capitulation to summon the States Generall and suspecting there might be some desseins against her authoritie she endevour'd to prevent it divers wayes First in the Mandats sent to the Governors of Provinces and Towns for the elections of Deputies there were speciall cautions inserted to choose no factious persons The second means was to defer the convocation of the States Generall till the Kings majority was declar'd that so his authoritie might be the more compleat and absolut whereby he might have a greater power to take into his hands her interests and oppose such resolutions that might prejudice them Lastly whereas the said convocation was appointed first to be at Rheims then at Sens she sent summons abroad that it should be held at Paris where the King was strongest by the residence of his servants the affections of all orders of people and the assistance of the ordinary Court of Parliament which is still there sitting though it was us'd to be ambulatory with the Kings Court. Now the difference which is in France between an Assembly of the three Estates and their Parliaments is that the former hath an analogie both in point of institution power and summons with our Soverain high Court of Parliament in England compos'd of Lords and Commons wherein the King sits as head and it is He alone who opens and shuts it with his breath This being the greatest of all Assemblies treats of matters touching the universall good of the State and the making correcting or repealing of laws and it is the highest Sphere which gives motion to all the rest The Parliaments of France whereof there are eight have not the same latitude of power yet are they Supreme Courts or Sessions of Justice where mens causes and differences are publikly determined in last ressort without any further appeale and any Peer of France by right of inheritance hath a capacitie to sit there The day being assign'd for publishing the Kings Majority the Queen Regent and He with his now sole brother the Duke of Anjou for his brother the Duke of Orleans was lately dead went in a stately solemn maner to the Court of Parliament accompagnied with the prime Prelats and Peers of the Kingdom and amongst them there were fower Cardinalls A contestation happen'd 'twixt the Cardinalls and Peers for precedency because the twelve Peers of France before an Ordinance made by Henry the third preceded any Prince of the bloud at the Coronation and Sacring of the King and the declaration of his Majority was an Act reflecting on that Yet the King inordred the priority for that time to the Cardinalls because they were Princes of the Church universal which made the Peers retire from the Court lest it might serve for a precedent to future Ages The Court being sat and all silenc'd the Queen Regent riss up and said That she prais'd and thank'd God to have afforded her grace to bring up her son to the yeers of his Majority and to maintain his Kingdom in peace the best she could That now he being come to age she transmitted the Government to him exhorting the company there present and all other his subjects to render him that service obedience and fidelity which is due unto him as to their King The Chancelor hereupon pronounced the Arrest of the Court importing a verification of the declaration of his Majesties Majority which was done in a solemn studied Oration This great solemnity did not end so but it was accompagnied with four wholsom Edicts as the first fruits or hansels of his raign 1. The first aym'd at a general concord 'twixt his subjects by strict injunction of observing the Edict of Nantes concerning them of the Religion 2. The second aym'd at a generall obedience prohibiting all ligues confederacy and intelligence with any strange Prince or State under pain of lifs 3. The third against Duells 4. The fourth against Blasphemy and Swearing Thus ended the Regency of Maria de Medici in form though not in effect for she swayed a good while after as Queen Mother in all Counsels the King reposing still his chief confidence in her during her Regency she did many public things which discover'd a pious and Princely soul Amongst others she provided divers Hospitalls in the suburbs of Saint German for the relief of the poor the aged and sick and to set young people at work which will continue there as long as the walls of Paris for monuments of her honour and charity The King having notice that the Deputies of the three States were com he sent the B p. of Paris to warn them in his name to fit themselfs for receiving the grace of God that so a blessing might fall upon their consultations to which purpose three daies fast was enjoyn'd them to prepare them the better for the holy Communion which was also inordred them So according to ancient custom a generall Procession was made wherein divers ranks of Fryars and Hopitalers went before then followed the Deputies of the third Estate who took place according to the rank of the 12. Governments of France and made in number 192. The Nobles followed them in number 132. They of the Clergie went last who made 140. so that in all they came to 464. which number I observe is inferior to that of the English Parliament where the Members of the House of Commons alone which corresponds the Third Estate in France come to neer upon 500. After these the King himself followed on foot accompagnied with the Queen and the Princes and Peeres The next day after all met in Bourbon House hall where the young King told them That having not long since declar'd his Majority he thought fitting to convoque the States Generall of his Kingdom to begin his raign by their good advice and Counsell to receive their complaints and provide for redres accordingly as it should be more amply told them by his Chancelor who took the word therupon This generall overture and Ceremony being ended the States Generall spent some daies to visit one another and to choosing of their three Praesidents or Prolocutors which they presented to the King with protestation of all fidelity and obedience The next day they took the Communion all in one Church going six at a time viz. two of every Order to the holy Table The Munday following they reassembled intending to fall close to work but their proceedings were retarded by some differences which interven'd touching the rank of the 12. Provinces or Governments and this clash kept a great noise till the King interpos'd therin his Authority and by the advice of his Privy Counsel which they submitted unto made this decision marshalling the 12. Governments thus 1. the Isle of France whereon Paris stands 2. Burgundy 3. Normandy 4. Guyen 5. Britany 6. Champany 7. Languedoc 8. Picardy 9. Dauphine 10. Provence 11. Lionnois 12. Orleans This being regulated by the King they fell to the main work and three Propositions were made the first by
the States Generall which is next the Clergie and for delivering of Opinions the King inordred that in matters concerning the Church the Clergie should vote first in matters of War the Nobles in matters of Law the Officers of Justice in matters of the Revenue of the Crown the Exchequer men and Financiers In this Assembly were agitated and concluded many wholsome things First 1. That the Secret affairs of State be communicated to few and those of known probity and prudence for fear of discovery 2. That the expence of the Kings House and the salary of Military men be regulated 3. That Pensions be retrench'd 4. That a course be taken to regulat gifts and rewards which are to be made in silver 5. That it be illegal to sell any Offices in the Kings House in War or Government 6. That reversion of Offices and Benefices be restrain'd because it gives occasion to attempt upon the life 's of the living Incumbents and takes away the Kings Liberty to advance persons of merit taking also from the persons themselfs the encouragement of doing better by hope of advancement 7. That the Annuel right be suppress'd 8. That the venality of Offices be prohibited 9. That small wrangling Courts and the number of Pettifoggers be retrench'd and that all causes be brought to the Soverain Courts These in grosse were the Results of this Assembly which proceeded with a great deal of harmony the King himself was present most of the time and in his absence Monsieur presided There pass'd also a Law to permit the Jesuits to open their Colledg of Clermont in Paris and to endoctrinat young youth in the Sciences But the Universitie of Paris to make this Edict illusory made two Decrees by the first it was ordred that none should be admitted to the course of Theologie unlesse he have studied three yeers under the public Professors of the Faculty of Theologie in Sorbon and that he be put to his oath not to have studied in any other Colledg The second was A prohibition to all Principals of Colledges for admitting any but those that go to the Lectures of the Professors of the said Universitie and that none shall enjoy the Priviledges of Scholarity if he studieth not under those Professors An indifferent moderat man said that there was no way to end this quarrell but that the Jesuits might be united to the body of the Universitie and so submit themselfs entirely to their Laws and Ordinances We will conclude this lustre with a horrible fire that hapned in the Citie of Paris in the chief Palace of Iustice it rag'd most in the great Hall where the Lawyers and Counsellors use to meet where also the Statues of the Kings of France are set up and are rank'd according to the times of their raign in excellent Sculpture all which were utterly reduc'd to cendres with the Table of Marble about which the Judges were us'd to sit The cause of this fire is to this day unknown but it might be very well interpreted to be a visible judgment from heaven upon that place and Palace for the hard measure of Justice the Marshall of Ancre and his Lady had received a little before Which makes me call to mind a Latin verse I have read upon a Stat-House in Delph in Holland which had bin burnt in like maner and reedified not one other house about it receiving any hurt Cive quid invito proh sola redarguit usta Haec Domus illaesis aliis Discite Iustitiam moniti non temnere Divos An end of the second Lustre The third Lustre of the Raign of Lewis the thirteenth VVE ended the last Lustre with the end of the old Palace of Justice in Paris by an unknown furious fire which made the disaster more horrid We will begin this with bone-fires of joy for the Mariage of the Lady Christina second daughter of Henry the Great to the Prince of Piedmont who came in Person to Paris to do his own busines he comported himself with that addresse that politenes that bravery of spirit accompagnied with such gentlenes that he gain'd much upon the French Nation The busines was not long a finishing for Henry the Great was well pleas'd with an ouverture that had bin made formerly by the said Prince for the Eldest daughter who was maried to Spain She had for her Dower 1200. thousand French liures which comes to one hundred and twenty thousand pound sterling besides the rich jewels she caried with her The Queen Mother was all this while at Blois and som ombrages of distrust hung 'twixt the King and her for the Bishop of Lucon being by command removed from her Mounsieur Roissy was sent expresly by the King to attend her whom the Queen took to be no other then a kind of Spy to watch over her actions nor was she invited to the marriage of her daughter which was solemniz'd at Paris and with this mariage it seems the King did consummat his own by bedding with the Queen his wife which he had not done since he had maried her at Burdeaux almost four yeers before where he lay with her only two hours and though this was done for fear it should hinder his growth and enervat his strength yet there were some whispers that it was done with an intent to be divorc'd from her and Luynes was blamed for it Hereupon he finding the King one night inclinable took him out of his bed in his armes and casting his night-gown over him he carried him to the Queens bed The Nuncio and Spanish Ambassador were so joy'd at this that they presently dispatch'd expresses to carry the news and bonefiers were made thereupon both in Rome and Madrid for there were some surmises abroad that so long a separation from bed would turn in time to an aversion which might draw after it a repudiation and so a divorce While the King was thus confirming his own and celebrating his sisters Nuptialls in Paris there were tydings brought that his Mother got out of Blois Castle and was convey'd away secretly in the night through a window which was towards the moate where she glided down a good height upon a counter scarp and so made an escape The King had sent Father Arnoul the director of his conscience a little before under colour of complement to visit her but the design was to draw from her a solemn oath that she would not come to the Kings Court without his preadvertisement and approbation which oath she took upon the Evangelists He sent her also word that he and the Prince of Piemont now her son in law would come to visit her but she knew well enough how matters were carried at Court and so she gave little credit to those endearments fearing there was too strong a drug under the pill Her escape was trac'd by Espernon the little Gascon Duke who had bin from the beginning a great servant of Ladies there had bin divers clashings and counterbuffs
Parliament mainly endevour'd to give some contentment to their Majesties therefore they employ'd again the prime President with others To declare the great displeasure the Court had that their Remonstrance was not agreeable to their Majesties wils protesting that it was never the intention of the Court to touch upon their actions or the Queens Regency whom they acknowledg'd to have oblig'd all France by her wise conduct and care she had both of the Kings Person and the State that as they could not so they would never attempt any thing upon royal authority what they had don was to testifie the zeal which they owe and will shew eternally to their Majesties Persons That they most humbly desir'd them to remember that the very next day after the death of Henry the Great their Majesties were pleas'd to honor that Court with their presence desiring them to contribut their good Counsels for the conduct of the public affairs which oblig'd them to present the foresaid Remonstrances c. So they concluded with all possible submission and a desire that the said Arrest of his Counsel of State should not be publish'd This took away somthing of the inflamation for the time but it cur'd not the wound which began to fester more and more and so gangrend that the whole body politic was like to perish For what the Court of Parliament sought by supplication the Prince of Conde not long after sought by the sword who having divers of the greatest Princes and them of the Religion ligu'd with him brought their Petition upon the Pikes point Conde flew to that height that he proceeded not by way of Remonstrance but as if he had bin a Prince absolut by way of Manifesto He was then in Picardy whither the King had sent divers Letters by persons of good quality to invite him to come to Court and to accompany him in his voyage to Guyen to fetch the Infanta but all would not do for old Bovillon had infus'd other Counsels into his head and so he publish'd a Manifesto that the cause of his retirement from the Court was the insolent deportment of the Marshall of Ancre the dissipation of Henry the Greats treasure the introduction of strangers of Iewes Sorcerers and Magicians by the said Marshall and so he concluded King-like parlant en sire Wherefore we pray and warn all the the Princes Peers and Officers of the Crown and all such as call themselfs French to succour and assist us in so good an occasion And we require and adjure all forren Princes and strangers all the Allies and Confederats of this State to give us ayd and assistance c. These were the specious pretences that caus'd this Manifesto which divers forren Princes took in foul scorn that he should require them being but a vassal himself The truth is there was but one generall grievance and that was the Marshall of Ancre a Confident of the Queen Mothers whom she had brought with her from Italy his wife having bin her foster sister He had the greatest vogue at Court which being a stranger made him repin'd at The King and the Queen Mother were then resolv'd upon a journey to Burdeaux to receive the Infanta and to deliver the Daughter of France for the King of Spain Conde disswades the King from the voyage by Letters which were not well taken So while the one prepares for his journey the other arms for a war and gets on his party Longueville Bulloin and Mayn who had concluded the match with Spain yet refus'd to attend in the jour ney Thus a fearfull clowd hung over France yet nothing could deter the King from going to fetch his wife and the Queen Mother said That all the power of earth should not hinder him Besides he was straitned for money for so long and costly a voyage nor would the Chamber of Accounts verify in Letters to take any out of the Bastile whereupon the King went himself in Person accompagnied by the Queen his Mother his Chancelor Secretaries of State and others in whose presence the Coffers were open'd and two millions and a halfe of Liures which make 250000. pounds sterling were taken out and deliver'd to the Treasurer of the Privy Purse The King being to begin his journey the first thing he did was to secure Paris so he left Mounsier de Liencour Governour thereof and to authorise him the more he admitted him to the Court of Parliament by Letters Patents which the said Court did verifie notwithstanding the harsh answer they had had to their late Remonstrance at the Louure The Marshal of Ancre was sent to Amiens with a considerable Army And another Army was left under the command of the Marshal de Bois Daufin consisting of 16000. foot 1500. horse and 2000. Carrabins to make head against the Mutiners So the King and his Mother accompagnied with the Dukes of Guyse Elbaeuf and Espernon with a good number of Gentlemen with 1200. light horse his Guard of Suisses and others making in all 400. foot parted from Paris towards Bourdeaux and being come to Poictiers Madame his sister which was to be sent to Spain fell sick of the small Pox which detaind the Court there five weeks and so much retarded the journey In the intrim the Princes forces encrease and prosper exceedingly having had the best in three rencounters Old Bovillon had got 600. Reiters from the Marquis of Brandenburg who joyn'd with them they got over the Loire maugre the Royall Army under Bois Dauphin The Duke of Vandom was then with the King and he gave him Commission extraordinary to make levies of horse and foot and having by virtu thereof rais'd an Army of 10000. Combatants he declar'd himself afterward for the Princes and employ'd them against the King He who did thrive best amongst the Royalists was the Marshal of Ancre who in the interim had taken Corbes and Clermont The King caus'd a Declaration to be publish'd wherein Conde and all his Adhaerents were Proclaim'd Traytors and sent it to Paris to be verified by the Parliament which was never more puzzled in any busines those that were averse to the Match with Spain and favour'd the Mutineers endevour'd to elude the Registring of the royal Declaration alledging that the Princes of the bloud being the prime Peers could not be censur'd there without their Peers and that the presence of the King himself was requisit without which his bloud could not be judg'd After tough altercations the voices of the Court were reduc'd to two Opinions one was of 73. voices who order'd that the Declaration should be registred but the Person of the Prince excepted for a moneth during which time he should be warn'd to submit himself to his Majesty and all others should lay down their arms The other Opinion was caried by 78. voices which was that the Court order'd that the reasons for which they could not and ought not to proceed to verifie the said Declaration should be