of Duke William said likewise that it preferably appertained to him because it was concluded in the contract of the marriage of that Lady that in case an issue Male were wanting to the house of Juliers the Succession should return to him and his descendants Now that arriving it necessarily followed that the Succession was open to him The Duke of Nevers pretended likewise to the Dutchy of Cleves as he alone carrying the Name and Arms of Cleves and the Count of Maulevrier for the same reason demanded the County de la Mark for he was the Eldest de la Mark and in this quality he pretended likewise to the Dutchy of Bouillon and the Signory of Sedan which were held by the Viscount of Turenne Marshal de Bouillon The Emperour said that all the pretensions of those concurrents were ill founded for that those Lands being Fiefs Masculine could not fall to Daughters but in default of Males were devolved to the Empire and therefore he to have the disposal of them And upon this right he secretly gave the investiture to Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasbourg and sent his forces to seize those lands under pretext of Right and in the mean time assigned the parties to appear before his Imperial Majesty to give in their reasons The pursuits of the Duke of Nevers and the Count of Maulevrier were not very hot because they were made understand that the Fiefs they demanded were united and could not be dismembred The Right of the Marquis of Brandenbourg and that of Newbourg being most apparent the greatest contestation was between them The Landgrave of Hesse their common friend became Mediator for them and made them pass a transaction to decide their difference friendly without imploying their forces except against Usurpers the administration of the Succession remaining equal and common amongst them saving the Rights of the Emperour But in the mean time Leopold of Austria arrives with his forces and seizes Juliers The two Princes resolved to drive him out sought assistance on all sides and particularly implored the Kings to whom they sent the Prince of Anhalt with the Letters of the Electors Palatine and of the Duke of Wirtenbourg who assured him that his Arms would be just powerful and by the grace of God victorious The Prince of Anhalt without doubt discoursed with him of many other things touching the great design The King gave his person a most gracious reception and received his propositions with an unparallel'd joy he answered him in terms as obliging as he could that he would march in person to the assistance of his good Allies and that till such time as he could mount on horseback with an Equipage befitting a King of France he would dayly make some Troops advance which he did about the end of the year 1609. But moreover he prayed him to let the Confederate Princes understand that they would do him great wrong if they thought that he intended any prejudice to the Catholick Religion in that Country for he desired above all things that the Exercise of it should be conserved in the same estate it was before the death of Duke William who was a Catholick but Brandenbourg and Newbourg were Protestants The Emperor likewise sent to him Ambassadors one of his chiefest Confidents intreating him not to favour the rebellion and injustice of these Princes and to consider that he could not assist them without doing wrong to the Catholick Religion Henry the Great answered him That being the Thrice-Christian King he should know well how to maintain and amplifie it but that he acted not to that intent that the question was onely about succouring his friends in which he should never be wanting so long as he had life During the whole Winter he gave order for all preparations for this Expedition which was onely the cover to a greater Being resolved to pursue himself the success he had deliberated before his departure from the Kingdome to establish so good an Order for the Government of it that no trouble could arrive For this effect he believed that the best way was to leave the Regency to the Queen but because he knew that she was governed by Conchini whom he did not at all love he would have her assisted by a Council composed of fifteen persons to wit the Cardinals of Joyeuse and du Peronne the Dukes of Mayenne Montmorency and Montbazon the Marshals of Brissac and de Fervaques Chasteau-Neauf who should have been Keeper of the Seals of the Regency for the King would take his Chancellour with him Achilles de Harlay first President of Parliament Nicholas first President of the Chamber of Accounts the Count of Chasteauvieux and the Lord of Lian-court two wise Gentlemen Pontcarre Counsellour of Parliament Gesvres Secretary of State and Maupeou Controuller of the Revenues Moreover he would establish a little Council of five persons in every one of the twelve Provinces of France to wit one person for the Clergy one for the Nobility one for Justice one for the Revenues and one for the Body of the Cities and these twelve little Councils should have correspondence with and dependence on the great one which should have taken its resolutions from the plurality of voices the Queen having onely hers Nor could it indeed take any but according to the general Instructions formed by the King or without his Majesties being informed of it if it were a thing which his Instructions did not clearly enough explain Thus though absent he kept the Reins of his Government and tied up the hands of the Queen for fear lest she should take too much Authority or have been induced to abuse her Command Whilst he applyed his spirit to these things some persons amongst others Conchini and his wife put it into the spirit of the Queen that she should to acquire more dignity and splendour in the eyes of the people and more advantagiously to authorize her Regency be installed and crowned before the departure of the King For the same Reasons that she desired it the King found it not agreeable to him besides that this Ceremony could not be made without a great deal of expence and without loosing much time which would keep him at Paris and retard his designes He had an extream impatience to depart from that City I know not what secret instinct pressed him to be gone as soon as possible but for this reason the Instalment troubled him yet he could not refuse this mark of his affection to the Queen who passionately desired it Sully recounts that he heard him say more then once My Friend this Instalment presages me some misfortune they will kill me I shall never depart from this City My Enemies have no other remedy but my death they have told me that I should be killed at the first great Magnificence that I make and that I should die in a Coach this makes me often times
to them and giving to Anthony the Government of Guyenne which had been likewise held by Henry d' Albret his Father-in-law he retrenched him of Languedoc which he had a long time enjoyed About two years after they returned to the Court of France whither they brought their Son aged about four or five years who was the most jolly and best-composed Lad in the world but they stayed but few moneths and returned again to Bearn A little after King Henry the second was slain with a blow of a Lance by Montgomery Francis the second his eldest Son succeeded him and Messieurs de Guise Uncles to Mary Stuart his Queen seized themselves of the Government The Princes of the Blood could not suffer it and therefore Lewis Prince of Condé younger Brother to Anthony called that King into the Court to oppose it During these Divisions the Hugonots contrived the Conspiration d' Amboyse against the present Government and the two Brothers Anthony and Lewis being accused for the Chiefs of it were arrested Prisoners in the State of Orleance and processes made so hotly against the second that it was believed he would have been beheaded if the Death of King Francis the second had not happened Charles the ninth who succeeded him being under age Queen Katherine his Mother caused her self to be declared Regent of the Estates and the King of Navarre first Prince of the Blood was declared Lieutenant-General of the Realm to govern the Estate with her so that by this means he was stay'd in France whither he caused his Queen Jane and his young Son Prince Henry to come But he enjoyed not long this new Dignity for the Troubles dayly continuing by reason of the Surprizes which the new Reformers made of the best Cities of the Kingdome after having re-taken Bourges from them he came to besiege Rouen where visiting one day the Trenches as he was making water he received a Musket-shot in his left shoulder of which he in few days died at Andely on the Siene Had he lived longer the Hugonots had without doubt been but ill treated in France for he mortally hated them though his Brother the Prince of Condé were the principal Chief of their party The Queen his wife and the little Prince his son were at present in the Court of France The mother returned to Bearn where she publickly embraced Calvinism but she left her son with the King under the conduct of a wise Tutor named la Gaucherie who endeavoured to give him some tincture of Learning not by the Rules of Grammar but by Discourses and Entertainments To this effect he taught him by heart many fair Sentences like to these Ou vaincre avec Justice Ou Mourir avec Gloire Or justly gain the Victory Or learn with Glory how to die And that other Les Princes sur leur Peuple ont autorit◠grande Mais Dieu plus fortement dessus les Rois commande Kings rule their Subjects with a mighty hand But God with greater power doth Kings command In the year 1566. his mother took him from the Court of France and led him to Pau and in the place of la Gaucherie who was deceased she gave him Florentius Christian an ancient servant of the house of Vendosme a man of a very agreeable conversation and well versed in Learning but however a Hugonot and who according to the orders of the Queen instructed the Prince in that false Doctrine In the first troubles of the Religion Francis Duke of Guise had been assassinated by Poltrot at the Siege of Orleance leaving his children in minority this was in the year 1563. In the second the Constable of Montmorency received a wound at the battle of St. Dennis of which he died at Paris three days after the Eve of St. Martin in the year 1567. In the third and in the year 1569 Queen Jane rendred her self Protectoress of the Hugonot party being for this effect come to Rochel with her son whom she now devoted to the Defence of that new Religion In this quality he was declared Chief and his Uncle the Prince of Condé his Lieutenant in colleague with the Admiral of Coligny These were two great Chieftains but they committed notable errours and this young Prince though not exceeding thirteen years of age had the spirit to observe them For he judged well at the great skirmish of Loudun that if the Duke of Anjou b had had troops ready to assault them he had done it and that not doing it he was without doubt in an ill estate and therefore should the rather have been assaulted by them but they by not doing it gave time to all his troops to arrive At the battle of Jarnac he represented to them yet more judiciously that there was no means to fight because the forces of the Princes were dispersed and those of the Duke of Anjou firmly imbodied but they were engaged too far to be able to retreat The Prince of Condé was killed in this battle or rather assassinated in cold blood after the Combat in which he had had his Leg broken After that all the authority and belief of the Party remained in the Admiral Coligny who to speak truth was the greatest man of that time of the Religion he took part with but the most unfortunate This Admiral having gathered together new forces hazarded a second battle at Montcontour in Poictou he had caused to come to the Army our little Prince of Navarre and the young Prince of Condé who was likewise named Henry and gave them in charge to Prince Lodowick of Nassaw who guarded them on a Hill little distant with four thousand horse The young Prince burned with desire to engage in person but they permitted him not to run so great a hazard nevertheless when the Avant-Guard of the Duke of Alenzon was disordered by that of the Admiral there had been no danger to let him fall upon the Enemies who were much astonished However they hindred him and he now cryed out We shall loose our advantage and by consequence the battle It arrived as he had foreseen and it was at that hour judged by some that a young man of sixteen years of age had more understanding then the old Souldiers Thus he applyed himself entirely to what he did nor had he onely a Body but a Spirit and Judgement apt Being saved with the remnants of his Army he made almost a turn round the Kingdome fighting in retreat and rallying together the Hugonots troops here and there for five or six moneths during which he suffered so much travel that had he not been elevated in that manner he was he could not have been able to resist it This young Prince always accompanied with the Admiral led his troops into Guyenne and from thence through Languedoc where he took Nismes by stratagem forced several small places and
Germans having received many checks in several places but especially at Auneau in Beausse where the Duke of Guise slew or took Prisoners Three thousand Reistres afterward at Pont de Gien where the Duke d' Espernon took Twelve hundred Lansquenets or Foot and almost all the Cannon willingly hearkened to an agreement which the King caused to be proposed to them and afterwards retired by Burgongne and by the County of Montbeliard but were still pursâ—ed farther in that County by the Duke of Guise Now began the year One thousand five hundred eighty eight which all Judicial Astrologers had called the wonderful year because they foresaw so great a number of strange accidents and such confusion in natural causes that they were assured that if the end of the world came not there would happen at least an Universal Change Their Prognosticks were seconded by a a number of terrible Prodigies which arrived throughout all Europe In France there were great Earth-quakes along the River Loire and likewise in Normandy The Sea was for six weeks together disturbed with continual tempests which seemed to confound both heaven and earth In the Aire appeared divers Phantasmes of fire and on the four and twentieth of January Paris was covered with so horrible a darkness that those who had the best eyes could scarce see any thing at noon-day without the help of lights All these Prodigies seemed to signifie what soon after Arrived the death of the Prince of Conde the Besieging of Paris the Subversion of the whole Realm the Murthering of Messieurs de Guise and in fine the Parricide of Henry the third As for the Prince of Conde he died in the month of March at S. John d' Angeli where he then made his residence Though there had been a secret jealousie between him and the King of Navarre even to the making of two factions in their party yet the King resented this losse with an extreme grief and having shut himself up in his Closet with the Count de Soissons he was heard to cast forth great cries and say that he had lost his right hand However after his grief was a little evaporated he recovered his Spirit and casting all his trust on Divine Protection he came forth saying with a heart full of Christian assurance God is my refuge and my support it is in him alone I will hope and I shall not be confounded It was truly a great losse for him he was now alone to Support all the weight of affairs and being denuded of this assister remained more exposed to the attempts of the League who had now only to give a like blow to his person to remain Conquerours in all their affairs He had therefore just cause to fear their attempts However the Duke of Guise had a heart so Noble and great that whilst he lived he would never suffer such detestable waies The Confidence of the League encreased wonderfully by the death of this Prince they testified extraordinary rejoycings and published that it was an effect of the Justice of God and of the Apostolick curses The Hugonots on the contrary were in an extreme consternation considering that they had lost in him their most assured Chief because they believed him firmly perswaded in their Religion but had not the same opinion of the King of Navarre In effect the Confusion and Disorder was so great amongst them that in all appearance had they continued strongly to prosecute them they might have soon ruined them The King hated them mortally and would willingly have consented but he would mannage things in such manner that their destruction should not prove the agrandizing of the Duke of Guise and his own losse but this Duke knowing his intentions pressed him continually to give him forces utterly to exterminate the Hugonots in whose ruine he infallibly hoped to involve the King of Navarre He had this advantage over the King that he had acquisted the love of the people principally by two means the first by his opposing himself to the new Imposts and the second by continually being at variance with the Favorites nor ever bending before them whilst the doing of things contrary had made the King fall into an extreme low Esteem and had likewise taken away the heat of some of his servants love See here an Example The King had two great men in his Councel Peirre d' Espinac Archbishop of Lyons and Villeroy Secretary of State The Duke d'Espernon who was fierce and haughty would treat them according to his proud humour they grew exasperated against him and thereupon change their affection to the Duke of Guise his party but without doubt still in their hearts remaining most faithful to the King and Crown of France as afterward well appeared especially in the person of Villeroy In the mean time the King lived after the ordinary manner in the profusions of an odious Luxury and in the laziness of a contemptible Retreat passing his time either in seeing Dances or in playing with little Dogs of which he had great numbers of all sorts or else in Teaching Parriquito's to speak or in Cutting of Images or in other Occupations more becoming an Inâ—ant then a King But the Duke of Guise lost no time he made dayly new friends conserved his old ones caressed the people testified a great zeal for the Ecclesiasticks undertook their defence against all would oppress them and every where appeared with the Splendor and Gravity of a Prince but yet without Pride without Arrogancy The Parisians were intoxicated with esteem for him the greatest part of the Parliament and most part of the other Officers attended his motions and testified to him the affection they ought to the service of the King There were an infinite number of people who had signed the League and in the sixteen Quarters or Wards of Paris when they could not gain the Quarteniers or Aldermen they chose one the most violent of the Leaguers to act in their function by reason of which they afterwards called at Paris the Principal of this party and their faction the sixteen not that they were but sixteen for their number exceeded Ten thousand but all dispersed through the sixteen Quarters Now the King principally incited by the Duke d' Espernon resolved to punish the forwardest of these sixteen who in all occasions shewed themselves furious enemies of that Favorite By this means he thought to overthrow the League and absolutely ruine the Credit and Reputation of the Duke of Guise He caused therefore some Troops secretly to enter into Paris and gave order to seize on those persons The Duke of Guise being advised of it posts from Soissons where he then was resolving to perish rather then lose his friends Barricadoes were raised in the month of May even to the Gates of the Louvre and the Kings Troops were all cut in pieces or disarmed The Queen-mother according to her ordinary
The King seeing his men so pressed gave two vigorous Charges during which they drew forth the greatest part of the Baggage out of the Bourg but all the body of the Dukes Cavalry coming on the King lost many of his men and himself ran great danger of being slain or taken prisoner but God permitted that he was only wounded with a Pistol-shot on the Reins which had been mortal if the Bullet had had more force but it pierced only his cloths and his shirt and somewhat razed the skin His valour and his good fortune both equally contributed to draw him out of this peril and to bring after so sharp a check both his person and what remained of his Troops into safety The Duke of Parma admired this action but praysed the Courage which our Henry had testified more then his Prudence for when he was demanded what he thought of this Retreat he answered That in effect it was very gallant but for his part he would never bring himself into a place where he should be forced to retire This was tacitely to say that a Prince and a General ought to secure themselves better And so all the Kings faithful servants came the same evening to intreat him that he would spare his person on which the safety of France depended And the Queen of England his most faithful friend prayed him that he would preserve himself and at least keep within the terms of a great Captain who ought not to come to handy-stroaks but in the last extremity After the raising the siege of Rouen the greatest part of the Kings Army passed into Champagne in pursuit of the Duke of Parma and laid siege before the City of Espernay and took it The Marshal of Byron was killed by a Faulcon-shot which carried away his head as he was viewing the place His eldest Son who was named the Baron of Byron as great a Captain as the Father and much loved by the King was a little after honoured with the same Charge of Marshal of France but he lost his Head somewhat less gloriously then his Father The Duke of Mayenne and the Duke of Parma being parted ill satisfied one with the other it was not difficult to renew the Conferences between the first and the Royalists however things were not yet ripe there were some seeds sown which some time after brought forth fruit for the King consented that he would within six moneths permit himself to be instructed by those means which might not wrong either his Honour or his Conscience He gave leave likewise to the Catholick Lords of his party to depute some towards the Pope to let him understand the duties he applyed himself to and to intreat him to add his Authority and that in the mean time Peace should be dayly treated of The Duke of Mayenne and his party demanded Conditions so advantagious that they were ill resented and to speak truth many things in this Conjuncture did much trouble our Henry that which most of all perplexed him was that the Duke of Mayenne violently pressed by the instances of the Pope and the King of Spain by the remonstrances of those great Cities which took his party and likewise by the necessity of his Affairs had called the Estates-General to Paris to proceed to the Nomination of a King Now this Nomination had been the indubitable ruine of France and possibly caused the absolute expulsion of our Henry For there was much appearance and likelyhood that all the Catholick Potentates of Christendome would have acknowledged that King whom the States should have elected that the Clergy would have done the like and that the Nobility and people who followed not our Henry but because he had the Title of King would not have made conscience to have quitted him for another to whom the Estates had granted it To the end therefore he might hinder this mortal blow he wisely advised with himself to propose a Conference of the Lords of his Party with these pretended Estates The Duke of Mayenne was well content with this Expedient because he saw well that the King of Spain desired that he who should be elected should espouse his Daughter Isabella-Clara-Eugenia and thus the Election could not regard him since he was married and had Children but likewise out of fear lest they should hearken to an acknowledgement of our Henry he under hand stirred up some Doctors to say That this Conference with a Heretick was unlawful and by vertue of this advice he wrought in such manner that the Estates agreed they would not confer with him neither directly nor indirectly touching his Establishment nor touching the Doctrine of the Faith but that they would confer with the Catholicks holding his party for the good of Religion and the publick Repose The Legat knowing well what this would come to endeavoured with all his power to hinder the effect of this Deliberation of the Estates but in the end he was constrained to lend his hand to it The Conference was then concluded and the Deputies of one part and the other assembled at the Borough of Surene near Paris The Estates were assembled in the month of January in the year 1593. and sate in the great Hall of the Louvre There were few Noble-men a great number of Prelates and a sufficient quantity of Deputies of the third Estate but the most part Creatures of the Duke of Mayenne or payed by the King of Spain This Prince desiring at any price soever to have the Crown for his Daughter had destined to send a puissant Army into France which should hasten the Resolutions of the Estates but happily for our Henry the incomparable Duke of Parma was dead and the Spaniard had not in the Low-Countries any Captains capable of great things The Count of Mansfield had order to lead his Troops the Duke of Mayenne went to meet him They re-took Noyon but that was all afterward they melted away and became so weak that not daring to pass any farther they returned into Flanders where Prince Maurice of Nassaw found them sufficient employment During the Siege of Noyon the young Byron to whom the King had newly given the charge of Admiral yeilded up by the Duke of Espernon in change for the Government of Provence had besieged Selles in Berry to take that Thorne out of the foot of the City of Tours The King perceiving that this paltry Town held him too long time had called him thence to go and relieve Noyon which notwithstanding he durst not enterprize These little disgraces wonderfully puffed up the hearts of the Kings enemies cool'd his friends and eâ—boldned the faction The third party who had kept under a covert now began to move and likewise a report ran that there were some Catholicks who had conspired to seize the person of the King in Mantes under colour of snatching him out of the hands of the Hugonots and would carry him
wilt punish me as my sins deserve I offer my head to thy Justice spare not the Culpable but Lord for thy holy mercies sake take pity of the poor Kingdom and smite not the flock for the offence of the shepherd It cannot be expressed of what efficacy these words were they were in a moment carried through the whole Army and it seemed as if some vertue from heaven had given courage to the French The Arch-Duke therefore finding them resolved and in good Countenance durst not pass farther Some other attempts he afterwards made which did not succeed and he retired by night into the Country of Artois where he dismissed his Army In fine Hernand Teillo being slain by a Musquet-shot the besieged capitulated and the King established Governour in the City the Seigneur de Vic a man of great order and exact discipline who by his command began to build a Citadel there At his departure from Amiens the King led his Army to the very Gates of Arras to visit the Arch-Duke he remained three days in battalia and saluted the City with some Volleys of Cannon Afterward seeing that nothing appeared he retired towards France ill satisfied said he gallantly with the courtesie of the Spaniards who would not advance so much as one pace to receive him but had with an ill grace refused the honour he did them The Marshal of Byron served him extraordinarily at this siege and the King when he was returned to Paris and that those of the City gave him a reception truly Royal he told them shewing them the Marshal Gentlemen see there the Marshal de Byron whom I do willingly present both to my friends and to my enemies There rested now no appearance of the League in France but onely the Duke of Merceur yet keeping a corner of Brittany The King had often granted him Truces and offered him great Conditions but he was so intoxicated with an ambition to make himself Duke of that Country that he found out daily new fancies to delay the concluding one imagining that time might afford him some favourable revolution and flattering himself with I know not what prophecies which assured him that the King should dye in two years In fine the King wearied with so many protractions turns his head that way resolving to chastise his obstinacy as it deserved He had been lost without remedy if he had not been advised to save himself by offering his only daughter to the eldest son of the Fair Gabriella Dutchess of Beaufort who is at this day Duke of Vendosme His Deputies could at first obtain nothing else but that he should immediately depart out of Brittany and deliver those places which he held which done his Majesty would grant him oblivion for all past and receive him into his favour But the King being of a tender heart and desiring to advance his natural son by so rich and noble a marriage granted him a very advantagious Edict which was verified in the Parliament as all those of the Chiefs of the League were This accommodation was made at Angiers the Contract of marriage passed at Chasteau and the affiances celebrated with the same Magnificence as if he had been a Legitimate son of France He was four years old and the Virgin six The King made gift to him of the Dutchy of Vendosme by the same right that other Dukes hold them which the Parliament verified not without great repugnancy and with this condition that it should be no president for the other goods of the Kings patrimony which by the Laws of the Realm were esteemed reunited to the Crown from the time of his coming to it From Angiers the King would pass into Brittany He stayed some time at Nantes from thence he went to Rennes where the Estates were held he passed about two months in this City in feasts joys and divertisements but yet ceasing not seriously to imploy himself to hasten the expedition of many affairs For it is to be observed that this great Prince employed himself all the mornings in serious things and dedicated the rest of the day to his divertisements yet not in such manner that he would not readily quit his greatest pleasures when there was any thing of importance to be acted and he still gave express order not to defer the advertizing him of such things He took away a great many superfluous Garisons in this Country suppressed many imposts which the Tyranny of many perticular persons had introduced during the War disbanded all those pilfering Troops which laid waste the plain Country sent forth the Provosts into the Campagne against the theeves which were in great number restored Justice to its authority which License had weakned and gathered four Millions of which the Estates of the Country of their own free will levyed eight hundred thousand crowns So he laboured profitably for these two ends which he ought most to intend to wit the ease of his people and the increase of his treasures Two things which are incompatible when a Prince is not Just and a good manager or lets his mony be managed by others without taking diligent care of his accounts Thus was a calme of Peace restored to France within it self after ten years Civil Wars by a particular grace of God on this Kingdom by the labour diligence goodness and valour of the best King that ever was And in the mean time a peace was seriously endeavoured between the two Crowns of France and Spain The two Kings equally wished it our Henry because he passionately desired to ease his people and to let them regain their forces after so many bloody and violent agitations and Philip because he found himself incline to the end of his days and that his Son Philip the third was not able to sustain the burthen of a War against so great a King The Deputies of one part and the other had been assembled for three months in the little City of Vervins with the Popes Nuntio Those of France were Pompone of Believre and Nicholas Bruslard both Counsellours of State and the last likewise President of the Parliament who acting agreeably and without jealousies determined on the most difficult Articles in very little time and according to the order they received from the King signed the peace on the second of May. The 12. of the same month it was published at Vervin It would be too long to insert here all the Articles of the Treaty I shall say only that it was agreed that the Spaniards should surrender all the places they had taken in Picardy and Blavet which they yet held in Brittany That the Duke of Savoy should be comprehended in this Treaty provided he delivered to the King the City of Berry which he held in Provence And for the Marquesate of Saluces which that Duke had taken from France towards the latter end of the Reign of Henry the third that it should be
soon converted into a Frugality very necessary for the State He had chosen for his Council very able and faithful Ministers as Chiverny Bellievre Sillery Sancy Janin Villeroy and Rosny I speak not here at all of his gallant Men for War as the Marshal of Byron Lesdiguieres Governour of the Daulphinate the Duke of Mayenne the Constable of Montmorency the Marshal de la Chastre the Marshal d' Aumont Guitry la Noue and many others of whom he served not himself in the Administration of State-affairs though he often entertained himself with them and for their honour sometimes communicated to them things of consequence demanding their advice The Chancellour of Chiverny who had been raised to this charge under the reign of Henry the third was a man cold dissembled and considerate but as his Enemies said he was a much better Pleader then Counsellour of State He died the year following and in his place the King constituted Pompone de Bellievre a man perfectly accomplished in the knowledge of the Rights and Interests of France and a most expert Negotiator as he well shewed in the Treaty of Vervin He was old when the King gave him this Charge and therefore said himself That he onely entred into it to go out of it He counselled the King to make a severe Act against Duels He established a very good Order in the Council and ordained That none should be received Master of the Requests but who had been ten whole years in one of the Soveraign Companies or sixteen in other of the Subalternate Seats Nicholas Bruslard de Sillery President of the Cap to the Parliament of Paris who was his Son-in-law and who had been his Companion at Vervin was of a spirit sweet facile and circumspect It hath been said that the Publick never beheld any passion either in his Countenance or Discourse Harlay-Sancy was a man free bold and dauntless who feared no person when he acted for the service of the King but he was a little rugged and spoke to him too freely witness what he said concerning Madam Gabriella who knew how to return it to him As for Janin President of the Parliament of Bourgongne and Villeroy chief Secretary of State they had both taken part with the League and yet very profitably served both the King and France having in what they acted endeavoured onely for the defence of the Catholick Religion and not been moved out of a spirit of faction They had hindred the Spaniards from planting themselves in this Realm and the Duke of Mayenne from absolutely casting himself upon them as his despair had often perswaded him to do They agreed both in this point that they loved the Estate and Royalty with passion and that they had great judgement but for the rest of their humours they were very much different Janin was an old Gaul who would manage his Affairs by the ancient forms according to the Laws and Ordinances a good Lawyer firm and resolute who went directly towards his end and who knew no subtile turnings and windings but entirely loved the publick good Villeroy was one of the wisest and most exact Courtiers that was ever seen he had a spirit clear and neat which would unravel with an incredible facility the most embroyled Affairs explain them so agreeably and intelligibly as nothing more and who turned them as himself pleased He was wonderfully active withal and most excellent at finding Expedients taking his business by so sure hold that it was difficult to escape him The King often conferred with these Counsellours for they were now so called and not Ministers as they had been for above thirty years before He spoke to them of his Affairs sometimes to be instructed and sometimes to instruct them which he did either in the Council-chamber or walking in the Gardens of the Tuilleries Monceaux St. Germain and Fontainbleau He discoursed often with them apart calling them one after another and he did so either to oblige them to speak to him with more liberty or not to tell them all together what he would onely tell to some particularly or for some other reason which he without doubt deduced from good policy He said That he found none amongst them who satisfied him like Villeroy and that he could dispatch more business with him in an hour then with the others in a whole day As for Maximilian de Bethune Baron of Rosny and after Duke of Sully he had been bred up with the King in the Hugonot Religion and the King had known his capacity and affection in divers affairs of consequence but above all that his genius carried him to the good management of Revenues and that he had all qualities requisite for that purpose In effect he was a man of good order exact a good husband a keeper of his word not prodigal nor proud nor carried away by vain follies or expences or play or women or any other things not convenient for a man entrusted with such an Employment Moreover he was vigilant laborious expeditious and one who dedicated almost his whole time to his affairs and little to his pleasure and withal he had the gift of piercing into the very bottome of matters and unravelling those twistings and knots with which Treasurers when they are not trusty and faithful endeavour to conceal their deceits We have already said how the King desired above all things to provide for a good Government in his Revenues and the reasons for which he had been obliged to leave Francis d' O in the charge of Superintendant After this man was dead he gave that charge to five or six persons whom he believed both capable and honest men he was perswaded that he should be better served by them then by one alone imagining that they would serve as checks and controulers to one another But the quite contrary happened every one discharged himself on his Companion nothing was advanced and if any would act the others were not wanting to cross him by their jealousies so that they only agreed in this point that every one looked that his Salary was well paid him which cost the King six times more then if he had had only one Superintendent whilst he drew no profit from this multitude Knowing then that so many people did onely imbroil his Revenues he returned them again into the hands of one and this was Sancy But a short time after finding him more proper for other Employments then that he gave him Rosny for a Companion and after made Rosny alone Superintendent Rosny before he entred into this Charge was provided with all necessary knowledges to acquit himself well of it he knew perfectly all the Revenues of the Kingdom and all the expences which were necessary He communicated all he knew to the King who on his part had likewise studied all these things so that an hundred Crowns could not be laid out but he would
little St. Anthonies being holy Thursday as she returned to her Lodging and being walking in the Garden she felt her self struck with an Apoplexy in the brain The first fury of it being passed she would no longer stay in that house but caused her self to be carried to that of Madam de Sourdis her Aunt near St. Germain of the Auxerrois And all the rest of that day and the morrow she was perplexed with Swoondings and Convulsions of which she died on the Saturday-morning The causes of her death were diversly spoken of but however it was a happiness to France since it deprived the King of an object for which he was about to loose both himself and his Estate His grief was as great as his love had been yet he not being of those feeble souls who please themselves in perpetuating their sorrows and in bathing themselves in their tears received not onely those comforts he sought but still conserved for the Children and particularly for the Duke of Vendosm that affection he had born the Mother All good French-men passionately desired that so good a King might leave legitimate Children They durst not press him to take a Wife capable to bring him forth such so long as Gabriella lived for fear lest he should espouse her and out of the same fear Queen Margaret would not give her consent to dissolve his marriage But when Gabriella was dead she willingly lent her hand to it and her self addressed a Request to the holy Father to demand the dissolution founding it principally on two causes of nullity The first was the want of consent for she alledged she had been forced to it by King Charles the ix her Brother The second the Proximity of Kindred found between them in the third degree for which she said there had never been any valuable Dispensation In like manner the Lords of the Kingdome and the Parliament besought his Majesty by solemn Deputations that he would think of taking a Wife representing to him the inconveniencies and the danger wherein France would be found if he should die without Children These Deputations will not seem strange to those who know our ancient History where it may be seen that neither the King nor his Children married but by the advice of his Barons and this passed in that time for almost a Fundamental Law of the Estate The King touched with these just supplications of his subjects addressed his request to the Pope containing the same reasons as that of Queen Margaret and charged the Cardinal d'Ossat and Sillery his extraordinal Ambassadour whom he had sent to Rome to pursue the judgement of the Pope concerning the restitution of the Marquisate of Saluces to sollicite instantly this Affair The cause reported to the Consistory the Pope gave Commission to the Prelates to judge it on the place according to the rights of that Crown which suffers not French-men to be transported for Affairs of the like nature beyond the Mountains whither it would be almost impossible to bring the necessary proofs and witnesses These Prelates were the Cardinal of Joyeuse the Popes Nuntio and the Archbishop of Arles who having examined both Parties seen the Proofs produced on one and the other and the Request of the three Estates of the Kingdom declared this marriage null and permitted them to marry whom they should think fit Queen Margaret who for many years had deserted the King and voluntarily shut her self up in the strong Castle of Usson in Auvergne had now permission to come to Paris money given her to pay her debts great Pensions the possession of the Dutchy of Valois with some other Lands and right to bear still the Title of Queen She lived yet fifteen years and built a Palace near du Pre-aux-Clercs which was after sold to pay his debts and demolished to build other houses She loved extreamly good Musitians having a delicate Ear and knowing and eloquent Men because she was of a spirit clear and very agreeable in her discourse For the rest she was liberal even to prodigality pompous and magnificent but she knew not what it was to pay her debts Which is without doubt the greatest of all a Princes fault because there is nothing so much against Justice of which he ought to be the Protector and Defender This marriage being dissolved Bellievre and Villeroy fearing lest the King should engage himself in new loves and be taken in some of those snares which the fairest of the Court stretched out for him perswaded him by many great Reasons of State to fix his thoughts on Maria de Medicis who was daughter to Francis and Neece to Ferdinand great Dukes of Toscany The Cardinal d' Ossat and Sillery made known his intention to the great Duke Ferdinand her Uncle and Alincour son to Villeroy whom he had sent to thank the holy Father for his good and brief Justice touching the aforesaid dissolution of his marriage had order to testifie to him that the King having cast his eyes on all the Daughters of the Soveraign Houses of Christendome had found no Princess more agreeable to him The business was managed with so much activeness and vigilancy by the diligence of those which had enterprized it that the King found himself absolutely engaged The contract of the marriage was signed at Florence by his Ambassadors the fourth of April in the year one thousand six hundred And Alincour in seven days brought him the news to Fountain-bleau He assisted at present at that famous Conference or Dispute between James David du Perron Bishop of Eureux afterwards Cardinal and Philip du Plessis Mornay where truth nobly triumphed over falsehood There are particular relations of the solemnities made at Florence the Magnificences of the great Duke the Ceremonies of the Affiancing and Marriage of this Queen of her Imbarking her being convoyed by the Gallies of Malta and Florence and her reception at Marseilles at Avignon and at Lions and therefore I shall speak nothing of it Whilst the Marriage of Florence was treating the King having a heart which could for no long time keep his liberty became enslaved to a new object It is to be understood that Mary Touchet who had been Mistress to Charles the ninth from whom came Issue the Count d' Auvergne had been Married to the Lord d' Entragues and had by him many children amongst the rest a very fair daughter named Henrietta who by consequent was sister by the mothers side to the Count of Auvergne This Count was about the age of thirty years and she about eighteen It is but too well known that Flatterers and wicked Sycophants ruine all in the Courts of great Men and corrupt likewise their persons These are they which sweeten the poyson which embolden the Prince to do ill which make him familiar with vice which seek and facilitate occasions for it and who act as we may say the mystery of
took care before his death to treat of the marriage of his Son with Margaret Daughter to the Arch-Duke of Grats and that of his dear Daughter Isabella with the Cardinal-Arch-Duke Albert of the same blood with her and gave him for Dowry the Low-Countries and County of Bourgongne on Condition of its Reversion if she died without issue He had already signed the Articles of the peace but this mortal sickness permitted him not to give Oath to it with the same solemnities as the King and Arch-Duke had done Philip the third his Son and Successour acquitted himself of this Obligation on the one and twentieth of May in the year 1601. in the City of Vallidolid and presence of the Count of Rochepot Ambassodour of France The license of the War having for many years permitted mischiefs with impunity there were yet found a great number of Vagabonds who believed it still permitted them to take the Goods of others at pleasure and others there were who thought they had right to do themselves justice by their arms not acknowledging any Laws but force This obliged our wise King to begin the Reformation of the Estate by the Re-establishment of publick Security To this effect he forbad all carrying of Fire-arms to all persons of what quality soever upon pain of the Confiscation of their Arms and Horses and a Fine of two hundred Crowns for the first fault and of Life without remission for the second permitting all the world to arrest any who carried them except his light-horsemen his Gens d' Arms and the Guards of his body which might bear them onely when they were in service To the same purpose and to ease the Country of the multitudes of his Souldiers he dismissed not onely the greatest part of his new Troops but likewise reduced the one half of his old He reduced the Companies of the Ordinance to a very little number and took off the Guards of the Governours of the Provinces and Lieutenants of the King not willing to suffer any whatsoever besides himself to have that glorious mark of Soveraignty about their persons The Wars had spoiled all Commerce reduced Cities into Villages Villages to small Cots and Lands to Deserts nevertheless the Receivers constrained the poor Husband-men to pay Taxes for those Fruits they had never gathered The Cries of these miserable people who had nothing but their Tongues to lament with touched in such manner the very Entrails of so just and so good a King that he made an Edict by which he released them of all they owed him for the time past and gave them hopes to ease them more for the future Moreover having understood that during the Troubles there were made a great quantity of false Nobles who were exempted from the Tax he commanded that they should be sought forth nor did he confirm their Usurpation for a piece of mony as hath been sometimes done to the great prejudice of other taxed people but he would that the Tax should be re-imposed upon them to the end that by this means they might assist the poor people to bear a good part of the burthen as being the richer He desired with much affection to do good to his true Nobility and repay them those Expences they had been at in his service but his Coffers were empty and moreover all the Gold in Peru had not been sufficient to satisfie the Appetite and Luxury of so many people For King Henry the third had by his example and that of his Minions raised expences so high that Lords lived like Princes and Gentlemen like Lords for which purposes they were forced to alienate the Possessions of their Ancestors and change those old Castles the illustrious marks of their Nobility into Silver-lace Gilt-coaches train and horses Afterwards when they were indebted beyond their credit they fell either upon the Kings Coffers demanding Pensions or on the backs of the people oppressing them with a thousand Thieveries The King willing to remedy this disorder declared very resolvedly to his Nobility That he would they should accustom themselves to live every man on his Estate and to this effect he should be well content that to enjoy themselves of the peace they should go see their Country houses and give order for the improvement of their Lands Thus he eased them of the great expences of the Court and made them understand that the best treasure they could have was that of good management Moreover knowing that the French Nobility would strive to imitate the King in all things he shewed them by his own example how to abridge their superfluity in Cloathing For he ordinarily wore gray Cloath with a Doublet of Sattin or Taffata without slashing Lace or Embroydery He praised those who were clad in this sort and chid the others who carried said he their Mills and their Woods and Forests on their backs About the end of the year he was seized with a suddain and violent sickness at Monceaux of which it was thought he would die All France was affrighted and the rumours which ran of it seemed to re-kindle some factions but in ten or twelve days he was on foot again as if God had onely sent him this sickness to discover to him what ill wills there were yet in the Kingdome and to give him the satisfaction to feel by the sorrows of his people the pleasures of being loved In the strength of his Disease he spoke to his friends these excellent words I do not at all fear death I have affronted it in the greatest dangers but I avow that I should unwillingly leave this Life till I have put this Kingdome into that splendour I have proposed to my self and till I have testified to my people by governing them well and easing them of their many Taxes that I love them as if they were my Children After his recovery continuing in his praise-worthy designes of putting his Affairs in order he came to St. Germain in Laya to resolve the Estates of the expence as well of his House as for the Guard of Frontiers and Garisons entertainment of Forces Artillery Sea-Affairs and many other Charges He had then in his Council as we may say we have at present very great men and most experienced in all sorts of Matters but he still shewed himself more able and more understanding then they He examined and discussed all the particulars of his expence with a judgement and with a clearness of spirit truely admirable retrenched and cut off all that was possible allowing onely what was necessary Amongst other things he abridged the superfluous expences of the Tables in his house not so much that he might spare himself as to oblige his subjects to moderate their liquorish prodigality and hinder them from ruining their whole houses by keeping too great Kitchins In sum by the example of the King which hath always more force then Laws or then Correction Luxury was