one for Repairs The practice of publick Pennance and Absolutions was almost the same as in the Former Ages I mean the third and fourth as well as that of Baptisme which was performed by dipping or plunging not by throwing on or sprinkling of the Bishop or the Priest and this was only done at Easter and Whitsuntide unless upon urgent occasions The prayers for the dead were very frequent Singing made up a great part of their Study and Employment not only amongst the Clergy but the Nobility also that were very devout The French had brought this Passion towards Musick from Rome Bells grew also mighty common but they did not make any very great ones The Churches as well as most of their other Buildings were almost all of Wood. It was ordained that the Altars should be made of Stone The Bishops and Abbesses had their Vidames the Abbots their Advoyers or Advocates some Cities likewise had the same They were as their Proctors or Administrators in whose names all things were transacted and who Treated and Pleaded every where for them Every Bishop Abbot and Count had his Notary Excommunications were so frequent as they even became an abuse The person Excommunicated was Treated with great rigour no body would keep any Commerce or Conversation with them The Gallican Church had not extended the degrees prohibited in Marriage but to the Fourth in which Case it self they did not separate them being satisfied with imposing a Pennance on both the Parties but the Popes extended it to the Seventh and Gregory the II desired it might reach as far as any thing of parentage or kindred could be made out between the parties But if so it being notorious to Christians that all Mankind are of Kin in Adam to whom should they marry They likewise established the degrees of Spiritual Affinity between the Godfather and Godmother and between the Godson and his Godmother as well in Baptism as at Confirmation Notwithstanding the Corruptions we have noted the Church was not without her great Lights and Ornaments I mean a good number of Holy Men and some that were not Ignorant Amongst the Bishops Sylvin de Toulouze Wlfrain de Sens who renounced the Miter to go and Preach the Faith in Frisiae where he Converted Ratbod the II Son of that King of the same name who was so obstinate a defender of Idolatry Rigobert de Reims who was driven from his Seat by Martel Gregory of Vtrecht who was the Apostle of the Turingians and the Countries adjacent to Dorestat Corbinien Native of Chastres under Montlehery near Paris who was the first Bishop of Frisinghen in Bavaria as Suidbert the first of Verden Immeran of Ratisbon who was a Poitevin by birth Eucher d'Orleans who was banished by Martel and lived a good while after him as appears by the revelation he had how it fared with Martel after his death as hath been observed in the life of Martel if that were true Gombert held the Bishoprick of Sens and then retired to the solitude of the Vosge Lohier that of Sees and after him Godegrand doubly remarkable both for his own Vertue and for his Sisters Saint Opportune who took upon her the Vows of Virginity and listed many more into her Muster-Roll of whom she had the Gonduct But above all Boniface of Ments was eminent whom we have mentioned he suffered Martyrdom An. 754. amongst the Frisons He was Founder of the Great Abbey of Fulda in the Forrest of Buken the most Noble of all that are in Germany In the monasterial retirements we observe two Fulrads or Volrads the one Abbot of Saint Denis however a little too much taken up with Court Affairs and Negociations for one that is dedicated entirely to God the other Cousin to King Charlemain and Abbot of Saint Quentin Adelard of the same degree of parentage to the same King who withdrew from Court for the reasons we have before noted and was Abbot of Corbie and from thence recalled into the Kings Council Angilbert who exchanged the favour of Charlemain one of whose natural Daughters he had married for the austerity of the Monastery and was Abbot of Centule Pirmin who is said to have quitted the Bishoprick of Meaux and who having retired himself into a solitary place in Germany built there that Celebrated Abbey of Riche-Nowe Augia Dives and Nine or Ten other Monasteries in those parts and in Alsatia and the learned Alcuin to whom Charlemain gave the Abbey of Tours in recompence of those inestimable Treasures of Learning and Science he brought into France with Claud and John the Scotsman A great part of the Manners and Customes we described under the First Race were preserved under the Second All the great Offices of the Kings House were still the same unless the Maire of the Palace in whose place it seems the grand Seneschal or Dapifer succeeded but with much less authority and different Functions Hincmar sets down an Apocrisiaire a Count of the Palace a great Camerier or Chamberlain three Ministerial Officers to wit the Seneschal the Butler and the Count of the Stable one Mansionary that is grand Mareschal of the House Four Huntsmen and one Faulc'ner The King had ever a Council of State in his Train consisting of men chosen out of the Clergy and Nobility The Apocrisiary assisted in it when he pleased the other great Officers never went but as they were sent for Those of the Clergy had a place apart to meet in where they treated of Ecclesiastical Affairs as the Nobility treated of matters purely Temporal and when there was any thing of a mixt nature they joyned all together to determine it In the Militia and Courts of Justice we hardly meet now with any Dukes but only Earls some of whom were called Marquesses when the Care and Guarding of the Marches was committed to them which ordinarily was in the new Conquered Countries others were called Abbots either because they possessed the Revenue of the Abbeys or because they commanded some certain Company 's near the King and taught them their Discipline and Exercise the Grandees were called Princes and we have light enough even in those dark times to see that it was not in the power of the King to disseize them nor put them to death but by certain Forms and Rules and the Judgment of their Peers and Equals where he presided or in their general Assemblies I find three sorts of great Assemblies the general Pleas of the Provinces the May-Assembly whither came the Seniores Majores natu of the French people there they chiefly consulted about Warlike Affairs and the Conventus Colloquia Parliaments where met together the Bishops Abbots Counts and other Grandees consider of Laws and Rules for their Policy Justice and the Treasury as well as the Discipline of the Militia both sacred and prophane The two last kinds of Assembles were after confounded in one The Kings had ever made use of Envoyez or Intendan
a Truce upon pain of Excommunication he made Reply That he took no Rule or Law from any one in the Government of his Kingdom and that the Pope had in this case no right but to Exhort and Advise not to Command This was the first occasion of Enmity betwixt these two great Powers Year of our Lord 1296 There were two more almost at the same time The one that Boniface received the Complaints of the Earl of Flanders who implored his Justice because Philip denied to restore his Daughter to him The other for that he erected the Abby of St. Antonine de Pamiez to a Bishoprick and put the Abbot of St. Antonine into it Observe en passant that this City was other while called Fredalas King Philip was offended at this Erection and more yet with the choice of the Bishop his name was Bernard Saisset because he believed him a Factious Man and too much devoted to Boniface Nor would he suffer him to take possession and therefore Lewis Bishop of Toulouze administred in that Church for two whole years together Year of our Lord 1295 and 96. The War was still carried on in Guyenne by the Earl of Valois and the Constable de Nesle and then by Robert Earl of Artois The English had for Commanders there John Earl of Richmond and Edmond the Kings Brother To what purpose would it be to relate the taking of many petty places and the divers small Skirmishes The French say they won two Signal Victories one of them was gained by the Earl of Valois and the other by the Earl of Artois It is certain that Edmond being beaten by the first near Bayonne was forced to retire into that City where he died and the Earl of Lincoln who commanded that English Army afterwards having lost many of his Men before Daqs durst not stay for Robert d'Artois and retreated Year of our Lord 1296 In the mean while a most dangerous Storm was forming against France A League was made at Cambray by the Interest of the King of England whereinto he entred with the Duke of Brabant the Earls of Holland Juliers Luxemburgh Guelders and Bar Albert Duke of Austria the Emperor Adolphus and the Flemming himself all which sent their several Cartels of Defiance to King Philip but none of them vexed him so much as the Challenge from the Earl of Flanders because he was his Vassal The Earl of Bar began the Attaque by ravaging Champagne but he retir'd when he heard how Gaultier de Crecy Lieutenant of the Kings Army burnt and plundred his Country Soon after the Queen being advanced that way to defend her Country of Champagne he was so saint-hearted as to surrendet himself to her without making any desence They sent him Prisoner to Paris from whence he could get no Release but upon very hard Conditions For he did Homage to the King for his Earldom which he ever had pretended to hold in Franc Alleud or Free-Tenure and moreover he was condemned by a Decree of Parliament to go and bear Arms in the Holy Land till the King were pleased to recall him Year of our Lord 1297 As for Florent Earl of Holland he was kill'd by a Gentleman whose Wife he had Dishonour'd His Son John died soon after him by eating of some ill-Morsel John d' Avesnes Earl of Haynault their Cousin and nearest Relation inherited Holland and Frisland Year of our Lord 1297 The greatest burthen of the War fell upon Flanders King Philip marched into the Country with a vast Army to whom the Queen joyned her Forces after she had subdued the Earl of Bar. He took L'Isle by a three Months Siege and Courtray and Douay without much difficulty whilst on the other hand Robert Earl of Artois gained the Battle of Furnes where the Earl of Juliers was so ill handled that he died of his Wounds Year of our Lord 1297 Adolphus detained in Germany by the private Troubles the French started amongst them or the Sums of Money Philip gave him under-hand did not bring the Flemming that Relief which he expected Withall they found a way by the all-powerfulinfluence of Money to debauch Albertus Duke of Austria from the Party who brought over with him the Duke of Brabant and the Earls of Luxembourg Guelders and Beaumont As for the King of England who was there in Person and had his Navy at Damm and his Land Forces in the Country Towns he brought more inconvenience then assistance to the Flemming Besides we may add that the greatest Cities in Flanders as Ghent and Bruges had been against the making of this War and amongst them a Faction had declared for the French who called themselves the Portes-Lys or the Flower-de-Luce-Bearers Now the King being retired to Ghent with the Earl of Flanders could find no other way to Charm the Swords of the French in those Countries but by a Truce The intercession of the Earl of Savoy and Charles King of Sicilia obtained it with difficulty for them from the Tenth of October till Twelfth-day for Guyenne and to S. Andrews Holy-day for Flanders only Edward knew how to employ that time to good purpose Having passed the Sea he went against the Scots who had shaken off the Yoke and not only forced their King John and his Barons to do Homage to him a second time of which a Charter written in French was Signed and Sealed and to renounce the Alliance with France but likewise kept him Prisoner a while with some of those Lords confining them in the Tower of London resolving not to release him till he had made an end of his Disputes with the French Year of our Lord 1298 The Truce being expir'd he made ready to return into Guyenne by the Month of March in the year 1298. Nevertheless as either of these Kings had partly what they desired that is the King of France the Towns in Flanders and the King of England the Kingdom of Scotland it was not difficult for their Ambassadors who met about it at Monstreuil on the Sea Coast to prolong the Truce to the end of the year It was agreed That the Allies of both Kings should be Comprised by consequence John Balâ—ol ought to have been so but they could never obtain his liberty and that all the places Conquer'd in Flanders should be in the hands of Philip during that Truce The King of England had obliged himself by Oath to the Flemming not to make a Peace till they were restor'd but in the mean time he agreed his Marriage with Margaret the Sister to Philip and that of his Son Edward with Isabella the Daughter of that King Year of our Lord 1298 The Money that Adolphus had received on both hands from the Kings of France and England was the cause of his Ruine and on the contrary what Albertus had taken for the same end served to raise his Fortune For this last having made use of some of it to corrupt the Princes of Germany who were displeased
each other Philip on the River of Antie and Henry along the Somme They lay there almost three Months without having any other Ren-contre besides one Skirmish because they were then upon propositions for an Accommodation The Popes Nuncios made the first mention of it the Constable and the Mareschal de Saint André whose favour was in a languishing condition at Court got Philip to give some Ear to it making use for that purpose of the interest of the Duke of Savoy who could no way be restored to his Estates but by a Peace Christierne Dutchess of Lorrain equally obliged to either King as Aunt to the first and nearly Allied to the second having newly given her Daughter Claudia to the Duke his Son promoted it with much industry and went with all the Messages to and fro so that at length she brought it to a Conference between their Deputies where her self and her Son assisted as Mediators Which proved a great reputation and honour to them both in all the Courts of Christendom Two Months before which was in October the Constable was freed from his imprisonment upon his parole and came to wait upon the King at Amiens who received him with inexpressible demonstrations of affection even to the making him lye in his own Bed It is said that this Lord having had notice the Kings affection towards him declined very much recover'd it again by the Credit of the Dutchess of Valentinois he seeking her Alliance and treating of a Match between his Son Danville with Antoinetta Daughter of Robert de la Mark and Frances de Brezé who was the Daughter of that Dutchess He had already agreed with the Spaniards on all the Articles of Peace but fearing lest he might alone be charged with the reproach of a Treaty so disadvantageous he contrived it so that the King upon the winding of it up should joyn with him the Cardinal Lorrain Mareschal de Saint André John de Morvillier Bishop of Orleans and Claude de l'Aubespine Secretary of State The Conference began in the Abbey of Cercamp the fifteenth of October and from that time the two Kings dismissed their Forces The difficulty concerning Calais was the greatest Remora Queen Mary would by all means have it again the King would needs keep it Thereupon that Princess hap'ned to dye without Year of our Lord 1558 any Children of a Dropsie caused by her infinite grief for the loss of that place and the little esteem her Husband had for her The fifteenth of November was the day of her decease and the sixteenth that of the Cardinal Pool her dear Cousin who had taken great pains to restore the Catholick Religion in England About this time the two Princes made a Truce for two Months then their Deputies parted Elizabeth succeeded Mary pursuant to the Will of Henry VIII Philip did yet for some time carry on the interest of Elizabeth then abandoned them lest they should prejudice his own He had likewise some design of Marrying her or at least to get her for his Uncle Ferdinand's second Son but the King who had great reason to hinder that Alliance and not suffer Elizabeth to take that Crown which he believed did belong to his Sons the Dausins Wife so ordered it that the Pope received the Envoy sent by that Princess to him but ill and treated her as illegitimate This injury made her determine openly to embrace the Religion of the Protestants who made no doubts concerning her and to repeal all Acts made by Mary and corroborate and revive those of Edward and put them in force Year of our Lord 1559 The Deputies from the two Crowns met again towards the end of January at Cateau in Cambresis where in few days they came to a final agreement on all the Articles Elizabeth fearing to be left alone sent her Deputies thither also By the Treaty between France and Spain that of Crespy and the preceding were confirmed The two Kings mutually restored all they had taken from each other for eight years past The King restored the Duke of Savoy to all his Lands and Estates yet still reserved the right he had but whilst that could be examined by Commissioners on either part which was to be done within three years time he kept by way of pawn or Security Turin Pignerol Quiers Chivas and Villeneuve of Ast Moreover he quitted all those he held in Tuscany to the Duke of Florence and those in Corsica to the Genoese gave his Sister Margaret in Marriage to the Duke of Savoy with Three Hundred Thousand Crowns in Gold and his Daughter Isabella to King Philip with Four Hundred Thousand The people who always desire Peace at what price soever testified a great deal of joy The Constable and the Mareschal de Saint André stood in need of it to recover their former favour which was in the wain but the Guisian party the sage Politiques the whole Nobility highly blamed it as a manifest juggle or Cheat whereby France was looser of one hundred ninety and eight strong places for three only which were given them these were Han le Catelet and Saint Quentin When Queen Elizabeth found the Treaty went forward and the Deputies for King Philip who pretended to mannage her concerns but acted very coldly obtained nothing for her advantage or interest She would needs Treat upon her own single account She got little more by it It was agreed that the King should either render up Calais to her and the re-conquer'd Country or if he liked it better pay her the Sum of Five Hundred Thousand Crowns which being referred to his own choice there was no doubt but he would keep that place which is the Key of his Kingdom During the Treaty the Spaniards God knows for what design exhorted the King very zealously to exterminate the new Sectaries and hinted that there were many of them even in his Court its self and of great quality amongst others Dandelot about whom they found some Books of that sort when they took him at Saint Quentin Upon which the King sent for him and asked him what he thought of the Mass Dandelot made him a very criminal reply which enraged him so greatly that he was almost in the mind to have kill'd him He commanded him to be made a Prisoner and put Blaise de Montluc into his Office a creature of the Duke of Guises The Constable his Uncle had very much ado to get him out of Prison and restore him It was suspected to be the Effect of a certain Conference held between the Cardinal de Lorrain and the Cardinal de Granvelle that by this Stratagem the first had a design to weaken the Constable by ruining his Nephews or to render Year of our Lord 1559 him suspected of Heresie if he protected them and that the other had a design of Setting the great Families of France to Daggers-drawing and of stirring up a Faction by making the Religionaries grow desperate believing they would joyn in a body
that of Gontran and Childebert Wiser in so doing than those of Limousin who having opposed a Referendaire or Lord Chancellor so named in those times who was going to settle the Taxes or Duties in that Country and Year of our Lord 579 having burnt his Registers left themselves exposed to the Sanguinary Avarice of an Intendant or Judge whom Chilperic sent thither to chastise their Sedition Year of our Lord 597 This year Sampson eldest Son of Fredegonda died the following year Chilperic was tormented with a long and continual Fever as he was upon Recovery two Year of our Lord 580 other Sons whom he had by that Woman were afflicted with a Dissentery which was rife all over France and affected Children most generally Fredegonda believed this Sickness of her Children was inflicted by Heaven who thus avenged the Sufferings of the oppressed People she was stricken to the heart and wrought so far upon her Husband by her arguments and intreaties that he threw the Lists of all the Tax-gatherers into the Fire and recalled those that were sent abroad to collect them Year of our Lord 580 But this forced Repentance did not save the life of her two Sons as on the other hand these Afflictions laid upon her only made her the more wicked she was pierced with sorrow for the loss of all her Children and with jealousie that there was one of her Husbands yet alive begotten on Queen Audovere his name was Clavis This Prince seeing himself necessarily the Successor let fall some words of Resentment and Threatning imprudently By this she well foresaw what must become of her if he Reigned and resolved to prevent it she therefore accuses him to his Father for having poysoned her two Sons and pre-possessed him so far with this Calumny that he gave up his only Son to her Vengeance The wicked Woman causes his Throat to be cut and the Body to be cast into the River and afterwards the unfortunate Audovere to be Strangled though she wore the Sacred Vail and her Daughter Basina to be locked up in the Monastery of Poitiers after her Sattelites had deflowred her A Fisherman having found the Body of the young Prince and knowing it to be his by the long Hair buried it under a Monument of Turf from whence King Gontran afterwards transferr'd it to St. Vincents Church in Paris Two years before Chilperic had sent Ambassadors to the Emperor Tiberius to congratulate him as I believe upon his promotion to the Empire and make up some kind of League with him against the Lombards This year they brought him back all imaginable satisfaction and very rich Presents amongst others were Medals of Gold a pound in weight Year of our Lord 581 The Kingdom of Austrasia and Childebert's Person being under the Government of Queen Brunehaud the Lords of the Country despised the Commands of a Woman and lived in excessive Licentiousness Those that gave her the most trouble were Ranchin and Gontran-Boson Vrsion Bertefrey and Giles Bishop of Rheims who associated together and oppressed whom they pleased Loup Duke of Champagne a faithful Servant to his Prince and Master as Wise as Just was insufferable to them because of his good qualities they took up Arms to destroy him and he got his Friends together to defend himself The Queen had all the trouble imaginable to prevent their coming to blows even to the enduring outrageous words from Vrsion but after all she could not so well secure the Duke from their fury but he was forced to quit the Kingdom and take refuge with Gontran Year of our Lord 581 The most dangerous of these Factious Spirits was the Bishop of Rheims as he was secretly engaged and wedded to Chilperic of which he had given testimonies having formerly treacherously delivered up the City of Rheims and drawn Meroveus into the fatal snare he caused his Faction to act so powerfully that the Austrasian Lords to the prejudice of the Alliance their King had made with his Uncle Gontran obliged him to make a League with Chilperic against him The Lure was That Chilperic having at that time no Son promised the Succession to him This League being made Childebert sent to demand the half of Marseilles of his Uncle who very far from restoring it made himself Master of the other by the treachery of Dynamius Governor of Provence for Childebert After this feat Dynamius goes over to Gontran as in revenge the Patrician Mummole pushed at by some intrigues of Court ever satal to great Commanders forsakes Gontran to be of Childebert's side and sortifies himself in the City of Avignon which that King without doubt had put into his hands for his security and that from thence he might make incursions in the Enemies Country The business of Marseilles caused an absolute Rupture betwixt the two Kings Chilperic who desired this presently falls upon Gontran's Countries and the Duke Didier by his order invades Perigord and Agenois without much opposition Another of his Dukes by name Bladastes was not so fortunate against the Gascons Year of our Lord 581 or 82. For having undertaken to seek them out in their own Country to chastise them for the frequent Irruptions they made into the third Acquitaine he was hemm'd in and his Forces cut in pieces The Gascons then inhabited upon the Confines of Cantabria between the Countries of the Visigoths and the French and by their Excursions made themselves formidable both to the one and the other carrying away whatever they could meet withall and afterwards sheltring themselves again on their Mountains There was only Chilperic that made open War upon Gontran but the Patrician Mummole with the secret support of the Lords of Austrasia was contriving a dangerous Design against him There was a certain Person named Gondebaud who pretended to be the Son of King Clotaire and he might well be so considering the multitude of Wives that King had This Gondebaud not having been able to get Year of our Lord 583 his pretended Brothers the Kings to acknowledge him had retired himself to Constantinople Tiberius the Emperor then living It happened that Gontran-Boson made a Voyage into those parts it is not mentioned upon what account and he persuades this Man so much that the French wished for him and that Gontran and Chilperic having no Children he might safely come to the Succession that he resolved to return into France Tiberius having a prospect of what he might possibly attain to one day assisted him with great Sums of Money he comes ashore at Marseilles was received by the Bishop and afterwards Entertained at Avignon Year of our Lord 583 by Mummole But the same Gontran-Boson who had persuaded him to return having set himself now to persecute the Bishop and such as favoured him he wisely withdrew himself into an Island at the mouth of the Rhosne and then the Traitor seized on all his Moneys and took a Commission from King Gontran to besiege Mummole in Avignon Childebert being
rage in so much that having one day had some words with him for she was come from Val de Rüel to Rouen she hired a wicked Slave who upon Easter-day wounded him to death whilst he was at the Altar in his Cathedral Year of our Lord 587 Church The Murtherer for she was compell'd to deliver him up to a Nephew of that Bishop to do what he thought good with him confessed that she and Melantius with the Archdeacon of Rouen had given him Money to commit the Parricide and that none might doubt of this truth she put Melantius into that Episcopal See King Gontean by good fortune avoided three or four Attempts she made against his Person and notwithstanding either out of faint-heartedness or because the Neustrian Lords jealous of their Authority would not have suffered him to undertake any thing against the Mother of their King he did not do so much as he ought to secure his Life by the Chastisement of this Megera Year of our Lord 587 When Childebert had attained to the age of Fifteen years he began to make himself to be feared by some examples of severity having caused Duke Magnoald to be killed whom he had invited to his Palace to see a Combat of Wild Beasts and Arrested Gontran-Boson to Punish him according to what Judgment King Gontran should pronounce who very well knew the Treachery of this Villain and indeed did not pardon him The other Grandees of Austrasia particularly Ranchin Vrsion and Bertefroy took the allarm at it Fredegonda by her secret Correspondence encreased their Apprehensions so that in Consort with her they conspited to kill their King and make his two Sons to Reign the eldest of which was but two years old Childebert having had notice hereof from Gontran his Uncle sent for Ranchin and caused him to be knocked on the Head going out of his Chamber Vrsion and Bertefroy who had sheltred themselves in a Church were handled after the same manner Year of our Lord 588 The Emperor Mauritius had for some time sollicited King Childebert upon very advantageous Conditions to make a Descent into Italy for the driving out the Lombards at length Childebert to acquit himself of his Promise and the Sums he had received went thither with a powerful Army Autaris knowing by experience that Money drew the French thither but would not drive them back again did not profer them any but resolved in himself either to Conquer or else to dye with Honour The Fates were favourable to him in a great Engagement at the entrance to the Alpes Childebert having been soundly beaten retired Year of our Lord 589 What ever Intreaties Rccared could make to King Gontran he could not obtain a Peace on the contrary he was obstinately bent to continue the War against him but he only encreased his Shame and Losses Duke Boson whom he had sent into Septimania despising the Enemy and minding nothing but to Debauch suffered himself to be drawn into an Ambuscade where most part of his Army was defeated by a very small number of Visigoths Year of our Lord 589 90. The stirs and troubles between the Nuns of the Abby of St. Croix of Poitiers did puzzle King Gontran as much as if it had been a business of greater moment amongst them there were two Princesses Crodield Daughter of King Cherebert and Basine Daughter of King Chilperic Crodield having a fancy in her own Head to Command accused Lubovere her Abbess of many Irregularities to make her be put out After that she went away with forty Nuns of her Cabal to make complaint to King Gontran then being returned to Poitiers she seized upon St. Hilary's Church with a Troop of Pick-pokets who committed a world of Villanies and lewd Actions there They were fain to make use of the Regal Authority and Power to punish those Rascals and call an Assembly of the Bishops to judge of the Accusation against the Abbess She was declared Innocent and Crodield and Basina Excommunicated which was again confirmed by another Assembly of Bishops of the Kingdom of Gontran but at the Intreaty of the King 's the Council of Mâ—ts gave them Absolution Basina went again into the Monastery Crodeild stubborn in her Disobedience had leave to dwell in a Country-House which King Childebert had ordained for her Year of our Lord 590 A second Army which Childebert sent into Italy against the Lombards did most of it perish there by Famine and Sickness but withall struck King Autaris into so much dread that he promised the French if they would leave him in Peace that he would every year send them some Presents Childebert discovered again another of those Assassins whom Fredegonda sent to Murther him This new Attempt giving him occasion to examine and inquire into the old Conspiracies they apprehended Sonnegisile who had been concerned in that of Ranchin This Person accused Giles Bishop of Rheims and the King gave order to lay hold on him but upon complaints made by the Bishops that they should treat a Prelate thus without hearing him he released him to bring it to a formal Trial. For this end he calls a Councel at Mets the Fifteenth of November and there this unhappy Wretch convicted by Witnesses and his own Confession of Treason and Lasae Majesâ—atis and of his having been the Firebrand of the Civil Wars he was deposed from his Bishoprick and banished to Strasburgh the King having given him his Life upon the Petition of the other Bishops The Count Waroc and other Princes of Bretagne notwithstanding the Oath they had given two or three times ransacked the Bishopricks of Rennes and Nants which belonged to King Gontran he would once for all punish their audacious Attempts and commanded his Forces in the Kingdom of Burgundy to march that way They had two chief Commanders Ebracaire and Boubelene who could not accord together The first of these left his Companion with the best part of the Army upon the point of the business however Boubelene defended himself valiantly for two days together but on the third he was overwhelmed and perished with almost all his Men. Ebracair being returned to Court was devested of all his Estate and Goods to the King who awarded them to the Heirs of Boubelene Year of our Lord 590 or 591. King Gontran Hunting one day in the Vosga perceived that some body had killed a Buffalo The Keeper accused the Chamberlain to the King and the Chamberlain denying the Fact Gontran compels him to justifie himself in Combat as the custom then was in doubtful cases His Champion and the Keeper kill each other and he as being Convicted by the death of his Champion was tied to a Stake and Stoned Year of our Lord 592 From the same Principle of levity of mind which caused these violent Fits in Gontran proceeded his Inconstancy and Apprehensions which turned him sometimes on one side sometimes on another He could not but mortally hate Fredegonda and yet nevertheless upon her
execute upon her CLOTAIRE II. called the GREAT remains sole King Aged 32 or 33 years Year of our Lord 614 Thus for the Second time were all the parts of France restored to one hand but Clotaire himself Governed only Neustria for Austrasia and Burgundy would needs retain the Title of a Kingdom and their distinct Officers Varnaquier was Mayer of Burgundy Radom of Austrasia and they Ruled as Vice-Roys He had given the Office of Patrician or Governour in the Dutchy Transjurane to Duke Herpin a very good Man to settle things with Order and Justice The Grandees of the Countrey fearing the Reformation might extend to them caused him to be slain by the People Clotaire going expresly into Alsatia punished that crime by the death of many that were guilty The Patrician Aletea had tampered in it with Count Herpin and Lendemond Bishop of Sion beside he grew so impudent as to send to tempt the Queen by that wicked Bishop to throw her self into his Arms with all the Kings Treasure endeavouring to make her believe the King would dye that year infallibly and that he being of the Royal Blood of the Burgundians would recover the Kingdom of Burgundy The Queen sad and allarmed having related this feigned Prophesie to her Husband the Bishop made his escape into the Monastery of Luxeu He had the good fortune to obtain his Pardon by the intercession of the Abbot Eustaise but Aletea being Commanded to Court to give an account of his actions could not justify himself and paid down his Head for it Year of our Lord 614 15 and the following Clotaire heving no more Enemies made it all his business to regulate his Kingdom and establish Law and Justice All those that had unjustly been thrust out of their Estates he restored again he abolished all Imposts that had been made without the consent of the French People by Brunehaud and Thierry revok'd all excessive Grants and resumed all that had been Usurped or Alienated from the Demesnes of the Crown enlarging the Fountain of his Revenues at the same time when he eased his Subjects â—or he had learned by Brunehaud's example that those people can easily forsake that Prince who oppresses them Year of our Lord 619 And likewise that he might keep Peace abroad he released the Lombards of the 12000 Crowns of Gold which they owed him for Tribute provided they paid him down in hand what was due for three years only Year of our Lord 620 Queen Bertrude a very good and most amiable Princess being dead Anno 620. he espoused Sichilda of whom he became so jealous that he caused a Lord named Boson to be killed who he imagined held too great a correspondence with her His eldest Son whether by Bertrude or by some other was then about Twelve years old He placed him under the Tuition of Arnulphus or Arnold Bishop of Mets to instruct him in good Literature and Virtue Year of our Lord 622 and 623. The Book of the Gests of Dagobert relates how one day this young Prince Hunting a Buck and that Beast taking Covert in the place where as then were the Reliques of St. Denis and his Companions a Divine power with-held the Dogs so that they could never break into the place That Dagobert some while afterwards having incurred the indignation of his Father because he had chastised the insolencies committed against him by Sadragisile Duke of Aquitain who was made his Governour or Tutor and remembring this Miracle put himself for security into the same place and that he found the same effect against those Men the King his Father sent to take him thence In acknowledgment of which miraculous protection he took the Holy Bodies out of that little Chappel which was then but ill adorned and much neglected and built them a magnificent Church and a fair Abby This Narrative to say no more is much suspected of falsity Year of our Lord 623 Austrasia more exposed to the Barbarian Nations then the other parts of France needed to have a King upon the place Clotaire gave this Kingdom to Dagobert under the Regiment of Pepin the Old who was Mayre of the Palace the Moderns call him Pepin de Landen and Arnold Bishop of Mets but reserved to himself all the Ardennes and the Vosge with the Cities of Aquitain which the Kings of Austrasia had possessed CLOTAIRE II. in Neustria and Burgundy DAGOBERT his Son in part of Austrasia aged 15 years Dagobert was 15 or 16 years of age when he began to Reign whilst he followed the wise Counsels of Pâ—pin and Arnold and afterwards of Cunibert Bishop of Colen his Life was an exemplar of Wisdom of Continency and of Justice Year of our Lord 624 The Nation of the Vencdes and Sclavonians inhabited originally that part of the European Sarmatia which is at this day called Prussia from whence in process of time they spread from the Scythian Sea even as far as the Elbe and from the Elbe as far as Bavaria and Hungary nay even into Greece and occupied Dalmatia and Liburnia which from their Name have to this day the appellation of Sclavonia There were above Thirty people Sclavonians those who possessed Carinthia Carniola and the other Countreys along the Danube were under the Dominion of the Avarois who were gotten into the Lands which the Lombards had forsaken when they passed over the Alpes The places near Italy obey'd the Lombards there were some of them free those that were under the subjection of the Avarois finding it heavy and tyrannical cast off the yoak and chose for their King one named Samon a French Merchant Native of the Bishoprick of Sens who Traded into their Countrey and appeared to them to be a Man of a good Head-piece It is believed be resided in Carinthia and that from thence he extended his Kingdom to the Elbe and at length to the confines of Turingia Year of our Lord 626 The fourth year of his Reign Dagobert is sent for by his Father who Marries him with Gomatrude Sister of Sicbilda his Wife The Nuptials were kept at the Palace de Clichy where his Festival ended in a quarrel between the Father and Son The last would have what his Father reserved to himself of that which belonged to the Kings of Austrasia The business put to a reference of Twelve French Lords the Son gained what he demanded except the Cities of Aquitain St. Arnold quits the Court and his Bishoprick to retire into Solitude where he passed the remainder of his most happy Life Cunibert Bishop of Colen a Prelate of great Merit took his place in the Councils of Dagobert and the friendship of Pepin Varnaquier was Deceased and his Son Godin killed by the Kings Command upon an accusation of the crime de Lâ—sae Majestatis brought against him by his Fathers Wife whom he had Married but was forced to part withal because such Incest was punishable with death Clâ—taire assembles the Estates of Burgundy at Troyes and asked whether
for a Monastick Life we find Queen Radegonda Institutrice of the Monastery at Poitiers and Glodesina or Glosina of that which bears her name at Metz she was Daughter of Duke Guintrion Maur the Disciple of St. Bennet came to dwell in France about Anno 540. and brought his Order which in time increased so much that it abolished if we may call it so all the others Cloud or Clodoald lived in the Diocess of Paris Leufroy in that of Eureux Calais in that of Mans Cibard in Perigord Leonard in Limousin the Hermit Victor at the Diocess of Troyes Celerin in that of Sees and Senoc in Poitou The Church of Rome had in Gaul as in divers other Countries a certain Revenue in Lands which she called her Patrimony and the Popes had a Vicar who failed not to set a value on his Power to make this Commission of the higher value It was the Bishop of Arles from whom they had taken almost all the Rights and all the Authority he pretended to as well for the Antiquity of his Church Established by St. Trophime Disciple of the Apostles as from the preheminence of his City which the Emperor Honorius had made the capital of seven Provinces they pitched upon for fear he should make his too great a See to be their Vicar in Gaul and so he held two during pleasure which he might have held in chief and that Superiority which his Bishoprick gave him over the seven Provinces was absorbed by that which they gave him over the whole seventeen Moreover they favourably received all those that appealed to Rome Leo X. restored Chilidonius of Besanson deposed by Hilary of Arles his Vicar and Agapet restored Contumeliosus whom John II. his Predecessor had judged very Criminal As they had a right to see the Canons observed and the ancient Customs when any one desired any Prerogative or any License they applied to them so that by little and little it brought them to allow some small favour even in things of little weight but at length even to dispence with the Canons Pope Gregory I. amongst others gave it to several Churches which induced others to desire it also and sometimes pretend that his Predecessors had before granted them the like The question concerning Images made a noise in France even in the days of that Pope For he reproved Serein Bishop of Marselles for having broken them down but however applauded his Zeal from having hindred the People from adoring them because they might be used as Books to instruct the ignorant but not as the Objects of Divine Adoration We observe in this Age near forty Councils I shall quote those of whom we have any Canons or Acts. The first of Orleans which we mentioned before was assembled in 511. in the Reign of Clovis The second in 533. to abolish the remainders of Idolatry The third five years after The fourth in 541. and the fifth in 549. These four in the Reign and by the Authority of Childebert who likewise called another at Arles which was the fifth Anno 554. There were two held in the Reign of Sigismund King of Burgundy that of Epaon Anno 517. and the first of Lyons in the same year This last upon the account of Estienne his Intendant who had Married Palladia his Cousin-German and was upheld in it by that Prince There were two Convocated at Arles to wit that which is reckoned the fourth in Anno 524. by the consent of Theoderic King of the Ostrogoths to whom the Province at that time obeyed and the fifth above-mentioned in the Reign of Childebert Three met in the Countries of Atalaric King of Italy that of Carpentras in 527. of which there is but one Canon remaining the second of Orange two years a terwards and the third of Vaâ—son in the same year There were two in the City d'Avergne that is Clermont the first with the consent of King Theodebert in 535. and the second of his Son Theodebald in 549. Four at Paris viz. the second Anno 555. the third Anno 557. the fourth Anno 573. and the fifth Anno 615. The second and third were by order of King Childebert and the first of these two to review the Process against the Bishop Saâ—â—aracus who had been condemned and deposed the Sentence was confirmed the other to confirm some Canons touching the Discipline The fourth was held by the consent of Chilperic I. to suppress the attempt of Giles Metropolitan of Rheims who had ordained one Promotus Bishop in the City of Cbasteaudun though it depended on the Bishoprick of Chartres and had never been made an Episcopal See The fifth was summoned by order of Clotair II. for Reformation of Abuses I do not speak of that in the year 577. where Pretextat of Rouen was condemned having suffered himself by a credulous and weak condescention to be induced to confess such Crimes which he had not committed no more then that of Valence Anno 584. which confirmed all the Grants King Gontran his Wife and his Daughters had bestowed on the Church There were three at Lyons the first under Sigismond before noted the second in 567. and the third in 583. Two at Mascon the first Anno 581. the second four years afterwards all these four by the Authority of King Gontran One at Tours Anno 567. in the Reign of Cherebert which ordained many things and confirmed the Religious Congregation of Virgins instituted by St. Radegond One at Auxerre Anno 578. where none met but the Bishop of the Place his name was Aunaquaire with his Abbots and Priests King Recarede called one at Narbona Anno 589. Clotaire II. one at Metz Anno 590. and one at Paris which was the fifth Anno 619. as we have already hinted In that of Metz Giles Bishop of Rheims was condemned for the Crime of Treason deposed and banished to Strasburgh Of all these Councils there was only that of Orange that medled with Controversies having fully discussed the points of Grace according to the Judgment of St. Augustin and of the Holy Chair The rest spent their time to compose Quarrels and Disputes or about Discipline and especially such particulars as we have already mentioned This History not allowing us to quote more than some necessary Articles In the reading of these Councils one may observe that there were great multitudes of Lepers and of Jews in France perhaps the Jews had brought in and spread abroad that Leprosy That the Bishop took care to relieve the first and prohibited all manner of Communication with the other The Church had a particular care or the Poor of Widdows and Orphans the first being made as it were of the Family the rest under their Protection insomuch that they espoused their Cause in Courts of Judicature and the Judges never gave Sentence in any Cause of theirs but he first acquainted the Bishop thereof In her Judicature she followed that Order Established by the Roman or Written Law The Canons
Austrasia environned with fierce and rebellious People wanted the presence of Pepin He durst not take King Thierry with him lest he should displease the Neustrians but he left a Lord with him called Nordbert who disposed of all and gave him an account Year of our Lord 687 The French found no prejudice by this change the interest of a new Prince who desired to Establish himself being to gain the Affections of the People and indeed he repaired all the Breaches that he possibly could which had been made in the foregoing Reigns restored what had been ravished from the Church the Bishops to their Sees the Grandees in their Dignities and Lands resolved upon nothing without the Advice of the Lords and Prelates defended the Cause of the Oppressed of Widdows and Orphans and applied himself to give vigour to the Laws which are the only Shields for the weak against the mighty ones Year of our Lord 688 The second year of his general Command he drew the French Militia together and by the Advice of the great ones carried the War into Frisia and compelled the Duke or King Ratbod who revolted to render him Obedience and to pay him Tribute At his return he called a Council the place is not named wherein they Treated and Considered of the ways and means that should be taken to repress Disorders and Violence and for the defence of the Church of Widdows and Orphans He knew there were no greater Charms to make them love his Government then Piety and Justice Poor Thierry being stripp'd of the real part of his Royalty which is his just Power and reduced to be contented with a moderate Revenue in Lands ended his Year of our Lord 690 or 91. days but not his shame in the year 690. or 91. They allow him Thirty nine or forty years of Age and his Reign to be Seventeen entire that is Thirteen before Pepins Victory and four under the Power of that Mayre He had two Sons Clovis and Childebert and two Wives Clotilda and Doda unless that name of Doda were an Epithet of Crotilda who perhaps was so called because she was fat and plump His Tomb and that of this Doda are to be seen at St. Vaasts of Arras Clovis III. King XVI POPE SERGIUS Who S. four years in this Reign CLOVIS III. In Neustria PEPIN Mayre in Neustria Soveraign in Austrasia IF there had been two Kings there must have been two Mayres but Pepin would Year of our Lord 691 hold that Office alone besides he could not suffer any King in Austrasia because he held that as properly his own for this reason he gave to Clovis which was the eldest of Thierry 's two Sons the Title of King in Neustria and Burgundy but himself kept the whole Administration Perhaps the French according to their ancient Right had conferred upon him the Soveraignty of Austrasia but it is certain that all those People who were Tributary's to that Kingdom as the Turingians the Frisians the Saxons the Almains shook off the Yoak and made themselves Independents On the other hand the Aquitains and likewise the Gascons created each a Soveraign Duke of their own and the Bretons enlarged their little Frontiers Clovis according to some Reigned but two years others more probably give him Year of our Lord 694 four compleat He died about the end of the year 694. or in the beginning of 695. Year of our Lord 694 or 95. being Aged Fourteen or fifteen years and neither had seen nor done any thing that was Memorable in his Reign Childebert II. King XVII POPES SERGIUS Who S. five years and an half during this Reign JOHN VI. Elected in Oct. 701. S. three years two months JOHN VII Elected in March 705. S. two years seven months SISINNIUS In January 708. S. twenty days CONSTANTINE In March 708. S. six years whereof three iâ— this Reign CHILDEBRT II. Called the Young aged Eleven or twelve years PEPIN Mayre c. Year of our Lord 695 IN his room Pepin set up his Brother Childebert who because of his Minority was yet reduced to a lesser scantling of Allowance then his Brother had been The great Officers as the Count of the Palace the great Referendary or Chancellor the Intendant of the Royal Houses were all with the Mayre The Kings had only a small number of Domesticks which served rather as Spies and Jaylors then Officers And indeed they needed them not being ever locked up in a House of Pleasure whence they never went forth but in a Chariot drawn with Oxen and shewed not themselves to the People but once a year in the Assembly of Estates which was held the First day of March. Year of our Lord From 690 unto 700. In these days Egica King of the Visigoths had War with the French towards the borders of the third Aquitain the success we know not Norbert who was the sub-Mayre and Lieutenant to Pepin in Neustria being deceased Year of our Lord 696 and 97. Pepin caused Grimoald his young Son to be elected Mayre of that Kingdom and gave the Dutchy of Champagne to his eldest Son Drogo whom he would keep near him Ratbod King of the Frisons notwithstanding he had given his Faith and Hostages revolts a second time and is again beaten by Pepin near Dorstat There was nothing observable in the eight or nine following years Pepin besides his Wife Plectrude who was already old had taken a Concubine or if you will a lawful Wife for the French notwithstanding the sacred Canons and the Prohibitions of the Church repudiated their Wives when they pleased and Wedded others The Kings themselves according to the ancient Custom of the Germans had often many at one time This same was called Alpaide Pepin had a Son by her named Charles and since surnamed Martel Lambert Bishop of Liege a Zealous Defender of the Christian Truth having dared to reprove him several times and called that Conjunction Adultery in publick Dodon the Brother to Alpaide Assassinated him by consent of Pepin Soon after the Murtherer being eaten with Worms and enduring horrible Torments a while cast himself into the Meuse This infection of Worms was very frequent and as it were Epidemick at that time as have been St. Anthony's Fire and some other odd Diseases Year of our Lord 708 Not long after Pepin lost Drogo or Dreux his eldest Son who left two Sons Hugh and Arnold by his Wife Austrude who was the Widdow of the Mayre Berthier The Almans and Souabues made now but one People governed by the same Duke who appertained to the Kings of Austrasia or held of them But Godfrey the now Duke had cast off the Yoke to make himself independent Being dead Anno 709. Willehaire succeeded him Pepin in two Expeditions which he made thither vanquished him and triumphed over his Pride He could not wholly subdue it though so that it was found necessary to send a third Army into that Country but when Year of our Lord 711 they were just
some other Barbarians In the time of the Emperour Justin they were even then so potent that they over-awed the Avari and other Neighbouring people The Emperour Heraclius made use of them against Cosroes and they made a mighty diversion being entred into Persia a great part whereof paid them Tribute divers Years afterwards But in the Year 763. they fell upon Armenia and so spread themselves very far into Asia where they subdued even the Kingdom of Persia An. 1048. Nevertheless they had no Soveraign nor Chief General but only many Colonels till the first Croisado of the Christians in 1196. at which time they made choice of one to be the better united for their own defence and preservation CHARLES I. CALLED The Great OR CHARLEMAINE King XXIII Aged XXIX Or XXX Years POPES STEPHANUS III. S. Three Tears and Three Months ADRIAN I. Elected in Feb. 772. S. neer 24. Years LEO III. Elected in Decem. 795. S. Twenty Years Five Months of which Eighteen under this Reign Charles in Neustria and Burgundy Aged 29. or 30. Years Carloman in Austria Aged 22 Years Year of our Lord 769 DUring the Discord between the Two Brothers which lasted some Months Old Hunoud the Father of Gaifre who had put himself into a Monastery throwes down his holy Frock to take up the Title of Duke of Aquitaine and endeavoured to make that Province Revolt by the assistance of his Friends and a League he made with Loup Duke of Gascongny Charles to whose share this Province fell intreated his Brother to help him in quenching this Flame of Rebellion Carloman joyns Forces with him but in the mid-way either of himself or by the suggestions of some busy-bodies he conceives a Jealousie against his Eldest Brother and leaves him there Charles however continues on his March Year of our Lord 770 Upon the noise of his approach Hunoud flies and goes to hide himself in the farthest parts of Gascongny where he thought to find an Asylum But there is none against too great a Power The Duke of Gascongny fearing the Threatnings of Charles proved no more a Faithful Ally then he had been a Faithful Vassal but comes to meet Charles submits intirely to him and delivers up that Unfortunate Man to his disposal who notwithstanding a short while after having made his Escape got into Sanctuary at Didiers King of the Lombards Thus ended the Dutchy of Aquitaine which about Eleven years afterwards was Erected to a Kingdom by Charlemaine for Lewis the youngest of his Sons In this Expedition he built Franciac which is to say the Castle of the French upon the River Dordogne It is now called Fronsac Pepin in his Life-time had married his two Sons it is not mentioned to whom perhaps they were only betroathed but if they were compleatly married we must say they afterwards were divorced for their Mother obliged them to take other Wives Carloman espoused Berthe or Bertrade whom the old Annals make to be the Daughter of Didier King of the Lombards Charles likewise was married to Hildegard another of that King's Daughters notwithstanding the great opposition the Pope made even so far as to represent to him how the Lombards stunk and were infected with the Leprosie Carloman his Brother was of an odd humorous spirit which gave him a great deal of trouble But death happily delivered him in the Month of November of this Year 770. having cut the thrid of his Life in the Palace of Montsugeon nigh Year of our Lord 770 Langres at the beginning of the Third year of his Reign and the 28th of his Age. His Brother caused his Corps to be conveyed to the Abbey of St. Remy of Reims which he had greatly endowed He had one Wife named Berthe and two Sons While Charles held a General Assembly at Carbonnac most part of the Lords and Austrasian Prelats came thither to acknowledg him for their King They might do so and it must be granted that if he had not had that right he had been an Usurper The Widow of Carloman apprehending they might proceed further Year of our Lord 771 took her Children and went her way to Tassillon Duke of Bavaria Some Spanish Chroniclers to whom I know not what faith we are to give have written that besides Gaifre and Hatton Eudes Duke of Aquitaine had a Son named Aznar who considering the misfortune of his Brother passed the Hebre and having in Battle slain four petty Kings or Saracen Generals became the First Earl of Arragon It was at that time but a small Territory between two Rivers of that name whereof the City of Jacque was the Capital Charlemaine alone in all the Kingdom ONe cannot hear the Name of this Prince without conceiving some great Idea He was of a tall and becoming stature seven foot in height well shap'd in all his Limbs unless his Neck which was somewhat too thick and short and his Belly strutting out a little too much His gate was grave and firm his voice of the shrillest His Eyes were large and sparkling his Nose high and long his Countenance Gay and Serene his Complexion fresh and lively nothing of effeminate in his gesture and carriage his humour sweet facile and jovial his conversation easy and familiar He was humane courteous and liberal active vigilant laborious and very sober although fasting were prejudicial to him an enemy to Flatterers and vanity who hated huffing and new modes that were strange cloathing himself very modestly unless it were on some publique Ceremonies where the Majesty of the Kingdom ought to appear in their Soveraign At his Meals he made some read to him the History of the Kings his Predecessors or some Works of St. Augustine's took two or three hours repose after Dinner interrupted his sleep in the Night rising three or four times heard all Complaints did Justice at all Seasons even at his time of dressing himself The Spring and Summer time he spent in War part of Autumn in Hunting the Winter in Counsels and the Management of his Government Some certain hours both of the day and night in the Study of Learning as Grammer Astronomy and Theology And in truth he was one of the most Learned and most Eloquent of that Age the Works he left behind him to posterity are undeniable proofs of it With all this clement merciful charitable who maintained the Poor even in Syria Egypt and in Africa who employ'd his Treasure in rewarding Soldiers and Schollars in building publique Structures Churches and Palaces repairing of Bridges Cause-ways and great Roads making Rivers Navigable silling Sea-Ports with good Vessels civilizing Barbarous Nations and carrying the Honour of the French Nation with much Credit and Lustre into the remotest Kingdoms And who above all other things had the greatest care to regulate his People with good and wholesome Laws and bent all his Actions and Endeavours to the Welfare of his Subjects and the advancement of the Christian Religion Amongst the rest he had four very Potent Enemies to
after to take the Field again with the assistance of the Frisons their Allies but they were as ill handled as before In fine their two Bravest Leaders Albion and Vitikind being disheartned by so much ill success gave ear to the Friendly persuasions which the King being touched with a real esteem for their great Courage had made use of to bring to their duty Having taken their Sureties they appeared before the Estates at Paderborne and thence followed him into France where they were Baptised in his Palace of Atigny He gave the Dutchy of Angria to Vitikind who from that day forward led so good and Christian a life that some have placed him amongst the Saints From him many do derive the descent of the Race of the Capetine Kings Year of our Lord 785 At this Assembly of Paderborn Lewis King of Aquitaine came to his Father with all his Forces He often sent for him and his Brother Pepin either when he wanted them or to call them to an accompt thereby to keep them in subjection Year of our Lord 786 After Easter in the Year 786. the Army went and fell upon Bretagne whose Princes thought themselves independent and had their little Kingdom apart These likewise were compell'd after they had lost divers strong Places to submit to the Grandeur of Charles and to send several Lords to him to take their Oaths of Fidelity But not believing themselves bound to do so they kept them no longer then till they found an opportunity to violate their Faith without danger Year of our Lord 786 In the mean time Adalgise Son of the unfortunate Didier was at Sea with an Army solliciting his Brother in Law Tassillon to fall into Italy at the same time as he should land for the same purpose having made sure of Aregisa Duke of Benevent who married his Sister Charles to prevent the execution of their Designes passes the Mountains the fourth time and having taken Benevent and Capova from Aregisa who would be called King forces him to give sufficient Pledges and renounce that vain Title He had seen the Pope at his passing by Rome upon his return he saw him again Year of our Lord 786 In this Voyage to please himself he brought into France the Gregorian Singing and the Liturgy or Mass that was used at Rome and would needs abolish the Musick and Service of the Gallican Church This change begot many difficulties and stirred up Persecutions against the Ancient Galls who persisted in keeping their own Customs This good Prince was so wedded to this Singing that he made it a considerable business and a main point of Religion whereas several of the Ancient Fathers held it as a very indifferent thing Year of our Lord 787 Whilst he was last at Rome Tassillon's Ambassadors came thither to intreat the Pope to reconcile Charles perfectly to him The holy Father and the King willingly hearkned to it But when the King press'd them to name the time wherein their Master would perform what he promised they replyed that they had nothing in Commission but to carry back his answer So that the King perceiving he did not walk uprightly resolved when he got again into France to make him speak clearly Having therefore held the Estates at Wormes he drew three Armies into the Field his Son Pepin's in Italy one of the Eastern French and a third which himself Commanded Year of our Lord 787 When Tassillon saw them all upon his Frontiers the first in the Valley of Trente the second on the Borders of the Danube and the other under the Walls of the City of Augsburgh not knowing which way to turn he came with all humility to begg his pardon and delivered up Thirteen Hostages whereof his Eldest Son Theudon was one Yet the hatred he had for the French and the correspondence he held with Adalgise his Brother in Law still prompted him secretly to sollicite the Bavarian to take up Arms and to joyn in League with the Huns his Neighbours who held Pannonia which is Hungary and Austria Part of these were led by his persuasions but the rest apprehending the Calamities of War gave the King notice hereof For which cause this Duke being a second time summoned to the Assembly of Estates which met at Ingelhenin and there accused by his own Subjects and convicted of Treason was by his Peers condemned to lose his Life Howbeit the King in favour of him as being neer of Kin commuted that punishment so that both he and his Son Theudon were only Shaved and sent to the Cloister of Loresheim and then to Jumiege And at this time The Dutchy of Bavaria was Extinguished and divided into several hereditary Counties Year of our Lord 788 Out of these ruines sprung a more powerful Enemy The Huns angry for the loss of their Allie and that the French were become their Neighbours began a most bloody War with them which lasted for Eight Years together This Year let them however know what the Event was like to be for they lost three Battles against them one in Friul and two in Bavaria At the same time Adalgise having obtained some Forces of Constantine the Emperor of Greece who was netled for that Charles had denied him his Daughter Rotrude in Marriage descended into Italy by Calabria imagining the rest of the Lombards would take up Arms in his Quarrel But he was mistaken in his reckoning Grimoald Son of his Sister and Aragise Duke of Benevent whom Charles had gratify'd with the Dutchy after the death of his Father Hildebrand Duke of Spoleta Vinigisa who was so after him and some other of King Pepins Captains fought him at his going forth of Calabria and obtained an entire Victory That unfortunate man falling into their hands alive was cruelly put to death as generally most Princes are that endeavour to regain their own when they suffer themselves to be taken Year of our Lord 789 Of the German People there was hardly any but those that Inhabited along the Baltick Coasts who did not acknowledge Charlemain or held themselves Enemies to the French and their Allies Those nearest to his Frontiers were the Wilses seated on the further side of the Elbe in the Southern part of the Country He built a Fort upon that River which he strengthened with two Castles and having made an inroad even to their Principal City which they called Dragawit brought such astonishment amongst them that they all submitted without striking one blow Their chief Head named Viltzan coming forth together with the most eminent of them to take the Oath of Fidelity and offer him pledges for Security Year of our Lord 790 He spent the Year 790. in his Palace of Wormes without undertaking any Military expedition He addicted himself to works of Piety sent great Almes to the Christians in Syria Egypt and Africa who groaned under the Saracen yoak and besought the amity of those Infidel Princes thereby to oblige them to treat the Christians more mercifully Year of
a League with the Saracen King who gave him Powerful assistance with which help he so tormented the Governors of places that some quitted them and others went and joyned with him There was none but Bernard Earl of Barcelonna that persevered in the fidelity he owed the Emperor Year of our Lord 827 The next year Aizo got a very great re-inforcement of the Saracens and the Emperor on his part gave Pepin an Army to chastise him and to re-settle his affairs in those Countries But the Infidels ransacked the Counties of Gironna and Barcelonna at their pleasure before the French Forces were in condition The negligence of their Commanders was the cause of this delay which was most severely punished at the general Assembly of Aix with the loss of their imployment And whatever other favour they held of the Emperor This done to repair their fault he gave a great Army to his Son Lotaire who advanced as far as Lyons but having conferred with his Brother Pepin he went no farther because the Saracens had made no new attempt This was the last Trial the French made for those Marches For the following year there being a division bred in the Royal Family whereof Bernard Earl of Barcelonna was the pretence the Saracens and Spaniards too made great advantages of the same So that France could preserve only the Lower Marches to wit the Counties of Barcelonna Ampuries Roussillon Cerdagne Vrgel Paillars Ossonna and Ribagorce The People of the higher Marches seeing themselves abandoned by the Year of our Lord 828 French bethought themselves of making a King and chose Eneco or Inniguo Earl of Bigorre surnamed Arista by corruption from Ariscat a word which in that Country Language signifies the bold the resolute By whose valour and the eredit he had amongst the Gascons and the Inhabitants of the Pyreneans they promised themselves assistance sufficient enough to make Head against the Saracens As indeed he regained Pampelonna and some other Cities from those Infidels Year of our Lord 829 Or 830. 'T is here therefore we must assign the beginning Of the Kingdom of Navarre and not 70 years earlier by one Garcia Ximenes For all the Six Kings whom they place before this Inniguo Arista are fabulous as well as the pretended Kingdom of Sobrarue where they tell us they Reigned Now Sobrarue is a little Country between the Ancient Earldom of Arragon and that of Ribagorce which is within the precincts of the Kingdom of Arragon not of Navarre and hath but six Leagues of extent and some Burroughs in a Valley with the Abbey of Penna Inniguo Arista had for Son and Successor Ximene or Semenon d'Innigo and he had one Innigo de Semenon and Garcia both Kings D'Innigo II. was Son of Garcia II. who had two Sons which were Successively Kings viz. Fortunius Garcia and Sance Abarca the first of that name After him the Succession of their Kings of Navarre is clear and indisputable The Bulgarians ransacked Pannonia Superiora as they listed Balderic Duke of Friuli never stirring to repel them But his cowardly neglect was punished as it Year of our Lord 829 deserved He was devested of all his Honours and his Dutchy was divided into four Counties The Emperor desperately fond of his Wife and of his Son Charles bestowed Rhetia and part of the Kingdom of Burgundy upon that Child his other Brothers present But Trembling with jealosie and wrath Year of our Lord 829 Louis Emperor Lotaire Emperor and King of Italy Pepin King of Aquitaine Louis King of Bavaria Charles King of Rhetia aged 6 years Then all the reâ—t of the Party that had been for King Bernard the Relations Year of our Lord 829 and Friends oâ— those whom the Emperor had put to Death those whom he had Banished and sent away and afterwards recalled Leagued themselves together and taking this opportunity of the discontent of these young Princes Heated and Animated the People with divers rumours and reflections The Emperor fore-saw the Tempest well enough by the gathering of these clouds His Wife as well to have the Absolute Government of her Husbands weak Spirit as out of affection increased his Apprehensions and perswaded him to put an entire confidence in Bernard Earl of Barcelonna whom she loved with the Office of Chamberlain that she might ever have him near her Year of our Lord 830 Bernards Pride and his too great familiarity with the Empress bred envy and jealousy which caused several other Lords to joyn with the contrary Party All the discontented therefore address themselves to Pepin And in the ill humour he had conceived against his Mother-in-Law easily made him believe that Bernard was her Gallant and that she had bewitched her Husband and therefore it was a becoming Duty in the Son to revenge those injuries Practised against his Father and to restore him to his Honour and Witts again He believes them and takes the Field The Emperor being informed that he approached permits Bernard to retire sends his Wife to a Monastery at Laon and comes to Compeigne The Conspirators Seize the Empress she promises them to perswade her Husband to suffer himself to be shaved or deposed and upon this assurance they grant her the liberty to speak with him in Private They having conferred together made an agreement that the Empress should wear the Vail for a time but that he should demand some longer time to consider and resolve them Mean time his Son Lotaire arrives from Italy who confirmed all that had been done shutts up his Father in the Abbey of St. Mard at Soissons and appointed some Monks to instruct and advise him to put on the habit Some time after the Empress was brought to her Husband and upon the Peoples clamours confined to the Monastery of St. Radegonde of Poitiers Year of our Lord 830 In this Miserable condition the Debonnaire passed the Spring and Summer-season his Courage so sunk that he would have consented to turn Monk if the very Monks themselves who designed to take advantage of the opportunity and by some methods bring the Affairs of Court into their management by his means had not dissuaded him and found a way for his escape out of that Captivity One Gondeband amongst others stickled much in his service and went in his behalf to his two Sons Pepin and Lewis to entice them to embrace their Fathers Case to which they were already much inclined out of the jealousy of the growing power of their elder Brother and his undertaking to govern all things according to his own fancy The Power of these two Brothers serving as a Counter-poise to that of Lotaire there needed a general Assembly to settle the Government The contrary Faction would have it in Neustria where they were the stronger to degrade him or at least to dissolve his Marriage with Judith because she was of Kin to him But yet he had Friends or craft enough to have the meeting held at Nimiguen There making his
succeed him the other headed by Ebroin Bishop of Poitiers referr'd it to the Emperor Ebroin comes to him to know his Intentions for which he was rewarded with the Abbey of Saint Germain des Prez At the very time when the Emperor would have followed him into Aquitain with an Army he was drawn towards the German side Year of our Lord 839 After the partition made with Lotaire Lewis was forbidden to take upon him the Title of King of East France any longer his interest and resentment made him take up Arms to preserve it Now before he could put himself into a posture of defence his Father passed the Rhine and stuck so close to him that he was either advised or compelled to come and ask his Pardon At his return from this Voyage the Emperor goes into Aquitain and being entred as far as Clermont in Auvergne he there met and gave reception to the Lords of the Country whom Ebroin had disposed to obedience and made them give their Oaths for his Son Charles But young Pepin with his Friends kept the Inheritance of his Father still by some corner or other and held so fast and tugged so strongly against him that he could not be dispossess'd in many years Louis the Debonnaire Emperour and King of France Lotaire Emperour and King of Italy aged 45. years Louis King of Bavaria aged 34 years Charles King of Rhetia Burgundy Neustria Aquitain aged 17. years Pepin disputing Aquitaine aged 14. years Year of our Lord 840 When the Emperor after the Parliament of Chaalon was returned to Aquitain being at Poitiers to take some course to secure that Kingdom to his Son Charles he had notice that Louis had debauched the Saxons and Turingians that he had Siezed all the Country without the Rhine and then being come to Francfort had taken the Oaths of several Eastern French Never any business troubled him so greatly as this same Though he were indisposed by a defluxion upon his Stomach and the Weather as yet very unseasonable he went from Aquitain with the resolution of putting an end to that affair He left his Wife and his Son Charles at Poitiers kept his Easter at Aix passed from thence into Turingia and held a Parliament at Vormes Then his Malady encreasing he went down the Meine to Ingelheim near Ments where lying in his Tents his Heart pierced with grief and his Stomach oppress'd with an Impostume he gave up the Ghost the 20 th of June having every Morning for forty days together received the Sacrament or Body of our Lord Jesus Christ He was in the beginning of the 64. Year of his Age and the end of the 27 th of his Empire and Monarchy before which time he had been King of Aquitain 32 years His Brother Dreux convey'd his Corps to Mets whereof he was Bishop and Intombed him in the Abbey of Saint Arnoul who was the Stock of the Carlovinian Family He was of a mild and sweet Nature but too easy and too credulous insomuch that sometimes his Counsellors could persuade him to unjust things From his youth he had plunged himself into a profound Devotion And if we may not say that he gave too much credit to the Church-men we may at least own that he could not discern the good from the bad or that employing them in his affairs and bestowing too much wealth upon them he spoiled them His Fathers method had been much better who never suffer'd one man to have more then one employment or more then one Benefice at the same time For the rest of his character he was Laborious Sober Vigilant Liberal very knowing and Learned both Speaking and writing Latine as well as any man in his Kingdom and who together with the perfect knowledge and understanding in the Laws had ever a great care to see them put in execution His first Marriage was with Hermengard Daughter to Duke Ingelram by whom he had three Sons Lotaire Pepin and Louis and three Daughters Adelais whose first Husband was Conrard Earl of Paris her second Robert le Fort Gisele who married Everard Duke of Friuli Father of that Berenger who was King of Italy Hildegarde married to Count Theodorus and Alpais Wife of Count Begon By his second marriage which was with Judith Daughter to Velpon or Guelfe Earl of Ravensperg he had Charles whom they surnamed the Bald. CHARLES II. Surnamed The Bald. King XXV Aged xvii Years POPES GREGORY IV. S. 3. Tears under this Reign SERGIUS II. Elected in Febr. 844. S. 3 years one Month. LEO IV. Elected in April 847. S. 8. Tears 3 Months BENNET III. Elected in August 855. S. 4. Years NICHOLAS I. Elect. in April 858. S. 9. Years 6 Months ADRIAN II. Elect. in Decemb. 867. S. 5. Years JOHN VIII Elect. in Decemb. 872. S. 10 years whereof 5. under this Reign Lotaire Emperour and King of Italy Louis King of Germany Charles King of Burgundy and Neustria Pepin Fighting for the Kingdome of Aquitaine Year of our Lord 840 SOme few days before his Death the Debonnaire had sent his Scepter his Crown and his Sword the tokens of Empire to Lotaire his eldest Son recommending to him the protection of Prince Charles and enjoyning him to preserve that share for him which had been allotted with his own consent But Lotaire or Lotharius was possessed in his mind that his Birth-right and his Quality of Emperor ought to make him Soveraign over his younger Brothers With this design he parts from Italy comes to the Kingdom of Burgundy where he designed to Rendezvous and bring his Forces together with his Friends dispatches his Commissaries into all parts to sollicite the Lords to give their Oathes to him passes from thence to Wormes and draws the Saxons to his party From thence Marches even to Francfort But Lowis coming to encamp close by him startled him and as he made more use of craft then strength he made Truce with him till the 12 th of November at what time they were to meet in the very same place to decide their differences in a Friendly manner if possibly they could if not by Dint of Sword Charles was then at Bourges where he waited for Pepin who failed at the Rendezvous promised From thence he dispatched one to Lotharius to intreat him to remember his Oathes which he had made in the presence of his Father and withal Year of our Lord 840 to render him all respect and submission as to his eldest Lotaire amuses him with fine words and in the mean time adjusts all his Engines to turn him out of his Estates After Charles had by his presence confirmed those People betwixt the Meuse and the Seine and had withal made a Journey into Neustria he returned with diligence into Aquitain to put a stop to Pepin's progress whose courage was much augmented upon the approaching of Lotharius He took off somewhat of the sharpness of his Mettle by gaining a Battel but in the mean while the Neustrian People joyned with
of the Treaty made with his Father and offered him to prove by thirty witnesses whereof ten should undergo the trial of cold water ten more of hot water and other ten that of burning Irons that they had on their part never infring'd it in the least The Bald petended to give ear to those justifications and agreed to a Cessation during which he made Oath he would not molest them Yet he pursued his march by narrow and unfrequented ways through the Mountains intending to surprize him near Andernack where he lay encamped and to put out his Eyes But the Bishop of Colen who was with him having in vain used all his endeavours to dissuade him from this treachery gave secret notice to Louis who put himself into so good a posture as he deseated his great Army and might have cut them all off would he but have pursued them Year of our Lord 877 The three Brothers confirmed by this victory in the Succession of their Father divided it betwixt them Carloman the eldest had the Kingdom of Bavaria to which belonged Panonia Carinthia Bohemia and Moravia Louis the second had East France or Germany and with that part of the Kingdom of Lorrain Charles had the Country of the Grisions Swisserland Souaube Alsace and the other part of Lorrain bordering on them CHARLES the Bald Emperour King of Neustria Aquitain Burgundy Provence Carloman King of Bavaria and the Title of King of Italy Louis II. of East-France Charles of Germany properly so called   Lorrain between both During all these dissentions the Normans had fair play The Bald put no stop to them but with Presents of Gold and the like which rather invited them soon after to come again then perswaded them to stay away So that while he lost himself with the imaginations of vain conquests they imposed Tribute upon West France and had it paid as themselves demanded or after their own mode the reason perhaps why they were called Truands The Saracens on the other hand tormented Italy no less they had Fortified themselves at Tarente and having made a League with the Duke of Naples sacked all to the very gates of Rome Pope John cryes out and calls upon the Bald for help and as a great favour sends him the confirmation of his Election to the Empire He goes therefore into Italy with Richilda his wife whom he led about every where The Pope comes to meet him as far as Versel Crowned the Empress at Tortona and from thence they went down to Pavia to consult with the Lords of Italy about the means to drive out the Saracens While they were there they heard that Carloman King of Bavaria approached with a great Army to resume the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire Upon the bruit of his march the Assembly dissolves the Pope flies to Rome and Charles makes hast into France But at the same time Carloman Seized with a Pannique fear turns back again to Germany Whilst the Bald was absent from his Kingdom the French Lords formed a conspiracy against him Boson himself his Favourite and Brother in Law to his Wife was of the Knot They hated him mortally and the occasion or pretence was that he raised people of mean Birth and seemed to despise the French Nation in affecting to wear his Cloaths after the Greek Mode who were their mortal Enemies It hapned therefore by the wicked contrivances of these Factious persons combining that upon his return passing by Mount Conis he was poysoned by Sedecias his Physician a Jew by Birth and reputed a Magician Accidents not un-common Year of our Lord 877 to Great ones who make use of such-like People His body was Interred at Vercel and seven years after brought thence to the Abbey of St. Denis He died at the Age of 55 years the second of his Empire and the 38 th of his Reign accounting from the Decease of his Father At he loved Pride and vain Pomp more than Solidity so Fortune in conformity to his humour made him happy in appearance but unhappy in effect she bestowed many great Lordships and but little good success upon him The best of his qualities was that he acquired great learning and gratified good Schollars with Honour and rewards seeking and sending into Greece and Asia for them to enrich France by their knowledge worthy of praise for so doing had he but taken care to provide for the necessity and security of his Country before be brought in those Ornaments His Father was blamed for raising people of a servile condition to Ecclesiastical dignities And he going farther yet advanced very mean persons to Military Employments and to such dignities as were due only to the greatest in his Kingdom This turned the whole State as it were upside-down the greatest Families sunk to nothing and the meanest were raised to the highest pitch to whom the obscurity and ignorance of those times was very favourable in concealing and preventing ☜ all knowledge of the beseness or Poverty of their Original The City and Abbey of St. Denis are obliged to this King for the Faire at Landy He had no Children by Richilda his second wife but by Hermentrude his first he had many there was but one now alive which was Louis whom they surnamed the Stammering because in truth he was so The hatred they bare to the Father was transferred to the Son he endeavoured to take it away by force of gratifications bestowing Abbeys upon some to others Lands and Employments were given but by pleasing and pacifying a few he created a world of discontents and the Princes so the great Lords were called took offence that he should grant of himself what he could not well do without their consent and in the general Assembly Year of our Lord 877 Whilst they were making divers Cabals grounding all as I believe upon this pretence that it did not appear to them that his Father had ordained he should succeed him his Mother in Law Richilda comes with all speed and brings him his Father Charles the Bald's Will by which it was manifest he had given him his Kingdom and did invest him in it by the Sword of St. Peter and the Royal ornaments which he sent to him Louis being a little better Authorised by this means the Lords agreed with him but certainly not till it had cost him a great deal And the Arch-Bishop Hincmar Crowned him in the City of Reims the 8 th day of December LOUIS II. Surnamed The Stammerer King XXVI Aged about XXX or XXXII Years POPES JOHN VIII During all this Reign and in the following Louis called the Stammerer Emperour King of Neustria Aquitain Burgundy Provence Carloman King of Bavaria Louis of East-France Charles of Germany   Lorraine to both Year of our Lord 878 IN the mean time Lambert Count of Spoleta and Albert Marquiss of Tuscany partisans of King Carloman who pretended to the Empire being entred into Rome kept Pope John VIII a
Italy and at her second to the Emperor Otho I. LOUIS in France Conrad in Burgundy Arles Otho in Germany Lorrain HUGH and Lotaire his Son in Italy Year of our Lord 937. 938. The second year of his Reign Lewis Transmarine took the Government in hand and sent for the Queen his Mother to come to Laon to have the Benefit of her Counsel To settle his Authority the better he first began with some petty Rebels by little and little then falls upon Hebert himself whom he thought the more easily to overcome because he was grown odious for his Treachery against Charles the Simple And indeed he gained some places very quickly But Hugh fearing they would set upon him likewise joyned with Hebert who was besides his Uncle by the Mother And because he judged there would be little security in a person that had broke his Faith he armed himself likewise with the Alliance of King Otho by Wedding his Daughter named Havida The King on his side fortified himself in a more strict Union with Arnold Earl Year of our Lord 938 of Flanders a Mortal Enemy to Hugh Artold Arch-Bishop of Reims Hugh le Noir Brother of the Defunct King Rodolph and some others but this year Giselbert Duke of Lorraine being come to the assistance of Hugh the Great his Brother in Law Arnold and the Noir negociated a Truce till the first day of January of the following year between the King and that Duke As soon as that was expired the War began afresh Whilst the King was in Burgundy to divide it with the Noir Hugh le Blanc Hebert William Duke of Normandy over-ran and Burnt the Territory's of Arnold The Bishops censures had not power enough to stop them but the Kings Return gave them more cause of dread and made them renew the Truce to the Month of June Henry the younger Brother of Otho fancied to himself that the Kingdom of Germany belonged to him he being Born when his Father was a King whereas Otho came into the World before he was so Giselbert very powerful in Lorraine and who had married Gerberge Sister to these two Princes instead of behaving himself as a Mediator between them takes part with the Younger These two Brothers in Law thus Leagued sent to King Louis to put themselves under his obedience After which Otho having beaten and forced them at a passage over the Rhine the dispair they were under made Giselbert and some other Lorrain Lords come even to Laon to do him Hommage Louis wanted but very little of having the whole Kingdom of Lorraine surrender to him he got into Alsace and was well received every where But when he came to treat those as a conquered people who had voluntarily submitted to him it soon alienated their affections Year of our Lord 939 Mean time Hugh the Great Hebert William Duke of Normandy and even Arnold of Flanders not thinking it expedient for themselves that King Lewis should make himself so potent re-allied themselves with Otho who having quitted thâ— Siege of Capremont which was Giselbert's impregnable Fortress and joyned with them easily drove Louis out of Alsatia then laid Siege before Brisac a place very considerable in those days and where they shewed notable Feats of Arms. Whilst Otho was at this Siege a party of his especially the Clergy abandoned him But Giselbert and Everard were defeated by his men at their passage over the Rhine near Andernac where the last remained dead on the spot and the other that had been the Fire-brand of all these Wars was drowned This unhoped for advantage having ruined Henry's Party he grew wise and timely yielded Year of our Lord 934 himself up to the discretion of his Brother who sent him away Prisoner for some time In the interim Brisac surrendred and all Lorrain was his the Government whereof he bestowed upon Henry himself and soon after upon Count Otho The year following King Lewis thinking to strengthen himself on that hand or perhaps gain Vassals and Friends amongst the Lorrainers married that Kings Sister Gerberge the Widdow of Giselbert by whomshe had two Children Regnier Lambert Year of our Lord 940 Count Hebert of Vermandois had by craft and force got his Son but ten years of Age to be nominated Arch-Bishop of Reims which being contrary to the Rules of the Church the Clergy placed one Artold in that Episcopal See who by consequence was an Enemy to Hebert and a great friend to the King The contest about this Arch-Bishoprick begot a War which lasted 18 or 20 years and greatly molested all Champagne Year of our Lord 940 This year after some other inconsiderable actions Hebert with Earl Hugh and Wlliam Duke of Normandy besieged Reims The Inhabitants being terrified forsook Artold and opened their Gates to them Artold thorough the like fear suffers himself to be persuaded to renounce the Arch-Bishoprick and accept of an Abbey whereof repenting again the King embraces his defence and the quarrel revived again From thence the Confederates went and planted the Siege before Laon but upon the noise of the Kings March who was returning from Burgundy they retired towards Otho and having led him as it were in Triumph to the Palace of Atigny they put themselves into his protection King Louis having refreshed Laon retires into Burgundy His strength lay that way because of Hugh le Noir who together with William Count of Poitiers accompanied him King Otho having a potent Army pursued him thither and struck Hugh le Noir with so much terror that he made Oath never to employ his Forces more against Hugh le Blanc nor against Hebert who were his new Vassals Year of our Lord 941 The next year Louis notwithstanding besieges Laon wherein was Count Hebert but it was to his own great dammage for being surprised in his Legements by his base Subjects he beheld above one half of his men slain with his own Eyes and could not save himself but by a shameful flight After which forsaken of all his Neustrian Subjects he took shelter under Charles Constantine Earl of Vienne his Cousin German being the Son of Louis the Year of our Lord 941 Blind King of Italy and Arles and a Sister of Queen Ogina's Thence he had recourse to the Pope the Lords of Aquitain and to William Duke of Normandy The Pope sent a Legat to exhort the Lords of Neustria to be faithful to him those of Aquitain came and tendred him Hommage at Vienne and profer'd their assistance And William quitting the Associates treated him magnificently in his City of Rouen and served him with his Forces as did likewise the Bretons With these Forces he sought all opportunities to fight his Enemies but they were retreated on this side the Oise and having broken down all the Bridges would not come to any Engagement Therefore a Truce was made between them Year of our Lord 942 and by the mediation of King Otho a Peace was concluded by
he gave Robert the Cities of Chaumont and Pontoise and the French Vexin Year of our Lord 1033 It was then likewise he yielded the Dukedom of Burgundy to his Brother Robert From whom issued the First Race of the Dukes of Burgundy of the Blood Royal. The Earl of Champagn did not hold himself vanquish'd by the defeat of the Party to make him lay down his Sword the King was forced to beat his Army twice and Year of our Lord 1033 and the following the third time put him to a rout and made him fly away half naked and hide himself before he could compel him to shake hands About the year 1032. or 33. Geofrey surnamed Martel made a cruel War upon William V. called the Gross Duke of Guyenne and Earl of Poitou whose Mother-in-Law or his own Fathers second Wife he had Married She was named Agnes Daughter of the Earl of Burgundy The Subject of the Quarrel was the Earldom of Saintonge and the Country of Aulnis which he disputed for The Authors do not tell us plainly by what Title he claimed but that he vanquish'd the Duke in a great Battle near Monstrenil-Bellay took him Prisoner and did not release him till three years end after he had yielded up Saintonge and paid a lusty Ransom Year of our Lord 1033 Rodolph or Rouel King of Burgundy beyond the Jour and of Arles dying in the year 1033. instituted his Heir Conrad the Emperor who had Married Gisâ—lle his youngest Sister and had by her a Son named Henry and made no account of Eudes Earl of Champagne the Husband of Berthe his eldest Sister because while he was living he would have forced him to acknowledge him for King and had bred Factions and Stirs in his Country By this Institution the Kingdom of Burgundy and Arles passing over to German Princes was by them as it were united and joyned to the Germanick Kingdom and the Empire who being at too great a distance have insensibly let it slip through their Fingers and after they had lost the Possession have likewise lost the very Title to it In these days lived Humbert Surnamed White-hands Earl of Maurienne and Savoy Stem of the Royal House of Savoy which at this day holds a great Rank amongst Christian Soveraigns the Off-spring of this Humbert having by Marriages Successions Conquests and other means assembled and joyned all the several pieces whereof that State is composed Some Historians make this Prince to be descended from Boson King of Provence others from Hugh King of Italy and some from the ancient Counts of Mascon but Tradition and which appears most probable makes him the Son of one Berald of Saxony who descended from Vitekind by the same Branch as the three Otho's Emperors or by some other Year of our Lord 1033 34 The Earl of Champagn not able to endure that Conrade should allow him no part of a Patrimony of which the best share ought to be his took his time when that Prince was employ'd in Hungary and with his own Forces and those of his Friends made himself Master of a great part of the Kingdom Year of our Lord 1035 But Conrad at his return having led his Army into those Countries drove Eudes Garrisons forth of all the Places he had taken put in his own and received Hommage Year of our Lord 1034 of all the Lords In fine he handled him so roughly that all help failing and perhaps an apprehension getting into his thoughts that the King of France who hated him might agree with the Emperor to strip him he went and surrendred upon Mercy and humbled himself before him Year of our Lord 1035 Robert Duke of Normandy by force of Arms constrains the Bretons to do him Hommage Year of our Lord 1036 He dies the year after at Nicea in Bithynia upon his return from a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem At his departure he had instituted an only Son of his but a Bastard named William to be his Heir begotten on a Citizens Daughter of Falaise leaving him at Paris in the guard and protection of King Henry who had very great Obligations to him and giving the Regency of the Country to Alain Duke of Bretagne Year of our Lord 1036 William had two Paternal Uncles Mauger Archbishop of Rouen who was Married and had Children and William Earl of Argues to whom the Nobility of the Country would much rather have obey'd then to a Bastard This was the occasion of great Troubles and would have ruined Normandy had the French King's Forces been but as great as his desire to regain it Year of our Lord 1003 and the following About this time the name of the Normands began to grow famous and potent in Italy especially in Puglia and Calabria In the year 1003. forty Adventurers of that Nation upon the quitting the Holy Land having acted some things there almost incredible against the Saracens in favour of Gaimar Duke of Salerna who was hugely tormented by them being returned into Normandy loaden with Honour and Presents had excited other brave Men of their Country to go seek their Fortunes beyond the Mountains The first that try'd was a Gentleman named Drengot-Osmond who being forced to quit the Country for killing one William Repostel in the presence of his Prince having vapoured that he had abused his Daughter went with four more Brothers and some others of his Kindred to offer his Service to Mello Duke of Bary and Pandolphus Prince of Capoua who were Revolted against the Greeks They received them with open Arms and gave them a City and some Lands to maintain themselves Then after these were setled not without many hazards Combats and Adventures six of the Sons of Tancrede d'Auterville a Gentleman of the Bishoprick of Constance who had twelve all of them brave and courageous arrived there and carried their same to a higher pitch then the former Year of our Lord 1036 Normandy was all in Fire and Blood by the particular Feuds of some Lords upheld by the Uncles of the young Duke Alain III. Duke of Bretagne his Guardian being come to appease them could not avoid a Mortal Poyson given him by the Factious Antagonists Conan II. his Son but then in his Cradle succeeded him Year of our Lord 1037 About these times William the Gross Duke of Aquitain was delivered out of Prison and died the same year Otho or Eudes his second Brother succeeded him Two years after he inherited the Dukedom of Gascongne taking possession thereof in the Church of St. Severin at Burdeaux according to the Custom He had this Lordship in Right of his Mother Brisce who was the Daughter of Duke Sance Thus the House of Gascongne resolved or dissolved into that of Poitiers or Aquitain Year of our Lord 1037 The Pretensions of Eudes Earl of Champagne to the Kingdom of Burgundy not being wholly stifled he fell with an Army into the Kingdom of Lorrain which belonged to the Emperor and took the City of Commercy but as he
mentioned and Hugh both Abbots of Clugny who being favoured by Heaven were in great credit with the Princes of this world of Thierry Bishop of Orleans Burchard de Vienne Bruno de Toul all three in the beginning of this Century and in the latter part of it Austinde d'Auch Hugh de Grenoble Arnold de Soissons and Maurille de Rouen Add to these Prelats Brune who was Institutor of that most austere Order of the Chartreux and Robert Abbot of Molesme who was Institutor or Founder of the Cisteaux For Robert d'Arbresel he is not yet in the Catalogue of Saints France was not exempted from Heresies In the year 1000 there started up a Phanatiqee Peasant named Leutard in the Burrough de Vertus within the Bishoprick of Chaalons who broke down the Images Preached that they ought not to pay Tithes and maintained that the Prophets had not always spoke those things that were good he was followed by an innumerable multitude of the Populace who believed him to be inspired of God his Bishop it was Guibin having easily convinced him and afterwards disabused those ignorant people the unhappy wretch in despair to see himself forsaken cast himself into a Well his Head foremost Some years afterwards came from Italy I know not what Woman infected with the dotage of the Manicheans which she inspired into a couple of the most Noble and most Learned Clergy-men of Orleans and those into several other people of several conditions King Robert who made his Residence in that City being informed hereof assembled a Council An. 1017. to convince them but not able to dis-infatuate them they kindled a fire in a neighbouring Field to burn them if they persisted in those Follies These obstinate Zealots far from dreading those Flames ran to them Thirteen were burnt Ten whereof were Canons of St. Croix The same severity was practised towards all of that Sect that could be discovered in any place especially at Toulouze An. 1022. But the remainders or Seeds of those ashes or as some say the frequent Commerce the French who travelled to the Levant had with the Bulgarians who were Manicheans soon after raised up this Phrensie again in Languedoc and Gascongne The error of the Sacramentaries was more subtil and therefore did not make so great a progress Joh. Scot. Erigene and other half Learned and too subtil Wits disputing about the incomprehensible Mistery of the Holy Sacrament according to the notions and terms of humane Philosophy had raised doubts and difficulties in the minds of Men touching the real presence of the Body of JESVS CHRIST in the Holy Eucharist We may believe that even in the Tenth age some scruples had been made by people contending herein since there were miracles wrought to prove it But the First that durst openly say contrary to the belief of all former ages that the Holy Sacrament was but the Figure of the Body of our Lord was Berenger Arch-Deacon of Anger 's Treasurer and Super-intendant of St. Martin de Tours As he was one of the most Learned Men of his time and had such charms in his Discourse and Entertainment that he was followed by vast numbers of Disciples for which reason his adversaries said he was a Magician he drew to his party Brâ—â—o Bishop of Anger 's and very many others who spread his Doctrine thorough France Italy and Germany Durandus Bishop of Liege and Adelman his Rector afterwards Bishop of Bresse stopt the current of it by their Writings and King Henry by his Authority so that he kept close and quiet for some years At the end whereof moving the question afresh Pope Leo IX condemned it in the Council of Rome and in that of Vercel both in An. 1050. In the last they ordered Scots Book to be burned which was the Well from whence he had drawn his error Five years afterwards Hildebrand Legat from Pope Victor II. being sent into France to reform the Clergy convened a Council at Tours where he compell'd him to abjure his Error and subscribe his Retractation For all this he desisted not from his former ways they were fain to cite him before the Council which was held at Rome An. 1059. where he was ordered to burn Scotus his Book with his own hand and Sign to a Confession of Faith composed by Cardinal Humbert but as soon as he was at liberty he renews the Dispute which lasted till the year 1079. when Gregory VII having summon'd him before another Council in Rome managed this turbulent Spirit so well that he owned and confessed both from his Heart and Tongue the substantial Conversion of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of JESVS CHRIST Being returned into France he took up the Habit of St. Bennet for his pennance and retired into the Priory of St. Cosmo which is in an Island of the Loire about two Leagues from Tours whither he drew several Cannons of St. Martins who were enchanted with the sweetness of his Conversation He passed the rest of his days there with great austerity and died very Religiously An. 1091. aged above Fourscore years What care soever was used to reform the disorders and take away the Weeds and Darnel out of the Church yet they could never pluck up the most spreading and fruitful root of Simony I shall give you a little taste of it In a Council which the Legat Hildebrand held at Lions An. 1055. there were 45 Bishops and 23 other Prelats who without any other accusation but their own Consciences publickly avowed this crime and renounced their Benefices An example very common as to the fault but singular for the repentance I do not know any times wherein so many Churches and Abbeys were built as in these days King Robert himself founded above 20. There was not one Lord but ✚ valued himself in so doing The most wicked affected the Title of Founders whilst they ruined the Churches on the one hand they built on the other and made their Sacrilegious Offrings to God of those things they had ravisht from the poor and needy The fancy that reigned in Mens minds at the beginning of this Century is most remarkable which was to pull down old Churches to build new nay even the fairest and noblest to erect others after their own mode This change of material Walls seemed to be a sign of that change was made in those times in the whole Face and if we may say so the Body of the Gallican Church From the Eighth Century the Popes had found out means to diminish the Authority of Metropolitans obliging them by a Decree in Council held at Ments by St. Boniface necessarily to receive the Pall at Rome and subject themselves Canonically to obey the Roman Church in all points A Profession since changed into an Oath of Fidelity under Gregory VII They had likewise attributed to themselves exclusively to all others the Right of Separating or Dissolving the Spiritual Marriage which a Bishop contracteth with his Church
others But the Popes durst not shock these Kings so rudely It was good Policy not to make so many Enemies at once to keep France in reserve as a Refuge against the Emperors and bring down the Germans first because they troubled them most The Peace between the two Kings Lewis and Henry was of no long duration The Friends of the late Duke Robert and William his Son declared for Lewis and the Earls of Anjou and of Flanders served him zealously as Thibald Earl of Champagne served Henry who was his Uncle Year of our Lord 1119 Baldwin Earl of Flanders being wounded upon an assault of the little Castle of Bures in Caux did so inflame his Wound with his Debauches that he died of it at Aumale Charles surnamed the Good Son of his Sister and Camut King of Denmark succeeded him in the Earldom of Flanders and maintain'd himself there courageously notwithstanding that Clemence of Burgundy Mother of Baldwin who was again Married to Godfrey Earl of Louvain endeavoured to make it fall into the hands of a Bastard of Flanders named William of Ypres who had Married her Neece After a world of Ravages Firings Sieges Surprizes and Plunderings of Places after two great Battles fought betwixt the two Kings one in the Plain of Bâ—eneville near Noyon on Andelle where the French had the worst the other near Breâ—euil where the success was doubtful Pope Calixtus as the common Father being come expressly Year of our Lord 1120 to Gisors brought them to agree by persuadin them to restore what places they had taken to each other Thus the Dutchy remained to Henry who gave it to his eldest Son William surnamed Adelin in wrong of William his Nephew This Peace did not put an end to his grief and troubles For a few weeks after he lost his three Sons and with them above Three hundred Gentlemen the flower of Year of our Lord 1120 his Nobility and his best Captains It was a strange misfortune They being Embarqued at Harfleur to go into England their Seamen who were drunk split the Ship as they were getting out of Harbor And at the same time his Nephew's Friends and Partisans stirred up new Disturbances in Normandy and re-engaged the King of France to uphold them Which renewed the Desolations of that Province In Anno 1119. died Alain surnamed Fergeant Duke of Bretagne Son of Hoel who departed this Life Anno 1084. His Son Conan surnamed the Gross or Ermengard succeeded him This Alain if we believe the Historian of Bretagne prescribed certain Forms and Rules for the doing Justice in his Country where before it was administred very confusedly For he Establisht a Seneschal at Renes to whom he would have all Persons to resort unless those of the County of Nantes who had one likewise and began to hold an Assembly or Parliament which judged of Appeals from the Seneschals of Rennes and Nantes for in Matters Criminal there lay no Appeal There were no certain and fixed Officers no more then any certain times for sitting They afterwards made a President in the absence of the Chancellor and a Master of Requests Year of our Lord 1123 The death of Hugh III. of that name Duke of Burgundy to whom succeeded Odon his eldest Son who Married Mary the Daughter of Thibauld Earl of Champagne Year of our Lord 1123 The War grew hotter in Normandy betwixt the French and King Henry and was ca ried on with various success But Henry found nothing more troublesome then his Domestick Officers and Servants who had framed a Conspiracy against his Life He could confide in no body he trembled at the approach of all that came near him he died a thousand times a day for fear they would Murther him and in the night shifted Beds five or six times and changed his Guards not thinking he was safe in any place believing there were none but Enemies about him Year of our Lord 1124 The Emperor reconciled himself with the Pope and laid down the Investitures But his Wrath still boiling in him would needs discharge it self upon France Year of our Lord 1124 He had Married Matilda Daughter of the English King for that reason as likewise for the Resentment he conceived because Lewis had protected Pope Calixtus he raised a very great Army to destroy and lay that City of Reims flat with the ground where Calixtus had held the Council against him Lewis on his side resolved to draw all the Forces of his whole Kingdom together even to the very Priests and Friers so that in a short time he had 200000 Men out of the Isle of France Champagne and Picardy only The Emperor having information of these prodigious Levics found it safer for him not to come into the Country of Messin but retire At his return Triumphant Lewis brings back the Martyrs Holy Standard called the Oriflamme and deposites it again in St. Denis whence he had taken it rendred Solemn Thanks to those Glorious Saints carried their Shrines upon his Shoulders which had been taken down and exposed on the high Altar during all the time of the War and made or confirmed several Grants to that Abby especially the Fair of Lendit out of the City for they had one already within Vpon this occasion we may observe the difference there was between the Forces of France and the Kings For when he made a War for himself he could have only the People of those Countries properly in his own possession and they served but unwillingly but when it was the Kingdoms Cause or Concern all the Forces of France were in action every Lord came in Person and brought all his Subjects along with him Year of our Lord 1125 The Emperor Henry being dead the Princes of Germany brought in Lotaire Duke of Saxony who likewise retaining the Kingdom of Burgundy as united to the Empire Renold Duke of Burgundy refused to acknowledge him For which he would have deprived him of his Earldom and have bestow'd it upon Bertold Duke of Zeringhen and this begot a bloody War between these two Houses who fought till the time of Frederick I. who Married Beatrix the Daughter of Renold This year 1126. the King received the Complaints made by the Bishop of Clermont Year of our Lord 1126 concerning the Usurpations and Tyrannies of Robert Earl d'Auvergne and going Year of our Lord 1126 thither in Person forced the Earl notwithstanding the Rocks and Castles of his High-Lands or Mountains to submit to Reason Five or six years after the repeated Violences of the same Earl engaged him to make a second Expedition and besiege Montferrand The Duke of Aquitain came to relieve his Vaslal but having from the height of a Mountain taken a view of the great Strength and Forces the King had with him he sent to offer him all Obedience and brought the Earl as far as Orleans to demand Pardon and submit to all that should be injoyned him Year of our Lord 1126 Death of
People pretended they had the better Title and had most commonly maintain'd themselves in possession of it alledging the Popes could not deprive them of a Right born with the Church its self and practised in the times of the Apostles Year of our Lord 1160 King Lewis relying upon the Judgment of the Gallican Church whom he Assembled for this purpose at Estampes adhered to Alexander All the West followed his Example excepting the Emperor Frederick who with his Almans and what Partisans he had in Italy fiercely rejected him because he was Install'd without his Approbation King Henry besides the Kingdom of England held the Dutchy of Normandy which had then a part of Bretagne holding of it the Country of Maine Anjou Touraine and the Province of Aquitain His Ambition upheld by this great increase Year of our Lord 1160 of Power made him revive afresh the Right his Wife had to the County of Toulouze For this end having made Alliance with Raimond Prince of Arragon and Earl of Barcelonna he raised a great Army of Aquitains and Routiers amongst whom was Malcolme King of Scotland enter'd upon Languedoc took Mâ—issac Cahors and some other places The jealousie Lewis had of his growing Greatness moving him at least as much as Year of our Lord 1160 61. the Prayers and Intreaties of Earl Raimond his Brother-in-Law caused him to march that way and cast himself into Toulouze but he had so few with him that it was in the power of Henry to have forced that City had not the scruple of falling upon his Soveraign deterr'd him from it After which they were reconcil'd but Henry would not let fall his claim and hold of the Earldom of Toulouze till he bestow'd his Daughter Jane Widow of William II. King of Sicily on Earl Raimond In these days the cursed Crew of Routiers and Cottereaux began to make themselves known by their Cruelties and Robberies we cannot tell certainly why they were so called but they were a kind of Soldiers and Adventurers coming from divers parts as from Arragon Navarre Biscay and Brabant who wandred over all Countries and would be hired by any one that offer'd to take them provided they might be allow'd all manner of Licence The Cottereaux were most of them Foot-Soldiers the Routiers served on Horseback In the mean while Pope Alexander fearing the Emperor after he had pull'd down the Pride of the Milannois might come to Rome did not judge himself a fit match and so retired into France where he remained above three years Year of our Lord 1161 This year he held a Council at Clermont in which he did not forbear to thunder against Victor Frederick and all their Adherents Year of our Lord 1161 The most Potent and most Factious Family in all France was the House of Champagne Lewis to divide them from the English and gain them to himself takes Alix for his third Wife who was youngest Sister to the four Brothers Champenois for Constance his second Wife was dead Anno 1159. and for the two Daughters of his first Bed he gave one to Henry the eldest of the four Brothers Earl of Troyes and the other to Thibauld the second Earl of Blois Year of our Lord 1162 Pope Alexander came to Torcy on the River Loire where the two Kings Lewis and Henry received him with extream submission Both of them alighted and each taking one of the Reins of his Horses Bridle conducted him to the House prepared for him Year of our Lord 1162 A second time the Emperor came into the County of Burgundy bringing his Victor with him and a second time some endeavoured to procure a Conference betwixt him and the King to determine that Difference which made the Schism by the Judgment of a Council They agreed upon the place of Interview to be at Avignon as being the Frontier of either Prince whither the King by Oath obliged himself to bring Alexander But that Pope refusing to go there saying he could be judged by none it broke off the Conference and put the King in very great danger For the Almans having reproached him that he kept not his word plotted to way-lay him and had taken him Prisoner had not the King of England caused his Army to advance to disengage him Thence follow'd a cruel War between the Emperor and Alexander which horribly tormented Italy and out of which the Emperor could not withdraw himself but by the means of a shameful submission craving Pardon of the Pope and suffering him to set his Foot upon his Throat Which hapned in Anno 1177. in the City of Venice Year of our Lord 1163 Anno 1163. Alexander assisted at the Council of Tours Assembled by his order and there he thunders once more against Victor and Frederick He caused some Decrees likewise to be made against the Hereticks who had spread themselves over all the Province of Languedoc There were especially of two sorts The one Ignorant and withall addicted to Lewdness and Villanies their Errors gross and filthy and these were a kind of Manicheans The others more Learned less irregular and very far from such filthiness held almost the same Doctrines as the Calvinists and were properly Henricians and Vaudois The People who could not distinâ—uish them gave them alike names that is to say called them Cathares Patarins Boulgres or Bulgares Adamites Cataphrygians Publicans Gazarens Lollards Turlupins and other such like Nick-names Year of our Lord 1163 Death of Odo III. Duke of Burgundy to whom succeeded Hugh III. his Son There being Peace between the two Kings Lewis employs himself in doing Justice and suppressing Disorders The Inhabitants of Vezelay having made a Corporation would have shaken off the Abbot who was their Lord protected by the Earl of Nevers He compell'd them and their Earl to ask Pardon and break their Corporation The same year he went in Person to â—ight the Earl of Clermont the Earl du Puy and the Vicount de Polignac Lords of Auvergne who denied to forbear plundering of Churches overthrew them and brought them Prisoners to Paris where having detained them a long while he releas'd them upon giving their Oaths and Hostages In like manner he punished the Earl of Chaalons with the loss of his County because he had pillag'd the Abby of Clugny and kill'd above five hundred some Monks some Servants However the Daughter of this Man re-entred upon her Patrimony Year of our Lord 1163 Thomas Becket Chancellor of England elected Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1163. soon lost the good favour of King Henry for divers causes and particularly Year of our Lord 1164 for stickling too fiercely in maintaining the Priviledges of the Clergy Being banished the Kingdom he retired himself in France in the Abby of Pontigny of the Diocess of Sens whence he gave much trouble to his King and suffer'd not a little himself during six years Year of our Lord 1164 Death of Victor the Anti-Pope in whose stead the Cardinals of his Party elected Guy
came to the Crown Three hundred years after by King Henry the Fourth surnamed the Great The Daughters were named Isabella Blanch Margaret and Agnes Isabella was Married to Thibauld the II. King of Navarre and died without Off-spring Blanch a little before this Voyage to Africk Married Ferdinand called De la Cerde eldest Son of Alphonso X. King of Castille and had two Sons who were unjustly deprived of the Kingdom by their Grandfather because their Father had preceded him and Representation had no place Margaret was Affianced to Henry Duke of Brabant and Limbourg then that Prince turning Monk Married to John his Brother and Successor They had no Children Agnes Espoused Robert Duke of Burgundy and brought him many Philip III. King XLIV POPES A Vacancy GREGORY X. Elected the 1st of September 1271. S. Four years four Months ten days INNOCENT V. Elected in January 1276. S. Seven Months JOHN XXI Elected in July 1276. S. Eight Months NICHOLAS III. Elected in November 1277. S. Two years nine Months Vacancy of Two Months Martin IV. Elected Feb. 21. 1281. S. Four years one Month seven days HONORIUS IV. Elected in April 1285. S. Two years one Month whereof six Months in this Reign PHILIP III. Surnamed the Hardy King XLIV Aged Twenty five years four Months Year of our Lord 1270 THE Christian Army wholly disconsolate for the death of their King and ready to sink under their Toils and Dangers resumed courage and received refreshments upon the arrival of Charles King of Sicily who with his Naval Forces landed at the very time the King his Brother was giving up the Ghost Being come ashoar he came and paid him his last Duty and caused his Flesh to be all taken from his Bones as it was then the Custom when any died in Foreign Countries He carried the said Flesh to Sicily with him and buried it in the Abby of Montreal near Palermo and King Philip kept the Bones which he deposited in St. Denis in France The Funeral being over they continued the Siege Charles having the Command of the whole Army because Philip being fallen Sick could not act At the end of three Months the taking of the place being most infallibly certain though not till the Winter was over King Philip's impatience who much desired to Year of our Lord 1270 go and take possession of his Kingdom and yet more the interest of his Uncle Charles who cared for nothing but to get Money and oblige the King of Tunis to pay him Tribute were the Motives that made them give Ear to Propositions of Peace with that Barbarian King Year of our Lord 1270 They allowed him a Truce for Ten years provided he would defray the whole Expences of that Expedition and that he would pay to Charles as much Tribute as he paid to the Pope Annualy That he would deliver up all the Christians he then held in Slavery That he would grant free liberty of Trade and exemption of Imposts to all their Merchants and would permit them to dwell in Tunis and have the Exercise of the Christian Religion At the end of the Siege Prince Edward of England arrived there with his Forces hoping that after the taking of that place the two Kings would go into the Holy-Land as they had promised but they thought it fitter to return to their own homes and left him to pursue his Voyage Year of our Lord 1270 Heaven seemed to be angry at their return all manner of misfortunes followed them Part of the Vessels wherein Philip was Embarked arrived happily enough at the Port of Trapani or Trapos in Sicily but the others that had King Charles and his on board were overtaken with a moit furious Tempest which destroy'd most of them with the loss of Four thousand Men all their Equipage and the Treasure that was in them Besides all this Thibauld King of Navarre being taken Sick ended his days at Trapani about the end of December his Brother Henry the Fat succeeded him Isabella of Arragon Queen of France being great with Child hurt her self by a fall from her Horse and died in the City of Cosenza Alphonso Brother of St. Lewis was taken off with a Pestilential Fever at Siena and his Wife Isabella de Toulouze died in the same place about twelve days after him So that King Philip cloathed in Mourning Weeds for the Death of his Father his Wife and his nearest Relations after so much Expence and Toil brought nothing back into France but empty Chests and Coffins full of the Bones of the dead Year of our Lord 1271 He staid in Sicily about two Months departed towards the end of February crossed Italy and arrived at Paris in the beginning of Summer He was Crowned at Rheims the Fifteenth day of August or as others say the thirteenth by the Bishop of Soissons the Archbishops See being vacant Of the ancient Pairs of the Laity there was none assisted at this time but the Duke of Burgundy and the Earl of Flanders Robert Earl of Artois bore the Sword of Charlemaine they name it Joyeuse At their going thence he intreated the King to go and visit his Country and received him in his City of Aâ—ras with such Welcom and Expressions of Joy as hitherto had not been heard of in France This King passing thorough Rome paid his Devotions on the Tomb of the Apostles At Viterbo finding the Cardinals had been there Assembled for two years together without coming to any agreement concerning the Election of a â—ope he exhorted them to make some end that the Church might be no longer without a Head His good Advice did not take effect till Eight Months afterwards upon their electing of Thibauld de Piacenza Archdeacon of Liege who went Legat into Syria with Prince Edward he took the name of Gregory X. Year of our Lord 1271 The Earldom of Toulouze was vacant by the decease of Jane the Daughter of Raimond and Wise of Alphonso Philip put himself into possession pursuant to the Terms of the Treaty made with Raimond in the year 1228. but it was King John that annexed it to the Crown Year of our Lord 1271 This year died Richard pretended King of the Romans The year after his Brother Henry III. King of England followed him and his Son Edward I. of that name who was in the Holy Land succeeded Year of our Lord 1272 Year of our Lord 1272 In a Bloody Quarrel the Earl of Armagnac had against Gerard Lord of Casaubon his Vassal it hapned that Roger Earl de Foix whom the Earl of Armagnac had called to his aid pursued Gerard and besieged him in a Castle belonging to the King whither he was fled and had put himself under his Protection The King angry for the little Respect these Earls had for him marched into those Countries with an Army capable of striking a terrour to the very heart of Spain He besieged Roger in his Castle de Foix and being resolved to level a Mountain wich hindred his approach
and confirmed by Pope Alexander IV. Anno 1257. The people because of their Habit called them White Mantles and the Convent given to them at Paris retains that name still it was bestowed on them in 1268. the Benedictins have the House at present All these Orders particularly the Mendicants applied themselves much for the stirring up peoples Devotion towards the Sacrament and the Virgin Mary Saint Dominique instituted the Rosary which is composed of a certain number of Ave Maria's and Pater-nosters which are repeated and whereof as one may say they make a Hatband or Coronet of Flowers to put upon the Head of that Queen of Angels The Carmelites not to come behind them in their Zeal to the Holy Mother of God established the Devotion of the Scapular to which they attribute great Virtue particularly to redeem them from the pains of Purgatory and not to die without Confession They affirm that Saint Simon Stoe their General instituted it upon a Vision he had of the Holy Virgin The peoples Devotion towards the Reliques of Saints was still very warm and zealous Charles the Lame King of Sicilia and Earl of Provence at his coming out of his imprisonment being perswaded by the Revelation of two Friers whereof one was his Confessor caused a certain place named Ville-late in the Diocess of Aix to be digged where they found a Corps believed to be St. Mary Magdelins said to be buried by Saint Maximin and afterwards removed and hid in another place not far from the first in the time of the Saracens incursions Charles caused it to be taken out with great ceremony and built a fair Convent in the same place for the Preaching Friers the resort of people by succession of time hath added a Town to it which bears the name of St. Maximin The Benedictine Monks of Vezelay in Burgundy were notwithstanding able to aver they had the full possession of this Holy Corps which had been brought to them from Aix or as others say from Jerusalem by the care of Gerard de Rousillon Founder of that Abbey about the year 882. The universal concourse of the whole Nation the Bulls of divers Popes even after this invention of Ville-late the Authority of two Kings Lewis VII and Lewis IX who had paid their Devotions in this place made this believed to be a Truth above contradiction amongst the French But that of the Greeks destroy'd equally both the pretences of the Monks of Vezelay and of the Jacobins For we find in some of their Writers of the Seventh age that the Body of Magdeline was at Ephesus and their Historians relate how the Emperour Leo the Philosopher who began not to Reign till the year 886. transferr'd it from that City to Constantinople as also the Corps of Lazarus from the Island of Cyprus However it were after this new discovery at Ville-late they told how this Holy Woman flying from the persecution of the Jews had made her escape by Sea into Provence with Lazarus her Brother her Sister Martha Marcella servant to Martha and Saint Maximin one of Seventy two Disciples of our Lord. That Maximin was the first Bishop of Aix and Lazarus of Marseilles That Martha preached the Faith in the Diocess of Aix and that she vanquished the Dragon whom they called the Tarasque which hath given name to the City of Tarascon where the Den of that Monster was That Magdeline retired into a Baulme or Grotto where after Twenty years solitude and mortification the Angels carried her Soul up to the Region of the Blessed and many other things unknown in the former ages The Sciences flourish'd with great luster in the University of Paris Theology the study of the Civil and Canon Law Physick and Philosophy with the Arts but not being accompanied or joyned with humane and polite Learning and Eloquence which came not into play or use till a long while after they expressed themselves but in barbarous terms and learned more Sophistry and shuffling then solid Truths All the substitutes of the University being Ecclesiastiques the skill and knowledge of the Law and Physick was in their hands and the Pope was owned for Head of that Body and of all the Men of Learning As for Physick they taught little more then the Theory under the name of Physick leaving the practical part of Medicines to the Laity For the Law the Popes would willingly have reduced it all to the Canons and their own Decretals from which we must ackowledge that France hath taken most of her Forms and judicial Orders that so all Christendom making use of the same Laws both in Temporals and Spirituals might accustom themselves to own but one Head to wit him who hath all the Laws both Divine and Humane in his own Breast It was for this in my opinion that Honorius III. by his Bull of the year 1219. did forbid upon pain of Excommunication to Teach the Civil Law at Paris and all other Citis in France and Gregory IX renewed it as to Paris Some are apt to believe those two Popes did it upon the request of the two Kings Philip Augustus and St. Lewis In effect the Letters of King Philip the Fair for the Institution of the University of Orleans speak the same but some doubt of the truth of their exposition and believe the prohibitions of Honorius and of Gregory was only intended to have respect to the Ecclesiastiques whom they would fain have weaned from that too great affection they had to the study of a thing which being very gainful made them lay aside and desert their Divinity Now whether one or other of these Opinions be the Truth it is certain that since they forbore not to Teach the Civil Law in the University of Paris till in the year 1579. that advantage was taken away from them by virtue of an Article found in the Ordonnance of Blois but truly it did not slourish there so much as in those of Toulouze and of Orleance The University of Toulouze was instituted in Anno 1230. by Saint Lewis that of Orleance was not till the year 1312. by King Philip the Fair. It is true that above One hundred years before there was in this last City as also in Toulouze Anger 's and divers others a famous School but which had no Seal nor the power of making Graduats and other marks of a Company formed and approved by the Prince Clement V. in acknowledgment of his having studied there gave several Bulls all in the year 1303. to make it an University The Scholars thinking to have the benefit in the year 1309. before they were approved of by the King the Burghers opposed them with Sword in hand and those troubles were not quieted till the King in 1312. had given a Being to that Body by his lawful Authority That of Montpellier otherwhile very famous for the Art of Physick because of the commerce and correspondence they had with the Arabian Physitians that were in Africa
had been erected by Pope Nicholas IV. and by the Kings Letters Patents in the year 1289. The others of this Kingdom which are now Ten in number Anger 's Poitiers Bourges Bourdeaux Cahors Valence Caen Reims Nantes and Aix were instituted in the following ages and at several times Now the University of Paris which excepting that of Toulouze was as yet the only singular one in France drew thither or bred there all that were then Men of Parts and Learning Albert the Great Thomas Aquinas Vincent de Beauvais all three of the Order of the Preaching Friers John Gilles or Joannes Aegidius who was also of the same Order Rigord of the Order of St. Bennet and Chaplain to Philp Augustus and Richard of Oxford all three Philosophers and Physitians James de Vitry Cardinal John de Sacrobosco who excelled in the Mathematiques Roger Bacon an English man by birth and of the Order of St. Francis a very subtil Genius and thoroughly versed and accomplished in all manner of Learning particularly in Chymistry in whose Works is to be found the secret for making Gun-powder Michael Scot who to acquire the knowledge of these Arts more perfectly and that of Astronomy and the Mathematicks Learned the Oriental Languages Alexander de Halez Bonaventure his Disciple and a long time after him John Duns Scotus all three of the Order of the Friers Minors and great Scholastiques Scotus lived Ten years in the following age they called him the Subtil Doctor and he was so indeed He was excited to some Opinons opposite to those of St. Thomas as their two Orders were which produced in the Schools those two Sects the Thomists and the Scotists They also reckon amongst the Learned Guy le Gross and Gilles de Rome famous Lawyers the first had been Married and yet became Pope the other was an Augustine Monk then Arch-Bishop of Bourges he lived many years in the age following and wrote Anno 1302. in favour of Philip the Fair against Boniface demonstrating that the Popes Authority does not extend to Temporals Robert de Sorbonne a native of the Village of that Name near Sens William de St. Amour and Christian de Beauvais born in those places and rough adversaries of the Friers Preachers and Minors William III. and Stephen II. Bishops of Paris Henry de Grand a famous Doctor in Divinity Hugh the Cardinal William Arch-Bishop of Tyre and Chancellour to St. Lewis Many of these Learned persons joyned a Holiness of Life to their exquisite knowledge The Church implores the Suffrages of Albert the Great of Thomas Aquinas and of Bonaventure as likewise of Peter de Chasteau neuf of the Order de Cisteaux and Legate from the Pope Martyr'd by the Albigensis in the year 1208. Of Bertrand Bishop of Cominges who rebuilt that City to which the name of its Restorer hath been given Of William de Nevers who daily fed Two thousand Poor Of Stephen de Die in Dauphiné taken out of the Order of the Chartreux Of Gefroy de Meaux who renounced his Bishoprick and retired himself into the Monastery of St. Victor in Paris which then was as it is now at this day most flourishing in Doctrine and Piety Of William de Valence under whom the Bishopricks of Valence and Die were united in the year 1275. and of Robert de Puy This Man very Noble for his Birth and much more so for his Virtue being slain by a Gentleman whom he had Excommunicated for his Crimes the People in revenge razed all the Houses belonging to the Murtherer and the King banished both him and all his Race out of the Kingdom We ought to add to this immortal company Eleazar de Sabran a Gentleman of Provence Earl of Ariâ—n whose perpetual celibacy in Marriage made him the compagnon of Angels and his charitable liberalities the Father to the Poor Yves Priest Curate and Official of the Diocess of Treguier in Bretagnc a good Lawyer and who by a more noble interest then that of Money was ever the Advocate of the Indigent and the Orphan The Men of that Calling own him for their Patron but imitate him seldom He died in the year 1303. Amongst those that wear the Crown of Glory in Heaven the great King Saint Lewis who wore the Royal Crown here below and his Nephew of the same name the Son of Charles II. King of Sicilia are of the highest rank This last buried the Grandeurs of this World in the Sack-cloath of his pennance turning Monk of the Order of St. Francis from whence he was drawn out againsth is Will to be made Bishop of Toulouze He died in the year 1298. Lewis X. called Hutin King XLVI Aged XXV or XXVI years Vacancy which began at the end of the Reign of Philip the Fair and lasted in all Two years Three Months and a halfe AS soon as Philip was dead his eldest Son Lewis succeeded him but he could not get to be Crowned at Reims till the Third day of August in the following year as well because he waited for his new Spouse Clemence Daughter of Charles Martel King of Hungary as because all the Kingdom was in combustion for the vexation of Imposts and the alteration of Moneys Year of our Lord 1314. and 15. Though he were in his majority and had been employ'd in Affairs for divers years nevertheless Charles de Valois his Uncle put himself in possession of the Authority displaced many Officers to advance his own Creatures and there being no Money to be found for the expences of the Coronation he upon that score took occasion to inquire into and examine the Officers of the Treasury especially Enguerrand de Marigny with whom he before had some rude bustlings Enguerrand sent for before the King to give an account of the Treasury had the impudence to tell him who was his Masters Uncle that he had had the greatest part and even to return him the Lie That Princes Sword had punished him at the same time if Heaven had not reserved him for a more infamous chastisement He was therefore seized upon some weeks after as he was coming to the Council this was on the Tenth of March put in prison in the Tower of the Louvre and from thence transferr'd into that of the Temple The prosecution being slow it was discover'd that his Wife abused by some Enchanters sought to bewitch or charm the King and make him languish to death by means of some waxen Images Those rascals being taken the King gives him up to the Law There were four chief Heads of accusation against him his having alter'd the Coins loaden the people with Taxes stollen several great sums and degraded the Kings Forrests His Process was made in the Bois de Vincennes by the Lords Pairs and Barons of the Kingdom who condemned him to the Gallows the Saturday before the Festival of the Ascension The Saturday following he was transferr'd from the Temple to the Chastelet and from thence they carried him to Montfaucon Where
Besieged on the other hand reduced to Famine Betrand de Guesclin found an expedient to save the Dukes Oath which was That he should enter the Town with nine more and his Colours should be set up on the Gate for some hours To conclude this Treaty they made a Truce between the two parties which was to last till the year 1360. Year of our Lord 1357 The bands of Soldiers being neither cashier'd nor paid the Robbers flock'd together with all sorts of other rasâ—ally people and scowred all the Countreys about without any fear or punishment all the open Countrey lying exposed to their merciless mercy There were five or six several Gangs but the most dreadful crew of them was Year of our Lord 1357 that of one Arnold de Ceruoles who called himself the Arch-Priest he entred into the County of Avignon forced the Pope to redeem the plunder of his Lands at the price of Forty thousand Crowns and afterwards to give him Absolution and Treat him at his own Table with as much Honour as if he had been a Sovereign Prince Year of our Lord 1357 The persons Commissioned by the Estates for the administration of the Treasury made it soon apparent that they had not taken it in hand to dispossess Knaves but to have a share in that prize and pillage themselves so that their corrupt dealing no less criminal then that of the former Officers so much cried out upon did much blemish their choice and by consequence the authority of the Estates The Dauphin being therefore better fortified by the arrival of the Earls of Foix Year of our Lord 1357 and Armagnac and a great number of the Nobility did at length shake off their Tutelage and making le Coq return to his own Bishoprick his party became the strongest in Paris But immediately afterwards the Navarrois was set free from his imprisonment by the intrigues of his people who escalado'd the Castle wherein he was detained which was not done without connivance of the Lord de Pequigny to whom King John had committed the keeping of this Prince Then le Coq returns and the Council resumed greater power then formerly The Dauphin apprehended nothing so much as the malignity of that Prince exasperated by a long imprisonment nevertheless the importunities of the Council establisht by the Estates and the intercession of the two Queens Dowagers Jean and Blanch obliged him to give him a safe Conduct with which he came and lodged in the Abbey of St. Germain des Prez accompanied with a huge number of his friends Some while after having caused it to be proclaimed about the City That he would entertain the People upon St. Andrews day there came above Ten thousand Men to the Tilting-place which was between the Abbey of St. Germains and the Pré aux Clercs He mounted the Scaffold from whence the King was wont to behold Combats or Duels and there with a most pathetical Eloquence declared the injustice of nis tedious Confinement the tyrannical execution of his friends the zeal he had for the good of the Nation and above all express'd his mighty affection for the defence of Paris which was the capital City His flattering harangue tickled the People the more by reason that for some time they had met with nothing but severities The next day he was received into the City the Dauphin and he had an enterview in an indifferent place Le Coq Head of the Council the Prevost des Merchands nay even the University pressed the Dauphin so home to give him satisfaction that he was sain to agree to all he pleased However when he would have gone into his Towns thinking to take possession those that commanded there for the King refused to deliver them up to him or his Commissaries Year of our Lord 1358 Upon this refusal he begins the War anew Had the English assisted him considerably he would have over-turned the whole Kingdom but having dropt an expression in his speech to the People That he had more right to the Crown of France then those that disputed for it they lent him no more assistance then to enable him to draw the War to a great length that so each party weakning and tiring the other might both of them be forced to submit to that yoak the English designed to lay upon them Year of our Lord 1358 That zeal the Prevost des Marchands had for the publique liberty meeting with too great oppositions degenerated perhaps in despite of him into a manifest and most pernicious faction The mark or distinction was a kind of a Hood party-colour'd Red and Blue which he bestow'd for New-years-Gifts upon the People of Paris Who being divided and wavering in their Affections applauded sometimes the Dauphin who made Speeches in publique to them then straightway wheel'd about to their Magistrate whom they judged to be honest in his designs and anon they became indifferent to either Year of our Lord 1358 For the third time the Estates were called together at Paris the Dauphin designing to make himself Master of them drew some Forces about the Town the Navarrois had some likewise who kept the Field This troublesome neighbourhood did greatly incommode the City of Paris and all that lay neer it Marcel cast the fault upon the Dauphin and he discharged himself and laid it on the Navarrois Upon this brangle a Partisan of Marcels named Perrin Macé a Changer belonging to the Treasury Massacred John Baillet Treasurer of France and the Deed being done retired into the Church St. James de la Boucherie The Dauphin commanded the Mareschal de Clermont John de Chaalons Seneschal of Champagne and the Prevost of Paris to drag him thence by force and put him into the hands of Justice They haled him out and the Prevost of Paris caused his Hand to be cut off and sent him to the Gibbet The Churches were then inviolable Sanctuaries the Clergy and People grew into heats because they had pluck'd a Criminal from the feet of the Altar and the Bishop of Paris Excommunicated those that had committed this attempt After this Marcel having armed Three thousand Trades-men who all wore those party-colour'd Hoods entred into the Palace where the Dauphin Lodged and caused those three Lords to be murther'd in his presence This was not all he compell'd him to own the Fact in an Assembly of the Estates which was held at the Augustins and in Parliament to suffer the Navarrois to return to the City and to give him Lands and great satisfaction for damages notwithstanding the other Cities refused to joyn with Paris in any thing otherwise then for the Kings service Year of our Lord 1358 After the Navarrois had remained for some time in Paris and thought he had well secur'd himself of them going forth again to give some Order touching his Affairs he was no sooner out of Town when the Dauphin to lose no time caused himself to be declared Regent by the Parliament After that
S. Thirteen years Three Months and a half Year of our Lord 1380. in September THe Reign of Charles the Wise was happy enough but too short this very long and exteramly unfortunate A Minor King and then alienated in his Understanding Sick-Brain'd a Queen an ill Wife and unnatural Mother Princes of the Blood Ambitious Covetous Squanderers and Cruel the Grandees by their example giving themselves upto all manner of Licentiousness Subjects mutinous and seditious tumbled France into an Abysse of all kinds of Miseries and under the dominion of Strangers From the very first day some jealousies about the Government divided the Kings Uncles The Duke of Anjou being seized of the Regency disposed of Commands and changed the Officers The Dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon could not suffer it and would have the King Crowned he maintained on the contrary that he ought not to be so till he were Fourteen years of age according to the Declaration of the late King About this difference an Assembly of Notables was held where John des Marais Advocate-General of the Parliament maintained the Duke of Anjou's Cause and Peter d'Orgement the contrary This conference having only heated them the more the friends of either partyarm'd themselves Paris beheld her self surrounded with Soldiers who lived at Discretion The Lords of the Kings Council mediated an agreement and prevailed so far that the parties referred it to Arbitrators who concluded That the King should be Crowned without delay That afterwards he should have the administration of the Kingdom that is to say he should receive the Homages and Oaths and all Acts should be expedite in his Name and for this purpose the Regent had aged him that is to say Emancipated That the Duke of Anjou should continue Regent that the other Two should have the Guard of the Kings Person with the Revenues of Normandy and three or four Bailywicks for his entertainment They likewise agreed to chuse a Council of Twelve Persons necessarily resident at Paris where by a plurality of Votes they were to ordain all things concerning the Revenue and Offices belonging thereto and without whose Authority no part of the Demeasnes pertaining to the Crown should be alienated either for Life or Perpetuity and who should make an Inventory of the Revenues Plate Jewels and Furniture that was the Kings which the Duke of Anjou seized upon and never gave a good account of The Imposts having been very excessive in the last years of the Reign of Charles V. caused some Emotions in the Cities particularly of Paris and Compiegne but without any miscievous consequence or accidents The Cardinal d'Amions who had been principal contriver of those Subsdies was now paid part of the reward he so well deserved for the young King remembred he had checkt him with sawcy Language in his Fathers life-time and exprest his resentment in discourse to the Chamberlain Peter de Savoisy in these terms God be thanked we are now delivered from the Tyranny of that Chaplain The Cardinal having notice of it makes up his pack and retires to Douay and from thence to Avignon carrying away an immense Treasure which he had scraped together to the poor Peoples cost and by picking the pockets of the whole Nation Clisson had been confirmed in the Office of Constable he had the Commission to conduct the King to Rbeims with that Pomp and Magnificence as was usual on those Ceremonies The Duke of Anjou staying some days behind seized upon the Treasures which Charles V. had concealed in the Walls of the Castle at Melun having forced Savoisy with whom the King had entrusted the secret and guard of it to shew him the where it lay which prompted the courage of that Prince to undertake the unfortunate War of Italy where himself perished with the choice Flower of the French Nobility So true it is that those vast sums of Money collected by Sovereign Princes does for the most part bring only trouble to their Kingdoms in the end and that their Treasures are no where so secure as in the affections of the Subjects who are ever affectionate and kind when they are ☞ kindly Treated The Duke of Anjou having overtaken the King upon his way to Rheims the Coronation was performed the Fourth of November Of the Lay-Paris were none present but the Duke of Burgundy who being the first of all it was by judgment of the Council ordained That he should take place before the Duke of Anjou his elder Brother and Regent and when this last not submitting to that judgment had seated himself at the Feast made on that Ceremony next to the King the Burgundian boldly came thrust himself between and took the place above him The Princes and their Council of Twelve had no other aim but their particular Interests The Duke of Anjou was the most powerful the Duke of Burgundy made Head against him Bourbon's Duke sloated betwixt both the Duke of Berry made no considerable Figure At the Coronation there was proclaimed the relaxation of the Imposts pursuant to the last Will of Charles V. but the Duke of Anjou having taken all the Money of the Treasury and refusing to employ any of it towards payment of the Soldiery or the Kings Family in one Month after they were fain to settle new ones especially upon the City of Paris The Populace mutined a Cobler makes himself Head of them and compell'd the Prevost des Marchands to go to the Palace attended with a multitude of Mutineers to demand the Revocation of them nevertheless the Chancellour it was William de Dormans Bishop of Beauvais appeased that Commotion by fair words and with a promise that was made to grant them what they did desire The very next day another Troop of the Rabble pull'd down their Courts or Offices tore their Accounts and Registers and going thence fell upon the Jews Houses there were Forty in one Street plundred them all and burnt their Writings took their Children and haled them to Church to Baptize them and would have beat out the Brains of their Fathers had they not taken Sanctuary in the Prison of the Chastelet The King restored them to their Houses again and caused Proclamation that every one should give them back what they had forced from them In the Month of July the Earl of Buckingham with a potent Army was landed at Calais not in Guyenne as is told us in the History of this Reign written by a Monk of St. Denis which is not very true in many places He crossed Picardy Champagne passed near Troyes where the Duke of Burgundy had made the general Rende-vouz of his Army then by Gastinois la Beause Vendosinois and Mayne to go into Bretagne to the assistance of that Duke Year of our Lord 1381 The same day he passed the Sartre King Charles V. passed into the other World The news of his death allayed that hatred the Breton had conceived against the French Insomuch as the English having laid Siege before Nantes
of the English where he had been detained ever since the time his Father Charles had left him there in hostage Year of our Lord 1387 The Duke not without cause imagined that this Alliance was making with design to disturb him in the possession of his Dutchy He sent for the Lords of the Countrey of Vennes under a pretence of holding a great Council Clisson goes thither with his Train after Dinner the Duke carrying him to see his Castle de l'Ermine which he was building by the Sea-side he caused him to be stopt in a Tower and Beaumanoir with him and commanded Bavalan who was Captain of the Castle to throw them by night into the Sea The faithful disobedience of this good Servant gave the Duke his Master time to repent his having given Command for the death of the Constable and the intercession of the Lord de Laval who at the peril of his Life would never forsake his Brother-in-law drew him out of prison upon condition of paying the sum of One hundred thousand Franks and the surrendring of three Castles But Clisson would not forgive as the Duke had forgiven and the King taking this affront done to his prime Officers much to heart sent for the Duke to give an account of his actions Year of our Lord 1388 The King went to Orleans expresly the Duke having made them wait for him a long time sent to be excused Clisson pleaded his own Cause accused him of Treason and threw down his gage of Battle which no body took up The Duke taking the advice of the Barons came at length to Paris and by the favour of the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy was kindly received by the King and in some measure made friends with the Constable by restoring him both his Money and his Castles Year of our Lord 1387. and 88. That question so much debated touching the conception of the Sacred Virgin Mother was begun in the last age amongst the Professors of Divinity The Jacobins according to the opinion of their St. Thomas and their Albertus the Great maintained that she had not been exempt of the original stain The Cordeliers their perpetual antagonists took occasion upon this point to fall foul upon them as if they did denigrate the Honour of the Mother of God The common People and such as were most zealous applauded these last and most part of the Prelates and the Universities adhered to them but the Jacobins standing up too stifly against the Torrent fell under the Peoples hatred and the reputation of being Heretiques One of their principal Doctors named John de Moncon for having Preached too freely on that point was condemned solemnly by the Bishop of Paris and then by the Pope himself before whom he had brought his Appeal Which was more the University forbid them the Pulpit and cut them off from their Body to which they were not rejoyned till the year 1403. And in the mean time they were to undergoe the indignation of the Court the shoutings of the common People and which was worst great necessity Year of our Lord 1388 William the Son of the Earl of Juliers and who was Duke of Guelders by his Mother Daughter of Duke Renauld the I. of that name had some contest or wrangle with the Duke of Burgundy who supported the Dutchess of Brabant whom he was to succeed in the detention of certain places of Guelders which Renauld had otherwise engaged Now because the Burgundian employed the Forces of France against him this petit Duke truly generous and magnanimous but rash in this point had the confidence to declare a War against the King who had twenty Lords in his Train more powerful and considerable then he His bold bragging did not last long the King fell on a suddain upon the Countrey of Juliers The Father much astonished disowns his Son to turn away the storm demands Peace by the Arch-Bishop of Colens means and offers his Homage The Army therefore quits his Territory and goes into that of Guelders the young Duke persists a month longer in his obstinacy In the end the Duke of Burgundy perswades him to crave pardon Being come to wait upon the King he disowned his Challenge though Sealed with his own Seal and submits and referrs the Disputes he had with the Dutchess of Brabant to him but did not renounce his Alliance with the English nevertheless he was presented with such noble Gifts as proved a temptation to the rest of the Germans to engage them to the service of France The King had attained to the age of Twenty years wherefore upon the Proposition which Peter Aisselin de Montaigu Bishop of Laon made in Council he declared that he would take the administration of the Government into his own hands and that he discharged his Uncles He kept the Duke of Orleans his Brother near him the Author of this Counsel and the Duke of Bourbon not suspected by this Duke and one whose sinceriry was likely to give a fair prospect of good success to the Government The other two withdrew in discontent The suddain death of the Cardinal de Laon which hapned soon after was held in the opinion of many for an effect of their resentment Year of our Lord 1388 When the King first began to apply himself to take cognizance of his Affairs the face of the whole Government looked with a better countenance for some little time The King made choice of a new Council wherein three Citizens Bureau de la Riviere John le Mercier Sieur de Novian and John de Montaign had the best part He afterwards took off all the new Imposts set aside the theeving Officers whom the Princes had put in gave the Provostship which he had newly restor'd to John Jouvenal the Advocate an honest Man Wise and Courageous that of First President to Ouchard des Moulins sent all the Prelats to reside on their Benefices and to have time to heal the Kingdom whose very Bowels were torn and mangled made a Truce for three years with the English Year of our Lord 1389 During this calme he diverted himself with actions of pomp and ceremony at St. Denis the Knighthood of Lewis II. King of Sicilia and Charles Earl of Mayne his Brother with Turnaments and Tiltings very stately after that the Funeral of Bertrand de Gueselin at Melun the Marriage of his Brother Lewis with Valentine Daughter of John Galeazo Duke of Milan and Earl de Vertus in Champagne and at Paris in the Holy Chappel the Coronation of the Queen his Wife The Marriage of Lewis his only Brother with Valentine was in Treaty Anno 1386. and consummate this year she brought him in Dower Four hundred thousand Florins of Gold the County of Ast to be enjoyed from that hour and that of Vertus in Champagne after the death of the Father with Rings and Jewels of an inestimable value These huge sums enabled the young Prince to make great Purchases These Acquisitions and the greediness of
Italy and rendred those places to Frederic which they held in Calabria the Arch-Duke by the Treaty recover'd his Towns of Artois upon condition he should do Homage to the King for that County and for that of Flanders and of Charolois And this he really did at Arras bare-headed and un-girt in the hands of Guy de Rochefort Chancellour of France who was cover'd and sitting in a Chair Year of our Lord 1499 There was more difficulty how to agree with Maximilian because he was engaged with Sforza for which he had received great Sums of Money and had also sent an Army to enter the Dutchy of Burgundy but the Count de Foix having easily repulsed them And Ludovic not having a stock of Riches large enough to satisfie his covetous indigence he was soon persuaded to make a Truce for some Months The Florentines in the mean while and the Venetians composed their differences by means of the Duke of Ferrara whom they chose for Arbitrator but Ludovic embroiled himself so much with the Venetians that they made a League with the King to pluck his Feathers They were to have for their share of the Milanois all the Towns without the River Addo and they imagined that they should soon have the French Kings part likewise who would sell it or suffer it to be lost by ill Government and their Divisions as they had done the Kingdom of Naples But they were mistaken in the account and found soon afterwards that as to the matter of Princes and Estates the next Neighbour being ever an enemy ☞ the most potent is the most dangerous This wretched Ludovic with all his Crast and Fineness in Politiques had not one friend no not so much as the Duke of Ferrara his Father in Law he was fain to have recourse to Maximilian and to the Sultan Bajazeth the ones assistance was slow very costly and not very certain that of the other was infamous and odious Year of our Lord 1499 In the Month of July the Kings Forces entered into the Milanois on the one hand and those belonging to the Venetians on the other In Fifteen days Ludovic lost all his Countrey the Venetians took all beyond the Addo the French went no less swiftly on Novarre and Alexandria defended themselves but ill and were sacked Mortara capitulated Pavia sent their Keys The City of Genoa followed the Dance the Adornes and the Fregoses being at Daggers draw who should deliver it up first In fine none kept their faith to Ludovic neither the People nor Commanders nor Cities In this revolution he sent his Treasures and his Children into Germany to the Emperor Maximilian thither he retired also himself having first well provided the Castle of Milan After his departure the City received the French with joy Bernardin Curtio whom he believed to be the faithfullest of his Creatures took Money of the King and sold the Castle to him which was held inexpugnable A Treachery which appeared ugly yea even horrible to the very Purchasers and which loaded and cloathed the seller with so much shame that he dyed with it about Ten or Twelve days afterwards The King who was then at Lyons went immediately to Milan He made his entrance in a Ducal Habit and Sojourned about three Months in that Country He presently took off a fourth part of their Imposts allowed liberty of Hunting to the Nobles which they had not before and thinking to make them more affectionate to his Service distributed a considerable part of his demeasnes amongst them particularly to Trivulcio on whom he likewise bestowed the Government of all the Dutchy Year of our Lord 1499 All the Princes of Italy excepting Frederic Congratulated his good Success and the Florentines engaged to assist him in the Conquest of Naples upon condition he would help them to recover Pisa again for them Year of our Lord 1499 After this he was obliged to make good his word to Caesar Borgiae he lent him Forces with which he regained the Cities of Imola and Forli In which last was Cathrine Sforza Mother and Tutoress of the Riari whom he led away Prisoner to Rome Year of our Lord 1500. in January The change which happened at the same time in Milanois retarded his progress Ludovic lay in wait to re-enter there were few French in the Towns the Nobility were offended at the Pride of Trivulcio their equal at his too great passion for the Party of the Guelphs and that upon some hubbub he had killed some with his own hand in the open Market place And the people were Scandalized at the Liberty the French took with their wives Ludovic well informed of all these particulars and having regained the affections of the Milanois returns with fifteen Hundred men at Arms who were all Burgundians and twelve Thousand Swisse whom he had raised with his Money not being able to obtain any Aid of Maximilian Upon his Arrival the People receive him with open Arms the City of Coma having chaced out the French Trivulcio perceiving so sudden a change leaves Milan in the night time and very humbly retires to Mortara with his Cavalry All places surrender themselves to Ludovic excepting the Castle of Milan and some of those which the Venetians held This Ebb notwithstanding did not run very low Lewis de la Trimoville whom the King sent with a very good Army meets him near Novarre which had newly Surrendred The Swisse which this unfortunate man had in his Service being gained by those that were in the French Army refused to give Battel and retired Year of our Lord 1500 into Novarre he was forced to follow them All that he gain'd of them was that they promised to Guard him to some place of safety But next day the eighth of April he was discover'd disguised like a private Soldier in the midst of them perhaps themselves made signs to know him by and sent to the King at Lyons He caused him to be removed from thence to Loches where he was shut up till his Death ten whole years with a severity so unusual and contrary to the mercy of that good Prince that it was thought to be a Visible punishment from Heaven The Cardinal Ascagne his Brother was also delivered into the hands of the French by the Venetians who happened to light upon him The Swiss upon their return home Siezed upon the City of Bellinzonne which shuts up the passage to the Mountains on that side so that holding this place they could fall into Milan when ever they pleased At first they would have parted with it for a very small matter of Money but after they had found of what importance it was no proffer could be so considerable as to make them let it go out of their hands Year of our Lord 1500 This revolt cost the City of Milan the Heads of ten or twelve of their Chiefs and a Sum of two hundred thousand Crowns Upon Holy Friday a day of Mercy the Cardinal d'Amboise received the Amende
to the King but he judged it was not convenient for his Majesty to enter into it 〈…〉 had the Castle likewise which he ordered should be Besieged by the 〈…〉 and Peter de Navarre As soon as he came first into Italy the Pope had feignedly begun to Treat with him After the Battle of Marignan he was in so great haste thorough fear that he treated without disguise not waiting the Resolutions of the Swisse Diet nor the Emperors who earnestly conjured him not to do so Amongst other Articles the King took into his protection his Person the Ecclesiastical Estate Julian and Laurence de Medicis and the Estate of Florence obliged himself that from that Time forward the Milanese should be furnished with Salt from Cervia consented free Passage should be allowed for the Vice-Roy of Naples Forces to retire promised not to assist or protect any of his Feudataries against him Reciprocally the Pope was to withdraw the Soldiers he had sent to the Emperor against the Venetians and surrender Piacenza and Parma to the King and Modena and Reggio to the Duke of Ferrara The Constable not relying solely upon the Success of those Mines with the which Peter de Navarre had vaunted to take the Castle of Milan in a Month made use of Money which does its effect more certainly then Gun-Powder and corrupted some Captains so that they began to Mutiny The Swisse Cantons assembled at that time at Zuric were just sending away a powerful Relief to Sforza and the Pope who had not yet concluded his Treaty would not have failed to joyn his Troops and those of Naples but Moron who was all the Councel the unfortunate Sforza had persuaded him to make a Composition with the King He yielded him all his Rights to the Dutchy conditionally he should have a certain Summ of ready Money to pay his Debts thirty thousand Ducats Pension to be paid him in France or given him in Benefices with a Cardinals Cap and several other Conditions for his Servants and such as had been of his Party The Treaty signed he came out of the Castle and was conducted into France by some Lords little bemoaned for being fallen from that high Degree of Soveraignty because the exravagancy of his Mind and his more then brutish Vices had rendred him unworthy of it The Castle being surrendred nothing more opposed the Conqueror Hugh de Cardonna with Ferdinand's Army retired to the Kingdom of Naples and the Pope dissembling his displeasure for the restitution of those Places he had been obliged to make went to Bologna to confer with the King face to face He arrived there the nineteenth of December and the King two days after On the Morrow he rendred him Obedience his Chancellor Antony du Prat pronounced the Words bare-headed and on his Knees the King standing by cover'd Year of our Lord 1515 confirmed them by bowing his Head and Shoulders After that they lock'd themselves up for three Days together in the Palace There it was that the young King for vain hopes and by the Advice and Counsel of his Chancellor condescended to abolish the Pragmatick and to make the Concordat Whereby the Pope conceded to the King the right of nominating to Bishopricks and Abbeys in all the Territories of the Kingdom of France and Dauphine and the King granted to the Pope the Annates of those great Benefices upon the foot of their currant Revenue which were augmented above the one half since the discovery of the Indies The Holy Father very free of other Folks Money made him a Present of two Tenths upon the Clergy and the Title of Emperour of the East But the King refused the last At the same Time the renewed Alliance with the Swisse was concluded notwithstanding the Contrivances of the English It was upon these Conditions That they should serve France with and against all excepting the Pope the Emperor and the Empire That they should surrender the Valleys of Milanois That the King should pay them six hundred thousand Crowns and should continue to them their Pensions Five of the Cantons did at that time refuse to Sign to this Year of our Lord 1515 When the King had taken Care for the security of Milan where he left the Constable with seven hundred Men at Arms and ten thousand Foot Soldiers he parted from Bologna the fifteenth of December and by great Journeys came to his Mother and his Wife who staid for him at Lyons Year of our Lord 1516 His happy Progress and his new Alliances kindled the greater jealousy in the Emperor King Ferdinand and the King of England his Son in law in so much as they 〈…〉 common Consent to make a War upon him both in Italy and France at the 〈◊〉 time To which the King of England was inclined with the more heat and â—â—erness as being incensed for that the King hindred him from governing the young King and the Kingdom of Scotland by such People as were dependant on him But as they were taking their Measures for this Design it hapned that King Ferdinand as he was going to Seville died in the little Village of Madrigalet the two and twentieth of February of a Dropsy occasioned by a Beverage which Germain his Wife had given him to enable him to get Children Guichardin making his Elogy says there was nothing to be reproved in him but his not observing or keeping his Word and that as for the Avarice they reproach him with it was manifest at his Death he was not stained with it because he left but very little Money in his Coffers He adds that this Calumny proceeded from the corrupt judgment of Men who more applaud the Prodigality of a Prince which oppresses and grinds his Subjects then the good Husbandry of One that thriftily manages their Substance as a good and careful Father of his Family ought to do He left the Government of Arragon to his Bastard Son Bishop of Saragossa and that of Castille to Francis Ximenes Cardinal Bishop of Toledo His Daughter Jane was Distracted still and shut up in a Castle where she clambred along the Walls and crawled up the Tapistry Hangings like a Cat. Four Months after on the six and twentieth of June John d'Albret who might have made some stirrs in the Kingdom of Navarre whence Ferdinand had turn'd him out ended his Days in a Village in Bearn Catharine de Foix his Wife survived him but eight Months Their Son Henry aged but fourteen years inherited the Title of that Kingdom of which he had nothing left him but the little Parcel on this side of the Pyreneans Year of our Lord 1516 The Death of Ferdinand gave King Francis the opportunity and desire of marching his Armies into the Kingdom of Naples which in this juncture was half revolted He imagined that Charles having need of him for a Passage that he might go and take Possession of the Spanish Dominions and withal being under the apprehension of some trouble in the Succession to
from the good of the Subjects and who Establisht this Maxime so false and so contrary to Natural Liberty Qu'il nest point de terre Sans Seigneur i. e. That there is no Land without its Lord. The Office of Chancellour was given to Antony du Bourg who was likewise a Native of Auvergne and President in Parliament As to the Emperor he having foreseen that Clouds and Storms were gathering together from all Quarters against him by the King the King of England the Princes of Italy and those of Germany that he might have some pretence to Arm himself Powerfully he gave out that he was going to make War upon the Famous Year of our Lord 1535 Chairadin Surnamed Barbarossa who Infested all the Coasts of his Kingdoms of Naples and Sicilia That Pyrate was a Native of Metelin he had a Brother named Horue their Father a Christian Renegade and Poor From their Youth these two Bothers had used Piracy having but one Brigantine between them both then Increasing in Vessels in Men and Money they passed into Mauritania where engaging themselves in a War that was made betwixt two Brothers for the Kingdom of Algiers under pretence of Assisting the one they made themselves Masters of both the City and Country Horue being the Eldest bore the Title of King and Conquered Circella and Bugia likewise and Dispossessed the King of Tremisen but in the conclusion he was Vanquished and Slain in the Rout by the People of that Country joyned with the Spaniards with whom that King was allied Chairadin Barbarossa his Brother Succeeded him and became very formidable in the Levant Seas in-so-much that Sultan Solyman gave him the Command of his Naval Forces There were two Brothers at Tunis Sons of King Mahomet who disputed for the Crown Araxide and Muley-Assan this last although the younger had taken the Scepter by his Fathers appointment the other to avoid his Cruelty fled to Constantinople and Implored the Protection of the Grand Seignor Barbarossa taking advantage of this occasion appears before Tunis pretending he had brought him back to restore him though indeed he left him in Prison at Constantinople By this wile he so deceived the People that he was received into the City and drove Muley-Assan thence This man had recourse to the protection of Charles V. who undertook to re-establish him Charles landed therefore in Africk with an Army of above Fifty Thousand Men took the Fort of Goletta which he kept for himself setled Muley-Assan in Tunis beat Barbarossa at Land gave him chace by Sea and delivered Twenty Thousand Christian Slaves then upon the fourteenth of August he Weighed Anchor and set Sail for Sicily where in few days he Arrived Having so journed there neer three Months he passed to Naples about the end of November Year of our Lord 1536 From thence he wrote to his Brother-in-Law the Duke of Savoy to comfort him for the losses he had sustained by the French and of his eldest Son Lewis who died in Spain These words were but a weak support against those evils which encreased upon him every day For the Bernois having declared War in January 1536. drove out the Bishop of Lausanne Seized upon that City the Country of Vund Gex Genevois and Chablais as far as the Drance the Valesans on their side Invaded the rest of Chablais from that River all above Those of Friburgh got Possession of the County of Romont and the French Army Marched at the same time to enter into Piedmont John de Medequin Captain of the Castle of Muz afterwards Marquess of Marignan and some other of the Emperors Commanders whom the Duke had sent to Guard the Pass of Suze came there too late Antonio de Leva having visited Turin and found it was not yet Tenable was not of opinion that the Duke should venture to wait for the French there He went out therefore on the twenty seventh of March with his Wife and his Son and having Embarqued his richest Goods and Artillery â—n the Po retired to Vercel Turin Surrendred the third of April Whilst the Emperor was yet in Sicily he had News of the death of Duke Francis Sforza which hap'ned in the Month of October not leaving any Children by his Wife who was the Daughter of Elizabeth his Sister and Christierne II. King of Denmark Now the Dutchy of Milan being under the Power of the Emperor knowing the great Passion the King had for so excellent a Dutchy he made use of it as a Lure to amuse and lead him in a Slip if we may so express it all the rest of his Life Gravelle his Chancellour had told Vely the Kings Ambassadour that his Master would not dispose of that Dutchy till he had received Information from him how he intended to demean himself in these three particulars the first was in the War against the Turk the second the reduction of all the Christian Princes to the Catholick Religion and the third the setling of a Firm Peace throughout all Christendom He added that the Emperors desire was rather to bestow that Dutchy upon the Kings third then upon his second Son and demanded that the second might accompany him to the Siege of Algiers These two last Conditions did not please the King Upon the other three Heads he made such Replies as ought to have Satisfied the Emperor He demanded the Dutchy for Henry Duke of Orleans his second Son and offer'd to give four hundred thousand Crowns of Gold for the Investiture On this Foot he Year of our Lord 1536 sent to Vely that he should press the Emperors Resolution But that Prince gave only general Words and in the mean time put his Affairs in good Order for he made the Marriage between his Bastard and Alexander de Medicis who was one likewise and Confirmed him in the Government of Florence He made a new Confederation with the Venetians induced thereto by the Fame of his Victories in Africa and by the perswasions of the Duke of Vrbin General of their Armies He sent to his Sister Mary Widow Queen of Hungary to whom he had given the Government of the Low-Countries after the death of Margaret Widow of Savoy his Aunt as likewise to those with whom he had left that of Spain to make the greatest Levys of Men and Moneys they possibly could and himself on his part labour'd to get store of Money in Sicily and Naples and to encrease those Forces he brought out of Africa Now with promising hopes he led on Vely and the Kings Envoys even to Rome In the Month of April he made his Triumphant entrance and Sojourned there thirteen days There it was they Discovered his ill intentions and inclinations towards the King for after the Pope and he had conferred together about their Affairs he prayed him to Assemble his Cardinals and before them with Hat in hand he made a long harangue full of Invectives Complaints and Menaces against King Francis and would needs give them an account of all
King who was the most generous Prince in the World and it was followed The two Sons of France and the Constable went as far as Bayonne to meet the Emperor and offer'd to go into Spain as Hostages which he refused The King himself though indisposed went to Chastelleraud where they embraced caused him to be received in every City with the same honour and suffer'd him to exercise the same Authority as himself For he held the Chapter of his Order Year of our Lord 1539 upon Saint Andrews day at Bourdeaux he granted Pardons and emptied the Prisons in many places Year of our Lord 1540 He made his entrance into Paris the first day of January the Parliament went in a Body to compliment him the Sheriffs bare the Canopy of State over his head the two Sons of France being on either side the Constable marched before with his Sword drawn in his hand he released all Prisoners and the City presented him with a Silver Figure of Hercules as bigg as the Life At his leaving of Paris the King accompanied him to Saint Quintin and his two Sons to Valenciennes He promised to go and visit him in Flanders and moreover granted him free passage for a Thousand of his Italian Forces which he ordered to come into Flanders and furnish'd them with Provisions The City of Ghent unfortunately abandoned by the King their Soveraign Lord to the wrath of Charles was so severely Chastised that she had reason to repent the having given him birth His Army being entred as it had been by Assault he caused Five and Twenty or Thirty of the Principal Burghers to be Executed proscribed a far greater number Confiscated all their publick Buildings took away their Artillery their Arms and their Priviledges Condemned them to above Twelve Hundred Thousand Crowns Fine and that they might never rise again built a Citadel and left a strong Garrison to awe them which of the greatest City in Europe hath made a vast Solitude or Wilderness Hitherto the Emperor had amused the King so that out of the highest complaisance he remained upon the Frontiers of Picardy whil'st he oppressed the Ghentois but when he had nothing more to fear he began to faulter and apply Conditions and Restrictions to his promise The King finding he objected some difficulties on behalf of the Princes of Italy because in effect they desired a Duke of Milan of their own Nation consented he should keep that Dutchy provided he would give the Low-Countries and the Counties of Burgundy and Charolois in Dower to his Daughter who should Marry the Duke of Orleans The Emperor demanded that before any thing else were done he should restore the Duke of Savoy to all his Lands that he should declare himself a Friend to his Friends and Enemy to his Enemies Then the King finding himself deceived entred into so great suspicion of the sidelity of all those that governed him that he resolved to get out of their Nets and Snares and then some who observed him to be of this humour failed not to give him a secret account of and advice against their proceedings The first that Sufferd by it was the Admiral de Brion Three men had at that time engrossed all the Kings favour the Constable the Cardinal de Lorraine and Brion The first was so Powerful that all addressed themselves to him Governours Ambassadors Cities the Parliament it self who called him Monseigneur i. e. My Lord. The second was beloved by the King for his generosity and for the credit he had at Rome he was the only man in France who treated the Constable from high to low and as a great Prince treats a Gentleman The third had rendred himself very agreeable and moreover was favoured by the Ladies particularly by the Dutchess d'Estampes who put him in a way to have got the Start of both the other in a short time These though they hated one another yet both united to set him beside the Cushion and contrived a secret Accusation against him for having ill managed the Kings Affairs in Piedmont He instead of justifying himself by humble and submissive Language spake arrogantly to the King and said his Innocency feared no examinations or Scrutiny He therefore sent him Prisoner to the Bois de Vincennes and appointed four and twenty Commissaries chosen out of several Parliaments to make his process they set about it at Melan the Court being at Fountainbleau The Chancellour Poyet was pleas'd and hugg'd himself at it and would needs preside out of an interessed complaisance He chose rather to do mischief then not make himself a necessary instrument So that he behaved himself more like a party then his Judge every foot interposing Orders and even threats from the King to biass and bring the proceedings to what he aimed at So that Brion though he were not found guilty but of some small Exactions upon the Fishermens Boats was degraded of his Offices and declared unworthy to hold any for the future condemned to pay a fine of seventy thousand Crowns and shut up in the Bastille Year of our Lord 1540 Some months after the intercession of Anne de Pisselieu Dutchess d'Estampes his near Kinswoman obtained an Order from the King that his Process should be reviewed by the Parliament of Paris Who by a Decree of the fourteenth of March 1542. declared him absolv'd of the crimes de peculat or purloining the Kings Treasure and exaction by consequence quit of his Fine or Amercement But as his courage was haughty the affront received stung him so deep that he was never well afterward but dyed of grief in the year 1543. Annebaut had his Office of Admiral The following year Poyet had his turn John de Bary la Renaudie a Gentleman of Perigord had a great process against du Tillet a Clerk of the Parliament the Year of our Lord 1541 business had been before several Parliaments this time la Renaudie demanded an Order of Evocation to remove it to another Court the Dutchess d'Estampes pressed the Chancellour to Seal it and interposed the Kings Authority but whether he thought it not just or otherwise he refused it The King took it very ill he had not obey'd his Orders and the Dutchess Animated him so highly and raised so many complaints against him on all hands that he sent him Prisoner to the Bastille the second day of August and Ordered that they should make process against him For this purpose there were taken out of divers Parliaments a certain number of Judges whom himself approved of The proceedings very long and often Interrupted lasted till the year 1545. when by Sentence of the three and twentieth of April he was deprived of the Office of Chancellour declared disabled of holding any Office Royal condemned to pay a hundred thousand Livers Fine and to be confin'd five whole years in such place as it should please the King The Judgment was pronounced in the Audience of the Grand-Chamber the Doors being set
was upon the Easter Monday The Victory fell intirely to the French they Slew two Thousand of the Enemies upon the Place took their Artillery their Baggage great quantity of Ammunitions four Thousand Prisoners without the loss of any more then two Hundred men in all The Lord de Boutieres who returned into Piedmont upon the rumour there would be a Battle Termes Montlue and de Thais had the greatest share in the honor of that day The first Commanding the Van-guard the second the Light-horse the third the Forlorn-hope and the last the French Bands that is to say the Infantry The nobless of the Court whom a desire of honour had brought thither in post hast shewed that day very great feats of Valour The next day some were Knighted in the Field of Battle amongst others Gilbert Coiffier la Bussiere a Gentleman of Auvergne who having bravely Fought in the first Ranks received this honour from the hands of the Count d'Enghien as likewise from Boutieres and de Thais Which I mention that we may know the Customs of those times and observe that Knight-hood might be Confer'd upon the same man by several Persons one after another The Marquess wounded in the Knee escaped to Milan with Four Hundred Horse only Amongst his Equipage were found several Chariots full of Shackels and Padlocks designed to have chained the French withal so certainly did his pride make him confident of Victory The fruits of this days success were the City of Carignan and all the Marquisate of Montferrat excepting Casal Milan had followed it had the King but sent Supplies of Men and Money but so far was it from this that he recalled Two and Twenty Ensignes of Foot who made up Twelve Thousand Men of whom he stood in need for the defence of the Kingdom being informed that the Emperor who had made a League with the English was drawing a vast Army together near the Rhine and that both were to fall upon France at the same time And indeed the Kingdom found it self this year in great danger these two potent Princes had divided it betwixt them and had projected to joyn their Armies before Paris to saccage that great City and from thence ravage all to the Loire They would have made up together Fourscore Thousand Foot and two and twenty Thousand Horse It is certain that if the Emperor had come directly to Paris he had found Francis all in disorder for having promised himself Year of our Lord 1544 that Luxembourgh would make a long resistance he had not much hast'ned the coming of the Swiss But the good Fortune of France had so disposed things that being tempted by the facility he found in his March of taking Luxembourg which Francis d'Angliure d'Estauges Surrendred very lightly then afterwards the Castle of Commercy the City was burnt Ligny and Brienne he fixed upon the Siege of Saint Disier the three and twentieth of June Saint Disier contrary to the expectation of all men resisted six Weeks by the Valour of that la Lande who had before so generously defended Landrecy That brave Captain was there slain upon the Rampart the Count de Sancerre whom the King had joyned with him took the Command as Chief He finding himself at the end of his Ammunition obtained a suspension of Armes for Twelve dayes which being expired and no Assistance coming he Surrendred the Place From thence the Emperor sent notice to the King of England that he was Marching towards Paris and Summon'd him to be there according to Agreement But the King of England by his Example having resolved also to Conquer some Places sent him for answer that he would advance as soon as he had taken Boulogne by the Sea Coast and Monstreuil He was then before Boulogne with twenty Thousand men and the Duke of Norfolk his Lieutenant before Monstreuil with ten Thousand English and twelve Thousand Flemmings whom the Counts of Bures and de Roeux had brought thither The Emperor not being able to make him remove from thence desired at least he would allow him his Army being much weakned to save his honour by a Truce To which he consented but for his own part refused to hear of such a thing He had a mind to let them see that of himself he was able to make Conquests in France In the mean while the Emperor descended along the Marne and entred so far into Champagne that the Forces of the Daufin watching him close and cutting off his Provisions and Forrage on all Sides he found himself in very great danger of Perishing with his whole Army There were at that time two Parties at Court one for the Daufin the other for the Duke of Orleans This last saved him Anne de Pisselieu the Kings Mistress opposite to Diana de Poitiers who was for the Daufin loved the Duke of Orleans mightily and studied his Interest to the prejudice of his Brothers that he might be her support when the King chanced to fail her This Woman too Credulous looking on the Emperor as already Father in Law to that Prince revealed all the Secrets of the Kings Council to him and it was she who brought it so to pass by means of Nicholas de Bossu Longueval that he made himself Master of Espernay and of Chasteau-Thierry where he met with Provisions in abundance without which all had been lost Fear had like to have depopulated all Paris when it was known that he was in Chasteau-Thierry and that his flying Parties came as far as Meaux some fled to Rouen others to Orleans all the Roads were throng'd with Carts loaden with House-hold Goods Women and Children and that which encreased the disorder was a many Herds of Rascals that Robb'd these poor People The King sent Claude Duke of Guise to Paris to encourage them and himself came thither soon after But the Emperor instead of approaching it took to the left and went to Soissonâ— Being lodged in the Abby called Saint John de Vignes which is in the Suburbs the propositions for a Peace were set on Foot A Jacobin Monk of the Noble House of the Guzmans in Spain mentioned it first to the Kings Confessor The Daufins Party would have none those for the Duke of Orleans pusht it on with extraordinary importunity the King sided with the Latter The Deputies being therefore Assembled at Crespy in Luonnois concluded it the eighteenth of the Month of September The Principal Articles were that the Emperor within two years should at his own choice either give his Daughter or the Daughter of Ferdinand to the Duke of Orleans and for Dowry the Dutchy of Milan or else the Low-Countries and the Counties of Burgundy and of Charolois That if he gave Milan he should keep the Castles of Milan and Cremona till a Child were born of that Marriage That the King should renounce to the Kingdom of Naples and to Milan in case the Emperor gave the Low-Countries to the Duke of Orleans That he should restore the
it in France The time drawing near la Renaudie who forged a thousand fine imaginations upon the event of this project could not hold his tongue but opened the whole mystery to an Advocate of his own Religion named des Avenelles with whom he lodged at Paris The Advocate discover'd it to l'Allemand Vouzé a Master of Requests and l'Allemand carried him to Court to declare particularly all what he had learned of la Renaudie Upon this news the Guises first provided for the security of their own persons and without the least noise called all their trustiest friends about them gave order for the preservation of the great Cities caused the Prince and the Admiral to come to Court granted an abolition of all things past to the Religionaries excepting to those that had conspired and at the same time set Guards of Soldiers and Men belonging to the Provosts upon all the Roads leading to the Conspirators The Duke got the Title of Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom confirmed to him as well whilst the King should be present as absent and established a Company of Musquetiers on Horse-back all select Men who were constantly to attend the Kings Sacred Person Year of our Lord 1560 The Court immediately dislodged from Blois and went to the Castle of Amboise as well because that place was stronger as to break the measures of the Plotters In the mean time the Duke of Guise sent the Kings Orders into all the Provinces with exhortations to the Nobility and Officers of War to arm themselves for the preservation of the State and to the Governors to seize upon all such as should be found in Arms whether on Foot or on Horseback upon the Road of Amboise The Prince of Conde who was going to Court met the Lord de Cipierre at Orleans by whom he was informed how the enterprize was discover'd but this hindred not his Journey forward nor la Renaudie a self-will'd fellow from pursuing his design But the Court having changed their station he was fain to change the Rendezvous appointed for his Gang and this was it that made them miscarry in the execution of the contrivance Castelno de Chalosses one of the chief Ring-leaders with Raunay and Mazeres were at Nozé James de Savoye Duke of Nemours took the two last as they were imprudently walking without the Castle but Castelno and the rest got in He besieged them there and being unable to take them by force drew them out by fair promises for he gave them his word he would carry them to the King and no hurt should be done to them neither should they be confin'd to Prison But as there is no security in the faith of that Man that is not able to warrant it as soon as they were come to Amboise they were cast into a Goal and Nemours thought it a sufficient excuse to say I cannot help it La Renaudie who was in Vendosmois made his Men advance with all speed to disengage Castelno whose surrender he knew not of but as they Marched in small parties and by ways thorow the Forrests the people set there by the Kings Order to watch them easily slew them or took them Prisoners and tied them to their Horse-Tails to lead them to Amboise whither they no sooner came but they hang'd them up immediately on the Battlements of the Walls Booted and Spurr'd The day after la Renaudie was kill'd in the Forrest of Chasteau-Renaud but he first slew Pardillan his Cousin to whom the King had given command to go a-hunting after the Conspirators with two hundred Horse His Body was for some hours hanged upon the Bridge at Amboise with this writing Captain of the Rebels then quarter'd and the quarters set up in divers places The Guises press'd the Chiefs might be dispatch'd the Chancellor was of opinion they should suspend that till they had found the bottom and main drift of the enterprize and to appease the fury of those exasperated spirits it would be fit to grant a Pardon to such whose blind zeal had misled them provided they would return to their own homes in small parcels of two or three in a Company But whilst they were contending for Mercy and Clemency against the rigour of Justice and Law a Captain of the Conspirators named la Motte made an attempt to surprize Amboise which stopt the Chancellors Mouth and let loose the raynes of persecution to the utmost severity A Command was given to take all such as had been in Armes either dead or alive though they should be returning to their own homes They pardon'd very few of those they had in Hold there were hanged drowned and beheaded near Twelve Hundred the Streets of Amboise were overflowed with Blood the River choaked up with dead Corps and the Market-places planted full of Gibbets The Chief were Executed the last the Queen-Mother her three Sons and all the Court Ladies gazing out of the Windows beholding this Tragical Spectacle as a divertisement Not one of them would own or confess that the Conspiracy aimed at the Kings Person but only against the Guises Raunay and Mazeres confessed upon the Rack that la Renaudie had told them that if it had succeeded the Prince of Condé would have declared Castelno stoutly denied it and upon their confrontation gave them very significant reproaches Some writings in Cyphers seized in the Custody of la Bigne Secretary of the Conspiracy and the Examinations of certain Captains that had Command amongst them gave them light enough to believe that the Prince of Condé and the Admiral were concerned but the proofs not being clear and the Evidence only upon hear-say and those that had orders to search the Princes House finding neither Men nor Arms there he demanded leave to purge himself in full Council before the King The Queen Mother being willing to admit him he made a discourse full of Reason and Eloquence to justifie himself concerning that attempt and afterwards gave the lye to all that durst say he was guilty of it and offer'd to Fight them himself renouncing his Quality only for that purpose Year of our Lord 1560 The Duke of Guise out of a most profound dissimulation applauded his generosity and told him he was also ready to maintain his Innocency but in private he notwithstanding was of opinion he ought to be seized on The Queen Mother did not judge it convenient whether she feared the Guises might make themselves too absolute if they could but pull down the only Prince that was able to make head against them or that she apprehended lest such a detension should produce some act of desperation which might prove more fatal then the fore-going Conspiracy The danger over they wrote Letters in the name of the King to all the Parliaments Governors and great Cities giving them an account of the eminent danger the King had escaped and the signal Service the Duke of Guise had rendred him The Parliament of Paris giving Credit to it bestowed upon him the glorious
Funeral Of so many Lords and so many Bishops as were then at Orleans there were none but Sansac and la Brosse who had been his Governors and Lewis Guillard Bishop of Senlis who was blind that conducted his Corps to Saint Denis His Heart was left to the Church named Saincte Croix at Orleans The Guises excused their not attending it upon the necessity there was for them to stay with their Niece to comfort her But they were not exempted from reproach such as had more sence of Honour then Ambition much blamed them for not paying that little devoir to him from whom they had received so much honour And indeed some body tack'd a Paper upon the Pall that cover'd his Coffin wherein were these words Taneguy du Chastel where art thou This Taneguy as was well known tho banished from Court during the Reign of Charles VII his Master came generously back again thither to make a Funeral for that King at his own charges shewing his gratitude thereby and making it appear to all the World that his thankfulness for the favours he had received were above his fear of the resentments of Lewis XI a mortal Enemy to the memory and Servants of his own Father The Constable who had been sent for several times but crept along slowly by little Journeys having heard the tydings of the Kings death doubled his pace and Arrived the Eight of the Month of December at Orleans Entring into Year of our Lord 1560 the City he made use of the power belonging to his Office and commanded away the Guards that were at the Gates threatning to send them to the Gallows if he found them any more besieging or investing the King in that manner in a time of Peace and in the very heart of his Kingdom As for the Prince though he had free liberty as soon as ever the King expir'd nevertheless he refused to go out of Prison till he knew who were the prosecutors against him and who his accusers There were none durst undertake to play so desperate a Game and the Guises replied that all had been done by express Command of the King but did not produce any Order by vertue whereof he had been so prosecuted So that Thirteen dayes afterwards he came forth and went to Ham in Picardy attended with Honour and respect by those very men that had served as Guards upon him in his Confinement CHARLES IX King LX. POPES PIUS IV. Five Years under this Reign PIUS V. Elected the 7 January 1566. S. 6 Years 3 Months and 24 dayes GREGORY XIII Elected the 13. of May 1572. S. 13. Years wanting one Month whereof two years under this Reign Year of our Lord 1560. in December THose hopes many had conceived that King Francis II. being near the time of his compleat Majority might possibly extinguish all the Factions were now by his death changed into a just fear of finding them rather more enflamed and heightned from a Sedition to a Bloody War wherefore the Tumults increasing every day they made hast to Assemble the Estates from whom the silly vulgar expect a redress of all their grievances and troubles The first Session was held the Thirteenth of December in a great Timber Hall expresly built in the place called l'Estape The Chancellor begun it with a Speech becoming his gravity He blamed the violent proceedings in matters of Religion told them the only means to reclaim such as went astray was a good exemplary Life and sound Doctrine exhorted them earnestly to lay aside the injurious names of Lutherans Huguenots Papists and desired every one to forbear all hatred and own no passion but for the publick good in which consists the benefit of all particular Persons There was nothing else done at this first meeting only the three Orders were sent to confer together about their Papers and Instructions Some who were inspired with a bolder zeal had a mind to confer the Regency upon the King of Navarre but withal to leave the Education of the young King to his Mother to set bounds to the Government and make choice of a good Council for the management of all Affairs of State The Queen Mother took the Allarm caused the Kings Council to make a Decree which forbad the Deputies to intermeddle with the Government and made use of so many intrigues that the Navarrois a Prince very inconstant and irresolute was perswaded to confirm what he had promised her during the Imprisonment of his Brother Year of our Lord 1561 The second of January was the second Sessions of the Estates The three Orders made their Harangues John de Lange Advocate of Bourdeaux spake for the Third Estate James de Silly Earl of Rochefort for the Nobility and John Quintin a Canon of Autun and Doctor en Decret for the Clergy The two first laid great stress and weight upon the Vices of the Ecclesiasticks the cause of all the disorders The last endeavour'd to defend them retorted all upon the new Sectaries and reflected particularly upon the Admiral who demanded reparation Year of our Lord 1561 Quintin was obliged to do it in a set Speech at the closing up of the Estates Whatever accord there could be between the Navarrois and the Regent yet there was danger that the Estates if they consider'd their power might put some Fetters upon this Woman who was a stranger and besides they began to perceive that the Princes were forming parties and tryed to foist in certain propositions for their own interests or concerning their private quarrels Amongst others the King of Navarre put them upon calling for an account of the Finances and a particular of all the Gifts bestowed in the Reign of Henry II. himself proffering to surrender all that were given him This touched the Constable and the Mareschal de Saint André more then the Guises as having expended more in the Kings Service then they had gained The Regent soon perceived where it pinched and joyning them to her self upon this consideration easily adjourned the Estates to the Month of May and the City of Pontoise and ordained that she might be at less Charge and trouble to bribe them that there should come but two Deputies from each Government In the Month of February the King being come to Fountainbleau the Prince of Condé appeared there with a slender attendance that he might give them no jealousie The next day being admitted to the Privy-Council and having spoken of his innocency he asked the Chancellor whether there were any proofs against him the Chancellor answered No and all the Princes and Lords having testified that they were satisfied of his innocency the King commanded him to take his Seat The Council did after make a Decree which declared him wholly innocent and sent him back to the Parliament of Paris to get a more Authentique one as he did in a few days afterwards The courage of the Guises did not sink upon the rise of their enemies they were supported by the Catholick Party and
League the Politique Catholicks were likewise joyned with them Toré and the Vicount de Turenne managed the intrigues and all of them together demanded an Assembly of the general Estates The Queen Mother that she might amuse them had assigned an Assembly of the Notables at Compiegne to deliberate whether it would be expedient to call them and when they saw they could not make their Party strong enough at Court they resolved to retire to Sedan where the Duke of Bouillon had promis'd to give them reception month March and April The Huguenots had promised themselves so great advantage by the Duke of Alencon that they had resolved to take up Arms over all the Kingdom at the latter end of the Carnaval Rochel it self was born along with this Torrent and had for that purpose elected la Noue for their General This Man the Night between Shrove-Tuesday and Ash-Wednesday surprized Mesle and Lusignan by Escalado as Giron de Bâ—ssay who brought Twelve hundred Men from Bearn took Fontenay and the Lord de la Case in Saintonge Royan Talmont and four or five other little Places In Daupfiné Montbrun seized upon Lorial and Liwron the which he repaired In Normandy Coulombieres and some Gentlemen of the Country upon the hopes of greater Troubles at Court and of having the Duke of Alencon shortly with them seized upon Saint Lo Montgommery who being hated in France and unwelcom in England kept himself close and under shelter of the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey sided with them took Carentan and Valognes and set all the Country thereabouts under Contribution Year of our Lord 1574 At the same time being the Tenth of March that la Noâ—e had made the Huguenots resolve to take up Arms it was likewise resolv'd that John de Chaumont Guitry should draw near Saint Germains en Laye with as many Horse as he could get privately together to receive and bring with him the Duke of Alencon and the two Princes But it hap'ned by whose fault it is not known that Guitry anticipated the Assignation by at least Ten days so that the Duke of Alencon being fearful and irresolute could not determine with himself to forsake the Court so suddenly and la Mole his Favorite judging so great a design could not be long conceal'd went and discover'd it to the Queen Mother About Midnight behold an Alarm over all the Court The King sends for the Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre the first tells all not caring what became of those he had employ'd The other taxed neither him nor any Friend They give out there is a Design upon the King's Person The Men of the long Robe especially and the Women hurry to Paris all Night and the Queen her self to render the Princes more odious flyes in great disorder However the King went not till the next day and lodged himself at the Bois de Vincennes whither he carried the Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre not yet as Prisoners but carefully observed Thus the Huguenots fell very short in their accounts and besides in a Month after they set out Three Armies to destroy them in the Provinces of Normandy Poitou and Languedoc Matignon Commanded the first the Duke of Montpensier the second the Prince Daufin his Son the third Montpensier went and cool'd his heels before Fontenay but Matignon invested Montgommery in Saint Lo's from whence making his escape he pursued and besieged him in Donfront so straitly that he constrain'd him to Surrender giving him assurance for the lives of his Men but nothing more then ambiguous and random Promises for his own This fell out four or five days before the Death of the King From thence Matignon returned to the Siege of Saint Lo carrying him thither to persuade Coulombieres who was within to Surrender but the other reproached him of Cowardize and put himself courageously in the breach and his two Sons on either side of him not above Fourteen or Fifteen years of Age both having Javelins in their hands to Sacrifice said he all his Blood for the Truth of the Gospel He died there with his Sword in hand but Fortune or Pity saved the lives of his two Sons Guitry afterwards making his Courage submit to his Prudence gave up Carentan and Lorges Son of Montgommery was detained Prisoner but escaped by the favour of one of the Catholick Commanders As to Languedoc the Queen Mother who was more bent against Danville than against the Huguenots themselves had contrived to ridd her self of that Lord by the means of James de Crussol Duke d'Vzez his Capital Enemy before the War began in those Countries Some intercepted Letters giving him notice thereof he designed to make himself Master of the Province but proceeded so slowly that he could only seize upon Montpellier Lunel Beaucaire and Pezenas He was not the less noted for it at Court Martinengue shewed an Order to all the Province whereby the King dismissed him of his Government and forbid the People to own him or the Soldiers to obey him In the Spring time when the Humors overflow the King's Distemper which had been as it were laid asleep during the Winter awaked and made the Queen sufficiently understand it was high time to seize upon and secure all those that might oppose or disturb her Regency particularly the Mareschals de Montmorency and de Cosseé To this end she order'd a Commission to be given to Christopher de Thou first President and to Peter Hennequin a President likewise to inform themselves diligently about the Conspiracy of St. Germains thereby to involve them La Mole a Favorite to the Duke of Alencon and the Count de Coconas an Italian whom he had lately introduced to the Acquaintance and Confidence of that Prince were arrested The first denied all the other flatter'd with the vain hopes of getting his Pardon and a great Reward besides told a great deal more than indeed he knew The Duke of Alencon and the King of Navarre were also examined The first answered like a Criminal stuttering and trembling the other more like an Accuser than one accused with such reproaches as put the Queen Mother out of Countenance At la Mole 's was found an Image of Wax which one Cosmo Rugiero a Florentine and famous Quack had made for him to Charm a young Damsel with whom he was in Love The Queen Mother would needs have it be believed that it was Year of our Lord 1574 made on purpose to bewitch the King he still denied it stiffly but notwithstanding he was Beheaded and Coconas with him It was said that two Princesses who were in love with them caused their Heads to be stoln and Embalmed them to preserve them as long as they could Another of their Complices was broken upon the Wheel and Rugier sent to the Galleys The Queen Mother very credulous in Matters of Divination and Sorcerers released him some time after to make use of him in his Art The Mareschals de Montmorency and de
the Respect and Affection they had born him which the Heads of the League took advantage of and confirmed their aversion and contempt of him Towards which the insolence of his Favorites did not a little contribute by setting themselves above Princes making the Grandees follow them and absolutely disposing of all Affairs month In August Sebastian King of Portugal having lost a great Battle against the Moors as may be seen in the History of that Countrey and never appearing aftewards whether he were slain there or otherwise Henry his great Uncle who was Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Evora took the Crown which belonged to him as being the nearest Prince of the Blood We must know that Sebastian was the Son of Prince John Son of King John III. Son of King Emanuel That this Emanuel besides King John had three other Sons Lewis Duke of Beja the Henry of whom we speak and Edward Prince of Portugal and two Daughters Isabella who was Mother of Philip II. King of Spain and Beatrix who was Mother of Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy That Lewis had a natural Son named Don Antonio Prior of Crato That from Edward sprang two Daughters Mary Wife of Alexander Farnese First of that Name Duke of Parma and Mother of Rainutio and Catherine Wife of John Duke of Braganza Year of our Lord 1578 Now as Henry was very infirm and almost Septuaginary all those who pretended to the Crown after his death began from that time to mak their parties and interest and proclaim their Titles Wherefore omitting the Pope and the Abbot de Clervaux who shewed by some old Titles that the said Kingdom had submitted to their Sense and Homage there presented themselves Philip King of Spain Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy Rainutio Farnese Catherine Wife of John of Braganza and Anthony Prior of Crato As for Philipebert he yielded it King Philip who was issue of the eldest of Emanuels two Daughters and demanded only they should have a regard to his Right in case Philip died before him They said that Rainutio his Mother being dead as she then was could not dispute it with Catherine he being one degree remoter then she The question remained therefore between Philip and Catherine It was most certain that Philips Mother had she been living would have been excluded by Catherine but as she was dead her Son Philip pretended they ought not now to have any regard to that but that he and Catherine being at equal distance for both of them were Germain to Sebastian he was to be preferr'd because he was the Male. As for the right of Anthony King Henry made no account of that because he had a perfect hatred for him and his Father as it was said had by his Will declared him illegitimate nevertheless all the People the Clergy and the Friers excepting only the Jesuits who were perswaded that the grandeur of the House of Austria was the main and truest support of the Catholique Religion were entirely for him Amongst the Contenders Queen Catharine de Medicis was also a Stickler perhaps to make the World believe she was of a Family good enough to pretend to the succession of a Kingdom And thus she founded her right Alphonso III. King of Portugal about the year 1235. Married one Matilda Countess of Bolognia then did repudiate her to take a Wife much younger She said he had a Son named Robert by that Matilda but to his prejudice and wrong had left the Inheritance to the Children by this second Wife That from the said Robert came the Counts of Bologna from whom she was descended But this derivation besides the injury it did to all the Kings of Portugal from the time of Alphonso and to all the Pretenders that were issued from them as necessarily qualifying them Bastards and Usurpers was false in the most essential point for Matilda had no Child by Alphonso and Robert was Son of a Sister to that Queen Year of our Lord 1579 The most apparent Right according to the Lawyers of Coimbre who ought to know better then any others the Laws and Customs of those Countries was that of Catharine Wife of the Duke of Braganza And indeed the Nobility and the Estates to whom the resolution of all Questions of such importance do most properly belong inclined that way but Henry was so weak he durst not declare in her favour but engaged himself for Philip and that the more readily as finding the Duke of Braganza grew slack withall his Confessor persuading him that the glory of God and the advancement of the Catholick Religion required it Year of our Lord 1580 Upon this he happens to die the last day of January in the year 1580. having Reigned seventeen Months Philip who had prepared himself to make good his Title by force did immediately order the Duke of Alva to enter Portugal with a good Army Anthony was already proclaimed King but could not make head against him the Forces he had got in haste together being raw unexprerlenc'd Men were worsted the first time and quite dispersed the second So that having nothing left him on Land and the Sea beating him churlishly back every time he endeavour'd to set sail he was forced to disguise himself under a Monks Hood and hide himself for eight Months in several places the Portuguese not discovering him though Philip had promised fourscore thousand Crowns to any that would produce him At length finding his opportunity he embarqued on a Vessel which transported him into Holland from whence he came to the Court of France All the Islands of Azores excepting that of St. Michael which submitted to Philip remained still firm to his Party by means of certain Monks who were mightily increased there These Islands are usually called Terceres from the third which is the greatest of them all there are nine in number As to the Duke of Braganza he agreed with King Philip who gave him the Office of Constable of the Kingdom but in our days his Grandson John happily raised himself again and was restored to the Crown according to a wonderful Prophecy which may be seen in the first Volume of the Annals of the Cisteaux i. e. White Friers composed by a Religious Spaniard of that Order some years before that miraculous Revolution The Order of St. Michael had been in great reputation and request under four Kings but during the Reign of Henry II. the Women had made it Venal and in those Year of our Lord 1579. January of Francis II. and Charles IX Queen Catharine had rendred it so contemptible that the Nobility never demanded it but for their Servants or Valets This year the King without abolishing the former instituted another named the Order of the Holy Ghost to which it serves as a necessary disposition He declared himself Soveraign Head and for ever united the Soveraignty of it to the Crown of France He solemnized the Feast on the first day of January in the Church of the Augustins
Party but only Chaalons for the Inhabitants having received information of the death of Guise before the Governor had any notice which was Rosne assembled together and turned him out From thence he went to Sens where his presence was requisite to fortisie his Friends then to Orleans where he found the Citadel surrendred to his Party afterwards to Chartres who received him with extraordinary month February joy and lastly to Paris where he arrived the Tenth day of February That vast number of People were yet so furiously enchanted with the memory of the Duke of Guise that they would needs bestow the Title of King upon this Brother but he did not find himself sufficiently bottom'd to accept of so high a Dignity He consider'd that besides the divisions it would necessarily have begot betwixt him and the other Chiefs who were content to be his Companions but not his Subjects the Spirits of the Authors of that grand Revolution tended rather to establish a Democracy then a Monarchy Wherefore he presently labour'd to diminish their Power encreased the Council of Forty with fourteen more wholly at his own devotion and admitted not only all the Princes of the League but likewise the Presidents the Kings Attorneys and Sollicitors in Parliament the Prevost des Merchands and Eschevins that he might carry things by Multitude upon occasion Then not able to endure this curb by any means breaks it quite the following year when he was going to give the Battle of Yury Year of our Lord 1589 Notwithstanding it was that Council had confer'd upon him the command of month March the Armies and the Quality of Lieutenant General of the State and Crown of France but he gave them little thanks for it because they limited his Power to the meeting of the General Estates which was to be upon the Fifteenth of July His Commission was verified in Parliament the Seventh of March and he took the Oath before the President de Brisson They caused new Seals to be made a great one for Council Affairs and a little one for the Chanceries and Parliaments either of them had on one side the Flower-de-Luce as was usual but on the other an Empty Throne with these words about it The Seal of the Kingdom of France Now to make a real Union of this Party as they had the name and to link all the Cities to them that had declar'd already and intended to declare he made an excellent Reglement which being sent into the Provinces brought others into him Especially Laon where John Bodin the Kings Attorney in that Court prevailed so by his Interest and Eloquence that it was accepted having made it clear that the joyning of so many Cities ought not to be called Rebellion but Revolution that this was a just one against an Hypocrite and Tyrant King that Heaven it self seemed to authorize it because States have their periods as well as Men and the Reign of Henry III. ought to be the Climacterical to France he being the LXI King since Pharaemond who according to the Vulgar Account was the first King of the French To this pretended Order succeeded a general Disorder an universal Robbery thorough the whole Kingdom seizures of Goods sales by outcry Imprisonments Ransoms and Reprizals The Offices Benesices and Governments were divided into two or three private Families were even divided within themselves the Father bandying against the Sons Brothers against Brothers Nephews against their Uncles Nothing was to be gained but by those that had nothing to lose those that had wherewithal were obliged to spend it but the Thieves gained on both hands They nestled themselves in old Castles or in small Towns from whence they bolted out to pillage the Neighbouring Countries took up the Kings Rents made private Persons compound for theirs enjoy'd the Churches Revenues and thus enriched themselves with great ease and little danger month March In the beginning of March the King not finding himself secure at Blois retired to Tours He first took out his Prisoners from the Castle of Amboise sent the Cardinal de Bourbon to Chinon whereof Chavigny an ancient Gentleman was Governor the Prince of Joinville who from henceforward was and called himself Duke of Guise to Tours and the Duke d'Elbaeuf to Loches The Duke of Mayennes Affairs as we may say did do of themselves For even in the Month of February the Cities of Aix Arles and Marseilles offended at the Kings restoring la Valete to that Government took the Oath for the League but he in the mean while passed his time at Year of our Lord 1589 Paris where he and his Officers consumed in fruitless Expences the Moneys assessed month March upon the Country with the Confiscations and Sequestrations of the Politicks and Huguenots Estates While that Duke was in the greatest hurry of his Affairs it hapned that four or five of his Friends and Intimates being in debauch with some Ladies of Pleasure in the Hostel de Carnavalet one of them seeing him pass by ran after him and haled him in almost by force he did not stay above half an hour with this Company yet made a shift to get and carry that away with him that forced him to keep his Chamber several weeks after but being in haste he had time to take only palliative Remedies So that the venom remaining still in his Blood rendred him more slow lumpish and melancholy and in his Person stupified the activity of his whole Party In the Month of March John Lewis de la Rochefoucaut Count de Randan debauched Rion and part of Auvergne whereof he was Governor he had drawn the whole Country after him if some Lords as Rostignac Saint-Herem Allegre Fleurat Canillac and Oradour amongst whom d'Effiat having the Kings particular Orders had acquired great credit had not opposed their courage and skill against his Interest and Faction The Duke of Mercoeur having balanced a while debauched likewise all Bretagne excepting only Vitre the Nobility of the Country were cantonized there against him and whilst he besieged it Renes escaped from him Gefroy de Saint Belin Bishop of Poitiers and the Mayor and some other Leaguers stirred up that Town which however did not yet declare for the League Limoges remained under obedience of the King Pichery retained the City of Anger 's in despite of Brissac who had put them upon rising and reduced them by means of the Castle where he commanded Matignons prudence defeated the Conspiracy of the Leaguers who were beginning to Barricade themselves at Bourdeaux but he durst not search it to the quick the Combination being too general and so thought it sufficient to hang two or three of the most Zealous Since the King of Navarres return to Rochel he had taken Maran and then Niort by Escalado Some few days after hapned the Murther at Blois but that made no alteration in the conduct of his Affairs neither did it oblige him to discontinue his War The Cities of Loudun Thouars Monstreuil L'Isle
beginning of the year Francis de la Ramee a young Man so called being the name of a Gentleman with whom he had been bred in Poitou pretended to be lawful Heir to the Crown He said he was Son of Charles IX and Elizabeth of Austria and fancied that Catharine de Medicis stole him in his Cradle sent him out of his Country pretending he was dead that so her dear Son Henry III. might succeed Now being come I know not how out of Poiton into Vermandois he lodg'd himself in a Peasants House who assisted him in acting this Comedy and bare Witness of many Apparitions which this young Man pretended to have frequently seen There was great probability this Farce Year of our Lord 1596 was contrived and countenanced by some Grandees of the Kingdom and perhaps they would have carried it on a great way and perplexed the King a long time with it had not the thrid of it been cut in time A Counsellor of Parliament who hapned to be upon the place having caused this pretended Prince and his Paranymph to be apprehended they were both carried to Reims where they were condemned the first to the Gallows the other to be present at the Execution The Parliament of Paris upon his appeal confirmed the Sentence and added that the Body of la Ramee should be burnt and the Ashes cast into the Air. This was executed in the Greve the month March Eighth day of March The Parties condemned having been first obliged to own the Imposture openly Those things which pained the King most were how to content the Zealous Catholicks month September and October and the Court of Rome who were concerned how he would behave himself after his Absolution to find wherewith to defray the Expences of his Armies amidst the present distractions and miseries of his People and to redress and remedy the inconveniencies we have mentioned For satisfaction touching the first point he received the Popes Legat with all Affection and Reverence and took care the Prince of Conde might be instructed in the Catholick Religion The Mother of this Prince having been justified by the Parliament of Paris followed her Son in his Religion as she followed him in his Fortune and made her abjuration at Rouen at the feet of the Legat. This was Alexander de Medicis Cardinal and Archbishop of Florence a Prelat who coming into France with a Pacifique Spirit appeared as much an Enemy to all hot-headed Zealots as a true lover of Peace and the good of this Kingdom For the other two points the King could find no way more ready or effectual then to call a great Assembly of all the Kingdom but it was only of Notables chosen out of the Grandees Prelats and Officers of Justice and of the Finances or Treasury for that of the General Estates would have been too delatory and tedious and then as month November much as the wisest Politicians have otherwhile loved them so much the Princes of these latter times did dread them This meeting was held in the great Hall of the Abby St. Ouin at Rouen The King began the first Session on the Fourth of November with a Speech that was Pathetick Concise and Sententious in which they were over-joy'd to hear these Expressions truly worthy and becomming a good King whatever motive put them into his Mouth That he had not called them thither to follow him blindfold in what he ✚ should desire but to take their Councils to believe them to pursue them in short to put himself under their Tutelage The Chancellor set forth the urgent necessity of Affairs and demanded speedy assistance The Deputies made ready their Papers for the Reformation of the State and upon this occasion the Officers of the Robe and Finances made it appear by their demeanour that their power and interest was going to exceed all other Ranks and Orders as they have done even to these very times Year of our Lord 1596 Many excellent Reiglements were made and they named Commissioners to see them executed who were to undertake it till the meeting of another the like Assembly month December which was to be held at the end of three years All Orders made in such ☜ Assemblies for the publick good turn quickly into Air and nothingness while the Impositions and those Taxes as oppress the Subjects are sure to become permanent and therefore such as were of the Kings Council believing these Commissioners were but so many Spies and Controllers of their Actions did soon elude all their care and diligence herein but did not in the least forget most punctually to put those Orders in execution that were made for the raising of Money to wit the Postponing or to say better retrenching all Officers Wages for a year and the Imposition of a Sol per Liver upon all Merchandize entring into any enclosed Town excepting Wheat The first brought in a present Supply but the second produced much more trouble and difficulty then Money Year of our Lord 1597 Neither King Philips Body or his Mind had vigour enough to follow his swift-footed Fortune or carry the prosperity of his Arms so far as possibly they might have month January c. been in the present conjunctures As he began to languish and decay he desired the short remainder of his days might be free from all ponderous Cares and Troubles and besides he much longed to leave the Low-Countries at least to his dear Daughter Isabella Eugenia since not able after the expence of so many Millions to obtain the Crown of France for her He gave therefore greedy Ear to the Propositions of Accommodation made to him by his Holiness and had given long and favourable Audience to the General of the Cordeliers named Bonaventure de Calatagirone who was come to wait on him on behalf of the Pope He afterwards sent him to the Archduke Albert who made him go into France and from thence he returned again to Flanders So that the Treaty was much advanced when an accident of the greatest astonishment to France interrupted it and brought this Kingdom again into extremity of danger Hernand Teillo Governor of Dourlens who in the Body of a Dwarf had a more then Gigantine courage being well informed of the ill order observed by the Inhabitants of Amiens in the guarding of their Gates for they would admit of no Garison formed an Enterprize upon the Town and having communicated it to the Arch-Dukes Council obtained four thousand Men to put it in execution The Tenth of March a little before Nine in the Morning while all the People were at Church sixteen Soldiers disguised like Peasants and commanded by a Captain named d'Ognane enter the Gate de Montrescut some carrying Nuts others Aples and the Year of our Lord 1597 rest driving a Cart loaden with Straw One of the first lets fall a Bag of Nuts month March purposely untied to amuse the Guard and at the same time the Cart advances upon the Bridge of the second
miraculously escaped from the hands of the Moors after the Battle in Africa did for some years exercise the worlds Curiosity and begot a diversity of Judgments according as mens Minds were variously disposed The Portugueze did easily believe it was their King the Italians doubted it the Spaniards treated him as a Fourbe and Magician He told his Fable or his History so well and brought so many Proofs and Tokens for the truth of what he said that they could not detect him of one Mistake The Senate of Venice to whom he first addressed himself in the year 1598. found all his Answers very pertinent to such questions as they put to him but the Spanish Ambassador to that Seigneury made so much noise that he was laid hold on and after he had been Prisoner there two years condemned him to quit their Territories within Eight days The Portuguese Merchants who were then in Venice travested him as a Jacobin to carry him to Rome about the end of the year 1600. As he passed by Florence the Grand Duke apprehended him and fearing to offend the King of Spain who had a Fleet upon those Coasts put him into the hands of the Vice-Roy of Naples The Vice-Roy having detained him a while caused him to be shaved and sent to the Galleys who carried him into Spain where he was shut up close Prisoner in the Castle at Sainct Lucar and there died soon after A horrible Injustice if he were Don Sebastian and too slight a Punishment if he were an Impostor Some years before another who came from the Terceres into Portugal acted the same Part having gotten together Six or Seven thousand Men created Grandees and bestowed upon them all the Offices belonging to the Crown The Cardinal of Austria Vice-Roy of Portugal dispersed this confused Herd of Wild Beasts and put their Counterfeit King with his principal Associates to Death Year of our Lord 1602 The year 1602. found the whole Court very jocund there was nothing but Feastings Balls Hunting-Matches and great Gaming Besides the gay Courtiers month January Year of our Lord 1602 promis'd themselves a Golden Age upon the discovery of some Mines of month January Gold Silver Copper and Tin In so much as by an Edict which however was not verified till June Bellegard Grand Escuyer or Master of the Horse got to be made the Grand Maistre or Superintendant of them Beaulieu Rusé Secretary of State that of Lieutenant Beringhen first Valet de Chambre Comptroller General and Villemareuil Councellor in Parliament the Office of President to take Cognisance of all Matters and Causes relating to Workmen that should be therein employ'd The Parasites did not stick to say Heaven had reserved this Happiness for the Reign of Henry the Great and that the Earth enamour'd with his incomparable Vertues open'd her breast to let him behold all what she had of Rich and Beautiful but when they came to work in their Mines the expence did much exceed the profit so that all these metallick Treasures vanish'd in fume and vapour like Quick-silver The Alliance between France and the Swiss and Grisons being expired after the Death of Henry III. the Agents for Spain had omitted no endeavours to break those People wholly off from us and engage with them particularly the Five petty Catholick Cantons so that for some time past these had made one with them and with the Duke of Savoy Now the King desiring earnestly to renew with them upon the same Conditions as his Predecessors Francis Hotman Morfontaine his Ambassador in those Countries had begun to lay some foundation for a Treaty and would have carried it on much further if Death had not laid his cold hands on him at Soleurre Afterwards Emeric de Vic placed in his stead pursued his work and about the end of the foregoing year Sillery had been sent thither expresly to put the finishing hand to it The greatest difficulty was to make the Treaty of the Five little Cantons accord with what the King demanded upon the foot of the old ones Sillery thought he had overcome it by the Promise he made of Paying them a Million of Gold for what was due upon the former account But the delay of Payment the most sensible of all Injuries to them had given opportunity to the Emissaries of Spain and Savoy to cast the Seeds of Anger and Discontent into the Minds of those suspicious People in so much that all was breaking in pieces when the Mareschal de Biron arrived at Soleurre in the Month of January of this year 1602. with a month January and February numerous Train and a pompous Equipage His magnificent Expence his Discourse wholly Martial and the lustre of his brave Acts whereof themselves had often been Eye-witness had indeed a great influence upon those War-like Spirits but it was the Arrival of the Waggons loaden with Silver that wholly won their hearts The Alliance was then renew'd to last not only during the life of the King but during the life also of the Daufin The Mareschal crowned this Festival with the Magnificence of a sumptuous Banquet where he did wonders in describing the Grandeur of the King and the Power and Strength of France This was not the least of his Services but it was the last day of his Glory and good Fortune At his return finding that Laffin was sent for to Court he staid in Burgundy and would not stir thence till the Month of June There had been granted by the Estates at Roüen a Tax of a Sol per Liuer upon such Wares as should be brought into any City but for Three years only the term expired this Impost was continued with great severity and the Partisans had hung up Papers containing the Prizes of all sorts of Goods near the Gates of month April and May. the Towns at their Toll-booths Those of Guyenne and Languedoc could not endure so odious an Imposition and which was no way due Limoges and Rochell opposed it by main strength the rest were ready to follow the same Dance some Emissaries running about those Countries blew up the flame and there was danger it might put those whole Provinces into a Combustion unless timely care were taken to prevent it To this purpose the King went to Blois and thence to Poitiers and sent the President Jambeville into Limosin This Magistrate was very vigorous he took the Hoods away from the Consuls of Limoges who were in Office and caused two or three of the most Factious to suffer by the severest hand of Justice By these means he appeased the Tumult in Limosin as on the other side the Voyage of Rosny to Rochell disposed the People of that haughty City to admit of the Impost The Order and Paper of Prizes therefore was set up again in all the Cities But some Months after the King being satisfied of the Obedience of his Subjects and moreover finding the said Impost did stand him in almost as much to Collect it as it brought
unlawful Cabals and an unworthy Traffick of which they had undeniable Proofs before them Nevertheless such as were sincere and well meaning men amongst them moderating this difference found out an expedient to compose matters but which in truth did in some sort prejudice one advantage France had ever been in possession of But she knew how to recover her former right afterwards and to maintain it The Cardinal de Lorraine had now no other thought but to hasten the conclusion Year of our Lord 1563 of the Council that he might return into France to settle the Affairs of his House He went to wait on his Holiness at Rome with whom he had long and private Conferences and after he came back to Trent he acted altogether in concert with the Legates In so much as the said grand Assembly which during the space of twenty seven years and under the Pontificat of Five Popes had been interrupted and resumed divers times finally ended on the second day of December in the year 1563. To the unexpressible satisfaction of his Holiness who thereby was deliver'd of many great fatigues and far greater apprehensions of the diminution of his absolute power The Decisions have been received in France as to the points of Faith but not those for Discipline there being many that infringe the Rights of the Crown the Liberties of the Gallican Church the authority of the secular Magistrate the Priviledges of the Chapters and Communities and divers usages received in the Kingdom and if several of their Reiglements are practised it is not by vertue of the Decrees of that Council but of the Kings Ordonannces Year of our Lord 1561 c. Whilst that was held Calvinisme which the Edicts of King Francis I. and Henry II. had suppressed began to appear again publickly under the favour of those conjunctures we have before specified The Edict of July deliver'd them from the dangers of death the Colloquy of Poissy gave them confidence to Preach openly the Edict of January the Liberty of Exercise and the accident of Vassy the occasion to take up Arms. From thence followed infinite Murthers Robberies Destruction of Churches Burnings Prophanations and Sacrilegious Out-rages Those people inraged for that they had burned so many of their Brethren revenged it cruelly upon the ☞ Clergy as many as they caught they cut off their Ears and their Virilia some were seen to wear them upon strings hung round like Bandeliers They spared Year of our Lord 1563 not the Sepulchres of Saints nor even the Tombs of their own Ancestors they burned all the Reliques of which notwithstanding as by a Miracle we now find as many as ever and broke in pieces all the Shrines and Sacred Vases to get the Gold and Silver that enriched them From all which impieties this good at least accrued to the publick that they Coyned good store of Money but one thing was a loss without any the least profit and never to be repaired to wit the destruction of the ancient Libraries belonging to Abbeys where there were inestimable Treasures for History and for the works of Antiquity The Clergy in these Wars sustained likewise great damage in their Temporal Estates for besides that the Huguenots invaded them in many places the Kings also constrained them four or five several times to alienate much Lands for great Sums of Money to be employ'd towards the expences of their War and gave them so short a time that they were forced to sell at a very mean rate Shall we ✚ say these distractions were their ruine or their reformation since it is certain that as those riches serve them for a decent and necessary subsistence when they are moderate so are they the chief cause of their corruption when excessive and that when ever the Church had the least then was she always the most holy and pure When Francis Duke of Guise was Assassinated near Orleans the Queen-Mother and the Huguenots being on either hand delivered from that approaching ruine wherewith he threatned them were easily inclined to a Peace The Queen and the Prince her Prisoner treated it personally the Edict was dispatched to Amboise the nineteenth of March 1563. This was the first of the seven granted them by King Charles IX and Henry III. for so often did they take up Arms sometimes being thereto necessitated otherwhile out of choice and design The Massacre of Saint Bartholomew which in all probability should have utterly quelled them did but rather encourage them to undergo all future extremities since it left them no other prospect to save themselves but by hazarding their All. Now this first Peace in 1563. displeased his Holiness so much that he resolved to discharge his wrath upon those whom he believed to be the most dangerous Enemies of the Catholick Religion in France particularly upon Jane d'Albret Queen of Navarre who had banish'd it out of her Kingdom and pull'd down all the Churches and upon some Prelates who manifestly countenanced Huguenotisme Year of our Lord 1563 He had a mind to Summon the Queen before the Council and to have made her process at that grand Tribunal but foreseeing the Emperors Ambassadors would soon oppose it as they had done in the like Case concerning the Queen of England he resolved to cite her to Rome and caused the Citation to be posted up at the Gates of Saint Peters Church and at the Inquisition declaring if She did not make her appearance that her Lands and Lordships should be proscribed and that She should personally incurr all the penalties provided against Hereticks As for the Prelates he gave orders likewise to the Cardinals of the Inquisition to cite them to Rome upon a day certain and if they appeared not personally to carry on their process to a definitive Sentence which he would pronounce in his secret Consistory The Inquisitors by vertue of this Command cited Odet de Coligny Chastillon Cardinal Bishop of Beauvais but who had quitted his Purple to follow the fortune and opinions of his Brothers and bare the Title of Count de Beauvais N. de Saint Romain Arch-Bishop of Aix John de Montluc Bishop of Valence John Anthony Carracciol of Troyes John de Barbanson of Pamiez Charles Guillard of Chartres Lewis d'Albret of Lascar Claude Reyne of Oleron John de Saint Gelais of Vzez and Francis de Nouilles of Acqs. In the same number they might very justly have placed Peter du Val Bishop of Sees who was of the same sentiments with Montluc After these Proceedings in the Court of Rome the Pope pronounced the Sentence against the Cardinal de Chastillon whereby he declared him an Heretick Seducer Schismatick Apostate and one perjur'd degraded him of his Cardinalship deprived him of Offices all Dignities especially the Bishoprick of Beauvais which he held of the Holy See exposed him to all the faithful that could apprehend him deliver him up to justice The Cardinal to shew that he depended no way on the jurisdiction of the
our Lord 1591 bloody decrees they made to draw the People from their obedience to Henry III. and Henry IV. but when the latter of these two Kings was converted and withal become Master of Paris they made one quite contrary in favour of him not waiting till he had received his absolution from Rome Gregory XIV not well informed of the State of the League engaged himself yet farther then his Predecessor he promised fifteen Thousand Crowns Year of our Lord 1591 of Gold per Month to maintain and defend the City of Paris and sent an Army into France but it perished almost before it's entrance and brought much more Scandal by the Vices of their Country then assistance to the Party The Prelates to preserve their Revenues which indeed was the main thing studied by most of them and their greatest obligation followed the Party that Year of our Lord 1591 was most prevalent in those Countries where they had their Benefices but in such parts as were Subject to the Incursions of both they did not know what measures to take for if they declared for the one the other immediately gave away their Benefices Gregory by a Bull of the year 1591. commanded all those that then followed the King to forsake him upon pain of Excommunication but the present evil touching them more sensibly then his remoter Menaces they would not obey his Commands This Pope held the See but six Months Innocent his Successor but two Clement VIII who was Elected afterwards did at first follow the Steps of Gregory and sent to Philip de Sega Bishop of Piacenza who was made Cardinal by the said Gregory to procure the Election of a Catholick King This was in the year Year of our Lord 1592 1592. The Prelates on their part finding that all Communication was broke off with Rome made a Proposition for the creating a Patriarch for France and such as were the most powerful at Court either upon the Score of favour or merit did second it with all their might out of the hopes they had to obtain the said high dignity But the Cardinal de Bourbon who had other thoughts for his own grandeur opposed it vigorously under pretence that it would be a means to Confirm the King in his Schism and exasperate his Holiness the more So it was ordained that the Kings nomination to Benefices should be Confirmed by the Bishops and that each of them should have the power of his Dispensation in his Diocess as the Pope If we should judge of the intent of the Heads of the League by the effect produced we might affirm it was good for the Traverse and Troubles they gave Henry IV. put him to such a plunge that fearing worse might follow he resumed and embraced the Religion of his Ancestors to secure himself of the Crown Clement did for some time after keep the Doors of the Church shut against him but at length finding the weakness of the League and the Ambition of the King of Spain open'd them wide to him with great demonstration of kindness But not however without making all his efforts for augmenting the Authority of the Year of our Lord 1595 Holy See upon so eminent and favourable an occasion From that time France was troubled no move with those violent fits occasioned by heats of Religion although some relicks still remained within her bowels of the inflamations of the Holy League as on the other side the Cabals and Contrivances of the Huguenots gave continual Alarms and Apprehensions to King Henry IV. We have told you he allowed them the exercise of their Religion and many other advantages by the Edict of Nantes Of the corruption of the two Parties a third was generated named The Politicks a People who seeming to profess the Religion of that Party they were engaged in yet having indeed none since they placed and made it wholly subservient in all things to Temporal Interests of State were for that reason more pernicious then all the Hereticks During the greatest Heats of War for Religion under the Reign of Charles IX and the beginning of that of Henry III. the Clergy had not the leasure to assemble any Provincial Councils although the Church stood in much need of them but after the year 1580. there were held five or six by the Arch-Bishops assisted by their Suffragants The Cardinal Charles de Bourbon Assembled one at Rouen Anno 1581. Anthony Prevost Sansac held one at Bourdeaux the following year Simon de Maillé one at Tours in 1583. Reinold de Beaune one at Bourges in 1584. Alexander Canigiani one at Aix Anno 1585. And Francis de Joyeuse Cardinal one at Toulouze Anno 1590. I do not reckon amongst these Assemblies neither the diverse Conferences between the Catholick Doctors and the Protestants of which the most Famous as also the most pernicious was the Colloquy of Poissy nor even what they call Assemblies of the Clergy of France because the Form and Methods of Proceedings and the reasons of their Convocation differ very much from those of Councils though upon occasion they do sometimes treat of Discipline and other Matters Ecclesiastical It is true that in all times the Prelates have held such Assemblies either by Order of the King or by his leave when it was requisite for them so to do but they were not held regularly as they began to be since that Sacred Order was obliged in a Contract of twelve Hundred Thousand Livers of Rent to the Hostel de Ville of Paris and upon that Score to pay their Tenths punctually We may in my Opinion put that of Melun Year of our Lord 1579 which was held in the year 1597. for the first of this kind The Remonstrances they made to the King by the Mouth first of Arnaud de Pontac Bishop of Basas then of Nicholas l'Anglier Bishop of Saint Brieuc's were very pressing for the discharging and taking of those Rents for reception of the Council of Trent and the re-establishment of Elections They could obtain nothing as to the first for the second they were promis'd it should be considered in due time and place but to the Third the King replied very roughly that he would do nothing in it and asked whether they did not hold their Bishopricks from him To which some answered generously enough that they were ready to surrender them into his hands again provided he would be pleased to surrender that right to the Church according to the Holy Canons As to the remainder we may know by their Remonstrances what the disorders of the Gallican Church then were we find how the Bishopricks the Abbeys and Collegiate Churches were in the hands of Captains That these words were often heard in their Mouthes my Bishoprick my Abbey my Priest my Chanons my Monks That by an Act the Grand Council Order'd the Moneys upon the Sale of a Bishoprick should be employ'd to pay the Debts of the Vendor that in the Kings Council an Abbey
had been adjudged to a Lady as being given her in Dower with an express Declaration that after her Decease the Heirs should enjoy it in equal proportions That many Bishopricks were without Bishops and their Goods usurped by prophane Persons that of neer eight hundred Abbeys to which the King named there were not an hundred Titulary or Commendatory Abbeys and that of those the greater part did but only lend their names to others who in effect enjoy'd the Revenue Thus were the Churches without Pastors the Monasteries without Religious Votaries the Votaries without Discipline the Temples and Sacred Places fallen to ruine and converted to Dens of Thieves When the Clergy perceived they were thus left a prey to all the World and that the Licentiousness of a Civil War exposed their Goods to the first occupier the Catholicks falling on them with no less greediness then the Huguenots they endeavour'd to re-unite themselves for their own security and the Bishops were forced to reside in their Bishopricks if not to feed their Flocks yet at least to preserve wherewith to feed themselves Before this necessity they ran from them as dismal Solitudes the divertisements of Paris and Servitude at Court were a more pleasing exercise History observes how Anno 1560. John de Montluc Bishop of Valence speaking his mind freely one day in the Kings Council complained how forty had been seen at once in Paris wallowing in all manner of Debaucheries and Idleness Therefore the Parliament enjoyned them by a Decree to return to their Bishopricks and to perform their Duties otherwise they should be constrained to it by Seizure of their Goods and Equipage But perhaps considering after what way they lived there for the most part their absence might be less scandal to their Flocks then their residence ☜ would have proved In this Age were not made any new Orders of Monks I shall however mention that of the Minimes which began in the precedent Saint Francis a Native of Paolo in Calabria was the Institutor of it and did plant it in France at the time he was called thither by King Lewis XI Pope Sixtus IV. approved it in 1473. And Julius II. Confirmed it in 1506. All those of the Mendicants renewing their Ancient Fervour and Discipline some sooner others later begot divers Reformations That of Saint Francis which hath ever been more abounding than any other in diversity of Habits and Observations of Rules produced three new Branches that of the Capucines that of the Recollects and that of the Piquepusses That of the Augustines did likewise produce one which is the Hermites of Saint Augustine as the Carmelites also produced the Congregation of those named Deschaux I pass by in silence that of the Dominicans or Jacobins Reformed and that of the Augustins deschaussez or Barefooted forasmuch as they belong to the Seventeenth Age. And to speak first of the Recollects we must know that there having been at divers times many different Congregations in the Order of Saint Francis who vaunted each the observing the Rule of their Patriarch in its greatest purity and simplicity Leo X. had ordained that they should all be comprised and reduced into one under the name of the Reformed That notwithstanding there were yet many more of them who affected to be more rigid then the rest and to observe the Rule litterally pursuant to the Declarations of Nicholas III. and Clement V. That in the year 1531. Clement VIII caused certain Convents to be assigned by the Superiors of the Order where they placed those that had the Spirit of Piety and Recollection for which cause they were named Recollects The Cities of Tulle in Limosin and of Murat in Awvergne were the first in France who allowed them any Convents some Religious Friers having brought this Reformation out of Italy about the year 1584. they had one at Paris at present they have in the several parts of the Kingdom neer an Hundred and fifty which are divided into seven Provinces The Original of the Capucins so named from the extraordinary form of their Capuchon or Hood was thus In the year 1525. a Frier Minor Observantin named Matthew de Basci of the Dutchy of Spoleta a Votary in the Convent de Montefalconi affirming that God had commanded him by a Vision to the exercise of a more severe Poverty and that he had shewed him the very manner how St. Francis was cloathed cut out a long pointed Hood or Capuche* and such a Habit as the Capucins now wear and retired himself into Solitude by permission of the Pope Some others prompted by the same Spirit joyned with him to the number of twelve The Duke of Florance gave them a Hermitage in his Territories and so by little and little his band increased to that number that in the year 1528. Pope Clement VII approved this Congregation under the name of Friers Minors Capucines Pope Paul III. confirmed it Anno 1536. with permission to settle in any place and gave them a Vicar General and Officers and Superiors Such as have believed that Bernardinus Ochius who Apostatized and went over into the Camp of the Philistins or Hereticks was the Institutor of so Holy a Congregation were very ill informed perhaps the advantage he had of being once their General and one of the first and most noted of those that embraced this Reformation hath caused the mistake In the Reign of Charles IX they were received into France and had first a Convent at Meudon which the Cardinal de Lorrain caused to be crected for them and another little one in the place called Piquepuz where now are the Religious Pentients of the Tiers or third Order of Saint Francis King Henry III. transferr'd them from that place into a Convent he caused to be Built for them in the Faux-burg Sanct Honoré They have nine Provinces in this Kingdom and above four hundred Convents The Tiers Order of St. Francis named the Penitents were in the beginning only a Congregation of Secular Persons both of the one and the other Sex but some while after they were made regular Now in the following Ages being extreamly relaxed one of the Society named Vincent Massart a Parisian undertook to Reform them about the year 1595. The first Convent of this Reformation was built in the Village of Franconville between Paris and Pontoise and the second in the place called Piquepuz at the end of the Faux-burg Saint Antoine whence the vulgar hath named them * Piquepusses This Order is divided in four Provinces and hath about three-score Convents Pope Eugenius IV. having thought fit to mitigate the Rule of the Carmelites the said mitigation having made them fall into a too great relaxation Saincte Theresia a Nun of this Order in the Convent of Auilla in Castille the place of her Birth brought them again to their former Austerity She began with the Sisters for whom she built a Monastery at Avile Afterwards she undertook to restore the Men likewise
Visigoths 22 He and his Brother Clotair make themselves Masters of the Kingdom of Burgundy ib. Inhumanely Massacre two of their Nephews ib. Makes War upon Clotair his Brother 24 He and his Brother Clotair pass the Pyreneans and ravage all the Country of Arragon His death his Wife and his Children 27 Childebert II. of that name King of Austrasia 32 Adopted by Goutran his Uncle 33 Makes a League with Chilperic against him and falls upon his Country 34 Reconciliation with Goutran 38 Carries his Forces into Italy against the Lombards 39 Gives examples of severity 40 His death his Children 41 Childebert II. called the Young King of France 72 His death his Children 73 Childebrand Son of Pepin 78 Childebrand King of the Lombards 91 Childerick fourth King of France 12 Degraded of his Royalty and chaced out of France and another elected in his stead ib. Is recalled by his Subjects his Warlike Exploits his death his Children ib. Childeric King of Austrasia 62 Becomes sole King of France 64 Plunges into the Debaucheries of Wine and Women 65 Persecutes St. Leger ib. Becomes a Tyrant his unhappy end ib. Chilperic II. King of Neustria with Rainfroy his Mayor 64 65 Chilperic alone King of France with Mariel his Maire 80 His death ib. Childeric III. King of France 86 Is degraded and made a Monk 87 88 Chilperic King of Soissons falls upon the Territories of his Brother Sigebert 29 Too great Licence in his Marriage 30 Makes War against Sigebert and causes him to be assassinated 32 Seizes on the Kingdom of Paris ib. Surcharges his People with Imposts 34 Assassinated at Chelles in Brie 36 Clement IV. Pope his rare modesty 310 Confirms the election of Charles of France for the Kingdom of Sicilia Clement elected Pope is Crowned at Lyons 332 His death 336 Clodion the Hairy second King of France 8 His Conquests in Gaul ib. His death his Children 9 Clodomir King of Orleans 20 Barbarous cruelty his unhappy end 21 His Children ib. Clotaire seizes on the Kingdom of Mets after the death of Theobalde his Nephew 26 Ranges the revolted Saxons to reason ib. Succeeds in the Estates of his Brother Childebert to the prejudice of his two Nices Daughters of the defunct 27 Cruelty more then barbarous towards his Son Chramue 28 His death his Wives and Children ib. Clotaire II. of that name King of Neustria 37 Remains sole King of all France 45 Set himself to regulate his State and restore Justice and good order ib. His death his Wives and Children 47 Count of Flanders makes a League with the English and draws the War upon his own Country 326 Is held Prisoner in Paris 327 Clotaire III. King of Neustria and Burgundy 62 His death 63 Clotaire King of Austrasia 79 His death 80 Clovis V. King of France succeeded to his Fathers Crown and makes great Conquests 14 Marries Clotilda ib. Defeats and subdues the Almains ib. His Conversion to the Christian Religion and his Baptism 15 Makes War upon the Burgundians 16 17 Reforms the Salique Law 16 Makes War against the Visigoths ib. Rids his hands of the other petty French Kings of his Relations 17 His death his Children ib. Clovis Son of Chilperic his unfortunate end by the wickedness of Fredegonda his Mother in Law 34 Clovis second King of Neustria and Burgundy takes away the Silver Ornaments of St. Denis Church to feed the Poor during a Famine accused for having taken an Arm of St. Denis to keep in his Oratory 59 His death his Wife his Children 60 Clovis III. King of Neustria and Burgundy 71 His death ib. Clugny Abby its beginning 205 Loses its Reputation Colledge of Navarre its Reputation 331 Combats of Wild-Beasts practised under our first Kings of France 90 Comedians Jugglers Buffoons c. banished the Court of France 253 Comet in the Sign of Sagitarius In the Sign of Virgo In the Sign of Scorpio 201 Comet seen in the year 1264. Comet in the year 1301. Of the Earldom of Holland 140 Earls of Anjou their Original 149 Conan Duke of Bretagne his death 221 Conan the Fat Duke of Bretagne 237 Conan III. Duke of Bretagne 245 Canon the Little Duke of Bretagne his death 249 Councils necessary to preserve the purity of the Faith and the Ecclesiastical Discipline 4 The first Councils that were held and Celebrated in Gall. 4 5 Councils held in Gall during the fifth and sixth Ages 18 19 Councils Convocated in France during the Seventh Age. 75 Council of Francfort against the Heresie of Felix d'Vrgel 104 Councils held in France during the Eight Century 114 Council of Lateran 141 Council of French Bishops at Mets. ib. Council of Attigny 143 Council of Savomeres Council of Poutigon 145 Council of Tribur 160 Councils Celebrated in France during the Ninth Age. 171 c. Council of French Bishops at Mets. 141 Council general of the Bishops of Gall and Germany at Ingelheim 180 Council of Reims 203 Councils held in France during the Tenth Age. 206 Councils Provincial annulled by the Popes 230 Councils assembled in France during the Eleventh Century 232 Council National at Chartres 243 Councils of Spain lay the first foundations of the Authority of the Popes 290 Council of Lyons where the Emperor Frederic is Excommunicated and degraded of the Empire 303 Council of Lyons the Pope presiding there in Person 316 Council general assigned at Vienne in Daufine 235 Councils of the Gallican Church during the Twelfth Age. 289 Such as were held by Order of the King 290 Councils of the Gallican Church lose their Authority 289 Councils of France of the Twelfth Age whereat the Popes assisted ib. Councils held in France during the Thirteenth Age for the extirpation of Hereticks 337 Confession publick at the point of death 287 Confession Auricular 287 Conrar Duke of Wormes raised to the Empire 217 Conrad King of Germany his death 163 Conrad Duke of Lorraine obstinately Rebellious 181 Conrad King of Burgundy his death Conrade the Emperor takes the Cross on him and goes into the Holy Land 244 His return into Italy 245 His death 246 Conrade Son of the Emperor Frederic 306 Passes into Italy causes his Nephew Frederic to be Strangled and seizes upon Sicilia 307 His death ib. Conradin ib. Descends into Italy with a great Army for the recovery of Sicilia his unfortunate end 311 Conspiracy of the Romans against Pope Leo. 121 Of Bernard King of Italy against his Uncle Lewis the Debonaire 122 Conspiracy and horrible Treason of the Neustrians against their King Charles 139 Other Treachery of the same in favour of the same Prince ib. Conspiracy against Charles the Bald. 146 Conspiracy of the Italians against their King Berenger 185 Constance Wife of King Robert proud capricious and insupportable 211 212 Constance of Sicilia Marries the Emperor Henry IV. 246 Constance Elizabeth second Wife of King Lewis the Young 16 Constantine Copronymus endeavours to recover the Exarchat by means of the French Constantinople besieged and forced by
the French and the Venetians joyned together 262 Returns from the hands of the Latins into that of the Greeks 309 Constantius Count and Patrician in Gall. 3 Crimes how punished amongst the ancient French Divers means to purge themselves thereof 49 Crimes they justified themselves by Combat Croisades and beyond-Sea Expeditions advantageous to Popes and Kings but disadvantageous to the great Lords and the People 224 First Croisade and their happy Exploits 224 25 Croisade preached over all Christendom 223 Croisade for the recovery of the Holy Land 260 Croisade against the Albigeois 264 Croisades affirming the Popes Authority 262 Croisade new of French Lords for the Holy Land 301 Croisade new by St. Lewis for succouring the Christians in the Levant 312 Croisades during the Thirteenth Age. 336 Cunibert Bishop of Colen 56 D. Dagobert Son of Clotaire the miraculous protection of his Person 45 Builds the Abby of St. Denis ib. His Father gives him the Kingdom of Austrasia 46 His Marriage quarrel between the Father and the Son ib. Dagobert I. of that name King of Neustria Austrasia and Burgundy 54 He gives part of Aquitain to his Brother Aribert 54 Too much licence in his Marriage ib. Remains sole King after the death of his Brother Aribert 55 Establishes his Son Sigebert King of Austrasia 56 Disposes of Neustria and Burgundy in favour of his Son Clovis ib. Subdues the Gascons and brings them to reason 57 His death ib. Dagobert Son of Sigebert King of Austrasia shaved and banish'd 60 Is recalled and acknowledged King of Austrasia 66 His death 68 Dagobert II. King of France 77 The Danes and Normands infest the Coasts of France 106 Continue their Piracies 211 St. Denis Areopagite his Corps found intire in the Monastery of St. Denis in France 233 Devotion and Piety admirable in our ancient Kings of France 73 St. Didier Bishop of Lyons suffers Martyrdom 43 Didier King of the Lombards conceives the design of abating the power of the Popes and making himself Master of Italy excites Troubles and Schisms in the Church of Rome 98 Causes of particular enmity between him and Charlemain 98 Is dispossest of his Estate 99 His death ib. Didier is elected King of the Romans after the death of Astolphus Anno 755. Differences between Hugh de Vermandois and Artold for the Archbishoprick of Reims 180 Difference between King Lotair and the Children of Hugh the Great 184 Dispensations their beginning 182 Dissentry horrible in France 34 Divorce of a Marriage the cause of great Troubles 243 Dol in Bretagne made a Metropolitan 134 Brought again under that of Tours 274 Dominion Example of an enraged passion for Dominion 296 Dominicans their Institution and Establishment 339 Dreux Bishop of Mets. 127 Drogo or Dreux Son of Pepin 72 Drogon Duke of Bretagne his death 184 Dutchy of Lorrain given to Godfrey Earl of Verdin Bouillon and Verdun 209 Dutchies of two sorts in France 183 Duel proposed to the King by his Subjects 235 E. Ebles Count of Auvergne and Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine 170 Ebles Baron de Roucy a famous Warrier humbled and brought to reason 227 Ebon Bishop of Reims deposed and degraded 128 Ebroin Maire of the Palace perfidious and wicked 62 69 Is shaved and confined to the Monastery of Luxieu 64 Quits the Monastery to take up Arms. 67 His retreat into Austrasia he there supposes a false Clovis in the place of King Thierry whom he feigns to be dead 67 Causes St. Leger to attaqu'd in his City of Autun puts his Eyes out and shuts him up in a Monastery ib. Is received Maire of Thierries Palace 68 Great Tyranny his death 69 Eclipse of the Sun 213 Ecclesiasticks go to Rome to visit the Holy Places 269 Edmund Brother of Edward King of England his death 326 Edward eldest Son of the King of England goes to make War in the Holy Land 312 Edward Son and Successor of Henry King of England 315 At his return from the Holy Land passes thorough France ib. Passes by Sea and comes to the City of Amiens 319 His Voyage to Burdeaux by France 322 Employs himself to accommodate the differences betwixt the Kingdoms of Arragon and Sicilia 323 A Riot between some particular People makes him break the Peace with France 324 325 Makes a powerful League against France 326 Attaques the Scots and brings them under his Laws 327 Marries with Margaret of France 330 Makes Peace with the King of France 331 His death 334 Edward Son of King Edward Marries Isabella of France 327 Edward II. King of England 332 His Contest with Charles the Fair King of France 351 Odious to his People by reason of his Favourites his unfortunate end 352 Ega Maire of the Palace of Neustria his death 58 Election and the Investiture of the Popes in the power of the Emperor Otho 186 Election of Popes 3â—6 Elections to Benefices 285 Emma Queen of France 168 Emma or Emina Wife of King Lothaire 198 Empire Rome when it ended 13 Empire troubled about the Election of an Emperor after the death of Henry VI. 259 Empire of Greece difference between Michael and Baldwin determined 318 Empire ruined by its dis-union Engelberge Wife of the Emperor Lew's of Italy 156 Enguerrand de Marigny his unhappy end 336 Enterprise of the Pope upon the Bishops of France 203 Enterview of the three Kings of France of Germany and of Burgundy 170 Enterview between Lewis Transmarine and Otho of Lorraine 180 Enterview of the Emperor Henry and King Robert 211 Enterview and Enterparlance of the Emperor Henry III. and Henry King of France 217 Enterview of the King of France Lewis the Young and the Emperor Federic 247 Enterview of the Kings of France and Arragon 308 Enterview of the two Kings of France and England in the City of Amiens 319 Enterview of the Kings of France and Castille at Bayonne 323 Enterview of the King of France and the Emperor at Vaucouleurs 328 Eon de L'Estoille His ignorance passes for a great Prophet is apprehended his death 291 Erchinoald Maire of the Palace 61 Era or manner of accompting of the times by the Mahometans 47 Estate of the Gallican Church after the Conversion of Lewis or Clovis the Great 50 The Fourth Age. 4 During the Fifth and Sixth Ages 17 The Seventh 73 The Eighth 112 The Ninth 170 The Tenth 205 The Eleventh Age or Century 228 Eudes Duke of Aquitaine 80 Makes a League with the Sarecens of Spain and draws them into France 81 c. His death 82 Eudes Count of Paris and Duke of France succeeds in the Estates of Hugh the Great his Brother 155 Is raised to his Dignity and declared King of West France 156 Defeats and cuts the Normans in pieces 157 Quarrel betwixt him and Charles the Simple 159 His death 160 Eudes first Earl of Champagne 203 Eudes Count de Pontieure 211 Eudes Son of King Robert Earl of Champagne disputes the Crown with Henry his Brother 214 Reduced to reason 215 Undertakes
their Progress in Europe 412 Make a great Progress 562 Ravage the Island of Corfu Raise the Siege of Belgrade 606 Turelupines Heretiques 445 V VAlentinois and Diois United to Daufiné 460 Valentine of Milan Marries the Duke of Orleans 412 Vaudemont Commands the Naval Force for the King at Naples 585 His Death 590 Vaudois in the Alps exterminated Venceslaus Emperour King of Bohemia comes into France 417 Is degraded of the Empire 418 Venetians jealous of the glorious Success of the French in Italy make a League against them 521 Conquer a part of the Dutchy of Milan 536 Their irregular Ambition draws the French Arms upon them as also the Emperour and the Pope and are roughly handled 545 Their Affairs re-settled 546 Shut up the Passage into Italy against the Emperour Maximilian 544 c. Agree with France 552 John de Vienne Admiral of France Lands in Scotland against the English 408 Goes into Hungary against the Turks 417 La Vigne Ambassador of France at Constantinople 644 Villeroy Secretary of State 623 De Villers-Adam Burgundian is by Night introduced into Paris and makes himself Master of it 435 436 P. de Villers L'Isle-Adam Great-Maistre of the Knights of Rhodes 573 University of Paris and its Priviledges 413 Endeavour to determine the Schisme that was in the Church 414 A mark of their Power 420 Their continual pursuits for the re-union of the Church 422 Hinder the Abolition of the Pragmatique 482 Its Reformation 506 Vrban V. Pope ransomed by the Forces that were going into Spain 389 His Death 391 Vrban VI. Pope 396 Baseness and meanness 402 To revenge himself of Jane Queen of Naples he causes Charles de Duras to go thither and take Possession of that Kingdom 404 Sounds a War on all hands against the Clementines 407 His Death 414 Francis Maria Duke of Vrbin 570 The D. of Vrbin General of the Venetian Army 584 Commands the Confederate Army in Italy 591 D'Vrfé Grand Escuyer 508 The Earl of Warwick chaces Edward of York King of England 492 His Death 493 Dukes of Wirtemberg restored to their Countrey 597 Wirtemberg Duke General of an Army 605 Wickliffe X JOhn Xancoins Receiver General convicted of Misdemeanour 466 Y The D. of York Slain in Battle 467 Z John de ZApols pretended King of Hungary calls in the Turks to his Assistance 562 Zizim Son of Mahomet Prisoner to the Knights of Rhodes 503 Is put into the hands of Pope Innocent VIII 515 Zuinglius begins to Vend his Opinions Doctrines and Errors 563 A TABLE OF THE KINGS OF FRANCE Contained in this THIRD PART FRANCIS II. King LIX Page 657 1559. In July CHARLES IX King LX. 673 1560. In December INTERREGNVM 731 1574. In June HENRY III. King LXI 737 1574. In September HENRY IV. King LXII 797 1589. In August A TABLE Of the Principal Matters contained in this THIRD PART A ABbey of Saint Peter sacked Pag. 817 Abbeville sets up the Ensigns of the League 788 Submits to the King 839 Azores faithful to the Prior of Crato 753 Aiguesmortes surprized by Montbrun 728 Aiguillon taken by the Huguenots 709 Aix for the League 744 John d'Alargon de Merargues his Treachery 920 Alba-Royal taken by the Christians 886 Arch-Duke Albert of Austria 854 Takes Calais 855 And Ardres ib. d'Albret Jane Queen of Navarre Aldobrandius makes a Faction 915 Alfonso II. Duke of Ferrara 861 Alenson Duke courts Queen Elizabeth of England 722 Favours the Hereticks 725 Demands the general Lieutenancy of the Army 's 727 The King refuses him ib. Is the only hopes of the Huguenots ib. Escapes and gets to Dreux 741 Makes his Peace 743 Comes to Court 744 Takes the Title of Duke of Anjou Subject of his Animosity against the Huguenots 744 Besieges and takes la Charité 748 The King not willing he should concern himself in the business of the Low-Countries causes him to be secur'd he escapes 751 Comes to Anger 's and from thence to Mons in Hainault where he takes the Low-Countries into his Protection ib. Takes places for his Security ib. Besieges Bins and beats it so furiously that he takes it ib. Maubeuge opens her Gates to him ib. Quesnoy and Landrecy refuse him entrance ib. Alenson resents not the fury of the Saint Bartholomew Pag. 721 l'Allemand Vouzé Master of Requests discovers the Conspiracy of Amboise 665 Alost surprized by the Duke of Anjou 762 Ambassadour of France goes before him of Spain 685 Ambassadours of Poland their arrival to Congratulate their new King 725 Amnistie general granted to the Huguenots 688 Amnistie granted to the Parisians by Henry IV. 834 Amurath III. Sultan 876 Angoulesme seized by the Huguenots 680 Anjou Duke made General of the Armies 698 Fights the Battle of Jarnac 704 Raises the Siege of Poitiers 712 Fights the Battle of Moncontour 721 Excites his Brother to Massacre the Huguenots 717 Is elected King of Poland 725 Is much beloved there at first but soon after hated 726 Anthony King of Navarre 657 Unworthily used 659 Commands an Army for the King 683 Wounded at the Siege of Rouen his Death ib. Anthony Prior of Crato declares himself King of Portugal Comes into France 753 Antwerp taken and sacked by the Spanish Soldiers 751 Missed by the Duke of Anjou 763 Ardemburgh taken by the Hollanders 913 Arras the place where the Duke of Parma died 827 Arrest or Decree of Parliament in favour of Henry IV. 831 Arrest annulling all the Arrests or Decrees made against Henry IV. 838 Arrest or Sentence against Biron 896 Articles of Pacification granted to Rochel by the Duke of Anjou 725 Articles of the Treaty between Henry IV. and the Duke of Savoy 887 Assemblies Nocturnal and Clandestin of the Religionaries forbidden 661 Assembly of the Grandees of the Kingdom at Fountaâ—nbleau to remedy the troubles caused by the differences in Religion 666 Assembly of the Huguenots at Millaud 732 Assembly of the Notables at Compeigne 726 Assembly of the Clergy of France Church 16 th Age. Ast rendred to the Duke of Savoy 675 Aumale Duke Commands the King's Armies in Normandy 682 Austria Don Juan going to the Low-Countries passes thorow France 744 Is Governor thereof 751 Approves of the Pacification of Ghent ib. Gains the Battle of Gemblours 752 His death ib. Suspected to have been Poisoned by his Brother the King of Spain 752 Auvergne redeems themselves from being Plundred by the Germans 742 Auvergne partly debauched from the Service of the King 791 Count d'Auvergne apprehended 914 His long Imprisonment 915 B BAligny natural Son of the Bishop of Valence disposes the Polanders to elect the Duke of Anjou for their King 724. Balagny advises the War against the Spaniard 842 Loses Cambray 849 Balsac Frances Entragues Married with a Natural Daughter of Charles IX 730 Baronius an ardent defender of his Holiness 926 Bellarmine a defender of his Holiness 926 Serves Henry IV. 849 Barry Georges la Renaudie Deputy for the Huguenots 665 Is made Lieutenant to the Prince of Condé ib.
took part with him and had the generosity to console him The Council of Spain were in dispair for that the French passed in great numbers to the Service of the Hollanders and every year the King furnished those Provinces with six hundred thousand Livers in ready Money These succours had put King Philip to so great an expence that not knowing where to get any more Cash he laid an Impost of thirty per Cent. upon all Goods imported into his Dominions or exported thence The King could not suffer such exaction which enriched his Enemies to the loss of his Subjects he prohibited all Commerce to the Low-Countries and Spain and observing that the appetite of gain tempted the Merchants who for the most part value no other Soveraign but their Interest to infringe his Laws he added great penalties to it This was to begin a rupture the Spaniard set a good face upon it as if they much desired it but under-hand sollicited the Popes mediation who put an end to this dispute by perswading them to take off the new impost oâ— the one hand and the prohibition on the other Not daring openly to revenge himself upon the King he endeavoured at least to contrive some private means to perplex and displease him Taxis his Ambassador had concern'd himself in the intrigues of the Morchioness de Vernevil Balthazar de Suniga who succeeded him follow'd his Foot-steps and held secret correspondence with five or six Italians who absolutely governed the Queen particularly Conchino Conchini a noble Florentine and Leonora Galigay a Bed-Chamber woman to that Princess whom Conchini had Married She was the homeliest Creature about the Court and of very abject birth but that great Empire she had over her Mistress repaired all the defects both of her person and condition The King as weak in his passions and domestick Affairs as valiant and rough in War had neither the heart to reduce his Wife to obedience nor to rid his hands of his Mistresses who were cause of all his Domestick broils Those little Italian people to render themselves more necessary exasperated the spirits they should have allay'd and by the malignity of their Reports and Councils encreased the Queens discontents so that instead of reclaiming the King by alluring Caresses for he would be flattered and endeavouring to regain his affection with the same Arts others made use of to steal it from her she made him loath her Society with her Eternal grumblings and bitter reproaches This contest betwixt Man and Wife was the perpetual business of the Court their Confidents were no less busily employ'd in these Negociations then the Council was in the most important Affairs of State and this disorder lasted as long as their Marriage being sometimes quieted and laid asleep for a few days then wak'd and rouz'd agen by fresh occasions and accordingly as those Boutefeux thought fit month March April c. The Marchioness on her part crafty and coquette used all her artifice to maintain those fewds which maintain'd her felicity Amongst her Jests with which she made the King merry she often mixed some insolencies against the Queen and upon divers occasions would make her self her equal spake meanly of her extraction and then would counterfeit the Gate her gestures and her way of speaking These offences did so much heighten the resentments of this Princess that she with outragious Language threatned a severe Revenge the Marchioness having reason therefore to apprehend more then a bare affront and withal displeased with the King for not taking her part made use of an artifice common enough amongst those Female Politicians when designing to revive a dying passion She feigned to be touched with a remorse of Conscience and Christian sorrow the fear of God said she would suffer her no more to think of what was past but only to do penance for it and that of her own life and Childrens forbid her to see the King in private She went yet farther and begged leave of him to seek a Sanctuary out of the Kingdom for her and hers This Artifice had not at first its effect for the Holy time of Easter approaching he was resolved to take her at her word and to give her leave to retire into England where she might have the Duke of Lenox her neer Kinsman to support Year of our Lord 1604 her but not to carry her Children As to the rest to qualifie the Queens discontent he desired she should surrender up the Promise of Marriage he had given her and with which she made so much noise shewing it to any one that had the curiosity to see it His intreaties were not prevalent enough he was obliged to make use of his Authority together with Twenty thousand Crowns in Money and the hopes of a Mareschal's Staff for the Father Upon which Conditions she deliver'd it in the presence of some Princes and Lords who verified and witnessed in Writing that it was the Original After all this the Queen being satisfied and the Marchioness appearing no more the Tempest seemed to be allay'd when the King discover'd that Entragues Father of the said Lady and the Count d'Auvergne had contrived a dangerous design with King Philip's Ambassador It was to convey the Marchioness into Spain with her Children which was negociated with Balthazar de Suniga Ambassador from the Catholick King by the management of a certain Englislr Gentleman named Morgan It was reported whether true or false how the Count d'Auvergne having acquainted the Spaniards with the Promise of Marriage the King had given the Marchioness had made a seoret Treaty with them by which King Philip promised his assistance to set her Son in the Throne And to that purpose would furnish them with Five hundred thousand Livers in Money and order the Forces he had in Catalogne to March and second the Party who were to Cantonize in Guyenne and Languedoc Nay much more was mention'd month June c. but few believed it as that the Count had framed an Attempt upon the Life of the King and that he was to dispatch him when he came to visit the Marchioness then seize upon the Daufin Now after the Death of l'Hoste the Count finding the Intrigue began to be discover'd retired into Auvergne upon pretence of a Quarrel which hapned to him at Court The Business being taken into Deliberation by the Council some gave their Opinions he ought to be treated like the Mareschal de Biron but the King would by no means proceed after that manner The example would have been of Consequence to his Bastards So that the Constable and the Duke de Ventadour the former Father in Law to the Count and the other his Brother month July in Law found it no difficult matter to get a Pardon for the Life of that wretched Man upon condition however that he should Travel three years in the Levant When he thought himself out of Danger he offer'd the King if he would he pleased to give him
his full Liberty to continue his Correspondence with the Spaniards that he might discover all their Secrets and give him a true account thereof The King seemed to confide in his Promises soon discover'd that he neither kept Faith with him nor his Enemies but juggled with both Thereupon he Commands him to Court The Count excuses it till he had his full and authentick Pardon they sent it to him but with this Clause That he should come to the King He could not find in his heart to relye upon the word of a Prince whom he had so often deceived so that the King resolved he should be Apprehended month July in Auvergne The Count stood much upon his guard and thought there was no Man in the world able to surprize him being so well fore-warn'd Notwithstanding Nerestan and the Baron of Eurre having inticed him into the Field to be present at the Muster of a Company of Gens-d'armes belonging to the Duke of Vendosme surrounded and dismounted him and took him in such manner month Septemb. c. as is at length related by the Historians of those times At the same time Entragues and his Wife were seized in their House at Malesherbes and the Marchioness in her Hostel at Paris The Count was brought to the Bastille and Entragues to the Conciergerie or Common-Goal of Paris It was necessary that all the world might see and know the Spaniards still maintained Factions in France The King therefore commanded his Parliament to proceed against these Criminals The event we shall shew in the next years Transactions Another Faction also did much discompose the King's Thoughts He could not deny the Hugenots leave to Assemble at Chastelleâ—ant and it was to be feared the Intrigues of the Mareschal de Bouillon and Credit of the Duke de la Trimouille month May. and du Plessis Mornay should put them upon Resolutions contrary to his will and interest But Rhosny under colour of going to take Possession of his Government of Poiton broke their measures And la Trimouille falling into Convulsions and then languishing died some while after Aged not above Four and Thirty years He was a Noble-man of great Courage and of most eminent Qualities Year of our Lord 1604 but not of such as suited with a Monarchick state The King diverted himself amidst all these Intrigues with Buildings and other such like Occupations when his leisure would give him leave as tended to the improvement of his Kingdom King Henry III. had begun the Pont-Neuf having built two Arches and brought the Pyles for the rest above the Water mark Henry IV. finish'd it so that People began to pass over about the end of the preceding year He carried on the Works also of the Louver Galleries the Castles Sainct Germain en Laye Fontainebleau and Monceaux which last he had bestow'd upon his Wife After his Example all the Great and the Rich fell to Building the City of Paris was visibly enlarged and embellished The Hospital Sainct Lewis was Erected for such as were infected with the Plague Some private people undertook the Place or Square Royal and others offer'd to make a much finer one in the Marese du Temple They likewise offer'd at many Projects to make several Rivers Navigable which either had never yet been so of else were now choaked up and to open a Communication between the greatest by means of the lesser lying nearest together with some new Channels where it should be necessary to carry it from the month May. one to the other They proffer'd to joyn the Seine to the Loire the Loire to the Soane and the Garonne with the Aude which falls into the Mediterraneum neer Narbonne The Conjunction of these two last would have made that of the two Seas As for that of the Seine and the Loire Rhosny undertook it drawing a Channel from Briare which lies on the Seine to Chastillon above Montargis upon the River Loin and falls into the Seine at Moret In this Channel they Collected all the Waters of the adjacent Rivolets designing to make Two and thirty Sluces to retain and let them go by flashes when needful to convey their Boats He Expended above Three hundred thousand Crowns but the change of Government made this design to miscarry though very much advanc'd It was a long while after taken up again and compleated at last In the Month of October a new Phenomena was observed in the Heavens which appeared four Months together It was at first taken for the Planet Venus because although it exceeded all the other Stars in Magnitude and Splendour yet had it no Tail but Observation soon found it was different from that Planet for they both appeared at the same time John Kepler a very Learned Mathematician wrote a Treatise of its Motion according to the Rules of Astronomy without troubling himself or the World to no purpose like the Judicial Prognosticators who upon this Apparition and the Conjunctions and Oppositions of some other Planets hapning this year and such as were to happen the year following made as is usual divers strange and terrible Predictions month March c. There was for about two Months an extream Scarcity in Languedoc and which would have caused a horrible Famine had they not been furnished with Wheat from Champagne and Burgundy by the Rivers of Soane and the Rhône The Plague also raged in several Provinces of France the soregoing year it had afforded Death a most plentiful Harvest in England When the Plague was ceased in those Countries King James hold his first Parliament in London to whom having made a Gracious and Royal Speech concerning the happy Union of the two Kingdoms the Affection he had for his Subjects the Laws and Regulations they were to make he desired of his Parliament and they granted it That from thence forward the Kingdoms of England and Scotland should be joyned into one Body under the Denomination of GREAT BRITAIN otherwhile used by the Romans Whereupon was Coined that Medal bearing this Inscription HENRICUS ROSAS REGNA JACOBUS His Speech was full of excellent things amongst others That he did not believe as Flatterers would fain persuade their Princes that God bestowed Kingdoms upon Men to satisfie their unruly Lusts and Pleasures but to take care of the Peace and Welfare of the People That the Head was made for the Body not the Body for the Head The Prince for the People not the People for the Prince month March c. The Subtil Scholiasts have so great an itch to bring every thing into Dispute that some Jesuits moved this year three Questions at Rome which begot great Contentions in Year of our Lord 1604 that Court and greater Scandal thorow-out all Christendom The First That it was not an Article of Faith to believe that Clement VIII was Pope which so enraged the Holy Father as without the Intercession of the Spanish Ambassador the Society had been in great Danger The Second That Sacramental Confession might be made