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.

Lewis 4. the 33. King of France. Anno 939.

[illustration] portrait

LEwis, son of Charles the Simple, was recalled out of England by the Princes of France, and at the instance of Hugh le Blanc was crow∣ned at Laon by the Arch-bishop of Rheims, the 19. of July, An. Dom. 939. From thence hee went to recover the

City of Langres from Hugh le Noire, brother to King Rodulph, and having entertained the Lords of Burgundy be∣fore he came to Paris, hee discarded Hugh le Blanc, and for his owne Mother, that he might make use of her counsell: which caused Hugh to allye himselfe to the Emperour Otho, by taking his sister in marriage, and to reconcile Heribert. Afterwards they went to follow the King even into Burgundy, who in re∣venge fell upon Loraine, which caused the Emperour to depart out of Almaine to oppose him, but they made a peace betweene themselves. This notwith∣standing, the King could not obtaine peace of his adversaries, untill the Dukes of Normandy, Aquitaine, and Bretagne being encouraged by Pope Stephen, embraced him, and they wrought so, that the Emperour accor∣ded with the Princes Hugh & Heribert, who awhile after that was taken by the King, and hanged, because he had im∣prisoned his Father, which so much

disturbed the repose of France, together with the death of William, Dukes of Normandy, who was murthered by the Count of Flanders, that Warres being enkindled over all France, the King was taken prisoner by the Normans, from being recovered by Hugh le Blanc, who delivered him to Count Thibaut, who detained him longer for the space of a yeare. The Emperour Othe seeing this, debated the cause of Hugh le Blanc, and began to maintaine the Kings so long, untill carrying himselfe indiffe∣rent, hee came to reape the fruite of both their ruines without any danger at all. In conclusion, this last Warre which had continued seven or eight yeares, being ended by an agreement betweene the King and Duke Hughes in the City of Soyssons, the King dyed of a strange malady in the Moneth of Sep∣tember, or according to others, the 12. of November, Anno Domini 954, after he had reigned about 19. yeares, leaving by his wife Gerberge Lotharius and

Charles. This King, (as it is formerly briefly mentioned) to revenge the death of his Father, whom Hebert Earle of Vermandois, had kept a prisoner in the Castle of Peronne untill hee there dyed, caused one in the habite of an Englishman, to come in haste to his Court at Landun, with Letters which himselfe had written, though fained to be sent from the King of England. The messenger being entred, and the Letters read softly to the King by his Secretary, the King smiled, and said; The Englishmen are not so wise as I e∣streem'd them to be: for our Cosin Har∣mant, King of England, hath signified unto me by these Letters, that in his Countrey a labouring man inviting his Master to dine at his house, caused him to be slaine, and now hee desires your counsell my Lords, what punishment this fellow hath deserved: Whereupon Thibaut, Earle of Bloys, said; that hee was worthy to be tortur'd, and then hang'd on a Gibbet: which sentence all

the Lords there present, and also He∣bert Earle of Vermandois did confirme and allow: Whereupon the Kings Of∣ficers there provided in a readinesse, apprehended the said Hebert Earle of Vermandois, unto whom the King said, Hebert, this wicked Labourer is thy selfe, who didst put to death thy Lord and Master, King Charles my Father, for which thou hast condemned thy selfe to dye by thy owne judgment. Whereupon Hebert was hanged on a Gibbet on the top of a Mountaine neare Lodun, which since his Executi∣on is called still Mount Hebert.

This Lewis, (as was said) being nine yeares in England, was therefore surnamed D'entremer, or from be∣yond the Seas: Hee was disloyall and unfortunate, for though he endu∣red much affliction, and many unkind fortunes, yet hee was not mended in his life by his sufferings, nor had learned to embrace Vertue, whose Beauty appeares most faire and comely,

when her eyes are fill'd with teares, ma∣king sorrow looke with a sweet and lovely countenance: It is that which in a Prince is most glorious, causing him to fixe his minde onely upon that which may prove beneficiall to the Church and State. But this was not the object wherein this Monarch was delighted, so that he was deprived of that excel∣lency which by Vertue is attained. Be∣sides he did degenerate from the blood of Charlemaine, for birth nor adversity did enlarge his narrow thoughts to take pleasure in noble actions: Hee came came unto the government after a long absence, which made his returne more gratefull to the Subjects, while his E∣nemies thought to creepe into his af∣fection by the tender of fained service, especially William Duke of Normandy: thus Prosperity commands counter∣feited offers of fidelity.