it However the Mareschal De la Chátre was preferr'd to him The Court would not give an Abâ—… Man and a Protestant whom they were jealous of the Command of an Army designed to joyn Prince Maurice his Friend and Brother-in-Law Bouillon made a great noise Must my Religion said he exclude me from all Employs due to my Rank and Services When Mons the Prince returns I 'll try to make a Party to oppose this new Triumvirate of the Count of Soissons the Duke of Epernon and the Cardinal of Joyeuse These Men would be Masters of all things Edicts revoked for the ease of the People A Declaration in favour of the Protestants To hinder the Princes and discontented Lords from causing an Insurrection among the People or raising the Protestants they took care to give Satisfaction to every Man FÃfty four Edicts for taxing the People were Revoked diverse Commissions were superseded and the price oâ—… Salt abated one fourth part To remove alâ—… Distrust from the Protestants a Declaration on was set forth to confirm the Edict of Nants Though as the young King is reported to have said this Formality was not necessary in regard that Law was Irrevocable and Perpetual Those who had the greatest Interest in the Party they strove to gain by Presents The Regent sent word to Du Plessis Mornay He might ask what he liked best and that her Majesty would readily grant it Vie de Mr. du Plessis Mornay 〈◊〉 a la fin No Man shall ever Reproach me said that Wise and Religious Gentlewoman with taking Advantage of the Disasters of my Country or extorting the least thing from a Minor King or his Distressed Mother If the Queen order me to be paid what has been long due to me I will look on this Order as a new Gratification The Prince of Conde's Return Affairs were in this Posture when the Prince of Conde prepared to return into France No sooner did the Count of Fuentes hear of the Death of Henry but he employed all his Wit and Address to perswade the Prince not to neglect so fair an Opportunity to make himself King Mem. de la Regençe de Marie de Medicis The Divorce of your Kinsman from Margaret of France and his Marriage with Mary de Medicis says the crafty Spaniard are contrary to the Laws of God and of the Church Will you tamely lose a Crown which belongs to you Have but Courage to assert your Right you will not want Power or Support I offer you all the King my Mâ—…ster can do for you If the Authority of the Holy See interposed in the Divorce of Henry we will find a way to engage Paul V. to declare null what his Predecessour did The Thing is not without Example Fuentes caused the Project to be proposed to the Pope who rejected it Condé did not any more give ear to it either because the Design appeared Chimerical to him or remembring the proceedings against Charlotte de la Trimoville his Mother he did not dare attempt to contest the Legitimacy of the Children of a King who had employed all his power to make him so when a great many thought his Condition doubtful Conde went from Milan to Brussels to take the Princess his Wife Firm in his Resolution to content himself with the Rank he had in France he would not suffer himself to be allured by a deceitful Appearance and therefore prepares to resume his former place at Court The Regent pressed him every day to it and his Friends waited with Impatience for him Tâ—…e Arrival of the Prince Conde at Paris Those of the House of Lorrain the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of of Sulli went to Senlis to meet him And now a new Part began to appear on the Stage The Regent took Umbrage at this The Count of Soissons the Duke of Epernon and the Cardinal of Joleuse fearing there was a design to drive them from Court began to think of defending themselves Mary alarm'd her self hearkned to the Advice given her to arm the Parisians New Officers were chosen who took an Oath to the Queen in the Town-Hall and in less than eight days time above an hundred Thousand Men were in Arms. However Conde enter'd Paris accompanied with fifteen Hundred Gentlemen He had received intelligence from different Hands that at the Sollicitation of the Count of Soissons the Regent would secure his Person and the Mareschal of Bouillon But the kind Reception he met with from their Majesties dispersed all these Jealousies Two powerful â—…aâ—…tions at Court The Prince of Conde at the head of one and the Count Soisson 8 of the other 〈◊〉 He declared at first he had no design to dispute the Regency which the Queen was in possession of Notwithstanding this the frequent Cabals he had with the Heads of his Party sometimes at the Hôtel of Mayenne and sometimes at the Arsenal gave an extream Jealousie The Duke of Sulii Master of the Artillery which was there and the Money the late King had lodged in the Bastile could have furnished Conde with means to undertake something considerable But he had not the Courage Either because the Arming the Citizens broke his Measures or the Guises united with him were more concerned for their own Interests than the greatness of a Prince naturally an Enemy of their House These Men privately had assured the Queen they only joined themselves to the Prince of Conde to skreen themselves from the ill Designs of the Count of Soissons who endeavour'd to depress them and they should be the first to leave him if he ever declared against her Majesty Conde might have spared the Guises and might have made the Queen the Count of Soissons and all the contrary Faction tremble by following the Counsel of the Mareschal of Bouillon Memoires de Dac de Rohan This was to return to the Reformed Church which Henry had forced him to forsake and declare himself Protectour of the Protestants in France Supported by the Experience and Credit of Bouillon secure of the Money in the Bastile which Sully could put into his hands strengthned with a great number of Swisses which Rohan their Colonel General would have brought to him followed by all the Protestant Nobility who would have been at his Devotion Master of several good and well fortified Cities with all these great Advantages the first Prince of the Blood would have balanced the power of the Regent and made himself formidable at home and abroad But he was only good to enrich himself like a Country Gentleman Covetous and Contentious in reasoning a point of Law or Discussing a Question of School Divinity Some had put it into his Head to desire the Reversion of the Dignity of Constable but he had the Mortification to see himself denied Too Happy in obtaining the Hôtel of Condi now called Conde which the Queen bought for him As soon as the Mareschal of Bouillon perceived that the
Men and perhaps by degrees ruin them by engaging them after his Example to make excessive expences in Buildings Play and other more Criminal Pleasures In this he found his Account in a double manner It was his natural Inclination though he was a Manager good enough and those who could embroil the State would be drained of Money and Credit and forced to depend on the bounty of their Prince This did not succeed in all points as he had projected it If the Constable of Montmorency the Dukes of Montpensier and Epernon the Mareschals of Bouillon and Biron did not proceed so far as to take Arms to express their Resentment some because they were not Rewarded according to their mind others because some Ministers Confidents of the King had a greater share in secret Councils than themselves Yet these I ords created him great Disquiet The just punishment of Biron the most imprudent and violent of all the Malecontents and the Submissions of the Mareschal de Bouillon Defeated the Conspiracy which Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy had laid in his Journey to Paris and Philip the III. the New King of Spain had promised to support That of the Marquise de Vernueil a Mistress of the King who had foolishly promised to make her his Wife before he was married to Mary de Medicis was likely to have had terrible Consequences but was fortunately broke by the Condemnation of d'Entragues Father of the Marchioness and the Imprisonment of the Count d' Auvergue her Brother by the Mothers side and Natural Son to Charles the IX The King complained the Court of Spain promised Aid to all his Factious Subjects He shew'd his Resentment publickly when he discovered an Intrigue of the Spanish Ambassador with a Gentleman of Provence who undertook to deliver up the Town of Marseilles to Philip the III. Two Rival Powers have ever matter to Recriminate when the one thinks he can convict the other of a secret Infraction of Treaties The Ambassadour without scruple Reproached the King with assisting the Vnited Provinces after the Peace of Vervins and endeavouring to raise the Moors in Spain In some occasions Henry was not more upright and sincere than Philip. Princes seldom concern themselves much about so fair a Vertue No sooner had the King of France setled his Affairs and amassed several Millions by the Care and Management of the Duke of Sully Superintendent of the Finances but he began to think in earnest of Humbling the Pride of the House of Austria This was the Language of those times the World is busi'd at present in Leagues to oppose the Ambitious Designs of France Henry waiting only for a Specious Pretence to make War on Spain renewed his ancient Alliances abroad and carried on Negotiations with diverse Princes to bring them over to his Interests By the Treaty of Marriage between the Infanta Isabella and Arch-Duke Albert Philip the II. had given his dear Daughter the Soveraignty of the Provinces which Spain had at that time in the low Countries Catherine Sister of Isabel brought Charles Emmanuel Duke of Savoy her Husband but a very moderate Fortune So unequal a Division did not satisfie the Ambition of a Prince who was always stirring to make himself Great though he could never obtain his Aim Charles thought the Dutchy of Milan ought in Right to be given up to him Henry seeks to take the Advantage of Discontent of the Duke A Proposition is made to Assist the Duke in the Conquest of a Country which lay so convenient for him and to give the Kings Eldest Daughter in Marriage to his Son On these Conditions Charles voluntarily makes a League Offensive and Defensive with France Some pretend all the Powers of Europe were engaged in it or at least ought to have been to confine the House of Austria to Spain and its Hereditary Countries in Germany but the Project which is ascribed to Henry on this occasion is strangely Chimerical If it be true that this King ever entertained a thought of that kind and proposed no other end in so vast Enterprize than the glory of having brought Euâ—…ope to a Balance Henry doubâ—…less was the vainest Man in his Kingdom Is it not much more probable that seeing so favourable an occasion to revenge himself on Spain he was resolved to make his advantage of it The Declension of that Monarchy was visible to all the World Philip the III. a Prince Inferiour to his Father for his Parts found it in so ill a condition that being unable to supply Arch-Duke Albert with Provisions necessary for carrying on the War against the Vnited Provinces he was constrained to make a shameful Truce with the States-General in which he owns them to be free and Disclaims any Pretension of his own or the Arch-Dukes over them We must not think Spain wanted good Generals brave Officers or States-Men bred in the Cabinet of Philip II. but the Duke of Lerma her first Minister had neither Genius nor Ability to gain his Master Reputation abroad or govern a Monarchy opprest with its own Greatness The House of Austria was still weaker in Germany The Emperour Rodolphus had no great Vices but the Vertues which make up the chief Character of a Prince were wanting in him Shut up in his City of Prague he employed himself in any thing rather than Politicks Had he had good Ministers he would not have hindred them from acting well But he had so little care to chuse them or observe their steps that himself did not know whether he was well or ill served Rodolphus did not live in good understanding with his Brethren The Arch-Duke Matthias forced him to give up the Kingdom of Hungary to him and secure to him the Succession to the Crown of Bohemia Both unable to keep their Subjects of different Religion in Peace were obliged to receive the Conditions which the stronger Party imposed on them England is so seated it ought equally to fear least Spain or France become too Potent James the First succeeded to Queen Elizabeth a Princess whose Memory is still dear to the English for her great Courage her matchless Prudence and her sincere Love to her People Both Crowns strove which should make an Alliance with the New King They believed that being more Potent than his Predecessors by the Union of the Crown of Scotland to that of England he would be more able to hold the balance even or make it incline to which side he pleased But James still fearful and wavering governed by his Wife or his Favourites soon shewed the World he was fitter to manage the Pen than the Sword to write on a Question of Civil Law or Divinity than to Reign gloriously and make himself formidable to his Neighbours He made a Treaty of Alliance with Henry Both Kings engaged to assist the Vnited Provinces and to defend each other in case either of them was attacked by the Spaniards The Court of Madrid exasperated to find the King of Great Britain
take to a contrary Interest possibly underhand countenanced the discontented Party and the Papists in England formed that Horrible Attempt which has since been call'd the Gunpowder Plot. Since that time James ever dreaded the Spaniards And they were so Skillful to improve this weakness of his and Avarice of his Ministers that far from opposing the Enterprizes of the House of Austria you will find he will patiently suffer her to dispossess the Elector Palatine who married a Daughter of England Henry IV. prepares for War In this posture were the Affairs of Europe when Henry Troops and bring them to to raise Troops and bring them to the Frontiers of Champagne John William Duke of Cleves Bergh and Juliers dying without Children lest a contended Succession His four Sisters or their Children had each different Pretenstions some Imperial Constitutions contrary to each other embroil'd the Affair more Some of these determined the Fees of the Contested Countries to be the right of the Heirs Male and others supposed Daughters capable of the Succession Among all the Princes who were pretenders the Right of John Sigismund Elector of Brandenburgh and that of Philip Lewis Palatin of Newburgh were the most plausible The first had married the Daughter of the Eldest Sister of the last Duke and the other was Husband of the second Sister who maintained that the Succession was devolved on her to the prejudice of the Children of her Eldest Sister Deceased before Duke John William These two Princes each took possession of a part of those Estates they pretended did entirely belong to them But it was to be feared a third stronger than both of them would make himself Master of the best places while they made War to drive each other out Therefore the Landgrave of Hess their common Friend made them consent to a Provisional Treaty In this they promised to terminate their Differences Amicably and by Arbitration and to joyn their Forces against any who should Attempt to usurp the Countries of Cleves and Juliers Till this should be decided it was agreed they should govern Individually and in common and without prejudice to the right of the Emperor or the other Princes pretenders The States of the Country Assembled at Dusseldorp took this Affair into their Cognizance at the Intreaty of the King of France who already declared for the two Princes They were both Protestants and the Vnited Provinces supported them as far as they were able This gave Umbrage to the Arch-Dukes of the low Countries whose Estates bordered on one side on those of Juliers A certain Prince of their House in Germany would have been glad to have made his Advantage in this Litigious Title The pretence of Religion is never wanting upon occasion and here it would have been very seasonable The Governour of Juliers then is won over and Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasbourg and Passaw passes secretly into the place He brought with him a Commission from the Emperour who pretended to be the Natural and Soveraign Judge of a Difference arising about the Fiefs of the Empire and in the mean time he gave to his Cousin Leopold the Administration of the contested places This Sequestration seem'd to tend to an Usurpation By the Addition of the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers to its other Hereditary Countries the House of Austria was in a condition to oppress the German Liberties with more ease The Neighbourhood of the low Countries gave the King of Spain an opportunity to send his best Troops to the Assistance of his Kinsmen This Enterprize ought to have alarmed equally all the Princes of Germany but the Jealousie caused by difference of Religion made the Duke of Bavaria the Electours of Mentz Triers and some others fear the Protestant Party would be too strong if the disputed Countries should fall to a Prince of that Religion See then the Catholicks assemble at Wirtsbourg and form there a League of which the Duke of Bavaria was Chief and send a Deputation to Rome and Madrid to demand Aid of Pope Paul the V. and Philip King of Spain On the other hand the Protestants come in great numbers to Hall in Swabia The Electour and Princes of Saxony do not appear there Those of the branch of Weymar and Koburg had their particular Pretensions to the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers and hoped the House of Austria would espouse their right sooner than that of other Princes more jealous of her growing Greatness The Elector of Saxony contented himself to send to Hall in conjunction with the King of Denmark to exhort all the Pretenders to put their Interests into the Emperours hand The Resolutions taken in that Assembly were kept private The Prince of Anhalt whom those of Brandenburgh and Newburg had desired to go on a Negotiation to the Court of France returned to Hall accompanied with Boissise Ambassadour from the King This Minister declared publickly his Master would Assist them with all his Strength and would march himself at the Head of a powerful Army to oppose the Designs of the House of Austria The Vnited Provinces too promised to joyn their Troops with those of Henry The Neighbourhood of the Contested Countries made it unsafe for them to suffer them to fall into the hands of a Kinsman or Friend of Spain The mortal Displeasure the King of France had to see the Arch-Dukes of the low Countries and the King of Spain receive the Prince of Conde with open Arms who had secretly withdrawn himself to Brussels with the Princess his Wife and promise him all sort of Assistance against the Injustice done him by Henry This Accident I say hapning at the same time with the Affair of Cleves and Julieâ—…s urged him more to a War than the Noble desire to assist his Allies Being Resolved to revenge the many Affronts he had received from Philip the II. and his Son and to have the Princess of Conde back what ever it cost him Henry again sent Troops towards the Alps. Lesdiguieres who from a mean Birth and Fortune had raised himself by degrees during the Wars in Dauphiny and Provence and had obtained the staff of Mareschal of France This Man was sent to conduct to the Duke of Savoy the Troops designed against Italy and to Attack the Milanese in Conjunction with him Vast Preparations were made These at first were covered with the ordinary pretence of the Publick Safety the preserving the Râ—…pose of Europe and the maintaining the Kings Allies in their rightful Possession but a Vile and Criminal Passion made them to encrease and march with the greatest Expedition Henry it was said had reason to fear that his ancient Enemies abusing the easiness and resentment of the first Prince of the Blood should excite an Ambition in him and put it into his Head to contest the Validity of the Marriage of the King with Mary de Medicis after a Divorce founded on very frivolous Reasons and the I egitimacy of his Children by this second Wife
but to speak the Truth the Absence of his Fair Angel for so he call'd the Princess of Conde lay nearer his Heart than any thing besides Mâ—…moires de Bassompierre No sooner did Henrietta Charlotte of Montmorency appear in the World but the good King became Amorous to the last degree of Folly The Constable her Father would have married her to Bassompierre a Gentleman of Lorrain who was well received at Court and in great favour with the King but Henry broke off this Match when it was very far advanced Bassompierre seemed too likely to engage the Affections of his Wife The Prince of Conde he thought would be a Husband less troublesom to a Lover by giving him Diversion in Hunting he flattered himself he should find time and means to deceive a Man who was not so discerning and jealous as the other would have been In a word Henry who could not content himself with his own Wife was willing as he freely said to Bassompeierre that his nearest Kinsman should be a Comfort and Support to him in his old Age which he was now entering into The Fliâ—…ht of the Prince of Conde The Prince soon perceived the King was desperately in love with the Lady he had married Henry's Passion appeared more clearly every day than other he could not keep himself within the Rules of Decency The new Husband could not contain himself any more He complains is transported and throws off all Respect To make him more complaisant and tractable his Pensions are taken away Notwithstanding his pressing Instances for the Money promised in Marriage he meets with nothing but denial These Hardships served only to exasperate a young Mâ—…n whom the Malecontents and the private Enemies of the King urged incessantly with Motives of Honour and encreased his Jealousie by representing the King was not Master of his Passion and might be transported by it to some Violence So that in fine the Prince of Conde determined to take his Wife with him and retire into the Low Countries The News of their Flight was a Clap of Thunder to the Amorous Old Man He immediately calls his Ministers who were his chief Confidents to concert Measures with them in so nice a Juncture The Chancellour de Sillery tells him with a great deal of Gravity He ought to make Good and Firm Declarations against the Prince of Conde and all his Adherents Could the slow Proceedings in a Court of Justice be a speedy and effectual Remedy for the Despair of a Lover who thought himself the most unfortunate Man in the World when the Object of his Passion was separated from him Villeroy Secretary of Sâ—…ate was of Opinion the King should write to his Ambassadors in Foreign Courts and order them to press the Princes not to receive Conde who had withdrawn himself without the King's leave and send him forthwith into France The Counsel of Villeroy was not heard This would have required a Negotiation with the Princes into whose Dominions Conde was fled A delay of this kind did not agree with the Uneasiness and Impatience of Henry When the Duke of Sully was asked what his Opinion was I foresaw this Accident said he to the King If your Majesty would have followed the Advice I gave you some days since and put Monsieur the Prince in the Bastile I would have taken care to have kept him well That 's true reply'd the King but what must we do now Nothing said Sully after he had mused for a small time near the Window A Fugitive Subject is soon abandoned by all the World if his Master do not appear concerned to ruin him If you shew the least eagerness to have Monsieur the Prince given up your Enemies will take Pleasure to vex you by receiving him well and aiding him Doubtless this was the best part he had to act but Henry was too Amorous to take it The Counsel of the President Jeannin was more pleasing to him He propos'd to send a Captain of the Guards after him to bring him back if he could seize him otherwise to send immediately to Brussels where the Prince would not fail to shelter himself and demand him of the Archduke and Dutchess and to menace them with a War if they refused to restore him Albert and Isabel added Jeannin have no Tye to Monsieur the Prince and the King of Spain will not have time to write to them to keep him What appearance is there that weak and timorous Persons will for so small a Matter draw your Majesty's Power on them Doubtless the Event would have been as Jeannin had imagin'd if the famous Ambrose Spinola had not been at that time with the Archdukes Albert and Isabel awed by the Menaces of a Warlike King who had made great Preparations would have complied with the Desires of Henry But Spinola with vehemence represented to them they could not in Humanity refuse a Retreat and Protection to a persecuted Prince who asked no more than a Shelter for his Honour and Person against the Insults which he had reason to apprehend That at least their Highnesses ought not to give a positive Answer without first consulting the Catholick King in an Affair of that Importance So in concert with the Court of Madrid an Answer was given to those sent by Henry That the Honour and inviolable Rights of Hospitality would not allow the Archdukes to restore the Prince without his own Consent into the Hands of the King But their Highnesses would take care he should not do any thing during his stay there against the Respect and Obedience due to his Sovereign So modest a Denial serv'd only to inflame the King's Anger and make him more obstinate in his Demands of the Prince and Princess of Conde He sent Orders every Day to repeat the Instances to the Archdukes While he was arming powerfully in his Kingdom the French who were at Brussels took Measures to carry off the Princess who gave ground to believe she was not very averse to it The People ran to Arms to oppose this Violence Conde at last resolv'd to retire to Milan and the Infanta took the Princess into her own Palace The Archdukes had promised not to give her up without the Consent of the Prince The Constable of Montmorency sollicited by the King demanded his Daughter and the nearest Kindred of the Princess wrote to Brussels as well as he They alledged that all the Family would have the Marriage annull'd The King had recourse to the Pope He pressed him to interpose his Authority that the Princess being set at liberty might demand a Dissolution of it She did not love her Husband and the Bigotry of the Infanta who watched her narrowly was so contrary to the Humour of a young Person accustomed to the Pleasures of the Court of France that she seemed not very averse to the Divorce her Kindred proposed to her at least in appearance But all these Subtilties wore fruitless The Archdukes inflexible in their Word
Blasphemies against the late King Henry III. and against the Persons and States of Kings and Soveraign Princes The Jesuits have ever had their Partisans and Adversaries The first were ready to excuse them and the latter rose up against them with great Zeal and Vehemence The Abbot Dubois preaching at St. Eustace in Paris undertook in one of his Sermons to refute the Opinions of Mariana By a figure of Rhetorick lively enough he addrest his Speech to the good Fathers and exhorted them strongly for the future to take care in the Books published in the name of their Body and with Approbation of their Superious to let nothing pass offensive to France unless the Jesuits would expose themselves to Dangers which all their Prudence strengthen'd by the Power of their Friends would not be able to avoid This Discourse made a great Impression on the Audience They went away enraged against the Society and the People appeared extreamly incensed against them Complaint was made to the Queen of this Sermon and she remitted the Affair to the Archbâ—…shop of Paris Dubois protested before that Prelate he meant no hurt to the Society My Love said he to Truth my Grief for the Death of the King and a just Dread of the fatal Effects that the Doctrine of Mariana may produce such Sentiments as these made me speak in that manner The Archbishop of Paris had nothing to reply and contented himself with exhorting the Preacher to live well with all the Servants of God and particularly with the Jesuits But it had been more to the purpose to perswade effectually those good Fathers to pardon the Abbot the injury which they thought they had received I do not know how it came to pass but Dubois had the Imprudence to go to Rome the next year and then they did not want colour to shut him up in a close Prison The Patience of Father Coton Confessour to the late King could not bear to hear the General Exclamation against his Brethren He resolved to justifie the Society against the Imputation on the account of Mariana's Book His Wise and discerning Friends advised Coton to say nothing for fear of any Misunderstanding in an Affair that must be so nicely handled Every one wonder'd that a Man who knew the World so well and wanted not Prudence should not take so good Advice He published a long Letter addressed to the Queen to perswade the World Mariana was a private Person disown'd by their Body who had true Notions of the Authority of Princes and the Obedience due to them The thing happened at the Friends of the Jesuits had foretold A thousand Pamphlets were instantly published against the Fathers Letter It is full say they of Ambiguous Expressions and Tricking They insulted him on his pretended disclaiming the Doctrine which was plainly forced to comply with present necessity It comes too late said some maliciously enough to the good Fathers but perhaps it will not be useless to the Children of him who is now in his Grave Indeed the defence of Coton was weak and ill put together What he said of the Complaints of the Provincial Congregation held at Paris some years before and the Answer of their General Aquaviva gave an Advantage to the Enemies of the Society The French Jesuits having desired their Superiour to stop the Liceace and Suppress the Books of some Authours who had written some things to the prejudice of France the Father gave them this Answer We approve the Judgment and Care of your Congregation And we are very sorry that this was not discover'd till after the Impression of those Books We have taken order they shall be corrected and we will have a care that nothing of the like nature shall happen for the future This is very cold and ambiguous for an Opinion which allows Attempts on the Lives of Soveraigns Here are some of the Prudential Managements of the Children of this World But there is no formal disavowing that execrable Dogm the Defenders of which deserve an Exemplary punishment We must be very simple to believe that the Superiours of the Society did not know what Mariana and others of the same stamp wrote till after the Publication of their Works do's not all the World know what are their Statutes relating to the Publication of their Books It is to little purpose that Coton cites several Authours of different Sentiments from Mariana If among so many able Men there was none to be found who maintain Homicide to be absolutely forbid by the Laws of God it would be a very extraordinary thing The permission of the Society to print Mariana's Book is ground enough to conclude they approve it or at least do not condemn it as ill These Writers pass for grave Authours but according to the Principles of Probability a Dogm which ows its Birth to or at least is adopted by the Society in all its Forms James Clement could on the Authority of Mariana Assassinate Henry III. And his Successour might be kill'd with a safe Conscience at least at a time when Sixtus V. and Gregory XIV darted all the Thunder of the Vatican against him The Jesuits bore the most violent Assaults of the Preachers of Paris The Funeral of Henry IV. at the time of Henry's Funerals The Ceremony was performed with the usual pomp The Heart was sent to the College of Jesuits which the King had founded at la Fleche in Anjou He had ordered it thus before his Death Coton made his Funeral Oration there The Body was first carried to the Cathedral Church of Paris and from thence conveyed to the ordinary Burying-place of the Kings of France The Bishop of Aire pronounced the Elogy of the Deceased King at Notre Dame and the Bishop of Anger 's at St. Denys Tho' Henry might deserve in the Eyes of the World the Title of Great his Vertues and Actions did not deserve the Church of Rome should interrupt her Holy Rites to make his Panegyrick in a Pulpit which ought to be Sacred to the Preaching of the Truth What can a good Christian say in praise of a Prince dead in several Criminal Habits on the point of putting all Europe in a Flame and causing a great Effusion of Blood to satisfie his Ambition to revenge himself of his Enemies who were not in a condition to hurt him to force away a Princess in the face of the World whose Husband took Refuge to defend himself from the Solicitations and Pursuits of a King whom love had deprived of all Senseand Reason His pretended Conversion was a fair Field for prophane Orators void of Religion to exercise their Eloquence Their Triumph in so Important a Conquest served to cover his ill Life and impenitent Death But were they ever assured Henry was sincerely a Catholick Let us leave that to the judgment of God If it be true this Princes Conscience was setled in matters of Faith it is certain his irregular Life did not do much honour to the
Man believe they were about to form a Potent League against the Turk and hoped to engage the King of Great Britain the Vnited Provinces Prince Maurice of Orange and the rest of the House of Nassau in it These Men says the Queen Lovers of Glory they will not be uneasie to have this occasion to add more to that which they acquired by their Valour The Picture which she makes of King James the I. must not be omitted here I own continues Mary that he persecutes the Catholicks cruelly But in shortâ—… he is a Prince who loves nothing but Peace He do's not seek to make himself Great aâ—… the Expence of his Neighbours he declareâ—… himself an Enemy to all Subjects who Rebel against their Princes If he could bâ—… sure of the Fidelity and good Intentions of thâ—… English Catholicks he would let them live peaceably As he is very averse to the Calvinists he will soon change in favour of his Catholicks if they give him no occasion of Suspicion or Distrust Complaints of the Court of France against the Duke of Savoy The Principal Article of this Instruction regards the Duke of Savoy He seemed to threaten to Attack the City of Geneva and the Country of Vaux belonging to the Canton of Bern. The Queen will have it represented to the Pope that the Ambition and Turbulent Humour of the Savoyard would put all Europe in a Flame and hinder the conclusion of the League which it was pretended was designed against the common Enemy of Christendom and that Henry III. and Henry IV. having taken Geneva and the Country of Vaux into the Protection of their Crown honour and Justice engaged their Successors to defend the one and the other in case the Duke of Savoy should attempt to attack them He beasts adds the Queen that his Holiness approves and favours his Designs that it is not probable The Pope knows better than any other Man in the World the Humour Power and Interest of Charles Emanuel His Enterprize can never succeed And when the King of Spain shall Reflect on the ill Consequences of these Motions of the Duke he will be the first Man to Condemn them Besides it is not well known what are the true Designs of Charles Emanuel When we demand why he keeps so many Troops afoot he answers the Spaniards being in Arms in the Milanese Prudence requires him to provide for the Security of his Dominions The Catholick Swiss Cantons making the same Demands the Ministers reply their Master will Reinstate the Bishops of Geneva and Lausanne in their ancient Rights He promises one thing at the same time he is under contrary Obligations to the King of Spain We have great reason to believe he keeps secret Intelligence with the Protestants of France and other Countries At present he is Intriguing to make an Alliance with the King of England by a double Marriage of their Children For the better understanding this Article it is necessary for me to take things a little higher and relate the several steps of Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy after the Death of Henry IV. The great Perplexily of the Duke of Savoy upon the Death of Henry IV. This unforeseen Accident mightily embarast him and he was forced to act an hundred different Parts sometimes to pacifie the Court of Spain incensed against him at another time to preserve the powerful Support he had from France and lastly to find an Opportunity to gratifie his unbounded Ambition In the first place the Duke was Sollicitous to gaiâ—â— from the Regent a Confirmation of thâ—… Promise which Henry had made him 〈◊〉 give Madame the Eldest Daughter 〈◊〉 France in Marriage to the Prince of Piâ—â—mont whom he preferred to the Prinâ—â— of Spain who had likewise been propose to him If I would make my Son a Great King said Henry Mem. de la Regence de Marie de Medicis like a Man of good Sense it is not necessary my Daughters should be Queens Care was taken to amuse Charles Emanuel with fine Words whilst a Treaty was privately managed with King Philip. As soon as the Duke discovered this he made complaints to the Court of France but the Regent very far from having regard to his Instances Demanded of him all the Writings about the Marriage designed by Henry IV. The rest of the Princes of Italy not less Embarassed than the Duke of Savoy The other Sovereigns of Italy were not involved in lesser Difficulties than Charles Emanuel The Republick of Venice and some others had a share in the Designs of Henry on the side of the Alpes As soon as they heard of his unfortunate Death they were all equally afraid Spain delivered from so Formidable an Enemy should now in earnest think of over-running Italy under colour of chastising the Duke of Savoy and the rest who kept Intelligence with Henry in order to drive the Spaniards out of the Milanese Paul V. scared sent for the Venetian Ambassador to him Write instantly to the Seignoury Siri Memorie recordite T. II. p. 285 286. says the Pope that I intreat them for the love of God to take care we may all agree in so Terrible a Juncture Measures must be taken for preserving Italy and the young King of France I plainly see he is in great Danger The Spaniards are busie to create strange Work for him I am ready to labour in Concert with and declare my self with the Republick The Wise Conduct of the Sâ—…nate of Veâ—…ice The Duke of Savoy had sent his Secretary to Venice to press earnestly the Senate to conclude with all Speed a League Offensive and Defensive against the Spaniards Siri Memorie recondite Tom. II. p. 288 291 They make new Levies says his Minister and Distribute Money to draw Officers into their Service The Duke my Master sees these Preparations are more designed against him than any other He is resolved to continue steddy to his Vnion with France will defend himself to the last gasp of Breath and sooner submit to the Turk than Spaniard You are to consider whether his Fall will not be followed by that of your Republick The speedy Conclusion of a League Offensive and Defensive is the only Means to prevent the Disasters which threaten us alike The Venetians who very well knew the Power of Spain did not presently take the Alarm They thought it necessary before they declared to be well assured of the good Intentions and Concurrence of France the Minority of the King having changed the face of Affairs there To engage Mary de Medicis to declare her self the Seignory wisely caused the League Offensive and Defensive against Spain to be proposed to her The Regent did not in any manner intend to pursue the Designs of Henry This therefore without farther Consideration she replied to the Senate that the Under-age of her Son would not suffer her to engage in a Foreign War but if the Senate thinks it Expedient that she make a Defensive
Condition but was drunk before he finished it The Elector caused him to be set in a Chair and ordered the drunken Preacher to be carried back to the Princess The next time Madam he bid them tell her Make a better choice of your Men. If you would have me profit by your Advices send such Men as are more proof against the Temptation than I am Princes often would want place in History if it was not necessary now and then to divert the Reader and paint the Folly of Vice The Electoral Diet at Nutembergh John George the New Elector of Saxony came to Nurembergh with his Collegues about the beginning of October The first Affair treated of there was the Contest between the Dukes of Deux-Ponts and Neuburgh about the Administration of the Electorate during the Minority of the young Count Palatine of the Rhine Mercure Francois 16â—â— 1611. This was to continue till he was arrived at 18 years of Age according to the Golden Bull. Frederick VI. Elector Palatine deceased the preceding year had given by his Will the Guardianship of his Children and the Administration of the Electorate to John Duke of Deux-Ponts He was received at Heidelbergh in this Quality notwithstanding the Opposition of Philip Lewis Duke of Neuburgh who pretended to the Administration as being the nearest Kinsman as is appointed in the Golden Bull of the Emperor Charles IV. The Counsellors of the Palatinate liked the Duke of Deux-Ponts best because he was of the Established Religion of their Country whereas Neuburgh was of the Ausburgh Confession They grounded this Preference on the Examples of several Electors Palatine who appointed Guardians to their Children and Administrators of the Electorate to the prejudice of their nearest Kinsmen The Affair was remitted to the Emperor Till a full Decision of the Guardianship and Administration were adjudged with a provision to the Duke of Deux-Ponts The Electoral Diet of Nurembergh did not any more give a Defensive Judgment It was concluded here that the Duke of Deux-Ponts should keep the Place of Count Palatine without prejudice to the Duke of Newburgh's Title In the beginning of November the Electors sent a Deputation to the Emperor The Electors Demands of the Emperor to represent to him the things which they thought proper to desire from him These were that Justice should be Reestablished That he should chuse more Faithful Counsellors That he should Summon a General Diet That the Electors having no design to chuse a King of the Romans without the consent of his Imperial Majesty or to remove the Empire from the House of Austria Rodolphus would Name his Successor The Electors assured him at the same time they did not approve of the Attempts of his Brother Matthias In the close they Admonished him that the ill Administration of the Empire proceeded from his Majesty 's not following the example of his Predecessors who used to consult with the Electors The Answer of the Emperor Rodolphus Rodolphus only gave a General Answer I know says he the Empire do's want a King of the Romans The Electors have spoke to me of chusing one and I design to Nominate one who is fit to fill the Place I should have done this sooner if the Troubles in Bohemia had not entirely taken me up But before I declare my self I shall be glad to see a General Diet and I will be present there The Electors should take care that I may speak freely there what I think to be for the good of the Empire The Electors having received the Emperor's Answer broke up the 12th of November after they had resolved to hold a Diet at Francfort in the Month of April the next year for the Election of a King of the Romans Europe was then in Mourning for the Death of Margaret of Austria The Death of the Queen of Spain Wife to Philip the III. King of Spain She left behind her four Sons and two Daughters Philip Charles Ferdinand Alphonso and Ann whom we shall soon see Queen of France and Margaret There was a Solemn Service for the Queen of Spain in the Cathedral Church of Paris The Princes of Conde Conti and the Duke of Guise performed the Honours and the Archbishop of Ambrun spoke the Funeral Oration The Death of the Duke and Dutchess of Mayenne The House of Guise had not long before lamented the Death of the Duke of Mayenne the Famous Head of the Holy League in France He died at Soissons the beginning of October The Duke of Aiguillon his Son Succeeded him and took the Name of the Duke of Mayenne The Father had gained a mighty Reputation in War but his Remissness made him lose many fair opportunities of encreasing it His Revolt against King Henry the III. was pardonable for the desire he had to Revenge the Death of his two Brothers if it were lawful I will not say for a Christian but for any Man whatever to kindle a Civil War to Revenge a private Injury His Opposition of Henry the IV. was not wholly the effect of his Zeal for the Old Religion The Duke of Mayenne was more moderate against this Prince after he left the Communion of the Reformed than before The ill Humour which the Miscarrying of the League had put him into made him take in Despair a Resolution to retire into Spain But the Clemency or rather the Policy of Henry stopt him The King proposed very Advantagious Conditions to him The Duke had in some manner deferved well from him though he strove to exclude him from the Crown Whilst the League was active Mayenne always opposed the design of Philip to procure a Prince of his House to be chosen Farther he kept the Duke of Guise his Nephew steddy who was dazled with the deceitful promises of the Spaniards When they proposed to the Duke of Mayenne to follow the Example of Hugh Capet who reserved the Sovereignty for himself permitting the Governors of Provinces and considerable Towns to make themselves Dukes and Counts Vassals of the Crown I would sooner die replied he generously than make an Advantage of the Misfortunes of my Country Henrietta of Savoy his Wife died of Regret a few days after him and both had the same Funeral Solemnity at Soissons The Dutchess of Lorrain and the Cardinal de Gonzaga came to the Court of France The Court was at Fontainblean when they heard of the Death of the Duke and Dutchess of Mayenne The Cardinal of Gonzaga and the Dutchess of Lorrain his Sister were come thither to pay a Visit to Mary de Medicis their Aunt They had great Honours done them and were regaled with all the Diversions which the place afforded It is reported the Dutchess of Lorrain came to mention the Match which the late King had proposed himself of his Eldest Son with the Princess of Lorrain This was the best thing the Regent could do for the young King's advantage Siri Mem. recondite To. II. p.
and Strength of France These Princes who were Apprehensive of the too great Power of the House of Austria were enter'd into a League with the Deceased King The good Correspondency that he took care to maintain in this sort of a Confederacy which he Headed did keep Spain in awe and within due bounds This put Henry in a capacity of undertaking any thing whenever he should think it most expedient But so soon as these Allies of France perceived that the Queen Regent was entring into a strict Alliance with the House of Austria they presently grew Jealous and betook themselves to other Measures The Venetians did not so openly declare themselves The Duke of Savoy extream angry that no regard was now had of the Treaties that had been made between King Henry and him sought all manner of ways to raise Commotions in France he had thoughts of siding with Spain if he might be secured of any thing to content his Ambition France taking no care to preserve the old good Correspondency that was between the Protestant Princes of Germany and elsewhere they fell off one from another The House of Austria that has always a watchful Eye to its own Interest was wise enough to make the best of these Divisions James King of England might have in this case supplied the Place of Henry the 4th and compel'd the Queen Regent to keep to the Model of Government that was left with her by the late King her Husband The concern of the Protestant Religion as well as the Wellfare of England did require that James should have at that time thought on 't better But alas the good Prince never lov'd sincerely either one or th' other Such a State of Affairs as this did well for the Court of Rome The Popes have been ever Spaniards by Inclination The Kings of Spain are wont to bring the Popes over to their Interest by affecting a great Zeal to ruine Heresie The aim of these is to raise their Worldly State and of the former to serve those that will best contribute to restore their Spiritual Monarchy It appears that the Court of France at this time was pleased with this old policy of Spain whereby to gain the Popes favour But was it not a little too late to think of this way The Court of Rome never keeps a Neutrality with France but when reduced to it by some emergent Necessity The French have Principles that are opposite to the Pope's Pretensions and to the greediness of his Courtiers The Factions which had formerly put France into such a Confusion under the Regency of Catharine of Medicis were now seen to revive under this Government of Mary For the maintaining of her own Authority Mary took care to bring down the Princes of the Blood Royal as that other Queen her Cousin had done before She thought fit to make use of the House of Guise which enter'd into a new Knot with that of the Duke d'Epernon Instead of joyning with the real Friends and Well-wishers of the Crown she gave her self over to be led by the Popes and King of Spain's Counsels who could not grow great but at the cost of young Lewis The Princes of the blood understood this great Evil. They were in the Right but in renouncing their Forefathers Religion they had lost all their Credit They likewise wanted Strength to oppose the Queen Regent's Designs They of the Reformed Religion in France being well inclin'd sought to prevent the Mischief this double Alliance with Spain would bring on the Head of the Protetestants But alas how could they help themselves There were now no Princes of the Blood to Head them any more The Grandees of that Communion divided more than ever since the Assembly at Saumur were now ready to undoe one another I come now to particulars of the History of the year 1612. We shall in it begin to see these three different Parties following their Intrigues and the different condition they are in The Queen Regent and her Confidents shall make use of the Kings Authority to cover their wicked Designs The Princes of the Blood shall exclaim against the ill Management of the Government but either no ear shall be given to what they 'll say or their Mouths shall be stopt by false Promises or slight Gratifications The Hugenot Party fully convinced that â—…ll effectual ways are taken to ruine them totally shall make loud Complaints and shall bestir themselves without being able to mend their Matters in the least thereby Their mutual Divisions will hinder them from having sufficient Strength to cause their just Remonstrances to be heard Negotiations touching a double Marriage betwixt France and Spâ—…in Cosme Grand Duke of Toscany now enter'd into a Closer Alliance with the House of Austria by a Marriage with Magdalen Arch-Dutchess of Grats does set on foot the Negotiation that was begun by his Father Ferdinand concerning a double Marriage to be concluded betwixt the two Crowns of France and of Spain The better to succeed for to obtain the Deceased Kings consent he proposed a third Match between Don Carlos King Philip the 3d's second Son and the Princess Christina second Daughter of France The King of Spain did offer to give with the Infant the Sovereignty of the Low Countries after the Arch-Dutchess Isabella's Death But Henry gave no ear to this New Proposal no more than to the former being convinced that it was only a Snare for to get him to Abandon the Protection of the Vnited Provinces As soon as the News of his Death was brought to Madrid Siri Memorie râ—â—â—ndite pag. 3â—…0 3â—â— c. the Duke of Florence's Embassador at that Court did again sâ—…t on foot the Business of the double Marriage He knew well enough how agreeable it would be to his Master to gratifie Mary of Medicis who had an extream desire this Affair might Succeed The Duke of Lerma and the other Spanish Ministers of State readily agreed to the renewing of this Negotiation but they finding that France was not now so much to be feared as heretofore they made some other lower Proposals These Gentlemen would hear no more of that third Marriage of Don Carlos with the Princess Christina pretending that their King was unwilling to Alienate and cut off for ever the Sovereignty of the Low Countries from the Monarchy of Spain and they did even give out that Philip was not out of Hopes of reducing the Vnited Provinces as soon as the Truce was expired or broke And on pretence that the Daughters of France do not carry along with them into another Family any Right of Succession to the Crown the Council of Spain scrupled moreover to give the Eldest Infanta of Spain to the New King of France so that they would offer only the Second Daughter Mary of Medicis would have been contented with this it self so that Philip would also accept of the Second Daughter of France By this means a way was left to satisfie the Duke
The primitive Christians did they pretend the Empire to be in the Church She ought to obey God and Sovereigns but Emperors and Kings have none but God above them Thus they thought in the primitive Ages All the World would think still the same if Sovereigns would be instructed in their true Interests and those of the Religion they profess By giving great Riches and Principalities to the Clergy they have given them wherewith they may degrade their Benefactors Matthias having wisht the Empress his Spouse was Crown'd the Ceremony was perform'd two days after Leonard Donato Doge of Venice died almost at the same time Antony Memmi chosen Doge of Venice after the Death of Leonard Donato Antony Memmi was Elected in his place the 24th of July and Crown'd the next Morning The Dogate of Donato was famous for the Contest of the Republick with Pope Paul V. who interdicted all the Country of the Seigniory of Venice The Doge and Senate seem'd at first willing to defend courageously the lawful Authority of Sovereigns but when they were come to treat of this with the Pope the Venetians Degenerated from the Vigour and Stedfastness of their Ancestors upon the like occasions They yielded cowardly to almost all the Articles which the Court of Rome required from them except the Reestablishment of the Jesuits who had been gone after the Fulmination of the Interdiction The Society had done much more Mischief in France than at Venice In the mean time being extreamly content to see themselves deliver'd from the good Fathers these Wise Senators Resisted a longer time than France the Solicitations of the Court of Rome for the Reestablishment of their Society During this quarrel with the Pope the Seigniory had forbid the Subjects of the Republick under pain of perpetual Banishment to have any Commerce with the Jesuits or send their Children to studie in their Colleges The same Act was this year renew'd Mercure Francois 1612. upon the account of a Woman of Bresse who was gone to Castilione to live there under the direction of the good Fathers They had Establish't there I can't tell what College of Women and a great many Maids had put themselves into it The Brissan Lady sold the Estate she had in the States of the Republick to Augment this New Foundation but the Senate endeavour'd to stop the Money that arose from the Alienation and caused the Venetian Dames to be recall'd that might have put themselves under the conduct of the Society into the College of Castiglione The Mareschal d'Bouillon's Embassy to England The Mareschal Bouillon was gone extraordinary Ambassador into England and this was to impart to King James the double Marriage and so dissipate all Suspicions and Jealousies which this double Alliance might create in his Majesty Bouillon had a particular design in this Voyage Siri Memoire recondite Tom. II. p. 684 685 686. He was minded to Negotiate a Marriage of the young Elector Palatine Nephew of the Mareschal's Lady who was of the House of Orange with the Princess of England Mary of Medicis whom the Court of Rome always made use of for it's own ends had recommended to her Ambassador that he should complain to the King of great Britain for that he had enter'd into a League with the Protestant Princes of Germany against the Roman Religion and to desire his Britannick Majesty to moderate the Rigor of the Laws against the English who were of the Popish Communion The Mareschal had besides express Order to cause King James to Disapprove of the Demeanour of the Reform'd of France in their last Assembly at Saumur but especially to bid him beware of the Duke of Rohan who was the most Zealous of the Protestant Lords Bouillon had already done to Rohan such ill Offices with the Queen of France as he himself was enough dispos'd not to be more favourable to the Duke in the English Court. King James was easily made to believe that France thought of nothing but the General good of Christianity by making this double Allyance with Spain and that the Regent would not less preserve the Amity of Princes and the States Protestants Bouillon endeavour'd at last to make his Majesty understand that the Pope would not use violent means against the Protestants and that he intended only to Convert them by Preachments and the good Examples of the Clergy The Mareschal laid hold on this occasion to insinuate into the King the Regent's Complaints for that he had enter'd into the Protestant League of Germany and the entreaty that Mary of Medicis made him in favour of the English Papists I don't know whether this good Prince was enclin'd to believe what the Ambassador had told him concerning the good Intentions of the Pope Whatever the Matter was James answer'd that the Protestants lookt only to the Reciprocal Defence of the States of the Confederate Princes and that Religion was not concern'd in it As to the English who were of the Roman Communion his Majesty protested he willingly would let them be at Rest as soon as they could give certain Assurances of their Fidelity and Obedience Bouillon sent this into France and then Villeroy imparted it to the Nuncio as a great Secret The Regent press'd Vbaldini to make his Master acquainted of it Subjoyning that she would write of it to Breves her Ambassador to the end his Holiness might find some Expedient to content the King of Great Britain Memoires de la Regence de Mary de Medicis When they came to speak touching the Matters of the Reformed Churches in France James was not altogether so Tractable The Duke de Rohan held a great Correspondence with Henry the King 's Eldest Son This was a very hopeful Prince he shew'd a Zeal little common to Persons of his Age for the good of the Protestant Religion Never did the Roman People so much love Germanicus as the English lov'd this Prince of Wales and the Father perhaps was not much less jealous of the Applauses they gave his Son than Tiberius was of old jealous of the Reputation of him whom Augustus made him adopt Rohan had gain'd over a Gentleman of the Ambassador's Retinue This secret Friend of the Duke was to instruct his Britannique Majesty with the truth of all which pass't in France Insomuch as the King was well prepared whenever he was spoke to concerning the Assembly at Saumur If the Queen your Mistress reply'd he to Bouillon will break Acts agreed to the Protestants of her Realm I don't pretend that the Alliance I have made and confirm'd with France ought to hinder me from succouring and protecting them When my Neighbours are Attack't in a Quarrel that respects me Natural Law requires that I should prevent the Mischief which may arise from thence Believe me Monsieur Mareschal said the King you must be Reconciled to the Duke of Rohan I will let him know 't is my desire that you live friendly together Would to God King James
Plot might be discover'd the Conspirators took a Resolution to set up the Duke of Parma in an Abby whither he had been retir'd to take the Air and be devout with the Capuchins and Assassinate him in this place They were to come after this was done to Parma in the Night-time to kill the Dukes Children and those of his House to sack the Palace and City and possess themselves of the Cittadel Another Party of the Complices were order'd to make themselves Masters by means of some Intelligence of the City and Castle of Placentia which they were to deliver up to the Duke of Mantua In all Conspiracies which require long time for Execution and a great number of Complices there 's almost always some one found who upon consideration reflects seriously on the Enterprize The fear of Punishment the hopes of being well rewarded the Horrour likewise of the Crime and Remorse of Conscience bring them to discover the Contrivance The Duke of Parma happen'd upon some Persons of this Humour who gave him notice of the Danger he was threatned withal After an exact Information of all the particulars of the Conspiracy Ranutius caused a Manifesto to be fixt up in all publick Places which contain'd the Story of the plotted Enterprise and the Names of the principal Complices whom the Duke summon'd to come and justifie themselves It appear'd that the Names of some Persons who were considerable for their Degree and Quality were suppress't Vincent Duke of Mantua some days agoe Deceased was so well describ'd as ev'ry one presently knew him by the Name of Chief Conspirator which was given him The Captain of his Guards was the second Man amongst the Plotters Francis his Successor complain'd aloud of the injury done to the Memory of his Father For this he demanded Reparation This Affair was so much nois'd in Italy insomuch that they fear'd an open breach betwixt the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Mantua The former had his Recourse to the King of Spain for Protection for whom the Famous Alexander of Parma had done Signal Services And the other the Queen Regent of France's Nephew implored the Succors of that Crown Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy would intervene for an Accommodation betwixt the two Princes But t' was strait known that this Disquieted Spirit sought to embroil them further and rather raise a War from whence he hop'd for an Advantage than any ways to make an end of the Differences The Parties agreed to refer themselves to the Arbitration of the Duke of Vrbin as to one part of the Contest The Governor of Milan stifled the rest of this Affair in the Name of the King of Spain and so the Princes dismiss't the Troops which they had raised A Proposal of Marriage between Christiana the 2d Daughter of France and Henry Prince of Wales To stop the continual Complaints of the Duke of Savoy the Regent sometimes offer'd to give Christina her second Daughter to the Prince of Piedmont yet this did not hinder the talk of Marrying her to Henry Prince of Wales the Eldest Son of James the I. King of great Britain Whether it was that Mary de Medicis had an Ambition to make all her Daughters Queens or that she wou'd break off the Negotiation already much advanc'd betwixt his Britannick Majesty and the Duke of Savoy for Marrying the Prince of Wales with the Princess of Savoy James had demanded the Eldest Daughter of France but seeing that the Regent was so far engag'd with Spain he gave ear to the Duke of Savoy's Proposition which he had made him As his Majesty had got in the World a great Name for loving Money very well so Cosmus Great Duke of Florence a more Monyed Prince than Charles Emanuel thwarted the Design He offer'd one of his Sisters for the Prince of Wales with a more considerable Fortune But the Pope perhaps at the Instigation of the Regent who pretended to make the Duke of Savoy amends by bringing about a Match for the Prince of Piedmont with the Princess of Florence the Pope I say wrote forceably to the Great Duke for to persuade him from any Alliance which the Holy Chair could not approve of Notwithstanding the Pope's Letter which seem'd to be Precarious Cosmus thought always to Marry his Sister into England he press't the Queen to assist him with her good Offices at Rome to obtain a Dispensation but Mary de Medicis who had other things in her Head flatly denied him The Duke of Savoy wrote to his Ambassadors in France to tell the King of England's Ambassador that his Highness knowing well the Difference there is betwixt a Daughter of France and a Princess of Savoy Charles Emanuel might not think it strange that a Daughter of Henry the IV should be preferr'd before his but he thought he should receive a sensible Affront if his Britannick Majesty should Reject a Princess of Savoy for to Marry his Son into the House of the Medicis The Regent shew'd so much eagerness for the Marriage of Christina with the Prince of Wales as Edmonds Knight and Ambassador from England believ'd that after the way Villeroy had spoke to him it might be King James's fault if this Affair was not concluded and that Mary de Medicis would with much willingness yield to him all the Conditions he could ask of her When the King had heard this News he order'd Robert Carr Viscount of Rochester his Favourite to write to Prince Henry who was then at Richmond and pray him to speak freely if he like'd of the Match Henry had notice that Christina was not yet nine years of Age and that her Eldest Sister's Portion was but 500000 Crowns in Gold But France said Rochester seems to have so great a desire for this Marriage as no one doubts but she may give more to the Second Daughter in case the Augmentation of her Fortune be insisted upon The Prince of Wales with great Prudence answer'd the King his Father upon all the Articles of the Letter of the Chevalier Edmonds which he had sent him at the same time As for the time said he ' they 'l bring the Princess of France into England I believe the sooner it is the better and that your Majesty ought not to demur hereupon As long as the Princess shall be in France the Queen her Mother will be Mistress either to forward the Marriage or to stave it off and to oblige her Daughter to give her Consent or hinder her from it The younger she is the more time we shall have and easiness to instruct her in our Religion and Convert her Since they ask of your Majesty to Explain your self as to the Liberty the Princess shall have in the exercise of her Religion I desire you Sir to answer your Ambassador positively that you will not agree to any other Conditions with France than what the Duke of Savoy had demanded when he offer'd you his Daughter That is to say that the Princess shall
have the liberty to follow her Religion in private and in the most Retir'd Chamber of her Apartment I confess that these are too strait and narrow Conditions but if France speaks sincerely I don't question but that she will be contented with them Henry very well knew his covetous Fathers Humour For this reason he had a touch upon the Article of her Fortune in a somewhat more nice manner If your Majesty continued he regards the greatness of a Dowry I think you will prefer the Princess of Savoy she brings with her Two hundred thousand Crowns more than the Lady of France for at least I can scarce persuade my self that the Regent will give more to the second Daughter than to the Eldest But if your Majesty lays aside Interest to do what shall be more to the mind of the General Body of Protestants abroad it seems to me you will rather encline to France than Savoy Lastly concluded the Prince I fear lest your Majesty should not be content with the indifference I shew for all the Propositions of Marriage which are made me I most humbly beg your pardon for it T' is you Sir who is to take the most advantageous Resolution that may be for the good of the State I have but little experience in politick Affairs and can't speak like a Man smitten with Love upon this Occasion I have with the greater willingness inserted into History this Letter because it might be perhaps the last he ever writ T' was dated the 14th of October 1612. and the Prince died the 16th of November Having drank some small Beer to quench his Thirst after hard Riding he fell dangerously Sick All the skill of the ablest Physicians could do no good against the violence of his Distemper Heaven was deaf to the prayers of all England for the recovery of a young Prince Nineteen years of Age the Hopes and Delight of the Nation Those Persons who at first affected to shew the greatest grief for his Death were not sorry for't heartily At least t' was so believed The Affliction of the common People was more sincere and of deeper impression than that of the Court. They generally said the Applauses which we have so heartily given the Prince of Wales have been Ominous and Fatal to him They who will Reign as absolute Masters don't love to see their Children too popular The Affection which young Henry had for Religion and the Libertie's of his Country had caus'd the course of life to be cut off which had been so happily begun Charles his Brother and Frederick Elector of Palatine who was come to visit the Princess of England design'd in Marriage for him were present at the Funeral in close Mourning The Tears of the People who accompanied him to the Grave in reckoning up his Vertues which shin'd already in his Person and in bewailing the irreparable loss which England had suffer'd were the greatest Ornament of this Ceremony The Prohibition the King his Father made some few days after to appear at Court in Mourning redoubled the suspitions and indignation of the English-men Did not he think as a Roman Emperor did once heretofore that it did not become the Majesty of a Prince to sully his Face with Tears that great Afflictions are for little private Persons and that Kings may die but the State is Immortal This was the reason why King James thought he ought not to Interrupt the Divertisements which were usual at the beginning of a new year T' was said that France was not sorry to hear of the Death of the Prince of Wales who seem'd rather to have the Inclinations of the ancient Kings of England than of the Kings of Scottish Race and one could but very badly Interpret the Sentiments which the Prince shew'd when he heard of the Death of Henry IV. I have lost cry'd he my second Father The common Opinion is that young Henry had resolv'd to steal away from the English Court and go learn the Trade of War under the King of France as soon as he march't at the Head of his Army At the same time the Prince of Wales lamented the Tragical Death of Henry the IV. a Courtier resolv'd to tell him that this Occurrence would give his Highness the means of making the pretension of England's Kings to France more strong and prevalent Get you gone idle Flatterer replyed the Prince in Anger dare you talk to me of making War against an Infant I am ready to defend him against all those who shall venture to attack him The Son of that Person for whom the Prince had so Noble Sentiments hath not had this delicate Generosity though he was much more advanc't in Age. I doubt whether it be needful to carry the Suspitions of young Henry's Death as far as many in England have carried them If it was hasten'd as the report of Physicians made People believe the Viscount of Rochester may have committed so horrible a Crime He and his Wife were accus'd since then as being guilty of Poysoning The Prince had no kindness for his Fathers Favourite he always look't sourly upon him and shew'd a great Repugnance of Spirit to suffer him near his Person Robert Carr a Gentleman of a mean Birth in Scotland having found out a way to be Page to the King his pleasant Countenance fine Stature insinuating Behaviour pleased him extreamly In a little time Car was Knighted and the King disgusted with the Count of Montgomery set all his Affection upon the Scotch Knight He raised him up further to the Dignity of Viscount of Rochester and afterwards to be Duke of Somerset The Fall of this unworthy Favourite was as shameful as his Rise was astonishing He at last fell in Love with the Countess of Essex who sought to engage him and he afterwards married her This is not a fit Place to relate this Lady's Adventures 'T is said that the Prince of Wales was struck with her great Beauty but Rochester was preferr'd before him The Despite which the Prince harbour'd from hence encreased the Aversion he had for his Rival The Countess having let fall her Glove as she was dancing he who had taken it up presented it to the Prince of Wales thinking to please him in giving him an Opportunity of shewing the Lady a Civility whom he seem'd to have a Kindness for But Henry threw the Glove back with Disdain saying Another hath stretched it out As the Two Lovers were expert in the Art of Poysoning so 't is very probable they had a mind to be rid of a Prince and make him away who would have been a great Impediment to their Repose and the Establishment of their Fortune The Count de Soissons dead some Days before the Prince of Wales left behind him vacant Places of great Dignity the Governments of the Dauphiny and of Normandy with the Office of Lord High-Steward of the King's Houshold The Regent gave this Office to the new Count Son of the Deceased with the
Friends of Conde had made one to put into this important Office a Man in their Interest Chataigner Bishop of the Place informed the Regent of their several Practices and gave her Majesty reason to suspect a secret Design of the Prince of Conde The Court was higly pleased with the Prelate They ordered him to have a watchful Eye upon their Contrivances and to oppose as much as he could the Intrigues of the Governour and Conde's Friends Chataigner who was skilled in something else besides his Breviary gains the greatest part of the Inhabitants doubles the Guards every where and rendred himself more powerful than the Duke de Roannez in the City His precaution disappointed the Party of the Prince de Conde He expected with Impatience at Anjou the news of the Success of the Intrigue which had been formed for him at Poitiers He sent Latrie a Gentleman to exhort his Friends not to desist from their Enterprise But great Men often spoil the Success of their Affairs by carrying themseves too high Conde Being offended that the Bishop did not only openly thwart him but had spoken disrespectfully of him writ to Chataigner a sharp and provoking Letter which Latrie was to deliver to him The Prelate was confirmed in his Opinion that the Prince had some secret and great Design upon the Town he resolves to be Revenged of Conde and to prevent what ever it cost him the Execution of his Design Chataigner having confer'd with some of his Relations and Friends thought it his best way to rid himself of the Prince de Conde's Emissary A great Tumult at Poâ—…tiers A certain Person suborn'd for that purpose attackt Latrie and wounded him in several Places The Bishop caused a Cry to be made in the Toâ—…n Mercure Francoise 1614. that there was a Design to deliver it up to the King's Enemies the People Rose shut the Gate put up the Chain Barricadoed themselves in several Places The Bishop Arms himself with his Pike in his hand he encourages the Inhabitants to Stand upon their Guard The Duke de Roannez the Governor of Poitiers runs immediately thither from his House which was hard by And Commands them to demolish the Barricadoes and goes to the Bishop's Palace to ask of him the reason of this extraordinary Tumult But the People being yet more heated by the noise of the arrival of the Prince de Conde near the City fell upon the Governor and slightly wounded him in the Face The Bishop at whose Instigation all this was done pretends to receive Roannez into his Palace to defend him from the fury of the People Under this pretence they secure the Person of the Duke and Chataigner by virtue of a Commission from the Queen gives all necessary Orders for the safety of the Town What a fine thing it was to see a Bishop turn'd Souldier and a Captain With his Sword by his Side he Marches round the City every Night he encouraged the Soldiers and gave them Money out of his own pocket The contrary Party reproach'd him in the highest manner But the good Prelate was not concerned about it He caused an Apology to be published the Author of which proved that it is Lawful for Ecclesiastiks to take Arms in case of necessity The Duke de Roannez took it for a favour that he might have Liberty to go home Some of the Magistrates and the principal Inhabitants of the Party of the Prince and Governor left the Town Latrie who was not very dangerously wounded likewise made his escape and found the Prince of Conde who was come in great haste to Poitiers with a Resolution to stand by those of his Party But the good Prince had not laid his Designs right The Gates of Poitiers are shut agaenst the Prince of Conde When du Plessis Mornai understood by an Express from his Highness that he was gone to Poitiers with a design to revenge the outrage that was done him in the Person of Latrie He sent a Gentleman immediately to the Prince to beseech him not to expose himself upon this occasion and content himself with writing to his Majesty and demand Justice Vie de Mr. du Plessis Mornai A Person of your Rank said du Plessis in a Letter is in danger of being Mortified when you Expose your self to an enraged Populacy who have no reason to be afraid of you The Inhabitants of Poitiers have formerly refused to open their Gates to King Henry III. They may well keep them shut now against the first Prince of the Blood In the Name of God don't proceed to Action don't call the Neighbouring Nobility to your assistance The Queen will think this to be a Consequence of your Interview with Mr. de Rohan and that you have a design to raise new Troubles A Prince ought not to take one Step from which he may be forc'd to retire whether he will or no. Conde who was neither wise nor cool enough to receive this good Advice pursues his March towards Poitiers accompanied with a very small number of Men but soon saw reason to acknowledge that du Plessis had guest right they shut the Gates of the City against his Highness the Inhabitants take Arms and Fire upon his Men. Enrag'd with this Affront he retires to Chateleraut with those Gentlemen that had joined him and discharged his Anger upon the Country House of the Bishop of Poitiers which lay in his way From Chateleraut he writ to the Regent complaining of the Inhabitants of Poitiers and to demand Justice of her Majesty who laughed heartily at the Mortification which he had brought imprudently on himself These new Motions the Consequences whereof were to be feared obliged the Regent to go into Poitou and Bretagne with the King her Son and to make the Troops March at the same time The K. and the Q. his Mother set out for Poitou and Bretagne They had spread abroad a Report that young Lewis was so ill that he could not Live very long The safest way to confute this Report to Reduce the Duke of Vendome who was always aiming on some ill design in Britagne and to appease the discontented Prince de Conde was to carry the King well Guarded into Poitou and Bretagne and shew him to the People in those Provinces In the mean time Mary de Medicis sent Monpezat to the Prince de Conde to amuse him with good Words Mazurier Master of the Requests had Orders to go to Poitiers He had either a real or pretended Commission to enquire who they were that acted against the Prince of Conde Monpezat press'd him to retire from Poitou The Queen said they to him designs to do you Justice Mazurier comes to this end to Poitiers But the Prince being reinforc'd by the Nobility and the Soldiers which the Marquiss de Bonnivet had brought him refus'd to go till they had given him Satisfaction The Confusion of the P. de Conde he retires to Chateauroux in Berry He
was afterwards Confirmed in all its Articles in the Orders and Acts which were made and lastly in every thing that was since agreed to either in the Interpretation of it or in its Execution which they would as 't was said inviolably keep and observe After having forbid his Subjects to enter into any Leagues contrary to the Well-being of the State with foreign Princes and to receive any secret Pensions from 'em the King confirm'd his Father's Edicts against Duels and the Ordinances of his Predecessors against Swearing and Blasphemy I should not refuse to give so pious and just a Declaration in all appearance its just Praises if the Son of him who made it had not declared Solemnly that neither his Father or his Grandfather had ever any Intention to continue such an Edict which they had promised so many times to maintain as a Perpetual and Irrevocable Law How then Were these Two Kings who had the magnificent Sirnames conferred upon them of Great and Just by the Confession of their Son Men without Conscience and Probity Will Posterity ever believe a thing of this Nature As for my self I shall always preserve a better Opinion of Henry IV. and Lewis XIII I can't be persuaded that they were so bad as Lewis XIV represents them to us The K. takes his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris The next Morning being the Second day of October the King went to take his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris as he was going and in his Seat he was accompanied with all imaginable Pomp and Splendour Mary de Medicis made a short Discourse there Mercure Francois 1614. in which her Majesty declared That she put the Administration of Affairs into her Son's hands who for some days had been in his Majority Lewis greatly thank't his Mother and ended in declaring that he was willing that his Mother should always continue to take Care of him and Govern the State and this is what the good Princess had discreetly brought about with a great deal of diligence She preserved her Authority without making her self Responsible for what should be done hereafter Too happy If the Favourite who began already to insinuate himself into the young King had not banisht her from the Court and the Chief Minister of State whom shâ—… her self had Establisht in the place of the deceased Favourite had not drove her away out of the Kingdom Sileri Chancellour and Verdun Chief President made Speeches upon the Majority of the Kings of France Servin the Advocate General 's Discourse was more remarkable for the prudent and Religious Remonstrances he made to the young King There 's only this one thing I have to find fault with that so grave a Magistrate was himself ensnared with this base flattery which was introduc'd then into the Parlement and is since establisht there so shamefully Servin heap'd up upon Mary de Medicis excessive Praises for her Administration of the Government Amongst the good Counsels he gave Lewis with a Christian and French liberty ought he to have inserted that he should behave himself as his Mother should Advise who rather aimed at the maintaining of her Authority and the Advancement of her Creatures and Favourites than at the Instruction of her Son in Religion and Virtue and the making of his People happy and satisfied in her Administration of the Government The Ceremony ended with reading and registring a Declaration despatcht the day before Searching as carefully as 't was possible for me what regarded the History of Lewis XIII in his Minority I oftentimes wondered to find so little matter touching the young King's Education His Father had made Gilles de Souvrè his Governor But it seems that upon this occasion Henry IV. less thought of choosing a Gentleman who had the Qualities which this important Employment required than of Recompensing the faithfulness of an old Servant I can find out that Souvrè bestirr'd himself to settle his Family and procure his Son the Marquiss of Courtenvaux a considerable Office But I could never learn what he did to give Lewis a Royal Education Souvrè's Family which this Prince hath made Illustrious did not continue long after his death The Heiress carried all the Means away into another Person 's House who was a Minister of State and whose Father of an obscure Birth was advanc'd to the chief Dignity of the long Robe Memoires de la Regence de Maried Medicis Melanges d'Histoire de Litte-rature par Vigneul-Marville Vanquelin des Ivetaux was the King's first Tutour A Person of Quality whose Memoires we have saith that Vanquelin was a Man of great Merit and very capable to Instruct a Prince But the Character which a Modern Author gives us of the exâ—â—vagant and romantick Amours and of the Epicurean Life and Death of this Man is a certain proof that Henry IV. did not well distinguish Men of Worth The Cardinal Perron used many Intrigues to get his Brother into the place of being his Tutour He offered himself to take the care and directions of the Dauphin's Studies Yet Henry IV. of his own Inclination chose Vanquelin He did not long continue in the Employment The envy and jealousie of some caused him to be removed from it in a years time after the death of Henry IV. Nicholas le Fevre succeeded him This was a Person noted for his Knowledge and Piety The late King had sent him to the Prince of Conde who was willing to Recompense le Fevre in being a means to procure Vanquelin's place in which he behaved himself with much approbation Le Fevre died the year after and Fleurance Rivant an able Mathematician as 't is said rose from the Office of being Sub-Tutour to be Tutour in Chief A Youth who passeth through so many different hands doth not usually become a Man of Abilities Bernard Historie de Louis XIII Liv. 1. Lewis XIII learnt very little Latin Falconry and the exercise of Hunting pleased him more than Study he lookt very well after Hawks and became in Hunting the greatest Rider in his Kingdom His Majesty saith an Historian called to his Dogs in Perfection Had it not been much more to the purpose to have taught him how to speak to Men 'T was likewise observed that Lewis was no bad Gunner and that he very well understood Fortification These Qualifications which might be of some use to a younger Brother of the Nobility who is to seek and make out his own Fortune are not in any wise fit for a King if you except from hence understanding and knowledge in Fortifications He may for his diversion Hunt and flie his Hawks but he ought to Employ his time in something that 's better than to be expert in Falcons and Hounds I should have nothing to say against Lewis's having some knowledge in Artillery which is necessary for a King who ought to make himself capable of Commanding his Armies when the publick-good requires it But is not this ridiculous that he is suffer'd to burden his Memory with the names and use of the smallest things in Artillery They ought to have been constantly instilling into his Head Precepts useful and important to one who intends to Govern well In a Pack of Hounds he could call every one of them by their Names But t is a business more worthy of a Prince to learn the knowledge of Men to distinguish from others those who are more capable of Places of greatest Dignitiy in the State and to Reward those who are of good Use and Service to the Publick Lewis XIII had always good Inclinations and Principles in him of Virtue and Equity Courtiers dared not speak any thing of obscenity or Swear in his Presence He feared God loved Justice and was willing to do good to his People If Souvrè and others had been diligent to Instruct and Cultivate what God had given him of Judgement and Integrity they might have done considerable Service to their Prince and Country Lewis then might not have been in the unhappy necessity of leaving all to a Favourite or Minister of State who did not think of any thing but the better Establishment of their Credit and Fortunes in raising to day a Civil War and to morrow a Foreign one The End of the First Tome Books Printed for and Sold by T. Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultry ANnotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Pool in Two Volumes Folio The Works of the Reverend and Learned Divine Stephen Charnock B. D. in Two Volumes in Folio Historical Collections by John Rushworth Esq the Third Part in Two Volumes in Folio Sermons Preached on several occasions by John Conant D. D. in Three Volumes in Octavo A Discourse against customary Swearing by the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq Geography Anatomized or the Compleat Geographical Grammar being a short and exact Analysis of the whole Body of Modern Geography after a new and curious Method by Patrick Gordon M. A. and Fellow of the Royal Society The private Christian's Witness for Christianity in Octavo A Preservative against Deism by N. Taylor in Octavo Memoirs of the Countess of Dunois Author of the Ladies Travels into Spain written by her self before her Retirement in Octavo Essays on several Projects in Octavo A Practical Discourse of God's Sovereignty with other material Points deriving thence by Elisha Cole in Octavo English Exercise for School-Boys to Translate into Latin by J. Garretson in Duodecimo An Exposition on the Assemblies Catechism by J. Flavel Tales of the Fairies by the Author of the Ladies Travels into Spain in Duodecimo The Reasonableness of a Personal Reformation by John Flavel History of England by James Tyrril Esq in the Press and will shortly be Published in Folio Geography Rectified by Robert Modern in Quarto Devotions for every Day in the Week by Dr. Dumoulin
HISTORY OF LEWIS XIII THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarre CONTAINING The most Remarkable Occurrences in FRANCE and EUROPE during the Minority of that Prince By Mr. MICHEL Le ASSOR LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs and Bible against Grocers-Hall in the Poultrey 1700. Advertisement THE Remaining Parts of this History will be Printed in the same Size with this Volume TO MY Lord Viscount WOODSTOCK My LORD AS soon as I began to write the Book I now present you with My Lord the Earl of Portland your Illustrious Father did me the Honour to employ me in your Service to read History to you I was surprized with Pleasure to observe that the Providence of God having designed me for this Employment had turned my thoughts upon a Subject the knowledge of which is so absolutely necessary for you that so you may reap the full advantage of those wise Instructions which your Father who loves you tenderly will one day give you concerning those extraordinary Revolutions which Europe has with Amazement beheld for thirty years together He knows the secret Motives and hidden Springs which produced them all and he has always been the Depositary of the Secrets of that Great Prince who had the greatest hand in them he has served him in his brave and hazardous Enterprizes with equal Zeal and Courage 'T is from a Father so exquisitely skill'd in all the Arts of Politicks and War that you will learn my Lord the Intrigues of all the Negotiations which have been transacted in his time the present Interests of Princes the Account of Battels Sieges Marches of Armies in which he has always held a considerable Post In giving you the Narrative of his own Actions he will instruct you how a Person of your Rank and Quality may equally love your Country and a Prince who do's you the Honour to trust you with his Secrets what Rules you are to observe that so you may do good service for the one without intrenching upon that inviolable fidelity which you owe to the other In short he will teach you what a Peer of England is obliged to do that he may be serviceable to the King in Parliament and at the same time deserve the Esteem and Approbation of a People extremely jealous of its Rights and Priviledges Others besides my Lord the Earl of Portland may possibly be able to give you good Counsel in these Affairs But there is one thing yet behind which your incomparable Father alone can teach you And that is My Lord Moderation in an elevated Fortune He has himself lately given you a rare example of it The Greatness of his Soul in this respect is a thing so extraordinary that you will scarcely find an equal Instance in all those Ancient and Modern Histories which you design to read Keep your Eyes always fixt on this Domestick Example It can't but powerfully impress this weighty Maxim in your mind That to set bounds to your Ambition though just and reasonable is truer and more substantial Glory than 't is to rise to the highest Dignities I have told you my Lord that the History of the Reign of Lewis the XIII will be of great use to you to let you into the understanding of those Revolutions which have happened for some time past in Europe You will there see how the Affairs of the Empire put on a new face after the Peace of Munster And there find the causes and first beginnings of the Decay of the Spanish Monarchy which before that time was dreadful to its Neighbours You will there read the first steps of France to that height which it arrived at under the Conduct of the violent and refined Politicks of a Cardinal who renders his Master powerful at home by humbling the Princes and great Men there and formidable abroad by entring him into a seasonable League with the Crown of Swedeland and the United Provinces The good Correspondence which the great Frederick Henry Prince of Orange and this able Minister held together did not a little assist the Cardinal in compassing his vast Designs The Swedes were hitherto hardly known but for their Wars against Denmark Poland Muscovy and some extraordinary Revolutions which Religion or the differing interests of King and Subjects had produced in Swedeland We shall see in the course of this History a new Warrier arising out of the North with a small number of Troops for the Rescue of Germany almost entirely enslav'd by the Ambition and Arms of Ferdinand the Second Gustavus Adolphus King of Swedeland makes the Emperor Tremble for fear of losing his Hereditary Countries The Rapid course of his Victorius Arms carryed to the Rhine makes jealous even those Princes which call'd him to their Assistance and those Sovereigns which had desired his Alliance That which you ought particularly to be affected with My Lord is the reading of the resolute Efforts of your Dear and Illustrious Country to defend it's Liberty after the twelve years Truce was expir'd The Spaniard's pleas'd themselves with the hopes of making great Advantages of the Divisions which arose in Holland and some other Provinces after the Conclusion of that Truce But the Valour and Wise Conduct of Maurice and Frederick Henry Princes of Orange defeated those hopes which seem'd to be but too well grounded You will be very much pleased to find here Sieges Form'd by those Two Great Masters in the Art of Taking Towns and Victories Won by those Two Famous Generals to whom they came from all Parts of the World to learn the Art of War and in short That Courage not Inferiour to that of the Ancient Romans with which the United Provinces did weary out the King of Spain until he renounc'd all his Pretensions to 'em and was forc'd to acknowledge them in a Solemn Treaty for a Free Republick I believe you have not forgot that which my Lord your Father told you in one of his Pleasant and Profitable Discourses which he had with you the last Summer in the Walks of his beloved Solitude near the Hague He recited to you one Day the Prediction of Prince Frederick Henry a little before his Death That his Posterity would be under a Necessity one Day to declare against France as he had been to oppose the Ambitious Designs of the House of Austria It has fell out as this Judicious and Knowing Politician had foretold The House of Orange hath had the Honour to have given the first Blow which shook the Power of Spain and by a surprizing Turn of Affairs the only Remaining Branch of that Noble Stock which hath been so fruitful in Heroes can glory this Day that by his Prudence and Valour he hath defended that same Monarchy threatned with approaching Ruin Could that fierce and bloody Philip II. have ever thought that the Posterity of that Man whom he had basely murder'd after an unworthy and ridiculous Proscription should be one Day the best Support of
far above their Neighbours Those People which some Persons look on as heavy have often more good Sense Solidity and Plain dealing than others that value themselves on their good Tast Sharpness and Wit The one without Dispute is infallibly more valuable than the other My Native Country is very dear to me and I take pleasure in professing it But I love it as an honest Man ought to do To wish well to a Mans Countrymen to pray God they may want nothing which can make them compleatly happy in this World or the next is in my Opinion to have a true and sincere Love for a Mans Country And I can protest God be praised I have such a Disposition of Mind St. Paul wished all his Auditors might become as he was except in his Bonds I pray in the same manner for all Frenchmen May Heaven grant they all become like me except being almost under a necessity to leave their Native Country to follow the Light of their Conscience If I am bound to France by that grateful Sense which a Reasonable Man ought to have for a Civil Society where God has given him Birth this do's not hinder me from thinking my self united to other Nations by the Ties of Religion and Humanity France may be Happy and Flourishing without disturbing its Neighbors or unjustly Usurping anothers Right Because I am of a Nation must I desire to see her Mistress of Europe Must I applaud the boundless Ambition of the Prince who governs her Must I praise my Countrymen for working Fetters and Chains to bind themselves withal Natural Justice requires me to contribute all I can to the Prosperity and Repose of my Native Land and that I should defend it when unjustly attacked But I am bound by the same Laws of Nature to prevent my Countrymen from destroying and doing Mischief to others Very far from extolling their Ignominous Slavery and Criminal Enterprizes Reason and Religion require me to Condemn and Oppose them to the utmost of my Power By a strange Inversion of Language and Reason a Man in France is said to be well affected to the Government when he shews I know not what ridiculous Zeal for the Power of the King Is the King then the whole State These two things are very different The State signifies a certain number of Men Associated and living under the same Laws The King is the Person who has the Charge of Supporting them and providing for the Wellfare of the People In what do's the Happiness of a Nation consist That she is only obliged to obey Laws confirmed by a long Use or made in such manner as was agreed on by the People in their first Confederacy or in the Assemblies held after in the Safe and Unmolested enjoyment of their Estates and the Fruits of their Industry without having these taken away from them by Force in Taxes and Publick Duties being so equally Levyed that no Man pay more than he conveniently can To love the Government or ones Country is ardently to wish it all the Advantages which a Man would give his Life to procure when they are wanting or to preserve them when she has the good fortune to enjoy them In this Sense it is pleasant and Honorable for a Man to die for his Country To love as it is call'd in France the Power and Glory of the King is to labour for the Establishing Tyranny Since the Principles and Detestable Policy of Machiavel have been brought into Europe a Prince thinks himself Glorious and Potent if he has found a way to become Absolute Master of the Lives and Estates of his People and securely make himself Great at the Expence of his Neighbours If this be not true Tyranny all Men in the World are deceived What do they understand by the word Tyranny The Government of those who only propose their own Profit Why should I Dissemble The love I have for my Country gives me an extream Aversion for these Politicks pernicious to Mankind I cannot value those who pursue these Maxims whatever good Qualities they have or however eminent their Rank in the World be Let some Persons born to Slavery if they please rail at me as a Seditious Author This is the Language now for those who still preserve Love for Liberty in a Country where it is almost Extinguished I am not in any pain about it A Learned Man Condemned the History of the Famous Mr. de Thou because it is writ said he with a Liberty which do's not suit with the Age. I have not the Presumption to compare my self with that Great Man He was infinitely above me by his Birth and Rank and yet more by his Sublime Genius and Universal Knowledge The Love of Truth is the only thing in which I think I may imitate him I will dare to say in which I strive to surpass him His Character his Employs his Relation to the Court have obliged him to some Management which I may lawfully dispense with If his Liberty did not agree with his Time mine will seem less proper for ours But let the World speak as it pleases I will follow the Example of this Great Man who despised Mean-spirited Censors We are not less free than the Men of former times why should we not speak the Truth as well as they There is nothing remains now but for me to give a Reason why in publishing this History I have not waited till it was entirely finished A great Book frightens the World The Reign of Lewis XIII has certain Remarkable Periods the Majority of the King the Removal of the Queen Mother the Ministry of Cardinal Richelieu the taking of Rochell the Foreign War The Reader may Repose himself at each of these Periods where there is a considerable change of Affairs For this Reason I have divided this Work into different Parts perhaps the Reader will not be Displeased to have them one after the other The Judgment which the Publick makes of the first may set me right and be of use in the following ones Those who will favour me with the Communication of any Memoirs may adress them if they please to the Bookseller They will be thankfully received and made use of with the Discretion they can reasonably expect whether they desire to have the Honour of them or will not be known I shall only desire they will not take it amiss that every thing be duly examined nor expect we should engage our selves to praise or blame what do's deserve neither THE CONTENTS BOOK I. THE Plan of this Work The State of Europe and France at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Preparations for War The Prince of Conde's Flight Henry IV. prepares to March at the Head of his Army He is Assassinated the 14th of May 1610. The Queen labours to be declared Regent during the Minority of Lewis XIII her Son Lewis XIII sits in his Seat of Justice the first time Intrigues and Cabals at Court in the beginning of the
Regency of Mary de Medicis The Tryal and Execution of Ravillac The Condemnation of Mariana's Book and Doctrines The Funeral of Henry IV. The Good and Ill Qualities of that Prince The Regents Council resolve to send Aid to Juliers Edicts revoked to ease the People A Declaration in Favour of the Protestants The Prince of Conde's Return His Arrival at Paris Two Powerful Factions at Court The Prince of Conde Head of the one the Count of Soissons of the other The Mareschal de Bouillon attempts to unite the two Parties The Queen Traverses this Reunion The Rise of Conchini the new Marquess of Ancre The King of Spain's Prospect in renewing the Treaty of the double Marriage Differences between the Emperor Rodolphus and the Arch-Duke Matthias his Brother A Treaty of Peace between the two Brothers Matthias is Elected and Crowned King of Hungary The Discontent of the Protestants of Austria appeased Quarrels about Religion in Bohemia The Pacification of the Troubles in Bohemia The Diet of Prague in 1610. The Emperor gives the Elector of Saxony the Countries of Cleves and Juliers The Siege and taking of Juliers by Maurice Prince of Orange The Meeting at Cologne to determine the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers Reflections on the Coronation Oath The Oath that James I. King of England required of his Popish Subjects occasions a Dispute of the Independance of Sovereigns in Temporal Matters Paul V. forbids the English of his Communion to take the Oaths King James prints an Apology for his Oath without putting his Name to it He declares himself Author of the Apology He Addresses this to all the Princes and States of Christendom Coeffeteau writes against the Apology Cardinal Bellarmine addresses to the Emperor and all the Kings of the Papal Communion his Answer to the King of Englands Apology The Sentence of the Parlement of Paris against Cardinal Bellarmine's Discourse of the Authority of the Pope The King of Spain's Edict against the XI Volume of Cardinal Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals Differences of the Marquess of Ancre with the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Epernon Their Reconciliation a Party made at Court against the Duke of Sully BOOK II. A Quarrel between Bellegarde and Conchini The Count of Soissons falls out with the Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon A Difference of the Count of Soissons with the Prince of Conde his Brother The two Princes Reconciled Another great difference of the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Guise The Duke of Guise is Reconciled to the Count of Soissons The Duke of Sully's Disgrace The first President de Harlay lays down his Place A Cabal to hinder Mr. de Thou from succeeding him La d' Escouman charges the Marquess de Vernueil and the Duke of Epernon with being concerned in the Murther of Henry IV. She is Condemned Reflections on her Sentence The State of the House of Austria in Germany The Ambitious Designs of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburgh and Passaw on the Kingdom of Bohemia The Troops of Leopold advance into Bohemia Matthias King of Hungary Marches to the Assistance of Bohemia He is Crowned King of Bohemia A Cabal at the Court of France against the Duke of Epernon The Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon resolve to leave the Court. The Marquess of Ancre designs to Marry his Son to the Princess of Soissons The Count of Soissons accepts the Proposition The Duke of Epernon's Generosity The Cardinal of Joyeuse's Instructions upon his going to Rome The Regent justifies her self to Paul the V. upon what she did in Favour of the Protetestants Complaints of the Court of France against the Duke of Savoy The Perplexity of the Duke of Savoy upon the Death of Henry IV. The other Princes of Italy not less Embarassed than the Duke of Savoy The Prudent Conduct of the Senate of Venice The ill Designs of the Court of Spain against the Duke of Savoy Divers Treaties to oblige the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy to Disarm in Italy The King of Spain demands the Duke of Savoy to make him Satisfaction by way of Preliminary France lays down her Arms in Dauphine She has some Jealousie of the Spaniards remaining in Arms in Italy The Voyage of Philibert Prince of Savoy into Spain The Form of the Satisfaction which the Prince of Savoy gave the King of Spain for his Father The Reconcilement of the Duke of Savoy to Spain Velasco Constable of Castile and Governor of Milan receives Order to lay down his Arms. Divers Projects of the Duke of Savoy The Duke of Savoy resolves to Attack Geneva and the Country of Vaux The Council of France resolves to protect them At length they force the Duke of Savoy to lay down his Arms. The Civil Meeting of the Protestants of France The Protestants preparation to hold a General Meeting The Mareschal of Bouillon suffers himself to be won by the Court The Meeting of the Reformed is Transferr'd from Chatelleraut to Saumur The Reconciliation of the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Sully The Protestants renew their Oath of Vnion The Duke of Sully's Affair proposed in the Meeting at Saumur The Duke of Sully's Remonstrance to the Assembly A Discourse between the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan about the Duke of Sully's Affair The Assembly declares for the Duke of Sully The Court undertakes to break up the Meeting at Saumur A Division in the Meeting at Saumur The Wisdom of Du Plessis Mornay on that occasion The Book of Du Plessis Mornay against the Papacy The Book of Du Plessis Mornay is censured by the Faculty of Paris Reflections on this Censure The Troubles of Aix la Chapelle The Meeting of several Protestant Princes of Germany about the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers The Princes of the Protestant League meet at Rottenburgh in Bavaria The Death of the Elector of Saxony The Electoral Diet at Neurembergh The Elector's Requests to the Emperor The Emperor's Answer The Death of the Queen of Spain The Death of the Duke and Dutchess of Mayenne The Dutchess of Lorrain and the Cardinal of Gonzaga come to the Court of France The Count of Soissons discontented The Faculty of Paris Censures the three Panegyricks of Ignatius Loyola Reflections on the Miracles ascribed to Saint Ignatius and the Character given him Disturbances at Troies in Champagne about the Settlement of the Jesuits in that City The Process of the Vniversity of Paris against the Jesuits upon the opening their College there Disputes on the Questions of Grace and Predestination The Rise of Arminianism in Holland Vorstius is chosen to succeed Arminius James the I. King of England opposes the Election of Vorstius The King of England's Apology for his Conduct in the Business of Vorstius Revolutions in Sweden after the Death of Gustavus Ericson John King of Sweden Attempts to change the Religion Established by his Father Sigismund King of Sweden is chosen King of
Poland He succeeds to the Kingdom of Sweden Differences between King Sigismund and Charles Duke of Sudermannia The States of Sweden give the Regency of the Kingdom in the absence of King Sigismund to the Duke of Sudermannia The Duke of Sudermannia and the Senate of Sweden are divided King Sigismund Attempts in vain to reduce the Duke of Sudermannia by Force The States of Sweden depose King Sigismund Charles Duke of Sudermannia is chosen King of Sweden The King of Sweden sends the Challenge to the King of Denmark The Death of Charles King of Sweden BOOK III. THE State of France since the Regency of Mary de Medicis The Treaty of the double Marriage between France and Spain The double Marriage is concluded between the two Kings Intrigues in the Court of France when the Treaty of the double Marriage was known there The double Marriage at last passes in the Council of France The Popes Nuncio complains of the Sentence of Parlement on the Process of the Vniversity of Paris against the Jesuits The Nuncio's Invectives against the Advocate-General Servin The Nuncio's Advances to the Parlement to procure a Modification of the Sentence The Nuncio's Intrigues with the Clergy The Difficulties of the Jesuits to keep even in their Conduct to the Court of Rome and Parlement of Paris A Book of Doctor Richer Syndic of the Faculty of Paris makes a great Noise there The Cardinal du Perron and the Bishops of the Province of Sens assembled together to Condemn Richers Book Richer has the Syndicat of the Faculty of Paris taken from him Publick Rejoycings for the double Marriage New Disturbances in the Court of France The Duke of Mayenne is sent into Spain to demand the Infanta for the King Matthias King of Hungary and Bohemia is Elected Emperor after the Death of Rodolphus II. Antonio Memmi is chosen Doge of Venice after the Death of Leonard Donato The Embassy of the Mareschal of Bouillon into England The Discontent of the Mareschal Lesdiguieres Mary de Medicis depresses â—…e Factions of the Duke of Guise and Epernon The Count of Soissons undertakes to ruine the Ministers and engages outragiously to Attack the Chancellor de Sillery The Marquess de Coeuvres diverts the Count of Soissons from this Enterprize The Impostures of the Marquess of Ancres Some Persons suborned to accuse him of Magick The Affair of the Duke of Rohan at St. John of Angeli The Reconciliation of the French Protestant Lords The Protestation of the National Synod of Privas in the Name of all the Reformed Churches of France against the King's New Declaration The Entry of the Duke of Pastrane into Paris The Signing of the Marriage Articles between the Prince of Spain and the Eldest Daughter of France The Duke of Mayenne's Entry into Madrid The Signing the Marriage Articles between Lewis XIII and the Infanta of Spain A Conspiracy against the Duke of Parma A Discourse of Marrying Christina second Daughter of France to Henry Prince of Wales The Death of Henry Prince of Wales The Fortunes of Robert Carr in England The Death of the Count of Soissons A New Face of the Court of France The Condemnation of a Book of the Jesuit Becanus The Sentence of the Parlement of Paris against a Book of Schioppius Peace between the Crowns of Sweden and Denmark Revolutions in Muscovy A False Demetrius in Poland Demetrius enters Muscovy and causes himself to be Crowned there Demetrius and a great number of Poles are Massacred at Moscow Susky is made Czar of Muscovy and after lays down Ladislaus Prince of Poland is proclaimed Czar of Muscovy The Polanders are driven out of Muscovy and Michael Federovitz is elected Czar BOOK IV. THE Baron de Luz is killed by the Chevalier of Guise The Regents Anger against the Guises The Duke of Guise desires to combine with the Prince of Conde The Queen becomes jealous of the Prince of Conde The Violence and Mercenary Temper of the Duke of Guise The generous Sense of the Duke of Epernon The Regent is Reconciled to the Dukes of Guise and Epernon The Ancient Ministers are recalled The Confusion and Perplexity of the Prince of Conde The young Baron de Luz is killed again by the Chevalier of Guise The Death of Francis Duke of Mantua New Projects of the Duke of Savoy upon this occasion Artifices of the Duke of Savoy The Governor of Milan demands the Dutchess Dowager of Mantua and her Daughter The Regent of France opposes the Duke of Savoy's designs The Pope's Conduct in the Affair of Mantua The Republick of Venice supports the Cardinal of Mantua Ferdinand Cardinal de Gonzaga takes the Character of Duke of Mantua New Efforts of the Duke of Savoy to fetch away from Mantua the Princess Mary his Grand-daughter Ambitious Projects of the Duke of Savoy The Duke of Savoy carries Montserrat This Enterprize is the cause of New Metions in Italy Manifesto's of the Duke of Savoy and the Cardinal Duke of Mantua Artifices and Bravades of the Duke of Savoy His Intrigues at the Court of France are discovered The Marquess of Ancre being found Intriguing with the Duke of Savoy is exceedingly Embarassed The Ministers are reconciled to the Marquess of Ancre The Court resolves to send a powerful Aid to the House of Mantua The Queen is diverted from sending Aid so soon to the Cardinal Duke The King of Spain declares against the Duke of Savoy The Emperor requires the Duke of Savoy to desist from his Enterprize on Montferrat The Governor of Milan constrains the Duke of Savoy to submit to the King of Spain's pleasure A difference between the Duke of Nevers and the Governour of Milan The Marriage of the Elector Palatin to a Daughter of the King of England A Discourse concerning the Marriage of Charles Prince of Wales with Christina of France The Emperor Matthias comes to the Diet at Ratisbon The Catholicks and Protestants reciprocally complain of each other The ill success of the Diet at Ratisbon The Fortune of Bethlem Gabor Prince of Transilvania A difference between the Houses of Brandenburgh and Neuburgh about the Government of Cleves and Juliers Prince Wolfgang of Neuburgh Marries the Sister of the Duke of Bavaria and changes his Religion Difficulties to make the Peace concluded between the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua lasting The Governor of Milan presses the Duke of Savoy to Disarm The Dukes Evasion The Governor of Milan demands the Princess of Mantua on the King of Spains part The King of Spains Views in this demand The Republick of Venice traverses the King of Spain's Designs The Perplexity of Mary de Medicis in the Business of Mantua A Proposition made to the Council of France to cause Troops to march into Italy The Regent sends the Marquiss de Coeuvres into Italy to treat an Accommodation between the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua The vast Ambition of Conchini made a Mareschal of France and Galigai his Wife A Continuation of the Disputes about Grace
Extremities of the North to defend those of his Religion in Germany overthrows the ambitious Projects of the Courts of Vienna and Madrid The Emperor trembles and fears to lose his Hereditary Countries and France by the help of a League opportunely made with Sweden forces from the House of Austria part of her ancient Patrimony The Success of the Spanish Arms in Picardy strikes a Terrour into Paris it self The King of France comes out of his Capital to repulse the Enemy and cannot refrain from Tears to see the Fire advanced so near the Gates of his own Palaces The Revolutions on the other side the Pyrences change the Face of Affairs Catalonia surrenders to Lewis XIII and Portugal drives out the Spaniards and replaces the Duke of Bâ—…aganza on the Throne of his Ancestors Philip the IV. in a Consternation leaves Madrid to secure the Country of Arragon and reduce the Catalonians But no soonâ—…r does he begin this Expedition but he receives the unwelcome News that France had seized the Town of Perpigan and the County of Rousillon In this Variety of Events there may be â—…und many eminent Instances of Virtue â—…nd Vice Treachery richly rewarded â—…e highest Posts of Honour obtained by â—…e most infamous Crimes some few beâ—…owed on Merit great Preferments reâ—…cted with Contempt from Motives of â—…eligion and Probity Some great Lords â—…eanly ransom their Lives and Estates by coming Slaves to an Ambitious and Revengeful Cardinal Others threatned to be made a Sacrifice to his Passions and Interest with a Noble Haughtiness continue faithful to their Friends and suffer Death with an Heroick Courage This Fragment of the Modern History of France which I design to illustrate is so curious and full of Variety it would soon tempt a Man who would employ his Time in writing something Diverting and Instructive However the boldness of the Attempt has often awed me and perhaps it is above my Abilities If I praise the principal Actors who appear upon the Stage I am in danger of being censured for Flattery and if I speak too freely I am sure to be charged with Detraction Constant Panegyrick disgusts and incenses most Readers They love to have the Vices and secret Passions of Men laid open This Air of Freedom pleases and diverts them But if I should indulge this natural Inclination we have to heaâ—… others condemned will not the World too say I am making a Satyr and not wriâ—…ting a History I shall endeavour then to avoid theâ—… two Extremes with all possible Care have no Inducement to praise or blaâ—â— Persons who were almost all dead befoâ—â— I came into the World What particular Reason can I have to love or hate them The difference of Opinion in Matters Religion and Government shall not hind the from doing Justice to Merit or conmending what is worthy of Praise I am thanks to God in a Country where every one enjoys a Happiness which is so rare in this World to speak their reasonable Thoughts with freedom If I am not in a Capacity to do my Country Service I have the Liberty to deplore its Misfortunes The State of Europe and of France at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Before I enter upon the Matter I shall promise some few Things of Henry the Fourth and the End of his Life It s necessary to know the Posture of Affairs in Europe and France when this latter lost one of the greatest Monarchs she ever had He employ'd the first Years of his Reign in reducing by force of Arms or gaining by Treaties all who had formed a potent League against him under Colour of Religion and in carrying on a War against Philip II. King of Spain This Ambitious Monarch had supported the League with a mighty Assistance of Men and Money out of a Design to place a Prince of his House on the Throne of France or at least to dismember that Monarchy whose Power was an invincible Obstacle to the vast Projects he had conceived But finding himself worn out with Infirmities of Body and seeing his Country quite exhausted by the Immense Sums he expended and the great number of Soldiers and Ships which he lost in his Wars against the Vnited Provinces of the Low Countries England and France Philip I say after so many Men and so much Treasure consumed in vain was glad to make Peace with Henry on such Conditions as the State of France not less exhausted than Spain could not give them leave to hope for Elizabeth Queen of England and the States of the Vnited Provinces made loud Complaints that the King abandoned his good and faithful Allies in preâ—…sing â—…o cagerly the Conclusion of the Treaty with Philip. Tâ—â—â— say they is a sure way to lose the favourable Opportunity of taking those Advantages against Spain which its low and declining Condition must have put in our Hands Henry excused this Proceeding of his as well as he could alledging the Incapacity of his Kingdom to support a Foreign War after it had been so miserably harass'd by a Domestick one which had lasted so many Years and was not yet well extinguished The Reason was specious But the King seemed impatient to give himself up to his Pleasures and with ease to enjoy so fair a Succession which he had purchased with so much Hazard and Trouble It must be own'd Henry had good Reason to distrust his Strength for the future The Duke of Mercoeur penned up in Britany would not have made his Peace if he had not believ'd that of Spain entirely resolv'd on Besides the Protestants of France who had served a King bred up amongst them with so much Courage and Constancy took Umbrage and Jealousie His changing his Religion and the Favours with which he purchased the friendship of the Great Men who had been Leagued against him began to Alarm them and his New Engagements to the Court of Rome their crael and implacable Enemy had like to have cool'd them Henry prudently confirmed his best Subjects by the Edict of Nantes which was concerted with great Industry and Deliberation Happy had they been if the Successors of this good Prince had left them peaceably to enjoy what he so justly granted them No sooner was Peace setled at home and abroad but Henry strove to win the Hearts of his Subjects by publishing he would labour incessantly to make them live in Ease and Plenty Several Manufactures were set up and some certain Duties taken off It is probable the great Debts he contracted and the engagement of a great part of his Revenue would not give him leave to take away divers others very burthensom and made him give ear to all Projects for bringing Money into his own Coffers But in all this he had the Address to prevent and stifle all Murmurs by making the French Nation since for a long time accustomed to patience believe his greatest desire was to make them happy The King flattered himself he should check the turbulent humour of divers great
to the Prince answer'd still to all the Instances and Menaces made them That they would not restore the Princess without the Consent of her Husband who had entrusted her with them A very generous Resolution indeed But is there not ground to think their secret Desire to excite some Commotions in France to traverse the vast Projects of Henry inspired them at least as much as their love to Equity and Justice Henry IV. prepares to march at the Head of his Army The great Preparations in France and other places kept the World in suspense None doubted the King had some greater Design than to drive Archduke Leopold out of the Countries of Cleves and Juliers In the mean time the House of Austria appeared Serene It could not be observed that she made any Provisions against this approaching War which openly threatned her either because she expected that Stroke which soon changed the State of Affairs or that the King of Spain a stupid and unactive Prince suffer'd himself to be perswaded by a weak Minister that the Ardour of Henry would cool when the French had spent their first Fire on the Countries of Cleves and Juliers and some other places of Italy The King had Thirty Thousand Foot and Six Thousand Horse in Champagne Sixty Pieces of Artillery and abundance of Money and Provisions Twelve Thousand Foot and Two Thousand Horse waited in Dauphine the Orders of Lesdiguieres to go and join the Duke of Savoy's Army The Venetians promised to declare themselves on condition they might have that part of the Milanese which lay most conveniently for them Henry burned with Impatience to march at the Head of so fair an Army Sometimes he would try the Arms he design'd to bear in the Day of Battel at other times he took pleasure to see the brave Prince Maurice of Orange bring him the best Troops of the Vnited Provinces Vex'd at the Advantages which Alexander Duke of Parma had gain'd over him in the Sieges of Paris and Roan he hoped to take his Revenge against the Marquiss of Spinola whose Reputation began to equal that of the other He was the only General now which the House of Austria had to oppose to the King Measures were taken for the Administration of Government in his Absence The Queen was to be Regent and the Duke of Epernon President of her Council It is amazing that Henry would trust his Wife and Children in the Hands of a Lord whom he never loved and whose Fidelity was ever suspected by him But after all he could never have made a better Choice Of the Three Princes of the Blood the first was in the Enemies Hands Conti passed for a weak Man and the Count of Soissons was disgusted 1610. Their ancient Enmity and the strict Tie the Guises had to the Spaniard made it unsafe for him to trust any of that House Epernon had Wit Courage Honour and was not without some Vanity So great a Mark of Respect engaged him to exert himself to answer the good Opinion the King had shewn of his Prudence and Fidelity Henry had yielded to the Importunities of the Queen Henry is Assassinated the 14th of May 1610. who ardently desired to be Crowned in all the Forms He imagined this Complaisance would make that jealous Princess forget the ill Humour the Kings Mistresses and above all the Marquise de Vernueil had so oft put her in The Ceremony of Consecration was perform'd at St. Denys with great Magnificence All things were disposed for the solemn Entry of the Queen into the Capital of the Kingdom When on the Eve of the Day design'd for that Pageantry Henry going in his Coach to the Arsenal to confer with the Duke of Sully Superintendant of the Finances and great Master of the Artillery received two or three stabs with a Knife one of which cut through the Artery of the Lungs He fell down dead on the Duke of Epernon who was on one side of him and to whom he was whispering in the Ear when he received the first blow Francis Ravillac a Native of Angoulême committed this execrable Parricide the 14th day of May 1610. In the Hurry and Confusion which attend Accidents of this kind he might have saved himself by hiding his Knife But perswaded this was an Action worthy of Reward he kept it in his hand till he was seized One of the Kings Gentlemen in ordinary and some Footmen would have given him a thousand stabs upon the spot but the Duke of Epernon remembring the fault committed in killing in this manner the Monk who murthered Henry the III forbid any on pain of Death to touch him So he was secured and carried to the Hôtel of Retz By a Negligence which appear'd suspicious and affected instead of throwing this Wretch into a Dungeon every one had the liberty to speak to him during the two days he remained there If the first Persons of the Kingdom thought they had more pressing Affairs than to revenge the Death of the King what hindred the inferiour Magistrates from doing their Duty in discovering the Authours of so black an Attempt The Queen labours to procure her self to be declared Regenâ—… during the Minority of Lewis XIII her Son The Queen wiped off her Tears as soon as the Chancellour and Villeroy had made her sensible every Moment was precious and she must labour incessantly to make her Advantage of the absence of two oâ—… the Princes of the Blood and the weakness of the other to procure her self to bâ—… declared Regent during the Minority oâ—… her Son The new King Lewis XIII was about to begin the tenth year of his Age being born the 27th of September 1601. The Dukes of Guise and Epernon seemed the most proper Persons to execute the Project The unbounded Ambition of both these Men made them equally believe by doing this service to a Foreign Princess unskilled in the Arts of Ruling a Nation they should make themselves Masters of the Government Behold then both of them marching through Paris at the Head of divers Armed Men to suppress any Tumult might be caused by the unexpected Death of the King Guise goes directly to the Town-House Epernon arrives a little after and both exhort Lejay Provost of the Merchants the Echevins and the Citizens met there to continue faithful to the Son of him whose Loss they Regretted and to take all necessary care to prevent Disorder and Confusion The Duke of Sully came from the Arsenal as soon as he heard of the Death of his good Master He went to the Louvre as other Persons of Quality did who all ran to offer their Services and swear Fidelity to the New King and the Queen his Mother Memoires de Bassompierre Surpriz'd to find Bassompierre at the head of a great number of Horse he thought fit to exhort him to take an Oath of Fidelity to Lewis Well Sir replyed Bassompierre in a haughty disdainful Tone We come here to require that
the Memory of his Father by the Love you ought to have for your selves and your Zeal for your Country I will instruct him to follow your Advice in all the concerns of State It is your part to see this be wholsom and good When she had done she came down within the Bar as if she would still give them a liberty to agree in their Opinions concerning the Regency The Princes Lords and Magistrates convinced there was more Ceremony than Reality in this begg'd her to take her place again Mary skill'd in the Art of Dissimulation suffer'd her self to be prest for a long time till the Instances she required seem'd to be a force on her Modesty and Grief Young Lewis rehearsed well enough the Discourse prepared for him It was not omitted here to insert the young King would follow the Advice of his Parliament This is a Language which ancient Custom has made usual in the beginning of a Minority but is never remembred by Princes when their Authority is once Established Ann of Austria and her Son said the same thing Nevertheless we have seen with our own Eyes in the present Reign and we shall see in that whose History I now write that Lewis XIII and his Successor have too much given ear to vile Flatterers who have prompted them to annul the Authority of a Body of Men on which the Preservation of France does depend Reisel Hist de Louis XII dans son livre de la Monarchie de France 1. part chap. VIII X. and which was Established to curb the Absolute power of the King Thus Men talked in the time of Lewis XIII And this Discourse is Seditious under the Reign of Lewis XIV The Chancellour assured them the late King had more than once signified his Intention according to divers preceding Examples that the Queen his Wife should have the Administration of Affairs in case he died before his Son was a Major After the Chancellor's Harangue was over the first President began He exhorted the young Prince to strive to deserve the Title of Father of his People as the good King Lewis XII had done on whose Throne he sat and to follow the Instructions which St. Lewis left to Posterity Servin Advocate-General did the same and all was concluded by the King's Decree sitting in his Seat of Justice and confirming that made the preceding Day and by sending it to other Parliaments and publishing it throughout the Kingdom The Speeches of these Two great Magistrates would have been worthy of their Gravity and Reputation if they had given less excessive Praises to a Princess who never deserved the most moderate ones The New Decree being given out the King returned with mighty Shouts and Acclamations of the Multitude who admire whatever strikes their Senses All People wished a long Prosperity to the Son of the Great Henry crying for Justice on the Authours of his Father's Death Happy had it been if the Prayers and Wishes of his Subjects could have obtained for him the Qualities of Mind and Inclinations necessary to tread in the Steps of the good Kings who preceded him the number of whom is very small But he had not Genius enough to acquire the one and his Mother would not permit him to have a Governour to form him for the other The Count of Soissons was extremely surprized to find all done in his Absence He made haste to Paris Intrigues and Cabals at Court in the beginning of the Regency of Mary de Medicis accompanied with Three Hundred Gentlemen on Horseback To lessen his Discontent which began to discover it self he had the Government of Normandy given him The Regent next rewarded those who had servâ—…d her well The Pensions of the Princes of the House of Lorrain were very moderate in the preceding Reign But Sully who strove to support the greatest Enemies of his Religion raised them to a Hundred thousand Livres The Duke of Guise obtained Two Hundred Thousand Crowns to pay his Debts and the Queen promised to favour him in the Design he had to marry the Heiress of Joyeuse Widow of the Duke of Montpensier by whom she had only One Daughter Epernon was so wealthy and had such Places he seem'd above the Gratifications of the Court He was rewarded according to his own Humour He had great Honours done him and all the Marks of a particular Distinction The Queen lodg'd him in the Louvre I do not said she Vie de Duc d' Epernon L. IV. think my self safe there wihtout him The Secretaries of State communicated all Dispatches to him In a word he seemed on the Point to render himself as formidable now as he had been under the Reign of the weak Henry III. The Count of Soissons sought his Friendship with great earnestness He He aimed by this to strengthen himself against the Prince of Conde who was invited to return and take his Rank at Court The Princess of Montpensier was Daughter to a Niece of the Duke of Epernon and the Count hoped to bring the Wealth of that rich Family into his House by marrying his Son to that Heiress This Match could not be concluded without the Consent of the Uncle Soissons hated Sully mortally He flatter'd himself that Epernon exasperated against that Minister who had done very ill Offices to the One and the Other with the late King would join with him to rid themselves of their common Enemy The Duke did not refuse the Friendship of a Prince of the Blood but would not engage to serve him in all his Projects The Edge of the Count was not taken off by this He proposes to his new Friend to stab the Duke of Sully in the Louvre A base and cowardly Action unworthy I will not say of a Prince but of the meanest Man in the World It struck with Horror one who valu'd himself on his Virtue and Probity Epernon reply'd as civilly as he could his Trust would not permit him to suffer a Violence of that kind in the King's House The Count took this Denyal ill However the secret Desire he had to raise himself above the Prince of Conde who fill'd a Place that Soissons thought belonged of Right to him made him dissemble his ill Humour Could Epernon after this maintain a Friendship with a Man who had discover'd so villainous a Heart However great a Prince is by his Birth or Interest he can deserve nothing but Hatred and Contempt when he once becomes guilty of so black a Crime Jealousies broke out and Intrigues grew numerous State of Affairs in the beginning of the Regency when the Debates began about forming the Regents Council The Princes of the Blood justly pretended to have a place there by Right of their Birth The Constable of Montmorency and the Duke of Joyeuse thought they ought not to be excluded Those of the House of Guise assured of the good Intentions of the Queen towards them hoped to raise themselves They were too weak
Religion which Politicks probably induced him to embrace The flattering Bishops who praised him after his Death had never the Courage to reprove him for his Debauches as the Protestant Ministers had done before he left them At and after the Funeral The good and ill Qualities of Henry IV. wise Men spoke very differently of the Qualities and Actions of the Deceased King Some admired his Happiness in coming to the Crown from so remote a Degree that it was doubted if the Right of Succession could extend so far Others praised his Valour in War his undaunted Courage in the most dangerous Occasions his Experience and Ability in the command of Armies his Moderation in his good Fortune his Constancy in Adversity his Clemency to his greatest Enemies his Affability his Love to his Subjects his Prudence not to drive them to Extremity but to leave them to return to their Duty when they went beyond Murmurs and lastly the Mildness with which he heard their Remonstrances Other more discerning Persons said there was more Rashness than Prudence in the Bravery of Henry That he exposed himself to Dangers without Necessity That if he had met with an Enemy more active and able than the Duke of Mayenne he would have been forced to fly into England a little after the Death of his Predecessour That the Heads of the League were better rewarded than his most faithful Adherents that instead of being Liberal he was Prodigal to Persons that deserved nothing That he gave with Profusion to his Mistresses and those who served him in his Pleasures That he had an exorbitant Passion for Play That he discover'd a covetous Humour very little agreeable with the Character of a great Prince That under the colour of easing the People he laid on New Taxes That he introduced into the State Selling of Offices The Ill natured People did not spare to reflect on his Domestick Conduct They censur'd him sharply for his manner of leaving Queen Marguerite to follow the Gallantry of her Temper More insensible than the Emperour Claudius said they he suffered this new Messalina whom he owned for his lawful Wife to dishonour him publickly Did he intend at his own Expence to teach those whose Wives he Debauched to be easie Husbands All Men spoke with Indignation of his advances towards marrying Gabriéle d'Etrees and his Ingratitude to Harlay de Sancy whom he turned out of his Places for delivering his Thoughts freely on so scandalous a Match They laught at his promise to the Marquise de Vernueil given under his own hand Writing to take her for his Wife in case she brought him a Boy within the year His continual jars with the Queen His easiness in suffering the Insolence of Vernueil who always spoke of the Queen with the last Contempt So true it is that Persons of good Sense will not judge of the Solidity of the Merit of a Prince by studied Panegyricks flattering Titles Statues erected to him or pompous Inscriptions engraved on Marble or Brass The Resolves of the Counâ—…il to send Aid to Juliers Sometime before the Body of Henry was in his Tomb there was a debate in private concerning the Armies which the late King had Raised which were very chargeable to keep up The Opinions were very different about them It is not a time now said some Persons to give it to the House of Austria Memoires de la regence de Marie de Medicis A Potent and Crafty Enemy will find ways to embroil the State His Catholick Majesty proposed to the late King the double Marriage of the Infanta with Mons the Dauphin and of the Prince of Spain with Madame the Eldest Daughter of France We ought to Disband the Troops which give Jealousie to the King of Spain and resume the Negotiation of the two Marriages to make a firm Alliance This Mary most ardently desired being Prepossessed by her Italian Confidents who were corrupted by the Court of Madrid the new Regent imagined the Establishment of her Power depended upon her good Understanding with the Pope and the King of Spain This latter indeed had made diverse steps before the Death of Henry to conclude this double Alliance and Paul V. labour'd to effect it The Court of Rome hoped to find her Advantage in it Being convinced it was not possible to ruin the Protestants without the Concurrence of the two Crowns she labour'd with all her Might to form an Alliance between those Rival Powers Whilst the one was busie to overthrow the Protestant Interest in Germany and the Low Countries they Projected to engage the other to reduce the Hugonots in France For the King of Great Britain and the two Northern Crowns they were not in any great pain about them The first did not seem difficult to win Sweden was imployed against the King of Poland who attempted to recover the Dominions of which he thought himself unjustly deprived The King of Denmark being unable to do any thing of himself none doubted he woulâ—… take that side which James the I. his Brother-in-Law should embrace This was the Project of the Courts of Rome and Madrid but Henry too well understood his own Interest and that of the rest of Europe to fall into the snare laid for him Very far from giving ear to the double Marriage proposed to him he promised his Eldest Daughter to the Prince of Plemont and sent Bassompierre into Lorrain to treat with the Duke who had no Male Children for the Marriage of his Eldest Daughter with the Dauphin of France No sooner was Henry dead but the Court of Rome resumed the Treaty of Alliance between the two Crowns by a double Marriage The Regent had always desired it and the private Pensioners of Spain supported it with all their Interest in the Council of France The Chancellour was one of the number of those who approved it But he had reason enough to oppose those who proposed to have all the Troops Disbanded Shall we make the World believe says he that we all stand in awe of the King of Spain Shall we bid Defiance to our best Allies They will think we intend to abanâ—â—n them Who will hereafter seek the Alliance of this Crown I think it adviseable to keep up the Army in Champagne and send Aâ—…d to Juliers to drive out Archduke Leopold The Arms in Dauphiné gives more jeaâ—â—usie to Spain This is commanded by a Protestant Mareschal of France I think â—…hese two Reasons should move us to Disband it But common Prudence will not suffer us to disarm our selves entirely before the return of Monsieur the Prince before we have certain Information of the Disposition of the Court of Spain before the Power of the King and Queen Regent be well Established This Advice was looked on as best The choice of a General to carry the Aid design'd for the Countries of Cleves and Juliers caused new Perplexities The Mareschal de Bouillon pretended to that Employ and Villeroy gave him hopes of
of Cleves and Juliers the Emperor had a mind to perplex this matter more The Archduke Leopold whose small Army every day received some check from the Troops of the States-General or of the Confederate Princes was not strong enough to preserve the contested Countries Besides Maurice Prince of Orange prepared in earnest to come and lay Siege to Juliers with the Auxiliary Troops of France and England The House of Austria then found it would be impossible for her to resist so many Powers united to oppose the Usurpation she designed The only means she could have recourse to was to bring the Succession of Cleves and Juliers into the hands of a Protestant Prince less contrary to her Interests than those of Brandenburgh and Neuburgh She cast her Eyes on the Elector of Saxony His House had pretensions on this Litigious Succession by virtue of several Grants of the Emperor These had lain dormant a long time though there had several times been occasion to have presented them A Daughter Inherited the States of Cleves and Juliers since the Emperors had granted the House of Saxony a Right to succeed in defect of Heirs Male But when a fair Soveraignty is the Subject of Dispute Princes are not very Scrupulous The least colour of Right is enough for them to dispose of it or reserve it for themselves Rodolphus then gave on certain considerations to the Elector and House of Saxony all the Estates which belonged to the late John William Duke of Cleves and Juliers The Siege and taking Juliers by Maurice Prince of Orange This had been a more handsom Present if when the Act of Concession was put into his Hands he had at the same time an Army given him to assert his Title Maurice Prince of Orange invested the Town of Juliers the 28th of July with the Troops of the Vnited Provinces join'd by those sent from the King of England The 18th of August the Mareschal de la Chatre brought twelve Thousand French Foot and two Thousand Horse Rauschemberg Governor of the Place defended it with great Prudence and Courage But Prince Maurice was so great a Master in the Art of Attacking and taking Towns that Rauschemberg Capitulated the 1st of September Thus Juliers was put into the Hands of the Princes of Brandenburg and Newburg These were then called the Princes Possessors to distinguish them from the other Pretenders The Meeting at Cologne to adjust the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers After the Surrender of Juliers some Princes of Germany met at Cologne to find out some way of Accommodation The Elector of Triers and the Count of Hohenzollern came thither in Quality of Commissioners for the Emperor Lewis Landgrave of Hess made divers Propositions The Princes in possession did not care to accept them They tended to a Sequestration into the hands of the Emperor and to put the Elector of Saxony in possession of the Litigious Countries conjointly with the Princes of Brandenburg and Newburg The French Ambassador proposed another way which was not liked by the Landgrave nor the Imperial Commissioners The German Princes never love that Foreign Soveraigns should meddle too much with the Affairs of the Empire There was a great number of Writings on the side of the Possessors the Elector of Saxony and the Commissioners of the Emperor but they could not come to any Agreement The Assembly broke up and each one protested for himself he was not the cause that hindred the Troubles from being pacified This was the better for Brandenburgh and Newburgh They continued in peaceable Possession of the Countries of Cleves and Juliers till the Affair should be determined The Protestant confederated Princes did them yet very good Service by obliging Maximilian Duke of Bavaria Head of the Catholick League to Disarm and the Elector of Collen to put a stop to all Hostilities of his Subjects against those of the Country of Juliers The Coronation of Lewis XIII The Court of France was then at Rheims for the Coronation of the young King The Cardinal of Joycuse representing the Archbishop of the place performed the Ceremony with the usual Pomp. The Princes of Conde and Conti the Count of Soissons the Dukes of Nevers Elbeuf and Epernon Represented the ancient Dukes of Burgundy Normandy and Aquitain and the Counts of Thoulouse Flanders and Champagne It is not needful for me to relate in this place all the particulars of this long Ceremony it may be found in divers places There is one thing not to be forgotten which well deserves our Attention Before that which the Credulous People call the Holy Bottle be made use of the King promises when required by the Prelate who Officiates to the Bishops and Churches to preserve their Canonical Priviledges to make good Laws to do Justice to protect his Subjects according to the Obligations of a King to his People Two Bishops Peers of France after this ask all present if they receive this Prince for their King and all the Orders of the Kingdom having given their consent the Solemn Oath of Inauguration is administred to him A convincing proof there is a Reciprocal and Relative Engagement between a Soveraign and his Subjects Reflections on the Coronation Oath In an Elective Kingdom the Subjects oblige themselves only to the Prince who is chosen on Conditions mutually agreed on in the Act of Election But in an Hereditary State they stand engaged to him whom they have Elected and to his Descendants it being still understood they shall observe all the Conditions promised by the first of the Royal Family Thus we see why each of these in particular is not received as King till after the Ratification of the Original Contract made with him from whom they derive their Pretensions to the Crown This Maxim is founded on Divine Right and Natural Equity The good Frenchmen commonly believed this in the XV. Century Joan Gerson Oposculo adversus adulatores Principurm Considerat VIII It is a gross Mistake says one of the most Famous and Pious Writers of the Gallican Church to pretend that a Soveraign has not contracted any Obligation to his Subjects In the same manner as by Divine Right Natural Equity and by the true end of Government the latter are bound to continue faithful to and assist their Prince so he Reciprocally engaged to be Faithful to them and protect them If it shall happen then that a Sovereign shall do manifest Injustices without having regard to the Remonstrances of his Subjects they have a Liberty to defend themselves according to the Rule of Natural Right which allows every one to repel Violence with all his Might Claude Despence Institution d'un Prince Chrétien Another Divine of Paris not less Eminent for his Birth than his rare Learning said frankly to Henry II. That his Majesty ought to detest a Tyrannick Maxim more fit for a Turk or Tartar Soveraign than a Christian Prince a Maxim I say since received at Court That the
your most incontestable Right will be soon Vsurped He that attacks me to day will declare himself against you to morrow should a Wise Man stand with his Arms folded when his Neighbours House is on Fire The Advice was wholsom but his Majesty of Great Britain had the Dissatisfaction to hear several Catholick Princes did not dare to read his Apology for fear of giving offence to the Pope A strange Slavery Can Policy or Superstition reduce Princes to so mean a Complaisance to a Bishop who would have great Honour done him in leaving him the first Subject of the Empire Henry IV. of France was as weak as the rest Coeffeteau writes against K. James his Apology He forbid any Translation should be published of that Book which his good Ally had sent him His Care and Orders were ineffectual the Apology appeared in French in spite of him Coeffeteau a Religious Dominican after Bishop of Marseille an Author who successfully began first to give an Elegance and an Agreeable and Neat turn to the French Language Coeffeteau I say was desirous to Signalize himself on this occasion and so enter the List against a King This Man was obliged to speak after the manner used in France and to own the Independance of Sovereigns in regard of their Temporal Concerns But the poor Dominican Embarassed himself terribly Indeed says he to the King of Great Britain If the Catholick Church teacheth this Furious Zeal if she arms her own Children against Kings and puts them on making Attempts against their Lives she is not only unworthy of their Favours but deserves to be Exterminated and her Memory erased by a General Decree of Mankind but if on the contrary she condemns all these Attempts as Parricides if she desires Princes should securely enjoy their Dominions have their Armies Victorious an obedient People a Faithful Counsel and all Happiness that can be desired is not her Greatness Harmless notwithstanding the Rage of some private Persons whom Despair and not Religion has pushed on to Brutality She knows she cannot subsist without the State that she is born in it and the State is her Support The Catholick Church this is a word strangely Equivocal in France If it may be allowed to fignifie a certain Number of the most enlightned and sincere Persons in the Roman Communion the Author I have just now cited may speak Truth But if by the Catholick Church we must understand as is more reasonable its Supreme Pastor the great number of those which fill its chief Dignities its most Famous Writers I very much fear the good Coeffeteau has advanced a Notorious Falshood The Pope and Cardinals gave him the Lye in a very Remarkable manner the very same year he answered King James Barclay had wrote against Bellarmine about the Authority of the Pope and followed the Principles commonly received amongst the better Men of France His Book was Condemned at Rome as well as the Noble History of Mr. De Thou the Famous Argument of Antony Arnaud against the Jesuits and the Sentence it self of the Parlement of Paris against John Chastel who had made an Attempt on the Life of Henry IV. That poor Prince was not yet dead This strange Censure which he endur'd so patiently did it not serve to Animate the Rage of that Wretch who Assassinated him the year following If the pretended Head of the Church of Rome if the Cardinals and the greatest number of its Paftors did not teach this Furious Zeal If they condemned their Attempts as Parricides would they have destroyed so many good Books so Just and so Christian a Sentence Let us then conclude with the Opinion of the Eminent Coeffeteau The Pope and Cardinals deserve to be exterminated and their Memory erased by a publick Decree of Mankind As the Cardinals pretend they are not Inferior to Crown'd Heads Cardinal Pellarmine Addresses to the Emperor and Kings of the Popal Communion his Answer to the King of England's Apology Bellarmine in the same manner Addresses to the Emperor and the Kings who own God for their Father and the Catholick Church for their Mother the Answer which he had some time since made under a borrowed Name to the King of Great Britain's Apology It must not be thought strange says the Cardinal that I undertake to refute a King It is for the Defence of the Faith I have taken my Pen in hand after the Example of divers Prelates of Antiquity Hilary of Poitiers and Lucifer of Cagliari have writ against the Haeretical Emperor Constantius Gregory Narianzen and Cyrill of Alexandria have Encountred Julian the Apostate This did James the first draw on himself from a Priest for turning Controvertist without necessity If he had contented himself with publishing a Manifesto to prove the Justice of the Oath he required of his Popish Subjects he would have embarass'd the Court of Rome and its Advocates But he labour'd to shew the Pope was Antichrist and that Rome is the Seat of the Son of Perdition Was not this a way to please the Sovereigns of the Popes Communion by furnishing them with a pretence for not receiving kindly the Kings Apology and applauding the Cardinals Answer A Deeree of the Parlement of Paris against the Treatise of Bellarmine of the Authority of the Pope The Dispute stopt there Bellarmine set himself to reply to Barclay This Man had refuted what the Cardinal advanced concerning the Authority of the Pope in the first Volume of his Controversies The Magistrates opposed the printing them at Paris and the first Sheets which were work'd of were Suppressed by order of the Solicitor General As soon as they had notice of the New Book which Bellarmine had published of the Authority of the Pope in Temporal Matters Servin Advocate General moved the Parlement to provide against any Mischiefs which the Publication of so ill a Book might cause This Magistrate urged the Duty of his Place obliged him not to be less Diligent or Zealous for the Service of his Master than Peter de Cugnieres and John le Cooq his Predecessors had been the one in the Reign of Philip of Valois and the other in that of Charles the VI. Farther he alledged the late proceedings of the King of Spain and his Officers against that Volume of the Annals of Cardinal Baronius wherein the Monarchy of Sicily is attacked The Chambers meeting upon the occasion of this Remonstrance ordered Cardinal Bellarmines Work to be Supprest let us now see what was done this year in Spain against Baronius An Edict of the King of Spain against the XI Volume of the Ecclesiastical Annals of Cardinal Baronius The Kings of Sicily have for a long time been the only Popes of this little Kingdom By Virtue of a certain Bull which Pope Vrban the Second granted say they to Roger Count of Sicily and his Successors the Sovereign is Legatus Natus or Born Legat of the Holy See His Spiritual Power is so great that he
followed the Impressions of the Court of Rome Mary disliked too the Austere Humour of the Duke who would not fail to oppose her excessive Expences and Imprudent Liberalities The fear of causing Murmurs amongst the Protestants in discarding a Lord of their Religion without Reason possibly would have restrain'd the Queen and defeated the Cabals against him But they reckoned upon the Interest of the Mareschal of Bouillon with the Party He mortally hated the Duke of Sully and the Prince of Conde tempted by the Confiscation of the Estate of a Superintendant which Bouillon made him cast his Eyes on Declines interceding for a Man whose Plunder would enrich him Mem du Duc de Rohan Liv. 1. a Powerful Spur to make a Prince Act says one of the Wisest Men of that Time THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarre BOOK II. 1611. The Quarrel of Bellegarde and Conchini IN the Year 1611. Conchini entred upon the Exercise of his New place of first Gentleman of the Chamber Bellegarde who had served the preceding year in the same Quality was loath to leave the Apartment in the Louvre appointed for him who served in that Quality The Marquess of Ancre having already Lodgings in the Louvre upon the account of his Wife but the latter had not respect enough for him to give him any thing which of Right belonged to himself The Key of the Apartments was demanded of Bellegarde Divers pretences were found to defer this The Marquess of Ancre tired with these affected Delays demands it himself of the Great Esquire in the Queens Closet Upon a positive Refusal several Affronting Words past on both sides Conchini did not want Courage He goes out of the Louvre to avoid a Prohibition of Fighting and with a Design to demand the Reason of the Affront and Wrong Bellegarde had done him This Quarrel made a great noise at Court Memoirs de la Regence de Marie de Medicis every one followed that side his Passion or Interest led him to The Count of Soissons and old Friend of the Great Esquires forgot all his New Ties to the Marquess of Ancre He threatned Conchini to drive him from Court and his Passion of which he seldom was Master had Transported him farther if the Marquess de Coeuvres his Confident had not stopt him Is this the way you take said the Marquess to him to compass your Design of Marrying your Son to the Princess of Montpensier and ruine the Duke of Sully your Enemy to quarrel with the Queen and her Creatures Bellegarde is your Friend but the Duke of Guise whom you don't Love has he not contracted an Alliance with this Gentleman by Marrying the Dowager of Montpensier his near Kinswoman Do you think for the future your Interests will be dearer to Bellegarde than those of the House of Guise if you have no Consideration for Conchini at least consider your self The Count began to reflect a little when a Gentleman came to tell Coeuvres the Marquess of Ancre desired to have some Discourse with him in the Hôtel d'Etrees Coeuvres go's instantly exhorts Conchini to consent to an Accomodation Monsieur the Prince and the Duke of Epernon have offer'd me their Mediation says the Marquess of Ancre but if it comes to that Monsieur the Count will be more grateful to me Coeuvres made his Advantage of this Offer The Count of Soissons valued it as a piece of Merit with the Queen to accommodate a Quarrel which gave her Majesty some Disturbance The Count of Soissons quarrels with the Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon Conchini thought himself extreamly obliged to the Count for having so dexterously managed his Honour Full of Gratitude the Marquess of Ancre promised Soissons to labour effectually to procure the Marriage of Mr. of Enghien with the Rich Hieress of Montpensier and to ruin the Duke of Sully The Queen consented in effect to the two Propositions which the Ministers and Marquess of Ancre strenuously pleaded for But when the Duke of Epernon and the Cardinal of Joyeuse came to understand the Queen disposed of their grand Niece without their consent they complained to her Majesty she had not Communicated to them a Matter which concerned them so nearly Farther they made great Complaints that the Count of Soissons had slighted them in carrying on a Matter of that kind with the Regent without their Privity This Prince full of Life but very Indiscreet took a Pique very unseasonably against two Persons whom he sought to engage in his Interests Endeavours were used for an Accommodation but all in vain Soissons was too passionate and Epernon too haughty The late King had designed the Princess of Montpensier for the Duke of Orleans his second Son and had declared this only to the Cardinal Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon otherwise the Match would have been agreeable to the Niece and the Uncles But how could they prefer the last Prince of the Blood to the first Son of France The young Duke of Orleans died the 17th of November this year In default of him the Princess of Montpensier was desired for Gaston Duke of Anjou third Son of Henry IV. A Quarrel between the Count of Soissons with the Psince of Conti â—…is Brother The Count of Soissons had the beginning of this year two Notorious Quarrels one with the Prince of Conti his Brother and the other with the Duke of Guise Three days after the Marriage of this latter with the Dowager of Montpensier the Prince of Conti going in the Evening to the Louvre in his Coach met near the Croix du Tiroir the Count of Soissons who likewise was in his There being a stop in the Street it was necessary one of the two Coaches should put back to make way for the other The Counts Gentleman began to be rough and without observing the Liveries to use Threats and command the Princes Coachman to put back immediately Conti's Men would not yield bid the Coachman drive on and fear nothing The Count of Soissons then saw it was his Elder Brother in the Coach he instantly sent to make excuses for the Indiscretion of his Gentleman They protested to the Prince in the Name of the Count this happened by Accident and not by Design The weak Conti was not contented with the Deference which Soissons paid him When a Man has little Merit he easily thinks he is despised To Morrow with your Sword drawn cries the Prince as he passed by his Brothers Coach To stifle brutally for a small point of Honour all Sense of Religion and Nature was this the way to make himself less contemptible The two Princes are reconciled The Regent being informed of what had happened prays the Prince of Conde to intercede and Reconcile his Uncles She sends the Duke of Guise whose Sister Conti had Married to dispose his Brother-in-Law to receive the Excuses that Soissons made
perswaded him to treat with his Friends in the Court of Prague and the Roman Catholicks in Bohemia who could not endure to see the Gospellers enjoy the free use of their Religion Leopold designed in the first place to make an Alteration in the Government of Prague and Expel divers Lords of the Emperors Council who were in the King of Hungary's Interests the thing did not seem practicable in a free Country as that of Bohemia was There was a Necessity for him to content himself with gaining over the Catholick Party and chiefly the Churchmen and Monks by giving them hopes that if Leopold should enter Prague by force of Arms he would oblige the Emperor to revoke the Edict in favour of the Gospellers The Jesuits were the most forward to favour the Designs of Leopold they filled their Colledge with Canon Arms and Ammunition to make use of in case there should be occasion Leopold's Troops â—…arch into Bohemia Leopolds Army was compos'd of nine Thousand Foot and four Thousand Horse They marched strait towards Austria under the Command of Romeo who found the means to help the Soldiers to Money in their way they plundered divers considerable Castles King Matthias being unprovided to resist was very much alarmed He writ to his Subjects and Friends to come immediately to his Aid In the mean time Romeo passes the Danube ravages whereever he comes marches into Bohemia under pretence of exacting those Subsidies the Emperor had promised Leopold for the Subsistence of his Troops He took two or three important Places and Leopold joined him when he was at the Gates of the Capital The States of the Countries amazed at these Motions prepar'd for a Defence The Gospellers appear'd more active and warm than the rest they were afraid to fall under the Government of one of the House of Gratz But it was not possible to hinder Leopold from entring into a third part of the Town which is called the little Prague He had a good Intelligence there the two other Quarters which they call the Old and New Prague defended themselves so vigorously that Leopold could not make himself Master of them Matthias King of Hungary Marches to the Assistance of Bohemia During the Confusions which Accidents of this Nature must needs cause in a Town divided into two Factions Violent against each other Rodolphus remained in his Castle contented with commanding both Parties by a Herald to lay down their Arms he seemed to stand Neuter His old Piques against his Brother made him encline to Leopold who seized on the Castle and was declared Lieutenant General for the Emperor The King of Hungary had at that time a Dispute with Gabriel Battori Prince of Transilvania He chose rather to give up his Pretensions than to have Bohemia taken from him Behold him then at the Head of an Army of eighteen Thousand Men. Leopold and Romeo make a quick Retreat to the Frontiers of Bohemia as soon as they are informed Matthias was enter'd into the Kingdom too fortunate in carrying off their Booty and two Hundred Thousand Florens which the Emperor gave them The King of Hungary being come to Prague the States of the Country received him with all possible Magnificence Matthias is Crowned King of Bohemia After some of Rodolphus his Counsellors were clapt into Prison and others forced to fly it was no hard Matter to make Rodolphus consent to a Demise of the Kingdom of Bohemia in favour of his Brother This poor Prince had very good Conditions in appearance made for him at the Solicitation of the Elector of Saxony who always was a Friend to the House of Austria The States of Bohemia too proposed theirs to the New King for the securing the Privileges of the Kingdom and Liberty of Conscience The City of Prague made some separate Stipulations and particularly that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction should be restrained and the Abuses of it corrected After Matthias had been Solemnly Crowned at Prague the 23d of May by the Cardinal Ditrechstein an Agreement was made with Leopold who still had divers Important Places in his Hand He promised to quit these upon the payment of a certain Sum of Money In Conclusion the King of Hungary and Bohemia having agreed to some Articles for a perfect Reconciliation with the Emperor he went to Breslau his Design was to go and take Possession of Silesia which had likewise been given up to him The Bishop of the City the Lords and States of the Province took an Oath of Fidelity to him and he likewise swore to preserve to them the free Exercise of that Religion each of them professed before A Cabal in the Court of France against the Duke of Epernon The Princes of the House of Austria lived the rest of that year in a good Understanding as to outward Appearance those of the Royal Blood did the same in France Conde and Soissons being now combined together were not content with Supplanting Sully they resolved farther to ruine the Duke of Epernon the Marquess of Ancre took part with them He promised the Count of Soissons to remove a Man who was insupportable to all the Favourites Epernon hated them in effect because he loved to engross Favours he thought no one besides himself could deserve it Conchini provoked by the great Contempt the Duke treated him with resolved to humble a Man who ow'd his Rise to the Favour of Henry the III. and was now more haughty and hard to be bended than the Princes of the Blood The more Epernon found his Interest at Court sink the more he strove to make the Princes of the Blood Sensible if they would not love him they should have reason to fear him After the Count of Soissons had threatned to insult him he went through the Streets of Paris attended with Seven or Eight Hundred Gentlemen he would sometimes take Pleasure in going to the Louvre a foot His Men marched in order of Battle and when the first were at the Louvre the last were at the Hôtel of Epernon The Distance of these is near two thousand Paces In the midst of this outward Splendor the Discontent to see himself Excluded from Publick Business tormented him exceedingly The Cardinal of Joyeuse who only Subsisted by the Dukes Support resolved to go to Rome and Divert himself in the Chapels and Congregations there since there was no more occasion for him in the Court of France Epernon desired leave to go to his Estate and Government this he obtained with the good liking of the Court Mem. de la Regence de Marie de Medicis The Regent gave him on this occasion several Marks of Confidence and Respect The Prince of Conde had a mind to go and take Possession of the Government of Guienne and nothing could divert him from this Resolution His stiffness gave Umbrage to the Court The Reformed had a civil Assembly at Saumur and the Regent did not know whether Conde might not have some secret design
League for the Safety of Italy we are ready to give our ancient Allies proofs we desire nothing more than to preserve and secure that Repose they enjoy Upon this Declaration the Senate answered very Wisely to the Duke of Savoy that it very much concerned all the Sovereigns of Italy to keep a good Understanding and provide for their common Safety But it is to be feared said they this will only serve to incense the Spaniards more and encrease the Distrust and Jealousie of a Crown whom it behoves as much nay more than its Neighbours to seek for Peace The Wise Politick Old Ministers of Henry IV. saw very well the Spaniards were not so much to be feared and there was more Ostentation than Reality in the threatning Advances of the Court of Madrid The Death of the Count of Fuentes Governor of Milan which happened at that time helped to revive their Courage They thought Spain would not be able to find a Subject capable of so well Supporting the Reputation of the Crown and covering so artfully the weakness of Philip III. and the Duke of Lerma his first Minister Pedro Gusman of Toledo Count of Fuentes died aged 85 years on the 22d of July 1610. He was a Man of extraordinary Capacity and great Experience in all Civil and Military Affairs He gained mighty Reputation in the Campagnes of Picardy about the end of the preceding Age and especially at the taking of Cambray But the care he took to profit by the Lessons of his Master Philip II. sullied the good Qualities of so finisht a Statesman and Soldier The ill Designs of the Court of Spain against the Duke of Savoy As Charles Emanuel was the boldest and I will add the most Imprudent of the Italian Princes to declare against Spain so he was the first and chief Object which felt the Displeasure of that Revengeful Court. In the first place all the Spanish Troops in his Service were remanded back He saw plainly they were seeking for an Occasion to pick a Quarrel with him being assured of a speedy Aid from the Mareschal Lesdiguieres his Friend Siri Memoire recordite Tom. II. p. 282 304. who commanded in Dauphine the Duke was not struck with the Threats made him from the King of Spain He spoke not only like a Man who was resolved to defend himself Couragiously but like one who would pursue the Designs set on foot before Henry's Death All the World was so fully convinced that the Superiority of Genius and Strength which had formerly made Spain formidable were entirely wanting in Philip III. that Princes far inferior to him haughtily insulted him The Imprudence and double dealing of the Duke of Savoy The Duke of Savoy might have securely despised all the Threats of the Spaniards if he had been more prudent and less Knavish Could he not plainly see France had no design to break with Spain but that the Regent would stir to prevent him from being Opprest He ought not then in point of Discretion to have provoked a Neighbour who notwithstanding her Weakness was stronger than a Duke of Savoy At the same time that Charles Emanuel was earnestly pressing Mary to obtain what the late King had promised him he was at the same time keeping secret Intelligence with the Count of Soissons and the rest of the discontented Lords and Heads of the Protestant Party in hopes of kindling a Civil War in France Being perswaded that the King of Spain would be glad to be reconciled to him and sought his Friendship he endeavoured to insinuate into the Court of Madrid that if she would grant him good Conditions he would do her very good Service against France Both Parties soon saw his Ways Thus was he equally odious and suspected in all the Courts of Europe suffered the Disgrace of being humbled in Spain despised in France and Italy and hated in his own Country which he ruined by his Chimerical Projects Divers Negotiations to oblige the Kingâ—… of Spain and Duke of Savoy to lay down their Arms in Italy Whilst these Intrigues were carrying on the King of Spain was in Arms in Italy and the Duke of Savoy had a considerable number of Soldiers there Strange Confusions for France and the Sovereigns of Italy The Regent was very impatient to Disband the Army in Dauphine Commanded by a Hugonot General but Prudence would not suffer her to do it in such a Juncture Siri Memoire recâ—…ndite Tom II. p. 335 336. The Pope apprehended least the Mareschal Lesdiguieres should pass the Alps under colour of coming to the Assistance of the Duke of Savoy When Mary pressed Charles Emanuel to lay down his Arms he asked such conditions as she did not care to grant him The Pope too made his Instances that Spain and Savoy should send away those Troops which gave France and Italy so great uneasiness But Philip pretended Charles Emanuel ought in the first place to lay down his Arms and make him Satisfaction The Duke on the contrary alledged that the weakest ought to stand upon his Guard when he seemed to be threatned by a Powerful Neighbour so that the Difference now seemed only to consist in Ceremony Nevertheless the more discerning Men thought they saw a Collusion here The Duke Dissatisfied to find the Regent intended in earnest to fall in with the Spaniard he began to talk too of sending Prince Philibert his Son to Madrid The King of Spain demands the Duke of Savoy should first of all make him Satisfaction Whether it were that the Court of Spain were assured that the Regent of France would willingly suffer the Duke of Savoy to be humbled provided no harm were done him or that Philip was absolutely resolved to reduce his Brother-in-Law who behaved himself so Haughty at a time when he sought the King of Spain's Favour Charles Emanuel received News from Madrid That his Catholick Majesty was exactly informed of his Ties to the late King of France and that before the King would consent to an Accommodation he required a very mortifying Preliminary of the Duke of Savoy Siri Memoire recondite Tom. II. p. 336 337. This was that he should send his Sons or at least one of them to Madrid to remain there as a Pledge of their Fathers Fidelity and farther that he should ask Pardon for his secret Treaties with France to the prejudice of the Crown of Spain Charles Emanuel presently summoned his Council together No Expedient could be found to evade these hard conditions but to press France earnestly to send a speedy Aid For now the Spanish Troops in the Milanese seemed ready to pour into Piemont Lesdiguieres gave the Duke fair words but Mary de Medicis very far from breaking with Spain in favour of Charles Emanuel advised him to send Prince Philibert to Madrid to pacifie King Philip. Thus did the two Courts make sport with a Man who thought himself crafty enough to deceive them both There was no way
the New Institution was Dangerous to the Faith capable of disturbing the Peace of the Church and in one Word more tending to destroy than edifie When the Jesuits desired to be incorporated in the University she rejected them with Indignation and Contempt When they attempted to teach publickly she opposed them with Vigour The Pasquiers and Arnauds undertook her Defence The Learned Arguments are still extant in which they lay before the Parlement of Paris the Reasons which the University had to declare against this Hermaphrodite Body said they which is neither Ecclesiastical nor Regular The Attempt of John Chastel against the Person of Henry IV. was the cause which moved the Parlement of Paris whose most Eminent Members were bred in that University to give a terrible Sentence against them commanding all Jesuits to remove out of Paris and all other Cities within three days and out of the Kingdom in fifteen branding them for Corrupters of Youth Disturbers of the Publick Peace and Enemies to the King and Government After when Henry IV. at the Sollicitation of the Pope at the Instigation of Sillery and Villeroy and Instances of de la Varenne the Infamous Minister of his Pleasures had granted them his Letters Patents for their Reestablishment the President de Harlay employed all the power of his Wit and Eloquence to perswade the King this Act of his was inconsistent with the Safety of his Person the Preservation of his Authority and the Welfare of his Kingdom But neither the Decrees of Sorbonne nor the excellent Discourses of two Illustrious Advocates nor the wise Remonstrances of the gravest Magistrate of that time could hinder the King from being worse advised than the Mayor and good Commonalty of Troies in Champagne Henry resolved to forget the League was first conceived among the Jesuits and that Barricre and Chastel who made an Attempt on his Life were instructed and pushed on by Varade and Guignard Jesuits His Imprudence cost him dear poor Prince Ravillac profited by the Doctrines and Lessons of the Writers and Doctors of the Society The World was not exceedingly Surprized to see them within three Months after the bloody Death of Henry IV when all the Preachers of Paris were exclaiming against the Jesuits and an Infinity of Pamphlets had been published to expose their Temper and Doctrines have the boldness to desire a Permission from the New King to open their College of Clermont Mercure Francois 1611. which had been shut up ever since their first coming to Paris and to make their Publick Lectures there All Men were now pretty well acquainted with the humour of that Body A long experience had taught them that they are not confounded with Noise That Just and Reasonable Confusion which makes other Men fearful and modest encreases the Courage and Boldness of these good Fathers That which most amazed all Honest Men was to see the Regent and her Council give the Jesuits Letters Patents to be confirmed in Parlement at the same time that these Magistrates all well affected to the King and Government 's Repose declared peremptorily in their Decrees that the Doctrines of Mariana and some other Writers of the Society had plunged the Knife in the Heart of the two last Kings of France Father Coton was not less busie in the Hall than at Court He demanded the entring the King's Letters with the same boldness that he had Sollicited the Regent and her Ministers for them But the Rector and the Faculties of the University of Paris opposing this the Decision of the Affair was remitted till the following year During a pretty long delay caused by the Proceedings and Formalities of Law the Jesuits got together four-score or a hundred Scholars whom they taught in the College of Clermont At length the matter came to a publick Hearing This was in the Month of December 1611. La Merteliere Advocate for the University made a long Discourse where he repeated with Emphasis what Pasquier Arnaud and the first President de Harlay had formerly said against the Jesuits He added all they had been accused of having done in England Holland at Venice Genoa and elsewhere The Divinity of these good Fathers was not forgot He shewed the Corruption and Danger of it In the last place the University concluded by the Mouth of her Advocate that if the Parlement would not have regard to her wholsom Remonstrances she should at least have the Consolation of having done her Duty and having given more than once by her repeated Oppositions to the Enterprizes of the Society a certain Testimony of her sincere and continual Affection for the Service of the King and the Good of her Coutry Montholon Advocate for the Jesuits answered in a very short Discourse He affected too to speak so low that the greatest Part of the Auditory could not hear his Defence After this Hardivillier Rector of the University spoke a long Harangue in Latin This was rather the Declamation of a College Rhetorician than a Solid and Eloquent Discourse The Advocate General Servin spoke according to Custom after the rest and concluded in favour of the University The Parlement being tired with the Importunities of the Jesuits thought of a good Expedient to free themselves They proposed to them to subscribe to four Articles repugnant to the Doctrines imputed to them You cannot be incorporated with the Vniversity nor have Permission to teach publickly said the Magistrate to the good Fathers unless your Sentiments agree with those of the Sorbonne This Turn was well devised They foresaw the Jesuits would never sign such Propositions for fear of incurring Displeasure at Rome and their Refusal would clear the Parlement at Court for not passing the King's Letters Can we the Magistrates might have said allow a Body to teach publickly which refuses to subscribe the Doctrine commonly received in France The first President de Verdun then ordered eight Jesuits to be called who were in Court to hear the issue of their Cause Will you says he to them Subscribe these four Propositions and undertake your General shall likewise do it The first was That a General Council is above the Pope The second That the Pope has no power over the Temporalties of Sovereigns and that he cannot deprive them by Excommunication The third That a Priest who by way of Confession comes to the Knowledge of a Design or Conspiracy against the Person of a King or his Government or any Act of High Treason is obliged to Reveal the Matter to the Magistrate The fourth That Church-men are Subjects of the Temporal Prince and Civil Magistrate The Provincial of the Jesuits did not know how to extricate himself in this difficulty In our Statutes says he with a Modest and Devout Air taking a Book and setting himself to read We have a positive Order to obey the Laws of the Country where we live but we cannot promise any thing for our General We will write to him upon this Matter and do all we can
hopes to make Advantages of the broils of France and to retake what Henry the IV. had forc't him to give in exchange for the Marquisate of Saluces all these Motives spurr'd on Charles Emanuel to omit nothing of what ever was capable to kindle a Civil War in France by means of the Princes of the Blood or at least by the Huguenot Party And for this reason he constantly Negotiated sometimes with the Count of Soissons sometimes with Mareschal Lesdiguiers He renewed his Intrigues according as he saw one or other Dissatisfied with the Court. The Marquess de Coeuvres dâ—…verâ—…s the Count de Soissons from such a Design The Prince of Conde and others had made Count Soissons promise to say nothing to the Marquess de Coeuvres his intimate Friend of the Complot against the Chancellor They foresaw that Coeuvres being used to stop the Count when his Choler had carried him too far he would not fail to Represent to Soissons that it was unworthy of a Prince of the Blood to be Outragious against the chief Magistrate of the Realm The thing happen'd as they had guess't it The Count de Soissons could not keep the Secret He discover'd it to the Marquess de Coeuvres who shew'd him the troublesom Consequences of such like undertakings But the Subject Matter was how to Disingage the Count from his Word which he had given to others Coeuvres luckily found out a way The difference that Soissons had in his Journy to Normandy with the Mareschal de Fervacques on the occasion of the Garrison of Quillebeuf which Fervacques had reinforc't unknown to the Count this Difference I say occasion'd the Marquess de Coeuvres to go several times into Normandy and to come back again to Court to give some satisfaction to the Count de Soissons who complain'd aloud of the Mareschal Fervacques Conchini impatient that Soissons did not return time enough to work the ruine of the Chancellor told himself to the Marquess de Coeuvres at the Mareschal Bouillons House in the presence of the Prince of Conde Harlai of Beaumont and Dolé the Reasons there were to hasten the Count of Soissons to return Coeuvres fain'd not to know any thing of a Plot amongst them against the Chancellor When they had discover'd it plainly to him he so lively represented the Indignity of the Action as they were ashamed of it If you have wherewithal to prove said he that the Chancellor hath not done his Duty is it not a more honest and surer way to inform the Queen of it and perswade her Majesty to take the Seals from him than to outrage unworthily the Chief Justiciary So great a Violence offer'd will not fail to pluck more upon your own Heads Who hereafter will succeed Sileri when he sees he can't exercise the Office with Security which of times exposeth him who is possest of 't to discontent Princes and Grandees in obeying the King's Orders The Mareschal de Bouillon was the first who yielded to the Remonstrances of Coeuvres These Reasons said he have so much the more reason in them to be received for that the Marquess generously alledgeth them in favour of one of whom he hath cause to complain T' was not then farther thought upon to put any such bloody Indignity on the Chancellor ev'ry one then took only Measures to destroy his Reputation he had in the Queens Breast The Marquess d' Ancres knavery and double dealing Conchini and his Wife labour'd herein with better Success than all the rest This Italian was the falfest Politician in the World At the same time he made use of the Count Soissons to destroy the Chancellor and Ministers of State he himself was the Person who hinder'd the Regent from contenting the Prince in giving of him the Government of Quillebeuf The Baron Luts Agent for the Marquess d' Ancre Sollicited in his behalf the Duke of Guise to declare for the Queen and uphold the Refusal which she design'd to give the Count of Soissons Guise was so adverse to this perfidious dealing of Conchini as he gave notice of it to Soissons The House of Guise the Cardinal Joyeuse and Bellegarde Master of the Horse dissatisfied at what Mary de Medicis had done to the Duke of Vendosme sought to reunite themselves with the Princes of the Blood against the Marquess d' Ancre Only the Duke of Epernon neglected to enter into this new Treaty whether it was that his Pride hinder'd him from Courting the Princes of the Blood to confirm his reeling Credit or that the Rheumatism which then afflicted him would not give him opportunity to think of Court Intrigues There was in Guise's Party a pack of French Lords who were not much better and perhaps worse than the Marquess d' Ancre T' was generally believ'd Persons suborn'd to accuse him of Witchcraft that Bellegarde had this year Suborned some Persons to accuse Conchini that he had of a long time us'd some Love-spells by means of a Looking-Glass This Affair much Alarm'd the Marquess d' Ancre He believ'd himself now so near his Ruin as he try'd to make the Duke of Mayenne his Friend to return to Court who was now at the Foot of the Pirenees to go into Spain Conchini intended to serve his Occasions with him and the Count of Soissons against his Enemies But he found out a means to rid himself of the Intrigue without the Duke of Mayenne's Assistance This occasion serv'd him likewise to do the Chancellor ill Offices with the Queen He had got some Commissions to Seal in order to have his Accuser Examin'd Sileri who did not love the Marquess d' Ancre but favour'd his Enemies made some Scruples of putting the Seals t' ' em Conchini complain'd of this to the Queen who from that time began to shew to the Chancellor some Displeasure Affairs of the Duke of Rohan at S lean d' Angeli's The Evil Counsels which the Queen Regent hearken'd to caus'd her troubles on all sides with the Princes of the Blood with the Grandees with the Parlement and at the end with the Reformed Protestants The Division amongst the principal Persons of this Communion afforded Mary de Medicis and her Ministers the means of undertaking certain things against the Edict which never would have been thought on if two Men capable to maintain their Religion against the whole World had liv'd in good Intelligence amongst themselves and acted Unanimously Memoires du Duc de Roâ—…ohan Livre f. Vie du Plessia â—â—rna Livre â—…L I speak of the Mareschal Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan The first serv'd himself with the Queen's Ear to ruine the other in the good Apprehensions she might have of him What pass't in the Assembly at Saumur exasperated so much the Mareschal against the Duke that Bouillon undertook to throw out Rohan from the Government of St. John d' Angeli which the Deceased King had bestow'd upon him The Duke de Rohan being well
Government of Dauphiny She was willing to keep that of Normandy to her self and have it manag'd by a Lieutenant General But the Prince of Conti was to be satisfied who ask'd for one of his Brother's two Governments This seem'd very reasonable Conti having heretofore given up the Government of the Dauphinate to the Count. To give him and the Guises some satisfaction a Sister of whom the Prince had married it was caus'd to be propos'd to Charles of Valois Natural Son of King Charles IX whom we before call'd Count d' Auvergne and henceforth shall be stil'd Duke of Angoulesme to lay down the Government of Auvergne Henry IV. had put him into Prison for a Conspiracy and the Regent kept him there still The Marquiss de Coeuvres was ordered to speak to him for accommodating the Matter The Duke d' Angoulesme who long'd for his Liberty accepted the Proposition to obtain his Liberty and so the Prince of Conti was made Governour of Auvergne The Count de Soissons had vast Designs rolling in his Head when he died 'T was said that he had bound himself in a great Correspondence with Henry Prince of Wales Maurice Prince of Orange the Duke of Savoy and the Huguenot Party The Duke of Rohan perceiving him discontented with the Regent and her Ancestors sent to offer him his Services He did not ask for the Government of Quillebeuf but only to be in a Condition of giving Entrance to the Succours which he had projected should come from England and Holland His greatest Passion and Desire was to remove the Ministers and quell the Party of the Guises and of the Duke of Epernon He would have had the Joy of seeing his Wishes almost fulfill'd if Death had not taken him hence the first Day of November The Marquiss and Marchioness d'Ancre had so much prepossess'd the Queen against the Ministers of State and especially against Sileri that she began to keep them in the dark as to her Cabinet Affairs Galigai had the Insolence to say a thousand offensive things to the Chancellor in presence of the Queen and to upbraid him with the ill Administration of his Office Mary de Medicis suffer'd her She-Confident to speak all and poor Sileri dar'd not to answer a Word for himself He was afraid lest the Queen should second the Reproaches perhaps too true which were said against him The Marchioness d'Ancre being sure of her Mistress's Sentiments spoke confidently as she was able to put out of Countenance the boldest Man alive 'T is a Maxim amongst interested Courtiers not to be put off and repuls'd easily and not to quit the Game but at the last Extremity The Chancellor went into the Queen's Closet with other Ministers but there he was afresh mortified Her Majesty turn'd her Back to him affecting to speak with a deal-of trust to the President Jeannin A new Party was now set up at Court which having got the upper most dissipated all the rest The Prince of Condé headed it The Dukes of Nevers Maienne Longueville the Marshal Bouillon and the Marquess d' Ancre came into it The Guises Epernon Amville and their Friends found their Affairs retarded by these Means The Duke of Amville was Brother to the Constable Montmorenci in whose Absence being gone to his Government in Languedoc he joyn'd himself to the Guises whom he thought had got further into the Queen's Favour than others The Master of the Horse Bellegarde of the same Party was then at Bourgundy as Governour of it He receiv'd Orders to come presently to Court Bellegarde obey'd the more willingly for that the Duke of Guise had hasten'd him to come to their Relief As soon as he had reach'd Sens they gave him notice that the Queen had sent for him only to put him out of his Government Understanding this he went back to it with all speed The Marquess d' Ancre had laid an Intrigue for causing Bourgundy to be given to the Duke of Mayenne There were more open Contentions at the Sorbonne than at the Court The Jesuit Becanus his Book condemned The Jesuits let loose against the lawful Authority of Sovereigns publish'd new Books every Day upon this Subject to court and please the proud Borghese Becan a famous Author of the Society had printed one this Year Mercure Francois 1611. with this Title The Controversie of England touching the King and Pope's Authority When Doctor Filezac new Syndic of the Faculty at Paris had perus'd it he spoke of it to Cardinal Bonzi to know whether the Queen would think fit the Sorbonne should censure so pernicious a Book The Nuncio and the Jesuits strove alike to shake off the Blow Vbaldini saw that the Faculty would not fail to have a fling in its Censure at the pretended Authority of the Holy Chair The good Fathers feared lest a new Decree of the Faculty of Paris publish'd throughout all France might further confirm the common Opinion That the Society makes Profession to teach constantly a Doctrine which is contrary to the Authority of Kings and Security of their Persons But the Propositions of Becan were so loudly complain'd of as it was expedient to appease Mens Minds by some Condemnation of them Here 's the Expedient which the Pope's Counsel and the Jesuits resolv'd upon They told the Queen that it would be of greater efficacy to have these sorts 〈◊〉 Books condemned at Rome and that 〈◊〉 Censure coming forth from the Holy Chair would carry more Authority with it than one from the Faculty of Paris Mary de Medicis was easily drawn into the Snare they had laid for her She bid the Cardinal Bonzi tell the Syndic of the Faculty That her Majesty would not have the Sorbonne to determine any thing upon Becan's Book because the Queen had a design to have it condemn'd by the Pope the Court of Rome and the good Fathers to make for them this Evasion If the Sorbonne had left off making a noise the Examination of the Book had been stopt Whatever came on 't the Inquisition condemning a Book in general Terms without specifying any thing People could not exactly know upon what Point the Condemnation fell and thus the exorbitant Proposition concerning the Pope's Authority would have been not touch'd or meddled with It was supposed that the Inquisition never intended to condemn them One Paris having presented in the Sorbonne the first of December some Propositions extracted out of Becan's Book wherein the Assassination of Kings and Princes was permitted and many other things contain'd which were contrary to Divine and Humane Laws the Syndic made a Report of what Cardinal Bonzi had told him concerning the Queen's Intentions Dr. Paris's Mouth being stop'd with this Answer desir'd that what he had propos'd might be register'd and that a Copy of what the Faculty had concluded upon might be given him It was granted him The first Day of the Year following the Faculty of Paris deputed four Doctors to represent to the Chancellor that
they desired to make a publick Testimony of their Stedfastness for the Service of the King by censuring Becan's Book and to make at least the Publick know that it was not their Fault if so dangerous a Book had not been condemn'd in Forms or formally They moreover said that they entreated leave to remonstrate to the Queen upon this as an Affair of the greatest Importance Sileri approved the Zeal of the Sorbonne He gloried that he had all his Learning in the University of Paris And so he promised the Doctors to introduce them into her Majesty's Presence Dr. Fayet who was the Spokesman told the Regent that the Faculty of Paris not being accustom'd to receive Orders from the King by the Mouth of any private Person or by Letters under the Privy-Seal but only by Letters sealed with the Great Seal they had obey'd as soon as it was reported to them what the Cardinal Bonzi had told the Syndic of ther Majesty's Intentions Nevertheless Madam said he the Faculty hath believed it was their duty to receive your Order from your own Mouth If you don't judge it convenient for us to deliberate upon Jesuit Becan's Book we most humbly entreat your Majesty to take care that our Silence upon this Occasion be not interpreted as a tacit Approbation of those pernicious Sentiments which deprives Kings of their lawful Authority and justifies their Assassination The Regent answer'd that she would speak of this Affair to her Council and that the chancellor should by the Faculty know her Intentions Dr. Fayet being come to the Chancellor some Days after The Queen said Sileri is inform'd that the wicked Book of Becan is become too common Her Majesty gives you leave to do what you judge convenient 'T is a great Mischief that the Sorbonne is divided for what concerns good Sentiments Will you never unite and agree again Fayet answer'd the Chancellor That the Faculty was willing to preserve its ancient Doctrine and that they had always taught the same Doctrine in the Sorbonne till some certain Persons had broach'd there some Foreign Oâ—…inions The Chancellor commended the Doctors for their Zeal and gave the Queen's leave to censure Becan's Book â—…ut the Nuncio Vbaldini cunningly turn'd he Blow aside He being persuaded that â—â—mething would be attempted in France â—…gainst the Jesuit's Work straitways solliâ—…ited a Decree from the Inquisition As â—…on as he receiv'd it he communicated it 〈◊〉 the Queen She being always submisâ—…ve to the Pope told the Faculty that it â—…as sufficient to read the Decree openly in â—…e Sorbonne The Affair thus rested One â—…ight be surprized to find Robert Bellarâ—…in's Name amongst those Cardinals â—…ho condemn'd the Author's Book who â—…llow'd Bellarmin's Principles if it was not known that the Cardinal promoted in the Society had in a readiness his Equivocations and Mental Restrictions to condemn with safety of Conscience in the Work of one of his own Fraternity the Doctrine which he maintain'd as the most Orthodox in the World An Edict of Palement against Scioppius's Book It was the Jesuits alone who courted Paul V. by writing against James I. King of England concerning the Authority of Sovereigns and the Holy Chair Gaspar Scioppius the most violent Enemy of that Society would enter the List likewise and shew some of his fine Latin in this notable Dispute His Book having been brought from Frankfort-Fair to Paris there was a Presentment made of it to the Parlement Scioppius discours'd herein of Henry IV. as if he was a Prince without any Religion He seem'd to approve of the infamous Action of Ravillac All Kings and Sovereigns who let Hereticks live in repose in their States were in his Opinion Hereticks themselves What do I say nay even Turks and Atheists The Parlement order'd that this extravagant and impious Book should be burnt by the Hands of the Common Executioner and that all the Copies should be suppress'd That it should be branded in England after the same manner Dictionaire Hist Critique de M.. Bayle is no wonder But I can't enough admire the King of Great Britain should suffer a Farce to be acted before him wherein Scioppius was represented and hang'd upon the Stage A Revenge alike unworthy of a Prince and an Author If his Majesty had look'd upon Scioppius's Work as the Libel of a contemptible Declamator should not the King have despis'd it or at the best contented himself to have left to the Magistrates the Execution of the Laws against defamatory and pernicious Libels But to take a Pleasure to be reveng'd of the Author after such a manner so little becoming a Crown'd Head was to shew the Publick that the Book had touch'd to the Quick the Person whom the Author had attack'd The Care which his Britannick Majesty took at that time to reconcile the King of Denmark with Gustavus Adolphus Peace betwixt the Crowns of Swedeland and Denmark the new King of Swedeland was a Work more worthy of a Prince Christian IV. endeavour'd this Year to push on his Conquests in Swedeland He accompanied with George Duke of Lunenbourg who had brought him Succour advanc'd as far as Jenkoping laying all the Country desolate where he went The young Gustavus gave now such clear Tokens of his Wisdom and Valour as that the Queen Christina his Mother left to him the Administration of the Realm though he was but yet in the eighteenth Year of his Age. He stopp'd the Enemies Progress and oblig'd him to retire into the Province of Schonen Gustavus follow'd him thither and after the way of using Reprisals he put all to Fire and Sword The Swedish Army had some disadvantage in their Retreat The King of Denmark made a new Irruption into West Gothia Being aboard the Fleet he try'd to get near to Stockholm Gustavus broke the Enemy's Design with an extraordinary Prudence and Courage At last the Hans Towns and the United Provinces troubled that the War betwixt the two Northern Crowns broke off all Commerce in the Baltick Sea engag'd the King of England to intermediate for a Peace Christian himself treated with four Swedish Senators After some Conferences held at the end of this Year the Treaty was concluded at the beginning of the next following Denmark gave up to the Swedes the City of Calmar and the Isle of Oeland but kept Eâ—…sbourgh for a time and till the Crown of Swedeland had paid a certain Sum of Money which Denmark pretended was due to him Revolvtions in Muscovy Gustavus very freely surrender'd something on that side to be in a Condition of marching towards Muscovia There was a strong Party who desir'd of him Prince Charles Philip his Brother whom these People intended to set upon the Throne of their Nation Altho' the Affair of Muscovy seem to have no Relation to those of France I think I ought to say something of the surprizing Revolutions which were seen there at the beginning of the XVII Century This may give us a
death of his Son whose Court having for some time been fuller than his made him Jealous This was clear enough from a word that fell from him What will they bury me alive An expression which the World reflected on when the Prince of Wales came to die a little while after The occasion of so many Diversions and Festival Solemnities in England was the Marriage of the Princes Elizabeth the Kings Daughter with Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine This Alliance pleased the English extreamly and all the Protestants Mercure Francois 1613. The House of Austria took a great deal of pains to Traverse it And the Queen whom the Court of Madrid had took Care to make their Friend did her best to dissuade the King from it But he concluded it notwithstanding the Intrigues of the Spanish Faction James conferred the Honour of the Order of the Garter upon the Elector before the Solemnity of the Wedding The Illustrious Prince Maurice of Orange was Received into the same Noble and Ancient Society at the same time with his Nephew The Chapter of the Order was Convened at Windsor Castle the 14th of February this Year The Ceremony was performed with all the Solemnity imaginable The Elector Palatine who was himself in England to Negotiate his Marriage Received the Order in Person and Maurice being absent Received it by Count William of Nassau his Proxy Ten days after Frederick was publickly Married to the Princess Elizabeth Before and after their Wedding day the King Entertained the People with Plays and magnificent Spectacles Holland also was well pleased and joyful for a great while Prince Maurice Received in the Presence of the States General of the United Provinces the Garter which the Herald of the Order had brought thither and there was nothing omitted which might contribute to the Glory of the Ceremony The wise Barnavelt Pensionary of the Province of Holland Returned thanks in the Name of the States General to the English Ambassador who had presented the Garter in the Name of the King his Master to Prince Maurice The New Electoress having past from England into Holland in the Month of May following to go to Heydelberg she was Received almost in every City of the Province and particularly at Amsterdam with a Magnificence answerable to their Wealth and the Memory which they retained of the great assistances which their Infant-Republick had received formerly from the Crown of England The Protestants were in hopes that the Marriage of the Elector Palatine with the Princess of Great Britain would be very advantageous to their Religion But there was yet one thing which they wisht for And that was that King James would abondon his Design of Marrying his Heir to a Princess of the Popish Communion A Marriage talkt of between Charles Pr. of Wales Christiana of France But althô his Majesty did not stick publickly to say that the Pope was Antichrist yet he never had a sincere and fervent Zeal for the Establishment of the Reformation As soon as Prince Henry was in his Grave James proposed the Marriage of Charles his Second Son now Prince of Wales with Christina Siri Memoire recondite To. III. p. 44.45 c. Second Daughter of France The Regent frankly received the Memoires which the Ambassador of England delivered touching this Affair to Villeroy Secretary of State She hoped that the Protestants of France and elsewhere allarmed with the double Marriage concluded with Spain would be calmed when they saw that nevertheless the Crown of France was not set at such a distance from an Alliance with Protestants but that it still designed a strict Union with them in giving the younger Sister of the King to the Heir of the most powerful Prince of their Communion Althô the Conduct of Maria de Medicis in this Negociation was full of Artifice and Dissimulation the Court of Rome was Jealous and the Pope used all his Power to dissuade the Regent from listening to the offers of his Brittannick Majesty The Pope plainly told Breves the King 's Ambassador that he took it ill that there should be any design of mingling the Blood Royal oâ—… France with that of an Heretick Princeâ—… Breves took the liberty to represent to the Pope that the welfare of the Kingdom and of Religion it self required that the Proposals of the King of England should not be rejected The Old Man being devoted to Spain did not regard him He insisted to conjure the Regent not to enter into a Negociation so disadvantageous to the Church which is really as much as to say so little conducible to the Interests of the Court of Rome The Nuncio Vbaldini very much bestirred himself in France Ibid. p. 50.51 c. he tired the Queen with his Remonstrances he exhausted himself in finding out the most pressing motives of Piety and Religion at length he heated the Cabals of Devotees which are always numerous and powerful in an ignorant and superstitious Court. Said this Italian Prelate to the Queen Is it possible Madam that your Majesty should be so little sensible of the particular kindness of God to you 'T is to distrust his Providence to have recourse to the Alliance of Hereticks as a thing necessary for the Repose and Conservation of the Dominions of the King your Son Your Ministers think it convenient that you should hear the Proposals of an Heretick Prince Your Majesty agrees with them but that is not sufficient to clear you before God and all those who detest this sort of Politicks You should rather listen to the Voice of your Conscience and the good Advice of the Pope than the vain speculations of a Council that govern themselves by the maxims of the wisdom of the Children of this World rather than by those of Religion This Prelate advanced at that time a Principle of his particular Gospel which deserves to be related He declares that these pretended good People whom he would make the Queen afraid of entertain this piece of corrupted Morality that the Princes of their Communion are not obliged to observe Treaties made with those whom they are pleased to call Hereticks if the Terms appear to them to be never so little contrary to their Religion that is to the Court of Rome This Nuncio said moreover It is true Madam that promises made against the interest of God don't in any wise oblige and that we ought not to keep them But consider that your Majesty will hereafter find it more difficult to break your promise with the King of England than it is now to reject his Proposals Your Affairs are thanks be to God in a better Posture than they have been since the death of the King your Husband The Kingdom is in a peaceful State without the assistance of such an Alliance The time of your Administration will shortly Expire What a comfort will it be to you to deliver up to the King your Son France in a better Condition than you
to represent to you further Madam that they put you to needless Expences to gain certain Persons of our Religion We know who those mercenary Souls are They deceive your Majesty who tell you that they can he Serviceable to you I can tell you a far less Chargeable way to have all the Reformed at your Devotion That is to give Orders that all Promises made to us be performed our Griâ—…vances be redressed some ambiguous Expressions in the Edicts be more favourably Interpreted and some things be granted us which may secure the Peace of our Churches and do no great Injury to the Roman Catholicks The ardent and sincere Zeal which I have for your Majesty makes me speak against my self Pursue the Method which I take the liberty to propose you may take away when you please our Offices and Pensions Our Churches living peaceably under his Majesty's Protection will never concern themselves in my favour or for any of the Lords of the Kingdom This Advice was generous and worthy of a truly Christian Gentleman It might have had some good Effect upon such as had no other design but to preserve Peace in the Kingdom by doing Justice and perhaps some small gratification to the Reformed But they were resolved to Ruine them and to effect a design long since contrived and pursued For almost an Age together the Court could not take more convenient Measures than the corrupting of those who had any Credit or Authority in the Reformed Church The ambition and avarice of the Lords and a great number of Hugonot Gentlemen has done more mischief to the Religion than the haâ—…red of the Pope and his Clergy or the Zeal of the blind and superstitious Kings and Queens of France If the Dukes and Peers the Mareschals of France the Lords and Gentlemen of Note had had as much Religion and Probity as du Plessis Mornai I question whether the Son of him whose History I write would ever have ventured to attempt the overthrow of the Reformed Churches of his Kingdom The Posterity of a corrupted Gentry who had no great Concern for their Religion does at this day bewail the fatal Consequences of the Baseness of their Ancestors The Regent received at Tours The K. and Q. his Mother go to Poitiers Letters from the Duke of Maienne He informed her that the Prince de Conde was retired to Chateauroux and that he defired at the present no Reparation of the Injury Mercure Francois 1614. which he had complained had been done him at Poitiers It was wisely done to seem to neglect an Offence for which the Court would never have granted him the Satisfaction which he expected The Bishop was too much favoured by the Queen He went boldly to Tours with Two hundred of the Inhabitants to pray their Majesty 's to come to Poitiers That day when Chataigner made appear that he understood the Office of a Captain better than that of a Bishop was in his Opinion the day of the preservation of Poitiers Their Majesties went thither They were Received with all imaginable Expressions of Joy They Elected a Mayor Mazurier had Orders to remain there as Intendant Rochfort Lieutenant General for the King in that Province a-little after resigned his Office The Count de la Rochefoucaut of the Party of the Guises succeeded him They had a mind to have Poitou in their Power that they might go and Receive the Infanta of Spain when the time should come Memoires de Duc de Rohan The Duke de Rohan being admonished by Velleroi that the Queen was surprized that he did not appear at Court since she was so near to St. Jean d' Angeli came to pay his Respect to their Majesty's They received him kindly and the Regent taking all oportunities to get him near her self made him promise to be present at the meeting of the States of Bretagne which was to be held at Nantes their Majestys being present and to go afterwards to the States General which were already appointed to Meet Mary de Medicis The Q. goes to hold a meeting of the States of Bretagne at Nantes Vie de M. du Plessis Mornai Liv. III. pleas'd that every thing went according to her mind took the Road of Anger 's to go to Nantes Her Majesty had a mind to give a Proof of her Confidence in du Plessis Mornai as she passed through Saumur He went to meet the King being followed by an Hundred Gentlemen As soon as the Young Lewis had enter'd the Castle du Plessis Offer'd to make the Garrison march out But his Majesty would not permit him It is not against our Kings said the Governor that we have strong Places in our Possession they have been willing to grant them us that we may be secured against the hatred of our sworn Enemies If at any time his Majesty does the Honour to be present there Mercure Francoise 1614. we desire no other Security but his Presence The Duke de Vendome seeing their Majesties came in good Earnest towards him submitted himself They gave him New Letters of Re-establishment Memoires de Bassompierre which were Registred in the Parliament of Rennes But he had the Mortification of see that in the meeting of the States of the Province of which he was Governor they made Invectives against him and took Resolutions injurious to his Person and utterly contrary to his Interest So bad a Beginning was no good Omen for the rest of the Life of Coesar de Vendome He could never after recover his Reputation or Respect Henry IV. his Father had Married him to the Heiress of the House of Mercoeur and one of the greatest Fortunes of a Subject in Europe He wasted the great Estate which she brought him The death of the Prince de Conti. Maâ—…y de Mâ—…dicis Returned triumphantly to Paris She found there a Court deprived of a Prince of the Blood The loss was not very great Francis de Bourbon Prince de Conti who died the 13th of August made no great Figure in the World His Widow was soon Comforted after the loss of a weak Husband She was desperately in Love with Bassompierre There had passed between them that which they call Marriage before God Entragues the famous Marchioness de Vernueil's Sister and Daughter to Mary Touchet Charles IX his Mistress had commenced a Suit against Bassompierre upon the account of a Promise of Marriage which he had made her This happy Spark had Two Wives at the same time The First out of a Family more Renowned for the fine Ladies which were Married into the Family or were of it than for any of its Military Exploits the Second being the Daughter of the Duke of Guise and the Widow of a Prince of the Blood might have done Bassompierre great Honour But by an odd Accident Bassompierre would never own the one for his Lawful Wife the other never dared to make her Marraige Publick New Contests between the Princes of