Emanuel Duke of Savoy was very mournfully consummated § 19. Him succeeded his Son Francis II. under whose Reign the French Divisions began to break out with Fury in their own Bowels which continued near 40 Years whereas formerly the violent Heat of this Nation had been quell'd partly by the Wars with the English partly by the several Expeditions undertaken against Italy Concerning the Causes of these Intestine Wars it is to be observ'd That after the House of Valois came to the Crown the next in Blood were those of the House of Bourbon which House was grown so Potent by its Riches Power and Authority of a great many brave Persons which descended from it that the preceding Kings were grown extreamly jealous of it And tho' Francis I. at the beginning of his Reign did constitute the Duke of Bourbon Constable yet being soon convinced afterwards of the Reasons which had induc'd his Ancestors to keep under this House he us'd all his Endeavours to humble the said Charles of Bourbon For this Reason he enter'd into a Conspiracy against Francis which having been discover'd he went over to Charles V. and commanded as General in the Battel near Pavia where Francis was taken Prisoner and was slain in the storming of Rome By his Death the House of Bourbon receiv'd a great blow those who were left being look'd upon with a very ill Eye tho' they kept themselves very quiet to extinguish the Suspicion and Hatred conceiv'd against them The House of Bourbon being thus brought very low the two Houses of Montmorency and Guise held up their Heads under the Reign of Francis I. The first was one of the most ancient in France the latter was a Branch of the House of Lorrain The Head of the first was Annas Montmorency Constable of France of the latter Claude Duke of Guise Both of them were in great Favour and Authority with Francis I. but both fell into Disgrace at the latter end of his Reign being banish'd the Court It is related of Francis I. that just before his Death he advised his Son Henry to consult with neither of them in his Affairs since too great and too able Ministers proved often dangerous Yet notwithstanding this Henry II. did receive both Annas Montmorency and Francis de Guise the Son of Claude into his particular Favour who quickly grew jealous of one another the first taking much upon him because of his Experience in State Affairs and Gravity the latter being puff'd up with the Glory of Martial Exploits and the Applause of the People the Authority of the Duke of Guise was greatly encreas'd after he had repuls'd Charles V. from before Metz and taken Calais whereas the unfortunate Battel fought near St. Quintin and the ensuing dishonourable Peace were very prejudicial to Montmorency But the House of Guise got the greatest Advantage after Francis II. had marry'd Mary Queen of Scotland whose Mother was Sister to the Duke of Guise So that during the Reign of Francis II. the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal his Brother were the Men that bore the greatest Sway in the Kingdom which extreamly exasperated Montmorency and the two Brothers of Bourbon Anthony King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde seeing themselves thus neglected And tho' Anthony was of a very modest Behaviour watching only an Opportunity to regain his Kingdom of Navarre from the Spaniards and having a sufficient Revenue out of his Country of Bearn wherewithal to maintain himself yet the Prince of Conde was Ambitious Poor and of a turbulent Spirit who was not able to maintain his Grandeur without some considerable Employment Besides this he was continually stirr'd up by the Admiral Gaspar Coligny an ambitious cunning and fly Man who as his Enemies will have it was very forward to fish in troubled Waters his Brother d' Andelot also being of a very wild and turbulent Spirit These three only watch'd an Opportunity to raise Commotions in the Kingdom Thus the great Men of the Kingdom were divided into these several Factions at the Time when Francis II. began his Reign a Prince scarce sixteen Years old weak both in Body and Mind and therefore incapable to rule the Kingdom by himself Several therefore pretended to have a right to the Administration of the Government these of Bourbon as being the next Princes of the Blood the House of Guise as being nearly related to the Queen and the Queen Mother Catharine de Medicis the very pattern of an aspiring and cunning Woman hoped That whilst the Princes were in contest about the Administration of the Government it would fall to her share wherefore she always fomented the Divisions by keeping up the Balance betwixt them This Catharine first sided with the House of Guise dividing the Administration of Affairs with them so that she was to have the Supream Administration the Duke of Guise was to manage the Military Affairs and his Brother the Cardinal the Finances This Agreement being made betwixt them the Constable under pretence of his old Age was dismiss'd from Court and the Prince of Conde sent as Ambassadour into Spain These who were thus excluded had a meeting to consider which way they might free themselves from these Oppressions where it was resolv'd that the King of Navarre should intercede for them at Court who being put off with fair words and empty Promiess set himself at rest Conde was resolv'd to try his Fortune by force but having not a sufficient Interest Coligny advised him he should side with the Huguenots for so they callâ—d in France those who profess'd the Protestant Religion who labour'd then under a severe Persecution and wanted a Head under whose Conduct they might obtain the free Exercise of their Religion Besides that they mortally hated those of Guise whom they supposed to be the Authors of their Persecution The Business was thus concerted That the Huguenots should assemble in private and some of them by a humble Petition to request the free Exercise of their Religion at Court which if it should be refus'd the rest should be at hand to kill those of Guise and to force the King to receive the Prince of Conde for his chief Minister of State The Execution of this Design was undertaken by a certain Gentleman call'd Renaudie but the Enterprize being deferr'd for some time because the Court went from Blois to Amboise it was discover'd and thereby render'd inpracticable above twelve hundred that were taken paying with their Lives for it Conde was also sent to Prison and was just upon the point of receiving Sentence of Death when Francis II. after a very short Reign died suddenly of an Ulcer in the Head which caused great Alterations in the Affairs of the Kigdom § 20. Him succeeded his Brother Charles IX then scarce eleven Years old whose Tuition his Mother Catharine took immediately upon her self hoping to enjoy it quietly whilst the Houses of Bourbon and Guise were engag'd in mutual
Quarrels wherefore she was very carefull to uphold these Jealousies betwixt them To find an Opportunity to set up the Prince of Conde and his Party thereby to balance those of Guise she pretended to be no Enemy to the Protestant Religion under which Pretence the same was much in request at Court. To suppress the reformed Religion Montmorency the House of Guise and the Mareschaal of St. Andrew join'd in a Confederacy who calling themselves the Triumvirate drew also the King of Navarre in to their Party After this a Conference and Disputation was held betwixt some Divines of both Religions at Poissy after which the Royal Protection was by a publick Edict promis'd to the Protestant Religion which from the Month is call'd the Edict of January This extreamly exasperated the Triumvirate so that in the very same Year the War commenc'd The first occasion of it was given by some belonging to those of Guise who in a small Town call'd Vassy disturb'd the Protestants in the Exercise of their Religion and a Quarrel arising thereupon kill'd near threescore of them Which was the first Blood shed in this Civil War and from this time Things went very strangely in France It is not our purpose to enumerate all the Cities that were taken neither to speak of all the small Skirmishes which are innumerable nor the Cruelties committed on both sides and the Barbarities of the Rabble it will be sufficient for us to touch upon some of the main points In this first War the King of Navarre died of a Wound which he receiv'd in the Siege of Roan Near Dreux a bloody Battel was fought where Conde at first had the Advantage but his Souldiers falling to plundring he was beat back again he himself being made a Prisoner and the Mareschal St. Andrew being kill'd by a Shot 8000 Men were slain upon the Spot and the Loss near equal on both sides the Duke of Guise kept the Field but was afterwards at the Siege of Orleans treacherously murther'd by one Poltrot with a Pistol-shot who was supposed to have committed the Fact by instigation of Coligny Soon after a Peace was made It is related that above 50000 Huguenots were slain in this War on the other side they took the Church-plate and Ornaments which they having turn'd into Money Silver was after this War more currant in France than before But Catharine had persuaded her self that both Parties were reduc'd to that Condition that she could now handle them at pleasure After the Peace was concluded the English were again beaten out of Havre de Grace which the Huguenots had given them as an Acknowledgment for their Assistance This Peace lasted no longer than till the Year 1576 when the Huguenots were persuaded that at the interview betwixt Catharine and the Duke of Alba at Bayonne a League was set on foot for rooting out the Hereticks And in effect they were immediately after more severely dealt with and as it was reported the Prince of Conde and Coligny were to be secur'd The Huguenots therefore began the Second War during which the Constable Annas Montmorency being mortally wounded in an Engagement he told a Monk who at his last Hour was very troublesome to him He should let him be at quiet since during the Time of 80 Years that he had liv'd he had learn'd how to employ one quarter of an Hour in dying The Huguenots got great Reputation for Valour in this Engagement they being much Inferiour to the other in Number About the same time the City of Rochelle declar'd for the Huguenots which afterwards for 60 Years together serv'd them for a secure Retreat Then a second Peace was concluded not with an Intention to keep it but that each Party might find a better Opportunity to take Advantage of one another nor were the Conditions ever fulfill'd The War therefore was renewed in the same Year during which the Prince of Conde was kill'd by a Shot in a Battel near Jarnack After his Death the Huguenots declar'd Henry King of Navarre the Son of Anthony who afterwards was King of France their Head tho in effect Coligny had the chief management of Affairs He in vain besieged Poictiers in the Defence of which Place the young Duke of Guise gave the first proofs of his Valour he was also soundly beaten near Moncontour where he lost 9000 Foot He lost nevertheless nothing of his former Reputation for he quickly recollected his broken Troops and got together a great Army being assisted by Queen Elizabeth with Money and by the Paltzgrave with Souldiers He directed his March towards Paris whereupon a Peace was concluded to the great Advantage of the Huguenots the four strong Cities of Rochelle Montauban Cagnac and Charité being given them for their Security But the main design of this Peace was that the King perceiving that the Huguenots could not be suppress'd by Force hop'd he might win them by Policy therefore endeavour'd by fair Words and great Promises to make them secure The Admiral was caress'd at Court he being consulted withall concerning an Expedition to be undertaken against the Spaniards in the Netherlands A Marriage also was concluded betwixt Henry King of Navarre and Margaret the King's Sister to which Wedding they invited the chief of the Huguenots with a Design to cut their Throats in Paris And first of all the Admiral Coligny as he was going home from Court was by sorne Villains who were suborn'd by the Duke of Guise shot with two Bullets through the Arm. Then it was agreed That in the Year 1571 on the 24th Day of August early in the Morning when the Bells were ringing to Prayers all the Huguenots should be massacred except the King of Navarre and the young Prince of Conde The Execution of this Enterprize the Duke of Guise had taken upon himself The beginning of whose Massacre was made with Coligny who was ill of his Wounds then it fell promiscuously upon the rest the Fury of the Mob not ceasing till after seven Days slaughter A great many other Cities of France follow'd the Example of Paris so that within few Days near 30000 were miserably massacred The King of Navarre and Prince of Conde were forc'd to abjure the Reformed Religion This was the so much celebrated Parisian Wedding which Gabriel Naude would fain represent us a State 's Trick but this is in my Opinion a very gross way of arguing Nevertheless the Huguenots did quickly recollect themselves after the first Consternation was over renewing the War with great Animosity and Revenge During this War the King's Army besieged Rochelle near eight Months together and having lost 12000 Men before it News was brought That the Duke d' Anjou was elected King of Poland Hence an Opportunity was taken to raise the Siege with some Reputation and to make a Peace the fourth time with the Huguenots by vertue of which the Cities of Rochelle Montauban and Nismes were
Fainthearted 987. The Carolinian Family extinguish'd Hugh Capet the first of the present Race Robert The Pope excommunicates him and his Kingdom Henry I. Philip I. Will. Duke of Normandy conquers England Expedition into the Holy Land Lewis the Fat Lewis VII His unfortunate Expedition to the Holy Land Philip II. the Conquerour Another Expedition to the Holy Land War betwixt France and England 1223. Lewis VIII Lewis IX A third Expedition to the Holy Land without Success 1254. The first Pretensions of the French upon the Kingdom of Naples 1261. 1268. An unfortunate Expedition of S. Lewis Philip the Hardy The Sicilian Vespers 1282. Philip the Handsom 1292. He has ill Success in Flanders 1302. 1304. He suppress'd the Templers Lewis X. Philip the Tall. Charles IV. Philip of Valois His Title conteâ—ted by Edward III. of England and in what ground War with England Battel near Crecy The English take Calâ—is 1347. Dauphine annexed to France 1349. Philip introduced the Gabell John Vnfortunate in his Wars against the English Battel near Poictiers 1356. A dishonourable Peace to France 1360. 1364. Charles the Wise He declares War against the English After the Death of Edward Charles attacks the English with Advantagâ— Charles VI. 1384. 1382. The first rise of the French Pretensions upon Milan◠〈…〉 1404. The Duke of Orleans assassinated by the Duke of Eurgundy 1407. The English take advantage of these Troubles 1415. Battel of Agincourt 1419. The Duke of Burgundy assassinated 1422. Charles VII Henry VI. of England proclaim'd King of France Misunderstandings betwixt the English and the Duke of Burgundy the only Advantage Charles had left The Maid of Orleans 1431. The English Power declines in France 1435. 1436. He drives the English out of France 1449. 1451. 1453. 1461. Lewis XI He reduces the excessive power of the Nobility A League against him The King's 〈◊〉 â—â—thods The Original of selling the Offices of France Duke of Burgundy slain 1477. Charles VIII Britainy united to France 1491. An Expedition to Naples end the Preâ—â—â—sions of it 1494. Charles conquer'd Naples 1495. The League of Italy against the French He losâ—th Naples 1498. Lewis XII 1499. He conqâ—ers Milan He conquers Naples 1501. Loses it agaiâ— 1503. The Venetian War Lewis joins in the League against thâ—â— 1508. 1509. A League against Lewis 1512. He conquers Milan agaiâ—n He is attack'd by several Princes at once Francis 1. He aspires to the Empire In a few Days he takes and loses the Kingdom of Navarre 1521. A War 〈◊〉 in Italy The French driven out of Milan 1521. The Duke of Bourbon revolts to the Emperour 1524. Franc's desired at the Battel of Pavia and taken Prisoner 1525. He is set at Liberty on hard Conditions which he did not perform He with the King of England declare War against the Emperour He sends an 〈◊〉 my into Italy Peace made at Cambray 1529. 1535. The War breaks out afresh The Truce prolong'd for nine Years Francis breaks the Truce 1542. A Peace concluded at Crespy 1544. 1546. Henry II. 1548. 1549. 1550. His Expedition into Germany 1552. 1555. A Truce between Charles V. and Henry II. 1557. A Project to unite Scotland with France misscarried Francis II. The Causes of the intestine Wars of France 1527. The House of Guise rises and that of Bourbon declines Divisions about the Administration of the Government 1560. Charles IX The Conferenec of Poissy 1562. The first Huguenot war 1563. The Second War 1568. The Third War 1569. The Prince of Conde being slain the King of Navarre is declar'd Head of the Huguenots 1570. The Parisian Massacre The Fourth War 1573. The Fifth War Henry III. The Holy League 1577. The Sixth War Spain enters the League The Seventh War 1585. The Eighth War 1587. The League force the King from Paris 1588. The Duke and Cardina of Guise assassinated by the King's Order at Blois The King makes use of the Huguenots against the League Aug. 2. 1589. Henry IV. His Difficulties on the account of his Religion The Pope Excommunicates Henry Proposals about setting up another King 1593. The King changes his Religion 1593. Several Cities surrender to him 1594. The King assaulted and wounded by a Ruffian The Jesuits banish'd The Edict at Nants The Peace of Vervins He takes from the Duke of Savoy all that he possessed on this side the Alpes 1600. The Conspiracy of the Marshal de Biron 1602. He introduces Manufacturies His Design to put a stop to the growth of the House of Austria He is Assassinated by Ravillac May 14. 1610. Lewis XIII 1617. 1619. Richlieu comes in play Made chief Minister of State Rochelle taken The Effects of the Civil Wars A War in Italy 1628. The first Occasion of Mazarini's Greatness How Pignerol came into the hands of the French The Queen Mother raises Troubles 1642. The King takes Lorrain from that Duke 1634. 1636. 1638. May 14. 1643. Lewis XIV Mazarini ' s Ministry 1644. Peace of Munster The intestine Commotions 1648. The Slingers The King forc'd to leave Paris 1649. The Imprisonment of the Princes 1651. The Cardinal banish'd France The Queen recalls him 1653. 1658. 1662. The Pyrenaean Peace 1659. The Death of Mazarini 1661. A Dispute about Precedency between the French and Spanish Embassadours A Treaty with the Duke of Lorrain A Differance with the Pope 1664. He attacks Flanders Peace made at Aix la Chapelle 1668. 1667. He invades Flanders 1672. 1673. Mastricht taken by the French The Death of Turenne The Losses of the Spaniards in this War Peace at Nimmegen The French Nation Full of Nobility Their Natural Qualities The Nature of the Country It s Situation It s Fertility Its Plantations The Government of France The Strength of France with reguard to England To Spain To Italy To Holland To the Swiss To Germany The Strength of France in regard of a Confederacy The ancient State of the United Provinces The Division of the 17 Provinces The Vnion of the 17 Provinces Tâ—eir Coâ—ditiâ—n than under Charles V. The cause of the Wars in the Netherlands under Philip II. William Prince of Orange Discontents of the Nobility and Clergy Change of Religion Spanish Inquisition Queen Flizabeth â—â—mented their Revolt 1559. The Cardinal Granville 1564. Count Egmont sent into Spain An Association of the Nobility 1566. Breaking of Imâ—ges The Duke of Alva 1568. The Earls of Egmont and Hoorn beheaded Briel taken April 1. 1571. Duke of Alva recall'd Lewis Requesenes Governour 1574. 1576. The Treaty of Ghent Don John d' Austria made Governour Archduke Matthew 1577. Alexander Duke of Parma Malecontents The Duke of Parma The Vnion of Utrecht the Foundation of the Common-wealth 1579. The Duke of Alenson 1583. 1584. Prince of Orange murthered His Son Prince Maurice made Stadtholider The English Confederacy 1616. 1586. The Regency of the Earl of Leicester The State of Affairs in Holland legias to mend 1588. 1590. 1592. Arch-Duke Albert Governour of the Spanish Netherlands 1602. The East-India Company Isabella Clara Eugenia Battel
French Army in Germany having declar'd for that side but he was fain to leave the Army which was kept in Duty by the help of a good Summ of Money And tho' Matters were afterwards reconcil'd a second time at St. Germains yet the Design against Mazarin was not laid aside the Prince of Conde who had brought over the Slingers to his Party not ceasing to stir them up against him But because they had a different Aim for the Slingers were for totally pulling down of the Cardinal but the Prince of Conde would only have humbled him the Cardinal cunningly rais'd a misunderstanding betwixt them by setting the Prince of Conde against the Slingers Whereupon the Slingers were reconcil'd with the Cardinal The Cardinal taking hold of this Opportunity caused the Prince of Conde and his Brother the Prince of Conti and their Brother-in-law the Duke of Longueville to be taken into Custody This was putting Fuel into the Fire every body being dissatisfy'd at the Imprisonment of the Princes The City of Bourdeaux openly rebell'd The Spaniards upon this Occasion took from the French Piombino and Porto Longone in Italy The Archduke Leopold struck Terrour into the City of Paris it self on the side of the Netherlands And tho' the Cardinal beat Turenne near Rethel he being gone over to the Spaniards yet the Hatred against him encreas'd daily and the Faction of the Slingers the Parliament and the Duke of Orleans were absolutely for having the Princes set at Liberty The Cardinal therefore perceiving that nothing was to be done by open Violence resolv'd to avoid the Storm by setting the Princes at Liberty And he himself retir'd to Bruel the Court of the then Elector of Collen Then he was by a Decree of the Parliament for ever banish'd the Kingdom of France Mazarini being thus remov'd the Prince of Conde began to disturb the publick Quiet with more freedom having engag'd himself with the Spaniards and being gone to Bourdeaux he began to make open War against the Government And the Spaniards taking hold of this Opportunity recover'd Barcellona and with it all Catalonia Then the Queen recall'd the Cardinal who having strengthen'd the King's Army by such Troops as he had got together fought several times very briskly with the Prince of Conde But seeing that the Hatred which the Faction of the Slingers and the Parliament had conceiv'd against him did not diminish he took this Course that he publickly declar'd he was willing to leave the Kingdom to re-establish the publick Quiet He hoped by so doing to lay the Blame of the Intestine Divisions upon the Prince of Conde alone which Design prov'd successfull for thereby the Eyes of the People were opened who now plainly perceiv'd that the Cardinal sought the Good of the King and Kingdom but the Prince of Conde his own Interest Dunkirk and Graveling being lost in the Fray The Prince of Conde therefore perceiving that he had lost the Favour of the People retir'd with his Troops into the Spanish Netherlands Then the Cardinal return'd to Court and ever after had the Administration of the chiefest Affairs of the Kingdom till his Death without any further Opposition The City of Paris return'd to its due Obedience the Faction of the Slingers was dissolv'd the Duke of Orleans left the Court Rez was taken into Custody and Bourdeaux forc'd to submit In the Year next following the French began again to make War on the Spaniards they took Mommedy with great difficulty and fortunately reliev'd Arras But they were beaten from before Valenciennes and Cambray France having just made an Alliance with Cromwell the joint Forces of France and England besieged Dunkirk under the Command of Turenne And the Duke John d' Austria and Prince de Conde who came with an Army to relieve it being repuls'd with great loss the City was taken and deliver'd to the English from whom the King afterwards redeem'd it for four Millions About the same time Graveling was also retaken At last a Peace was concluded between France and Spain near the Pyrenaean Mountains by the two chief Ministers of State on both sides viz. by Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro by vertue of which France was to keep Roussilion and the greatest part of the places which were taken in the Netherlands Mary Theresa the Daughter of Philip IV. was to be married to the King and the Prince of Conde to be receiv'd into Favour again This last point met with great Opposition for a considerable time In the Year next following died Mazarini who as 't is said left the King among others this Lesson That he should govern himself and not trust entirely to any Favourite The first thing of moment which the King undertook was to settle his Revenues in a good order He began with the Lord High Treasurer Fouquet whom he took into Custody and made a strict Inquisition against all such as having had hitherto the management of his Revenues had enrich'd themselves therewith The Sponges which were swell'd up with Riches being soundly squeez'd out brought an incredible Treasure into the King's Coffers In the Year 1661 a Difference arose betwixt the French and Spanish Embassadours in London about the Precedency at the solemn Entry made by Count Nile Brake the Swedish Embassadour where the French Embassadour's Coach was put back by Violence This might easily have prov'd the Occasion of a War if the Spaniards had not given Satisfaction to the French and agreed That where-ever there were any French Embassadours resident the Spanish should not appear upon any publick Occasions Which the French do interpret as if Spain had thereby declar'd That the Spanish Ministers were always to give place to the French of the same Character In the Year 1662 the King made an Agreement with the Duke of Lorrain according to which he was to exchange his Dukedom for an Equivalent in France and his Family to be the next in right of Succession if the Family of Bourbon should happen to fail Which Agreement the Duke would fain have annull'd afterwards but the King who did not understand jesting in such a point forc'd him to surrender to him Marsal In the same Year the Duke de Crequi the French Embassadour at Rome was grossly affronted there by the Corsi Guards which the King resented so ill that he took from the Pope the City of Avignon But the Difference was compos'd by the Mediation of the Grand Duke of Tuscany at Pisa and the Pope was fain to send a splendid Embassy to give Satisfaction to the King About the same time the French would have got footing at Gigeri on the Coast of Barbary but were repuls'd with considerable loss by the Moors The King also sent some Troops to the Assistance of the Emperour against the Turks who behav'd themselves bravely in the Battel fought near St. Gothard and contributed much to the Victory Notwithstanding which the
for he not only lesien'd his Authority at Naples but also being suspicious that he either intended to keep that Kingdom for Philip Son-in-law to Ferdinand or else for himself Ferdinand undertook a Journey in Person to Naples on purpose to bring Gonsalvus handsomly away from thence and taking him along with him into Spain he treated him ill for his great deserts In the mean time died the Queen Isabella which occasion'd some Differences betwixt Ferdinand and his Son-in-law Philip the Netherlander Ferdinand pretending according to the last Will of Isabella to take upon him the Administration of Castile And to maintain his Claim the better he enter'd into a Confederacy with France by marrying Germana de Foix Sister to Lewis XII hoping thereby to obtain a powerfull Assistance in case Philip should come to attack him But Philip coming into Spain and taking upon him the Administration of the Government in the name of his Lady Joan Ferdinand retir'd into Arragon But Philip died soon after whose Queen Joan being not in her right Wits yet undertook the Administration of the Government not without the opposition of some of the chief of the Nobility wherefore the Administration of the Government was by common consent committed to Ferdinand after his return from Naples notwithstanding the Emperour Maximilian did pretend to it in the right of his Grandson Charles In the Year 1508 Ferdinand enter'd into a Confederacy against the Venetians whereby he regain'd the Cities of Calabria Brindisi Otranto Trano Mola and Polignano which the Venetians had formerly obtain'd for some Services done to the Neapolitans But as soon as Ferdinand perceiv'd that the Venetians were like to be swallow'd up by the Emperour and France the Pope and he left the Confederacy thinking it more convenient to preserve the State of Venice since by adding the Territories of Venice to those of Milan which were then possess'd by the French they would have grown too powerfull in Italy Hence arose a War in which John d' Albert King of Navarre taking part with the French was upon instigation of Ferdinand excommunicated by the Pope under which pretext Ferdinand took an opportunity to possess himself of that part of the Kingdom which lies on the Spanish side of the Pyrenean Mountains which since that time the French have in vain indeavour'd to recover In the Year 1510 the Spaniards took Bugia and Tripolis upon the Coast of Barbary but were routed in the Island of Gerbis This wise King died in the Year 1516. § 10. Him succeeded his Grandson by his Daughter Charles the fifth Emperour of that Name who with the assistance of the Cardinal Ximenes immediately took upon himself the Administration of the Government his Mother to whom the same did belong being incapable of Administring it This Prince who since Charles the Great was the most Potent Prince that hath been in Europe spent the greatest part of his Life in Travels and Wars In the very beginning of his Reign there were some Commotions in Spain which were soon appeased John D' Albert also made an Inrode into the Kingdom of Navarre in hopes to recover it but was quickly repulsed But with the French during his whole Life he waged continual Wars For though in the Year 1516 he made a League with King Francis I. whereby the Daughter of Francis was promised to him in Marriage yet was this Tie not strong enough to withhold the Animosity of these two courageous Princes Charles who was flush'd up with the great Success of his House had always in his Mind his Motto Plus ultra But Francis who was surrounded every-where by so potent a Prince did oppose his Designs with all his Might fearing lest his Power should grow too strong both for him and all the rest of Europe Charles obtain'd a most particular advantage When the Imperial Dignity was conferr'd upon him to obtain which for himself or some-body else Francis had labour'd with all his Might but in vain Robert de Mare Lord of Sedan withdrawing himself from the Emperour and putting himself under the Protection of France with whose assistance he attack'd the Lord of Emmerick who was under the Emperour's protection administer'd new matter of jealsousie which quickly broke out into an open flame in the Netherlands In which War the French lost Tournay and St. Amant but beat the Imperialists from before Meziores Charles also did intend to drive the French out of Milan upon instigation of Pope Leo X. Charles pretending that Francis had neglected to receive this Dutchy in fief of the Empire beat the French near Bicoque Fonterabie also which they had taken by surprize was re-taken by force from the French It proved also very disadvantageous to them that the Constable Charles of Bourbon sided with the Emperour and entring Provence besieged Marseilles Which nevertheless he was forced to quit as soon as Francis march'd with all his Forces that way into Italy to recover the Milaneze Where he took the City of Milan but at the Siege of Pavia was Attack'd by the Imperial Generals who totally routed his Army and having taken him Prisoner carried him into Spain The King himself was in part the occasion of this loss he having sent a great part of his Army towards Naples and Savona and those that remained with him were most Italians Swiss and Grisons who did not perform their Duty in the Battle and most of his Generals were of opinion to avoid the hazard of a Battle by retiring under the City of Milan The French also succeeded ill in the Diversion which they endeavour'd to give the Emperour for by the help of Charles Duke of Geldres and the Friselanders for they were at that time worsted by Charles's Forces There were some that advised Charles to set Francis at liberty without any Ransome and by this Act of Generosity to oblige him for ever But he followed the Counsels of such as did advise to make advantage of so great a Prisoner He therefore imposed very hard Conditions upon him which Francis refusing to accept of out of discontent fell into a dangerous Sickness so that Charles himself went to visit and comfort him Though he was advised to the contrary by his Chancellour Gallinaca who alledged that such a Visit where he did not intend to promise the Prisoner his liberty would rather seem to proceed from Covetousness and fear of losing the advantage of his Ransome than from any civility or good inclination towards him And this Sickness was the real cause why at last the Treaty concerning his Liberty which had been so long on foot was finish'd the Emperour fearing that his Discontent might plunge him into another Sickness or Death it self In the mean time the prodigious Success which attended the Emperour did raise no small jealousie among other Princes and by instigation of Pope Clement VII three Armies were raised to maintain the Liberty of Italy To prevent this Storm
Catalonians which they would in no ways consent to unanimously agreed to shake off the Castilian Yoak and secretly sounded the Inclinations of the Duke of Braganza As soon as he upon the perswasions of his Lady had reâ—olv'd to accept of the Crown they broke loose and surprising the Garrison in the City Palace and Fort seiz'd the Ships kill'd the Secretary of State Vasconcello who had carried himself very proudly among them and proclaimed the Duke of Braganza King under the Name of John IV. purging the whole Kingdom within eight days of the Castilians and that with the loss only of two or three persons Which may serve as a remarkable instance to convince the World how easily a Kingdom is lost where the Peoples Inclination is averse to the supream Head Thus the Spanish Monarchy received a great blow and its Power being distracted it could not act effectually on all sides They also lost Perpignan tho the French could not go further into Spain for the Prince of Conde besieged Lerida in vain In the Year 1641 the Prince Monaco driving the Spanish Garrisons out of his Territories put himself under the protection of France There also happen'd a most dangerous Rebellion at Naples the Head of which was a poor Fisherman whose Name was Massanello who might have put the whole Kingdom into a flame if the French had been at hand to give him timely assistance but by the prudent management of the Governour the Earl of Ognato the Tumult was appeased Spain then being forc'd to quench the flames on all sides it could not be so mindfull of Holland as the most remote having all hands full to resist the dangers threatning them nearer home And the Spaniards had the good fortune to reduce as we said before Catalonia under their Subjection and to chase the French out of Piombino and Porto Longone but the English took from them the Island of Jamaica in the West Indies At last France being re-established in its former Tranquility the Spaniards thought it most convenient to make Peace with that Crown Which was concluded betwixt the two great Ministers of State the Cardinal Mazarini and Don Lewis de Haro in the Pyrenean Mountains By vertue of which France got Roussilion and several considerable places in the Netherlands Spain having thus concluded a Peace with all the rest of its Neighbours it began in earnest to make War against Portugal The Spaniards therefore enter'd Portugal with a great Force taking from the Portugueses several places but were also at several places soundly beaten The Battel near Entremos where Don Juan and that near Villa Viciosa where Caracena received a fatal Defeat are most famous The obtaining of which two Victories on the Portuguese side is chiefly ascribed to the French General Schomberg Philip IV. died in the Year 1665. § 14. He had for his Successour his Son Charles II. a Child of four years of age who under the Tuition of his Mother negligently prosecuted the War against Portugal and at last by the Mediation of England was forc'd to make Peace with that Crown renouncing his right to the same because the French at that time made a grievous havock in the Netherlands For tho' Mary Teresia Daughter of Philip IV. at the time when she was married to the King of France had renounc'd all her right of Succession to her paternal Inheritance yet the French taking the opportunity of their flourishing condition and the decay'd state of Spain England also and Holland being engaged in a War with one another who would else not have left the Netherlands to be devoured by them they enter'd Flanders with a vast Army using among other things for a pretence that which in Brabant is called Jus devolutionis by which the real Estates of private persons fall to the Children born during the time of the first marriage as soon as the Father marries again The French took in this War without much resistance a great many considerable Cities and Forts viz. Charleroy Tournay Lisle Douay Oudenarde and some others they conquer'd also the whole Franche Compte which hastened the Peace betwixt England and Holland and occasioned the Tripple Alliance as it is called made betwixt England Sweden and Holland for the preservation of the Spanish Netherlands In the following Year France made a Peace with Spain at Aix la Chapelle restoring to Spain the Franche Compte but keeping what places he had taken in Flanders But when Holland in the Year 1672 was attack'd by the French Spain sided with the Dutch knowing that the loss of the Vnited Provinces must draw after it that of the Spanish Netherlands So it came again to an open War wherein at first Spain lost Burgundy The rebellious Messineses threw themselves under the protection of France but were afterwards deserted by them France also got Limburgh Conde Valencienne Cambray Ypres St. Omer Aeth and Ghent But a Peace was concluded at Nimmegen by virtue of which France kept the Franche Compte and most places taken in the Netherlands restoring only to Spain Limburgh Ghent Cortryck Oudenarde Aeth and Charleroy § 15. Having thus given a brief History of the Kingdom of Spain we will also add something concerning the Genius of the Spaniards and the extent of their Territories as also of the Strength and Weakness of this Kingdom and its Condition in reference to its Neighbours The Spanish Nation therefore is commonly esteem'd to be very wise and to take remote prospects throughly weighing a thing before it undertakes it Whereby nevertheless the Spaniards being overcautious and exact in their Counsels do often lose the opportunities of action Besides this the Spaniards are very constant to their Resolutions and tho' they fail once in an Attempt they will try their Fortune again endeavouring to overcome its frowns by their Constancy They are very fit for War and not only brave at the first attack but also will hold out till the last their sober way of living and spare Bodies make them fit to bear Hunger and Thirst and to be very watchfull But this the Spaniards are extreamly blamed for that they maintain their Gravity by high-flown Words and a proud Behaviour Tho' those that converse with them do declare that this Gravity which appears so odious is not so much the effect of their Pride as of a melancholy Constitution and an ill Custom they never being fond to converse much with Foreign Nations They are in general very zealous for the Roman Catholick Religion and abominate all others They are seldom fit for any Trade or Business where any hard labour is required such as Husbandry or any Handycraft Trades wherefore these are chiefly managed among them by Foreigners It is credibly reported That in Madrid alone there are above 40000 Frenchmen being for the most part Merchants Artists Handycrafts-men and Labourers who go under the Name of Burgundians
in coining of Cruisadoes After this Alfonsus had great contests with Ferdinand the Catholick and Isabella there being a promise of marriage made betwixt him and Johanna the supposed Daughter of Henry IV. King of Castile but as it was reported begotten in Adultery but the Marriage was not consummated she being Alfonsus's Sister's Daughter tho' at last the Pope gave his Dispensation which he had refused at first Alfonsus under this pretence took upon himself the Title and Arms of Castile surprising several Cities assisted by some of the Nobility of Castile who sided with him Lewis XI also King of France sent him some Auxiliaries but these were not sufficient to enable him to undertake any thing of moment Wherefore Ferdinand retaking all the places from the Portugueses routed them also near Toro and near Albuhera so that Alfonsus despairing of obtaining his Ends concluded a Peace with Ferdinand wherein he renounced both Castile and the Bride Johanna she being promised in marriage to John Son of Ferdinand who was then a Child But she perceiving that this was only done to elude her went into a Nunnery Portugal sustained considerable losses in this War and Alfonsus died in the Year 1481 as it is supposed out of Grief because he had lost the hopes of his Bride and the Crown of Castile Him succeeded his Son John II. against whom a most horrid Conspiracy was discovered for which Ferdinand Duke of Braganza and James Duke of Visco lost their lives the latter being kill'd by the King 's own Hand This King John was the first who found out the way to sail into the East Indies having not only ordered an exact Survey to be made of the African Coast as far as to the Cape of good hope but also sent some by Land into the East Indies to inform themselves concerning the Condition of those Countries He built also the Castle of Mina on the Coast of Guinea But before this intended Voyage to the East Indies could be begun this King died in the Year 1495 leaving no Heirs behind him § 5. John II. was succeeded by his Cousin Emanuel Son of Ferdinand Duke of Visco Grandchild of King Edward With him contended for the Succession the Emperour Maximilian whose Mother Eleonora was a Daughter of King Edward But the Portugueses declared for Emanuel who for his extraordinary Qualifications both of Body and Mind was extreamly beloved by them He the better to establish himself at home married Isabella eldest Daughter of Ferdinand the Catholick out of which marriage a young Prince was born whose Name was Michael who if he had lived would have been Heir to all the Spanish Kingdoms except that of Navarre To please his Bride he by his Proclamation banish'd all the Jews and Moors out of Portugal by a prefix'd time under penalty for all such as should stay behind to be made Slaves for ever Whereupon the Moors immediately retir'd into Africa but from the Jews they took their Children which were under the Age of fourteen and baptized them against their Will And as for the old ones they were so plagued and vexed every where and stopp'd or hinder'd in their Journeys that most to be rid of these Vexations and to avoid the danger of Slavery were baptized retaining nevertheless in their Minds their ancient Superstition Under the Reign of this King Portugal arrived to the highest pitch of its Greatness the design of the East-India Voyage round Africa which was projected by the former King being now accomplish'd by Vascus de Gama who first arrived at Calicut As soon as the Portugueses began to draw into their Country the Trade of Spices they were opposed especially by the Sultan of Egypt because formerly these Commodities used to be conveyed through Egypt to Venice and from thence to other parts of Europe from which both these Countries drew vast Profit Wherefore the Venetians stirred up the Sultan sending him great stores of Metal to make Cannons of and Shipwrights to build Ships by which means they hoped to drive the Portugueses out of the Indies But the Portugueses who did not much trust the Barbarian Kings of the Indies began to build Forts and strong Holds in the most convenient places wherein they met with little opposition partly because the Indians were terrify'd by the vastness of the Ships and the thunder of the Cannons of the Europeans partly because they were not aware of what consequence they might prove one day against them The Duke of Albuquerque especially did mightily advance the Power of the Portugueses in the Indies who took the Cities of Ormuz Malacca Cochin and Goa the latter of which is the place of Residence of the Portuguese Governour in the Indies And thus the Portugueses engrossed to themselves the whole Trade and Commerce of Africa and the remotest parts of Asia having possessed themselves of all the most commodious Ports and Places not only on the Western side of Africa in Mauritania Guinea Congo Angola in the Isle of St. Thomas and some others but also on the East side in Manzambique Melinde Mombazo Zafala and from the mouth of the Red Sea as far as Japan from whence incredible Riches were conveyed into Portugal Besides all this did Pieter Alvanus Capralis or as some will have it Americus Vesputius discover'd the Country of Brasile in America whither the Portugueses sent 1500 several Colonies And under the Reign of this King Emanuel who died in the Year 1521 Portugal increased to that degree that his Reign was called The Golden Age. After him reigned his Son John III. under whose Reign Portugal continued in the same flourishing condition This King sent Francis Xavier and some other Jesuites into the East Indies who were to settle the Christian Religion among the Barbarians The Jesuites commonly boast of great numbers of Heathens converted by them but whether they deserve an intire credit in this or whether perhaps a great many of these have not rather taken upon them the Name than the Faith of Christians those are best able to judge who have been conversant in those places He died in the Year 1557. § 6. John III. had for his Successour his Grandson Sebastian a Child of three Years of age whose Tuition was committed to the Cardinal Henry his Uncle because his Grandmother was not willing to take upon her the burthen of the Government Through the over-forwardness of this young Prince Portugal receiv'd such a blow that it fell from the Pinacle of its Greatness For some of his Court Favourites did put this magnanimous and ambitious Prince upon such Enterprizes as were far surpassing both his Age and Power and were in no ways suitable to the present juncture of Affairs so that his whole Mind was bent upon Warlike Exploits and how by Martial Exercises to revive the ancient Valour of his Subjects which by Peace and Plenty having been more addicted to Commerce was of
the Year 1510 the Pope Ferdinand Henry VIII and the Swiss Cantons denounced War against Lewis For the Pope could not look with a good Eye upon the growing Power of France in Italy Ferdinand feared lest Lewis might attack Naples and Henry being come lately to the Crown was for making himself famous by so great an Undertaking the Swiss were set against France because Lewis had not paid them their old Arrears and had refused to encrease their Pension not because their Demands were extravagant but because he would not be out-brav'd by them In this War the French General Gasto de Foix behaved himself very gallantly for he relieved Bononia beat the Venetian Army killed 8000 of them in Brescia and obtained a glorious Victory against the Confederate Army near Ravenna in which Battel nevertheless this brave General being too hot in pursuing the Enemy was slain With his death the French Affairs began to decline and they were again forced to leave Italy Maximilian Son of Lewis the Black was restored to his Dutchy of Milan by the help of the Swiss The Genoucse revolted and made sanus Fregosus their Duke Ferdinand the Catholick took from King John the Kingdom of Navarre which the French in vain endeavoured to regain from the Spaniards But Lewis being extreamly desirous to regain Milan enter'd into a League with Venice and retook most places of that Dukedom and the City of Genoua He besieg'd Duke Maximilian in the Castle of Novara but the Swiss coming to the Assistance of the Duke attack'd the French with incredible Fury in their Camp and drove them quite out of the whole Dukedom which was twice taken in one Month. Then Lewis was at one time attack'd by the Emperour England and the Swiss and if the English and the Swiss had join'd France would have run a great Risque But King Henry in lieu of entring into the Heart of France lost his Time at the Siege of Terouâ—ne where he defeated the French that were come to its Relief near Guinegast this Battel was call'd La journée des esperons or The Battel of the Spurs because the French made better use of their Spurs than their Swords and after he had taken Tournay he return'd into England The Swiss who kept the Duke of Tremoville besieg'd were bought off with 600000 Crowns which were promised to them by the Duke without the King's Order as likewise that he should renounce the Council of Pisa and his Pretensions to the Dukedom of Milan Which shamefull Agreement the King refus'd to ratify and if the Swiss had not been more fond of the Ransom offer'd for the Hostages than their Blood they had pay'd with their Lives for it In the Year next following Lewis made a Peace with the King of England who gave him his Sister Mary in Marriage which young Lady 't is thought did hasten the Death of the old King which ensu'd in the beginning of the Year 1515. This King was so well belov'd by his People that he was generally call'd Le Pere du Peuple or The Father of the People § 17. His Nephew Francis I. succeeded him who having made a League with England the Archduke Charles and Venice enter'd upon a sudden into Italy and took Genoua and some other Places without great Opposition but being encamp'd near Marignano within a League of Milan the Swiss unexpectedly fell upon him where a bloody Fight ensu'd The Swiss were at last repuls'd and found that they cou'd be beaten having lost above 10000 but the French also left 4000 of their best Men upon the Spot After this Maximilian surrender'd himself and the whole Country to the King on the Condition of an annual Pension of 30000 Ducats to be paid him Soon after the King agreed with the Swiss whom in Consideration of a good Summ he brought again into an Alliance with France He made also an Agreement with Pope Leo X. by vertue of which the King was to have the Right of naming Bishops and Abbots but the Pope to keep certain Benefits out of the chiefest Church Benefices In the Year 1518 he redeem'd Tournay form the English for a good Summ of Money In the Year next following after the Death of the Emperor Maximilian Francis employ'd all his Engines to be exalted to the Imperial Dignity but the German Princes fearing lest the French should endeavour to humble them and for some other Considerations preferr'd before him Charles V. This proved the Occasision of great Jealousies betwixt these two Princes for Francis being very sensible what great Advantages he had gained by the Imperial Dignity put himself into a good posture to prevent his becoming Master of him and all the rest of the Princes in Europe This Jealousie broke at last out into an open War Francis endeavouring to re-take Navarre from the Spaniards as thinking to have met with a fair Opportunity whilst the Divisions in Spain were on Foot The French conquer'd that Kingdom in a few days time but being not carefull enough to preserve it as easily lost it again Soon after the War was kindled in the Netherlands occasion'd by Robert Van de Marck Lord of Sedan whom Francis took into his Protection This Robert was so puft up with the French Protection that he writ a Letter of Defiance to the Emperour and fell into the Country of Luxemburgh But Charles quickly chastis'd this petty Enemy and being persuaded that Francis had encourag'd him thereunto he took from him St. Amand and Tournay The Business nevertheless might have been compos'd at the beginning if the French had not insisted upon keeping Fonterabia which in the mean time had been surpris'd by them But the hardest task was in Italy both the Emperour and Pope being willing to drive Francis out of Milan and to restore Francis Sforza They effected both with good Success for the French Army was not timely supply'd with Money and being besides this beaten near Bicoque the French were again driven out of Milan and Genoua And on the other side they also lost Fonterabia But what happen'd very ill to Francis was That the Constable Charles of Bourbon went over to the Emperour the Reason of which was That he had been for a while mightily kept under by the Queen Mother the Chancellour Duprat and Admiral Bonnivet The first had commenc'd a Suit at Law against him about the Dukedom of Bourbon which he despair'd to be able to maintain against so strong a Party as believing that the King was underhand concern'd in the Matter 'T is said that the first Cause of this Difference was because the Duke of Bourbon had refus'd to marry her The Duke of Bourbon therefore had agreed with the Emperor and the King of England That they should divide the Kingdom of France betwixt them the Kingdom of Arelat and the Emperour's Sister having been promis'd to the Duke of Bourbon But the Design being discover'd the Duke of Bourbon was
dissatisfied because she could not Act according to her own Will that she retired into Flanders and from thence into England where she made some stay and at last died in a very low Condition in Cologne In the Year 1633. the King took from the Duke of Lorrain his Countrey because he had declared himself for the Emperour And when afterwards viz. after the Battel fought near Nordlingen the Swedish Affairs were in a very low Condition and the House of Austria began to hold up its Head again France broke out into open War with Spain to balance the growing Power of the House of Austria He took for a pretence that the Spaniards had surprized the City of Treves and taken the Elector of Treves Prisoner who was under French protection And then the War began in Italy Germany the Netherlands and Roussilion which was carried on with various Fortune yet so that the French got the better of it at last To touch upon some of the most remarkable Actions The first Attack which the French made in the Netherlands did not succeed very well they having been forced to raise the Siege of Lovain with great Loss In the Year 1636 Piccolomini marched into Picardy and Galias into Burgundy but did nothing of moment On the other hand the French beat up the Siege of Leucate in Roussilion and the brave Duke Barnhard of Saxen-Weimar took the Fortress of Brisac he carrying on the War with French Money And after the Death of this Duke which happened not long after the King of France brought both that Fortress and his Army over to its side with Money Yet the French miscarried in the same Year before St. Omer and Fontarabia before the last of which Places the Prince of Conde sustained a considerable Loss In the same Year viz. on the 5th of September Lewis XIV was almost by a Miracle born of a Marriage which had proved unfruitfull for twenty Years before In the Year 1639 the French were beaten before Thionville In the Year 1640 they took Arras and in the same Year Catalonia revolting from Spain threw it self under the French Protection In the Year 1641 a great Misfortune hung over Richlieu's Head the Count the Soissons having raised a dangerous Rebellion but he being killed in an Engagement wherein otherwise his Party had the better establish'd by his Death the Cardinal's Authority and the Quiet of France In the Year 1642 Perpignan was taken at which Siege the King and Richlieu were both present Monsieur Cinqmats did about that time first insinuate himself into the King's favour hoping thereby to undermine Richlieu And the better to balance the Cardinal he had made some under-hand Intrigues with Spain But the Cardinal having discovered the business caused his Head to be cut off as also de Thou the younger's because he had been privy to the business tho' he had advised against it yet had he not discover'd it From the Duke of Bouillon who had been also of the Cabal he took for a Punishment his strong Hold Sedan In the same Year Richlieu died to his great good fortune the King being grown quite weary of him notwithstanding he had laid the first Foundation of the Greatness of France which is now so formidable to Europe The King also died not long after § 24. Lewis XIV was but Five years of Age when he came to the Crown his Mother 't is true bore the name of Regent of France but in effect the Cardinal Julius Mazarini had the chief Management of the Kingdom which was then in a very flourishing Condition but every Body was for enriching himself out of the Kings Purse during his Minority and Mazarini was very liberal thereby endeavouring to make them in love with his Government But the Treasury being become empty new Taxes were of necessity to be imposed upon the People which caused a great dissatisfaction against the Government Nevertheless for the first Five years every thing was pretty quiet at home and War carried on abroad At the very first beginning of this new Government the Duke d' Austria obtained a signal Victory against the Spaniards near Rocroy after which he took Thionville and Gaston the Kings Uncle Graveling Anguin revenged the loss which the French had sustainded the Year before near Dutlingen and having first beaten the Bavarian Forces near Friburg in Brisgaw he took Philipsburg in the Year 1646. he beat the Bavarian Troops near Norlingen and afterwards took Dunkirk But in the Year next following he in vain besieged the City of Lorida In the Year 1648. a Peace was concluded at Munster in Westphalia betwixt the Emperour and France by Vertue of which the latter got the two Fortresses of Brisac and Philipsburg the Countrey of Puntgau and part of the upper Alsatia But as France by this Peace was freed from one Enemy so on the other hand the intestine Commotions put a stop to its great Progresses The chief reason of these Troubles was that some envying Mazarini as being a Foreigner they would by all means have him removed from the Helm and this they sought with the greater Importunity because they were not in awe of the King who was but a Child neither of his Mother she being an outlandish Woman Some of the great Men also were for fishing in troubled Waters But above all the rest the Prince of Conde would fain have been Master and have made the Cardinal dance after his Pipe The Cardinal was for bringing of him over to his Party by a Marriage propos'd to him but the Prince of Conde perceiving that the Cardinal was for maintaining his old Post nor would depend on him rejected the Offer as unbecoming the Grandeur of his House There were also some Women of a restless Spirit concern'd in these Intrigues among whom was Mad. de Longueville Sister of the Prince of Conde Mad. Chevreuse Mombazon and others The first beginning was by slanderous Papers and Libels which were daily dispers'd in Paris There was also a certain Faction set up who called themselves the Slingers because they openly undertook to knock down the Cardinal as David struck down the Giant Goliah by the help of his Sling The Heads of this Faction were the Duke of Beaufort and Guadi the Archbishop of Paris afterwards call'd the Cardinal de Rez With this Party also sided the Parliament of Paris which did pretend to have a great Authority against the Government at that time The first Insurrection was made in Paris occasion'd by the taking into Custody of one Braussel a Member of the Parliament whereupon the King left the City Yet the Business was compos'd for that time some things having been granted to the mutinous Party But the Faction of the Slingers renewing their former Disturbances the King left the City a second time The Parliament having then publickly condemn'd the Cardinal grew every day stronger Turenne who then commanded the
Emperour clapt up a Peace with the Turks fearing lest the King of France might make use of this Opportunity to fall into the Netherlands Yet those Forces which were sent to the Assistance of the Venetians into Candie did not acquire so much Glory they being too forward and hot in the first Onset where they lost the Duke of Beaufort In the Year 1665 the King of France kindled a War betwixt the English and Dutch thereby to weaken their Naval Force which was so formidable to him and in the mean while to get leisure to conquer the Netherlands In the Year 1667 he enter'd the Netherlands in person and took Charleroy Lisle Tournay Doway Courtray Oudenarde and some other places pretending that the Netherlands did belong to him in right of his Queen by vertue of the jus devolutionis or right of devolution in Brabant notwithstanding that in the Marriage Contract she had renounc'd all her Title to it He also conquer'd the County of Burgundy but after having demolish'd the Fortifications he restor'd it again but kept those places which he had taken in the Netherlands by vertue of the Peace concluded at Aix la Chapelle The tripple Alliance as it is call'd made betwixt Sweden England and Holland which was intended for the Preservation of the Netherlands did greatly hasten this Peace tho' France afterwards found out a way to draw the English Court from this Alliance and to join with him in humbling the Hollanders who he said were too proud For tho' France all along had been in the Interest of Holland yet the King took it very ill that the Dutch had made a Peace at Munster without including France and that they had been so bold as to undertake the Preservation of the Netherlands and when afterwards the King put strong Garrisons into the conquer'd places they sent a Fleet on these Coasts as it were to brave him The tripple Alliance also was displeasing to him and some are of Opinion that the King of England who had not forgot the Business at Chatam and that the Peace concluded at Breda was not according to his wish had engag'd himself in this Alliance only to draw in the Dutch thereby and so to exasperate the King of France against them At last France in conjunction with England made War on Holland with prodigious Success at first for he took three Provinces viz. Gueldres Over-yssel and Vtrecht besides that he had already possess'd himself of some Passes leading into Holland But his Confederate the Bishop of Munster had not the same Success in the Siege of Groningen and afterwards lost Coeverden again And the Dutch had better Success at Sea where they behaved themselves bravely in four several Engagements whereas the French Fleet as the English say did not engage heartily Besides England grew Jealous of the great Success of the French which was one reason why the Parliament did in a manner oblige the King to make a separate Peace with Holland fearing that France after England and Holland had destroy'd one another at Sea might also at last fall upon them The Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh endeavour'd immediately at the beginning of the War to give a Diversion to France but to no great purpose since they did nothing but ruin several Provinces in Germany and drew Turenne with his Army thither who ravag'd the Country but especially Westphalia The Elector of Brandenburgh made a Peace with France at Vossem whereby he got the Restitution of his strong Holds in the Dutchy of Cleves but as soon as he got them into his possession he made no great account of the Peace In the Year next following France took the strong City of Mastricht where the French both shew'd their Bravery and Dexterity in attacking of places On the other hand the Imperialists had good Success against Turenne who pretended to oppose their March for they trick'd him and having march'd to the lower Rhine in conjunction with the Spaniard and Prince of Orange took Bon This and the loss of Narden which the Dutch took caus'd the French to leave Vtrecht and all the other places in the United Provinces except Grave and Mastricht For it seem'd very difficult to maintain so many Garrisons and at the same time to have a sufficient Army in the Field to oppose the Enemy since it might easily have happen'd that all Correspondency with these places in the United Provinces might have been cut off by the Enemy Afterwards Spain and the whole German Empire declar'd against France and a great many were of Opinion That the joint Power of Spain Holland and Germany would be sufficient to curb the French and to carry the Seat of the War into France it self but this could not be effected 'T is true the Germans did take from the French Philipsburgh and beat them out of Treves where Mareschal de Crequi receiv'd a Defeat But on the other hand the Germans were several times also especially near Sintsheim and in Alsace worsted by the French and oblig'd to repass the Rhine And in the Year 1675 there was a great probability that it would not have gone very well with them on this side of the Rhine if the brave Turenne had not been kill'd by an accidental Shot which oblig'd the French who were ignorant of his Design after a sharp Engagement to retire on the other side of the Rhine For the rest Spain lost most by this War for the Franche Compte was taken from them Messina receiv'd voluntarily a French Garrison and the Dutch Fleet which was sent to the Assistance of the Spaniards into Sicily got nothing but Blows the brave Admiral de Ruyter being there slain tho' afterwards the French quitted Messina on their own accord Besides this the French took from them these strong holds Limburgh Conde Valenciennes Cambray Yper St. Omer Aire and several others The Prince of Orange retook Graves but in the Battel of Seneffe and St. Omer he was worsted and sustained a considerable loss before Mastricht At last France ended this War very gloriously for it self restoring to Holland what it had taken from those Provinces but kept Burgundy and a great many strong places in the Spanish Netherlands In Germany in lieu of Philipsburgh it got Friburgh and for the rest the Westphalian and Copenhagen Treaties were renewed by Virtue of which Sweden was restored to its own again § 25. To consider the French Nation whose History we have briefly related it must be observ'd That it is swarming if I may so speak with People and sow'd thick with Cities and Towns Under the Reign of Charles IX it is related That above twenty Millions of People paid the Poll Tax Some say That Richlieu affirm'd that by Computation France could bring into the Field 600000 Foot and 150000 Horse provided every Man that was able to bear Arms did go into the Field This Nation also has been always warlike nevertheless in