without us as things are now If it be a Contempt to suffer Prejudice that we may do another a Kindness we despise our Alliances and which is more we are resolv'd to despise 'em in that manner to the end that by that Contempt we may give 'em all the Cause imaginable not of Complaint but of Content and Satisfaction It appears from hence that our Confederates have all the reason in the World to be satisfied with us and now let us see whether we can satisfie those who are discontented at our Expences The good Husbandry of the deceased King's Treasury left us when he was taken from us Five millions in the Basteille and in the hands of the Treasurer of the Exchequer between seven and eight millions more which he had appointed for the payment of the Army which he had rais'd with an intention to have enlarg'd the Bounds of his Fame which could admit of no other than the Limits of the Universe But the Uncertainty wherein that fatal Accident plung'd us requiring that we should secure our affairs by the counterpoise of a considerable strength we were constrain'd to employ one part of those Finances toward the maintaining for some months a great number of Soldiers that had been raised before so that the said Expence the King's Funeral Charges and the Coronation of the Queen in a short time very much lessened the reserve After the death of that great Prince who was the true Pattern of Government it was impossible to prevent Disorders from growing to such a head while several measuring their Merits by their Ambition were not asham'd to demand and importunately to sollicit where they durst not so much as wish for during the King's Life But they made their Advantage of the Necessity of the Times they offer'd their Service they boast their Abilities to serve or otherwise to do mischief and at length clearly show that they will not be brought to their Duties but upon advantageous Conditions behaving themselves in such a manner that they themselves who had assisted the King in hoarding up his mony advise the Queen to comply with the Times by opening her hands and giving largely to every body In pursuance of this Counsel she augments the Pensions and Maintenances of the Princes Lords and old Servants she gives 'em new ones she augments the Garrisons of their Towns as well for the satisfaction of those that kept 'em as for the security of the Kingdom and keeps in Pay more Soldiers than she was accustom'd to do The augmentation of these Pensions one with another amounted to three millions every year The Roll of the Light Horse and Regiments in Pay is now at Three millions and three hundred thousand Livres whereas in the year 1600 they were no more than Fifteen hundred thousand Livres She bestowed a great number of Presents and so by Advice and Counsel without encreasing her Receipt but decreasing it Two millions and Five hundred thousand Livres upon the Salt every year she encreased her Expences to that degree that upon an exact examination of it and considering the Condition to which we are reduced by so many necessary Expences we are rather to be commended than blamed for being at so great a charge Monsieur the Prince in six years received Three millions six hundred and sixty thousand Livres Monsieur and Madam the Princess of Conti above Fourteen hundred thousand Livres Monsieur de Guise near Seventeen hundred thousand Livres Monsieur de Nevers Sixteen hundred thousand Livres M. de Langueville Twelve hundred thousand Livres Messieurs de Mayenne Father and Son Two millions and odd thousand Livres M. de Vendosm near Six hundred thousand Livres M. d'Espernon and his Children near Seventeen hundred thousand Livres and M. de Bouillon near a million of Livres All the Marshals of France whose number is encreased above half in half received four times as much as they had before their Pensions being augmented to 24000 Livres apiece within six years for every one to 144000 Livres and for eight as they were always wont to be one with another to One million one hundred fifty two thousand Livres Six other Dukes or Officers of the Crown received the same Gratification amounting in six Years to Eight hundred sixty four thousand Livres By this it is easie to see how the Treasure of France was exhausted seeing that eleven or twelve Articles in favour of the Grandees of the Kingdom amount to near seventeen millions not including their Salaries and the Fees belonging to their Employments besides the encrease of Pay for their â—roops of Gens d'Arms the Extraordinaries of War for the Garrisons of their Towns nor reckoning in the last place the Troubles occasion'd by some of 'em Troubles which having three times caused us to betake our selves to Arms have put us to the Charges of Twenty millions in extraordinary expences These things being consider'd can their Majesties be accused of wasting their Treasure must it not be clearly acknowledg'd that if France be in Debt 't is by reason of the Expences she has been constrain'd to be at for her own Children If they who are mentioned have received so many Benefits what have others done They were not remiss either in begging or receiving By consequence the publick Exigencies having constrained the giving not only to those that serv'd us but also to be liberal to the greatest part of those that begged of 'em as it appears by this that the encrease of Pensions concerning which we have spoken in general those of the Princes and Lords being deducted amounts for the last six Years since the King's death to seventeen millions those of the Soldiers in pay to above nine millions and the Gifts bestowed to one or other not to speak of those presented to the Grandees above mentioned to Sums almost incredible If the deceased King who was at liberty to be sparing in his expences because of his absolute Authority could not in ten years of uninterrupted Peace hoard up besides the payment of some Debts above thirteen or fourteen millions can it be a Wonder that in six years of continual Trouble wherein the weakness or misfortune of the times obliged us to have our Hands continually open we should be somewhat in Debt No body ever did so much with so little in so much time never did Vessel resist so great a Tempest with so few Wrecks as were observ'd in ours After this exact account of Expences who will not acknowledge the Blindness and Passion of those who impute the miseries and necessities of this Kingdom to the advancement of some Foreigners Who will not acknowledge that such People blame a Government which is not to be found fault with That they complain when there is no occasion that they condemn Expences which they know in their Consciences were made for their sakes 'T is no strange thing that a Foreigner should make his Fortune out of his Country that in this Kingdom such persons may be advanced
yet I thought my self oblig'd to communicate this good News to you knowing what an extraordinary Joy it will give you as well for the Reputation that his Majesty as for the Glory that your Friends have acquir'd by it Above five thousand of the Enemy fell upon the place fifteen hundred were wounded and thirteen hundred taken Prisoners among whom is the Count de la Feire Governour of the Citadel of Antwerpe and Lieutenant-General of the Army Don Alonce Ladron Mestre de Camp of a Spanish Regiment Sfondrate Mestre de Camp of an Italian Regiment the Count de Willerval and several others of Quality with a great number of Officers They have lost sixteen Pieces of Cannon which is all they had and all their Baggage which is so much the more considerable because as 't is said there were two Waggons full of Money fifty or sixty Colours or Flags There goes a flying Report that Prince Thomas is slain and the Count d Bucquoy wounded in this Action but this wants a farther Confirmation The King has not lost above fifty Men in this Action among whom there is but one Captain and some other Officers and an hundred and fifty wounded which renders this Victory the more compleat The Army of the Enemies was compos'd of sixscore and ten Regiments of Foot and fifty Troops of Horse that were the best they had This is all I had to communicate to you in this Letter referring my self for the rest to the Abbot of Coursan who will assure you that his Majesty is in good Health and that I am with all imaginable sincerity My Lord Your most Humble c. RICHELIEU Condé June 2 1635. I have perused what you sent me concerning la Coudargis and Valin whom I shall remember Pray remember me to Monsieur de Turenne and assure him of my hearty Affection to him When you come into these Parts we will consider of the best Methods how to serve him You may if you please acquaint the Gentleman who married the Lady of Montpellier that I am extremely well satisfy'd with his Deportment upon the Occasion you writ to me about No Body has spoken a Word to the King to his Disadvantage as I find by your Letter he seem'd to apprehend Addition My Lord I Add these few Lines to the Letter I writ to you this Morning to tell you that being inform'd from good Hands that you frequently do things which your Quality and Condition ought by no means to permit You must excuse me if I conjure you to remember that a Person in your Station may very well discharge the part of a General without running the hazard of a private Musqueteer Once more therefore I beg of you to be determin'd in this Affair by the best of your Friends and most faithful of your Servants The Cardinal of Richelieu LETTER XXV To the Duke of Hallwin SIR FInding by several of your Dispatches how desirous you are to fight the King's Enemies in your Frontier I take this Occasion to acquaint you that his Majesty is not displeased at your Proposal provided you don 't engage his Arms and Reputation unadvisedly and that you attempt nothing the Success whereof is not only certain but wholly advantageous to the Prosperity of his Affairs For I don't think it by any means adviseable for you to take the Towns Villages and other unfortify'd places that lie near you since besides that 't is impossible to keep them such a Procedure wou'd oblige the Enemies to retaliate the same upon us and so fatigue our Troops that in case any important Action shou'd happen we shou'd certainly come by the worst of it If I were not well acquainted with your Prudence and Judgment I shou'd write a great deal more to you upon this Subject but that were to call both of 'em into question since I am satisfy'd no Man knows better than your self what may be useful or disadvantageous to his Majesty's Service in the Quarters where now you are In a Word Sir if you find your self in a Condition to take any place of importance I wou'd advise you to attempt it but unless you have some notable Advantage in prospect I think it will be your best way not to begin a War in your parts from which you may receive as much good as harm Monsieur de la Urilliere has sent you so particular an Account of every thing that has happen'd here that nothing remains for me to say but to assure you of the continuance of my Affection to you and that I am and ever will be SIR Your most Affectionate Servant RICHELIEU Ruel June 4. 1635. LETTER XXVI To the Mareschal de Châtillon SIR LOng before I receiv'd your Letter wherein you give me an account of the Battel between our and the Spanish Army I had rejoyc'd with you and Monsieur de Brezé for the Victory which God was pleas'd to give his Majesty upon this Occasion not only for the Glory and Reputation which France will derive from this good Success but likewise for the Honour you have hereby acquir'd the increase of which I no less passionately desire than your self can do It lies in your Power still to draw the best Advantages from so glorious a Victory but you need not be reminded of doing that for I doubt not but that every thing will be perform'd which your Prince may expect from your Prudence from your Affection and good Conduct One of the most effectual means in my Opinion to bring this about to the advantage of his Majesty's Affairs will be for Monsieur de Brezé and you to live in so perfect an Union and Intelligence that nothing may be ever able to alter it Besides the Service of the King who requires you to keep a good understanding among your selves you will also answer my Prayers who desire the same of you and indeed 't is so visibly the Interest of you both to live after this manner that I am satisfy'd neither of you will omit any thing that may contribute to so good an End I have writ to the Sieur de Brezé upon this Subject and am mightily mistaken if he will not do every thing on his side that can be expected from him Once more I conjure you and Monsieur de Brezé to live together in the best Understanding that may be because otherwise his Majesty's Affairs will receive a considerable Prejudice by it By some of the Enemy's Letters which we intercepted we find they don't a little depend upon the Division that as they pretend has hitherto appear'd between you and that they flatter themselves with hopes of reaping great Advantages by your not agreeing They likewise make mention that you and Monsieur de Brezé have refus'd to take Orders from the Prince of Orange which I cannot believe since 't is one of the Articles agreed upon in our Treaty Pray send me an Account of this and of all memorable Passages that happen in your Parts and be
you this Letter to acquaint you that we have sent you fifty thousand Franks to pay for the Fortifications of Landrechy and those new Works you intend to make and twenty eight thousand Franks for two Months Pay due to the Garrisons of Landrechy and Chasteau en Cambresis In a word you shall never want Money for the future to carry on any of your Designs however you may have been disappointed hitherto The main point of the Business is to lose no time for we are assur'd on all hands that the Consternation in Flanders is so great that we never had a fairer opportunity to undertake some noble Enterprize than now All our Advices bring us word that Picolomini has in effect but fifteen hundred Horse fit for Battel and from five to six thousand Foot with five or six thousand Women If you have found out any convenient Post that you know is proper to be fortify'd I am confident you will lose no time till you have made your self Master of it this being a Matter of great importance We have sent Vercourt forward on his Journey who made the Proposal you know of and must by this time be within a few Miles of you He has all along proposed to surprize the place he nam'd to you which cou'd it be effected it wou'd in my opinion be of mighty advantage to us because we have reason to fear that if we lay Siege to Maubeuge before we have possessed our selves of this place the Enemy will pour some of their Troops into it which will render the Affair more difficult afterwards But my Lord you must take every thing I make bold to propose to you whether in this or any other matter as my bare Thoughts of which you are to take no notice any farther than you find them reasonable it being impossible to give good Advice at so great a distance What I desire most passionately of all is that we may employ the remainder of the Campagne to good purpose as well on our side as all the rest where we have begun it so happily You must remember to keep your Soldiers in that strict Discipline that the People of Landrechy may find no ill treatment at their Hands endeavouring to avoid all Disorders as much as possible in that place and every where else In the mean time rest assured that I am and ever shall be with all sincerity My Lord Your c. Challiot Aug. 4 1637. You shall most certainly receive a Month's Pay for your whole Army this Month it shall be sent towards the 20th at farthest LETTER XCI To the same My Lord AFter the King had heard the Relation of the Sieur du Plessis Bezancon his Majesty came to be of the same Opinion with your self viz. that it wou'd be much better to make Head against the Enemy upon the Sambre with a powerful Body and to attack Avenes forcibly with another than to block up Capelle We have again dispatch'd the aforesaid Sieur du Plessis to you to let you know what Troops we can spare to joyn yours that so you may consider how you wou'd distribute them to put these two Designs in execution in case you judge it worth the while and that an occasion does not present it self to you to undertake some greater Exploit which oftentimes happens when a Man thinks the least of it We take it for granted that the first thing we ought to go upon and which you have already taken care for is to see whether the Design of N proposed by several Persons be really advantageous and probable to succeed If the success of it is feasible as Vercourt proposes it 't is highly probable that being in the heart of the Enemy's Country we shall most effectually incommode him The Prince of Orange has sent to inform us what a forwardness the Siege of Breda was in on the 28th of July His Lines of Circumvallation were finish'd so that he lay under no apprehensions of being dislodg'd He promises himself to be Master of the place by the 20th of September and makes no great account of the Garrison as knowing it consists of no more than two thousand five hundred Men. He informs us that the greatest part of the Towns in Flanders and Breda among the rest are but slenderly provided with Ammunition and encourages us to undertake some Siege in the heart of the Country meaning Mons or Valenciennes I don't send you this account as you perhaps may imagine to consider whether these things are practicable but only to acquaint you with what has been communicated to us On the other hand we have surprized a Letter at Sea written by the Cardinal Infant to the Emperour after the taking of Landrechy wherein he complains of Picolomini and tells him their Affairs are in a deplorable condition if the French making a right use of their Victory advance into the heart of the Country He positively afsures him that he cannot take the Field against the Hollanders with less than thirteen thousand Foot and five thousand Horse and that he has none but Balancon to oppose to the French who has no more than five thousand Foot and thirty Troops of Horse reckoning Picolomini's Forces which he says don't amount to eighteen hundred Horse and five thousand Foot altho' the other wou'd have them pass for more He concludes that none but God can remedy their Affairs Now considering all this which is most certainly true I leave it to your Prudence to see what may be done with the Re-inforcement that is marching up to you We can strengthen you with fifteen hundred Horse composed of a thousand commanded by the Sieur de Bussy and five hundred more that are at Doulans We can likewise give you the Regiments of Picardy Navarre and the two Brezez that are quartered near Doulans which reckoning the Officers make up four thousand effective Men in all More than this we can give you the Regiments of Belnave Xaintonge Bachevilliers Castlenau and Montmeze that will make up four thousand Men more Now I leave it to your consideration whether when you have receiv'd this Re-inforcement wâ—…h you may expect by the fifteenth of this Month you may not be able to form two seperate Bodies one consisting of seven thousand Horse and eight or ten thousand Foot to march against the Enemy and the other of two thousand Horse and the rest of your Infantry to attack any such place as you shall judge convenient Besides the above-mention'd Forces I am of opinion we shall be able next September to give you six Regiments more viz. Sauvebeuf Rochegiffard Nissay Saint-Aubin Aubeterre Langeron which within these two Months have been set on foot anew with their old Officers You shall assuredly receive a Month's Pay before the Month is out As for Money which will be necessary for the support of your Troops I promise it shall never be wanting At this very Moment besides the fifty thousand Livres that were remitted to you a few
mischievous Practices You must break up all those fine Negotiations and do it so cunningly that Madam have the advantage which her Enemies pretend to receive to her prejudice The true means to do it is To disperse a Declaration to inform the World That her Highness desires a good and sincere Agreement but that as she has no other design than to attain to so good an end so she will hearken to no Proposal which being void of due respect to the Dignity of her Son and of necessary Precautions for the safety of his Person which being dearer to her than her own Life can produce no other effect than her destruction and the ruine of her States and good Subjects to whose Preservation she will always have a particular regard You must in this Declaration make use of the most advantageous Circumstances of times past to confirm the pernicious Designs of Prince Thomas That being done it is convenient to remove all those fine Negotiations by whose malice or simplicity Madam in the end may be undone Pray be diligent in this Affair and be assur'd that no body has a greater kindness for you than c. P. S. Sir I add this one word more That Satisfaction is given to the Marquess of St. Morice You must take care that this may be brought over to Madam's interest Vpon which account the King will never complain of his Benefits You have so much prudence and address that I do not at all doubt but you will make this Affair succeed according to his Majesty's desire I am c. LETTER CCXXXII To the Dutchess of Savoy MADAM THo' I wrote to you eight or ten days ago about the bad circumstances in which I think your Affairs are in the late Express which I have just now received from your Highness and your Commands to give you my advice about the new Proposals which were made by Moneti and Father Michael-Ange de Aglie give me an opportunity to re-assume my Pen I assure you that the King desires nothing more than to see you well re-establish'd in your States and to have a good understanding with your Brothers-in-law And that his Majesty will be always ready to restore the Places which he possesses in Piedmont into your Highness's hands as soon as the Spaniards will in good earnest do the same with those which they hold so that you may be the real Mistress of them But as the safety of your Person and that of your Son the Duke of Savoy are the principal things which you ought to consider his Majesty will never consent that they fall into the hands of persons whose whole interest consists in their destruction And your Highness is too well advised not to see that all Proposals which are made you without this Precaution let them be never so specious are nothing but a Snare to destroy you I am not amaz'd that Prince Thomas proposes That you go into Piedmont and carry your Son along with you But I cannot think that there is any body nigh you who can advise you to it without adding at the same time that before you think of it you ought to be Mistress of the Citadel as well as of the Town of Turin Upon this Condition I think you may pass the Mountains without taking your Son along with you for whose safety you cannot take too much care to secure him from those difficulties which may happen to him You know Madam better than we the Reports upon the subject of the death of the Commander of Sales because we have them only from your Parts They ought as I think make you fear the destruction of your Son by the same way so much the more as there is a difference betwixt the possession of a soveraign-State and that of a simple Government You must be insensible if you do not fear that those who were not afraid to touch your Honour by several Falshoods and Calumnies may also aim at your Life which is not so dear to you as your Reputation In a word Madam since God has made you Mother of a Prince who is the lawful Successour of the States of his Father the Duke of Savoy you are oblig'd to do your utmost to preserve his Person and his States You will not want Forces because the King offers you his and he commanded me to write to you particularly That provided you will do what you can he will spare nothing that may tend to your preservation and re establishment in that which you have lost But because it is certain that his Forces will be of no use to you if your mind and prudence do not concur with his power to promote your safety It is your part to take care that you be not surpriz'd by bad Counsels and to fortifie your self against the weakness of your Sex which is sometime subject in its Conduct not to add firm Resolutions which are necessary in the managery of great Affairs The Observations which you have sent hither about the Proposals which are made you are so judicious to let you see the Cheat they would put upon you that I praise God that he has inspired you with such knowledge and beseech him that he would confirm you in that desire which you now have to preserve yourself from their malice I think it is very convenient that you let those Princes that cause such ridiculous Proposals to be made and your States know that as you will be always ready to come to a good Agreement by which your Son may remain such an absolute Master of his States that he may not apprehend either himself or them to be in any danger and that you will not hearken to Negotiations which have no other aim but to gain time to your prejudice and to the ruine of the People which God has committed to your charge which they desire to amuse by such hopes When you have made this Declaration I believe it requisite for your service to be deaf to all Proposals that may be made if by the first Article the Duke of Savoy and your Highness are not re-establish'd in the authority that belongs to them and if it be not permitted you to provide for both your safeties by what ways you think it most expedient These two Articles being pre-supposed I repeat it yet once more to your Highness that the King is always of opinion That you treat your Brothers-in-law with all advantages imaginable which they may reasonably desire and which are consistent with your safety to grant In the extent of those terms matters may be so adjusted that those Gentlemen may be fully satisfied without that your ruine is inevitable This is Madam what I thought good to say upon the present occasion Finally I advise you to oblige all those who are about you to declare publickly against those who so publickly seek your ruine that a Man must be either blind or malicious not to confess it I am perswaded that there is none who will
need of them if the Interests of the Church and all Christendom which the King prefers before his own did not concur with yours The Ambition of the Spaniards is too well known to the whole World not to discern that they have no other Design than not only to make Popes which may be favourable to them but who may so absolutely depend on them as to consider the Desires of Spain as the Rule of the Actions of the Holy Chair and you are too quick-sighted as not to see that if you do not fill those many Vacancies in the Consistory you will not be strong enough to hinder them from obtaining their Ends by consequence of which the Church will be involved in a Servitude both shameful and intolerable if the Contempt that you have of yourself hinders you from a due Consideration of an Affair of so great Moment to your Family The Publick Interests do not suffer you to do so the Peace of Christendom the Glory of God and the Liberty of his Church oblige you upon pain of answering before the Tribunal of Heaven to contribute your utmost to their Advantage seeing there are no Reasons able to counterpoise those powerful Considerations I cannot imagine that you surmize that the Subjects nominated by the Crowns are not agreeable both because I know and dare answer that those who apply themselves to France will passionately embrace the Interests of your Family and that though they should not do it this Consideration is too weak to divert them from so important a matter In a word my Lord the matter in dispute is so to secure the Establishment of your House that it may not be shaken or fall into Contempt or Ruiune The matter in dispute is Either to leave Christendom in Confusion or to put yourself in a Capacity effectually to promote its Peace instead of being contented with insignificant Wishes for so good Ends The matter in dispute is Either to abandon the Church of God or to recover and confirm at the same time its Renown and Grandeur Whereas now those who envy your Happiness from their Height look down upon you This Promotion will be no sooner made but they will be compell'd to lift up their Eyes to see you in a Condition very different from your former whereas many judge by Appearances which often deceive that there is Blindness or Weakness in your Conduct Blindness if you do not see the Condition you are in and Weakness and an abandoning of yourself if you will not make use of those Remedies which you have in your Power Some will commend your Prudence others will admire your Power and you will be esteemed by all Men for your Ability in securing your Fortune and the Interests of the Church which are much dearer to you than your own If any one blame me because I think I see a-far off which they think your Eminence doth not judge to be so nigh give me leave to say That the Publick and your Interests are always so present and so much affect me that Paris is not so far from Rome but I can see clearly what Matters of Importance happen in both places I know very well that his Holiness's Chair is the Seat of Wisdom principally in the Life of so great a Pope But as it is with Men in that which most concerns them as with those who cannot see because they are dazled with the Light which is too nigh them I am sure your Eminence will pardon me if I presume in this thing to be so clear-sighted as to conjure you to prefer my Sentiments before those which you esteem to have had hitherto I conjure you by the Care which you ought to have that the succeeding Actions of his Holiness answer the Lustre of those that are past so that it is with the Judgments of the World as with those of God who judges Men by their last Actions Men would not esteem the Life of so great a Pope being destitute of Wisdom because this Virtue would seem not to have been the Motive of his last Thoughts Finally I conjure you by the Desire you have to prolong the Pope's Days whose Life probably will be the more assured the greater cause of Contentment it shall have which I wish him so heartily that I beg of God an ample Effusion of his Blessings upon his whole House and upon your Person to whom I am c. LETTER CCLII To Cardinal Barberini My LORD TAking the boldness to write to our holy Father upon the account of Mareschal D'Estre the interest that I know you have with his Holiness makes me take Pen in hand to conjure you to consider the Merit of this Affair and the Consequences which it may produce and upon this consideration to manage it with his Beatitude so as may satisfie the King's desires And tho' I do not doubt but his Holiness approving of the Reasons which I make bold to represent to him in my Letter will pass by those which have hitherto hindred him to give him this satisfaction I promise myself that he will the more easily agree to it when he shall be fortified by your good Offices which I beseech you to contribute upon this occasion in which not only the interest of his Holiness is concern'd but that of his whole House of which the King will always have as great care as of his own the particular knowledge that I have of this truth makes me give you a firm assurance of it Be pleased therefore firmly to believe it since the Proofs that his Majesty will give in all Occurrences to the advantage of his Holiness and his Relations will better confirm the certainty of it than my words which I only make use of at present to conjure you to believe that I am c. LETTER CCLIII To Victor Amedeus Duke of Savoy SIR THe Sieur de St. Michael will give your Highness a particular Account of what pass'd at the taking of Privas which on the eighth day after the Trenches were opened was carried on so briskly that they were forced to surrender upon discretion I thought it my Duty to inform you That during the Siege we surprized some Letters which Clausel who is with your Highness writ to Monsieur de Rehen to desire him to do Miracles against the King because of the great hopes he has of Assistance from your Parts You may Sir very well imagine that we desire that the good Understanding betwixt the King and you may be continued that those Negotiations may not be at your Court by Persons who are in your power His Majesty has at present one of the Brothers of the said Clausel in his hands he was taken in Privas He has been so kind to him that as yet he is not punished according to his Merits As to what remains I promise my self that the Affection which you have for Madam will influence you to give her satisfaction about the Affair of Pomeuse as I have formerly
Reason the said Father Caussin had to behave himself as he has done The Fault which his Imprudence caus'd him to commit being a Thing that no way touches the General of your Order but his own particular Onely I can assure yee has no way lessen'd the good Will which the King has always had for your Society For my part having all the reason in the world to speak well of it I shall ever take a singular delight in serving it and meeting all Opportunities to procure its Advantages no less glad of the Occasion to let you know that no Man has a greater Esteem for yee nor is more sincerely then I am c. LETTER XXVI To Father Joseph HAving sent four or five times to Paris that I might hear News of your Health yet not being able to know any thing of Certainty the Trouble I am in by reason of your Distemper and my Desire to understand exactly what Condition you are in has occasion'd my sending once more to yee to the same End If you will take my Counsel you shall quit the Convent to which you are retir'd as not being proper for the Recovery of your Health and come to this place where the Air being much better will contribute to your Recovery in a short time If you will follow my Advice in this I will send you my Litter wherein you will ride much more at ease And so expecting either the Happiness of seeing yee or at least of hearing from yee such News as I desire I must assure yee there is no Man who is more then I am c. LETTER XXVII To Father Monod a Jesuite THE King being desirous to bestow some Mark of his Good Will upon those who are more particularly devoted to the Service of Monsieur and Madam of Savoy has commanded me to cause an Oratory to be built for yee Notice of which you will receive by a Letter from the Hands of Madam whom His Majesty looks upon not only as a Person so nearly related to him but as one in whom he has a most entire Confidence I could wish for my own part that I had some better Occasion to let you know the singular Esteem which I have always had of your Merit and how affectionately I am c. LETTER XXVIII To the General of the Jacobins BEing inform'd that there had been some Disorders committed in the great Convent of the Jacobins in Paris as well in reference to Piety as relating to their Studies and that it was most necessary to put a Stop to the farther Progress of 'em I took such Care at the same time that there can happen no farther Inconvenience having provided a very good Prior able Readers in Theology and learned Preachers I hope in a little time we shall see this House restor'd to its former Lustre and that it will be a great Satisfaction to yee to have at present three Monks of the same House that preach in Paris with great Esteem and Reputation My Desire that every thing should be done in Order and with that Obedience that is your due produc'd these Lines to inform you of the Condition of the said House to the end that if in pursuance of what has been done for the Repose of it you think that there remains any thing more to do I may be contributary thereto for the Glory of God the Service of the King and your Satisfaction as much as in me lies And which I shall always study to do with the same Affection as I bear your Order in general and to your Person in particular c. LETTER XXIX To the General of the Augustins THE Bishops of Chartres and Aâ—xerces who have great Experience in Matters that concern the Regular Discipline as must be acknowledged by the good Order they have shewn in the Reformation of the Convents of the Carmelites in Paris having by virtue of the Commission which we formerly gave 'em to take Cognizance of the Disorders of the grand Convent of Austin-Friars in the said City and by the Advice of the Sieurs du Val and 〈◊〉 the King's Professors in Theology and the Fathers Binet and Rabardeau Jesuites with Father Ansâ—lm Fucillant all Persons of great Probity and good Government having deem'd it requisite for the reducing the said Convent to give the Government and Conduct of it to the Fathers of the Province of St. Guillaume which the rest of the Reform'd Societies in France assembled in the said City of Paris for that purpose had requested and to that end having made Choice according to the usual Forms in such Elections of a Prior and Officers of the said Province of St. Guillaume as the sole and only Means to bring this Affair to a desir'd Conclusion for the general Good of the Order I thought it my Duty to give yee notice of it and at the same time to tell yee that the King who is particularly acquainted with the Care which the said Bishops have taken will be very glad not only of your confirming the said Election and what has been done farther to the Advantage of the said House but will also be well pleas'd to hear that you no more permit any Monks to be admitted unless he observes the Regularity of the Order setled in the Convent according to the Reformation of the said Province of St. Guillaume for the Establishment of which His Majesty will do whatever you shall think more proper upon this Occasion His Majesty desires also that you would forbid Father Andrew Massif who is now at Rome to return to the Convent in Paris to manage any Affairs in the name of it nor to undertake any thing whatever against or to the prejudice of the fore-mention'd Regulations Which being a thing so advantageous to the said House in Paris and to all the Orders in general I make no question but you will readily submit to give His Majesty that Satisfaction which he desires in this Particular So that I will urge yee no farther and only take the liberty to assure yee that besides that it will be a thing acceptable to the King I shall think my self particularly oblig'd as you will find upon all Occasions that will give me an Opportunity to serve you and to let you know how affectionately I am c. LETTER XXX To the General of the Gallican Congregation of St. Benedict Reverend Father MY Desire to contribute my utmost to the Progress of good Observance in the Abby of Chelles makes me desire you to send thither as speedily as may be three or four of your Monks to administer the Sacraments there and to exercise Spiritual Functions with the Authority of Monsieur of Paris to whom it will be very acceptable And as to what you have so earnestly remonstrated to me that your Constitutions enjoin yee not to take any Charge of Nuns I assure my self that you make no question of my entire Affection to support your Congregation in all things that serve to its
what Natural Civility Dexterity and Wit inspires into those that are to make use of their Parts Only you must observe That for avoiding all manner of Jealousie there needs no other Order in the Visits that are to be made to Princes and Imperial Cities then what your Journey shall prescribe And that one of the most important things to persuade 'em is that we put a high Value upon their Alliance and that we have an unexpressible Care to preserve 'em and that upon all Occasions they shall receive our Assistance This is that which will slide into their Minds greatly to our Benefit if dexterously insinuated into the Compliments that shall be made 'em if in order to make 'em believe what we promise 'em for the future you artificially lay before 'em what we have formerly done for 'em and how that Henry II. carried his Arms into Germany in Defence of Princes prosecuted to the utmost Extremity How that Henry the Great always protected and favour'd em was strictly united with 'em by the Treaty of Hall and a little before his Death set a powerful Army on foot upon the Supplications of some of the Princes As to the Particular Means they are various according to the various Interests of Princes who have any thing of Quarrel with us The Memoirs presented by their Agents will inform yee of their Pretensions and our Answers annex'd to 'em will let yee know how far we can now go in order to treat 'em civilly upon their Demands After the execrable Parricide committed upon Henry the Great of immortal Memory upon the 14th of May 1610. the Queen being declar'd Regent by the King her Son sitting in Parliament upon his Seat of Justice and being as soon acknowledg'd by the common Consent of the Princes and Lords the Sovereign Courts of the Kingdom and in a Word by all France the first thing she set before her Eyes was the maintaining of Peace and keeping the King's Subjects fix'd to his Person by the Ties of Favours and Benefits To attain this End she renew'd the Edict of Nantes and by that means removes all manner of Jealousie out of the Minds of her Subjects She re-calls Monsieur the Prince of Conde and retrieves him out of the Arms of the King of Spain into which he had thrown himself enlarges his Pensions upon his Arrival makes him great Presents and heaps her Favours upon him opens her Hand of Bounty to all the rest of the Princes and Lords and engages 'em by great Sums of Money Considering that the â—trength of a Prince lies as much in his Counsel as in his Arms and being desirous in all things as much as possibly might be to follow the Steps of the deceased King his Lord and Father she makes use of those whom she finds to have been employ'd by him in the Management of Affairs Things being thus settl'd as she thought to have enjoy'd the Repose which France enjoy'd a Repose so entire that we may truly say she had no other Trouble but that of her Sorrow and her Tears her next Business was to take care of Foreign Affairs The Death of the Duke of Cleves and Juliers being attended with a great Dispute about the Succession the Competitors had Recourse to Arms upon which she takes the same Resolution which the deceased King had taken to interpose her Authority She sends Forces thither to render the Reasons for her composing that Difference more prevalent and powerful Having accomplish'd her Design to the great Reputation of this Crown she preserves the glorious Title which that great Monarch had acquir'd of Arbitratrix of Christendom This Foreign Tempest was no sooner calm'd but a Storm threatens France However she immediately procur'd fair Weather by dissipating the evil Designs of several factious Spirits who to take the Advantage of our Misfortunes would fain in the Assembly of Saumur have engag'd the Kingdom in a War Having warded off this Blow she maintains all things in Peace till the Troubles began at Mavieres in the fourth Year of her Regency Troubles which she stifl'd in the Birth by the Treaty of Monehould Following her Inclination which persuaded her to Clemency she pardons all the King her Son's Enemies and despoils him of some of his Towns to deliver 'em into their Hands opens his Treasure imitating in so doing that same ancient Prince who thought it behoov'd him to give away for the Good of the People what had been hoarded up to that End She endeavours to hold fast those turbulent Spirits with Chains of Gold But her Hands were no sooner empty'd of the Treasure which she had given away to purchase Peace but the Clouds began to thicken again presaging a new â—torm And now the Tempest pouring down she is not daunted but because she did not think fitting to avoid the Tempest by giving way to the Waves she resolves to resist the Weather and make head against the Whirl-wind And indeed her Resolution was attended with such good Success that marching against her Enemies she reduc'd 'em by Force to what she could not bring 'em by Reason Poictou and Bretagne being swept clean she returns in Glory with her Son to Paris The Peace of France being more firmly settl'd by this Progress a War broke out in Italy Thither she sends to quench it and she prov'd so successful that she accomplish'd what she undertook At the same time she declares her Son to be of Age causes the Edicts of Pacification to be re-publish'd and having a little before summon'd together the States of the Kingdom to regulate the Disorders of the Realm and remedy the Oppressions of the Subjects she most industriously labours to render the Fruit of that Assembly conformable to her Designs and being disturb'd in her Design by Branglings Factions and a Thousand Artifices she disappointed 'em all as much as possibly she could That Assembly applauded and thank'd His Majesty for that after he came of Age he had unloaded the Burthen of his Affairs upon her Vigilancy Presently to preserve the King's Dignity she re-demands the City and Castle of Amboise which had been granted to Monsieur the Prince and has 'em surrender'd She importunes the King to consummate tâ—… Marriage projected by the deceased King his Father and decreed by the Queen-Mother and all the Princes and Lords of the Council The King consents to her Request and resolves to accomplish it All those that wish'd him ill oppos'd it and to attain their Ends make use of all manner of Artifices The King departs that he might not perform what he had resolv'd upon with the Consent of the whole Kingdom Monsieur the Prince betakes himself to Arms and some Hugâ—nâ—… and some Catholicks forgetful of their Duty join with him Foreigners are also introduc'd into the Kingdom and nothing but Acts of Hostility firing of Houses Rapes and other Cruelties and Inhumanities are discours'd of The King's Journey is cross'd by the Sickness of Madam his Sister which gave
we desire than to have none at all That by the Means of the half French Garison in Brisac Matters being well order'd the King will always be Master of it according to his Pleasure and that in case of Necessity it were better to venture the Loss of the Army to gain it I had rather being able to defend my self with good Reasons run the hazard of being disown'd and of losing my Life than to survive the Reproach which the King His Eminence and all France might upbraid me with in case the Forces of the late Duke of Weymar and the Town of Brisac the most important in all Europe should pass into any Hands besides the King 's Founded upon these Reasons my Opinion is That if those we are to treat with will not submit to our Terms we must agree to theirs send our French Garison into Brisac with some chosen Officers and march with the Army Count Guebriant is of the same Opinion but Baron d'Oysonville's Sentiments are different from ours perhaps they are better While the aforesaid Colonel's Answer was expected the said Count and Baron thought fit to send me to Colmar to give the Duke of Longuoville an Account of all those Transactions and to receive his Orders which I found to be very different from Monsieur Guebriant's Opinion and mine Nevertheless having made him sensible of the Importance of the Preservation of that Army and that it would infallibly perish if we should tarry for new Orders from the Court he told me that he would agree and that instead of marching with the Forces towards the County of Burgundy as it had been propos'd he would make no difficulty of joining immediately with the German Body and go up the Rhine again towards Landaw Guerinsen and Spire to make himself Master of them and to be in a Condition to pass the Rhine to take Winter-Quarters in the Lower Pulatinate as soon as the Oath was agreed on The Duke of Longueville added moreover that by his Advice we might agree in all things except the Oath That it would be necessary before our joining to send half the French Gaiâ—son into Brisac and in order to facilitate all things rather to grant them part of their Quarter of May or the whole if it could not be done otherwise I did yield to this Expedient as being very good if it can succeed We will propose it and in case it be not agreed unto I still persist in my Opinion to pass the Oath on the Conditions propos'd by the Directors and the Officers of the Army rather than run the hazard of some unexpected Accident The rather too because the last Clause of the said Oath by which the Governors promise never to deliver up the Place to any whatever without the King's Leave seems to secure all And that His Majesty having his Choice to take what Governor he shall think sit out of the German Body it will be very easie to secure those he will put into the said Garisons before he gives them their Commissions The Treaty between the King and the Directors and Officers of the Army of the late Duke of Weymar THE King being acquainted with the Death of the Duke of Weymar and still continuing to have the same Sentiments he has always express'd for the Restauration of the Liberty of Germany His Majesty has deputed Count Guebriant the Sieur de Cholsy and the Baron d'Oysonville in order to agree with the Directors and Officers of the Army Commanded by the late Duke of Weymar about the most effectual Means for the Preservation of the said Army the Good and Promotion of the common Cause In Performance whereof the said Deputies Directors and Officers have agreed that the Treaties made between His Majesty and the late Duke of Weymar as to what concerns the said Army the Confederate Princes Towns and Sâ—ates shall be executed according to their Form and Tenour with the Reserve and Augmentation of the following Articles First His Majesty grants and expects that the Forces commanded by the late Duke of Weymar shall remain in one Body as he seem'd to desire it by his last Will and Testament and that under the Direction of the Officers that have been nominated That the Artillery shall still be Commanded by the same Officers who had the Command of it under the late Duke of Weymar and commonly join'd to the German Body and that the French Mareschals de Camp and the Directors of the German Forces shall have the Power to give them such Orders as shall be necessary That in case which God forbid the said Army or part thereof should chance to be ruin'd by some ill Encounter of War or other inevitable Accident the King promises to grant the Officers extraordinary Means to recruit the said Forces and put themselves in a Condition to continue their Services His Majesty also promises forthwith to pay the Quarter of May in ready Money amounting to 200000 Crowns to be employ'd for the Payment of a Muster for the whole Army As also to furnish in good valuable Assignations 600000 Livres more for the Third Quarter of this present Year due on the last Day of September last Out of which 600000 Livres of the Third Quarter the Directors and Officers of the said Army are to employ 300000 Livres to re-mount their Cavalry and to put their Forces in a good Condition Moreover His Majesty promises to allow all the Forces both Horse and Foot of which the said Body shall be compos'd three Quarters and an half yearly according to the Capitulation they had made with the late Duke of Weymar of which they shall be oblig'd immediately to give a Copy to His Majesty's Deputies The said Half Muster to be employ'd by the Officers for Recruits and for the Re-establishment of their Forces and the three Musters for the Payment of the Officers and Soldiers according to the Reviews that shall be made of them by the Commissaries and Comptrollers deputed by His Majesty for that effect The first of which Musters is to begin from this present Day to be paid on the last Day of December of the present Year the two others Quarterly and the Half Muster on the last of September 1640. and thus consecutively The whole shall be paid in weighty Pistoles at the Rate of four Rix-Dollers per Pistole and no more or in equivalent Money His Majesty is also to pay to the General-Officers and to those of the Artillery eight Musters yearly in the like Species as aforesaid As for the Officers of the Carriages since there are Difficulties in the Maintenance of Horses Agreements shall be made with them suitable to the Times and Reason and that according to the Sallaries allow'd them by the late Duke of Weymar A Copy of the Capitulations or State of which is also to be immediately deliver'd to the said Deputies Moreover His Majesty is also to furnish the Warlike Ammunitions that are necessary and to allow all the extraordinary Charges
Being resolv'd to do nothing without the King's Will and Approbation I have sent to him for fresh Instructions In the mean time I must tell you that my Opinion wholly agrees with yours I am overjoy'd to hear where you are and shall be more so when I have an Opportunity to convince you by my Actions that I am SIR Your most Humble c. RICHELIEU Ruel Oct. 5 1635. A MEMORIAL To the same WHen you had a Commission to treat with the Duke of Weymar as far as the Sum of four Millions of Livres reached the reason of it was because we consider'd the great danger you were in if he had abandon'd you and because we wou'd omit nothing that seem'd necessary for your Preservation We are very willing to maintain at a reasonable Expence such Troops as the Duke of Weymar is able to keep effectively on Foot but we know well enough that he cannot bring six thousand Horse and twelve thousand Foot into the Field as he promises And if the King shou'd employ so considerable a Summ of Money to little purpose and this case seems to be of that Nature he will not be in a capacity to subsist the Body of French without which the Duke of Weymar can do nothing Send us advice therefore what you judge will be convenient for us to give that we may follow your Instructions Otherwise being not so well inform'd how Matters stand as you are we shall act like Men in the Dark and cannot prevent our selves from being impos'd upon Let your Answer I beseech you be quick and large and well circumstanced as so important a Subject deserves Signed The Cardinal de Richelieu Ruel Oct. 5 1635. LETTER XXXVI To the same My Lord I Sent you a long Letter since your arrival at Court upon the Subject of the Treaty we are going to conclude with Duke Bernard to which I expect your Answer knowing that if my Letter does not find you with the King yet Monsieur de Chavigny will bring it to your Hands I cannot forbear to testifie to you once more my great Regret for the Death of the Sieur de Moüy poor Cahuzac and Londigny As soon as I heard of it I resolved to bestow my Company of Light-Horse upon the Sieur de Biscaras I am mightily pleas'd that upon this Occasion my Opinion happens to jump with yours I have not as yet dispos'd of the Colours As I cannot bethink my self of a fit Person for that Post such a one as I cou'd desire if you know one of extraordinary bravery let me beg of you to send me his Name and I will think farther of it I must likewise desire you to send me word with all Secresie so that no Body may know a Word of the Matter whom of the Company you judge most proper for me with the good liking of the test to make my Quarter-Master I will enquire on my side but dispose of nothing till I have receiv'd your Answer I give you a thousand Thanks for the News you sent me from Court The Bishop of Mande whom I dispatch'd to Metz to buy up all the Corn he cou'd find thereabouts for the subsistence of your Army will be here in a short time and acquit himself of this Charge I am well assured with great Care and Diligence Whatever Summs of Money he may want to pay for the aforesaid Corn shall be punctually remitted to him The hearty Zeal which you express for the King's Service and the great Judgment which God has given you will so well direct you to choose what will be most advantageous to us in the present Occasions that I think it not necessary to spend any more Words upon an Argument you are so well acquainted with However if you please to inform me what Measures you design to take I will soon let you know my Sentiments of them Great Affairs are always attended with great Difficulties but with God's assistance we 'll keep up our Courage still Every thing goes well in Italy and the Valtoline One lucky hit against Duke Charles where we might have done much greater Matters than we have wou'd have placed us above the feeble Efforts of our Adversaries I hope we shall manage Matters on that side with more Success for the future than hitherto we have found I am satisfy'd that for your Part you will continue to act as you have begun that is to say as well as 't is possible for a Man to behave himself or for us to wish Pray let me know after what manner you liv'd with the Cardinal of Savoy There were some at Rome that gave him the Title of Highness and there were others that deny'd it He desir'd that my Brother wou'd give him that Title but answer was made that he wou'd live with him as he had done for the time past and after your Example For this reason I long to know after what manner you treated him and hope you 'll do me the Honour to satisfie me about it I am till Death My Lord Your most Humble c. RICHELIEU Ruel Oct. 12 1635. LETTER XXXVII To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord THE Sieur Ferrier is gone to wait upon you with a Month's Pay for the Cavalry of your Army besides that which you lately made We do every thing in the World here to support you provided you cou'd but make an Advantage of it as you desire but the laziness and inconstancy of the French is such that a Man can promise no mighty Matters from them Monsieur de Bullion sends you thirty thousand Livres that you may have a particular Fund to serve you upon all Emergencies and yet not be oblig'd to give an Account how 't is expended to any one I thank you for the great care you have taken of my Companies I have sent the Sieur de Biscaras to them who receiv'd two thousand Crowns of me one half of which is to be distributed among my Troop of Light-Horse and the other among that of the Gendarms by the Sieur de Locmaria I have been this long while enquiring for some experienc'd Officers to place at the Head of them which has given me some trouble but I hope now to find such as will be proper for my purpose and then I will put all in good order without delay I have a Company here at hand which the King gave me leave to raise by the Sieur de Potiniere whom I order'd about two Days ago to march directly towards your Quarters that you might have no reason to complain of the Diminution of my Companies However if you find them in such a Condition that part of them will serve you turn your may dispose of them as you see convenient The Sieur Ponica is arriv'd but I have not seen him yet We will treat with him the most advantageously for our selves that we can 'T is certain that some German Horse will be necessary for us but the difficulty will be where to get them
I desire you to dispatch a Person in whom you may relie thither to fortifie them in their good Intentions The Malice of the Count and the Easiness of Monsieur are really things that surpass expressing I conjure you to do on your side all that you shall judge necessary upon this occasion Monsieur de Noyers has writ to you about Winter-Quarters for the Duke of Weymar 'T is of great importance in my Opinion that he shou'd have them in Lorrain on the side of Remiremont Espinal Rambervilliers Mirecourt that we may save France as much as we can or rather to give him some Contributions to be rais'd upon Bassigny that shall be brought to him by certain Commissioners erected on purpose to receive them I beseech you to believe that I am and always will be My Lord Your c. De Plessis Saint Just Nov. 21 1636. LETTER LXVI To the same My Lord MOnsieur de Noyers dispatching this Courrier to you to give you Advice of the Alteration that has happen'd in the Affair of Monsieur and the Count I writ these few Lines to signifie to you how overjoy'd I am at the News and to acquaint you by the same Bearer that I hope every thing will be accommodated to the Satisfaction of the King and his Servants and yet that this shall not occasion the least change in his Majesty's Affairs I wish with all my Heart it may go off so But let whatever will happen I shall always be to the utmost of my power My Lord Your c. Presle Nov. 24 1636. I know well enough that the Equipping of the Count will cause some Difficulties but for all that I don't believe it will have any influence in changing the Series of Affairs or the repose of the State LETTER LXVII To the same My Lord MOnsieur de Noyers has writ so fully to you that the reason of my putting Pen to Paper now was not to add any thing to his Dispatch but only to tell you the King is of opinion that 't is absolutely necessary for for his Service that you shou'd not leave your Post to come to wait upon him till such time as you have decided what is contain'd in the Memorial which the aforesaid Sieur de Noyers sends you from the part of his Majesty You 'll pass a better Judgment upon it when you see it than 't is possible for me to represent to you in this Letter I will not tell you how joyful I shall be to see you reserving that till such an opportunity presents it self In the mean time I conjure you to believe that there is no Man living upon whose Affection and Service you may more entirely depend than mine who am and ever will be My Lord Your c. Ruel Nov. 29 1636. LETTER LXVIII To the same My Lord THE Prince of Orange having sent me several Letters and Memoirs where he takes notice of several Defects at Thionville observed by one la Mothe a Captain in that Garrison who was taken Prisoner by the Troops belonging to the States and carried to Maâ—stricht I judged it convenient that you should go and view the place that if there is any prospect of getting it you might not lose the opportunity while you are in those parts For which reason I have sent the Dispatch to you just as I receiv'd it leaving it to your Prudence to make those Considerarations upon it which you think will be most advantageous for the King's Service This being the business of this Letter I shall only add that I am and always will be My Lord Your c. Ruel Dec. 14 1636. LETTER LXIX To the same My Lord YOU will herewith receive the Commission sent down to the Duke of Candalle to command the King's Army in your absence and under you I have nothing more to add but that so soon as you have put the Army into their Winter-Quarters the King will be very glad to see you and my self in particular whose greatest Ambition it is to convince you that I am My Lord Your c. Ruel Dec. 15 1636. LETTER LXX To Monsieur the King's Brother My Lord HIS Majesty's Goodness in relation to your self is so fully known to me that I dare engage my Life and Honour for the performance of what he is pleas'd to promise you in the Letter which will be put into your Hands by Monsieur de Chavigny Your Highness shall find upon this occasion and any other that may happen hereafter that I am with Zeal and Sincerity My Lord Your c. LETTER LXXI To Monsieur the Count. SIR THE Assurances which Monsieur de Brion aad the good Father Hilarion have given me of your Affection have made me write these few Lines to you to thank you for it and to signifie to you how overjoy'd I am that you have taken the true Course to re-establish your self in his Majesty's Favour and given an opportunity to those that honour you as I do in particular to do you what Service they can Which I shall most readily do whenever an occasion presents it self as being Sir Your c. Ruel March 27 1636. LETTER LXXII To the Duke of Halwin SIR I Was extremely pleas'd to find by the Letter you writ to me on the 14th of this Month that you had sent a Re-inforcement to the Islands by way of advance His Majesty judges it expedient that you should visit them as you desire and discourse the Commissioners of the Navy to know what store of Victuals and Ammunitions Languedoc is able to furnish for their Subsistence as you will more particularly find by the Letter which the King has written to you upon this Subject I do here positively assure you that if you pass your Word as you tell me you are ready to do it to the Merchants who are willing to advance these Provisions that they shall certainly be paid such order shall be taken to establish a Fund here for that purpose that you need not be in any trouble about that matter In the mean time rest assur'd of the continuance of my Affection to you and believe that no opportunity shall present it self to give you any Proofs of it which I shall not most eagerly embrace who am Sir Your c. Charonne April 2 1636. Besides that 't is his Majesty's desire that you wou'd visit all Provence about the occasion mention'd in my Letter I conjure you in my own particular to do all that lies in your power relating to that Affair assuring you that you cannot do any thing that will be more agreeable to his Majesty and grateful to my self LETTER LXXIII To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord I Dispatch'd this Gentleman on purpose to you as well to bring me an account of your Health as how Affairs go in your part of the World I don't doubt but you 'll take all imaginable care to put your self in a condition to enter the Enemy's Country speedily because the surest way to give
send you his Regiment You may command both of them to joyn you whenever you judge it expedient In the mean time be assur'd of the continuance of my Affection and that I am and ever will be Sir Your c. Ruel June 28 1637. LETTER LXXX To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord J Was extremely pleas'd to learn by the Sieur Arnauld the good condition of your Army and the forwardness of the Siege you are now engag'd in where I hope as heartily as your self can do that you 'll find a speedy and fortunate Success You have been already inform'd that Orders were sent to Monsieur de la Meilleraye to post himself near you and joyn you with his Troops if you shou'd have any occasion for them having sent you this advice by the same Courrier that brought him the King 's Dispatch upon this Subject The taking of Garde by the Count about which you writ to me fell out very luckily As soon as ever we knew of it here a Warrant was immediately dispatch'd to Monsieur de Belle-Jambe who is at St. Quintin to examine him and afterwards to do with him as he saw convenient If you have not as yet sent the above-mention'd Garde to St. Quintin aforesaid pray take care to get him conducted thither in safety it being of great importance to make an Example of him The Advantage which the Sieur Gassion has obtain'd over the Enemy has without doubt put them in some Consternation I am exceeding glad that he has begun so fortunately and doubt not but he will continue to do the same upon all occasions that shall present themselves to the Advantage of the King's Service being so well acquainted as I am with his Courage Fidelity and Affection Be assur'd that I shall always be My Lord Your c. Ruel towards Evening July 1. I have hitherto delay'd to dispatch this Courrier again to you because we have no News here to send you and I had kept him here still but that I was afraid you wou'd be in some pain about us Monsiuer de Noyers has sent you an account of all that has happen'd in this part of the World to which I have nothing to add but to conjure you my Lord to take particular care of your Person for I desire your preservation as heartily as I do my own I am overjoy'd to learn by Monsieur Arnauld the state of your Circumvallation I earnestly request you to make the Trenches of your Attacks so good that Soldiers and Gentlemen of Quality may be preserv'd safe in them because your Military Men are such Enemies to all Sieges that if they see they cannot be tolerably secur'd they grow sick of them immediately But when they once see that due care is taken of them I hope they 'll relish the Employment so well that after Landrechy is reduc'd we may pretend to go upon some greater Exploit In God's Name have a care of your Person and do not expose your self to no purpose Those that come from your Army give me such good assurances of the great Care and Diligence and Affection which the Sieur N. has express'd for his Majesty's Service there that I find my self obliged to tell you that if 't is really so and you have not any reason to question his Fidelity I am of opinion that he ought not to be removed till such time as we have farther Light into the matter notwithstanding what I writ to you in my former Letter However I leave all to your discretion LETTER LXXXI To the same My Lord ALtho' I have already return'd an Answer to the Letter you sent me by Monsieur Arnauld yet I cannot let him depart towards you without giving him this the chief business of which is to assure you always of my Affection and Service and that I will lose no opportunity to give you all the convictions of it I can Just now I have receiv'd a Letter from the Messenger whom I sent to Compeigne and Chauny to see the Ammunition which is in both those places carry'd to Guise wherein he sends me word that within three Days there will be at the place above-mention'd above an hundred thousand weight of Powder and Bullets and Match and Lead in proportion Thus my Lord I hope you 'll want nothing to carry on your Siege or any other Enterprize you shall take in hand afterwards I am My Lord Your c. Ruel July 3 1637. We have just now receiv'd News from Germany which is to this effect That Picolomini has been these six Days at Worms that he stays there for the Supplies which Galasse is to send him with which he is afterwards to re-inforce the Cardinal Infant You have heard to be sure of the Defeat of part of Duke Charles's Troops by the Duke of Weymar LETTER LXXXII To the same My Lord Monsieur de Coüeslin being desirous to see the Siege of Landrechy I wou'd not suffer him to depart before I had given you by him fresh assurances of my Affection towards you which is as great as you can desire He will acquaint you with all the News of the Court as also how impatient we are to know from you all remarkable Passages that happen in your Quarters Leaving him to discourse this matter with you more at large I conclude this Letter with assuring you that I am My Lord Your c. Ruel July 9 1637. LETTER LXXXIII To the same My Lord THE King is so impatient to hear how the Siege of Landrechy goes forward and how Affairs stand in your part of the World that finding Monsieur de Pulluau is not come back as I expected I resolved to send the Sieur Saladin immediately to you to know how the Siege is advanced and what the Enemy is doing that I might give his Majesty an account of all I repose so great a confidence in the success of his Arms in your Prudence and in your Care that I doubt not in a short time to receive that satisfaction which I proposed to my self at first from your Enterprize For my own particular I desire it so much the more because besides the Reputation which this Action will give the King's Affairs you will acquire no little Glory by it towards which I shall freely contribute all that lies in my power as being with all sincerity My Lord Your c. Ruel July 9. 1637. LETTER LXXXIV To the Cardinal de la Vallette My Lord NOT being able to stay till your Courrier had refresh'd himself I send you now another with thirty thousand Franks that you might not want Money so much as in your Imagination Besides this you may take up thirty thousand Livres that are in the hands of the Sieur Cohon to whom Monsieur de Noyers order'd the Messenger that brings you the thirty thousand Livres to deliver them and 't is left wholly to you to lay out this Money as you shall see occasion Every one here knows well enough what a Train of
you 'll have occasion only for 25000 and the other 25000 you may distribute amongst the Garrisons that want In the mean time all necessary diligence shall be us'd to send you fresh Supplies as often as it shall be judg'd you have need It is your business to take such care of your Militia that they may be ready to join your Regiments as they did the last Year if any occasion should offer But once more I cannot believe that the Spaniards will attack you Or if they will needs attempt such a thing it must be with so great disadvantage that you may easily over-power 'em as you did once before I wish it with a great deal of earnestness as being entirely c. P. S. Monsieur Melleraye has acquainted me that there were 1636 thousand Weight of Powder in Nartonne and which he had augmented with 10000 more Also that over and above this you had 25000 for the Affair of Leucatte whereof there was but 5000 spent So that if you had pleas'd Narbonne alone might have furnish'd you with 50000 Weight of Powder without touching the Provisions of this Year As for the Carriages of the great Ordnance he believ'd 'em to be in a very good condition for that over and above the care he had taken of 'em the Country had rais'd Money for that purpose which had been reposited in your Hands An exact Answer to all this if you please the first opportunity LETTER CXXXII To Mareschal Chatillon SIR ALtho' your ill success at St. Omers does not a little prejudice his Majesty's Affairs at this present juncture yet as every thing one undertakes has not always a good event which depends purely upon God's pleasure and not on Man's You must not suffer the small Misfortunes you have met with to lessen or abate your Courage in the least but on the contrary as those that have as great share as you have never shew it more than when they are oppos'd by some considerable disorder so you must endeavour to make amends for your former ill Success by some other noble Undertaking I desire you to believe I will contribute to this purpose whatever is in my power and you may expect from me that Esteem and Value you so sincerely deserve and that I will be proud to make known how much I am c. LETTER CXXXIII To Mareschal Schomberg SIR OUr opinion of the small probability there was of the Spaniards attacking Languedoc when they had so powerful an Army of their Enemies in their own Country was principally grounded on the successive Accounts you sent of ' em But since understanding by your last Express of the 14th of this Month that they were preparing to enter the Province the King thinks fit that you put yourself into a condition from this very moment to oppose their Designs And for that purpose tho' his Majesty had intended part of those Regiments under your Command should serve elsewhere yet at present he is willing that you retain 'em and furthermore desires that you would assemble as necessity requires the Regiments of Rousillon Kelas Mirepoix Cabrere Orgeville and Montbastier which with those of Languedoc St. Aunays and the Militia that you may speedily raise will all together make a Body of Infantry sufficient to resist and fight our Enemies in case they should invade us As for Horse his Majesty well knowing you would not have enough tho' the Gentlemen of the Country should all be assisting has sent you ten Commissions to raise so many Troops more with 60000 Livres for Levy-Money But because it may be this Sum may not come to your Hands so soon as you expect I have sent 10000 Crowns of my own Money upon the said 60000 to the end that you may proceed in your Levies briskly and with expedition You may be hereby assur'd that I have no less desires than formerly to see you gain Honour over your Enemies and that my Care of you is not more remiss As for the 30000 Livres you writ for about Bread M. Noyers has acquainted me you have already had Orders for 'em on the general Receipt of Montpellier Whereas his Majesty has altogether design'd the aforesaid Troops to oppose his Enemies Intentions if instead of entering Languedoc they should march towards Provence you are desir'd to do the like and as soon as possible to join the Count d' Alez But if neither Languedoc nor Provence stand in need of you the King would have you command 'em away into Italy as well to strengthen the Cardinal de la Valette's Army as to ease and discharge your own Government from so great a number of Men that must needs incommode you extreamly As to your Complaint against M. de Nismes I am oblig'd to acquaint you he has never said any thing to me of you that you ought in the least to be offended at and if he has mention'd any thing to the Council as Representative he has done it only by order from his Province who you know have always had liberty by their Deputies to make known what they thought intrench'd upon their Priviledges Wherefore I must needs desire you to will him no harm but to live with him as with a Person I have no ordinary kindness for M. Noyers having writ to you so largely upon all Matters there is nothing left more for me but to desire you to send frequent Expresses of your Motions and to assure yourself that I will endeavour to be as serviceable as you can expect from one who has always honour'd and esteem'd you and who am c. LETTER CXXXIV To Mareschal Chatillon SIR Monsieur de Saligny is return'd so well inform'd of the King's mind about those Matters he came to represent from you to his Majesty that referring you altogether to him for farther Instructions I shall content myself in these Lines with only assuring you of the continuance of my Friendship and Affection and that I should be glad of any opportunities to convince you how much I am c. P. S. I desire you to remember that the Affair you have in hand requires both Secrecy and Diligence LETTER CXXXV To the Same SIR YOu will be so particularly acquainted by the Dispatch M. Noyers sends you with the King's Pleasure that it would be altogether needless to write more Therefore I shall only earnestly entreat you to employ so much diligence and care in that small concern his Majesty desires of you that you may in some measure make amends for your Misfortunes hitherto For my part I wish you success with all my heart not only for the reputation of his Majesty's Arms but also your own of which I desire the encrease as being c. P. S. Let Secrecy and Diligence be your Guides and I intreat you to act suitable to the Desires and Good-will of your Friends LETTER CXXXVI To the Same SIR THE King having sent back the Bishop of Auxerre to acquaint you with his desires to have the Siege
accountable to God if I do not inform you what is said upon this Subject have prevailed with me to take Pen in hand to beseech you to prevent this great Evil. I am sure your Holiness will judge that it is reasonable that you concur with the great Care that the King takes to make choice of the best Subjects of his Kingdom to be promoted to Bishopricks and that by this means those who are designed for that Office may make use of the Talents that God has given them to the Salvation of Souls he would not see by the Vineyard's side many unprofitable Labourers because they are not introduced by him who ought to set them at work the great Fruit that they reap who have been lately promoted to such Offices gives occasion to Men to complain of the Miseries of the Church being by so much the greater because little Obstacles stop the Current of those great Favours which it expects from your Hands As the Church cannot be divided from the Authority of your Holiness so France would not be separated from your Goodness which she is sensible is so great towards her that she will always think herself as assured of that for which she is purely dependent as of that which she may expect from Justice It has always been an ancient Custom of France to take Informations of the Life and Manners of Men before the Bishops The King might pretend that they ought to remain in those Terms But if the Desire that he has to shew that he will pay to the Holy Chair as much Deference as he can without diminishing the Rights and Dignities of the Crown induce him not to hinder that those nominated to Bishopricks who shall have more Conveniency to take Informations before the Nuncio's of your Holiness may make use of this Liberty provided that those who according to the ancient Custom of the Realm shall be invested before French Bishops may obtain their Bulls as readily as tho' they they had applied themselves to your Nuncio's Your Holiness shall have that which your Predecessors never obtained of those who have hitherto possessed the Crown although they have wink'd at it upon certain occasions as the singular Virtues which were remarkable in your Person while you were in this Kingdom cannot be blotted out of our Memory I am also certain that your Holiness doth so well remember what you saw practic'd there that you need but have recourse to your Zeal to promote the Welfare of France the Knowledge that you have of what has been always observed there is sufficient to make you acknowledge the Justice of her Desires If you consider also that Informations made before French Bishops cannot be refused without doing a notable Prejudice to the Court of Rome who could not receive them without judging of their Probity which was so well known that there was no room to doubt of the Validity of what pass'd before them I am sure that Mens Souls will speedily receive of you that Assistance which they hope for and that your Holiness by opening the Mouths of those who expect that Liberty to instruct the People which is altogether necessary shall stop theirs who cannot but complain of the Difficulties which have hindred them from receiving the Effects of your Power and Goodness This is that which I beg of you in all Humility desiring of God that he would add many Years to your Life many Blessings to your House and as much Happiness to your Person as is desired by c. P. S. As I take the boldness to write to your Holiness upon a Subject which concerns the Salvatiou of Souls of which you have a particular Care I am assured that you will not take it ill that I have taken the liberty of writing to Cardinal Barberini upon another Subject which is of very great Importance to the Church to the Peace of Christendom and to the Grandeur and Safety of your Family LETTER CCL To Cardinal Anthony upon his sending him a Diamond Cross and a Diamond Box with the King's Picture in it My LORD THE King being informed that those who have always envied his Happiness and who have no true Love for your Family forgetting nothing that may give you Trouble and make you bear the Cross upon his Account commanded me to send you one as a Present from him to let all the World know that he cannot endure that for his sake you bear any other than what comes from him whose Weight will not be troublesom and because it is not only upon this occasion but upon all others which may happen that his Majesty pretends to ease you of all the Pains and Sorrows with which you are afflicted He desired you also to receive this Picture from his own Hand believing that your Eminence being fortified by his Shadow alone will be able to resist all the Enemies of your Family against whom he will very gladly use all his Power upon all occasions which may present for your Advantage I obey this Command with so much the more Satisfaction because I am and always will be c. LETTER CCLI To Cardinal Barbarini My LORD THE Joy that I have for the good Understanding betwixt his Holiness and his Majesty will not suffer me to be silent and I think I should be wanting to myself if I should fail to testifie it to your Eminence That Moment that this Letter shall come to your Hands it will give you a particular Proof of my Affection and Desire of the Welfare of your Family whose Interest you hazard so much by the Delay of the Promotion that I could not but inform you of it I do not consider this Affair by the Misery which may happen by the Death of his Holiness to whom I earnestly desire length of Days because the greatness of the Loss you would have by the Death of so good an Uncle stifles in my Thought the Consideration of all its Consequences You must be blind not to see that this shaking of your House would be a Forerunner of its Ruine but you lose so much from this very Moment by not making the Promotion and fail to take Advantages so important for you and the Church that it is impossible to conceive the Reasons which have retarded it hitherto Those who envy the Grandeur of your Family and desire its Depression have this Satisfaction to live in hope to see that which they desire to your Disadvantage and instead of fearing your Eminence if this Promotion were made you give them opportunity to despise you by the Belief that you will not lay hold upon an occasion which may put you in a Condition not only not to fear them but to have no need of them my Endeavours after the Interests of France which are dearer to me than my own Life would not permit me to give you this Counsel after the execution of which you may have less Consideration for the Crowns because you would not have so much
acquir'd upon this occasion in which truly he has omitted nothing which might be expected from his Prudence his Valour and Courage A Fortnight ago I took the Boldness to write to your Highness that considering the Duke of Savoy might have need of some Supply for the Expence he is obliged to I would endeavour to obtain him one of the King the first time I should have the Honour to see him now that I might keep my Promise and satisfie my Desire together I laid hold upon the Opportunity of the good News of the Success in Italy to make the Proposal to his Majesty who notwithstanding the great Affairs he has now in hand has chearfully granted him three hundred thousand Livres of which I shall give to our Embassadour good Bills of Assignment all payable within the Year I will be very diligent in this matter desiring to give your Highness a Testimony that not only upon this occasion but upon any other wherein your Interest and Satisfaction are concern'd you are more dear to me than my Life and that I am and ever will be c. LETTER CCLXX. To the Dutchess of Savoy MADAM I Cannot express to you my Resentment of the Injury the Cardinal of Savoy has done himself by running counter to his Duty and your Intentions without any Reason It is true that his Levity and Inconstancy will be blamed by the whole World But that which vexes me most is the mischievous Design that he and Prince Thomas may have for your Prejudice the King has so much tenderness to your Highness that he can never promise you any Assistance but he is better than his Word I can assure you that upon all Occasions and at all times I will forget nothing that may depend upon me not truly for your own Service but for all theirs who belong to you beseeching you to believe that tho' I have always hitherto been your Servant as much as may be I am now doubly so The King is very much assured of the Fidelity of the Duke of Savoy I will gladly be his Caution upon this or any other Article The Count of St. Morice has spoke to me about an Honour which your Highness designs to bestow upon me of which I think myself so unworthy that I dare not so much as think of it Those are Proofs of your excessive Bounty which oblige me more and more to be what I am c. LETTER CCLXXI. To the Same MADAM I Cannot sufficiently praise God for the happy Deliverance of your Highness from the Pains and Perils of Childbirth and for the new Blessing which he is pleased to add to your Family nor testifie to you my particular Joy for it I make no Answer to that which concerns the Design that your Highness is pleased to have upon this occasion relating to me because it is so much above me that I can but commend your Bounty from whence it proceeds and desire to be so happy as to be able to declare my Sence of it words being not capable to express it I will endeavour to supply that Defect by the best Services I am able to do you to let you see that no body is equally yours as is c. LETTER CCLXXII To the Same MADAM I Think it needless to declare to your Highness my Grief for the Duke of Savoy's Sickness and that your Knowledge of the Zeal and Passion I have always had for both your Persons is sufficient to make you conceive to what degree it is I will only tell you Madam that the King was sensibly affected with the News and the same Hour he heard it he dispatched this Gentleman to let you know his Concerns for it and to bring back the Conditions of his Health for which he is in much Pain I do not tell you Madam the Tenderness and Affection which it pleases his Majesty to declare to me he has for you upon account of this Sickness because besides that the Embassadour will not fail to make it known to you as also what we esteem proper for your Highness's Service in this Juncture I am sure you do not doubt but they are such as you desire I will only assure you by these Lines That if the Duke of Savoy should unfortunately dye which I hope God of his Mercy will prevent the King will omit nothing that may depend upon his Power and Authority to protect your Highness and to hinder that those who are Enemies of your Peace and have always envied your Virtue be not able to do you any Harm As to my particular Madam I beseech your Highness to believe That I will always esteem myself extreamly happy to employ the Remainder of my Life to second his Majesty's Intentions for your Advantage and to let you know by my Actions and Services that no body doth and will honour you with more Sincerity than myself nor is more truly what I always will be c. LETTER CCLXXIII To the Dutchess of Savoy MADAM AS our Affliction is unparalell'd so my Sorrow is ineffable I confess I was so surprized with this Misfortune which has happened not only to your Highness but to all Christendom that nothing but God can give me any Comfort It is from his Hand Madam that I expect your Highness will receive Consolation and from him alone so great a Distemper must have no less a Physician The King who will always look upon your Interests as his own is extreamly afflicted with this Accident You will receive whatever you may expect from his Benificence assuring you Madam that he will upon this occasion do more for your Highness than for himself As for me Madam be pleased to put me at the Head of all your most zealous Servants who always take most Care of your Concerns and who will omit nothing which they think may contribute to your Prosperity c. LETTER CCLXXIV To the Same MADAM THe more your Enemies strive to publish their mischievous Designs against your Person the more doth the Zeal which I have always had for your Highness's Service augment and I hope I shall be happy enough to find out some opportunity to give you new Proofs of it and by the same means discover to you the Designs of those who do not love your Highness and who desire to disturb your Peace are disappointed yet this matter depends upon your Highness's Conduct and the stout and good Resolutions which you shall take at your Entrance upon the Government to maintain your Authority and to prevent the Mischiefs which your Enemies would do you I pray your Highness to believe that the King will prevent it with all his Power and that as to my particular I honour you and will not omit my utmost to second his Majesty's Sentiments to your Advantage and to let you know at the same time that as your Highness has no Subject over whom you have a more absolute Power than myself so you have none who more really is and will
much as you can desire from a Person who is really as I am c. LETTER XV. To the Bishop of Marscilles HAving understood the Trouble to which your Grand Vicar puts the Carmelites of the Convent of the City of Marseilles in reference to their Privileges and his Rigour towards the Prioress governing the said Nuns I have sent you this Letter to intreat you to put a Stop to the Vicar's Proceedings and hinder him from dealing with 'em so severely which I do with so much the more Affection because that Order having been under my Protection over since the Death of Cardinal Berule it would be a hard Case that I should suffer those good Souls to be vex'd and turmoil'd with undeserv'd everities I make no question but you will apply all requisite Moderation as well for the Glory of God as for the Repose of the said Nuns who desire to live under the same Laws and Rules with those of the Convent of Paris and other places and also to enjoy the same Priviledges I promise my self that you will carefully lend your helping hand in this Affair Confident of this I shall conclude this Letter assuring you that I am c. LETTER XVI To the Bishop of St. Papoul THE King having cast his Eyes upon your Person in Consideration of the many good Qualities which he observes there met together with a Design to gratifie you with the Bishoprick of St. Papoul which has been vacant for some time I could no longer delay to give you notice of it and at the same time to let you know as I do by these Lines my own particular Satisfaction to see your Merits acknowledg'd by so great an Honour I assure my self that your Demeanour in this Charge wherewith it has pleased His Majesty to honour you will give him an Occasion to make a diligent Search through all the Corners of his Provinces for other Persons whose Reputation may equal yours In the mean time I beseech yee to be cocvinc'd that I shall always most sincerely wish your Content as being really as much as you can desire c. LETTER XVII To the Bishop of Sens. THE Esteem which the King has of your Person is such that His Majesty knowing the Bishoprick which you have hitherto held is much below your Merit has been pleas'd to give you Proofs of his good Will by Translating you to that of Cahors which you know to be much better then yours that you must surrender into his hands I was extreamly glad to have the Opportunity in giving you notice of this Favour in His Majesty's Name to let you know at the same time my own particular Joy for the Favour which it has pleas'd His Majesty to confer upon yee and to assure yee that you can never have more Content or greater Preferment then I wish you As being really c. LETTER XVIII To the Bishop of Nismes I Was very glad to hear News of yee by the Letter which you wrote me and by the Abbot of St. Mars to understand the Beginning of the happy Progress you are making in the place where you are for the Good of Religion I always believ'd that you would effectually answer the Choice which His Majesty made of your Person and fulfil your Promises not to let the Talents that God has given you lie idle but to employ 'em upon all Occasions for the Advantage of his Worship I cannot express my Joy for so good a Beginning nevertheless you may conceive it by the singular Affection which I bear you Only I must conjure yee to reside continually in your Diocess as hitherto you have done and to believe that you can do nothing either more agreeable to His Majesty or more to my Content as it will be always my greatest Satisfaction to serve you upon all Occasions and to let you know how much I am c. LETTER XIX To the Archbishop of Rouan HAving seen the Letter and the Papers which you sent me I must tell yee that in regard the Affair in Controversie is the general Question between the Bishops and the exempt Monks which cannot be decided so speedily 't is my Opinion that until they fall upon the Debate of it you may continue your Visits in all the exempt Monasteries of your Diocess whenever you think convenient at what time it behoves the Monks to receive you with all the Honour and Respect that may be contenting your self only to visit the Churches the holy Sacraments and the Buildings without making the Scrutiny Which being only an Enquiry into the Miscarriages of the Monks and the Defects of their Regular Discipline methinks they should not be taken Cognizance of nor punish'd but only by the Superior Regulars You may also when you would go to the Monasteries celebrate Mass therein Pontifically and fulfil the Orders and if any publick Scandal have happen'd in the City through the Fault of the Monks you may likewise take Cognizance of it I am much troubl'd that the ill Behaviour of the Monks of St. Vaudrille has constrain'd yee to proceed against 'em as you have done I have written to 'em to make 'em acknowledge their Fault and have exhorted 'em to Amendment which I hope they will readily submit to by rendring to your Lordship what is your Due In the mean time I beseech yee to pardon 'em for my sake revoke the Sentence you have given against 'em and settle Things in the same Condition as they were when you go to visit their Church In so doing you will oblige me in particular to testifie upon all Occasions that shall present themselves that I am c. LETTER XX. To a Friend of the Archbishop of Rouan ' s. THE Business of my writing is to intreat you by a soft and gentle Converse with Monsieur the Archbishop of Rouan to try what may be done to the end his Demeanour may be as edifying in his advanc'd Age as it was in his younger Years and he himself avoid the ill Opinion that may be conceiv'd of it I do not believe him to be one of those Persons who fly the Surgeon's Hand tho' it be for their own Good Kings having the Power to put the Canons in Execution and it being their Duty to take a particular Care of the Discipline of the Church I assure my self that he will be right in his Opinion that it does not only concern His Majesty's Piety but his Office to admonish him of the bad Reports that are spread abroad concerning him And having always had my self a particular Honour for him I cannot but desire his Content and his Welfare as my own and consequently I cannot but endeavour to serve him Nor will it be a small Satisfaction to me when in serving you also it shall be in my power to let you see that no body is more then I am c. LETTER XXI To the Bishop of Montauban IT having been reported to the King that there is hardly any Episcopal Function
the Bravery of Monsieur de Elboeuf and M. de Bellegards Aged Years were highly signaliz'd For this time there will be no Blood-shed thanks be to God I could wish the disturbances in Germany might be as luckily determin'd as Monsieur has pacify'd those among the Champions that attend him So would the Emperor be satisfy'd the contrary party would have no occasion to complain and they who have no need of the cold Winter like my self would be glad to spend the Spring in the Neighbourhood of Paris For my part I shall be always well pleas'd when it is in my power to let you know that I am c. LETTER XXXV To the Abbot of Dorat THE last Letter which I receiv'd from Madam de Chevreuse being rather a Reproach for my not serving her according to her good liking then an Approbation of what I have been able to do for her satisfaction at the same time that the Civility which is due to Ladies hinders me from returning her an Answer for fear of displeasing her her Interest makes me take Pen in hand to let you know what I think fitting to be represented to her for her advantage She thinks it strange that she should be oblidg'd to make some acknowledgment of her having Negotiated with Forreigners There was never any sick person yet known that would and could be cur'd of a Distemper that he would not have the World so much as think he ever had upon him But in regard 't is necessary for the Physicians to know the Distemper their Discretion is such that they know how to conceal it from others You know better then any Body that as to what concerns Madam de Chovâ—cuse I have kept the Secret both like a Confessor and a Physician in divers things of high Importance to her and of which I have sufficient proof in my hands I dare also presume to say that since the affair of Mr. Chasteau Neuf there is fallen into my hands some other proof of which I never told yee the Particulars tho' I have spoken in General of some new Cipher discover'd I have not less Discretion now thanks be to God then formerly I had and I shall certainly take as much care for the future as I did before in what shall concern Madam de Chevreuse Whatever Passion she may have for what concerns her she is too just to desire that I should thwart the King's Sentiments or to be displeas'd with my serving the State in serving her especially in what is no way prejudicial to her However to comply with her I have obtain'd of the King a plain and simple Act of Grace as she desires which M. de Chauvigny will send her She seems moreover to be greatly astonish'd that she is not permitted to go and reside in any place of France that she shall think convenient tho' the King and Queen be not actually there Before she took the Ramble which she has taken for this year together Tours was the place of her Residence If since that time she has done any thing that merits a better Condition I do her wrong not to labour that she may obtain it but if her Actions have not been of that nature methinks she has no reason to desire contrary to all the Rules of good Policy that favours should be heap'd upon multiply'd Miscarriages time and good demeanor may procure her all the satisfaction she desires But my Power is not so great to exert it in Opposition to Reason nor my will so irregular to desire things no less prejudicial to the State then unavailable to her service tho' they may be pleasing to her Humour You may assure her that I will serve her with a sincere Affection in what may be to her advantage and desire her not to take it ill if while she continues in the Humour she is in we measure what may be eneficial to her rather by the judgment of those who are her Servants and Friends among whom you are not the least affectionate then by her own to whose will I shall always submit in all things where Passion prevails not to her prejudice LETTER XXXVI To the Countess of Soissons HAD Monsieur the Count's Distemper terminated any otherwise then it has done I should never have taken the Boldness to Write these Lines to your Ladiship in hopes of affording you any Consolation because I should not have been capable of receiving any my self But since it has pleas'd God to hear the Prayers of all France for his Health I cannot but testify my own particular and extraordinary Joy I had acquitted my self of this Duty in hopes my Letter would have found you in Paris but understanding you were come into these Quarters I resum'd my Pen that I might repeat the same Expressions in these Lines Beseeching you to believe that Honouring your Ladiship as I do I shall always challenge a considerable share in your Sorrows and your Contentments as a Person who professes to be really c. LETTER XXXVII To Mademoiselle de Seneterre THough I have already had the Honour to felicitate your Ladyship when I thought you at Paris for the Health which God has been pleas'd to restore to Monsieur the Count knowing how dear it is to yee yet I cannot but repeat the same Congratulations understansting that you are come into these Quarters Should I go about to lay before yee my Sorrow for his Sickness I should be afraid of renewing that Grief which could not chuse but then disturb yee and trouble by that means your present Joy to see him in that Condition which the Wishes of all France and his Servants in particular desire I shall only take the liberty to assure your Ladiship that M. de Seneterre and the young Gentlemen his Sons were so helpful to him upon this occasion which besides the Passion that in so doing they testify'd for his person they merit in the Judgment of every one those Commendations which are beyond Expression But my Discretion forbidding me to say any more upon this Subject I restrain my Pen and conclude this Letter with that assurance which I give your Ladiship of always being sincerely c. LETTER XXXVIII To Marshall Schomberg 's Lady I Write to your Ladiship to let you understand my Joy and the advantage which your Husband has obtain'd over the King's Enemies in a Battle fought between him and them to the end you may the more easily conceive the Affection which I bear you and the share I take in the Mareschal's concerns I shall only tell you that his Majesty has received the News with unspeakable satisfaction as well for the benefit which thereby redounds to his Affairs as for the esteem which he has for the Marshal I do not send you the particulars of the Fight nor how it happen'd but only that it ended with taking M. de Montemorency Prisoner and that the Counts of Morez de Rieux and a great number of persons of Quality were slain
be pleas'd to favour His Majesty's good Intentions there is great Reason to hope that he may obtain those Ends which he has always propos'd to himself for the common Good My Assurance that you will leave nothing omitted that depends upon your Prudence and Care to persuade him to obliges me to say no more but that I am c. A Memoir sent to M. de Berhune after the taking of the Cittadel of Pignerol MOnsieur Bethune will see by the Answers of Monsieurs Spinola and Colalto to the Proposals contain'd in the Rough Draught of the Peace which Monsieur the Cardinal has sent to M. Pancirollo how unreasonable the said Answer is and the little Likelihood that we can be satisfied with it in order to the procuring a solid Peace to the end that after he has consider'd it he may take his time to inform the Pope of it Which done he shall beseech His Holiness to let the Spanish Ambassador know his Sentiments upon it which according to Equity cannot be otherwise then conformable to His Majesty's to the end that the Spaniards being out of hopes of concealing any longer their Artifices from His Holiness may be constrain'd to agree in things that are just and which may as well for the present as for the future remove all Occasions of any farther Troubles The said Sieur de Bethune shall represent to His Holiness That one of the principal Reasons why the King sent his Forces into Italy having been the often re-iterated Instances of His Holiness it would be an extream Grief to him should His Holiness testifie any Coldness to favour a Design to which he was induc'd with so much the more Zeal because His Holiness approv'd the Justice of it and rightly apprehended how much the Success of it would conduce to the Liberty of Italy to establish the Dignity of the Holy See and to the Security of the Pope's Person which were the most forcible Arguments that could move His Majesty That although His Holiness is desirous to preserve the Name and Effect of Common Father that ought not to hinder him but oblige him rather to make use of his Authority to chastise those who trouble the Family and reduce 'em to their Duty instead of assisting 'em in the Execution of their wicked Intentions And this was apparently done by His Holiness's Ministers in the State of Ferrara where they reliev'd the Germans with Corn when all Italy knows that without that Relief they could not have subsisted though they made use of it only to commit with more Leisure and Convevenience the greatest Prophanations of holy Things and the most horrid Cruelties upon all sorts of Persons that are not to be imagin'd Moreover the said Corn was set at so high a Rate that we have Reason to think it was done on purpose to scare the Venetians from buying it which the Germans were willing to do considering the Extremity they were in and not wanting Money after they had plunder'd the State of Mantua and all the neighbouring Princes for which they may thank the Pope's Officers M. de Bethune is also to complain of His Holiness's granting Passage several times to the Troops in their March from Naples into Milanols and so desire him to let the French have the same Privilege when they shall have an Occasion to march through his Fortresses to aid the Venetians and the Duke of Mantua The said Sieur de Bethune shall tell him The King cannot believe though he be well assur'd of it that His Holiness or his Nephew the Legate have within this little while been very importunate with the Duke of Mantua to agree these Differences without giving any notice of it to the King As also to beg the Emperor's Pardon which would suppose that he and his Confederates had been too blame in upholding a Cause so just and of which His Holiness all along declar'd his Approbation M. de Bethune must have receiv'd a Letter which the Cardinal wrote him about Fifteen Days ago wherein he sends him word that the King would be extreamly pleas'd if His Holiness would but lay his Commands upon Bagni to reside in his Army in Italy that so he might be a Testimony of His Majesty's good Intentions and his just proceeding upon this Occasion And that he would do well to be very importunate with His Holiness in the very Terms of the Letter But if the Letter be not come to his hands and he finds the Pope is not inclin'd to what is desir'd M. de Bethune shall renew his Instances in that Particular and use such Arguments as he shall think most proper to persuade His Holiness to condescend to His Majesty's Desire considering that he knows the Prudence the Probity and Affection of the said Cardinal to His Holiness and the common Good Nevertheless avoiding to give the Pope any Occasion to believe that this proceeds from any Distrust of those whom he employs or that the King seeks after a Peace but only because the said Cardinal Bagni having been a long time vers'd in this Affair can be no Prejudice to His Holiness's Design for the publick Repose more especially seeing the Decease of Don Carlo his Brother may render the Presence of the said Cardinal most useful in those Quarters LETTER LXXXVI From Card. Richlieu to the said Sieur de Bethune I Send you the Memoir annex'd which I desire you carefully to peruse and then to acquaint His Holiness with it I promise my self that you will omit nothing that depends upon your Care and Prudence to make the Pope clearly sensible that all the Proposals of these Gentlemen tend to no other End then to compleat the Ruin of the Duke of Mantua and to deprive Italy of that little Liberty she has left her by the Words of a Peace under which they hatch the Seeds of a perpetual War if the Authority of His Holiness and the Princes of Italy who are principally concern'd therein being assisted by His Majesty's good Intentions and Puissance do not apply a speedy Remedy This is all I have to say to yee in this Letter expecting to hear from yee LETTER LXXXVII To Cardinal Lodovisio after the Taking of Pignerol I am here at the Gate of Italy with a Design to do what lies in my power under the King's Commands and Authority to settle a safe and solid Peace I have so good an Opinion of your Judgment that I make no question but that you clearly see into His Majesty's good Intentions who following the Example of his Predecessors has propos'd to himself as the principal End of his Actions to support the Honour and settle the Security of the Holy See and establish the Repose of Christendom I presume to hope from the Goodness of God who is a Witness of this Truth that he will vouchsafe his Blessing upon the Care His Majesty takes in the Defence of so just a Cause LETTER LXXXVIII To M. de Bethune I was very glad to find by the
fix'd to her own Resolves without being able to dissuade her from 'em judg'd that if she was unwilling her Presence should be useful to him at Court it could not but be to his prejudice for her to be there seeing that her appearing to be there in Discontent would but embolden and give liberty to others to come and declare themselves such as she was I am so extreamly afflicted at these things considering my present and eternal Passion for the Queen's Service and what I owe her in all manner of Respects that I can admit of no Comfort though the Resolution taken upon this Occasion was merely the Effect of Necessity not of Choice I beseech God with all my Heart that our Disorders may not be of long Continuance and that I be able to testifie more and more that I am c. LETTER CXXI To the Commander de la Porte I Write you these Lines to acquaint you that the Queen the King's Mother though she had declar'd since her Arrival at Compeigne that she would not stir from thence withdrew her self about four Days ago and is retired into Flanders She thought to have gone to Aix la Chapelle but the Sieur de Vardes the Father took such good Order that he put his Son out of the place where he had a Design to have receiv'd her The King has sent away all the Governors of Picardy every one to their Places to provide for their Security He makes Account very suddenly to take a Progress himself towards the Frontiers by his Presence to disperse and disappoint whatever may occasion any Trouble in his Realm We hope by God's Assistance from his Valour and the Prosperity that attends it that he will bring it to pass with no less Glory then he has hitherto unravell'd all the knotty Affairs he has had under his Management For having God and Justice on his side there is no Reason in my Opinion that he should be afraid of any thing There is not any thing which would be left undone to dissuade the Queen from uniting with Monsieur and Spain The Government of Anjou and the Places which she held there would be restor'd her But she refuses all honourable and safe Conditions that are propos'd to her We shall see what her Departure will produce LETTER CXXII To the Mareschal de Brezè THough I have already signify'd to yee by the Letter which I directed to you as well as to the Mareschal de Chastillon how much I was pleas'd with the Advantage which it has pleas'd God to give the Army under your Command in the Battel with the Enemy at Avein nevertheless I cannot but acquaint you in particular with my extraordinary Joy for so much good Success as well for the King's Glory and the Honour which you have your self acquir'd I doubt not but you will continue upon all Occasions to give Proofs of your Courage as also to govern your self in the Army as I understand you do for that besides it cannot be but greatly to your Advantage it will be a most particular Satisfaction to my self considering how much I share in all your Concerns I beseech yee to preserve a strict Union with Mareschal de Chastillon and to prevent lest the Advantage you have won should give liberty to any one in your Army to demean himself less modestly with the Hollanders then is to be desir'd The main Business is now not to lose Time to pursue your Victory while the Country is under Astonishment I question it not but the Prince of Orange will contribute towards it all that lies in his power I cannot sufficiently express my Joy for the good Success wherewith God has been pleas'd to favour your Conduct I beseech yee that you would acknowledge it as a Blessing from his Hands and to relie more upon him LETTER CXXIII To the Commander de la Porte M. de Bourdeaux is going to the Quarters where you are for the reasons with which he will acquaint yee which terminate in preparing and bastning out a Fleet to Sea which the King desires may be ready by the beginning of March He wil inform yee upon what design the King will employ the said Fleet that he may have your Advice before he sixes his last Resolutions His said Majesty does you the Honour to appoint you Admiral of the said Fleet if you think your Health be in a Condition to endure the Fatigues of the Sea I beseech you not only to consult your Courage but your Disposition of Body your Health being so dear to me that if I thought such a Voyage would be prejudicial to it I would never consent to your going for the World The King thinks it convenient that there should be a Regiment rais'd in your Name to be put on Board the said Fleet. I have made choice of some Captains and left others which you may supply as you shall please your self LETTER CXXIV To Cardinal de Lyon being at Rome THO' it be not necessary to recommend to your care those things wherein I am concern'd and that your Affection for me is sufficient to induce you to be particularly mindful of 'em however I cannot but write you these Lines wherein I beg of yee to employ your dexterity and sollicitation for the Dispatches which I prosecute at Rome of the Bulls for the Abbys of Cisteaux and Premontre of which the Monks have Elected me their Abbot so that this Gentleman whom I send on purpose to Rome for that end may be dispatch'd with all the speed that may be and that he may bring the dispatches along with him I know the share you take in my Interests which assures me that you will not omit what lies in your power that may contribute to my satisfaction in this particular according to my desire requesting you to believe that upon all opportunities you shall find that I am c. LETTER CXXV To the same upon his return from Rome I was extreamly glad to hear as well by your Letters as by the Sieur Châ—velier de Chappes that you were happily ariv'd at Lyon Yet I cannot forbear but I must let you know that my Joy is extreamly lessen'd to hear that your disposition of Health is not so well settled as you and I could desire The share I take in it is such that I cannot conceal from You that the Drugg which they call Scocolate which I am told you frequently make use of being altogether prejudicial to your Health I think it more convenient that you should have recourse to the ordinary Remedies that Physick prescribes to all Diseases To this purpose I wrote to M. de Lorme who is acquainted with your Temperament and in whom you have a great Confidence to desire him that he would wait upon you so soon as he receiv'd my Letter to see in what condition you were and to contribute toward the perfect recovery of your Health whatever his Experience could suggest to that end I think I should
for the good and peace of Italy as well as for the sake of the Catholick Religion the advantage of which he may assure himself his Majesty will ever be one of the first to promote with all his power But there is some danger as it has often been represented in being too obstinate for one of losing both together For it is most certain that the said Leagues of the Grisons are not oblig'd by the Articles of the Treaty to maintain the Catholick Religion alone in Valtelina and consequently the Spaniards cannot insist on this without a Breach of the Treaty and without wounding his Majesty's Royal Intermission But moreover to remove this borrow'd Veil and to go beyond them by a Zeal not apparent but truly sincere of Religion though this be not included in the said Agreement he will imploy his Credit and lively Remonstrances towards the said Grisons by his Ambassadors and use all other reasonable means to prevail with them for the preservation of the said Religion in Valtelina though not in the nature of a Condition as abovesaid it not being mention'd in the Treaty and they being oblig'd notwithstanding a refusal to accomplish the said Agreement and to perform the said full and intire Restitution That in case his Majesty can succeed in this design it will be a great comfort to his Holiness whose Nuncio in Switzerland must be order'd to facilitate with his Majesty's Ministers all honest and sure means to hasten the said Râ—stitution His Majesty presses this Affair being justly press'd by the thing it self and by the Persons concern'd therein which should invite his Holiness to double his vigilance and serious Instances in Spain otherwise he will find by real Effects that his Majesty's foresight has been good and his care in so many places very praise worthy But in order the better to convince his Holiness of the truth of the premisses here is a very certain and most visible Argument thereof The Spaniards who boast and seem very desirous of promoting the good and advancement of the Catholick Religion in Germany where they had promis'd to Invest the Duke of Bavaria with both the Palatinates are now out of Reasons of State more reserv'd in the matter out of fear of displeasing the King of Great Britain and lest the Duke of Bavaria should grow too powerful in Germany Causes altogether Temporal which hinder them from advancing the Glory and Holy Name of God in so fair an occasion while his Majesty shows himself more inclinable and favourable to it for though the Elector Palatin is Ally'd to him he knows in his Soul what he has done on that subject where it was necessary to show his good intention His Holiness's Officers and his Nuncio here have discover'd it themselves and that it was only a Blind u'sd by them to abuse the most simple but not capable of obscuring the prudence and clear sight of his Holiness who will be prais'd and bless'd by God and Men for endeavouring to prevent Usurpations and to maintain the publick Peace which are the only Ends his Majesty proposes But the said Commandore is chiefly to insist on the Mischiefs that may insue for the Publick these Crowns proceeding to a Breach which his Majesty will prevent to the utmost of his power by the advantages the Turk will easily gain by the division of the Christian Princes Whereas being united as it is his Holiness's Office to keep them and to which his Piety and other good Considerations should incline him above all things considering the present state of the Turks great progresses might be made against them But our Sins and Discords making us unworthy of that happiness we must implore the goodness of God and his Holiness by Prayers and Exhortations must use his utmost Endeavours to reconcile the hearts of Christian Princes to an Enterprize so holy so important and so seasible at this time according to the knowledge the King has of the now State of the Grand Seignor's Affairs and Provinces This business of Valtelina being adjusted before which nothing can be resolved on if his Holiness finds a good Disposition in other Princes His Majesty will ever be ready to second his good Intentions and to promote them to the utmost of his power It is His Majesty's Desire that the Honour of a Design so pious and so full of Glory should be reserv'd to the Happiness of this Pontificate and that in order thereunto His Holiness would be pleas'd to continue his best Endeavours for the Pacification of the Troubles of Italy as well as those that are kindling in Germany that the chief Princes of Christendom having no other Quarrels to decide may be the better able to unite their Wills and â—orces for this holy Enterprize His Majesty is very sensible that none are so busie on the Stage of the World as the Spaniards in order to extend their Empire more and more which will not only be the Occasion of neglecting the Opportunities of this Christian Project but also of uniting the Protestant Princes more strictly to oppose the Projects of the House of Austria And while this Game lasts the Turk will have many fair Occasions to improve it to their Cost and Shame and the Christâ—anâ— themselves will pay the Faults of their Ambition and Imprudence The Emperor having re-gain'd Bohemia which had been taken from him seems to have more Cause to let his Arms rest in order to provide against this common Enemy than to satisfie the Passion of another who leads him under his Authority to a Design which keeps him in Servitude himself and makes him share the publick Loss For here is Work cut out for a long time unless the Parties will put an end to it themselves since there is Reason to believe that the King of Great Britain with his Confederates will not let his Son-in-Law perish and that the States-General of the United Provinces will neither be so weak nor so destitute of Friends and of Assistance as to fall so soon by the Efforts of the Arms of Spain And in the mean time the great Occasions of doing good as to the general slip away Princes weaken each other by vexatious bloody Exercises thereby giving great Advantages to a potent Enemy who is only with-held by his Ignorance of our Condition or by the Hand of God who in his Mercy has not yet given us over to his Wrath. But we have reason to fear that the Continuance of this Misfortune will draw it upon us as being too unworthy of his Favours in not having made use of the fair Opportunities he had given us of making great Progresses against this Enemy in these last Ages The said Commandore is also to enquire of the Cardinals de Sourdis and Bentivoglio on what Terms the Marriage propos'd between Spain and England stands at present not to raise the least Obstacle against it His Majesty having had several Occasions so to do since he first was inform'd of it had he
Majesty's Service which were commanded by the said Duke of Wâ—ymar under His Majesty's Authority and Pay and the Places by him conquer'd As to what relates to the Forces I am willing that the said Guebriant and Oysonville should offer to all the Colonels both of Horse and Foot the same Treatment they did receive from the aforesaid Duke of Weymar and moreover a Pension of 6000 Livres apiece And to make them the more sensible that His Majesty is desirous to keep them for ever in his Service his Goodness is such that he is willing to secure them Revenues in France upon his Demesnes for ever His Majesty does not particularly prescribe to the said Count Guebriant what Revenue he is willing to give upon his Demesne to each of the said Colonels because it is fit for him and the said Baron d'Oysonville to discover their Pretensions and the Capacity of each of them there being some who deserve more than others His Majesty is of Opinion that the Counts of Nassaw and Ohems as also Colonel Scheumbee will deserve 12000 Livres a Year upon his Demesne apiece and that the rest may be allow'd some six some 8000 Livres Revenue more or less according as the said Count and Baron shall think fit upon the place After having agreed with the said Colonels about the Conditions on which they are to remain in His Majesty's Service at the time they are paid an Oath must be administer'd to them to serve His Majesty well and faithfully towards and against all As to the Sieur d'Erlach when he was here he declar'd openly to Messieurs de Bullion Chavigny and de Noyers that in case the said Duke should be taken off he would rather die than fail to keep his Government for His Majesty's Service Moreover the Answer the said Duke made to the Articles sent to the said Count Guebriant after the Negotiation made by the said Erlach with His Majesty in the said Duke's Name says in express Terms speaking of Brisac and the other Garisons kept by the said Duke what followeth In case of His Highness's Death or Imprisonment he assures His Majesty that he will order Matters so and take such Care of the aforesaid Places that his Successors or Commanders shall give His Majesty the same Satisfaction he can expect to receive and does actually receive from His Highness himself After having assur'd the said Erlach of His Majesty's Confidence in and Affection towards him it will be necessary before any Propositions are made to him to know which he had rather do either immediately to deliver the Town and Fortress of Brisac into the King's Hands receiving a fair Reward or to take a fresh Commission from His Majesty to keep the said Government for His Majesty's Service taking an Oath before the said Guebriant well and faithfully to keep the same for His said Majesty and him therein well and faithfully to serve towards and against all adding what the said Count Guebriant and Baron d'Oysenville shall think most proper to oblige him the more strictly If he consents to take a reward for it the King is willing to give him a 100000 Livers in ready money and even allows the said Guebriant to go as far as 50000 Crowns If he had rather remain in the place his Majesty will leave him the command of it on the same Conditions he made with the said Duke and moreover will allow him a Pension of 6000 Crowns a Year during the War And in order to secure him a livelihood after the Peace his Majesty allows the said Count and Baron to make him a promise in his Name of the like Summ of 18000 Livers revenue on his Demesne which he shall enter in possession of after the Conclusion of the Peace If the said Sieur d' Erlach is willing to keep the Government of the said Place reason and his own security require his receiving so considerable a number of French Men into his said Garrison that in case he should infortunately be surpriz'd by Death like the aforesaid Duke a Lieutenant that is to be settled under him and secur'd to his Majesty like himself might be able to secure the said place for his Majesty And in that case the said Count Guebriant and he are to agree about a Lieutenant in whom his Majesty may confide and if possible a Frenchman chosen by the said Count as also to put a good French Garrison into it at the same time To avoid the difficulties and disturbances that might arise about the adjusting of this second proposition in case the said Erlach be disposed to deliver the said place into the said Count Guebriant's Hands whom his Majesty in that case designs to make Governour thereof he allows the said Count and Oysonville to grant him if it cannot be done otherwise as far as 200000 Livers to be paid to him in ready Money The said Guebriant and d' Oysonville are to manage this affair with so much prudence and address as not to give him the least disgust so that whatever he resolves upon he may have reason to be satisfy'd with his Majesty's Affection towards him The said Count Guebriant is also to treat with the Governors of the other places held by the said Duke in order to their delivering of the same into his Majesty's hands receiving a reward for them proportionable to the value of the said Governments or else taking fresh Commissions from the King together with an Oath of Fidelity as abovesaid In case the said Governors are desirous to remain in their said Governments they are to allow them Pensions according as they shall think fit and to promise them revenues upon their Demean instead of the said Pensions after the Peace proportionable to their deserts As to the Garrisons that are on this side the Rhine as Thanes Pentarlier and others the said Count Guebriant is to get them immediately deliver'd into his Majesty's Hands and to put such Persons into them as he knows to be both Capable and Faithful to Command the same And in case after having made the Covenants abovesaid the Commanders of the Forces and Governors of Places should make some difficulty of taking the Oath purely and only to the King and should be desirous to add that they well keep their Garrisons for the King's Service and for the advantage of the common cause the said Count is to show them how the aforesaid Duke himself by the secret Article of which a Copy is to be annex'd to this present Instruction acknowledg'd none but the King and that reason cannot allow their doing less in this than he The said Guebriant and Oysonville are to acquaint all the Troops of the said Army that the King will take so particular care of what relates to them that he designs to give them the Duke of Longueville for their General and moreover that his Majesty will repair in Person as far as his Frontier Towns of Burgundy which are upon the Saosne to shew the particular
Maintenance of His late Highness As also His said Majesty will pay on the First of January next coming the Sum of 250000 Livres which is all that remains due for the Quarter of August by reason that His Majesty having paid the Sum of 300000 Livres extraordinary to His late Highness to be employ'd for the Buying of Horses and Provisions to enable him to remount his Cavalry and to raise 4000 German Foot to be join'd to the French Body the same not having been perform'd by him the said Summ of 300000 Livres must have been found in his Coffers at the time of his Death and consequently his Treasurers must be responsible for the same to the Army And therefore His said Majesty paying the said Sum of 250000 Livres on the Terms abovesaid is to be discharg'd of the Payment of the said Quarter of August because as it has been observ'd already in relation to the Quarter of May His Majesty has the same reason to detain the 50000 Livres which were granted by him to His late Highness every Quarter for his Maintenance Granting what is abovesaid General-Major Erlach Colonel Ohem Rose and Count Nassaw nominated by His late Highness's Will to be Directors of the Forces he did Command under His Majesty's Authority immediately after the Payment of the said 550000 Livres for the Quarter of May are to pay a Muster to all the Forces both Horse and Foot of the said Army and two Musters and a half to all the Field-Officers and Officers of the Ordnance the whole according to the Re-view that will be made of the said Forces by the Commissaries and Comptrollers that shall be appointed by His Highness of Longueville In like manner the said Directors are to oblige themselves firmly to His said Majesty one for all to maintain him an Army in a good and sufficient Condition compos'd of 8000 Foot well arm'd and 4000 Horse also well arm'd and mounted with a Train of 500 Horses for the Ordnance 400 for the Provisions and ...... Pieces of Ordnance with the Carriages Chests Waggons and Carts necessary for the said Provisions and Artillery as well as for the Carriage of Warlike Ammunitions in order according to the Treaty made by His Majesty with His Highness on the 27th of October 1635. to serve him with the said Army towards and against all whatever Order or Command they might receive to the contrary and to lead it in all Places and Enterprizes His Majesty shall think fit under the Orders and Commands of such a General as His Majesty shall be pleas'd to send them since it has pleas'd God to deprive them of the Presence of His HIghness of Weymar For the Performance of which and all that is abovesaid the said Directors Officers and Soldiers of the Army as well as of the Artillery are to take an Oath before the abovesaid Commissaries and Comptrollers nominated by His Highness of Longueville for the said Review The said Directors are also to oblige themselves to pay four Musters yearly to the Forces of the said Army that are in the Field giving them the same Pay they had from His late Highness ten Musters yearly to the Field-Officers of the said Army and the like Number to the Officers of the Train of Artillery and Provisions And also to deduct out of the Money that shall be paid every Quarter of the said ...... such Summs as shall be agreed on for the Payment of the Loans and furnishing of Ammunition-Bread to the German Forces that are to remain in those Places that are already and are to be conquer'd hereafter The said Directors are also to oblige themselves daily to provide for every Foot-Soldier of the said Army serving in the Field an Ammunition Loaf weighing 24 Ounces well condition'd the same to the Cavalry when Need shall require it Moreover they are to provide for Sieges and other Expeditions as well for the Soldiers of the said Army as for such as His Majesty shall think fit to join with them such Warlike Ammunitions as shall be thought necessary by the General His said Majesty will be pleas'd to send to Command the said Army And in case Money should be wanting for some Works or other Expences the said Directors shall be oblig'd to provide the same by the General 's Order as also for the Maintenance and Conduct of Boats and Payment of the Water-men that shall be necessary for Ports Passages or Rowing The said Directors are also to oblige themselves conformably to the last Will of His late Highness forthwith to deliver into His Majesty's Hands all the conquer'd Places into which His Majesty is to place such Governors either French or Germans as he shall think fit and to leave in the said Garisons such a Number of German Soldiers as shall be agreed on between the said Directors and His Majesty's Deputies And whereas His said Majesty would never engage himself to such an extraordinary Expence for the Maintenance of the said Army unless he had a Mind to have it always in a good Condition to serve For that Reason as soon as the Summs proceeding from the said ...... shall be paid into the hands of the said Haeuff the said Directors are to give notice thereof to the General who shall Command the said Army in order to carry the said Money by his and the said Directors Orders to the said Army where immediately after the Re-view of the said Forces by the Commissaries and Comptrollers appointed by the said General the aforesaid Musters are to be paid as abovesaid Out of which Summs the said General is to deduct from the said Directors at every Muster at the rate of 12 Livres for every Foot-Soldier and 40 for every Trooper that shall be wanting of the Number of Men the said Directors will oblige themselves to keep on foot in the said Army by the four present Articles As also at the time of every Muster the Musters due to the Officers of tho said Forces who shall be absent without Leave or lawful Impediment are to be deducted And it shall be lawful for the said General to make a Re-view of the Officers and Trains of Artillery and Provisions as often as he shall think fit in order to make the like Deduction for whatever shall be wanting and the said Directors shall be oblig'd to provide anew for the same In case any Officers Soldiers or Troopers of the said Forces should chance to be made Prisoners the said Directors are to take care to deliver them paying their Ransom if need be And the said Directors are also to gree and allow His Majesty to detain out of the aforesaid 550000 Livres that are to be paid for the Quarter of May the Fund that is necessary for the Payment of the Advance-Money for the German Forces that are to remain in Garison in the conquer'd Places until the first of January next coming and that according to the Liquidation that shall be made between the said Directors and His
the Army will be at being in Action of which a particular Account is to be given to such Persons as His Majesty or the Grand Master of the Artillery of France shall depute in order thereunto in the said Army His said Majesty is also to allow Ammunition-Bread both to the Foot and Horse whether in the Field or in Garisons without deducting any thing for the same out of the said Musters If any of the Officers Soldiers or other particular Persons belonging to the said Army shall desire His Majesty to gratifie them with the Gift of some Lands and Houses seated in a conquer'd Country His Majesty does promise to make such Gratifications of the same to them that every one of them shall have Reason to be satisfy'd Moreover His said Majesty does promise to ratifie and confirm the Gifts of such Lands Lordships and Houses seated in the said Countries and Towns as may have been made by the late Duke of Weymar in favour of the Officers and Soldiers of the said Army and other particular Persons that were in his Service In Consideration of which the aforesaid Directors and other Colonels and Officers do promise in the Name of the whole Army to continue to serve His Majesty fâ—ithfully and constantly towards and against all what Oâ—der or Command they might receive to the contrary conformable to what His late Highness was oblig'd to do by his Treaty of the 27th of October 1635. and to march with the Army to all such Places and Enterprises as His Majesty shall desire either into France Germany Burgundy Lorrain or the Low-Countries for the Restoration of the publick Liherty and oppress'd States Orders shall be given to their Body by the said Directors or one of them according as they shall agree by the Day Weekly or otherwise Which Orders they shall first receive from His Highness of Longueville General of His Majesty's Armies as it was done by the late Duke of Weymar Lieutenant-General du Hallier and the Vice-Count of Turrinne and Count Guebriant Mareschals de Camp of His Majesty's Armies The said Directors are to be call'd into all the Councils and Resolutions to be taken for the Good and Promotion of the common Cause and Restoration of the Confederate Towns and States The conquer'd Places are forthwith to be deliver'd into His Majesty's Hands according to the late Duke of Weymar's last Will and Testament in order that His Majesty may place such Governors as he shall think fit in the Cities of Brisac and Friburg with Garisons consisting one half of French and the other half of Germans And as to the Governors of the other Places His Majesty is to chuse them out of the Body of the Army the said Governors and Garisons taking an Oath well and faithfully to serve the King to-towards and against all to preserve the Garisons for his Service and never to deliver them into any body's hands without His Majesty's Leave and express Order The present Articles have been sign'd by His Majesty's Deputies by virtue of the Power given unto them as also by the Directors of the Army in the Name of all the other Officers The said Deputies have promis'd to deliver the Ratifications of the said Treaty in two Months time reckoning from the Day of the Date hereof and the said Directors to take and oblige all the other Colonels Officers Soldiers and Troopers of the said Army to take an Oath well and faithfully to observe all that is above-written Done at Brisac this 9 th of October 1639. A Secret Article WE Count de Guebriant de Choisy and Baron d'Oysonville Deputed by His Majesty do acknowledge That notwithstanding by the Articles this Day sign'd between Us and the Directors of the Army Commanded by the late Duke of Weymar it is said that the Cities of Brisac and Friburg are to be deliver'd into His Majesty's Hands in order to his placing such Governors in the same as he shall think fit nevertheless the Truth is that we have agreed that the King shall give the the Government of the said Places to the same Persons who had the Command thereof during the Life of the late Duke of Wâ—ymar and have it still at this time the said Governors taking the Oath as it is set down in the said Articles And the more to express the Considence His Majesty reposes in the Affection and Fidelity of the Colonels and Officers of which the said Body is compos'd towards his Service we do promise That in case His Majesty shall think sit to change the Governors and Garisons of the conquer'd Places they shall both be re-implac'd at his Choice with Officers and Soldiers out of the said Army As also That His said Majesty will leave the free Exercise of the Protestant Religion in all the said Towns and Armies For all which the said Deputies do promise to procure His Majesty's Ratification in the space of two Months Done at Brisac Septemb. 29. O.S. Or Octob. 9. N.S. 1639. Sign'd de Guebriant de Choisy Baron d'Oysonville d'Erlach Hohem Nassaw Roze Flerschin Thomas Rluge F. M. Remehingen and others The Oath taken by the Officers and Soldiers of the said Army WE promise faithfully loyally and honourably to serve His most Christian Majesty towards and against his Enemies to march in all Places either in Germany France Lorrain or the Low-Countries according as we shall be commanded by His Highness of Longucville His said Majesty's General in Germany And that in case we should hear any thing against the King's Service we will give notice thereof to His said Highness and all for the Good and Promotion of the common Cause and to obtain a good and lasting Peace And whereas we do hope that His Majesty will satisfie us according to the Treaty of Brisac for our Services past and those we will do him We also expect in case of Non-performance to be discharg'd of our Promise A Treaty made between the Cardinal-Duke of Richelieu for the King and the Duke Charles of Lorrain THE real Repentance the Duke Charles of Lorrain has often caus'd Assurances to be given of to the King for the ill Proceedings he has us'd towards him these ten or twelve Years last past the Petition he is come to make in Person to him to remit and pardon whatever Despair might have urg'd him to say or do comrary to the Respect he is sensible he owes him and the Assurance he gives that for the future he will be inseparable from all the Interests of this Crown have touch'd His Majesty in so sensible a manner that he has freely given way to the Christian Sentiments and Movements of Grace God has been pleas'd to give him upon that Subject In Consideration of which as he beseeches the Divine Goodness to pardon his Offences so he heartily forgives those he may have receiv'd from the said Duke And after the said Duke has oblig'd himself as he does by the present Treaty for himself his Successors and such as may