For, rising from a small duke of Orleance with great happinesse to the crowne, and that by the death of Charles yoonger than he, and two of his sonnes, he conquered with a verie great facilitie the duchie of Millan and the kingdome of Naples, and almost all the residue of the regions of Italie, being gouer|ned for manie yeares by his direction: he recouered with a verie great prosperitie, the state of Genes that was in rebellion: and vanquished with no lesse glorie the armies of the Uenetians, being in person at both those victories. But on the other side, euen when he was in his youth and best disposition of bo|die,The variable|nesse of his fortune. he was then constreined by king Lewes the eleuenth to marrie his daughter that was both bar|ren and deformed; and yet could neuer get the good will nor countenance of his father in law.

And after his death, such was the greatnesse of the ladie of Burbon, that he could neuer get the in|stitution of the new king, being then in minoritie, being almost compelled to retire himselfe into Bri|taine: where being taken in the battell of saint Au|bin, he liued two yeares in the calamitie of a priso|ner. To these afflictions maie be added the siege and famine of Nauarre, the manie discomfits he had in the realme of Naples, the losse of the estate of Mil|lan, Genes, and all the townes which he had taken from the Uenetians: and lastlie the gréeuous warre he had in France against verie mightie enimies, his eies beholding into what lamentable perils his realme was brought: neuerthelesse, before he died it séemed he had conquered all his aduersities, and for|tune shewed good tokens of hir reconcilement, both for that he had defended his kingdome against migh|tie enimies, and also established a perpetuall peace and aliance with the king of England, with whome by how much his amitie was great and assured, by so much it gaue him hope to be able to reconquer the duchie of Millan.]

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The king of England being aduertised of the French kings death, caused a solemne obsequie to be kept for him in the cathedrall church of S. Paule, with a costlie hearse: at which manie nobles were present. After this he sent a letter to comfort the quéene his sister, requiring to know hir pleasure, whether she would continue still in France, or re|turne into England. And when he was aduertised of hir mind (which was to returne into England) the duke of Suffolke,The duke of Suffolke and others sent into France to bring the French quéene into England. Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 685. Francis the first coms to the crowne. sir Richard Wingfield deputie of Calis, and doctor West, with a goodlie band of gen|tlemen and yeomen, all in blacke, were sent into France, and comming to Paris, were well receiued of the new French king, Francis the first of that name [who was the next heire male of the bloud roi|all and of the same line of the dukes of Orleance: he was preferred to the succession of the kingdome be|fore the daughters of the dead king by vertue and di|sposition of the law Salike, a law verie ancient in the realme of France, which excludeth from the roiall dignitie all women; so long as there is anie issue male of the same line.