the world beleeve but out of vertue and conscience for he was said to hate the very names of such vices more then others do the vices themselfs Whereupon it was said while his Southern brother in law sported in the pavilions of Venus he was busie in the tents of Mars and took Cities faster then the other did Maydenheads He was also temperat in a high degree nor would he ever wrong nature with the least exces or debauchments Moreover he was wonderfully constant in his affection where it was once settled which is rare in Soverain Princes especially in them of that Clime who have such a variety of choice and who have no other ground of fastnesse for their affection but their own fancy Not all the world could alienat his favor from Luynes though the greatest Princes of France did actually attempt to pluck him away from him by Armes nor after him from the Cardinal towards whom his love was in grain and would never lose colour Nor was he constant onely in his affection but to his own ends when once settled and resolv'd upon to attain which he was so actif and hot that when he went about it he not onely apply'd but gave up himself entirely to the thing Furthermore he was marvellously modest in an opinion of himself and so conscious of his own judgement that he resign'd his very faculty of reason and transmitted all his intellectualls to others a high point of prudence for that Prince who steers his course by the Compas of Counsell though he be himself but of indifferent abilities is a far wiser man then he who albeit never so politic and able of himself doth guid his affaires by his own fancy sole opinion being the worst kind of rule in Government And he was as fortunat as judicious in the choice of his Counsellors and chiefest ministers both of State and War He would not send an Ajax where he should employ an Vlysses nor a Saintre where Bouciqualt was fitter for the turn The two last were the most famous men that France ever bred one for the Gown the other for the Sword according to the verse I have read in an old Manuscript Beaucoup plus vaut pour un assault Saintrê que ne fait Bouciquault Beaucoup mieux vaut en un Traicté Bouciquault que ne fait Saintrê Thus unfrench'd and made English Were I to choose for an assault I 'de have Saintrê not Bouciquault Were I to treat then should for me Stand Bouciquault and not Saintrê So many high signall vertues which were naturally inhaerent in him were unquestionably the cause that he prosper'd so much So that 't is a question whom Fortune lov'd better the Father or the Son 'T is true his Father fought four great Battails wherein he prov'd victorious and so may be said to have come to the Crown of France by Conquest as much as by Succession yet all these and other exploits of Henry the Great 's were within the bounds of France and nought els but domestic achievments But France was too narrow a compas to comprehend and confine the exploits of the Thirteenth Lewis for besides thirteen severall Civil Wars in France her self and Navar which he suppress'd and most of them in Person so many Battailes were fought in Spain Italy Savoy amongst the Grisons in Lorain and in high and low Germany He had at one time in the yeers sixteen hundred thirty five and thirty six no lesse then 130000. foot by Land and Sea and 8000. effectif horse in six severall Armies whereas Henry the Great never had above 40000. horse and foot at once in all never any made France know her own strength so much and to find the length of her weapon as this King did He went a horseback betimes for at thirteen yeers of age he suppress'd in Person two Rebellions one in Poitou and another in Britany so that he began to triumph in those yeers that others begin to handle their armes and learn how to sit a horse in an Academy Afterwards he was forc'd to get his Queen by the sword and to bring her into his armes by Armes there being three severall Armies to stop her passage He then repells the English who had so boldly invaded France whereby he gain'd a greater addition of credit and fame then he did by worsting Spaniard Italian or German in regard of the admirable Victories that the English carried home from France in times pass'd by taking one of their warlik'st Kings prisoner and oftentimes by discomfiting whole Troupes with a handfull of men After this he beleaguers takes and batters the chiefest rampart of the Religion the impregnable Town of Rochell after a stupendous siege by Land and Sea where a prodigious Dike was cast up which serv'd as a bit in Neptunes jawes and whereby he may be said to have curb'd all the Elements No sooner had he shaken off the dust of Rochell but behold him cover'd with snow on the horrid Alpian Hills almost in the dead of Winter where he broke open his way with the point of the sword to relieve the Duke of Mantova he got Forts accessibly onely by birds amongst those clowd-topping Hills and so returns triumphant having done the work and overcome the rocks in this expedition as he did the Sea at Rochell He then goes on to perfect that mighty work of reducing his subjects of the Religion to an exact condition of obedience by dismantling their Towns whereof they had neer upon three hundred in France and Navar by casheering their Garrisons and bringing them to relye for the future upon royall favor a work which his five immediat Predecessors attempted to do but could not effect in seventy yeers whereas he did it in far lesse then so many moneths Then behold him Lord of all Lorain and of the greatest part of Alsatia by being Master of Brisach Rhinfeld and other places Then trace him to the Netherlands and you shall find him in the ancient Town of Arras and divers other places his predecessor Francis the First had given for his ransom Lastly look after him tovvards the Pyrenean Mountaines you shall see him boldly invade Spain entring the County of Roussillon like lightning and battering the vvalls of Perpignan which after a tough siege notwithstanding she had above 120. great Cannons and ten strong Bulvvarks he reduc'd to his will whereby he hath redeem'd vvith lead I mean good bullets that Countrey which one of his predecessors morgag'd for gold in times pass'd Thus hath he got three such keys that none of his progenitors not Emperors ever had Perpignan Pignerol and Brisach one to enter Spain the other Italy and the third to rush into Germany at pleasure Look upon him in his City Tovvn Vniversitie and Court at Paris and you shall find him enlarging her skirts and lacing them about vvith nevv vvalls according to the custome of Rome once the great Mistresse of the vvorld vvho upon the encrease of her Empire
to sayle towards Rochell and seize upon the Islands of Ré Oleron In Oleron the English when they were in possession of Guyen made those famous Maritim laws which are observ'd by all the Western world to this day The Duke of Buckingham was chosen Admiral by Sea and General by Land of this great expedition who publish'd this following Manifesto to the world What part the Kings of Great Britain have alwayes taken in the affairs of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom and with what care and zeale they have labour'd for the good of them is manifest to all and the examples thereof are as ordinary as the occasions have been The now King my most honor'd Lord and Master comes nothing short of his Predecessors therein if his good and laudable designes for their good had not bin perverted to their ruine by those who had most interest for their due accomplishment What advantages hath he refus'd what Parties hath he not sought unto that by his alliance with France he might restore more profitably and powerfully the restitution of those Churches to their ancient liberty and splendor And what could be lesse hoped for by so strict an alliance and from so many reiterated promises by the mouth of a great Prince but effects truly royall and sorting with his greatnes But failings have bin such that his Majesty by so many promises and so straight an obligation of friendship hath not only bin disappointed of means to obtain Liberty and Surety for the said Churches and to restore Peace to France by the reconciliation of those whose breath utters nothing else but all manner of obedience to their King under the liberty of their Edicts that contrariwise they have prevayl'd by the interest which he had in those of the Religion to deceive them and by this means not only to untie him from them but also to make him if not odious unto them at least suspected in perverting the means which he had ordain'd for their good to a quite contrary end Witnes the English Ships not design'd for the extirpation of them of the Religion but to the contrary expresse promise was made that they should not be us'd against them in the last Sea-fight What then may be expected from so puissant a Prince as the King my Master so openly eluded but a thorough feeling equall and proportion'd to the injuries receiv'd but his patience hath gone beyond patience and as long as he had hopes that he could benefit the Churches by any other means he had no recours by way of Arms so far that having bin made an instrument and worker of the last Peace upon conditions disadvantagious enough and which would not have bin accepted without his Majesties intervention who interpos'd his credit and interest to the Churches to receive them even with threatnings to the end to shelter the honor of the most Christian King under assurances of his Part not onely for the accomplishment but also for the bettering of the said Conditions for which he stands caution to the Churches But what hath bin the issue of all this but onely an abuse of his goodnesse and that which his Majesty thought a soverain remedy for all their sores hath it not brought almost the last blow to the ruine of the Churches It wanted but a little by continuing the Fort before Rochell the demolishment whereof was promis'd by the violences of the soldiers and Garrisons of the said Fort and Isles as well upon the Inhabitants of the said Town as upon strangers in lieu whereas they should have retir'd they have bin daily augmented and other forts built as also by the stay of the Commissioners in the said Town beyond the time agreed on to the end to make broyles and by means of the division which they made to slide among the Inhabitants to open the gates to the neighbouring Troupes and by other withstandings and infractions of peace I say it little faild that the said Town and in it all the Churches had not drawn their last breath And in the mean time while his Majesty hath yet continued and not oppos'd so many injuries so many faith-breakings but by complaint and Treaty untill he had receiv'd certain advice confirm'd by intercepted Letters of the great preparation the most Christian King made to powre upon Rochell And then what could his Majesty of Great Britain do but to vindicat his honor by a quick arming against those who had made him a complice of their deceits And to give testimony of his integrity and zeale which he hath alwayes had for the reestablishing of the Churches an establishment which shall be dear and precious to him above any other thing This is the sole end of his arming at this time and not any particular interest Yet whosoever would doubt hereof let him consider the circumstance of times and disposition of affairs as they stand now with the King my Master For who will beleeve that he can have any dessein upon France or to have projected conquests here in a time so disadvantageous having now for his enemy one of the puissantst King of the world and if he had such a design surely he would have sent greater forces then I have now under command whereof if the number were known they would be judg'd but Auxiliaries only and that their ayme is no other but for the good of the Churches which for so many important reasons and considerations he finds himself oblig'd before God and men to protect and succour But if it be alledg'd that the King my Master hath been mov'd to take up armes for other respects as the detention and seizure of all the ships and goods of his subjects at Bourdeaux and other places of this Kingdom to the breach and manifest contravention of the peace 'twixt the two Crowns which in this point tend expresly to the irrepairable prejudice yea to the totall ruine of commerce in the rupture whereof the poore people of this Realme being not able to vent their Merchandises groans not onely under the burden of so many taxes and impositions but for the very necessities of life it self That the apprehensions the King my Master hath of the powerfull encrease of the most Christian King by Sea hath mov'd him to arme for preventing the growth thereof and lastly that being hopelesse of any accommodation of things he hath bin constrain'd to put himself in armes The answer to all this is that whosoever will search the Arrests prises and seasures which have bin made on both sides he shall find the King my Master and his subjects have hitherto profited by this breach and that it hath turn'd to their advantage In the second place he is so far off from being jealous of the pretended power by Sea and that he should have reason to hinder it that there needs no more then for him to grant when he thinks it fit Letters of Mart to his subjects and so these vain and feeble forces
to detain still the possessions of the Church 2. Others thought it was fit to give the King some contentment but in appearance only and to verifie the Edict assuring themselfs that it could never be put in execution it would meet with so many difficulties 3. Others thought it best to delay the verification to another time The King understanding that they were thus chopping of Logic and that the Synod also which was there then sitting did mainly resist the verification of his Edict He resolves to go thither himself though many disswaded him from the journey by reason of the uncouth wayes the sory lodgings the waters in some places poyson'd by Sorcerers and the scarcity of provision in the Lands of Bourdeaux But none of these reasons could deter the King therefore he prepares for his voyage and in the interim he sent a person of quality to the Rochellers to acquaint them with the Elusory answers which the Bearnois made to his commands and therefore he advis'd and requir'd them to have nothing to do in this busines They of Rochell little regarding what the King said but undertook the protection of the Bearnois The King being advanced in his journey neer Pau the Inhabitants sent to know how he would be receiv'd the King asked if there were ever a Church in the Town if there were he would enter as their Soverain if not he would receive no honor in a place where God Almighty had no House to be honor'd in so he entred without any Ceremony They of the Religion making three parts of the people forbore to send Commodities to Pau Market during the Kings sojourn there to constrain him to go away the sooner so that his train made hard shift to subsist all the while He goes thence to Navarrenz seven leagues neerer the hills a strong tenable place having 45. peeces of Ordnance and 40. Culverins the old Governor Bertrand de Sales sent the keys of the Town to the King where he peaceably entred contrary to all expectation he put in a new Garrison of French there and plac'd another Governor giving for recompence to the old 60000. Franks He also caus'd Masse to be sung there which had not bin done fifty yeers before so having settled all things at Navarrenx he return'd to Pau where the great Church which they of the Religion had turn'd to a Temple was restor'd to the Priests and two thousand crowns given for satisfaction In fine having cast the Church into its old mould and the Military with the Civill Government into a new and leaving a competent strength with La Force to preserve both he took post and came safely and triumphantly to Paris in a few dayes The Bearnois made their addresses to the French Churches and exhibited their complaints unto them and for their justification they alledg'd two reasons One was a possession of fifty yeers continued without interruption of those revenues the King had ravish'd them of The second was an Ordinance of the States Generall of Bearn confirm'd by a Declaration of Henry the Great to that effect The Roman Catholiks answer'd That for the possession they speak of it was violent and accompagnied with rebellion and felony Touching the Assembly of the States Generall which they urg'd it was altogether illegal because the first and most noble part which was the Clergy was excluded by a cruel persecution and for Henry the Great he was then himself a persecutor of the Catholiks The French Reformed Churches which are neer upon eight hundred did much resent the usage of the Bearnois thereupon there was a great Assembly held at Loudun without the Kings permission wherein they resolv'd to assist their brethren of Bearn They drew up Cayers or papers to present unto the King containing sundry demands 1. The first that his Majesty would please to revoke his arrest given in favor of the Ecclesiastiks of Bearn 2. A continuation of their Cautionary Towns foure yeers longer the time being now expir'd 3. They demanded leave to change two Governors which were turn'd Catholiks When these Papers were presented to the King he sent their Deputies word by Condé and Luynes that his will was that first of all they should separat the Assembly and six moneths after their separation they should be favourably answer'd They prai'd this promise might be digested in writing to an Act they were answer'd That it was an indecent and derogatory thing for a Monark to treat in that manner with his subjects as if his word were not sufficient The Deputies receiv'd little satisfaction in this so they returnd to Loudun wher the Assembly continued still notwithstanding two Declarations publish'd by the King wherein they were commanded to separat upon pain of being proclaim'd Traytors They little valu'd the Kings Declarations but dissolving their Assembly at Loudun they sent summons up and down to meet at Rochell where in a greater eagernes and zeal to the Cause then before they solemnly conven'd notwithstanding another new Prohibition of the Kings verifi'd by the Court of Parliament in Paris Hereupon the busines was put into deep deliberation at the Counsell of State whether the King should declare war against the whole body of the Religion or particularly against those that had met at Rochell and the latter opinion took place for these reasons 1. First it could not stand with justice to force consciences to quit that beleef which had bin so long tolerated 2. Secondly that declaring a war against the whole body of them of the Religion might bring in forren ayd 3. Thirdly that if a war were pronounc'd in generall many of the Kings best servants would be involv'd therein and provok'd as the Duks of Trimoville Bovillon Lesdigueres Suilly Chastillon Brassai Montgomery Blamville with divers other of his best sort of subjects The King in regard his Treasury was much drain'd was loth to plunge himself in a serious war again the Rochelers therefore to comply with them he accorded a continuation of their cautionary Towns for five yeers longer notwithstanding that they demanded but foure He also gave them leave to change the Governor of Lectour Castle and to choose a new Counsellor in the Parliament of Paris two things they insisted much upon but they prevail'd little with them unlesse the late Edict of Bearn were revok'd Hereupon the Gran Assembly at Rochell reinforc'd it self and went on more roundly then ever there were also up and down the Countrey divers other meetings as Synods Colloquies Circles and demy-circles which conven'd and consulted They of Rochell went higher and higher they had a new public sealemade they establish'd a new Court of Admiralty and stamp'd new Coines They made 47. Ordinances which were printed and commanded to be strictly observed through all the Reformed Churches They nominated Governors of Provinces and impos'd taxes at pleasure The King was much incens'd at these traverses yet nothing could move him to declare war against the whole body of them
brotherly affection that We cannot return you the like onely we can promise and assure you upon the faith of an honest man that you shall have alwayes power not onely to dispose of Our forces and kingdoms but of Our heart and person and also of the person of Our son if you have need which God prevent praying you to rest assured that We shall not onely be far from cherishing or giving the least countenance to any of your subjects of what profession soever of Religion who shall forget their naturall allegiance unto you but if We have the least inkling thereof We shall send you very faithfull advertisement And you may promise your self that upon such occasion or upon any other which may tend to the honor of your Crown you shall alwayes have power to dispose freely of Our assistance as if the cause were Our own so upon assurance that Our interests shall be alwayes common We pray God most high most excellent and most puissant Prince Our most deer and most beloved Brother Cousen and Ally to have you alwayes in his most holy protection Newmarket 9. of February 1624. Your most affectionat Brother Cousen and ancient Ally Iames K. The Critiques of the time did much censure this Letter in regard King Iames seems to dis-invest himself utterly of all Title to France thereby because he confesseth Henry the Fourth to have not onely reconquer'd it but to have a naturall right unto it in the said Letter The former Treaty for the Infanta of Spaine did facilitat also the hastning of this businesse and made it lesse knotty in regard that the matrimonial capitulations which in effect were the very same with those of the Infanta's had bin beaten and moulded a long time before upon the Spanish Anvill and so made smooth and passable They were in substance these that follow 1. That the French King should make it his busines to procure a dispensation from Rome within three moneths 2. That for the celebration of the act of affiancing the King of Great Britain should depute whom he pleas'd and that it be done according to the Roman rites 3. That the mariage be solemniz'd in the same forme as that of Queen Margaret and the Duchesse of Bar was 4. That she be attended to the Sea side upon the charge of France 5. That the contract of mariage be publiquely ratified in England without intervention of any Ecclesiastic ceremony 6. That free exercise of Religion be granted unto Madam her self and all her train and to the children that her servants shall have And to that end they shall have a Chappel in every one of the Kings Royall Houses or any where els where she shall keep her Court 7. That preaching and the administration of the Sacraments of the Masse with all other Divine Offices be permitted Her as also the gaining of all Indulgences and Jubils from Rome and that a Church-yard be appointed wall'd about to bury Catholiks according to the Rites of the Roman Church all which shall be done modestly 8. That she shall have a Bishop for her Almoner who may have power to proceed against any Ecclesiastic under his charge according to the Canonicall constitutions And in case the Secular Court shall seize upon any Churchmen under his jurisdiction for any crime which concern'd not the State he shall be sent back to the said Bishop who taking cognisance of the delict shall degrade him and so return him to the Secular power and other faults all Church-men under him shall be sent to him to be proceeded against accordingly or in his absence to his Vicar generall 9. She shall have 28. Priests of her House and if any be a Regular he shall be allow'd to weare his habit 10 The King of Great Britain and his son shall oblige themselfs by Oath not to attempt any thing upon the conscience of Madam to induce her to renounce her Religion 11. All her domestiques shall be Catholiques and French which she shall bring with her and in their roomes when they die she shal be allow'd to choose other French Catholiques but with the consent of the King of Great Britain 12. Her dowry shall be eight hundred thousand crowns whereof the one moity shall be pai'd the yeeve after Contract the other a yeer after and in case she survive her Husband the said dowry shall be entirely return'd her whether she desire to live in England or France 13. But if there remain any children of this mariage then she is to have back but two thirds of the said dowry 14. And in case Madam die before the Prince without children the moity of the said dowry shall be only return'd and in case she leave children all shall go amongst them 15. Madam shall be endow'd with a joynture of eighteen thousand pound sterling per an which comes to sixty thousand crowns and his Majestie of Great Britain shall give her besides the value of fifty thousand crowns in Jewels whereof she shall have the property as of those she hath already and of what shall be given her hereafter He shall be also oblig'd to maintain her and her House and in case she come to be a widow she shall enioy her dower and jointure which shall be assignd her in Lands Castles and Houses whereof one shall be furnish'd and fit for habitation and that the said joynture be pay'd her wheresoever she shall desire to reside she shall have also the free disposing of the Benefices and Offices belonging to the said Lands whereof one shall have the title of Duchy or County 16. That she shall be permitted whether she have children or not to return to France and bring with her her movables rings and jewels as also her dowry and the King shall be bound to have her conducted to Calice upon his charge 17. The contract of the mariage shall be registred in the Court of Parliament of Paris and ratified in that of England 18. All her servants shall take this following Oath I sweare and promise fidelitie to the most gracious King of Great Britain to the most gracious Prince Charles and to Madame Henriette Marie daughter of France which I shall most faithfully and inviolably keep And if I know of any attempt against the said King Prince and Lady or their estates or against the public good of the Kingdoms of the said King I shall forthwith denounce the same to the said King Prince and Lady or others who shall have it in charge This was the substance of all the Matrimoniall capitulations which were digested to 28. Articles with a penalty of four hundred thousand crowns upon either of the two Kings which should infringe any of them Besides these there were some privat Articles accorded in favour of the Roman Catholiks in England and Ireland but far from the latitude of a public Toleration Upon the ending of this great Treaty with France Iames the First of England and Sixth of Scotland ended his life
in his Palace at Theobalds A little before he broak out into a very passionate Speech to his Lords of the Counsel of the King of France saying My Lords the King of France hath writ unto me that he is so far my friend that if ever I have need of him he will render me Offices in Person whensoever I shall desire him Truly he hath gain'd upon me more then any of his Predecessors and he may beleeve me that in any thing that shall concern him I will employ not only my peoples lifes but mine own and whosoever of his subjects shall rise against him either Catholiks or others shall find me a party for him 'T is true if he be provok'd to infringe his Edicts I shall impart as much as in me lies by counsell and advice to prevent the inconveniences Then falling upon the perfections of Madame Henriette Marie he said pleasantly When she is come over I will denounce war against her because she would not read my Letter nor my sons as I understand before she had first receiv'd command from the Queen her Mother yet I have cause to thank her because that after she had perus'd them she put mine in her cushionet and the other in her bosome intimating thereby that she would rely upon me for counsell and lodg my son in her heart King Iame's death retarded a while the proceedings of the Match for things were at a stand till his Exequies were pass'd which were perform'd with a Magnificence sutable to so great a King This Ceremony being ended a procuration was sent the Duke of Cheureuse from his Majesty of Great Britain to be contracted unto the Lady Henriette and then to marry her in his name which was done with extraordinary celebrity the one in the Louure the last in the great Church of Paris by the ministery of the Cardinall Rochefaucaud a little before there was a clash twixt him and the Bishop of Paris who urg'd it was his right to officiat in his own Church but the Cardinal being a Prince of the Church Universall being also gran Almoner which makes him chief Clark of the Court and Cardinal Richelieu who had now the greatest stroak in the State favoring his own habit and the Hat more then the Mitre the Cardinal carried the day This solemnity was perform'd to the very height of greatnes and splendor and such was the bravery of the English Ambassadors the Earls of Carlile and Holland that they seem'd to outshine the French that day in their own Sphere One half of the dowry had bin delivered before upon the Contract which was in all as was said before eight hundred thousand crowns and it was more then the eldest Sister had by two hundred thousand crowns and double as much as the second had the one having but six hundred thousand the other but foure hundred thousand crowns to their portions The Contract and Mariage being thus finish'd the Duke of Buckingham came a fortnight after with admired gallantry to demand the Queen of Great Britain for the King his Master and to attend and conduct her over to England The Queen Mother accompagnied her as far as Amiens Monsieur her Brother to Bullen whence a Fleet of twenty Galeons Royall transported her to Dover This was the eighth Nuptiall conjunction of the Rose and Flowerdeluce that hath happend 'twixt England and France The first was in the yeer 900. 'twixt Charles the First of France and the Lady Ogine daughter to Edward the old King of England 120. yeers before the Norman conquest The second twixt Henry the Third of England and Margaret daughter to Lewis the Seventh of France The third was between Edward the First of England and the Lady Margaret daughter to Philip the Hardy of France The fourth 'twixt Edward the Second of England and Isabel daughter to Philip the Faire The fifth was 'twixt Richard the Second of England and Elizabeth daughter to Charles the Sixth The sixth 'twixt Henry the Fifth of England and Catherin daughter also to Charles the Sixth of France The seventh was 'twixt Lewis the twelfth of France and Mary daughter to Henry the Seventh of England The eighth was this 'twixt Charles Stuard Prince of Wales and Henriette Marie of Bourbon youngest daughter to Henry the Great so in these eight Matches England hath had six daughters of France and France two of Englands As soon as this great Nuptiall pompe was pass'd there came tydings that Soubize upon a new discontent of them of the Religion had a great Fleet of ships at Sea and surpriz'd the Port of Blauet in Britany which is a faire and large Haven deposited to the Spaniard in time of the Ligue and restored to Henry the Great at the peace at Vervins Soubize enterd the Haven with eleven Sayle of men of War and took and carried away six great ships whereof some belong'd to the Duke of Nevers This rendred them of the Religion powerfull at Sea and because their Ships might have choise of harbors they seiz'd upon the Islands of Re and Oleron where they began to fortifie Soubize sayles up the Garond towards Bourdeaux with a Fleet of seventy sayles of all sort which made him Master of the Sea and landing a considerable number of land forces at the land of Medoc they of Bourdeaux joyning with Toiras sent him a shipboard again with losse and so he return'd to Rochell A little after he sets out to Sea again and takes divers prises extremely interrupting all traffic on those Coasts Hereupon the King sent to the Hollander to hyre twenty Sayle of men of War according to the late Treaty which were accordingly sent him under Admirall Hauthain These joyning with another Fleet of the Duke of Monmorency made a considerable naval power Monmorency was very eagar to set upon Soubize and the Rochell Fleet but he found the Hollanders bacward and cold being charm'd by Letters and a Remonstance annexed unto it sent to Hauthain by two French Ministers and two Dutch Merchants from Rochell wherein they made piteous complaint that the King had performed little or nothing at all of the Treaty before Montpellier and that the utter ruine of the whole body of the Religion which was the same with that of Holland was intended therefore they did efflagitat and conjure the said Admiral Hauthain to lay his hand on his heart and conscience and not to contribute to so damnable a dessein This Remonstrance wrought much upon Hauthain and Dorp his Vice-Admiral in so much that he publiquely declar'd unto the Duke of Monmorency that he had Commission in expresse termes from his Masters the States to reduce Monsieur Soubize to his duty either by reason or force that he understood how he was ready to conforme himself to the first and to that effect he and his Brother the Duke of Rohan with other Towns of their party had Deputies employed to the King to desire Peace which was in a good forwardnes
therefore it was needlesse to force them to their duty which were willing to do it of their own motion So the Hollanders refus'd to fight yet the Rochell fleet not fully knowing their intention fell unwares upon them and burnt their Vice-Admirall but attempting to boord some French they were repuls'd with the losse of three hundred men and four Barks full of hurt men this nettled Hans afterwards seriously he joyn'd with the French Royall Fleet which had receiv'd an addition of seven English Ships under the command of Chevalier de Ris and twenty two more under the Marquis of Royan so that the whole number coming to sixty six sayles they divided themselfs to three Squadrons In the first was Monmorency and Hauthain Dorp commanded the second and the third was under Manty Monmorency's Vice-Admiral Soubize had got into the Isle of Ré where he had intrench'd himself but a considerable Army of the Kings landing there there were divers furious and bloudy skirmishes wherein there fell on Soubizes side above eight hundred and so many more drown'd in flight The Royallists also lost there a great number but they made themselfs Masters of the Island Soubize got away in a Shallop and as the enemy gave out left his hat and sword behind him so he went to England There was also a great Sea fight neer la fosse de loy'e where the Royallists took nine ships burnt one and attempting to boord their Admiral call'd the Virgin and being grappled with her all that were upon the upper deck being kill'd they who had got under hatches desperatly put fire in the Gunpowder and blew her up with three hundred soules in her whose members floted afterwards up and down the waves a piteous and horrid spectacle to see three of the Kings ships being grappled with her were also burnt The Duke of Monmorency the Isle of Ré being already reduc'd went then to Oleron which he took and secur'd for the King While these fearfull traverses of war happen'd before Rochell the Duke of Rohan was very busie in Languedoc and entertain'd a Treaty with the Spaniard but Camredon his Agent was surpriz'd and had his head chopt off at Tholous Constable Lesdigueres was upon point of passing the Alps with an Army at this time to Italy but the commotions of Languedoc were such that he was diverted and commanded to march thither against the Duke of Rohan The King endevouring to win Rohan by acts of grace offer'd him a prime command in the Army that was to go for Italy against the Spaniard and his brother Soubize the command of ten Galeons but the motion was not hearken'd unto Espernon and Themines did divers exploits up and down Languedoc this yeer specially before Montauban where they of the Town lost eight hundred men in two sallys they had made They of the Religion being now much quail'd by divers ill successes they had receiv'd by Sea and Land had recourse to the King with a submissive querulous Remonstrance of their miseries He that brought it seem'd to reproach the Rebellion in general but he excus'd the Rochellers declaring ore tenus to the King How they were bereft of their Priviledges how their Walls were batter'd their Vines pluck'd up how their Tillage ceas'd and their Traffic was ruin'd And while others of his Majesties subjects have slept in their beds under the public faith of peace they have watch'd upon his walls to repell the injuries of a particular war In fine this usage being capable to make wild the gentlest spirits hath made them apprehend the blow of their utter ruine It is true that they had bin forc'd to put the law of necessitie in practise which they do not alledge to justifie themselfs they have rather words of execration against those subjects which dare raise armes in Prejudice of their Princes under what pretext whatsoever but only to make his Majesty see that they have held it necessary to do well in doing ill and that they are more worthy of pity then pain Thus they accus'd themselfs and were come hither to crave pardon of his Majesty whom they adjur'd and beseech'd by his Royall naturall goodnes and by the glory their ramparts have gain'd to have conserv'd his Majesty in the reignes of Henry the Great to restore them to liberty and to forget their faults c. Upon this Petition the King intended to shew them some Grace but with this Proviso to separate the Rochellers from the conditions he vouchsafed to the whole body of the Religion that they might be the more humbled and so to take from them the presumption they us'd to attribut to themselfs to have a kind of authority over the rest and from the other Churches the confidence and repute they had of them so by reiteration of divers supplications they obtain'd at last these conditions 1. That the Counsel and Government of Rochell be put in the hands of the body of the Town as it was 1610. 2. That they receive an Overseer of Justice to hinder dissensions and factions 3. That all new Bastions and Fortifications be demolish'd and that she be reduc'd to her ancient circuit 1560. 4. That his Majesty shall be receiv'd into the Town with all due respect and reverence whensoever he please 5. That they of the Town shall not keep any Vessels of War in their Haven and those that go abroad in course and to traffic shall ask leave of the Lord Admiral 6. That the goods appertaining to Ecclesiastics be restor'd c. These being sent to Rochell Montauban Castres and other places were accepted and a public Act pass'd That the foresaid conditions were taken as a most speciall testimony of his Majesties clemence There followed a great calm in France after this and all forces were withdrawn from before Rochell except the Garrison in Lewis Fort. So the King had now opportunity to look abroad and the first place he cast his eye upon was the Valtolin and the Grisons which border upon Milan The King of Spain and the Arch-Duke Leopold his Cousin german were call'd in there to preserve the Catholicks from the oppression of the Protestants who were powerfull so coming to the said assistance they took divers old forts and erected new which they secur'd with Garrison The Spaniard hereby had an extraordinary advantage to convey any forces from Italy to Germany upon all occasions The Protestant Grisons had recourse to the King of France and he undertook their protection according to an old league in Lewis the twelfth his time not as much out of any great good will he bore them but to deprive the Spaniard of that advantage therefore he sent the Marquis of Caeuures Ambassadour to the Cantons of Suisse that were Allies to France to exhort them to defend the Valtolins Caeuures from Ambassadour was made Generall of an Army a while after and the Venetians with the Duke of Savoy ligu'd with him He perform'd divers exploits there so that the
which was suppress'd by Charles the Wise they boldly put themselfs in armes against the Nobility and Gentry to lessen their greatnes Add hereunto as an advantage to the work that this power being first transferr'd to Charles the Seventh there succeeded him a notable cunning King Lewis the Eleventh who knew well how to play his game for amongst all the rest he was said to be the first who put the French Kings horce de Page out of their minority or from being Pages any more though thereby he brought the Peasans to be worse then Laquais Out of some distast the King took at the last Convention of the three Estates which was upon his entrance to his Majority he resolv'd to summon them no more yet because he might be in good intelligence with his people a way was projected to call an Assembly of Notables which should be equivalent to the States Generall though fewer far in number and some out of every one of the Provinciall Sedentary Courts of Parlement were chosen to joyn with them such an Assembly as this was held in Roven as we mentioned before which did little good therefore the King was advis'd to convoque such another at Paris this yeer which was done accordingly They met in the great Hall of the Twilleries where the King spoak to them thus We protest before the living God that We have no other ayme or intention but his honour and the good and ease of Our subjects therefore in his Name We conjure and pray you whom we have here convoqued and by that lawfull power which is given Us over you We command and expresly enjoyn you that without any other respect or cōsideration whatsoever without regard of pleasing or displeasing any person you would afford Us with all freedom and sinceritie those counsels which you shall judge in your consciences to be most wholesome and convenient to the advancement of the publique good The Cardinal de Richelieu also made a long rhetoricall Oration which you shall find in the legend of his life hereunto annexed but there was no great advantage accrued to the public by this Assembly of Notables though it lasted from the second of December to the twenty fourth of February following This yeer a passage happend in the Court of England whence ensued ill-favord consequences and no lesse then a war afterward 'twixt the two Nations which was this The train of French servants which the Queen of Great Britain had brought with her at her first arrivall was suddenly dismiss'd to the number of one hundred and twenty In regard of no good offices they did twixt the King and Queen and for some petulant bold misdemeanurs of theirs by imposing also certain odd superstitious penances upon the Queen in prejudice of her health Besides his Majesty of Great Britain having settled a Royall joynture upon her of neer upon one hundred thousand crowns a yeer out of the choicest Demeans Royalties and Houses he had in England the Bishop of Mende sought to be Surintendent and steward of her lands and others of her French servants expected to have Offices in that kind which the King would not hearken unto in regard the said French were unfit for those extern employments having not the Language or knowledge of the Laws and Customs of the Countrey therefore he desir'd them to rest contented with the domestic Offices they had about the Person of the Queen they made a shew to be satisfied herewith though palpable discontentments appear'd in their countenances and carriage afterward more and more So they were suddenly discharg'd and summon'd to quit the Kingdom and there should be order taken for all conveniences for their journey by Land and Sea and the arrears of their wages and pensions were punctually paid them The Queen for the present took much to heart the renvoy of her servants and the King her brother resented it also when notice was sent him though it was nothing to be wondred at for he himself had discharg'd the Spanish servants his Queen had brought with her not long after she came in the same manner The King of England dispatch'd a Messenger of honor to the Court of France to give a true information of matters which affoorded but little satisfaction Thereupon Marshall Bassompierre was sent Ambassador extraordinary to England expresly about this busines but matters were thrust so far off the hinges that they could not be set right again so soon The French began the first act of hostilitie and that before any public Declaration was publish'd by seizing a great number of English and Scottish ships at Blay as they were returning from the vintage with cargazons of wines from Bourdeaux but the Scots were releas'd the English still stayed A little after an Edict issued out in the Kings name to interdict all commerce and traffic with England that no kind of grain wines or pulse should be transported thither nor from thence to France any cloth serges woolls lead tinn stuffs silk stockings with an enumeration of divers other commodities by this one may observe the advantage that England hath of France in varietie and substance of Marchandizes The French Chroniclers obtrude to the world divers wrong informations of this travers twixt England and France 1. They relate that the French were casheer'd of the Queens service with little or nothing at all of their wages which is false for they were payed to a peny and many of them parted with gifts and much wealth 2. They report that the Queen out of her necessities had borrow'd much money of them which was also a calumny for there was never Princesse liv'd in greater plentie 3. They make the world beleeve that the first depraedations at Sea and acts of Piracy were committed by the English which is another falshood for besides the seisure of the Marchants at Blay where they came to reimbarque their Ordnance divers other praedatory acts were done by the French 4. They publish also another imposture that while the Earls of Carlile and Holland were in the heat of the Treaty of a Match with England the same time they did machinat the ruine of France the first time that England was ever taxed of double dealing 5. That his Majesty of Great Britain had no hand in the Pacifications which were made twixt the King and them of the Religion whereas his Ambassadors and Agents did alwayes follow the Kings Army to their excessive expences and did perpetually negotiat in their behalf and became caution to them for performances on the Kings side Thus a black cloud hung between England and France which broak out into a shrew'd though short tempest of war The King of Great Britain riggs up his galeons and in a very short time puts to Sea a huge royall fleet in perfect equippage of 150. Sayles with an Army of 10000. combatants which by the advise and directions of Monsieur Subize and Blancart who had fled to England some moneths before were
of Austria they thought it high time to look about them so there came Commissioners extraordinary from Holland to Paris and a Ligue defensive and offensive was struck between them to make a social conjunctive war in the Netherlands against the King of Spain the most materiall Articles of which Ligue for we are loth to stuff this History with formalities were these 1. The King of France shall have an Army of 25000 foot and 5000. horse upon the frontiers of France towards the Netherlands in the convenientest place And the States of the united Provinces shall have 20000. foot and 8000. horse 2. Of these two Armies one shall send the other 10000. foot and 2000. horse as Auxiliaries in case the enemy shall succour any place which either of them shall besiege and if occasion require both Armies shall joyn in one body 3. It is accorded that a Declaration be sent to all the Towns under the King of Spain in the Netherlands to assure them that there shall be no Innovation introducd which may prejudice their priviledges and that the exercise of Religion be left free 4. That all other Princes and States who shall desire the protection of France and the united Provinces may enter into this Ligue provided they take up armes against the Spaniard 5. That if any Towns yeeld themselfs of their own accord it shall be lawfull for them to mould themselfs into the body of a particular State 6. That there may be no difference in parting what shall be taken it is agreed that France shall have all Flanders from the frontiers of France as far as Blanquemberg neer the Sluce And the States shall have all the Maritim places beyond toward France as far as the River of Swyn That Artois and Henault as far as Navar inclusively shall be the Kings of France And the States shall have Hulst Malines and Brabant as far as Brussells 7. That no places which shall be taken be troubled for matter of Religion but that it be continued in the same state 't is found 8. That no Treaty for Truce or Peace be set a foot with the Spaniard without the reciprocall consent of both parties 9. That for a more regular way in proceeding this Order shall be followed to attempt first two places allotted for the share of France and then two of the shares of the States which order shall be successively observed 10. That if the King invade Flanders the States with a diverting Army shall enter Brabant and if the States are engag'd in Brabant the King shall have a diverting Army in Artois or Hanault 11. That the King of Great Britain may enter into this Confederacy to which effect there shall be Ambassadors employed unto him from both parties to know of him whether he will continue upon termes of Neutrality 12. It is accorded further that both parties shall have fifteen men of War at Sea a peece of so many Tonns and if any English ships desire to joyne with the said Fleet they shall have the precedence of them of the States 13. If any Treaty be agreed unto for Peace or Treaty it shall be kept in the Hague and no where els 14. In regard of this Treaty the obligation shall cease to furnish the States yeerly with two millions of Franks which was us'd to be sent them from France c. These Articles being interchangeably sign'd and ratified in Paris there issued a large public Declaration from the King to denounce war with Spain to this effect Lewis by the grace of God King of France and Navar to all who shall see these present Letters health The great and sensible offences this Monarchy hath receiv'd divers times from that of Spain are so well known to all the world that it is needles to renue their memory We have a long time dissembled the hatred and naturall jealousie the Spaniards have against France whereby they have alwayes stopp'd the course of Our prosperity by secret practises oppressed the Princes allied to this Crown and sought to dismember the Kingdome Therefore with those forces which God hath given Us We have resolv'd to prevent their further desseins upon Us and rather to carry Our Armes within their Countrey then expect theirs in Ours c. Then He goes on to enumerat the obligations that Spain had to France for making the last truce with the Hollander which Spain had so much need of at that time the good Offices he had done the Emperour upon the beginning of the troubles in Germany so he taxes him that the first recompence which France receiv'd was the occupation of the Valtolin from the Grisons the ancient Allies of France he complains further that the Treaty at Mouson was not executed as it was intended He speaks of sundry enterprises upon the Duke of Savoy while he was Confederat of France of the violent oppression which the Duke of Mantova suffer'd How the Duke of Lorain arm'd five times against France by the suscitation of the King of Spain How the said King Treated with the chief of them of the Religion to form a perpetuall body of Rebellion in the bowels of France at that time when he promis'd assistance against them How his Ambassadors continually practised to sow division between them of the Royall Family How he assisted with men and money those that made rents and factions in France How to bring about his far fetch'd designes for the Westerne Monarchy he made Flanders his Arcenal for Arms not only to subdue them whom he had acknowledg'd free and soverain but to keep France in perpetuall jealousie of surprisals by a veteran Army therefore he thought it more honorable to attain unto a sound secure Peace by the generous strength of an open war then let his subjects drop away by small numbers and languish under a doubtfull and incertain Peace which must be conserv'd with 150000. men Then he comes to speak of the outrage that was done to the Archbishop of Triers and the jeering illusory answer which was return'd about his liberty Then he speaks of his most deer great friends Allies and Confederats the States of the united Provinces with whom he had made a Ligue defensive and offensive but with this Proviso that what Towns or places whatsoever were taken the Catholique Religion should not be damnified but conserv'd still in the same condition Then he makes his addresse to the Flemins that if within two moneths they cause the Spaniards to retire from their Towns and Provinces they shall be joyn'd and united into a body of one free and independent State with all rights of soveraignty So he concluds with an Injunction to all his subjects to make war by sea and land night and day against the King of Spain a declar'd Enemy to his Person and state protesting before God and men that as he was reduc'd to the utmost extremity to take up arms for his own defence and for his Allies and friends so his main end
Garrison was put into the Town and Duke Bernard plac'd the Governor This was one of the straightest sieges that happen'd since the German war for people were reduc'd to that extremity that they began to feed upon nefandous meats Duke Bernard Weymar made it his best retreat and chiefest Randevow afterwards but he enjoyed it not long for a few moneths after he fell sick of the Purples some say the Plague and so left the society of mortals so that now the French have the chief sway a mighty advantage for the situation of this Town is such that France may say she hath now a key to enter Germany that way at pleasure as she hath Pignerol for Italy Duke Weymar being dead the Imperialists made this Epitaph upon him Here lies He who preferr'd French before Germans War before Peace a King before an Emperour and Strangers before his own Countreymen This yeer France had also divers irons in the fire which she did so beat that the sparkles flew a great way abroad and did much mischief Hesdin was closely besieg'd so that when the Infante Cardinal came to relieve her she was pass'd cure The King himself advanc'd as far as Abbeville in Person and thence to his Army before Hesdin which struck a greater terror into the Town and made her come sooner to a Composition which she obtaind upon Honorable termes the King himself entred and having secur'd all things he return'd to Paris in triumph Yet he had some water thrown into his wine before Theonville in Luxemburg from before which his Army was beaten by Piccolomini and Bec with a great slaughter The glasse of the Ligue with the Swed being now almost run out it was thought fit to turn it and make it last foure yeers longer 'twixt France and Him with other German Confederats which was negotiated at Colmar where the French Ambassador thrust in a new Epithet into the Treaty to aggrandize his Master viz. Praepotens Whereupon Bernard Weymer being dead the Duke of Longueville was made Generall of all the French forces in Germany There was a lowd tumult happend in Low Normandy this yeer amongst the Populasse for new impositions that were daily thrust upon them the Insurrection crept up to High Normandy and to Roven her self nor did the Parlement which is there alwayes sedentary much labour to suppresse it but divers Gentlemen and persons of the best ranke did seem to countenance it In so much that Colonel Gassion was forc'd to come from Picardy with a considerable Army of horse and foot for the suppression thereof so he enterd the Province where his soldiers did much mischief upon the people and coming to Roven the gates flew open to him without resistance so the King sent thither his Chancellor who caus'd all the Citizens to be disarm'd the chiefest instruments of the Mutiny to be imprison'd their Proces form'd wherby many of them were executed amongst others the ringleader of the populas who was a man of mean condition who alledg'd himself to be mad but that subterfuge would not serve his turn besides he annull'd the Parlement and amerc'd the Town in one hundred thousand Franks which was paid accordingly and the Gentry that had a hand in this popular Insurrection pay'd fifty thousand Franks more but a little after the Court of Parlement was re-establish'd upon the extraordinary humble submissions of the Town the like punishment was inflicted upon Caen so this dangerous follevation was quash'd by a high hand of Royall power which this City had felt some 3. yeers before for the King having thought to borrow 400000. crowns of her she excus'd her self thereupon the King sent a band of soldiers which for eight dayes together kept there upon the Towns charge and so the money was made up And so I put a period to the sixth Lustre The seventh and last Lustre of the Life of Lewis the thirteenth VVE must make an Apologie for this Lustre for it hath not the full quinquennial number and so cannot extend to the true length of a Lustre which is five yeers nay it hath scarce fifty Moones which some held though erroneously to be enough whereof to compose a Lustre the reason is that that great Monark whose raign we thus divide was cut off from amongst mortals which will enforce us accordingly to cut off the thread of our story In Brisac and other parts of Alsatia there were some incongruities and clowds of diffidence hung between the Germans and the French The young Prince Palatine was going thither through France disguis'd hoping to have better fortune that way then he had in Westphalia not long before where Prince Robert his brother was taken prisoner and carried to Vienna with the Lord Craven He was furnish'd from England with credit for considerable sums of money at Basile but being advanc'd a good way beyond Paris in his journey he was discover'd restrain'd a while at Moulins and then sent for to Paris whence he was committed to Bois de Viniennes The French fear'd that he might puzzle their proceedings in Brisac and that being a German Prince and supported by his Majesty of Great Britain the Town would choose him for Governor upon these apprehensions he was a while kept prisoner but afterwards by the intercession of the Queen of England chiefly as his brother was releas'd by good offices the Empresse did who to this day doth much respect the English Nation he was freed and receiv'd very Princely entertainment afterwards At his departure the King gave him a very obliging farewell by telling him That whereas it pleased God and Nature to place him to be Umpire of this part of the World he would not suffer him to be oppressed by any but he would endevour to reinvest him at last in his own Territories assuring him that no peace should be concluded 'twixt him and the House of Austria unlesse he were included Fortune had frown'd now a good while upon Spain but this yeer she bended her brows and wrinkled her forhead more ruggedly then ever A fearfull combustion happen'd 'twixt the Pyreney Hills in the Kingdom of Catalonia of old but a County this combustion was a kind of a bonefire to France who presently ran to warme her hands and sport about it and she hath ministred fuel to keep it in ever since It grew so furious that the Viceroy with his wife and some of his family were murtherd and his house burnt to the ground by the violence of a popular fury The ground of this fearfull Insurrection was the billeting of the Castillian soldiers and their insolencies as they march'd through the Countrey besides some extraordinary contributions which were demanded of that Province for the support of the King now in his extreme necessities having so many profess'd mighty enemies both by sea and land this Tumult by degrees turn'd to an absolut revolt and defection from their Soverain naturall King In so much that they flew to France and cri'd
extended also her vvalls upon any nevv acquest Nor must you behold him only on Land but cast your eyes upon him at Sea and you shall find him incomparably more potent then all his progenitors the French formerly waded like sheep but now they may be said to swimme like Elephants Before France could hardly without borrowing put twenty Sayles of men of War to Sea but now she can rig a hundred well appointed fighting great Vessells in Galleons and Gallies in both her Seas at a short warning But having done with the pro let us see what may be said to the contra touching this Great King It must be granted that Fortune did not alwaies sit at the helm of his proceedings At the Treaty of Lodun he was il-favor'dly baffled by his own subjects who gave him law and set the dice upon him but than you 'l say he was young and let it suffice for an excuse Before Montaban he lost five hundred Gentlemen and five times as many soldiers and then was forc'd to trusse up his baggage and be gone and to suffer this Motto upon the gate Roysansfoy ville sans peur In Italy he lost first and last an hundred thousand subjects Before and about Saint Omer ten thousand At Fontarabia he had a foul repulse At Theonville he lost seven thousand French before Hesain there fell little lesse and the succouring of Scales prov'd a tart peece of service The first Army he sent to joyn with the States which came to thirty thousand horse and foot got little credit at Tillemont and lesse before Lovain and divers thousands of them died without an enemy and came home by weeping crosse Touching his Appellation or Epithet of Iust there are divers Critiques and some of his own subjects give out that it doth not so well quadrat with him They instance in the maner of Marshall D'Ancres death in the dawnings of his raign Moreover when he pass'd by Saumur he sent for the keys of the Town and Castle to Du Plessis promising upon the word of a King he would deliver them him again which was not done only a Gentleman of the Religion was left Governor of the Castle for the time The Rochellers complain'd that he often promised to raze Lewis Fort The Duke of Savoy spoak high language and charg'd him with breach of Article that he was not sent for and admitted to the Treaty at Monson The Duke of Lorain more then any chargeth him nor hath he reason to be angry with him therefore for losers must have leave to speak that his safe conducts before Nancy and at other times turn'd to enforcements his Treaties to traps The Emperour knows not how he fell out with him And the Spaniard swears by his mustachos that he first infring'd the Sacred bonds and Capitulations of Peace so solemnly sworn betwixt them and corroborated by a double Nuptiall knot Nor saith he will the proceedings against the Archbishop of Mentz serve to justifie him for he was a Rebell to the Emperour before France had undertaken his protection The Duke of Lorain chargeth him further that he would have dissolv'd and nullified the marriage 'twixt Monsieur and his Sister she being a better woman then his first wife who was daughter to a vassal of the Crown of France being also of as good extraction as himself having lineally descended from Charlemayne and in one respect of a better condition then his Brother was when he married her she being a Virgin and he a Widower Nay he taxeth him of impiety that he should offer to make the Eternal Law of God touching marriage to be baulk'd by a humane and temporary politic Constitution of France alterable at mens pleasures which is that the Heire Apparant of the Crown should not marry without Royall consent and being married according to the Rites of the Church to make this latter law to be of more force then the former Poore Germany complaines that he hath plung'd her in an eternall war by bringing in the Swed and by fomenting him ever since within her bowels The Iesuits have also a saying to him that his prime Confidents and Confederats were opposit to the Roman Catholic Church as the Hollander the Hessian the Grison the Swed which cannot choose but be derogatory to the most Christian King The Spaniard saith further that he upheld not only old but new Rebells against him as the Catalan and the Portugall and that he need not glory much of his doings against his Monarchy for France of her self had bin able to have done him little hurt had she not ligu'd with and employed his own revolted Vassals as the Hollander and the other two mentioned a little before against him And therefore what mischief and exploits France hath perform'd against him was by conjunction with these his subjects otherwise she had never bin able to have trodden as much as upon his toe Lastly the poore Pesans of France pitifully cry out that they are transform'd to meer Asses that his wars were not onely maintain'd with their persons but nourish'd with their bloud with their very vitall spirits and livelihoods that for many yeers he made them to soften and steep their bread in teares which flow'd in such plenty that there were enough to quench all the Bonefiers of triumph that have bin made since the beginning of his Raign the smoakes whereof were so thick that they hinder'd him to see their pitifull meager looks and grinded faces and the clashing of his armes so great that he could not hear their cryes They complain that they are now so habituated to new impositiōs and inventions tending to slavery that like Milo's beast their burthen is grown up frō a calf to an ox since these wars Yea they cry out that they are grown worse then Asses they are become meer Dromedaries who not only receive the burden but kneel down to take it up To all these accusations somthing may be said in answer For his faylings with his subjects of the Religion there are some that would cleer him by recrimination of them for he never promis'd any thing categorically but upon condition that they should also performe divers things and the obligation of the one depended upon the performance of the other so there were faylings on both sides Touching D'Ancre he had so involv'd and mingled his own particular interests with those of the State that an ordinary way could not separat them He had likewise so distasted all the Princes that he was like to be pernicious and destructive to his Kingdom yet it was not his mind to have him suddenly assassinated in that manner though on the other side Wallestein was made away so by Imperiall warrant and the act justified Concerning the Duke of Lorain he alledg'd neglect of homage which was unquestionably due unto him and conjunction with his enemies as also breach of promise that Monsieur should not mary his sister and the giving of shelter to all Fugitives For the