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A34772
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The political testament of M. Jean Baptist Colbert, minister and Secretary of State wherein is contain'd all that hath pass'd under the reign of Lewis the XIV unto the year 1684 : with remarks upon the government of the kingdom of France / translated out of French.; Testament politique de Messire Jean Baptiste Colbert. English
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Courtilz de Sandras, Gatien, 1644-1712.
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1695
(1695)
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Wing C6601; ESTC R1535
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181,821
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348
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THE Political Testament OF M. Jean Baptist Colbert Minister and Secretary of State THE Political Testament OF M. Jean Baptist Colbert Minister and Secretary of State Wherein is contain'd All that hath pass'd under the Reign of LEWIS the XIV unto the Year 1684. With Remarks upon the Government of the Kingdom of France Translated out of French LONDON Printed for R. Bentley at the Post-House in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden M DC XCV TO THE Right Honourable SIDNEY Lord Godolphin Baron of Rialton One of the Lords Justices for the Administration of Affairs in the absence of the King first Commissioner of the Treasury and one of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council My Lord ALL who have the happiness to be acquainted with Your Lordship know how litttle You love or want a Dedication and I should not have presum'd to fix Your Name to this were there not a kind of necessity for it but when I reflect on the Character of my Author so like and in so many circumstances agreeing with Your Lordships where can I draw so exact a Parallel where could I make choice of so fit a Patron For whether I consider the late Famous Monsieur Colbert either in his publick or private Capacity in justice to his Memory I must compare him to Your Lordship being otherwaies unable to describe him as he deserves and in this I am sure I have outdone the Original tho' I fall much short of it in the Translation The Reader may observe he was Comptroller general of the Finances in France the most like to a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in England a Station Your Lordship hath long maintain'd with so great Honour Justice Integrity and Prudence that You never deservedly made an Enemy nor undeservedly preferr'd a Friend I may well say long considering the different prevailing Parties in our Nation but You have still preserv'd Your Interest by the same Merit You acquir'd it what ever Changes have happen'd You have never deviated from Your own just Principles and none hath better demonstrated that Infallible Maxim an Honest Man is the best Politician But tho' Honesty is the best and ought to be the chief Ingredient in a Statesman there are other extraordinary Qualifications Stars of a lesser Magnitude which shine bright in Your Lordship a sound and steady Judgment a clear and ready Wit a quick Apprehension a perfect Knowledge of Languages Foreign Courts and Customs an absolute Command of the Passions an easie and affable Behaviour and a true Application to Business without its tedious forms and incumbrances 'T is these Exemplary Vertues that justly recommend Your Lordship to all Good Men and all Good Men to Your Lordship It is very difficult to quit so fruitful a Subject but I am to remember to whom I am speaking and tho' I cannot say enough to my Reader I must not say too much to Your Lordship I will therefore trouble You no longer hoping the Honesty and Usefulness of the Subject will atone for the Imperfections of the Translation and the importunity of MY LORD Your Lordships Most Faithful and Obedient Servant William Granvill THE EPISTLE TO THE KING SIR GOD hath so visibly appear'd in Protecting your Majesty's Reign that I am verily persuaded your Majesty doth in no-wise attribute to your Own good Conduct those happy Events which have made your Kingdom so Glorious and humbled its Enemies GOD answer'd the Prayers of all your good Subjects and gave You to them in a time when there was little hope of their being heard since it was not till after Twenty three Years Barrenness he began by the Miracle of your Birth to declare He had chosen you from all Eternity to be one of the most perfect Works that have been for a long time upon Earth So certain a Truth and so generally acknowledg'd by all your Subjects ought also to be known to Strangers that they may be convinc'd the Mighty Hand of GOD acteth for you against your Enemies But seeing there is in almost all other Courts but a meer outward appearance of Piety while it shines so bright in yours they attribute all your Majesty's Prosperity only to your good Fortune without lifting up their Eyes to Him who is the Lord of Hosts and without whosâ— Aid 't is impossible for any one to expect Victory It were to be wish'd your Enemies had been sooner undeceiv'd and in good time convinc'd That it is GOD alone who protects you then there had not been so much Blood spilt in the War which you have so gloriously ended and the Lives of an infinite Number of Men might yet be spar'd who seem destin'd to perish in the same Quarrel For your Majesty by having given a Peace to Europe hath not quite extinguish'd the Jealousie of many Potentates wherewith they feel themselves disquieted When they see what great Things are done by you they do but watch for an Opportunity to be reveng'd and rather than they will yield to those Submissions which one of your Ministers requires from them 't is very likely they will hazard All to keep All. But SIR may I be so bold to ask Whether all that this Minister doth be any Service to your Majesty I fear you may think the little good Correspondence which hath hitherto been between us puts me upon this Questâ—on The deep Wounds which your Majesty knows better than I he hath endeavour'd to give me by his frequent Addresses to your Majesty to make you suspect my Fidelity may incline you to believe That my Resentments are still great enough to prompt me to do by him as he hath dealt with me But GOD forbid that I should be more concern'd for my own Interest than for your Majesty's having no other aim but to represent faithfully to your Majesty how things are A Great KING who hath in his Hands the Government of a large Kingdom doth not always know what his Ministers do especially when he gives them the same Authority which you do to the Marquess of Louvoy Publick Ministers Faults are usually imputed to their Master and if War happen to ensue How many People suffer for the Guilt of one particular Person It seems to me that Monsieur Louvoy was the cause that the War lasted so long 'T is true the end of it hath prov'd glorious to your Majesty but it cannot be said you owe it to his good Conduct 'T is evident that by him the Safety of your Realm was brought into danger out of which nothing but the Hand of GOD deliver'd you He is then answerable to all your People for the Blood he hath cost ' em Besides had your Majesty been less respected and admired he might have perhaps made you lose the Love of your Subjects for you who are their Father ought to be as sparing of their Blood as of your own Is it not likewise very strange that a Minister who never saw War but in Paint should pretend to know more of it than all yonr