in the year 1607. by which appeared Acquittances for eighty seven Millions which established the reputation and credit of France among strangers by whom it was before much cried out upon That done he continually laboured to joyn in his great design all Christian Princes offering to give them all the fruit of his Enterprizes against the Infidels without reserving any thing for himself for he would not said he have other Estates then France He likewise proposed to himself the seeking of all occasions to extinguish disorders and to pacifie differences among the Christian Princes so soon as they should see them conceived and that without any other interest then that of the Reputation of a Prince Generous disinterested wise and just He began to make his Friends and Associates the Princes and Estates which seemed best disposed towards France and the least indisposed to its interests as the Estates of Holland or the United Provinces the Venetians the Swisses and the Grisons After having bound them to him by very strong ties he endeavoured to negotiate with the three puissant Kingdoms of the North England Denmark and Swedeland to discuss and decide their differences and likewise to endeavour to reconcile them to the Pope or at least to obtain a cessation of that hatred and enmity by some formulary in such manner as they might live together so that it had been advantagious to the Pope in that they had acknowledged him for the first Prince of Christendome as to Temporals and in that case rendred him all respect He endeavoured in fine to do the same thing among the Electors the Estates and Cities Imperial being obliged particularly said he to take care of an Empire had been founded by his Predecessours Afterwards he sounded the Lords of Bohemia Hungary Transylvania and Poland to know if they would concur with him in the designe of taking away and rooting up for ever all causes of trouble and division in Christendom He treated after that with the Pope who approved and praised his Enterprize and desired to contribute on his part all that should be possible These were the dispositions of his great designe of which I shall now shew you the platform and model He desired perfectly to unite all Christendom so that it should be one body which had been and should be called the Christian Common-wealth for which effect he had determined to part it into fifteen Dominions or Estates which was the most he could do to make them of equal power and strength and whose limits should be so well specified by the universal consent of the whole fifteen that none could pass beyond them These fifteen Dominations were the Pontificate or Papacy the Empire of Germany France Spain Great Britain Hungary Bohemia Poland Danemark Swedeland Savoy or the Kingdom of Lombardy the Signory of Venice the Italian Commonwealth or of the little Princes and Cities of Italy the Belgians or Low-Countries and the Swisses Of these Estates there had been five successive France Spain Great Britain Swedeland and Lumbardy six elective the Papacy the Empire Hungary Bohemia Poland and Danemark four Republicks two of which had been Democratical to wit the Belgians and the Swisses and two Aristocratical or Signories that of Venice and that of the little Princes and Cities of Italy The Pope had had besides those Lands he possesses the whole Kingdome of Naples and Homages as well of the Italian Common-wealth as for the Island of Sicily The Signory of Venice had had Sicily in faith and homage of the holy Seat without other rights then a simple kissing of feet and a Crucifix of gold from twenty years to twenty years The Italian Commonwealth had been composed of the Estates of Florence Genoua Lucca Mantoua Parma Modena Monacho and other little Princes and Lords and had likewise held of the holy Seat paying onely for all by advance of a Crucifix of gold worth ten thousand Franks The Duke of Savoy besides those Lands he possessed should likewise have Milain and all should be erected into a Kingdom by the Pope under the title of the Kingdom of Lombardy from which should have been taken Cremona in exchange of Moâ—tferrat which should be joyned There should have been incorporated with the Helvetian or Republick of the Swisses the French County Alsatia Tirol the Country of Trent and their dependences and it had done a simple homage to the Emperour of Germany from five and twenty to five and twenty years All the seventeen Provinces of the Low-Countries as well Protestants as Catholicks should have been established into a free and soveraign Republick save onely a like homage to the Empire and this Dominion should have been encreased by the Dutchy of Cleves of Juliers of Berghe de la Mark and Ravenstein and other little neighbouring Signories To the Kingdome of Hungary had been joyned the Estates of Transylvania Moldavia and Valachia The Emperour had for ever renounced aggrandizing himself or his by any confiscation disinheritance or reversion of Fiefs Masculine but had disposed vacant Fiefs in favour of persons out of his Kindred by the consent of the Electors and Princes of the Empire It should likewise have been held of accord that the Empire should never upon any occasion whatsoever be held successively by two Princes of one house for fear of its perpetuating as it hath for a long time in that of Austria The Kingdome of Hungary and of Bohemia had been likewise elective by the voice of seven Electors to wit 1. that of the Nobles Clergy and Cities of that Country 2. of the Pope 3. of the Emperour 4. of the King of France 5. of the King of Spain 6. of the King of England 7. of the Kings of Swedeland Denmark and Poland who all three had made but one voice Besides to regulate the differences which might arise between the Confederates and to decide them without sight of Fact there should have been established an Order and Form of Procedure by a general Council composed of sixty persons four on the part of every Dominion which should have been placed in some City in the midst of Europe as Mets Nancy Collen or others There should likewise have been established three others in three several places every one of twenty men which should all three make report to the grand Council Moreover by the consent of the general Council which should be called the Senate of the Christian Commonwealth there should be established an Order and Regulation between Soveraigns and Subjects to hinder on one side the Oppression and Tyranny of Princes and on the other side the Tumults and Rebellions of Subjects There should likewise be raised and assured a stock of money and men to which every Dominion should contribute according to the Assessment of the great Council for the assistance of the Dominions bordering upon Infidels from their
Secretary His punishment The Ambassadours Secretary arrested Several discourses concerning Ambassadours priviledges The King forbids any process against the Secretary The Ambassadour makes a great noise and threatens his Kings resentment Treason of the Luquisses A fool makes an attempt on the Kings person Those who desire war whet the Kings spirit upon these Conspiracies Character of Philip 3. of Spair A good profitable reflection In what the courage of a Soveraign principally consists The goodness of Henry the Great But the King hastens not the War He makes himself Arbitrator of the differences of Christendom 1606. After the death of Clement 8. he causes to be chosen Leo xi who soon dies and Paul 5. succeeds A great difference between Paul 5. and the Venetians The Venetians had made a law to bound the Acquisitions of the Clergy They make other Decrees Paul 5. offended at these Decrees He sends Briefs to revoke them He Excommunicates the Senate They declare his sentence of Excommunication null and abusive 1607. Henry the great undertakes to accommodate the difference He sends to this purpose Cardinal Joyeuse who concludes an accommodation The Pope absolves the Signory There was nothing but the reestablishment of the Jesuites not obtained 1608. The King endeavours an accommodation between the Hollander and Spaniard He underhand assists the Hollander with men and money Janin sent for this accommodation They come presently to an eight months truce The King makes an offensive and defensive League with the Hollander The Spaniards Alarm'd at this League Don Pedro de Toledo makes great complaints to the King Things very curious which passed betwixt the King and Don Pedro. Their entertainments Lively and quick replies Don Pedro kisses the Kings Sword Two obstacles in the Treaty of the Hollanders surmounted by the King The Treaty ends in a twelve years Truce Great praise given by the republick of Venice to our Henry All desire his friendship and protection He will not protect Subjects against their Soveraign What the Maurisques were The Spaniards treat them ill * An avanie is when by a false accusation money is forced from any person They demand assistance of Henry the Great He refuses it The King of Spain banisheth them all They are horribly ill Treated by the Spaniards and by the French They are carried into Affrica but some stay in France The great designe of Henry 4. for the extent of the Christian Religion in the Levant He sends some to spy the Country He seeks means to raise mony without burthening his people He would disengage his demain * The Greffes is a due to the King of 63 â— 9 d. Tours upon the sale of wood in several places and take off the Impost by buying the Salt-Marishes He is constrained to acquit himself of old scores to make some new imposts creations He makes not always use of innocent means Inquisition of the rents of the City-house cause disturbance * Hostel de Ville is the same at Paris as Guild-hall at London Miron Provost of the Merchants sustains the interest of the people Some would incense the King against him The people rise to defend him The King counselled to take him by force The Kings wise answer worthy a great Polititian He will not pursue this business of the Rents Establishment of the Paulete Justice formerly administred in France by Gentlemen How it fell into the hands of the Plebeians who made profit of it The Parliament of France meddle with particular affairs and is made sedentary at Paris They make all other Judges subalternate to them The number of the Officers of Parliament small How Offices became vendible under Francis 1. * He had often said that fat Boy would spoile all and Henry 2. How this might be remedied But on the contrary is made incurable by the Paulete Which causes great abuses 1609. Marriage of the Prince of Conde And of the Duke of Vendosme What were the Kings divertisements He loved Play too much He was extremely given to women This passion made him do shameful things Three or four of his Mistresses This causes often contentions with his wife And hinders his great design What that was The means with which he served himself to put it in Execution To this purpose he grants an Edict to the Hugonots and pays his debts Which regains the reputation and credit of France He joyns to him all Christian Princes by promising his conquests He reunites them by accommodating their differences The Princes he made his friends How he would have accommodated the Protestant Princes with the Pope He treats with the Electors With the Lords of Bohemia Hungary Poland With the Pope Model of the designe of Hen. 4. He would part Christendome into fifteen equal Dominions To wit eleven Kingdoms and four Republicks What the Pope had had The Signory of Venice The Italian Common-wealth Duke of Savoy Republick of the Swisses The Low-Countries Kingdome of Hungary The Empire with free election Bohemia Hungary elective A general Council of sixty persons Three others of each twenty Order to hinder tyranny and rebellion and to assist the Provinces adjoyning to Infidels Three general Captains two by Land and one by Sea to war against the Turks What forces what train None but the house of Austria had suffered by this establishment In Italy the Pope Venetians and Savoyard would consent In Germany many Electors and had chosen the Duke of Bavaria Emperour In Bohemia and Hungary the Lords and Nobility The business of Cleves happens to give a beginning to the great designe The Cities of Flanders should revolt The Kingâ— Army should have lived in great order The King would have reserved nothing of his Conquests He had with other Princes prayed the Emperour to rerestore the Cities of the Empire to liberty Bohemia Hungary Austria had made the same request The Duke of Savoy had demanded the Dower of his wife from the Spaniard The Pope and Venetians to become mediators of the difference of Navarre Naples Savoy c. And the King had yeilded his right They had perswaded the King of Spain or else forced him The great Prudence and moderation intended by the King in the pursuit of his design The preparations he made The forces he had The Prince of Oranges Army That of the Electors German Princes That of the Venetians and Savoyard His Exchequer for defraying this great designe He would make the War powerfully that it might be short Great appearance it might have succeeded having no Princes to oppose it but the Dukes of Saxony and Florence What was the business of Cleves and Juliers Death of John Duke of Juliers without issue His succession disputed by many particularly by Brandenbourg and Newbourg The Emperour said it was devolved to the Empire He invests Leopold of Austria who whilst Brandenbourg and Newbourg dispute seizes Juliers They implore the Kings assistance who promises to march in person But tells him he intended to conserve the Catholick Religion in that Country Answer made to the Ambassador of the Empire He establishes good order in the Kingdom before his departure Leaves the Regency to the Queen but gives her a good Council He establishes little Councils in the Provinces who refer to the great one 1610. Some put it into the spirit of the Queen that she should be installed before the Kings departure He though unwillingly consents The instalment of the Queen Many Prognosticks which seemed to presage the death of Henry 4. Advice from several places that his life should be attempted He seems to believe them and fear Who Ravaillac was He is induced to kill the King but it is not known by whom The King departs the Louvre to go to the Arsenal What persons were with him His Coach stopt in the street of the Ferronnerie Ravaillac killeth him He is torn with burning pincers and drawn in pieces by four horses The Kings body opened and found that he might yet live 30 years He is buried at St. Denis The Queen made Regent The great desolation in Paris when they knew of the Kings death His age and the time of of his reign His two wives Margaret and Mary He had three Sons by Mary and three Daughters He had eight Natural children of divers Mistresses Two Sons and a Daughter of Gabriella A Son and a Daughter of the Marchioness of Verneuil Of the Countess of Moret one Son Of Madam d' Essards two daughters He loved all his children and would have them call him Papa Summary recital of the Life of Henry the Great Parallel of his adversities and prosperities * There are more then fifty conspiracies against his person His adversities whet his spirit and courage Why Princes who come young to the Crown seldome learn to govern well Those who come to a Crown at greater distance and a more ripe age are more capable and better The reasons of it A mystick Crown to the glory of Henry the Great
remitted to the judgement of the holy Father who was to decide that controversie in a year The Publication of the Peace was made on the same day through all the Cities of France and the Low-Countries with those rejoycings whose rumour spread to the utmost bounds of Christendom but none so truly resented a joy for it as our Henry who was accustomed to say That it being a thing Barbarous and contrary to the laws of Nature and Christianity to make War for the love of War a Christian Prince ought never refuse peace if it were not absolutely disadvantagious to him The Third PART OF THE LIFE OF Henry the Great Briefly containing what he did after the Peace of Vervin made in the year 1598. unto his death which happened in the year 1610. HItherto we have followed the Fortune of our Henry through ways craggy and intricate over Rocks and Precipices during times very troublesome and full of storms and tempests at present we are about to trace it through paths more easie and fair in the sweetnesses of calm and quiet peace where however his Vertue slept not in his repose but appeared always active where his great Soul was employed without ceasing in the true functions of Royalty and where in fine among his Divertisements he made his most necessary and most important employs his principal pleasures In the two first parts of his Life which we have seen he was by constraint a Man of War and of the Field in this last a Man of Counsel and a great Polititian but in both invincible and indefatigable The true duty of a Soveraign consists principally in protecting his Subjects he must both defend them against Strangers and repress the Factions and Attempts of Rebels It is for this purpose that he hath the power of Arms in his hands and that it is advantagious to him perfectly to understand the mystery of War But that comprehends but a part of his Functions and we may truely say that it is neither the most necessary nor the most satisfactory For besides that he may manage his Wars by his Lieutenants who doubts him to be the most happy Prince that governs his Affairs in such a manner that he hath no need of his Sword but is powerful enough to distribute Justice punish the wicked and to honour and reward deserving men to confer graces and recompences to keep good order and conserve the Laws to maintain his Provinces in tranquillity sustain his Reputation and greatness by his good Conduct inform himself often and diligently of all that passes make himself to be feared by his Enemies and esteemed by his Allies and like a Soveraign himself preside in his Councils receive Ambassadours and answer them dispatch great Affairs by Treaties and Negotiations prevent all ill and deprive wicked persons and enemies of their power to hurt encourage Traffick and the Studies of Sciences and Noble Arts to make his Kingdome rich flourishing and abundant to fetch wealth from all the corners of the earth but above all to procure the glory and service of God so that his Kingdome may be as a Paradise of Delights and a Harbour of Felicity These are in my opinion Employs worthy a potent King a Christian and wise King who being the Shepherd of his people as Homer often calls the great King Agamemnon ought not onely know how to drive away the Wolves I mean make War but likewise understand how to manage his Flock preserve them from Diseases fatten and multiply them The Peace being published with an incredible joy of the French Flemins and Spaniards it was solemnly sworn by the King on the one and twentieth of June in the Church of Nostre-Dame on the Cross and the holy Evangelists in the presence of the Duke of Arscot and the Admiral of Arragon Ambassasadors from the King of Spain for that purpose and afterwards Cardinal-Arch-Duke Albert Governour of the Low-Countries for that King swore it on the six and twentieth of the same moneth in the City of Bruxels the Marshal of Byron assisting whom our Henry had newly honoured with the Quality of Duke and Peer confirmed in Parliament as well to give more splendour to that Embassy as to recompense those great services that Lord had rendred him in his Wars In this Voyage the Spaniards spared neither Caresses nor Prayers to this new Duke to inspire him with Pride and Vanity and intoxicated him in such manner with a good opinion of himself that it put a fancie in his head that the King ought him more then he would ever know how to give him and that if his vertue were not sufficiently honoured in France he would finde other places where it should be set at a higher price That which afterwards produced very ill effects Many among the French who knew not truely the pitiful estate wherein the King of Spain and his Affairs were could not comprehend why this Prince should buy the peace at so dear a rate as the surrendry of six or seven strong places and amongst others Calais and Blavet which might be called the Keys of France On the contrary the Spaniards who beheld their King as it were dying his Treasury wasted the Low-Countries shattered in pieces Portugal and his Lands in Italy on the point to revolt the Son which he left a good Prince in truth but who loved repose were astonished that the French having so bravely re-taken Amiens and re-united all their Forces after the Treaty of the Duke of Merceur had not pressed farther into the Low-Countries seeing that in all appearance they might either have carried them or at least sorely shaken them The King answered That if he had desired peace it was not because he was weary of the incommodities of War but to give leave to afflicted Christendome to breath That he knew well that from the Conjuncture wherein things were he might have drawn great advantages but that God often overturns Princes in their greatest Prosperities and that a wife man ought never out of the opinion of some favourable event be averse to a good accord nor trust himself too much on the appearance of his present happiness which may change by a thousand unexpected Accidents it having often happened that a man thrown down and wounded hath killed him who would make him demand his life It was known in a little time that King Philip the second had more need of the peace then France for his sickness was more then redoubled he had for twenty six days continually a perpetual flux of blood through all the conduits of his body and a little before his death he had four Aposthumes broke in his Groin from whence there tumbled a continual multitude of Vermin which all the diligence of his Officers could not drain In this strange sickness his constancy was wonderful nor did he ever abandon the reins of his Estate until the last gasp of his Life for he
took care before his death to treat of the marriage of his Son with Margaret Daughter to the Arch-Duke of Grats and that of his dear Daughter Isabella with the Cardinal-Arch-Duke Albert of the same blood with her and gave him for Dowry the Low-Countries and County of Bourgongne on Condition of its Reversion if she died without issue He had already signed the Articles of the peace but this mortal sickness permitted him not to give Oath to it with the same solemnities as the King and Arch-Duke had done Philip the third his Son and Successour acquitted himself of this Obligation on the one and twentieth of May in the year 1601. in the City of Vallidolid and presence of the Count of Rochepot Ambassodour of France The license of the War having for many years permitted mischiefs with impunity there were yet found a great number of Vagabonds who believed it still permitted them to take the Goods of others at pleasure and others there were who thought they had right to do themselves justice by their arms not acknowledging any Laws but force This obliged our wise King to begin the Reformation of the Estate by the Re-establishment of publick Security To this effect he forbad all carrying of Fire-arms to all persons of what quality soever upon pain of the Confiscation of their Arms and Horses and a Fine of two hundred Crowns for the first fault and of Life without remission for the second permitting all the world to arrest any who carried them except his light-horsemen his Gens d' Arms and the Guards of his body which might bear them onely when they were in service To the same purpose and to ease the Country of the multitudes of his Souldiers he dismissed not onely the greatest part of his new Troops but likewise reduced the one half of his old He reduced the Companies of the Ordinance to a very little number and took off the Guards of the Governours of the Provinces and Lieutenants of the King not willing to suffer any whatsoever besides himself to have that glorious mark of Soveraignty about their persons The Wars had spoiled all Commerce reduced Cities into Villages Villages to small Cots and Lands to Deserts nevertheless the Receivers constrained the poor Husband-men to pay Taxes for those Fruits they had never gathered The Cries of these miserable people who had nothing but their Tongues to lament with touched in such manner the very Entrails of so just and so good a King that he made an Edict by which he released them of all they owed him for the time past and gave them hopes to ease them more for the future Moreover having understood that during the Troubles there were made a great quantity of false Nobles who were exempted from the Tax he commanded that they should be sought forth nor did he confirm their Usurpation for a piece of mony as hath been sometimes done to the great prejudice of other taxed people but he would that the Tax should be re-imposed upon them to the end that by this means they might assist the poor people to bear a good part of the burthen as being the richer He desired with much affection to do good to his true Nobility and repay them those Expences they had been at in his service but his Coffers were empty and moreover all the Gold in Peru had not been sufficient to satisfie the Appetite and Luxury of so many people For King Henry the third had by his example and that of his Minions raised expences so high that Lords lived like Princes and Gentlemen like Lords for which purposes they were forced to alienate the Possessions of their Ancestors and change those old Castles the illustrious marks of their Nobility into Silver-lace Gilt-coaches train and horses Afterwards when they were indebted beyond their credit they fell either upon the Kings Coffers demanding Pensions or on the backs of the people oppressing them with a thousand Thieveries The King willing to remedy this disorder declared very resolvedly to his Nobility That he would they should accustom themselves to live every man on his Estate and to this effect he should be well content that to enjoy themselves of the peace they should go see their Country houses and give order for the improvement of their Lands Thus he eased them of the great expences of the Court and made them understand that the best treasure they could have was that of good management Moreover knowing that the French Nobility would strive to imitate the King in all things he shewed them by his own example how to abridge their superfluity in Cloathing For he ordinarily wore gray Cloath with a Doublet of Sattin or Taffata without slashing Lace or Embroydery He praised those who were clad in this sort and chid the others who carried said he their Mills and their Woods and Forests on their backs About the end of the year he was seized with a suddain and violent sickness at Monceaux of which it was thought he would die All France was affrighted and the rumours which ran of it seemed to re-kindle some factions but in ten or twelve days he was on foot again as if God had onely sent him this sickness to discover to him what ill wills there were yet in the Kingdome and to give him the satisfaction to feel by the sorrows of his people the pleasures of being loved In the strength of his Disease he spoke to his friends these excellent words I do not at all fear death I have affronted it in the greatest dangers but I avow that I should unwillingly leave this Life till I have put this Kingdome into that splendour I have proposed to my self and till I have testified to my people by governing them well and easing them of their many Taxes that I love them as if they were my Children After his recovery continuing in his praise-worthy designes of putting his Affairs in order he came to St. Germain in Laya to resolve the Estates of the expence as well of his House as for the Guard of Frontiers and Garisons entertainment of Forces Artillery Sea-Affairs and many other Charges He had then in his Council as we may say we have at present very great men and most experienced in all sorts of Matters but he still shewed himself more able and more understanding then they He examined and discussed all the particulars of his expence with a judgement and with a clearness of spirit truely admirable retrenched and cut off all that was possible allowing onely what was necessary Amongst other things he abridged the superfluous expences of the Tables in his house not so much that he might spare himself as to oblige his subjects to moderate their liquorish prodigality and hinder them from ruining their whole houses by keeping too great Kitchins In sum by the example of the King which hath always more force then Laws or then Correction Luxury was
little St. Anthonies being holy Thursday as she returned to her Lodging and being walking in the Garden she felt her self struck with an Apoplexy in the brain The first fury of it being passed she would no longer stay in that house but caused her self to be carried to that of Madam de Sourdis her Aunt near St. Germain of the Auxerrois And all the rest of that day and the morrow she was perplexed with Swoondings and Convulsions of which she died on the Saturday-morning The causes of her death were diversly spoken of but however it was a happiness to France since it deprived the King of an object for which he was about to loose both himself and his Estate His grief was as great as his love had been yet he not being of those feeble souls who please themselves in perpetuating their sorrows and in bathing themselves in their tears received not onely those comforts he sought but still conserved for the Children and particularly for the Duke of Vendosm that affection he had born the Mother All good French-men passionately desired that so good a King might leave legitimate Children They durst not press him to take a Wife capable to bring him forth such so long as Gabriella lived for fear lest he should espouse her and out of the same fear Queen Margaret would not give her consent to dissolve his marriage But when Gabriella was dead she willingly lent her hand to it and her self addressed a Request to the holy Father to demand the dissolution founding it principally on two causes of nullity The first was the want of consent for she alledged she had been forced to it by King Charles the ix her Brother The second the Proximity of Kindred found between them in the third degree for which she said there had never been any valuable Dispensation In like manner the Lords of the Kingdome and the Parliament besought his Majesty by solemn Deputations that he would think of taking a Wife representing to him the inconveniencies and the danger wherein France would be found if he should die without Children These Deputations will not seem strange to those who know our ancient History where it may be seen that neither the King nor his Children married but by the advice of his Barons and this passed in that time for almost a Fundamental Law of the Estate The King touched with these just supplications of his subjects addressed his request to the Pope containing the same reasons as that of Queen Margaret and charged the Cardinal d'Ossat and Sillery his extraordinal Ambassadour whom he had sent to Rome to pursue the judgement of the Pope concerning the restitution of the Marquisate of Saluces to sollicite instantly this Affair The cause reported to the Consistory the Pope gave Commission to the Prelates to judge it on the place according to the rights of that Crown which suffers not French-men to be transported for Affairs of the like nature beyond the Mountains whither it would be almost impossible to bring the necessary proofs and witnesses These Prelates were the Cardinal of Joyeuse the Popes Nuntio and the Archbishop of Arles who having examined both Parties seen the Proofs produced on one and the other and the Request of the three Estates of the Kingdom declared this marriage null and permitted them to marry whom they should think fit Queen Margaret who for many years had deserted the King and voluntarily shut her self up in the strong Castle of Usson in Auvergne had now permission to come to Paris money given her to pay her debts great Pensions the possession of the Dutchy of Valois with some other Lands and right to bear still the Title of Queen She lived yet fifteen years and built a Palace near du Pre-aux-Clercs which was after sold to pay his debts and demolished to build other houses She loved extreamly good Musitians having a delicate Ear and knowing and eloquent Men because she was of a spirit clear and very agreeable in her discourse For the rest she was liberal even to prodigality pompous and magnificent but she knew not what it was to pay her debts Which is without doubt the greatest of all a Princes fault because there is nothing so much against Justice of which he ought to be the Protector and Defender This marriage being dissolved Bellievre and Villeroy fearing lest the King should engage himself in new loves and be taken in some of those snares which the fairest of the Court stretched out for him perswaded him by many great Reasons of State to fix his thoughts on Maria de Medicis who was daughter to Francis and Neece to Ferdinand great Dukes of Toscany The Cardinal d' Ossat and Sillery made known his intention to the great Duke Ferdinand her Uncle and Alincour son to Villeroy whom he had sent to thank the holy Father for his good and brief Justice touching the aforesaid dissolution of his marriage had order to testifie to him that the King having cast his eyes on all the Daughters of the Soveraign Houses of Christendome had found no Princess more agreeable to him The business was managed with so much activeness and vigilancy by the diligence of those which had enterprized it that the King found himself absolutely engaged The contract of the marriage was signed at Florence by his Ambassadors the fourth of April in the year one thousand six hundred And Alincour in seven days brought him the news to Fountain-bleau He assisted at present at that famous Conference or Dispute between James David du Perron Bishop of Eureux afterwards Cardinal and Philip du Plessis Mornay where truth nobly triumphed over falsehood There are particular relations of the solemnities made at Florence the Magnificences of the great Duke the Ceremonies of the Affiancing and Marriage of this Queen of her Imbarking her being convoyed by the Gallies of Malta and Florence and her reception at Marseilles at Avignon and at Lions and therefore I shall speak nothing of it Whilst the Marriage of Florence was treating the King having a heart which could for no long time keep his liberty became enslaved to a new object It is to be understood that Mary Touchet who had been Mistress to Charles the ninth from whom came Issue the Count d' Auvergne had been Married to the Lord d' Entragues and had by him many children amongst the rest a very fair daughter named Henrietta who by consequent was sister by the mothers side to the Count of Auvergne This Count was about the age of thirty years and she about eighteen It is but too well known that Flatterers and wicked Sycophants ruine all in the Courts of great Men and corrupt likewise their persons These are they which sweeten the poyson which embolden the Prince to do ill which make him familiar with vice which seek and facilitate occasions for it and who act as we may say the mystery of
thrown down forty years before and gave a considerable sum of money to rebuild it All France during this holy Jubilee had instantly demanded of Heaven that it would be pleased to give them a Daulphine to deliver them from those misfortunes wherein they should be plunged if the King should die without Male-children Their vows were heard and the Queen happily brought to bed of a Son at Fontainbleau on the day of St. Cosmo being the twenty seventh of September They gave him at his Baptism the Name of Lewis so sweet and dear to France for the memory of the great St. Lewis and of the good King Lewis xii Father of the people Afterwards was appropriated to him the surname of Just and we at present believe his having been the Father of Lewis the wise and victorious none of the least worthy of his Titles His Birth was preceded by a great Earthquake which happened some days before The Birth was very hard and the infant laboured till he was all of a purple-colour which possibly ruined within the principal Organs of Health and good Constitution The King invoking on him the Benediction of Heaven gave him likewise his and put his Sword in his hand praying to God That he would give him the grace to use it onely for his glory and for the defence of the people The Princes of the Blood which were with him in the Chamber of the Queen all of them saluted the Daulphine one after another I omit how express Curriers carried this News into all the Provinces the publick rejoycings throughout the whole Kingdome particularly in the great City of Paris who as much loved Henry the great as they had hated his Predecessor the Complements the King received on his part from all the Potentates of Europe and the accustomed Present of the holy Father in like occasions to wit the blessed swathling bands which he sent by Seigneur Barbarino who was afterwards Cardinal and Pope named Urban the viii Five days before the Queen of Spain was brought to bed of her first Childe which was a Daughter whom at the Font of Baptism they named Anne The Spaniards rejoyced no less then if it had been a Son for in that Country the Females succeed to the Crown Those amongst the French who penetrated farthest into things to come took likewise part in this joy but for another reason which was that this Princess being of the same age with the Daulphine it seemed that Heaven had made the one be born for the other and that she ought one day be his Spouse as in effect Lewis xiii had this happiness and France still possesses it admiring in all occasions the rare Wisdom the exemplary Piety and heroick Constancy of this great Princess In acknowledgement of the grace which God had done to the King in giving him a Daulphine which was the sum of his wishes he redoubled his care and diligence to acquit himself well of what he ought to his Estate to better as he said the succession of his Son We will here recount some Establishments and Orders he made to that purpose Need of monies having obliged him during the Siege of Amiens to create Triennial Officers in his Revenues when it was passed he knew that there was no need of so many people to rifle his purse and that it was impossible but some little should every day remain in the hands of every one of these and therefore he suppressed these new Officers and commanded that the ancient and Alternative ones should re-imburse the Triennial From this suppression were excepted the Treasurers of the Exchequer and those of casual Forfeitures or Fines Rosny had so well bridled both the Gatherers and the Farmers that they could no longer devour those great Morsels they did heretofore But this was not yet enough they were in such manner gorged before he was Superintendent that the King with infinite justice ordained a Tribunal composed of a certain number of Judges chosen out of the Soveraign Courts and called it The Chamber-Royal whom he charged to make an exact search of the misdemeanours of those who had managed the Kings monies This Chamber made a great many disembogue however a great part found the means to escape them some out of a Consideration of their Alliances others by force of money gaining those who were near the King principally his Mistrâ—sses and corrupting the Judges themselves So much is it true that Gold pierces every where and that nothing is proof against this pernitious Metal We need not then wonder if those people filled their Coffers as full as they could since the fuller they heaped them the more facile was their justification I have already said it and I say it again for it cannot be too often nor too much observed that there is no remedy to hinder this disorder which is the greatest of all disorders in the Estate and the cause of all others save onely the vigilance and exactness of the King He must himself hold the strings of his purse have his eye still upon his Coffers know punctually what is in them what comes out of them what ways his monies accrue to what uses they are employed who are they that manage them and above all he must make them give a good account as our Henry did that if they be honest men they cannot be corrupted and if they are knaves not have the means to act their knavery He was made to know that there were two other disorders in his Realm which extreamly impoverished it and drew from it all the Gold and Silver The one was the transportation of it to strange Countries into Italy Germany and Switzerland where the little Potentates melted it and made money of a â—aser Alloy The other was the Luxury which consumed likewise a great quantity in Embroyderies Silver and Gold Lace on Cloaths and no less in the gilding of Wainscots and Chimnies and divers Moveables He made two severe Edicts which prohibited these two abuses For the first he renewed the ancient Orders concerning the transport of Gold and Silver adding the punishment of the Halter to the Transgressors and commanding all Governours to watch diligently the Observation of these his Prohibitions and not to give any Pass-ports to the contrary otherwise he declared them partakers in such Transports By the second he prohibited under the penalty of great Fines for the first time and of imprisonment for the second the wearing of Gold and Silver upon Cloaths or employing it in Gildings This Edict was rigorously observed because it excepted no person the King himself submitting to the Law he made and having looked with an ill Countenance on a Prince of the Blood who obeyed not this Reformation There was likewise expended a prodigious quantity of money in Silks by the buying of which all our money was gotten into strangers hands The King seeing that and considering that the use of these Stuffs
was very good and commodious thought it best to introduce the Manufacture into France to the end the French might gain what was now gained by the strangers To this purpose he gave order for the planting of a great number of white Mulberry-trees in those Countries where they would best thrive and particularly in Touraine to nourish Silk-worms and that people should be provided who understood how to prepare the Webs and put to work the labour of these pretioâ—â— Caterpillers If care had been taken â—â—ter his death to maintain this Order and to extend it to other Provinces it might have spared France more then five Millions which it every year sends out to provide silk Stuffs besides a Million of persons useless for other labours as are old people Maids and Children might have gained a living by it and the Employers more easily have afforded to pay the Imposts and Taxes out of the profit they had made of their industry There was yet a much greater mischief which as we may say dryed up the very Intrails of the Kingdom this was the excessive Usury The ill Husbands that is to say the greatest part of the Nobility borrowed money at ten or twelve in the hundred In which there was two great inconveniences The first That the Interests undermining by little and little in seven or eight years dug up the foundations of the richest and most ancient Houses which are as we may say the Props and Pillars that uphold the State The second That the Merchants finding this conveniency of laying out their money to so great profit and without any hazard absolutely abandoned all Commerce the streams of which once dryed up there must needs follow a famine of Gold and Silver in the Kingdome for France hath no other Mines then its Traffick and the distribution of its Merchandizes These Considerations obliged the King not onely to prohibit all Usuries but lay a penalty of the Confiscation of the sum lent and great Fines beside Afterwards the Parliament deputed some Counsellours in all Provinces to make inquisition after Usurers and to reduce all Interests or Hypothecated Rents to six and a half in the hundred They were before at ten or twelve as we have said The reason of which was because when they were constituted money was much more scarce now since it was extreamly multiplyed since the discovery of the Indies it was just to abate its interests And it was for this reason that it was afterwards put at six and may possibly one day be reduced lower Out of the same designe to enrich his people and to bring abundance and plenty into his Kingdome the King continually received all Proposals which might serve to enlarge Commerce to bring Commodity to his people and to till and make fruitful the most sterile places He endeavoured as much as was possible to make Rivers Navigable He caused to be repaired all Bridges and Causways and the great Roads to be paved knowing that whilst they are not well kept Carriages find but a difficult passage and Commerce is by that means interrupted From whence happen the same disorders in the oeconomy of an Estate as doth in that of a mans body when it findes Obstructions and when the passage of the blood and spirits are not free When he passed through the Countries he curiously regarded all things took notice of the necessities and disorders and immediately remedied all with a great diligence Under his favour and protection were established in many places of the Kingdom Manufactures of Linen and Woollen Cloths Laces Iron-ware and many other things After his example the Burgesses repaired their houses which the War had ruined The Gentlemen having laid by their Arms with onely a switch in their hand dedicated themselves to manage their Estates and augment their Revenues All the people were attentive to their work and it was a wonder to see this Kingdom which five or six years before had been as we may say a Den of Serpents and venemous Beasts being filled with Thieves Robbers Vagrants Rake-hells and Beggers changed by the diligence of the King into a Hive of innocent Bees who strove as it were with envy to each other to give proofs of their industry and to gather Wax and Honey Idleness was a shame and a kinde of Crime and indeed it is as the Proverb says the Mother of all Vices That spirit which takes no care to employ it self seriously in something is unprofitable to it self and pernitious to the publick And for these Reasons did the Provosts in that time make diligent search after Loyterers Vagabonds and idle persons and sent them to serve the King in his Gallies to oblige them perforce to work There is no happiness so stable and assured but it may be easily troubled there arrived this year two things which might have overturned all France had not the King in a good hour subverted them The Assembly of the Notables or Chiefs at Rouen which was held in the year 1596. to raise money for the King to continue the War and pay his debts had granted him as we have said the imposition of a Sol pour livre on all Merchandizes carried into walled Cities The Estate says Tacitus the greatest Polititian among Historians cannot be maintained without Forces nor the Forces without Payment nor they paid without Impositions by consequence therefore they are necessary and it is just that every one should contribute to the expences of an Estate of which he makes a part as well as partake of those Conveniences and that protection it enjoys But these impositions ought to be moderate proportionate to the power of every one and every one ought to bear his part Moreover it should be easie to perceive that the expence of raising them exceed not the principal that they be not laid so as to appear odious as on Merchandizes which nourish the poor and that in fine they be blood drawn gently from the veins and not marrow forced from the bones Now the imposition of a Sol pour livre was of this nature It was very oppressive for in every City they searched the Merchants Goods opened their Bales and saw what every one brought so that liberty was quite lost in the Kingdom Moreover it was excessive for any Merchandize being ten or twelve times sold it was found that it paid as much Impost as it was worth Moreover there was great expence in the sale of it for men were forced to employ as many Factors as would have composed an Army who desiring all to make themselves rich as well as their Masters were so vexatious to the Merchants that they became desperate And that was most strange was that there were in the Kings Council Pensioners to these Farmers who supported them in their violences and upheld them against all Complaints made of their misdemeanours The people are always subject to this Criminal Errour That when
caused likewise the Registers of Parliament and of the Notaries to be taken off the File with all informations which might conserve the memory of his Crime By this see an example how time causes a mutability in all things and how it changeth the greatest hatreds into the greatest affections and on the contrary transmutes the strongest affections into mortal hatreds By searching into the plot of the Marchioness her Father to deliver her with her Children to the Spaniards the designes of the Duke of Bouillon were likewise discovered who at present was the onely person could give the King any trouble in his own Kingdom It is most certain that this Prince had conferred on him very considerable Favours having given him the Staff of Marshal of France and procured him the marriage of the Heiress of Sedan and this Lord had likewise very well served him in his greatest necessities But after he saw him converted to the Catholick Faith he diminished much of his affection and moved partly by Zeal for his false Religion and partly by Ambition he conceived vast designes of making himself Chief and Protector of the Hugonot party and under that pretext make himself Master of the Provinces beneath the Loire It was believed that for this effect he had much assisted to exasperate the spirit of the Marshal of Byron and that he had made a Treaty with the Spaniard who was to furnish him with what money he desired but not with forces for fear of rendring himself odious to the Protestants It was but too visible that after the conversion of the King he had instantly laboured to beget distrusts and discontents in the spirits of the Hugonots and to unite and Rally them together that they might make a body perswading himself that that body must necessarily have a head and that they could chuse no other but himself And for these Reasons so many Assemblies were made and so many particular and general Synods of those of this Religion held wherein nothing was heard but complaints and murmurs against the King whom they continually wearied with new Requests and Demands Moreover it was found that this Duke had Emissaries and Servants in Guyenne and particularly in Limosin and Quercy who held private Councils among the Nobility distributed money and took oath of those who promised him service and had formed designes against ten or twelve Catholick Cities The King judging that he ought to dig up the root of this mischief before it extended farther and not knowing indeed to what it might extend resolved himself to go and remedy it He departed from Fontainbleau in the month of December having sent before Jean-Jacques de Mesmes Lord of Rossy to make process against those that were culpable Immediately all this conspiracy flew into smoak The best advised came to the King to cast themselves at his feet The chief Agent of the Duke of Bouillon being advertized that there was order given to arrest him brought his head to the King and told him both all he knew before and all that he did not know The others either fled out of the Kingdom or else hid themselves Five or six unfortunate persons being taken were beheaded at Limoges and their heads planted on the tops of the Gates their bodies burnt and the ashes thrown into the Air. Three or four others suffered the same punishment at Perigord There were ten or twelve condemned for Contumacy and their Effigies hanged up amongst others Chappelle-Byron and Giversac of the house of Cugnac But in all these procedures there were found no proofs by writing nor yet by any formal deposition against the Duke of Bouillon so cautiously and subtilly had he carried his business Before these executions the King having made his entrance into Limoges returned to Paris He passionately wished that after this the Duke of Bouillon would acknowledge and humble himself For if he remained impenitent he was obliged to prosecute him to the utmost and if he did prosecute him he offended all that great body of Protestants which were his faithful Allies He employed therefore underhand all means which he could devise to induce him to have recourse to his Clemency rather then to the intercession of strangers which a Soveraign could not agree to in the case of his Officer and Subject The Duke desired as much as he to draw himself out of this trouble but he believed he could not finde security at Court because Rosny who was not his friend and who had conceived some jealousie to see him more authorized then himself in the Hugonot party had so great credit with the King So that after many Treaties and Negotiations the King resolved to go seek him at Sedan with an Army Rosny laboured with great Zeal to make preparation for this Expedition The King confided much in him and by honouring him desired to testifie to the Hugonots that if he assaulted the Duke of Bouillon it was not against their Religion but the Rebellion he made War For this purpose he erected the Land of Sully into a Dutchy and Peerage wherefore we shall henceforward call him Duke of Sully His thoughts were that the King should pursue the Duke of Bouillon to the utmost Villeroy and the rest of the Council were of a contrary judgement they would not have the Siege of Sedan hazarded because the length of that Enterprize might possibly revive divers factions in the other corners of the Kingdom give time to the Spaniard to assault the Frontiers of Picaray to the discontented Savoyard to cast himself with the Forces of the Milanois on disarmed Provence and to the Hugonots and Protestants of Germany to come to the assistance of their friends The King well foresaw all these inconveniences and therefore having advanced to Donchery during the absence of Sully who was gone to provide Artillery he treated with the Duke of Bouillon and received him into grace on condition that he humbled himself before his Majesty and received him into the City of Sedan and delivered up the Castle to him to keep it with what Garison he should think fit for foâ—h years These were the publick Conditions but by the secret Articles the King promised the Duke to stay but five days in Sedan nor to put but fifty men in the Castle which should immediately depart upon humble supplication made by the Duke All these things were faithfully executed and without the least distrust either on the one side or the other The Duke came to meet the King at Donchery where he besought his pardon The King received him as if he had never been faulty and five or six days after entred into Sedan where he stayed onely three days and then returned to Paris The Duke accompanied him as far as Mouson passing then no further but some days after when he understood that the Parliament had confirmed his pardon in which were likewise comprehended his
as in Bourdeaux and Rouen where it is suspected there is yet some of their Children who privately follow the obstinacy of their Fathers Much contrary to the taking the protection of these Infidels the King was about very great designes for the glory and extent of the Christian Religion towards the Levant But he would not declare himself till he had so ordered the Affairs of Christendome that there should be no fear of any trouble or division and that it might make use of all its forces against so powerful an enemy as the Grand Signor Out of these thoughts he had sent three or four Gentlemen into the Levant who under the pretext of travelling and visiting the holy places might take notice of the Country the disposition of the people the estate of their Forces the Garisons and Government of the Turks Which having well considered he promised himself that after having composed the interests and procured the union of the Christian Princes he might in three or four years at most ruine this power esteemed so terrible and that with an Army of five and thirty thousand foot-men and twelve thousand horse onely Alexander the Great not having had more Forces to destroy the Empire of the Persians which without doubt was greater and more powerful then that of the Turks I shall declare what his great designe for the re-union of Christendome was when I shall in brief have observed some important things which passed in the three or four last years of his Life As he laboured diligently to heap up money the Nerves of War so he hearkned to all Propositions made for the gaining it so much the more willingly because his designe was to abolish all Taxes and Impositions The first could not be done without much diminishing his Revenue so it was necessary to find some other foundation in its place Now this stock or foundation was the Demains of the Crown which he would entirely disengage encrease by a great quantity of new rights and particularly by that of the Greffes which had been quite withdrawn for five or six years but had brought him fifteen Millions a year But when he was dead Queen Mary de Mediâ—is re-engaged it fâ—rther then it was before It is certainly worth our wishing that this sacred Patrimony of the Crown might be regained and that care were taken to re-gather this Mass which the Law of the Realm and the diligences of so many wise Heads have made and composed for the space of so many Ages to maintain our Kings with splendour and magnificence without being a charge to their Kingdome except in great and urgent necessities As for the Impost our Henry had a desire to buy from the particular Owners all the Salt-Marishes of Poictou and Britanny and then when he had them in his hand sell the Salt upon the place at what price he pleased to the Merchant who should again retail it through the whole Kingdom as they do Corn without any constraint or imposition In this manner there had been no need of so many Officers Overseers Controulers Factors and a hundred other people which without fallacy amounted to near twenty thousand all fed and paid at the expence of the King and Publick and against whom he had often very great complaints Thus the poor Country-people would not be burthened by them with imposed Salt constraining them will they nill they to take yearly a certain quantity and it is certain the people would have had it four times better cheap then they have and the King have raised much more money then he doth without expence without pains and without the vexation of his subjects Now the King seeking means to fill his Coffers and to finde some other way then Taxes it must be acknowledged that he made some Imposts and likewise some creation of Officers but that he removed many things which gave cause of complaint to many persons And moreover to pay his ancient Debts and acquit himself of the recompences and pensions due to those which had served him in his Wars against the League he was constrained to pass for their profit the advice of several things which they proposed so that he loaded himself with that envy and those reproaches which ought more justly have fallen upon those people then on himself But those who knew his intentions blamed him not as did the others for they called that good husbandry and wise oeconomy which some termed avarice and insatiable covetousness Moreover though the will of this Prince was very good for the ease of his people and for the grandeur of his Estate nevertheless it cannot be denied but he was sometimes deceived in the choice of the means and that all those whereby he furnished himself were not always as innocent as his intentions He had two particularly of which the one made some noise but never succeeded and the other was of very dangerous consequence The first was an inquisition of the Rents of the Hostel de Ville by which he pretended to make those loose them who had ill gained them and this in it self was very just but most part of the Rents having changed Owners or been parted he must of force trouble an infinite number of Families so that all Paris was moved at it and the Landlords had recourse to their Provost of the Merchants This was Miron who was likewise Civil Lieutenant a man very zealous for the service of the King as he had demonstrated in several occasions but withal a very honest Man and one whom no interest in the world could bribe against the peoples whose Magistrate he was In sum he sustained it stoutly he spoke in the Assemblies of the Hostel de Ville acted with the Superintendent with like vigour and made Remonstrances to the King But in these Remonstrances too much heat transported him to make some odious Comparisons not of the Kings person but of some people of his Council The Louvre stormed the people of the Court cryed out that he had blasphemed those whom he had taken notice of in his speeches And those who were interested in this inquisition after Rents used all their endeavours to incense the King and to perswade him to punish rigorously this boldness On the other side the people having understood that their Magistrate was threatned took fire sooner then it was believed the Burgesses came in troops about his house to defend it Miron instantly entreated them to retire and not to make him Criminal He remonstrated to them that he feared nothing that they had to do with a King as sweet and just as he was great and wise and who would not let himself be carried away by the perswasions of ill Counsellors Upon this those who wished him ill employed all their endeavours to engage the King to take him by force and to make valid his supreme Authority but he wisely answered these people That
sends likewise to complement him and he answers it by Byron To whom she shews the Earl of Essex head The King Queen enjoy the Jubilee at Orleans The Queen brought to bed of a Daulphine who is named Lewis after surnamed The Just. The King gives him his blessing and puts his sword in his hand Birth of the Infanta of Spain named Anne who after espoused King Lewis xiii The King makes divers Orders for the good of the Estate He suppresses the Triennial Officers for Revenues He establisheth a Chamber of Justice to call Treasurers and Collectors to account The onely remedy against their thefts The King prohibites the transport of gold or silver out of his Kingdome and wearing gold and silver lace or gildings Introduces the manufacture of silk into France The usury excessive in France which caused the ruine of the best families and the Merchants to abandon all traffick The King reduces interests to six in the hundred His great care to enrich his Kingdom He favours the establishment of manufactures After his example all labour for their benefit Idleness punished 1602. The King remedies two things capable to overthrow France The tax of a Sol pour livre burthensome It causes commotions in the Provinces The King to appease them goes to Poictiers His wise and just remonstance to the Deputies of Guyenne * He had sold the Lands of his Patrimony He calms the seditions and revokes the Sol pour livre Conspiracy of the Marshal Byron Laffin discovers it to the King * Vidame is a Lord who holds his Lordship in Fief of a Bishop How he got the Notes written with Byron's own hand The Duke of Savoy keeps Renaze Laffins Secretary Propositions betwixt Byron the Duke of Savoy and the Count Fuentes Byron had demanded pardon of the King but after fell again He speaks ill of the King and boasts excessively of himself Two things compleat his loss Laffin comes to Court and reveals all to the King The King sends for Byron to Court who at first excuses himself In the end Byron comes The King conjures â—im the first time to confess the truth He insolently vindicates himself The King prayes the Count of Soissons to exhort him to confess his crime But he is more obstinate The King speaks to him the second time but in vain He is troubled what to resolve on He resolves to leave him to Justice Yet tries the third time to draw truth from him He finds it in vain leaves him By on and the Count of Auvergne Arrested prisoners His kindred intercede for him The Parliament make his Process He defends himself weakly Letters of the King revoking the pardon granted him at Lyons He reproacheth not Laffin Renaze appears before him at which he is much astonished He is conducted to the Parliament and heard Sentence of death voted against him The King removes the execution to the Bastille Sentence pronounced His head cut off He was very ignorant but a great lover of predictions A reflection very necessary for great men Laffin and Renaze pardoned * That is the Rack So is the Baron of Lux and confirmed in his Charges Montbarot imprisoned and soon released Fontanelles broke on the wheel Duke of Bouillon had a hand in the conspiracy The King sends for him to Court but he presents himself to the Chamber of Castres After he retires to Geneva thence to Heidelberg to the Prince Palatine his Kinsman The favour of Rosny a pretext to the discontents of the great ones Yet the King gave him not too much power but keeps it to himself An important truth A memorable example that a King ought not to yeild too much to his Ministers Enterprizes of the Duke of Savoy on Geneva Thirteen of the Enterprizers â—anged The Duke of Savoy excuses himself to the Suisses From whom the City of Geneva was held It was an Allie of the Suisses and under protection of France The Genevans make War on Savoy But the King obliges them to peace The inhabitants of Mets rise against Sobole their Governour The Duke d' Espernon kindles the fire more The King goes in person The Jesuites present their request to the King for their reestablishment He re-establisheth them gloriously 1602 1603. He visits his sister at Nancy Renews his alliance with the Suisses and Grisons Hears of the death of Queen Elizabeth of England She beheaded Mary Queen of Scots James 6. King of Scotland and Son of Mary succeeded to the Kindom of England He was James the first of that name among the Kings of England Ambassadors go from France and Spain to desire his friendship Piety yeilds to Interest The King labours to conserve peace Excellent speeches of a good King His divertisements Employs of the Nobility Duels too frequent The King makes an Edict against this madness He makes Acts for working the Gold Silver and Copper Mines An enterprize to joyn the Seine and Loire Another design to joyn the two Seas Navigation to Canada Establishment of Religious Orders at Paris The King gives Verneuil to Madamoiselle d' Entragues She despises and offends the Queen * Alluding I suppose to the Dukes of Florence who are all Merchants The Queen on her part troublesome to the King Leonora Conchini her husband foster the Queen in ill humors 1604. The Kings debaucheries cause the Gout The Queen threatens the Marchioness Who prays the King to see her no more And her Father demands leave to retire with her out of France They treat with the Ambassador of Spain The King resolves to hinder them To this end he sends for Auvergne who is at Clermont and refuses to come He is Arrested prisoner and carried to the Bastille D' Entragues and the Marchioness likewise Arrested * The Common Goal of Paris Sentence of Parliament against them The King pardons them and justifies the Marchioness But the Count of Auvergne remained at the Bastille and is despoiled of his County Which is adjudged to Queen Margaret who gives her Estates to the Daulphin The designes of the Duke of Bouillon discovered The King had done him many favours and he had as well served the King But after the Kings conversion he excites the Hugonots against him and would make himself chief of their party His Emissaries endeavour to form a party in Guyenne The King goes to prevent them All the Conspiracy dissipated The King returns to Paris He in vain endeavours to make the Duke of Bouillon humble himself He resolves to besiege Sedan Rosny makes all necessary preparations The King makes him Duke of Sully Inconveniences in the siege of Sedan The King chuses rather to receive the Duke into favour On what conditions The Duke demands pardon of of the King who enters Sedan and thence goes to Paris A great example of generosity in our Prince Notwithstanding which there are many conspiracies Treason of l' Oste. 1605. Treason of Merargues He is surprized talking with the Spanish Ambassadours
all Europe by the esteem of his Vertue In effect since the first foundation of the French Monarchy the History furnisheth us not with any Reign more memorable by reason of the great Events more repleat with the wonders of Divine Assistance more glorious for the Prince and more happy for the People then his and it is without Flattery or Envy that all the Universe hath given him the surname of Great not so much for the greatness of his Victories however comparable to those of Alexander or Pompey as for the greatness of his Soul and of his Courage for he never bow'd either under the Insults of Fortune or under the Traverses of his Enemies or under the Resentments of Revenge or under the Artifices of Favorites or Ministers he remained always in the same temper always Master of himself In a word he remained always King and Soveraign without acknowledging other Superiour then God Justice and Reason Let us then proceed to write the History of his Life which we shall divide into three principal Parts The first shall contain what happened from his Birth till his coming to the Crown of France The second shall speak what he did after he came to it until the Peace of Vervin And the third shall recount his Actions after the Peace of Vervin until the unhappy day of his death But before all it is necessary we speak something briefly of his Genealogie He was Son to Anthony de Bourbon Duke of Vendosme and King of Navarre and of Jane of Albret Heiress of that Kingdome Anthony descended in a direct and Masculine Line from Robert Count of Clermont fifth Son to King St. Lewis This Robert espoused Beatrix Daughter and Heiress to John of Burgoyne Baron of Bourbon by his Wife Agnes for which cause Robert took the Name of Bourbon but not the Arms still keeping those of France This sage Pre-caution served well to his Descendants to maintain themselves in the Degree of Princes of the Blood which those of Courtnay lost for not having acted in the same manner And besides the Vertue which gave a splendour to their Actions the good management and oeconomy which they exercised to conserve and augment their Revenues the great Alliances in which they were very diligent to match themselves ever refusing to mingle their Noble among Vulgar Blood and above all their rare Piety towards God and that singular goodness wherewith they acted towards their Inferiors conserved them and elevated them above Princes of elder Branches for the People seeing them always rich puissant wise and in a word worthy to command had imprinted in their spirits as it were a prophetick perswasion that this House would one day come to the Crown and they on their side seemed to have conceived this hope though it were at great distance having taken for their Word or Device Espoir or Hope Among the younger Branches which issued from this Branch of Bourbon the most considerable and most illustrious was that of Vendosm It carried this Name because they possessed that great Country which came to them in the year 1364. by the marriage of Katharine Vendosme Sister and Heiress to Bouchard last Count of Vendosme with John of Bourbon Count of the Marches At present it was but a County but was after made a Dutchy by King Francis the first in the year 1514. in favou◠of Charles who was great grand-childe to John and father of Anthony This Charles had seven Male-Children Lewis Anthony Francis another Lewis Charles John and a third Lewis the first Lewis and the second died in their infancy Anthony remained the eldest Francis who was Count of Anguien and gained the Battel of Cerisoles died without being married Charles was a Cardinal of the title of Chrysogone and Archbishop of Rouen this is he who was named The old Cardinal of Bourbon John lost his life at the Battel of St. Quintin The third Lewis was called The Prince of Condé and by two Marriages had several Male-Children from the first descended Henry Prince of Condé Francis Prince of Conty and Charles who was Cardinal and Archbishop of Rouen after the Death of the old Cardinal of Bourbon There were eight Generations from Male in Male from St. Lewis to Anthony who was Duke of Vendosme King of Navarre and father to our Henry As for Jane d' Albret his Wife she was Daughter and Heiress to Henry of Albret King of Navarre and of Margaret du Valois Sister to King Francis the first and Widow to the Duke of Alenzon Henry d' Albret was son to John d' Albret who became King of Navarre by his Wife Katherine du Foix Sister to King Phoebus deceased without Children for that Realm had entred into the House of Foix by marriage as it 〈…〉 afterwards into that of Albret and since into that of Bourbon Ferdinand King of Arragon had invaded and taken the Higher Navarre that is that part which is beyond the Pyraenean Hills and the most considerable of that Realm from King John d' Albret so that by consequence there rested to him onely the Lower that is that beneath the Mountains towards France but with it he had the Countries of Bearn of Albrett of Foix of Armagnac of Bigorra and many other great Signories coming as well by the House of Foix as that of Albret Henry his Son had onely one Daughter Jane who was called The Minion of Kings for King Henry her Father and the great King Francis the first her Uncle with Envy to each other strove most to cherish her The Emperour Charles the fifth had cast his Eyes on her and caused her to be demanded of her Father for his Son Philip the second proposing this as a means to pacifie their Differences touching the Kingdome of Navarre but King Francis the first not thinking it fit to introduce so puissant an Enemy into France causing her to come to Chastellerault affianced her to the Duke of Cleves and after releasing her of that Contract married her to Anthony of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme and the Marriage was solemnized at Moulins in the year 1547. the same year that Francis the first died The two young Spouses had in their first three or four years two Sons both which died at Berceau by accidents very extraordinary the first because its Governess being her self cold of nature kept it so hot that she stifled it with heat and the second by the carelessness of the Nurse who playing with a Gentleman as they danced the Childe from one to another let it fall to the ground so that it died in torment Thus Heaven deprived them of these two little Princes to make way for our Henry who merited well both the Birth-right and to be an onely Son Let us now come to the History of his Life The First PART OF THE LIFE OF HENRY the Great Containing his History from his Birth until he came to the Crown of FRANCE
burned the suburbs of Toulouse in such manner that the sparkles of that fire flew into that great City The War being thus kindled in the heart of France he shewed himself on the other bank of the Rhone with his troops gained by storms the City of St. Julien and St. Just and obliged St. Estienne en Forez to capitulate From thence he descended to the banks of the Saone and afterwards into the middle of Burgongne Paris trembled the second time at the approach of an Army so much the more formidable because it seemed to be re-inforced by the loss of two-battles and to have now gained some advantage over that of the Catholicks which the Marshal de Cosse commanded The Counsel of the King fearing to hazard all by a fourth Encounter judged it more to the purpose to plaister up a peace with that party it was therefore treated of the two Armies being near each other and concluded in the little City of Arnay-le-Duc on the eleventh of August This Peace made every one retire home the Prince of Navarre went to Bearn King Charles the ninth married with Elizabeth Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian the second and nothing else seemed thought of but Feasts and Rejoycings In the mean time the King having found that he could never compass his Desires on the Hugonots by force resolved to make use of meáns more easie but much more wicked he began to caress them to feign that he would treat them favourably to accord them the greatest part of those things they desired and to lull them asleep with hopes of his making War against the King of Spain in the Low-Countries a thing they passionately desired and the better to allure them he promised as a gage of his faith to marry his Sister Margaret to our Henry and by these means drew the principal Chiefs of their party to Paris His mother Jane who was come before to make preparations for the marriage died a few days after her arrival a Princess of a Spirit and Courage above her Sex and whose Soul wholly virile was not subject to the weaknesses and defaults of other women but in truth a passionate Enemy of the Catholick Religion Some Historians say that she was poisoned with a pair of perfumed Gloves because they feared that she having a great spirit would discover the designe they had to massacre all the Hugonots but if I be not deceived this is a falsity it being more likely which others say that she died of a Tissick since those that were about her and served her have so testified Henry her Son who came after her being in Poictou received news of her death and presently took the Quality of King for hitherto he had onely born that of Prince of Navarre So soon as he came to Paris the unhappy Nuptials were celebrated the two parties being espoused by the Cardinal of Bourbon on a scaffold erected for that purpose before the Church of Nostre-Dame Six days after which was the day of St. Bartholomew all the Hugonots which were come to the solemnity had their throats cut amongst others the Admiral and twenty other Lords of remark twelve hundred Gentlemen three or four thousand Souldiers and Burgesses and through all the Cities of the Kingdome after the example of Paris near an hundred thousand men Execrable action which never had nor ever shall again if it please God finde its parallel What grief must it needs be to our young King to see in stead of Wine and Perfumes so much Blood shed at his Nuptials his best friends murthered and hear their pitiful cries which pierced his ears into the Louvre where he was lodged And moreover what trances and fears must needs surprize his very Person for in effect it was consulted whether they should murther him and the Prince of Condé with the rest and all the murderers concluded on their death nevertheless by a miracle they after resolved to spare them Charles the ninth caused them to be brought to his presence and having shewed them a mountain of dead bodies with horrible threats not hearkning to their reasons told them Either Death or the Mass. They elected rather the last then the first and abjured Calvinism but because it was known they did it not heartily they were so straitly observed that they could not escape the Court during those two years that Charles the ninth lived nor a long time after his death During this time our Henry exquisitely dissembled his discontents though they were very great and notwithstanding those vexations which might trouble his spirit he cloathed his visage with a perpetual serenity and humour wholly jolly This was without doubt the most difficult passage of his Life he had to do with a furious King and with his two Brothers to wit the Duke of Anjou a dissembling Prince and who had been educated in massacres and with the Duke of Alenzon who was deceitful and malitious with Queen Katherine who mortally hated him because her Divines had foretold his reign and in fine with the house of Guise whose puissance and credit was at present almost boundless He was doubtless necessitated to act with a marvellous prudence in the conduct of himself with all these people that he might not create in them the least jealousie but rather beget a great esteem of himself make submission and gravity accord and conserve his Dignity and Life in the mean time he dis-engaged himself from all these difficulties and from all these dangers with an unparallell'd address He contracted a great familiarity with the Duke of Guise who was about his own age and they often made secret parties of pleasure together but he agreed not so well with the Duke of Alenzon who had a capritious spirit nor was he over-much troubled at his ill accord with him because neither the King nor Queen-mother had any affection for this Duke However he gave no credit to the ill counsel of that Queens Emissaries who endeavoured to engage his contending in Duel against him so much the rather because that he considering him as the brother of his King to whom he ought respect he knew well it would have proved his loss and that she would not have been wanting to take so fair a pretext to ruine him He shunned likewise other snares laid for him but yet not all for he suffered himself to be overtaken with the allurements of some Ladies of the Court whom it is said that Queen served her self expressly of to amuse the Princes and Nobles and to discover all their thoughts From that time for Vices contracted in the blossome of youth generally accompany men to their tomb a passion for women was the greatest feebleness and weakness of our Henry and possibly the cause of his last misfortune for God punisheth sooner or later those who wickedly abandon themselves to this criminal passion Besides this he contracted no other
That force could not justly be employed against him who so far submitted himself to reason and the greatest part of the Nobility approved this generous procedure and proclaimed aloud that the Duke of Guise ought not to refuse so great an honour That Duke wanted no courage to accept the Defiance but he considered that drawing his sword against a Prince of the blood was in France accounted a kinde of Parricide that otherwise he could willingly have reduced the cause of Religion and of the Publick to a particular Quarrel He therefore prudently answered That he esteemed the person of the King of Navarre and would have no controversie with him but that he onely interested himself for the Catholick Religion which was threatned and for the tranquillity of the Kingdome which onely and absolutely depended on the unity of Religion His other Action was thus Having understood the noise of those paper-Thunder-bolts which the Pope had thrown out against him he dispatched one to the King to make his Complaints to him and to remonstrate to him That this procedure concerned his Majesty nearer then himself That he ought to judge That if the Pope took upon him to decide concerning his succession and should seize to himself a right to declare a Prince of the blood unable of the Crown he might afterwards well pass further and dethrone himself as Zachary is reported to have formerly degraded Childeric 3. Upon these Remonstrances the King hindred the publication of those Bulls in his Dominions But our Henry not contenting himself there with knowing himself to have friends at Rome proved so hardy as to fix his and the Prince of Condé his opposition at the corners of the chiefest streets of the City by which those Princes appealed from the sentence of Sixtus to the Court of Peerage of France giving the Lye to whoever accused them of the crime of Heresie offering to prove the contrary in a general Council and in the end professing that they would revenge upon him and upon all his successours the injury done their King the Royal Family and all the Courts of Parliament It could not but be supposed that this opposition would incense to the utmost the spirit of Sixtus the fifth and indeed at first he testified a very furious emotion However when his Choler was a little asswaged he admired the great Courage of that King who at such a distance had known how to revenge himself and fix the marks of his resentment even at the gates of his Palace in such manner that he conceived so great an esteem for him so true is it that Vertue makes it self be reverenced by its very enemies that he was often afterwards heard say That of all those who reigued in Christendome there was none but this Prince and Elizabeth Queen of Enland to whom he would have communicated those great things which agitated his spirit if they had not been Hereticks Nor could all the prayers of the League ever oblige him to furnish any thing towards the charges of this War which possibly overwhelmed the greatest part of their Enterprizes because their hopes in part depended on a Million which he had promised them Now as on their side the Chiefs of the League endeavoured to engage on their party all the Lords and Cities they could our Henry on his part re-united with him all his friends both of the one and the other Religion the Marshal of Damville-Montmorency Governour of Languedoc the Duke of Montpensier Prince of the blood who was Governour of Poictou with his Son the Prince of Dombes the Prince of Condé who held a part of Poictou of Xaintonge and of Angoumois the Count of Soissons and the Prince of Conty his brother Of these five Princes of the blood the three last were his Cousen-Germans the two first were removed one degree further and all professed the Catholick Religion save onely the Prince of Condé He had likewise on his part Lesdiguieres who from a plain Gentleman had by his Valour elevated himself to so high a point that he was Master of the Daulphinate and made the Duke of Savoy tremble Claudius de la Trimouille who possessed great Lands in Poictou and Brittany and was sometimes before turned Hugonot that he might have the honour to marry his Daughter to the Prince of Condé Henry de la Tour Viscount of Turenne who either out of complacency or true perswasion had espoused the new Religion Chastillon son to the Admiral of Coligny la Boulaye Lord Poitevin Rene chief of the house of Rohan George de Clermont d' Amboise Francis Count of Rochefoucaud the Lord de Aubetterre James de Caumontla-force the Seigneurs de Pons Saint Gelais-Lansac with many other Lords and Gentlemen of remark all or most of the new Religion At the same time he dispatched to Elizabeth Queen of England and to the Protestant Princes of Germany such able Agents that they joyned all together in a strong Union The One to maintain the Other so that all these being united all things arrived contrary to what the League expected and our Henry found himself fortified in such manner that he had no longer any apprehension of being oppressed without having the means to defend himself I shall not make here a particular Recital of the Actions either of the one or the other party during the years 1585. and 1586. because I have observed nothing very considerable King Henry the third was extreamly perplexed at this War which was maintained at his expence and to his great prejudice since they disputed the succession he yet living and well and already considered him as one dead He loved neither the one nor the other party but did so much cherish his Favourites strange blindness that he could have desired had it been in his power to have parted his Estate amongst them The League on their side pretended to have power enough to carry it and our Henry hoped to frustrate the designes both of the one and the other The Queen-mother having other wishes for the children of her Daughter married to the Duke of Lorrain promised the King to finde means to calm all these tempests To this purpose she procured a Truce with our Henry during which an Interview was agreed upon between him and her at the Castle of St. Brix near Coignac where both the one and the other met in the month of December There was some difficulty to finde security both for the one and the other but especially for the Queen-mother who was wonderfully distrustful Our Henry hereupon did an Action of great Generosity which he managed in this manner There had a Truce been agreed upon for the security of this Conference in such sort that if either party broke it they were in fault and might justly be arrested now some of our Henry's followers feigning to be Traytors had enticed some of the Catholick-Captains too greedy of the booty to Fontenay which they
wilt punish me as my sins deserve I offer my head to thy Justice spare not the Culpable but Lord for thy holy mercies sake take pity of the poor Kingdom and smite not the flock for the offence of the shepherd It cannot be expressed of what efficacy these words were they were in a moment carried through the whole Army and it seemed as if some vertue from heaven had given courage to the French The Arch-Duke therefore finding them resolved and in good Countenance durst not pass farther Some other attempts he afterwards made which did not succeed and he retired by night into the Country of Artois where he dismissed his Army In fine Hernand Teillo being slain by a Musquet-shot the besieged capitulated and the King established Governour in the City the Seigneur de Vic a man of great order and exact discipline who by his command began to build a Citadel there At his departure from Amiens the King led his Army to the very Gates of Arras to visit the Arch-Duke he remained three days in battalia and saluted the City with some Volleys of Cannon Afterward seeing that nothing appeared he retired towards France ill satisfied said he gallantly with the courtesie of the Spaniards who would not advance so much as one pace to receive him but had with an ill grace refused the honour he did them The Marshal of Byron served him extraordinarily at this siege and the King when he was returned to Paris and that those of the City gave him a reception truly Royal he told them shewing them the Marshal Gentlemen see there the Marshal de Byron whom I do willingly present both to my friends and to my enemies There rested now no appearance of the League in France but onely the Duke of Merceur yet keeping a corner of Brittany The King had often granted him Truces and offered him great Conditions but he was so intoxicated with an ambition to make himself Duke of that Country that he found out daily new fancies to delay the concluding one imagining that time might afford him some favourable revolution and flattering himself with I know not what prophecies which assured him that the King should dye in two years In fine the King wearied with so many protractions turns his head that way resolving to chastise his obstinacy as it deserved He had been lost without remedy if he had not been advised to save himself by offering his only daughter to the eldest son of the Fair Gabriella Dutchess of Beaufort who is at this day Duke of Vendosme His Deputies could at first obtain nothing else but that he should immediately depart out of Brittany and deliver those places which he held which done his Majesty would grant him oblivion for all past and receive him into his favour But the King being of a tender heart and desiring to advance his natural son by so rich and noble a marriage granted him a very advantagious Edict which was verified in the Parliament as all those of the Chiefs of the League were This accommodation was made at Angiers the Contract of marriage passed at Chasteau and the affiances celebrated with the same Magnificence as if he had been a Legitimate son of France He was four years old and the Virgin six The King made gift to him of the Dutchy of Vendosme by the same right that other Dukes hold them which the Parliament verified not without great repugnancy and with this condition that it should be no president for the other goods of the Kings patrimony which by the Laws of the Realm were esteemed reunited to the Crown from the time of his coming to it From Angiers the King would pass into Brittany He stayed some time at Nantes from thence he went to Rennes where the Estates were held he passed about two months in this City in feasts joys and divertisements but yet ceasing not seriously to imploy himself to hasten the expedition of many affairs For it is to be observed that this great Prince employed himself all the mornings in serious things and dedicated the rest of the day to his divertisements yet not in such manner that he would not readily quit his greatest pleasures when there was any thing of importance to be acted and he still gave express order not to defer the advertizing him of such things He took away a great many superfluous Garisons in this Country suppressed many imposts which the Tyranny of many perticular persons had introduced during the War disbanded all those pilfering Troops which laid waste the plain Country sent forth the Provosts into the Campagne against the theeves which were in great number restored Justice to its authority which License had weakned and gathered four Millions of which the Estates of the Country of their own free will levyed eight hundred thousand crowns So he laboured profitably for these two ends which he ought most to intend to wit the ease of his people and the increase of his treasures Two things which are incompatible when a Prince is not Just and a good manager or lets his mony be managed by others without taking diligent care of his accounts Thus was a calme of Peace restored to France within it self after ten years Civil Wars by a particular grace of God on this Kingdom by the labour diligence goodness and valour of the best King that ever was And in the mean time a peace was seriously endeavoured between the two Crowns of France and Spain The two Kings equally wished it our Henry because he passionately desired to ease his people and to let them regain their forces after so many bloody and violent agitations and Philip because he found himself incline to the end of his days and that his Son Philip the third was not able to sustain the burthen of a War against so great a King The Deputies of one part and the other had been assembled for three months in the little City of Vervins with the Popes Nuntio Those of France were Pompone of Believre and Nicholas Bruslard both Counsellours of State and the last likewise President of the Parliament who acting agreeably and without jealousies determined on the most difficult Articles in very little time and according to the order they received from the King signed the peace on the second of May. The 12. of the same month it was published at Vervin It would be too long to insert here all the Articles of the Treaty I shall say only that it was agreed that the Spaniards should surrender all the places they had taken in Picardy and Blavet which they yet held in Brittany That the Duke of Savoy should be comprehended in this Treaty provided he delivered to the King the City of Berry which he held in Provence And for the Marquesate of Saluces which that Duke had taken from France towards the latter end of the Reign of Henry the third that it should be
soon converted into a Frugality very necessary for the State He had chosen for his Council very able and faithful Ministers as Chiverny Bellievre Sillery Sancy Janin Villeroy and Rosny I speak not here at all of his gallant Men for War as the Marshal of Byron Lesdiguieres Governour of the Daulphinate the Duke of Mayenne the Constable of Montmorency the Marshal de la Chastre the Marshal d' Aumont Guitry la Noue and many others of whom he served not himself in the Administration of State-affairs though he often entertained himself with them and for their honour sometimes communicated to them things of consequence demanding their advice The Chancellour of Chiverny who had been raised to this charge under the reign of Henry the third was a man cold dissembled and considerate but as his Enemies said he was a much better Pleader then Counsellour of State He died the year following and in his place the King constituted Pompone de Bellievre a man perfectly accomplished in the knowledge of the Rights and Interests of France and a most expert Negotiator as he well shewed in the Treaty of Vervin He was old when the King gave him this Charge and therefore said himself That he onely entred into it to go out of it He counselled the King to make a severe Act against Duels He established a very good Order in the Council and ordained That none should be received Master of the Requests but who had been ten whole years in one of the Soveraign Companies or sixteen in other of the Subalternate Seats Nicholas Bruslard de Sillery President of the Cap to the Parliament of Paris who was his Son-in-law and who had been his Companion at Vervin was of a spirit sweet facile and circumspect It hath been said that the Publick never beheld any passion either in his Countenance or Discourse Harlay-Sancy was a man free bold and dauntless who feared no person when he acted for the service of the King but he was a little rugged and spoke to him too freely witness what he said concerning Madam Gabriella who knew how to return it to him As for Janin President of the Parliament of Bourgongne and Villeroy chief Secretary of State they had both taken part with the League and yet very profitably served both the King and France having in what they acted endeavoured onely for the defence of the Catholick Religion and not been moved out of a spirit of faction They had hindred the Spaniards from planting themselves in this Realm and the Duke of Mayenne from absolutely casting himself upon them as his despair had often perswaded him to do They agreed both in this point that they loved the Estate and Royalty with passion and that they had great judgement but for the rest of their humours they were very much different Janin was an old Gaul who would manage his Affairs by the ancient forms according to the Laws and Ordinances a good Lawyer firm and resolute who went directly towards his end and who knew no subtile turnings and windings but entirely loved the publick good Villeroy was one of the wisest and most exact Courtiers that was ever seen he had a spirit clear and neat which would unravel with an incredible facility the most embroyled Affairs explain them so agreeably and intelligibly as nothing more and who turned them as himself pleased He was wonderfully active withal and most excellent at finding Expedients taking his business by so sure hold that it was difficult to escape him The King often conferred with these Counsellours for they were now so called and not Ministers as they had been for above thirty years before He spoke to them of his Affairs sometimes to be instructed and sometimes to instruct them which he did either in the Council-chamber or walking in the Gardens of the Tuilleries Monceaux St. Germain and Fontainbleau He discoursed often with them apart calling them one after another and he did so either to oblige them to speak to him with more liberty or not to tell them all together what he would onely tell to some particularly or for some other reason which he without doubt deduced from good policy He said That he found none amongst them who satisfied him like Villeroy and that he could dispatch more business with him in an hour then with the others in a whole day As for Maximilian de Bethune Baron of Rosny and after Duke of Sully he had been bred up with the King in the Hugonot Religion and the King had known his capacity and affection in divers affairs of consequence but above all that his genius carried him to the good management of Revenues and that he had all qualities requisite for that purpose In effect he was a man of good order exact a good husband a keeper of his word not prodigal nor proud nor carried away by vain follies or expences or play or women or any other things not convenient for a man entrusted with such an Employment Moreover he was vigilant laborious expeditious and one who dedicated almost his whole time to his affairs and little to his pleasure and withal he had the gift of piercing into the very bottome of matters and unravelling those twistings and knots with which Treasurers when they are not trusty and faithful endeavour to conceal their deceits We have already said how the King desired above all things to provide for a good Government in his Revenues and the reasons for which he had been obliged to leave Francis d' O in the charge of Superintendant After this man was dead he gave that charge to five or six persons whom he believed both capable and honest men he was perswaded that he should be better served by them then by one alone imagining that they would serve as checks and controulers to one another But the quite contrary happened every one discharged himself on his Companion nothing was advanced and if any would act the others were not wanting to cross him by their jealousies so that they only agreed in this point that every one looked that his Salary was well paid him which cost the King six times more then if he had had only one Superintendent whilst he drew no profit from this multitude Knowing then that so many people did onely imbroil his Revenues he returned them again into the hands of one and this was Sancy But a short time after finding him more proper for other Employments then that he gave him Rosny for a Companion and after made Rosny alone Superintendent Rosny before he entred into this Charge was provided with all necessary knowledges to acquit himself well of it he knew perfectly all the Revenues of the Kingdom and all the expences which were necessary He communicated all he knew to the King who on his part had likewise studied all these things so that an hundred Crowns could not be laid out but he would
but I with my Gray Jacket will give you good effects I am all Gray without but you shall find me Gold within I will see your desires and answer them the most favourably I can possible All his Prudence and all his Address were not too much to teach him to govern himself so that both the Catholicks and Pope might be content with his Conduct and the Hugonots have no cause to be alarmed or cantonize themselves His Duty and his Conscience carried him to the assistance of the first but Reason of State and the great Obligations he had to the last permitted him not to make them despair To keep therefore a necessary temperature he granted them an Edict more ample then the precedent It was called The Edict of Nantes because it was concluded the year before in that City whilst he was there by this he granted them all liberty for the exercise of their Religion and likewise license to be admitted to Charges to Hospitals to Colledges and to have Schools in certain places and preaching every where and many other things of which they are since deprived by reason of their Rebellions and divers Enterprizes The Parliament strongly opposed it for more then a year but in the end when they were made understand that not to accord that security to the Hugonots who were both powerful and quarrelsome were to rekindle new War in the Kingdom they confirmed it On the other side to sweeten the Pope who might be troubled at this Edict the King shewed him all possible manner of respect and strenuously embraced his interests as appeared in the action of Ferrara in the years 1597. and 1598. This Dutchy is a Fief Male of the holy Seat of which the Popes had formerly invested the Lords of the house of Est in charge of its reversion in default of legitimate Males Alphonso d' Est second of that name and last Duke died in the year 1597. without Children and had left great Treasures to Caesar d' Est Bastard to Alphonso the first his Kinsman He had done what possibly he could to obtain the Investiture of the Dutchy on this Bastard who not able to obtain it yet ceased not to take possession of it after the death of Alphonso the second resolving to maintain it by force of Arms. Clement the eighth was obliged to make War against him to dispossess him the Princes of Italy took part in the Quarrel and the Dukes of Guise and Nemours were upon the point to undertake the defence of Caesar whose near Kinsmen they were being the issues of Anne d' Est Daughter of Hercules the second Duke of Ferrara and of Madam Renee de France for that Anne in her first marriage had espoused Francis Duke of Guise and in her second James Duke of Nemours The King of Spain likewise favoured him underhand not desiring that the Pope should grow greater in Italy by the re-union of that Dutchy But Henry the great was not wanting to take this occasion to offer his Sword and his Forces to the holy Father The Allies knowing it were extreamly disheartned and he constrained to treat with the Pope to whom he surrendred all the Dutchy of Ferrara There remained to him onely the Cities of Modena and Regia which the Emperour maintained to be Fief of the Empire and of which he gave him the Investiture From whence came the present Dukes of Modena If the heat which the King testified in this occasion for the interests of the holy Seat sensibly obliged the Pope that care which he made dayly appear to bring back the Hugonots into the bosome of the Church was no less agreeable to him He acted to this purpose in such a manner that from day to day many of the most understanding and of the best quality were converted But that which was more important was his taking the young Prince of Conde from the hands of the Hugonots who had kept him diligently at St. John d' Angely ever since the death of his Father which happened in the year 1587. and brought him up in the false Religion with great hope to make him one day their Chief and Protector The King considering how it would be both prejudicial to the safety of the young Prince and to his own interests to leave him longer there knew so well how to gain the principal of the party that they suffered him to be brought to Court and he gave him for Governour John Marquess of Pisani a Lord of a rare merit and of a wisdome without reproach who forgot not to instruct him well in the Catholick Religion and in the truest sentiments of Honour and Vertue He was yet but seven or eight years old when he came to nine the King gave him the Government of Guyenne loving him tenderly and cherishing him as his presumptive Successour During this calm of the peace nothing was spoken of but rejoycings feasts and marriages That of the Infanta of Spain Isabella-Clara-Eugenia and of the Arch-Duke Albert was solemnized in the Low-Countries and that of Madam Katherine sister of the King with Henry Duke of Bar eldest son to Charles the second Duke of Lorrain at Paris Katherine was forty years of age more agreeable then fair having one Leg a little short She was very spiritual loved Learning and knew much for a woman but was an obstinate Hugonot The King feared lest she should marry some Protestant Prince who by this means might become Protector of the Hugonots and be like another King in France by reason of which he gave her to the Duke of Bar thinking moreover to gain more belief among the Catholicks by allying himself with the house of Lorrain Before this he had used all possible means to convert her even to the employing of threats but not being able to do it he said one day to the Duke of Bar My Brother it is you must vanquish her There was some difficulty about the place and the Ceremony of Celebration of this marriage the Duke would have it done at the Church and the Princess by a Hugonot-Minister The King found a mean he caused it to be done in his Closet whither he led his Sister by the hand and commanded his natural Brother who had for about two years been Archbishop of Rouen to marry them This new Archbishop at first made some refusal of it alledging the Canons but the King representing to him that his Closet was a consecrated place and that his presence supplyed the default of all solemnities the poor Archbishop had no longer power to resist him This Marriage being made for the good of the Catholick Religion it seemed that the Pope should have been content Nevertheless not willing to suffer an ill that a good might come of it he declared that the Duke of Bar had incurred Excommunication for having without the dispensation of the Church contracted with an Heretick nor ever could the Duke
the true Religion The King answered plainly and prudently to those that made him these reports That he knew the heart of Byron that it was faithful and affectionate that in truth his tongue was intemperate but that in favour of those good actions he had done he could pardon his ill discourses Now two things compleated his loss and obliged the King to search into the very bottom of his wicked designs The first was the too great number of his friends and the affection of the Souldiery which he made boast of as if they had been absolute dependants on his Command and capable to do whatever he would The second the most particular friendship he had with the Count d' Auvergne brother by the Mothers side to Madamoiselle d' Entragues who was called the Marchioness of Verneuil For by the one he begat a jealousie in the King and made himself be feared and by the other he rendred himself odious to the Queen who imagined and possibly not without cause that he would make a party in the Kingdom to maintain that Rival and her Children to her prejudice Now the King desiring to search the farthest he could into this affair sends for Laffin who comes to Fountain-bleau more then a month before the King departed towards Poictou He had at first some very secret entertainments with him afterwards very publick ones and gave him great quantities of Papers amongst other those Memoires or Notes written by Byrons own hand of which we have before spoken That which Laffin revealed to the King begat great inquietudes in his spirit so that in all the voyage of Poictiers he was observed extremely pensive and the Court after his example was plunged in a sad astonishment though none could divine the cause of it At his return from Poictiers to Fountainbleau he sent for the Duke of Byron to come to him The Duke at first doubted to go and excused himself with many weak reasons He presses him and sends to him some of his Esquires afterwards the President Janin brought him word that he should receive no harme which was provided he put himself into an estate to receive grace and aggravated not his crime by his pride and by his impenitence Byron knew that Laffin had made a voyage to Court but he was more assured of that man then of himself Moreover the Baron of Lux his confident who was then there had told him that Laffin had without doubt kept his Counsel and not revealed any thing which might hurt him De Lux believed so because the King after having entertained Laffin had told him with a merry countenance I am glad I have seen this man he hath eased me of many distrusts and suspitions of spirit In the mean time the friends of Byron writ to him that he should not be such a fool as to bring his head to the Court that it would be more secure for him to justifie himself by Attorny then in person But notwithstanding this advice and against biting of his own conscience after having some time deliberated he took post and came to Fountain-bleau now when the King no longer expected him but prepared to go seek him The Histories of that time and many other relations recount exactly all the circumstances of the imprisonment process and death of that Marshal I shall content my self to relate onely the chief The insolence and blindness of this unhappy man cannot be sufficiently admired at nor on the contrary the goodness and clemency of the King be enough praised who endeavoured to overcome his obstinacy Confession of a fault is the first mark of repentance The King taking him in private instantly conjured him to declare all those intelligences and Treaties he had made with the Duke of Savoy engaging his faith that he would bury all in an eternal oblivion That he knew well enough all the particulars but desired to understand them from his mouth swearing to him that though his fault should be greater then the worst of crimes his confession should be followed by an absolute pardon Byron in stead of acknowledging it or at least excusing himself with modesty as speaking to his King who was offended insolently answered him that he was innocent and that he was not come to justifie himself but to understand the names of his back-biters and demand justice which otherwise he would do himself Though this too haughty answer aggravated much his offence the King ceased not sweetly to tell him that he should think farther of it and that he hoped he would take better counsel The same day after supper the Count of Soissons exhorted him likewise on the part of the King to confess the truth concluding his Remonstrance with that sentence of the Wiseman Sir know that the anger of the King is as the Messenger of Death But he answered him with more fierceness then he had done the King On the morrow morning the King walking in his Gardens conjured him the second time to confess the Conspiracy but he could draw nothing from him but protestations of innocency and threatnings of his accusers Upon this the King felt himself agitated even at the bottom of his soul with divers thoughts not knowing what he ought to do The affection he had born him and his great services withheld his just anger on the other side the blackness of his crime his pride and obstinacy gave reins to his justice and obliged him to punish the criminal Besides that the danger with which both his Estate and Person were threatned seemed impossible to be prevented but by cutting off the head of a conspiracy whose bottom was scarce visible In this trouble of spirit he retired into his Closet and falling on his knees prayed to God with all his heart to inspire him with a good resolution He was accustomed to do thus in all his great affairs esteeming God as his surest Counsellour and most faithful assistance At his coming from prayers as he said afterwards he found himself delivered from the trouble wherein he was and resolved to cast Byron into the hands of Justice if his Council found that the proofs they had by writing were so strong that there need no doubt be made of his Condemnation He chose for this purpose four persons of those which composed it to wit Bellievre Villeroy Rosny and Sillery and shewed them the proofs They all told him with one voice that they were more then sufficient Yet after this he would make a third trial on this proud heart He employed this last time Remonstrances Prayers Conjurations and assurances of pardon to oblige him to acknowledge his crime but he answered still in the same manner adding that if he knew his accusers he would break their heads In fine the King wearied with his Rhodomontadoes and obstinacy left him giving him these for his last words Well then we must learn the truth in another place Farewel Baron
Poictiers becoming vacant Rosny very instantly besought him to consider in this occasion one named Frenouillet reputed a knowing man and a great Preacher The King notwithstanding this Recommendation gives it to the Abbot of Rochepozay who besides his own particular good Qualities was Son to a Father who had served him well with his Sword in his Wars and with his knowledge and spirit in Embassies Some time after the Bishoprick of Montpellier became vacant the King out of his own proper motion sent to seek Frenouillet and told him that he would give it him but on this condition that he should acknowledge no Obligation but to himself By which it may be seen how he in some sort considered the Recommendation of Rosny but it may likewise be perceived that the power of that Favourite who caused so much jealousie in the world was bounded I call him Favourite by reason that he had the most splendent Employments though to speak truth he had no pre-eminence over others of the Council for Villeroy and Janin were more considered then he in Negotiations and Forraign Affairs Bellievre and Sillery for Justice and Policy within the Kingdome and it is not to be imagined that those people did in any manner depend on him There was onely one head in the Estate which was the King who alone made all his Members and from whom onely they received spirits and vigour About the end of this year the Duke of Savoy thinking to revenge himself and repair the loss of his County of Bresse on the City of Geneva attempted to take it by storm The Enterprize was formed by the Counsels of the Lord of Albigny and the Duke having passed the Mountains believed it infallible D' Albigny conducted two thousand men for this purpose within half a League of the City yet was not so rash as to engage himself but left the conduct to others More then two hundred men mounted the Ladders gained the Ramparts and ran through all the City without being perceived In the mean time the Burgesses were awakened by the cries of some that fled from a Guard which had discovered the Enterprizers and as soon beheld themselves charged by them The Gunner who was to have broken a Gate within to cause those without to enter was unhappily slain after which they were weakned on all sides The greatest part endeavoured to re-gain their Ladders but the Cannons on the Flankers having broken them in pieces they were almost all slain or broke their necks by leaping into the Ditch There was thirteen taken alive almost all Gentlemen amongst the others Attignac who had served as second to Don Phillipin bastard of Savoy They yeilded upon assurance given them that they should be treated as prisoners of War But the furious cries of the common people who represented the danger wherein their City was of Massacres Violation universal Destruction or perpetual Slavery forced the Council of this little Republick to condemn them to the infamous death of the Gibbet like to Thieves Their heads with fifty four others of those that were killed were stuck on Poles and their bodies cast into the Rhone The Duke of Savoy confused with such ill success and much more with the reproaches of all Christendome for having endeavoured such an Enterprize in time of absolute peace repassed the Mountains in haste leaving his Troops near to Geneva and endevoured to excuse himself to the Suisses under whose protection that City was as well as under that of France for having attempted to surprize it saying That he had not done it to trouble the repose of the Confederacy but to hinder Lesdiguieres from seizing it for the King The Dukes of Savoy have for a long time pretended that this City appertained to their Soveraignty and that the Bishops who bore the title of Earls and were for some time Lords of it held it from them which is however a thing that the Bishops never acknowledged always maintaining that they depended immediately on the Empire The City on their part sustained that it was a free City and not subject in temporal things neither to their Bishops whom they quite drave out in the year 1533. when they unhappily renounced the Roman Catholick Religion nor to the Duke of Savoy but onely to the Empire for which reason they always bore the Eagle planted on their Gates Both one and the other have very specious Titles to shew their rights but for the present the City of Geneva enjoyed full liberty and had for above sixty years being become an Allie of the Cantons of Switzerland Now the Suisses were comprehended in the Treaty of Vervin as Allies of France and by consequence so was the City of Geneva and the King had sufficiently declared it to the Duke of Savoy notwithstanding which he ceased not to attempt this Enterprize hoping that if it succeeded the King of Spain and the Pope would sustain him in it and that the King for so small a thing would not break the peace The Genevans furiously incensed against him began to make War couragiously entred his Country and took some little Towns They hoped that the King and the Suisses would second these motions of their resentment and that all the Princes of Germany would likewise come to their assistance But the King desired to keep the peace and was too wise to kindle a War in which he could not make Religion and Policy agree or unite the Honour and Interests of France obliged to protect its Allies with the good favour of the Pope moved by his duty to the ruine of the Hugonots He therefore sent de Vic to assure them of his protection but with order to let them know that Peace was necessary for them and War ruinous and that they ought to embrace the one and shun the other And they having little power for so much anger and not being able to do any thing without his assistance were constrained to consent and enter into a Treaty with the Savoyard by which it was said that they were comprized in the Treaty of Vervin and that the Duke could not build any Fortress within four Leagues of their City It happened almost in the same time that the City of Mets rose against the Governour of that Citadel He was called Sobole who having been made Lieutenant by the Duke of Espernon to whom Henry the third had given the Government in chief had deserted this Duke I know not for what consideration and had taken provision of the King He had a Brother who seconded him in the Charge of this Government During the last War against Spain these two Brothers had accused the principal inhabitants of Mets for having conspired to deliver the City to the Spaniards There were many imprisoned some put to the rack but none found culpable so that all the Burgesses believing with reason that this was a Calumny conceived a hatred against these Soboles and drew up
pleasure it causes a thousand troubles and a thousand mischiefs even in this world it self The King being now but just fifty years of age began this year to have some small feelings of the Gout which possibly were the doleful effects of his excessive voluptuousness as well as of his labours To return to the Marchioness it happened one day that the Queen being very much offended at her discourse threatned her that she should know how to bridle her wicked tongue The Marchioness upon this seemed sad and grieved shunn'd the King and let him understand that she desired that he would no more demand any thing of her because she feared that the continuation of his favours would be too prejudicial both to her and her children Her design was to inflame more his passion by shewing her self more difficult But when she saw that her cunning had not all the effect she hoped and that the Queens anger was encreased to such a point that indeed there was some danger for her and hers she advised her self of another thing D' Entragues her Father demanded permission of the King to carry her out of the Kingdom to avoid the vengeance of the Queen The King granted her demand easier then she thought he would wherewith being excessively enraged her Father and the Count d' Auvergne her Brother by the Mothers side began to Treat secretly with the Ambassador of Spain to have some retreat in the Territories of his King casting themselves absolutely they and their children into his Arms. The Ambassador believed that this business would be very advantagious to his Master and that in time and place he might serve himself of that promise of marriage which the King had given to the Marchioness he therefore easily granted them all that they demanded and added all the fair promises with which weak and feeble spirits might be entoxicated The King had granted them permission to retire themselves out of France but yet without the Children out of a belief he had that they would go into England to the Duke of Lenox and the Earl of Aubigny of the house of the Stuarts who were their near kinsmen but when he understood that they consulted of a retreat into Spain he resolved to hinder them but to employ fair means to do it He sends therefore for the Count d' Auvergne who was then at Clermont so much beloved in the Province that he believed he might securely stay there He refused to come before he had his Pardon Sealed in good form for all that he might have done This was a kind of new crime to capitulate with his King however he sends it him but with this Clause That he should make his immediate appearance His distrust permitted him not to obey on this condition he stayed still in the Province where he kept himself on his Guard with all precautions imaginable Nevertheless he was not so cunning but the King could entrap him and by an Artifice very gross He being Colonel of the French Cavalry was desired to go see a Muster made of a Company of the Duke of Vendosmes He went well mounted keeping himself at a good distance that he might not be encompassed Nevertheless d' Eâ—â—â—re Lieutenant of that Company Nerestan approaching him to salute him mounted on little Hobbies for fear of giving him suspition but with three Souldiers disguised like Lacquies cast him from his horse and made him prisoner They led him presently to the Bastille where he was seized with a great fear when he saw himself lodged in the same Chamber where the Marshal of Byron his great friend had been Immediately after the King caused d' Entragues to be Arrested who was carried to the Conciergerie and the Marchioness who was left in her lodgings under the Guard of the Cavalier de Guet After desiring to make known by publick proofs the ill intention of the Spaniards who seduced his subjects and excited and fomented conspiracies in his Estate he remitted the prisoners into the hands of the Parliament who having convicted them of having complotted with the Spaniard declared by a sentence of the first of February the Count of Auvergne d' Entragues and an English man named Morgan who had been the Agent of this fair Negotiation guilty of Treason and as such condemned them to have their heads cut off The Marchioness to be conducted with a good Guard into the Abby of Nuns at Beaumont near to Tours to be there shut up and that in the mean time there should be more ample information made against her at the request of the Attorny-General The Queen spared no sollicitations for the giving of this sentence believing that the Execution would satisfie her resentment but the goodness of the King surpassed her passion The love which he had for the Marchioness was not so far extinct that he could resolve to Sacrifice what he had adored he would not permit them to pronounce the Sentence and two months and a half afterward to wit on the fifteenth of April he by Letters under his Great Seal changed the penalty of Death on the Count of Auvergne and the Lord d' Entragues into perpetual Imprisonment Some time after he had likewise changed the prison of Entragues into a Confinement to his house of Malles-herbes in Beausse He likewise permitted the Marchioness to retire to Verneuil and seven months being passed without the Attorney-Generals procuring any proof against her he caused her to be declared absolutely innocent of the crime whereof she was accused There rested onely the Count of Auvergne who being the most to be feared was the worst treated for the King not onely kept him prisoner at the Bastille where he lay for twelve whole years but likewise deprived him of his propriety in the County of Auvergne He had bore the title and enjoyed it by vertue of the Donation of King Henry the third Queen Margaret newly come to the Court sustained that this Donation could not be valuable because the contract of the Marriage of Katherine de Medicis her Mother to whom that County appertained allowing Substitution of her goods and that Substitution said she extending to Daughters in default of Males that County was to come to her after the death of Henry the third nor could he give it to her prejudice The Parliament having hearkned to her reasons and seen her proofs annulled the Donation made by Henry the third and adjudged her this County In recompence of which obligation and many others she had received from the King she made a Donation of all her Estates after death to the Daulphin reserving to her self onely the fruits of them during life The Count of Auvergne thus despoiled remained in the Bastille untill the year one thousand six hundred and sixteen when Queen Mary de Medicis having need of him during the troubles delivered him from thence and caused him to be justified She
were as obstinate rather to hazard all then to consent to it In fine the Pope perswaded by the Eloquence of Cardinal Perron who was then at Rome thought it better to release this point then hazard the putting Christendom in a flame so that they remained banished out of the lands of the Signory The present Pope Alexander the seventh hath by his intercession re-established them If the accommodation of the differences between the Pope and the Venetians added much to the renown and reputation of our Henry reviving the credit of France beyond the mountains where it seemed dead and depressing as much that of the Spaniards which before seemed Paramount the Treaty which he managed between the King of Spain and the Estates of the United Provinces purchased him no less fame among the Protestants and the people of the North. I will recount the History in few words The United Provinces vulgarly called Holland from the name of the most considerable of the Seven Provinces which compose this body had some reason to complain that the King had made the Treaty at Vervins without their consent and that he had obliged himself not to assist them neither directly nor indirectly However he had not ceased to supply them daily with money and to cause to go to their Service a great quantity of Nobility and Voluntiers in such manner that there were many entire French Regiments So that it was not without apparent reason that the Spaniards cried out that he visibly infringed the Treaty at Vervins but these reproaches were not just for they had broke it first by an hundred attempts of which we have before mentioned some In the mean time the King who was a good husband of his money was weary of furnishing the Hollander with so much and did greatly wish them in an Estate that they might not put him to so much charge There was onely one way to effect it which was procuring their peace from the Spaniard He resolved then to labour in it and chose the President Janin a man of great knowledge to manage this Negotiation The two parties presently consented to a Treaty of eight months during which the Estates to the end they might Treat with more reputation and security prayed the King to grant them an offensive and defensive League He willingly granted it them of which these were the Principal Articles He promised them faithfully to assist and â—id them in all he could to obtain from the King of Spain a good and assured peace That if it pleased God they did obtain it he would cause it to be observed with all his power and would defend them against all who would infringe it and to this effect he would maintain in their Service ten thousand Footmen at his own charges so long as they should have need of them Reciprocally the States obliged that if he were assaulted in his Kingdom by whosoever it were they would immediately assist him with five thousand Footmen at their own Expence and they would leave it to the Kings choice to take this assistance in Souldiers or in Ships fitted and furnished at all points to fight at Sea The Spaniards were extremely Alarm'd at this League Don Pedro de Toledo one of the greatest Lords of Spain passing through France to go to the Low-Countries made great complaints to the King Nevertheless many imagined that all the â—oyse he made tended onely to oblige him the rather to prosecute the peace for the Hollanders for Spain was even to extremity â—wearied with a war so long so tiresome and so bloody with so great Expences and so little progress This Don Pedro according to the humour of the Spanish Nobility was of an austere and grave countenance high and magnificent in his words when he spoke of the honour and glory of his Nation and the power of his King but out of that courteous and civil submissive and respectful where â—e should be so gallant witty and spriteful There passed between the King and him things very remarkable which we must not forget The King believing that he brought him threats of War and knowing that the Spaniards had spread abroad a report that he was quite lâ—me with the Gout and unable to mount on horseback he would make him know that his strength and activity was not at all diminished He received him in the great Gallery at Fontain-bleau and made him take twenty or thirty turns at so great a pace that he put him out of breath and after told him You see now Sir how well I am At this first Audience Don Pedro brought his Beads in his hand He represented to the King the general interest that all Catholick Princes had in the ruine or conversion of Hereticks and the great Wars which his Master had made for this purpose Afterward changing his discourse he told him that the Catholick King earnestly desired to Allie himself more strictly with him and to make marriages between their children Provided that the King would renounce the Alliance and Protection of the Low-Countries The King freely answered that his children were of so good a house as might well be accepted that he desired no constrained friendships noâ— conditions that he could not abandon his friends but that those who would not be so might repent them of being his enemies Don Pedro upon this exalted the greatness and power of Spain The King without being moved let him know that it was the Statue of Nebuchadnezzar composed of several sorts of matters and which had its feet of Clay Don Pedro came to reproaches and threats The King soon gave him his change and told him That if the King of Spain continued his attempts he would carry flames even into the Escurial and that if he once mounted on horseback he would soon be at Madrid The Spaniard arrogantly answered him King Francis was there indeed It was therefore replyed the King that I would go to revenge his injuries those of France and my own After some words a little high the King with a more still voice told him My Lord Ambassador you are a Spaniard and I a Gascon let not us grow passionate They returned then to terms of sweetness and civility Another time the King shewing him his Buildings at Fontain-bleau and demanding of him what he thought of them he replyed that in his opinion he had lodged God very narrowly There was then but two Chappels which were in the Court made in oval and which were truly very little The King could not endure to have his piety accused and therefore answered him very sharply You Spaniards know not how to give God other then Material Temples we French men lodge God not onely in stones we lodge him in our hearts but though he should be lodged in yours I fear it would be in stone still From Fontain-bleau they came to Paris where the King one day shewing him his Gallery of the
Louvre and demanding his opinion of it The Escurial is much another thing said Don Pedro. I believe it replyed the King but has it a Paris about it like my Gallery One day Don Pedro seeing at the Louvre the Kings Sword in the hands of one of his followers advanced to it and putting one knee on the ground kissed it rendring this honour said he to the most glorious Sword in Christendom During the truce of eight months of which we have spoken the President Janin incessantly laboured for a Treaty There were two great difficulties one that the King of Spain would not treat with the United Provinces but as with Subjects and they would have him acknowledge them to be free and independent the other that the Prince of Orange whose power and authority would be extremely weakned by the Peace opposed it by a thousand Artifices being sustained in it by the Province of Zealand who ever desired War and by some Cities of its faction These two obstacles were in the end surmounted The Spaniard yeilded to the first and acknowledged that he owned the States for Free States Provinces and Countries and about the second the King spoke so high to the Prince of Orange that he durst not stop the course of the Treaty It ended no longer however in a Peace but onely in a Truce of twelve years which was free and assured Commerce on one part and on the other The renown of this accommodation carried the Kings glory throughout all Europe The Duke of Venice told our Ambassador in the Senate That that Signory entred into new admiration of the prudent conduct of our King who never deceived himself in his undertaking nor never gave blow in vain that he was the true upholder of the repose and felicity of Christendom and that it had nothing of happiness to desire but that he might reign for ever An Elogie so much the more worthy and glorious because we may say with truth that Venice hath still been the Seat of Politick wisdome and that the prayses which came from that Senate are as so many Oracles The Friendship and Protection of this great King was sought on all sides all was referred to his Arbitration and all implored his assistance And as he was equally powerful as wise feared as loved there was none who durst contradict his judgement or assault those whom he protected But he was so just that he would not enterprize any thing upon the Rights of another nor maintain the Rebellions of Subjects against their Soveraign A certain proof of which he gave to the Maurisques It is known how heretofore the Moores or Sarazins invaded all Spain towards the year 725. The Christians with the aid of the French had regained it from them by little and little so that there remained no more then the Kingdom of Granada which was little in Extent but very rich and extremely populous because all the remnants of that infidel Nation were retired into that little space Ferdinand King of Arragon and Isabella Queen of Castile finished the Conquest of that Kingdom in the year 1492. and so put an end to the Government of the Moores and to the Mahumetan Religion in Spain constraining the Infidels to take Baptism or to retire into Affrica Now as those who had thus professed the Christian Religion had done it perforce they for the most part remained Mahumetans in their hearts or Jews for there were many Jews amongst them and secretly brought up their children in their incredulity To which likewise the Spanish Rigor did much contribute putting great distinction between the new Christians and the old For they received not the new ones either to Charges or Sacred Orders they allied not themselves with them and which is worse made a thousand avanies upon them and oppressed them with excessive â—mposts So that these unfortunate people seeing themselves thus trampled on and being too weak of themselves to loosen themselves from their Yoak they resolved to address themselves to some strange power but which should be Christian because that of the King of Morrocco or the other Princes of Affrica would have appeared too odious To this effect they had secret recourse by Deputies to our Henry when he was then but King of Navarre Afterwards in the year 1595. when they saw that he had overcome the League and had got the upper hand in his affairs they again implored his Protection He hearkned favourably to their propositions sent disguised Agents into Spain to see the Estate of their affairs and made them hope that he would assist them And truly he might have done it since then he was in War with the King of Spain and it is lawful to make use of all sorts of Arms to defend our selves against our enemies But now being returned this year 1608. to sollicite him instantly to accept their propositions and offers and to hear the answer from his own mouth he plainly let them know that the quality of thrice-Christian King which he bore permitted him not to undertake their defence so long as the peace of Vervin lasted but that if the Spaniard should first openly infringe it he should have just cause to receive them into his Protection Their Deputies having lost all hopes on this side addressed themselves to the King of England whom they found yet less disposed then he to lend them assistance In the mean time their plots having taken wind in the Court of Spain caused both fear and astonishment for they were near a million of souls and were possessed of almost all the Traffick particularly that of Oiles which is very great in that Country King Philip the third found no other secure way to hinder the dangerous effects of their conspiracies but banishing them quite out of his Territories which he did by an Edict of the tenth of January in the year 1610. which was executed with much cruelty Inhumanity and Treachery For in Transporting these unfortunate people into Affrica as they had demanded part were drowned in the Sea others despoiled of all they had so that those who remained to depart perceiving the ill Treatment of their Companions fled towards France one part by land to St. John de Lus to the number of one hundred and fifty thousand others in French Vessels who brought them into divers ports of the Kingdom But to speak truth those who came by land were not much better treated by the French then the others had been by the Spaniards for in crossing the Countries they were almost all robbed and stript and their Wives and Daughters ravished so that finding so little safety in a Country wherein they believed they might find refuge they embarqued by the Kings permission in the Ports of Languedoc and crossed over into Affrica where they are become implacable and most cruel enemies to all Christians There remained some families in the Maritime Cities of the Kingdom
not that they should call him Monsieur or Sir a name which seemed to render Children strangers to their Fathers and which denoted servitude and subjection but that they should call him Papa a name of tenderness and love And certainly in the Old Testament God took the names of Lord the Mighty God the God of Hosts and others to set forth his greatness and power but in the Christian Law which is a Law of Grace and Charity he commanded us to make our Prayers as his Children by those sweet words Our Father which art in Heaven There remains at present that we put here a Summary recapitulation of the Life of this great King and after erâ—ct an Eternal Monument to his glory in the name of all France which can never sufficiently acknowledge its Immortal obligations to his Heroick vertue He began the first motions of his life in the Camp at the Sound of Trumpets his Mother brought him into the world with a wonderful courage his Grand-father inspired strength into him the first day he saw him and he was brought up to labor from his tenderest infancy The first knowledge that age gave him was to resent the death of his Father killed at the siege of Rouen and to see himself encompassed with dangers on all sides distant from Court his friends dis-favoured his servants persecuted and his ruine conjured by his enemies His Mother a generous and able woman gave him excellent instructions for Morality and Policy but very ill ones for Religion so that he was a Hugonot by Engagement and not by Election And he often professed that he was not prepossessed that he should be ready to clear and â—ay himself open and that if they could make him see a better way then that he followed he willingly and faithfully would walk in it but that till then he was to be tolerated and not persecuted At the age of fifteen years he became chief of the Hugonot party and gave such sensible advices that the greatest Captains had cause to admire him and to repent that they had not followed him He passed the first flowers of his youth part in Arms and a part in his Lands of Gascoin where he remained till the age of nineteen years He was then enticed to come to Court by a Marriage as illegitimate as cruel for we may say that the present Nuptial was the suddain death of his Mother the Feast the general Massacre of his friends and the Morrow of his Marriage his Captivity which endured almost four years at the mercy of his most cruel enemies and in a Court the most wicked and most corrupted that ever was known His courage was not at all weakned by this servitude nor could his soul be infected among so many corruptions But the Charms of the Ladies which Queen Katherine made use of to retain him begat in him that weakness and vice which indured all his life not to refuse any of those desires their beauty inspired To withdraw himself from the servitude of the Court he cast himself into the snare of his ancient party and of the Hugonot Religion He received all those troubles and all those perplexities which the Chiefs of a Civil War make proof of his dignity of General not dispensing with the pains and dangers of a simple Souldier Thrice did he oblige the Court to grant him Peace and Priviledges to his party but thrice they violated them and he several times beheld seven or eight Royal Armies make head against him His valour which had already appeared in many occasions signalized it self with great Renowne at the Battail of Coutras This was the first important blow that he struck on the head of the League A little after it having assembled the Estates at Blois to Arm the whole Kingdom against him and exclude him from the Crown of France the Guises who were believed the Authors of this Tragedy were themselves made the terrible Catastrophe but which filled all with flame blood and confusion The Duke of Mayenne Armed himself to Revenge the Death of his Brothers and the King almost quite abandoned and shut up in Tours was enforced to call him to his aid Our Hero passed by all distrusts and all fears some would have infused into him to take the part of his Soveraign They marched to Paris and besieged it but upon the point to enter Henry the third is Assassinated by a Monk The right of Succession calling our Henry to the Throne he found the way crossed with a thousand terrible difficulties the League in head against him the servants of the defunct King little affected to him the Grandees every one for his particular ends The whole Catholick Religion Leagued against him without the Spaniard the Pope the Savoyard the Lorrainer within on one side the people and the great Cities on the other the Hugonots who tormented him with their continual distrusts He could not advance one pace without finding some obstacle so many days so many battails His subjects endeavoured to overthrow him as a publick enemy and he endeavoured to regain them like a good Father In his Closet and in his Council there were only displeasures and bitternesses caused by an infinity of discontents treasons and pernicious designs which were from moment to moment discovered against his Person and against his Estate Every day a double Combat a double Victory the one against his enemies the other against his followers using Prudence and Cunning where Generosity would not serve At Arques he made it appear he could not be overcome and at Yvry that he knew how to vanquish Every where where he appeared all yeilded to his Arms The League dayly lost places and Provinces It was beaten by his Lieutenants in other places as by himself in the heart of his Kingdom He had forced Paris if he could have resolved to loose it but by sparing it he absolutely gained not onely its walls but its hearts The Duke of Parma stopt a little the progress of his successes but he could not change their course Vertne and Fortune or rather Divine Providence seemed linked together to crown him with Glory God visibly assisted him in all his designes and preserved him from an infinite number of treasons and horrid attempts which were dayly formed against his Life In fine he overthrew the intentions of the Thirdlings and prevented the resolutions of the Estates of the League by causing himself to be instructed in the Catholick Religion and re-entring into the bosome of the holy Church When that pretext of Religion was wanting to his enemies all the party of the League mouldred away Paris and all the great Cities acknowledged him the Duke of Mayenne though very late was constrained to become his subject and return to his duty and all the Chiefs of the League treated separately This shew'd a great deal of prudence and cunning in the King to receive them thus disjoyntly for if they had all together made a treaty of common
Counsels given him He rejects them and causes to be Proclaimed the old Cardinal of Bourbon The King tries in vain several Treaties with the Duke He raises his League from Paris and why He writes to the Protestant Princes to justifie himself His troubles for 4. years to content both Catholicks Hugonots He had need of infinite prudence address eloquence Hee carries the Corps of Henry the third to S. Cornille de Compeigne Three advices touching the place to which he should retire 1590. He follows the last which was to march into Normandy Rolet brings him the Keyes of Pont d' Arche and Chattes of Diepe He would besiege Rouen but the Duke of Mayenne coming to its suecour drives him to Diepe and invests him The Duke reports he cannot escape him The Parliament at Tours counsel him to associate the Cardinal of Bourbon in the Royalty Others counsel him to retire to England He derides both one and t'other The Duke of Mayenne besieges Diepe Batâ—ail of Arques The Duke raises the siege retires goes into Picardy and why What hindred the success of his enterprize He knew not how to take his advantages Thâ—eeâ— auses for 〈…〉 which the great body of the League prospered not in their designes The distrust between the Spaniards and Duke of Mayenne The jealousie among the Chiefs of the League The sloth and negligence of the Duke of Mayenne Great activity and vigilance of Henry 4. Officers servants resemble their masters This History recounts onely the chief affairs The Parisians made believe the King was taken They arâ— much astonished to understand him marching towards them He takes the Faubourgs of St. Germain c. His moderation in this rencounter The Dukes of Nemours Mayenne post thither The King retires to Montlehery He takes Estampes Vendosm le Man 's Alenzon Want of mony stops his progress In what manner he made his Troops subsist He reduces almost all Normandy and besiegeth Dreux The Duke marches to succour Dreux The King advances to fight him Two reasons oblige him to it What causes engage the Duke of Mayenne to the Battail Battail of Yvry March 14 Wonderful intelligence of Henry the fourth His prayers to God His exhortation to his Souldâ—ers The battail won by the King Great loss of the Leaguers The Duke of Mayenne escapes to Mantes and thence to Paris The King too much exposes his person which Byron freely remonstrates to him His Clemency aâ— Generosi â— after the Victory His Acknowledgements and Justice A Noble Action he did Another worthy Action What hindred the King to go directly to Paris Devilish counsel The widow of Montpensier amuses the people The King departs from Mantes takes some Cities and goes to block up Paris The Duke of Mayenne was gone to meet the Duke of Parma and had left the Duke of Nemours at Paris The death of the old Cardinal of Bourbon troubles him The Spaniards the Sixteen â—â—â—â—s him to make a King he assignes the Estates to Paris He keeps to himself the Title of Lieutenant-General Nemours takes order for the defence of Paris Number of the inhabitants of Paris It proves not so easie to take it by famine The Hugonots would have it taken by force but the King will not Useless mouths starve Paris Great Clemency of the King to let the miserable people go forth His generous words Those of the Army send victuals into Paris Which makes them subsist The King takes all the Suburbs in one night The Duke of Mayenne advances to Meaux but dares not relieve Paris The Duke of Parma comes to joyn with him with an Army from the Low-countries He had so well contrived all things that he was assured to raise the siege of Paris The King never believed he would quit the Low-Countries He renews the Negotiation with the Duke of Mayenne who feigns to entertain it to amuse him The Kings Council mech ironbled The King would take a place of battel and not raise the siege Byron advises to raise the siege and carries it The Duke of Parma takes Lagny in the sight of the King relieves Paris Abundance of Victuals carried to Paris The Army of the King constrained to separate Duke of Parma besieges Corbeil and takes it He returns to Flanders Corbeil regained by storm The Duke of Parma counsels the King of Spain to become chief Master of the League The King of Spain no longer considers the Duke of Mayenne but thinks to render himself Master of the great Cities by factions The King endeavours to re-gain the Duke He endeavours likewise to regain the people Three means by which Henry 3. lost the affection of his subjects His negligence and inapplication The wasting his Revenues His ill keeping his word Three other ways quite contrary by which Henry 4. gained the esteem and affection of his subjects His activity and greatness of soul. His care of his Revenues Francis d' O Superintendant of the Revenues a great expender The King constrained to suffer him in this charge but pares his nailes His constant keeping his word and freedom His goodness He pardoned injuries and never knew vengeance This reconquered his kingdom rather then his sword 1591. Divisions and Jealousies in the party of the League and that of the King In the party of the King three factions of Hugonots Catholicks and Servants of Henry the third The Hugonots solicite the Protestants to send Henry 4. powerful assistance to hinder him from turning Catholick An Edict granted to the Hugonots Death of Pope Sixtus 5. Election of Gregory 14. Enterprize of the League on S. Denis where the Cavalier d' Aumale is killed Enterprize of the King on Paris called the battail of the Flour Chartres besieged and taken by the King President Janin sent to Spain on the part of the League The Spaniards design to profit themselves by the ruine of France Gregory 14. sends an Army to the League And a Bull of Excommunication against those Prelates follow the King and money to the Sixteen Oâ—r Henry well served by the Count of Turenne And by the Duke Lesdiguieres He becomes passionate of the fair Gabriella The Duke of Guise escapes from prison The judicious reasoning of Hen. 4. on his escape The Duke of Mayenne becomes jealous of his nephew The Sixteen lean to the Duke of Guise and would lose Mayenne They write to the King of Spain They drive the Cardinal of Gonde many others from Paris By a horrible attempt they cause to be hanged the President of Brisson and two Counsellours * The publick place of execution in Paris Some would likewise kill the Duke of Mayenne but want heart to do it Upon this the Duke comes to Paris and hangs four which quite quells the faction of the Sixteen He makes four Presidents of Parliament 1592. The King besieges Rouen where Villars was Governour Great and memorable Sally The City pressed Parma comes to relieve it The King raises his Siege and
retires to Pont de l' Arche The Duke of Parma takes Caudebec and is wounded and the Duke of Mayenne falls sick The Army of the King increases and the pursues the two Dukes Byron beats up one quarter but will not quite defeat them He would continue the War * A French Proverb aâ— if he should say Wouldst thou have me ruine my own Fortune Wonderful retreat of the Duke of Parma which the King cannot hinder The King admires the action A noble and dangerous action of the King at Aumale where he saved his Rereguard Grave answer of the Duke of Parma's concerning the Kings action Byron killed at Espernay Conferences renewed The Duke of Mayenne calls the Estates to Paris to elect a King The election of a King would have been the ruine of Henry 4. and France Expedient which the King finds to hinder this election Confeence of Surene 1593. Estates of the League assemble at Paris Mansfield comes with a Spanish Army takes Noyon afterwards his Army dissipates Byron raises the siege of Selles to relieve Noyon but dares not aâ—tempt it which puffs up the Kings enemies Conspiracy to surpâ—ize his person The Duke of Feria brings a Letter to the States-General from the King of Spain It was time for the King to convert In fine God touches him and he is converted The Spaniards and Legat press the Estates to chuse a King Grand arrest of the Parliament at Paris for the Salique Law Advantagious testimony of Villeroy in favour of the Parliament The King takes Dreux The Spaniards propose to the Estates to elect the Duke of Guise and their Infanta The Duke of Mayenne enraged his Wife more He makes truce with the King His subtile Argument against the Minister He abjures his Errour and becomes a Catholick The Duke of Mayenne dismisses the Estates The King sends the Duke of Nevers to Rome to have absolution of the Pope The Pope shews him self very difficult 1594. The League fals in less then a year Meaux Aix Lyons Orleans Bourges surrender to the King Reduction of Paris The King anointed at Chartres It was almost a wonder how he became master of Paris He sees the Spanish Garison depart and what he saies to them Parliament at Tours recalled to Paris The City rejoyce and are peaceable Two worthy actions of the King The one of Justice The other of Policy Reduction of Rouen Abbeville Troyes Sens c. La Capelle taken by Mansfield and Laon by the King Balagny turns to the Kings party with his City of Cambray Reduction of Amiens Beauvais Peronne The Duke of Guise compounds with the King And likewise the Duke of Lorrain The Duke of Mayenne remains alone and retires into Bourgongne 1595. The King declares war against the Spaniards Two artempts on his person Of Peter Barriere and of John Castel Jesuites exiled the kingdom Reduct on of Beaune Auxerre and Dijon c. The King goes into Bourgongne against the Spanish Army Battail of Fountain-Franzoise where the King shews his valour but is in danger of his life The Spanish Army retire The Duke of Mayenne despairing would retire into Savoy The King hath pity of him and offers him an accommodation and place of retreat He grants him a truce La Fere Ham delivered to the Spaniards who are cut in pieces at Ham. Humieres killed Many Leaguers despairing cast themselves into the Spaniards arms Amongst others Rosny who causeth the taking of Dourlens Battel of Dourlens Villars slain Cambray taken by the Spaniards The Pope absolves the King The Duke of Mayenne in the end makes his Treaty with King Hath advantagious Conditions He comes to Monceaux to salute the King The Duke of Nemours reconciled likewise His elder Brother died of a strange disease 1596. The Duke of Joyeuse makes his Treaty with the King And the Lord of Boisdaufia Reduction of Marseilles The King grants a truce to the Duke of Merceur Arch-duke Albert takes Calais Taking of la Fere by the King The Archduke takes likewise Guines and Ardres The King to have mony calls an assembly of the Chiefs to Rouen The manner of their sitting His Speech The Assembly grant money for the War King of Spain desires the peace Surprizal of Amiens by the Spaniards retards the peace 1597. The King resolves to besiege Amiens Many conspiracies discovered The people contribute willingly and the Leaguers serve him well The Arch-Duke comes to relieve Amiens His arrival assaults put the Kings Army in disorder The King re-assures them Words worthy a good and Christian King The Arch-Duke retires to Flanders The King retakes Amiens The King marches to the gates of Arras and dares the Spaniards The Duke of Merceur daily delays concluding his Treaty The King goes into Brittany resolved to chastise him He gives his daughter to the Kings natural son and by this means makes his agreement By reason of this marriage the King gives his son the Dukedom of Vendosme 1598. He goes to Nantes and Rennes He puts good order in the Province Endeavours for a general peace and the two Kings wish it The Deputies met at Vervin Substance of the Treaty of Vervin The peace published 1598. The third part of the Life of Henry the great more calm and more peaceable then the others He was a Souldier by constraint but a Polititian by inclinaon It is necessary a King should know War but besides that there are other functions of Royalty What those functions are The Peace sworn by the King and Arch-Duke Albertus Byron made Duke and Peer goes to swear the peace in the Netherlands The Spaniards possess him with pride and presumption VVhat the French and what the Spaniards said of the peace VVhy the King desired peace Excellent words Strange sickness death of Philip 2. of Spain Before his death he takes care to marry his son and daughter His sickness hinders his swearing to the peace His son Philip the 2. doth it after his death The King forbids the carrying of arms He dismisses his Troops He remits the arrears of Taxes He commands the false Nobles to be sought out and taxes re-imposed on them He retrenches theluxury of the Nobility and sends them all to their houses in the Country He shews them by his example the modesty of his habits He falls dangerously sick Words of a good King He gives the Estates an account of his expences Cuts off the superfluous expences of his Tables Who were his Counsellours Ministers Chiverny Bellievre Sillery Sancy Janin Villeroy The King confers often with his Counsellours how Rosny after Duke of Sully After the death of Francis d' O he commits his Revenues to five or six who acquit themselves ill Seeing that he makes Sancy alone Superintendent And very little time after Rosny who knows perfectly the Revenues Which the King knows also so well that he could not be cheated He desires Rosny to take no Presents without advertising him He begins to establish a constant