God seeing them wilfully repugne his truth augmented theyr sorrowes more and more for the Prince of Piemont did nowe more narrowly besiege Saint Quintins then before and hauing strongly fortified his Campe and stored himselfe with all conuenient necessaries for to maintaine the siege raised his mounts and planted 45. peeces of great ordenance wherewith hee battered the walles in most furious maner ‡ The Admirall would not hearken to a composition The admiral who was a very valiant pollitike and wise chiefetaine would not hearken to any composition but repayring the breaches resolued to keepe the place in despite of the enemie the Prince on the other side plyed the battery and hauing with much adoo made a sufficient breach disposed his bandes and gaue order for the assault the first place was assigned to Captaine Cazares maister of the Campe and to Lazaro Collonell of fifteene hundred Almaines The second to Captaine Nauarre with certain bands of Spaniards and to count Meigue with his Wallones the third to Iulian Romero with 3. ensignes of Spaniards 2000. English and the fourth to captain Carronnellet with 3. ensignes of of Burgonians all which beeing in a readines valiantly approched the wals Saint Quintins taken by assault The Admirall had likewise determined how to receiue the enemie and putting himselfe into that place where hee supposed most danger with great hardinesse expecting the comming of the Spaniards but there was not the like resolution on all hands for the souldiours beeing discouraged with the late ouerthrow and the inhabitants beeing timorous as men not accustomed to such daungers made small resistance so that the enemie entred at his pleasure which when the admirall to his vnspeakeable griefe beheld hee was enforced to seek to saue himself by yeelding to a common souldier The admiral yeldeâ—h himself to a common sâ—uldior who brought him to captain Cazares by whom he was led prisoner to the prince Dandelot his brother was likewise taken but he found the means to escape by a desperate aduenture to recouer his libertie Irnac S. Remy La Gard Cuzneux Moulins Bruell Bretanie Rambouâ—llet S. Romain S. Andre Linieres Soleil did likewise remaine prisoners Fayet le Iaune Salleuert Oger Vignes la Barre Estang Gourds and many other braue men were slaine The whole towne was sacked and spoiled and a maruellous masse of wealth gotten and caried into the low countries The French king was all this while prouiding his forces and deuising by what meanes he might best make head against his enemie fearing indeed the Prince would follow his good fortune and proceed further into France by reason that he had sent the Count of Frembarg with 1000. horse and 3. regiments of Lancequenets containing 14. ensignes 20. peeces of batterie to besiege Castellet a place of very great strength yet was it soone taken by the enemie the French not daring to abide the Canon so exceedingly were they afrighted with their former losses In the middest of all these mischiefs there fell out one thing which turned to the great aduantage of the French king A mutiny in the Spanish campe and brought no small hinderance to the Spanish kings proceedings and that was the mutinie among the Almaines and Spaniards who falling at dissention about their booties and spoiles gotten at S. Quintins the ransoms of their prisoners were the occasion of much trouble and tumult in the army Which when the French king vnderstood he practised in such maner with sundry of the Almain captains that their oath being expired with King Philip they were contented to be reclaimed by him and to serue against the enemies of the Flower de Lis. By this time was the Duke of Guise come out of Italie and being made the Kings Lieutenant was sent with a strong power toward Amiens with a secret commandemeÌ„t to enterprise against Calice if occasion serued The duke finding the towne slenderly prouided suddenly planted his siege about it The duke of Guise besiegeth Calice winneth it and that in the midst of winter And first assailed a fort called Nieulay which was easily gayned From thence he sent part of his army along the downes to Risebank which he likewise tooke without any great resistance The duke hauing gotten two principal places that in one day planted his battery against the towne wherin was gouernor the L. Wentworth who seeing the vnexpected successe of the French how fortune fauored the D. in all his dessignes disposed of all things as well as he might and endeuored to remoue the French out of their trenches but that was impossible for the duke was so strongly fortified and had gotten such places of aduaÌ„tage that he could not be forced by any means whatsoeuer The duke hauing planted 15. Canons began his battery against the old castle that with great fury And for that the wals were ruinous easie to be pearced the breach was soone made assault giuen but the French were repulsed at the first with the losse of their forwardst men notwithstanding they being incouraged with their former successe continued their enterprise and at last gayned the Castell which the Duke did forthwith cause to be strongly fortified This was a very great losse to the English for that from thence the French might shoote into the towne at their pleasure Now was Calice narrowly besieged and all passages were stopped in such sort that it was impossible to conuay in any succours or to send forth any to giue aduertisement of the distressed estate of the inhabitants Which when the Lord Wentworth perceiued and how that for want of necessaries he was not able to keepe the towne any longer he was content to parle with the Duke and to yeeld vpon composition Whereto the Duke of Guise willingly assented so that after much debating on either side the towne was yelded vpon condition Calice yeelded to the D. of Guise that the inhabitants might safely depart without impeachment whither they listed and the lord Wentworth with diuerse others to the number of fiftie of the chiefest to remaine prisoners Thus was Calice in lesse then seuen daies recouered by the French which had bin besieged by Edward the third king of England by the space of a whole yere and which had remained in the English mens hands for the space of 210. yeres to the incredible ioy of the French And as it was lost vnder Phâ—lip of Valois the French King so was it regained by the French in the time of Philip king of England The duke folowing his good fortune did forthwith besiege Guines wherin commaunded the valiant lord Gray who albeit he did stoutly hold out for a time abiding the planting of the Canon and a furious assault yet was he forced in the end to yeeld and to resigne his office to another man Which when the garrison of Hams vnderstood they abandoned the fort withdrew themselues to a place of greater securitie The French king was not a
a time and the yong Prince continued in verie good grace vntill at length by reason of newe occasions of suspition hee was forced to auoyde the Realme so exceedingly was the King his father incensed agaynst him and going to Philip Duke of Burgundie who at that present was a verie great and mightie potentate was most honorably intertained furnished with all things necessarie for himselfe and his retinue where hee remained for a long time notwithstanding the duke was very often earnestly solicited to the coÌ„trarie by the king his father At the last all the stormie tempests being blowne ouer and he vpon the decease of his father being called home to receiue the Diademe and crowne of France Lewis the 11. K. of France he departed from the Court of Burgundie where he had liued a stranger and vnder the coÌ„trolment of others towards his new kingdome and naturall Countrie which he found very peaceable and flourishing in all wealth and prosperitie where hee was no sooner quietly established but that remembring some olde iniuries Lewis the 11. reiecâ—eâ—h his faâ—hers old counsellors and disliking manie of his fathers most faithfull and trustie counsellers hee remoued sundry out of their rowmes and offices and imprisoned others electing new into their places to the great griefe of diuerse of his best affected subiects the exceeding discontentment of most of his chiefest Nobilitie wherupon ensued maruellous trouble to the common wealth and vnspeakeable care and vexation of mind to himselfe The Duke of Britaine and sundrie other of the nobility rise against the King For the Duke of Brytaine the Duke of Berry the Duke of Nemours the earle of Saint Paule the earle of Arminake Beauleu Albret and manie other great Lords and states being highlie displeased with the King and with his gouernement banded togither against him and calling to theyr ayde Count Charolois sonne and heyre to Philip Duke of Burgundie raysed a mightie and puyssaunt armie wherewith they approched Paris and held besieged the chiefest Cittie of the land The King vnderstanding the daunger wherein the towne stoode The K. marcheth toward Paris and the resolution of his enemies hasted by all possible meanes to put himselfe within Paris the safekeeping whereof woulde be most auayleable for the aduancement of his other affayres Wherefore hauing gathered a strong power marched forwardes on his intended voyage not purposing to hazarde his fortune vppon anie aduauntage that shoulde be offered but onelie to defende himselfe and to amuse his enemies vntill the tyme might minister some better meanes to accomplish his desyres notwithstanding The k forced to forsake the field through the rash headinesse of the Lieutenant of Normandie called Le Bressy who had the leading of the auauntgarde the King was constrained to fight and to aduenture to open his passage by force of armes But being valiantly resisted by his enemies after a terrible and bloodie fight hee was forced to forsake the field and to retyre towards Corbeile leauing the entyre glorie of that victorie to Count Charolois and his associates As this good fortune puffed vp the haughtie minde of the Conquerour making him proude disdainfull and highly conceyted of his owne valour which in the ende bred his owne confusion and ouerthrowe The King reconcileth his subiects and maketh peace with Count Charolois so did it teach the conquered to pull downe his spirits and with all circumspect diligence and care to prouide for his future safetie in the most politike manner that hee might and hauing though with much adoo made peace with Count Charolois an enemie that hee greatly feared and reconciled his discontented Nobles who were a long time as prickes in his eyes and thornes in his sydes and withall concluded a league with Edwarde the fourth King of Englande at Pikquennie to his great aduauntage there remayned nothing that might any way endaunger his estate but onelie the greatnesse of Charles Duke of Burgundie who though he were at amitie with the King yet for that hee had a most turbulent spirite and of all other could least abide to continue for anie long time together in peace the King thought hee had iust occasion to suspect him Charles D. of Burgundy slaine at Nancy and therefore howsoeuer in outwarde shewe he made much of him yet in heart hee wished for nothing more then his confusion and ouerthrowe which appeared most apparantly by his secrete practises agaynst the Duke and then coulde no longer be hidde when as hee heard of his discomfiture at the battaile of Nancy where the sayde Duke was slaine his armie put to flight and the glorie of that noble house of Burgundie which had flourished for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares in all pompe and magnificence was vtterly defaced and obscured For presently vppon the newes the King was so exceeding ioyfull that hee did not in a maner regarde how richly and bountifully he rewarded the Messengers of so glad and ioyfull tydings Nowe beganne hee to studie for nothing so much as howe to dismember this poore afflicted Dukedome and by all meanes possible to teare and rent it in peeces K. Lewis of France getteth a great part of Burgundie He first gayned by liberall rewardes and fayre promises the chiefest of the Burgonian Nobilitie and likewise the Captaines of sundrie strong Townes by which meanes hee gate Abbeuille Peronne Arras Hesdin Bollogne Dyion and manie other principall places so that it seemed that the better part of the Dukedome of Burgundie was nowe brought vnder the kings obedience and annexed to the rest of the Dominions of the Flower de Lis By which meanes the reuenewes of the Crowne were greatly augmented the lande exceedingly strengthened the same and honour of the king wonderfully encreased all thinges falling out in a manner as well as might be wished or desired But hee had no sooner attayned to so high a degree of happinesse but hee was presently crossed with newe miseryes and afflictions which in small continuance of tyme did wholie bereaue him of his former ioyes For beeing at dinner at a Village neare vnto Chynon hee was suddainlie stroken with so vehement a payne The King stroken with a sudden disease that hee lost his speach and sences for the space of two dayes togither not remembring nor knowing any that were nearest about him And albeit by reason of those great meanes which were vsed his bodie was somewhat recouered and his mynde much bettered so that he seemed to come to some reasonable vnderstanding and knowledge yet was hee so weakened and euerie parte of him so mightilie decayed that it was not possible to free him of his maladie so long as hee lyued Besides hee grewe so suspitious of all sortes and so iealous of his owne sonne and sonne in Lawe that hee was neuer at quyet but lyued in such continuall feare least that honour and reuerence which had beene for so long a tyme giuen vnto him shoulde now be
anie wayes diminished or his former authoritie impayred that for the maintenaunce thereof hee vexed himselfe in most straunge and pittifull sort Hee woulde not at anie time come abroade nor bee seene but of some fewe in whome hee reposed a speciall confidence His Court Gates were continuallie guarded yea his verie Chamber Doore so surelye watched The miserie of Lewis the 11. as that it was impossible to keepe a prisoner in more strayte manner then hee kept his owne selfe And beeing a king that in former tymes had taken his delight in so manie rich beautifull and flourishing Cittyes and solaced himselfe in so manie stately Pallaces and pleasaunt Gardeyns was nowe to his vnspeakeable torment confined in a narrowe rowme sequestring himselfe from all companie and euerye other thing which might breede his delight or encrease his comfort and so continued in this miserable estate alwaies languishing in feare The death of Lewis the eleuenth King of France vntill his death which was in the yeere 1483. and hauing raigned two and twentie yeeres left behinde him a sonne who succeeded in the kingdome in whose dayes fell out many strange and admirable occurrences as shall appeare in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Charles the eight inuadeth Italy and conquereth Naples Alphonsus and Ferdinando flie into Cicilia the Venetians and other Princes leuying a great power driue the French out of Italy The battell of Tarro The French king dieth sodainely ALbeit that Lewis the eleuenth not long before his death Charles the eight succeeded his father Lewis in the kingdome of France had oftentimes and that very seriously aduised his sonne Charles who was to succeed him in the kingdome to maintain peace and amitie with all his neighbours rounde about and by no meanes to enter into warres with any forraigne Princes before hee were growne to ripe yeeres and that the Realme which had endured so many calamities and miseries wherewith it was greatly impouerished should be growne rich againe and better prouided to resist any violence that should be offered yet could not the graue and strong perswasions of so wise and well experienced a Prince take such deepe rooting in the heart of this yong King but that thorow his owne ambitious desire to make himselfe great and the manifolde reasons alleaged by sundrie of his aduisants partly to flatter him in his owne honour but more especially to serue theyr owne turne they were quickly plucked vppe againe and hee fully resolued to enter into a warre which of all other was thought most daungerous and which wrought as straunge effectes as much varietie and as singular alterations and chaunges as any other whatsoeuer All which to the ende they may bee the better vnderstood it shall bee verie conuenient to rippe vp the matter from the beginning and in as fewe words as may bee to shewe the originall of so great trouble as afterwardes ensued Charles the eight King of Fraunce pretending a title to the Kingdome of Naples as heire to Reynard Duke of Aniow Lewis Sfortia D. of Millan perswadeth Charles the eight to conquere Naples was no sooner settled in his kingdome but he was forthwith enduced by the colourable perswasions of Lewis Sfortia who had not long before vsurped the Dukedome of Millan to put in his claime and with might and mayne to assay to gette so noble so rich and renowmed a Diademe Notwithstanding for that it was a matter of no small importaunce it was thought good to haue it thorowly debated in Councell and to heare the opinions of the wisest and the best experienced in the lande who when they had with great maturitie of iudgement pondered euerie circumstance as the danger the king was likely to thrust himselfe into the infinite treasure that must bee expended as also what a multitude of valiant mens liues that would cost before so glorious a victorie could be atchiued and the difficultie that would be in keeping that beeing once gotten The Kings Councel disswadeth the King from the conquest of Naples they wholly resolued that it was an enterprise in no wise to be attempted Notwithstanding the king who was yong desirous to eternise his name by some memorable attempt could in no wise be diuerted being moued as it were by some diuine instinct and incouraged by sundrie remonstrances of two of his principall fauorites called Vere and Brissonet both which were but meane politicks and of all other most ignorant in militarie affaires These two were daily solliciters of the king Vere and Brissonet encite the king to enter Italy who otherwise was but too willing of himselfe to prouide all necessaries for his intended voyage and to set forwarde with as much celeritie as possibly might be The yonger sort of the French Nobilitie and such as had least experience were likewise exceeding desirous to enter Italy by force of Armes and to shew their valour and noble courage to forraigne Nations Al things seemed to concurre for the furtherance of this happy attempt saue that which was most necessarie and that was wise and wel experienced Captaines and store of siluer and gold which are accounted as the veines and sinewes of the warres There were men enough but such as were most fitte were most vnwilling the Kings Coffers were emptie and nothing could bee borrowed but vpon great interest and good assurance Thus the lets were many and the meanes to effect any thing with honour very small and in the end if the successe were such as was desired yet should there be nothing gotten as Lewis the eleuenth was wont to say but infinite trouble and imminent perill and that with the effusion of much French bloud The King resolueth to go to Naples contrarie to the opinion of his councell The King resoluing to passe into Italy notwithstanding whatsoeuer could be alleaged to the contrarie made a league with Ferdinando King of Spaine with Maximilian king of the Romanes and with Phillip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Flanders as also with the King of England least being occupied in his warres abroade he might happen to be molested at home by some forraigne enemie and deferring his iourney vntill the spring following which should be in the yeere 1493. in the meane while commanded that all things should be in a readinesse which were requisite for the maintenance of his Armie All men of vnderstanding wondered at this strange resolution of the King and the best affected towardes the Crowne of Fraunce did maruailously feare the sequel of so dangerous a iourney The more to encourage the King and to stirre him vp to prosecute his intended voyage The D. of Millan commeth to Ast to the French King Lewis Sfortia who vsurped the Dukedome of Millan as is alreadie sayde and had beene the first motioner of this warre did not onely promise vnto the King all the ayde and furtherance that might be by his embassadours but also came himselfe with the Duchesse his wife very nobly accompanied vnto
in the taile with a troupe of horsemen but beeing ouerthrowne from his horse was presently slaine with a Pike which was thrust into his side and so died most vnfortunately when hee had gotten a most glorious and honourable victorie The Lord Lautrech his cousin Germaine being hurt with aboue twentie wounds lay besydes him almost dead but beeing succoured in time was afterwards recouered The number that was slaine on both sides were well neare tenne thousand persons the thirde part of which were French men whose losse was farre the greater by reason of the death of Foix with whom the courage strength life and fiercenesse of that army was in a maner vtterly extinguished howbeit they entered Rauenna which they sacked and spoyled Rauenna sacked and spoyled and tooke sundrie other Cities raunging vp and downe at theyr owne pleasure But presently they began to be afflicted with newe crosses for the Switzers passing the Alpes and ioyning with the Venetians The Switzers expell the French out of Millan tooke Cremona and Bergamo and approching Millan Triultio being without hope to defende the Citie secretly stole away into Piemont and vpon the newes of his departure Parma Placentia Bologna and almost all Romagna returned to the Pope and Geane likewise reuolted from the French choosing Fregosa who had beene generall of the Venecian armie for their Duke Thus the French Kings affaires began to be quailed in Italy and by reason the king of England was nowe readie to enter France he was compelled to looke to the defence of his owne countrey The death of Lewis the twelfth king of France and to suffer the Switzers to take their pleasure in Millan But the French King reconciling himselfe with England married the Kings sister with whom he liued not three moneths but died at Paris 1514. after he had raigned seauenteene yeeres and was buried at Saint Denis CHAP. IIII. Francis the first King of France winneth Millan from the Emperor His great vertues he besiegeth Pauia and is taken prisoner He is sent into Spaine A league made against the Emperour The French King is deliuered and falleth out with the Emperour He dyeth at Rambouillet LEwis the twelfth was no sooner deceased Francis the first King of France but Francis Duke of Angolesme succeeded in the Kingdome who continuing the former quarrell for the Dukedome of Millan and kingdome of Naples left no stone vnroled to bring his desires to passe but forthwith there approched many impediments and sundrie blocks were cast in his way which maruailously altered his course extreamely crossed al his designements for the Emperour Maximilian growing aged and beeing wearie with the burthen of the Empire sent Embassadors to the Electors and to the Pope to desire them to choose Charles of Austriche and king of Spaine for their Emperour but the French king thinking him to be mightie inough already labored by all possible meanes to hinder that election Before that any thing could be accomplished Maximilian died The King of France laboreth to bee Emperour whereupon the French and Spanish kings became earnest competitors and each endeuored to win the Goale from other The French King was put in some hope by the faire promises of the marquesse of Brandenburge one of the electors howbeit in the ende Charles of Austriche was chosen which spited Francis to the heart Charles K. of Spaine chosen Emrour And now hee daily picked quarrels at the Emperour and at last fel flat out with him for being a Prince of great courage wise industrious rich and ambitious hee in a sort disdained that the yong king of Spaine should be preferred before him and therefore he presently hired Switzers who for money became his mercenaries and sent Monsieur de Lantrech to besiege Millan which was valiantly kept by Prospero Colonno The rumour whereof being spread beyond the Alps The great commendation of Francis the first caused Antonio de Leua to fortifie Pauia so that now all Italy began to bee in an vprore and the French kings comming was greatly feared for that hee was a Prince vniuersally furnished with all royall vertues and fit to enterprise great matters And vnderstanding that the Emperiall power had not onely expelled the French men out of the Duchie of Millan The great commendation of Francis the first but were entred France and by besieging of Marseiles in Prouence seemed to dare him within his owne dominions hee gathered a strong power and marched towardes his enemies with all speede who hearing of his comming brake vp their siege and hasted to Italy whom the king pursued so fast The King of France taketh Millan that the emperials were no sooner entred into Millan but that hee was hard at the gates where hee stayed not long but that the Cittie was yeelded vnto him the emperiall forces forsaking it and flying to Lody after a very tumultuous and disordered sort The King vsed the Citizens verie graciously and hauing somewhat reposed himselfe and refreshed his wearie troupes marched discreetely towardes Pauia The K. besiegeth Pauia wherein was Antonio de Leua with fiue thousand Lansquenets fiue hundred Spanish footmen with two cornets of horsemen The king encamped before the towne and besieged it very straightly the emperials beeing aduertised heereof gathered all theyr forces together and hauing an army wherein were seauen hundreth men of armes and as many horsemen a thousande Italian horsemen and aboue sixteene thousand footemen Spaniardes and Almans they sette forwarde from Lody with a full resolution to remooue the siege or to fight with the French and hazard all vpon a battaile The King was no sooner certified hereof but that sending for all his Captaines and men of war he fully determined to continue his siege and to expect the comming of his enemie whatsoeuer coulde bee alleaged to the contrarie often affirming that hee hadde rather dye then to stirre one foote before he had taken the Citie The emperiall Captaines beeing driuen into great necessitie for want of money and other necessaries and hauing much adoo to pacifie theyr souldiours The Emperials enuade the french Kings camp thought it best to vse expedition considering that it was impossible for them to continue long their men growing mutinous for want of pay and thereuppon as those that stoode in very desperate estate hasted to inuade the French who prepared with great courage to meete them they were exceedingly encouraged by the presence of theyr King who should bee an eye witnesse of theyr valour and prowesse The marquesse of Pescara with three thousande Spanish footemen assayled the French trenches where hee slew fiue hundreth men and poysoned three peeces of great ordinance This vnexpected accident dismaied many of the French souldiers and the rather for that the Admirall who carryed the cheefe sway in the Army next vnto the king was hurt in the thigh with a shotte and was carried to Placentia to bee cured of his wounds Sixe hundred Grisons were called
the King being at Ast where after some debating of the matter and cleering of sundrie doubts the king resolued to passe forward and so came to Pauia without any let or interruption from thence he went towards Sarzana being a very strong Castle and belonging to the Florentines which in the ende was taken and kept by the French The French Kings prosperous successe in Italy The Citizens of Florence being not a little amazed at the Kings prosperous successe thought it best to offer him all the fauour and kindnesse that might be humbly desiring him to come and repose himselfe in their Citie and to refresh his Armie in the rest of their territories as Pisa Lygournia Petrasancta and Librafacta Thus had the French gotten the whole state of the Florentines into their possession this bred a maruailous change in Italy and sundrie Citties being wearie of their gouernours rebelled and chose them new Lords The Florentines râ—bell against Peter de Medices their D. who in great misery fled to Venice The Florentines themselues considering that the French were growen strong became their vassailes and conspiring against their Duke called Peter de Medices droue him out of the City tooke whatsoeuer he had and reserued it for their owne vses The poore distressed Duke fled to Venice in very miserable estate where he had much adoo before he could be receiued Thus was the house of the Medices ouerthrown which had flourished in great wealth power and authoritie for the space of 60. yeares the King departing from Florence came to Sennes and so to Viterbium and from thence to the Castle of Brachana Although that Alphonsus King of Naples Alphonsus King of Naples prouideth to withstand the French was at the first but little moued with the comming of the French yet to preuent the worst hee had prouided two great and puissant armies that by sea was lead by his brother Frederik and the other by land by his sonne Ferdinando with whom were these famous and renowned Captaines Virgilius Vrsinus Petilian and the Lord of Treuoule Ferdidinando was gotten into Rome and hoped to keepe the Citie against the French King but the Pope being willing to follow the good fortune of the Conquerour suffered him to enter The Pope yeeldeth to to the French whereupon Ferdinando was forced to flie away in the night and with al possible speede to retire towards Naples His father Alphonsus beeing wonderfully terrified with this heauie newes and remembring the manifold iniuries offered to the Neapolitans both by his father and himselfe though hee had beene a very valiant couragious Alphonso yeeldeth his Kingdome to his son and flyeth into Cicilia and hardy Prince yet hee thought it best to yeeld to the time and giuing ouer the kingdome into his sonnes hand with a heauie heart and mournful cheere sayled into Cicilia with the Queene his mother in law who was daughter to Ferdinando king of Castile Before his departure he was continually tormented with sundrie imaginations often crying out that the King of Fraunce was comming and that the very houses trees and stones in the streets were all become French The great feare of Alphonsus and so with a passionate minde forsooke Naples where by the way wee may obserue one thing which Phillip de Comins noteth as a strange accident and that is that in lesse then two yeeres space there were fiue kings of Naples which were Ferdinando the father of Alphonsus Alphonsus Ferdinando his sonne Fiue Kings of Naples in lesse than two yeeres Charles the eight king of Fraunce and Frederik the brother of the saide Alphonsus The yong King Ferdinando made great preparation to withstand the French and hauing gathered a strong power encamped at Saint Germin in the frontiers of his territories resoluing to stop the passage of the enemie at that place Notwithstanding the French king marched on with great courage taking Castles and townes without any resistance all things seemed to yeeld voluntarily vnto him and to bende at his becke yea Ferdinando himselfe durst not abide him though he were strongly fortified and encamped in a place of great aduantage For assoone as he vnderstood by his espyals that the French were within two leagues Ferdinando K. of Naples flieth from the French he fled in very disordered manner towards Capua suffering the French King to enter at his pleasure and from thence hasted to Naples fearing a reuolt among the Citizens which indeede immediatly ensued vppon the approch of the French who comming to Capua entred presently vppon composition and before they came at Naples by three leagues the Citizens sent Embassadors to treat with them Naples yeeldeth to the French king being willing to receiue theÌ„ vpon condition that they should maintaine their ancient priuiledges which so terrified Ferdinando that he presently tooke sea and fled to his father in Cicilia Then was there a generall reuolt and euerie one made court to the French king who was receiued with great acclamation and applause of the people yea those who were in particular most bounden vnto the house of Arragon and such as had beene their especiall fauourites were now in an instant wholly turned French All Calabria Powilla Laurentia Turpia Encrenes Tarentum Monopolis set vp the Flower delis Thus did this yong King runne as it were through Italy without any stop or hinderance The speedy conquest of the French King neuer staying about the winning of any one towne the space of one day insomuch as from his departure from Ast vntill his entrie into Naples there were but foure moneths and ninteene dayes so that hee might say in regarde of his speedy conquest as Caesar sometime saide Veni Vidi Vici The French King beeing entred into Naples disposed of all things at his pleasure and seemed nowe to haue attained to his wished ende there was nothing to crosse him Charles of France crowned king of Naples or to stand in his way but like a conquerour hee commanded and it was obeyed wherupon he would needs be crowned King Which being perfourmed and the French not standing any longer in feare of any enemie they beganne to bee idle and carelesse and gaue themselues wholly to riot and excesse The pride of the French They seemed to contemne all others and scorned the Italians as men of no reckoning supposing that now they were able to passe through the whole world and that no man durst abide them So proude arrogant and disdainefull were they become by reason of this so prosperous and happie successe When as the King of France was growen to this greatnesse that hee had in a manner all the estate of Italy at his commaund that hee had gotten the Kingdome of Naples and was quietly possessed thereof and thereby was climed to the top of fortunes wheele so that it seemed that nothing was wanting to the full accomplishment of all his desired happinesse when as indeed he was most secure and carelesse
turned to the great good of the French who otherwise had beene in maruaylous danger to haue beene ouerthrowne at that encounter The Marques fought valiauntly and pearcing through the middest of the horsemen hard to the Ordinance ouerthrew a great bande of Gascons which were appointed to guard them The French being encouraged with the presence of their king laide about them like men and the Switzers beeing promised double pay like Tygres tare and rent in peeces as manie as fell into theyr handes And had not the earle of Petilia at that present escaped from the French and by comming to the flying Italians with all the forceable reasons hee coulde perswaded them to renew the fight the whole power of the Venetians had beene vtterly ouerthrowne Both armyes being well wearied with a long and bloody fight The French K. looseth all his baggage they sounded the retreate The French had lost all their baggage and the riches of Naples which was going into Fraunce was taken by the Italian souldiours a great number of their brauest men were slaine and amongst others the bastarde of Burbon a man of surpassing great valour The King himselfe hauing likewise lost all his plate and houshold stuffe was in extreme peril and had vndoubtedly bin taken had it not beene for the excellencie of his horse which was a cole black with one eye And although he gate the victorie and remained maister of the field yet were his losses verie great and farre surmounted the gaine he had gotten in that long and wearie voyage He was constrained to lie the night following in a simple cottage The distresse of the French King and all his great Lords were lodged round about him in the open fields who had nothing to eate nor any chaunge of apparell to put on So that they resolued to dislodge in the dead of the night and with al speed to recouer Ast. The French run out of Italie The Armie was sore afrighted and euery man coueted to bee in the Vauntgard supposing thereby to be furthest from daunger and nearest vnto places of safest retreate And thus marching forward in tumultuous maner with much ado got to Ast where they staied not long but went to Thurin and so to Lions The king was no sooner in France but all things went backewarde in Italie The great alteration in Italie all places reuolted and well was he that could first teare in peeces the Flower de Lis. Whosoeuer had beene friends before now became enemies and nothing was so hastily gayned but it was as speedily lost And the French Nation who not long before had beene the terror of the Turke the Pope the Emperor the Venetians and in a maner of al Europe were now in nothing more famous then in their dishonourable flight out of Italie leauing vnto posteritie a notable example of the chaunge and mutabilitie of these worldly affayres And as it vsually falleth out if fortune begin once to chaunge it neuer ceaseth vntill it haue throwne a man groueling to the ground so it fared with this king who began to decline a pace and to be crossed euerie day more then other His yong sonne the Duke of Orleance began to be desperately sicke and so continued languishing vntill at last he died wherewith his father was immesurably greeued The death of the yong D. of Orleanes and from that time forwards nothing thriued that he tooke in hand his friends forsooke him and his enemies dayly encreased and almost all matters stoode in verie bad tearmes Euill newes was brought from euery corner and the worst of all other was this death suddenly sendeth forth a messenger to summon him to appeare before him and to giue an account of his stewardship For as he was in a Gallerie at Ambois looking vpon such as played at tennis The sudden death of Charles the 8. King of France hee was suddenly stroken with an Apoplexie and liued not past some fiue or sixe houres after but yeelded vp the ghost 1497. hauing reigned fourteene yeares And albeit he were a very mightie Prince and had exceeding many goodly Castels beautifull houses and statly Pallaces and had conquered so many earledomes Marquesats Dukedoms and Kingdomes had made all Italie to stoope and bend at his becke had triumphed at Naples and atchieued so glorious a conquest and that so easily yea almost without drawing of his sword so that hee was now become one of the most redoubted worthies of the world yet did hee ende his dayes on the sudden and died in a verie miserable and beggerly place which sheweth the lamentable estate of all sorts and that the most mightie Potentates are subiect to a maruellous chaunge and alteration CHAP. III. Lewis the 12. King of France entreth Italy conquereth Millan taketh the Duke thereof prisoner He ioyneth with the Spanish King to conquer Naples who expelleth him and keepeth the kingdome for himselfe The battaile of Rauenna The Switzers driue the French out of Millan The death of King Lewis AFter the decease of Charles Lewis Duke of Orleance Lewis D. of Orleance K. of France and next heire to the Crowne succeeded in the kingdome who entituled himselfe king of Ierusalem Naples and Cicil and Duke of Millan intending to conquer the Dukedome and for that purpose prouided all things necessarie with all the speed that might be But by reason of the former kings expenses he foūd small store of treasure so that for to furnish himselfe he set to sale all the offices of France except such as were iudiciall a daungerous practice and none of the least occasion of that great confusion which afterwardes ensued Lewis D. of Millan forsaketh the French king Lewis Duke of Millan feared the Venetians more then the French and therfore ioyned with the Florentines to recouer Pisa But hee erred exceedingly herein for Lewis of Fraunce hauing made peace with other Princes bent all his forces agaynst Millan with whom also the Venetians ioyned in the ende Whereat the Duke was maruellously astonished and began to fortifie his owne territories so strongly as hee might But hee putting those in trust who were in most fauour and not such as had the greatest vertue and fidelitie too common a fault among great estates lost one thing after another and in a short space all things going backewarde Millan yeeldeth to the French hee was forced to forsake Millan and flie to the castell by reason the Citie was yeelded to the French Which ioyfull newes beeing brought vnto the King who was then at Lions hee determined forthwith to passe in person ouer the Alps The French K. goeth to Millan and being in Italy compounded with all the chiefe estates there and did in a maner whatsoeuer he listed The King hauing remained a while in the Duchie of Millan and taken such order for his affayres there as he liked best returned home leauing the Cardinall of Ambois for his Lieutenant in those quarters But he was no sooner
departed but the Cittie began to reuolt and tooke part with their olde Duke Howbeit the Switzers in whom he reposed especiall confidence and by whose valour The D. of Millan taken prisoner hee verily perswaded himselfe hee shoulde bee able to maintaine his quarrell agaynst his enemyes betrayed him to the French who sent him prisoner to the King at Lions Then there was a maruellous concourse of people assembled to beholde this captiue Duke who not long before in fame dignitie and renowme had beene equall to anie Prince in Italie The King woulde not vouchsafe to see him but sent him to prison vnto the Castell of Locces The miserable end of the D. of Millan where hee continued for the space of tenne yeares and there in verie miserable manner ended his life And thus was this Noble Duke an other argument of the mutabilitie and chaunge of frowarde fortune Now was the French King wholy set vpon the conquest of Naples and least hee might any wayes bee hindered he thought it conuenient to procure Ferdinando King of Spaine to ioyne with him The French and Spanish Kings ioyne for the conquest of Naples who was easily drawne thereto and the better to countenaunce the matter pretended a title whereby hee would proue himselfe rightfull heire to the Neapolitan Crowne Ferdinando King of Naples beeing wonderfully dismayed heerewith yeelded vppon composition to the King of Fraunce and so his Kingdome was diuided betweene the French and Spanish Kings which two Princes could not long agree but falling at dissension betweene themselues there were manie sharpe bickerings the French still going by the woorst Monsieur de La Palissa and diuerse others were taken prisoners and Monsieur de Nemours was slaine by the Spaniardes vnder the leading of the great Consaluo who albeit there were a treatie of peace and an abstinence of warre concluded yet woulde hee take no knowledge thereof but proceeded still in the warres The Spaniniards driue the French out of Naples and so brought the whole Kingdome of Naples vnder the Spanish yoake Lewis of Fraunce hearing of all this was not a little greeued in his minde but there was no remedie but patience nor any wayes to doo any good but by force Wherevpon he sent newe armies into Italie with a purpose to repayre his former losses but a composition was made and all the warre beganne to bee diuerted towarde the Venetians who were brought to marueylous great extremities But by reason the Pope beganne to growe iealous of his owne hee forsooke the French and ioyned with the Venetians taking them into his protection The Pope taketh the Venetians into his protection Whereupon the French king thought it best to desist from any further proceedings and so entring league with the Pope returned hom Notwithstanding hee quickely smelling out the fetches of his late reconciled enemie ioyned againe with the Emperour and sendeth Monsieur de Chaumont into Italie with a strong power who with the Prince of Heâ—ault ouerthrew the Venetians and tooke Legnague Mountsilice and manie other places Not long after by reason of the death of Monsieur de Chaumont Gaston de Foix a valiaunt young Gentleman was sent into Italie to bee Generall ouer the French forces who hauing intelligence that the power of the Spaniardes was comming downe to succour Marke Anthonie de Colonna whom hee besieged in Rauenna fearing the irruption of those within the Towne brake vp his siege and withdrewe his forces three miles of towards the armie of his enemies with whom for that hee intended to fight he marshalled the troupes as followeth The vauntgard wherein was seuen hundred men of armes The battel of Rauenna besides the Almaines footmen was led by the Duke of Ferrara and the Seneschal of Normandy Neere vnto them were arraunged the footmen of the middle battaile which amounted to the number of eight thousande French vnder the conduct of Monsieur de Allegres The Rereward was composed of fiue hundred Italians ouer whom commaunded Frederick de Bosuolo This battailon was flanked both by the archers on horsebacke and by the light horsmen being in all three thousand Behind al these esquadrons which were so placed as they rather resembled a croysant or new Moone then any thing else were six hundred men of armes led by Seigneur de la Palaice and Cardinall Sanauerino Monsieur de Foix had made choyce of no peculiar charge for himselfe but taking out some durtie of the valiantest Gentlemen purposed to haue an eye to euerie place and to be ready to helpe where most neede was In this warlike maner he marched towardes his enemies whom he found strongly encamped by a Riuers side who being certified of the approach of the French had thus raunged their battailes In the vauntgarde were eight hundred men of Armes and sixe thousand footmen vnder the leading of Fabricio de Colonno high Constable of Naples In the middle battaile were sixe hundred men of Armes flanked with foure thousand footemen whose principall leader was the Viceroy himselfe and with him were the Marques of Palude and the Popes Legate called Iohn de Meâ—â—â— The Rerewarde was conducted by Caruaiall a Spaniard In which battaile were foure hundred men of Armes and foure thousand footemen The light horsemen commanded by Daualos the Marques of Pescara a very yong man but of passing great hope who guarded the right side of the footmen Peter de Nauarro the General of the Spanish footmen would not tie himselfe to any certaine place but determined to helpe where most neede required And in this order they expected the comming of their enemyes who by this time were aduaunced verie neare and the skirmish began to grow hote on both sides The fight continued long and manie were slaine but the Spanish troupes beeing maruaylously torne The Spaniards ouerthrowne at Rauenna by the French and scattered with the French Ordinaunce could not endure before the men of Armes of Fraunce For Fabritio de Colonna beeing taken by the Souldiours of the Duke of Ferrara the Viceroy and Caruaiall neuer staied any further tryall of theyr fortune but fled amaine leauing the Marques of Pescara and the Marques of Palude at the mercie of their enemies Although the horsemen were ouerthrowne yet the Spanish footemen fought valiauntly and with incredible fiercenesse maintained the battaile for a long time but being wearied in the ende and not able any longer to endure they began to giue ground Nauarro taken prisoner yet so as they rather seemed to retyre then to bee driuen out of the field which Nauarro beholding rather desyred to die then liue and therefore not departing out of the battaile hee suffered himselfe to be taken prisoner Gaston de Foix general of the French army slaine after he had gotten the victorie But when as Monsieur de Foix could not abide to see Spanish footemen to go away in such souldier-like maner with their rankes vnbroken hee in a great furie charged them
sollicited other Princes as the Pope the king of England the Venetians and other states to ioyne with him and made a strong league and fell flat out with the emperour afresh notwithstanding all the promises which had beene made Then presently ensued new warres and all Europe was in a sort infected with this contagious humor Fortune which hadde so extreamely crossed the French designements began to be more fauourable and to beholde the king with a smiling countenance for the Lord Lautrech beeing sent into Italy tooke Bosco Genes Alexandria and Pauia from the emperour maruaylously aduauncing the French affaires The emperour beeing vexed at the heart with these newes complained greeuously of the king offering him the Combate The Emperour offereth the combate to the french King calling him forsworne and periured prince the King gaue him the lie and affirmed that hee would make it good vpon his body when and where he durst Thus did these mightie potentates fight a farre off with their tongues and their armies in Italy and other where sought to ruinate and ouerthrow each other by all possible meanes After many conflicts wherein sometime the emperials and sometime the French as it were alternatiuely had the better there was a peace concluded for tenne yeeres in which time the Emperour in very freendly and louing manner A peace betweene the Emperor and the French King passed through France to represse certaine tumultuous outrages committed in Flanders This peace beeing expired they fell again into new broyles but they were soone ended and nowe began France to bee scourged with the English who hauing gotten Bulloigne wasted their countrey round about The French king beeing very desirous to impale the English forces The death of Francis the first king of France and to keep them from forraging after their woonted manner raysed certaine forts round about in the most conuenient places but whilst hee was earnestly busied herein hee sodainely fell sicke and died 1546. at a place called Rambouillet hauing raigned 32. yeeres leauing his sonne to succeede him in all his territories and dominions CHAP. V. Henry the second maketh warre against the Emperour and taketh Metz and many other townes The Queene of Hungary inuadeth France The great army of the Emperour for the recouerie of Metz which was kept by the Duke of Guyse The Emperor raiseth his siege Teroanneis besieged by the Emperials The King raised a great power to withstand the Emperour The cruelty of the French in Henault The battaile of Reuty The King and the Emperour breake vp their armies Charles the fift yeeldeth ouer his empire Rome besieged and taken King Phillip of Spaine besiegeth Saint Quintins which he taketh after hee had ouerthrowne all the power of France The original of the Huguenots in France Callis besieged and takâ—n by the Guyse Count Egmond ouerthroweth Monsieur de Termes the Captaine of Callis Phillip King of Spaine marryeth the French Kings daughter At whose marriage the King of France is slaine by Montgommery HEnry the second of that name King of France Henry the second King of France was not onely heire of his fathers Kingdome but also of all royall vertues and princely qualities In the beginning of his raigne hee maintained the Scots against the English but at length a composition beeing made The king of France bendeth all his forces against the Emperor hee bent all his forces against the Emperour who at that time made warre against the Princes of Germany and hauing gathered a strong power wherein were 2500 french footmen 7000. Lansquenetes 1200. men of armes besides 2000. horsemen as many harquebuziers on horseback vnder the leading of the Duke of Aumaile ordaining the admirall Annebaut his Vizgerent in France Metz taken by the french commanded the Conestable to march before with the vauntgard who aduanced towards Metz. The towne was quickly yeelded vpon such composition as pleased the king and so became annexed to the crowne of France From thence the king went towardes Strasbourg where the French would gladly haue entred but the Citizens would in no wise permit them howbeit they offered what prouision they were able to spare but that would hardly satiâ—fie notwithstanding considering the Cittie was very strong and the people resolutely bent to defende themselues the King turned towardes Hoguenan and VVisbourg where the Embassadors of the emperiall princes met with him and desired him that he would enter no further into Germany with which message although the King was nothing well pleased yet he made a faire shew and seemed to take all things well and returned towards France The Queene of Hungary leuieth an army to inuade France The Queene of Hungary the Emperours sister vnderstanding of the retreat of the French deuised all the meanes that might bee to impeach them and to cut of as many as shee could catch at any aduantage and hauing leauied an army to the number of twelue thousand footmen three thousand horse vnder the leading of the Count Mansfeild and Martyn Vaurosh entered the faire fields of the Flower de Lys which they spoyled verie pittiously The King beeing aduertised heereof marched with all speede to releeue his distressed subiects but the emperials hearing of his resolution retired speedily whereupon the King began to cast about how he might conquere the Duchie of Luxembourg and hauing taken a Castle called Rock hee laide siege vnto Saint Iehan Solieure and Danuill all which were forthwith yeelded vnto the King Yuoy a place of great importance helde out for a time but in the ende it was gladde to hearken to a composition for albeit that the valiant Counte Mansfeild hadde put himselfe within the Towne and had fortified it very strongly with a resolution to defende it against all men yet by reason of the cowardlinesse of his Souldiers he was forced to yeeld to the Conestable and he with sundrie others of especiall account were carried prisoners to Paris Then ensued the taking of Momedy Luzembourg and the Dukedome of Bouillon by the mareschall of Sedan Cimets was likewise taken and the spoyle thereof giuen to the Souldiers Thus the French king prospered gaining many Townes Castles and strong holds from the Empire The French King breaketh vp his army without any resistance but his souldiers beeing wearied and diseased hee was forced to breake vp his campe and lay them in garrisons and to expect what course the Emperour would take to recouer his honour and to regaine his townes who by reason he was occupied in the warres with certaine of the Germaine princes could not hinder the French proceedings But he hauing with much ado compounded with Maurice and the rest of the Protestants employed all his counsels how to recouer that which the French king had taken from him and hauing perswaded with the Germaine potentates to aide and assist him in hs intended enterprise The preparation of the Emperour against the French king caused al his old bands which were in Italy as
well Italians as Spaniards to repayre to him with all speede who with the troups of Lombardy and Piemont passed ouer the Alps and ioyned with the emperiall army which was assembled in Germany consisting of Bohemians Hungarians Polonians Almaines Wallounes Cleueners Flemmings The great army of the Emperour and Burgonians to the number of 50000. footmen and 20000. horsemen with incredible force of artillerie and all other warlike prouision The king of France vnderstanding of the resolution of the Emperour which was to recouer Metz and the rest of the townes The Duke of Guise sent to keepe Metz against the Emperor which had beene taken from the empire dispatched the duke of Guise a man of good experience in the wars with commaundement to put himselfe within the Towne to fortifie it and to furnish it with al necessarie prouision the better to endure the siege appointed the Rendeuous or place of assembly for the rest of his army at S. Michael a little towne in Lorraine where there met with him the Conestable the Duke of Neuers the Count Anguien the Prince of Conde the Prince of Contie the Prince of Aumaile the Vicont of Rhohan the Mareschall Saint Andrew Chastillon Collonell of all the French infanterie the Count Villiars The French Kings armie Bourdillon one of the Mareschals of the Campe the Rhinegraue and Reiroc with their Regiments of Launcequenets and many other noble Lordes and captaines In the whole there were some thirtie thousand footmen French Almains and Switzers and about seuen or eight thousand horsmen The Emperor being troubled with the gout lay long before he attempted any thing so that October was halfe past insomuch as the French King seeing the yeare so farre spent supposed that hee would doo nothing especially agaynst Metz which was a place of very great strength and plentifullie stored with all necessaries And the rather for that his principall captaines and chieftaines of greatest experience disswaded him all that might be from enterprising any further vntill some better oportunitie Notwithstanding the emperor would not hearken to their counsels nor be diuerted by any meanes but with all possible speede planted his armie before the towne in this maner following The Duke of Alua was sent before with the choisest of the emperiall armie The siege of Metz. who passing the riuer of Seille emcamped as neare the towne as he could and bestowed sundry of his forces in the strongest forts adioyning The Spanish companies were lodged at Saint Arnold and Saint Clement Certaine troupes of the Almaines were placed at a Bridge called Magny Don Lewis D' Auila captaine of the Spanish Horsemen was appoynted at the Hospitall The Seneschall of Morauia with the Bohemian Horsemen encamped at Blery and the rest at Ollerie Saint Preich and other places neare abouts All things beeing in a readinesse the emperials beganne to beate the Towne with their great Ordinance in verie furious sort and in all hostile maner to annoy the defendants The batterie continued long and yet the harme was but small neither could the breach be made sufficient for an assault Whereupon they remoued the Canon to another part of the Citie And falling to mining supposed to ouerthrow some peece of the wall with Gunpowder But the Duke of Guyse vnderstanding the drift of his enemyes caused countermynes to bee made wherein they had not trauailed long but they might heare the noyse and stirring of the Spaniardes and so were theyr deuises easily preuented This was no small discouragement to the Emperials seeing they preuailed not neyther by one meanes nor other Besides the season of the yeare grewe extreame colde insomuch as the Souldiours which lay in the fieldes The emperials weary of the siege were sore pinched and many dyed for want of necessaries so that all sortes beganne to waxe wearie of the siege and inwardly desired to be dismissed The Almaines themselues began to quaile yet as men that would win some honour they instantly craued of the Emperour that he would commaund a sufficient breach to be made and they would either enter or loose their liues for th y were not able to keepe the fiâ—ld any longer Then began he to before greeued foreseeing the miserable end that would ensue of that his rash and inconsiderate enterprise yet would he in no wise consent to raise his siege but with great perswasions animated his souldiours to persist promising that if he could not make a sufficient breach before the newe yeare he would breake vp his armie and licence euery man to depart This satisfied them for the time and made them to temporise expect their better fortune And to the ende they might all be assured of his great care to perfourme this he priuately commaunded the Duke of Alua to continue the mines with all diligence Which charge was so willingly accepted and so carefully performed that the pioners ceassed neither day nor night But the season of the yeare was so contrary and so repugnant that nothing could bee accomplished as was desired Besides the French who were in the Towne with their often sallying forth did exceedingly endomage them and slue many So that what with the colde The emperor resolueth to depart from Metz the 10. of December 1553. and extremitie of the winter and the couragious attempts of the French the Emperours army dayly diminished and yet nothing to the purpose performed Which when with intollerable sorrowe and vexation of spirit hee considered he resolued to depart And sending away his great Ordinaunce before with his other weightiest and most troublesome carriages himselfe followed with the rest of his armie which was so feeble and so weake with famine and sickenesse that they were scarce able to go The Duke of Neuers was left by the King to attende the Emperour and to watch him at euerie turne VVho carefully executing his masters commaundement followed the emperials in the taile and cut off sundrie as they strayed from the grosse of the armie The miserable estate of the emperiall army at their departure from Metz. Chastellon Lieutenant to Captaine Bourdillon was sent to discouer and to bring some certaintie of the emperors retreate Who coming to Pont Camonson found that the Count Egmond with his regiment was departed and had left behinde him a most pitifull spectacle of maimed and diseased persons From thence hee passed on towards Metz. But the Duke of Alua and Brabancon were departed with a great part of the army dislodging in a very strange and disordered maner without souÌ„d of drum leauing many of their tents with sundry barels of powder much warlike prouision behind them besids an incredible multitude of lame sicke diseased and impotent persons as testimonies of their hard fortune The French king being certified by the duke of Guise of all that had passed was exceeding ioyfull and seemed to triumph ouer the emperor who being a Prince that could not well brooke any indignity fought still to bee reuenged
still fauour the French kings proceeding and crossed the Emperor almost in all his enterprises After this victorie the Emperour would no more be drawen to fight but kept himselfe with all his forces emparked within his strength which the French king perceiuing hee determined to retire towards Monterell to refresh his wearie armie leauing Reuty as a thing that would not bee gotten in haste where he staied not long but remooued towards Champeigne The king and the Emperor dissolue their armies and hauing fortified Bouloin and sundrie other frontier Townes brake vp his Armie and licensed euerie man to depart but this was no sooner knowne to the Emperour but hee taking the oportunitie sent his forces to spoyle the frontiers of France where there was made a pittious spoyle in a short time At length the Emperour likewise dissolued his troups and stuffing his Townes with strong garrisons thought it best to expect some better oportunitie to accomplish his desires Winter was no sooner past but that the French king who was somewhat puffed vp with his former victories and finding himselfe greeued with newe iniuries made great preparation for newe broyles and for more bloudy wars then before The Emperour and the French K. would not be reconciled and vnderstanding that the confines of France were sore anoyed with the Emperiall garrisons sent Mareschall Saint Andrew and Bourdillon with a conuenient number to stop the course of the insolent enemie and to enterprise further as occasion should bee offered And albeit there was great meanes made to reconcile these two mightie potentates yet nothing could bee effected for the french King required Naples Millan Burgundy Piemont Nauarre and many other places and the Emperour would part with nothing so that the treatie being broken off warre presently ensued for the Emperour hauing a power in a readinesse vnder the leading of Martin Ronsare the bastard of Cleue inuaded the territories belonging to the Flower de Lis burning spoyling and wasting in most outragious manner but this stormie tempest continued not long for the emperials began to fal sick of many diseases and to want victuals so that they were forced to retire hauing lost their generall and many others of especiall account Thus did the Emperour stande still in fortunes disgrace and nothing seemed to prosper that he tooke in hand vntill mid August following that shee began to returne her fauour towardes him by giuing him as it were some good words after so many sharpe and bitter checks At which time Hansimont gouernour of Baupalme Hansimont ouerthroweth the French and taketh their generall prisoner vnderstanding that a great power of the French were entred into his maisters territorie vnder the leading of La Faille setting vppon them on the sodaine slewe many of them and tooke La Faille prisoner with sundrie other of good account in somuch as the emperials bosted that they hadde taken the French Nobilitie in grosse and not by retaile and that they neuer wayed them but tooke them vpon their words While the emperor and the king were thus busied in the frontiers of Picardy their armies vnder the leading of the mareschall Brissack and the Duke of Alua sought to anoy each other in Piemont Casal surprised by Captayne Saluoyson Captaine Saluoyson surprised Casal in the dead of the night being one of the strongest and best fortified places in all those quarters wherein were taken Figuerot gouernor of the Towne and the Count Ladron general of the Almaines and maruailous store of all necessarie prouision for the warres Monsieur de Termes preuailed mightily in Italy and ouerthrew the emperials at Senes with great slaughter and mortalitie but he being called home Strozzi was appoynted Leiutenant in his place Strozzi ouerthrowne by the Emperials who fighting with the emperialles was wholy defeated and Clermont Moulbazon Blaise with the Collonels of the Switzers were slain with sundry others to the number of three hundred and fiue hundred were taken prisoners Thus fortune seemed to play with these two mightie Princes and to sport her selfe in the interchangeable fauour which shee bestowed vppon their armies vntill winter approching they were forced to forsake the field and draw their souldiers into garrisons expecting the spring of the yeere to make an end of their bitter contentions But the emperor now growing sickly and weake and waxing wearie with tossing and tumbling in these worldly affaires considering the variable change and mutabilitie to which they were subiect yeelded vp his kingdome of Spaine Charles the fift yeeldeth ouer his empire and betaketh himselfe to a monastery and all other his dominions and that absolutely vnto his sonne Phillip and spent the rest of his daies in a monastery which he had builded for that purpose Phillip King of Spaine being somewhat terrified with the rumor of the comming of the Turke and partly solicited by his wife who was loath to haue him encombered with the warres was contented to hearken to a peace which the French king refused not whereupon after long debating on either side a league was concluded for fiue yeeres but it could not bee kept halfe the time for the Pope and his Cardinals falling at discention and the Spanish king taking part with the one and the French king with the other the warres beganne againe afresh in Itâ—ly betweene these two late reconciled enemies The Pope besieged by the Spanish forces The Duke of Alua was sent against the triple Crowne of Rome who with the ayde of the Duke of Florence tooke many Castles and holds belonging to the Pope whom they besieged within Saint Angelo The Duke of Guâ—se though contrarie to the Counsel of Ann de Memorancy and his Cousins Olet and Iaspar Coligny called Chastillon was sent to raise the siege who accompanied with the Dukes of Aumaille and D' Elbenfe his brothers The Duke of Guyse sent to raise the siege the Duke of Nemours the count D' Eu the Vidame of Chartres and sundrie other great Captains marched forwarde with all possible speede purposing to releeue the distressed Pope who was well neere famished in Rome While the Duke was hasting on his way mareschall Strozzi tooke Ostia with a Castle neere adioyning belonging to the Spaniardes and likewise Vico Valerio which was sacked and the spoyle giuen to the Souldiers As soone as the Duke of Alua and the marquesse of Pescara the two cheefe commaunders of the Spanish forces The siege is raised and the Pope set at liberty vnderstood of the approch of the French they forthwith left Rome and retired the one towards Naples and the other towards Millan so that nowe the Pope was almost set at libertie againe sauing that the Duke of Florence did somewhat restrayne him but hee fearing least hee should draw all the warre vppon himselfe was willing to compounde with the French who were now growne strong in Italy prospered maruailously but many thought it would not be long for that the Spanish king
a straight commaundement to all his ordinance and men of armes to assemble themselues at Pierreport in as warlike maner as might be there to attend his further pleasure and to be in a readinesse to be employed as occasion should be offered King Philip of Spaine had likewise gathered a very strong power and al things were prouided by these two mightie Monarkes as though they ment to determine all their controuersies by some one cruel bloody battell But God who ruleth the hearts of princes disposed of their intentions far otherwise then their blind affections led them For vpoÌ„ the sudden their hard harts began to be mollified and each party inclined to peace so that the place being appointed and the deputies on both sides agreed vpon they met about the midst of October following at Cercam betweene Artoys and Pycardy There were many complaints on both sides and a commemoration of sundry indignities offered on either part Each defended others doings neither was there any likelihood of better agreement so that after many contentious words their assembly brake vp without any coÌ„clusion for peace and yet for that winter approched the soldiers were not able to keep the field Peace concluded between France and Spaine both princes dissolued their armies and licenced their men of warre to repose themselues vntill the next yere But before that time by reason of newe occurrences there was a generall peace proclaimed betweene these two nations each linked with other with very strait alliances For King Philip whose wife Mary Queene of England was lately deceassed was contented to take in marriage Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Henry the French King and Pilebert Emmanuel duke of Sauoy was affianced vnto madame Margaret his sister so that by reason of these new coÌ„iunctions there insued much quietnes to all Christendome but especially to these two kingdoms who now had made an end of all their quarels contentions and seemed to study of nothing but how they might honor and solemnise in most royall maner these new marriages There was exceeding sumptuous preparation against the appointed time all the Nobilitie of France were assembled at Paris to attend the king to honor these espousals The lady Elizabeth was coÌ„ducted by the king her father to our Lady Church at the day prefixed in most pompous and stately maner and there married by the Cardinall of Burbon to the Duke of Alua was who constituted Procurator of the king of Spaine his maister The Duke of Alua marrieth the French kings daughter for his maister the king of Spaine There were all the princes of the bloud attending in their order and many cheefe Prelates and all the officers of the crowne The Duke of Alua was accompanied with the Prince of Orenge Count Egmond and sundrie other very honourable personages The marriage being finished there was exceeding feasting banquetting and cheering with dauncing masking and all other pastimes that could be imagined both to delight the eye and please the eare The king reioyced to see his daughter so honourably aduanced the Nobilitie and commonaltie were maruailously glad to remember what ease peace and tranquilitie they should enioy by this newe affinitie and all sorts seemed to triumph hoping there would be a perpetuall league and corespondency betweene these two Nations but now behold a woful mishap and lamentable mischance wherewith all this mirth and iollity was turned into weeping wailing and great sorrow so enterchangeably doo these two accompany each other so certainely do they follow one another The French king who had bin the principall challenger at tilt assisted by the Duke of Guyse Alphonse the Prince of Ferrara and the Duke of Nemours hauing borne himselfe very nobly that day and broken many staues to his great honor and high commendation would needes in the end run a course with count De Mont-gommery a valiant gentleman of France who at the first refusing The French King slaine with running a course at â—â—lt yet commanded by the king accepted the condition and offered so freely that theyr staues flying in peeces some of the shiuers getting in at the sight of the beuer pearced into the kings head greeuously wounded him that he died within eleuen daies after to the immesurable greefe of his subiects after hee hadde raigned twelue yeeres three moneths and tenne dayes CHAP. VI. Francis the second the French King The Guises authors of all the confusion in France The Guises ioyne with the Queene mother against the King of Nauarre The King of Nauarre yeeldeth to the Queene mother The Duke of Guise made Lieutenant for the King and Henrie Cardinall of Lorraine made L. Treasurer of France They incense the King agaynst the princes of the blood The enterprise of the Lord of Renaudie The hatred of the Guises towards the three Chastillons The Prince of Conde beeing discontented goeth from the Court The order of the States of France The Admirall presenteth the supplication of the Hugonots to the king The Prince of Conde committed to prison and is condemned to die The death of the King THe Kingdome of France had for manie yeares togither beene verie well acquainted with the variable and changeable estate of vnconstaunt fortune and vnder Charles the eight Lewis the twelfth Francis the first and Henrie the seconde had by wofull experience found how subiect the most flourishing estates kingdoms coÌ„monwealths are to a continuall change and alteration and therfore hauing by long obseruatioÌ„ perfitly learned that the best means to maintain her selfe in her wonted grandeur and glory was to be leagued with her neighbour Countries and to be at peace and vnitie at home beganne to haue a flexible heart and to encline to quietnesse as much as might bee so that hauing ended all quarrels and buried all wronges and indignities in the pit of obliuion and by a neare coniunction with the Spanyard her ancient and mightie enemy in the opinion of most men procured her selfe a perpetuall peace began as it were to clap her handes for ioy and seriously to tryumph in so incomparable a benefite But the fatall and ineuitable mishap of this most noble kingdome which had florished for so many hundred yeares and had been the paragon of her neighbor nations could not as it seemeth be auoyded but that it must needes take place and wanting forraigne enemies to worke her ouerthrow must needes hatch a viperous brood which by gnawing out the belly of their owne mother haue most vnnaturally sought the destruction of her who haue most tenderly fostered and brought them vp The house of Guyse the principall cause of all the sturres in France The principall cause to produce so lamentable an effect and the only means in a maner to hatch so horrible a mischiefe was the immesurable ambition of that haughtie and aspiring house of Guyse who albeit they were straungers and no natural French men yet fortune so fauoured their attempts and made some of them
defeated and no hope left for the Catholikes had not the Duke of Guise reserued his forces whole and entyre and with a sudden charge crossed the happy course of the victorious Prince whose battaillons of footmen being bared of their horse could not endure the furious assault of the Guisards but fled as fast as they could to saue their liues notwithstanding all the encouragement vsed by Dandelot who perswaded them all that he might to abide their enemies Moreouer Danuille one of the sonnes of the Constable espying the princes horsmen disordered with pursuing their victory charged theÌ„ before they could be rallied afresh and hauing first wounded Conde in the hand and then slain his horse the red crosses so pressed on him on all sides before he could be remounted that he was constrained to yeeld himself prisoner Conde taken prisoner to the immeasurable grief of all the confederates The Admirall gathering togither so manie as possible he might of his dispersed troupes gaue a fresh charge vppon the Guise where there was a sore and cruell fight but for that he was not able to match his enemies after the death of many braue men on both sides Dinothus saith that there were 10000. Catholikes slaine The Mareschal S. Andrew slaine he retired to Neufuil leauing the honour of that iourney to the Guise At the last encounter were slaine the Mareschall of S. Andrew Monbrune the Constables sonne the Lord Picues Annebaut Brossy Giury and many other leaders The Duke of Aumaile was greeuously hurt and likewise the Duke of Neuers who dyed shortly after The principall prisoners which were taken were the Constable who was forthwith sent to Orleanâ—e with Orayson Rochfort Esclauoles and sundrie other Gentlemen of good account There were slain on the Princes side verie neare a thousand fiue hundred footmen seuen hundred Almains some foure hundred horse as Dinothus reporteth The principall of which were the Baron of Arpaion Saux Shandeu Liencourt Fredomere Carliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier al which for the most part were of the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at this last conflict The newes of this battaile was verie vncertaine each side supposing yea and constantly reporting their owne ouerthrowe But vpon more certaine intelligence how that both Generals were taken and that they had parted in a maner with equall losse each faction beganne to rowse vp themselues and to hope for better successe in their future wars wherupon they resolued to choose them new Generals vntill the old were againe restored to libertie The duke of Guise was thought the meetest to commaund ouer the Catholikes The D. of Guise chosen generall ouer the Catholiks and the Admirall ouer the protestants and the Admirall ouer the confederates who pondering their harmes lately receiued by the death of so many braue men and their want of many necessaries requisit for to keepe the field thought it best to retire the one to Paris the other to Orleance and there to repaire their broken armies The Duke of Guise lay not long idle but assayed to recouer certaine townes from the Confederates as Pluuiers Estamps and some others The Admirall on the other side beeing as carefull to maintaine heade agaynst the enemie besieged Selles in Berry which was yeelded vpon composition where he found good store of gold and siluer for the payment of his Reisters Rochfaucont tooke S. Agnan and the Prince Portian entered Monrichard The gayning of which Townes greatly countenanced the wauering estate of the Protestants Thus did these two armyes flote vp and downe each seeking to encroach vppon other so much as might bee At length the Admirall espying the drift of the Guise which was to inuest Orleance on the sudden put himself with all his forces within the Citie Where notwithstanding vpon better aduice he remayned not long but marched towards Normandie to meet with the Englishmen The admiral goeth towards New-hauen to meete with the Englishmen whose landing was dayly expected at New-hauen which was the place appoin for that purpose and that by the consent of the confederates The Queene mother being aduertised hereof laboured to stop his intended voyage by propounding a parle of peace but the Admirall being well acquainted with such stratagems would in no wise hearken thereto but folowed his formed proiect and so with some 3000. horse passingly well furnished and far better then at the battel of Dreux held on his course And being a man of great experience and singular expedition in all his enterprises he surprised on the sudden sundry places which proued afterward of no small moment for the aduancing of the affaires of the confederates The duke of Guise hauing his armie in a readinesse and vnderstanding of the Admirals departure from Orleance leauing Dandelot his brother for the guarde therof vntill his returne thought it best to besiege them who were there assembled while the Admirall with the flower of all their troupes was busied other wheres With this resolution he dislodged and planted his siege about the towne The Duke of Guise besieheth Orleance which he so sore battered and couragiously assailed that the Citie was in imminent perill and all the confederates were in a wonderfull feare least it should haue beene taken Yea the Duke so assured himselfe thereof that hee wrote to the King and Queene Mother that he hoped now to extirpe the race of the Hugonots who had for so many yeares troubled the whole land and that he would send them newes therof within foure and twentie houres But while he was thus in his ruffe firmely perswading himselfe that all was his bebold there fell out a straunge and vnexpected accident which brake the necke of all his deuises There was a poore Gentleman named Iohn Poltrot The storie of Poltot that killed the Duke of Guise one of verie little stature but full of spirite and lyfe and generally reputed of such as best knewe him to bee somewhat a rash headed fellow and verie vndiscreete and one that durst attempt any thing Who being brought vp for a long time in Spaine had learned the language verie perfectly And for that both for his colour complection and stature he was so like vnto them of that nation he was commonly called the little Spaniard This fellow seruing sometime vnder Soubize who commaunded at Lyons woulde often vaunt that this was the hande stretching out his arme that shoulde kill the Duke of Guise and deliuer Fraunce from that monstrous and cruell Tyrant And this hee vsually vttered in great brauerie so that as manie as heard him knowing the humour of the man laughed at his follie little imagining that hee meant as hee sayde for if hee had then it was lykely hee woulde haue kept his purpose more secrete and not haue beene so open mouthed It happened so that immediately after the battaile of Dreux Soubize sent this Poltrot with a Letter to the Admirall who was nowe at Selles in Berrie whither hee was no sooner
Religion would accept of any conditions But they beeing too often before beguyled with fayre wordes woulde not hearken thereto least the world should thinke that they were no longer able to maintaine their cause a speciall plotte sayd they to discountenaunce the rest of theyr proceedings The Protestants refuse a peace VVhereupon both the Catholiques and Protestants still continued to vexe each other in all hostill manner The Count de Lude and Puygalliard recouered Marans Browages and many other Islandes from the Confederates which were againe regayned by La Noue and stronglie fortifyed for the further aduauncement of the affayres of the Protestants Who preuayled also verie mightily by Sea taking manie great pryses which were no meanes to further theyr designements Whilest things fell out in this maner about Rochell the Princes the Admirall and the rest of the chiefest of the confederates had greatly encreased their forces and hasted to ioyne their troupes with Montgommerie Moubrune and other Chieftaines who had gathered a great number of harquebuziers to supply those bandes which had beene broken at the battell of Mountcounter And hauing thus reenforced their army they marched towards Lorrain there to attend the comming of theyr Almaynes And as they passed through Languedocke and came neare vnto Mountpellier La Loue one of the Mareschals of the campe was slaine as he was fast asleepe in the dead of the night through the great neglâ—gence of the Sentinels La Loue slain through the negligenâ—e of the Sentinels who beeing suddenly surprised by the garrison within the Towne were the cause of the death of this braue Chieftaine who for his valour courage and noble conduct was highly commended of all the Protestants Many townes were gayned by the Princes in these quarters as Lunell Nismes Margarite Saint Ambrose Saint Iean Saint Priuâ—te Bezouze Castillon Alâ—ts with sundâ—y other of good importance by which happy exploits the confederates did begin afresh to countenance themselues and to recouer much of their former honour and renowme When as the K. was aduertised of all their designes and how that they dayly encreased their forces surprised many castels strong holds and were now almost ioyned with their Reisters with whose ayd they resolued to returne againe into the heart of France and peraduenture once more to besiege the capitoll of all the Kingdome he dispatched forthwith the Mareschall Cossy with an armie wherein were 4000. Switzers 6000. French harquebuziers some 3. or 4000. horse and twelue great peeces of Ordinance with which forces he marched towards the princes Mareschal Cossy sent against the Princes who were incamped at a place called Saint Iean in Burgundy with some 2500. harquebuziers 2000. horse and eighteene cornets of Reisters These two armies came no sooner in view each of other but that their Enfans perdus began the game so that there was a hot skirmish on both sides The Prince of Berne and Conde were there in person each of them in the front of their Regiment and resolutely bent to go to the charge and there to make the first triall of their fortune The fight continued long and many were slaine but the Catholikes hauing the worse after they had lost Monsieur de Bellegard Monsieur de Bellegard slaine one of the Knights of the order besides diuerse others of good accouÌ„t were forced to suffer the Protestants to passe who hasting on their way after great trouble and a long and painefull iourney hauing in a maner rounded all Fraunce at the last they drewe neare to La Charitie Sancerre Antrin Vezelay and other Townes of the Religion where they defended themselues to theyr maruaylous comfort and contentation Nowe was the treatie of peace before mentioned reiterated and earnestly pursued by diuerse who perswaded the King The King perswaded to a peace that these intestine warres consumed none but his Subiectes that the murthers robberies burnings and such like miseryes woulde bee the confusion of the whole state and that who so euer gayned yet hee lost to the great impouerishing of the Crowne of Fraunce and the vtter destruction of that noble kingdome which had beene the paragon of all Europe These and the like reasons induced the King at length to condiscend to a peace which was accepted by the confederates and published in the yere 1570. to the great comfort of all the French and exceeding quiet of the whole lande where we may see the strange and wonderful mutabilitie of mens minds which as they are not long contented with one the self same estate so do they seldom or neuer like the better before they haue beene well scourged with the rod of their owne folly and taught by wofull experience howe to discerne betweene good and bad CHAP. XIIII Peace proclaimed in France The mariages of the King the Duke of Montpensier the Duke of Guise and the Admirall The Queene of Nauarre goeth to the Court The Admirall goeth to the Court The death of the Queene of Nauarre Peace proclaimed THe kings Edict for the establishing of a peace was no sooner published but that the forces on both sides were forthwith licenced to depart euery man to his owne house which hee had not seene for a long time before to the vnspeakable ioy of the protestaÌ„ts no small comfort to the better and honester sort of the Papists who as mariners that haue escaped some dangerous troublesom tempests and are arriued safely in their wished port held vp their haÌ„ds to heauen with giuing thanks for so vnspeakeable a blessing and earnestly entreated the almightie that they might spend the rest of their dayes in peace and quietnes The Princes with the Queene of Nauarre and sundry of the chiefe of the Protestants as the Admirall the Count Lodowick of Nassau Teligny La Noue and diuerse other withdrew themselues to Rochell for their greater securitie vntil they might see how the kings Edict would be executed Now began there a great alteration in the minds of the French all mens actions were suddenly changed as a man would haue thought after a strange wonderfull maner For where as not long before there was no talke but of hatred wrath murther bloodie broyles and most cruel and vnnaturall warres now was there nothing so much spoken of as loue amitie friendship and making of mariages The King was espoused to Isabel the second daughter to Maximilian the emperor The King marrieth whose nuptials were solemnised with great pompe and magnificence Lois of Burbon and Duke of Montpensier maried with the Duke of Guises sister Duke Montpensier marrieth and the Duke of Guise matched with the widowe of the late Prince Portion D. of Guise marieth one of the principall of the Confederates The Mareschall Cossy and Prontiere one of the Secretaryes of estate were sent vnto Rochell to treate with the Queene of Nauarre as touching a marriage betweene the Prince of Barne her sonne and the Ladie Margaret the Kinges sister a
the rest of their proceedings And hauing gotten sundry strong townes forts and castels into their handes they flatly refused those conditions of peace which the Rochellers had accepted fortifying themselues with a newe association and league began to annoy the Catholiks with open warre The mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed to prison The King being about this time incensed against the Mareschals of Memorancie and Cossy committed them to prison and suspecting the Mareschall Danuill to be of their confederacie depriued him of his Lieutenantship in Languedo ke and gaue it vnto the Prince Dauphin son to the Duke Montpencier Which when the Mareschall vnderstoode hee aranged himselfe with those of the Religion seizing vppon sundry strong townes as Montpellier Beucary Lunell and others Mareschal Danu â—l â—oyneth with the Protestants fortifying them with sufficient garrisons and all other necessaries There were also great numbers of the Catholikes who receyuing small fauour at the Kings hands neither were so rewarded for their seruices as they expected grew maleconts and seeing Monsieur the Kings brother was departed into Polonia they thought it now fit time to take their aduauntage and by leaguing themselues with the Protestants to reforme the policy of the land and to reclaim the king who said they was wholy misled by the wicked couÌ„sels of such as were strangers and enemies tothe Crowne of France They had also practised with the Duke of Alenson the Kings yongest brother to take part with them and found him not vnwilling to becom their leader and generall in this so hautie an enterprise And where as the Rochellers would not for a long time be drawne to ioyne with the rest of the Protestants Rochell ioyneth with the rest of the Protestants malecontents at last through the dexteritie and politike inducements of La Noue a man of great credit among them they were contented to bee embarked into that action and to prouide all necessaries for the maintenance of the future wars The Confederates hauing all things thus in a readinesse attended the departure of the Duke of Alenson The Duke of Alenson disswaded from going in the Protestants the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde from the Court and for their better safetie had sent some two hundred horse to Saint Germain in Lay but the King being made priuie hereof and his excellencie diuerted by La Moly the proceedings of the Protestants were mightily crossed for the time howbeit like men of courage and resolution they went forwards and openly inuaded the Catholiques both by sea and land Montgommerie who for a long while had beene in the I le of Gersey landed on the sudden in Normandie Montgommery landeth in Normandy ioyning with the Columbiers and incorporating himselfe with the Norman troupes made sharpe warre vpon the Papists getting many townes and fortresses which were very aduantagious for the Protestants Great preparation was made by the King to withstand these proceedings and proclamation was sent out into all parts to assemble the Bannes and Arierbannes and such was the diligence vsed herein that there was quickely gathered together a sufficient number to make two armyes which the King presently diuided sending the one into Poictou vnder the conduct of Montpencier against La Noue and the other vnder the leading of Mategnon into Bas Normandie agaynst the Count Mongommerie who preuayled mightily against the Catholiques seising vpon sundry their best townes and strongest holds and raunging euery where at his pleasure But at last the Count comming to Donfron was suddenly besieged by his enemies where he was taken prisoner being shamefully forsaken by his souldiers and so was led away to Paris and there had his head stroken off Montgommery taken beheaded the 26. of Iune to the great reioycing of the Parisians and the exceeding greefe of the Confederates CHAP. XVIII The King waxeth sicke Maketh a peace with his subiects Ordaineth the Queene mother Regent of France in the absence of the King of Polonia His death The end of the fourth ciuill warres The King waxeth sickly WHilest the Duke Montpencier besieged Fontenay the King who had now for a good while beene sickely and diseased began to waxe worse and worse insomuch as the Queene mother fearing that if he should die vpon the sudden there woulde be maruellous hurly burlies at court thought it best to sende for the Duke Duke Montpensier returneth to the Court. whom she comanded to repaire vnto the kings presence withall speed who thereupon brake vp his siege licensing his army to depart and he himself hasted to the Court. There he found a strange Metamorphosis for the king was now verie desirous to end the wars and to make a peace with the Protestants and would haue them fauoured and protected as well as his other subiects The king desirous to make peace with his subiects desiring and that verie instantly all sorts to put to their helping hands and to shew themselues furtherers of so laudable a worke Commaunding likewise his Lieutenants and gouernors in all his Dominions to cause his former Edicts to be diligently obserued to punish with all rigour and seueritie who soeuer refused to obey this his commaundement The Queene mother did likewise labour verie earnestly herein The end of the fourth ciuill warre and seemed desirous of nothing so much as to establish a peace and quietnesse throughout all Fraunce The King did still decay and death hasted his pace to ouertake him so that notwithstanding all the meanes that could bee imagined to escape so hote pursute yet there was no remedie but needes he must be arested and called to account for his former actions Which when with great perplexitie of minde and sorrow of heart he perceiued hauing ordained the Queene mother for Regent during the absence of the King of Polonia The Q. mother made Regent of Fraunce to whom the crowne of Fraunce as next heire did appertaine he yeelded vp his life the 30. of May at Bois de Vincens 1574. in the 13. yeare of his reigne and in the 24 of his age hauing bin the most bloodie and cruell Prince that euer did weare the French Diadem And as hee continually thirsted after the blood of the poore Protestants so did hee neuer cease vomiting and belching out of blood all the time of his sicknesse with most horrible swearing and blaspheming vntill his last gaspe after a most strange and fearful maner And this was the end of Charles of Valois and King of France The death of Charles the ninth King of France who beeing by nature wicked by education irreligious and by vngodly and wicked counsel easily drawne into all kinde of impious and barbarous actions began with iniustice continued with crueltie and ended in misery leauing that noble kingdome so torne and dismembred the Nobilitie so diuided and discontented and the communaltie so oppressed and impouerished that the whole state hauing lost the ancient splendor
Guyse who was mustering of men and gathering of forces and that very busily for the same purpose As the king was thus deuising how hee might best withstand the Reisters new troubles ensued and a maruailous likelyhood of greater and more dangerous sturres then at any time before if they were not wisely and speedily preuented for the Duke of Alenson the kings onely brother and the second person of France sodainely departed from the Court The Duke of Alenson sodainly departeth from the Court to the aide of the confederates and went to Dreux beeing highly discontented with his straight keeping which he accounted no better then an imprisonment to whom theâ—e daily repayred great numbers of the nobilitie and gentlemen both Papists and Protestants and there openly shewed himselfe a fauourer of the Confederates * The king of Nauarre escapeth out of prison The king of Nauarre who had likewise beene shut vp for three yeeres hauing libertie on a time to go to hunt in the Forrest of Saint Germain in Lay accompanied with the Duke of Espernon and many other Lords and gentlemen so perswaded with them that they were not onely willing to suffer him to go whether hee would but many offering their seruice to bring him on the way neuer left him vntill he came to Samur where he continued not long but hee grew to that strength that he cared little or nothing for his enemies These two vnexpected accidents did maruailously astonish the Court and made the wisest of them well neere at their wits endes But the Queene mother who earnestly desired to see some good agreement betweene hir children The Queene mother reconcileth her children accompanied with some of the Princes of the bloud the principall officers of the Crowne and the two Mareschals of France Memorancy and Cossy who were now deliuered out of prison went with all speede toward Monsieur and neuer left him vntill she had first made a truce for nine moneths and afterwards hauing granted vnto him the Dukedomes of Berry Touraine and Aniou for his better maintenance besides many other things done in fauour of the Protestants the warres ceased and a generall peace was proclaimed thorowout the land which the Protestants hoped would be more permanent then any other of former times for that it was granted by the king who as yet had not violated his promise The end of the fift ciuill warres and therefore they had no cause to doubt of him especially considering that as one exempting himselfe from being culpable of the breach of the former pacification he commanded that this should be tearmed by the name of his Peace and therefore in all likelihood meant to haue it duly kept and obserued CHAP. XX. The ambition of the Guyses The house of Valois and Burbon condemned at Rome Monsieur forsaketh the Protestants The beginning of the sixt ciuill warres HItherto thou maist perceiue gentle Reader a maruailous strange alteration and as it were a continuall vicissitude in these French affaires The originall and progresse with the variable effect and incredible accidents occasioned through the continuance of these wofull ciuill warres are as it were in a glasse very liuely represented before thy eyes The due consideration whereof and mâ—st needes make euerie one in whom remaineth any piety to tremble at the secret iudgements of the almightie and to bee mooued with a fellow feeling and commiseration of the woful estate of our afflicted brethren in forraine Countreyes so ought it to worke an exceeding reioycing ioyned with most humble thanks in the hearts of those who enioy a quiet estate and blessed peace vnder a most gracious and mercifull prince with a continual inuocation vnto him who is the giuer of so rich a treasure not onely to poure downe and that in most plentifull manner such graces as are requisite for the beautifying and garnishing of so high a maiestie but also to assist her with such Religious wise and peaceable Councellers as abhorre a couetous humour wherewith many haue beene possessed for the enriching of themselues and detesting an ambitious and aspiring minde a vice oftentimes but too much inherent in the natures of great personages as are zealously adicted to the setting foorth of Gods glorie the seruice of his soueraigne and the peace and prosperitie of the Commonwealth The want whereof as it hath euermore beene the bane of many most flourishing nations so hath it been the principall motiue of such lamentable desolation as hath spread it selfe and that in most outragious manner ouer the face of that noble Kingdome of France where albeit that some of the latter Kings haue not beene so vertuously disposed as were to bee wished which notwithstanding may peraduenture in some sort bee executed in regarde of their mynoritie and want of good education by meanes whereof they haue the more easily beene enduced to giue their allowance to many most wicked and vngodly proceedings yet is it out of question that the gratest misteries which haue there fallen out haue beene hatched and brought foorth by the deuillish and pestiferous practises of sundrie Councellers who through the benefit of their good fortune and fauour of their Princes haue attained vnto great places and had the managing of the whole state The great ingratitude of the house of Guyse Among others the house of Guyse as it is notoriously knowne vnto the whole world haue faulted heerein in the highest degree that may bee who abusing those notable gifts which had made them commendable in the sight of their soueraignes and highly esteemed of the people and therefore ought to haue drawen on an honourable â—â—â—â—yage of themselues towardes all sorts but in more especiall towardes that house which had so honoured them aboue all families in France haue rendered euill for good and sought by all vnlawfull and trecherous meanes to subuert those who haue beene but too ready to procure theyr honour and aduauncement Which intollerable ingratitude of theyrs though it were prophesied on long before by the great King Francis the first of 〈…〉 saying The prophesie of King Francis That they would 〈…〉 into theyr dublets and his subiects into their shirts yet such was the carelesse securitie of the ofspring of that prudent Prince that they would not take 〈◊〉 vnto those aspiring heades but by giuing them countenance and authoritie haue mightily empaired their 〈◊〉 royall dignitie and 〈…〉 of this sharpe and bitter prophesie Francis Duke of Guyse assisted by the councelles of that 〈…〉 associate Charles his brother Cardinall of Lorraine Francis D of Guise aspireth to the Crowne of France had long synce layde the plot and cast in his minde how to effect this diabolicall deuice and to that ende had set all Fraunce in a combustion by sowing diuision betweene the King and the Princes of the blood and incensing the soueraigne agaynst his most obedient and dutifull subiectes And being growne verie gracious among the French by reason of his fortunate successe in the
warres caused it to bee secretly spredde abroade among the people that hee was descended from Charlemaine and therefore had some right and title to the Crowne of Fraunce And as though hee meant one day to put in his clayme had so ordered the matter that great numbers of the Nobilitie and sundrie of the principall Citties of the lande were wholie at his deuotion but hee was cutte off in the middest of his hope as is alreadie sayde before Orleaunce and all his deuices came to naught sauing that he left behind him a sonne as hautie as aspiring and as ambitious as euer was the father Henrie duke of Guise his ambitious turbulent nature and one that attempted greater matters then euer did any of that line This man beeing growne into great credite with Charles the ninth and likewise with Henrie the thirde so aduaunced himselfe by their fauours that he gaue the lawe to Fraunce and did euery thing as he lysted And practising those rules which his father and vncle had left him was euermore deuising howe to trouble the state and to holde the King at continuall strife with his subiects as the readyest and speedyest way to compasse that which that factious and turbulent house had so greedily gaped after for these many yeares VVhereupon hee pondering with himselfe that if this late reconciliation which was made betweene the King and his subiects shoulde continue that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde with their adherents and associates would quickely growe mightie and so with theyr power and authoritie easily ouerthrowe all his councelles and that in such sort as hee should neuer bee able to accomplish and fulfill his intended purpose thought it best and most expedient for his aduantages to beginne newe broyles and sturres and with a sixt ciuill warre to bring France againe into a Chaos and confusion The better to effect this and to lay as sure a foundation as might bee for so badde a buylding it was deuised that the Bishop of Paris and a certaine Aduocate called Dauid as craftie as wilie and as wicked a fellowe as anie lyued in those dayes shoulde bee sent to Rome The Bishop of Paris the aduocate Dauid sent to Rome to haue the direction of the Pope and his Cardinalles howe it were best to beginne and afterwards most circumspectlie to proccede and go forwardes in so hautie and weightie an enterprise There were many bitter complaints and sharpe accusations framed agaynst Henrie the third the French King against Monsieur his brother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde against the race of the Valoises the Burbons Accusations against the houses of Valois and Burbon all the princes of the blood and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce they were all either heretikes or fauourers of heretikes and by their late pacification entended the vtter subuersion of the holie Church of Rome There it was shewed to make the King and all his Princes the more odious howe the house of Capet had alwayes withstoode the Bishoppes of Rome and had in olde time maintained the Valdensis and Albigeons and nowe were either Hugonots or else great fauourers and abettors of them But on the contrarie that the house and lynage of Charlemaine which was wrongfully dispossessed of the Crowne had a speciall grace giuen them by the Papall benediction to support and helpe holie Church and that yet there were some of that ofspring left and those stoute maintainers of the Papall dignitie meaning those of Guise and such as had alwayes like notable Champions valiauntlie defended the Romaine fayth and therefore it was expedient nay most necessarie for the preseruation of the Catholike Religion to roote out the houses of Valois and Burbon and to restore the ofspring of Charlemaine which was endewed with all excellent vertues and throughly furnished with most notable gifts requisite for the execution of all commendable and honourable attempts The Councel holden at Rome for the rooting out of the blood Roiall of France And for the more speedie accomplishment hereof it was resolued that the Guises with their partakers should procure newe commotions in the lande and nourish the warres by all possible meanes that might bee That they should league the Nobililtie by oath to persecute the Gospel and to choose for their heade and principall of their league Henrie Duke of Guise whom the King shoulde bee counsayled to let alone and suffer him to proceede as he liked best seeing he was a man of that iudgement that knewe well enough what hee had to doo The Queene mother likewise should bee sent to perswade Monsiour her sonne to beat the assembly of the States which should bee holden at Blois Whither the king shoulde solicite the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde to come by all the faire wordes that could be deuised And in the meane while there should be sundrie cunning fellowes and such as were most deuoted to the league sent abroad into the seueral prouinces who should secretly labour that such Deputies might be chosen as would further the designements of the Leaguers all that might be During which priuie practises the Friers and Iesuites shall incense the people agaynst the Hugonots by their seditious Sermōs The priests in their parish churches shal secretly take the names of all the able men for the warres and in their shriuings shall charge them to prouide them of all such weapons as shal be appoynted them by their captaines The States shal sweare to obserue and obey whatsoeuer shal be concluded And if Monsieur the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde and the rest of the princes of the blood do not appeare at the said assembly they shall be condemned as rebels and likewise all other that shal any way oppose themselues against the proceedings of the said States who shal sweare their obedience to the Sea of Rome and to obserue the Councell of Trent and withall a request shall be made to the king that if any man shall resist and refuse to giue his allowance thereto that he shall appoynt the Duke of Guise his generall and giue him authoritie to pursue him to the death who hauing so great forces shall cause them to be in a readinesse to march towarde Blois assoone as the assembly of the states is begun All things being thus contriued there shall be certaine commissioners chosen to enquier of the life and deedes of Monsieur and certaine iudges appoynted to condemne him for ioyning himselfe with the Heretikes and so his processe shal be drawene forthwith after the godly example of the king of Spaine who put to death Charles of Austrich his naturall sonne As soone as Monsieur is condemned then shall the forces march to strengthen the execution and shall set vpon all the Hugonots and put as many of them to the sworde as they can come by and the Duke of Guise beeing so strongly appoynted shall seyze vpon the persons of the King and Queene mother and by
should be reuenged and that three of the principall Burgesses of euerie Citie and towne should be put to death in reuenge of the saide murther These with many other notorious vntruths were openly declared in their pulpets wherewith the common sort were mightily enraged against the Protestants and desired nothing more then their vtter subuersion and ouerthrow The Guyses hauing likewise obtained good store of Spanish pistolets corrupted diuers great personages The beginning of the seauenth ciuill warres called the warres of the Leaguers and had hired sundrie Captaines to take their parts Hauing laide this foundation and prouided all necessaries that could be deuised for the rest of their building about the fourth of March 1585. they brake foorth and shewed themselues openly seising vpon sundrie the kings Townes Cities and fortresses supposing indeede that the rest would ioyne with them and take their parts but things falling out contrarie to their expectation they were forced to plucke in their heads for a while and to attend some better oportunitie and that so much the rather for that the K. the better sort of the Nobilitie and the courts of Parliament opposed themselues against their proceedings declaring them Rebelles and willing all the gouernours of Townes and prouinces to apprehende them and to see them punished as seditious persons and perturbers of the State This audacious action seemed very odious in the eyes of many which the Guyses perceiuing they drew in the Cardinall of Burbon by sundrie fine deuises to ioyn with them whose credit and countenance serued their turnes in many great attempts And because sundrie of the Kings Councellers were either the Guyses creatures or by some one way or other deuoted vnto them The king betrayed by his Councell the king was neuer duly enformed of the danger of the League for they told him that it was nothing but an inconsiderate zeale of some few who fearing the innouation of Religion were growne somewhat passionate and sought for nothing indeed but to maintain the people in their obedience to the holy church who if hee should but once frowne vppon them they would all come and fal downe at his maiesties feete and vowe their goods their liues and whatsoeuer meanes they had to doo his maiestie seruice and therefore hee neede not feare them who were so good and deuout Catholikes but rather had cause to animate them in their Religious proceedings considering that they opposed themselues against none but such as were tearmed Hugonots the kings sworne enemies and such as had beene the occasion of all those miseries which had continued in France for so many yeeres The King was brought into such a securitie of his estate by this wicked Councell that he did not onely reiect such aduertisements as were sent to him from time to time both from the King of Nauarre Duke Cassimer and other Princes touching the monstrous conspiration of the Leaguers but also as one that knew not what hee did hee made great preparation against them of the reformed Religion and suffered the Leaguers in the meane time to grow and fortifie themselues at their owne pleasures vntill they were become so mighty that they thought themselues able inough if neede were to go through with theyr intended course whosoeuer shoulde say nay Which was no sooner effected but that they sette the Kings Councellers on the sodaine to enfourme the king of the great power and puissance of the Leaguers howe that quite besides their expectations there was an vniuersall consent of all his good subiects to restore the Catholike Religion that great numbers of his Nobilitie and cheefest Citties highly commended the zeale of the Leaguers and were resolued in theyr defence and therfore that it were good for the king considering the time not to make any resemblance to call any of them to account for any of theyr actions least he should giue some suspicion that hee was a fauorer of the heretikes which might breed a grudging in the hearts of his people wherby some commotions might rise to the imminent perill of his royall person and the extreme danger of the whole state The King maketh peace with the Leaguers The king beeing maruailously amazed with these and such like remonstrations thought it best to make peace with them and to countenance them as his best subiects They were glad that they had brought him to that passe and now seeing they had found him so submisse they meant to make further tryall of his courtesie and therevppon they required that all their former actions might be ratified by the kings authoritie as good and lawful and done for his seruice and that whatsoeuer had passed in preiudice of the Leaguers should be reuoked as wrongfull and vniust and for that they sawe the king was willing to gratifie their smal requests they were bold to proceed further to intreat him that the Duke of Guyse the Duke de Maine the Duke of Aumaile the Cardinall of Guyse the Lord Brissac the Lord Antragnes the Lord Chastre and the rest of the principall Leaguers might haue the gouernement of sundrie the strongest places of the land The Leaguers require to be made gouernours of the principall holds in France as of the Cittadell of Metz the Castle of Diâ—â—n Rhemes the strongest holds of Picardy Orleans Caen Aniou Bourges Lyons and many others of like importance They further perswaded with him to proclaime open warres against the Protestants to declare the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and all others who had beene infected with heresie as they tearmed it to be for euer vncapable of any office in France and that they should packe out of the Countrey with all speede and for the better countenancing of all theyr proceedings against these great States they procured Pope Sixtus to excommunicate them thereby to make them more odious with the people As soone as they had gotten in a manner whatsoeuer they desired and had made themselues as good maisters as the King they with sundrie and most cunning deuises gayned great multitudes to ioyne with them and euerie man eyther for feare or for loue was foorthwith at their will and commande They mustered great forces and gathered mightie armies to inuade the king of Nauarre and the rest of the Protestants who seeing themselues abandoned of their king and exposed to the furie of their mercilesse enemies stood vpon the defensiue and resisted the rage of the League as well as they could The Prince of Conde growing strong determined to besiege Brouage The Prince of Conde besiegeth Brouage which was kept by the Lord Saint Luc for the Leaguers where after hee had spent some time in gayning many of the principall forts he departed towards Angiers leauing al his footmen to continue the siege and albeit the Prince vsed great expedition labouring with all speede to releeue those who had taken the Castle of Angiers The Prince goeth towards Angiers yet could hee not come time inough
for by reason that Captaine Rochmort who had surprised the saide Castle was slaine with a shot out of the Towne as hee was leaning in his chamber window the Castle was rendered again vpon composition made sure for the League as it was afore time The Prince beeing ignorant hereof passed the Loyre with all his troups which were some eight hundred horse and almost a thousand and two hundred harquebuziers on horsebacke conducted by the Lord of Nemours Lauall Trimouille Boâ—lay Saint Gelais Aubigny Ouches Rohan Touche Flesche and sundrie others The Lord Clermont had likewise gathered a great companie of horse and encamped himselfe with the Prince neere vnto Angiers These companies approching the Towne expected some signall from the Castle whereby they might vnderstand that it still held for the king of Nauarre but they were certified that the saide Castle was yeelded the day before into the handes of their enemies and therefore that it was lost labour to stay there any longer Which newes greeued the Prince exceedingly made him with the rest of his councell to fall to consultation how they might safely get backe ouer the Loyre and free themselues out of that danger which then appeared before their eies and for that they knewe well inough that both the kings forces and the Leaguers were vp in all quarters and hasted by all possible meanes to encounter them they retyred towards the Loyre with a purpose to returne the same way they came The Lord Lauell beeing the formost got ouer without any danger but before the comming of the Prince all the passages were seised by the enemie and the prince was aduertised by many messengers that either hee must resolue to open his way by the sword or else to hazard himselfe at al aduenture through the Countrey of Beause The Prince approching the danger The great distresse of the Prince and the rest of the Protestants that were with him and thinking that in either of these there was but hard choyse called a Councell but by reason of the diuersitie of opinions it was long before any thing could be concluded at length it was agreed to passe through Beause Then euery man prepared himselfe towardes that desperate iourney and marching toward Luche in Aniou purposed there to passe ouer the Loyre vpon the Bridge but the Riuer was so risen that there was no passage without imminent perill From thence therefore they went to Lude and so to Prillay Vandeloyre S. Arnol where they heard newes that the Duke of Espernon and the Mareschall Biron were at Boneuall in Beausse with great forces readie to fight with the dismayed multitude that the Duke De Mayne as on the other side of the Loyre neere vnto Bloy readie to cut off such as should fortune to passe that way and that all the Countrey was full of strong garrisons attending with great deuotion to make a pray of the Prince and that handfull of men which did accompanie him so that it seemed the further they went the neerer they approched their destruction and hauing with their long and laborious marches wearied themselues and tired their horses they did vtterly dispaire of any good successe In this great agony they iourneyed on and euerie day receiued more vncomfortable newes then other wherewith many supposing that all was lost secretly disbanded from the grosse of the Armie and repaired to such friendes as they had in the Countrey The Prince and the rest of the Nobilitie were wonderfully perplexed and knew not what course to take at length they resolued to diuide themselues into seuerall companies some going one way and some another the Lord Rohan with many Gentlemen in his retinew went towards Britaine Saint Gelais went towards Vandosme the Prince the Lords of Trimouille and Auantigny with some of their principall seruants betooke them to their fortune as well as the rest and hasted to get into some place of greater securitie The laborious and tedious trauaile of this noble Prince his wearisome courses his long Caualcados his great and perilous dangers hee escaped before he gat to that Iland of Gernsy would require a long discourse were sufficient for a whole volume As soone as the cheefetaines were thus dispersed the common souldiers were quickly scattered some tooke their way towards Orleance some towards Nomandy and some towards Mayne and to bee short euerie man went which way hee liked best trauailing in exceeding great feare hauing as they imagined neither meanes to escape nor force to resist but were readie euerie minute to fall into the hands of those who did wholly pursue them The Prince of Conde with the cheefest of hiâ— troupes arriued at Rochell much about one time and thirsted for nothing more then for their bloud but when all hope failed God did miarculously deliuer them and so deliâ—ered them in theyr iourneyes that hauing auoyded a million of more then apparent perils they all arriued at length at Rochell and that much about one time to the exceeding comfort of themselues and the wonder of all France CHAP. XXII The cruell Edicts of the King against the Protestants The number of the Popish Armies which were ouerthrowne in one yeere The villanous dealâ—ng of the Guyse The battaile of Coutras WHilst the Prince of Conde and the rest of his distressed Armie made this hard shift for themselues the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine made captaine generall ouer the forâ—es of the Popish Clergy whome the League had procured to be appointed generall by the Kings authoritie ouer a mightie power maintained at the cost and charges of the Clergie of France bestirreth himselfe and seeketh to annoy the protestants as much as might bee but by reason the Vicount of Turin opposed himselfe against his proceedings with an army of sixe thousand men hee did no other harme but gat some fewe Townes which were of no great importance The League not prospering so fast as they desired by force of Armes caused the king who was nowe solde ouer to worke his owne confusion and the vtter ruine of his Realme and States The cruell Edicts of the king to make many cruell Edicts against those of the Religion notwithstanding all the pacifications and graunts of former times and they were commanded to auoyde the Realme within fifteene dayes otherwise there was libertie giuen to persecute them to death to seise vpon their goods lands and linings and to employ them to the kings vse The king of Nauarre knowing that all this was doone by the procurement of the League and the Popish Clergie seised likewise vppon all the Landes and goods of such as were either Leaguers or fauourers of that factious and rebellious multitude The seuere proclamations made by the king against those of the Reformed Churches wrought many lamentable effects in the Land Some who made profession of the Gospel recanted and turned to Poperie and because they would not bee suspected on any dissimulation they became earnest persecutors of
but that he perswaded himselfe that seeing his brother was dead The duke de Maine rebelleth aga nst the King he might now peraduenture obtaine the Crowne for himselfe if hee would lay in for it for hee had a great power in a readinesse and no doubt but the most of the Leaguers woulde followe him for feare least if they shoulde fall into the Kinges handes hee woulde punish them according to theyr deserts With this resolution hee left Dauphiny and hasted into Burgundie and Champaigne taking with him such strength and power as hee could get and making sure as manie places as hee coulde come by prepared to make warre agaynst the king Paris which was the capitoll Citie of the whole kingdome and had more fauoured the Guise then anie other was mooued to great indignation Paris and the rest of the principal Cities rebell against the King and shewed it selfe highly offended And being further incensed with the piteous outcryes and lamentable complaints of the Duchesses of Guise and Nemours and with the inuectiue Sermons of the Iesuites and Friers grewe into a desperate madnesse shaking off the yoake of obedience and rebelled openlye agaynst theyr naturall Prince and liege Lorde Most of the greatest rychest and strongest Cityes as Orleance Roan Amiens Aniou Lyons Abeuille Remes Tholous and manie others followed the example of the Parisians and conspiring with the rest of the Leaguers imprisoned the Kings friendes seyzed vpon his strong holdes robbed him of his treasure and vsed him in all outragious and rebellious maner The King vnderstanding of all these seditious sturres sought by faire meanes and in gentle maner to reduce them to their obedience sending out his proclaimations to pardon whatsoeuer was past and to burie it in the graue of obliuion so that they woulde lay downe their Armes and liue peaceablie vnder his authoritie The seditious diuinitie of the Sorbonists as in dutie they were bound but they made no reckoning of the Kinges clemencie but tearmed it cowardlinesse as though hee were afrayed of their forces beeing animated by the Sorbonists and their Doctours in Theologie who had resolued that they were set free from theyr oath of obedience and former allegiaunce made vnto Henrie the thirde And that it was lawfull for them and for all the residue of the people of Fraunce to take Armes agaynst the sayde King Henrie and to persecute him and all his adherents with fire and sworde as enemyes to God to their Countrey and to holy Church When they had once gotten this aduauntage that they were able to colour their proceedings as it were with an oracle from heauen they made no more conscience at the matter The duke de Maine made general of the Leaguers but presently determined to choose them a Generall for the leading of their forces and to establish a new Councell by whose direction they might manage the rest of their affayres They refused all the Princes of the blood and chose the Duke de Maine who was a man much fauoured of the leaguers The leaguers appoint a councell of state and one that was well acquainted with all their practises The Dukes of Aumaile and Nemours with the Cheualier of Aumaile were made gouernours of Paris There were also 47. of the most seditious turbulent factious and bitterest enemies to the King appoynted to order the state as the kings priuie councell had done in former times These had no sooner gotten this authoritie into their handes but they committed most horrible outrages against all such as they suspected to be the kings friends imprisoning murthering robbing sacâ—ing and spoyling them in such sort as was neuer heard of within any mans remembrance and going to the royall pallace called the Louure they seyzed vpon all the kings goods The leaguers notorious disobedience they violated the great Seale of France brake it in peeces and trode it vnder their feete They rent and tore the Armes of Valois and Burbon and trayled them in most despitefull manner in the mire and dyrt through the Streetes and assembling as manie of the principall Leaguers both of the Nobilitie Cleargie and Communaltie as they coulde wrote to other Cities theyr Confederates to follow their example and to ioyne with them and also to procure as manie partakers as they might the better to countenance their proceedings The king had often and very seriously disswaded them from this seditious course and with all lenitie sought to reduce them to their former obedience but considering that he preuailed nothing by gentlenesse and clemency but rather that the people waxed worse worse he therfore now determined to take a sharper course and by force to bring them vnder his obedience but fearing his owne weaknesse and want of sufficient power to bring his purposes to passe for that he was as it were coÌ„passed about with his enemies not knowing what to doo or whome to trust The king maketh peace with the 〈◊〉 of Nauarre perceyuing that the most of those who were about him were fauorers of the rebels hee was content to follow the aduice of his most trustie councellors and to make peace with the King of Nauarre and to vse his counsal and forces for his iust and lawfull defence and the rather for that the Duke de Maine approched verie neare vnto him with a great and puissant armie Thus was the king for the safetie of his person forced to cast himselfe into the armes of him whom for manie yeares hee had reputed for his mortall enemie and glad to seeke to be preserued by such an one whose destruction he had sought with all extremitie The King of Nauarre being aduertised of the Kings intent and solicited by sundry messengers to come to his ayde with all expedition called his Nobles and Captaines and gathered all his forces together and passing ouer the Loyre at Samnur went towards the King who was greatly distressed at Toures and in imminent perill to bee oppressed by the Leaguers The meeting of the King of France the King of Nauarre The King vnderstanding of his approach the thirtie of Aprill sent the Mareschall Haultmont accompanied with a great number of the Nobilitie to desire him to come to Plesis de Tours where hee with all his Court staid for him The King of Nauarre readily obeyed passing ouer the bridge of Saint Saphorin where hee left all his forces in battaile array and went towardes the King whom hee sound staying for him in the Parke of Plessis There was such a concourse of people and so great a throng that the two Kings were forced to stay aboue halfe a quarter of an houre stretching and holding out their hands before they could embrace one another so great was the prease and such a multitude were slocked togither to beholde this ioyfull and blessed meeting The kind embracings and louing salutations betweene these two Potentates did euidently declare their inward ioy contentation The reioysing of all sorts was incredible
his bodie The death of Henry the 3 the French King not withstanding all the remedies that could be deuised or imagined hee yeelded vp his life into the handes of him that gaue it him hauing reigned fourteene yeares and seuen moneths And this was the ende of Henrie the third the French king and king of Polonia and the last of the house of Valois who being bewitched with the sorceries of his mother and inclyning to euill by his owne bad disposition opposed himselfe agaynst Gods true religion and being giuen ouer to worke his owne destruction followed the wicked counsailes of his notorious and sworne enemies who spake him fayre to his face but inwardly hated him and neuer ceased persecuting of their deuelish deuises vntill they had brought his state to confusion and procured his vntimely death and destruction CHAP. XXVI Henrie the fourth the French King ouerthroweth the Leaguers in two seuerall battels Great famine in Paris The Duke of Parma entreth into Fraunce relieueth Paris From whence he flieth againe in great haste into the Lowe Countryes The Pope excommunicateth the King VVho causeth his Bull to be burned at Towers The great Armie of the Germianes The Duke of Parma goeth the sâ—conde time into Fraunce and preuayleth greatly agaynst the King The Leaguers seeke for peace The King encline to Poperie His coronation Paris with most of the great Citties of Fraunce turne to the King IMmediately after the death of Henrie the third Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre and the true inheritour to the Crowne of Fraunce both by his owne right and by the last will and testament of the late King The princes Nobles and souldiers take their oath of obedience to Henry the fourth was proclaimed King of Fraunce by the name of King Henrie the foorth and so acknowledged by all the Princes Nobles Colonels Captaines and souldiours in the Campe after the ancient maner of choosing the Romane Emperors giuing him their oaths of fidelitie and obedience with protestation to assist him to maintaine his royall and princely authoritie against all traitours rebels and leaguers to the vttermost of their powers The Prince Montpensier being then at Audly a towne vpon the Riuer of Seyne caused likewise all his army to take the like oath exhorting them to defend constantly the late kings wil and valiantly to oppose theÌ„selues against al seditious persons despisers of gods lawfull ordinance traitors to their King sworne enemies to their own couÌ„try This Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and now the French king and so hereafter he shall be tearmed considering the strength of his open enemies and fearing the treacherie of many in the Campe who were deuoted to the league knowing that they might be a meanes to distresse him beeing so neare vnto a great number of his euill willers who were likely to double their rage by reason of this exploit done vpon the late Kings person The French King retireth toward Norman de thought good to licence so many as he suspected to depart the campe and determined to retire with the rest into Normandie somewhat further from his enemies and to gather as great a power as hee could of his trustiest and most assured friends and in the meane time to view the attempts and preparations of the Leaguers The armie of the D. de Maine The D. de Maine besides all the bands which he had collected of the French rebels receyued certaine Swart Rutters vnder the leading of the Duke of Brimswicke The Duke of Lorraine sent his sonne likewise called the Marques of Pont. with certaine companies of horsemen with this great armie which amounted to the number of 25000. men The Duke de Maine marched towards Deep where the King lay with some nine or ten thousand men who vnderstanding of the approach of the enemie tooke the field with those forces which he had and encamped at Arques about two miles froÌ„ Deepe where he stayed not long but that the enemie appeared in fight at a village not far off called Martinglize The king sent out forthwith his light horsmeÌ„ to discouer between whoÌ„ the foreruÌ„ners of the Leaguers there were many hot skirmishes On the 19. day of September the enemie passed ouer a little riuer which ranne betweene both Armies and put himselfe in battaile array very well ordered strongly appointed and marched directly towards the king The Lord Billing with two thousande shot was appointed to charge first and the Duke de Maine stood behinde him with a strong battaile readie to succour as need required The king had quickly ordered his battailon hauing disposed of all things in as warlike maner as he could deuise sent forth his light horsemen to charge the enemie who were backed with the Prince of Conde led by the Lord Montaret His battailon of footemen was flanked with his owne cornet wherein were the Lord Graund Pryer of France the Count Rochfaucoult the Count Rossy his brother the Count Rochford with diuers other Gentlemen of great reckoning and such as were neerest about his person and hauing called vppon God to ayde him in his iust and righteous quarrell so furiously charged the enemie that hee left fiue hundred dead vpon the place at that instant The rest seeing the slaughter of their fellowes and the furie of the kings souldiers began to shrinke and in a short time to flie away in great feare and disorder The Principall men of the Leaguers which were slain were the Lord Saint Andrew Sagne Collonell of the light horsemen the Lord Saint Vidal Lieutenant of the Ordenance the Lord Vienuille Count Billing Temblecourt Sauelak and diuers others were taken prisoners The king lost the Count Rossy brother to Rochfaucont and the Lord Bake Ville a Gentleman of very worthy and commendable parts and not past some thirtie or fortie others The Duke de Maine seeing his bad lucke retyred his beaten troupes towards Picardy the king being strengthened with the forces of the Prince of Soysons Duke Languauille and Mareschall Haultmont besides foure thousand Englishmen newly sent him out of England The Lord VVillowby vnder the leading of the right noble and valiant Lord VVillowby departed from Deepe coasted the enemie til he came to Menlau and then returned toward Paris supposing that by that meanes hee should draw the Duke to follow him and so bring him to a battaile The king bringeth hiâ— army before Paris The King comming to Paris about the 28. of October determined to assault the suburbs and hauing prepared all things in a readinesse for that purpose assailed them the first of Nouember following where hee founde some resistance but the courage of the Souldiers redoubled with the presence of the Prince was such The suburbs of S. Germaines takeÌ„ that they quickly gayned them and slew aboue a thousand and fiue hundred of their enemies there were also taken fourteene ensignes and thirteene peeces of Ordenance The king seeing the Leaguers attempted nothing but
also considering the intollerable seruitude wherto they were likely to bring themselues and their posteritie if they should longer submit themselues to their Spanish protector and likewise seriously pondering the kings estate which was still supported by the cheefe Princes of the bloud the ancient and most honourable Nobilitie of France fauored by a number of valiant and wise personages and countenanced by sundrie mightie Princes abroade so that it still seemed to bee impossible to bring their purposes to passe but rather that they should hazard their owne estates their liues and liberties yea and in fine the whold kingdome by calling in the Spaniards their olde and ancient enemies who sought for nothing more then for the spoyle of the Flower de Lis. All these reasons with many other beeing well weighed they supposed it to bee their best to reconcile themselues to theyr king of whole readie inclination to peace The Leaguers seeke for peace though it were with hard conditions they nothing doubted wherupon they first priuily practised with sundry of the Papists which followed the king whereof there were no small number and hauing by their meanes made as it were an entrie vnto their pretensed purpose they sent their deputies to treate of a peace for three moneths wherto the king assented in Iuly 1593. and afterwards continued the same for two monethes more videlicet vnto the ende of the moneth of December following in all which time there was nothing doone otherwise then the sending of sundrie messages each to other with continual practising to draw the king to the liking of Poperie wherein there was such paines taken and so farre humane pollicie preuailed that this noble and famous Prince who had for the space of foure or fiue and twentie yeeres so valiantly and fortunately deâ—ended the Gospell and that with the hazard and perill of his owne life The K. enclineth to Popery freely exposing his royall person his treasor his friendes and all other meanes whatsoeuer â—oâ— the maintenance thereof beganne to waxe calme in the defence of his profession and to encline to that false and superstitious Religion of Rome to the high displeasure of almightie God the great dishonour of his princely Maiestie and to the extreme greefe and astonishment of all the Protestants Thus this noble and renowned Monarke the hope as it were of al that fauored Gods truth whom God had beautified with so many excellent graces and notable vertues as courage wisedom zeale and constancy in so many apparant dangers had made him the protecter and comforter of his afflicted church in France had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies 2. Sam. 12.8 and had giuen him his Lords house as the Prophet speaketh and if that had beene too little would haue giuen him much more making his proudest enemies to stoupe before h m and to the admiration and wonderment of all men continually protected him in despight of all those who sought his ruine and ouerthrow is another argument of the mutabilitie and interchangeable estate of all things in the world and that not onely the heauens the earth the sea the beasts of the field the fishes in the waters and the soules of the ayre are ful of varietie and change but likewise kingdomes countreyes and commonwealths Cities and townes all estates and conditions of men high and low rich and poore wise and foolish Prince and people are full of change and alteration Sundry principall Cities of France returne to the King In Ianuarie and Februarie immediatly folowing the Kings so apparant inclination to Poperie most of the principall Cities of France which had with so notorious obstinacy for a long while shaken off the yoake of their obedience beganne to bee reclaimed and as it were on the sodaine to bee arranged on the kings side Meaux Lyons Orleance Bourges Pontoâ—se with many other townes of speciall monument account opened their gates and willingly receiued the kings garrisons crying Vine Henry 4. roy de France de Nauarre expelling the Spaniards and hispaniolised French shewing great forwardnesse to withstande the outragious proceedings of the furious and desperate Leaguers The king had no sooner reduced these strong Townes vnder his obedience hauing by this meanes mightily strengthned himselfe and weakened his enemies but that hee was forthwith aduised by the Princes of his bloud the dukes and peeres of France the officers of his Crowne the Lords of his Councel and the most noâ—able personages of his courts of ParliameÌ„ts to frame himself to his corona ion and annoynting and that in such maner as all other kings his predecessors had done before him Which said ceremonious order of anointing is accounted the euident token of their royaltie and the publike approbation of the French nation Whereto the K. assenting as one now entending to obserue the ancient customs of his predecessors it was resolued that this solemne ceremony shuld be performed at our ladies church at Chartres for that the citie of Rheims where for the most part the king of France had wont euermore to be crowned still persisted in her rebellion and banded her selfe with the kings enemies All things beeing in a readinesse for the solemnizatioâ— of thâ—â—◠〈◊〉 magnificent coronation vpon the seuen and twentie day o◠〈…〉 the King came to the sayde Church attended with a great 〈…〉 Princes Earles Lordes and other States of Fraunce And by 〈…〉 some of the twelue Peeres as yet helde out agaynst the King and oâ—her â—ere sicke so that there wanted of the full and competent number to atteâ—◠〈◊〉 and to dootheyr seruice as the tyme then requyred the King 〈…〉 others in theyr steade to make vp the whole number whose names were as followeth Thâ— 6. peeres ecclesiastical 1 Bishop of Charters Representing the 1 Archbishop of Rhâ—mis the first peere Ecclesiastâ— all 2 Bishop of Nautes 2 The Bishop duke of 〈◊〉 3 Bishop of Digne 3 Bishop 〈…〉 4 Bishop of Mallefais 4 Bishop 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 5 Bishop of Orleance 5 Bishop Couâ—t of 〈◊〉 6 Bishop Angiers 6 Bishopâ— ouâ— to 〈◊〉 The 6 peeres temporall 7 Prince of Coney Representing the 7 Duke of Buâ—â—â—â—â—â— 8 County Soyssons 8 Duke of Norâ—â—â—â—â—â— 9 Duke Moâ—tpensier 9 Duke of Aqrâ—â—â—â—â—e 10 Duke of Rays 10 Count of Thâ—â—ous 11 Duke of Vantadon 11 Count of Flanders 12 Lord of Lupembourg 12 Count of Champaâ—â—ne The King was crowned by the Bishop of Chartres who for that day supplied the roome of the Archbishop of Rhemis and enthâ—onised him in his royall and Kingly seate in such maner and order as the rest of the Kings his predecessors had beene accustomed in former times Now began the Kings authoritie to waxe great and to enlarge it selfe euery day more and more and so farre it spread in a short time after that it was receyued into the heart of all Fraunce for the 20. of March following Paris the Metropolitan Citie of the whole realme Paris â—elleth to the 〈◊〉 which had continued in all kinde of rebellious disorder and that for many yeres togither omitting no kind of outrage that could be imagined against her natural and liege soueraignes their crownes and dignities by the vertuous and commendable industry of Brissac was likewise reduced vnder the Kings obedience who pardoning the inhabitants so many and so monstrous offences restored them to their auncient priueligieâ— rights grants Franchises and liberties with the reestablishments of his courts of Parliament and that in as large and ample manner as they had beene at anie time indued by any of the kings his predecessors abrogating all lawes decrees statutes ordinances which had passed in preiudice of theÌ„ as appeareth by an Edict bearing date the 28 of March 1594. So as neither the said inhabitants nor any of them should from thenceforth be troubled molested or disquieted in any maner of sort for their former disobediences imposing perpetuall silence heereof to his Attourneyes generall and to all other persons whatsoeuer commaunding withall all Dukes and Peeres of Fraunce all Officers of the Crowne all his Lieutenants and other Magistrates to cause the same to be proclaymed and published in theyr seuerall iurisdictions and resorts with expresse charge that the contents of the same should be inuiolably kept and obserued to the end that if it were possible the whole kingdome of Fraunce which for a long time had endured so manie calamities might nowe at length feele some ease and mitigation of former miseryes and the beaten barke of that distressed state which had beene so daungerously tossed in a vast Ocean of all kind of affliction might in the ende be brought to some desired hauen of peace and quietnesse and there be safely harboured to the eternall glorie of God the perpetuall honour of the King and the continuall ioy and comfort of the whole Common-wealth FINIS LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1597.
Wherupō assembling a new army as soone as the time of the yeare permitted he besiged Teroanne The emperor purposeth to besiege Teroanne which Pauuilliers is commaunded to defend Which the K. vnderstanding commanded Pauuilliers to leuie what forces he thought conuenient and to keep it from the enemy Wherupon Francis Memorancy eldest son of the Constable accompanied with many valiant captaines and gentlemen of good qualitie his followers repaired to Teroanne purposing by their heroycall and noble acts to win themselues honour and renowme The towne being defended with so strong a garrison and sufficiently prouided of all necessaries was thought to bee tenable agaynst the strongest enemie that was and therfore the emperials were suffred to do what they listed Who endeuouring to effect some notable exploit laboured night and day and made their approches without any empeachment placing their batterie vpon a little mount from whence they might annoy the defendants at their pleasure They had brought with them all warlike prouision as powder shot and all sorts of great and small Ordinance from sundry townes and castels of Flanders For this place was so odious vnto all that inhabited neare vnto it that as soone as it was besieged not onely the women and little children ranne thither to behold so gladsome a sight but in token of their ioies they sung songs with dauncing and leaping and brought into the campe corne beere bread sheepe and beeues in great abundance Their battery being once planted The furious batterie of Teroanne they began to beat the towne in such furious sort that the besieged were exceedingly endaungered no place being free from iminent perill Notwithstanding like men of valour and courage they resolutely defended themselues often issuing forth and fighting with the emperials in their trenches killed many of them poisoning some of their great Ordinance drew other some into the towne in despite of their enemies And albeit the emperials were much endomaged herewith yet were they so readily relieued from other places and all their wants so diligently supplied that they easily amended as much in a day as the French had marred in a week So that wanting nothing that might either helpe themselues or hurt their enemies they ceased neither day nor night but thundring continually with the Canon beat downe the walles and ouethrew the Towers and Bulwarks leauing nothing in a maner vnder which the besieged might shroud themselues The courage of the besieged Howbeit they labored continually to repaire the breaches and as men desperate and carelesse of their owne securitie they would be most busie where the Canon was most furious bringing earth dung fagots and such like necessarie matter for defence Which continuall trauell did maruellously weaken the defendants and by reason they were no great number they were forced to be both souldiors and pioners to watch in the night and fight in the day alwayes in action without ceasing or intermission In the midst of these great extremities there entred into the towne one called captaine Greille with a hundred Carabins Captaine Greille entreth Teroanne with 100. Carabins Who forcing the enemies Corps degard with the losse of a fewe of his men was readily receiued by the French who attended his comming with great deuotion The assailants were nothing discouraged herewith but plied their batterie more hotely then before shooting for the space of ten dayes togither And hauing beaten downe all their flankers and other places of defence and therwithall made a reasonable breach of sixtie paces in breadth prepared to giue an assault Collonell which the French resolued to abide Then stroke vp the drums the trumpets soūded the ensignes were displaied the emperials marched on with crying showting and after their maner making a terrible noyse approching the breach striued to enter with maruellous furie The French on the other side valiantly resisted and with equall courage defended themselues The emperials are repulsed The fight continued long and many were slaine on either side But in the ende the emperial captains seeing the great mortality of their men caused them to retire hauing lost many of their brauest and most forward souldiors The King of Fraunce vnderstanding of the noble valour of his men albeit hee feared not the losse of the towne yet the more to animate them hee sent a new supplie of three hundred Breuit and S. Romain enter Teroanne with 300 fresh souldiers vnder the leading of Captaine Breuit and Saint Romain who with great hazard and perill gat into the Towne They without still continued their siege and what with raysing forts without and with vndermining within the ground they endomaged the besieged more thē before And hauing after much ado enlarged the breach and made the ascent so easie that a man of Armes might passe out and in at pleasure they cryed to a newe assault The French beeng greatly dismayed herewith and knowing they wanted all necessaryes to defende themselues anie longer demaunded a parlee Teroanne surprised by the emperials whilest the French are talking of a composition whereto the emperials yeelded But whilest they were talking the Almaines and Burgonians entered in sundrie places and the Spaniardes approached the great breach And so was the Towne taken without anie resistaunce The Almaines and Burgonians enraged agaynst the poore French committed manie barbarous factes and straunge cruelties killing and murthering whō soeuer fel into their hands Francis Memorancie hardly scaped and was led prisoner to Binecour lieutenant to the emperor Martigues Dampier de Losses Bandiment Baylet Saint Roman and sundry other great captains yeelded themselues to such as would take them The towne was sacked and spoiled whatsoeuer was worth any thing Teroanne is dismanteled was caried away by the emperials the emperor commanded it should be dismanteled and the houses fired so that in short time it was vtterly spoiled and defaced When as the French King vnderstood of this losse he was wonderfully greeued and fearing least the emperor who was on the other side as ioifull for the good newes would follow his fortune The French K. gathereth a great power to resist the Emperor Hedyn besieged and won by the Emperials and besiege Hedyn he gathered a strong power of French and Switzers and made all things ready with as great celeritie as might be to stop the enemies proceedings if need required but it was so long before his troupes could be assembled that the emperials vnder the leading of the Prince of Piemont were gotten before the towne which they straightly besieged battered on all sides And for that it was not very well fortified it was quickly gained There were slaine on the French part Horatius Farnelius duke of Castres Martigues Monuille Cizieux Lusignan Dampier and diuerse other captains and commaunders The duke of Bouillon Riou the Count Villars with the baron of Culan were taken prisoners The King was more and more inwardly vexed to see himselfe thus thwarted Wherfore