A general chronological history of France beginning before the reign of King Pharamond, and ending with the reign of King Henry the Fourth, containing both the civil and the ecclesiastical transactions of that kingdom / by the sieur De Mezeray ... ; translated by John Bulteel ...

Charles V. called the VVise, and the Eloquent, King of France, LI.

Aged about XXVI years.

POPES,

• URBAN V. Seven years Four Months under this Reign.
• GREGORY XI. Elected the Thirtieth of December 1370. S. Seven years three Months.
• Schisme.
• URBAN VI. Elected the Eighth of April, in the year 1378. S. at Rome II. years, six Months, six Days, whereof two years and above five Months under this Reign.
• And
• CLEMENT VII. Elected the Twenty first of September, S. in Avignon, Twenty six years, where∣of Two years under this Reign.

* 1.1 THe prosperous Conduct of this King is the noblest proof we meet with thoroughout all the History of France; that the weightiest Affairs are managed better by skill and judgment then by sorce, and that success in [Year of our Lord 1364] Battle is oftner the effect of the judicious Orders and Contrivances in the Closet, then the valour of those that sight them.

[Year of our Lord 1364] His Coronation was performed at Reims the Nineteenth of May. It is to be ob∣served that Wenceslaus of Luxemburgh Duke of Brabant his maternal Uncle, John Duke of Lorrain, and Robert Duke of Bar, though Strangers and Vassals of the Em∣pire, did the Office of Pairs there, the First representing the Duke of Normandy, the Second the Earl of Champagne, the Third the Earl of Toulouze. The Duke of Burgundy and the Earl of Flanders held their natural places, and Lewis Duke of Anjou, that of the Duke of Guyenne.

They had just reason to say, that never King armed himself so little, and yet did so many brave exploits in War as this same; It seemed as is Wisdom had tyed Fortune to his Service. From the beginning he made it appear that the French could beat the English, who had always beaten them in the preceding Reigns. The Navarrois and Montfort not having been comprehended in the Trea∣ty of Bretigny, their people continued the War, and the English Forces and the French took part with them. John de Grailly Captal de Buchs, who was come to the aid of the Navarrois, took the Command of all their Forces. The French Officers being met to Fight him, found him near the place called Cocherel, and de la Croix St. Leufroy, between Evreux and Vernon. Bertrand de Gueselin, on whom he had conferr'd the Command, upon refusal of the young Count d'Auxerre, be∣haved himself so well with his companions, that Captals Men were beaten out of their advantageous Post, and he taken prisoner. The King thinking to get him on his side, released him a while after: but he was rather desirous to retaliate his defeat then that obligation.

[Year of our Lord 1364] During these Occurrences, Philip of Navarre hapning to dye, Lewis his young Brother got the Forces of that Party together, and fell upon Bourbonnois, and the lower Auvergne, where he rifled several Castles. Nay, some of his Men surprized la Charite upon the Loire, a place very important for the passage it gave; from thence he made a cruel War upon the Countries on this side, whilst on the other hand the Count Montbeliard was fallen upon Burgundy, to serve the House of Navarre, who pretended that Dutchy appertained to them. But Philip of France, to whom King Charles had confirmed the Grant, was order'd to go and defend his Country, and to quit la Beausse, from whence he had resolved to expel the Robbers, and had already cleared four or five small Castles by turning them out of their Kennels.

He carried the War therefore into Montbeliard, and compell'd the Earl to go out of Burgundy. Then laid his Siege before la Charite. Lewis d'Evreux not finding himself strong enough to make him raise it, retreated with his Forces to Cherbourgh in Normandy. The Besieged surrendred upon Composition; which the Duke agreed to by the Kings order, that he might be able to send help to Charles de Blois his Cousin, who was engaged with John de Montfort for the Dutchy of Bretagne.

[Year of our Lord 1394] The Battle d'Auvray decided the Controversy between these Contenders. John de Montfort had besieged that place with the assistance of the English led by John Chandois, that Kings Lieutenant in Guyenne; Charles de Blois undertakes to relieve it, back'd by the French Forces commanded by the Count d'Auxerre, and Bertrand du Gueselin. The Armies came to an engagement the Nine and twentieth of Sep∣tember, the Feast-day of St. Michael. The Fight was obstinate and bloody to ex∣tremity, in the conclusion Charles lost the day, the Dutchy and his Life. For the Lords of Bretagne had agreed amongst themselves, that to put a period to that tedious Quarrel, they would certainly kill that Chief of the two that was van∣quished.

[Year of our Lord 1364] The Children of Charles de Blois were still Prisonners in England, and his Widow had more of Pride then Wisdom and good Conduct. The Duke of Anjou her Son-in-Law would willingly have assisted her with all his power: but the Council of France did not think it fit to drive that business too far, least Montfort should turn Homager to the English. They therefore made a Peace with him by the Treaty at Guerrande. The Dutchy was left to him, upon condition of paying his Devoirs to the King of France. The Title of Dutchess to the Widow of Charles during her life; and for all her Posterity, the right of being restored upon want of Heirs descended from Montfort. Moreover she had the County of Pontieure and divers other Lands, with Forty thousand Livers of Rent, for her self alone, to be raised upon the whole Dutchy.

[Year of our Lord 1365]

Although the Holy War had been interrupted by the death of King John, ne∣vertheless Peter King of Cyprus, having collected some assistance of Moneys from the Christian Princes, and gathered up here and there some numbers of Adven∣turers, together with the Knights of St. John; went and landed in Egypt, where he valiantly forced a part of the great City of Alexandria, and might have brought it all under his power, if those that went with him, having more regard to their Plunder then their Honour, had not returned on board their Vessels with the Spoil.

[Year of our Lord 1365, and 66.]

With the like Valour and more Perseverance, Ame VI. Earl of Savoy carried his Forces against Amurat Sultan of the Turks and the King of Bulgaria, who would needs dispossess John Paleologus, his near Kinsman, of the Grecian Empire, the Bulgarian holding him already a Prisoner. Ame having taken the City of Ca∣lipolis in the Thracian Chersonese by Storm from the Turks, entred Bulgaria, and upon the taking of divers places, forced that King to release the Emperor; into whose hands he also put the City of Calipolis: but the Greeks lost it again immedi∣ately afterwards, so much was their Valour declined as well as their Empire.

The Emperor Charles IV. had much more fancy to design vast Undertakings, then Understanding or Means to put them in execution. He pleased himself with the empty pride and vain-glory of pompous Ceremonies, because he could not attain to those things that were truly real and solid; And as his small Revenues and his great Expences still kept him in a necessitous Condition, when he began any [Year of our Lord 1365] considerable Enterprize it was but only with intent to have Money given him. This year 1365. he visited the Pope in Avignon to make a League with the Holy Father and the other Princes of Italy, against Barnaby Viscount of Milan. He was at Mass Celebrated by the Pope himself on the day of Pentecost in his Imperial Habit, and

then went and was Crowned King of Arles in the City of the same name. Then returned again to Avignon, where he obtained permission of the Pope to levy the Tenths upon all the Clergy of Germany and Bohemia for the Expences of that War, which he never made.

[Year of our Lord 1365] Gueselin, who had been taken at the Battle of Auvray, was set free upon Ransom, and Oliver de Clisson, who was of Montforts Party, allured to the Kings service. In the Month of December Montfort came to Paris and did Homage, first for his Dutchy, but only by word of Mouth and without any Oath, then for the County of Mont∣fort, ungirt, and on his Knees, and both his hands joyned together between the hands of the King his Soveraign Lord.

This year we met again with some Troops of those revolted Peasants of the Ja∣querie, [Year of our Lord 1365] who being re-inforc'd and joyned with some Companies of Plunderers, went even into Alsatia, from whence they were hunted out, and most of them destroy'd by the Emperor Charles IV. and the other Princes of Germany.

The Forces belonging to the Navarrois continued their Incursions in Normandy, [Year of our Lord 1365] it was believed they might be drawn from thence by a Diversion towards Navarre; A League was therefore made with the King of Arragon his Capital Enemy, who immediately fell with an Army into that Kingdom. The Navarrois had the more apprehension, because he knew that France was necessarily obliged to joyn with that Prince, the King of England having made a League with Peter King of Castille, an Eternal Enemy to the Arragonians. Wherefore Captal de Buch and the rest of his Friends applied themselves with so much zeal, that they made his peace with the King. By this Treaty he renounced all his rights to Champagne and to Burgundy, upon condition he should have the Lordship of Montpellier in Languedoc, which was given him.

The Habits of Men of Quality, and honest People dwelling in Cities, was a long Gown, and a Hood almost of the same fashion as the Monks; sometimes they threw these back upon their Shoulders, and made use of a Cap or Bonnet for their Heads. Now luxury and folly had shortned their long Robe so much, that their Thighs and the whole motions of their Bodies from their Reins, was plainly [Year of our Lord 1365] seen. They had likewise brought in use a certain sort of Shoes, the Toes whereof were turned up with a long neck, (they named them Poulenes) and at their Heels a kind of Spurs. The King by his Edicts banished these ridiculous Modes after the example of his Holiness, who but a while before had by his Bulls condemned the dissoluteness of Apparel both in the one and the other Sex.

France could not rid her self of those droves of Robbers that knawed her to the [Year of our Lord 1365] very bones. The English tolerated them that they might have their help upon oc∣casion, and there were not Forces enough besides to suppress them; Gueselin found out a way to carry them all off into Spain upon this occasion.

Alphonso XI. King of Castille had had by his lawful Wife a Son named Peter, who succeeded him, and by a Mistress five Natural Sons, the eldest of whom was called Henry, and was Earl of Tristemare. This Peter was rightly surnamed the Cruel, and the Wicked, for he shewed himself more a friend to the Alcoran then to the Gospel, having alliance and amity with the Moorish Kings. He overturned all the Laws, and committed all the Injustice and Cruelties that Tyrants can commit: He lived in publick Adultery with Mary de Padilla, and had in Anno 1361. caused his Wife Blanch to be poyson'd, who was Daughter to Peter Duke of Bourbon, and Sister to the Queen of France, a Princess as vertuous as fair, after she had endured all the outrages imaginable for ten years together. He put the Lady to death that had been his Fathers Mistress, and shed the blood of the greatest in his Kingdom almost every day, nor did he spare his own Brothers, having Murthered Frederic one of the five, who was Grand Master of St. James, and often attempted against the lives of the other four. Henry being there••ore prompted by a just Resentment for the death of his Brother and his Mother, and besides authoriz'd by the Law of Na∣ture, which allowed him to defend his life, rose up against him with the greatest part of the Nation, Leagued himself with the Arragonian, and made War upon him for some time.

[Year of our Lord 1365] His Cause in the beginning had not so much success as justice, he was overmatch'd and worsted by the Tyrant, and took shelter in France. The King gave him pro∣tection the more willingly, because it offer'd a fair occasion to employ his Soldiery.

It was thought fit for the better countenance of it, to let John de Bourbon Count de la Marche Cousin German to the late Queen Blanch, have the chief Command in ap∣pearance: but for their true Conductor Bertrand du Gueselin who was delivered out of the hands of Chandois, the Pope, the King, and Don Henry having paid down his Ransom.

[Year of our Lord 1366] With these Forces and great numbers of the Nobility Volunteers, even out of those Countries under the obedience of the English, the Count de la Marche and Gueselin carried Henry back into Spain. The Pope, fearing this Army might approach near Avignon, sent them Two hundred thousand Livers with Indulgences. The King of Arragon gave them passage, and the Dutchy of Borgiae to Gueselin; and before they entred upon Castille, they regained all those places Peter had taken from him, and put them honestly again into his hands.

Upon the arrival and sight of Henry, all the Nobles of Castille, excepting one single Knight, abandoned the Tyrant; They all cry'd out, Long live King Henry, and open'd their Gates to him; in a word, he was Crowned at Burgos about the end of March. That done, he liberally rewarded with Estates in Lands all such as had fol∣low'd him, and thinking himself secure upon the Tyrants flight, he discharged the most part of his Forces, who would have lain too heavy on his new Subjects, re∣serving only Fifteen hundred Lances with Gueselin and Bernard Bastard of the Count de Foix.

[Year of our Lord 1366] The Tyrant made his escape first towards Portugal: but the King of that Coun∣try having refused to allow him any retreat there, he got into Galicia, and from thence by Sea to Bayonne to implore the assistance of the Prince of Wales. The jealousie that Prince had for the fame of du Gueselin, made him give an ear to his supplica∣tions, he promised to restore him, and to act Personnally in the Employment. To this end he retains the Gascon Lords, and the same Companies that had served du Gueselin, who were disbanded by Henry: but the Arragonian keeping the passages shut and well guarded, they could not get to him but with a great deal of difficulty.

[Year of our Lord 1367] There was no other way but by Navarre; King Charles the Bad having made a League with either Party, found himself perplexed; In the end he leans towards the Tyrant, and gives him passage, and three hundred Lances. Whilst he was wavering betwixt both Parties, and endeavoured to delude them both, he was made Prisoner by Oliver de Mauny who held the Castle of Borgia upon that Frontier. It was ima∣gin'd he had contriv'd it so himself, to keep his Faith with Henry: but Oliver treated him as a real Prisoner, and got a good Ransom from him.

When Henry knew that his Enemies had taken the City of Navarrette, he came to meet them, and instead of stopping their passage and hindring their having Provi∣sions brought to them, which he might easily have done, being above three times more numerous then they: he gave them Battle. This was the Fourth of April between Nagera and Navarrette: but he lost it through the Cowardize of his Bro∣ther Teilo, who betook himself to flight upon the first Charge. Gueselin was made Prisoner with the Mareschal d'Endreghen and some other Captains. As for him, having fought very valiantly, and not giving over till the very last extremity, he then escaped into Arragon, then came to France, where he was received by Lewis Duke of Anjou Governor for the King in Languedoc.

[Year of our Lord 1367, and 68.] The Prince of Wales gained mighty reputation amongst the Sons of Mars, for having Re-conquer'd Spain in one single Battle: but little Honour amongst the better sort, for having restor'd a Tyrant, and yet much less satisfaction or profit; For after the Tyrant had held him some Months in Castille, upon the promise of quickly sending him wherewith to pay his Men, a Sickness got into his Army; and he was forc'd to return again very ill satissied, and withall very much indisposed in his Body.

[Year of our Lord 1368] After his departure the Tyrants rage redoubled by all sorts of terrible revenge. The Castillians finding they were treated more inhumanely then ever, recalled Henry: The Duke of Anjou and the Earl of Foix did frankly give him all the assistance they could; and du Gueselin and Bernard de Bearn newly set free upon Ransom raised Men for him.

In few words Henry besieged Toledo, the Tyrant attended with Three thousand Horse came to relieve it. When he was gotten near Montiel, a Village situate upon the Hills, which parts the Kingdom of Valentia from New Castille, Henry meets him, the Battle was fought the Fourteenth of March 1369. the Tyrants Forces ran away, [Year of our Lord 1369] and he saved himself in the Castle of Montiel.

There finding himself cooped up without any hopes of escaping, he adventures to come to Guesclin in his Tent, imagining by force of Presents to persuade him to let him slip away. Henry comes just at the same time thither, either by chance or otherwise, they fell to words, then laid hold upon each other, and tumbled on the ground. The Tyrant in the end was brought undermost and kill'd. The manner is not well agreed upon, nor whether it were done fairly: this hapned the Three and twentieth of March 1369. Thus the Kingdom of Castille remained to Henry and those descended from him, who hold it to this day.

The Widow of the Duke of Burgundy, Daughter of the Earl of Flanders, and the richest Heiress in Christendom, was earnestly Courted both by France and Eng∣land. The Father designed her ••or Edmond one of the King of Englands Sons: but the Grandmother Margaret, French both by Birth and Inclination, opposed that Match with all her power, and had a design to fortifie the House of France. She therefore pressed her Son with exceeding heat, even to the threatning to cut off her* 1.2 Breasts which had given him suck. This touched him to the heart, he bestowed his Daughter upon Philip the Hardy Duke of Burgundy: but the Nuptials were not com∣pleated till a year afterwards.

The Prince of Wales had brought nothing out of Spain but great Melancholy, a Mortal Indisposition, and no Money to pay off his Army. He therefore lays an un∣usual, but very small Impost upon Guyenne; The Lords his Vassals discontented with him, particularly the Lord d'Albret, advises the Tenants to make Complaint to them; Having received their Complaint, they carry it to the Prince, and made him some Remonstrances thereon. He rejects them in a very offensive manner. Whereupon they had recourse to the King of France, lately their lawful Soveraign: The King en∣tertains them five or six Months in the same disposition and humour, waiting a proper juncture to declare his mind.

He was in the mean time putting every thing in order to that purpose, making sure of the Gascon Lords and German Princes with his Money, whereof either of them were very greedy, drew the Soldiery to his service with the same Bait, by the help of Guesclin, in whom they reposed great Confidence, and made up a Stock of Money by the imposition of Subsidies, which the Estates assembled at Paris did freely grant him, and which they raised with so much order and evenness, that the People were not at all oppress'd.

[Year of our Lord 1369] When he had warily taken all his Measures, and knew withal that the Prince of Wales grew daily more Hydropick, he granted his Letters of Appeal to the Gascons, the five principal of them being the Sire d'Albert, and the Earls of Armagnac, Peri∣gard, Cominges, and Carmaing. This was signified to the Prince personally by a Knight and a Clerk: but far from consenting to this Appeal, he haughtily reply'd, That he would make his appearance in the same manner as he had done at the Battle of Poitiers, and caused them to be taken upon their way back and kept Prisoners, charging them with the having rob'd their Host.

[Year of our Lord 1369] At the same time Charles amused King Edward with some Complaints which he sent to him, as if he would have brought things to a Negotiation. The King of England returned words for words, not thinking the effects were so near, or that the French durst undertake any thing whilst the Duke of Berry and the other Hostages were in England.

He thought himself absolute Soveraign in Guyenne by the Treaty of Bretigny: but as on his side he had not disbanded the Soldiers, and moreover had committed divers Hostilities, the King pretended that Treaty was nul and dissolved, and that therefore that Prince remained still a Vassal to the Crown. Upon this foot it was that he sent to declare a War against him; and afterwards his Parliament being assembled upon the Ascension-Eve, he sitting in his Seat of Justice, made a Decree, by which for Rebellion, Contempt and Disobedience they declared forfeit and confiscated all those Lands the King of England held in France.

If Edwards astonishment were great to sind a Prince who was not a Man of his hands, thus dare denounce War against him who had won so many Battles: his displeasure was no less when he saw this Defiance brought him not by a Person of Quality, as the custom was, but by a simple Valet or Servant; When he understood that the Lord de Chastillon, and the Count de Saint Pol had seized upon Abbeville and the rest of the places in the County of Pontieu, which were unprovided; That the Barons of Gas∣congue, even before the declaration of War, had defeated his Seneschal of Rovergne; That the Dukes of Berry and Anjou had attaqued Guyenne, one towards Auvergne, the other towards Toulouze; That his Son the Prince of Wales being swoln every day

more and more, could not act but by his Council; and that several Captains and Companies took Service under the French.

In the interim, till he could raise greater Forces, he sent him Five hundred Lances, and One thousand Cross-bow-men under the Command of Edmond Earl of Cam∣bridge, afterwards Duke of York, his fourth Son, and the Earl of Pembrook his Son-in-Law, who went on shoar at St. Malo's, and cross'd over Bretagne; on the other hand Hue de Caurelee brought him Two thousand Men of those he had in Spain, and then came about twice as many from such as held places in Normandy and Mayne, which they sold to go and joyn with him. The four bravest Captains he had about him were the above-named Caurelee, Eustace d'Auberticour a Hennuyer, John Chandois Se∣neschal* 1.3 of Poitou, Thomas Piercy Seneschal of Rochel, and Robert Knolles, all English. To the last of these four he gave the Command of his Forces.

To the force of Arms the Wise King joyned the power of Religion and Eloquence, which can do all things on the hearts of the People. He ordered Fasts and Pro∣cessions to be made over all his Kingdom, and sometimes he went himself bare∣footed with the rest; When at the same time the Preachers made out his Right and Title, with the justice of his Cause, and the injustice of the English. Which had two ends; the one to bring back again those French Provinces which had been yielded by the Treaty of Bretigny; the other to make those that were under him willing to suffer the Contributions and all other inconveniencies of War. The Archbishop of Toulouze alone, by his Persuasions and Intrigues, regained above fifty Cities or Castles in Guyenne, amongst others that of Cabors. The King of England would have practised the same methods on his part, and sent an Amnesty or general Pardon to the Gascons, with an Oath upon the Sacred Body of Jesus Christ, to raise no more new Imposts; but all this could not reclaim those minds that had bent themselves another way.

Divers incursions were made by the French into Guyenne and Poitou, and by the English into the Neighbouring Countries, and in one of them these last took Isa∣bella de Valois the Widow Dutchess of Bourbon, and Mother to the Queen of France, at her Castle of Bellepeche in Bourbonnois. She was afterwards exchanged for the Prince of Wales his Knight.

The Earls of Cambridge and Pembrook marched even to Anjou, and there took the strong Castle de la Roche-sur-Yon, from whence they scowred all the Country; as they likewise did that of Berry, having gained the City of St. Severe, which is situate in Limosin upon that Frontier. But on their side they suffer'd more loss by far then all this came to, the most considerable being that of Chandois, who was unfortunately slain in a Rencounter near the Bridge of Lensac in Poitou.

Besides the ordinary Troops which they called Companies, the Lords and Gentle∣men often came together, and of their own accord drew themselves into a Body for some great Enterprize, or else to make Incursion; then after such a Riding * 1.4, so they then called it, they returned back to their own homes again.

King Charles had undertaken to raise an Army that should land some Forces in England, his Brother Philip was to Command it, and they were to take Shipping at Harsleur. When he was ready to go on board the Vessels, the news was brought him, that John Duke of Lancaster, King Edwards third Son, was landed at Calais, and made inroads upon the French Country. He was advised to quit his design, and turn his force that way. Lancaster seeing him in the Field, posted himself upon the Hill de Tournehan, between Ardres and Guisnes. Philip encamps right against him, as either to attaque or surround him, but before he had been long there, grew weary, and disbanded his Men. Thus Lancaster had leisure and opportunity to over-run the Country of Caux, even to Harfleur, and at his return the Country of Pontieu; where he took Prisoner Hugh de Chastillon, Master of the Cross-bow-men, who had seized upon that Country in the name of the King.

At the same time the Dukes of Guelders and Juliers, moved by the Charms of English Sterling Coyn, sent to defie the King, who soon set up the Duke of Brabant and the Count de Saint Pol to coap with them, as taking fire upon some particular Interest.

There hapned a furious Battle between both Parties at Baeswilder, betwixt the Rhine and the Meuse, which brought those Princes very low; On the one side the Duke of Juliers was slain, on the other the Duke of Brabant was taken Prisoner. The Emperor his Brother released him, and made up the Quarrel.

[Year of our Lord 1369] The Estates being Assembled the Seventh of December, granted to the King an Imposition of a Sol or Penny per Liver upon Salt, of four Livers upon every Chim∣ney in the Cities, and thirty Sols in the Country: as likewise upon the sale of Wine in the Country, the 13th in Gross, and the 4th upon Retail, and upon entry at Paris, fifteen Sols for every Pipe of French Wine, and twenty four per Pipe for Burgundy Wine: To which the Cities joyfully consented, as knowing these Levies would be well managed, and cease again with the War.

[Year of our Lord 1369] The same year 1369. Hugh Aubriot, Prevost des Merchands, caused the Towers of the Bastille to be built near the Gate St. Antoine, the same as we find them at this day.

[Year of our Lord 1370] The first years War had not produced any very considerable event: the two Kings prepared themselves with all their might to perform greater matters the se∣cond. All the four Brothers of France having held Counsel together, resolved that the Duke of Anjou, and the Duke of Berry should attaque Guyenne, that the former should enter about Toulouze, in that part that lieth betwixt the two Seas, the other about Berry in Limosin, and that they should both joyn at Limeges to besiege the Prince of Wales there.

[Year of our Lord 1370] To this effect they thought fit to recal du Guesclin out of Spain, where King Henry had bestow'd upon him the Earldom of Molines and the Lands of Soria * 1.5. He came upon the Kings first commands, and having joyned the Duke of Anjou, took, as he was upon his march, the Towns of Moissac, Tonneins, Aiguillon, and other Castles less considerable along the Garonne. On his part the Duke of Berry made himself Master of Limoges, more by his Intelligence with the Citizens, and the Bishop, who betrayed the Prince of Wales, though his Gossip and very good Friend, then by his Sword. After this the two Brothers, knowing that the Prince, too Politick to suffer himself to be cooped up, had taken the Field, discharged their Soldiers.

[Year of our Lord 1370] The King of England on his part had sent the Duke of Lancaster with some Com∣panies of Men at Arms, and Archers into Guyenne, and given the Command of all his Army about Picardy to Robert Knolls. It consisted of above Thirty thousand Men. His march struck a terror through all France, even to the Loire; for they sacaged Vermandois, Champagne, and la Brie, burnt all round about Paris, made the sound of their Trumpets eccho in the very Gates of the Louvre, while neither the smoak of those Incendiaries, nor the noise of their Martial Musick could move the wise King to hazard any thing, nor let one Soldier go out to the Enemy.

[Year of our Lord 1370] Du Guesclin was almost the only Man who was capable of revenging him for all these Affronts: to this end the second day of October, he puts the Sword of High [Year of our Lord 1370] Constable into his hands, which Moreau de Fiennes, too much broken with age and toil, could bear no longer, but gave him few Soldiers, that he might only observe the Enemy, and not fight them. Du Guesclin, who had another aim, encreased the numbers at his own expence, having sold all his Jewels and rich Household Furni∣ture he had gotten in Spain, to buy up more Soldiers.

After he had followed and annoyed the Enemy for some time, he had an opportu∣nity to be t up one of their Quarters near the Pont Valain in the Country of Mayne. By this means, having broke the ice, he put them to a rout, then defeated them piece after piece, till even Knolles himself had much ado to escape.

[Year of our Lord 1371] From thence he turned up into Berry, and drove out the English, who fled into Poitou, cleared Touraine and Anjou, and did the like in Limosin and in Rovergne.

[Year of our Lord 1371] He also rendred a most important piece of Service to France, having brought the King of Navarre to an Enterview with King Charles. In the present posture of Af∣fairs that Prince might have done a great deal of mischief, by introducing the English into Constentin, where he held Cherbourgh with some other places, and into the County of Evreux, which was all his own. But he being as irresolute as malicious, he neither knew how to keep his Faith, nor break it to his own advantage. Though he had made a Truce the preceding year, he still deferr'd the concluding of the Peace by his Artifice. In fine, he suffers himself to be led to it when he had least need, and was contented with the City of M••ntpellier, which was put into his pos∣session. Upon which Consideration he renounced the English Interest, at that time when it would have been more advantage not to do it.

[Year of our Lord 1371]

In the year 1367. Pope Ʋrban V. had made a Voyage to Rome, in appearance to give some Orders for the Affairs of Italy, but indeed out of anger, for that the Army going into Spain had oppressed and extorted a great deal from him. After he had staid there two years and an half, he returned to Avignon, where in short time he died, the 19th of December. The Cardinals placed in the Holy Chair Peter Roger, who was Son to William Earl of Beaufort in Valee, and Jane Sister of Pope Clement VI.

In the Month of May of this same year, David King of Scotland, Son of Robert Bruce, died without Children. Thus that Crown passed into the House of the* 1.6 Stewarts, by one Robert, who was his Sisters Son. He ratifi'd the Truce with the English, and prolonged it for thirteen years.

The Maritine Cities of Flanders being all filled with Merchants, had no other Interest to mind but Trade: Wherefore neither considering that of their Earl, nor [Year of our Lord 1371] the Kings, they made a League with the English, thereby to secure their Commerce, which appeared more advantageous from that side, then from the French.

Within a while, after the new Constable had re-conquer'd Perigord, and Limosin from the English, the Prince of Wales, though he could not stir but in a Litter, draws his Men together at Cognac, and went to besiege Limoges. His Hurons* 1.7 or Miners, of which he had great numbers, having thrown down a great part of the Wall into the Ditches, the Town was taken by Storm. He was so enraged against the Inhabitants, that he took cruel Vengeance even upon the very Women and Children, above four thousand of them dying by the edge of the Sword. This was his last exploit in War, afterwards he retired very much indisposed into England, where yet he languished three years. When he was gone the Affairs of the English ran every day into decay, the greatest part of the Lords, and Commanders in Guyenne, whom his Valour and Bounty tied to his Court, going over to the French.

[Year of our Lord 1372] He had left the care of his Affairs to the Duke of Lancaster, who stay'd no long time in Guyenne, but went over into England to be present in a great Council which was held about the concerns on this side the Water. At his departure he Married the Daughter of Peter the Cruel, and stiled himself King of Castille: his Brother, the Earl of Cambridge, likewise took the youngest Sister to his Bed. [Year of our Lord 1372]

This was to declare a Mortal War against King Henry, who besides being engaged to the Crown of France, resolved as well for his own security as out of gratitude, to [Year of our Lord 1372] serve it with all his power. He knew the English were sending an Army into Poitou, Commanded by the Earl of Pembrooke; he put out a Fleet of forty great Ships to Sea, well stored with Canon and Fire-Arms, who lay in wait for the Earl of Pem∣brooke at the chops of the Rochel Channel. The Fight lasted two days, the Eves-eve, and the Eve of St. Johns Feast, the Rochell••rs looking on in cold blood, not to be persuaded by their Governor to go out to the aid of the English, who in the end were overcome, and all either taken or sunk. The Victors carried away the Earl of Pembrooke with the rest of the Prisoners into Spain, all laden with Chains. This was the Custom both of the Spaniards and Germans towards their Enemies, the French and English treated theirs with more generosity and civility. [☜]

This disaster was the utter ruine of the English Party. The Constable besieged [Year of our Lord 1372] and took all places with ease. After he had help'd the Duke of Berry in reducing St. Severe, which was believed to be impregnable, he came to take possession of the great City of Poitiers that opened her Arms to him. The Commanders that kept the Field were all amazed at it: but much more astonished upon the defeat of the Captal de Buch, who marching to relieve the City of Soubise, situate at the mouth of the Charente, sound himself surrounded and taken by the Spaniards, whose Fleet hover'd about that Coast. No Ransom nor Exchange could persuade the King to set him at liberty a second time, he was shut up in a Tower belonging to the Temple at Paris, where he died four years after.

[Year of our Lord 1372] The Rochellers could never agree with the English humour, scarce compatible with any Nation whatsoever; they studied how to withdraw themselves from their Go∣vernment; and for this purpose it was that the Spaniards kept so nigh to favour their design. The Castle only hindred them, the Mayor bethought himself of a Wyle. Having given the Captain a Dinner, he presented him certain Letters Sealed with King Edwards Signet, out of which he read, That they were ordered to make a Muster of the Garison in the Castle, and the City Militia. There was nothing of all this in the Letter, but the Captain, who could not read, believed it, and drew out the Garison. The Mayor had laid an Ambuscade amongst some Ruinous Buildings,

which cut off his passage and hindred his return. Ten or twelve Forelorn Wretches that were left in the Castle, Capitulated. After this, the crafty Rochellers, before they would open their Gates to the French, made their Treaty with the King, and obtained to have the Castle demolished, or if we will believe their Memoirs, an Amnesty for having demolish'd it before the Treaty. Besides this, they got so many Priviledges and great Advantages, as tended as much towards the putting this City at liberty, as for the exchanging their Master.

After the Constable, who represented the King, had taken their Oaths of Fidelity, he pursued the Conquest of Poitou and Saintonge. Most part of the Lords were retired to Touars, he laid Siege to it, and forc'd them to Capitulate; That they should put themselves, their Lands, and that place under Obedience of the King, un∣less the King of England, or one of his Sons, did come with an Army strong enough to sight the Besiegers by Michaelmass-day.

This sort of Composition was practised as long as there was the least faith left amongst Men. It ever included a Cessation of Arms, during which the Besiegers taking Hostages of the Besieged, raised their Camp, and left them all manner of liberty, excepting only the admitting more Soldiers into the Garison, or to furnish or provide it with Stores.

[Year of our Lord 1372] When King Edward heard of this Capitulation, Honour and Necessity rowzing and bringing to his mind the remembrance of his Victories, he puts to Sea himself with four hundred Vessels, that he might not lose so fine a Country, and so many brave Men. But the Winds refused to be serviceable to him upon this occasion; they tossed him about for six weeks together, and would not afford one favourable gale, but what blew him towards his own Ports of England. The time being expired, the Lords performed the Capitulation: after which the Cities of Saintes, Angou∣lesme, Saint John d'Angely, and generally all the Country even to Bourg and Blaye, returned to the Obedience of their Ancient and Natural Soveraign.

[Year of our Lord 1372] John de Montfort Duke of Bretagne looked with fear upon the Prosperity of the French, his ancient Enemies, and with regret upon the decay of the King of England his Father-in-Law, and his Protector: but he was not Master in his Dutchy, the People would have no more War, the haughty humour of the English was not com∣patible with their Liberty▪ and the Barons dazled with the lustre of de Guesclin and de Clissons Fortune, had their Eyes turned upon the Employments and Pensions of the Court of France. Thus the Duke was under great constraint, If he admitted any English to land upon those Coasts, the Common People fell upon them; if he quarter'd them in his Garisons, the Lords rose up. Having placed some in Brest, Conquet, Kemperle, and Henneband, they besought the King to send them some Forces to drive them thence, and put the Cities into his hands, as they did Vennes, Renes, and divers others.

The Revenge he would have taken, by laying Siege to St. Mahé, did but hasten his loss, and the Constables march with the Duke of Bourbon. Some English Soldiers that he had sent for to strengthen himself withall, had the whole Country against them, and were all cut in pieces; so that although he had some good places left, he durst not shut himself in any of them, but passed over to England to cry out for help.

Whilst he was gone the Constable secured them all excepting three, Brest, Becherel, and Derval, (this last belonged to Knolles) he laid Siege to all these at the same time, as likewise to la Roche-sur-yon in Anjou.

This last being farthest off from all Assistance, surrendred, Brest, Becherel, and Derval promised to do as much, if within a certain prefixed time there appeared not an Army sufficient, and that would hold Battle * 1.8, to make the French raise their Siege. As for Brest and Derval they saved themselves by this means. The Earl of Salisbury was then at Sea to guard the English Coasts against the Spanish Navy Com∣manded by Evans of Wales, whose Father King Edward had put to death to get that Principality. Hearing what danger Brest was in, he landed in Bretagne, encamped and entrench'd himself near that place, then sent his Heraulds to the Constable to proclaim that he was come to raise the Siege, and expected him there. The Con∣stable did not think sit to attaque him in so well fortisied a Post; Thus that place was deliver'd. At their departure thence, Knolles, who had defended it, threw himself into Derval, not thinking himself obliged to stand to the Treaty made by that Ga∣rison; which cost the Lives of their Hostages, and by way of Reprizal, the Lives of some Gentlemen whom Knolles had taken Prisoners. As for Becherel it held out a whole year; at the end whereof, no Army appearing on the day prefixed to relieve it, it fell into the hands of the French.

The King of England did not fail of his Guaranty to the Duke of Bretagne; he raised an Army of above Thirty thousand Men, whom he gave to the Duke of Lan∣caster to restore that Prince, who had the confidence to send defiance to the King of France his Sovereign: they landed at Calais the twentieth of July, marched tho∣rough and pillaged Artois, Picardy, Champagne, Fores, Beaujolois, Auvergne and Limo∣sin, and descended into Guyenne, instead of going into Bretagne, as Montfort hoped and expected.

It was the constant resolution of this wise King, not to hazard any great Battle against the English; but he ordered his Forces should be lodged every night in some Town, should follow the enemy by day, and never cease from galling and disturb∣ing them, falling upon all straglers, and sitting so near their skirts, as to keep all Provisions and Forage from them; by which means he defeated their great Armies by little and little, and made them moulder away to nothing. These having been observed and pursued by the Duke of Burgundy, as far as Beaujolis, and from thence to the Dordogne by the Constable, were not only prevented from undertaking any thing considerable, but were so much weakned and diminished, that scarce six thou∣sand of them got into Bourdeaux.

[Year of our Lord 1373] During this irruption, the Duke of Anjou, Governour of Languedoc, made an∣other, much more advantageous into the upper Guyenne. He conquer'd several pla∣ces of little or no name at present, but in these days of great importance.

* 1.9 Two great Judgments, a Famine and a * Plague, tormented France, Italy, and England this year 1373. There likewise Reigned, especially in the Low Countreys, a phrantick passion, or phrensie, unknown in the foregoing ages. Such as were tainted with it, being for the most part the scum of the people, stript themselves stark naked, placed a Garland of Flowers upon their Heads, and taking Hands with one another, went into the Streets and Churches, Dancing, Singing, and run∣ning round with so much violence, that they fell down for want of breath. This agitation made them swell so prodigiously, they would have burst, had not great pains and care been taken to swathe them with bands, about their Bellies imme∣diately, such as looked on them too attentively, were often infected with the same distemper. Some believed it an operation of the Devil, and that Exorcisms did much help them. The vulgar named it, The Dance of St. JOHN.

[Year of our Lord 1375] Upon the instant and continual exhortations of the Pope, the two Kings entred in∣to a Negotiation to compose their differences. For this an Assembly was held at Bruges in Flanders, whither they sent their nearest Princes of their Blood, and the most illustrious Lords of their Kingdoms. It lasted almost two years incredible expence: There was first a Truce made for a year, to commence in the month of May of this year 1375. which being concluded, the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of Bretagne passed into England.

Bretagne not being comprehended, their Duke returns with an Army of English, and partly by force, partly by correspondence regained St. Mahé, St. Brieue, and seven or eight other places, whilst John d'Evreux, Brother to the King of Navarre made great spoil and waste all about Kemperlay.

He had built a Fort thereabouts for his retreat, from whence he very much incom∣moded that City, Clisson, Roban, Beaumanoir, and other Lords of Bretagne besieged him in it. The Duke hastned thither to deliver him, they quickly marched off, he pursues them and besieged them in Kemperlay: Now when they were just ready to be exposed to his mercy (he would have shewed but little to those whom he pro∣claimed Traitors and Rebels) a second Truce wherein they comprized him, drew them most fortunately out of his hands.

[Year of our Lord 1375] The minority of the King of France (if I do not deceive my self) lasted to the age of Twenty years, and during all that time, all Command, all Orders, and all Acts were made under the name of the Regent. The wise King considered, that an Authority so absolute, might force or snatch the Crown from his Son, if he left him a Minor; That the people, were it error or custom, did not willingly acknowledge a Prince for their King till he was Crowned; and that it might be feared, lest the Duke of Anjou should make them believe, by some former examples or presidents, that they ought to chuse one that was in Majority, and capable to Govern. For these reasons, or for others we are ignorant of; he made his memorable Ordonnance by the advice of the Princes, Lords, Prelates, University, and other notable persons

which imports, "That the eldest Sons of France, as soon as they have attained to the age of Fourteen years, should be held for Majors, and capable of being Crowned, and that they should receive the Homage and Oaths of sidelity from their Subjects. This was made at the Bois de Vincennes in the month of August 1374. and verified in Parlia∣ment the Twentieth of May of the following year.

We must not however imagine, that he believed (as much King as he was) that he could advance the course of Nature, and give his Son the Sence and Wit that age alone can bestow, since the same Year, and the same Month, he made a Declaration, which mention'd, that in case he died before his Son should have attained to the age of Fourteen years, he left the Guardianship and Government of him, and of his other Children; as also the Government and Defence of the Kingdom to the Queen Mother (she was then living) and joyned with her the Dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon, with a necessary and sufficient Council of near Forty persons.

[Year of our Lord 1376] The Popes Legats remained still constantly at Bruges, and kept the Ambassadors of both Crowns there with them to labour for a Peace; But the Propositions on either side being at too great a distance to be brought to a meane, they ob∣tained at least a prolongation of the Truce to the Month of April, in the year 1377.

In Gascongne the Earl of Armagnac thinking to take revenge upon the Earl de Foix, who had beaten him, increased both his shame and loss. He had taken the little City of Caseres, and put himself into the place without providing it with Ammuni∣tion; the Earl de Foix besieges him, and without striking a blow, reduces him to the extreamest want; but he would not agree to give him and his their Lives, but upon condition, that they should creep out thorough a hole made purposely in the [Year of our Lord 1376] Wall, which they could not do but by crawling with their Bellies upon the ground. nor were they quit for all this affront, the Earl of Armagnac and twenty more of the principal, paid great ransoms before they could be released. The King of Na∣varre pass'd his word for that of the Sire d'Albret.

[Year of our Lord 1377]

During the long absence of the Popes, Italy had accustom'd it self to disregard and disown them.

The People of Rome set up themselves as several petty Tyrants to preserve some Image of their Liberty; and by the same Spirit, the Cities belonging

to the Ecclesiastical State, at the sollicitation, and with the aid of the Florentines, had shaken off the yoak, and turned out his Apostolical Legats. Gregony IX. think∣ing to redress these disorders; and besides, being earnestly pressed by St. Bridget of Sweden, and by St. Catherine of Sienna, two persons who were thought to have a very frequent Commerce with Heaven, resolved to transfer the Holy See back to Rome, from whence it had been removed Seventy two years. He departed from Avignon the three and twentieth of September, embarqued at Marseilles, and after very great dangers on the Sea, Signes of the agitations that change had wrought in the Church, he arrived at Rome the Twenty seventh of January following.

[Year of our Lord 1377] King Edward in the mean while had lost the brave Prince of Wales, his eldest Son, who had left a Son named Richard very young; and for two years past found himself much broken, and his Brain decay'd with weight of continual business and contenti∣on, though he were but 65 years of age: This was it made him desire to have a Peace, and made him willing to relinquish many Articles of the Treaty of Bretigny. But death prevented the effects of that disposition, and took him out of the World the 21 of June. His Grandson Richard II. Surnamed of Bourdeaux, succeeded him.

He had seven Sons, whereof five only lived to Mens Estate, and were Married, those were Edward, Lyonel, John, Edmond, and Thomas; Edward was the brave Prince of Wales; for the other four, the First was Duke of Clarence, the Second of Lancaster, both of them by the Heiresses of those two Houses, and the Third Earl of Cambridge, then Duke of York, the Fourth, Earl of Buckingham, and after∣wards Duke of Gloucester: He had also Four Daughters, Isabella, who Married the Earl of Bedford, Jane, who was Wife to the King of Spain, Mary, that was so to John de Montfort Duke of Bretagne, and Margaret to the Earl of Pembrook. This great multitude of Children was his strength during his life-time, and the ruine of England after his death.

[Year of our Lord 1377] The Wise King had not consented to suspension of Arms, but to prepare himself the better. Therefore he would hear of no more Propositions, and making himself

assured of the event o•• the War, he began it anew with five Armies: He sent one into Artois, One into the Countreys of Berry, Auvergne, Bourbonnois, and Lyonnois, One into Guyenne, One into Bretagne, and kept the Fifth near himself, as a reserve [Year of our Lord 1377] to assist either of the other Four that might stand in need of it; They were Com∣manded by the Dukes of Burgundy, of Berry, and of Anjou, Oliver and the Constable; all which behaved themselves so well, that the English could not preserve any places of importance but Calais in Belgica, Bourdeaux, and Bayonne in Guyenne, and Cher∣bourgh in Normandy, which was sold to him by the Navarrois.

[Year of our Lord 1378] The eldest Son of that King, named Charles, as himself was, had a great desire to see the King of France his Uncle; his Father was just then upon the point of concluding a bargain with the English, very disadvantageous to France, which was to give them some Lands and Places he held in Normandy, and to take the Dutchy of Guyenne in ex∣change, for the defence whereof they were to furnish him every year with Two thou∣sand Men at Arms, and as many Archers to be paid by them. When his Son there∣fore went to see his Uncle, he would needs take this opportunity to brew some Plot or Conspiracy in France, and even to poison the King. He had therefore placed about his Son the most crafty, and most wicked Men he could pick out; amongst others la Rue his Chamberlain, and du Tertre his Secretary; but was so unadvi∣sed withal, as to send the Captains of his best places of Normandy.

His design was discover'd, or perhaps prevented; the King caused his Son and his Captains to be seized, and la Rue and du Tertre to be put into the hands of Ju∣stice. The Son whatever intercession could be made, remained a prisoner Five years, the Captains were not set free, till the places they belonged to were surrendred to the King; du Tertre and la Rue had their Heads cut off. At the same time some For∣ces were sent into Normandy, and took all his Holds, to the number of Ten or Twelve, excepting Cherbourgh, which after a long Siege remained still in English hands, and immediately dismantled them.

The Duke of Anjou pressed the English very home likewise in Guyenne. The taking of Bergerac, and the gaining of a Battle which was fought near the little City of Ay∣met, where almost all the Chiefs and Barons of Gascongne remained prisoners, made himself Master of all the Places above the two Rivers, the Dordogne and the Ga∣ronne.

Three things weakned the English so much, that they had neither the Sence nor Courage, nor Forces and Strength to defend themselves. One was the Minority of their King, aged but Thirteen years, the Second a great Plague, which depopulated England, and the Last, the incursions of the Scots, who had broken the Truce, being incited to it by the King, and upon condition of a hundred thousand Gold Florins, with the Pay for Five hundred Men at Arms, and as many Sergeants.

[Year of our Lord 1377. and 78.] The Pope ceased not to exhort the King of France to make Peace, and pressed the Emperour Charles to make use of his intercession. The Emperour, whether out of affection for the Royal House of France, or to take measures, to secure the Em∣pire to his Son Wenceslaus, or for some other subject, desired to visit that Court, though he were very much tormented with the Gout. The King sent two of the most illustrious Earls, and two hundred Horse to meet him at Cambray, where he kept his Christmass, the Duke of Bourbon to Compiegne, and two of his Brothers to Senlis, himself went beyond the Suburbs of St. Denis, to receive him, and lodg'd him in his Palace.

All the time he was in France he entertained him with all the magnificence imagi∣nable, paid him all manner of Respects, unless such as denote a Sovereignty, and which hereafter might give a Title to some imaginary pretences. For this reason when they received him into any City, they did not ring their Bells, nor bring their Canopy of State; such as made Speeches did not forget to tell him it was by order of their Sovereign; and at his entrance into Paris, the King affected to be mounted upon a White Horse, and ordered a Black one for the Emperour. He came in thither the Fourth day of January, and went out thence the Sixteenth, returning by the way of Champagne.

[Year of our Lord 1379] During his abode in the Court of France, he gratify'd the Dauphin with the Title of Vicar irrevocable of the Empire, by Letters Patents, Sealed with a Seal of Gold; and by others he likewise gave him the same Office for Danphiné, with the Castles of Pipet and Chamaux, which till then he was possessed of in the City of Vienne. Since that we do not read, that the Emperours have concerned themselves any more in the [✚]

[Year of our Lord 1378] Affairs of that Kingdom of Arles, nor touching Daupiné, which have remained in com∣pleat Sovereignty under the Kings of France; who indeed, even long before, did not acknowledge the Emperour.

Gregory XI. had scarcely been Fourteen Months at Rome, when either of Me∣lancholy, or otherwise, he fell ill of a detention of Urine, whereof he died the Seventh of March, having declared in his agony, that he foresaw grievous troubles, and that he did heartily repent his having rather given credit to deceitful Revelati∣ons, then followed the certain light of true knowledge and good understanding.

There were in all in the Roman Church three and twenty Cardinals, six whereof remained still at Avignon, and one was gone upon a Legation. Of the Sixteen that were in Rome, there were Twelve of them French-men, and four Italians; all of them foreseeing that the Roman Populace would force them to elect a Pope of the Italian Nation, agreed amongst themselves, that they would elect one feigned∣ly only, to avoid the fury of the People, and another in good earnest, whom when they were gone thence they would own for the true Pope. During this Con∣vention, the heat and violence of the People growing more terrible then they [Year of our Lord 1378] could have imagined; they named the Cardinal Bartholomew* 1.10 Boutillo a Native of Naples, Arch-Bishop of Barry in that Kingdom, who immediately took himself to be lawful Pope, and assumed the Name of Ʋrban VI.

The Cardinals in the mean time were forced to dissemble, till they could have fit opportunity to declare the Truth, and to write Letters to all Princes, that his Election was Canonical; however, they gave notice to the King of France, that he should give no faith to their Letters, till they were out of danger. But when upon pretence of avoiding the extream heats in Rome, they were retired to Anagnia; being moreover offended at the proud deportment of Bartholomew, they made the Truth of the matter of Fact known to all Princes, admonished Bar∣tholomew three several times, to desist from pretending to the Papacy, since he well knew they had no intention to elect him; and afterwards they proceeded judicial∣ly against him, and declared him an intruder. That done, they retired to Fundy, under protection of the Earl of that place, and there elected one of the six Car∣dinals [Year of our Lord 1379] that had remained in France. This was Robert, Brother of Peter Earl of Geneva, whose Courage was as high as his Birth. He took the Name of Clement VII.

France after several Assemblies had been held of the most Learned of the Clergy, and the most judicious Prelats and Nobility, adhered to Clement; the Kings of Ca∣stille and of Scotland, who were his Allies did the same; the Earl of Savoy, and Jane Queen of Naples also, although in the beginning she had protected his Competi∣tor. But all the rest of Christendom owned Ʋrban, the Navarrois, the English, and the Flemmings out of spite to France, the Italians to preserve the Papacy in their [Year of our Lord 1378 and 79.] Nation, the Emperour in acknowledgment, because that Pope before he was ever required, had made haste to confirm the election of Wenceslaus his Son; the King of Hungary that he might have a pretence to dispoliate the Queen of Naples; and the rest for divers interests. Peter King of Arragon remained Neutre.

At first Clement was well armed, and in a condition to over-top his adversary, ha∣ving in his service one Sylvester Bude, a Captain of Bretagne with Two thousand old Adventurers of that Nation, who took the Castle St. Angelo, defeated the Romans in Rome it self, and made themselves Masters of the City. But after another famous Captain who was an Englishman, and was named Hacket* 1.11, otherwhile Head of the [✚] Bands of the Tard-Venus, and now in the service of Ʋrban, had vanquished and ta∣ken him prisoner; Clements Affairs went on so ill, that he was driven out of Italy, and retiring himself to Avignon, left his Rival sole Master of Rome,

* 1.12 This Schisme lasted Forty years, either party having great Persons, Saints, Mi∣racles and Revelations, as they said, and even such strong Arguments and Reasons on his side, that the dispute could never be decided but by way of Cession, that is, by obliging the two Contenders to abdicate the Papacy; so that it is great boldness to call those Anti-Popes, who during this Schisme, held the See at Avignon.

[Year of our Lord 1379]

The death of the Emperour Charles IV. fell out upon the Nine and twentieth of November, in the year 1378. in the City of Prague, the 63 year of his age. Wenceslaus his Son who was elected King of the Romans in the year 1376. succeeded him in the Empire, and the Kingdom of Bohemia; a Prince deformed both in Body and Soul.

[Year of our Lord 1379] It was a kind of Rebellion in the Earl of Flanders to own any other Pope then his King had done, and indeed he shewed him ill will for it, and more yet towards the Breton, who encouraged him in his obstinacy. Besides, it had so fortuned, that the Flemming by the Counsel of that Duke, had caused one of his Envoyes to be staid, who was passing thorow his Countrey on his way to Scotland, to incite Robert Stewart to break the Truce with the English. The King made complaint to the Flem∣ming, and Commanded him to drive the Breton out of his Countreys; but the Flem∣ming having taken advice of his People, who assured him of Two hundred thousand Combatants, in case he were attaqued, refused to give him that satisfaction.

The Breton nevertheless went out of Flanders and took refuge in England. The place of his retreat aggravated his crime; the King orders him to be summoned to appear in Parliament, to be judged by his Pairs. Not presenting himself, he was de∣clar'd, by Sentence of the Ninth of December, attainted of the crime of Felony; and all his Lands, as well in Bretagne, as all others he held in the Kingdom, consiscated, for having defied the King his Sovereign Lord, and for having entred the Coun∣trey in Arms with the enemies of the Kingdom.

That which in appearance seemed likeliest to ruine this Duke, raised him. The Bretons, who for a thousand years past, had so generously fought for the liberty of their Countrey, having discover'd that the King designed more against the Dutchy it self, then the Duke alone, and that he would take it away from the guilty, only to apply it to himself, began to complain, to withdraw from their affection to the French, to re-unite amongst themselves, and to make divers Leagues and Associati∣ons between the Cities and the Nobless. Even the Widow of Charles de Blois, by Counsel of the friends of her House, sent to protest against that Decree, and al∣ledged that Bretagne was not subject or liable to consiscation, because it was not a Fief, and that if the Dukes had submitted their persons, by obliging themselves to certain Service, it was not their power to subject their Countrey.

This year a most cruel War was kindled in Flanders, which lasted Seven years. The interior cause of this inflammation was the Luxury of the Nobility, and the dis∣solute and excessive expences of the Earl; the occasion was a quarrel, that rose be∣tween one called John Lyon, and the Matthews, who were six Brothers, both the one and the other were very powerful amongst the Navigators, or Mariners, and between the Cities of Ghent and Bruges, for a certain Canal, or River which those of Bruges would needs make. The Earl took part with these, and was cause that John [Year of our Lord 1379] Lyon formed against him a faction of White Hats in the City of Ghent. He sets up the Matthews to oppose and countermine them. John Lyon was found to be the strong∣er, and pushed the contest on to the utmost extremity.

The Duke of Anjou was mighty greedy of Money, and a great exactor; his People by his Order, or upon their own Authority, having laid some new Imposts upon the City of Montpellier, which was under his Government, but of the Proprie∣ty of the King of Navarre, the People mutined, and killed Fourscore of them, a∣mongst which number were his Chancellour and the Governour. The Duke hastned thither with some Forces, and caused a most horrible Sentence to be given for pu∣nishment of that crime; but it was moderated almost in every point, by the inter∣cession of his Holiness, excepting against the Authors of that Sedition, who paid down their Heads for it. After all, the King coming to know of the capacity of that Duke, took the Government of the Province from him, and bestow'd it on the Earl of Foix.

Whether the King were ignorant of the disposition of the Bretons, or thought he could change them, he sent for the Lords of that Countrey, and screw'd a pro∣mise from them that they should assist the Duke of Bourbon, and those other Chiefs he would send into Bretagne to execute the Decree against their Duke. But the Lords on the contrary, sent for him to come thither, and stood by him so effectually with their Forces, and such as he brought over with him from England, that they re∣stored him to most of his Towns.

This was the greatest and almost the only shock this wise King met with in all his Enterprises. He was so transported, and sensibly touched, that he Commanded all [Year of our Lord 1380] the Bretons who should refuse to serve against the Duke, to go out of his Kingdom, and shewed more severity towards some of them, then was agreeable to his nature. But this usage did only strengthen the party for the Duke, and draw those over to his service, that were at that time the ablest Men of the French Armies.

He durst not, even upon this occasion, make use of the valour of his Constable, who would but unwillingly have drawn his Sword for the destruction of his native Countrey: he chose rather to send him into Guyenne to cleer some places, from whence the English, and certain crews of vagabonds by their connivance, foraged the Countrey of Auvergne. After the taking of some Castles, and beating some of those Bands, whilst he was besieging one of them in Chasteau-neuf de Randan, between Mendes and le Puy in Velay, he was assaulted by a Fever, whereof he died the Thir∣teenth of July; his very Name compleated the Work, the Besieged surrendred and brought and laid the Keys upon his Coffin. The King (upon the refusal of Enguer∣rand de Coucy) gave the Constables Sword to Oliver de Clisson, Compagnon, and Countrey∣man of the Deceased, no less valiant then the other, but very unlikein all things else, Unjust, Proud, Covetous, and Cruel.

Bretagne was then the Theater of War, the King had resolved to throw in all his Armies there, when he was constrain'd to quit the World and all his Designs. Some years before Charles the Bad, had caused some poyson to be given him, the violence whereof a Physitian belonging to the Emperour Charles IV. had allayed, by opening an issue in his Arm to discharge part of its venome; that issue being stopt it took his Life away: He died in the Castle of Beaute upon the Marne, which is beyond the Bois de Vincennes, the Sixteenth of September, the Sixth Month of the Seventeenth year of his Reign and the Four and fortiethof his Life. His Tomb is to be seen at St. Denis; his Heart was carried to the great Church of Rouen, because he had been Duke of Normandy, and his Bowes to Maubuisson, and laid by the Body of the Queen his Mother.

Upon his Death-bed, this Wise King could not forget his care for the Kingdom, he confirmed the Law concerning the Majority, left the Government to Lewis Duke of Anjou his eldest Brother, with a Council, and the Guardianship and Education of his Son Charles to the Dukes of Burgundy and of Bourbon, Commanding them most expresly to take off the Imposts, to make some agreement with the Duke of Bre∣tagne, if it were possible, and to Marry his Son into some potent Family of Germany.

In all his Conduct there appeared much solidity of Judgment, and marvellous clear∣ness of Wisdom and Understanding, a great deal of Moderation and Goodness, much Frugality and Aeconomy, and yet Magnificence and liberality upon occasion. He had been carefully bred in the Study of good Learning, by Nicholas Oresme a Theo∣logian of Paris, and Dean of Rouen, whom he made Bishop of Lisieux; and indeed he had as much affection for the Sciences, and for Learned Men, as aversion for Comedians, Juglers, Buffoons, and all those sorts of People, who under the pretence of Divertisement, corrupt the bravest Souls.

He delighted to hear the Truth from the Mouths of honest Men; and although [☞] he merited the loftiest praises, he could hardly endure any, and despised them, because in all times Courtiers have given the very same, both to good and to bad Princes.

The expences of his Wars did not hinder his Magnificence from shewing it self in the Buildings of the Castle du Bois de Vincennes, which subsists to this day, and that of the Louvre; the other parts whereof we have seen demolished, to make room for tho proudest Structure that ever Architecture raised upon Earth: but which, how great soever it can be, shall yet be much less then the King that un∣dertakes it.

But above all his Virtues, the fear of God and zeal to Justice did shine in him to a supream Decree, the care of which being the noblest Function of a King, he took pleasure in dispensing it himself, and very often came to hear the Pleadings in his Parliament, where he made them admire his Reasoning and Eloquence, speaking so fully to the Subject in hand, that there was nothing left for his Chancellour or Attorney-General to say.

He left considerable Treasures behind him in Lingots of Gold and rich Fur∣niture. It is a Problem in the Politiques, whether he did well in heaping it up; In point of Justice it is none, if they may make Millions of People miserable to enrich one single Man: And in truth his memory is not exempt from all blame on that side; but they throw it upon the Cardinal of Amiens, one of his prin∣cipal Counsellors. His Name was John de la Grange, an obdurate Soul, ambi∣tious

and covetous, whose great possessions fully demonstrate that he caused the Subsidies to be doubled meerly out of design to enrich himself.

By Jane Daughter of Peter Duke of Bourbon, and Isabella de Valois, a Prin∣cess much accomplish'd both in Body and Mind; he had two Sons, Charles, who Reigned, Lewis, who was Duke of Orleans, and six Daughters who all dyed ve∣ry young.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Emp. John Paleolo∣gus, and Charles IV.
• * 1.2

  In those days Princes∣ses Suckled their own Children.
• * 1.3

  Of Hay∣nault.
• * 1.4

  Cheuachee admits of many inter∣pretations, but this is most proper in this place.
• * 1.5

  King Charles had also given him the Earl∣dom of Lon∣gueville.
• * 1.6

  Or Steward.
• * 1.7

  That was their name in those days.
• * 1.8

  The Term then used, Qui tint Journée.
• * 1.9

  Mal des Ardents mentioned before.
• * 1.10

  Boutillo a mock Pope.
• * 1.11

  Or Haucut
• * 1.12

  Emp. John Paleolo∣g••s, and Wence∣slaus, Son of Charles IV. R▪ 22 years.