ALthough that all Bookes which are presented vnto the King , proceed not from those excellent pens which haue taken life vnder his raigne , to aduance the French eloquence to the height of glory , no more then all Statues which were dedicated to Apollo , in Creet , Rhodes and Cypres , were not made by the hands of Zeuxis or of Phidias , nor the wine which was offered to Iupiter , in his sacrifice , did not alwaies come out of the cup , nor grew in those Vines which he desired : yet this History , being but in her Infancy , hath merited the fauour of his iudgement , and of the greatest of his Court , who haue taken delight to see , as in an Astro●ab , the rising and fall of those which are on earth as the Sunne is in Heauen . This is the rampier wherein shee fortifies her selfe against so many affronts wherewith she hath been threatned , for curious spirits are not pleased with all kinds of writing , no more then the Planets feed vpon all sorts of vapours .

The most difficult to please will obiect against her , and mee thinkes I vnderstand these words proceeding out of their mouthes , or from their thoughts : why the History of Lewis the eleuenth more then of any other ? can they giue vs a better then that of Philip de Commines ? to all these exceptions she hath but one answere .

I haue not affected in this worke the glory of mine owne wit , I haue contented my selfe with that of obedience . I haue made it such as you see it , his commandement carries his reasons , and staies the curiositie of such as desires others . This great Prince , who entertained himselfe and slept sometimes vpon the actions of this King , as Alexander did vpon those of Achilles , and who made no lesse esteeme of Phil. de Com. then the Emperor Charles the fift had done , would haue his History beautified and illustrated in the same manner that I present it vnto you , to the end that being compared with his , Iudgement might make the difference , and that of two they might frame a liuely Image of that which might serue for the conduct of a Prince . The brightnes of truth appeares by the opposition of her contrary , and shadowes giue grace to liuely coulours , examples are of more force then precepts . Cowards instruct the Couragious , and lyars make Men speake the truth . He that turnes from vice encounters vertue . Ismenias mingled both good and bad Flute-players together , to the end that the diuersitie of their musick might be a lesson to imitate the one and leaue the other , and that comparison might make the difference . There is nothing so difficult as to paralel Princes ; if there be any conformitie in their fortunes , it is found in their vertues , if they haue attained to one end , it hath not been by the same course , and therefore they say there are a hundreth yeares required to breed a great Prince or a great Captaine . Lewis hath carried , and Henry doth yet carry the glorious Title of the most renowned and magnanimous Princes of their ages : but they haue not purchased it by the selfe same meanes , the difference hath beene great in their humours , and in their kinde of gouernement : Both had one kinde of beginning , the one of the house of Valois , the other of that of Bourbon , two branches of S. Lewis . There was some conformitie in their first fortunes ; being both retired from Court , and both instructed in patience in the schoole of necessitie : The beginning of their reignes had some resemblance , for both had seene a great and mighty faction raised against them , vnder two goodly pretexts , the one of the Common-weale , the other of Religion : both haue been in paine to expell forraine enemies , to pacifie domestique , and to diuide their humors ; but what the one hath done by policie and force , the other hath effected by the iustnes of his armes , and the mildnes of his clemencie . Both were troubled to moderate those spirits , which had yet a feeling of ciuill diuisions : they haue tried the infidelitie of their seruants , and haue made themselues to bee feared and redoubted ; but the one hath maintained the respect of his Maiestie by feare and seueritie , and the other by wisedome and loue . The raigne of the one was a Sea of sto●mes and tempest , the other a calme , milde , and cleare hauen . Lewis of much did little , Henry of nothing did wonders ; Lewis thrust himselfe into apparant dangers to reap doubtfull fruits , Henry was neuer seene in any place but fortunate and victorious Lewis medled with all things and would see and know all ; Henry is a Prince of all howers and for all affaires : Lewis feared the fat of his people , Henry beleeues that the felicitie of the subiect is the glory of the Prince . Lewis the eleuenth had royall vertues , but they were not all pure ; his wisedome had a touch of oun●ing , his iustice of seueritie , his valour of rashnes , his clemencie of feare , his liberaliti● of profusion , and his pietie of dissimulation : Henry takes delight to be what he appeares , and to appeare what he is , wise and fore-seeing without deceit , iust without rigor , couragious without feare or indiscretion , courteous , milde , magnanimous without pusillanimitie , liber all with iudgement , and religious without hypocrisie .

Lewis the eleuenth contemned the Sciences , and learning , Henry fauours them , makes choise of the best wits to restore the exercises , peoples the Colledges , and labors to make the famous Academies of France to flourish , and the Vniuersitie of Paris , the eldest daughter of Kings , the Queene of the Academies of Christendome . Lewis was blamed for the little care he had in the breeding , and institution of his son : Henry considering how much it doth imp●rt that the generous inclinations of my Lord the Dauphin , should be seconded with good instruction , hath committed the care to a Noble-man , which abounds in wisedome , generositie , experience and fidelitie for the greatnes of that charge . Hee doth alwaies hold the minde of this Prince elleuated to things worthy of his birth and courage . France is bound vnto the King , who could make so good a choice ; the election proues the dignitie of the person chosen , makes the excellencie of the choosers iudgement to bee seene , and shewes that heauen hath conspired with him to make so happy an accord of two such different ages . Lewis would not suffer his sonne to vnderstand aboue two words of Latin : Henry wils that his deare sonne should haue as much knowledge as a Prince ought to haue ; he causeth his yonger yeeres to be instructed in learning , by the diligence of a great and excellent wit , who carefully and indiciously doth shew him what he should know , and what he should be ignorant of : he giues him the whole world for a lesson ; for companions , the study of Emperors and Kings ; for a table , the image of glory ; for Philosophy , the knowledge of humors and manners , and entertaining him sweetly in the varietie of Historie , which is onely the Booke of Kings , frames his mind to a knowledge which should shew it selfe more by actions then by discourse : for as he himselfe saies , For one that 's not wedded to Arts , nor of them is vnknowing , T is skill enough to render them such honor as is owing .

Lewis had more care then his predecessors to fortefie his frontiers , and forts . Henry hath made great workes for the beautifying of his royall houses , and for the commoditie of his people he makes his forts vnexpugnable , and hath freed his affaires from the outrages and violence of necessitie . Lewis was inconstant in his resolutions , and did sometime impaire them by change . Henry in his greatest affaires saies nothing but what he does , and doth nothing without premeditation , calling vppon God in his thoughts . That which is framed in his minde remaines firme . He hath so much foresight as he preuents all impediments , and hath so great power as nothing is impossible vnto him . Lewis loued a country ruined rather then lost , Henry , giuen from heauen for the generall good of the earth , hath saued , enricht and preserued the townes , which by the iustice of his armes he might haue spoiled and ruined . Lewis neuer left offences vnpunished , Henry hath lost no part of his memory but iniuries . Lewis tooke a delight to cut off the heads of poppy and eares of corne which doe ouertop the rest , the torrent of his iustice hath often carried away the innocent with the guiltie . Henry hath so vsed his clemencie towards his greatest enemies , as if the Iustice of God should demand of him the number , he would easily giue him an account . Lewis left France so weake , so ruinous and so deiected , as it had nothing remaining but the tongue to complaine : Henry hath chased ne●de , idlenes and pouerty out of France , and from the necessitie of his affaires : and to conclude the paralel , there is not any nation which doth not reuerence the name , admire the fortune , extoll the vertues , enuie the triumphs , sing or weepe for the victories , loue the gouernment , and feare and redoubt the power of this great and incomparable Prince .

This Historie doth truely show the diuersitie of the two portraits , and giues the King an incredible content , to see that the raigne of a great , mighty , redouted ; and wise King , may not enter into comparion with his , by the difference which hee hath set in the order of his treasure , in the number of his forces , in the force of his armes , in the fortification of his frontiers , in the structures of his great buildings , and in the restablishment of the publike safety and felicitie . As for the other obiection which I haue made as done , it is true that Philip de Commines hath related the life of this Prince so exactly and iudiciously , as if Statius , who hath written the life of Achilles after Homer , did not maintaine my designe by his example , I should yeeld my selfe vanquished of indiscretion and presumption .

Iudgement must be the poulder of separation to reduce euery thing to his element , and will show that he hath not so reapt his field , but he hath left some eares to gather : In like manner I doe not thinke that I haue spoken all things so fully , and cleerely , after him , but there will yet remaine something to exercise others after me . The huntsman is commended that hunts and takes , but he is not blamed if hee hath not taken all : We must yeeld something to the curiositie and diligence of others . He teacheth not well that teacheth all . Another spirit will happily finde somethings wherewith to please himselfe in this goodly ample field of the life of this Prince . I confesse I ha●e drawne the principall pieces of this building from Philip de Commines , but the order of the work , the Architecture , and the Ornaments are mine owne . He could not speake , of his owne knowledge , of the affaires of Lewis the eleuenth but from the yeare , 1472. when as he left the D. of Bourgundy to serue him ; but this History speaketh of the infancy of this Prince , of his retreat into Flanders , and of all that had happened memorable throughout the world , during the three and twenty yeeres of his raigne , and , besides many manuscripts , I haue seene the forraine Histories of those times .

The ten bookes are extended vpon that which concernes his life , and the eleuenth vpon the obseruation of that which was done in those times , and of that which is done now , to show that Lewis hath been as much inferiour to Henry , as he was held superior to other Kings . If all things haue not bin exactly and curiously digested , if in many places there be found defects , it sufficeth to say that the worke hath been made following the Court , and printed in my absence : To conclude , mens mindes should not be more difficult to please then the Gods of the ancients ; Hee that had no milke gaue them water , and he that found no wine offered milke , salt for incense , leaues and flowers for fruits , and fruits for beasts . He that giues what he hath , and doth what he can , is bound to no more . They that content not themselues with that which seemes good , trouble themselues to seeke for better . Whatsoeuer happen , all these disgraces shall neuer tire nor daunt me : Wee doe not leaue to till and sow the ground , although the seasons be bad and the haruest vnfruitfull . Hee that cannot content all the world must endeuour to content himselfe .

LEWIS of Valois only like vnto him-selfe and vnlike to all other Kings , was borne at Bourges , and presented at the font by Iohn Duke of Alancon ; he past his infancy in the ruines & miseries of France , and the most sensible afflictions of his father , to whom there was a part of the Crowne remaining . At eleuen yeares the greatest of the Realme , abusing the innocency of his first age , to couer their discontentment and ambition , made him the head of a faction , which was so vniust , vnnaturall & odious vnto the French , as it was presently abandoned euen by them that were the Authors , and lasted but nine months . At fourteene yeares hee was married to the Princesse of Scotland , at fifteene Generall of a royall Army into Normandy and Languedoc : At twenty one hee put all Germany in alarum , tooke Mombeliart , besieged Basill , defeated sixe thousand Swisses & ouer-run Alsa●ia . The bayes of this triumph were all couered with bloud , and soone after with tears , by the death of the Princesse of Scotland his wife .

The difficuly which hee felt to submit his yong and boyling humors to the temper of reason , and his will to that of his father , drew him from the Court , and intertained him some yeares in Dauphine , whereas he married Charlotte of Sauoy , and made warre against the Duke of Sauoy his father in law , drawing vnto his seruice some by promises , others by fauour and presents , but most of all by rigour & seuerity , oppressing his subiects of Dauphine with vnknowne charges , so as the cyment of his designes was tempered with bloud , sweat & teares . The King , who was not insensible of Complaints , and wept by his subiects teares , made it knowne that he did loue his estate better then his sonne . He came into Dauphine , and at the first glance of his eyes he dispersed the designes of such as would trouble the order of nature and the Lawes of the Realme .

Lewis , desiring rather to trust the enemies of his house then his fathers bounty , retires to Bruxelles to Duke Phillip , wheras he liued six yeares with Charlotte of Sauoy his wife , and there receiued the first blessing of his marriage , by the birth of his sonne Ioachim of Valois , who dyed presently . All this time taught him a lesson of patience , being forced to make a vertue of necessity , learning to be wise in prosperity and constant in aduersity . In the end Charles gaue him place and left him the Realme vnited vnder the obedience of one , the English being expelled , and hauing nothing remaining vnto them but Calis . All the forces of this powerfull house of Bourgondy did accompany him vntill hee had the Crowne set vpon his head , which he tooke at Rhemes . Paris receiued him as it were in triumph , and all France seemed to reuiue againe at the rising of this Starre .

The contempt of Princes of the bloud , & the change of officers , the seueritie in searching out things past , with the oppression of the people , were the cause of a league which was made against him betwixt the Duke of Berry his brother , and the dukes of Burgundy , Brittany , Calabria , and Bourbon , with the greatest of the realme . A powerfull and famous faction , which abused the simple , made the wicked mad , and thrust good men into despaire . The bad successe of the Battell of Montlehery was not able to shake the constancy and fidelitie of the subiect . Paris , whose motions had alwaies caused the rest of France to wauer , held firme , and this great storme fel , and was dispersed before her wals . The greatest Cities of the realme , and the chiefe Prouinces continued constant in their duties , & the interest of priuat men being contented , the pursute of the publike good was staied . These arrowes being vnbound , Lewis had good meanes to breake them . The D. of Normandy is forced to quit Roan , & the D. of Brittaine auoids the storme by his submission . The duke of Burgundy is troubled with the mutinies of his subiects , who desirous of innouations & change did more affect the Earle of Charolois then the Duke of Bourgundy .

Lewis to be reuenged kindles a fire in his estate , and stirs vp them of Liege , yet making shew that he desired nothing more then the obseruation of the treaty of Conflans : relying too much vpon his wit and forces , he ingaged himselfe indiscreetly in Peronne , where the Castle was in show his lodging , and in effect his prison ; he saw himselfe forced to arme against his friends , & to receiue a law from him to whom he thought to giue it . The assembly of the estates at Tours iudge of the iniury of his promises , and cannot yeeld that Normandy ( one of the goodliest flowers of the crowne of France ) should be dismembred : they declare war against the D. of Bourgundy . The King takes the towne of S. Quintin , then Amiens , and seeing that the Duke of Burgundy , in the desolation of his affaires , was prest to giue his daughter in marriage to the Duke of Guienne , he doth not in this prosperitie imbrace the opportunitie , but is content to haue amazed his enemy , and grants him a truce , during the which he sees , as from the shore , that cruell tempest of England which ouerthrew the house of Lancaster , whom he fauoured , & assured the Scepter in that of Yorke , succoured and supported by the D. of Burgundy . The Duke of Guiennes death brake the truce and hopes of peace , and brought all them to the brinke of death and despaire which had followed his fortune , who were reduced to such misery , as then the most miserable , hearing the discourse , found therein consolation and amazement . Many families were ouerthrowne , and that rich and famous house of Armagnac was full of strange tragedies and reuolutions . The warre , furiously inhumane , began againe , and the Duke of Bourgundy armed to reuenge his death vpon innocents . The towne of Nesle saw heapes of dead carkasses in her streets , and streames of bloud in her Churches : Beauuais stayed the torrent of his fury , and diuerted it vpon Normandy .

The D. of Brittany , although he were gouerned by another head , considering the danger wherein hee was , submitted himselfe to the stronger , and seeing the K. at Angiers with an army of 50000. men came vnto him to demand a peace . The King of Sicily was dispos●est of his country of Anjou , beeing forced to retire into Prouence with griefe to suruiue his Son Iohn D. of Calabria & Lorraine , & Nicholas Marques of Ponte his grand-child . Hee doth represent the estate of his age & house in the deuice which he carried of an old stock which had no greene sprout to make it liue , it was Rene D. of Lorraine , Son to Yoland of Anjou his daughter . The Constable , who would diuide his heart in two to nourish & entertaine the warre , thrust the duke of Burgundy into fury & the King into distrust of him , & hauing left the path of moderation & wisedome , he came vnto the king by that of pride & distrust , refusing to represent himselfe vnto his maiesty but armed , nor to speake vnto him but by a barre , & vpon a causey well garded with soldiers .

The D. of Burgondy not able to liue idly during this Truce seekes for worke in Germany , passeth to Treues , propounds to change his dukes Crowne for a Kings , & is offended with the Emperor for refusing it : He besiegeth Nuze , and seeing that the crosses , which he had in his affaires proceeded onely from the King , he perswades the K. of England to passe the seas , to renew the pretensions of his predecessors , and to make a fatall combustion of all France . But Lewis diuerts this storme , and makes a bridge of gold for this King to repasse the sea , sending him home as wel content with peace as he was come resolute to war . The King reapt both honor & profit , and by his foresight disappointed the great designes which were laid vnder fauor of this army , and although it had diuers pretexts , as diuers branches of the same stock of sedition and ambition , they were all dangerous ; all the kinds of this poison were mortall .

The Duke of Bourgundy was forced to accept a peace of the king , against whom he had proclaimed warre : The coale , which entertained the fire of discord was quenched , and this head that made the windes to blow ; which caused the quiet of France to tremble , was cut off at the Greue .

The Duke of Bourgundy , to reuenge a light iniury done vnto the Earle of Romond , vndertakes a great warre against the Sui●les , which by the vnfortunate euent of three battels , made him to loose his baggage at Granson ; his reputation , his forces and his hopes at Morat ; and at Nancy his life , with a part of his estate . The King reapt the fruit of this warre , hauing fauoured and supported the Duke of Lorraine against the great designes of this Conqueror . Hee seased vpon both Burgundies , and vpon a part of Artois , and had forced the Archduke Maximilian to leaue the low countries , and to leade the Princesse his wife into Germany , with repentance of his mariage , if the battell of Guinegaste had not troubled the face of his affaires , and changed the designes of warre into resolutions of peace , which was confirmed by the marriage of Charles Dauphin of France with Margaret of Austria .

Age , which neuer comes alone , suffers not the King to vndertake any long and difficult conque●s , and binds him to thinke vpon the meanes to leaue his crowne peaceably vnto his Sonne , as it was rich , mighty , and more assured then hee had receiued it from his father , hauing beautified it with many goodly flowers , as Burgundy , Anjou , Barre , Prouence , and the recouerie of the Townes in Picardy , and of some in Artois .

Being prest with troubles of mind as much as with the languishing of the body , and reduced to an estate more lamentable then lamented , in the which he could not liue , & would not dye : he straue foure whole yeares against the force of an incurable disease , and repulst by strange meanes the approches of death , to retaine life , which was but too long for his miseries , and infirmities , as it had beene too short for his designes and hopes . He was forced to yeeld himselfe to discretion the 30th . day of August 1483. the 22th . yeare of his raigne , and of his age the sixtith . He carried nothing from the place which hee left , but the proud title to haue freed the Kings of France from subiection or wardship , capable to command , not a Realme only , but the whole world . He was interred at our Lady of Clery , hauing obtained from Pope Sixtus the fourth an excommunication against all such as would lay his body in any other tombe then in that which hee had built for himselfe , and Charlotte of Sauoy his wife . He did often visit this last abode , and did lye in it sōmetimes , that by the meditation of death , he might descend liuing into the graue .

The triumphant Chariot of the prosperities of his life was drawn by Wisdome , Iustice , Liberality and Reputation ; wisdome made him victorious ouer his enemies , Iudge of the controuersie betwixt the Crownes of Castile , and Nauarre : Protector of the liberty of the Common-weales of Italy : Arbitrator of the peace betwixt Rome and Florence , and then betwixt Rome and Venice , He added the county of Prouence to the Crowne : Hee vndertooke strange impossible designes . Iustice , alwayes in heat by his extreame seuerity , did more often put the sword of execution into his hand , then the ballance of due consideration : hee caused many great men to feele his rigour whose processe he began by the execution .

Liberality , opened him the hearts and gates of townes , which hee battered with his money ; caused many which were distracted from him to come like Bees at the sound of a bason : hee vsed it to bind the English to his friendship , the Suisses to his succors , and the Brittaines to his seruice : Reputation hath held all the powers of Europe in admiration of him , and hath made him to bee redoubted of strangers , and feared of his Subiects .

Yet the differences betwixt the priuate and publike fortunes of this Prince were great ; his fortunes were of long Time in fauour amidst his prosperities : In his raigne , he was a wise , happy King , a good and a bountifull maister , a distrustfull friend , a cruell enemy , and a terrible neighbour ; in his house a bad son , a bad father , & a bad husband : he had no children by Margret Steward his first wife , and by Charlotte of Sauoy , his second , hee had Ioachim , Charles , Francis , Anne and Ioane .