and then told them these delayes of theirs would make their case the worse That his Majesties will was unalterable and that they might be confident if they put the Army to the trouble of comming before their Town they would soon see it reduced to the same passe with Rochel or Privas This discourse did much daunâ— them so they desired time to return and bring their last resolutions and requested the Sieur de Guron might go with them to perswade the people to reason but to that it was replied the Sieur de Guron not having any further thing to do but onely the acquainting them with his Majesties good will and pleasure he could not consent to his returning with them and yet at their request he was contented that the Sieur de Guron should go somewhat neer the Town with them and remain there at a little distance in some place thereabouts These things thus concluded and agreed he fell to talk with them of other affairs but such as his Prudence told him were most proper to work on thâ—m and indeed they were so charmed what with his presence garb and discourse that they went away fully resolved to perswade their fellow Citizens to yeeld unto whatever he should require of them They being once returned he cause the Army to march up within three Leagues of the Town under the command of the Marshal de Bassompierre Now it happened that about two days after the Sieur de Guron had been in a house very neer Montauban that the chief Consul with about two hundred of the Towns-men came to him and told him that they had run a hazard of their lives and that the people cried out they were betrayed by them in granting under hand whatever he had desired of them wherefore they beseeched him that he would tell them if there were any hopes of moderating their conditions The Sieur de Guron answered them that it was in vain for them to hope the keeping up of their Fortifications and that indeed they did much wrong themselves to stand so stifly in their own way seeing the Cardinals word was a greater security then all their Walls and Works and lastly that he could not be perswaded but that it was in their power to work the people to what was reasonable and fit or else that they must look to suffer all possible extremities they could imagine They then intreated two days time more during which they used their utmost to reduce and perswade the people to reason Which at last they did by representing to them that the Army was just at their Gates and that their ruine was unavoidable if they did not lay hold on this occasion to make their Peace as also that they might rest confidently assured of any thing which the Cardinal promised seeing all the rest of their party did give so high a report of him and in conclusion they â—o satisfied the people that the next morning forty Deputies waiting conclusion they â—o satisfied the people that the next morning forty Deputies waiting on the Siâ—ur de Guron went unto the Cardinal then at Alby and gave him assurances of their submission Politique Observation A Prudent Minister can bring greater things to effect by the means of his Conduct then others by the strength of Armies Battels Sieges or Conquests Titus Livy saith he who knows how to command well deserveth the first rank amongst men and that those Captains who execute his commands are onely his instruments and agents An opportunity laid hold on a Magistrate gained a good credit insinuated into all men a consternation thrown amongst a people these and the like are the means with which Prudence driveth on all her designs and by these it is that she brings greater things to passe then Armies and Multitudes which without Prudence are nothing worth Force of it self is blind all the eyes it hath is Prudence without which Force doth most commonly run into disorder Whereupon the Poets feigned that Jupiter fore seeing the Gods intended to Revolt and seise upon his person took advice of Pallas before ever he sent to Briarius with his hundred hands to defend him Signifying that Prudence keeps the key of all those Springs which move Force and that without it Force onely serves to ruine those who imploy it A great Genius hath certain Engines and Springs by which he worketh as it were invisibly and the effects he produceth are the more admirable because vulgar spirits not seeing how it is done are the more surprised at it He will do more with a peece of Paper then a whole Army in a Battel Upon this very reason it was as Plutarch hath observed that Agesilaus advised the Lacedemonians being just then ingaging with the Athenians at Mantâ—neas that they should onely contrive and bend all their thoughts to lay hands on paminondas telling them if they could but once make sure of him the Victory was infallible By this it appeareth that successe dependeth in matter of fight and force on them who are the instructers and designers of the time and manner how and when an Army must move and when not Prosecution of the Subject THE Deputies of Montauban had soon carried their submissions to the Cardinal who was not a little glad thus soon to reap the fruit of his Conduct yet in regard he onely sought his Majesties glory in it they had much ado to perswade him to go in his own person and take possession of this place whose people had never yeelded to such terms but on the confidence they had in his word and promise which they did more rely on then in the very strength of their Walls and Fortifications But at last they were so earnest and urgent with him that he consented to them The Marshal de Bassompierre entred with part of the army to take possession of the Town and the next day the Cardinal marched in to the peoples great joy and acclamation The Consuls the Corporations of the City and the Justice went out a League from the City to meet him where the first Consul and the Lievtenant Criminal made speeches to him testifying their joy to see him and how much they were transported with the apprehension of those favours which they had already received from him and what confidence they had in his goodness for the continuation of his kindnesses unto them It cannot be imagined with what honour they received him nay they offered him the Cloath of State but he refused it notwithstanding their instances and telling him they desired then to carry it before him which was usual when any Governours or Lievtenants of Provinces came into a City but he absolutely denied it neither would he that the Consuls should walk on foot by his horse but desired them to attend at his lodging whilest he went to the Church seeing they were not of the same Religion He went directly to the Church which was onely covered with Tyles it having been ruined by the Heretiques where
discredit he began to quarrel with him and told him that he should be very glad to meet him with his Sword in his hand Which so insolent discourse being before his Majesty he told him that he did not remember the pâ—ace where he was and that he deserved to be sent to the Bastile there to be punished according to the Act for Duels but he only commanded him to get him gone from which time forward hee was no more seen at Court Politique Observation THere are but few Favourites who know how to moderate themselves and so to manage their Affairs that they may preserve their Masters good affection A man ought to be of an excellent temper well to digest any very great favour It is most certainly true that as excesse of meat stuffeth up the stomack and choaketh the natural heat so an extraordinary favour depriveth most men of their judgement intoxicateth them and makes them loose the exercise of their reason And for this cause it is that they injoy those favours of fortune to their Graves as it hath in all ages been seen that the most part having been led in Triumph as it â—ere unto the highest point of Glory have precipitated themselves into the greatest gulfs of misery and have so bruised themselves against the favour which they possessed as if it had been purposely turned into a Rock for their ruine The wise man considereth that an indifferent favour is much more certain then those great ones and contenteth himself with what his Master bestoweth Fortune doth no sooner raise him up but his discretion presently tells him that her smiles are inconstant and that nothing can so much contribute to his preservation as to use them with moderation He oftentimes reflecteth on that memorable passage of Sosistratus who being drawn in his Triumphant Chariot by four Kings entertained himself with observing the motion of the Wheels how that which was now uppermost presently became lowest and being asked the reason of his contemplation answered that he delighted to remark the turning of his Wheels and was by it put in mind of the inconstancy of humane Affairs and that the same Fortune which had raised him to that height of prosperity above those four Kings then sub-jugaged to him might shortly bring him to the same condition The wise Favourite fixing his mind upon the inconstancy of Fortune as upon a sure maxime never permitteth her to blind his mind with vanity but keeps himself upon his Guard not putting himself on in matters of State but as his Master calls him and payeth him the greater respects as his obligations increase He is industriously carefull not to abuse his Masters favour by assuming too great a power on himself remembring how Calisthenes lost Alexanders good will by reason of his too great presumption and the vanities which he did commit in the Emperors presence nothing doth so much destroy Favourites as their affecting too great an Authority and taking upon them too much power over their Masters He likewise knoweth that it is with them as with the Moon who hideth her self when ever she approacheth near the Sun it being from him that she receiveth her light and that so Favourites ought not to exercise any kind of authority when they are near Kings but are rather bound to shew them in their requests all imaginable respects whatsoever it is his care not to intermeddle in the administration nor doth he ever attempt to adde the power of governing the State to that of his Masters good affection But on the contrary he takes so much the lesse upon him when the Testimonies which he receiveth of his Masters Favour seem to give him most power and it is his dayly fear to be raised to too eminent a degree least he should by it be exposed to too great a fall which might totally destroy him Differences between the Bishop of Verdun and the Officers of the City ABout the end of this year great differences did arise between the Bishop and the Officers of Verdun This being a Frontier Town was then looked upon as somewhat considerable in regard Monsieur de Lorrain seemed to be active and able to attempt something upon France which obliged the King to go on with the design which he had long before resolved of building a Cittadel there The Abbey of St. Vannes was ever reputed the most proper place of all the City for that purpose whence it happened that in the Charter of the said Abbey as was to be seen there had been divers Articles concluded between the Bishop of Verdun to whom that place hath ever belonged in which they bound themselves to build their Church in some other place if it should be found necessary to make use of some part of it for the raising of a Cittadel However the Lines were so contrived that the Church was saved but that of the Capucines was forced to be taken down which was afterwards done and rebuilt in another place Now the Bishop of Verdun being a Kinsman of Monsieur de Lorrain had no other motion but what came from him so that not considering what dependance he had upon the King suffered himself to be ingaged by the Duke to prevent with his utmost power the building of the Cittadel His Temporal power was but weak to manage his design so he had recourse to his spiritual and accordingly on the lâ—st of December he published a Monitorium fixed upon all publick places against all such as should labour about it But as the spiritual power hath no authority over the Temporal to deprive it of its rights so this procedure was looked on as a strange thing by the Kings Officers who wanted neither courage nor loyalty in this affair The Sieur Guillet Lievtenant at the Royal Siege in the Town presently called a Councel of his Majesties Officers of the Town to consider of what was to be done where it was concluded to tear down such Papers as had been any where Posted up and to set others in their places of a contrary tenour in the Kings behalf which was presently put in execution The Bishop was much offended at it and to be revenged for it he thundred out an Excommunication the next day against Gillet which he fastned in divers places and having given Orders to his great Vicars not to act any thing in prejudice of his pretended Authority he departed from Verdun and rid Post to Cologne In the mean while the Sieur Charpâ—ntiâ—r his Majesties President in Mets Thoul and Vâ—rdun being acquainted with the whose proceeding and considering how Derogatory it was from the Power who was Soveraign of the Town and consequentially had absolute authority to fortifie it as himself should think fit as also to give such assurances to his Officers who should execute his royal commands as might secure them from any Bishop Excommunication onely for doing their duties he declared the said Monitorium to be abusive and scandalous and commanded it to be torn and
of exception For if a Soveraign hath the least suspicion that they may revolt a second time he is then bound to deprive them of all possible means to effect it be it either by disarming the inhabitants or dismantling their Fortifications nay by levelling their very Walls too if they are of any considerable strength Thus did the Romans destroy Velitre by reason of their frequent revolts turned out the Senate and commanded them to live on the other side of Tyber The strength and Fortifications of a Town do often invite the people to rebel as Tacitus observeth speaking of Hierusalem To which same purpose did Xerxes prohibit the use of any Arms to the Babylonians and Cyrus to the Lydians both of them commanding those people to study Arts which might divert them from War It were not much amisse to deprive them of the means of making assemblies The Romans have shewed the way of it by destroying all form of Government amongst those of Capua after they had overcome them whereby they had not any occasion of assembling any more together as formerly they had used To this same end too hath the Turks inhibited the use of Clocks amongst the Christians or any others over his whole Empire to prevent the meeting of any Assemblies which might be contrary to his will and the obedience he requireth from them But they who are Victorious ought alwaies to accompany their commands with some sweetnesse which may tollerate to them the exercise of their Religion the assurance of their goods or the like but then at last he must be sure to take from them all possible means of a future Revolt and Insurrection The Honour which his Majesty got by the taking of Rochel THE most ingenious of men even the Pope himself extolled the glorious â—tchievment which his Majesty had obtained indeed he could not be praised enough considering he had defeated three English Fleets releeved the Isle of Ree and overcome a City which through all Christendome was thought impregnable and by such a means too as was no less admirable then the taking of the Town it self and without the losse of almost one man although Charles the ninth lost the lives of many great Commanders and shot ten thousand great Guns at it and could do no good upon it How glorious was it for him to have restored this Monarchy to its ancient splendour and lustre by destroying a Faction which had so often armed some of his Subjects against the rest which hindred him from being assisting to his Allies and prevented him from regaining that honour and esteem in Europe which his Predecessours had held as their due This rebellious Town had for above two hundred years banded against their Kings whenever they were upon any great expedition as against Lewis the eleventh during the broyls of the Duke de Guienn his Brother against Charles the Eighth when all Italy expected him at Fornove against Lewis the Twelfth whilest he was in the Wars for the Milanois against Francis the first whiles he was ingaged with Charles the fifth against Francis the second and Charles the ninth doth in his minorities against Henry the third arming his brother to oppose him against Henry the Great just as he was ingaging against the Duke of Savoy And lastly against his Majesty himself upon whom they had thrice mad War but now their strong Walls being overthrown served for Monuments of his eternal glory Monsieur the Cardinal did much contribute to the taking of Rochel THe Cardinal being the chief Minister in this Affair as well as that of the State it were unreasonable to deny him some part of the credit They who writ concerning those Subjects made the lesse difficulty of it in regard his Majesty attributed the whole management of it to his Councils as by divers Declarations published abroad was apparent neither could it indeed be denied unto him seeing he it was that advised the besieging of Rochel who had contrived the means of releeving Ree who had beaten off the English who had first laid the Foundations of the siedge who had drawn the Lines and Works who had preserved them in good order who had kept the Forces from disbanding who had made them live in such a Discipline as was formerly unheard of in France who had contrived the Bank and at last concluded a League with the English who were come a third time to releeve the place But as the most glorious acts expose men to most envy so some malignant Pens there were who dis-esteemed and spoke lightly of him nay would have made his greatest services have been esteemed for attempts against his Majesties Crown yet all would not do some impression indeed they made upon them of the Cabal who could not behold without envy so shining a Star they who are well acquainted with him cannot but know how that he always and upon all occasions avoided what ever might expose him to envy that he did ever ascribe all the glory of his conduct and government to his Majesty and that on the other side the most that he ever pretended to in his greatest Actions was onely the honour to have served him faithfully and not improfitably they cannot but know he could not more fitly be compared to any one then unto Germanicus Nephew and adopted son of Tiberius who having obtained a great Victory in Germany prepared a fair Trophy at the foot of which was inscribed The Army of Tiberius Casar as Tacitus hath observed after the reducing of the people between the Rhine and Elbe raised a Monument to Mars Jupiter and Augustus but mentioned not himself And thus the honour of doing those glorious actions which he every day atchieved was by him esteemed both his satisfaction and reward Politique Observation WHat ever honour is attributed to second causes upon the effecting of great things yet the chief glory redounds unto the first not onely because he communicates all the power which second causes have to operate but withal because those effects depend upon his particular influence It cannot be denied but second cause deserved commendation and indeed without injustice it cannot be gain-said but that they have likewise much contributed The Sun in the Universal Principium of the generation of all Plants he it is who extracteth the Germinative quality wherewith the earth is replenished who produceth the Flowers and Fruits wherewith it is adorned it being most assuredly true that without his influences the earth would remain fruitlesse dry and barren Which though it be so yet what Philosopher did ever deny that the earth was not one of the chief causes of all those effects Have they not all confessed that the earth produceth Lillies and Roses And was not that Sophister esteemed a Novice who denied the Title of Mother to her In the same manner God is doubtlesse the first Authour of every thing done in the World yet no Philosopher will deny but that the Sun and Man beget Man that the Sun
would not have so great an influence in perswading most men to what ever they desire I could say it was for this reason that the enemy of our Salvation designing to involve us in sin made his first addresses to Eve rather then upon the man knowing shee would easiliest contribute to the effecting of his intended end if hee could but once make himself Master of her Will. But without being beholding to examples of invisible Spirits who knoweth not that the Emperour Augustus affected to make himself be beloved by several of his enemies Wives not that hee might indulge his Senses or delight himself in Voluptuous Pleasures but that hee might fish out of them any Resolutions which were taken to his dis-advantage or Ruine and Tacitus is the man from whom wee learn this excellent device Open War in the State of Genoa WHilest Love was filling England with Mirth Mars was kindling a Fire of War in Italy The Duke of Savoys Army assisted by the French being all well provided the General would no longer defer the advancing of his Troops into the State of Genoa the rather because the Spaniards were imployed in other places and the Genoveses had but a few Forces to defend themselves The Prince of Piedmont was with the Duke his Father and the Marshal de Crequy with the Constable his Father-in-law The King in Consideration of the Alliance between Savoy and France consented that the Duke should give the word and that the Marshal should likewise pay the same respect to the Prince of Piedmont The Order which they observed was thus That the Constable should march with the Avant guard towards the Coast of Loppiata and his Highness with the body of the Army towards Cremolin The Constable comming before Loppiata the Inhabitants made some small resistance but they were soon forced and their Town Pillaged to strike a terrour into others this induced those of Gua a City belonging to the Territories of Genoa to send their Keys to the Duke who when he sent the Marquess of St. Reyran with his Regiment to Quarter there found some resistance for that Nicholas Doria in the mean time had put in some Forces there to defend it so the Duke commanded the Count of Veriie to march thither with certain Companies which strook such a fright into Doria and his Forces that they presently lest the place and Captain Martin Corseque delivered it at the first summons The City of Novy which is very large sent at the same time to the Constable to assure him they would open their Gates and accordingly he seized on it and then turning towards Gavy he defeated in his march five Companies of Neopolitans whom the Spaniards had sent to secure the place and shortly after the Duke of Savoy joyned with him to incounter with six thousand men part being of Collonel Gasees some Modenois and other some Parmesans who pretended to defend the Town But they soon cut one party of them in peeces near Ottage in a fight which lasted neer two hours and then falling upon four Squadrons of Horse not far off the same place they routed them with such good success that they took the Town and Castle of Ottage with three and twenty Colours killed above two hundred Neapolitans and Genoveses upon the place took above a thousand Prisoners and amongst them the chief Commanders Upon this defeat they concluded to make themselves Master of Gavy which was absolutely necessary for their marching up to Genoa The Castle is built on a Rock and the Town well fortified insomuch that many were of opinion it would be a hard task to take it seeing too that Barbarossa in the expedition which he made in the time of Francis the first into the River of Genoa could not take it in But the Constables courage which was not used to stoop under any Fear did not forbear to make his approaches upon the Town He who commanded it made a Sally with about three hundred men of which two hundred were slain in the place which so terrified those of the Town that they sent an assurance that they would open their Gates provided they might be protected from being Plundered and maintained in their ancient Priviledges which was granted to them and the Constable being got into the Town began to besiege the Castle At the first the Governour pretended a Resolution to defend it discharging several shot into the Town beleeving that the Castle could not be battered and supposing there were not any points of Rocks upon which any Cannon could be mounted to command it but the Constable soon let him see that there was not any thing impossible to the courage of the French for in a few days he had raised a Battery upon certain Rocks which did so awe him that he was forced to surrender upon Composition on the last of April Some Spanish Relations say that the Governour was rather frighted with Pistol shot then forced by the Cannon to surrender but their anger was at the Constable who had made himself Master of the place After these happy exploits the Prince of Piedmont took ten thousand men of the Army to go force the Passages of the Mountain Griego where the Genoveses were intrenched and to make way for the Siege of Savonne He presently forced their Trenches so that he had full Liberty to march as far as Pleve a Town scituated in the Mountains defended with a good Castle and several small Forts his courage made him resolve to carry it by assault after he had taken in those little Forts though it seemed capable of holding out a longer Siege which was executed with so much resolution and good successe that the place was won in an instant the besieged yeelding themselves as soon as they found the Gates and Walls were already secured upon condition of saving the lives of all such as should be found without Arms. All which was done with no small resistance for there were at least two hundred killed and taken together with seven Colours which were sent by the Prince to the Princess of Piedmont and afterwards to the King together with those three and twenty others which were taken at the defeat of Ottage and the Staffs of two Masters of the Camp Caracciolo and Catanda fent by the Duke of Savoy as the the fruits of those Victories which his Majesties Armies had obtained with a Letter in answer to that which was brought him by the Marquess de Saluce The Prince of Piedmont having suffered his Army to Pillage for about six and thirty hours in Plâ—ve he destroyed the Country towards Albengua the Magistrate of which place sent to offer to him the obedience of the Inhabitants accordingly he entred into the Town with some few Troops and from thence went towards Orvietta which the Genoveses had newly surprised but he forced it in a few dayes time After this once done he summoned the City of Ventimelia the inhabitants made some shew of resistance but the Prince
be concealed from him which once comming to his knowledge he ought in a trice to dispatch forces to that very place where the Insurrection is designed to be The onely sight of them may perhaps break the neck of the whole design and if not so yet they will at least prevent the enemies Troops to joyn together and wiâ—l cut them in pieces one by one before they will be in a capacity of attempting any thing whatever Without thâ—s diligence he will soon find the State and his own reputation exposed as a Prey An Eye watching over a Scepter and the Lyon King of Beasts who sleepeth not but with oyen eyes were the Hieroglyphicks which the Egyptians made use of to expresse fore-sight and to teach Grandees that it oughâ— to be inseparable from their Authority if they would not have their people exposed to great mis-fortunes both by Domestick and Forraign Wars The Sun which governs the Elementary World in the highest Heavens goes every day from one end of them to another that hee may make all here below sensible of the Effects of his Influences and that Minister who hath a State in charge ought to imploy all his cares all his mind upon every City upon every Province and indeed upon the singular houses of every great man that he may know what is done there and apply a remedy to their contrivances Me thinks they of Syracuse gave a notable example of this kind of Conduct when they had received intelligence that the Athenians would war upon them and that they already were upon the Sea with a Puissant Fleet making towards the Coast of Sicily Hermocratâ—s a great States-man was not backward in exhorting them to give necessary Orders for their defence and to presse the Senate accordingly Whereas Athenagoras on the other side descried it as much and shewed them sundry reasons why the Athenians could not arrive to the end of their design and demonstrated to them that it was impossible indeavouring to disswade them from making any preparation of War But the Senators somewhat wiser then himself followed Hermocrates his advice and resolved to give necessary Orders for defence that they might not afterwards be forced to do it in a huddle or to continue in the danger They began to discusse the business that in case the news of the Athenians Fleet were true it would then be needfull to make some preparations if it were false those preprrations would no whit dis-advantage the City And that last of all it is better to suspect then to slight dangers but not to shew the least Fear by doing any Action unbecomming a Generous Courage The Duke of Rohans Attempts in Languedoc with the Process in the Parliament of Tholouse against him and all his Adherents ABout the same time in the end of April the Duke of Rohan having contrived several Cabals in the Hugonot Towns of Languedoc began the Warre and got together about two thousand men near Castres the chief place of his Retreat and where he had a full Power by means of those Consuls whom he had procured to be elected He gave out that the Rocheloiis had taken Arms and sworn a League with the Churches of his party that he might by this pretence get a like Interest in some other Towns which he had an eye upon and accordingly he went to Puilaurens Ruel Soreze St. Pauls Leviate Briteste and made the Consuls swear to the Confederacy afterwards came before the Gates of Lavaur to surprise it but his design took no effect The Cardinal having sent out Orders from the King to the Governours of the Provinces to fall upon him as soon as ever he should appear in the Field The Count of Carmain Governour of Foix was presently upon his skirts and impeded not onely the Progress of his Rebellion but also getting into Ruelle and Soreze after the other had forsaken them he so dealt with the Consuls that they confessed their fault and protested not to take part with him any more And as the Authority of Parliaments on such occasions ought to uphold the Courages and Fidelities of those who Conduct the Kings Armies so that of Tholouse was not wanting to command the Souldiers who were assembled with the Duke of Rohan to separate themselves and to give Orders to the Nobility and Commonalty to fall upon them to forbear all sort of Commerce with those of Castres and to translate the Royal and Ecclesiastique jurisdictions and the Receipt of the Kings Monies unto the Town of Lautrec with command to all the Judges and Officers to come thither as well to prevent the Kings monies from falling into their hands as also to preserve Justice in its Integrity and to diminish the Force and Power of that Rebellious City The same Parliament too granted an Arrest for the seizure of all the Goods any waies belonging to those who were revolted both to punish them and deter others who were ready to follow them The Half divided Chamber of Beziers half Hugonots and half Papists did as much and declared according to the Kings Edict of the 25th of January the same year the said Duke to bee guilty of Laesa Majestatis to be a troubler of the Publick Peace as also all his Abbettors and Adherents and Prohibited both Cities and particular persons to hold any communication with him and injoyning all his Majesties Subjects to fall upon any Troops that should injure them to cut them in peeces and to pull down the Houses and Castles of such Noble men as were of that Faction But the Order which the Cardinal perswaded his Majesty to send was more powerfull then all those others for the preventing the further progress of this Rebellion seeing it was accompanied with an extraordinary diligence The King sent a Commission to the Marshal de Themines whom his Majesty sent to those places to observe what passed to raise such Troops as were already in the Province and to advance such others as might form the Body of an Army which might cut off the growth of this Rebellion in its Cradle The Marshal had the Marquess de Ragny and the Count de Carmain for Marshals of the Field and that no longer time might be lost he soon after came to the place where he had designed the Rendezvouz for the whole Army and upon his way forced the Castles of Blauc and Dovac which served for Retreits to those who were revolted After the Companies were assembled together and a review taken of the whole Army he made his Forces before Castres to Plunder the Country The Sieur de Ferrieres who commanded the Rebels horse made a Salley upon the Marshal as soon as he came within view of the Town but they were forced to turn back again with more hast then he came out and not onely so but himself and three or four more of his own party were lest wounded upon the place The Pioneers and Plunderers played their parts under the Protection of the Army which
to his own Quarter so that after a great attempt there is but small successe The Hugonots finding their weakness to their own costs have recourse to the Kings Clemency THe signal Victory which his Majesty had obtained by sea before Rochel and the Isle of Ree together with the impossibility whereunto the Duke of Rohan was reduced of attempting any thing in Languedoc so closely was he followed by the Marshal de Themines forced the Hugonots to have recourse to his Majesties Clemency They begged his Majesties pardon by their Deputies whom they sent to him to testifie the sense they had of their fault and to assure him of their future fidelity and obedience His Majesty was well pleased with it and the Deputies comming to him at Fonntain Bleau about the end of August whilest the Legate was there there was no kind of acknowledgements and submissions which they did not make both in behalf of themselves as also of the Duke of Rohan and the Sieur de Soubize who sent to supplicate him by their particular Deputies that he would be pleased to imploy them in the War of Italy that they might testifie by their Passion to serve him that there was not any danger in the Sea or Land to which they would not chearfully expose themselves to contribute to his Glory After they had made their speeches they presented the Paper of their Complaints humbly beseeching his Majesty to have regard to it for that they were grounded upon several Graces which had been conferred on them by the Edict of Nants and several other Grants The King received it and appointed it to be examined Now although the sweetnesse of Peace which charmeth the mind the Poverty of the people and those enterprizes which the Spaniard made upon the Allies of France did generally invite all the French to wish that his Majesty would accord to them the pardon which they desired yet some there were who were divided in opinion what was most fit to be done upon that affair one part conceiving that Rochel having received so great a rebuke and finding themselves without Island without Sea without Souldiers and without Vessels they ought not to let slip such an occasion The reason was that in so doing they should loose a very advantagious opportunity to force the City by a Siege which could not hold out above six moneths to demolish their Forts and reduce them under the Kings obedience which once done the whole party of the Hugonots would be quite ruined their other Towns disabled to make any resistance and that thus the Regal Authority would not onely receive a great accruement of Power but the Church too would receive a very great benefit by it These were the opinions of vulgar thoughts which look on nothing but what is before them and just in their noses but want discretion to look a little further they considered not that it would alwaies be in his Majesties Power to take up Arms against the Heretiques seeing now they behaved themselves otherwise then they used to doe as hath been often seen and that his Majesty might easily keep those advantages which he had upon Rochel by fortifying the Isles of Ree and Oleron and keeping a small Army in Fort St. Lewis and in the Country about Rochel but that it would not alwaies be seasonable and timely to oppose the Ambitious design of the Spaniards upon the Grisons or the Valtoline That the King could not without dishonour leave off those glorious enterprizes which he had already began and that in case he should it would give full Liberty to the Spaniards to make themselves Masters of the Valtoline as well as of the rest of Italy where they had already sent their Armes and had also strongly fortified themselves That this affair was more important then that of the Hugonots for that a more favourable opportunity to gain a happy successe could not be had when one had a mind to it Besides that it was not sufficient to be hurried on by an inconsiderate zeal without any regard had to the Interests of the Kingdom seeing that their Religion made a part of the Estate and that also it very little concerned Religion to defer for some time the ruine of the Hugonots for that War and Violence did never yet conduce to their Conversion Heresie being like Saffron which grows the faster the more it is trodden under foot that when Heretiques have been burned they have lived like Salamanders in the fire when they have been cast into the Water they have increased like Fishes and when their heads have been cut off they have like Trees put out more new branches then were taken off so that there was no talk of ruining Heresie but onely of the Party which was stil free for the King to do considering the frequent grounds they gave for it for that mutiny was naturalized in them but that it was far otherwise in the affairs of Italy and of the Valtoline which might not be abandoned but with extream great shame and without ever hoping for another opportunity to root up the Spaniard if he should be now let alone to grow up and gather new strength These were the important reasons represented by the Cardinal to the King and which induced his Majesty to grant a Peace to the Hugonots that he might carry on his designs in Italy and the Valtoline After the paper of their grievances had been examined his Majesty confirmed to them whatever had been granted by the Edict of Nantes granting them free Liberty for the exercise of their Religion in such Towns where they had Churches and Church-yards and an Act of Oblivion for any thing done in the War but he would not consent to the demolishing of Fort Lewis as being too important for the keeping of Rochel in aw and obedience These favours were accepted by the general Deputies of the Hugonots in the name of all the Hugonot Towns excepting those of Rochel Mountauban Castres and Milhana who having been gained by the Duke of Rohan and Sieur de Soubize and finding that their Leaders had onely obtained a single pardon without any other advantage and without being imployed in Italy according as they desired they intreated his Majesty upon other pretences that he would be pleased to grant some time till their two chief Officers and those four Cities were joyned with them The King granted to them that delay upon condition it were not over long who presently sent away the Heads of those Resolutions which had been taken Politique Observation THough the weakning of a Party in a Kingdom which hath been long breeding so that they may make no more Insurrections be a thing much to be desired yet it will not be peradventure alwaies seasonable to attempt it it is the duty of a wise Minister to take all occasions for the doing of it according to the state of Affairs of the Kingdom Suetonius Paulinus one of the most experimented Captains of his time made it
to present to his Majesty the Ratification of the Articles of Peace which it had pleased his Majesty to accord to them the year last past were accompanied with those of Rochel who came in their behalf to offer their submissions and to beseech him that they might obtain the same grace and favour which had been granted to the rest of that party It is true they did not so much repent for their Rebellion as they were sorry for those inconveniences which the Kings Army had put upon them then commanded by the Marshal de Themines who succeeded the Marshal de Plessis and who pressed so close upon them that they could not peep out but in danger of being taken For that they no longer had the liberty of injoying their Goods and that all their Traffique was spoiled Affliction doth at last open the eyes of those Rebels whom insolency and ambition had but lately closed up of which they gave assured proof by those earnest intreaties which they made to his Majesty to forget the Rebellion of which they had been guilty The same reasons which invited his Majesty to shew his Clemency to the rest of that party did also perswade him to do the like to them of Rochel as also the Cardinal hinted one more to him somewhat powerfuller then the rest There had then been newly discovered a Combinatiyn between divers Princes and Lord of the Court as shall be anon declared and amongst others one of their designs was to ingage Mensieur with the Hugonots Party so that if Peace had not been granted to Rochel as well as to the other Towns and Cities it were the ready way to let open a door for War and to give those Rebels the more means to execute their designs by a high hand for it were an easie matter by the means of this one City to raise all the party And last of all this great Minister laid down before his Majesty That the English being as they were picking a quarrel with us to which they were inclined would upon a word speaking find Rochel ready to let them into France These reasons of State were of great weight and fit to be considered of which his Majesty being sensible he did at last grant the City of Rochel the favour which was desired and the Cardinal was not a little diligent to watch that this Peace were not concluded upon such shamefull Articles and full of basenesse as formerly they had been The King consented that the Town should be delivered into the hands of the Corporation on condition they kept no Ships of War that they observed those Orders for Traffique which were established in the rest of the Kingdome That they should restore to the Ecclesiastiques all the Goods which had been taken from them That they should suffer the Catholicks to live freely and quietly in the exercise of the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Religion and in the injoyment of those Goods which appertained unto them That his Majesty should leave what Garison he thought fit in Fort Lewis and the Islands of Ree and Oleron onely promising that out of his bounty and goodnesse he would settle such a course in it as those of Rochel might receive no trouble by it either in their Commerce or the injoyment of their goods These Articles were agreed on about the beginning of February and the next day the general and particular Deputies ratified and confirmed them thinking themselves happy for having obtained this end from his Majesties Bounty By this years injoyment of Peace among the Hugonots his Majesty did with the more ease detect and break the designs of those who were factiously bent as also he assisted his Allies in Germany he eased the people and went on labouring in the means for restoring of that happinesse and glory which had been so long wished for in the Kingdome I shall onely adde that his Majesty for the surer execution of the Treaty sent Commissaries to Rochel who were received there with great honour Those of Rochel having sent their Deputies to Surgeres for the establishing the exercise of Religion and setling things into such order that there were very great hopes of a true Obedience and long Peace had not that people been extreamly much inured to Rebellion Politique Observation ALthough the Rebellions of subjects force a Prince to punish some for an example yet prudence doth oblige him sometimes to dissemble it and to give them peace when as there is any fear of a greater mischief to follow by any new revolt which joyning their flames with the former might endanger the putting of the whole into combustion It could not be any weakness of heart or necessity to which as an Antient saith the Gods themselves are obedient will force him to it It is no fault to fear when as there is a just ground for it but it is rather a great piece of prudence and a vertue without which there is no enjoyment of happy success in war any long time together of this Marcellus heretofore gave us a good example when as Badius that he might acknowledge the favour which Hanibal had done him in saving his life and giving him back his Ransom made the most part of the inhabitants of Nole revolt against the Romans in the Battle of Cannes This Captain seeing the conjuncture of Affairs did oblige him rather to allay then exasperate used his utmost power to regain Badius by assuring him that if he would but return to Rome those wounds which he had that day received would bring him great rewards Badius was much taken with the generousnesse of the Message and Marcellus the more to accomplish his design sent him a very goodly Horse and five hundred drachma's of Silver which did so oblige him that he was ever after very loyal and faithfull to him so that from that time forward he would never inflict any punishment upon those who were revolted It was more by Prudence then by Force that the Romans became Masters of the Universe A discreet Minister ought much rather to induce his Master to accommodation on such occasions then to hazard the State in any eminent danger by too much stiffenesse in resolution for the punishing of those who are revolted when they are upon the point of having a strong assistance by which means they may hazard the successe of the War An Edict against Duels JT was no small happinesse for France to be thus at Peace abroad and with the Hugonots at home but the Cardinal could not imagine it sufficient if not setled amongst the Nobility who were every day cutting one anothers Throats in Duels It was impossible to perswade them by any reasons that it was one of the greatest parts of glory for a wise man and a Christian to overcome his own emotions of anger and to forgive his enemies So this great Minister insinuated into his Majesty who was already zealously desirous of Justice That nothing was so contrary to the Law of God and
his obedience if he should faile in that which did belong to him or his part but he was hindred by those of his counsel who represented to him that it was unlawful for him to make any such condition The subtil means which the Cardinal used to joyne the Princes of the lower Saxony into a league with the Auseatique towns against the house of Austria THough Peace was very necessary for France yet it was no lesse needfull to prevent the rising of the house of Austria in Germanie which had usurped the Lands of divers Princes there and oppressed their liberties especially since the Treaty of Vlm For the same reason it was that the King of great Brittaine sending Count Mansfeld with an Army to endeavour the restablishment of his Brother in Law the Palatine his Majesty ayded him with two thousand Horse and a good summe of mony but these Forces were not enough to oppose those of the Emperor but it was requisite to send more and greater England would have engaged the King to have joyned in an Offensive league and declared the war against him but it was improbable his Majesty would hearken to such proposals for that affairs were not in a condition fit for such an attempt so they were rejected But the Prudence of Monsieur the Cardinal which is never deficient in the finding out expedients fit for the greatness his Master and did give life and heat to that designe which the Princes of Germany had heretofore resolved on of putting themselves into the field in defence of their liberty and for the restablishing of those who had been forced out of their States The King who hath a most admirable apprehension to Judg of those counsels which are given quickly conceived the goodness of this and in order therunto he sent about the end of the year last part the Sieur de la Picardiere to the King of Denmark the Princes of the Lower Saxany and the Auseatique Citties His instructions were to represent to the King of Denmark and those other Princes that the King his Master did hear with much joy their resolution to take up Arms for the establishing of the Prince Elector and his Brothers and to repel those menaces wherewith they were threatned and the ancient friendship which had alwayes kept their States in good Union obliging his Majesty to be sollicitous of their Interests had induced him to send a proffer unto them of what ever was within his power They had beseeched his Majesty not to engage himself in any league with Germany without giving them notice of it which he had not only order to assure them of but also to promise them the summe of a Million of livures in two years time and French Troops besides He had moreover express order to excite them to a quick dispatch because experience hath made it evident on a thousand occasions that the successe of most enterprises doth usually depend upon the ready and dexterous excecuting of them and that when as much time is taken in deliberation the most favourable oportunities are lost by it But these reasons were needless for by that time that he came to them he found them with their Arms in their hands and the King of Denmark had already sent some Forces by Sea to joyne with those of the other Princes who began to threaten the Empeour and forced him to send Count Tilly to advance towards them for the opposing of their designs Yet he did not a little heighten their resolution setting them on by proposing to them what a glory it would be to them to restablish their Allyes and also by telling them with oportunities of advantage they had against the Emperours Forces who were but weake and much dispersed by reason of the warres in Italy and the Valtoline whereas their Army was fresh and numerous and all their Forces met in a Body together He had particular order not to demand any thing in prejudice of the Catholiques His Majesty having no other end in his intentions but the setling the Liberties of Germany and the restating of those Princes Who had been clapt out of their States And whereas of lower Saxony is composed of several Auseatique Citties as well as Princes which Towns and Citties were no lesse against the war then the Princes were for it by reason their Traffick was into Spain and they much suspected least if they should declare against the house of Aâ—stria the Spaniard would then stop their Ships and break their Trade He was commanded to visit them in his progresse and to perswade them to associate themselves with the Princes in the league as also to contribute toward the maintenance of the Army and to represent to them that in case they should refuse to joyne in the designe they would then run a very great hazard least the King of Denmark fall upon them who had an old grudg to them and only wanted such a pretence to be upon them especially now that he had his Arms in his hand and that if he should be to weak to force them he might however easily enough ruin their Trade particularly that of Danzik and Lubâ—c and of other places too by stopping up the straight of the Zound by which their Ships must necessarily passe and also that of Hambourg and Breme by building some Forts on the Rivers Elve and Vezel which do belong unto him That in case such a misfortune should befal them all their Allyes would undoubtedly abandon them That the King of Spain could not assist them he being to far off that he had not one Ship upon that Sea and that as for himself and the King of great Bâ—ittâ—ige they could not in consideration of the King of â—enâ—ark take care or notice to hinder the Hollanders from seizing on their vessels between Calis and Dover which should make any voyadge into Spain which being so their Commerce would be for ever ruined and decayed so that it would bee much better for them to league themselves with the Princes which if he should do his Majesty would undertake their protection against all their enemies and that the King of England and Hollanders too would give them the same assistance These were the chief Instructions which the Sieur de la Picardier received and all which he effected with so great judgement and good successe that he he went not from them untill he had seen their Army march into the field and perswaded the Auseatique Towns to joyn in League with the Princes This was not a work of small importance for the resolution of this Enterprize was one of the chief motives which induced the Spaniards to conclude the Treaty of Mouson forced them to abandon the Valtolinâ— and to relinquish the designs which they had in Italy and leave all the rest of the Allies of France remain in peace and quiet His Majesty testified to him that he was well pleased with his conduct and management of the businesse for carrying on to that
setting such a watch over them that hardly-a man could peep out but he was presently discovered Politique Observation THose Sallies which the besieged make upon an Army lying before them are still accompanied with danger to themselves for the least losse of their Souldiers is of great concernment because they being once gone it is difficult to have a recruit or relief of others The valour indeed which they have opportunity of shewing in such incounters may perchance quell the resolutions of the Besiegers especially if the place be well stored and likely to receive fresh supplies but that not being so the Besiegers by standing still in their Forts and Works and keeping good guard in their Trenches will be sure every time to lessen their number of some few and in fine reduce them to none at all Philip de Commines saith all Sallies made without necessity are to be blamed for they cannot without it be allowable that which sometimes maketh to vanquish against hope by the courage which it infusethinto the most cowardly for there is not any danger which they are not easily perswaded toattempt who are convinced of the inevitableness of their present death This is that which all those who are besieged ought to consider before they make a salley now as for the Besiegers they have onely two ways to avoid all misfortunes the first the well ordering of their works the second the good watch of those works If the Trenches are well contrived not any where at too great distance from the Town if they flank one another if they be high enough to shelter the foot if their Parapets be Faulcon proof if they be so well fortified by Forts and Redouts from distance to distance if they be large enough to fight in and so disposed that one be not surprised behind they will bring great matters to passe they ought also to be lined with Souldiers well accoutred well disciplined and such as wil be careful to keep good watch day and night neither is it lesse needful to place Sentinels upon the Avennues and all along upon the Trenches and at last when the Enemie doth appear then is the time to repel force by Force then ought the most resolute of the Souldiers be placed in Front to sustain the charge as likewise in that quarter which is neerest the Town because they who bear the first brunt are the men that do the work and upon whom all the rest doth depend and in those places it is that the first assaults are alwayes made But above all he who commandeth in the Trenches ought alwayes to have Forces in a readinesse from the out-guards for seconding courage with numbers doth much conduce to the repelling of an Enemie with advantage and if he find that those who are upon the guard be not either proper or able to sustain a charge if the Enemie should come out then ought he to place them in the strongest Redouts from whence it will be more difficult to force them until recruits shall come up and this was the order which Caesar observed in besieging the City of Alexia as is to be seen in his Commentaries The Duke of Rohan continueth his designes in Languedoc WHilest the Rochelois were acting these pieces of Rebellion the Duke de Rohan was no lesse intent upon carrying his designes in Languedoc for the gaining of such Towns where the Hugonots had most power to his party About the beginning of the year he attempted to make himself Master of Briateste by means of one Toubze but the inhabitants who desired nothing more then to live in peace and under his Majesties obedience hearing of it layd hold on that seditious brother of theirs and sent him to Thoulouze where he was shortly after hanged for his pains Rohan was much displeased at the ill usage his forces had received at Montpellier whereupon he commanded the Seneschal de Castres to send ten or twelve Horse and fifty Musqueteers about the Castle of Clermont de Lodove knowing that there were divers Lords and Gentlemen met there together that he might intice them to come out and be revenged on them The Sentinel of the Castle gave notice to the Count de Clermont that he saw eight or ten Horse eye the Castle in such a manner that he conceived them to be Enemies presently the Count and those that were with him issued out in their doublets and hose with their Swords and Pistols and fell upon them These Horse-men as soon as ever they perceived them made as if they fled towards a Wood where they had left their fifty Musqueteers in Ambush being come up to them they faced about and discharging all together upon the Noblemen who pursued them within Pistol shot they killed twelve of them The Baron d'Ambre being then with the Count de Clermont seeing his Cornet killed vowed he would be revenged of them for his death and turning about again to charge them he was in an instant so surrounded that he saw it was impossible to escape he asked them if ten thousand Crowns would save his life they told him no and bid him remember Montpellier This seemed onely to be a stratagem of War but their cruelty was in processe evidently to be seen for not contented with this advantage they cut off the noses and ears of all they took Not long after his exployt the Duke de Rohan ingaged the City of Rohan to revolt Those of his faction in Montauban where no lesse insolent there they forced out of their City the Lieutenant Paxticulier the Doyen of the Senechil two Councellours and the Lieutenant General and presently perswaded the people to rise Those of Nismez Cosne Saint Sever Saint Frigue and divers other places of Languedoc Vivarets and Dauphine did the like neither were these the onely Provinces in which they had their Intelligencers at work Mosieur the Cardinal had bin acquainted about the beginning of March whilest his Majesty was at Paris that certain Gentlemen of his party did endeavor to make factions and divisions in Limasin against the Kings service he not ignorant that such fiers ought to be extinguished on their first births sent the Mareschal de Schomberg Lieutenant General of that Province to take order in it who no lesse prudent then valorous soon dissipated them that not a man durst shew his head About the same time he had also by some device or other gained one Le Parc Son to one of the Captains of a Gate at Callais to deliver the Town to the English by letting them in at a Bastion which was somwhat decayed and delivering them up the old Castle where there was only one old Souldier of his acquaintance who lay in gard But this contrivance being discovered by the Vicompte de Fruge Le Parc was apprehended his Processe drawen up and finished and himself broken alive On the other side the Sieur de Maritignon found out some correspondencie between certain Hugonots of Normandy and the English and how
of Clemency mercy used towards poor vanquished Creatures ought no longer be esteemed a vertue but a necessary means of salvation I should add one more reason out of Polybius his History which is good deeds are a Chain of Gold which do much more fix and establish the interests of Kings then those of Iron and if Religion seem to invite them to practice it neither doth reason of State any whit lesse what was it which tied the Celtiberians so strictly and affectionately to the Roman interest but that generous and noble Act of Scipio the Affrican who restored a noble Lady his Prisoner to her husband without doing her any violence or injury and returned him all the Gold which had been brought for her ransome Did not Cyrus gain by his handsome treating of Cresus after he had vanquished him Did not that tie up the hands of all Greece who would out of the great affection they did bear to him have highly resented any injury done to him The Roman Senate did much blame their Consul Popilius for his rude treating of the Genois and commanded reparation to be made them because they esteemed the honour of a Victory not compleat where it was attended with any cruelties or rigours Those Princes who are good to their Prisoners and those whom they have vanquished are not onely commendable but delightfull to those they rule over The Romans having reduced Capadocia to a Province diminished the Tax which they used formerly to pay unto their own King because they knew that the clemency and sweetnesse of their Empire would invite others to submit to them with the lesse reluctancy and resistance His Majesties Declaration for estblishing of the Catholique Religion in Rochel IF it be glorious to overcome it is no lesse important to take such care as may confirm the Victory To this purpose his Majesty before he left Rochel published a Declaration comprehending that order which he would have observed there for the future both to establish Religion and to prevent this people from relapsing into their former Rebellion This Declaration contained that the exercise of the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Religion should be freely exercised there both in the City and Government of Aulnis that the Churches which had been lately destroyed thereabouts should be re-edified and restored to them in whose possession they formerly were together with all their appurtenances that a sufficient maintenance should be given to such Curats as had not means to live on out of those lands which belonged to the Town-house That the Religieux de la Charite Les Religiouses Hospitalieres should be re-established in the Hospitals of the Town to attend upon all sick persons That a Crosse should be raised in the Castle-yard at the foot of which an Inscription of the taking the City should be inscribed and that every first of November a Procession general should be made to give God thanks for his mercies that the Church-yard consecrated in the lands of Corcille where those of the Camp who died during the siege had been buried should still he conserved to that use that a convent of Religieux Minimes should be built there who might pray unto God for them and perpetuate the memory of the thing this is that which his Majesty did for thanks-giving to God and the consolation of the Catholick party in the Town The Course his Majesty took to keep Rochel in Obedience IF his Piety were so admirable in that particular his Prudence was no lesse in commanding all such things as were necessary for the preservation of the Town in its duty He deposed the Mayor who had fomented the Rebellion with such insolent stubbornnesse and discharged the Shrivalty and Commonalty of the Town without hopes of restauration He ordained that the most seditious persons of the city should forsake it and amongst others Gâ—ison Mayre Godâ—â—ray Salâ—breâ— and Deserbrâ—â—res not so much as excepting the Dame de Rohan who was carried to Niort by the Sieux de Lannay Lieutenant des Gardes des Corps Next he revoked all the Priviledges and Charters heretofore granted to the City He commanded the Walls the Rampards the Bastions and the rest of the Fortifications to be razed and the Ditches to be filled up leaving only the Tours de St. Nicholas de la Ghaiâ—â— de la Lantern standing with that part of the Wall towards the Sea to preserve the Town from Pyrats He further constituted and appointed that no stranger should have a house or family in the Town without his Majesties permission had and obtained or that any Heretiques should return to their former dwellings To be short he ordained for the better keeping them in their obedience that there should be an intendent of Justice in the City Country and Government of Aulnis who should see the execution of his Ordinances and have an eye to that which concern'd his service all which was inserted in the said Declaration He then commanded the inhabitants to be disarmed and that certain Regiments should remain in the Town until it were quite demolished After all these things thus appointed he returned to Paris where he was received in great magnificence the Companies of the City making Orations unto him But I passe by the particulars of those Ceremonies and confine my self to my design of writing nothing but what relateth to the Government of the State Politique Observation HAnnibal was discommended for not knowing how to pursue a Victory when obtained and that Soveraign doth little or nothing who after a reducing of those Rebels that attempted to shake off the yoke of their obedience neglecteth to fix and settle them by all necessary orders and rules for the continuation of them in their duties His orders ought to be proportioned to the quality of the vanquished who if they be Rebels ought to be treated in another manner then such as were under another Government It ought likewise to be remembred whether they who are vanquished be of the same Religion with the Conquerour and in case they are not then to establish divers such persons there who professe the same with his own and this he is obliged to by Prudence as well as Piety It being an assured remedy of weakning a people if they be divided and that a party be made sure of amongst them The ancient Kings of Aegypt did wisely tollerate and establish all sorts of Religion in their Countries and Kingdomes to the intent the diversity of opinions might dis-unite them from any Revolts On the other side if those whom a Soveraign overcommeth be his own natural Subjects he ought not totally to destroy their Cities and Towns for that were to weaken his own power Which is the same thing that Craesus perswaded to Cyrus when he had been vanquished by him do not quoth he I beseech you destroy the Towns of Lydia for by it you will not destroy me but your self to whom by right of Arms they now belong but however this rule admitteth
of being more faithful to their own Grandeur then to their Allyes As for those Princes whose inclinations carry them to believe the promises of others for Truths and are not in league with this same diffidence they are not to be discomended for it onely I would advise them so to stand on their Guards as if no such promises had been made at all Prosecution of the Subject HIS Majesty being come neer to Privas took up his Quarter in a House where he might both see the Town and his whole Army within a few houres of his arrival he commanded the Marquis d'Vxelles to go view the place and its fortifications He went out accordingly but perchance too well accompanied for his safty for the inhabitants of the Town shooting out upon them he was wounded by a Musquet of which he dyed within four or five dayes But at last the place having been viewed his Majesties Army began to take up their Quarters and after a hot sketmish the Inhabitants were beaten out of the suburbs within the Precinses of their Town Walls The Peace with England had been concluded and signed at Suze but not as yet sworn so his Majesty thought good to the intent he might dispossess them of all hopes from that part to cause it to be read a loud unto them at such a distance that they might easily see and hear the publication of it They were not a little surprised at it but that which more troubled them was they saw two Batteries raised in an Instant which so belaboured their Walls that in two dayes there was a breach made at which very time the Cardinal arrived from Suze who concluding the breach was sufficient it was resolved to give an assault All the Army was very resolute and high every one wishing it might be his good luck to fall on where most danger was that he might curb the Insolence of those rebellious Heretiques The assault was begun about eight at night and lasted until ten at which time the Regiment de Falsbourg entered the Quarter where they fell on and those of Champagne and Piedmont became Masters of Fort Saint André and Tourlon The Inhabitants fought more like mad men then any thing else so that the whole Town could not be carried at this bout yet the taking of those places strook such a terrour into the City that the next morning not a man durst appear though Montbrun the Governor commanded them to follow him every one flying for his own safety and Sainct André himself trying to make his peace The Cardinal thinking it just for the terrour of others and for the punishing of a great many that some ought to pay their lives for their Rebellious Insolencies would not admit of them but upon condition to surrender themselves to his Majesties Mercy This redoubled their Fears who were in the City and made many of them to get out some here some there amongst the Mountains who being met with by the Souldiers were all put to the Sword His Majesty having notice of what disorder was in the City Commanded the Sieur de Gordes and the Marquis d' â—ssiat to go into the Town under pretence of speaking with the Sieur de Sainct André who had sent unto the Sieur de Gordes to desire him to make his peace but in effect it was only to discover if the place were so deserted as had been informed They marched up to the Gate and finding no resistance took some more with them went in and soon became Masters of the whole Town which was presently given to the Souldiers to pillage Thence they passed up to the Castle and the Souldier whom they sent telling who he was and his business The Sieur de Sainct André came presently out unto them but could not be perswaded at first to yeild unto his Majesties mercy but stood very resolutely upon Quarter for his own life and theirs who were with him but at last being told once and again that there was no other way to save himself and seeing the Town entred and given to be pillaged he conseâ—ted and went to the door of his Majesties lodging where the Guards seized on him and by his Majesties order carried him to Bassompiere and Marillac to be by them lead in the head of the Regiment des Gardes before the Castle Gate to summon them this last time to surrender unto his Majesties mercy which was done accordingly and they forthwith yeilded But being just upon coming forth some amongst them set fire on a Barrel of powder which killed several of his Majesties Souldiers so incensed the rest that they slew all they could lay hands on The rest in stead of comming forth quietly as had been promised that they might be conducted to his Majesties feet ran away some this way and some that way and others leaped over the very Walls insomuch that it was with much a do that any of them had their lives saved But besides all this as if Heaven had not yet been satisfied for their Insolencies and Rebellions the fire kindled over all the Town on a sodain neither could the Author be discovered nor the fire extinguished until the Town was quite consumed to ashes notwithstanding his Majesties care and Command to save the Churches or at least some Houses which might serve for a Church Politique Observation IT is no lesse just then prudent to chastise one for exemples sake amongst many be they either men or Cities engaged in a Rebellion together The Insolency of them who hold out a Town against their Soveraign obligeth him to be deaf to all their last entreaties which they only fly unto when all other hopes have left them If his Clemency hath been ineffectual to reclaim them he is then obliged to let the Arme of his Justice thunder upon them to punish their insolent fuâ—y and rashness If love cannot force them to ease their Rebellion nothing but fear can then make them lay down their Weapons And indeed upon whom can a King with more Justice excercise the rigour of his Arms than upon his Rebellious subjects who by their Insolencies have rendered themselves unworthy of his Mercy He ought but seldome to employ his Revenge but unlesse he do on such an occasion as this he will quickly find his whole Authority trampled under foot He who accustometh himself in his usual Actions to violence cannot avoid being hated by all men which will in fine be his ruine And he who in Rebellions shall totally neglect it will soon be scorned by all men and that will ruine him on the other hand Princes who endeavour to make themselves be feared ought not to be discommended but only when they do it by undue wayes Man being free oughâ— to be govern'd by sweetness but if his passion shall transport him to abuse his Liberty he must be reduced by the severity of Justice to his duty The Horse who is only used to walk and never put to any swifter motion may be
out in hopes of succour or assistance seeing those very persons who had ingaged them in the War had already made their Peace These Deputies upon their first comming began to execute the design for which they came to wit to dispose the Chief of the City to submit as they had done The next morning the Sieur de Guron came to the Town house where he discoursed to them with such Eloquence Ingenuity and Address that he made a good Impression on them He related to them the many victories and good success which had alwayes accompanied his Majesties Arms the mis-fortunes of Rochel and Privas which they too could not possibly avoid if they persisted in their Rebellion he likewise told that his Majesty was fully resolved not to suffer any people or places in his Kingdome which were not in his power and under his obedience Next of all he acquainted them that his Majesty did passe his word to them for enjoyment of their goods and the exercise of their Religion whilst they for their parts continued in their duties and obedience and lastly he gave them to understand how inviolable an observer the Cardinal was of his word and he conjured them to be absolutely confident of whatever the Cardinal should promise to them They were generally so touched with this discourse that they presently seemed to be as much inclined to Peace as formerly they had been to War The Deputies of Nismes seconded the Sieur de Guron's speech and were not wanting to acquaint the people unto what mis-fortunes some other Towns of their party had been reduced The Peace and quietness which they enjoyed by the Kings bounty the deceits of them who had engaged them in this War by their great hopes of succors which were now vanished seeing their head had made his Peace with his Majesty That the great victories which his Majesty had of late obtained might sufficiently let them see that nothing was able to resist him and that this had been the chief reason which had induced them and those of their City to cast themselves at his Majesties feet and that after had had the honour to confer with the Cardinal they admired the incomparable virtues which were so eminently apparent in him experimented his meeknesse and been sensible of the truth of his promises they could no longer defer their resolutions but had great hopes of receiving as many favours by his bounty as they had heretofore suffered mischiefs by the ambition of those whom they had chosen for their heads It cannot be expressed how great an impression these reasons made upon the people However their Rebellion having taken a deep root in them they could not resolve till after two dayes to send their Deputies to the Cardinal neither would they give any other answer to the Sieur de Guron onely beseeched him that their Deputies might have the honour to wait upon him Thus was their final submission reserved by Heaven for the Cardinals Prudence who alone was able to produce so admirable an effect Politique Observation THE fear of those miseries which usually accompany revolts is of greater efficacy to reduce a people to their duty then any other reasons whatever As nature hath given them a rude and unpolished spirit so the respect and obligations which they owe their Princes can hardly make any impression upon them but he who can once possesse them with fear may do what he will with them Whence it is that they are not so much to be perswaded by reason as forced by the apprehension of rigors inevitable if they consent not to what is required of them Tacitus in his History doth notably well describe these qualities of theirs when he saith That thought they have extraordinary forces yet nothing is so cowardly so fearfull nor so wavering if they be not led and animated by a generous Commander That as they cast themselves upon enterprises with fury so do they faintly abandon them and fall into disorder upon their first apprehension of danger and that holding no mean in their actions whilest they are fearlesse they are no sooner at a stand but they may be wrought to any thing Titus Livy spake with no lesse knowledge of them when he said the nature of a people is either to serve too abjectly or to command too insolently they being incapable of any medium Now when is it that they command with too much insolence but when they find themselves of the stronger party and that they fear nothing and on the other side when do they creep with too much abjection and servitude but when they are abased and pulled down by rigors or chastisements Upon this ground was it that Drusus went into Panonia to appease a great sedition but finding all fair and gentle means were to no purpose he made use of force and power which they no sooner felt the smart of but they returned to their former submission and obedience Now the surest and safest way to touch a people with fear is not to be too hasty upon them in their first heat and fury but to let that a little passe over for nothing doth more decrease and allay them then time they being like the Sea which of it self is calm and quiet yet however subject to great storms and agitations when the impetuous Winds begin to stir up its Waves and to arm them with fury against one another but returns to its own calmnesse when the winds once cease to move it Thus it is with the rabble of themselves they are not capable to act or stir but when they suffer themselves to be carried by the suggestions of some sedicious furious spirit Oh how do they then rage and rave No violent thing can last long neither indeed can their fury hold out if once they who first raised them forbear to lead them and then if in this nick of time they are threatned with punishments and see a power able to force them you may presently lead them to what you will so great an influence hath that Passion of fear over their low and narrow hearts Montauban Surrenders to the Kings Obedience THe Deputies of Montauban came to Pâ—zanas in company with the Sieur de Guran at which place the Cardinal then was They had Audience upon their first desire and made all protestations that could be imagined of a firm and strict obedience unto his Majesties will and pleasure but stood stifly in demanding that their Fortifications of the Ville Novelâ—e and Bourbon should be left standing and seemed as if they had condiscended a very great deal in permitting their out-works to be slighted But the Cardinal returned them answer in that strain and garb which was proper for a General and one who represented the person of the King That he did much admire after they had understood his Maâ—esties intentions by the Sieur Guron they should thus come to treat as if it were upon equal terms and exempt themselves from the conditions of other Towns
where they best liked The Emperour and Infanta promise to protect the Duke of Lorrain THe enemies of France were much afflicted at the news of the Treaty between the King and Duke of Lorrain The Emperour sent Montecuculli unto the Duke to animate and assure him of a potent Army when-ever he was in a condition to defend himself from the King of Sâ—ede The Baron de â—â—eâ—de came to him from the Infanta to give him the like assurance and to beseech him to believe that the King of Spain's Forces and Treasure should ever be at his disposal when the Emperour should think it proper to attempt the recovery of his Towns Nay the Queen-Mother too though tyed by all sorts of Reason to embrace the King's Interests resolved by perswasion of Chaâ—teloupe to send a Letter unto the Parliament of Paris to engage them if possible in a Revolt which undoubtedly would have been seconded by that of Paris it self with divers other Cities of the Kingdom and all to force the King to withdraw his Army from Lorrain that he might extinguish the fire nearer home That Enemy of the publike Peace took occasion from the Parliaments discontents for that the King had sent some of the chief Officers of Mets to give them a check for their disorderly behaviour in the confirmation of those letters whereof we discoursed the fore-going year There need no other indicium to prove the letter to be his then the bare reading of it Not a person who had the honour to be near her Majesty could ever be perswaded that it proceeded from her inclination though signed with her hand but that it was by the wicked insinuations and devices of that seditious conspirator who in peace being inconsiderable would needs make himself famous and remarkable by raising war and troubles He well knew how to work upon this great Princesses weakness who being extreamly exasperated against the Cardinal would easily be perswaded unto any thing which might disadvantage him Hereupon he made her believe that this propitious Genius of France was upon the point of breaking the Peace with Spain That he had carried on the King to fall upon the Low Countries and that in fine the Spaniards and Emperours Forces would joyntly strike into France seize upon the Cities over-run the whole Champaigne country pillage the Towns rob the people pull down the Churches That Religion would be laid aside the Nobility ruined The Royal Houses errazed and the French Nation exposed unto death or such miseries as were a terror to her very thoughts This was the purport of the letter and these were the considerations which obliged her to signe it Strange it is to look upon the many disguisements tending to engage that honourable company in a revolt which hath ever been the main support of this State It was only desired that they would oppose the Cardinal's designes although all the enterprises wherein he ingaged the King were indeed so many additions to his and the Kingdoms glory as was apparent in the relief of Casal and Treaty of Pignerol They were sollicited to ruine this great Minister of State whose prudent conduct was the chiefest sword which his Majesty employed in defence of his Kingdom and whose every action did like a Thunderbolt annihilate the ambitious designs of the House of Austria But especially were they wooed to induce his Majesty to make a peace with Germany though it was sufficiently apparent how that that concluded in the year 1622. had been the cause of all those misfortunes whereunto our Allies have been exposed that relaxation having afforded opportunity unto the Emperour to take those advantages which he obtained in the Palatinate and upon divers other Princes I cannot omit one strange piece of Indiscretion which Chanteloupe committed in this letter viz. his oversight in letting the Queen-Mother publikely profess her giving credit to the predictions of those Astrologers who assured her that the Cardinal should not hold out above three or four moneths and in not considering how that one included another much more sad for France and which could not but beget her the hatred of all those who had any sense of a good Frenchman or loyal Subject But the blame of this defect as likewise of the whole Letter was laid upon him as the true Author thereof who had been so sollicitous in procuring her to signe it whose goodness like that of the Sun cannot do any hurt unlesse when in conjunction with some other Star of a malignant quality Neither had the Parliament any regard thereunto but reputed it as an aspersion animated by the Spaniards who then finding themselves reduced to an exigency were apprehensive of those Forces which his Majesty was dispatching into Germany and began to look about them when they saw the King imploying the courage of his Subjects in assisting his Allies and also a likelyhood of Breach between the two Crowns whereunto indeed his Majesty was invited by divers although he would never be induced so to do having alwaies thought it more glorious to preserve Treaties of peace with integrity then to conquer the Countries of his Neighbours Politique Observation ONe of those many and chief causes which perswaded the wise Politicians to seclude women from the Government of States is their being easily circumvented either by their own passions or the ill advices of others If the person enterprising any thing be but in discredit with them that is cause enough to mislike the whole affair or if it be not managed by a man whom they fancy Their passions are extream and lead them to discommend whatever is undertaken by those who are in their displeasure and on the contrary they are apt to approve of defects and faults in them whom they affect They are born with such inclinations that there is no mediocrity in their distinctions their Love and Hatred are ever in the highest and hottest degree and on the contrary when they pass from one passion to another they evidence to the whole world how little they can esteem him who was once their best beloved whereupon the wisest of Kings and one whose Pen was guided by the holy Ghost said There is no malice like that of a Woman Now if to their hatred any enterprise be attempted which clasheth with their inclinations as all War doth work upon their Fears which are natural unto them there cannot then be any War how just or necessary soever but shall assuredly be condemned by them In vain it is to endeavour to perswade them that it is needful to make war or to carry that war into a Forraign Country which is designed to be brought into our own it were bootless to represent unto them how the wisest Kings have ever kept the War at a distance from their own Countries and endeavoured to extinguish the fire in their Neighbours houses as knowing their own to be the next in danger It were but time and labour lost to offer unto their thoughts that it is
earnest to chastise him for all his ill designs against France and finding himself press'd by the near approaches of the Army sent the Sieur de Ville chief Gentleman of his Bed-chamber and Janin Secretary of State once more to offer him all manner of content giving them likewise full liberty to treat They testified unto his Majesty that their Master was very much afflicted for having inconsiderately suffered himself to be ingaged with Monsieur They protested that in future he would continue immovable in his Devoir That he would pay him the Fealty and Homage due for the Dutchy of Bar That he would inviolably adhere to the Interests of France particularly offering to joyn his Forces with his to be employed in any expedition whatever and withal that he would deposite part of his Towns in his Majesty's hands as a gage of his performance The King received them very curteously knowing it to be more glorious to receive the submissions of his Enemies confessing themselves vanquished then to destroy them despoil them and insult upon them and then as if he would set no bounds to his clemency he promised to pardon him a second time and that he would not be against any accomodation that reasonably could be desired provided there might be any assurance of his promises But it being requisite to find out some other kind of security for performance of his engagement then what had formerly been whereby he might be deprived of the means of running any more into his former designs his Majesty remitted them to the Cardinal to conclude the Articles of the Treaty Politique Observation ALthough all Princes have power and riches more then enough wherewithal to be contented yet some there are who pursuing their ambitious Inclinations sooner then the Laws of Prudence do daylie engage themselves in new Designs They seem to divert their eyes from what they possess covetously to behold what they have not and to quit the true and solid goods of peace that they may obtain an uncertain vain-glory in War Their Designe of growing great feedeth them with discontents and that they may not bound their pretensions their minds are perpetually floting in uncertainties Oftentimes it falleth out that they do but ill proportion their undertakings to their abilities by which means when they imagine themselves to be highest they fall lowest God that he may punish them seldom permits them to gather any other fruit from their desires but trouble and vexation and that those who endeavour to rise highest should have the greatest falls To conclude a little child forsaken by his Nurse before he be well able to go alone will not so soon fall as an ambitious Prince in the midst of his whole Power for the child finding himself unsupported begins to fear to lay hold on any thing and not to stir a foot But a Prince once bewitched with this Passion being too too confident doth inconsiderately run into every danger attempteth things above his reach and in fine sheweth by woful experience in himself that he who feareth no man is soon to be destroyed Better it were that they bounded their affections and that considering 't is not the large extent of a Princes Dominion which giveth him contentment but the moderation of his desires they would arrest those emotions and ebullitions which set them in action and make them stoop to the Empire of Reason The second Treaty of Peace with the Duke of Lorrain VVHat good successe might there not be expected from this Treaty when the Cardinal had the management of it His courage and conduct had already extended the bounds of France raised several Trophies to the King's glory and acquired new Lawrels to his Majesty wherefore it was not to be doubted but that he would a second time let the Lorrainers know that his Master doth as well inherit the courage as the Crowns of his Predecessors who have ever forced their Ancestors to stoop under their Arms in despite of the House of Austria the Supporters of their hopes not their State and that there was no conclusion to be made with him without extraordinary pledges for performance of their promises To this end tended his very first discourse that he might presently cut off their hopes of surprizing him and destroy their designs of getting clear for a few fair words or protestations of fidelity Two causes there were which inclined the Deputies to receive the Law from him First An unavoydable necessity either of accommodation or of ruine to their Master's affairs And secondly That in regard it was to be doubted that in case these effects did not oblige him he would resolve notwithstanding all the misfortunes arrived upon him to re-commence the War upon the first fair opportunity of time or hopes wherewith the House of Austria entertained him This latter was so improbable that it could hardly sink into the Cardinal's thoughts yet because he somwhat suspected it he made it his main designe in this Treaty to obtain such advantages for the King that it should be altogether impossible for the Duke of Lorrain to engage himself in a third War without his utter ruine The meeting was at Liverdun where after divers contests it was at length concluded That the Duke should deliver the Town and Castle of Stenay within six days and within three days after the Town and Castle of Jamets with the Arms Ammunitions and Victuals therein unto his Majesty for four years times as gages of his fidelity upon condition that the said time being expired the said places should be restored in the same condition they then were That during the said term of time it should be lawful for the King to put into them what number of men he pleased That the Inhabitants take the Oath of Allegiance unto his Majesty and swear not to attempt any thing contrary to his service That the Duke should within three days surrender into the King's hands the City and Fortress of Clermont which his Majesty pretended to belong unto him by Process of the Parliament of Paris who had adjudged his Majesty to have the possession thereof paying to the said Duke such a sum of money as should be agreed on by Commissioners from both parties in recompence of the Revenue he received from thence That the Duke should be obliged to render homage and fealty for Barr. within one year unto the King And as touching all differences moved or which hereafter should be moved between them that there should be Commissioners of either side appointed to sit at Paris when-ever it should please his Majesty to think fit to make a fair end between them It was likewise concluded that the Duke should religiously observe and keep the five first Articles of the Treaty of Vic which should be confirmed without any exception what ever That be should faithfully adhere unto his Majesties Interests That he should joyn his Forces with his Majesties and assist him to his utmost in any War what-ever That his
an enemy to his own interest The Marquess de St. Chaumont sent by the King into the Country of the Elector of Treves to force his Enemies from the rest of his Towns and to establish him IF his Majesty shewed any thing of Prudence in preventing the conclusion of any Treaty between the Spaniard and the Hollanders he discovered no lesse courage in his indeavour to re-establish the Elector of Treves in the rest of those places which his enemies had usurped from him Fumay and Reveign scituated on two Pennisula's upon the River Meuse had ever acknowledged him for their Soveraign Lord but the Spaniard whom conveniency seemeth to intitle unto any places which they may master had clapp'd a garrison into them designing to fortifie them to secure the Commerce of that River and withall to make some enterprise upon the Frontier of Champagne The King could not put up such an injury offered unto the Elector since he had taken him into his protection but ordered the Marquess de St. Chaumont to march toward Meziers with those forces which he commanded in Champagne to dislodge them The Sieur de Chastelliers Barlort and the Comte de la Suze were made Marshals de Camp who comming to the Army marched directly away toward those two places His courage made him wish that he might find some opposition whereby he might obtain the more glory to his Masters Arms but making his approaches he understood that the Spanish Garison notwithstanding all their Rodomontades had marched out the night before without sound of Trumpet so that instead of fighting all he had to do was to receive testimonies of the inhabitants joy who acknowledging his Majesty for their Protector did willingly receive the Regiment of Champagne into Fumay and that of Normandy into Reveign The Marquess de St. Chaumont finding himself obliged to remunerate their good will by all the favours which he could do them in quartering of the Army setled so good an Order amongst the Souldiers that they never took any thing without paying for it but behaved themselves with great moderation and courtesie The Enemy did not then oblige him to be more active at that time and indeed the season of the year was such in regard of the Snows and Frost that he could not march without difficulty so that his Majesty sent him Order to return and to leave his Forces in Garrison upon the Frontier He returned to spend some time at the Fort whereupon the 10th of February he and the Comte Brissac were created Ministers of State to serve his Majesty in his Counsel the Spaniards who never sleep but when they have nothing to do took the occasion of his absence to return into the Country of the Elector of Treves and to do what they pleased but the King and the invitation of the Spring permitting his return he carried the Army back again and without much ado forced them to quit the Field The next thing he resolved was to assault Freidembourg upon which they had seized whose Garrison offered a thousand violences to Travellers and the adjacent places The Comte de la Suze commanded it to be invested and comming in person before it in the moneth of June he summoned Machinister who commanded it for the Comte d'Embden and upon refusal of a surrender they provided to assault it The Town was won with little resistance and the Castle forced within two daies after there being not above three or four men slain on both parts Thus the Country of Treves was totally reduced unto his Majesty's Possession neverthelesse his Majesty having only secured it for the Arch-Bishop the true Lord thereof caused him to be restored in his Metropolitan City about the beginning of October by the Sieur de Bussilamet The Arch-Bishop indeed finding himself unable to make it good against the Spaniards he desired him to stay with him and command his forces and the Sieur de Bussy having presented the Keys unto him he presently returned them saying I beseech you keep them for his Majesty his Eminence likewise published a Declaration about the end of this year commanding his Subjects to acknowledge the King for their Lord to assist him in his interest to receive his Souldiers into their Cities jointly to defend them and to give unto them the best entertainment the places could afford The principal Obligations of him who taketh a Prince into Protection DOubtlesse it is honourable for a great Prince to undertake the Protection of another unable to subsist by his own force but though it is honourable yet it is not without care if this protection be to his advantage yet is he obliged to recover whatever is taken from him and in fine fairly to restore it To leave him a prey to his enemies were a sign of weaknesse or want of courage or an absolute breach of promise in the first assumption He that for fear of the charge the successe of the War or any other consideration shall neglect it doth not only deprive himself of that honour which the quality of a Protector ascribes unto him but doth likewise cloath himself with shame Moreover what expences soever he is at on such occasions yet he is obliged by Justice to restore all places into the hands of their natural Prince he being only as it were a Depositary and as the Laws of Deposition do not permit the appropriating of any thing to ones self the restoring of them will be as honourable as the detaining of them will be unjust Ptolomy King of Egypt dying committed his son heir to his Crowns then a child unto the protection of the Common-Wealth of Rome who professing a particular observation of their promises were not deficient in resigning the Kingdom into his power upon his first being capable of Government Thus Archadius seeing his son Theodosius very young and unable to secure himself from the power of the Persians so played his Game with Indigertes their King that he undertook his protection and by this means he tied up his Arms by delivering his son into his hands Indigertes receiv'd the Tutillage as an honour and discharg'd it with such fidelity that he preserved Theodosius life and Empire That I may let you see these latter ages want not the like examples Philip of Austria King of Castile leaving his son Charles but of twelve years age requested Lewis the Twelfth by his Will to be his Guardian and to take the Kingdom into his protection The King accepted thereof and in prosecution of his charge was so punctually correspondent to the Trust Philip had reposed in it that he preserved his States against France it self nor would usurp the least whatever provocations Maximilian gave him In fine notwithstanding all restitutions or expences which a King is obliged unto yet ought he never to refuse the protection of a Prince bordering upon his Countries because besides the glory whereof he deprives himself he inforceth the other to throw himself into the protection of some
side the Comte de la Souze kept the Field with seven Cornets of horse and some foot so that nothing durst appear against him and to re-inforce the Dukes fear at the advantages which the Kings army took his Majesty commanded the Marshal de la Force to pursue him with 6000 foot 1500 horse and six pieces of Canon and to invest him in any place where he should retreat and withall to treat those as enemies who should receive him if they refused to deliver him as an enemy of France so that he was constrained to retire about Espinal where he quartered with such Forces as he could get together and to draw a little nearer to the Franche-Comte where they who had perswaded him to take the Field gave him incouragement to hope for certain Forces which never came to him To be short that nothing might be omitted which might shake him whom necessity alone was able to reduce to reason his Majesty comming before Nancy and quartering at Neufville went in person to view the most advantagious Posts for his Army The Cardinal likewise rid the round without Musquet shot of the City the better of judge of the order of the Siege and then his Majesty personally drew out the circumvalation which was four Leagues about the Forts and Redoubts and set the Pioneers to work He digg'd first himself and caused the work to be followed with such care and diligence that in five days time the Camp was finished and his under shelter At the same time they began a Bank thwart the River Meurthe which stopping the Current would not only have drowned the neighbouring country but in a little time have forced in into the City and compelled the inhabitants to quit it insomuch that the Duke seeing the unhappy condition of his affairs knew not where to hide his head Every one in the interim admired the happy successes of those counsels which the Cardinal gave his Majesty with so much the more astonishment in regard they admired upon what ground his Majesty should resolve to besiege one of the strongest places of Europe in a season somewhat forward without any likelihood of taking it before Winter That an Enemy in disorder ought to be pursued especially after he hath received a Foil ONe of the best effects of military Prudence is to know how to take advantage of time how to prosecute an enemy in disorder when he hath received some foil and hath so much to do in several places that he is as it were necessitated to submit and consent to whatever is desired A Prince thus disordered will easily grant whatever is demanded of him and assent unto conditions which at another time he would not Wherefore it is very expedient in such a conjuncture to fall upon him resolutely and to pursue him so hard that he may not know which way to turn himself Had Hannibal known how to have played his Game after the Battel of Cannes he had forc'd the Romans to receive such conditions as he would have impos'd it being the greatest blow their Empire ever felt but he trifling away his time to refresh his Souldiers and injoy the commodiousness of his Quarters drowned his Fortune in delights and made no advantage of his good successe A Prince never ought to let good Fortune so blind him amidst his happy successes as to despise his enemies or to forbear from prosecuting them to the utmost not that I would advise to drive an enemy to extremity who flies with a great Army because it might make him couragious force him to turn about and as oftentimes it hath happened to recover the advantage he had lost rather he ought to set open the Gates and make a Bridge for him to run away but otherwise it is if most part of his Towns he taken if he cannot relieve those that are besieged if his Forces be not in pieces and routed in several places and if he be so ill attended as not to be in a condition of defending himself if assaulted then not to prosecute him were a great oversight to be satisfied with half a victory and to give him time to rally his forces again were to break all the rules of War Caesar by his example shew'd all Captains how they ought to behave themselves on such affairs never did any thing hinder him in the prosecution of his Victory but as if Fortune had lent him wings he flew after his enemies till he had quite defeated them or obtained such conditions as he demanded He cannot be sufficiently commended for his good conduct in Affrick after the defeat of King Juba Scipio and Afranius where such was his good fortune that he routed them all three in one day and pursued them so smartly that he left neither of them nor their Officers who was not either killed or taken prisoner nor any of his Towns which he did not reduce to his power The Princesse Marguerite leaveth Nancy and goâ—th to Bruxels THough the Cardinal de Lorrain had assured his Majesty that the Princesse Marguerite was in his disposal yet it was well known that the Princesse de Falsbourg her sister unable to indure the Propositions of delivering her into his Majesties hands in order to the nulling of her marriage by Law had found an invention to save her which she had made use of with the better effect in regard Ambition and Love make all things feasible to women It was known that she had habited her self like a Cavalier with Boots and Spurs well horsed and in this equipage she left Nancy about four of the clock in the morning attended by a Gentleman named Davise who had heretofore belonged to Madam de Remiremont together with two others that she pass'd through divers Sentinels and that at last being stopp'd by one Davise made him beleeve that they related to the Marquesse de St Chaumont and that by this means she had got thirteen Leagues on horseback that meeting with certain Swedish Troops she had been compell'd to hide her self in a very thick Copse Wood where she much scratch'd her hands and that the next morning she got to Thiomville where at first they would not open the Gates and indeed had absolutely refus'd her But for the charms of her beauty which mov'd great compassion in those who beheld her lying on the ground wrapp'd up in Clokes whiles Davise treated for her admission and that at last being got in the Governours Wife of the Town had chang'd her habit From thence she writ to the Sieur de Puy-Laurens to intreat him to acquaint Monsieur with the manner of her escape and that she should stay in those places to expect his commands but afterward thinking it more proper to go to Namour for fear lest the way might not be open after her escape she resolv'd to advance thither His Majesty receive this news with some regret foreseeing that her flight might be succeeded with troublesom consequences and make the dissolution of the marriage more
difficult He much blamed the Marquesse de St. Chaumont for suffering himself to be surprized especially after he had been advis'd by the Cardinal to have a great care of all those who should travel upon the Road because she might probably passe by him in some disguise to which he return'd this answer that they should rely upon his diligence Monsieur Duc d'Orleans received no great satisfaction from it fore-seeing that this Princess would be a new Obligation to tie him to the Low-Countries but the Laws of Civility and the consideration of the Spaniards who he was forc'd to content perswaded him to seem very glad of it He presently dispatch'd the Sieurs de Fontain Chalendre de Rames and de Lavaupot to Thionville who were followed by the Duke d'Elboeuf and the Sieur de Puy-Laurens they met her upon the way and Monsieur in person went with much affection to receive her as far as Marshe and accompanied her from Namour to Bruxelles with all the honour and endearments she could desire That day that she was to go into Bruxelles the Infanta with the whole Court went to receive her half a League from the Town and meeting they both alighted from their Coaches to salute her the Infanta kissed her and then taking her by the hand led her into her own Coach where she alwaies gave her the right hand Comming to the Gate of Bruxelles the Companies of the City gave her a Volley of small shot and the Magistrates went to welcome her she alighted in company of the Infanta at the Queen-Mothers who testified much joy for her arrival and kissed her and after half an hours entertainment the Infanta carried her to her own lodgings which she had prepared two dayes before with very rich Furniture her soul being no lesse replenished with Magnificence then Piety The Princesse Marguerite could not forbear the expressing her content so sweet it is to attain any eminent point of honour after the running of great hazards but often repeated that she could never have beleev'd what History relateth concerning fugitive Princesses had she not her self experimented it The Infanta did dayly indeavour to augment her joy by her great care and the Presents she sent her in which the quaintnesse of her fancy was no lesse admirable then her liberality Nothing is more ingenious then Women to attain their Designs VVOmen of all creatures are the most dexterous in contriving their designs their natural sprightlinesse of imagination furnisheth them with a thousand expedients and proposeth all kinds of overtures with such probabilities of happy successe that they are easily inflam'd with a desire of trying them This desire maketh so great an impression upon their Passions that in case any obstacle present it self to divert them they never want anger which so disturbeth them that they admit of no rest untill they have surmounted it and obtain the ends which they propose to themselves This their violent apprehension augmenteth the fruitfulnesse of their conceptions and as the heat of the ayr doth every day disclose new productions in the bosom of the earth so their ardent desires beget new expedients in their minds carrieth all their thoughts conducteth all their motions guideth all their affections and so disposeth of all their power that they neither think desire discourse or do any thing but what tendeth to their ends they sleep with the consideration of those means which may conduce to their own ends the desire of executing them awakeneth them in the morning and as they have little diversions in the day time they have no greater delight then to discourse with them in whom they put their confidence Men who are imploy'd in great affairs have their imginary faculties more barren and granting them to be as fertile as those of Ladies yet the diversity of their imployments doth so divert them that it is impossible for them ever to be ruminating upon the same Subject but otherwise it is with Ladies especially those of quality who have nothing to do but to please their own fancies I might likewise adde that the defect of Prudence which is evident in most of them is in some sort to their advantage because it gives them more courage to execute than the wisest of men whose judgement makes them fore-see many inconveniences which women do not at all apprehend Besides the respect which every one beareth to their Sex seemeth to take away alâ—â—ear from them by perswading them that the worst that can befall them is but to discover their Sex and quality and that once known not any person of quality will use them uncivilly Amongst the many inventions which they have used to save themselves by flight or to obtain their desires that of changing their habits is one of the most frequent So Laodice the wife of Mithridates unwilling to forsake her husband when vanquish'd by Pompey cloath'd her self like a man and follow'd him a long time as if she had had an indefatigable body and courage Semiramis knowing most people impatient of the Government of women left off her usual habit after her husbands death and assum'd that of the Kings the better to preserve the government in her hands during the nonage of her son Ninus Doth not History record the same of divers Persian women who in the habit of Souldiers followed their Husbands to the Wars between the King of Persia and Selim the Turkish Emperour We read that divers Germans went to the Holy War with the Emperour Conradus cloath'd and accoutred like Cavaliers with as much valor as Amazons The Treaty made with Monsieur de Lorrain and how after all his difficulties he was forced to put it in execution THe advantages which the Kings Army had obtained upon the Duke of Lorrain produc'd those effects of which the Cardinal had given his Majesty great hopes He dispos'd himself to grant all that could be desir'd according as the Army made its progresse He was forc'd to send to Cardinal of Lorrain to his Majesty at Neufville to offer him the new Town of Nancy but his Majesty being not ignorant that leaving the City in his hands would give him the occasion and means to re-commence his imbroyls when ever those who had ingag'd him should send him a powerfull assistance would not be perswaded to assent thereunto He then sent again the same Cardinal with full power to deliver him both the Towns of Nancy in Deposite upon such conditions as should be resolv'd between him and Monsieur the Cardinal This was as much in apparence as could be desired but Monsieur the Cardinal too too well inform'd of the Dukes wavering homour to trust him was not backward to tell the King that he thought it not fit to rely upon it or to be certain of any thing untill the Gates of Nancy were opened that his forces might take possession of it so that the works of the Siege were prosecuted with all diligence yet at last the Cardinal having full power from
receiving any injury they made Bonfires before their doors the morning following the Queen came thither to partake of the Kings joy for having mastred one of the strongest places of Europe in so little time and without losse of blood The King went to receive her at the Port of St. John where the Regiment of Picardy was imbattelled and shortly after her arrival the Duke de Lorrain accompanied by the Cardinal his brother and the Princess de Falsbourg went to do their devoirs to her with more civility then joy And thus was Nancy the Metropolitan City of Lorrain whom the force of her Bastions and the largenesse of three great Motes seemed to render impregnable taken as soon as besieg'd It might have held out at least two years but his Majesty assisted by the sage advices of the Cardinal as he himself hath testified took it in fourteen days The address of this grand Minister forced the Duke to keep his word and to Deposit Nancy for some time fearing lest he might have lost it for ever Hardly had fame published this siege but she was oblig'd to make known the taking of it confirming the custom of Poets and Painters who represent victory with wings to signifie that the actions of fortunate Princes are as swift as the wings of birds Conquests have been atchieved beyond hope and the dispatch wherewith the King hath obtained some rendreth those example of History now credible which before were thought miraculous Nor was the Order which his Majesty took to keep this place the least considerable thing in this expedition He committed the Government of it to the Sieur de Brassac a Gentleman of quality newly return'd from an Embassie from Rome whose sweetness and modesty was as capable of perswading the Inhabitants not to mislike the change of their Master as his fidelity and vigilance of assuring his Majesty of his well keeping it He assign'd him between seven and eight thousand men to guard it chosen out of the best Regiments of his Army with express command to keep them in such order that the inhabitants might receive no discontent from them He commanded the Magazeens to be stored with Ammunitions of all sorts he converted the fortifications which served for a Communication between the new and the old Town into a Cittadel where the Garison might be secure in case the inhabitants should mutiny for the preventing of which he disarm'd them His Majesties presence being of no longer use in that place he return'd towards Paris not with that State and Pride wherewith the ancient Emperours caused themselves to be ador'd by the people at least honoured with costly triumphs after the obtaining of their victories but with much modesty though it was his glory never to have undertaken any expedition so without acquiring new Palms What Orders ought to be taken in a place newly conquered THe affection of the people being the strongest chain wherewith a Soveraign can bind his Subjects to his Empire it cannot be doubted but that the testimonies of his bounty and clemency ought to be the chiefest Orders established in a City newly conquered seeing they do most of all serve to excite that Passion If they be not affectionate to him his Victory will be like a Plant without a root and as a small wind doth easily blow down a Tree not well fastned so the least occasions of revolt transport them to shake off the yoak of their obedience Interest is the most potent charm to captivate their spirits and if a Prince can but once win them into his government by making them taste any sweetness or advantage more then in that of their former Prince there is then nothing to be fear'd The French in the time of one Vespâ—rs lost Sicily and in a small time the Kingdom of Naples and the Dutchy of Milan and all because their government was so rigorous that the Princes had no incouragement to be loyal to them or to defend them The conduct of the Romans being full of sweetness and moderation begot them the affections of the Sagentines and Italians after they had conquered them who had preserved them in their Soveraignty whereas the harsh usage of Hannibal caused him to lose them almost as soon as he had vanquished them I will adde some few particular Orders fit to be established in a City or among a people newly conquered to hold them in allegiance It will not a litle conduce thereunto to render them exact justice in their affairs and to procure them plenty of all kinds of provision to countenance Piety to caresse the Nobility and to gain the learned Religious men ought not to be neglected they ought rather to be courted and honoured by bestowing Alms on them and preserving them in the just injoyment of their priviledges for they have the conscience of the people in their hands and the credit which they have acquired by their good life procureth them so much authority that whatever they do or say is thought well done well said and fit to be followed But especially it being not in the power of the best and wisest Princes to work by all the testimonies of their goodnesse upon the afflictions of a people naturally brutish unreasonable and insensible of benefits there ought to be no small care taken in leaving a strong garison among them that may aw them and curb them in case of insurrections not but that their Commanders ought to be charged to keep them in such order and moderation that the Inhabitants be not oppress'd by them Besides they ought to be disarm'd of all those things which may tend to insurrections by Arms I mean souldiers warlike Engines such men as are capable of making parties and the command of all Towers and strong places Thus did Caesar upon the surrender of any City he commanded their Horses and Arms to be delivered and that all men of any valour or credit among the Inhabitants should be given him in hostage knowing that this was the true way to secure them from any insurrection it being not enough to disarm them unlesse they be depriv'd of men of credit and counsel such as are able under hand to procure others and all such Souldiers as are likely to be active The Carthaginians made it appear by experience when the Romans had totally disarmed them they finding a way to forge every day in their City an hundred Targets and three hundred Swords besides Darts and Engines for throwing of Stones and to make ropes of their Wives hair for want of Hemp. To conclude men of spirit and War are more to be feared then Weapons and there ought to be more care taken to secure such men in a City then all the Musquets Pikes and Pistols The indeavours of Feria and Aldringuer to secure Nancy rendred vain by Monsieur the Cardinal's Prudence AT the same time that the King disposed his Armies to hinder the unjust enterprizes of Monsieur de Lorrain the house of Austria provided Aldringuer
Arch-Bishop return'd to Bourdeaux The custom of this City is that the Jurats go to wait on the Arch-Bishop at the Bridge as often as he cometh from the Country The Duke to prevent him of this honor sent for them that afternoon that he should come to Town and entertained them either upon some affairs which he was willing to conclude or by some other devices until the Arch-Bishop was arrived at his Palace The Jurats indeavoured to make their excuses to the Arch-Bishop for their not receiving him but he was not very well satisfied with it no more then with a trick the Duke put upon him some days after Which is an Ofâ—ice that â—ath Precedency to buy before and in the Market in the quality * Capital de Buch who by virtue thereof may take the first Panier of fish which he pleaseth paying for it in the Market called la Clie where all the fresh fish is sold and is opened and shut by particular Officers who have the charge of it Now the Master of the Arch-Bishops Palace comming to the Clie to buy fish was refused to be admitted upon pretext that the priviledge of the Capital de Buch had not as yet been served This affront was more prejudicial to the Arch-Bishops table then person however he complained of it with formalities of justice which served to exasperate the matter For the Duke moved at it put the same affront on him some few days after upon a time when he had designed to entertain the Jurats and other Officers of the Town by sending his Guards to hinder the opening of the Clie and the Arch-Bishops servants comming to force it were beaten It was further reported how that the Duke to prevent the Arch-Bishops receiving fish from any other place had set guards upon the Passages which led to the Arch-Bishoprick with order to search those who should go in and to take away their fish if they had any about them The Arch-Bishop provok'd at this procedure re-iterated his complaints to the Attorney General and the Jurats and made them sign divers instruments protesting to complain unto the King accusing certain men cloth'd in Coats of sad green with white crosses but without declaring them to be the Dukes guards These second complaints were no more to his advantage then the former on the other side the Duke commanded Naugas Lievtenant of his guards to take an occasion to meet the Arch-Bishop in the streets of Bourdeaux and to present his guards unto him beseeching him to take notice of those who had displeas'd him and assuring him that he had never given any command with design to offend him or to stop the Passages to his Palace Naugas wanted not a fair opportunity to execute what he was commanded and going with twenty of his Masters guard met the Arch-Bishop in St. Andrews Cloister as he was returning from the City in his Coach He stop'd the Coach-man and took the Horses by the bridles and told him confusedly in the uproar that was then made that he came in behalf of the Governour Duke to present to him those men cloath'd with a sad green and white crosses and to tell him they belong'd to him to the end he might know those whom he pretended had offended them assuring him in the interim that he had not commanded any one to displease him This passage made a great noise being of great scandal to some though others laugh'd at it The Arch-Bishop seem'd highly â—o resent it and having assembled his Clergy to propose the injury offered his person and to take their advice upon it it was concluded that Naugas should be Excommunicated but before the Publication of it to send two Canons two Curates and two men in Orders to the Duke to complain unto him of his guards and to understand if it had been done by his command The Duke receiv'd his Deputies with civility but that he might not transgress in his answer he desir'd that they would give him their desire in writing The Arch-Bishop was acquainted therewith who thereupon assembled his Clergy the second time and the result was to to publish the next morning being All-Saints day the censure of Excommunication against Naugas and his adherents Naugas advis'd of this censure appeal'd against it as an abuse gave notice of his appeal to the Arch-Bishop and the Duke having assembled in his house all the Professors of the Canon Law together with a great many religious to have their advice upon this censure where he propos'd to them the matter in his own form whereupon the most part of them were of opinion that there was some exception to be taken against the censure and said that all the forms being not observ'd they thought that those against whom it was pronounc'd were not oblig'd by it The Duke presently published their opinion by sound of Trumpet at which the Arch-Bishop was so angry that without considering the impossibility for those religious persons not to wait upon the Duke being sent for that they had not given their judgement but upon the fact as he had propos'd it unto them and that this their advice was not definitive only a bare testimony of their opinions like those of Lawyers which are usual in all affairs and upon judgements wherin his Majesty himself is concern'd he resolv'd to chastise them withrigor This advice was conformable to that which the Bishop of Nantes a Prelate whose reputation is clear his life without blemish and whose conscience is without compare gave the Duke upon the same fact propos'd unto him by his Letters sent to him for fear lest those Doctors and religious men might be led by complaisance to incline too much to his interest however such was the Arch-Bishops discontent that he issued out a sentence whereby all those who had been of that opinion which the Duke had published were condemn'd as guilty of his person and dignity were interdicted their charges and Ecclesiastical functions prohibited to Preach the Word of God to hear confessions administer Sacraments in the Diocess of Bourdeaux commanding the superiour Provincials to chastize them and expel them out of the Covents of Bourdeaux The heat of his discontent was such that it transported him so far as not to have any respect to the priviledges granted to Religious Orders by the Holy See by which all Prelates are inhibited to make any censures against them upon penalty of drawing that Excommunication their own head which they intend to inflict upon others The Religious hereupon appeal'd from this sentence to the Pope alledging that it had been decreed against them without authority but the Arch-Bishop unwilling to put up the lie assembled the superiors of the Religious houses in his Palace to condemn that opinion which they had given in favour of Naugas The Duke having notice hereof design'd to prevent this assembly to which end he commanded the Chevalier du Guet of the City of Bourdeaux to beset the Arch-Bishops Palace with his