reported by Bodin in the 3 d book of his Common weale the first chapter and hee addes that the Parliament made other admonitions for that there was a diuision vpon the publication of his Letters which gaue occasion of the Decree of the Priuy Councell the 24 of September following by the which the diuision was declared void the Parliament forbidden to put into deliberation the Ordonances proceeding from the King concerning affaires of State the which was also done by letter patents in the yeare 1528. I will not that you deale with any other thing but to doe good and speedy Iustice for the Kings my Predecessors haue not set you in the place where you are but to that effect and not to make you my Tutors nor protectors of the Realme nor preseruers of my Citty of Paris And when I shall commaund you any thing if you finde any difficulty I shall bee content you acquaint me with it which done without any further reply I will bee obeyed But when the State is gouerned by a wise Prince whose reputation is grounded vpon great and eminent vertues they haue no other part in the Estate The Authority of the king is an Ocean but the Honour and the Obedience u The duety of a soueraine Magistrate is to obey the Prince to bend vnder his obedience to coÌ„mand his subiects to defend the warlicke to resist the mighty and to do Iustice to all A Regall power is an Ocean into the which all others like vnto Riuers loose their name They bee as Starres which borrow their light from the Sunne and haue none in his presence It is sometimes necessary that they resist those commandements which haue beene rather extorted by importunity then obtained by reason from the Princes motion and the admonitions which they make in such occasions should bee alwayes considered But if the Prince haue other Reasons and other respects and that his thoughts go not the common way it is not for them to shew themselues difficult neither must they attend a third command and it were better to dissemble and support some things extraordinary to the Princes will then to incense him It is well knowne that the obstinacy and resistance of PAPINIAN to the will of CARACALLA made him more cruell and violent x Caracalla hauing put his brother Geta to death he commended Papinian to make his excuse vnto the Senat. Papinian answered suddenly That he would not do it and that it was not so easie to excuse as to commit a particide Caracalla incensed with this answere put him to death and continued his cruelties which a more discreet proceeding had restrained Spartiat Wise men thinke one thing but they do not vtter it They alwayes wayes goe one way but they goe not still the same pace If a storme hinders them from comming into the hauen it is wisedome to obey the Winde and not to bandy against the Tempest y The Office of a Wise man is comprehended by Cicero in these words Vt in nauigando tempestati obsequi artiâ— est sic omnibus nobis in administranda Repub. propositâ—m esse debet Non idem semper dicere sed idem semper spectare As in sailing it is Art to obey the Tempest so should all wee doe in the gouernment of the Common-weale Not alwayes to speake the same thing but to look to the same end Lewis the eleuenth strained his absolute power vnto the height His Prouost went and tooke prisoners out of the Consergerie of the Pallace and caused them to bee drowned right against the Mercers Grange Towardes the end of his dayes hee found his Conscience much opprest with the contempt of Iustice hee would haue repaired it but he was come to the Sabaoth of the weeke when it was no longer lawfull to labour In Aprill 1482. hee sent vnto the Court of Parliament an Act of the Oath which hee tooke at his Coronation z The King in his Oath at his Coronation doth promise to defend his subiects from all violence wrong and that in all iudgements hee will commaund equity and mercy to the end that God who is mercifull may grant it to him and his subiects to exhort them to doe good Iustice and to free him from that bond It is that wherein the condition of Princes is to bee lamented They are laden with the very weight of their Consciences and with the excesse which hath beene committed throught all the Orders of the Realme for that they haue neglected the remedies What peace can a soule haue which labours to fight against his owne faults and other mens a It is a troublesome enterprise to correct his owne vices and to striue against other mens Neque enim multum prodest vitia sua projecisse si cum alienis rix â—ndum est Neither hath hee profited much that hath cast away his owne faults if hee must contend with other mens SENEC Hee that shall consider how easily hee did communicate with all sorts of persons and how willingly hee did heare them he will thinke that if hee had not a care of Iustice in generall hee had done it to all men in particular But hee erred as well in this as in any other thing But it is equally bad to giue eare to all the World and not to any man and hee made it knowne that in matters which are held perfect among men there is alwayes some thing to bee taken away or added and that is onely perfect where there is nothing wanting nor any thing that exceeds it b There is nothing perfect in the vertues of men Nothing can come from man that is in euery degree perfect Nunquam è mortali semine nascetur qui sit omnibus bonitatis numeris absolutus Hee shall neuer bee borne of mortall seede that shall bee absolute in all goodnesse DIONYS HALIC lib. 8. PHILIP DE COMMINES hath obserued in two places of his History that his eare was open to euery man In the first hee saith Neuer any man did lend so much eare to men nor did enquire of so many things as hee did nor that desired to knowe so many men In the second Hee medled with many meane things of his Realme which hee might well haue forborne but his humour was such and so hee liued And his memory was so great as hee remembred all things and knew all the world both in all Countries and about him It is the office of a King to heare the complaints of his subiects with mildenesse and gentlenesse which doth not blemish Maiesty God who hath constituted them Iudges ouer their Subiects will require reason of the Iustice which hath bene demanded and not done c Kings should giue an account of the administration of Iustice ouer their people Wisd. 6. Audite Reges terrae intelligite discite iudices finium terrae praebete aures vos qui continetis multitudines placetis vobis in turbis nationuÌ„ quoniam data
Alencon was condemned for that he would have brought the English into France The cleere sighted said that his misfortune grew rather from Iealausie or from the loue which he â—are vnto the Dauphin who gouerned him by his counsels The Dauphin being wel aduertised of al that passed at Court grieued at the misfortunes of his godfather whom he loued The desire to see a change did much disquiet him Claude of Seyssel Bishop of Marceilles vnder the raigne of Lewis the twelfth saith that the Dauphin and they that followed him desired nothing more then his Fathers death some enquired by Astrologie some by Negromancie He had many politique inuentions to augment his Fathers cares and caused his suspition to turne into feares d Great courage should not easily receiue suspitions and Seneca saith that it is the act of a timerous soule to turne suspition into feare He knew that the Earle of Dammartin was as it were the Kings King and he found meanes to bring him into iealousie with the King whose braine beeing weake and very moist did easily receiue such impressions e In matters of state Princes enter easily into icalousies of their most trusty seruants and suspition is a bone which age of it selfe doth willingly gnaw vpon He wrote a letter vnto a Lady whom the King loued and sent it vnto her by a Franciscane Fryer which hee wittingly deliuered to the Earle of Mayne enemie to Dammartin who shewed it to the King f The chiefe points of this letter reported by the Chronicle Martiâ—ienna are I haue receiued letters from the Earle of Dammartin whom I make shew to hate I pray you tell him that hee serue mee still wel as he hath alwaies done I will thinke of those matters whereof hee did write vnto me and hee shall very shortly receiue newes from me It was full of termes of so great trust in the Earle of Dammartin as the King not considering from whom it came nor by whom it was presented commanded the Earle of Dammartin to retire himselfe then being informed by the Dauphins secretaries that this Prince had no greater enemie that he had not written vnto him he did easily beleeue that it was an act of his bad Sonne who had so much troubled him as it was the ordinary argument of his complaints Some few daies before his death hee recalled him apprehension bred no lesse amazement in him then his life gaue him affliction The aduise which a Captaine gaue him that hee could not liue long K. Charles resolues to dye of hunger and that there was a conspiracie plotted against his life did so distemper and torment him as he could not liue without feare and trembling g There is no tormeÌ„t so much to bee feared as feare what auailes it to feare that which is ineuitable to feare death is to call it for the feare of death is a perpetuall death And imagining that they ment to poyson him he depriued himselfe of eating and brought himselfe to so great a weakenes as when they would haue caused him to take any thing to restore him the passages were so shrunke as that which hee would haue done willingly happened vnto him by force and against his will and it may be said that he died of hunger h The Earle of Dammartin who was retired to his house at S t. Forgeau came to see the King the day before his death perswading him to take something who told him that he would take a Cullis from his hand if he saw it made the which hee presented vnto him but he could not swallow any thing the conduits were so stopt the 21. of Iuly 1461. Dying he recommended to the Earle of Dammartin his yonger Sonne whom he called the little Lord to whom hee desired to leaue the Crowne knowing the spirit of Lewis to be terrible an implacable enemie to his best seruants God would not suffer him to trouble the Order of Nature to reuenge his priuate affections nor to runne the fortune of Alphonso i Alphonso beleeuing by the rules of his Astrologie that the youger of his sonnes would be the more capable to raigne named him his successor whercat the elder was soineensed as be caused the Father to dye in prison and slew his Brother King of Castill who hauing preferred the yonger before the elder forced him to bee a parricide and a fratricide Charles the seuenth was the restorer of France France hath giuen him the title of Victorious of a Towne of Bourges he made a whole Realme he expeld the English who of the whole peece which they held kept nothing but Callice He had the honor to haue pacified that great and deadly schisme against the which were held the Counsels of Constance and Basill A time of such strange and terrible confusion as no man could say that Rome was where the Pope remained as they were wont to say that whereas the Emperor was there was Rome k During the Schisme of three Antipopes they might say Imperiumque suis a sedibus errat Claud. But they could not say that the authoritie of the church was whereas the Pope remained for there was a Scisme as they were wont to say that where the Emperor was there was Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herod lib. 1. for there was a Pope in Spaine one in France and two in Italy He ordeined by the aduise of the Prelates of France and caused to bee confirmed and past at the councell of Basill the pragmaticke sanction l The orders which the councell of Basill made for the gouernment discipline of the Church were not generally receiued Germany and Italy would none of them King Charles caused as assembly to be made at Burges by the aduise whereof they were obserued and published in Parliament the seuenth of Iuly 1438 vnder the name of the Pragmatick Sanction With the like zeale as he laboured for the peace of the Church he desired to reuenge the iniurie which it had receiued in Asia and Europe by the armes of Amurath Mahomet Pope Nicholas and Pius the second exhorted this Prince as Elezeus did Ioas to shoote his arrowes against the East but he was so troubled for his iust defence against his neighbours as he had no meanes to think theron m Among the obseruations which they giue for the leuies of Souldiers they haue respect to the ayre and the place hot countries produce men of more vnderstanding then courage and could doe the contrary A good rule for them that haue diuers prouinces to choose but to make it generall they must take them where they finde them They also giue vnto this Prince the honor to haue set an order for his troupes for seeing that the number of his souldiers were so diminished as his could not equall those of his enemies hee made leuies throughout all his villages taking one labouring man out of threescore who were bound to arme and pay him and
is sinne or a perseuerance or obstinacy in sinne At the same time the Pope made a Bull by the which he declared all appellations to the Councile an execrable abuse and neuer before heard of His Bull against appellations to a councell u This constitution begins thus Execrabilis pristinis temporibus 〈◊〉 tempesâ—ate nostra inoleuit abusus vt a Romano Pontifice Iesu Christi Vicario cui dictum est in persona B. Petri. Pasee ones â—eas c. quodcunque nonnulli spirituâ— rebellioniâ— imbuti non sanioris câ—piditate iudicâ—i sed commissi enatione peceâ—tâ— ad futurum Concilium prouocare presumâ—â—â— invented by spirits of rebellion not for any desier of abetter iudgement but to escape for sinnes committed being a ridiculous thing x Quis il Iud ridiculum indicauerit quodâ—d concilium apellâ—tur quod 〈◊〉 est neque seiture quae futurum fit Pius II. Const. execrabilis to frame an appellation to a Concile which was not yet assembled neither knew they when it would bee and that by this abuse the excesse remained vnpunished rebellion against the first Sea was supported and all Ecclesiasticall discipline in confusion wherefore by the aduice of the Cardinalls and Prelates which were then at Mantoua he did forbid such appellations as erronius detestable and pestilent and charged them with censures which receiued the Acts or did fauour them The Kings Ambassadors tooke these words for cracks of thunder and infalliable threats of excommunication and hauing reported them vnto King Charles the seauenth his councell did beleeue that he had resolued to curse both the King and his realme and all those that should cause the decrees of the Councile of Basill to bee obserued wherefore it was concluded that Iohn Dauvet his Attorney generall in the Court of Parlament should protest against his threats to auoyde the scandales which the Church and Christendome might receiue reseruing in all things a respect vnto the holy Sea and the obedience which is due vnto the Pope conformable to the holy decrees That the Pope should bee intreated y Summis desiderus opâ—at regia Maiestas vt idem S. D. N. cuÌ„ â—acris generalibus concilâ—â—â— paceÌ„ foneat suis teÌ„poribus EcclesiaÌ„ Dei salubriâ—er regere dirigere curet sicuti sancti sui pre decestores facere studueruÌ„t paceÌ„ et vnirateÌ„â—nimo daÌ„ seruare querat and exhorted to consider duly of the importance of this resolution before hee did proceed to cut off such a member from the body of Christendome and how much it did import him to keepe peace with the Councils and not to suffer the vnity of the Church to be violated at such a time when as all the forces of the infidells were banded and vnited against her concord Turkes make their profit of the diuisions of Christendome That as the King z Ipse enim D. N. Reâ— qui semper paâ—is vniuersae Ecclesiae desideratissmus est sicut magnis laboribus et sumptibus paâ—â—m et vnitatem inter sacra Concilia â—el rec D. Papam EugeniuÌ„ ac consequenâ—er D. NicolauÌ„ successoreÌ„ eius prosecutus est vt illi in sede Apostolica pacifici maner eÌ„t sic nunc vehemeter cupit vt sacti simus D. N. modernus succedeÌ„s praefatis Pontificibus paceÌ„ manu teâ—ere conseruâ—re laborer had labored more then all Christan Princes with much paine and great expence to mayntaine a peace and vnity betwixt the councils and Popes Eugenius and Nicholas to the end they might remaine quiet in their seats In like manner hee desired that the Pope should confirme this peace and good vnion causing those lets to cease which were against the Cannons of the Pragmatike Sanction made by a generall consent and to consider that such lets came onely from those that affected more their owne priuat commodities then the health of soules and could not endure that the Popes should march with the Councils in the vnity of Spirit as they had in former times done when as their temporall care was not so great as it is now and that they did zealously seeke the Kingdome of God before all things a Toâ—lat differeÌ„tias quae aduersus CaÌ„ones vniuersali coÌ„sensu editos per non nulloruÌ„ affectus quae râ—â—tiuâ— plus priuata commoda quam salutem animarum suscitantur impediuntque ne summi Pontifices cum generalibus coÌ„ciliis in vnitate spiritus ambulent eorumque decreta seruent sequantur ac predicent sicut olim profite haÌ„tur ac promptissime facere solebant dum non erat tanta commodorum temporal um solliciâ—â—do ante omnia 〈◊〉 Dei â—ttentius quae rebatur That the King desyred the Pope would call a Council in a place of safty and liberty whereas the Preâ—ats of the Church and learned men fearing God Mony leuied vnder the pretere of warre ill imployed hauing charge to be there might speake their opinions brotherly and charitably in tranquility of mind vpon the occasions which should be presented such assemblies being necessary to prouide for meanes to resist the desseins of the enemies and persecutors of Christian Religion For although that vnder this pretext they had leuied great summes of mony after diuers manners b Diuersae pecuniarum summae modis varus huins rei pretexta hacternus petitae et collatae suat yet Christendome had receyued no ease Besides the tenne years in the which the Council of Constans had or dained that they should hould a councell were expired That the King propounded to submit him-selfe to all that should bee determined and or dayned by the councell to the end that so good an order might be setled in the Church as God might bee better serued and christian people more edified And to the end the council might be in all liberty it was necessary to chuse a place of easie accesse for all that would come That it was not credible as many haue pretended that the Pope was resolued to haue it held in the church of S t. Iohn Lateran c Vt aut em prefatum concilium rite celebrari possit necessarium est ipsum in tali loco constitui vt omibus pateat plena libertas Nec credenâ—um est in veritate subsistere quod noâ—nulli ferunt S. D. N. velle in Laterano vniuersale concilium celebrare cum locus ille fere omnibus nationibus Christianorum accessu difficilis sit frequenter pestibus subditus Stante que contradictione quam summus Pontifex aduersus canones conciliorum agere videtur non ilâ—ie esset plena deliberandi libertas attenta etiam certa Liga quae aduersus Illustrissimum D. Reâ—atum Regnum Siciliae suos here des successor es facta 〈◊〉 quam ipse S. D. N. vt diciâ—ur aperte souer suttineâ— Ligaeinsdem caput principalis hetorie asseritur seeing that the citty of Rome was of hard accesse in a manner for all
letter being surprised lodged him in a Cage of Iron c Cardinall Balue was coÌ„mitted to prison in Aprill 1468. The Commission to examine him was giuen to Tanequy of Chastel gouernour of Roussillon William Cousinot the maister of Torsy and Peter of Oriolo Generall of the finances for a prison from the which hee was not freed but by the Popes intercession and towards the end of this raigne These Cages were of his inuention d Wicked and bad inuentions fall vppon the inuentors the forger is fettered is fettered in his owne 〈◊〉 Arantius Paterculus is rosted in his brazen horse part wood part iron and couered with plates of Iron so Perillus was rosted in the bull which he had inuented The King being returned into France whereas they talked of his indiscretion and great credulity in trusting his enemie set a good countenance of it and made shew that what had beene done at Peronne had been as beneficiall vnto him as if it had beene resolued in Paris e To make shew to doe that willingly which was extorted by force is an act of wisedome not to loose the credit and opinion which is bad of him to be aduised aâ—d alwayes equall but to put other fancies into the heads of the Parisiens and other discourses into their mouthes hee caused a proclamation to be made by the trumpet that all birds which are kept in Cages as Pyes Iayes and such like should bee brought vnto him to Amboise They that had the Charge of this commission should informe themselues what euery Bird could say and where it had been taken and taught f It is good to diuert brues the peoples discouâ—ses but oftentimes if they be not allowed to speake that which is true they inuent fables which are more preiudiciall Fractis apud CremonaÌ„ rebus prohibuit per ciuitatem sermones eoque plutes ac si liceret vera narraturi quia vetabantur atrociora vulgaueraâ—â— Tacâ—t Hist. l. 3. An act of iudgement which did preuent many inconfiderate speeches A ridiculous Edict 19. Nouemb. which would haue been vsed against this Prince for that he had thrust himselfe so rashly into his enemies power and brought himselfe to that estate as he was like vnto the Elephant who paies his ransome with the Iuory of his teeth To repaire this error and to preuent his Brother and the Duke of Bourgundy of their pretensions he labours to breake the Treatie but he will doe all with solemnitie and if hee must cast forth the Thunderbolts of warre it shall not be done without the Councell of the Gods h A Prince should not alone resloue to make war Iupiter did not cast forth his lightning without the Councel of twelue Gods The Kings of France did not vndertake any war but with the aduice of the twelue Peeres imitating the wisedome of his Predecessors who did not vndertake any warre without the aduice of a Parliament So Pepin past the Alpes to succour the Pope so he armed against the Saxons so hee expelled Gaifre out of Aquitaine so Charlemaine went against the King of the Lombards and the Duke of Bauaria hauing first acquainted the Parliament with these designes 1468 Conuocation of the Estates at Tours To this end he assembled the Estates of the Realme at Tours i The Estates assemble for one of these three reasons for the regencie of the Realme in the Kings minoritie for the reformatioÌ„ of the realme and to prouide meanes to succour the necessities of the Crowne It is a bodie of three Orders hath been alwaies obserued among the Gaules the pretext was to preuent the ruines of the Realme but the essentiall cause was to resolue two things a portion for Monsieur and the restitution of the Townes vpon the riuer of Some both depending vpon this Lawe which is one of the pillars of the Estate That the Lands of the Crowne are inalienable and portions are not giuen but with condition to returne againe for want of heires masle k A Monarchy suffers no diuision nor estimation for the yongers portions of the house of France are not diuided but for want of Masles returne to the Crowne The tongue hath done great seruices to this Prince in diuers actions Eloquence naturall to K. Lewis the eleuenth in this yet without any Art or affection l It is necessarie for the Prince to speake well but without affectation his eloquence should more appeare in the facillitie of his owne nature then in any curious Art for there are more parts required to make a man eloquent then to make a Cuptaine to know and discourse of particular things we must vnderstand the generall he strikes fire to inflame the coldest spirits to what he will and speakes to all the Deputies and lets euery man know the importance of the Duchie of Normandie and the preiudice which other Prouinces receiued when it was in the power of the English with the incredible to ile which King Charles his Father had past to wrest it out of their hands That although he did not hold his brother to be of so bad a disposition as to haue intelligence with them Importance of the Duchy of Normandie yet he knew well that they of his intelligence bad great practises in England that he might haue children which should not bee of his humor beeing most certaine that the Princes of the same bloud extend their thoughts farther then they should m Ambition neuer takes root but in hearts that are vigorous hardy and desirous of innovations When as it incounters with any preheminence of bloud or fauour of the people it is 〈◊〉 to retaine it or may goe aspire to great matters and are not content with their condition That for these reasons he could not leaue the Duchie of Normandie That his promises in that regard should be soundly vnderstood and that affaires of State were not managed with such scrupulous considerations That hee offered notwithstanding to giue him such a portion as the Estates should aduise making them Iudges and Arbitrators therein but aboue all he commanded that the lawes of the Realme should not be infringed n The Realme of France is seated vpon a triangular basis the Salique 〈◊〉 the holding of the Estates and the reuenewes inalâ—enable Hauing thus prepared their minds he opens the Estates came thither with greater Maiesty then he did euer shew in any action during his raigne A Prince cannot adde too much in such great occasions for besides that this light doth please it dazels and transports mens mindes he must allwayes hold himselfe in admiration it is a toile which is neuer set but some one is taken His throne was vpon a stage three foot high railed in containing all the bredth of the vpper end of the hall his chaire was of blew veluet pouldred with flowers-de-luce vnder a cloth of estate of the same and vpon three steps He was attired in a long robe of
his hand which descouered his heart l The discommodities of great Princes cannot be hiâ—den Ariston saith that pouerty is a lampe which doth lighten and make all the miseries of the world be seene The Kings affaires would not suffer him to bee more liberall to this Prince of good effects then of good words Lewis refuseth him succors If he had no other consideratioÌ„ but of the estate of Spaine he had taken an other course but he had alwaies for a perpetual obiect the greatnesse of the house of Bourgondy whereof he durst nor iudge so long as the Duke was armed and therefore he had rather fayle his friends then himselfe To resolue of the succors which the King of Portugall required of him hee consulted rather with reason then affection m Resolutions taken by the Counsell of affection are subiect to change those which are grounded vppoÌ„ reason last perpetually which layed before him his great expences in Germany and Lorraine for the entertainment of his armie which he might not dismisse vnlesse hee would runne the hazard of a surprize and scorne not to haue foreseene that which concerned himselfe n Wise men see all accidents in their thoughts they cannot bee surprized 〈◊〉 word I did not think it coms neuer out of their mouthes Seneca cals it the word of ignorant men Audimus aliquaÌ„do voces imperitoruÌ„ diceÌ„tiumâ— Neâ—ciebam hoc mihi restare sapiens scit sibi omnia restare quicquid fattum est dicit sciebam VVe sometimes heer the words of ignorant meÌ„ saying I did not know that this would haue happened A wise man knowes that all things may happen Hee saith whatsoeuer is done I knew it The King of Portugall thinking that if he might soe reconcile these two Princes affaires The King of Portugal mediats a peace in vaine as they might haue no subiect to doubt one another he should dâ—aw succors from them both he vndertook to goe into Lorraine to perswade the Duke to reconcile himselfe vnto the King His voyage was not long for vppon the first propositions he found that his enterprise was impossible and so returned to the King who continuing the honors which he had done him at his arriuall intreated him to see Paris and in the meane time procured a dispensation for him from Pope Sixtus the fourth o Notwithstanding that D. Ferdinand D. Isabella of Castille made great oppositioÌ„s at Rome against the marriage of King Alphonso of Portugall and D. Ioane his neece his sisters daughter yet the Pope granted a dispensation at King Lewis his instance to marry with D. Ioane his Neece The Chronicle and Martinienne make a curious relation of his entertainement which was the 23. of Nouember 1476. The Lord of Gaucour Gouernour of Paris Reception of the King of Portugal into Paris and Robert of Estouteuille Prouost of Paris went to meet him on the way to Orleance towards the wind-mill The Chancellor of Oriole with the Presidents and Councellors of Soueraigne Courts and many Prelats went forth The Magistrates presented him a Canopy at Saint Iames gate The Rector of the Vniuersity with the Doctor and Regents receiued him at St. Stephens the Bishop and Clergy of Paris at our Ladies Church The short dayes and the long speeches added fire to the greatnes of the ceremony p Fire carried before the Prince was one of the ornaments of Maiestie it was not in a Linke or Torch but in a Lampe or Lanthorne Prenuncius ante Signa dedit cursor posita de more Lucerna Corippus lib. 2. Herodian saith that Pertinax came vnto the Senate not suffring them to carrie fire or any other markes of the Empire before him The President Bertier saith that the same honor was giuen to the Patriarks in the Greeke Church and the tiâ—le of Balsamon In Respons de Patriarch Prâ—uileg They caused fifty torches to march before him to conduct him to a Marchants house called Laurence Herbelot in the street of Prouuelles The shewed him the singularities and beauties of Paris hee saw the Court of Parliament of peeres the most sacred Senate of Europe where he did number as many Kings as Senators Francis Hale Archdeacon of Paris A cause pleaded in Parliament by two 〈◊〉 the Kings aduocate and Peter of Brabant an aduocate of the Court and Curate of S. Eustache pleaded a cause the Chronicle saies that it was a goodly thing to heare Heere the ignorance of those times moues me to pitty few men were learned and few learned men taught in France Italy had gathered vp some wits of that great shipwrack of Greece The tyrant of the East would not allow of any exercise of learning q Greece hath giuen these goodly wits vnto Italy Emanuel Chrisoloras an Athenian George of Trebizoâ—de Theodore de Gaza a Macedonian Ierâ—nimo Spartiate Gâ—egory Typhernas Iohn Argyropile of Constantinople Laoâ—â—â—c Chalcondile Athenian Marcus Musurus of Candie and Iohn Lascaris For they make him beleeue that learned men are soone possest with great and heigh resolutions against the seruitude which keepes them vnder r Books Sciences teach men of iudgement more then any other thing to know themselues and to feele the smart of seruitude the losse of libertie But this light could not passe into France through squadrons of men of war and good books which are not preserued but in the Temple of peace lay yet in the dust of Cloysters they were not made common to the world and they feared much that the masters in speaking well and eloquently in a Chamber would not be so in doing well in field in sight of the enemies s Cato perswaded the Senate to send away Carneades who was come to Rome on the behalfe of the Atheniens for that his cloquence drew the youth of Rome to follow him disposed the rather to immitate to speake well the to doe well in war in the managing of affaires Plut. that all eloquence was growne rusty in Barbarisme These great and goodly actions of those times in the which they must spread the maine failes of eloquence were giuen to Doctors of the Sorbone They vndertooke to make Ouerture at the Estates and to iustifie or condemne Princes before the Kings Councell See heer a Curate of the greatest parish in Paris who makes proofe of the grace and greatnes of the French eloquence in the first Parliament of France before a strange King the Ignorance of those times found none more capable he deserued to haue money giuen him to be silent rather then to speake t The ancient Orators got money both to speak and to be sâ—â—et One demaÌ„ded of Demosthenes what he had gotten for speaking hee answered I haue sold the silence of one day for fiue talents Plut. After that the King of Portugall had stayed somtime in Paris they put into his immagination as iealousie doth easily possesse aflicted mindes that the King who had at the same time confirmed
whole posterity but onely to them which descend from the Males There are two houses which bee so great and famous of themselues as they honour the titles which are giuen them King Charles the seuenth his Father hauing made the Earledome of Foix a Pairie for Gaston of Foix hee confirmed this erection but hee made not any new This house of Foix was in those times one of the most famous in Christendome and compare with Soueraigne Princes o We find that in great ceremonies the Earles of Foix are named before the Princes and had precedence of the Earles of Vendosme There is no other reason but that the eldest of Princes houses precede the yonger of other houses and therfore at the Estates held at Tours the Earles of Neuers Eu and Foix had precedence of the Earle of Vendosme Gaston of Foix who liued in the time of King Charles the fifth went equall with Kings when as King Charles the sixth was at Tholousa he sent the Earle of Sancerre Marshall of France and the Signior of Riuiere one of the chiefe of his Councell to the Earle of Foix who was then at Mazere to intreate him to come vnto him or else he would goe to see him He did not excuse himselfe vpon the Indispositions of his great Age and being sorry that hee had not preuented this summons he parted from Mazere with six hundred horse and came to the King to Tholousa Traine of the Earle of Foix. The History saith that presenting himselfe vnto the king hee was followed by two hundred Gentlemen all cloathed in silkes among them there was noted the Vicount of Bruniquet and his brethren Roger of Spaine Lord of Montespan issued from the bloud of Arragon and head of the house of Montespan p Espagno let of Spaine sonne to Roger of Spaine sonne to Leon of Spaine and the Lord of Corras who first raised the honour of the Earles of Caramain a great and rich family Beginning of the houses of MoÌ„tespan Caramain allied to that of Foix and who seeing that Houses and Families haue their periods like to all other worldly things could not desire a more glorious fall then into the house of Monluc where it begins to reuiue King Charles the sixth requited this visite at New-yeares tide in the yeare 1390. q At this voyage the Earle did institute King Charles the sixth his heire the which hee would not accept for that he would not defraud the Vicount of Chastellan his lawfull Heire He fauoured the house of Lauall with the like declarations of honour House of Lauall the which was long before held for one of the worthiest of France hauing neuer wanted children nor the first dignities and alliances of France hauing for their stemme the House of Montmorency r They drawe the beginning of the first house of Montmorency to the time of Saint Denis by whom the first that was conuerted among the French Knights was a Lord of Montmorency and therefore the ancient Deuice of this house is God helpe the first Christians the first Christian of France and there is no difference in their Armes but fiue Cockle-shels Argent to the Crosse. Wherefore he would that Francis of Lauall Lord of Gaure sonne of a daughter of king Charles the seuenths sister should go in rank with the Earles of Vendosme as well in Councell as in Parliament and in all other publike actions and caused his letters to be dispatcht at Mans the nine and twentith day of Nouember 1467. to serue for a speciall and perpetuall priuiledge to his posteritie He had much contemned the glorious and honourable markes of Maiesty s Princes had alwayes men appointed to serue in time of peace and warre for the ornament of their maiesty and royall greatnesse Heralds were instituted in France for that respect in time of peace they carried mayles vpon their breasts and in times of warre their Coat of Armes powdred with Flowers de Luce. I haue obserued in the Church and Cloister of Saint Catherine du Val of the Schollers twenty of their Tombes which shew the forme of their Maces and Scutchions Bodin writes that hauing chased away almost all the Gentlemen of his house hee imployed his Taylor for a Herald at Armes and his Barber for an Embassador and his Physitian for a Chancellor as an ancient king of Syria did Apolophanes his Physitian whom he made the president of his Councell Philip de Commines obserues it when hee shewes how much hee was troubled to furnish out a Herald which he sent to the King of England Heralds were necessary for the Maiesty of a Prince in actions of war and in the most solemne dayes of peace They had diuers names and diuers charges and they either carried the Titles of the Soueraignes Prouinces or of some other famous occasion as in France the Heralds are diuersly named and wee finde often in the History of France these names giuen to Heralds Bosios error in the History of Malta Monjoy e Saint Denis Mont Saint Michel t This word of Monjoy Saint Denis was sometimes the warlicke cry of the French They say it grew vpon that which Clouis said in the battell neere to Colleyn when as fearing to loose it hee promised to beleeue in Iesus Christ worshipped by Clotilde his wife and to hold him for his Ioue Since that time they cryed in their battels Monjoye Saint Denis as if they would say Christ whom Saint Denis hath preached in Gaule is my Ioue that is to say my Iupiter The word of Ioue beeing turned into that of Ioye The Antiquities of Gaule wriâ—ten by the President Fauchet wherein a great man of Italy hath erred and moues them that obserue it to laugh for hauing found in our Histories that King Lewis the eleuenth had sent two Heralds to Bajazeth to complaine that hee had broken the peace with the Venetians hee sets downe their names after this manner Monsieur Gaudio de Saint Denis Monsieur de Saint Michel whereas hee should haue saide The Herald Monjoy Saint Denis and Mont Saint Michel They were created at great and solemne Feasts and when they presented Wine vnto the Prince hauing drunke he gaue the cup to him whom he made Herald wherwith he should make his Scutchion Oliuer of la Marche saith that Philip Duke of Bourgondy did somtimes giue them the name of that Country whereas the Wine which hee then dranke did grow which done the other Heralds gaue him the Coate of Armes charged with the Princes Armes There were more Ceremonies at the Creation of a King at Armes for his sufficiency was to bee testified by all the Kings at Armes Creation of Heralds and Heralds that might bee found and they were distinguished from others by a Crowne croslet which they carried on their heads Their chiefe charge was to make a distinction of the Armes of Families to preserue the ancient and preuent the vsurpation of new
the Lattine Tongue was banished out of the Schooles and they were filled with vnknowne Sophistries which were strange and barbarous The Schooles were no more the Fountaine of the Muses but Moates full of Frogges There were good wits as all ages doth produce as all Seas may breed Pearles But as there is a necessity to howle with Wolues they were forced to fit themselues to the common vse being impossible to wipe away the contumely which was done to the reading of good bookes It was a good Verse if it fell not twice or thrice vpon the Cadence of the same Sillable All Lyricke Poets medled with time as carelesse of elegancy as of reason The Latine tongue was harboured in some Cloisters and thence the Prouerbe came Not to speake Latine before Friers as if they should not handle any tooles before good worke-men nor dance before good dancers But they that haue written of those times shew that all the eloquence was nothing but a confused babling which brought forth new words as monsters bred of pride and ignorance So the greatest most famous actions were all made vpon the modell of Sermons and they alwaies tooke some Text of Scripture which they called the Theame of the Discourse r In those daie they busied mens wâ—ts with vnprofitable impertinent Etimologies They said in Schooles that the Scipio's and the Censorins were names of dignity That the Ethnickes came from MouÌ„t Ethna and that the Law Falcidia was so called a falâ—e for that like a Sithe it did cut off Legacies They did often adde ridiculous and foolish Etymologies and their inuentions were about Letters and Syllables The proofe heereof may grow of that which hath beene obserued in diuers places of this History as of the discourse which the first President of Grenoble made to Lewis the 11. Of the pleading which was in the Court of Parliament before the King of Portugall Of the Oration made at the opening of the Estates of Tours That which was made vnto the Millannois vnder the raigne of Lewis the 12. is an other marke of this great simplicity s The Millannois for a rebellioÌ„ made against King Lewis the 12. came in Procession to demaÌ„d pardon of the Cardinal of Amboise his Maiesties Lientenant M r. Michael Ris a Doctor of the Laws Councellour in the great Councell and Parliament of Dijon and in the Senate of Milan made a great discourse vpon this occasion the which he began in these termes Misertus est Dominus super Niniuem ciuitateÌ„ quod poenitentiam egit in cinere cilicio In like manner the Oration made by the Rector of the Vniuersity of Paris to Queene Mary second wife to Lewis the 12. When they haue searcht into the causes of this great desolation they haue found that auarice hath contributed most for when as they found that great wealth was not gotten by the profession of learning that they which had consumed most in good bookes had wasted their estates vnprofitably and contemned their fortunes that onely pleading got the graine and left but the straw for other professions Men studied no more to be learned but contented themselues to be Doctors The Law it selfe which makes a great part of polliticke knowledge was in a manner abandoned and her excellencies dishonoured with an infinite number of ridiculous glosses and vaine questions Wherefore Pope Innocent the 3. who laboured more seriously then happely to restore that Profession to honour did often complaine that auarice had made the Liberall Sciences Mechanicke and that many past impudently from the first precepts of Grammer to the study of the Lawes not staying neither at Phylosophy nor any other good Art Wherefore throughout all the East good bookes were not knowne but to some rare and eloquent spirit and in the West the Latine tongue was growne barbarous the Syriac vnknowne and the Greeke so odious as it was no ignorance in the most learned to skip a Greek word and not to reade it t Ignorance is so shamelesse as shee glories of that shee vnderstands not In those times when they met with a Greeke word they were dispenced with if they made no stay at it and the Reader said Graecum est non legitur The taking of Constantinople did wholly ruine learning in the East and was the cause to make it reuiue in the West by the care of Pope Nicholas the fifth and of great Cosmo de Medicis who gathered together the sad Relickes of this Shipwracke They caused the good bookes of all the Greeke Authours to be sought out and preserued and did lodge and entertaine them that were capable to make them speake Lattine This misfortune made them to arriue in Italy as into a Port of safety against the tempest of Greece or rather as some precious moueable rescued out of a great fire they found a sweete retreate and an honourable resting place in the house of Medicis Some time before Emanuel Chrisolara had beene sent by Iohn Paleologue to demand succours of Christian Princes against Bajazeth the first who threatned Greece with the seruitude which it hath endured vnder the Empire of his descendants Hauing done his charge he staid at Venice then at Florence and at Rome he read some lessons at Padua past into Germany and dyed during the Councell of Constance George Trapezonde by extraction from Trapizonde but borne in Candy and Theodore Gaza of Thessalonica continued these first beginnings Cosmo de Medicis made choice of Iohn Argyropile u Iohn Capnio was one of his Aâ—ditours the first time he entred Argyropyle asked him of whence hee was and what he would hee answered that hee was a Germain and would remaine at Rome to learne something of him in the Greek toÌ„gue whereof hee had already some knowledge Argyropile commanded him to reade and to interpret a passage of Thucidides Capnio did it after so elegant a manner and with so cleane a pronounciation as Argyâ—opile sighing said Graecia nostro exilio transuolauit Alpes Greece by our exile hath flown ouer the Alpes their companion to be schoolemaister to Peter de Medicis his soone then he went to Rome where he did publickely interpret the Greeke Histories and did so inspire the loue of learning into the hearts of good spirits as the Cardinals and Noblemen of Rome did not dsidaine to go and heare his Lessons Out of the Schoole of Emanuel Chrisolara came Gregory Typhernas who came to Paris and presenting himselfe to the Rector he said vnto him That he was come to teach the Greeke and demanded to haue the recompence allowed by the Holy Decrees The Rector was somewhat amazed at the boldnesse of this stranger and yet commended his desire and with the aduice of the Vniuersity staid him and gaue him the entertainement he desired Ierome of Sparta succeeded him The Shipwracke of Greece brought many other great personages to the roade of Italy Demetrius Chalcondyle x Demetrius Chalcondyle an Anthenian taught publickly at
question treated by Bodin in the second booke fourth chapter of his Common-weale but very superfluous for there is not any one but knowes therein what he should doe the President la Vacquery whom hee had drawne from the seruice of the Princesse of Flanders came vnto him with a good number of other Presidents and Councellors in their scarlet roabes The King being amazed to see this red procession demanded wherefore they came Sir answered la Vacquerie we come to resigne vp our places into your hands and to endure whatsoeuer it shall please you rather then to wrong our consciences in verifying the Edicts which you haue sent vs. Hee was very sensible of these words of Conscience and did not willingly like of any thing that was spoken to charge it he presently called them backe and promised neuer to doe any thing but what should bee iust and reasonable yet this course was not commended by them who compare a Magistrate leauing his charge for that he cannot allow of the Princes will to a Marriner which abandons the Helme during a Tempest A Magistratâ— should not quit his charge for any respect or to a Physitian who iudging the Disease incurable doth not vovchsafe to apply Remedies to asswage the paine when as hee sees those that may cure it are in vaine In these occasions the examples of good men whom wee must imitate and the aduice of wise men whom wee must honour should carry a light before iudgement Hee who first in France had the keeping of the sacred Seales of two Crownes seeing himselfe sometimes forced to haue the constancy of his duety striue with the absolute commandements of the King shewes how others ouer whom the dignity of his Office his vertues experience and merits giue preheminence should compose and gouerne their Actions When as the King to free himselfe from the Importunity of some Spirites which are hard to content and who abusing discretion in demanding grow discontented when they vse liberty in refusing commandes him to passe the Seale for things which exceede the ordinary formes of Iustice and are both without President and Reason o Example is a cleere light in doubtful things for those which are not grounded vpon example cannot bee maintained by reason Quod exemplo fit id etiam iure fieri putant That which is done ly example that they thinke lawfully done Cic. ad Sulpitium Hee hath beene heard to say that hee should hold himselfe inexcusable vnworthy of his charge and to carry the Title of the first Minister of the Kings Soueraigne Iustice if hee did represent vnto him the wrongs which it receiued in commaunding him things forbidden by the lawes and which should bee odious to his owne iudgement if importunity had not rather wrested then obtained them from his bounty Iustice is the felicity of Empires they haue seene how discreetly to his Admonitions hee added most humble prayers not to wrong the most sacred thing which the wisedome of God hath left to Princes for the felicity of their estates And when these Admonitions haue not preuailed that his Maiestie hath had other motions and that the effects which seemed contrary to Iustice haue made him see causes which Time the Men and the Affaires haue made lawfull and necessary hee hath alwayes conuerted his Reason into Obedience contenting himselfe to haue shewed the integrity of his minde without opposition against the will of his Prince which is aboue the Lawes and doth declare all that iust which doth accomodate his Affaires for there is no Lawe which commaundes a Magistrate to ruine himselfe in maintaining Iustice against the power of his Prince and Wisedome which carries a light before all other vertues will that a man faile in any thing rather then himselfe p Among the Precepts which Polybius sent to Demetrius to draw him out of the danger into which youth and indiscretion had ingaged him this is remarkable Quit all rather then thy selfe When as the Princes will strayes from reason it must bee reclaimed mildly by discretion wee must thinke that hee can doe nothing without the aduice of his Parliaments q Kings haue alwayes had a Councell a part to consult resolue vpon the great affaires of their estate The peeres of France did not enter into the Kings Councel their quality did not priuiledge them if they did not please the King It is also obserued in the Ordonances for the gouernment of the realme and for the Regency in the absence and minority of Kings they doe not in any sort speake of the Peeres of France The King should bee no King if there were in his Realme an Authority aboue his Great resolutions which concerne the safety of the State are not treated of in great Assemblies where as the secret which is as the soule cannot bee long kept in but doth euaporate r Matters are neuer kept secret in great Assemblies whatsoeuer was done in the Senat of Rome was blowne abroad the Senators Children told newes to their Mothers and Titus Liuius wonders that the Embassadors of Greece and Asia had discouered nothing of the speech which King Eumenes had vsed in open Senat against King Perseus Monarkes haue alwayes had a Councell separated from the Senate which is otherwise busied enough with the flowing and ebbing of Sutes and they haue not onely reserued great affaires to their Councell but they would haue chosen persons confifidently to impart vnto them their most important affaires This is not without President for the greatest and most happy Founders of the Roman Empire had besides the Senate a Priuie Councell of few persons s Iulius Caesar had for his priuy Councellors Q. Paedius and Corn. Balbus Augustus had Maecenas and Agrippa with whom hee treated his greatest and most important Affaires The Parliaments haue the care of the execution of the Kings Edicts they publish them and cause them to bee obserued they keepe the Registers that at neede they may haue recourse to them It is true that Princes haue sometimes shewed themselues so absolute in their willes as the wise men of their Councell not beeing able to restraine or moderate them haue often allowed the oppositions which the Parliaments haue made to their Edicts and fauoured them for that they were conformable to reason and agreeing with the publicke good For although the Soueraigne bee aboue the Lawes and that hee may derogate from Right and Law wherein Soueraignty doth properly consist yet it is necessary that the absolute power bee restrained by the Ciuill and that he consider that in destroying the Law and offending Iustice he is like vnto the Iuy which puls downe the wall that beares it vp I leaue it vnto the wise to consider if they did well to put into the mouth of King Charles the ninth Words of K. Charles to the parliament the thirteenth yeare of his Age and the second of his Reigne these wordes t These wordes are