Part for your Majesty commanded me to quit my Pretensions and gave that honourable Office to Monsieur Tellier The Prince of Orange's Marriage wrought a real Change in England it begot such contentious debates that the King of England was in a manner forc'd to sign a League against your Majesty He re-demanded his Troops which not being able to refuse you sent back to him But by so long a way about that Monsieur Louvoy had time to debauch the greatest part of ' em For instead of suffering them to imbarque at Calais or some Port near their Country he chose one that was farthest off pretending that his Britanick Majesty had no just cause to complain because no particular place was nam'd in your Treaty with him Which may serve for a Lesson to all publick Ministers when they treat with a foreign Prince For if the least thing be omitted in their Negotiation they may be sure it will be made use of against their Master and when a Fault is once done 't is too late to think of mending it This Change in your Majesty's Affairs oblig'd you to quit Messina where there was no longer any safety for your Troops For if the English joyned their Forces with the Dutch it was impossible to resist them This was what I long ago foresaw and I took the liberty to tell your Majesty that you would be necessitated to augment your Fleet by building more Ships but Monsieur Louvoy who would if he could have destroy'd the Marine Establishment always oppos'd it pretending two Reasons for it The First That no cause of Jealousie was to be given to England The other That your Kingdom was not able to support so great a Charge He made use of the same Pretence to dissuade your Majesty from the making a Harbour upon the Coast of Normandy which you will want in case you ever have a War with England For if your Ships at any time should receive much Damage where shall they find a Retreat 'T is a long way out of the Channel to Brest and Rochefort which ought to be seriously consider'd by your Majesty 'T is not long ago I gave you my Opinion concerning such a Port. The Bay of Colville seems a Place to have been expresly design'd by Nature for it I thought your Majesty when you had heard my Reasons was so well satisfied that you would presently have given order to begin the Work But I since understood that Monsieur Louvoy put by the Business tho' so absolutely necessary for the good of your Kingdom insinuating that the Place I have mention'd was not so sit as I represented it And that the Reason why I did so much commend it was because I was willing to oblige the House of Matignon to which my Son was ally'd whose Lands lying near the Place and they having the King's Lieutenancy in that Country it would both increase their revenue and augment their Credit What Poyson there is in Malice and what dangerous Effects it doth produce I leave your Majesty to judge But it seems very difficult for a great King who sees with other Mens Eyes to defend himself against the Artifice of those that would deceive him especially when they have done him such Services as may incline them to think their Intention is good I know but one way for a Prince to secure himself in such cases which is to trust no body but strictly to examine things himself and rather be upon the Place to see what is done than be deceiv'd by being too credulous for in trusting a third Person there are many Inconveniences There are few Princes but must rely upon a Minister in most of their Affairs and tho' it is not so in your Majesty's Court where there are two or three Persons who will not bend and submit to Monsieur Louvoy's Authority yet for certain there is a secret Jealousie still retain'd in the Heart which commonly works the very Effects that are fear'd Your Majesty's Prudence which never forsakes you in the reverse of Fortune seem'd to increase you were not at all daunted with the Change of his Britanick Majesty but on the contrary rather made it serviceable to you in bringing the Dutch to a Peace You put such Jealousies into their Heads that they wrote to their Embassadors they should endeavour to remove all Difficulties that would obviate a Peace Your Majesty knowing that the way to make them more desirous of it was to terrifie them by some new Conquest you besieg'd the City of Gand which made little resistance You knew so well how to blind your Enemies by pretending to attack some other Place that the Town was in a manner taken before they perceiv'd your Design You afterward made your self Master of Ypres and of Fort Lewen which by its advantageous Scituation was thought impregnable But was surpriz'd one clear Night by the Garrison of Maestricht and taken by Scalado Such prosperous proceedings should in all appearance have made the Spaniards as desirous of a Peace as the Dutch But they knowing that what had pass'd in England had already made your Majesty quit Messina and inferring from thence the League they had made with that Crown would do Miracles in their Favour they endeavour'd to keep the Dutch from making a Peace but your Maiesty remov'd all those Obstacles by a piece of Policy which Posterity will admire You concluded a separate Peace with Holland But before the Prince of Orange was inform'd of it he concluded if he fell upon your Army which then block'd up Mons and could give it a Blow he should hinder the conclusion of the Treaty he very furiously charg'd your Troops The Duke of Luxembourg who had heard the Peace was concluded and imagin'd the Prince of Orange likewise knew it relying upon it was not in such a Posture of Defence as he should have been so that he and the Intendant had like to have been taken The Spaniards and the Emperour were after this so happy as to come to an accomodation with your Majesty but the Northern Princes were unwilling to restore to the King of Sweden what they had taken from him Your Majesty oblig'd them to it by the Treaty you had sign'd in consideration of which you restor'd Maestricht to the Hollanders and several Places to the Spaniards from whom you had lately taken Puicerda Prince Charles of Lorrain who was this Year come again into Germany where he made no better a Campaign than he did the Year before because Mareschal Crequi not only prevented his design of retaking Fribourg but beat a party of his Troops in the Plain of Rhinfield took Sekinghem Offembourg the Fort of Kell burnt the Bridge of Strasbourg and did so many other Exploits in that Country as made him pass for another Turenne The Prince of Lorrdin I say was comprehended in the Emperour's Treaty by which your Majesty was oblig'd to restore to him his Country but under such hard conditions that rather than submit
Pennance for his Faults because it brings him again to himself and there is nothing which makes us wiser than those Mortifications which we did not expect they that have the Wind still with them run the hazard of never knowing themselves The Prince having quitted his party your Majesty thought rather of pacifying your Kingdom than of driving the Enemy from the Frontiers which you flatter'd your self might be easily done when it was at Peace within it self The Province of Guyenne was still in Arms for the Prince of Condé the Prince of Conti was in Bourdeaux where as a Prince of the Blood he was so considerable as to draw many to take part with him in his Disobedience the Count d'Ognon was in Brouage where ill Example made him play the Tyrant Great Forces were requir'd to reduce those People because of their Intelligence with the Spaniards from whom they receiv'd Assistance But your Majesty considering it wou'd be easier to gain them by fair means you made the one Mareschal of France upon Condition he deliver'd up the Place he kept into your Majesty's Hands and granted the other very considerable Terms if he wou'd quit his Brother's Party Your Majesty who had found a way to make Cardinal Mazarin return and to settle Peace in Paris where you had again fixt the Parliament in its usual Seat And having now no more Domestick Troubles to fear you did not only raise Forces to secure your Frontiers but to raise your Reputation very much lessen'd abroad You had lost all you had in Catalonia your Affairs in Italy were also in an ill Condition those in Flanders not in a much better Case and of so many Conquests which I have already mention'd no more remain'd to your Majesty but Arras in Campagn the Enemy kept St. Menehout Mouzon and Rhetel upon the Frontier of Picardie Le Catelet and Capelle in Bourgundy Bellegard wherein were the remains of the Prince of Condé's Faction Here was work enough for a young Prince who had not yet the experience of Riper Years but your Majesty having prudently begun with that which seem'd to be of greatest Consequence you besieg'd Bellegard and became Master of it having thereby cut off the Head of the Rebellion You hardly knew what to do next so much were you press'd on all sides The Prince of Condé was enter'd into Picardy where he had taken Roye the Arch-Duke threaten'd Campagn these two Places were of like Importance to you but you cou'd not remedy all at once the Forces of your Kingdom were exhausted so that your Majesty was oblig'd to do things by degrees one after another You march'd to the Relief of Picardy made the Enemy quit Roy and afterwards besieg'd Rhetel which being taken you made your self Master of Mouzon In the mean time the Enemy possess'd themselves of Rocroy for which you were reveng'd by reducing St. Menehout to your Obedience Your Arms in Catalonia began to be dreaded you took there several strong Places and you had taken the Town of Gironne had it not been for a Miracle wrought by Heav'n in favour of your Enemies They plac'd on the Rampart a little Cabinet wherein were the Reliques of a holy Bishop of that City and presently there appear'd such an infinite number of Flies which fell upon your Army that all your Cavalry was astonish'd at it The Horses not being able to abide it broke their Bridles and run cross the Fields they roll'd themselves in the Mire to get rid of the Flies and many perish'd so that seeing the Enemy was ready to make use of the Advantage they had by so favourable an Accident it was thought fit to raise the Siege In Italy you carry'd the War into Milanez where the Count de Grancé whom you had made a Mareschal of France took Carpignan and beat the Marquess Caracene whom the King of Spain sent against him You were now oblig'd to acknowledge the Government of England tho' at the same time your Kindness and Justice led you to protect him who was the lawful Prince thereof But the Spaniards who sought to make an Advantage of your Aversion to Cromwell's Usurpation and were treating with him to your Prejudice you had recourse to the only means left you to secure your self against the Mischief they intended you You offer'd him your Mediation to accomodate the differences amicably which were then between England and Holland of which you were very willing to see an End because they might have proved very much to your Enemies Advantage This was a great deal for a State which had been so Sick to be free from Convulsions which had like to have brought it to its Grave But as in long Sicknesses there are often Relapses Count Harcourt whom your Majesty had made use of to reduce the Rebels to their Duty became one himself He found a way to get into Brisac where the Garrison being at his Devotion he design'd to erect a Kind of Soveraignty in Alsatia if he had been strong enough to support the Burthen The Spaniards did all they cou'd to oblige him to put the Place into their Hands but not offering enough to tempt him he refus'd them and thought of agreeing with the Duke of Lorrain who had enough to pay him well for there was not a Prince who had so much ready Money as he but being an Idolater of it he could not resolve to part with so much as Count Harcourt demanded so that the Business hanging long in Suspence it came at last to nothing because the Spaniards who distrusted him caus'd him soon after to be arrested Your Majesty to whom this Business appear'd to be of great importance as indeed it was sent often to and again to make him return to his Duty But seeing he cou'd not come to any Resolution you besieg'd Beffort to cut off all Relief which he might hope to have from that side you made your self Master of it in the midst of Winter for it is fit the French should learn to make War in any Season they who under your Majesty ought to despise Heat and Cold and to habituate themselves to either This Conquest joyn'd to the very good Terms you offer'd Count Harcourt prevail'd with him to accept 'em You gave him the Government of Anjou you let him enjoy all his Estate and his Place of Grand Ecuyerr he being to deliver up all he held in Alsatia This Business being thus over and so well for your Majesty you next thought of re-taking Rocroy where the Garrison spoil'd all the Country round about it under the Command of a Governour who was not a sleep and had learnt his Trade under the Prince of Condé I mean Montall whom your Majesty hath so succesfully employ'd and who did you great Service in the last War But you believ'd the taking of Stenay was of much greater Advantage and therefore you march'd your Army thither under the command of Mareschal Fabert This General was much to be valued
your self that you should effect this Business by your Power press'd the Duke of Lorrain according to this Treaty to put into your Hands the Town of Marsall and because he doubted what Resolutito take you threatned by Force of Arms to make him do it But notwithstanding all your Threats he continued irresolute and you went towards Lorrain with so great a number of your Nobility that never were so many seen together at one time You found the secret of making People pay that Respect which was due to your Majesty by the Favours you so seasonably bestow'd and which engag'd a great Number of Gentlemen to wait on you who in the time of your Minority would not have taken the Pains to have gone out of their Doors Your Court shin'd brighter than ever it had done and the more for the many Blue Ribbands you made which were no little Ornament about your Person Soon after this you also created a great many Dukes and Peers wherein you shew'd a great deal of Policy for most of the Grandees who had no mind to this Dignity kept close to your Majesty to avoid the like Reward The Prince of Condé who at his Return thought to find you the same you were in Cardinal Mazarin's time was much surpriz'd to see you so different from what he thought you He look'd so little in your Majesty's Presence and you took so little notice of him that scarce any body would believe when they saw him this was the Famous Rebel that had been so much talkt of But you took Pleasure to mortifie him at his first coming to make him leave his Proud Humour of expecting to be every where Lord and Master If you made the Prince of Condé tremble I need not say his Example taught others not to depart from that Duty which by their Birth they were oblig'd to pay your Majesty All Persons appear'd in your Presence with a Respect that added Lustre to your Royalty and gave it quite another Figure than it had in the time of which I have already spoken The Desire every one had to please you made People apply themselves to that which before they scorn'd to do All the young Gentlemen of good Families listed themselves either in your Company of Musqueteers which your Majesty had again set on foot or in your Regiment of Guards and seeing you took delight in all that look'd like War which your greatest Enemies cannot deny you spent a great part of your time in disciplining this Company so that If I may make a Comparison which perhaps some will not like I will presume to say never did any Spanish Jennet better perform the Exercises of Manage under a skilful Rider than this Company did every thing that was commanded by your Majesty Of this I can yet say more which others observ'd as well as my self and by which a Man might judge what you one Day would be able to do seeing you did it in your Youth What could those Seven or Eight Hours together signifie which your Majesty stay'd in the Court of the Louvre exercising that Company in the depth of Winter But the Application wherewith you would in time to come do your Duty and that you would despise both Heat and Cold when you design'd to get Glory But yet it cannot be said this was a domineering Humour in your Majesty because you took the like care of all that concern'd your Royalty I have already said your Majesty commanded me to bring you Cardinal Richelieu's Memoirs the esteem you had for the Memory of that great Man and your own sincere Piety without Ostentation inclin'd you to perfect what he had so happily begun which was the extirpation of all the Hereticks in your Kingdom But your Majesty knowing that it is very dangerous to pass from one Extreme to another you have by little and little so prepar'd things to ripen that in Twenty Years time the Work may come to Perfection Your Majesty's Presence brought the Duke of Lorrain to a fix'd Resolution he having agreed to the Terms upon which he was to deliver the Town of Marsall to your Majesty You came back from Metz in so little time that the Post could not make more haste you having order'd the best running Horses in your Stables to be laid on the Way Every one took the Liberty of enquiring why your Majesty made such Haste and as there are always some that guess right what you intended to keep secret was presently talk'd of all the Town over Which ought to teach Princes not to undertake any thing which they would not have People know For they cannot with all their Power keep Mens Curiosity from prying narrowly into all their Actions Your Majesty being pleas'd with my Services I took the Liberty to lay before you all that Cardinal Richelieu had design'd for the Glory of your Realm There was nothing of so great importance in his Papers as Trade and Navigation but neither could be maintain'd without making your self strong at Sea which was properly your Majesty's Work To me you committed the care of this as well as of your Buildings wherein there were great Disorders I acquitted my self in both to the best of my Power In the mean time your Majesty having thought sit to attempt something on the Coast of Gigeri the Success whereof promis'd great Advantage to the Trade of the Levant and to your Majesty's Reputation in that Country you caus'd some Troops to pass into Provence where Vessels lay ready to receive ' em They were safely Transported and Landed almost without any Opposition made by the Barbarians But the chief Commanders on whom you rely'd having taken ill Measures the Business miscarry'd tho' well design'd and better digested For 't is not enough for a thing to be so well order'd in Council as that none can object against it unless it be likewise well executed So that a Prince cannot take too much care to make a good choice of those he employs seeing his Reputation depends upon it especially when his Enterprises lie so far off that he is not able to remedy the Faults that are there committed Some would make me believe that Monsieur Tellier was not well pleas'd with that free access I had to your Majesty's Person nor with my being trusted with what concern'd the War He would have had your Majesty chuse more experienc'd Officers in whose Hands the Bâ—â—â—ness would have prosper'd better but tho' I have heard such Reports I will do him right and I had rather attribute that which happen'd at Gigeri to Fate which sometimes ruines the best laid Designs rather than wrong Monsieur Tellier's Reputation To make that Misfortune yet greater the Vessel upon which the Chief Officers of the Regiment were embarqu'd was so Leaky that it sunk which extreamly troubled your Majesty My Enemies who must be many after that which I have said would have imputed the Misfortune to my Fault pretending that I having the Oversight of the Marine
down Your Majesty approved of all I did relating to the Parliament of Thoulouse You sent a Letter under the Privy Seal to displace the President of the Bench who past the first Sentence and gave a Pension of Two Thousand Livers to the Premier President who past the Second For Reward and Punishmeut ought to go an even Pace to encourage those that do Well and to terrify those that do Ill otherwise there would be no such thing as Emulation or Restraint both absolutely necessary to make a State flourish Yours hath flourish'd so much that the very sound of your Name kept the Prince of Lorrain from being elected King of Poland which otherwise he might have been That Nation chose a Soveraign contrary to their usual Custom and against the Constitution of the Kingdom which they resolved rather not to observe than discontent your Majesty who would have been displeased if the choice had fallen upon that Prince About this time your Majesty appear'd very Pensive and I taking the Liberty to ask why you were so you did me the Honour to open your Heart and tell me there was something a brewing against the Peace of your Kingdom and that there was a Man whom you did not yet know but whose Description had been sent you out of England that went into all Courts where under pretence of preserving the reformed Religion he stirr'd up all Princes against you That out of England he was gone to the Northern Kings to perswade them to enter into the triple League That this deserv'd Exemplary Punishment but you knew not how to take this Fellow and make an Example of him because you thought no Prince would deliver him up and therefore you resolv'd to surprize and take him by force which appear'd impossible every one being jealous of his Liberty it would expose those whom you employ'd in it to too much danger Beside you said you knew not whom to trust in an Affair of such Consequence that ought to be kept Secret and which you had communicated to no body but my self I ask'd your Majesty whether the Man of whom you spoke were a French-Man you told me he was and it was that which made you so very angry I could not blame your Resentment but said my Opinion was that your Majesty could do well to acquaint Monsieur Turenne with the Business who knew better than any body who were Men of Courage and Resolution and that he could chuse such as would undertake to seize this Man and bring him into France or if that could not be done they should kill him Your Majesty said you would not have him kill'd because before you punish'd him you would willingly know his Confederates believing he had many but that in every thing else you would follow my Counsel which you approv'd of because you were confident that Monsieur Turenne would be faithful to you tho' he were a Hugonot for he was not converted till about two or three Months after I took the Liberty to pray your Majesty you would say nothing of the Business to the Marquess de Louvoy because I knew his Spleen against Monsieur Turenne might perhaps prevent the Design 's taking Effect which was enough to let your Majesty know I did not think Monsieur Louvoy so well affected to your Service but that for his own Private Ends he might forget the Publick Interest Your Majesty understanding what I meant promis'd not to say a Word to any body but yet reprov'd me for judging so ill of my Neighbour Your Majesty kept your Royal Word and said nothing of what had past to any but Monsieur Turenne who appointed Five Officers to undertake the Business And seeing your Majesty knew where the Man in question was and what he had been doing the Officers went into Swisserland where he had newly arriv'd they seiz'd him as he was travelling from one Place to another and brought him into France having very prudently avoided the danger they were in if they had been taken You put him into the Hands of Justice to be immediately prosecuted This miserable Wretch was a Cittizen of Rochel and a Hugonot and tho' he was taken as it were in the Fact and by the Proofs against him must conclude that what he had been doing was discover'd yet he would not confess a Syllable nor answer to any thing that was ask'd him so that he was Tried and Condemn'd When he saw that he was to dye a shameful Death God so forsook him that he resolv'd to kill himself and finding some Pieces of Glass in the Dungeon where he was he with the Glass made a shift to cut off his Privy Parts hoping to Bleed to Death and avoid the Punishment which he was condemn'd to suffer His Keeper coming into the Room and seeing him look very Pale suspected what he had done and found the Glass he had hid Upon Notice given to your Judge of it he was broke upon the Wheel within Two Hours after This was the end of this Miserable Man who indeavour'd in those Courts to which he went to cover his Crime with Zeal for Religion and tho' People do not think they can be deceived in the Profession they make of it because they verily believe 't is the certain way to Salvation especially when they have been educated in it yet it is certain their Religion doth oblige them to be obedient to their Soveraign and not to instigate other Princes to make War against him because both Divine and Humane Laws condemn it So that we see Religion is commonly made a Cloak to cover Mens Crimes as it was in this Case wherein all that was done did plainly proceed from a false Zeal seeing it was follow'd by a desperate Action wherein there appear'd so little of God that he who attempted it must necessarily be forsaken by him I have been a little the larger upon this Subject the Circumstances whereof are perhaps of no such great Concern to your Majesty as to deserve so particular a Relation But I am glad of this Occasion to mind your Majesty of all that past that I might at the same time tell you the Persons employ'd by Viscount Turenne did you a piece of Service great enough to have been better consider'd by Monsieur Louvoy But he being angry that this Business was done without acquainting him with it he became so much the Officers mortal Enemy that he caus'd them to be cashier'd one Year after another under divers pretences and at last treated Briquemaut a Collonel of Horse so ill that to avoid his Persecution he quitted his Country and went to seek an Employment under the Marquess of Brandenburg It is impossible that your Majesty should know every thing that is done in your Kingdom having so many weighty Affairs to look after and therefore ought not to be troubled with things of little Moment Nevertheless your Majesty being often abus'd I desire you should know it because it concerns your Service
be said that can better please you Many Churches rebuilt at your Charge others to which you have added more Maintenance to supply their wants Blasphemers severely punish'd the Poor relieved and many things of the like kind which for brevity's sake and not to be thought a Flatterer I do not mention are all convincing Testimonies that the Glory of God is your Majesty's chief care Though in this you have done no more than what all the World is bound to do yet I say 't is your Majesty's Duty more than another Man's not only because as you are a Soveraign you are oblig'd to give good Example to your Subjects but because you cannot omit the doing of it without being very ingrateful to God If your Majesty will but cast your Eyes on the Favours you have receiv'd from him you will see many things which require an Eternal Acknowledgement I do not speak of such things as are common to you with all men but reflect if you please on those Blessings which God's Providence hath in so particular a manner pour'd out upon your Majesty How are you bound to thank him for your Miraculous Birth his giving you Being to fill the noblest Throne upon Earth is one of the least of his Favours and to draw you doubly I may say out of nothing as he did after the Queen your Mother had been Barren three and twenty Years is a Blessing that cannot be forgot without double Ingratitude If you follow step by step what God hath done for you you will find his Protection over your Person hath been very singular Remember that almost universal Rebellion of your Kingdom that Confederation of the Parliaments against your Authority the insolence of your People and how easily you quell'd these Monsters You will then confess this was not the Work of Man but the Hand of God If after this you call to mind the Fidelity of your Commanders and Souldiers even to the prejudice of their Ancient Rights and that Victory still wedded to your side forc'd the Spaniards to yield to the Peace of the Pyrenees notwithstanding their great aversion to it You will see that this likewise was a Favour of Divine Providence which never forsook you How can you chuse but be thankful for the Miracle it wrought in recovering you from that terrible Sickness which I have already mention'd I know God made use of Natural Causes to which impious Men attribute all that is extraordinary but by their leave there was something more in that recovery for you were not only given over by your Physicians who I confess are many times mistaken but you were more than half dead as those that were present did verily think and can testifie I spoke Truth when I said your Curtains were drawn If your Majesty please let us follow the course of your Life and see whether that which happen'd after this be Natural Do you in good earnest believe that so regular and mature a Judgment as appear'd in you presently after the Cardinal's Death notwithstanding the ill Education he gave you was only the Gift of Nature 'T is to God alone you are indebted for it and to whom you are to return thanks 'T was not in your Power to make your self wise especially in a Court where you were suffer'd to do what you would and where none but Women had the care of your Education What shall I now say of the Wars wherein you have been engag'd by evil Counsel and if I may dare say so by your own Ambition And yet how happily are you come off All these Miracles are from Heaven God having sent you into the World that you might Glorifie him by your Actions and hath more particularly engaged you to praise him by many Obligations heap'd upon one another If you do not do that which God expects from you what will all the World say that know the Chararacter of a good Man is to be Grateful As it is your Majesty's Obligation so 't is your Interest to be thankful For if a Prince take no care to give to God that which is his due how can he expect his People should do their Duty to him whose greatest Glory is to be the living Image of God upon Earth If he thinks to be obey'd because as a Master he commands others and believes his Subjects must Love or fear him because Reward and Punishment are in his Hands he is much mistaken For the Power of a Prince be it never so great would quickly be brought to nothing if those that obey him did not do it for God's sake who is greater than he 'T is Religion that first made Subjects fear their King and still continues that Fear As a Tree which doth not continually receive Nourishment from the Earth grows dry and withers by degrees so take away Religion in a Kingdom the Respect and Fear of a Soveraign which Subjects suck in with their Milk insensibly decays till it be quite Dead whence follow a thousand Mischiefs greater than can be Imagin'd or express'd and then neither Hope of Reward or Fear of Punishment can prevail with Subjects to do their Duty A Wretch that doth not believe in God thinks there is much more to be got by Disobedience and Rebellion than ever he could expect from his Prince and what Effect can the fear of Punishment have upon him who believes there is no other World beside this and that one quarter of an Hour will put an End to all his Pain Not to give God his due is to open a Door to all manner of Wickedness and a Prince thereby exposes himself to the Hazard of being driven out of his Kingdom Look but upon the Ottoman Empire which is much more subject to revolutions than any other Kingdoms because the greatest part of its Subjects think the Religion they profess to be meer humane Invention and when a Man once comes to that Belief 't is a very hard matter to conquer his Prejudice and raise him up to the Knowledge of the true God Besides such an Opinion blinds and makes Men so brutish as to attribute all things to Nature and 't is extremely difficult for 'em to find the way out of their error Let us come a little nearer and see what hath been done in England the want of Religion in that Kingdom was the cause of all that happen'd there since the time of Henry the 8th the introducing of so many Sects brought the People at last to dip their hands in their King's blood Come we now to your own Kingdom where we may observe the same disorders in the reign of three or four Kings one after another If you would know the reason read but their History One was a Blasphemer instead of punishing that sin in his Subjects Another was an Atheist and so of the rest So that their Subjects who had very little more Religion than they attempted to dethrone ' em These Confusions lasted till the Reign of the Deceased
THE Political Testament OF M. Jean Baptist Colbert Minister and Secretary of State THE Political Testament OF M. Jean Baptist Colbert Minister and Secretary of State Wherein is contain'd All that hath pass'd under the Reign of LEWIS the XIV unto the Year 1684. With Remarks upon the Government of the Kingdom of France Translated out of French LONDON Printed for R. Bentley at the Post-House in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden M DC XCV TO THE Right Honourable SIDNEY Lord Godolphin Baron of Rialton One of the Lords Justices for the Administration of Affairs in the absence of the King first Commissioner of the Treasury and one of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council My Lord ALL who have the happiness to be acquainted with Your Lordship know how litttle You love or want a Dedication and I should not have presum'd to fix Your Name to this were there not a kind of necessity for it but when I reflect on the Character of my Author so like and in so many circumstances agreeing with Your Lordships where can I draw so exact a Parallel where could I make choice of so fit a Patron For whether I consider the late Famous Monsieur Colbert either in his publick or private Capacity in justice to his Memory I must compare him to Your Lordship being otherwaies unable to describe him as he deserves and in this I am sure I have outdone the Original tho' I fall much short of it in the Translation The Reader may observe he was Comptroller general of the Finances in France the most like to a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in England a Station Your Lordship hath long maintain'd with so great Honour Justice Integrity and Prudence that You never deservedly made an Enemy nor undeservedly preferr'd a Friend I may well say long considering the different prevailing Parties in our Nation but You have still preserv'd Your Interest by the same Merit You acquir'd it what ever Changes have happen'd You have never deviated from Your own just Principles and none hath better demonstrated that Infallible Maxim an Honest Man is the best Politician But tho' Honesty is the best and ought to be the chief Ingredient in a Statesman there are other extraordinary Qualifications Stars of a lesser Magnitude which shine bright in Your Lordship a sound and steady Judgment a clear and ready Wit a quick Apprehension a perfect Knowledge of Languages Foreign Courts and Customs an absolute Command of the Passions an easie and affable Behaviour and a true Application to Business without its tedious forms and incumbrances 'T is these Exemplary Vertues that justly recommend Your Lordship to all Good Men and all Good Men to Your Lordship It is very difficult to quit so fruitful a Subject but I am to remember to whom I am speaking and tho' I cannot say enough to my Reader I must not say too much to Your Lordship I will therefore trouble You no longer hoping the Honesty and Usefulness of the Subject will atone for the Imperfections of the Translation and the importunity of MY LORD Your Lordships Most Faithful and Obedient Servant William Granvill THE EPISTLE TO THE KING SIR GOD hath so visibly appear'd in Protecting your Majesty's Reign that I am verily persuaded your Majesty doth in no-wise attribute to your Own good Conduct those happy Events which have made your Kingdom so Glorious and humbled its Enemies GOD answer'd the Prayers of all your good Subjects and gave You to them in a time when there was little hope of their being heard since it was not till after Twenty three Years Barrenness he began by the Miracle of your Birth to declare He had chosen you from all Eternity to be one of the most perfect Works that have been for a long time upon Earth So certain a Truth and so generally acknowledg'd by all your Subjects ought also to be known to Strangers that they may be convinc'd the Mighty Hand of GOD acteth for you against your Enemies But seeing there is in almost all other Courts but a meer outward appearance of Piety while it shines so bright in yours they attribute all your Majesty's Prosperity only to your good Fortune without lifting up their Eyes to Him who is the Lord of Hosts and without whosâ— Aid 't is impossible for any one to expect Victory It were to be wish'd your Enemies had been sooner undeceiv'd and in good time convinc'd That it is GOD alone who protects you then there had not been so much Blood spilt in the War which you have so gloriously ended and the Lives of an infinite Number of Men might yet be spar'd who seem destin'd to perish in the same Quarrel For your Majesty by having given a Peace to Europe hath not quite extinguish'd the Jealousie of many Potentates wherewith they feel themselves disquieted When they see what great Things are done by you they do but watch for an Opportunity to be reveng'd and rather than they will yield to those Submissions which one of your Ministers requires from them 't is very likely they will hazard All to keep All. But SIR may I be so bold to ask Whether all that this Minister doth be any Service to your Majesty I fear you may think the little good Correspondence which hath hitherto been between us puts me upon this Questâ—on The deep Wounds which your Majesty knows better than I he hath endeavour'd to give me by his frequent Addresses to your Majesty to make you suspect my Fidelity may incline you to believe That my Resentments are still great enough to prompt me to do by him as he hath dealt with me But GOD forbid that I should be more concern'd for my own Interest than for your Majesty's having no other aim but to represent faithfully to your Majesty how things are A Great KING who hath in his Hands the Government of a large Kingdom doth not always know what his Ministers do especially when he gives them the same Authority which you do to the Marquess of Louvoy Publick Ministers Faults are usually imputed to their Master and if War happen to ensue How many People suffer for the Guilt of one particular Person It seems to me that Monsieur Louvoy was the cause that the War lasted so long 'T is true the end of it hath prov'd glorious to your Majesty but it cannot be said you owe it to his good Conduct 'T is evident that by him the Safety of your Realm was brought into danger out of which nothing but the Hand of GOD deliver'd you He is then answerable to all your People for the Blood he hath cost ' em Besides had your Majesty been less respected and admired he might have perhaps made you lose the Love of your Subjects for you who are their Father ought to be as sparing of their Blood as of your own Is it not likewise very strange that a Minister who never saw War but in Paint should pretend to know more of it than all yonr
Majesty according to the Example of the King your Father and of Henry IV. of glorious Memory had assisted against the Spaniards made Peace with them Your Majesty notwithstanding all this maintain'd the War in Catalonia with a great deal of Reputation you rais'd the Siege of Flix which the Enemy had invested and made your self Master of Tortose in sight of the Enemy's Army Commanded by Mello who went out of Flanders thither and had it not been for the Rebellion of your Subjects to how great a pitch had your Glory been rais'd It was very much increas'd by the Victory your Navy had in the Mediterranean tho' it was much Inferiour to that of the Enemys for it consisted not of above twenty nine Vessels when they had Forty Two Notwithstanding this Inequality did not hinder you from sinking Three and had not Night came on they had reason to fear the loss of more So many Affairs and of so great consequence were enough to take up your thoughts and seeing they always tended to the good of your State you minded what pass'd in Poland where the Glory of your Name frustrated all the Spaniards Endeavours to have a King elected that should be a Friend to their Interest But they were baffled in their Design for Casimire Brother to the deceased was preferr'd before the Person the Spaniards propos'd for which he was wholly obliged to your Majesty CHAP. II. Containing what pass'd from the Paris War to the Peace of the Pyrenées THE Parliaments Attempts daily encreasing notwithstanding the continual care your Majesty took to suppress them it would have been weakness to have longer dissembled your Resentments which made you resolve to punish the Offenders You left the City of Paris ingag'd in the Rebellion and retir'd to St. Germains in Laye you caused Paris to be block'd up by your Flanders Army commanded by the Prince of Condé This punishment ought to have made the Mutineers return to their Duty but their Boldness equal'd their Disobedience and after they had stirr'd up other Cities of your Kingdom to take their part they rely'd on their own Strength to relist your Majesty Scarce one even the Coadjutor himself forgetting his Character but rais'd a Regiment against you The Duke of Beaufort who had escap'd out of Prison was likewise one of your Majesty's mortal Enemies the Prince of Conti Brother to the Prince of Condé also took Arms against your Majesty the Dutchess of Longueville his Sister with the Duke her Husband fell in with the Parliament and she by her Beauty drew in the Prince of Marsillae who had more mind to her than to signalize his Disobedience but this Passion LOVE which blinds Men to that degree that they know not themselves made him forget that respect he always had for your Majesty and in which he was better instructed than others because he had an infinite deal of Wit This was not the only mischief which Love did your Majesty the Jealousie which this Prince of Marsillac had against the Husband of the Dutchess together with the fear he had his Passion might be discover'd would not let him rest till he got into Normandy where he made that Province revolt being Governour of it We see what Springs Love sets a going which we often attribute to Ambition for want of searching things to the bottom but it is a dangerous Passion and very much to be condemned when a Mistress makes us fail in our Duty to our Soveraign to whom we are so closely ty'd that we cannot be unfaithful to him without being so to GOD. The Bloccade of Paris had not the Effect your Majesty expected and tho' that great City suffer'd extremely yet the Parliament continued so great an Aversion to your publique Minister that they were so Bold as to require his being sent out of the Kingdom before they would lay down their Arms. This insolent Proposition was accompanied with others of the same nature but since the Resolution of these Mutineers did not answer the Hopes they had of giving Law to your Majesty they had Recourse to the Enemies of the Kingdom to procure Bread which they very much wanted for your Majesty had shut up the City so close that it was at an excessive Price and without speedy Relief they were ready to fall into extreme Necessity Your Majesty cannot reflect upon these terrible Marks of Rebellion without being sensibly toucht with them and seeing it was of great Consequence to you not to suffer your Enemies in that unhappy Conjuncture to enter into the Heart of your Kingdom you did that which brought the Parliament again to themselves you sent a Herald at Arms to make some Proposals to them whereupon the Parliament being assembled they thought in some manner to repair what had been done in sending back the Herald without hearing him but at the same time assured your Majesty they had refused him Audience out of the profound Respect they had for you because they could not pretend to receive such a Person as was never us'd to be sent but to Soveraigns This returning to their Duty gave your Majesty occasion to exhort them to do better for the future than they had done at present and the Conjuncture requiring that you should seem not to resent the bold Attempts they had made on your Authority you granted a general Amnesty to the Parliament and to those that had follow'd their Party Your Enemies did not fail to take Advantage of these Disorders the Duke of Lorrain whom the King your Father had driven out of his Country for having often fail'd of performing the many Promises he had made him entred again into it and made himself Master of many Towns he was likewise almost assured of retaking Nancy from which Marquess de la Ferté's Avarice had diverted all manner of Provisions But when he saw that it might cost him his Head he quickly came and caus'd all the Harvest of Corn and Fruit thereabout to be carry'd into it and thereby made some amends for the Fault he had committed upon which your Majesty and all other Monarchs may make this Reflection That when a Subject prefers his own private Interest before his Prince's he is not only unworthy of any Favour but is likewise responsible for all the Evils the People suffer For 't is plain that what they do suffer is from such Men in Authority who care not how they Ruin 'em to Inrich themselves However your present Circumstances did not then permit your Majesty to take such Order in that Case as at another time you might have done Beside this Marquess behaved himself so Prudently on other Occasions that his Wisdom and Courage in some measure excus'd his Covetousness The Parliament did not cease to pursue their Designs tho' your Majesty had had the Goodness to pardon them yet they were not altogether so bad as the Parliament of England who were so wicked as to cut off their King's Head Your Majesty was never seen
to be so angry as when you heard that News but the great Affairs wherein you were then engag'd hinder'd you from punishing so foul a Crime You had enough to do to oppose the Archduke who retook Ypres and St. Venant while Count Harcourt was besieging Cambray but that Enterprize did not succeed Tho' he was oblig'd to quit it yet he attack'd Condé and took it by Composition Maubeuge open'd her Gates to him so that the Enemy would not have had much cause to brag if they had not prevail'd in Catalonia This Province being so remote that your Majesty could not send any Troops thither without a great deal of charge and no Recruits going to supply the place of those that perish'd there the Year before the Enemy took Constantin de Salo and de Sirges but Count Marein brake their Measures as to Barcelona which they thought to have taken In Italy also your Affairs receiv'd a considerable check The Duke of Modena who fear'd the War of Paris would put it out of your power to give him the Succours he wanted quitted your Party whence follow'd the loss of many considerable Posts which had cost a great deal of trouble and many Men. But it was of much greater importance to your Majesty to settle a Calm in your Kingdom than to preserve your Conquests which were so far off Therefore after you had reduc'd Paris to its Obedience and sufficiently provided for the Frontier of Piccardy which the Enemy threatned all your aim was to make Provence and Guyenne submit where there were as great Commotions as in the Capital City of your Kingdom This was happily effected by your Majesty and having also the good Fortune to divert a Storm that was gathering on the Frontier of Germany where Viscount Turenne instigated by his Brother endeavour'd to debauch the Troops he Commanded your Kingdom would have recover'd its former Lustre if the Prince of Condé had not set so high a Price on the Services he had done your Majesty that it was almost impossible to satisfie him His Ambition could not without murmuring bear his being denied some Favours tho' he had obtain'd many from your Majesty for his Relations that had born Arms against you who for that Reason rather deserv'd to be punish'd than rewarded It was Prudence however in your Majesty to conceal your Displeasure for his Affronts and there was danger in opposing the Prince because the great Things he had done had got him much Credit in the Army The intelligence which he also kept with the Frondeurs who all and every where declared themselves against your Majesty made you Prudently dissemble the Distaste you had against him but your Minister having found an Italian trick to sow dissention among his Party which would not have been pardonable were it not to secure the Liberty of your State you resolv'd to cause the Prince to be Arrested which was executed with a great deal of Dexterity Your Minister in the mean time was so afraid you would miss your Blow that he kept himself Booted to be gone the very Moment it had fail'd But Success having answer'd his Hope he again took Courage so that there was no question of preventing the ill Consequences of so bold a stroke your Majesty provided against 'em by doing two things which were absolutely necessary The one was to let the People know the true Reasons you had to arrest him The other was to march in Person where it appear'd he had most Friends and consequently where there was most likelihood of any Commotion What an excellent thing SIR is Prudence Your Majesty had already been accus'd of not acknowledging the great Services a Subject had done you Your Minister likewise pass'd for a very ingrateful Person in the Opinion of the People He knew had it not been for the Prince he could hardly have secur'd himself against the Hatred of the Parisians and the Parliament But when the People knew the Prince's Services had been rewarded with the Place of Great Master of your Majesty's Houshold with the Governments of Burgundy Berry and Guyenne with a Grant of the Demesnes of Clermont Stenay and Jammets of Pont de l'Arche and of Diep which he had gotten for the Duke of Longueville of Danvilliers and the Government of Champagne for the Prince of Conti and a great number of other Favours as well for himself as for his Creatures There was not a Man but chang'd his Opinion and loudly declar'd That if there were an ingrateful Man in the World it was the Prince of Condé The Voyage you first made into Normandy and after into Burgundy and Guyenne pacify'd those Princes where the Prince's Creatures supported by the Prince of Conti and the Duke of Longueville whom you likewise caused to be Arrested endeavour'd to animate the People against your Majesty You did not think sit to go your self into Berry where the Danger did not appear so great because that Province was shut up in the middle of your Kingdom and could receive no assistance from the Spaniards who watch'd an Opportunity to take advantage of so many Accidonts that seem'd favourable to them You sent thither the Count St. Agnan who kept the Province in Obedience but had not Strength onough to drive the Marquess Persan out of Montrond a strong Place that belong'd to the Prince of Condé How well had your Majesty been pleas'd could you so easily have setled things in other places which you had reason to fear could not be done in the midst of so many Troubles that lay so heavy on you and under which another must have sunk Viscount Turenne who retir'd to the Arch-duke after he had miss'd his Blow came to Stenay where his Love to the Dutchess of Longueville did not keep him from entring into the Kingdom at the head of an Army which he had rais'd with the Money lent him by the Archduke and with his Mistress's Jewels which he pawn'd to the Jews of Metz. He thought during this time of Disorder and Confusion he should be able to get again into Sedan which the Duke of Bouillon his Brother had given to the deceas'd King to spare his Life in great danger for his having enter'd into the Treaty of Madrid He came near the Place thinking the Memory of his Ancestors would have procur'd him Friends but every one kept to his Duty and seeing the Town was well provided and a brave Man with a good Garrison commanded in it he was oblig'd to turn his Arms another way If a Man may make any Reflections upon his Attempt it seems to me not well design'd or at least that the Inhabitants of the Town would have done very ill had they preferr'd the Government of his Family before your Majesty's for those People are unhappy who are Rul'd by petty Princes they having not Forces enough of their own to secure their Fortune are under a continual Obligation of being assisted by foreign Troops where their Subjects are often expos'd to
the Calamities of War and are sometimes a Prey to one and sometimes to another Which are not to be fear'd when People are under the Government of a Great King who when any Storm ariseth can quickly allay it It was not only your Frontier of Champagne which was threaten'd but likewise that of Piccardy The Spaniards appear'd there with an Army and having made themselves Masters of Catelet and la Chapelle they attempted Guise but not thinking it fit to lose Time about it they resolv'd to join with the Arch-duke and Viscount Turenne who were enter'd into Champagne Viscount Turenne who knew what was best to be done advanc'd so far as Ferté Milon with an intention to deliver the Prince of Condé out of Vincennes But your Majesty having broke his Measures by causing the Prince to be carry'd to Marcoussis and from thence to Havre de Grace the Viscount was oblig'd to return and join the Arch-duke who had taken Rhetel and some other Places Champagne which groan'd under the Tyranny of the Spaniards who put all to Fire and Sword took Arms and augmented the Army of Marquess du Plessis whom your Majesty had sent to guard that Frontier He thought with these Succours to have been able to retake Rhetel and having invested it the Arch-duke endeavour'd to raise the Siege This prov'd of great Advantage to your Majesty to whom the Defeat of your Army would have been of very dangerous Consequence Nevertheless since it was impossible for you any longer to see your Enemies in the heart of your Kingdom you sent Cardinal Mazarin to the Mareschal that upon his own knowledge of your Strength he might give order either to fight or retreat The Cardinal who was naturally very fearful where there was danger was at first of Opinion not to run any hazard but the Mareschal du Plessis who convinc'd the Cardinal of what ill Consequence it would be to give the Enemy any signs of their Weakness it was resolv'd in a Council of War wherein this Minister was present to fight The Mareschal du Plessis having rais'd the Siege march'd directly toward the Enemy who was now become more numerous by the Duke of Lorrain's Troops The Fight was sharp and obstinate on both sides but God gave your Majesty so compleat a Victory that Viscount Turenne was forc'd to fly only with sixteen Persons being abandon'd by all his Troops for the Arch-duke went off one of the first and left him to shift for himself He was very near being taken in so long a retreat as he had to make and wherein he was so hotly pursu'd but having defended his Life and Liberty at their cost who attack'd him he sav'd himself in Barleduke into which when he enter'd People thought him very much wounded being cover'd all over with Blood but it prov'd only the Blood which he had drawn of your faithful Subjects Your Majesty heard of this Victory with unspeakable Joy and sent to Marquess d' Aumont d' Hoquincourt and de la Ferté each a Mareschal's Staff who had very particularly signaliz'd themselves in that Battel It was to excite others to follow their Example for there is nothing more animates your Nobility than the Honours you bestow on them and the French are of that Temper that they will sacrifice a thousand Lives if they had so many in the Service of their King if he give 'em but a good Word or the least Preferment 'T is for this also that your Majesty is belov'd by your Subjects you that have the Secret even in refusing to grant Requests to oblige those whom you deny by your manner of denying them For a Prince ought to have the Gift of not only making himself to be fear'd but that also of making himself belov'd For Fear without Love degenerates into Distrust which makes People suspect that he who ought to be both Father and Master will turn Tyrant And this Suspicion is so dangerous that there is nothing which a King should not do to keep it out of his Subjects Minds If the Prince of Condé's Party which he had in France did your Majesty so much harm upon the Frontiers of Picardy and Champagne it did you a great deal more in Italy where it was impossible for you to succour Piombino and Porto Longonne which fell again into the Spaniards hands Your Majesty to whom the Preservation of Catalonia was of great importance sent thither the Duke of Mercoeur who seiz'd Count Marcin the Prince of Condé's Creature and who did all he could to debauch the Troops you had in that Country This foresight sav'd Barcelona where the Enemy kept intelligence having a great mind to recover that Place But the Duke of Mercoeur being no great Captain and the state of your Affairs not permitting you to send him any considerable Succours all languish'd in that Country and your Reputation began to decline in those Parts However the Choice of this General was not to be imputed to your Majesty it was a Court-Intrigue that oblig'd you to prefer him before many other Commanders of much greater Experience But there being a Reconciliation made between your Minister and the Duke of Beaufort whose eldest Son Mercoeur was he was to have a share of those Favours which when the Accommodation was made were agreed on Beside the Cardinal design'd to marry one of his Nieces to him and therefore thought it much better to prefer him than another Your Majesty was then too young to perceive what prejudice you receiv'd by it and how dangerous it is for a Minister to prefer his own Interest before his Masters But God be thanked it was not long ere our Eyes were open'd in so nice a point and no Prince ever knew better than you to give to all Persons those Employments which are sit for them This was not the only Fault which Cardinal Mazarin did The desire he had to be the sole powerful Man in the Kingdom made him seek how to amuse those he made use of to destroy the Prince of Condé The Bishop of Langres Favourite of Monsieur the Duke of Orleans your Uncle without whose privity the Prince was arrested from that time never forgave the Cardinal so that joining himself with others who envy'd the Fortune of that Minister they all strove to ruine him The Parliament who sought by all means to augment their Authority and being perswaded that during your Minority was the properest time to effect it divers Counsels were held wherein they resolv'd to demand the Enlargement of the Prince of Condé and his Brothers with the Banishment of Cardinal Mazarin Your Majesty oppos'd it with a Resolution becoming your great Courage but Monsieur the Duke of Orleans heading those who design'd the Destruction of this Minister and all the States of the Kingdom joining with 'em you were oblig'd to grant what they desir'd in point of Policy tho' it was very much against your Will Cardinal Mazarin seeing himself forced to depart the Realm thought
of their Reputation than of their Fortune which is already great enough not to purchase new Establishments with the loss of their Honour In controversies of Things dubious let justice still carry the Cause and let no man think to maintain a Title by force which cannot support it self That of which I am now speaking was of this Nature and it were to be wish'd your Majesty had seriously consider'd it You would then have seen that this was only a Bait thrown out the better to deceive you and also that this Treaty contain'd some things in it which render'd the Execution of it impossible as I shall hereafter plainly shew your Majesty This Business of which I have spoken all in a Breath because I was ingag'd in it by mentioning your Majesty's Design to marry Mademoiselle Montpensier to Prince Charles ought not to do things in order have been plac'd here but the Excuse I made before must serve me again without making any other Your Majesty having declar'd in all the Conferences I had with you the great Desire you had to do something effectually toward the Reformation of your Kingdom call'd for those Memoirs that had been drawn up in Cardinal Richelieu's time concerning it The suddain Death of that Minister having prevented the doing of it himself You found in those Papers many things against which you had reason to object because the time which had past since that Cardinal's Death had chang'd the State of Affairs and that which was good under his Ministry was not so now But your Majesty made choice of the Good and left the Bad wherein you shew'd so much Judgment that I can never enough commend you You resolv'd to make the Partisans render again what they had swallow'd for abusing your Minority they had fill'd their own Coffers by emptying yours You intended to begin with their Master who was as you thought most faulty I mean the Superintendant of the Finances whose Abuses I had discover'd to your Majesty and who was himself so conscious that to avoid the Punishment he deserv'd he thought of saving himself by a greater Crime To that purpose he had bought Belle Isle of the Family of de Rets where he intended to stand upon his Guard against your Majesty having by Pensions made several Governours of Provinces and Frontier Places of his Party of which a Draught was found amongst his Papers when he was seiz'd so that if Justice had been done upon him he should have been brought to a Scaffold The Place which he had in Parliament made your Majesty think it dangerous to prosecute him till he had quitted it You perswaded him to part with it under pretence that all the Affairs of State being since the Death of the Cardinal in his Hands his Place in Parliament would be now of little worth to him Fouquet ran into the Trap and having sold his Place to one of his Friends you went into Britany and there had him arrested At the same time you seiz'd upon Belle Isle The thing was executed in the same manner your projected it and having appointed Commissioners to try him you caus'd him to be prosecuted Monsieur Tellier was his capital Enemy but his trimming Politicks would not let him act against him He begun to be jealous of your Majesty's shewing me so much Favour and as he would not have been displeas'd if you had not put so much confidence in my Services so he would if he could have made the Prosecution of Monsieur Fouquet pass for Injustice See how they who desire to pass for Wise Men in Publick yet cannot dissemble when they think their own Interest is at stake so that to judge of Things rightly a Man must not do it rashly by appearances A Prudent Man ought to stay till such Accidents happen as use to move Peoples Passions for 't is then we are to make a Judgment of Mens Wisdom and not where that which passeth doth not concern 'em for then 't is no wonder if they appear insensible Your Majesty erected a Court of Justice to enquire how the Farmers of your Revenue had behav'd themselves which drew upon me the publick hatred because the number of those who had robb'd your Majesty was so great that half Paris was concern'd in it either by themselves or by their Friends and Relations Indeed the prodigious Wealth of those Blood-suckers of your People was so great that they were ally'd to most of the Considerable Military or Gown-men They had also brought the Sale of all Places to so excessive a Price that no body but themselves were able to buy Fieubet offer'd for the Attorney-General's Place sixteen hundred thousand Francks That of a Chief Judge was not less worth That of a Master of Requests was valued at a Hundred and ten thousand Crowns A simple Councellor of Parliament's Place at two Hundred and I know not how many thousand Livers I very plainly foresaw what effect this would have against me and that it would be said also there was no Faith in your Majesty who after People had serv'd you with their Purses you paid your Debts with excessive Taxes and sent such People to Hospitals who before had liv'd as handsomly as any in Paris tho' the baseness of their Original was an infallible Proof that they had gotten their Wealth by Rapine and consequently there was no Injustice in obliging them to disgorge it But there was a great deal of difference between what was done during your Minority and what you did your self The one requires that a Prince should make good his Word otherwise he would find none to serve him in his necessity whence would happen greater Inconveniences than any humane Prudence would be able to remedy So that a Prince would be very ill advis'd who should by his ill Conduct deprive himself of that Assistance which sooner or later he shall be sure to want For tho' he may Reign but a little time yet those Things may fall out wich he could not foresee let his Management be never so frugal They may sometimes be of such consequence that the funds which he hath provided are not sufficient to help him There ought to be no greater a Provision of Ready Money than what is proportion'd to the running Cash of a Kingdom otherwise a Prince would bring his own Revenue to nothing by rendring his People unable to assist him with their Purses the Prince himself having all the ready Money in his own Hands A Consequence so dangerous obligeth a Prince to keep his Word but yet he ought not to let his Farmers get so excessively as to ruine his People and himself too for 't is manifest if he doth not manage his Affairs like a good Father of a Family he will be oblig'd to lay Tax upon Tax The Farmers on their side must not think to grow vastly Rich in a short time because then it will be no Injustice to Fleece 'em whereas when their Gain is moderate they
are suffer'd to enjoy the Fruit of their Labour After these Remarks I return to what I just touch'd upon before when I said there was great difference between what a Prince doth himself and that which during his Minority is done by his Minister for if his Minister hath mismanag'd and not taken care of his Affairs he is not bound to approve of those Faults he committed for a Prince ought not to be in a worse Condition than a Private Man who can help himself against that which his Guardian hath done prejudicial to his Interest Beside the People having usually an irreconcilable Hatred against those that Farm the publick Revenue 't is a Pleasure to them to see 'em lose some of their Grease To this I add that the time of a Prince's Minority being commonly troublesom and his Coffers charged with a great many Debts he cannot take an easier course to pay them or that which will make less noise because it toucheth none but some particular Persons and the generality is so far from being discontended that they rejoice at it because they had rather the Prince should have their Substance than those wretches who in Fattening themselves with it often do the People a thousand Injuries By this way of prosecuting the Partisans your Majesty paid a vast number of Debts and in the mean time God blessed your Marriage with a Son who inherits his Father's Vertues your Majesty hath taken such care of his Education that joyn'd with his natural disposition it must be a wonder if he prove a Prince less perfect than your self About this time you marry'd Monsieur your Brother to a Princess of England he took the Title of Duke of Orleans after the Death of Monsieur your Uncle who left no Male Issue This Allyance maintain'd a good Correspondence between your Majesty and the English who after the Death of Cromwell in the Year 1658. found his Son Richard so unfit to succeed him that they set their Lawful King again upon the Throne About that time fell out an Accident in that Country which had like to have ingag'd your Majesty in a new War Your Ambassador having sent his Coaches to meet the Sweedish Embassador who was to make his Publick Entry the Spanish Embassador that his Coach might go before yours hir'd Men to cut the Traces of your Embassador's Coach so that the Spaniard had what he desir'd But his Triumph lasted not long for your Majesty being justly incens'd against what he had done demanded Satisfaction of the King of Spain who seem'd a while Deaf before he would yield to what you requir'd But your Majesty having commanded your Embassador at Madrid to tell the King of Spain unless he gave you the Satisfaction you expected there must be a Rupture between the two Crowns The fear the King of Spain had of your Majesty's Arms made him not only disclaim what his Embassador had done but also declare it was not his Intention to dispute precedency with your Majesty This Declaration was made by the Marquess de la Fuentes his Catholick Majesty's Minister residing in your Court in Presence of other Embassadors and Ministers who were also there and their Masters were by them certify'd this Difference was ended to your Majesty's Satisfaction After this you supprest the Place of Collonel-General of the French Infantry vacant by the Death of the Duke d' Epernon who had carry'd the Authority of this Place so high that he seem'd to have almost a mind to contest it with your Majesty pretending to dispose of all Commands in the Infantry without excepting so much as the Companies of your Guards which was of such Consequence that it might have been the Cause of many Inconveniences You made many excellent Regulations among the Souldiery so that they became subject to Discipline which before they were not for such Disorder reign'd among 'em that there was as many Masters as Captains especially in the old Corps where they were so far from acknowledging the Authority of Collonels that they would hardly submit to that of a General You likewise positively Commanded that all the Souldiers should have what they wanted and whereas before they went almost naked and in the same Company one was Cloath'd in Grey another in Blue Red or any other Colour you Order'd they should have Shoes and Stockings and that every Companies Cloaths should be all of one Colour This other Princes lik'd so well and thought so necessary that they have all since follow'd your Example and your Majesty may boast that all the Souldiers in Europe owe to you the Conveniences they now enjoy But you have not done any thing so much to their Advantage as the taking away from their Captains the Power of trying them for their Crimes because the impunity which they hop'd for encourag'd them to commit many Disorders Certainly there is nothing more unjust than to leave the Punishment of an Offence to them whose Interest it is to save the Offender and 't is well known that a Captain who must give money for a Souldier in the room of one that is Cashier'd or Hang'd is seldom so great a Lover of Justice as to buy it at his own Cost This Reformation among your Partisans and Souldiers preceded all others because you look'd upon it to be the Foundation of all sure and solid Government rationally concluding that when you were Powerful in both all the rest without meeting with any difficuly would do well of it self For certainly a Prince that hath Money and a good Army is not only sure of his own Peoples Respect but of his Neighbours also 'T is that which gives him Reputation and without which a Kingdom cannot Flourish So likewise a Prince who takes care of his Affairs will make it his chief Business to gain Reputation wherein he will find more Advantage than in making himself fear'd by unjust Enterprizes tho' they should meet with Success For the one draws upon him the Enmity of all other Princes when the other procures him their Respect and Esteem When a Kingdom hath many Enemies it sooner or later receives some deadly Blow all striving against it Whereas when its Power is founded upon Right and Reason it hath always faithful Allyes who will never fail to assist it in time of need A Prince therefore who is well advis'd ought not to undertake any War that is unjust for if nothing but Ambition puts Arms into his Hands his old Friends presently become his Enemies for which they are not to be blam'd since their safety is no greater than others Yet this Truth as Evident as it is and from which Princes should never depart is not always the rule of their Actions A corrupt Minister often endeavours to insinuate other Maxims and instead of taking good Heed they mistake the Shadow for the Substance I am troubled that this may be said of your Majesty but because you are to fear Flatterers more than declared Enemies I am resolv'd
Affairs ought to have taken care the Vessel had been good but it having been visited by experienc'd Shipwrights before it was put to Sea your Majesty who doth Right to all the World was not at all displeas'd with me The Fault was that the Ship had not for a long time been in Service which doth Vessels more harm than if they were continually at Sea This ill News because it came after that which is better did not make that impression which otherwise it might have done upon your Majesty's Mind You were pleas'd with the good News you receiv'd out of Hungary where your Arms had acquir'd you no little Glory and where without them the Emperour who had already receiv'd a Check had been totally defeated For when the right Wing of his Army had been beaten by the Turks which gave them hopes of an entire Victory your Troops which were in the Left charg'd so bravely that they trod down all that oppos'd 'em and having by their making a Stand renew'd the Fight they beat the Turks shewing so much resolution and Courage that the Emperour instead of returning them Thanks grew Jealous of 'em and instead of resolving to improve the Victory which had caus'd a great Consternation among the Turks he made a precipitate Peace as if he had been afraid your Trops would have taken his Crown from him These two particular Events of good and bad Fortune hinder'd your Majesty from mounting to that high pitch of Glory where you now are The excellent Order which you setled ev'ry where throughout your Kingdom which was still sensible of the Abuses which in Cardinal Mazarin's Time had crept into it are an evident Proof that you were a great King You reform'd the Order of St. Michel which before that of the St. Esprit was the Reward wherewith Kings your Predecessors honour'd the greatest Men in their Kingdom but was so little estem'd after the Institution of the other that all Sorts of People were indifferently receiv'd into it and at last became like the Order of the Star which in time was so despis'd that one of your Predecessors to make it more Vile and Despicable bestow'd it upon the Archers of the City Watch. Your Majesty prudently resolv'd to reform this Abuse especially because the Order of St. Michel is joyn'd to that of the St. Esprit and that the Knights of this last Order could not be receiv'd into it unless they had been before of the first However I must say that your Majesty did not so throughly purge it of the mean Persons that were in it but that some still remain For it is the inevitable Misfortune of all Princes that when they rely wholly upon others it would be a wonder if Favour or Faction should not prevail against Justice Therefore if Princes would have things done according to their own directions they ought to overlook those they depute to see their Pleasure perform'd For if they trust wholly to their Fidelity 't is the way to have their work but half done Your Majesty for the good of your Kingdom Incorporated likewise a Company for the Trade of the Indies and indeed a Kingdom cannot flourish so long as that Trade is driven by Strangers It should be taken out of the hands of the English and Dutch who were suffer'd by your Predecessors to be the sole Masters of that Commerce This Establishment very much displeas'd those two Nations who were so jealous of one another that after some coldness they were ready to quarrel 'T is Interest that sets all People together by the Ears After some flashes of Lightning followed Thunder and after a Breach the English and Dutch came to an open War Your Majesty offer'd to both your Mediation that things might go no further but the English who pretend to the dominion of the Sea and to impose Conditions upon all others stood so stiff upon their Points that your Majesty thought your self oblig'd to take the part of your Ancient Friends against the Old Enemies of your Crown Your Majesty put out a Fleet at Sea in favour of the Hollanders and equipp'd another at the same time against the Algerines The Duke of Beaufort who commanded it having receiv'd your Orders fought the Algerines with such success that he beat them twice in three Months he took several of their Ships among which was the Admiral This Advantage wrought a good Effect among those Barbarous People who endeavour'd to lessen your Reputation by what had happen'd at Gigeri But that which increas'd their Terrour was your setting out new Ships on the Ocean and in the Mediterranean which made all Europe think that in a little time you would be in a Condition not only to dispute the Empire of the Sea with the English but with any other Nation whatever Beside these Ships which considerably increas'd your Fleet you had Magazines full of Stores Materials and Workmen you wanted no Seamen or Pilots so that it was thought you intended to dispute that Dominion which belongs only to him that is strongest I do not pretend to magnifie my self by what I have said tho' I have done the best I could in it To speak the truth I must confess this Design was not mine I did but finish what Cardinal Richelieu first began I know it was he that put the King your Father upon augmenting his Power at Sea or I should rather say to make himself known there For before him all his Predecessors even Henry the 4 th himself had not one single Ship But this Project was but lamely carried on under the ministry of that great Man so that it may be truly said the Glory of it was reserv'd for your Majesty About this time your Majesty did two things very much for the good of your self and People and which the deceased King your Father attempted in vain You reduc'd Persons of Quality and those of the Long Robe to perfect Obedience You did the one under the pretence of Justice the other by your absolute Power Many Gentlemen by the licentiousness of the times had usurp'd so much Authority that they were in their Provinces like so many petty Tyrants and made all tremble under ' em The Judges in those Provinces who were bound by the Duty of their Places to oppose such Innovations did not dare to do it in a time when they fear'd to be run down Beside they were unwilling to concern themselves for People commonly prefer their private Interest before the publick good They were afraid to contest with those petty Kings of the Country so that they stirr'd no more than as if all that past had been indifferent to ' em But your Majesty who thought your self oblig'd not to suffer such Abuses because none but you could pretend to Supremacy being bound to protect your Subjects and secure them from Violence your Majesty I say not being any longer able to suffer what was derogatory to your Authority and so contrary to the Peace of
Rain offer'd the Prince of Orange an advantage which he could not have met with in an open Plain He threw his Infantry into these Posts which hindred your Majesty from advancing But the Prince of Condé was so eager in pressing still forward that he did things which another would have thought impossible He had a great many Men kill'd and had himself Three Horses shot under him so much did he hazard his Person by his Example to give warmth to the Action But by the great resistance made by the Enemy he was still repuls'd till night came on and parted the Combatants both attributing to themselves the Victory But there was no colour for the Enemy to pretend to it because that which makes a Victory is to remain Master of the Field to have the pillaging of the Enemy taking Prisoners and several other things not necessary to be specified All this fell out on your Majesty's side but nothing of it on theirs unless perhaps the Enemy might boast that the Prince of Condé lost as many Men as they and it may be a greater number of Officers But it must be confest that the end of this Battel did not answer the beginning which could not be more to any General 's Glory But the desire he had to get all made him lose more than he imagin'd and till that very Day it could not be decided which of the Two the Prince of Condé or Viscount Turenne knew most in the Trade of War Many were prepossest in the Prince's Favour and thought the Prize due to him but others now began to be of another Mind and gave it to his Rival This Battel however spoiled the Prince of Orange's Design who now thought no more of entring into France Monsieur Louvoy who did not love the Prince of Condé was very much pleas'd with what had happen'd because it gave him an Opportunity of doing the Prince ill offices to your Majesty So that since this Campaign he hath not been any more imploy'd and I believe never would have been again at the Head of an Army if Viscount Turenne had not been kill'd the following Campaign there being then a kind of necessity that a General of Reputation should succeed in his Place As Monsieur Louvoy knew how to do a great deal of Mischief to his Enemies so he was able to deliver his Friends out of Danger and those that were so happy to have his Protection as appears by what he did for Monsieur Bret Lieunant General of your Army in Catalonia where his Vanity and Imprudence made him commit a Fault which deserv'd exemplary Punishment Your Majesty some time ago sent him into that Country and left him there some preceding Years with the chief command of your Army because then there appear'd no considerable Enemy But the Spaniards having sent thither the Duke of St. Germain a General of Reputation with a part of their old Troops your Majesty thought fit to send against him Count Schomberg not inferior to him and who had often engag'd him when they were both in Portugal This was some mortification to a Man so Vain as Monsieur Bret who was now but a Lieutenant General which not being able to bear he did so rash a thing of his own Head that none but Marquess Louvoy could have sav'd him The Enemy after having taken Bellegard which gave them entrance into Rousillon came and encamp'd within Canon shot of your Army which so displeas'd Monsieur Bret that he gave them Battel while his General was yet in Bed and without expecting any Orders from him But he was beaten to the purpose and if Count Schomberg who wonder'd at his Boldness had not by his good Conduct repair'd his Fault your Majesty's Army had been totally defeated Your Cavalry which without viewing the Ground he had engaged among Pits and Places broken with currents of Water were many of them cut off and Rabliere who commanded them was taken Prisoner with other Officers of note Those that came off were in no condition to have made any considerable resistance all that Campaign if that which happen'd elsewhere had not oblig'd the Enemy to return again into Catalonia Messina the Capital City of the Kingdom of Sicily having a long time complain'd of the Extortion and Tyranny of their Viceroys and having often inform'd the Council of Spain thereof without receiving any redress they resolv'd one day to try whether they could shake of their Yoke and after having made themselves Masters of the Haven and one of the principal Forts of the Town they all cryed Liberty That Word tickl'd the Ears of the Multitude who against reason often think they shall better their Condition by changing their Master and made above Sixty thousand Men take Arms. The better sort of Citizens considering it was impossible to resist their Soveraign any long time unless they were supported by a Power able to assist them consulted what was best for them to do whether to address themselves to your Majesty or to have recourse to the Turk They were not long deliberating on the choice they were to make those that had a little care of their Religion declar'd that in all respects their best and most justifiable way would be to implore your Majesty's help and send Deputies to request your Protection The Offers their Deputies made you were that they would deliver themselves up to your Majesty upon Condition you would treat them better than the Spaniards had done Whereupon you assembled your Council who finding it would be of great advantage to you to lay hold of this opportunity to cut out work for the Spaniards on that side the Deputies had assurance given them that your Majesty would assist them with all your Forces But it was not thought fit you should accept of the Soveraignty which they offer'd you but that it would be better to endeavour to turn their Government into a Common-Wealth You sent back the Deputies with fair promises which at the same time you effectually perform'd by giving order to the Marquess Valavoir to take some of your Men of War and Convoy to Messina some Vessels loaden with Provisions of which they had great need and which came very seasonably to them for they began to be in extream want The rebelling of Subjects against their Soveraign is a business which should be well considered before it be attempted 't is always attended with such ill consequences that were they not bound by their birth and allegiance to be faithful to him yet their own interest should oblige them to it But as Subjects owe their Soveraign perfect obedience so the Soveraign on his part ought not to use his Subjects like Slaves nor lay heavier burdens on them than necessity of State requires Otherwise they will quite sink under their load or else like a resty Horse will kick against the Spur as it happens when we endeavour to break and tame a young Horse all at once without using him by
hard to know who are truly Noble There are some Politicians who pretend this to be for Your Majesty's advantage because if the Nobility were as flourishing as in times past Your Majesty's Power would not be so firm and stable as now it is But such Maxims look more like the Politicks of Machiavil than those of a great King A Kingdom built on the love of the People is of much longer duration than that which is founded on Tyranny The times are not always the same in a state and when they come to change 't is to be fear'd that they who have been ill u'd will shew their discontent by some signal disobedience I have observ'd divers Subjects of Complaints among the Gentry the first is That they are drain'd and consum'd by the War and their Services very ill rewarded The second is That the Intendants uphold their Vassals against them by protecting them often very unjustly The third is That under specious pretences they are made a prey to the Covetousness of the Partisans who design their ruin The fourth is That the rank which they have always held in the Monarchy is now very little regarded and that Your Majesty respects them no more than if they were born of the lees of the People As to their first complaint I think it not well-grounded for Your Majesty as powerful as you are is not able to reward all the World Gentlemen ought to consider the Creation you have made of the Companies of Cadets and the Establishment of the House of St. Cir which is in some sort a reward for their Services since it frees them from the Charge of their Children who are maintain'd at your Majesty's Expence and put into a condition to be several ways preferr'd by an Education suitable to their Birth If they pretend these Rewards are not distributed according to Merit and that Monsieur Louvoy disposes of them upon all occasions as he thinks fit this is what your Majesty cannot help because 't is impossible that you can take notice of all things or know the merit of every Officer in the several Armies you have so far distant from you Your Majesty must in this particular trust him who hath the Charge of the War and if he impose upon you 't is he only can be blam'd The second complaint indeed seems more just and reasonable for as a Gentleman is not suffer'd to oppress his Vassal so the Vassal ought not to fail of paying all due respect to his Lord. But because the one more rarely happens than the other the Lord is most commonly suspected to be the wrong doer and he who hath the power in his hands is more like to be guilty of vexation than he that hath none So that the Gentleman is generally the person condemn'd which cannot be always justified since there is nothing so insolent as a Peasant that knows he hath some body to back and protect him 'T is difficult in such Cases to determine on which side the right lyes for if a Gentleman should be believ'd on his word we should often run the hazard of being deceiv'd and if credit should be given to a Peasant we cannot be assur'd he speaks truth All that I know to be done in such a Case is that every Intendant should make it his endeavour to search out the truth if possible before he order any Information or Process for such an order gives great distaste to an innocent person especially when he is prosecuted by one that is his inferiour and owes him respect But that this expedient may not delay the speedy doing of Justice let the false accuser be exemplarily punish'd and on the other hand let not the person accused be so far indulg'd as to be permitted to oppress any body that hath just Cause of complaint For the third I confess there is very good Ground and against which nothing can be alledged I have heretofore told Your Majesty that the manner of inquiring who are noble and who not is very vexatious and chargeable to Gentlemen To prevent the like trouble for the future 't would be a better expedient how to know them to make one general exact search but not by the Partisans And when such a search is made let there be a Catalogue or List Registred of all that are Noble in every Province and let them and their Descendants be for ever after free from all other searches To hinder Plebeians from pretending to be of a good Family that may be extinct let every one be oblig'd to give in a Note of all that are Baptized or Buried in his Family If this course be taken no body will be able to make himself a Gentleman that is none and for those that shall for the future be made Noble let them be oblig'd to have their Patents Registred If Your Majesty think fit to make such an order and oblige every one to the strict observation of it you will not only get the love of your Nobility but do an act of Justice For to say truth a Gentleman who hath been at a great deal of trouble and charge to get out of the hands of the Partisans must think it very strange to see himself in a little time plagu'd again in the same manner and under the same pretence he was before Others likewise give Gentlemen a great deal of trouble concerning the Tenure of their Lands and tho' they know that upon former Inquisitions they have made out their Titles yet require them to do it again There ought to be some standing rule establish'd once for all to settle the repose of the most considerable Order of Men in your Kingdom Your Majesty is more concern'd to do it than you imagin they are the chief support of your Crown and did they not give good example to others by their zeal in your Service all would quickly be turn'd Topsie-turvy Though your Majesty hath done a great deal for the Gentry as I have already shew'd yet you are obliged to do more which might be easily done if you would oblige the Nunneries to receive young Women that desire to enter into Religion without a Portion It would ease their Parents of a burden and be an advantage to Your Majesty for that Money which is now given with Daughters might be bestow'd on the Sons and consequently enable them to serve in your Armies which would be a great help to the Gentry and silence many of their Complaints It must be confest they are not much the better for the Establishment of St. Cir. That is but as a drop of water to one that is thirsty and the House is not able to entertain the hundredth part of the Women that would seek a retreat there How many Maids for want of such a refuge lead sad languishing lives and yet are happier and wiser than others who are oblig'd by Poverty to marry very mean Men and work for their Living However such a retreat as this is much
makes those who administer Justice so burthensome to the People is the Sale of their Offices and Places introduc'd by the Kings your Majesty's Predecessors and by Taxes from time to time laid upon them which they must have out of those that unhappily fall into their Clutches but fearing it would make too great a Noise should they flea them all at once they prolong suits and fleece them by Degrees that their Robberies may not be perceiv'd They will have the last drop of their Clients Blood a Misery to which all they that go to Law are expos'd a Man must leave his Business at home to run about solliciting and sometimes lye in Town many Years to lose his Quiet and waste his Estate and in truth to lead as wretched a Life as the Galley Slaves Would there be any need of this if Justice were honestly and duly administred Of what nature soever any Cause be is there a necessity of disguising it with so many Forms of Proceedings If Truth be uniform and naked why is it represented in so many Colours To remedy this let all the present Forms of Prosecuting Law Suits be abolish'd and for the future let Causes be determin'd as they are in Turky or by Consuls upon the Place without having any thing to do with green Bags and Bundles of old Papers But it being impossible to make Men leave a Knavish Trade by which they get their Living there is no way to reform so great an Abuse but to cut it up by the Roots This may be easily done if your Majesty will but suppress the Paulette which tho' it brings a great Revenue to your Majesty by annual Payments and Loanes yet not comparable to the Benefit which the taking of it quite away will be not only to the Publick but to your Majesty in particular I have already said that they who are concern'd in the administration of Justice cost your People Two Hundred Millions Yearly which will be easily made out if we consider what a vast number of Blood-Suckers are to be maintain'd and what great Charges People are put to in going to Law A poor Country-man that is Plaintif or Defendant doth not only lose his Money but what is dearer to him his Time How can he get his Living when he is forc'd to run solliciting from House to House the Doors being often shut against him if he has not a Silver Key to open ' em The Benefit all People would find by having Justice administer'd in another manner than now it is is so visible that I need not say much to prove it 'T is evident that your Majesty and the whole Kingdom will reap very great advantage by it Your People would be much eas'd their Purses less drain'd and they would be better able to supply your Majesty's Wants and when this Generation of Leeches has nothing to do they will be forc'd to follow some other Trade more beneficial to Monarchy Some would turn Souldiers especially those that are Rich and would vie with People of Quality others would become Merchants or Bankers which would be of equal Advantage to your Majesty For the more Souldiers you have the more Formidable you will be to your Enemies and the more Merchants you have the more will your Kingdom flourish These two Professions and Tillage are enough to compleat its prosperity but I will add one thing more which shall be mention'd hereafter and when I have given my Reasons for it let Peoples Prejudice against it be never so great yet I hope they will be of my mind But I must first finish this Chapter which would be very imperfect if I did not shew in what manner I would have Justice administer'd when the present practice in the Administration of it and all Offices and Places be longing to it are quite laid aside and supprest In the Jurisdiction of every Bayliwick I would have your Majesty make choice of Three understanding Persons and make them Judges of all Differences that should arise there these Three should be chosen out of the Clergy the Gentry and the Third State Every one should plead his own Cause and he that was not able to do it himself should get a Friend to plead for him All Papers and Writings relating to the Cause should be brought in and laid on the Table No Process should be issued nor any Money paid for hearing the Cause The Party condemn'd should not only pay Costs but likewise a Fine There may lie an Appeal to your Majesty and for that there should be a certain number of Judges establish'd in Paris whereof some should take Cognizance of the Appeals of one Province and some of another but no longer than for one Year only and at the end of that time they should change their Offices one with another Their Salaries like those given to the Judges of Provinces should be paid by the People for which there should be a Tax laid upon them like that which is levied for your Majesty If this were done there would be an end of all Process and your People will eternally bless your Majesty for having restor'd to them Peace and Plenty by so excellent a Regulation CHAP. XIV Of the Men of Business such Bankers or others who farm the King's Revenue IN so great a Kingdom as your Majesty's where its Bounds have been so much enlarg'd by your Conquests there ought to be a constant Fund of ready Money that in Case your Enemies should have a mind to be reveng'd for their Losses your Majesty may be in a condition to oppose and repulse ' em It is impossible you can do it at your own Charge tho' your Revenue be great for if you should make it your Business to gather and hoard up Money your People would presently be sensible of it The Money which is necessary to maintain Trade in a Nation must be in a continual circulation to make a Kingdom flourish When War was declar'd by a Herald a Prince had some time to prepare for it by filling his Coffers beforehand But since nothing is so much practis'd by Princes as surprising one another there is a necessity of having ready Money which must be supply'd by Bankers whose Credit keeps all Trade in continual Motion It is therefore your Majesty's Interest not only to make use of but likewise to protect them They must not however be suffer'd to suck your Peoples Blood but should be severely punish'd when they are found guilty of Extortion 'T is just they should get something but they must not be permitted to rob your Subjects and go unpunish'd To encourage them by an Honest Gain I think it sufficient to allow them a sixth Part for Management and 10. per Cent. upon extraordinary Occasions for those Branches of your Revenue which are farm'd out I think there can be no better establishment than the present I would not have 'em let at a Rent certain as in Loans and no account to be given of
not to wear such or such things will rather pay their Money than as is usually said not go like other folks and yet no body can complain against such a Tax because it will be voluntary no person being bound to pay it but he that will CHAP. XV. Of Tradesmen and Commerce THERE is nothing so necessary to make a Kingdom flourish as Trade and for a Demonstrative proof of it we need but observe the difference between a Town situated upon a good River and an Inland Town The one is rich and plentiful the other poor and miserable But Towns near the Sea-side have yet an advantage which others have not because they abound more in all things than those upon Rivers or in any other places so that whoever hath a mind to follow any imployment may if he please live very comfortably Now if so many advantages attend Trade which no body can deny it should be an incitement to Your Majesty to promote and protect it Many have formerly and still blame me for perswading Your Majesty to encourage and countenance Manufactures exclaiming against me that nothing we can do will be comparable to that we have from foreign parts But they are much mistaken for tho' I confess we did not in our first attempts bring things to that perfection we desir'd yet it must be granted that in what we have done since we have excell'd all others I will instance only in the Glasses made at Paris We never had from Venice any so great as are now made in the Fauxbourg St. Antoine The Venetian Embassador himself was surpriz'd and till he saw it with his own eyes would never believe any could be made so large and tho' he wrote to Venice what Glasses he had seen here yet they were so incredulous that they thought it impossible 'T is true our Glass doth not look so clear and lively as that which comes from thence but it may be easily refin'd And the difference between theirs and ours is not so great that we should send thither three Millions every year to buy Looking Glasses and Coach-Glasses What can be objected against our Tapistry made at Beauvais and at the Gobelins I would fain know whether Your Majesty be willing I know not how much Money should go into Flanders to bring Hangings from thence If Your Majesty had not so long suffer'd it you might e're this have been Master of those rich Provinces For 't is certain that they have maintain'd their War with French Money for by that very Manufacture in three several places they have drawn out of France many Millions and if Your Majesty would forbid the bringing likewise of Hair and Lace from thence they would soon fall into great Poverty Your Majesty should therefore lay so great an Imposition upon these Commodities that no body would care to import them What need have we of Tapistry of Hair or Flanders Lace Your Kingdom is great enough and full enough of Ingenious Men to furnish all these things The Importation of them must be discountenanced by Your Majesty's being the first that leaves using of them for people will certainly follow your example since in imitating you they never consider whethey do well or ill The Case is the same as to our Cloth and other Manufactures We must do all we can to stop the current of our Monies going out of the Kingdom If any complain that our first attempts do not succeed yet we must not give over no Prentice does immediately become a Master but by constant forging becomes a Smith All beginnings are difficult and nothing but time makes things perfect Water in the Spring is not so clear as it is in the Stream and 't is patience that brings Men to the End they aim at I know that they who are not of my Opinion make this Objection against it If we resolve not to have any Commerce with Foreigners they will not Trade with us so that 't is best to let things stand on the same foot they now are and have always stood but they that talk at this rate ought to know that our Neighbours have need of us but we no need of them France hath generally all things necessary within it self very few excepted but it is not so with other Countries that confine upon us they have neither Wine Salt Corn Hemp or Brandy and therefore must have it of us and we should make but an ill use of that which God hath given us if we let others have it for that whereof we have no need If Strangers must have our Money let it be only for that which cannot be had in our own Kingdom as Spices which are to be fetched from the Indies or bought of the Hollanders for any thing else we may be without it and let not Luxury tempt us to do any thing prejudicial to our Native Country They are so rigorous in many great Cities of your Kingdom that they will not receive Tradesmen among them which is an abuse Your Majesty ought not to suffer for it keeps many from applying themselves to Trade who perhaps would thrive better than those that are in it What necessity is there of serving an Apprentioeship to a Master It may perhaps be necessary for Handicrafts-men and Artificers because no body should venture upon a Trade which they do not understand but for others why must they lose their time or why must they be hinder'd from following a Trade they have learn'd in Foreign Countries or because they cannot shew a Certificate that they serv'd an Apprenticeship Is it just or reasonable that Your Majesty's Name should be made use of to keep industrious persons from getting their Living you are the Common Father of your People and ought to take them all into your protection If you would publish an Edict to abrogate all By-laws in Corporations against People's setting up Trades there without their leave it would do no harm Your Majesty would find your account in obliging People to take Letters of Licence from you for which they should pay a small Summ. The number of those that would come for Licenses would be so great that tho' they had 'em for little yet Your Majesty would find it very considerable Beside they would think themselves oblig'd to you because what they gave you would be less than it costs them in Corporations to get leave to keep a Shop Particular care should be taken by Your Majesty to regulate the Trade of Stationers It is in Country-Towns so subject to the Inquisition of the Paris Booksellers who by vertue of Priviledges obtain'd from the Chancery keep all other Booksellers throughout the Kingdom in such dependence that they must either starve or run the hazard of being undone If Your Majesty will take compassion of 'em you must confine the Priviledges of the Paris Book-sellers to the City of Paris and permit all others to sell without Controll Paris alone is more worth than all the rest of the Kingdom