perswaded him to treat with his Friends in the Court of Prague and the Roman Catholicks in Bohemia who could not endure to see the Gospellers enjoy the free use of their Religion Leopold designed in the first place to make an Alteration in the Government of Prague and Expel divers Lords of the Emperors Council who were in the King of Hungary's Interests the thing did not seem practicable in a free Country as that of Bohemia was There was a Necessity for him to content himself with gaining over the Catholick Party and chiefly the Churchmen and Monks by giving them hopes that if Leopold should enter Prague by force of Arms he would oblige the Emperor to revoke the Edict in favour of the Gospellers The Jesuits were the most forward to favour the Designs of Leopold they filled their Colledge with Canon Arms and Ammunition to make use of in case there should be occasion Leopold's Troops â—…arch into Bohemia Leopolds Army was compos'd of nine Thousand Foot and four Thousand Horse They marched strait towards Austria under the Command of Romeo who found the means to help the Soldiers to Money in their way they plundered divers considerable Castles King Matthias being unprovided to resist was very much alarmed He writ to his Subjects and Friends to come immediately to his Aid In the mean time Romeo passes the Danube ravages whereever he comes marches into Bohemia under pretence of exacting those Subsidies the Emperor had promised Leopold for the Subsistence of his Troops He took two or three important Places and Leopold joined him when he was at the Gates of the Capital The States of the Countries amazed at these Motions prepar'd for a Defence The Gospellers appear'd more active and warm than the rest they were afraid to fall under the Government of one of the House of Gratz But it was not possible to hinder Leopold from entring into a third part of the Town which is called the little Prague He had a good Intelligence there the two other Quarters which they call the Old and New Prague defended themselves so vigorously that Leopold could not make himself Master of them Matthias King of Hungary Marches to the Assistance of Bohemia During the Confusions which Accidents of this Nature must needs cause in a Town divided into two Factions Violent against each other Rodolphus remained in his Castle contented with commanding both Parties by a Herald to lay down their Arms he seemed to stand Neuter His old Piques against his Brother made him encline to Leopold who seized on the Castle and was declared Lieutenant General for the Emperor The King of Hungary had at that time a Dispute with Gabriel Battori Prince of Transilvania He chose rather to give up his Pretensions than to have Bohemia taken from him Behold him then at the Head of an Army of eighteen Thousand Men. Leopold and Romeo make a quick Retreat to the Frontiers of Bohemia as soon as they are informed Matthias was enter'd into the Kingdom too fortunate in carrying off their Booty and two Hundred Thousand Florens which the Emperor gave them The King of Hungary being come to Prague the States of the Country received him with all possible Magnificence Matthias is Crowned King of Bohemia After some of Rodolphus his Counsellors were clapt into Prison and others forced to fly it was no hard Matter to make Rodolphus consent to a Demise of the Kingdom of Bohemia in favour of his Brother This poor Prince had very good Conditions in appearance made for him at the Solicitation of the Elector of Saxony who always was a Friend to the House of Austria The States of Bohemia too proposed theirs to the New King for the securing the Privileges of the Kingdom and Liberty of Conscience The City of Prague made some separate Stipulations and particularly that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction should be restrained and the Abuses of it corrected After Matthias had been Solemnly Crowned at Prague the 23d of May by the Cardinal Ditrechstein an Agreement was made with Leopold who still had divers Important Places in his Hand He promised to quit these upon the payment of a certain Sum of Money In Conclusion the King of Hungary and Bohemia having agreed to some Articles for a perfect Reconciliation with the Emperor he went to Breslau his Design was to go and take Possession of Silesia which had likewise been given up to him The Bishop of the City the Lords and States of the Province took an Oath of Fidelity to him and he likewise swore to preserve to them the free Exercise of that Religion each of them professed before A Cabal in the Court of France against the Duke of Epernon The Princes of the House of Austria lived the rest of that year in a good Understanding as to outward Appearance those of the Royal Blood did the same in France Conde and Soissons being now combined together were not content with Supplanting Sully they resolved farther to ruine the Duke of Epernon the Marquess of Ancre took part with them He promised the Count of Soissons to remove a Man who was insupportable to all the Favourites Epernon hated them in effect because he loved to engross Favours he thought no one besides himself could deserve it Conchini provoked by the great Contempt the Duke treated him with resolved to humble a Man who ow'd his Rise to the Favour of Henry the III. and was now more haughty and hard to be bended than the Princes of the Blood The more Epernon found his Interest at Court sink the more he strove to make the Princes of the Blood Sensible if they would not love him they should have reason to fear him After the Count of Soissons had threatned to insult him he went through the Streets of Paris attended with Seven or Eight Hundred Gentlemen he would sometimes take Pleasure in going to the Louvre a foot His Men marched in order of Battle and when the first were at the Louvre the last were at the Hôtel of Epernon The Distance of these is near two thousand Paces In the midst of this outward Splendor the Discontent to see himself Excluded from Publick Business tormented him exceedingly The Cardinal of Joyeuse who only Subsisted by the Dukes Support resolved to go to Rome and Divert himself in the Chapels and Congregations there since there was no more occasion for him in the Court of France Epernon desired leave to go to his Estate and Government this he obtained with the good liking of the Court Mem. de la Regence de Marie de Medicis The Regent gave him on this occasion several Marks of Confidence and Respect The Prince of Conde had a mind to go and take Possession of the Government of Guienne and nothing could divert him from this Resolution His stiffness gave Umbrage to the Court The Reformed had a civil Assembly at Saumur and the Regent did not know whether Conde might not have some secret design
where there have been some Princes of the House of Austria have thought their Conscience and Religion allowed them to stir up People to defend the Liberty of their Countrey and march at the Head of an Army against their own Brothers As soon as the Emperour found the Designs of the Archduke he convened the States of Bohemia raised Troops writ to the Elector and Princes of the Empire to demand Aid of them There was in Bohemia at that time two powerful Parties of a contrary Religion the Catholicks and the Gospellers Under the name of Gospellers were comprehended the ancient Hussites those of the Confession of Ausburg and the Reformed The States of Bohemia were composed of Persons of both one and the other Party They presented to the Emperour divers Articles for the Regulation of Policy and Justice The Gospellers in particular required That the Clergy should not meddle in Civil Affairs That they should not determine Disputes concerning Marriage That they should not acquire Estates in Land without the consent of the States of the Kingdom That all Persons should be admitted to places of Judicature without distinction of Religion Rodolphus consented to what the States demanded The Concerns of Religion were remitted to the next Assembly which was appointed the end of September following And the States in conclusion swore to employ their Lives and Fortunes in the Emperour's Service Matthias was already at the Gates of Prague with his Army A Treaty of Peace between the two Brothers After some Negotiations the two Brothers agreed to name Deputies on both sides to confer together in a Neighbouring Village The Peace was concluded on certain Conditions I will relate the principal ones That the Emperor should quit the Kingdom of Hungary the States of the Country should chuse no other King than Archduke Matthias that Rodolphus should give him and his Heirs Male the Archdutchy of Austria without reserving to himself any Right That he should succeed to the Kingdom of Bohemia in case the Emperor died without Issue Male That the States of Bohemia should ratifie this Article That the Archduke should promise to maintain their Privileges if the Kingdom came to him That Matthias and his Heirs should have the Administration of Moravia with the Title of Marquess That in the Assemblies of the Countries yielded up by Rodolphus the Archduke should take care to have a certain Annual Contribution paid to the Emperor When the Treaty had been ratified on both sides Matthias goes to take Possession of the Arch-dutchy of Austria The Catholicks swear Fidelity to him but the Protestants refuse to do it and take Arms. By the Perswasion of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburg of Mellini Cardinal and Nuncio of the Pope and Forgatsi Bishop of Vienna and Cardinal the new Soveraign published an Edict to forbid all his Subjects of Austria the exercise of the Protestant Religion Matthias is Elected and Crowned King of Hungary From Vienna Matthias passes into Hungary Before they proceeded to Crown the new King the Lords of the Country presented divers Articles to him which they required him to swear to observe viz. That the Protestants should have free exercise of their Religion in all Cities not excepting that in which the King resided That a Palatin should be erected who should in Conjunction with the Senators have the Administration of Affairs in case the King did not reside in Hungary That the Jesuits should not be tolerated and the Licentious Lives of the Clergy be reformed On these Conditions Matthias was proclaimed King and Crowned at Presburgh in the year 1608. The Discontent of the Protestants in Austria abated The Protestants in Austria sent a Deputation to those in Hungary intreating them to interceed with Matthias in favour of their Brethren and desiring their Assistance by virtue of a League Offensive and Defensive still in being between the States of Hungary and Austria in case Matthias persisted to refuse them the free exercise of their Religion He replyed to the Instances the Protestant Lords of Hungary made to him That he would leave all things in the same State they were put in by the Regulation of the Emperor Maximilian his Father The Consideration said he I am obliged to have for the Pope and the Catholick King will not allow me to grant the Protestants the exercise of their Religion in the Towns of Austria Let them lay down their Arms and I will grant it them abroad In the mean time those of both Religions shall be indifferently promoted to places of Judicature The Hungarian Lords thought this reasonable and advised the Protestants to accept the Terms rather than make War It is hard to come to a Resolution on a sudden After some Movements the matter was determined in the year 1609. At the Intreaty of thaâ—… States of Moravia and by the care of the Archduke Maximilian Brother of the Emperor and King of Hungary Matthias consented That the Lords and Protestant Gentlemen of Austria should have the free exercise of their Religion in their Castles Villages and their private Houses for their Family only when they should be in Town That they should have Publick exercise of it in three Cities specified in the Treaty where the Churches should be equally divided between the Catholicks and Protestants That all places should be indifferently given to capable Persons of both Communions The Protestants upon this submitted and took an Oath of Fidelity to the new King Differences about Religion in Bohemia The Emperor had longer and more difficult Contests with the Gospellers in Bohemia The Assembly of the States appointed at the end of September 1608. was put off till January following The Roman Catholicks did all they could to exasperate Rodolphus against the Gospellers and perswaded him that they enjoyed the exercise of their Religion only by a simple Toleration The Oath of Subjects is relative to that of a Prince said the Gospellers with Indignation to Rodolphus hearken to the ill Advice given him by certain Persons If the Emperor will not keep the Oath he has made to us we think our selves discharged from that we have taken to him Rodolphus remitted the hearing of their Complaints to the chief Officers of Bohemia who were all Catholicks These interessed Judges contemning what the Gospellers alledged in their Defence they protested in a full Assembly against all the proceedings of the States and demanded time to give notice to the rest of their Brethren in the Kingdom of what passed and to inform his Imperial Majesty The Gospellers instantly sent a Deputation to the King of Hungary and the Electors and Princes of the Empire intreating them to intercede with Rodolphus The Emperor resolved the States should continue to sit and regulate all Matters of Religion The Term of their Sessions being expired the Emperour dismist them and forbid the Gospellers to meet in the Court of the New Prague or debate of their Affairs there In vain did they Petition his Majesty
of the Marquiss de Coeuvres In the mean time he took care that the Ambassadors of the Two Crowns should be received with all Respect He writ very Civil and Obliging Letters to the Marquiss de Coeuvres sometimes to desire him to come to Nice sometimes to tell him that within a few days he would return to Turin Memoires de la Regence de Marie de Medicis The French Ambassador easily understood what he meant He informed the Court of France of all this management They thought there that it was not agreeable to the Dignity of the King Nani Historia Veneta Lib. 1. 1614. to let the Duke of Savoy any longer play upon an Ambassador Extraordinary which his Majesty had sent to him Coeuvres was Ordered to go to Mantua and to take Milan in his way that he might there take some Measures with the Ministers of the King of Spain The Marquiss d'Inojosa received the Ambassador with a great deal of Civility And they took care to give him the Pleasures and Diversions of the Carnaval But when they began to speak about the Affair of Mantua the Spanish Ministers who could not bear that the Court of France should have any hand in this Accommodation told the Marquiss de Coeuvres that that Affair would henceforward be negociated at Madrid whither the Cardinal Duke had sent one of his Principal Ministers The French Ambassador then understood that the Jealousie of the Spaniards would underhand give him a great deal of Trouble He set out for Mantua The Governor of Milan dispatcht immediately a Franciscan Friar with Orders to Treat privately with the Cardinal Duke to hinder him from accepting with the Mediation of France and to give him hopes of better Terms by the single Mediation of the Catholick King who was provok'd by the delays and resistance of Charles Emanuel The Prince de Castiglione the Emperor's Commissioner in Italy went himself to Mantua He lay Incognito in one of the Duke's Houses near the City This Journey was undertaken by Agreement with the Marquiss Inojosa who design'd to Corroborate by sending the Prince de Castiglione all that the Franciscan should say or at least to interpose the Name and Authority of the Emperor as a new Obstacle to the Interposition of France in the Affair of Mantua Castiglione represented to the Cardinal Duke that the Dispute between him and the Duke of Savoy being about a Feif of the Empire his Imperial Majesty took it ill that their dispute was referr'd to the Arbitration of another Power Thè Cardinal Duke of Mantua accepts the Conditons proposed by the Marquis de Coeuvres In spight of all these Intreagues of the Spaniards the Cardinal Ferdinand took the Advice of the Republick of Venice to accept the Terms proposed by France and to Consent to what was Demanded of them provided he should have the liberty of keeping the Princess Mary at Mantua Ferdinand made some Objections against the Amnesty which they desir'd of him in favour of those of Monferrat who had declar'd for the Duke of Savoy But he consented at last The Marquiss de Coeuvres having therefore obtained the Consent of the Cardinal Duke to marry the Dutchess Margarita the Widow of his Brother Francis to choose before the Consummation of the marriage Arbiters to Examine the pretensions of the Duke of Savoy to Monferrat to Pardon all those Rebels which Charles Emanuel protected lastly to require no Reparation for the War which had been made against him Ferdinand dispatch'd a Courier inâ—…o France to give the Queen Regent notice of what had been done He desir'd her to perswade the Catholick King to approve of this Agreement The Court of Madrid did not seem to wait till it was solicited Affecting to be as it were the sole Agent on this occasion and to give Laws to the Two Parties the Catholick King sent Express Orders that he should come to an Agreement upon these Terms The Republick of Venice thought that this Expedient would avert this War with which Italy was threatned if the Quarrel was not quickly ended and the Cardinal Duke by this Submission would gain the Favour of the Two Crowns in case the Duke of Savoy refus'd to accept the Terms which they jointly proposed The Marquiss de Coeuvres went to Venice to divert him self The D. of Savoy pretends to consent likewisè expecting Orders to return to France Mary de Medicis sent them to him She was well pleased to have made a certain shew of her Authority in Italy at a time when the Spaniards spoke so big there Coeuvres was Commanded to return by Turin and there to Treat with the Duke of Savoy to persuade him to accept of the Terms which the Cardinal Duke of Mantua had agreed to The Court of France was not much concern'd that Charles Emanuel should so soon come to an Accommodation with Ferdinand Being persuaded that the Spaniards would sufficiently mortifie him they were heartily glad that this bold and turbulent Man had his hands so full in Italy that he could not Succour the Prince of Conde The Marquiss d' Vrfe was lately come to Turin to Treat with the Duke of Savoy Siri Memoire recondite To. III. p. 222.223 in the Name of the Malecontents of France Coeuvres received a thousand Caresses at the Court of Charles Emanuel They there seem'd well dispos'd to the Accommodation But under a pretence that the Spaniards had ill Designs against him the Duke of Savoy Levied New Troops and strengthened himself more than ever New Troops levied at Turin The account which the Prince of Piedmont upon his return from Madrid gave of the Coldness and Haughtiness with which he was Received there Nani Historia Veneta Lib. I. 1614. and of the aversion which the Duke of Lerma had for the House of Savoy made Charles Emanuel almost mad Not content to make continual Invectives against the Attempts of the King of Spain upon the Liberty of the Princes of Italy he endeavoured to put himself in a Condition to Resist any that should Attack him Hereupon he Negociates with Maurice Prince of Orange John Comte de Nassaw comes into his Service Invited by a great Pension He raises new Regiments of Swisses and offers Commissions to several French Officers in short he intrigues with all Nations that were Enemies to or jealous of the Monarchy of Spain What an unhappy thing is it for poor Subjects to be at the Direction of a Restless Ambitious and Revengeful Prince They are ruin'd to day for the carrying on a chimerical Design to morrow to satisfie the desires of an unreasonable Ambition or else for the revenging of an injury which a Wise and Judicious Prince would out of Prudence overlook But such was the Fate of Piedmont and Savoy as long as Charles Emanuel lived The Negociation of the D. of Ventadour and other Commissioners of the K. with the P. de Conde and those of his Party The Marquiss
Men and perhaps by degrees ruin them by engaging them after his Example to make excessive expences in Buildings Play and other more Criminal Pleasures In this he found his Account in a double manner It was his natural Inclination though he was a Manager good enough and those who could embroil the State would be drained of Money and Credit and forced to depend on the bounty of their Prince This did not succeed in all points as he had projected it If the Constable of Montmorency the Dukes of Montpensier and Epernon the Mareschals of Bouillon and Biron did not proceed so far as to take Arms to express their Resentment some because they were not Rewarded according to their mind others because some Ministers Confidents of the King had a greater share in secret Councils than themselves Yet these I ords created him great Disquiet The just punishment of Biron the most imprudent and violent of all the Malecontents and the Submissions of the Mareschal de Bouillon Defeated the Conspiracy which Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy had laid in his Journey to Paris and Philip the III. the New King of Spain had promised to support That of the Marquise de Vernueil a Mistress of the King who had foolishly promised to make her his Wife before he was married to Mary de Medicis was likely to have had terrible Consequences but was fortunately broke by the Condemnation of d'Entragues Father of the Marchioness and the Imprisonment of the Count d' Auvergue her Brother by the Mothers side and Natural Son to Charles the IX The King complained the Court of Spain promised Aid to all his Factious Subjects He shew'd his Resentment publickly when he discovered an Intrigue of the Spanish Ambassador with a Gentleman of Provence who undertook to deliver up the Town of Marseilles to Philip the III. Two Rival Powers have ever matter to Recriminate when the one thinks he can convict the other of a secret Infraction of Treaties The Ambassadour without scruple Reproached the King with assisting the Vnited Provinces after the Peace of Vervins and endeavouring to raise the Moors in Spain In some occasions Henry was not more upright and sincere than Philip. Princes seldom concern themselves much about so fair a Vertue No sooner had the King of France setled his Affairs and amassed several Millions by the Care and Management of the Duke of Sully Superintendent of the Finances but he began to think in earnest of Humbling the Pride of the House of Austria This was the Language of those times the World is busi'd at present in Leagues to oppose the Ambitious Designs of France Henry waiting only for a Specious Pretence to make War on Spain renewed his ancient Alliances abroad and carried on Negotiations with diverse Princes to bring them over to his Interests By the Treaty of Marriage between the Infanta Isabella and Arch-Duke Albert Philip the II. had given his dear Daughter the Soveraignty of the Provinces which Spain had at that time in the low Countries Catherine Sister of Isabel brought Charles Emmanuel Duke of Savoy her Husband but a very moderate Fortune So unequal a Division did not satisfie the Ambition of a Prince who was always stirring to make himself Great though he could never obtain his Aim Charles thought the Dutchy of Milan ought in Right to be given up to him Henry seeks to take the Advantage of Discontent of the Duke A Proposition is made to Assist the Duke in the Conquest of a Country which lay so convenient for him and to give the Kings Eldest Daughter in Marriage to his Son On these Conditions Charles voluntarily makes a League Offensive and Defensive with France Some pretend all the Powers of Europe were engaged in it or at least ought to have been to confine the House of Austria to Spain and its Hereditary Countries in Germany but the Project which is ascribed to Henry on this occasion is strangely Chimerical If it be true that this King ever entertained a thought of that kind and proposed no other end in so vast Enterprize than the glory of having brought Euâ—…ope to a Balance Henry doubâ—…less was the vainest Man in his Kingdom Is it not much more probable that seeing so favourable an occasion to revenge himself on Spain he was resolved to make his advantage of it The Declension of that Monarchy was visible to all the World Philip the III. a Prince Inferiour to his Father for his Parts found it in so ill a condition that being unable to supply Arch-Duke Albert with Provisions necessary for carrying on the War against the Vnited Provinces he was constrained to make a shameful Truce with the States-General in which he owns them to be free and Disclaims any Pretension of his own or the Arch-Dukes over them We must not think Spain wanted good Generals brave Officers or States-Men bred in the Cabinet of Philip II. but the Duke of Lerma her first Minister had neither Genius nor Ability to gain his Master Reputation abroad or govern a Monarchy opprest with its own Greatness The House of Austria was still weaker in Germany The Emperour Rodolphus had no great Vices but the Vertues which make up the chief Character of a Prince were wanting in him Shut up in his City of Prague he employed himself in any thing rather than Politicks Had he had good Ministers he would not have hindred them from acting well But he had so little care to chuse them or observe their steps that himself did not know whether he was well or ill served Rodolphus did not live in good understanding with his Brethren The Arch-Duke Matthias forced him to give up the Kingdom of Hungary to him and secure to him the Succession to the Crown of Bohemia Both unable to keep their Subjects of different Religion in Peace were obliged to receive the Conditions which the stronger Party imposed on them England is so seated it ought equally to fear least Spain or France become too Potent James the First succeeded to Queen Elizabeth a Princess whose Memory is still dear to the English for her great Courage her matchless Prudence and her sincere Love to her People Both Crowns strove which should make an Alliance with the New King They believed that being more Potent than his Predecessors by the Union of the Crown of Scotland to that of England he would be more able to hold the balance even or make it incline to which side he pleased But James still fearful and wavering governed by his Wife or his Favourites soon shewed the World he was fitter to manage the Pen than the Sword to write on a Question of Civil Law or Divinity than to Reign gloriously and make himself formidable to his Neighbours He made a Treaty of Alliance with Henry Both Kings engaged to assist the Vnited Provinces and to defend each other in case either of them was attacked by the Spaniards The Court of Madrid exasperated to find the King of Great Britain
is still in our Times She applied her self to divide the Protestants of France and weaken them but did not refuse her good Offices and the young King's Protection to those of Geneva and Germany The Marquess de la Vieuville du Brueil President of Mets and Villers Hotman were sent of her part to Aix la Chappelle towards the end of September to endeavour to appease the Troubles raised a little before in that City The occasion of these was thus In the year 1598. the Protestant Inhabitants of Aix la Chappelle Mercure Francois 1611. having drove out the Roman Catholick Magistrates the City was put under the Interdict of the Empire The Elector of Cologne had a Commission to see the Emperor's Orders put in Execution and Accomplished it by the Aid of the Elector of Triers and the Duke of Cleves So the Catholick Magistrates were restored and the Protestant Ministers in their turn drove out of the City The Protestants shewing great uneasiness to be thus deprived of the Exercise of their Religion the Catholicks to strengthen their Interest put themselves under the Protection of Albert Arch-Duke of the Low Countries The Revolution which hapned after in the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers which Countries fell into the Hands of two Protestant Princes gave some Consolation to those of Aix la Chapelle who were of the same Religion They went two Leagues off into a Village in the Country to pray to God and hear his Word This displeased the Roman Catholicks The Magistrates forbid the Protestants to go into that Village upon pain of Imprisonment and paying a great Fine They added to this a Clause that all who should not be able to pay the Fine should be banished out of the City Some by Vertue of this New Law suffered Imprisonment and after were condemned to perpetual Banishment Their Friends and Neighbours moved with Compassion in taking their leaves of them went in a considerable Number to the Magistrates when they were met to present a Petition in favour of those poor Wretches They alledged that the Sentence against them was contrary to the Privileges of the Inhabitants and required the Rigour of it to be abated The Magistrates very far from considering this Ordered every one to return immediately to their Respective Houses Those who were thus remanded began to exclaim against the Hardships of the Magistrates and the Jesuits whom they lookt on as Authors of these violent Counsels It is now twelve years that we have groaned under this Oppression said some of them have we not had Patience long enough Shall we never think of Revenging three hundred Families of our fellow Citizens driven out of their Country in less than eight days time The love of Liberty is common to Men and Brutes But it is the Advantage of Men to have Courage and Industry to defend it and recover it when it is lost Our Ancestors have ever preferred Death to Slavery Let us follow the Examples which they have given us It is sweeter to die than endure Banishment If God bless our just Efforts for the Preservation of our Estates and Liberties We shall obtain the free Exercise of our Religion into the Bargain Fired with this warm Speech several run presently to Arms and others joyn with them They sieze the town-Town-House oblige the Burgomaster to let out those who were unjustly kept in Prison sieze the Keys of the Gates and put up the Chains in all parts of the City The Protestants being Masters of the Town chose Captains setled a New City Council and took all ways they could think of to prevent Trouble and Confusion Being persuaded it would be hard to keep peace in the City as long as any Jesuits remained in it the New Council sent Men to secure the good Fathers and secure their College The Consternation they were in not giving them leave to Intrigue they withdrew to their Church to implore the Assistance of God and their Great Patron Ignatius Loyola whom the Pope had newly Canonized When Bigots have rashly brought themselves into danger by their Cabals and Indiscreet Zeal they have a vain confidence that God will work Miracles to bring them out The Jesuits were carried to the Town-House and put under a strong Guard without having any harm done them The Superior of their professed House at Paris was then at Aix la Chapelle to drink the Waters He was treated with all imaginable Respect as soon as he discovered himself The Townsmen shewed they did this in consideration of the King of France and the Queen his Mother The Wise and Moderate Catholicks disapproved the Severity of the Magistrates to the Protestants several of them would not quit their Places in the City or the Pretensions they had to them but seeing in the Conclusion they were the weakest they had Recourse to Arch-Duke Albert. The Protestants of their side begged the Assistance of the Prince of Brandenburgh and Newburgh Masters of the Neighbouring Countries of Cleves and Juliers Count Solms Governor there for the Princes coming to Aix la Chapelle with a good number of Horse the Protestants remained absolute in the City And now they publish a Manifesto setting forth the Reasons they had to change the Form of their small Commonwealth for a time In this they offered to agree to these Conditions that those of the Confession of Ausburg and the Reformed should have free Exercise of their Religon that a certain Number of Protestants should be admitted to the Magistracy with a Provision in the last place that the Jesuits should be expelled the place The Regent of France interposes to calm the Troubles at Aix la Chapelle The Arch-Duke Albert and the Elector of Cologne had sent Persons on their part to labour for an Accommodation But the Threats of the Persons cut by Arch-Duke Albert having Exasperated the Minds of the People their Mediation was not accepted The Marquess de la Vieuville and his Collegues were heard more favourably After a Wise Remonstrance they made the Protestants agree to a conditional Treaty without prejudice to the Emperor's Power or what he should order hereafter The Protestants agreed to wait for his Imperial Majesty's Decision of their Differences with the Catholicks and that all things in the mean time without excepting the College of Jesuits should be Reestablished in the same condition they were with a Provision that the Protestants should have the free Exercise of their Religion in some convenient Place without the Walls of the ancient City of Charlemagne But the Catholick Magistrates refused to Sign the Treaty upon a pretence that the Empepor had Commissioned Archduke Albert and the Elector of Cologne to pacifie the Troubles in such manner as they should think fit In vain did Vieuville and his Collegues make a second Remonstrance to the Catholick Magistrates to encline them to Peace They obstinately refused it and the Jesuits retired into the Catholick Low Countries And now the Envoys of France caused New
Plot might be discover'd the Conspirators took a Resolution to set up the Duke of Parma in an Abby whither he had been retir'd to take the Air and be devout with the Capuchins and Assassinate him in this place They were to come after this was done to Parma in the Night-time to kill the Dukes Children and those of his House to sack the Palace and City and possess themselves of the Cittadel Another Party of the Complices were order'd to make themselves Masters by means of some Intelligence of the City and Castle of Placentia which they were to deliver up to the Duke of Mantua In all Conspiracies which require long time for Execution and a great number of Complices there 's almost always some one found who upon consideration reflects seriously on the Enterprize The fear of Punishment the hopes of being well rewarded the Horrour likewise of the Crime and Remorse of Conscience bring them to discover the Contrivance The Duke of Parma happen'd upon some Persons of this Humour who gave him notice of the Danger he was threatned withal After an exact Information of all the particulars of the Conspiracy Ranutius caused a Manifesto to be fixt up in all publick Places which contain'd the Story of the plotted Enterprise and the Names of the principal Complices whom the Duke summon'd to come and justifie themselves It appear'd that the Names of some Persons who were considerable for their Degree and Quality were suppress't Vincent Duke of Mantua some days agoe Deceased was so well describ'd as ev'ry one presently knew him by the Name of Chief Conspirator which was given him The Captain of his Guards was the second Man amongst the Plotters Francis his Successor complain'd aloud of the injury done to the Memory of his Father For this he demanded Reparation This Affair was so much nois'd in Italy insomuch that they fear'd an open breach betwixt the Duke of Parma and the Duke of Mantua The former had his Recourse to the King of Spain for Protection for whom the Famous Alexander of Parma had done Signal Services And the other the Queen Regent of France's Nephew implored the Succors of that Crown Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy would intervene for an Accommodation betwixt the two Princes But t' was strait known that this Disquieted Spirit sought to embroil them further and rather raise a War from whence he hop'd for an Advantage than any ways to make an end of the Differences The Parties agreed to refer themselves to the Arbitration of the Duke of Vrbin as to one part of the Contest The Governor of Milan stifled the rest of this Affair in the Name of the King of Spain and so the Princes dismiss't the Troops which they had raised A Proposal of Marriage between Christiana the 2d Daughter of France and Henry Prince of Wales To stop the continual Complaints of the Duke of Savoy the Regent sometimes offer'd to give Christina her second Daughter to the Prince of Piedmont yet this did not hinder the talk of Marrying her to Henry Prince of Wales the Eldest Son of James the I. King of great Britain Whether it was that Mary de Medicis had an Ambition to make all her Daughters Queens or that she wou'd break off the Negotiation already much advanc'd betwixt his Britannick Majesty and the Duke of Savoy for Marrying the Prince of Wales with the Princess of Savoy James had demanded the Eldest Daughter of France but seeing that the Regent was so far engag'd with Spain he gave ear to the Duke of Savoy's Proposition which he had made him As his Majesty had got in the World a great Name for loving Money very well so Cosmus Great Duke of Florence a more Monyed Prince than Charles Emanuel thwarted the Design He offer'd one of his Sisters for the Prince of Wales with a more considerable Fortune But the Pope perhaps at the Instigation of the Regent who pretended to make the Duke of Savoy amends by bringing about a Match for the Prince of Piedmont with the Princess of Florence the Pope I say wrote forceably to the Great Duke for to persuade him from any Alliance which the Holy Chair could not approve of Notwithstanding the Pope's Letter which seem'd to be Precarious Cosmus thought always to Marry his Sister into England he press't the Queen to assist him with her good Offices at Rome to obtain a Dispensation but Mary de Medicis who had other things in her Head flatly denied him The Duke of Savoy wrote to his Ambassadors in France to tell the King of England's Ambassador that his Highness knowing well the Difference there is betwixt a Daughter of France and a Princess of Savoy Charles Emanuel might not think it strange that a Daughter of Henry the IV should be preferr'd before his but he thought he should receive a sensible Affront if his Britannick Majesty should Reject a Princess of Savoy for to Marry his Son into the House of the Medicis The Regent shew'd so much eagerness for the Marriage of Christina with the Prince of Wales as Edmonds Knight and Ambassador from England believ'd that after the way Villeroy had spoke to him it might be King James's fault if this Affair was not concluded and that Mary de Medicis would with much willingness yield to him all the Conditions he could ask of her When the King had heard this News he order'd Robert Carr Viscount of Rochester his Favourite to write to Prince Henry who was then at Richmond and pray him to speak freely if he like'd of the Match Henry had notice that Christina was not yet nine years of Age and that her Eldest Sister's Portion was but 500000 Crowns in Gold But France said Rochester seems to have so great a desire for this Marriage as no one doubts but she may give more to the Second Daughter in case the Augmentation of her Fortune be insisted upon The Prince of Wales with great Prudence answer'd the King his Father upon all the Articles of the Letter of the Chevalier Edmonds which he had sent him at the same time As for the time said he ' they 'l bring the Princess of France into England I believe the sooner it is the better and that your Majesty ought not to demur hereupon As long as the Princess shall be in France the Queen her Mother will be Mistress either to forward the Marriage or to stave it off and to oblige her Daughter to give her Consent or hinder her from it The younger she is the more time we shall have and easiness to instruct her in our Religion and Convert her Since they ask of your Majesty to Explain your self as to the Liberty the Princess shall have in the exercise of her Religion I desire you Sir to answer your Ambassador positively that you will not agree to any other Conditions with France than what the Duke of Savoy had demanded when he offer'd you his Daughter That is to say that the Princess shall
Friends of Conde had made one to put into this important Office a Man in their Interest Chataigner Bishop of the Place informed the Regent of their several Practices and gave her Majesty reason to suspect a secret Design of the Prince of Conde The Court was higly pleased with the Prelate They ordered him to have a watchful Eye upon their Contrivances and to oppose as much as he could the Intrigues of the Governour and Conde's Friends Chataigner who was skilled in something else besides his Breviary gains the greatest part of the Inhabitants doubles the Guards every where and rendred himself more powerful than the Duke de Roannez in the City His precaution disappointed the Party of the Prince de Conde He expected with Impatience at Anjou the news of the Success of the Intrigue which had been formed for him at Poitiers He sent Latrie a Gentleman to exhort his Friends not to desist from their Enterprise But great Men often spoil the Success of their Affairs by carrying themseves too high Conde Being offended that the Bishop did not only openly thwart him but had spoken disrespectfully of him writ to Chataigner a sharp and provoking Letter which Latrie was to deliver to him The Prelate was confirmed in his Opinion that the Prince had some secret and great Design upon the Town he resolves to be Revenged of Conde and to prevent what ever it cost him the Execution of his Design Chataigner having confer'd with some of his Relations and Friends thought it his best way to rid himself of the Prince de Conde's Emissary A great Tumult at Poâ—…tiers A certain Person suborn'd for that purpose attackt Latrie and wounded him in several Places The Bishop caused a Cry to be made in the Toâ—…n Mercure Francoise 1614. that there was a Design to deliver it up to the King's Enemies the People Rose shut the Gate put up the Chain Barricadoed themselves in several Places The Bishop Arms himself with his Pike in his hand he encourages the Inhabitants to Stand upon their Guard The Duke de Roannez the Governor of Poitiers runs immediately thither from his House which was hard by And Commands them to demolish the Barricadoes and goes to the Bishop's Palace to ask of him the reason of this extraordinary Tumult But the People being yet more heated by the noise of the arrival of the Prince de Conde near the City fell upon the Governor and slightly wounded him in the Face The Bishop at whose Instigation all this was done pretends to receive Roannez into his Palace to defend him from the fury of the People Under this pretence they secure the Person of the Duke and Chataigner by virtue of a Commission from the Queen gives all necessary Orders for the safety of the Town What a fine thing it was to see a Bishop turn'd Souldier and a Captain With his Sword by his Side he Marches round the City every Night he encouraged the Soldiers and gave them Money out of his own pocket The contrary Party reproach'd him in the highest manner But the good Prelate was not concerned about it He caused an Apology to be published the Author of which proved that it is Lawful for Ecclesiastiks to take Arms in case of necessity The Duke de Roannez took it for a favour that he might have Liberty to go home Some of the Magistrates and the principal Inhabitants of the Party of the Prince and Governor left the Town Latrie who was not very dangerously wounded likewise made his escape and found the Prince of Conde who was come in great haste to Poitiers with a Resolution to stand by those of his Party But the good Prince had not laid his Designs right The Gates of Poitiers are shut agaenst the Prince of Conde When du Plessis Mornai understood by an Express from his Highness that he was gone to Poitiers with a design to revenge the outrage that was done him in the Person of Latrie He sent a Gentleman immediately to the Prince to beseech him not to expose himself upon this occasion and content himself with writing to his Majesty and demand Justice Vie de Mr. du Plessis Mornai A Person of your Rank said du Plessis in a Letter is in danger of being Mortified when you Expose your self to an enraged Populacy who have no reason to be afraid of you The Inhabitants of Poitiers have formerly refused to open their Gates to King Henry III. They may well keep them shut now against the first Prince of the Blood In the Name of God don't proceed to Action don't call the Neighbouring Nobility to your assistance The Queen will think this to be a Consequence of your Interview with Mr. de Rohan and that you have a design to raise new Troubles A Prince ought not to take one Step from which he may be forc'd to retire whether he will or no. Conde who was neither wise nor cool enough to receive this good Advice pursues his March towards Poitiers accompanied with a very small number of Men but soon saw reason to acknowledge that du Plessis had guest right they shut the Gates of the City against his Highness the Inhabitants take Arms and Fire upon his Men. Enrag'd with this Affront he retires to Chateleraut with those Gentlemen that had joined him and discharged his Anger upon the Country House of the Bishop of Poitiers which lay in his way From Chateleraut he writ to the Regent complaining of the Inhabitants of Poitiers and to demand Justice of her Majesty who laughed heartily at the Mortification which he had brought imprudently on himself These new Motions the Consequences whereof were to be feared obliged the Regent to go into Poitou and Bretagne with the King her Son and to make the Troops March at the same time The K. and the Q. his Mother set out for Poitou and Bretagne They had spread abroad a Report that young Lewis was so ill that he could not Live very long The safest way to confute this Report to Reduce the Duke of Vendome who was always aiming on some ill design in Britagne and to appease the discontented Prince de Conde was to carry the King well Guarded into Poitou and Bretagne and shew him to the People in those Provinces In the mean time Mary de Medicis sent Monpezat to the Prince de Conde to amuse him with good Words Mazurier Master of the Requests had Orders to go to Poitiers He had either a real or pretended Commission to enquire who they were that acted against the Prince of Conde Monpezat press'd him to retire from Poitou The Queen said they to him designs to do you Justice Mazurier comes to this end to Poitiers But the Prince being reinforc'd by the Nobility and the Soldiers which the Marquiss de Bonnivet had brought him refus'd to go till they had given him Satisfaction The Confusion of the P. de Conde he retires to Chateauroux in Berry He
Brandenbourg and Vewbourg about the Government of Cleves and Juliers Whilst the Regent was making present Reflections upon the good Success of her Journey into Poitou and Bretagne the Spaniards wifely made their Advantage of the private Agreement which they had made with Mary de Medicis to Assist her to maintain her Authority in France on Condition she would not Support or at least not openly oppose their Designs in Germany and Italy These false Politicks of a Regent who was Ridiculously persuaded that the Support of the Pope and the King of Spain was necessary for the maintaining her Authority has already made her take a great many false Steps contrary to the true Interest of her Son Interests of Princes by Mr. de Rohan part II. Disco V. And we shall take notice of Two more She should never have suffered the Archdukes of the Catholick Low-Countries to send the Marquiss de Spinola with a powerful Army to Execute the Proclamation which the Emperor had Published against Aix Mercure Francois 1614. and under this pretence to seize many Important Towns in the Countries of Cleves and Juliers Since the Marriage of the Prince of Newbourg with Madeleine of Bavaria there was a more open difference than ever between him and the Duke of Brandenbourg They were Employed in strengthening themselves one against the other both abroad and at home Two Passions very blind but extremely active in the heart of a young Prince Ambition and resentment of an Affront offered him in the face of the World had inclined Newbourg to join with the Emperor the King of Spain and the Arch-Dukes of the Catholick Low-Countries He hoped that the House of Austria and the Catholick League of Germany of which the Duke of Bavaria was the head would assist him to recover those Countries which were in Dispute as soon as he should Embrace the Communion of the Pope This way of Revenging which the Elector of Brandenburg had given him seemed to Newbourg the most Advantageous and Glorious He declared himself a Roman Catholick the 15th of May at Dusseldorp There is reason to think that the Prince deferred his publick Abjuration of the Confession of Augsbourg in hopes that passing some time longer under the Name of a Protestant he should the more easily effect his Design of making himself sole Master of some of the Principal Towns in Dispute 'T was not without Design that being in Juliers in the Month of March he desired Pitham the Governor of the Castle to give him and his Retinue Entrance The Officer being a greater Friend to the House of Brandenbourg than to that of Newbourg refufed to admit him although he would enter alone Pitham relied upon an Article of the Transaction which passed between the Two Houses that the Governors of Castles and Fortified Places should not give Entrance to one of the Princes in Possession unless the other were present The Governor remaining firm to his Resolution Newbourg went towards Leige He went to make a visit to the Elector of Cologne his New Ally The Prince of Brandenburg attempted a little while after to surprize Dusseldorp but he likewise mist his aim as well as the other The States of the Vnited-Provinces the Electors and Princes of the Empire as they were Friends to both Houses Exhorted them to a Peace but in vain The Jealousie of each other encreast every day especially after Newbourg had chang'd his Religion The States of the Vnited-Provinces Sided at that time with the Prince of Brandenbourg 'T was for their Interest to hinder that the whole Succession of Cleves and Juliers should not fall to a Prince devoted to the House of Austria and Engag'd in the Catholick League of Germany Brandenbourg agreed to them that they should be Possest of the City and Castle of Juliers which they should hold by way of Sequestration This undertaking had its Success by means of Pitham who was gained over He suffered the Soldiers to enter therein with the Officers which the Prince of Orange had sent Newbourg on his Side had the Policy to make himself Master of Dusseldorp where he Fortified himself the best he could These Enterprises of Brandenbourg and Newbourg seem'd to be the Preliminaries of an open War which began quickly after There was talk of an Accommodation at a Conference held at Wesel but the Prince of Newbourg not being willing to dismiss the Troops he had raised unless the City and Castle of Juliers were put into the same Condition they were before the Holland Garrison enter'd they separated without coming to any Conclusion Each one thought of nothing more than maintaining taining his Right by open Violence and the Succours of his Allyes The Affair hapen'd otherwise than the Two Princes imagin'd The Spaniards and the States of the Vnited-Provinces these under the pretence of Relieving the House of Newbourg the other that of Brandenbourg divided betwixt them almost all the Succession which was in Controversie The Emperor Rodolph had put the City of Aix-la-Chapelle under Interdiction of the Empire by reason of the Change the Protestant Party had made in the Magistracy The City of Aix la-Chapelle under Interdiction in the Year 1611. But being dead before that the Archduke Albert his Brother and Ernest of Bavaria then Elector of Cologne dared to execute the Commission his Imperial Majesty had directed to them for the reducing the Inhabitants of Aix the Duke of Deux-Ponts Administrator of the Electorate Palatine and Vicar of the Empire during the Interregnum made all the procedures void and what ever Rodolph Ordained against the City of Aix-la-Chapelle After Matthias his Brother had succeeded him Complaint was made to the Imperial Court of the Duke of Deux-Ponts's Undertaking and the Catholicks press'd forward the Execution of the Ban publisht by the deceas'd Emperour His Majesty easily granted what the Pope and the Spaniards maintain'd in his Council However it appear'd to him That the D. of Deux Ponts had gone beyond his Authority and Enchrocht upon the Emperor by annulling what Rodolph had in his life time Ordered Wherefore the City of Aix-la-Chapelle was again put under the Ban of the Empire the 20th of February in this Year The Arch-Duke Albert and Ferdinand of Bavaria Successor to Ernest in the Electorate of Cologne had Commission to put the new Order in Execution Albert straight after rais'd great Forces in the Low Countries under his Dominions The States of the Vnited Provinces watchful of the Spaniards motions so near to them put themselves on their Side in Arms and posture of Desence Good Policy required no less than that they should stand upon their Guards and oppose what the House of Austria should attempt against the States of Cleves and Juliers which they found to lie conveniently for them 'T was not necessary to raise such great Forces to bring the City of Aix-la-Chapelle into Submission for every one well knew that the Spaniard kept close another Design which was
been Fiefs of the Dutchy of Milan The Emperor was much more respectfully dealt withal Charles Emmanuel writ to him a long Letter by way of Apology and Manifesto The Duke gives therein the reason of his Conduct Complains mightily of the Haughtiness and Enterprises of the Spanish King and his Ministers in Italy and accuseth the Prince of Castiglione of being devoted to the Humour of the Spaniards against the true Interest of his Imperial Majesty 'T was said that the Spaniards were not over-satisfied with Castiglione's proceedings They would have had the Principality of Piedmont put under the Ban of the Empire and the execution of this committed to the Governor of Milan The Imperial Court did not think it convenient to go with so much precipitation They were not so blind but they could perceive that the Spaniards were too powerful in Italy The Pope's Nuncio and the Ambassador of F. endeavour an accommodation betwixt Spain and Savoy Whilst the Spaniards and the Savoyards Fight one the other sometimes with their Swords and at other times with their Pens the Marquiss of Rambovillet and the Nuncio Savolli proposed different Projects for an Accommodation of the Duke of Savoy with the Governor of Milan The Regent of France who otherwise was not well pleased with the Duke of Savoy Nani Hist Veneta Lib. I. 1614. and would deal tenderly with the Court of Spain had given Orders to her Ambassador to endeavour for the Peace of Italy without much troubling her self to satisfie the nice Pride of Charles Emmanuel who aspired to Treat with Crowned Heads as if they were his equals Therefore Rambovillet Siri Memo. Recondite Tom. III. p. 287 288 289. c. press'd the Duke of Savoy to Disband his Army the first upon the Governor of Milan's word which he should give as coming from his Master to the Pope and King of France that neither Piedmont nor any other of the States belonging to the House of Savoy should be attackt Mercure Francois 1614. and that his Catholick Majesty should Disband his Troops Fifteen or Twenty days after The Pope and the King of France offered to be Guarrantees of the Treaty and Rambovillet protested to Charles Emmanuel that the Mareschal Lesdiguieres should come to his Succour with all the Forces of France in case Spain should break the Treaty The Duke was a long time shuffling hereupon He did not believe that he ought to put too great a Confidence in the words of France at a time when France had greater Engagements with the Crown of Spain than ever Besides he considered that the Governor of Milan not disbanding till after him he should lie at the discretion of the Spaniards who might chase him out of Piedmont before the Succours of France could get over the Alps But on the other Side reflecting that if he provok't the Pope and France in refusing with too much stubbornness the Conditions which their Agents offered him he should be forsaken of all the World Charles Emmanuel found himself in so great a perplexity as he did not know what Resolution to take A League with the Republick of Venice was his only Remedy he sollicited the Senate as much as he was able to join with him to drive away the Spaniards from the Milanese Spain said he to Zeno the Venetian Ambassador is nothing like what it was heretofore The Country of Milan lies on all Sides open and may be over-run in the space of one or two Campaigns If France doth not Declare for us she won't be against us Her best Officers and Soldiers who are most Experienc'd will come over to us and take our part even by the King's consent The Princes of Italy who are mostly depending upon Spain will make an Insurrection against her as soon as they see her Power shaken in our Principality Every one will be glad to share a Part in the Spoil The Duke had to no purpose exhausted all his Eloquence and Policy upon the Senate This prudent Assembly was not disposed to follow the impetuous and revengful Humour of Charles Emmanuel A too long Experience had taught them that his Highness sought for nothing but to Embroil Italy and set it all in Fire in hopes of making himself Great or at least be talkt of His Remonstrances and Proposals were not better hearken'd to in England nor by the States General of the Vnited-Provinces nor the Protestant Princes of Germany He proposed Leagues in all the Courts that were Jealous of the Grandeur of Spain and he could not find so much as one of these who would be drawn into his vast and Chimerical Projects Only the King of England did him some kindness with the Venetians But the Issue of this was to let the Senate see that it was not convenient to suffer Spain to oppress the Duke of Savoy and that a way ought to be found out of making an Agreement which might be Honest Firm and as Advantageous as possibly might be to a Prince who held so considerable a Rank in Italy The D. of Savoy accepts of the Conditions proposed Spain refuses them Charles Emmanuel after he had seriously reflected on the Posture of his Affairs took such a Resolution as he had been observ'd to take upon the like Occurrences and this was to accept of the Conditions which the Nuncio and the Ambassador of France had proposed to him The fear of having all the World upon his back and the hopes of getting the Mediators to be on his Side in case the Spaniards should make any difficulty of consenting to the Project of an Accommodation contributed much to the sudden alteration which appeared to be in the Duke of Savoy's mind Savelli upon this and Rambovillet prepared at Verceil a provisional Treaty till such time as a difinitive Judgment was pass'd upon the Difference rais'd betwixt the Houses of Savoy and Mantua Charles Emmanuel fairly offered to Sign it The Marquiss Inojosa would not do the like As he had at that time been for the Interests of the Cardinal Duke of Mantua with as much zeal as he at first had favoured the Duke of Savoy so he rejected the Article which contained in it that a certain dependance of Montferrat called Canavese should remain in Sequestration till the Controversie upon the Duke of Savoy's Pretensions against the House of Mantua was determined by Arbitrators chosen on both Sides The Mediators prepared in the City of Ast another Project of a Treaty in presence of Charles Emmanuel The Article touching Canavese in this was left out and they put into the Room of it That the Cardinal Duke should pay the Dowry give up the Jewels of Maragarite of Savoy his Sister-in-Law at a certain prefixt time and besides this should pay in Two years space the Portion of Blanche of Montferrat for which the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua had Contested so long a time The other Articles Decreed That the Prisoners and Places taken on both Sides should be Restored