his tottering Crown The History of the Reign of Lewis XIII will discover to you my Lord the Reasons which Philip Frederick Henry had to foresee the Glory which was reserv'd for a Great King the Heir of his Blood and of his Virtues who gives you already signal Marks of his Distinguishing Favour 'T would be but a small Matter to learn from History The Interests of Sovereigns the Accounts of Battles and Sieges the Intrigues of Treaties and Negotiations the Good or Bad Quality of the different Actors It s greatest and principal End is to confirm in you the Good Sentiments of Religion Virtue and Probity which my Lord your Father hath took care to inspire you with They charm'd me the first Day I had the Honour to be in your Company and I bless God with all my Heart that they appear so pure and so deeply engraven in your Soul that we have all the Reason in the World to hope that the Contagious and insinuating Air of the Court and of the World will never be able to corrupt or wear them out and that you will never wander from the Paths of Piety Prudence and Valour which my Lord the Earl of Portland hath trac'd out to you Heavens grant which have design'd you to enjoy the great Advantages which a Father can leave to his Son that you may make an Use of them worthy of the Purity of the Holy Religion which we profess These are the ardent Desires of him who shall be all his Life with a prosound Respect and inviolable Fidelity My Lord Your most Humble and most Obedient Sevant MICHAEL Le VASSOR THE PREFACE Polybius in the beginning SInce all who have written History before me says an Able and Judicious Writer have taken pains to shew the usefulness of things past It would be to no purpose to excite the Curiosity of the Reader by a like Preface All Men are sensible that the reading of History is the most proper means to form the Mind and Inclinations of those who apply themselves to it with Reflection and Judgment They who are born to the first employs of the State learn here how to govern those whom Providence has placed under them and private Persons often find Instructions for the Conduct of their Lives To read the Ancients and Moderns and only fill the Head with a confus'd heap of different Facts is the vainest thing in the World and conduces most to Debauch the Mind But to run thrô History with a design to learn Human Nature to reflect on the Disorderly and Unjust Passions of Men to distinguish Solid and Real Virtue from that which consists in the mistaken Opinion of the Multitude This certainly is the most proper Study to form a Man for the World and Business Notwithstanding the reading History has these mighty Advantages there are few that profit by it The fate of those who spend their time in it is often the same with that of Persons who Travel live in a Court or Converse in the World A Man who has the Skill to make a good use of his Parts and Reason Accomplishes himself very much in Foreign Countries by Conversation with Courtiers and Men of Business But it ordinarily happens that Travellers only seek to Divert themselves in the places where they come A young Fellow returns out of Italy France Germany or England as ignorant as he went there And very often in stead of correcting his Domestick Vices he encreases them by the Addition of Foreign ones Most Men who come to Court or into the World only think how to wast away their Lives and spend their Time agreeably Very far from considering how private Interest and Passion play their parts on the publick Stage and reasoning with themselves oâ—… the different steps Men take and profitably observing their good and ill Qualities they only strive to please them and wiâ—… their savour by some Motives of Interest or Pleasure The greatest part of those whâ—… read History fall into the same Mistake They only aim to consume their Time and pass away the Tedious Hours It is enough for them if a Book be Pleasant and Diverting They are never in Pain to profit by the Examples of Virtue they meet with or reflect on the Faults of those who are exposed in it This Negligence proceeds from the little care taken to acquaint Youth with the Nature of Mankind and infusing good Principles of Morality into them before they are put on reading History sent into Foreign Countries or left to live at large in the World If their Tutors and Governors which had the Charge of their Education had accustomed them to Meditate on those Remarks which the Incomparable Author of the Search after Truth P. Malebranche de Recherche de la Verite has made on the Mistakes and Delusions of our Senses Imagination and Passions on the Maxims of Mr. de la Rochefancault and some other good Books published in our Times I do not in the least question but Minds thus prepared would draw a wonderful Fruit from Travelling Conversation in the World and Ancient and Modern History Perhaps too the small number of good Authors in this and former Ages is another cause of the little Progress made by those who promiscuously run over all without Choice or Distinction Herodotus whom the Ancients call the Father of History Cicero Liv. 1. De Legibuâ—… is a polite Writer and pleasant to read One may learn good Jonick in him Let him if you will have it so be a good Model of an Elegant and Clean Style but what Solid Knowledge can be gained out of an Author fill'd with Fables and Falsities who only aims to Divert and not to Instruct The History of Cyrus is thought to be a Romance devised by Xenophon I do not know whether the Plan of the Work do not come nearer Truth than what Herodotus delivers of the Birth Conquest and Death of Cyrus The one at least is more probable than the other However this be a Man of good Sense will ever prefer the Reading of Xenophon to Herodotus If the former did not design an exact History of the Life of Cyrus he draws at least the Idea of a good and just Government This should make us value the Eight Books of the Cyropedia of Xenophon more than the nine of Herodotus his History though they have the Name of the nine Muses given them This may amuse me indeed but the other will instruct me I find a thousand Maxims a thousand Reflections proper to improve my Mind and Reform my Passions Discourse of the manner of writing History Thucidides was very sensible of Herodotus his Fault Notwithstanding the great Reputation of a Man who first writ History among the Greeks I had rather said he as Lucian Reports displease by speaking the Truth than please by relating of Fables If I do not please my Reader so well I shall profit him more I would not prejudice him by Accommodating
Crown to be Entailed on his Heirs Male in short for setling Luther's Reformation in his Country and Abridging the too great Power of the Clergy Eric the Eldest Son of Gustavus Succeeded him but wanted the Virtues of his Father He introduced into Sweden the Dignities of Count and Baron which before were unknown there It was thought this was done to divide the Nobility among themselves The too great Union of this Powerful Body was able to create Trouble to a Family newly raised to the Throne The Dignities bestowed on some gave a Jealousie to the rest Those who had most Ambition made their Court to the King to obtain the same Distinction And the New Nobility were obliged to support the Authority of the King and adhere here to his Family to preserve their Privileges Eric made himself Odious by his Cruelties and Despicable by his Debauches and Extravagancies His ill Treatment of John Duke of Finland and Charles Duke of Sudermannia obliged them to rise and put themselves at the Head of the Malecoutents These two Princes Attacked Eric in Stockholm it self He first delivered up his Favourite whom all the Kingdom Exclaimed against They inflicted an Infamous punishment on him John and Charles would have something more than all this They agreed to take the Sovereign Power from Eric who abused it unjustly and that the Duke of Finland should be declared King and the Duke of Sudermannia should share with him in the Government without having any outward Marks of Royalty John thought himself now discharged from the Oath he had taken when Eric delivered him out of a close Prison where he had kept him three or four years The Duke had given Assurance by a Writing under his Hand that he would continue faithful to the King and not aspire to the Crown neither before nor after the Death of the King his Elder Brother and that he would acknowledge those Children for lawful Heirs of the Kingdom which Eric had by a Mistress of Mean Birth whom he afterwards Marryed Solemnly But John was not very anxious about the Religious observing his Promises When he was Master of his Eldest Brother not contented with shutting him up in a Castle he soon poisoned him John and Charles continued to attack Stockholm The Senate of the City delivered it up to them and poor Eric reduced to Extremity was left to the Discretion of his two Brothers The States of Sweden declared him fallen from the Crown and John Duke of Finland was set up in his place John King of Sweden endeavours to alter the Religion Established by his Father The New King of Sweden was not truer to the Duke of Sudermannia than he had been to his Predecessor Charles had no share in the Administration of the Kingdom Men promise any thing when they are to ascend a Throne but when they are once Established in it they find other Principles of Religion and Honour John had Married Catherine Jagellon Daughter to the King of Poland Whether the Princess had inspired her Husband with an Aversion to the Protestant Religion or the Reading the Books and Conversation of able Men of the Papal Communion had raised doubts in him or he hoped to be King of Poland after the Death of Sigismund Augustus his Brother-in-Law who had no Children as soon as John had made a Peace with Denmark by the Treaty of Stetin in Pomerania he applied himself seriously to change the Religion which his Father had setled in Sweden It is not a place here to relate all the Artifices he made use of to prepare the Minds of his People for the Alterations he designed I shall only observe that the King who wanted not Wit or Judgment was convinced there were a great many things to be altered in the Worship and Doctrine of the Church of Rome He can neither be reckoned among the good Catholicks nor the true Protestants Ever uncertain and wavering sometimes he relished the Project of Accommodation which Cassander had given to the Emperor Maximilian II. at other times he was inclined to the Greek Church The Answers of Jeremiah Patriarch of Constantinople to the Divines of Wirtembergh pleased him so much that he once thought to unite with that Communion Possevin a Learned Jesuit whom Pope Gregory the XIII had sent into Sweden thought he had persuaded King John to Reunite himself in earnest to the Church of Rome He confessed himself to that Jesuit the Popes private Nuncio he received the Communion in the Form used in that Church Possevin imposed as a Pennance on him for the Murther of his Brother Eric whom he had poysoned to fast every Wednesday throughout the year It is said John observed this Practice regularly all the rest of his Life Nevertheless he frequented the publick Service of the Church of Sweden There was a New Liturgy used which himself had introduced and the Pope refused to approve of The Mixture of these two Religions was one of the ways by which this Prince pretended insensibly to bring the People to forsake the Worship and Belief of the Protestants of the Ausburgh Confession Several Romish Churchmen came into Sweden The Irresolution of King John and his Indulgence drew them thither Several of his own Subjects too favour'd his dissembled Designs By their manner of Discourse the more unthinking People took these Preachers for free Protestants But others observed in spight of their Disguises all they spoke tended to insinuate into the Minds of the People the Doctrines of Popery The Archbishop of Vpsal suffered himself to be won by them Some Prelates and divers ignorant or ambitious Churchmen follow'd his Example There were some Bishops ordained according to the Roman Pontifical The Bishop of Linkoping several of his Brethren and a great number of Churchmen couragiously defended the Reformation setled by Gustavus Ericson The Clergy of the Dutchy of Sudermannia shewed a firmness of Mind which much confounded King John Charles his Brother declared highly for the Ausburgh Confession He opposed this Alteration with all his Might Neither the King nor I can make any Innovation in the Religion established by Law he replied to those sent to dispose him to comply All things are well regulated by the last Will and Testament of the late King our Father We must fix there For my part I am resolved never to depart from it The States of Sweden shew'd great Vigour on several Occasions They represented to the King that mighty Jealousies were risen in Sweden and Foreign Countries that his Majesty would overthrow that Constitution which his Father had wisely established and that to put an end to all those Rumours it concerned him to declare publickly that the Reformation received in that Kingdom was conformable to the Sense of the Primitive Church Farther the States commanded several Popish Books brought into that Country to be suppress'd they press'd the King to place able Men of unblemish'd Reputation in the Publick Schools to instruct the Youth In the last
place they desired that Sigismund the King 's eldest Son should be bred in the Protestant Religion because that young Prince began to give some Umbrage Queen Catherine Jagellon his Mother had so strongly tinctured him with the Principles of the Church of Rome that the Senators of the Kingdom having one day threatned him that he should lose the Right of Succession to the Crown if he did not soon renounce the Religion he had imbibed and embrace the Ausburgh Confession I prefer replied he boldly the Kingdom of Heaven to all the Crowns in the World No other Answer could be got from him On some Occasions the States of Sweden had more Complaisance for the King All seem'd dispos'd to receive the new Liturgy and the Accommodations he had invented Charles of Sudermannia the Clergy of his Provinces and some great Lords were the only People who defended the Reformation but the Interest of the Duke and the effectual Remonstrances of the rest brought back several whose Hopes and Fears had abated their Warmth and Zeal The King himself had lost much of that Ardor the Jesuit Possevin had inspired into him Whether he could not accommodate himself to the haughty Humour of Sixtus V. Successor to Gregory XIII or his Doubts were not sufficiently cleared or the great Power of his Brother kept him in awe John humbled the Catholicks who thought themselves now Masters of all things He drove out the Jesuits and demolished their College Gennila Bielke whom the King married after the Death of Catherine Jagellon cooled the Fervour her Husband had before shewed for the Roman Religion Kings often think they do that of their own Heads which a dextrous and insinuating Woman inspires into them John King of Sweden thought he had solid Reasons to doubt of the Truth of the Protestant Religion But his principal Motive though he scarce knew it himself was his great Complaisance for Catherine Jagellon The Queen Gennila might have brought him back to his first Religion in the same manner as the other had seduced him from it Sigismond Prince of Sweden is chosen King of Poland After the Death of Stephen Battori King of Poland Ann Jagellon his Widow and Aunt of Sigismond Prince of Sweden managed the Polish Nobility so well that the greatest part declared for him The contrary Faction chose the Arch-Duke Maximilian Brother to the Emperor Rodolphus But Sigismond's Friends carried it He was received in Poland beat the Arch-Duke and Maximilian being taken Prisoner redeemed his Liberty by renouncing all his Pretensions to the Crown of Poland The Swedes made their Conditions before the Prince left that Kingdom as the Poles made theirs before they received him The Principal thing which the Senate of Sweden stipulated with Sigismond was the preserving the Priviledges and Religion of their Country They added this Clause in the Treaty that if the King of Poland becoming King of Sweden after the Death of his Father should contravene any of the Articles agreed on that then the Swedes should be discharged from the Oath of Allegiance they had taken It is very probable that Sigismond before his departure from Sweden urged the King his Father to pursue his Design of causing his new Liturgy to be received together with the ancient Ceremonies which he had establish'd a little after his coming to the Crown When Princes have begun a Work that makes a great Figure they are loth to quit it and soon resume it when they see the least Prospect of Success Sigismond hoped his late Advancement would make it easie for him to accomplish the Work which his Father had drawn a rough Draught of And the King of Sweden strengthned by the new Alliance of Poland flatter'd himself that Charles of Sudermannia would not dare to oppose him He was deceived in his Conjectures The Churchmen of the Dutchy agreeing perfectly well with the Prince refused to receive his Liturgy This disturbed the King so much who was now at greater variance with his Brother than ever that he thought of recalling Sigismond in earnest The new King himself was tempted to return into his Country He would willingly have done it if the Poles had not briskly opposed it A Foreign Prince is easily dazled with the glittering Title of King of Poland But he soon takes distaste at the false Lustre of a Crown which only appears fair at a distance Those who have left their Hereditary Countries to go into Poland have repented This is the way to hazard the loss of an Effective Sovereignty for a Title which has more Pomp than Reality Sigismond knew by Experience the Truth of this Maxim The King his Father finding so great opposition from the Swedes who were more upon their Guard since the Election of Sigismond had nothing else to have Recourse to but to reconcile himself speedily to the Duke of Sudermannia and admit him to a Share in the Administration of Affairs The Apprehensions of John were something lessened by Charles's losing his Wife She left no Issue behind her and John pretended his Brother promised him never to think of a second Marriage If it were so the Duke in his turn broke his Word He soon after married Christina Daughter of Adolphus Duke of Holstein It is reported Sigismond courted this Lady before he went into Poland But a Sister of King John diverted the Prince her Nephew from the Match He after married Constance of Austria Daughter of Charles and Sister of Ferdinand Arch-Duke of Gratz in Stiria Christina enraged at this Contempt conceived so great a Hatred against Sigismond that after she was married to Charles of Sudermmannia she incessantly urged him to force the Crown of Sweden from Sigismond King John was not well satisfied with this second Marriage of Charles But his ill Humour did not last long He died soon after at Stockholm The Duke of Sudermannia was active as soon as he heard this News He set at liberty the Senators and Clergymen Sigismond King of Poland succeeds in the Kingdom of Sweden whom the late King had confined for opposing his Designs Sigismond very much distrusted his Uncle To prevent his enterprizing any thing to his Prejudice the new King writes that he was making all Preparations to come speedily into his Hereditary Countries In the mean time the Duke of Sudermannia takes the Administration as next of Kin to the King Puffendorf Introduction à Histoire Tom. IV. p. 11. Rhap 1. 2. John left another Son by his second Wife but he was yet a Minor The Senators without prejudice to their Oath taken to Sigismond promised to obey Charles in every thing he should order with their Consent for the Glory of God the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the maintaining the just Rights and Priviledges of the Nation The Duke promised of his Part not to transact any thing of weight without the Advice and Consent of the Senate A Council is thereupon assembled at Vpsal to regulate Matters of
along towards Sigismond and the choice they had made of a new King Some Arguments were made use of in this Apology which were unanswerable by the Senate of Poland they being levelled peculiarly against it On Sigismond's sudden and clandestine Retreat after the Treaty of Linkoping the Swedes retort it thus on the Polanders You must needs own that if your King had served such a slippery Trick you would have long ago taken away the Crown you had bestow'd upon him The Act you formerly made against King Henry III. of France is an evident proof of it He secretly retired unknown to you to take Possession of his Father's and of his Uncle's Succession He soon after writ to you that he would take care ye should be as well govern'd as if he were among you in Person You took no notice of such a Pretence but immediately proceeded to a new Election Poland said you was never wont to be governed by Deputies Well be it so And what do you make of us whose Case is no ways inferiour to yours Swedeland neither cannot be without a King resident in it The Swedes made as pertinent Answers to that Charge of their having called an Assembly of the States without Sigismond's leave It is a received Custom among us said they That the chief Officers of the Realm have a Right to summon an Assembly of the States in the King's Absence and you have practis'd the same on certain Occasions It is not so long since that you held a Diet without your King Sigismond's leave It was for the maintaining of your Liberties Well then and we are resolved to do the like for the preserving of ours The King of Swedeland sends a Challenge to the K. of Denmark Charles both before and after his coming to the Crown was engaged in a War in Livonia against the Polanders He sometimes got the best at other times he sustained considerable Losses But the Polanders had Work enough both at home and in the Parts of Muscovia that hindred the Advantage they might have taken by a considerable Victory they had obtained in Livonia After this Christian IV. King of Denmark declared War against the King of Swedeland Perhaps Christian thought he might easily reduce Swedeland weakned by Civil Divisions and the Diversion of its main Strength and Army at that present employed abroad both in Livonia and Muscovia where Charles supported against the Polanders the Interest of Suski whom the Muscovites had placed on the Throne However the King of Denmark wrote a long Letter in the Year 1611. to the States of Swedeland wherein he complained of several Losses and Damages which he pretended himself and Subjects had sustained by means of the Swedish Nation Their Answer did not satisfie Christian and he doubtless expected a satisfactory one Denmark therefore declar'd War against Swedeland They that have a mind to pick a Quarrel with their Neighbours are generally more ready to make an Irruption than those are to make a Defence Christian enters into Swedeland takes the City of Calmar attacks the Islands of Oeland and of Borkholm becomes Master of them But the King of Denmark at his coming back finds the King of Swedeland incamp'd before him near Calmar Then it was that Charles sent a Challenge by a Herald at Arms to King Christian Copies of it were spread abroad in all Parts of Europe After some hard and reproachful Expressions that Charles uses against his Enemy Since you are at the Head of your Army said he to him Let us spare the innocent Blood of our Subjects let us decide our Quarrel in a single Combat after the laudable Custom of the Grecians of old I challenge you to it If you decline fighting I 'll never look on you to be a Man of Honour or a gallant Soldier But the King of Denmark's Answer was much more abuseful He declared That whatever Charles chargged him with was but a parcel of impudent Lyes vended by one who was better at such Railings than at downright fighting at the Head of his Army As for the Challenge he had received he said it argued that Charles stood in need of some Hellebore to purge his Brain withal Might not such course Language as this justifie that way of the Greek Poet of old who is tax'd with representing his Kings and Princes scolding at one another after a mean and scurrilous manner Truly Princes are much like other Men they forget themselves too often they happen to utter Words sometimes unbecoming their Rank and Character Here you have a Proof on 't Death of Charles King of Sweden It is likely that Christian by those last Expressions intended to upbraid Charles with an Apoplexy of which he had a Fit not long before Charles required pretty large Supplies of Money for making the necessary Preparations for a War with which Swedeland was threatned by the King of Denmark The States refused to grant any which put him into such a violent Passion that he fell into a Fit of Apoplexy upon it This Accident left such ill Symptoms behind that they brought a Weakness both of Body and Mind on him ever after It was thought the Grief which seiz'd him to see the Progress the King of Denmark had made over him did occasion this Relapse which cost Charles his Life for he died the 31st of October following being sixty one Years old His Son Gustavus Adolphus succeeded him This Prince was yet in his Minority though notwithstanding he had already given signal Proofs of his Courage and Valour THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarre BOOK III. 1612. The Condition France was in since Mary of Medicis came to be Regent THE face of Affairs was quite alter'd in Europe since the Death of Henry the 4th France was in such a Flourishing Condition both at Home and Abroad that Spain which a year or two before did stand in extream awe of her began now by degrees to get the uppermost The false Maxims of a depraved Policy with which the Pope and the Duke of Tuscany had slily prepossest an Imprudent Queen together with some Spanish Pistoles seasonably bestowed among her Cabinet-Councellors as a great States-man in those times has it did bring about this sudden Revolution This Queen Mary of Medicis being perswaded that an Alliance of a double Match to be made between both Crowns was altogether necessary toward the Establishing of her Authority both against the Princes of the Blood and all other Opposers III. Discours du Duc de Rohan sur l'Etat de la France Apres ses Memoires in 40. did therefore foment Divisions both at Court and throughout the Kingdom She created Jealousies and gave Umbrage to the best Allies the Crown had and raised the sinking Spirits of her Sons most formidable Enemies The Confederacy with England the Vnited Provinces the Protestant Princes of Germany the Commonwealth of Venice and the Duke of Savoy had been the Bulwark
far above their Neighbours Those People which some Persons look on as heavy have often more good Sense Solidity and Plain dealing than others that value themselves on their good Tast Sharpness and Wit The one without Dispute is infallibly more valuable than the other My Native Country is very dear to me and I take pleasure in professing it But I love it as an honest Man ought to do To wish well to a Mans Countrymen to pray God they may want nothing which can make them compleatly happy in this World or the next is in my Opinion to have a true and sincere Love for a Mans Country And I can protest God be praised I have such a Disposition of Mind St. Paul wished all his Auditors might become as he was except in his Bonds I pray in the same manner for all Frenchmen May Heaven grant they all become like me except being almost under a necessity to leave their Native Country to follow the Light of their Conscience If I am bound to France by that grateful Sense which a Reasonable Man ought to have for a Civil Society where God has given him Birth this do's not hinder me from thinking my self united to other Nations by the Ties of Religion and Humanity France may be Happy and Flourishing without disturbing its Neighbors or unjustly Usurping anothers Right Because I am of a Nation must I desire to see her Mistress of Europe Must I applaud the boundless Ambition of the Prince who governs her Must I praise my Countrymen for working Fetters and Chains to bind themselves withal Natural Justice requires me to contribute all I can to the Prosperity and Repose of my Native Land and that I should defend it when unjustly attacked But I am bound by the same Laws of Nature to prevent my Countrymen from destroying and doing Mischief to others Very far from extolling their Ignominous Slavery and Criminal Enterprizes Reason and Religion require me to Condemn and Oppose them to the utmost of my Power By a strange Inversion of Language and Reason a Man in France is said to be well affected to the Government when he shews I know not what ridiculous Zeal for the Power of the King Is the King then the whole State These two things are very different The State signifies a certain number of Men Associated and living under the same Laws The King is the Person who has the Charge of Supporting them and providing for the Wellfare of the People In what do's the Happiness of a Nation consist That she is only obliged to obey Laws confirmed by a long Use or made in such manner as was agreed on by the People in their first Confederacy or in the Assemblies held after in the Safe and Unmolested enjoyment of their Estates and the Fruits of their Industry without having these taken away from them by Force in Taxes and Publick Duties being so equally Levyed that no Man pay more than he conveniently can To love the Government or ones Country is ardently to wish it all the Advantages which a Man would give his Life to procure when they are wanting or to preserve them when she has the good fortune to enjoy them In this Sense it is pleasant and Honorable for a Man to die for his Country To love as it is call'd in France the Power and Glory of the King is to labour for the Establishing Tyranny Since the Principles and Detestable Policy of Machiavel have been brought into Europe a Prince thinks himself Glorious and Potent if he has found a way to become Absolute Master of the Lives and Estates of his People and securely make himself Great at the Expence of his Neighbours If this be not true Tyranny all Men in the World are deceived What do they understand by the word Tyranny The Government of those who only propose their own Profit Why should I Dissemble The love I have for my Country gives me an extream Aversion for these Politicks pernicious to Mankind I cannot value those who pursue these Maxims whatever good Qualities they have or however eminent their Rank in the World be Let some Persons born to Slavery if they please rail at me as a Seditious Author This is the Language now for those who still preserve Love for Liberty in a Country where it is almost Extinguished I am not in any pain about it A Learned Man Condemned the History of the Famous Mr. de Thou because it is writ said he with a Liberty which do's not suit with the Age. I have not the Presumption to compare my self with that Great Man He was infinitely above me by his Birth and Rank and yet more by his Sublime Genius and Universal Knowledge The Love of Truth is the only thing in which I think I may imitate him I will dare to say in which I strive to surpass him His Character his Employs his Relation to the Court have obliged him to some Management which I may lawfully dispense with If his Liberty did not agree with his Time mine will seem less proper for ours But let the World speak as it pleases I will follow the Example of this Great Man who despised Mean-spirited Censors We are not less free than the Men of former times why should we not speak the Truth as well as they There is nothing remains now but for me to give a Reason why in publishing this History I have not waited till it was entirely finished A great Book frightens the World The Reign of Lewis XIII has certain Remarkable Periods the Majority of the King the Removal of the Queen Mother the Ministry of Cardinal Richelieu the taking of Rochell the Foreign War The Reader may Repose himself at each of these Periods where there is a considerable change of Affairs For this Reason I have divided this Work into different Parts perhaps the Reader will not be Displeased to have them one after the other The Judgment which the Publick makes of the first may set me right and be of use in the following ones Those who will favour me with the Communication of any Memoirs may adress them if they please to the Bookseller They will be thankfully received and made use of with the Discretion they can reasonably expect whether they desire to have the Honour of them or will not be known I shall only desire they will not take it amiss that every thing be duly examined nor expect we should engage our selves to praise or blame what do's deserve neither THE CONTENTS BOOK I. THE Plan of this Work The State of Europe and France at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Preparations for War The Prince of Conde's Flight Henry IV. prepares to March at the Head of his Army He is Assassinated the 14th of May 1610. The Queen labours to be declared Regent during the Minority of Lewis XIII her Son Lewis XIII sits in his Seat of Justice the first time Intrigues and Cabals at Court in the beginning of the
Regency of Mary de Medicis The Tryal and Execution of Ravillac The Condemnation of Mariana's Book and Doctrines The Funeral of Henry IV. The Good and Ill Qualities of that Prince The Regents Council resolve to send Aid to Juliers Edicts revoked to ease the People A Declaration in Favour of the Protestants The Prince of Conde's Return His Arrival at Paris Two Powerful Factions at Court The Prince of Conde Head of the one the Count of Soissons of the other The Mareschal de Bouillon attempts to unite the two Parties The Queen Traverses this Reunion The Rise of Conchini the new Marquess of Ancre The King of Spain's Prospect in renewing the Treaty of the double Marriage Differences between the Emperor Rodolphus and the Arch-Duke Matthias his Brother A Treaty of Peace between the two Brothers Matthias is Elected and Crowned King of Hungary The Discontent of the Protestants of Austria appeased Quarrels about Religion in Bohemia The Pacification of the Troubles in Bohemia The Diet of Prague in 1610. The Emperor gives the Elector of Saxony the Countries of Cleves and Juliers The Siege and taking of Juliers by Maurice Prince of Orange The Meeting at Cologne to determine the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers Reflections on the Coronation Oath The Oath that James I. King of England required of his Popish Subjects occasions a Dispute of the Independance of Sovereigns in Temporal Matters Paul V. forbids the English of his Communion to take the Oaths King James prints an Apology for his Oath without putting his Name to it He declares himself Author of the Apology He Addresses this to all the Princes and States of Christendom Coeffeteau writes against the Apology Cardinal Bellarmine addresses to the Emperor and all the Kings of the Papal Communion his Answer to the King of Englands Apology The Sentence of the Parlement of Paris against Cardinal Bellarmine's Discourse of the Authority of the Pope The King of Spain's Edict against the XI Volume of Cardinal Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals Differences of the Marquess of Ancre with the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Epernon Their Reconciliation a Party made at Court against the Duke of Sully BOOK II. A Quarrel between Bellegarde and Conchini The Count of Soissons falls out with the Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon A Difference of the Count of Soissons with the Prince of Conde his Brother The two Princes Reconciled Another great difference of the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Guise The Duke of Guise is Reconciled to the Count of Soissons The Duke of Sully's Disgrace The first President de Harlay lays down his Place A Cabal to hinder Mr. de Thou from succeeding him La d' Escouman charges the Marquess de Vernueil and the Duke of Epernon with being concerned in the Murther of Henry IV. She is Condemned Reflections on her Sentence The State of the House of Austria in Germany The Ambitious Designs of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburgh and Passaw on the Kingdom of Bohemia The Troops of Leopold advance into Bohemia Matthias King of Hungary Marches to the Assistance of Bohemia He is Crowned King of Bohemia A Cabal at the Court of France against the Duke of Epernon The Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon resolve to leave the Court. The Marquess of Ancre designs to Marry his Son to the Princess of Soissons The Count of Soissons accepts the Proposition The Duke of Epernon's Generosity The Cardinal of Joyeuse's Instructions upon his going to Rome The Regent justifies her self to Paul the V. upon what she did in Favour of the Protetestants Complaints of the Court of France against the Duke of Savoy The Perplexity of the Duke of Savoy upon the Death of Henry IV. The other Princes of Italy not less Embarassed than the Duke of Savoy The Prudent Conduct of the Senate of Venice The ill Designs of the Court of Spain against the Duke of Savoy Divers Treaties to oblige the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy to Disarm in Italy The King of Spain demands the Duke of Savoy to make him Satisfaction by way of Preliminary France lays down her Arms in Dauphine She has some Jealousie of the Spaniards remaining in Arms in Italy The Voyage of Philibert Prince of Savoy into Spain The Form of the Satisfaction which the Prince of Savoy gave the King of Spain for his Father The Reconcilement of the Duke of Savoy to Spain Velasco Constable of Castile and Governor of Milan receives Order to lay down his Arms. Divers Projects of the Duke of Savoy The Duke of Savoy resolves to Attack Geneva and the Country of Vaux The Council of France resolves to protect them At length they force the Duke of Savoy to lay down his Arms. The Civil Meeting of the Protestants of France The Protestants preparation to hold a General Meeting The Mareschal of Bouillon suffers himself to be won by the Court The Meeting of the Reformed is Transferr'd from Chatelleraut to Saumur The Reconciliation of the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Sully The Protestants renew their Oath of Vnion The Duke of Sully's Affair proposed in the Meeting at Saumur The Duke of Sully's Remonstrance to the Assembly A Discourse between the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan about the Duke of Sully's Affair The Assembly declares for the Duke of Sully The Court undertakes to break up the Meeting at Saumur A Division in the Meeting at Saumur The Wisdom of Du Plessis Mornay on that occasion The Book of Du Plessis Mornay against the Papacy The Book of Du Plessis Mornay is censured by the Faculty of Paris Reflections on this Censure The Troubles of Aix la Chapelle The Meeting of several Protestant Princes of Germany about the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers The Princes of the Protestant League meet at Rottenburgh in Bavaria The Death of the Elector of Saxony The Electoral Diet at Neurembergh The Elector's Requests to the Emperor The Emperor's Answer The Death of the Queen of Spain The Death of the Duke and Dutchess of Mayenne The Dutchess of Lorrain and the Cardinal of Gonzaga come to the Court of France The Count of Soissons discontented The Faculty of Paris Censures the three Panegyricks of Ignatius Loyola Reflections on the Miracles ascribed to Saint Ignatius and the Character given him Disturbances at Troies in Champagne about the Settlement of the Jesuits in that City The Process of the Vniversity of Paris against the Jesuits upon the opening their College there Disputes on the Questions of Grace and Predestination The Rise of Arminianism in Holland Vorstius is chosen to succeed Arminius James the I. King of England opposes the Election of Vorstius The King of England's Apology for his Conduct in the Business of Vorstius Revolutions in Sweden after the Death of Gustavus Ericson John King of Sweden Attempts to change the Religion Established by his Father Sigismund King of Sweden is chosen King of