Catalonians which they would in no ways consent to unanimously agreed to shake off the Castilian Yoak and secretly sounded the Inclinations of the Duke of Braganza As soon as he upon the perswasions of his Lady had reâ—olv'd to accept of the Crown they broke loose and surprising the Garrison in the City Palace and Fort seiz'd the Ships kill'd the Secretary of State Vasconcello who had carried himself very proudly among them and proclaimed the Duke of Braganza King under the Name of John IV. purging the whole Kingdom within eight days of the Castilians and that with the loss only of two or three persons Which may serve as a remarkable instance to convince the World how easily a Kingdom is lost where the Peoples Inclination is averse to the supream Head Thus the Spanish Monarchy received a great blow and its Power being distracted it could not act effectually on all sides They also lost Perpignan tho the French could not go further into Spain for the Prince of Conde besieged Lerida in vain In the Year 1641 the Prince Monaco driving the Spanish Garrisons out of his Territories put himself under the protection of France There also happen'd a most dangerous Rebellion at Naples the Head of which was a poor Fisherman whose Name was Massanello who might have put the whole Kingdom into a flame if the French had been at hand to give him timely assistance but by the prudent management of the Governour the Earl of Ognato the Tumult was appeased Spain then being forc'd to quench the flames on all sides it could not be so mindfull of Holland as the most remote having all hands full to resist the dangers threatning them nearer home And the Spaniards had the good fortune to reduce as we said before Catalonia under their Subjection and to chase the French out of Piombino and Porto Longone but the English took from them the Island of Jamaica in the West Indies At last France being re-established in its former Tranquility the Spaniards thought it most convenient to make Peace with that Crown Which was concluded betwixt the two great Ministers of State the Cardinal Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro in the Pyrenean Mountains By vertue of which France got Roussilion and several considerable places in the Netherlands Spain having thus concluded a Peace with all the rest of its Neighbours it began in earnest to make War against Portugal The Spaniards therefore enter'd Portugal with a great Force taking from the Portugueses several places but were also at several places soundly beaten The Battel near Entremos where Don Juan and that near Villa Viciosa where Caracena received a fatal Defeat are most famous The obtaining of which two Victories on the Portuguese side is chiefly ascribed to the French General Schomberg Philip IV. died in the Year 1665. § 14. He had for his Successour his Son Charles II. a Child of four years of age who under the Tuition of his Mother negligently prosecuted the War against Portugal and at last by the Mediation of England was forc'd to make Peace with that Crown renouncing his right to the same because the French at that time made a grievous havock in the Netherlands For tho' Mary Teresia Daughter of Philip IV. at the time when she was married to the King of France had renounc'd all her right of Succession to her paternal Inheritance yet the French taking the opportunity of their flourishing condition and the decay'd state of Spain England also and Holland being engaged in a War with one another who would else not have left the Netherlands to be devoured by them they enter'd Flanders with a vast Army using among other things for a pretence that which in Brabant is called Jus devolutionis by which the real Estates of private persons fall to the Children born during the time of the first marriage as soon as the Father marries again The French took in this War without much resistance a great many considerable Cities and Forts viz. Charleroy Tournay Lisle Douay Oudenarde and some others they conquer'd also the whole Franche Compte which hastened the Peace betwixt England and Holland and occasioned the Tripple Alliance as it is called made betwixt England Sweden and Holland for the preservation of the Spanish Netherlands In the following Year France made a Peace with Spain at Aix la Chapelle restoring to Spain the Franche Compte but keeping what places he had taken in Flanders But when Holland in the Year 1672 was attack'd by the French Spain sided with the Dutch knowing that the loss of the Vnited Provinces must draw after it that of the Spanish Netherlands So it came again to an open War wherein at first Spain lost Burgundy The rebellious Messineses threw themselves under the protection of France but were afterwards deserted by them France also got Limburgh Conde Valencienne Cambray Ypres St. Omer Aeth and Ghent But a Peace was concluded at Nimmegen by virtue of which France kept the Franche Compte and most places taken in the Netherlands restoring only to Spain Limburgh Ghent Cortryck Oudenarde Aeth and Charleroy § 15. Having thus given a brief History of the Kingdom of Spain we will also add something concerning the Genius of the Spaniards and the extent of their Territories as also of the Strength and Weakness of this Kingdom and its Condition in reference to its Neighbours The Spanish Nation therefore is commonly esteem'd to be very wise and to take remote prospects throughly weighing a thing before it undertakes it Whereby nevertheless the Spaniards being overcautious and exact in their Counsels do often lose the opportunities of action Besides this the Spaniards are very constant to their Resolutions and tho' they fail once in an Attempt they will try their Fortune again endeavouring to overcome its frowns by their Constancy They are very fit for War and not only brave at the first attack but also will hold out till the last their sober way of living and spare Bodies make them fit to bear Hunger and Thirst and to be very watchfull But this the Spaniards are extreamly blamed for that they maintain their Gravity by high-flown Words and a proud Behaviour Tho' those that converse with them do declare that this Gravity which appears so odious is not so much the effect of their Pride as of a melancholy Constitution and an ill Custom they never being fond to converse much with Foreign Nations They are in general very zealous for the Roman Catholick Religion and abominate all others They are seldom fit for any Trade or Business where any hard labour is required such as Husbandry or any Handycraft Trades wherefore these are chiefly managed among them by Foreigners It is credibly reported That in Madrid alone there are above 40000 Frenchmen being for the most part Merchants Artists Handycrafts-men and Labourers who go under the Name of Burgundians
and Emma Brother of Hardiknut on the Mother's-side who had sought Sanctuary in Normandy was called in to be king of England He was crowned in the Year 1042 and to gain the Affection of the People he remitted a Tax called Danegeld which had been constantly paid for forty Years last past He reigned very peaceably except that he was now and then pester'd with the Irish and Danish Pirates whom nevertheless he quickly overcame He was the first to whom was attributed that Virtue which even to this day the Kings of England are said to have to heal by touching that Disease which in England is called the King 's Evil. He died without Children He intended to have left the Kingdom to his Cousin Edgar Atheling Grandson of King Edmund Ironside but he being very young Harald Son of Goodwin Earl of Kent who had the Tuition of Edgar put the Crown upon his own Head but did not enjoy it above nine Months being slain in a Battel by William Duke of Normandy whereby the Crown of England was transferr'd to the Norman Family § 5. This William sirnamed the Conquerour was Son of Robert Duke of Normandy who was descended from Rollo a Dane who about the Year 900 with a great number of his Country-men and Norwegians fell into France and ravaging the Country without resistance Charles the Simple the then King of France thought it the best way to set him at quiet by putting him into possession of the Province of Neustria which afterwards was called Normandy and giving to him in Marriage his Daughter Geisa under condition that he should become a Christian Rollo had a Son whose Name was William sirnamed Long-sword whose Son was Richard sirnamed the Hardy who was the Father of Richard II. sirnamed the Good who was succeeded by his son Richard III. as he was by his Son Richard IV. But he dying without Issue after him Robert became Duke of Normandy This Robert was Father to William the Conquerour whom he had by one Arlotte a Furrier's Daughter with whom 't is said he fell in love seeing her dance among other Maids in the Country and afterwards married her And notwithstanding this William was a Bastard yet his Father made him his Successour and got the Nobility to acknowledge him as such when he was but nine Years of Age and died soon after This William met with great Troubles and Dangers in his younger Years which he had the good fortune to overcome by his Valour and acquired thereby great Reputation After the death of Edward the Confessour William understanding that Harald had made himself King resolv'd to demand the Crown of England as belonging to him by virtue of the last Will of King Edward who he pretended had left the same to him as an acknowledgment for the great Favours he had received from his Father Robert There are others who say That Edward did only promise this by word of mouth and that Harald being then in Normandy was forc'd to engage by Oath to help him in obtaining the Crown of England It is possible this was only made use of as a pretence But however it be William landed without resistance with a great Army compos'd of Normans French and Netherlanders whilst the Fleet of Harald was sailed to the Northern Coast of England to oppose his Brother and Harald Harfager King of Norway who were enter'd England on that side and both vanquish'd by him but thereby he left open the Door to William to enter into the Kingdom and brought his Souldiers back much weakened and fatigued by their great Marches Yet having reinforc'd his Army as well as he could he offer'd Battel to William near Hastings in Sussex which Battel was fought on both sides with great obstinacy till Harald being mortally wounded by an Arrow the Victory and Crown of England remain'd to William England without any further resistance acknowledging him for a King The English were at first extreamly well satisfy'd with his Government he leaving each in possession of what was his own and only giving the vacant Lands to his Normans partly also because he was related to the former Kings of England partly because he was greatly recommended to them by the Pope He was also very strenuous in securing himself commanding all the Arms to be taken from the People and to prevent Nocturnal Assemblies and Commotions he ordered That after the Bell had rung at eight in the Evening no Fire nor Candle should be seen in their Houses Besides this he built several Forts in the most commodious places Notwithstanding all this Edgar Atheling being with some of the Nobility retir'd into Scotland and being assisted by the Danish Pirates continually ravag'd the Northern Parts of England burning the City of York it self wherein all the Normans were put to the Sword but he forced them afterwards thence There was also a dangerous Conspiracy set on foot against him which was happily suppress'd by him before the Conspirators could join their Forces His Son Robert also endeavoured to take from him Normandy against whom his Father led a great Army out of England and the Father and Son encountring one another in the Battel the first was dismounted by the latter but he discovering him to be his Father by his voice immediately dismounted embraced him and begg'd his pardon and was reconcil'd to his Father who freely pardon'd all past Injuries This King also forc'd Wales to pay him Tribute and King Malcolm of Scotland to swear Fealty to him But perceiving that this new-conquer'd People would not be govern'd altogether by Mildness he began to act more severely taking away out of the Convents what Gold and Silver he could meet with of which there was great store convey'd thither as into Sanctuaries He also imposed heavy Taxes he appropriated to himself a great part of the Lands of England which he gave unto others reserving to himself out of them a yearly Revenue He took upon him the Administration of the Goods and Possessions of all Minors till they came to the 21st Year of Age allowing them only so much as was requisite for their Maintenance He revised all their Privileges introduced new Laws in the Norman Tongue whereby a great many that did not understand that Language fell under severe Penalties He erected new Courts of Judicature and employed great tracts of Ground for the conveniency of his Hunting This King introduced first the use of the long Bow in England whereby he had chiefly obtained the Victory against Harald and whereby afterwards the English did great mischief to the French and gained many Battels from them At last Philip I. King of France by stirring up his Son Robert against him endeavouring to raise Disturbances in Normandy he went in person over into Normandy where the Son was quickly reconcil'd to the Father But being obliged to keep his Bed at Roan by reason of an Indisposition in his Belly which was very
Henry II. therefore succeeded him who among other memorable Actions demolish'd such fortify'd Castles of the Nobility and Bishops as were built with the consent of King Stephen After he had reigned near eighteen Years in Peace and Quietness he had a mind to have his Son Henry crowned the better to secure the Succession he received him as his Copartner in the Government but he being married to Margaret the Daughter of Lewis the younger King of France this proved the cause of great Disturbances afterwards For some persuaded young Henry That his Father having abdicated himself from the Government had committed thereby the same to his management France envy'd that a King of England should have such vast Possessions in France The Scots wish'd for nothing more than to have an opportunity of committing Depredations in England Wherefore the French and Scots joining with young Henry fell upon Henry II. all at one time but were as vigorously repulsed by him the Scots especially suffered the most in this War and lost all Huntingtonshire A Peace was also concluded with France Adela Daughter of Lewis King of France being promised in marriage to Richard second Son of Henry But the old King as 't is reported falling in love with her privately kept her company and therefore opposed the consummation of the marriage betwixt her and his Son Richard This so exasperated Richard who after the death of his eldest Brother Henry was now the next Heir to the Crown that he made Head against his Father and Philip Augustus King of France taking hold of this opportunity took the City of Muns King Henry seeing himself besides this deserted by his Friends Wife and Children died in few days of Grief This Henry also conquer'd Ireland and united it to England which he and his Successours govern'd under the Title of Lords of Ireland till the time of Henry VIII who after he had withdrawn himself from the Obedience of the Pope to nettle him the more assumed the Title of King of Ireland because the Pope pretends to the sole right to bestow the Title of King in Christendom and that none ought to take it upon him without his consent wherefore the Pope afterwards to make his Pretence the more plausible freely gave the same Title to Mary Queen of England Henry also had some differences with Thomas Backet Archbishop of Canterbury who pretended it was derogatory to the Glory of God that the Priests according to the King's Commands should be subject to the Civil Judicatures There is a fabulous Relation concerning this Archbishop Thomas That he riding a Horse-back one time through a Village the Country Fellows cut off the Tail of his Horse and that their Children afterwards were born with such Tails § 8. Richard I. who succeeded his Father Henry in the Kingdom did out of a preposterous Zeal undertake an Expedition into the Holy Land with 35000 Men being accompained by Philip Augustus King of France In this War he took the Island of Cyprus which he gave to Guido Lusignanus who in consideration thereof resigned his Right to Jerusalem and in the Year 1192 he was present at the taking of Ptolemais where the Standard of Duke Leopold of Austria being set up first he pull'd it down again putting his own in the place But when they were in great hopes of gaining Jerusalem Philip returned home engaging himself by a solemn Oath that he would not injure Richard in any of his Dominions Hugo Duke of Burgundy afterwards followed his example which greatly encouraged Saladin And Richard understanding that the French were fallen into Normandy he also made a Peace with Saladin and taking his way by Land incognito was discovered in his Journey through Austria where Duke Leopold remembring the affront done to him near Ptolemais took him Prisoner and delivered him to the Emperour who after fifteen Months Imprisonment made him pay 100000 Pounds for his Ransom After his return home he found every thing in confusion the French having not only ravaged Normandy and other Provinces belonging to him but also his Brother had made a Pretension to the Crown but he obliged the latter to implore his Pardon and beat the French back into their own Country He died not long after of a wound which he received in a Siege of some inconsiderable place in France After his death his Brother John took upon him the Crown of England who was opposed by Arthur Earl of the lesser Britainy his elder Brother's Son who finding himself alone not strong enough sought for Aid of the King of France who was ready upon all occasions to create Troubles in England He took a great many Cities in Normandy and Anjou Wherefore King John was obliged to make a dishonourable Peace with him giving in marriage to Lewis King Philip's Son Blanch Daughter of Alfonsus King of Castile and of his Sister Eleonora to whom he gave as a Dowry all the Cities which Philip had taken from him except Angiers Then he married Isabella Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Angoulesme who was promised before to Hugh Earl of Marche He to revenge this affront join'd his Forces with the King of France and Prince Arthur of Britainy and fell into Touraine and Anjou But King John falling upon them unawares routed the Enemy and took Prince Arthur Prisoner who died not long after a Prisoner in Roan But Constantia the Mother of Arthur made her Complaints to Philip King of France whose Vassal King John was on the score of such Provinces as he was possess'd of in France and the King of France summon'd King John to appear before him and to answer for the death of Arthur But he not appearing it was declar'd that King John had forfeited what Fiefs he was possess'd of in France and King Philip took from him Normandy 316 Years after Rollo the Norman had conquered the same But the French afterwards attack'd also Angiers where they were repulsed with great loss by King John whereupon a Truce was concluded betwixt them for two Years During which time he routed the Scots and suppressed the Rebels in Ireland and Wales The Truce being expired the War began afresh with France and King John's Army being routed he made another Truce with France But this ill success had much diminished his Authority among his Nobles who also hated him because he had imposed heavy Taxes upon them wherefore they with joint consent demanded from him the restitution of their ancient Privileges but perceiving that he only intended to give them fair Words for Deeds they called to their aid Lewis Son of Philip King of France who landing with a great Army in England was received with a general applause and whilst King John endeavoured to make Head against him he died overwhelm'd with Troubles § 9. Him succeeded his Son Henry III. whose tender Age wrought Compassion on most and extinguish'd the Hatred which had been
conceiv'd against his Father And the Earl of Pembroke to whose Tuition he was committed having totally routed the French near Lincoln and destroyed the French Forces at Sea that were sent to their assistance Lewis did renounce all his Pretensions upon the Crown of England and retir'd into France This King's Reign was very long but also very troublesom occasion'd chiefly by the great concourse of Foreigners into England who crept into all places of profit For the Pope sent at one time 300 Italians who being admitted into Church Benefices did so lay about them that their yearly Rents amounted to 60000 Marks of Silver which was a greater Revenue than the Crown had at that time And by reason of the Prodigality of the King tho' constantly burthening the People with Taxes he was always in great want of Money He married besides this the Daughter of the Earl of Provence who having abundance of poor Kindred they enrich'd themselves out of the Treasury of the King This caused at last an open War betwixt the King and the principal Men of the Kingdom in which Henry resign'd to the King of France all his Pretensions upon Normandy Anjou Poictou Touraine and Mans in consideration of the Summ of 300000 pounds paid him by the French King and he was himself taken Prisoner in the first Battel But his Son Prince Edward gathered another Army and killed the General of the Rebels Simon of Monfort Earl of Leicester delivering thereby his Father and suppressing the whole Rebellion He did nothing worth mentioning abroad except that he undertook two Expeditions into France both which prov'd fruitless He died in the Year 1272. Him succeed his Son Edward who was at that time in the Holy Land and tho' he did not come into England till a Year after his Father's death yet took quiet possession of the Crown This King entirely united the Principality of Wales to the Crown of England the last Prince Lyonel being slain in a Battel Under his Reign also began a bloody War and an implacable hatred was raised betwixt the English and Scotch Nations which for 300 Years after caused abundance of bloodshed betwixt both Nations The occasion was thus After the death of Alexander III. King of Scotland who died without Heirs there were several that pretended to the Crown of Scotland wherefore King Edward took upon him the Arbitration of this matter that Crown having depended on his Predecessours and the Scots being still obliged to do Homage to the King of England The matter being examined it so proved that John Baliol Earl of Galloway and Robert Bruce were found to have the best Title to that Crown But these two having contested for the same during the space of six whole Years Edward sent under hand to Bruce telling him That he would decide the difference concerning the Crown of Scotland in favour of him if he would swear Fealty to England which Bruce refused answering That he was not so fond of the Crown as to purchase the same with the prejudice of the Liberty of his Native Country But John Baliol receiving the same offer was made King of Scotland There was about that time a capital Quarrel in Scotland betwixt the Earl of Fife and the Family of Alberneth who had kill'd the Earl's Brother and the King of Scotland had by his Sentence absolv'd the latter The Earl therefore appeal'd to the English Court whither King Baliol was called to appear and to sit with the King in Parliament But as soon as this matter came under debate he was admonished to rise from his Seat and to give an account concerning his Sentence He pretended to answer by his Advocate which being denied him he was obliged to answer in person from the same place where others used to plead their Causes Which both he and the Scots resented as so signal an affront that no sooner was he returned home but he renounced his Oath to King Edward pretending the same to have been unjust and that it was not in his power to make such a promise and renewing the ancient Aliance with France he denounced War against England King Edward therefore enter'd Scotland with an Army took the best strong Holds and forced the Scots and their King to swear fealty to him their King he sent a Prisoner into England leaving considerable Forces in Scotland which were nevertheless soon after beaten out of Scotland by the Scots under the Conduct of a Gentleman of a mean Fortune whose name was William Wallis But King Edward soon returned kill'd 40000 Scots in a Battel near Torkirke and forced them to swear Fealty to him a third time Notwithstanding all these Oaths Robert Bruce who had been John Baliol's Competitour took upon him the Crown who was several times worsted but also beat the English at other times particularly when King Edward going with an Army against Robert in person fell sick and died This King Edward had also had some Differences before with France For some of his Subjects in Aquitain having done considerable mischief by Privateering on the Coast of Normandy King Philip sirnam'd the Handsome summon'd Edward to appear at his Court as his Vassal and to answer the same which Edward refusing to do he declared all his Possessions which he held from the Crown of France to be forfeited taking from him by force of Arms Bourdeaux and some other places against whom Edward enter'd into a Confederacy with the Earl of Flanders and the Emperour Adolphus But coming into Flanders with an Army and finding every thing in confusion and disorder he made a Truce with King Philip promising That his Son Edward should marry Isabella Philip's Daughter This King caused likewise all the Jews to be banished out of England not allowing them to carry away any thing more than what they could carry themselves § 10. Him succeeded his Son Edward II. who at the very beginning of his Reign married Isabella Daughter of Philip sirnamed the Handsom with whom he had for a Dowry Guienne and the County of Ponthieu the greatest part whereof had been taken from his Father by the French This King was very unfortunate in his Wars against the Scots who in the Battel fought near Bannoksborough with an Army of 30000 Men defeated 100000 English which struck such a terrour among them that 100 English durst scarce face three Scotchmen And the English were continually beaten by the Scots except in Ireland where they beat the Scots out who had enter'd that Kingdom so that Edward was at last obliged to make a Truce with them He met also with great Disturbances at home the great Men of the Kingdom pressing him without intermission to leave to their Mercy his Favourites Gaveston and after him the Spencers which he refusing to consent to they fell into open Rebellion in which they proving unsuccessfull several of the Nobility paid with their lives for it But the Queen
pretending that the Spencers had diverted the King's Love from her retir'd first into France and from thence into Hainault and returning with an Army took the King Prisoner and caused the Spencers to be executed The King was carried from place to place and greatly abused during his Imprisonment having been forced before by the Parliament to resign the Kingdom to his Son Edward At last about six Months after his Deposition he was miserably murther'd § 11. Edward III. was very young when the Crown was conferr'd upon him wherefore the Administration of the Government was during his Minority committed to his Mother and managed under her chiefly by her Favourite Roger Mortimer She immediately at the beginning made a dishonourable Peace with Scotland whereby Edward renounced the Sovereignty and all other Pretensions upon that Kingdom and the Scots renounced their Title to Cumberland and Northumberland This and some other matters laid to their charge was the reason why some Years after the Queen was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment and Mortimer was hanged Afterwards a most cruel War broke out betwixt England and France for Lewis Philip and Charles all three Sons of Philip sirnamed the Handsom dying without Issue Edward did pretend a right to the French Crown as being the late King 's Sister's Son alledging That if his Mother as being a Woman might be thought incapable of governing the Realm the same ought not to be prejudicial to him as being a Man But Philip de Valois notwithstanding he was a degree farther of as being the late King's Father 's Brother's Son yet prevailed with the States who under pretence of the Salick Law and the hatred they bore to a Foreign Sovereign being besides this encouraged thereunto by the Earl of Artois set him upon the Throne Edward being afterwards summon'd by Philip to come in person and to do Homage for the Dukedom of Aquitain went thither in person he being then but young and England full of intestine Commotions notwithstanding this seemed to be very prejudicial to his Pretensions And King Edward appearing in the Church at Amiens with the Crown upon his Head his Sword and Spurs on was ordered to lay them aside and to take the Oath upon his Knees which so exasperated Edward that France afterwards felt the effects of it Not long after Edward Baliol Son of John Baliol made pretensions to the Crown of Scotland against the young King being assisted by King Edward notwithstanding King David of Scotland had married his Sister During which Commotions the English recovered Barwick upon Tweed and in one Battel killed 30000 Scots whereupon Edward Baliol did do Homage to the King of England for the Crown of Scotland By this time King Edward being come to his riper years upon the instigation of Robert Earl of Artois undertook an Expedition into France and taking upon him the Title and Arms of France renewed his Pretensions to that Crown In this Expedition he entirely routed the French Fleet near Sluys which was sent to hinder his landing and defeated 30000 Men. and after he had besieged Tournay he made a Truce with them for twelve Months In the mean while the English were engaged in a War with the Scots who under the Conduct of their former King David had driven out Edward Baliol. The time of the Truce being expir'd the War began afresh in France where among other places the English took Angoulesme King Edward himself came with a great Army into Normandy and took both there and in Picardy a great many places from the French At last a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them near Crecy in Picardy wherein the English tho' but 30000 strong fought against 60000 French killing 30000 upon the spot among whom were 1500 persons of Quality The next day after 7000 French were cut to pieces by the English who not knowing what had happened the day before were upon their march to the French Camp In this Battel no Quarter was given on either side Much about the same time King David of Scotland enter'd England with an Army of 60000 Men to make a Diversion in behalf of France but he was defeated in a great Battel and himself taken Prisoner The English had no less success the same Year in Britainy and Guienne In the Year next following King Edward took the City of Calais which he fill'd with English Inhabitants Prince Edward Son to Edward III. whom his Father had sent with an Army into Guienne behaved himself very valiantly making great havock where-ever he came John King of France drew out an Army against him of 60000 Men tho' the Prince was not above 8000 strong upon this the King thinking he had catch'd the Bird in the Net would not accept of any Conditions tho' never so advantageous But Prince Edward having posted his Men betwixt the Bushes and Vineyards from thence so gall'd the French Horse with his long Bows that they being repulsed put all the rest in confusion King John himself was taken Prisoner as also his youngest Son and above 1700 persons of Quality were slain This Battel was fought about two Leagues from Poictiers At last after King Edward had with three Armies over-run the greatest part of France a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of the Pope at Bretaigny not far from Chartres The Conditions of this Peace were That England besides what it had before in France should be put in possession of Poictou Zaintogne Rochelle Pais d' Aulnis Angoumois Perigord Limoisin Quercy Agenois and Bigorre with an absolute Sovereignty over the same besides this the City of Calais the Counties of Oye Guisnes and Ponthieu and three Millions of Crowns were to be given as a Ransom for the King and that King John should give his three younger Sons his Brother and thirty other persons of Quality as Hostages for the payment of the said Summs But that on the other side the English should restore all the other places which they had taken from the French and renounce their Right and Title to the Crown of France The Peace being thus concluded Prince Edward to whom his Father had given the Dukedom of Aquitain restored Peter King of Castile to his Kingdom But in his Journey the Souldiers being very mutinous for want of Pay he levyed an extraordinary Tax upon his Subjects which they complaining of to the King of France he summon'd the Prince to appear before him who answer'd He would suddenly appear with an Army of 60000 Men therefore Charles V. King of France denounced War against the English pretending that the promised Sovereignty at the last Peace was void because the Prince had not fulfilled the Articles of the same and had committed Hostilities against France But whilst Prince Edward was busie in making great Preparations against France he died suddenly and with him the English good Fortune for the French took from them all the Dukedom of
Aquitain and Poictou was immediately after married to Henry Duke of Normandy afterwards King of England the second of that Name who by this Match annexed these fair Countries to the Crown of England In fine having been kept in a continual alarm by his petty Vassals but especially by Henry II. King of England He died in the Year 1180. § 7. His Son Philip II. sirnamed Augustus or the Conquerour was at first engaged in a War against Henry II. King of England from whom he took several considerable places which however he restored afterwards to his Son Richard with whom he enter'd into a League to retake Jerusalem from the Saracens pursuant to which both the Kings went thither in Person with a considerable Force But a Jealousie arising betwixt these two Kings nothing was done worth mentioning for Richard accused Philip that he had an ill design against him in Sicily in their Voyage besides that he had refused to consummate the before intended Match betwixt his Sister and Richard Wherefore as soon as Ptolemais had been taken by their joint Forces Philip under pretence of Sickness returned into France leaving only with Richard Hugh III. Duke of Burgundy with some Troops who envying Richard hinder'd the taking of the City of Jerusalem After his return from that unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land he undertook a War against Richard which he also carried on against his Brother John wherein Philip had much the better of the English for he took from them Normandy the Counties of Anjou Maine Touraine Berry and Poictou He was very instrumental in deposing the Earl of Tholouse who because he had taken into his Protection the Albigenses was excommunicated by the Pope Philip also obtained a great Victory near Bouvines betwixt Lisle and Tournay against the Emperour Otho IV. who being joined with the Earl of Flanders attack'd him with an Army of 150000 Men whilst the King of England was to fall into France on the side of Aquitain This King was so successfull in his Wars against England that his Son Lewis was very near obtaining the Crown of England And tho' he was chased again out of England yet did he after his Father's Death pursue his Victories against the English in France taking from them among others the City of Rochelle But this Lewis VIII did not reign long for he died in the Year 1226 leaving for Successour his Son Lewis IX sirnamed the Holy during whose Minority his Mother Blanch of Castile had the Supream Administration of Affairs and tho' some of the Nobility raised great Troubles against her she subdued them all by her singular Prudence In the Year 1244 the City of Jerusalem was ransack'd by some Persians who called themselves Chorasmii Lewis being about the same time dangerously ill made a Vow That if he recovered he would undertake an Expedition against those Infidels which he afterwards perform'd But before his departure he issued out his Proclamation throughout the Kingdom intimating that whoever had received any damage by his Souldiers should have Restitution made him which was performed accordingly In this Expedition he took the strong City of Damiata but the overflowing of the River Nile hindered him from taking Grand Cairo After the River was returned to its usual Bounds he vanquish'd the Enemy in two Battels but they having receiv'd new Reinforcements cut off the Provisions from the French who were also extreamly pester'd with the Scurvy The King then resolv'd to retreat towards Damiata but in his March thither they attack'd him gave him a terrible overthrow and took him Prisoner yet released him again for a Ransom of 400000 Livres he being obliged to restore also to them the City of Damiata Thus he marched with the Remainders of his Army which from 30000 Men was moulder'd away to 6000 to Ptolemais where after he had given what Assistance he could to the Christians he at last returned home Under the Reign of this King France got first an Opportunity to intermeddle in the Affairs of Italy from whence yet this Kingdom never reapt any great Benefit Manfred natural Son of the Emperour Frederick II. having first kill'd King Conrad his Brother made himself King of Naples and Sicily But the Pope on whom this Kingdom depended as a Fief being dissatisfy'd with Manfred offer'd the same to Charles Earl of Anjou Brother of Lewis IV. King of France which he having accepted of was crowned at Rome with Conditon that he should pay to the Pope 8000 Ounces of Gold make a yearly Present of a White Horse as an acknowledgment and if he was chosen Emperour that he should not unite that Kingdom with the Empire the Pope being unwilling to have any one more powerfull than himself in Italy Charles thereupon vanquish'd Manfred and having murthered him and his Children took possession of the Kingdom The young Conradin Duke of Swabia came with an Army to recover the Kingdom which was his Inheritance from his Grandfather but having been overthrown in a Battel near the Lake of Celano was made a Prisoner and in the Year next following had his Head cut off at Naples upon the Instigation of the Pope who being ask'd by Charles What he had best to do with his Prisoner answer'd Vita Conradini mors Caroli Mors Conradini vita Caroli i. e. The Life of Conradin is the Death of Charles The Death of Conradin the Life of Charles And as by the Death of this young Prince was extinguish'd the Noble Race of the Dukes of Swabia so this Charles laid the first Pretensions of France to the Kingdom of Naples In the mean while King Lewis being not satisfy'd with his former unfortunate Expedition against the Infidels resolved to try again his Fortune against Tunis either because he found that this place lay very convenient for his Brother's Kingdom of Sicily or because he hoped thereby to open a way for the Conquest of Egypt without which all the Expeditions into the Holy Land were likely to prove ineffectual But in this Siege he lost a great part of his Army by Sickness and he died himself there in the Year 1270. From a younger Son of this Lewis IV. viz. from Robert Earl of Clairmont sprang the Bourbon Family which now sways the Scepter of France § 8. His Son Philip sirnamed the Hardy succeeded him under whose Reign that considerable Earldom of Tholouse was united to the Crown of France Alfonsus Son of Lewis IX who had married the only Heiress of this Country happening to die without Issue in an Expedition into Africa Under the Reign also of this King fell out the so much celebrated Sicilian Vespers whereby all the French were at one blow extirpated out of Sicily The Business was thus Some Frenchmen had ravish'd the Wife of John of Porchyta born at Salerno who enflam'd with Revenge did seek for Aid of Pieter King of Arragon hoping by his Assistance to drive Charles
out of Sicily the Sicilians also being very averse to the French who had committed great Outrages in that Kingdom Pope Nicholus V. lent a helping hand who stood in fear of the Power of Charles as did also Michael Paleologus the Constantinopolitan Emperour because Charles had made some Pretensions to that Empire John therefore disguis'd in a Monks Habit travell'd about from place to place till he had brought his Design to Perfection It was next to a Miracle that the Design was not betray'd in three years time it having been so long a forming in several places At last it was put in Execution it being agreed upon that in the second Holyday in Easter at that very time when the Bells rung in to the Vespers all the French throughout the whole Kingdom of Sicily should be massacred at once which was done accordingly within two Hours time with great Barbarity no person having been spared in the Massacre Which being done Pieter King of Arragon possess'd himself of the Kingdom of Sicily And tho' the Pope order'd the Croisade to be preached up against Pieter and declared Charles the second Son of Philip King of Arragon and this Philip marched with a great Army to put his Son into possession yet it did prove labour in vain and Philip died in the Year 1285. His Son and Successour Philip sirnamed the Handsom upon some frivolous Pretences began a War with the English taking from of them the City of Bourdeaux and the greatest part of Aquitain which however they soon after recover'd by vertue of a Peace concluded betwixt them Not long after he attack'd the Earl of Flanders who by the Instigation of the English had enter'd into a Consederacy with a great many neighbouring Lords against him from whom he took most of his strong Holds But the Flemings being soon tired with the Insolencies committed by the French cut in pieces the French Garrisons whereupon the King sent an Army under the Command of Robert Earl of Artois to reduce them to Obedience but he was defeated near Courtray there being 20000 French slain upon the Spot which happened chiefly by a Misfortune that the Cavalry was misled into a moorish Ground It is related that the Flemings got above 8000 gilt Spurs as a Booty from the French And tho' afterwards there were 25000 killed of the Flemings yet they quickly recollecting themselves raised another Army of 60000 Men and obliged the King by a Peace made betwixt them to restore them to their ancient State This King Philip also with consent of the Pope suppress'd the rich Order of the Knights Templers and died in the Year 1314. Whom succeeded his three Sons each in his turn who all died without Issue and without doing any thing of moment The eldest Lewis X. sirnamed Hutin died in the Year 1316 whose Brother Philip sirnamed the Tall had a Contest for the Crown with his deceased Brother's Daughter Joan she being supported by her Mother's Brother the Duke of Burgundy but it was determined in favour of Philip by vertue of the Salick Law Under this King the Jews were banish'd out of France they having been accused of poisoning the Fountains He died in the Year 1322. Him succeeded the third Brother Charles IV. sirnamed the Handsom under whose Reign all the Italians and Lombards who being Usurers did exact upon the People were banished the Kingdom A War also was begun in Aquitain against the English but these Differences were quickly composed by the Intercession of Queen Isabella Sister of Charles He died in the Year 1328. § 9. After the Death of this King France was for a great many years together torn in pieces by very unfortunate and bloody Wars which had almost prov'd fatal to this Kingdom For a Contest arose about the Succession betwixt Philip of Valois Philip the Handsom's Brother's Son and Edward III. King of England the above-mention'd Philip the Handsom's Daughter 's Son The former pretended a right by vertue of the Salick Law which excludes the Females from the Succession But the latter tho' he did not deny the Salick Law yet did he alledge That this Law did not barr from the Succession the Sons born of the King's Daughters And it was certain that he was nearer a kin to the deceased King than Philip neither could any Precedent be brought where a Son of the King's Daughter had been excluded from the Succession to admit his Brother's Son Yet the Estates of France declared for Philip partly upon the persuasion of Robert Earl of Artois partly because they were unwilling to depend on England And tho' King Edward did dissemble at first this Affront and came in person to do homage to Philip for his Provinces which he was possess'd of in France yet not long after he began to show his Resentment the French having obliged him at the time when he performed the Ceremony of Homage to lay aside his Crown Scepter and Spurs Besides the States of England did persuade him not so easily to let fall his Pretensions and Robert Earl of Artois being fallen out with Philip about some Pretensions concerning the County of Artois did stir up King Edward to undertake a War against France In the mean time while Philip had defeated the Flemings who were risen in Rebellion against that Earl to that degree that of 16000 Men not one escaped the Sword In the Year 1336 the English began to make War against France which was carried on for some Years with equal Advantage on both sides and was interrupted by several Truces till at last Edward landed with an Army in Normandy and outbraving the French approach'd to the very Gates of Paris But Edward making soon after his Retreat through Picardy towards Flanders was overtaken by Philip near Albeville where a bloody Battel was fought betwixt them The French Forces being extreamly tir'd by a long March gave the English an easier Victory Besides this some Genoese Foot retreated immediately their Bows having been render'd useless by the rainy Weather which the Duke d' Alenzon perceiving and thinking it to have been done by Treachery fell with a Body of Horse in among them which caused the first Confusion The English also made use of four or five pieces of great Cannon against the French which being never seen before in France caused a great terrour in the French Army Several French Lords also being not well satisfy'd with the King were glad to see him defeated This Victory is the more remarkable because according to the French Historians the English were not above 24000 strong whereas the French were above 100000. Out of which number 30000 Foot Souldiers were slain and 1200 Horsemen among whom was the King of Bohemia This King tho' he was blind yet charg'd the Enemy on Horseback betwixt two of his Friends who had ty'd his Horse to theirs and they were all three found dead together The next day
the practice of the Church for a great many Centuries yet did they persist with great obstinacy because it should not seem that the Clergy had committed an Errour and also that they might have a Prerogative before the Laiety in this Sacrament And to ridicule the more impudently both God and Men they give to the Laiety a Chalice which is not consecrated which in very despicable Terms they call the rinsing Chalices as People when they have eaten any uncleanly thing use to rinse their Mouths Marriage also was to be made a Sacrament tho' nothing is more absurd that the Clergy might have an opportunity to draw all matrimonial Causes under their Jurisdiction which are often very profitable very various and of the greatest Consequence since the welfare inheritance and succession of most People nay even of whole Kingdoms depend thereon This obliged Mary Queen of England to endeavour the re-establishment of Popery in that Kingdom for without the Pope's Authority she must have passed for a Bastard And Philip III. King of Spain was among other reasons obliged to the Pope because he had given Dispensation to his Father to marry his own Sister's Daughter of whom Philip was born which Marriage would not easily have been approved by other Christians There were also so many prohibited degrees introduced on purpose that the Clergy might have frequent opportunities to give Dispensations whereby they know how to feather their Nest By the Extreme Ointment the Priest takes an occasion to exhort the dying people to leave Legacies for pious uses which they commonly know how to apply to the advantage of their own Order Purgatory was invented for no other purpose but that the dying Man who at that time is not so greedy of worldly Goods which he is to leave to others might be liberal towards the Clergymen in hopes by their intercession and a good number of Masses to get the sooner out of this hot place The Veneration paid to the Reliques has also been very beneficial to the Clergy these are employed besides other uses to reward people of Quality that have done great services to the Pope with a piece of an old Bone in lieu of a better present The Adoration of the Saints serves for a pretext to build the more Churches institute more Feasts and employ and feed a greater number of Priests The power which the Pope has assumed of Canonization gives him a considerable authority among the People as if it were his prerogative to bestow Dignities and Offices upon whom he thinks fit even in Heaven and that God Almighty cannot but accept of such Referendaries as the Pope is pleased to represent to him By this means he makes himself Master of the Inclinations of the People though living in far distant places unto whom he proposes this as a Recompense of their Credulity and Ambition if they stick at nothing to promote his Interest And ever since this Superstition has taken root in Christendom those who have been Canonized have for the most part been Clergymen who either by a new invented Hypocrisie or outward appearance of Holiness had made themselves famous in the World Or if by chance one Layman or another has attained to this Dignity either he himself or at least those that interceeded for him have been fain to deserve very well of the Papal Chair Not to mention here in what manner they by fictitious Miracles several sorts of Images Apparitions Exorcisms Indulgences Jubilees prohibition of divers sorts of Victuals and such like tricks used to fool the People out of their mony § 34. Next to what has been said the Universities which have partly been Instituted by the Popes Authority partly by other States yet so that most of them have been Confirmed by the Popes who also have claimed the Supreme Direction over the some have been mainly instrumental in maintaining the Popish Sovereignty It is evident enough of what Consequence this Direction must needs be to the Pope For since in the Universities Men are first imbued with such Opinions as they afterwards are to make use of during their whole Life and instil them into others the Universities and Sciences there to be taught were to be sure to be accommodated to the Popes Interest Neither were the Professours of Divinity here who claimed the Precedency before all others the only Creatures of the Pope but also the Professours of the Canon Law who were as busie as any to put his Decrees upon the World and to maintain his Authority For the World may thank the Canon-Law for the first Introduction of those long Law Suits which the Clergy pretended to belong to their Jurisdiction that by receiving of Bribes they might the sooner satisfie their Avarice The greatest-part of the Philosophers were also the Popes Slaves and if one or another attempted to investigate the true causes of Things he was sure to be kept under by all the rest The Divinity and Philosophy which was professed in these Universities were not taught with an intention to make the young Students more learned and understanding but that the ingenious by these confused and idle terms might be diverted from throughly investigating those matters which would have led them to the whole discovery of the Popish Intreagues For their Scholastick Divinity is not employed in searching and explaining the Holy Scripture but for the most part entangled in useless questions invented chiefly by Peter Lombard Thomas Aquinas Scotus and the other Patriarchs of Pedantry And what they call Philosophy is nothing else but a Collection of foolish Chimer's empty Terms and very bad Latin the knowledge of which is rather hurtful than profitable if you have not been better Instructed otherwise So that all what they pretended to was to take care that the Sciences might not be fundamentally taught to the Students With these Trumperies the Universities were not only over-run during the former barbarous times but even continue to this very day and tho most Sciences are so much improved the old Leaven is with great Industry preserved and propagated on the contrary all the solid Science especially such as are Instrumental in discovering the Vulgar Errors of the World are suppressed Above all the rest the most useful of all Doctrine of Morality is much misinterpreted and entangled in an endless Labyrinth that the Fathers Confessours may not want means to domineer over the Laymens Consciences and to entangle them with so many dubious and double meaning insinuations that they are thereby rendred incapable to examin and rule their Actions according to solid Principles but are obliged to be guided blindfold according to the pleasure of their Fathers Confessours § 35. But because Learning had given the main blow to the Pope at the time of Luther's Reformation the Jesuits who may well be called the Popes Guard du Corps have afterwards taken upon them the management of the Youth for they not only teach publickly in the
V. the present King of Denmark 327 He maketh War upon Sweden p. 327 Makes a Peace with Sweden 328 The Christian Religion is proper for all the World 370 Is not contrary to civil Government 371 No other Religion or Philosophy comparable to it 372 Concerning the outward Government of Religion 372 The consideration of this Question according to the Nature of Religion in general and of the Christian Religion in particular 374 375 First Propagation of the Christian Religion and by what methods it was established 376 Persecution of the first Church and the Câ—lumnies raised against the Primitive Christians 378 The first Church Government 379 Constantine the first Christian Emperour 382 Could not quite alter the former State of the Church 382 Of presiding in Councels 383 Abuses in Councels 384 Riches of the Church 394 Croisado's by what Politicks carried on 395 How the Church was freed from all power over it 399 General Councels to bridle the Popes power 409 Cardinal Cajetan and his ill Conduct 418 Calvin and Zwinglius 421 The Conclave 431 The College of Cardinals 433 Cardinal Patroon 434 Celibacy of the Clergy 435 Their Number 436 Ceremonies 439 Half Communion 440 Vnion made at Cilmar betwixt Sweden Denmark and Norway 478 Christopher Duke of Bavaria made King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 482 Church Lands reduced in Sweden 494 Christina Queen of Sweden 525 Continues the War in Germany 526 Makes an Alliance with France 528 Is engaged in a War with the Elector of Saxony 527 And afterwards with Denmark 530 Charles Gustave King of Sweden 533 Siege of Copenhagen 534 Charles IX the present King of Sweden 534 His Forces routed by the Elector of 〈…〉 534 D. THE Dutch sail to the East-Indies 92 The Danes first come into England 102 Dauphine united with France 192 Denmark a very ancient Kingdom 316 The Genius of the Danish Naâ—ion 328 Neigbours of Denmark 330 Disputes in England about the investiture of Bishops 403 E. THE first Sea Voyage into the East-Indies under Emanuel King of Portugal 89 Ancient State of England 99 England conquered by the Romans 99 Edward the Confessor King of England 103 Edward I. King of England 114 His Wars with Scotland 115 His Wars with France 116 Edward II. King of England 116 Edward III. King of England 117 His Pretensions to the French Crown 117 His expedition into France 118 The English decline in France 201 1â—5 The English driven out of France 202 127 Edward IV. of the House of York King of England 128 Edward V. King of England 130 Edward VI. King of England 139 Elizabeth Queen of England 141 She assists the Huguenots 144 Refuses the Soveraignty over the Netherlands twice offered to her 145 The Constitution of the English Nation 164 The English form of Government 169 The Power and Strength of England 171 The East-India Company in Holland 283 270 England and France declare War against the Dutch 279 Evangelical Vnion in Germany 301 Erick declared King of Sweden Denmark and Norway 477 321 Of Episcopal Jurisdiction 384 Concerning Excommunication 385 Encrease of the Ecclesiastical Soveraignty 391 What contributed to it 391 Disputes in England about the Investiture of Bishops 403 Erasmus favours Luther 416 Excommunication and Inquisition 445 Erick XIV King of Sweden introduces the Titles of Earls and Barons in that Kingdom 498 F. FErdinand the Catholick and Isabella 42 France and its ancient State 174 The Franks came out of Germany 175 France is divided 177 French Pretensions upon the Kingdom of Naples 187 French Pretensions upon Milan 196 Francis I. King of France 210 He aspires to the Empire 210 His Italian Wars 211 212 His defeat at the Battle of Paviae where he is taken Prisoner and set at liberty upon very hard terms 212 Francis II. King of France 218 The Nature and Constitution of the French 247 The Government of France 250 Strength of France in regard to England and the other Neighbouring Princes 251 252 Frederick Henry I. Prince of Orange 274 Frederick Elector Palatine's ill Success 302 Ferdinand I. Emperour of Germany his Proclamation concerning Church-lands 302 Frederick I. King of Denmark 324 Frederick III. King of Denmark his Wars with Sweden 326 Is declared absolute and the Crown hereditary 327 Battle fought in the Island of Fuhnen 534 G. GReece p. 6 Gothick Empire and its downfall in Spain 29 Granada taken 43 Gaul subdued by the Romans 174 by the Barbarian Nations 174 Germany divided from France 180 The Gabel first introduced into France by Philip of Valois their King 192 The Treaty of Ghent betwixt the Prince of Orange and the Netherlanders 264 Germany and its ancient condition 282 The Gvelfs and Gibellin Factions in Italy 291 German Wars and their Origin under Matthias 300 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden his death 303 The Genius of the Germans 306 Form of Government in Germany 307 Its Commodities 307 Its Strength and Weakness 308 Its Neighbours 312 Gregory Pope of Rome excommunicates the Emperour Henry IV. 402 Endeavour to subject the Emperour 403 The German Princes dissatisfied with the Pope 417 The Gothick Nation and its first Founders 461 The Goths and Swedes united in one Kingdom 461 Gustavus I. King of Sweden 489 Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden 511 Makes Peace with the Muscovites 512 Carries on the War against the Poles in Ponâ—ria 513 Engages in the German War 515 Lands his Forces in Germany and makes an Alliance with France 517 Is killed 525 H. HEnry III. King of England 113 The War with the Barons 114 Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster invades England 121 After great difficulties surmounted becomes King of England 122 Henry V. King of England 122 He invades France to prosecute his claim to that Crown 123 The Battle betwixt him and the French fought near Agincourt 123 Henry VI. King of England 124 Is proclaimed King of France 125 Is crowned in Paris 125 Henry VII Earl of Richmond invades England 131 Is made King and unites the White and Red Roses 132 Henry VIII King of England 133 His divorce with Queen Catharine 135 He abrogates the Popes Supremacy 136 Marries Anna Bullen 136 Demolishes the Monasteries 137 Causes Anna Bullen to be beheaded 138 His other Wives 138 Hugh Capel the Founder of the present Royal Family in France 182 Henry II. King of France 215 His Expedition into Germany 216 His Project to unite Scotland with France miscarried 217 Huguenot Wars in France under Charles IX the first second third fourth and fifth 221 222 223 224 Henry III. King of France 224 The Holy League under his Reign 225 Huguenot Wars in France the sixth seventh and eighth 225 226 227 Henry III. forced from Paris by the League 227 He makes use of the Huguenots against the League 228 Henry IV. King of Navarre comes to the Crown of France 228 His difficulties an Account of his Religion 228 Is excommunicated by the Pope 230 Changes his Religion 231 Is assaulted and wounded by a Russian 231
Is assassinated by Ravillac 234 Henry IV. Emperour of Germany 286 His troubles with the Pope 287 His Son rebells against him 288 Henry VII Emperour of Germany poisoned by a Monk 294 Henry of Valois Duke of Anjou made King of Poland 342 St. Hierom's Dream 387 I. JEsuites sent first into the Indies under John III. King of Portugal 90 Ireland conquer'd by the English 111 John King of England 112 Loses Normandy 113 James I. King of England 146 The Independents become Masters in England 158 Ireland conquer'd by the Parliament Forces of England 160 Constitution of the Irish Nation 166 Jesuits banish'd out of France by King Henry IV. 231 The Spanish Inquisition in the Netherlands 257 The long Inter-regnum in Germany 292 Insurrection of the Boors in Germany under Charles V. 299 John Casimir King of Poland 349 John Pobeiski the present King of Poland 352 Constitution of the Jewish Religion 369 Ignorance contributed to the Popes Authority 386 Causes of this Ignorance 387 Ignorance of Luther's Adversaries 415 The Jesuits why they have taken upon them the Education of the Youth 443 Inquisition and Excommunication 445 L. LEwis XI King of France 202 His politick methods 203 Lewis XII King of France 206 Conquers Milan 206 Conquers Naples 207 Loses it again 207 Lewis XIII King of France 234 Takes Lorrain from that Duke 237 Lewis XIV the present King of France 238 Is forced to leave Paris 240 His differences with the Pope 243 His Wars in Flanders 243 244 Takes Mastricht 245 Leopold the present Emperour of Germany 305 His Wars with the Turks 305 With France 305 Lithuania united to Poland 339 Luther gives a great blow to the Grandeur of the Pope 412 Pope Leo his Vertues and Faults 413 Luther opposes Indulgencies and afterwards the Popes power 414 Is favoured by Erasmus 416 I 'll conduct of Pope Leo and Cardinal Cajetan 418 Why Luther's doctrine was not spread farther 419 Laity debarr'd from reading the Scriptures 437 The licensing of Books 444 Battle fought near Leipzick 520 Battle fought near Lutzen 524 A second Battle fought near Leipzick 530 M. MAcedonian Empire 8 Its fall 11 Massanello's Rebellion at Naples 65 The Maid of Orleans 200 125 Mary Queen of England 139 She restores Popery 139 Marries Philip of Spain 140 Mary Queen of Scotland 142 She marries Bothwel who murther'd her husband 143 She is made a Prisoner in England 143 Is beheaded 144 The Merringim Family loses the Crown of France 178 Mazarine ' s Ministry under Lewis XIV K. of France 238 Mazarine banish'd France 241 And recall'd by the Queen 241 Peace of Munster 275 239 Mazarine's death 242 Archduke Matthew made Governour by the Netherlanders 264 Maurice Son to William Prince of Orange made Stadtholder of the united Provinces 267 Matthias Emperour of Germany 300 Muscovy and its ancient State 361 The Genius of the Muscovites 363 Their Form of Government Strength and Neighbours 365 What Commodities Muscovy affords 364 Concerning Marriages 385 Metropolitans 390 Mendicants order and the Motives to embrace this manner of Life 396 Is prejudicial to the regular Clergy 397 Merits of good Works 439 Marriage made a Sacrament 440 Maydeburgh taken by the Imperialists 519 N. NAvarre conquered by Ferdinand the Catholick 46 Normandy annexed to the Crown of England 108 The Norman Race extinct 109 Navarre taken and lost again in a few days by Francis I. King of France 210 The Edict of Nants 232 Peace made at Nimwegen 305 246 67 The ancient State of the Netherlands 254 Their condition under the Emperour Charles V. 255 Causes of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. King of Spain 256 They were fomented by Elizabeth Queen of England 258 Constitution of the united Netherlands 280 Their Genius 281 Of their Country Shipping and Commerce 282 283 Their Strength and Weakness 285 Their Form of Government 286 Their Defects 288 The Genius of the Norwegians 328 Battle fought near Noringen in Germany 327 O. THE Original of civil Societies 2 Origin of the Kingdom of Navarre and Arragon 3â— The Original of selling Offices in France 202 Siâ—ge of Ostend 271 Orders of Fryars and Nunâ— in general 396 P. THE Persian Empire 4 Philip King of Macedon 8 Peace made at Cambray betwixt Charles V. and Francis I. 213 49 Peace made at Crespy betwixt Charles V. and Francis I. 215 52 Peace betwixt Spain and France 53 Treaty at Passaw 299 52 Philip II. King of Spain 54 His Wars with England 55 Peace made at Vervin betwixt France and Spain 232 57 Portugal falls to Spain 91 59 Philip III. King of Spain 59 Philip IV. King of Spain 91 Portugal falls off from Spain 64 92 Pyrenean Treaty 242 65 Peace with Portugal 66 Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 66 Peace made at Nimwegen 246 67 The Phillippine Islands 74 The Kingdom of Portugal and its Origin 81 The first Project of sailing into the East-Indies 88 The Portugueses banish the Moors and Jews 88 Peace betwixt Holland and Portugal 93 The Humour of the Portugueses 94 A Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan 96 Strength of Portugal 97 Peter's Pence 101 Peace made betwixt the English and French 119 Of no long continuance 120 Another Peace with France under R. II. K. of Eng. 170 The Powder Plot under James I. King of England 147 Pharamond the first King of France 175 Pipin proclaimed King of France 178 The Parisian Massacre 223 Pignerol bought from the Duke of Savoy by Lewis XIII King of France 236 Peace of Munster 275 239 Peace made at Aixla Chapelle 244 The Duke of Parma Governour of the Netherlands 265 Protestants and the rise of that Name 298 Protestant League at Smalkald 298 The differences betwixt the Protestants in Germany 312 The Kingdom of Poland and its Origin 333 Twelve Vaivodes or Governours in Poland 333 The Poles defeated in Moldavia 346 Poland invaded by Gustavus Adolfus K. of Sweden 347 The Poles defeated by the Cosacks 349 Poland invaded by Gustavus Adolf a second time 350 Poland invaded by Ragezi Prince of Transilvania 351 The Genius of the Polish Nation 352 The Kingdom of Poland its Strength and Weakness Form of Government its Commodities Revenues c. 353 354 355. Of the Pope of Rome 368 The Popes Authority and its Origin 386 Pedantry introduced into the Schools 388 The Greek and Roman Politicians prejudicial to Monarchy 388 Patriarchs 390 Of the Popes Power 390 The Popes Confirmation of Bishops 391 How the Popes withdrew themselves from their Subjection to the Emperours 399 The Pope seeks for protection in France 400 The Pope establishes an ecclesiastical Sovereignty 402 The Pope pretends to a power over Princes even to depose them 404 How this power is colour'd over 405 The Papal Authority opposed and weakned by Schisms 407 Divisions among the Protestants and the Licentiousness of some Protestants 420 The Vniversity of Paris 420 The Popish Soveraignty recovered 422 Popish Clergy more regular and learned than before 422 How
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
Aquitain except Bourdeaux and Bayonne The King was so troubled at the loss both of so brave a Son and his Conquests in France that he died within ten Months after his Son § 12. Him succeeded Richard II. Son of that brave Prince Edward who being but eleven Years of Age when he came to the Crown was despised by the French who burnt several places on the English Coast The Scots also made an Inrode on the other side of England and the War being carried on with various Fortune after several Truces expired a Peace was at last concluded There were also great commotions in the Kingdom under this King's Reign For in Kent and other neighbouring Counties there was an Insurrection of the Rabble occasioned by the Insolence of one of the Receivers of the Poll Tax This Rabbles Intention was to have murthered both the Nobility and Clergy except the Mendicant Fryars but were soon restrained by the King's Valour But there were continual Discontents betwixt the King and the Lords the King being resolved to rule according to his Pleasure and to maintain his Favourites against the Lords who were for removing his Favourites and bringing his Royal Power into a more narrow compass by the Authority of the Parliament But it was the King's custom as soon as the Parliament was dissolved to reverse all that was concluded upon before yet once the Parliament got him at an advantage when it forced him to permit most of his Favourites to be either kill'd or banish'd and obliged him by an Oath to promise That he would administer the Government according to the Advice of his Lords Not long after a Conspiracy among the Lords was discovered against him a great many of them paid for it with their Heads the King seemed at last to have master'd his Enemies but he was nevertheless ruin'd at last which was occasioned thus Henry Duke of Lancaster accused the Duke of Norfolk as if he had spoken ill of the King and the latter giving the lye to the former they challenged one another but the Duel was prevented by the King's Authority who banish'd them both out of the Kingdom Henry of Lancaster retired into France raising there a Faction against the King by inviting all dissatisfy'd persons to him who promised to set him on the Throne of England He landed but with a few in England but at a time as King Richard's ill Fortune would have it when he was in Ireland and the Wind proving contrary he could not have notice of his Enemies arrival in England till six Weeks after which gave them opportunity and leisure to strengthen their Party The King also committed a great errour for that he afterwards against his Promise tarry'd so long in Ireland which was the cause that such Forces as were brought together by his Friends whom he had sent before were again dispersed before his arrival in England Coming afterwards in person into England and being informed how powerfull his Enemies were he despair'd of his Affairs and having dismiss'd his Forces that were ready to fight for him till the last gasp he was made a Prisoner Henry of Lancaster calling immediately hereupon a Parliament a great many things were objected to Richard and he was declared to have forfeited the Crown But before this Resolution was published he resign'd himself and was not long after miserably murthered in Prison § 14. Thus Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster came to the Crown he being after the Deposition of King Richard declared King by the Parliament tho' if the Pretensions of Henry together with the Power of the Parliament be duely examined the Title of Henry IV. to the Crown of England will be found to have a very ill Foundation For what some pretend that Edmund from whom the House of Lancaster descended was the eldest Son of Henry III. and that he being very deformed was obliged to give way to his Brother Edward I. is rejected as a frivolous Fable by the English Historians This King did labour under great difficulties at the beginning of his Reign all which he at last overcame For the Design of the French to restore Richard ended with his death And a Conspiracy of some Lords against him was discover'd even before Richard died The Scots who made War on him got nothing but blows The Welshmen also in hopes of having met with an opportunity to shake off the English Yoke joined with a discontented Party out of England and rebell'd against him but before they could join all their Forces the King came suddenly upon them and overthrew them in a great Battel wherein 't is said the King kill'd six and thirty with his own Hands Yet the discontented Party did not rest but enter'd into a third Conspiracy against him which was soon discover'd A great many of them retir'd afterwards into Scotland where they stirr'd up the Scots against England for these never used to miss an opportunity of being troublesome to England but they got nothing but blows again for their pains This King died in the Year 1413. § 15. After him reigned his Son Henry V. who in his younger Years did not promise much but after he came to the Crown shew'd himself one of the most valiant Kings the English ever had And as he was very Aspiring and Ambitious so he thought he could not meet with a better opportunity of gaining Glory than by entring into a War with France and renewing the ancient Pretensions upon that Crown He sent therefore his Ambassadours to Charles VI. to lay claim to that Crown and to make this Proposition to him That if he would resign to him the Crown of France he would marry his Daughter Catharine But it being not usual that Princes are persuaded to part with a Crown thus the next way was to try their Fortune by Arms. Henry therefore enter'd France with an Army took Harfleur and obtained afterwards a most signal Victory near Agincourt in Picardy against the French who according to the English Historians were six times stronger than the English Ten thousand of the French were kill'd upon the spot and as many taken Prisoners not above some Hundreds being slain of the English Yet at that time Henry did not pursue his Victory But not long after the French Fleet having first been beaten by the English near Harfleur Henry made a second Descent upon France taking one place after another in Normandy and at last the City of Roan it self He met with very little opposition in France at that time because all was in confusion at the French Court the King Charles VI. being not in his right Wits and the Queen being fallen out with her Son the Dauphin who had taken from her all her Jewels and Money alledging That they might be better employ'd upon the Souldiery Which was the reason that the Queen siding with John Duke of Burgundy did promote him to the place of chief
Minister of France who was more intent to maintain his private Interest and Greatness against the Dauphin than to make Head against the English A Congress was proposed to be held betwixt the two Kings but this Design was frustrated by the cunning of the Dauphin who gave the Duke hopes of an entire Reconciliation to be made betwixt them both And Monterau being named for the place where they should meet the Duke of Burgundy was there questionless by instigation of the Dauphin miserably murther'd For this reason his Son Duke Philip being resolved to revenge his Father's death declared openly for the English and by his Mediation obtain'd That King Henry should marry the Princess Catharine and during the life of his Wife's Father administer the Government in his name but after his death should succeed him in the Throne The Nuptials were afterwards celebrated at Troyes in Champaigne After the Treaty had been confirmed by solemn Oaths on both sides which was also ratify'd by the three Estates assembled in Paris where the Dauphin was summon'd to appear to answer concerning the death of the Duke of Burgundy But he not appearing Sentence was given against him That he should for ever be banish'd out of France There were also some who design'd to make him away and he was forced to go from place to place but his common place of Residence was Bourges wherefore they used to call him by way of ridiculing The King of Bourges In the mean time the English took one place after another from him At last King Henry being upon his March to raise the Siege of the City of Cosne on the Loire which was besieged by the Dauphin he fell sick in his Journey thither and being carried to Bois de Vicennes there died in the flower of his Age and Felicity leaving the Administration of France to his Brother the Duke of Bedford and the Administration of England to his second Brother the Duke of Gloucester § 15. Him succeeded his Son Henry VI. a Child of eight Months old who after he was grown up degenerated from his Father's Martial Valour and by his ill management lost what his Father had got eclipsing thereby the English Glory He was after the death of Charles VI. who died not long after Henry V. proclaimed King of France in Paris In opposition to him the Dauphin Charles VII also declared himself King of France with whom sided the Bravest among the French and a great many Scots were sent to his assistance But Philip Duke of Burgundy and John Duke of Britainy held to the Confederacy with the English which was renewed at that time And then they began to fall upon one another with great fury For the French received a great Defeat near Crevant in Burgundy and were soundly beaten near Verneuil In the Year 1425 the French had besieged St. Jaques de Beuveron with Forty thousand Men the Garrison being reduc'd to great extremity prayed with a loud voice to St. George of Salisbury The Besiegers hearing the name of Salisbury very frequently among the Besieged supposed that the Earl of Salisbury was coming to raise the Siege whereat the French were so terrify'd that they run away for fear of his Name This is certain that the English for a while were Masters where-ever they came but before Orleans the carreer of their Fortune was first stopt For tho during that Siege they beat the French who came to cut off their Provisions which Battel is commonly called the Battel of the Flemmings and the City would have surrender'd it self to the Duke of Burgundy which the English would not accept of yet did they not only lose in that Siege the brave Earl of Salisbury but also the French being encouraged by a Maid called Joan that was born in Lorraine beat the English from before Orleans This Maid did several great exploits against the English and led her self in person King Charles to his Coronation in Rheims At last she was taken Prisoner by the English in an Encounter who carried her to Roan where they burnt her for a Witch But because the English perceived that after the Coronation of Charles a great many Cities sided with him they also called over their King Henry out of England and crowned him King of France in Paris About the same time a Truce was concluded by Mediation of the Pope for six Years but it lasted not long for the French during the time of the Truce possess'd themselves of several places which they had brought over to their side by cunning Insinuations pretending That any thing gained without open violence did not violate the Truce And King Charles's Maxim was Not to fight with the English but to strive to get Advantages over them rather by Policy than open force But that which gave a great blow to the English was That the Duke of Burgundy having taken a distaste at the English upon some slight occasion was reconciled to King Charles There were some small Differences arisen betwixt the Duke of Bedford and the Duke of Burgundy to compose which a meeting was appointed at St. Omer But the time being near at hand a Dispute arose which of them should appear there first it being supposed that he who should come first did thereby yield the Precedency to the other wherefore the Duke of Bedford refused to come first alledging That he being Regent of France ought not in that Quality to give preference to a Vassal of France But the Duke of Burgundy stood upon his right of being Sovereign of the place where they were to meet so that the meeting being set aside the Duke of Burgundy broke quite off with the English and afterwards assisted King Charles against them The death of the Duke of Bedford proved another Misfortune to the English For the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of York both pretended to his place and tho' the latter did obtain it yet did the first always oppose his Designs so that before the new Regent arrived Paris which had been seventeen Years in the possession of the English and a great many other Cities did surrender themselves to King Charles Yet did the Duke of Gloucester beat the Duke of Burgundy before Calais making great havock in Flanders Artois and Hainault and the brave Talbot did considerable mischief to the French But when afterwards by a Truce made with France the fury of the War ceased for a little time there was a Foundation laid in England for intestine Commotions The King had promised marriage to the Daughter of the Earl of Armagnac to prevent which the French King had made both the Earl and his Daughter Prisoners The Earl of Suffolk who was then Ambassadour in France did propose thereupon without having received any Instructions to that purpose from the King a Match betwixt the King and Margaret Daughter of Renè Duke of Anjou and King of Naples and Sicily
and afterwards persuaded the King to ratifie the same This Match was mightily opposed by the Duke of Gloucester the King's Uncle who alledged That her Father had only the bare Titles of King and Duke and that besides this great Injury was done thereby to the first Bride viz. to the Daughter of the Count of Armagnac Notwithstanding this the Match went forward and to obtain the Bride of the French Anjou and Maine were given them as a Recompence The King being thus led away by the Queen and his Favourites her first design was to revenge her self upon the Duke of Gloucester whom she accused of Male Administration and after she had got him committed to Prison caused him privately to be murther'd The death of so innocent a Man did afterwards fall heavy upon the King For the French not long after took from them all Normandy the English by reason of a Rebellion in Ireland not being in a capacity to send thither speedy and sufficient Relief They were also beaten out of Aquitain so that they had nothing left them in France but Calais and some neighbouring places neither could they afterwards ever get footing again in France This sudden loss was occasioned by the carelessness of the English Garrisons that were not provided with able Governours as also by the Pride of the English whereby they were become hatefull to the French Subjects But the chief cause was Richard Duke of York who had underhand raised intestine Commotions in England For he being sensible of the King's Weakness and how ill satisfy'd the People were with the Queen's management of Affairs hoped by fomenting and raising Troubles in the Kingdom to make way for himself to obtain the Crown and this he did principally because he pretended to have the best right to the Crown being descended by his Mother's side from Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of King Edward III. whereas Henry was descended from John of Gaunt fourth Son of the said Edward III. but publickly he profess'd That his Intention was only to remove from the King's Person his pernicious Favourites and especially the Duke of Somerset Having therefore got an Army on foot he fought with the King's Forces in which Battel the Duke of Somerset was slain and the Duke of York thereupon declared Protector of the King's Person and the Kingdom But this Agreement did not last long and things came quickly again to an open War wherein the Duke of York being worsted was forced to fly into Ireland But not long after the Earl of Warwick did beat the King's Army and taking him Prisoner the Duke of York was again declared Protector of the King and Kingdom and lawfull Heir of the Crown under condition that Henry should retain the Title of King during his life But Matters did not remain long in this condition for the Queen who was fled into Scotland marched with a great Army against the Duke of York who was kill'd in the Battel and all the Prisoners were executed But his Son in conjunction with the Earl of Warwick raised another Army and marching up to London the young Duke of York was there proclaimed King by the Name of Edward IV. § 16. Thus Edward IV. came to the Crown but could not maintain it without great difficulty For Henry had got together a very powerfull Army in the North against whom Edward fought the most bloody Battel that was ever fought in England there being 36796 Men killed upon the spot because Edward knowing his Enemies to be superiour in number had ordered not to give Quarter to any of them After which Battel Henry retired into Scotland from whence he returned with another Army and being again defeated with much adoe got safely into Scotland But returning again incognito into England he was taken Prisoner and committed to the Tower This Prince would have made a better Priest than a King of such a Nation that was distracted by the Animosities of several Factions But the Tragedy did not end here The King had sent the Earl of Warwick into France to conclude a Match betwixt him and Bona the Daughter of Lewis Duke of Savoy But the King having in the mean time suddenly married Elizabeth the Widow of John Gray the Earl was so dissatisfy'd at it that he declared for King Henry and having brought over to his Party the Duke of Clarence the Brother of King Edward he fell upon a sudden upon Edward and took him Prisoner but by the carelessness of his Keepers he escaped not long after And tho' an Agreement was then made betwixt them yet was it of no long continuance for the Earl of Warwick's Forces were routed and he forced to fly into France As soon as he had recover'd himself a little he returned into England where he was so well received that he forced King Edward to fly into the Netherlands to Charles Duke of Burgundy And King Henry after he had been nine Years a Prisoner in the Tower was again set upon the Throne But Edward having received some Assistance from the Duke of Burgundy returned again into England but perceiving that but few came in to him he made an Agreement with King Henry which he confirm'd with a solemn Oath That he would not undertake any thing against him but be contented with his own Estate Yet notwithstanding his Oath he underhand gathered what Forces he could The Earl of Warwick therefore marched towards him when the Duke of Clarence being reconcil'd to his Brother King Edward went over with all his Forces to him This gave a signal blow to the Earl of Warwick who being now not strong enough to oppose him was forced to let him march up to London where he was joyfully received by the Londoners to whom as 't is said he owed much Money and was very acceptable to their Wives but King Henry was committed again to the Tower Then King Edward attack'd the Earl of Warwick where a bloody Battel was fought the Victory seeming at first to incline on the Earl's side But some of his Troops by reason of a thick Fogg charged one upon another which lost him the Battel he remaining with a great many other persons of Quality slain in the Field There happened also this misfortune That King Henry's Lady and his Son Edward having got together very considerable Forces in France could not come time enough to his assistance having been detained by contrary Winds and coming afterwards into England she was taken Prisoner and her Son kill'd and King Henry also was murthered by the Hand of the bloody Duke of Gloucester England being thus restor'd to its Tranquility at home Charles Duke of Burgundy who was in hopes of getting an advantage by a War betwixt England and France stirr'd up King Edward against Lewis XI King of France But King Lewis who was not ignorant how mischievous the Confederacy of England and Burgundy might prove to him did endeavour to detain
the English King with fair words and to render the Duke of Burgundy suspected to him which had the design'd effect with Edward who considered with himself That Charles Duke of Burgundy having besieged Nuys did not send him the promised Succours so that the Peace was easily concluded the French having been very liberal to the English To confirm this Peace King Lewis proposed a Congress to be held betwixt him and Edward at a certain place where he without making any further difficulty appeared first in person and bestowed a good quantity of Wine upon the English Souldiers who soon after returned with their King who had got but little Honour in this Expedition into England But he behaved himself better against the Scots to whom he did considerable mischief In the mean time the Duke of Gloucester had rid himself of his elder Brother the Duke of Clarence thereby to advance himself one step nearer to the Crown At last King Edward being now resolved to enter again into a War with France since King Lewis made a very slight account of what he had promised in the last Peace after he was once rid of his Enemy he fell sick and died in the Year 1483. § 17. After the death of Edward IV. his Son Edward V. a Child of eleven Years of Age was proclaimed King but scarce enjoyed this Title ten Weeks For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester the most bloody and wicked Man that ever the World beheld immediately made it his business to set the Crown upon his own Head Wherefore he first of all secured to himself the Tuition of the King 's and his Brother's Persons by making away their most trusty Friends Afterwards by the help of some Impudent Priests he got it spread abroad That Edward IV. was born in Adultery and that consequently the Crown did of right belong to himself as being the most like his Father At last the Duke of Buckingham did insinuate into the Lord Mayor of London That the Crown ought to be offered to Richard and his Proposal being approved by the Acclamations of a few Villains set on for that purpose it was divulged That the People had conferr'd the Crown upon Richard Having by these Intrigues obtain'd the Crown Richard III. got himself proclaimed King and having been crowned he caused the innocent King Edward V. and his Brother miserably to be murthered But soon after his Coronation a difference arose betwixt him and the Duke of Buckingham who had been chiefly instrumental in helping him to the Crown He therefore leaving the Court began to make a Party against the King with an intention to set the Crown upon the Head of Henry Earl of Richmond who was then an Exile in Britainy And tho' the Duke of Buckingham's Plot was discovered and he beheaded yet was not the Design stopt For the Earl of Richmond set fail with a great Fleet out of Britainy but being driven by contrary Winds on the Coast of Normandy he sought Aid of Charles VIII King of France which he readily granted him A great many English also went over to him who swore Allegiance to him he promising them upon Oath That he would marry the Princess Elizabeth Daughter of Edward IV. But Henry was within an ace of having been delivered up to Richard by the Treachery of one Pieter Landois Treasurer of the Duke of Britainy who had received a great Summ of Money from Richard for undertaking it for which reason he was afterwards hang'd by his Master's order Richard also had an Intention of marrying the Princess Elizabeth and therefore had privately made away his former Lady but was obliged to delay the consummation of the Match by reason of the approaching danger from Henry Who to prevent this intended Match did in all haste sail out of France and landing in Wales was kindly received by most Not long after he gave Battel to Richard where William Stanley with some thousands of Men went over to Henry and besides this a great many of Richard's Souldiers refusing to fight Richard himself was slain in the Field and the Crown being immediately there put upon Henry's Head he was proclaimed King § 18. Hitherto England had been miserably torn to pieces by the bloody Wars betwixt the Houses of York and Lancaster the first whereof bore a White the latter a Red Rose in their Shields For Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster had driven Richard II. from the Throne Edward IV. of the House of York dethroned again his Grandson Henry VI. And Henry VII of the House of Lancaster took from Edward the IV th's Brother Richard III. both his Crown and Life This King Henry marrying the Daughter of Edward IV. united the Red and White Roses and by his singular Wisdom did again settle the State of the Kingdom Yet was he not altogether free from Disturbances at home For first of all one Lambert Symnel Son to a Baker taking upon him the Name and Person of Edward Earl of Warwick caused himself to be proclaimed King in Ireland This Comedy was first invented by a Priest and encouraged by Margaret the Widow of Charles Duke of Burgundy Sister to Edward IV. who to spite Henry gave them all the Assistance she could This Symnel transported an Army out of Ireland into England but was routed by Henry and being taken Prisoner was made a Turnspit in the King's Kitchin In the Year 1491 Henry undertook an Expedition against France and besieged Bologne But the Emperour Maximilian failing in his promises of giving him Assistance he in consideration of a good Summ of Money made a Peace with France In the mean time Margaret Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy had set up another Impostor whose Name was Perkin Warbeck He pretended to be Richard a younger Son of King Edward IV. and knew so well how to act his part that he got a considerable Party in Ireland From thence he went to Paris where he was very well received France being then engaged in a War with England But a Peace being concluded betwixt them he retir'd to the Dutchess Margaret's Court. From thence he returned into Ireland and afterwards came into Scotland where being splendidly received by that King he was married to one of his Kinswomen and enter'd England with a confiderable Army This business might have proved very dangerous to England since there were at the same time great Tumults in England arisen about some new Taxes But the Rebels were beaten and the Scots obliged to retire with great loss into Scotland The Scots made thereupon a Peace with England promising among other things not to uphold by any ways the Impostor Perkin who fled from thence into Ireland and so came into Cornwall where he caused himself to be proclaimed King But perceiving that few came over to his side and the King's Forces coming upon him he took sanctuary in a Church and surrender'd himself to the King who committed
God and having once more by his Ambassadours sollicited the Pope but in vain to decide the matter the King had the same adjudged in Parliament and divorced himself from her yet conversed with her in a very friendly manner ever after till her death except that he did not bed with her since the time when this scruple first arose Some Months after he was married to Anna Bullen by whom he had Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen Anno 1535 the King caused himself to be declared Supream Head of the Church of England abrogating thereby all the Pope's Authority in that kingdom and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Thomas Moor the Lord Chancellour refusing to acknowledge him as such it cost them their Heads Yet would Henry never receive the Doctrine of Luther or Zwinglius but continued in the Roman Communion because he was mightily exasperated against Luther For Henry had formerly got a Book to be published under his Name against Luther in favour of the Pope for which he acquired the Title of Defender of the Faith which Title the Kings of England retain to this day But Luther setting aside all the Respect due to a King writ an Answer to the same full of Heat and bitter Reflections Yet because he esteemed the Monks as a sort of people that were not only useless but also such as depending on the Pope might prove very pernicious to him at home he gave free leave to all Monks and Nuns to go out of the Convents and Nunneries and by degrees converted unto his own use the Revenues of all Nunneries and Convents Colleges and Chappels as also those of the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem nevertheless he employed some part of them in erecting six new Episcopal Sees and Cathedral Churches and to the advancing of Learning in the Universities A great part also he gave away or sold for a little Money to great Families intending thereby to oblige them for the future to maintain the alterations he had made It is reported that these Church Revenues which were so reduced did amount yearly to 186512 l. or as some others will have it to 500752 l. He also abolished the superstitious worship of Images and made some other alterations in Religious Worship so that in effect he laid the Foundation of the Reformation Nevertheless England was at that time in a miserable condition for a great many Roman Catholicks that would not acknowledge the King for the Supream Head of the English Church were executed And a great many more Protestants received the same punishment because they would not own the Corporal presence of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament tho' this effusion of blood was not so much caused by the King as by the Bishops who had first brought in use such rigorous Laws and now executed them with as much severity In the Year 1543 another War happened with the Scots who making an Inrode into England were beaten by a few English which did grieve King James V. to that degree that he died for trouble leaving behind him one only Daughter Mary whom Henry would have engaged to his Son Edward thereby by to unite these two Kingdoms and the business was like to have succeeded very well if the Archbishop of St. Andrews had not opposed it Henry also enter'd into a League with the Emperour against France wherein it was agreed to join their Armies of 80000 Foot and 22000 Horse near Paris to plunder that City and to ravage the whole Country as far as the Loire But neither of them acted according to the Agreement for Henry wasted his time in the Siege and taking of Boulogne which he afterwards by the Peace concluded in the Year 1546 promised to restore to France within the space of eight Years in consideration of the Summ of 800000 Crowns to be paid him for the same which was performed accordingly under Edward VI. Neither do I believe that Henry was in good earnest by ruining the French to give such great advantages to Charles V. After his Divorce with Catharine of Arragon he was very unfortunate in his Marriages for Anna Bullen was beheaded for Adultery and Incest tho' some are of opinion that it was more the Protestant Religion than the Crime which proved fatal to her It is certain that the Protestant Princes of Germany did so resent this matter that whereas they intended to have made Henry the Head of their League they afterwards would hold no correspondency with him After Anna Bullen he married Jane Seymour Mother to Edward VI. who died in Child-bed Then he married Anna of Cleves whom he also pretending I know not what bodily infirmity in her quickly dismiss'd The fifth was Catharine Howard who was beheaded for Adultery The sixth Catharine Parre Widow of the Lord Latimer who outlived him Henry died in the Year 1547. § 20. Edward VI. was nine Years of age when he came to the Crown during whose Minority his Uncle the Duke of Somerset had the Administration of Affairs His first design was to force the Scots to agree to a Match betwixt Edward and their young Queen Mary wherefore he fell into Scotland and overthrew them near Muskelborough in a great Battel Nevertheless he miss'd his aim for the Scots sent their Queen into France who was there married to the Dauphin afterwards King of France by the Name of Francis II. Under this King Edward the Reformed Religion was publickly established in England and the Mass quite abolished which occasioned great disturbances in the Kingdom which were nevertheless happily suppress'd In the Year 1550 there was a Peace concluded betwixt England France and Scotland when also Boulogne was restor'd to the French But King Edward falling sick the Duke of Northumberland who had before destroyed the Duke of Somerset persuaded King Edward under pretence of settling the Protestant Religion to exclude by his last Will and Testament his two Sisters Mary and Elizabeth for of the Queen of the Scots they made but little account at that time from the Succession of the Crown and to settle it upon Jane Grey Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whom he had by Mary Daughter of Henry VII which afterwards proved fatal both to Jane and the Author For after the death of Edward the Duke of Northumberland caused Jane to be proclaimed Queen in the City of London but Mary eldest Sister of Edward did immediately lay claim to the Crown in her Letters to the Privy Council And Letters proving ineffectual they began to come to blows but most of the Nobility unto whom Mary promis'd not to make any alteration in Religion did side with her and a part of the Army and Fleet most of the Privy Counsellors and the City of London taking her part proclaimed her Queen Northumberland himself being now willing to go with the tide did proclaim Mary Queen in Cambridge notwithstanding which he
afterwards lost his Head § 21. Queen Mary caused the Roman Catholick Religion and Mass which were abolished in her Brother's time as also the Pope's Authority to be restor'd in England she used the Protestants very hardly of whom a great many were punished with death Yet was she not able to restore the Church Revenues for fear of exasperating the greatest Families who had them in their possession The Pope did also send Cardinal Poole to re-unite the Kingdom to the holy See of Rome This Queen Mary was married to Philip Son of Charles V. who was afterwards King of Spain yet under these Conditions That she should have the sole disposal of all Offices and Revenues of the Kingdom and if a Son was born he should besides the Crown of England inherit Burgundy and the Netherlands Don Carlos who was born of a former Wife should be Heir of Spain and all the Italian Provinces and in case he died without Issue this should also inherit his part But no Children came of this marriage Mary being pretty well in Years for she was thirty Years before proposed in Marriage And there were some who being dissatisfy'd at this Match raised Tumults among whom was the Duke of Suffolk Father of Jane who had hitherto been a Prisoner in the Tower but she and her Husband Guilford and her Father paid with their Heads for it It was within an ace but that Elizabeth who was afterwards Queen had also undergone the same fate if Philip and the Spaniards had not interceded for her not out of any affection to her person but because they knew that after her the next Heir to the Crown of England was Mary Queen of Scotland who being married to the Dauphin of France they feared lest by this means England and Scotland might be united with France Among other Articles in the Marriage Contract of Queen Mary it was agreed That she should not be obliged to engage her self in the Wars which her Husband Philip should carry on against France Notwithstanding which when Philip afterwards was engaged in a War with France she sent to his assistance some of her best Forces who by their Bravery chiefly obtain'd the Victory near St. Quintin for which reason Philip gave the City to be plundered by the English Henry II. King of France taking hold of this opportunity assaulted the City of Calais under the Command of the Duke de Guise which being not well Garrison'd he took in a few days and obliged all the Inhabitants to quit the City and to leave behind them all their Gold Silver and Jewels He also took afterwards the two Castles of Guisnes and Hammes and thereby drove the English quite out of France Not long after this loss Queen Mary died § 22. Elizabeth who after the death of her Sister was unanimously proclaimed Queen maintain'd her Authority and govern'd with great Prudence and Glory in the midst of a great many threatning dangers to the very end In the beginning Philip endeavoured by all means to keep England on his side for which reason he proposed a Marriage betwixt Elizabeth and himself promising to obtain a Dispensation from the Pope which was nevertheless opposed by the French in the Court of Rome Elizabeth was very unwilling to disoblige so great a Prince who had well deserved of her yet on the other side the same scruple which had caused her Father to be divorced from Catharine of Arragon by a parity of reason did remain with her she considered especially that the said Divorce must needs be esteemed unjust if the Pope's Dispensation was allowed of since it had been alledged as a fundamental reason of the said Divorce that the Pope had no power to dispense in any cases which were contrary to God's Law She resolved therefore not to have any further concerns with the Pope and to give a friendly refusal to Philip. Then she by an Act of Parliament constituted the Protestant Episcopacy yet not at once but by degrees taking away from the Papists the free exercise of their Religion and under several Penalties and Fines obliged every one to frequent the Protestant Churches on Sunday Every body also was obliged by a solemn Oath to acknowledge her the Supream Governour in England even in Spiritual Matters which Oath was among 9400 who were possess'd of Church Benefices taken by all except 189 who refused the same among whom were fourteen Bishops She kept stedfast to the established Episcopal Church Government tho' she met with great opposition from two sorts of people viz. the Papists and Puritans These having conceived a great hatred against Episcopacy and all other Ceremonies which had the least resemblance of Popery were for having every thing regulated according to the way of Geneva Tho' their number increased daily yet the Queen kept them pretty well under But the Papists made several attempts against her Life and Crown for her envious Enemies did erect several Seminaries or Schools for the English Nation in foreign Countries viz. at Douay at Rheims at Rome and Valedolid all which were erected for the Instructing of the English Youth in these Principles viz. That the Pope had the Supream Power over Kings and as soon as a King was declared a Heretick by him the Subjects were thereby absolved from their Allegiance due to him and that it was meritorious work to murther such a King Out of these Schools Emissaries and Priests were sent into England whose business was there to propagate the Roman Catholick Religion but more especially to instruct the People in the abovementioned Doctrines To these associated themselves some Desperado's who after Pope Pius V. had excommunicated the Queen were frequently conspiring against her Life But most of them got no other advantage by it than to make work for the Hang-man and occasioned that the Papists were stricter kept than before Mary also Queen of Scotland raised abundance of troubles against Queen Elizabeth she being the next Heiress to the Crown of England did with the assistance of the Duke of Guise endeavour to have Queen Elizabeth declared by the Pope Illegitimate which the Spaniards underhand opposed and both she and the Dauphin assumed the Arms of England which undertaking proved afterwards fatal to Queen Mary For Elizabeth sided with the Earl of Murray natural Brother of Queen Mary whose main endeavour was to chase the French out of Scotland and to establish there the Protestant Religion both which he effected with the assistance of Queen Elizabeth This Queen Mary being after the death of Francis II. returned into Scotland was married to her Kinsman Henry Darley one of the handsomest Men in England by whom she had James VI. But her Love to him grew quickly cold for a certain Italian Musician whose name was David Ritz was so much in favour with the Queen that a great many persuaded Henry that she kept unlawfull company with him He being thus
also exercised them in Sea Affairs wherein consists the chief Strength and Security of this Kingdom Wherefore she always kept a good Correspondency with all such as were Enemies of the House of Austria she assisted France against the Designs of the Spaniards favoured the Protestant Princes in Germany upheld the Dutch against the Spaniards thereby the better to weaken so formidable a Neighbour looking upon the Netherlands as the Out-work of her Kingdom Besides this she finding continual employment for her Subjects abroad did not a little contribute towards the preserving the Health of the State for by this means a great deal of corrupt and inflamed Blood being taken away it prevented intestine Diseases in the State But King James took quite another course and perceiving that the Vnited Provinces were grown strongh enough not only to support themselves against Spain but also to dispute the Dominion of the Narrow Seas with England he left them to themselves and concluding a Peace with Spain establish'd a lasting Tranquility at home for his Inclinations were more for Books than Arms. And because Subjects in general are apt to follow the Inclinations of their Sovereigns the People laid aside all Warlike Exercises and fell into such Weaknesses and Vices as are commonly the product of Plenty and Peace And the King hoped when these Nations applyed themselves only to Trade and Commerce they would be diverted from having any thoughts of opposing his Authority He made it also his main endeavour to unite the Minds of the Scots and English by Naturalizing the English in Scotland and the Scots in England and by joining the great Families by Marriages But he was more especially carefull of establishing one Form of Religious Worship in both Kingdoms For tho' there was no great difference in the Articles of Faith yet the Ceremonies and Church Government were very different For Queen Elizabeth when she established the Protestant Religion retained many Ceremonies which were anciently used in the Primitive Church as also used by the Papists afterwards she maintained also the Authority of the Bishops yet under the Royal Power supposing that this Constitution was most suitable to a Monarchy considering that the Bishops had some dependence on the King and had their Votes in Parliament And it used to be the saying of King James No Bishop no King But this Constitution did not agree with those of the Reform'd Religion in Holland Switzerland and France partly because these Nations were used to a Democratical Liberty and therefore loved an Equality in the Church-Government as well as the State partly because they had suffered from some Kings and Bishops and therefore both were equally hated by them These would not allow of any Superiority among the Clergy but constituted the outward Church-Government by Presbyteries Classes and Synods neither would they admit any Ceremonies believing that the perfection of the Reformed Religion did consist in not having so much as anything tho'never so indifferent common with the Papists And according to this Form the Church of Scotland being establish'd the number of such as were of the same Opinion increased daily in England who were commonly called Presbyterians or Puritans And the Capriciousness of those who were of several Sentiments proved the more dangerous because these Nations being of a melancholy temper used to adhere stedfastly to their Opinions not to be removed from them King James being besides a great Enemy of the Puritans thought to have found out a way to suppress them in Scotland by inserting it among the Royal Prerogatives which was to be confirmed by the Parliament of Scotland That he had the Supream Power both in Spiritual and Temporal Affairs in the same manner in Scotland as in England By this means he hoped to model without any great difficulty the Church of Scotland according to that of England And tho' this Proposition was opposed by a great many in the Parliament of Scotland yet the King's party prevailed and a new Form of Church-Government was established in Scotland But the King had no sooner turned his back and was return'd into England but the common people made an Insurrection against the Bishops in Scotland who began to introduce there the Ceremonies of the Church of England § 25. Tho' King Charles I. was of a more warlike temper than his Father yet was he obliged tho' against his Will according to the Maxims of his Father to preserve Peace abroad to avoid the danger of being oblig'd to depend on the Capricious Humours of his Subjects And because he as well as his Father had a great dislike of the Power of the common people and of the Temper and Principles of the Puritans all his Thoughts were bent to find out ways how to secure himself from the danger of both And because the King could not impose any extraordinary Taxes without the consent of the Parliament Charles chose rather to controul his own Inclinations which were bent for War than to fawn upon the Parliament in hopes that its Heats which was for limiting the King's Power would by degrees diminish if it was not called together for a considerable time It is supposed that the Lord Treasurer Weston did confirm him in this Opinion who did expect to be call'd to an account by the Parliament The Parliament used anciently to provide a certain yearly Revenue for the King towards maintaining his Court and Fleet to secure the Commerce of the Kingdom which Revenue was not hereditary to the next Successour The first Parliament which was called by Charles I. had settled the Customs as part of his Revenue but when he afterwards having dissolved the same against the Opinion of the Male Contents his Revenues also began to be call'd in question it being their Opinion that nothing could so soon oblige the King to call a new Parliament as if what was necessary for his and the Courts Subsistence were withheld from him But the King however did not only receive the same Customs as his Predecessours had done but also augmented them with new Impositions to the yearly value of 800000 l. by which means the King who was firm in his Opinion was thought to have a Design to alter the ancient Constitution of the Government and to maintain himself without a Parliament which however was look'd upon as an impossibility by the generality of them For King James had left above 1200000 l. Debts which were since increased by Charles 400000 l. more which Money was expended in the Wars against France and Spain it was therefore not visible how he could extricate himself out of these Debts without the assistance of a Parliament since according to the fundamental Constitutions of the Realm he could not levy any Taxes upon the Subjects and to force them to pay any was beyond his Power having no Forces on foot but the Militia of the Kingdom And it was impossible to bring in such a Foreign Force as could be supposed to be able
to make Head against the dissatisfy'd people Notwithstanding all which the King pursued his Resolution and having ask'd the Opinion of Men skill'd in the Law who told him That it was allowable for the publick benefit to levy Money by his own Authority he imposed several new Taxes whereby he augmented his yearly Revenue from 500000 l. to 800000 l. Besides this he laid a Tax for maintaining of a Fleet which amounted to 200000 l. All which caused great dissatisfaction among the Subjects against the King Besides the King was thought by the Puritans to deal hardly with them and too mildly with the Papists by the Counsel of Archbishop Laud a Man of great Resolution who at that time apprehended that Faction very dangerous both to Church and State which was by the Puritans interpreted as if the King was resolved by suppressing of them to introduce Popery to insinuate this into the Multitude abundance of Libels and scurrilous Papers were scatter'd abroad against the King and the Bishops and Commissioners being appointed to inquire into them they were rather exasperated than appeas'd by its Severity § 26. Both Nations being therefore full of Discontents the Flame first broke out in Scotland For the King endeavouring to root out Puritanism there to establish the Authority of the Bishops and an Uniformity in Religion he order'd a Church Liturgy to be composed abrogating all Presbyteries Classes and Provincial Synods and enjoining every one under severe penalties to conform to the same there was a general Insurrection raised by that party in Scotland There was also another reason for at the time of the first Reformation the Revenues of a great many Church Benefices were appropriated to the use of the Crown but without any remarkable advantage for they were lett out for the most part to younger Brothers of Noble Families These having found the benefit of them had by getting from time to time the Survivorship continued the same in their Families and kept them as their own Propriety Nay they did more than this for during the Minority of King James VI. they had obtained the Titles of Lordships for some of the most considerable of these or some lesser Benefices joined together King James afterwards perceiving that thereby they had bound him up from rewarding such with these Benefices as deserved well of him would have recall'd the beforesaid Grants but met with such opposition in the Nobility that he desisted from it But the King undertook the business effectually employing the said Revenues towards the augmenting of the Salaries of the Clergy These therefore who had been losers by this Revocation joined with such Ministers as were mortal Enemies of the Liturgy did with all their might help to stirr up the Rebellion Alexander Lesley also who had been a Commander in the German Wars and having refused to serve under John Banniers there was returned into his native Country in hopes to make his advantage of these Troubles He put himself at the Head of the Rebellious Party and by persuading the Nobility that the King intended to take away their ancient Privileges stirr'd up a great many against the King And to make a fair shew to the common people they made use of the Religious Cloak of Conscience ordering a Directory to be compos'd by the Ministers quite opposite to the former Liturgy They thereupon enter'd into an Association confirm'd by solemn Oaths That they would maintain the same against all even the King himself This Association was called the Covenant which being subscrib'd by the greatest part of the Nobility and Clergy a Council was constituted unto whom was committed the supream direction of their Affairs To suppress these Commotions the King sent the Marquiss of Hamilton into Scotland who dealing mildly with them only encouraged the adverse party For the King calling a Parliament in hopes to remedy these Disorders the Covenant was by its Authority confirm'd the Episcopal Authority quite abolish'd and Puritanism establish'd in defiance of the Royal Authority There being then no other way left to reduce the Rebellious Party to Obedience but force and the King being in want both of Money and a sufficient number of faithfull Subjects he was forc'd to make some use of the Papists to obtain both wherefore he did not only raise an Army wherein were some Papists but also was assisted by them with some Summs of Money all which however was in no ways sufficient to supply the want of the King and a Supply being demanded from the Subjects very few except the King's Servants and Officers were for contributing any thing And it being divulged that a great many thousand of Irish Papists and Germans were ready for the King's Service to try whether by this way the Subjects could be frightened out of some Money it served only to exasperate the Minds of the people Yet the King's Forces might in all probability have been successfull against the Scots if they had fallen upon them immediately But because they had leisure given them they did not only settle a Correspondency with France and Holland from whence they were supply'd with Money and Ammunition but also sent their Deputies into England who so well knew there to represent the state of their Affairs that the King being persuaded by the English made a dishonourable Agreement with them Which nevertheless did not last long the Court being asham'd of the Agreement and the Scots not trusting the King the King had in the mean while intercepted a Letter wherein the Scots had sollicited for some Officers and Money to be sent them from France this he hoped might prove an inducement to the English to oppose the Treachery of the Scots and to furnish him with some Supplies of which he stood in great need at that time He calling therefore a Parliament the Letter was read but to no great purpose the Members of the House of Commons being most of them Puritans who were great friends of the Scots so that the Parliament was a little while after dissolv'd by the King's Authority The King had caused to be made Prisoner in London the Scotch Commissioner who had subscribed the abovementioned Letter whereupon the Scots took up Arms and took the Castle of Edinburgh The King having with great difficulty for want of Money got together an Army went in person against the Scots but as a party of his Army endeavouring to force their passage was beaten back with loss which augmented the Discontents of his Subjects the Souldiers for want of Pay being to be maintained by those Counties where they were quartered Besides this ten thousand Men which were raised by the Parliament in Ireland for the King's service were forc'd to be disbanded for want to Pay There was then no other remedy left but to make a Truce with the Scots and to call a new Parliament in England which began to sit in November in the Year 1640. § 27. But in the
Session of this Parliament the Ulcer which had been long gathering in the Minds of the people broke out For the Parliament in lieu of assisting the King against the Scots enter'd into a Confederacy with them promising a monthly Subsidy towards the maintaining of the Scottish Army which was to be ready at the English Parliament's command Then they began to reform the States to clip the King's Authority to punish his Ministers and Servants and to take away the Bishops Liturgy and fall upon Papists The better to obtain their aim they forced the King to consent that he would not dissolve the Parliament till all such as were criminal were punished and the State were entirely reformed In a word that they should have the liberty to sit as long as they pleased Which in effect put an end to the Royal Authority To try the King's Patience and their own Strength they brought the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland to his Tryal who notwithstanding he made a good Defence and the King did his utmost to preserve his beloved and faithfull Minister yet the Rabble of London then encouraged by the House of Commons making an Insurrection he received Sentence of Death in the House of Lords And the King refusing to sign the Warrant for his Execution was obliged thereunto partly by the importunity of the Parliament partly by the Insurrection of the Rabble of the City of London and partly by a Letter from the Earl desiring him to do it Then the rest of the King's Ministers went to rack some of them saving themselves by flight some being imprisoned The Bishops were excluded from the House of Lords The Star-chamber the Authority of the Privy Council and the High Commission were suppressed the Customs and power over the Fleet were taken away from the King Some of these and some other things which proved very prejudicial to him the King was forced to grant them in hopes thereby to heal the ulcerated Minds of the people He went also in person into Scotland where he granted them all what they could desire About the same time a horrid Conspiracy broke out among the Irish Papists who pretended to maintain the Popish Religion and to redress some Grievances by force of Arms which occasioned afterwards a most cruel slaughter At last it came to an open Rebellion For the Parliament not ceasing to encroach daily more and more upon the Royal Authority the King resolved to assert his Authority wherefore he summoned five Members of Parliament whom he accused as Traitors and authors of all the Differences And the House of Commons taking their part the King went into the House accompanied with some Officers and spoke to them with a due resentment of their Behaviour which however they made but little account of being not ignorant of his want of Power of which he seem'd to betray himself when he immediately afterwards condescended and came nearer their Expectations The House of Commons thereupon stirr'd up the neighbouring Counties and especially the London Apprentices who made such an Insurrection that the King not thinking himself safe in London retir'd into the Country And the Parliament order'd all the Governours of the Sea-ports not to obey the King's Commands It was certainly a great errour in the King that in such troublesome times he had not taken care to secure to himself the Sea-ports by which means he might have hoped for some assistance from abroad For when the King intended to possess himself of the Fort and Harbour of Hull he was not admitted so that there was nothing left but that the Parliament had not as yet taken from the King the disposal of Offices But for the rest it was evident that their Intention was to abolish totally the Royal Power and to introduce a Democracy And after the King had once given his Assent to the exclusion of the Bishops from the House of Lords where they had six and twenty votes and the rest of the King's Friends had once absented themselves from both Houses it was easie for the remainder quite to abolish the Authority of the House of Lords Thus after there had been long contests by Words and Writings betwixt both parties the King now as well as the Parliament began to Arm themselves And the King having at several times at first beat the Parliament Forces the Parliament stirr'd up the Scots entring with them into a Confederacy Whereupon the Scots came with a considerable Force to the assistance of the Parliament which turned the Scale the King's Forces being routed near York and he obliged for want of Men and Money to give himself up to the protection of the Scots who nevertheless did surrender him to the English for the Summ of 400000 l. under condition that he should not be abused by them The King was afterwards carried a Prisoner from place to place for a considerable time § 28. By these means the Puritans or Presbyterians had under the pretext of Religion overthrown the Royal Power But that they could not long enjoy their usurped power was occasioned by a certain Sect that called themselves Independent because they would not depend on any certain from of Faith or Spiritual or Temporal Constitutions nor acknowledge any of the same whereby they opened a door for all sorts of Fanaticks to come under their Protection These under pretence of a particular holy Zeal had not only got a great sway in the Parliament and had been against any peaceable accommodation propos'd by others but also by their cunning insinuating way crept into the chief Civil and Military Employments For in the place of the Earl of Essex Thomas Fairfax was made General and Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant General over the Army the last of which was the Head of the Independents a sly and cunning Fox And out of this party all vacant places were supply'd in Parliament The Presbyterians therefore perceiving that the Independents began to be very strong in the House and that most Military Employments were in their Hands proposed in the House That one part of the Army should be sent into Ireland that some Forces only should be kept in England and the rest be disbanded Cromwell made use of this to stirr up the Souldiers telling them that they were likely to be disbanded without pay or else to be starv'd in Ireland Thereupon the Souldiers enter'd into an Association among themselves taking upon them not only the Military but also all the Civil Power they took the King from the Parliament into their own custody pretending they would give him his liberty but made themselves Masters of the City of London and acted in every thing at discretion For they quickly after broke off the Treaty with the King and a great many of the Subjects who were not able to bear their Tyranny taking up Arms were dispers'd by Cromwell who also beat the Scots that were come into England to the assistance of the King making
their General Hamilton a Prisoner But during the absence of Cromwell the Parliament had re-assumed the Treaty with the King and the business was carried on so far that there was no small hopes of an Accommodation when the Souldiers headed by Ireton Son-in-law to Cromwell broke off the Treaty taking Prisoners such Members of the House as did oppose them So that there were not above forty Members left in the Parliament and those were either Officers or at least favourers of the Army These decreed That no Treaty should be set on foot for the future with the King That the Supream Power was to be lodged in the People which was represented by the House of Commons But the Regal Power and the Authority of the House of Lords should be quite abolished Then they order'd a Court of 250 persons to be erected by whose Authority the King was to be summoned sentenced and punished notwithstanding that the generality of the people look'd upon this Court as an abominable thing some Presbyterian Ministers cry'd out aloud against it in the Pulpits the Scots protested against it and the Dutch Ambassadours and other Princes did their utmost to oppose it Before this Court where sat among the rest a great many of very mean Extraction the King was accused of High Treason Tyranny and of all the Murthers and Robberies committed since the beginning of these Troubles And the King as in justice he ought to do refusing to acknowledge its Authority was sentenced to be beheaded tho' there were but 67 of these pretended Judges present the rest abominating the fact had absented themselves among whom was Fairfax But the King having been miserably abus'd by the Souldiers was beheaded with an Ax upon a Scaffold erected for that purpose before Whitehall § 29. After the death of the King the outward shew of the Supream Power was in the Parliament but in effect it was lodged in the Generals of the Armies Their first design was to banish the King's Son and the whole Royal Family and to suppress all such as adhered to him Cromwell was sent into Ireland where the Royal Party was as yet pretty strong which Island was reduced in the space of one year by Cromwell's good Fortune and Valour In the mean while the Scots had proclaimed Charles II. tho' under very hard Conditions their King who also arriving there safely out of France whither he was gone for Shelter was crowned King of Scotland The Parliament thereupon recall'd Cromwell out of Ireland and having made him General for they had deposed Fairfax whom they mistrusted sent him into Scotland where he beat the Scots several times but especially gave them an entire defeat near Leith taking among other places the Castle of Edinborough which was hitherto esteemed impregnable The King in the mean while having gathered a flying Army enter'd England in hopes that a great many English would join with him But he was deceiv'd in his hopes very few coming to him and Cromwell overtaking him with his Army near Worcester his Forces were routed and dispersed so that he was forc'd to change his Cloaths in his flight and after a great many dangers was miraculously saved and escaped by the help of a Merchant-ship into France The King being thus driven out of the Island the Scots were entirely subdu'd under the Conduct of General Monk who was sent thither by Cromwell who having imposed upon them very hard Conditions according to their deserts intirely subjected them to the English This done the Parliament began to take into consideration how to disband part of the Army and to quarter the rest in the several Counties But Cromwell sent away that Parliament which had been the cause of so much troubles and constituted a new Parliament consisting of 144 Members most of them being Fanaticks and Enthusiasts among whom Cromwell had put a few cunning Fellows who being entirely devoted to his Service did make the rest dance after his pipe These having first let these silly wretches go on in their own way till by their phantastical Behaviour they had made themselves ridiculous and hated by every body then offer'd the Supream Administration of Affairs to Cromwell who having accepted of the same under the Title of a Protectour selected a Privy Council wherein were received the Heads of the several Sects Thus they who had shown so much aversion to the Royal Power and hatch'd out a Monarch of their own who without controul ruled the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland at pleasure Cromwell to have a fair pretence to keep on foot his Sea and Land Forces which were the Foundation of his Power began a War with the Dutch who seem'd to despise this new Monarch But Fortune was so favourable to Cromwell in this War that he took above 1700 Merchant men from the Dutch and beat them in five Sea Engagements in the last of which the Dutch lost Martin Tromp and twenty seven Men of War The Hollanders then were oblig'd to beg for Peace and to accept of such Conditions as were propos'd to them among which one was That the Province of Holland should exclude the Prince of Orange for ever from succeeding in his Father's place Another was That they should not receive the banish'd King Charles II. into their Territories Which some alledge as a reason that he was always ready afterwards to revenge himself upon them tho' at his return into the Kingdom they endeavoured with aboundance of flattery to make amends for the former affront It is very likely also that the King was suspicious that the Dutch had fomented the Differences betwixt his Father and the Parliament Cromwell acquired so much Glory by this War that most Princes sent their Ambassadours to him as if he had been a lawfull Sovereign and desir'd his Friendship He was no less fortunate in discovering several Plots which were made against him For which purpose he entertained his Spies every where even near the King's person having besides this a cunning way to draw the people over to his party and to suppress such as envy'd his Fortune He sent also a Fleet into the Mediterranea◠wherewith he curb'd the Pirates on the Coast of Barbary Another was sent into the West Indies where his Designs against St. Domingo and Hispaniola miscarried but Jamaica he took from the Spaniards notwithstanding that a great many of his Men were taken off by Sickness and he did considerable mischief to the Spaniards by ruining their Silver Fleet. He sent some Auxiliary Troops to the French in Flanders who in recompence surrender'd to him Dunkirk He died in the Year 1658 having been as great and formidable as ever any King of England He was a great Master in the Art of Dissimulation knowing how to make his advantage of Religious Pretences wherefore he gave liberty of Conscience to all Sectaries whereby he not only got their Favours but also by dividing the people into
and turn'd to the great advantage of those Cities But this King perceiving that his own Subjects might as well make the same benefit of it he set up the Woollen Manufactury in his Kingdom which increased prodigiously afterwards when at the time of the Troubles in the Netherlands a great many of these Weavers did settle themselves in England The Riches of England also are as it seems not a little increased because it is not permitted there to any Body to carry any Gold or Silver of their own Coin out of the Land except it be perhaps to the value of ten pound Sterling for a Traveller But Scotland does not come near England neither in Fertility nor Riches having not any Commodities fit for Exportation except Salt-fish Salt Lead and Coals The Western and Orkney Islands also produce nothing but Fish Ireland abounds in Cattel and especially in Sheep tho' the Irish Wooll is not so fine as the English but for the rest it is a fertile and plentifull Country In America belong to the English Crown the Islands of Bermudos Virginia and New England and some of the Caribby Islands whither the English have sent their Colonies and have also begun to settle themselves on the Continent of Guiana The Product of these Countries is chiefly Tobacco Sugar Ginger Indigo and Cotton They have also a Colony in the Island of Jamaica from whence the English Buckaneers and Privateers do great mischief to the Spanish West Indies For it is a custom with the English That tho' they are at Peace with the Spaniards in Europe they do them nevertheless all the Mischief they can in the West Indies Tangier King Charles II. got as a Dowry with the Infanta of Portugal Lastly The English also are possess'd of some places in the Banda Islands and thereabouts in the East Indies which are of no small consequence to them § 35. The Constitution of the Government in England is chiefly remarkable for this that the King cannot act at pleasure but in some Matters is to take the Advice of the Parliament By this Name is to be understood the Assembly of the Estates of England which is divided into the Higher and the Lower House In the first sit the Bishops and the Lords in the latter the Deputies of the Cities and of the 52 Counties or Shires into which the whole Kingdom of England is divided The first origin of the Parliament as 't is related was this That the former Kings of England did grant great Privileges to the Lords by whose assistance they had conquer'd the Country and kept the common people in obedience But these in conjunction with the Bishops growing too head-strong proved very troublesome especially to King John and Henry III. wherefore to suppress their Insolence Edward I. took part with the Commons And whereas formerly out of each County or Shire two Knights and two Citizens only were call'd to represent their Grievances which having been debated by the King and the House of Lords they used to receive an answer and to be sent home again This King Edward call'd together the Commons and consulted with them concerning the publick Affairs tho' there are some who will have their origin to be much more ancient This House after it was once establish'd did extreamly weaken the Authority of the Lords and in process of time did not a little diminish the Regal Power for ever since that time the Rights of the People were maintained with a high hand the House of Commons imagining that the Sovereignty was lodg'd among them and if the Kings refused to gratify them in their Requests they used to grumble at their proceedings And because the Power of the Parliament is not so much establish'd by any ancient Laws as Precedents and Customs this is the reason why it is always very jealous of its Privileges and always ready to make out of one single Precedent a right belonging to it ever after This Parliament the King is obliged to call together as often as any extraordinary Taxes are to be levy'd for the Parliament did assign this King at first for his ordinary Revenue 1200000 l. per annum which has been considerably augmented since or any old Laws are to be abrogated or new ones to be made or any alteration to be made in Religion For concerning these matters the King cannot decree any thing without consent of the Parliament The Parliament also used to take into consideration the state of the Kingdom and to present their Opinion to the King yet is the same of no force till approved of by the King It often also calls into question the Ministers of State concerning the Administration of publick Affairs and inflicts Punishment upon them with the King's approbation And it is a common rule in England that whatever is committed against the Constitutions of the Realm is done by the Ministers and Officers for the King they say does never amiss but his ill Counsellours which is not altogether contrary to Truth But if the Parliament should pretend to transgress its bounds the King has power to dissolve it yet ought the King also to be cautious in this lest he should by an unseasonable Dissolution of the Parliament exasperate the People § 36. If we duely consider the Condition and Power of England we shall find it to be a powerfull and considerable Kingdom which is able to keep up the Balance betwixt the Christian Princes in Europe and which depending on its own Strength is powerfull enough to defend it self For because it is surrounded every where by the Sea none can make any attempt upon it unless he be so powerfull at Sea as to be able entirely to ruine the Naval Forces of England And if it should happen that the English Fleet were quite defeated yet would it prove a very hard task to transport thither such an Army as could be suppos'd to be superiour to so powerfull a Force as the English Nation is able to raise at home But England ought to take especial care that it fall not into civil Dissentions since it has often felt the effects of the same and the Seeds of them are remaining yet in that Nation which chiefly arises from the difference in Religion and the fierce Inclinations of this Nation which makes it very fond of Alterations Nevertheless a Wise and Courageous King may easily prevent this evil if he does not act against the general Inclination of the People maintains a good Correspondency with the Parliament and for the rest is very watchfull and as soon as any Commotions happen takes off immediately the Ringleaders Lastly England and Scotland being comprehended in one Island whose chiefest Strength lies in a good Fleet it is evident that this King need not make any great account of such States as either are remote from the Sea or else are not very powerfull in Shipping Wherefore as the King of England takes no great notice of Germany except as far as
the Year 1510 the Pope Ferdinand Henry VIII and the Swiss Cantons denounced War against Lewis For the Pope could not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France in Italy Ferdinand feared lest Lewis might attack Naples and Henry being come lately to the Crown was for making himself famous by so great an Undertaking the Swiss were set against France because Lewis had not paid them their old Arrears and had refused to encrease their Pension not because their Demands were extravagant but because he would not be out-brav'd by them In this War the French General Gasto de Foix behaved himself very gallantly for he relieved Bononia beat the Venetian Army killed 8000 of them in Brescia and obtained a glorious Victory against the Confederate Army near Ravenna in which Battel nevertheless this brave General being too hot in pursuing the Enemy was slain With his death the French Affairs began to decline and they were again forced to leave Italy Maximilian Son of Lewis the Black was restored to his Dutchy of Milan by the help of the Swiss The Genoucse revolted and made sanus Fregosus their Duke Ferdinand the Catholick took from King John the Kingdom of Navarre which the French in vain endeavoured to regain from the Spaniards But Lewis being extreamly desirous to regain Milan enter'd into a League with Venice and retook most places of that Dukedom and the City of Genoua He besieg'd Duke Maximilian in the Castle of Novara but the Swiss coming to the Assistance of the Duke attack'd the French with incredible Fury in their Camp and drove them quite out of the whole Dukedom which was twice taken in one Month. Then Lewis was at one time attack'd by the Emperour England and the Swiss and if the English and the Swiss had join'd France would have run a great Risque But King Henry in lieu of entring into the Heart of France lost his Time at the Siege of Terouâ—ne where he defeated the French that were come to its Relief near Guinegast this Battel was call'd La journée des esperons or The Battel of the Spurs because the French made better use of their Spurs than their Swords and after he had taken Tournay he return'd into England The Swiss who kept the Duke of Tremoville besieg'd were bought off with 600000 Crowns which were promised to them by the Duke without the King's Order as likewise that he should renounce the Council of Pisa and his Pretensions to the Dukedom of Milan Which shamefull Agreement the King refus'd to ratify and if the Swiss had not been more fond of the Ransom offer'd for the Hostages than their Blood they had pay'd with their Lives for it In the Year next following Lewis made a Peace with the King of England who gave him his Sister Mary in Marriage which young Lady 't is thought did hasten the Death of the old King which ensu'd in the beginning of the Year 1515. This King was so well belov'd by his People that he was generally call'd Le Pere du Peuple or The Father of the People § 17. His Nephew Francis I. succeeded him who having made a League with England the Archduke Charles and Venice enter'd upon a sudden into Italy and took Genoua and some other Places without great Opposition but being encamp'd near Marignano within a League of Milan the Swiss unexpectedly fell upon him where a bloody Fight ensu'd The Swiss were at last repuls'd and found that they cou'd be beaten having lost above 10000 but the French also left 4000 of their best Men upon the Spot After this Maximilian surrender'd himself and the whole Country to the King on the Condition of an annual Pension of 30000 Ducats to be paid him Soon after the King agreed with the Swiss whom in Consideration of a good Summ he brought again into an Alliance with France He made also an Agreement with Pope Leo X. by vertue of which the King was to have the Right of naming Bishops and Abbots but the Pope to keep certain Benefits out of the chiefest Church Benefices In the Year 1518 he redeem'd Tournay form the English for a good Summ of Money In the Year next following after the Death of the Emperor Maximilian Francis employ'd all his Engines to be exalted to the Imperial Dignity but the German Princes fearing lest the French should endeavour to humble them and for some other Considerations preferr'd before him Charles V. This proved the Occasision of great Jealousies betwixt these two Princes for Francis being very sensible what great Advantages he had gained by the Imperial Dignity put himself into a good posture to prevent his becoming Master of him and all the rest of the Princes in Europe This Jealousie broke at last out into an open War Francis endeavouring to re-take Navarre from the Spaniards as thinking to have met with a fair Opportunity whilst the Divisions in Spain were on Foot The French conquer'd that Kingdom in a few days time but being not carefull enough to preserve it as easily lost it again Soon after the War was kindled in the Netherlands occasion'd by Robert Van de Marck Lord of Sedan whom Francis took into his Protection This Robert was so puft up with the French Protection that he writ a Letter of Defiance to the Emperour and fell into the Country of Luxemburgh But Charles quickly chastis'd this petty Enemy and being persuaded that Francis had encourag'd him thereunto he took from him St. Amand and Tournay The Business nevertheless might have been compos'd at the beginning if the French had not insisted upon keeping Fonterabia which in the mean time had been surpris'd by them But the hardest task was in Italy both the Emperour and Pope being willing to drive Francis out of Milan and to restore Francis Sforza They effected both with good Success for the French Army was not timely supply'd with Money and being besides this beaten near Bicoque the French were again driven out of Milan and Genoua And on the other side they also lost Fonterabia But what happen'd very ill to Francis was That the Constable Charles of Bourbon went over to the Emperour the Reason of which was That he had been for a while mightily kept under by the Queen Mother the Chancellour Duprat and Admiral Bonnivet The first had commenc'd a Suit at Law against him about the Dukedom of Bourbon which he despair'd to be able to maintain against so strong a Party as believing that the King was underhand concern'd in the Matter 'T is said that the first Cause of this Difference was because the Duke of Bourbon had refus'd to marry her The Duke of Bourbon therefore had agreed with the Emperor and the King of England That they should divide the Kingdom of France betwixt them the Kingdom of Arelat and the Emperour's Sister having been promis'd to the Duke of Bourbon But the Design being discover'd the Duke of Bourbon was
from thence to Constantinople Francis thought to have met now with a fair Opportunity because Charles had suffered a considerable loss before Algier He therefore attack'd the Emperour with five several Armies at once But the strongest of all which lay before Perpignan did nothing the Second took some Places in the Country of Luxemburgh The Emperour Solyman also made a great Diversion in Hungary taking Gran and some other Places The great Pyrate Barbarossa arriv'd in Prevence with his Fleet but did more mischief than good to France But Charles on the other hand made an Alliance with Henry VIII who was dissatisfy'd with Francis because he had taken part with the Scots and would not renounce his Obedience to the Pope He after he had beat the Duke of Cleves who depended on the French besieged Landrecy with a great Army but to no purpose In the mean time the French had obtain'd a most signal Victory over the Imperial Forces near Cerisolles in Piedmont But the King could not prosecute his Victory being obliged to recall his Troops because the Emperour and Henry King of England had made an Agreement with an Army of 80000 Foot and 22000 Horse to fall into France the first by the Way of Champagne the second by the Way of Picardy to join their Forces near Paris to ransack the City and all the adjacent Countries as far as to the River Loire The Emperour took by the Way Luxemburgh lay six Weeks before Disier got abundance of Provision in Espernay and Chasteau Thierry which put the whole City of Paris into a great Consternation and no small Danger seemed to threaten that City if King Henry had joined his Forces in time according to his Promise But he losing his Time in the Sieges of Boulogne and Monstrevil Charles hearkened to a Peace which was concluded at Crespy By vertue of this Peace all the Places were restored and the Emperour promised to the Duke of Orleans the second Son of the King either his or his Brother's Daughter in Marriage and to give for her Dowry either Milan or the Netherlands which was not performed because the said Duke died in the Year next following Francis also made a Peace with England under Condition that he should have liberty to redeem Boulogne for a certain Summ of Money He died in the Year 1547. § 18. Him succeeded his Son Henry II. to whom fell the Marquisate of Saluzze as a Fief of Dauphine the last Marquiss Gabriel dying without Issue He severely chastiz'd the City of Bourdeaux which had rebelled against him In the Year next following he redeemed Boulogne for a certain Summ of Money from the English In the Year 1551 the Emperour being engaged in a War against the Turks and the German Princes being very jealous of his Greatness Henry thought to have met with a fit Opportunity to break with him He began therefore in the Netherlands and Piedmont and having made an Alliance with Maurice Elector of Saxony he marched with his Army towards the Rhine and surpriz'd by the Way the Cities of Metz Toul and Verdun and would have done the same with Strasbourgh if they had not been upon their Guard there But the Elector of Saxony having made a Peace with the Emperour without including the King and some Princes intreating him not to advance farther into the Empire he marched back into the Country of Luxembourgh where he took some Places The Emperour then besieged Metz with an Army of 100000 Men but the Duke of Guise defended himself so bravely that the Emperour was obliged to raise the Siege with great loss To revenge this Affront he attack'd Terouëne in Artois with great Fury and rased to the Ground this Fortress which had proved hitherto so troublesome to the Netherlands The same he did to Hesdin both the Garrisons being put to the Sword On the other side the French took Siena in Italy and several Places in the Island of Corsica but were again beaten out of Siena after they had been maul'd near Marciano In the Year 1556 a Truce was concluded at Vaucelles near Cambray the Emperour being desirous to leave the Kingdom to his Son to whom he had surrender'd the same in Peace But the Truce was scarce confirm'd by Oath when the French upon the Instigation of Pope Paul IV. broke the same again who having some Differences with Spain persuaded Henry to take his part The Duke of Guise was therefore sent into Italy with an Army but did nothing worth mentioning In the mean time King Philip had gathered an Army of 50000 Men hoping thereby to establish his Reputation in the beginning of his Reign and having also drawn England into the War he besieged St. Quintin into which place the Admiral Gaspar Coligny had thrown himself The Constable Montmorency advanced with an Army to the Relief of the Place but retreating again in sight of the Enemies they fell upon him and gave him a terrible Defeat France had been then in the utmost danger if this Victorious Army had march'd directly towards Paris and if the Enemies Design upon Lyons had not miscarry'd But King Philip feared least the Duke of Savoy who commanded his Army might take this Opportunity to reconcile himself to France upon some advantageous Conditions wherefore he would not let him march on far into the Country but took St. Quintin by Storm and lost his Time in the taking of Han Chastelet and Noyon This gave leisure to the French to recollect themselves and having recall'd the Duke of Guise out of Italy they retook Calais and those few other places which remained under the English thereabouts as likewise Thionville in the Year 1559. In the same Year a Project was set on foot to unite the Kingdom of Scotland with France by a Marriage betwixt Queen Mary and the Dauphine Francis but the same miscarried no Children being born of them The Mareschal de Fermes who made an Inrode into Flanders was soundly beaten near Gravelingen At last a Peace was concluded at Chasteau en Cambresis which prov'd very pernicious for France because for the Castle of Cambray the Cities of Han Chastelet and St. Quintin there were not only 198 Places redeliver'd to Spain and the Duke of Savoy restor'd but also this Peace was partly the Occasion of those intestine Wars which afterwards miserably tore in pieces the Kingdom of France It was also resolv'd in France not to intermeddle any more in the Italian Affairs and to dissolve the Alliance with the Turks After this Peace was concluded Henry was kill'd in a Turnament a Splinter of a broken Lance having got into his Eye for the King had challeng'd the Earl of Montgomery to run against him with an open Vizier and as soon as he was wounded he lost both his Senses and Speech and died within eleven days By this Accident the Wedding which he celebrated for his Sister Margaret which was married to Chilibert
Emperour clapt up a Peace with the Turks fearing lest the King of France might make use of this Opportunity to fall into the Netherlands Yet those Forces which were sent to the Assistance of the Venetians into Candie did not acquire so much Glory they being too forward and hot in the first Onset where they lost the Duke of Beaufort In the Year 1665 the King of France kindled a War betwixt the English and Dutch thereby to weaken their Naval Force which was so formidable to him and in the mean while to get leisure to conquer the Netherlands In the Year 1667 he enter'd the Netherlands in person and took Charleroy Lisle Tournay Doway Courtray Oudenarde and some other places pretending that the Netherlands did belong to him in right of his Queen by vertue of the jus devolutionis or right of devolution in Brabant notwithstanding that in the Marriage Contract she had renounc'd all her Title to it He also conquer'd the County of Burgundy but after having demolish'd the Fortifications he restor'd it again but kept those places which he had taken in the Netherlands by vertue of the Peace concluded at Aix la Chapelle The tripple Alliance as it is call'd made betwixt Sweden England and Holland which was intended for the Preservation of the Netherlands did greatly hasten this Peace tho' France afterwards found out a way to draw the English Court from this Alliance and to join with him in humbling the Hollanders who he said were too proud For tho' France all along had been in the Interest of Holland yet the King took it very ill that the Dutch had made a Peace at Munster without including France and that they had been so bold as to undertake the Preservation of the Netherlands and when afterwards the King put strong Garrisons into the conquer'd places they sent a Fleet on these Coasts as it were to brave him The tripple Alliance also was displeasing to him and some are of Opinion that the King of England who had not forgot the Business at Chatam and that the Peace concluded at Breda was not according to his wish had engag'd himself in this Alliance only to draw in the Dutch thereby and so to exasperate the King of France against them At last France in conjunction with England made War on Holland with prodigious Success at first for he took three Provinces viz. Gueldres Over-yssel and Vtrecht besides that he had already possess'd himself of some Passes leading into Holland But his Confederate the Bishop of Munster had not the same Success in the Siege of Groningen and afterwards lost Coeverden again And the Dutch had better Success at Sea where they behaved themselves bravely in four several Engagements whereas the French Fleet as the English say did not engage heartily Besides England grew Jealous of the great Success of the French which was one reason why the Parliament did in a manner oblige the King to make a separate Peace with Holland fearing that France after England and Holland had destroy'd one another at Sea might also at last fall upon them The Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh endeavour'd immediately at the beginning of the War to give a Diversion to France but to no great purpose since they did nothing but ruin several Provinces in Germany and drew Turenne with his Army thither who ravag'd the Country but especially Westphalia The Elector of Brandenburgh made a Peace with France at Vossem whereby he got the Restitution of his strong Holds in the Dutchy of Cleves but as soon as he got them into his possession he made no great account of the Peace In the Year next following France took the strong City of Mastricht where the French both shew'd their Bravery and Dexterity in attacking of places On the other hand the Imperialists had good Success against Turenne who pretended to oppose their March for they trick'd him and having march'd to the lower Rhine in conjunction with the Spaniard and Prince of Orange took Bon This and the loss of Narden which the Dutch took caus'd the French to leave Vtrecht and all the other places in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht For it seem'd very difficult to maintain so many Garrisons and at the same time to have a sufficient Army in the Field to oppose the Enemy since it might easily have happen'd that all Correspondency with these places in the United Provinces might have been cut off by the Enemy Afterwards Spain and the whole German Empire declar'd against France and a great many were of Opinion That the joint Power of Spain Holland and Germany would be sufficient to curb the French and to carry the Seat of the War into France it self but this could not be effected 'T is true the Germans did take from the French Philipsburgh and beat them out of Treves where Mareschal de Crequi receiv'd a Defeat But on the other hand the Germans were several times also especially near Sintsheim and in Alsace worsted by the French and oblig'd to repass the Rhine And in the Year 1675 there was a great probability that it would not have gone very well with them on this side of the Rhine if the brave Turenne had not been kill'd by an accidental Shot which oblig'd the French who were ignorant of his Design after a sharp Engagement to retire on the other side of the Rhine For the rest Spain lost most by this War for the Franche Compte was taken from them Messina receiv'd voluntarily a French Garrison and the Dutch Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of the Spaniards into Sicily got nothing but Blows the brave Admiral de Ruyter being there slain tho' afterwards the French quitted Messina on their own accord Besides this the French took from them these strong holds Limburgh Conde Valenciennes Cambray Yper St. Omer Aire and several others The Prince of Orange retook Graves but in the Battel of Seneffe and St. Omer he was worsted and sustained a considerable loss before Mastricht At last France ended this War very gloriously for it self restoring to Holland what it had taken from those Provinces but kept Burgundy and a great many strong places in the Spanish Netherlands In Germany in lieu of Philipsburgh it got Friburgh and for the rest the Westphalian and Copenhagen Treaties were renewed by Virtue of which Sweden was restored to its own again § 25. To consider the French Nation whose History we have briefly related it must be observ'd That it is swarming if I may so speak with People and sow'd thick with Cities and Towns Under the Reign of Charles IX it is related That above twenty Millions of People paid the Poll Tax Some say That Richlieu affirm'd that by Computation France could bring into the Field 600000 Foot and 150000 Horse provided every Man that was able to bear Arms did go into the Field This Nation also has been always warlike nevertheless in
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
good number of Towns and Villages to be met withal The Switzers have also some other Confederates viz. the Abby and City of S. Gall the Grisons the Vallesins the Cities of Rotweil Munthusen Bienne the Biel Geneva and Newburgh on the Lake There are also among them several Cities and some Counties which are either subject to the whole Confederacy or to some particular Commonwealths § 5. The Switzers were also obliged to fight against the Emperor Maximilian I. for their Liberty he having stirr'd up the Swabian League against them hoping by this way to chastise them But the Switzers for the most part got the better of their Enemies till through the mediation of Lewis Duke of Milan a peace was made betwixt them Not to relate here some intestine Commotions among them scarce worth mentioning they have done great Actions abroad under the Conduct of other Nations and more especially under the French For Lewis XI having whilst he was Dauphin sufficiently tryed their Valour in the engagement near Basil sought by all ways after he was King to make use of the Switz in his Wars wherefore he allowed them a certain yearly Pension And his Son Charles VIII made use of the Switzers with good success in his Expedition against Naples for the Italians when they saw the Switzers make such a prodigious havock among them by the help of their Battel-Axes and large Back-Swords they were so surprized at it that they counted the former Wars but like Childrens play in comparison of this and look'd upon the Switzers more like some Monsters than Soldiers Lewis XII also employ'd the Switzers in his Service in his Italian Wars tho they lost great part of their Reputation there For these Switzers which were listed in the Service of Lewis Menis Duke of Milan refusing to fight against their Countrymen that were in the French Army thereby betray'd this Prince into the hands of the French § 6. But in the year 1510. the Switzers left the French Service for the time of agreement with France being expired they demanded a larger Pension and which Lewis XII refused to pay them thinking it unbecoming the grandeur of a King to be imposed upon by these Highland Peasants as he used to call them he having therefore dismissed them took into his Service some of the Grisons and Germans in their stead But this proved very disadvantageous to France for they listed themselves under Pope Julius II. and did great Service against France They attack'd the French who were much more numerous with such fury near Novara that after a bloody Fight they not only routed them but also quite beat them out of Italy Afterwards they fell into Burgundy and besieged the City of Dijon where the Duke of Tremoville was obliged to make a very dishonorable agreement with them and was glad to send them home with fair promises of great sums of Money and if he had not stop'd their progress they would certainly have put France into the utmost danger the King of England being at the same time faln into France on the other side The Switzers attack'd Francis I. in his Camp near Marignano the fight lasted two days and after a great deal of bloodshed on both sides the Switzers retired in good order Wherefore Francis I. in the year next following gained their Friendship by a great sum of Money whose example the succeeding Kings have followed ever since Their antient Reputation is much diminished of late years partly because they are not altogether so furious now partly because other Nations have found out a way to bring their Infantry into a better condition And besides this those great Back-Swords which the Switz used to handle with so much dexterity by the extraordinary strength of their Arms are quite out of use in Europe § 7. As to the qualifications of these Countries which are Inhabited by the Switzers they are very different for in the mountainous parts scarce any thing else but Pasture Grounds are to be met withal but tho the Valley and flat Country produce Corn and Wine in considerable quantities yet among so vast a number of Inhabitants there appears no great plenty here since Foreign Commodities cannot be imported without great difficulty and what is deficient in the native Soil is not repaired by Traffick and Manufactories 'T is therefore accounted a common calamity among the Switzers if once in some years the Plague does not come among them to rid them of so many superfluous Mouths Yet they enjoy this benefit by the situation of their Country that by reason of the high Mountains and narrow Passages it is almost inaccessible especially on the Italian side and in the midst of the Country for some of the outward parts are of a very easie aocess § 8. The Switzers pretend to be downright honest and true to their word and indeed they are generally Simple and Plain-Dealing without any great Cunning or By-Designs but they are couragious and soon provoked to wrath They are steadfast in their Resolutions from whence they dont easily recede their valour constancy talness and strength of Body has so recommended them to a great many Princes that they choose their Guards among them and the King of France maintains a considerable number of Switz Foot Souldiers They are very forward to fight but not to undergo any other hardship or labour they expect to have duely their pay if that fail they return home as fast as they can from whence comes the Proverb No Money no Swisse They do not love to bear hunger or hardship in other Countries because they have enough of that at home It is one of the Articles of Agreement made with France that that Crown shall never have less than 6000 at a time in pay and that these are not to be separated That in case these Articles should not be perform'd they may be in capacity to assist one another They also never will be imploy'd in any Sea service § 9. The main strength of this Confederate Commonwealth consists in the number of its Inhabitants For in the City of Bern which has the greatest Territories pretends alone to be able to send into the Field 100000 fighting Men. And it is not to be questioned but that if they had been ambitious of making Conquests at that time when their Glory was at the highest pitch or had not wanted Conduct they might easily have brought under their Subjection the Franche Comte and a great part of Lombardy but the reason why they did not aim at Conquests was partly their Inclination which did not prompt them to encroach upon their Neighbouâ—s partly the constitution of their Government which seems to be unfit for great and suddain Enterprises For each Canton by itself considered is a Democracy the highest Power being lodged in the Guildes and it is certain that such as are of little Understanding and Experience are always very positive in their opinions and
same off again with his foot intimating thereby as if it was in the power of the Popes to give and to take away the Imperial Crown He died in the year 1198. having just then made great preparations for an Expedition into the Holy Land and sent his Army before he being ready to follow § 7. After the death of Henry VI. the Germans were miserably divided among themselves for Frederick II. his Son being then but five years old his Uncle Philip pretended to have the Tuition of his Nephew and the Administration of the Empire according to the last Will of the deceas'd Emperour but this being opposed by the Pope he perswaded some of the Princes to elect Otto Duke of Saxony Germany was thus miserably torn in pieces most siding with Philip the rest with Otto After a long war an agreement was made betwixt them that Otto should Marry the Daughter of Philip but lay down the Royal Title till the death of Philip when the same was to be restored to him Not long after Philip was murthered at Bamberg by Otto the Palatin of Wittelbach After his death Otto obtained the Imperial Dignity and having been Crowned at Rome he resolved to reunite such places as were unjustly possess'd by the Popes to the Empire which so exasperated the Pope that he Excommunicated him exhorting the Princes to elect another Emperour Most of them were for Frederick II. Son of Henry VI. which made Otto to hasten into Germany but having in vain endeavour'd to maintain himself in the Empire he was forc'd to surrender the Imperial Crown to Frederick the Second King of Sicily and Naples and Duke of Suabia who after he had bestowed a considerable time in setling the Affairs of Germany went into Italy where he was Crowned by the Pope In the year 1228. he undertook an Expedition into the Holy Land and retook Jerusalem from the Saracens He was continually allaâ—m'd by the intrigues of the Popes who were for playing the Masters in Italy against whom he bravely maintained his Right This occasioned several Excommunications to be thundred out against him by the Popes who raised great disturbances From hence had their rise the two famous Factions in Italy whereof those who sided with the Pope called themselves Guelfs but these who were for the Emperour Gibellins which two Factions for a considerable time after occasioned great Commotions in Italy And tho Frederick behav'd himself bravely against the Pope and his Associates yet the Popes Excommunication had such powerful Influence in that Superstitious Age that after the Pope had solemnly deposed him in the Council held at Lyons some Princes of Germany did choose Henry Landgrave of Thuringia their King who was commonly call'd the King of the Priests but he dying in the year next following some Princes declared William Earl of Holland their King who was not able to Establish himself being opposed by Cunrad Son of Frederick II. who was appointed to succeed his Father in the Empire In the mean time his Father had been very unsuccessful in Italy who at last died in the year 1250. Cunrad having left Germany retired into his Hereditary Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily where he died William Earl of Holland was slain in a battel against the Frizelanders in the year 1256. § 8. With the death of Frederick II. the Authority of the German Emperours in Italy was quite extinguish'd And that it might not be revived again the Pope gave the Kingdom of Naples to Charles Duke of Anjou who by the Instigation of the Pope caused the young Cunradin who being the Son of Cunrad was come to recover his Herediatary Kingdom and taken Prisoner in a battel fought betwixt them to be executed by the hands of the Hangman with whom was extinguish'd the Race of the Dukes of Swabia In the mean time there were great divisions among the German Princes concerning the election of a new Emperour some of them had chosen Richard Duke of Cornwal Son of John King of England and the rest were for Alfonsus X. King of Castile both were elected in the year 1257. Richard came on his Journey as far as the Rhine to take possession of the Empire but for want of Money was forc'd to return home again And Alfonsus came not within the sight of Germany Then there was a complete and long vacancy of the Throne in Germany during which time there was nothing to be seen but confusion every body pretending to be Master These Civil Disorders were of the worse consequence because that about the same time the three great Families of the Dukes of Swabia the Marquesses of Austria and Landgraves of Thuringia being extinct a great many aspired to possess themselves of these Countries To be short the longest Sword was then the best Title and he that could master another kept him under subjection and robbing and plundering was an allow'd exercise at that time Against these outrageous Proceedings several of the Cities upon the Rhine enter'd into a Confederacy with whom a great many other Princes afterwards joyning their Forces they demolish'd the strong Holds of these Robbers and clear'd the Highways § 9. At last Rodolph Earl of Habsburgh and Landgrave of Alsace from whom are descended the present Arch-Dukes of Austria was unanimously chosen Emperour who the better to establish himself in the Throne Marry'd his three Daughters to three of the great Princes of Germany viz. to Lewis Palatin of the Rhine to Albert Duke of Saxony and to Otto Marquess of Brandenburgh After the death of Frederick Marquess of Austria who had his Head cut off at Naples together with Cunradin Ottocar the King of Bohemia had possess'd himself of Austria Stiria Crain the Windishmarck and Portenau But Rodolph who thought that his Family had more Right to it having â—etaken these Countries from Ottocar gave them in Fief to his Son Albert and to the second whose name was Rodolph the Dukedom of Swabia Besides this the Grandson of Albert got Crain and Tyrol Thus Rodolph did by obtaining the Imperial Dignity raise his House from a moderate State to great Power and vast Riches But tho he was often invited to come into Italy yet he could never be perswaded to it alledging that old and notorious saying of the Fox Quia me vestigia terreat because the footsteps deter me Nay he declar'd a great many Cities there Free for Sums of money by which the Kingdom of Italy being first torn into a great many pieces was quite lost But Germany he took into his particular Care and destroy'd a great many Castles there which serv'd for a retreat for Robbers He was the first that introduc'd the use of the German Tongue in all Publick Courts and Private Transactions whereas formerly the Latin Tongue had been made use of in the like cases He dyed in the year 1291. His Son Albert did lay claim to the Empire but by the Interest of the
Exercise of the Christian Religion throughout his Kingdom His Son Harald was attack'd by the Emperour Otto I. from whom the Sea betwixt Jutland and Holland has got the Name of Otten Sound because the Emperour there threw in his Lance to mark the utmost Limits of his Expedition His Son Suen Otto came to the Crown in the year 980. who being taken Prisoner by the Jutins was redeem'd by the Women who gave their Gold and Silver Ornaments for his Ransom In recompence of which he granted them this Privilege that whereas they used only to have a small Portion in Mony out of their Fathers Inheritance they for the future should have an equal share with the Males He also Conquer'd a part of England and died in the year 1012. His Son Canut or Cnut II. surnamed the Great was King of Denmaâ—k Norway and England having Conquer'd the latter of these three by force of Arms tho England did not remain long under the subjection of the Danes for after his death Harald and only Hardiknut Reign'd in England after whose death the Danes were again chased out of England Besides this Magnus Son of S. Olaus King of Norway made himself Master of Denmark which Kingdom however after his death Sueno II. obtain'd but he was forc'd to fight for it against Harald Hardrode then King of Norway He died in the year 1074. Him succeeded his Sons Harald VII who Reign'd but two years and Canute IV. This King did give great Power to the Bishops in Denmark and granted the Tenths of all the Revenues of the Country to the Clergy At which the Jutes being exasperated slew him at Oden Sea but the Clergy as an acknowledgement of his Favours bestowed upon them placed him in the number of Saints and his memory was afterwards celebrated with full Cups at their Feasts by those who call'd themselves the Knutgylden from him His Brother Olaus IV. succeeded him who died in the year 1095. and after him Reigned his Brother Erick II. who took Jutin at that time a great City in Pomerania He died in the Ille of Cyprus in his Pilgrimage to Jerusalem § 2. After his death the whole Kingdom was in great Confusion especially when three at once fought for the Crown viz. Sueno III Canute VI and Waldemar I. These after they had waged wars together for many years did at last agree to divide the Kingdom into three parts but Canute having been assassinated by Sueno and Sueno again having been slain in a Battel against Waldâ—mar he got the whole Kingdom into his possession He subdued the Rugians and Vandals who had hitherto proved very mischievous to Denmark he also destroyed the City of Julin 'T is related that he laid the first Foundation of the City of Dantzwick and under the Reign of this King Absalom Bishop of Roshild first began to build the City of Copenhagen Waldemar died in the year 1182. Him succeeded his Son Canute VI. who waged great Wars against the Vandals and at last forced their Princes to be his Vassals taking upon himself the Title of King of the Vandals or Slaves He took from Adolf Earl of Holstein among other places the City of Hamburgh which however twenty seven years after did shake off the Danish Yoke He having also conquered Esthonia and Livonia the Christian Faith was established in these Countries by his means He died in the Year 1202. After him reigned his Brother Waldemar II. who at the beginning was a very fortunate and potent Prince and had under his Subjection besides Denmark the Countries of Esthonia Livonia Curland Prussia Pomerania Rugen Meckâ—enburgh Holstein Stormar Ditmarsen and Wagern as also the Cities of Lubeck and Lauenburgh But he lost a great part of them again by the following occasion Henry Earl of Swerin having undertaken a journey to the Holy Land had committed during his absence his Lady and Country to the care of Waldemar but having been informed after his return that the King had lived in Adultery with his Lady he to revenge this Affront took him Prisoner by stratagem and after he had kept him three years in prison dismist him making him pay for his ransom the sum of 45000 marks of fine Silver The Countries of Mecklenburgh and Pomerania and the Cities of Lubeck and Duntzwick taking hold of this opportunity revolted from Waldemar Adolf Earl of Shauenburgh took from him Holstein and Stormar the Knights of the Cross took Esthonia and Livonia And endeavouring to recover these Countries he was vanquished in a Battel fought near Bornhove by the Earl of Shauenburgh Yet he recovered Reval and Esthonia and died in the year 1241. § 13. His Son Erick V. succeeded him in the Kingdom tho he had also given some parts of it to his other Sons viz. to Abel Sleswick to Canute Bleckingâ—n and to Christopher Laland and Falster These were each of them for being Sovereigns in these Countries but Erick pretending that they ought to be his Vassals there were great Commotions in Denmark till Erick was miserably murthered by his Brother Abel and Abel after he had reigned two years was slain by the Friselanders and Ditmarsians Whom succeeded his Brother Christopher I. Aganist this King the Archbishop of Lunden raised abundance of Troubles and the King having imprisoned him he was by the rest of the Bishops and Clergy excommunicated and with him the whole Kingdom And at last the King was by them poisoned as 't is thought with the Host After him reigned his Son Erick VI. who was at Variance with the Bishops and engaged in Wars against Sweden and Norway at last he was taken Prisoner in a Battel by Erick Duke of Holstein and was barbarously murthered by some of the great Men of the Kingdom He left the Crown to his Son Erick VII who immediately in the first year of his Reign had great contests with the King of Norway who had given protection to to the Murtherers of his Father He also had some other Differences with some of the neighbouring States and died in the year 1319. Him succeeded his Brother Christopher II who got his Son crowned in his Life time This King was banished the Kingdom by his Subjects who under pretence of being oppressed with Taxes elected in his stead Waldemar Duke of Sleswick their King But they grew also quickly weary of him and recalled Christopher who afterwards in a battel fought against this Waldemar lost his Son Erick Under the Reign of this King Schonen being sorely oppressed by the Holsteiners who were in Possession of it surrendred itself to Magnus King of Sweden And John Duke of Holstein perceiving that he could not maintain it by force sold all his Right and Title to it for 70000 Marks fine silver Under the Reign of this King Denmark was torn into so many pieces that very few places were left to the King He died in the year 1333.
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
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
1479. John II. A Project of sailing to the East Indies Emanuel Moors and Jews banish'd out of Portugal The first Sea-voyage into the East Indies 1497. The reason why the Venetians opposed the Portugueses settling themselves there The Progress of the Duke â—f Albuquerque in the East Indies The discovery of Brasil in America John III. The Jesuites sent to the Indies Sebastian His fatal Expedition into Africa Henry Portugal united to Spain The Dutch sail to the East Indies 1620. 1630. The Portuguese shake off the Yoak of Spain The Duke of Braganzâ— proclaimed King John IV. 〈◊〉 League between Portugal and Holland A War breaks cut betwixt them A Peace in 1661. Alfonsus VI. 1668 1666. Don Pedro. The Humours of the Portugueses Fruitfulness of Portugal Brasile Africa The East Indies A horrible Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan and the occasion of It. The Strength of Portugal How it stands with regard to Spain To France To Holland The ancient Sate of England The Romans conquer England The Saxons come into Britainy â—450 689. The Saxon Kings in England The Saxon Heptarchy Peter's 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of England 818 Dancs first come into England 1002. The Danes driven out but return again King Edmund treacherously murther'd Canute the Dane King of England 1017. Harald Hardiknut Edward the Consessor 1066. Wâ—lliam the Conquerour Willam conquers England October 14 1066. The Corfew Bell. Edgar Atheling makes an attempt His Son Robert Rebels He acts as a Conquerour Robert Rebels again 1088. William Rufus 1100. Henry I. Robert makes a Lesient in England Normandy annexed to the Crown of England The Norman Race extinct Stephen Maud makes War on him Henty II. Hâ—s Son with the French and Scots join in a War against him 1189. Ireland conquered Richard I. He makes an Expedition into the Holy Land In his return â—e is taken Prisoner 1199. John His Nephew Arthur opposes him The King of France dispossesses him of Normandy The Dauphin invited by the Barons invades England 1216. Henry III. The Dauphin is forced â—ome again A War with the Barons He quits his Pretensions on Normandy for a Summ of Money Edward I. The causes of the Differences betwixt the English and Scots A War with Scotland 1307. With France 1297. He banishes the Jews Edward II. Vnsuccessfull 〈◊〉 his War with Scotland 〈…〉 1327. Edward III. His Pretensions to the French Crown He is successfull against Scotland His Expedition into France 1340. The Battel near Crecy 1346. The Scotch defeated He takes Calais 1356. The Battel near Poictiers A dishonourable Peace to France Another War with France 1377. Richard II. A Peace with France Troubles at home The occasion of his Ruin Henry Duke of Lancaster invades England 1399. Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster He had great Difficulties which he surmounted Henry V. He invades France to prosecute his claim of the Crown The Battel uear Aguicourt 1419. 1420. The Administration of France to be in Henry during Charles's life and after his death the Crown to descend to him 1422. Henry VI. Proclaim'd King of France 1423. 1424. The Maid 〈◊〉 Orleans He was crowned in Paris 1432. The English decline in France 1435. The Duke of Burgundy leaves the English and is reconciled to Charles 1436. The occasion of the Troubles in England 1449. The English driven out of France The occasion of this sudden loss 1460. Edward IV. of the House of York A bloody Battel betwixt Edward and Henry Henry taken out of Prison and set on the Throne Edward returns into England Henry a second time Prisoner 147â— and murther'd by the Duke of Gloucester Edward V. Richard III. 1483. Murthers his Nephews He murther's his Wife Henry Earl of Richmond invades England 1485. Henry VII He united the White and Red Roses Lambert Symnel He makes an Expedition inâ—â— France Perkin Warbeck He marries his Daughter Margaret to the King of Scotland Henry VIII He enters into League with Ferdinand and the Pope 1512. His Expedition against France A second An Invasion of the Scots He makes a second War against France The Divorce of Henry VIII The fallâ— of Woolsey 1532. He marries Anna Bullen He abrogates the Pope's Supremacy Monasteries demolished Protestants and Papists executed War with Scotland He enters into a League with the Emperour against France 1550. Anna Bullen beheaded His other Wives Edward VI. 155â— Lady Jane Grey proclaimed Queen Mary Restores Popery Marries Philip of Spain Lady Jane c. beheaded The reason why Philip interceded for the Lady Elizabeth The Battel of St. Quintin Calais lost 1558. Elizabeth Philip desires her in marriage Papists and Paritaus Poreign Seminaries Mary Queen of Scotland The Queen of Scots married Bothwell who murthered her Husband She was made a Prisoner in England 1572. 1586. Beheaded 1587. Queen Elizabeth assists the Huguenots 1562. 1559. The Sovereignty of the Netherlands twice offered her 1595. The Armado defeated Essex heheaded 1600 She was jealous of her Power at Sea James I. Cobham's Conspiracy 1603. The Powder Plot. 1604. 1626. Foreign Plantations Charles I. 1626. War with Spain War with France A Peace concluded with both Causes of the intestine Commotions in England The different Conduct of Queen Elizabeth and King James as to the State The Occasions that were taken from Religion The Conduct of Charles I. Troubles in Scotland and England 1637. 1567. 1617. 1633. The Scotch Covenant A Letter intercepted wherein the Scots desire Succour from France The Parliament is sactious and favours the Scots The Parliament of England directly oppose the King 1642. The Rebellion begins Their Behaviours The King made a Prisoner The Independents become Masters The King is sentenced to death and executed 1648. Ireland conqâ—er'd Charles II. râ—â—ted The Scots câ—nquered Cromwell made Protectour 1652. 1660. King Charles II's Restauration 1660. War with Holland 1665. 1674. Constitution of the English Nation Constitution of the Scotch Nation Of the Irish The Condition of Great Brittainy The Form of the Government in England The Power and Strength of England With relation to other States To the Northern Crowns To Spain To France To Holland The most ancient Stare of France Gaul subdued by the Romans By the Barbarous Nations That the Franks came out of Germany The origin of the French Language Pharamond the first King Clodion Merovaeus Childerick Clouis I. 496. France is divided Clotarius II 614. Dagobert Charâ—es Martell 714. 732. Pipin proclaim'd King The Merovingian Family loses the Crown 751. Pipin's Expeditions He assists the Pope against the Lombards Charles the Great 774. He is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans Lewis the Pious He divides his Kingdom His Sons Rebell 833. Germany divided from France Charles the Bald. The Normans make an Irruption into France 912. Ludovicus Balbus Ludov. III. and Carolomannus Charles the Simple The decay of the Royal Authority The Excessive Power of the Nobles Eudo Count of Paris crown'd King of France 923. Rudolf of Burgundy crown'd King 929. Lewis Outremer Lotharius Lewis the
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
provided with all Necessaries was lost by the unskilfulness and Cowardice of the Governour so that the whole Kingdom of Tunis to the great prejudice of the Christians fell into the Hands of the Turks At home Philip had a War with the Marans of Granada who rebelling against him were supported by the Algerines and could not be subdu'd but with great difficulty and if the Turks had been quick enough in giving them timely assistance it might have prov'd very dangerous to Spain This Rebellion did not end till the Year 1570 after it had continued for three years There were also some Commotions among the Arragonians who pretended to take part with Anthony Perez who standing upon his privilege against the Process that was made him for having upon the King's Orders murther'd Escovedo an intimate Friend of Don John of Austria Philip by this intended to purge himself of the Infamy of the fact and at once to revenge himself upon Perez who had been unfaithfull to him in some Love Intrigue aiming at that himself which he had undertaken to procure for the King And tho this did not much redound to the honour of Philip yet by this he took an opportunity to retrench the Privileges of the Arragonians In the Year 1568 Philip caus'd his Son Charles to be kill'd under pretence that he had endeavour'd to kill his Father and not long after the Queen Isabella also Charles's Step-mother died not without suspicion of having been poison'd But a great many are of opinion that some Love Intrigues were the occasion of their death which is the more probable because the said Isabella being intended for the Bride of Charles had been taken by the Father in spite of his Son Henry King of Portugal dying there were several pretenders to that Crown among whom was Philip as being born of Isabella Emanuel King of Portugal's Daughter who maintain'd his Right by the Sword and under the Conduct of the Duke of Alva conquer'd the Kingdom forcing Anthony the Bastard who had caus'd himself to be proclaim'd King to fly into England and from thence into France where he died an Exile in Paris Only the Island of Tercera held out for some time longer which the French intending to relieve were totally routed by the Spaniards And thus Philip became Master both of the East and West Indies the two greatest Mines of Riches in the World Nevertheless the French English and Hollanders had found out a way to ease him of these prodigious Revenues For Philip just before his death did confess That the War with the Netherlands only had cost him 564 Millions of Ducats And truly it is very probable that trusting to his vast Riches he was thereby prompted to his ambitious Designs and to undertake more than prov'd beneficial to him He died in the Year 1598. § 12. Philip the IIId's Father had left him the Kingdom in Peace with France but the Dutch War grew every day the heavier upon the Spaniards The Spaniards did hope that after Philip II. in his latter days had married his Daughter Clara Eugenia to Albert Archduke of Austria giving her the Netherlands for a Dowry the Dutch would become more pliable and reunite themselves with the rest of the Provinces in the Netherlands as having now a Prince of their own and not liable to the Spanish Government But because the Hollanders did by no means like this bait and at the Siege of Ostend gave a tast to the Spaniards both of their Strength and firm Resolution that they were resolv'd to stand it out with them the Spaniards resolv'd to make Peace with them especially since the Hollanders had found out the way to the East Indies where they made great progress France also enjoying a peaceable Government under Henry IV. and encreasing in Power it was fear'd That if the French should fall upon Spain with fresh Forces which had been tir'd out by this tedious War it might prove fatal to Spain They were also in hopes that the fear of a foreign Enemy ceasing the Hollanders in time of Peace might fall into Divisions among themselves or at least that Peace and Plenty might abate their Courage The Spaniards did sufficiently shew their eagerness for a Peace with Holland by setting the Treaty on foot in the Hague by sending Ambrosius Spinola himself among others thither as Ambassadour and by granting and allowing them the East India Trade Whereas the Hollanders carried it very high and would not abate an ace of their Proposals At last a Truce for twelve Years was concluded with Holland In the Year next following Philip banish'd 900000 Marans the Off-spring of the ancient Moors who had profess'd themselves Christians only for a shew out of Spain because they intended to raise a Rebellion and had underhand crav'd Assistance from Henry IV. In the same Year the Spaniards took the Fortress of Arache situated on the Coast of Africa as they had likewise possess'd themselves before of the Harbour of Final near Genoua in the Year 1619. Those of the Valtelins did withdraw themselves from the Grisons The Spaniards sided with the former in hopes to unite them with the Dukedom of Milan But France taking part with the Grisons the business was protracted for a great many years till at last matters were restor'd to their former state This difference did rouse up all Italy and the Pope himself took part with the Grisons tho Protestants assisting them in the recovery of the Valtelins The War being broken out in Germany the Spaniards sent Ambrose Spinola out of the Netherlands into the Palatinate part of which was subdu'd by them Philip III. died in the Year 1621. § 13. His Son Philip IV. at the very beginning of his Reign made great alterations in the Court sending away the Creatures of the Duke de Lerma the Favourite of his Father He himself foreseeing what was likely to befall him did timely obtain a Cardinal's Cap fearing the King should aim at his Head With the beginning of the Reign of this King the Truce with Holland being expir'd the War was rekindled in which Spinola was forc'd to raise the Siege of Bergen op Zoom because Christian Duke of Brunswick and General Mansfeld having before routed the Spaniards near Fleury came to the assistance of the Hollanders Pieter Heyn surpris'd the Spanish Silver Fleet with a Booty of 12 Millions of Gilders At the same time the Hollanders did settle themselves in Brasile taking the City of Olinda In the Year 1629 the Spaniards being in hopes to make a considerable Diversion and to put the Dutch hard to it made an Inrode into the Velaw and took Amersfort whilst the Hollanders were busied in the Siege of Hertogenbusk Bois le Duc but the Hollanders taking Wesel by surprise they were oblig'd to retreat with all speed over the River Yssel for fear that their retreat should be cut off by the Dutch In the Year 1639
this reason also the Governours are changed every three Years to take away the opportunity of strengthening their Interest too much who after their return into Spain are made Members of the Council for the Indies as being esteemed the most proper to advise concerning the preservation of that Country The third sort are called Metiffs who are born of a Spanish Father and an Indian Mother are in no esteem among them Those who are brought forth of the marriage of a Spaniard with a Metiff or of a Metiff and a Spanish Woman are called Quatralvos as having three parts of a Spaniard and one of an Indian But such as are born of a Metiff and an Indian Woman or of an Indian Man and a Metiffic are called Tresalvos as having three parts of an Indian and one of a Spaniard The fourth sort are the remnants of the ancient Inhabitants of whom a great many are to be met with especially in the Kingdoms of Peru and Mexico who are not so Barbarous as some may imagine there having been found among them such excellent Laws and Constitutions as would make some Europeans blush The fifth sort are the Moores or as the Spaniards call them Negroes who being bought in Africa are sent thither to do all sorts of drudgery These are generally very handy but very perfidious and refractary wherefore they must always be kept under a strict hand Such as are born of a Negro and an Indian Woman are called Mulats Yet is that part of America considering its bigness not very well stock'd with People since the Spaniards did in a most cruel manner root out the most of its ancient Inhabitants And if I remember well Hieronymus Benzonus says That all the Cities in America which are inhabited by the Spaniards joined together were scarce to be compared for number of People with the Suburbs of Milan Yet there are some who talk largely concerning Mexico viz. That it has betwixt 30 and 40000 Spanish Citizens who are most of them very wealthy so that it is reported there are 18000 Coaches kept in that City The Spaniards are not easily to be beaten out of America because most places which are in their possession are hard to come at and it is very difficult to transport such a number of Souldiers out of Europe as can be sufficient to attack any of these places Besides this the great difference of the Climate and Diet could not but occasion mortal sicknesses among them But in Peru especially they are very well settled there being scarce any access by Land and by Sea you are obliged to go round the South and remotest parts of America or else to come from the East Indies both which are such long Sea-voyages which an Army can scarce undergo without running the hazard of being destroy'd by Sickness Concerning the Riches of America 't is true the Spaniards at their first coming thither did find no coined Gold or Silver that being unknown in those days to the Inhabitants but an inconceivable quantity of uncoined Gold and Silver and abundance of Gold and Silver Vessels made without Iron Tools all which the Spaniards carry'd into Spain except what the Seas swallowed up in their Voyages which was very considerable But now-a-days those Rivers which formerly used to carry a Golden Sand are most exhausted and what is found there now is all dug up out of the Mines especially the Silver Mines of Porosi in Peru do afford an incredible quantity of Silver which is yearly together with some other Commodities transported in a Fleet into Spain Nevertheless a great part of this Silver belonging to Italian French English and Dutch Merchants the least part of it remains in Spain so that the Spaniards keep the Cow but others have the Milk Wherefore when the French and Spanish Ambassadours at Rome quarrel'd about Precedency and the latter to represent his Master's Greatness spoke very largely of the vast Riches of America the Frenchman answered That all Europe but especially Spain had been a considerable loser by them The Spaniards having employed themselves in searching after the Treasures of America were thereby become idle and had dispeopled their own Country The King of Spain trusting to his great Riches had begun unnecessary Wars Spain being the fountain from whence vast Riches were derived to other Nations did receive the least benefit of all by them since those Countries that furnish'd Spain with Souldiers and other Commodities did draw those Riches to themselves Formerly there were also Emeraulds in America and Pearls were found but that Stock is long since by the Avarice of the Spaniards quite exhausted There is besides this a great quantity of Commodities in America which are used in Physick and Dying Colours There is also great quantities of Sugars and Hides as appears in that in the Year 1587 the Spainsh Fleet transported 35444 Hides from St. Domingo and 64350 from New Spain For the Oxen and Cows which were first transported from Spain into America are grown so numerous that they shoot them for their Hides sake only throwing away the Flesh which is scarce eatable And as America is the best Appendix of the Spanish Kingdom so the Spaniards take all imaginable care to prevent its being separated from Spain They make among other things use of this Artifice That they will not allow any Manufactory to be set up in America so that the Inhabitants cannot be without the European Commodities which they do not suffer to be transported thither in any other Ships but their own § 18. Besides this the Canary Islands are in the possession of the Spaniards from whence are exported great quantities of Sugar and Wine it is credibly reported That England alone transports above 13000 Pipes of Canary at 20 l. per Pipe The Island of Sardinia also belongs to the Spaniards which Isle is pretty large but not very rich its Inhabitants being for the most part Barbarians The Isle of Sicily is of much greater value from whence great quantities of Corn and Silk are to be exported but the Inhabitants are an ill sort of People who must be kept under according to the old Proverb Insulani quidem mali Siculi autom pessimi Unto Sicily does belong the Isles of Maltha and Goza which was given in Fief from Charles V. to the Order of the Knights of Rhodes Spain also has a great part of Italy in its possession viz. The Kingdom of Naples who 's Capital City is scarce bridled by three Castles The Sovereignty of Siena and a great many strong Sea-ports and the Sea-coasts of Tuscany viz. Orbitello Porto Hercule Telamone Monte Argentario Porto Longone and the Castle of Piombino besides that noble Dukedom of Milan which is the Paradise of Italy as Italy is commonly called the Paradise of Europe They have also the Harbour of Final upon the Genouese Coast In the City of Milan Trade and Manufactory flourishes extreamly and this Dukedom is much valued by
be landed its Provisions which must come by Sea might easily be cut off For in such a case all the States of Italy would be obliged to side with the Spaniards to keep this cruel Enemy from their Borders and their Naval Strength joined together much surpasses the Turks in every respect From the Italian States the Spaniards have little to fear it being a maxim with them to preserve the Peace of Italy thereby to take away all opportunity from France to get a footing in Italy which is also a general maxim among all the States of Italy Nevertheless this is most certain That if Spain should endeavour to encroach upon the rest of the Italian States they would unanimously oppose it and if they should find themselves too weak to oppose their Designs they might be easily wrought upon to call France to their aid The Pope perhaps might be willing enough to be Master of the Kingdom of Naples Spain holding the same in Fief of the Papal Chair and thereby the Popes might have a fresh opportunity to enrich their Kindred But the Pope wants Power to execute such a Design and the rest of the States of Italy would not be forward to see so considerable a Country added to the Ecclesiastical State and the Pope's Kindred are more for gathering of Riches out of the present Ecclesiastical Revenues than to bestow the same upon an uncertain War On the other side Spain having found it very beneficial for its Interest to pretend to the chief Protectorship of the Roman Religion and that the Pope's good or bad Inclinations towards it may either prove advantageous or disadvantageous Spain has always endeavoured by all means to keep fair with the Popes France on the contrary having taken part with the Protestants whom Spain and the House of Austria have sought to oppress has demonstrated sufficiently to the Roman Court that it is not so fond of that Religion as to neglect an opportunity to enrich himself with the Possessions of the Protestants and to make way for attaining to the so long projected Design of the Universal Monarchy which done he might easily make the Pope his Chaplain Wherefore the chief aim of the wisest Popes has been to keep the Power of Spain and France in an equal Balance this being the most proper method to keep up the Authority and provide for the Security of the Popedom It being the principal maxim of the Venetians to reserve their Liberty and State by maintaining the Peace of Italy Spain has no reason to be jealous of them as long as it undertakes nothing against them It is also the Interest as well of them as of all the other Italian States that the Spaniards remain in possession of Milan for fear if France should become Master of this Dukedom it might thereby be put in a way to conquer all the rest of Italy On the other side if Spain should shew the least Inclination to undertake any thing against the Liberty of Italy it cannot expect but that the Venetians if not by an open War at least by their Counsels and Money would oppose it For the rest this State endeavours to remain Neuter betwixt France and Spain and to keep fair with both of them as long as they do not act against their Interest Genoua is of great consequence to the Spaniards from which depends in a great measure the Security and Preservation of the Milaneze Wherefore when Charles V. could not effect his Intention of building a Castle being opposed therein by Andreas Doria whereby he intended to make the Genoueses dance after his Pipe the Spaniards found out another way to make them dependent on their Interest by borrowing vast Summs of Money from the Genoueses upon the security of the King's Revenues in Spain Besides this they are possess'd of the Harbour of Final on the Coast of Genoua whereby they have taken away the power from them of cutting off the Correspondency betwixt Spain and Milan Spain has great reason to give in a good Correspondency with Savoy for if that Prince should side with France against it the Milaneze would be in eminent danger of being lost But because it would be very pernicious for Savoy if the King of France should become Master of Milan since Savoy would be then surrounded on all sides by the French it is easie for Spain to maintain a good Correspondency with Savoy Florence and the rest of the Italian Princes have all the reason to be cautious how to offend Spain yet as much as in them lies they would scarce suffer Spain to encroach upon any of them It is also of consequence to the Spaniards to live in friendship with the Suiss partly because they must make use of such Souldiers as are listed among them partly because they may be very serviceable in preserving the Milaneze and their Friendship is best preserved by Money But because the Suiss are of several Religions Spain is in greater Authority with the Roman Catholick Cantons but France with the Protestant Cantons which being the most potent yet have either cajolled by fair Words or Money or out of Fear conniv'd at the Frenches becoming Masters of the County of Burgundy in the last War whereas formerly they used to take effectual care for its preservation The Hollanders were before the Peace of Munster the most pernicious Enemies to Spain but since the Conclusion of that Peace there is no cause that Spain should fear any thing from them since I do not see any reason why these should attack Spain or endeavour to take any thing from them having enough to do to maintain what they have already got And if they should be tempted to attempt any thing against the West Indies they would not only meet with great resistance from the Spaniards there but also France and England would not easily suffer that both the East and West Indies the two Fountains from whence such vast Riches are derived should be in possession of the Dutch And the Dutch as for their own Interests obliged to take care that France by swallowing up the rest of the Netherlands may not become their next Neighbour on the Land or that it should obtain any considerable advantage against Spain The Power of Germany Spain may consider as its own as far as the same depends on the House of Austria And it is not long ago since the States of Germany were persuaded to take upon them afresh the Guaranty of the Circle of Burgundy whereby Spain hoped to have united its Interest with that of the German Empire against France since whenever a War happens betwixt these two Crowns it is scarce possible that this Circle should escape untouch'd it being the most convenient place where they may attack one another with vigour England is capable of doing most damage to the Spaniards at Sea and especially in the West Indies But England in all likelyhood would be no great
most obstinate Neither did they cease till there was not one Christian left in Japan and the Portugueses upon pain of death were for ever banish'd the Country And the Hollanders when afterwards they sent any Ships to Japan used to forbid their Subjects to shew the least appearance of Religious Christian Worship but if they were ask'd Whether they were Christians to answer They were not but they were Hollanders Lastly To Portugal belong also the Isles called Azores whereof Tercera and the Isle Madera which are tolerably fruitfull are the principal § 10. From what hath been said it is apparent that the welfare of Portugal depends chiefly on their Commerce with the East Indies Brasile and Africa whereby also it is evident enough that the Strength and Power of Portugal in comparison of the rest of the more potent States of Europe is not to be esteemed such as to be able to attack any of them or gain any thing upon them It is therefore the Interest of this Crown to take care how to preserve it self in the same condition as it is in now and to be very cautious of engaging it self in a War with any Nation that is potent at Sea which perhaps might undertake something against their Provinces abroad But as for its Neighbours in particular Portugal is for the most part nearest unto Spain so that it is easie for the Spaniards to enter Portugal yet is the Power of Spain not very dreadfull to the Portugueses partly because the Spaniards cannot conveniently keep an Army of above 25000 Men on foot on that side by reason of the scarcity of Provisions the like number the Portugueses also can bring into the Field partly because Spain cannot man out a considerable Fleet of Men of War wherewith to attack the Portuguese Provinces Besides Portugal in case of such an attack might certainly expect to be assisted either by the French or English who as much as in them lies will not suffer Spain to become again Master of Portugal Neither does it appear for the Interest of Portugal upon the Instigation of France or some other Foreign Power to engage it self without a pressing necessity in a War with Spain since it is not probable that it could gain any thing considerable but would only weaken it self without the hopes of any advantage Portugal has in all probability not much to fear from France they lying at a considerable distance from one another besides this the Naval Strength of France is not come as yet to that height as to be in a capacity to be hurtfull to a Nation that has settled it self very securely in the East and West Indies and more especially since these two Nations have not any pretensions on each other And it rather concerns France that Portugal may stand secure against Spain and Holland The Hollanders have hitherto proved the most pernicious Enemies to Portugal they being in a capacity not only to disturb their Trade on the Coast of Portugal but also may prove very troublesom to them both in the East and West Indies And it seems that it would be no difficult matter for the Hollanders by taking from the Portugueses the City of Macao on the Coast of China and some other places on the Coast of Malabar quite to destroy their Trade in the East Indies But it is probable that in case of a War betwixt the Portugueses and Hollanders England would assist the former against the latter since it has not been without great Displeasure to the English to see what progresses the Hollanders have made in the East Indies whereby they have acquired such vast Riches that they have â—id defiance to England and all the rest of Europe CHAP. IV. Of England § 1. IN Ancient Time Britainy which was then esteemed the biggest Island of the World was not ruled by one Prince but divided into a great many petty States each of them govern'd by its own King but this multitude of petty Princes as it caused great Divisions among them so it exposed them to the danger of being overcome by their Foreign Enemies This Island was scarce known to the Greeks and Romans till Julius Caesar's time who after he had conquer'd the greatest part of France undertook an Expedition into this Island hoping as 't is suppos'd to meet there with great Booty and Riches But he enter'd not very far into the Country and after some Skirmishes with the Inhabitants returned again without leaving a Garrison or exacting any Contributions After this Britainy was not attack'd again by the Romans till under the Reign of the Emperour Claudius who bent his Arms against it in good earnest and the Inhabitants being divided among themselves and not joined in a mutual defence against the common Enemy he without great difficulty conquer'd part of it At which time Britainy was made a Roman Province a constant Army being maintained here by the Romans who by degrees conquered one part after another yet not without receiving some Defeats At last under the Reign of Domitian Julius Agricola marched with his victorious Army through the whole Island and giving a signal overthrow to the Caledonians who are now called the Scots subdued them tho' the Romans could never entirely conquer the utmost parts of Britainy being almost inaccessible Wherefore afterwards the Emperours Adrian and Severus by building a Wall cross the Island from Sea to Sea divided them from the Roman Province hoping thereby to stop their Incursions But the Romans never came into Ireland After the Britains had been above 400 Years under subjection to the Romans the Northern Nations at that time over-running the Western parts of the Roman Empire the Romans left this Island voluntarily being obliged to recall their Legions which were posted in Britainy to oppose their Enemies § 2. Britainy being thus without an Army and besides this mightily exhausted in its Strength for that the Romans had made use of their young Men in their Wars the Picts and Scots from their barren Country made an Inrode into these plentifull Provinces destroying all before them The English to make the better Head against them had chosen one Vortigern for their King but he perceiving himself to be no ways able to resist their Power and Assistance being denied him from the Romans called in the Angles a Saxon Nation living then in Holstein One part of which retains that Name to this day tho' some will have them to have been Frieslanders others Goths it being certain that the mordern Language of the Frieslanders has a great affinity with the ancient English Tongue These Angles under their Leaders Hengist and Horsa coming with some thousands of Men to the assistance of the Britains beat out the Scots But they being mightily taken with the Fruitfulness of the Country resolved to subdue it and to lay the Yoak upon the Britains who had called them in to deliver them from it As soon as the Britains
gross the King of France ridicul'd him asking How long he intended to lie in to whom William sent this Answer That as soon as he could go to Church after his lying in he had vow'd to sacrifice a thousand Candles in France and he was as good as his word for he was no sooner recover'd but he invaded France and burnt all where-ever he came But he having overheated himself he fell ill and died leaving by his last Will to his eldest Son Normandy but to the second called William the Crown of England § 6. William II. sirnamed Rufus met at first with some Disturbances occasioned by his Brother Robert who pretending to the Crown was back'd by a great many of the Nobility but he appeased him by promising to pay him yearly the Summ of 3000 Marks and that he should succeed him after his death But the Nobles who had dispersed themselves up and down in the Country he partly by fair means partly by force reduced to Obedience This Rebellion proved very beneficial to the English the Rebels being most of them Normans wherefore the King afterwards rely'd more upon the English as the most faithfull He waged War twice with Malcolm King of Scotland whom he forced in the first to swear him Fealty but in the last he killed both him and his eldest Son He also subdued the Province of Wales Among other Inventions to get Money one was remarkable for he summon'd together 20000 Men under pretence to go with them into Normandy but when they were just agoing to be shipp'd off he caused Proclamation to be made that every one who was willing to pay ten Shillings should have leave to stay at home unto which every one of them readily consented He was kill'd by a random shot in hunting Him succeeded his younger Brother Henry who being present when the King died seized upon his Treasures whereby he procured himself a great many Friends so that he was preferr'd before Robert his elder Brother who at that time assisted in the taking of Jerusalem which proved no less than the loss of a Crown to him For Henry the better to establish himself in the Throne remitted not only several Taxes which were laid upon the People by the former Kings but also secured unto his Interest the King of Scotland Edgar his most dangerous Neighbour by marrying his Sister Maud. 'T is reported that this Maud had vow'd Castity and that when her Brother forced her to marry she wish'd that such Children as should be born out of this Marriage might never prove fortunate which wish was afterwards sufficiently fulfilled in her Children and a great many of their Posterity Notwithstanding this Robert landed a great Army in England but Henry and Robert by the mediation of some Friends and a Promise of a yearly Pension to be paid to Robert from Henry were reconcil'd which Pension also afterwards Robert remitted to Henry But afterwards repenting of what he had done Henry was so exasperated against him that he made a Descent in Normandy with a great Army and vanquish'd him in a bloody Battel wherein he took him Prisoner He kept him not only a Prisoner all his life time but also at last put his Eyes out uniting Normandy to the Crown of England But King Lewis of France sirnamed Crassus being very jealous of the Greatness of Henry undertook with the assistance of Fulco Earl of Anjou and Baldwin Earl of Flanders to restore unto William Son of Robert the Dukedom of Normandy whereupon a bloody War ensued which was at last composed under this condition That William Son of Henry should swear Fealty to France for this Dukedom of Normandy And it obtained afterwards as a Custom That the King 's eldest Son was called Duke of Normandy as long as this Province was united to England The new Duke of Normandy did also marry the Daughter of the Earl of Anjou And William Son of Robert being then made Earl of Flanders and endeavouring a second time to regain Normandy was slain in that War It is related by some tho' others contradict it That this King was the first who admitted the Commons unto the Grand Council of the Kingdom unto which the Nobility and Bishops only were admitted before it came to be divided into the Higher and Lower House His Son William being by the carelessness of a drunken Master of a Ship drowned at Sea with a great many other persons of Quality of both Sexes as they were coming back from Normandy to England he endeavoured to settle the Crown upon his Daughter Maud and her Heirs she being at first married to the Emperour Henry IV. by whom she had no Children and afterwards to Geoffrey Plantagenet Son to Fulk Earl of Anjou Her Father made the States of England take Oaths of Fealty to her in his life time He died in the Year 1135 and with him ended the Male Race of the Norman Royal Family in England § 7. After the death of Henry Stephen Earl of Boulogne Henry's Sister's Son did by great Promises obtain the Crown of England notwithstanding that both he and the States had taken the Oaths to acknowledge Maud for their Sovereign which they endeavoured by a great many frivolous pretences to prove to be of no force The better to establish himself in the Throne he gained the Affection of the States with Presents and discharged the People of several Taxes giving Authority to the Nobility to build fortify'd Castles which afterwards proved very mischievous to him He also married his Son Eustace to Constantia the Daughter of Ludovicus Crassus King of France This King's Reign was overwhelmed with continual Troubles For the Scots at first and afterwards a great many of his Nobles trusting in their strong Castles raised great Disturbances yet he bridled the Insolence of the Scots giving them a signal overthrow But his greatest Contest was with the Empress Maud for she landing in England was received by a great many and King Stephen in a Battel fought near Chester was taken Prisoner But she refusing to restore to the Londoners King Edward''s Laws they sided with her Enemies and besieged her very closely in the City of Oxford from whence she narrowly escaped and King Stephen also got an opportunity to get out of Prison These Troubles continued till Henry Son of Maud came to the nineteenth Year of his age who being Lord of four large Dominions as having inherited Anjou by his Father's Normandy by his Mother's side Guienne and Poictou by his Wife Eleonora Daughter and Heiress of William the last Duke of Guienne he also endeavoured to obtain the Crown of England for which purpose he landed with an Army in England But he obtained his End without any great opposition for Eustace King Stephen's Son dying suddenly an Agreement was made betwixt them whereby Stephen adopted him and constituted him his Heir and Successour and died not long after in the Year 1124.
him a Prisoner to the Tower but he having twice made an attempt to escape was at last hang'd according to his demerits In the Year 1501 a Marriage was concluded betwixt James IV. King of Scotland and Margaret the Daughter of Henry which afterwards united England and Scotland under one King Arthur also eldest Son of Henry married Catharine Daughter of Ferdinand the Catholick But the Prince dying a few Weeks after the Wedding in the sixteenth Year of his Age and Henry being unwilling to give back the Dowry and desirous to maintain the new Alliance with Ferdinand married the said Catharine to his second Son Henry who was then but twelve Years of Age having obtained a Dispensation from Pope Julius II. under pretence that there had been no carnal knowledge betwixt them which afterwards proved the cause of great Alterations This King is reckoned among the wisest of his Age and the only thing which is reprehended in him is That he had a way by false Accusations against the rich to squeeze out of them great Summs of Money from them He died in the Year 1509. § 19. Henry VIII immediately upon his first accession to the Throne celebrated the Nuptials with his Brother's Widow more to fulfill his Father's Will than out of his own Inclination yet as long as he lived with her in Wedlock he govern'd the Realm very laudably and in the Court nothing was seen but Plays and Diversions As to his Transactions abroad upon the persuasions of Pope Julius II. and Ferdinand the Catholick he enter'd into a Consederacy with them against France which Confederacy was pretended to be made for the defence of the Holy See Ferdinand also put him in hopes of recovering Guienne wherefore Henry sent an Army into Biscay to fall in conjunction with the Spaniards into Guienne But Ferdinand having rather his Eye upon Navarre and being negligent in sending timely Succours to the English they returned home without doing any thing In the Year 1513 Henry enter'd France with a great Army where he lost his time in the taking of Terovane and Tournay which was wholly destroyed in spight of all the Attempts of the French to relieve it tho' Tournay was redeemed by Francis I. with a good Summ of Money But at that time Henry did not pursue his Advantage partly out of carelessness incident to young Men partly because he had carried on this War not so much for his own Interest as in favour of the Pope and so returned into England During the absence of Henry James IV. King of Scotland upon instigation of the French invaded England but received a great overthrow himself being killed in the Battel In the Year next following Henry perceiving that his Father-in-law Ferdinand did only impose upon him concluded a Peace with France giving his Sister Mary in marriage to King Lewis XII In the Year 1522 Henry again denounced War against Francis I. and sent considerable Forces into France which nevertheless both in the same and next following Year did nothing of moment and the Scots on the other side obtained not any advantages against the English But after Francis was taken Prisoner near Pavia it seem'd that Henry had met with a fair opportunity to give a great blow to France more especially since he had before prepared a Fleet which lay ready to make a Descent in Normandy yet he left Charles and made Peace with France And Charles after he thought he had obtained his aim did not make any great account of England leaving the Princess Mary Daughter of Henry to whom he had promised Marriage for the Princess of Portugal whom he married And whereas he used formerly to write to the King with his own Hand and subscribe himself Your Son and trusty Friend he now caused his Letters to be writ by his Secretary subscribing only his Name Charles And truly it seemed very necessary for Henry to keep a little the Ballance Tho' a great many are of opinion That Cardinal Woolsey had a great hand in this business who was no great Friend of Charles V. because he had not promoted him to the Papal Dignity and had denied him the Archbishoprick of Toledo of which he had put him in hopes at first neither did he subscribe himself any more Your Son and Cousin as he used to do But however it be Henry at that time saved France from an imminent danger After he had lived very peaceably and well with his Queen for the space of twenty Years he began to have a scruple of Conscience Whether he could lawfully live in Wedlock with his Brother's Widow which scruple he pretended was raised in him first by the President of Paris who was sent to treat concerning a Marriage betwixt Mary Daughter of Henry and the second Son of Francis Some say that he being weary of her was fallen in love with Anna Bullen and found out this way to be rid of her Yet this seems not so probable to some since he did not marry the said Anna Bullen till three Years after he pretended to the scruple of Conscience whereas the heat of Love does not usually admit of such delays Some will have it that Cardinal Woolsey raised this scruple first in him on purpose to nettle Charles V. and to please Francis I. in hopes after this Divorce to make up a Match betwixt Henry and the Dutchess of Alenson Sister of Francis But however it be the business was brought before the Pope who gave a Commission to the Cardinal Campegius to enquire in conjunction with Woolsey into the matter 'T is said That the Pope was willing to gratify Henry and for that purpose had sent a Bull to Campegius yet with this caution to keep it by him till further order But when he afterwards saw Charles V. to prove so successfull he durst not venture to do any thing that might displease him wherefore he ordered Campegius to burn the Bull and to delay the business to the utmost The Queen also refused to answer to their Commission but appealed to the Pope in person besides Charles V. and his Brother Ferdinand had protested against this Commission Woolsey did also perceive that the King was fallen in love with Anna Bullen which being likely to prove prejudicial to his Authority he persuaded the Pope underhand not to give his consent unto this Divorce Henry being informed what Intrigues the Cardinal was carrying on against him humbled the greatness of this haughty Prelate who died in the Year next following in great misery And Henry being made sensible that the Pope regarded more his own Interest than the merits of the Cause he forbid that any body should hence forward appeal to Rome or send thither any Money for Church Benefices He therefore sent to several Universities in France and Italy to desire their Opinions in this matter who all unanimously agreed in this That such a Marriage was against the Laws of
her Reign the English Trade was first established in Turkey and the East Indies the finest Coin as also the Manufactury of Serges and Bays was settled in England about the same time This Queen also brought first into Reputation the English Naval Strength which she was so jealous of that tho' she supported the Netherlanders against the Spaniards yet would she never consent that the Netherlanders should so augment their Sea Forces as that thereby they might be able to contest with England at Sea This Maxim which seem'd so necessary for England was not regarded by King James he being a lover of Peace And King Charles I. having always his Hands full with his Rebellious Subjects was not in a capacity to observe it wherefore the Dutch Power at Sea could neither by Cromwel nor by Charles II. be brought down again This most glorious and by her Subjects extreamly beloved Queen died in the Year 1602 having before appointed James VI. King of Scotland for her Successour § 23. After the death of Elizabeth James VI. King of Scotland was with an unanimous applause proclaimed King of England His Title to this Crown was derived from Margaret Daughter of Henry VII who was married to James IV. King of Scotland whose Son James V. left one only Daughter who was Mother of James VI. He at first shewed himself pretty favourable to the Papists fearing lest they might in the beginning of his Reign raise some Commotions against him Notwithstanding which immediately after his Coronation the Lord Cobham Gray and others enter'd into a Conspiracy against him Their main design was to root out the Line of James and to put in his place the Marchioness d' Arbelle she being also descended from the abovesaid Margaret Daughter of Henry VII This Lady was after the death of her Father married to Archibald Douglass by whom she had Margaret who was married to Maâ—thias Earl of Lenox and this Arbella being the Daughter of Charles Lenox the third Son of this Earl was by the intercession of Spain to have been married to the Duke of Savoy and by this means the Popish Religion was again to be introduced into England But the whole Plot being discover'd the Ring-leaders were punish'd yet not with that Severity as the hainousness of their Crime did deserve tho' in the Year next following all the Jesuits and Popish Priests were by a severe Proclamation banish'd out of England In the Year 1605 some Popish Villains had hir'd a Vault under the Parliament House which being fill'd up with a great many Barrels of Gunpowder they intended to have blown the King the Prince and the whole Parliament into the Air. But this devilish Design was discover'd for one of the Accomplices by a Letter that was obscurely written and deliver'd by an unknown person to a Footman of the Lord Mounteagle did intreat him not to come the next day into the Parliament House Which causing a suspicion in the King all the Vaults were search'd and the Powder found Hereupon the Parliament made an Act That all Subjects by a solemn Oath should acknowledge James for their lawfull Sovereign neither that the Pope had any Authority to Dethrone Sovereigns or to absolve Subjects from their Allegiance He concluded a Peace with Spain and was afterwards one of the Mediators of the Truce made betwixt Spain and Holland His Son-in-law the Elector Palatine being banish'd out of his Territories he assisted only with sending of Ambassadours and proposing of an Agreement all which the Spaniards render'd ineffectual His Son Prince Charles was sent into Spain to marry the Infanta where the Marriage Contract was concluded and confirmed by Oath but the Nuptials were deferred till the next year the Spaniards being willing to gain time and to see how things would be carried on in Germany for the House of Austria But when after the Prince's return into England the English would needs have the Restitution of the Elector Palatine inserted in the Articles the Match was broke off and tho' the Parliament voted a Subsidie to be employed towards the restoring of the Elector Palatine yet the Design came to nothing Under this King there was a period put to the Differences and Wars betwixt England and Scotland which hitherto had created abundance of Troubles to this Island And that nothing of jealousie might remain betwixt these two Nations about Preference in the Royal Title he introduced the Name of Great Britain which comprehends both the Kingdoms There was also set on foot a Treaty to unite both Kingdoms into one Body but it did not succeed because the Scots would not be Inferiour to the English Under this King's Reign Colonies were established in Virginia Bermudos and Ireland by which means the English have extended their Dominions but there are some who believe that this has weakened the English at home and that in all probability it would have been more profitable for England to have employed those people in Manufactury and Fishing of Herrings which produce such vast Riches to the Dutch in the very sight of the English Yet some are also of Opinion That it is good for the publick repose that the unruly Multitude do not grow too numerous in England The East India Trade was also greatly promoted at that time but the English could not come there in competition with the Dutch these having been before hand with them This King died in the Year 1625. § 24. His Son Charles I. succeeded him who after the Spanish Match was broke off married Henrietta Daughter of Henry IV. He equipp'd out a great Fleet against the Spaniards the English landed near Cadiz but being repulsed with loss returned without doing any thing and all Commerce was prohibited betwixt Spain and England He also broke with France and because the French Merchants had been ill treated by the English all Commerce was also prohibited betwixt these two Nations The English thereupon endeavoured to send Aid unto the City of Rochelle and landing in the Isle of Rhee besieged the Fort of St. Martin which being valiantly defended by one Toyras the English were repulsed with great loss In the Year next following they undertook to relieve Rochelle but in vain Whereupon Charles concluded a Peace with France in the Year 1629 and in the Year next following with Spain having by this War waged against these two Nations which were not so easie to be attack'd by one at the same time gained no Reputation to the dissatisfy'd Subjects and vast Debts Under this King arose very violent Divisions betwixt him and the Parliament which produced a most strange Revolution in that Kingdom It will be very well worth our while to enquire a little more narrowly into the true causes thereof That wife Queen Elizabeth held it for a constant maxim to oppose the growing power of Spain with all her might whereby she weaken'd Spain and not only enrich'd her Subjects but
among them For it was a custom that each Family used to select one for the Head of the Family unto whom they almost paid more respect than to the King himself and if any one of the Family had received an Injury he made complaint thereof to the Head of his Family And if the Head of the same Family did resolve to revenge the Injury the whole Family under the Conduct of their Head fell upon the Family of the Aggressour with Fire and Sword Which abominable Custom King James VI. did endeavour to abolish Besides this they are easily stirr'd up to Rebellion very obstinate in defending their Opinions to the utmost Their fruitfulness in Children makes them seek other Countries since their Country can scarce maintain them all at home There is another reason also to be given for this which is the right of the First-born whereby the eldest Son is Heir of all the real Estate of his Father the rest of the Brothers being obliged to be satisfy'd with their share in the Personal Estate These then being obliged to advance themselves as well as they can apply themselves either to the Wars or Study Wherefore most Ministers in Scotland are said to be younger Brothers of good Families But in England it is no shame for the younger Brothers of such Families to be Merchants In former times before Scotland and England were united under one King the Scottish Souldiers were in great esteem because the French made constantly use of them in their Wars and at home they were always picquering with the English But afterwards they grew careless of Warlike Exercises and especially when Cromwell subdu'd them their ancient Glory was quite obscur'd The Scots are also often very Ingenious and well vers'd in the Latin Tongue And at that time when all Liberal Sciences were suppress'd in Europe by a long Barbarism the same were kept up in Scotland which did furnish several other Nations with Learned Men who instructed them in these Sciences But as the Scots which live in the low Countries on the South-side are well civiliz'd so those who inhabit the Mountains who are called Highlanders as also the Inhabitants of the Orkney and Western Islands are very raw and unciviliz'd § 33. The Irish are commonly esteem'd to be a fool-hardy and ill sort of people very lazy yet pretty hard in undergoing the Fatigues of War They are very obstinate and never to be bent from their Opinion After Ireland was conquer'd by King Henry II. abundance of English settled themselves in that Kingdom whose numbers increased from time to time to that degree that scarce the fourth part of the Island remaine in the possession of the ancient Inhabitants And because most of the Irish adhere to the Popish Religion they did not only rebel under Queen Elizabeth but also under the Reign of King Charles I. enter'd into a most horrid Conspiracy against the English living among them of whom 't is said they murther'd 200000 within the space of six Months But when the English had recollected themselves they again kill'd about 100000 of them Cromwell had once a mind to have rooted out the whole Nation as being quite incorrigible and past hopes of any amendment Wherefore he sent some thousands to the King of Spain under condition that none of them should return into the English Dominions He used also to plague them every way so that they are become a miserable Nation § 34. Concerning those Countries which belong to the King of England the Kingdom of England is a Rich and Fertile Country abounding in every thing either for the Necessity or Pleasures of Mankind except Oyl and Wine and such other Commodities as do not grow in the other parts of Europe are of the growth of that Country But else they have great numbers of very fine Horses and good Cattle especially the best Sheep of all Europe which make the best part of the native Riches of England bearing so good a sort of Wooll that an incredible quantity of the best Cloath is made in England and from thence every Year transported into Foreign Parts These Sheep feed in great Flocks in the Country without as much as a Shepherd there being no Wolves to be met withal in England the reason of which as 't is reported is that King Edgar about the Year 940 did order a certain number of Wolves to be paid by the Prince of Wales to him as a yearly Tribute by which means the Wolves were quite destroy'd in England Tho' it is also very probable that the great English Mastiffs have been very instrumental in this point it being certain that for Fierceness and Strength they surpass all the rest in the World A great quantity also of Lead but especially of the finest Tin is to be found in England which surpasses in goodness all others in that kind The Sea also is very profitable to the English since it produces a great quantity of Fish which are daily catch'd by the Inhabitants Tho' by the Negligence and Laziness of the ancient English who did not apply themselves industriously to Fishing they have lost a great part of that advantage But the Netherlanders from ancient times have made use of this advantage and got vast Riches by the Fishery of Herrings and Cods giving only a small Gratuity to the English in case they have occasion to dry their Nets on their Shores tho' oftentimes the English envying the Netherlanders will force them to pay more than ordinary which has several times served as a pretext for a War betwixt both Nations Besides this the Sea is extreamly advantageous to England for thereby the English being separated from their Neighbouring Nations cannot easily be attack'd whereas they may easily invade others And because this Island is situated almost in the very middle of Europe in a narrow Sea where all Ships which either go East or Westward must pass by and having besides this a very deep Coast and commodious Harbour it lies most convenient for Commerce and Trade which the English carry on in most parts of the World and the Dutch hitherto have been the only obstacle that they are not become Masters of the whole Trade of the World For it proves very disadvantageous to the English that they love to eat and drink well and that in great quantity and by reason of their love of Ease they are â—ain to employ double the number of Seamen in their Ships of what the Dutch do and besides this they will not be contented with a small gain Whereas the Dutch live very sparingly do not refuse the Penny and therefore are easier to be dealt withall than the English They import a great deal of raw Silk into England which being wrought in the Country mightily encreases their Riches In the same manner they do with their Woollen Manufactury now whereas before the times of Henry VIII they used to transport most of their Wooll into the Netherlands where it was wrought
it relates to France or Spain of Poland and other such like States so it is easie for him to curb the Pirates on the Barbary Coast Which Nests of Pirates might have been easily destroyed long ago if they had not been let alone on purpose to render the Trade in the Mediterranean difficult to the Hamburgers and some others England has nothing to fear from Portugal and this must rather hope for assistance from England and Holland against Spain The Naval Strength of the Northern Crowns England need not be jealous of as long as the same is divided Yet it cannot be for the Interest of England if one of those Kings should become absolute Master of the East Sea or that they should be fain to depend on the Discretion of the Dutch Since the Naval Strength of Spain is mightily decay'd England need not fear any thing from thence Yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England to fall out with that Kingdom considering what a vast Trade the English have into Spain for Spain does either consume the English Commodities at home or else exchanges them for Silver by sending of them into America There are some who have computed that in case of a War with Spain the English would lose in effects above thirty Millions and besides this their Trade into the Levant and other places would be greatly endangered by the Privateers of Ostend Biscay Majorca and Minorca who at the time of the Wars under Cromwell took 1500 Merchant-ships from the English Tho' the Land Forces of France are now-adays much superiour to the English this Island both for its bigness and strength making up not above a third part of France yet the Naval Strength of France has hitherto not been able to come in competition with the English It is the chiefest Interest of England to keep up the Balance betwixt France and Spain and to take a special care that the King of France do not become Master of all the Netherlands for it is visible that thereby his Power at Sea would be encreas'd to that degree that he might enter on a Design of being even with England for what they have formerly done to France Holland seems to be the only obstacle that the English cannot be sole Masters of the Sea and Trade tho' for the rest they have no reason to fear the Dutch by Land but only at Sea because the Dutch Land Forces are not so considerable as to be able to undertake any thing of great moment Nevertheless how desirous soever the English are to be sole Masters at Sea yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England frequently to engage it self in Wars with Holland it having been observ'd that the Dutch since the Wars with England are rather increased in Valour Experience and Power at Sea And because other Nations are not likely to suffer that Holland should be swallow'd up by the English or that one Nation should have the Monopoly of Europe it seems therefore the best method for the English to let the Dutch trade as well as themselves and to set some others upon their Backs which may give them so much work as thereby to give a check to their growing Greatness and in the mean while take care to establish their own Power at Sea and Commerce abroad But least of all it would be for the Interest of England if Holland should be brought under the Yoak of the French King who without question by the additional Sea Forces of Holland and the advantage of the East India Trade would be superiour in Power to any in Europe CHAP. V. Of FRANCE § 1. AS far as we can search into the most ancient Histories it is evident from thâ—nce That Gaul now call'd France has been a very powerfull and populous Country For the Gauls in ancient times had conquer'd a great part of Italy where they settled themselves who also when they had over-run Greece and some other neighbouring Countries inhabited a part of the Lesser Asia which was called from them Galatia or Gallo-gracia Yet formerly this so powerfull Country did never either rightly understand or exert its own Strength against other Nations because it was not then under the Government of one Prince but divided into a great many pâ—â—â—y States which were always at variance with one another This much facilitated the Conquest of the Romans over them who else stood not in fear of any Nation so much as the Gauls And tho' the incomparable Valour of Julius Caesar was chiefly instrumental in subduing this Nation yet with tâ—n Legions he had work enough to effect it in ten Years time But as soon as the Romans had brought this fair Country under their Subjection they employ'd all means to suppress the Martial Spirit of this Nation in which they succeeded as well in this as in other Nations it being their Custom to civilize and refine the Manners of these Nations thereby to render them soft and eâ—â—eminate After France had been near 500 Years under the Domâ—nion of the Romans it fell under the Reign of the Emperour Honorius into the Hands of the Barbarous Nations For the Goths after they had over-run Italy settled themselves in Gallia Narbonensis and the Burgundians conquer'd a considerable part of the rest But the Franks entring this Kingdom settled and maintained themselves in it giving it the Name of France after their own Name These Franks were for certain Germans tho' some of our Modern French Writers pretend to demonstrate That this Nation was a Colony of the ancient Gauls who being overstock'd with People at home passed over the Rhine and having settled a Colony in Germany after several hundred Years return'd into their Native Country But it is more probable That the Franks are the same Nations which were formerly encompass'd by the Rivers of the Mayn the Rhine the Weâ—er and the Sea and which in Tacitus's time were call'd Salii Bructeri Trisii Angrivani Chamari Sigambri and Chatti and who having enter'd into a mutual Confederacy against the Romans called themselves in spite of their Power Franks or a free People as not doubting but to be able to defend their Liberty against them And it is certain that they did transplant the German Tongue into France which was for a great while after in fashion among persons of the best Quality till at last they used themselves by degrees to the Latin Tongue formerly introduced by the Romans which being corrupted by the German Tongue produced the modern French Language It is also evident that the Race of the ancient Gauls was not quite extinguish'd but that both Nations were by degrees united in one yet with this difference that the Frankish Families made up the Body of the Nation § 2. But howsoever this be all Historians agree in this That the Franks did choose for their King about the Year 424 Pharamond who established among them wholsome Laws and
came yet would Charles never hazard a Battel with them but contented himself to annoy them with Skirmishes whereby he did them considerable Mischief The Pope in the mean while labour'd hard to make Peace betwixt these two Crowns but King Edward happening to die about that time King Charles took hold of this Opportunity and attacking the English with five several Armies at one time took all from them but Calais Bourdeaux and Bayonne in Guienne and Cherbury in Normandy The English during the Minority of their King being also pester'd with the Plague and the War with the Scots were not in a Capacity to send sufficient Relief Yet this King miscarried in his Enterprize against Britainy In the Year 1379 the Emperour Charles IV. came to visit him in Paris where he constituted the Dauphin a perpetual Vicar of the Empire in Dauphine And ever since say the French the German Emperours never did pretend to any thing in Dauphine and in the Kingdom of Aâ—elat He died in the Year 1380. § 12. Now we are come to that most unfortunate Reign of Charles VI. at the very beginning of which one of the main occasions of Mischief to France was That Joan Queen of Naples standing in fear of Charles de Duraz did adopt Lewis Duke of Anjou declaring him Heir of that Kingdom The Duke willingly accepting of her Offer raised in her behalf an Army of 30000 Horse having employed thereunto the Treasure left by Charles V. which he had got clandestinely into his possession With this Army be made himself Master of Provence which then belong'd to Joan. And tho' in the mean time Charles de Duraz having kill'd Joan had made himself Master of the Kingdom the Duke of Anjou nevertheless pursued his intended Expedition but was by continual Marches and the Cunning of Charles led about and tir'd to that degree that he died in great Misery very few of so great an Army having had the good fortune to return into France The People also were generally much dissatisfy'd at the beginning because those who had the Tuition of the King to curry-favour with the People had promised an abatement of the heavy Taxes But the same being not long after again introduc'd augmented and devoured by the Courtiers great Troubles and Insurrections arose both in Paris and other places In the mean while the Flemings had carried themselves insolently towards their Lord who calling to his Assistance the French they killed 40000 Flemings together with their General Arteville The general Dissatisfaction of the People was much increased afterward when a great Summ of Money was employed upon an Expedition against England which proving fruitless both the Money and Men were lost Lewis Duke of Orleans Brother of this King Charles married Valentina the Daughter of John Gaâ—â—acius Viscount of Milan with this Condition That he should receive immediately as a Dowry not only a great Treasure of Money and Jewels but also the County of Ast and in case her Father should die without Issue the whole Country should be devolved on Valentina and her Children Which Contract has not only furnished France with a Pretension to Milan but also has been the occasion of great Calamities After this another Misfortune happened to France for the King whose Brains were mightily weakened by Debaucheries in his younger Years as he was travelling in Britainy fell upon a sudden Distraction caused partly by the great Heat which was then in the Month of August partly because as 't is reported a tall black Man appear'd to him who stopping his Horse by the Bridle said Stop King whither will you go you are betray'd Soon after a Page being faln asleep let the point of his Lance drop upon the Headpiece of him who rid just before the King which the King being extreamly surpriz'd at interpreted it as directed against him And tho' this Madness did cease afterwards yet was his Understanding much impair'd and the Fits would return by intervals This unhappy Accident was the occasion of that fatal Contest concerning the Administration of the Kingdom which the King was incapable of betwixt Lewis Duke of Orleans the King's Brother and Philip Duke of Burgundy his Uncle The first claim'd it on the account of proximity of Blood the latter on account of his Age and Experience The latter was most approv'd of by the Estates who declar'd him Regent yet the Duke of Orleans by making new Intrigues still endeavour'd to make himself the Head of the Kingdam which caused pernicious Factions in the Court. And tho' the Duke of Burgundy died his Son John pursuing his Father's Pretensions the Hatred so increased betwixt both Parties that notwithstanding the Reconciliation made betwixt them the Duke of Burgundy caus'd the Duke of Orleans to be murther'd by some Ruffians at Night in the Streets of Paris And tho' the Duke of Burgundy after having made away his Rival and forc'd a Pardon from the King was now the only Man in the Court yet were the Animosities betwixt the Duke of Burgundy and the Sons of the murther'd Duke of Orleans not extinguish'd thereby which divided the whole Kingdom into two Factions one siding with the Burgundian the other with the Family of Orleans and occasion'd barbarous Murthers Devastations and such other Calamities which are the common products of Civil Commotions At last the Burgundian Faction was brought very low by the King and his Party But the English having observ'd the intestine Divisions in France landed in Normandy with a great Army and took Harfleur But being extreamly weaken'd both in the Siege and by Sickness they resolv'd to retreat towards Calais In the mean while the French had got together an Army which was four times stronger than the English which met them near Agincourt a Village in the County of St. Poll where a Battel being fought betwixt them 6000 French were kill'd upon the Spot and a great number taken Prisoners among whom were a great many persons of Quality The English Historians make this Defeat much greater it being rarely to be observ'd that the Historians of two Nations who are at Enmity agree in their Relations Yet the English being extreamly tir'd could not pursue the Victory In the mean time the Invasion made by a Foreign Enemy did in no ways diminish the intestine Divisions but rather augmented them For the Duke of Burgundy perceiving his Party in France to decline began to favour the English who in the Year next following landed again in Normandy and had great Success At last the Queen who had hitherto had a share in the Government added Fuel to the Fire For the Constable d' Armagnac having now the sole Administration of Affairs and being only balanc'd by the Authority of the Queen took an opportunity by the free Conversation of the Queen to put such a Jealousie in the King's Head that with the Consent of Charles the Dauphin she was banish'd the Court.
French Army in Germany having declar'd for that side but he was fain to leave the Army which was kept in Duty by the help of a good Summ of Money And tho' Matters were afterwards reconcil'd a second time at St. Germains yet the Design against Mazarin was not laid aside the Prince of Conde who had brought over the Slingers to his Party not ceasing to stir them up against him But because they had a different Aim for the Slingers were for totally pulling down of the Cardinal but the Prince of Conde would only have humbled him the Cardinal cunningly rais'd a misunderstanding betwixt them by setting the Prince of Conde against the Slingers Whereupon the Slingers were reconcil'd with the Cardinal The Cardinal taking hold of this Opportunity caused the Prince of Conde and his Brother the Prince of Conti and their Brother-in-law the Duke of Longueville to be taken into Custody This was putting Fuel into the Fire every body being dissatisfy'd at the Imprisonment of the Princes The City of Bourdeaux openly rebell'd The Spaniards upon this Occasion took from the French Piombino and Porto Longone in Italy The Archduke Leopold struck Terrour into the City of Paris it self on the side of the Netherlands And tho' the Cardinal beat Turenne near Rethel he being gone over to the Spaniards yet the Hatred against him encreas'd daily and the Faction of the Slingers the Parliament and the Duke of Orleans were absolutely for having the Princes set at Liberty The Cardinal therefore perceiving that nothing was to be done by open Violence resolv'd to avoid the Storm by setting the Princes at Liberty And he himself retir'd to Bruel the Court of the then Elector of Collen Then he was by a Decree of the Parliament for ever banish'd the Kingdom of France Mazarini being thus remov'd the Prince of Conde began to disturb the publick Quiet with more freedom having engag'd himself with the Spaniards and being gone to Bourdeaux he began to make open War against the Government And the Spaniards taking hold of this Opportunity recover'd Barcellona and with it all Catalonia Then the Queen recall'd the Cardinal who having strengthen'd the King's Army by such Troops as he had got together fought several times very briskly with the Prince of Conde But seeing that the Hatred which the Faction of the Slingers and the Parliament had conceiv'd against him did not diminish he took this Course that he publickly declar'd he was willing to leave the Kingdom to re-establish the publick Quiet He hoped by so doing to lay the Blame of the Intestine Divisions upon the Prince of Conde alone which Design prov'd successfull for thereby the Eyes of the People were opened who now plainly perceiv'd that the Cardinal sought the Good of the King and Kingdom but the Prince of Conde his own Interest Dunkirk and Graveling being lost in the Fray The Prince of Conde therefore perceiving that he had lost the Favour of the People retir'd with his Troops into the Spanish Netherlands Then the Cardinal return'd to Court and ever after had the Administration of the chiefest Affairs of the Kingdom till his Death without any further Opposition The City of Paris return'd to its due Obedience the Faction of the Slingers was dissolv'd the Duke of Orleans left the Court Rez was taken into Custody and Bourdeaux forc'd to submit In the Year next following the French began again to make War on the Spaniards they took Mommedy with great difficulty and fortunately reliev'd Arras But they were beaten from before Valenciennes and Cambray France having just made an Alliance with Cromwell the joint Forces of France and England besieged Dunkirk under the Command of Turenne And the Duke John d' Austria and Prince de Conde who came with an Army to relieve it being repuls'd with great loss the City was taken and deliver'd to the English from whom the King afterwards redeem'd it for four Millions About the same time Graveling was also retaken At last a Peace was concluded between France and Spain near the Pyrenaean Mountains by the two chief Ministers of State on both sides viz. by Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro by vertue of which France was to keep Roussilion and the greatest part of the places which were taken in the Netherlands Mary Theresa the Daughter of Philip IV. was to be married to the King and the Prince of Conde to be receiv'd into Favour again This last point met with great Opposition for a considerable time In the Year next following died Mazarini who as 't is said left the King among others this Lesson That he should govern himself and not trust entirely to any Favourite The first thing of moment which the King undertook was to settle his Revenues in a good order He began with the Lord High Treasurer Fouquet whom he took into Custody and made a strict Inquisition against all such as having had hitherto the management of his Revenues had enrich'd themselves therewith The Sponges which were swell'd up with Riches being soundly squeez'd out brought an incredible Treasure into the King's Coffers In the Year 1661 a Difference arose betwixt the French and Spanish Embassadours in London about the Precedency at the solemn Entry made by Count Nile Brake the Swedish Embassadour where the French Embassadour's Coach was put back by Violence This might easily have prov'd the Occasion of a War if the Spaniards had not given Satisfaction to the French and agreed That where-ever there were any French Embassadours resident the Spanish should not appear upon any publick Occasions Which the French do interpret as if Spain had thereby declar'd That the Spanish Ministers were always to give place to the French of the same Character In the Year 1662 the King made an Agreement with the Duke of Lorrain according to which he was to exchange his Dukedom for an Equivalent in France and his Family to be the next in right of Succession if the Family of Bourbon should happen to fail Which Agreement the Duke would fain have annull'd afterwards but the King who did not understand jesting in such a point forc'd him to surrender to him Marsal In the same Year the Duke de Crequi the French Embassadour at Rome was grossly affronted there by the Corsi Guards which the King resented so ill that he took from the Pope the City of Avignon But the Difference was compos'd by the Mediation of the Grand Duke of Tuscany at Pisa and the Pope was fain to send a splendid Embassy to give Satisfaction to the King About the same time the French would have got footing at Gigeri on the Coast of Barbary but were repuls'd with considerable loss by the Moors The King also sent some Troops to the Assistance of the Emperour against the Turks who behav'd themselves bravely in the Battel fought near St. Gothard and contributed much to the Victory Notwithstanding which the
the great Taxes which are imposed upon the Subjects but without question the chief reason is that France since that time has found out new ways to draw Money out of other Countries § 27. As to the Form of Government of France it is to be observ'd That anciently there were very potent Dukes Earls and Lords in France who tho' they were Vassals of the King yet they us'd to pay no further Obedience to him than was consistent with their own Interest except the Kings were in a Condition to oblige them to it But all these in process of Time were extinguish'd and their Countries united to the Crown Now-a-days the Dukes and Earls in France are nothing else but bare Titles annex'd to some considerable Estate without any Sovereignty or Jurisdiction And whereas formerly certain Countries used to be assign'd to the King's Sons whereof they bore the Title now-a-days only a certain yearly Revenue is allotted them with the Title of a certain Dukedom or County wherein perhaps they have not a Foot of Ground And after the ancient Sovereign Dukedoms and Earldoms were abolish'd some of the great Men of the Kingdom had taken upon themselves great Authority in the Kingdom but by the Policy of Richlieu and Mararini they were reduc'd to such a Condition that they dare not utter a Word against the King The Assembly of the Estates there being three of them viz. The Clergy Nobility and the Citizens they making up the third Estate were also formerly in great Veneration whereby the King's Power was much limited But they having not been conven'd since the Year 1614 their Authority is quite suppress'd Those of the Reform'd Religion did prove also very troublesome to the Kings of France as long as they were in a Condition to take up Arms but with the loss of Rochelle they lost the Power of giving their Kings any Disturbance for the future And tho' the King hitherto does not force their Consciences yet he draws off a great many from that Party by hopes of his Royal Favour and Preferments Heretofore the Parliament of Paris us'd to oppose the King's Designs under pretence that it had a right that the King could not do any thing of great moment without its consent but this King hath taught it only to intermeddle with Judicial Business and some other Concerns which the King now and then is pleas'd to leave to its Decision The Gallick Church also boasts of a particular Prerogative in regard of the Court of Rome she always having disputed with the Pope some part of his Authority over her and the King has the Nomination of the Bishops and Abbots all which contributes much to the Strength and Increase of this Kingdom if a wise and good King sits upon the Throne § 28. When we duely weigh the Power of France in comparison with its Neighbours it is easily perceiv'd that there is not any State in Christendom which France doth not equal if not exceed in Power 'T is true in former Ages the English reduc'd the French but at that time they were possess'd of a great part of it themselves there were then several Demi-Sovereign Princes the French Infantry was then inconsiderable and the English Bows were terrible to them All which is quite otherwise now and the English Land-forces are now not to be compar'd with the French neither in Number nor Goodness since the English are unexercis'd and their Civil Wars have rather been carried on by Armies rais'd on a sudden than well disciplin'd Troops and these Wars have not a little weaken'd this Nation On the other hand the English have chiefly apply'd themselves to Sea Affairs and in this the French cannot hitherto be compared with the English yet England can scarce reap any great Advantages from France at Sea For suppose they should beat the French Fleet yet they would scarce venture to make a Descent upon France as having not any footing there and the French Privateers would certainly do great mischief to them But if the English should once miscarry at Sea an that the French should once get footing in England it might perhaps prove fatal to that Kingdom since the fate of the War must be then decided by the Issue of one Battel England having no Inland strong Holds In the last Age Spain prov'd very troublesome to France the French scarce being able to defend themselves against it and having several times been oblig'd to make Peace upon disadvantageous Conditions But besides that at that time the French Infantry was good for little and the Spanish Nation was then at its heighth whereas now the Spanish Nobility is more for Debauchery Gaming and such like Intrigues than for acquiring Glory in War they were then in full possession of all the Netherlands and Charles V. had a great Advantage by being Emperour But now-a-days the Netherlands are miserably torn to pieces they being scarce able to Garrison the places that remain Naples and Milan are almost in the same condition and France may easily secure the Coast of Provence against the Spaniards who may be well satisfy'd if the French don't by the way of Roussilion Navarre or Bayonne enter Spain Italy is neither willing nor powerfull enough to hurt France but these Princes are well satisfy'd if France does not pass the Alpes and disturb their Repose The French are not powerfull enough for the Dutch at Sea if they have an Opportunity to make use of all their Naval Strength yet the French Privateers may do them considerable Mischief wherefore I cannot see what benefit Holland can reap from a War with France without an absolute necessity For the Dutch Land-forces gather'd out of all Nations are not likely to do any great Feats against it The Swiss also neither can nor will hurt France they being well satisfy'd if they can get Money Wherefore the French need not fear any thing from them except they should make them desperate when in Confederacy with others they might prove very troublesome Germany seems to be the only Country which alone might be able to balance France for if these Princes were well united they are able to bring more numerous Armies into the Field and that in no ways inferiour in Goodness to the French and perhaps they might be able to hold it out with France But considering the present State of Germany it seems next to an impossibility that all the Members of the Empire should unanimously and resolutely engage themselves in a long War and prosecute the same with Vigour For it is not to be imagined that all of them should have an equal Interest in the War and some of them must expect to be ruin'd tho' the War in the main should prove successfull but if it should succeed otherwise they must be great losers by it without reprieve § 29. But if it should be suppos'd that France may be attack'd by a great many at once it is to be consider'd
endeavour under-hand to be Soveraign over the United Provinces which was prevented only by a very few Voices Then after his Death his Son Maurice pursued the same Design but was opposed by the chief Men among them who alledged That their Labour was very ill bestowed if in place of a great One they should be brought under subjection to a little Prince Among these one of the chiefest was John of Olden Barneveldt Pensionary of Holland who had been always for upholding the publick Liberty But because the Authority of the Captain-General was more conspicuous during the War Maurice endeavoured to set aside the Treaty with Spain but Barnevelt did as much as he could promote the Truce with Spain knowing that in time of Peace the Authority of the Captain-General would be diminish'd which Maurice kept in good remembrance In the mean time Arminius a professour of Divinity in the University of Leyden had defended several Propositions concerning Predestination and some other Articles relating to the same with less rigour than the rest of the Reform'd Churchs had hitherto generally taught His Opinion was after his death oppos'd by one Francis Gomarus This Dissension being spread abroad most of the Clergy sided with Gomarus but the chief States-men with Arminius But because the generality of the People followed the footsteps of the Clergy Maurice who after the Death of his elder Brother was become Prince of Orange declared himself for the Gomarists And there happening great Tumults in several places viz. at Alckmaer Leyden and Vtrecht the Prince took this opportunity to displace up and down such Magistrates as adhered to the Arminians Barnevelt Hugo Grotius and some others where under the same pretext taken into Custody the first by a Sentence of the States-General lost his Head in the 72d Year of his Age Grotius was condemned to a perpetual Imprisonment out of which he afterwards made his escape by means of his Wife who had enclosed him in a Chest And tho' at the Synod of Dort the Doctrine of Arminius was condemned as erroneous yet this Violence of the Prince against a Man who had deserved so well was very ill resented by a great many And these two Factions have ever since taken so firm root there that it is not improbable but at last they may occasion the ruin or change of the State § 14. But Dangers from abrâ—ad did afterwards appease these inward Dissensions For the time of the Truce being expired the War began a-fresh with Spain In the Year 1622 Spinola took Juliers but was obliged to raise the Siege from before Bergen op Zoom because the Count of Mansfeld and Christian Duke of Brunswick having defeated the Spanish Army near Fleury march'd to the Assistance of the Hollanders To revenge this Affront Spinola besieged Breda and Prince Maurice having in vain endeavour'd to raise the Siege and besides this his Attempt upon the Castle of Antwerp having proved unsuccessfull he fell into a deep Melancholy and died Breda being not long after forc'd by Famine to surrender it self To Prince Maurice succeeded in the Stadtholdership and all other Offices which had been in his possession his Brother Frederick Henry who took Groll In the Year 1628 Pieter Heyn took the Spanish Silver-fleet and in the Year next following the Prince took Bois le Duc. During this Siege the Spaniards made an Inrode into the Velaw hoping thereby to give the Hollanders a diversion who were put into a great Consternation But the Hollanders on that very day surprized the City of Wesel which oblig'd the Spaniards to repass the River Yssel as fast as they could And from that time forwards the Spaniards despair'd of ever reducing Holland under their Obedience In the Year 1630 the Hollanders got first footing in Brasile In the Year 1631 they surprized some Thousands of Spaniards near Bergen op Zoom who were gone out in Shallops upon some secret Enterprize In the Year next following the Prince took Venlo Ruremond Limburgh and Macstricht and Pappenheim endeavouring to relieve the last was soundly beaten In the Year 1638 the Prince took Rhinebergh but in the Year next following the Spaniards Limburgh An Offensive Alliance was made betwixt France and Holland wherein they had shar'd the Netherlands betwixt them But this Alliance prov'd fruitless the Hollanders being very well satisfy'd that this Design did not succeed being glad not to have the French for their Neighbours on the Land-side But the Spaniards surpriz'd Shenkenshantz which the Hollanders retook not without great trouble In the Year 1637 the Prince retook Breda but the Spaniards Venlo and Ruremond In the Year 1638 the Hollanders were bravely beaten near Callo but in the Year 1639 Martin Tromp entirely destroy'd the Spanish Fleet which lay in the Downs and was intended to attack Sweden in conjunction with the Danes In the Year 1644 Ghent and in the Year next following Hulst was taken by William II. who had succeeded his Father It is thought that he might also have taken Antwerp if the Province of Zealand and Amsterdam had not oppos'd it they being grown powerfull out of its Ruins At last a Peace was concluded at Munster betwixt Spain and Holland wherein it was declar'd a free Common-wealth to which Spain should for the future make no Pretensions whatsoever And tho' France and the Prince did oppose this Peace with their utmost Endeavours yet the Hollanders did consider that the Spaniards having granted all that they could desire the Cause of the War ceas'd They fear'd besides this that Spain might be brought too low and France grow too powerfull and the Province of Holland was considerably indebted Thus Holland ended this tedious War with great Reputation but the Spaniards with great Dishonour having besides this quite enervated themselves Tho' this is observable that as long as the Hollanders were engag'd in the War against Spain they were favour'd by every body except the Spanish Party but immediately after the Peace was concluded both France and England by whom they had been hitherto uphâ—ld gave manifest proofs of their Jealousie of them § 15. But the Hollanders could not enjoy Peace very long for soon after Brasile rebell'd against them submitting it self to the Portuguese which prov'd very disadvantageous for the West-India Company but the East-India Company drew great Advantage from it for this having occasion'd a War with Portugal which lasted till the Year 1661 the Hollanders took from the Portuguese almost all the places which they were possess'd of in the East-Indies In the Year 1650 a remarkable Dissension arose in Holland which might have prov'd the cause of great Calamities For the War with Spain being now at an end some of the States and especially the Province of Holland were of Opinion That to ease the Publick their Forces should be diminish'd which the Prince oppos'd under pretence that it would not be adviseable to be without an Army as long
their Defence It serv'd also for a great Encouragement to the Hollanders that the Bishop of Munster was forc'd to go away from before Groningen he having together with the Elector of Collen taken the French side In the Year next following the French took Maestricht from the Hollanders But the Hollanders having behav'd themselves bravely in four Sea Engagements and the Parliament of England being become very jealous of France a separate Peace was by the Mediation of Spain concluded betwixt Holland and England The Emperour and Spain having then declar'd for Holland the French King took his Garrisons out of all the conquer'd Places having first exacted from them great Contributions except Naerden and Grave which were retaken by force Thus the Hollanders got all their places again except Maestricht Rhinebergh which belong'd to the Elector of Collen being restor'd to him and the Country of Cleves to the Elector of Brandenburgh This War also restor'd the Prince of Orange to the same Dignity and that under better Conditions than they had been in the possession of his Ancestors For the Common People which already favour'd the House of Orange being put quite into a Consternation by the prodigious Success of the French and being persuaded that this Misfortune was occasion'd by the Treachery of some who sat at the Helm and that no body but the Prince could restore the decay'd State did raise Tumults in most Cities which the Prince was forc'd to appease by deposing the former Magistrates and putting in their room such as he knew were favourers of himself In one of these Tumults Cornelius and John du Witt two Brothers were miserably murther'd by the Rabble in the Hague though a great many are of Opinion That especially the last of these who had so long sat at the Helm had better deserv'd of his native Country Tho the Prince had been not a little instrumental in appeasing the Commotions whereby Holland was put in a condition to recover it self yet he was not so successfull in his War against France For he receiv'd a considerable loss near Seneffe he was repuls'd before Maestricht and endeavouring to relieve St. Omer he was defeated by the French and the Dutch Fleet which was sent to the Relief of Sicily had no great Success At last their Fear that through long War their Liberty might be endanger'd by the Prince influenc'd them to make a separate Peace with France by virtue of which Maestricht was restor'd to the Hollanders § 19. The Seven Provinces of the Vnited Netherlands are fill'd with a prodigious number of People there being some who have computed that in the Province of Holland the Number amounts to two millions and 500000. And unto this vast Number of People is to be attributed their Industry increase of Trade and great Riches for in a Country which is not the most fruitfull and where every thing is very dear they must else of necessity perish by Famine But most of the Inhabitants were transplanted thither out of other Countries out of France during the times of the Civil Commotions out of England under the Reign of Queen Mary out of Germany during those long Wars there but chiefly out of the other Provinces of the Netherlands at the time of their revolting from Spain These Strangers were invited into this Country by its convenient Situation the Liberty of Religion and the Government by its extraordinary Constitutions and Conveniencies for Trade and Correspondency in all Parts and at last by the great Reputation which the States have gain'd abroad by their wise Management at home and Success of their Arms abroad And because every body who either brings some Means along with him or has learn'd something to maintain himself withall finds a good Reception in Holland even those who are prosecuted in other places find a certain Refuge in this Country The Netherlanders are commonly very open-hearted down-right and honest very free in Words and Conversation not easily to be mov'd or stirr'd up but if once made soundly angry not easily to be appeas'd If you Converse with them without Haughtiness and with Discretion so as to accommodate your self a little to their Inclinations you may do with them what you please Charles V. us'd to say of them That there was not a Nation under the Sun that did detest more the Name of Slavery and yet if you did manage them Mildly and with Discretion did bear it more patiently But the Rabble here is very bad it being a common Custom to speak ill and despicably of their Magistrates as often as things do not answer Expectation The Hollanders are very unfit for Land-service and the Dutch Horse-men are strange Creatures yet those who live in Gueldres and upon the Borders of Westphalia are tolerably good But at Sea they have done such Exploits that they may be compar'd with any Nation in the World And the Zealanders are esteem'd more Hardy and Venturous than the Hollanders They are also generally very parsimonious not much addicted to the Belly it being not the Custom here to spend their yearly Income but to save every Year an overplus This saving way of living upholds their Credit and enables them to bear such heavy Taxes without being ruin'd by them They are very fit for all sorts of Manufactury and very much addicted to Commerce not refusing to undergo any Labour or Danger where something is to be got and those that understand Trade deal very easily with them They are very punctual in every respect pondering and ordering a thing very well before they begin it And there is scarce any Nation in the World so fit for Trade as the Dutch this being very praise-worthy in them that they always choose rather to get somewhat by their own Industry than by Violence or Fraud But especially the greatest Liberty which they enjoy is a great Encouragement for Trade The chiefest Vice among them is Covetousness which however is not so pernicious among them because it produces in them Industry and good Husbandry There is a great many who have been amaz'd at the great Conduct which has appear'd in the management of their Affairs notwithstanding that the Hollanders in general are rarely of extraordinary Wit or Merits Some alledge this for a Reason That a cold Temper and Moderation of Passions are the fundamental Qualifications of such as intend to manage State Affairs § 20. The Seven Vnited Provinces are not very large in Extent they being to be reckon'd but for one Corner of Germany but they are fill'd up with so considerable a Number of beautifull large and populous Cities that no other place of the same bigness is to be compar'd to it Besides the Seven Provinces they are possess'd of some Cities in Flanders and Brabant viz. Hulst Sluce Ardenburgh Bois le Duc Maestricht Breda Bergen op Zoom Grave and some others They also keep a Garrison in Embden thereby to secure the River of Embs.
The Country in general is more fit for Pasture than Tilling it producing scarce so much Corn as is sufficient for the fifth part of its Inhabitants But this want is made up by the Industry of the Inhabitants and the great conveniency of so many Rivers and the Seas fit for Fishing and Navigation The Herring Fishery and that of Codds brings in vast Riches to them and some English have computed That the Hollanders sell every Year 79200 Lasts which makes 138400 Tuns of Herrings which amount to the value of 1372000 l. not including what is transported into Spain Italy and France and what is consum'd at home But their Shipping and Commerce is of much greater Advantage to them which does flourish there to that degree that some are of Opinion That in Holland are more Ships than in all other parts of Europe Besides Holland's Situation in the midst of Europe makes it very fit for Trade so that it sends its Ships with great Conveniency into the East and Western Seas and though the Commodiousness of those vast Rivers of the Rhine Meuse Elbe Weser and Embs draw the Commodities out of Germany and in exchange for these vends its Manufacturies there For Holland has in regard especially of the Rhine and the Meuse a great Advantage in its Trade before England tho' this on the other hand has better Harbours and a deeper Coast And because Holland is at the latter end of the Year commonly overflown with Waters which makes the Air very thick and foggy Nature has been kind to this Country in that about that time the Wind blows much Easterly which disperses the Vapours refreshes the Air and renders it wholsome but from hence it is that their Harbours are often shut up with Ice for three Months together whereas they are always open in England The Hollanders trade almost into every Corner of the World they having been very carefull to erect Fortresses and Colonies in far distant Countries But the East-India Company especially has vastly encreas'd her Trade and Riches for this Company has extended her Trade from Basora which is situated near the great Bay of Persia at the very Mouth of the River Tigris all along a prodigious Tract of rich Ground near the Sea side as far as to the utmost parts of Japan she stands there in Confederacy with many Kings and with many of them has made Treaties of Monopolies and is possess'd of a great many strong Holds in those parts The Capital City there is Batavia in Java Major where the Governour General keeps a Court like a King under whose Jurisdiction are the other places The Company is Sovereign Mistress over all these Countries the chiefest of which are the Isles of Molucca and Banda Amboina Malacca the Coast of the Island of Zeilon Patiacatta Musulapatan Negapatan upon the Coast of Cormandel Cochin Cananor and Cranganor upon the Coast of Malabar and several more whether they have a free Trade in the East-Indies with China I cannot affirm tho' it is certain that the Chineses drive a great Trade with them in Batavia but in Japan they have the whole Trade alone no Portuguese being permitted to come there This Company is able to set out a Fleet of betwixt 40 and 50 Capital Ships and to raise an Army of 30000 Men. The first Funds of this Company did amount to sixty Tuns of Gold which in the space of six Years deducting all the Charges and Dividends made to the Owners was encreas'd to three hundred Tuns of Gold The Funds of the West-Indiâ— Company was of fourscore Tuns of Gold and flourâ—sh'd extreamly at the beginning but ruin'd it self by making too great Dividends and not keeping a Fund sufficient for the carrying on of the War against Spain Besides those concern'd in this Company were more eager after Conquests than Trade and when Brasile revolted they receiv'd a capital blow Yet they are possess'd in Gumea of the Castle de Mina and if I am not mistaken of Loanda in Angola and some other places as also some of the Caribby Islands and of New Holland in the Northern parts of America They have also lately begun to erect some Colonies in Guiana and on the great River of Orenoque Some of the most curious have observ'd that a great many things concurr in Holland for the promoting of Trade which are not to be met withall all at once in any other Country As for example the great quantity of People the Conveniency and Security of the Country the small Interest which is paid for Money which shews the great Superfluity of ready Money the Severity us'd against Thieves Cheats and Banquerooteers the Bank of Amsterdam great number of Convoys and moderate Customs that they are so exact and regular in their way of Trading that the Magistrates are generally Merchants or at least such as have an Interest in Commerce That they are Masters in the East-Indies and that by reason of the Frugality and Industry of the Inhabitants far more Commodities are exported than imported And it is observable that tho' the Hollanders are Masters of the Spice in the Indies yet they use them least of all themselves They have also the greatest share in the Silk-trade in Persia and yet they cloath themselves in Woollen Cloath generally speaking Nay they sell their fine Cloaths abroad and send for courser out of England for their own use They sell their delicious Butter and send for other out of the North of England and Ireland for their use French Wines and Brandies are the chiefest Commodities which are consumed here yet even when they make a Debauch they are not overlavishing § 21. From what has been said it is manifest that the Strength of this Common-wealth is founded upon Trade and its Naval Force which is absolutely necessary to maintain the former nor is there any Country so stock'd with good Seamen for the setting out of a great Fleet. But on the Land-side where the Country cannot be under Water it is not near so strong For tho' they do not want Money to raise an Army of Foreigners yet is it not always adviseable for a Common-wealth to rely only upon such as have no other tye but their Pay since they may easily prove unfaithfull or else mis-led by the General assist him in over-turning the Liberty of the State And it has been in regard of this that some have advised that the Provinces of Holland and Zealand should separate themselves from the rest and only endeavour to strengthen themselves betwixt the Meuse the Rhine and South-sea and in case of Necessity by opening of their Sluces put the Country under-water but for the rest only endeavour to strengthen themselves at Sea But to examine this Proposition is not now my business There are several Inconveniences that proceed from the very Form of the Government of this State For to speak properly these seven Provinces do not make up one entire Common-wealth but there
at Sea he must needs prove very troublesom to Denmark § 12. As to the Neighbours of Denmark it Borders on one side upon Germany for Holstein which belongs to the present Royal Ramily is a Fief of the Empire And tho the Land Forces of Denmark do not come to any comparison with those of Germany and Jutland lies quite open on that side yet the Islands are very secure from the Germans who are not provided with Shipping except it should happen that the great and lesser Belt should both be frozen which happens very rarely Neither is there any great probability that these two States should differ except the pretensions upon Hamborough which the King of Denmark will not easily let fall should furnish an occasion for War And to speak truly it is so delicious a morsel that it may easily provoke an Appetite But it will be a very difficult task for the King of Denmark to attain his aim by open force except there should happen a very strange juncture of Affairs or that the inward Divisions or else by treachery this City should give an occasion for its Ruin In the mean while it is not easily to be supposed that the Neighbouring German Princes should suffer that a City of so great Consequence should fall into the hands of a Foreign Prince In fine it is of vast Consequence to Denmark to hold a good understanding with Germany since from thence it must draw the greatest part of its Land-Forces wherewith to defend itself against Swedeland With the Swedes Denmark had been in continual Broils for a considerable time and it seems that there is an old grudge and animosity betwixt these two Nations arising chiefly hence that the Danes have formerly always endeavour'd to make themselves Masters of Sweden and to reduce this Kingdom into the same condition as they had done Norway Besides that afterwards they have made it their business by ruining their Shipping and Trade to prevent the growing Greatness of Sweden But Sweden has always vigorously defended itself and in latter times has gain'd great advantages upon Denmark for the Swedes have not only recover'd Schonen and secured West Gothland by the Fortress of Bahus but they have also a way open into Jutland out of their Provinces in Germany On the other hand the Danes have made it their business hitherto by making Alliances with the Enemies of Sweden to get from them these Advantages But if we consider that these two Kingdoms are now divided by their natural Bounds to preserve which France England and Holland seem to be mutually concern'd and that as in human probability Denmark cannot conquer or maintain itself in Swedeland so the other States of Europe are not likely to suffer that Sweden should become Master of Denmark It seems therefore most convenient that these two Kingdoms should maintain a good understanding and be a mutual security to one another against their Enemies From Holland Denmark may expect real assistance in case it should be in danger of being Conquered since the prosperity of Holland depends partly on the free Trade of the Baltic and if one should become Master both of Sweden and Denmark he would questionless keep these Passages closer than they are now But the Danes also are sensible enough that the Hollanders will not engage themselves any further in their behalf than to keep the ballance even for fear they should with an increase of Power attempt hereafter to raise the Toll in the Sound at pleasure But as long as Holland sides with Denmark England will not be fond of the Danish Party but rather declare for the other side for the preservation of Denmark and the Trade in the Baltic is not of so great consequence to England as it is to Holland The Muscovites may prove very serviceable to Denmark against Sweden yet cannot the Danes make any great account upon an Alliance with them because it is very difficult to maintain a Correspondency with them especially if the Poles should declare for Sweden Besides that the Muscovites as soon as they have obtained their aim commonly have but little regard to Alliances or the Interest of their Allies Denmark can have no great reliance upon Poland except that Crown should be engag'd in a War against Sweden France has hitherto shewn no great concern for Denmark because it has always been in Alliance with its Enemies yet France would not willingly see it ruin'd because no State of Europe would desire the two Northern Kingdoms should be under the Subjection of one Prince But I cannot see any reason why an offensive Alliance with Denmark should be profitable to France Spain is more likely to wish well to Denmark than to assist it except it should happen that Swedeland was engaged in a War against the House of Austria or any other Allie of Spain CHAP. X. Of POLAND § 1. THE POLES who anciently were called Samartians and afterwards Slavonians derived their Name from the Nature of the Country which they possess which lies most upon a Plain for Pole signifies in their language a Plain tho some are of opinion that the Word Polacki is as much as to say the Posterity of Lechus This Nation formerly did inhabit nearer to the Country of the Tartars but after vast Numbers out of Germany entred the Roman Provinces their places were supplied by the nations living behind them And it seems that Poland being in the same manner left by its Inhabitants which were then Venedi or Wends they made room for the next that took their Place These then as 't is said having taken possession of this Country about the year 550 did under the Conduct of Lechus lay there the Foundation of a new State Lechus resided at Gnicsen being encouraged thereunto by an Eagles Nest which he found there and taking it as a good Omen put an Eagle into the Arms of the new Commonwealth giving to that City the name of Gnicsen which in the Polish Language signifies a Nest This Nation first setled it self in that part of the Country which now goes by the name of the great and lesser Poland neither did their Limits extend any further tho since that time they are mightily encreased § 2. The first Governours of this Nation did not assume to themselves the Title of Kings but only that of Dukes and the first form of Government was very inconstant for after the Race of Lechus was extinguished tho it is uncertain how many of them and for how long a time they Ruled or what were their Atchievments twelve Governours which in their Language are called Vayvods did administer the Government who having at first regulated and refined this barbarous People by good Laws and Constitutions at last were divided among themselves Wherefore the Poles elected for their Prince one Cracus who having restored the Commonwealth to its former State built the City of Cracovia so called after his
them to all sorts of People whom he installed before they had taken Holy Orders And when the Emperour resolved to maintain his antient Right and Title he excommunicated him and stirred up the Bishops and the Estates of Germany against him who made him so much work that he was obliged to resign his Right of Constituting of Bishops The Pope under this pretext did not only intend to exempt the Bishops from the Emperour's Jurisdiction but the main point was to make himself Sovereign over Italy and to make all the other Princes submit to the Pope's Authority And some are of Opinion that this Design might have been put in execution considering that Europe was at that time divided into so many Principalities and most of these Princes being not very Potent might either out of a Devotion or to avoid falling under the Jurisdiction of more Potent Princes submit themselves under the Pope's protection and pay him Tribute It is therefore not improbable that if three or four Popes had succeeded one another instructed with sufficient Capacity to cover their Design with the Cloak of Holiness and in the mean while to uphold the Interest of the People against the Oppressions of their Princes the Popes might have made themselves absolute Sovereigns both in Temporal and Spiritual Affairs Neither did the Pope only pretend to free himself from the Emperour's Jurisdiction over him but also endeavoured to make him his Subject for he pretended to be his Judge he summon'd him before him to make answer to the Complaints of his Subjects excommunicated him and declared him to have forfeited his Right and Title to the Empire And tho' his Son the Emperour Henry V. did endeavour to recover what was forcibly taken away from his Father and made Pope Paschal a Prisoner whom he forced to restore to him the right of Constituting of Bishops yet were the whole Clergy in Europe so dissatisfied hereat and raised such Commotions that at last he was obliged to resign the same again into the Pope's hands Much about the same time there were great Disputes concerning this Point in England which were composed in such a manner that the King should not pretend to the Power of investing of Bishops but that these should do Homage to him The last of which the Pope was very unwilling to grant who would fain have had the Bishops to be quite independent of the King which was the reason why he expresly forbid the Bishops in France to follow this Example but King Lewis VI. and his Successours did maintain their Right with so high a Hand that the Popes were never able to establish their pretended Right in France Neither did the Popes think it advisable to fall out at once with the Emperour and France but that it would be more secure to have one at hand to uphold them against the other especially the Popes were not so much for weakening of France because they were not so nearly concerned with that Kingdom as for humbling the Emperours that were Potent in Italy and pretended to the Sovereignty over the City of Rome Neither was Germany so intirely united as France and most Princes of Europe being then very jealous of the Grandeur of the Empire were very willing to joyn with the Pope against the Emperours under pretence of upholding the Authority of the Holy Church and Papal Chair 'T is true the two Emperours Frederick I. and II. did afterwards endeavour to restore the antient Imperial Right but were not able to attain their aim especially since Italy was divided into the two Factions of the Guelfs and Gibellines the first whereof were for the Pope the latter for the Emperour which caused such a Confusion in Italy that the Emperours could never afterwards reduce Italy to an entire Obedience And because after the death of the Emperour Frederick II. the whole Empire was during that long vacancy of the Throne put into great Confusion and Disorders the succeeding Emperours found so much work in Germany that they were not in a Condition to look after Italy whereby the Pope had sufficient leisure given him to make himself Sovereign both as to his own Person and over the Possessions belonging to the Church of Rome § 22. But the Pope not being contended to have attained this degree of Grandeur quickly set on foot another Doctrine which was of far greater consequence viz. That the Pope had an indirect Power over Princes that it belonged to him in his own Right to take Care how they governed and managed their Affairs For tho' they did not expresly pretend in gross terms that Princes did depend on them in Civil Affairs yet they believed that the supreme Ecclesiastical Power did entitle them to an Authority to judge concerning the Actions of Princes whether the same were good or bad to admonish them to correct them and to command what was fitting and to forbid what was unfitting to be done If therefore Princes waged War against one another the Pope pretended to have an Authority to command a Truce to be made betwixt them to bring their Differences before him and refer them to his Decision not without threatnings that he would not only excommunicate them in their Persons but also forbid the exercise of Divine Service and administration of the Sacraments throughout their whole Kingdom They also did believe it belonged to their Office to obviate all publick Scandals to defend such as were oppressed and to see Justice done to all the World It was from this pretension that they received the Complaints of all such as pretended to be oppressed nay they went further for they sometimes took information concerning the Injuries done by Princes to their Subjects and concerning some Impositions laid upon the People whereby the People thought themselves aggrieved which they forbid to be levied upon them under the penalty of Excommunication Sometimes they used to declare the Possessions of such as were excommunicated forfeited exposing their Persons to danger and releasing the Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance under pretence that the Government of a Christian People ought not to be trusted to the management of such as had rebelled against the Church This has been attempted against a great many Crowned Heads and put in execution against some of them This abominable pretension as they perswade the ignorant was founded upon their fictitious Decretals upon which they have built their Canon-Law which grants to the Pope an unlimited Power over Christians by vertue of which he may as the Common Father send out his Commands to all Believers and admonish them concerning all such Matters as belong to Religion and their Salvation and in case of Disobedience lay punishments upon them For that the Predecessours of Gregory VII did not make use of this Power they say was because the preceeding Emperours either kept themselves within their bounds or else the Popes lived an ungodly Life To give specious colours to these pretensions
Protestants together by the Ears flattereth the Protestant Princes and takes care that many of them may marry Roman Catholick Ladies the younger Brothers out of the greatest Families he obliges to come over to his Party by bestowing upon them great Dignities and Church-Benefices all that will come over to his side are kindly received and very well used neither do they write so much against the Protestant Divines but rather endeavour to set up and maintain Controversies among them By these Artifices the Popish Clergy had got very visible advantages in this Age over the Protestants and are likely to get more every day since they see with the greatest satisfaction that their Adversaries do weaken themselves by their intestine Quarrels and Divisions § 40. From what has been said it is easily to be judged whether those Differences which are on foot betwixt the Roman Catholicks and the Protestants may be amicably composed either so that both Parties should remit something of their pretensions and agree to one and the same Confession of Faith leaving some by-Questions to be ventilated in the Universities or so that both Parties may retain their Opinions and yet notwithstanding this Difference might treat one another like Brethren in Christ and Members of the same Church Now if we duly weigh the Circumstances of the matter and the Popish Principles such a Peace is to be esteemed absolutely impossible since the Difference does not only consist in the Doctrine but both Interests are absolutely contrary to one another For first the Pope is for having the Church-Possessions restored but the Protestant are resolved to keep them in their possession The Pope pretends to be the supreme Head of Christendom but the Protestants States will not part with their Prerogative of having their Direction circa Sacra which they look upon as a precious Jewel belonging to their Sovereignty And to pretend to live in Communion and Amity with the Pope and not to acknowledge his Sovereignty in Ecclesiastical Affairs is an absolute contradiction In the same manner as if I would be called a Subject in a Kingdom and yet refuse to acknowledge the King's Authority Besides this the infallibility of the Pope is the Foundation Stone of the Popish Sovereignty and if that is once removed the whole Structure must needs fall wherefore it is impossible for the Pope and that for reasons of State to abate any thing from his 〈◊〉 wherein he differs from the Protestants For if it should â—e once granted that the Pope had hitherto maintained but one single erroneous point his infallibility would them fall to the ground since if he has erred in one point he may be erroneous in others also But if the Protestants should allow the Pope's infallibility they aâ— the same time must deny their whole Doctrine And it seems not probable that the Protestants can ever be brought to contradict and at once to recal their Doctrine concerning the vanity of the Popish Tenets Nay if it might be supposed that the Laiety should do it what must become of the Clergy Where will they bestow their Wives and Children Wherefore how good soever the intention may have been of those that have proposed a way of accommodation betwixt the Papists and Protestants which is commonly called Syncretism thâ—y are certainly nothing else but very simple and chimeâ—ical Inventions which are ridiculed by the Papists who in the mean while are well satisfied to see that the Protestant Divines bestow their labour in vain as to this point since they the Papists are no loosers but rather the gainers by it For this Syncretism does not only raise great Animosities among the Protestants but also does not a little weaken their Zeal against the Popish Religion It is easy to be imagined that some who do not thoroughly understand the Differences and hear the Divines talk of an accommodation betwixt both Religions are apt to perswade themselves that the Difference does not lie in the fundamental points and if in the mean while they meet with an advantageous proffer from the Roman Catholicks are sometimes without great difficulty prevailed upon to bid farewel to the Protestant Religion It is taken for a general Rule that a Fortress and a Maiden-head are in great danger when once they begin to parly § 41. But if the Question were put whether the Pope with all his adherents be strong enough to reduce the Protestants under his Obedience by force it is evident enough that the joint power of the Papists is much superiour to the strength of the Protestants For Italy all Spain and Portugal the greatest part of France and Poland adhere to the Pope as also the weakest part of the Swiss Canâ—ons In Germany those hereditary Countries which belong to the House of Austria the Kingdom of Bohemia and the greatest part of Hungary all the Bishops and Prelates the House of Bavaria the Dukes of Neuburgh and Marquisses of Baden besides some other Princes of less note some Counâ—s Lords and others of the Nobility and some Imperial Cities besides others of the Roman Catholick Communion that live under the Jurisdiction of the Protestant States all which according to my computation make up two thirds of Germany There are also a great many Papists in Holland neither is England quite free of them But of the Protestant side are England Sweden Denmark Holland most of the Secular Electors and Princes and the Imperial Cities in Germany The Hugonots in France are without strength and the Protestants in Poland being dispersed throughout the Kingdom are not to be feared Curland and the Cities of Prussia may rest satisfied if they are able to maintain the free exercise of their Religion neither is Transylvania powerful enough to give any considerable Assistance to the Protestant Party The Papists also have this Advantage above the Protestants that they all acknowledge the Pope for the supreme Head of their Church and at least to outward appearance are unanimous in their Faith whereas on the contrary the Protestants are not joined under one visible spiritual Head but are miserably divided among themselves For not to mention here those Sects of lesser note viz. the Arminians Socinians Anabaptists and such like their main Bod is divided into two Parties of very near equal Strength viz. into the Lutherans and those of the Reformed Religion a great many of which are so exasperated against one another that they could not be more against the Papists themselves Neither are the Protestants united under one Church-Government or Liturgy but each of these States regulate the same according as they think sit Neither can it be denied but that the Roman Catholick Clergy in general is more zealous and industrious in propagating their Religion than the Protestants a great many of these making no other use the Church-Benefices than to maintain themselves out of them just as if it were a meer Trade and the propagating of the Christian Faith is the least
six Books By the Famous Monsieur de la Quintinye Chief Director of all the Gardens of the French King To which is added his Treatise of Orange Trees with the raising of Melons omitted in the French Editions Made English by J. Evelyn Esq illustrated with Copper Plates The Commentaries of Julius Caesar of his Wars in Gallia and the Civil Wars betwixt him and Pompey with many Excellent and Judicious Observations thereupon By Clement Edmonds Esquire To this Edition is now added at the end of every Book those Excellent Remarks of the Duke of Rohan also the Commentaries of the Alexandrian and African Wars Written by Aulus Hirtius Pansa now first made English with a Geographical Nomenclature of the Antient and Modern Names of Towns together with the Life of Caesar and an account of his Medals The Roman History from the building of the City to the settlement of the Empire by Augustus Caesar being 727 years for the better understanding of the Roman Authors and Roman Affairs By Lawrence Etchard A. M. The Life of the Famous Cardinal Duke de Richlieu Principal Secretary of State to Lewis XIII A new Voyage to Italy with a Description of the Chief Towns Churches Tombs Libraries Palaces Statues and Antiquities of that Country with useful Instructions for those who shall travel thither By Maximilian Misson Gent. Adorned with Figures BOOKS printed for Tho. Newborough at the Golden Ball in St. Paul's Church-Yard THE Great Historical Geographical and Poetical Dictionary being a Curious Miscellany of Sacred and Prophane History containing the Lives of the Patriarchs Judges and Kings of the Jews of the Fathers of the Church of the Popes c. of Heresiarchs with an Account of their principle Doctrines of Emperours Kings and Illustrious Princes c. of Philosophers Inventors of Arts and those that have recommended themselves to the World The Genealogy of several Illustrious Families in Europe the Fabulous History of the Heathen Gods c. the Description of Empires Kingdoms Commonwealths Islands Mountains and Rivers and other considerable Places of Geography c. Collected from the best Historians Chronologers and Lexicographers by Lewis Morery D. D. The Sixth Edition Corrected and Enlarged by Monsieur l' Clarke To which are added the Lives and most Remarkable Actions of the English Scotch nad Irish Nobility Gentry Clergy and Artificers c. by several Learned Men with the five Years Historical and Geographical Collections of Edmund Bohun Esqiure never yet published Geographia Universalis The Present State of the whole World Giving an Account of the several Religions Customs and Riches of each People The Strength and Government of each Polity and State The Curious and most Remarkable Things in every Region with other Particulars necessary to the understanding History and the Interest of Princes Written Originally at the Command of the French King for the use of the Dauphin by the Sieur Duval Geographer in Ordinary to his Majesty The Third Edition Corrected and Enlarged by R. Midgley M. D. The most ancient State of Mankind The Original of Civil Societies At what time the first States were constituted The first States were very small and imperfect The Assyrian Empire By what means this Empire was maintained It s Fall The Persian Empire By what means it was maintained Greece Sparta Macedon The Politick Conduct and great Actions of Philip. Alexander the Great He dies young Great Troubles after the Death of Alexander The Fall of the Macedonian Empire Carthage Rome a Warlike City Bywhat means Rome became so populous Several other Military Institutions Of the Religion of the Romans The Expulsion of their Kings and the Erection of a new Form of Government Reasons of the fall of the Roman Greatness The Defects of the Roman Common-wealth Two distinct Bodies in Rome Factious Tribunes Citizens too powerfull The Constitution of the Roman Monarchy The Roman Monarchy could not be of a long continuance 〈…〉 Anno 1453. The ancient State of Spain West Goths conquer Spain 410. 554. 572. 586. 646. 677. The Ruine of the Gothick Empire in Spain 713. 714. The Saracens câ—nquer Spain Kings in Oviedo Pelagius 726. Favila Alfonso I. 737. Favila Aurelius Silo. Alfonsus I Veremundus 791. Ramirus Ordonius I. Alfonso III. Garsias 910. 913. The Origin of the Kingdoms of Navarre and Arragon Favila II. Alfonso IV. Ramirus II. 931. Ordonius III Sanctius 955. 965. Ramirus III. 967. Veremund II. 982. Alfonso V. 999. Veremund III 1025. Castile made a Kingdom Sanctius II. Major The perniciâ—us Division of Spain 1038. 1045. 1053. Sanctius III. 1067. Alfonso VI. 1073. 1085. Alfonso VII Alfonso VIII 1118. 1122. 1134. 1137. Sanctius IV. Alfonso IX Henry Ferdinandus Sanctus 1230. 1230. 1240. 1248. Alfonso X. 1256. 1284. Sanctius V. The Sicilian Vespers Ferdinand IV 1312. 1297. Alfonso XI 1324. 1350. Peter the Cruel 1366. 1369. Henry II. John II. 1390. Henry III. John II. 145â— 1442. Henry IV. 1468. 1469. Ferdinand the Catholick and Isabella The Kingdom of Castile and Arragon united The first beginning of the Spanish Inquisition 1497. 1481. 1483. Granada taken 1492. 1494. America discover'd The first rise of the War betwixt France and Spain 1504. Philip. 1506. 1512. Ferdinand conquer'd Naâ—â—arre Charles 1519. Wars betwixt Charles and France 1524. 1525. Rome taken by Charles V. 1527. A Peace madâ— at Cambray 1538. 1542. Peace made at Crespy 1544. Charles wages War against the Protestants in Germany 1547. 1550. Treaty at Passaw 1554. Abdication of Charles Peace betwixt Spain and France 1559. Charles dies Philip II. War with England The Spanish Armado destroyed 1588. 1596. 1594. Peace made at Vervin 1551. 1560. 1592. Portugal falls to Spain 1579. 1595. Philip III. Trucâ— with Holland 1609. 1602. Philip IV. 1622. 1628. 1639. Catalonia rebels 1651. Portugal falls off from Spain 1640. 1636. The Portugueses Duke of Braganza proclaimed King of Portugal 1642. 1647. Massanâ—llo ' s Rebellion at Naples 1647. 1650. The Pyrenean Treaty 1662. 1665. Charles II. 1668. Peace with Portugal The Tripple Alliance Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. Peace made as Nimmegen 1679. The Nature of the Spaniards The Constitution of the Spanish Countries The Spanish West Indies Several sorts of Inhabitants in the Spanish West Indies Riches of America 1563. The Canary Islands Sardinia Sicily Naples Milan The Netherlands The Philippine Islands Strength and Weakness of Spain In what condition Spain is in in reference to its Neighbours and especially as to Barbary Turky Italian States The Pope Venice Genouae Savoy The Suiss Holland Germanâ— England Portugal France What may be the consequence of the Extinction of the Royal Family The Origin of the Kingdom of Portugal Henry Earl of Portugal Alfonsus I. King of Portugal 1126. 1139. The Origin of the five Shields in the Arms of Portugal 1179. 1185. Sanctius I. Alfonsus II. Sanctius II. 1246. Alfonsus III. Dionysius Alfonsus IV. Pieter Ferdinand 1373. Interregnum Some call in the King of Castile 1385. John the Bastard 1399. 1415. 1420. Edward Alfonsus V. 1476. 1479.
Fainthearted 987. The Carolinian Family extinguish'd Hugh Capet the first of the present Race Robert The Pope excommunicates him and his Kingdom Henry I. Philip I. Will. Duke of Normandy conquers England Expedition into the Holy Land Lewis the Fat Lewis VII His unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land Philip II. the Conquerour Another Expedition to the Holy Land War betwixt France and England 1223. Lewis VIII Lewis IX A third Expedition to the Holy Land without Success 1254. The first Pretensions of the French upon the Kingdom of Naples 1261. 1268. An unfortunate Expedition of S. Lewis Philip the Hardy The Sicilian Vespers 1282. Philip the Handsom 1292. He has ill Success in Flanders 1302. 1304. He suppress'd the Templers Lewis X. Philip the Tall. Charles IV. Philip of Valois His Title conteâ—ted by Edward III. of England and in what ground War with England Battel near Crecy The English take Calâ—is 1347. Dauphine annexed to France 1349. Philip introduced the Gabell John Vnfortunate in his Wars against the English Battel near Poictiers 1356. A dishonourable Peace to France 1360. 1364. Charles the Wise He declares War against the English After the Death of Edward Charles attacks the English with Advantagâ— Charles VI. 1384. 1382. The first rise of the French Pretensions upon Milan◠〈…〉 1404. The Duke of Orleans assassinated by the Duke of Eurgundy 1407. The English take advantage of these Troubles 1415. Battel of Agincourt 1419. The Duke of Burgundy assassinated 1422. Charles VII Henry VI. of England proclaim'd King of France Misunderstandings betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy the only Advantage Charles had left The Maid of Orleans 1431. The English Power declines in France 1435. 1436. He drives the English out of France 1449. 1451. 1453. 1461. Lewis XI He reduces the excessive power of the Nobility A League against him The King's 〈◊〉 â—â—thods The Original of selling the Offices of France Duke of Burgundy slain 1477. Charles VIII Britainy united to France 1491. An Expedition to Naples end the Preâ—â—â—sions of it 1494. Charles conquer'd Naples 1495. The League of Italy against the French He losâ—th Naples 1498. Lewis XII 1499. He conqâ—ers Milan He conquers Naples 1501. Loses it agaiâ— 1503. The Venetian War Lewis joins in the League against thâ—â— 1508. 1509. A League against Lewis 1512. He conquers Milan agaiâ—n He is attack'd by several Princes at once Francis 1. He aspires to the Empire In a few Days he takes and loses the Kingdom of Navarre 1521. A War 〈◊〉 in Italy The French driven out of Milan 1521. The Duke of Bourbon revolts to the Emperour 1524. Franc's desired at the Battel of Pavia and taken Prisoner 1525. He is set at Liberty on hard Conditions which he did not perform He with the King of England declare War against the Emperour He sends an 〈◊〉 my into Italy Peace made at Cambray 1529. 1535. The War breaks out afresh The Truce prolong'd for nine Years Francis breaks the Truce 1542. A Peace concluded at Crespy 1544. 1546. Henry II. 1548. 1549. 1550. His Expedition into Germany 1552. 1555. A Truce between Charles V. and Henry II. 1557. A Project to unite Scotland with France misscarried Francis II. The Causes of the intestine Wars of France 1527. The House of Guise rises and that of Bourbon declines Divisions about the Administration of the Government 1560. Charles IX The Conferenec of Poissy 1562. The first Huguenot war 1563. The Second War 1568. The Third War 1569. The Prince of Conde being slain the King of Navarre is declar'd Head of the Huguenots 1570. The Parisian Massacre The Fourth War 1573. The Fifth War Henry III. The Holy League 1577. The Sixth War Spain enters the League The Seventh War 1585. The Eighth War 1587. The League force the King from Paris 1588. The Duke and Cardina of Guise assassinated by the King's Order at Blois The King makes use of the Huguenots against the League Aug. 2. 1589. Henry IV. His Difficulties on the account of his Religion The Pope Excommunicates Henry Proposals about setting up another King 1593. The King changes his Religion 1593. Several Cities surrender to him 1594. The King assaulted and wounded by a Ruffian The Jesuits banish'd The Edict at Nants The Peace of Vervins He takes from the Duke of Savoy all that he possessed on this side the Alpes 1600. The Conspiracy of the Marshal de Biron 1602. He introduces Manufacturies His Design to put a stop to the growth of the House of Austria He is Assassinated by Ravillac May 14. 1610. Lewis XIII 1617. 1619. Richlieu comes in play Made chief Minister of State Rochelle taken The Effects of the Civil Wars A War in Italy 1628. The first Occasion of Mazarini's Greatness How Pignerol came into the hands of the French The Queen Mother raises Troubles 1642. The King takes Lorrain from that Duke 1634. 1636. 1638. May 14. 1643. Lewis XIV Mazarini ' s Ministry 1644. Peace of Munster The intestine Commotions 1648. The Slingers The King forc'd to leave Paris 1649. The Imprisonment of the Princes 1651. The Cardinal banish'd France The Queen recalls him 1653. 1658. 1662. The Pyrenaean Peace 1659. The Death of Mazarini 1661. A Dispute about Precedency between the French and Spanish Embassadours A Treaty with the Duke of Lorrain A Differance with the Pope 1664. He attacks Flanders Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. 1667. He invades Flanders 1672. 1673. Mastricht taken by the French The Death of Turenne The Losses of the Spaniards in this War Peace at Nimmegen The French Nation Full of Nobility Their Natural Qualities The Nature of the Country It s Situation It s Fertility Its Plantations The Government of France The Strength of France with reguard to England To Spain To Italy To Holland To the Swiss To Germany The Strength of France in regard of a Confederacy The ancient State of the United Provinces The Division of the 17 Provinces The Vnion of the 17 Provinces Tâ—eir Coâ—ditiâ—n than under Charles V. The cause of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. William Prince of Orange Discontents of the Nobility and Clergy Change of Religion Spanish Inquisition Queen Flizabeth â—â—mented their Revolt 1559. The Cardinal Granville 1564. Count Egmont sent into Spain An Association of the Nobility 1566. Breaking of Imâ—ges The Duke of Alva 1568. The Earls of Egmont and Hoorn beheaded Briel taken April 1. 1571. Duke of Alva recall'd Lewis Requesenes Governour 1574. 1576. The Treaty of Ghent Don John d' Austria made Governour Archduke Matthew 1577. Alexander Duke of Parma Malecontents The Duke of Parma The Vnion of Utrecht the Foundation of the Common-wealth 1579. The Duke of Alenson 1583. 1584. Prince of Orange murthered His Son Prince Maurice made Stadtholider The English Confederacy 1616. 1586. The Regency of the Earl of Leicester The State of Affairs in Holland legias to mend 1588. 1590. 1592. Arch-Duke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 1602. The East-India Company Isabella Clara Eugenia Battel
he did nothing He had for his Tutor and Administrator of the Kingdom Hugh Capet Earl of Paris After this King's Death his Uncle viz. Lewis sirnamed Outremer's Son laid claim to the Crown but was disappointed in his Pretensions by the great Power of Hugh Capet He afterwards endeavour'd to maintain his Right by force of Arms but was made a Prisoner and dying in Prison put an end to the Carolinian Race or at least to its Inheritance of the Crown of France which had been in its possession for at least 236 Years It is very remarkable that this Family lost the Kingdom through the same Errour which the former lost it For tho' this Family by prodigious Conquests had rais'd the Power of France yet were the Conquests soon after by the Divisions made of the Kingdom again dis-united and even a considerable part quite separated from that Kingdom and annexed to the German Empire Besides this by the Negligence of these Kings and the excessive Power of the great Men in the Kingdom France was reduced to a very low Condition § 6. As Hugh Capet the first Founder of the present Royal Family obtain'd the Crown not so much by right of Succession as by the assistance of the chief Men of the Kingdom who excluded the right Heir so as it is very probable he was obliged to remit a great many of the ancient Royal Prerogatives and to confirm to the great Men of the Kingdom the Power of governing their Provinces with the Titles of Dukes and Earls under condition that they should acknowledge themselves Vassals of the Kingdom yet not be obliged to depend absolutely on the King's Commands so that France at that time was like a mishapen and weak Body Hugh in the mean time re-united to the Crown which at that time had scarce any thing left which could be call'd her own the County of Paris the Dutchy of France wherein was comprehended all that lies betwixt the Rivers of Seine and the Loire and the County of Orleans Among the great Men of the Kingdom the chief were the Dukes of Normandy on whom also depended Britainy of Burgundy Aquitain and Gascoigne the Earls of Flanders Champaign and Tolouse the latter of which was also Duke of Languedock But the Counties of Vienne Provence Savoy and Dauphine belong'd to the Kingdom of Arelat which was a part of the German Empire Yet these Kings had at last the good Fortune to see all these Demi-Sovereign Princes extinguish'd and their Countries re-united to the Crown of France Hugh died in the Year 996 whose Son Robert a good natur'd Prince reign'd very peaceably he having reduc'd the Dukedom of Burgundy to which he after the Death of his Uncle was the next Heir under the entire Jurisdiction of the Crown The Tyranny exercis'd by the Pope against this King ought to be mention'd here For the King having an Intention of marrying Bertha of the House of Burgundy which Match was esteemed very beneficial to his State and the said Bertha standing with him in the fourth degree of Consanguinity besides that he had been Godfather to a Child of hers in her former Husband's time He desir'd and obtain'd the Consent of his Bishops the said Marriage being otherwise against the Canon Law But the Pope took hence an occasion to Excommunicate the King and the whole Kingdom which proved so mischievous that the King was deserted by all his Servants except three or four and no Body would touch the Victuals that came from his Table which was therefore thrown to the Dogs He died in the Year 1033. The Reign of his Son Henry was also not very famous except that he waged some inconsiderable Wars against his Vassals He presented his Brother Robert with the Dukedom of Burgundy from whence comes the Race of the Dukes of Burgundy descended from the Royal Blood He died in the Year 1060. His Son Philip did nothing memorable he was also for his Marriage excommunicated by the Pope but at last obtained a Dispensation Under the Reign of this King Philip William Duke of Normandy conquer'd England which prov'd to be the occasion of unspeakable Miseries to France for these two Kingdoms were ever after in continual Wars till the English were driven out of France About the same time the first Expedition was undertaken into the Holy Land which Extravagancy continued for near 200 Years after The Popes drew the most Benefit from these Expeditions assuming to themselves an Authority not only to command but also to protect all such as had listed themselves under the Cross Under this pretext also frequent Indulgences were sent abroad into the World and what was given towards the use of this War was collected and distributed by their Legates The King of France and other Kings receiv'd thereby this Benefit That these Wars carried off a great many turbulent Spirits And a great many of the Nobility used either to sell or else to mortgage their Estates and if any of them happened to die in the Expedition leaving no Heirs behind them their Estates fell to the King By this means also that prodigious number of People wherewith France was overstock'd at that time was much diminish'd whereby the Kings got an Opportunity to deal more easily with the rest Nevertheless when afterwards the Kings either by Instigation of the Popes or out of their own Inclinations undertook these Expeditions in their own Persons they found the dismal effects of it For by so doing the best of their Subjects were led to the Slaughter and yet it was impossible to maintain these Conquests as long as they were not Masters of Egypt Whereas if this Kingdom had been made the Seat of the intended Empire and the Store-house of the War a Kingdom might have been establish'd which would have been able to support it self by its own Strength This King died in the Year 1108. His Son Lewis sirnamed the Fat was always at variance with Henry I. King of England and in continual Troubles with the petty Lords in France who did considerable Mischiefs from their strong Castles yet he was too hard for them at last and died in the Year 1137. His Son Lewis VII sirnamed the Younger undertook upon the Persuasion of St. Bernhard an Expedition into the Holy Land but this prov'd a fatal Expedition for by the Defeat which he receiv'd at Pamphylia and the Siege of Damascus which he was forc'd to quit and the Fatigues of so great a Journey as well as the perfidiousness of some of the Commanders after he had ruin'd a great Army he returned with the miserable Remainders into France without having done any thing answerable to such an Undertaking But he committed the greatest Error when he divorced himself from his Lady Eleonora whether out of Jealousie or tenderness of Conscience is uncertain she being his Cousin in the third or fourth degree This Eleonora being also the only Heiress of