disgusts that he had conceived against the Duke of Parma he would be graciously pleased to restore him to his former good grace and embracing him with paternall benevolence condescend to some agreement to their reciprocall satisfaction which courteous expressions being answered by the Pope in words testifying a very reall acceptation Monsieur de Lyonne proceeds to a further discourse importing that it was his Majesty's earnest desire and request to his Holynesse to Restore the Duke of Parma to all his goods and estates since he had so amply satisfied his reputation in the conquest of Castro and now to forget things past as his Majesty himselfe had dealt with the Duke of Lorrain in restoring him to astate of such advantage upon his humble submission only to his Majesty's clemency To this the Pope answered in these precise tearms Castro is already the Apostolicall See's There is nothing to be said of that If you will treat of Parma and Placentia which were now pretended to be forfeited somewhat may be done at the Kings intercession About Castro we will afterwards do justice Monsieur de Lyonne replies that that was not the grace which his Majesty had employed him to seek it being probable that the neighbour Princes would not suffer such disaster to befall the Duke of Parma nor such an acquisition to a mightier confinant as was the State Ecclesiasticall where the Pope apprehending a secret conceipt shadowed that the King of France would aid the Parmesan discovered great alteration saying that the Duke of Parma was a rebell and excommunicated and that whatsoever Princes should assist him were wicked and Impious in which case he would put his trust in God assuring himselfe that he would not abandon him in his most righteous cause That therefore he should not speak any more to him about Castro as a businesse not practicable but only of Parma and Placentia whereat de Lyonne not troubling himselfe replyed That if his Holynesse would do any grace to the King it must be about Castro for of the other he had no commission to treat any thing which more inflaming the Pope's displeasure he tooke his leave in time that he might reserve his further application for another audience which a while after he again obtaining with like successe tooke his course back to Parma to propound new overtures The French having bin before dealing with the Duke of Parma to draw his assistance towards Lombardy were now willing to degage him from any embroilments on the contrary side or otherwise to study how to serve themselves upon occasion The Spaniards though they longed to revenge the injuries of the Barberini were fain to mortify that passion with better councell holding it no good time to break with Rome any more then to joine with Parma The Republick of Venice The Duke of Tuscany The Duke of Modena being both allied in blood to Parma are yet but making long debates about a league in his favour Wherefore De Lyonne thinks best to propound some suspension for the present fearing least Parma should be over-powred which he being a Prince of great Courage and now if he followed not his enterprises likely to sink under great charges which the forces that he had gathered must needs put him to in his own countrey was very unwilling to hearken to so that entring with his forces into the ecclesiasticall state he brought great dammages terror to Rome it selfe till at last he was overperswaded to attend the issue of a treaty at Castel-Georgio wherein the Papalins to divert the present shock consented to deposite Castro in the Duke of Modena's hands for three or four months while affairs in difference should be treated The Ministers of France being all this while instant with the State of Venice first to mediate for and then to assist the Duke of Parma practising also at the same time with other Italian Princes on this subject cannot avoid jealousies on all sides interchangeable The Venetians though moved thereunto by the French Ministers yet are very cautious how they interpose their offices in this affaire least they should seem to deprive that Crown of the Honour of mediation whereupon they impart all their negotiations at Rome with exact diligence to the French Ambassadour passing one concurrence and correspondence in their treaties But for the matter of assistance however they were enclined to the joyning with their Neighbour Potentates to keep Italy still in the same Ballance yet the instances of the French in this regard they accounted no way free from suspicion now especially that the Princes of Savoy were turned to their service and away thereby opened to the heart of Lombardy They hold the old proverb good Have the French for thy Friend but not for thy Neighbour For although they had the Spaniards ambitious and troublesome Confinants which by their monies and intelligence had made them many chargable and unseasonable diversions yet the differences since a whole age had never come to a breach between them besids that they did not count them of so desultory an humour as other Ultramontans On another side the Spaniards seeing the French so busy in their treaties from the one side to the other and knowing how much they were oblieged to respect them both now they saw also the Duke of Parma proceed so prosperously in the state Ecclesiasticall without foot or artillery began to confirme themselves in a former suspicion that some mystery was under those enterprises and that the Pope was indeed of some agreement with the Duke of Parma the King of France and the Princes of the League against the Kingdome of Naples whose Vice-roy was allied to That Duke which apprehension might have bin the more justified by an overture of Monsieur De Lyonne if at least it did not escape the inquisitivenesse of the Spaniards made to the Duke of Parma about the leaving of Castro to Don Tadco and accepting of the Pope and King of France his assistance to invest him in the Kingdome of Naples To which the Duke roundly answered Nay but rather let them restore me my Dutchy and bestow their Kingdome on Don Tadco However this conceipt especially the League being now formed and his Neighbours in armes round about him made the Spaniard keep him on his guard to his great charges and leave those forces on his frontiers of Naples which he needed elswhere being also as before was intimated not a litle troubled at such a league made with his exclusion The Pope and the Barberini are no lesse satisfied of the French Negotiations as too too partiall to the interests of Parma and otherwise suspected to aime only at embroiling all things The other Princes are jealous of the Duke of Parma least he should be brought to cast himselfe onely on the French assistance and to bring a formidable guest to their doores whereupon they are willing rather to assist him themselves that he might enter on no course prejudiciall to their common Interests And
will which was to this effect That although it had pleased God to bestow admirable successes on him through the whole course of his raign yet now in the middle of his prosperities he had also put him in mind of his frailty by a languishing disease whereof howsoever there were good hope of his recovering notwithstanding because the judgments of men most experienced are fallible in these cases he thought himselfe oblieged to provide for the peace of his Kingdome when he was gone That he judged the best way to obtain this end and to disappoint the projects of the enemies of France to be the uniting of all the royall family with one Spirit to maintain the present state of his Crown which would be also a great tie to his confederates to adhere to the interesses of France when they shall find it governed by the same maximes that had hitherto upheld its grandeur To execute which designes he thought no course more expedient then that which the King 's his predecessors had taken on the like occasions who judged that the regency of the Kingdome and education of the minor Kings could not be better placed then on the persons of their Queen Mothers and therfore that he did ordain that in case his death should ensue before the Dauphin should enter on the fourteenth year of his age or in case that the Dauphin should die before the Majority of his second Sonne the Duke of Anjou his dearest spouse and consort the Queen Mother of his foresaid children should be Regent of France and have the education of them during their minority together with the administration of the government of the Kingdome during his nonage that should be King with the advise of her councell in manner hereafter following And in case the said Queen after his death and during her Regency should be in danger of finishing her daies he ordained that she should provide with the advise of her Councell herein specified for the Regency and government for the time And to testifie to his dear and beloved Brother the Duke of Orleans that nothing hath been able to diminish the Love that he hath ever borne him he ordained him Lieutenant Generall of the non-aged King and to exercise the said charge in all the provinces in the Kingdome under the authority of the Queen Regent and of the Councell and this notwithstanding the declaration registred against him in the Court of Parliament onely declaring that if he in any wise shall contravene this establishment he remain ipso facto deprived of this charge That although from the wisdome piety and vertue of the Queen he might well promise himselfe a happy government of his state yet considering the weight of such a charge and the impossibility of her taking cognisance of all affairs necessary that he thought fit to establish a councell of the Regency to assist her by whose judgments and authority the great and weighty affairs of State should be examined and resolved by plurality of Voices to compose which Councell he thought he could not make better election for Ministers of State then of his dear and beloved Cosins the Prince of Condè and the Cardinall Mazzarini of his trustie and well beloved the Lord de Seguier Chancellour of France and keeper of the seals the Lord de Bouttiglier Surintendant of his finances and the Lord de Chauvigni Secretarie of State and of his Commandments He ordained also that the Duke of Orleans and in his absence the Prince of Condè or Cardinall Mazzarini should be chiefe of the Councill and if any place should become void that the Queen should supply it by advise of the Councell and all other important charges of the Kingdome to be so disposed by plurality of votes Only for all Ecclesiasticall preferments which belonged to his nomination he left the providing for their supply to the Queen and the Cardinall Mazzarini of whose worthy discharging this trust he had good reason to rest most assured by the eminent proofs which he had had of the faithfulnesse and great sufficiency of the person In fine he ordained that the Queen and the Duke of Orleans should swear in the presence of him and of the Princes of the Blood with the other Princes Dukes Peers Mareschals of France and Officers of the Crowne to keep and observe the Contents of the present declaration without any manner of Contravention Which was accordingly subscribed and sworne at the same instant by the Queen and Duke of Orleans and sealed before the rest and accordingly next day ratified in the Parliament in presence of the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Condè and the other Princes and Officers Given at S. Germans in the month of April 1643. and of his raign the 33. Which declaration being read the King gave free liberty to all the exiles of the Court or State against whom no Sentence had been given to make their return and commanded corriers to be sent to some more remote that they might have timely notice and his Majesty had content before his death to receive the Duke of Vendosma the Mareschaux de Bassompierre and d' Estree and divers others into his grace If a man might be politique before the proofe of events this act of State might be a subject of strange descantings but if we can content our selves with such conjectures as best please us till the Regency begin to take place we may better guesse at the true interests of the parties concerned by this deed of the true interest of the Crown His majesty having now freed his thoughts of this care tooke pleasure to order a private ceremony in the chappell of S. Germans appointing the baptisme of the Dâ—uphin by the name of Lovis and the Princes of Condè with the Cardinall Mazzarini on whom the King would conferre this honour as he himselfe said to oblige him the more streightly to serve the King and the Crown to present him to the font that so with the powerfull cords of interest he might as much as in him lay twist an artificiall kind of nature making him the Compater or Spirituall Father of that Prince in the forming of whose youth he might now seem to claime a priviledg with the Queen To both which and to all his other officers and nobles having so effectually recommended his State and childrem what more could remain to such a Prince but to die in the arms of that Honour that had ever lived with him and to deserve those characters in which a terser pen then mine ha's designed him And so I leave him in the way to his funerall pomp which a while after followed with great Solemnity 〈◊〉 Errata quod sic corr. Pag. 2. lin. 4. for interestly read interests p. 12. l. 13 for Cardinall r. Cardinals p. 17. l. ult. for conspiracies r conspiracy p. 35. l. 4. for returne r. resume p. 39. l. 16. for league also r. league also p. 41. l. 8. for Bichitill r. Bichi till and l. 19. for shiâ—h r. which and l. 22 for with r. sith p. 43. l. 9. for they r. these viz Barberini p. 45. l. 4. for desiderable r. desirable p. 66. l. 8. blot out the at the end of the line and put in Felix p. 70. l. 9. for Guiâ—k r. Guiche p. 76. l. 9. for Sura r. Suza p. 81. l. 8. for Navarrese r. Novarrese and l. 12 for Gonzago r. Gonzaga and l. 13. for Taracena r. Caracena c.
way to his Majestie's anger for the time which some interpreted as the act of a true Friend but others as the Ruse of a Courtier to draw him from the King and so from all hope of accomodation for some make a great question whether the buds of Noyers his disfavour were not cultivated by the two other Ministers of State Mazzarini and Chauvigni because they were the dependants of these two that most incens'd the King against Him and immediatly after his decession his Charge was confer'd by the Cardinall's instance on Monsteur de Tellier then in Piemont â—as Auditor Generall of the Army besides that it was many waies evident that the Cardinall's designes did not meet in Noyers of a fit Instrument and that he had at severall times treated with the King of such matters as de Noyers would have possest him with the Contrary Which things if reall as they have a great shew of truth one would think by de Noyers's proceedings that his desires also were no less reall then pretended to retire to his privacy He goe's to Chauvigny desire 's his opinion as his friend whether he should demand his Licence in person of the King or by another who after many fair offices to perswade with him at last advise's him to serve himselfe of the assistance of the Cardinall to avoid disgusting of the King any further De Noyers meets the Cardinall in the Louvre demand's this grace of him publiquely and with a kind of Pompe that the world might take notice of it as a generous free action of his own and accordingly the Cardinall does the office after some excuses with more shew then reality at his return bringing him that dismission which he desired and received with demonstrations of the cordiallest alacrity This fall of Noyers was onely grievous to the Mareschal de Mesteraye who being much interessed in his preservation addresseth himselfe a new to the Cardinall to have this businesse put upon the file again whom the Cardinall answering that he resented this act of Monsieur dè Nayens as much as any other and had omitted no office to divert him from the course that he had taken The Mareschal suffered himselfe to be so farre transported with his passion as to tell him That he did not understand these finesses of Italie proceeding frankly and in the French fashion The Cardinall notwithstanding continued in his excuses treating him with acts of more respect so that both seemed to part with satisfaction From hence the Mareschal takes his way to dè Noyers then at Pontoise to treat with him and finds him most determined to acquiesce desiring the Mareschall to let his Majestie know that he tooke it for an infinite obligation that his Majestie had been pleased to dispense with his retirement Which carriage of his was accounted more to commend his courage then his courtship considering especially that the King's death was by all tokens near at hand which would have broke up those clouds that then overshadowed him Aprill 17. The King's maladie being intermissive had hitherto observed some uncertain periods allowing him his lucida interâ—â—lla to treat and give orders about affairs but now betraying worser symptomes the physitians advise the Statesmen of their opinion that it was to terminate ere long in death Whereupon the Prince of Condè and Cardinall Mazzarini consult together how to give his Majestie admonition and so present themselves to him in his chamber telling him that although the Physitians did not despaire of his Majestie's recovery yet since he found his health continually declining and running some hazard of a sad event that the glorie of his Majestie the good of the Princes his children and of the whole State seemed to require that as his Majestie had hitherto established his greatnesse and augmented the splendor of his crown so now he should consider of leaving his affairs in such order that no emergent might alter them for the future That the Spaniards had not refused a suspension of arms before so earnestly desired by them on any other ground then a certain misprision which they had conceived of the troubles of France likely to ensue on the failing of his Majesty and therefore that the true way to undeceive them was to make it evident that whatsoever event should happen his Majestie's will should stand for a sure and inviolable Law for the Government of his Kingdome The King accepted not onely of their discourse but affectionately thanked them and then desired to hear the Prince's judgement about the disposall of the Government Who thereupon took occasion to extoll highly the wisdome and goodnesse of the Queene and after set himselfe to excuse the Duke of Orleans ascribing his escapes to the over-rigid treatments of the late Cardinall shewing that these two persons as the chiefe of the kingdome ought by consequence to have the principall part in so important an administration The King having well learned by his own experience how subject France is to alterations in the times of Minority was the more desirous to leave a state well setled wherein neither the Queen nor the Duke of Orleans whom he did not eye so well should invelope the whole authority in their own persons which he devised to distribute among severall Councellours and to give them the Cardinall Mazzarini for their Principall much after the manner of the Government of Sweden with the superintendency of the grand Chancellour Oxenstern which thoughts when he had discovered to the Cardinall he found not such approbation as he desired but rather met with strong arguments perswading him to observe the ancient usances of the Crown But after all deliberations the King at last resolved to forme a Councell according to the tenor of a declaration which he sent forthwith to the Queen by the hand of Monsieur dè Chauvigny the prime secretary of State that shee might see it and signifie her desire about any change in it for her better satisfaction that so being afterward approved by the Parliament it might be to passe as a Salick Law among the people which last words touched to the quick though at that time the Queen dissembled them with discretion and presently passed to the King's chamber to render thanks and to condole with him till both melted into tears with expressions of love and tenderness Next morning the Cardinall Mazzarini comes to Paris to give account of the King's resolutions to the Duke of Orleans with intimation to the Parliament Princes Dukes Peeres and officers of the Crown to present themselves to his Majestie at S. Germans where a fit time being waited till the Kings maladie was somewhat alleviated they were all called into his Chamber where the Queen and her two Sons stayed for them and then his Majesty speaking all the while uncovered made a passionate speech unto them accompanied with such carriages as pressed tears from the by-standers After which the Secretarie de la Urilliere read the declaration of his Majestie's last