Who are beaten to retire themselves by night in confusion leaving part of their Baggage their Canon and many thousands of prisoners behinde them This Victory sent from above rejoyced all Poland and caused Fire-works and the Embassadours who were at Lubeck treating the Peace between them and Swedes imparted the newes to their friends who expressed great rejoycings as the ancient Town of Lubeck also did by their example Hitherto we have seen Traffick almost abolished by land by means of the war which hath ruined and devoured all things and we shall forthwith see it in almost as miserable a condition by sea though there be no Mountains nor Forrests to receive and shelter Rovers After the Peace was made the Great Master of the Knights of Malta sent his Deputies to the Haghe to redemand the Lands or Goods The Knights of Malta take the Holland Ships The French do the same belonto his Order but having obtained nothing he got Letters of Reprisal and his Knights took many Holland Ships in the Levant as the French also did so that the complaints and mennaces of the Merchants were heard against France yea Monsieur Boreel Embassadour for the Common-wealth at Paris made them sound loud but he reaped nothing but promises with very small effect which would have caused a great alteration had it not been moderated by the prudence of this solid and stayd Nation Robleries at Sea Prince Robert also being favoured by the Portugueses did what he could to hurt the English the effects whereof were so much resented by the Merchants of that Common-wealth that they had no will at all to laugh And besides the Pirates having Commission from the King of Scots did extreme mischief and had their retreat at Jersy and Sicilly two Islands situated at about fifty degrees between England and Ireland for they took all without distinction in such sort as it was necessary to send Admirall Tromp thither and the English Fleet which unnestled these Theeves and a little while after seazed upon the said Isle of Iersy The Irish were also bold enough to seek their advantage with the same Orders though with lesse strength But small Theeves make themselves sometimes feared These losses which were praecursory to greater evills much diminished Trade by the great Guards or Convoyes which it was needfull to send with the Merchants ships and by the Charges of insuring the Merchandizes The Dunkerkers did no great hurt But they aforesaid made themselves feared by the number and bigness of their Vessels and the conveniency of their Havens Envie Avarice and Vengeance produced these misfortunes We have already spoken of the triumphant Coronation of the Queen of Sweden therefore let us now go and see that of the King of Scots amongst the tumults and disorders of war yea and as one may say on horse-back and with his sword in his hand CHAP. X The Crowning of Charles Stewart His entrance into England He lost the Battail near Worcester The miserable State of the Scots His admirable flight He arrived in France The Difference between the Elector of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Newburgh The peace made CHarles being arrived in Scotland found many difficulties as we have already said The Crowning of the King of Scotland which after he had happily vanquished and taken a solemn Oath the Earl of Argyle together with a Baron and a Citizen put the Crown upon his head to the great contentment of the Assembly which cryed Live King Charles the second Whereupon Douglasse the Minister went into the Pulpit and exhorted him to revenge his Fathers death but he had enough to do to save his own life within a short space after For not being able to drive his enemies out of Scotland he resolved by a very hazardous design to transport the war into England there to animate his friends to take Arms for his service He enters into Scotland and so he entered upon a suddain with an Army of about eighteen thousand fighting men and by often skirmishing came as far as Worcester but either for want of Arms or will no body stirred for him but the Earl of Derby with some three hundred men which were cut in pieces very few escaping but the said Earl himself who carryed him the newes General Cromwell being recovered of his sicknesse and informed of this inopinated invasion followed him and the Parliament raised also new forces to resist him The Battail was given near the said Town of Worcester where the Seots and Royalists animated by the presence of their King carryed themselves well at the beginning but the Horse being broaken took flight and such as were not killed could not escape Is defeated by Cromwell in regard that all the passages were stopt so that the condition of these was more miserable then theirs who died fighting There were seven thousand taken prisoners together with the whole Train of Artillery for they were all caught in a pit-fall except their young King who made a marvellous escape as we will forthwith shew He was conceived to be slain but the Parliament ordained that no body under pain of death should either lodge or relieve him in any wise which begat a suspicion that he was living and enjoyed some kind of fearfull liberty For when he saw that the Battail was lost he fled with twelve Gentlemen in his company whom he was forced to leave for fear of being discovered and known retaining only the Lord Wilmot with whom he hid himself in an hollow Tree for the space of two dayes The King of Scots maiâ—ailously escaped and at length retyred to a certain Gentlewomans house who changed his cloathes conducted him to Bristoll and afterwards to London in the habit of a Gentlewoman where he stayed above three weeks and then he passed into France though he were known to the Master of the Vessel and arrived at Roüen where he was received by the Duke of Longueville and next at Paris by the King the Queens and all the Court. Thus we see how Fortune raises some and pulls down others For had Charles gotten the Battail it is very probable that England had been the price of the victory The victory advantageous to the Parliament This victory confirmed the Parliaments authority and destroyed that of the other Party lost the kingdom of Scotland cast an infinite number of Widowes and Fatherless children into excessive affliction and the poor prisoners into unexpressible calamities The first who appeared upon a Scaffold was the Earl of Derby and his Wife after a capitulation put the Isle of Man into the Parliaments hands The prisoners of note were put into the Tower of London and the most famous and victorious General Cromwell was received with such applauses as were wont to be heretofore given to the first Roman Emperors The Lands of the principal Gentlemen and such as were most affected to the other Party were confiscated But let us now leave England and the Parliament
yet shewed themselves again so distinctly that they were able to discerne the Ropes and Cables Last of all they saw the great Vessels again which they had discovered first These visions lasted about three houres A Lyon on the North side of the Ships performed the last Act under which there appeared animals of different shapes which turned into Ships The Parliament of England being grown formidable by Charles Stewarts expulsion whom they quite expelled the Island and by the conquest of the Kingdom of Scotland was much intense upon War and desirous to diminish the traffique which hath inriched these united Provinces as by taking the Ships which they met either at Sea or came into their havens and then by giving Letters of Mart. The begining by Letters of Mart. Whereupon the complainrs of the Holland Marchants obliged the States to send their Embassadours to acknowledge them for a Free Common Wealth to renew friendship and to redemand their Vessels taken The first point pleased them and the second was payed with silence and the third differred as never to be granted The Propositions which they made the said Embassadours were so high and beyond their expectation that the High and Might Lords resolved upon War Whilest these things were in agitation there hapned an encounter betwixt General Blake and Admiral Tromp about striking The first attak wherein Tromp was so briskly received that he had much adoe to get handsomly off leaving two ships behind him in the possession of the English This action hastened the returne of the Embassadours and set the States on work for the fitting of a second Fleet which was retarded by the wary Hollanders out of hope of composing the difference by representing the necessity of a good harmony betwixt the two Nations They wanted neither strength courage nor convenience to hurtâ— but other considerations made them seek an accommodation which these new Republicans rejected Mousieur Spiring the Embassadour of Sweden used all diligence to prevent the States Embassadours departure Every one goes into England to acknowledge the Parliament and encouraged them to acknowledge England for a Free State The Title in his Letter of Credence not being well adjusted he met with some little difficulty yet nevertheless obtained Audience but death taking him soon away deprived that State of a great friend After the Spanish Embassadour had acknowledged them every body hastened to the Offering as fearing to be the last Only France seemed not much to care but after having suffered a very rough check she at last came as we shall shortly demonstrate But we must yet make another great circuit before we conclude our Work CHAP. XIII The miseries at Sea caused by Pirats The present state of Norway Denmark Sweden Poland Hungary Germany Italy Spain and France c. HItherto we have seen the wars begun and caried on first for the authority and occupation or seazure of Countries under the princtpal pretext of Religion and then there hapned so great a Hotchpot and such a confused variety by the shuffling together of so many different Allyances and deceiptful practices that this precicus Cloak being grown quite thred-bare could be no longer worne and therefore the hatred of Nations and old quarrels must now be brought upon the Stage Indeed if according to the saying of Tertullian by forging so many Religions there grow at length to be none at all left with the like foundation may I also say that by making so many various Allyances which are so easily broken and so dexterously patched together again there is no Allyance at all I have to do said a certain Monarch with a bordering people which never keep their Faith but when they perceive no occasion to hurt me By this it is that there is so much trouble to make a peace and they who labour to joyne the two Parties finde so much difficulty and repugnance in regard of the indelible distrusts and jealousies between them that they cannot accomplish it Sea-Rovers Besides that there have alwayes been Sea-Rovers who as The The eves hidden in the Woods and Forrests have surprized passengers and laid wait for the Merchants Ships and at present we see whole Fleets the Sea loaden with Vessels to attacke not by stealth but open force the said Merchants Ships and the men of War also which accompany them Some years agoe the Sea was free and safe enough but now there are more and greater dangers there then there ever were by Land Let us passe through the North and end our Carrer in England The Kingdom of Norway being secured by its poverty feared not the year before nor this present year neither the war wherein the King of Denmark seemed ready to involve himself Thirty English Ships stopt in Denmark For he redemanded the Portion of his Aunt Anne Queen of England which being refused he stopped and confiscated some thirty English Merchant Ships and made a streight Allyance thereupon with the States of Holland for their Common Interests That Libell which was made in Sweden being washed and wiped off with the blood of the Authours thereof all was there in good order and diligence was used for the setting out of a little considerable Fleet which gave the bordering parts so much jealousie that King Frederick sent his Embassadours thither who returned with a good answer A Spanish Resident at Stockholme There was then a Spanish Resident at the Court of Sweden who treated secretly and the affairs of the last Assembly were conducted there so occultly that there was no light at all to be found thereof But true it is that Silence is the Soul of great Expedtions Livonia was well guarded against the invasion of the Polanders and the Treaties at Lubeck between them and the Swedes produced no good operation at all so that the Embassadours retired to the great displeasure of such as meddled in them The Muscovits did nothing in a long time which deserves to be noted here But the Polanders felt as well as the rest of the Nations of Europe the Rod of the Almighty by pestilence inundations and wars which continue even yet against the Rebellious Cossacks under the direction and authority of King Casimir The accidental fire which was like to burne the young Princesse was taken as an ill augure by such as were curious but the Kingdom is yet in vigour and the Armies in condition to ruin their enemies The Turks and Tartars made some irruptions into Hungary which gave both dammage and fear by the marching of some Troops but at present the Peace is exactly kept The Empire enjoyes the Peace made at Munster and every Prince labous by the offer of fair Priviledges to revive both his Country and the Religion he professes The Emperour who shewes that he took the redresse of the Empire more to heart then the preservation of his own life assembled all the Electors the last year at Prague The Electors at Prague 1692. and courted
Livoma where he gained some advantage upon Samonskie besieged Riga but in vain and returned into Sweden in great danger to be drowned When he had gotten the Crown upon his head he gave the reasons thereof to all Christian Kings and Princes justifying his proceedings the best he could and seeking the allyance of his Neighbours and chiefly that of the States Generall Samonskie the Great Chancellonr aforesaid writ against him and cried our upon his ambition which greatly offended him and gave subject of great grudges between them which grew at length to implacable hatred Chules looset the Battel Fortune frowned upon him at Riga for his Army being much stronger then that of Poland was rooted by General Cockevietz who having senr four hundred of the Livonian horse over a River to attack the Swedes in the Reer wonne the Battel by this stratatagem and so Livonia came to be under the Polanders till the Reign of the Great Gustavus Adolphus who reduced it to his obedience All Livonia hath embraced the Lutheran Religion as well as Sweden where it is held for one of their Fundamentall Lawes as it also is almost through all the North. Sweden is the biggest of all the Northern kingdoms the Head City whereof is Stockholm a Town the Suburbs and Sea-thore or strand comprised of great distent There are many huge Mountains Rocks and Forrests where are sometimes heard great illusions and phancies as there likewise are in the water which are very troublesome and terrible both to men and horses which passe that way The country is not much inhabited and the chief Provinces are West-Gothland East-gothland from whence as also from the rest of Sweden according to the opinion of some Authours came the Goths who so much vexed the Romane Empyre This kingdom is full of Copper and Iron Mines The Swedes are good souldiers both by Sea and Land and have given incredible examples of their valour both in Germany and Denmark they are of a strong Complexion and sit to endure hardnesse and labour The Nobility is very mild and frank loves learning and languages but especially Latin and French travels much abroad is very dexterous at exercises and honours and seeks learned company Yea and they have this vertue above all other nations wherewith I have conversed that they heartily love one another our of their own country hide the vices of their Compatriots and stand much for the honour of their nation The Peasants or Country people send their Deputies to the Assemblies of the States to the end that nothing be coucluded there to the prejudice of their priviledges King Gustave and Queen Christine his Daughter now reigning created much new Gentry which in some sort is disdained by the ancient Families in regard the Nobility of the kingdom was almost exhausted by the Warres CHAP. VI Of Denmark The Description thereof DEnmark is a kingdom the best part whereof consists of Islands as namely Zeland and Fionia The Province of Scania reaches up to Sweden and Jutland to Holstein It was peacefully gouerned by the prudent conduct of King Christian the fourth successour to Frederick the second his Father and Duke of Holstein During his minority he had four Counsellours to help him to bear the charge of the Government He was crowned the 29 th of August in the year 1596. The principal strength of this Kingdom consists of good and stately ships whereof the King hath a considerable number as well for the defence of his said Islands as for that most important passage of the Sownd which is the streight that separates Scania from Zeland and which is of huge advantage by reason of the infinity of ships which must passe over it to go into the Baltick Sea in the same manner that those of all the Havens of the said Sea and bound for the Ocean are forced to passe that way The Nobility of Denmark as also that of Holstein is much more inclined to warres then learning zealous for their liberty and Rights and makes no allyance by marriage with the common people a maxime much observed through all the North Poland and Germany They rufuse Ecclesiastical Honours as below their condition defend their priviledges and make no esteem of others though by their experience and knowledge they may merit the best Offices and Employments in the Country The Government is not much unlike that of Poland in both which Elective Kingdomes the Kings undertake nothing of importance without the consent of the States and Nobility The Gentlemen are all equall and as it were of one Family there being neither Earl nor Baron The Officers of the Crown and Counsellours of the kingdome have the preheminency and assist the King in the most weighty affaires of the Countrey Norway an Hereditary kingdom opposite to Great Britain or England It is very big but very desert and hath no considerable Towns but such as are near the Sea side It yeelds great store of fish wood boards and good skins These three kingdomes were heretofore under the government of the King of Denmark But the Swedes not being able to suffer the tyranny of Christian the second divided themselves from his obedience They all follow the Lutheran Religion and the Capitall City of Denmark is Coppenhaghen a very fair town situated upon the streight of the Sownd near the Baltick Sea a passage of about four leagues most pleasant and recreative by means of a Forrest which borders upon the Sea from Coppenhaghen to Elsener of which passage because it is so much envyed we will hereafter speak more at large The Peasants of Denmark and Poland are treated almost like slaves for the greatest part of the Nobility licentiously abusing their liberty despises all who are not Gentlemen A fault which hath drawn ruine upon many Families which boasted of the story of their Ancestours But it is not enough to be born a Gentleman unlesse it appear by vertuous laudable and generous actions CHAP. VII Of Great Britain The History of the Earl of Gore ENgland is a most fertile and most potent Island as well for scituation as men and ships There reigned Queen Elizabeth a Princesse as happy in her allyances success of arms and love of her subjects as ever was She was Daughter to Henry the 8 th and Sister to Mary and Edward She changed the Religion declared her self Head of the Church She was alwaies well served She sent strong succours to the King of Navarre and her subjects wonne many victories by Sea from the Spaniard against whom she continued her hatred even till her death in favour of the Vnited Provinces of the Low-countries She was a sworne enemy to the Roman Catholick Religion and seemed to have made it her task to destroy that as well as she had the King who bears the surname of it Scotland is a kingdom which makes a part but not the better part of this Island There reigned as King Lames Stewart a Prince esteemed very wise who resented
not at all the death of his Mother Mary who was beheaded in England preferring the hope of succession to the said kingdom before revenge courting the favour of the Queen and treading all other considerations under foot But heaven left nothing unpunished which often revenges innocence upon the Innocent themselves to chastise them who have not revenged it He married Anne Sister to Christian King of Denmark and lived in peace which yet was disturbed by dreadful conspiracy of a certain Earle called Gore whose Father was beheaded in the end of the said Kings minority Now this Gore returning from travel sent his brother to the King as he was hunting whom when he had made believe that there was a certain man who had found a great pot full of gold he led him into his said brothers Cabinet or Closet where had he not been succoured by his followers he had been unhappily murthered The Tragedy was afterwards acted upon them who intended themselves to have been the actors thereof and the murtherers were justly murthered In this tragedy they who were curious found such mysteries as their modesty kept in silence The Scots are held good souldiers but they were never very fortunate against the English Ireland is an Island both big and fruitfull between Spain and England where the English have exercised great power and authority as well in respect of Religion as for the Rebellion of the Irish against Queen El'zabeth calling the Spaniards to help them But they grew at length to be conquered and have long been governed since by Deputies or Vice-Kings under a most austere Disciplipe which hath constrained some of them to flye to the main Land and others to retire themselves into the Woods and Forrests amongst the wild beasts to seek their liberty after their own fashion This Island was heretofore conquered by the Saxons and a long time after by the Norman under William the Conquerour Their lawes have some resemblance to those of Normandy and Guienne which they had some ages in their possession where the Eldest sonnes take almost all the succession of their Parents leaving but very little to their Brothers and Sisters A very rough Law and almost quire contrary to that of Poland where when the Eldest hath divided the said succession the younger takes the first Portion and after him the other so that the last of all is left to the Eldest The English are good Souldiers both by Sea and Land not in valour and courage inferiour to any one Nation whatsoever and are more apt to offend by temerity and overmuch forwardnesse then cowardise Inghilterra bona terra mala gente The Nobility is generally very courteous and chiefly such as have travelled England sayes a famous Italian is a good Country but the Inhabitants are very bad The English are little affected to other Nations and especially to the French from whom they have a great aversion nor can the French or Scots on the other side endure the incompatible humour of the English After they had lost what they possessed in France and all the intelligence they had there they fell for a long time to Civill Warres But since under the reign of four Kings and two Queens they have seen various persecutions not only about Religion but for matter of State too where of we will speak in the sequel of this History The women are incomparably beautifull and consequently have a great influence upon the men yea the Queens have commanded there more absolutely and have been much better obeyed and respected then the Kings They treat their servants and horses very roughly which gave birth to the Proverb That England is Heaven for Women Purgatory for servants and Hell for horses King James to smother the hatred and partiality which had alwayes been between the people of these Islands by laudable advice entituled himself King of great Britain The Title of King of France which was possessed by many Kings of England hath alwayes checked the Salick Law which excludes the Heyres Femall of France from the Crown so that though the English possessed almost the whole kingdom of France it was more by the right of Arms then by that of the Lawes and Customes Let us now leave Great Britain and look upon Italy where there are many Seates and Republicks whereof we shall make but little mention to shun superfluities and keep our selves within the limits prescribed in this History CHAP. VIII Of Italy Lorraine and Savoy POpe Clement the 8 th held the Chaire and by the prudent administration of him the Venetians and the Great Duke of Tuskany there flourished a Peace throughout all Italy Every one preserved himself within his own interests nor could any little jealousies take root to the loss of the publick Quiet but it was suddenly strangled in the Cradle by wise conduct and most subtile policy The Popes as well by donation as other practises have not onely augmented the Patrimony of St. Peter but drawn also all the Soveraign Authority to themselves by removing the Emperours from the knowledge of the Affaires of Italy The Faction of the Guelphes for the Popes the Gibelms for the Emperours reigned there long and was not consopited or quieted but by eclipsing almost the whole Majesty of Emperours by endeavouring to constrain them to receive the Crown from their hands A difference not quite extinguished yet Besides that they have ever been unhappy enough in pursuing their Right by Arms the Italians cutting them out work enough amongst themselves and often hindring their coming out of Germany so that all the splendour of the Empyre remaines there and is no otherwise known throughout almost all Italy then only by name Under the Reign of Valentinian the Western Empire was much tottered by the Barbarians which forced most of the principall Families near the Sea to retire into the Islands of the Adriatick Streights and there lay the Foundations of that most puissant City of Venice and of that most Serene Republick which hath encreased maintained and conserved herself these twelve ages by an unparallelled blessing by the most perfect observance of the Lawes and by a policy worthy of admiration This gives just cause to judge that they who began her were of the most elevated and prime of all Italy and not slaves as they were who laid the first stone to the Common-wealth of Rome In the Peace which was made between the Emperour Charlemayne and the Emperour of Constantinople it was concluded than that Common-wealth which had already stood more then three ages and a halfe should serve for a bound and gate to the two Empyres They had for a long time in their possession the kingdom of Gypres which the Turks have now taken from them They have had many enemies and have often by their great prudence diverted the storms which have been ready to fall upon them and by the dexterity of their mannagements regained that which they had lost by the fate of Arms.
discovered in his physiognomy that he should one day become the Author of much disturbance to Christendome which afterwards proved true For he caused the Duke of Orleans to be massacred which raised a huge warre between these two illustrious Houses to the great advancement of the English affaires in France But now for the remedy of all those evills a Peace was made and Duke John assassinated in a Conference in the presence of the Dolphin Now this dismal chance this unseasonable revenge and this mad Counsell was the cause why the English assisted by the Burgundians and Flemmings made themselves masters of almost all the kingdome of France For Philip surnamed the Good joyned with the English to revenge the death of his Father against Charles the seventh In fine there happening a civil warre in England between the Houses of Lancaster and York the White and Red Rose and Duke Philip drawing his stake out of the play the English came by degrees to loose all they had gotten in the said kingdome This good Prince instituted and established the Order of the Golden Fleece in the year 1430 and tyed so by succession all those Provinces into one body to which Charles the Combatant annexed the Duchy of Guelders sold to him by Duke Arnolt for the summe of 92 thousand Crowns The pretensions of the Duke of Juleers or Gulick were also granted by consent of the Emperour Frederick in consideration of the summe of eighty thousand Florens in gold He left one only Daughter named Mary of Valois who was a very vertuous Princess and was married to Maxmilian of Austria and her death proved fatall to the Low-countries in respect of the war which followed there Her sonne Philip having renewed his alliance with Henry the seventh went into Spain and married Iane of Castile who brought him Charles of Austria And thus these Provinces being bound first to the House of Burgundy and then to that of Austria came last into the possession of that of Spain which by the discovery and conquest of the Indies happening almost at the same time is become most puissant and terrible as well to other States and Princes as also to the Ottomans themselves who seeing the Romane Empyre governed by a Prince of this Family loaden with so many Crowns and so many potent States take no small pleasure in seeing so many Schismes amongst the Christians Charles being chosen Emperour had Francis the first for his Competitor which kindled great Warres between them The success whereof was that Francis being taken prisoner promised though he performed not to restore the Duchy of Burgundy and renounce the Rights which the Kings of France had had in some Provinces of the Low-countries land Italy so that the Heyres of Charles remained a long time in the quiet and peacefull possession of them France being enough embroyled at home by the tender youth of three Kings all sonnes to Henry the second and by Civill Warre without looking back into old quarrels The House of Austria encreased by Marriages and Navigation And here we may see how by marriages and Navigations the House of Austria is both amplified and elevated which hath maintained her self by arms given jealousies to the Princes of Europe by her victories and struck sear and hatred into the soules of the Protestants who have made Leagues to uphold themselves and put a flea into the eare of France which hath abandoned the interests of Religion to make her self great and check this formidable power From this Knot or Tye of so many Crowns and great States together wherewith the King of Spaines head is burthened sprang that ticklish and indissoluble difference of precedency or preheminency which the Kings of France by the title of Eldest sonnes of the Church and most Christian Kings have alwayes attributed to themselves CHAP. X A Relation of the mischiefs happened in France under the minority of the Kings and by the diversity of Religions The jealousie about the power of the Guilards The Evils in France through State-jealousie FRance by the deplorable death of Henry the second grew in a very short space to sink into calamities which dured to the end of the last Age. The evil began in the minority of Francis the second and under the Regency of Katharin de Medicis through a jealousie which thrust it self in amongst the Princes of the Blood the Constable Montmorency the Counts of Chattillon and Andelot Admiral Caspar de Colligny and other Lords on the one side and the Dukes of Guise the Princes of the House of Laâ—rraine and other Noblemen on the other The Princes complained of the Guisards or them of the House of Guise whom in mockery and to make them odious they termed strangers had the mannagement of all the Affaires of France in their hands They almost all embraced the Reformed Religion which at that time began to encrease much through the whole kingdome whereof they declared themselves Protectors The chief motive of hatred betwixt these two most illustrious and ancient Families grew from a jest which the Admiral de Colligny cast upon the Duke of Guise concerning the taking of Theonnille A prick of a Lance which drew such a deluge of blood as no Chirurgion was able to stench Hatred between these two Houses for a jest The greatest part of the Ecclesiasticks and the most zealous of the Romane Catholicks took the Party of the King and the Guisards Many Battails were fought many Siedges of Townes laid and many Peaces made and no sooner made then broken In fine under Charles the ninth at the Wedding of the King of Navarre at Paris upon the Eve of Saint Bartholomew hapned that abhominable Massacre so much and so justly exclained against by the Protestants and blamed even by the Romane Catholicks themselves In the Reign of Henry the third was made a League called the Holy League for the exclusion of Henry de Bourbon from succession to the Crown as being an Heretick whereof the Duke of Guise a Prince of courage and high esteem was the Head who having routed the Reyters or Germane Horse ented Paris in despight of the King where he was received by the Citizens with excess of honours and when the showes of joy were ended they raised certain Barricadoes which made the King retire himself to a place of safety A Fatall Honour to all subjects how innocent soever they be For redress of these disorders there was a Peace endeavoured betwixt the King and the Duke The place of Treaty was Blois where the King contrary to his Royal Word given him caused both him and the Cardinal his Brother to be treacherously murthered His Children were saved by the Queen-Mother for the King had resolved to extirpate the whole Race thereby to prevent the danger of revenge Paris revolted and in imitation thereof many other Townes besides The King applied himself to the Huguenot Party and sent for the King of Navarre which rendered him still more odious
of the Duke of Mayenne and the rest of the League with King Henry Albert resolved to make the united Provinces also feel the stroake of his Arms And so he presented himself before Ostend an Apple not yet ripe and afterwards before Hulet which after many Assaults he at length carried But the Marshall de Rosue had his Head taken off by a Canon Bullet and more then three thousand souldiers were also slaine The year following Prince Maurice had his revenge near Turnhawt where he cut off the Troops of the Count de Varax In the month of March of the same year Hernantello Governour of Dourlens like a Fox surprised Amiens by a stratagem to the great astonishment of all France and the King retook it like a Lion after six moneths siege He passed thither with strong forces and thought to have given a just retaliation to the Spaniards by surprising Arras but he was repulsed by the young Count of Buquoy who after wards rendred great and remarkable services to the Emperour as we shall shortly shew During the time of these changes the Pope forbore not to represent to the King the misfortunes and mischiefes which this long Warre brought upon Christendome and beseeched him to hearken to a good and firm Peace with the King of Spain especially being invited thereto by the disorders of his own kingdome and the fear of a new Revolt more dangerous then the former There was none but the Queen of England and the Confederated States who endeavoured by advantageous offers to divert him and keep him on horse-back Though yet he dissembled their reproaches and answered that the Queen was a gainer by this warre but for his part that his people was exhausted and that he received many and great dammages from the Spaniards who promised by this Peace to render all they had gotten in France That he was obliged as a good King and a good Father to solace and refresh his poor subjects So that all their offers and many more the Peace of Vervin 2598. were not able to hinder this holy work which was concluded and established at Vervin in the moneth of May 1598. The King of Spain also for his part was urged to make Peace as seeing himself crazed with age and having a young Prince and a Princesse his children to marry and Fortune very often against him Besides three enemies upon his back as France and the Confederated Provinces which threatened him with the utter losse of the Low-countries and England which either destroyed or spoyled his Fleets upon the Ocean endangered thereof the Indies and put him to great charges to secure it and lastly their taking of Cales the prime key of the kingdom and other Places Now by vertue of this Peace the places were restored But the pretentions which each of these Kings hath to some certain Demaynes of the other were not taken away From whence sprang the seed of new Warres which were one day to smoother the promises of arming no more even though there should be occasion for it The Peace was received by the poor people with such showes of joy and teares of tendernesse as cannot be comprehended but by such as have suffered and almost lost all The States in the mean while let not these occasions slip by the great distance of the Cardinals forces For Prince Maurice marched into the Field took Bergh Grol Oldenseel Lingen and some other places which progress purchased him the reputation of a very great Captain and of understanding the profession of the Militia as well as any man of his time After the publication of the Peace Philip the second by his Letters Patents dated at Madrid the 6 th of May 1598. conferred all the Low-countries together with the Duchy of Burgundy upon the Infanta Isabell his Daughter to which the Prince her Brother consented and confirmed it both by oath and writing upon condition that if the said Princesse came to die without children the said Provinces should return to the Dominion of Spain besides many other Clauses too long to recite Now forasmuch as the actions of great persons are examined and either approved or disapproved according to every ones passion this which I here note was not forgotten by the contrary party All things are profitable yea Lyes themselves provided they last four and twenty hours are of utility and advantage CHAP. XII The Areh-Duke goes into Spain and the Admirall into the Duchy of Cleveland The death of King Philip. His admirable Patience THe Allyes of both parties were invited to the Peace of Vervin but the Queen of England not being able to induce the States to it resolved to joyn with them in warre under conditions of more advantage to her then before This gave the Arch-Duke subject to complain of her for continuing a warre with so great stomack and grudge upon him by whom she had never been offended But he having now received the Procuration of the Infanta his Wife was acknowledged and received for Prince of the Low-countries and he wrote a Letter to the Confederated States but received no Answer The Arch-Duke goes into Spain He departed for Spain with the Prince of Orange and passed through Germany to conduct Queen Margaret of Austria nominating for Governour during his absence Cardinal Andrew and the Admirall of Arragon for Captain General who led a strong Army into Cleveland and Westphalia where he took Rinberg and many other small places and made his Winter-Quarter there notwithstanding the complaints of the Lower-Ceroles He sent La Bourlette to the Isle of Bommel took Crevecoeur laid siege to Bommel which he was forced to raise and so after he had built the Fort of St. Andrews he retreated into Brabant where his souldiers began to mutiny for want of pay The Ceroles had raised another Army which was disbanded for want of order some of them being for the Spaniards and the other for the States It is in vain to lead great forces into the Field without a good purse to maintain them and good counsell to encourage them The death of King Philip. King Philip lived not long after the conclusion of the Peace which he also wished both with the English and Hollanders as being desirous to die in Peace He was long tormented with a feaver and two impostumes and in fine his whole body was so wasted that it was pittiful to behold But more admirable was his patience to suffer all as he did without murmuring He commanded like a great Prince and died like a good Christian In the beginning of his Reign he was happy but in the decline of his age he saw the losse of one part of the Low-countries and received many other dammages from the English He was much blamed for not coming himself in person into Brabant and for proceeding too roughly with that people which had been so affectionaâ—e to the Emperour Charles and in fine for constituting two Generals over the Fleet surnamed The Invincible
had so much adoe to awaken In sine Whatsoever is profitable in matter of State seems lawfull But what we do our selves we ought not to condemn in others the Peace made 1506. The suspicion daily encreased and that chiefly because Count John of Ritsbergh was become a Roman Catholick But at last by the intercession of the King of England and the States-Generall the Peace was made at the Haghe in the year 1606 as also that of the Christians and Turks and all jealousies which could come from thence quite take off CHAP. XIV Of the Changes which happened in precedent Ages about matter of Religion and the motives of our Design drawn from these revolutions Luther writes against the Pope The Rebellion of the Peasants of Germany THe differences which have happened amongst Christians upon the diversity of Religions the distrusts which have sprung from thence as the fire from the flint and the reasons of State precious covers for manifest wickednesse have proved the cause of the greatest part of all our present mischiefes and languishments Therefore let us seek out the true root of it and leave passion to such as cannot receive any other impressions then those by which they are utterly blinded My purpose is not to dyve into questions of Divinity but only to search in History after the causes of so many alterations and so much hatred drawn from so holy and innocent a subject Pope Julius the second We will therefore begin with Pope Iulius the second who died in the year 1513. This Pope more carefull of the Temporall then of the Spiritual and more studious of propagating the Jurisdictions of the Church then the kingdom of God made an Allyance with the Emperour and the Kings of France and Spain to the utter ruine of the Venetians But he quickly changed his Cards forsook the Allyes reconciled himself with his enemies animated Henry the Eighth King of England against the French and Ferdinand against the King of Navarre whom he spoyled of his kingdom for refusing him passage He embroiles Europe He also dissolved the Allyance between the Emperour and the King of France and called the Swissers into Italy to drive the French out of the Milan In fine having sunk all Europe into inexplicable confusions and scandalized his Flock he made place for Leo the 10 th a man who loved rest and was lesse a souldier then Iulius of whom is written this great praise that he once cast some Keyes into the Tyber saying that St. Pauls Sword should have more power then the Arms of St. Peter The duty of a good shepherd is to keep his sheep in peace and feed them and not scatter them and send them to the shambles Whilest these warres lasted which ruined the Publick and Human Laws the Divine ones were also very ill kept The ignorance of the Prelates caused superstitions and their loose and vicious lives together with their great and vast possessions the hatred of the people The learned desired a redresse in the Ecclesiastical Policy as well as Peace required in the Secular Divorce which continues to this day with as little apparence of Reunion as there is of seeing the Rivers run back to their springs And it is that the Pope published a Iubily for the collection of monies to resist the Turk which was most necessary at that time But the impudence of a certain Monk called Teâ—zel exceeded so farre as to presume to sell the Indulgences or Pardons for the sinnes committed and to be committed I have horrour to recite this cheaâ—erie the companion of superstition ignorance and avarice and forthwith to draw soules out of Purgatory Martin Luther Martin Luther opposes Tyrzel Dector of Divinity at Witembergh and Monk of the Order of St. Austin briskly opposed this Impostor made a Thesis or General Position which he dedicated to the Pope himself to testify the will he had to relye upon his definition But through excess of indignation he passed the limits of Christian modesty and Catholick Truth Insomuch as that at length he grew to write against the Popes authority wherein he was impugned by a Divine called Eckins See Florimoud of Remond He is excommunicated Now Pope Leo desirous to quench this spark excommunicates Luther but that was to cast oyle into that fire and put poison to the wound For Martin raises his Batteries against him and calls him Antichrist which the Pope too much slighting applyed all his thoughts to warre Those enemies who are most despised are very often most hurtfull But the God of Peace drove him out of this world to make room for another more worthy and more vâ—â—tuous though lesse politick then he However Policie be a very convenient Science for such as govern great States and Empyres Pope Adrian the Preceptor or Tutor to Charles the 5. was born at Vâ—rick and promised to bring a wholesom Balsom to the diseases of Christendome For he had already elevated the hopes of the Good by abolishing Simony punishing sins against nature and not alienating the possessions of the Church But his too suddain death declared that God had otherwise disposed of him that his two Predecessors had too much embroyled the Flock that the sicknesse must have its course and that the Body was filled with too many bad humours to be cured by one single purge or one Blood-letting onely His doctrine in Saxony Now Luthers doctrine passed from Saxony into Sweden King Gustave and Frederick of Denmark being leagued together against Christian who deserted by his people was fled and they also forsook the Pope as well as their King and much ranged the authority of the Bishops of their kingdomes And as Luthers Doctrine grew to be received so diffidence and hatred grew equally up with it together with a desire also to maintaine it against all who endeavoured to suppress it There was besides another accident which very much troubled the Church and it was that Charles the Emperour and King Francis the first had very often entreated the Pope and Cardinals to call a General Councill for the reformation of abuses in the Church and Clergy But this song was little lesse unpleasant then the opposition of Luther And so these two Princes laying aside that care they being too nearly tyed to their own interests meditated nothing but warre upon each other Pope Clement successor to Adrian seeing the King of France prisoner made speedily a secret Allyance with his own subjects and almost all the Princes of Italy so to put a limit to the power of the Emperour who in revenge thereof abrogated his Authority in Spain surprised Rome and took him prisoner who was very ill treated by the Germans as being for the most part Lutherans Now these two Monarchs being the chief Pillars of Europe ought to have favoured a Reformation and hindred a separation But what The impiety of the people whets the sword of the Almighty who comes slowly to vengeance though
German Doctor Luther and Calvin whom we have so often mentioned and a French one likewise who first preached against those said superstitions and then ventured to set up their Standards against the Church her self with so universal applause that in a few years even whole kingdomes grew to separate themselves from the communion of that Body which acknowledged the Pope for the Supreme Vicar of Iesus Christ The Iesuits oppose Now at the same time as we have formerly shewed sprang the Iesuits and armed themselves to quell these valiant souldiers who skipped out of their holes so openly to attack a power which all the States of Christendom held in so much veneration They stopped the course of this Torrent which neither Fire Persecutious nor strict Prohibitions were able to effect and they have united to the Body a good part of those people which had untyed themselves from it It is not by fire but by force of Doctrine and not by words but by exemplary life that a remedy must be put to all these disorders which happens amongst Christians Now this Society could not but meet with meet with envy enough amongst the Clergy which felt it self so reprehended and pricked by such new men For Admonitions and in structions how necessary and profitable soever they be leave not to imprint some harshnesse upon the soul of the receivers An exact Captain is displeasing to lazy souldiers Violent remedies served for nothing In fine recourse was had to such violent remedies as so sharpened and stung the parts affected that there will never be meanes to introduce a reconciliation unless perhaps it fall out to be by ways full of suavity and charity For interest took this powerful occasion so fast by his fore-lock and these Divisions are grown so firmly rooted that it is probable they will not finish but with the world And this is the principall source of the evils which we have seen and yet daily see happen to the grief of all good men in this last Age. And thus we have shewed about what when for what reasons and by whom began these Reformations Nor must we wonder at the monstrous effects since they could not be more noble then their Causes If we would reflect often upon it we should find Ministers and instruments enough thereof The holy Scripture sayes that there must be scandals but cursed be they who shall give them THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I The Queen of England and the States of Holland refuse Peace King Henry of France polishes his Kingdome and makes War against the Duke of Savoy THE Peace of Vervin filled with joy not only the subjects of the Kings but also all such as acknowledged the See of Rome The Protestants invited to the said Peace by Henry the Great shut their eares to the Propositions and studied only how to make most streight Allyances for their preservation Where Diffidence gets the mastery Reason is not understood unlesse it be ushered in by strong and irrefutable assurance It was impossible for the Arch-Duke Albert to bring the States to a very advantageous Peace as the Ministers said for them since the arguments of King Henry could obtain nothing from them For his offers were as stints out of which they drew sire to kindle the warre with so much the greater animosity They sent their Embassadours into England Elizabeth and the states refuse Peace where they sound the Queen most disposed to receive theirs so that it was most facil to draw her to their opinion In the mean while the Arch-Duke receives a Procuration from the Infanta his future Spouse in vertue whereof he was generally and solemnly received and nominatively at Antwerp where the oath of sidelity was payd him by the Deputies of the obedient Provinces Albert goes into Spain 1598. And so he went into Spain but before his departure he signified to the confederated States that he went to marry the Infanta and that he had the Low-conntries for Portion with her and was already acknowledged Lord thereof Therefore he conjured them to associate themselves to the other Provinces in respect that the King had divided them from his other Demaines and that thus all distrusts being taken away he withed nothing more then to see that Body entire and in peace under his Government But all in vain For Religion and liberty were too charming subjects to be abandoned and they who are growne to be Masters abhorre to fall back into forvitude He began his journey in the moneth of September in the yeer 1598 leaving Cardinal Andrew his cosin for his Licutenant and sent his army towards the Rheyn which at his return he found full of confusion and revolt for want of pay He was received in all places where he passed together with the Princess Margaret of Austria spouse of Philip the third whom he conducted in his company with honours due to the greatnes of their quality He stayed not in Spain but as soon as he had married the Princesse Clara Eugenia The King of France repolisheth his Kingdome he brought her into the Low Countries and they made their entry into Brussels in the moneth of September 1599. He brings the Infanta 1599. King Henry of France having given his subjects a peace made it all his care to repolish his kingdom much depraved by the prolixity of the civil warrs to revive the laws strucken dumb by the licentiousness of the souldiers to place good order every where and in fine to establish two Religions in very good union aswel for his own service as for the repose of his people Whereas King Philip on the other side in his would have but one But some persons of very great experience have conceived that if he had embraced the same Maxime he might have preserved the seventeen Provinces though others have beleeved that he would rather have lost them all as being too far distant from them and consequently unable to accommodate himself to all occurrences which required a diversity of temperaments But this Prince namely Henry had been educated in the reformed Religion and so knew the humours the forces of that party not to be contemptible He was Son to Anthony of Bourbon who was slain at the siege of Roüen The Prince of Conde being slain in the battell of Jarnac and the Admiral remaining Generall of the Hughenot army he advised them to nominate for their Generall Henry of Bourbon a young Lord who had ever defended their party and so he being turned Catholick and upon that made King of France had alwayes a particular care to uphold them as a people from which he had received great services But there was very great danger of taking from them that which had been promised them by so many Proclamations or Edicts nor did they indeed forbear to cry up their services and bragg that it was they onely who put the Crown upon his head Henry the 3.
and would have killed him if a Count had not hastened to the stirre and taken him out of their bands His Majesty seemed much displeased herear and all issued to the confusion of the one and the glory of the other The year following Prince Maurice had an enterprise upon the Dike of Antwerp from whence he retyred with remarkable losse before the Castle of Wowde which he took by capitulation The Arch-Duke on the other side disgusted at the losse of Sluce and desiring to keep Flanders free from contribution sent Spinela to the said place whose credit was already much augmented amongst his enemies as well as amongst them of the Spanish party But Maurice having prevented him and put all things in good order he found himself fain to seek the same way which the Count de Bucquoy had taken with a flying Camp towards the Rhein which he passed and took Oldenzeel and Lingen and if he had prosecuted his business with the same ardor and promptitude wherewith he began it was very probable he might have seased upon Coeverden Groening yea Embden it self and so have taken footing in Freezland Warre about the Rhein in regard that he would have found no great resstance for want of men especially coming upon an exploit both unforeseen and unexpected There was yet another very dangerous encounter towards the Rhem where Prince Henry had incurred great hazard of being killed or taken if he had not been seconded by his Brother wherein he was more happy then in the enterprise of Guelders The Designes upon Grave and Bergh upon Zoom were hurtfull to the undertakers and served for an advertisement to them upon whom they were practised to keep themselves upon their guard The Count de Buequoy quickly brake the garrisons of Wotchtendone and Cracaw and so winter was as a trumpet which sounded a retreat to both armies The morning is never so fair but that there appears some cloud upon the Horizon before the day be quite spent France is never so well at rest but that there is some stir either in one corner or other or in the middle For they are people of a fiery spirit and enemies to quiet The conspiracy which was discovered in Provence at that time and the author whereof was a gentleman of that Country who was appreheded at Paris together with the Secretary to the Spanish Embassador caused the the said Embassadour to complaine and reproach that the Peace was not well kept to which the King answered by other objections which were the seeds of the contrariety since between these two nations who yet by different wayes seem to have both but one object for their end The birch of Philip the fourth King of Spaine theâ—â— of April This very yeer 1605 upon the 8 th of April was born Philip the 4 th who holds the Spanish Monarchie at this day And the same year died Pope Clement the 8 th and Theodore Beza and the year following Justus Lipsins Professour of the University of Lovain CHAP. VI The difference which happened between Pope Paul the fifth and the Republick of Venice and why The peace made The Duke of Brunswick endeavours to take the Town The King of Denmark goes into England The continuation of the wars in the Low-Countries VVHiles the war was thus hot in the Low-Countries there happened a spark of division in Italy between the Pope and the Venetians which if neglected might have caused an emborasment no lesse perilous then that the one namely the Romane Catholicks ministring all kindes of means and reasons to quench it and the Reformates all sorts of invention to kindle it The knot of the controversie was that the said Republick had made a Law prohibiting all the Ecclesiasticall persons to buy or receive by Will or Testament any immovable goods or other inheritances This Order being ill taken at Rome caused a Bull which was published against the said Republick with the thunderbolt of excommunication in case it were not revoked within the tearm of four and twenty dayes interdicting the Priests to say Masse The difference between the Pope and the Venetians under paine of the same excommunication The Senate protests against it and so from words to blows Italy was instantly in armes The King of Spaine ofters assistance to the Pope and Henry the fourth as much but under condition that he being eldest son of the Church his Holinesse would receive no ayde from any other but himself This proposition together with the information which he had that the King of England and the Hollanders enemies to the holy See had presented all kind of help to the Venetians and being also moved by his own prudent goodnesse and the evident danger to which the Catholick States would be exposed caused him to hearken to the perswations of the two Kings and take off the excommunication whereby the businesse was appeased Taken away by the intercession of the two Kings and all the Ecclesiasticks who were gone out of the City during this fogg had leave to return except onely the Jesuites who carried the whole burthen and were banithed for perpetuity The Jesuites banished out of the Common-wealth of Venice nor have all the intercessions and addresses which have since been made in favour of them by the King of France and many other Potentates served for any thing but to renew the said order of banishment against them The Protestants their capitall enemies have not failed to serve themselves of this occasion as also of many other to cry them down every where by accusing them of some conspiracies against the said Common-wealth whereof yet there is no clear mention made at all For they make profession to be forbidden by their rule to meddle with State business But a good Game good Gaine They are not without fellowes for England furnishes them likewise with matter enough Now these animosities being appeased there returned a calm to all Italy which we will now leave to come back into Germany and Holland For here it is that men are alwayes in action both by Sea and Land whilest the rust of Christendom are at rest It is true that the Duke of Brunswick seeing Spinola with a great army neer Lingen took a pretext to raise one to but it was in effect to attack the chief town of the Dutchy An attempt upon Brunswick His forces seized upon one of the gates and the wall without much trouble but they weakly desended those advantages which they had gotten and so were shamefully beaten oft He besieged the town twice but the Emperour interposing his authority all was quickly accommodated Enterprines never snoceed well but by the courage of the under takers The King of Denmark goes into England The King of Denmark went to see his brother inlaw King James and his sister where having been regaled the space of a moneth he returned toward his own Kingdom not without admiring the pomp and magnificence of the English
need at all to speak thereof Mary Eleonor her eldest sister was married to Albert Frederick Duke of Prussia who died without issue male and left four daughters behinde him Anne who was the eldest was given to John Sigismund Duke of Brandenbourgh and Elector of the Empire The second to the Old Elector The third to the Duke of Courland The fourth to Duke John George of Saxonie brother to the Elector The second sister of the said Duke called Anne in the year 1574. married Philip Lewis Duke of Newbourgh in which marriage she brought Wolsgang William who kept his Court at Dusseldorp and died in the moneth of April in this year of 1653. The third who was Magdalen was made wife to the Duke der Deux-Ponts And Sibill the fourth was bestowed upon Charles Duke of Austria who had no childe Difference for sâ—â—cession Now Duke Iohn William dying without children Iohn Sigismund Elector of Brandenbourgh who married Anne as we have already said eldest daughter to the eldest sister of the said last Duke presented himself to be received by the States of the said Dutchy wherein he was opposed by the Duke of Newbourgh son to the second daughter Magdalen who was then yet living The Dukes of Brandenburgh and Newburgh The Elector of Saxonie and the Duke of Neuers declared themselves also heirs so that the Emperour Rodolph summons the Parties to appear before him endeavours to sequester the Dutchies and to that end dispatches the Archduke Leopold Nâ—wburgh refuse the sequestration and demand relief from France Bishop of Straesbourgh who makes himself master of the Town and Castle of Gulick Whereupon the two first presumptive Heirs upon some articles of governing the Country made an agreement between themselves and in stead of addressing themselves to Prague before the Lord of the Fief who is the Emperour had recourse to the King of France O! How great is the strength of distrust which tyes the hands of justice and gets authority over ber They obtained a promise of strong relief The other Princes both Protestants and Catholicks yea even the Emperour himself sent their Embassadours likewise to Paris where the King sounded them all one after another In the mean time they take Arms make Excursions awaken the Neighbours The Germane Protestants receive the Alarm Germany takes the Alarm and assemble themselves at Hal and the Catholicks on the other side at Hirtsburg there to provide for their safety propose the Election of a new King of the Romanes and bring the said Protestants to a more strict observance of the accord of Passavia These are the first seeds of the divisions which being come to maturity will quickly fill all Germany with horrible disturbances as being watered by strangers for fear least they perish with moisture or humanity drawn out of the essence of Religions as we shall briefly shew in fit place The businesse of Donawerds Atumult at Donawerdt which is proscribed and foreed by the Duke of Bavaria which had already irritated the Protestants passed thus Some Religious or Conventuall men dwelling in the towne and endeavouring to make a Procession were desired by the Magistrates to desist for fear of some tumult But they answered that they would not quit their Rights which depended upon the Emperour In short they make a Procession the people falls upon them and affronts them The Emperour informed of the insolence demands an exemplary punishment wherein being disobeyed he proscribes the Towne and gives the execution thereof to the Duke of Bavaria who by a siege forced it to submit Now this proceeding very much displeased the Protestants and principally such as were grieved to see the Empire so long in a profound Peace But the enmity was not yet grown so strong for it shortly after brake out to the ruine of all this great Body But let us returne to the Country of Gulick The Princes excessively afflicted at the death of the King of France Gulick besieged and taken sollicited Prnice Maurice to besiege Gulick which he did and by the assistance of the French Army under the conduct of Marshall de la Castre constrained Leopold to render the said place into the hands of the said Princes upon an honourable composition Now it is to be observed that they would not admit of a sequestration nor the decision of the Emperour to whom it belongs by right but it looks as if they all endeavoured to weaken the Principall head of Europ And so the Princes were reproached for having ejected the Garrison of Gulick with forraine forces which was immediately to conremne the Imperiall authority and that they had thereby given cause to the Emperour to arme against them The Duke of Saxonie beares also the title of Duke of Gulick Cleveland and Montagues and draws his pretentions from Sibill Aunt to John William and Daughter to William who was given in marriage to Iohn Frederick Elector of Saxonie who lost the Electorac for having taken arms against the Emperour Charles He was admitted by the two Princes to govern the Country till the definitive decision of the difference It seems that diffidence and suspicion in affairs of State authorize the taking up of Arms without any other forme of Iustice and that it is no more lawfull to the Lord of the Fief to dispose of his Right CHAP. XIII A tumult in Poland and why They arme The Swedes and Muscovites serve themselves of this occasion against the Poles and loose Smolensko Treason discovered in England The troubles appeased at Paris Rodolph dies VVE left the King of Poland very busie about recovering his Kingdome of Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedes our of Livonia and now we finde him as busie to maintaine himself in the Elective after having lost the Hereditary Fortune never ceases to trouble Vertue and one disaster comes not without another The begining of the troubles was by a little blast or slash which kindled a fire that carried it self to the very highest loft or story of the building The scholars of the Jesuites through an impious zeale Yuâ—â—â—nlss in Poland rushed one day upon the Church of the Protestants of Posen and set it on fire Prince Radzivil and some other Ranting blades of the Party took arms for the defence as others said of their liberty and to revenge this injury under the vaile of Rakozians Fortune smiling upon them at first and they puffed up with a small victory endeavoured to expell the King and choose another unlesse he would subscribe to some certaine insupportable articles proposed by them Ill intentions grow to be discovered by good successe In a word the Warr was kindled in good earnest and the cloak of Religion not forgotten The Rakozians being beaten make Peace The Rebels or Rakozians being defeated and vanquished returned to be friends and good subjects But some space after the wound having been dressed by too milde a Chirurgion opened and gangroened and could not be shut up without
Mastricht which was of much advantage to him and in some measure recompenced so many losses and had not the Enterprize so excellently begun upon Rhinbergh failed by the cowardise of the Enterprizers all would have remained equal enough For the Spaniards had cast bridges of bulrushes into the Motes without being discovered the selfe same evening that the rejoycing was made for the taking of Breda upon which having passed and made themselves Masters of some Bastions they fell into the Town it selfe but the Souldiers of the Garrison tumultuarily and suddainly taking arms put them to a retreate and the Horse seeing the Gate open durst not enter and so the Town got a fine escape The next year 1638. Fortune returned to the Spaniards For the French laid Siege before St. Omers a strong and well munitioned Place siâ—â—ted upon a little River which empties it selfe into the Sea neer Graveling St. Omers â—â—sieged the birth of the Dolphin the fifth of Seâ—tember 1638. but having lost the Fort neer the Bat and a great Convoy they were compelled to rise with great losse which was mollified by the birth of the Dolphin the fifth of September the joy whereof was universal and the Queen after a marriage of three and twenty years sterility manifested an admirable exception to that Rule which sayes that the Spanish Ladies beare no children after they are four and thirty years old But it is true that this blessed fecundity was sent by the Divine Providence for the good of France Two dayes after this the French were beaten from Fontaraby and their Army defeated The French beaten before Fontaraby which misfortune hapned as it is beleeved by the Prince of Condes bad correspondence with the Duke de la Valette and the losse of this victory obscured the luster of that which they got at Sea as their taking of Reuty a place considerable enough softened a little the wound received before St. Omers Cattelet was also retaken and the Governour together with all the Captains beheaded for not withstanding so much as one assault and expecting the succour which was already neer the Town When Fortune laughs too much she ordinarily carryeâ— venim in her taile which the Hollanders experimented this year For they craftily got into Planders took two little Forts and besieged that of St. Mary where they were so well intrenched that had they kept that Station they had gone neer to make Antwerp quickly change her Master But they were so briskly and frequently attacked by the Spaniards that they grew faint-hearted And the Hollanders before Callo and endeavoured to returne by flight the same way they came but were almost all taken prisoners and all their Artillery and Shallops fell into the Enemies â—iandsâ— There were of them more smothered in the marshes then killed in the fight and Count William had very much adoe to save himselfe with a few more in his company The prisoners had the same treatment which the Spaniards had received who were taken in the Sallops in the year 1631. Nor was the Prince of Orange himselfe much happier before Guelders though he retired with lesse losse and trouble These alternative victories and these great Changes of Fortune constant in her inconstance ought to have made the Princes remember that being Christians they were bound to lay aside their animosities but they were so fleâ—hed upon one another that they aspired to nothing lesse then peace and took nothing more to heart then the utter ruine of each other Their thirst was not yet quenched with humane blood The Queen-Mother arrives in Holland goes into England comes back to Colein Her death nor their heat deminished by reposing all the Winter The Queen-Mother departed from Bruffels passed through Holland where she was received with respect enough in all the Towns but principally at Amsterdam where that illustrious Magistracy performed the honours of the Republick and then embarked for England where she was embraced by her Son in Law and her Daughter with honour and sense of tendernesse and joy There was a report that it was she who counselled the match of the Prince of Orange with the eldest Daughter of England and the English imputed the first seeds of the divisions and wars of their Kingdom to her as if this unfortunate Princesse had every where carried ill luck in her company like some contagious sicknesse But seditious persons are glad to cast the fault and guilt of their ill intentions upon such as are not beloved by the ignorant people nor is there any more vicious and corrupt Soul then that of a detracter She repassed by Zeland to Colein and seeing that he whom she had raised so high slighted her disasters stood fast in favour and in the entire administration of the affairs of the Kingdom she fell sick and after having pardoned all her enemies dyed This great Queen Mother to so may Kings being overwhelmed with miseries and old age left this mortal habitation and taught us thereby that there is no sure and stedfast felicity in this pilgrimage She had most wisely governed the Kingdom of France during the Kings minority and elevated to the highest degree of honour him who rendered her most miserable afterwards If the little ones are trodden under foot the Great ones are also precipitated and tumbled down headlong from the highest honours and dignities into the abysse of calamities to the end that every one may resent the disasters of this constantly deplorable Age. The Season being proper the Armies were led again into the Field and Fortune shared the Victories The French beâ—ten before Theonuille The Army of Campagne under the command of Monsiâ—ur de Feuquieres went to besiege Theonuille where it was quite defeated by Piccolomini and Beck who presented himselfe before Monzon but the Duke of Chastillon having recollected the fragments thereof and joyned them with his Troops for Fenquieres was dead of his wound made him change his route and follow the Infanto's order to come to the reliefe of Hosdin which was furiously attacked by Marshal de la Meilleraye and most excellently defended by the Garrison Though yet at length the Governour having sustained many assaults and spent all his powder and seeing on the other side the Assaultants animated by the Kings presence was saine to yeild it upon a good composition Hosdin rendred to the French â—638 1638. It was belâ—eved that had he been able to hold it out two dayes and two assaults more the Siege would have been raised but Pâ—ccolomini came too late and the Ambuscado which he had laid for the King in his returne from the Field was discovered too soone The Prince of Conde seized upon the strong place of Salces in the County of Rossillion which was quickly afterwards retaken by Marquis Spinola and the King of Spain who often sent forces into the Low-Countries found himselfe quickly in a condition to draw some from thence into Spain This very year Prince Cassimir now
were all detained prisoners contrary to the Agreement made by a maxime little usual for they would not release them because they would not draine the Source of them and exhaust the Country of Souldiers It is to be noted that this said Fort before which there perished the Flower of the French Nobility and which merited not to be attacked had it not been for the consideration of the Haven yeelded to testifie to the French that the honour thereof was due to the Hollanders And these small grudges served but to sharpen their stomacks hasten the taking of Dunker and Fuernes The eleventh of October 1646 Thus almost all Flanders being conquered they doubted no more of expelling the Spaniards since there wanted onely one effort or last blow for it whereof France for her part was resolved Wherefore the King sent to intreat the Prince of Orange to lay siege before Antwerp and promised him the succour of six thousand men demanding onely four Churches for the Roman Catholicks in lieu thereof to which the Prince consented but the found some difficulty in the determination of the States For they of Zeland protested against it and they of Amsterdam would not have the said Town taken for feare least the Commerce should return thither again But there was yet another stronger and more considerable reason and jealousic had already taken too firme root to be so easily plucked up The Marshals Gassions and Rantzaw after having put good order at Courtrack advanced with their Troops towards the Channel betwen Gaunt and Bridges secured the Princes passage and drove back Piccolomini who durst not venture any thing against them The Prince after having passed made a circuit found plunder for his Souldiers rendred the Duke of Orleans a visit then crossed the River Skelde and entred the Land of Wass General Back seeing this storme ready to fall upon him after having stopped the Hollanders below Gannt retired himselfe and pitched his Camp a league beyond Antwerp for the safety whereof all being in confusion he left the fruitful Land of Wass to the Enemy as also the Town of Hulst which the Prince forced to yeeld Hulst besieged and taken after a moneths Siege Fortune which had alwayes accompained him made it appeare that he was yet her Darling in this occasion for though it were in the moneth of October it was faire and dry weather and had it been rainy according to the Season he had run hazard of loosing the benefit of this Field and of blemishing in some sort the splendour of so many gallant exploits as had been happily accomplished by him CHAP. XVIII The War of England The Tragical death of the King FErdinand the third at present Emperour had good reason to say these words which are reported to have been once uttered by him by way of deploring the calamity of this Age. The Princes of the Empire said he will be râ—â—ved and the evils and disasters which we suffer will rebound upon the heads of them who make us suffer them He is now in repose and sees all the calamities of Germany transported into England and other places But let us first begin with England without seeking the speculative Causes or casting them at all upon the sins of men To the end that we may speak with the more ground of what hath passed in this Kingdom we will derive the Source thereof from William the Conquerours time CHARLES PAR LA GRACE DE DIET-ROY D'ANGE ETERRE sould by P. Stent The curses of Fathers and Mothers upon their Children are of most dangerous consequence Behold here a proofe thereof by which this said Kingdom hath bâ—â—â—n afflicted since many Ages past and by the late Tragical Act which turned it into a Common-wealth Robert Son to the abovesaid William being gone to conquer the Holy Land gave his brother Henry the first of that name occasion by his absence to seize upon his Crown who having a desire to marry the Princess Mawde Sister to King Edgare of Scotland who had been long before an inclosed Nun in a Monastery caused her often to be asked with great instancy but the devour Princesse remained constant to her Vow but finding that she would not voluntarily yeeld her brother Edgare King Henry of England marries Mâ—wde Princesse of Scotland fearing Henry's fury was constrained to make her condescend so that she perceiving it to be a businesse of force made a prayer to God that all the issue and posterity which should spring from them might live in perpetuall disquiets and quarrels This malediction of hers hit right and extended it self not onely to the third and fourth generation but even to our Times also in such sort as that there have been few Kings ever since who to raigne in security have not been either necessitated or induced to kill their Brothers or near Kinsmen and who have not also experimented Civill Seditions whereby the Brothers Uncles Children or Brothers in Law have seized upon the Crown In fine the Division under Edwards Children between the Houses of Lancaster and Yorke existed under the Colours of the Red The quarrels between the Houses of Lancaster and York and the White Rose which quarrell after having caused many Battels and the death of above eighty Princes was composed by the marriage of Henry the seventh with Elizabeth of the House of Yorke and so the Roses were re-united to bury the two Factions and terminate the Difference however the Kingdom were not thereby cured of Mawdes Curse for in the year 1587. Queen Elizabeth who then raigned put to death Mary Stewart her Kinswoman after detaining her prisoner almost twenty yeares Thus farre reaches Stephen Basker a Writer of very much esteem but I must passe further and call a milde King upon a Scaffold After Queen Elizabeths decease it looked as if the course of misfortune were stayed by the raigne of King Iames and the Union of three Crownes but this great Calme continuing yet about fifteen yeares after his death turned into the blackest and most furious Tempest that ever was and those waters had not been stopped but to overflow this Field with so much the more violence and desolation Iames Stewart King of Scotland was murthered by a detestable Treason The misfortunes upon the House of Stewart and the Queen his Wife was beheaded in England where shee thought to sinde her Sanctuary from the Faction of her subjects Her Sonne afterwards King of England was likely to be stifled in her wombe Her Grand-Childe ended his dayes as she did hers by the hand of an Executioner and his distressed Children retyred into France to their Mother A strange Catastrophe and a malediction more Tragicall in the end then in the beginning But let us begin this Tragedy by this first Act. The English under a pacificall King lived in such superlative delight and riot produced by an uninterrupted course of many yeares Peace that they grew almost to forget God For it is but
in adversity onely that we are apt to remember him and such as were not content to live in such delicious idlenesse betook themselves to the warre either in Germany or the Low-Countries King Chales will have a Conformity of the Chu ches of Scotland with that of England King Charles made Proclamation for a Conformity as well in Ceremony as otherwife of the Churches in Scotland with these of England The Puritans opposed iâ— a tumult was raised against the Bishops and principall parsons of quality and a new Allyance or Covenant amongst the Puritans The King warned them to renounce it â—ut they on the other side persisted published scandalous Writings made a League abrogated the Episcopall Authority fortified some places and constrained him to leave his rest and take arms The Scots arms The Scots having gotten possession of the Castle of Edinburgh entred in to England took Newcâ—stle and Durham The King called a Parhament which being for the most part composed of Puritans he found them inclined to favour the Scots Whereupon he marched with an Army towards the Botders where he slighted the advice of one of the chief of his Kingdom who told him that if he would be a King and were not weary of raigning he must hazard a Battell But he preferring a pernicious peace before a necessary warre made an accommodation and at the same time called a Parliament which forth with assembled and the Scots after having finished a fine Master-piece of businesse whereof they felt excessive inconveniences after wards returned home The Deputy of Ireland prisoner his death The King gave this Parliament all full and absolure power provided that in any wife it touched not his Preroâ—ative nor such as were near it an individuall point by verâ—ue of a Law made in Henry the seventh's time But the first thing they did was to imprison the Lord Deputy of Ireland who could not be saved by the Kings requests nor his own defence but that he must needs be sacrificed to the hatred of the ignorant people who expressed their brutality by demanding his death and their folly by being moved to compassion at his firm and immutable constance to the last The Prince of Orange in England The Prince of Orange having demanded the eldest Princesse for his Son and obtained her he sent him thither to espouse her where he heard the said Deputies arguments and saw him brought upon the Scaffold and after his departure the Queen conducted her Daughter to the Haghe where she was received with very great honours but found the States more inclined to Neutrality then to meddle with that intestine warre For the King finding his Authority sensibly checked was already retyred to York where he set up his Standard sent for the Knights of the Garter and having neither Ships nor money sought some support in the affections of his subjects but too late for the forces whereof he had dif-invested himselfe were in the Parliaments hands however he was succoured by the greatest part of the Nobility The Malignants and Round-heads who and Gentry upon whom was imposed the name of Malignants as that of Round-heads was upon the Parliament souldiers The Queen having received some money upon her Jewels and drawne a good summe from the Prince of Orange repasted into England War between the King and Parliament but was cast back by a most horrible tompest upon the Coast of Holland though yet some weeks after she arrived in safety with all the Munitions which she had been able to purchase and afterwards retired into France leaving her husband in this storm wherein he was swallowed up S r. Thomas Wentworth c. Lord Debuty of Ireland sould by P. Stent In sine understanding that the English had called in the Scots by vertue of the Covenant concluded and confirmed by Oath on both Parcies wherein they swore the destruction of the Bishops he dispatched Prince Robert against them The Royâ—lists beaten by the Scots who joyned his forces though not his opinion with the Earl of Newcastle for he would needs venter a Battail which he lost and the said Earl fled into Germany and all the Kings felicity with him During these interludes the Earl of Montroffe did wonders for the King in Scotland for with a very small Army he gained a Battail came off with advantage in many encounters and repayred in fine the Kings affaires there Montrosse for the King in Scotland whilest they impayred in England for having lost another victory to Fairfax he was compelled to retyre to Oxford where he was besieged Whereupon his Son went into France and himself fled disguised to the Scotch Army The King flies to the Scotch Army and is sold who received him at first with great honour and complement though afterwards they delivered him up to the Parliament Army for a summe of mony He was made passe amongst the people for a Papist and a Tyrant and that he had a design to annull all the Priviledges of England c. Ah ungratefull People Ah Scotch Captains You who have the renown of being Souldiers how could you consent to such a basenesse Had avarice more power over your soules then respect vertue and duty For though you had an opinion that the King were a Papist is it lawfull for subjects to act against the Annointed of the Lord that which they would not have done to themselves As soon as the news of the Deputies imprisonment arrived in Ireland The revolt in Ireland the Irish took Arms to free themselves from the Captivity of the English as they called it but with so much barbarity and cruelty that they rendred themselves detestable thereby especially to such as knew how they had been treated by the English But what will not people undertake which from a long time are grown brutish and savage when they crush the head of their Governours with their own Chaines The Collections which were made in Holland for the succour of the Reformates in that Country The Collections in Holland for what begat as well the admiration of the Charity of that Nation towards their Brethren as doubt also on the other side whether such large summes ever arrived there The King being near London found himself reduced to the extremity of granting them of the Parliament whatsoever they asked and not being able to suffer some inconveniences which were cast upon him he made his escape to the Isle of Wight where he was treated like a prisoner But in fine being led back again to London and the Vpper House being abolished The King is executed the 30. of January 1649. he was accused by the Army and brought before a High Court of Justice where he was tryed condemned to be beheaded and executed the thirtieth of January 1649. There have happened enormous accidents in this Age but none which hath so much astonished the world as this strange proceeding Such as are curious have made a shift
faire Medea was gained at the point of the Sword with the losse of many brave Knights and carried to Malta And this newes I say did so much inflame his choler that he swore he would revenâ—e himselfe upon all the Christians and to this effect he contracted the principal Forces of all the Provinces and fitted a Fleet of near four hundred saile and lulled the Venetians asleep in the meane while by assuring them that it was not against them but to draw satisfation from the aforesaid Knights who put themselves into a posture to undergoe the storme by sending for all the Knights demanding the succour of Princes and fortifying all the approaches The said Venetians and other States of Italy thought also of their defence but a little too late and so they tryed to their cost and losse the Great Turks perfidy who having made a shew of attacking Malta returned towards Candy and took Canea by composition after he had battered it by a Siege and many assaults Some States shewed their zeal for the Common Good but the reliefe came too late like physick to the dead and the cause thereof was jealousie But this inopinated Invasion much astonnished the Illustrious Republick of Venice which asked assistance every where and in Holland Ships for their mony but was not able to restore Christendom to peace When the Wolves attack a flock of Sheep the courage of the doggs is cooled from falling upon the Common Enemy The ambition of Christians was too great the opinions in Religion too different and various their charity too much chilled and the ruin of the House of Austria which was judged infallible too much in their hearts This punishment seemed to have been drawn upon them by their not having well administred justice in the said Island upon the Governours Son who had committed a rape and violated a woman 1646. which crime made the Mores invade Spain and hath caused many afflictions in the world besides One misfortune followes another Fire got into the Arsenal at Venice for the fire got into the Arsenal at Venice and indangered the blowing up of that brave City which so much frighted the noble Senators thereof that as well for this mishap as also for many other advertisements they resolved to provide it well to the end that the Traitours might have no power to hurt it In this conjuncture the French were in danger to be ill treated being accosed of intelligence with the Turks and of having kindled this fatal war But that which is without ground is also without existency and what is not proved ought not to be believed The Turke caused his General to be beheaded for having lost too many men before Canea and failed to seize upon the Haven of Suda in the same Island and not with standing so many prodigies as appeared at Constantinople for many dayes together Prodigies at Constantinople he resolved to continue the war with all extremity for the space of seven years For the year before one part of the said City was consumed by fire and this year the contrary Element threatned to drown it and made the Inhabitants go up to the tops of their houses to save their lives In brief these supernatural signes make us hope that heaven being angry with these Barbarians will dissipate their Monarchy together with the impiety of their Alcoran but the incredulity of Christians together with their ill lives will quickly involue Mortals in the vengeance of the Almighty The Venetians blocked up Canea and the Turks being ill Neighbours to the Hungarians laboured to enter into Frioll and caused the Tartars to march into the Field but the Cossacks made a powerful diversion towards the Black-Sea which divided the said Turks Troops The Muscovits joyned themselves to the said Cossacks and the Basshaw of Aleppo revolted so that the Grand Signor found worke enough to do The Pope and Cardinals furnished thirty thousand Crowns a moneth towards the expenses of the war with many Gallyes The Popes succour and the Duke of Parma some Forces The State of Venice being mennaced by three Armies implored the reliefe of Christian Princes The defeat of the Venetions and beat the Turks in Dalmaria but received a furious overthrow in the Kingdom of Candy General Moresini took a good number of vessels appointed to re-victual Canea but he could not hinder the Fleet and so the Army was defeated there six thousand men with two Generals killed Retimo taken and all the Christians massacred This misfortune so much startled the Common-wealth that however Grimani had very happily taken a great many Gallyes Which implores the help of Princes she made it highly known at Vienna Paris Madrid and throughout all Italy that she was not able alone to sustaine the weight of the Half-Moon and that having already consumed about two and thirty millious of Crowns she should at last be constrained to enter into such unequal conditions with this devouring Wolfe as would be shameful to all Christendom Though Fortune had been unkinde in the Kingdom of Candy she yet shewed so gay and chearful a countenance in Dalmatia and in many Encounters at Sea that she made the Republick break off all Treaty of Peace and resolve to continue the war There arrived forty vessels from Holland and some from Denmark without counting the succour of Genna and that of the Pope who took the said Republicks Cause to heart as also the repose and quiet of Christendom Grinnani got many Victories and so much tormented the Turks that famin thrust it selfe amongst them in Canea The Common-wealths Victories where we will leave them scuffling for that fair Island without entertaining our selves to pick out the circumstances of Combats and Cruelties where with the Barbarians stuste their actions since Christians being become Barbarians do yet worse theâ— they LEOPOLD WILLIAM Arch Duke of Austra and Goâ—ueruour of y e Low Countries 〈…〉 P. Stuat Excuâ—it CHAP. III. The troubles at Paris It is besieged The Archduke comes to succour it The besieging and taking of Ipers Cambray besieged in vaine Hennawlt ransacked THe newes which came to Paris of the Victory obtained against the Arch-Duke before Lens in Artâ—ise upon the twentieth of August 1648. would have filled all France with perfect joy had not an unexpected accident disturbed the feast and almost put that great City into confusion mingled with blood and slaughter For whilest they were giving God thanks for this said Victory A tumult at Paris and why the people hearing of the imprisonment of Messiours de Brussels de Charton and de Blancmesnil President of the Parliament whom they acknowledged for their Fathers and Protectors began to cry Alarme and run in flocks to the Pallace Royall to require their liberty The Shops were shut up the Chaines made fast and all the approaches barricaded So that Paris was in greater disorder now or else the danger was greater then that which chanced in Henry the thirds
no more he had sent Count William of Nassaw to put all in quiet that so that which he had yet to propose for the Countries service might not be hindred by such as were ill affected Let us returne to the Hague The Prince having made himself sure of the aforesaid Lords sent for the Pensioner Gatz and acquainted him with his having secured them and told him that he had sent sixty companies of Horse and Foor to Amsterdam under Count Williams conduct whom he believed to be infallibly already The States separated themselves in the Town which being reported by him to the Assembly of the States they forthwith retired and the Deputies of Amsterdam having taken a cow ple of Waggons went by the way of Harlem and arrived at Amsterdam The gard invirons the Court at eight of the clock in the evening and about eleven the Princes Gard with five companies more invested the Court. There were so great changes that they made some murmour and others blame the Peace with the Spaniards and cast in fine all the Hollanders into such astonishment that they knew not how to free themselves from it The Peasants fly The Country people about Amsterdam fled and no body knew either what to hope or feare The rich were silent and the dreggs of the People spake What State can be sure of being free from War since Holland being in the middle of the Water sees her self precipitated into these disquiets in full peace God who governsall knows why since nothing is done without his providence The reasons why those Lords are detained they are carried to Louvestein The Prince gave the six other Provinces to understand upon what grounds he had seazed upon the aforementioned Lords whom he sent with a good Gard to Louvestein the last of July and having received notice of what had passed he transported himself on Sunday to Amsterveen a Village neer Amsterdam In the mean while Souldiers flocked thither from all parts and it looked as if they would besiege the Town in good earnest which being perceived by the Inhabitants they opened the Sluces and made a shew of breaking the Damms The Slucer open in case they were put to greater extremity so that by little and little the Country began to be covered with water when the Inhabitants of Harlem observing the Prince was come to lodge with some companies neer the banck between their Town and Amsterdam took a fright and resolved at the same time to dispatch their Deputies towards him who returned with answer that they should be quiet and that he had nothing at all to say to their Town But they of Amsterdam seeing his resolution forgot nothing which concerned their liberty In fine the third of August the accommodation was made with articles of advanrage enough to the Prince who withdrew his forces The peace is made and the forces withdraw and thereby rendred Peace to all Holland and indeed had this Siege lasted yet some dayes longer it would have caused an irreparable dammage which was grown already by the interruption of commerce to be of some millions to the besieged The Siege knows before We must not omit to take notice here of a very remarkable things which is that some Marchants some weeks before this Siege received advertizements from London Dantzick and Genna that Amsterdam was besieged by Prince William The States in this conjuncture determined to draw the difference to the Haghe The Libels run and malicious Pens lest not to vomit up their venim against them of Amsterdam for a certain Libel ran up and down of articles ordered with them of the Parliament of England In brief ill tongues were as busy as ill Penus and the Prince himself was not spared Thus passed this first attack which was but precursory to a pernicious war whereof weshal make mention in fit place Albeit it seemed that the poison was taken off and all pacified distrust increased daily Distrust and they of Amsterdam had alway es an eye upon the Country The Prince sent the reasons of his proceedings to the Assembly of the States in writing but the Paper was sent back without being opened and the Prisoner's released without any other condition then that of being thenceforth deprived of Publick Employments The Prince goes to the Assembly of the Stares of Guelders He went to the Assembly of the Dutchy of Guelders where having by his prudence scattered some disorders between the Nobility and the Towns Returns is the Haghe he returned to the Haghe in some indisposition of health the twenty nineth of October was let blood the thirtieth the day following the small pocks appeared upon him and the sixth His death against the opinion of all the Physitians his sicknesse being augmented he departed out of this world in the four and twentieth year of his age leaving behinde him a young widow with childe who being afterwards delivered of a young Prince delivered the House of Nassaw and such as were well affected to it from part of the grief which was caused by his death The vecital of his life He was a Prince of a great wit which he testified in the Conference he had with the Deputies of Amsterdam as also in many other occasions He was handsome of body and given to such vices as are ordinary companions to youth Above all he was infatigable on horse-back and sooner tired his horses then himselfe He was already his Crafts-master in war to which he much inclined and promised to follow the steps of his Ancestours He knew well how to make himselfe both feared and obeyed Let us now see the miserable end of the brave Earle of Montrosse CHAP. VII The deplorable death of the magnanimous Earle of Montrosse The War of the Polanders against the Cossacks Brave Montrosses praise VErtue was never so universally oppressed as in this miserable Age Witnesse Montrosse a Souldior of merit and illustrious extracton who had rendred his Master so considerable services in the Kingdom of Scotland that his enemies effectively feared him and after he had laid down Anns by his said Masters commandment he did him yet such other services by Embassyes as made him admired for the dexterity of his wit During the Treaty of the commissioners with Charles Sinart his young Master at Breda he went into Scotland contracted some Forces to such as he carried with him from abroad and entred the Kingdom upon hope of the good successe of the said Treaty Is beater But his Troops were defeated he escaped by swimming and lay hid some dayes amongst the Reeds In fine after he had been forced by hunger His mistry which drives the Wolfe out of the Wood to eat his gloves and the very flesh of his Arm he was discovered by a Peasant taken prisoner brought before the Parliament at Edenburgh and accused of entring into the Kingdom against the order of his bannishment and other crimes
the French Fleet. The Cardinal of Retz induces the King to come back to Paris The Prince of Conde retires into France Cardinal Mazarins praises The Cardinal of Retz carried to the Bois de Vincennes THis young Mars this invincible Courage judging his person to be more necessary at Paris then at Bourdeans left his Lieutenants the direction of his own Forces shewed himself quickly amongst those of the Duke of Orleans and the Strangers and made the Marshal D'hoquincour feel that he was no more in Guyenne for after having lost his Troops Marshal D'hoquincour beaten he was constrained to sly The King made his Army march under Turenns orders who went to attack Estampes but finding the Duke of Lorraine to draw near he retired and confessed that the Strangers who were in the Town defended themselves bravely It looked as if the Princes would have a good bargaine of all such as made head against them when upon a suddain the Duke of Lorraine by the interposition of the King of Englands Eldest Son made a contract apart received mony and retired himself out of the Kingdom but he sent back his Army shortly after with the Spaniards because the restitution of the three places promised was not performed The Prince being irritated and the Parisians extreamly amazed began to revile the said Duke and all in fine discoursed of him according to their passion Some accused him of inconstance and others of avarice but such as had a straine above the vulgar judged that there was some vengeance hidden under this action and that the levity both of the one and the other so often manifested to them whose assistance they had both implored and felt ought to be recompensed by a just retaliation Be it what it will the Princes Troops being tired by frequent Skermishes and by that furious and bloody shock given in the Faubourgs or Suburbs of St. Anthony wherein the Mazarinists or Royalists had the worst being very much diminished the Arch-dukes succour was sent for again which being conducted by the Baron of Clinchant advanced quite to Paris But let us come back into Flanders Graveling besieged Mardyke abandoned yeelds and Dunkeâ—k afterwards The Arch-Duke finding that the fire was too great in France to be so soon extinguished made a shew of besieging Dunkerk but his design was upon Graveling one of the most important places of the Low-Countries which defended it self enough but for want of sufficient Garrison was yeelded upon the same Conditions that it had been formerly taken Mardyke was abandoned and Dunkerk expecting the relief by Sea which was dofeated by the English was retaken without either losse or bloodshed Thus were three places reduced to obedience with a hand-full of men which had cost the French mountains of Gold and Seas of blood Who would have said so much six years before when there seemed to be no doubt at all made of the utter expulsion of the Spaniards Times change men change victories are alternative and nothing is constant but the immutable Order of the Decree of the Everlasting This reduction deservedly rejoyced all Flanders which saw her Traffick and Inhabitants slourish again The Town of Dunkerk had been offered to the States of Holland for Mastricht for a summe of money but the bargain was not made The City of Paris seeing it self in violent and murtherous factions the Parliament in confusion the Country People frighted away strangers in the Kingdome the Princes in a very difficult passage to be cleared and the Clergy afflicted by these unhappy disorders resolved to dispatch the Cardinal de Retx to the King who was with a new Parliament at Pontoise to beseech him The King returns to Paris to return to Paris This Embassie was well received by his Majesty who having published an Act of Oblivion was so much better at Paris The Prince of Conde retyred himself with the forrain Troops took Retel and St. Menhout and his winter quarters at the beginning of the spring 1653. And the Duke of Odeans departs The Duke of Orleans having received order either to come to the King or to retyre himself rather chose the latter then to suffer Cardinal Mazarins presence who quickly caused the order to be annulled that was made against him because there was no body found who had a mind to earn a hundred and fifty thousand Crowns by killing him Thus we see the figure turned up-side down the Cardinal above the wheel and the Princes under it so that Conde chose rather to cast himself into the King of Spaines arms then to trust his own Masters Act of Oblivion and Conty was received at Bourdeaux together with the Dutchesse of Longueville his Sister whilest her husband stayed amongst the waves of this raging Sea in his Government Reader be not amazed at these Metamorphoses or changes for the causes thereof are not so hard to be comprehended as that of the Tyde of the Sea was to the Prince of the Philosophers What do you hope to see but monsters prodiges and miracles The Province of Gasconie being fertill in subtill wits and brave souldiers was no sooner got out of one danger then she fell into a precipice yet more perilous through blind temerity and as well to serve the passion of others as for not receiving the satisfaction promised them or rather for seeing their Complaints despised and that which had been promised them very ill performed The puissant Armies which were to ruine Mazarin returned without having done any memorable action at all The Parliament being in division knew not where to sinde it self the Citizens changed like the wind and wedded sometimes the one Party and sometimes the other Yea the Princes themselves were in discord for the Duke of Neâ—oâ—â—s was killed in a Duel by his Brother-in Law the Duke of Beaufort and the Count of Riâ—â—â— carriâ—d prisoner to the Bastill by the Duke of Orlâ—aâ—â—'s order for having resisted Goâ—de In such sort as all issued to the Kings advantage by the Great Cardâ—nals wise Counsell who like an experienced Pilot saved the vessel from ship-wrack and brought her over so many Rocks amongst so many Quick-sands in the darknesse of a cloudy night and amongst â—o many contrary winds to the Port. For he knew how to sow the tares of distention amongst them who would take the Helm from him and threw them out of that ship which he never abandoned in the very height of the storm Indeed to say the truth the King had need of such a man though he be more usefull to him then to the poor subjects and some have reviled him by following the passion others or for resentment rather then by the knowledge of affaires and therefore are as incapable to judge of him Cardinal Mazuins praise as a blind man is of Colours The rash judgements of the ignorant people cause tumults and seditions and kindle a fire which invirons a whole State for which there there must be a speedy remedy True