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.

Francis 1. the 58. K. of France. An. 1515.

[illustration] depiction of Francis I

FRancis of Valois, Duke of Ango∣lesme, as next the Collaterall Line Masculine, succeeded Lewis

the 12, who dyed without heires Males. He was consecrated at Rheims the 25. of January, 1515, at which time Charles of Bourbon was made Constable of France. The King having taken Prosper Col∣lonne, and obtained two battailes a∣gainst the Swisses, tooke Milan. Af∣ter by the perswasion of Pope Leo the tenth, the Milaners revolted, and im∣mediately after, Charles of Bourbon tooke part with Charles the fifth, Em∣perour. The King accompanied with the Marshall of Chabanes, having reco∣vered the Dutchy of Milan into his power, he went to besiege Pavia, where he was taken, and by the industrious treaty of Madric, Anno Dom. 1525, hee was sent backe into France. Afterwards Charles of Bourbon was slaine, skaling the Walls of Rome, which was taken by the Spaniards with the Pope. Anno Dom. 1529. a Treaty of Cambray was concluded, and the children of France were sent backe into France with

Madame Elianor. The King and the Pope by Embassies came to an agree∣ment at Marsilles, where the Marriage of Henry Duke of Orleance, with the Countesse of Bologne, the Popes Niece, was solemnized.

After this the King sent the Lord of Montmorency against the Emperour, who intended to come against Marsilles, who enforced him to retire into Spaine, and afterwards invaded France upon the Coast of Picardy, and sent another Ar∣my to Piedmount, against whom the King sent his forces, which tooke Suse, Villane, and Montcalier, which caused the truce of Nice for ten yeares, during which the Emperour passed through France into Flanders. In the meane time Caesar Fregose and Anthony Rineon the Kings Embassadours to the Turke, were slaine by the Imperialists. Where∣upon the King according with the Duke of Cleve against the Emperour, tooke Luxembourg, Landrecy and other

places: Of which the Emperour being certified, besieged Landrecy, but in vaine. On the other side the Lord of Anguyen, the Kings Lievtenant in Pied∣mont, having gained the battaile of Ce∣risolles, tooke Carignan: whereof the Emperour being advertised, made a preparation against Paris, but percei∣ving the French too powerfull in forces, demanded a Peace, which was published at Paris. This being done, the King intends a Warre against the English at Boulen, with whom having made Peace, hee went to pay his debt to Na∣ture at Rambouillet, the last of March, 1547, and lyes interred at St. Denis. To one that desired pardon for another that had used ill speeches of his Majesty, this King said, Let him for whom thou art a suiter, learne to speake little, and I will learne to pardon much. At Paris in an Oration against Hereticks, hee said: If my arme were infected with that contagion, I would cut it off from

my body, and cast it into the fire. Hee said that hee was sorry that the Gentle∣men of his Realme being most service∣able, and ingenious, were not qualified with Learning, to be capable of Civill offices as well as Military, since Vertue is the formall cause of Gentility, which should exceed base low dispositions, by an eminent exaltation of goodnesse, de∣riving their pettigree from Heaven, for Vera est Nobilitas quaedam cognatio Dijs, True Nobility is a certaine affinity to the Gods. A Treaty of peace being pro∣pounded, and ready to bee concluded betweene the Emperour Charles the fift and this King Francis, hee said: Peace and amity betweene us cannot long en∣dure, for the Emperour cannot abide an Equall or Companion, and I cannot endure a Master.