of the Evil Deeds of his Wife Judith, was driven out of his Kingdom.”  Also Rhegino [in Chron. ann. 1338.] “Lewis (says he) was deprived of the Kingdom by his Subjects, and being reduced to the Condition of a private Man, was put into Prison, and the Sole Government of the Kingdom, by the Election of the Franks, was conferr’d upon Lotharius his Son.  And this Deprivation of Lewis was occasioned principally through the many Whoredoms of his Wife Judith.”

Some Ages after, Queen Blanch, a Spanish Woman, and Mother to St. Lewis, ruled the Land.  As soon as She had seized the Helm of Government, the Nobility of France began to take up Arms under the Conduct of Philip Earl of Bologn, the King’s Uncle, crying out (as that excellent Author Joannes Joinvillaeus writes) [cap. histor. 4.] “That it was not to be endured that so great a Kingdom shou’d be governed by a Woman, and She a Stranger.” Whereupon those Nobles rejecting Blanch, chose Earl Philip to be Administrator of the Kingdom:  But Blanch persisting in her Purpose, sollicited Succours from all Parts, and at last determined to conclude a League with Ferdinand King of Spain.  With Philip joyned the Duke of Brittany, and the Count de Eureux his Brother.  These, on a sudden, seiz’d on some Towns, and put good Garisons into them.  And thus a grievous War was begun in France, because the Administration of the Government had been seized by the Queen-Mother:  It hapned that the King went (about that Time) to Estampes, being sent thither by his Mother upon Account of the War:  To that Place the Nobles from all Parts hastily got together, and began to surround the King not with an Intention (as Joinville says) to do him any Harm, but to withdraw him from the Power of his Mother.  Which She hearing, with all Speed armed the People of Paris, and commanded them to march towards Estampes.  Scarce were these Forces got as far as Montlebery, when the King (getting from the Nobles) joyned them, and returned along with them to Paris.  As soon as Philip found that he was not provided with a sufficient force of Domestick Troops, he sent for Succours to the Queen of Cyprus, (who at the fame Time had some Controversy depending in the Kingdom) She entring with a great Army into Champagn, plunder’d that Country far and near; Blanch however continues in her Resolution.  This constrains the Nobility to call in the English Auxiliaries, who waste Aquitain and all the Maritime Regions; which Mischiefs arose thro’ the Ambition and unbridled Lust of Rule of the Queen-Mother, as Joinvillaeus tells us at large, [cap. 7, 8, 9, 10.]