acces that notwithstanding he seems to cast the fault upon certain Counsellors yet all bounds upon her by reflection she declares that long before the reception of his Letter she had resolv'd and to that end there were public dispatches abroad to summon the Convocation of the States Generall she takes exception that he should call them Estats seurs libres States sure and free which made her conceive a violent jealousie of some artifice on his side to sow seeds of difficulties in the said great Assembly she alledgeth that from the beginning she imparted both to him and the Co of Soissons the mariage with Spain that they approved of them and subscribed the Articles That the late King declared his inclination unto it when Don Pedro de Toledo pass'd through France And so she concluds with exhortation that he wold appear in the Assembly of the three Estates and bring with him all his Confederats to contribut the great zeal they professe to the common good of the Kingdom The Queens Letter was large and in it there was a curious mixture of meekness and Majestie The Duke of Vendosme sent her also two Letters but he could get no answer to either Thus a fearfull black clowd hung over poor France which the Queen Mother essayed by all means possible to dissipat before it shold break out into a tempest of intestine War therefore the King and she descended to send again the Duc of Vantadour accompanied with the Presidents of Thou and Ieanin with others to draw Conde to a treaty of accord which at last was agreed upon and the prime Capitulations were these 1. That the States Generall shold assemble in the Town of Sens within such a time wherin the Deputies of the three Orders may safely and freely make such Remonstrances and Propositions that they shall hold in their consciences to be profitable for the common good for the redresse of disorders and conservation of public tranquillity 2. His Majesty being willing to gratify the Prince of Conde hath upon his prayer and instance and upon assurance of his future affection and fidelity accorded to put into his hands the Castle of Amboise as a gage till the States Generall dissolve and 100. men for garrison in the said Castle 3. That 100. men shall be entertain'd in Mezieres 200. in Soissons whereof the Duc of Main is Governor till the States Generall have risen 4. That Letters shall be sent from his Majesty verified by the Court of Parliament wherin his Majesty shall declare unto the world that there was no ill intention against his service by the said Prince and his Associats therfore that they shold be never prejudic'd for the future in their estates or persons 5. That in consideration of the expences the said Prince might be at in this business his Majesty accords to give him 450000. Franks to dispose of as he shall think fit 6. That the eldest sonne of the Duke of Nevers shall succeed his father in the Government of Champany These with divers other Articles of this kind the King was induc'd I will not say inforc'd to condescend unto for preventing of greater evils and it was call'd the Treaty of Saint-Menehou And one would have thought that a gentle calme should have follow'd and that the meeting of the States General would have perpetuated it But behold two ill-favor'd accidents like two impetuous puffs put things again in disorder The one was that the Duke of Vendosin would not put Blavet into the hands of the Marquis of Caeuures according to the Kings command but stood still upon his gard in Britany The second was an affront which Conde alledg'd to have receiv'd from the Bishop of Poitiers who would not suffer him to enter the Town as he pass'd to his government of Dauphine and secur'd the Castle of Amboise being sought unto by the Governor the Duc of Roanez to establish his authoritie there The Bishop arm'd first and the town after his example Conde writes a Letter to the Queen Regent which did not please her well for he subscribes himself only her thrice-humble servant and neveu whereas he was us'd to write your thrice humble and thrice obedient servant and subject The Marquis of Bonnivet a creature of Condes had not yet dismissd all his troupes therefore under his authoritie he harasseth and plunders all the Countrey about Poitiers sacks the Bishops House and commits many sacrilegious and execrable outrages The young King hearing this gets presently a Horsback and sends the Duke of Main before to stop the ravages of Bonnivet so he followeth after and passing by Orleans Blois Tours and Chastel le heraud a cautionary town of them of the Religion who notwithstanding presented the Keys to his Majesty as he pass'd he came to Poitiers where he reconcil'd the Prince of Conde and the Bishop caus'd Bonnivet to disband his forces compos'd of Picaroons and vagabonds Thence he went to Nants where also he rang'd the Duke of Vandosme to obedience dismantled the Fort at Blavet and so having in a short compasse of time compos'd and quash'd all things he returns triumphantly to Paris where an Ambassadour was attending him from Zuric who desir'd to enter into an alliance with him as the rest of the Cantons had This was the first exploit that Lewis the thirteenth did in his own person which like the rising Sun dispell'd those frog vapors that hover'd in Poictou and Britany and it was held a good augury for the future The presence of a King is oft-times very advantageous for Rebellion durst never stare long in the face of Majesty which useth to lance out such penetrating refulgent rayes that dazzle the eyes of Traytors and put them at last quite out of countenance With this achievment we will conclude his Minority and his Mothers Regency And as this first expedition of his prov'd lucky so was his whole life attended with a series of good successes as if Fortune her self had rid with him all the while upon the same horse And now must we put a period to the first lustre of Lewis the thirteenths raign and with it to his minoritie or bassage We proceed to his second lustre wherewith his majoritie begins being arriv'd to the yeer fourteen The second Lustre of the Life of Lewis the 13th raigne and of his Majoritie ANd now our Story must mount up to his Majority and follow him to his full age wherein he entred at fourteen yeers and the broken number of the Lords yeer was coincident being sixteen hundred and fourteen But I have read an old Author who writes that without any consideration had of yeers the French Kings arrive to maturitie and are capable to sway the Scepter when they come to be as high as a sword let their age be what it will In the former Chapter we told you that by vertue of the Treatie of St. Menehou the Queen Regent had promis'd and was oblig'd to the Princes by
capitulation to summon the States Generall and suspecting there might be some desseins against her authoritie she endevour'd to prevent it divers wayes First in the Mandats sent to the Governors of Provinces and Towns for the elections of Deputies there were speciall cautions inserted to choose no factious persons The second means was to defer the convocation of the States Generall till the Kings majority was declar'd that so his authoritie might be the more compleat and absolut whereby he might have a greater power to take into his hands her interests and oppose such resolutions that might prejudice them Lastly whereas the said convocation was appointed first to be at Rheims then at Sens she sent summons abroad that it should be held at Paris where the King was strongest by the residence of his servants the affections of all orders of people and the assistance of the ordinary Court of Parliament which is still there sitting though it was us'd to be ambulatory with the Kings Court. Now the difference which is in France between an Assembly of the three Estates and their Parliaments is that the former hath an analogie both in point of institution power and summons with our Soverain high Court of Parliament in England compos'd of Lords and Commons wherein the King sits as head and it is He alone who opens and shuts it with his breath This being the greatest of all Assemblies treats of matters touching the universall good of the State and the making correcting or repealing of laws and it is the highest Sphere which gives motion to all the rest The Parliaments of France whereof there are eight have not the same latitude of power yet are they Supreme Courts or Sessions of Justice where mens causes and differences are publikly determined in last ressort without any further appeale and any Peer of France by right of inheritance hath a capacitie to sit there The day being assign'd for publishing the Kings Majority the Queen Regent and He with his now sole brother the Duke of Anjou for his brother the Duke of Orleans was lately dead went in a stately solemn maner to the Court of Parliament accompagnied with the prime Prelats and Peers of the Kingdom and amongst them there were fower Cardinalls A contestation happen'd 'twixt the Cardinalls and Peers for precedency because the twelve Peers of France before an Ordinance made by Henry the third preceded any Prince of the bloud at the Coronation and Sacring of the King and the declaration of his Majority was an Act reflecting on that Yet the King inordred the priority for that time to the Cardinalls because they were Princes of the Church universal which made the Peers retire from the Court lest it might serve for a precedent to future Ages The Court being sat and all silenc'd the Queen Regent riss up and said That she prais'd and thank'd God to have afforded her grace to bring up her son to the yeers of his Majority and to maintain his Kingdom in peace the best she could That now he being come to age she transmitted the Government to him exhorting the company there present and all other his subjects to render him that service obedience and fidelity which is due unto him as to their King The Chancelor hereupon pronounced the Arrest of the Court importing a verification of the declaration of his Majesties Majority which was done in a solemn studied Oration This great solemnity did not end so but it was accompagnied with four wholsom Edicts as the first fruits or hansels of his raign 1. The first aym'd at a general concord 'twixt his subjects by strict injunction of observing the Edict of Nantes concerning them of the Religion 2. The second aym'd at a generall obedience prohibiting all ligues confederacy and intelligence with any strange Prince or State under pain of lifs 3. The third against Duells 4. The fourth against Blasphemy and Swearing Thus ended the Regency of Maria de Medici in form though not in effect for she swayed a good while after as Queen Mother in all Counsels the King reposing still his chief confidence in her during her Regency she did many public things which discover'd a pious and Princely soul Amongst others she provided divers Hospitalls in the suburbs of Saint German for the relief of the poor the aged and sick and to set young people at work which will continue there as long as the walls of Paris for monuments of her honour and charity The King having notice that the Deputies of the three States were com he sent the B p. of Paris to warn them in his name to fit themselfs for receiving the grace of God that so a blessing might fall upon their consultations to which purpose three daies fast was enjoyn'd them to prepare them the better for the holy Communion which was also inordred them So according to ancient custom a generall Procession was made wherein divers ranks of Fryars and Hopitalers went before then followed the Deputies of the third Estate who took place according to the rank of the 12. Governments of France and made in number 192. The Nobles followed them in number 132. They of the Clergie went last who made 140. so that in all they came to 464. which number I observe is inferior to that of the English Parliament where the Members of the House of Commons alone which corresponds the Third Estate in France come to neer upon 500. After these the King himself followed on foot accompagnied with the Queen and the Princes and Peeres The next day after all met in Bourbon House hall where the young King told them That having not long since declar'd his Majority he thought fitting to convoque the States Generall of his Kingdom to begin his raign by their good advice and Counsell to receive their complaints and provide for redres accordingly as it should be more amply told them by his Chancelor who took the word therupon This generall overture and Ceremony being ended the States Generall spent some daies to visit one another and to choosing of their three Praesidents or Prolocutors which they presented to the King with protestation of all fidelity and obedience The next day they took the Communion all in one Church going six at a time viz. two of every Order to the holy Table The Munday following they reassembled intending to fall close to work but their proceedings were retarded by some differences which interven'd touching the rank of the 12. Provinces or Governments and this clash kept a great noise till the King interpos'd therin his Authority and by the advice of his Privy Counsel which they submitted unto made this decision marshalling the 12. Governments thus 1. the Isle of France whereon Paris stands 2. Burgundy 3. Normandy 4. Guyen 5. Britany 6. Champany 7. Languedoc 8. Picardy 9. Dauphine 10. Provence 11. Lionnois 12. Orleans This being regulated by the King they fell to the main work and three Propositions were made the first by
litte hopes of its resurrection while the Clergy and Nobles continue so potent who finding that the third Estate began to tamper with the Popes jurisdiction and Church matters have wrought means to hinder their meeting any time these 30. yeers and upwards This yeer died Queen Margaret the last Branch of the Valois being come of the loyns of thirteen successif Monarks of that line a Lady of a rare attracting exterior bewty she had a high harmonious soul much addicted to music and the sweets of love and oftentimes in a Platonic way She would have this Motto often in her mouth Voulez vous cesser d'aymer possedez la chose aymée Will you cease to love possesse the thing you love She had lodg'd Henry Duke of Guyse who was kill'd at Blois so far in her heart that being afterwards married against her will to Henry the fourth and divorc'd by mutuall consent she profess'd she could never affect him she had strains of humors and transcendencies beyond the vulgar and delighted to be call'd Venus Urania She would have Philosophers and Divines in her House and took pleasure to hear them dispute and clash one with the other she entertain'd fortie Priests English Scots and Irish she would often visit hospitals and did divers acts of charitie to satisfie for the lubricities of her youth There was an accident happen'd this yeer in Paris that made a mighty noise for the time Two of the Kings gards having fought and the one being kill'd the other fled into Sanctuary to the Abbey of St. Germain The Duke of Espernon fetch'd him thence by force Complaint being made to the King he put him over to the Court of Parliament to receive his doom for infringing the Priviledges of the Church and commanded him to deliver the Prisoner again to the Sanctuary or he would fetch him away himself The old Duke did so and coming to the Palace to appear before the Parliament a ruffling company of Souldiers and Cadets follow'd him who did some acts of insolency against the Lawyers by kicking them with their spurs in the Hall where none should come spurr'd this aggravated the busines but the Duke made a long submissive speech to the Parliament wherein he acknowledg'd his error concluding with an apology that they would excuse him if his discourse did not content their learned eares for having bin all his life time a Captain of foot he had learnt to do better then speak The prime President then rise up and said That since the King in imitation of his Progenitors intends to be more inclin'd to sweetnes and clemency then rigor The Court by his expresse command and in consideration of your long services beleeving the good rather then the bad doth graciously interpret the actions of an ancient Officer of the Crown and Peer of France and so receives your excuses hoping that this will occasion you and your children to render the King and the State such services as you are oblig'd to do and for the futur that you will contain your self within the bounds of that respect and honor which you owe to this Court There was mention made a little before how the Assembly of the States Generall was dissolv'd and that having deliver'd their Cayers of complaints to the King they were dismiss'd but with large parol promises only We related also how the Arrest made in the Parliament of Paris in Confirmation of the opinion of the Third Estate touching the independency of the Crown of France was commanded by the King to be suspended and that nothing should be determin'd therein This gather'd ill bloud which bred ill humors and so brake out into divers distempers afterwards as will appear For as in the naturall body if upon taking of Physic the superstuities be onely stirr'd and not purg'd it doth more hurt then good and makes the drug to remain in the stomach undigested So in civil Corporations if abuses be only moved and not remedied it makes the body Politic worse then it was The Parliament of Paris was sensible how the Arrest wherein they concurr'd with the Third Estate was slighted and countermanded therefore they publish'd an Order that under the good pleasure of the King all Princes Dukes Peers and Officers of the Crown which are capable of sitting and have deliberative votes in that Court should repair thither by such a time to consult of matters tending to his Majesties service c. When this Order pass'd the Prince of Condé was promis'd to be there but he was counter-commanded by the King nor did any of the rest appear yet the Parliament went on and fram'd a Remonstrance of abuses in Government which by their Deputies they sent to the King and being come to the Louure they danc'd attendance there a good while and afterwards they were brought up by a back odd way to the Kings presence where the Queen Mother was also present and divers Princes The prime President made an oylie complemental speech full of protestations of loyalty to his Majesty and afterwards delivered the Cayer of Remonstrances which was read aloud by one of the Secretaries of State wherein the Parliament instanced in divers grievances and that they resented nothing more but that in the face of the whole State the royal power was rendred and left problematical and doubtfull The young King was not well pleas'd with this Remonstrance and the Queen Mother much lesse Who told them that the King had just cause to be offended with the Parliament because against his command they had meddled with matters of State and that she was not so short sighted but that she could perceive how these things reflected upon her Regency which they had formerly highly approv'd of and the Assembly of States General had also thank'd her for Then the Chancelor took the word telling them that they had bin misinform'd in many things which they took upon trust and that they were much out of their account in that they alledg'd that the expences were greater and the receipts lesse under this King then his Father who reserv'd but eight thousand liures every yeer not two millions as they pretended So the prime President and the rest of the Parliaments delegats were dismiss'd with little or no countenance at all The Counsell of State spoak high language averring that the passing of the foresaid public Order to invite the Princes and Peers to meet in Parliament upon extraordinary occasions without his Majesties leave was an open and insupportable attempt upon his authoritie now that he is declar'd Major as also upon the authoritie of that Counsell therefore an Arrest issued out That the Parliaments Remonstrances were false calumnious and full of malice and disobedience and that therefore they should be drawn off the Register of the said Parliament and suppress'd for ever with an inhibition that the said Court should not meddle with matters of State but by the Kings command Before this Arrest was publish'd the
she came he still mistrusted if she return'd to Court she would project some way of revenge c. The King came the next day in Coach with the young Queen his two Sisters and the two Princes of Savoy to the House where the Queen was and there was a compleat glorious Court the mutual demonstrations and postures of tendernes which Mother and Son shew'd at their first enterview melted the hearts of all the Spectators A few daies after all parted the King and his Queen towards Paris the Queen Mother to Anger 's and the Princes of Piemont put themselfs in their journey to crosse the Alps. A little after the Prince of Condé was enlarg'd and the King sent him this Letter by his Favorit My Cosen I will not tell you how much I love you you see it I send my Cosen the Duke of Luynes unto you who knows all the secrets of my heart and will open them unto you Come away as soon as you can for I expect you with impatience in the interim I will pray God to preserve you in his holy grace Lovis Luynes having taken his oath as Duke and Peer of France in the Court of Parliament he moved the King to perfect the number of the Cavaliers of his Order the Order of the Holy Ghost who being an hundred by the primitive institution were now diminished to twenty eight so there were divers more created to the number of fifty nine whereof Luynes two brothers Cadenet and Brande were two Luynes plot was to ingratiat himself hereby into the Nobility but it prov'd otherwise for the Competitors that were excluded grew to be more bitterly his foes then they who were instal'd Knights became his friends Much murmuring also was at his two brothers this Order being the next degree to bring one to be Duke and Peer of France As the Ceremonies of these new Knights were a performing the two Princes of the bloud Condé and Soissons being at Court as the King was ready to sit down at diner the Steward of the Houshold deliver'd the towell to Soissons to give the King Condé perceiving it would have had it from him but he would not part with it so they fell to high words one saying it was his right as he was prime Prince of the bloud the other as he was gran Master of France as they were debating the point in hot termes the King sent for his brother to whom the Count of Soissons deliver'd it so with much ado the King made them both friends upon the place and the next day many hundreds of Gentlemen appearing on horseback and offring their service on both sides there came out a strict Order from the King there should be no more stirring in the businesse It fortun'd about this time that the young Queen fell sick and there were extraordinary Offices of devotion performed for her recovery and a generall Procession Ordred where the whole Court of Parliament assisted in their red robes The Queen being recover'd she employed the fifteen thousand Crowns which the King had given her for a ball to works of Piety and Charity The Kings Exchequer was at a very low ebbe at this time whereupon there came out an Edict call'd the Bursall Edict which tended to raise money and the King mistrusting the verification of it by the Court of Parliament went thither himself in great state where the Lord Keeper made a speech a bout it The Prime President answer'd him boldly That the Court receiv'd violence to verifie such Edicts without any precedent deliberation that being well assur'd of the goodnes and justice of his Majesty the Court imputed this disorder to ill counsell and therefore desired the names of them who gave him this damnable counsell should be given up and registred in Parliament to be proceeded against accordingly Servin the Kings Advocat was more hardy saying That his Majesty did wrong himself to come to Parliament to authorise by his presence that which could not be done with reason and justice Yet the Edict pass'd and that afternoon the Court of Parliament was commanded to wait at the Louure where his Majestie told them That he was ill edified by their Remonstrances which he found very insolent The Lord Keeper told them That to some ill purpose they thought to separat the King from his Counsell by blaming the one and exempting the other for being inseparable the offence must bring the blow upon both together a thing not to be endured by a Soverain Prince who is to exspect punctuall obedience from his subjects so the prime President making a large apologie at last they were dismiss'd with recovery of the Kings grace The prodigious and violent promotions of Luynes in dignity power wealth and command made him the object of envy to some of hatred to others of amazement to all nor was he contented to hoise himself so but he must pully up his two brothers along with him so there was a kind of generall discontentment fomented in the hearts of the people which was aggravated by the late shift the King had made to get money and the clash he had with the Parliament of Paris so mens minds were susceptible and ready to receive any impressions of mislike against the present Government The Duke of Mayn had a particular discontentment that Cadenet afterwards Duke of Chaune which was erected into a Pairrie a Peership of France had maried the Heiresse of Peguigny whom he had sought for wife so he with divers other Princes started out and put themselfs in armes the Count of Soissons Vendosm and the Gran Prior of France his brother both naturall sons to the last King went to the Queen Mother at Anger 's who quickly entred into the league They of the Religion offer'd her conjunctive forces which she wav'd but the Duke of Mayn presently accepted of them which made his army swell to 12000. and upwards Hereupon the King sent the Duke of Montbazon to invite the Queen Mother to Court and to assist in Counsell but she excus'd herself by indisposition of body though it was only of mind He sent again the Archbishop of Sens unto Her with a second invitation to Court and he would meet her in the way as far as Orleans but she continued still distrustfull and jealous of some plot upon her thinking that Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit Auceps She inveighs bitterly against the present Favorits how they exhausted the Kings Tresure offended most of the Princes and dispos'd of all offices and honors making men of mean extraction lately Knights of the Holy Spirit and excluding ancient Gentlemen of merit these complaints she couch'd and enlarg'd in two Letters one to the King himself the other to the Parliament of Paris which the Court would not open but sent them to the King The discontented Princes grew daily more and more powerfull so it was high time for the King to get a Horsback which
to detain still the possessions of the Church 2. Others thought it was fit to give the King some contentment but in appearance only and to verifie the Edict assuring themselfs that it could never be put in execution it would meet with so many difficulties 3. Others thought it best to delay the verification to another time The King understanding that they were thus chopping of Logic and that the Synod also which was there then sitting did mainly resist the verification of his Edict He resolves to go thither himself though many disswaded him from the journey by reason of the uncouth wayes the sory lodgings the waters in some places poyson'd by Sorcerers and the scarcity of provision in the Lands of Bourdeaux But none of these reasons could deter the King therefore he prepares for his voyage and in the interim he sent a person of quality to the Rochellers to acquaint them with the Elusory answers which the Bearnois made to his commands and therefore he advis'd and requir'd them to have nothing to do in this busines They of Rochell little regarding what the King said but undertook the protection of the Bearnois The King being advanced in his journey neer Pau the Inhabitants sent to know how he would be receiv'd the King asked if there were ever a Church in the Town if there were he would enter as their Soverain if not he would receive no honor in a place where God Almighty had no House to be honor'd in so he entred without any Ceremony They of the Religion making three parts of the people forbore to send Commodities to Pau Market during the Kings sojourn there to constrain him to go away the sooner so that his train made hard shift to subsist all the while He goes thence to Navarrenz seven leagues neerer the hills a strong tenable place having 45. peeces of Ordnance and 40. Culverins the old Governor Bertrand de Sales sent the keys of the Town to the King where he peaceably entred contrary to all expectation he put in a new Garrison of French there and plac'd another Governor giving for recompence to the old 60000. Franks He also caus'd Masse to be sung there which had not bin done fifty yeers before so having settled all things at Navarrenx he return'd to Pau where the great Church which they of the Religion had turn'd to a Temple was restor'd to the Priests and two thousand crowns given for satisfaction In fine having cast the Church into its old mould and the Military with the Civill Government into a new and leaving a competent strength with La Force to preserve both he took post and came safely and triumphantly to Paris in a few dayes The Bearnois made their addresses to the French Churches and exhibited their complaints unto them and for their justification they alledg'd two reasons One was a possession of fifty yeers continued without interruption of those revenues the King had ravish'd them of The second was an Ordinance of the States Generall of Bearn confirm'd by a Declaration of Henry the Great to that effect The Roman Catholiks answer'd That for the possession they speak of it was violent and accompagnied with rebellion and felony Touching the Assembly of the States Generall which they urg'd it was altogether illegal because the first and most noble part which was the Clergy was excluded by a cruel persecution and for Henry the Great he was then himself a persecutor of the Catholiks The French Reformed Churches which are neer upon eight hundred did much resent the usage of the Bearnois thereupon there was a great Assembly held at Loudun without the Kings permission wherein they resolv'd to assist their brethren of Bearn They drew up Cayers or papers to present unto the King containing sundry demands 1. The first that his Majesty would please to revoke his arrest given in favor of the Ecclesiastiks of Bearn 2. A continuation of their Cautionary Towns foure yeers longer the time being now expir'd 3. They demanded leave to change two Governors which were turn'd Catholiks When these Papers were presented to the King he sent their Deputies word by Condé and Luynes that his will was that first of all they should separat the Assembly and six moneths after their separation they should be favourably answer'd They prai'd this promise might be digested in writing to an Act they were answer'd That it was an indecent and derogatory thing for a Monark to treat in that manner with his subjects as if his word were not sufficient The Deputies receiv'd little satisfaction in this so they returnd to Loudun wher the Assembly continued still notwithstanding two Declarations publish'd by the King wherein they were commanded to separat upon pain of being proclaim'd Traytors They little valu'd the Kings Declarations but dissolving their Assembly at Loudun they sent summons up and down to meet at Rochell where in a greater eagernes and zeal to the Cause then before they solemnly conven'd notwithstanding another new Prohibition of the Kings verifi'd by the Court of Parliament in Paris Hereupon the busines was put into deep deliberation at the Counsell of State whether the King should declare war against the whole body of the Religion or particularly against those that had met at Rochell and the latter opinion took place for these reasons 1. First it could not stand with justice to force consciences to quit that beleef which had bin so long tolerated 2. Secondly that declaring a war against the whole body of them of the Religion might bring in forren ayd 3. Thirdly that if a war were pronounc'd in generall many of the Kings best servants would be involv'd therein and provok'd as the Duks of Trimoville Bovillon Lesdigueres Suilly Chastillon Brassai Montgomery Blamville with divers other of his best sort of subjects The King in regard his Treasury was much drain'd was loth to plunge himself in a serious war again the Rochelers therefore to comply with them he accorded a continuation of their cautionary Towns for five yeers longer notwithstanding that they demanded but foure He also gave them leave to change the Governor of Lectour Castle and to choose a new Counsellor in the Parliament of Paris two things they insisted much upon but they prevail'd little with them unlesse the late Edict of Bearn were revok'd Hereupon the Gran Assembly at Rochell reinforc'd it self and went on more roundly then ever there were also up and down the Countrey divers other meetings as Synods Colloquies Circles and demy-circles which conven'd and consulted They of Rochell went higher and higher they had a new public sealemade they establish'd a new Court of Admiralty and stamp'd new Coines They made 47. Ordinances which were printed and commanded to be strictly observed through all the Reformed Churches They nominated Governors of Provinces and impos'd taxes at pleasure The King was much incens'd at these traverses yet nothing could move him to declare war against the whole body of them
of Austria they thought it high time to look about them so there came Commissioners extraordinary from Holland to Paris and a Ligue defensive and offensive was struck between them to make a social conjunctive war in the Netherlands against the King of Spain the most materiall Articles of which Ligue for we are loth to stuff this History with formalities were these 1. The King of France shall have an Army of 25000 foot and 5000. horse upon the frontiers of France towards the Netherlands in the convenientest place And the States of the united Provinces shall have 20000. foot and 8000. horse 2. Of these two Armies one shall send the other 10000. foot and 2000. horse as Auxiliaries in case the enemy shall succour any place which either of them shall besiege and if occasion require both Armies shall joyn in one body 3. It is accorded that a Declaration be sent to all the Towns under the King of Spain in the Netherlands to assure them that there shall be no Innovation introducd which may prejudice their priviledges and that the exercise of Religion be left free 4. That all other Princes and States who shall desire the protection of France and the united Provinces may enter into this Ligue provided they take up armes against the Spaniard 5. That if any Towns yeeld themselfs of their own accord it shall be lawfull for them to mould themselfs into the body of a particular State 6. That there may be no difference in parting what shall be taken it is agreed that France shall have all Flanders from the frontiers of France as far as Blanquemberg neer the Sluce And the States shall have all the Maritim places beyond toward France as far as the River of Swyn That Artois and Henault as far as Navar inclusively shall be the Kings of France And the States shall have Hulst Malines and Brabant as far as Brussells 7. That no places which shall be taken be troubled for matter of Religion but that it be continued in the same state 't is found 8. That no Treaty for Truce or Peace be set a foot with the Spaniard without the reciprocall consent of both parties 9. That for a more regular way in proceeding this Order shall be followed to attempt first two places allotted for the share of France and then two of the shares of the States which order shall be successively observed 10. That if the King invade Flanders the States with a diverting Army shall enter Brabant and if the States are engag'd in Brabant the King shall have a diverting Army in Artois or Hanault 11. That the King of Great Britain may enter into this Confederacy to which effect there shall be Ambassadors employed unto him from both parties to know of him whether he will continue upon termes of Neutrality 12. It is accorded further that both parties shall have fifteen men of War at Sea a peece of so many Tonns and if any English ships desire to joyne with the said Fleet they shall have the precedence of them of the States 13. If any Treaty be agreed unto for Peace or Treaty it shall be kept in the Hague and no where els 14. In regard of this Treaty the obligation shall cease to furnish the States yeerly with two millions of Franks which was us'd to be sent them from France c. These Articles being interchangeably sign'd and ratified in Paris there issued a large public Declaration from the King to denounce war with Spain to this effect Lewis by the grace of God King of France and Navar to all who shall see these present Letters health The great and sensible offences this Monarchy hath receiv'd divers times from that of Spain are so well known to all the world that it is needles to renue their memory We have a long time dissembled the hatred and naturall jealousie the Spaniards have against France whereby they have alwayes stopp'd the course of Our prosperity by secret practises oppressed the Princes allied to this Crown and sought to dismember the Kingdome Therefore with those forces which God hath given Us We have resolv'd to prevent their further desseins upon Us and rather to carry Our Armes within their Countrey then expect theirs in Ours c. Then He goes on to enumerat the obligations that Spain had to France for making the last truce with the Hollander which Spain had so much need of at that time the good Offices he had done the Emperour upon the beginning of the troubles in Germany so he taxes him that the first recompence which France receiv'd was the occupation of the Valtolin from the Grisons the ancient Allies of France he complains further that the Treaty at Mouson was not executed as it was intended He speaks of sundry enterprises upon the Duke of Savoy while he was Confederat of France of the violent oppression which the Duke of Mantova suffer'd How the Duke of Lorain arm'd five times against France by the suscitation of the King of Spain How the said King Treated with the chief of them of the Religion to form a perpetuall body of Rebellion in the bowels of France at that time when he promis'd assistance against them How his Ambassadors continually practised to sow division between them of the Royall Family How he assisted with men and money those that made rents and factions in France How to bring about his far fetch'd designes for the Westerne Monarchy he made Flanders his Arcenal for Arms not only to subdue them whom he had acknowledg'd free and soverain but to keep France in perpetuall jealousie of surprisals by a veteran Army therefore he thought it more honorable to attain unto a sound secure Peace by the generous strength of an open war then let his subjects drop away by small numbers and languish under a doubtfull and incertain Peace which must be conserv'd with 150000. men Then he comes to speak of the outrage that was done to the Archbishop of Triers and the jeering illusory answer which was return'd about his liberty Then he speaks of his most deer great friends Allies and Confederats the States of the united Provinces with whom he had made a Ligue defensive and offensive but with this Proviso that what Towns or places whatsoever were taken the Catholique Religion should not be damnified but conserv'd still in the same condition Then he makes his addresse to the Flemins that if within two moneths they cause the Spaniards to retire from their Towns and Provinces they shall be joyn'd and united into a body of one free and independent State with all rights of soveraignty So he concluds with an Injunction to all his subjects to make war by sea and land night and day against the King of Spain a declar'd Enemy to his Person and state protesting before God and men that as he was reduc'd to the utmost extremity to take up arms for his own defence and for his Allies and friends so his main end
Duke of Savoy touching the Treaty of Monson though the Duke was not there in Person yet his businesse was dispatch'd with as much advantage to him as if he had bin there present by the French Ambassadors nor had he as much cause of grievance as he had of many high obligations of gratitude to have his Countrey and Towns restor'd unto him which had bin so often overrun by the French armes Concerning his colleguing with Protestants Spain may be upbraided as well for Charles the Fifth employed Lutherans whom he call'd his black bands against France and Rome her self and that by the advice of his Theologues This present King Philip had privat intelligence with the Duke of Rohan who pay'd him and his brother a yeerly Pension to keep France in action by Civill Wars and had entred into a Treaty with him accordingly consisting of divers capitulations Moreover the Catholic Kings have had and have to this day friendship and confederacie with divers Pagan Princes and amongst others with the King of Calecut who adores the Devil for a little Pepper or such like Commodities Nor are there wanting examples how in the time of the Moores the King of Aragon made use of Moriscos against another Christian King Another makes an odd Apologie for this King why he confederated with Protestants and employ'd them so much in his wars which is that he made use of them against the greatnes of the House of Austria only whom they suspect and perfectly hate And touching his subjects of the Religion in France it was never out of any affection unto them or out of any conceit of fidelity he had of them that from time to time he gave them Honor and offices in his Armies but out of a politic end to diminish and destroy them by degrees for a greater number of them then of Papists perish'd in his wars For breaking with his Brother in law the King of Spain and the House of Austria he did it meerly out of political interests and pure reason of State which is now grown to the highest point of subtilty and swayes the world more then ever It is well known that France as all Europe besides hath bin for many yeers emulous of Spaine and suspectfull of her greatnes for she hath bin still growing and gathering more strength any time these hundred yeers In so much that considering her huge large limbs she was become a Giant in comparison of all her neighbours France was fearfull of this unproportionable hugenes of hers more then any and therefore being somewhat distrustfull of his own strength to cope with her single he enters into confederation with others as the Hollander and Swed So that this war of France with Spain is meerly preventive Nor is preventive war a new thing but we have warrant for it from Antiquitie I am sure it is as old as that of Peleponnesus the ground whereof was to keep the power of Athens within its wonted channel which went daily swelling ore the old banks this gave the first alarum to the Lacedemonian to stand upon his Guard and to put himself in Armes whence afterwards issued that long liv'd war which History renders so famous to posterity Alphonso K. of Castile made war against the Moors and the rest of the Spanish Kings for there were divers then in Spain finding him encrease in power collegu'd against him and the reason the Historian gives is Nunquam satis fida principum potentia finitimis est occasionem proferendi Imperii avidè arripiente natura mortalium The Decree of the College of Sorbon is That the exorbitant greatnes of a neighbouring Prince may be a just ground for a war 'T is well known how watchfull those three Geryons of their times Charles the Fifth Henry the Eight of England and Francis the First of France were to keep their power in aequilibrio they had alwayes an eye upon the Scale to see which way it panch'd and out-pois'd And it hath bin us'd to be the old policy power of England though now crosse winds have long blown upon her to question any of her neighbours touching their encrease of strength in shipping There be examples without number how it hath bin alwaies the practise of the sagest Princes as being a rule that 's warrantable in the schoole of prudence and honor to prevent that their adjoyning neighbours oregrow them not by accesse of new power either by weakning their Allies by Monopolizing of Trade encrease of Territory by mastering of passages or by too neer approaches The last makes me think that it is high time for the Hollander to look about him considering the late acquests of the French in the Netherlands and to be warnd by the old Proverb Aye le François pour ton Amy non pas pour ton voisin Have the French for thy friend not for thy neighbour The Austrian Eagle had display'd his wings wider then formerly by addition of the Palatinat Triers and other places in Germany France took Armes to make him mew these new feathers and she had those three things which one said were requisit to make her eternall favourable unto her viz. Rome the Sea and Counsel Pope Vrban the Eight had his breeding there twenty yeers together and so was a friend to her she had a competent number of Ships and for Counsell she had Richelieu for her Pilot He was not like your Countrey Wasters that Demosthenes writes of who were us'd to grow skilful in defending those parts of the body where they had bin hurt but he could foresee and fence away the blow before it was given And for others he carried matters so that some of them found their hands sezi'd upon when they were ready to strike This caus'd him to make his King the first aggressor of the war against Spain wherein he had wonderfull successe and done such feats as hath appear'd already in the body of the story that as they have struck an amazement in the present age so they vvill breed an incredulity in the future Touching the last complaint against him that he peel'd and poll'd the Peasan 't is true he did so but he who is vers'd in the humour of that people vvhat boyling brains and perpetuall inclinations they have to noveltie and to break out into motion if they be pamper'd with peace and riches will conclude that there is a necessitie to keep them short in point of wealth vvhose ordinary effects are pride and insurrections Yet I beleeve there may be other more laudable vvayes of policy us'd for prevention of this then poverty It being a true maxime in the Academy of Honor that it is more glorious for a Prince to be King of an opulent free people then of a slavish and beggerly And the greatest reproach that Forreners cast upon the French Government is that the vvealth of the Countrey should be so unequally dispenc'd the King Clergy Nobles and Officers svvallovving up all vvhile the common people have scarce
to his youngest brother Armand whose life we write But afterwards by his meanes the Carthusian Fryer was brought to accept of the Archbishoprick of Aix in Provence then of Lions and so ascended to be Cardinal He had also two sisters Frances maried to the Baron of Pont de Curlay who had of her the Duchesse of Esguillon And Nicola his second sister was maried to the Marquis of Brezé Marshall of France and first French-Viceroy of Catalonia in Spain upon the late revolt who hath a son and a daughter by her Iohn Armand the son was Generall of the French Army in the West and employ'd Ambassador extraordinary to congratulat the new King of Portugall Clara Clemente the daughter was maried lately to the Duke of Anguiern eldest son to the Prince of Condé When his brother Alphonso had transmitted unto him the Bishoprick of Lusson he went to Rome for a Consecration and Paul the Fifth dispenc'd w th his incapacity of age for he was but 21 yeers old Some report that the Pope observing the height and activity of his spirit was overheard to say That that young Prelat would overturn the world being return'd to France from Rome and brought to kisse Henry the Fourths hands he was somewhat taken with him telling him that he was come from that place whence one day should descend upon him the greatest honor that Rome could affoord a Frenchman and afterwards he was us'd to call him his Bishop For divers yeers he applied himself altogether to the function of his Ministery and us'd to preach often in the Kings Chappell In the Assembly of the three States he was chosen Orator for the Ecclesiastiques where his pregnancy of wit first appeer'd publicly in matters of State Where upon he got footing afterward at Court and was made great Almoner Then his abilities discovering themselfs more and more he was nominated Ambassador extraordinary for Spain to accommode the differences then a foot 'twixt the Dukes of Savoy and Mantova when the Princes started out in discontent and put themselfs in armes to demolish the Marshall of Ancre some Privy Counsellors were outed of their Offices at Court amongst others Monsieur Villeray had his Writ of ease for being any more Secretary of State and the Bishop of Lusson was thought the fittest man to succeed him and to receive the Seales which he did and this diverted him from his forren employment to Spain When the Marquis of Ancre was Pistol'd and his wife beheaded there was a new face of things at Court another generation of Officers grew out of the corruption of the old among others Villeroy steps in to be Secretary of State again in the room of the Bishop of Lusson yet was the King willing he should sit still at the Counsell Table and Monsieur de Vignobles brought him an intimation of the Kings pleasure to that purpose But the Queen Mother retyring from Paris to Blois he chose rather to go with his old Mistresse then stay with a young Master as the pulse of the Court did beat then By some ill offices that were done 'twixt the King and his Mother by factious spirits many jealousies were dayly fomented between them Hereupon the Bishop of Lusson had order to withdraw himself from her Court so he retir'd to his Priory of Caussay but that distance being thought not sufficient he betook himself to his Bishoprick at Lusson and that place also being suspected to be too neer he was sent to Avignon the Popes Town which might be call'd a banishment for it was out of the Dominion of France Discontents growing higher twixt the King and his Mother till at last they broak out into a War and there being Armies on both sides in motion Luynes writ a Letter to the Bishop to repaire to Angoulesme to which Letter there was a Postscript annex'd all of the Kings own hand to the same effect The Queen Mother was fled thither from the Castle of Blois and by means of the Duke of Espernon with others had considerable forces a foot Here was a brave opportunity offer'd for the Bishop to shew his head-peece in atoning matters 'twixt the Mother and the Son for which end he was inordred to repaire thither He negotiated the busines so succesfully by his dextrous addresses and flexaminous strains of eloquence that he took away the inflamation of the wound and so made it easily curable A Treaty was agreed upon and the Capitulations being drawn he brought them to the King who receiv'd him with much shew of grace and so all matters were accommoded But this accommodation did not heale quite and consolidat the wound for it had not search'd it to the bottome therefore it began to fester and more putrified matter broak out of it then formerly The Mother and the Son take up armes again and the Bishop of Lusson was one of the prime Instruments to re-compose the busines which was done at last very effectually The merit of these high services got him a Red Hat and the dignity of Cardinal though some difficulties and many delayes interven'd before the finall dispatch came from Rome Then was he chosen Provisor of the ancient Colledge of Sorbon where he procur'd of the King that a new Chair of Controversie should be erected He also repair'd and much beautified that Colledge Then upon the instance and by the advice of the Queen Mother he was elected Prime Minister of State and Director in chief under the King of all matters concerning the public Government of the Kingdome so he came to be call'd the Argos of France The first great action that was performed by his guidance when he was clim'd to this Plenipotentiary power was the Mariage with England the Marquis of Vieu ville had been employ'd in this great busines but the Cardinal got some of the Capitulations better'd and more to the advantage of France alledging that it was not fit his Master being the Eldest Son of the Church should have conditions inferiour to those of Spain With this Match with England there was an alliance also made about the same time with Holland for a summe of Money These were the two first Coups d' estat stroaks of State that he made and it was done with this forecast that France might be the better enabled to suppres them of the Religion which the Cardinal found to be the greatest weaknes of that Kingdom Some of them being Pensioners to other Princes to embroyle France upon all occasions He found then that the House of Austria had got some advantage and encrease of power by certain holds it had seiz'd upon in the Valtolin He adviseth his King to ligue with the Venetian and the Savoyard which he did and so spoil'd the design of the Spaniard that way The King being told that upon the beheading of the Count of Chalais and the imprisonment of the Marquis of Ornano about Monsieurs Mariage his Cardinal had thereby got divers enemies he appointed him a band
for them yet they deserve to have Laurels upon their heads and Palmes of victory in their hands to all posterity Crescet occulto velut Arbor aevo Nomen Armandi Ludovicus ingens Stella fulgebit velut inter Ignes Luna minores FINIS An Alphabeticall Table of such matters that are the principall Ingredients of this Story A ANne of Austria affianc'd to Lewis the Thirteenth of France 13 Her dowry 13 Her joynture 14 Her Letter to the King of France 31 Made Regent of France 135 Anagrams on Henry the Great 5 Analogy 'twixt the Dauphin of France and the Duke of Cornwall 2 Advantage of a little well compacted body over a great 151 M. of Ancre's entrance into favour 16 He is slain by Vitry 37 Sentenc'd after death 38 His body untomb'd dragg'd up and down hang'd hack'd to peeces and burnt 38 A censure of him 38 Antipathy 'twixt the Spaniard and French 32 Five French Ambassadors in Italy in one yeer 34 Assembly of the three Estates meet at the Kings majority 23 Assembly of Notables first convok'd 40 All the Alliances that have pass'd 'twixt England and France 67 The D. of Angoulesme before Rochell and his stratagem to deceive the English 8 Marq Ambrosio Spinola's exploits in Italy a clash 'twixt him and Olivares 92 Governor of Milan and besiegeth Casal 93 His Epitaph 95 Archduchesse Isabella dieth at Brussels 106 Articles upon the mariage 'twixt England and France 64 Articles 'twixt the Swed and the French 99 Articles t'wixt the French and the Hollander upon the breach with Spain 109 Clandestine articles twixt the Duke of Rohan and the Spaniard 87 Articles 'twixt the French King and Charles Duke of Lorain 101 Articles 'twixt the King of France and Monsieur his brother 104 Articles 'twixt the French and Catalans 128 The Authours caution to the Reader 6 Armes how ill they become Church-men in the Proem B Bassompierre Ambassador in England 76 Battaile of Norlinghen 108 Bernard Weymar takes Rhinfeild 118 Brisac 125 His Epitaph 126 Becanus book De potestate Regis et Papae condemn'd at Rome 16 Birth and baptisme of Lewis the Thirteenth 1 Birth of the now Duke of Anjou 133 Blasphemous praises of the Cardinal of Richelieu in the Proem Duke of Bovillon invites the Pr of Condé to arme by a notable speech 17 M. de Bois Dauphin General for the King 29 Breda repris'd by the Hollander 116 Breme taken by the Spaniard 119 Duke of Buckingham sent to France to demand and conduct her now Majesty to England 67 The Duke of Buckinghams Manifesto after he had invaded France 77 The causes of the breach 80 The manner of his landing 82 His Letter to Toiras and the answer he receivd 83 His infortunat retreat prisoners taken and releas'd for her Majesties sake 84 The Duke of Buckinghams omissions in the Isle of Ré the causer of them 84 C Cardinals made Generalls 183 Catalonia falls from the Spaniard and the causes why 128 Pr Casimir taken prisoner in France 128 Character of Henry the Great 5 The Chamber of Accounts refuse to verifie the Kings Letter 29 Cadenet Ambassadour in England 56 The Chymericall Ambassadors 169 Christina the second daughter of Henry the Great maried to the Prince of Piemont her portion 42 The D. of Cheureux marieth the Lady Henrietta Maria to the King of England 66 Clergy men most dangerous if misapplied 128 A Clash 'twixt the Duke and the Parlement of Paris 27 A Clash 'twixt the Counsel of State and the Parlement with the Parlements submission 28 Condé and his Adhaerents proclaym'd Traytors 29 His clandestine consults in Paris apprehended in the Louure 35 Prince of Condé distasts the match with Spain 14 Puts himself in Arms to hinder the Queens entrance 28 A great Contention 'twixt the Church men in Paris 11 Contentions in the Generall Assembly of the three Estates 23 The Close and funerall of it 26 Cotton the Iesuit vindicats his Society 9 Count of Auvergne eleven yeers prisoner in the Bastile 37 Count of Chalais beheaded 74 D. of Crequies splendid Ambassage to Rome 106 Kil'd before Breme 119 His Epitaph 120 D Dauphin whence deriv'd 2 The Dauphin now king born 124 Decree of the Colledge of Sorbon against Francis Cupif 117 A Declaration sent to Rochell wherein the English are branded 79 Difference 'twixt the Germans and French at Brisac 127 Difference 'twixt Conde and Soissons about the Napkin 46 Difference 'twixt forren Princes and the Kings base sons 91 Disadvantagious to live 'twixt two potent neighbours exemplified in the Dukes of Savoy and Lorain 93. 101 Dismission of the French from the Queen of Englands service 75 The reasons why 76 Divers odd desseins fear'd in France 73 Distinction 'twixt liberty and priviledge 24 Dionysius his flatterers in the Proem A Discourse upon judiciary Astrology 15 Prince Doria taken prisoner by the French 94 Duke of Mains stately Ambassy to Spain about an alliance 13 Duke of Pastrana in France 14 E How Edward the Confessor us'd an Astrologer 15 Ecclesiasticus a scandalous book writ by Schioppius 16 Divers Errours of the French Chroniclers reflecting upon England 76 Duke of Espernon questions the Rochellers 38 He clasheth with the Court of Parlement 26 A pleasant passage 'twixt him and the Archbishop of Bourdeaux 123 He traceth the Queen Mothers escape out of Blois 43 He is outed of his Government and dieth a little after 123 Emanuel Duke of Savoy his exploits in Italy 71 He highly complains of the King of France whence arise some traverses 'twixt him and Monsieur Bullion the French Ambassador 72 His death prophecied 94 Epitaph upon Marshall Crequy 120 Epitaph upon Marq. Spinola 95 Epitaph upon Saxen Weymar 126 Epitaphs upon Cardinal de Richelieu 178 An Ethiopian Prince Zaga Christos arriv'd in Paris 120 Edicts against duels blasphemy 22 F Master Fairfax put to the torture before Montauban 58 The Falshood of some French Annalists in divers things and their stupidity in relating names 76 The Duke of Fereaincens'd against the Duke of Savoy 97 A fearfull unknown Fire in the Palace of Paris 42 Another when the two bridges were burnt 57 Ferrier a reformed Minister turnd Roman Catholic 14 Five French armies in motion in one sommer 111 Florimond de Puy a Reformed Gentleman beheaded for treason 11 Fontarabia besieg'd by the French 122 Don Fernando the King of Spains youngest brother dieth at Brussells 131 A strange libell touching him and his brother Don Carlos 132. The French soon weary of peace 3 French beaten before Theonville 126 G Master George Digby cutts Scioppius on the face for defaming King James 16 Don Gonsalez de Cordova refuseth the King of France his present 103 Gasper Galilei Galileo racants his opinion in Rome for holding the Sun to rest and the earth to move 107 His punishment ibid. Galigay the Marchiones of Ancre's death and Roman stoutnesse 20 Grievances discover'd and not redres'd do the body politic harm 27 D. of Guyse marieth the
and said that this controversie being not of Faith it might be lawfull for them tother side the Alps to hold it affirmative and for those of this side negative but to condemn one another positively thereupon was to bring a schisme into the Church Great was the confusion and clashings that grew out of this Till Morelles a Spaniard who sate in the chaire stood up and protested that this position was propounded only as problematicall without dessein to determin any thing thereupon Another enlarg'd himself further saying that they tother side the Hils have their reasons for the affirmative part and others for the negative The French acknowledg sufficiently the hierarchy of the Church and in consequence of that they receive the Decrees and Ordinances of the Vicar of Christ in every thing that concerns spirituall matters points of Faith and policy Ecclesiastic They make their addresses to him for dispensations to hold incompatible benefices to be promoted to Prelacy or other dignities being not of age for degrees of kinred and affinitie in mariages They hold with all Antiquity that it belongs to the Pope to indict oecumenical and universal Counsels to approve ratifie and authorize their Decrees and in this sense the Pope may be said to be above the Counsell But if the Pope should under pretext of spiritual jurisdiction attempt to enervat and lessen the temporal power of Kings which they hold immediatly and foly from the great God it is then lawfull for them to appeal to a generall Counsell And in this sense the Counsell may be said to be above the Pope Richer the Syndic of Sorbon was hottest of any that assisted in this dispute for the negative part and writ a book entitled de Ecclesiastica et Politica Potestate which was condemn'd by the solemn censure of Cardinal Perron and sundry other great Prelats who held a Congregation purposely about it but with this modification provided that the rights of the King and Crown of France with the immunities and enfranchisements of the Gallican Church be not prejudic'd But they condemn'd the Syndiks Book because he went about to turn the Hierarchy of the Church which is a Monarchy into an Aristocracy Richer was thrust out of his Sindicship for the said book though directly against the Statuts of the Colledg of Sorbon whereof one is that no Syndic be dispossess'd of that place but with his own free will And thinking to plead this the Counsell of State overrul'd the case and a Mandamus came in the Kings name to proceed in the Election of a New Syndic There issued also out a Declaration wherin the King sharply reprehends the congregating of the said Bishops without his royal Commission and for passing a generall extravagant and incertain censure of the said Book wherein they seem'd to rebuke and approve confirm and condemn the tenets thereof whereof most were Orthodoxal which tended to puzzle the brains of men and form scrupulous imaginations in their intellectuals whence might ensue dangerous consequences Thus those high contentions were hush'd which were like to have usher'd a shrewd schisme into the Gallic Church had not Moderation guided the helm Moderation that sage sober Matron the inseparable attendant of true Sapience and Policy and happy are those Counsels those Soverain Courts and Parliaments where she sits in the chaire This yeer 1612. was remarkable for the interchangeable Alliance that was made twixt France and Spain the French King being affianced to the Infanta Anne of Austria and the Prince of Spain now Philip the fourth to the Eldest daughter of France Madame Elizabeth of Bourbon The great Duke of Mayn great in constitution as in qualitie being one of the goodliest personages of Europe was employed Ambassador to Spain He made his entrance to Madrid with 245. sumpter Mules 50. houshold Officers came after two by two and 52. Pages with a querry before them and their Governor behind Then followed the Duke himself accompanied with the Prince of Tingry 7. Earls 4. Marquises 17. Lords and above 200. Gentlemen He was brought in by 500. Spanish Ginetts At his lodging he had ten Coches every day attending besides his own three The busines it seems was wrought to his hand before his coming for he met with no difficulties at all The contract of the mariage was in Spanish and French but the French was first sign'd though the other first read The dotal portion was but 600000. crowns on either side which was payed and no purse open'd being a crosse mariage the summe of the dowry was so moderat because there might peradventure happen an occasion of restitution But the wonder was not so much at the smalnes of the dowry as of the joynture of both Princesses which was but 20000. crowns yeerly rent Much praecaution was us'd by the Spaniard that to correspond with their Salic law in France the Infanta should renounce all right of succession to the Crown and dominions of Spain known or unknown The Duke of Mayn was much honor'd for the time and once the King took him out of purpose to ride by his side through the town under pain of indispensable death none was to draw sword against any Frenchman while he was there The Duke was presented with a chain and Hatband valued at 15000. crownes with four Ginetts And hoping it might prove a good omen for the prosperitie of the match the Feast of Saint Lewis was commanded to be celebrated with as much solemnitie and held as holy as any other Saints day in the whole Calender The Duke of Pastrana came that summer to Paris in another such splendid Equippage and concluded the counterpart of the match Sundry sorts of triumphs pass'd in Paris upon these reciprocall Contracts but the two Princes of the bloud would take no share in those public solemnities but retir'd from Court in disgust Causing some Confidents of theirs to blaze abroad the grounds of their grievances which were That the Queen Regent did not communicat unto them the most important affaires of State That she had concluded the foresaid mariages without their advice That they were untimely and praecipitat considering the age of the Princes That the Queen steer'd the great vessell of the State by a forren compasse That the masse of treasure left by the last King was exhausted with such like But a way was found to comply with them for that time so they both return'd to Court where Soissons died a little after But there was a more dangerous consequence then this like to ensue for the said match and so much intimacy with Spain bred ill bloud amongst them of the Religion and fill'd them with ombrages of fear it might turn to their prejudice and danger one day in so much that a disposition of rising was discover'd in them generally which was aggravated by an ill-favour'd accident that happen'd in the Town of Nismes in Languedoc where one of their prime Preachers Ferrir being turn'd Roman
Catholic the rabble of the town sack'd his house burnt his books grub'd up his vineyards and plunder'd all he had The King being offended hereat remov'd the Presidial Court and Seneshalship thence to Beaucaire One Morgard an Astrologer publish'd some Praedictions of his in Print grounded upon the crosse conjunction of some malignant planets wherein he positively foretold very great commotions that were ready to arise in France and the fall of some great men But by Decree of Parliament he was condemn'd to the gallies where in lieu of handling his Astrolab he was put to tug at an oare This the poor Star-gazer could not foresee though his other praedictions prov'd all true Now touching Sydereal observations and praedictions of Astrology though they be at best but conjecturall yet are they not altogether to be contemn'd albeit that scarce one in a hundred hit there is a multitude of no mean examples that may be produc'd one was pointed at in the Proem of this peece And divers know how the yeers of the late Erl of Pembrook were precisely limited by a Genethliacall calcule We read that Otho the Emperour commanded all Astrologers to quit his dominions by such a day The Astrologers sent him word that since he had assign'd them a day to go out of the Empire they would assign him another to go out of the world for by such a day he should be no more among mortals which prov'd true This was contrary to a passage of Edward the Confessor King of England who when an Astrologer came and told him that he had taken great pains to pry into the horoscope of his nativitie and found that his Majesty should dy in such a moneth The King answer'd I can go neerer to work then so for I can foretell thee the very hour of thy death which will be to morrow at two a clock in the afternoon precisely so that thou canst not avoyd it So he commanded him to be tryed and executed accordingly But although it be presumption in man to determin any thing peremptorily out of their observance of the motions of Celestiall bodies yet it must be granted that the said bodies by their perpetuall influxes having dominion over every thing that is natural in man as the body the masse of bloud the organs and sensual appetit they may dispose his humors and inclinations to peace or war to obedience or insurrection to love or hatred accordingly For if Comets as we find by wofull experience which are of a far baser and more grosse extraction being meer meteorologicall stuff are thought to have a virtual power to make impressions upon the air and to leave infectious qualities behind them in the regions thereof which use to work upon human bodies in contagions and upon their humors to suscitat the minds of men to tumults and war much more may the Stars claym such a power Nevertheles although Astra regunt homines although it be allow'd that the Stars praedominat over every thing that is corporeal in man it follows not that this dominion extends to his intellectuals and to those actions which depend upon the absolut Empire of the will and other faculties of the soul which are purely spiritual but though this should be partly granted yet if we consider the union that is twixt the soul and the senses being inmates of one house which is such that she cannot produce any act if they do not contribut and present the object which is the intelligible species it may well be inferr'd that the faculties of the soul operat by the ministery of the senses and sensual appetit and the sensual appetit by influxes from heavenly bodies which may be said to have power to incite though not to force the will and affections of men to commotions and war and according to their various conjunctions and oppositions their anglings and culminations to cause good or bad effects which may prove inauspicious or successefull as some Astrologers observ'd when his Majesty of great Britain then Prince of Wales went to Spain to fetch a wife there was then a conjunction twixt Iupiter and Saturn which is always held malevolent so that journey had no successe but whither am I thus transported by this speculation from my intended road But without consulting the stars it was easie for any one of a mean foresight to be a prophet of some sudden commotions to arise considering how matters then stood in France for the Marshal of Ancre an Italian had then the vogue having engrossed to himself by the favor of the Queen Regent the managing and transaction of all the greatest affairs of State A man not so despicable as the French Annalists make him for his grandfather was Secretarie of State to Cosmo de Medici and by birth breeding and courage was a gentleman besides his wife had suck'd of the same milke as the Queen Regent did for her mother had bin her Nurse But it seems D'Ancre had scrued up the strings of authoritie too high and so they came not only to jar but to crack at last There were printed this yeer two Latine Books which kept a great clatter all Christendome over one was writ by Schoppius calld Ecclesiasticus The other by Becanus calld Controversia Angliae de potestate Regis et Papae They both trenchd highly upon Regall power The first had base touches of scandall upon Henry the Great and his late Majesty of England In so much that by a solemn sentence of Parliament it was burnt in Paris so France was revengd on the Book and England had some revenge on the body of the Author For he being in Madrid and Sir Iohn Digby now Earl of Bristol being Ambassadour there Master George Digby his kinsman a generous hardy young Gentleman encountting the said Schoppius he gave him a faire large cut athwart the face and so stigmatiz'd him to the view of the world which visible mark he wore to his grave Touching the other Book of Becanus The Syndic of Sorbon petitiond the Queen Regent that it might receive the same doome and that the Sacred Faculty of Theology might be permitted to put forth some public instrument to condemn the Doctrin thereof The Queen advis'd them not to determin any thing thereon as yet nor to make such noise or take so much notice thereof But they press'd further alledging it wold be a shrew brand to the Sacred Faculty to pass over so slightly such a scandalous Book that derogated so much from the authority of Kings and particularly of the most Christian with silence For posteritie will interpret this silence to be a consent to the tenets thereof But they were still put off and in the interim there came news from Rome that a Decree was published by the Pope wherein the said Book was condemn'd and adjudg'd to contain many false rash scandalous and seditious things respectively and therefore to be no more printed or publishd but to be put in the second Classes
should be a generall peace now 'twixt the French people because of the businesse of the Valtolin where the Spaniard had a purpose to block out France in all places towards Italy which was very necessary to be prevented so that it was not fit to enfeeble France at this time by attempting to extinguish them of the Religion and to plunge the whole Countrey in an intestine war for it was as if one would cut off his left hand with the right This last counsell took more with the King and so he left no way unessayed to reunite all his subjects Hereupon to content the Reformists he caus'd their Temples to be reedified he appointed 60000. Franks for the payment of their Ministers and permitted them to call a Synod at Charenton with divers other acts of compliance provided that on their part they should entertain no strangers for preachers nor admit Ministers into politic Assemblies In these difficulties and anxious traverses of things the King made the Cardinal of Richelieu his principall Minister of State chiefe of his Counsell and Director generall under his authority in the government of the State He made this election by the advice of the Queen Mother principally nor was it an improper choice for the party had a concurrence of high abilities in him answerable to that transcendent trust and he prov'd as will appear by the sequele of things a succesfull Instrument though many doubt whether his Counsel was as succesfull to France as it was fatall to the rest of Christendom which he hath plung'd in an eternall war touching this we leave the Ingenious Reader a freedom of censure according as his judgement shall be guided by an unpartiall and unbiass'd relation of matters as they ly connected in the ensuing part of this story Thus our third Lustre concludes with the commencement of Richelieus greatnes The fourth Lustre of the Life of Lewis the thirteenth VVE began the last lustre with the espousals of the Lady Christina second daughter of France with the Prince of Piemont this begins with the mariage of the Lady Henriette Marie de Bourbon the yongest Royall branch of Henry the Great and this was the first great act that the Cardinal of Richelieu performed after he was come to the superintendency of affairs of State France had two causes of perpetuall apprehensions of fear one external th' other internal The still growing greatnesse of Spain without and They of the Religion within doors which were made frequent use of by any discontented Princes upon all occasions and were cryed up by the Jesuits to be as Matches to set France on fire at any time Therefore the first gran dessein that he projected with himself was to clip their wings and diminish their strength by dismantling their Cautionary Towns and making them dismisse their Garrisons The Cardinal knew the King his Master did not affect them since the Treaty at Lodun wherein they forc'd him to put another interpretation upon his Coronation Oth then his conscience did dictat unto him or the Prelat who administred it unto him meant which appear'd in a churlish answer that he gave them not long after when he was solicited to prolong the terme of holding their Cautionary Towns as Henry the Third and Henry the Great his father had done Which answer was That what grace the first did shew you was out of fear what my father did was out of love but I would have you know that I neither fear you nor love you To compasse that great work of taking from them their Garrison Towns it was thought very expedient to secure forren Princes from assisting them specially England and the united Provinces Touching the latter they were charm'd with money for in a fresh Treaty the King accorded them a million of Franks and six hundred thousand Franks every one of the two yeers next ensuing which they were to re-inburse the next two yeers that they should conclude a peace or truce with Spain The Holland-Ambassadors who were employed in this Treatie did promise the King that there should be libertie of conscience given the Catholiks at his Majesties request That the States should associat the French with them in the commerce of the Indies give them some choice ports for traffic and repaire some depraedations they had made by sea but the money being once got there was little care taken to perform these promises which were no more then parol engagements or rather complements whereupon an Ambassador was expressely sent to complain hereof but he effected little To secure England from succouring Them of the Religion the first overture that the Erl of Holland made for an alliance was yeelded unto to whom the Erl of Carlile was sent in joynt commission to conclude it The King told them that he took it for an honour that they sought his sister for the sole sonne of so illustrious a King his neighbour and Allie onely he desir'd that he might send to Rome to have the Popes consent for better satisfaction of his conscience and in the mean time the English Ambassadors might send for a more plenary power to England so in lesse then the revolution of nine moons this great businesse was propos'd poursued and perfected whereas the Sun ran his carreer through the Zodiac ten times before that Spain could come to any point of perfection This may serve to shew the difference twixt the two Nations the leaden heel'd pace of the one and the quicksilver'd motions of the other it shewes also how the French is more round and frank in his proceedings not so full of scruples reservations and jealousies as the Spaniard And one reason that the Statists of the time alledg'd why Spain amus'd the English and protracted the Treaty of the Match so long was that all the daughters of France might be first married to prevent an alliance 'twixt England and her There was a concurrence of many things that favor'd the effecting and expediting of this alliance some previous Offices and Letters of invitation from France wherein there were strains of extraordinary endearments wherewith the King of Great Britain corresponded also in an unusuall stile as appears by this Letter following Most high most excellent and most puissant Prince Our most deer and most beloved good Brother Cousen and ancient Ally Although the deceased King of happy memory was justly call'd Henry the Great for having re-conquer'd by arms his Kingdom of France though it appertain'd unto him as his proper inheritance Yet you have made now a greater conquest for the Kingdom of France though it was regain'd by the victorious arms of your dead father it was his de jure and so he got but his own But you have lately carried away a greater victory having by your two last Letters so full of cordiall courtesies overcome your good Brother and ancient Ally and all the Kingdoms appertaining unto him for We acknowledge Our self so conquer'd by your more then
in his Palace at Theobalds A little before he broak out into a very passionate Speech to his Lords of the Counsel of the King of France saying My Lords the King of France hath writ unto me that he is so far my friend that if ever I have need of him he will render me Offices in Person whensoever I shall desire him Truly he hath gain'd upon me more then any of his Predecessors and he may beleeve me that in any thing that shall concern him I will employ not only my peoples lifes but mine own and whosoever of his subjects shall rise against him either Catholiks or others shall find me a party for him 'T is true if he be provok'd to infringe his Edicts I shall impart as much as in me lies by counsell and advice to prevent the inconveniences Then falling upon the perfections of Madame Henriette Marie he said pleasantly When she is come over I will denounce war against her because she would not read my Letter nor my sons as I understand before she had first receiv'd command from the Queen her Mother yet I have cause to thank her because that after she had perus'd them she put mine in her cushionet and the other in her bosome intimating thereby that she would rely upon me for counsell and lodg my son in her heart King Iame's death retarded a while the proceedings of the Match for things were at a stand till his Exequies were pass'd which were perform'd with a Magnificence sutable to so great a King This Ceremony being ended a procuration was sent the Duke of Cheureuse from his Majesty of Great Britain to be contracted unto the Lady Henriette and then to marry her in his name which was done with extraordinary celebrity the one in the Louure the last in the great Church of Paris by the ministery of the Cardinall Rochefaucaud a little before there was a clash twixt him and the Bishop of Paris who urg'd it was his right to officiat in his own Church but the Cardinal being a Prince of the Church Universall being also gran Almoner which makes him chief Clark of the Court and Cardinal Richelieu who had now the greatest stroak in the State favoring his own habit and the Hat more then the Mitre the Cardinal carried the day This solemnity was perform'd to the very height of greatnes and splendor and such was the bravery of the English Ambassadors the Earls of Carlile and Holland that they seem'd to outshine the French that day in their own Sphere One half of the dowry had bin delivered before upon the Contract which was in all as was said before eight hundred thousand crowns and it was more then the eldest Sister had by two hundred thousand crowns and double as much as the second had the one having but six hundred thousand the other but foure hundred thousand crowns to their portions The Contract and Mariage being thus finish'd the Duke of Buckingham came a fortnight after with admired gallantry to demand the Queen of Great Britain for the King his Master and to attend and conduct her over to England The Queen Mother accompagnied her as far as Amiens Monsieur her Brother to Bullen whence a Fleet of twenty Galeons Royall transported her to Dover This was the eighth Nuptiall conjunction of the Rose and Flowerdeluce that hath happend 'twixt England and France The first was in the yeer 900. 'twixt Charles the First of France and the Lady Ogine daughter to Edward the old King of England 120. yeers before the Norman conquest The second twixt Henry the Third of England and Margaret daughter to Lewis the Seventh of France The third was between Edward the First of England and the Lady Margaret daughter to Philip the Hardy of France The fourth 'twixt Edward the Second of England and Isabel daughter to Philip the Faire The fifth was 'twixt Richard the Second of England and Elizabeth daughter to Charles the Sixth The sixth 'twixt Henry the Fifth of England and Catherin daughter also to Charles the Sixth of France The seventh was 'twixt Lewis the twelfth of France and Mary daughter to Henry the Seventh of England The eighth was this 'twixt Charles Stuard Prince of Wales and Henriette Marie of Bourbon youngest daughter to Henry the Great so in these eight Matches England hath had six daughters of France and France two of Englands As soon as this great Nuptiall pompe was pass'd there came tydings that Soubize upon a new discontent of them of the Religion had a great Fleet of ships at Sea and surpriz'd the Port of Blauet in Britany which is a faire and large Haven deposited to the Spaniard in time of the Ligue and restored to Henry the Great at the peace at Vervins Soubize enterd the Haven with eleven Sayle of men of War and took and carried away six great ships whereof some belong'd to the Duke of Nevers This rendred them of the Religion powerfull at Sea and because their Ships might have choise of harbors they seiz'd upon the Islands of Re and Oleron where they began to fortifie Soubize sayles up the Garond towards Bourdeaux with a Fleet of seventy sayles of all sort which made him Master of the Sea and landing a considerable number of land forces at the land of Medoc they of Bourdeaux joyning with Toiras sent him a shipboard again with losse and so he return'd to Rochell A little after he sets out to Sea again and takes divers prises extremely interrupting all traffic on those Coasts Hereupon the King sent to the Hollander to hyre twenty Sayle of men of War according to the late Treaty which were accordingly sent him under Admirall Hauthain These joyning with another Fleet of the Duke of Monmorency made a considerable naval power Monmorency was very eagar to set upon Soubize and the Rochell Fleet but he found the Hollanders bacward and cold being charm'd by Letters and a Remonstance annexed unto it sent to Hauthain by two French Ministers and two Dutch Merchants from Rochell wherein they made piteous complaint that the King had performed little or nothing at all of the Treaty before Montpellier and that the utter ruine of the whole body of the Religion which was the same with that of Holland was intended therefore they did efflagitat and conjure the said Admiral Hauthain to lay his hand on his heart and conscience and not to contribute to so damnable a dessein This Remonstrance wrought much upon Hauthain and Dorp his Vice-Admiral in so much that he publiquely declar'd unto the Duke of Monmorency that he had Commission in expresse termes from his Masters the States to reduce Monsieur Soubize to his duty either by reason or force that he understood how he was ready to conforme himself to the first and to that effect he and his Brother the Duke of Rohan with other Towns of their party had Deputies employed to the King to desire Peace which was in a good forwardnes
out for the Duke of Anjou the French quickly hearkens unto them so there was a Treaty at Narbona whither they sent twelve persons of quality for hostages and an Order issued out that he should be branded with a hot iron who spake of any accommodation with Castile It was agreed upon that upon putting themselfs under the Royall protection of the most Christian King he should furnish them with an Army of six thousand foot and two thousand horse to be maintain'd by the Catalans Whereupon three Commissioners were sent to Paris one for the Clergy another for the Nobility and a third for the Gentry and Cominalty They who were most busy herein and indeed the chiefest bellowes that blew this terrible fire were the Preaching Fryers and Monks who in lieu of obedience and conformity to Government and compliance with the necessities of the King having so many irons in the fire did teach and obtrude to the people nothing more then common priviledge and resumption of liberty whereby the affection of the vassall was imbitter'd and at last quite poyson'd against his Prince whence this Aphorisme may be collected That the best Instruments misapplied do greatest mischief and prove most dangerous to any State And as of the sweetest wines is made the sharpest Vineger so Churchmen who by their holy function and white robes of innocence should be the sweetest of all professions who should breath nothing but peace unity allegeance and love if they misapply their talent and abandon themselfs to the spirit of faction they become the bitterest enemies the most corroding cankers and worst vipers in any Common-wealth and most pernicious to the Prince In regard that they having the sway ore the conscience which is the Rudder that steers the actions words and thoughts of the rationall creature they transport and snatch it away whither they will making the Beast with many heads conceive according to the colour of those rods they use to cast before them The French having thus undertaken the protection of the revolted Catalan and cut the Spaniard work enough that way he did miracles against him about this time in the Netherlands for he made the Rat to eat the Cat and a Cow to spin out a bundle of Flax by rendring himself Master of Arras the chiefest Town of the Province of Artois after a strong stubborn siege which place the Flemins held to be inpregnable and as impossible to take as it was for the Rat and the Cow to do what was above said His Generall also in Italy the Count of Harcour did do strange exploits who having entred Piemont was besieg'd by the Spaniard in Chieri but he got through routs the enemy and succours Casal This he did with 1500. horse and a few foot who were nothing equall in number to the Spaniards who were thrice as many This ventrous achievement which some interpreted rashnes rather then true valor got him a mighty reputation Then he marcheth to Turin and besiegeth it but the gates were open'd to him within a short time so he made a glorious entrance into the Town and returns triumphantly ore the Hills to France having setled the King his Master in the protection of the Infant Duke of Savoy his Nephew which protection or tutele the Emperour seconded by the Spaniard alledg'd did belong to him by Imperial right during his minority There came a Messenger of State to Paris who brought notice of the Great Turks death in the flower of his youth though of a robust huge constitution He died by excesse of drinking some sorts of wine wherewith he was us'd to be oft distemper'd notwithstanding the strict law of Mahomet who us'd to preach this Doctrine That there was a Devill in every berry of the grape and therefore absolutly interdicted the use of wine in his Alchoran But such is the power of sensuall appetit in man that the spirit oftentimes is too weake to resist the motion of sense though the conscience should dictat that Hell it self stands gaping for him in the very fruition of the pleasure The genius of this great Potentat is very remarkable for when he came first to sit upon the throne of that mighty Empire he was of a mild gentle and peacefull nature but the Janizaries who may in time prove the bane of that Tyranicall Monarchy having violently cut off many of his great Officers and committed other acts of high insolencies whereat he had conniv'd and looked on as a sufferer a great while at last patience so often abus'd and stretch'd as it were upon the Tenter turn'd to fury in him and that in so high a degree that it came to alter and quite change his disposition and the very instinct of nature in him for of a soft easie and candid humour he became afterwards having bin so often provok'd by such bloudy spectacles as cruell and sanguinary as any that ever sway'd the Ottoman Empire And he order'd matters so that he found an opportunity to be reveng'd of all those that had affronted him before and bereft him of his Favourits and Officers He commonly carried with him a Ghelad an Executioner who at his sudden beck and in his sight took off many heads to offer up as Victimes for the life 's of his slain servants He grew to be so flesh'd in bloud that he was scarce capable of any compassion or appre hension of fear notwithstanding that his predecessor had been hacked to peeces not long before by one of his meanest soldiers for attempting to remove his Court from Constantinople t'other side the Hellespont to Damasco to be reveng'd of his cowardly Janizaries who would not fight the yeer before against the Pole as also of the Constantinopolitans for refusing to furnish him with moneys for that war Hence may be drawn this Caution That Princes natures are ticklish things to be tamper'd withall that it is dangerous to trench too far upon the softnesse of their dispositions as appears in this Monark who by often irritations fell from one extreme to another The horrid flames we spake of before which were kindled amongst those fiery Mountains the Pyreneys in Catalonia the chiefest part of Hispania Tarraconensis according to the old division did rage with such fury that the sparkles of them by a strong East-wind were caried into Portugall of old Hispania Lusitanica And as one torch lights another or any other thing whose matter is combustible and apt to take so this other Revolt was kindled by the first and Portugall was very well prepar'd to receive it as well for the aversnes and strong disaffection her Inhabitants have to the Castillan for I have heard them complain often that the greatest misery which could befall them was to lose their King Don Sebastian and to fall under the yoak of the Castillan as also for divers other causes First she complain'd that the King neglected to protect her against the Hollander in Brasil where he had taken Fernanbuck her chief
wedded himself to the best Towns of Lorain and Barri that 't is thought he will hardly be ever divorc'd from any of them unlesse he be forc'd The Citie of Paris was now full of Catalans and Portugals who strowted up and down the streets their new King having sent two Ambassadors thither in joynt Commission In the interim the Spanish Ambassadors at Rome negotiat strongly that the Duke of Bragansa be excommunicated for an Usurper if this had taken effect it had made the King of France incapable to assist him being an excommunicated person but France had such a powerfull faction in the Consistory and the Pope himself was such a friend to her that the Catholic King could do little good in this point There had some former counterbuffs pass'd betwixt the Cardinall and the Count of Soissons who had slighted one of his Neeces for marriage but now there was a new clash happen'd between them in the Armies in Picardy where the Cardinal would have advanc'd his colours before the Count of Soissons The King abetted his Cardinal hereupon the Count retires in discontentment to Sedan and got the Duke of Bovillon to ligue with him They rays'd a considerable Army and encountred the Kings forces which they routed but the Count being too eager and poursuing a broken Troupe of horse which was flying it was his hard fate to be kill'd by one of the Cardinals servants who then bore Armes The fall of this Prince of the Bloud in the prime vigor of his virility causd much lamentation in France mix'd with some murmurings against the Cardinal And it was a good turn for him in regard now that Soissons was taken away there was no Prince throughout all France able to uphold a faction against him France was bless'd with another masculine Royall off-spring the Duke of Anjou which did not raise so much wonder as the Dauphin for he as I told you before was two and twenty yeers a getting this but a twelvemoneth and a few dayes Marie de Medici Queen Mother and Dowager of France expir'd this yeer who may be said to be one of the greatest Queens that ever were being grandchild and gran neece to two glorious Emperours Ferdinand and Charles the Fifth wife of Henry the Great Mother to the three mighty Kings of France Great Britain and Spain and to the ancientest Prince of Christendom the Duke of Savoy She had bin Regent of France many yeers during which time she discover'd extraordinary abilities transcending her sex shewas afterwards twice in Armes against her sonne and she came at last to conceive such a Iunonian indignation against the Cardinal de Richelieu who had bin chief of her Counsels and her creature afterwards in point of greatnesse for she first preferr'd him to the King that the breach could never be made up between them that one might say Nec quenquam jam ferre potest Regina priorem Richeliúsve parem She was us'd to say That the worst thing she ever did was the advancement of Richelieu In the sense of this high indignation she forsook France and drew a voluntary exile upon her self whereby she was so toss'd up and down to severall Countreys that she became a Tenisball to the blind inconstant Goddesse she first retir'd to Flanders where she found good respect and contentment during the life of the Archduchesse but then being distasted with the Spanish Ministers she remov'd to Holland thence to England where she found most Royall allowance and Hospitality and her last retirement was to Colen where she liv'd reclus'd exercising her self in strict exercises of devotion in her way and so breath'd her last Such was her fate I will not say her faut that Bellona follow'd her wheresoever she went as also her three daughters yet in her own nature she detested war specially that with Spain and that with Savoy And this was thought to be the ground of her animosity against the Cardinal The King of France having thoroughly undertaken the protection of the Catalans sent a royall army composed most of Gascons and of them of the Religion which rush'd into the County of Roussillon the Key of Spain towards that part of the Pyreneys This County was once an appendix of France but being hypothequ'd and morgag'd to the King of Aragon for a summe of money it was never redeem'd since France had better fortune in this second Invasion of Spain then she in the first at Fontarabia Perpignan the strongest Fort of Christendom for the bignes was besieg'd and the King himself made his approach thither in person so after a tough stubborn siege by famine rather then force the Town and Castle yeelded wherein there were above 120. great Canons The Spaniard had some requitall though nothing adaequat to the losse of Perpignan in the Netherlands about this time for he regain'd the Town of Aire from the French and the French took Bipalma towards Cambray from the Spaniard The Cardinal of Richelieu was sick that time the Queen Mother died at Colen yet he strain'd himself to creep to the Altar and officiated many Church duties for her soul From that time he was never perfectly recovered so about the latter end of this yeer he died himself in his Cardinal Palace at Paris He was so attenuated and dried up with exces of care and encombrances of the brain that his body might be said to be but a sackfull of bones and a meere Scheleton This gran Minister being thus gone Cardinal Mazarin a Gentleman of an ancient Roman extraction was put to sit at the helm A man of the same habit and habilitie as if the soul of Richelieu had transmigrated into him He was a bosome friend and a great intrinsic Confident of Richelieu before who had imparted his desseins and infus'd all his maximes into him and open'd unto him all the Arcana Imperii He had bin an active politicall instrument employ'd by the Pope before in sundry Treaties and difficult traverses of State wherein he had good successe and in all his negotiations he was discover'd to be a person of excellent addresse and rare endowments The King did not long survive his Cardinal of Richelieu for he fell mortally ill five moneths after at which time this great Monarch paid nature her last debt and what earthly Potentate is there though never so independent and absolute that is exempt from this tribute He expir'd the 14th of May in the afternoon the same moneth the same day of the moneth and about the same houre of the day that his father died 33. yeers before but with this mark of difference that the one went and the other was sent out of the world about the same time His bowels were presently carried to be interr'd at Saint Denis the last rendevous of all the French Kings whither his Body follow'd after in the height of all Solemnitie and Magnificence that his Queen could possibly devise whom he left Regent a Lady of rare temper
those who daily meditat the abasing if not the ruine thereof or there must be means found to secure it The Kings intentions are to rule it so that his government may equall if not surpasse any time pass'd and serve for an example for the future The marvailous assistance which it hath pleased God to afford him hitherto when his affairs were in the most deplor'd case gives us hope that he will still persevere Being seconded with the sage counsels of the Queen his Mother with the concurrence of Monsieur his Brother who I may truly say is so fastned to his Majesties will and the interest of the State that nothing can separat him I see no reason at all to doubt of it since none but God Almighty can produce things of nothing therefore to come to so good ends of pure necessity either the ordinary expences of the Court must be diminish'd or the public receits augmented or perchance both must be done It is not fitting you 'l say to meddle with the necessary expences for the conservation of the State the very thought thereof were a crime yet his Majesty preferring the public before the privat is willing out of his own motion to retrench his House in things that touch his own Person leaving you to judge how the rest will be employ'd One might think that such retrenchments were not seasonable at this time because they use to alienat sometimes the affections of hearts But as the businesse will be carried great and small shall find their account and therein their satisfaction the most austere rules seem sweet unto the most tumultuous spirits when they have not in appearance only but in reall effect the public good and incolumity of the State for their sole aime Sir the Queen your Mother prayes that you would think it good to let her do that which your piety towards her would not permit you as much as to think of your self which is that she be reduc'd to a lower revenue then she had in the late Kings time it being true that she had not better'd her condition then when during your Majesties minority she rais'd the fortunes of others for the advantage of your Majesties service Different times require different and sometimes contrary courses that which is proper at one time may be impertinent at another In great tempests one must share his goods with the Sea to lighten the Vessell and avoid shipwrack prudence requires it that the whole perish not for casting away part the interest of particulars obligeth no lesse then that of the public there being nothing more true then what an ancient Prelat of this Kingdome said That 't is impossible the riches of private persons can subsist when the State it self is poore and necessitous By such husbandry the ordinary expences may be lessen'd by three millions It rests then to augment the receits not by such impositions that the people are not able to beare but by innocent means which gives place to the King to continue what he hath practis'd this yeer in easing his subjects by diminution of tallies To this effect we must come to the redemption of lands to Notaries and Registers and other morgag'd rights which amount to twenty millions a thing not onely profitable but just and necessary If this dessein take effect the people who contribut more of their bloud then of their sweat to the expences of the State shall be eas'd If there be need to resist a forren Invasion or some intestine Insurrection if God for our sins permit any more or to execute a dessein that 's profitable and glorious for the State want of money will be no losse of time there will be no need to have recours to extraordinary wayes to Court partisans and put hands in their purses who have them oft times full of the Kings moneys One shall not see the Soverain Courts busied to verifie new Edicts Kings shall appear no more upon their beds of justice unlesse it be to undo what they had done some other time In fine all things shall be at such a passe that hath bin long since desir'd by all good men and may continue so whole Ages One will say and perchance I may think so my self that 't is easie to propose good desseins and as pleasing a thing to speak of them but the execution is difficult Yet neverthelesse I dare speak it in the presence of the King having well thought of it there may be expedients found whereby within the compas of six yeers one may see the end and perfection of this work The King my Lords and Gentlemen hath Assembled you expresly to search and find them out to examine things and concur with him in resolution his Majesty assuring you that he will readily and religiously execute what shall be determin'd for the restauration of this State The sick sometimes die by too many remedies as well as none at all I am bound to tell you this by the by that to restablish this State in its first splendor ther 's no need of many Ordinances but real executions by this means this Assembly may close more speedily though she may be perpetuall for the fruit she shall produce few words and many deeds will testifie both the good intentions and judgements of them whereof she is compos'd The King doubts not but you will do what concerns your duty in this occurrence You shall know by the event that his Majesty will surpasse himself to procure the good of his Kingdome the glory of reviving it is reserv'd to the vertu of so great a Prince you are much bound to his goodnes that he hath vonchsaf'd to make you partakers thereof and for my particular I should be much bound to God if he presently took me out of the world upon the accomplishment of so high so glorious and holy a work As thus in things premeditated so in ordinary extemporall discours he had a pressing way of eloquence and exaggeration of speech which came from him in such a grave serious accent that it mov'd all along In so much that by his garb he seem'd to be rather an Italian then French seldom or never would reason thrust be out of her throne by any impetuous irregular motions seldome would his passions make any furious sallies the greatest fit of distemper that ever was discover'd in him was at the news of Wallesteyns death with whom he had held intelligence for betraying the Imperial Army so to pave a way for France to ascend the Empire He would easily break out into tears and tendernesse of spirit The prime perfection in him was his forecast he was quick-sighted and Eagle-ey'd in every corner of christendom He had Ecchoes in every Court which sounded unto him all the affairs of State in so much that he knew as well what was done in the Junta's of Spain in the Consistory at Rome in the Cabinet Counsels of England and Germany as if he had bin President of all
himself He calls him the gran Director and most puissant Genius of France the perfectest of men which doth penetrat things to come and is ignorant of nothing great and incomparable Cardinal the most eminent among mortals to whom the crabbedst and most mysterious affairs of State are but pastimes Visible God and tutelar Angel of the Univers a spirit that moves the Heavens and the stars the blisse of the world the supreme intelligence the Phoenix of the earth who never had nor ever shall have his parallell These strange evaporations and high strains of profanenes shew plainly as I said before that the Office of the Inquisition hath no stroak in France as in Italy Spain and elswhere it hath to curb the extravagancies of mens brains As there were a number of such Sycophants amongst the Wits of France that Idoliz'd him in that maner so there wanted not others that threw dirt in his face by Pasquils and Libells one drop'd this Satyre in Rome which flew thence to the streets of Paris Papa noster in Urbanus Réxque parum Christianus Cardinalis Infernalis Capucinus coaequalis Replent mundum tot is malis Urban our Pope not much urbane The King not too much Christian With the Infernal Cardinall And Capuchin his Coaequall The world do fill With thousand ills Another comes little short of this by calling the Capuchin the Cardinal and the Devil the three degrees of comparison In the yeer 1640. there were extraordinary Revellings and Triumphs in Paris and there were divers Masques and Balls in the Carninals Palace And one morning there was found nayl'd upon the gate this libell Tandis qu'en dance au Palais Cardinal La mere de trois Rois vá a l' hospital While people dance 'i th Palace Cardinal The mother of three Kings goes to the Hospital Amongst other peeces of Invention which were publish'd of him there was one call'd the Chymerical Ambassador which in regard 't is a new way of fancy compos'd by a Person of quality and very facetious I will insert here The Author makes him to employ Ambassadors extraordinary not onely to Christian Princes but other Pagan Potentates to enter into a Confederacy with them as followeth Master Iohn Sirmond shall take the qualitie of the Duke of Sabin and of the Marquis of Cleonville he shall clap a sword at his side and take for his train five or six of the Gazetic Academy which we have made hardy lyers Above all things they shall be instructed in the prayses of my Lord the Cardinal Duke and to that effect they shall cun by heart all the Poems Epigrams Acrostiques Anagrams Sonnets and other peeces made by the Latin and French Poets of the Times which they shall disperse up and down gratis as they passe but for fear that this Merchandize be not forestall'd and this false money cryed down we command the said Ambassador to depart as soon as possibly he can because our affairs do presse us we may chance take our measures short in regard Duke Charles terming himself Duke of Lorain is nimble because of the nourture he hath had in France and the Germans being now tyr'd with the troubles we have brought in amongst them may end the war the Spaniard also resents our injuries more then ever and those Devils the Crabats advance towards our Frontiers The Ambassador shall speak neither good nor ill of the King because his Majesty knowing nothing of this Ambassy may chance disadvow it He shall accommode himself to the beleef of all Princes Republiques and people and shall make semblance to be of the Religion or Sect of them with whom he is to treat He shall extoll the prayses of the most eminent among mortals he shall call him a visible God the tutelar Angel of the Univers the Spirit that moves the heavens and stars the happines of the world the supreme intelligence the Phoenix of the earth who never had nor is like to have his equall c. If he find that it be taken ill that we have injur'd all the Princes of Christendom he shall study some reasons to make them digest all If he find perhaps that any books have been printed in Flanders against my Lord the Cardinal he shall avouch that they are abominable and to be burnt by the hangman if he speak with any that detest Magic he shall assure them that these books are full of such stuff If he find that Champagnie trembles and that there is a dessein to shake off the yoak in Lorain and Alsatia he shall swear and all his followers besides that my Lord the Cardinal hath rais'd 150000. foot 20000. horse 10000. pioners and so many cariage horses 300. Canons with a proportionable number of bullets 100. millions in gold to give the law to all Europe That besides landforces he hath 500. Galeons of war at Sea laden with 50000. men more and that there is bisket beverage fresh water which cannot corrupt to nourish them for ten yeers That there are engins which will reduce instantly to ashes any Town that resists that there be Vessels that can sayle between two waters and that can go under other ships to blow them up into the Air or sink them That he hath found out Archimedes his griping irons whose vertue is to grapple a ship a thousand paces off In fine my Lord the Ambassador shall omit nothing that may give security to Champagnie and strike a terror into Lorain and he shall cary the busines so that the same arguments may serve to raise fear and hopes He shall passe as speedily as he can by Strasburg Frankfort Nuremberg and other Imperiall Towns which have not so much knowledge of the artifice of my Lord the Cardinal Duke and if he thinks fitting he shall conceale his quality and disadvow his Countrey he may say he is an Englishman to which effect he shall make use of his Latin and counterfeit as well as he can the English accent If he is bound to enter into the states of the Duke of Saxe and of the Marquis of Brandenburg he shall passe as speedily as possibly he can because those wretches have half spoild our mystery in making their own peace then when we thought to have made them perish with us and since they would not do so they have rendred themselfs unworthy of the good grace of the most eminent amongst mortals and let them be assured that the Spirit which moves the stars will cast ill influences upon them Then shall he passe to Poland to find the King whom he shall salute in the name of the most eminent among mortals he shall assure him of his friendship and swear unto him that he will hold good correspondence with him provided that he enter in person with his forces into Hungary and Germany to make war against his Uncle It is here that my Lord Ambassador shall display all his eloquence to shew that to gain further security and further encrease of power
daughter of France for the King of Spain 31 H Lord Hayes after Earl of Carlile Ambassador in Paris 34 The Duke of Halluin beats Serbellon and the Spaniards before Leucato 115 The Pr of Harcour relieves Casal appears before Turin takes it 129 The Hard fortune of Kings daughters 32 Henry the Great slain 3 His treasure his army his burial 4 Henry the third buried 22. yeers after his death 8 M. Hicks now Sir Ellis Hicks the good service he did at Montauban 58 Hesdin taken by the French 126 Twenty Holland men of War come according to article to serve the French King 68 The Lady Henrietta Maria married to the King of Great Britain 66 Humbert Duke of Viennois upon what termes he bequeath'd Dauphiné to Philip of Valois I King Jame's Letter to the French King 63 His passionate speech to his Counsell his complement to her Majesty now Queen 66 The Jacobins hold that in no case the Counsel is above the Pope the question solemnly debated in Paris 12 Inventions to torment Ravaillac 7 The Iesuits have the heart of Henry the Great 8 Jesuits not permitted to open their Colledge in Paris 11 The Imperialists and Spaniards overrun Picardy and Burgundy 113 Insurrection in Diion suppress'd 93 Insurrection in Normandy 126 John Duke of Bragansa made King of Portugal 130 His Letter to the K. of Spain 131 Saint John de Luz taken by the Spaniard 114 The Isles of Saint Margarita and Saint Honorat taken by the Spaniard 112 Repris'd by the French 115 Italian predictions of Henry the Greats death 4 K Kings presence oft-times advantagious 20 Kings of France majors when as high as a sword 21 New Knights of the Holy Spirit 46 L Landrecy taken by the Duke de la Valette 115 Letter of the King of Spain to the Duke of Bragansa 130 Letter of King James to the French King 63 Letter from Richelieu to the Q. Mother 160 Letters interchangeable 'twixt Buckingham and Toiras 83 Letter from Condé to the Queen Mother 18 Letter from the Queen Mother to Condé 19 Letter from the Queen at her first arrivall in France to the King 31 Letters from the King to Monsieur 104 Letters from the King to the Duke of Halluin 116 Letters from the King to Condé 47 Letters to Toiras against the English 82 The Duke of Lerma marrieth the Infanta for the King of France 31 Lewis the Thirteenth his inclination and sports when young 3 His minority 5 His solemn coronation 10 His majority declar'd by Parlement 21 His gracious declaration to the Princes 35 His speech to his Mother after d' Ancres death 39 He beds with the Queen 43 A clash 'twixt him and the Parlement at Paris 47 His exploits in Bearn 50 His Protest to the Assembly of Notables 75 His answer to the Rochelers when they yeelded 86 He crosseth the Alps in Winter 87 Hath a shrewd fit of sicknes 96 His harsh answer to them of the Religion 62 His harsh Declaration against his Mother 99 His Declaration against Spain 100 His speech to the Palsgrave 127 His speech to the D. of Lorain 132 reduc'd to a great straight 32 He protects the Catalan 134 His death with the circumstances thereof 135 Examples of his piety 139 Divers speeches of his 139 His chastity and constancy 140 His exploits run over 142 Did greater things then Henry the Great 143 Divers things objected against him 141 Duke of Longuevill in arms 18 L'esdiguiers made Constable 59 Luynes put first to the King 3 Incenses the K. against d'Ancre 38 Hath Ancres estate given him and made Constable 52 A clash twixt him and Sir Ed. Herbert then Lo Ambassadour now Baron of Cherbery 55 A Dialogue between them 55 How worthily the English Ambassador compos'd himself 56 Luynes dieth of the Plague in the Army 58 His Legend 59 Duke of Lorain meets the King at Metz. 101 Duke of Lorain waves the performance of homage for the Duchy of Bar. 106 His complement to the King 106 He comes to Paris 132 Monsieur de Lien Cour Governor of Paris 29 M Marie de Medici declar'd Queen Regent by Parlement 5 Her speech upon the resignation of the Government 22 Her discours with Marossan about her escape 45 The first war with her son 44 The second war with her son 48 The beginning of her aversenes to the Cardinal 96 The causes of it 98 Her complaint against him 99 She returns to Flanders in discontent 99 Thence to Holland and so to England then to Colen where she died 133 Her high qualities 134 Mariana's opinion touching Kings protested against in Paris 9 Q. Margaret de Valois dieth her Character 26 Moderation the true rule of wisdom 13 Mazarini makes a peace in Italy 96 Monsieur maried to the Duke of Monpensiers daughter 72 His complement to her 73 He falls in love with the Duke of Montava's daughter and being cross'd flies to Lorain 92 Flies again to Lorain 103 He entreth France with an Army of strangers 103 His high propositions to his brother 104 Flies the third time to Lorain 105 Marieth the Lady Margaret the Duke of Lorains sister goes then to Flanders whence at the Infante Cardinals approach he steales away to France 106 Duke of Monmorency joyn's with Monsieur is defeated by Schomberg 104 Is beheaded at Tholouze 105 Morocco Ambassador in Paris his credential Letter 102 Montauban the last Town of them of the Religion which submitted 91 Monpellier capitulats by the Duke of Rohans advice 60 Morgard the Astrologer made Gallislave 14 N Nancy given up to the French 106 The Nature of the Spaniard in adversity 131 The Nonage of Lewis the Thirteenth 5 The Nonage of Lewis the Fourteenth now King 135 O The Oath the Queen of Englands French servants were to take 65 Open hostility 'twixt France and Spain pronounc'd by Herauld 111 Saint Omer besieged by the French who were forc'd to retire 123 Octavio Lassani an Astrologer his prediction of the Duke of Savoy's death 94 Obelisks and triumphant Arches in Rome in joy of the Dauphins Nativity 125 Oxenstern Ambassador in France 112 The Outrages the French committed at Tillemont 112 P Paris in great fear 114 Parlement of England superiour to the Assembly of the three Estates of France in numbers and state 23 Perrons prudent cariage in the great Assembly 24 Pensions of the Crown of France 27 Pasquills upon the Gates of the Louur 40 Pasquill upon the Cardinals gates 168 Pasquill in Rome of the King and the Cardinal 168 The old Parlement of France turn'd now to an Assembly of Notables 74 Peace renew'd by the intervention of the Venetian and proclaim'd at Privas 'twixt England and France 88 Pignerol taken by the Cardinal 94 Pignerol sold to the French King 97 The Parlement of Paris suspends the verification of the Kings Declaration against Monsieur and is sharply rebuk'd 98 The Palsgrave prisoner in France releas'd and the Kings speech unto him 127 Philipsburg taken by the Spaniard 108
their Counsels He had his beagles abroad every where which were excellent to find the sent of things and amongst others one de Lope a Jew was his chiefest Spy A little before the revolt of Catalonia and Portugall he was overheard to say That shortly he would give the Spaniard such a bone to gnaw that should shake all the teeth in his head And touching the troubles of Scotland and England he was us'd to say 't was easie for one with half an eye to have foreseen them He had an excellent invention to devise wayes to get money in so much that when the Cow slack'd he had a way to presse her nipples so that all the time of his sway the King never wanted Treasure he us'd France like Prospero Colunnas Goose pluck the old feathers and the new ones will grow the faster He gave her likewise all sorts of Physick sometimes he would give her a purge sometimes a vomit then would he often Phlebotomize her and by sweating and fluxing do away the peccant humors He held that Principle a vain thing which calls the peoples hearts the Kings best Exchequer He verified the saying that La France est un beau pré qu'on ton-doit trois fois l'année France is a medow which if you do mow thrice every yeer the grasse will better grow Or France's like your beard which the more oft you shave still the more thick and plusher hair you 'l have He thought often upon that Maxim that populus aut humiliter servit aut superbè dominatur The common people serve slavishly or rule proudly they are like fire and water Good servants but ill Masters therefore he kept them under by impositions and poverty It was long before the King took him into his bosome though he had always a great conceit of his abilities A good while when he saw him come to Court he was us'd to say sometimes Voycy venir le Fourbe Here coms the cunning Companion but afterwards he so fastned upon his affections that whereas to others Kings favours are but as Tenacies at wil the Kings favor to him might be call'd a stable possession 't was not as brittle glasse but as firm as Diamond Thus for twenty yeers together he sayl'd securely upon the Ocean of Royall favour which useth to be full of rocks shelfs and Quicksands but he knew the use of the Compasse so well that he avoyded them all He was marvailously constant to his ends assiduous and sagacious whereby he took off from the Frenchman that reprochfull saying which defines him to be an animal sine praeterito et futuro He fitted his projects so aptly to the means and the means to the ends that he seldome fayl'd of his expectation He stird all the Caecodaemons of hell against the House of Austria and a little before he died he threatned to pull the King of Spain out of his Escuriall such was his forren Intelligence that he did the Enemy more mischief by discovering of his Counsels then by discomfiting his Armes He had such a nimble apprehension that he oft times would find out truth at first search the prime motions of his thoughts being so conclusive that what discours he form'd upon them afterward was but an approbation of the first Idaea which needed no addition He was no great zelot in his own Religion but as he made her subservient to his politicall ends nor would he ever employ Jesuit he had a moderate opinion of the Reformists which made him to be call'd the Huguenot Cardinal And he would have often in his mouth this saying Maneat moralis benevolentia inter discordes sententia Yet he writ a book against them which is extant He did them more mischief by complementing with them then by combating He was overheard to say that he had taken Rochell in despight of three Kings meaning his own for one for it was a great while before the King could be induc'd to that expedition Saint Martin was beholding to him for his cloake els the English had taken it away from him at the Isle of Ré with which cloake 't was said Saint Martin cover'd him afterwards in many Battailes He was a great cherisher and promoter of vertuous men and would find them out wheresoever they were in so much that he gave every yeer in pensions little lesse then an hundred thousand Franks He erected two Universities one in Paris call'd L'Academie de beaux Esprits where the prime wits of the Kingdom met every Munday and another at Richelieu where the Mathematiques and other Sciences were read in the French Language the difficulty of the Latin deterring many from the study of them in other places He did so oblige all the wits of the Kingdom that they strove who should magnifie him most and there were never such hyperbolicall expressions of any man and not without some mixture of profanenes which shews that there is no Inquisition in France Some said That God Almighty might put the government of the world into his hands That France in God and the Cardinals hands were too strong that What the soule was to the body the same he was to France Si foret hic nullus Gallia nulla foret Some appropriat the reduction of the Rochellers soly to him therefore to sooth him one French Chronicler writes that in the taking of that Town Neither the King nor God Almighty himself had a share in the action but the Cardinal himself Thereupon another made this Distich Richelii adventu portae patuere Rupellae Christo infernales ut patuere fores The gates of Rochell op'd to Richelieu As those of Hell to Christ asunder flew Then another Cedite Richelio mortales cedite Divi Ille homines vincit vincit et ille Deos. Vayle mortalls vayle ye gods to Richelieu He mortals can He can the gods subdue Another thus O Princeps delicte Deo cui militat aequor Et tempestates omnia laeta ferunt Magne pater patriae quae saecla ingrata recusent Indigites inter te numerare Deos And in the French Language there are a world of such Hyperboles we will instance only in two Et si nous faisons des ghirlandes C'est pour en couronner un Dieu Qui soubs le nom de Richelieu Recoit nos Vaeux nos offrandes Another Heros a qui la France erige des Autels Qui prevois qui fais le bonheur des Mortels Qui scais mieux l'advenir que les choses passeés Penetre dans mon Ame c. Another Si quelq'un dans ces vers parle de Richelieu Qui sous l'habit d'un homme il nous descrive un Dieu Vous n'estes point suiet a l'humaine impuissance c. He that 's cryed up for the Cicero of France speaking of his book against them of Charenton saith that that book might be the death of all other books except the Bible Another though a Royal Chronologer attributs more to him then to his Master the King