soeuer offereth it self to his view or whatsoeuer humaine hazard there be any apparance that he should feare in the conseruation of a mightie earthly Kingdome whereof as yet he is presumptiue heire it is an inuincible argument for vs to knowe that hee loueth and feareth God aboue all things Let vs therefore giue him a taste of our reasons sith he is so very capable to the ende we may at his hand winne that we desire and which wee ought and may spedely hope for without perticulerly hating his person without offending him without prouoking him and without encurring the wrath of God by procuring the shedding of the innocent bloud of so many thousands of our brethren and together with them the destroying of our poore Countrey As yet in troth it is too great an abuse to terme the said Lord King of Nauarre a Rebell or Traytor to the Kings Maiestie for keeping himselfe from being slayne and for opposing to his enemies the walles of those who being shadowed in their owne houses did onely withall instance and most humble petition require the King to permit them to liue in peace of conscience vnder his obedience against the which they did nâ—uer striue neither would euer had recourse vnto or craued the said Lord King of Nauarres protection whome they know neuer to haue so much loued any thing as to liue his Maiesties most humble most obedient subiect whereof wee all in our consciences are eye witnesses neither neede we any greater proofe for the iustification of him who neither doth neither euer did desire of the King his Lorde any other thing then to liue in his good fauour and to bee of him accoumpted a most humble and most obedient subiect and kinsman 3 For this cause in this action let al good Frenchmen coÌ„sider that the sayd Lord King of Nauarre is as they the Kinges good subiect a Christian one that feareth God and a louer of his Countrey so as for his sake wee neede not take armes or beate our braynes as doe some that be perswaded by the wicked counsaile of these firebrandes he is the sonne of the famely he is not a Spaniard that commeth to your walles and to y e doores of your houses he is a true Frenchman one that desireth peace and one that would obey the King his Lord in whatsoeuer lyeth in him he is a louer of the lawes of the Realme a sworne enemy to the sedicious an oppressor of the wicked and a defender of the Commonwealth Besides he hath aboue all other the French nation the honor to bee the first Prince of the bloud royal heire apparant to the Crowne in case God should cal our King without leauing any issue male of his body Let euery one therefore consider that al his enemies obiections are but meere cauillations Let the French nation iudge whether they haue not more cause or are not greatlier bound to loue and acknowledge the King of Nauarre then and other next to the Maiestrie of our soueraigne Lord the King seeing we haue chosen for our tutors gouernours and lawfull administrators the most noble and couragious famelie of the Capets to bee our Kinges of Fraunce from whence is discended in right masculine ligne on the fathers side the sayde Lord King of Nauarre as is aforesayde also that euery other way he hath thence taken his originall for his Grandmother on the fathers side was Lady Frances of Alencon daughter to Rene Duke of Alencon and sister to Charles last deceased all discended in right ligne of y e males of Charles of Valois who first tooke the name and title of Alenâ—oÌ„ and was brother to Philip of Valois King of France both sonnes to Charles of Valois brother to King Philip the Faire which two were sonnes to Philip y e Bould eldest sonne to S. Lewes and his successor in the Realm Againe the sayd King of Nauarres Grandmother by the mother was Lady Margaret of Fraunce sister to King Frances the first As for the Kings of Nauarre whom by his mother Iane of Albret daughter and heire to Henry of Albret King of Nauarre whom he hath succeeded they also are discended from father to the sonne of the house of France by the interposition of daughters capable of succession in the Realme of Nauarre for Henry Earle of Champagne and Brye by his mother Blanch King of Nâ—uarrâ— maried a daughter of Robert Earle of Arthois sonne to King Lewes the 8. of Francâ— and brother to S. Lewes of which marriage was borne Iane heire of 〈◊〉 and wife of Phillip the Faire King of France of them two came Lewes Hutin successor in the Realmes of France and Nauarre when he dyed he left a daughter Iane who after her Vnkles Phil. the Long Charles y t Faire was Queene of Nauarre she maried Phil. of Eureux sonne to Lewes of Eureux Sonne to Phillip the bould King of France and brother to Phillip the fayre Of their mariage issued among other children Charles King of Nauarre who maried the daughter of King Iohn of FraÌ„ce and of them was borne a Sonne of the same name for whose sake King Charles the sixt erected the lande of Nemours into a Dutchy At his decease hee left two Daughters of which Blanch the elder succeeded in the sayd Realme and of her and Iohn of Castile her houseband issued Eleoner wife to Gaston of Foix who seazed vpon the Succession of the realme of Nauarre and other great goods Of that mariage came Gaston of Foix that maried Magdalein of France sister to King Lewes the eleuenth who had Frances Phebus king of Nauarre after his grandmother Eleoner and Catherin who succeeded her brother Phebus shee maried with Iohn of Albret father to Henry of Albret and grandfather to Queene Iane late deceased at Paris mother to the said King of Nauarre now raigning So as it adpeareth that he is on euery side true french and issued of the bloud royall of Fraunce Let vs not therefore any longer giue eare to these sclauuders but only haue recourse to God by hartie praier that if the sayd Lorde King of Nauarre or
and Tritehemius after his father Bishop of Metz but he had before married Mary daughter to King Clotaire the 2. after some but as others say Almabert daughter to Carloman Duke of Brabant of whom hee begat a sonne named Martin who was Mayre of the Pallace of Thierry King of Austrasy with Pepin sonne of Ansegisus and Paule Emilie calleth this Martin Cossen to Pepin the Fat and Blondus nameth him his brother This Martin left a sonne called Childebrand and a daughter wife to Charles Martell saith Paule Emile whervpon other writers doe terme this Childebrand brother to Charles Martell and Vnckle to his Children in respect of the alliance that was betweene them Nicholas Giles calleth Childebrād Vnkle to Charles Martell Richard of Wassembourg nameth him Lambert he left a sonne called Theodorie or Theodowald who florished vnder Charlemaigne and being in his youth in the battaile of Ronceuaulx was made gouernor of Saxony about the yeere 780. and thereof was termed the Saxon he also led parte of Charles Armie against the Huns about the yeere 791. Paule Emile and others doe call him Charles Cossen which cannot be but by the sayd Childebrand In an other place the sayde Paule sayth that this Theodorick had the precedēce because he was a Prince of the bloud before Geilo Constable of Fraunce Thierry maried y e daughter of Witichindus a Prince of Saxony who a little before was Baptized this mariage was made to y e end by the alliance of the bloud Royall the Saxon might bee kept in duetie and amitie with the Estate of Fraunce after the example of Charles the Bould toward Godfrey Duke of the Normans whom hee caused to marrie Giles daughter to his neuew King Lothair and as Charles the Simple deit with Rollo the Norman Of this marriage of Thierry with the daughter of Witichindus discended Robert In respect whereof the Abbot of Vspergue speaking of Odo the first Capet that was crowned King of France sayth that his father was called Robert and his Grandfather Witichindus This man was Marquize of Aquitaine against the Normans who slew him and Ranulph Duke of Guyente in the tyme of Charles the Bould Whereby wee may learne that y ◠Princes of this house were termed Saxons either in respect of the gouernment of Theodorick in Saxony either els because of the alliance entered with Witichindus the Saxon whereof our deceiuers being ignorant tooke occasion to thincke the Capets originary Saxons straūgers notwithstanding in troth they were very Princes of the bloud royall of France Earles and Marquizes of Anieow in which Prouince the Annales of the Countrey do testifie that Thierry father to the sayde Robert deceased at the age of 80. yeeres or more and his sayd sonne Robert after him after whose decease the Countie of Anieow was committed to to the custody of one Hugh an Abbot during the minoritie of Odo Robert and Thierry sonnes to the sayde Robert to whom it was rendered after the decease of Hugh whome some doe make brother to the first Robert Thierry one of Roberts children was Earle of Bourgondie had a sonne called Richard Duke of Bourgondy who begat Raoul who with the help of his Cossen Hugh the Great was vppon the resignation of Charles the Simple proclaymed King of Fraunce and was the third Capet that before Hugh bare the name and title of King of this Crowne which still fell out by the nomination and cōmon agreemēt and consent of the Nobilitie which is a most sufficient testimonie to proue that the Capets were vndoubtedly Princes of the bloud sith the Frenchmen so sore enemies to forraine gouernmēt had euen at once respect to those mē and so often had recourse to their armes as to their naturall Princes Richard likewise begat Gisilbert Duke of Bourgondie who had one onely daughter that was wife to Ottho brother to Hugh Capet to whome shee brought the Dutchie of Bourgondie Odo second sonne of Robert and Earle of Paris was tutor to Charles the Simple and afterwarde beeing proclaymed King of France dyed without issue Robert the third sonne was Constable of Frāce and admitted King after y e decease of his brother whereby hee grewe into great hatered with Charles the Simple and finally dyed about the yeere 922. leauing issue Hugh the Great Earle of Paris Duke Constable of Frāce as sayth Paule Emile This man in reuenge of his fathers death endeuoured as sayth the Abbot of Vspergue to make his Cossen Raoule Duke of Bourgondie King He maried Hauide daughter to the Emperour Henry and sister to Ottho the first of which mariage discended three sonnes Hugh Capet the first peaceable enioyer of the Realme of France of that famelie Ottho who by his wife was Duke of Bourgondie and Henry who also after his brother Ottho was Duke of the same land Thus may you see the progresse and true genealogie of our Kings discended of the said Capet wherby appeareth the falsehood of our sclaunderrs liedgerdemain who giue out that the Capets beeing straungers did vsurp the Crowne of the house of Charlemaigne whereof neuerthelesse I haue heretofore shewed you that it is 580. yeeres since that race was vtterly extinct so farre are the Princes of Lorraine from taking their originall thereof neither neede we beleeue the fable of adoption inuented by du Rozieres as false as blockheaded and doltish a Chronegrapher and Historigrapher a worse Lawyer For he should haue knowne that his pretended adoption made by some one of the Carlians of that name from whom he would bring the discent of the Lorraines could not take holde in the Realme of France which is successiue so long as any one Prince of the bloud liued Besides that at all assaies it had bene requisite euen in default of heires of the Crowne that this adoption with the notice of the cause had bene made by the general Estates of the Realme so to haue made the adopted capable of the succession as I could at large shewe him if there needed any confutatiō of those fables which they would suppose vnto vs in the vnderpropping of the pretences of straungers our enemies with a rotten poste but I will content my selfe with the representation of the genealogie of the Capets aforesayd wherby you see how they abuse vs. Wherfore let vs there leaue thē and among our natural Princes let vs put of all passion iudge what is right also what preeminence the one may haue ouer the other both by reason and ciuil discourse If it were to any purpose to lay open to the French the rules of establishment of a Tyrant straunger an vsurper of an Estate there is no man how greatly soeuer affected to the fellonie which good men doe finde to bee now conspired against the honor of the King and the Princes of the bloud Royal by these perturbers of the peace of this Crowne but would abhorre euen to heare
eldest sonne before whom was preferred to the Empire Lewes the Mecke second sonne to the sayd Charles But this example may most easily be aunswered because it was the same Charles their common father that had deuided his Dominions among his children and had giuen Italy to Pepin his eldest sonne which also was reserued to the sayde Bernard his sonne and therefore after the pertition made by the sayd Charles he could pretend no further in y e succession that might come in question besides that at that time the Empire was not properly successiue for notwithstanding the neerest in bloud to the deceased Emperour did succeede yet durst hee not so intitle himselfe vntill by the consent of the Romaines he had bene publickly annoynted and crowned Much lesse also was the Imperiall dignitie successiue after the creation of the Princes electors of the same in the tyme of Ottho the 3. of the house of Saxony or by the opinion of the skilfullest of our worlde in the tyme of Fredericke the 2. so as there is no likelihoode to drawe an electiue Empire into consequence with hereditarie and patrimoniall Kingdomes The 5. indgement is of the Coūtie of Arthois which was in strife in the time of Philip the Faire King of France betweene Maude wife to Ottho Earle of Bourgondie daughter to Robert Earle of Arthois slaine at the battaile of Courtray and Robert the sonne of Phillip who likewise was sonne to the sayd deceased Earle Robert in which case the aforesayde Countie of Arthois was by the sayd French King adiudged to Maud who was preferred before her neuewe Robert being yet in infancie And in troth the historie setteth downe no other perticuler occasion of this iudgement but y t it was giuen by the mere motion of the sayd King Phillip Lord of the fief Neither is it sayd that his Maiestie tooke any other aduice but of his owne will the neede that then he had of Ottho the sayd Maudes husband together with the small seruice that of long time he might attend of the said Robert a yong childe and at that tyme there needed a good warrier to be opposed against the Flemings to the ende to suppresse their boldnesse and customary rebellions So as in respect of the sayd Roberts very youth the sayd King Phillip thought it meete to infringe the law and custome vsually obserued in like causes But God be praised in whatsoeuer may happen betweene the said Lords the King of Nauarre and his Vnkle the Cardinall of Bourbon we cannot incurre that daunger but rather were to be feared the great yeeres of the sayd Lord Cardinall already olde worne and by reason of his order estraunged from al vse of armes in respect of the flouring tyme of the King of Nauarre a Prince brought vp in the same and in gonernment of Estates The sixt is for the Countie of Champagne betweene Henry the seconde sonne of Earle Thibault the daughter of the sayd Earles eldest sonne wife to Erard of Breno in which case by arrest of the Court of Parliament of the Peeres of France in the yeere 1216. the sayde Countie was adiudged to Henry the Vnckle against his neuewe daughter to his elder brother But it may easely be answered the eldest sonne of the sayde Thibault going into the holy Land had expressely ordeyned that in case he dyed in the sayd expedition or otherwise without issue male then that his brother should succeede in the sayd Countie with endowing his daughter wife to the said Breno with a competēt summe The seuenth happened betweene the children of Charles the second King of Sicil sonne to the brother of King S. Lewes who married the heire of Hūgary and of that mariage begat Charles Martel and Robert The father gaue and appointed to the sayde Martell the Realme of Hungary and in his life tyme caused him to be thereof crowned whereby he did a while enioye it and then dyed leauing his sonne Charles to whom Charles the Grandfather confirmed the donation of the sayd Realme made to his father Martell and to his second sonne Robert he gaue the Realm of Naples So that by the truth of this historie it appeareth that this was a pertition by the saide Charles the second made betweene his children which they could not resist and whereof neither y e sayd Martel nor his sonne Charles had cause to complaine for the Realme of Hungary was farre greater more rich and wealthy then that of Naples which was already rent and dismembred by the Arragōs as it is euident by al histories of those times Our Interpretors doe yet more briefly aunswere this preferment of Robert the second before the sonne of Martel his elder brother aleadging that Pope Clement the 5. pretending authoritie ouer the Realme of Naples which hee aduowed to bee of the fiefe of the Church pronounced this sentence lightly enough therein doing the office of a partie rather then of a Iudge besides that of the sayd Realme in respect it was subiect to Sainct Peters chaire was not properly successiue The last example that they alleadge is of Lewes Sforce who was preferred to the Dutchie of Milan before the sonne of Iohn Galeas but thei might rather say that he preferred himselfe by force and through execrable tyrannie which the sayd Lewes exercised against this poore orphan vnder pretence of gouerning and defending him Besides it is so farre from being our case that it is certain that the young childe enioyed his fathers Estate when this Tyrant his Vnckle seazed thereon and put him to death as vniustly as in the ende God did iustly punish him in causing him to ende his daies in miserie and captiuitie Hauing thus aunswered such examples as they may alleadge let vs now consider whether the reasons that they propounde be sufficient to cause vs to alter our aduice 8 First in all Successions it is a generall rule to call thereto the neerest to hym whose state is in question so that it is by priuiledge and extraordinarie licence that we admit the the Children of the deceased brother to share with their vnkle in such goods onely as will baare deuision Which is the cause that our Doctor alleadgeth Butr. in his Tree of the succession of the Realme of Fraunce in these words Succssit ergo illi Carolo in regno Franc. Philippus filius alterius Caroli qui erat ei in 4. gradu nec successit Robertus pronepos Roberti Comitis Atrebatensis quendam quia ille erat in 8. gradu nec successit Robertus nepos Caroli Regis Siciliae Ierusalem quia ille erat in 7. gradu nec successit Ludouicus nepos Beati Ludouici quia ille erat dicto Carolo decedenti in quarto gradu Therefore sith otherwise the Vncle retaineth still the chiefe degree the especiall regard that Iustinian had to the posteritie of the deceased brother to make them equall with their Vncles can not serue them in vndeuided
namely Godfrey of Buillon so called for y t he was nursed in the Castle of BuilloÌ„ which now y â— Bishop of Liege holdeth his brother Balduin But these remayning in the holy lande the kingdome whereof fell to them by the election made of the said Godfrey the Emperour Henry the fowerth in the yeere 1101. gaue the Dutchy of Lorrain to Henry Earle of Lembourg whome after hee had rebelled against him he had taken againe into fauour And in troth this Henry of Lembourg was a very bad man for besides infinit other his misdeedes we find that at the prouocation of the Pope theÌ„ being he moued warre betweene Henrie the fowerth and the fifth the father and the sonne The father gaue him the Dutchy yet he tooke the sonnes part and then retourned to the fathers side after whose death hee went and fell at the sonnes fâ—â—te who committed him to prison and in the yere 1106. inuested Godfrey by some named William Earle of Louaine in the Dutchy of Lorraine whose seruice while hee was at Liedge hee vsed in taking Mountfaucon a hould the Lorde whereof was very insolent Of this Earle of Louain sprunge that house of Lorraine which yet continueth for vnto him succeeded Thierry to Thierry Thibault after Thibault a certaine Matthewe was Duke and so successiuely vnto the sayde Lady Isabell wife to Rene of Aniew as is aforesayd So as it is an abuse and manifest deceit to search the race of Charlemaigne in the house of Lorraine sith it is 580. yeeres since it vanished and was quite lost euen after that fower sundry Famelies haue succeeded one after another in the sayd Dutchy of Lorrain One of the yongest of which house who was Graundfather to the Dukes of Guise and Maine now being drawing into France with very smal wealth receiued as also after him his Children so many benefites at the hands of the Kings Francis the first Henry the second and his posteritie that they haue through the liberalitie of their Maiesties encreased their Patrimonie to a Million of Frankes of Rent that they houlde in this Realme whereas their grandfather Claude when he maried Lady Antoynet Bourbon daughter to the Duke of Vendosme had not aboue 14. or 1500. besides they haue bene honored with the greatest offices of y e Crowne as the office of great Master which was woÌ„t to be in the house of Montmorencie and other of the most honorable So as it might be hard to thinke that nowe they would imitate the Moyle whose nature is to kicke and spurne at his Mother when hee hath sucked enough of her Milke either that they had so vnthaÌ„ckfull a minde as to take weapon against the Royall Famely whereunto they are indebted in whatsoeuer they are yea and that vnder a false perswasion that they should be disceÌ„ded from Charlemagne which is contrarie to all trueth 4 To verefie therefore that the Princes of Lorraine neuer came out of the house of Fraunce it will be sufficient to shewe that in the succession of the Dutchy of Lorraine they obserue not the Salicke lawe as it was iudged by the Fathers assembled at the Counsaile of Basill on the behalfe of Isabell of Lorrain wife to Rene of Anieow and daughter of Charles of Lorraine against her Cousen Antony of Lorraine the sonne of Ferry the yonger sonne of Charles Hereby it manifestly appeareth that thus they declare the Princes of Lorraine to bee no Frenchmen neither euer to haue bene of the bloud royall of Fraunce or capable of the Crowne for the which and in the soueraigne succession wherof the Salicke lawe hath of olde time euen since Pharamond bene religiously obserued and thereby not onely the daughters but the males of them proceeding haue bene excluded from the Realme of Fraunce according as the decree of the sayde lawe importeth in these words Of the Salicke landes the woman shall chalenge no portioÌ„ but the succession therof shall appertaine to the males The reason of this constitution is because our fathers did horribly detest the gouernment of strauÌ„gers which vndoubtedly must needes haue often happened if the males of daughters that were wiues to forraine Princes might haue bene capable as some would perswade y â— childreÌ„ of Lorraine y t they may pretende as wrongfully as did Edward of England whose cause was solembly ended by the whole states of FraÌ„ce for Philip of Vallois afterward King against the sayd Edward the sonne of Lady Isabell daughter of Phillip y e faire after that Prince Robert of Arthois had openly made an Oration to the Estates for the sayd Phillip and had among other alleadged the reason aforesayd the originall whereof he drewe from before the Emperour Iustinian and Paule Emilie speaking of the ioye and contentation that the French conceiued after this senteÌ„ce writeth thus King Phillip making his entrey into the chiefe Towne of his Realme was receiued with as great pleasure ioye and triumph of people as euer was King of Fraunce where was a world of people crying God saue the King The streates were paued with Flowers according to the seazon and adorned with the most triumphant Furniture that could at that tyme be found To bee briefe saith the Historie the people forgat no kinde of demonstration of their contentation for the comming of this King to the Crowne He saith moreouer y t the Towne feasted his Maiestie y e Princes of his bloud and Officers of his Crowne praysing publickly extolling him as the preseruer and defence of the French Maiestie and the libertie and dignitie of the Salicke law whereby the FrenchmeÌ„ who were accustomed to prescribe lawes to Straungers were neuer ruled by them Then he endeth his speech saying that the most part of the night was put away with the light of Bonfyers throughout y e Realme and the howers of sleepe consumed in daunsing singing and all sortes of honest and delectable mirth especially at Paris y â— townes men marched in great troupes to congratulate each other for the welcomming of this King whom they termed the Bulwarke and preseruer of the best of their lawes These good fathers were no basterdly French as are those of our cursed world and would haue kept themselues farre from informing much lesse from begging those meanes that might bee imagined for the breach of this goodly Salicke lawe which is the onely Oracle of France and true rampier of the French dignitie which also sith it is euident that the Princes of Lorrain haue not vsed it is an vndoubted demonstration that they are not discended of the race of our Princes who haue so highly commended it in their Empier and soueraigne gouernement 5 In deed our deceiuers since considering that this foundation was too rashly propounded and might breede hatred in the King against the Princes of Lorraine whome they would bring into this bad action because his Maiestie beeing iustly agrieued hath power enough and ready to chastize the Authors of
Vnckle after the decease of Earle Robert because he was sonne to the elder who dyed afore his father True it is that for entering vpon the sayd Countie and taking vpon him the title of Earle before he had taken his oath done homadge to his Maiestie he was arrested at Paris and imprisoned in the Castle of Louure from whence he was soone after deliuered againe An other solemne arrest passed in the tyme of Phil. of Valois about the yeere 1328. for the Dutchie of Brittain by reason of the decease of Duke Iohn who dyed without issue leauing behind him his third brother Ih. Earle of Montfort and the daughter of his second brother Guy Vicountie of Limoges then wife to Charles Earle of Blois vnto whom by sentence of the Court the sayd Dutchie in the yerre 1341. was adiudged because Charles of Blois shewed y â— by the custumes of Brittaine the succession belonged to the eldest theÌ„ to the second and lastly to the third thereupon inferring that his wife daughter to the second did represent the same person But where the house of Montfort did afterward enioye the same Dutchie that came by vertue of a certaine agreement afterwarde made at the entrie of Charles the fifth in the yeere 1364. An other sentence passed in the tyme of Frances the 1. in the yeere 1517. for the Countie of Foix and other the landes belonging to the same famely betweene Odet of Foix Lord of Lautrect and Villemur and Henry of Albret King of Nauarre Grandfather to the King of Nauarre now raigning for Gaston of Foix and Eleanor of Nauarre had two sonnes Gaston the eldest and Iohn Vicountie of Narbonne the yonger Gaston dyed before both father and mother leauing suruiuours by his wife Lady Magdalem of Fraunce daughter to Charles the seauenth two children Philip Phebus and Ratherine whereupon their Vnckle Iohn Vicountie of Narbonne hauing maried the sister of King Lewes the 12. made suite against the sayde Phebus his neuewe pretending eldership by the decease of his brother Gaston The cause pleaded in the Court of Parliament was by the Counsaile compounded in the yere 1488 but soone after began againe by Gaston of Foix Duke of Nemours sonne to the sayde Iohn being in great fauour with his Vnkle King Lewes the 12. but because hee dyed at the battaile of Rauenna without issue it seemed this processe might haue ended but it fell out otherwise for Odet of Foix his Cossen and pretended heire tooke the same cause in hand against Katherin sister to the sayd Phebus deceased and proceeded so farre that by arrest of the Court in the yeere 1517. he was put by the sayd CouÌ„tie together with other the Lordships of the same famelic adiudged vnto Henry of Albret sonne to the sayde Katherine and his posteritie of whom as is aforesayd is discended the now Lorde King of Nauarre In England after the decease of Edward the third in the yeere 1378. Richard sonne to Edw. Prince of Wales was without contradiction crowned and preferred before his Vnckles the Dukes of Lancaster of Clarence of Glocester and Yorke but aboue twentie yeeres after for his euill behauiour and misgouernment he was deposed and his Cossen Henry sonne to Iohn Duke of Lancaster set vp in his place In Portugall King Alphons the fifth had two children Fernand and Henry who beeing the elder deceased before his father leauing a sonne named Iohn after the decease of the said Alphons the said Iohn commonly called Iohn the second whoÌ„ the common Histories doe falsly terme sonne to the sayd Alphons did peaceable enioye the Crowne from the yeere 1482. vnto the yeere 1495. when he dyed without issue and then his Cossen Emanuell sonne to Ferdinand succeeded him The sayd Emanuell hauing raigned 22. yeres among other children left his sonne Iohn the third who was crowned after him and Henry the Cardinal Iohn the 3. during his raigne had a sonne of the same name who dyed before his father leauing his wife with childe of Sebastien who after his Grandfather Iohn the 3. was preferred before his great Vnckle Henry brother to the sayd Iohn the 3. notwithstanding the sayde Sebastiens father was neuer King and that the said Henry might haue obiected the same but he raigned not vntill the sayd Sebastien dyed and left no issue which question sayth Tiraquell doth so resemble ours as one Bee may an other In Castile King Alphons the 10. had two sonnes the elder Ferdinand who maried Blanch daughter to S. Lewes and of her begat Ferdinand and Alphons The younger called Sanxi who seeing his elder brother dead and waying his neuewes right to the Realme could not tary the decease of his father the sayde Alphons but during his life time raised warres to the ende to procure himselfe to bee declared heire whereat this good olde man was so wrath that he accursed him Besides that the French King Phillip the third Vnckle by the mother to the sayde yong Princes after he had therevpon asked aduise of the wise men of his Realme led an armie vnto the frontiers of Spayne and had gone forward had not the Popes Legat lingered him with wordes together with the assurance which the sayde Alphons made him viz. that he would vpholde the right and cause of his sayd neuewes which neuerthelesse he soone after he forgat and sent out his Letter sealed with gold and his owne Image therein grauen to his subiects repugnant to the former and by meanes of the same by forcâ—establishâ—d Sanxi his seconde sonne so as the orphelins were not ouercome but with the sworâ— without any shewe of reason as the historie doe import In Sicill the like quarell being moued betweene the sonne and the neuewe of Agathocles in the extremitie of his sicknesse the neuewe by the will and iudgement of God ouerthrew his sayd Vnkle and remayning victor was King ouer the whole Land In Germany vpon the like controuersie vnder Henry the 3. after vnder Ottho the Great the histories doe report that the States of the Empire met and agreed that this debate should as the custome of that time required be ended by a coÌ„bat wherein the defendants of the cause of y â— neuew sonne to his brother y t would haue had his fathers roume were conquerors and thereupon the sayd Estates did so conclude and adiudge it More solemne also is the sentence which Licurgus the true Oracle of humaine wisedome gaue in his owne cause about the 17. Olimpiade in the time of Numa King of the Romaines for wee reade that his father Enomus King of the Lacedemonians had two sonnes Polidectes and Licurgus the first dyed before his father leauing his wife with childe Enomus dead Licurgus tooke the royall Diadem and kept it a fewe moneths vntill at a banquet among his friendes his neuewe the after borne was offered vnto him whome hee named Charilaus withall set the Crowne vpon his head To