Hugh Capet the 36. King of France. Anno 987.

HUgh Capet was proclaimed King at Noyan by the Princes, Barons, and Prelates of France, and af∣terwards annointed at Rheims the third of July, Anno Domini 987, where hee caused also his eldest sonne to be crow∣ned King with him, named Robert▪ Page  159 about halfe a yeare after, viz. on the first of January. The people, the soul∣diers, and all the Prelates swore a feal∣ty to Capet against all men, and especi∣ally against Charles of Loraine, who came with an Army to challenge and stoutly make claime to his right by force of Armes in France, for the space of foure yeares, and first made himselfe sure of Laon by the meanes of Arnulph, naturall sonne to the late King Lothari∣us, whither Hugh went to assaile him: but hee made such a briske and valiant sally out against him, that hee shame∣fully routed both him and his. After having taken the Castle of Montagu, and pillaged the Territories of Soissons and Rheimes, he retreated to Laon, and the yeare following hee made himselfe Master & possessor of Rheimes, through the intelligence which hee had with the said Arnulph, newly elected Arch-bishop of that See upon the decease of Albero. Whereupon Hugh using the same passa∣ges upon Charles, dealt under-hand Page  160 with Ascelin or Anselme, Bishop of Laon, who made a way for him and his Army into Laon, where Charles was taken, and carryed Prisoner to Orleans with Agnes his wife, by whom during the time of his imprisonment hee had two children, but all foure of them dyed prisoners. By this prize the Warres a∣gainst Charles being ended, and the Cities of Laon and Rheimes retaken, yea, and the Dutchy of France being incor∣porated to the Domaines of the Crowne, and the City of Paris begin∣ning againe to take upon it the name of a City Royall, Hugh caused a Synode to be held at Rheimes, whereby Ar∣nulph was deposed, and Gilbert, Tutor to Robert the sonne of Hugh, was sub∣stituted in his place; whereof the Pope not content, caused a Councell to bee called in France, by the decree where∣of Gilbert was dismissed, and Arnulph restored. Hugh deceased the 22. of No∣vember, Anno Dom. 996, and as others report, 998. He was funebrially inhu∣med Page  161 at St. Denis in France by his An∣cestors.

This King was the first of the Race of the succeeding Kings, being ordained to bring the Kingdome to a flourishing estate, by so many great and eminent vertues meeting in his Person: Hee was surnamed Capet, either from the big∣nesse of his Head, from the Latin word Capitosus, or because when hee was young, hee would plucke off his companions Capps, fore-shewing that hee should afterward pluck off Kings Crownes; for when matters were by policy and the affection of French advancing his desires fitly prepared, he got possession of the Crowne, though claimed by Charles, sonne to Lothaire, and with a complement of being un∣willing to leave the Crowne to any particular Nobleman, least he should seeme to be preferr'd before the rest e∣quall in desert, his sonne Robert pro∣pounded to their Election, was also crowned, being a wise and temperate Page  162 Prince, that gave much apparent hope of making the Kingdome happy in his fruitfull progeny, pledges of his ver∣tues, some whereof were expressed in this saying: That he was a sonne with∣out frowardnesse, a companion with∣out jealousie, and a King without am∣bition; which was a sufficient testimony of the goodnesse of his disposition, and that he was wholly bent to those things which were truely honourable, apply∣ing his best helpe for maintaining the generall good of his Subjects, where∣by he gained the love and obedience of all men; and afterward hee proved an exact Picture of his fathers great and perfect vertues.