advis'd of the evil Offices that were constantly done him at Court went to justifie himself After having represented to the Regent that he had behav'd as a good Man in the Assembly at Saumur I confess to you Madam said the Duke that I oppos'd the Designs of Monsieur de Bouillon But this was done but in order to give your Majesty fresh Tokens of my Fidelity and Zeal which I have for your Service I Distrust those Persons who turn Scales and pay their Services on both Sides 'T is seldom known that such Men are upright in their Intentions If Monsieur Bouillon had brought his Designs about in our Assembly at Saumur he might have understood how to have used them and prevailed even against your self When Monsieur Bouillon comes to be the Master amongst us your Authority shall be never the better Established in this Realm The Duke of Rohan upon this occasion prov'd the Truth of a Reflection which he himself made viz. That a Prince who hath a prejudicate Opinion is hard to be perswaded The Regent gave no Attention to these Remonstrances The time now of the Election of the Mayor of St. John of Angeli was near It was a thing of the greatest Importance that could be to the Duke of Rohan that he who was in the place might not be continued The adverse Party to the Governor had got over this Man to their side and if their Project had succeeded the Duke had lost all his Authority in the place Feigning then that his Brother was dangerously sick he took a Journey suddenly from Paris Rohan took Soubize in his way and they both got to St. John d' Angeli The day of Election being come a Letter under the King 's Privy Seal was produc't that the Ancient Major should continue this not being to be any Rule for the future and to be without prejudice to the Privileges of the Inhabitants The Duke de Rohan Remonstrated that her Majesty had been ill inform'd of the State of the City where there was not any thing at all of Division as the Letter under the King 's Privy Seal had suppos'd and that they might proceed to a new Election according to the accustom'd Form I hope said he I shall bring her Majesty to agree to it To this effect I send my Secretary to Court The Mareschal Bouillon flatter'd himself that the Duke of Rohan would infallibly lose himself whatever Party he would take in an Affair that was so ticklish for him to manage If Rohan suffers the former Major to be continued they wou'd strip him of all his Authority and if he oppos'd the Court's Orders this would find it self in a necessity of punishing a Man who neglected to observe the Authority of the King To engage the Queen after such a manner as she should not flinch back for the future the Mareschal perswaded her to send a more express Order for to contitinue the old Major But the Duke of Rohan being perswaded that if he lost the Government he himself was lost without any Redemption believ'd that he ought not to obey the Orders which the Queen had sent as being Surprised unwarily by his Enemies A New Major was chosen that is to say three Persons were Nominated whose Names were sent to the Court to the end her Majesty might pitch upon one whom she judg'd most proper for the place Whilst they were expecting an Answer from the Regent the Keys of the Town were put into the Hands of the Eldest Alderman and thus the Duke of Rohan made himself Master of the Town from whence he caus'd some Subaltern Officers to be put out who were against him This bold Action mightily stir'd up the Queen against the Duke of Rohan Those whom he had sent to Court were committed to the Bastile T' was forbid the Dutchess his Mother his Wife his Sister to stir out of Paris Some Persons proposed to the Counsel that t' was fit to go and Besiege the Duke in St. John d' Angeli as a Rebel Orders were dispatch't for raising Troops and sending the Artillery The Queen publish't abroad that she would go her self in Person to the Army which the Mareschal Bouillon and Lesdiguieres were to command to make the Reformed know that there was no point of Religion here in Question but only a Chastisment of a particular Lord who had Revolted from his Obedience The Duke as soon as he understood this published a Manifesto which he Addres't to the Reform'd Churches he gave them notice that his Zeal for their Preservation brought upon him this Persecution that the loss of St. John d' Angeli drew along with it other places of Retreat and Security and their Enemies wou'd not stop in so fair a way after they had taken from him his Government Mercure Francois 1612. The Manifesto ended with a lively Exhortation The Duke complain'd because his Enemies had made Information of his Conduct and that having found him irreprovable they had inform'd against some Gentlemen who were not at all faulty of any other Crime than his giving him a Visit The Court said he fears that our divided Body will reunite the Reputation Monsieur de Rohan hath acquired by his Quality and Probity which he hath always made profession of gives Vnbrage must they for this cause apply themselves by little and little to weaken our Party and to undoe us by Peacemeals Let us know our selves if we would Live and Subsist Let us revive the good Intelligence which was heretofore amongst us Let us Devote our selves to the Service of our God and our King Let us work for the Good of our Church and the State We were the most judicious and considerable Party before our Divisions at Saumur This great Man who knew better to Fight than to Write not standing upon Manifesto's only prepar'd himself for a courageous Defence Another Manifesto was publish'd on the Queen's side She took great care therein to advertise the World that her Majesty complain'd only of the Duke of Rohan's Undertaking All the French of either Religion were exhorted in it to relieve their Majesties in the just Design they had to punish a Crime of so dangerous Consequence to the Common Good of the State At last the Queen protested to the Reformed that Religion not being concern'd in this Affair the Edicts of Pacification should not be less exactly observ'd Du Plessis Mornai was then in a great Perplexity The Town of Saumur of which he was Governor was in the Queen's way in case she went to St. John d' Angeli and Prudence required that she would assure her self of that important Passage Du Plessis did not know which side to take If I fortifie my self said this Judicious Gentleman if I call for Succours they will attack me under pretence of Rebellion Besides if I don't think at all of being aware beforehand I leave a place of Security which I am entrusted withal to the Discretion of our Enemies Let 's run
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
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
finds it in the worst When an Author is oblig'd to censure a Man Polybius L. XII Polybius judiciously remarks he must not have regard to what may please the Enemies of him whom he speaks of The Rules of Truth and Decency must be inviolably kept Those who are led by their Passions or Malice are imprudent and rash in their Relations and Judgments Polybius had good Reason to blame a Greek Historian who had not Equity enough to own what was good in Agathocles the Tyrant of Syracuse If this Man says he whose first Employment was to serve a Poâ—…ter knew how to make himself King of Sicily and could embarâ—…ss the Potent Republick of Carthage and die in the peaceful Possession of what he had acquired it cannot be denied but Agathocles had rare Qualities without these could he have done any of these extraordinary Things Historians ought then to do him Justice in delivering with the same Sincerity what was Good or Ill in him This is the Rule which I propose to my self in respect of Cardinal Richlieu and some others Though I think of that first Minister quite otherwise than his Flatterers for indeed I cannot regard without Horror a Prelate who sacrifices the Liberty of France and the Repose of all Europe to his Ambitions yet without falling into the violent Invectives of St. Germain and the Faction of Mary de Medicis I will describe with pleasure what is Good and Valuable in that Great Politician There is a Thing in which I would imitate Titus Livy and Tacitus and that is Brevity The first employs but Ten Books in relating what pass'd remarkable in the Roman Commonwealth for several Ages and the other has brought into one small Volume the Reigns of Tiberius Caligula Claudius and Nero. But I believe it is impossible to be so short The Reason presents it self to every Man's view The Roman Religion did not occasion any Disputes it did not cause Schisms and different Sects Their Divinity had no Connexion with Political Matters It is not so with Christianity There are great Disputes in this It has always been divided into different Communions Princes interest themselves and take a part in the Quarrels of Divines Since the Popes have setled their Monarchy in the Western World the Court of Rome concerns her self in every thing So that Matters of Religion Controversies of Divinity the Interests and Pretensions of Popes Bishops and the Clergy the Cabals of Monks and divers other Matters which only regard the Church considerably swell an History The good Fathers the Jesuits have been at the bottom of every thing since the Rise of the Society The Relation of their endless Intrigues Enterprizes and Quarrels is Work enough to employ an Historian Add to this that in the Days of the Romans Things were in another Posture than they are at present There were not so many Treaties with neighbouring Nations so many Intrigues in the Senate among the People and in the Court of the Emperors The Romans made War to extend their Territories they had a small number of Allies whom they protected against the Powers that threatned them All Intrigues terminate in gaining the People by Donatives or promising to procure them a Dividend of Lands or to obtain for them a greater Share in the Government The time of the greatest Intrigues in the Roman Commonwealth doubtless was that of the two Triumvirates We have not a very exact History of this but it is plain all was transacted between som few Persons who had the Address to procure the Command of Armies in the remote Provinces Others fell in with the prevailing Party led by Ambition or Avarice That which Tacitus calls the Great Secret of Government in the time of the Emperors was to be Masters of the Legions He who had Interest or Money enough to procure them to revolt was soon proclaimed Emperor After this he had nothing more to do but to beat out the old Possessor or a Competitor The Victor became lawful Sovereign and the Vanquish'd was declared an Usurper In an Absolute and Tyrannical Government all things are ruled at the Pleasure of the Prince The Favourite and the Mistress have their Share in the Authority When these are once established the Dagger Poison False Informations and Violence are the Means they make use of to rid themselves of their Enemies and preserve their Power Thus every thing was managed under the Successors of Augustus The History of such a State as I represent the Commonwealth and Empire of Rome cannot be very large But the Affairs of all Christian Princes have so great a Relation to each other they make so many Leagues and Alliances together some for their own Greatness others to defend themselves from their ambitious Neighbours that it is impossible to write the History of Germany France Spain or England without speaking at the same time of what passes in the rest of Europe If two Petty Princes have any Différence one implores the Protection of the House of Austria and the other throws himself into the Arms of France If the two Crowns commence a War some of these declare for Spain others for France in hopes of profiting by the Conjuncture The Powers who have the smallest Interest are at last obliged to side with one Party or at least to arm to keep the Balance even and prevent the Conqueror from advancing his Power too much by the Ruins of the Vanquish'd The Intrigues of each Court the Interests and Motions of Great Men in a State where Arbitrary and absolute Power is not well setled cannot be so succinctly related Those Illustrious Historians who shall write the present Reign in France will be obliged if I guess aright to enlarge more in proportion on the Affairs of the Minority of Lewis XIV than on what has happen'd since the Peace of the Pyrenees The Designs and Advances of the Prince of Condé the Cardinal Mazarin and some Court Ladies in the Parlements and Provinces will fill a greater Space than the Events since the Death of Philip IV. King of Spain Since Lewis XIV has obtained what Richlieu and Mazarin had proposed and opened the way to every thing is disposed of by one or two Ministers a Mistress or a certain Lady What Character this Great Woman ought to have Time perhaps will inform us The Princes of the Blood Great Lords and Parlements all keep the Respect and Silence All Wars Alliances and great Affairs are resolv'd on with the Ministers Mistress or the Lady None can be preferred or obtain any Employ or Honour but through one of these Channels There are no knotty difficult Treaties abroad Every thing is done by the Power of Money or Threats It is the King's Pleasure it should be so This is the Answer with which his Majesty's Ministers often pay those of Foreign Sovereigns as well as their Master's Subjects Things were not so under the Reign of his Father Mary de Medicis impatiently endured the excessive
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
Princess sent to let the Regent know that La d'Escouman had great things to Reveal Some Persons were ordered to go to the Hôtel of Queen Margaret They conceal themselves in an adjoyning Closet while the Princess makes la d'Escouman repeat with a loud Voice what she had said Margaret testified the Woman did not vary but repeated Word for Word before to her what they had now heard She is Condemned Upon the Report made to the Regent her Majesty ordered her Letter Patents to be dispatched for the Parlement of Paris to take cognizance of this New Affair La d'Escouman being examined by the first President de Harlay accuses two Persons one of which had been Valet de Chambre to the Marquess d' Entragues These Men are Seized Examined thrown into a Dungeon confronted with d'Escouman who affirms peremptorily all was true she had charged them with Farther she declares the Marchioness of Vernueil had sent Ravaillac to her with a Letter for one Madamoiselle du Tillet and that in her Presence du Tillet had spoke to Ravaillac to Assassinate the late King But the Evidence so ill maintain'd her Charge was so deficient in describing the Person of the Murtherer and said so many things directly false that no Credit was given to her Depositions The two Prisoners were acquitted and la d'Escouman condemned to close Imprisonment for the rest of her Life Reflections on 〈◊〉 Sentence The care taken to confine this Wretched Woman and the keeping her Examination so private gave occasion for divers Suspicions and many Reflections It was pretty commonly believed Persons of Eminent Quality had a share in this Mystery of Iniquity and it was not judg'd convenient to disclose it Some pretended this was only done to spare the Reputation of certain Persons of the first Rank who had made this use of la d'Escouman to ruine their Enemies So ill and revengeful a Woman as la Vernueil said they may well enough be guilty of a great Crime But is it to be believed the Queen who mortally hates the Marchioness would spare her Could she ever find a fairer opportunity to revenge the frequent Disquiets which the ill Nature and Raillery of a Rival had given her The Duke of Epernon 's Interest added some Judicious Men could never stifle this Matter He has powerful Enemies at Court The Prince of Conde and the Count of Soissons declare openly against him The Mareschal de Bouillon and the Marquess of Ancre strictly tied together seek to remove and ruine him If any one reflect on the Conduct of the Duke of Epernon his Humour and Inclinations he will not appear capable of so black an Attempt And if he had Malice enough to conceive it is he so void of Common Sense to trust this in the Hands of a Fool as Ravaillac was In short if he suborned the Assassin would he have taken pains to keep him from being killed on the spot as James Clement was The Duke of Epernon said some who were the most prejudiced against him could not be called to an Account without bringing in the Queen whom he served in it Doubtless said others to them it would be much safer and easier to have poison'd the King than to depend upon a Blow of that Importance on such a Fellow as Ravaillac was There was a greater Division in the Court of Prague than that of Paris and the Princes of the House of Austria in Germany lived in a more visible Misunderstanding than the Princes of the Blood in France The Emperor Rodolphus had three Brothers Matthias Albert and Maximilian The first had forced from his Elder Brother the Kingdom of Hungary and the greatest part of what the House of Austria calls her Hereditary Countries Albert lived contented with the Provinces of the Low Countries which the Infanta Isabell brought to him in Marriage and Maximilian having long agoe relinquished his Pretensions to the Kingdom of Poland which he disputed with Sigismund King of Sweden led a quiet Life with Matthias King of Hungary These four Brothers had two Cousin Germans Children of Charles Brother to the Emperor Maximilian II. The small Country of Gratz in Stiria did not satisfie the Ambition of Ferdinand the Eldest of this second Branch of that House and Leopold the younger Brother desired something more than the Bishopricks of Strasburg and Passau Rodolphus and his Brothers had no Children this gave their Cousins mighty Hopes but as yet they were a great way off The King of Hungary this year Married Ann Archdutchess of Austria and might leave Heirs Ferdinand Wisely concealed his vast Ambition he seemed contented with managing the Pope and keeping a strict Correspondence with Spain and seem'd willing to wait patiently for a more favourable Opportunity to obtain the Succession of his Cousins All Men looked on the Emperor as a dead Man The Courts of Rome and Madrid were not very well satisfied that Matthias kept fair with the Protestants which he did to prevent being opposed by them when there should be a Debate about chusing a Successor to his Brother Perhaps too his Inclination led him to follow the steps of Maximilian II. a very Wife and Moderate Prince He had had a good Opinion of the Protestant Religion and it is thought would have embraced it if he had not met with Obstacles from Ferdinand the I. and the Court of Rome The Emperor his Father pressed by the Pope threatned Maximilian to Disinherit him but if the Son had shewn greater Resolution the Father would have found it no easie Matter to have made such an Exclusion valid I very much doubt if he would have dared to attempt it Ferdinand Archduke of Gratz was very far from this Moderation of Maximilian He was violent against the Protestants to a prodigious degree The Jesuits and Ignorant Monks who had too great Influence on the Councils of this Prince and his Descendants kept him in this extravagant Bigotry flattering him with the Assistance of the Pope and King of Spain to obtain the Empire even whilst those of the Elder Branch were yet alive The Archduke Leopold had no less Ambition but was still more impatient The Ambitious Designs of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburg and Passaw on the Kingdom of Bohemia vext to see himself reduced to live on his Benefices and to find his mighty Designs on the Countries of Cleves and Juliers prove Abortive he resolved to take his Advantage of the Weakness of Rodolphus and to make himself King of Bohemia to the prejudice of Matthias to whom that Crown was promised after the Emperors Decease Leopold had raised a small Army with the consent of Rodolphus under colour of keeping Juliers against the Confederate Princes The Town being taken by the Brave Maurice of Orange the Arch-duke kept his Troops in his Bishoprick of Passau with an intention to employ them in some greater and more prositable Work Romeo their General as Active and Stirring as Leopold
in Appearance When the Mareschal had Reproached the Duke that in the late Kings time he had drawn the Canon out of the Arsenal to destroy the Town and Church of Sedan Let us forget what is past says he I will become your Friend and Servant If you aâ—â— attacked in Sully upon account of Religion I will as readily bring down the Canon of Sedan to defend you as you drew out that of the Arsenal to destroy me at Sedan Let us agree for the benefit of our Religion Conscience and our Common Interest require it We cannot subsist without an Union The Party we follow cannot procure us great Advantages but it is capable of supporting a moderate Fortune That which is commonly called Greatness of Soul is most commonly Vanity and Ostentation The Mareschal would appear generous by feigning to Sacrifice a private Injury to the publick Good And perhaps he was sincere in what he did The Sense of Religion and Probity sometimes awakes in Noble Minds but Passion in its turn rising again stifles every thing that opposes it Bouillon sought an Advantage from the Reformed he gave Proofs of it in this Meeting He discovered Vigour in some weighty Affairs in others blinded by his Hatred and Ambition he could not see that by serving the Court he scattered the Seeds of fatal Division amongst his Brethren The Protestants renew their Oath of Vnion To prevent the ill effects of Differences amongst them the Protestants thought fit to renew the Oath of Union they had formerly taken on divers Occasions This Oath was first used amongst them when they had a Prince of the Blood and the late King at their Head Mercure Francois 1611. After he had changed his Religion he did not shew his Dislike of his Protestant Subjects renewing their Union at Mante under his Eyes and swearing publickly before the Catholicks of his Party that they would die in defence of their Confession of Faith A Just Prince should never complain of an Oath made under his Obedience In it they protested they would ever continue Loyal to the King But Henry being now in peaceable Possession of France he was much offended at an Act which the King of Navarr had approved off The Renewing this at Chatelleraut put him into an ill Humour He resented it highly that Lesdiguieres had Signed what himself had done under preceding Kings Sully gave him good Reasons for this proceeding The Reformed would not be afraid of any thing that could happen Sir said he to him if the Crown could make you Immortal But the Memory of St. Bartholomew will strike a Terror into them We are not ignorant the Catholicks press you only to give a Toleration for a Time See then what Reasons the Protestants have to take care for Futurity When the Reformed had so many just Grounds to distrust the Regent and her Council could it seem strange they should renew their Union at Saumur but the cry was against them They were ever Reproached with this Oath in the Reign whose History I am now writing To make a thing which was Innocent and Necessary in the Opinion of Henry Criminal was not this plainly to declare to the poor People their Ruine was absolutely resolved on The Affairs of the Duke of Sully proposeâ—… in the Meeling at Saumur Boissise and Bullion Counsellors of State and Commissioners sent by the King to the Assembly at Saumur having brought with them hopes of the Favour of the Court there was a serious design to draw up the Complaints and Requests of the Reformed Party Whilst this was managing by Persons appointed for that purpose there arose a Debate about the Duke of Sully's Concerns He feared the Consequences of the Threats made him to appoint Commissioners to enquire into his past Actions and proceed against him if he persisted to refuse to lay down his place of Great Master of the Artillery and his Government of Poitou To bring him to do this with the better Grace the Court offered him the choice of two sorts of Recompences a Dignity as that of Mareschal of France or a considerable Sum of Money The Duke desired to keep his Places and Government and convey both to the Marquess of Rony his Son He could find no way besides to baffle the Potent Enemies he had at Court but by engaging all the Hugonot Party to support him and declare loudly their cause was concerned in his Preservation He took Measures to succeed in this Project and the Mareschal was no less busie in Traversing it reckoning the Government of Poitou his own by Virtue of the Regents Promise when Sully should be deprived of it The Duke of Sully's Remonstrance to the Meeting Sully made a Remonstrance to the Meeting Under Colour of desiring their Advice he dextrously insinuated that his Religion was the only cause of Disgrace and the Association Oath which he had just now taken would expose him still farther to the Displeasure of the Court This was at least true in part Mercure Francois 1611. the Deputies were convinced it was so and the most Disinterested amongst them declared for Sully The Consideration all Men had for the Duke of Rohan a Lord already very Eminent for his great Courage his rare Probity A Discourse between the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan concerning the Duke of Sully's Affair his Discernment and capacity still encreased the Friends of Sully whose Daughter he had Married This was an Invincible Obstacle to Bouillon's designs and embarassed him exceedingly He thought to surmount this by perswading Rohan to abandon his Father-in-Law pretending his Cause was desperate However Vpright and Careful a Man be who has the Administration of the Finances and Artillery says the Mareschal to the Duke of Rohan in a Visit he made him when he was ill It is hard for him to avoid committing some fault which deserves to be punished if it be enquired rigorously into A Superintendent of the Finances and a Great Master of the Artillery are not only answerable for what they do themselves but for the Management of their Commissioners and Inferior Officers If the Court should appoint Commissioners to enquire into the Duke of Sully's Administration do you think they would not find some plausible Pretence to take away his Places The Assembly and the Reformed will have no colour of Complaint nay though wrong be done to the Duke of Sully The Matter will be Determined in the usual Forms of Law For you My Lord you make such a Profession of exact Probity You are so great a Lover of good Order in a Word you have so Loyal a French Heart you will not be able to stir when the Matter shall be determined Judicially The Duke of Rohan took this Complement very ill What replyed he with some Disturbance after the Great Services the Duke of Sully has done to the late King shall he become a Prey to those who were always doing Mischief to the State His
Priest who being come to be Bishop of Rome was pleased to see himself flatter'd in such an Impious manner But the Monks and Bigots made a great Noise The Popes Nuncio was in a terrible Heat and Paul himself sent Briefs to complain of the Outrage done him The Regent was not less alarmed than the rest She could not endure to hear it said the Pope was Antichrist Besides the Reasons common to all of her Religion to oppose a Dogm which make them pass for Worshippers of the Beast Mary de Medicis had a particular one The Validity of her Marriage with Henry was grounded on the Authority of the Pope who declared his former with Margaret of France null and the Regent imagined all who looked on the Pope as Antichrist could not look upon her as the lawful Wife of Henry the IV. This made her desire to see de Mornay's Book blasted at least in appearance Du Plessis Mornays Book is censured by the faculty of Paris It is carried to the Sorbonne the first of August 1611. The Dean and Doctors of the Faculty of Paris having said a Solemn Mass of the Holy Ghost met to appoint Doctors to examine the Work They make the Report the 19th of the same Month and Condemn the Book as filled with an Infinity of Blasphemies Mercure Francois 1611. and Execrable Impieties against the Catholick Faith and Religion and against the Apostolick See These big Words only serve to dazle the Simple They would have the World believe the Catholick Faith and Religion are inseparable from the Pontifical Authority Every Doctor every Magistrate every Courtier may believe what he pleases But Policy do's not allow People to be drawn out of their Ignorance and Superstition The Censure of the Faculty was made according to the Report of the Doctors who were deputed to censure it The Book was detested and condemned as Heretical stuff'd with Furious Zeal exceeding Seditious contrary to the Divine Natural and Canon Law in short whatever those good Gentlemen pleased Reflections on their Censure Could they have declared themselves with more Vehemence against the Impious Dogms of Paul of Samosata Arius or Photinus To ask these Wise Masters â—…f the Sorbonne what reason they had â—…o thunder thus on an Author who deâ—…ies the Monarchy of the Pope to be of Diâ—…ine Institution would be an useless loss â—…f Time The Doctors set up for little â—…opes They thunder but do not instruct â—…o they think the Papacy founded on Naâ—…ural Right The greatest part of Manâ—…ind hitherto have not discovered this â—…trange Blindness indeed For the Diâ—…ine Law they shew us one or two Pasâ—â—ages in the Gospel The Roman Cathoâ—â—cks Disagree about the true sense of these â—…laces the Gravest Christian Writers did â—…ot see the Primacy of the Pope in them â—…efore there were any Protestants in the â—…orld If by the Canon Law the Moâ—…ern Decretals are to be understood we â—…ill submit to Condemnation But if the â—…ue Canon Law of France be as we are â—…ften told the ancient Code of Canons â—…ade or received in the first General â—…ouncils the Judicious and Disinterested â—…octors of Paris will find nothing less â—…an the Primacy and Monarchy of the â—…ope there It was the Name of Antichrist which â—â—d most disturb the Roman Catholicks The Pope do's not care to be the Beast â—…nd those of his Communion will not be â—…is Worshippers But in short if it be â—…ue and it is not commonly denyed in â—…rance that the Dominion usurped by the â—…opes is contrary to the Spirit of Jesus â—…hrist and the Institution of the Apostles it cannot be denyed that the Pope is Antechrist in this Sense and that his Monarchy is Antechristian If it be true as it seems to be that to rise and oppose what is called God or what Men adore be to put a Mans self above those to whom the Lord of all things has said Ye are Gods and the Sons of the most High and to assume Honours which are due to him alone is it not evident then that the Pope is or at least resembles very much the Son of Perdition and the Man of Sin foretold by St. Paul As for the Prophecies of St. John the Protestants are not the first who have applied them to the Pope There is no need of seeking ways round about to find Characters very much resembling those we see in him The Comparison between the Pagans and Christians in these latter times seems so just that it is difficult to determine which of the Interpreters are in the Right who Explain the Prophecies of the Revelations of one and the other Rome One Ferrier thought to distinguish himself in the beginning of this Age by maintaining a publick Thesis at Nismes where he was Professor of Divinity that the Pope is Antichrist The Parlement of Toulouse proceeded against him but he declined their Jurisdiction and removed the Affair to the Chamber of the Edict at Castres Some little time after the Protestants made a New Article of Faith in their National Synod of Gap in Dauphine in which they declared that they believed and would maintain That the Bishop of Rome is properly Antichrist and the Son Perdition foretold in the Word of God This New Article was to be the XXXI of the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in France Henry IV. took it ill than in his Reign they should devise a thing they had never once thought of when the Disputes were hottest in the times of his Predecessors Whether it were that he feared for his own part the Consequences with regard to his second Marriage or that he was displeased the Reformed should Reproach him with leaving the true Religion to become a Worshipper of the Beast Henry commanded absolutely this New Article should be left out The more Wise and Moderate of the Protestants disavowed what was done at Gap or at least thought the Synod wanted Prudence and Moderation The Question of Antichrist was again brought upon the Board at the Synods of Rochell and St. Maixant But Henry the IV. constantly opposed the making of an Article of Faith which did not seem very necessary to Salvation Viguier having published a Book with the Title of the Theater of Antichrist the Jesuit Gontier a famous Converter of these Times preached against it in a Violent and Seditious manner The King forbid the publishing of the Book and imposed Silence on this Outragious Controvertist Du Plessis Mornay's Book coming out immediately after these Disputes which were not yet entirely stifled it is not to be wonder'd that it made such a mighty Uproar If it be owned this Gentleman who was very able and judicious in all other things failed in his usual Consideration and Conduct here the censure of the Sorbonne is no less extravagant and ridiculous Troubles of Aix la Chrpelle Mary de Medicis began to take that Method which has since been so constantly followed in the Reign of her Son and
is still in our Times She applied her self to divide the Protestants of France and weaken them but did not refuse her good Offices and the young King's Protection to those of Geneva and Germany The Marquess de la Vieuville du Brueil President of Mets and Villers Hotman were sent of her part to Aix la Chappelle towards the end of September to endeavour to appease the Troubles raised a little before in that City The occasion of these was thus In the year 1598. the Protestant Inhabitants of Aix la Chappelle Mercure Francois 1611. having drove out the Roman Catholick Magistrates the City was put under the Interdict of the Empire The Elector of Cologne had a Commission to see the Emperor's Orders put in Execution and Accomplished it by the Aid of the Elector of Triers and the Duke of Cleves So the Catholick Magistrates were restored and the Protestant Ministers in their turn drove out of the City The Protestants shewing great uneasiness to be thus deprived of the Exercise of their Religion the Catholicks to strengthen their Interest put themselves under the Protection of Albert Arch-Duke of the Low Countries The Revolution which hapned after in the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers which Countries fell into the Hands of two Protestant Princes gave some Consolation to those of Aix la Chapelle who were of the same Religion They went two Leagues off into a Village in the Country to pray to God and hear his Word This displeased the Roman Catholicks The Magistrates forbid the Protestants to go into that Village upon pain of Imprisonment and paying a great Fine They added to this a Clause that all who should not be able to pay the Fine should be banished out of the City Some by Vertue of this New Law suffered Imprisonment and after were condemned to perpetual Banishment Their Friends and Neighbours moved with Compassion in taking their leaves of them went in a considerable Number to the Magistrates when they were met to present a Petition in favour of those poor Wretches They alledged that the Sentence against them was contrary to the Privileges of the Inhabitants and required the Rigour of it to be abated The Magistrates very far from considering this Ordered every one to return immediately to their Respective Houses Those who were thus remanded began to exclaim against the Hardships of the Magistrates and the Jesuits whom they lookt on as Authors of these violent Counsels It is now twelve years that we have groaned under this Oppression said some of them have we not had Patience long enough Shall we never think of Revenging three hundred Families of our fellow Citizens driven out of their Country in less than eight days time The love of Liberty is common to Men and Brutes But it is the Advantage of Men to have Courage and Industry to defend it and recover it when it is lost Our Ancestors have ever preferred Death to Slavery Let us follow the Examples which they have given us It is sweeter to die than endure Banishment If God bless our just Efforts for the Preservation of our Estates and Liberties We shall obtain the free Exercise of our Religion into the Bargain Fired with this warm Speech several run presently to Arms and others joyn with them They sieze the Town-House oblige the Burgomaster to let out those who were unjustly kept in Prison sieze the Keys of the Gates and put up the Chains in all parts of the City The Protestants being Masters of the Town chose Captains setled a New City Council and took all ways they could think of to prevent Trouble and Confusion Being persuaded it would be hard to keep peace in the City as long as any Jesuits remained in it the New Council sent Men to secure the good Fathers and secure their College The Consternation they were in not giving them leave to Intrigue they withdrew to their Church to implore the Assistance of God and their Great Patron Ignatius Loyola whom the Pope had newly Canonized When Bigots have rashly brought themselves into danger by their Cabals and Indiscreet Zeal they have a vain confidence that God will work Miracles to bring them out The Jesuits were carried to the Town-House and put under a strong Guard without having any harm done them The Superior of their professed House at Paris was then at Aix la Chapelle to drink the Waters He was treated with all imaginable Respect as soon as he discovered himself The Townsmen shewed they did this in consideration of the King of France and the Queen his Mother The Wise and Moderate Catholicks disapproved the Severity of the Magistrates to the Protestants several of them would not quit their Places in the City or the Pretensions they had to them but seeing in the Conclusion they were the weakest they had Recourse to Arch-Duke Albert. The Protestants of their side begged the Assistance of the Prince of Brandenburgh and Newburgh Masters of the Neighbouring Countries of Cleves and Juliers Count Solms Governor there for the Princes coming to Aix la Chapelle with a good number of Horse the Protestants remained absolute in the City And now they publish a Manifesto setting forth the Reasons they had to change the Form of their small Commonwealth for a time In this they offered to agree to these Conditions that those of the Confession of Ausburg and the Reformed should have free Exercise of their Religon that a certain Number of Protestants should be admitted to the Magistracy with a Provision in the last place that the Jesuits should be expelled the place The Regent of France interposes to calm the Troubles at Aix la Chapelle The Arch-Duke Albert and the Elector of Cologne had sent Persons on their part to labour for an Accommodation But the Threats of the Persons cut by Arch-Duke Albert having Exasperated the Minds of the People their Mediation was not accepted The Marquess de la Vieuville and his Collegues were heard more favourably After a Wise Remonstrance they made the Protestants agree to a conditional Treaty without prejudice to the Emperor's Power or what he should order hereafter The Protestants agreed to wait for his Imperial Majesty's Decision of their Differences with the Catholicks and that all things in the mean time without excepting the College of Jesuits should be Reestablished in the same condition they were with a Provision that the Protestants should have the free Exercise of their Religion in some convenient Place without the Walls of the ancient City of Charlemagne But the Catholick Magistrates refused to Sign the Treaty upon a pretence that the Empepor had Commissioned Archduke Albert and the Elector of Cologne to pacifie the Troubles in such manner as they should think fit In vain did Vieuville and his Collegues make a second Remonstrance to the Catholick Magistrates to encline them to Peace They obstinately refused it and the Jesuits retired into the Catholick Low Countries And now the Envoys of France caused New
their Masters This occasioned a great difference in Religion between the Churchmen and the Magistrates The one and the other formed a different Idea of what they call'd the Reformation or the Reformed Doctrine The Ministers meant by these Words the Opinions in Divinity explained by their great Authors and inserted into the Confessions of Faith which the first Reformers had drawn up These Servants of God meant well But they did not consider that by aiming in their Formularies of Faith and Catechisms to compile a compleat and regular Body of Divinity they inserted their own Speculations as certain and essential Truths The Magistrates and wise Laity of Holland urged that the Reformation being only a purer Worship and more free from vain Superstitions than the Church of Rome with a greater Latitude of Opinions in things not plainly revealed in the Holy Writings it could not be said the Reformation stood on what some Persons thought the most crabbed and difficult Questions of School Divinity The Ministers always warm for their Opinions and Prejudiced often cried the Magistrates wanted Zeal for the true Doctrine And these in their turn complained that the other were stubborn and inflexible and would force all the World to be of their Mind When the Churchmen fir'd with Zeal brought befor the Magistrates those who opposed the Hypothesis of Calvin and Beza about Predestination and Grace as Men who subverted the Foundations of the Reformation the more wise and discerning asked these new Inquisitors if it were impossible to be a true Reformed Christian without embracing the Opinions of St. Austin and his Disciples From the first Reformation in Holland the contrary Sentiments had always prevailed in the City of Tergow The States of Holland too had not solemnly approved the Confession of Faith received in the Belgick Churches Is not this a Proof that those wife Magistrates thought there were Articles put in this Formulary which were not absolutely necessary which ought to be expressed in a more soft manner and less offensive to those of a different Persuasion from the first Reformers This appears very probable since we read in History that the States of Holland in other respects very averse to the Convocation of a General Synod of the Seven United Provinces consented in the Year 1597. to the holding such an Assembly where the Confession of the Faith should be exactly revised and amended in a Spirit of Charity and Peace For my own part when I consider the Disputes which have caused such a fatal Division in Holland I am in pain to comprehend how Men of Sense can be perswaded that the Opinions of St. Austin concerning Predestination and Grace are essential to a Reformation of Christianity How many Holy Men were there in the Times of the greatest Purity of the Church of Rome whose Thoughts were differenâ—… from the Fathers Cannot we renounce the monstrous and ridiculous Dogm oâ—… Transubstantiation the Religious Worship of Saints and Images the Fable oâ—… Purgatory Indulgences the false Traditions of the Church of Rome the Tyranny of the Pope without believing absolute Predestination and irresistiblâ—… Grace Did all those honest Men who convinced of the Absurdity and Falsity oâ—… the Things which I mentioned embraceâ—… the Reformation think of the Hypothesâ—… of the Bishop of Hippo Were they anxious to know if it were true or false 〈◊〉 These abstract and difficult Questions only employed some Doctors who were projecting to make a compleat System of Divinity Among these who took this pains there were some who preferred the moderate Sense of the ancient Greek Fathers Calvin himself was not perswaded thaâ—… his Thoughts of Grace and Predestination were essential to Religion He took the pains to translate the Common Places oâ—… Melancthon into French whose Thoughts of these Matters were quite different from his own In his preface he gives all imaginable Praises to Melancthon Could he in Conscience have done this if he had been perswaded the Opinions of his Author undermined the Foundations of the Reformation Able Divines of the Reformed Churches have publickly maintained that â—…e Opinons of Universal Grace of the â—…ower of resisting its Operation and â—…onditional Predestination are of the numâ—…er of those Articles which every one may â—…elieve without renouncing the Principles â—…f his Religion Several learned Hollanders had highly â—…efended this Doctrine before Arminius â—…ad preach'd it at Amsterdam and taught 〈◊〉 at Leyden before Gomar rose up against â—…im These Books are still extant It is â—…ue certain warm Ministers made a stir 〈◊〉 blast those Works and ruin their Auâ—…ors But the States of Holland always â—…op'd this impetuous Zeal The Professors â—â—d an entire Liberty to teach according to â—…e Sense of Melancthon And when Arâ—…inius was called into that University â—…one were ignorant of his Opinions He â—…ad declared them in the Church of Amâ—…erdam which gave an advantageous â—…estimony of them Gomar himself and â—…vers more of the same Mind with him â—…tring into a Conference with Arminius â—…ade no Scruple to say their Differences â—â—d not concern the Grounds of Reformaâ—â—on It is true Gomar did not long live 〈◊〉 a good Understanding with Arminius his â—…ew Collegue either because his Reputaâ—â—on gave him Umbrage or the Enemies â—…f Arminius kindled his Choler by some â—…sinuation and then he vigorously oppoâ—…d a Man whom he look'd on as Orthoâ—…x but a little before The two Professors had soon their Disciples and Party The Division was so great in the University of Leyden that the Affair was brought before the Synod held at Rotterdam Gomar's Party was the strongest there The Assembly ordered that all the Pastors should subscribe the Confession of Faith and the Catechism Arminius and his Party refused to obey There are some things to be amended in both of them said they They ought to be considered in a National Synod We hope to see one meet in a little time The manner in which Questions should be treated and determined in this Synod caused new Difficulties One side required certain Conditions others rejected all In the meantime the ordinary Synods press'd Arminius and his Party to declare publickly what Exceptions they had against the Confession oâ—… Faith and the Catechism in order to have the Matter duly determined Arminius perswaded his greatest Enemieâ—… would be Judges in such an Assembly declined the Jurisdiction of a Synod as much as possibly he could Vtenbogard a Minister of great Reputation in the Hague his Friend and of the same Opinion with himself did him considerable Service with several of the chief Persons of the Government Never did Synod in its first Steps and perhaps thro' the whole Course of it more follow the Council of Trent than the Synod of Dort except that there were more able Divines at Dort than at Trent This is not in any manner surprizing almost all Councils are alike The same Interests give occasion to them and the same Passions reign in them Arminius presented a Petition to the States of
Holland and Westfriezland In this he desires that the Council of the Province might take Cognizance of his Affair His Adversaries on the contrary asserted that a Dispute which was purely Theological ought to be decided in an Assembly of Churchmen Arminius carried it Gomar and he were heard by the Magistrates These Gentlemen made their Report to the States That the Contest of the two Parties was only about certain subtil Meâ—…aphysical Questions concerning Grace and Predestination and that both Parties would do better to leave their Disputes and Animosity and support themselves mutually with Charity Gomar was not of this Mind How Preface before the Acts of the Synod of Dort The Dispute is of the last importance cryed he I would not appear before the Supreme Tribunal of God with the Sentiments of Arminius If the States do not find a speedy Remedy to the Evil which so pernicious a Doctrine is like to cause we shall soon see Altar against Altar Town against Town Province against Province All will be in Disorder and Confusion The States of Holland and Westfriezland always composed of wise and discerning Men are not so easily carried away with the Passions of Divines To give their hot heads times to cool they deferred as long as they could the holding of the ordinary Synod And when they were obliged to permit it to meet they ordered no one should speak there of the Controversies between the Arminians and the Gomarists In the mean time Arminius and his Party found themselves always prest by their warm zealous Enemies to communicate to the other Ministers their Remarks on the Confession of Faith and Catechism They threatned to proceed against them by way of Church-Censure if they persisted to refuse The States of Holland who desired to stifle this Difference if possible saw well that if Arminius published his Reasons this would only serve to make the Dispute hotter The Gomarisâ—… would have refuted them the Arminians would have replied the Synodâ—… would have Matter to make their Determinations on For this Reason the Stateâ—… ordered wisely the Arminian Ministeâ—… should send to them their Remarks in Writing and sealed to be kept till the first extraordinary Synod should meet to examin the Controversie All this did noâ—… content the Gomarists Nothing would serve but he must explain himself And now he desires again to be heard in a Meeting of the States of Holland being perswaded these Gentlement would have more Equity and Moderation than prejudiced and passionate Ministers Gomar and he appeared Arminius delivered his Thoughts on the Principal Articles of Religion and particularly on Predestination Grace the Liberty of Man's Will the certainty of Salvation and the Perseverance of the Regenerate He did not forget at the same time to shew his Adversaries Sentiments were repugnant to the Justice and Goodness of God That his System deprives Man of that Liberty which God has given him that it conduces to throw Sinners into Despair to harden 'em in Impenitence to extinguish the Love and Ardour of Prayer in Believers and makes the Preaching of the Gospel and the Remonstrances of their Pastors useless in a Word that it Subverts all Morality and Religion Arminius said nothing new in all this Several Persons and Learned Men in Gaul made the same Objections against the New Doctrine which S. Austin introduced in the West Gomar spoke next Convinced that the solid Proofs of Arminius ought to make a great Impression in the Minds of the States he thought to elude the Force of them by Reproaches which signified nothing at bottom Is it not a deplorable Thing said he that a Professor of our Vniversity should inspire into his Disciples the Opinions of the Jesuits and weaken the Proofs which our first Reformers brought to ruin the Reformation by strengthning the Arguments of the Papists against us These Declamations are only proper to move an ignorant Populace Can the Jesuits speak no Truth Calvin Beza and the rest are they Infallible Has the Reformation no solid Foundations but the Speculative Questions of Grace and Predestination The States did not give any great Attention to Gomar's Discourse His Party persuaded they should have more Advantage in an Assembly of Ministers persisted to demand that this Dispute should be decided in a Synod But the States had just reason to fear the Issue The Experience of several Ages teaches us that Councils rather increase than end Divisions The way of Conference appeared less dangerous to the States The two Professors of Leyden had order to come to the Hague This happened in 1610. Arminius took four Ministers with him and Gomar as many There in Presence of the States of Holland Arminius began to reduce the Controversie to five Principal Points which were after the five Famous Articles of the Arminians concerning Predestination the Death of Jesus Christ for all Men the necessity of Grace its Operation on us and Perseverance It was not Surprizing at the end of this Conference to see what ever happens on the like occasions The Heat was greater than before Arminius fell ill and died in a few days after His Friends and Disciples maintained what he had advanced They boldly preached their Thoughts and refuted the Gomarists with great Vigour and Courage Afterwards they United themselves more strictly and then they concerted a Remonstrance to present in a Body to the States of Holland they laid down their Sentiments and the Gomarists on the five Articles After this they most Humbly begg'd the Protection of the States against all Sentences with which the Synods would blast the Persons and Doctrines of the Arminians Since this Remonstrance they had the Name of Remonstrants given them Vorstius is chosen to succeed Arminius In the mean time it was necessary to Elect a Successor to Arminius in the Divinity Chair at Leyden Vorstius Professor and Minister at Steinfurt was chosen by the Interest of the Remonstrants This did them a great deal of Mischief Vorstius was suspected of Socinianism and not without some Ground He had published a Book in which he speaks of the Divine Nature in a very Absurd and Gross manner From that time the Gomarists charged their Adversaries with secretly favouring the Impious Doctrines of Socinus Their Complaints did not appear ill grounded to a great many Persons They procured such Disadvantagious Accounts of Vorstius that he was not permitted to enter upon the Functions of his Employment though he was called to it in a Legal manner and brought good Certificates with him In the year 1611. there was a more famous Conference at the Hague than before in the Presence of the States of Holland These Gentlemen had a mind to pacifie the Troubles without lying under a necessity of calling an Extraordinary Synod But Divines are not so easily stopt when their Heads are once hot There were six Gomarist Ministers on one side and six Remonstrants on the other The Learned Episcopius was one of these He has wondrously well
Crown to be Entailed on his Heirs Male in short for setling Luther's Reformation in his Country and Abridging the too great Power of the Clergy Eric the Eldest Son of Gustavus Succeeded him but wanted the Virtues of his Father He introduced into Sweden the Dignities of Count and Baron which before were unknown there It was thought this was done to divide the Nobility among themselves The too great Union of this Powerful Body was able to create Trouble to a Family newly raised to the Throne The Dignities bestowed on some gave a Jealousie to the rest Those who had most Ambition made their Court to the King to obtain the same Distinction And the New Nobility were obliged to support the Authority of the King and adhere here to his Family to preserve their Privileges Eric made himself Odious by his Cruelties and Despicable by his Debauches and Extravagancies His ill Treatment of John Duke of Finland and Charles Duke of Sudermannia obliged them to rise and put themselves at the Head of the Malecoutents These two Princes Attacked Eric in Stockholm it self He first delivered up his Favourite whom all the Kingdom Exclaimed against They inflicted an Infamous punishment on him John and Charles would have something more than all this They agreed to take the Sovereign Power from Eric who abused it unjustly and that the Duke of Finland should be declared King and the Duke of Sudermannia should share with him in the Government without having any outward Marks of Royalty John thought himself now discharged from the Oath he had taken when Eric delivered him out of a close Prison where he had kept him three or four years The Duke had given Assurance by a Writing under his Hand that he would continue faithful to the King and not aspire to the Crown neither before nor after the Death of the King his Elder Brother and that he would acknowledge those Children for lawful Heirs of the Kingdom which Eric had by a Mistress of Mean Birth whom he afterwards Marryed Solemnly But John was not very anxious about the Religious observing his Promises When he was Master of his Eldest Brother not contented with shutting him up in a Castle he soon poisoned him John and Charles continued to attack Stockholm The Senate of the City delivered it up to them and poor Eric reduced to Extremity was left to the Discretion of his two Brothers The States of Sweden declared him fallen from the Crown and John Duke of Finland was set up in his place John King of Sweden endeavours to alter the Religion Established by his Father The New King of Sweden was not truer to the Duke of Sudermannia than he had been to his Predecessor Charles had no share in the Administration of the Kingdom Men promise any thing when they are to ascend a Throne but when they are once Established in it they find other Principles of Religion and Honour John had Married Catherine Jagellon Daughter to the King of Poland Whether the Princess had inspired her Husband with an Aversion to the Protestant Religion or the Reading the Books and Conversation of able Men of the Papal Communion had raised doubts in him or he hoped to be King of Poland after the Death of Sigismund Augustus his Brother-in-Law who had no Children as soon as John had made a Peace with Denmark by the Treaty of Stetin in Pomerania he applied himself seriously to change the Religion which his Father had setled in Sweden It is not a place here to relate all the Artifices he made use of to prepare the Minds of his People for the Alterations he designed I shall only observe that the King who wanted not Wit or Judgment was convinced there were a great many things to be altered in the Worship and Doctrine of the Church of Rome He can neither be reckoned among the good Catholicks nor the true Protestants Ever uncertain and wavering sometimes he relished the Project of Accommodation which Cassander had given to the Emperor Maximilian II. at other times he was inclined to the Greek Church The Answers of Jeremiah Patriarch of Constantinople to the Divines of Wirtembergh pleased him so much that he once thought to unite with that Communion Possevin a Learned Jesuit whom Pope Gregory the XIII had sent into Sweden thought he had persuaded King John to Reunite himself in earnest to the Church of Rome He confessed himself to that Jesuit the Popes private Nuncio he received the Communion in the Form used in that Church Possevin imposed as a Pennance on him for the Murther of his Brother Eric whom he had poysoned to fast every Wednesday throughout the year It is said John observed this Practice regularly all the rest of his Life Nevertheless he frequented the publick Service of the Church of Sweden There was a New Liturgy used which himself had introduced and the Pope refused to approve of The Mixture of these two Religions was one of the ways by which this Prince pretended insensibly to bring the People to forsake the Worship and Belief of the Protestants of the Ausburgh Confession Several Romish Churchmen came into Sweden The Irresolution of King John and his Indulgence drew them thither Several of his own Subjects too favour'd his dissembled Designs By their manner of Discourse the more unthinking People took these Preachers for free Protestants But others observed in spight of their Disguises all they spoke tended to insinuate into the Minds of the People the Doctrines of Popery The Archbishop of Vpsal suffered himself to be won by them Some Prelates and divers ignorant or ambitious Churchmen follow'd his Example There were some Bishops ordained according to the Roman Pontifical The Bishop of Linkoping several of his Brethren and a great number of Churchmen couragiously defended the Reformation setled by Gustavus Ericson The Clergy of the Dutchy of Sudermannia shewed a firmness of Mind which much confounded King John Charles his Brother declared highly for the Ausburgh Confession He opposed this Alteration with all his Might Neither the King nor I can make any Innovation in the Religion established by Law he replied to those sent to dispose him to comply All things are well regulated by the last Will and Testament of the late King our Father We must fix there For my part I am resolved never to depart from it The States of Sweden shew'd great Vigour on several Occasions They represented to the King that mighty Jealousies were risen in Sweden and Foreign Countries that his Majesty would overthrow that Constitution which his Father had wisely established and that to put an end to all those Rumours it concerned him to declare publickly that the Reformation received in that Kingdom was conformable to the Sense of the Primitive Church Farther the States commanded several Popish Books brought into that Country to be suppress'd they press'd the King to place able Men of unblemish'd Reputation in the Publick Schools to instruct the Youth In the last
place they desired that Sigismund the King 's eldest Son should be bred in the Protestant Religion because that young Prince began to give some Umbrage Queen Catherine Jagellon his Mother had so strongly tinctured him with the Principles of the Church of Rome that the Senators of the Kingdom having one day threatned him that he should lose the Right of Succession to the Crown if he did not soon renounce the Religion he had imbibed and embrace the Ausburgh Confession I prefer replied he boldly the Kingdom of Heaven to all the Crowns in the World No other Answer could be got from him On some Occasions the States of Sweden had more Complaisance for the King All seem'd dispos'd to receive the new Liturgy and the Accommodations he had invented Charles of Sudermannia the Clergy of his Provinces and some great Lords were the only People who defended the Reformation but the Interest of the Duke and the effectual Remonstrances of the rest brought back several whose Hopes and Fears had abated their Warmth and Zeal The King himself had lost much of that Ardor the Jesuit Possevin had inspired into him Whether he could not accommodate himself to the haughty Humour of Sixtus V. Successor to Gregory XIII or his Doubts were not sufficiently cleared or the great Power of his Brother kept him in awe John humbled the Catholicks who thought themselves now Masters of all things He drove out the Jesuits and demolished their College Gennila Bielke whom the King married after the Death of Catherine Jagellon cooled the Fervour her Husband had before shewed for the Roman Religion Kings often think they do that of their own Heads which a dextrous and insinuating Woman inspires into them John King of Sweden thought he had solid Reasons to doubt of the Truth of the Protestant Religion But his principal Motive though he scarce knew it himself was his great Complaisance for Catherine Jagellon The Queen Gennila might have brought him back to his first Religion in the same manner as the other had seduced him from it Sigismond Prince of Sweden is chosen King of Poland After the Death of Stephen Battori King of Poland Ann Jagellon his Widow and Aunt of Sigismond Prince of Sweden managed the Polish Nobility so well that the greatest part declared for him The contrary Faction chose the Arch-Duke Maximilian Brother to the Emperor Rodolphus But Sigismond's Friends carried it He was received in Poland beat the Arch-Duke and Maximilian being taken Prisoner redeemed his Liberty by renouncing all his Pretensions to the Crown of Poland The Swedes made their Conditions before the Prince left that Kingdom as the Poles made theirs before they received him The Principal thing which the Senate of Sweden stipulated with Sigismond was the preserving the Priviledges and Religion of their Country They added this Clause in the Treaty that if the King of Poland becoming King of Sweden after the Death of his Father should contravene any of the Articles agreed on that then the Swedes should be discharged from the Oath of Allegiance they had taken It is very probable that Sigismond before his departure from Sweden urged the King his Father to pursue his Design of causing his new Liturgy to be received together with the ancient Ceremonies which he had establish'd a little after his coming to the Crown When Princes have begun a Work that makes a great Figure they are loth to quit it and soon resume it when they see the least Prospect of Success Sigismond hoped his late Advancement would make it easie for him to accomplish the Work which his Father had drawn a rough Draught of And the King of Sweden strengthned by the new Alliance of Poland flatter'd himself that Charles of Sudermannia would not dare to oppose him He was deceived in his Conjectures The Churchmen of the Dutchy agreeing perfectly well with the Prince refused to receive his Liturgy This disturbed the King so much who was now at greater variance with his Brother than ever that he thought of recalling Sigismond in earnest The new King himself was tempted to return into his Country He would willingly have done it if the Poles had not briskly opposed it A Foreign Prince is easily dazled with the glittering Title of King of Poland But he soon takes distaste at the false Lustre of a Crown which only appears fair at a distance Those who have left their Hereditary Countries to go into Poland have repented This is the way to hazard the loss of an Effective Sovereignty for a Title which has more Pomp than Reality Sigismond knew by Experience the Truth of this Maxim The King his Father finding so great opposition from the Swedes who were more upon their Guard since the Election of Sigismond had nothing else to have Recourse to but to reconcile himself speedily to the Duke of Sudermannia and admit him to a Share in the Administration of Affairs The Apprehensions of John were something lessened by Charles's losing his Wife She left no Issue behind her and John pretended his Brother promised him never to think of a second Marriage If it were so the Duke in his turn broke his Word He soon after married Christina Daughter of Adolphus Duke of Holstein It is reported Sigismond courted this Lady before he went into Poland But a Sister of King John diverted the Prince her Nephew from the Match He after married Constance of Austria Daughter of Charles and Sister of Ferdinand Arch-Duke of Gratz in Stiria Christina enraged at this Contempt conceived so great a Hatred against Sigismond that after she was married to Charles of Sudermmannia she incessantly urged him to force the Crown of Sweden from Sigismond King John was not well satisfied with this second Marriage of Charles But his ill Humour did not last long He died soon after at Stockholm The Duke of Sudermannia was active as soon as he heard this News He set at liberty the Senators and Clergymen Sigismond King of Poland succeeds in the Kingdom of Sweden whom the late King had confined for opposing his Designs Sigismond very much distrusted his Uncle To prevent his enterprizing any thing to his Prejudice the new King writes that he was making all Preparations to come speedily into his Hereditary Countries In the mean time the Duke of Sudermannia takes the Administration as next of Kin to the King Puffendorf Introduction à Histoire Tom. IV. p. 11. Rhap 1. 2. John left another Son by his second Wife but he was yet a Minor The Senators without prejudice to their Oath taken to Sigismond promised to obey Charles in every thing he should order with their Consent for the Glory of God the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the maintaining the just Rights and Priviledges of the Nation The Duke promised of his Part not to transact any thing of weight without the Advice and Consent of the Senate A Council is thereupon assembled at Vpsal to regulate Matters of
declared at the same time that neither his Conscience nor the Love he bore his Country could ever permit him to comply with the Orders left by his Nephew yet notwithstanding his seeming Modesty the Duke wanted only to be further courted in the Matter The Senate was to have almost an equal share with him in the Government and Governors of Towns did exercise a sort of Sovereignty in their Jurisdictions The King had contrived it should be so as a necessary precaution to ballance his Uncle's Authority and to lessen his Power Such a Scheme of Government was not for the Duke's turn He expected that the Senators would abate somewhat of their Rights and Privileges and that more Authority would be allowed him over the Governors of each City Matters were accordingly brought to that pass as he would have it The Duke then as if he had only yielded to the repeated Address of the Senate slides into the Saddle of State and marches to Stokholm Then he was wont to say That the best way of Government at that juncture was to put into execution what the King was indespensably bound to perform himself And are we bound said he to obey such Orders of his that are found to be contrary to his Coronaâ—…ion Oath As soon as the Duke enter'd â—…tokholm he Cashier'd the Governour of â—…he Castle for being a Roman Catholick he â—…lso forbid the Exercise of that Religion within that City he made great Presents to the Senators he granted Pensions to the Bishops and to the Professors of Colleges and won his Clergy's and Citizens Love by his Affable and Courteous ways His Wife Christina was brought to bed at that time and the Child was Christn'd by the Name of Gustavus Adolphus This Ceremony was concluded with a splendid Entertainment which he gave to the Senators and to the chief of the Nobility The Famous Astronomer Ticho Bradhe who then Calculated this young Prince's Nativity pronounced that he should one day wear a Crown This was sufficient to raise his Parents hopes to a high pitch It is usual for Persons that are enter'd upon Difficult and Glorious Designs to entertain such uncertain Prognostications 〈◊〉 undoubted Oracles The Duke of Sudermania thought that the calling together of the States would be a means to Establish his Authority The Confusion in which the King left Matters in Swedeland at his going away was a Specious pretence enough for this Convocation Charlâ—â— together with the Senate writ to the King about it But he made them no Answer This Silence of his was by some Interpreted as an Assent to this Meeting 〈◊〉 the States by others as an unjust Dissent But if so the Prime Officers of State iâ—… Swedeland do pretend that in such a Caâ—â— they are impowr'd by the ancient Lawâ—… and Constitutions of the Kingdom to convene a General Assembly of the States They met accordingly at Suderkopin As soon as the News of it came to the King he charged them not to proceed any further declaring that he would never ratifie such Resolutions that were taken contrary to his Will and Pleasure But no Regard was had to such Prohibitions of the King 's The States maintain'd that their Meeting at this Juncture of time was both Lawful and Necessary for the Welfare of the Kingdom They then came to a Resolution not to allow of any other Religion in Swedeland saving the Protestant Persuasion according to the Ausburg Confession of Faith That the Rites and Worship after the manner of Rome should be every where Abolisht That Priests of that Communion should hasten out of the Kingdom in a Fortnight's time The Duke of Sudermania was declared Regent during the King's Absence With this Limitation that all Affairs should be Administred by him in Concurrence with the Senate Many other Laws were ordain'd for the Preservation of the Liberty and Privileges of the Country and they who would not submit to such Regulations were declared to be evilly affected toward the Welfare of the Land and to be Disturbers of the publick Tranquillity Charles his Regency seemed now to be well Established A Misunderstanding betwixt the Duke of Sudermania and the Senat. so that Sigismond had no other way left him but to endeavour to create Jealousies and Divisions betwixt that Duke and the Senate This took and it was cunningly carried on Charles was the more readily disposed to fall out with the Senat for that he did suspect them with holding a Correspondency with those of the Province of Fineland who still held for the King The Senators on th' other hand complained that he did all things after his own fancy and dealt harshly with such as opposed his Designs in the least Charles alledged that they did wast the Publick Revenue and had fomented Misunderstanding betwixt the King and him with a design as it should seem to ruin both his Majesty and himself that they themselves might thereby become sole Masters He made a shew of laying down the Administration of Affairs that was committed to him but was extreamly surprised when he found not one of the Senate opposed that his seeming Resolution Therefore considering with himself that he had gone too far to retreat in hopes to slip his Neck out of the Collar he again laid hold of the Helm of publick Affairs He Summon'd a General Assembly of the Senates to be held at Arboga There the Senate with many of the Nobility formed a distinct Party in opposition to that of the Dukes many went home again and there were not very many that came to this Parliament held at Arboga The Decrees of the Convocation at Vpsal were here confirmed and whatever was enacted by the late General Diet at Suderkoping Addresses were made to Charles to request him not to Abandon the Government at this juncture with a promise that none should be allowed to have so great a sway as he in the Administration of publick Affairs Yet the Senate refused their Assent to these New Regulations and the Chancellor with some others left the Kingdom upon it Such a favourable Conjuncture as this King Sigismonds unsuccessful Attempt to reduce the D. of Sudermania by force prompted Sigismond to march with a good Army towards Swedeland if he had made more speed he might have disperst the Duke's Party which grew weaker every day but the King's slackness gave him time to gather strength and to seise on many fortified Places and to secure the Fleet. When Sigismond Landed the Elector of Brandenbourg and other Princes of Germany us'd their Endeavour to Reconcile the Nephew and Uncle but their Negotiations proved ineffectual Charles protested that he only sought the Preservation of the Peace of the Privileges and of the Religion of the Country But Sigismond would not trust him He resolved to be the ruine of an Uncle who openly aspired to no less than the Crown These two Princes was each of 'em at the Head of his own Army and there was great likelihood that the
found it without doing any thing against your Conscience or the welfare of Religion These studied Discourses made no great impressions on the Queen She coldly answered the Nuncio that all her Council except the Marschal de Bovillon were good Catholicks and that they were the best Judges what made for the Interest of the Kingdom and of Religion Besides added her Majesty I do nothing upon this occasion but what certain Princes of Italy have done as well as I and that before the Pope's Eyes The Dutches of Tuscany with all her Devotion did she refuse to allow of any Discourse concerning the Marriage of her Daughter with the late Prince of Wales The Emperor Matthias goes to Ratisbonne to the Diet. Of all the Protestants the United Princes in Germany were those which flattered themselves with deriving great Advantages from the Alliance of the Elector Palatine with the Crown of England They hoped that King James would Support their League of which Frederick his Son-in Law was the Chief Since the Dispute that arose concerning the Succession of Cleves and Juliers the Animosite which the Catholicks and Protestants bore towards one another in Germany was inflamed The Two Parties got all the Strength they could and made Attempts upon each other The weakness of Rodolphus contributed much to this unhappiness Matthias his Brother and Successor tryed to Cure it in the begining of his Reign But he had neither Power nor Wisdom necessary to reconcile so different Interests or to Command equal Respect from Princes that were sowr'd one against the other with mutual Discontents Possibly the Emperor had no very ill intentions with respect to the Protestants at least he seemed to imitate the moderation of Maximilian his Father But not having so much Sense and Resolution he was ensnared with the Contrivances of the Court of Rome the Catholick Party The Progress the Turks made a little while ago in Hungary seemed to threaten Matthias with a War near Home This obliged him to keep even with both Sides because he equally needed their assistance against a formidable Enemy The Protestants endeavoured to make their use of this opportunity to better their Condition and to secure the repose of their Churches The Catholicks and Protestants complain of each other Matthias had promised at his Coronatiion to call a Diet to consult about means to secure the Peace and Tranquility of the Empire and to remedy those Disorders of which several parts of it had complained a long time It was appointed to meet at Ratisbonne The Emperor and the Three Ecclesiastical Electors came thither But the other Electors only sent their Deputies Lewis Landgrave of Hesse declared at large the Reasons the Emperor had to convene the Diet. Mercure Francois 1613. Five were with relation to the particular Government of the Empire and the Sixth related to the Attempts of the Turks upon Hungary His Imperial Majesty thinking it necessary vigorously to oppose them desired that they would grant him certain Contributions for that purpose but before they would enter upon the Consideration of what the Emperor proposed the United Protestant Princes who were then called Correspondans presented several Grieveances of which they had before complain'd under the preceding Reign without obtaining any Redress 'T would be to no purpose to give an account of them here The Emperor in vain endeavoured to Elude the Demands of the Correspondans and to defer till another time the Examination of that Affair they stood to it that his Imperial Majesty ought first to Redress their Greivances The Catholick Princes being convinc'd of the Justice of the pretensions of their Adversaries were of Opinion without having any regard to the Complaints of the United Protestants that they should immediately proceed to deliberate upon the Articles proposed by the Emperor The Consideration of some particular Persons less in Number said they ought to be preferred before the necessity of the publick Welfare which was very pressing Being sure to have the plurality of Voices on their Side these Gentlemen had a mind that what ever they Ordered should be lookt upon as a Resolution of the Diet There could be nothing more contrary to the Repose and Tranquility of the Empire in the present posture of Affairs At this Rate they would presently have Ruined all the Protestants in Germany The Catholicks did likewise maliciously insinuate to the Empire that the Protestants had ill Designs under-hand and that there was Reason to fear they would at last Contest the Lawful Authority of his Majesty Within a little while after they presented a long account of the Complaints which the Catholicks had to make against the Protestants They accused them of diverse Infractions of the Treaty of Pacification that was made some time past at Passau and of diverse Attempts contrary to the Constitutions of the Empire The Catholicks Demanded Justice in their turn of his Imperial Majesty These Gentlemen have been a long time us'd to cry out of Injustice and Persecution against those very Men which they Tormented and Opprest Not to suffer them to Tyranize is to Persecute them So that the Pope grants Jubilees and Indulgences with a liberal Hand to obtain the Deliverance of those of his Religion as if they were unjustly Opprest althô at the same time they live in perfect Tranquility This we see done every day The bad Success of the Diet at Ratisbonne Not being able to Reconcile Spirits which were more and more sowr'd against one another the Emperor endeavoured to avoid the Examination of the Complaints which were made of either Side He proposed to defer it to another time Nevertheless he demanded Assistance for the Security of Hungary where Bethlem Gabor the New Prince of Transilvania Supported by the Turks had made himself dreadful The Protestants answered that they did not doubt but the Emperor was well affected to them and that they were ready to Contribute both Men and Money for the Defence of his Majesties Hereditary Countrys But that they could not forbear to desire his Imperial Majesty in the first Place to restablish the Peace and Tranquility of the Empire and take Care of redressing the Greivances which they had presented to him The Arch-Duke Maximilian the Emperor's Brother a Prince of a sweet and moderate Temper was then at Ratisbonne Matthias desired him to Treat with the Protestants hoping he was able to bring them over but althô they profest a great Respect for the Arch-Duke yet he could obtain nothing of them With a design to make the Emperor more favourable the Catholicks shewed themselves Liberal and well Inclined They promised to furnish him for Two years with their Antient Contributions to carry on a War against the Turks the Protestants oppos'd this Deliberation being resolv'd not to suffer that the Resolutions taken by the Catholicks should be lookt upon as the Decrees of the whole Diet of the Empire Thus the Diet of Ratisbonne broke up instead of remedying the disorders of
Germany it made them greater and more incurable The Fortune of Bethlem Gabor Pr. of Transilvania Since Bethlem Gabor must often appear upon the Stage in this History I think it necessary to say something of his Fortune and Elevation He was one of the most dangerous Enemies the House of Austria had in this Age. I will look a pretty way backwards upon things that so the Reader may the better understand the Ancient pretenions of the Emperor upon Transilvania The brave Stephen Battori was the first who was declared Prince of Transilvania under the Protection of the Ottomans After his Elevation to the Crown of Poland by his means Christopher his Brother was Elected to the Principality of Transilvania Sigismond his Son and Successor steered another Course by the persuasion of the Emissaries of the House of Austria which he had about him This Prince who did not want Courage was persuaded that it was more advantageous and more honourable for him to quit the Alliance of the Sultan and unite with the Emperor But to the shame of Christianity Sigismond found that which has happened to a great many more I mean he met with less Justice and Fidelity among those of his own Religion than his Uncle and his Father had found among Infidels That he might be more firmly united with the Emperor Rodolphus he Married a Princess of the House of Austria but this marriage was the cause of the misfortunes of his Life They made him give up his Right to Transilvania for a certain Dutchie which they gave him At length repenting of the bad Market which he had made he retracted the Cession which he had made to the Emperor and gave his Principality to Cardinal Battori his Brother who was chosen by the States of the Country under the Protection of the Grand Seignior The new Prince had a terrible War to maintain against the Emperor and in it lost his Life Botskay his Kinsman Elected afterwards by the Transilvanians Mercure Francois 1606 1607 1608 c. defended himself with a great deal of Courage and Success insomuch that he took a great many Places from the Emperor in upper Hungary The House of Austria was forc'd to make a Peace with him One Article of the Treaty Imported that if Bortskay died withot Male-Issue Transilvania should Devolve upon the Emperor The Sultan Ratified this Treaty in another which he afterwads made with Rodolphus The House of Austria not long before it Demanded Transilvania by Virtue of this Agreement Borskai being poisoned immediately after by his Chancellor The States of the Country did not fail to choose Sigismond Ragotski for their Prince There were then so great Divisions in the House of Austria and such Commotions in Hungary and Bohemia that neither Rodolphus nor Matthias his Brother were in a Condition to press the Execution of the Treaty made with Botskay The New Prince did not long enjoy Transilvania but Generously gave it up to Gabriel Batori Heir of that Family whom the Turks publickly Supported Mercure Francois 1613. He being rendred odious by his Cruelties Bethlehem Gabar a Transilvanian Gentleman of boundless Ambition took care to gain the Favour and Protection of the Ottoman Court This is the Man which formed a powerful Party against Batori and which made War against him The Assistance of the House of Austria was of no use to Batori who was presently Reduc'd to the lowest Despair so that he begged of his own Friends to kill him His Enemies Soldiers did him that kindness which they refused Three days after his death Bethlem was declared Prince of Transilvania by the General of the Turkish Army who invaded Hungary The States of the Country assembled at Claussembourg afterwards chose him upon Condition that he should ask the Authentick Confirmation of the Sultan When Bethlem was in Possession of his New Principality he wrote a Letter to the Palatine of Hungary to desire the Favour of the Emperor But his Imperial Majesty intended to make the best of his Pretensions to Transilvania by Virtue of his Treaty made with Botskai which the Sultan Confirm'd Matthias declared this publickly in the Diet of Ratisbonne and it was principally for this End that he desired Assistance of the States of the Empire With this Prospect the House of Austria kept up the Party of Batori who refused to acknowledge the New Prince Bethlem Protected by the Turks whose Favour he had cunningly gained not only maintained himself in Transilvania but was upon the Point of taking away Hungary from them that would oppose him The Protestant and Catholick Leagues were Formed in Germany upon the occaâ—…ion of the Quarrel that arose about the Succession to the States of Cleves and Juâ—…iers The Division between the Houses of Brandenburg and Newbourg concerning the Government of the States of Cleves and Juliers Interests de Princes per M. de Rohan Part 1. Disc 4. the Princes of Brandenbourg and Newbourg Governed these Dutchies in Common Peaceably for many Years under the Favour of the Protestant League The strong Places were guarded by equal Garrisons The Two Princes Resided in the same Palace and did all by Concert But how difficult is it that a Country should be long governed after this manner without Divisions Princes of a different Family and different Religion have not the same Interest and Designs These began to fall out about Ecclesiastical Affairs Mercure Francoise 1613. Brandenburg would have ordered something without the consent of his Colleague and Newbourg opposed him The King of great Britain and the States of the United Provinces Mediated for a Reconciliation they were afraid their Division would give opportunity to the House of Austria to Seize upon a Contested Succession which would have been so convenient for it to prevent the Increase of their misunderstanding their Friends proposed a Marriage between the Two Families That of Newburg was free to it Prince Volfgang goes to the Elector of Brandenburg and desires his Daughter in Marriage But this step made by the wholesome Advice of those who designed nothing but to Establish a good Correspondence between the Two Houses was the occasion of an inplacable hatred between them and of the Distraction of those fine Dutchies which they might have divided between them I cannâ—…t tell how it came to pass but in the heat of Wine and at a Feast The Prince of Newburg said something at the Table of the Elector which displeased him Brandenburg was so enraged at it that he gave a Box in the Ear to him who desired his Alliance This unhappy accident might have been redrest if the Elector would have made a suitable Satisfaction but he obstinately refused to do it Volfgang being provokt with such an Affront returns to the Country of Cleves being resolved to be Reveng'd on him what ever it cost him From that time Brandenburg and Newburg did nothing by Concert in the Government of the States of Cleves and Juliers they Cavild at every
maintain their Right of Patronage But to remedy the disorders which frequent disputes about this Point occasioned they endeavoured in the Year 1591. in the Assembly of the States of this Province to make a New Regulation concerning the manner of choosing Pastors According to this Project the Magistrates and the Consistory were to Name each Four Persons of their own Body to Elect Jointly The Act of Election was to be carried afterwards to the Body of the Magistrates who should have power to Accept or Reject the chosen Minister And in this last Case they were to proceed to a new Election This Law was agreeable enough to the Civil Law Establish'd by the new Constitutions of the Emperor Justinian touching the Election of Ecclesiastical Ministers And because it was convenient to Reserve some Priviledges to particular Persons who had the Patronage of Churches it was added in the same Law that if there were a Pastor to be chosen to a Church of which a particular Person was the Patron then this Person was to depute Four others to Elect in Conjunction with the Four Named by the Consistory So that a Gentleman had the same priviledge with respect to the Church of which he was Patron as the Magistrates had reserved with respect to the Churches of Towns and Cities A Regulation so well Contrived for the Satisfaction of all the World met with so much opposition in the Assembly of the States of Holland in the Year 1591. from several considerable Cities that it was not possible to pass it into a Law In the Year 1612. the Pensionary Barnevelt propos'd a second time to the States of the Province as more necessary than ever by reason of the Quarrels that arose about the Five Articles Besides that the Synod and Classes did not dare to make use of the pretended Heresie 〈◊〉 Remonstrants to Interdict those which haâ—… been chosen after this manner by thâ—… Consent of the Consistory's and Magistrates and Patrons this Project had a considerable Advantage in the present Posture of the Churches of Holland It allow'd the Magistrates to choose none but wise and moderate Pastors and such as should be acceptable to all the World and well inclined to Peace When Barnevelt spoke in the Assembly of the States of the Province of the Revival of the Law propos'd in 1591. Their Opinions were then decided Some thought it fit that they should publish it others thought that it was more convenient first to have the consent of the Synode These latter were apparently afraid that this Law should more provoke the Ministers of the Contra-Remonstrant Party who grumbled very much that the States pretended singly to decide matters belonging to Religion and the Government of the Church Barnevelt in this Affair in which he was so heartily engaged so managed those that were concern'd that he brought them all over to his own Opinion The States of Holland at last resolv'd that the Laws which had been Projected concerning Ecclesiastical affairs in the Year 1591 should be from that time observ'd but they found great difficulty in the Execution of them There arose immediately great Disputes both by word of Mouth and by Writing concerning this Deliberation of the States The Contra-Remonstrants said that the States had gone beyond the Bounds of their Lawful Authority and that it was not fit for them to put their hand to the Censor in Regulating the Doctrines of Faith and the Government of the Church The Remonstrants side with the States By this means they had opportunity to curry favour with the Government and likewise found their account in the Enacting of this Law The Armenians maintain'd and not without Reason that the States of Holland being Sovereigns in their Province had power to Establish any thing that was not contrary to the Law of God and to regulate the Government of the Church to make Laws for the Security of it's Peace according to the Example of Christian Emperors and Princes which have done so before them without any Contradiction from the primitive Church So that for the future we shall find there were disputes in the Vnited Provinces not only about the Five Articles of the Remonstrants but also about the Right of Patronage and the Lawful Power of Sovereigns in matters of Faith and Discipline of the Church This was the occasion of an excellent Treatise which Grotius published to the World This Learned Man does in that Book defend at large that which he had before advanc'd in an Apology for the States oâ—… Holland Grotius De Imperio summarum potestatum circa Sacra touching the Authority of thâ—… Sovereign Power in Ecclesiastical Affairs But before we speak of this Apology publish'd by Grotius It is fit to say something concerning this Quarrel which intreas'd every day in the Vnited Provinces The divisions increased in the United Provinces Before this time there had been Synod â—…gainst Synod that of Vtrecht in 1612. â—…eclare that the Five Articles of the Reâ—…onstrants were Tolerable That of the â—…rovince of Guelderland maintains that â—â—l the Doctrine contain'd in the Confesâ—â—on of Faith and in the Catechism of â—â—e Belgick Churches was agreeable to â—â—e Word of God Preface des Actes du Sinode de Dordrecht The Synod Solemnâ—â—â— Engage themselves to maintain and deâ—â—nd it In Some Cities they Suspend and â—…epose the Remonstrant Ministers as Hereâ—â—ks in others they drive out the Contra-â—â—monstrant as Violent and Seditious â—â—e People being devoted to their Old â—â—nisters would not acknowledge those â—â—t were put in their Room So that there â—â—s a Schism in one and the same Church Brand Hist de la Reformation Liv. XX. XXI â—â—e part of the People assembled with 〈◊〉 Depos'd Minister in spite of the Maâ—â—rates Another part stuck to the new â—â—e One Geselius gave a great deal of â—â—ble to the magistrates of Rotterdam â—â—ey Depose him he sets up Conventiâ—â— they Banish him and he refuses to â—â—ey them The Magistrates publish'd Manifesto giving an account of their â—â—duct to the People Geselius answers 〈◊〉 his own Justification In one Word â—â—e were not greater Divisions in the Church in the time of Arianism Circular Letters flew about to Exhort to forsake the Communion of those who embrac'd the Five disputed Articles The Contra-Remonstrants call'd themselves the unjustly persecuted Church They had a private Meeting in a Barn at Rotterdam The Magistrates ordered it to be shut up the Contra Remonstrants open'd it again Could they have had more Zeal and more Heat about the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion During these Confusions Gomar quitted the Chair of Divinity-Professor at Leyden and retir'd to Middleburg in Zealand Polyander a great Stickler for the same Opinion was put in his Place The Remonstrants comforted themselves under this disappointment with Episcopius being call'd to the same University He had obtained a great Reputation in the Party by his strong Defence of the Five Articles at the Conference in the Hague in 1611.
prince of Conde solicites the Reformed he advis'd him to send some of his Domesticks to the Heads of the Huguenot Party to exhort them to take Arms. Conde and Bovillon had each their particular Designs in this Step. The first hop'd to make a more advantageous Treaty with the Regent if the Reformed Declared in his Favour The other thought to make himself doubly necessary to reclaim the Prince and the Discontented Lords and to Travers the Designs of the Duke de Rohan amongst the Reformed Des Marais Lieutenant of the Princes Guards was of the Religion he seemed a fit Man to Negotiate with the Duke of Rohan they sent him therefore to St. Jean d'Angeli with Orders to pass first through Saumur and to sound his old Friend du Plessis Mornai They did not doubt if Rohan and du Plessis would listen to the proposals of the Prince but that the Credit and Reputation of these Two Men would draw after them all the Protestant Party in France Mary de Medicis did likewise manage the chief Men amongst the Reformed The wise answer of du Plessis Mornai to the Regent and the prince of Conde Hist du Connetable de Lesdiguieres Liv. VIII Chap. 6. Memoires de Duc de Rohan she sent immediately to the Mareschal de Lesdiguieres to Treat at the same time with those of the Religion and the Prince of Conde and the discontented Lords to hinder the one from being drawn over and to persuade the other to an accommodation The Duke of Rohan was likewise solicited by her Majesty he answered that his Design was always to adhere to the Reformed and that the readiest and surest way to reduce the Party of the Prince of Conde was to give Satisfaction to the reformed Churches who are able to weigh down the Scales to that Side which they should be of As for du Plessis Mornai the President Jeannin and the Queen her self writ obliging Letters to him They knew that this Gentleman who was very honest and zealous for the welfare of his Religion and his Country might be gained by shewing themselves willing to maintain the Edicts which were granted by the late King to his Reformed Subjects They gave therefore du Plessis the highest hopes in the World in this respect Jeannin assured him that the Regent had not Concluded the double Marriage with Spain with a design to Effect the Ruine of the Protestants in Conjunction with the House of Austria The Marriage which is at present Negociated with England said this cunning and dissembling Minister is a convincing Proof of the Contrary This business is in such forwardness that in my Opinion nothing can hinder it In the mean time they had no desire to Conclude it This was but a Trick to amuse the Protestants whom the double Marriage Alarm'd through all Europe Du Plessis gave the Ministers and the Regent all possible assurance of his Fidelity and Devotedness to the Service of their Majesties He took this occasion to represent to the Court how important it was for the Peace of the Kingdom exactly to observe the Edicts which had been granted to the Reformed who were better Subjects than the Catholicks when they were left to the free Exercise of their Religion The Answer which du Plessis gave the Prince of Conde is yet more worthy of his great Wisdom We have seen several Princes saith he Vie de Mr. du Plessis Liv. III. 1614. use the specious Pretences of the publick Good only to carry on their own particular Interest I would believe the Designs of his Highness are upright and sincere but that is not sufficient we must use lawful means to obtain a good End all the World knows that there are Disorders in the State they are greater than Men imagine But prudence will not admit that Mr. le Prince should apply Remedies worse than the Disease The well meaning Towns of the Kingdom are so afraid of a Civil War that they will never Declare for Mr. le Prince He has a mind to Correct some Abuses which 't is for the Interest of the Towns to suffer those which tell him that the Reformed will Rise don't know us or at least they have a mind to impose upon his Highness They offer him People which are not at their disposal 'T is true we Complain of some Grievances but we will remain peaceable as long as the Edicts are observed The Allies of the Crown will not approve of this Enterprise of Mr. le Prince France is the only Counterpoise which can oppose the greatness of the Spanish Monarchy If a Civil War should arise in the Kingdom who can resist the ambitious Designs of the House of Austria The Agent of the Prince de Conde had better encouragement at St Jean d' Angeli than at Saumur He invited the Duke of Rohan to take Arms in Favour of his Highness The Duke of Rohan seemes to listen to the proposals of the prince of Conde Memoires du Duc de Rohan Vie de Mr. du Plessis Liv. III. 1614. promising that his Highness would not come to an Agreement with the Court without his Consent The Duke did not seem very backward to join the Party But the distrust which he had of the Mareschal de Bovillon whose artifices and ill-will to him he was aware of made him more reserved Before he would Engage himself he sent one of his Confidents to the Prince to discover the real Designs of his Highness and the discontented Lords When du Plessis Mornai understood that the Duke of Rohan was inclined to join with the Prince Mr. de Rohan said he does not think to appease the Troubles by Interesting himself The Queen will be more inclined to satisfie the Prince and the Mareschal de Bovillon jealous of Mr. de Rohan will take care to conclude a Peace as soon as possible No body could have better foretold what would come to pass The Envoy of the Duke was kindly received by the Prince the Party gave out that Rohan offered a Thousand Horse and Eight thousand Foot The Treaty with the Court that was already far advanced was immediately concluded and the Prince obtained that which otherwise would never have been granted As for the Mareschal de Lesdiguiâ—…res he only exhorted Conde to the Peace and offer'd him his good Offices for that purpose Caesar Duke of Vendome Hist. du Connetable de Lesdiguieres Liv. VIII Chap. 6. The escape of the D. of de Vendome he retires into Bretagne that was seiz'd at the Louvre and kept Prisoner in his Chamber made his escape Eight days after he took the Road to Bretagne but when he came to Ancenis he found that the Regent had given such good Orders on that Side that the Duke de Montbason who was sent to Command in his Place and the Comte de Vertus in Conjunction with the Parliament de Rennes took care to have the Gates of the best Cities in the Province shut against him
imbrace one of the most pernicious Heresies that ever was Upon this Ridiculous Foundation Paul V. would never be satisfied with the Declaration of the King he always demanded with Arrogâ—…nce and Threats that the Decree should be legally Revoked The K. is at length obliged to suspend the Execution of the Decree of Parlement They were forc'd to use humble intreaties that the Execution of the Decree should be suspended Poor Mary de Medicis had in all her Son's consent to give this satisfaction to Paul V. There was no necessity of such a base compliance with the Pope whose Threatnings were but mere Rhodomontadoes What could he have done if the Court had resisted him The general Assembly of the States were Sitting They zealously demanded that the Doctrines of Swarez and such like should be declared heretical and pernicious If the fierce Borghese had thought fit to throw out his thundering Anathemas they would have been as much despis'd in France as they were sometime before in Venice All the Kingdom except a few Monks and Eccle iasticks would have oppos'd him But it is not only now that France makes a great noise against the arrogant pretensions of the Pope and at last basely comply Lewis XIV in the height of his Power hath made a more shameful Submission than his Father did when he but just entred into his Majority He published Declarations to maintain his Sovereign Power The Archbishops spoke more boldly than ever The Ambassadors and Ministers of France insulted the Pope even in the Vatican To what did these appeals to a Council and the other proceedings of the Parlement against the Court of Rome come to To sacrifie to the Pope the honour of the Clergy who did nothing without the express Order of his Majesty Divisions at the Court of France Mary de Medicis had more troublesome affairs to settle than that of Rome occasioned by the Condemnation of Suarez's Book by the Parlement of Paris The Mareschal d'Ancre and the Ministers of State were always Quarrelling with one another There had been endeavours used the Year before to reconcile them The Marquiss de Coeuvres did all he could to effect it One would have thought that the marriage between the Marquiss de Villeroi the Secretary of State 's Grandson and Conchini's Daughter might have produced an Agreement which had been endeavour'd with so much Care But whether it were that he being advanced to one of the first Dignities of the Kingdom imagin'd that an Alliance with Villeroi was not sufficient for him who reacht at all or whether Dole the Marescal's Confident and Villeroi's secret Enemy who accused him of having broken his word in not getting him some preferment which he had promised him did continually create Jealousies between them or in fine whether there were some other secret Cause which we are not acquainted with the Mareschal d' Ancre and Villeroy were greater Enemies than ever And besides the Chancellor de Silleri and the Secretary of State professed an open hatred one to another There seem'd to be a necessity that either the one or the other should leave the Court. Silleri had the advantage of him because he was supported by Conchini All these Divisions were hindrances to the Affairs of the Regent Her Ministers and her Favourites had each their Friends and Enemies at Court and in the Prince of Conde's Party which they would favour or otherwise according as they thought it tended most to the Establishment of their own Fortune The Duke of Vendome refuses to consent to the Treaty of St. Menehoud There was yet another thing which was vexatious to the Regent Caesar Duke of Vendome was very unquiet in his Government of Britagne Taking it ill that the Prince of Conde had too much neglected him in the Treaty of St. Menehoud he refused to stand to their Agreements with relation to himself But Caesar was not strong enough to maintain the War alone in Britagne The principal Towns and the Parlement declared for the Court Not knowing how to render himself more formidable and to obtain better Conditions of the Queen be thought it his best Course to try the Duke of Rohan La Roch-Gifart a Gentleman of Britagne and of the Reformed Religion undertook to go to St. Jean d'Angeli and in Caesar's Name to make the greatest promises imaginable in favour of the Reformed upon Condition he would join with the Duke of Vendome Rohan answered that he was very sorry that Caesar's Interest had been no better provided for in the Treaty of St. Menehoud but that in the present Conjuncture the Duke of Vendome ought not to discover his concern but that 't was his best way to come to a speedy Agreement with the Queen He is not in a Condition to resist added Rohan what will he do if the Court undertakes to reduce him by Force Thus he will be Ruined without Remedy The Duke of Rohan himself had not Interest enough in the Huguenot Party to make them Rise as the Duke of Vendome imagined Rohan had made an Essay to call a general Convocation of those of the Religion at Tonneins in Gascogne where they were to hold at the same time a National Synode I cant tell whether the Duke intended to take any Resolution there in favour of the Prince of Conde and the discontented Lords The wisdom of du Plessis Nornai But du Plessis Mornai who had no mind that the Reformed should engage themselves in an ill contrived Civil War prevented it The Convocation which the Council of the Reformed of the lower Guienne had called at the sollicitation of the Duke of Rohan was judged unlawful and the National Synod by the advice of the Wise and Religious du Plessis refused to have any hand in Politick affairs The King of England always inclined to interest himself in Disputes of Divinity and to neglect his great Duty had writ to this Assembly upon occasion of a difference between du Moulin and Tilenus both Professors at Sedan concerning the Hypostatical Union The Synod judged that 't was the best way to let fall a Controversie between Two Divines that disputed only for want of understanding one another They desired du Plessis to reconcile them He accepted the Commission and succeeded Let one turn over never so much both Ancient and Modern History I question whether one should find his equal Being alike versed in Learning and the Affairs of the World he defends by Religion he discusses the most difficult Points of Divinity supports the Reformed Churches by his Prudence Negociates the most troublesome Affairs gives good Advice to Ministers of State Princes and Kings themselves who heard him with pleasure Marie de Medicis saends the Marquiss de Coeuvres to move him to an accommodation The Regent being resolved to avoid War as much as possible sent into Britagne the Marquiss de Coeuvres lately arrived from his Embassy in Italy to reclaim the Duke de Vendome Coeuvres
was extremly troubled when he understood that their Majesty's were at Orleans and that the Troops were on their March Uncertain which way to take he sometimes made a shew of going to the Duke de Rohan at St. Jean d' Angeli But what Assistance could he expect from the Huguenots They were never disposed to stir in the favour of a wavering Prince that was imprudent in all his Steps I don't see says du Plessis Mornai of what advantage the Prince's Journey to St. Jean d' Angeli will be to him If he goes there with a few Men he will be despised if with a great many it will be troublesome to Mr. de Rohan to Entertain them can one imagine that the People of St. Jean d' Angeli will Expose themselves to the danger of having all the King's Forces upon their backs by giving Reception to a Prince who has no Inclination for a Religion which his Ancestors have Defended and is not capable of doing any great Service to our Churches Conde was very sensible he would never have Reputation enough to draw after him the Huguenot Party as long as du Plessis Mornai persisted to perswade the Reformed from having any hand in their Commotions The Prince wrote therefore to du Plessis to ask Advice of him But his real Design was to make the Reformed afraid of their Majesties March This Journey said he in his Letter was not undertaken but for one of these Three Reasons Is there not a Design to take away from those of your Religion that which the late King hath granted them Some think that they are going to receive the Infanta and to accomplish the King's Marriage For my own part I believe they come to Ruine me here Pray tell me added Conde what is in your Opinion best for me to do in this Juncture Du Plessis easily perceived that under a pretence of asking Advice he solicited him to appear for him He answered the Prince that the King's Journey did not at all allarm the Reformed Churches We are perswaded said he that the Queen is very sensible she would put the whole Kingdom into a Flame if she should suffer those of our Religion to be injured I confess some People have given it out that the Queen is going to Receive the Infanta But should a Prince take his Measures from common Rumour Are there any Vessels ready in the Ports of Spain Are there any Gallys fitted out at Barcelona The Infanta can't come any other way than by Sea The Spaniards are too Proud Don't think they 'l ever send their King's Eldest Daughter to us Incognito She will never come away before the Court of Madrid is sure that she will be received as Queen before ever she sets Foot in France I doubt not but her Majesty is either coming into Bretagne against Mr. de Vendome who has not consented to the Treaty of St. Menehoud or at lest to Poitiers Her presence seems absolutely necessary there For this reason your Highness can't do better than make an handsome Retreat from Poitiers It concerns your Hignesse's Reputation not to stay till you are forced to it The Duke of Maienne was at that time at Chateleraut He went there with the Consent of the Court and urged Conde forthwith to Submit to her Majesty The Prince had no other Course to take From this last foolish Design he got nothing but the shame of being forced to hide himself in Chateauroux in Berri He did not dare to Return to his New Government of Amboise Those which Commanded for him in that Place of Security which he had so earnestly desired had so little Respect for him that they Presented the Keys to the New Queen when she came there a little while after Her Majesty seemed to despise the vain Efforts of the Prince in letting him have a Place which she could recover at pleasure without any Resistance The Remonstrances of du Plessis Mornai to the Queen Regent The Regent used her endeavours to take away the Suspicions which the Prince of Conde and his Emissaries had â—…nspired the Reformed Churches with concerning their Majesty's Journey As â—…oon as the Court was arrived at Orleans Mary de Medicis dispatch'd a Gentleman â—…o Saumur with Credential Letters Vie de M. du Plessis Mornai Liv. III. He was to assure du Plessis that the King's Army should not Advance into those â—…rovinces which lie on the other side of â—…he River Loire Lettres memoires du Meme 1614. That the Queen had no â—â—oughts of Concluding the double Marriage with Spain before the Meeting of the States of the Kingdom and that they only designed to Reduce the Duke of Vendome who every day raised new difficulties against the Treaty of St. Menehoud although the Marquiss de Coeuvres had already made two Journeys into Bretagne to persuade him to comply The Court moved from Orleans to Tours Her Majesty invited du Plessis to come thither They gave it out the King and Queen his Mother would not pass by Saumur in their Journy to Bretagne They don't care said some to be at the discretion of the most Zealous Hugonot in France These Discourses troubled du Plessis He resolved to complain of them to the Queen Madam said this Genâ—…leman whose Virtue exceeded even that of Cato and Aristides I don't give any credit to what I hear But if it should be proposed in your Majesties Council that the King's Person would not be safe at Saumur I should look upon it as the greatest Injury that could be done me The Government of Saumur was committed to me as a Reward of the Treaty which I had managed between the late King and hiâ—… Predecessor That Negotiation which 〈◊〉 brought to a happy Conclusion made way for the late King to sit upon the Throne oâ—… his Ancestors God forbid that that Placâ—… which he entrusted me with should ever bâ—… suspected by the King his Son This generosity pleased the Queen She lookeâ—… upon it as a handsome Invitation to go to Saumur Du Plessis had several private Audiences of Mary de Medicis during her stay at Tours Her Majesty discoursed very freely to him concerning the present Condition of the Affairs of the Kingdom He on his Side undertook frequently to inculcate upon the Regent the necessity of avoiding a Civil War Nothing said he does more weaken the Authority of a Prince I have heard it several times said to the late King That he never was really King till the end of the Civil Wars Whatsoever they may say to your Majesty against those of our Religion believe Madam that you have no such faithful Subjects as those who obey from a Principle of Conscience We have at least this Advantage above our Adversarys that we acknowledge no power under God Superiour to his Majesty The fundamental Maxims of our Religion will not allow us to hold any Commerce with Foreigners who would Encroach upon the Kingdom or the King's Authority Suffer me
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
to obtain his consent The Advocate Montholon seeing what Confusion his Clients were in had a greater Presence of Mind than the good Father Provincial The Jesuits says he will readily follow the Laws of the Vniversity When these four Propositions shall be Signed by the Sorbonne the Jesuits will not make any scruple of subscribing them The dextrous Montholon knew there were so many Leaguers and Doctors in the Pope's Interest amongst the Sorbonists that they would never agree in these four Propositions And if the Faculty would have resolved to have Signed them the Court was so afraid of offending the Pope they would not have suffer'd them to do it So much Respect and Deference had Mary de Medicis for his Holiness The first President himself embarassed by the Advocates Reply would seem not to understand it being well pleas'd that the Jesuits had not handsomly explained themselves on what was proposed to them He pronounced a Decree forbidding any of that Society to teach the Youth at Paris or read any publick Lecture there The Members of the University Triumphed made a thousand Verses some good some bad in praise of their Judges and their Advocate The Jesuits obeyed the Decree They dismist their Scholars continued silent and did not write at all or at least did it under the borrowed Names of their Friends Here they comforted themselves on their Disgrace shewed the Imprudence of those who would renew Disputes out of Season which might create Differences between France and the Pope Every Man discoursed of the Decree of Parlement as his Fancy led him Some took part with the Jesuits others with the University The Pope's Nuncio complained of the Parlements having required such a Subscription of the Jesuits The Cardinal Gonzaga was then at Paris He was offended the good Fathers had been so ill spoken of Mercure Francois 1612. Montholon whose Voice was so low in his short pleading to the Audience printed a more ample Argument the following year This Discourse was divided into three Parts In the two first he justified the Conduct and Institution of the Jesuits The third answered the Objections made against the Doctrine of the Society and the Perverse Consequences which its Adversaries drew from it Disputes concerning Grace and Predestination The Zeal which the Jesuits shewed the latter end of the last and the beginning of this Age for the Doctrine opposite to that of St. Augustin and Thomas Aquinas in the Matter of Grace and Predestination drew still a greater number of Enemies on them the Advocate of the University Reproaching them with this in his Plea Not only the Order of Dominicans which is more Potent in Italy and Spain than in France where it is trampled on with the rest of the Mendicants had declared openly against the Jesuits But a great Number of the Doctors of Paris and Louvain bigotted to the Hypotheses of St. Augustin and Aquinas condemned too against the Society They decreed it as Pelagian At least said they she attempts to revive the Sentiments of Cassian and the old Priests who were called Semipelagians The Dispute began in Spain upon occasion of a Book of Molina a famous Jesuit This Author boasted of having found out a new System to reconcile the Certainty of God's Fore-Knowledge and the Operation of Grace with the Liberty of Man The Invention pleased the Society and she adopted it This was a Deviation from the first Laws of the Founder who ordered she should follow the Doctrine of Thomas Aquinas When the Jesuits reproached their Adversaries with maintaining the Sentiments of Luther and Calvin condemned in the Council of Trent they recriminated instantly Your Hypothesis said they to the good Fathers is the same with that of the ancient Enemies of St. Austin in Gaul The Dispute was so warm in Spain that the Matter was remitted to Rome Clement VIII resolved to determine this Controversie It is reported that he not only made Preparations for this by a serious Examen of all the Questions for which he setled a famons Congregation of Divines and Cardinals but farther had recourse to Prayer Fasting and extraordinary Mortifications The Holy Father believed that the Holy Ghost had inspired him to condemn the Sentiments of the Jesuits The Bull was ready But to speak after the manner of the People beyond the Mountains God did not permit Clement to pass on the Church his private Illusions for Divine Oracles The Pope died very luâ—…kily for the Jesuits Paul V. pleased with the Zeal the good Fathers had shewn for the Interests of the Holy See in the Difference between the Pontif and the Republick of Venice suppressed his Predecessors Bull. He imposed silence on the Dominicans and Jesuits Few except these two Orders had engaged publickly in this first Dispute The Universities of Doway and Louvain declared too against the Jesuits and their Doctrine of Grace was condemned there After this the Book of Jansenius Bishop of Ipres caused a long and famons Contest in the Faculty of Paris and all the Gallican Church At the same time that Paul V. endeavoured to stifle in his Church the Disputes concerning Grace and Predestination the Protestants of Holland were divided on the same Questions Luther and the first Reformers had at first embraced the Hypothesis of St. Austin either because they were prepossessed or because it seemed most proper to combat the Dogms of the Roman Church and settle those of the Reformation However Luther himself or at least his first Disciples soon saw the Inconveniences and ill Consequences of the Augustinian System That of the Greek Fathers appeared both more Ancient and Reasonable Melancthon took to this and his moderate Sentiments prevailed with those of the Ausburgh Confession Calvin Zanchy Beza and the greatest number of the Reformed adhered strongly to the Opinions of St. Austin Some strain'd them higher and used harder Expressions The rigid Thomists did the same in the Roman Church Towards the beginning of this Age divers of the Reformed Divines opened their Eyes after the Example of the Lutherans Upon examining the Scripture more attentively the Sense of St. Chrysostom and the ancient Greeks appeared preferrable to that of the Bishop of Hippo who did not certainly very well understand the Old or New Testament The Rise of Arianism in Holland As the Books of Erasmus Melancthon and Bulllinger were much esteemed in Holland where these Works had much conduced to give a Relish to the Reformation so the most knowing of the Magistrates and Laiety were inclined to the mild and moderate Sentiments of these Divines on Predestination and Grace rather than the rigid Hypothesis of the first Reformers They thought at least they were very tolerable and compatible with the Reformation which that Province had embraced But the greatest part of the Ministers on the contrary who had only studied Religion Grotius Apolog eorum qui Hollandiae praefueâ—…unt in the Books of Calvin and Beza stifly maintained the Opinions of