That mad League of the Pope the Emperour and the Kings of France and Spain would have invaded any other State but theirs so much amazement did it strike into those Areopages who yet by their rare industry were able to untangle this fatal conjuncture and save their Common-wealth from the shipwrack wherewith she was much threatned In fine after that peace which they had made with the Turk and which followed close upon the glorious Battel but with small fruit of Lepante they finished that Age and began this present in good intelligence with their Neighbours The King of Spain enjoyes in Italy the kingdomes of Naples and Sicily and the Duchy of Milan upon which States the French have also their pretentions which often cause frequent warres between the two Crownes whereof we shall speak towards the end of this Treatise in the revolution of those last tumults The Grand Duke of Tuskany the Dukes of Mantua and Parma keep their Seates in peace and the Common-wealth of Genoa hers tyed fast for her profit to the interests of Spain Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy a Prince as subtle as inconstant but yet unlucky enough for having seized upon the Marquisat of Salluces found himself forced to put on his harnesse and to leave his rest in the first year of this age as we shall hereafter shew neither his journey to Paris nor all the politick craft he could use being able to warrant him from this check The Dukes of Savoy are very potent and often seen to make the skale hang towards that Crown to which they leane France seeks their friendship to have the gate open into Italy in the intrigues whereof she finds her self passionately concerned Lorraine was governed by Duke Charles a milde Prince who still complained of the wrong which the enemies of the League whereof the Princes of that house were the chief had made him suffer This Province which divides Germany from France is very fruitfull and takes her name from the Emperour Lotarius and her Princes their Descent from Charlemagne They have alwayes been great Warriers and Godfree of Bouillon through zeal of piety went and conquered the Holy Land The Dukes of Lorraine for interest of State keep good correspondence with their Neighbours and the last misfortune which happened in this Duchy was caused rather by the decline of the Emperours Affayres and the ambition of him who thought all lawfull to him then by the fault of the Prince who could not shelter himself from that storme which had already shivered both Masts Sayles and Helme These States aforesaid in regard they never knew any Religion but that of Rome suffer not any other so much as to bud or spring there and if peradventure there be any one found in Lorraine who hath embraced the Protestant Religion he retires himself to Metz or Geneva and they of the Country of Luxenbourgh to Sedan Diversity of Religions parts humours gives desire of motion to such as are ambitious and makes a Prince very little loved by them who are not of the same opinion We have already gone round about Europe therefore let us now enter into the middle and speak of those great Monarchies which by their motions have shaken all other States as being governed according to the influences thereof and accommodating their interests to the ballance of their greatnesse For since Warre hath been declared between Spain and France very few Princes have stood Neutrall some having joyned their forces to the party most necessary for them and some others though but spectators have not yet forborne to poise more to the one side then the other But none have been willing to have either of these Crowns suppressed by the other for the apprehension and fear wherein they all are of a Generall Monarchy CHAP. IX The jealousies between the two Crownes and why The House of Burgundy NOw to get entire knowledge of the interests of these two Crownes of the Causes which so often arm them to the great detriment of Christendom and the apprehensions which they give of aspiring to a general Monarchy though by unequall and different wayes we must goe up to the source and so come quickly down again drawing from thence a true explanation for our subject which we will follow as our guide to the end of our Course France being delivered from the warres with England and wholly restored to her self as well by the help of forren as the help of her Neighbours and even the very Spaniards themselves with whom she had a close friendship at that time Having I say shaken off the yoke of the English who were expelled from Guyenne and Normandy she became the most puissant Monarchy of Europe King Charles the 8 th went to feaze upon the kingdom of Naples which was no sooner got then lost by his departure thence Lewis the twelfth having made an Alliance with Ferdinand of Castile for the recovery of the kingdom enters Italy surprises Milan and the unjust usurper Sforce and so retakes the said kingdome of Naples But it sometimes happens that the sharing of stakes makes friends foes for these Allyes fell to oddes and Consalve having in many Encounters routed the French setled the kingdome upon the Castilians and the power and reputation of the Spaniards encreased much by the valour of the great Captain The first reason of the hatred between the Spaniards and the French Francis the first having broken the Swissers in a great Battail easily made himsel Master of the Duke dome of Milan and consequently of the kingdom of Naples But Fortune smiled upon the French only to betray them For she suddenly turned to the Spaniards who took King Francis prisoner and established themselves in the said kingdome and in the State of Milan Now from hence proceeded the hatred between the two Nations which hath since been augmented according to occurrences of State-jealousies and other considerable accidents whereof we will here give a short hint The second reason But there is a second and a more pregnant reason for which not only France but the neighbouring States also have conceived apprehensions of jealousies which is that of the Union of Spain by marriage with the houses of Austria and Burgundy and the latter of these began thus Philip de Valois none to John the sixth King of France for having well defended his Father in a Battail against the English was by marriage made Duke of Burgundy and Prince of the Low-countries and John his sonne succeeded him not onely in all the Provinces of his Parents but in the hatred also which he bore to the House of Orleans Now this young Prince going with a great force of the Nobility of France and the Low-countries into Hungary against the Turk fell into the hands of Bajazet who would have caused him to be beheaded as well as the rest of the prisoners had he not been advised to put him to a Ransom and send him home and this because it was
and caused him to be published for an Heretick He besieged Paris but was unhappily stabbed by a Monk whereof he died having already declared Henry of Bourbon for his true successour and Heyr to the Crown to whom he also left a third Dispute for the kingdome of Navarre This stab extinguished the Race of the Valois ended the life of the Prince and there with also the desire he had to inflict a rigorous chastisement upon the City of Paris CHAP. XI Disturbances in the Low-Countries and why The Peace of Vervin followes The donation of the Low-Countries to the Infanta THe King of Spain was in no lesse trouble about the Low-countries for the conservation whereof he spared not his Treasures brought him from the Indies nor followed lesse the Counsell of Cardinal Granvel then the Roman Catholicks of France did that of the Cardinal of Lorraine But the Prince of Orange assisted by the Protestants of Germany eluded their care in such sort as that neither the wise conduct of the Duchesse of Parma nor the rough proceedings of the Duke of Alva nor the very presence of King Philips Brother himself no nor the inimitable valour of that Great Italian Alexander was able to prevaile so farre but that seven Provinces untied themselves from obedience to the King and formed a potent Common-wealth amongst themselves by the change of Religion without which it is very probable that neither the situation nor the Rivers not all that which could hurt the Spaniards would have been able to secure or defend them against the potency of Spain But now from whence came all these disorders Who laid the first stone and fixed the foundation of so dismal and fatall a Warre There are many causes and divers pretexts thereof to be noted We will therefore go to the fountain since the streams are sufficiently known Under the General Title of Low-countries are comprised seventeen Provinces so rich so well peopled so full of fair Towns and big Villages together with the situation and strength of the Inhabitants that if they were united together I know not who would presume to attach them how powerful so ever he were either by Sea or Land But plenty doth not more disunite people then want and the winde of ambition raises not lesse storm then ill-taken zeal in Religion These Countries have been almost a whole Age the Theater of a most sad and dreadful Warre caused by the two aforementioned Passions which have brought them to this state wherein they are seen at present They had every one their Prince or Goâ—ernour apart but by little and little as well by Marriages and Successions as other means they grew to be devolved under the House of Burgundy and afterwards under that of Austria as we have noted already For during the Warres of the Emperour Charles the sift and Francis the first they were governed by the Queen of Hungary Sister to the aforesaid Charles In fine this good Prince having with an unparallelled example of resolution transferred all his States upon his sonne Philip and the Empyre upon his Brother Fordinand so to retire himself into a private condition the said King Philip his sonne before his departure gave the government of the aforesaid Provinces in generall to his Sister and in particular to some certain Knights of the Golden Fleece who had faithfully served both his Father and himself in the Warres against France Now the Order given to pluck up the tender plants of new opinions in Religion was by such as hunted after a Change in State interpreted for the Spanish Inquisition and the retardment of the forraine Militia for the maintaining thereof The introduction of new Bishops made a double operation by giving an Alarme as well to the Clergy as to them who had embraced the profession of a Religion which excluded both Old and New The Governesse notwithstanding the coldnesse of some prime Ministers stopped the disease with agreeable nutriment and a sleight bleeding and so rendered a superficial kind of health to this Body so much stuffed with ill humours But King Philip irritated by the contemp of his authority and commandments had recourse to the arms of Justice which by violent proceedings applies both Sword and Fire amazes the Good represses the audacity of others inexorably punishes the bad and by demanding the tenth penny reversed or overthrew all that which was no more then shaken before Thus have you the seeds of the Evills which gave birth to those long warres which have had divers qualifications and various successes under many Governours who like unskilfull Physitians either performed not their care or else prescribed all things contrary because the Disease was incurable Some make William Prince of Orange Authour of all those troubles and others impute it to the cruelty of the Duke of Alva But be it what it will this People being very intense upon the conservation of their priviledges and most prone to jealousie motion and surprise was more agitated by the passion of others then by their own so that Ambition urging them to act under the pretence of priviledges and liberty of conscience and rigour falling upon them to make them unseasonably stoop to the commandments of their Master urged them to fly to the Sword Insomuch as sometimes neither naked Justice nor Treaties of Reconciliation were able to soften their exasperated and irritated Hearts And such of these Provinces as are nearest the Sea shewed then another kind of countenance both to the Church and Government and being succoured by their jealous Neighbours continued this warre with much advantage The King gives the Low-countries to the Intanta his Daughter The King therefore being tired with so prolix a warre made over all the the Provinces to his Daughter Isabell but it was after he had sent Alexander twice into France to relieve the Leaguers or Confederates which much advanced their Affaires and gave them meanes to lay about them for the settlement of their Common-wealth And this was the state of things in the Low-countries towards the end of the Age. Now Cardinal Albert was sent from Spain to govern the aforesaid Provinces who brought the Prince of Orange with him and falling in his Enterprise upon Marseilles through the vigilancie of the Dake of Guise he took possession of his aforesaid Government by the resignation of the Conde de Fuentes who had not long before seised upon Cambray and Dourlens Albert hearing that La Fere was streightned by King Henry resolved to make a diversion which might either be able to raise the siege or at least to recompence the losse of the said place in case it were taken Wherefore he sent Monsieur de Rosne to besiege Calis which he quickly took together with the Town of Ardre notwithstanding the succour from England and Holland La Fere rendred it self at the end of seven months siege and that which happened afterwards of most importance for the good of the Crown of France was the Reconciliation
design drawn from those revolutions Luther writes against the Pope The Rebellion of the Peasants in Germany Page 24. CHAP. XV. The Anabaptists at Munster The Reformates in France A change of Religion in England by what means The King repudiates his wife The Queens Speech He makes himself Head of the Church Luther writes to him His miserable death Page 10. CHAP. XVI Queen Elizabeth banishes the Catholick Religion out of England again by degrees The Protestant Religion goes into Scotland under the Bastard Murrey who swayes the Scepter It is called the Congregation fortified by Queen Elizabeth and the Hughenots of France Page 29. CHAP. XVII Religion gives divers pretexts causes jealousies The Latin and Greek Religion Page 32. THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. THe Queen and the States refuse peace The Arch-Duke returns from Spain Henry polishes his Kingdom makes war upon the Duke of Savoy Page 34. CHAP. II. King Henry gives his sister in marriage to the Marquis du Pont. Marries Mary of Medicis wages war against the Duke of Savoy The Enterprise of the said Duke upon Geneva Page 35. CHAP. III. The Jubily Biron put to death The Battail of Flanders La Burlotte killed Rhinbergh yeelds Page 37. CHAP. IV. The Siege of Ostend Maurice endeavours to surprize Boisleducq besieges Grave and takes it Page 38. CHAP. V. Peace between the Spaniards and the English King Henry establishes the Jesuits Father Cotton hurt The war is carried on about the Rheyn Page 41. CHAP. VI. The difference which happened between Pope Paul the fifth and the Republick of Venice and why the peace is made The Duke of Brunswick endeavours to surprize the town The King of Denmark goes into England The continuation of the war in the Low-Countries Page 42. CHAP. VII The taking of Ringbergh The mutiny of the Spaniards The Siege of Grol raised by the promptitude of the Marquis The first overture for a Truce rejected Page 44. CHAP. VIII The defeat of the Spanish Armada The Enterprize upon Sluce failed The continuance of the Treaty Spinola arrives at the Haghe The Treaty being broaken again is renewed at Antwerp where the Truce is made for twelve yeares Page 46. CHAP. IX The State of France The King goes to Sedan Troubles in Austria and Bohemia A Conjuration discovered in Spain and the Mores banished Page 48. CHAP. X. A brief description of the Kingdomes of Spain and France Page 50. CHAP. XI The King of France arms The Spaniards do the same All is full of joy and fear He is killed His education Page 53. CHAP. XII The difference which happened about the Dutchy of Juleers or Gulick Iealousie between the Catholicks and Protestants why A tumult at Donawerdt an Imperiall town about a Procession Gulick besieged by Prince Maurice and the French yeelds The Princes will not admit of a Sequestration Page 56. CHAP. XIII A tumult in Poland and why They suddenly arme The Swedes and Muscovits serve themselves of this occasion against the Polanders who loose Smolensko Treason discovered in England The troubles at Paris appeased Rodolph dies Page 58. CHAP. XIV The war between the Danes and Swedes the reasons why Colmar taken Charles dies The Queen-Regent purchases a double marriage in Spain The town of Aix taken and Newburgh succoured by Spinola Page 60. CHAP. XV. The differences which happened in the United Provinces Barneveldt is beheaded and the Religion of Arminians condemned King Lewis humbles the Hughenots and reduces Bearn Page 62. THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. THe Prodigies which preceded the wars of Germany A description of the Kingdom of Bohemia Ancient differences about Religion The warres of Zisca compared to this Page 66. CHAP. II. The Bohemians take Arms and why All the Princes interest themselves in this war Ferdinand elected Emperour Page 69. CHAP. III. The following of the war of Bohemia The Battel of Prague Frederick flies and forsakes the town together with his people Page 71. CHAP. IV. War against the Hughenots and why A new difference betwixt the House of Austria and the Venetians Page 80. CHAP. V. The War of Austria of Lusatia of Moravia and of the Palatinat Page 76. CHAP. VI. The War of Transylvania The King of Poland treacherously wounded War between the Poles and the Turks Page 78. CHAP. VII War in the Palatinat Tilly beaten takes his revenge and defeates the Marquis of Baden The Bishop of Halberstadt makes himselfe known in Westphalia is beaten passes with Mansfeldt through Lorraine and incamps before Sedan Page 73. CHAP. VIII The continuance of the war betwen the Polanders and the Turks The Tragical end of young Osman The Death of some Lords Page 82. CHAP. IX Sadnesse in the United Provinces for the ill success of Fredericks affaires The war begins again between them and the Spaniards Gulick and Pape-mutz yeeld themselves Count Henry suspected and why Page 83. CHAP. X. Berghen is besieged Mansfeldt and his Bishop beaten by Cordua come to succour the Hollanders The Duke of Boüillous death and a summary of his life Spinola quits the siege Mansfeldt goes into Freezland The third war in France Page 85. CHAP. XI Of the Swissers and Grizous and their Government The fall of a Mountain Soubize breakes the Peace The death of the Great Priour and of the Marshal of Ornano Page 88. CHAP. XII Mansfeldt seeks succour every where puts an Army on foot again The marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Danghter of France after his returne from Spain Page 91. CHAP. XIII The siege of Bredà Enterprises upon Antwerp Page 93. THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I. The war of Denmark The Allyances of the Kings of England France and Denmark as also of the States of Holland against the Emperour Page 96. CHAP. II. The prosecution of the second war against the Hughenots The Peace is made by the intercession of the King of England the Venetians and the Hollanders War between the English and the French and why The beginning of the third and last war against the Hughenots Cardinal Richelieu makes himselfe known admired and feared The siege and reduction of Rochell Page 99. CHAP. III. The following of the war of Denmark unfortunate to the Danes Wallenstein besiedges Stralsund in vain The peace is made Page 103. CHAP. IV. The war of the Peasants or Country-people of Austria Page 105. CHAP. V. The death of Prince Maurice and of the King of England The siege of Groll The state of Lorraine The Jubily at Rome Bethleem Gabor makes war against the Emperour and obtaines peace Page 106. CHAP. VI. Gustave King of Sweden attacks Broussia or Prussia The Imperialists succour the Poles Truce is made for six years Page 108. CHAP. VII The siege of Boisleducq or the Bosse The Imperialists under Montecuculi joyne with the Count of Bergh who enters the Velaw The taking of Wesel Page 110. CHAP. VIII The following of the last war against the Reformates in France The Duke of Rohan makes his peace All the Townes stoop and throw down their
death Page 189. CHAP. XII Whether the House of Austria aspire to an universall Monarchy and whether the reasons be sufficient which accuse it of aspiring to it Why France retaines Lorraine Page 191. CHAP. XIII Piccolomini raises the Siege from before Wolfenbottel with losse Torstenson arrives from Sweden with a supply Lamboy beaten and taken prisoner The progresse of the Swedes in Silesia The Imperialists defeated before Leipsick recollect themselves after having punished the slacknesse of the souldiers and raise the Siege of Friburgh The Battail of Honcourt The Expleits in Catalunia The death of Monsieur le Grand The death of the Great Cardinal An Epitome of his life Page 194. CHAP. XIV The death of Lewis the Iust The Battail of Rocroy The Battail of Dudling The Swedes enter into Holstein Page 198. CHAP. XV. Of the war of Denmark with all the circumstances thereof Page 200. CHAP. XVI Gallasso retyres out of Holstein and is ruined by Torstenson at Magdeburgh The Battail of Lankewitz The Exploits of the French in Alsatia under the conduct of the Duke of Anguien The taking of Philipsburgh 203. CHAP. XVII The deplorable state of the obedient Low-Countries The taking of many of the strongest townes in Flanders Page 206. CHAP. XVIII The war of England The Tragical death of the King Page 208. CHAP. XIX A continuation of the Exploits in Flanders The Baâ—tail of Lenâ—â— Page 212. CHAP. XX. The Peace between the King of Spain and the Confederated States The remarkable siege of Brin Torstenson quits the Generalate Page 213. CHAP. XXI The difference which happened betwixt the two Families of the Landgraves The Battels of Mergendal and Nortlinghen Generall Mercy 's death Page 216. CHAP. XXII The Exploits of the Swedes upon the Franteers of Swisserland alarme the Cantons Gallasso's death Melander Generall of the Imperiall Armies Page 219. CHAP. XXIII The taking of Swinsfort and Eger Lamboy and Conninxmark incamped before Rene. The taking of Retschin The siege of Prague Page 222. CHAP. XXIV The breach of the Truce with the Duke of Bavaria A tempest upon the Elbe Melanders death The Peace of Germany The death of the King of Denmark and of Uladislaus of Poland Casimir succeeds him Page 223. CHAP. XXV Pope Urbans death The wars of Italy and Catalunia Page 226. THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. THe tumults at Naples begun by Thomaso Aniello and why The history of Conradin Prince of Swaveland his death the Sicilian Vespers or Even-songs The history of Catenesa and of the Tragedies which happened at Naples Page 230. CHAP. II. The war of the Turks and the Venetians and why The taking of Canea The Knights of Malta take a great Booty a great number of Gallies and the young Sultanesse with her Sonne The Venetians obtain succour but are beaten Page 234. CHAP. III. The troubles which happened at Paris The City is besieged The Arch-Duke comes to succour it The Siege and taking of Ypers Cambray besieged in vain Hennault ransacked Page 237. CHAP. IV. Tumults in the Province of Luke or Liedge The Election of a Coadjuter Tumules at Trevirs The Lorrains in the Kingdom of Aix and in the Dutchy of Gulick beat the Peasants The war is kindled again at Naples Page 239. CHAP. V. The Jubily at Rome The Princes imprisoned The Princesse of Conde the Duke of Bouillon and other Lords retyre themselves so Bourdeaux The Dutchess of Longueville and the Vice-Count of Turenne to Stenay The Allyance is made The Duke of Orleans in Flanders and a digression upon that subject Page 244. CHAP. VI. Containing what passed in the Summer of this year of 1654. The Offers of the Portugal Embassadour The Fleet in the Indies does nothing The Princes complaints The Siege of Amsterdam The Imprisonment of six Lords carried to Louvestein The Prince of Oranges death His praises Page 247. CHAP. VII The deplorable death of the valiant Earle of Montrosse The war of the Polanders against the Cossacks Page 250. CHAP. VIII Blakes Fleet in Portugal Charles Stuart in Jersey The Kings Goods sold Charies Stuart goes into Scotland The English go thither with an Army The Scots are beaten The continuance of the War in Candy The war made with the Pen. An Embassadour from Spain at London The Chineses or people of China become Christians Page 254. CHAP. IX The Coronation of the Queen of Sweden The dammage at Paris by the River The diliverance of the Princes Mazarin being banished departs out of France The Great Assembly at the Haghe The arrival of the English Embassadours at the Haghe The war against the Cossacks The King of Scots enters into England with an Army is beaten at Worcester and slyes disguised Page 256. CHAP. X. The Coronation of Charles King of the Scots His entry into England He looses the Baetiel near Worcester The miserable condition of the Scots Charles's marvellous escape He arrives in France The difference between the Electour of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Newburgh The peace made Page 258. CHAP. XI Cardinal Mazarins retreat into the Province of Liedge The Princes make their entrance into Paris The joy for the one and the other The Dutchess of Longueville and the Marshal of Turenne returne into France The Prince of Oranges Baptism and the dispute for his tutelage The Bank broken near Waghening Uiefeldt accused of having intended to poison the King Berghen St. Winock taken by the Spaniards Page 260. CHAP. XII The Cardinal returnes into France The Lords who had been prisoners restored to their Charges The Prince of Conde retires to Paris The King declared Major Prodigies seen at sea The beginning of the troubles between England and Holland and why Spirings death Page 262. CHAP. XIII The miseries at sea caused by Pirats The present state of Norway Denmark Sweden Poland Hungary Germany Italy Spain and France etc. Page 264. CHAP. XV. The Prince of Conde comes to Paris The King attacks Estampes The Duke of Lorraine being to succour the Princes receives some money of the King and returnes The Arch-Duke sends back an Army to Paris takes Graveling and Dunkerek The English beat the French Fleet. The Cardinal of Retz induces the King to come back to Paris The Prince of Conde retyres into France Cardinal Mazarins praises The Cardinal of Retz carried to the Bois de Vincennes Page 267. CHAP. XVI The English attack the Convoy of Fishermen Tromp returns to Sea findes Blake a tempest separates them and he comes back into Holland De Ruyter attacks Ascue Van Galens victory before Ligorne Tromp conducts the Fleet safely into France Divers Combats Tromps death Cromwell and his Exploits The Assembly at Ratisbone The Election and Coronation of Ferdinand the fourth King of the Romans Page 271. The Continuation Page 275. Reader The Corrector to the Presse intreats thee to amend with thy Pen these faults which have escaped his eye PAge 1. line 28. read sent p. 2. l. 27. Now. p. 6. l. 16. then p. 7. l. 1. other by p. 12. l. 4.
not at all the death of his Mother Mary who was beheaded in England preferring the hope of succession to the said kingdom before revenge courting the favour of the Queen and treading all other considerations under foot But heaven left nothing unpunished which often revenges innocence upon the Innocent themselves to chastise them who have not revenged it He married Anne Sister to Christian King of Denmark and lived in peace which yet was disturbed by dreadful conspiracy of a certain Earle called Gore whose Father was beheaded in the end of the said Kings minority Now this Gore returning from travel sent his brother to the King as he was hunting whom when he had made believe that there was a certain man who had found a great pot full of gold he led him into his said brothers Cabinet or Closet where had he not been succoured by his followers he had been unhappily murthered The Tragedy was afterwards acted upon them who intended themselves to have been the actors thereof and the murtherers were justly murthered In this tragedy they who were curious found such mysteries as their modesty kept in silence The Scots are held good souldiers but they were never very fortunate against the English Ireland is an Island both big and fruitfull between Spain and England where the English have exercised great power and authority as well in respect of Religion as for the Rebellion of the Irish against Queen El'zabeth calling the Spaniards to help them But they grew at length to be conquered and have long been governed since by Deputies or Vice-Kings under a most austere Disciplipe which hath constrained some of them to flye to the main Land and others to retire themselves into the Woods and Forrests amongst the wild beasts to seek their liberty after their own fashion This Island was heretofore conquered by the Saxons and a long time after by the Norman under William the Conquerour Their lawes have some resemblance to those of Normandy and Guienne which they had some ages in their possession where the Eldest sonnes take almost all the succession of their Parents leaving but very little to their Brothers and Sisters A very rough Law and almost quire contrary to that of Poland where when the Eldest hath divided the said succession the younger takes the first Portion and after him the other so that the last of all is left to the Eldest The English are good Souldiers both by Sea and Land not in valour and courage inferiour to any one Nation whatsoever and are more apt to offend by temerity and overmuch forwardnesse then cowardise Inghilterra bona terra mala gente The Nobility is generally very courteous and chiefly such as have travelled England sayes a famous Italian is a good Country but the Inhabitants are very bad The English are little affected to other Nations and especially to the French from whom they have a great aversion nor can the French or Scots on the other side endure the incompatible humour of the English After they had lost what they possessed in France and all the intelligence they had there they fell for a long time to Civill Warres But since under the reign of four Kings and two Queens they have seen various persecutions not only about Religion but for matter of State too where of we will speak in the sequel of this History The women are incomparably beautifull and consequently have a great influence upon the men yea the Queens have commanded there more absolutely and have been much better obeyed and respected then the Kings They treat their servants and horses very roughly which gave birth to the Proverb That England is Heaven for Women Purgatory for servants and Hell for horses King James to smother the hatred and partiality which had alwayes been between the people of these Islands by laudable advice entituled himself King of great Britain The Title of King of France which was possessed by many Kings of England hath alwayes checked the Salick Law which excludes the Heyres Femall of France from the Crown so that though the English possessed almost the whole kingdom of France it was more by the right of Arms then by that of the Lawes and Customes Let us now leave Great Britain and look upon Italy where there are many Seates and Republicks whereof we shall make but little mention to shun superfluities and keep our selves within the limits prescribed in this History CHAP. VIII Of Italy Lorraine and Savoy POpe Clement the 8 th held the Chaire and by the prudent administration of him the Venetians and the Great Duke of Tuskany there flourished a Peace throughout all Italy Every one preserved himself within his own interests nor could any little jealousies take root to the loss of the publick Quiet but it was suddenly strangled in the Cradle by wise conduct and most subtile policy The Popes as well by donation as other practises have not onely augmented the Patrimony of St. Peter but drawn also all the Soveraign Authority to themselves by removing the Emperours from the knowledge of the Affaires of Italy The Faction of the Guelphes for the Popes the Gibelms for the Emperours reigned there long and was not consopited or quieted but by eclipsing almost the whole Majesty of Emperours by endeavouring to constrain them to receive the Crown from their hands A difference not quite extinguished yet Besides that they have ever been unhappy enough in pursuing their Right by Arms the Italians cutting them out work enough amongst themselves and often hindring their coming out of Germany so that all the splendour of the Empyre remaines there and is no otherwise known throughout almost all Italy then only by name Under the Reign of Valentinian the Western Empire was much tottered by the Barbarians which forced most of the principall Families near the Sea to retire into the Islands of the Adriatick Streights and there lay the Foundations of that most puissant City of Venice and of that most Serene Republick which hath encreased maintained and conserved herself these twelve ages by an unparallelled blessing by the most perfect observance of the Lawes and by a policy worthy of admiration This gives just cause to judge that they who began her were of the most elevated and prime of all Italy and not slaves as they were who laid the first stone to the Common-wealth of Rome In the Peace which was made between the Emperour Charlemayne and the Emperour of Constantinople it was concluded than that Common-wealth which had already stood more then three ages and a halfe should serve for a bound and gate to the two Empyres They had for a long time in their possession the kingdom of Gypres which the Turks have now taken from them They have had many enemies and have often by their great prudence diverted the storms which have been ready to fall upon them and by the dexterity of their mannagements regained that which they had lost by the fate of Arms.
of the Duke of Mayenne and the rest of the League with King Henry Albert resolved to make the united Provinces also feel the stroake of his Arms And so he presented himself before Ostend an Apple not yet ripe and afterwards before Hulet which after many Assaults he at length carried But the Marshall de Rosue had his Head taken off by a Canon Bullet and more then three thousand souldiers were also slaine The year following Prince Maurice had his revenge near Turnhawt where he cut off the Troops of the Count de Varax In the month of March of the same year Hernantello Governour of Dourlens like a Fox surprised Amiens by a stratagem to the great astonishment of all France and the King retook it like a Lion after six moneths siege He passed thither with strong forces and thought to have given a just retaliation to the Spaniards by surprising Arras but he was repulsed by the young Count of Buquoy who after wards rendred great and remarkable services to the Emperour as we shall shortly shew During the time of these changes the Pope forbore not to represent to the King the misfortunes and mischiefes which this long Warre brought upon Christendome and beseeched him to hearken to a good and firm Peace with the King of Spain especially being invited thereto by the disorders of his own kingdome and the fear of a new Revolt more dangerous then the former There was none but the Queen of England and the Confederated States who endeavoured by advantageous offers to divert him and keep him on horse-back Though yet he dissembled their reproaches and answered that the Queen was a gainer by this warre but for his part that his people was exhausted and that he received many and great dammages from the Spaniards who promised by this Peace to render all they had gotten in France That he was obliged as a good King and a good Father to solace and refresh his poor subjects So that all their offers and many more the Peace of Vervin 2598. were not able to hinder this holy work which was concluded and established at Vervin in the moneth of May 1598. The King of Spain also for his part was urged to make Peace as seeing himself crazed with age and having a young Prince and a Princesse his children to marry and Fortune very often against him Besides three enemies upon his back as France and the Confederated Provinces which threatened him with the utter losse of the Low-countries and England which either destroyed or spoyled his Fleets upon the Ocean endangered thereof the Indies and put him to great charges to secure it and lastly their taking of Cales the prime key of the kingdom and other Places Now by vertue of this Peace the places were restored But the pretentions which each of these Kings hath to some certain Demaynes of the other were not taken away From whence sprang the seed of new Warres which were one day to smoother the promises of arming no more even though there should be occasion for it The Peace was received by the poor people with such showes of joy and teares of tendernesse as cannot be comprehended but by such as have suffered and almost lost all The States in the mean while let not these occasions slip by the great distance of the Cardinals forces For Prince Maurice marched into the Field took Bergh Grol Oldenseel Lingen and some other places which progress purchased him the reputation of a very great Captain and of understanding the profession of the Militia as well as any man of his time After the publication of the Peace Philip the second by his Letters Patents dated at Madrid the 6 th of May 1598. conferred all the Low-countries together with the Duchy of Burgundy upon the Infanta Isabell his Daughter to which the Prince her Brother consented and confirmed it both by oath and writing upon condition that if the said Princesse came to die without children the said Provinces should return to the Dominion of Spain besides many other Clauses too long to recite Now forasmuch as the actions of great persons are examined and either approved or disapproved according to every ones passion this which I here note was not forgotten by the contrary party All things are profitable yea Lyes themselves provided they last four and twenty hours are of utility and advantage CHAP. XII The Areh-Duke goes into Spain and the Admirall into the Duchy of Cleveland The death of King Philip. His admirable Patience THe Allyes of both parties were invited to the Peace of Vervin but the Queen of England not being able to induce the States to it resolved to joyn with them in warre under conditions of more advantage to her then before This gave the Arch-Duke subject to complain of her for continuing a warre with so great stomack and grudge upon him by whom she had never been offended But he having now received the Procuration of the Infanta his Wife was acknowledged and received for Prince of the Low-countries and he wrote a Letter to the Confederated States but received no Answer The Arch-Duke goes into Spain He departed for Spain with the Prince of Orange and passed through Germany to conduct Queen Margaret of Austria nominating for Governour during his absence Cardinal Andrew and the Admirall of Arragon for Captain General who led a strong Army into Cleveland and Westphalia where he took Rinberg and many other small places and made his Winter-Quarter there notwithstanding the complaints of the Lower-Ceroles He sent La Bourlette to the Isle of Bommel took Crevecoeur laid siege to Bommel which he was forced to raise and so after he had built the Fort of St. Andrews he retreated into Brabant where his souldiers began to mutiny for want of pay The Ceroles had raised another Army which was disbanded for want of order some of them being for the Spaniards and the other for the States It is in vain to lead great forces into the Field without a good purse to maintain them and good counsell to encourage them The death of King Philip. King Philip lived not long after the conclusion of the Peace which he also wished both with the English and Hollanders as being desirous to die in Peace He was long tormented with a feaver and two impostumes and in fine his whole body was so wasted that it was pittiful to behold But more admirable was his patience to suffer all as he did without murmuring He commanded like a great Prince and died like a good Christian In the beginning of his Reign he was happy but in the decline of his age he saw the losse of one part of the Low-countries and received many other dammages from the English He was much blamed for not coming himself in person into Brabant and for proceeding too roughly with that people which had been so affectionaâ—e to the Emperour Charles and in fine for constituting two Generals over the Fleet surnamed The Invincible
his stroakes be heavie and the justice of his wrath will reduce this wretched world into dust In Germany they who laboured to revive the Gospel fell to oddes principally about the Sacrament of the last Supper It is easier to pull down an old Building then to set up a new one Erasmus of Rotterdam that great Wit flourished at this time and contented himself only by scoffing the Monks without medling with the party of the Reformers For he well knew that the abuses came from men and manners and not from the 〈◊〉 Doctrine heretofore taught by the Church The horrible Rebellion which arose about this time did not a little deform Doctor Luthers new-born Doctrine For the Peasants thinking all things lawfull to them for the liberty so called they this new Reformation of the Gospel took arms and assayled the Church-men Cloisters and Gentry Their number was growne to be a hundred thousand men and their chief leader a Minister called Muntzer The holy Scripture teaches us to obey our Magistrates and not to exterminate and cast them out But ambition dwells both in Cabans in Churches and even under ragged Cloakes They are defeated They were routed in three distinct Battails the first by the Lord Trueses the second by Philip Landgrave of Hassia and the last by Anthony Duke of Lorrain who cut them off when they were endeavouring to enter France where they hoped to play Rex by meanes of the Confusion which they imagined they should find there by the Kings captivity who was carried into Spain Charles endeavours to humble the Protestants Now the greatness of the Emperour Charles being reconciled to the Pope and counselled by him to reduce the Protestants for so were the Princes and States termed who had received Luthers Doctrine into the lap of the Church either by threats or force gave no small apprehension to the German Princes And he being glad of any subject to establish his power in Germany was not willing to lose this fair occasion So the Armies marched into the Field and Francis the first after him his sonne Henry were requested to give relief for the maintaining as they styled it of the German liberty now like to be lost under the Spanish Domination which was granted by the French foâ— State-interest though they were enemies to the Religion But neither Arms nor Victories nor Disputes nor the Majesty it self of the Emperour was able to deracinate or root out this Doctine and so in fine it was permitted by his Authority at the Diet of Ausbourgh Now it was not Luther alone who rose against the Popes authority For a certain Revolted Monk called Menno began also to preach a Doctrine different enough from his and his Adherents were called Anabaptists Besides that learned man Iohn Calvin carried on that Reformation much farther then Luther as well in France as elsewhere and fixed his Chayre at Geneva They agreed well about combating the Pope and some other points but yet since they remained not in perfect unity of Doctrine In so much as that this party and that of Luther are very little better friends amongst themselves then either of them is with the Roman Catholicks as we shall see in the sequel of these Tragedies CHAP. XV The Anabaptists at Munster The Reformers in France The Change of Religion in England and by what meanes The King repudiates his Wife The Queens Speech The King makes himself Head of the Church Luther writes to him His unhappy death NOw we have seen the Lutherans established in Germany let us see what the Anabaptists do at Munster an Episcopall Town in Westphalia which was to be the Head of a Chimerical Kingdom and serve for a precious testimony of the wrath of that great God which for a time suffers his Word to be abused and the wicked to cover their pernicious Designes under the Cloak of Religion and the mask of Hypocrisie Oh Lord Thou dost hourâ—ly admonish us by so many prodigies and monstrous accidents but our eyes are shut our eares stopt and our hearts hardened John de Leide King of Munster John of Leiden by trade a Taylor and his adherents seized upon the aforesaid Town and he was made King thereof and fought long against the Bishop by whom they were at length subdued and chastised according to the measure of their crimes The extremity of their rigour was against the Church men a clear argument of the indignation of God against them because they had deviated from their duty and were lulled asleep in ignorance idlenesse and pleasures They likewise desclaimed the Authoriry of the Pope and brake down the Images without sparing the very Pictures of the Church-windowes A zeal too violent to proceed from the Holy Ghost and of little conformity with that of the Primitive Christians These insolencies being once repressed at Amsterdam returned there no more The Anabaptists which are now in the united Provinces and the Confines thereof disown the proceedings of the former and count them in the number of Hereticks The Reformed Religion in France Now the Doctrine of Martin Luther passed into France under the reign of Francis the first though yet it could not take fast root enough there as well because of the persecutions and the Kings aversion from it as also for that it was too far distant from the Author and Teacher thereof And so it quickly grew to be transformed into that of John Calvin and his Disciple Theodore Bezâ—â— and so much encreased in few yeares throughout the greatest part of the Country during the troubles caused by Envies of State and the League that the Kings after many bloody Wars were constrained by various Edicts or Proclamations to grant them free exercise of their Religion through all the Kingdom King Francis was a great persecutor of the said Doctrine Obtains free exercise and made open protestation that he would not spare even his own Arm if it were infected with Heresie And yet the â—â—â—lousie which he had conceived against the prosperity of Charles the Empeâ—our moved him neverthelesse to succour the Protestants King Henry succeeded in his Fathers hatred to them but being sent to his grave by the thrust of a Lance they began to respire saw the end of their persecutions lost the smell of the Fagot and propped by some Princes of the Blood rendred themselves at length no less considerable in France then the Protestants are in Germany The Protestant Church in England Let us now make a step into England and see how the Protestant Church hath sowen her first seed supplanted the ancient Doctrine and established her self as Mistress there King Henry the eighth for writing a Book against Luther in defence of the Roman Church and her seven Sacraments was honoured by the Pope with the Title of Defender of the Faith His prime Minister was that great Cardinal Wolsey who ruled all So that it is not only from this day that Cardinals have introduced them selves into
an obstacle to the Arms of Spain then for any other consideration Brief the Army marches into the Field under the conduct of Spinola Aix or Aquisgrane stooped and the Romane Catholick Magistrates were re-established Mullem was battered down and Otroy taken besides many othes places where there was no Garrison of the united Provinces for fear of a breach The taking of Wesel seemed to countervail that of Gulick swelled the hearts of the Spaniards and made those people know that their Masters should have but a seeming Government as long as these puissant forces stayed in their States But if they had relyed upon the judgement of the Emperour it is likely that these misfortunes had not happened At that troublesome and vexatious Treaty of Santen all the Princes layd open their Interests the Leaven of partialities about Religions began to swell the Deputies went away discontented leaving the Businesse imperfect the occupated Townes retained their Ghests and the two Princes learnt to their own cost what many other had tryed before them CHAP. XV The Differences which happened in the United Provinces Barnaveldt beheaded and the Religion of the Arminians condemned King Lewis humbles the Hugenots and reduces Bearne THE Peace without the united Provinces had shut up many turbulent and seditious humours within them which not being able to get out hatched some very dangerous tumults Commotions in the united Provinces The precious names of Peace and Rest were both odious and insupporatable to them We often flye from that which is advantageous to us and follow that which is hurtfull The first was at Alâ—mar the second at Liewerden and the third and most perilous at Vtrick where some of the bolder sort of the Mutiners fortified by a huge crew of their Caball constrained the Magistrates to abdicate their charges and chose others in their places who were most of them the Heads of their sedition But this sicknesse requiring a more violent remedy then the first Lepitives and the Town threatned with a siege all grew to be appeased and the Garrison augmented Disputes about Predestination Yet this was nothing in respect of that mischief which arose from a controversie in Divinity concerning Predestination and some other Articles annexed to it which like a thick Fogge so blinded all the Inhabitants that it left not any use of light at all to any but to such as served themselves thereof to theâ—â— own profit The two Champions who by their Sermons and Disputes divided all Holland into two Factions were Arminins and Gomarus Such as followed this latter who ardently maintained the said Predestination were called Contra-Remonstrancers and the other Remonstrancers of Arminians who were said to professe a Doctrine disagreeing from that of John Calvin This was too high and difficult a passage to be comprehended by the common people and so it brought with it nothing but confusion Yet the Dispute ended not with the life of Arminins but was more and more kindled by his Disciples and chiefly by Verstius who upon the Recommendation of the Remonstrancers was made Professouâ— From Disputes came Factions and Vorstius was deposed by the threats of the King of Great Britain In brief every one takes arms for his own defence They of Harlem Leiden and Vtrick by the counsell as was reported of Advocate Harnaveldt raise forces Prince Maurice hastens surprises Vtrick disarnis the Citizens and changes the Magistrates a remarkably action as he also did at Harlem and Leiden where they had barricaded the Town-House and imprisons the chief of the Arminian Faction But the Ministers notwithstanding all these proceedings ceased not to dispute not the Printers to set forth Books concerning this controversie Wherefore there was a Synod convocated at Dort where the Arminian Doctrine was condemned the Ministers who persisted in it imprisoned and some were banished and sought their abode in Holstein and other places Barnaveldt beheaded The great States-man Barnaveldt formerly much cherished by King Henry of France and greatly renowned for his services done to the Common-Wealth and chiefly for having drawne out of the clutches of the English the three places engaged to Queen Elizabeth as also for having made divers Embassies and sweated under various burthens of State finished his life by an infamous punishment This man being about seventy two yeares old was accused of being Head of the Arminian Faction of disturbing the tranquility of the Townes and checking the authority of the Prince whose power he wished indeed to see lessened thereby to secure the publick Liberty In sine there was a rumour scattered that he should have had a design to usurp the Government of the Common-wealth They who were of his party for proof of his innocence represented the greatnesse of his services and cares to maintain the power of the States And yet howsoever all his friends melted as it were like snow before the Sun of the Princes Authority and one of the most famous Writers of this Age sayes that he was condemned in the name of the States but by the practices of King James and Prince Maurice There is nothing sure in this world and the greatest fortunes are very often those which are upon the slippery top of their pracâ—pice If all they who are ambitious to go out of their condition to get up to another more clevated and high would but represent to themselves the disasters and misfortunes which we see fall upon those great persons they would have no other desire then to stay where they are The Treaty of the Truce which by his advice was made for twelve years against the reasons of Prince Manrice who being a souldier and for his own interest endeavoured to break it purchased his disfavour and his very great credit his hatred besides his disswading the Warre of Bohemia together with what we have just now said and many other accusations abbreviated his life for some dayes When Jupiter chides all the rest of the Gods are silens Hugo Grotius went to keep company with the other Ministers who were prisoners at Louwestein though by the prudent cousel of his Wife he brake quickly off from it afterwards Thus was this mist which threatened the Common-wealth with a dangerous convulsion dispelled the Churches employed by the Contra-Remonstrancers only and the Arminians reviled and disclaimed as no better then half Traytors by the very dregs of the People But really the blamable treason of the children of Barnaveldt who breathed nothing but revenge of their Fathers death was the cause why many retired themselves from this Party which for a time was much discredited It King Iames on the one side ardently prosecuted his destruction King Lewis sollicited his deliverance as hotly on the other and would scarce give ear to the multitude of excuses which was brought by the Embassadours for so passionate an execution Howsoever all these changes were not able to change the happinesse of these Provinces the popular Tumults growing by little and little to slacken
Conspiracies and in fine open seditions The Emperour being busie about the Coronation of his Cousin caused his Embassadours to rebuke the priucipall of them as namely the President Slauata Iarislae Bazite and Philip Platore who without the knowledge or consent of his Imperial Majesty had convocated such an Assembly But they having having by-like forgotten the rank and quality they held or else desiring warre fell upon these persons who were sacred by their Commissions tumbled them down from the top of a Tower through the windowes expelled the Iesuits dismissed the Kings Officers from their charges which was to attack both Church and State and took up arms against all such as should endeavour to impugne this insolent kind of proceeding The Emperour labouring both by Letters and fair Propositions to remedy these disorders was already gone very farre in it and it is likely would have accomplished it had not the despaire of some withdrawne the most moderate persons amongst them from continuing the Work But in the interim Deâ—th of the Emperour Mathias the Emperour died leaving it to Ferdinand to untangle this inrricate and troublesome bottome This Prince had worne the Imperiall Crown about six hundred yeares he had sometime governed the Low-countries though with small authority but as it were only by form and more in title then in effect He was religious and gentle and beloved by all such as loved the peace and quiet of the Empyre Ferdinand elected limperom Now the Electours met at Frankefurt and chose Ferdinand to bear the most illustrious but most painfull burthen of the whole Universe And therefore let us see him go weakly enough accompanied to finish the War of Bohemia the cause and pretexts whereof we have already demonstrated The Bohemians under the Counts de la Tour and Mansfield Natural sonne to Count Ernest so well know in the Low-countries raised very puissant Armies contemn Ferdinands Remonstrances deprive him of the Crown as a Tyrant For such are all they whom powerful factions have a mind to suppresse give out that he was not lawfully Elected and fortify themselves with Alliances and succours On the other side the Pope Italy Spain and Poland will not suffer Ferdinand to perish The beginning of the warre whereof he seemed to be in imminent danger by this tempest without speedy relief for his ship leakes on every side and the wind of this Conjuration will infallibly sink both him and the Catholick Religion with him if he be abandoned by his Allyes The Arch-Duke Albert sends him the Count de Bucquoy attended by the flower of the Walloon and Luxemburgh Gentry Of Bohemia The Bohemians though amazed to see so many potent States interest themselves in the preservation of Ferdinand lose not their courage and resolve to adde politick craft The Wectour Palâ—time chosen by the States of Bohemia to open force They draw to their party the Silesians and Moravians keep their Intelligences in Austria and all Germany present the Crown to the Duke of Saxony and then to the Duke of Bavaria though with visible dissimulation and refusable conditions and last of all to Frederick Prince Palatine who by the advice of some Lords who yet basely deserted him afterwards accepted it Since he had married the Daughter of a King he might very take a Crown which was so freely offered him and so he was Crowned with his Sonne at Prague CHAP. III. The prosecution of the War of Bohemia The battail of Prague Frederick flyes and forsakes the Towne together with his People THus we see the Match made and the Game a playing between Ferdinand and Frederick the House of Austria and the Palatin and the Christians divided For almost all the Roman Catholicks either in inclination or effect espowsed the Party of Ferdinand and all the Reformates and the most zealous Lutherans that of Frederick These after their prayers to God for the defence of the Gospel and those to the same Authour of all good and to all the Saints for that of the Church The King of France was sollicited by both parties but he contented himself with sending thither the Duke of Angoulesme to mediate a reconciliation Let us note here such as declared themselves for King Frederick The united Provinces of the Low-countries by the sollicitation of Prince Maurice who disposed the States to this Alliance contrary to the opinion of Barnavelds who wished them was not to meddle at all with it And it is held that this opposition of Barnaveldts so greatly offended the Prince that he ever afterwards looked upon him as his enemy and so at length it grew to be partly the cause of his fall It is alwayes dangerous to cheok the Grandees and to crack nuts with them Christian Duke of Anholt John Frederick Duke of Winâ—â—â—bergh Maurice Landgrave of Hassia John Ernest Marquis of Ansbach and some Imperial Towns also together with the people of England for the King could never be induced to help his Son in Law alleadging that he had no right to the Crown For Ferdinand besides the aforementioned Allyes were leagued the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria together with the Ecclesiastical Electours Souldiers were listed every where and the Rendezvous Bohemia the Theater of this fatall warre The principall Heads were the Duke of Bavaria with Monsieur de Tilly his Lieutenant Generall the Count de Bucquoy and Generall Dampiere On the other side the Duke of Anhok the Counts de la Tour and Mansfieldt Now these latter being sooner prepared then the other and having subjugated almost all Bohemia marched into Austria and besieged the Emperour in Vienna Bucquoy hastens thither routs Mansfeldt Vienna besieged Mansfeldt beaten and forces La Tour to raise the siege Dampiere enters the City with the Horse intending to chastise the insolence of the Citizens towards the Emperour their Master who yet vouchsafed to pardon them The Count de la Tour faced about and marched towards the Capitall City of the kingdom to divert the storm which threatened it But in fine after some encounters favourable to the Emperour and the Duke of Bavaria being entered with his Army into Bohemia and having reduced such as were gone astray into the right path of obedience the two Armies met and resolved to finish the disterence by a generall Battail the price and reward whereof was the kingdom of Bohemia Anholt pitched his Camp upon the White Alountain near Prague intrenched himself and performed the charge of a great Captain The Imperialists inflamed by the Remonstrances and Exhortations of Father Dominick a Carmelit Fryer slighted the dangers and difficulties which there were to come to an Onset in regard of the situation The Poles and Wallons began the skirmish which was followed by the whole Army and the Hungarians not able to sustain Prague receives the Conquerours as also all the Kingdom or withstand their attack basely gave ground and disturbed the Orders of the Generals in such sort as that the
and gave an Alarme to all Italy But this fine appearance being stopped by a misfortune made the Troops return as being destinated for a supply against the Duke of Soubize and obliged the King by the request of the Pope to give peace to Italy The Valteline in the hands of the Pope and sequester the Valteline into his hands save only that both the Kings were to have their passage with their forces that way About the same time there was discovered a Conspiracie against the King of France and the Duke of Vandosme his Brother the great Priour the Marshall d' Ornano and many others put in prison where the two last ended their dayes without much noise and the Count of Chulois by the hands of a Common Executioner These accidens raised much hatred upon Cardinal Richelieu and produced many Pasquils against him Envy and Harred are ever companions to the vertue of great Ministers and their actions are never free from blame CHAP. XII Mansfeldt hunts every where for relief and sets an Army on foot The Marriage of the Prince of Wales with a Daughter of France after his return out of Spain HAnnibal was no sooner out of his infancy then he vowed the ruine of the Romanes and being revoked from Italy after he had domineered there the space of seventeen yeares to save Carthage he there ran his ship a ground which had been loaden with so many victories against the great Scipio But now what did he when all the strings of his Bow were broken He made to his wits for new ones He remembred his Oath begged succour animiated the Kings of the East against the insatiable ambition of the Romanes and continued his hatred even to the very last gasp of his breath Mansfeldt and his Bishop seemed to have taken the like Oath against the House of Austria and by consequence for the continuance in action against it they must have new forces Holland could furnish them with matter conveniency money and hatred enough England with desire enough to see Frederick again in the Palatmate and France with jealousie enough in regard of the growth of the aforesaid House There wanted no bellowes to kindle this fire mens humours being already disposed that way by diversity of Religions hatred envy self-ends and Maxime of State a Cover which is never either too long or too short and stronger then even Justice it self But now as these Captains had not so much trouble to perswade as that Great Affrican so had they notwithstanding to do with people of much better understanding then those Barbarians They went into France where Mensfeldt received some affronts from some particular persons for ill treatments given the French in Freezland Mansfeldt demands succour in France However he obtained his demand namely some Force the Minister who then began to climb the Horizon of favour being now no more mindfull of the services both asked by and granted to the Imperialists before Sedan in case of necessity Maximes of State are more forcible then obligations and Ministers turn their Allyances that way which their passions carry them Now King James though by the negotiations with Spain he had disgusted many of the Reformed Religion shewed himself neverthelesse willing to have as good intelligence with the Catholick States as the King of France had with the Protestant and so he sent Prince Charles his Sonne into Spain to espouse the Infanta Mary but after the losse of much time he came back into England and demanded in France through which he had passed disguised the Kings Sister who was more easily granted him Men have laboured to penetrate into the Mystery of this Treaty but all by conjecture only The Roman Catholicks of England who began already to feel some warmth of the businesse were extremely afflicted at the breach of the aforesaid Match and the misfortune which befell them was a testimony of the perpetuall Crosse which was ordained for them in the Britannick Islands A misfortune at London for being met in a private Assembly at London to hear masse the Loft overburthened by the multitude sunk down and bruised near a hundred persons together with the Priest When the aforesaid Prince had married the Daughter of Henry the fourth and sister to Lewis the thirteenth he and his Father undertook the care of re-establishing his Brother-in-Law in the Palatinate In such sort as that Mansfeldt had no great difficulty to transport ten thousand English into Holland who almost all of them perished at Gerthrudenbergh and served for bait to the Fish The French Cavalry consisting of three thousand did likewise no very long service for the Generalls marching towards the Rhein and tormenting the Arch-Bishop after their old fashion their Army diminished much by disbandings and themselves fell into a quarrel which had almost brought them to a Duell though at last they returned into Holland and went from thence to the North to warm those people against the Emperour The Spaniards passe the Isel Upon the seventeenth of February 1624. the Spaniards passed upon the Ice over the River Isel and caused a terrour as faire as Holland Whereup-the Prince was constrained again to lay about him and pass to Virick and the States to command the Country-people to break the Ice of the River of Vecht But Count Henry expected neither his enemies nor the thaw which would have made him to be caught in a Pit-fall but retyred himself much faster then he came and many of his souldiers found their graves in the River of Welaw His designe was to fright the Peasants and not to hurt the States CHAP. XIII The Siege of Breda The Enterprizes upon Antwerp SPinola was every moment devising now to wipe off by some notable enterprize the affront he had received before Berghen He marched into the field sent Count Henry towards the Rheyn who made a shew of besieging Grave and Count John of Nassaw with the Horse towards Breda who at his arrivall took a great multitude of Boats loaden with Provisions Himself followed with the Foot and in his Councell of War there was found no more then one Colonell who thought fit to begin the siege The siege of Breda and that upon the same reasons whereby Spinola himself was moved to it On the other side the Prince of Orange glad to see his Rivall engaged before a place so well provided of all necessaries as also of a strong Garrison did not so soon dispose himself to succour it but gave the Spaniards leisure to entrench themselves and they him to repent himself of it But he hoped by the successe of his designe upon Antwerp long before premeditated in his thoughts and held by him infallible The enterprize upon the Castle or Cittadell of Antwerp to unnestle them from thence and cast their state into an irremediable confusion He was well informed that there were but very few Souldiers in the Cittadell and they for the most part dismembred and cripled Wherefore
he sent some Troops which made a shew of coming from the Camp before Breda as carrying the same Motto's and Colours which Spinola carried they arrived undiscovered to the very Mote applyed their Ladders and set all their rare Engynes on work to render themselves Masters of the Place whereof they could not have failed had not their own hearts failed them first For one Who goes there of the Sentinell followed by the discharge of a Musket made theirs fall our of their hands and left them no more courage then onely to fly It was thought that he had a mind to bestow the honour of this expeditiupon the Hollanders whom he onely employed in it and that if he had mingled any of the other nations with them the businesse would have issued to his contentment This newes struck the Marquis almost into a feaver and sent the Prince loaden with Melancholy to the Hage where towards the end of the winter he died leaving his Army to his brother Henry Frederick and Spinola before Breda who seeing no meanes to take it by force resolved to famish it A former enterprize upon the same Cittadell The aforesaid Prince had had a former enterprize upon the said Cittadell and held himself so sure of it that he told the Burgomasters of Dort at his departure that none but God could hinder it And indeed he was no sooner embarked but there arose so violent and so extreamly cold a tempest that it put both his life and his Fleet in danger and so he was forced to return God hath put limits to Victories which cannot be passed by humane wisdome Spinola having sufficiently learnt how needfull it was to be vigilant with an enemy who slept not reinforced the Garrison of the aforesaid Cittadell kept himself fast in his trenches before Breda expecting the consumpsion of the Provisions of the Town and made magazin for the Winter and being advertised besides that the Enemy was assembling some forces and that four Kings had interested themselves in this Siege He sent for some Regiments from the Emperour Uladislaus Prince of Poland before Breda Prince Vladislaus since King of Poland came to see this famous siege and was received by the whole Army with such military honours as were due to the Sonne of a King and a very great Captaine The King of Spaine having foreseen this tempest which was contrived against his Low-Countries and being unwilling to hazard the whole for one piece thereof wrote to his Aunt that it was better to leave the siege then obstinately to persist in the impossibility of taking the Towne with the losse of all her States This savoured well with the Emulators of the said Marquis as Don Lewis de Velasco c. A Magazin burnt There happened also another misfortune which was that the Hollander fired a Magazin which would have staggered any other General but such a one as he who quickly requited this losse and by his vigilancie repulsed the English who with a most martiall courage went to attack a Quarter of his Camp Breda copitulates In fine after a Siege of ten moneths Breda was yeelded and it happened the very same day that the Kings Letters arrived with his absolute command to draw off the Army We left the King of Poland with his Nobility marching against the great Turk and therefore let us now look what the Swedes in the mean while are doing Gustavus laid hold of that occasion passed an army into Livonia and after the siege of five weeks to the great trouble of the Citizens took Riga The Swedes take Riga The Polanders hereupon made loud complaints of him for beginning the Warre just when they were busied against the Common Enemy and for breaking the Truce in the articles whereof it was comprized that the one of the Kings should not enter into the Lands of the other without having denounced the War three moneths before To which the Swedes made answer that they had sent their Embassadours And mâ—â—k at the complaints of the Foles and that they were not able to dispatch their Commissions any sooner being hindered by windes and tempests which were to be accused and not they a trick of War which must be made passe for good according to the Maximes of this Age. In short this occasion was favourable to the Swedes who cared as much for their reasons as Monsieur de Montmorancy did for those of the Magistrates of Metz when he was gotten into possession of their Towne This War was finished by a Truce whereby the Swedes were obleiged to return by Sea after they had well fortifyed Riga with intention never to restore it againe Now the Electour Palatine after being spoiled of his States was deprived also of his Dignities and his Electorat transferred upon the Duke of Bavaria his Cosin 1623. which much augmented hatred against the Emperour Duke Maximilian and all the Catholicks and caused in fine many new Allyances to be made which put spurts to the War we are going to discribe in this next Book The Electour Palatin spoiled of his States and banished This Prince was crowned King of Bohemia the fourteenth of November 1619. in the moneth of January following he made his Allyances and in the same year also he lost his Kingdome and his States was proscribed by the Emperours Edict and his Coronation declared Null He who grasps much holds little and it often falls out that whilest we are in pursute of other mens good we lose our owne THE HISTORY OF THIS IRON AGE THE FOURTH BOOK CHAP. I The Warre of Denmark The Allyances of the Kings of France England Denmark and the States of Holland against the Emperour GEneral Mansfeldts arguments had as much efficacy in the North as they had towards the South because the dangers which seemed to threaten that Country were grown greater and besides a Prince which becomes potent makes himself both feared and hated Tilly wintered in Hassia in despight of the Landgrave Maurice nor were the States of Low-Saxony a little troubled to see the Imperiall Eagles fluttering up and down upon their fronteers and that not without giving them great incovenience besides that they feared lest they should peradventure come to replant their old authority there The King of Denmark together with many other Princes and States thereabouts were moved to much impatience by the ruine of Frederick as apprehending lest these Guests should come and take up their lodging amongst them Wherefore being advertised by common danger and by that which themselves perhaps would have done if they had had the same power and right which the Emperour had they made a League for the defence of the Circle of the Lower Saxony into which entred the Kings of England France and Sweden together with the States Generall and the King of Denmark himself was the Head A League against the Em perour as being General of the said Circle The Dukes of Brunswick Mekelenburgh and Holstein
against them for the bad treatment of the Priests and Officers of the Queen they were easily brought to break as well by the arguments of Soubize as of the whole Body together The English enter the Isle of Ray 1627. and so the English Fleet made a descent or disembarkment in the Isle of Ray in the moneth of July of the year 1627 and besieged the Fort of St. Martin which was not yet quite finished This Warre which in outward appearance had no other scope at all then that of Religion with many other petty punctilios which merited not so much as an ill look from either to the other proved fatall to the English and glorious to the French Are beaten off with shame by the enterance which they made into the Island and the chase they gave their Enemies from thence but yet more glorious to Monsieur de Toir as who defended the Fort neer four moneths both against them and famine and most glorious to the Marshal of Schoenbergh who put in the succour and forced them after they were lustily beaten to retyre to their ships So that upon the matter the English went away with the shame and the Rochelers stayed with the losse And this warre helped to forward the King of Denmarks ruine in regard that these Kings gave him not the assistance they had promised him by the Contract and so he struck a ground Rochell The Confederated States after the reduction of Rochel were saine to hear as well the reproaches and calumnies of the whole Body of the Hughenots of France as the taunts and raylings of the English Where blinde Passion rules there is no roome for Reason For it was not their fault that this difference was not decided by some other meanes then that of armes But let us now note the successe of this siege Rochell is a Town situated in the Country of Asins which is grown to have great traffick and riches through the convenienie of the Haven The growth of the Towne and by consequence insolent against the Kings authority The Inhabitants mutined under Francis the first but as soon as they saw him in Arms and that he would be obeyed their audacity quickly turned into humility After they embraced the Reformed Religion they became by little and little so powerfull and so considerable that the Kings through that the necessity of their affaires were often obliged to make a shew not to see or connive at that which was not invisible to any When we cannot correct Vice we must seem to be ignorant of it For having the principall Key of the Kingdome they made themselves chief of the Party and all such as for any discontentment absented themselves from Court and bent themselves against the King and his Authority could never faile to be welcome unto Rochell It is besieged by Henry the 3. They were once besieged by Monsieur who was afterwards Henry the Third but upon request of the Embassadours of Poland the siege was drawn off just at the time when they were in hazard of being tamed But since that their strength together with their Intelligence both within and without the Kingdome is so much augmented they have relyed upon their fortifications and have subtracted themselves from the yoke nor more nor lesse then the Imperiall Towns have done from that of the Emperour Cardinall Rechelieu having gotten full possession of the Kings favour for having dissipated some tumults and found out the Mine whereof the Count of Chalais payd the whole score as a Complice for all the rest had no more left to do then to acquire also that of the Clergie and People by some remarkable service to the State whereof he could not faile by the reduction of Rochell And then by Lewis the 13. in the year 1627. Now the King being informed of the descent of the English in the Isle of Ray commanded his Troops to march and as soon as he was recovered of a dangegous sicknesse which he had at that time he made them also intrench and advance all the shipps of France to stop the Haven even the Spaniards themselves comming to take possession of the place which the Hollanders had left under a specious pretext of mending their Vessels The Damme being perfected and the shipps sunk in the deepest and hollowest place of the Channell the besieged were reduced to a famine which exceeded that of Jerusalem All their hope was in the English and Buckingham made all the haste he could to succour them who had furnished him with victualls for his Army and now with most instant and urgent supplications begged some back againe from him but he being assassinated by a certaine Englishman Buckingham killed by Felton called Felton who went expresly out of Holland to sacrifice him to the hatred of the People the Fleet was retarded This murderer committed this fact by the meer and onely impulse of zeal to the Religion and so by thinking to forward the businesse he hindered it We very often aspire to that which is against us and reject that which is for us This Duke of Buckingham had entirely disposed of King James and was no lesse in the favour of the King his Sonne though neither his good countenance nor his gracefull carriage nor his liberality nor his courtesie was ever able to winne the People who held him still for the Authour of all imaginable mischief to the Kingdom The Reason of State whereby Princes maintaine Now the King of England being in some misunderstanding with his Brother in Law the King of France sent the Lord Montalgue to the Dukes of Lorraine and Savoy to animate them to a powerfull diversion thereby to withdraw him from this siege What cannot reason of State work upon Princes who ought to have a care to preserve their interests by all rationall meanes By this same reason have the Kings of France maintained the Hollanders and the Protestants By this might it seem lawful to these two Princes to passe by the consideration of Religion By this do the Swissers and the Venetians uphold themselves And the two aforesaid knew well enough that the French having fastened this pinne would not faile to trouble their Neighbours upon the very first occasion since there wanted no pretext besides that perswasion whereby some flatterers will needs make them believe that all Europe belongs to them The Cardinall to whom all these plots and practises were not unknown as having his Pensioners in England as well as elsewhere provided himself for them The Aequinoctiall brought the Fleet which was to break the Damm and put some food into the famished Towne The Damm The Nobility posted thither to serve their King and purchase glory All was hemmed in with Artillery and Souldiers and the passage so stopped as well by the said Damm and variety of Engines as also by the Vessels that the English not seeing any meanes to penetrate retyred The Rochelers of whom there was not
any nation which purely followestheir Doctrine When you shall see the abomination of desolation save your selves upon the Mountains The Assembly of Leip sick was convocated by the Electour of Saxony as Head of the Protestants thereby to hinder the restitution of the Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods to succour a Magdeburgh and joyn with the Swedes to resist the Emperour whose potency was too formidable to them And this was the ground of their calling King Gustave into Germany to be Captain Generall of all the forces who being fortified by the Allyances of France England and the Conforderated States of the Low-countries promised himselfe no lesse then the Empyre it self if he could winne but one Battail CHAP. XX The Protestants make an Allyance with King Gustave Magdeburgh taken by force They arm every where VVHilest the Embassadours of the Princes Imperial Towns and Protestans States were treating an Allyance and the King was growing formidable the Drummes were beating and the Trumpets sounding every where in such sort as that the two Electours in the month of July 1631 seeing themselves with an Army on foot of twenty thousand men threw off their vizard wrote to the Emperour as accusing him of having broaken his Oath overthrown the Peace and Liberty of Germany and in fine Complaints against the Emperour of having taken away the bonds of Religion And if he revoked not that Edict for Restitution of Ecclesiastical Lands and Goods and that there were not some means found out to remedy these diforders the whole Empyre would go to rack But it was now too late to talk of remedies strangers being already gotten in and Ferdinands honour too deeply ingaged Nor did their distrusts and jealousies derogate one jot from the justice of the Edict no more then their possession of so many yeares made them true and lawfull Proprietaries For That which is differed is not lost And for the praescription it served for nothing it being as lawful for the Emperour to take the said Lands and Goods from them by way of Justice as it had been for them to dispossesse the Ecclesiasticks thereof by violence or to retain them against the agreement made after they had withdrawne themselves from the ancient Church Refused by other to marry and so much the rather because he was obliged thereto by his Authority Right and Interest Besides he wanted not arguments to retort For he accused them of deceit for that under pretext of consulting they had assembled themselves to take Armes and joyn wich Gustave That it was they who had long agoe ruined the supports of Religion and divided Germany by factions and distrusts to the detriment of the publick quiet and that himself as being the Head was bound to restore all to the former splendour and good intelligence So every one pretended to have right on his side and the sword was to do the office Now Tilly who by the strength of * Gold Ducats had opened the conscience had purchased the Pen of a Secretary knew all that was treated in the said Assembly and effectively saw that there was neither Burgh nor Village under the jurisdiction of the Protestants where souldiers were not listed Tilly passes into Hastia Wherefore he passed into Hassia where he found the Landgrave William much changed as being far more mindfull of what he had concluded at Leipsick then of what he had promised the Emperour at Vienna For he refused both Garrison and Pension as also the casheering of his forces and shewed himself resolute in fine by the most manifest signs of aversion he gave to defend himself if he were attacked Upon which Tilly preparing himself to make him sing another tune Returns to the Siege was informed that the King advanced towards the Elbe and so his menaces were but Chimera's for he was forced to return to the Siege Count Turstembergh in Swave and Wittemberg The Count of Turstembergh an old Souldier stood not with his Arms acrosse for there was work enough cut out already without expecting any more Wherefore he was sent into Swaveland and Vlme both which he quickly ranged and from thence into the Dutchy of Wirtembergh where the eleven thousand men newly raysed were not strong enough to keep the Duke within the League in such sort as that those Provinces were constrained to renounce the Protestant allyance almost as soon as it was known that they had sworne to it All these commandments were prosperous enough in High Germany but the face of all things was changed in Low Saxonie and the Maritine Towns the principal subject of the distructs which had long been blocked up and put themselves again into King Gustaves hands Tilly and Papenheim being resolved rather to dye then abandon the Siege dissembled their losses received and continued it with so much order that they quickly made themselves masters All the Forts taken of all the Forts and Out-works so that there remained nothing but the Town which perished more out of hatred and by the industrie of wise Falkembergh then by her own strength The Inhabitants were summoned to render the Mines were ready and the hand listed up to strike and yet through their obstinacie and blindnesse they would needs expect extremityes which at length they found For Papenheim irritated as well by their flowts as by their contumatious resistance entred first by force and was repulsed by the Valour of the Marshal who being killed by a bullet And the Town by force which is all burnt the Inhabitants quickly retreated into their houses the neerest whereof he commanded to be fired and almost at the very same instant the fire was seen very far from thence neer the Elbe and so in lesse then four hours this fine Town was reduced into ashes whilest the Souldiers were fighting with the Citizens for plunder without taking any care at all to extinguish the devouring flames This was the end of that deplorable Town the ashes whereof produced such animosities amongst the Lutherans and Reformates against the Imperialists that they cannot be highly enough expressed and principally against Tilly whose actions they carped and said that he had stained all his gallant Victories with the smoaky ruines of Megdeburgh What ever were in the matter true it is that Tilly after this ransack found fortune alwayes against him and the Protestants reproached him with the indignation and vengeance of God for the shedding of so much innocent blood The Catholicks on the other side retort the fault upon the insolencie of the Burghers or Townsmen who refused honorable conditions when there was time for them and whilest the gate was yet open to favour and pardon and say besides that the Swedes seeing the place lost lest it on fire for feare least it should fall entyre together with the Magazin into the hands of their enemies alledging for proof thereof that the fire was kindled in many parts of the Town from which the imperialists were very far off
by his temerity It is in a general Definition and not in a particular fight that a General ought to shew his dexterity and valour A Peace was made in haste and the strangers who were ingaged with Monsieur very ill handled and he hoped to obtaine the aforesaid Dukes pardon but in vaine for he ended his life The Duke of Montmorancy beheaded by the hand of an ordinary Executioner and his House ended also with his life This brave Lord who had performed so many remarkable services was sacrificed to the interest which was taken in the Swedish Party his aversion from which was discovered by himselfe It is great wisdom to hide ones passions and to lay open those of others to hear much and say little This violent proceeding much amazed all the Lords of France augmented the Cardinals hatred and gave Monsieur a good horse to be gone again out of the Kingdom This very year the Embassadour of Spain arriving at London brought things so to passe with his frequent pursuits and instances Peace between Spain England that he terminated the difference between his Master and the King of England notwithstanding all the oppositions which were made and the thwartings which were brought by the Embassadours of France and the confederated States Pope Vrban to purge himselfe from the hatred which was born him by all the zealous Catholicks Pope Urban little loved by the zealous Catholicks for their seing him in secret intelligence with the Cardinal whom they made Author of all the misfortunes and mischiefs suffered by the Church published a Jubile but all that was not able to wash away the ill opinion which was conceived of him and in a Synod which was held in Spain they treated of abrogating his Authority in regard they saw him favour them who endeavoured to destroy a House which will never fall but with the ruine of the Catholick Religion Yea because he appeared not abroad at the publick rejoycing which was made at Rome for the death of King Gustave who had been so much feared many were heard to mutter and speak such bad and rash words as the licentiousnes and unlimitednes of the miserable Times produced When the Shepherd takes no care of his Sheep the Wolves get some of them very cheap Piety waxes cold and the weeds grow at length to stifle the good corne CHAP. XXIX The King of Sweden regretted and by whom Wallenstein causes some Officers to be executed John de Werdt makes himselfe known The Battel of Hamelen and the cruelty of the Victorious Brisac succoured by the Duke of Feria War in the Archbishoprick of Colein THe Body of this great Warrier was embalmed and carryed into Pomerania and from thence to Stockholme to be laid in the Tomb of his Ancestours He resuscitated the ancient glory of the Goths and the notice of his Army struck both Europ and Asia into terrour There was a report given out It is published that Gustave is not dead and beleeved by some of them who were most affectionate to him that he was not dead but had secretly transported himselfe into Sweden for some affairs of importance and to discover the humour of the Princes but this fiction was grounded upon Maxime of Policie and having gotten some Vogue was not unprofitable to the Party He was given neither to wine not women and he inexorably chastized all such as fayled of their duty He much changed at last from what he had been as his first entry into Germany and no marvail since his very Subjects themselves having been as gentle as Lambs before were now become arrogant by so much good success so many spoyles and the enjoyment of a Countrey so much better and happier then their own The Princes of the Party lamented him extrinsecally but were in effect glad enough to be rid of such a Conquerour who had gotten a far greater possession of the hearts of their Subjects then they had themselves But the King of France and the Cardinal were truly sorry for him because they had not brought that House lowenough which they had a minde to strip of some fayre States as it hath since appeared And now in regard they had payd the charge they prepared to go to the Banquet by buying the Towns which the Sweeds had taken neer the Rheyn He left one Daughter only He left behinde him only one Daughter Heyress to her Fathers vertues as well as his Crowne and he left his Lievtenants and Allyes the care to finish the worke not yet perfected The Hollanders began more to feare him then love him and by consequence expressed no great resentment of his death nor did they desire him at all for their neighbour wherefore they were not a little glad to see him leave Colein and march up into Bavaria He will never be forgotten either by his friends or his enemyes and his memory will live to the end of the world The Hughenots cal the Lutherans Brothers The Hughenots of France for his sake began already to call the Lutherans their Brethrea and it is held for certain that he was endeavouring to awaken the old quarrels in Italy and else where He was about two years and a half in Germany accompanyed by so much happiness yea too much to last long that his own very friends were amazed at it The Swedes make the Offensive every where To declare to all the world that he had obtained the Victory when he dyed his enemies retyred into Bohemia and the Swedes made every where the offensive The Duke of Brunswick and the Landgrave of Hassia brought War upon the Bishops in Westphalia who had lost their Souldier Gustave Herne and some others transported it into Alsatia and Swaveland and General Bawdas in the district of Colein Duke Bernard cleansed Misuia and Arnem subjugated Silesia But what did Wallenstein during all these floods He cut of the Heads of many of his Officers Wallenstein executâ—s some Officers and why And why for not having performed their duty Yea rather to begin thereby to warp the web of his treason and put in execution what he had hatched in his Soule and therefore he put to death such as he knew were most affectionate to the Emperours service Vertue comes upon the Scaffold as well as Vice There was no remedy for he had full power without appeal but the innocent blood spurted in his face sooner then he thought for the cry thereof never findes the ears of the great God stopped is must be revenged Baudits designe upon Tuits a small town upon the bank of the Rheyn opposite to Colein issued well but he was beaten out again and his proceeding abhorred for breaking the new trality So that he retyred to Siburgh a convenient place to incommodate the Archbishoprick Aldringers Victorâ— General Aldringers Victory was greater neer the Leck where he cut of the Troops of the Marquis of St. Andrew and retook some places in Sweveland and John
not condescend to it for feare of offending the Emperour and Empire nor did they ever render him any other answer at all to all his replyes which gave him excessive rancour and disgust however he thought fit to make but little shew thereof For it was not indeed the feare of offending Ferdinand which kept them from it for they had done that enough already by many oblique wayes and especially by sending Coronel Pinsen with a strong Brigade into Westphalia But it was because they had rather have for their Neighbour a weak Bishop of Colein then a strong King of France It is Maxime of State which carries it above all obligations and Allyances how strong soever they be are easily broken in these times if Interest command it They sent General Bandits word that if he did not retire himselfe from thence they would drive him away by force So that these former circumstances and the utter route of the Swedes being motives to make the Cardinal differ his designe upon Colein for a sitter season for vengeance waits occasion made him he fixed his thoughts upon things of neerer concernment as thus He had already almost ruined or quite depressed the branches of the House of Lorraine in France and persecuted the Duke of Guise The House of Lorraine afflicted even till his death and therefore he resolved to unroot the maine Stock and destroy the whole Family The Duke of Lorraine after being stripped of all his Places of strength and of Nancy it selfe to get a peace found that France sought nothing but his destruction and that when he resented any of the astronts which were done him by the Cardinal the King who was often ignorant of the cause was forth with made beleeve that he had broken his faith and so his lawful excuses had no accesse where his enemies were stronger then he We very often judge ill because we know not the principal Causes Wherefore haveing no other rolyance then upon God and his Sword and not being able any longer to dissemble his just resentment The Duke of Lorraines Manifesto he published a Manifest wherein he declared that being a Soveraigne Prince borne and seeing that his Enemies whom he could not content sought after his Country and his life he transferred all his Rights upon his brother absolved his Subjects from their Oath of fidelity to himselfe and commanded them to obey him Which done he returned into Germany to serve the Emperour whom the Cardinal studied to ruine with him from whom he received the quality of General of the Catholick Army and passed towards the Danub with the Cardinal Infanto And three or four moneths after the Princesse Nicoll his wife The Princesse Nicoll at Paris made her entrance into Paris where she was well received by their Majesties and entertained according to her condition Richelieu being well informed of all and imagining that this Transport or Deed of Gift was but conditional and for a time and knowing also Prince Francis marrie his Cousin is imprisoned retiers to Vienna that the Cardinal brother to the said Duke had sent to Rome for a Dispensation to marry his Cousin German and render the Cap into the hands of his Holinesse judded it expedient to crosse this match and so sought to surprize the Post but in vaine for he passed through the Guards and the same evening the marriage was consummated But both he and his Princesse were carried prisoners to the Cittadel out of which they both secretly escaped as also out of the Town disguised in the habit of Country people and passing through Savoy Florence and Venice arrived at length at the Imperial Court in Vienna It was indeed in vaine for him to attempt the extinction of this most illustrious and most ancient Race issued from Charlemagne and so many other Kings who have performed so considerable services to Christendome yea and even to France it selfe in the Battel of Crecy and during all the Wars with the English For God raised a young Maid of this Family like a second Judith The Maid Jane of Orleans to save the Kingdom from the oppression of Strangers and the Cardinal after having deprived it of the lawful Prince called in the Gothick Nations to ruine it This noble House I say hath afforded Princes which have defended and maintained the Catholick Religion throughout the whole Kingdom and the Cardinal made the Lutherans flock to subdue it Indeed there are none but the Hughenot Party who have any ground to complain of it since it hath furnished many noble Lords who have alwayes shewed themselves enemies to that Doctrine We must confesse that this Dutchy merited better treatment since it had never offended France That it is a poor maxime of State to oppresse a Prince who desires nothing but Peace and upholds himselfe in the justice of his Cause This proceeding will produce much misfortune for they who accuse him of having so often falsyfied his faith silence the cause thereof either through malice or ignorance CHAP. III. The Imperialist's wast in the Dutchy of Wirtembergh The French come to succour the Swedes Philipsburgh taken by a prank of War The Cardinal enters Brussels and the Duke of Orleans departs FRance hitherto waged War against the House of Austria obliquely and indirectly enough though yet with advantage and seized upon Lorraine more like a Fox then a Lion as more by craft then open force But it was time to throw off the Vizard and lay hold of all Europe since it appertaines to it according to the opinion of that famous Impostour who is so learnedly refuted by Jansenius a Professour of Lonain and a certain Spaniard who argues thus If the Empire belong to France because it was governed by Charlemagne with much more reason doth Languedoc and some other Provinces in France occupated by the Goths belong to the King of Spain as he is Successour of the said Goths who established their Monarchy in Spain and preceded the said Charlemagne in time But let us leave these old trifles and fond Commentations and stay in our corrupt Age where Might amongst many is more esteemed then Right and where the most crafty Cheats are held the best Politicians Duke Bernard being escaped with many other Officers had recourse to the favour of France where being a German he was judged capable and fit to beare the burthen of the War together with Marshal de la Force The French in Germany Such as are least suspected and most interessed as well in matter of Religion as otherwise are alwayes chosen for the expedition of any great Enterprize Make a huge Magazine at Philipsburgh There passed nothing worthy of memory between the two Partyes the Imperialists being grown slack and lazie by the abundance and fertility of the Dutchy of Wirtembergh and the French making a Magazine at Philipsburgh the like whereof was never heard as being sufficient to pay and feed whole Armies together for the entire Conquest
of that learned writer the Imperial Crown upon his brothers head because he would rather have had it upon his Sonnes and the Germans will not see it upon that of a Spaniard How then shall these instruments be tuned I conclude that she hath been moved to act by Interest only to uphold her self and not to hunt aster this chimericall Monarchy The Emperours which have been since have manifested no excess of ambition and Philip the third made no stir at all So that it must be either Fâ—rdinand the second or Philip the Fourth Let us examin the grounds which may give these jealousies and authorize these opinions The said Ferdinand the second had War with the Bohemians and the Prince Palatine every one knows for what He would have the three Episcopal Townes had he not right to them The Victories he got in Low-Saxonie moved him to restore and re-established his Authority there was he out of reason Here-demanded as Soveraign Judge the Ecelesiasticall Lands and Goods according to the tenour of the contract at Passavia was he ill-grounded The Lutherans themselves will not say so Shall we therefore suffer this House to swallow up all Now it is that we must have recourse to the interest which every body ought to have in commendation and not stray from the path of Justice As for Hypocrisiy whereof he accuses them of this Family by comparing their piety to the colours of the Rain-bow which are but deceipts and illusions it is acalumnie which confutes it self and a malice convinced by the testimonies of the Lutherans who have frequented the Imperiall Court A calumny convinced and have wished that all the Courts of the Protestant Princes were regulated like that Indeed the words which he uses to cure as he sayes the mindes of such as are praeoccupated by errour are not strong enough to make them passe for good even in his own opinion For a may be cannot form a determinate truth of future things Yet it is not my intention to approve all the actions of this House and defend her ends and much lesse to deliver the Bordering Princes from the fear which they may have of her greatnesse by the refutation of those arguments but only freely and plainly to lay open the justice of her Arms and the strong necessity of her interests to maintain her self against so many enemies I combat no Soveraign Family but reverence them all without exception and praeoccupation I only demonstrate the practices cheateries and effects of ambition together with those of self-advantage which render whole Provinces desert and breed general calamities In the Treaty of peace at Manster we shall discover the intentions of all the Princes without amusing our selves any more with the words of interested Clarks But we must first consider why France which hath always restored to the Dukes of Savoy such of their States Why France wi keep Lorrain as she hath seazed upon by arms doth now yet so obstinatly retaine Lorrain as she also did the three Bishopricks I answer that she hath done the former to avoide giving jealousie to the Princes of Italy whole good correspondence she holds necessary for her so to maintain her interests there But she will not let Lorrain go in regard of her conquests made in Germany and because the Princes of that Country being divided into Parties are not sourgent for the restitution of the losses of their Neighbours as those others are France calls the Princes of the House of Austria and all such as are tyed to her interests her Enemies and in regard that this irreconcitiable-hatred is not very ancient we shall quickly finde out the source thereof During the English Warrs in France the Spaniards being then great friends and Allyes with France always succoured her and there were some Lords of that Nation who possested great Charges in the said Warrs Yea in that memorable assembly of Arras where to the confusion of the English the Peace was made between the King and the Duke of Burgundy a certain Spanish Knight in a contention of honour took the White Cross without giving any other reason for it then that it was a sign of Amity But now The causes of the hatreds between France and Spain the said House being annexed to Spain the first spark of division sprung up in Italy the second and the greatest was about the Imperial â—â—â—â—n and jealousie of State which lasted til the death of Henry the second a 〈◊〉 as a wakened again under Henry the third by the counsell of the Hughenots and his brother the Duke of Alencon sudddenly made Duke of Brabaâ—t Philip the second of Spain did the like for him by favouring the Heads o the League to the deminution of his Authoritie and the Hughenot Party Henry the fourth took his revenge advanced the hatred always contraried opposed and laboured to weaken this power which gave him jealousy And then it was that not only the Hughenots but the Catholicks also began to hate that Nation Not did the Spaniards remain their debtors therem In such sort as the hatred of the people is formed by that of State But this kings death stopped the currnet of those partialities that double marriage seemed quite to stifle them out in vain for these two proud Nations the most potent of Christendom have many pretensions upon each other and cannot endure any praeeminence at all In so much as that when the one makes any progresse the other endeavours to stop it besides sides the same Ministers of State spurred on by ambition and desire to raise their Families have from time to time kindled these suspitions which have hatched these fatall wars to the destruction of all Europe The one of these Houses styles her selfe most Christian and yet meddles not much with the businesse of Religion for she ordinarily attracts the Reformates to her interests who are enemies to the Pope and by consequence to the other House which suffers not their Doctrine in her Dominions The other is tearmed Catholick and abandons not the interests of Religion no more then she doth her own unlesse it be by force proceeding from the necessity of State-affaires through some new conjuncture as we shall see in the sequell of this work Lewis the thirteenth shocked this House with so much authority and power and procured her so many Enemies that she had very much adoe to keep her self up in such sort as that great Cardinal the Angel-Gardian of France by his puissant Allyances begat an opinion in the Soules of many Politicians that he sought the Universal Monarchy In effect by this great Conquerours means he hoped to overthrow the Emperour and had already devoured the possession of the Low-Countries by the help of the Hollanders But man purposes and God disposes But let us withdraw our selves out of this Labyrinth since we have already gon round about it and if we enter into it we have not a sufficient thred of
Drummes to be beaten and confirmed a most straight Allyance with the aforesaid Arch-Duke the principall conditions whereof were that neither Party should lay down Armes till the Princes were released the Duke of Lorraine restored to his States Sedan rendered and a firm Peace concluded between the two Crownes Which done they began to raise forces and the Spaniards disposed themselves to put theirs into the field The common opinion that the Spaniard sowes dissention in France refuted It is the opinion of many persons that the King of Spain endeavoured to corrupt the greatest part of the Nobleman of France with money and sowed sedition and revolt amongst them with this glittering mettall as if that Nation were not unquiet and turbulent enough of it self without his being necessitated to draine his Treasures to move it And yet suppose that he did it it was no more then what is ordinarily practised every where when there is an apparence of profit being incited thereto by Reason of State and then what was done by King Lewis the eleventh in England and elsewhere But to what purpose should it serve him save only to spend his mony unprofitably enough as appeared by their inconstance Many of them have often retyred themselves into his Dominions to seek their own security and his protection both which they have found and an honourable maintenance to boot but how have they taken their leave Lewis the eleventh being yet in his Dolphin-age withdrew himself to the Duke of Burgundy and for recompence as soon as he was in the Royall Throne he began and continued a war upon the Burgundlans But let us stay in our Age where we shall finde matter enough The Duke of Orleans twice at Brussels The Duke of Orleans fled twice to Brussels cast himself into the King of Spalnes arms who succoured him protected him and gave him an honourable allowance together with his Mother the Queen But being once reconciled and even after the King his Brothers decease he employed himself with as much heat as the most mortall enemy in the world to make warre in Flanders so to destroy his own Sanctuary And other Lords and spoyl his Protectour when all that people thought he would fix all his thoughts upon Peace The Dukes of Guise and Elbenf followed the same trace the former in Italy and the latter in Flanders And what shall we say of the Marshall of Turenne and the Allyance so solemnly sworne with the Arch-Duke The issue shewed that he returned with the same levity before the work was finished and so rendred that fair Field intructuous This is the profit of the Spanish Cathalicon and this the foundation upon which the King built his Conquests or rather this is the recompence of his liberality I praise the fidelity of the French but I blame their inconstance and presume to say aloud that the first obligation cannot dispense with the second made freely and without constraint Nor are there many such examples to be found amongst other Nations yea and it would be very ill taken in France if a stranger after having found his sanctuary there should after his reconciliation labour to make war against it Maurice Duke of Saxony Albert of Brandenburgh and some others made a League with Henry the second for the Liberty of Germany but findings that the French instead of Liberty layd hold of some Places they reconciled themselves with the Emperour and yet were they taxed of perfidy at the Court of France The Count of Fustenbergh having withdrawne himself from the service of King Francis the first and returned into the Emperours favour was beaten in seeking a passage upon the River of Marne and like to be knocked in the head for his ingratitude But let us returne to our purpose The renduclion of Belle-garde 1650. The King having assured himself of Normandy and many Places held by the Prince of Condes Lieutenants caused Bellegarde to be besiedged which quickly submitted for want of succour and he rendred the Inhabitants their Priviledges Let us passe the Sea Charles Stewart goes into Scotland The Scots being Assembled at Edenburgh resolved to take Charles Stewart for their King to which effect they sent Commissioners to treat with him at the Haghe and proclaimed him King of Scotland and England which extremely offended the Parliament at London He departed from Scheveling and we will let him go in great danger to behold the honour which was done Generall Cromwell for having reconquered almost all Ireland the Natives whereof being moved to take Armes by zeal of Religion and respect to the said Charles implored the assistance of the Pope and some other Christian Princes but not being seconded The Irish tamed and puâ—ished and falling into division amongst themselves they were easily tamed and chastized as well for having taken Arms as for having abused the English The Diet at Nurembergh In the same yeare the Diet was held at Nurembergh where after the agreement was made about the restitution of Places and the Assessement for moncy to pay the souldiers the rest of the time was spent in Visits and sumptuous Banquets Festivities and Fire-works of rate workmanship and skil The Duke of Amalsi formerly Piccolomini was there on the behalfe of the Emperours and acquired great admiration and Duke Charles for the Crowne of Sweden Some Counts were forced to pawne their wives Jewells and other Ornaments to be so much the sooner rid of these troublesome Guests Thus the Germans were whipt and payd for the Rodde for they were faine to give whatsoever they had left to recover that which was growne savage and desert The States of the Empyre sent an Embassadour expresse into Spain to beseech the King to draw his Garrison out of Frankendal which was granted at length that so the Peace might have full vigour as we will shew hereaster But since the Embassadours depart from Nurembergh let us go also out of Germany and hasten downe the Rheyn into Holland to see what passes there concerning the reduction of the Militia and other accidents Who will bee able to hide himselfe from the face of the Lord CHAP. VI Containing what passed in the Summer of this yeare of 1650. The Portugal Embassadours offers The Fleet in the Indies does nothing The Princ 's complaints The Siedge of Amsterdam The Imprisonment of six Lords who were carried to Louvestein The Prince of Oranges death His Prayer THe Zelanders before they would ratifie the Peace which they did with an ill will as well in regard of France as for the profit of some particular persons who were wont to go to the Cape of Grip would needs be assured of a prompt supply for the Company of the little Indies The estates of Orphans in Zeland employed in the Company of the Indies which was grown to decay by the revolt of Portugal Which was granted them because the Goods and Estates of many widowes Fatherless children and other persons of
discovered in his physiognomy that he should one day become the Author of much disturbance to Christendome which afterwards proved true For he caused the Duke of Orleans to be massacred which raised a huge warre between these two illustrious Houses to the great advancement of the English affaires in France But now for the remedy of all those evills a Peace was made and Duke John assassinated in a Conference in the presence of the Dolphin Now this dismal chance this unseasonable revenge and this mad Counsell was the cause why the English assisted by the Burgundians and Flemmings made themselves masters of almost all the kingdome of France For Philip surnamed the Good joyned with the English to revenge the death of his Father against Charles the seventh In fine there happening a civil warre in England between the Houses of Lancaster and York the White and Red Rose and Duke Philip drawing his stake out of the play the English came by degrees to loose all they had gotten in the said kingdome This good Prince instituted and established the Order of the Golden Fleece in the year 1430 and tyed so by succession all those Provinces into one body to which Charles the Combatant annexed the Duchy of Guelders sold to him by Duke Arnolt for the summe of 92 thousand Crowns The pretensions of the Duke of Juleers or Gulick were also granted by consent of the Emperour Frederick in consideration of the summe of eighty thousand Florens in gold He left one only Daughter named Mary of Valois who was a very vertuous Princess and was married to Maxmilian of Austria and her death proved fatall to the Low-countries in respect of the war which followed there Her sonne Philip having renewed his alliance with Henry the seventh went into Spain and married Iane of Castile who brought him Charles of Austria And thus these Provinces being bound first to the House of Burgundy and then to that of Austria came last into the possession of that of Spain which by the discovery and conquest of the Indies happening almost at the same time is become most puissant and terrible as well to other States and Princes as also to the Ottomans themselves who seeing the Romane Empyre governed by a Prince of this Family loaden with so many Crowns and so many potent States take no small pleasure in seeing so many Schismes amongst the Christians Charles being chosen Emperour had Francis the first for his Competitor which kindled great Warres between them The success whereof was that Francis being taken prisoner promised though he performed not to restore the Duchy of Burgundy and renounce the Rights which the Kings of France had had in some Provinces of the Low-countries land Italy so that the Heyres of Charles remained a long time in the quiet and peacefull possession of them France being enough embroyled at home by the tender youth of three Kings all sonnes to Henry the second and by Civill Warre without looking back into old quarrels The House of Austria encreased by Marriages and Navigation And here we may see how by marriages and Navigations the House of Austria is both amplified and elevated which hath maintained her self by arms given jealousies to the Princes of Europe by her victories and struck sear and hatred into the soules of the Protestants who have made Leagues to uphold themselves and put a flea into the eare of France which hath abandoned the interests of Religion to make her self great and check this formidable power From this Knot or Tye of so many Crowns and great States together wherewith the King of Spaines head is burthened sprang that ticklish and indissoluble difference of precedency or preheminency which the Kings of France by the title of Eldest sonnes of the Church and most Christian Kings have alwayes attributed to themselves CHAP. X A Relation of the mischiefs happened in France under the minority of the Kings and by the diversity of Religions The jealousie about the power of the Guilards The Evils in France through State-jealousie FRance by the deplorable death of Henry the second grew in a very short space to sink into calamities which dured to the end of the last Age. The evil began in the minority of Francis the second and under the Regency of Katharin de Medicis through a jealousie which thrust it self in amongst the Princes of the Blood the Constable Montmorency the Counts of Chattillon and Andelot Admiral Caspar de Colligny and other Lords on the one side and the Dukes of Guise the Princes of the House of Laâ—rraine and other Noblemen on the other The Princes complained of the Guisards or them of the House of Guise whom in mockery and to make them odious they termed strangers had the mannagement of all the Affaires of France in their hands They almost all embraced the Reformed Religion which at that time began to encrease much through the whole kingdome whereof they declared themselves Protectors The chief motive of hatred betwixt these two most illustrious and ancient Families grew from a jest which the Admiral de Colligny cast upon the Duke of Guise concerning the taking of Theonnille A prick of a Lance which drew such a deluge of blood as no Chirurgion was able to stench Hatred between these two Houses for a jest The greatest part of the Ecclesiasticks and the most zealous of the Romane Catholicks took the Party of the King and the Guisards Many Battails were fought many Siedges of Townes laid and many Peaces made and no sooner made then broken In fine under Charles the ninth at the Wedding of the King of Navarre at Paris upon the Eve of Saint Bartholomew hapned that abhominable Massacre so much and so justly exclained against by the Protestants and blamed even by the Romane Catholicks themselves In the Reign of Henry the third was made a League called the Holy League for the exclusion of Henry de Bourbon from succession to the Crown as being an Heretick whereof the Duke of Guise a Prince of courage and high esteem was the Head who having routed the Reyters or Germane Horse ented Paris in despight of the King where he was received by the Citizens with excess of honours and when the showes of joy were ended they raised certain Barricadoes which made the King retire himself to a place of safety A Fatall Honour to all subjects how innocent soever they be For redress of these disorders there was a Peace endeavoured betwixt the King and the Duke The place of Treaty was Blois where the King contrary to his Royal Word given him caused both him and the Cardinal his Brother to be treacherously murthered His Children were saved by the Queen-Mother for the King had resolved to extirpate the whole Race thereby to prevent the danger of revenge Paris revolted and in imitation thereof many other Townes besides The King applied himself to the Huguenot Party and sent for the King of Navarre which rendered him still more odious
the first Agrcement and even they who either out of compassion fair promises or hate of the Inquisition had born arms for them were deprived of the free exercise thereof The generall complaints of all such as fought against the Church of Rome were grounded chiefly upon these points Were grounded upon these points First They disclaimed the too great Authority of the Pope that he mâ—dled too much in Secular Affaires They blamed the disorders of the Court of Rome Prayers made in an unknown language and maintained that every one was to be permitted to read the Bible They cried out against Purgatory Masse Invocation of Saints the superstition of good Works and the like These were demands strong enough to amaze and astonish them who were not versed at all in the Scriptures and understood not even their own Belief but by rote The order of the Iesuits begins in the rise of the Reformation During these emborrasments sprang up the order of the Jesuits who have made it their businesse ever since to defend the Pope and the Rom. Religion to repaiâ—e the loss of Erudition and Sciences and awaken the sluggish Monks and encounter in fine these new Champions But they have met with great repugnance and hatred as well from the adverse party as amongst the Roman Catholicks themselves though not peradventure with so much reason from these latter They are made pass for murtherers of Kings for having a Doctrine discrepant from that of the Catholick Church and to persecute the Monarchy of the whole Universe for the House of Spain Yet they leave not for all this to hold up their heads and despise the calumnies and reproaches of their Adversaries And indeed their Discipline in the Schools is both laudable and profitable In their Disputes they are Aristotles and in their Pulpits Cicero's In fine without them I speak out of the mouth of Reformats the Roman Church would be quickly beaten down And so it is to be seen amongst them painted under the form of a stooping Tower propped by the shoulders of the Jesuits for fear lest it fall The Authour and Founder of their Order was a Spaniard and it was very necessary to speak a word of them by the by because they are made pass for Incendiaries Plotters of all Sedition and Treasons of many perfidies and wickednesses Yet God howsoever hath served himself of them for the conversion of the Indies and China for the restauration of learning and for the illumination and illustration of Sciences wherein they are looked upon with admiration CHAP. XVII Religion affoards divers Pretexts causes jealousies The Latin and Greek Religion IT was expedient for me to make mention in this Treatise of the Religions which existed in the precedent Age and of the Changes they caused the fatal effects whereof are resented even in this of ours We have also added thereto the ambition of many who endeavoured to throw all things topsy-turvy thereby to ascend to the greatnes which they proposed to themselves and which it was most facil to acquire by these Religions Pretexts O God! How are the hearts of poor mortals overwhelmed in darkness under the apparence of Religion And how many are there in the world who whilest they are plotting mischief hide themselves under the maske of devotion Religion indeed was wont to reign in the soules of many as Mistresse of the State and was a just cause of taking arms but at present she is little better then the servant thereof True it is that some years since she hath done wonders both in Germany and France But the conclusion hath manifested that this pretext hath served for the most part Religion serves for a pretext but for interest of State and to cover the martial humour of Princes who incited by the insatiable hunger of honour for the ingrandisement of their power have very craftily made use of the cloak of conscience This therefore is that which causes jeaulousie distrust aversion and hatred and chiesly amongst the people Causes hatred and divides humours who cannot penetrate into the ambition of Potentates This I say it is which causes violent suspicions and divides humours in the same nation in the same Parentage yea and in the very self-same Family too For if it have had force enough to arm particular persons a gainst their own Parents no marvail if it make all that which depends upon humane strength and science contribute to the suppression of any Party of a different opinion and if Princes have occasion to make use of it to cover their irregular appetites But this hatred which proceeds from the diversity of opinions is repugnant to the word of God which commands us to pray for our Brethren and not to persecute and vex them We must let the tares grow till the time of Harvest for fear of plucking up the good corn with them Now let us briefly turn back to seek out the motives which seem to have caused these diversities which have proved so dammageable and pernicious to christian charity as fore-runners to the wrath of God and most undoubted marks of the latter day In the beginning of the fifteenth Age there were in the whole uniuersâ— but two christian Churches namely the Lâ—â—me then under the authority of the Pope and the Greek under that of certain Patriarcks The difference unworthy of such a division was and even yet is about ambition and preference contrary to the advertisements of our common Master and because the Greek maintained that the Holy Ghost proceeds but only from the Father For all the rest is most easie to be rejoyned and reconciled Now the Latine being received throughout all Europe The Latine Church under the Pope and Grek under Patriarchs there have happened from time to time very many complaints against abuses superstitions and the ill discipline of the Priests yea and against the Popes themselves who too much busied with the warres and intrigues of the world have forgotten that command which sayes Feed my Sheep Feed my Flock whereof they are yet apt enough to serve themselves against the checks of their enemies There was no memory left of the Waldenses and Albingenses The Waldenses nor yet of the dangers into which the Bohemians had brought all Germany by the doctrine of Witcliffe and the so prodigiously victorious Arms of Zisca Witcliffe For instead of opening our eyes and eares to the admonitions of Iohn Hus we reduced him into ashes Charles the 8. King of France declared his discontentment and so did some other Kings his Predecessors But it was held for a crime sufficient to convince all men of Heresie who spake of a Reformation by a General Councell So that superstition being swolne big and the world kept in most excessive ignorance as a very great and Orthodox person writes for the space of three hundred yeares by the Franciscans and the Dominicans as also by the carelesnesse of the Bishops there started up a
first Family Breâ—â— oâ—â— and thirteen of the second the first whereof was Pepin Father-in-Law to Charlemagne Hugh Capet the first King of the third Family by the exclusion of Charlos Duke of Lorraine through force of Arms and the favour of some of the Grandies got the Government of the French Monarchy about the year of our salvation 993. Lewis the fourteenth who reigns at present is the thirtieth of that Family This kingdom is composed of four and twenty Provinces wherein there are fifteen Arch-Bishoppricks ninty seven Bishoppricks ten Parliaments fourteen Vniversities and four Orders of Knighthâ—od that of the Starre was eclipsed under Charles the fist that of St. Michael now little valued and the third and that which hath most luster is of the Holy Ghost instituted by Henry the third The fourth is not much pursued In ancient times there were but twelve Peâ—rs of France six Ecclesiasticall and six Secular and they were the Arch-Bishop of Rhenns the Bishops of Lâ—ton Langres Chalons Noyon and Beauâ—ais The Dukes of Burgundy of Normandy of Guienne and the Earles of Flanders tholose and Champagne But the number of Dukes and Peers is now very very much encreased as also that of Marshals and the Rights of both very much diminished The French inclined to ams The French areso naturally inclined to Arms that the Proverb sayes they are born Souldiers nor can they indeed stay long at rest for if they have no warre with their Neighbours they quickly make it amongst themselves by the ambition of some Lords or other as also by the Martial humour wherewith they are tormented Points of honour make them runne into the Field as to a Feast in such sort as that the greatest part of the Nobility unhappily falls in Duels They are very impatient and enemies to the Spaniards by maxime of State whom by all means possible they oppose to the end that they may not arrive to the Vniversal Monarchy or else that under this pretext they may atchieve it themselves They go like Thunderbolts to Combats and Conquests and reverse whatsoever oppugnes them but as soon as this heat growes to be a little cooled they turn their backs and suddenly loose what they had gained with so much reputation It is no lesse laudable to keep thou to get which the Spaniards know very well Prosperity easily makes them slight their enemies and jeer their Allies to whom they render themselves suspected by the vanity of their tongues in such sort as this kind of levity does them much harm The French are more then men sayes the Proverb at the beginning of a Fight and lesse then women towards the end But they have given a contrary account of themselves in many Battails in Italy and the Low-countries where after they been repulsed or routed they have rallyed and carried away many glorious victories as we shall hereafter see Besides it must be confessed that the French Cavalry is the stoutest and best of the whole world There is also a saying that the French are wise after the businesse and the Spaniards before it In effect they are rash yea and they have very often wonne Battails by this very Passion Their generosity is remarkable in regard they grudge not to give praise to the vertue even of their enemies when they deserve it They are of so gentile an humour that they make themselves admired by strangers but they agree so ill out of their Country by occasion of petty envies and shamefull detractions that they are generally blamed every where for it and make themselves disesteemed by it The Clergy the Gentry and the People are the three States Three States upon which the Monarchy rests the Priviledges and Liberties whereof if well maintained would make it the most flourishing in the World But let us now see what passed there during the Peace for it is not our scope to make a most ample relation of the particulars of every kingdom CHAP. XI The King of France arms The Spaniards do the same All is full of joy and fear The King killed his Educacion Croupir KIng Henry having too generous a heart to be longidle was meditating Warre even during the Peace For which effect he had alwayes a special care by the admirable oeconomy or stewardship of the Duke Sâ—illy to Preparation of war in France to mannage and husband his Finances or Exehequer and accumulate great treasures On the other side he saw a brisk Nobility which longed for nothing more then the occasions to express their Martial courage under the conduct of so great and valorous a Captain He therefore resolves to raise an Army for the execution of some huge Designe which he kept private to himself to give exercise to his warlike People The pretext was the Warre of the Princes Heyres to the Dukedom of Gulick Cleveland and Bergues But because the truth of the principall motives of this arming of his Vnder pretex of the war of Juliers or Julick could never yet be known we will only note such conjectures thereof as are grounded upon very receivable probabilities He would not so easily have pardoned the Heads of the Leagus for the mothereing of the Civill Warres had it not been to revenge himself one day upon the Spaniards who had so powerfully traversed or thwarted his lawfull succession the Crown He saw himself cherished by his subjects feared by his enemies loved by all his Allyes and chiefly by the States Generaâ—â— of Holland Moreover the interest of the Crown seemed to invite him to reduce under his States all such Provinces as speak French and consequently the greatest part of all the Low-countries which had formerly been of the Demaynes of France as namely the Counties of Flanders and Artoise the Dutchy of Luxemburgh and many other which would not have been able to esape his ambition The flight of the Prince of Conde caused this speedy Arming and the honourable and Christian protection which he found in the States as well of the King of Spain as in those of the Arch-Duke in the Low-countries seemed likewise to give some colour of justice to the most Christian King irritated against a Prince of his own blood This Prince when he was two and twenty years old married Margaret Daughter to he Constable Montmorency a most beautiful and vertuous Princess whom he veretly carried to Brussels so to quench the fire which her Charms had kindled in the heart of the King But Love holding the Empyre over the Reason of this generous Alexander commanded him to recover by force that which vertue so justly denied him In so much as that for this chast Helen of France all Europe was like to be cast into most dangerous troubles Now the Princes of Germany weary of seeing the Empyre so long in the possession of the House of Anstria as also of the prolix rest they had enjoyed together with the encrease of their Treasuries would not have been offended to see the Imperial
Crown upon the Head of King Henry And he seeing the disorder which happened in that Family and strengthened by the friendship of some Catholick Princes Paxadge demanded of them of Colem as well as most assured of that of the Protestants leaned visibly that way The Magistrates of Colein being intreated by his Deputies to grant Provisions for mony and passage for his Army were fain to avow that it would be temerity to opposeso great a King who had been alwayes victorious Besides the noises which some scattered up and down that he would allow and maintain three Religions to wit the Roman the Lutheran and the Reformed In brief his Designe seemed to be to extend the bounds of the French Monarchy at the cost of the House of Austria and some neighbour-Princes In the mean time the King Don Philip stood not with his arms a cross at the newes of this terrible Preparative The Arch-Duke puts an Army on foot which rejoyced all such as were enemies to his States The Arch-Duke Albert contracts all his old forces raises new and sends a strong Army towards the Consines of France under the command of Spinola who intrenched himselfe near Gambray In fine men talk of nothing but Armes and Horses in the Countries of both Crownes and the Pope sends his Nuncio to divert the King from his Designe but he was dispatched to Monzon Amazement every where Now all Europe stood amazed and the Princes of Italy seeing the Duke of Savoy in allyance with Henry by meanes of the marriage of his Sonne with the Daughter of France begin to think of their preservation The King in the interim confirms his Intelligences gives the Rendezvous of his Troops in Campagne and after having extraordinarily courted the Embassadours of the United Provinces conjures them to to send Prince Maurice with some Troops to attend his coming at the fronteer of Cleveland The Protestant Princes could hardly dissemble their joy The joy of the Protestants and fear of the Catholâ—â—ks and the Cartholick strangers their fear at the approach of so formidable an Army Infine both friends and enemies were ballancing or staggering in apprehension joy and uncertainty and every one in pain to know what he was either to hope or fear It came so farre as to be published that the King was to march with an Army of forty thousand men and leave as many to guard the kingdome whereof he declared the Queen Regent after her Coronation But he was treacherously murthered in his Coach the fourteenth of May 1610 and this fatall blow put all France in mourning his Corps into the Tomb and his great Designes into Smoak Above all this misfortune was impatiently taken by them of the Religion as also by the greatest part of his Allyes amongst whom his Arms had not as yet moved the least jealousie The most generall opinion was that after having established the Princes in the possession of the Dutchyes of Galick and Cleveland he was to go for Germany And indeed the House of Austria had reason to keep her selfe upon her guard as well knowing how much this Prince was affected to her opposers His death gave matter enough every where for men to inform themselves of who might be the Authour and the Jesuits were not forgotten to be called in question by the Protestants however Ravilliaâ— never confessed any such thing This King was brought up in labour and toyle and noursed in the the Civil Warres His first wife was Margaret of Valois His Life whom when he was come to the Crown he repudiated He had been Head of the Hugenots and wonne many Battails against them of the League When he was become Catholick and after the reconciliation of the Dukes of Mayanne and Mercoenr all stooped and layd down their arms He had a quick wit brave thoughts and excessive high points of judgement had in fine such eminent qualities as would have ranged him in the number of the grearest Kings that ever wore a Crown had ho not been too passionately inclined to handsom women a vicious habit which is familiar to Princes He alwayes loved the United Provinces of the Low-Conntrâ—es and assisted them with men money and counsell notwithstanding the complaints of the Arch-Dukes He was the Restorer of the French Monarchy which was horribly tottered and obtained by generall consent in regard of his heroick actions in arms the surname of Great He was beloved feared and redoubted and amongst all his Kingly vertues none shined more brightly then his Clemencie VVhy suspected to be a Hugenot Many were in doubts of his Religion for the Gâ—genots believed him of theirs and some others also besides in respect of the favour ge shewed to the Protestant Party and for that it was imputed to him to have said that the Crowne of France was well worth a Masse It is onely God who can judge of the Conscience of Soveraigns and therefore men must be silent and abey However it were he much loved Conferences and Disputes as it appeared by that of Cardinall Peronnâ— against Du Plessis Mornay The Confederated States had good reason to love him in regard of the care he alwayes took to conserve them though their seeing him expected by Prince Maurice with the forces of the Low-countries near Wesel and a Letter written by him to the Princesse Dowager of Orange intimating that he would come and visit her at the Hague not as a King but as her kinsman thrust a flea into their eare The said Prince of Orange above all impatiently took this strange and unexpected accident But indeed his death freed a good part of Europe from a great terrour filled the other with sadnesse and amazement gave way to the Prince of Conde to return into France with his wife and so the Armies to retire to rest till another season and another conjuncture which afterwards presented it self in the Warre of Gulick CHAP. XII A difference happening for the Dutchy of Gulick Jealosic between the Catholicks and Protestants and why A Tumult at Donawert an Imperiall Towne about a procession Gulick besieged by Prince Maurice and the French yeelds The Princes will not admit the Sequestration VVE have already shewed how the pretext of the Arms of Hebry the Great was the succour promised to the Princes of Brandeabourgh and Newbourgh therefore let us now look upon the justice of the Competitors since the quarrell is not quite consopited yet Sone weeks before the the conclusion of the Truce Death of the Duke of Gulick deceased John Wolliam Duke of Cleveland and Gulick leaving no Children by the Countesse of Baden his former wife noâ— yet by the sister of the Count of Vandemon his later Now this Princesse passing through Colein was received by the illustrious Magistraces and Citizens of that ancient City with great magnisicence acclamations and wishes of fertility in this match and all this for their interests which are visible enough in themselves without any
repentance for having so often offended the Emperour who was loaden with victorious lawrel and therefore he sent his Embassadours who found Ferdinand as ready to pardon as their Master had been light to offend and so he was content to accept all the conditions proposed to him by the Conquerors signe the Peace and be quiet The Hungarians rejoyced hereat because those disturbances held them in continual Alarmes And this was the end of the warres of Hungary and Austria besprinkled with the blood of the Peasants and Barbarians Let us now suffer them to repose some years and return again towards the Septemptrion CHAP. VI. Gustave King of Sweden attacks Borussia or Prussia The Imperialists succour the Polanders A Truce is made for six years PEace being made being made between the Emperour and the King of Denmark the Imperialists departed out of Holstein and all the other occupated places The Stralsundians under the protection of King Gustave who enters into Prussia and dispersed themselves throughout all Meckelenburgh and Pomerania The Citizens of Stralsund grown sturdy and proud by having eluded the Attacks of Wallenstein put themselves by content of the King of Denmark under the King of Swedens protection This action much displeased Ferdinand begat the most dreadfull warre of this Age and opened the passage to the Swedes to come and usurp a good part of the Empyre after having troubled it all Gustavus Adolphus having made himself Master of Livonia endeavoured to do as much with Prussia where he had powerful Correspondents When there there is not strength enough recourse must be had to shifts He entred unresisted with a puissant Navy took and fortified the Pilaw passed to Elbing which yeelded out of affection as also many other Places Onely Brunsbergh a Catholick Town durst make defence and was taken by constraint Takes many Towns All trembled between hope and fear love and hate and the desire of novelty seemed to prevail over ancient duty We desire saith the Poet alwayes that which is denyed us and labour to obtain that which is forbidden us I have heard some men of that Country worthy of credit affirme that if the King had drawn neer Dansick with the same bosdnesse and resolution that he did before Elbing it is very probable that the Citizens would have made their accommodation with him But opinion is as much subject to falshood as truth The River Wistule parts it self into branches the one whereof bathes Elbing and the other passes through Dansick and a little below it shoots it self into the sea Makes a Fort at the separation of the River The King lost no time but gained the Point and built a Fort there like that of Schenck at the separation of the Rheyn The River being thus bridled the Polanders who were wont to bring their corn to Dansick in certaine long Boats which they call Canes chose rather now to let it moulder and perish at home then carry it at a most vaste charge through their Enemies Quarters which caused a dearth in Holland and incommodated the Traffick so much that had this Warre lasted any long time it would have done the Spaniards businesse there The Polanders who boasted that they could easily drive out the Swedes made no great haste to put their Army into the Field The Polanders slight their enemies but were much amazed to see so many Trenches and the Townes which were lost half fortified in a trice There occurred many ambiguous Fights but the matter was never brought to a generall decision The Swedes made Warre after the Holland fashion and the Poles after the French and these were beaten before Strasburgh and those before Torn Generall Arnhem came to succour the Polanders but he brought them more hurt then good A truce made for six moneths In sine by the intervention of the Count d' Auanx Embassadour of France and those of the States Generall a Truce was made for six years to the great contentment of the Hollanders who were full of joy before by the gaining of Boisleduc which how it came to be taken the strength thereof making it held impregnable I will forthwith declare King Gustane being fortified by the relicks of the Polish Army marched back into Sweden to deliberate of the Germane Warre which was undertaken not by any Right but Usurpation and more for conveniency and jealousie then any justice at all Whatsoever other Princes do is lawfull merits praise and is put into the necessity of their affaires onely the House of Austria is guilty and culpable She must endure all and if the Lot of Warre favour her against such as presume to shook her she must not resent it but make a stop to her Victorie to avoyd the being accused of Usurpation The Empyre hath been too long in her possession it must be torn out of her hands though it were to be done by the destruction of the Catholick Religion and the fundamentall Lawes But great Preparatives call us back into Holland there is some huge Designe to which they are invited by the disorder of the Spaniards CHAP. VII The Siege of Boisleduc The Imperialists under Montecuculi joyne with the Count of Bergh who enters in Velaw The taking of Wesel THe Hollanders well knowing the Situation Fortification and Importance of Boisleduc were wont to say as by a common Proverb to demonstrate the small apparance there was of taking it I will pay you when Boisleduc is * Ours or of our Partâ— all which were called Gueuse Gueuse that is to say I will never pay you But the event hath manifested the contrary this Town having closely followed Rochell which was conceived to be unbesiegable in regard of the Haven But in this detestable Age there hath been nothing found impregnable for wickednesse being every where the Sword enters every where all gives way to Injustice and Impiety Nothing is able to resist insolence nothing so sacred but it is prophaned nothing so solid but it is moved and nothing so firme but it is broken The Prince of Orange seeing the Emperours forces employed in Denmark and Austria and those of Spaine a ground by the taking of the Indian Silver Fleet and carrying it to Amsterdam egged on from abroad and inflamed also with desire of taking this place by the very difficulties there were in it resolved after having maturely picked out all the circumstances to go a Maying there the last of April 1629. His Intelligences both within and without the Town were not small and the obstacles which offered themselves in bulke very great But considering that the greater the difficulties be the more luster they give to Vertue he slighted all Fortune forwards the stout The Siege of Boisleduc and hinders the timid He invested it with an Army of thirty thousand men and speedily finished his Trenches and Lines of Communication whilest they were disputing at Brussels who should command their Army Henry of Bergh General of the Army Count
Henry was chosen but he marched so slowly that he found the Prince too strongly intrenched for his defence to be possibly forced out For he had dammed up the Rivers and brought them round about his Fortifications in such sort as it was like a broad Sea And on the other side the Summer was so faire A dry Summer and so dry that it looked as if heaven had entered into contract with the Prince to give him the fruition of the Victory For had it chanced to be moist and rainy as it is ordinary in that climate their mills of so rare workmanship would have proved uselesse and Nature would have jecred Art out of countenance The Spaniards in the Velaw The Spaniards indeavoured to succour it in vaine which made them passe the Rheyn at Wesel to joyne with the Imperialists and the passage of the Isell being open and maintained with the sword gave them a fair prize together with the defence of some Companies which followed But the Prince drew out part of his Army which so well coasted the Spaniards that they made no remarkable progresse at all Never had they Fortune so favourable and never did they loose so many men as in that field not by the sword but by other inconveniencies Whereas had they gon forward at first they had found no kinde of resistance all the Country being full of fear and consternation The Prince stood so fast before Boisleduc that he could not be parswaded by the States of Guelders Overysel and Vtrick to quit the siege though it were to save the Country bidding them by way of answer to have patience and put all in good order c. that the enemy would give them more fear then hurt All which proved true for the Hollanders having taken breath and done all which was necessary for the defence of their Country with some of the licensiated Troops of the King of Denmark put the Armies to a sudden stand without either Counsell or courage upon the dry sands of the Velaw Yet howsoever Take Amersfort they were bold enough to attack Amersfort which not being tenible was forthwith yeelded and some other small paltry places near the South-Sea were attempted and not taken in regard their design was discovered before it was fit to be executed Besides to encrease the misfortune of the Enemies upon the nineteenth of August being a very fair morning Wesel was taken Wesel being surprised makes the Spaniards draw out and the booty of the Imperialists snapt which forced them to draw out of the Velaw faster then they went in without having so much as seen Amsterdam which was alwayes in their mouthes But the grapes were sower because the Fox could not reach them Count Henry retyred not to Brussells but to his Government and could not so well clear himself but that there remained some suspicions greatly disadvantageous to his reputation in the soules of the more clear-sighted men which were verified by the open retreat he made grounded upon slight and frivolous excuses only concerning the Kings service Boisleduc yeelds for want of powder In fine Boisloduc was rendered the Imperialists returned into Germany much lighter then they came and the Spaniards into Brabant almost half of them wasted by hunger sicknesse and disbanding not without loud murmuring and plainly cursing their General Count Iohn of Nasseaw left the passage of the Isel and the Prince went into Holland where he was received by all with marvellous acclamations of joy and unparallelled applause This Place being one of the most important the King had was taken for want of powder and a sufficient Garrison and the Prince on the other side having no want of mony commanded a Bank to be raised from Holland overthwart the Fennes or Marishes which cost the United Provinces much treasure and much hastened the taking of the Town besides that to say truth the Magistrates of Amsterdam were not backward to advance money to declare the zeal they had to the preservation of the Common-wealth Never did Fortune smile more upon the Spaniards with a more unhappy issue and never frowned more upon the Confoederates to give them a more glorious victory The losse of this most important place frustrated the Spaniards the hope of regaining Holland and served for an invincible Clausure to the Common-wealth for the future if we look upon the outside of it but it is subject to corruption in regard of the abundance of ill humours wherewith it is stuffed within as rising from the fenny grounds about it which yet easily are voyded by weak and slight physick as will shortly appear But let us now go see the conclusion of the Warre in France against the Hugenots and the ruine of that Party which gave the King means afterwards to shock the House of Austria and afflict his Neighbours CHAP. VIII The prosecution of the last warre against the Reformats in France The Duke of Rohan makes his Peace All the Townes humble themselves and throw down their Fortifications The end of the Party DUring the siege of Rochell that two Brothers namely the Dukes of Rohan and Soublse did all they could to succour the Center of their State moving even Heaven and Earth with the most zealous of the Party to save the Place from the shipwrack whereof it was in danger The one made insurrections every where saying that if the Town were taken all they of the Party would be massacred but the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Montmorancy charged him so often and so closely that he had almost ever the worst The other encouraged the English and urged them to make haste before the Damme were finished about which the French wrought with great ardour â—â—â—o reâ—sons retard the succour and good successe Two reasons in my opinion retarded the succour so long the one that they could not imagine that the said Damme at which they laughed would be able to hinder their passage and that being stronger by Sea then the French they should easily break all obstacles The other is that they would not relieve the Town till it were in extremity to the end that the Townesmen being for the most part starved or debilitated with hunger they might make themselves masters thereof and place a Colony of their own nation there to be ready at all times to incommodate France and awaken their old pretensions They who ask relicfe have one designe and he who gives it another Besides that it is also very credible that the Cardinal who was not ignorant of how great his credit would be after the reduction of this Place which was judged impregnable had corrupted the chief of the Counsell of England with mony that so the succour which was hastened by zeal might be delayed Whatever it were neither the great Arsenal nor the strength of the Bastions nor the Purse at Porrette nor the desperate resolution to die and to hang him who should first speak of yeelding served to any
a Captain and Cause sufficient to cover both this apprehension and the ambition also of some certaine people the former whereof they were resolved to finde quickly out though they were forced to goe seek him in the Ice and amongst the Deserts of the North and as for pretexts as well false as true they could not be wanting for since they were about to play their last Game they would hazard all and if they lost the consequence would be an universal Monarchie In the Treaty of Peace at Vienna the Embassadours of France promised that the French should not meddle with the affairs of Germany and yet there was another Treaty at Stockholne at the same time about an Allyance for the quiet of the Empire and a War against the Emperour But for the better understanding of what I shall say of that cruell fatality which hath made both Germany and all the Provinces neer it a kinde of a Church-yard it will very much import to make some short mention First of the quarrells and pretensions of the Emperours against France and then of the state of the Empire it selfe the Theater of the most destructive and deplorable War that ever was But there was a necessity in it to the end that the Prophesies might be accomplished nor is there any end even yet Henry the second seeing Germany in great combustion by jealousies drawn from the difference of Religion and being invited into Germany by the Protestants in armes against Charles and offered the protection of that Party and invited also on the other side by interest of State sent thither the Duke of Montmorancy with a puissant Army who seized upon those three Bishopricks by way of correspondence and would have done the same to Strasburgh if he had been able to get leave to march with his Troops through the Town as he had done at Metz. But the conclusion of a Peace between the Emperour and the Princes stopped the progresse of the French and made them return as Metz did that of the Emperour and forbide the Eagles any further flight Ferdinand the second having triumphed over all his Enemies whom the French by vertue of their Allyances The affront of the Bishop of Verdun had succoured with Councel Men and Mony and being irritated besides by the affront newly done to the Bishop of Verdun seemed willing to require satisfaction so to give exercise to his triumphant Forces and make War with better conveniencie and more advantage in Lorraine then in Italy At least the Cardinal was fearful least he should take old quarrels into deliberation again and send his Troops to replace the Eagle at Verdun which was beaten down to set ut the Flower de luce Wherefore for the diversion of this tempest and to make it burst upon Germany it self he complotted and projected with all his Allyances hoping the luck would turne and take away that Party The utility of those Allyances through France puffed up with so many Victories redoubted for greatnesse hated for the contributions by which it exhausted Germany and execrated for the redemanding of the Eeclesiastical Possessions which was executed about that time If this Dam were broken but by one single Victory of what a vast profit would it be to France The people would fall upon the Imperialists as they formerly did upon the Lutherans and so all that Party would be in confusion Lorraine and Alsatia would be but a Breakfast the three Ecclesiastical Electors would infallibly cast themselves into the King of France's armes thereby to shelter themselves from the fulminating fury of the Protestants and by consequence the Imperial Crown could not escape the head of his most Christian Majesty The Spaniards being shut up and deprived of succour from Germany would be easily droven out of the Low-Countries The secret Allyance and thus a certain secret Allyance which was discovered and miscarryed since that time would one day be a plank or foundation to the universal Monarchy This great Cardinal so admired and glorious after having broken the Hughenot Party succoured the Duke of Nevers in Italy and trodden upon the belly of the Savoyers prepared himselfe I say for this most dangerous designe disposed the Protestants to it by Father Ioseph in the Assembly at Leipsick Father Joseph at Leipsick and laboured earnestly for the destruction of the House of Austria as well knowing that it was better to prevent then be prevented and in what credit he should be amongst all such as sought the ruine of the Roman Catholick Faith and that of the aforesaid Victorious House But let us speak of the State of the Empire before this horrible tempest began to bruise it CHAP. XIII A Discription of the state of the Empire The election of the King of the Romans VVE finde in history that Charlemagne King of France Son to Pepin and Grand-child to Charles Mared going to Rome to defend Pope Leo was saluted by him to crown his merits and recompence his services Emperour of the West I will not here enter into the dispute between the two Nations of whether he were a German or no But sure it is that he was King of France before he was Emperour and the Germans themselves affirme that he transferred the Empire upon their Nation yea and that none can be elevated to that dignity unlesse he be born a German And so Maximilian of Austria being dead Charles was preferred before Francis the first King of France for that he was born at Gaunt a City of Low-Germany and the arguments of the Elector of Trevirs in the behalf of Francis were refuted and rejected Others alleadge that to save the West which was exposed to the excursions of the Barbarians by that remorenesse or slacknesse of the Emperours of the East it was transferred by the Pope upon the Gawles or French and that the race or Charlemagne coming to saile Pope Gregory the fifth transferred the Right of Election upon the Germans abolished the Hereditary and gave hope to Princes of vertue to be able to ascend to this charge which is the most glorious in the World The Emperours have been more absolute then they are at present and in the contentions with the Popes from whom they receive their Crown or at least their Confirmation they have been much disadvantaged Henry the seventh coming to die in Italy every several Town assumed to itselfe a peculiar principal in such sort as that the Emperours have had little there since save onely the bare Title Besides the same Popes have caused troubles in Germany on purpose to leave the domination to them there and cut off the opportunity of coming to rub up old quarrels in Italy Our Saviour indeed said that his Kingdom was not of this world and that his Apostles should not reign The Primitive Supreme Bishops declared it by the Crown of Martyrdom but some others spurred on by ambition have wrangled for another which both made them odious and their Authority
leasure to raise then Trenches retired into the Town which they had gotten but few dayes before Lamboy arrived with his Troops and the Infanto not being well in health Melo â—â—â—â—kes Ayre left the charge of the Army to Don Francisco de Melo and retired himselfe to Brussels La. Meillieraye hoping for no reliefe saved his small Army but could not save the Town nor his Artillery which were yeilded in the middle of Winter The discontentment of the Princes caused this losse and stopped the course of Victory for that Field There is alwayes some obstacle in the carrere of affairs and the water is selfe which beares the Vessel gives it some retardment The Duke of Bouillon made his peace and put his trust in a man who never pardoned for the more dead the fewer enemies but he repented himselfe of it before much time was past His Uncle the Prince of Orange laboured for this reconciliation and with much more ardour for his deliverance as we shall shortly shew The Cardinal Infusto's death The Infanto being arrived at Brussels gave now and then some likelyhood of recovery but God had otherwise disposed of him into whose hands he very piously rendred his Soul and the people being in much confusion were ready to knock the Spanish Physitians in the head for having let him too much and too often blood He was a most beautiful Prince of body and yet more of minde the delight of the Low-Countries which he left in extreame regret for his departure He was suspected of having intended to reader himselfe absolure Master of those parts and to make an Allyance of marriage either with France or with the Prince of Orange and yet this suspicion taking root in Spain was the cause of shortning his dayes God knows what it was but the least jealousies of State are irremissible offences Jupiter will not have the Gyants come up to his Throne These distrusts or rather these chimera's having no foundation or ground in reason disappeared and vanished before they were borne The Count of Soissons being killed very likely by treachery the Infanto dead and the Duke of Boüillon reconciled Cardinal Richelieu will overthrow the House of Austria our great Cardinal was delivered from a huge feare and therefore he armed potently to continue his ambitions Enterprises against the House of Austria but all in vaine for she will not fall said a certain great person but with ruâ—â—â— of the Roman Catholick Church or at least it will not be during his life True it is that he persecuted her with all extremity and without intermission and did her more hurt alone then all her enemies together He undermined her in her foundations and endeavoured both by his own writings and those of his Hirelings to perswade the World that she was full of Hypocricy and not truly Catholick A lye which lasts four and twenty hours makes great operation and wounds are not cured without scarrs He made her be painted with an immense ambition the reasons whereof our Subject commands us to pick out before we passe any further CHAP. XII Whether the House of Austria aspire to the universal Monarchy and whether the reasons of such as accuse her thereof be sufficient or no. Why France retains Lorraine AMongst all the Nations which combat the House of Austria at this time none does it with greater animosity then France indirectly by favouring her enemies and succouring them with men and money and directly by open war which was declared in the year 1635. Nay she hath yet other Arms which are not a little dangerous and which insensibly surprize such as have no other interest in their quarrels then that of Religion and Justice For she labours to perswade all Potentates that this House will not relinquish the designe she hath taken to ascend to an Universal Monarchy and to make the Catholicks belâ—â—ve that her zeal which seems to burne so hotly is but a painted fire But let us examine these two last points which stick so much in the braines of the World and cause so many evils and mischiefs as wherewith this last Age is so â—â—â—erably torne for the onely finding of the truth whereof we will answer those arguments of a certaine modrene writer The arguments of such as say that the House of Auftria aspires to the Monarchy First I find not in Ferdinand of Gastile any subject at all to believe that he had a mind to found an universal Monarchy because he discovered some certain Islands in America For his life was too full of vexations disquiet and jealonsies cast upon him by his Sonne-in-Law and Don Gansalvo to give him leave to think of a designe so ful of chimera's as this For we must secure what we have from peril before we seek more Charls the fifth is the principal object of his propositions and over whom he labours to triumph But I stay not upon words I come to effects which make us judge of unknown causes The advantage which Fortune gave this said Charles upon Francis his Competitour for the Empire made him obtain the Renunciation of the Fiefs or hereditary Titles which the said Francis had upon some Provinces in the Low-Countries though the restitution of the Duâ—chy of Burgandy the patrimony of his Grand-Mother Mary of Valois did not follow his promise The many victories he got in Italy Germany and Barbary crowned his head and more glorifyed his memory then amplifyed his States He bought the Soveraignty of Vtrick and the Dutchy of Guelders That of Milan was carryed by Arms and juridically disputed Had he aspired to the universal Monarchy he would not certainly have been diverted by some small crosses of Fortune but on the other side being some moneths elder then Henry the Great was when he prepared himself to give his Enemies a furious shake this great Monarch invincible to all but himself stripped himself of ad to choose a privat life His Sonne Philip found by the Warrs of the Low-Countries that his life would be too short to see the termination of them and as for his meddling with those of France the effects thereof have declared that it was more through passion of Religion then to acquire the possession of that Kingdomâ— unless by losing the hope of getting the whole we be voluntarily induced to render the parts we have gained If the said House being considered all together had had this designe she would have endeavoured to retain the conquests which she made in the North which upon occasion would have opened her the passage to other Besides that she hath always restored such States as she hath purchased by quarrels both in Italy and elsewhere in such sort as that I see not by what means and in how many Ages she would be able to reach to this pretended Monarchy But upon what Branch of this Family shal this Monarchy be placed Upon that of Germaty The Emperour Charles could not endure to see according to the report
prevented by the aforesaid Prince who made his Army march at one of the clock after mid-night and pitched his Camp near the said Weymarians in such sort as that Melo coming some hours too late durst not meddle with them and avowed that he had to do with one of the cunningest Captains in the world But whilest these things passed Baron John de Werdt returned out of France and shewed that he had not forgotten his Trade by the discontinuance thereof for in less then two months there were above two thousand horses sold at Colein which he had taken from the enemy Let us now pass into Catalunia and see the condition of the affaires of that Country commanded by Monsieur de la Motte Houdancour who so often beat the Castilians took so many Towns and succoured so many more that he deserved and had the Marshalls staffe The King and Cardinal went thither The great progresse of the Frénch in Catalunia and the French took Salces Perpinlan and all the County of Roussillion which had been formerly engaged to the Crown of France but was restored by Charles the eighth Monsieur le Grand had such an advantagious possession of the Kings favour at that time that the great Cardinal was alarmed by it and found himself ready to be cast out of the Saddell For he let the King know how necessary a Peace would be for his kingdom which was impoverished and exhausted by so many Taxes and Warres and had already disposed him to listen to an Accommodation with the King of Spain But he warped a Web into which he so involved himself that he was not afterwards able to put it off For they who recommended Peace were held for malefactors and worthy of death Monsieur le Grand beheaded and the Duke of Bouillon saved by whom Wherefore he was sent to Lyons with Monsieur de Thoii where they were both beheaded and the Duke of Bouillon had run the same Fortune had he not been saved by the high and sharp intercession of the Prince of Orange and the consideration of the Town of Sedan For the said Prince had newly preserved the Weymarian Army and rendred France a most remarkable service whereby he could not merit less then the safety of an innocent mans life The execution of the two young Lords aforesaid augmented the hatred which all the world bore this ambitious Cardinal yea and the King himself expressed some coldnesse to him The great Cardinals death which together with so many other inconveniences encreased his sickness and the fourth of December 1642 sent him to the other world since he had troubled this enough already Never did any man ascend to such an immense greatness and maintain himself so well in it His life was very like that of Seianus but their deaths were different this being naturall and that violent Don Alvarez de Luna rose very high but his fall was so heavy that it brake his neck Cardinal Wolsey disposed absolutely enough of his Master but his credit never passed the Sea but by sits and yet was he degraded before his death and in houtly expectation of the Hangman He was born at Paris of a noble extraction was well learned A brief relation of his life and took the Orders of Priesthood at Rome It is said that Pope Paul the fifth looking him once in the face told him That he would one day be the greatest cheat upon earth The Queen-Mother finding him a man of great wit procured him the Bishoprick of Luzon where he wrote a Book of controversie upon which she recommended him to the King her Son and afterwards to the Pope who sent him the Cardinals Cap and the taking of Rochel gave him so great an influence upon his Masters Mind that he left him almost the totall direction of his Kingdom He got himself shut of the Queen and all who favoured her cut off the Marshall of Marillacs head and destroyed all such as gave him any jealousie He never pardoned such as he had offended He was a most accomplished Politician beloved by the most zealous Protestants and hated by the most zealous Catholicks He made it his task to ruine the House of Lorrain by beginning with that of Guise as also that of Austria by labouring to conquer the Low-Countries so that he could not faile to be beloved by all such as hated the Church of Rome He is accused of having embroyled England to the end that for interest of State it might not hinder his seazing upon Flanders For an English Embassadour imputes to him the destruction of his King by most unjust and maligne practices and of setting all Europe by the eares in generall But he cannot be deprived of the praise of having done the Kingdom of France superlative services though it were with the huge oppression of the poor people A Polish Waywodt of great age and experience desired to outlive the said Cardinall to see what end he would have As he had done many people a great deale of hurt so was he alwayes in perpetuall apprehension and fear nor was there eyer Tyrant who lived in greater disquiet then he A great Volume might be made of the observations of his life which being wholly miserable was sustained but by a blast of ambition In fine whilest he was thinking to triumph over Europe his infirmities and troubles redoubled upon him till they made his soule go out of his wretched Body His death was lamented by few and such as had either feared him or fled from his persecution returned into France not to put on mourning but to give God thanks and repossesse themselves of their Charges and Estates CHAP. XIV The death of Lewis the Just The ' Battel of Rocroy The Battel of Dudling The Swedes enter into Holstein THe same Play was still acted under different names For they who had so much longed for great Gustaves death for the establishment of the Emperours Affaires were all amazed to see his Generalls accompanied by the same prosperity as if they had been destinated to consummate the begun-work Upon the other side many Princes and Townes openly favoured them in such such sort as the Emperours affaires weakened so fast to mens sight that they began to despaire of his redresse And so it was held for certain that that Great Cardinals death would cause a huge alteration in France and give the Spaniards the prize but it happened quite otherwise for the French defeated all their forces before Rocroy Let us therefore confesse that it is the Almighty who governes all changes destroyes subverts and augments States both when and how he pleases and that for the bringing of this Great All to an end he permits the Destruction to be Universall and the Confusion Generall Lewis the Just being arrived at his good City of Paris quite altered with the toyle and trouble of his long journey and extremely sad and melancholy began by little and little to lose his health and
easily annihilated and then the Conquerours would have all or nothing The Plempotentiary-Embassadours had already treated at Munster and Osuabrugh the space of four years when it pleased at length the Father of light to dissipate the darkness of ambition and to send back peace into poor Germany which was so much tottered dispeopled and desert that it was not any more to be known The Tragedy both began The war begun and ended in Prague and ended in the City of Prague Great God grant this Peace may last tul the coming of thy Son our Lord Amen It is here to be marked that after the death of King Gustave of Lewis the thirteenth and the Landgrave William the Daughter of the first and the widowes of the two others continued the war against the Emperour by their Generals with so great constance prosperity and glory that he had very little less trouble and loss then he had before Moreover the hatred which the Conquerours shewed towards the Hollanders for the Composition which they had made rendied their design evident enough The Peace was conlud d ordered and signed at Munster and the Instruments there of sent to the principall persons concerned to be ratified which was effected and a Diet convocated at Nurembergh The Peace made at Mâ—â—stâ— 1649. there to treat about the restitution of Places and the disimission of the Armies as also of the meanes to content the Swedish Militia Such as had their swords in their hands were not ill handled The kingdom of Bohemia was declared Hereditary to the House of Austria and put out of dispute with Silesia and Moravia The upper Palatinat and the Electorall Dignity to the Hâ—use of Bavaria The Crown of Sweden retaines Pomerania except only that part which is called the Hâ—nder-Pemerama and the Archbishoprick of Bremen which is secularized into a Dukedom Item the Town of Wismar The gain of the Conquerours and Meckelemburgh The Marquis of Brandenburgh hath in recompence the Bishoprick of Magdeburgh which is also secularized and some other besides There are most ample Treatises written of this Peace to which I reser the Reader but I will first tell him that there are eight Electors and that the Prince Palatin is re-established in the lower Palatinat France hath Brisack and a good part of Alsatta with the renunciatton of the Empite to the pretensions of the Bishopricks of Metz Thoul and Verdun The Complaints of the House of Burguady and the Duke of Lorraines affairs were remitted to a particular Treaty between the two Crowns Thus ended the great Revel or Dance in Germany which lasted about thirty years wherein all the Nations of Europe had their pate Thus was the Emperour Ferdinand the third delivered from so many troubles and vexations who sits yet at the Helme of this noble Vessel Thus every body was contenred in apparence at least however there be some who could have wished to dance longer Thus was the Maske laid aside and the design of the French and Swedes discovered who vanted that they took Arms only for the liberty of Germany Thus were the Germans in excessive joy and in some care also to finde mony to pay the Charges content the Minstrills and the Dancers and take their leave Let them go to Nurembergh so weary with having danced so much that they can hardly stand upon their feer and let us transport our selves into Italy to see whether that prudent Nation dances with better grace and more judgement CHAP. XXV Pope Vrbans death The wars of Italy and Catalunia THe war which was made upon the Emperour by the Swedes had so divided the people of Europe that there were very few persons to be found who shewed not themselves either glad or sad upon the issue of any remarkable Battel The Lutherans who looked upon it only for the interest of their Doctrine were afraid least if the Emperour grew victorious he should deprive them of the exercise thereof by a Reformation and retake from them all the Ecclesiastical Lands and Possessions The Catholicks guided by zeal were inwardly afflicted at the decline or decay of that Great House which alone sustained the hatred of the Protestants and could not forbeare to murmur and cry our aloude against Pope Vrban The Complaints of the most zealous Catholicks whom they conceived to be tyed to the Interests of France How is it possible said they that the Common Father of Christians should either by secret agitations plot the ruin or resist the designes of a House by which he is so powerfully propped She hath raised a just quarrel both for her own interest and that of the whole Clergy is grown odious to the contrary Party and bath hazarded her States And not with standing all these essential reasons he depended wholly upon Cardinal Richelieu What can he expect after the destruction of the Empire but another inundation of the Goths in Italy who will sack Rome and evert the Holy Chaire He prefers the advancement of his Nephews before the care of the Church whilest the Protestants and some feigned Catholicks are labouring to abolish and overthrow her The praises which the Protestants gave him by saying that he was a most learned and able man and a good Politician and that he did very well to contribute to the humbling and abasing of this House which if she could once come to her end would make but a simple Chaplaine of him and take away part of his Authority augmented and grounded their complaints yet more But he in despight of all these noises Pope Urban affellionate to France leaned alwayes towards France For the interests of States enter as well into the Conclave as those of the Church He forbore not for all that to exhort the Princes to Peace and to promise Ferdinand some succour whereof there appeared some effects now and then This unhappy Age could not produce but miserable fruits since the Ecclesiasticks as well as the Seculars forsook Gods Cause to serve their own irregular Passions and evil Customes Some instead of quenshing this fire kindled it on every side and in Italy it selfe yea they were the Minstrills themselves of this Universal Revel or Dance The Cardinals the Minstrilis of the great Ball. which hath violated the Church and her Sacraments destroyed the Theological and Cardinal Vertues and utterly extinguished Christian Charity This good Pope left this mortal habitation the nine and twentieth of July 1644. after having held the Chaire about two and twenty years The Popes death 1644. a very knowing man and a goot Poet. A little before his decease he had almost all Italy in arms against him for the Dutchy of Castro and some other pretentions of divers partyes but by the King of Frances intercession all was accommodated for this war being dammageable to the Catholick Doctrine and advantageous to the Protestant was quickly lulled asleep and so St. Peters Ship hath not quite made Shipwrack yet by the tempest of scandals
The Duke of Bouillon goes to Rome The Duke of Bouillon being forced to make a change of Sedan for another piece of Land went secretly with his wife out of France and so to Rome to Command Pope Vrbans Army but he arrived there after the Peace was signed In this quarrel of State the Treasures of the Church were consumed and scandals took also their place Cardinal Pamphilio being seventy two years old was elected to the Holy Chaire and the Faction of the Barbarins mistically overthrown Cardinal Pâ—mphilio chosen Pope For the succour demanded of the King of Spain being refused and a Victory gained upon them near Pâ—tigliano Te deum was sung at Florence and other places The loss of Tortona by the French a strong place which opened the passage from Milan to Genna 1643. was recompenced by the taking of Trino and Pontestura and the same year Piccolomini extorted Mouzon from them also which much incommodated the Arragonians notwithstanding the dammage which the Portuguezes put upon the Castillians by a puissant diversion This great General after having given markes of valour as well in Spain as in the Empire repassed with much danger into Flanders where Affaires required his presence In this conjuncture the Mores were desired to fall upon the King of Spain who as it seems had not Enemies enow yet They did it The Mores besiege Oran and are beaten and besieged Oran but twelve Gallyes made them repent of thrusting themselves into the Dance and abandon the Siege together with the desire also of dancing any more But the Portugnezes had better luck then these Barbaâ—ans in a certain Encounter wherein being routed and the Conquerours upon pilladge they raylled defeated them and killed above fifteen hundred of them upon the place Te Deum sung at Madrid and at Paris The great Victory gotten upon the French before Terragona and Lerida which were retaken by famine caused Te deum to be sung at Madrid at the same time that it was also sung at Paris for the taking of Graveling But very shortly after both Courts put on Mourning for the death of the Queen of Spam Sister to Lewis the Just and the Count of Harcourt went to take the Place of Monsieur de la Morte who was fallen by these losses so farre into disgrace that all his former gallant actions were not able to maintain him as if forsooth it were possible to be alwayes a Conquerour and keep Fortune in a chaine But he who governs all things disposes also of Victories as he pleases For this brave Count before he came thence experimented the same disgrace and the same lot and had enough to do to save himselfe from the Conspiracy of the Catalunians and such others as envyed his glory The French who had won so many Battels taken so many Towns subdued so many Provinces and refused so advantagious a Peace had the same luck which their Generals had and saw their Enemies again in the heart of their Kingdom When a worke is done it is easie to finds out faults Harcourt having by his presence and a strong succour put thing in security besieged and took Rosa after such a defence as made him in doubt of a good issue Harcourt victorious in Catalunia passed the River of Segra beat the Enemy almost as oft as he durst shew himselfe and made Te Deum be sung as often at Paris as the other Generals did who were in Flanders He took Balagüer by an admirable chance repulsed his enemies who endeavoured to relieve it and sent the fright even to the very Gates of Madrid The Spaniards hands were benummed with blowes and their eyes dazled by the glory of so great a Captaine and some Towns in such confusion as is ordinarily brought by tumult But let us see how they do in Italy Prince Thomas having seized upon Pontestura made St. Ja and Vinguevano also submit Prince Thomas in Italy the Spaniards not being able to exceed the terms of a Defensive War But this prevident Nation defended the blowes by retyring and craftily gave way to the heat of the French expecting in the coole thereof an occasion to hurt and take revenge The Barbarins being hated by the Pope and necessitated to give account of the Treasures of the Church The Barbarins disgraced besought the favour of France from which they were not fallen but to return with more splendor and obtain her protection But Cardinal Anthonies flying away with vast Summs of money so much kindled the choler of his Highnesse that he stopped his eares to all such as interceded for their reconciliation slighted the menaces which came from beyond the Mountaines and the reports which would needs make him passe for a Spaniard In effect he disapproved the Allyance made with the Enemies of the Catholick Church whose interests he embraced with more zeal then his Predecessour This mist troubled the serenity of Italy and made the French arme and lay a Siege both by Sea and Land before Orbitello But they were beaten upon both Elements Cebitello besieged 1645. Monsieur de Breze's head taken off by a Canon-ball and Prince Thomas compelled to raise the Siege in confusion They complained of the Pope for his having permitted the Neaples Forces to passe through his Countries to which he answered that he had done them the same favour This losse was repaired in the year 1646 by that happy Captain La Meilleraye who having fitted the Fleet went and seized upon Piombino and Portolongòno which he fortified Lerida besieged The Count of Harcourts eyes being dazled by the charmes of smiling Fortune went and laid Siege before the strong Town of Lerida and assaulted it violently but the great resistance of the Garrison and the difficulty he found to mine made him resolve to take it by Famine The Governour to spare his provisions sent all the women and children out of the Place who almost all died with hunger in the ditches A great cruelty though it passed for a feat of war for a necessity of State and for acquisition of honour But behold the inconstance of this imaginary Goddess They who had been so often knock't by this great General recollected themselves and ventured to affront him in his Trenches out of which they beat him after the third assault and made him leave Camp Canon and Baggage with a great number of dead men and prisoners behinde him This Attack was made the twentieth of October by the Marquis of Leganes Is suçcoured by Leganes the French beaten who had express Command either to succour the Town or to die in the attempt This mischance was followed by another at Sea where twenty French Gallyes were beaten by seventeen Spanish and near two thousand French perished in the Combat In fine Harcourt obtained leave to return into France and the Prince of Condè succeeded to make Shipwrack of so many Victories as well as he against that inchanted Rock which was as
time till the Queen being supplicated to release them was content to grant it And thus Appeased was the first bout which was but precursory to greater evils past and a calme restored to that little world for three or four moneths It is very reasonable say the Strangers that the Shop where the Counsells of so many wars had been forged should feel a part of the Calamities by which Europe hath been so miserably tottered but the mischiefe falls upon the heads of the innocent Strange effects of the Divine Providence which leaves nothing firme and stable in this detestable Age and nothing unpunnished though deferred Let us passe to the second much more dangerous then the first The Queen together with the King and Princes went out of Paris upon the fifth or sixth of January at night 1649 which clandestine retreat The King goes out of Paris which causes a tumult gave the Inhabitants such an Alarme as imagining that she would revenge her selfe of the former Commotion that they took arms again with as much heate as they had done before and raised forces to conserve themselves under the command of the Duke of Beaufort Elbouf and Bouillon as also the Marshal de la Motte and their chief General was the Prince of Conty The King raised some also and there came many to him from all parts to reduce this great City to reason he had already seized upon some approaches and some hot Skermishes were made in one whereof The pretended Duke of Rohan killed His education that pretended Duke of Rohan was killed of whose education the Reader will be pleased to hear a word or two as I have been able to learne it Being yet an Infant he was carried into Holland by a certain Captain and put to nurse to a Country-woman in North-Holland where together with his milk he sucked in the love of the Roman Catholick Religion When he was grown pretty big he was sent to the Latin Schooles at Leyden but with so little care that he was as it were quite abandoned and almost reduced to the extremity of betaking himselfe to learne some Trade During this small state and low condition he told his School-fellowes and namely my sonne that he remembred well that he was come of a good House and that he well knew that he was the sonne of a French Gentleman He went publickly to the Sermons and privatly when he could to Masse which being come to the knowledge of some to whom he was recommended without knowing who he was they forbid him to go to the secret Assemblies of the Papists But in fine the vizard was taken off and the Dutchesse of Rohan acknowledged him by Letters for her sonne sent him men and mony to set up his Traine and bring him into France where he soone sound his grave for a Pistoll bullet decided the sure and the doubt of whether he were the true sonne of the deceased Duke of Rohan or no. Paris was in a more dangerous State then it had been in a long time before for the King held S. Dennis Mewdon Corbeil and Lagny so that to get out of one extremity recourse must be had to another and that to the uttermost parts of the Kingdom I mean they were faine to implore assistance of their Enemies which being favourably offered they received it The Arch-duke goes to sucour Paris 1649. The Arch-duke Leopold promised to succour the Parliament against the Perturbatour of the Peace and quiet of Christendom for so they tearmed Cardinal Mazarin with whom he refused to joyn in Arms to his own great advantage and the ruin of the Partsians Wherefore he departed in March 1649. with very good order in all parts where he passed but with discontentment to his Army which marched in the Enemies Countrey with their hands tyed without receaving mony or daring to take any thing from the Peasants Goodnesse is sometimes dammageabe and to spare ones Enemies is to give them will to hurt him and deminish his strength Cardmal Mazarin seeing the Arch-dukes approach and Parliaments care for the remedy of the disorders which threatned the Kingdome with a great breach gave way to this sterme which being once joyned might come to destroy him So that the Peace was made all those insurrections were pardoned and Leopold found at the bottom of this businesse what the Duke of Lorrain had told him before For he was advised to retyre with all speed for fear least his passage were stopt A considerable favour indeed for having saved Paris from ruin with the losse of almost two thousand Horses which dyed for want of sorrage This deceipt was imputed to the necessity of the rime which when it hath any ground passes for craft for otherwise The peace made it is but meer malice Parisians it will be payd you and your inconstance will be chastized for the busines will not be forgotten The Arch-duke being amazed at this piece of levity speedily retreated towards his borders Ypers besieged and gave the Marquis of Sfondrato order to invest Ypers which he did the 11 th of April with incredible diligence having taken some Forts which facilitated the succour of the Town from Dunkerk but he found more to doe then was imagined for they of the Garrison being in number three thousand having thrust out some fifteen hundred inhabitants such as were most suspected and shut up the Magistrates the Clergy and some of the Nobility in a Cloister til the Tragedie were finished made their Artillery sound lowde and their blowes fall heavy in many sallies and especially in that of the 24. of April when they went and beat up the quarters of the Spaniards which was a most glorious action for had the succour been ready the Town had been infallibly delivered from the Siege In fine after having well defended the Countersearpe and a Half-Moon they yeelded themselves up the eighth of May Renders it self the eighth of May 1649. after having consumed their powder and the Garrison in respect that it was Sunday went out the tenth which was Tuesday St. Venant submitted at discretion the sixth of April and the Garrison were made prisoners of War The French Army made Rendezvous between Perone and Guise being a body of five and twenty thousand effective men under the orders of that fortunate Warrier the Count of Harcourt who knowing that the Spanish Troops were scattered and dispersed marched with speed incamped and intrenched themselves before Cambray Cambray besiged and tâ—â—en This un-thought-of surprize did not a little puzed the Arch-duke who contracting all his forces hastened with the Duke of Lorrain to succour the place and so having put in a supply he obliged the Besiegers to raise the Siege This done he sent his Army into Garrison and the French out of revenge for this affront fell into Hennawlt took Conde and asked both that and all the whole County in such manner as if they had had no intention
yet shewed themselves again so distinctly that they were able to discerne the Ropes and Cables Last of all they saw the great Vessels again which they had discovered first These visions lasted about three houres A Lyon on the North side of the Ships performed the last Act under which there appeared animals of different shapes which turned into Ships The Parliament of England being grown formidable by Charles Stewarts expulsion whom they quite expelled the Island and by the conquest of the Kingdom of Scotland was much intense upon War and desirous to diminish the traffique which hath inriched these united Provinces as by taking the Ships which they met either at Sea or came into their havens and then by giving Letters of Mart. The begining by Letters of Mart. Whereupon the complainrs of the Holland Marchants obliged the States to send their Embassadours to acknowledge them for a Free Common Wealth to renew friendship and to redemand their Vessels taken The first point pleased them and the second was payed with silence and the third differred as never to be granted The Propositions which they made the said Embassadours were so high and beyond their expectation that the High and Might Lords resolved upon War Whilest these things were in agitation there hapned an encounter betwixt General Blake and Admiral Tromp about striking The first attak wherein Tromp was so briskly received that he had much adoe to get handsomly off leaving two ships behind him in the possession of the English This action hastened the returne of the Embassadours and set the States on work for the fitting of a second Fleet which was retarded by the wary Hollanders out of hope of composing the difference by representing the necessity of a good harmony betwixt the two Nations They wanted neither strength courage nor convenience to hurtâ— but other considerations made them seek an accommodation which these new Republicans rejected Mousieur Spiring the Embassadour of Sweden used all diligence to prevent the States Embassadours departure Every one goes into England to acknowledge the Parliament and encouraged them to acknowledge England for a Free State The Title in his Letter of Credence not being well adjusted he met with some little difficulty yet nevertheless obtained Audience but death taking him soon away deprived that State of a great friend After the Spanish Embassadour had acknowledged them every body hastened to the Offering as fearing to be the last Only France seemed not much to care but after having suffered a very rough check she at last came as we shall shortly demonstrate But we must yet make another great circuit before we conclude our Work CHAP. XIII The miseries at Sea caused by Pirats The present state of Norway Denmark Sweden Poland Hungary Germany Italy Spain and France c. HItherto we have seen the wars begun and caried on first for the authority and occupation or seazure of Countries under the princtpal pretext of Religion and then there hapned so great a Hotchpot and such a confused variety by the shuffling together of so many different Allyances and deceiptful practices that this precicus Cloak being grown quite thred-bare could be no longer worne and therefore the hatred of Nations and old quarrels must now be brought upon the Stage Indeed if according to the saying of Tertullian by forging so many Religions there grow at length to be none at all left with the like foundation may I also say that by making so many various Allyances which are so easily broken and so dexterously patched together again there is no Allyance at all I have to do said a certain Monarch with a bordering people which never keep their Faith but when they perceive no occasion to hurt me By this it is that there is so much trouble to make a peace and they who labour to joyne the two Parties finde so much difficulty and repugnance in regard of the indelible distrusts and jealousies between them that they cannot accomplish it Sea-Rovers Besides that there have alwayes been Sea-Rovers who as The The eves hidden in the Woods and Forrests have surprized passengers and laid wait for the Merchants Ships and at present we see whole Fleets the Sea loaden with Vessels to attacke not by stealth but open force the said Merchants Ships and the men of War also which accompany them Some years agoe the Sea was free and safe enough but now there are more and greater dangers there then there ever were by Land Let us passe through the North and end our Carrer in England The Kingdom of Norway being secured by its poverty feared not the year before nor this present year neither the war wherein the King of Denmark seemed ready to involve himself Thirty English Ships stopt in Denmark For he redemanded the Portion of his Aunt Anne Queen of England which being refused he stopped and confiscated some thirty English Merchant Ships and made a streight Allyance thereupon with the States of Holland for their Common Interests That Libell which was made in Sweden being washed and wiped off with the blood of the Authours thereof all was there in good order and diligence was used for the setting out of a little considerable Fleet which gave the bordering parts so much jealousie that King Frederick sent his Embassadours thither who returned with a good answer A Spanish Resident at Stockholme There was then a Spanish Resident at the Court of Sweden who treated secretly and the affairs of the last Assembly were conducted there so occultly that there was no light at all to be found thereof But true it is that Silence is the Soul of great Expedtions Livonia was well guarded against the invasion of the Polanders and the Treaties at Lubeck between them and the Swedes produced no good operation at all so that the Embassadours retired to the great displeasure of such as meddled in them The Muscovits did nothing in a long time which deserves to be noted here But the Polanders felt as well as the rest of the Nations of Europe the Rod of the Almighty by pestilence inundations and wars which continue even yet against the Rebellious Cossacks under the direction and authority of King Casimir The accidental fire which was like to burne the young Princesse was taken as an ill augure by such as were curious but the Kingdom is yet in vigour and the Armies in condition to ruin their enemies The Turks and Tartars made some irruptions into Hungary which gave both dammage and fear by the marching of some Troops but at present the Peace is exactly kept The Empire enjoyes the Peace made at Munster and every Prince labous by the offer of fair Priviledges to revive both his Country and the Religion he professes The Emperour who shewes that he took the redresse of the Empire more to heart then the preservation of his own life assembled all the Electors the last year at Prague The Electors at Prague 1692. and courted
Citizens who were killed by Musket-shot was like to have put that illustrious City into a deplorable confusion The English not content with taking their ships attacked and took also many other vessels which go every yeare to catch Herrings and other fish so that they hurt and do yet hurt this Republick by all the means and ways they could or can devise The Propositions of the English not receivable The Propositions which they made our Embassadours were so high and unequall that they sufficiently evidenced their design against this Common-wealth the principall whereof was this That we should enter into a League Offensive and Defensive with them and that we should make all their enemies ours c. Points of most dangerous consequences But let us go further CHAP. XVI The English attack the Convoy of the Fishers Tromp returns to Sea and findes Blake The Tempest separates them and he comes back into Holland De Ruyter attacks Ascue Van Galens Victory before Ligorne The English take all without distinction Tromp safely conducted the Fleet into France Divers combats Tromps death Cromwell and his Exploits The Diet at Ratisbone The Election and Coronation of Fetdinand the Fourth King of the Romans VVhen Nations cannot be reconciled by all kinds of reason and justice war must be endured The Astrologors foretold this in the observation of that Comet of the year of 1618. and that of the year before and advertised us that the wrath of God was not appeased The States having received the troublesome news of the taking of those ships of war which accompanied the fishermen gave order to attack the English by way of retorsion The Fleets at Sea Tromp departed in July with resolution to make the English repent their having neglected and slighted the Hollanders friendship and espying Sir George Asene in the Downes with a Squadron of Ships was not able to bear up with him by reason of the Calme and so going to seek Blaks in the North where some Vessels which came from the Great Indies were to pass he discovered him The prayers were said and the Onset begun A storm dammageable to the Hodanders 1952. but a great wind separated the two Fleets made the English retyre into their Havens and some of our Ships perish upon the Rocks and the rest were saved in Hitland and about forty came home with the Admirall Thus the Calme and the Tempest parted them two several times but de Ruyter going to convoy the Marchant-Fleet with forty Ships met Asonâ— with his Squadron and faced him so stoutly that he was constrained â—o â—â—treat into England and give him passage General Badiley bravely defended himself against twice his number of Ships in the Streights but being over-powred lost the Phanix which was after wards recovered by Captain Cox The Victory obtained afterwards before Ligorne by Admiral Van Galen was successful Van Galens Victory before Lavorno for three Vessels were taken and some other burnt yet was in some manner otherwise the said Admiral receiving his deaths wound in the engagement It very often chances that they who gaine the Battel have not the greatest booty for there are some who go out in Party and sometimes make their Fortune The Capes of Grip are certain particular persons who go to Sea with small Vessels set out at their one charge and they make huge profit and they lie at present about the Coast of England and cause much danger The conjunction of Vice-Admiral Witt Wittenson was rendred infructuous by the Cowardise of some Holland Captains who forgot their duty whilest the English performed theirs with great advantage by taking the Spanish mony which was destinated to pay the Armies in the Low-Countries and carrying it to London where it was stop't The English detaine the mony which comes from Spain and rever restored because there were some Holland Marchants Goods or Wares in the Vessels and albeit the instances made by the Arch-Duke Leopold and the Spanish Embassadours were heard they yet took no effect whereupon some have believed that they were but faigned but however it were they kept the mony and have served themselves of it The Rendeznous of the Ships near Rochâ—l 1653. The States considering the greatness of the danger gave all the Marchant Ships order to assemble themselves in a General Rendeznuous before the Isle of St. Martin near Rochel and there expect the Navy consisting of seventy six Men of War and eight Fire-Ships which departed the first of December under Admiral Tromps orders to convoy home the abovesaid Merchant Ships which were above three hundred all loaden with Commodities The English approached but came off with losse and returned into the Thames and so the Fleet arrived in France without any dammage But during these great Attacks the little War was carried on with much partiality and prejudice to the Marchants For the mitigation of Gods wrath and the diversion of his scourge from the United Provinces the States ordered prayers to be made every Weducsday at four of the clock in the afternoone all Shops to be kept shut and all negotiations forborne during the time of the Sermon Thus was the War indirectly mennadged upon this blew Element between the two most potent Nations that are at present or ever have been in all the North for the Dominion of the Ocean and for the retention of Trade None but the Sea-Monsters are able to render an account of all the brave Actions which are done there as being Spectatours of them The said States being advertised of the great preparation which their Enemies were making to attack Tromp in his return with the Marchant-Fleet gave order for the speedy equipaging of some other Ships to go to meet him but they were hindred by contrary windes The Navall Battel which lasted three dayes 1653. Tromp being arrived near Bolein discovered the English Fleet and a little after began a Battel which continued three dayes the most furiously that could be Nothing was feen but fire and flame and one would have said that the Ocean was become combustible and had taken the nature of the contrary Element The Land had been already sufficiently steeped in blood and now the Sea must be also coloured with it The indignation of that just God extends it selfe upon all the Elements malediction is upon the Land and upon the Water The end of the Combas was that Tromp retreated into Calais Road and brought back the most part of the Fleet into Holland all which the English thought to eatch though they were faine to becontent with the taking of some Marchant Ships and some Men of War and with letting the Hollanders see that they had to do with most generous and redoubtable Enomies But our Admiral had two difficulties to overcome the one to charge the Enemies in their retreat and the other to guard the Marchandise When a Shepherd sees many Wolves coming to attack his flock he keeps it behinde him and cannot serve
how much apparence soever there were of repaying the affront received before it the precedent year The time passed in contest the Garrison of the Town reinforced and the Knight after two dayes sickness The knight of Guises death dead which death for the Violence thereof was suspected of some malignity as well to the Soule as to the body The suddain deaths of great persons give occasion of talke but those of mean ones are put into common necessity However it be one of his Masters drew profit from it and the other disavowed it Commandments are dangerous to such as execute them for not having their Commission in writing This unforeseen accident amazed such as were cleer sighted filled his most illustrious House with mourning cansed great alterations and designes which made more noyse then effect During these irresolutions the Arch-duke departed from Brussels and arrived at the Army neer Cambray to advice how and with what advantage the Field should be finished The siege of Rocroy Rocroy glorious by the defeat of the Spaniards was a subject which deserved to be brought under obedience wherefore the resolution was taken to besiege it and the French who had coasted their enemies to the Frontiers without hazarding any thing went and incamped themselves before Mouzon And of Mouzon I will say nothing in particular of these two Sieges though I were present at one of them but that Heaven being angry to see the two most generous Nations that ever bore the Christian Name ceased not to outrage or vex one another to their mutuall disadvantage powred down so many teares and the windes raysed so many stormes Ill weather that both men and horses felt excessived stresses It parted the victorres to open their eyes for Rocroy which was the first attacked These two Towns renders themselves yeelded two dayes after Mouzon i. e. the thirtieth of September and the Armies being fatigated by the over much wetness of the season went to seeke shelter almost naked The French being very impatient and desirous to be lodged more at large unnestied the Garrison of St. Menehout and the Lorrains And St. Menchout conducted by their own Master the Duke went to affict the Bishoprick of Liedge The Lorraines in the Bishoprick of Liedge The small success of the three last Fields in respect of the great advantages which were promised by the disorder caused by the discontentments of the Princes of the blood at least a second Peace of Vervins made fools talke who open their mouthes when the wise or at least the wary a most usual maxime in these present times keep them shut There was a misfortune foreseen and it fel upon the Abbot of Mercy and the Count of Bassigny who were cast in prison The Count of Bassigay and the Abbot of Mercy prisoners and their imprisonment gave such as were curious ground to scrue into the cause thereof and made others believe that it would discover some great mistery for which the lovers of novelty longed much This first Thunderclap struck but one only steple but before it was dissipated it crushed a Rock which so many Mariners in this Sea of miseries both doubted and feared and against which so many Vessels made Shipwrack For the Liedgers took an Alarme as also a resolution to make an Allyance with the French against the House of Spain Which blow must needs be fatall to his Catholick Majesty if not prevented and Cardinal Mazarin ful of joy to see himself at the Helme of the Ship began to hope that the webs which he had woven in that Country would be more difficult to untangle then it was to unty the Gordions knot The Duke of Lorraine was sent for to Brussels taken prisoner and carried to the cittadel of Antwerp And the Duke of Lorrain Neither the exploits of Mas-Aniello nor the death of the King Charles brought more astonishment to all Europe then this detention which gave things another countenance brake the neck of many designes sent back the great Faber with his forces to Sedan and retained the Liedgers in their liberty which they were about to loose together with their Peace The Imprisonment of this Soveraign Prince smothered all his Counfels which seemed to be great and was taken for one of the strangest accidents of the time and discovered that he was beloved by almost no body He is suspected to have imitated the constable of St. Paul Suspected to imitate the constable of St. Paul and to have sought his profit in this pernicious War where he danced better then he did in the great Ball or Revel which was made at Paris 1642. France blamed this proceeding more for her own interest then for that of the Prisoner his Troops expressed so great discontentments and fell into such disorder Prince Francs arrives aâ— Brussels that it was needful to send for Prince Francis to put them into the state of obedience who having taken leave of the Emperour and all the Court departed from Vienna being well received and cherished every where and principally at Brussels where he arrived with his two Soanes Whilest the Count of Fuensaldania in busy about securing the Lorrains to his Masters service and assigning them good Winter-quarters to the great displeasure of the Inhabitants of Lile we will go down a little lower Promps last battail The last Battail in the moneth of August wherein the valliant Admirall Tromp lost his life proceeded partly from disgust by seeing the Enemies brave or domineer so long upon the Coast before the havens of Texel and the Moze hindring the going out of the ships obstructing the commerce The Hollanders who had made so many bravadoes throughout all the whole Ocean and imagined that the Lordship of the Sea belonged without controversie to them were even almost dead with spight and displeasure to see themselves so highly and grossely affronted even at their own doors This baâ—tail Isay whereof I have hitherto made very little mention declared in the beginning the addres of both Parties by striving for the advantage of the winde and at the end their generous and obstinate resolution to overcome The losse which the Hollanders sustained was of about fifteen or sixteen Vessels and that of the English little as to Vessels but many were extreemly indammaged on both sides In this surious fight as also in all the former the English Vessels by reason of their hight and their number of bigg Brass Gunns had almost the same advantage upon the Hollanders which Curasseers In which as in many former many Captaines did not their duty or Corsler-Horsmen have upon the Light Horse Besides that many Dutch Captains did not their duty in such sort as that the Hollanders reaped no other profit of their valour then that of removing their Enemies from their Coast and were forced themselves into the Texel The English considering in what equipage their fleet was and fearing the violent storms that
and would needs make others also believe that the States of Holland chose rather a way of Accommodation then to enter into a war which if it had proved successefull to them would have redressed Charles Stewarts affairs and his Nephews to the detriment of their Authority Others maintained that this Peace being utterly broaken the Country would quickly be lost Be it what it will mens passions have been so much the more discovered upon this matter as the liberty of speaking is greater in Holland then elsewhere A tumult at London raised by the Portugucles The tumult which was so temerarily excited at London by the Portugal Embassadours brother made him carry his head upon a Scaffold some moneths after and all issued so well for the great and most prudent Cromwell that he acquired together with the Title of Protectour of the Common-wealth of England the renown of the most acute Politician of this Age. For good successe made the Enterprizers admired gave the Protector full power and authority and left desolate Charles nothing but complements of compassion France the sanctuary of the afflicted France which hath alwayes vanted her self to be the Sanctuary of such as are poor and afflicted labours at present to strip her self of that glorious quality through a maxime of State She hath already felt the strength of the English Will have no war with the English by the loss of her ships and so knowes how dangerous this enemy is and the trouble she had in former Ages to pluck him out of her bowels Wherefore it is better to appease him by politick craft and comply with the Times The reasons then to fall into another war The motions are great enough yet in the Kingdom and it suffices to have the Spaniards for her enemies without drawing the English upon her back too We must sometimes kisse the hands of such as we would have farre enough from us for fear of irritating them And therefore it is that the King sent his Embassadour to London to acknowledge the Republick and treat of a good peace and settle Traffick The Lord Preâ—â—â—tour a great Politician General Cromwel hath expressed his incomparable dexterity in the mannagement of Arms in the direction of Affaires in his Allyances with strangers in dissipating the ambushes and treacheries which have from time to time been land against his designes and his authority and principally in the wars against the Hollanders And you shall now sce how he came to rise higher He assembled another Parliament some of the members whereof being inclined to him proposed one day in full Assembly that the burthen of the Common-wealth was too heavy for them and that it was necessary to impose it upon the shoulders of General Cromwell Some of them not approving of this change retyred secretly to shelter themselves from the contrary winds and the rest were dismissed by him and so the rest went forthwith to conferre that honour upon him congratulate with him and gave him the Title of Protectour England hat 's changed her Gevernment three several times which is not new in that Island and occultly the Soveraignty of England so that in a few years this said Island hath changed her government three severall times and yet leaves not to flourish and to be most formidable to all the powers on earth Some moneths before the dissolution of the Parliament the Kings youngest Son commonly called the Duke of Glocester was sent to Dunkerck in the condition of a private Gentleman with a summe of mony to defray his expences Whilest the Peace is treated at London with many dissiculties by the intervention of the Reformed Cantons of Swisserland and the recommendation of the Queen of Sweden we will take a turn through the North. The King of Denmark being fortified by the Allyance of the States-General and the jealousies which the King of Swedens Leavies gave him The King of Denmark fortifies himselfe being taken away had no other care then to keep his Subjects in arms to hinder all surprises and to intrench the Approaches at the same time when the scourge of God went ransacking all the Inhabitants of the North. At Stockholme Fortune manifested her Empire by casting for a time Count Magnus de la Gardia under her wheel Count Magnus de la Gardia disgraced and depriving him of his Mistresses favour but she was not so rigorous to him as she was to the brave Earle of Essex in Queen Elizabeths time in England Whilest this August Queen is disposing her self to do in the greatest vigour of her youth what the Emperour Charles the fifth did in his decline we will make an in-road into Poland Searce had King Casimir unlaced his Armour yet all stained with the blood of the Rebellious Cossacks The King of Poland attacked by the Muscovites when he saw himself oblidged to put his foot in the stirrop again to resist the Moscovits This Kingdom which had been so much afflicted by the excursions of the said Cossacks by Inundations contagious Diseases Partialities and Distrusts which are ordinary in Free Countries findes her self now in the necessity of making a Defensive War and the Natives to make resistance against a barbarous Nation which they have so often beaten and chased as far as the very heart of Russia and the very Gates of the Capital City Mosco But Changes are as well universal as Chastisements The death of that great Minister Mons de Brum In the beginning of the year 1554. religiously deceased at the Haghe that great man and most faithful Minister Monsicur Anthony de Brun Baron of Apremont and Ordinary Embassadour for the King of Spain to the States He was born at Dole in Burgundy had served his Master from his youth in very great affairs and nominatively in the General Peace at Munster Towards the Spring the Peace was concluded at London against the opinion of many and the news thereof was most agreeable to the Hollanders but when the Articles came to be published The Peace made between the English the Hollanders whereby the young Prince was excluded from all Charges or Offices it much troubled the Provinces and was like to cause divorces and great partialities in so much as the other Provinces set forth complaints and Protestations which were amply enough answered in a Manifest published by the States of Holland and which the Reader may see at good leasure But there were nothing but murmurations they taxed the said States with ingratitude and reproaches and slanders were scattred at random Is this the recompence said they every where of so many services rendred The Princes his Predecessours The cause of the murmurations in behalfe of the Prince of Orange spared not their blood nor their lives nor their meanes to purchase our liberty and in lien thereof we make Agreements so prejudicial to his Authority and so contrary to our duty Ah! what will not the Allyes of this