already made in respect of Religion the Princess and her servants and the Liberties of the English Catholiques and seeing that this new Oath was comprised too in some sort in the first Oath That there was sufficient provision made both in relation to Religion and Liberty of Conscience for her Domestiques and Children seeing they were to remain mayn with the Princess as well as the children which being so it would of nenessity follow that there could be no trouble brought on them in respect of their Religion He told him likewise that the King his Master being bound to his Holiness for the observation of those things which should be agreed to by the King of Great Brittain was an assurance not lesse valid then that of an heretique King That his Majesty had commanded him to supplicate his Holiness with all earnestness and not rest barely there but to tell him that his Holiness was the more obliged to grant him his request seeing he begged the confirmation of it rather out of respect then necessity seeing that several famous Doctors were of opinion that Catholiques in Heretiques Countries might freely contract Mariages without any dispense These were the chief reasons which the Sieur de Bethune represented to his Holiness and likewise to the Cardinals who were deputed in the businesse of the dispense They soon apprehended the Justice and importance of them and testified a great readinesse to do that which was desired of them The Pope sent word to the Cardinals that they should give a quick dispatch to the business that he desired to give the King all the satisfaction he could wish for both that he might acknowledg those great benefits which his Majesty had procured to the Church as also because he knew there could not any other thing be desired from those of England Accordingly they met together and concluded on it as the King desired and dispatched it with a great deal of diligence to the Nontio that it might be delivered to the King who as quickly gave intelligence of it to the King of Great Britain Politick Observation JT is not ever expedient in a design to propose the utmost advantage it being sometimes necessary to leave a little to be hoped for from time No Affair can oblige to the making of Resolutions contrary to honour and justice but several things may intervene to obstruct the effecting of all that might conduce to the good of a great Enterprize He who doth not take this truth for a rule in his Conduct will be subject to commit great faults and will in it Proclaim aloud to the World That he is ignorant of the many difference between Gods and Mans Will he doing whatsoever best pleases him but the latter is obliged to necessities and bound to proportionate his resolution according to the Possibility of things Thus though it be allowed such men on whom the dispatch of Affairs dispends to raise up some scruples and difficulties whereby to enhance the price and esteem of the thing doing it being usual with most men little to regard those Offices which are granted with ease yet when it is once evident that the present time and conjuncture of Affairs will not consist with the longer denial of what is desired from them they then ought to comply and apply themselves to the effecting of it For what refuse they shall afterwards make will appear rather to proceed from a spirit of contradiction then that of Prudence The death of James King of Great Brittain and the Mariage between the Prince of Wals his Son and the Madam Henrietta Maria of France DUring the negotiation for the dispense King James of Great Brittain fell very sick at Theobalds twelve miles distant from London After he had passed over three weekes with a Tertian Ague which weakned him exceedingly much he caused the Prince of Wals his Son to come unto him and discoursed to him with a great deale of reason and recommended to him those Officers who had faithfully served him But especially his little grand children the Infants of the Electrix Palatine his daughter encouraging him to make use of that power which he should leave him for the re-establishing of them in their Fathers Dominions and then finding himself declining into his Agony he gave him his blessing wishing him a happy prosperous and successful enjoyment of those Kingdoms which he should shortly leave to him About the end of March he died at which instant the Heralds according to the custom of England proclaymd the Prince of Wals King of Great Britain who presently took the ordering of all affairs upon him He having a great desire to be married the first thing he did was to dispatch full power to the Duke de Chevreuse to betroth and espouse the Princess in his name The King too desired to see an end of the businesse so that upon the first arrival of that power the execution of it was no longer deferred The Betrothments were made in the Lovre on the eight of May in the presence of the King the Queens all the Princes and great Lords of the Court by the Cardinal de la Rochfaucaud who likewise celebrated the Marriage Ceremonies on the Sunday following being the eleventh of May in the Church of Nostre Dame in the quality of Great Almoner I shall not need to relate with what magnificence these things were done only I shall say nothing was omitted The Espousals were made upon a Theater raised for the purpose over the great door of the Church Then the Masse was said with great Ceremony where the King and three Queens were assistants Though the Duke of Chevreuse and the Extraordinary Ambassadors of England were not there who after they had wayted on his Majesty to the door of the Quier retyred to the Arch-Bishops Pallace during the Masse as representing the King of Englands Person who was of a different Religion but they went again to receive his Majesty at the same door as soon as Masse was ended and to wayt on him to the Arch-Bishops hall where the King dined with the Queens his Mother his Wife and his Sister the Duke of Chevreuse the Earles of Carlisle and Holland the Ladies Dutchesses of Guise Elboeuf and of Chevreuse with the most magnificencies that the best versed in Royal Ceremonies could invent There were Bonfiers made all the while throughout Paris and the Cannons made such a noyse as if Heaven and Earth would have come together The Duke of Buckingham is commanded by the King of Great Brittain to go over into France and to conduct the Queen his Wife over to him THese things thus past the Duke of Buckingham the King of Great Britains favorite was commanded to go into France to desire the King that the Queen his Wife might set out from the Court assoon as might be to come to him He arrived at Paris about the end of May and during that little stay which he made he was entertained with all imaginable Magnificency
affect his own Kindred deserveth not the affections of any others and will also give more assurance to his Government by defending him from any insurrections which might be made by them And this is the more considerable as Tacitus saith for that it is ordinary with the people to have a particular affection for the Kindred of a Prince when they shall see them hated without any just cause or reason exemplyfying the Love which the people of Rome did bear to Germanicus which increased in them by the hatred which was born to him by Tiberius and it cannot be doubted but that the particular affection with which the people love them may give them great advantages to embroyl the State and may serve for a strong prop to their revolts It cannot be avoyded but that Princes nearly related to a Soveraign must have some hand in the Government of Affairs and must partake with him in the Honours of the State how can it then be done in a good order unless they live in a fair correspondence with one another What way can a vessel goe when as they who guide it do some row towards the Poop and others towards the Prow despising the Pilots orders so that the vessel becomes exposed to be wracked And what may there be expected from a State where the Princes of the Blood Royal who have the Government of the Provinces fall off from his Majesties designs and interests engaging themselves in Factions and Parties Doth it not by this means absolutely expose the State to Civil Wars which being left at random by this disunion becomes a prey to strangers who will be sure to take advantage of it The sending of the Sieur de Blainville into England in the quality of Extraordinary Ambassadour THough the Allyance which had so lately been contracted with England seemed to be indissolvable by the confirming of it with the Mariage of the Princess yet it was not long before some grounds did arise to obstruct their good correspondency The great confidence which the Queen of England had in certain Ladies who had been a long while near and about her as also in certain Ecclesiastiques a little too inconsiderate in their zeal was in part the occasion of it for they giving her advices which were not alwaies accompanied with Prudence did clash with the King her Husbands humour and were upon the point of breeding some differences between them The King did not much wonder at it having of a long time known how little considerable womens counsels ordinarily are and how they commonly end in some broyl unless there be some one near them who may prevent it by the reputation and credit which he hath amongst them But however it did not hinder his Majesty from dispatching the Sieur de Blanville his Extraordinary Ambassador to the King of England that he might take some course before the inconsiderateness of those persons who were about the Queen had caused any more mischiefs which was the easilier to be done in regard the Queen wanted neither Respect nor Love for the King her Husband and was onely to be blamed for having relyed a little too much upon those who were given to her to be her Counsel But this was not all there was another cause of difference between the two Crowns which was this The Sieur de Soubize having fled into England and there saved himself had taken in times of Peace and against the approval too of those of Rochel a small vessel called the little Saint John at the Port of Blavet which he afterwards carried to Plymouth And not long after the English had detained and unladen another Ship at Dover called the Merchant Royal full laden with goods to the value of twelve hundred thousand Liuvers This kind of acting was as strange as unjust and a great noise it made The French Merchants not being able to get a satisfactory answer in it because the Sieur de Blainville's demands were sent to the Council of his Majesty of Great Britain seised upon some English Ships which exasperated them afresh and hindred the resolution of any thing untill the following year Politique Observation ALthough the common end of private Mariages tend to concluding of Peace amongst Families yet it is not alwaies the same thing with Princes They do never make up any Matches but on the score of Interests and if any cause of difference arise amongst them they do not at all value their Alliances but it is well known that those Wars which have been between such Princes have ever been the most bloody It was imagined that those many Contracts which had been made between the Princes of the House of Orleance and those of Burgogne would have extinguished the fire of their Quarrels but the sequel made it apparent they all served to no purpose Lewis the Moor Duke of Milan was near a kin to the Arragonois of Naples yet he undid them by his intreagues And who knoweth not that France never had such great Quarrels either with Spain or England as when they were allyed by some Mariage And indeed it ought not to seem strange for a Soveraign hath no Kinsman so nearly related to him as his State A private man may govern himself according to the Rules of Friendship but it is otherwise with a Soveraign who is obliged to preserve the Rights of his Crown against every one His reputation is of so great concern towards the good of his Affairs that he may not suffer any injury to be offered to it which he is not bound to repell by any wayes whatsoever The Treasuries are better regulated by the Cardinals care THey who have had particular knowledge of things ever since ten years last past could not sufficiently wonder at those vast charges which the State had been put to both by maintaining so many Armies together in Languedoc in Poictu in the Valtoline and Italy as also in the Match with England and defraying of Ambassadors expences together with Alliances with States considering that the Cardinal entring upon the Administration had found the Treasury not onely exhausted but likewise much indebted so that they lived upon the next years Revenues This was an effect of that great Ministers prudence who knowing how necessary it was for a State to have a good mass of Mony in reserve had quickly so setled the Treasuries that there was great plenty succeeded that former want The Secretaries of State were commanded not to seal any more Orders but by express command from the King or his Chief Ministers The Superintendants were also ordered not to authorize those which should be presented from the Secretaries of State but upon good and just consideration There were divers persons removed from Court who attended there to no intent or purpose but only had sometimes the honour to see the King Rewards were kept for those who deserved them by their services There were also new orders taken at the same time concerning the Treasuries which were so
for the Country where they live so that they do not heartily embrace the Interests of it and in case a war should break out none would be so ready as they to entertain intelligence and give advices to the enemies They are also easily provoked against the natural inhabitants of the Country upon any suspition that they are lesse esteemed by them then others which induceth them to stick close together and to raise Factions against the State withal their bodies may not be punished though there be some kind of reason for it least they should generally resent it and raise up a thousand Broyles These are the chief reasons why it is impossible to preserve a Family of Officers Strangers in a Queens Court This was it which did oblige those of Sparta as Xenophon reporteth it not to suffer any strangers to live in their Commonwealth which made the Athenians take the same resolution as Plutarch observeth in the life of Pericles and which made Suetonius commend Augustus that he would rarely grant to any the being free or naturals of his Kingdome and which induced Polydore Virgil to say in his History of England That it was not the custome of English to admit of many strangers amongst them least the difference of their customes and fashions might cause them not to live in a good intelligence with the natives of the Country The King sends the Marshal de Bassompierre into England THe Queen Mother having been acquainted with the disorder which had hapened in the Queen of Englands Family first sent the Sieur de Barre to her to testifie to her that she was sorry for her and took part in her discontents and shortly after there being no reason to put up such an injurie the Cardinal advised his Majesty to dispatch the Marshal de Bassompierre as extraordinary Ambassador to the King of England for a redresse in the business Amongst divers others he was more particularly made choise of for that employment because there had been many of his near kindred retained near the Queen who were now all sent back again So that it was thought considering the near Interest of his family that he would be the more zealously affectionate in dispatching such instructions as should from time to time be sent to him He was but coldly entertained in England because audience had been denied to the Lord Montague who was sent into France upon the return of those Officers however he was no whit discouraged at it knowing that any Ambassador ought to shut his eyes at all little difficulties and obstructions so he may carry on his Masters work to a good issue The King of England appointed Commissioners to treat with him upon that affair who being met together he represented to them in order to his instructions that amongst other things comprehended in the Articles of Marriage it had been concluded and agreed on That the Queen of England should have free excercise of her Religion that she should have a Bishop and a certain number of Priests to exercise the Offices of her Religion That all her houshold should be Catholiques and French and that all the English Catholiques should in general receive greater priviledges then had been granted them if the Treaty with Spain had been effected That the late King James and the present King Charls his son then Prince of Wales had confirmed it by oath and that King James had commanded his Officers not to trouble or molest the Catholiques any more whereupon that the King his Master had conceived great hopes of prosperity and happiness for the Queen his Sister neither could he believe that the King of England his Brother in Law would break his word given upon the consideration of Royal Marriage who until then had amongst other virtues the reputation of being Just to his promises That this new Alliance instead of reuniting their persons and Interests would now rather breed great divisions between them and at such a time when they had most need of being in amity with one another both for assisting of their Allyes and their own particular preservation And that notwithstanding all these premises the King of England had sent back all those Officers of the Queen contrarie to the Treaty which had been confirmed by oath that he placed about her Officers who were English and of a Religion contrary to hers and besides all this that the Catholiques in General were every where troubled and ill treated for their Religion sake So that the King his Master unable to abandon the Queen his Sisters Interest had sent him to his Majesty of Great Britain to put him in mind of his promises and to perswade him That her Majesties Catholique Officers might be re-admitted to her as also that his Catholique subjects might be more favourably dealt withal The English Commissioners could not deny what had been concluded in the Treaty but they would lay the fault of the Officers return upon their own shoulders pretending that they had raised troubles in the Kingdome in his Majesties own Family and that of his dear consort the Queen but they did not produce any sufficient proofs upon the business And as to that which concerned the English Catholiques they pleaded that it had only been granted for formalities sake and to satisfie the Pope But the Marshal producing before them the late Kings Oaths confirmed too by another of the present King then Prince of Wales they could no longer tell what to say to the business but fled to other complaints not material or any wayes relating to the matter in question The Marshal replyed and that very tartly that he could not sufficiently admire that the Articles of Marriage and confirmed by Oath were not observed That the Queens Officers were sent back under pretence that they troubled the State without giving the King his Master any notice of it and without acquainting him in the least with those crimes which were presented to be committed That presently thereupon English Officers and those Protestants should be placed in their rooms That indeed those accusations were to be esteemed as frivolous and admitting them for just yet ought they to be chastised only and others French and Catholique put into their places by the rules of the Treaty But that indeed those pretended quarrels or Jarrs raised by the Queens French Officers were so far from being the true cause of their return that on the contrary the Lord Moâ—ntague had been at Nantes not many dayes before their being sent over to congratulate the King and Queen Mother concerning the good understanding which was between their Majesties of Great Britain and concerning the great satisfaction which the King received at the Queen his wifes behaviour That of the suddain and unlookt for discharge of her Officers happening so immediately upon the neck of this joy could not but appear strange and that as it did much wound the King of Englands Reputation so it likewise injured the King his Masters Generosity who was
by the Treaty of Monpellier Fort Lewis ought to have been demollished but with all That they had made themselves unworthy of it by their refusal to execute several Articles of the Treaty and amongst others to establish the excercise of the Catholique Religion in their Citty as they had engaged to his Majesty and moreover that the Honest's men of the Citty the most sufficient and such as had most to loose having represented to his Majesty that in case the Fort were slighted They should be exposed to the mercy of the Rascality who would put a thousand outrages and affronts upon them he could not deny their so just a request Besides the sixth Article of Peace granted them in February last year did expresly say that his Majesty would not assent to the destroying of that Fort They were also told That being subjects of his Majesty they had no cause to complain of the Commissaries being there especially seeing one of them too was of their own Religion and that they had not been then there but for those delayes which were by them made in the execution of the Treaty As to the quartering of Troops about their City and the adjacent Isles it was answered That they had no reason at all to complain of it for that they gave the occasion by their daily mutenies by their slow proceedings in the demolishing of Fort Tadon and which they did so slightly too that it was an easie matter to repair it and that last of all those Troops living very civilly they enjoyed the self same liberty which his Majesties subjects did many other Town where there was a garison and that they could not think it strange his Majesty should so watch them who had so often revolted after several protestations of obedience to procure his pardon for their faults But nothing would satisfie them so that finding they could not procure their desiers they concluded to prosecute it with Arms and to form themselves into a Commonwealth Politique Observation JT is neither safe nor Just for a City born under a Regal power to shake off that obedience and become a Commonwealth The injustice of them who should attempt so to do cannot be defended seeing Kings are the Lively Images of the God head Livenants of his power and that he hath subjected people in such dependancies that no one but himself alone can revoke their Commission I advise thee saith the Wiseman to have a care of the Kings mouth and to keep the oath that thou hast sworn unto him beware that thou withdraw not thy self from his power or slight his commands for otherwise he will deal with thee as he listeth and no one can say unto him What doest thou And as this Procedure is very unjust so it is not safe for them who would ingage in it for that no Government is so bad as a Popular There is indeed a certain kind of apparent liberty which charmeth and worketh upon the Souls of them who do not under stand it but it is most sure that it is a liberty which exposeth a City to the greatest misfortunes that can befall to it All Kings propose Honour and the Publique good for the end of their Government knowing all their glory depends thereupon whereas in a Popular State every one proposeth his own particular advantage and by that he measureth the Weal Publique and then comes Honour in the very rear of all other thoughts Wise discreet Counsels are so little esteemed in Popular States that they cannot remedie any inconvenience though accompanied with a very little difficulty For though in State affairs most voyces ought to be considered yet it is not to be thought in point of number but the Prudence of them who Judge whereas admitting the people to be Master most voyces carrieth it clear from the rest though better grounded by far The Senate of Rome chose rather to allot Tribunes to the people by whose mouths they might deliver their opinion then to leave them in a Licentions power concluding that though the Authority of those Tribunes would be in some sort superlative yet that it would be much more supportable then that of the people that many headed beast which having no Judgment loveth change and mooveth more by impetuosity then reason This Beast nourisheth it self with a thousand vain hopes its designs are accompanied with fury when the danger is farthest off but soon looseth his courage when brought upon peril and as it hath but a small portion of abilities so it knoweth not who are men of understanding or who do them good service Whence it doeth ordinarily well reward such as do them ill service and ill reward such as do them good service Was it not heretofore seen that the Athenian banished Miltiades ordered him to pay a great fine and kept him in durance until he had paid it as a reward for having with ten thousand men saved their City from a dangerous siedge and beaten one hundred and ten thousand Persians by his good Conduct The like they did to Themistocles Aristâ—der Alcibiades and divers other Captains who had served them very eminently without any regard had to their services He that would esteem a Popular Authority ought not to know what it is And Agesilaus did wisely answer one who would have changed the Goverment of Parthia into a democracy when he advised him only to set up a Demoraty in his own Dominion which would discover to him the rashness and disorder of a Popular Government The Designs of the Duke of Rohan in Languedoc THe Duke of Rohan discontented for that he had made no advantage by the Peace at least to render himself the more considerable did not a little foment those Mutinies of the Rochelois to which end he under hand sowed divisions among the Consuls of the Chief Hugonot Towns in Languedoc and some he made for his own party that they might lead the people to rebel when ever he should hold up his finger but finding that his design did not absolutely take in those parts he resolved to accept of those proffers which the King of Great Britain had made to the Duke of Sonbize his Brother and the deputies of those of his party presently after the Treaty of Peace which had been then newly concluded about the end of the last year They could not away with the putting off the Treaty in execution as to many particular Articles which the discreerest men among them had perswaded them to agree unto They dispatched certain Deputies towards the King of England to beseech him that he would use his power and Authority with the King his Brother in Law to perswade him to demolish Fort St. Lewis which kept them in a wonderful subjection who being presented to him by the Duke de Sonbize who retired himself into England in the year one thousand six hundred twenty and five they were well received and had promises given them of a strong assistance Now the Duke of Rohan not
Their weakness is the Kings strength neither can they increase but his must diminish He who intrusteth them with power raiseth a dangerous enemy against himself The Sun is but one and all the Stars receive their light from him yet upon condition that he may at his pleasure deprive them again of that splendour just so is it with Princes their greatnesse proceedeth from the King and he may despoil them of all their honour in a moment if once they recede from the due respect they owe unto him The Riches which he bestoweth on them are for the discharging of those expences which are proper for persons of their eminency not for the upholding of Factions and abetting of Revolts What advantage did Charles of France take in Normandy given to him for Appanage towards making a War against Lewis the Eleventh his Brother And the States assembled at the same time at Tours did much admire his Majesty would so give it to him but advised him to recall it and grant him onely an Annual Revenue some in Lands and some in Pension in lieu of his Appanage Who did ever bring into so many eminent dangers as the Appanages of Berry and Bourgogne Were not these two Provinces the retreats of all discontents Were not the Courts of those two Dukes the Forges where all the Thunderbolts that were afterwards thrown about the Kingdom were formed and contrived Were not there the springs of all dissentions discontents and civil wars And were not they the persons who brought in the Kings of England and Dukes of Britain onely to favour the designs of their Ambition The Cardinal is declared Generalissimo of the Kings Armies in Italy THe spirit of division which had till then kept Monsieur from the King gave great hopes to the enemies of the State to advance their designs in Italy They doubted not of inflaming a civil War in France which might so divert his Majesties Armies that he could not have the leisure to come up to them a second time The Duke of Lorain offered Monsieur as many forces and money as he could desire and the Duke of Savoy who never yet escaped a broil sent twice to him to complain that he being so much his servant he should take any other country for his retreat and to offer him his with protestation of quitting the Soveraign authority to him nay that he would even forsake it to make him absolute Master thereof as also of himself and children to be disposed at his Will and Pleasure These Offers were sufficient to have charmed any Soul had he been at that time so distrustfull as after he was but he rather chose to follow those just reasons which the King had proposed to him and to submit himself to his pleasure All that forraign faction was wonderfully surprised at the news of his accommodation and the Cardinal who stayed his Army from advancing into Italy onely in expectation of his return perswaded his Majesty no longer to defer his resolution that the Spaniards might not make any further progresse The King desired to go in person he being too couragious to entertain himself in a Chamber whiles his Armies were in the field But the Cardinal who foresaw that the unseasonableness of the time might indanger him advised him to stay some time and offered himself to undertake that imployment The King received this Proposition as an assured testimony of his fidelity but such so tender was his affection to him that he could hardly be perswaded to part with him he being as much grieved to consent to his departure from him as he was heretofore joyed for his return as was seen by all the Court at Rochel Privas and Fountainbleau Yet at last his Majesty knowing how important the assisting of Monsieur de Mantua was as also how much the glory of his Armies and Authority were concerned in it could not intrust them with any but the Cardinal who was not onely the chief Minister in his Counsels but also the greatest Commander in his Kingdom He knew in what reputation he was amongst strangers what Courage his presence infused into the Souldiery Of his Prudence he was assured having oftentimes seen his Enemies Plots discovered by him prevented before ever they were ready to be put in execution His good conduct too he could not be ignorant of he having by often experiment found it to be exact and excellent and such as was to be preferred before any other In fine he could not doubt of Victory whilest his Army was incouraged by so brave a Commander These were the reasons which induced his Majesty to give him that command of Generalissimo As soon as he had received his Commission he departed from Paris being about the latter end of the year which his Majesty intended to celebrate by as famous an Act as he began it As great exploits beget emulation so some there were who muttered that such an imployment should be conferred on a Cardinal an Ecclesiastical person but they betrayed their own ignorance who knew not that History affords us divers examples of several Cardinals who at sundry times have commanded Armies Spain in the time of King Alphonsus made use of the grand Cardinal Albornoz who followed him through the midst of the most bloudy Battels Then Ferdinand and Isabella imployed the great Cardinal Ximenes General of their Armies in Affrick Italy hath had many Cardinals out of the families of the Colonni the Vitilesci the Câ—râ—â—ffi the Fregosi who have shewed their valour in Armies that we might know that as the Romans with their long Robes did heretofore Conquer the greatest part of the Universe so that that habit was not inconsistent with Victories Besides the ignorance of those Censurers could not bee excused seeing they knew how that the ancient Laws of this Kingdom do oblige several of our Bishops to follow his Majesty in person to the Wars as also that they are bound to it by the Tenures of their Temporal Estates It is to be seen in Hugon and the Chronicle of St. Dennis in the year 1209. that Philip Augustus being at War with the English called upon all the Bishops to accompany which they did accordingly and afterwards that the Bishops of Orleans and Auxerre seeing the King was not there returned back again they pretending themselves not obliged to it unlesse when the King were there in person The King seized upon their Temporal Estate which they complaining of at Rome could have no other redress but that they ought to obey his Majesty the Pope being unwilling to break the customes of the Kingdom neither were they restored to the enjoyment of their goods untill they had payed their Fines for it In the same manner I have seen an Act of the Bishops of Auxerre dated in the year one thousand two hundred twenty and two by which he confessed himself obliged to send to the War of the Albigeois being unable to go thither in person by reason of his
so that strangers had all the intelligence of their resolutions which they dis-appointed and obstructed before they were in a forwardness to be set on foot But this great Minister knowing secrecy to be the Soul of Counsel and that none are better then those which continue unknown even after the execution brought forth every day wonders effected by his Prudence of which the Grandees themselves had not so much as a thought Indeed it was so much the easier for him so to do his Majesty being the most secret Prince that ever was Formerly every one was impatient at the obstacles and delays of the Marquess de la Vieville whereas after his establishment all those who had any affairs to negotiate or represent for his Majesties service were over-joyed that they were to Treat with a Minister whose Countenance was a Throne of sweetness and bounty and whose words have so powerfull a Charm that they still went away satisfied what ever difficulties were proposed by them Besides they were constrained as it were to pay him all respects and the Gravity too which the Graces have bestowed upon him is so agreeable and taking that the respect which it begets in the soules of men never thwarts that love which is due unto him and that love doth not at all hinder them from fearing to displease him The ancient Allies of this Crown formerly left for a prey to their enemies began to be confident to him as soon as ever they had known him and finding that his Genius did not terminate in a meer defensive they betook them to their Arms not onely to oppose those unjust Usurpations which were made upon them but also to assault and set upon those who had began them In short as he never declared himself to be for any Faction but on the contrary shewed himself much averse to all Rebellions both the Grandees of the Kingdome and Hugonots too were not long to learn that it would become them for the future to live within the limits of their obedience And lastly not being able to away with any Mutiny he soon began to make them take some course of living which is the surest foundation of Peace in a Kingdome so that every one had the content to see France flourish both at home and abroad and to acquire its former lustre which hath alwaies made it acknowledged to be the first Kingdome of Europe The Marriage of the King of England with the Lady Henrietta Maria of France THe first considerable affair which presented it self after the Cardinals admittance to the Administration was the Marriage of the Lady Henrietta Maria his Majesties Sister with Charles Prince of Wales the present King of Great Brittain The Spaniard had a long time feared it would be made up knowing that if France and England were leagued together they would become so considerable as that they would without difficulty frustrate and bring all his designs to nothing so he indeavoured to hinder it by pretending a desire himself had to contract an Alliance with England and accordingly hee proposed to match his Infanta with the Prince of Wales giving some hopes by Paraquance that he would restore the Palatinate though he had as little mind to deliver it as the King of Great Brittain had earnest Passion to recover it He held on this Treaty at least twelve years yet finding every day new excuses to defer the conclusion of it But at last the King of Great Brittain detected his deceipt which had lain hid under those delays and found out that his design was onely to gain time untill all the daughters of France were married elsewhere at least he had great conjectures of it to clear all and bring it to a conclusion he thought good that the Prince of Wales should in person go into Spain Hee had not been there many dayes before it was known both to himself and those of his Counsel that they had been untill that time entertained with vain hopes however he would not make known his resentments in a strange Country where he might receive much damage by it but being return'd into England he informed King James his Father of it with so much anger that they resolved to break with him rather sooner then later to avoid exposing themselves to the dis-esteem which other Princes might have of their management of this affair and withall to countenance the breach by the Parliaments approbation This resolve was as soon executed as concluded and King James having summoned a Parliament at least to consult on a means for recovery of the Palatinate informed them of the many reasons which he had to beleeve that the Spaniards had no intention of concluding those Propositions of marriage which had been so long in Treaty that the onely end of their design was to gain time and to fortifie themselves in the Palatinate and so to settle themselves there that shortly it would be impossible to remove them thence and therefore hee thought it fit no longer to hearken after it The Parliament were induced with so much the more ease to beleeve these reasons they having testified on divers occasions their suspicions of the Spanish tricks and in conclusion thought good not to regard any more their Propositions of the Match But the King of Great Brittain stayed not long there for the Prince of Wales his son who had now good esteem of France and a liking for the Kings Sister whom he had seen as he passed thorough that Court without discovering himself had perswaded him to give him leave to seek for that Princess in marriage which was proposed in Parliament and carried without much difficulty for many reasons which were there alledged particularly That the French being accustomed to live with those of their Religion it was to be beleeved they would not make such extraordinary demands in behalf of the Catholicks as the Spaniard would have done It was then resolved to dispatch an Ambassadour into France who might lay the first foundation of that Treaty so that the King forthwith made choice of the Earls of Carlisle and Holland The latter set forward about Mid-May He had order first to wait on the King alone and to pretend the interests of the Palatinate but indeed to discover how they would resent his Proposal and if rejected not to make any more noise of it accordingly hee met his Majesty and Compiegne he began to consider about means to recover the Palatinate and then acquainted him with a great deal of dexterity that the King his Master desired his Son the Prince of Wales might marry his sister The King who understoood that Proposals of this nature how remote soever ought not to be received but with honour testified that he had a great esteem of it and forthwith debated it with his Ministers to give him an answer it was concluded That this Match was very convenient for the Quality of his Majesties Sister That in the whole Empire there was not any more hopefull
That History records above twenty Alliances between France England and Scotland That it would be easie to assure her Ladyship the exercise of her Religion considering what had been granted to the Spaniard That great Princesses are in this particular in a worse condition than Ladies of a meaner Quality by reason half an Age hardly produceth a Match correspondent to their Birth so that having once lost their opportunities they live to see the Harvest of their Beauties reaped by years without ever marrying whereupon it was resolved to see what particular Proposals would be made this result was signified to the Earl of Holland who assured them that the King his Master would receive it with much joy yet deferring to enter into any further Treaty untill he had received particular instructions from his Majesty Who upon the receiving of that news dispatched with all diligence the Earl of Carlisle with full power to conclude the Match The Earl of Holland went to Amiers to meet him that they might confer together what they had to do and afterwards being come near to Campeign the King hearing of it commanded the Duke of Cheuruse to go receive them with twelve Coaches full of Nobility and withall to entertain them magnificently and defray their charges during their abode at Court The day after their arrival they had Audience given them and the Proposals which they made appeared so reasonable that the King presently judging that they might easily be resolved appointed Commissioners to treat with them The Cardinal was at that time newly advanced to the Administration but he made it apparent that he was not a Novice in the management of it for the King desiring his opinion of this Treaty he not onely added many other reasons to those alledged in the first consultation but moreover suggested to his Majesty such judicious means to carry on the business that he could not enough admire his Prudence Amongst other reasons of the commodiousness of this Match hee represented to him that England once leagued with France by this Alliance there was hopes that they would joyn their Forces to assist the German Princes since it was yet more for the Interest of England then France to re-establish them which being so their powers would not onely ballance those of the house of Austria but overpoize them too with never so little assistance from those Princes That the happy successe which would follow would adde as much Glory to his Crown and State as discredit and confusion to his enemies Moreover that it being very expedient to curb the Insolencies of the Hugonots this marriage would be of great use as well because it would with-hold the King of Great Brittain from assisting them as also because it might be a means to procure shipping from him for the reducing of Rochel in short That there was great hopes to beleeve the Princess might much advance the Catholick Religion in England if as there was no doubt she were beloved by the King and the Prince her Husband So that of all sides there was nothing Prognosticated but great happinesse judging it requisite to use addresse and prudence for the speedy effecting of it The King did very wel relish the Consideration and thereupon commanding him to have a particular eye upon the Treaty his judgement which presently penetrates into affairs and quickneth expeditions did negotiate it with so ready a Conduct that he shortly brought it to such a passe that it might receive a Conclusion and that which I finde in it most to be admired is That the success hath shewed he was not mistaken in his conjecture England also did forthwith joyn with France to give means to Mansfield to enter with a puissant Army into Germany that he might attempt the re-establishment of the Palatine and the year following the King of Great Brittain sent ships to the King which helped him to gain a glorious Naval victory against those of Rochel The same effects had assuredly continued without the Intregues of Madam de Cheuruse without the ill conduct of some who accompanied the Princess and without the death of King James For his Majesty from that time shewed himself so affectionate to France that one day he openly said before divers Lords of the Court that the King had gained more upon him then any of his Predecessors and that he would not onely imploy his Subjects lives but his own too in defence of his interests and to oppose the Rebels who should attempt any Insurrections in France and lesse could not be expected from the Princess in the behalf of Religion if death had not prevented that Monarch from seeing the marriage consummated for the Passion which he had already in her behalf though he had never seen her was so sensible that he was heard say with a great deal of tenderness which was taken notice of amongst other discourse of the same nature That he would quarrel with her because she would not read his Letter nor that of the Prince his son without leave from the Queen her Mother but withall that he was much bound to her because after she had read them she laid his under her Pillow but his sons in her Bosome to shew that she did rely upon him and lodge his son in her heart Politick Observation ALliances with strangers by Marriages have passed amongst others for the Principal means which are thought proper to augment the Peace and Power of a Kingdome By them it is that we oâ—ten see those great fires of War which consumed them extinguished and the sweetness of a happy Peace restored to the people Thus Hugh the Earl of Câ—aâ—lins son by his Marriage with Alice Inheritrix of the Earldome of Bourgogn restored peace to both who had along time groaned under the miseries of War Thus those great enemies which exasperated the houses of Bourgogn and Orlâ—ance were allayed for some time by the Marriage of Philip Count de Vertus second son to the Duke of Orleance who had been slain by the Duke of Burgogn with Katharine of Burgogn And to re-inforce this truth with ancient examples Thus Argas King of Cyrene promised to bestow his onely daughter Beonice upon the son of his Brother Ptolomei whereby to obliterate the memory and resentment of the hatred which had been between them But Peace is not the onely benefit recorded to attend Marriages For how often have Princes inlarged theiâ— bounds by that means Who knows not that the House of Austria had not been thus Potent but by Alliances and that the marriage of Hetiâ—gis Inheritrix of Vltrich Burg Longravat and Alsace with Albertus sirnamed the Sage of Elizabeth Inheritrix of Austria Carintia Tyrol and Goricie with the Emperour Albertus the first of Jane Inheritrix of Castile Arragon Sâ—ciliâ— and Naples with Philip Arch-Duke of Austria of Anne Inheritrix of Hungaria and Bohemia with the Emperour Ferdinand the first brother to Charles the Fifth have been the true Rise of its Grandure which was inconsiderable
any other mans of what condition so ever he be That this constraint is repugnant to the safety of Kings of which in History are many examples especially in these latter ages These reasons were very considerable but withall the Marquess D' Effiat followed them home with such address and vigour that they made the same impressions upon the Kings as they had done upon his Embassadours minds who indeed did much contribute by their Letters to bring it to a resolution Articles of Marriage between the King of Great Britain and the Princess Henrietta Maria of France THe Negotiation was so fortunate that the King consented to all those Articles which were demanded in behalf of the Catholicks and accordingly his Majesty gave command to his Embassadours to accord it and on the 10th of November they were signed by them with the Cardinal upon these conditions That the Kings Sister should have all manner of liberty to increase the Roman Catholick Apostolick Religion together with all her Officers and their children that to this purpose she should have a Chappel in every of the Kings houses a Bishop and twenty eight Priests to administer the Sacrament Preach Gods Word and doe such other Offices as their Function required That the children which should be born of this marriage should be brought up in the Catholick Religion untill the age of 13 years by the Princess That all the Domesticks which she carried into England should be French and Catholicks chosen by the most Christian King and they dying she might take others into their place French and Catholicks by and with consent of the King of Great Brittain Moreover that both the King of Great Brittain and Prince of Wales his son should bind themselves by oath not to attempt by any means whatsoever to make her change her Religion or to force her to any thing which might be contrary to it and should promise by writing upon the faith and word of a King and Prince to take order that all those Catholicks as well Ecclesiastick as secular which had been imprisoned since the last Act made against them should be set at liberty That the English Catholicks should not be any more hunted after for their Religion nor constrained to swear any thing contrary to the Catholick Religion and that such seizures of their Goods as had been made since the last Act should be restored to them And generally that they should receive more liberty and favour in respect of the Alliance with France then had been promised them upon the Spanish Treaty This was as much as could be desired for the present in behalf of Religion until the Princess who was indued with all the qualifications both of Body and Soul which could render a Princess beloved should have acquired a good power over King James his spirit and the Prince of Wales her husband and so finish the remainder which the King expected both from her zeal and behaviour with the more confidence because Ladies have a great hand over their husbands and Father in Law when they are once intirely loved by them Politique Observation THere is good reason to hope for the Conversion of a Prince from the Princess whom he marries Women have so natural an art to perswade men and to lead them to what they desire that there is hardly any thing impossible for them to do Their beauty alone hath such strong charms that they imprint in the soul by their eyes all the affections they have a mind to and the Love wherewith they are cherished gives them so great a power that if they have never so lâ—ttle ingenuity one cannot defend himself from their perswasions and if it be thus true in general it is not lesse in the particular of converting their Husbands or the People who are subject to them History is so full of Proofs of this nature that one must be altogether ignorant if he knows not that the divine Providence hath divers times made use of their means for this glorious purpose Thus Clotilâ—a daughter to the Duke of Borgogn was the occasion that Clovis one of our first Kings her husband imbraced the Christian Religion and banished Idolatry out of his States Iâ—gâ—nd Sister to Childebert King of France being married to Hermenegild King of the Gâ—ths converted him to the Holy Châ—istâ—an Faith Chieâ—umte daughter to the King of Merâ—e in England married a King of the West Saxons made him become a Christian and she her self a Saint Thâ—â—dâ—linda wife to â—â—gâ—lulph King of the Lombards perswaded him and a great part of his people to lay by their false Gods and to live under the Lâ—ws of he Gospel Gizel daughter to Hâ—nry Duke of Bavier and Sister to the Emperour Henry the first being married to Steâ—hâ—n the first of that name King of Hungaria made him and his whole Kingdome resolve to in â—race the Fâ—â—th of Jesus Christ and thus many others of the like examples do verifie that Qâ—eens have ever had a great power in this particular and the spirit of God which hath made use of them for such glorious effects saith The unbâ—lieving Husband shall bâ— sanctifiedly the believing Wife Heaven it self fights for them in such occasions when they labour for his glory besides it cannot be denyed but that their Rbetorick is perswasive that their accord do some time passe or currant and undeniable reasons that their words are charms and that their addresse is able to master the greatest courages In the midst of this diligent care which the Cardinal took for the Interests of Religion and the State his Prudence was not forgetfull of any thing which might bee thought in favour of the Kings Sister It was agreed in respect of eight hundred thousand Crowns which his Majesty gave her in marriage that she should renounce all successions either Paternal Maternal or Collateral which might befall unto her and accordingly after she had received leave from her mother the Queen Mother so to do she did renounce and the King of Great Britains Embassador did ratifie it that in future no such pretensions might arise to trouble the quiet of the Kingdomes as formerly had been Withall he took such tender care of all advantages for her that she could not suffer any inconvenience by any accident whatever It was agreed upon by his care that the Prince deceasing without issue the mony should be totally restored to her to be disposed of according to her own will whether she did live in England or in France That if he had children by this marriage there should onely be two thirds of her Portion returned the other being moveable that the last twenty of the third part should be made a yearly rent to her during her life that her Dower should be eight hundred thousand pound sterling por annum returning French mony at sixty thousand Crowns rent which should be assigned to her in Lands and Houses one of which should be such and accordingly furnished that she might make
consideration of that diversity of Religion between the Princess and the Prince of Wales his Majesty should send to his Holiness to procure a Dispensation before the Marriage were effected to obtain the said Dispensation the Cardinal proposed to the King to send Father Berule Superior General of the fathers of the Oratory and to commit the charge of it to him as a person capable of such a negotiation and whose Piety which amongst the People is extreamly recommendable might take off all shadows or apparencies which the weakness of their senses or the malice of the Spaniards might raise abroad concerning it It should seem he did fore-see that Fury wherewith the Spanish Partisans writ against this marriage So angry they were that they had not prevented it not reflecting that for eleven whole years they had testified to the world that they would have done the self-same thing But that I may not be hindred by those outragious speeches which proceeded from those spirits puft up with Ambition who then began to discover that France had a Minister capable to countermine them and to oppose their unjust designs I shall inform you that the instruction which was give to Father Berule was to go to Rome with all diligence and to obtain the Dispensation from the Pope to which purpose he was to represent to his Holiness That the King of Great Brittain having demanded the Princess Henrietta Maria the Kings Sister in marriage for the Prince of Wales his son his Majesty was the more inclinable to hearken to the Proposition because hee looked upon it as a probable means to convert the English as heretofore a French Princess married into England had induced them to imbrace Christianity But that the Honour which hee owed to the Holy Chair and in particular to his Sanctity who had formerly held him at the Font of Baptism in the name of Pope Clement the Eighth had not permitted him to conclude upon the Treaty before the obtainment of his Dispensation That this Marriage ought to be regarded for the Interest not onely of the Catholicks in England but of all Christendome who would receive great advantages by it that there is not any thing of hazard for the Princesse seeing she is as firm as could be desired both in the Faith aâ—â— Piety That she should have a Bishopâ— and eight and twenty Priests to do all Offices That she should have none but Catholicks in her Houshold That the King of Great Brittain and the Prince of Wales would oblige themselves by Writing and Oath not to solicite her directly or indirectly neither by themselves or any other persons to change her Religion Moreover that there being nothing to be feared in relation to the Princesse there were great hopes that she might be intirely beloved by the King who was well disposed already to become a Catholick and by the Prince of Wales That shee might the more contribute to their conversion in regard that women have very great power over their Husbands and Father-in-Laws when Love hath gotten any power in their affections That for her part she was so zealous in Religion that there was no doubt but she would employ her utmost industry in so pious a design That admitting God should not succeed her iâ—tentions either upon King James or the Prince of Wales there were hopes her Children might become restorers of that Faith which their Ancestors had destroyed seeing she had the education and bringing of them up in the belief and exercise of the Catholique Religion until they were thirteen years old and that their first seeds of Piety having being instilled into their souls and cultivated with carefulnesse when they became capable of good Instructions might infallibly produce stable and permanent Fruits that is so strong a Faith as might not be shaken by Heresie in a riper age And after all That the Catholiques of England would forthwith receive great advantages by it seeing both the King of Great Britain and the Prince of Wales his Son would oblige themselves by worâ— and deed not to hunt them out or when they were discovered to punish them To free out of Prison all such as were layed up to restore them their Monies and Goods which had been forced from them after the last Act if they were possible to be had and generally to treat them with more favour than if the Treaty with Spain had gone on Lastly he had order to inform the Pope that to render a greater respect to the Church he had conditioned that the Princess should be affianced and contracted according to the Catholique form like that which was observed they Charlâ—s the Ninth in the Mariage of Margarice of France with the late King Henry the Fourth then King of Navarr These things spoke in their own behalf and were so eminently visible that no doubt could be made of them The Father Berule too wanted neither Ability nor Good-will but represented them to his Holyness with such dexterity that his Sanctity gave him hopes of a favourable answer 'T is true the Pope would not grant him a dispence without conferring with the Cardinals that he might give no jealousie to Spain who had been dealt with in the very same manner when they desired a Dispensation for the Inâ—anca but they were of his own naming and such as no one could think were more subject to Passion than Justice So they met divers times about it and though it were with the ordinary delayes of the Court at Rome without which they esteem no affair can be discussed and judged with Prudence or Majesty enough yet in sine they referred the expediting of the Dispensation to the Popes pleasure All that was cross in the business was barely this Father Borielâ— being naturally addicted to refine all things was perswaded that there had not been assurances strong enough obtained from the English for the securing and hindring the placing of Protestant Officers over the Princesses children the solicitation of Officers to change their Religion the continuation of forcing English Catholiques to take Oaths of Abjuration against the Catholique Religion and the holy See though indeed it had been expresly concluded and agreed on That the King of England and Prince of Wâ—lâ—s should engage both by Writing and Oath not to enforce them any more However this induced both the Pope and Cardinals to think fit not acquainting the â—ieurâ—dâ— Bethune with it though the Cardinals Prudence had tyed up the said Father Bâ—rulâ— in his Instructions not to doe any thing without him to oblige the King in the Instrument of Dupensation to procure from the King of Great Britain new assurances in these parcicuâ—ars So that he following his own sense and specious reasons upon which he relyed his Holyness dispatched him upon those conditions and sent him back to the King with all diligence Politique Observations IF Piety prohibit Ministers to doe things contrary to Religion Prudence obligeth them to referre the management of affairs to Persons who
have the reputation of an extraordinary Honesty especially to the transacting of such things which notwithstanding their innate Justice may provoke any evil spirits For though the most upright regulate their Judgements by some Principles which serve them as a Law in the Government of a State yet the most part ghuessing onely by their own senses and apprehensions judge of the Affairs by the Persons who conduct them Opinion guides the whole world and sets a price upon virtue it self and the reputation alone of him who negotiates may cause his designs to passe under the notion of good and lawful If the Foxes good counsel be once suspected by a man he will be hardly perswaded that a Person replenished with all the ornaments of a singular integrity will engage himself in unjust designs The repute of such a person sets a value and a price upon his words and actions and the opinion which is conceived of him is so absolute an Empire that there is no Appeal from his Judgement It is an ancient saying Truth is the strongest thing in the world But however if once Opinion hath fixed her Throne in the mindes of the people Truth will have somewhat to doe to disappoint her The prescriptions of a Physitian who is in esteem doe even passe for good And the Acts of a person who hath the credit of a sublime Virtue cannot be found fault withall The wiseft of the Pagans were not ignorant hereof but made great advantages by it as occasion offered it self Scipio the African would sometimes be a long while together all alone in the Capitol pretending he did conferr with Jupiter concerning the affairs of the Commonwealth and all this he did that he might be thought to be endued with a more than humane Piety Minos the Law-giver of Candia went down to make Laws into a subterranean Cave which he called Jupiters Grot and thence brought them all written perswading the people to believe that they were inspired into him by that Divinity And this was an easie way to perswade the people to whatsoever they had a mind to God himself hath thought it very proper too when he would bring any great thing to passe for he hath chosen usually such men who by their eminent virtue are able to make all people believe that whatsoever they declare could not be but truth He hath commanded the Prophets and Apostles to publish such sayings as would jarr and clash with the senses of most men and yet he hath replenished them in respect of his choice with the many graces that it were almost impossible for the most part not to believe them The deputation of the Sieur de la Ville-aux-clercs to the King of England in the qualitie of an Extraordinary Ambassador AFter the King had payed this respect to the Pope and that the Articles of Mariage had been coucluded upon the twentieth of November His Majestie cast his eys upon the Sieur de la Ville-aux-clerâ—s one of his Councellors and Secretary of State to dispatch him into England as an Extraordinary Ambassador He gave him particular order to testifie unto the King of Great Britain and the Prince of Wales the great affection which he had to live with them in a strait and near intelligence and to assure them that one of the chiefest reasons which drew him to agree to the Mariage was the consideration that as one link of their Friendship was tyed by Blood this would render it indissolvable After these Complements were once past he commanded him to procure the Articles of Mariage to be ratified and to obtain their Oaths and Promises by Writing according to what the Ambassadors had engaged their words He discharged himself with honour both to the one and t'other Commission and having several times entertained them with the Content that his Master would conceive by their Alliance he at last concluded with such dexteritie that he had instilled into them all sorts of good will and affection for France and in particular for his Majesties Interests and so invited them to a quick consummation of the Treatie that the sudden chances which usually happen to affairs of this consequence might not breed any alteration or change This was the ground-work upon which he founded his demands for their Instruments and Oaths which had been promised and which both of them were readily disposed to effect and accordingly they promised upon the Holy Evangelist not to attempt by any wayes or means to induce the Princesse to change the Roman Catholique Apostolique Religion or to force her to any thing which might be contrary to it They likewise promised upon their Faith and words of Princes to grant to the Catholiques more Liberties and Franchises in every thing which concern'd their Religion than had been given in favour of the Match with Spain not to force them to take Oaths contrary to the Rules of the Roman Church and to take effectual care that they were no more troubled in their Persons or Estates for their Religion provided they exercised it in private and lived in obedience as good Subjects ought to doe and finally both of them signed and delivered two Deeds for the better assurance of their Oaths and Promises After all this his Instructions did not oblige him to be contented with words onely as to that which concern'd the Libertie of the Catholiques so that he proceeded with great earnestness to obtain the effects of it and he was assured that upon the conclusion of the Mariage there should be a Patent of Enlargement granted to all such as were Prisoners for their Religion-sake without being any more troubled for the future and for what related to all in general there was a Deed made under his Majesties own Hand and Seal directed to the Lord Conway Secretary of State commanding him to signifie to all whom it concern'd that it was his Majesties pleasure no farther prosecution should be made against them and accordingly the Lord Conway gave notice hereof to the Chancellor Treasurer to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and to all other chief Officers principally requiring the Grand Treasurer to restore unto them all the monies which had been forced from them and payd into the Exchequer with order not to do the like hereafter and thus by obtaining their Promises Words and Assurances they had as much security as they could wish for could they but be contented to exercise their Religion in private and without noyse Politique Observation THe word of a King hath alwayes pass'd for so sacred that ours have sometimes scrupel'd at the confirmation by Oath of what they once gave upon their words It was for that reason Saint Lewis would not swear in his own person to the League then made with Henry the third King of England at the Camp neer St. Aubin Anno 1231. but desired it might suffice if he caused it to be sworn in his name and presence by the Prior of St. Martin the fields Indeed there being nothing
summs of money or assist him with Ships according to the Proportion of that which was lent them That they should cause such French Regiments as should be entertained in Holland to be conducted to Calais or Diepe And thus in one and the same moneth the Cardinal made his entrance upon the Administration very remarkable by the resolution of the Match with England which ingaged the King of Great Brittain in his Majesties interests by the entertaining of the Spanish Forces in the Low Countries by which he diverted them from assisting the Valtolines so powerfully as otherwise they had done Politick Observation IF Marriages serve to augment the Power of a King certainly those Alliances which are made with neighbour States for reciprocal assistance in War do no less contribute towards it provided they be well established Two States well united are undoubtedly stronger then one alone and as an ancient Author saith if an enemy should prevail against one yet two would be able to oppose him Partnership is that which inricheth Merchants in Trading and Alliances enable Princes to make forraign invasions with their Forces and if there be such profit to be made out of it I suppose they are very necessary for the divine wisdome hath so disposed all Kindomes that they have all need one of another Aristotle saith nibil pâ—r se subsist it nothing is able to subsist by it self onely and if in the Microcosm every part is needfull for one another not excepting the most noble God hath also imparted Power to Soveraigns with such equality that they are never able to increase it without mutual assistance from one another Upon this foundation it is that all Alliances are established It is absurd to beleeve that the bare friendship of Princes can be a sufficient Bond seeing that it is interest which onely ties them effectually as is apparent to all men for that they usually break them when once they appear against their concernments If ever there be occasion to unite them together it is chiefly when there is danger of a common enemy and that they would hinder his growing strength and prevent him from making attempts upon their bordering neighbours and consequently upon themselves In fine it was upon that score that the Iâ—alian Ambassadors perswaded King Antiochus to league himself with them against the Romans representing to him that if he did not keep them in continual exercise they would render themselves Masters of his Allyes and then enter upon his own Country too And it was for the same reason that the Princes of the house of Orleans finding themselves too weak to make head against the Burguignions allied themselves with the English though otherwise they hated them and that Ferdinand King of Naples allyed himself with Lewis Sforza Tutor to John Galeazzi his Nephew and Laurence de Medicis that they might oppose the French who then threatned them Colonel Ornano is made Prisoner in the Bastile and thence sent to the Castle of Caen. VVHilest the King negotiated these two important Treaties and that the Cardinal gave a happy progress to them by his Counsails the Marquis de la Vieville who for the two last years had a great hand in the affairs inform'd the King that the Colonel d' Ornano Governour to the Duke of Orleans his Brother took such a course as would in time trouble the State The he had not forgot any artifice to render himself agreeable to the Monsieur and to gain such a power over his spirit that the Honour which he had to be his Governour gave him a great power in his Family That before he had gained the Mounsieurs affection he made his brags openly that he would get the Mastery over him to the intent he might raise his fortune to a higher pitch That he began to sow distrusts in the mind of that Prince and to extinguish the seeds of that Respect Love and Obedience which Nature had given to him in creating him That he took advantage of his good favour to make himself feared and that he vaunted to have done many things contrary to his duty of which there were many particulars and that he was observed to take great care to hold Intelligence with the Grandees of the Court This was so much the more to be feared for that the greatest misfortunes and the most part of Civil Wars have no other beginning then misunderstandings of Princes against their Kings The King thought good to impart it to the Cardinal and having demanded his advice of what was proper to be done in that occasion he did not at all dissemble the danger it would be to permit this procedure of the Colonel But the moderation of his spirit would not suffer him to carry him on to use such violent remedies as others did advise him to but on the contrary he represented to him that the Laws of Mercy obliged Kings to pardon the first faults of Grandees provided that they would confesse their errors especially if there be a meanes to prevent any consequence of danger That the wisest are sometimes subject to miscarriages and are also capable to repent them and afterwards to doe great services That the moderation which many wise Princes have shewed towards such offenders hath made them more faithful and affectionate then those who never committed any miscarriage at all That this Repentance was the more reasonably to be hoped from the Colonel d' Ornano who till then had lived within those limits which ought to be observed by those of his condition that his Father had given him a good example by those services which he had done until his death That he had indeed forgot himself but that his omission might be remedied which seemed to deserve pardon so much the more in regard it is almost impossible for the greatest part of Mankind not to forget themselves whenas fortune shall advance them into a place of Eminency Moreover there was reason to hope that the onely removing him for some time from the Monsieur would make him reassume his former countenance would make him sensible of his fault and he himself would easily be induced to judge that this embroyl wherein he had suffered himself to be surprised would undoubtedly precipitate him into utter ruin instead of raising him into a higher condition This counsel was accompanied with a much Prudence as Moderation and the King who is ever carried of himself to follow the best advice onely commanded the Collonel d' Ornano to retire himself to his Government of Pont-Sainct-Esprit untill he were permitted to return to the Court but the Collonel being confident that there were nothing but surmises and conjectures against him had the boldness to refuse obedience to this order perswading the Monsieur to keep him near him and to procure from the King by any extraordinary instances that he might not be forced from the Court The Monsieur beseeched his Majesties with all possible affection However the King gave him to understand that
whom assistance may be had and who if they should slip their necks out of the Collar might not do us any displeasure in it They are very necessary with the neighbouring Princes upon a place which is designed to be assaulted either in relation to Passages or in respect of having from them Ammunitions both of War and necessary victuals as there shall be occasion Hannibal knew this full well when as he was upon his expedition into Italy and made a League with the French and Spaniard he took Hostages of them and for better assurance left Garisons in many of their strong Holds The Romans did the same when they made war upon the Lacedemonians by making a League with Ptolomy King of Egypt without whose assistance that would have had somewhat to do to have passed on Besides when there is cause of suspicion of their fidelity it is necessary either to take some Persons or Places of them by way of Hostage to the end that their interest to perserve them may compel them to continue firm in their first resolutions If many of our Kings who have made expedition into Italy had taken such a course as this were it onely in point of Passages we had not seen them exposed to so many dangers nor indeed to so many disgraces yet in case by their receding they cannot cause any great incoveniences there will not then be so absolute a necessity of such security and assurances However as it ought to be taken for granted that they will start aside in case the enemy give them satisfaction to their interests so there ought still to bee Forces ready which may clap in upon them and supply their deficiencies It is a trouble to see them break their words yet a Prince shall reap this profit from a League to make it serve to give a happy beginning to an enterprise by means of such assisting forces as may be drawn from it and by dividing expence between them which else must be undergone by one alone It will not be presently fit to defie them for that would be a means to make them take to the other part but it will be needfull to have an eye upon it and to be prepared for the worst Moreover it is profitable to make Leagues not onely with States but with Princes and their Successors and to contract them with greater certainty then Edward the fourth King of England did who having recourse to one of our Kings after he had been despoyled of his Kingdome had not other answer but that the League was made with the King of England and his State and that he being no longer King of England France could not without breaking the Laws of Alliances imploy their Arms against him who was present Master of the Crown To be short it is good to be carefull that the divers constructions which may be made may not serve for a pretext for them who would fall off There must not be so much as the least starting hole left for them to creep out or to break their words especially if they make any accompt of their reputation which is inseparable from their fidelity for without that they will perchance hardly resolve to run Counter The Marquess de Coevures takes the Field to make himself Master of the Forts in the Valtoline AT the same time that the Kings orders were delivered to the Marquess de Coevures he received a dispatch from the Sieur de Bethune which told him that he despaired of getting any reason from the enemy by those ways which he had till then tried so that now he must have recourse to Nostre Dame de Frappe Fort who as soon as he had received this piece of Rallary he resolved forthwith to take the field concluding there was no reason any longer to defer it and that if he could surprize the places unexpectedly without giving them leave to provide themselves he should strike a great stroke in the businesse without any great trouble He had long before given order to 3 Swiss and 3 Grisons Collonels to raise each of them a Regiment of a 1000 men so that he had nothing else to do but to send them word to be ready on the other side the Residents of Venice and Savoy being come to him they had agreed upon all things together The Sieur de Mesnil had order to make a Magazine of Ammunition at Zurich for the Swisses and Grisons forces and the Resident of Venice undertook that the Common-wealth should make another at Bergamo for such forces as should march into the Republick that which was most troublesome was there being a necessity of discovering the design to several persons it would be impossible to keep it from being known and to hide their intentions of the time when they would enter upon the Valtoline The Popes Nuntio called Scapy and the Marquesse d' Ogliani the Spanish Embassadour had notice of it who made strong indeavours to pervent any Levies amongst the Swisses or the marching of any Troops which the King should send but all would not serve the Levy could not be obstructed for the Cantons of Berne and Zurich where they were to be made had given too particular an assurance of it by means of the money and the promises which were made them that they should be seconded with a puissant succour against any who should attempt any thing against them upon that accompt But their Contrivances and Cabals were so powerfull that the Catholick Cantons resolved to stop their Passages upon them so the Marquesse was forced to his shifts that his Majesties Commands might not be ineffectual His remedy was to cause his Horse to march four by four that is all such as were sent him from Bresse and to secure the Canton of Bern for the conduct of Vaubecourt's Regiment seeming after he was once entred as if he would force his way either by Fair or Foul means to the Grisons It was enough that these Cantons were by several Treaties bound to open their Passages to his Majesties Forces upon so just an occasion as this was and it made no great matter whether they refused it or not seeing if they should they might be forced to it without breaking the Laws of Equity Thus he being well informed of the resolution which the Nuntio and the Marquess de Ogliani had induced them to take resolved not to demand it untill he were upon the very point of passing because they should be better advised then to deny him when they find him in a condition not to be hindred they not having the least time to prepare themselves against it All things being thus in a readinesse for the beginning of the design he sent the Sieur de Lande to Zurich to discourse with the chief of the banished Grisons and to perswade them to rise and then he commanded the Sieur de Harcourt Marshal of the Field and the Sieur du Lande to joyn with Collonel Salis to enter into the Grisons to seize
being arrived and presented to his Holiness by the Sieur de Bethune he supplicated his Holiness on his Master behalf that he would bee pleased to grant him the dispensation for it The Pope receiv'd him with such honour as is due to those who are sent from the first of Christian Princes and as to that which concern'd the dispense his Holiness told him that he having already accorded one of the like to the Spaniards when as the Match with the same Prince was upon the point of conclusion with the Infant of Spaine he had done it with the advice of the Cardinals then and could not now conclude it without acquainting them with it but however promised him that they who were suspected to be against the French interest should not be called to the consultation but that others which favoured it should be put in their places but withal to testifie his good will to the King he would do one thing which he had not accorded to the Spaniards that is he would convocate the Consistory of Cardinals in his own presence that he might give the quicker dispatch to it Within in a few dayes after he named the Cardinals but he was not so good as his word in convocating them before himself whether it were that so extraordinary a grace might have exasperated the Spaniards with whom he had no great mind to embroyl himself or because he imagined the Cardinals would not meet with any so great difficulties as might require his presence for the granting of the dispense and this was as much as passed upon the first motion though afterwards many disputes did arise either because it is ordinary with those who judge of affaires in the Court of Room to seek all advantages for Religion and to raise questions where there are none that their final results may be the more vallid or else because Father Berule treating with the Cardinals in private had perswaded them to ad some other things in the dispense then had been concluded in the Articles These difficulties thus risen ingaged the Sieur de Bethune who understood not whence they came to joyn himself to the Father Berule and that he might overcome them he often represented to his Holiness that the great zeal his Master had for the Church had induced him to take a great deal of paines for the obtaining the most advantageous conditions in the Articles that could be hoped for by the English Catholiques That the Spaniards having consented that such children as should be born of this Marriage should be brought up by the Queen only until their age of twelve yeers but the King not contented with that had obtained it until the thirteenth yeer which was no inconsiderable businesse because in that age it is that children take such impressions of Religion as will not easily be rooted out in future He was not deficient in representing to him both the hapiness and glory that it would for ever be to his Popedom if the eldst son who should be born should religiously preserve those instructions in his riper age which the Queen should give him and at last establish the Church of England in it's liberty and splendour That the fruits of this Alliance were to be considered by the advantage which might happen by it hereafter especially seeing in the last Article the King of Great Brittany promised to treat with more sweetness and allow more liberty and freedom to the Catholiques in behalf of the alliance with France then otherwise he would have done for that of Spain that he was bound by oath to perform it that it was true the Spaniards had demanded more that is a publique Church in England but withal they could not procure it to be granted and that indeed there was not any thing more to be expected then what had been alreaded concluded that all which is to be wished is not alwayes possible and after all that the three principal things which ought to be considered had been agree to which was the assurance of the Princess her conscience the education of such children as God should blesse her with and the liberty of Catholique he also went and related the same to the Deputies At last after three several meetings upon the business they thought so much had Father Berule possessed them with hopes when he discoursed with them in private that neither they nor the Pope himself could safely grant the dispeâ—se according to those Articles which had been concluded between the two Crowns but they would needs have this added that those servants who were to wayt upon such children as God should give to the Princess should be Catholiques and chosen by her during the age that they were to be under her goverment That the English should not by any means endeavour to draw off the Princesses servants from the Catholique Religion nor those of the Messieurs her Children whilst they should remain with her Lastly that the King of England should swear not to fail in either of those two things and that the King of France should promise his Holiness to cause those Articles to be observed to which the King of England should oblige himself The Sieur de Bethune did much wonder that they should so earnestly ad those Conditions to the Articles which were not only capable of retarding but also of quite breaking of the match and consequently bring the English Catholiques into a greater persecution then ever But all was an effect of Father Berules zeal which was a little too hot and which prepossessed both the Pope and Cardinals with such strong impressions that they were irresistably bent upon it this good man making it appear by his transaction that the most spiritual men are not alwaies the most proper persons to be imployed in negotiation of State by reason of the subtlety of the spirits which do refine things a little too much and their perverseness in opinion which is common to them with all others and which doth often keep them off from complying with the Lawes even of a necessity it self Politique Observation IT is a great Imprudence in an Embassadour to move contrary to his Instruction and to raise difficulties in a business which is committed to him by following his own sense Orders are to Embassadours as Compasses to Pylots and as a Pylot exposeth himself to the danger of Shipwrack when as he will take no other guide in his voyage but his own Caprichio so an Embassadour endangereth the success of his negotiation if he doth neglect to follow those Orders which are given to him he ought to consider that the person who imploys him hath more knowledge of the Affair then himself That he not having given him a full Liberty to do whatsoever he should think fit those are the onely means which he is commanded to follow that must guide him to the end of his Affair and that if he doth not adhere to them he doth not onely run the hazard of losing himself but also
of bringing his Master into such trouble as he wil have somewhat to do ere he get clear of them The Athenians did heretofore think this to be a business of so great importance that they condemned their Embassadours to die whom they had sent into Arcadia for onely returning home by another Coast then that which they were commanded though they had well dispatched the Affair they were imployed on as it is reported by Elian It is true the face of things may alter after an Embassadours departure and if so he must have his eyes in his head it being permitted him to vary the means which are prescribed to him for the easier obtaining the end of his Affair But in case Affairs be not altered he is bound to stick close to his Instructions under penalty of being very faulty Manlius did not spare his own son for fighting with the Enemy contrary to his order though he got the better of them for a Captain never ought to assault an Enemy contrary to his Generals command though he be assured to overcome him And that Embassador deserveth severely to be chastised who shall propose things contrary to those which are commanded him for the management of a Treaty is sometimes not a jot less considerable to the good of a State then the Conduct of a War Those spirits which are most acute and subtle are most subject to slip into this defect because they are more wedded to their own opinions and will ever be refining of things more then need requires esteeming more their own thoughts then all the orders which shall be given to them and this is it which made Thucydides say Those Souls which are a little more steady are propperer for negotiations then those which are so full of mettle and sprightfulness The difficulties which did arise in pursuance of the dispence for the Match with England THE Dispensation was sent to the Nuntio with expresse order not to deliver it untill the King of England should ingage himself by Oath to observe those Conditions which his Holiness had inserted and untill the King of France had given it under his hand that he would undertake and promise to see all the Articles to which the King of England should ingage to be fully accomplished The Nuntio gave notice of this order which the Pope had sent him to the King and his Majesty was not a little surprized at it to find himself reduced to the making of new conditions with the King of England and to seek for a new dispence from Rome when some moneths had been passed over in the soliciting for the former Indeed it was so much the more troublesome in respect that these obstructions might totally break it off which might not onely breed quarrels between the two Crowns but divers mis-fortunes upon the Catholicks in England A Conference was at last had with the Nuntio and it was there represented to him of how little importance these new Articles â—ere in comparison of the danger of a total breach to which it did expose things especially seeing that the Children were to be brought up by the Princess that is by her Domestiques and servants and by those of the Princess were to be Catholicks which did tacitely imply that the Children should be brought up by Catholicks This was easie to be demonstrated but the Nuntio being of an impertinent nature in affairs as also obliged to follow his Holinesses Interests beseeched the Ministers to find out some expedient to satisfie his Holiness without imbroyling the business with the King of England promising that he would write to him very effectually about the necessity that did appear for the taking away all obstructions and difficulties which might bring any delay to the marriage In prosecution whereof the Earls of Carlisle and Holland were consulted with and the King writ to his Majesty of England to desire him to condiscend to those alterations which the Pope had made letting him see how frivolous they were The King of England did not receive the news without much wonder but however seeing it had been agreed that the children who should be born of this match were to be educated by the Princesse untill their respective ages of thirteen years and that her servants were to be Catholicks and to have all freedome for the exercise of their Religion hee consented to all that was desired as that the Officers of those Children should be Catholick and should have no trouble in their Religion accordingly hee sent all manner of assurances to the King but not a word of swearing to it which was enough without urging him to take his oath for performance The King gave all those assurances in writing which his Holiness expected the Princess also writ a Letter to the Pope wherein she promised upon her Parol not to chuse any Officers for those Children which God should hestow upon her but such as should be Catholicks All Conditions being thus resolved on it was verily beleeved there could be no further difficulties raised at Rome There were two extraordinary Courtiers dispatched one by Sea the other by Land to the Sieur de Bethune with Orders to procure the dispense to bee amended withall expedition and to beseech the Pope in his Majesties name to dispatch it according to the Articles which had been newly agreed on without exacting a new Oath The Sieur de Bethune having received one of these Dispatches acquitted himself of his duty with all kind of Prudence and did not forget to use his very utmost diligence to procure that satisfaction for his Majesty he spake to the People with a great deal of affection by re-presenting to him those great blessings which heaven had bestowed on the Church since his Majesty came to the Crown and with what zeal his Majesty had imployed his Arms against the Hereticks all which ought to make him be much esteemed by the holy Chair in regard his demands could not be refused without some kind of injustice both in relation to the acknowledgements which are due to him as also because his Actions gave great assurance that he would never omit any occasion which might tend to the advantage of the Church He forgot not to represent to him the dangers that would ensue from a total breach by the longer retardment of concluding the marriage and the severe usage that the Catholiques in England would consequentially lie under That what his Holiness had thought fit to adde to the Articles already concluded on was in a manner included in them already and that the chief executing of them would rest upon the discretion of those who should have the honour to be neer the Princess however that his Master the King that he might testifie the respect which he bore his Holiness had written to the King of Great Brittain who had consented to it excepting onely in the point of taking a new Oath which he would no more press him upon in regard of that Oath which he had
The King granted him his demands and the Queen of Great Brittain departed about the beginning of June She was accompanied on the way by the Queen Mother the Queen Regent Monsieur the Kings Brother and almost all who were considerable in the Court going thorough Amiens she was received there with the same honour as is do to the King himself he having so commanded it In this place shee took her Leave of the Queen Mother but the Queen Regent accompanied her two leagues farther on and Monsieur the Kings Brother attended by most part of the Court conducted her to Boulongne where she was imbarked in the greatst Ship of the Ocean which was richly prepared for her The Windes were so favourable that the whole Fleet came safe to Dover without any let where the Cannons Drums and Trumpets endeavoured in emulation of one another to testifie their noyse which should most welcome her with there greatest mirth at her first entrance The King had caused a house to be built of Timber work upon the Rivers side where the Perfums and pleasant smels might make her an exchange of those ill sents of the Sea into an ayr of Amber Orange and Jessamy Flowers The King of Great Brittain whom she had sent to entreat he would be pleased to stay until the morrow before he saw her by reason of the disorder she had been in upon the Sea came accordingly the day after to meet her with all that was Illustrious in his Court and shewed That Love and Gallantry did equally possess his Soul by those respects and extraordinary inventions to render her first entrance pleasing to her They dined together and that night lay at Canturbury where the Mariage was consummated to the equal contentment of the two Crowns of France and England Politique Observation MAgnificence is one of the greatest virtues which gives most luster to Kings who are no otherwise esteemed great but by their abilities to do greater things then others That is it which makes their names glorious amongst Strangers and likewise procures them more respect from their own subjects Philosophers say actions ought to be proportionate to the quality of the subject which produceth them whence it comes to passe that that of Kings being the most eminent of al others they should not do any but magnificent things and thus the Emperor Dioclesian said publiquely If this virtue be wel beseeming them they are not at any time more obliged to exercise it then at their own or those of their Families mariage for at such times most especially it is that strangers and their own subjects too do resort in greatest abundance to their Courts which at other times they themselves are but seldome seen so that it cannot but be a thing of great concern then to give them impressions of an extraordinary respect to the doing of which no doubt but the lustre of noble and magnificent Actions doth very much contribute Withall if expences ought to be regulated by the occasions upon which they are made what more honourable and worthy subject can they be bestowed on then either their own or the marriages of those of their Blood Besides seeing Wealth is not given them by Heaven but onely to be honourably imployed how much would any niggardliness be exploded and found fault with on such occasions as those are would it not passe for an extream meanness of spirit The goods of private men are their own and for their own uses insomuch that they have full power to dispose of them as they please but it is not so with Kings they are obliged to imploy that which is lent them towards the acquiring a respect necessary for the impressing of that Reverence and Honour into the Minds of the People which is due unto them Those great Costs and Charges which are layed out on frivolous matters are as soon forgotten as the whistling of the Wind neither do they carry with them the reputation of being magnificent but it is not so when well used and when they are expended upon urgent occasions and great affairs It is to imitate God if done in order who hath not onely the power of working outward Miracles but also of doing them with weight number and measure It is most certain Kings cannot in any thing more imitate the Divine Majesty then in rendring themselves admired amongst men by their magnificent Actions to which purpose a noble expence doth extraordinarily much conduce Intreagues of the English Embassadour with some Ladies of the Court discovered by the Cardinal THe great Delays which were used in the Court of Rome in the procuring of the dispense for the Marriage forced the English Embassadour to a long stay in France Now whether it were for diversion or to make any advantage by their stay they strook into acquaintance with certain Ladies under pretence of Gallantry but indeed that they might dive into the particular Affairs of France and to get into the Power of such who were able to make Intreagues that they might do something as occasion should serve for their Masters advantage Their meetings were so frequent that it gave a cause of suspicion especially to those who were not ignorant that Women do neither want Craft or Malice in their Souls to raise Factions and foment them There were many entertainments made at the Court to serve for a pretext to their interviews It was well known that there had been divers Essays made to gain such persons as were near to those Ladies and had some share in their beleef and withall some small beginnings of discontent insomuch that the King was acquainted with it and concern'd to redress it by removing some of those Ladies further of amongst others the Dame de Vervet was one and to fore-see that the excesse of their conservation might not produce other effects then those of Gallantries But as they verily beleeved the Cardinal to have been the Promoter of his Majesties resolution in that thing so they conceived so great a hatred against him that they had much ado to be induced to pardon him though hee did not for his part much trouble himself at it for that he onely acted for the service of his King and the good of the State Politique Observation THough Women are evidently known by Wise men to be incapable of conducting any great Affairs yet they are sufficiently able to breed divisions and broyls as also to disclose any secrets Their Souls are naturally replenished all over with deceit to insnare and that Love in which they are dexteriously skilfull to ingage men gives them so absolute an Empire over them that there is hardly any thing which they cannot discover or perswade them to do if once they make it their business That weakness of theirs which layes them open to be Preyed upon is the thing which gives them most Power over mens Souls were they but a little stronger to defend themselves from the contrivances of those who have designs upon them they
his obedience if he should faile in that which did belong to him or his part but he was hindred by those of his counsel who represented to him that it was unlawful for him to make any such condition The subtil means which the Cardinal used to joyne the Princes of the lower Saxony into a league with the Auseatique towns against the house of Austria THough Peace was very necessary for France yet it was no lesse needfull to prevent the rising of the house of Austria in Germanie which had usurped the Lands of divers Princes there and oppressed their liberties especially since the Treaty of Vlm For the same reason it was that the King of great Brittaine sending Count Mansfeld with an Army to endeavour the restablishment of his Brother in Law the Palatine his Majesty ayded him with two thousand Horse and a good summe of mony but these Forces were not enough to oppose those of the Emperor but it was requisite to send more and greater England would have engaged the King to have joyned in an Offensive league and declared the war against him but it was improbable his Majesty would hearken to such proposals for that affairs were not in a condition fit for such an attempt so they were rejected But the Prudence of Monsieur the Cardinal which is never deficient in the finding out expedients fit for the greatness his Master and did give life and heat to that designe which the Princes of Germany had heretofore resolved on of putting themselves into the field in defence of their liberty and for the restablishing of those who had been forced out of their States The King who hath a most admirable apprehension to Judg of those counsels which are given quickly conceived the goodness of this and in order therunto he sent about the end of the year last part the Sieur de la Picardiere to the King of Denmark the Princes of the Lower Saxany and the Auseatique Citties His instructions were to represent to the King of Denmark and those other Princes that the King his Master did hear with much joy their resolution to take up Arms for the establishing of the Prince Elector and his Brothers and to repel those menaces wherewith they were threatned and the ancient friendship which had alwayes kept their States in good Union obliging his Majesty to be sollicitous of their Interests had induced him to send a proffer unto them of what ever was within his power They had beseeched his Majesty not to engage himself in any league with Germany without giving them notice of it which he had not only order to assure them of but also to promise them the summe of a Million of livures in two years time and French Troops besides He had moreover express order to excite them to a quick dispatch because experience hath made it evident on a thousand occasions that the successe of most enterprises doth usually depend upon the ready and dexterous excecuting of them and that when as much time is taken in deliberation the most favourable oportunities are lost by it But these reasons were needless for by that time that he came to them he found them with their Arms in their hands and the King of Denmark had already sent some Forces by Sea to joyne with those of the other Princes who began to threaten the Empeour and forced him to send Count Tilly to advance towards them for the opposing of their designs Yet he did not a little heighten their resolution setting them on by proposing to them what a glory it would be to them to restablish their Allyes and also by telling them with oportunities of advantage they had against the Emperours Forces who were but weake and much dispersed by reason of the warres in Italy and the Valtoline whereas their Army was fresh and numerous and all their Forces met in a Body together He had particular order not to demand any thing in prejudice of the Catholiques His Majesty having no other end in his intentions but the setling the Liberties of Germany and the restating of those Princes Who had been clapt out of their States And whereas of lower Saxony is composed of several Auseatique Citties as well as Princes which Towns and Citties were no lesse against the war then the Princes were for it by reason their Traffick was into Spain and they much suspected least if they should declare against the house of Aâ—stria the Spaniard would then stop their Ships and break their Trade He was commanded to visit them in his progresse and to perswade them to associate themselves with the Princes in the league as also to contribute toward the maintenance of the Army and to represent to them that in case they should refuse to joyne in the designe they would then run a very great hazard least the King of Denmark fall upon them who had an old grudg to them and only wanted such a pretence to be upon them especially now that he had his Arms in his hand and that if he should be to weak to force them he might however easily enough ruin their Trade particularly that of Danzik and Lubâ—c and of other places too by stopping up the straight of the Zound by which their Ships must necessarily passe and also that of Hambourg and Breme by building some Forts on the Rivers Elve and Vezel which do belong unto him That in case such a misfortune should befal them all their Allyes would undoubtedly abandon them That the King of Spain could not assist them he being to far off that he had not one Ship upon that Sea and that as for himself and the King of great Bâ—ittâ—ige they could not in consideration of the King of â—enâ—ark take care or notice to hinder the Hollanders from seizing on their vessels between Calis and Dover which should make any voyadge into Spain which being so their Commerce would be for ever ruined and decayed so that it would bee much better for them to league themselves with the Princes which if he should do his Majesty would undertake their protection against all their enemies and that the King of England and Hollanders too would give them the same assistance These were the chief Instructions which the Sieur de la Picardier received and all which he effected with so great judgement and good successe that he he went not from them untill he had seen their Army march into the field and perswaded the Auseatique Towns to joyn in League with the Princes This was not a work of small importance for the resolution of this Enterprize was one of the chief motives which induced the Spaniards to conclude the Treaty of Mouson forced them to abandon the Valtolinâ— and to relinquish the designs which they had in Italy and leave all the rest of the Allies of France remain in peace and quiet His Majesty testified to him that he was well pleased with his conduct and management of the businesse for carrying on to that
things to that passe that they might have none above them but God to Pray too The other was to form so powerful a Party amongst the Princes that they might be able to give the Law to his Majesty to constrain him to banish the Cardinal and to compel him to be ruled by their directions This Cabal consisted of a great many persons which as it could not be done but with a multitude so there wanted not some who spake very rashly of it There were divers reports spreadabroad of what they intended which were published though whisperingly with a great deal of insolency and at the same time it was known that a Favourite of Buckingham's said openly in England That there was so great a Faction contriving against the King and carried on by Monsieurs Councellours that all the Catholicks of the Queens house might be driven out without any danger and Heretiques placed in their room though contrary to the Articles of marriage There were some two of the Bourbonnois ingaged in this Combination who talked so openly and confidently that notice being given of it to the King and his Ministers it was adjudged that they intended to carry things to extremity and that it would not be much amiss to give Commission of Enquiry to the Vice-Seneschal of the Bourbonnois to make enquiry of the truth who gave a great light of the whole matter by his informations It was likewise discovered that Madam de Cheâ—â—reuse being discontented that her private intelligences with the English Embassadour were so publickly taken notice of did not a little promote the undertakings by her animating of Monsieur the Grand Prior and Chalais to execute it both which were ingaged by love to her as also that the Colonel de Ornano abusing Monsieurs goodnesse and the credit which his place gave him did absolutely divert him from the marriage which his Majesty had so earnestly desired should be celebrated The Cardinal on the other side having been acquainted that Louvgry who was one of the cabal being deeply in love with a Lady of quality had discovered to her the summe of their design and amongst other things had assured her that Chalais was one of the chief instruments in the enterprise he resolved to go passe away some time at Chailliot in Chalais father in Laws house that he might the better make use of his prudence to discover more particulars of the business His design took effect and as there are few things in his wish which the greatness of his prudence cannot accomplish it is said that he found a device to learn several things from Chalais own mouth and that he assured him both of his own assistance and his Majesties favour in case he should do that which was desired of him in this business of discovery He likewise found out how the Colonel d' Ornano was the Ringleader of the Plot hurried into it by like for fear lest if Mounsieur should marry his Princesse would assume to her self those advantages which he then had over his Spirit That their chief end was to unite all the Princes so close together that they might enforce his Majesty not to remove any of them from the Court and with all to permit them to live in the same licentiousness that they had a long while formerly enjoyed That to this effect they endeavoured the breaking of the match between Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Mâ—ntpensier and to bring on that of Madamoiselle de Bourbon which would more neerly ingage Monsieur to their Interests or else to perswade him to marry some other stranger Princesse which might be a means to shelter and defend their designs by the Forces and assistances which they might reasonably expect from such a family That this once effected they intended the Count de Soissons should marry Madamoiselle de Montpensier that the Houses of Guise and Bourbon might be united together and in this manner they would in a moment huddle up together almost all the leading potent persons of Court It was no small advantage for the Affairs of the State to know that end this Cabal did drive at The Cardinal was not defective in acknowledging the services which Chalais had done in that particular and he might certainly have made very great advantages by it had he not relapsed into former contrivances and designs Politique Observation IT is a very great Imprudence to ingage in any Faction against the Prince of State under hope of not being discovered It cannot be denied but most ill-doers do believe their disorders will lye concealed For who would commit them if he thought he should be detected But who knoweth not that there is a certain blindness which attendeth on sin like a thick curtain spread over the eyes of the Soul which obstructeth the seeing such things as are most in themselves perspicuous and hurrieth the mind into excesse of Rashness Whosoever will suffer himself to be reduced by the Error must of necessity be ignorant of what the Son of God hath said in the Gospel That there is nothing hid which shall not be found out nor nothing how secret soever but time shall discover God who over-ruleth Kingdoms and watcheth for their conservation will not permit that those Plots and conspiraces which are contrived against them by some particular persons should remain concealed and it oftentimes so fals out That Justice being guided by his Providence causeth the very Authour himself to become the discoverer before he be aware of it All great secret is a great Burthen to the Bearer and experience hath often shewed that it is almost impossible for a man to keep it any long time without disburthening his Breast of it If perchance a man hath the power to bridle his tongue from discovering it yet can he never forbear the discovery of it by some Actions which will speak it to those of understanding And truly it seem God permitteth it so to be for the glory of innocence under whose Laws few would enforce themselves to live if Treachery had discretion enough to conceale it self Aristole did judiciously answer him who demanded what was the most difficult thing in the World when he said that it was to conceal that which was not fit to be made known since no man could be thought capable of keeping a secret but he who could indure a burning Coal upon his Tongue Indeed whatever is once known to three persons is quickly after made common to all for that each of them having an itching desire to speak of relateth it to his friend and so from one to another it comes to be published According to which History too hath recoreded many wicked designs closely contrived yet at length brought unto light Plutarch saith that in the Cyprian War one Aristocrates chief of the Messenians was the cause of their being cut in peeces by a notable peece of Treasons into which the desire of rule had ingaged him and that twenty years after it pleased God to permit
ALthough it be expedient to detect the chief contrivers of a compiracy either against the Publique quiet or their Kings person yet wise Politicians have not thought it proper to prey too exactly into all the complices or the plot it self if any great number of potent leading men have ingaged in it It being to be feared least either their quality or number might draw others in or that the pretences of their design might be so specious that many persons might be concerned in it who never knew at all the true depth of the business It was upon this accompt that the Senate of Rome condemned Lucius Vectius and Tarquinius for discovering that Caesar and Cressus were parties in Catalines conspiracie it being by them feared and that with reason least a greater number who were admirers of those two eminent persons might betake themselves to the same party A little dissembling upon such an occasion will be more then the strictest inquisition as Pompey made appear upon Sertorius his death for Perpenna having sent him a great chest full of Letters which the Romans had sent to Sertorius ingaging themselves in his quarrel he would not read one of them but cast them all into the fire fearing least instead of one Sertorius twenty might spring up in Rome when they should find themselves discovered and for his part it was not his desire to force or oblige them by violence to unite themselves together for their own defence Thus Alexander having intercepted some of Darius his letters by which he had incouraged certain Grecians of his own Army to kill him was in a great doubt whether he should suppresse or discover them at least to those to whom they were directed but having asked Parmenios advise in the business he was counselled not to speak of it to any one whatever because in a multitude there are never wanting some seditious persons who only lack a head and prop to make the wickednes of their hearts apparent and are naturally so base-minded that the bare report of a Faction is ground enough to ingage them in it Certain Broyles sprung up in the Court of England by the ill Counsel of some of the Queens household THe Court of France was not the only Scean of Factions England was no lesse pestered with imbroyles by those divisions which happened between the King and Queen but ended by the returning into France all the Queens officers though by the Articles of marriage it had been concluded That her Majesty should be attended by officers who were French and Catholiques But it was most certain the English never intended long to keep them which they sufficiently shewed by the entertainment given them at Dover where they could hardly get meat for their mony and soon after their arrival they laid hold on several occasions to put what that had concluded on in execution It is reported that some Ecclesiastiques and women did sow jealousies and discontents between the King and Queen which exasperated the King very much against them whereupon the Duke of Buckingham designed that his Wife Sister and Niece might be her Bed-chamber Women which being contrarie to the Articles of Marriage which did prohibit any to bear office in the Queen's Family who were not Catholiques it was denied him which angered him the more in regard he had used to dispose of all affairs in England with a great deal of Authority It was indeed proposed not long after to do that Honour to his Mother who was a Catholique and to his Wife who was that way inclined but he being unsatisfied with it did from that time forward use his utmost endeavours to foment and revenge it But it is on the other side reported that Madam de Cheuureuse discontented in the French Court and having got a good acquaintance in England blew the Coales of this division only to be revenged and withal that Buckingham was much blamed by the Parliament of England for having admitted of divers Articles the Treaty of Marriage which were prejudicial to the Religion of the Country and threatned to be called to an accompt for a vast summe of mony which was pretended he had diverted to his own use Now to satisfie the Parliament who are of great power in England he made it his business to fall upon the Catholiques especially the Queens officers and all that he might testifie to the Parliament how he would conform himself to their pleasure in every thing But he was vexed most of all when he went into Holland upon some affairs with design to passe to the Court of France and the King gave the King of England to understand that he did not like of the Journy The Earle of Holland too did not a little set on those divisions for that the French who were neer the Queen had hindred him from being over-seer of her Majesties Revenue and had perswaded her to bestow that place upon the Bishop of Mande which exasperated him very much so that he made use of his power both with the King and Bukingham to drive on the business to such a height that it was at last concluded that all her Majesties officers should be returned into France which was accordingly performed and about the beginning of August they were forced to crosse the Sea Politique Observation IT is Common upon the marrying of great Princesses with a Forraign King to give them officers of their own Country but it is seldome seen that they continue any long time neer them It cannot be avoided but that there will jealousies and heart burnings arise between them and the Natives of the Country concerning their enjoying those offices which they believe are due to themselves which jealousie doth usually raise such storms that their ruine is included in it but admit no jealousie did arise yet the meer diversity of their language and Customes were enough to create differences and divisions between them Forraign officers cannot forbear discoursing together in their own language which createth suspitions in those who understand it not By reason of the diversity of their fashions they laugh at one another which commonly breeds quarrels between them and withall let a man be never so complaisant in his humour yet there is alwayes a jealous eye upon them that they contrive some thing against the State Of this there are divers examples in all times as particularly in the raign of Francis the first in which Bellay reporteth that Affairs were very much imbroyled by strangers instancing the Bishop of Liege the Prince of Orange the Marquis of Mantua and Andreas Doria hence Bodin in his Commonwealth doeth much blame the Venetians for admitting of all kind of strangers amongst them Lypsius observeth That as when many crickets come into a house it is one assured sign of their sodaine destruction so when a great multitude of strangers shall live in a Nation it is a certain Index of some revolution neer at hand Indeed they have not usually any great deal of affection
burned by the Hangman That for reparation of such a proceeding the said Bishop should be sent Prisoner under a safe conduct to Paris That his Benefices should in the mean time remain in his Majesties hands and that he should pay ten thousand Livres fine for his said fault The Judgement was put in execution with the usual form excepting onely as to the Bishops being sent to Paris so that he resolving not to suffer himself to be thus despoiled of his Goods thought his best course to send to the King to pacifie him for his rashnesse as also he gave order to one of his Vicars to absolve the Sieur Guillet and to license the going on of the Fortifications Politique Observation AMongst the sundry Priviledges which our Kings bestow on those whom they call to their service one of the most just and ancient is that they may not be Excommunicated by the Prelates for such actions as they do in discharge of their duties There need no other evidence of it but reason it self and the order established by God between the Spiritual and Temporal Power which is such that either reserving himself within his prescribed bounds ought not to attempt upon the others Power And doth not History furnish us with divers examples which are as so many proofs in this particular I have seen an Act resolved by an Assembly selected in Normandy dated the year twelve hundred and five which containeth that no Arch-Bishop or Bishop may Excommunicate any Barons Bayliffs or Serjeants without his Majesties permission and the Arch-Bishop of Roijen thereupon promised his Majesty in the year twelve hundred and seventeen not to excommunicate any of his Officers without his consent The Bishop of Chartres in the year thirteen hundred sixty nine having attempted to Excommunicate the Kings Officers at Manto was condemned by a Judgement to recall the Excommunication or lose his Temporal Goods which were taken into Custody The Official of Roijen in the same manner too having thundred out an Excommunication against one of the Kings Bayliffs in the year thirteen hundred and seventy who refused to deliver a Clerk to him whom he had taken Prisoner in coloured cloaths was condemned by a judgement of the same nature to take off his Excommunication And was not a Cardinal Bishop of Mans condemned by an Arrest in the year one thousand four hundred sixty and five to absolve those Officers of his Majesty whom he had attempted to excommunicate with an inhibition not to attempt the like any more hereafter The Parliament of Grenoble approving of the Cardinal de Clermonts power who was the Popes Legate in Avignon in the year fifteen hundred and sixteen declared That the Kings Officers who were in his jurisdiction should not be any ways liable to Ecclesiastical censures or interdictions And when the Bishop of Castres excommunicated two Councellours of Tholouse in the year one thousand five hundred sixty six was he not adjudged to pay ten thousand Livres fine and to repeal his Excommunication besides And of latter time when the Cardinal de Sourdis attempted to excommunicate certain Counsellours of the Parliament Anno one thousand six hundred and six his Temporalties were seized on and himself condemned by Arrest of the said Parliament to call in his Excommunication It were easie to alledge many more like examples But besides though there are proofs enough to convince that this priviledge doth really belong unto the Kings Officers It is expresly said in the Arrest against the Bishop of Chartres made on the year thirteen hundred sixty nine and in those Articles proposed to the Assembly Anno fiteen hundred eighty three at St. German en Lay that they have injoyed it time out of mind Neither is this priviledge particular to them alone for Matthew Paris saith in the life of Hâ—nry the second King of England that the King of Englands Officers could not be excommunicated unlesse the Prelates had first obtained his Majesties leave for it Anno 1627. The Insolent Revolt of the Rochelois EVERY one verily beleeved considering the Peace concluded with the Spaniards and Hugonots That France which had a long while like a floating Vessel been Weather beaten would now cast Anchor in a quiet setled Harbour It was every mans hope now to injoy the fruits of so many labours and that the Clouds passing away would make room for Serene Calms But just as it was going to this Port the Hugonots and most of the neighbour Princes appeared on the shore to prevent its settlement on Land They raised new stirs they cast up Shelves of sand upon one another and beat the Waves with such violence and fury that the end of one storm was but the beginning of another and that a greater then the former Those of Rochel having been of late accustomed to live in an insolent licentiousnesse could not indure to see the Articles of Peace which the King had accorded to them put in execution and Rebellion had taken so deep rooting in their minds that the yoke of Obedience was become insupportable to them they could not permit that the Rules of Commerce observed over all France should be taken notice of amongst them The cutting off of that absolute authority which they had made use of in the Isles of Ree and Oleron and other places bordering upon their City was looked on as an outrage the excercise of the Catholique Religion being settled amongst them was esteemed as a great slavery and as a rigorous constraint imposed upon that whereof they made profession They complained of those Souldiers in Fort Lewis and the Isles of Ree and Oleron left there only to prevent their relapsing into their former insolencies as a most insufferable tyranny They resented his Majesties Commissaries Acts in order to the execution of the Treaty as so many unjust attempts upon their Liberties and would needs have it be believed that the continuation of Fort Lewis was a breach of those promises which had been made to them These were the Chief complaints which they every where spred abroad These were the Griefs which filled their Manifests These were the Motives which they made use of to perswade the rest of the Hugonot Towns to revolt to form themselves into a Commonwealth and to obtain that by force from his Majesty which with Justice they could not expect But these complaints were made with little reason for that subjects cannot pretend any thing for their attempting on their Kings authority and accordingly the answer which they could have when they had the boldness to present them either to his Majesty or his Minister was That being born subjects to his Majesty they neither ought or could pretend to any exemption from the Laws of obedience That their complaints of violencies offered to their Religion was groundless for that they had a full liberty of conscience under his Majesties protection and that all such as troubled them in it were chastised as disturbers of the publique Peace That true it was
to lose these hopes sent amongst the Deputies the Sieur de Blancard a person of quality to procure a quick dispatch they had many fair promises made them and a confirmation of whatever had formerly been resolved on so that the Revolt was now concluded on It was so much the easier to obtain those succours for that of late England had conceived some ill designs against France It much troubled them to see the Hugonot Party and those of Rochel reduced to greater weaknesses then ever and they took so great a share in their Interest that one of the Chief Ministers of State there said in full Counsel that it was less considerable to his Majesty to lose Ireland then to suffer Rochel to be taken by the King of France Withal Buckinghams particular Spleen which carried himself and swayed most of the great ones there did not a little encrease it who were all mad to be dealing with France so much do Courtiers follow the inclinations of Favorites We have in the former year laid down the causes of his particular hatred I shall now only add the resentment which he took at his Majesties denial to let him come into France was that and only that which incensed him to that height But the Cardinal foreseeing what effects that refusal would in reason produce advised his Majesty to permit him to come to the Court assuring him that it would be easie to raise some advantages out of that earnest passion which he had to come thither and that at last he could only end as Icarus did who perished for aspiring too high Yet however the Queen Mother seconding the Kings resolution for his non-admittance she became Mistres of the Counsel which so exasperated Buckingham that he vowed shortly to come into France so well attended that they should not be able to deny him entrance Madam de Cheureuse who was discontented too and then in Lorrain did not a little blow the Coales of his passion and serve to nourish his anger but as it would have been more to his discredit then Honour to have openly declared it so he wanted some pretences to cloak it He pretended that the King of England his Master had been surety for the performance of those promises which the King and his Ministers had made to the Hugonots upon the conclusion of the Peace Now the Chancellor having told their Deputies in presence of the English Ambassadours that though the King could not be induced to assent unto the demolition of Fort Lewis yet that they might hope for it from his Bounty in Time in case they lived within the bounds of a due obedience These hopes would he needs have passe for absolute promises and for Articles agreed on with Ambassadours and in prosecution of them he would fain have it be believed that the King his Master was bound by way of caution to see the demollishing of it put in execution He had likewise the boldness to let the King know from his Master of Great Britain by his Ambassador that he was likewise ingaged to see the performance of a certain Declaration made to the Hugonots by the Earle of Holland and the Lord Charlton Extraordinary Ambassadours then at that Treaty in which they had construed the Chancellour Haligres words in that sence as was most agreeable to the Hugonots and all that they might ingage them the more unto their Interests and not want a pretence to imbroyle things when ever they had a mind to it But it was absolutely denied that the King of England did ever become engaged to see those promises made to them of Rochel performed or that he had been treated with or his Ambassadours in any sort whatever But on the contrary it was represented to them how it was not forgotten what message his Majesty then sent to the Earle of Holland and the Lord Charleton by the Duke of Cheureuse and the Bishop of Mande which was that in case they should pretend to intermeddle in the Treaty the King would not give his consent to any thing but if upon condition that the King of England would engage to assist him with a strong Fleet to compel the Rochelois if they should fall back from their duties This had been told them once and again and that plainly enough as also confirmed by Monsieur the Cardinal so that their pretences of the King of Great Britains being Pledge for Performance of those Articles granted to the Rochelois were groundless as also that frivolous pretext of making use of the Earle of Hollands and the Lord Charleâ—ous Declaration which being a thing of their own drawing and done as best pleased themselves was of no value However it was one of the chiefest Arguments they made use of in their Declaration to justifie their Arms when they entred upon Ree And the Duke of Buckingham manifested to all people that his only design was to protect the Rochelois and reformed Churches of France though it was not unknown that his private Spleen was the true cause of his design yet he was cunning enough to dissemble it to the King of England and pretend assisting of the Rochelois and withal to assure him that the whole party of the Hugonots would revolt and upon the arrival of his Fleet put such and such Towns into his hands that he might set on foot his old pretences upon France and enter upon it with security and advantage Upon these scores the King of England laboured very industriously for the rigging out of his Fleet all April May and June not at all discovering his design though both his Majesty and the Cardinal were not so ill informed but that they perfectly knew it was prepared for France Politique Observation KIngs when they have a mind to make a war never want pretences to disguise the injustice of it however it is an absurd rashness to ingage in any without urgent necessity I like well of T. Livius Judgment who saith war is then Just when it is necessary and that Arms are never attended with Justice but when there are no other hopes but from them And who can think otherwise of it seeing war is followed by all sorts of miseries War it is which ushers in disorders and evil customes which taketh away the lives of the Innocent which bringeth the Rich into want and which generally banisheth all the pleasures of life to set up troubles and afflictions So that a man can hardly fancy any thing more to be deplored then war from whence it followeth that who so begins it without absolute necessity may be well compared to those Chymists who administer such potions to their patients that they thence suffer more griefs and pains then from their sicknesses and diseases A wise man will abstain from war saith Xenophon though he have some reason for it Craesus did ever prefer peace before war if onely for this reason because in war Fathers did burie their Children against the Laws of Nature The He Wolf is so
needs meet him with his Sword in his hand Not a day how holy soever but he would profane by his Duels no place how publique soever which he would not bath with the blood of some one or other so little reckoning did he make of the Kings Prohibition after the comming out of the Edict he had fought with the Count de Thorigny and slain him about the end of the foregoing year and the begining of this he had another Duel with la Frete where his second was killed which quarrels of his were so much the less to be connived at in regard those of the best quality were still parties in it So the King resolved to punish him which he having notice of withdrew himself into Flanders where he found means to perswade the Archduchess to Interest her self in his affairs upon the score of the Damoizelle de Montmorency her favorite who writ to his Majesty to beg his pardon The King took advice of his Confessor and as there was no reason to forgive such offences so he counselled him not to grant it and made it evident to him that he could not do it with a safe conscience but that his Majesty might not seem totally to deny the Infante he sent her word that at her request he should not be questioned for what was past provided he came not either to Paris or the Court. This was as much as a Just Mercy could well do But the same fury which had formerly ingaged Bouteville in those quarrels did so provoke him upon his Majesties denial of a total pardon that he openly vowed he would ere long fight in Paris nay and in the Place Royal it self accordingly not long after thither he came and having given notice of it to the Marquis de Beuuron with whom he had a quarrel that he was ready to give him satisfaction for those differences between them which he had not the liberty to do in Flanders whither Beuuron had come to find him out by reason of the promise which he had ingaged to the Infante not to fight on any of her Territories So they made choise of the Place Royal for their combats where being met three against three Bouteville des Chapelles and La Berte against Beuvron Bussi d' Amboyse and Bouquet they fought and Beuvron was killed out right by Chapelles La Barte desperately wounded by Bouquet and Bouteville with Beruuron close grapling together with a good will to be at it with their daggers but having cast away their Swords it is reported how in this equality of advantage they mutually asked one anothers life to go part their friends This was all that could be got from their neglecting the Kings will and the fury which led them to entertain such detestiable offences The King heard of it and soon after that Bussy's Mother had arrested Bouteville by a Gentleman of hers and des Chapelles at Vitry from whence they were conducted to safe Custodie to Paris and there delivered over to the Parliament to be proceeded against his Majesty having absolutely refused to shew them any favour though their kindred made great requests for it and at last their heads were struck off at the Greve by order of the Parliament Politique Observation HE who defendeth the wicked and he who offendeth the good are both in equal abomination before the Lord as Salomon saith in his Proverb 's I should therefore submit to that of St. Chrisostome who saith That as Justice without Mercy is not Justice but cruelty So Mercy without Justice is not Mercy but extream rashness It were not lesse improper to pardon all Crimes then to use on all occasions the extremity of Justice Both ought to be moderated by discretion without which there are as many inconveniences which will follow gentleness as severity Philip advised his son Alexander to be very courteous to his subjects whilst he was not King for it would not be fit for him to use so great indulgence towards them when as he should arrive to the Throne Judging with great wisdome that it is impossible for him who ruleth to treat all with clemency not only because the Interest of his subjects doth sometimes compel him to be severe but also because unlesse he punish the wicked it will be a dimination of his own authority The Heathens say Jupiter himself cannot raign without Justice And Plutarch in the Life of Demetrius saith nothing is more becoming a Prince then the excercise of this vertue and doth not Solomon who is much more authentique say The Throne of a King is established by Justice St. Cyprian in his Tract of the twelve abuses saith the Justice of the King is the Peace of the people the Nurse of Children the defence of the Country the comfort of the poor and himself the hope of Heaven to come And if a Soveraign ever may make use of it he ought not to let it lye idle when it sends to the purging of his Court from such seditious companions as engage his nobles daily to cut one anothers throats It is a Crime more then Brutal for the instinct of nature forbideth beasts to fall upon one another It is reported that Neurians are Wolves one six mouths of the year men t'other six mouths but I should with more Justice imagine their swash bucklers not to be men at all but that by their greediness of spilling mans blood that are beasts Wolves and Tigres all their lives Their courage is not courage but a fury which hurrieth them on to dip their hands in their brothers blood not a courage but a Rage which maketh them madly expose their bodies to death and their souls to damnation It is not any just Law of Arms which obligeth that to be thus barbarous but a Devilish Charm which deprives them of their reason The foolish passion of an imaginary honour which animateth them is a monster begot by vanity brought up by fury and nourished by blood as it is said of that in Habacuc the greatest the noblest and most courageous serve it for a prey What apparency of reason can there be alledged for renuing the old Butchery of Haman flesh before the images not of a Moloc a Saturn but a vain fantasie of honour What Justice to tollerate that which God hath so expresly forbid and condemned to be punished with death which heaven abhors which the Laws detest and which is only worthy of Hell fier But above all things it ought not to be permitted when committed in dirsion of the Regal authority for once admitting a Kings power to be trampled on the next thing which follows will be the peoples revolt and a general confusion in the whole Kingdom The King of England's and divers other Princes endeavours to divert the King from his resolution against Rochel THough the design of besieging Rochel were kept very secret yet some little suspitions there were of it which allarumd all the neighbouring Princes The English who had already concluded upon
their entring into France resolved to redouble the Forces which had been alloted to take shipping and others too were no lesse jealous of it They knew how much it behooved them to uphold the Hugonot party in France which would disunite the Force of the Kingdom and so employ the King whenever they had a mind to it that he should not be able to march out of his own Frontiers to oppose any designs of theirs or attempt any thing upon them They well knew France was not a little to be feared when as it was at it's full liberty and no remora at home to hinder the going out of their powers That it hath pretensions upon all her neighbours and that if the Hugonots were but once quashed and Rochel their strongest support destroyed his Majesty would then be at full liberty to prosecute his pretences So every one preferring his own Interests before Justice and Religion sought for opportunities to divert his Majesties Arms and force him instead of assaulting others to defend himself they consulted together by means of their Ambassadours and made a league to assault France in divers places at one and the same time The King of Great Brittain being Chief of the league took care to send from one place to another to resolve particularly what should be done Politick Observation POlicie obligeth Kings to foment the beginnings of division amongst their neighbours but it ought to be accompanied with Justice else it cannot passe for a vertue and is to be used onely towards enemies The Laws both of nature and Christianity forbiddeth the doing of that to others which we would not have done to our selves they who deal otherwise do invert the rules of humane society Bajazet the Turkish Emperour was to be pardoned for that answer of his to Sigismonds Ambassadours who remonstrated to him that having no right or Title to Bulgaria he was bound in Justice to withdraw his Arms from it that he had such Guns in his Arcenal as gave him a right not only to Bulgaria but as much as he could finger too in any other place An answer I say excusable in a Tyrant who openly professeth to trample all Equity under foot but not so in Christian Princes whose victories ought alwayes to be bounded in with Justice That which Antigonus the Great replyed to one who would needs perswade him that whatever Kings had a mind to was lawful was much more praise worthy he told him true it was so but amongst Barbarian Kings not them who professe Justice and to whom all injustice is an abomination God hath in the Scriptures apointed distinct Laws both for Princes and private men and as particular persons may not do any thing against the Common good so Princes cannot attempt any thing of injustice without offence Plutarch blameth Marius very much for not executing Justice but when it was advantageous and because he alwayes took profit to be honest not regarding truth so he might be stronger but measured the worth of the one by the value of t'other and attempted the executing of that by craft which he could not obtain by Force God saith Isaiah reproveth the counsels of them which are not conformable to his Laws and Princes do but in vain hope to bring their designs to a good passe when as there is no resistance of Gods decrees Prosecution of the Historie THe Abbot of Scaglia was one of the Prime men in this confederacie by the Duke of Savoys means who desirous to reveng himself because the Treaty of Mouson had been concluded without his knowledge made choise of him as a person capable to embroyle things who went about it the more passionately because he was offended with the Cardinal for having driven him out of France for making of cabals against the State His first voyage was into Holland to see how they stood inclined and to draw them into the league But meeting with some there who negotiated his Majesties affairs he could make but little progress in it his reasons not being seconded with that mony which theirs was Thence he went for England where finding their minds according to his own desire he still used his best endeavours to drive on the quarrel which being once concluded The King of England sent about the month of April the Lord Mountagu to take particular orders for execution of it both in Savoy and Lorrain and with the Duke of Rohan It was needful to have some pretence to disquite Montagues Journy and no one was thought more fit then for him to pretend he was desperately in love with Madam de Cheurcuse then in Lorrain with whom he was to discourse that he might be fully informed of all the Factions at the French Court the Chief of which kept a strict correspondence with her So he began his Treaty with the nearest State first and that was Lorrain besides Buckingham had a particular intercourse with Monsieur de Lorrain by Madam de Cheureuses means and all that he might fully know the State of the Intreagues of France He having found the Duke much exasperated and that he only wanted an oportunity to let the King feel effects of his anger he ingaged to him to enter upon France at the same time that the English Fleet should land there The Duke also gave him hopes that his attempts should be the more considerable in regard the Emperour who he was assured did blow the coals of the French Faction would send him Forces for his assistance being at last fully instructed and having disposed the Duke of Lorrain to the doing whatever he could demand he went into Languedoc where meeting the Duke of Rohan he gave him an accompt of their whole design who being thus filled with hopes of potent succours from England Savoy and Lorrain he resolved to rise at the same time with the rest Thence he went to Savoy where the Duke animated against France and particularly against the Cardinal his only work there was to receive the Dukes assurances of entring upon Dauphine as soon as the English put to Sea to which purpose part of his Forces were already upon their march He presently dispatched one to the Duke of Rohan to assure him of the assistance of six thousand foot and five hundred Horse exhorting him to be careful and courageous for that their business was in a good condition They fancied to themselves that they did all ready cast that thunder bolt with which they ruined the whole Kingdom of France Mountagu shortly after returns through France to Lorrain but the King was not ignorant of his Intreagues having had a continual watch upon him foure months together that he might snap him upon his return and learn more particularly by the contents of his Papers the quality of his negotiations and accordingly he was very fortunatly taken upon the Borders of the Kingdom by the Marquis de Bourbonne whom his Majesty had commanded to apprehend him About him was found a little cabinet of papers which
but the Duke sent in all hast to demand it of his Holyness When the Marquis de Chaumont came thither It was not as yet arrived but hourly expected and though it was not brought but only a very few minuts before his death yet the Marquis of Strigio who knew how necessary it was for the State of affairs told the Prince de Rethelois and the Princess Maria that they must forthwith marry or else be assured never to enjoy the States of Mantua It was a business of so great importance that it would admit of no longer consultation so that it was concluded and married they were about nine in the night on Christmasse Eve the marriage was consummated and not long after the news of Duke Vincents death was brought unto them This accident was of very great concern to the Duke de Nevers Who without it might perchance never have enjoyned the Dukedom of Mantua At that present he was in France but hearing of it he took post and about the end of January came to Mantua where finding all things according to his own desire he took proffession of the State and the Marquis de Chaumont return'd back to France He passed by Thurin and used new endeavours to perswade the Duke of Savoy to an accommodation but it would not be yet he served the King in this occasion by withdrawing divers of the Nobility of Dauphine from the Duke of Savoy's Army who had ingaged themselves with him not knowing his design was upon Montferrat which the Duke hearing of was much offended and told him it would not be safe for him to stay any longer in Turin Politique Observation THat Prudence which obligeth all Soveraigns to provide against such accidents as may trouble the present State of their affairs doth equaly direct them to make sure of such remedies as may prevent the future disturbance of their Peace and quiety which cannot safely be effected without the assurance of an Hair to succeed Augustus affordeth us a memorable example in this particular who governing an Empire not Hereditary would however joyn with himself some one of his nearest kindred in the conduct of affairs to the end that ingratiating himself with the Senators Souldiers and people he might by that means seem to deserve the Soveraignity For this reason it was according as Tacitus hath well observed that he finding himself destitute of Sons and that Fortune had taken from him first Marcus Agrippa and afterwards Cajus and Lucius his Nephews advanced Tiberus who though he had a Son then grown up he caused to adopt Germanicus to the succession of the Empie and this he did as the Historian observes that the Crown might be assured upon divers supports By this means he cut off the Senators hopes of reforming the State into a Republique and from his Enemies the means of aspiring to the Crowns Adrian in the like manner seeing he had not any Sons which exposed him to the fury of some ambitious mind or other who for the Empires sake might be perswaded to attempt upon his Person adopted Antoninus and also required that Antoninus should in the like manner he having no Sons neither nominate two more successours as Dion hath observed in his life and all this was with intent that they who were to succeed in the Empire might be alwayes ready to receive it and to prevent his Enemies from attempting against his person in hopes to obtain it for themselves To how many misfortunes have they who have been defective in this Care exposed their Countries Jane the second Queen of Napels dying without nominating her successour d' Anâ—ou whom she had once named being deceased before her left her Kingdome cruelly torn in pieces by War and him whom she least of all desired to inherit after her It is very rarely seen that a Kingdome changeth its Family without great wars and that Prince whom God hath not blessed with Children will find many attempts made upon his person whence it follows that he who would secure his Life and State from misfortunes ought betimes to appoint his successour to keep him near to him with Honour to instruct him in all affairs but not to admit him unto the partaking of the Soveraignity for that were to cure one evil by a greater seeing the ambition which usually attendeth young Princes might perchance ingage him in some ill design to be master of it before his time Cabals of the Duke de Rohan in Languedoc and the Succours wrought by means of the Duke de Soubize his brother in England for the Rochelois THE Duke de Rohan was by his brother assured of the English assistance and long before their landing in Ree he did nothing but contrive Cabals in Languedoc that he might place Consuls for his own turn in the Hugonot Towns and engage considerable persons in his private interests Presently after their landing he openly declared himself strengthned his party with Men perswaded some places to rise and sollicited others to do the like He gave them great hopes of high and mighty advantages by the inundation of strangers and he provoked them the more by insinuating into them the ruin of their Religion and divers other imaginary evils That he mâ—â—ht the better strik these Panick fears into them he sent them a Manifest filled with all those specious apparencies mentioned in the beginning of this year But may it not be said that he imitated those Pirates who seeming to instruct the course which Ships ought to keep in the Sea set up Lanthorns upon the tops of Rocks to draw Pirates thither and so to wrack them For thus did he lay before the sight of them who were sufficiently enclined to â—action diverse seemingly fair reasons of the preservation of their party and Religion by which means he drew them into that revolt and engaged them in those misfortunes which have since been the cause of the ruining of their Towns and of levelling their Wals and fortifications with the ground Now that he might the more strictly bind the Hugonot towns to his designs he â—ound means to make an assembly in the Viâ—e d'Vsez where diverse of their Deputies met together and as he had no lesse eloquence then courage he perswaded them to whatever he had a mind to They approved of those succours which he had negotiated in England as just and necessary they commended his prudence and zeal and gave him a thousand thanks for it But this was not all They assured him not to enter into any Treaty of Peace with his Majesty without the King of Englands consent and his own in particular Hereupon they deputed some of the most seditious of their faction to go to the Towns of Languedoc and Guyennâ— withal they writ to those of Dauphine and Vivarez to encourage them to unite with them for the good of the cause They drew up a form of oath to be sworn by the Consuls the Governours of Towns Lords and Gentlemen who would engage with
Baron de Lignieres Monsieurs de Vantadours Guards and on the right by the Comte de Bioule and the Sieur de Enox who led on Monsieur de Montmorency's Company and the Sieur de la Croix who commanded his Guards seconded by the Comte de Bioules Regiment he was at last constrained to give ground yet he maintained the fight above two hours and saw about one hundred six score Souldiers fifteen men of his guard and seven or eight Captains of his Troops killed and divers others wounded And in conclusion he found to the mis-fortune of his Rebellion this other added of being beaten in the Field and saw at the years end that he had very little or not at all advanced his design Politique Observation TRue Religion giveth a very great advantage to them who fight for the defence of it He hath Justice for his second which is the Bulwark of strong place the Rampard of Towns the upholder of Crowns the Pillar of Authority and the Chain of obedience an Engine it is much stronger then any of Archimedes seeing it brings down God himself upon Earth to assist it The Divine Providence ordained that the first Assises of Justice should be kept under Palms to teach them who make any enterprises as Philo observeth That Justice is the most assured pledge of victory What can that Prince fear then who fighteth to uphold it seeing God fighteth for him No power can resist that of God who hath alwayes overthrown the designs of them that rise up against him unlesse when he hath designed a people to be the Instruments of his Justice for punishing the wicked In the old Testament he causeth himself to be called the God of Battails and the Lord of Hosts to teach the people that he is Master of them and that he it is who turneth the victory where he pleaseth What did ever the greatest Souldiers bring to passe who have risen up against him They have only felt his power and seen their own weakness And every one may observe in History that their Counsels have not only been vain and ridiculous but have likewise precipitated them into great ruins They are like Icarus who designing to counterfeit wings by joyning certain Fethers together with wax melted them at the Sun Beams just thus their rising up and soaring a lost only serveth to make their â—â—ls the greater and their ruins the more certain And who knoweth not that the cause of true Religion maketh Souldiers couragious Hence it happens that valour being the ground-work of victorie is in this particular infallible Machiavel in his discourses upon T. Livy sheweth us That Religion is a wonderfull Foundation and Instrument of great Actions That the Romans made use of it to govern their City in the carrying on of their designs anâ— in pacifing all tumults and seditions which did at any time happen in their Commonwealth Now if the false Imagination of a false deity which this people did believe were the punishers of Crimes and Rewarders of good Actions by a quiet repose in the Elysian fields could make such great impressions upon their courages what may not the true Religion cause us to hope for which promiseth unto us the infinite rewards of Heaven when the belief of it is truely imprinted in the Soul The Souldier who fighteth for Religion obeyeth his Prince as the Image of the God head he will never spare this life which passeth away in confidence of another which shall be eternal If the Champions who heretofore fought in the Olympique Games were delighted to see their skins flayed off their bloud run down and their bones broken before a Laurel Crown the reward of their pains what would they not have done into with dangers would they not have cheerfully run had they but apprehended with the Eyes of faith the Saviour of the World at the end of the course the Gate of Heaven open and a Crown which shall never fade as a reward of their Loyalty and Vallour We have at all times seen that those Emperours who have been most Pious have had the greatest victories Constantine became great by his embracing of the Christian Religion It served Pepin for a Stair-case to lead him up to the Throan It bestowed the Empire on Charlemaine and the Turkish Nation which seemeth to have been born for Armes feareth nothing so much as Christians Ensigns Anno 1628. The Rochelois send to the King of England to demand Succour THE Heathenish Antiquities relate That Pandora going to meet the Rebel Epimetheus in behalf of the God's carried him a Box filled with all sorts of Evils amongst which he had only hope left him It is a Fiction yet may it be aptly applyed to the Dutchesse of Rohan the Mother who being come to Rochel to encourage the Rebellion brought all sorts of misfortune with her insomuch that there was not any kind of misery which the inhabitants did not undergo and without any other hopes but only of relief from the English which they retained to the very last In order to which hope they finding his Majesties resolved to force them to live in the rules of obedience had sent their Deputies to England with full and ample Power to treat with his Majesty of Great Brittain To beseech him to take them into his protection and that he would assist them with a second Army which might force the King of France to raise the siedge Their Deputies were received with great kindness The King of Buckingham being much exasperated against France for the late repulse given to the English at Ree They had audience granted and after examination of their Proposals The King made a Treaty with them by which he obliged himself to assist them with such a number of Souldiers as should be sufficient for their defence To send them all sorts of Provision and to permit a Collection to be made in his Countries for their present relief The Deputies obliged themself in the name of the Rochelois to give an happy successe to the English Army promising they would rigg out the greatest number of Ships they could possibly procure that they would provide Pilats and places for Magazins for all sorts of provision in the Town that if occasion were their Port should be a place of retreat for their Fleet that they would not hearken to any accomodation with the King their Lord and Master but by and with consent of the King of great Brittain and also that before France should attempt any thing against England they should declare themselves for the English and should divert to the utmost of the power all designs tending to their prejudice The King of Great Brittain was not absolute enough to conclude upon great enterprises his power somewhat depending on the Parliament so he was forced to call one to authorize this and to consent to such levies of mony as would be needfull for this business The anger which every one there bore against France and the desire
of revenging the affront which they had so lately received perswaded them to a general consent They wanted onely the third Vote upon which the Levy depended where upon they refused to contribute any money colouring their denial by diverse complaints which they made against the Duke of Buckingham and most part of the Chief Ministers in England which made a great noise in the Parliament and so incensed the King that being constrained to give way to the insolence of their requests he told them that he would examine their demands and complaints and give them answer accordingly However be gave order for the rigging out of a strong Fleet in behalf of the Rochelois and gave the command of it to the Earle of Denbigh the Duke of Buckingham's brother in Law This was all the Rochelois could hope for yet it blinded them to all respect and obedience They shaked off the yoak of Loyalty which they owed to the King they carried themselves to the utmost extremities that possibly could be imagined they trod under foot the Kings Authority and chose him for their Protector who was Declared Emeny of his Crown Politique Observation ALthough a People never hath any lawful reason to become disloyal to their Prince or to cast themselves into the Arms of the Enemy of his Country yet it is a thing easily resolved on when there are no other means to secure them from the fears which they apprehend and which have engaged them in their revolts In Philosophy it is held for a Maxim That granting one absurdity a thousand others will follow by consequence It is no lesse certain among Polititians that a people carried into one fault which is the taking up Arms against their Prince will be exposed to great extremities and every day augment the number of their Crimes Their Custome is to promise to themselves great matters in desperate affairs from strangers and such means as are without all apparence of reason probable wayes or ordinary instruments They are great lovers of Novelties and with a little wind carried to extremities and new thoughts if they find their former resolutions and designs not come to the accompt they expected They easily follow those who put them in hopes of liberty If any seditious person in credit with them do but tickle them in the eare with telling them that they do not enjoy their full and perfect liberties under their lawful Prince nothing is then more easily perswaded then to revolt nay to throw themselves into the Armes of their very worst enemy never considering whether the remedie be not worse then the disease Being once revolted they never return to their duties but by force of Armes and the fear they have of paying the punishments they have justly deserved inviteth them rather to run and hazard then that of confessing their errour and repenting An Ancient Authour said very wisely when he likened them to day-labourers who are at every ones service that will make use of them ready they are to subvert all things not for the publique good but in order to their own design and under pretence of liberty The greatest part of such Revolts are commonly accompanied with some Intelligences and encouragements from strangers who offer their assistance not for any love to them but themselves that they may make advantuge out of their divisions discord is their Musique The History of Italy furnisheth us with a notable example of this particular in that of the Pisan's who having been perswaded by one of our Kings and Lewis Forza to withdraw themselves from the obedience of the Florentines presently banish their Officers gain'd many rich Merchants and began to live as free people but finding themselves too weak to hold out at that rate they emplored the ayd of their neighbour Princes which was not denied to them by reason of the jealousie which all those States are in of one another Geâ—â—oua sent them men and Munitions Lucqua mony and Sienna which was in hopes of great advantages from them sent both one and t'other Neither is this the last degree of a mutinous people for if they cannot attain unto their desiers by a Forraign protection they will rather totally deliver up and sell themselves the return to their Princes power especially if they be but a little perswaded of being hardly dealt with and that they shall be reduced to a slavish subjection such difficulty will they find to stoop under their former yoak after a tast of licentiousness and impunity The King of Spain sendeth Don Frederick de Toledo High Admiral with a Fleet to his Majesty THe King finding what need he should have of Ships had as hath been related accepted of the proffer which was made to him at Villeroy by Don Diego de Maxia in behalf of the King of Spain But their design in that proposal being only to engage France in an open war with England that they might the better carry on their designs in Germany and Italy they were careful not to be at Ree to assist his Majesty to expel them At last Don Frederick de Toledo High Admiral of Spain after many delayes came about the end of December with his pretended Fleet to the Haven of Morbian in Brettaign The King commanded the Duke of Guyse to receive him with all possible Honour and indeed such it was that Don Frederick could not enough admire at the manner of his entertainment Shortly after he departed towards the I le of Ree where at that time was no great need of him But however he proffered his service unto the King who received him with great kindness His Majesty sending to visit him but his vessels were found so unprovided of victuals men and necessaries that those things together with his long delay considered It was easie to Judg they had no great mind to fight for France and that the King his Master would be very sorry to contribute to the taking of Rochel a place which might be made use of to raise a war in the Kingdome and that with a little charge if he had a mind to send any Forces to them At last he gave an assured sign of the truth of this suspition when not long after he went to his Majesty and took his leave of him to return towards Spain telling him that he could not now be any more serviceable to him The King would have much wondered to see him so hasty to be gon considering he came so far but that he knew they had more mind to ingage France in a war with a third party then adventure on it themselves His Majesty on the other side knowing That strangers and Forraign Forces ought not be employed but in urgent occasions and at last cast did so much the easilier consent to his departure and in regard too that the Cardinal had assured him That great store of vessels would very shortly come before Rochel So he finding the wind fair hoysed sail about the end of January to return to
bodies and some perswaded the mothers to embrew their hands in the blood of their innocent Babes for their present nourishment Had it not been seen it would hardly have been beleeved that after such extremities they should long hold out however they remained obstinate so that his Majesties justice guided by his prudence obliged him to prohibit the coming out of any of them yet how ill soever they were dealt with by his Majesties troops when they came to the trenches diverse of them daily came out which were still beat back again It is true for their greater confusion the men were driven back again naked and the Women in their smocks forcing them with forks and lathes to return as for those who attempted to passe the trenches in the night or by any other devise they were all hanged without mercy if it were their misfortunes to be discovered because some of them hand been taken with Letters and Tickets to hasten on the relief from England and this prudent Severity was at last the true case of their repentance Politick Observation IT is an equitable cruelty to hinder the besieged from running out of a Town when their necessities begin to presse upon them If the War be lawfull their deaths must needs be just It is true in point of sieges the inhabitants are first to be gained by kindnesse but when perswasions will not do force and rigour ought to be made use of and this ought to be done with the lesse difficulty in regard the death of Rebels doth well suit with Justice and the publick good Famine is one of the chief weapons which forceth a Town in a long siege It is that which takes them where the Artillery cannot make breaches or ruines enough to force a surrender Now as this Famine is augmented by their number he who shall suffer them to get out and avoid the necessity which presse upon them acteth against himself and depriveth himself of the most assured means to take them The more people that are in a besieged Town the sooner will their victuals be consumed and they sooner reduced to famine and then follows death in its hideous and deformed visage producing every day spectacles of horrour which they who have any reason and find a necessities of being forced had much rather surrender then behold famine makes the weapons fall out of their hands The Emperour Aurelian speaking of the Roman people said Nothing is so gay as they are when their Bellies are full and their bones at rest and on the contrary nothing so cowardly as when they are reduced to want and penury Who knows not what violences they use upon the Magistrate to free them of this necessity Hath it not been heretofore seen that in a time of Famine the Roman people went after the Emperour Claudius injuriously reviling him and throwing crusts of bread at his head and they of Constantinople did they not in a great dearth throw stones at their Emperour Theodosius the first The people do become so furious by famine that nothing can hold them and as they prefer nothing before life they at last resolve to force their Officers to open their Gates and surrender Indeed they are the more excusable for it in regard necessity is become their reason the power whereof is unsupportable either by one or the other The miseries of Rochel by Famine THE common people of Rochel had indured great miseries from the beginning of May however the hopes they had of succour from England perswaded the best provided amongst them to sow all sorts of little grain as Pease Beans Barley and the like about their Walls in all their spare places it was discretion in the Kings party to let them alone in it but a great imprudence in them to dis-furnish themselves of that whereof they had such present necessity and were likely to have much more in a very little time They had indeed the pleasure to behold what they sowed to spring up and grow but just when they thought to gather the fruits of their labours the Kings Army came up and cut all down and so deprived them of the refreshment which they expected from it Politique Observation THE usual rule in Sieges is to keep the besieged close up and to deprive them of all kind of liberty for by consequence liberty which is one of the most delightfull things in mans life being once stopped becomes very displeasing and is a sufficient reason to perswade those who are under that restraint to do any thing for the inlargement of it However this rule admitteth of some exception and ought not to be used when a besieged people pretend to sow any grain or the like about their City Walls For as the Corn which they put into the earth doth not a little diminish their main stock so the freedome which is permitted them thus to cast it away serveth the sooner to bring them to want and famine and so to surrender The chief end in long sieges is to famish the besieged and as the sowing of their ground doth not a little contribute thereunto so Prudence forbiddeth that they should be hindred in their work and indeed commandeth that they should rather be invited and allured to it by winking at them if they attempt it For this reason it was that Fabius Maximus having depopulated and wasted all the Country of the Campani retired about seed-time that he might give them the liberty of decreasing their store by sowing which he never intended they should reap which happened accordingly for comming upon them before Harvest they were easily famished and forced to surrender The Rochelois Salley out upon his Majesties Forces THough there was but a handfull of men in Rochel compared with his Majesties Army yet the mutinous humour which transported them incouraged the inhabitants to make divers Sallies It is true they made fewer then had been seen in any so great siege in hopes that the English would come and force open the Bank but however some they made and those great ones but were repulsed with losse It was the Sieur de Fouquierres mishap to be taken Prisoner by them in one of their Sallies which they made about the beginning of the year there were divers of theirs too taken which were kept in durance for exchanges if occasion should be and they of the City had notice given unto them that in case they did him any injury his Majesty would cause all his Prisoners of theirs to be hanged without mercy so they dealt civilly with him and when their Victuals began to grow scarce they permitted one of his servants to bring him some every day from the Camp Their insolency likewise carried them to make several Sallies by Sea especially upon the arrival of those ships from Bourdoaux which they attempted to have fired but they had never any good successe in them onely once they took a small Galliot which belonged to the Sieur de Thoyras the Cardinals care and diligence
to the Kings Fleet might cover them and give the English means to passe the Channel But his Majesties small Boats went to the Fire-ships at the mercy of the great shot seized on them and diverted their execution onely losing one man without any greater hurt and the Vessels which followed them durst not advance which the English Fleet seeing and how much the Forts did trouble them they drew off to the Road not without great disoder leaving the Rochelois to despair Neither was this the onely mis-fortune that befell them for at that very instant so great a storm arose that they were forced to let themselves be carried at the mercy of the wind The English finding how unlikely they were to do any good proposed under hand that some accommodation might be made they thought it would bee more advantagious to retreat after the making of a Peace then to run the hazards of a worse successe Monsieur the Cardinal desired his Majesty to observe that his onely aim being the taking of Rochel this accommodation would much contribute to it for then the Rochelois would remain without any succour at all which induced him to give ear to those Proposals which should be made But their souls being yet exasperated the Peace could not so suddenly be resolved on and all the conferences which were had to that purpose ended in a Cessation of Arms for some few dayes Politique Observation ALbeit they who have been once vanquished in War may recover the advantage which they have lost either when their forces are recruited with a sufficient strength or when shame shall excite their courages yet so it is that when neither of these two conditions happen there is a great reason to apprehend the successe of their second attempt Fortune hath sometimes smiled on those who formerly never saw but her frowns but after she hath been once and again discourteous it will be needfull to imploy more force and greater courage for she is a professed friend to the bold and prudent Great Routs are attended with dangerous consequences whence Titus Livy speaking of a certain faction of Marcellus against Hannibal at Nola said that it was much more difficult to worst an Army fleshed in Victory then that which begins to lose its credit He gives the same reason for that victory which the Romans under the command of Consul Manlius obtained against the Gauls in Asia where he saith that as Victories do heighten the courage of the Victorious so they do much abate that of the vanquished and withall the Victorious are desirous onely to fight as may be observed in the example of Pompey's Souldiers after the advantage which they had of Caesar as Plutarch reporteth upon the life of Pompey whereas they who are worsted are hard to be drawn to the Battel for being seised with their usual fear and the most part of them fighting by constraint they behave themselves with so little mettle that they are easily overcome a second time Thus the Duke of Guise returning from Italy after the Battel of St. Laurence to command those French Troops which had been rallied and new listed writ to his Majesty that he had more ado to put them in heart and courage then to beat the victorious enemy and therefore he judged it necessary before he hazarded a second Battel to cure them of their first baffle by getting some little advantage upon the enemy an advice which he well knew how to execute as he did in the taking of Calais Guines Thionville The Deputation of Montague to the King from the Earl of Denbigh General of the English Forces DUring the cessation of Arms the French Rebels who were in the English Fleet finding they had lost their courages and despaired of forcing the passage concluded themselves utterly lost without obtaining the Kings grace To which purpose they beseeched the Earl of Dexbigh to employ his power with their King in the behalf of his Master the Earl of Denbigh thought it reasonable and upon deliberation had with the Officers of the Army what was fit to be done to procure them this satisfaction they agreed to send Montague to his Majesty in the behalf of the King their Master to endeavour the making their peace for them Mâ—â—tague came to his Majesties quarter and having audience declared that he was sent from the King of Great Brittain his Master to begge a pardon for the Rochelois that he would be pleased to promise them the liberty of their conscience to forgive the Sieur de Soubize and the Comte de La Val and to give quarter to those English which were in Rochel The King answered them that as for those of Rochel they were his own subjects and that the King of England need not intermeddle in their interest and as for the English who were there in garrison that they should receive the like usage as the French prisoners in England yet his Majesty received him with a great deal of honour shewed him the Forts of the Camp the Batteries the Bank the Pallisadas and the range of Vessels which over-spread the Channel The truth is it was not done so much to gratifie him as that upon the relation of what he had seen the rest of his party might be discouraged from making any further attempts After he had been an eye-witnesse of those things he returned to England to the King his Master to reduce him to some accommodation A Treaty between the King and the Rochelois THE Cessation of Arms being expired the English to testifie it was not out of fear that they retreited or had made those proposals renewed the fight on the twenty third of October which lasted above two houres yet all this while had they not the courage to come up to his Majesties Fleet whereupon those French who were with them resolved to send some Deputies to the King in their behalf to cast themselves at the Kings Feet and to emplore his mercy First of all they sent four to Monsieur the Cardinal who humbly requested him that he would be pleased to obtain the Kings favour and grace for them which they heartily beseeched with all real acknowledgements of their faults The Cardinal answered them he would speak to his Majesty concerning it and commanded they should be kindly entertained and put into some place apart that they might not enter into discourse with any one The King was easily perswaded to grant them what they demanded the Cardinal having told him how necessary it was to win them off from the English which if he could once bring to passe the English would withdraw of their own accord and leave Rochel to shift for it self He then acquainted them how his Majesty had granted them the mercy and favour which they had beseeched of him yet however he thought good that two of them should remain with him whom he would make use of as I shall hereafter declare for the regaining of the Rochelois to their former duties and
obedience Those Rebellious mutineers when they saw there was no hopes of succour from the English and that they died by thousands of the famine made divers proposals of accommodation Hereupon his eminency told them how that those of their party on board the English Fleet had withdrawn themselves and had obtain'd the Kings pardon that the English finding it impossible to force the Bank relieve them had interceded for them that they had moreover sent Montague to make proposals of peace unto his Majesty who had kindly received him that thereupon he was return'd into England to encline the King his Master to hearken to an accommodation and that things being thus they had no other hopes but to die by famine if they had not recourse to his Majesties mercy by a true confession and humble acknowledgment of their faults This news gave an Allarum to the whole City The discreetest of them represented to the rest how the Rich did now begin to dye of famine as well as the poor having sold the greatest part of their victuals to those that had none upon hopes of the English relief that death made an harvest of them that since the last six moneths there had died between eight and ten thousand of famine insomuch that not having where withal to bury the dead and indeed having hardly any people strong enough to make their graves or carry them insomuch that they were forced to draw them with cords into the Church-yards and there to let them rot that diverse had been seen to crawl with much ado to the Church-yards and there lay down and dye hereupon the rest of the people languishing and touched to the quick with the remembrance or indeed the present image of so many horrible spectacles resolved to try their fortune to appease if possible the Kings just indignation by imploring his mercy They entreated the Sieur Arnoult to procure a safe conduct that they might send their Deputies to his Majesty which upon his Request was graunted But his Majesty would that they should first make their proposals to Monsieur the Cardinal to whom they went with an unspeakable joy therupon this grand Minister producing those Deputies which he had kept to that purpose let them discourse with one another who having assured them that they themselves had obtained the Kings pardon represented to them that they likewise had nothing now to hope for if they did not totally submit themselves to the discretion of his Majesties mercy but miserably to dye by famine his Majesty being resolved never to depart from thence till he was Master of the Town They were much surprised at this newes having not heard of it till then yet they were insolent enough to make propositions of peace still relishing of their former mutinie This grand Minister declared to them they must not think of any other conditions than absolutely to submit to his Majesties will but however promised them that he would employ his utmost power in their behalf so they returned promising to dispose their Fellow-citizens to it as much as in them lay testifying as much satisfaction and joy as they who are reprieved from the Galleys After this meeting they published all over the Town how kindly the Cardinal had entertained them with assurances he had given them to employ his interest with his Majesty to obtain the same grace for them which he had for those with the English whose Deputies they had spoken with conjuring every one to accept of it The height of that misery to which they were reduced did at last quash their mutinies although some of their Ministers not ignorant that power was the worthiest stipend of their insolencies animated them by the hopes of glory which they should obtain by dying for the liberties of their Religion so they could not presently resolve to surrender to the Kings mercy but proposed to make a general peace for all those of their party that they might choose a Governour that they might choose a Mayor and Sheriffes and generally the preservation of their priviledges to which end their Deputies made diverse journeys to and fro but Monsieur de Cardinal who never omitted any thing that concerned the glory of his Master and on the other side knew the extremities to which they were reduced still told them They must either all dye by famine or submit to his Majesties discretion This plain dealing of his did at last force them to stoop whereupon they chose twelve of the principal amongst them most of which could hardly creep to beg his Majesties pardon to assure him that they would live and die in the obedience which they owed unto him without demanding any other conditions then what his Majesty should please to give them and one of the bést Orators amongst them made their speech which was all to that purpose The King graunted them the pardon which they desired and the Sieur d' Herbant Secretary of State read the Pattent to them by which his Majesty pardoned their Rebellion discharged them of all acts of Hostility ordained that they should be restored to their goods graunted them the exercise of their Religion in the City and commanded that all the Souldiers in the City should enjoy the same grace and that the chiefe Captains and Gentlemen should go out with their Swords by their sides and the Souldiers with Cudgells in their hands but first they were to swear never to bear Arms against his Majesties service Politique Observation THough Rebels have been so stout as to let themselves be forced by a long siedge and with great expence yet it is more glorious for a King to deal mercifully then severely with them It is enough that they have already suffered great miseries unlesse there be a necessity of continuing the War against others of their party for in such case the evils they suffer are examples to terrifie others and get moderation toward them is a charm which may reduce those who are unconquered to reason This moderation is sometimes like a precious balm which takes away the pain of any would how mortal soever whereas too too strict severity drives to despair I should not be of this opinion where Rebels are forced in a few dayes but where they have endured the miseries which accompany long siedges Then I must confesse it were not amiss to expiate the crimes of all by the lives of some which were a cruelty too suparlative after the rigors unconceiveable miseries of many moneths for then a true courage is rather touched with compunction than revenge The Roman Valour is often comnended for this by Antiquity and who knoweth not how sensibly compassionate they were at the sight of their miseries whom they had vanquished Marcellus having mastered Syracusa and considering the ruine to which it was reduced could not forbear weeping Neither could Pompey endure that Tygrances King of Armenia should remain Prostrate before him whatever War he had made against the Roman people but raised
the King of Kings and Governour of all Kingdomes His Majesty departeth from Suze towards Languedoc after Cazal and the strong Towns in Montferrat were revictualled HIS Majesty having stayed at Suze as long as was needfull for the securing of those advantages which he had got as also for the conveying of Wheat and all other necessaries into Cazal and the places of Montferrat in case they should be again set upon after his with drawing back he at last resolved to passe through Languedoc His design was onely to bring the revolted Heretiques under obedience who had of late shewed their teeth against him upon all occasions and opportunities whatever Notwithstanding his Majesties Declaration made at Paris as hath heretofore been observed they had made an Assembly at Nisms where they published a sedition manifest by which they indeavoured to represent his Majesties gracious proffers for so many snares to intrap them and that notwithstanding his Kingly word he intended to put them all to the Sword whereupon it was resolved not to lay down their Arms but by and with the consent of the King of England to which effect all they of the Town and Party were to bind themselves by oath which was as much as to say they peremptorily resolved to continue the War as long as ever they could The King of England being troubled for the affront which had been given his forces both at Ree and before Rochel desired nothing more then to see France divided and at War amongst themselves which would be a great dimunition of his Majesties strength and power Monsieur de Rohan had likewise been with the King of England in the behalf of the Assembly to implore his Protection and to let him know that they of his party having built all their hopes upon the expectation of his succours did humbly beseech him not to defer any longer his assisting of them Were not these so many evident signs and tokens of an intended bloudy War for the securing of themselves in those Towns which were strong and in their own powers did they not hope his Majesty would find work enough to be diverted in Italy and that he might neither have time nor power to fall on them or oppose their designs And after all this what reason was there to give any longer way to this rebellious people to fix and root themselves any more in their obstinacies and willfull perversenesse Must not his Majesty in so doing have been defective both in Prudence and Courage But the Cardinal was too industrious to suffer any such blemishes to lie upon his Masters glory so that he perswaded his Majesty that it was now high time to call them to accompt and that he should forthwith set forward to curb in their insolencies and to set bounds to their unlimited Pride and Rebellion Politique Observation REvolts are the most dangerous Convulsions in a State and as in mans body there are Symptoms which are as so many Prognosticks to tell us the event of them so those of States are most commonly accompanied with certain circumstances which give a just cause to fear lest they may end in the ruine of the Kingdomes where they are first born without present remedy to prevent it The wise Pilot when he fore-sees any storms as usually he doth by some secret Winds and I know not what tremblings upon the surface of the Waters provideth himself against they happen and a wise Minister discovering by a revolt such signs which may make him suspect their consequence ought no longer to defer the imploying of his utmost power to divert those mis-fortunes which are threatned Now among â—ll such Prognostications none are more apparently evident then manifest Declaâ—ations unlawfull Assemblies Levies of men keeping of watch in Towns and Ciâ—ies against their natural Prince For these things are indeed the fore-runners of â—aying aside all respect and duty and in some sence the dividing their Kings Authority and his Kingdom too These are manifest Symptomes of a mortal disease which threatneth the State Now as a wise Physitian when once he discovers in his Patient any one or more signs of death doth no longer delay his applying of all necessary preventions So a Minister when he finds any people either resolved or inclined to it is obliged to make use of his masters forces to prevent it and allay such storms in their first growth which if delayed would perchance in danger the whole structure In such occasions he ought to use an extraordinary diligence for if vigilance and care be necessary in such enterprises as are made abroad much more is it in those nearer home especially when it concerneth the keeping of a people inclined to Rebel within the limits of their duty By this means was it that Alexander prevented that general insurrection which was intended in Greece for he appeared there in the head of his Army before there was a word heard of his being upon his march And how much recommended was that vigilance of Rhodoginus King of the Persians who being one day told whilest he was washing of his head of a certain rebellion newly began amongst his people had not the patience to sit until he had made an end but tying up his hair mounted on horse-back to go and take care about it well knowing that Rebellion is like a Viper easily killed in the Birth but much more difficultly overcome if let alone until it gain force and strength The King of Spain treateth with the Duke of Rohan for the raising of more troubles in France THey who have once delivered themselves up to a revolt are easily led into all extremities upon hopes of a good successe Thus was it with the Duke of Rohan he had so much forgot himself as to demand assistance from the King of Spain who glad of any opportunity to trouble the Waters in France caused his Agent de Clauset to be received with honour and assured him of all assistance for which he could reasonably hope A Treaty not long after was concâ—uded in which the Duke of Roâ—an obliged himself to continue in the War in France so long as his Majesty of Spain should think fit and generally to further and defend all the interests and affairs of Spain And lastly that he should not treat or conclude of any League or Peace without his Majestie of Spain's consent and approbation and the King of Spain did reciprocally promise him all manner of assistance particularly that he would pay him down at two payments six hundred thousand Duckets of Gold towards defraying of the charge of the War and to make a diversion in Provence Languedoc Dauphine and other such places as his Catholick Majesty should think most convenient for his interests and designs and besides did grant unto him a Pension of forty thousand Duckets yearly and eight thousand to his Brother the Sieur de Soubize and ten thousand more to be yearly distributed amongst his Officers as he should think fit O most blind
the necessity of withdrawing her from those Factions which would ingage the Kingdom in Revolts and all this to compel him to deliver up this grand Minister in case they could not effect it by the dayly instances which they perswaded her to make unto his Majesty This indeed is the true reason which forced his Majesty to part with her as himself testifieth in his Letter to the Governours of the Provinces where true it is mention is made of her refusal to love the Cardinal but it is likewise said that the hatred which she bare to him transported her to attempt things contrary to the good of his State and the publick quiet insomuch that he could no longer permit her stay at Court But who can impute her removal to the Cardinal when it is well known how carefull and solicitous he was to appease that anger which she express'd against him which he did so effectually as to renounce his own interest and Fortune and to sue for his own discharge from the Court with that earnestness that his stay there may justly be said to be only in order to his Majesties Will and satisfaction who expresly commanded it and to acquit himself of the Obligation which he had to acknowledge by the continuation of his services of the honour which he did him the King still protesting as great a resolution to preserve him as the Queen-Mother did eagerness to destroy him But lastly who can deny that a designe tending to ruine what-ever it cost one of the chiefest pillars of the State and him whom the King himself had often professed to be the principal Author of his good is not a crime Laesae Majestatis Were it not such in any one to attempt the destruction of any the strongest places on the Frontites or rather to invade any the fairest Towns of France Had not experience then made it evident that the Cardinal was of greater use and concern for the good of France then many Citadels and divers of the best Towns in the Kingdom He would easily have retrived them all if so be any Invasion of our Enemies should have forc'd them from us but it was not to be hoped ever to find a Minister qualified as he was who was a greater Protection to France then all the Citadels put together and who by his Industry had made the King master of a great number of Towns and Cities Politique Observation JT was not without reason that Theodosius the younger and Justinian inserted in their Books as likewise Leon the first and Constantine in their Politicis and Basilicis that Law made by the Emperour Arcadius whereby they who had engaged themselves in any Faction tending to ruine the chief Ministers of a Soveraigne were guilty Laesae Majestatis And for this very reason If any one in England be convicted of having contrived though but in his thoughts the downfal of any Counsellor of State though he had not executed it yet such is the Law there that he lose his life as guilty de laesae Majestatis against the King as it was in the case of Somerset Uncle to Edward the sixth and Protector of the Kingdom for only having designed in his thoughts to put the Duke of Northumberland to death who likewise governed the Kingdom of England under the same young King The Laws of Swedeland are so respectful of them that it is death only to speak ill of them Salvian de Marseille saith That the enormity of Injuries ought to be weighed by the quality of them on whom they reflect whence it followeth saith he that those injuries done to a chief Minister of State who representeth the Person of his Prince are to be reputed as done against the Prince himself Thou hast commitied an offence saith Quintilian but because it is against the Magistrate thou art therefore guilty of Treason Whence it was that Verterius as Plutarch observeth was condemned to die he having been defective in his respects to a Tribune whose place is much inferiour to that of a chief Minister This was the sense which Antiquity had of those offences committed against publike persons and thus were they punished who so offended And who can deny these their Laws and Customs to be very reasonable and just seeing chief Ministers are like the noblest parts of the Soveraigne as is declared in the Law of Arcadius And if the Prince be the head of his State they are then the Members and Instruments by which he governeth And thus hath another said Our Saviour is the Head of the Church the Church are his Body and the Prelats are his chief members They are Stars clothed by their Princes with part of their own splendour that they may the better guide the people by their Influences they are the lively Images in which they cause the foot-steps of their Authority to shine forth Whence it is that if a man be guilty de Laesae Majestatis for only offending by any dis-respect his Princes Image or Picture made only of Brass Stone or the like surely he is much more guilty who disâ—respecteth his living Image in whom the most lively stamps of his Royal Authority are engraved who is the Organ by which he delivereth his Will unto the People and indeed the principal Instrument of his Glory And if it be needful to re-inforce this with any stronger reason That is the crime de Laesae Majestatis which offendeth the Soveraign or which interfereth with the greatness of his State And what Is not this to attempt upon the greatness of his State when a Cabal shall be contrived and fomented for the ruine of a Minister who by the conduct of his Masters Arms and his own Prudence hath extended his limits hath rendered him terrible to all other Nations hath vanquished all his Kings enemies and reduced them to an impossibility of attempting any new thing against his Masters authority who hath extinguished all those Factions which troubled the publike quiet who daylie augmenteth the Revenue of the Exchequer hath established Peace in the Kingdom and in a word next unto his Majesty is the greatest prop and supporter of its greatness Cicero saith That he who raiseth a Sedition against the Publike Peace doth diminish the Majesty of the Empire There are three sorts of High Treasons The first is absolutely against the Princes person The second against the Respect due to him And the third against the Grandeur and Safety of his State and Kingdom Now it were to be purposely blind not to rank under this third degree all those Factions which contrive the ruine of any Ministers of State they being so much contrary to the good of the State neither were it unreasonable to range them under the first as in England seeing Ministers carry their Masters Image instamped on their Foreheads Prosecution of the Subject THe Mareschal d' Estree whose Discretion hath been often experimented in the many affairs in which he had been imployed used his utmost endeavours to
besides the blemishing of their glory with the brand of ignorance do withal render themselves undeserving to be assisted in like necessities There is not any Prince who is not aâ—med at in his turn or able alwaies to subsist by his own force many times they are necessitated to stoop under the armes of an invader for want of the assistance of their confederates who forsake them as they were before forsaken by them If a King may with Justice defend the weak and his confederates doubtlesse he may as justly imploy his power to revenge an injury God who hath intrusted the Scepter in the hand of Kings hath also obliged them not to permit that the respect due to their Soveraign Majesty be violated by any other Prince as well as to maintain their Subjects within the bounds of their obedience He hath given them a Sword to correct any indignities offered to their Crowns There is not any one above them who is Arbitrator of their quarrels they are legal Judges of their own differences and in this Independency God hath given them power to take up Arms to carve their own right It is enough to justifie their War if the Princes against whom they fight haue given them occasion and the misfortunes which inevitably follow the disorder of Souldiers cannot be imputed but unto him who first gave the occasion of taking the field A Kingdome would be very defective as Aristotle observeth if the Soveraign had not Authority to châ—stise with his Arms him who hath injured him in like manner saith he as the body of creatures is not perfect if unable to repell those objects which offend it So an estate is not in that perfection which it ought to be if destitute of power to repay any injuries done against it The Justice of the Kings Alliance with the King of Swede THere is no doubt but the Alliance of the most christian King with him of Swede for the defence of their common confederates was very just seeing the War it self undertaken by the King of Swede was just and that all Alliance contracted for the support of a just War is in it self justifiable Yet there was no device unassayed by the house of Austria to induce the World to condemn it The first reason by them alledged in discredit thereof was that it was undertaken in the defence of Heretick Princes but what reason was there so long to have invaded the States of other Princes under the pretence of Religion After Charles the Fifth had joyned the Imperial Crown to his Kingdomes of Spain and Italy with the Provinces of the Low-Countries he thought that having forces enough to re-conquer all those Countries which formerly belonged to the Roman Emperour he might with justice attempt it as if Kingdomes were the division of force and as if birth and succession of many ages were not bars enough to stop ambition Now as Germany is the Bulwark which serves all he States of Europe to defend their liberty as Henry the Second King of France writ unto the Princes of the Empire in the year 1552. he resolved to over-run it concluding that having once mastered it he might with ease invade France England and the rest of Italy The Emperor who reigns at present knew as well how important it was seeing in his letters sent to Zuinga chief Counsellour to the King of Spain he particularly nameth it the foundation of the Authority of the House of Austria Germany indeed doth so abound in men and riches that it is alone able to entertain Armies and those great ones for ever nay to supply the very Indies in case of a defect This is the true ground of the War and that which obliged the King of Swede to assist it although the Spaniards pretence was the rooting out of Heresie It is long since the great St. Leon writ to the Emperour Theodosius that men palliate their Passions with Religion but much more reasonably may it so be said of the Austrian Princes as Mariana hath well observed in his History that being it which makes so great an impression upon the people The World sees by experience how advantagious it was to them when Ferdinand usurped Navarre from his own Neece they themselves have seen that it wanted but little of putting our Scepter into their hands during the League It is the best title by which they hold part of both the Indies where they have put to death not only lawfull Princes but at least fifty Millions of people with such cruelty that they have died the earth with blood and made Heaven to groan with horrour and well will they now make use of it to despoil the German Princes of their estates But who is ignorant of their injustice seeing that as the true Religion gives no right to Empires so force cannot deprive him of it to whom it falls by succesion Politique Observation HEresie doth no more dis-ingage Subjects from obedience to their Prince than infidelity but this being a point of Doctrine peradventure some mean capacity will make a scruple to believe it if only proved by the verity of politick maximes I shall therefore back it by the belief which the Apostles-left in the Primitive Church which the Father 's taught in their Precepts and Examples and which the ancient Christians did most religiously observe amidst their greatest persecutions Did not the Apostles St. Peter and Paul write to the christians in their Epistles at what time Nero made the earth tremble with his cruelty execrised upon them Let every one be subject to the higher powers For there is not any Dominion which is not established by God and those which now are are by his gift Whoever rebelleth against them opposeeth his Commandment and they who indeavour to shake off the yoke of their obedience expose themselves to damnation A Prince is God's servant it is not to no purpose that he holds the sword it is to make himself known for the Almighty's Officer He ought to be obeyed not only because he can punish but for Conscience sake neither are these the only exhortations left unto us upon this subject their Epistles are fraught with divers others so frequent that I need not recite them leâ—t I play the Dâ—vine and forget the Historian Who likewise knoweth not how all the ancient Fathers of the Church would have sealed this Doctrine with their blood notwithstanding they lived under Atheistical and Pagan Princes who were as so many firebrands to Religion and sworn Enemies to our Faith S. Ignatitus writ very earnestly to the people of Antioch to perswade them to serve Justinâ— the Emperour and gave all Pagan Princes to understand by a learned Apologie that their hopes were in vain to force the faithful by the violence of their torments to worship Idols and false gods who in all other things would render a full and intire subjection to their Emperours Tertullian acknowledgeth none but God above Kings and confesseth that their commands tie the