whereupon they first joyned themselues vnto him This same hath caused in this State so many Republikes as there be Townes amongst whom in a generall decree pluralitie of voices has noe place because that if any one Towne approue it not shee is not bound to obserue it So as he deuised rather to flatter them in their libertie that he might wholly take off their desire to complie with Philip then to propound vnto them good Lawes for to maintaine them in the time of Peace His sonne Maurice brought vp from his infancie in Armes thought principally of the establishing of militarie discipline as the thing then most necessarie to vphold the State wherein he surpassed all the Captaines of his time Insomuch as this State beeing exceeding well grounded for to subsist by warre and as ill to maintaine it selfe in Peace it is euident that the true interest thereof is to continue the Warre According to the interest of each Prince their Ambassadours being assembled at the Hague did worke about The Spaniards make a great difficultie to ratifie the declaration of the Archdukes who acknowledged the States free and soueraigne to the intent to make them better relish the same and that in yeelding they might obtaine of them conditions that would worke their ruine As the graunt of libertie of conscience to Catholikes thereby to make diuisions among them The priuation of trafficke in the Indies and so to make a mutinie by the Marchands the most considerable corporation amongst them Besides the exchange of certaine places most aduantageous to the King of Spaine and most prejudiciall to the said States Maurice earnestly opposed such conditions Bernaueld durst not countenance them France and England perceiuing the venome hidden vnder the same could not digest them In such wise as all Treatie of peace being broken they renew that of a Truce for many yeares Maurice doth his best to hinder it but Bernaueld backed by France and England is the cause they did hearken to it The worke beginnes anew and the Spaniards seeing they could not obtaine the conditions which they desired imagining also their repose to be very necessarie at length they gaue ouer sauing that the Article wich declared the States free and that of trafficke in the Indies were couched so obscurely as they might saue their reputation and interpret them to their owne aduantage as occasion should serue On the other side the French for to induce the States to conclude make a league with them wherein they oblige themselues to giue them pay for tenne thousand Souldiers Specially for to make them keepe the Truce in case it should be broken on the Spaniards side whereupon the Spaniards complaining they were answered that whatsoeuer was done was for their good and that without doing the same nothing could be obtained Maurice for his part yeelds vnto that which he could not hinder conditionally that the Armie might be maintained for the securitie of the State Henry approueth this condition and contributeth to the maintenance of 4000 Foote and 200. Horse So as the Truce was concluded for twelue yeares the States acknowledged free and Soueraigne and their Ambassadours receiued in this qualitie by Princes Thus ended this negociation which lasted two yeares where each one endeauours to deceiue the other and also flatters himselfe with the perswasion of hauing gotten that which he had desired In effect Henry had the most honour in this affaire and the States by his meanes the most profit But he being dead and Louys vpon the Throne at nine yeares of age there was an vniuersall alteration in France For Marie had obtain'd the Regencie and willing to strengthen her authoritie against the Princes of the blood and great ones of the Realme shee procured a disunion amongst them and cast herselfe into the armes of Rome and Spaine beleeuing that shee had then need of the former Power and allwaies of the later insomuch as during the time of her gouernment the true interest of France being abandonned there was taken the contrarie course The Spaniards lost not so good an occasion especially vpon the Low-Countries in the businesse of the Arminians the which Bernaueld seeing himselfe vpheld by France through the practises of Spaine vndertooke to maintaine against the Prince of Orange in such wise as that from a dispute of Religion there was made an affaire of State so pernicious that it was like to ruine this Commonweath Here it was where the Spaniard displayed all his cunning for to make Marie worke in this Country according to his interests He perswaded her that her disunion was aduantageous to her to maintaine her authoritie To the end that shee might not assist the Princes of the blood disontented with her nor the Protestants of France which might joyne with the said Princes He makes her to act a superstitious zeale which is an euill counsellour to those that entertaine it So as the Ambassadours of France vnder the pretēce of zeale to Religion become sollicitours of the affaires of Spaine in Holland They fauour the cause of Bernaueld they foment the diuision within the State they bring it vpon the very brinke of its downefall and had it not beene for the patience and constant courage of Maurice assisted by the souldiers this Republike had runne the hazard to seeme as sonne extinct as borne By that which is aforesaid and by the sequele of affaires one may judge that the true interests of the State of the vnited Prouinces are to maintaine warre against Spaine otherwise it would be ruined of it selfe The interests of France and England are to assist the said State for to giue Spaine this bone to picke The interests of the Germane Princes are to foment the same to the end that by the fall of this burden they likewise be not ouerthrowne And the interests of Spaine are to keepe all the other in broiles amongst themselues or else set them one against another least they should all accord against her Therefore so soone as any of them haue abandonned these maximes their affaires fall to the ground THE FIFTH DISCOVRSE VPON THE affaire about the succession of Cleues and Iulliers SINCE the time of Charles the Fifth Germanie liued very happie so long as shee kept her true interest and whil'st that the Emperour did containe himselfe within the bounds of the lawes of the Empire which ballancing the power thereof with that of the Princes and Republikes of Germanie suffered them not to vsurpe one vpon another The first that forsooke this interest were the Princes Electors in hauing continued the Imperial dignitie without interruption to many of one and the same familie who in tract of time haue raised the same to the prejudice of the Imperiall Lawes the which hath chiefly happened to the house of Austria specially since this house and that of Spaine haue beene both the selfe same thing For seeing her selfe established in so high a dignitie and supported by such a Power shee was willing to be there
which they endeauour'd to doe by the meanes of the Turk as on the contrary it became aduantageous to the Republike For though the Marquesse de Saint-Croy hauing ransacked Duras beleeued that the Turks to take reuenge would turne against the Republike as being neerest or at least enter within the Gulfe Yet it happened that the Turk perceiuing the Spanish wiles commaunded the Admirall of his Fleet to aide the Venetians against the Pope and the Spainards But the Republike judging it not fit to make vse of such a helpe for feare the remedie should be worse then the dissease it selfe shee put it off so handsomely that the Grand Signior receiued not any distast thereby Neuerthelesse making the Pope vnderstand that in case of necessitie shee well knew whither to haue recourse The Spaniards out of season offer'd a whole entire Armie to the Pope Some beleeued that it was for to reclaime the Venetians by this way but it was nothing lesse For all whatsoeuer the Spaniards did then for the Pope proceeded onely because the Duke of Lerma was tickled with vaine-glorie for that the Pope in his Briefs had giuen him the title of Excellence Lastly they perceiued in Spaine that this businesse would be ended by treatie and that France was to haue all the honour thereof This made them about to send extraordinaire Embassadours from one side to the other but it was too late the negociation being so farre aduanced by the French that t was impossible to get it out of their hands Insomuch as whatsoeuer the Spaniards could doe to crosse the Treatie the honour thereof remained full and wholly to Henry who ended the businesse by the dexteritie and prudence of the Cardinall de Ioyeuse and of Frenes-Canaye ordinarie Embassadour at Venice The Prisonners were deliuered into the hands of the Embassadour The Lawes of the Republike continued without alteration and the Pope was forced to take off the Interdict without any token of submission from the said Republike This has beene a warre of Negociation wherein the Venetians full and wholly carried the victorie Likewise one must acknowledge they were ingaged to deale in that part wherein they were most able They followed therein all the maximes of their true interest The Pope did quite contrary Spaine was amusing after Chymeraes and France had the scope which shee ought to haue wherefore shee likewise had the glorie THE FOVRTH DISCOVRSE CONCERNING the Truce of the Low Countries vvith the King of Spaine THE Truce of the Low-Countries with the King of Spaine is an infallible proofe of the excellence of the Spaniards in matter of Negociation The King of Spaine seeing that in fortie yeares Space the warre had augmented and enriched this State in stead of ouerthrowing it and that it would greatly diminish his reputation to treate of Peace with those whom euen till then he had treated as Rebells he therefore resolued to doe his vtmost to enter into their Country and to make them feele euen within their intrailes the discommoditie of Warre For which purpose he employed the two last Summers vnder the commaund of Marquesse Spinola one of the renownedst Captaines of the time Who with powerfull Armies endeauoured to enter the first yeare into Frisland and the second into Holland Neuerthelesse Maurice Prince of Orange a Captaine to whom wee owe the restauration of the auncient militarie discipline all though he was much inferiour to the forces of Spinola yet he made so good vse of the situation of his Country that he frustrated all his endeauours This hauing depriued the King of Spaine of all hope to conquer by force he resolued at last to make triall of a Treatie at the cost euen of his reputation But his end herein was 1. to secure the trafficke of the Indies where he was endammaged by them 2. to diuide them in the time of peace and lastly to beare armes more aduantageously against people lesse trained in warre and more easie to subdue being confident that any good successe in some affaire would make him recouer that reputation which he then hazarded and whereof he has beene euer jealous A Monke did first lay open the matter to a Holland Marchant The hope giuen to the States that in this Accord the King of Spaine would acknowledge them for free States made them giue eare whereupon followed a suspension of Armes for to treate more at large This intermission awaked the interessed and neighbour Princes Henry's mind was troubled with the true intererest of his Estate which he best of all knew and also by his particular affections The States by reason of their interest had succoured him in his necessitie He for the same reason powerfully assisted them in his prosperitie He willingly would haue them continue The warre prouided that he augmēted not his assistance They offered to continue the same on cōdition that he would double the money which he gaue them yearely The desire of doing thriftily made him seeme to incline and not alltogether abādon his true interest thinking it should be a great aduantage for him to remoue from his frontiers such good Armes which a Peace or long Truce might dissipate and that it should be a great honour for him to cause the Low Countries to be declared a free State Insomuch as He bent his thoughts to become Arbitratour of this negociation and to make it succeed aduantageously for the Low-Countries IAMES the first King of England whose strong inclination to peace did not also permit him to follow the true interest of his Realme which was to nourish Warre in the Low-Countries for to consume the forces of Spaine and hinder their entreprise vpon him he contents himselfe to haue part in the Treatie by his Embassadours Diuers Protestant Princes of Germanie imagining well that the Armes of Spaine being no more imployed there might fall vpon them doe likewise send their Embassadours of purpose to diuert this Accord os else to procure the protection of those that intermedled in the businesse Maurice whose particular interest was joyned with the true interest of the States wholly withstood the Accord Bernaueld who had most abilitie in the State-affaires of the Country seeing that his owe credit grew in Peace rather then in Warre he would haue the interests of the State to serue his owne ends Here is the true pourtrait of those that dealed in this affaire But for the better vnderstanding of the true interest of the States we must remount higher and come to the originall William of Nassau Prince of Orange who alone in this Age had the honour to found a State although neither his disgraces receiued nor the endeauours of Philip the most puissant and able Prince of his Time could haue hindred him was constrained to assemble the peeces for to compose a bodie thereof with such conditions as each Towne and Prouince required For hauing met with people that haue euer affected their libertie more then their very liues he could not alter the conditions
the extent of her dominion both by sea and land likewise of the firmenesse of her establishment for twlue ages entire and of the prudent conduct of so wise a gouernment is without doubt the chiefe Power of Italie next that of the King of Spaine And shee also has been the first Common-wealth that has setled the rules of her conseruation and that has most punctually obserued them in taking for her particular interest that of Italie in generall Moreouer for particular respects shee makes it a maxime to hold a strait intelligence with the Turke and for the same shee spares not any cost Shee belieues also that her interest is to maintaine warre abroad and foment the same with money That which the other Princes of Italie ought also to doe if they had strength and courage to vndertake it Shee looses noe time for to hinder the King of Spaine and the Pope from waxing great The State of Venice seemes extraordinarily jealous of these two Potentates though it be a maxime common to all Princes to hinder the growth of their Neighbours As for the other Princes of Italie shee vpholds them according to her owne benefit OF THE INTEREST OF THE SEA OF ROME THE interest of the Sea of Rome is first to procure by all manner of meanes the diminution of the greatnesse of Spaine because the Church lands ly so fitt for her that if once the King of Spaine come to quitt the specious pretext that he has taken to protect the holie Sea certainly he will easily appropriate all this goodly demaine for to joyne together the two ends which allready belong vnto him The puissance of the Venetians and of the great Duke does much enfeeble that of the Sea of Rome which without these obstacles would commaund the two Gulfes So shee ought to desire that these two Princes remaine at least as they be But all these are but generall maximes There be yet three particular of the Sea of Rome The first is to maintaine her credit throughout by the meanes of Eeclesiasticall personnes as the sinnewes of her greatness whom shee ought to protect against the secular Powers The second is to make Princes dread the thunder-bolt of excommunications But not to vse it too oft for feare they come to contemne it The third is to restraine the Popes as much as may be hindering them from making great their houses at the Churches cost or committing any extrauagance by their passions prejudiciall to the common good of the Ecclesiasticall State It would be to no purpose to touch the interest of the other Princes of Italie for that they are either so little considerable as they can doe nothing of themselues or else so subiected as they dare not make shew of any other interest then that of those on whom they depend OF THE INTEREST OF THE DVKE OF SAVOY IT remaines onely for conclusion to speake of the Duke of Sauoy The Estate of this Prince is in such manner situated that to which side soeuer he turnes he is of great importance to the partie he embraceth CHARLES EMANVEL who was first willing to make knowne that a Duke of Sauoy could make peace and warre in Italie beleeued that the interest of his Estate was to side one while with France another while with Spaine according to the occurrences and good of his affaires which was the sole but of his designes without thinking of Treaties made either with the one or the other But this Prince full of vast thoughts and who could not bound his ambition by the barriers that Nature had set to his Estate was glad that the situation of his Country might serue for a pretext to his disquiet For indeed the true interest of the Duke of Sauoy is to haue allwaies a good correspondence with France because shee can assist him with the whole masse of her forces against one member of the power of Spaine who hath more jealousie of her Estates in Italie then to say in a manner of all the rest together hauing also a vehement desire to joyne Piemont to the Dutchie of Milaine So as the Duke of Sauoy should beleeue that what amitie soeuer he has with Spaine it is most dangerous to him He ought neuerthelesse to entertaine it in so much as it is needfull to gard him from France OF THE INTEREST OF GERMANIE THIS huge masse of Prouinces joyning together inuironned with three Seas and diuided by so many mightie riuers has beene heretofore the terrour of the Romane Empire which at length shee hath transported to her selfe And as before shee had noe other interest but her libertie so since shee has no other designe but to conserue the same For truly if the name of Empire has brought splendour and reputation to Germanie it hath giuen her in recompence much jealousie and distrus Shee presently discouered her Emperours and essayed to limit their power for feare that from Chiefs of this Country they come to be Masters thereof Dominion being such a daintie morcell that the most temperate cannot forbeare it This notwithstanding by the continuance of certaine successions the Empire being established in the house of Austria that of Spaine which is the principall branche thereof knew to manage this beginning of establishment with such dexteritie that now it seemes as hereditarie in that house The maxime of Germanie was to hinder the progresse of this vsurpation And now her interest is to reduce things to their former estate by distributing this honour interchāgeably to the principall houses and restraining the power of the Emperours whose counsell ought to be the generall Diets to consult alltogether of the meanes to conserue the common libertie and to resist the Turke who is the onely force that Germanie should be afraid of The diuersitie of Religion ought not to cause any diuersitie of opinion in things that concerne the common good The interest of all the Princes in generall and of euery one of them in particular is mutually to defend and jointly to hinder that the Emperour make not an attempt vpon the libertie of any vnder what pretext soeuer it be They should likewise take heed that the stronger amongst them oppresse not the weaker whereto the Emperour will allwaies lend a hand for to gaine by the ruine both of the one and the other The Catholicke Princes ought from henceforth to disabuse themselues and to hold for certaine that vnder the colour of Religion they serue the designe of the house of Austria and forge by little and little the irons of their owne bondage being not able to hope for any other aduantage then to be the last ruined The Protestants since they alone cannot withstand so great forces should make it a maxime to be first well vnited at home and afterwards to hold necessarie intelligences abroad for to counterpoise the Catholicke league Their chiefest aime should be to abide streightly conjoind together and to beleeue that their assured ruine lieth in their disunion All the aduantages proposed
himselfe without him resolued to graunt that which he could not hinder and to acknowledge him for King it being à maxime of Rome to gouerne according to euents to the end that shee loose not that reuerence and respect which Shee endeauours throughly to preserue and without which her autoritie would be but a small matter Philip fallen from such an hope continues his assistance neuerthelesse to the residue of the Leaguers Besides he inciteth Emanuel Duke of Sauoy at that time his sonne-in-law to set vpon Prouence thereby to diuert him from the pursuite of his claime to the Dutchie of Milaine in right of his wife's dowrie Henry seeing this obstinacie declares himselfe openly and denounceth warre against Philip. The successe thereof was various and yet after the recouerie of Amiens by Henry Philip seeing himselfe very neere his graue his Sonne yong and Henry in the vigour of his age he resolued on a peace which was concluded at Veruins the yeare 1597. wherein he restoreth all that he held of France and then died It behooueth now to consider the interest of the Princes inueloped in this affaire what faultes they therein committed and what were the euents thereof Henry the third whose interest consisted in not suffering diuerse factions in his Kingdome in preseruing the Princes of the blood since he had noe children of his owne and in keeping vnder those which lifted vp themselues to the prejudice of his Royall authoritie yet he did quite contrarie For he fomented the said factions in stead of extinguishing them and euen joined with the one to destroy the other He made continuall warre vpon the Princes of the blood at the persuasion of those who desired to see their ruine for to raise themselues in their places and he authorized in the commaund of his armies those that aspired to the vsurpation of his Kingdome He did yet worse for when he beganne to perceiue their plot he would preuent it by a remedie which wrought his owne destruction to wit by casting himselfe into an affected and vnusuall deuotion not stirring from the Cloisters of Monkes thinking by this meanes to take from the Duke of Guise the credit that he had gotten amongst the Catholickes who held him for their Chief But there arriued the contrarie for he became contemptible to his people who chased him from his capitall citie of Paris and all the great Townes of his Kingdome reuolted from him they also reduced him to such a pitifull case that in the end a Monke had the boldnesse to kill him which was the fruite of his negligence and ill conduct Henry Duke of Guise succeeding a Father and and Vnkle both great personages and who had had in the precedent Reignes great part in the commaund of Armies in the conduct of affaires and he thinking himselfe no whit inferiour to them neither in courage nor in vertue conceiues the most haughtie designe that a man borne the Subiect of a Prince could vndertake that is to vsurpe the place of his Souueraigne The occasion seemes most fauourable to him He has already this aduantage of gaining by the labour of his Father it being a thing most difficult that the life of one man alone should be able to worke such a change He incountereth a King without children and of the humour of those vnder whom such projects might be attempted He findeth a Kingdome rent by factions and assaulted with the most dangerous of all Ciuill warres which was for the difference of Religion He sees the first Princes of the blood in the weakest faction the King of Spaine readie to assist all those that trouble France and the Popes interessed euery way to persecute the Protestants The matter standing thus he full of hopes neglecteth nothing to accomplish his designe He was a goodly man gracefull courteous liberall and valiant He imployes all these gifts of nature to insinuate himselfe amongst the Nobilitie Gentrie and Commonaltie He shewes himselfe very zealous of the Catholike Religion not by haunting the Cloisters and walking thorough the streets in Procession but by persecuting the Protestants and declaring himselfe their mortall Ennemie He maintaines his intelligences at Rome and in Spaine allwaies vnder the pretence of Religion He workes the Preachers to set him in veneration amongst the People and to make the King be declared a fauorour of Heretickes hypocriticall vicious and idle So as by such meanes he had eleuated his designe euen to the last step when vpon the very point of execution he was grossely wanting both to his interest and to his owne selfe which was in this that after hauing chased his King from his chiefe Citie leuied armes against him made publike declarations thereof and then made peace with him as with his equall yet euen then he intrusted his life to him when he would haue made him be deposed his businesse being not of that sort as it might be permitted to faile twice Henry the fourth had two parts to act For whilst he was onely King of Nauarre first Prince of the blood and Protectour of the Protestants of France his interest was to imploy all his industrie and credit both within and without the Kingdome to defend the said Protestants to the end that they might defend him For which purpose he did what he could to hinder the Duke of Guise from seising the Crowne whereunto he had interest as presumptiue heire thereof and to make himselfe knowne to Henry the third not onely in qualitie of Chief of the Protestants but also as first Prince of the blood to whom the interest of preseruing the Kings personne and Estate was as deere to him as himselfe to the end that at his need he should make noe scruple to haue recourse vnto him Which succeeded so well with him that after the Duke of Guise his death and the reuolt of his Kingdome he had not a more assured refuge then to put himselfe into his hands When he was King of France there behooued a great dexteritie to demeane himselfe discreetly both towards the Catholikes and the Protestants incensed one against the other by so long and bloody Ciuill warres These gloried in hauing a King of their Religion but those could not endure the same and threatned to abandon him if he did not turne to theirs His businesse now was to preserue his old friends and not to loose the new He promises the one not to refuse instruction and continues with the other in the exercise of his Religion In the meane while he serues his owne turne of both together to fight against his ennemies In the tediousnesse of these warres euery man was wearied Many of the Leaguers like not a Spanish King but yet they would not haue a Protestant King The Catholikes that serued Henry growing impatient to see him continue in this Religiō presse him to embrace theirs and come so farre as to make a third part against him These considerations made him resolue at length to turne his Religion And by this
should come off with honour enough to diuide this spoyle with the King of Spaine without exposing any thing to danger Is is now easie to judge that the ruine of the Princes which were in the possession proceeded from hence viz. Because that Newbourg forsaking his true interest to follow his passion cast himselfe into the armes of Spaine Because the Protestant Princes of Germanie not considering their true interest did not stirre at all likewise because France embracing not the interest of Maurice forsooke her owne and for that England did the like with France On the other side the aduantage that Spaine and the Low-Countries haue gotten in this conquest proceeded hence for that both the one and the other were entirely fixed vpon their true interest THE SIXT DISCOVRSE VPON THE Election of the Count Palatine to the Kingdome of Bohemia IF the quantitie of set battailes or the number of the personnes slaine or the reuolution of sundrie States or the qualitie of the Princes interessed or the length of the time might make a Warre memorable then that which Germanie now suffers is in the highest degree since that there are giuen already more then fifteene battailes three hundred thousand men haue lost their liues in the same almost all the States of Germanie haue thereby changed their condition and their Masters all the Princes of Europe haue taken an interest therein and it is now fourteene yeares since the warre begunne without being yet ended The occasion thereof happened through the rejection of Ferdinand of Austria from the Kingdome of Bohemia and the Election of the said Kingdome conferred on the personne of Frederic Count Palatine of Rheine The first would establish himselfe in a dignitie which he beleeued was vnjustly taken fron him The second would maintaine himselfe in the Kingdome as being justly chosen thereunto The first would make it a businesse of Religion thereby to interest all the Catholike Princes of Europe in the same The second would shew that it was nothing else but a State-warre that he might interest in the same all those by whom the greatnesse of Spaine was suspected But for to judge well of this great commotion one ought to remount a little higher It is certaine that since the warre which happened about the succession of Cleues and Iulliers Germanie was as it were deuided in two factions and in imitation of the Catholikes the Protestants also had made a League whereof the Prince Elector Palatine was chosen Chiefe as the Duke of Bauaria had beene of the other The pretence which euery one tooke for the defence of his Religion did agrrauate the matter amongst them And the secure peace which this nation had enjoyed a long time did not permir her following the reuolution of this world to abide thus any longer There wanted onely an occasion to make her bandie against her selfe The Bohemians present this occasion whether it were by reason of their naturall ficklenesse or for being ill treated in the libertie of their consciences or else through some discontentment of the principall men amongst them or for all these reasons together they reject Ferdinand their King and choose Frederick in his place And for to render themselues so much the more irreconcilable with him in the full assembly of the States they cast those of his partie out of the windowes This action arriued in the yeare 1619. after which euery one tooke armes The Protestants were the forwardest for they were alreadie prepared to it and attended onely the bruit of this Election to beginne the game Amongst those who tooke part with Frederick he that brought the most powerfull assistance was Betheleem Gabor who from an ordinarie Gentleman being made Prince of Transiluania and fearing the house of Austria which had alwaies endeauored to appropriate this State he put himselfe into the protection of the Turk for to secure the same and finding so faire an opportunitie to depresse this House his interest suffered him not to loose it The vnited Prouinces not to be wanting to their interest doe here contribute on their part The King of Denmarke for the same reason and also for his honour and reputation assisteth his Nephew King Iames more interessed then he forgetteth his interest concerning his Sonne in law The King of France likewise drawes backe and stands newter At this beginning Ferdinand is ill handled and reduced to great extremities Here Spaine seeing that shee must venture her share to or else loose both her hopes and reputation shee spares nothing but vseth all manner of meanes In Germanie shee vrgeth the Elector of Saxonie against the Palatine in point of honour shee remonstrates vnto him that he holds his Electorship of the house of Austria and that he cannot maintaine it without her At Rome shee perswades the Pope that her losse is the ruine of the Catholike Religion and the meanes to make all Christendome a prey to the Turk insomuch as the Pope abandonning his true interest takes part with her fournisheth both men and money and laboureth to declare the other Catholike Princes for her defence In England shee easily entertaines King Iames in his peaceable inclination In France by the Nuntio's helpe shee gaineth the Duke de Luine who hauing vsurped neere Loüys the authoritie that Marie had there possessed he tooke also the same maximes supporting himselfe by Spaine which neuer faileth in such occasions to maintaine those who distrusting their owne worth seeke their securitie out of the Realme So as the interest of a Fauorite being preferred before that of the State they assist Spaine But to the end that it might be with more profit and lesse noise they vndertake an agreement they send Embassadours to both parties they amuse the Protestants with faire hopes they make them loose the opportunitie of a victorie which they had in hand and they induce them to disarme In the meane while the Catholikes hauing this time for respite strengthen themselues on all sides take their aduantage prosecute their former designes and by gaining the battaile of Prague wholly ruine their ennemies In this reuolution of affaires Spaine makes good vse of the victorie continues her intelligences amongst her Neighbours that shee might not be diuerted in her conquests and joynes her forces of Flanders to those of Italie for to become absolute Mistresse of the Empire Feare and corruption interpose amongst the Princes of Germanie and the Imperiall Townes Euery one hasteth to submit himselfe to the yoake distrusting least he should not be time enough receiued there The Counsellours of Princes and Magistrates of Common-wealthes are corrupted by money and all contribute to forge the irons of their owne bondage This kind of proceeding makes the King of Denmarke feare least the firing of Germanie consume him he takes the defence thereof and goes into the field but is vanquished looseth part of his dominions and for to recouer it againe is constrained to make a dishonourable peace The Transiluanian seeing this disorder maketh his
peace likewise but so much the better by reason of the Turk's protection Here was the issue of the second reuolution of the affaires of Germanie which proceeded chiefely from this that France prostituted her interest to the greatnesse of Spaine Wee should come now to the third reuolution It is oftentimes more difficult to gouerne ourselues well in great prosperitie then in aduersitie because that the one ingenders neglect and lulles vs in idlenesse but the necessitie of the other keeps vs waking and makes vs search the meanes of our restauration Such was the case of the House of Austria who seeing herselfe from such a heauie blow authorised beyond her hopes absolute Mistresse of Germanie of innumerable armies entertained at the cost of her ennemies France not stirring against her proceedings and besides imbroiled in Ciuill warres England yet forgetting her interest Holland hauing enough to doe to conserue her owne and Italie without appearance of being able to defend it selfe Shee therefore feareth nothing but despiseth all in such wise as without hiding any more her designe vnder the pretence of Religion wherewith shee had so well serued her purpose euen to the present shee openly inuades the Territories of the Duke of Mantua being a great Catholike vaunting shee could not suffer a Prince that was French borne to possesse any State in Italie which is the first remarkable errour that shee committed against her owne interest For this vsurpation gaue all the Princes of Italie to vnderstand that the tempest would come whirling vpon them insomuch as the Duke of Mantua was assisted by the most resolute amongst them Louys cannot digest this affront and being assisted with a Counsell whose prudence and resolution was necessarie in such a perillous conjunction of affaires he fortunately imployed his Armes in his defence Which was the first occasion of importance wherein he recouered the vsage of his true interest But seeing that diuersions in Germanie were needfull for him and not finding the same amongst the Germains being oppressed with the burden of so grieuous a subjection he goes to seeke them in the cold Northerne parts The renowne of Gustavus King of Swede-land had beene carried euen vnto him This Prince his desire of glorie made him easily surmount any difficulties he could imagine likewise his vast and great designes he surpassed as it were by such a courage in execution as made him not dishearken to any enterprise The conquests of Walstein Generall of the Emperour's armie vpon the Balticke sea and the prouisions which he made to render himselfe Master there made the King of Swede-land know that he might well be in suspicion of the House of Austria and that his interest was to oppose the same He therefore allieth himselfe with France and prepares to enter into Germanie for to deliuer it from the thraldome whereunto it was reduced Here is the second fault that Spaine committed against her true interest to wit the contemning of this Prince For whilst that on the one side he enters into Germanie the Emperour at the sollicitation of the King of Spaine sendeth his best troupes into Italie against the Duke of Mantua which welmost all perished there without any great effect And the successe of Gustavus in Germanie was such as that those of the Emperour's side and the Spaniards were faine to conclude a peace in Italie with the French at the expence of what they had gotten and of that reputation whereof they make so great esteeme for to draw back the remainder of their scattered troupes to the succour of Germanie leauing in the hand of the French Cazal for a place of armes in Italie and Pignerol as a port to enter therein So as the desire to conquer Italie before they were well assured of the conquest of Germanie made them loose both the one and the other This happie exploite of Loüys made him acknowledge his former errours and wholly embrace his true interest He deliuers the Grizons from their seruitude diuerteth the vnited States from accepting a Truce maintaineth the Swedish partie notwithstanding the death of Gustavus defendeth the Electour of Trâ—â—â—s against the persecutions of the Spaniards and chastiseth the Duke of Lorraine for adhering to the Emperour In a word he does brauely recouer his place which his ill Counsellours had made him forgoe Pope Vrbâ—n seeing himselfe deliuered from the apprehension of the Spaniards and Germains hauing likewise vnderstood by the inuasion made vpon the Duke of Mantua that they would deale noe otherwise with the Catholike States then with the Protestants he thereupon opposeth them The Republike of Venice that considers better then any other State what belongs to her true interest and which neuer failes but in too much circumspection as ordinarily those Common wealthes doe which are not founded by Armes shee continueth neuerthelesse her assistance to the Duke of Mantua Amedis Duke of Sauoye receiuing instruction by the danger that he and his Father were in to loose their Estates through neglecting their true interest does now rejoyne himselfe to France The other Princes of Italie seeing the aide of France could be noe impeachment to them let goe the apprehension which they had of the Spaniards The Germane Princes and Imperiall Townes seeing themselues supported by the armes of France and Swedeland assisted by the diuersion of their other allies and reassured by the prosperous successe of their affaires they take courage againe England alone as if shee were in another world remaines without medling at all On the other side Spaine failes not to animate her cause takes vp againe the pretence of the Catholike Religion which shee had as it were left off and perceiuing the errour shee committed thereby crieth more then euer against the Protestants exceedingly vrgeth the Pope to haue of him his money and his fulminations maketh much of the Venetians courteth the English intertaineth dissension in the house Royall of France mightily endeuoureth to draw the vnited Prouinces to a Truce laboureth to disengage the Duke of Saxonie from the Swedish partie neither is shee cast off by any repulse And yet notwithstanding shee spares neither men nor money for to raise new armies to oppose her ennemies In briefe necessitie has reduced euery one to follow his true interest which is the reason that in this last reuolution the contestation about these affaires is of longer continuance THE SEVENTH DISCOVRSE VPON THE commotions that happened in Italie for the succession of the Dutchies of Mantua and Montferrat ITALIE enjoyed a profound peace and fouÌ„d it selfe wholly exempt from suspicioÌ„s which are woÌ„t to disturbe the repose of States when on a sudaine happened the death of Francis Duke of Mantua which one may say produced the seeds of all those troubles that haue at seuerall times since disrested this Country For Charles Emanuel Duke of Sauoye quarrelling in right of his grand child Marie for tâ—e Dutchie of Montferrat with Ferdinand so inkindled the fire of warre in Italie as since it was neuer so
well extinct but that from time to time the cinders thereof haue caused new flames Ferdinand supported rather by the justice of his cause then by his owne forces implored the aide of all the Prince which by common interest were obliged not to suffer such an outrage Marie in whose hands at that time lay the gouernment of France thinking of nothing more during the minoritie of the King her sonne then to maintaine her selfe in peace shee beleeued shee had enough to doe to smother the factions of the Kingdome and to appease by all meanes those that were capable to resist her authoritie So shee regarded the commotions of Italie no further then to endeauour to asswage them and shee imployed her credit to induce the Pope to interpose between the two parties for their accord The King of Spaine considered the beginning of this discord after another manner For perceiuing the aduantage that might from thence accrue vnto him he intermedled so farre in all the whole course of this affaire as he failed but very little to draw from thence aduantages proportionall to his designes The Princes of Italie whilst the game was playing looked on without medling therewith The grand Duke vndertooke the defence of the Duke of Mantua beleeuing he was obliged by his proper interest to assist the weaker against the stronger besides the particular reasons that incited him thereunto The Duke of Sauoye seeing the small aduancement that he could hope for from his entreprise hearkened to an accord which was proposed to him and letting the businesse be put to a treatie he contented himselfe with the glorie that he durst vndertake to vsurpe vpon his neighbour and so all this goodly designe vanish'd it to smoake euen as it had beene plotted against all reason it being not the interest of a Duke of Sauoye now of any other Prince of Italie to imbroile himselfe with his neighbours since all the aduantage that can 〈◊〉 aid from their 〈◊〉 is to see the difference reconciled by the power of one of these two Kings which cannot be without manifest danger This businesse so ended the King of Spaine who had an eye euer vpon Piemont as a piece that lay fitt for him saught a plausible pretext to quarell the Duke of Sauoye For considering France out of case to medle with the affaires of Italie the Duke of Sauoye by the late warre exhausted both of men and money and the other Princes of Italie disunited betwixt themselues He thought fit to take this time to enter in to Piemont hoping as he had had the glorie to be arbitratour of the first controuersie without gaining so fauourable an occasion for his particular profitt he would make amends for his default by reinflaming a second warre He inuaded then the Territories of the Duke of Sauoye where finding more resistance then he expected he was in the end fayne to make peace It is true that France bestirred herselfe in this second occasion but the principall commendation therein is due to the Marshall de Lesdiguiâ—et who in all this warre albeit that he followed his particular ends engaged France to embrace her true interest as shee ought to haue done in the former commotion This second trouble being appeased the most vnderstanding men judged well that Italie was not to continue long time in peace Because they saw Ferdinand Duke of Mantua childlesse and his brother Vincent leading so disordered a life as they beleeued he could not liue long and the euent was answerable to their opinion For after Ferdinand's death Vincent continuing the disorders whereunto he had formerly accustomed his body died leauing his cousin Charles de Gonzague Duke of Neuers heire of his Estates who alone by all right could pretend there The death of Vincent although it was well enough foreseene yet it astonished all the Princes of Italie in such a manner as euery one beganne seriously to consider his affaires The Venetians foreseeing that the Spaniards could not endure the inheritance should be conferred on the Duke of Neuers and that therefore they would diuert the Emperour from giuing him the inuestiture they resolued to doe their best for to frustrate their designes supposing it would be a cast too preâ—udiciall to them to see a Prince depending on the House of Austria established in an Estate set in the middest of their owne That which most troubled the Republike was the siege of Rochelle where the King of France was so ingaged that he had not any hope to be free a long time The Pope was agitated with the same motiues as the Republicke of Venice but he could not so openly shew vnto the King the desire which he had to disengage him from thence least he should thereby witnesse that his particular interest was more preualent then that of the Catholike Church for the honour whereof they pleaded in depressing the Huguenots The other Princes of Italie kept close not daring to shew which way their inclination was bent The Duke of Sauoye onely imagined that he might profit by thâ—s warre and vpon the good opinion that he had of himselfe was perswaded that he might share the conquest of Montferrat with the house of Austria The King of Spaine tâ—king his aduantage by the siege of Rochelle and by the presumption of the Duke of Sauoye thought fit to take his opportunitie to seise vpon Cazal Wee must confesse that his designe was well conceiued and with great likelylood of a fortunate successe Hitherto the Spaniards had in euery thing so well taken their time that it seemed a thing impossible to crosse their designes neuerthelesse the wheele of their good fortunes beganne here to stop and from hence forward wee haue seene a continuall company of ill accidents befall them whiâ—h last euen to this day For Loüys by an incredible diligence and resolution takes Rochelle in despite of the English forceth the Streight of Suze relieueth Cazal and so endangers the Dutchie of Milaine that had it not beene for the troubles in Languedork which he desired to make an end of he might haue carried it away from the King of Spaine at the first blow The Spaniards secure themselues and recouering the paths of their ordinarie prudence seise vpon the Grisons cause most mightie Armies to passe that way send Marquesse Spinola to the gouernment of Milaine raise an armie in Italie and besiege Cazal anew Lewys sendeth strong forces into Piemont The Duke of Sauoye would amuse him with hopes of a peace but he met with his match with such an vndaunted courage that both in sight of him and Spinola he forced from him Pignerol which will be an euerlasting memoriall to posteritie of the Raigne of Lewis The siege of Cazal continues The pestilence rageth in both the two armies The Venetians receiue an ouerthrow towards the Mantuan The citie of Mantua is surprised Notwithstanding all these accidents Lewis assembles new forces and prouides to relieue Cazal In the meane time he falles sicke at Lyons The Spaniard sowes dissention in his Counsell which interrupteth the course of so many heroïke actions and after so many stormes past one seemes vpon the point to suffer shipwracke in the hauen There appeared his vertue against whom all these deuises were contriued for at length he got out of this Labyrinth by the clue of honour The King recouers his health Cazal is brauely relieued and the Duke of Mantua not onely reestablished in his Dominions but which will seeme incredible to after ages he is inuested therein by the Emperour The Grizons are set at libertie Italie is freed from the armies of Strangers the port lies open to her assistance and for diuers defections of the Duke of Lorraine they make sure of his Estates by which meanes the communication of Italie with Flanders in barred See here the true and liuely table of these differences where note first of all the Duke of Sauoye his fault in hauing imagined that he should share Moniferrat with the House of Austria in despite of France it being a case most euident that he could not faile to be dispoyled by the one or the other or by both two together if extraordinarie indulgence had not beene vsed towards him It is also a thing wholly manifest that the Duke of Lorraine hath forsakeÌ„ the maxime of his true interest in taking by a fiâ—t of jollitie the partie of the Empeâ—our against that of France in a season when the House of Austria was so vnable to dâ—fend herselfe and that of France so free to enterprise As for the Emperour he cannot excuse himselfe for hauing inuaded Italie before he was sure of Germanie and for hauing quitted the pretence of Religion which hath so much serued him in oppressing the Duke of Mantua being a great Catholike The resolution of France will be for euer memorable which notwithstanding the siege of Roehelle assisted by the English and the warre in Languedoc which the Spaniard made shew to foment has not albeit euer abandonned her true maximes in assisting powerfully her Neigbours and euery where dashing the projects of Spaine Whence I conclude that the glorie of the King the greatnesse of his State and the eminent reputation that he now enjoyeth will continue as long as he shall remaine constant in this resolution FINIS