made by the Bearer In the mean time I Conjure you to believe I am and will be always c. This and the other Letters which follow of Cardinal Richelieu 's writ by Monsieur Chere or Monsieur Charpentier his Secretaries were sent without Signing His Eminence being lame of his right Arm. LETTER CCXI. To the Same SIR PUblick Considerations being always to be preferr'd to Private I believe you will think it requisite assoon as you have receiv'd this Letter to make a Progress about your Government and the Frontiers of Guyenne to gather such Recruits both Horse and Foot as you propos'd yourself You will also be so near Perpignan that you may presently be there upon any occasion requiring you The King's Interest Obliges me farther to Conjure you not to omit putting your first Thoughts in speedy Execution and I shall endeavour always to make known your Worth and good Service In the mean time believe me I desire you Sir your most Affectionate Servant c. LETTER CCXII. To the Same SIR I Have receiv'd the Letter you were pleas'd to write me together with the Memoir deliver'd me by this Gentleman the Bearer whereby I understand the present Condition of your Siege of Perpignan the Success whereof we must expect with patience but I hope with God's Assistance it may be such as we have had hitherto reason to believe In the mean time I give you a thousand thanks for your kind invitations to see me before I left this Country and shall always be mindful of a Recompence to my power who am your most Affectionate Friend and Servant c. LETTER CCXIII. To the Mareschals Schomberg and Melleraye GENTLEMEN THese few words are only to tell you that since Mareschal de la Motte is willing you retain still the 2000 Foot which were design'd for him I have nothing more to say but that I approve of the Agreement made between ye As also of your good Conduct from whence I expect speedily to hear of the taking Perpignan and it may be of your routing the Enemy In the mean while I desire you to believe me Gentlemen Your most Affectionate Servant c. LETTER CCXIV. To both the Same GENTLEMEN I Cannot incline to believe that the King can receive any great Advantage by the Militia altho' you propose 'em to enter Catalognia by force And in my Opinion you would but deceive yourself by trusting to 'em who will not care to march any farther when you shall talk of raising Troops for fear they be trapan'd as they were once before Therefore in my Opinion Mareschal Schomberg Monsieur Alby and Monsieur Nismes would do better to chuse out of them between 1200 and 1500 who would go freely to serve in Catalognia providing they might be promis'd to return about the end of October and which ought to be faithfully perform'd Over and above these Troops Tavannes Regiment and the 300 men of Monsieur Villeroy must be sent to Monsieur Motte You may also spare him the Regiments of Effiat Cauvisson and Montausier As to the Cavalry I believe you may easily send him the nine Troops of Guards which continues with you till the end of October Also Boisack's Regiment who may serve himself in the quality of a Field-Mareschal The Regiment of Lerans may also be dispens'd with As for Rousillon I am of Opinion you ought to leave there the Horse-regiments of Anguien and Ballon and that you dispose of the rest of the Foot as you judge convenient either to Rousillon or the Frontiers of Languedoc for if you should leave Rousillon altogether disfurnished of Men you might soon repent it for the Enemy might easily send by Sea to Roses 5 or 600 Horse which might do a great deal of mischief in a short time The King's Will is That you Blockade Salces up so closely that it shall be impossible to relieve it Which makes me think it not too much to leave two Regiments of Horse in Rousillon and two or three of Foot for this purpose as also to secure Lampourdan I have no Orders from the King to allow you to leave Rousillon till you have first laid Provisions into Perpignan to suffice 3000 Men for a Year Two or three days ago I have dispatch'd away 100000 Livres we have borrowed for that purpose In a word be assur'd Money shall never be wanting I say nothing to you of the Garrison of Perpignan because the King has ordered thither the Swiss and Champagne and you would do well to add a Regiment more In the mean time be secure of my Friendship and that I am assuredly c. A PROMISE From Cardinal Richelieu to the Duke of Bouillon MY Lord Cardinal Richelieu not being in a condition to Sign a Promise for Assurance of the Liberty of the Duke of Bouillon pursuant to a Power the King has granted him has desired me to do it for him and to sign it for his Excellency As follows I Promise to the said Sieur the Duke of Bouillon That as soon as the Town Castle and Cittadel of Sedan shall be delivered into his Majesty's Hands all imaginable care shall be taken to conduct the said Duke out of his House of Pierre-encize to go to Roussy Turenne or others of his Houses as he pleases c. LETTER CCXV To Mareschal Schomberg SIR YOu 'll know particularly by Monsieur Besay how well satisfied His Majesty is with the Capitulation of Solces He will also acquaint you how glad I am as well for that as your good Success at Perpignan All that you have now to do in my Opinion is to establish so good Orders in Rousillon that the Country may recover itself and the Troops there be refresh'd If Mareschal de la Motte have any farther need of Assistance of Horse or Foot and shall require 'em of you the King would have you send him the Regiment of Anguien and Contey putting the Italians into Perpignan in the room of those of Anguien as also the Regiment of Horse of the same but this only in case of need or as the King's Service shall require The said Monsieur de la Motte not lying far off you may hear frequently from him and Act pursuant to his Motions So trusting altogether to your Zeal and Conduct I conclude my self Sir your most Affectionate Servant c. A Report made to the King at Grenoble by Cardinal Richelieu in presence of the Mareschals of France and afterwards at Lyons to the Queen-Mother in presence of the Lord-Keeper Marillac upon account of the Negotiation of the Peace in Italy THere are five principal Difficulties found in the Negotiation of a Peace in Italy The First Regards the Emperour's restoring the Duke of Mantua to his Dominions and his security of enjoying 'em for the future The Second Concerning the Liberty that every Soveraign Prince has to put whatever Garrisons he pleases into his Towns The Third About the Right the Duke of Savoy pretends to Montferrat and the Duke of
be pleas'd to favour His Majesty's good Intentions there is great Reason to hope that he may obtain those Ends which he has always propos'd to himself for the common Good My Assurance that you will leave nothing omitted that depends upon your Prudence and Care to persuade him to obliges me to say no more but that I am c. A Memoir sent to M. de Berhune after the taking of the Cittadel of Pignerol MOnsieur Bethune will see by the Answers of Monsieurs Spinola and Colalto to the Proposals contain'd in the Rough Draught of the Peace which Monsieur the Cardinal has sent to M. Pancirollo how unreasonable the said Answer is and the little Likelihood that we can be satisfied with it in order to the procuring a solid Peace to the end that after he has consider'd it he may take his time to inform the Pope of it Which done he shall beseech His Holiness to let the Spanish Ambassador know his Sentiments upon it which according to Equity cannot be otherwise then conformable to His Majesty's to the end that the Spaniards being out of hopes of concealing any longer their Artifices from His Holiness may be constrain'd to agree in things that are just and which may as well for the present as for the future remove all Occasions of any farther Troubles The said Sieur de Bethune shall represent to His Holiness That one of the principal Reasons why the King sent his Forces into Italy having been the often re-iterated Instances of His Holiness it would be an extream Grief to him should His Holiness testifie any Coldness to favour a Design to which he was induc'd with so much the more Zeal because His Holiness approv'd the Justice of it and rightly apprehended how much the Success of it would conduce to the Liberty of Italy to establish the Dignity of the Holy See and to the Security of the Pope's Person which were the most forcible Arguments that could move His Majesty That although His Holiness is desirous to preserve the Name and Effect of Common Father that ought not to hinder him but oblige him rather to make use of his Authority to chastise those who trouble the Family and reduce 'em to their Duty instead of assisting 'em in the Execution of their wicked Intentions And this was apparently done by His Holiness's Ministers in the State of Ferrara where they reliev'd the Germans with Corn when all Italy knows that without that Relief they could not have subsisted though they made use of it only to commit with more Leisure and Convevenience the greatest Prophanations of holy Things and the most horrid Cruelties upon all sorts of Persons that are not to be imagin'd Moreover the said Corn was set at so high a Rate that we have Reason to think it was done on purpose to scare the Venetians from buying it which the Germans were willing to do considering the Extremity they were in and not wanting Money after they had plunder'd the State of Mantua and all the neighbouring Princes for which they may thank the Pope's Officers M. de Bethune is also to complain of His Holiness's granting Passage several times to the Troops in their March from Naples into Milanols and so desire him to let the French have the same Privilege when they shall have an Occasion to march through his Fortresses to aid the Venetians and the Duke of Mantua The said Sieur de Bethune shall tell him The King cannot believe though he be well assur'd of it that His Holiness or his Nephew the Legate have within this little while been very importunate with the Duke of Mantua to agree these Differences without giving any notice of it to the King As also to beg the Emperor's Pardon which would suppose that he and his Confederates had been too blame in upholding a Cause so just and of which His Holiness all along declar'd his Approbation M. de Bethune must have receiv'd a Letter which the Cardinal wrote him about Fifteen Days ago wherein he sends him word that the King would be extreamly pleas'd if His Holiness would but lay his Commands upon Bagni to reside in his Army in Italy that so he might be a Testimony of His Majesty's good Intentions and his just proceeding upon this Occasion And that he would do well to be very importunate with His Holiness in the very Terms of the Letter But if the Letter be not come to his hands and he finds the Pope is not inclin'd to what is desir'd M. de Bethune shall renew his Instances in that Particular and use such Arguments as he shall think most proper to persuade His Holiness to condescend to His Majesty's Desire considering that he knows the Prudence the Probity and Affection of the said Cardinal to His Holiness and the common Good Nevertheless avoiding to give the Pope any Occasion to believe that this proceeds from any Distrust of those whom he employs or that the King seeks after a Peace but only because the said Cardinal Bagni having been a long time vers'd in this Affair can be no Prejudice to His Holiness's Design for the publick Repose more especially seeing the Decease of Don Carlo his Brother may render the Presence of the said Cardinal most useful in those Quarters LETTER LXXXVI From Card. Richlieu to the said Sieur de Bethune I Send you the Memoir annex'd which I desire you carefully to peruse and then to acquaint His Holiness with it I promise my self that you will omit nothing that depends upon your Care and Prudence to make the Pope clearly sensible that all the Proposals of these Gentlemen tend to no other End then to compleat the Ruin of the Duke of Mantua and to deprive Italy of that little Liberty she has left her by the Words of a Peace under which they hatch the Seeds of a perpetual War if the Authority of His Holiness and the Princes of Italy who are principally concern'd therein being assisted by His Majesty's good Intentions and Puissance do not apply a speedy Remedy This is all I have to say to yee in this Letter expecting to hear from yee LETTER LXXXVII To Cardinal Lodovisio after the Taking of Pignerol I am here at the Gate of Italy with a Design to do what lies in my power under the King's Commands and Authority to settle a safe and solid Peace I have so good an Opinion of your Judgment that I make no question but that you clearly see into His Majesty's good Intentions who following the Example of his Predecessors has propos'd to himself as the principal End of his Actions to support the Honour and settle the Security of the Holy See and establish the Repose of Christendom I presume to hope from the Goodness of God who is a Witness of this Truth that he will vouchsafe his Blessing upon the Care His Majesty takes in the Defence of so just a Cause LETTER LXXXVIII To M. de Bethune I was very glad to find by the
Holiness will receive thereby it will be difficult to avoid its proving fatal to the Church and Carholick Religion by the multitude of Strangers of divers Nations and Religions who are preparing to run to the Duke of Savoy's assistance as to a common Cause both out of Dread and Jealousie of the encreasing Power of Spain and for the Justice of the Cause itself as well as by the example of others The assistance of the States of the Vnited Provinces has already been implor'd who will be the readier to grant it because it is against the King of Spain their ancient Adversary whom they will be pleas'd to see imploy'd and weaken'd in his Territories in Italy The Protestant Princes of Germany seem inclined to favour the same Cause out of the same Considerations and will do it yet more powerfully when they find the War begun in earnest A vast number of Captains and Soldiers this Kingdom swarms with at present upon the disbanding of the Army will freely repair thither for Imployment besides the Forces both of Foot and Horse the King is sending towards the Frontiers to assist the said Duke from thence if it be necessary under Marshal de Lesdiguieres Command a Person whose Name and Reputation is sufficiently known a resolution His Majesty can never desist from without a blemish to his Faith and Honor which are both engag'd to protect and defend the Duke when attack'd he not refusing to submit to reasonable Conditions besides that it is the Interest of his whole Kingdom not to suffer the King of Spain to extend his Dominions so near his Frontiers all which he may prevent with ease at present without fear or danger at home where all his Subjects express their Fidelity and the Nobility invites him to it by their Obedience Nevertheless the World may easily imagin with what Trouble and Grief His Majesty finds himself reduc'd to take this resolution living as he hath hitherto done and is still desirous to live with theâ— his Father-in-law having on both sides such dear Pledges of their mutual and fraternal Affection But the consideration of the Interest of his state joyn'd with the publick and private reasons heretofore alledged oblige his Majesty to prefer them to those Tyes of Friendship not violated by his Majesty but by those who force him to take measures so contrary to his Inclination tho lawful in themselves and worthy of a most Christian King zealous of the publick Peace as well as of the Safety of his real Friends Moreover his Majesty looks upon this means as the most effectual to promote a good understanding between the Parties and to prevent their proceeding any further For his Arms shall never be imployed to disturb the Peace of Christendom but on the contrary to settle it to oppose those that would interrupt it and to maintain every one in his Right protesting before GOD and Man that this is his real Intention and that he only takes Arms by force and constraint and for his Honor to preserve the said peace and to protect his Friends as it appears by the good Offices and Endeavours heretofore used by him and still continued with Vigor in Spain and elsewhere and will be farther evinced by real Effects in this and all other occasions This the Archbishop is to represent to his Holiness and to Cardinal Borghese to make them sensible of the Consequences of such a Resolution and Breach his Majesties sincere Intention in this affair the Endeavours he has used and still continues to prevent it together with the powerful motives and reasons inducing him thereunto to the end that being mov'd by their Affection and usual Prudence in affairs of such weight and consequence either by persons sent on purpose or by other means suitable to the urgency of the danger they may endeavour to prevail with the said King to encline to a Peace which will be more honourable more useful to his affairs and without any comparison far more advantageous for the Public Good than a War the events of which are uncertain long and liable to produce Effects contrary to our expectation and projects That in case the said Duke of Savoy should refuse to submit to Reason and to what shall be thought just by their common Friends his Majesty as he has already declared will not only be against him but will joyn his Arms with the said Rings to compel the said Duke to it by force espousing no Party on this occasion but that of Justice His Majesty being of opinion that the most effectual way to compass the end he proposes was to obtain a suspension of Arms on both sides during which means might be thought on for a reconciliation he propos'd the same to the Spanish Ambassador who answer'd That he had no Power to do it but that he would write to the King his Master about it to whom his Majesty has likewise made the same Proposition by his Ambassador in ordinary residing at his Court and his Holiness would do well to second the said Suspension by his entreaty and recommendation in order to its being the sooner granted by the said King lest matters being once exasperated and one side getting some considerable advantage over the other this Remedy as all others tending to a Negotiation should prove the more difficult and the evil encrease to the prejudice of all and particularly of those who despise the means of an accommodation But it will be needless to compose the Quarrel between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy unless that between the Republic of Venice and the Archduke Ferdinand be made up at the same time for whereas they are link'd by the Interest and Affection of the Parties the Public would profit but little by the one without the other And therefore his Majesty designs to put an end to both at once to remove all the Evils Italy is threatned with and it behoves his Holiness to be the more active and vigilant therein because some men presume to taâ—k at random about his Holiness's Inclination in this particular as if he were pleased with this occasion to resent some things that have pass'd of late years between his Beatitude and the said Venetians a thing we know to be very opposite to his Holiness's Wisdom and Piety and which nevertheless it imports him to provide against out of his Paternal Care to repel and dissipate such Impostures and Calumnies The said Archbishop is to manage those reasons dexterously to induce him the more to the desir'd effect and not to animate him by too rough a relation of the said reports The said Archbishop is to represent the same thing to the great Duke in his passage through Florence after having saluted and assur'd him of his Majesty's Good will knowing his affection for the Welfare and Friendship of those two Crowns as a person who had a great share in their conjunction in order to his using such means as he shall think most
Majesty's Service which were commanded by the said Duke of Wâ—ymar under His Majesty's Authority and Pay and the Places by him conquer'd As to what relates to the Forces I am willing that the said Guebriant and Oysonville should offer to all the Colonels both of Horse and Foot the same Treatment they did receive from the aforesaid Duke of Weymar and moreover a Pension of 6000 Livres apiece And to make them the more sensible that His Majesty is desirous to keep them for ever in his Service his Goodness is such that he is willing to secure them Revenues in France upon his Demesnes for ever His Majesty does not particularly prescribe to the said Count Guebriant what Revenue he is willing to give upon his Demesne to each of the said Colonels because it is fit for him and the said Baron d'Oysonville to discover their Pretensions and the Capacity of each of them there being some who deserve more than others His Majesty is of Opinion that the Counts of Nassaw and Ohems as also Colonel Scheumbee will deserve 12000 Livres a Year upon his Demesne apiece and that the rest may be allow'd some six some 8000 Livres Revenue more or less according as the said Count and Baron shall think fit upon the place After having agreed with the said Colonels about the Conditions on which they are to remain in His Majesty's Service at the time they are paid an Oath must be administer'd to them to serve His Majesty well and faithfully towards and against all As to the Sieur d'Erlach when he was here he declar'd openly to Messieurs de Bullion Chavigny and de Noyers that in case the said Duke should be taken off he would rather die than fail to keep his Government for His Majesty's Service Moreover the Answer the said Duke made to the Articles sent to the said Count Guebriant after the Negotiation made by the said Erlach with His Majesty in the said Duke's Name says in express Terms speaking of Brisac and the other Garisons kept by the said Duke what followeth In case of His Highness's Death or Imprisonment he assures His Majesty that he will order Matters so and take such Care of the aforesaid Places that his Successors or Commanders shall give His Majesty the same Satisfaction he can expect to receive and does actually receive from His Highness himself After having assur'd the said Erlach of His Majesty's Confidence in and Affection towards him it will be necessary before any Propositions are made to him to know which he had rather do either immediately to deliver the Town and Fortress of Brisac into the King's Hands receiving a fair Reward or to take a fresh Commission from His Majesty to keep the said Government for His Majesty's Service taking an Oath before the said Guebriant well and faithfully to keep the same for His said Majesty and him therein well and faithfully to serve towards and against all adding what the said Count Guebriant and Baron d'Oysenville shall think most proper to oblige him the more strictly If he consents to take a reward for it the King is willing to give him a 100000 Livers in ready money and even allows the said Guebriant to go as far as 50000 Crowns If he had rather remain in the place his Majesty will leave him the command of it on the same Conditions he made with the said Duke and moreover will allow him a Pension of 6000 Crowns a Year during the War And in order to secure him a livelihood after the Peace his Majesty allows the said Count and Baron to make him a promise in his Name of the like Summ of 18000 Livers revenue on his Demesne which he shall enter in possession of after the Conclusion of the Peace If the said Sieur d' Erlach is willing to keep the Government of the said Place reason and his own security require his receiving so considerable a number of French Men into his said Garrison that in case he should infortunately be surpriz'd by Death like the aforesaid Duke a Lieutenant that is to be settled under him and secur'd to his Majesty like himself might be able to secure the said place for his Majesty And in that case the said Count Guebriant and he are to agree about a Lieutenant in whom his Majesty may confide and if possible a Frenchman chosen by the said Count as also to put a good French Garrison into it at the same time To avoid the difficulties and disturbances that might arise about the adjusting of this second proposition in case the said Erlach be disposed to deliver the said place into the said Count Guebriant's Hands whom his Majesty in that case designs to make Governour thereof he allows the said Count and Oysonville to grant him if it cannot be done otherwise as far as 200000 Livers to be paid to him in ready Money The said Guebriant and d' Oysonville are to manage this affair with so much prudence and address as not to give him the least disgust so that whatever he resolves upon he may have reason to be satisfy'd with his Majesty's Affection towards him The said Count Guebriant is also to treat with the Governors of the other places held by the said Duke in order to their delivering of the same into his Majesty's hands receiving a reward for them proportionable to the value of the said Governments or else taking fresh Commissions from the King together with an Oath of Fidelity as abovesaid In case the said Governors are desirous to remain in their said Governments they are to allow them Pensions according as they shall think fit and to promise them revenues upon their Demean instead of the said Pensions after the Peace proportionable to their deserts As to the Garrisons that are on this side the Rhine as Thanes Pentarlier and others the said Count Guebriant is to get them immediately deliver'd into his Majesty's Hands and to put such Persons into them as he knows to be both Capable and Faithful to Command the same And in case after having made the Covenants abovesaid the Commanders of the Forces and Governors of Places should make some difficulty of taking the Oath purely and only to the King and should be desirous to add that they well keep their Garrisons for the King's Service and for the advantage of the common cause the said Count is to show them how the aforesaid Duke himself by the secret Article of which a Copy is to be annex'd to this present Instruction acknowledg'd none but the King and that reason cannot allow their doing less in this than he The said Guebriant and Oysonville are to acquaint all the Troops of the said Army that the King will take so particular care of what relates to them that he designs to give them the Duke of Longueville for their General and moreover that his Majesty will repair in Person as far as his Frontier Towns of Burgundy which are upon the Saosne to shew the particular
the Army will be at being in Action of which a particular Account is to be given to such Persons as His Majesty or the Grand Master of the Artillery of France shall depute in order thereunto in the said Army His said Majesty is also to allow Ammunition-Bread both to the Foot and Horse whether in the Field or in Garisons without deducting any thing for the same out of the said Musters If any of the Officers Soldiers or other particular Persons belonging to the said Army shall desire His Majesty to gratifie them with the Gift of some Lands and Houses seated in a conquer'd Country His Majesty does promise to make such Gratifications of the same to them that every one of them shall have Reason to be satisfy'd Moreover His said Majesty does promise to ratifie and confirm the Gifts of such Lands Lordships and Houses seated in the said Countries and Towns as may have been made by the late Duke of Weymar in favour of the Officers and Soldiers of the said Army and other particular Persons that were in his Service In Consideration of which the aforesaid Directors and other Colonels and Officers do promise in the Name of the whole Army to continue to serve His Majesty fâ—ithfully and constantly towards and against all what Oâ—der or Command they might receive to the contrary conformable to what His late Highness was oblig'd to do by his Treaty of the 27th of October 1635. and to march with the Army to all such Places and Enterprises as His Majesty shall desire either into France Germany Burgundy Lorrain or the Low-Countries for the Restoration of the publick Liherty and oppress'd States Orders shall be given to their Body by the said Directors or one of them according as they shall agree by the Day Weekly or otherwise Which Orders they shall first receive from His Highness of Longueville General of His Majesty's Armies as it was done by the late Duke of Weymar Lieutenant-General du Hallier and the Vice-Count of Turrinne and Count Guebriant Mareschals de Camp of His Majesty's Armies The said Directors are to be call'd into all the Councils and Resolutions to be taken for the Good and Promotion of the common Cause and Restoration of the Confederate Towns and States The conquer'd Places are forthwith to be deliver'd into His Majesty's Hands according to the late Duke of Weymar's last Will and Testament in order that His Majesty may place such Governors as he shall think fit in the Cities of Brisac and Friburg with Garisons consisting one half of French and the other half of Germans And as to the Governors of the other Places His Majesty is to chuse them out of the Body of the Army the said Governors and Garisons taking an Oath well and faithfully to serve the King to-towards and against all to preserve the Garisons for his Service and never to deliver them into any body's hands without His Majesty's Leave and express Order The present Articles have been sign'd by His Majesty's Deputies by virtue of the Power given unto them as also by the Directors of the Army in the Name of all the other Officers The said Deputies have promis'd to deliver the Ratifications of the said Treaty in two Months time reckoning from the Day of the Date hereof and the said Directors to take and oblige all the other Colonels Officers Soldiers and Troopers of the said Army to take an Oath well and faithfully to observe all that is above-written Done at Brisac this 9 th of October 1639. A Secret Article WE Count de Guebriant de Choisy and Baron d'Oysonville Deputed by His Majesty do acknowledge That notwithstanding by the Articles this Day sign'd between Us and the Directors of the Army Commanded by the late Duke of Weymar it is said that the Cities of Brisac and Friburg are to be deliver'd into His Majesty's Hands in order to his placing such Governors in the same as he shall think fit nevertheless the Truth is that we have agreed that the King shall give the the Government of the said Places to the same Persons who had the Command thereof during the Life of the late Duke of Wâ—ymar and have it still at this time the said Governors taking the Oath as it is set down in the said Articles And the more to express the Considence His Majesty reposes in the Affection and Fidelity of the Colonels and Officers of which the said Body is compos'd towards his Service we do promise That in case His Majesty shall think sit to change the Governors and Garisons of the conquer'd Places they shall both be re-implac'd at his Choice with Officers and Soldiers out of the said Army As also That His said Majesty will leave the free Exercise of the Protestant Religion in all the said Towns and Armies For all which the said Deputies do promise to procure His Majesty's Ratification in the space of two Months Done at Brisac Septemb. 29. O.S. Or Octob. 9. N.S. 1639. Sign'd de Guebriant de Choisy Baron d'Oysonville d'Erlach Hohem Nassaw Roze Flerschin Thomas Rluge F. M. Remehingen and others The Oath taken by the Officers and Soldiers of the said Army WE promise faithfully loyally and honourably to serve His most Christian Majesty towards and against his Enemies to march in all Places either in Germany France Lorrain or the Low-Countries according as we shall be commanded by His Highness of Longucville His said Majesty's General in Germany And that in case we should hear any thing against the King's Service we will give notice thereof to His said Highness and all for the Good and Promotion of the common Cause and to obtain a good and lasting Peace And whereas we do hope that His Majesty will satisfie us according to the Treaty of Brisac for our Services past and those we will do him We also expect in case of Non-performance to be discharg'd of our Promise A Treaty made between the Cardinal-Duke of Richelieu for the King and the Duke Charles of Lorrain THE real Repentance the Duke Charles of Lorrain has often caus'd Assurances to be given of to the King for the ill Proceedings he has us'd towards him these ten or twelve Years last past the Petition he is come to make in Person to him to remit and pardon whatever Despair might have urg'd him to say or do comrary to the Respect he is sensible he owes him and the Assurance he gives that for the future he will be inseparable from all the Interests of this Crown have touch'd His Majesty in so sensible a manner that he has freely given way to the Christian Sentiments and Movements of Grace God has been pleas'd to give him upon that Subject In Consideration of which as he beseeches the Divine Goodness to pardon his Offences so he heartily forgives those he may have receiv'd from the said Duke And after the said Duke has oblig'd himself as he does by the present Treaty for himself his Successors and such as may
be concern'd to be for the future and during the Course of the War and in time of Peace inviolably link'd to the Interest of this Crown and to hold no Intelligence with those of the House of Austria and other Enemies of this State nor with any whatever that would disturb the Happiness and Prosperity of His Majesty's Affairs Also after the said Duke's having renounc'd all the Treaties he may have made any wise contrary to the Tenour of this His Majesty consents to restore him the Possession of the Dutchy of Lorrain and of the Dutchy of Bar held from the Crown for which he is immediately to pay Faith and Homage to the King As also into the Possession of all the Territories he enjoy'd for the time past excepting such as follow First The County and Town of Clermont and all their Appurtenances and Dependencies which are to remain for ever united to the Crown Secondly The Garisons Provostships and Lands of Stâ—nay and of Janets which are likewise to remain to His Majesty and his Successors Kings for ever in Propriety with all the Revenues thereof and all the Villages and Territories thereunto belonging Thirdly The City of Dun and the Suburbs thereof which is also to remain in Propriety to His Majesty and to his Successors Fourthly The City of Nancy which is to remain also in His Majesty's Hands as a Pledge only during the War and to be restor'd to the said Duke the same Year a Peace shall be concluded with the Villages within the Liberties of the said City of Nancy which are to remain in the Hands and Dispositions of His Majesty for the Convenience and Subsistence of the City of Nancy as long as it shall remain as a Pledge It is agreed that the Town of Marsal is to be demolish'd before it be deliver'd to the said Duke and that no Fortifications are ever to be made there again It is also agreed upon That Trade shall be as free between the Territories the King restores to the said Duke and those that remain to His Majesty either in Propriety or as Pledges only as if they did actually belong to him And that whatever shall be necessary for their Subsistence shall not be deny'd them by the said Duke and his Subjects at the rate the said Commodities shall go at in the said Duke's Territories Moreover That the said Duke shall give a free Passage in his Country to all the Forces His Majesty shall think fit to send that way either into Alsatia or other Parts of Germany into the Country of Luxemburg or into the Franche-Comte and shall furnish them with Provisions the King paying for the same at the common Market-price of the Country It has been farther agreed That the said Duke shall presently join the Forces he has with him at this time as well as all those he may have for the future with the King 's That they shall take an Oath well and faithfully to serve His Majesty under the said Duke's Authority towards and against all those he is at present in War with in such places and in such a manner as he shall think fit And that for the future they shall receive the same Pay in the Field as His Majesty's do on Condition however that they shall not be allow'd to take Winter-Quarters in France but only in the said Duke's Territories or Enemies Country It has also been agreed That the said Duke shall not be allow'd to lodge any of the said Troops nearer than within five Leagues of Nancy whilst the said City shall remain as a Pledge And whereas notwithstanding His Majesty's restoring the said Duke's Tervitories as abovesaid there still remain several Differences that were undecided before the War in relation to the said Territories which are still to be disputed with France it is agreed that they shall be determin'd amicably as soon as can be Moreover Whereas since His Majesty's having conquer'd Lorrain by Force of Arms a great Number of the Subjects of the said Dutchy have serv'd His Majesty after having taken the Oath of Allegiance he has exacted from them it is also agreed that the said Duke shall bear them no Ill Will for the same but on the contrary shall use them like his good and real Subjects and shall pay them the Debts and Rents the State is oblig'd to pay Which His Majesty desires so particularly that unless he had repos'd an absolute Confidence in the Faith which the said Duke has engag'd on that Subject he would never have granted what he does by this Treaty to the said Duke It is also agreed That it shall not be in the power of the said Duke to make the least Alterations in the Benefices given by His Majesty to the very Day of this present Treaty That those who have been invested with them shall remain in the peaceable Possession and Enjoyment thereof without the least Disturbance or Trouble from the said Duke or being dis-possess'd of the same And that His Majesty shall continue to have the Disposition of the Benefices of the City of Nancy as long as the said City remains for a Pledge in his hands without changing the Settlement of the said Benefices And as for the Offices of the Criminal Justice that are in the said City of Nancy they shall also remain in His Majesty's Gift to the end that such as are invested with the same may perform the Function thereof independently within the said City and the Liberties thereof His Majesty giving his Consent to the said Duke to transferr the Bayliwick of Nancy into such a place as he shall think fit there to decide all the Differences which were formerly judg'd in the said Court of Justice of Nancy excepting only such as are above specify'd It is also agreed That the said Duke shall not be allow'd to send any Person into Nancy there to reside in his Name unless it be to receive the Duties of his Demesne for which he shall be oblig'd to employ a French-man approv'd by the King It is moreover agreed That the Consiscations that have been given by His Majesty of the Estates of such as did bear Arms against him shall remain valid as to the Employment of the Revenues of the said Estates until the Day of the present Treaty provided those whose Estates have been confiscated quit the Service of His Majesty's Enemies In which Case they shall be restor'd to the Possession and Enjoyment of their Estates but without being allow'd to profecute or trouble those who have enjoy'd them by virtue of the said Gifts in any manner or upon any pretence whatever No mention is made in this Treaty of the Difference between the said Duke and the Dutchess Nicolla of Lorrain Daughter to the late Duke Henry about their Marriage by reason that the Decision thereof belongs only to the Ecclesiastical Tribunal and that His Holiness before whom the Parties have brought their Cause will do them Right according to the Justice of the
same In the mean time the said Duke is to allow her by way of Pension 120000 Livres in French Money yearly And in order to make the said Payment effective it is agreed that the said Sum of 120000 Livres shall be taken Quarterly out of the Receipt of Bar and in case that should not suffise out of the Salt-Pits of Roziers and the Demesne of Nuncy And the said Summ is to be deposited into the hands of such a Person as shall be nominated by His Majesty to be deliver'd to the said Dutchess Nicolla of Lorrain The Contents above-written have been agreed upon between the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu for the King and the said Duke who promises to perform whatever is contain'd in the said Treaty with so much Fidelity and Steadiness that he consents besides what he leaves His Majesty by the same in order to remain inseparably united to the Crown that all the Remainder of his Territories which His Majesty does restore and is to restore after the Peace may devolve to the said Crown in case he does any wise deviate from the Tenour of this present Treaty Done at Paris March 9. 1641. Sign'd The Cardinal of Richlieu and Charles of Lorrain And Lower John le Molleur And Sign'd with the Small Seal of the Arms of the said Duke Charks of Lorrain Secret Articles pass'd between the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu and the Duke Charles of Lorrain to be of equal Force with the Treaty pass'd the same Day between them ALthough it be not said by the Treaty pass'd this Day between the Cardinal Duke of Richelleu for the King and the Duke of Lorrain that the Fortifications of the Cities of Nancy are to be ras'd before the said Cities are restor'd into the said Duke's Hands after the Peace nevertheless this present Article has been pass'd to justifie that His Majesty does not design to restore the said Cities to the said Duke until the Fortifications thereof are demolish'd and that notwithstanding the said Duke has made humble Supplication to His Majesty not to do it however he submits the Matter wholly to His Majesty to do therein as he shall think fit And whereas nothing but Time can absolutely restore the Confidence His Majesty did repose in the said Duke and which his Deportments towards him have made him lose it has been farther agreed That whenever the said Duke shall be absent from His Majesty or out of his Armies by his Order he is not to live at Luneville because it is too near Nancy and that whatever part of his Territories he shall make his Abode in he is to behave himself in such a manner that those who shall Command in the Places that are to remain in Propriety or as Pledges into His Majesty's Hands may have no Cause to conceive the least leasousies thereof It has also been agreed That the said Duke shall yearly furnish out of his Forests such Quantities of Wood as are necessary for the Fires of all the Corps du Guard of Nancy for His Majesty The Premises have been concluded between the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu for the King and the said Duke who promises to perform them with so much Fidelity that he consents besides what he yields by the Treaty pass'd this Day with His Majesty to remain for ever insepatably annex'd to the Crown that all the Remainder of his State which His Majesty does restore and is to restore unto him after the Peace shall devolve to the Crown in case he shall any wise swerve from the Tenour of these present Secret Articles Done at Paris March 29. 1641. Thus Signed The Cardinal Richelieu and Charles of Lorrain And Lower John le Molleur And Sign'd with the Small Seal of the Arms of the said Duke Charles of Lorrain The Act or Form of the Oath taken by the Duke Charles of Lorrain for the Observation of the abovesaid Treaty in His Majesty's Presence in the Chapel of the Castle of St. Germain en Laye THis present Tuesday being the 10th of April 1641. in the Presence of the most High most Excellent and most Puissant Prince Lewis by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre being in the Chapel of his Castle and Royal House of St. Germain en Laye after the solemn Performance of His Majesty's Vespers We Charles by the Grace of God Duke of Lorrain Marquis Duke of Calabria Bar Gueldres c. having Assisted at the said Vespers have Taken the Oath of the Observation of the Treaty concluded between the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu Peer of France in His Majesty's Name and Us the 29th of March last past The Tenour of which Oath is as followeth WE Charles by the Grace of God Duke of Lorrain Marquis Duke of Calabria Bar Gueldre c. do Swear and Promise by the Faith and Word of a Prince upon the holy Gospels of God and the Canons of the Mass by Us Touch'd in order thereunto that We will Observe and Perform cause to be Observ'd and Perform'd fully and really and Bona fide all and every Points and Articles granted and mention'd in the Treaty cencluded and agreed upon the same day between the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu Peer of France in the Name of the most High most Excellent and most Puissant Prince Lewis by the Grace of God King of France and of Navarre and Us without ever swerving from the same directly or indirectly or suffering the same to be swerv'd from on Our side in any manner whatever And so help Us God In Witness whereof We have sign'd these Presents with Our own Hand and have caus'd Our Seal to be fix'd to the same in the Chapel of the Castle and Royal House of St. Germain en Laye this 19th of April 1641. WHich said Oath was taken in the Presence of the most High most Excellent and most Potent Princess Anne by the Grace of God Queen of France and Navarre Royal Consort to His said Majesty as also before the Cardinal Duke of Richelieu the Duke of Longueville the Duke of Chevreuse Our Cousin Monsieur Seguier Lord Chancellor of France the Dukes d'Usez and of Vandatour of Monbason and of la Force of Chastillon Mareschal of France of Cinq Mars Master of the Horse Boutillier Super-Intendent of the Finances Phellipeaux de la Vrilliere Boutillier de Chavigny and Sublet de Noyers Secretaries of State the Bishop of Meaux First Almoner to His Majesty holding the Book of the holy Gospels and Canon of the Mass on which We held Our Hands in the Presence of Belmont Sinri Count Ligneville and Berup Colonels of Our Forces In Witness whereof We have sign'd these Presents with Our Hand and have caus'd Our Seal to be affix'd to the same on the Year and Day above-written Thus Sign'd CHARLES And Lower Le Molleur And Seal'd with the Arms of the said Duke The Act of the Ratification made in the City of Bar by the Duke Charles of Lorrain of the Treaty above-written and of the Secret
St. Menehoud the 14th of August 1639 Memorial for Monsieur du Hallier IMmediately after having seen the Dispatch of Monsieur du Hallier and the Credentials of the Sieur Vitelle from the Duke Charles this Gentleman is sent to him with all speed to acquaint him with the King's Intentions His Majesty is very willing that the Sieur de la Grange-aux-Ormes should no longer be concern'd in this Affair having only sent him to the Duke Charles because he himself had desir'd it which is justify'd by a Letter of his The King approves du Hallier's proceeding in giving a Pass to the Duke Charles to go to and tarry in safety at St. Avan His Majesty supposing his Intention to be good and that he will treat sincerely is willing that the Sieur du Hallier should give him a fresh Security the most ample and in the best Form that can be made to abide at Espinal or Remiremont in order to make his Treaty with more Convenience And whereas he is desirous a Commission should be given to adjust it to some Person of Quality on whom the King reposes a Confidence His Majesty has cast his Eyes upon the said Sieur du Hallier to that end assuring himself that he will discharge his Trust with all the Address and Prudence requir'd Such a Treaty as the King can make is sent to the said du Hallier he must endeavour to make Duke Charles agree to it without Modification and however is to insist upon it in such a manner as may not disgust him And if he finds that he cannot absolutely prevail with him to accept it by disputing the Articles he must if possible oblige the said Duke to demand the things mention'd in the Modifications in order to conclude it the sooner and that there may be the less difficulty when the said Duke shall be possess'd that those things are granted to him which he desires Instructions for the same THE Treaty may be soften'd in two Points The First in leaving him the Country of Bar not to deprive him of his Revenue Which Monsieur du Hallier is to make him sensible of as of a great and singular Favour The Second In shortning the Deposition of Nancy into the King's hands for the term of three Years after the Peace If he should require the Price of the County of Clermont as it was stipulated by the Treaty made with him before the War it must be represented to him That having put himself out of the Bounds of that Treaty by the Breach he made with the King he can no longer require the Execution of it That the War has alter'd all things and that he ought to look upon it as a great Favour that the King should return him what he is willing to restore without asking for more He must add to this That if the King should demand the Charges of the War in returning his Country to him which he might lawfully do and is generally done they would amount to more than the Price of the State it self In case the said Duke should demand a Strong Hold for the place of his Residence it must be represented to him That the King neither can nor ought in reason to hearken to such a Proposition since it would be a means to enable him anew to revolt against His Majesty in case he were minded so to do for then the King could have no Security beyond his Word which he cannot look upon as inviolable but by a long Experience considering what is past Nevertheless if he should insist very much upon having la Motte the only place to the Restitution of which His Majesty could consent Monsieur du Hallier may give him his Choice to have the said Town again after the War if he will consent by the present Treaty to leave the Country of Bar in propriety to the King In that Case the Fourth Article about the Country of Bar must remain as it is set down in the Treaty putting la Motte out of the beginning of the Fifth Article of the places that are to remain in the King's hands adding after those Words of the Seventh Article Unless the said Duke had rather tarry for the Restitution of the said Places till after the Settlement of a general Peace that which follows Which is particularly agreed upon about the Town of La Motte which His Majesty is willing to restore to the said Duke in order one day to reside safely in the same but that is only to be deliver'd to him three Years after the Conclusion of the Peace Monsieur du Hallier is not to acquaint the Duke with the Particulars of this Treaty by the Interposition of any Person but by Word of Mouth since it will be much easier for him to prevail with the said Duke personally than by the Interposition of any one whatever And though the said Duke should swear and protest not to pass certain things Monsieur du Hallier is not to desist for that it being the said Duke's Custom to return from one Extremity to another whatever Protestation he has made to the contrary It is thought necessary to chuse a Newter Place to pass this Treaty as Remiremont or Espinal or some adjacent place in the Country where Monsieur du Hallier is to take care not to go without Safety In order to satisfie all the World of the Truth of this Treaty when it is made the said Duke is to come to the King However in case he should refuse to do it so soon Monsieur du Hallier is not to break off with him for that But I am confident that he will make no difficulty about it upon the Faith of the Treaty and the Pass that is sent him together with all the Assurances Monsieur du Hallier is to give him that he will be serv'd and assisted at Court by my Lord the Cardinal If the said Duke represents the extream Necessity to which he is reduc'd Monsieur du Hallier may grant him 50000 Crowns once paid which he will receive when he comes to wait upon the King Monsieur du Hallier is to make no difficulty of promising that the Fault committed by de Ville in making his Escape contrary to his Faith will be pardon'd by the King and that he will look upon him as if it had never happen'd His Eminency writes a Letter to Monsieur du Hallier in order to his shewing it to the Duke Charles as from himself The Treaty must be deliver'd to Monsieur du Hallier counter-sign'd by the Duke's Secretary officiating at this time and seal'd with his Seal Memorial of Cardinal de Richelieu to Monsieur du Hallier From Briare the First of November 1639. THE little Trust that can be repos'd in the Duke of Lorrain makes it very difficult to make any Treaty with him without running the hazard of being deceiv'd in it This Consideration will oblige Monsieur du Hallier to take a particular Care to follow all the Expressions of the Treaty that
of his Majesty as it was favourable to the Spaniards and recall'd him when that Court gave publick Signs that his Person was disagreeable to them and apprehended that he dealt for a Peace against their Intention Now if it should so fall out that your Holiness shou'd persist to oppose the Employ of the Mareschal d'Estreés in whose Person are to be found abundance of Qualities contrary to what the Enemies of this Crown may desire there is no Person but wou'd believe altho' erroneously that Spain by her Artifices had insensibly carry'd your Holiness to what she most of all desir'd As for my self this Thought never found any room in my Breast but it concerns your Holiness in the highest degree to prevent it from taking any footing in the Minds of other People who perhaps will conclude there is something in it if you shou'd continue to treat the King upon this occasion otherwise than you do other Princes that have Ambassadors at your Court I hope your Holiness will be pleased to make a difference between those that honour you with a cordial and everlasting Reverence and those that only give you a few exteriour Marks of it when their Affairs require such a Conduct The known Piety of the King naturally leads your Holiness to this Procedure his Person demands it of you the present Juncture seems to oblige your Beatitude to it since nothing can prove so directly contrary to a Peace as to show a disrespect to him who of all other Kings most earnestly desires a strict Union with you As it is an easie matter so it will likewise be a glorious one to your Holiness to preserve that absolute Power which you have in the Affection of this great Prince and I dare engage to you that the Mareschal d'Estrées for his part will endeavour nothing more zealously than to serve you and advance the Interests of your whole Family that by doing so he may render himself serviceable to his Master If it happens otherwise I freely consent that your Holiness shou'd lay all the blame upon my self who shou'd take it for a new Obligation if you wou'd condescend to think upon this most humble Supplication of mine and not barely consider it as such but as it concurs with his Majesty's Prayers which have no other End but what may be of most advantage to your Holiness and all your Family This I most humbly conjure your Holiness to believe as likewise that I shall always be Your Holiness's most c. July 25 1636. LETTER LVI To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord YOU will particularly know by the Dispatch of Monsieur de Noyers what condition we are in at present and what the Enemy has been doing ever since they have approach'd towards the Frontier of Picardy The King daily strengthens himself with new Forces as much as he can that he may be in a capacity to beat them back into their own Territory His Majesty makes account so soon as Dole is taken which News we expect every hour with the greatest impatience to order two thousand Horse of Monsieur the Prince's Army to march and joyn that of Picardy where there are not above five thousand leaving the rest of the above-mention'd Army either to tarry still in the Franche-Comté and make Head against the Enemy if they offer to come there or else to march into Lorrain according as he shall find it most expedient for his Affairs As for what relates to your self My Lord the King leaves you wholly at your own liberty to act as you shall judge most advantageous to his Designs and does not prescribe you any Method to follow but trusts intirely to your Prudence and your Conduct to manage your self as the Motion of the Enemy and any emergent Occasions make it proper for you In the mean time I beseech you to believe that I can have no opportunity of serving you presented to me which I shall not embrace with the greatest eagerness that I may convince you every day more and more of the esteem I have for your Person and of the Affection wherewith I am and ever shall be My Lord Your c. Challiot Aug. 4 1636. LETTER LVII To the same My Lord YOU will soon imagine that the War goes but ill on our side in these parts since I have resolv'd at at last to go thither in Person with all the Pains and Illnesses to which you know me so subject The Cowardice of three Raskals that made no defence for the Garrisons they were intrusted with has so perplex'd our Affairs for the present that I am necessitated to make this Journey You never heard of such perfidious Villains soon after away they sled like Traytors as they were We have drawn them asunder between four Horses in Effigie with all the reproachful Marks of Ignominy that con'd possibly be thought of and their Persons will be treated after the same manner where-ever we happen to find them We shall have by the Sixth of the next Month above ten thousand Horse and twenty five thousand Foot With these Forces we shall march streight towards the Enemy On one side we have Monsieur of Lorrain to sear who designs to make a Descent upon us by the way of Burgundy with his own Troops and those that were quarter'd in the Franche-Comté and as I imagine Galasse who might very well have pass'd the Rhine to re-pass it at Brisac and so marched to joyn him This My Lord is the Province which we leave to be manag'd by your self and the Duke of Weymar in conjunction We have left a thousand Horse and three thousand Foot with Monsieur the Prince Besides these he may still raise three thousand Men and five hundred Horse with which he will be able to oppose the Enemy on one side while you will powerfully make Head against him on the other For this effect it will be wholly necessary for you to direct your Course towards Espagnol or Mircourt that you may afterwards take such a way as the marching of the Enemy will oblige you to observe As soon as you draw near to the Prince's Army care shall be taken to prevent all manner of Competition by sending down an Order to him to go to some other place and to leave his Troops with you I know very well that 't is impossible to propose a more mortifying Condition to you than to send you to the place where the obove-mention'd Person has any power But it cannot be avoided the necessity of our Affairs obliging us to follow this Conduct You are the only Man that together with the Duke of Weymar are able to regulate Matters in those Parts Although our Affairs on this side are in a very scurvy condition yet I hope we shall be able to retrieve them so soon as our Troops are got together Although the Spaniards quitted all other Designs to make their utmost Efforts in Picardy yet if they had not met with such treacherous Villains I
believe they wou'd have had no mighty Matters to boast of 'T is my Request to you to march towards Burgundy with all the speed you can that this Consternation may produce no ill Effects on that side which will not happen when they see you have Forces there able to oppose the Designs of the Enemy The Prince has already had the Orders sent to him which his Majesty wou'd have observ'd among the different Armies when they joyn which is that every General shall command his own Troops I am apt to think that the sooner you can advance on this side it will be so much the better for I make no question but Galasse will endeavour to pass the River at Brisac to joyn the Duke of Lorrain and 't is of great importance that you shou'd arrive there before him The Enemies have possess'd themselves of the Village of Verdun upon the Doux which is not fortify'd but 't is a Pass of some consequence Assure your self My Lord that I am and will be so long as I live without the least alteration My Lord Your c. Paris Aug. 23 1636. LETTER LVIII To the same My Lord I Want Words to express my Dissatisfaction at the ill Conduct of the Marquiss de Sourdis He cannot excuse himself upon the want of Directions for he has been written to often enough If we knew any Man at present fit to be put into his place we shou'd take care to have him sent for home immediately As for the Gentlemen of the Parliament of Metz you will assuredly receive all the Satisfaction you can desire But I desire you to have a little patience till the present Tempest be over After the rate things go now one wou'd imagine that a Blessing attended those that rail'd at the Government I hope that within two Months it will not be so and then the Parliament of Metz shall be chang'd as you desire it We do all that we can to re-inforce you with some Foot This very Day we order'd the Regiment of Ronciere to march which in my opinion will make a very fine one Verderonne is by this time got pretty forward and so is Decauts The Regiment that Monsieur Vignier is a raising will be complete in seven or eight Days Vaubecourt has sent us word that he will furnish us with four thousand Men but knowing the Man as you and I do I shou'd be very glad if he brought us but one half of them Let the worst come I take it for granted that he and Monsieur Vignier will bring three thousand effective Men and Verderonne Ronciere and Decauts two thousand five hundred besides the Forces that the Baron de Chapelaine and one Anfonville intend to raise to put into Chaumont As for the Horse we expect them from those places where the Count de Guiche told you 'T is with a great deal of reason you say that we want a German in the place of the late Monsieur Hebron If you cou'd so contrive matters as to manage any one of those whom you propos'd you wou'd very much oblige us In the mean time we will write about it Since I writ this it came into my Head that the Great Provost will be a very proper Man at Nancy Send me word what you think of it and whether you approve of him If 't is so after I have receiv'd your Letter I will act accordingly and let you see upon all occasions that whatever concerns you touches me more sensibly than even my own proper Interests Let me conjure you to believe that I am most sincerely My Lord Your c. Abbey de la Victoire Sept. 13 1636. LETTER LIX To the same My Lord THE Sieur Talon your Secretary has receiv'd Satisfaction as he will inform you himself as to the business of the Fund for Corn. In every thing else that lies in my power you shall find the like care taken to give you all imaginable content The King has given the Scotch Regiment to the Baron Hebron which your Letter did not a little promote The Prince has sent us some Letters which were written very much in your favour I suppose that by this time his Troops and those of Vaubécourt have joyn'd you and that by this means you will be in a condition to oppose the designs of Galasse Upon my word I depend more upon your and the Duke of Weymar's Conduct although you have but indifferent Forces than upon all the great Armies which we have on this side which in truth exceed thirty five thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse in number The Enemy retires too fast for us We cou'd wish they wou'd be so civil as to stay till we cou'd come up to them Their Army does not in reality consist of above eighteen thousand as well Foot as Horse Monsieur has passed the River at Peronne with twenty five thousand Men and ten thousand Horse The King marches this way towards Corbie with ten thousand Men and two thousand Horse Corbie at this very Moment is reduc'd to great necessity Those that are in the place are forc'd to eat boil'd Corn as they did at the Siege of Paris They have Corn in abundance but their Mills that were lately burnt by the Sieur de Beau-fort failing them they give seven Bushels of Corn for a Bushel and a half of Meal They have in a manner no Wine among them and to compleat their Misery the Plague and Bloody-Flux rage violently in the place I am very glad that you have taken Chevillon You did very well in giving him leave to write You must look after him carefully and treat him gently in order to make good use of him in time and place as occasion shall require There is no good to be hoped from the Master of the aforesaid Chevillon unless meer Necessity constrains him to it and it pleases God to give us some Advantage over our Enemies If the People of the Franche-Comté wou'd come again into the Neutrality the King wou'd do the same very willingly You and the Prince may negotiate this Affair according as you find it convenient if you see any tendency towards it We can return no answer to Monsieur de Frangipane because we cannot listen to any Treaty of a Peace but in conjunction with the rest of our Allies at Colen which is the place appointed for all We have paid two hundred thousand Crowns to the Duke of Weymar They send me word that within three Days there will be nothing due to him You remember what I writ to you concerning the Marquis de Sourdis and the Affair of the Parliament of Metz. Both one and t'other shall most assuredly be done Send me word with all expedition whether you judge the Great Provost to be a proper Man for Nancy In case you do his Commission shall be speedily dispatch'd to him But you must be sure to keep the Affair secret that he may be actually in the place before they mistrust any thing
desired your Highness and do yet repeat my Desires by these Lines conjuring you to believe that as to my particular I will have such Sentiments of it as you may expect from c. LETTER CCLIV To the Same SIR I Am particularly obliged to your Highness for the favour you were pleased to do me in sending Count Scarnasis to give me a Visit and to assure me of your Good-will I always promised myself that I should find in you that dispotion which you testifie you have in the King's satisfaction and that you will shew him the Effects of it upon the present Occasion So I desired you to believe that you may be assured of his Majesty's Affections and of all those of his House And as to my particular I will serve you to my utmost I have particularly made known to the said Count Scarnasis my earnest Desires of the Peace not only of Italy but of all Christendom To which I will gladly contribute all that may reasonably be expected from a Person who really is c. LETTER CCLV. To Victor Amedeus Duke of Savoy SIR I Was very glad to hear News of your Highness by the Sieur d'Inchamp who assuring me of your good Health confirm'd in me the belief of your Affection to the King's Service And as an Answer to what you were pleased to write I tell you that the sincerity of the King's Intentions is such that as yet it hath had no other design in the Affairs of Italy than to deliver the Duke of Mantua from his Persecutions in a mild and loving way He has long hoped for this happiness but the Delays of Spain and the several Puttings-off which happened in all the Passages of this Affair having given him great reason to believe that the Enemies of the Duke of Mantua were pleased to speak of an Agreement and Peace with a design to do neither he is resolved to send me into Italy as the fore-runner of himself with a considerable Army and he has given me such precise Orders that I have not the liberty of changing them The first is To lose no time Which makes me desire you quickly to open the Magazines of Savoy according to the Promise you made to Mareschal Crequi that the King's Army may begin to pass the 25th of this Month. His Majesty will be obliged by it and I in particular who am and ever will be c. LETTER CCLVI. To the Princess of Piedmont MADAM YOur Highness honours me a thousand times more than I deserve in vouchsafing to send me a Visit by the Sieur Morguenay to testifie your Joy at my arrival in those Parts I want fit words to be able to express my sense of this Favour which I acknowledge I only owe to your Goodness I do not doubt but you 'll honour me with the continuation of your Good-will your Candour being so great that I look upon all your Words as infallible You will also believe I am certain that I will forget nothing which may merit so great an Honour which I esteem according to its quality having understood by the Letters which it pleas'd your Highness to write to me by the Sieur de l'Isle and afterward by Mareschal Crequi that you are pleased that I should have the honour of seeing you and that you would communicate to me some Particulars which you do not think convenient to trust in Writing Now that I may satisfie your Will and my Desire and Duty altogether I will not fail to send to you by the Mareschal de Crequi or the Sieur de l'Isle the means which I think proper to attain to this end In the mean time I desire you to be assured that no Man is more faithful to you than myself who will always give you such clear Proofs of this truth that you will have reason to confess me to be sincerely that which I am c. LETTER CCLVII To the Same from Pignerol MADAM ALl manner of Respect and Duty obliges me to seek an occasion by these Lines to give your Highness new Testimonies of the Passion which I always will have for your Service and of my Obedience and also to inform you that I am departing hence to meet the King at Lions where he commands me to wait upon him I think it also my Duty to tell you Maâ—am That I understand that his Majesty's intentions are not foreign to a Peace which may be concluded if it be desired upon reasonable Terms And if it be his Majesty desires that your Highness would send him the Approbation of the House of Savoy The Zeal that I know you have to promote this Affair will make me gladly contribute toward it according to my small ability by the performance of those things which his Majesty desires for your satisfaction and advantage I will assure the King and the Queen-mother of the tender Affection your Highness has for their Persons and of your Displeasure of all those Passages in which I beseech God to be your Comfort who often suffers Afflictions for a good end I will never have any other but to shew you by all manner of Proofs that I am and ever will be c. LETTER CCLVIII. To the Princess of Piedmont MADAM I Have receiv'd the Letter which your Highness was pleased to honour me with about the Death of the Duke of Savoy and the desire that you have of a lasting Peace in Italy I desire you to believe that the King has no less mind to it but he desires it may be firm reasonable and honourable in which the Queen-Mother and all their Majesties Servants have the like Sentiments As to my particular I would contribute my utmost to this end but those with whom we have to do are so far from it at present that they have depriv'd us of all hopes of it but let what will happen I will always honour your Highness as it is my duty and will testifie to you that I am more concern'd for your Interest than mine own having no greater passion than that to serve you and to let you know by real effects that I am as much as can be c. LETTER CCLIX To the Same MADAM I Will not omit this opportunity of assuring your Highness of the continuation of my most humble Service of which I shall always think myself happy to be able to give you proofs upon all occasions I do not write to you my unhappiness by incurring the Queen-Mother's displeasure because you may have learn'd it some other way I only beseech you to believe that that shall not hinder me from preserving the memory of your Obligations as long as I live and that I will serve you upon all occasions with all the fidelity that you may expect from a Creature wholly devoted to your Interest As to what concerns your Highness Madam you may be certain that I will honour you and will always have as great a care of your advantage as can be desired from c. LETTER
acquir'd upon this occasion in which truly he has omitted nothing which might be expected from his Prudence his Valour and Courage A Fortnight ago I took the Boldness to write to your Highness that considering the Duke of Savoy might have need of some Supply for the Expence he is obliged to I would endeavour to obtain him one of the King the first time I should have the Honour to see him now that I might keep my Promise and satisfie my Desire together I laid hold upon the Opportunity of the good News of the Success in Italy to make the Proposal to his Majesty who notwithstanding the great Affairs he has now in hand has chearfully granted him three hundred thousand Livres of which I shall give to our Embassadour good Bills of Assignment all payable within the Year I will be very diligent in this matter desiring to give your Highness a Testimony that not only upon this occasion but upon any other wherein your Interest and Satisfaction are concern'd you are more dear to me than my Life and that I am and ever will be c. LETTER CCLXX. To the Dutchess of Savoy MADAM I Cannot express to you my Resentment of the Injury the Cardinal of Savoy has done himself by running counter to his Duty and your Intentions without any Reason It is true that his Levity and Inconstancy will be blamed by the whole World But that which vexes me most is the mischievous Design that he and Prince Thomas may have for your Prejudice the King has so much tenderness to your Highness that he can never promise you any Assistance but he is better than his Word I can assure you that upon all Occasions and at all times I will forget nothing that may depend upon me not truly for your own Service but for all theirs who belong to you beseeching you to believe that tho' I have always hitherto been your Servant as much as may be I am now doubly so The King is very much assured of the Fidelity of the Duke of Savoy I will gladly be his Caution upon this or any other Article The Count of St. Morice has spoke to me about an Honour which your Highness designs to bestow upon me of which I think myself so unworthy that I dare not so much as think of it Those are Proofs of your excessive Bounty which oblige me more and more to be what I am c. LETTER CCLXXI. To the Same MADAM I Cannot sufficiently praise God for the happy Deliverance of your Highness from the Pains and Perils of Childbirth and for the new Blessing which he is pleased to add to your Family nor testifie to you my particular Joy for it I make no Answer to that which concerns the Design that your Highness is pleased to have upon this occasion relating to me because it is so much above me that I can but commend your Bounty from whence it proceeds and desire to be so happy as to be able to declare my Sence of it words being not capable to express it I will endeavour to supply that Defect by the best Services I am able to do you to let you see that no body is equally yours as is c. LETTER CCLXXII To the Same MADAM I Think it needless to declare to your Highness my Grief for the Duke of Savoy's Sickness and that your Knowledge of the Zeal and Passion I have always had for both your Persons is sufficient to make you conceive to what degree it is I will only tell you Madam that the King was sensibly affected with the News and the same Hour he heard it he dispatched this Gentleman to let you know his Concerns for it and to bring back the Conditions of his Health for which he is in much Pain I do not tell you Madam the Tenderness and Affection which it pleases his Majesty to declare to me he has for you upon account of this Sickness because besides that the Embassadour will not fail to make it known to you as also what we esteem proper for your Highness's Service in this Juncture I am sure you do not doubt but they are such as you desire I will only assure you by these Lines That if the Duke of Savoy should unfortunately dye which I hope God of his Mercy will prevent the King will omit nothing that may depend upon his Power and Authority to protect your Highness and to hinder that those who are Enemies of your Peace and have always envied your Virtue be not able to do you any Harm As to my particular Madam I beseech your Highness to believe That I will always esteem myself extreamly happy to employ the Remainder of my Life to second his Majesty's Intentions for your Advantage and to let you know by my Actions and Services that no body doth and will honour you with more Sincerity than myself nor is more truly what I always will be c. LETTER CCLXXIII To the Dutchess of Savoy MADAM AS our Affliction is unparalell'd so my Sorrow is ineffable I confess I was so surprized with this Misfortune which has happened not only to your Highness but to all Christendom that nothing but God can give me any Comfort It is from his Hand Madam that I expect your Highness will receive Consolation and from him alone so great a Distemper must have no less a Physician The King who will always look upon your Interests as his own is extreamly afflicted with this Accident You will receive whatever you may expect from his Benificence assuring you Madam that he will upon this occasion do more for your Highness than for himself As for me Madam be pleased to put me at the Head of all your most zealous Servants who always take most Care of your Concerns and who will omit nothing which they think may contribute to your Prosperity c. LETTER CCLXXIV To the Same MADAM THe more your Enemies strive to publish their mischievous Designs against your Person the more doth the Zeal which I have always had for your Highness's Service augment and I hope I shall be happy enough to find out some opportunity to give you new Proofs of it and by the same means discover to you the Designs of those who do not love your Highness and who desire to disturb your Peace are disappointed yet this matter depends upon your Highness's Conduct and the stout and good Resolutions which you shall take at your Entrance upon the Government to maintain your Authority and to prevent the Mischiefs which your Enemies would do you I pray your Highness to believe that the King will prevent it with all his Power and that as to my particular I honour you and will not omit my utmost to second his Majesty's Sentiments to your Advantage and to let you know at the same time that as your Highness has no Subject over whom you have a more absolute Power than myself so you have none who more really is and will
Passages of his Voyage and seen your Letter which he brought I cannot but tell you that I am extreamly amazed at the little Esteem which Madam has hitherto testified of the good Advice which the King and his most faithful Servants have given her since they have no other end but her Peace and â—…vantaâ—e and the Establishment of her Authority and Grandeur Her Inconstancy concerning the removal of Father Monod has been a manifest proof of it which surprized me the more because she knows the best of any the mortal Hatred he has against her and her Children and his inseparable Union with the Cardinal of Savoy and Prince Thomas her Enemies His Majesty thinks it very strange that Madam having declared to all his Ministers that she did not desire that he should have any thing to do in her Affairs yet she still continues to imploy him he firmly believes that she only retains him because she knows that he is an Enemy to her and her State that she may make the whole World believe that her Highness fears France more than her Brothers-in-law which may produce very mischievous Effects Madam being not ignorant of the extraordinary Passion that the said Father makes appear upon all occasions for the Interest of thoâ—e Gentlemen and the Ill-will which he has always bore her and hers must be assured if she continue him in the Authority into which his Artifice and Malice has screw'd him at her Court having such a turbulent Spirit being an open Accomplice of the Cardinal knowing the Humour of the People and Madam's Weakness the first Sickness that shall happen to her without expecting the Extremity or the Event he will send for the said Prince Cardinal into Piedmont from whence she will not be able afterward to expel him and the Life of her her Children and Creatures will not be secure She may very well judge that his Majesty is not concern'd what Ministers she imploys provided they love her and her Children but it concerns him very much that she do not employ those who give her bad Counsel and endeavour to perswade her to her own Ruin or to procure it unknown to her because in this case his Majesty knows not how to remedy it These Considerations afflict his Majesty more than I can express because he foresees that such Proceedings will either make him unable to protect a Person so dear to him as Madam or will compel him against his desire to discharge himself of her Protection that he may not be the Promoter of an Evil which she may avoid You may believe that his Majesty loving Madam as himself will not come to this extreamity but yet he cannot endure to see that her Highness will ruin herself against all Reason his Advice and Counsel and notwithstanding any Assistance that he can give her His Majesty can have no confidence in Madam in her Affairs while she shall have a Minister who is a sworn Enemy to France to his Majesty and his particular Servants who is the Cardinal of Savoy's intimate Friend and Ally of the Spaniards who by his means will be inform'd of all the Undertaking and Resolutions it is a thing altogether unpossible And I confess to you freely that the open Protection that Madam gives to Father Monod since the Resolution she took to remove him afflicts the King extreamly and makes him judge and not without reason that her Mind is not only wavering but also distrustful of France which they expresly endeavour to make her that they may more easily procure her and her Childrens ruine which is as it were inevitable if she continue in her jealousie and diffidence Tho' this good Father testifie that he imparts to you alone the Resolution that was taken to send him into France yet for all this he is not ignorant that it was with Madam's and Count Philippes's participation and so seeing himself offended by both he will infallibly seek an opportunity to revenge himself which he will do the more boldly because he will believe that he owes his Re-establishment to his own Industry and Artifice and not to Madam's Goodness whom he will never forgive As to what remains Madam having obliged you to declare against him she is too just to desire you and France to have any confidence in him he is a Serpent which she cannot keep in her Bosom without receiving suddenly a mortal Sting The Duke of Savoy knew him so well that he was resolved as Madam declared to you to remove him from Court You know the Advice he gave us of the Intelligence this good Father had with Father Caussin the good Designs of the one which were at last discover'd obliged the King to banish him from Court Madam may well judge what those of the other oblige her to do because he has as much Wit and Malice as Father Caussin has Simplicity and Ignorance Before Madam had acquainted Father Monod that she knew his mischiâ—vous Designs it was free for her to endure him but now that he knows that she has a mind to be rid of him and that he only expects the moment of the execution of such a Project she may very well believe that he thinks of nothing more than to prevent her and yet necessity obliges her to accomplish her intended Design if she will not expose herself to a certain Ruine It is your part faithfully to represent all these things to Madam to whom you may shew this Letter and to importune her for her own Childrens sake to remove that Man as soon as she can having no time to lose upon such occasions her Foreâ—ight by the help of your Advice will give her an Expedient how to execute this Design As for my part I think the shortest way will be to take him in the Evening when the Streets are clear and put him in a Coach with Six Horses and drive him all the Night to Pignerol with what Guard you shall think necessary I confess to you I tremble for fear for Madam till that is done and tell you further that the King is mightily displeas'd to see that Madam dallies in an Affair in which her safety is concern'd and that if her Highness will help herself he will double his Assistance whereas if she has a mind to ruin herself he will be glâ—d that the World knows that he has omitted nothing to hinder her I hope that will never happen and that her Highness will shew that she has a Masculine Heart I shall have the same Passion for her Interest as for the King 's and shall rejoice if I can be serviceable to her She has done me the honour to write to me two Letters by which she declares her Desires of a General or Particular Suspension I pray you represent to her That as a General Peace or Suspension would be the Safety of Christendom so a Particular one would be its Ruin The Peace which it may be she should have a Year sooner than otherwise she
officiated in your Diocess His Majesty has câ—mmanded me to give you notice of it to the end that upon a due Consideration of your Duty in the Charge which God has committed to your Care you may acquit your self with so much Diligence and Fervency for the future that your Actions may make amends for past Defaults I promise my self that you will make a profitable Use of the Admonition which I give you because that if you neglect it His Majesty out of his singular Piety will think himself oblig'd to provide for the Good of your Diocess by Ways which his Prudence shall judge most suitable for that purpose In the mean time I remain c. LETTER XXII To the Bishop of N THE King being inform'd that great Disorders are committed in your Diocess even to the publick Selling of Benefices I cannot permit the Departure of the Dispatch which His Majesty sends expresly to Monsieur the Bishop of Xaintes to repair to yee in his Name upon this Occasion without intreating you by these Lines that you will contribute all that lies in your Power toward the suppressing such Abuses as speedily as may be and so to demean your self that your Actions may appear for the future contrary to what we have just Reason hitherto to suspect Besides that your Conscience and your Honour oblige yee to it His Majesty's Resolution by Canonical Ways to hinder such Disorders in his Kingdom ought to incline yee to it I promise my self that you will govern your self in such sort upon this Occasion that besides the Satisfaction which His Majesty shall receive in your Actions the People committed to your Charge may have so good an Example set before 'em that the universal Pursuit of it may be your Justification for the future The ancient Friendship which I have had for yee makes me earnestly desire it As being c. LETTER XXIII The King's Letter to the Bishops about Residence I Behold with infinite Sorrow that tho' all People are eagerly desirous of Peace that the Prayers and Sighs of all Christendom have no other End and that I leave no Means omitted which I think proper to attain it whether by Force of Arms as every body knows or by condescending together with my Allies to the Overtures that have been made us for a reasonable Accommodation particularly by our Holy Father the Pope yet still it looks as if Divine Justice were not satisfied and that he who can only give Peace to Man and who pours down upon the Waters when he pleases his Benedictions in abundance requires at our hands that with a common and profound Acknowledgment of our Duty we should have recourse to his Omnipotence to the end we may obtain so great and so much desired a Blessing For this Reason it is that well knowing that the Conversion and Amendment of Souls the Prayers and Tears of good People are the true Means that can procure us what the Impiety and Hardness of our Hearts have hitherto denied us 't is my Desire that all the Bishops of my Kingdom cause such publick and private Prayers as they deem convenient to be duly said together with the joint Performance of all those good Works that are most probable to obtain from Heavenly Compassion the Repose of Christendom Now in regard there is nothing that can more effectually invite the People whom God has submitted to your Care to such pious Purposes then your Examples My Intention is that they who shall be absent themselves from their Flocks fail not to repair to their several Diocesses to the end they may apply themselves in particular to the Performance of those things which I demand at their hands and in general to all the Duties of their Functions that require their Presence Knowing therefore that there are some so sedulous in their Charges that if they absent themselves from 'em 't is only for a little time and for the Dispatch of Affairs that concern their Functions 't is sufficient for me to exhort 'em to make the soonest End they can of their Business and to repair home again expresly enjoining and commanding all those who have not hitherto minded so much the Importance of Residing within their Diocesses to hasten thither within Eight Days after the Receipt of these Presents to the end they may thereby make Amends for their past Defaults I assure my self that they will be so much the more religiously observant of their Submission to my Will and Pleasure in this Particular because there is not one among 'em who can be ignorant that the Canons of the Church and the Ordinances of the Kingdom oblige 'em to an Actual Residence upon which the good Order and Discipline of their Diocesses chiefly depend Not doubting therefore but that all and every of 'em will punctually correspond with my Desires I shall say no more but only pray to God c. LETTER XXIV From Cardinal Richlieu to Father Berthin General of the Priests of the Oratory 'T IS impossible for me to express my Sorrow for the Death of Cardinal Berule who could never question the sincere Friendship which I always bore him I am extreamly troubl'd at the Calumnies spread abroad both at Rome and in France I do all I can to dissipate 'em by declaring to all the World that the great Vertues of the Deceased and the manner of Living which we always observ'd together take away all Occasion of believing those false Reports that are dispers'd abroad with so little probability of Truth I honour the Memory of the Deceased and shall always take a particular Care of his Concerns but more especially of the Society that took its Birth under his Conduct and Protection I return you a Thousand Thanks for what you write me word concerning what His Holiness has already granted you in my behalf Vivae vocis Oraculo I desire yee to prosecute the Concession of it by a Writing of His Holiness whether under his own or the Hand of his Chaplain and that in the proper Terms of the Supplication which the deceased Cardinal de Berule sent you I passionately desire this Dispatch which His Holiness will make no scruple to expedite since he has already granted it by Word of Mouth 'T is also necessary for me that His Holiness will be pleas'd that his Forbearance to publish the Favour which he grants me may not oblige me to keep it conceal'd from all the World to the end that they who are best acquainted with the Burthen of Affairs which I undergo may not think that I neglect to discharge an Obligation such as that of the Office without having a License LETTER XXV To the Superiour of the Jesuites I Have been no less concern'd for the ill Conduct of Father Caussin then you your self appear to be All those of the Society who have given themselves the trouble to visit me since the King remov'd him from his Person are as faithful Witnesses of this Truth as of the little
prov'd successful in so many great Actions that 't is no wonder if now and then you meet with some Mortification This is farther to be said That since it has pleased the Divine Goodness to establish you King over a Nation that runs to the End of the World in search of Dangers and has much a-do to stay for the Opportunity of meeting with 'em you ought not to think it strange that Your Majesty far surpassing in the good Qualities which Nature has bestow'd upon your Subjects should be altogether exempt from their Defaults I am over-joy'd to hear that Your Majesty resigns your self up to the Will of God and for the Honour you are pleas'd to do me by declaring how much you confide in my faithful Counsels I know not which way to answer this Obligation but by assuring Your Majesty that I willingly sacrifice my Life to God that so he may be pleased to render my Counsels as profitable to your Service as it is possible for him to desire 'em who resolves to be ever c. LETTER LXX To the KING THE Birth of Monsieur the Dauphin ravishes me with Joy I hope that as he is a Theodosius that is to say a Gift which God has bestow'd upon Your Majesty he will answer the great Qualities of the Emperors that bore that Name 'T is my hearty Prayer to God that it may be so and that he will vouchsafe to heap upon Your Majesty as many Blessings as it is possible for him to desire who is Eternally c. LETTER LXXI To the KING I Am over-joy'd for Your Majesty's good Health but extreamly troubl'd there has been so much Want of good Management in the Execution of Your Majesty 's so often re-iterated Orders Your Majesty is too gracious and too just to make me responsible for the Faults of others and too greatly experienc'd not to consider that in great Affairs the Effects never answer exactly to all the Orders that are issued forth This is only in the Power of God to bring to pass whose Goodness is such that leaving Men to act according to their Infirmities he suffers the Difference between their Performances and his Will Your Majesty knows that I have always complain'd of the Delays of the Treasurers and Providers of the Ammunition and that I have openly spoke it in your Councils that it was in vain to raise Armies if Care were not taken to pay 'em in time and that they were not as carefully furnish'd with Provision And though in these sort of Affairs I suppose my self to have done my Duty when I have admonish'd sollicited and importun'd those who are intrusted with making those Provisions I dare presume to say that I have done more it being certain that if I had not taken upon me to send M de Hussay into Champaigne to buy Corn and borrow'd Six Score Thousand Crowns for Raising of Men Your Majesty had been disappointed of your Preparations for your just and great Designs I will not fail to sollicite M. de Bullion again to send Money to Your Majesty But because that which passes by the Order of the Officers of the Finance cannot be done without great Delays I have just now sent away Six Thousand Pistoles by the Post being the Remainder of what I borrow'd To which I must add that the Honours the Favours the Benefits which Your Majesty has conferr'd upon me and the Opinion you have of my Fidelity give me Credit sufficient for another Twenty Thousand Pistoles if Your Majesty commands me in four Lines under your Hand I conclude with my Prayers to God that all the rest of Your Majesty's Servants may equal me in Diligence and that he will be pleas'd to asswage your Disquiets which I believe no less necessary as well for the Preservation of your Health as for the Good of your Affairs c. LETTER LXXII To the KING I did not speak yesterday to M. de Bullion of the Dispatch which I sent yesterday to Your Majesty because I would not hinder the Digestion of a young Partridge he had eaten This Morning I easily persuaded him to send Money to Your Majesty because he had voluntarily resolv'd to send away a Hundred and Fifty Thousand Livres to the end Your Majesty might be supply'd for your pressing Exigencies Besides this he affirms and has sent you a convincing Proof of it that he has provided for the Funds that are requisite for all your Troops 'T is so necessary to execute Justice upon some of these Commissaries that are in fault that it would not be the worst Mark of Monsieur the Chancellor's Diligence if he caus'd some of 'em to be proceeded against in common Form I beseech and in all my Dispatches shall beseech Your Majesty that you would be pleas'd to consider that though there is some certain Care necessary for the right Management of Business to the end it may be attended with Success yet there are some Cares that can produce no other Effect then an Alteration of your Health and so much Grief to all your Servants that the Trouble of their Minds may render 'em less able to act with that Vigour which your Service requires LETTER LXXIII To the KING IN regard no Joy can happen to Your Majesty wherein I do not presume to claim that Share which it behoves me I am apt to believe it is the Will of God to make me sensible that no Accident can befall Your Majesty but that some one of the same nature follows my self I thought to have been this day at Ruel that I might be nearer Your Majesty but by reason of a slight Fit of an Ague that took me Yesterday in the Evening the Physicians order'd me to be Let Blood Let it not trouble Your Majesty I beseech yee since my Fit was so short that it held me no longer then from Five in the Evening till Ten at Night Perhaps this Fit happening after a Diarrhea will not be attended by any ill Effects or at worst as the Physicians judge 't will be only a Single Tertian Ague which will not hinder me from paying Your Majesty those Services which I desire c. LETTER LXXIV To the KING UNderstanding that Father Causin for almost these two Years together has declar'd to several Persons that Your Majesty look'd upon my Services as troublesome rather then useful to Your Majesty I expected with great Impatience the Settlement of a good Peace as well for that it is the only End which you always propos'd by a War as for that it was the true Time wherein by offering to Your Majesty the making my self miserable to procure your Contentment I might be able to give you the last and most assured Proof that a Subject can give his Prince of the Excess of his Passion Since Your Majusty did me the Honour of your own good Will to allow me â—…hare in thâ— Administration of your Affairs I have always made a full Account to dye at your Feet and
de Schomberg YOU will receive Dispatches from the King wherein you will find two principal things The first is That he would not have you continue the Truce And the second is that you try to relieve Casal so soon as it shall be expir'd I hope that during the Truce you will press the Performance of his Word in order to a Peace so home upon the Duke of Savoy that there will be no need of relieving Casal and that during the said Negotiation you may get all things in such a readiness for the Relief of the said Place that you will want nothing to undertake it in earnest not doubting but you will effect it I am extreamly sorry that I am constrain'd to send you word that the King has got a Quotidian Ague of which this is the fourth Fit All my Comfort in this Affliction which you may well judge to be extraordinary is that the Physicians say they never knew a Quotidian Ague accompany'd with more gentle Symptoms then this Nevertheless they believe it will hold him a long time I cannot but once more let you know my extream Affliction and what a Comfort it would be to me if we were together But we must submit to the Will of God I hope we shall be soon deliver'd from our present Troubles In the mean time I beg you to believe that I am sincerely and cordially c. LETTER CXLIX To the same THE King upon the Dispatch of this Courier to yee thought convenient that I should acquaint yee particularly that M. de Leon's and Father Joseph's Letters have persuaded you to accept the Peace which I do not believe considering your particular Knowledge of the Difference between the said Treaty and the Instructions sent to M. de Leon His Majesty does not mean that you should begin the War again by a new Rupture but that their Letters should serve you for a Pretence of not accepting the Peace if you have not done it already and for continuing the Prosecution of the War till you have farther Orders from him I cannot forbear acquainting you that I am almost out of my Wits to see that M. de Leon and Father Joseph should so strangely over-see themselves But I will write to you more at large within four Days In the mean time assure your self that I am cordially c. LETTER CL. To the same I Am infinitely oblig'd to you for the Care you take in sending to enquire after my Health It is at present out of Order by reason of a Rhumatism which is fallen upon my Reins of which I had some Grudgings when we were together at Leymure But my Pain will be much more easily endur'd then now it is could I but hear that you miss'd your Fit last Night there being no Person in the World who shares more deeply in your Preservation then I do who shall always be glad when I have any Opportunity to give you Proofs of the Truth of what I say and how I am and shall be as long as I live c. LETTER CLI To the Duke of Halwin YOU will understand by the Honour the King is pleas'd to do yee the Advantage of serving so good a Master as His Majesty seeing we receive our Recompence when 't is least thought of His Majesty of his own proper Good Will has heap'd upon you the Honour of being a Mareschal of France with so much Goodness that in truth there could be no Addition to it For my part who have a particular Esteem as you know for your Person I am more pleas'd with it then I can express which I am assur'd you will easily believe since you know that I am from Father to Son c. LETTER CLII. To the same HIS Majesty having hitherto declar'd himself highly satisfy'd with your Conduct in those Places where you are and of your Care in those things which concern the Welfare of the Province I thought it my Duty as your particular Friend to give you Notice that Hajesty did signifie to me to be somewhat displeas'd at your scrupling the Execution of the Orders sent you in his Name for the Allowance of Quarters and Subsistence in your Government for the Soldiers design'd for Italy And this I do that you may by your Prudence apply a Remedy to it Had I had any Excuse to have pleaded in your behalf when His Majesty did me the Honour to speak to me about this Business you may be sure that being so much your Friend as I am I would not have fail'd to have made use of it But having no Reasons sufficiently prevalent to oppose against those upon which he grounded his Complaints I could offer no more to him upon that Subject but that I would write to you and that I promis'd my self from your affectionate Desire and Zeal to please him and for the Advantage of your Affairs that you would for the future make such Amends for what you have done amiss as should be fully to his Satisfaction This is therefore what I beg of yee as much as in me lies to the end I may be the more capable to serve you with my Applications to His Majesty and to let you know by the Effects that I am as much as any Person can be c. LETTER CLIII To the same M. de Narbonne who is returning into his Diocess having testify'd to me his Desire for the future to live in perfect Union and good Correspondence with you and having promis'd to contribute whatever lies on his part to that Effect I write you these Lines to let you know how glad I am of it and to desire you to contribute on your side as much as it is possible to settle that good Understanding between you both which is so necessary for the King's Service so that there may appear no more Coldness in your Friendship Seeing therefore that he has given me his Word so to demean himself towards yee with all the Respect that you can in Reason desire I am willing to believe that he will not be wanting to his Promise and that you will have just Cause to be satisfy'd one of another I passionately wish it not only for the Advantage of the Affairs of your Province but which is more for your own particular Contentment which I shall always desire as much as your self as being c. LETTER CLIV. To Monsieur de Zoiras I Have receiv'd your Letter in Answer to which I have no more to say but only this That there is no Person who can hinder me from being your Friend and Servant but your self I know well you are far from any such Design never questioning but all your Actions will correspond with that Remembrance which you will ever preserve of the King's Goodness and Bounty to his Servants of which you and I may serve for Examples LETTER CLV To the same I Add this to my preceding Letters to acquaint you that the Sieur de Castellane will let you know the
is so well pleas'd with Monsieur's Choice of M. de Verderonne for Chancellor of his Houshold well knowing his good Qualities that he has willingly granted him the Employment of Ordinary in his Council which His Highness requested him to add to it My Joy is greater then I can express as well for that the said Sieur de Verderonne has the Honour to be related to you as for his own particular Merit most earnestly requesting you to believe that I shall always be dispos'd to favour your Concerns with all the Affection that you can expect from him who is sincerely c. LETTER CLXX To the Duke of Chaunes WE have just now receiv'd the News that the Queen has left Compeigne and is retir'd to la Capelle I send you this word to the end you may not fail upon Receipt hereof to take Horse with all the Friends you can get together to the end you may be as near that place as is possible in order to hinder her from enterprizing upon any other to the prejudice of the King's Service His Majesty will speedily send a considerable Force to your Frontiers In the mean time give notice to all the Cities and bid 'em take care of their Preservation and be assur'd that you shall see us very suddenly I am c. LETTER CLXXI. To the Marquiss de Fossez THO' I know you have not as yet had time enough to take an exact view of the place where you are nor to observe what is wanting and necessary for its preservation nevertheless I cannot but I must earnestly entreat you to send me in General by the Return of this Bearer whom I have sent on purpose the Condition of the Garrison and Magazins as you found 'em to the end we may be satisfy'd I have such a confidence in your Affection your care and diligence that I no longer believe Nancy to be in any danger while you are there not doubting but that you will so well regulate all things that we shall no longer labour under those perplexities we have suffer'd for these three Months considering the danger of that place The little care that has been taken hitherto to preserve the Corn that was laid up there is the reason that the Magazins are almost empty but I hope that yours and the care of the Bishop of Nantes whom the King has sent into Lorrain and Barrois to buy Corn and send it thither will remedy this defect and that in a little time there will he as great Plenty in the City as there has been scarcity hitherto This is that which I request of yee as much as in me lies assuring you that there is nothing that I wish more passionately then to see Nancy and Metz so well stor'd that whatever Army the King may have in those Quarters this Summer there may be enough to spare Be pleas'd then to do your utmost and believe me to be for ever c. LETTER CLXXII To the same YOU may have heard by this time how Treves has been surpriz'd which makes me put Pen to Paper most earnestly to intreat you to beware by this Example of falling into the like misfortune and to that end that you keep so careful a watch over the Inhabitants of Nancy that they may not be able to accomplish any ill design To this purpose besides those you have already put out of the Town if you think there are any others whom you have good reason to suspect the King's service and the security of the place requires that you deal by them after the same manner it being certain that 't is more easie to obviate the designs of open Enemies without then to prevent the Machinations of Clandestin Conspirators within I believe it also no less necessary for you to make a new and exact search in all suspected Houses for conceal'd Arms and to take away such as you find thereby not only to prevent the Effect but the fear of any danger My assurance that you will do whatever may be expected from your Vigilance and Affection will not permit me to say any more but that I am c. LETTER CLXXIII To Cardinal Barberini I Write to your Eminency to let you know the satisfaction which Mazarine has given by his Journey to this Court where he behav'd himself in such a manner that the King was very much pleas'd with him I will say nothing to yee of his Address and dexterity in Negotiation but that he has testify'd so great a desire for Peace that he could not have shewn a greater and if the Imperialists and Spaniards tread the same steps that we on this side do I make no question but that in a little time we shall see all Italy in safe Tranquility which will be a great step toward the Repose of all Christendom I hope his Holiness will be as well satisfy'd to see so great a Work accomplish'd if it can be brought to perfection as I hope it will For my own part I should extreamly rejoyce at it and from this very hour it is no small consolation to me that the said Sieur Mazarin and all that have Negotiated on this side are clearly sensibly that the King has omitted nothing that could be desir'd for the promoting so great a good and that they who had the Honour to serve him have sincerely contributed all that could be expected from their Industry And I shall continue to do the same with the same passion that I am c. LETTER CLXXIV To the same THe King having done the president M. le Coignrux the Honour to recommend him to the Cardinalship as deeming him worthy of it I write you these Lines to assure yee that you cannot do an act of Kindness more gratefull to the King and to Monsieur then to make use of your Credit with his Holiness that so this affair may be terminated with the soonest For my own part I most earnestly entreat your Eminency to believe that your good will to the Person in whose behalf I write will lay an Eternal Obligation upon him who Honours your Eminency and desires all Opportunities to serve yee as being as much as man can be c. LETTER CLXXV To Cardinal Bentivoglio MOnsieur Le Coigneux being recommended by the King to the Dignity of Cardinal as well in respect to Monsieur as in Consideration of his own Merit I write you these lines beseeching yee to make use of your Power with his Holiness so that his Majesty and Monsieur may with the soonest receive that satisfaction which they promise to themselves Besides the thanks they will repay you and the strict Obligation you will lay upon him in whose behalf I write I dare assure yee that I shall take so great a share in it that there shall no Opportunity present it self of manifesting my acknowledgment wherein you shall not find by the Effects that I am most sincerely c. LETTER CLXXVI To Cardinal Barberini THE King having within these
was impossible for those who were in the Province to do other wise then they did without particular Orders At this time therefore Prudence will not allow his Releasment but under such infallible Assurances that he shall not act either directly or indirectly against France as are no way to be evaded He is and shall be treated with all the Respect that is due to a Person of his Quality and who is in that Station that he is And I shall deem it a great Honour to see him in a better Condition that I might be able to manifest to Your Majesty by my Respect to his Person the Reverence I shall always have for Your Name as being c. LETTER CXCIV To the Duke of Neubourg IF I thought you were capable of believing what you write to me I would make it my Business to convince yee of that Opinion nor would my Trouble be very great But I take you for too penetrating a Prince to believe that France is the Cause of all the Miseries which you foresee will be fall Italy or that I have refus'd any just Conditions of an Accommodation Monsiour the Legate knows that I made the Way as easie to it as it was possible for me to do But to consent to such a Peace as had only the Name of a Peace and which in three Months would inforce us to buckle on our Arms again I must confess I am not capable of being persuaded to it I have a greater Longing for a sound Peace in Christendom the Repose of Italy and the Satisfaction of the Holy See then they who most pretend to desire ' em I serve a Master whose Aim it is not to enlarge his Dominions with the Spoils of his Neighbours and who never display'd his Banners in Foreign Countries but to deliver from Oppression such Princes and States as are unjustly assail'd So soon as they shall really and not in Words alone surcease from doing Mischief on that side they shall find the King inclin'd to whatever can be expected from a most just Prince and though of a Warlike Disposition yet most desirous of Peace As to the Miseries wherewith you threaten France His Majesty's Arms are so long that though he has one stretch'd out into Italy he will with the other sufficiently defend his remotest Frontiers and if they think to force him to a Defensive War on that side they will force him to act contrary to what he designs and to what he thinks of least of all I am c. LETTER CXCV. From Father Joseph to Father Valerian a Confident of Marquis Spindola 's during the Siege of Pignerol Reverend Father I Have receiv'd the Writing sent me by a Trumpeter from the Duke of Savoy It would be needless to answer many things which your Reverence I am confident well knows to be a little too tart and which I am therefore willing to believe are not conformable to your Sentiments In the mean time I must tell yee that they who blame Artifice and Wily Craft upon such Occasions as these have great Reason for what they say since nothing has hinder'd the past Treaties about the Affairs now in dispute but those Tricks and Shifts which have been put in practise contrary to our Desire and Expectation 'T is easie to know the Designs of those who have always talk'd as loudly as they have acted openly on this side but impossible to make 'em talk things that are not in their power The Prudence of those who have meddl'd in this Affair is too much esteem'd for having design'd to delay the Preparations which they are desirous to make for the War If they are thought of on this side the Proverb Sivis pacem para beâ—…m is the Cause of it In a Word Neither the Thoughts nor Designs on this side are such as the Writing which you have sent me represents ' em Peace is sincerely desir'd but a safe and honourable Peace And when we shall see in reality the Securities which your Reverence has propos'd the Declaration of the Treaty of Monson which you speak of and the effectual Reparation of the Breaches of the said Treaty as your Writing declares that the Marquis Spinola is willing to do then we shall believe those Gentlemen have some Inclination to Peace and it will be clearly seen whether they have Reason to say that France has no mind to it You say that on our part we want Effects and that on your part you propound nothing but your Thoughts upon which you know there is no Foundation to be laid Mon Seignicur the Cardinal has always talk'd distinctly according to the Power wherewith he is intrusted in an Affair upon which he could not as yet have time to know the King's Pleasure He has no other End no other Aim then the Welfare and Repose of Christendom And when he understands His Majesty's Intentions he will speak 'em as freely as he has hitherto done his own particular Sentiments I pray to God to bring all things to a good Conclusion which I know we both of us ought and do desire LETTER CXCVI. From the King to the Duke of Lorrain I Am much troubl'd that the Sieur de Ville has brought me no Satisfaction on your part to my just Complaints of your Demeanour I beseech yee to consider well whether it can be a thing to your advantage to do quite contrary to what all your Predecessors have done in contemning that Union which they have always religiously observ'd with this Crown and persisting in the Breach of those Treaties which you have made with me I expect a speedy Answer and such Deeds as I may reasonably desire upon this Subject if you desire that I should afford yee those Marks of my Good Will which I shall be al ways ready to conferr upon yee if you do not force me to the contrary LETTER CXCVII From Cardinal Richlieu to the same YOU are too clear-sighted in your Affairs to have need of Counsel and living with the King as you do you ought to be too jealous of me to take my Advice But for all that I most earnestly beseech yee to consider well whether it be for your Advantage to lie under His Majesty's Displeasure And in case you do not think it for your Good a thing which in my Opinion Your Highness can never believe I as earnestly intreat yee to seek out all the Ways which you shall deem most proper to satisfie him for what has pass'd since the Treaty of Peace I beseech yee so much the more willingly because it is for the Good of your Service for which I shall always have a sincere Affection when you shall give the King what he ought to expect in pursuance of your Promises and Treaties Be pleas'd to believe what I say and moreover that I am c. LETTER CXCVIII. To the Duke of Parma YOU will understand from Monsieur the Count of Scoti how that the Succour which the King promis'd
yee was all embark'd and ready to put to Sea in order to join your Forces when the News of your Accommodation with the Syaniards arriv'd in Provence His Majesty who has always wish'd Your Highness's Contentment equally with his own and has had an Affection for your Interests as much as for the Interests of his own Kingdom was very glad you had met with your Satisfaction in the Treaty which you have been constrain'd to conclude with the Spamards promising himself that it will not hinder Your Highness from preserving the â—…me Sentiments you have all along had in his behalf and that this Treaty will be no way capable of making you alter your Resolutions or your Inclinations to France I beseech yee also to believe that you will always find His Majesty entirely dispos'd to give you constant Marks of his good Will and his singular Esteem of your Person And for my own part seeing Your Highness cannot but be sensible how much I honour you I shall be always unspeakably overjoy'd to meet with any Opportunity of manifesting by real Effects in serving Your Highness how much I am and shall be ever c. LETTER CXCIX To the same HAving made known to His Majesty the Proposal which the Person who manages Your Highness's Affairs in this Court imparted to me in your Name in order to a good Accommodation with the Spaniauds His Majesty has commanded me to tell yee that he will never refuse any Means by the Intercession of whomsoever but more especially yours above any other Person 's as having an entire Confidence in your Person and Affection but that he can hardly believe that the Spaniards will sincerely hearken to it or bring themselves to just and reasonable Terms since that hitherto they have refus'd the Hollanders those Pasports which are necessary notwithstanding all the Importunities that have been made use of to attain them I can assure Your Highness that as the King desires nothing more fervently then to see the Troubles of Christendom appeas'd by a sound and lasting Peace to the Repose of all his Confederates so His Majesty will omit nothing that depends upon him to obtain it and that he will always make his Friends the common Judges of his Interests For my own part Sir I shall esteem my self extreamly happy if in following His Majesty's good Intentions I can contribute any thing towards it and make Your Highness sensible by my Actions and my Services that there is no Person who honours yee more or who is more passionately or more sincerely then my self c. LETTER CC. To Prince Thomas MY Joy for the Conclusion of the Accommodation between Your Highness and the King and Madam was not a little augmented by the Assurances which Monsieur the Count de la Trinite gave me of your Affection which was confirm'd by the Letter which he deliver'd me in your Name I will assure yee that I shall always make you answerable Returns by all the good Offices you can desire from mine which will rejoice me so much the more from this time forward that the Interests of your Family are no longer separated from those of France I promise my self also according to what you send me word that you will give me more and more Cause to be a strenuous Advocate for 'em to the King while you do His Majesty as good Service for the general Good of his Affairs as you have done the Spaniards when you were engag'd on their side 'T is so much your Interest that I assure my self you will lose no Opportunities to do it no more then you will of manifesting to the World that a generous Prince as you are is no way capable of salsifying his Word I assure my self that Your Highness will not be offended at the King's Choice of M. de Longueville to command his Army in Piedmont seeing that besides the Alliance between yee I know that you are both engag'd together in a strict Tie of Friendship I dare undertake that he will have a particulare Care of all your Concerns and that His Majesty will not suffer him to depart without recommending it particularly to him to give yee all the Satisfaction you can reasonably desire For my part I beseech yee to believe that I shall contribute by my Services to that End whatever you can expect from a Person who esteems yee and who is most sincerely c. LETTER CCI. To Duke Bernard of Weimar THough the Confidence which the King has always had in your Fidelity your Affection and Zeal for the Honour of his Kingdom and Advantage of his Affairs was such that one would ' have thought there could nothing have been added to it nevertheless if your Conduct and your Demeanour towards His Majesty in reference to that Business which occasion'd the Dispatch of the Sieur de Varenne to yee some few Days ago have augmented it in such a manner and satisfy'd His Majesty to that degree that it would be impossible for me to express it by these Lines I suppose you will be glad to understand it by the Employment which he confers upon yee both in Alsatia and Lorrain where he designs yee the Command of his Army and to carry on the War all the Winter-Season of which M. de Noyers will give you a more particular Account in the King's Name I say nothing Sir of my own Contentment because you may easily conceive it by the Share I have always taken in your Concerns and the Passion which as you know I have always had to serve yee of which you will receive new Proofs upon all Occasions that shall present themselves to let you know that I am sincerely as much as Man can be c. LETTER CCII. To the same THE King has too great an Affection for your Concerns not to give yee all the Satisfaction you can desire from His Majesty not only for the Subsistance of your Men but also for all other things you stand in need of The Orders that have been sent the Cardinal de la Valette for your Winter-Quarters will sufficiently demonstrate His Majesty's Care of your Affairs and if we could without the absolute Ruin of the Frontiers assign you others you may believe Sir it should be done without any Hesitation since it is the King's Pleasure to give you all possible Contentment For my part nothing caâ—…be more to my Content then to meet with Opportunities of letting yee know by real Effects that I am sincerely as much as Man can be c. LETTER CCIII To the same I Believe it would be needless for me to display before yee in these Lines my extraordinary Joy for your good Success in the Execution of your Design upon the City Bridge and Pass of Lauffenbourg in regard that knowing as you do my extream Passion for the Prosperity of the King's Affairs and your Honour in particular it will be easie for yee to conceive it I must only tell Your Highness that His Majesty is so
what Natural Civility Dexterity and Wit inspires into those that are to make use of their Parts Only you must observe That for avoiding all manner of Jealousie there needs no other Order in the Visits that are to be made to Princes and Imperial Cities then what your Journey shall prescribe And that one of the most important things to persuade 'em is that we put a high Value upon their Alliance and that we have an unexpressible Care to preserve 'em and that upon all Occasions they shall receive our Assistance This is that which will slide into their Minds greatly to our Benefit if dexterously insinuated into the Compliments that shall be made 'em if in order to make 'em believe what we promise 'em for the future you artificially lay before 'em what we have formerly done for 'em and how that Henry II. carried his Arms into Germany in Defence of Princes prosecuted to the utmost Extremity How that Henry the Great always protected and favour'd em was strictly united with 'em by the Treaty of Hall and a little before his Death set a powerful Army on foot upon the Supplications of some of the Princes As to the Particular Means they are various according to the various Interests of Princes who have any thing of Quarrel with us The Memoirs presented by their Agents will inform yee of their Pretensions and our Answers annex'd to 'em will let yee know how far we can now go in order to treat 'em civilly upon their Demands After the execrable Parricide committed upon Henry the Great of immortal Memory upon the 14th of May 1610. the Queen being declar'd Regent by the King her Son sitting in Parliament upon his Seat of Justice and being as soon acknowledg'd by the common Consent of the Princes and Lords the Sovereign Courts of the Kingdom and in a Word by all France the first thing she set before her Eyes was the maintaining of Peace and keeping the King's Subjects fix'd to his Person by the Ties of Favours and Benefits To attain this End she renew'd the Edict of Nantes and by that means removes all manner of Jealousie out of the Minds of her Subjects She re-calls Monsieur the Prince of Conde and retrieves him out of the Arms of the King of Spain into which he had thrown himself enlarges his Pensions upon his Arrival makes him great Presents and heaps her Favours upon him opens her Hand of Bounty to all the rest of the Princes and Lords and engages 'em by great Sums of Money Considering that the â—trength of a Prince lies as much in his Counsel as in his Arms and being desirous in all things as much as possibly might be to follow the Steps of the deceased King his Lord and Father she makes use of those whom she finds to have been employ'd by him in the Management of Affairs Things being thus settl'd as she thought to have enjoy'd the Repose which France enjoy'd a Repose so entire that we may truly say she had no other Trouble but that of her Sorrow and her Tears her next Business was to take care of Foreign Affairs The Death of the Duke of Cleves and Juliers being attended with a great Dispute about the Succession the Competitors had Recourse to Arms upon which she takes the same Resolution which the deceased King had taken to interpose her Authority She sends Forces thither to render the Reasons for her composing that Difference more prevalent and powerful Having accomplish'd her Design to the great Reputation of this Crown she preserves the glorious Title which that great Monarch had acquir'd of Arbitratrix of Christendom This Foreign Tempest was no sooner calm'd but a Storm threatens France However she immediately procur'd fair Weather by dissipating the evil Designs of several factious Spirits who to take the Advantage of our Misfortunes would fain in the Assembly of Saumur have engag'd the Kingdom in a War Having warded off this Blow she maintains all things in Peace till the Troubles began at Mavieres in the fourth Year of her Regency Troubles which she stifl'd in the Birth by the Treaty of Monehould Following her Inclination which persuaded her to Clemency she pardons all the King her Son's Enemies and despoils him of some of his Towns to deliver 'em into their Hands opens his Treasure imitating in so doing that same ancient Prince who thought it behoov'd him to give away for the Good of the People what had been hoarded up to that End She endeavours to hold fast those turbulent Spirits with Chains of Gold But her Hands were no sooner empty'd of the Treasure which she had given away to purchase Peace but the Clouds began to thicken again presaging a new â—torm And now the Tempest pouring down she is not daunted but because she did not think fitting to avoid the Tempest by giving way to the Waves she resolves to resist the Weather and make head against the Whirl-wind And indeed her Resolution was attended with such good Success that marching against her Enemies she reduc'd 'em by Force to what she could not bring 'em by Reason Poictou and Bretagne being swept clean she returns in Glory with her Son to Paris The Peace of France being more firmly settl'd by this Progress a War broke out in Italy Thither she sends to quench it and she prov'd so successful that she accomplish'd what she undertook At the same time she declares her Son to be of Age causes the Edicts of Pacification to be re-publish'd and having a little before summon'd together the States of the Kingdom to regulate the Disorders of the Realm and remedy the Oppressions of the Subjects she most industriously labours to render the Fruit of that Assembly conformable to her Designs and being disturb'd in her Design by Branglings Factions and a Thousand Artifices she disappointed 'em all as much as possibly she could That Assembly applauded and thank'd His Majesty for that after he came of Age he had unloaded the Burthen of his Affairs upon her Vigilancy Presently to preserve the King's Dignity she re-demands the City and Castle of Amboise which had been granted to Monsieur the Prince and has 'em surrender'd She importunes the King to consummate tâ—… Marriage projected by the deceased King his Father and decreed by the Queen-Mother and all the Princes and Lords of the Council The King consents to her Request and resolves to accomplish it All those that wish'd him ill oppos'd it and to attain their Ends make use of all manner of Artifices The King departs that he might not perform what he had resolv'd upon with the Consent of the whole Kingdom Monsieur the Prince betakes himself to Arms and some Hugâ—nâ—… and some Catholicks forgetful of their Duty join with him Foreigners are also introduc'd into the Kingdom and nothing but Acts of Hostility firing of Houses Rapes and other Cruelties and Inhumanities are discours'd of The King's Journey is cross'd by the Sickness of Madam his Sister which gave
them from discerning Things such as they are nor a Will that carries 'em contrary to their Knowledge find very little to urge against all this but only to what the Misfortune of Times customary to the Weakness of Minorities introduces for which there is no Remedy to be apply'd But some disaffected Persons like those envenom'd Stomachs that convert into Poison the best of Nourishments observe in the Government many Things which being rightly consider'd deserve rather to be applauded then sound fault with The first Action which they censure is the Marriage with Spain which they put in the first place as a Hidra with several Heads since as they reckon from thence proceeds the Division of France the Rupture of ancient Amities and the Scorn of Foreign Alliances with England Italy and Germany The Second is the Waste of the Treasury The Third is the Fortune of some Foreigners The Fourth and Last is the Seizing of the Prince of Conde so clearly justify'd by what we have said that it would be superfluouâ— to say any more of it here By these Heads artificially disguiz'd and publish'd they decry the Government which however being duly consider'd will appear as worthy as they would render it infamous after we have cut off all the Heads of this monstrous Hydra To make 'em approve the Alliance between France and Spain I shall not insist much upon it that 't is an ordinary thing for those two Kingdoms to unite themselves by Marriages History containing a great Number of Examples Of the most remarkable were the Marriage of Charlemaine with Galiena the Daughter of the King of Toledo Of Lâ—wis VII with Constance the Daughter of Alphonso King of Spain and Galicia Of Lewis VIII with Blanch the Daughter of the King of Castille to which Marriage we are beholding to the Birth of St. Lewis and all the Happiness we enjoy by the Regency of his Mother Of Philip the Bald with Isabel the Daughter of the King of Arragon Of Francis I. with Elenor Sister to the Emperor Charles V. Of Charles IX with Elizabeth of Austria Daughter of the Emperor Maximilian and Grand-daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain I will not urge that because the Enmities between great Personages are frequently pacify'd by Marriages that therefore this Match was useful to establish a Peace between the two Crowns I will not insist that there was nothing remaining for this Monarchy to do being assur'd of all her Neighbours but to secure her self by an Alliance with this Crown to the end that being in no danger from without she might be the more at liberty to reduce those that endeavour'd to trouble the Kingdom within I will not set forth that we have already gain'd this Advantage by Marriages that they have at least depriv'd those who have gone about to trouble the Repose of France the way to make a Benefit of Spain which was formerly wont to foment our Divisions and sow 'em also among us 'T is sufficient to stop the Mouths of those that condemn 'em to justifie 'em and cause 'em to be approv'd by all the World to declare that they were design'd and desir'd by the deceased King that they were agreed to by the Princes Lords and Officers of the Crown transacted by the Duke of Maine commended and desir'd by the Three Orders of the Kingdom imparted to the King of England by the Duke of Bouillon and to other Princes Republicks and Confederates of this Crown by the Ambassadors residing near their Persons and lastly happily accomplish'd And that instead of a bloody War of which as it was given out they were to be the Fore-runners they have been attended with a general Peace over all France which Their Majesties being desirous always to preserve among their People as they have sufficiently made it appear there is no Occasion to fear that contrary to their Words and the Edicts of the deceased Henry the Great they will attempt any thing that may infringe it 'T is to no purpose to urge the daring Humour of the Spaniard seeing that without diving into their Intentions and Designs we should do our selves an Injury to believe that we cannot keep our own and preserve our selves from those who justly ought to fear us Then again 't is an idle Terrour to fear that the Alliance of the two Crowns should occasion the Division of France For no Man will readily believe that a Man will burn his own House to do his Neighbour a Kindness Or that a Man will hate and ruin himself for the Love of another Different Beliefs do not render us different Kingdoms We are all united under one in whose Service no Catholick is so blind as to think a Spaniard better then a French Huguenot There will be found a real Division not in this World but in the other not occasion'd by the Matches between France and Spain but by the Diversity of our Religions If this Match contain'd any Article contrary to the Edicts of Pacification there might be some Reason to fear But there being no such thing quite the contrary seeing the Articles are sign'd and decreed since it is done and consummated seeing the Edicts have been renew'd no less then four times upon the Death of the late King upon the King's Majority at Bourdeaux and at Laudun though those of the Religion had greatly offendeâ— the King in joining with the Rebels what Reason is there to fear that he will give any Interruption to what the deceased King Henry the Great has establish'd for the Union and Tranquility of his Subjects What Reason have they of the pretended Reformed Religion to complain seeing their Edicts have been renew'd under this Reign and confirm'd several times their Pensions augmented and paid notwithstanding all the Exigencies of State Themselves also assisted against the most zealous and furious Catholicks as the Difference between the Rochellers and M. d' Espernon can justifie and lastly favour'd to that degree that we may say that many Enterprizes have been unpunish'd for their sakes You must not forget to insinuate how that we sent back the Spaniards that waited upon the Queen which clearly justifies our Design to make our selves Spaniards in France Moreover You must take an Occasion to signifie to 'em to our Advantage that we desire not the Advancement of Spain We offer 'em tho' discreetly to assist 'em against the Attempts of the King of Spain to set the Crowns of Hungary Bohemia the King of the Romans and the Empire upon the Head of a Child of Spain And to give 'em Proofs of our Affection and to let 'em see that we have no Designs but the Good of the Empire 't were well that you should let 'em know that we pretend to no other thing but only to concurr with 'em to set the said Crowns upon the Head of that Person whom they shall deem most acceptable to His Imperial Majesty and most useful to Christendom Seeing then this Match can create no Jealousie by
without us as things are now If it be a Contempt to suffer Prejudice that we may do another a Kindness we despise our Alliances and which is more we are resolv'd to despise 'em in that manner to the end that by that Contempt we may give 'em all the Cause imaginable not of Complaint but of Content and Satisfaction It appears from hence that our Confederates have all the reason in the World to be satisfied with us and now let us see whether we can satisfie those who are discontented at our Expences The good Husbandry of the deceased King's Treasury left us when he was taken from us Five millions in the Basteille and in the hands of the Treasurer of the Exchequer between seven and eight millions more which he had appointed for the payment of the Army which he had rais'd with an intention to have enlarg'd the Bounds of his Fame which could admit of no other than the Limits of the Universe But the Uncertainty wherein that fatal Accident plung'd us requiring that we should secure our affairs by the counterpoise of a considerable strength we were constrain'd to employ one part of those Finances toward the maintaining for some months a great number of Soldiers that had been raised before so that the said Expence the King's Funeral Charges and the Coronation of the Queen in a short time very much lessened the reserve After the death of that great Prince who was the true Pattern of Government it was impossible to prevent Disorders from growing to such a head while several measuring their Merits by their Ambition were not asham'd to demand and importunately to sollicit where they durst not so much as wish for during the King's Life But they made their Advantage of the Necessity of the Times they offer'd their Service they boast their Abilities to serve or otherwise to do mischief and at length clearly show that they will not be brought to their Duties but upon advantageous Conditions behaving themselves in such a manner that they themselves who had assisted the King in hoarding up his mony advise the Queen to comply with the Times by opening her hands and giving largely to every body In pursuance of this Counsel she augments the Pensions and Maintenances of the Princes Lords and old Servants she gives 'em new ones she augments the Garrisons of their Towns as well for the satisfaction of those that kept 'em as for the security of the Kingdom and keeps in Pay more Soldiers than she was accustom'd to do The augmentation of these Pensions one with another amounted to three millions every year The Roll of the Light Horse and Regiments in Pay is now at Three millions and three hundred thousand Livres whereas in the year 1600 they were no more than Fifteen hundred thousand Livres She bestowed a great number of Presents and so by Advice and Counsel without encreasing her Receipt but decreasing it Two millions and Five hundred thousand Livres upon the Salt every year she encreased her Expences to that degree that upon an exact examination of it and considering the Condition to which we are reduced by so many necessary Expences we are rather to be commended than blamed for being at so great a charge Monsieur the Prince in six years received Three millions six hundred and sixty thousand Livres Monsieur and Madam the Princess of Conti above Fourteen hundred thousand Livres Monsieur de Guise near Seventeen hundred thousand Livres Monsieur de Nevers Sixteen hundred thousand Livres M. de Langueville Twelve hundred thousand Livres Messieurs de Mayenne Father and Son Two millions and odd thousand Livres M. de Vendosm near Six hundred thousand Livres M. d'Espernon and his Children near Seventeen hundred thousand Livres and M. de Bouillon near a million of Livres All the Marshals of France whose number is encreased above half in half received four times as much as they had before their Pensions being augmented to 24000 Livres apiece within six years for every one to 144000 Livres and for eight as they were always wont to be one with another to One million one hundred fifty two thousand Livres Six other Dukes or Officers of the Crown received the same Gratification amounting in six Years to Eight hundred sixty four thousand Livres By this it is easie to see how the Treasure of France was exhausted seeing that eleven or twelve Articles in favour of the Grandees of the Kingdom amount to near seventeen millions not including their Salaries and the Fees belonging to their Employments besides the encrease of Pay for their â—roops of Gens d'Arms the Extraordinaries of War for the Garrisons of their Towns nor reckoning in the last place the Troubles occasion'd by some of 'em Troubles which having three times caused us to betake our selves to Arms have put us to the Charges of Twenty millions in extraordinary expences These things being consider'd can their Majesties be accused of wasting their Treasure must it not be clearly acknowledg'd that if France be in Debt 't is by reason of the Expences she has been constrain'd to be at for her own Children If they who are mentioned have received so many Benefits what have others done They were not remiss either in begging or receiving By consequence the publick Exigencies having constrained the giving not only to those that serv'd us but also to be liberal to the greatest part of those that begged of 'em as it appears by this that the encrease of Pensions concerning which we have spoken in general those of the Princes and Lords being deducted amounts for the last six Years since the King's death to seventeen millions those of the Soldiers in pay to above nine millions and the Gifts bestowed to one or other not to speak of those presented to the Grandees above mentioned to Sums almost incredible If the deceased King who was at liberty to be sparing in his expences because of his absolute Authority could not in ten years of uninterrupted Peace hoard up besides the payment of some Debts above thirteen or fourteen millions can it be a Wonder that in six years of continual Trouble wherein the weakness or misfortune of the times obliged us to have our Hands continually open we should be somewhat in Debt No body ever did so much with so little in so much time never did Vessel resist so great a Tempest with so few Wrecks as were observ'd in ours After this exact account of Expences who will not acknowledge the Blindness and Passion of those who impute the miseries and necessities of this Kingdom to the advancement of some Foreigners Who will not acknowledge that such People blame a Government which is not to be found fault with That they complain when there is no occasion that they condemn Expences which they know in their Consciences were made for their sakes 'T is no strange thing that a Foreigner should make his Fortune out of his Country that in this Kingdom such persons may be advanced
to Honours and Employments History produces so many Examples of it that instead of being troubled to find 'em out a man may make his choice of such as he pleases to make use of That which is so much discoursed of is far from the Degree of Preferment to which others have attain'd he is only a Foreigner born but so much a French Foreigner that he shows his Fortune to none but French How many of the best Families of this Kingdom have been advanced by his procurement Where is that man whom we loaded with his Master's Favours who is not obliged to their Majesties for ' em In England all the Scotch are advanced and no Englishman in France but one Stranger only all the rest French What cause for Complaint in this If there be any 't is they that make it are to be blamed and not they who are complained against Since it may be truly said to conclude all in three words the Government was such that if we consider it without Passion there can be nothing found in answer to this Article nor to any thing else here set down but that there may be seen to have been in it too much Clemency without Rigor too many Favours without Punishment Signed RICHELIEV The Instruction sent to M. Miron going into Switzerland in 1617 signed also DE RICHLIEU was all the same only that it began with these words After the most execrable Parricide committed upon the Person c. And that some lines were left out about the middle after these words You must not forget to insinuate how we send c. to these words exclusively This Marriage not being able to give any Jealousie c. Instructions for Monsieur de Marquemont Archbishop of Lyons for Rome 1617. From Mr. du Puy 's Study M.S. 504. THE King sent his Commands to the Marquess de Tersnel by his Secretary to go back to Rome in case he met him in any part of Italy to continue to serve his Majesty there in the Quality of his Ambassadour in ordinary judging it necessary in the present Conjunture of Affairs to give his Holiness a constant and perfect Knowledge thereof But the said Secretary found him so forward on his way that the Marquess could not easily comply with the said Order and therefore proceeded towards the Court where at his Arrival he has confirmed his Majesty's Resolution about the sending of some Mâ—n of Quality and Merit whose Person might be acceptable to the Pope and Sacred College until another be sent thither to reside there with the Title of his Ambassador in Ordinary in the usual manner There is indeed at Rome Cardinal Vicenzo late Vice Protector whose Fidelity and Affection the King is fully satisfied with and Cardinal Vrsini lately honoured with the Comprotectorship who both take Care of his said Majesty's Affairs in his Ambassador's Absence But whereas there seems to be a certain Emulation between them concerning the Mannagement and Direction of the said Affairs and that it is highly important to represent the true State and Constitution thereof to his Holiness together with the Causes and Motives of the Counsels and Resolutions that have been taken by his Majesty which can never be performed so well as by Persons sent on purpose with fresh Informations of whatsoever has been transacted there his Majesty has been induced by the aforesaid Considerations to send the Archbishop of Lyons expresly to Rome being perswaded that he could chuse no person more fit for the executing of that Office by reason of the Experience the late King of glorious Memory had of him there when he served the Holy See and his late Majesty in the Quality of Auditor in the Rota and the Reputation he has left there of his Virtue and Probity which will give him the more Credit with his Holiness and the sacred College whenever any Occasion shall happen to treat with them for his Majesty's Service There are Two Affairs depending at this Time which require this Ministry the one general relating to the Publick Tranquility of Italy and indeed of Christendom the other particular respecting the Welfare of this Kingdom and both of them the Honour and Satisfaction of his Majesty The said Archbishop is to begin the performing of his Office by kissing the Feet of his Beatitude in the King's Name by presenting the Letters his Majesty has written to him with his own Hand by assuring him of the Perseverance of his Devotion and Filial Observance of his Zeal and Desire for the Increase and Propagation of the Holy Name of God and of the Catholick Apostolick Roman Religion according to the Example of the Kings his Predecessors and of his Affection and Care to promote and settle the general Repose of Christendom as also to maintain Union and Concord among all the Princes his good Friends Allies and Neighbours to make them Sharers of that Peace with which it has pleased God to bless his Kingdom by the Death of the Marshal d'Ancre who was the sole Incendiary and real Cause of the Troubles that have been raised of late Years and the Spring of those Divisions that have perplexed all the parts of the State and the Minds of the Grandees thereof making use of both to advance himself to increase his Credit and Authority under the King's Minority the Weakness of a Regency and a confused Government That having attained such a degree of Power and Insolence by means as unjust as base and after having received more Favours and Honours than ever he could deserve or at first durst hope for he had reduced the Power of his Sovereign to the necessity of serving his unruly Passions and made it the Instrument of his insatiable Avarice and unbounded Ambition insomuch that after he had caused most of the Princes and ancient Officers of the Crown to be removed from his Majesty's Person in order to mannage and dispose all things with greater Liberty and to imbezle and order the King's Revenue at his Pleasure under Pretence of doing him Service in respect to the principal Affairs of State he brought the Kingdom into Confusion that he might govern alone according to his own Fancy to the Disgrace and Prejudice of the Dignity and Authority Royal and took the Advantage at the Expence of his Majesty's innocent afflicted Subjects of the Calamities and Miseries of the War of which he was the principal Author and Contriver to secure the Fortune he had built upon such illegal Foundations which his Majesty after having born too long has been forced to destroy in order to restore Peace to his People and deliver the Kingdom from the Persecution of a Man that was so Ingrateful and Wicked the Consequence whereof has immediately convinced every one how pernicious and destructive his Life was to the State which has recovered its Vigor and former Peace by his Death The Princes and Lords who had taken up Arms presently returned to their Duty and assured the King of their entire
Obedience without any Conditions but their Fidelity and his Majesty's Goodness And he is so well satisfied with their Service and Assistance at present that he promises to himself by their good Advice and Counsel together with that of those whom the late King had always imployed with Success in his most important Affairs and were removed by the Malice of that pernicious Man to reign by the Grace of the Almighty the inspirer of the Hearts of Kings and their Director to Justice and to his Glory in all Equity and Goodness over his Subjects in Peace and Amity with his Neighbours and in all Reverence towards the Holy See and his Beatitude on all occasions If our Holy Father enquires ' Why then his Majesty did not rather chuse the common Methods of Justice in punishing him for his notorious Crimes that he might serve as an Example to Posterity the said Archbishop is to answer That it was his Majesty's Intention so to do and that it was so ordered But that the Persons commanded to apprehend him perceiving that he was guarded and preparing to defend himself were obliged to have recourse to this Extremity for fear of missing an Opportunity of such consequence for his Majesty's Service who is an Enemy to Blood and to such extraordinary Proceedings tho' just on such occasions This Accident falling out the King took particular care to send an ample account thereof to the Queen his Mother whose Goodness and Favours he had too much abus'd She was soon sensible that His Majesty had been forc'd to it for no other consideration but the welfare of his Affairs for which she has always shew'd her self very affectionate since the Death of the late King her Lord cherish'd and cheerfully embrac'd every Occasion to promote the Good Honour and Advantage of the State to His Majesty's Satisfaction and Glory who was very desirous that according to her affection and experience in the affairs of his State she would have been pleas'd still to continue that Care and to ease and assist him with her assiduity and prudent Councils But she desired to be excused of so great a Burthen have Leave to remove from Court and the hurry of affairs to apply her self with more Freedom to the Service of God and a quiet Life So that the King preferring her Desire and Satisfaction to that of her Presence and the advantage of her assistance yielded tho with great regret to her Entreaties and reiterated Instances to retire causing his Guards to accompany her honourably with her own to the place which she her self had made choice of and desired for her abode and the King endeavours to alleviate the Trouble of her absence by frequent Messages and Visits to enquire after her Health This she answers with the like care and affection which is a Subject of great Joy and Comfort to all those who observe this Royal Correspondence and his Majesty's Filial Respect with that natural and reciprocal affection which the said Queen contributes towards it And this His Majesty is resolved to continue on all occasions more by real effects than by any outward formal appearances to acquit himself of his Duty and Obligations to her for the constant care she has had of his Royal Person and for the Welfare of his Kingdom As to the present Difference between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy every body knows and particularly his Holiness to whom a particular account has been given from time to time of those Transactions the earnest Endeavours used by His Majesty at the very beginning to prevent the misfortunes and accidents which arise at present to His Majesty's great Sorrow who has not only represented the same to the Emperor King of Spain and the said Duke of Savoy and where-ever else it was necessary but has also sent three Embassies extraordinary at the Desire and Entreaty of the said King of Spain the second of which produced the Treaty of Ast not observed since by the said King and his Ministers employ'd in the Government of the Dutchy of Milan This obliged the Duke of Savoy again to provide for his Defence and Safety and his Majesty to â—enew his good Offices on both sides by the Sieur de Bethane to mediate and resume the said accommodation But the Treaty has been since removed into Spain without consulting the Marquis de Senescey his Majesty's Ambassador in ordinary there any wise about it or ever acquainting his Majesty with the Cause of this sudden removal and alteration notwithstanding he had been so zealous in promoting it at the earnest Entreaty of the said Catholick King without any prospect but that of the Publick Good However the King is not so much concerned at their Endeavours to deprive him of the Honour of the Agreement after his having taken the mediation thereof upon him at their Entreaty as he is to find that the said Negotiation has not succeeded to the satisfaction of the Parties neither does he any wise envy any body the honour and satisfaction thereof provided so good a Work be done no matter by whose means But he has a just cause of Displeasure and to complain that notwithstanding such good Offices and Demonstrations of Friendship made in all Candor and Sincerity for their common satisfaction the said King has all of a sudden unexpectedly and without acquainting his Majesty therewith attack'd the said Duke with open Force even besieging his chief Cities and Fortresses contrary to his often reiterated Promises and Assurances that it was his Desire to compose this Difference amicably and that he would attempt nothing to the disadvantage of the said Duke or of his Dominions This Proceeding has no less surprized his Majesty than enflamed his Courage and obliged him to take Resolutions which he all-along endeavoured to avoid by mildness and treaties his Honour and the Interest of France not permitting him to suffer the Duke of Savor's being opprest especially he not refusing to submit to reasonable Conditions when offered to him which on his part has not been done hitherto in which case he would be the first to blame his Highness and to compel him to condescend by force as he will always be against those that shall molest him or invade his Territories against Justice and Reason This His Majesty has declared to the said King's Ambassador residing at his Court and has caused the same to be represented to the King himself by his Minister in Spain That comparing the just Causes and reasons thereof with the perils and misfortunes that may arise and are to be expected from the sequel of such a resolution he might rather chuse a Treaty to compose all things amicably than to prosecute a Design attended with many Inconveniences very prejudicial to the general Peace and to the particular Repose of Italy that will be made the Theatre on which this bloody Tragedy will be acted to the disadvantage of the Princes and States thereof And besides the sensible Displeasure his
convenient for the importance of that affair He is likewise to give him the same relation about the death of the Marshal d'Ancre and what concerns the honourable Treatment the Queen-mother receives from his Majesty which he will ever continue in the same manner as much out of Affection as Duty as if she were still with his Majesty and had continued to take care of his affairs His Majesty being inform'd that the said Great Duke has sent the Archbishop of Pisa to him only to recommend the Queen his Mother's Person to his Majesty has taken it in very good part as a thing proceeding from his Highness's good Nature and his respect for the King's Honor and the said Queens Satisfaction yet looks upon this good Office as a thing superfluous towards him there being no Person in the World his said Majesty honours and cherishes more nor to whom he thinks himself oblig'd to make a more express demonstration thereof as he will ever make it evident by all manner of effects of Gratitude and Affection towards the said Queen his mother on all occasions The said Archbishop is likewise to communicate the affairs he shall be intrusted with to the Cardinals Delfini Vrsini and Bonzi as much as he shall think necessary and proper not to give them cause to suspect that the King doubts their devotion to his Service Nevertheless he is to make direct applications himself to his Holiness about such Commands as he shall receive from his Majesty during his abode there He is to take a particular care not to impart them to the Abbot d'Aumale whose Behaviour the King has no reason to be satisfied with he is to observe it strictly and without taking the least notice thereof to acquaint his Majesty therewith He is also to assure the Kings Servants and Pensioners that they will be paid better for the future than they have been hitherto upon the account of the disorder of his Majesty's Finances caused by the Revolutions and Troubles of the Kingdom which his Majesty takes pains to settle again insomuch that they may expect Satisfaction hereafter and to share the Fruits of the Peace and good Order his Majesty designs to restore in all things He is to take care to acquaint his Majesty with all Occurrences by the usual way and his Majesty will send his Commands to the said Archbishop in the same manner not doubting but he will acquit himself thereof to his satisfaction until he relieve him by an Ambassador in ordinary and this he expects according to the Tryal he has had of his Piety Capacity and Fidelity Done at Fontainbleau the 14th of June 1617. Sign'd LEWIS c. A Relation of the Queen Mother 's Removal from Blois Out of the Study of the R. F. Talon of the Orat. M.DC.XIX by M.L. C.D. L.V. AT the King's Return from the Progress he made in Guyenne about his Marriage his Majesty being at Tours Monsieur d'Espernon left the Court being dissatisfied with the Treatment he had received there for seeing that Monsieur de Bullion and the Commandore de Sillery were banish'd from thence and that the Chancellor de Sillery and M. de Puisieux daily did expect the same fate he thought it no longer safe to tarry with his Majesty Soon after this the Conference at London was concluded to the Prince of Conde's Satisfaction and the old Ministers being banished from Court and others put in their Room the Prince returned to Paris I do not positively know what pass'd between him and the Grandees that were with the King at that time about the Marshal d'Ancre's Ruine but it is certain that Monsieur de Guise sent a Gentleman to Monsieur d' Espernon at Bourdeaux to acquaint him That the Prince of Conde and he were rennited that they were in Hopes of ruining the Marshal d' Ancre and that he desired him to enter into the Union which was made between most of the Grandees of the Kingdom Tho' Monsieur d'Espernon was not resolv'd to joyn with them yet he did not absolntely reject their Proposition Within some Days after this being at Bourdeaux he was inform'd that the Marshal d' Ancre had left this Court abruptly and almost at the same time that the Prince of Conde was secur'd This put him upon the resolution of going to his Government of Xaintonge and of sending the Archbishop of Tholouse his Son to their Majesties to assure them of his Service â—…fore the said Archbishop's departure Monsieur de Guise sent a Gentleman to him to give him an account of the Reasons he had to leave the Court upon the Prince of Conde's imprisonment and to desire his advice and assistance in case he could not agree with the King Monsieur d'Espernon's Answer was That the shortest Follies were the best and That as he was not concern'd in what he had done so he had no Counsel to give him That for his part he was sending one of his Children to the King and the Queen-mother to assure them of his Fidelity and Service Soon after this the Archbishop of Tholouse arriving at Court found Monsieur de Guise's Peace concluded and saw him return but in such dread of being secur'd that he was ready to fly again the night the Prince of Conde was remov'd from the Louvre to the Bastille upon some Informations he receiv'd that the Guards were doubled During these Transactions at Court Monsieur d'Espernon was in his Government when having receiv'd a Letter from the Mayor of Rochel which he thought was not very respectful he made a very rough Answer to it and resolved to go into the Country of Aunix to take possession of his Government I cannot tell whether he was induc'd to this by his hatred to the Huguenots and particularly to the Rochelois who refus'd to own him as Governor of the Province or whether he sought a Pretence to take Arms during the Troubles which he fancied yet greater than they were at Court and to seize the King's Receipts However upon this Pretence he gave out Commissions to raise men assembled the Gentry of the Country to accompany him in his Journey to Surgeres and took the Mony he found in the King's Costers I do not positively remember whether it was before or after this Journey the said Mony was seized The Transactions of this Journey into Anjou gave great disturbances to the Rochelois who did not remember the having seen any Souldiers in their neighbourhood and the fear the Court was in lost this might create a War with the Huguenots oblig'd their Majesties to send Monsieur de Boisisse to Monsieur d'Espernon to put a stop to those Broils Boisisse being come to Surgeres found no Difficulties in this affair but such as proceeded from the said Duke's Humor so that after some Pains and Contestations he did perswade him to obey and to return to Xaintonge It was at that time Carbonnier brought him a Brief of Duke and Peer for Mons de la Valette and
been so pleas'd but only to give him a constant Account thereof His Majesty having no Interest in the matter provided the Catholick Religion be thereby promoted he preferring that Consideration to all the Policies that can occurr upon this Account though perhaps others would not deal with so much Candour towards him But whereas his Majesty is of Opinion that this proposition of Alliance is only to gain time and to improve occasions on both sides as it appears sufficiently by all their proceedings in relation to the general affairs in which they are concern'd so his Majesty thinks fit not to trouble himself any further with it but to refer it all to the Prudences and wise Consideration of his Beatitude Who must needs be sensible by the good Offices lately done at Venice for the restauration of the Jesuits in their Demean what care his Majesty takes to promote whatever tends towards his Holiness's satisfaction who has express'd a great deal of concern in this Affair as a thing tending to the service of God the honour of which might have been rais'd had the Republick been pleas'd to adhere to his Holiness's and his Majesty's good Councils and Salutery Remonstrances And though his Majesty has some reason to be dissatisfy'd with the refusal he has incur'd at his Holinesses Intreaty he having expos'd his Name and Dignity in this Business contrary to his first intentions fore-seeing this resistance from the Seignory Nevertheless in order to do well in all things whenever any reasonable likelihood of success shall appear in the issue of the said Recommendation his Majesty will freely undertake it a new But at present his Majesty is of Opinion that it is proper to refer it to another Season when time shall have made the Venetians sensible of the fault they have committed and of the misfortunes which may arise in their State by the Banishment of the said Fathers If his Holiness should put the said Commandore upon the subject of the Enterprise of Geneva to which he has lately invited his Majesty by a person sent on purpose he is to make him sensible according as it has already been freely declar'd to his Nuncio and to Father Barnabite sent on purpose on that subject that this would be directly contrary to the design his Majesty has propos'd to himself in this Kingdom to remove the Opinion which some malicious persons publish that by the War he makes against his rebellious Subjects he aims at their Religion and not at the Faction which would make them all Unite again not only in France but those of the same Sect out of the Kingdom who hitherto have only been Spectators of this Tragedy which the said Revolters have been the cause of his Majesty having all along told and satisfy'd them that without respect to Religion he only attacks Disobedience and that if any of his Catholick Subjects should lay aside their Allegiance he would use them in the same manner for the good of the publick Peace and for the security of his Authority Had he consented to this Enterprize against Geneva these publick Causes failing he would be at a loss for the prosecution of this project which is in such forwardness And therefore when the said Nuncio and the Ministers of Savoy have press'd him upon that affair they have sound the solidity of his Reasons by his Answers besides the reasons of State which his Majesty does not alledge at this time and which have always been held in great consideration by the late King his Father when the said Duke as he has often done has propos'd the said design But possibly he has thought that his Majesty being imploy'd at home could not so easily divert him from the said design or that his Holiness would have more power to persuade him If the Duke speaks to the said Commandore about it he is to make the same answer to him and that his Majesty for these Reasons which have been known to him heretofore cannot agree to the said Enterprize and that when he has put a good order to his Affairs according to his good beginning it will then be more â—asie for him to resolve about it and to consider of means to favour his Highnesses designs who at this time would do better to joyn with his Holiness to seek out and propose good expedients to promote the advancement of his Majesty's good design in his Kingdom the rather because the security of his Neighbours and the Publick Peace partly depends on the good Condition thereof by the counterpoise every body knows his Majesty's power keeps against other Kings and States which might make attempts to the prejudice of the Common Liberty The said Commandore is also to represent that his Holiness has good informations thereof his Majesty's happy Progresses the last Year and the advantage he has gain'd by the reduction of upwards of Sixty Garrisons his being resolv'd to prosecute his Fortune a great deal farther yet unless the said Revolters submit to their Duty of their own accord on such conditions and submissions as are requir'd from Subjects to Soveraigns That he is persuaded that as God has been pleas'd hitherto to favour his Arms he will still assist him for the future since he has no other end but the maintaining of his Authority and the promoting of Religion under the favour of the Edicts as much as justice and their behaviour will permit him being now ready to march under the protection of God whom he intreats his Holiness to implore for him as he has hitherto done in order to prosecute the success of his just and pious design And the said Commandore is to take care to acquaint his said Holiness with his Majesty's Moral and Pious Life a true example for his Age to all other Kings He assures himself that God will grant the Vows and Prayers of his Holiness and of all his Majesty's good Subjects thus following the paths of Honour and Vertue which gives hopes besides that being seconded by his Holiness's good Advice he will daily fructify for the better and employ those advantages bestow'd on him by Providence to the Honour of his Holy Name and unto the benefit of the Christian Common-wealth And it is highly important for the promotion of this good Work that it be favour'd and that all the World may know that it was undertaken by the Authority of his Holiness his Predecessors having lost many favourable occasions to advance the publick good for want of so doing His Majesty expects from the Justice and Wisdom of his Beatitude that making his profit of their Faults and Omissions in what relates to him he will be more careful of it and will look upon him as the most Christian King first Son of the Church who in his private and publick Conduct aims at nothing but the Exaltation of the Holy Name of God Equity and the general Good and Peace of Christendom These things appear particularly in the Actions which are done in
such a manner that every such Body may be compos'd with part of His Majesty's and part of the said States Forces to shew in all things the strict Union there is between His Majesty and the said States And in case by the Taking of any Town the Queen His Majesty's Mother or the Princess Margaret of Lorrain should chance to fall into His Majesty's and the said States Hands it is His Majesty's Desire that the said Queen his Mother be us'd with all the Honour and Respect due to her Quality and that the Princess Margaret be kept in such a manner that they may be able to answer for her Person treating her however with all the Civility requir'd towards a Person of her Birth In such a Case the said Mareschals are to cause those that shall be taken with the Queen to be carefully secur'd and are to know her Pleasure to acquaint His Hajesty therewith and in the mean time are to take particular Care that she may neither receive or execute any Resolution contrary to His Majesty's Service His said Majesty authorizes the said Mareschals to resolve with the said Prince of Orange all things not contradictory to the Treaty made with the said States on the 8th of February last past or that are not contrary to the Article of the present Instruction as they shall think it most proper for the common Good Done at Compeigne April 23. 1635. Signed LEWIS c. Lower Servien Memoire of Cardinal de Richelieu for the Cardinal de la Vallette From Charonne this 15 Sept. MDCXXXV THE King ever did repose such a Confidence in the Cardinal de la Valette that he gave him at the very first beginning of his Commission as he does still at this time full liberty and Power to do with his Army whatever he shall think fit for his Majesty's Service We have all along dreaded the sudden changes to which our History informs us that the Germans have sometimes been subject Nothing can be more surprizing than that we find at this time in the Landgrave of Hesse and the four Millions that are demanded by the Duke Bernard of Weymar We are willing to believe that considerations of Honour will hinder them from doing any thing that may indanger the loss of their Reputation in contributing to the ruin of the Cardinal de la Valette and the Army under his Command Nevertheless if the making an unreasonable Treaty like that of the four Millions demanded by the Duke Bernard of Weymar be absolutely necessary to hinder him from abandoning the King his Majesty impowers the Cardinal de la Valette to conclude it and to sign or cause the same to be sign'd by Monsieur Feuquieres according as he shall think fit The Cardinal de la Valette will do well first to endeavour to reduce the said Duke Bernard to a reasonable Treaty The maintenance of Six Thousand Horse at the rate of eight Musters which is much for Men that never had any amounts at Ten Crowns a Man to Sixteen Hundred Thousand Livers a Year That of the Twelve Thousand Foot at the same Rate of eight Musters amounts to no more Therefore it seems that if the King should give Three Millions for the maintenance of Six Thousand Horse and Twelve Thousand Foot besides what they will get by the Contributions in Germany where they never had any other subsistance they should have a great deal of reason to be satisfy'd Nevertheless if the time and present occasions require more to be given to the said Duke Bernard of Weymar the King leaves it to the discretion of the Cardinal de la Valette as far as the four Millions demanded It is also referr'd to the said Cardinal to insert in the Treaty he will make or cause to be made with the said Duke Bernard the most advantageous Conditions he can for the King's Service For instance it is very reasonable to Note that he will be paid what shall be agreed upon on condition that he shall always effectually keep on Foot for the King's Service the number of 6000 Horse and 12000 Foot which shall be justify'd by the Reviews that shall be made every Muster If it be possible it must also be agreed that the said Horse and Foot shall keep the Field the Forces that are in Garrison living commonly on Contributions at the expence of the Garrison and of their Neighbourhood that in case the King gives his Money he may be certain of having an Army on Foot capable to oppose his Ememies In fine the Cardinal de la Valette is to get the best conditions he can for the King's Service though none be prescrib'd to him the King leaving him a full Liberty to conclude the Treaty as he shall think most fitting adding and diminishing whatever he shall judge proper Though we do not think that the Landgrave of Hesse or Duke Weymar would be guilty of an Infidelity yet we cannot forbear considering and dreading the condition and place in which the Cardinal de la Valette is as well for the King's Interest as for the Affection he has for his Person Therefore we conclude like him that the most advantageous method he can follow at present if the Landgrave of Hesse and Duke Weymar will resolve to Fight will be to chuse a proper time and place so to do with all the Circumspections imaginable Or in case he should find that whatever Negotiation and Treaty he could make with them he could not rely on their stedfastness it will be prudent for him to consider all means that may enble him according as he shall think it most proper to retire to a place where their inconstancy may not put him in danger of an absolute Ruin as towards Metz under pretence of scarcity of Provisions or of putting the Army into Winter Quarters Though this Advice be given to him it is not that he is thought to be reduc'd to such a Misfortune but in point of prudence it is necessary to fore-cast all the remedies that can be thought of in such Extremities tho' only to make use of them in the utmost Emergencies In the Name of God give Us a speedy account of your Condition to put us out of Trouble In the mean time an Army will be kept in Champagne where the King will be in Person to advance towards Mets if you stand in need of it But it will be necessary for you to let us have timely notice of it by reason that if the said Army be not wanted there it may be sent elsewhere I had forgot to tell you what may be done to fix the Landgrave and to ingage him not to leave the King I am of Opinion that you might Treat a new with him promising him that the King will never make a Peace without including not only his Person and his ancient Territories in the Treaty but also his new Conquests or an equivalent for the same to his satisfaction Matters may also be order'd in such
Duke of Weymar and the Landtgrave of Hesse shall be contriv'd both being join'd or asunder Fourthly That both of them in consideration of the Summs paid unto them shall command their Armies under the King's Authority viz. the Duke of Weymar as General of the Forces of the Confederacy and the Landtgrave of Hesse as General of the German Forces maintain'd at the King's Charge Fifthly That neither of them shall be allow'd to quit the King's Interest or to hearken to any Propositions of Peace or Accommodation whether general or particular without His Majesty's Approbation Sixthly That in case the Duke of Weymar should not have the said Number of Six Thousand Horse and Twelve Thousand Foot actually into the Field the Review whereof is to be made at His Majesty's Pleasure and as often as he shall think fit it shall be lawful to stop as much out of the said promis'd Summ as shall answer the Failure of the said Number It must also be requir'd since the Duke of Weymar receives His Majesty's Pay that he should oblige himself to follow and execute such Orders as shall be sent him by His Majesty to the Prejudice and Exclusion of all others that might be given him to the contrary Nevertheless if he should seem too averse to it the King will be satisfy'd with being secur'd that whatever ill Event his Affairs might have in Germany he will remain steady to His Majesty's Interest and Service upon the King's Promise that he will never make a Peace without his being included in it and to fulfil all the Articles of the Treaty that will be made with him according to his preceding Memoirs which are to be follow'd in every Point not compris'd in this After the sending of this Memoir His Majesty has thought fit still to leave the said Cardinal the Liberty to promise as far as the Four Millions of Livres in case he thinks it impossible to keep the said Duke of Weymar steady to His Majesty's Interest without it This Condition is so unreasonable and the Summ so excessive that the said Cardinal is not to oblige himself to it till the last Extremity and to avoid those Evils he may foresee will ensue in case he should not comply Done Sept. 16. 1635. Signed c. Instructions for the Cardinal de la Valette THE King being sensible that there is nothing so pressing and important at this time for his Service as the Furnishing of the Garisons of Alsatia speedily with Provisions His Majesty has already sent two Couriers to the Cardinal de la Valette and to the Marquis de la Force to that effect his Desire that no Time may be lost for the Performance of that Enterprise obliges him to dispatch this third Messenger His said Majesty therefore judges it necessary forthwith to prepare the said Provisions the Carriages for their Transportation Men to convoy the same and the Money for the Musters that are due to the Garisons of Colmar Schlestadt and Haguenau Two Thousand Rations of Wheat must be sent if possible Monsieur Gangnot who went from hence yesterday has assur'd His Majesty that he had the said Quantity in readiness and that he would order the Delivery of it to the Person appointed for the carrying thereof he will be upon the Spot to execute the Orders he has receiv'd And lest he should meet with any Obstacles in an Undertaking of that Consequence Six Thousand Livres have been put into his hands to be employ'd for the Sacking and Lading of the said Corn and other necessary Charges The greatest Impediment in this Business will be about the Carriage-Horses since we are inform'd that in this Season Waggons cannot go through those places that are still open to go to Colmar so that the said Wheat must of necessity be carry'd on the Backs of the said Horses Orders are already sent to employ all the Horses belonging to the Artillery and Provisions of the two Armies of Lorrain to borrow as many from the Duke of Weymar as he can furnish to hire Two Hundred from Colonel Gassion who has promis'd to provide them in order to carry at least Two Thousand Rations at any rate whatsoever In case of a Disappointment of those Horses which Colonel Gassion has promis'd and those that Duke Bernard is able to furnish His Majesty is willing that the Sieur de Villarseaux should employ all those that are under his Command for that Service though they were prepar'd for Carriages into the Country His Majesty reckons according to the Information he has receiv'd that 3000 Horses and 3000 Musquetiers chosen out of all the Forces will suffise for the said Convoy and that in order thereunto 1200 effective Musquetiers must be taken out of the Cardinal de la Valette's Army 500 Foreign Horses and 150 French drawn either out of divers Companies or otherwise as shall be thought most convenient Out of the Marquis de la Force's Army 800 Musquetiers 800 Foreign Horses and 100 French in the same Form as out of the Cardinal 's That 1200 Horses shall be taken from Duke Bernard and that 1000 Musquetiers and 250 French Horse shall be drawn out of the Army in Champaign which shall be taken out of the Forces given to the Sieur de Vaubecourt out of the Regiments of the Marine and Vernancourt which shall be order'd to march towards Nancy there to receive the said Cardinal de la Valette's Orders All necessary Orders are sending to the Count of to Duke Bernard and to the Marquis de la Force for the Preparation and March of the Forces that are to be drawn out of the Armies under their Command The said Cardinal must not forget to distribute to the said Troops as much Provision at their Departure as they can carry for their Journey Their March not exceeding four Days from their Rendesvouz-General to Colmar they may carry a sufficient quantity for their Journey going and take as much out of Colmar as will be necessary for their Return sending notice beforehand to the Inhabitants to provide a sufficient quantity for them which will be return'd them out of the Wheat carry'd into the said Garison A particular Care must be taken of the Beasts of Carriage and Orders given for their carrying of Oats along with them and if possible some Hay to seed them until they are past the Mountains of Alsatia which being past Manicamp assures us that they will find Provisions and Forage in abundance but it is to be fear'd that they will find nothing on this side the Mountains A Clerk of the Treasury has been sent Post with the 6 and 7 Musters due to the Garisons of Alsatia The said Cardinal is to take care to see the same deliver'd to them even to the Troops of Horse that are there in case he thinks they are in want of it for their Subsistence He is also during his Journey to endeavour to get some certain notice of the true State Haguenan is in at this time