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THis Lewis surnamed the Lubber, or Doe-little, sonne of Carloman, succeeded in the Kingdome An. Dom. 885, at the pursuite of Hugh the Abbot, (who was so named, because as
it is thought, he was the first of the Lay∣Princes that usurped the revenues of the Abbies) so that all that part on this side Seine, and that which was called Neu∣stry, remained in the obedience of Lewis the Doe little; and the parts beyond the Seine with Burgundy, were under Charles the grosse, Emperour; who came to take the protection of France against the Normans, according as Fulco, Arch∣Bishop of Rheimes, testifieth. There∣fore it is that they are placed in the Ranke and Catalogue of the Kings. In those times the Normans ranged about Neustry, sacking and spoyling the greatest part of Cities in those parts, namely, Rouen, Eureux, and Bayeux: but they were so soundly curryed by the valour of Hugh the Abbot, that in a long time after they durst not set a foote there, which was a cause that the same yeare 887. they returned to thunder up∣on the other parts of France, not spa∣ring the Emperours Countrey, where they surprised the Castle of Lovanne.
From thence they came before Paris under the conduct of their King Sige∣sroy, hoping there also to make a prey as they had done elsewhere; but it was so bravely defended by Count Eudes & the Abbot Goslin, that they were quite frustrate of their expectation and pre∣tence. This Lewis dyed immediately after, having borne the name of a King to his dying day, for the space of two yeares, according to the Chronicle of St. Benigne. Moreover, Charles be∣came so stupefied in his senses and un∣derstanding, that when the Princes of the Empire knew that there was no hope of his recovery, and that the af∣faires of the Empire might fall into some disasters, they gave him into the charge of his Nephew Arnulph, naturall sonne of the late Caroloman, in whose custody he dyed soone after, on the 12. of January, Anno Dom. 888.
This King was approved in the be∣ginning of his Reigne, and reverenced by his Subjects, but afterwards having
made a dishonourable peace with the Normans, yeelding them Neustria, now called Normandy, hee lost his Subjects affection, and then through griefe and jealousie conceived against his Queene Richarda, fell sicke, and through the dis∣temper of his body and minde be∣ing unfit to governe, was deposed, re∣jected both from the Realme and Em∣pire, banished from the Court, and ha∣ving neither house nor meanes, was star∣ved, and dyed for want of reliefe in a poore Village of Suevia. Thus one of the great Monarchs of the world dyed without house, without bread, without honour, without mourning, & without memory, but that his end was prodigi∣ously memorable. The reasons were his imperious pride in prosperity, and his despairing dejectednesse in adversity, foolish extreames becomming not a magnanimous mind; therefore his af∣fliction was hated of his subjects, not considering the true cause of his afflicti∣on. But the chiefe cause was his distrust
in God in his extremities, for he should have acknowledgd that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as David said,