the Kingdom without hope of Foreign Succour were not furnished with any necessaries to maintain a War The Intrigue of the Marschal de Ancre to dissuade the Regent from going to War with the P. de Conde Mary de Medicis would have followed this Advice the most advantageous to her Reputation and her Authority if the Mareschal d' Ancre and the Chancellor de Silleri had not dissuaded her Not content to alledge their Reasons in the Council that it was the best way to grant the Prince of Conde and those of his Party Siri Memo. recondite Tom. III. p. 241. almost all their Pretensions they Intrigued in the Parlement they excited the People of Paris earnestly to demand the conclusion of the Peace They engage likewise the Deputies General of the reformed Churches to say That if the Regent gave the Command of the Army to the avowed Enemies of their Religion they should think they had very good reason to take care of their own preservation by uniting with the Prince of Conde The Mareschal de Lesdiguieres represented that the War would be lookt upon as a revival of the Ancient Quarrels between the Guises and the Bourbons In this diversity of Opinions the Queen thought that to save her self from the Reproaches which might be hereafter thrown upon her 't was necessary to assemble an extraordinary Council and to Summon thither the Presidents of the Parliament and the chief Magistrates of Paris All these Gentlemen of the Robe being prepossess'd by the Chancellor favoured a Peace The Cardinal de Joieuse seeing that their Advice would not carry it went out of the Assembly Guise Epernon Villeroy and some others who had spoke for the War were afraid to oppose the Torrent therefore they approv'd the continuation of the Treaty begun at Soissons Viguier was dispatch'd by the Regent to the Prince of Conde who was retired to St. Menehoud This new Agent had Orders to persuade his Highness to agree that the Duke de Maienne and the Mareschal de Bovillon should conclude the Treaty with the King's Commissioners who remained at Soissons notwithstanding the Retreat of the Prince with some other Lords Conde having answerd by Viguier that things would sooner come to an Issue if the Duke de Ventadour and his Collegues would advance as far as Rhetel to Treat with himself her Majesty sent an express Commission to her Deputies to make an end of the Negociation The Regent sent likewise a particular Letter to the Prince She there promis'd a Suspension of the double Marriage till the Majority of the King her Son The reasons of the Pope's Nuncio about the resolution taken to make a Peace with the P. of Conde The Pope's Nuncio was troubled at the Resolutions which Mary de Medicis had taken to come to an agreement with the Prince of Conde upon Terms so disadvantageous to her Royal Authority he was afraid that this Treaty would make the First Prince of the Blood too powerful and put him into a capacity of pushing his attempts much farther Conde said this Minister of the Pope hath a design to break the double Marriage How must he Effect it 'T is necessary then that he Support the Hugonot Party that he favour the continual Vsurpations of the Parliaments upon the Jurisdiction of the Church that he make Creatures in the Sorbonne by fomenting the Richeriste Party who endeavour to Ruine the Authority of the Holy See in France and if the Pope hath not Power to dispense with Canons as he thinks fit how can the Divorce of the late King from Marguerite his first Wise stand good This Prince of Conde hath but one Step more to make to Ascend the Throne The Italian Politicians Siri Memo. recondite Tom. III. p. 241. oftentimes carry their Reasonings beyond all Bounds The Author which relates these Speculations of the Nuncio adds that the fear of this Minister would have been very well grounded in any other Country besides France The Genius of the Nation is so changeable they take different measures every day The examination of a politick reflection of a Venetian Author concerning the Treaty with the Prince of Conde so contrary one to the other that one can moke no certain Conjectures about the several Commotions there The Reflection is not amiss and indeed we must agree with him But this Author should have added that Conde was a Man of so faint a Temper so little capable of any Resolution that he would never have done the Regent much mischief thô she had granted him Conditions yet more advantageous A Noble Venetian speaking of the same Affair in the History of his own Republick says that France did Recompense those Actions Nani Historia Veneta Lib. I. 1614. which elsewhere they Punish by the hands of the Hangman I approve no more than he that which hath often happenned in France in these Leagues which the Princes and great Lords have often made under the Honourable pretence of the publick good they more design'd their own Interest than those of the People But why does this Senator affirm so boldly that the Prince of Conde and the Lords of his Party ought to have their heads cut off for this Enterprize This is done in other Places I grant it in those Countrys where the Government is Tyrannical One would be surprized to hear a Republican speak at this rate if we did not know that the Government of Venice is rather an absolute Domination of a small number of Noblemen than a free Administration of publick Affairs by a well-compos'd Senate This Decemvirate which is always standing is as good an Invention to maintain Tyranny as ever was It keeps both the People and Nobility equally in awe They study and pursue the Maxims of Matchiavel in Venice as much as in any part of Italy The undertaking of the Prince of Conde was neither Honest nor Prudent enough But in what was it so Criminal This Man must be well seasoned in the Tyrannical principles of his Matchiavel to maintain that a first Prince of the Blood and the Lords of the first Rank in a Kingdom who Demand the Re-establishment of good Laws the general Assembly of the States of the Kingdom the Suspension of a marriage concluded during the Minority of the King against the true Interest of his Crown to maintain I say that these who only make use of that Priviledge which their Birth and Dignity gives them and which desire some Security for their Persons against a Regent and suspected Ministers deserve to die upon a Scaffold The Prince of Conde is not to be blamed for Combining with some other Lords to Demand those things of which he speaks in his Manifesto But he did not take the Right way to do any good His Designs did not appear Sincere nor Disinterested The Parlement and the Magistrates of Paris were very Wise in advising a Peace A Civil War might have been fatal to France and in making a Peace
punished him severely he would have made him left out what was of ill tendency in the Book Since the death of Henry IV. many French Authors have published several satyrical Libels against the Holy See and the Person of the Pope They have endeavoured to Ruine his Authority at that time when he employed it for the Interest of the King and for the Prosperity of France The Bishop of Folìgni charged the Ambassador to inform the Regent that the Pope complained of the violent Proceedings of the Parlement and to desire her Majesty to get the Decree revok'd The Discourse between the Pope and the F. Ambassador about the Parlements Decree The Marquiss de Trenel having an Audience of the Pope sometime after he represented to his Holiness how impossible it was to obtain what he desired of the Queen who in the present juncture of Affairs could not fall out with the Parlement of Paris Her Majesty said the Ambassador to the Pope will always retain a remembrance of those kindnesses which you have done her but she will be concerned to understand that your Holiness gives protection to a Book the Author of which is so far from incouraging Subjects to Obey their Sovereigns as be is obliged by his Profession to do that he laies down Maxims to stir them up to Rebellion and make an attempt on the Lives of their Princes France still bewails the Bloody death of Henry IV. Her Parlements will never fail to oppose those Authors whose pernicious Doctrine Struck the Knife in the Breast of so good a King The Magistrates will never cease to employ their utmost Care for the preservation of the Person of his Son without being defective in that Respect that they owe to your Holiness and the Apostolick See Accordingly the Parlement of Paris hath taken all possible Care that their Decree might not violate the Lawful Authority of the Successors of St. Peter These Remonstrances did not at all affect a proud and angry Pope If the King of France replied he will not revoke the Decree of Parlement as to those Points which concern the Rights of the Holy See I will follow the light and dictates of my Conscience You must not imagine that the fear of a Rupture will be any restraint upon me in this matter In case Her Majesty refuses to give me the satisfaction that I desire I 'le endeavour to do my self justice and follow the examples of my Predecessors Must I maintain â—…a Nuncio at Paris to be there the Spectator of the outrages that are done me and the Indignity with which they there trample under their Feet the Authority of the Holy See Is it so hard a matter to stop the proceedings of the Parlement I know the Chancellor well enough Maxims of Politicks are more pleasing to him than truths of Religion The Ambassador was not at all dismaied He desired the Pope to reflect upon the reasons which the Parlement had to Condemn Suarez his Book I have heard say added he like a Gentleman that Divinity is a holy Science It is therefore inconsistent with an Opinion which allows the murder of Kings The Parlemenâ—… is indispensably obliged to take care of the preservation of good Divinity in the Kingdom of the Authority and Person of the King They have a Book brought before them which maintains that in some cases a particular Person may attempt with a safe Conscience the Life of his Prince Caâ—… any one desire that the Magistrate should be Silent when Two Kings have been successively murdered by Fanaticks who have imbibeâ—… this damnable Divinity Paul replied that the matter in dispute was not about the killing of declared Tyrants I have forbid my self said he the teaching such Doctrines and I do not know but that I have complied too much in that matter Many approved Authors in the Church are of the Opinion But I complain of the Condemnation of certain passages recited in thâ—â— Decree which speak only of the Prerogativeâ—â— of the Holy See And what were these They were those where Suarez affirms that the Pope may depose Princes when they become Tyrants That which Paul Vâ—â— acknowledges deserves to be remarkâ—… He pretends to be very favourable to Kings in forbidding any to teach that iâ—… was lawful to kill them with a safe Conscience in any Case what ever But with a moderation altogether worthy of the Successor of St. Peter he reserves to himself the Right of Deposing them when ever he should judge that their Government is degenerated into Tyranny Trenel replied very aptly that Princes were not so much obliged to him and that it was his Holiness's own Interest that such a Doctrine should be banished all Christian Communions For says he the Protestants hold that the Popes are Hereticks Tyrants and Antichrist and if the Opinion which allows the attempting the Lives of Tyrants be once Established among Christians It is not impossible but a Fanatick Hugonot may take a fancy to do a brave Action and kill the Pope Paul V. was enraged instead of being pacified He said again with a threatning and angry Air that nothing should hinder him from defending the Rights of the Holy See if the King would not revoke the Decree of Parlement I wish your Holiness replied the Ambassador in a submissive manner would have the goodness to offer some Expedient that you would write to your Nuntio and would send Orders â—…o the Cardinals which are in France to consult with him about some means of accommodation the Queen will agree to any thing that she can do with Honour As for Revoking of the Decree it is not a thing possible to be done at present Trenel's design was only to hold him in play that so the hot and haughty Old Gentleman might have time to grow cool and reflect upon the Consequences of his Threatnings After some farther discourse he took a resolution to write to the Nuncio and to send to the Cardinals de Joieuse du Perron and de la Rochefoucault to enjoin them to confer with the Nuncio about the Satisfaction which his Holiness should Demand in the present posture of affairs in France In reciting these particulars Two things seem equally Surprising to me The arrogance of the pretended Vicar of Jesus Christ who will not endure that Crowned Heads should make use of their Authority to support their Sovereign and Independant Power or to preserve their Lives from Assasins They must humbly desire of the Pope the Condemnation of a Jesnit who allows attempts upon their Lives They must be content with his publishing throughout their Dominions that the Pope hath a Right to examine their Conduct and to Depose them when he thinks they Tyrancically abuse their Power The other thing which does not less amazâ—… me is the mean and low-spirited Superstition of the Princes of the popish Communion What good Reason did he alledge to oblige them blindly to submit to the arrogance and pride of the Bishop of Rome which grosily
motion but this was so slowly as Prince Thomas Son of Charles Emmanuel had time to prevent the Spaniards and enter himself into the Milanese Country The City of Candia was taken at this time and put to Fire and Sword The Savoyard's Army return'd loaded with considerable Booty The Mediators complained of this Action But the Duke of Savoy disclaim'd his Son's proceedings 'T was endeavoured to excuse him by saying that the Prince knew nothing of what was done The Spaniards afterwards repair'd their loss by taking some small Places in Piedmont Charles Emmanuel a little time after intercepted a Letter from the King of Spain to the Governor of Milan 'T was there seen that some certain Persons had done some ill Offices to Inojosa with his Majesty He seem'd much dissatisfied with Inojosa's Conduct He was order'd to cause his Army to take their Winter Quarters in Piedmont and not to agree to any accommodation with the Duke of Savoy unless he did before hand submit to every thing his Majesty had prescribed before his last motions Charles Emmanuel did not fail to make this Letter publick And he found thereby a double convenience one in mortifying Inojosa's Arrogance whom this Letter had strongly censured the other in making it appear to the Princes who interceded for a Peace that Philip intended as absolute a Command over the Princes of Italy as he had over his Grandees of Spain Lewis XIII his Majority In the time that the Marquiss of Rambovillet began his Negociation in Italy Lewis XIII enter'd into the Fourteenth year of his Age. Mercure Francois 1614. Here then you may see him in his Majority Conformable to the Edict of Charles V. made at Vincennes in the Year 1374. and Registred in the Parlement at Paris with great Solemnity the following Year One might think it strange that he of all the Kings of France who was Surnamed the Wise Recherches de Paschier Lib. II. Chap. 18. should judge that a Prince could be capable to Govern of himself so young Historians relate that Charles believed it was very important for the Minority of Kings to be as short as possibly could be Mezerai dans la Vie de Charles V. for fear the Regent of the Realm should grow so powerful as to Dethrone his Pupil or at least carry away from him a great part of his Estate and Authority The good King thought more of his Family upon this occasion than any else He had not his health so well and his Two Sons in all appearance would be left Minors Of Three Brothers whom Charles had Two of them did not want for Boldness or Ambition Having now a Power to declare sooner For to secure the Crown to his Children it behov'd the King to forward their Majority The Uncles had less time to undertake any thing against the young King sooner than he would Govern of himself Of the Princes who might be mistrusted that Person might be turn'd aside from governing Affairs by other who were better minded under the plausible pretension of the King 's being at Age. That which is singular in this new Law is that he in favour of whom the Father made it had need of a Tutor and Regent the greatest part of his Life He was out of his Wits became crack-brain'd and infirm in Body And this sad Accident caus'd in France all the great Evils which Charles V. had a design to prevent This very Edict proves to us that 't is a long time since the Council of France set themselves on work to set out piteous Prefaces at the beginning of their most solemn Ordinances Charles V. saith in his That the Sons of France have such excellent Masters so good Governours to inform them as they become capable of managing themselves and administring Affairs much sooner than other Children We have seen Two Princes under Age in the Two last Reigns Have the Regents had the care to give their Sons any extraodinary Education Was France so unprovided of Men of Merit that Souvre and Villeroy should be judg'd the most capable of instructing the young King Charles V. besides brought another Reason which is no better than this God said he who gives Sovereign Power to Kings never fails to enrich them the soonest as may be with necessary Qualities to make use of it Alas Let 's behold now how God doth Miracles to enlighten young Princes Understandings and make them more Prudent than other Children These Gentlemen seduc'd early by Flattery hurried away by their Passions which find no great stop in their way usually begin later than others to become reasonable and oftentimes by a just Judgment of God upon a People whom he punisheth a King never knows the First Principles of Reason and good Sense According to Charles the Fifth's Edict a King ought not to be Inaugurated and Crowned till after the time of his Minority But this Formality was past over in favour of his Son who had publisht this Law Charles VI. was a Minor when his Father died and his Uncles contended amongst themselves for the Regency Lewis Duke of Anjou pretended to it as being the Eldest of the Brothers to the deceased King The Dukes of Berry and Bourgundy would have a share in it The Duke of Bourbon Uncle to young Charles by the Mother's Side maintained for his part that he ought to be call'd to the Administration of the Government as well as the Paternal Uncles Some Lords chosen for one Party and t'other were Arbitrators of the Difference 'T was determined That Charles VI. notwithstanding his Father's Law might be Inaugurated and Crowned Affairs dispatcht in his Name and under his Seal the Dukes of Berry Bourgundy and Bourbon might take care of the King's Education and of Lewis Duke of Orleans his Brother the Duke of Anjon might have the Name and Honours of Regent but should do nothing but in Concert with the Three other Princes From that time it hath been a Custom to Crown Kings during their Minority and dispatch Affairs in their Names and under their Seals The first Act in the King's Majority The First thing they made young Lewis Enact in his Majority appeared to be an Act of Religion and Justice I don't know whether Policy and Dissimulation were not the secret Motives to this Performance They were willing to impose upon the People Mercure Francoise 1614. who easily believe what they wish for with all Fervency His Majesty held a Council the First day of October The Declaration which he would have to be Registred next day was there dispatcht and Sealed Lewis at first promised to study every thing that was Expedient for a most Christian King who was Zealous of God's Glory a lover of Peace and the Tranquility of his Subjects to watch the Execution of the good Laws publisht by his Predecessors and make new ones as he should be advised in the approaching Assembly of the States General of the Realm The Edict of Nantes
your most incontestable Right will be soon Vsurped He that attacks me to day will declare himself against you to morrow should a Wise Man stand with his Arms folded when his Neighbours House is on Fire The Advice was wholsom but his Majesty of Great Britain had the Dissatisfaction to hear several Catholick Princes did not dare to read his Apology for fear of giving offence to the Pope A strange Slavery Can Policy or Superstition reduce Princes to so mean a Complaisance to a Bishop who would have great Honour done him in leaving him the first Subject of the Empire Henry IV. of France was as weak as the rest Coeffeteau writes against K. James his Apology He forbid any Translation should be published of that Book which his good Ally had sent him His Care and Orders were ineffectual the Apology appeared in French in spite of him Coeffeteau a Religious Dominican after Bishop of Marseille an Author who successfully began first to give an Elegance and an Agreeable and Neat turn to the French Language Coeffeteau I say was desirous to Signalize himself on this occasion and so enter the List against a King This Man was obliged to speak after the manner used in France and to own the Independance of Sovereigns in regard of their Temporal Concerns But the poor Dominican Embarassed himself terribly Indeed says he to the King of Great Britain If the Catholick Church teacheth this Furious Zeal if she arms her own Children against Kings and puts them on making Attempts against their Lives she is not only unworthy of their Favours but deserves to be Exterminated and her Memory erased by a General Decree of Mankind but if on the contrary she condemns all these Attempts as Parricides if she desires Princes should securely enjoy their Dominions have their Armies Victorious an obedient People a Faithful Counsel and all Happiness that can be desired is not her Greatness Harmless notwithstanding the Rage of some private Persons whom Despair and not Religion has pushed on to Brutality She knows she cannot subsist without the State that she is born in it and the State is her Support The Catholick Church this is a word strangely Equivocal in France If it may be allowed to fignifie a certain Number of the most enlightned and sincere Persons in the Roman Communion the Author I have just now cited may speak Truth But if by the Catholick Church we must understand as is more reasonable its Supreme Pastor the great number of those which fill its chief Dignities its most Famous Writers I very much fear the good Coeffeteau has advanced a Notorious Falshood The Pope and Cardinals gave him the Lye in a very Remarkable manner the very same year he answered King James Barclay had wrote against Bellarmine about the Authority of the Pope and followed the Principles commonly received amongst the better Men of France His Book was Condemned at Rome as well as the Noble History of Mr. De Thou the Famous Argument of Antony Arnaud against the Jesuits and the Sentence it self of the Parlement of Paris against John Chastel who had made an Attempt on the Life of Henry IV. That poor Prince was not yet dead This strange Censure which he endur'd so patiently did it not serve to Animate the Rage of that Wretch who Assassinated him the year following If the pretended Head of the Church of Rome if the Cardinals and the greatest number of its Paftors did not teach this Furious Zeal If they condemned their Attempts as Parricides would they have destroyed so many good Books so Just and so Christian a Sentence Let us then conclude with the Opinion of the Eminent Coeffeteau The Pope and Cardinals deserve to be exterminated and their Memory erased by a publick Decree of Mankind As the Cardinals pretend they are not Inferior to Crown'd Heads Cardinal Pellarmine Addresses to the Emperor and Kings of the Popal Communion his Answer to the King of England's Apology Bellarmine in the same manner Addresses to the Emperor and the Kings who own God for their Father and the Catholick Church for their Mother the Answer which he had some time since made under a borrowed Name to the King of Great Britain's Apology It must not be thought strange says the Cardinal that I undertake to refute a King It is for the Defence of the Faith I have taken my Pen in hand after the Example of divers Prelates of Antiquity Hilary of Poitiers and Lucifer of Cagliari have writ against the Haeretical Emperor Constantius Gregory Narianzen and Cyrill of Alexandria have Encountred Julian the Apostate This did James the first draw on himself from a Priest for turning Controvertist without necessity If he had contented himself with publishing a Manifesto to prove the Justice of the Oath he required of his Popish Subjects he would have embarass'd the Court of Rome and its Advocates But he labour'd to shew the Pope was Antichrist and that Rome is the Seat of the Son of Perdition Was not this a way to please the Sovereigns of the Popes Communion by furnishing them with a pretence for not receiving kindly the Kings Apology and applauding the Cardinals Answer A Deeree of the Parlement of Paris against the Treatise of Bellarmine of the Authority of the Pope The Dispute stopt there Bellarmine set himself to reply to Barclay This Man had refuted what the Cardinal advanced concerning the Authority of the Pope in the first Volume of his Controversies The Magistrates opposed the printing them at Paris and the first Sheets which were work'd of were Suppressed by order of the Solicitor General As soon as they had notice of the New Book which Bellarmine had published of the Authority of the Pope in Temporal Matters Servin Advocate General moved the Parlement to provide against any Mischiefs which the Publication of so ill a Book might cause This Magistrate urged the Duty of his Place obliged him not to be less Diligent or Zealous for the Service of his Master than Peter de Cugnieres and John le Cooq his Predecessors had been the one in the Reign of Philip of Valois and the other in that of Charles the VI. Farther he alledged the late proceedings of the King of Spain and his Officers against that Volume of the Annals of Cardinal Baronius wherein the Monarchy of Sicily is attacked The Chambers meeting upon the occasion of this Remonstrance ordered Cardinal Bellarmines Work to be Supprest let us now see what was done this year in Spain against Baronius An Edict of the King of Spain against the XI Volume of the Ecclesiastical Annals of Cardinal Baronius The Kings of Sicily have for a long time been the only Popes of this little Kingdom By Virtue of a certain Bull which Pope Vrban the Second granted say they to Roger Count of Sicily and his Successors the Sovereign is Legatus Natus or Born Legat of the Holy See His Spiritual Power is so great that he
as you have already done to the Resentments of the Princes of the Blood The Duke of Epernon was yet more necessary to the Queen upon this occasion he was gone from Court much discontented but he was gently dealt with during his Absence as soon as he came back to Court they made him all imaginable Caresses The Prince of Conti the Duke de Guise and the House of Lorrain the Duke de Nevers all the Courtiers except the Creatures of the Prince of Conde and Count Soissons paid him extraordinary Honours The Chancellor Villeroy and Conchini shewed him as much respect and deference as he could possibly wish from them T' was the surest way to engage this proud and haughty Man by letting him gain to himself a point of Honour of being Victorious over the Princes of the Blood and opposing them vigorously when ever they should undertake to break the Treaty of the double Match The Ambassador of England complain'd aloud of this Alliance but t' was hop'd they could appease his Master by sending to him the Mareschal de Bouillon Aersens Ambassador from the Vnited Provinces made a great Noise he moved Heaven and Earth to hinder this Affair the Consequences of which appeared to be dreadful to his Republick Refuge was order'd to go to the Hague to secure the Amity of Prince Maurice and the States-General Lastly Schomberg was sent to the Protestant Princes in Germany in order to dissipate the jealousies which this Alliance might give them The Double Marriage is in fine carryed in Council The Prince of Conde and the Count de Soissons being come back to Court about the beginning of the year 1612. all Persons were brought about to consent to the double Match whensoever it should be proposed in Council but the two Princes were not yet satisfied Siri Memorie recondite To. II. pag. 618. 619 ctc. The same day they were call'd to Council Conde first demanded that every one might declare his Opinion according to his degree Chancellor Sileri spoke much in praise of the Queen's Administration of Affairs and laid open the great benefit which would accrue to the State from this double Match The Duke de Guise set forth the Eloquence which was natural to his Family There 's no need said he of Deliberation upon so Advantageous a Proposition we ought only to thank God that her Majesty hath happily brought about the Noble design which Heaven had inspired into her The Constable Montmorency with the Dukes of Nevers and Epernon extreamly approved of what was said The Mareschal Bouillon and Lesdiguieres said only this that they ought to take care the New Treaty with the Spaniards might not be prejudicial to the ancient Alliances of the Crown with other Sovereigns At last came the Prince of Conde's turn to speak but he was so startled with the Duke of Guise's positive way of delivering himself as that he was quite dasht out of Countenance and after an indifferent manner said that since this was an Affair resolved upon it was needless to ask our Opinion It was believ'd that the two Princes came with a design to oppose the Treaty The words which the Count de Soissons let fall confirm'd Persons in this Opinion You see Sir said he turning himself to the Prince of Conde that we are dealt with here as Fools and Serving-men The Queen vext at this Reproach would have spoke but the Chancellor cunningly turn'd her by from it by proposing some other matter to discourse upon and so it was concluded that the double Match should be publisht the 25th day of March following and the New Duke of Mayenne was design'd for an extraordinary Embassy to Spain to demand the Infanta with the usual Ceremonies The Prince of Conde and Count Soissons shewed a great weakness upon this occasion their Consciences would not suffer them to approve the thing and either fear or hope hinder'd them from speaking as they ought to have done Sir then said the Constable to his Son-in-Law the Prince of Conde you neither know how to Fight with Courage or yield with Prudence The Popes Nuncio's Complaint of the Edict of Parliament given in favour of the Vniversity against the Jesuits The Queen Regent found her self otherwise troubled upon the occasion of an Edict which the Parliament had made upon the Contest of the University of Paris with the Jesuits for the opening of their College of Clermont The good Fathers flatter'd themselves that the chief President de Verdun would be as favourable to them as his Predecessor had been to the contrary but they were deceived in their Hopes whether it was that this Magistrate affected to appear Zealous for the Liberties of the Gallican Church or that the Remonstrances of Dr. Richer Syndick of the faculty of Paris Siri Memorie recondite To. II. pag. 624 625 c. or the pleadings of the Advocate General Servin had convinc'd the chief President that if once the Society should set footing in the University of Paris it would Establish there its pernicious Doctrine or Lastly whether it was that Verdun did not love so much the Jesuits at the bottom of his Heart as other Magistrates had done before he pronounc'd the Edict he put on so gay and content a Countenance as the good Fathers believ'd they had gain'd their Cause But what was their Mortification when they understood that t' was ordered them forthwith to Sign a Conformity to the Doctrine of the Sorbonne Schools and even in what concerned the preservation of the sacred Persons of Kings the maintaining their Royal Authority and the Liberties of the Gallican Church according as it was mentioned in the four Articles which had been proposed to them and were recited in express words in the Edict From hence was the Society brought to great Extremity They must Subscribe a Doctrine detested by the Court of Rome or must be exposed a second time to leave the Kingdom The Curates of Paris had now bound themselves to present joyntly a Petition to the Parliament that they should be hinder'd from hearing of Confession The University put up another Petition that the Jesuits might be enjoyn'd to shut up their Colleges in all the Towns of the Parlement of Paris's Jurisdiction where they have taught without allowing their Letters Patent which the late King had granted them to be made good in Parlement Now the good Fathers had no other Remedy but to make use of the Nuncio's Intercession and cause the Cardinals and Prelates devoted to the Court of Rome to act for them Vbaldini the Popes Nuncio was very forward to bestir himself in favour of them he was no less alarm'd than the Jesuits The chief President brag'd that he would make the four Articles proposed to the Jesuits be made Solemnly received in the faculty of Paris and whatever the Advocate-General maintain'd in his Pleading The Nuncio in his first Audience he had of the Queen greatly complain'd against the New Edict and Servin
de Coeuvres was informed before his departure from Italy that the Prince of Conde and the Regent were upon the point of Agreement This News unravelled the Designs of the Duke of Savoy He flatterr'd himself he should have time to make good his pretensions to Monferrat in spight of the King of Spain whilst his Catholick Majesty should be busied in Supporting the Authority of Mary de Medicis shaken by a Civil War rais'd by the Prince of Conde in France The Treaty which the Regent was about to Conclude at St. Meneboud in Champagne Memoires de la Regence de Marie de Medicis with the Malecontents was not so Binding but that the Prince de Conde held still a great Correspondence with Savoy Mercure Francois 1614. and there was still great Confusions in France These Considerations gave Charles Emanuel some hopes of being in a Condition to make the Governor of Milan know that his Catholick Majesty was not powerful enough to be absolute Master of all the Affairs in Italy Before we relate this new Quarrel which the Duke of Savoy had with the Marquiss of Inojosa or rather with the Court of Madrid it is necessary to look back on the Course of the Affairs in France and to give an account of the Negociation of the Duke of Ventadour and the other Commissioners of the King of France with the Prince of Conde and the Lords of his Party at the Conference of Soissons The latter came thither attended by Six or Seven hundred Horse and Four thousand Foot The Duke de Mayenne Governor of the Isle of France had put a strong Garrison into Soissons for the Security of the Prince and the Lords that came with him The 14th April they assembled in the Castle of Soissons After the Prince of Conde and the Malecontented Lords had protested that they had no other Design but to Serve his Majesty and to secure the Peace of France they desired Three things of the Regent that the States of the Kingdom should be Conven'd as soon as possible that the double Marriage with Spain should be Superseded and that both Sides should lay down their Arms. Hitherto things went very smoothly they pretended to design nothing but the publick Good But they reserv'd a Power to Treat not only concerning the Liberty and Security of the Assembly of the States of the Kingdom but also concerning the particular Interests of each of the Lords The Convocation of the States were granted without any difficulty The Regent had offered that in her Answer to the Prince de Conde's Manifesto There was a dispute about the Second Article They demanded a Suspention of the double Marriage till the End of the Assembly of the States The Commissioners of the Court had only Orders to grant it till the Majority of the King And to save the Authority of the Regent in an Affair which she had Negociated and solemnly Concluded with Spain the Court would not allow that this Article should be inserted in the publick Treaty They offered a particular Letter of the Regent to the Prince in which her Majesty would engage her self to defer the double Marriage till the Majority of the King The thing was accepted of with this modification There was only a formality wanting The day appointed for the opening of the Assembly of the States falling out before the Majority the double Marriage could not be Celebrated before the end thereof The Prince de Conde retires from Soissons and goes into Champagne The proposals which the Prince de Conde and the Lords of his Party made with Relation to their particular Interests raised great disputes in the Council of Mary de Medicis under a pretence of providing for their own Security The Prince and the other Malecontents demanded that they would put some important Place into their Hands and grant them several things for their own convenience 'T was necessary to send Couriers to Court Memoirs de Bassompierre Mercure Francois 1614. and to receive Instructions concerning these Affairs Thus the King's Army gained time to reinforce it self considerably Galati brought Six thousand Swisses which he had Commission to Levy Memoires de la Regence de Marie de Medicis Bassompierre their New Collonel General went to receive them at Troies in Champagne from thence he Conducted them to Vitri where Praslain was gathering together the King's Army These motions made the Prince de Conde Jealous who immediately left Soissons He had written to the Queen before to thank her for the Three Articles which she had consented too and to Advertise her Majesty that the Duke de Maierne and the Mareschal de Bovillon remained at Soissons with full power to Treat of those other Conditions which his Highness and the Lords of the Party had demanded Conde had a mind to seize Vitri with his little Army which he led towards Sedan But the Kings Troops prevented him He made amends for this by assisting the Duke of Nevers to make himself Master of St. Menehoud When the particular Demands of the Prince and the Malecontented Lords were proposed in the Queen's Council their Opinions were divided The Dukes de Guise d' Epernon de Bellegarde The Regents Council divided about the demands which the P. of Conde the Malecontents make with relation to their particular Interests the Cardinal de Joieuse and Villeroi Secretary of State cried out upon them as unworthy Conditions which the Queen could not grant with Honour and without parting with too much of her Authority Guise and Epernon said boldly that if the Regent granted Places of Security to their Enemies they likewise would demand the same and that they would look for Assistance out of the Kingdom This was plainly to threaten Siri Meme recondite Tom. III. p. 238 239 c. that they would join themselves with the Crown of Spain This appeared so much the more a contriv'd Design because the Ministers of Philip declar'd that the King their Master would not send the Infanta his Daughter into France as long as the Enemies of the House of Austria were there the Strongest Mary de Medicis began to be shaken by their Reasons who were of Opinion that she should suppress the Prince of Conde by Force The Parliaments the greater part of the military Officers in a word almost the whole Kingdom were at her Majesties disposal The Hugonots did not Rise only the Duke of Rohan was perhaps tempted to join with the Prince of Conde But Rohan did not eare to embark himself without having a prospect what was like to be the Success However 't was easie to stop him by giving some Satisfaction to the Reformed Churches concerning the Edicts of Pacification and above all in not accepting the assistance which the King of Spain offer'd and of which the Regent had no need Her Majesty did not want Money she had a good Army Conde and the Lords of his Party lying in the extreame parts of
abuses a Religion the principles of which reduce him to the simple Quality of a preacher of the Gospel and an Overseer of a particular Church The Methods used by the Court of F. to content the Pope The Regent of France and her Ministers were pleased with the Marquiss of Trenel for having engaged the Pope to take the way of Negociation for his obtaining Satisfaction concerning the Decree of the Parlement of which he so bitterly complain'd Siri Memo recondite Tom. III. p. 269. 270. c. 'T was not that the Court of France were afraid of the Menaces of the good Man His Quarrel with the Republick of Venice had taught the World that though his anger might make him take a violent Resolution yet he soon repented of it and became more mild when when he was steadily Opposed No one could imagine that a Man of his Age and Experience would have ever been so Imprudent as to break with France This Step would have done the Pope and the Roman Religion more mischief than it would those whom he threatned with his Thunders and Anathemas This would have been matter of Triumph to the Protestants They would have certainly have yet more insulted over the arrogance of Paul V. on whom they had already bestowed many sharp and ingenious Raileries He would thus have expos'd himself to the Indignation of all Wise and Judicious Catholicks who would have highly blamed him for an Effort so contrary to good Sense and the true Interests of those of their Communion The Court of France resolved therefore not to meddle with the Decree of Parlement They had good reason to disgrace Suarez his Book And at this Juncture 't was not convenient to put the Chief Magistrates of the Kingdom out of humour They applied themselves only to find means to content the Pope and to quit themselves of this Affair with Honour When Vbaldini the Nuncio presented the Brief which the Pope had written with his own hand to the Queen she answered him very handsomely Her Majesty intimated that she should be very glad that the Nuntio should agree with the French Cardinals upon an Expedient which might please his Holiness The Jesuits bestir themselves at Rome for to have the Decree of tae Parlement burnt there The Jesuits at Rome were more inraged against the Decree of the Pralement than the Pope and his Ministers If we will believe their Founder that Society is to do every thing for the great Glory of God But did not he secretly Inspire this Principle into his Disciples that the Honour of their Society ought to be dearer to them than the Glory of God and the welfare of his Church This hath been the Temper of the Jesuits ever since they have been taken notice of in the World They don't care what Scandals and Divisions they cause in the Church of Rome so that that they can preserve and increase the pretended honour of their Society This they have plainly enough discovered in the business which I am speaking of If Paul V. had been carried away with the first motions of his Anger he might have lost France as Clement VII did England The Jesuits were not concerned to prevent the Pope from exposing himself to the same Inconvenience They used their utmost endeavours that the Holy Office might avenge the honour of Suarez by Condemning the Decree of the Parlement of Paris as Heretical and ordering it to be burnt by the hand of the Common Hangman in the Field of Flore To stop this impetuous Zeal the Marquiss of Trenel was forced to admonish them that they run the risque of being a Second time driven out of France The Court injoined also the chief Jesuits at Paris to write to Rome and to declare to their inraged Brethren that if the Pope took any violent Resolution her Majesty would impute it to the Suggestions of that Society and that she knew how to punish them sufficiently The Declaration of the K. in his Council upon the Decree of Parlement One of the first things the young King did who was become of Age the end of the Month September was to give the Pope Satisfaction His Majesty having had the Decree of Parlement read to him in full Council Ordered an Act to be drawn up in which after having expressed his Zeal for the Honour of the Apostolick See and the desire he had of satisfying the Pope Lewis XIII declar'd that his Intention in Executing of the Decree Siri Memo. Recondite Tom. III. p. 303. is not to do any prejudice to the Pope's lawful Authority nor to the priviledges of the See which his Predecessors had always acknowledged When the Declaration was read to the Nuncio Vbaldini he thought fit to object against that part which supposed that the Temporal Power of Kings is Supreme and Independent This was in the Opinion of the Italian Minister very unreasonably to reject the pretensions of the Court of Rome who would have that Crowned Heads should at least be subject to the Authority of the Pope in some particular Cases but they did not much concern themselves about the long reasonings of the Nuncio The Pope is not content with the Ks. Declaration His Master was no better pleas'd than he with the Declaration of the King Paul V. said plainly that that would not remedy the Disgrace which they had thrown upon the propositions of Suarez with relation to the Authority which Jesus Christ had given to St. Peter and his Successors Siri Memo. Recondite Tom. III. p. 298 299. c. This Author said the Pope like a Divine well vers'd in the Holy Scriptures and the Ecclesiastical Antiquity had good reason to maintain that I have Power to Excommunicate Heretick Princes and even to Depose them when they continue obstinate in their ill Opinions and endeavour to eompel their Subjects to embrace them If Jesus Christ had not given this Power to St. Peter and and his Successors they would have wanted a Power requisite for the preservation of his Church God forbid that I should be guilty of a base prevarication by ceasing to defend the Right of the Chair of St. Peter to which God hath advanced me Thus the Popes are pleas'd to form a Plan suitable to their Ambition according to which Jesus Christ in their Opinion ought to Govern the Church Who told them that the Saviour of the World would not have Established a good Order in his Religion if he had not followed the fine System they give us Should God have called them to his Councils The Ancient Popes who Deposed neither Constantius nor Valens nor Julian the Apostate were then either downright Fools or base Prevaricators Is it credible that they did not know the Power which Jesus Christ had given them for the welfare of his Church And if they did know it why did they not imploy it against those Emperors who endeavoured to re establish Idolatry or to force their Subjects to
finds it in the worst When an Author is oblig'd to censure a Man Polybius L. XII Polybius judiciously remarks he must not have regard to what may please the Enemies of him whom he speaks of The Rules of Truth and Decency must be inviolably kept Those who are led by their Passions or Malice are imprudent and rash in their Relations and Judgments Polybius had good Reason to blame a Greek Historian who had not Equity enough to own what was good in Agathocles the Tyrant of Syracuse If this Man says he whose first Employment was to serve a Poâ—…ter knew how to make himself King of Sicily and could embarâ—…ss the Potent Republick of Carthage and die in the peaceful Possession of what he had acquired it cannot be denied but Agathocles had rare Qualities without these could he have done any of these extraordinary Things Historians ought then to do him Justice in delivering with the same Sincerity what was Good or Ill in him This is the Rule which I propose to my self in respect of Cardinal Richlieu and some others Though I think of that first Minister quite otherwise than his Flatterers for indeed I cannot regard without Horror a Prelate who sacrifices the Liberty of France and the Repose of all Europe to his Ambitions yet without falling into the violent Invectives of St. Germain and the Faction of Mary de Medicis I will describe with pleasure what is Good and Valuable in that Great Politician There is a Thing in which I would imitate Titus Livy and Tacitus and that is Brevity The first employs but Ten Books in relating what pass'd remarkable in the Roman Commonwealth for several Ages and the other has brought into one small Volume the Reigns of Tiberius Caligula Claudius and Nero. But I believe it is impossible to be so short The Reason presents it self to every Man's view The Roman Religion did not occasion any Disputes it did not cause Schisms and different Sects Their Divinity had no Connexion with Political Matters It is not so with Christianity There are great Disputes in this It has always been divided into different Communions Princes interest themselves and take a part in the Quarrels of Divines Since the Popes have setled their Monarchy in the Western World the Court of Rome concerns her self in every thing So that Matters of Religion Controversies of Divinity the Interests and Pretensions of Popes Bishops and the Clergy the Cabals of Monks and divers other Matters which only regard the Church considerably swell an History The good Fathers the Jesuits have been at the bottom of every thing since the Rise of the Society The Relation of their endless Intrigues Enterprizes and Quarrels is Work enough to employ an Historian Add to this that in the Days of the Romans Things were in another Posture than they are at present There were not so many Treaties with neighbouring Nations so many Intrigues in the Senate among the People and in the Court of the Emperors The Romans made War to extend their Territories they had a small number of Allies whom they protected against the Powers that threatned them All Intrigues terminate in gaining the People by Donatives or promising to procure them a Dividend of Lands or to obtain for them a greater Share in the Government The time of the greatest Intrigues in the Roman Commonwealth doubtless was that of the two Triumvirates We have not a very exact History of this but it is plain all was transacted between som few Persons who had the Address to procure the Command of Armies in the remote Provinces Others fell in with the prevailing Party led by Ambition or Avarice That which Tacitus calls the Great Secret of Government in the time of the Emperors was to be Masters of the Legions He who had Interest or Money enough to procure them to revolt was soon proclaimed Emperor After this he had nothing more to do but to beat out the old Possessor or a Competitor The Victor became lawful Sovereign and the Vanquish'd was declared an Usurper In an Absolute and Tyrannical Government all things are ruled at the Pleasure of the Prince The Favourite and the Mistress have their Share in the Authority When these are once established the Dagger Poison False Informations and Violence are the Means they make use of to rid themselves of their Enemies and preserve their Power Thus every thing was managed under the Successors of Augustus The History of such a State as I represent the Commonwealth and Empire of Rome cannot be very large But the Affairs of all Christian Princes have so great a Relation to each other they make so many Leagues and Alliances together some for their own Greatness others to defend themselves from their ambitious Neighbours that it is impossible to write the History of Germany France Spain or England without speaking at the same time of what passes in the rest of Europe If two Petty Princes have any Différence one implores the Protection of the House of Austria and the other throws himself into the Arms of France If the two Crowns commence a War some of these declare for Spain others for France in hopes of profiting by the Conjuncture The Powers who have the smallest Interest are at last obliged to side with one Party or at least to arm to keep the Balance even and prevent the Conqueror from advancing his Power too much by the Ruins of the Vanquish'd The Intrigues of each Court the Interests and Motions of Great Men in a State where Arbitrary and absolute Power is not well setled cannot be so succinctly related Those Illustrious Historians who shall write the present Reign in France will be obliged if I guess aright to enlarge more in proportion on the Affairs of the Minority of Lewis XIV than on what has happen'd since the Peace of the Pyrenees The Designs and Advances of the Prince of Condé the Cardinal Mazarin and some Court Ladies in the Parlements and Provinces will fill a greater Space than the Events since the Death of Philip IV. King of Spain Since Lewis XIV has obtained what Richlieu and Mazarin had proposed and opened the way to every thing is disposed of by one or two Ministers a Mistress or a certain Lady What Character this Great Woman ought to have Time perhaps will inform us The Princes of the Blood Great Lords and Parlements all keep the Respect and Silence All Wars Alliances and great Affairs are resolv'd on with the Ministers Mistress or the Lady None can be preferred or obtain any Employ or Honour but through one of these Channels There are no knotty difficult Treaties abroad Every thing is done by the Power of Money or Threats It is the King's Pleasure it should be so This is the Answer with which his Majesty's Ministers often pay those of Foreign Sovereigns as well as their Master's Subjects Things were not so under the Reign of his Father Mary de Medicis impatiently endured the excessive
Blasphemies against the late King Henry III. and against the Persons and States of Kings and Soveraign Princes The Jesuits have ever had their Partisans and Adversaries The first were ready to excuse them and the latter rose up against them with great Zeal and Vehemence The Abbot Dubois preaching at St. Eustace in Paris undertook in one of his Sermons to refute the Opinions of Mariana By a figure of Rhetorick lively enough he addrest his Speech to the good Fathers and exhorted them strongly for the future to take care in the Books published in the name of their Body and with Approbation of their Superious to let nothing pass offensive to France unless the Jesuits would expose themselves to Dangers which all their Prudence strengthen'd by the Power of their Friends would not be able to avoid This Discourse made a great Impression on the Audience They went away enraged against the Society and the People appeared extreamly incensed against them Complaint was made to the Queen of this Sermon and she remitted the Affair to the Archbâ—…shop of Paris Dubois protested before that Prelate he meant no hurt to the Society My Love said he to Truth my Grief for the Death of the King and a just Dread of the fatal Effects that the Doctrine of Mariana may produce such Sentiments as these made me speak in that manner The Archbishop of Paris had nothing to reply and contented himself with exhorting the Preacher to live well with all the Servants of God and particularly with the Jesuits But it had been more to the purpose to perswade effectually those good Fathers to pardon the Abbot the injury which they thought they had received I do not know how it came to pass but Dubois had the Imprudence to go to Rome the next year and then they did not want colour to shut him up in a close Prison The Patience of Father Coton Confessour to the late King could not bear to hear the General Exclamation against his Brethren He resolved to justifie the Society against the Imputation on the account of Mariana's Book His Wise and discerning Friends advised Coton to say nothing for fear of any Misunderstanding in an Affair that must be so nicely handled Every one wonder'd that a Man who knew the World so well and wanted not Prudence should not take so good Advice He published a long Letter addressed to the Queen to perswade the World Mariana was a private Person disown'd by their Body who had true Notions of the Authority of Princes and the Obedience due to them The thing happened at the Friends of the Jesuits had foretold A thousand Pamphlets were instantly published against the Fathers Letter It is full say they of Ambiguous Expressions and Tricking They insulted him on his pretended disclaiming the Doctrine which was plainly forced to comply with present necessity It comes too late said some maliciously enough to the good Fathers but perhaps it will not be useless to the Children of him who is now in his Grave Indeed the defence of Coton was weak and ill put together What he said of the Complaints of the Provincial Congregation held at Paris some years before and the Answer of their General Aquaviva gave an Advantage to the Enemies of the Society The French Jesuits having desired their Superiour to stop the Liceace and Suppress the Books of some Authours who had written some things to the prejudice of France the Father gave them this Answer We approve the Judgment and Care of your Congregation And we are very sorry that this was not discover'd till after the Impression of those Books We have taken order they shall be corrected and we will have a care that nothing of the like nature shall happen for the future This is very cold and ambiguous for an Opinion which allows Attempts on the Lives of Soveraigns Here are some of the Prudential Managements of the Children of this World But there is no formal disavowing that execrable Dogm the Defenders of which deserve an Exemplary punishment We must be very simple to believe that the Superiours of the Society did not know what Mariana and others of the same stamp wrote till after the Publication of their Works do's not all the World know what are their Statutes relating to the Publication of their Books It is to little purpose that Coton cites several Authours of different Sentiments from Mariana If among so many able Men there was none to be found who maintain Homicide to be absolutely forbid by the Laws of God it would be a very extraordinary thing The permission of the Society to print Mariana's Book is ground enough to conclude they approve it or at least do not condemn it as ill These Writers pass for grave Authours but according to the Principles of Probability a Dogm which ows its Birth to or at least is adopted by the Society in all its Forms James Clement could on the Authority of Mariana Assassinate Henry III. And his Successour might be kill'd with a safe Conscience at least at a time when Sixtus V. and Gregory XIV darted all the Thunder of the Vatican against him The Jesuits bore the most violent Assaults of the Preachers of Paris The Funeral of Henry IV. at the time of Henry's Funerals The Ceremony was performed with the usual pomp The Heart was sent to the College of Jesuits which the King had founded at la Fleche in Anjou He had ordered it thus before his Death Coton made his Funeral Oration there The Body was first carried to the Cathedral Church of Paris and from thence conveyed to the ordinary Burying-place of the Kings of France The Bishop of Aire pronounced the Elogy of the Deceased King at Notre Dame and the Bishop of Anger 's at St. Denys Tho' Henry might deserve in the Eyes of the World the Title of Great his Vertues and Actions did not deserve the Church of Rome should interrupt her Holy Rites to make his Panegyrick in a Pulpit which ought to be Sacred to the Preaching of the Truth What can a good Christian say in praise of a Prince dead in several Criminal Habits on the point of putting all Europe in a Flame and causing a great Effusion of Blood to satisfie his Ambition to revenge himself of his Enemies who were not in a condition to hurt him to force away a Princess in the face of the World whose Husband took Refuge to defend himself from the Solicitations and Pursuits of a King whom love had deprived of all Senseand Reason His pretended Conversion was a fair Field for prophane Orators void of Religion to exercise their Eloquence Their Triumph in so Important a Conquest served to cover his ill Life and impenitent Death But were they ever assured Henry was sincerely a Catholick Let us leave that to the judgment of God If it be true this Princes Conscience was setled in matters of Faith it is certain his irregular Life did not do much honour to the
declared at the same time that neither his Conscience nor the Love he bore his Country could ever permit him to comply with the Orders left by his Nephew yet notwithstanding his seeming Modesty the Duke wanted only to be further courted in the Matter The Senate was to have almost an equal share with him in the Government and Governors of Towns did exercise a sort of Sovereignty in their Jurisdictions The King had contrived it should be so as a necessary precaution to ballance his Uncle's Authority and to lessen his Power Such a Scheme of Government was not for the Duke's turn He expected that the Senators would abate somewhat of their Rights and Privileges and that more Authority would be allowed him over the Governors of each City Matters were accordingly brought to that pass as he would have it The Duke then as if he had only yielded to the repeated Address of the Senate slides into the Saddle of State and marches to Stokholm Then he was wont to say That the best way of Government at that juncture was to put into execution what the King was indespensably bound to perform himself And are we bound said he to obey such Orders of his that are found to be contrary to his Coronaâ—…ion Oath As soon as the Duke enter'd â—…tokholm he Cashier'd the Governour of â—…he Castle for being a Roman Catholick he â—…lso forbid the Exercise of that Religion within that City he made great Presents to the Senators he granted Pensions to the Bishops and to the Professors of Colleges and won his Clergy's and Citizens Love by his Affable and Courteous ways His Wife Christina was brought to bed at that time and the Child was Christn'd by the Name of Gustavus Adolphus This Ceremony was concluded with a splendid Entertainment which he gave to the Senators and to the chief of the Nobility The Famous Astronomer Ticho Bradhe who then Calculated this young Prince's Nativity pronounced that he should one day wear a Crown This was sufficient to raise his Parents hopes to a high pitch It is usual for Persons that are enter'd upon Difficult and Glorious Designs to entertain such uncertain Prognostications 〈◊〉 undoubted Oracles The Duke of Sudermania thought that the calling together of the States would be a means to Establish his Authority The Confusion in which the King left Matters in Swedeland at his going away was a Specious pretence enough for this Convocation Charlâ—â— together with the Senate writ to the King about it But he made them no Answer This Silence of his was by some Interpreted as an Assent to this Meeting 〈◊〉 the States by others as an unjust Dissent But if so the Prime Officers of State iâ—… Swedeland do pretend that in such a Caâ—â— they are impowr'd by the ancient Lawâ—… and Constitutions of the Kingdom to convene a General Assembly of the States They met accordingly at Suderkopin As soon as the News of it came to the King he charged them not to proceed any further declaring that he would never ratifie such Resolutions that were taken contrary to his Will and Pleasure But no Regard was had to such Prohibitions of the King 's The States maintain'd that their Meeting at this Juncture of time was both Lawful and Necessary for the Welfare of the Kingdom They then came to a Resolution not to allow of any other Religion in Swedeland saving the Protestant Persuasion according to the Ausburg Confession of Faith That the Rites and Worship after the manner of Rome should be every where Abolisht That Priests of that Communion should hasten out of the Kingdom in a Fortnight's time The Duke of Sudermania was declared Regent during the King's Absence With this Limitation that all Affairs should be Administred by him in Concurrence with the Senate Many other Laws were ordain'd for the Preservation of the Liberty and Privileges of the Country and they who would not submit to such Regulations were declared to be evilly affected toward the Welfare of the Land and to be Disturbers of the publick Tranquillity Charles his Regency seemed now to be well Established A Misunderstanding betwixt the Duke of Sudermania and the Senat. so that Sigismond had no other way left him but to endeavour to create Jealousies and Divisions betwixt that Duke and the Senate This took and it was cunningly carried on Charles was the more readily disposed to fall out with the Senat for that he did suspect them with holding a Correspondency with those of the Province of Fineland who still held for the King The Senators on th' other hand complained that he did all things after his own fancy and dealt harshly with such as opposed his Designs in the least Charles alledged that they did wast the Publick Revenue and had fomented Misunderstanding betwixt the King and him with a design as it should seem to ruin both his Majesty and himself that they themselves might thereby become sole Masters He made a shew of laying down the Administration of Affairs that was committed to him but was extreamly surprised when he found not one of the Senate opposed that his seeming Resolution Therefore considering with himself that he had gone too far to retreat in hopes to slip his Neck out of the Collar he again laid hold of the Helm of publick Affairs He Summon'd a General Assembly of the Senates to be held at Arboga There the Senate with many of the Nobility formed a distinct Party in opposition to that of the Dukes many went home again and there were not very many that came to this Parliament held at Arboga The Decrees of the Convocation at Vpsal were here confirmed and whatever was enacted by the late General Diet at Suderkoping Addresses were made to Charles to request him not to Abandon the Government at this juncture with a promise that none should be allowed to have so great a sway as he in the Administration of publick Affairs Yet the Senate refused their Assent to these New Regulations and the Chancellor with some others left the Kingdom upon it Such a favourable Conjuncture as this King Sigismonds unsuccessful Attempt to reduce the D. of Sudermania by force prompted Sigismond to march with a good Army towards Swedeland if he had made more speed he might have disperst the Duke's Party which grew weaker every day but the King's slackness gave him time to gather strength and to seise on many fortified Places and to secure the Fleet. When Sigismond Landed the Elector of Brandenbourg and other Princes of Germany us'd their Endeavour to Reconcile the Nephew and Uncle but their Negotiations proved ineffectual Charles protested that he only sought the Preservation of the Peace of the Privileges and of the Religion of the Country But Sigismond would not trust him He resolved to be the ruine of an Uncle who openly aspired to no less than the Crown These two Princes was each of 'em at the Head of his own Army and there was great likelihood that the
Government of Dauphiny She was willing to keep that of Normandy to her self and have it manag'd by a Lieutenant General But the Prince of Conti was to be satisfied who ask'd for one of his Brother's two Governments This seem'd very reasonable Conti having heretofore given up the Government of the Dauphinate to the Count. To give him and the Guises some satisfaction a Sister of whom the Prince had married it was caus'd to be propos'd to Charles of Valois Natural Son of King Charles IX whom we before call'd Count d' Auvergne and henceforth shall be stil'd Duke of Angoulesme to lay down the Government of Auvergne Henry IV. had put him into Prison for a Conspiracy and the Regent kept him there still The Marquiss de Coeuvres was ordered to speak to him for accommodating the Matter The Duke d' Angoulesme who long'd for his Liberty accepted the Proposition to obtain his Liberty and so the Prince of Conti was made Governour of Auvergne The Count de Soissons had vast Designs rolling in his Head when he died 'T was said that he had bound himself in a great Correspondence with Henry Prince of Wales Maurice Prince of Orange the Duke of Savoy and the Huguenot Party The Duke of Rohan perceiving him discontented with the Regent and her Ancestors sent to offer him his Services He did not ask for the Government of Quillebeuf but only to be in a Condition of giving Entrance to the Succours which he had projected should come from England and Holland His greatest Passion and Desire was to remove the Ministers and quell the Party of the Guises and of the Duke of Epernon He would have had the Joy of seeing his Wishes almost fulfill'd if Death had not taken him hence the first Day of November The Marquiss and Marchioness d'Ancre had so much prepossess'd the Queen against the Ministers of State and especially against Sileri that she began to keep them in the dark as to her Cabinet Affairs Galigai had the Insolence to say a thousand offensive things to the Chancellor in presence of the Queen and to upbraid him with the ill Administration of his Office Mary de Medicis suffer'd her She-Confident to speak all and poor Sileri dar'd not to answer a Word for himself He was afraid lest the Queen should second the Reproaches perhaps too true which were said against him The Marchioness d'Ancre being sure of her Mistress's Sentiments spoke confidently as she was able to put out of Countenance the boldest Man alive 'T is a Maxim amongst interested Courtiers not to be put off and repuls'd easily and not to quit the Game but at the last Extremity The Chancellor went into the Queen's Closet with other Ministers but there he was afresh mortified Her Majesty turn'd her Back to him affecting to speak with a deal-of trust to the President Jeannin A new Party was now set up at Court which having got the upper most dissipated all the rest The Prince of Condé headed it The Dukes of Nevers Maienne Longueville the Marshal Bouillon and the Marquess d' Ancre came into it The Guises Epernon Amville and their Friends found their Affairs retarded by these Means The Duke of Amville was Brother to the Constable Montmorenci in whose Absence being gone to his Government in Languedoc he joyn'd himself to the Guises whom he thought had got further into the Queen's Favour than others The Master of the Horse Bellegarde of the same Party was then at Bourgundy as Governour of it He receiv'd Orders to come presently to Court Bellegarde obey'd the more willingly for that the Duke of Guise had hasten'd him to come to their Relief As soon as he had reach'd Sens they gave him notice that the Queen had sent for him only to put him out of his Government Understanding this he went back to it with all speed The Marquess d' Ancre had laid an Intrigue for causing Bourgundy to be given to the Duke of Mayenne There were more open Contentions at the Sorbonne than at the Court The Jesuit Becanus his Book condemned The Jesuits let loose against the lawful Authority of Sovereigns publish'd new Books every Day upon this Subject to court and please the proud Borghese Becan a famous Author of the Society had printed one this Year Mercure Francois 1611. with this Title The Controversie of England touching the King and Pope's Authority When Doctor Filezac new Syndic of the Faculty at Paris had perus'd it he spoke of it to Cardinal Bonzi to know whether the Queen would think fit the Sorbonne should censure so pernicious a Book The Nuncio and the Jesuits strove alike to shake off the Blow Vbaldini saw that the Faculty would not fail to have a fling in its Censure at the pretended Authority of the Holy Chair The good Fathers feared lest a new Decree of the Faculty of Paris publish'd throughout all France might further confirm the common Opinion That the Society makes Profession to teach constantly a Doctrine which is contrary to the Authority of Kings and Security of their Persons But the Propositions of Becan were so loudly complain'd of as it was expedient to appease Mens Minds by some Condemnation of them Here 's the Expedient which the Pope's Counsel and the Jesuits resolv'd upon They told the Queen that it would be of greater efficacy to have these sorts 〈◊〉 Books condemned at Rome and that 〈◊〉 Censure coming forth from the Holy Chair would carry more Authority with it than one from the Faculty of Paris Mary de Medicis was easily drawn into the Snare they had laid for her She bid the Cardinal Bonzi tell the Syndic of the Faculty That her Majesty would not have the Sorbonne to determine any thing upon Becan's Book because the Queen had a design to have it condemn'd by the Pope the Court of Rome and the good Fathers to make for them this Evasion If the Sorbonne had left off making a noise the Examination of the Book had been stopt Whatever came on 't the Inquisition condemning a Book in general Terms without specifying any thing People could not exactly know upon what Point the Condemnation fell and thus the exorbitant Proposition concerning the Pope's Authority would have been not touch'd or meddled with It was supposed that the Inquisition never intended to condemn them One Paris having presented in the Sorbonne the first of December some Propositions extracted out of Becan's Book wherein the Assassination of Kings and Princes was permitted and many other things contain'd which were contrary to Divine and Humane Laws the Syndic made a Report of what Cardinal Bonzi had told him concerning the Queen's Intentions Dr. Paris's Mouth being stop'd with this Answer desir'd that what he had propos'd might be register'd and that a Copy of what the Faculty had concluded upon might be given him It was granted him The first Day of the Year following the Faculty of Paris deputed four Doctors to represent to the Chancellor that
Words certainly deserve to be committed to Memory and if there was not more of Vanity perhaps than of Reality in the Duke of Epernon's Sentiments it must be confess'd to his Glory that he had a more Noble Heart than any Prince or Grandee of the Court of France The Regent reconciled with the Dukes of Guise and Epernon In the mean time Bassompierre went to wait again on the Queen after she had dined as her Majesty had order'd him I am so sick at Stomach said Mary de Medicis when she was alone with him as all that I have eaten seems to be Poyson If I am not suddenly rid of this Trouble I fear that I shall be out of my Wits She spoke probably more Truth than she thought for They who best understoood this Business testified this of her that she had a great Spirit but not the large Capacity nor the Constancy and Experience which another Queen of the same House shew'd in some Precedent Reigns and those excellent Qualities were needful to Mary de Medicis for to govern a State full of Factions Bassompiere continued she you must bring me back the Duke of Guise whatever it costs Offer him a Hundred Thousand Crowns which I 'll pay him in ready Money with the Lieutenancy-General of Provence for the Chevalier his Brother and the Reversion of the Abbey of St. Germain for the Princess his Sister In a Word I give you full Power to offer what you please provided you make him quit this Cabal and I can be ascertain'd of his good Intentions ' Madam answer'd Bassompierre smiling you have put such a Stock into my Hands as 't will be very hard if I do not make a good Bargain Now see here what the Reversion is of the Abbey of St. Germain de Prez at Paâ—…is The Prince of Conti enjoy'd this rich Benefice though he was married The same was promis'd to the Princess his Wife in case he died before her Strange Abuse of Ecclesiastical Revenues But a Dispensation from the Pope solves all Let it not be said that these Disorders are now reform'd Have we not seen a younger Brother of the House of Lorrain in France The Count of Marsan confirm'd by a solemn Edict in the Enjoyment of a considerable Pension from a Bishoprick because the Pope had granted him a Dispensation to keep it notwithstanding his Marriage And certainly every thing fully consider'd if the Revenues of the Church been't employ'd for the Relief of the Poor or any other good Work they are as well in the Hands of a Prince or Princess as in any idle Monk's hands Cardinal's or Abbot's of Quality who spend them in rich Equipage great Feasts keeping of Horses and Dogs and maintaining Misses But I return to Bassompierre's Negotiation Before he had taken leave of Mary de Medicis for to go and execute his Orders he spoke to the Queen to call back to Court the Duke of Epernon I would withal my Heart she reply'd but he is a Man whom I have offended and he never pardons ' Yes his Enemies answer'd Bassompierre smiling but not his Masters The good Princess did not well know the Duke's Temper He was not so good a Christian as to pardon his Enemies yet he was too ambitious not to pardon the Regent provided she would set him up higher in Authority and Reputation Tell the Queen answer'd he to Bassompierre that I only supplicate to her to be somewhat more constant for the future to distinguish better and continue her good Servant At length Bassompierre propos'd to the Regent she would be pleas'd to give leave that her Ministers of State might come back to Court again He offered to speak for Villeroy and Jeannin but as for what concern'd the Chancellor the Regent was to declare her self to the Chevalier Sileri Brother to this Magistrate It 's needless to relate all the Particulars of Bassompierre's Negotiation He had so good Markets to make as there was not much trouble to bring 'em to an end The Duke of Guise said Bassompierre at first ranted according to his Custom but afterwards he consented to all His Lady Dutchess who was made use of in this Affair did not make many Words to make him accept of a good Sum of Money The Duke of Epernon ask'd nothing better than to have a Share in the Government This haughty ambitious Man saw with Pleasure that they thought him the most proper Person to break up a puissant Faction contriv'd by the first Prince of the Blood and Grandees of the Realm The Two Dukes saw the Queen the next Morning in private to both of their Satisfactions The old Ministers of State recall'd As for these Ministers of State they were not less tractable These Gentlemen were too much discontented to lose their Credit The Chancellor and Villeroy were at odds but quickly reconcil'd Jeannin had a Commission to give the Queen a Visit in the Name of these Three in Luxembourgh House whither she repair'd every Day to see the fine Palace she had begun to build and the pleasant Gardens she was planting The secret Discourse which the Queen had with the President Jeannin caus'd many Thoughts in the Marechal de Ancre who was come to Luxemburgh House His Surprisal was yet greater when the Officer of the Queen's Guards would not let him come near to her because she had given express Order to hinder whomsoever he was that came from interrupting her whilst she was talking to the President Jeannin Conchini from that time began to fear some new Revolution at Court he did not doubt of it farther when he saw the next Evening the Queen give the Duke of Epernon a Thousand Marks of distinction She caus'd a Chair to be brought for him and plac'd next to her under pretence that he was newly recover'd from a great Sickness They discours'd a long time together She invited him to see a Play and order'd a Chair to be brought for him and Zamet the Duke 's great Friend who bore him Company without giving the least Attention to the Duke of Mayenne who was there present Conchini swore bloodily and considering how the Scene was alter'd said I laugh at the Affairs of this World The Queen takes care of a Seat for Zamer and never takes notice of the Duke de Mayenne After such a Stir as this depend if ye will upon the Friendship of Princes Mary of Medicis was then the most satisfied Princess in the World The very Day that she was reconcil'd to the Duke of Guise and Epernon was in her Opinion the most difficult and weightiest Day of her Life This is a Play said she with a many Intrigues in it at the end we have nothing but Peace and Rejoycing Whilst she was in so good a Humour she plentifully bestow'd her Liberalities The Duke of Guise was secured of an Hundred thousand Crowns and that the Count of Rochefoucault should be call'd back to Court The Chevalier de Guise got the
who fain'd to talk of the Count of Spain that his most Christian Majesty had so good Intentions for the House of Mantua as he would never fail to take it into his Protection and Oppose with the force of his Arms those who should undertake to offer violence to his near Relations Charles Emanuel well understood this Discourse concern'd him more than it regarded the Spaniards He then laying aside his ordinary Dissimulation answer'd frankly that he hop't from the Equity of the King and his Mother Queen their Majesties wou'd not take it â—…l if he maintain'd in case he was forc't â—…'t the Right of his Children to the Estates of the House of Mantua My Daughter is big with Child proceeded he â—…nd don't we know but that she may be â—…rought to bed of a Son Be it what it will â—…he Princess Mary is the undoubted Heiress â—…f Montferrat If the House of Gonzaga â—…ill do any Injustice to the Mother or Daughter am not I in a necessity to take their Inâ—…rests I can't be perswaded that his most â—…hristian Majesty whom I have always â—…erv'd the best t' was possible for me would â—…rotect upon this occasion Persons who would â—â—ke away Mine and my Childrens Rights Whatever comes on 't if Men fail to do Juâ—â—ice we shall have Recourse to the Soveâ—â—ign Judge of the World and we trust he â—…ill be favourable to us Such is the Lanâ—…uage of Princes when they are going â—â—on unjustifiable Actions Geffier Resiâ—…ent from France at the Court of Savoy â—â—d Orders to speak more positively to â—â—e Duke and declare to him that the â—â—areschal Lesdiguieres should have an â—…rmy ready to march forward into Italy as soon as there should be any Attempt against the House of Mantua which the Crown of France took under its Protection The French being gone to Mantua to make his Complements of Condolence in behalf of the King of France and the Queen his Mother to the Cardinal upon the Death of the late Duke gave the same Assurance by the Queen's Order This did not a little serve to secure Ferdinand whom these Affairs had put into great perplexity The Popes Conduct in the Affairs of Mantua He was to expect some Succours from the Pope whose chief Interest is to maintain peace in Italy but the fearful and interessed old Man acted but weakly in this matter However urgent Breves the French Ambassador at the Court of Rome was with Paul V. for to stir him up to prevent the Troubles which this Controversie might raise in Italy Siri Memorie recondite To. III. pag. 16 17 c. no other answer could be got from him than that the Queen of France ought to press thâ—… Catholick King to send a precise Order to the Governor of Milan not to bacâ—… the Pretensions of the Duke of Savoy The Pope secretly gain'd over by the Spaniards to whom he was wholly devoted and who at first flatter'd themselves oâ—… making an Advantage of the Ambition 〈◊〉 Charles Emanuel had Counsell'd the Cardinal of Mantua to send the Mother and Daughter to Milan And when it was propos'd to him to take them both to Boulogne under the Care and Protection of the Holy Chair he excus'd himself of this for that Charles Emanuel had no confidence in him At length Breves having told Paul that it was however expected from his love for the common good of Italy that he should oppose his Spiritual and Temporal Arms against the Duke of Savoy in case he attempted to attack with open Force the Cardinal of Mantua the Pope answer'd in General Terms that he would follow the Dictates of his own Conscience and do as God should inspire him an usual Evasion of these Gentlemen who hearken to their Interests and Passions more than to the Voice of the Holy Spirit Pope Paul spoke with more Sincerity when in Reference to this same Affair of Mantua he said that he would not meddle with the concern of Princes who had no regard for his Authority and such indeed are the Sentiments of the great Personages who are of the Popes Communion They all of 'em know that this is but Usurpation Deceit and Pageantry yet in the Interim I cannot understand by what politick Interest all these Princes who are under the Popes Obedience keep still in with him These imagine whether it be good or bad that his Authority is necessary to them upon certain occasions and the Court of Rome crafty to make an Advantage of their so beneficial prejudicate Opinions think that they are quit with 'em if from time to time they wipe off and connive at some disdainful Aspersions whilst they can preserve their Revenues and a Spiritual Power over the Ignorant and Superstitious People without which the Pontifical Chair could have no long continuance or Duration The States of Venice stand by the Cardinal of Mantua The Venetians upon this Occurrency were less Fearful and more Wise than the Pope for these able States-men foresaw too well the Consequences of the Affair of Mantua and easily discover'd where the Artifices of the Duke of Savoy drove at The Senate therefore took particular care to encourage Cardinal Ferdinand and gave him the best Advice for not to suffer himself to be surpris'd unawares Nani Hist Veneta Lib. I. 1613. The Republick did moreover Negotiate very effectually both at Vienna and at the Court of France to persuade those Princes to oppose the secret Designs of the Spaniards and the undertakings of Charles Emanuel Matthias the Emperor did as much instruct his Kinsman the King of Spain as any other Prince in Europe and the Cardinal de Clessel kept him in this Jealousie Being both perswaded that the Spaniards design'd rather to Ruine than to Support the Authority of the Emperor in Italy Upon this account Matthias did not make any difficulty to chuse the Cardinal of Mantua for the Guardian of the Children of the late Duke and to dispense with his Age he not being old enough according to the Common Laws to be their Guardian Ferdinand Cardinal of Gonzague takes upon him the Title of Duke of Mantua At length after Three months pretence the Dutchess Margarita declared she was not with Child and Ferdinand de Gonzague took the Quality of Duke of Mantua The Prince of Piedmont came to fetch his Sister and Conduct her to Turin Isabella of Savoy another Daughter of Charles Emanuel Married to Caesar d'Este Duke of Medena came also to Mantua that so she night have a meeting with the Prince of Piedmont her Brother and the Dutchess Margarita her Sister This was a new â—…ontrivance of Charles Emanuel The Marriage of the Cardinal Nani Historia Veneta Lib. I 1613. Siri Memorierecondite Tom. III. p. 52 53 54. c. Duke of Manâ—…ua was thought a proper expedient to â—…ompose all Differences 'T was proposed â—…nd Ferdinand did not seem very averse to 〈◊〉 Margarita thought by shedding a few Tears 't would be easie
to work upon her â—…over and to obtain leave of him to â—…arry away the Princess Maria but tho â—…he Cardinal might have some inclinatiâ—…ns for Margarita yet his love was not so â—…olent as to overcome all those Reasons which engaged him not to part with his Niece The Prince of Piedmont seeing him resolute in this point thought fit to try another method which was this that the Dutchess Dowager should retire to Modena with her Daughter till the proposed Marriage should be Consummated but in case it should be broke off she should go alone to Turin and that Caesar de Este should be obliged by promise to send back the Princess Mary to Mantua if the Emperor or Cardinal Duke should re-demand her New efforts of the D. of Savoy to fetch the Princess Mary his Grandaughter from Mantua Ferdinand was caught in the Snare Whether it was that his Ministers were bribed or that he had not quickness of apprehension enough to receive it the Cardinal imprudently accepted the proposal which his Enemies made him When the Ministers of France had notice of it they admonisht Ferdinand that if his Niece should once go out of his hands 't would be impossible for him to get her again and that the Duke of Modena would be so confined by the artifices of Charles Emanuel and the Marquis d'Inojosa that he would not be able to restore her thô he should be willing to do it They added farther if you should marry any one but Margarita and it should please God you have any Children what perpetual disputes will there be between them and the Heiress of one part of the Estates of your Family Have you duly weighed all these inconveniencies This Remonstrance opened the Cardinal Dukes Eyes but he had given his Word and he could not tell how to go back The Ministers of France and the Venetians helpt him out by perswading the Duke of Modena not to charge himself with a Trust which was like to enâ—…angle him in a great deal of trouble and vexation So that the Prince of Piedmont set out for Turin with his Sister Margarita â—…he being very much grieved to leave her Daughter behind her They came to Milan in the holy Week The Governor â—…nvited them to spend those days of Devotion there But Victor Amadeus and â—…nojosa had something else to mind than Holy-days The latter sent immediately â—…o Modena to engage Este to charge himself with the Dutchess and Princess of Mantua which according to Agreement were to be committed to his Care And when they were sure of the Duke of Modena the Captain of the Governor's Guards was sent to Mantua in Inojosa's Name to desire the Cardinal Duke to be â—…s good as his Word Ferdinand who â—…id not expect thus to be importuned aâ—…resh had no other way to come off but â—…o retract what he had said He alâ—…edged for his excuse that he could not â—…eliver up his Niece without the consent of the Emperor who had committed her â—…o his Guardianship The Titular Bishop of Diocesarea was sent to Milan to make up the business with the Governor Ferdinand ordered this Prelate to go likewise as far as Verceil whither Charles Emanuel was advanced under a pretence of coming to meet his Daughter Margarita but really with a design to execute a Project which he had in his Head The ambitious Projects of the D. of Savoy The Bishop of Diocesarea had power to Negotiate the Marriage proposed between the Cardinal Duke and his Sister in Law The Dissembling Savoiard sometimes seemed to listen to this Expedient but he had no desire to bring the matter to a conclusion The opportunity which he had of seizing on Monferrat was too good to be neglected Charles Emanuel plainly told the Bishop of Diocesarea that he would not give up the pretensions of the House of Savoy to Monferrat in favour of the Match he demanded back again not only the Jewels which his daughter had carried into the Family of Gonzague but also those which her Husband had presented her with The Cardinal Duke refused to restore the latter and Charles Emanuel full of great expectations designed nothing but to satisfie his Ambition He pleased himself with the thoughtâ—… of having time to effect his Enterprize before the Princes of Italy would be awakened out of that Sleep which â—…long and profound Peace had brought upon them The watchful Eye which the Republick of Venice had upon every thing that was doing in their Neighbourhood gave him some Disturbance But he imagined that if they did not approve of his Invasion yet they would stand by and look on rather than engage in a War As for the Emperor he did not much concern himself about it The Authority of the Empire in Italy is but a vain Title without Power The two Crowns were more to be feared But the Duke thought Maria de Medicis having her hands full by reason of the Factions of the Princes and great Men at home could not send any mighty Assistance to the House of Mantua And then he hoped to curry favour at the Court of Madrid by means of the Governour of Milan his Friend Besides there were at that time no Troops in those parts and it would require time to bring them thither However he thought the fear of bringing the French into Italy would make the Court of Madrid backward to declare it self either one way or the other And this in the very thing which would have checkt Charles Emanuel if he had not been blinded by his Ambition For indeed his Catholick Majesty fearing nothing more than that the French should have any pretence to carry their Arms into Italy his business was to take care that the Duke of Savoy should not tacque the House of Mantua which France would not fail to take under its Protection The Duke of Savoy invades Monferrat Charles Emanuel assembles his Troops as secretly as he can and parts from Verceil the 22th of April 1613. to enter Monferrat with his Army He presently surprizes several places others being not prepared to make any Resistance Surrender so that within a few days he was Master of all the Province except Casal He had also took this important Town and the rest of the Marquisat if Charles of Gonzague Duke of Nevers in France had not happily been in Italy at the time of his Invasion whether it was upon the account of assisting the Cardinal Duke with his Advice and with his Sword if there should be occasion or whether he pretended to Negotiate at Rome and at Venice about an imaginary descent into the Morea which he had designed he undertook to Conduct to Florence his Sister in Law Daughter of the late Duke of Maienne married to the Count of Saintfiore Son of the Duke of Sforce When Nevers was arrived on the Coasts of Genoa he received Letters which invited him in the Name of the Nobility of Monferrat to come immediately to their
Advantageous to the King of Spain in appearance were despised The Duke was reduced at last humbly to desire that till the entire decision of the Controversie he might have one Place left him in token of his pretensions to Monferrat They would not enter into any Treaty with this good Prince but sent him Padilla a General of the Artillery one of the most morose Men in Spain who at first word told his Highness in Terms very concise and with an Air of severity that he must even restore all To compleat his mortification Padilla produced a Letter of the King of Spain's Short but Expressive which obliged the Duke to comply with whatsoever the Marquiss of Inojosa should prescribe to him Nothing so much mortifies an haughty and valiant Prince as to be treated like a Subject by one that is more powerful than himself But what shall say Poor Emanuel abondoned of all the Word was forced to receive the most rigid Terms Instead of giving a Positive answer to grave Padilla he sent of his Ministers to Milan with such proposals as tended to lengthen out the business and delay his Resolution Inojosa rejected them with Indignation and sent word to Charles Emanuel that if he did not presently Restore all that he had Usurpt the Prince of Ascoli should lay Siege to one of those Places which were Re-demanded that the Governor of Milan should come himself upon the Spot and hang up every one that dared to Resist him The Duke knowing no means to prevent it offered to Surrender and Resign all that he was in Possession of in Monferrat I can't tell but still he might have some little hopes of gaining time by reason of a Quarrel that arose between Inojosa and Castiglione Each pretended that the Places were to be delivered up into the hands of his Master But Castiglione who had only the Name and Authority of the Emperor to back him soon complied with the other who had the Power in his hands The Imperial Commissary only received one Town for Form sake and the Spaniards took Possession of the rest Never was there an Agreement sooner Concluded than this thô the Duke of Savoy made a great many Difficulties before he would be brought to it This was the last Artifice of a Prince who had a mind to have in Reserve a pretence to Break when he should see it Convenient A Treaty made with precipitation is never well fixt Ther 's always some room for Evasion left for one that has no mind to be honest A dispute between the D. of Nevers and the Governor of Milan Before the conclusion of this Agreement the Duke of Nevers who as we said was come thither for the Relief of Monferrat had some words with the Governour of Milan Nevers had joined Prince Vincentius of Mantua with an Hundred or Six score French Gentlemen Mercure Francoise 1613. These observing the steps of the Spaniards grumbled that the Prince of Ascoli had not the pleasure of an opportunity to Bang the Savoiard Army The Marquiss of Inojosa being angry that his Collusion with Charles Emanuel was discovered declared openly that he would not suffer the French to have any Soldiers in Italy nor that any should come into the Country of Milan that he would give no civil reception to any that should pass thrô that Province and if the Two thousand Men which the Chevalier de Guise was to bring with him into Italy should come thither he would cut them in pieces This Spaniard was so offended at the coming of the French that he Commanded the Gallys of Naples of Sicily and Genoa unitedly to oppose those Vessels which brought Aids from Provence and to hinder the French Troops from Landing in the Coasts of Italy Inojosa after all endeavoured to make the Cardinal Duke Jealous by giving it out that Nevers had a greater design to make himself Master of Monferrat than to assist the House of Mantua The Duke affronted with the arrogance and moroseness of the Governour told him that 't was too much in all reason for a Man of Inojosa's Quality to march with so great a Train but that the Duke Nevers of the Family of Gonzagua might be allow'd to have an Hundred or Sixscore Men at his Heels He added excepting four or five Friends that are come to me all the rest belong to me If the Marquiss d'Inojosa offers to abuse any of them I know the Reason As for his threatning to cut in pieces the Troops which may come from France to assist the House of Mantua 't is not to be rhought that his Catholick Majesty approves such Language There 's no body in the World can hinder the most Christian King from Assisting his Kinsman and Ally or opposing the unjust Designs of the Duke of Savoy He would also raise a suspition concerning me but I am not afraid that the vain talk of the Marquiss d'Inojosa should make the least impression My Interest is so much one with that of the House of Mantua Monsieur the Governour confirms himself the just suspicions we have of his Conduct We know his Aversion to the Cardinal Duke and we are not ignorant of the Reasons which he has to favour the Duke of Savoy agrinst the Pretentions of his Catholick Majesty Thus it was that the Duke of Nevers supported the Honour of France better than the Regent of the Kingdom And not listening to the wise Remonstrances of the Senate of Venice who prest her to bring Troops into Piedmont and other Places she suffered the Court of Madrid to have all the Honour of this Affair being ready to reap advantage from it as there should be opportunity Whilst the greatest part of Europe was in some Commotion The Marriage of the Elector Palatine with the K. of England's Daughter Larrey Hist d' Angliterr Tom. II. 1612.1613 on the account of the death of Francis Duke of Mantua James King of Great Britain who did not much concern himself with the Affairs of Italy lived peceably in his own Island he was Entertaining himself with Diversions and giving the People afflicted for the death of the Prince of Wales a Thousand spectacles Some said that the Father had a mind insensibly to efface the Memory of his Son which a little before charmed all England Instead of taking pains to discover the secret of the hasty death of his Son the King heaped new favours upon his unworthy Favourite who was thought by some to be the Author of it Robert Carr Viscount of Rochester was made Earl of Sommerset a very high Title which was not wont to be bestowed but upon the Princes of the Blood of England or at least to the near Kindred of the King by the Mother's Side This Favourite married afterwards Frances Howard Countess of Essex famous for her Crimes and Exploits Should I make a rash judgment if I should say that the good King lookt upon himself as a Man happily raised from the dead after the
maintain their Right of Patronage But to remedy the disorders which frequent disputes about this Point occasioned they endeavoured in the Year 1591. in the Assembly of the States of this Province to make a New Regulation concerning the manner of choosing Pastors According to this Project the Magistrates and the Consistory were to Name each Four Persons of their own Body to Elect Jointly The Act of Election was to be carried afterwards to the Body of the Magistrates who should have power to Accept or Reject the chosen Minister And in this last Case they were to proceed to a new Election This Law was agreeable enough to the Civil Law Establish'd by the new Constitutions of the Emperor Justinian touching the Election of Ecclesiastical Ministers And because it was convenient to Reserve some Priviledges to particular Persons who had the Patronage of Churches it was added in the same Law that if there were a Pastor to be chosen to a Church of which a particular Person was the Patron then this Person was to depute Four others to Elect in Conjunction with the Four Named by the Consistory So that a Gentleman had the same priviledge with respect to the Church of which he was Patron as the Magistrates had reserved with respect to the Churches of Towns and Cities A Regulation so well Contrived for the Satisfaction of all the World met with so much opposition in the Assembly of the States of Holland in the Year 1591. from several considerable Cities that it was not possible to pass it into a Law In the Year 1612. the Pensionary Barnevelt propos'd a second time to the States of the Province as more necessary than ever by reason of the Quarrels that arose about the Five Articles Besides that the Synod and Classes did not dare to make use of the pretended Heresie 〈◊〉 Remonstrants to Interdict those which haâ—… been chosen after this manner by thâ—… Consent of the Consistory's and Magistrates and Patrons this Project had a considerable Advantage in the present Posture of the Churches of Holland It allow'd the Magistrates to choose none but wise and moderate Pastors and such as should be acceptable to all the World and well inclined to Peace When Barnevelt spoke in the Assembly of the States of the Province of the Revival of the Law propos'd in 1591. Their Opinions were then decided Some thought it fit that they should publish it others thought that it was more convenient first to have the consent of the Synode These latter were apparently afraid that this Law should more provoke the Ministers of the Contra-Remonstrant Party who grumbled very much that the States pretended singly to decide matters belonging to Religion and the Government of the Church Barnevelt in this Affair in which he was so heartily engaged so managed those that were concern'd that he brought them all over to his own Opinion The States of Holland at last resolv'd that the Laws which had been Projected concerning Ecclesiastical affairs in the Year 1591 should be from that time observ'd but they found great difficulty in the Execution of them There arose immediately great Disputes both by word of Mouth and by Writing concerning this Deliberation of the States The Contra-Remonstrants said that the States had gone beyond the Bounds of their Lawful Authority and that it was not fit for them to put their hand to the Censor in Regulating the Doctrines of Faith and the Government of the Church The Remonstrants side with the States By this means they had opportunity to curry favour with the Government and likewise found their account in the Enacting of this Law The Armenians maintain'd and not without Reason that the States of Holland being Sovereigns in their Province had power to Establish any thing that was not contrary to the Law of God and to regulate the Government of the Church to make Laws for the Security of it's Peace according to the Example of Christian Emperors and Princes which have done so before them without any Contradiction from the primitive Church So that for the future we shall find there were disputes in the Vnited Provinces not only about the Five Articles of the Remonstrants but also about the Right of Patronage and the Lawful Power of Sovereigns in matters of Faith and Discipline of the Church This was the occasion of an excellent Treatise which Grotius published to the World This Learned Man does in that Book defend at large that which he had before advanc'd in an Apology for the States oâ—… Holland Grotius De Imperio summarum potestatum circa Sacra touching the Authority of thâ—… Sovereign Power in Ecclesiastical Affairs But before we speak of this Apology publish'd by Grotius It is fit to say something concerning this Quarrel which intreas'd every day in the Vnited Provinces The divisions increased in the United Provinces Before this time there had been Synod â—…gainst Synod that of Vtrecht in 1612. â—…eclare that the Five Articles of the Reâ—…onstrants were Tolerable That of the â—…rovince of Guelderland maintains that â—â—l the Doctrine contain'd in the Confesâ—â—on of Faith and in the Catechism of â—â—e Belgick Churches was agreeable to â—â—e Word of God Preface des Actes du Sinode de Dordrecht The Synod Solemnâ—â—â— Engage themselves to maintain and deâ—â—nd it In Some Cities they Suspend and â—…epose the Remonstrant Ministers as Hereâ—â—ks in others they drive out the Contra-â—â—monstrant as Violent and Seditious â—â—e People being devoted to their Old â—â—nisters would not acknowledge those â—â—t were put in their Room So that there â—â—s a Schism in one and the same Church Brand Hist de la Reformation Liv. XX. XXI â—â—e part of the People assembled with 〈◊〉 Depos'd Minister in spite of the Maâ—â—rates Another part stuck to the new â—â—e One Geselius gave a great deal of â—â—ble to the magistrates of Rotterdam â—â—ey Depose him he sets up Conventiâ—â— they Banish him and he refuses to â—â—ey them The Magistrates publish'd Manifesto giving an account of their â—â—duct to the People Geselius answers 〈◊〉 his own Justification In one Word â—â—e were not greater Divisions in the Church in the time of Arianism Circular Letters flew about to Exhort to forsake the Communion of those who embrac'd the Five disputed Articles The Contra-Remonstrants call'd themselves the unjustly persecuted Church They had a private Meeting in a Barn at Rotterdam The Magistrates ordered it to be shut up the Contra Remonstrants open'd it again Could they have had more Zeal and more Heat about the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion During these Confusions Gomar quitted the Chair of Divinity-Professor at Leyden and retir'd to Middleburg in Zealand Polyander a great Stickler for the same Opinion was put in his Place The Remonstrants comforted themselves under this disappointment with Episcopius being call'd to the same University He had obtained a great Reputation in the Party by his strong Defence of the Five Articles at the Conference in the Hague in 1611.
their Adversaries that Support which they flattered themselves of receiving from King James the I. Winwood his Ambassador at the Hague had prejudic'd him against the Remonstrants and the Archbishop of Canterbury the declared Enemy of the Opinions of Vorstius gave the King a bad Character of them In short this Prelate imagin'd that all the Remonstrants Ministers and the Magistrates their Protectors had an Inclination to Socinianism with which he thought Vorstius was infected Grotius Apologeticus eorum qui Hollandiae praefuerunt Cap. VI. in Epistolis 1613. Vytenbogard and the Rest thought good to oppose to the Archbishop several Doctors and Prelates of the greatest Note and Meritin England and especially the learned Casaubon whom his Majesty had a particular Value for His Majesty owing his Entertainment of the Sentiments of Calvin concerning Predestination more to the prejudices of his Education than Reason or Study Casaubon and others easily perswaded him to listen to what they had to Offer in favour of the Remonstrants in Holland These took the advantage of this favourable Conjuncture They sent to Caron the Dutch Ambassador at London a Memorial in which the Questions in Debate were fairly and clearly Stated This Memorial was read to the King and gave him Satisfaction His Majesty writ a Letter to the States of Holland and to â—…ell them it was his Opinion that they should Tolerate the Remonstrants and that the Magistrates should use their Authority to suppress their Disputes and to forbid them to Preach such difficult and abstruse Doctrines The King's Letter extreamly vext the Contra-Remonstrants but it did quite dicourage them They sent privately into England a Memorial to perswade the King that they had impos'd upon him The Conduct of the States of Holland and those who had the greatest share of the Government was there rail'd at in so outrageous a manner that his Majesty sent a Coppy of it in a Letter which he wrote to the States of Holland Grotius was sent into England about this time to adjust some Affairs for the East-India Company I am apâ—… to think there was something else in the Bottom of this Commission The States of Holland were very glad that so able a Man undertook to undeceive the King of Great-Britain and that he Conferr'd upon the Five Articles with the Bishops and chief Divines of England Grotius found that the Bishop of Ely the Dean of St. Paul's of London Casaubon and several others were very nigh of the same Opinion with the Arminians in the Points of Grace and Predestination They all gave him a favourable hearing except the Archbishop of Canterbury who was always deeply prejujudic'd against the Remonstrants and consequently against Grotius who Strenuously defended them He had many Audiences of the King who frankly told him that the Opinions of Calvin and Beza seemed to him too Rigid and that according to their Nypothesis God would be the Author of Sin But his Majesty persisted always to Condemn the ill Opinions which he had observed in Vorstius's his Writings To gain his Favour it was necessary to Reject whatsoever savour'd of the Impious paradoxes of Socinus concerning the Divivinity and Person of Jesus Christ If you have a mind that I should entertain a better Opinion of Uytenbogard and the Remonstrants said the King to Grotius you must perswade me that these Men don't favour Socinianism Grotius informed Vytenbogard his Friend of his Majesty's Opinion concerning him and the rest of his Party Hereupon Vytenbogard by the advice of Grotius writ a Letter to Casaubon that he might shew it the King He plainly saw that Vytenbogard had too great an Esteem for Vorstius Sibrand Minister of Frizeland publishes a Libel reflecting on the States of Holland Grotius is orderd to answer it The Contra-Remonstrants did all they could to hinder the success of the Negociations of Grotius in England A Professor of the University of Franneker in Frizeland by Name Sybrand wrote against Vorstius whom he accused of maintaining an Hundred Heresies The Book was Dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury Under pretence of praising the King of Great-Britain for the Zeal which his Majesty had discovered against Vorstius Sibrand in his Epistle Dedicatory accuses the Curators of the University of Leyden and the States of the Province of a design to introduce Socinianism into Holland He endeavoured to render the Conduct of the States suspected because they would not Consent to the calling a National Synode he pretended that the Civil Power went beyond the bounds of their Authority in taking Cognizance of Religious Controversies which ought not to be Treated of but in an Ecclesiastical Assembly He declaimed against the Revival of the Law made in 1591. in short he maintained that the Magistrates had nothing to do with the calling of Pastors and the Government of the Church The States of Holland were highly affronted at the Sauciness and Insolence of this Frizeland Minister He might have Refuted the Errors of Vorstius and they would have had nothing to say against him Ordinum Hollandiae ac West fri siae pietas Was it pardonable for a private Person to publish such vile Calumnies against the Governors of a Province Allied to his own and to speak Reproachfully of Laws which they had Right to publish Grotius was ordered to make an Apology for the States of Holland He acquitted himself wonderfully well of so Honourable a Charge His Book is Wrote very Elegantly full of lively Strokes against his Adversary and is altogether a learned Composure worthy of its incomparable Author He there fully Justifies the Conduct of the States of Holland in the Affair of Arminianism Grotius there Treats by the by of the Authority and necessity of Councils and Solidly and Frirmly Establishes the Power of Sovereigns in matters of Religion and the Government of the Church Sibrand endeavour'd to answer Grotius But he was not a Match for him It Cost Grotius only Three or Four Sheets to shew that the Professor of Franeker was an unfair Man and that he understood not the things that he pretended to talk of Bâ—…na fides Sibrandi Lubberti Edit des Etats de Hollande pour assoupir le diâ—â—â—râ—…nd sus les Questions de la Prèdestination de la Grace Mercure Francois 1614. Uytenbâ—…gard Historie Rèformation Dordrecht Ecclesiae Part. IV. 1614. Brand Historie de la Livre XXI Preface des Actes du Sinode de Grtotii Epistolae 1614. The States of Holland were very well pleased with the Advice of the King of England that they should Employ their Authority to suppress these Disputes and Command the Divines of both Sides Charitably to bear with one another not to disturb any longer the Peace of the Church with abstruse Questions of no Importance to Salvation Grotius now Pensionary of the City Rotterdam had Orders to prepare an Edict which they should propose to the Assembly of the States of Holland Here occurred great Difficulties One Side said that
both Conde would have had them removed from Court if he could have had any advantage against them and the Duke de Guise would have done his endeavour to have remov'd them as soon as he should have been at the head of the King's Army The Duke d'Epernon angry that his advice to oppose the Malecontents with an open force was not followed resolved not to assist at any Treaties which they should afterwards hold with the Prince and the united Lords where the King was to buy of his Subjects a short liv'd Peace at a shameful Rate The Circular Letter of the Regent upon Retreat of the Prince de Conde and the Lords of his Party When the Duke de Vantadour and Boissise were gone to the Prince de Conde in Berri the Regent wrote a Circular Letters dated the 13th February to all the Parlements of the Kingdom to the Governors of Provinces and other Places to the Provost of the Merchants to the Mayors and Sheriffs of the Cities to exhort them to remain faithful to the King and not suffer themselves to be surpriz'd by the Prince de Conde and his Party If you will believe Mary de Medicis Mercure Francoise 1614. These Gentlemen had no just ground of Complaint neither with relation to their own private Interest nor to the Administration of the publick Affairs Her Majesty had Treated this Prince and those Lords with all the Respect imaginable she had heap'd as many Favours on them as they could reasonably desire and had taken no Step of any consequence without their Advice The Kingdom was in as flourishing and quiet a Condition the Dignity of the Crown of France as well Supported the People as easie and happy as ever To write the History of a Reign from Manifesto's from prefaces of Edicts and Declarations from Letters and other Papers published under the King's Name is to have but very bad Authority for what one writes In the mean time to amuse the People with the hopes of a better Government the Regent declared in a Letter that her Majesty resolv'd to call as they speak in France an Assembly des Notables of all Orders in the Kingdom in which they should consult together for the publick Welfare The Duke de Nevers seizes on the Cittadel de Mezieres in Champagne Ventadour and Boissise had Intelligence upon the Road that the Prince de Conde was gone from Chateauroux and designed â—…o pass the Loir accompanied by 30 or â—…o Horse They sent one of their Comâ—…any to inform him of their Commissiâ—â— and to know where they might meet â—â—m Mercure Francoise 1614. Conde refused to receive the King's â—…eputies and went immediately into â—…hampagne where the Duke de Nevers â—â—ceived him The Prince was immediâ—…ely Conducted to Chalons from thence â—â—vers and he went to Mezieres Descuâ—…es Commanded there in the absence of â—â—e Marquiss de la Vieuville There â—â—ing a good understanding between him and the Duke de Nevers Descuroles made as if he would shut the Gates of the Cittadel and defend it according to the Order which he had received from Vieuville But the Prince and the Duke de Nevers threatning to attack it if he did not shew express Orders from her Majesty to Resist them Descuroles received the Prince and Duke into the Place Nevers wrote afterwards to the Queen to complain of the Marquiss of Vieuville to desire that Justice might be done him for the resistance that had been made him who was the Governor of the Province Was not this to Affront the Queen under pretence of paying I know not what respect to the Majesty of a Sovereign The Prince de Conde wrote to the Regent a Letter in Form of a Mà nifesto Mercure Francois 1614. The Prince de Conde the Dukes de Nevers de Maìenne de Longueville and some others of the chief of the Party being met at Mezieres Conde wrote a long Letter to the Queen in form of a Manifesto He expresseth there an extraordinary Zeal for the publick Good and offers to Restore the Pensions and Gratifications which he had Received from the King to her Majesty's hand when all the States shall be assembled and Act with entire Liberty In a Word he speaks much like the Ancient Greeks and Romans of whose Impartial Justice we read of in History If he had a mind to impose upon the World he should have taken care that his Actions did not contradict his Words In truth the Complaints which the Prince de Conde and those of his Party made concerning the wasting of the Treasury the giving the highest Employments to People unworthy of them the too great Authority of the Ministers the little Respect that was paid to the Princes and Peers of the Realm the Officers of the Crown the Obstacles which the Parlement found in exercising of their Power the Ruine of the Nobles the excessive Price of the Places of Judicature the Oppression of the People neglecting to Assemble the States of the Kingdom the Haste with which they had concluded the Marriage of the King before his Majority all these Complaints I say were well founded In the mean time what ever Protestations the Prince of Conde made that he had no other design but to procure an effectual Remedy for these heavy Grievances yet the World could never firmly believe the integrity of his Intentions nor the sincerity of his Words He added to these Three or Four Demands which were not less Reasonable the Assembling of the States of the Kingdom within Three months at farthest the Suspending the Marriage of the King and his Sister till after the sitting of the States and the placing near her Majesty Persons of known Honesty and Integrity Conde at the same time wrote to the Prince of Conti his Uncle to the Dukes Peers and Officers of the Crown to the Parlements to Cardinals and he sent them a Copy of the Letter he had sent to the Queen In that to the Parlement of Paris he Stiled them the Chief Guardian of the Kingdom He was willing to give them an account of his Actions he desired their Advice and Concurrence in this Laudable undertaking of his to Reform the Government Thus it is that Kings and Princes and great Lords have used to play with a Senate The weakness of the Parlement of Paris on this occasion the Chief Members whereof being Ambitious and Slaves to the Court take no care to maintain its Reputation and Authority When there are hopes that the Parlement of Paris will be of any use to impose upon the People they bestow upon it magnificent Titles and Treat it with the greatest Honour and Respect imaginable but when these Considerations cease they despise and ridicule it The Parlement upon this occasion gave a Proof of its Weakness They would not open the Letter which the Prince de Conde sent them Two of their Members were deputed to carry it to the Queen who sent them to the Chancellor
Brandenbourg and Vewbourg about the Government of Cleves and Juliers Whilst the Regent was making present Reflections upon the good Success of her Journey into Poitou and Bretagne the Spaniards wifely made their Advantage of the private Agreement which they had made with Mary de Medicis to Assist her to maintain her Authority in France on Condition she would not Support or at least not openly oppose their Designs in Germany and Italy These false Politicks of a Regent who was Ridiculously persuaded that the Support of the Pope and the King of Spain was necessary for the maintaining her Authority has already made her take a great many false Steps contrary to the true Interest of her Son Interests of Princes by Mr. de Rohan part II. Disco V. And we shall take notice of Two more She should never have suffered the Archdukes of the Catholick Low-Countries to send the Marquiss de Spinola with a powerful Army to Execute the Proclamation which the Emperor had Published against Aix Mercure Francois 1614. and under this pretence to seize many Important Towns in the Countries of Cleves and Juliers Since the Marriage of the Prince of Newbourg with Madeleine of Bavaria there was a more open difference than ever between him and the Duke of Brandenbourg They were Employed in strengthening themselves one against the other both abroad and at home Two Passions very blind but extremely active in the heart of a young Prince Ambition and resentment of an Affront offered him in the face of the World had inclined Newbourg to join with the Emperor the King of Spain and the Arch-Dukes of the Catholick Low-Countries He hoped that the House of Austria and the Catholick League of Germany of which the Duke of Bavaria was the head would assist him to recover those Countries which were in Dispute as soon as he should Embrace the Communion of the Pope This way of Revenging which the Elector of Brandenburg had given him seemed to Newbourg the most Advantageous and Glorious He declared himself a Roman Catholick the 15th of May at Dusseldorp There is reason to think that the Prince deferred his publick Abjuration of the Confession of Augsbourg in hopes that passing some time longer under the Name of a Protestant he should the more easily effect his Design of making himself sole Master of some of the Principal Towns in Dispute 'T was not without Design that being in Juliers in the Month of March he desired Pitham the Governor of the Castle to give him and his Retinue Entrance The Officer being a greater Friend to the House of Brandenbourg than to that of Newbourg refufed to admit him although he would enter alone Pitham relied upon an Article of the Transaction which passed between the Two Houses that the Governors of Castles and Fortified Places should not give Entrance to one of the Princes in Possession unless the other were present The Governor remaining firm to his Resolution Newbourg went towards Leige He went to make a visit to the Elector of Cologne his New Ally The Prince of Brandenburg attempted a little while after to surprize Dusseldorp but he likewise mist his aim as well as the other The States of the Vnited-Provinces the Electors and Princes of the Empire as they were Friends to both Houses Exhorted them to a Peace but in vain The Jealousie of each other encreast every day especially after Newbourg had chang'd his Religion The States of the Vnited-Provinces Sided at that time with the Prince of Brandenbourg 'T was for their Interest to hinder that the whole Succession of Cleves and Juliers should not fall to a Prince devoted to the House of Austria and Engag'd in the Catholick League of Germany Brandenbourg agreed to them that they should be Possest of the City and Castle of Juliers which they should hold by way of Sequestration This undertaking had its Success by means of Pitham who was gained over He suffered the Soldiers to enter therein with the Officers which the Prince of Orange had sent Newbourg on his Side had the Policy to make himself Master of Dusseldorp where he Fortified himself the best he could These Enterprises of Brandenbourg and Newbourg seem'd to be the Preliminaries of an open War which began quickly after There was talk of an Accommodation at a Conference held at Wesel but the Prince of Newbourg not being willing to dismiss the Troops he had raised unless the City and Castle of Juliers were put into the same Condition they were before the Holland Garrison enter'd they separated without coming to any Conclusion Each one thought of nothing more than maintaining taining his Right by open Violence and the Succours of his Allyes The Affair hapen'd otherwise than the Two Princes imagin'd The Spaniards and the States of the Vnited-Provinces these under the pretence of Relieving the House of Newbourg the other that of Brandenbourg divided betwixt them almost all the Succession which was in Controversie The Emperor Rodolph had put the City of Aix-la-Chapelle under Interdiction of the Empire by reason of the Change the Protestant Party had made in the Magistracy The City of Aix la-Chapelle under Interdiction in the Year 1611. But being dead before that the Archduke Albert his Brother and Ernest of Bavaria then Elector of Cologne dared to execute the Commission his Imperial Majesty had directed to them for the reducing the Inhabitants of Aix the Duke of Deux-Ponts Administrator of the Electorate Palatine and Vicar of the Empire during the Interregnum made all the procedures void and what ever Rodolph Ordained against the City of Aix-la-Chapelle After Matthias his Brother had succeeded him Complaint was made to the Imperial Court of the Duke of Deux-Ponts's Undertaking and the Catholicks press'd forward the Execution of the Ban publisht by the deceas'd Emperour His Majesty easily granted what the Pope and the Spaniards maintain'd in his Council However it appear'd to him That the D. of Deux Ponts had gone beyond his Authority and Enchrocht upon the Emperor by annulling what Rodolph had in his life time Ordered Wherefore the City of Aix-la-Chapelle was again put under the Ban of the Empire the 20th of February in this Year The Arch-Duke Albert and Ferdinand of Bavaria Successor to Ernest in the Electorate of Cologne had Commission to put the new Order in Execution Albert straight after rais'd great Forces in the Low Countries under his Dominions The States of the Vnited Provinces watchful of the Spaniards motions so near to them put themselves on their Side in Arms and posture of Desence Good Policy required no less than that they should stand upon their Guards and oppose what the House of Austria should attempt against the States of Cleves and Juliers which they found to lie conveniently for them 'T was not necessary to raise such great Forces to bring the City of Aix-la-Chapelle into Submission for every one well knew that the Spaniard kept close another Design which was
was afterwards Confirmed in all its Articles in the Orders and Acts which were made and lastly in every thing that was since agreed to either in the Interpretation of it or in its Execution which they would as 't was said inviolably keep and observe After having forbid his Subjects to enter into any Leagues contrary to the Well-being of the State with foreign Princes and to receive any secret Pensions from 'em the King confirm'd his Father's Edicts against Duels and the Ordinances of his Predecessors against Swearing and Blasphemy I should not refuse to give so pious and just a Declaration in all appearance its just Praises if the Son of him who made it had not declared Solemnly that neither his Father or his Grandfather had ever any Intention to continue such an Edict which they had promised so many times to maintain as a Perpetual and Irrevocable Law How then Were these Two Kings who had the magnificent Sirnames conferred upon them of Great and Just by the Confession of their Son Men without Conscience and Probity Will Posterity ever believe a thing of this Nature As for my self I shall always preserve a better Opinion of Henry IV. and Lewis XIII I can't be persuaded that they were so bad as Lewis XIV represents them to us The K. takes his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris The next Morning being the Second day of October the King went to take his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris as he was going and in his Seat he was accompanied with all imaginable Pomp and Splendour Mary de Medicis made a short Discourse there Mercure Francois 1614. in which her Majesty declared That she put the Administration of Affairs into her Son's hands who for some days had been in his Majority Lewis greatly thank't his Mother and ended in declaring that he was willing that his Mother should always continue to take Care of him and Govern the State and this is what the good Princess had discreetly brought about with a great deal of diligence She preserved her Authority without making her self Responsible for what should be done hereafter Too happy If the Favourite who began already to insinuate himself into the young King had not banisht her from the Court and the Chief Minister of State whom shâ—… her self had Establisht in the place of the deceased Favourite had not drove her away out of the Kingdom Sileri Chancellour and Verdun Chief President made Speeches upon the Majority of the Kings of France Servin the Advocate General 's Discourse was more remarkable for the prudent and Religious Remonstrances he made to the young King There 's only this one thing I have to find fault with that so grave a Magistrate was himself ensnared with this base flattery which was introduc'd then into the Parlement and is since establisht there so shamefully Servin heap'd up upon Mary de Medicis excessive Praises for her Administration of the Government Amongst the good Counsels he gave Lewis with a Christian and French liberty ought he to have inserted that he should behave himself as his Mother should Advise who rather aimed at the maintaining of her Authority and the Advancement of her Creatures and Favourites than at the Instruction of her Son in Religion and Virtue and the making of his People happy and satisfied in her Administration of the Government The Ceremony ended with reading and registring a Declaration despatcht the day before Searching as carefully as 't was possible for me what regarded the History of Lewis XIII in his Minority I oftentimes wondered to find so little matter touching the young King's Education His Father had made Gilles de Souvrè his Governor But it seems that upon this occasion Henry IV. less thought of choosing a Gentleman who had the Qualities which this important Employment required than of Recompensing the faithfulness of an old Servant I can find out that Souvrè bestirr'd himself to settle his Family and procure his Son the Marquiss of Courtenvaux a considerable Office But I could never learn what he did to give Lewis a Royal Education Souvrè's Family which this Prince hath made Illustrious did not continue long after his death The Heiress carried all the Means away into another Person 's House who was a Minister of State and whose Father of an obscure Birth was advanc'd to the chief Dignity of the long Robe Memoires de la Regence de Maried Medicis Melanges d'Histoire de Litte-rature par Vigneul-Marville Vanquelin des Ivetaux was the King's first Tutour A Person of Quality whose Memoires we have saith that Vanquelin was a Man of great Merit and very capable to Instruct a Prince But the Character which a Modern Author gives us of the exâ—â—vagant and romantick Amours and of the Epicurean Life and Death of this Man is a certain proof that Henry IV. did not well distinguish Men of Worth The Cardinal Perron used many Intrigues to get his Brother into the place of being his Tutour He offered himself to take the care and directions of the Dauphin's Studies Yet Henry IV. of his own Inclination chose Vanquelin He did not long continue in the Employment The envy and jealousie of some caused him to be removed from it in a years time after the death of Henry IV. Nicholas le Fevre succeeded him This was a Person noted for his Knowledge and Piety The late King had sent him to the Prince of Conde who was willing to Recompense le Fevre in being a means to procure Vanquelin's place in which he behaved himself with much approbation Le Fevre died the year after and Fleurance Rivant an able Mathematician as 't is said rose from the Office of being Sub-Tutour to be Tutour in Chief A Youth who passeth through so many different hands doth not usually become a Man of Abilities Bernard Historie de Louis XIII Liv. 1. Lewis XIII learnt very little Latin Falconry and the exercise of Hunting pleased him more than Study he lookt very well after Hawks and became in Hunting the greatest Rider in his Kingdom His Majesty saith an Historian called to his Dogs in Perfection Had it not been much more to the purpose to have taught him how to speak to Men 'T was likewise observed that Lewis was no bad Gunner and that he very well understood Fortification These Qualifications which might be of some use to a younger Brother of the Nobility who is to seek and make out his own Fortune are not in any wise fit for a King if you except from hence understanding and knowledge in Fortifications He may for his diversion Hunt and flie his Hawks but he ought to Employ his time in something that 's better than to be expert in Falcons and Hounds I should have nothing to say against Lewis's having some knowledge in Artillery which is necessary for a King who ought to make himself capable of Commanding his Armies when the publick-good requires it But is not this ridiculous that he is suffer'd to burden his Memory with the names and use of the smallest things in Artillery They ought to have been constantly instilling into his Head Precepts useful and important to one who intends to Govern well In a Pack of Hounds he could call every one of them by their Names But t is a business more worthy of a Prince to learn the knowledge of Men to distinguish from others those who are more capable of Places of greatest Dignitiy in the State and to Reward those who are of good Use and Service to the Publick Lewis XIII had always good Inclinations and Principles in him of Virtue and Equity Courtiers dared not speak any thing of obscenity or Swear in his Presence He feared God loved Justice and was willing to do good to his People If Souvrè and others had been diligent to Instruct and Cultivate what God had given him of Judgement and Integrity they might have done considerable Service to their Prince and Country Lewis then might not have been in the unhappy necessity of leaving all to a Favourite or Minister of State who did not think of any thing but the better Establishment of their Credit and Fortunes in raising to day a Civil War and to morrow a Foreign one The End of the First Tome Books Printed for and Sold by T. 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