Bishops of France unto a Synod first at Rome then at Aken The Bishops answered They were not obliged to go out of their own Country At last he named Munson on the borders of France where only Gerebert appeared and boldly maintained the cause of the French Church so that the Legate Leo could do nothing without new instructions from the Pope save only that he appointed another Synod at Rhemes and in the mean time he suspends Gerebert who wrote the Apology of the French Church as his Epistle unto Wilderodon Bishop of Argentine testifieth Gerebert excelled in Learning and came afterward to the Roman Chair and called by the name of Silvester the second he was promoted to that dignity by the Emperour Otho Hugh Capet having reigned peaceably nine years died Novemb. 22. 996. leaving his Son Robert his successour a Prince wise resolute peaceable and continent he is said to have been Learned a lover of Divinity and humanity They sing Hymns of his Invention the which thus beginneth O Constantia Martyrum mirabilis the which bearing resemblance with the name of his Wife Constance he was wonderfully pleased with the humour she had to be honoured with his writings being then greatly esteemed throughout the World He preferred virtue before the prerogative of primogeniture and caused Henry his younger Son to be Crowned in his life time decreeing by his Will that his eldest Son Robert should content himself with the Dutchy of Burgundy doing homage for it to the Crown of France Century XI IN the beginning of this Century Arnold Earl of Sens Fabian's Chronic. used great Tyranny among the Bishops and Ministers of the Church Hereupon Leofricus Bishop of that See through the advice and aid of Reginald Bishop of Paris put out the said Arnold and delivered the City unto King Robert But the Brother of the said Arnold with divers of his Knights fled to the Castle and held it by force Then the King besieged the said Castle and took both it and Fromond the Brother of Arnold and sent him to Orleans where being imprisoned he dyed shortly after This Robert builded the Castle of Mountfort He founded also divers Monasteries and Temples at Orleans the Temple of St. Avian at Stamps a Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and many other in divers places of his Realm And he endowed the Church of St. Denis with many great priviledges and had special devotion to St. Hypolite above all other Saints At this time flourished Fulbert Bishop of Chartres a very learned Man Sundry Sermons and Treatises that are amongst the works of St. Austin are said to be his He wrote an Epistle to Adeodatus wherein he first reproveth a gross opinion of some Men who held that Baptism and the Eucharist were naked signs Then he proveth that these should not be considered as meer and outward signs but by Faith according to the invisible vertue of Mysteries The Mystery of Faith it is called saith he because it should be esteemed by Faith and not by sight to be looked into spiritually not corporally the sight of Faith only beholdeth this powerful Mystery c. Then he illustrates the same by comparison of a baptized Man who albeit outwardly he be the same he was before yet inwardly he is another being made greater than himself by encrease of invisible quantity that is of saving grace c. Here is no word of substantial change of the Elements the Bread is still Bread But we find two other changes the Faithful are transposed into the body of Christ and Christ is infused into the habitation of a faithful Soul yet so that Christ 's body remaineth in the Heavens and by the Revelation of the Spirit faith beholdeth Christ present Biblioth part de e bigne Tom. 3. or lying in his Mother 's bosom and dying rising and ascending and he entreth into the gratious habitation of a faithful Communicant and many waies refresheth him Here also we see that the substance of Bread remaineih as the substance of him who is Baptized remaineth albeit inwardly he be another Some say that Fulbert composed many Songs in praise of the Virgin Mary and that he built a Temple and dedicated it unto her Historians also do feign that Fulbert being sick was visited by the Virgin Mary Hist Magdeb. Cent. 11. and that she cherished him with her own Milk O impudent forgers of lies O foolish Mortals who gave credit to such palpable lies King Robert dyed Anno 1031. His Son Henry succeeded him and reigned 33 years In his time the Realm of Burgundy had an end in the posterity of Boson and the Emperours of Germany challenged the right and title of it Robert Duke of Normandy had maintained the Hereditary love of his Father with King Henry greatly relying upon his friendship Having resolved upon a long and dangerous Voyage to the Holy-land he intreated him to take the protection of William his Bastard Son whom he had made his Heir excluding his lawful Children Robert settled his Estate before his departure appointing him good Governours and putting the strongest holds and treasure into their hands Robert dyed in this long Voyage beyond the Seas at the City of Bythinia having before his departure commanded the Lords of Normandy and sworn them and Robert Arch-Bishop of Rovan to perform their Allegiance unto his Son William and to take him for their Lord and Duke if he return not again When King Henry had settled his Land in quietness he then builded the Monastery of St. Martin called Des Champs besides Paris and set therein secular Priests King Henry after he had reigned 31 years dyed and was buried at St. Denis Anno 1046. Gregory VI. created Odilo Abbot of Cluny Arch-Bishop of Lyons sending him the Pall and the Ring which he received yet without accepting the dignity saying he would reserve it for him that should be chosen Arch-Bishop Berengarius a French-man Deacon of St. Maurice in Anjou was the Disciple of Fulbert He was the first that was accounted an Heretick for denying of Transubstantiation and troubled for the same In his days it was broached that the Bread of the Eucharist was the very body of Christ and the Wine his Blood substantially or properly Berengarius on the contrary taught that the Body of Christ is only in the Heavens and these Elements are the Sacraments of his Body and Blood Adelman Bishop of Brixia wrote unto him In the beginning he saluteth him as his holy and beloved Brother and Con-disciple under Fulbert Bishop of Chartres Then he sheweth he heard it reported that Berengarius did teach that the Body and Blood of Christ which are offered upon the Altar throughout the Earth are not the very Body and Blood of Christ but only a figure or certain similitude howbeit indeed Berengarius had said nothing so To the intent Adelman may bring his Brother from this opinion he entreateth him not to depart from the Doctrine of their Master Fulbert and of
Church from the sole of the Foot to the Head the Bride was spoiled and even they that were called the Bridegrooms of the Church were not the friends of the Bridegroom And the Council so far took with this rebuke that some Acts were made for Reformation though no reformation followed About that time had been started that opinion concerning the Virgin Mary viz. of Universal freedom from original sin which opinion had been in the minds only of some private persons but yet was not come among the ceremonies of the Church nor into the minds of the learned About the year 1136. the Chanons of Lyons durst first bring it into the service of the Church St. Bernard flourishing at that time for piety and learning before all the Divines of that Age and so immoderate in the praises of the blessed Virgin that he calleth her the neck of the Church as if by her all Grace did flow from the Head nevertheless he sharply writeth against these Chanons that without reason and without example of former times they had brought in so dangerous a novelty He confesseth that they had matter enough to commend the blessed Virgin but such ambitious novelty which is the mother of fondness the sister of superstition and daughter of levity he saith could not please her Recentissimus est vixitque post confirmatam Episcopi Romani Tyrannidem Cham. de Oecum Pontif. Bernard dyed in the 63. year of his Age Anno 1153. From erring Bernard that frequent proverb of writers erring drew it's Original Bernardus non vidit omnia neither is it a wonder seeing he flourished in the darkest midnight as it were of Popery He is much commended by divers learned Protestants as by Bishop Morton Bishop Carleton Carlet Consens â—â—cles contr Trident. l. 6. Hist Pelag. li. ca. 21. Vossius and others He hath solidly disputed concerng the chief Heads of Faith of the Scriptures of the Church of the misery of man of free justification of grace of new obedience with the Catholick Church against the Tridentine Fables so that nothing can be found more solid In the Council of Rhemes forementioned where were assembled 434 Prelats these five principal acts were concluded 1. That no Man should either buy or sell any Bishoprick Abbotship Fox Act and Monum Deanry Arch Deaconship Priesthood Prebendship Altar or any Ecclesiastical promotion or Benefice Orders Consecration Church-hallowing Seat or Stall within the Quire or any Office Ecclesiastical under pain of Excommunication if he did persist 2. That no Lay-person should give Investiture or any Ecclesiastical possession and that no spiritual man should receive any such at any Lay-man's hand under pain of deprivation 3. That no man should invade take away or detain the goods or possessions of the Church but that they should remain firm and perpetual under pain of perpetual curse 4. That no Bishop or Priest should have any Ecclesiastical Dignity or benefice to any by way of inheritance Adding moreover that for Baptism Chrism Anointing Burial no Money should be exacted 5. Item That all Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons should be utterly debarred and sequestred from company of their Wives and Concubines under pain of excluding from all Christian Communion The Acts thus determined were sent soon after to Henry the Emperour to try before the breaking up of the Council whether he would agree to the Canonical Elections free consecration and investing of spiritual persons and to other Acts of the said Council The Emperour maketh answer that he would lose nothing of that Antient Custom which his Progenitors had given him Yet because of the authority of the general Council he was content to consent to the residue save only the investing of Ecclesiastical function to be taken from him unto that he would never agree Upon this at the next return of the Pope to the Council Henry the Emperour was excommunicated In the Year 1142. Pope Eugenius came to Paris where that he might usurp the right of investiture and deprive the King of it he gave the Arch-Bishoprick of Bourges to his Chancellour of the Apostolical Chancery named Peter Aimery without the consent of King Lewes a Prince very much given to obedience unto the Papal See Yet the King was so angry at it that he swore upon the Holy Relicks that never so long as he lived Aimery should set his foot in Bourges But the Pope knowing the King 's timerous nature excommunicated him put his person in interdict and gave order that in France in all places where the King came divine Service should cease and all his Court were deprived of the Communion This lasted three whole years till St. Bernard came to the King and perswaded him to receive the said Arch-Bishop But because by so doing the King brake his Oath made upon the Holy Relicks he was enjoyned for satisfaction to take a Journey to the Holy Sepulchre in Syria to fight against the Saracens In which Journey the King lost the flower of the French Nobility and returned afflicted and full of confusion as you shall see more hereafter Peter Bishop of Clugny was in great account with Pope Eugenius Bernard wrote many Epistles to him in one Epistle he calleth him a Vessel of Honour full of Grace and Truth and endued with many gifts The loss of Edessa wherein Christianity had flourished ever since the Apostles times moved Conrade Emperour of the West and Lewes VII sir-named the young King of France to undertake a Voyage to the Holy Land Pope Eugenius III. bestirred himself in the matter and made St. Bernard stis solicitour to advance the design The Emperour's Army contained two hundred thousand foot besides fifty thousand Horse nor was the Army of King Lewes much inferiour in number Paul Aemil. in Lud. VII In France they sent a Distaff and a Spindle to all those that went not with them as upbraiding their effeminateness But by the way the Grecian Emperour did them all possible mischief by mingling lime with their meal by killing of straglers by holding intelligence with the Turks their enemies by corrupting his Coyn so that the Dutch sold good Wares for bad Money and bought bad Wares with good Money by giving them false conductors which trained them into danger so that there was more fear of the guides than of the way The King of France followed after the Emperour and drank of the same Cup at the Grecians hands though not so deeply till at last finding that those who marched through the Continent met with an Ocean of misery he thought better to trust the Wind and the Sea than the Greeks and taking shipping safely arrived in Palestine where he was welcomed by Reimund Prince of Antioch Some weeks were spent in entertainment and visiting holy places till at last Tho. Fuller holy War lib. 2. Elianor Wife to the King of France who accompanied her Husband made Religion her Pander and plaid Bankrupt of her honour under pretence of Pilgrimage keeping
he continued in a league of friendship with him thirty eight years And saith also That in all that while in which he was acquainted with him he never heard him dispute of the Controverted points of Religion or that he was accustomed to write to others about them Adrian Turnebus was Professour of Philosophy and Greek in Paris under King Charles IX Thuanus calls him grande nostri seculi ornamentum Illa aeternitate digna Adversâ—ria Thuan. Hist Tom. 2. li. 36. He was admirable both in the Greek and Latin Languages and in knowledge of all Antiquity as his Books entitled Adversaria do evidently testifie of which H. Stephanus thus speaketh Vtinam non tantâ brevitate in suis Adversariorum libris esset usus Paulò enim luculentior plenior quorundam locorum explanatio majorem illi operi gratiam laudémque conciliasset lectori multò magis satisfecisset Stephanus Paschasius in his Icones saith thus of him Quicquid in arcano condebat avara vetustas Turnebus tacitis eruit è latebris He hath rectified Plinies Preface to his Natural History by Ancient Copies and added Annotations upon it He hath commented also upon Horace's first Book of verses and upon his obscurer places Vide Lectium de vita Sadeelis et scriptis At this time flourished Anthony Sadeel Anthony Bourbon King of Navarre greatly respected him and was wont to hear him Preach His friends in France were especially Beza Hottoman Goulartius Faius and others John Auratus Regius Professour in Paris for the King of France was much respected by Charles IX and was the chiefest Poet of his time He was most skilful in Greek and Latine Some of his Poems are published Papyr Masson Auratum nemo te dicat magne Poeta Aurea namque tibi Musa lepósque fuit Antoine de Chandieu was a learned French Divine Beza highly commends his Book of the Marks of the true Church There are other works of his also viz. De l'unique sacrifice Contre les traditions Beza gives him this character De la trefare erudition pietè entiere diligence incroyable dexteritè admirable Beze Epistre au Roy devant son Traicte Des Marques De l'Eglise Catholique Andreas du Chesne was the King of France his Geographer he hath put out divers French Books Gilbert Genebrard was a Divine of Paris and the King's Professour of Hebrew He was a most petulant writer By whom saith B. Andr. it is verified that much Learning and railing may be accidents in one Subject Papyrius Massonius was such a writer of the French Chronicle as Cambden of the English There are four Books of his Annals One speaks thus of him Non tam undiquaque Pontificius quin verò Pontificum vitia libere fateatur Mortoni causa Regia cap. 3. Sect. 19. Jacobus Cujacius was a great light of France His Life is written by Papyrius Massonius He is praised by Peter Faber whose Master he was as the greatest Lawyer of his time Pasquier saith In many Universities of Germany when those in the Chair alledge Cujacius and Turnebus they put their hands to their hats for the respect and honour they bear them He was thought to be somewhat inclinable to the Protestant Religion But when any Theological question was askt him he was wont to answer Nihil hoc ad Edictum Praetoris John Passeratius was a learned French man the King's Professour of Eloquence in Paris an excellent Oratour and Poet. He hath put out Orations and Prefaces a Commentary on Catullus Tibullus and Propertius Varia Opuscula His French Works are mentioned by Antoine du Verdier in his Bibliotheque At the same time lived Dionysius Lambinus a Learned French man he hath Commented well on Lucretius Horace Plautus Turnebus often makes honourable mention of him in his Adversaria The Queen of Navarre Prince of Conde the Admiral and the Dutchess of Ferrara having for many Months made request that places should be allowed to the Protestants for their Sermons and Ceremonies and all these and many more Grandees even in the Court it self making Profession thereof the inferiour Protestants Assembled themselves apart whereupon dangerous Popular tumults were raised in many parts of the Kingdom with slaughter on both sides Two divers tumults were raised by Sermons one at Dijon the other in Paris Hereupon the Presidents of all the Parliaments were called and certain Councellours Elected to deliberate what was best to be done All these being Assembled at Saint German where the Chancellour told them That the differences in Religion should be referred to the Prelates but when the Peace of the Kingdom is in question this could not belong to the Ecclesiasticks but to those whom the King would appoint to consult of it That this Particular was then to be considered of whether it were good service for the King to permit or prohibit the Congregations of the Protestants wherein they were not to dispute which Religion was the better because they took not in hand to frame a Religion but to put in order a Republick In the end they concluded that the Edict of July was to be remitted in part and the Protestants to have lieve to Preach The Edict contained many Points That the Protestants should restore the Churches Possessions and other Ecclesiastical goods usurped That they should forbear to beat down Crosses Images and Churches upon pain of death That they should not Assemble themselves to Preach Pray or Administer the Sacraments in publick or in private by day or by night within the City That the Prohibitions and Punishments of the Edict of July and all others made before should be suspended That they shall not be molested in their Sermons made out of the City or hindered by the Magistrates That none shall scandalize another for Religion or use contumelious words of Faction That the Magistrates and Officers may be present at the Sermons and Congregations That they shall not make Synods Colloquies or Consistories but with lieve and in presence of the Magistrate That they shall observe the Laws for Feasts and Degrees prohibited for Marriage That the Ministers shall be bound to swear to the Publick Officers not to offend against this Edict nor to Preach any Doctrine contrary to the Nicene Council and the Books of the Old and New Testament This was Registred and published by way of Provision with this express Clause and Condition Until such time as the General Council or the King himself should order it otherwise The Duke of Guise the Constable and the Cardinals among which the Cardinal of Tournon was lately dead with the Marshals of Brisac and St. Andre being discontented hereat left the Court contriving how they might hinder the execution of the Edict and oppose the Protestants But because they saw that whilst the King of Navarre stood united with the Regent they had no right to intermeddle with the Government of the Kingdom therefore they proposed to themselves to dissolve that Union And knowing that
another little Town near to Saint Aubin and put all the Souldiers in it to the sword Then they marched against certain places which the Duke of Rohan had resolved to defend but the fear which the Inhabitants and Souldiers apprehended on sight of the Army made them open their Gates so they entred without resistance Then they became Masters of Corconne and Aubenas Montmorency pursued the Duke of Rohan and constrained him to flight he maintained the fight about two hours and saw about an hundred of his Souldiers killed fifteen of his Guard seven or eight Captains slain and divers others wounded In fine he saw at the years end that he had very little advanced his design The Rochellers now send to the King of England to demand succour Order was given for the Rigging out a Fleet in behalf of the Rochellers and the Command to be given to the Earl of Denbigh The King goes from Rochel to Paris to dissipate those Factions which began to rise thereabouts by the Hugonots in Picardy Champagnie and Brie Richlieu Commandeth the Army in his Majestie 's absence The English Fleet being now ready to hoise sail for Rochel the King resolveth to return thither The Rochellers are summoned by an Herauld to surrender to the King but their minds and answers were full of insolency so that the King bent all his thoughts to prepare for the fighting with the English Fleet at their first coming About the eleventh of May they were descried two Leagues off the point of Coreille An order was resolved on by the King assisted with his Generals and Sea Captains and so delivered to the Commander of Valencay who distributed it among the Officers The English attempt to relieve Rochel but in vain and when the Rochellers were embarqued after the exhortations of their Ministers and their Captains had solemnly sworn to pass the Bank in spite of all opposition or die in the attempt they were struck with such faint-heartedness that not a man durst stir his hand and Vincent their Minister could no longer speak unto them as himself confessed in a Letter to a friend of His. The English Fleet now departeth whereupon great dissentions arise among the Rochellers Then the King sent another summons to them to yield Breton Herauld at Arms was commanded to do it in form with his Coat of Arms who went into the City required them to lay down their Arms assured them of Pardon for their past Crime and threatning them with the contrary in case they should now refuse it But they being animated by their Preachers the Town continued obstinate in their insolencies After a feigned Treaty between the King and the Rochellers the Town was reduced by Famine to extream miseries The Cardinal perswaded his Majesty to settle divers Catholick Preachers in the Hugonot Provinces and wrought upon the Duke of Tremoville to forsake the Protestant Religion The Rochellers when they saw there was no hopes of succour from the English and that they died by thousands of the Famine made divers proposals of accommodation Since the last six months there had died about ten thousand of the Famine The Cardinal declared to them they must not think of any other condition than absolutely to submit to his Master's will At last they chose twelve of the principal among them most of which could hardly creep to beg his Majestie 's pardon to assure him that they would live and die in the obedience which they owed to him without demanding any other conditions than what his Majesty should please to give them The King granted them the pardon which they desired and the Sieur of Herbaut Secretary of State read the Patent to them by which his Majesty pardoned their Rebellion discharged them of all Acts of Hostility ordained that they should be restored to their goods granted them the Exercise of their Religion in the City and commanded that all the Souldiers in the City should enjoy the same Grace and that the chiâ—f Captains and Gentlemen should go out with their swords by their sides and the Souldiers with Cudgels in their hands but first they were to swear never to bear Arms against his Majestie 's service Rochel yielded up to the King Upon October 30. the Duke of Angolesm the Marshal de Scomberg the Sieurs de la Curce Vignolle Hallier St. Chaumont and divers other Lords fourteen Companies of the Regiments des Guardes and six of Swisses began about six in the morning to enter into Rochel The King placed himself upon the Fort de Beaulieu to see the Forces march into the Town They who Commanded these Forces seized on all the Gates of the Town the Ramparts Cannon and Munition and sent away the Souldiers the English by Sea and the French by Land who looked more like ghosts than men There were as many Citadels as Gates and as many Castles as Towers and this was it that made the City be esteemed impregnable especially seeing it had an outlet by Sea which could never have been broken up but by his Majestie 's extraordinary power and prudence yet all served but as Trophies raised to his Majestie 's glory On November 1. the King made his entrance into the City Those poor Creatures of the City prostrated themselves as he rode by them that they might the more acknowledge the mercy he had shewed them He had his Arms on and rode in on Horse-back without any Ceremony only four Companies of his Guards two of Swisses his two Troops of Light Horse Armed Cap-a-pe his Dragoons and the Life-guard marched before him all the Nobility following him without any order to avoid the disputes of Precedency Administrat of Card. Richliâ—u The Inhabitants cast themselves on their knees as his Majesty passed along the Streets crying God save the King who hath been so gracious unto us And he frequently saluted those who seemed to be of the better sort among them But those submissions and acknowledgements were much more increased when they received the ten thousand Loaves of Bread which the King distributed among them the same day together with divers other Alms. But when they saw that there came three thousand Carts laden with Wheat and other Provisions into the Town with a proportionate number of Beasts and Cattle which his Majesty commanded to be brought and sold at the usual rates of the Army they then confessed that he knew how to pardon as well as to vanquish The King alighted at S. Margarite's Church which had been Consecrated by the Bishop of Burdeaux and where the Cardinal had with divers Ecclesiasticks that morning celebrated Mass by way of doxology for that happy Victory He was received by the Archbishop assisted by the Clergy and divers other Religious who sung the Te Deum and the King himself also sang it with great devotion About two daies after the King caused the Hoast to be carried in Procession which was performed with a pompous Devotion He also wrote to the Archbishop
they are circumcised and in Qu. 5. he saith They call themselves Christians of the first Conversion Phocas a mean Captain in Thracia in a sedition of the people did kill his Soveraign Mauritius the Emperour usurped the Crown and held the Empire seven years He gave unto Pope Boniface the Title of Universal Bishop which Title Gregory his Predecessour had disclaimed Gregory devised many new Rites yet tied not others to follow them For when Augustine whom he sent into Britain demanded of him seeing the Faith is one why are the customes of the Church divers and why is one sort of Mass in Rome and another in France Gregory answereth Thy Brotherhood knows the custome of the Roman Church in which thou hast been nourished but it pleaseth me whether in the Church of Rome or of France or in any other thou hast seen any thing that may please the Almighty God that thou diligently follow it In France the two Sons of Childebert Teodorick and Theodebert their Grandmother Brunehault working that thing reigned with perpetual disagreement among themselves and with Clotharius Theodebert being overcome by his Brother in Battel Anno 612. is slain by his own Soldiers at Colonia Theodorick dieth the year following Brunehault being hated of the French Anno 613. Clotharius having obtained the whole Kingdom of the French bound Brunehault with a Cable rope led her about with wild Horses and tare her to pieces Thus by God's judgement She died most justly who had cruelly caused many others to die Thus died Brunehault only commended in Histories to have built many Temples and given great revenues for the maintenance thereof De Serres Hist whilst she wallowed in her pleasures St. Gregory hath set down certain Letters of his to Brunehault wherein he commends her highly though basely flattering her for her Piety and singular Wisdom Clotharius seeing himself King of so great a Monarchy after a long and horrible confusion of intestine wars used all diligence to pacifie the Realm He augmented the great Authority of the Maires of the Palace who controlled Kings and in the end usurped the Royalty whereas they were before but Controllers of the King's House not of the Realm He had one only Son whose name was Dagobert He committed him to Arnulph Bishop of Metz a learned and good man to be instructed by him Petries Church-Hist in Cent. 7. Agrestin who had been Clerk to King Theodorick entred the Abby Lexovien with all his wealth but he soon became weary of the superstitious Rites and left the Abby Then went he to Aquileia which then was not under the Romish yoke and from thence he wrote unto Eustasius Abbot of Lexovien against the Rites of the Monks exhorting him to reject those Rites Eustasius and his Convent exclude him out of their Society For removing this Controversie was Assembled the fourth Council at Matiscon in Burgundy there Agrestin accuseth Eustasius of many superstitious Ceremonies contrary to Canonical Institution viz. That they did use to lick a Cockle marked with a Cross and used Hallowings when they went in or out of an house Catal. Test Verit Lib. 7. Ex Vit. Eustas Abb. they multiplied Prayers and Collects in the Mass they ridiculously cut off their hair and abstained from the company of men but the Bishops condemned Agrestin Hence we see that some persons did not allow the Rites creeping in and the Inventers of them were but private persons and the Abetters were pleased with the least shadow of Reason Clotharius dieth in the year 631. having Governed 44 years from his cradle and passed happily through many perillous difficulties He left his Son Dagobert for his Successour Dagobert at his coming to the Crown found great difficulties among his Subjects being bred up without Justice under the long licentiousness of Civil Wars and the lenity of Clothaire whereto he provided wisely reducing Justice fortifying it by his Authority with so good a moderation as no man was offended at his severity neither durst any man attempt any thing against the Laws seeing both the reign and the rod in the hands of their Lawful Prince To this good Order he professed to love holy things and the better to confirm this Opinion in the minds of his Subjects he built and enriched many Temples especialy that of St. Denis the which hath since been the Sepulchre of the French Kings This King was much ruled by the forenamed Arnulph Bishop of Metz and by Pepin Major of the King's Palace This Pepin was Grandfather to that Pepin who was the first King of the second Race of the French Kings Fabian's Chron. Part. 5. and began to deal absolutely in the Government of the Realm Dagobert and all his Realm were in great honour and tranquillity till the death of Arnulph after which the King began to change his conditions to the hurt of his whole Realm There were at this time great numbers of Jews in France the which were hurtful to the Realm Dagobert banished them by a perpetual Edict out of the Territories under his obedience But this Zeal of Religion was blemished with the soul blot of Adultery which made him infamous both to his Subjects and to Strangers Amandus Bishop of Paris reproved him for his fault but Dagobert impatient thereof banished him Yet by the earnest perswasion of Pepin he yielded to Reason and having dismissed many of his lewd followers he calleth home Amandus again from banishment Amandus was a man famous for Holiness in those dayes At that time Austregesil was Bishop of Bitures Lupus Bishop of Sens Bavo was converted from a robber by Amandus Columban likewise being much vexed by Brunehault lived under Clotharius and his Scholar Gallus Projectus was a Martyr in Aquitain he was successour to Serenus Bishop of Marseilles Dagobert having Assembled the Estates of France in great solemnity at Byguage he made his Testament and Ordained that he made his younger Son Clovis King of France Fabian's Chronic and his elder Son Sigebert King of Austrasia or Lorain His Testament he had caused before to be written in four sundry skins endented to be read and then sealed with certain seals whereof the one he willed to be kept in the Treasury of St. Denis the second in the Treasury of the City of Lions the third in the Treasury of Metz in Lorain and the fourth in the Kings Treasury Dagobert died having Reigned fourteen years and was buried in the foresaid Monastery To maintain the invocation of Saints the Papists say that at that time the soul of Dagobert King of France was delivered out of the hands of the Devil by Dionysius and Maurice Martyrs and Martin the Confessor whom Dagobert had Adored A Council was Assembled in a Town of France Symson's Church-Hist Lib. 4. Cent. 7. called in Latin Altissidorum vulgarly Auxerre in which were met a number of Abbots and Presbyters with one Bishop and three Deacons In this Council they condemned Sorcery and the consulting with
tribulations will not mourn who hearing of our calamities will not lament Affliction is on every side and we know not what to do O ye Christians behold the dayes of trouble the dayes of mourning and bitterness are come upon us It is come as we feared from the Lombards for we are afflicted distressed and besieged on every side by their most ungodly King Aistulph and that Nation Therefore with the Prophet we pray the Lord saying Help us O God of our Salvation and for the honour of thy Name deliver us c. And now because Aistulphus with an Army hath pitched his Tents and encamped against us and hath often said unto us Open unto me the Gate of Salaria that I may enter into your City and give me your High Priest and I will shew Clemency unto you If not beware lest when I have battered down your walls I kill you altogether with the sword and let me see who can deliver you out of mine hand Wherefore our Beloved I beseech you and as if I were present I adjure you by the mysteries before the true and living God and before St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles that with great speed you help us lest we perish seeing under God we have committed all our lives into your hands forsake us not After this the Pope sent another Letter in the Name of St. Peter A Letter sent in the name of St. Peter as if it had been written from Heaven which beginneth thus Peter called an Apostle Grace Peace and Power to deliver the Holy Church of God and the People of Rome committed to me from the hands of their enemies be fully given from the Lord God unto you most excellent men Pepin c. and to the most holy Bishops Abbots Presbyters and all Religious Monks c. I Peter the Apostle of God who have you my adopted Children to deliver from the enemies hand this Roman City and the people committed of God unto me provoking all your Love do exhort and protesting do admonish you to deliver the Church of God which by Divine Power is commended to me seeing they suffer very great afflictions and oppression by the most wicked Nation of the Lombards Think not otherwise but certainly believe it that I my self am standing alive in the flesh before you and our Lady the Mother of God the Virgin Mary with us doth adjure you with the greatest Obligations and Protesteth Admonisheth and Commandeth c. Behold here with what fooleries and impieties they would bewitch the world But Pepin did not leavy an Army until Pope Stephen came into France And when he took his journey he commended himself to St. Mary and his flock unto St. Peter Pepin hearing of his coming sent his Son Charles an hundred miles to meet him and when he came within three leagues of Carisiac Pepin went forth unto him and returned on foot and the Pope on horseback Then Pepin was crowned again by the Pope for the greater pomp Pepin went into Italy and forceth Aistulph to give hostages to render unto the Pope all due Right But after the return of Pepin into France Aistulph with new Forces doth more mischief to Rome Then Pope Stephen wrote another Supplication to Pepin who made no delay but forceth Aistulph to perform the former conditions and to give unto the Pope the exarchate of Ravenna Within a year Aistulph dieth then a division ariseth between Rachis and Desiderius for the Kingdom Then Stephen wrote his fourth Epistle unto Pepin giving him thanks for his aid wishing many blessings unto him and shewing that Aistulph was stricken by the hand of God and drowned in the bottom of Hell and that by the hands of Peter Prince of the Apostles and by thy most powerful arm speaking unto Pepin Desiderius a most mild man was Ordained King of the Lombards who had sworn to restore unto St. Peter the Cities Faventia Insubres and Ferrara with all their Territories and also Ausimo Ancona Humana Bona with all their Territories and he had sworn to keep peace with the Church of St. Peter and to be Loyal unto the Crown of France and entreated Pepin to approve the Coronation of Desiderius upon these conditions Henceforth the Pope began to lift up his head and having large Territories given unto him will not rest until he be Monarch of the world When Stephen had peace he began to repair the Churches which Aistulph had caused to be thrown down and died in the sixth year of his Papacy Fabian's Chroni Part. 6. Then Gaifer Duke of Guienne imposed a Tribute upon the Lands of the Clergy in his Dukedom without their consent wherefore the Bishops for a redress complained unto King Pepin thereof Pepin reproved the Duke for it but the Duke not regarding the Kings Admonition Pepin soon after with an Army entred the Territory of Guienne wasting and spoiling the Countrey Hereupon the Duke hearkened to him and bound himself to restore unto the Clergy what he had extorted from them But the King being returned into France the Duke gathering Forces together sent them to the City of Chalours in Burgundy and did much hurt to that Town and Countrey The King being sorely discontented at it returned with his People into Guien and therein beat down many strong holds and Castles and took or won Burbon Cancarvile and Cleremont and wasted the Country with fire and sword till he came to Limoges The winter coming on the King having strengthened the foresaid Cities Towns and strong Holds that he had won and then rode to a place called Caus there kept his Christmass and Easter In the next Spring he re-entred the foresaid Dutchy and took by force the Cities of Bourges and Tours The People of that Countrey considering the obstinacy of their Duke murthered the said Duke and after yielded themselves and their Country to the King with all such Treasure and Jewels as to the said Duke belonged whereof King Pepin offered a great part unto St. Denis Then this victorious Prince was vexed with grievous sickness wherefore in all hast he sped him to St. Martin's where he made certain Prayers and Oblations And from thence his sickness increasing he was conveyed unto Paris where he shortly after died when he had reigned as King there by the space of eighteen years After the death of Pepin the Estates of France Assemble and by their consents Charles and Carloman his Sons divide the Realm between them by equal portions Charles was Crowned at Wormes Carloman at Soissons But by the death of Carloman the whole Realm came to Charles within three years after the death of his Father Charles was endued with singular gifts both of body and mind he had the instructions of a virtuous Conversation and was bred up in Learning and Arms He was Religious and reverenced the Churches and Pastors he was a great Justitiary a reliever of the poor and kept his Faith both to friend and foe he was a lover of
John King of England lost all his holds and possessions in Normandy through the force of the French King The Pope had Excommunicated King John not only for the paricide of his Nephew Arthur but also for the ill usage of his Clergy King John sends confiding men in all hast to Pope Innocent IV. beseeching him to protect him against the King of France promising thereupon to bind the Realm of England and Seigniory of Ireland to hold of him and his successours and in sign of obedience to pay him a yearly tribute of a thousand marks of silver Innocent sends his Legat presently to absolve him to pass the contract and receive the homages of Fealty as well of himself as of his Subjects John is absolved and having laid down his Crown Scepter Cloak Sword and Ring at the Legats feet he doth him homage for the Realm of England kissing his Feet as his Tributary and binds the English to the like duty by a solemn Oath He was willing also to discharge what he had taken from his Clergy This was done Anno 1215. Then the Legat returning into France requireth Philip in the Pope's name that he should suffer John to enjoy his Realm of England in peace and freely to possess the Lands which he held by homage of the Crown of France Moreover that he should satisfie the great complaints which the Clergy of his Realm had made against him restoring that which he had exacted from them during the Wars upon pain of Excommunication if he did not obey presently Philip promiseth to submit himself and before the Legat's departure he frees the Clergy of his Realm of the Tenths which he had exacted for the charge of the Wars according to the decree of a National Council held at Soissons King John being freed by the Pope and pressed by him to perform his command oppresseth his Subjects by extraordinary impositions and Tyrannical exactions The English Nobility therefore reject John and offer the Realm to King Philip who sendeth his Son Lewes giving him a train fit for his person in so great an exploit Lewes having taken Hostages of the English for assurance of their Faith passeth into England and so to London Math. Westm Il. 2. sub anno 1215. where he is joyfully received In the mean time complaints come to Philip from Pope Innocent who in a general Council held at Rome did Excommunicate Lewes the eldest Son of Philip Augustus with all his adherents King John dyeth and the English receive Henry the Son of John and dismiss Lewes of France King Philip instituted the Provost of Merchants and the Sheriffs at Paris for the politick Government thereof he caused the City to be paved being before very noisome by reason of the mire and dirt he built the Halls and the Louvre He Walled in Bois de Vincennes and replenished it with Dear and other Wild Beasts he finished that sumptuous building of our Ladies Church In his Testament he ordained many notable things he left towards the winning the City of Jerusalem III. C. M. pounds of Paris Money to the Hospital in Mountfort one C. M. pounds and to be distributed among the poor Commons of his Land he gave XX. M. pounds But a pound of Paris Money was then but two shillings six pence sterling King Philip dyed and was buried with great pomp in the Monastery of St. Dennis Anno 1223. and Lewes VIII his Son succeeded him who was crowned at Rhemes Pope Innocent III. having gathered together an Army of one hundred thousand pilgrims set forward for the final extirpation of the poor Albigenses The best Champions for the Pope herein were the Duke of Burgundy the Earls of Nevers St. Paul Auxerre Geneva Poictiers with Simon Earl of Montfort Of the Clergy Milo the Pope's Legat the Arch-Bishops of Sens and Rovan the Bishops of Clermont Nevers Lysieux Bayeux Chartres with divers others every Bishop with the Pilgrims of his jurisdiction to whom the Pope promised Paradice in Heaven but not one penny on Earth Their work was to destroy the Albigenses which were in great numbers in Daulphinè Tho. Fullers holy War li. 3. ca. 21. Provence Narbon Tholouse and other parts of France Their commission also extended to the rooting out of all their friends and favourers whether detected or only suspected such as were Reimund Earl of Tholouse Reymund Earl of Foix the Vice-Count of Besiers Gaston Lord of Bern the Earl of Bigorre the Lady of la Vaur with divers others The first piece of service these Souldiers performed was in sacking the City of Besiers and Burrough of Carcassone in which many of the Papists dwelt and promiscuously were slain with the Albigenses Yea Priests themselves were cut in pieces in their Priestly Ornaments and under the banner of the Cross As for the City of Carcassone which was not far from the Burrough whilst the City was besieged they escaped out by the benefit of a Vault under-ground and so shifted abroad for themselves Hitherto this War was managed by the Pope's Legat. Simon Earl of Montfort is now chosen Captain of this Army who swears to vex the Lord's enemies After he was seized of the Vice-County of Besiers he took many other Castles and Cities When the Quarantine or forty days service of this Army was expired the time the Pope set them to merit Paradice in they would not stay any longer but ran away And though the Bishops perswaded some few to stay yet could they little prevail which was no small advantage to the Albigenses The Earls of Tholouse Foix and Comminge and Prince of Bern sheltred themselves under Peter King of Arragon whose homagers they were receiving investiture from him though their Dominions lay on this side the Pyrenean Hills This King suspected the greatness of the Earl of Montfort therefore he fomented a faction in them against the Holy Army he charged Earl Simon for seizing on the Lands of good Catholicks for supposed Hereticks and complained that the Vice-Count of Besiers who lived and dyed firm in the Romish Faith was lately trained into the Legat's hand and against Oaths and promises of his safe return was kept Prisoner till his death and his Lands seized on by Earl Simon A pitcht Battle was fought near the Castle of Moret where the King of Arragon being wounded to death fell from his Horse and immediately his Army ran all away Simon pursued them to the Gates of Tholouse and killed many thousands The Fryars imputed this Victory to the Bishop's Benediction and adoring a piece of the Cross together with the fervency of the Clergyes prayers that remained behind in the Castle of Moret Yet within few years the face of this War began to alter for young Reimund Earl of Tholouse exceeding his Father in valour and success so bestirred himself that in few months he regained what Earl Simon was many years in getting And at last Earl Simon besieging Tholouse with a stone which a Woman let fly out of an
Jacob. Mejer in annalib rerum Flandricarum would not suffer the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of Rhemes Rhoan Sens Paris Beauvis and some others to assist there because they were Benedict's partizans by reason of the great courtesies they had received either from him or his predecessour In a Decree made February 18. 1406. we find a complaint by Charles VI. They take occasion to reserve the First-fruits in the vacancies and to extort great sums of Money whereby the Kingdom is exhausted and to thrust themselves upon the Popedom for to enrich both them and theirs And when there is any question saith he of preferring men to elective dignities they never used those ways which ought to be observed and which are appointed to examine and try them Whence it comes to pass that it being not possible that the Pope should know all Men and the state of the Churches he admits divers into those dignities who are unworthy of them and sometimes such as are unknown to him but by their money He addeth They insert divers clauses in their Bulls which are sometimes inextricable they make divers Rules besides the Law or else quite against Law which they revoke at their pleasure insomuch that the most clear-sighted cannot discern who hath best right among divers pretenders Hence arise infinite Suits in Law which they must prosecute out of the Kingdom with great expence and charges In another Decree made the same year he accounts this among other extortions Imposing Tenths and other Subsidies at their pleasure without ever consulting the rest of the Bishops about it in the raising whereof there is no mean observed either of Justice or equity It was then ordained that none should pay Tythes to Popes nor Cardinals And in another Decree made in March Anno 1408. mention is made of certain presidents by Charles VI. established at a Council at Paris Not long ago saith he it was proposed and demanded by our Attorney-General at a Council holden at Paris consisting of the Bishops and Clergy of the Churches within our Kingdom and Daulphiny where our Cousin Lewes King of Sicily our eldest Son Duke of Aquitain and Viennois the Duke of Bourges our Vnckle by the Father's side the Duke of Burgundy our Cousin and the Duke of Burbon our Vnckle by the Mother's side did preside for us that the Pope 's exactions and other grievances formerly rehearsed might be utterly abolished We read of another Decree made afterwards wherein complaint is made by the same King Charles VI. That an infinite deal of Gold and Silver and Rents were transported out of the Kingdom and the Province of Daulphinè to the prejudice of the antient Customs and the undoing of the Realm to the irreparable loss and damage of the Common-wealth and the miserable desolation of the Churches as well such as were of Royal Foundation as others And elsewhere he complaineth That certain Collectors and other the Pope of Rome 's Officers particularly for his Moneys have of late oppressed the Church and Church-men of our Realm and Province of Daulphinè by an insufferable slavery in seizing upon the Goods of the Bishops and Clergy-men both Regulars and Seculars presently upon their Decease An Edict was made discharging the payment of Annates Pope Vrban VI. being dead in Rome after he had managed the Popedom for eleven years with little satisfaction either to the people or Clergy the Cardinals created Boniface the ninth in the 33. year of his Age who shewed much prudence in the whole course of his Papacy He sate fourteen years and nine months and dyed Anno 1405. Guilel Noubrigensis li. 4. ca. 1. King Charles VI. bestirred himself to remove the schism which was between Benedict XIII and Boniface IX and to dispose all the Princes of Christendom for the same design according to the Testimony of an English Historian He heard with patience saith he the Legates of either Pope but by the advice of his Divines he would not submit himself neither to the one nor to the other He rather thought on a means whereby he might relieve the Church by removing out of her all matter of dissention Having therefore sent his Ambassadours to the Emperour as also to the Kings of England Bohemia and Hungary he conjured them not to be wanting to the publick good and tranquillity He perswaded Wenceslaus the Emperour to come to Rhemes where a general Council was held on that occasion I find another Ordinance of the same King Charles VI. made by the counsel and assistance of the Lords and Clergy of France Vid. Libell de Eccles Gallic in Schismat p. 15. wherein he saith That the Royal power is ordained of God for the preservation of the Church and that the Kingdom of Heaven increaseth by means of the Earthly Kingdom when those which destroy the Church are crushed by the rigour of Princes That the sacred Canons will have recourse to be made unto Princes when such things are committed by great men in the Church and that according to the opinion of Holy Doctours the Pope ought not to be obeyed in such things wherein the state of the Church is notoriously disturbed And in another Ordinance of April 17. 1410. These things being considered that it belongs unto us who are the Guardian Protector and Defender of the Churches of our Kingdom and of Daulphinè and who have ratified and approved the Statutes and Ordinances aforesaid made in the Council aforesaid to cause all this and all that followeth upon it to be kept inviolable c. There is an Arrest of the Parliament of Paris toward the latter end of this King's Reign wherein it is said that Pope Benedict and his Officers should from thenceforth give over and abstain from the exaction of Annates in the Kingdom of France and the County of Daulphinè The same Charles VI. being excommunicated by Benedict the XIII put the bearers of his Bulls to the * Armende honoraire So they call this ignominious kind of punishment Honourable Amends making them to be carried in Tumbrels apparelled in painted Coats with paper Mitres upon their heads and the Pope's Bull represented in their hands and his Arms reversed All which was done by the advice of his Princes Lords and the Prelates and other Ecclesiasticks of his Kingdom together with the Parliament and University of Paris as appeareth by the Acts published concerning this particular After the death of Pope Boniface IX the Cardinals created Cosmo di Sulmona Pope who took the name of Innocent VII he lived but two years after and dyed in a time when all Italy was in an ill condition Whilst this schism continued Three Princes in France who by reason of the King's indisposition did then govern that Kingdom viz. the Dukes of Berry of Burgundy and of Orleans went all of them together to Pietro di Luna who was called Benedict XIII to Avignon beseeching him to provide against this disorder by renouncing the Papacy urging that it was
a select number of Prelates to accompany the Legate men of good Learning and experienced in the matters of Government among whom were Lorenzo Bâ—anchetti and Filippo Sega who after were Cardinals Marco Antonio Mocenigo Bishop of Ceneda a man well versed in affairs and highly esteemed by the Pope Francesco Panigarola Bishop of Asti a renowned Preacher and Robert Bellarmine a learned Jesuite To the choice of these men the Pope added Bills of Exchange to the Merchants of Lions for three hundred thousand crowns with Commission to the Legate to dispose of them according to occasion but particularly to spend them for the infranchisement of the Cardinal of Bourbon upon which he shewed his mind was fixed more than upon any other thought whatsoever But the Pope by letters from the Duke of Luxemburg found that what the Agents of the League had represented to him was vain whereupon the Pope gave Orders and Commissions to his Legate to shew himself no less Neutral in the secular pretensions of the Princes than most zealous concerning Religion and not to value one French-man above another provided he were obedient to the Church and generally liked by the Kingdom and that he should not shew himself an open enemy to the King of Navarre so long as there was any hope he might return into the bosom of the Church But these advertisements were very contrary to the principal scope of the Embassy which was to uphold the Catholick party of the League as the foundation of that Religion in France so that the substance of the business changed in the variety of circumstances did so disturb the Execution that it was afterwards governed more by the diversity of accidents than by any determinate resolution The Cardinal-Legate being come into France required Colonel Alfonso Corso not only to forbear molesting Grenoble and Valence which Cities alone held for the League in Dauphiné but also that as a Catholick and stranger he should forsake the King's party and joyn with the union But he answered that he was indeed a Catholick and an obedient Son to the See of Rome in spiritual things but that having made his Fortune as a Souldier in the service of the King of France he could not desist from following him but was bound to do what he could in the affairs of the Prince whom he served This answer troubled the Legate and the rather because being come to Lions he found the business of the League in great disorder by the King 's prosperous success The Count of Brisac appointed at first to meet the Legate and sercure his passage was forced to face about and employ himself in the affairs of Normandy The Duke of Nevers invited him to come into his State where standing Neuter he might freely take those wayes as might appear most convenient to him On the other side the Duke of Mayenne ceased not to sollicite him to come to Paris shewing him that without the authority of his name and those helps which were hoped for from him the League was in danger to be dissolved and subdued by the King's Forces and all the rest of the Kingdom would remain oppressed by the Hugonot's party The Legate having overcome many difficulties arrives at Paris where he caused the Pope's Breve of the 15. of October to be published wherein after an honourable commemoration of the merits of the Kingdom of France toward the See of Rome c. He attested that he had chosen Cardinal Gaetano Legate to the Kingdom of France with power to use all means fitting to protect the Catholick Religion to recal Hereticks into the bosome of the Church to restore the Peace and tranquillity of the Kingdom and finally to procure that under one only good pious and truly Catholick King the people of France might to the glory of God live in quietness and tranquillity after so many calamities of War Wherefore he prayed and exhorted all the Orders and Degrees of France to persevere in the Catholick Religion and to labour to extinguish and root up the evil of Heresie to cut off the occasions of discord and that particular enmities quarrels and Civil Wars being laid aside they should resolve to yield obedience to a lawful truly Catholick King and the Divine worship being restored under his shadow to live in charitable union and concord Two different Declarations followed upon the publication of this Breve one of the Parliament of Tours by which all persons were forbidden to obey or acknowledge the Legate the other of the Parliament of Paris by which all were exhorted to receive the Fatherly love of the Apostolick See and to give due Reverence to the Legates admonitions After which contrary Declarations many Learned men fight for their Factions with their Pens as the Souldiers with their Swords Aid being desired by the League from the King of Spain the Sieur de la Mothe refuseth to advance beyond the Frontiers of France from Flanders unless the King of Spain be declared Protector of the Crown of France with authority to dispose the chief part of the Temporal and Ecclesiastical Dignities which Prerogatives they called las Marcas de Justitia marks of justice The Duke of Mayenne will not hearken to an agreement with the King The Archbishop of Lions lately imprisoned at Amboise being newly set at liberty by Captain Du-Gast for a great summ of money and come to Paris is made High Chancellour to the Duke of Mayenne and President of the Council The Pope's Legate grants unto Mayenne the three hundred thousand crowns brought for the enlargement of the Cardinal of Bourbon Mayenne besiegeth Meulan a small place but seated upon the pass of the River Seine at the entring into Normandy which therefore next to Pointoise hindered the bringing of Victuals to Paris where after 25. dayes siege news came that the Old Castle at Roven was seized by some Seditious persons which caused him to raise the siege and march to Roven to appease the troubles On the other side the King besiegeth Dreux and the Duke of Mayenne being joyned with the Spanish supplies from Flanders marching towards Dreux resolveth to fight The German Infantry raised for the King of France turn for the League under the Command of Colonel S. Paul The Army of the League had in it four thousand five hundred Horse and twenty thousand Foot The King's Army was but three thousand Horse and eight thousand Foot The King's Army being refreshed they marched toward the field of Yvry appointed by the King for the place of Battel Here the Armies joyned wherein the King obtained a great Victory The King all Armed on Horse-back visits every Division with great diligence and exhorts his Souldiers with great vehemency At last standing still at the head of the main Battalion joyning his hands and lifting up his eyes to Heaven He said so loud that he was heard by many O Lord thou knowest the intentions of my heart and with the eye of thy Providence thou piercest into
of Mayenne posts to Paris to appease this tumult and causeth Louchart Auroux Hamelin and Emmonot four of the chief of the Council of Sixteen which were most guilty to be strangled The King marcheth into Normandy layes siege to the City of Roven The Duke of Parma with the Spanish Army marcheth to relieve that place They fight at Aumale the King is wounded his men routed and he is put hard to it to save himself Villars the Governour of Roven sallying out enters the trenches and gains the Artillery The Duke of Parma retiring the King returns to Roven and reneweth the siege The Duke of Parma also returns to bring relief and the King's Forces being wasted he riseth from the siege and marcheth to the Banks of the River of Seine Those of the League begin to think of a peace The Catholicks of the King's party are displeased that the peace should be treated by the Sieur de Plessis a Hugonot The Mareschal de Biron is killed with a Canon shot before Espernay The King wept bitterly at the news of his death The Baron de Biron to revenge the death of his Father scales a great Tower at Espernay and takes it but is sorely wounded and the Town is delivered up into the hands of the Duke of Nevers Governour of thâ—t Province August 9. 1592. Now the King desireth a reconciliation with the Catholick Church by way of agreement not by way of pardon The King takes Dreux and being constrained by the importunities of his own Catholick party who threaten to forsake him resolves to change his Religion And being instructed by the Archbishop of Bourges by René Benoist Curate of S. Eustache of Paris and of some other Doctors desires to be admitted into the bosom of the Romish Church And on July 25. he went to Mass at St. Dennis and made a publick and solemn Profession to the said Arbhbishop assisted by Charles Cardinal of Bourbon Archbishop of Roven and Nephew to the deceased nine Bishops with many other Prelates and Religious men protesting to live and die in the Romish Religion swearing to defend it against all men Having made profession of his Faith he performed all Ceremonies requisite in so solemn an Act and then he received absolution and blessing with wonderful joy and acclamation of the people Presently after this Act the King sent the Duke of Nevers the Marquess of Pisani and Henry of Gondy Bishop of Paris to the Pope to yield obedience by them to the See of Rome to beseech him to allow of his Conversion and to countenance it with his own blessing Whilst Elizabeth Queen of England upon account of Religion did with so great expences relieve the French King a strong rumour was spread in England that he either would or had already changed his Religion hereupon was Thomas Wilkes sent over into France to understand the certainty thereof But before his arrival the King had made a publick Profession of the Popiâ—h Religion at St. Dennis as hath been before expressed although some Papists of Religious Orderâ— at that time plotted against his life But he ingenuously declared unto Wilkes the causes that moved him to forsake his Religion And Morlante the French Agent in the mean time telleth the Queen all the very same things and with fair and specious words offereth her all kindness in the King his Masters behalf The Queen being much troubled and disquieted in mind snatched up her Pen and a while after sent this Letter to him Alas what deep sorrow Cambden hist of Q. Eliâ—abeâ—h what vehement grief what sighs have I felt at my heart for the things which Morlante hath told me of Alas is the world come to this pass Was it possible that any worldly matter should make you quit the fear of God can we expect any happy issue of such a fact or could you think that He who hath hitherto with his own right hand upholden and preserved you would now forsake you It is a very dangerous thing to do evil that good may come of it Yet I hope a sober spirit will put you into a better mind In the mean time I will not omit to make it a principal part of my prayers the recommending you to God beseeching him that the hands of Esau may not lose you the blessing of Jacob. Whereas you do Religiously and solemnly offer me your friendship I know to my great cost I have well deserved it neither should I repent that had you not changed your Father Verily from henceforth I cannot be your Sister by the Father for the truth is I shall ever more dearly love and honour my own Father than a false and counterfeit one which God knoweth very well who I beseech him bring you back again to a better mind Subscribed Your Sister if it be after the old manner as for the new I have nothing to do with it Elizabeth R. Yet notwithstanding a Contract was made between him and the Queen at Melun in the Month of August to make War offensive and defensive against the Spaniards And the Queen recommended again and again the Reformed Religion and the Professours thereof to his Care and Protection by Sir Robert Sidney He promised Thâ—t as he had been hitherto their Protectour so he would not for the future fail them though most of the Nobler sort of them had forsaken him On August 26. Peter Barrier born at Orleans was taken Prisoner at Melun where the King then was by the discovery of a Jacobin Florentine to whom he had confessed himself in Lions He confessed that seduced and perswaded by a Capuchin of Lions and afterwards confessed by Aubry Curate of St. Andrews des Acts at Paris by his Vicar and by Father Varade a Jesuite he was come thither expresly to murther the King The Priest revealing this Crime incurs no Ecclesiastical censure The wretch was found seized of a sharp knife with two edges He was pinched with hot Pincers his right hand burnt off holding the said knife his arms legs and thighs broken and his body burnt to ashes and cast into the River Upon a general surceasing of Arms the King assembled some of the chief of the Realm at Mante especially to hear the complaints of such as stood in doubt of the King's change in Religion and were grieved at divers contraventions of his Majesties Edicts whereby they suffered wrongs in all Provinces For the Partisans of Spain continually exclaimed of the incompatibility of two Religions in France and many were of opinion That the King ought not to be admitted but he should promise expresly to banish all such as made Profession of any other Religion than that which he did embrace or at least to abolish all publick Profession But the King employed all his care to unite his people in concord Vitry desiring to be the first that should re-enter under the King's obedience as he had been the first that had separated from it brought back the City of Meaux Aix
equity and honourableness of the cause and chiefly with a Vision as they say from Heaven took the whole business upon him and travelled to Rome to consult with Pope Vrban the second about the advancing so pious a design Some think that the Pope first secretly employed this Hermit to be his Factor and to go to Jerusalem to set on foot so beneficial a Trade for the Church of Rome because the Pope alone was the gainer by this great adventure and all other Princes of Europe came off losers Pope Vrban had called the Council of Clermont in France forementioned where met many Princes and Prelates to whom he made a long oration which was to this effect First he bemoaned the miseries of the Christians in Asia and the vastation of those holy places Next Tyrius li. 1. c. 15. he encouraged the Princes in the Council to take Arms against those Infidels and to break their bonds in sunder and to cast their cords far from them as it is written to cast out the Handmaid and her Children Otherwise if they would not help to quench their neighbours houses they must expect the speedy burning of their own and that these barbarous Nations would quickly over-run all Europe Now to set an edge to their courage he promised to all that went this Voyage a full remission of their sins and pennances here and the enjoying Heaven hereafter Lastly he thus concluded Gird your Swords to your Thighs O ye men of might It is our parts to pray yours to fight ours with Moses to hold up unwearied hands to God yours to stretch forth the Sword against these Children of Amaleck Amen This motion was most chearfully entertained so that the whole Assembly cryed out God willeth it Sabell An. 9. lib. 3. A speech which was afterward used as a fortunate Watch-word in their most dangerous designs Then many took a cross of red cloth on their right shoulder as a badge of their devotion And to gain the favourable assistance of the Virgin Mary to make this War the more happy her Office was instituted containing certain prayers which at Canonical hours were to be made unto her One observeth that it is enough to make it suspicious that there were some sinister ends in this War Tho. Fuller Hist sacri belli because Gregory VII otherwise called Hildebrand and by Luther in his Chronology Larva Diaboli the worst of all that sate in the Papal Chair first began it but death preventing him Vrban the second whom Cardinal Benno called Turban for troubling the whole world effected it Now a great controversie was in Christendom about the investiture of Bishops whether the right lay in the Pope or in secular Princes Now the Pope diverted this question out of Princes Heads by opening an issue another way and gave vent to the activity of their spirits in this Martial employment and in the mean time quietly went away without any corrival concluding the controversie for his own profit Moreover he got a Mass of Money by it He had the office to bear the bag and what was put into it as contributed to this action from pious people and expended but some few drops of the showers he received As the Pope so most of the Clergy improved their Estates by this War Aemil. de gest Franc. p. 109. For the secular Princes who went this Voyage sold or morgaged most of their Estates selling for Gold to purchase with Steel and Iron and the Clergy were generally their Chapmen Godfrey Duke of Bovillon sold that Dukedom to the Bishop of Liege and the Castle of Sartensy and Monsa to the Bishop of Verdun Baldwin his Brother sold him the City of Verdun Daniel in Henric 1. Yea by these sales the third part of the Feoffs in France came to be possessed by the Clergy who made good bargains for themselves and had the conscience to buy Earth cheap and Heaven dear Many Prelates and Fryars left their pastoral Charges and Covents to follow this business The total sum of those pilgrim Souldiers amounted to three hundred thousand The French Dutch Italian and English were the four Elemental Nations whereof this Army was compounded But France contributed more Souldiers to this Army than all Christendom besides The signal men were Hugh sirnamed le Grand Brother to the King of France Godfrey Duke of Bovillon Baldwin and Eustace his younger Brothers Stephen Earl of Bloys Father to Stephen afterwards King of England Reymund Earl of Tholouse Robert Earl of Flanders Hugh Earl of St. Paul Baldwin de Burge with many more besides of the Clergy Aimar Bishop of Puy and Legate to the Pope and William Bishop of Orange Out of the farthest parts of Italy Boemund Prince of Tarentum and Tancred his Nephew both of the Norman seed though growing on the Apulian soyl led an Army of twelve thousand Men. Many Souldiers also went out of Lombardy England also the Pope's pack-horse in that Age sent many brave men under Robert Duke of Normandy Brother to William Rufus now King of England after the Death of his Father as Beauchamp and others whose names are lost All these Princes being called up by Pope Vrban gathered together great Armies at divers times and places unto that War After many difficulties and the loss of many men they arrived in Palestine and Jerusalem was won by the Christians and twenty thousand Turks therein slain on July 15. Anno 1098. Robert the Norman refuseth the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Godfrey of Bovillon is chosen King In this choice that they might know the nature of the Princes the better their Servants were examined on Oath to confess their Master 's faults The Servants of Godfrey protested their Master 's only fault was this That when Mattens were done he would stay so long in the Church to know of the Priest the meaning of every Image and picture that Dinner at home was spoiled by his long tarrying All admired hereat and unanimously chose him their King In the latter end of this Century Bruno Chanon of the Church of Colen and Rhemes bare the praise of Learning and Holiness and was Master of the Schools by whom the order of the Carihusians was begun The Cistercian Order was begun Anno 1098. by Robert Abbot of Molisma as Sigebert saith Godfrey of Bovillon dyed having reigned one year wanting five days After his death the Christians with a joynt consent sent to Baldwin his Brother Count of Edessa a City in Arabia the Lord whereof had adopted this Baldwin to be his Heir and entreated him to accept of the Kingdom which honourable offer he courteously embraced Anno 1100. He was a Prince of the largest size higher by the Head than his Subjects Bred he was a Scholar entred into Orders and was Prebendary in the Churches of Rhemes Liege and Cambray but afterwards turned secular Prince but Baldwin put not off his Scholar-ship with his habit but made good use thereof in his Reign Century XII
ANno 1107. Pope Pascal the second gathered a Council at Troyes in France to throw out of the hands of the Emperour Henry V. the right of Investiture of Bishops In the beginning of this Century Great Hugh of France was buried at Tarsus in Cilicia Duke Guelpho at Paphos in Cyprus Diemo the Arch-Bishop of Saltzburgh saw his own Heart cut out and Martyred by the Turks at Chorazin so many thousand Souldiers were consumed with Plague Famine and the Sword that Conrade Abbot of Vrspurg Urspurg in Chronico p. 38 39. who went and wrote this Voyage saith God manifested by the event that this War was not pleasing to him Rabbi Solomon-Jarchi a learned French Jew who hath commented on the whole Bible to whom Lyra is beholden for the Hebrew dyed Anno 1105. Philip King of France having resigned his Crown to his Son Lewes at Orleans and caused him to be Crowned King dyeth at Melun Anno 1109. Calixtus the second before called Guido of Burgundy descended of the Kings of England and France succeeded Pope Gelasius He was chosen Pope at Clugny in France by a few Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought with him yet was Pope Gregory alive whom the Emperour himself had created Calixtus besiegeth Satrium a Town where Gregory was and having taken the Town and his fellow Pope he caused him to be set upon a Camel with his Face to the Camel's Tail so he was brought through the streets of Rome holding the Tail in his hand instead of a Bridle and afterwards being shorn he was thrust into a Monastery This Pope Calixtus was the first that established the decrees of the Papal See against the Emperour He held a general Council at Rhemes and decreed that Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons should put away their Concubines and Wives and whosoever was found to keep his Wife should be deprived of Benefice and all other Ecclesiastical living whereupon a certain English Writer made these Verses following O bone Calixte nunc omnis Clerus odit te Quondam Presbyteri poterant Vxoribus uti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti Ergo tuum meritò nomen habent odio He sate five years and ten months Honorius the second succeeded him In the time of this Honorius Arnulph a singular preacher of Christian Religion flourished Hugo Platina and Sabellicus say he was Bishop of Lions in France Trithemius saith he was a Priest whose History I will briefly set down Arnulph was a devout and zealous Man a worthy preacher Coming to Rome he rebuked in his preaching the dissoluteness incontinency avarice and pride of the Romish Clergy provoking all to follow Christ and his Apostles rather in their poverty and pureness of Life by reason whereof this man was well accepted and liked of the Nobility of Rome for a true Disciple of Christ but of the Cardinals and Clergy he was no less hated than favoured of the other insomuch that privily in the night season they took him and destroyed him This his Martyrdom saith he was revealed unto him before by an Angel he being in the desert when he was sent forth to preach Whereupon he thus spake unto them publickly I know saith he ye seek my Life and will destroy me privily because I preach to you the truth and blame your pride avarice incontinency with your unsatiable greediness in getting and heaping up riches therefore you are displeased with me I take here Heaven and Earth to witness that I have preached unto you that which I was commanded of the Lord but you contemn me and your Creator who by his only Son hath redeemed you And no marvel if you seek my death being a sinful man preaching to you the truth whereas if St. Peter were here this day and rebuked your vices which do so multiply above measure you would not spare him neither And as he was saying this with a loud voice he added for my part I am not afraid to suffer death for the truth's sake but this I say unto you that God will look upon your iniquities and be avenged of you You being full of all impurity play the blind guides to the people committed to you leading them the way to Hell Thus the hatred of the Popish Clergy being incensed against him for preaching they conspired against him and killed him Sabellicus and Platina say Fox Act. Monum ad ann 1131. that they hanged him and others that they drowned him All the Clergy were defamed for his death the Pope took it ill but he revenged it not Hildebert forementioned Arch-Bishop of Tours about this time wrote many Epistles in one unto an Earl going in Pilgrimage he condemneth Pilgrims for visiting of Monuments And speaking of the Romanists he saith their business is in ease their prey is in peace their fighting is in fleeing and victory in cups they regard no man nor order nor time they are in Judgement Scythians in Chamber vipers at Feasts peasants in understanding stones in respect of anger fire to forgive iron in discretion pratling Daws in friendship Panthers in deceit Foxes in pride Bulls to devour Minorants He wrote to Honorius II. refuting appellations to Rome because it was a novelty contrary to the Scripture and very hurtful to the Church He sheweth the condition of Rome briefly in two Verses Morn in Myst Vrbs foelix si vel Dominis urbs illa careret Vel Dominis esset turpe carere fide He was apprehended and imprisoned at Rome King Lewes called a Council of the Lords and Bishops of France at the City of Orleans where of the Bishop of the same place he was solemnly anointed and Crowned but not without the grudging of the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes The French begin to fall from their obedience and rebellions are kindled in divers places of his Realm and the places near unto Paris began these first revolts his Reign was very troublesome He had crowned his eldest Son Philip who going to take the Air on Horse-back an Hog passed under the Belly of his Horse which being scared threw him down and bruised him so that within few days after he dyed Then King Lewes marrieth his Son Lewes to the Heir of Guienne He made Henry his third Son Bishop of Beavois another Philip Arch-Deacon of Paris Peter Earl of Courtney Robert Earl of Dreux and married his only Daughter Constance to Reimund Earl of Tholouse and St. Giles Lewes the gross having thus settled his Children dyed Anno 1137. His Son Lewes VII succeeded him and reigned three and forty years his long reign was nothing happy and contains in it nothing that was memorable but that the foundation was laid for a long calamity for France After the death of Baldwin King of Jerusalem Baldwin de Burgo his Kinsman was chosen King This Baldwin was a proper Personage and of able body born nigh Rhemes in France Son to Hugh Count of Roster He was very charitable to the poor and pious toward God witness the brawn on his hands