An epitome of all the lives of the kings of France From Pharamond the first, to the now most Christian King Levvis the thirteenth. With a relation of the famous battailes of the two kings of England, who were the first victorious princes that conquered France. Translated out of the French coppy by R.B. Esq.

Clotharius 3. the 13. King of France. Anno 666.

[illustration] portrait

THis Clotharius the third, the el∣dest sonne of Clovis, succeeded in the Regall power, Anno Dom. 666, (his brother Childeric or Childe∣bert

and Theodoric being very young) Clotharius permitted the sway of go∣vernment to his Mother Bathilde, and his Mayre of Palace Ercembault, or Ereich, whom some are of opinion to have beene entituled Duke of France, and after the death of this, hee entertai∣ned one Ebroin in his place, (or as the Almaine Chronicles say) Eberwin, a Ger∣man borne, a man cruell, malicious, and wicked, who was preferred unto him by the French.

He was the first, that, abusing the im∣becillity and Infancy of his Master, rai∣sed the power and authority of his owne dignity to such a heighth it never had before, slighting and misprizing the Majesty and greatnesse of Kings: in∣somuch that afterwards nothing, of what importance soever, must passe without the approbation of those Mayres, all the Principality (as it were) being solely in their breasts and power, swaying yea, and limiting the expences of their Kings, as they list

themselves: making Warres, Peace, Al∣liances, Ordinances and Customes of the Kingdome at their pleasure. Some Chronicles say, that the Kings living at their ease and pleasures, shewed them∣selves but once a yeare in publicke upon the first day of May in a generall assem∣bly, which was held every yeare for the publick affaires of the Kingdome, in a place called The Field of Mars, where they rode in a Chariot drawne by foure Oxen, accompanied with the chiefe of the Baronry, as well hearing the complaints of their Subjects, as giving audience to Embassadors of forraigne Princes; all which they received at the second hand from their Mayres. This Clotharius was surprized by a Feaver, where of he dyed, having reigned foure yeares, without leaving any issue, Anno Dom. 670. Theodoric undertakes the government of the Kingdome, but through the turmoyles betweene him and Ebroin Mayre of the Palace, the subjects enforced him to a Monasticke

life at St. Denis, and Ebroin at Leux∣eul in the Franche Contè. Clotharius lyes at St. Denis in France. The com∣position of his minde was cruell, which the subjects felt in heavy taxations, by him imposed, saying that plenty and peace made them forgetfull of their du∣ty. And of him and his successors it may be said, that they left nothing me∣morable, but that they left no memo∣ry.

Hee may be reckoned among those Kings that were living Pictures of So∣veraignty, shewed every yeare to the people, and so put up againe into his Chamber: but if Vertue be active, and consists in doing good, how could Kings thinke that they might rule by their Deputies? You never knew that Flock of sheepe did thrive, when the Shepheard committed them to the care of an Hireling, or a Boy and a Dogge, for then the poore sheepe are torne by Bryars: so are the poore sub∣jects by oppressions, when Rex dormit

securus, when the King sleepes, and suffers his Mayres to governe him and his Realme. Therefore it is said, that no man is good in regard of the no∣bility of his Birth, but for the ex∣cellency of his Vertue: For true No∣bility dependeth of Vertue, and all other things are of Fortune. But this was the defect of these times that made soveraigne power have aweake aspect, and not to looke so fine and cleare as it would have done, for this King and many others were then but like Pictures in Arras: yet for all his cruelty, they bestowed upon him those funerall Rites which appertained to Soveraign∣ty, and inhumed him amongst the for∣mer Kings.