Obedience without any Conditions but their Fidelity and his Majesty's Goodness And he is so well satisfied with their Service and Assistance at present that he promises to himself by their good Advice and Counsel together with that of those whom the late King had always imployed with Success in his most important Affairs and were removed by the Malice of that pernicious Man to reign by the Grace of the Almighty the inspirer of the Hearts of Kings and their Director to Justice and to his Glory in all Equity and Goodness over his Subjects in Peace and Amity with his Neighbours and in all Reverence towards the Holy See and his Beatitude on all occasions If our Holy Father enquires ' Why then his Majesty did not rather chuse the common Methods of Justice in punishing him for his notorious Crimes that he might serve as an Example to Posterity the said Archbishop is to answer That it was his Majesty's Intention so to do and that it was so ordered But that the Persons commanded to apprehend him perceiving that he was guarded and preparing to defend himself were obliged to have recourse to this Extremity for fear of missing an Opportunity of such consequence for his Majesty's Service who is an Enemy to Blood and to such extraordinary Proceedings tho' just on such occasions This Accident falling out the King took particular care to send an ample account thereof to the Queen his Mother whose Goodness and Favours he had too much abus'd She was soon sensible that His Majesty had been forc'd to it for no other consideration but the welfare of his Affairs for which she has always shew'd her self very affectionate since the Death of the late King her Lord cherish'd and cheerfully embrac'd every Occasion to promote the Good Honour and Advantage of the State to His Majesty's Satisfaction and Glory who was very desirous that according to her affection and experience in the affairs of his State she would have been pleas'd still to continue that Care and to ease and assist him with her assiduity and prudent Councils But she desired to be excused of so great a Burthen have Leave to remove from Court and the hurry of affairs to apply her self with more Freedom to the Service of God and a quiet Life So that the King preferring her Desire and Satisfaction to that of her Presence and the advantage of her assistance yielded tho with great regret to her Entreaties and reiterated Instances to retire causing his Guards to accompany her honourably with her own to the place which she her self had made choice of and desired for her abode and the King endeavours to alleviate the Trouble of her absence by frequent Messages and Visits to enquire after her Health This she answers with the like care and affection which is a Subject of great Joy and Comfort to all those who observe this Royal Correspondence and his Majesty's Filial Respect with that natural and reciprocal affection which the said Queen contributes towards it And this His Majesty is resolved to continue on all occasions more by real effects than by any outward formal appearances to acquit himself of his Duty and Obligations to her for the constant care she has had of his Royal Person and for the Welfare of his Kingdom As to the present Difference between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy every body knows and particularly his Holiness to whom a particular account has been given from time to time of those Transactions the earnest Endeavours used by His Majesty at the very beginning to prevent the misfortunes and accidents which arise at present to His Majesty's great Sorrow who has not only represented the same to the Emperor King of Spain and the said Duke of Savoy and where-ever else it was necessary but has also sent three Embassies extraordinary at the Desire and Entreaty of the said King of Spain the second of which produced the Treaty of Ast not observed since by the said King and his Ministers employ'd in the Government of the Dutchy of Milan This obliged the Duke of Savoy again to provide for his Defence and Safety and his Majesty to â—enew his good Offices on both sides by the Sieur de Bethane to mediate and resume the said accommodation But the Treaty has been since removed into Spain without consulting the Marquis de Senescey his Majesty's Ambassador in ordinary there any wise about it or ever acquainting his Majesty with the Cause of this sudden removal and alteration notwithstanding he had been so zealous in promoting it at the earnest Entreaty of the said Catholick King without any prospect but that of the Publick Good However the King is not so much concerned at their Endeavours to deprive him of the Honour of the Agreement after his having taken the mediation thereof upon him at their Entreaty as he is to find that the said Negotiation has not succeeded to the satisfaction of the Parties neither does he any wise envy any body the honour and satisfaction thereof provided so good a Work be done no matter by whose means But he has a just cause of Displeasure and to complain that notwithstanding such good Offices and Demonstrations of Friendship made in all Candor and Sincerity for their common satisfaction the said King has all of a sudden unexpectedly and without acquainting his Majesty therewith attack'd the said Duke with open Force even besieging his chief Cities and Fortresses contrary to his often reiterated Promises and Assurances that it was his Desire to compose this Difference amicably and that he would attempt nothing to the disadvantage of the said Duke or of his Dominions This Proceeding has no less surprized his Majesty than enflamed his Courage and obliged him to take Resolutions which he all-along endeavoured to avoid by mildness and treaties his Honour and the Interest of France not permitting him to suffer the Duke of Savor's being opprest especially he not refusing to submit to reasonable Conditions when offered to him which on his part has not been done hitherto in which case he would be the first to blame his Highness and to compel him to condescend by force as he will always be against those that shall molest him or invade his Territories against Justice and Reason This His Majesty has declared to the said King's Ambassador residing at his Court and has caused the same to be represented to the King himself by his Minister in Spain That comparing the just Causes and reasons thereof with the perils and misfortunes that may arise and are to be expected from the sequel of such a resolution he might rather chuse a Treaty to compose all things amicably than to prosecute a Design attended with many Inconveniences very prejudicial to the general Peace and to the particular Repose of Italy that will be made the Theatre on which this bloody Tragedy will be acted to the disadvantage of the Princes and States thereof And besides the sensible Displeasure his
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
Holiness will receive thereby it will be difficult to avoid its proving fatal to the Church and Carholick Religion by the multitude of Strangers of divers Nations and Religions who are preparing to run to the Duke of Savoy's assistance as to a common Cause both out of Dread and Jealousie of the encreasing Power of Spain and for the Justice of the Cause itself as well as by the example of others The assistance of the States of the Vnited Provinces has already been implor'd who will be the readier to grant it because it is against the King of Spain their ancient Adversary whom they will be pleas'd to see imploy'd and weaken'd in his Territories in Italy The Protestant Princes of Germany seem inclined to favour the same Cause out of the same Considerations and will do it yet more powerfully when they find the War begun in earnest A vast number of Captains and Soldiers this Kingdom swarms with at present upon the disbanding of the Army will freely repair thither for Imployment besides the Forces both of Foot and Horse the King is sending towards the Frontiers to assist the said Duke from thence if it be necessary under Marshal de Lesdiguieres Command a Person whose Name and Reputation is sufficiently known a resolution His Majesty can never desist from without a blemish to his Faith and Honor which are both engag'd to protect and defend the Duke when attack'd he not refusing to submit to reasonable Conditions besides that it is the Interest of his whole Kingdom not to suffer the King of Spain to extend his Dominions so near his Frontiers all which he may prevent with ease at present without fear or danger at home where all his Subjects express their Fidelity and the Nobility invites him to it by their Obedience Nevertheless the World may easily imagin with what Trouble and Grief His Majesty finds himself reduc'd to take this resolution living as he hath hitherto done and is still desirous to live with theâ— his Father-in-law having on both sides such dear Pledges of their mutual and fraternal Affection But the consideration of the Interest of his state joyn'd with the publick and private reasons heretofore alledged oblige his Majesty to prefer them to those Tyes of Friendship not violated by his Majesty but by those who force him to take measures so contrary to his Inclination tho lawful in themselves and worthy of a most Christian King zealous of the publick Peace as well as of the Safety of his real Friends Moreover his Majesty looks upon this means as the most effectual to promote a good understanding between the Parties and to prevent their proceeding any further For his Arms shall never be imployed to disturb the Peace of Christendom but on the contrary to settle it to oppose those that would interrupt it and to maintain every one in his Right protesting before GOD and Man that this is his real Intention and that he only takes Arms by force and constraint and for his Honor to preserve the said peace and to protect his Friends as it appears by the good Offices and Endeavours heretofore used by him and still continued with Vigor in Spain and elsewhere and will be farther evinced by real Effects in this and all other occasions This the Archbishop is to represent to his Holiness and to Cardinal Borghese to make them sensible of the Consequences of such a Resolution and Breach his Majesties sincere Intention in this affair the Endeavours he has used and still continues to prevent it together with the powerful motives and reasons inducing him thereunto to the end that being mov'd by their Affection and usual Prudence in affairs of such weight and consequence either by persons sent on purpose or by other means suitable to the urgency of the danger they may endeavour to prevail with the said King to encline to a Peace which will be more honourable more useful to his affairs and without any comparison far more advantageous for the Public Good than a War the events of which are uncertain long and liable to produce Effects contrary to our expectation and projects That in case the said Duke of Savoy should refuse to submit to Reason and to what shall be thought just by their common Friends his Majesty as he has already declared will not only be against him but will joyn his Arms with the said Rings to compel the said Duke to it by force espousing no Party on this occasion but that of Justice His Majesty being of opinion that the most effectual way to compass the end he proposes was to obtain a suspension of Arms on both sides during which means might be thought on for a reconciliation he propos'd the same to the Spanish Ambassador who answer'd That he had no Power to do it but that he would write to the King his Master about it to whom his Majesty has likewise made the same Proposition by his Ambassador in ordinary residing at his Court and his Holiness would do well to second the said Suspension by his entreaty and recommendation in order to its being the sooner granted by the said King lest matters being once exasperated and one side getting some considerable advantage over the other this Remedy as all others tending to a Negotiation should prove the more difficult and the evil encrease to the prejudice of all and particularly of those who despise the means of an accommodation But it will be needless to compose the Quarrel between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy unless that between the Republic of Venice and the Archduke Ferdinand be made up at the same time for whereas they are link'd by the Interest and Affection of the Parties the Public would profit but little by the one without the other And therefore his Majesty designs to put an end to both at once to remove all the Evils Italy is threatned with and it behoves his Holiness to be the more active and vigilant therein because some men presume to taâ—k at random about his Holiness's Inclination in this particular as if he were pleased with this occasion to resent some things that have pass'd of late years between his Beatitude and the said Venetians a thing we know to be very opposite to his Holiness's Wisdom and Piety and which nevertheless it imports him to provide against out of his Paternal Care to repel and dissipate such Impostures and Calumnies The said Archbishop is to manage those reasons dexterously to induce him the more to the desir'd effect and not to animate him by too rough a relation of the said reports The said Archbishop is to represent the same thing to the great Duke in his passage through Florence after having saluted and assur'd him of his Majesty's Good will knowing his affection for the Welfare and Friendship of those two Crowns as a person who had a great share in their conjunction in order to his using such means as he shall think most
never unprovided of such things which are of necessary use to ' em I desire you to take care to see all this perform'd and be assur'd that I am and ever will be SIR Your most Affectionate Servant RICHELIEU Peronne May 6 1636. LETTER XX. To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord THE Sieur Ferrier being gone to visit the Mareschal de la Force from the King about an Affair which he will communicate to you I thought my self oblig'd to inform you by him what his Majesty's Thoughts are in relation to your self I mean about the commanding of his Troops which he order'd to meet about Langres You must know then he 's so perfectly satisfy'd not only with your Affection to the Prosperity of his Affairs but with your Merit and Experience that of his own proper Motion he form'd this Resolution not judging it fit that a Person of your Condition shou'd remain in his Army without Authority I am so much the more pleas'd at the choice he has made of your self upon this Occasion because it will give you an Opportunity to discover your Worth to the World every Day more and more and I am assured you will fully answer the Opinion and Confidence that has been always repos'd in you In the mean time I desire you to depend upon my Affection as fixt and immoveable to you No Man living more esteems you or wishes your Happiness with greater Zeal than my self who am My Lord Your c RICHELIEU Neufchastel May 15 1635. P. S. You will do well to consider deliberately what to enterprize with the Army that you are to command The Sieur Ferrier will tell you how many different Thoughts we have had of that Matter here If we cou'd but beat Monsieur de Lorrain with the Troops that the Mareschal de la Force commands in those Parts then we ought to employ the above-mention'd Army in the Affair that Colonel Hebron and I talked about at Compeigne We expect the return of the aforesaid Ferrier to know whether we must reinforce Monsieur de la Force only with Horse or Horse and Foot together LETTER XXI To the same My Lord THE Bearer hereof will acquaint you with more than I thought convenient to commit to Writing the Ways being neither free nor safe Only this I will assure you that in whatsoever Place or whatsoever Condition I happen to be I am and ever shall be as much as you can desire me My Lord Your most Affectionate c. RICHELIEU Château-Thierry May 20 1635. LETTER XXII To the Mareschals de Châtillon and de Brezé Gentlemen AS I cannot sufficiently express to you how much the King is satisfy'd with the Service you have lately done him in the management of his Army and in the Battle you have fought with the Enemy so 't is as impossible for me to describe to you my own Joy in particular at the great Advantage we have gain'd and the Glory you have acquir'd by so gallant an Action I can assure you that this happy Success has but answered his Expectation who always promis'd himself a Victory equal to what you have gain'd from the Goodness of God the Justice of his Cause and from your Courage and Prudence He has commanded a publick Thanksgiving to God to whom we must attribute so great and so considerable a Victory The King does not question but that you 'll continue to act for his Service upon all Occasions that shall present themselves for the future as well as you have hitherto done which has given him all the Satisfaction imaginable as you 'll find more particularly by his Dispatches to which referring my self I shall conclude this with assuring you of the Continuance of my Affection and that I am Your c. RICHELIEU Condé May 30 1635. P. S. Since this Dispatch was shut up we have receiv'd Advice that the Mareschal de la Force after he had encamped four Days within Cannon-shot of Duke Charles's Army during which they had perpetual Skirmishes on both sides has at last oblig'd the aforesaid Army to retire with the loss of nine hundred Men upon the Spot four hundred Prisoners and a great deal of Baggage without the loss on our part of above twenty comprehending the slain as well as wounded in the Number LETTER XXIII To the Cardinal de la Valette My Lord I Cannot sufficiently either praise or blame you for your manner of managing your self where now you are and exposing your Person to all Hazards as we hear you do The Abbot of Coursan who will part from hence within a Day or two has a great deal more to tell you from me In the Interim rest assured that no Man living is more sincerely than I am My Lord Your most Humble c. RICHELIEU Condé June 1 1635. P. S. I conjure you to have a care of your self and engage Monsieur de la Force as much as you can to make the best Advantage of the Victory which God has given to his Majesty's Arms by driving if possible Duke Charles on t'other side the Rhine now Feuquieres and Bellefonds have joyned him Commissary Rose is gone to conferr with Monsieur de la Force LETTER XXIV To the same My Lord I Have order'd the Abbot of Coursan whom the King has sent to the place where now you are to communicate his Instructions intirely to you Continue I beseech you to manage Affairs so as may be most advantageous to his Majesty's Service If we cou'd beat Duke Charles beyond the Rhine or lock him up in some commodious Place so that he cou'd not come back to the Franche-Comté we might soon expect to see the happy effects of it nor shou'd you be without a considerable share in them Let me prevail with you to continue in the Army where you are till such time as you see what can be done against the aforesaid Duke with the Re-inforcement of the Sieur de Feuquieres and that of Bellefonds 'T is of no small importance to beat the Iron while 't is hot upon this Occasion not only for the great Consternation the Enemy is in but because 't is to be feared that Duke Bernard wont let you have the Germans long but will call them home If once Duke Charles were beaten or retir'd beyond the Rhine I wou'd desire you to come hither with all speed that you might receive a more honourable Post in the Army whither I find your Inclination carries you While you tarry where you are I conjure you not to expose your Person as you have too often done Excuse me if I tell you your Honour does not require and the King's Service cannot suffer it Besides these Considerations the Passion I have for you as well as my own Interest constrains me to tell you that you cannot more sensibly oblige me than by altering this Method Tho' the Victory which it pleased God to give the King in Flanders may possibly have arriv'd to you already by common Report
will prove sufficient Motives to incline you not to lose a Minute's time But my Business at present only is to remember you how much it will be for the Reputation of his Majejesty's Arms and the good of his Affairs in general I hope you won't be less fortunate than you were at Leucatte and that if the Spaniards have but the courage to stay for the King's Army you will make known to 'em how much you are able to do I wish it with all my heart and furthermore desire you to pay the Prince all that deference is due to his Quality and Charge to the end that his Majesty's Affairs may proceed vigorously and I have a fairer occasion to recommend your deserts who am unfeignedly c. P. S. I beg of you to pass by some rash Humours in the Prince and which are only the Effects of his Natural Constitution and his Extraordinary Zeal for the King's Service You know what I have always been to you and what I still am In God's Name Do whatever you can to shame the Spaniards in their Vndertaking and assure yourself I will never suffer your Actions to be obscur'd but take all imaginable Care to set 'em in their due light LETTER CLXII To Mareschal de Chatillon SIR THese few Lines are to acquaint you That the King would be glad if before you put your Army into Garison you would demolish the small Castles about Metz which are in your Instructions with Sancy Nevertheless he refers it to your Judgment assuring himself that as you would not be wanting in what was for his Advantage so you would not undertake what would be any ways prejudicial I pray God assist you in your Endeavours and I conjure you to believe that I am c. LETTER CLXIII To the Same SIR I Think fitting to add nothing to what you are order'd by Monsieur Noyers not doubting but you will do whatever is in your power to comply with the King's Pleasure I shall only acquaint you I should be very glad you would effect something before you put your Men into Garison and this as well for the King's Satisfaction as to advance your own Interest in his Favour You may be always assured of my constant Esteem and that I am c. LETTER CLXIV To Mareschal Schomberg SIR MOnsieur Tagenac returning to you I thought fit to send you this Letter to testifie a-new the Satisfaction I have in his Business and of the Assurances he has given me on your part of your Resolutions to relieve Salces if practicable The Confidence I repose in your Courage your Sincerity and your Carefulness makes me look upon this Design as good as finished and to be almost assur'd that God will bless the Justice of the King's Arms under your Conduct I pray for this with all my Heart and desire you Sir to believe that I will recommend your Services upon this occasion in such manner that you shall have no reason to believe any body values and esteems you more than he that is truly and sincerely c. Instructions sent by the Lord Cardinal Richelieu to Monsieur Chavigny how to proceed in acquainting the Bishops at Paris with the King's Declaration forbidding them to confer with the Nuncio Scoti SIR I Here send you the Order that Monsieur de la Barde and his Colleague are to shew to the Bishops now at Paris and if there be any amongst 'em that desire a Copy as I do not doubt some will for their Satisfaction as others to communicate to the said Nuncio this is what I think proper to be made publick I should be very glad if you would shew it first to the Chancellor and the Messieurs Bullion and Bowthillien to the end that if they think any thing necessary to be added or alter'd it may be done before it be communicated to the said Prelates You would oblige me also shew it to the Proctor-General acquainting him that I were willing he should see it before it were publick I suppose by this Order we shall sufficiently acquaint the World with what has pass'd at Rome and at Paris relating to the Nuncio and give occasion for those that have a mind to know the Truth to enquire further into the matter and I hope prevent such as are willing to conceive an ill Opinion of the King's Proceedings You must also Order the Captain of the Watch to be more Diligent than usual at the Nuncio's Door arresting all such as shall come out thence at an unseasonable Hour that is after the Night once shut in If by chance they should meet with some that you know of we should be glad to hear it the next Morning after they had lodged all Night in the Watch-house If there be an Opportunity of taking any of these it must not be perform'd near the Nuncio's Lodging but in the turning of Harp or James-Street for fear it come to his Excellency's Ears LETTER CLXV To Cardinal Bagni concerning the Affairs of Monsieur Scoti My LORD THE Friendship I have always had for you has made me hitherto decline what I thought might trouble you But at length give me leave to acquaint you with the unadvised and rash Behaviour of Monsieur Scoti some Months ago perpetrated and since condemned by all the World Nay at present his Proceedings are so very extravagant that I shall forbear Particulars for the same Reason I am willing to believe however that this good Prelate has a great deal of Zeal but certainly he is so unacquainted with France and deviates so much from the good Instructions you have given him that it will be rather prejudicial than advantageous to him in the end if he does not moderate his Heat I refer you for a further Account to the Relation I have order'd Monsieur Chavigny to send you Sir I take no notice of what he may say in my Prejudice because on the one side I am willing to forgive all upon God's Account and on the other I think my self sufficiently known in the World not to fear any Aspersion that I would wrong thro' a private Interest the very meanest of Persons I wish to God your Eminence may be capable of working upon this turbulent Spirit that he may deserve a better Character than he has already with most People and that you would be pleased to make use of all occasions to experience the sincere Professions that I am and will be always my Lord c. LETTER CLXVI To Mareschal Schomberg SIR I Send from Mance directly to your Quarters to know what is to be farther done at Leucatte It seems strange to me that although there have been 80000 Livres remitted thither for the Works yet there is nothing much advanced although the Place be so very important both to the King and the Country as the first Town that it is likely the Enemies will pitch upon I promise my self however that you will speedily contribute for the future what is in your Power that it
of bad Weather might be alone sufficient to ruine their Army I beseech you to have a particular Regard to what you are above desir'd and to believe that I am c. LETTER CLXXXVIII To the Mareschal Chatillon SIR THE Spaniards refusing to perfect the Treaty for Exchange of Prisoners I write you this Letter to desire you to cause a strict Search to be made throughout the whole Army for the Prisoners that are in it and to send 'em safely to this City where they shall be kept according to the King's Command I am assur'd you 'll make no Difficulty of this wherefore I shall conclude with fresh Protetestations that I am and will be always c. P. S. You may satisfie all such as shall have these Prisoners that I will be responsable for their Ransom and will actually pay 'em assâ—on as they shall come out of Prison The Count de Fuensaldagne had a Meeting promis'd to treat of Exchanges with the Count de Guiche but before they met the former sent a Trumpet to acquaint the latter that the Cardinal Infant had revoked his Commission in case he would not give his Word first to exchange Jean de Wert with the Marquess de Gesvres To which he was answered That Jean de Wert was already exchanged with Monsieur Horn which was true but nevertheless the Negotiation broke off LETTER CLXXXIX To Mareschal Schomberg SIR MY Business is not to answer the Commendations you load me with on account of the taking Arras because it is to be ascribed only to the Blessing of God on our Arms the Justice of our Cause and the Prudence and Courage of his Majesty But I will content myself to tell you that I do not doubt but you are sincere in your Joy upon this Account being always assur'd of your Steadfastness and Loyalty for the King's Service To recompence which to my Power will always be the Endeavours of c. LETTER CXC To Mareschal Chatillon SIR I Send you 100 or 120 Deserters which have been stopt in this Town and amongst which there are a great many Officers I desire you would try 'em by a Council of War as soon as possible Over and above that his Majesty's Interest requires he has expresly commanded me to acquaint you with his Pleasure on this Account I desire you to remember that the Officers hitherto have escaped unpunished wherefore it would be well to let these serve for Examples The Belief that I have that you will approve your Obedience to his Majesty's Commands concludes me c. LETTER CXCI. To the Same SIR I Have been surpriz'd to hear that you have not yet retrench'd your Bread but distributed every Day above 30000 Rations which occasions me to represent to you that if you go on after that rate you will introduce great Disorders into his Majesty's Army and reduce the War to unsurmountable Difficulties I am certain you will be ready to confess that there is no Reason to pretend to have but 15000 Men effectively in your Army and yet to distribute above 30000 Rations of Bread per Day I desire you to remedy this Disorder that I may give his Majesty an Account and moreover take care to subsist your Army In regard of your Reputation I don't question but you 'll be mindful of this Advice and how much I am c. LETTER CXCII To the Same SIR THE daily Complaints are made us as well by the Waggoners that go to and from Arras and your Army as by the Sutlers that come from thence of the ill Conduct of the Convoy chiefly at the return of the Waggons whereby they affirm That the Germans since the beginning of the Siege have taken above 30000 Crowns or Value which obliges me to write you this Letter to desire you to remedy this Disorder and by your Authority to prevent the like for the future I am assur'd you are so very sensible of the ill Consequence of this Affair that I think it needless to say more Nevertheless I cannot help telling you that if you do not take more care of the Waggons Sutlers and Traders for the future which come and go to and from the Camp it will be impossible to subsist the Troops and defend Arras as the King has commanded I conjure you once more to put an end to these Inconveniences and to believe that I am and will be c. LETTER CXCIII To Mareschal Chatillon SIR I Don't question but you 'll take all the Care imaginable of the Discipline of the Army I am very glad to hear you have regulated the Bread and that you will punish the Deserters hereafter to your Power and endeavour to prevent the like Disasters I have seen what you have writ me from divers places whereby you signifie you are able to subsist the Army till the end of this Month. Upon which I have nothing to say only that you knowing the King's Pleasure not to have his Army come into France before the Conclusion of the Month you would do prudently to keep 'em where they are or towards St. Pol on this side or towards the Quarters of Theronenne on the other till the said time be expired As to the Post of Marquion and Inchy besides many other Reasons the Difficulty of getting Provisions by reason of Bapaume and Cambray were alone sufficient to lay aside that Design I therefore beseech you Sir to subsist the Army where they are and where-ever else you shall judge most commodious till the end of this Month and to believe that there is no body sets greater store by your Friendship nor desires to give more frequent Proofs of his own than c. LETTER CXCIV To the Same SIR COming to Understand by your Letter to Monsieur Noyers that you intend to march from where you are Friday next I write you this to reinforce what I have formerly advised you on this account that it is very requisite for the King's Service that you think of some means to subsist the Troops in this or some neighbouring Place till the end of this Month and this for several Reasons that I cannot acquaint you with at present I pray you therefore for my sake to endeavour it to your Power and to assure yourself I will recommend this as also all other your past Services to his Majesty's Consideration that you may be deny'd nothing from him as by me who am c. LETTER CXCV. To the Same SIR IT would be to no purpose to have taken Arras if we don't endeavour to preserve it and which may easily be done providing it be well stor'd with every thing Upon this account 't is necessary for the Army to continue where it is or thereabouts till the end of this Month which is the shortest time can be propos'd to provide the Town of Provisions as it ought to be These Provisions as it is contriv'd cannot possibly come by any other way than Dourlans seeing some of the Corn comes from Abbeville and
Comprotection of France in the Person of Cardinal Anthony because he only desired he should Exercise that Office to let the World know the particular Affection he has to the Pope's Family and to have more Ways to keep the two Brothers united when their Interests shall more require it They shall also particularly make known to Cardinal Anthony the Satisfaction the King has in him and shall give him Assurance of his Protection and Assistance in all things They shall communicate to Cardinal Bentivoglio the Resolution the King takes to put an end to the Preconisation of the Consistorial Benefices till the Pope putting an end to the Prohibition which he has given Cardinal Anthony repair the Injury which by that means they would do France And shall let him know That it is not that his Majesty dislikes that he should continue to Execute the Office of Comprotector but only that he might not give this Advantage to the Spaniards to think that France yields to their Desires In the mean time if his Holiness coming to himself will give his Majesty that Satisfaction which Justice and Reason require permitting Cardinal Anthony to Exercise the Functions of the Office of Comprotector for whom it doth not seem that the Pope has lost his Cause and the King has gained his yet his Majesty thinks it good that the Embassadours consent to this following Expedient which is That it be a Month before Cardinal Anthony execute the Functions of his Office in the Consistory upon condition that from that moment his Holiness pass his Word to the said Embassadours That from that time he shall agree That he Execute his Office without having a new Licence from his Holiness This Overture has not been made to Cardinal Bichi that the Embassadours may be able to manage it so much the better because they only are acquainted with it If the Pope is not satisfied things shall be left in the forementioned condition without any Preconisation of the French Affairs in the Consistory yet Mareschal Crequi shall return by the way of Venice giving his Holiness a Testimony That the Respect his Majesty has for the Church is such That notwithstanding former Passages the King has not failed to give him order to Negotiate the Pope's Affairs at Venice as tho' his Majesty had not been disobliged In taking leave of his Holiness the said Mareschal as well on the King 's as his own part shall make him all the Compliments imaginable assuring him withal That his Majesty will never change his Resolution concerning the Comprotection being by no means able to endure that any other beside Cardinal Anthony exercise that Office LETTER CCXLVII. To the POPE Most Holy FATHER AMong other Displeasures with which the Piety of the King is afflicted as he beholds the Miseries the Church suffers by the Division and Discord of Christian Princes his Majesty has been sensibly dissatisfied with the evil Proceedings of some of the Spanish Ministers toward your Holiness and with the little Respect which was paid you by one of those who are the most obliged to honour you I cannot enough admire that he has so far forgot himself as to have used nothing but Complaints and some less decent Terms instead of Praises and most humble Thanks which are due to the singular Goodness and Wisdom of your Government Your Holiness has always appeared so manifestly to desire the Peace of Christendom and to appease the Differences which might trouble it that there is no body if he be not prejudiced with Passion but must acknowledge that you have omitted nothing that you thought convenient to promote so good a Design If amongst all those who are compell'd to behold this Truth some do profess the contrary any Man may plainly see that it is Interest alone which makes them shut their Eyes at Justice and open their Mouths to speak against the Sentiments of their own Conscience It seems that God has permitted things of this nature which are lately pass'd that your Holiness may receive new Testimonies of the Zeal of the most pious and the greatest-Prince of Christendom who will always think it a singular Glory to promote your Interest and to partake of the Cares and the good Resolutions your Holiliness has always had for the Advancement of Religion and the Establishment of the Publick Tranquility to which he thinks it will not a little contribute to let the World know the Deference which is due to the Holy Chair and to the Person of a Pope of such rare and singular Vertues as your Holiness As for me most holy Father I should think my self altogether unworthy of the Honour I have in the Church and the Favours I receive from so vertuous a Prince as he is to whose Service I am devoted with all manner of respects if I did not earnestly desire that Peace which your Holiness and his Majesty so passionately wish for Christendom which has hitherto been disturbed by those who desire to appear contrary to one another I hope that God will make this Truth more manifest to the World and that your Holiness will have reason to confess that as the King gladly makes use of all his Power to the Glory of God the Good of the Church and the Publick Tranquility he will lose no opportunity to give you Proofs of his sincere Affection for the interest of your Family which according to his Intentions and your Holiness's Merits I will always endeavour to promote as it is my Duty who am c. LETTER CCXLVIII To the Same Most Holy Father THo' the Choice which it has pleased your Holiness to make of the Person of Monsieur Mazarin to employ him in the Negotiation of the Affairs of Italy makes every one conceive how capable you judged him for it I think myself obliged to give this Testimony of him That he has behaved himself so well that beside the Love of all the Princes with whom he has treated which he has gained the King also was very much satisfy'd with him He will assure your Beatitude of the sincere Affections his Majesty has for you and to what degree he honours you not only by reason of your Dignity but also because of the great Merits of your Person As to my particular I most humbly beseech you to believe that I perceive myself so inseparably united to this Duty that all my Actions shall be so many Proofs of this Truth and of the Zeal and inviolable Constancy with which I am and ever will be c. LETTER CCXLIX To the Same Most Holy Father I Have this great while struggled in my self if I ought to represent to your Holiness the great Mischiefs which France suffers by reason of the Delays which for some time have been made use of in the Court of Rome in the Expedition of the Bulls of the Bishops nominated to your Holiness by his Majesty but at last the Salvation of Souls the Reputation of your Holiness and the Fear of my being
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
to your Majesty for the favour you have been pleas'd to do me in sending me the Portraiture of Monseigneur the Dauphin whose Image I Reverence as I shall his Person as long as I live I pray to God that they who shall come after me may serve him as faithfully as I have always endeavour'd to serve the King his Father and your Majesty to whom I shall ever be c. LETTER XI To the Archbishop of Bourdeaux YOu will do me an Injury to believe that any Alliance is capable to hinder me from assisting and serving yee when you have aâ— occasion for it My Humour is so far from any such manner of proceeding that I believe that such a thought can never enter into the mind of any person whatsoever I most earnestly desire to see a good Correspondence betwen M. d' Espernon and you I dare promise it between my Lords his Sons And though I am not ignorant that it is a difficult thing for them that are harden'd in their Humour by Age to alter it yet I am not out of hopes to see a good issue of what I desire I beg of you to contribute towards it what lies in your power assuring you that whoever shall have most Reason and Justice on his side in the Differences which after this time may happen between yee shall be the person whom I will serve most candidly I believe that my assistance will not be very necessary to any body but I find my self oblig'd to offer it to him that has the better cause Assure your self of my Friendship for ever and be convinc'd that nothing can alter the Quality of c. LETTER XII To the same Person I Am extreamly glad that M. d' Espernon has made Restitution to the Church of what is her due in order to repair the Injury which she receiv'd in your Person and that it is now known to all the World that there is no consideration that can hinder me from favouring so just a Cause as yours was according to the intentions of a King so Pious as his Majesty is known to be The Abbot of Coursan acquainted me with every particular that past in that Affair if that be true of which I have not had the leisure yet to ascertain my self that you have not pursu'd his Holiness's intentions signify'd to you by his Briefs I must needs tell you that you would have done better had you done otherwise In the Name of God regulate your Actions and your Words in such a manner that there may be no objection to be made against your Behaviour You know how many times I have admonish'd you to be careful of the quickness of your Wit and the nimbleness of your Tongue As it was always my fear that those two Enemies were the greatest you had I must confess that I am more affraid of 'em now then ever and conjure yee to be more reserv'd for the love of your self assuring you that I give so little heed to what the said Abbot inform'd me of your being transported in your passion to reflect upon me that 't is no consideration of my self which enclines me to give you this Advice The Justice that has been done you in your Business makes the King's Piety so clearly manifest and the assistance of my Friends that he must have lost his Judgment who thinks there can be any bad impression made either of the one or the other Never were Sentences more Authentick then those which his Holiness and the King's Council pronounc'd upon this Difference and he cannot be master of himself who says that they were ever chang'd Therefore seeing such Discourses would but do you an Injury many others which you are said to give out sometimes would bring a Reproach upon your Gratitude which in my Opinion ought not to permit you to complain of Fortune who has done for you from your early Youth what she does not usually do for others till after long Time spent in tedious Services Were I not really your Friend I would not talk to you in this manner But being desirous to continue the same as I have always been I find my self oblig'd to what I do because that several Persons not knowing yee so well as I do will not so easily excuse what I believe proceeds from Vanity rather then from any other evil Cause I promise my self therefore that your Carriage will be such as your Friends ought to desire it and as I particularly wish it may be As being c. LETTER XIII To the same Person YOU will know more News by the Abbot of Coursaâ— then I can write to yee He brings yee all the Satisfaction you can desire M. d'Espernon will receive Absolution at your hands will visit yee will give yee the Right Hand at his own House when you repay him his Visits He will engage himself to build the Chappel within the Time limited by Cardinal Bichi You shall have your Decree which you have so earnestly desired as a Mark of the Satisfaction which the King has order'd to be given yee So that there is nothing more in Reason for yee to desire I am willing to believe that M. d'Espernon will very honestly perform whatever is requisite upon this Occasion But tho' he should not I desire yee so to demean your self that the World may be convinc'd there is no Fault on your part I conjure yee also for the future to take such Care of your Actions that whatever happens the Wrong may not be laid at your Door assuring you provided that Equity and Right be on your side that you shall have no less Assistance from me then hitherto you have had Of this you may be convinc'd and that I shall always be unalterably c. LETTER XIV To the same Person I know not how to testifie my Sorrow to you for that there is nothing as yet done in order to the Attack which ought to have been made upon the Islands after the Waste of so much Time and Money The Mischief is that they who have no Kindness for you lay the greatest part of the Blame upon your self which afflicts me beyond what I am able to express as well in respect of the Interest of the King's Service as for the Share which I take in all your Concerns For this Reason as your Friend I cannot forbear telling you that as Relapses render Sicknesses more grievous so if after having fail'd to attack the Islands you neglect the Relief of Parma now that that there is no body who is able as you pretend to obstruct your Enterprize all your Friends together will not be able to defend you from the Blame that will be imputed to you upon this second Default For this Reason it is that I conjure you as much as in me lies to attempt Impossibilities upon this Occasion to the end you may repair what has been done amiss assuring you that I will make the best of this Action to the King as
Receipt of this News by reason of the Benefit which from thence redounds to his Affairs nor my own particular Joy for the Honour you have acquir'd by it I shall therefore only tell yee that there is no need of exciting you to pursue those Advantages you shall meet with after this which you have so fortunately gain'd from the Spaniard assuring my self that it will be a sufficient Incentive to quicken your Prowess LETTER CXXXVII To the same I Write you these Lines to acquaint yee with what you may have already understood by other hands which is that the King desires you would send a List of all the Prisoners that are in the Army and that none may be set at liberty till you have known his Pleasure Once more I rejoice with you for the happy Victory you have gain'd over the Enemy This will encourage your Army to continue their Progresses and your Prudence to manage Affairs so that the Enemy may not take their Revenge for the Loss they have sustain'd I most passionately wish that you may not only have as much Advantage over 'em as the Justice of the King's Arms requires but what is due to the Valour of Montâ—nerency of whom I am c. LETTER CXXXVIII To the same THIS Letter is only to give you Notice that the fear we were in least the Pestilence which spreads it self very near this place shou'd not have that respect for the person of the King which I could wish that all the world had for him is the reason that his Majesty has taken a resolution to retire toward Montmelians or Barrault till the Troops which he has sent for back in order to send 'em into Italy begin their March We expect with Impatience to hear news from your self and wish that you may send us something answerable to your Glorious Passage gain'd at Veillana I stay here to see wherein I may serve yee on the other side nor shall I omit any thing that lies in his power of whom you may dispose as being c. LETTER CXXXIX To the same I have seen the Memoir which you sent me by the Sieur de Varicarville containing your Advice upon the Affairs of Piedmont I shall not repeat what is within it because I know you have a Copy of it I must only tell yee that the King will be very well pleas'd if you do what you shall seem most convenient for his Service and that he looks upon all those who have the principal Commands in his Army to be so prudent that he makes no question but that you consult all together upon the most advantageous methods you are to take He refers it therefore to your own and the judgments of Marshal de la Force M. d' Effiat and of all those to whom such designs may be imparted to resolve and put in Execution what shall be most beneficial for the Affairs of Italy As to the expence which will be requisite to that Effect M. the Sur-intendant shall have no reason to complain as to those things wherein he is concern'd As for the Army which is to be form'd at Susa you may believe there has been no time lost to bring it to pass and it will be an easie thing to convince you of it since it is the King who takes the principal care of it and labours in it more then any body and for that the Queen his Mother has not been spairing several ways of her pains to the same end M. the Marshall de Schomberg is to head this new Army and will hold so Cordial a Correspondence with you that you will be extreamly satisfy'd You know his Frankness and his Affection for the King's Service which is very sincere I cannot but rejoyce for your good Success in the Battel of Carignan I hope these successes will continue and I would be willing to contribute towards 'em more then my Life if that might avail LETTER CXL To the same in 1631. YOU will have a particular Accompt by the King's dispatches which this Gentleman brings you of what has been resolv'd upon in the affair of the Commissaries which you wrote to me about I make no doubt but you will accomplish whatever you undertake and particularly that you will put an end to this according to his Majesty's intention knowing the pains which hitherto you have taken in it I beseech you to believe that the Affection which I bear you is and will be ever such that time will never be able to make any Alteration on my part being grounded upon your Noble Qualities which makes me hope that they will always render you like your self M. de Soudeilles can send you word as I find by your Letter he has already done how often I have discours'd him upon this subject I promise to my self that you will yield an entire belief to what I say and that there is no person who honours yee more or more sincerely desires to serve you then my self who am and will be ever c. LETTER CXLI To the Duke of Rohan I put Pen to Paper on purpose to give a particular answer to the points contain'd in your Letter which the Sieur Prioleau deliver'd me in your Name referring my self to the Secretaries of State to give you satisfaction 'T will suffize me to let you know the King 's unspeakable Contentment and how acceptable the Tidings of your last Victory gain'd by the valour of his Arms over the Enemy at Morbeigne where to him especially preceded by so many others wherewith it has pleas'd God to bless him Nor must I forget my own particular joy considering the share I take in what concerns the encrease of your Honour His Majesty therefore to testify how sensible he is of your good Success and his acknowledgment of your good Services has been pleas'd to give a mark of both which the said Sieur Prioleaux will make known to yee For which reason I shall add nothing farther to what he has in charge to say to yee upon this subject only that I shall always wish the Augmentation of your Fame and of what may give you any satisfaction as much as you your self can do as being c. LETTER CXLII To the same HIS Majesty is so highly sensibly of the proofs which you have given him of your Valour and your Conduct in these your last Atcheivments that he thought he could not give you a more Honourable Testimony both of the esteem he has for your Person and his acknowledgment of your Signal Services then by honouring you with the Employment of He promises himself that this will be a motive not a little prevalent to excite your prowess by augmenting the Reputation of his Arms in the places where you are to continue the encrease of your own For which I will most cherfully be always your surety to his Majesty knowing well that I shall never be put to the trouble to pay for a Person who can never acquire so much Honour
any Condition inserted in those Articles 't is past all Doubt that if they have any Cause to except against it 't is by reason that the Alliance with Spain is of it self odious and prejudicial to Christendom In which Case England deserves more justly to be blam'd then we since she has so passionately sought the same Alliance that we have accepted This Match ought also to give as little Jealousie to the Foreign Protestants as to the French since the Interests of State that bind Princes are different from the Interests of the Salvation of Souls which obliging us to live and die in the Church wherein we were born bind us only in respect of others to desire 'em by fair Means not to hall 'em by Force and Constraint Several Christians have been so united with Mis-believers that their Arms have never been separated in Conquests of this World though in those which they pretend to Heaven they have been divided Since Errour insinuated it self into Europe into England and among our selves these Crowns have been united together by the same Bonds Philip King of Spain having married Elizabeth the Daughter of Henry II. these two Kings being greatly puissant Henry naturally Warlike and an Enemy to the Huguenots the Crown of England enjoy'd by a Woman the Catholicks potent in her Country Scotland was Leagu'd to France by the Marriage of Francis the Dauphin to Mary Steuart The Huguenots were every where weak they had not any Province in Flanders not one in France Liberty of Conscience was forbid nevertheless these two Crowns were so far from making any Advantage of their Union against the Queen of England and other neighbouring Countries that on the other side the Huguenots in France rebell'd against their King in Flanders against their Prince and in Scotland against their Queen All that we desire is to preserve our selves in such a manner that they may make no Attempts upon us In that Case we shall shew that no People surpass us in desiring to maintain our ancient Alliances for which we have a high Value Does not our desire to renew our Union with England appear by the Tye which binds us to Spain It appears by the Conditions which we have coveted to that end that we wholly desire that Alliance and by the proceeding of the English who have relax'd in their pursuit of it in prosecution of new Alliances with Spain that there is Cunning if not Malice in what they do to render us odious in order to make themselves acceptable Can it be call'd a Contempt of our ancient Alliances with Spain that we keep in Pay four thousand Foot for the preservation of the Protestants in that Kingdom whereas we were not bound by the Treaty to pay 'em above two years Is it not sufficient for us that we know it was one of the last marks of the deceased King's Good-will to bestow upon 'em Seventeen millions all at once Is it a Contempt of our ancient Alliances to take care of the continuance of the Treaties between them and the Arch-Duke of Austria To give the Republic of Genâ—a a Pension of 24000 Crowns which was paid in the midst of our Necessities and for the maintenance of the Garrison necessary for their defence Is it a Contempt of our ancient Alliances with Germany to set an Army on foot in order to compose the Differences that happened about the affair of Cleves and Juliers Does the Treaty of Kempen at the Instance and by the Authority of France does that I say testifie our Scorn of ' em If it be not perform'd where lies the fault but among those who possessing the thing in Contest as it were in deposito will not let go their hold for the turning of their Titular Possession into succession of Time Have they not themselves forg'd Difficulties to bring about their ends Has not France offer'd to become Guarantee of the Treaty with England Has she not often renew'd her importunity as now she does Is it a Contempt of our ancient Alliances in Italy to take Arms to hinder the Duke of Savoy from oppressing the Duke of Mantua and afterwards to interpose on purpose to prevent Spain who comes in for her Stakes from ruining the Duke of Savoy The Conclusion of the Treaty of Ast does it not shew our great Care of our Neighbors If the Treaty have not taken effect are the mediators the cause of it If the Parties are not so free to perform as to promise the Conditious shall they who have taken their Words be accountedâ— guilty If afterwards they slip in some obscure Article into their Treaties to the end that by putting their own Interpretation upon them they may take from thence a plausible Pretence to disclaim em when they please as it has fallen out in that particular where lies the Fault The Spaniard obliges himself to remove from the Duke of Savoy the Jealousie of his Arms the Duke interprets this Article to be an absolute laying down of Arms The Spaniard averrs That his meaning was never to oblige himself to stand to that Condition are we to be responsible for these Shifts and Artifices Is it not sufficient that His Majesty interposes afresh to reconcile this Dispute Does he not satisfie by so doing what he may be thought to owe the Duke of Savoy out of Civility by permitting his Subjects freely to assist him That his whole Army consists of Twenty thousand men Is this a feeble Succour to a Prince What have we done that it might not be thought we have broken the Laws of our alliance with that Prince We permitted a passage to the Duke of Nemours but how With such assurance that he should have no Benefit by the Permission when the Embassadors of Savoy agreed to it judging before us that in so doing we should oblige Spain without opening her Purse since his Master could receive no Prejudice People are too apt to observe what with most probability be said against us but not what really justifies us They raise Causes of Complaint but pass over in silence that for which they ought in Justice to thank us Then again where is there any Englishman German Hollander or Reiter to be found in the Duke of Savoy's Army Yet these are the Nations who tacitely find fault with us doing in this like him who standing upon the brink of a River assists in words his drowning Friend but blames another who to save him from the danger ventures the drowning himself Is it a Contempt of our ancient Alliances with Spain to grant the Venetians a passage through the Grisons which they cannot have without us and without which the Arch-Duke de Grets would have had great Advantages over ' em Is it a dealing unkindly with that Republic not only to grant 'em a free passage but also to permit 'em to allye themselves with the Grisons to the end that afterwards without our intermediating they might enjoy that passage which they could not have
been so pleas'd but only to give him a constant Account thereof His Majesty having no Interest in the matter provided the Catholick Religion be thereby promoted he preferring that Consideration to all the Policies that can occurr upon this Account though perhaps others would not deal with so much Candour towards him But whereas his Majesty is of Opinion that this proposition of Alliance is only to gain time and to improve occasions on both sides as it appears sufficiently by all their proceedings in relation to the general affairs in which they are concern'd so his Majesty thinks fit not to trouble himself any further with it but to refer it all to the Prudences and wise Consideration of his Beatitude Who must needs be sensible by the good Offices lately done at Venice for the restauration of the Jesuits in their Demean what care his Majesty takes to promote whatever tends towards his Holiness's satisfaction who has express'd a great deal of concern in this Affair as a thing tending to the service of God the honour of which might have been rais'd had the Republick been pleas'd to adhere to his Holiness's and his Majesty's good Councils and Salutery Remonstrances And though his Majesty has some reason to be dissatisfy'd with the refusal he has incur'd at his Holinesses Intreaty he having expos'd his Name and Dignity in this Business contrary to his first intentions fore-seeing this resistance from the Seignory Nevertheless in order to do well in all things whenever any reasonable likelihood of success shall appear in the issue of the said Recommendation his Majesty will freely undertake it a new But at present his Majesty is of Opinion that it is proper to refer it to another Season when time shall have made the Venetians sensible of the fault they have committed and of the misfortunes which may arise in their State by the Banishment of the said Fathers If his Holiness should put the said Commandore upon the subject of the Enterprise of Geneva to which he has lately invited his Majesty by a person sent on purpose he is to make him sensible according as it has already been freely declar'd to his Nuncio and to Father Barnabite sent on purpose on that subject that this would be directly contrary to the design his Majesty has propos'd to himself in this Kingdom to remove the Opinion which some malicious persons publish that by the War he makes against his rebellious Subjects he aims at their Religion and not at the Faction which would make them all Unite again not only in France but those of the same Sect out of the Kingdom who hitherto have only been Spectators of this Tragedy which the said Revolters have been the cause of his Majesty having all along told and satisfy'd them that without respect to Religion he only attacks Disobedience and that if any of his Catholick Subjects should lay aside their Allegiance he would use them in the same manner for the good of the publick Peace and for the security of his Authority Had he consented to this Enterprize against Geneva these publick Causes failing he would be at a loss for the prosecution of this project which is in such forwardness And therefore when the said Nuncio and the Ministers of Savoy have press'd him upon that affair they have sound the solidity of his Reasons by his Answers besides the reasons of State which his Majesty does not alledge at this time and which have always been held in great consideration by the late King his Father when the said Duke as he has often done has propos'd the said design But possibly he has thought that his Majesty being imploy'd at home could not so easily divert him from the said design or that his Holiness would have more power to persuade him If the Duke speaks to the said Commandore about it he is to make the same answer to him and that his Majesty for these Reasons which have been known to him heretofore cannot agree to the said Enterprize and that when he has put a good order to his Affairs according to his good beginning it will then be more â—asie for him to resolve about it and to consider of means to favour his Highnesses designs who at this time would do better to joyn with his Holiness to seek out and propose good expedients to promote the advancement of his Majesty's good design in his Kingdom the rather because the security of his Neighbours and the Publick Peace partly depends on the good Condition thereof by the counterpoise every body knows his Majesty's power keeps against other Kings and States which might make attempts to the prejudice of the Common Liberty The said Commandore is also to represent that his Holiness has good informations thereof his Majesty's happy Progresses the last Year and the advantage he has gain'd by the reduction of upwards of Sixty Garrisons his being resolv'd to prosecute his Fortune a great deal farther yet unless the said Revolters submit to their Duty of their own accord on such conditions and submissions as are requir'd from Subjects to Soveraigns That he is persuaded that as God has been pleas'd hitherto to favour his Arms he will still assist him for the future since he has no other end but the maintaining of his Authority and the promoting of Religion under the favour of the Edicts as much as justice and their behaviour will permit him being now ready to march under the protection of God whom he intreats his Holiness to implore for him as he has hitherto done in order to prosecute the success of his just and pious design And the said Commandore is to take care to acquaint his said Holiness with his Majesty's Moral and Pious Life a true example for his Age to all other Kings He assures himself that God will grant the Vows and Prayers of his Holiness and of all his Majesty's good Subjects thus following the paths of Honour and Vertue which gives hopes besides that being seconded by his Holiness's good Advice he will daily fructify for the better and employ those advantages bestow'd on him by Providence to the Honour of his Holy Name and unto the benefit of the Christian Common-wealth And it is highly important for the promotion of this good Work that it be favour'd and that all the World may know that it was undertaken by the Authority of his Holiness his Predecessors having lost many favourable occasions to advance the publick good for want of so doing His Majesty expects from the Justice and Wisdom of his Beatitude that making his profit of their Faults and Omissions in what relates to him he will be more careful of it and will look upon him as the most Christian King first Son of the Church who in his private and publick Conduct aims at nothing but the Exaltation of the Holy Name of God Equity and the general Good and Peace of Christendom These things appear particularly in the Actions which are done in
be concern'd to be for the future and during the Course of the War and in time of Peace inviolably link'd to the Interest of this Crown and to hold no Intelligence with those of the House of Austria and other Enemies of this State nor with any whatever that would disturb the Happiness and Prosperity of His Majesty's Affairs Also after the said Duke's having renounc'd all the Treaties he may have made any wise contrary to the Tenour of this His Majesty consents to restore him the Possession of the Dutchy of Lorrain and of the Dutchy of Bar held from the Crown for which he is immediately to pay Faith and Homage to the King As also into the Possession of all the Territories he enjoy'd for the time past excepting such as follow First The County and Town of Clermont and all their Appurtenances and Dependencies which are to remain for ever united to the Crown Secondly The Garisons Provostships and Lands of Stâ—nay and of Janets which are likewise to remain to His Majesty and his Successors Kings for ever in Propriety with all the Revenues thereof and all the Villages and Territories thereunto belonging Thirdly The City of Dun and the Suburbs thereof which is also to remain in Propriety to His Majesty and to his Successors Fourthly The City of Nancy which is to remain also in His Majesty's Hands as a Pledge only during the War and to be restor'd to the said Duke the same Year a Peace shall be concluded with the Villages within the Liberties of the said City of Nancy which are to remain in the Hands and Dispositions of His Majesty for the Convenience and Subsistence of the City of Nancy as long as it shall remain as a Pledge It is agreed that the Town of Marsal is to be demolish'd before it be deliver'd to the said Duke and that no Fortifications are ever to be made there again It is also agreed upon That Trade shall be as free between the Territories the King restores to the said Duke and those that remain to His Majesty either in Propriety or as Pledges only as if they did actually belong to him And that whatever shall be necessary for their Subsistence shall not be deny'd them by the said Duke and his Subjects at the rate the said Commodities shall go at in the said Duke's Territories Moreover That the said Duke shall give a free Passage in his Country to all the Forces His Majesty shall think fit to send that way either into Alsatia or other Parts of Germany into the Country of Luxemburg or into the Franche-Comte and shall furnish them with Provisions the King paying for the same at the common Market-price of the Country It has been farther agreed That the said Duke shall presently join the Forces he has with him at this time as well as all those he may have for the future with the King 's That they shall take an Oath well and faithfully to serve His Majesty under the said Duke's Authority towards and against all those he is at present in War with in such places and in such a manner as he shall think fit And that for the future they shall receive the same Pay in the Field as His Majesty's do on Condition however that they shall not be allow'd to take Winter-Quarters in France but only in the said Duke's Territories or Enemies Country It has also been agreed That the said Duke shall not be allow'd to lodge any of the said Troops nearer than within five Leagues of Nancy whilst the said City shall remain as a Pledge And whereas notwithstanding His Majesty's restoring the said Duke's Tervitories as abovesaid there still remain several Differences that were undecided before the War in relation to the said Territories which are still to be disputed with France it is agreed that they shall be determin'd amicably as soon as can be Moreover Whereas since His Majesty's having conquer'd Lorrain by Force of Arms a great Number of the Subjects of the said Dutchy have serv'd His Majesty after having taken the Oath of Allegiance he has exacted from them it is also agreed that the said Duke shall bear them no Ill Will for the same but on the contrary shall use them like his good and real Subjects and shall pay them the Debts and Rents the State is oblig'd to pay Which His Majesty desires so particularly that unless he had repos'd an absolute Confidence in the Faith which the said Duke has engag'd on that Subject he would never have granted what he does by this Treaty to the said Duke It is also agreed That it shall not be in the power of the said Duke to make the least Alterations in the Benefices given by His Majesty to the very Day of this present Treaty That those who have been invested with them shall remain in the peaceable Possession and Enjoyment thereof without the least Disturbance or Trouble from the said Duke or being dis-possess'd of the same And that His Majesty shall continue to have the Disposition of the Benefices of the City of Nancy as long as the said City remains for a Pledge in his hands without changing the Settlement of the said Benefices And as for the Offices of the Criminal Justice that are in the said City of Nancy they shall also remain in His Majesty's Gift to the end that such as are invested with the same may perform the Function thereof independently within the said City and the Liberties thereof His Majesty giving his Consent to the said Duke to transferr the Bayliwick of Nancy into such a place as he shall think fit there to decide all the Differences which were formerly judg'd in the said Court of Justice of Nancy excepting only such as are above specify'd It is also agreed That the said Duke shall not be allow'd to send any Person into Nancy there to reside in his Name unless it be to receive the Duties of his Demesne for which he shall be oblig'd to employ a French-man approv'd by the King It is moreover agreed That the Consiscations that have been given by His Majesty of the Estates of such as did bear Arms against him shall remain valid as to the Employment of the Revenues of the said Estates until the Day of the present Treaty provided those whose Estates have been confiscated quit the Service of His Majesty's Enemies In which Case they shall be restor'd to the Possession and Enjoyment of their Estates but without being allow'd to profecute or trouble those who have enjoy'd them by virtue of the said Gifts in any manner or upon any pretence whatever No mention is made in this Treaty of the Difference between the said Duke and the Dutchess Nicolla of Lorrain Daughter to the late Duke Henry about their Marriage by reason that the Decision thereof belongs only to the Ecclesiastical Tribunal and that His Holiness before whom the Parties have brought their Cause will do them Right according to the Justice of the