more particular Light into the State of Euâ—â—pe in Levis XIII his time The Czar John Basilovits fam'd for his Cruelties and the War which the brave Stephen Battori King of Poland wag'd against him with so much Glory and Advantage French Mercury 1605. as the Muscovite was oblig'd to have recourse to the Pope's Intercession for obtaining a Peace Basilovitz I say had left but two small Children behind him of seven Wives which he had Theodorus and Demetrius The eldest stupid and heartless succeeded him Whilst he diverted himself in ringing of Church-Bells Boris Frederovits a Muscovite Lord who had married his Sister govern'd the State This wicked Ambitious Man caus'd young Demetrius to be slain who dwelt with his Mother in a Castle remote from Mosco And the better to conceal his Crime he procured him to be assassinated whom he made use of to commit this Villany The Czar Theodore died in a little time after 'T was though Boris had poyson'd him The Masculine Line of the ancient Czars being thus at an end it was not hard for Boris Brother-in-Law to this last Prince to mount up into the Throne Being as crafty as he was cruel he had taken care to gain the Love of the People and to remove far from him under specious Pretences the Lords who were in capacity to oppose his Ambition He was crown'd at Mosco in all Forms and Ceremonies His bloody and suspicious Nature render'd him quickly odious to the Muscovites A Nation accustomed to Slavery doth not so patiently suffer the Tyranny of a Prince newly rais'd up to the Throne as that which is establisht in a long Succession of one and the same Family A Counterfeit Demetrius in Poland About the year 1604. Boris receiv'd News from Poland which put him to strange Difficulties A Russian Monk had carried thither a young Man who much resembled in Stature and Countenance the Prince Demetrius whom Boris had caus'd to be put to Death The Monk first puts this youth into the Service of Vietsnovisky a Polish Lord who had Marryed the Palatin's Daughter of Sendomir from whence he got into the Palatines Wine-House When the Monk thought he had prepared Men well enough he told the Palatine as a Secret that this young Man was Demetrius lawful Heir of the Empire of Russia who had been privately and happily convey'd away from the Cruelty of Boris by putting another Child in the Prince's room whom the Tyrant intended to cause to be slain This adventure was related with such probable Circumstances as the Palatine believ'd all that was told him He presently discover'd the Secret to Sigismond King of Poland who was willing to be fully acquainted with the pretended Demetrius The Youth who neither wanted Wiâ—â— or Education Rehearseth the Misfortunes of his Life in the presence of the King with much Craftiness and a good Grace he shew'd certain natural Marks on his Face and upon one of his Hands which he pretended to be undeniable Proofs of the truth of his Birth and then addressing himself to Sigismond he thus proceeded I am Sir very happy to have fallen into the hands of a King who having been himself unfortunate and persecuted during his Infancy by his Vncle must have the greater Compassion for my hard Fortune You was born in the Prison where the Cruel Erric had put your Majesties Father and Mother The Polanders have made choice of you before all the Princes in Europe This distinction Sir ought to render you the more respected by the Swedes your Natural Subjects Another Ambitious Vncle raiseth 'em against you he endeavours to snatch forcibly away your Patrimony Thanks be to God your Majesty is still powerful enough to help me to be Restor'd to mine As soon as you shall put me into a condition to be thankful for so great a Favour the Polanders and Muscovites united together shall quickly reduce the Swedish Rebel May Heaven grant that after this Happy Expedition we may joyntly set upon the common Enemy of the Christians If King Sigismond did not believe what was told him he hop'd however that the Story whether true or false might stand him in some stead against the Muscovites T' was resolv'd upon to Assist the pretended Demetrius and to send him first into Lithu mia that from thence to write to the Pope he might be nearer Muscovy He askt of him to do him all the good turns he cou'd in Poland The Court of Rome always attentive to what is capable of extending her usurpt Domination willingly gave an ear to the Person who made her hope to Reduce the Russians to the Obedience of the Holy Chair Demetrius enters into Muscovy and there Crown'd A private Rumor presently run aboroad at Mosco that the Prince Demetrius having scap'd the fury of the Tyrant Boris shew'd himself near to the Frontiers The Malecontents and they who lov'd Novelty confirm'd for truth what others had said The People easily drawn to believe extraordinary Contingencies and who flatter themselves with finding a milder and more supportable Government seem'd to wait with impatience Demetrius's coming Boris inform'd of what had pass't at Poland and of the practices begun at Mosco did not know which side to take whether he should despise this Story as if it was but a ridiculous Story the noise of which in a little time vanisheth or if he should downright prepare himself to press and quell a Party which seem'd to fortifie it self ev'ry day both at home and abroad Persuaded at last that nothing was to be neglected he caus'd it to be spread abroad on his side that the pretended Demetrius was a known Mag cian and after Orders for the safety of the Frontiers he sent Ambassadors to the Diet at Warsaw They were to complain to the King and Republick of Poland for that they had Transgress'd the Conditions of Peace made betwixt the two States by shewing their willingness to uphold the Impostures of the miserable Son of a Priest and to demand the delivery of him up to 'em alive or dead In case the Ambassador cou'd not obtain of 'em a favourable Answer Boris had order'd 'em to Negotiate with some Popish Lords for to engage them to oppose a design which the King might have against him Sigismond answer'd the Muscovites in general Terms and in the mean time prepared himself underhand to assist him who averr'd himself to be the rightful Heir of the ancient Czars Demetrius enter'd into Moscovy at the Head of an Army consisting of Ten thousand Poles and Cossacks which the Palatine of Sendomir commanded under him Demetrius and he not having known the advantage they had of so good an occasion to rout the Muscovite Army were themselves defeated in the beginning of the year 1605. Demetrius too weak to keep the Field any longer shut himself up in a Town which he had before taken he hop'd to receive new Succors from Poland before the Enemy could retake the places which had been taken from
now to flatter themselves for the future with obtaining the Superiority they formerly had over the House of Bourbon yet they did not despair at least to rival the Princes of the Blood But they found at home a great Obstacle to their coming into the Council Two Lords of the same House could not be called to it The Duke of Guise was the eldest but the Age and Experience of the Duke of Mayenne his Uncle requir'd him to be preferr'd Henry being dangerously ill some Years before had a mind to form a Council He named this Lord then who was heartily reconciled to him and since that time had given the King Marks of his inviolable Fidelity This was a great Prejudice in his Favour The Duke of Nevers too demanded to be admitted and disputed the Precedence with the Guises New Perplexities on all sides The Emulation between the Marechal of Bouillon and the Duke of Epernon was grown to so great a height that it was not possible the one should be in the Council to the Prejudice of the other This latter was considerable for his Charge of Colonel General of the Foot and other great Places The Queen did not dare to give distaste to a haughty and powerful Man who had just served her in a very Handsome manner Bouillon had a great Heart a capacious and discerning Mind kept a strict Alliance and constant Intelligence with Foreign Princes The Sovereignty of Sedan made him considerable at home and abroad No one had more Interest than he with the Protestants of France The late King stood in fear of him He gave a Check to his turbulent and ambitious Humour but would not push the Matter to an Extremity So that the Marechal was capable of doing a great deal of good if he followed his Reason or a great deal of Mischief if he abandoned himself to his Passion There were other Lords of great Bitth who might pretend to have a place in the Council but they were yet of an Age in which Men of Quality have stronger Inclinations to Pleasure than to concern themselves in Matters of State Of this number were the Duke of Vendome the Grand Prior of France both Natural Sons of Henry Duke of Longueville and the Count of St. Paul a younger Brother of the same House The Chancellor de Sillery the Duke of Sully Villeroy and the President Jeannin saw all this Emulation with Pleasure This left the entire Direction of Affairs to themselves under the Name of the Queen Therefore in the first place they advised her not to give Distaste to any Person till the first Prince of the Blood should return and to admit into her Council all the great Lords who demanded a Place there The greater the number of these was the less Interest and Power any particular Persons could have In the mean time each took his Opportunity to entertain the Regent They took care to prepare Matters to be proposed to give seemingly some Employment to the Assembly But these Gentlemen foresaw it would soon degenerate into Confusion That some would take a distaste themselves and others might be removed under colour of sending them to execute their Places and Governments While these Intrigues employ'd the Courtiers The Tryal and Execution of Ravillac the Parliament was busie in the Process of Ravillac The first President assisted by another and Two Counsellors examin'd him several times All that can be drawn from the Interrogatories now extant are That Ravillac was an Enthusiast who imagining on some Reports that he had heard that the King was about to make War on the Pope and did not concern himself for the Conversion of the Hugonots took a Resolution to kill a Prince whom he looked on as an unjust Tyrant What Ravillac had learnt from the Sermons ef the execrable Preachers of the League who justified James Clâ—…ment confirm'd him in his Belief that any private Man might take away the Life of a Prince who was an Enemy of the Holy Father Mercure François 1610. To make War on the Pope says Ravillac to his Judges is to make War on God in as much as the Pope is God and God is the Pope This moves our Pity indeed But do not those Princes who by a strange sort of Politicks submit their Dominions to the Pope deserve our Pity more than Assassins seduced by the Emissaries of the Court of Rome After the Attempt of John Chastel Henry was always afraid of the Knife of the League The Desire he had to keep himself from it did not a little conduce to make him recal a sort of People who have the Secret to make themselves formidable to Sovereigns He loaded the Jesuites with his Favours But had he not better provided for the Security of his Life and the Publick Good by giving Ear to the wise Remonstrances of the first President De Harlay Ravillac otherwise ignorant knew so well how to maintain the Dogm of the Society of Jesuites and the Leaguing Sorbon one might easily guess a certain set of Men had taken care to instruct him But whether to pleasure a Religious who call'd him his Friend and recommended to him in express Words at the Hôtel of Retz not to accuse honest Men or that he conceiv'd himself â—…he horrible Design the Criminal constantly affirmed to the end of his Life that no Person whatever Frenchman or Forigner had put him upon killing a Prince who had never done him any wrong and whose Death though unpunish'd could do him no good He was condemned to suffer the Punishment which the Laws of France appoint for such Parricides and the Sentence was executed on the 27th of May. The Proceedings of Parlement the same Day Ravillac was executed are an evident Proof that that Body saw that the Writings and Sermons of some Doctors of the Sorbon The Condemnation of the Book and Doctrine of Mariana the Jesuite engaged in the League and poison'd by the Books which the Jesuites publish'd to revive that pernicious Doctrine which the Faculty of Paris had censur'd in the Year 1413. and was confirm'd by the Council of Constance The Decree I say made the same Day Ravillac suffered convinc'd the World that they thought those Books and Preachments had plunged the Knife in the Heart of Henry and his Predecessor The Parlement therefore ordered the Faculty of Paris to meet and confirm anew their ancient Censure authorized by the Council of Constance against those who teach That a Vassal or a Subject may and ought in Conscience to kill any Tyrant whatever and Assault him all sort of ways and that this Action is not contrary to that Oath of Fidelity which Vassals and Subjects take to their Soveraigns The Doctors obey'd the order signified to them The Parlement on the 10th of June gave another Sentence condemning the Book de Rege Regis institutione of Mariana the Jesuit to be burnt by the hands of the Hangman as containing says the Decree diverse execrable
France and Ann Infanta of Spain The Duke of Mayenne had received greater Honours in Spain Entry of the Duke of Mayenne into Madrid than the Duke of Pastrana in France whether it was that they had regard to his Quality as Prince of a Sovereign House allied to the House of Austria or that the Spaniards had an Ambition to outgoe the French in Magnificence and Galantry He found in his way the Duke of Lerma's Mansion House French Mercenary 1612. This Favourite gave Orders that Mayenne should be splendidly regaled and to the end the Feast might seem more Galant it appear'd that all was done at the expense of the Inhabitants of Lerma who were Ravish't with Joy to have amongst them a Guess so honourably distinguish't The Duke fail'd not upon this occasion to set out all his Sumptuous Moveables and Tapistry the Borders of which were all Embroider'd with Gold and richly set out with Rubies and Emeraulds The Duke d' Alva de l'Infantado d' Albuquerque the Admirante of Castile and many other Grandees of Spain accompanied with 500 Cavaliers whose Horses were proudly Harnas't went to receive the Duke of Mayenne without Madrid He made a very fine Entrance But the long and close Mourning the Ambassador wore for his Father and the Court of Spain had put on for the Death of the Queen render'd the Ceremony less Glorious The 17th of July the Duke d'Vseda conducted the Ambassador to his Audience of the King The Prince of Spain stood at the left hand of his Majesty and the Duke of Lerma at the right The Father and Son embrac'd the Embassador when he drew near to kiss their Hands This was a Distinction granted to the Quality of the Prince who was of the House of Lorrain After this he was Conducted to the Audience of the Infanta The Duke kiss'd her Hand because her Highness had declar'd she would use the Embassador as the Queen had used one of her Subjects The Articles of Marriage signed between Lewis the 13th and the Infanta of Spain The Signing of the Articles of Marriage was fix't to be upon the 22d of August All the Court left off their Mourning for that day besides the King The Duke of Lerma went to the Ambassador to Conduct him to the Palace Neither his Majesty or the Prince or Infanta of Spain were present at the Ceremony of Sealing Two Acts were prepar'd one in French and another in Spanish The Duke of Mayenne Puisieux Secretary of State and Vaucelas Ambassador in ordinary at Madrid first sign'd the French Act as Proxies for the most Christian King and the Queen his Mother The Duke of Lerma sign'd afterwards in quality of Proxy for the Catholick King 's Father and Guardian of the Infanta It was after another manner compos'd in the Spanish Act Lerma put there his Name first and the French after him The Infanta renounc't for her self and Children all the Rights of Succession to the States of the Crown of Spain Two Cases were only excepted That if the Infanta was a Widow without any Children she should return into Spain or that for reason of State and the publick Weal of the Spanish Monarchy she should Marry again with the consent of the King her Father or the Prince of Spain her Brother she shou'd in this second case re-enter into her Rights of succeeding one and th' other After the signing of the Articles the Duke of Mayenne was Conducted into a Hall where the King was with the Prince and Infanta at each side of him The Ambassador only made a Reverence to the Father He harangu'd chiefly the Daughter in Quality of the Queen of France When the Duke took his leave some days after he entreated her to give him some Orders to the King his Master Assure him said the Infanta that I am very much impatient of seeing him This Answer did not seem grave enough to the Countess d' Altamira her Governess Ah Madam cry'd the Spanish Lady what will the King of France think when the Duke shall report to him you have so great a passion for Marriage You have taught me answer'd the Infants with a great deal of liveliness that one must always speak the Truth She poor young Princess had a heart burning for a Husband who did not make her so happy as she fancied he wou'd Conspiracy against the Duke of Parma We shall see anon the face of Affairs wholly altered in Italy by the Death of Francis Duke of Mantua which happen'd at the end of the year 1611. But before I enter into this particular which I reserve for the following year I think I ought to say somwhat of an Affair which made a great noise in Italy in the Month of March this present year Francis Duke of Mantua had some days agoe succeded Vincent his Father Husband of the Eldest Sister of Mary de Medicis At this same time Ranutius Duke of Parma discover'd a Plot laid against him for above a year since and against all the House of Farnese He thought that he had sufficient Witnesses to believe that the Deceased Duke Vincent of Mantua the Cardinals Sforza and Este the Prince of Modena the Duke of Mirandola and some other Sovereign Princes had had a part in so horrid a design Here 's what is discover'd now of it Many Gentlemen and some Ladies of Quality of the States of the Duke of Parma and the Neighbouring places Conspired together to kill him with all those of his House and to possess themselves of the Towns of Parma and Placentia which they were afterwards to deliver up to some Neighbouring Princes from whom the Conspirators had receiv'd Money There 's this difference betwixt the true Religion and Superstition that the one Abominates the smallest Crimes whereas the other can very well accord with the blackest Actions The Wretches who attempted upon the Life of Henry the IV were confess 't and took the Sacrament afterwards to prepare themselves for their barbarous Design They who Conspir'd a little time after against Ranutius Duke of Parma and against all the House of the Farnese's swore by the Image of the Virgin Mary to keep their Trust and Fidelity one to t'other and not discover their Enterprise Their first Project whereby they might bring their Design about was to lay hold of the Opportunity which the Solemn Baptism of the young Prince of Parma afforded them where the Cardinal Farnese was to be present with the rest of the Family They had resolv'd to slay there Ranutius his Children the Cardinal and all the Persons Devoted to the Farneses The Ceremony of Baptism having been happily put off the Conspirators notwithstanding continued their Meetings and took their Measures for the Execution of their Conspiracy They had already got a great number of Men and some Neighbouring Princes were to furnish them with Soldiers at the appointed time But seeing that the Ceremony of Baptism was put off too long a time and that the