Power of the States themselves of some Countries to change such Customes as have been received there time out of mind for the successions of Soveraigns Anno 1626. The Duke of Savoy's Design to continue the Warre against the Spaniards WHo so hath at any time beheld the Sun shining through a black Cloud dissipating those darknesses that cover the earth dispelling fear out of their Souls who had been affrighted with the Thunder and rejoycing the World by the presence of his rayes hath seen the Image of that happy Peace which entred upon the beginning of this year in concluding the Wars wherewith Italy and the Vâ—lteline were so much afflicted But to go on with the prosecution of that which hapned after the raising of the siege of Verrue untill the conclusion of the Treaty I must tell you that after those advantages obtained the Duke of Savoy being suggested by those happy successes and the Devastations which the Spaniards had made in his Country desired passionately to fall upon their Army which was retired to Pand sture as also to enter upon Mallan that he might ingage the two Armies in a long War and by that means be revenged of them This was according to the temper of his Soul who could not indure any quiet but the Constable ae Lisdiguiers and the Marshal de Crequy who desired not to attempt any thing which might not sort to their Masters glory opposed his design representing to him that there was no sence of reason to assault the Spanish Army which consisted of fourteen thousand men effective intrenched in a place very advantagious with Cannon and where they might be releeved with all necessary provisions and that neither the season nor condition of their forces would consist with the besieging any place in Milan without hazarding the Kings Army and Reputation These reasons were very considerable and the Constable without losing any more time and seeing his presence would be needlesse during the rest of the Winter in Piedmont withdrew himself towards Granoble after he had put the Troops in Garison under the Command of the Marquis de Vignolles and Vxelles In the mean while it being necessary to give his Majesty an accompt of the condition of affairs and to receive his commands he forthwith dispatched the Marshal de Crequy towards the Court. This journey of the Marshal did much perplex the Duke because hee doubted that he would induce the King to Peace as also least he might make complaint to his Majesty of the little care which was had for the satisfaction of the Treaty of the League and least he might lay all the faults which had happened in his dish This moved him to resolve upon sending of the Prince of Piedmont towards him as well to defend his Interest as to perswade the King to carry on the War in Italy and having dispatched him a few dayes after they both arrived at Court about the beginning of February where after they had entertained his Majesty according to their own desires they were obliged for the better consideration of their Propositions to put them down in writing accordingly they presented them to his Majesty who assisted by his Ministers examined them with great deliberation and at last resolved in order to that Prince his designs and withall the more to oblige him to have a greater care in performing his promises hee was assured of having the chief command of his Army though the effect of it was diverted by that unexpected negotiation of the Sieur de Fargis in Spain which ended in the Treaty of Mouson in Arragon Politick Observation HAppy is that Prince whose Councels in War become unprofitable by a favourable Treaty of Peace who can doubt but that the one is the source of all miseries brings all things into necessities deprives the people of their liberties maketh the land barren destroyeth the most glorious Pallaces tieth up the hands of Justice and bringeth the Country men under the barbarous insolency of souldiers and that on the contrary the other is acknowledged to be the Mother of Plenty the beginning of the happinesse of Kingdomes and the joy of Nations that it giveth all Liberty of Commerce and Labour leaving to every one the power of injoying his own Goods making Arts to flourish Justice to Reign and banishing all fear which keepeth the mind in hell and in a continual unquietness whilest there are any troubles It is not much more pleasant to behold the earth decked with its verdure painted with all sorts of Flowers inriched with the diversity of Trees which either nature or the Labourers hand had Planted replenished with all fruits and spices and flowing with Milk and Honey then when it languisheth by the insufferable hardnesses of Winter converted into Snow and Ice become stiffe and dis-coloured and the Land Barren and over-flowed with Water So much more satisfaction ought a wise Prince to receive when Peace commeth to deliver his Subjects from those miseries into which War had precipitated them to restore them the free use of their own Goods to give them the means of exercising their own Professions with quiet to drive away necessity from them to open the Ports of Trade from one Coast to another about their affairs then to see them remain idle and without exercise in the want of the greatest part of necessaries not daring to go out of their Gates besieged by War in their Towns and slaughtered in their own houses by sickness and famine The Conclusion of the Treaty of Mouson FOr the better understanding in what manner this Treaty was concluded It will be needfull to look a good way back and to take the first rise of Affairs from Count Olivares the chief Minister of Spain who finding that the Legat could not bring his business to that passe as was expected resolved to use his utmost to accommodate things in a peaceable manner and accordingly made several overtures that way tending to the Sieur de Fargis Ambassador with his Catholique Majesty who was not wanting to give speedy notice of it hither and at the same time the Marquis de Mirabel Ambassador for the Spaniard certified to the Marshal de Schomberg that his Master desired a Peace Whereupon orders were sent to the Sieur de Fargis that he should answer to such overtures as had been made that his Master would not be unwilling to embrace it if it might be made upon Honorable and safe conditions and he was also acquainted with the Kings desiers in that particular which were reduced under three principall heads First that the Spanjards should renounce all pretenses to the Passages in the Valtoline next that the Soverainty of the Valtoline should be preserved to the Grisons and last related to the safety of the Catholique Religion he acquitted himself of their directions very diligently but with so much heat that after several meetings and conferences had with the Count d'Olivarez they at last set down their several proposals in writing which
at that time they had no other honour but that of being issued from the County of Abspurg in Switzerland Besides Princes allyed by marriage commonly joyning their Forces together do not a little help to defend one another upon an occasion and even to favour those enterprizes which either of them shal make to increase their power Lewis the second well knew how to break off the Match between Charles Duke of Burgogn with Margaret daughter to Richard Duke of York and Sister to Edward King of Enâ—lâ—nd which would have joyned the English Forces with those of Bâ—rgogn by demanding that Princess for Charles his brother though he had no intention to marry him to her he being too too prudent to match a Brother so inclinable to Rebellion with an enemy so Potent as she was It is true if the Aliance of France with England was then thought to be disadvantagious to the good of France yet now that which may be concluded on with them is of so much the greater concernment because having nothing more to do then to ballance the house of Austria it could not gain a greater advantage in relation to that design then by this means for this being one of the powerfullest Kingdomes in Europe will turn the scales to that of the two Crowns with which it shall bee joyned in Alliance France cannot hope that England would upon any consideration of marriage whatsoever relinquish their own particular interests seeing Soveraigns have nothing which is dearer to them but it will have good reason to beleeve that it will never invade us unless provoked by honour or some great Consideration and on the contrary that they would assist us with a good will in such enterprizes where they could receive nothing but Glory After all Fâ—ance will have this benefit to hinder their being leagued with our enemies who joyned with them might much damage us and it is advantage enough to avoid those mischiefs which would follow if it were left undone and by that means to prevent the uniting of our enemies with them The Cardinal knew That that Minister who hath a care of the Church interest draws down a thousand blessings from Heaven upon the State Accordingly he did particularly imploy himself to get as much liberty as possibly he could in England The Earles of Carlisle and Holland came with confidence that there could not be any great strictness used in that particular but imagined as their Master did that the diversity of Religion which was in France would induce them not to be too earnest only of an Assurance that the Princess and those of her retinue should have free liberty to exercise that Religion whereof they made profession but the Cardinal quickly told them That the King his Master being more obliged by divers Considerations to procure greater advantages to the Church then the Spaniard they ought not to hope that he would be satisfied with less then they He represented to them that his Majesty being the eldest son of the Church and bearing the Title of the most Christian King would be much blamed if he proceeded upon other terms besides that this Alliance could not be concluded without the consent of the head of the Church That it would be ill received at Rome if it should be proposed there with conditions less favourabâ—e to the Catholicks then those which were granted to the Spaniards To which for the present the Embassadors replied That the King their Master had not procured the Parliaments consent for this Alliance with France and breaking off that with Spain but in consideration that they would not have been so strict in requiring so many favours in behalf of the Catholicks and withal that it was held there as a fundamental Law not to grant them any freedomes by reason of many great inconveniences which would in time happen to their State The Cardinal was not wanting to reply that he was well informed neither the King or Parliament were induced to break with the Spaniards untill they were convinced that their Treaty was onely feigned and that they had other designs then of giving the Infanta to the Prince of Wales and as for what related to the Peace of the State he answered that the liberty which was granted to the Catholicks could not trouble it seeing experience hath evidenced it on a thousand occasions that there is not any thing which doth more stir up People to Commotions then the restraint which is imposed upon the exercise of religion That that is it which incites people to shake off the yoke of their obedience and that never any thing but mis-fortunes have followed that Prince who would force men in that beleef which they had a long time imbraced That in truth Religion might by fire and sword be destroyed and rooted out before it be fully setled in the soul but after that it will be so far from being changeable by force that rather on the contrary violence will but ferment and fix it so much the more because those things are more difficult then the care which ought to be had for their conservation That in effect this Maxime was verified in France where the liberty which was granted to the Hugonots by the Edict of Peace had converted a far greater number then all the rigours of punishment and war These reasons were so strong that the English Embassadours found themselves unable to answer any thing against it But it was not sufficient to perswade them the King of Great Brittains consent was needfull It cannot be denied but there were great hopes of obtaining it considering his particular inclination he himself being well disposed to be converted and that he was also satisfied in Conscience concerning the principal difficulties in the Catholick Beleef and had permitted the Arch-Bishop of Ambrun sent at his intreaty by the King to sound him upon some other points to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to above twenty thousand Catholicks in London indeed it was apprehended a little hazardous lest the Parliament should not consent to it they having a great power in the resolution of affairs This difficulty induced the King after the Cardinal had informed him of it to send the Marquess de Effiat into England in the quality of an extraordinary Embassadour to negotiate all the affairs which related to the marriage In his instructions were particular orders to indeavour to perswade his Majesty of Great Brittain to like well of those reasons which the Cardinal had imparted to his Embassadour and moreover to tell him in particular that considering the Parliament was composed of Protestants and Puritans he ought to suspect them on this occasion that himself being party against them there was no apparence of any reason to delay that which concerned the Catholicks Interest Moreover that it was dangerous for a Soveraign to use violence towards his subjects in matter of Religion seeing that it teacheth to despise life and who so despiseth his own life is master of
consideration of that diversity of Religion between the Princess and the Prince of Wales his Majesty should send to his Holiness to procure a Dispensation before the Marriage were effected to obtain the said Dispensation the Cardinal proposed to the King to send Father Berule Superior General of the fathers of the Oratory and to commit the charge of it to him as a person capable of such a negotiation and whose Piety which amongst the People is extreamly recommendable might take off all shadows or apparencies which the weakness of their senses or the malice of the Spaniards might raise abroad concerning it It should seem he did fore-see that Fury wherewith the Spanish Partisans writ against this marriage So angry they were that they had not prevented it not reflecting that for eleven whole years they had testified to the world that they would have done the self-same thing But that I may not be hindred by those outragious speeches which proceeded from those spirits puft up with Ambition who then began to discover that France had a Minister capable to countermine them and to oppose their unjust designs I shall inform you that the instruction which was give to Father Berule was to go to Rome with all diligence and to obtain the Dispensation from the Pope to which purpose he was to represent to his Holiness That the King of Great Brittain having demanded the Princess Henrietta Maria the Kings Sister in marriage for the Prince of Wales his son his Majesty was the more inclinable to hearken to the Proposition because hee looked upon it as a probable means to convert the English as heretofore a French Princess married into England had induced them to imbrace Christianity But that the Honour which hee owed to the Holy Chair and in particular to his Sanctity who had formerly held him at the Font of Baptism in the name of Pope Clement the Eighth had not permitted him to conclude upon the Treaty before the obtainment of his Dispensation That this Marriage ought to be regarded for the Interest not onely of the Catholicks in England but of all Christendome who would receive great advantages by it that there is not any thing of hazard for the Princesse seeing she is as firm as could be desired both in the Faith aâ—â— Piety That she should have a Bishopâ— and eight and twenty Priests to do all Offices That she should have none but Catholicks in her Houshold That the King of Great Brittain and the Prince of Wales would oblige themselves by Writing and Oath not to solicite her directly or indirectly neither by themselves or any other persons to change her Religion Moreover that there being nothing to be feared in relation to the Princesse there were great hopes that she might be intirely beloved by the King who was well disposed already to become a Catholick and by the Prince of Wales That shee might the more contribute to their conversion in regard that women have very great power over their Husbands and Father-in-Laws when Love hath gotten any power in their affections That for her part she was so zealous in Religion that there was no doubt but she would employ her utmost industry in so pious a design That admitting God should not succeed her iâ—tentions either upon King James or the Prince of Wales there were hopes her Children might become restorers of that Faith which their Ancestors had destroyed seeing she had the education and bringing of them up in the belief and exercise of the Catholique Religion until they were thirteen years old and that their first seeds of Piety having being instilled into their souls and cultivated with carefulnesse when they became capable of good Instructions might infallibly produce stable and permanent Fruits that is so strong a Faith as might not be shaken by Heresie in a riper age And after all That the Catholiques of England would forthwith receive great advantages by it seeing both the King of Great Britain and the Prince of Wales his Son would oblige themselves by worâ— and deed not to hunt them out or when they were discovered to punish them To free out of Prison all such as were layed up to restore them their Monies and Goods which had been forced from them after the last Act if they were possible to be had and generally to treat them with more favour than if the Treaty with Spain had gone on Lastly he had order to inform the Pope that to render a greater respect to the Church he had conditioned that the Princess should be affianced and contracted according to the Catholique form like that which was observed they Charlâ—s the Ninth in the Mariage of Margarice of France with the late King Henry the Fourth then King of Navarr These things spoke in their own behalf and were so eminently visible that no doubt could be made of them The Father Berule too wanted neither Ability nor Good-will but represented them to his Holyness with such dexterity that his Sanctity gave him hopes of a favourable answer 'T is true the Pope would not grant him a dispence without conferring with the Cardinals that he might give no jealousie to Spain who had been dealt with in the very same manner when they desired a Dispensation for the Inâ—anca but they were of his own naming and such as no one could think were more subject to Passion than Justice So they met divers times about it and though it were with the ordinary delayes of the Court at Rome without which they esteem no affair can be discussed and judged with Prudence or Majesty enough yet in sine they referred the expediting of the Dispensation to the Popes pleasure All that was cross in the business was barely this Father Borielâ— being naturally addicted to refine all things was perswaded that there had not been assurances strong enough obtained from the English for the securing and hindring the placing of Protestant Officers over the Princesses children the solicitation of Officers to change their Religion the continuation of forcing English Catholiques to take Oaths of Abjuration against the Catholique Religion and the holy See though indeed it had been expresly concluded and agreed on That the King of England and Prince of Wâ—lâ—s should engage both by Writing and Oath not to enforce them any more However this induced both the Pope and Cardinals to think fit not acquainting the â—ieurâ—dâ— Bethune with it though the Cardinals Prudence had tyed up the said Father Bâ—rulâ— in his Instructions not to doe any thing without him to oblige the King in the Instrument of Dupensation to procure from the King of Great Britain new assurances in these parcicuâ—ars So that he following his own sense and specious reasons upon which he relyed his Holyness dispatched him upon those conditions and sent him back to the King with all diligence Politique Observations IF Piety prohibit Ministers to doe things contrary to Religion Prudence obligeth them to referre the management of affairs to Persons who
have the reputation of an extraordinary Honesty especially to the transacting of such things which notwithstanding their innate Justice may provoke any evil spirits For though the most upright regulate their Judgements by some Principles which serve them as a Law in the Government of a State yet the most part ghuessing onely by their own senses and apprehensions judge of the Affairs by the Persons who conduct them Opinion guides the whole world and sets a price upon virtue it self and the reputation alone of him who negotiates may cause his designs to passe under the notion of good and lawful If the Foxes good counsel be once suspected by a man he will be hardly perswaded that a Person replenished with all the ornaments of a singular integrity will engage himself in unjust designs The repute of such a person sets a value and a price upon his words and actions and the opinion which is conceived of him is so absolute an Empire that there is no Appeal from his Judgement It is an ancient saying Truth is the strongest thing in the world But however if once Opinion hath fixed her Throne in the mindes of the people Truth will have somewhat to doe to disappoint her The prescriptions of a Physitian who is in esteem doe even passe for good And the Acts of a person who hath the credit of a sublime Virtue cannot be found fault withall The wiseft of the Pagans were not ignorant hereof but made great advantages by it as occasion offered it self Scipio the African would sometimes be a long while together all alone in the Capitol pretending he did conferr with Jupiter concerning the affairs of the Commonwealth and all this he did that he might be thought to be endued with a more than humane Piety Minos the Law-giver of Candia went down to make Laws into a subterranean Cave which he called Jupiters Grot and thence brought them all written perswading the people to believe that they were inspired into him by that Divinity And this was an easie way to perswade the people to whatsoever they had a mind to God himself hath thought it very proper too when he would bring any great thing to passe for he hath chosen usually such men who by their eminent virtue are able to make all people believe that whatsoever they declare could not be but truth He hath commanded the Prophets and Apostles to publish such sayings as would jarr and clash with the senses of most men and yet he hath replenished them in respect of his choice with the many graces that it were almost impossible for the most part not to believe them The deputation of the Sieur de la Ville-aux-clercs to the King of England in the qualitie of an Extraordinary Ambassador AFter the King had payed this respect to the Pope and that the Articles of Mariage had been coucluded upon the twentieth of November His Majestie cast his eys upon the Sieur de la Ville-aux-clerâ—s one of his Councellors and Secretary of State to dispatch him into England as an Extraordinary Ambassador He gave him particular order to testifie unto the King of Great Britain and the Prince of Wales the great affection which he had to live with them in a strait and near intelligence and to assure them that one of the chiefest reasons which drew him to agree to the Mariage was the consideration that as one link of their Friendship was tyed by Blood this would render it indissolvable After these Complements were once past he commanded him to procure the Articles of Mariage to be ratified and to obtain their Oaths and Promises by Writing according to what the Ambassadors had engaged their words He discharged himself with honour both to the one and t'other Commission and having several times entertained them with the Content that his Master would conceive by their Alliance he at last concluded with such dexteritie that he had instilled into them all sorts of good will and affection for France and in particular for his Majesties Interests and so invited them to a quick consummation of the Treatie that the sudden chances which usually happen to affairs of this consequence might not breed any alteration or change This was the ground-work upon which he founded his demands for their Instruments and Oaths which had been promised and which both of them were readily disposed to effect and accordingly they promised upon the Holy Evangelist not to attempt by any wayes or means to induce the Princesse to change the Roman Catholique Apostolique Religion or to force her to any thing which might be contrary to it They likewise promised upon their Faith and words of Princes to grant to the Catholiques more Liberties and Franchises in every thing which concern'd their Religion than had been given in favour of the Match with Spain not to force them to take Oaths contrary to the Rules of the Roman Church and to take effectual care that they were no more troubled in their Persons or Estates for their Religion provided they exercised it in private and lived in obedience as good Subjects ought to doe and finally both of them signed and delivered two Deeds for the better assurance of their Oaths and Promises After all this his Instructions did not oblige him to be contented with words onely as to that which concern'd the Libertie of the Catholiques so that he proceeded with great earnestness to obtain the effects of it and he was assured that upon the conclusion of the Mariage there should be a Patent of Enlargement granted to all such as were Prisoners for their Religion-sake without being any more troubled for the future and for what related to all in general there was a Deed made under his Majesties own Hand and Seal directed to the Lord Conway Secretary of State commanding him to signifie to all whom it concern'd that it was his Majesties pleasure no farther prosecution should be made against them and accordingly the Lord Conway gave notice hereof to the Chancellor Treasurer to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and to all other chief Officers principally requiring the Grand Treasurer to restore unto them all the monies which had been forced from them and payd into the Exchequer with order not to do the like hereafter and thus by obtaining their Promises Words and Assurances they had as much security as they could wish for could they but be contented to exercise their Religion in private and without noyse Politique Observation THe word of a King hath alwayes pass'd for so sacred that ours have sometimes scrupel'd at the confirmation by Oath of what they once gave upon their words It was for that reason Saint Lewis would not swear in his own person to the League then made with Henry the third King of England at the Camp neer St. Aubin Anno 1231. but desired it might suffice if he caused it to be sworn in his name and presence by the Prior of St. Martin the fields Indeed there being nothing
Cardinal could hardly have imagined how much it was to be wished that the Sieur de Marillac would have rebated some part of that unquiet and rebellious spirit of his which he manifested during those troubles in relation to that reservedness and moderation of which he was known to be master when he had no other Office but that of the Requests and Councellour of State which moderation of his gave good cause to hope that his riper Age had totally extinguished that sedicious fire which had almost consumed him in his younger days Politique Observation SEeing there must of necessity be limits and Bounds in that distrust which is had of persons chosen to serve in publique affairs as also that it is a great fault to trust every one and a greater to trust none or to remove a person from the Goverment whose reputation and conduct seems to ingage a Trust in him so on the contrary the confidence which a Minister hath of a person who hath the repute of a great vertue though peradventure there might have been some miscarriage in her former conduct is no slight testimonie of her owne integritie A depraved Nature can beleeve no one hardly himselfe whereas a vertuous oble disposition honoureth such as have the reputation of being fincere and Loyal with so much respect that there need no great labour to make them be credited I cannot more properly compare distrust to any thing then to those Poysons which Phisitians sometimes use in their Medicines which administred with discretion and by weight do cure the most dangerous sicknesses whereas given in a little excess they presently kilso doth distrust it is one of the best supports in a Ministers conduct if he useth it moderately and on the other side if too much made use of it causeth a thousand disasters both to the State and the Minister himself Hee who is too distrustful hath never any quiet hee never looketh on any thing but it disturbs him no one cometh neere him but hee suspecteth it is with some ill design if any one salute him with a little more then usual respect he presently fancieth such a one will cheat him and vertue it selfe passeth for Hippocrasie in his opinion And if by this means hee createth a Hell to himself his suspitions too are offensive to all who have any manner of conversation with him I passe by those inferiour persons who do oftentimes render great services to the State and yet being denied the liberty of presenting themselves do at last hate the chief Minister when they think themselves dis-respected On the contrary confidence puts the mind in great repose gaines affection from all the world induceth to imploy all such as are able to do service with Freedome and many times maketh enemies themselves to change their designs and to prosecute instead of persecuting his interests The Romans were not sullied with this diffidence for they never made any difficulty to re-place those again into their Offices whom they had formerly removed They recalled Camillus whom they had banished made him Dictator honoured him with the Consul-ship and General of the Army under Marcus Lâ—vius command whom they disgraced And the Emperour Augustus instead of punishing Lucius Cinna who whould have attempted upon his person had such confidence in him that he not onely did not distrust him but advanced him to the Consul-ship and by that manner of proceeding so won upon him that he was ever after very faithfull and very affectionate to all which concerned him Mens inclinations are not irrecoverable and they who have heretofore been incendiaries may turn to be faithfull servants Whence it comes that the Rule which ought to be followed in distrusting of men is that it be not with excesse not totally and absolutely to lay by and reject all who have been culpable of evil management but to examine the true cause of their disorder whether their fault were committed by inclination or accident if the occasion which induced them be removed or not and whether there be good ground to beleeve that their vertue hath been set right and amended after their bad disposition judging so much the more favourably of those who are reputed vertuous because the integrity of a Prince and his principal Minister of State is judged by the Qualities and Conditions of those Officers whom they imploy but withall still retaining a power to curb their evil conduct if they abuse that confidence which it had of them The Garde de Seaux d' Haligre is advanced to the charge of Chancellor of France by the death of Monsieur de Sillery FOrtune having made way by the disgrace of the Marquess de la Vieville for the advancement of these two Councellors of State death would also take its turn to shew its power giving occasion by the decease of Monsieur de Sillery to advance Monsieur Le garde de Seaux de Haligre to the charge of Chancellour of Franch This great man was laid a sleep in his Tomb after he had been known for one of the prime spirits of his time both in matters of his Counsel the Seal and his own particular importment whence it happened that the disgrace which befell him not long before by those bad Offices which the Marquess de la Vieville did him who was not able to indure that any mans discretion should over shadow him was but a Triumph to his vertue He was removed by the Artifices of that Minister to go spend the rest of his days at his house of Sillery that he might be eased of the trouble of the world He made known both to his confident friends who visited him and to such with whom he held an inter-course by Letters that this change wrought not upon his Constancy and that his disgrace did not at all alter the temper of his mind He told them that he had alwaies held it for a maxime to consider Accidents by their true cause which is the divine Providence and seeing that no man ought to repine at that which he is forced to suffer it were but reasonable to conform our wills to those orders which are established here upon earth that he was not ignorant how that huge multitude which follows those men who are in great places doth not follow so much their persons as their fortunes and that the solitude wherein he now was made him find it so by experience that he did not think he had the fewer friends in having so few Visitants that in fine he in-joyed a great liberty such a one as he had never tasted in his most honourable imployments that the sweetnesse which he found in it invited him to lament their condition who were still bound to such Slaveries And that lastly the preferred his disgrace before the highest dignty It was a middest such prudent meditations that he entertained himself near a whole year in great content from the Court untill at last death came to put a period to his days but
length of time and delays if he had not been pressed by those Protestations which were several times represented to him That the King his Master after he had imployed all the means of a Treaty to no purpose would have recourse to those to his Arms without any more ado to obtain that by force which was denied to the justice of his Reasons His Holiness being thus hard put to it would willingly have delivered up the Forts into the hands of the Valtolines but one thing which hindred him was he would be re-imbursed of those Charges which he had expended for their preservation during the deposit The Spaniards offering to give him satisfaction in it did invite him to deliver them up to them But the Sieur de Bethune making him the same proffers from the King did so puzzle him that afterwards he could not deliver up the Forts to one without offending the t'other and without making a breach between them Now to dis-ingage himself from these broyls he made divers Proposals but all tending to delays the Sieur de Bethune acquainting the King therewith received express Order not to consent to any expedient of that nature and rather to press his Holiness to leave the Fort in the Spaniards hands then to use any longer delays because his Majesty was fully resolved not to let the year pass away without somewhat of Action and in case he could get no other determinate resolution that he should write to the Marquess Coeuures presently to enter with an Army upon the Valtoline Politick Observation IT is usual with Princes who are Mediators of Peace between other Soveraigns to amuse those Embassadours which are with them upon that accompt with divers new Proposals which themselves judge not to be feasible When they find things hard to be concluded on they hope that time may in fine produce some agreeable overture both to one and t'other which may induce them to lay down their Arms or else they indeavour by this means to give time to him whom they would incline to favour to draw his forces together and put himself into a posture of defence In such Encounters an Embassadour ought to be both Prudent and Stout Prudent he ought to be that he may dive into the qualities and consequences of such Propositions as shall be made unto him either to reject them if inconvenient or to make appear that it is on good grounds he doth not accept of them Couragious too he ought to be to maintain his Masters Interests with strong Reasons and Generosity without fear of being importunate and without making a scruple of speaking out when need requires If he discovers any weaknesse ir-resolution and dulness of Soul if he be slow in finding out expedients or do not well discuss such propositions as are made to him he cannot escape the censure of the World on the contrary he will gain the more honour if by his vivacity address and vigour he shall effect with ease those affairs which otherwise would be intricate and Thorny and free his Country from Wars and allay the exasperations of his enemies and in fine reduce the most obstinate to be governed by the Rules of Reason It wâ—ll be an act of Prudence in him not to bewray the least apprehensions of fear to see his Master ingaged in a War which if he should his enemies would soon make advantage of it on the contrary he ought rather to imitate the resolution of Quintus Fabius who being sent from the Romans to the Carthaginians presently told them that he should be most glad if there might be any expedient found out for an accommodation which would be for the good of both parties if it might not be he there presented them too Gages one of Peace and t'other of War that they might chuse which they pleased He will be much blamed who suffers himself to be amused with frivolous Proposals made onely to gain time as it befell the Embassadours of Dyonisius the Tyrant who being sent to the Syracusian to treat a Peace were entertained by Dion General of their Army with several specious Propositions but without any conclusion until he had re-edified a good part of the Wall by which the Town should have been taken and then had no other answer but this That the Syracusians could make no Peace with Dyonisius unless hee renounced the Soveraignty and content himself with some meaner Honours An Embassadour ought sometimes to excite and press that Prince with whom he treats when he cannot draw any reason from him and if his Instances shall be looked upon as importunities by him yet his master will esteem them for marks of his Courage and Fidelity however such remembrances ought to be with respective honour due to Persons of Quality For being a little toucht they rouze up themselves but if provoked by offences they run into extremities An Embassadour of Genoa did heretofore suggest as much to Galeas Duke of Milan by a witty invention when he was so obstinate that he could not procure so much as Audience from him he presented him among other things a Vessel on which he had laid a Basil-plant the Duke was surprized at it and knowing not what it signified sent to know the Embassadours meaning the Embassadour willingly waited on him and told him that the Genoveses were as all other Princes like that Plant which if a little rubbed in the hand sends forth a very sweet smell but if pressed untill the juyce come out it breeds Scorpions thus he obtained much of what he desired by this means To be short Kings are of that humour that if an Embassadour should be so inconsiderate as to domineer and use outragious speeches it would onely breed Scorpions that is Bloody Wars by provoking of their anger but if he be Prudent and Generous to press with dexterity and moderation they will become sensible and be reduced in fine to whatsoever shall reasonably be desired from them The Marquess de Coevures is sent to the Cantons of the Swisses for the Grisons affairs THE orders in this negotiation were executed with a great deal of Prudence and Courage however all would not do to obtain any reason from the Spaniards who never want opportunities of making advantages out of the rediousness of a Treaty The Cardinal who knew of old all their tricks advised the King not to stand dallying upon the means of a Treaty as formerly but forthwith to make use of his Arms to reduce them to terms of Justice This way of proceeding was much different from those which had heretofore been used the intent of it being to raise up the Renown and Reputation of the French amongst strangers to make no difficulty of taking up their Arms to obstruct the enterprizes of the house of Austria rather then to suffer their allies to be longer oppressed the Ruine of whom would undoubtedly shake the Foundations of this Empire it self This Generous resentment was concurrent with his Majesties inclination so that
he resolved to send the Marquess de Coevures into Swizzerland at the same time that the Sieur de Bethune was dispatched towards Rome There were two Instructions delivered to him by the first he was ordered to re-unite all the Swisse Cantons with his Majesty to dispose the Catholicks to give their assent to the Treaty of Madrid and to espy if in this re-union there might not some way be found out for to re-place the Grisons into the Soveraignty of the Valtonine The second was to be kept private if the first took effect else he was commanded to incourage the Grisons to rise who should receive assistance from his Majesty of such Troops as should be necessary according to such orders as should be received there went with the Marquess all the Grisons Captains who were at that time in the Swiss Regiment who were thought most able to be made use of in the Valtoline to fish out any thing which might be thought proper to be known and to give intelligence to the Marquess of those Countries But that which was the best guide of all was to see six hundred and sixty thousand Livres pass in a Convoy to be distributed some part amongst the Swisses upon whose natures nothing hath so great an influence as mony and the other part upon the first expences of the war if there should be any occasion to begin it Upon his comming into Swisserland he found the Spaniards had made strong Parties there so that it was impossible for him on the sudden to open the peoples eyes that they might see how they precipitated themselves into their own ruine He imployed the Sieurs de Mesnim du Mesnil to negotiate with them in smal Assemblies and presently after his arrival he went to Baden but it was with little success untill the General meeting in August at Souleur In the ixterim he laboured very diligently to gain the Principal Captains either by distributing the Kings money amongst them or by instilling such other reasons as might be able to move them To the Catholicks he gave assurances that his Majesty did not interess himself for the re-stating the Grisons in the government of the Valtoline but withall necessary conditions for the exercise of the Catholick Religion which made those suspicions which had been infused by the Spaniards to vanish As for the Interest of the Church and the good of their State it was evidently demonstrated to them that the losse of the Valtoline would presently be followed by that of the three Grisons which were inleagued together and of which the Arch-Duke Leopold had already gotten a good part That after the dis-uniting of those confederates the Spaniard being master of the Passages would not much trouble himself about those little Cantons which brought into them a great profit and made them upon that score very considerable In brief that it would quickly be easie for to invade their Country and that he would the sooner attempt it for that he did not want any pretensions to intitle himself to the Mastery of it These important reasons strenthened with the payment of their Pensions did so shake some of the Cantons that those of Berne and Zurich did first consent that there should be souldiers levied for the King and such Provisions of Ammunition as every place should require But the Martquess chief endeavour was at the Assembly at Souleur where he shewed a Master-peece of Prudence speaking very highly of his Masters name and succours and making use of the mony which he had brought with him both together served him to good purpose for obtaining of them if not all yet the most part of his desires The Catholicks accorded to ratifie the Treaty of Madrid declaring however that they did not intend to become bound to recover the Valtoline by force Then he got such assurances as himself liked from those of Berue and Zurich for the Levies of those Souldiers which they had promised and withall got it to be approved by all the Cantons onely that of Souleur excepted which by the means of Ladnoyer Rool's Faction refused to declare it self It is true the Catholicks consented to it but upon condition onely it were for France but there was a little more then so intended in it for the Marquess demanded them for the service of his Master and of his Allies without openly declaring that it was for the Grisons In Prosecution of time and not hoping to procure any greater assistance he began to prepare all things to enter with an Army upon the Valtoline but however it was after he had informed his Majesty of the condition of affairs amongst the Grisons where the Sieur de Landâ—e de Vaux imployed by his Majesty had put things into a very good posture and untill he had received his Majesties expresse orders and commands Politick Observation COmmonwealthâ— especially Popular are hardly perswaded to any great undertakingâ— they are naturally so in love with Peace That there is not any Warre how glorious or profitable soever which they would prefer before it Princes are capable of being ingaged upon divers considerations either for the love which they bear to their Allies or out of a sense of honour which they are commonly touched with or out of an apprehension of what may follow or out of such jealousie as a puissant Neighbour may oblige them to have or by neernesse of blood or by the compassion which they have of others miseries and the Ambition to become Protectors of their States But Republicks are not touched with any of these considerations All such as are called to a Common Councel think of nothing but their own particular Interest and they imagine that whatsoever hinders the injoyment of their Revenue or stops their Commerce or their Labors as War is a greater and more considerable evil then any others which you can make them sensible of and they can be drawn to nothing but in case of absolute desperate extremity Not but that there may be amongst the people some Souls and Courages more daring then others but as most voices carries it not their merit who advise it so they are no more regarded then Reason is when as a multitude of different Passions entertain the Will upon some pernicions object It is to no purpose for a man to attempt to shew them any consequences which may happen in future for their spirits have not a thing so noble as to look further then the time present they are sensible of nothing but what is beaten into them and they will much sooner be perswaded to beleeve that Fortune who they thinks disposeth of all humane affairs because themselves want wit to govern them will defend them from those evils which they are threatned with then be induced to take their own defences by Force of Amrs. Moreover their closer covetous homou abhominates any thoughts of expences without which War cannot be maintained and the noise of Guns and Drums onely do so beat their
entred without any resistance but he having first given the Allarum to the Town he who commanded the Fort had the leisure to put himself into a Posture of defence and to shut the Gate but the Sieur de Soubize did not long keep the Town in his power for the Duke of Vendosm then Governour of Brittain hearing of it presently sent to all the Nobility of the Province with order to bring all the men they could every one of which came with great diligence The Duke of Vendosm comming Post found that the Sieur de Querrollin entred into the Fort with store of Souldiers Victuals and Ammunition The Duke of Rets and Brissac came at the same instant of time as also those Gentlemen who were in a condition thereabouts and the chief amongst them being in Counsel together it was concluded to build a new Fort just over against the old one with intent to batter the Ships of the Sieur de Soubize and to sink those with more ease which he should attempt to carry out of the Port as also to assault the Town in six several places The Fort was finished in a trice and a Battery presently Planted but as soon as ever the Town should have been assaulted both he and his Souldiers forsook the place Withall to bring the design to a good passe they played with their shot day and night upon the Ships where he was and the Cannon did such execution that he was forced to hoise Sail which he did by the help of a dark night and a strong wind which carried him over the Cables that were overthwart the Port though the Cannon indeed sunk the best of the Duke of Nevers Ships and forced four of the greatest on Shore at the mouth of the Port which were taken and in fine he sled towards Rochel who were not behind hand as also the whole body of the Hugonots to disown it by their Deputies and by their Declarations which they sent the King Politique Observation IT is a dangerous Deficiency in Governours of Provinces not to keep good watch and ward in times of Peace upon places of importance especially on the Sea-Coast and such States as are subject to be agitated with Civil Wars For what neglect is committed in this point doth much help and assist those who would imbroyl things and who may come by Sea upon a sudden to surprize them Holy Writ tels us That they of the Tribe of Dan being informed that the Inhabitants of Laish were secure and suspected nothing went assaulted them took their Town without resistance put them all to the Sword and burned their City Did not Francis the first upon his expedition into Italy and by the surprize of Villa Franca teach all Governours of all Places that there is no consideration whatever can exempt them from alwaies being upon their Guards and that it is without reason that they think themselves secure either by the strength of their Fortifications or by the far distance of their enemies For Prospero Collonna who commanded that Town and making merry without the least suspicion upon confidence that the King was far enough off from him was surprised by the Sieur de Palisse which he heard not of before he saw him in his Quarters It is true he himself might be excused in regard his Sentinels were taken and that some of the Inhabitants held Intelligence with the Sieur de la Palisse but however the whole misfortune was laid in his dish though he was a brave Commander yet he was much blamed it being not permitted to a man of that condition to say I did not think I was in any danger For this very reason it was that Iphicrates one of the Athenians most renowned Captains would have his Army alwaies upon their guard or in a posture to fight during times of Peace in the same manner as if in the heat of War and he answered some who misliked his curiosity that one ought alwaies to suspect who would not be surprized Indeed vigilance is one of the most necessary qualities for a Governour of a Place he ought to esteem that the honour which he hath in commanding to be but a glorious servitude That in Commanding all he is bound to watch for all that he remember Governments are called charges and that the name of Charge which he hath ought to teach him that it is a burthen committed to his Prudence and that the place which is intrusted with him is not barely recommended to him but he to the place to be guarded and conserved with his best care Anno Dom. 1625. EVERY one takes delight in the Spring time to consider the Face of the World when as the hand of God guides the Sun a little nearer to us to behold that fair Star establishing a serenity and calmnesse in the ayr before troubled with Tempests to see the Earth replenished with a thousand Ornaments of Beauty before languishing and quite decayed by the bitternesse of Winter and to view Plenty introduced in the room of Barrennesse which the Hoar Frosts and Snows had left behind them But how much more delightfull was it to look upon France presently after it had pleased his Majesty to advance the Cardinal to the Government of Affairs who like a Sun which should be the greatest instrument of his glory began to re-assume his ancieat Splendour and to dispel by little and little those causes of Civil Wars which did every year renew themselves in the State to set bounds to the ambition of strangers and to establish such an order under the Kings authority which is not onely the happiest but most Illustrious of all other Kingdomes The increase of glory which his Majesty every day gave to this Minister did serve to augment his courage and raised new lights in his Soul subtilized his Prudence and furnished him with occasions to demonstrate to the World that he was amongst those Ministers of whom History gives us such commendations to be as the Cedar amongst the Hysop He could not be enough admired seeing his whole life was nothing but a Publick imployment and who absolutely renouncing the idle voluptuousnesse of several other Favourites who seem to think on no other thing then to indulge themselves with those favours which fortune presents to them had his mind without any intermission still affixed upon high designs tending to the glory and Grandure of his Master He knew that immoderate unseasonable delights did rob Ministers of State of a thousand fair opportunities That it is impossible to serve the Publick and injoy the pleasures of this life he made open profession he had none but such as were necessary for an honest diversion and certainly if pleasures could not bewitch him interest nor profit could never Charm him or get any power over his Will Honour was the chief aim which he proposed in all his actions which he sought for in his Masters glory and he scorned all profit which did keep him off from it But that
supply them as long as need shall require I suppose that these are the original Sources from whence do flow those most dangerous mis-fortunes which threaten France and I imagine if your Majesty can but drayn them up there is nothing more to fear But on the contrary all sort of Prosperity and Glory to your Majesties Crown much to be hoped for The Attempt which the Sieur de Soubize made upon Blavet whilest you were succouring the Grisons testified sufficiently to your Majesty that those of their Party would take all advantages whensoever your Forces should be entertained in Forrrign parts Those Civil Wars which the Princes do yearly renew are those which reduce your Majesty to that weaknesse that you cannot enterprise any thing abroad nourishing the people in disobedience and giving means to the Grandees to partake of that honour with your Majesty which is onely due to your Majesties Scepter In the same manner the Usurpations which the House of Austria makes upon all the neighbours of France will in fine give them means to usurp that too at least strenuously to attempt it if your Majesty maketh not timely opposition In fine the small number of exercised Companies which are ordinarily on foot and the small Revenues in the Treasury do reduce your Majesty to that impotency of resisting strangers abroad or revolts at home Therefore my chief advice is that your Majesty would give orders accordingly and doe perswade my self you will soon see France change its countenance and become as terrible to strangers as they have boldly offended it This Counsel was a rare and strange effect of his Prudence which had discovered the true causes of France mis-fortune The King whose Soul is truly Royal understood the sageness of it and having discoursed with him more at large he resolved to do accordingly as we shall in the prosecution of this year Politick Observation THere is no one sign more certain of a decaying State then to see a Minister take no other care then to make it subsist in a lazy Peace for as States ruine themselves by Wars rashly undertaken so they weaken themselves by idleness The greatest Monarchs which are governed without some high designs of inlarging themselves have never continued any long time without mis-fortune and that fair weather in which one strives to keep them is a Presage of a dangerous turn They who think on nothing but Peace do by little and little unawares weaken them and reduce them to impotencie then soften and alter the temper of the couragious youth by idlenesse and want of Imployment and by this means leave them for a Prey to Forrainers who make themselves strong in Arms. Have not heretofore the Romans entertained Wars with their Enemies knowing it to be needfull to keep their Souldiers in breath and to prevent growing sloth which commonly breeds greater inconveniences with it as also to vent the violent heats of the youth who wanting imployments fly out into Rebellions and Civil Wars It is said to bee for this reason that Edward the third concluding the Treaty at Bresigni would by no means comprehend the Treaty of Britain And that Philip the Fair made his Son John passe the Sea that he might exercise his Arms. And who knoweth not that if Henry the 2d after the Peace Anno 1509. had imployed the French Arms abroad with strangers and opposed the Ambition of the House of Austria by carrying his Armies out of France the State had not been so afflicted with Civil Wars which were upon the point of destroying it It is not the Property of humane Affairs to subsist long in the same degree and who attempts so to conserve it designs an impossibility States like those who float upon the Waters are in continual motion and that Minister who hath not courage enough to raise a State to a higher Pitch of Glory shall soon see it unravelled to nothing when he would stop there he will find it sliding back How can a Kingdom be kept in the same Condition when all its neighbours have their Arms in their hands to go still onwards and seeing whoever is content to see Forrainers increase their Power shal soon see himself exposed as a Prey to their Ambition That Minister commits a great fault who doth not consider what is within the compasse of a State seeing the Grandure of a Soveraign doth not onely consist in his own Forces but in the ruine of his enemies and that his greatest Power is in their greatest weaknesse He ought not to be lesse circumspect in opposing any Forraign Usurpation then in eying his Masters own subjects and to keep them in obedience who neglects one or t'other shall soon see his master exposed to dangerous storms his authority despised his power weakned by the strength of strangers and his Kingdom assaulted by his enemies New Orders sent to the Marquess de Coevures to prosecute his Conquests in the Valtoline WE have seen about the end of the last year the resolution which his Majesty took to assist the Grisons oppressed by the House of Austria and to send the Marquis of Coeuvres to them with an Army to recover the Valtoline I shall now proceed to add that looking upon those just considerations which I shall now tell you proposed by the Cardinal to his Majesty necessitated the dispatching several commands to the Marquiss de Coeuvres to advance and prosecute the conquest so happily begun The Marquis not to lose any oportunity took time by the forelocâ— and making advantages as the conjuncture of affaires did offer and according to his Majesties orders and instructions he reduced in the three first moneths of this yeare all the places were they never so little considerable which had been seized upon in the Valtoline as also in the Avenues the Fort of Rive only excepted bearing a great respect to the Popes Ensignes which were never so much as touch'd He began this conquest about December in the last yeare by the taking in of Planta Mala and Tyran and in the beginning of this he prosecuted it with so good success that every place was under his Majesties obedience After the reducing of Tiran the Army drew towards Fondrio which Town surrendred at first summons but the Castle was fain to be battered with the Cannon and a breach being made they were obliged to force it and carry it by assault which they did with such advantage that there were only six of the Kings souldiers killed in it This strook such a terror into the Towns of Morbeigne Travona and Orbino that they sent their Deputies to render themselves But he following his course towards Bormio a Frontier of Tyrol he assaulted it and found more resistance then in any other place whether it were because the place was well fortified or because they within had resolved to defend it he took the paines to plant some Cannons upon a Battery and to make a breach for an assault but they seeing themselves a small
his Counsels of making himself absolute Master of Italy it being most probable that who so once seizeth on the dore would likewise enter upon the whole house It being thus manifestly necessary to oppose the progress of this ambitious design it could not be better effected then by the assaulting of Genoa which is the onely Port of entrance on this side of the Alps which being shut up and preventing his ingress on that side he could hardly bring in any Troops at all especially if the Forts of the Valtoline were no longer in his possession Withall the State of Genoa did not onely serve the Spaniards as an Inlet into Italy but also to convey souldiers into Germany and the Low Countries and for a Mine from whence they extracted good store of mony so that the depriving them of it would be no small weakning to him These were the true reasons which invited the King to this attempt which were so just that it appeared lawfull that State being the onely Flower which the negligence of some of our Kings have suffered to be pulled out of this Crown and the Spaniard could have no more reason to complain of his Majesties entring upon Genoa which was under their Kings Protection then the King of France had to lament his seizure of the Valtoline of which his Majesty of France had had the Protection for many years together The King was necessitated to make use of the Duke of Savoy in this affair both that he might have free passage thither and also furnish himself by that means of Cannon and provisions for the Army The Cardinal perswaded the King to make him chief of the expedition whereby the more to ingage him All this was dispatched in a conference had with him at Suze by the Constable of Lesdigâ—ieres The Marshal de Crequis returned to the Court after October in the last year to give an accompt to his Majesty of what might be expected from him and the Sieur de St. Gerry was sent back to the Duke and Constable with those resolutions which had been concluded on in relation to their Proposals and with order to the Constable to raise forces necessary for the design The Duke was the more inclined to it seeing the injuries which the Genoeses had done him but lately were a just cause to begin a War He declared in his Manifest that they had destroyed the limits which parted the Lands of Genoa and Piedmont and had incroached upon his Territories that they had violently taken away the Fee of Zuccarel and withall offered indignities to his Effigies as a mark of the hatred which they did bear him These just offences did oblige him to resent them but he being too weak to carry on a War against them where he should quickly find the Spaniard in the head of them was very glad of the Kings assistance and willingly accepted of the honour of commanding in chief all such Forces as should be sent which being thus contrived they could onely passe under the notion of Auxiliaries And if it were honourable for the Duke to be the head of such an enterprise it was not lesse advantagious for the King to raise by this means a diversion able to find work for all the Powers of the House of Austria without making an absolute breach with them The Cessation preserved at that time the Forts in the Valtoline and ingaged the Duke by so many Interests and concerns in the War that it was impossible for him to fall off or be unfaithfull and not find his own ruine in it And the Cardinals counsel in this particular passed for an effect of his incomparable Prudence These things being thus concluded on and orders given out accordingly the King commanded the Marshal de Crequis to return back to the Constable of Lesdiguierres with further confirmation of what ever had formerly been sent to him by the Sieur de St. Gerry in order to his Proposals It would not have been amiss to have ingaged the Venetians in this design which was attempted but Common-wealths are so long and so hardly induced to resolve upon any great affair that it was done without them The Constable passed over the hills about the beginning of the year with ten thousand foot and two thousand horse and there met with the Marshal On the second of February the whole body of the Army consisted of five and twenty thousand foot and four thousand horse every one ready to march about the end of February which strook such a terrour into Rome that the Pope and the most part of them knew not what to think of it but apprehending that they should shortly see all Italy in a flame of War and fearing lest the sparkles of them might fall on them and consume that sweet repose which they then injoyed Politique Observation JT is great Prudence in a King who would enterprize a forraign War to make himself sure of that Prince which is nearest the Country he would assault it was for this reason that Scipio designing to carry the War in Affrica against the Carthaginians procured a League to be made between the Romans and Cyphax but as it is a thing very difficult to keep Princes Confederates in a War any long time together in which they have little interest So it is a great peece of Wisdome to make him chief of it when a design cannot be executed without him by reason he is master of the passages and it is from him onely that recruits can be had as also Ammunitions of War for the subsistance of the Army To avoid the ordinary mis-fortunes of Leagues it were necessary that those Princes with whom one doth ingage were obliged by other tyes then those of Fidelity which is due to their words and if it be so important for all Allies it is much more necessary for him Had Lewis the Moor Duke of Milan been touched with this fear and beleeved he could not have broke off the Alliance with France without losing his Estate he had never been worse then his word with those of our Kings who had not carried their Arms into Italy but upon the assurance he had given him of his Fidelity And who seeth not that the King that doth thus hath an advantage of assaulting his enemy without making an absolute breach with him He hath an advantage very considerable seeing it serves him to put his own Estates in safety and that he doth ingage that Prince so much the more strictly whom he makes chief of his design to keep his word with him because if he once break off he may freely abandon him and suffer him to perish under his enemies Arms without putting himself to the trouble of making a Treaty of Peace or breaking the Laws of Alliance which do not oblige to any further assisting of him who hath once broke his word The Pope sends the Cardinal Barberine in the quality of a Legate into France to negotiate the Peace between his Majesty and
the King of Spaine THE Pope who is equally qualified with the Title of Common Father to Christian Princes as well as that of Soveraign Bishop was much displeased to see the war was upon the point of flaming out both in France and Italy The condition of France mooved him with pitty it being both against the Church as well as against the Kings authority but besides that this piety did not make him less sensible of the War in Italy He had some apprehensions to for his own States doubting lest they after those of Genoua might become the Scene of this Tragedy this was it which obliged him to send a Legate into France and Spaine or into some other neuter place where the two Kings Deputies might be found to negotiate a Peace as the Cardinal of Florence was heretofore sent to treate a peace at Vervins and Aldobrandine for the Peace of Savoy His Holiness spoke of it to the Sieur de Bethune as a thing which he had resolved on and told him that he desired to make use of one of his own house for this employment and that he would willingly prefer his desires and that the affections which he had for peace more then any other He presently proposed to him his Brother the Cardinal de Saint Onufra to which the Sieur de Bethune only answered that he was very capeable of the Legation But that they that have been so long in a Cloyster living in such an extraordinary Piety as he did would commonly judge by the rules of devotion which being so it might happen that he would not consider at all the affair of the Valtoline more then by the specious pretext which the Spaniards had given out for their invasion and thus considering all in a spiritual way without regarding those interests of state which would happen there could hardly be found all the necessary qualifications to make the peace between the people who should be interessed it it It was said in few words and no reply on the one side or the other The Pope then having changed his discours soon after alter'd his design and proposed to send the Cardinal Barberin his Nephew who earnestly desired to be imployed in this negotiation and to make the voyage between France and Spain Although the Sieur de Bethune honoured him as one of the most virtuous Cardinals of the Consistory yet he knew that he wanted experience in affairs to negotiate this business Besides finding the Spaniards indisposed to renounce the passages of the Valtoline he easily concluded that the voyage would be to no purpose but however looking upon the inclination of him to this voyadge he would not testify to his Holiness that he misliked his choyse only upon the first motion of it he expostulated it with his Holiness and represented how much it troubled him that his Holiness should give this commission to a Person who being so neerly related to him could not but be very dear to him thinking that the consideration of that one thing would work more with him then all others and then he added to the intent his journey might be the shorter that it would be proper to draw up and agree upon those points with the Spanish Ambassadour in which the greatest difficulties were contained without which finding the business all confused and undigested either in France or Spaine it would of necessity follow that he must be a long whiles absent from the Court But the Pope who had been propossessed by the Cardinal his Nephew who took a singuler delight to please him took no notice of it and a few dayes after conveened an Extraordinary Consistory to deliver him a Legats Crosse and caused him to be conducted in Pontificalibus by all the Cardinals out of the gates of Rome according to the usual custome They who had been upon the same employments before him return'd back to Rome for a few dayes that he might take orders for their occasions but did not appear on any publique employments The great affection which the new Legat had to the journey made him prolong it no more then one day so that he set out immediately punctually observing his Holiness command of using an extraordinary industry to prevent the progresse of the war in Italy to administer on his part the offices of a Common Father by procuring a Peace between the Kings of France and Spaine Politick Observation IT is no lesse Glorious then profitable to the Pope to mediate Peace between Princes one of the best and noblest properties of the Sun is to establish such a Temperature and moderation amongst the divers and sundry Elements that they may all subsist together and contribute to the preservation of the universe for without this as the Naturalists have observed the Elementary World would revers to it's first nothing by reason of the disharmony which would remain between them Just so the moderation which the Popes who are in the Church as the Sun in Heaven shall use amid'st the broyls and wars which shall at any time arise amongst Christian Princes is a work which contributeth to their great glory and splendor If it be honourable to them it cannot be lesse advantageous to seeing their authority is never so considerable as in times of Peace and that their Oracles are no more heard or regarded in war then a civil Magistrats command amidst a mutiny or insurrection Certainly nothing can so well befit them as this they having the honour to be Christs vicars here on earth who took the flesh upon him that he might bring peace to all the world which also he recommended to his Apostles as the thing he would have most cheriâ—hed Thus to do is to follow the glorious footsteps of their Master this is to follow his intentions and to prosecute the ways which he hath prescribed but that they may effectually instil this moderation into the minds of Princes they must needs dis-roab their own selves of all sort of interest For as the Sun if he were clothed about with any of the Elementary qualities would not be able to reduce them to a moderate temper so the Popes cease to be any longer entrusted by Princes when once they take part with any particular interest for who so once appears partial is no longer fit to be credited or to make any proposal which will not be suspected Father Berule arriveth at Rome to obtain the dispence for the Lady Henrietta Maria of France to be married with the Prince of Wales LET us give leave to Cardinal Barbarin to make his journy into France we shall anon overtake him at the Court and take notice of what passed in his negociation Let us now speak of another important Affair which was treated on in the Court of Room for Madam the Kings Sister we have already told you about the end of the forgoing yeer that the match with the Prince of Wals being concluded Father Berule was sent to Room to procure a disperse for it where
already made in respect of Religion the Princess and her servants and the Liberties of the English Catholiques and seeing that this new Oath was comprised too in some sort in the first Oath That there was sufficient provision made both in relation to Religion and Liberty of Conscience for her Domestiques and Children seeing they were to remain mayn with the Princess as well as the children which being so it would of nenessity follow that there could be no trouble brought on them in respect of their Religion He told him likewise that the King his Master being bound to his Holiness for the observation of those things which should be agreed to by the King of Great Brittain was an assurance not lesse valid then that of an heretique King That his Majesty had commanded him to supplicate his Holiness with all earnestness and not rest barely there but to tell him that his Holiness was the more obliged to grant him his request seeing he begged the confirmation of it rather out of respect then necessity seeing that several famous Doctors were of opinion that Catholiques in Heretiques Countries might freely contract Mariages without any dispense These were the chief reasons which the Sieur de Bethune represented to his Holiness and likewise to the Cardinals who were deputed in the businesse of the dispense They soon apprehended the Justice and importance of them and testified a great readinesse to do that which was desired of them The Pope sent word to the Cardinals that they should give a quick dispatch to the business that he desired to give the King all the satisfaction he could wish for both that he might acknowledg those great benefits which his Majesty had procured to the Church as also because he knew there could not any other thing be desired from those of England Accordingly they met together and concluded on it as the King desired and dispatched it with a great deal of diligence to the Nontio that it might be delivered to the King who as quickly gave intelligence of it to the King of Great Britain Politick Observation JT is not ever expedient in a design to propose the utmost advantage it being sometimes necessary to leave a little to be hoped for from time No Affair can oblige to the making of Resolutions contrary to honour and justice but several things may intervene to obstruct the effecting of all that might conduce to the good of a great Enterprize He who doth not take this truth for a rule in his Conduct will be subject to commit great faults and will in it Proclaim aloud to the World That he is ignorant of the many difference between Gods and Mans Will he doing whatsoever best pleases him but the latter is obliged to necessities and bound to proportionate his resolution according to the Possibility of things Thus though it be allowed such men on whom the dispatch of Affairs dispends to raise up some scruples and difficulties whereby to enhance the price and esteem of the thing doing it being usual with most men little to regard those Offices which are granted with ease yet when it is once evident that the present time and conjuncture of Affairs will not consist with the longer denial of what is desired from them they then ought to comply and apply themselves to the effecting of it For what refuse they shall afterwards make will appear rather to proceed from a spirit of contradiction then that of Prudence The death of James King of Great Brittain and the Mariage between the Prince of Wals his Son and the Madam Henrietta Maria of France DUring the negotiation for the dispense King James of Great Brittain fell very sick at Theobalds twelve miles distant from London After he had passed over three weekes with a Tertian Ague which weakned him exceedingly much he caused the Prince of Wals his Son to come unto him and discoursed to him with a great deale of reason and recommended to him those Officers who had faithfully served him But especially his little grand children the Infants of the Electrix Palatine his daughter encouraging him to make use of that power which he should leave him for the re-establishing of them in their Fathers Dominions and then finding himself declining into his Agony he gave him his blessing wishing him a happy prosperous and successful enjoyment of those Kingdoms which he should shortly leave to him About the end of March he died at which instant the Heralds according to the custom of England proclaymd the Prince of Wals King of Great Britain who presently took the ordering of all affairs upon him He having a great desire to be married the first thing he did was to dispatch full power to the Duke de Chevreuse to betroth and espouse the Princess in his name The King too desired to see an end of the businesse so that upon the first arrival of that power the execution of it was no longer deferred The Betrothments were made in the Lovre on the eight of May in the presence of the King the Queens all the Princes and great Lords of the Court by the Cardinal de la Rochfaucaud who likewise celebrated the Marriage Ceremonies on the Sunday following being the eleventh of May in the Church of Nostre Dame in the quality of Great Almoner I shall not need to relate with what magnificence these things were done only I shall say nothing was omitted The Espousals were made upon a Theater raised for the purpose over the great door of the Church Then the Masse was said with great Ceremony where the King and three Queens were assistants Though the Duke of Chevreuse and the Extraordinary Ambassadors of England were not there who after they had wayted on his Majesty to the door of the Quier retyred to the Arch-Bishops Pallace during the Masse as representing the King of Englands Person who was of a different Religion but they went again to receive his Majesty at the same door as soon as Masse was ended and to wayt on him to the Arch-Bishops hall where the King dined with the Queens his Mother his Wife and his Sister the Duke of Chevreuse the Earles of Carlisle and Holland the Ladies Dutchesses of Guise Elboeuf and of Chevreuse with the most magnificencies that the best versed in Royal Ceremonies could invent There were Bonfiers made all the while throughout Paris and the Cannons made such a noyse as if Heaven and Earth would have come together The Duke of Buckingham is commanded by the King of Great Brittain to go over into France and to conduct the Queen his Wife over to him THese things thus past the Duke of Buckingham the King of Great Britains favorite was commanded to go into France to desire the King that the Queen his Wife might set out from the Court assoon as might be to come to him He arrived at Paris about the end of May and during that little stay which he made he was entertained with all imaginable Magnificency
be concealed from him which once comming to his knowledge he ought in a trice to dispatch forces to that very place where the Insurrection is designed to be The onely sight of them may perhaps break the neck of the whole design and if not so yet they will at least prevent the enemies Troops to joyn together and wiâ—l cut them in pieces one by one before they will be in a capacity of attempting any thing whatever Without thâ—s diligence he will soon find the State and his own reputation exposed as a Prey An Eye watching over a Scepter and the Lyon King of Beasts who sleepeth not but with oyen eyes were the Hieroglyphicks which the Egyptians made use of to expresse fore-sight and to teach Grandees that it oughâ— to be inseparable from their Authority if they would not have their people exposed to great mis-fortunes both by Domestick and Forraign Wars The Sun which governs the Elementary World in the highest Heavens goes every day from one end of them to another that hee may make all here below sensible of the Effects of his Influences and that Minister who hath a State in charge ought to imploy all his cares all his mind upon every City upon every Province and indeed upon the singular houses of every great man that he may know what is done there and apply a remedy to their contrivances Me thinks they of Syracuse gave a notable example of this kind of Conduct when they had received intelligence that the Athenians would war upon them and that they already were upon the Sea with a Puissant Fleet making towards the Coast of Sicily Hermocratâ—s a great States-man was not backward in exhorting them to give necessary Orders for their defence and to presse the Senate accordingly Whereas Athenagoras on the other side descried it as much and shewed them sundry reasons why the Athenians could not arrive to the end of their design and demonstrated to them that it was impossible indeavouring to disswade them from making any preparation of War But the Senators somewhat wiser then himself followed Hermocrates his advice and resolved to give necessary Orders for defence that they might not afterwards be forced to do it in a huddle or to continue in the danger They began to discusse the business that in case the news of the Athenians Fleet were true it would then be needfull to make some preparations if it were false those preprrations would no whit dis-advantage the City And that last of all it is better to suspect then to slight dangers but not to shew the least Fear by doing any Action unbecomming a Generous Courage The Duke of Rohans Attempts in Languedoc with the Process in the Parliament of Tholouse against him and all his Adherents ABout the same time in the end of April the Duke of Rohan having contrived several Cabals in the Hugonot Towns of Languedoc began the Warre and got together about two thousand men near Castres the chief place of his Retreat and where he had a full Power by means of those Consuls whom he had procured to be elected He gave out that the Rocheloiis had taken Arms and sworn a League with the Churches of his party that he might by this pretence get a like Interest in some other Towns which he had an eye upon and accordingly he went to Puilaurens Ruel Soreze St. Pauls Leviate Briteste and made the Consuls swear to the Confederacy afterwards came before the Gates of Lavaur to surprise it but his design took no effect The Cardinal having sent out Orders from the King to the Governours of the Provinces to fall upon him as soon as ever he should appear in the Field The Count of Carmain Governour of Foix was presently upon his skirts and impeded not onely the Progress of his Rebellion but also getting into Ruelle and Soreze after the other had forsaken them he so dealt with the Consuls that they confessed their fault and protested not to take part with him any more And as the Authority of Parliaments on such occasions ought to uphold the Courages and Fidelities of those who Conduct the Kings Armies so that of Tholouse was not wanting to command the Souldiers who were assembled with the Duke of Rohan to separate themselves and to give Orders to the Nobility and Commonalty to fall upon them to forbear all sort of Commerce with those of Castres and to translate the Royal and Ecclesiastique jurisdictions and the Receipt of the Kings Monies unto the Town of Lautrec with command to all the Judges and Officers to come thither as well to prevent the Kings monies from falling into their hands as also to preserve Justice in its Integrity and to diminish the Force and Power of that Rebellious City The same Parliament too granted an Arrest for the seizure of all the Goods any waies belonging to those who were revolted both to punish them and deter others who were ready to follow them The Half divided Chamber of Beziers half Hugonots and half Papists did as much and declared according to the Kings Edict of the 25th of January the same year the said Duke to bee guilty of Laesa Majestatis to be a troubler of the Publick Peace as also all his Abbettors and Adherents and Prohibited both Cities and particular persons to hold any communication with him and injoyning all his Majesties Subjects to fall upon any Troops that should injure them to cut them in peeces and to pull down the Houses and Castles of such Noble men as were of that Faction But the Order which the Cardinal perswaded his Majesty to send was more powerfull then all those others for the preventing the further progress of this Rebellion seeing it was accompanied with an extraordinary diligence The King sent a Commission to the Marshal de Themines whom his Majesty sent to those places to observe what passed to raise such Troops as were already in the Province and to advance such others as might form the Body of an Army which might cut off the growth of this Rebellion in its Cradle The Marshal had the Marquess de Ragny and the Count de Carmain for Marshals of the Field and that no longer time might be lost he soon after came to the place where he had designed the Rendezvouz for the whole Army and upon his way forced the Castles of Blauc and Dovac which served for Retreits to those who were revolted After the Companies were assembled together and a review taken of the whole Army he made his Forces before Castres to Plunder the Country The Sieur de Ferrieres who commanded the Rebels horse made a Salley upon the Marshal as soon as he came within view of the Town but they were forced to turn back again with more hast then he came out and not onely so but himself and three or four more of his own party were lest wounded upon the place The Pioneers and Plunderers played their parts under the Protection of the Army which
countenanced them in it and notwithstanding the many shot and skirmishes in which many were hurt and slain both of one side and t'other they did their work so exactly that there was not a Tree Vine or Stalk of Corn standing any where neer the City In this interim the Duke of Rohan attempted to become Master of Sommieres and led up his Army to it and comming thither just upon day breaking hee approached it by one of the Gates which being soon thrown down made way for his entrance but thinking to surprize the Castle too Masillac the Governour of it repelled all his Attempts with such Courage that having received the succours of ten thousand foot which the Sieur de Valensay had sent to him from Montpellier the Duke was forced to retire to Anduze where he was not well received After this the Marshal de Themines went without more adoe to besiege St. Paul and Miatte which lie upon the River Langoust between Castres and Lavaur when he had Quartered his Army before St. Paul he forced it in few dayes and rifled divers of the Inhabitants that were got into Miatte but they had small hopes of any comfort so they sent to the Marshal to desire Articles which being granted he entred and took possession of the Town But all this was nothing worth if he did not attempt to fight the Duke of Rohan and cut off his Forces so he resolved to follow him and over-taking him at Vianes in Albigeois he set the Army into Battalia to fight him The Duke was Quartrred in Vianes and about two thousand of his Foot were at Peyresequade which is at the Foot of the Mountains whereon Vianes is scituated The Count de Carmain went to view them and having reported to the Marshal the Condition in which he found them it was resolved to fight them The Marshal with his Sword in his hand marched in the Head of the Army The Marquess de Cragny and the Count of Carmain took their Stations one upon his right t'other upon his left hand and at the same instant the whole Army couragiously advanced towards the Enemy with so much Resolution that nothing more could have been wished but onely that they had made a little more resistance for that there was not one single man of them saved for whilest those who made the first encounter were at it the rest got into Vianes who were however so closely pursued by the Marshals forces that the Regiment of Normandy was hard at their heels entring into the Town with them Thus he remained Master of Peyresequade where there were about one hundred and fifty of the Rebels Souldiers killed and hurt all which the Duke of Rohan beheld from a Fort in Vianes where he then was from which time forwards he began to despair of doing any great matters for the future especially since he saw himself so closely followed and that the Cardinal had taken such a course in Languedoc that the King could have raised more men in twenty four hours then the Duke in a whole moneth Politique Observation HE who revolteth against a great King seeketh his own ruine He cannot hope for Glory from his enterprise seeing hee is neither accompanied with Prudence nor Justice and he cannot expect any profit by it for besides that the weaknesse or indeed impossibility unto which he is reduced by the quality of a subject he forceth as it were his Soveraign to punish his Rebellion by making him lose both his Life and Estate Mahomet Prince of the Turks had all Rebels in such detestation that he cut off two Falcon's heads for having stooped at an Eagle the King of Birds that he might by this teach his Subjects who durst have the rashnesse to follow that example that they must expect the like punishment for both Prudence and Justice oblige a Prince to chastise those who shall take up Arms against his authority Some Grandees puffe up themselves with the Greatnesse of Alexander who with a few Forces which he drew out of Macedon overthrew the Power of Persia as also with that of the Romans who from being at first Masters but of one City became Lords of the whole World But they ought to know that neither the one or t'other of them were presently set upon by any great Prince but extended their Power by little and little ever proportionating their Attempss to their Forces It is true Fortune and their own Courages did not a little contribute to their successes but seeing Christianity teacheth us that this same Fortune is not any thing else but divine Providence with what reason can he who revolts against his own King hope for favour from heaven whilest he doth act against the Laws and indeavoureth to subvert that order which this Divine Providence hath established in all Kingdomes The Spoil made about Mountauban by the Duke d'Espernon THE Duke of Espernon was neither wanting in the Testimonies of a good Conduct or successe in the Pillaging of Mountauban According to the Orders which he had received he made his Approaches near it about the beginning of June though there were good store of Souldiers clapped into the Town for defence of it this being next to Rochel the greatest prop of the Revolted Party His design could not be brought to any good effect untill after several skirmishes and sustaining divers Sallies out of the Town That of the fifteenth of June gave them some advantage over him for they then killed ten of his and carried with them as many Prisoners amongst whom were the Sieurs of Miraude de St. Omer but they were soundly payed with Interest too in those following conflicts especially in that of the twenty seventh of the same moneth when they left about two hundred dead besides wounded on the place and about forty prisoners shortly after the Duke caused a fair Meadow to be mowed about a quarter of a League from the Town to draw out the Rebels but they had not the Courage to make any more Sallies as as yet But understanding that the Duke had layed up good store of Corn about a League off they contrived to surprize it by the help of a dark night hoping that it would fall out for their advantage Now some Scouts of the Dukes about the Town having perceived what passed gave intelligence of their being gone out so they were quickly snapt The Fight indeed was hot but at last la Roche who commanded them being hurt with three Carabine shot and taken Prisoner too they presently fled and left about one hundred dead and wounded on the place Insomuch that not being able to Reap any Wheat or Hay thereabouts so exactly had every thing been Pillaged that at last they began to bee in very great necessities Politique Observation AMongst the several wayes to reduce a Rebellious Town under Obedience the devastation of al fruits which are upon the earth neer thereabouts is one of the best and most absolute The Losses which the Rich receive
to fight gave the signal and fell upon them the Seamen were so dexterous that they got the wind of them in lesse then two hours there were above two thousand shot made and though the night came on yet the Fight ended not for the Duke perceiving nine of the greatest Ships retiring towards Rochel pursued them with such good successe that hee came up with them about day break and two others of their biggest Ships were not able to get off for want of water and so stuck on ground but long they did not so continue before they were taken It is true those of the Army who were got upon the Orelop and having killed all they met with the Souldiers who were in the Hold set fire to the Powder and blew up all above with such force that the Splinters of it were carried a quarter of a League off three of the Kings Ships were burned with it and above three hundred men lost amongst which were the Count of Vauvert the Sieur de Ville Neufeu and Veilon a Captain of Holland This accident did much take off from the content of the Victory yet it cannot be denied but that it was glorious enough for the happinesse of France in reducing the Rebels to that passe that they could not any more make any attempts by Sea Thus the rest of their Vessels which were of no great consequence retired some to Rochel and some into other places according as the Wind did drive them but never durst afterwards appear any more These things thus ended the Duke of Montmorancy landed at Oleron where he met with no resistance the Sieur de Soubize having withdrawn himself into England so that the whole Province was setled in quiet both by Sea and Land of all which his Majesty was very certainly informed who received the newes with much joy Politick Observation WHatever joys or delights Fortune insinuateth into those who revolt yet it is usually seen that all their designs end in ill success Experience hath made it often manifest that such Crimes seldome go unpunished and that Heaven hath used to sacrifice them to example They cannot more properly bee likened to any thing then to those high Mountains the points of whose Rocks seem to hreaten Heaven and which sending forth store of Clouds out of their Bosomes seem to obscure the light of the Sun though at last they are all dissipated by that fair Planet of the day who making those very same Clouds into Thunder-bolts causeth them to fall down upon them for to chastise their Insolency And is it not the same thing with Grandees who revolt and Rebell After they have made some attempts upon the Authority of their Soveraign are they not in fine ruined and brought into extremities by the Power of his Armes who takes occasion to crush them to peeces with that Power which they would have usurped themselves and did not of right belong unto them History abounds with exemplary Proofs of this Truth the many that are would spoil the design of quoting two or three onely But for the greater illustration of it I shall say thus much the injustice of a Cause is almost an infallible sign of an ill successe seeing Heaven doth commonly confound what Man hath wickedly built If at any time they shall become so powerfull as to secure themselves from the hazards of Battels yet they can never obtain a remission from Heaven They who attempt to grow great by unjust means will in fine meet their utter ruine God doth peradventure suffer them for the punishment of States to obtain advantages for some time but at last the violences which they Act fall upon themselves and they become a just subject for their Soveraigns Revenge The Arrival of Cardinal Barbirini in France as Legate from the Holy Chaire for the Affaires of the Valtoline WHilest the Fire of this Civil War was burning up of Languedoc The Cardinal Barbarini Legate from the Pope arrived in France and came to Marseille where he was received with great honour as also at Lyon according to the Orders sent by the King He came to Paris the one and twentieth of May and his Majesty caused his entrance to be made with the most Pomp that hath been seen for a person of his condition I shall not need insist on the relating that he is bound by the Laws of the Kingdome before he Officiate the Function of a Legate to present the Brief which the Pope hath given him for the imployment to the Parliament of Paris which is a Custome so ancient that I shall omit speaking any more of it but I shall observe that the Pope having ommitted in the Brief to give the King the Title of King of Navar which could not be denied to him without Injustice the Parliament refused to acknowledge it and obliged him not to make any further procedure in the businesse untill it were amended The Legate comming to Paris alighted at St. James de Haut-pas where the Clergy of the City the concourse of the Court and other Officers to the number of twelve thousand went to salute him and receive his Benediction After this the Prelates of Paris came to do their respects to him there was a little dispute in what habit they should appear before him the Legate desiring they should be in their Rockets and Camail covered over with a Mantlet as a mark that they had no power in his presence but the Prelates not being able to stoop to this Order by reason it was contrary to the Rules of the French Church it was concluded in the middle way between both to give some satisfaction to the Legate that they should go so habited to salute him and that they should accordingly accompany him in the Cavalcade to Nostre-Dame where being come they were to take off their Mantlets but all was done under a Proviso of saving their ancient right The King sent the Duke of Nemours the Sieur de Bonnevil the Introductor of Embassadours and several other Lords of great quality to receive him at his first arrival At night Monsieur the Kings Brother waited on him with a great number of Lords and saluted him with extraordinary respects and one his entrance accompanying him gave him the right hand The same day he had Audience from the King where nothing passed onely Complements but the next day he proposed what the Pope had given him in charge hee exhorted the King in general terms to Peace he urged his Majesty to restore things in the Valtoline to their former State as they were before the Army of the confederated Princes entred into it and beseeched him to grant a Cessation of Arms in Italy His Majesty answered to these three Propositions that he was ever inclined to Peace and that he would still be induced to it provided it were for the Publick safety and honourable for him and his Allies That as to what concerned the Valtoline the Treaty of Madrid made but a few years before
appear in an an excellent discourse upon the beginning of the Civil War between Ottho and Vittellius as Tacitus reporteth it that it would be necessary for Vittellius to be diligent but that Orthoes Party would get advantage to execute their designe by delaying of it until they had nothing else to do The Dictator Cneus Sulpitius after a great deal of consideration resolved not to hasten on the War against the Gauls upon this reason that he would not hazard any thing upon an enemy who was every day declining and out of his Countries too Indeed he had endangered himself had he fought when they pressed him to it whereas shortly after he might overcome them with ease He which gives good advice for the State ought not to be blamed for it but the discreet Minister deserveth more praise who not onely knows that it is not enough to consider by the resolutions of State that which is just to be done in the Theory but also that which the time permits and complies with opportunities and necessity The Kings Army in Italy is recruited with six or seven thousand men under the Marquis de Vignolles THough the peace with the Hugonots was not fully concluded yet the Cardinal being informed of the necessity of recruiting the Army in Italy was not defective to procure his Majesty to give orders for it The Marquis de Vignolles was dispatched with six or seven thousand men Who coming into Piedmont with his Forces found the Siedge still before Veriie a small Town upon the Po very slenderly inhabited but defended by a Castle built on a Rock at the end of a little Hill which was none of the worst The Duke of Ferià drawing his Troops out of Ast had brought them up thither hoping for a good success in it But the Duke of Savoy having intelligence of his resolution caused the Marquis de Saint Reyran a Gentleman of Prussia to march up within view of the Spaniards with a thousand Foot and by the advice of the Marshal de Cregny he likewise caused his Army to advance and Incamp at the foot of the Hill in certain Intrenchments which were much stronger then the place it self Above three Moneths were spent in continnual Sallies and Assaults The Duke of Feria intrenched himself to his greatest advantage The Cannon thundred on the place with a great deal of fury and having made at several times six or seven great breaches The Spaniards did as often assault them and were repulsed with a great deal of courage They opened several Mines one of which had seven mouthes which they called the Hydra but every day brought them some misfortune so that they lost more then the besieged In short they got not one foot of land which was not assoon retaken from them In the mean time the ill weather began to come in and the Po to swell up which did not a little perplex them for they were forced to quit one part of their Trenches by reason it was filled with water which brought their Battery into such disorder that most of their Cannon stuck in the Mud and much adoe they had to get them clear off again These disgraces happening to them did much add to the French courage So that on the seventeenth of November the Constable the Marshal de Cregny and the Marquis de Vignolles who was but lately arrived having considered together what was to be done cast their thoughts on those Forts which the Spaniards had in the Plain and resolved to assault them The Constable gave orders for the attaquing of them and the Troops being put into Battalia they began a Combate which lasted above three hours with such heat and success to the French that they carryed all the Forts in a trice In the interim the Duke of Savoy arrived and the enemy having drawn up three great Squadrons of Foot and two of Horse came Matching up in good order against the French to try if they could recover what they had lost but they onely retook one single Fort which was resolved to be quitted and the night coming on ended the Fray in which they lost above two thousand men and the French not above one hundred After this Disaster they being in great want of victuals and having small hopes of being Masters of the place Don Gonsalâ—s de Câ—rdova raised the Seige privately in the night without noise of Drum or Trumpet and without giving the Horse any other signe but by beating certain flint stones one against the other They lost before this paltry Town an Army of forty thousand men Their Commanders lost their honour their Armes got no little discredit by it and it should seem God was pleased to abase the vanity of their glory which hurried them on with extream ambition to the attempting of unjust designs Politique Observation AMbitious Princes can never raise their designs so high as that God who humbleth the Proud and abates their power should exempt them from divine Justice which is pleased to pull down the mighty His Providence doth always confine theâ—r force by keeping their Interests and those of their neighbors in an equal Ballance for the tranquillity of the people He who is born with a fixed and contented mind and is satisfied with those limits which he may justly pretend to and in the protection of his Allies is not subject to these misfortunes Honour and glory never depart from him whereas he who resteth not within his own bounds but attempteth all ways tryeth all means to extend them is usually liable to ruin for that every one runs upon him to oppose his designs and God too is delighted to abase him The divine wisdom cannot be enough admired in this particular which having placed two great Kingdoms near one another maketh the one serve to moderate the ambition of the other and to break the neck of his designs for the preservation of his neighbours It usually endeth in nothing when one shall take from another to enrich himself The divine wisdom doth bound in the ambition of such and brings all their designs that way tending to confusion It is true God is sometimes pleased to chastise a Soveraign and permits another to destroy him but it is but seldom whereas he doth commonly throw down him who raiseth himself upon the ruines of others Darius was so insolent that he caused himself to be stiled the King of Kings but what befell him Did not Alexander whom he had scorned and undervalued take away his Life and Estates too In the same manner it was with Arphaxates King of the Mâ—des who after he had brought divers Nations under his Empire and built the famous City Ecbatan became so proud as to think nothing was able to resist him but how quickly God did let him see the contrary by suffering him to be chastised and conquered by the King of Niniveh How is he delighted to shew by these examples unto Soveraignes that Humility in their conduct is that which makes
their designs subsist and end in glory whereas Ambition exposeth them to misfortunes losses and utter ruin Recruits sent to the Marquis de Coeuures in the Valtoline THe Cardinal was no less careful to send supplies to the Valtoline then to Italy For besides those several French Troops which had orders to march thither those others which were raised by the Grisons and those which after much ado were sent from Venice he caused two Regiments to be advanced in the Cantons of Vry and Vndernal making it appear that nothing could over-match his Prudence for that these two Cantons are close Leagued with the Spaniards and that the Marquis d' Ogliang the Spanish Ambassador as also Scagy the Popes Nuntio had used their utmost endeavours to prevent it These Recruits arrived very seasonably for the Spaniards had but very lately before received a very great supply which gave them the means to execute an enterprise which they made under the Conduct of Papenheim upon the Terze of Sotto of the Valtoline and to make themselves Masters of those Trenches which had been committed to the custody of the Albanois and Capelets amongst whom it struck such a terrour that there was no possible means to make them stand to it and besides the Army too was at that time very much weakned The Marquis de Coeuvres who could not let them go away with this advantage unreveng'd resolved with the Council of War to retake it and on the seventeenth of October having appointed Pont de Gâ—des for a Rendezvous he gave order for the Assault The Fight was stoutly begun and after two houres continuance the Intrenchments were re-taken which had been formerly lost but with greater advantage then the Enemies had when they first took them and with more honour for that they were at that time exceedingly strong After this Expedition was over the Duke of Candale received intelligence that eight hundred foot and four hundred of the Spanish party had seized upon the Fortress of Chaumont amongst the Grisons which being once known by the Marquis de Coeuvres he presently dispatched two thousand to reprise it The Duke mustered his Army the better to know his own forces and so went to invest Chaumont and the Spaniards within it made shew of defending themselves but the Duke having finished a Battery of six peeces of Cannon soon made a Breach fit for an Assault and commanded whole showres of Musquet shot to be poured in upon them who should appear to defend the Breach and also clapt two Petards against one of the Gates which forced them in peeces so that two companies of French entred the Town and compelled them within to yeeld upon composition which was that they should march away with their Arms onely and leave behind them what Ammunition they had brought into the Town So accordingly they went out and left the Town to the Duke of Candâ—le There remained onely Morbeignâ— to take in the Valtoline and the Marquis de Cuvres had twice called a Council of War to contrive a means for the taking of it but the major part of them alledged and that very judiciously that the place was strongly scituated and very hard to be come to for any who would assault it guarded by good store of men both within and in the Country thereabouts that it was impossible to shut them up for want of Vessels upon the Lake of Come which was the way which they had all their provisions and withall they concluded it was not much material whether they had it or not seeing it did not at all help to serve the Spaniards either to shut up or open the Passes Their advice was followed and their courages submitted to the Laws of Discretion which made it appear that it was not wisdom at all time to attempt great Enterprises Others did wish that the Conquest of the Valtoline had been begunne in this place as afterwards it was done for that it is the most important of all the other places not in relation to the Passages but the securing of the Valley and to keep all the rest in their dutyes for the Allarm being once taken in the Vale there are immediately store of Forces clapt into it for the keeping of it as being the most considerable of all and that once done impossible to be taken Politique observation THE greatest Courages are bound to submit to the Laws of Prudence when there is a question in hand for the attempting of any great Enterprise Their Glory is not considered by the successes of their Victories or the taking of Towns which many times have no dependencie upon them but by their Resoluteness and Constancy which they make appear without the least dread in doing all that can be done to vanquish Impossibilities defend them from all blame when as they have done their utmost for no one can be obliged to do that which is above his power In the making of War in a Forraign Country it is needful if possible it may so be done to begin it by assaulting of the strongest place first especially if it may not otherwise be taken then by a surprise The reason is clear for what ever assault is made elswhere gives an Allarm to the whole Country so that that the Prince who stands upon his defence presently claps in both Men and Ammunition into the principal place that afterwards it will become impossible to surprize it Let us first seize on Rome said the Enemies of the Roman Empire in Herodatus which is the heart and Castle of the Empire and we shall quickly have the rest with ease The like did Caesar say that the Romans could never promise themselves any security in Gaul untill they had become Masters of Authun which was the chief City and on which the Conquest of all the rest depended And as it 's true that the chief Head of an Enterprize having once made himself Master of the City Gates may at his own pleasure enter upon the whole so it is likewise most certain that he who hath once taken the chief Fortress hath a curb on the rest so that he may do what he will himself especially if he can but so order his business that he may keep it in his power The Duke of Rohan excuseth himself from accepting of those Articles which were granted to those of his party THese were the most remarkable passages both in Italy and the Valtoline during that year but let us now return to the Affairs at home The Duke of Rohan could not be drawn to conclude a Peace without making some advantage by it so that he desired to be excused from giving his final Answer unto those Articles which the King had granted to those of his party untill he had conferred with an Assembly which he pretended to make of the high and low Languedoc insomuch that his particular Interests and private Ambition were the causes which retarded the Peace In the interim he did his very utmost to surprize
Majesty of all possible means to communicate it to his Highness and that his Majesty having had advise upon it was counselled to lay hold on peace in regard of the disposition of Affairs both within and without his Kingdome considering the small progresse the Arms of the League had made after two years time in Italy and lastly for that those very things were obtain'd in the Peace for which the League had been contrived all which things were much more considerable then any Formalities and Punctilio's of honour Upon the second point the Sieur de Bullion had expresse charge to tell his Highness that his Majesty had so much the more willingly consented to the Treaty of Peace that he might be capable of ending his differences with the Common-wealth of Genoa by arbitration in respect his Arms had so little contributed to advance his interests as yet and that if his Highness would be pleased to make known his pretentions The King would embrace them very affectionately and as his own and would also concur with him for the procuring him all possible satisfaction and content either by disputing the business by reason and if need were by Arms. Upon the third point which had no relation to any thing of the League and yet was no inconsiderable thing neither for that it was designed only to allay and take off from the Dukes anger and passion that his Majesty well knowing the courage and magnanimity of this Prince and that it was his high mind which made him esteem glory above all things as also that eminent Titles of honour have a great influence on the Souls of those who are touched with greatness and that it doth bring them to that point which is pretended commanded the Sieur de Bullion to humour this inclinations and to let him know that his Majesty had by the Sieur de Bethune proposed to the Pope to cause him be Crowned King of Cyprus as wel in regard of the pretensions which the house of Savoy hath upon that Kingdom as also in regard of his particular valour which was risen to so high an admiration and credit in the whole World that this Title could not with Justice be denied him and that there was not any King in Christendom which would not be wel satisfied with the admission of a Prince of his Birth and recommendation into that degree and quality The Dispatch of the Sieur du Chasteauneuf to the Common-wealth of Venice for the Affairs before-mentioned THE Sieur de Bulloin made use of his Reason with so much Judgement and Prudence that he obtained all he could desire The Cessation of Arms was consented to and accordingly proclaimed in Milan Genoa and Piedmont The referring of the businesse to Arbitration was well approved of and his Highnesse delivered a breviate of his pretensions to the Crown of Cyprus to the Sieur at Bullion who assured he would recommend that businesse particularly to his Majesty and told him that most assuredly his Majesty would be very careful of it On the other side the Sieur de Chasteauneuf was at the same time sent to the Common-wealth of Venice to induce them to accord to the Treaty and accommodation of Mouson and from thence for the same purpose to the Grisons the Valtolines and the Swisses Those first Reasons which were given in charge to the Sieur de Bullion to represent to the Duke of 〈◊〉 were also included in his Instructions and he had likewise particular order to adâ—… to the Common-wealth of Venice That they had great reason to be well satisfied with the Peace seeing it freed them from a chargeable War subject to many accidents and in which well they might lose much but gain little And because the Venetian Embassador declared that he did imagine the assurance of the Treaty to consist in the keeping up of those Forts in the Valtoline the said Sieur de Chasteauneuf had Order to let them know that such a pretension as that was would most assuredly have broken off the Treaty of accommodation and that all that was to be wished was sometimes impossible to be effected Besides that the keeping up of the Fort would be a great charge either in relation to the necessary expences for the giving of a full satisfaction or else for the maintaining of a strong Garison and who at last cast too might not peradventure be able to keep out the Spaniard if at any time hee should have a mind to enter upon them with an Army He was also charged to let them perceive that the natural inclination of the Valtolines was not to indure any Rule or Government and that they would never have indured any long time together that those Forts should remain in the power of a stranger and that the Spaniards knowing their natures to be such would alwaies be inciting and assisting them underhand to retake them so that the keeping up of the Forts would instead of securing the Treaty onely become an absolute ground of troubles to the Common-wealth as they who are nearest seated to the Valtoline who are in perpetual fears and jealousies and forced still to be upon their Guard against the Spaniards attempts which would put them to vast charges and force them too at last to yeeld to reason And he was commanded by his Majesty that he might humour the Commonwealth in its Interests to tell them that the King would willingly grant them the Passages of the Valtoline and Grisons for ten years he knowing how passionately they desired it and moreover that his Majesty would in case they should request it enter into a defensive League with them The Sieur de Chasteauneuf prosecuted these Instructions so luckily that the Common-wealth was sensible of the honour the King had done them in sending to them an extraordinary Embassadour upon their Affairs and left it to his Majesty to consider whether all those advantages which were to be wished for were comprised in the Treaty and that for their particulars they thought themselves much obliged for his proffer of a defensive League assuring the said Sieur de Chasteauneuf that they should be ever ready to continue those testimonies of affection and observance which they had alwaies had towards the Crown of France which was as much as could be desired from them Then the Sieur de Chasteauneuf went towards the Grisons and the Valtoline in prosecution of his Embassiy The Instructions which he received from his Majesty concerning those parts was to joyn himself with the Marquesse de Coeuvres and to swear those people to a solemn observaon of the Treaty The Valtolines made not any difficulty at all at it but accepted of the Treaty as also to pay every year unto the Grisons five and twenty thousand Crowns which had been imposed on them But as for the Grisons there were many meetings and Assemblies held amongst them without any resolution but onely in general terms they thanked his Majesty for his assistance and acknowledged themselves
to present to his Majesty the Ratification of the Articles of Peace which it had pleased his Majesty to accord to them the year last past were accompanied with those of Rochel who came in their behalf to offer their submissions and to beseech him that they might obtain the same grace and favour which had been granted to the rest of that party It is true they did not so much repent for their Rebellion as they were sorry for those inconveniences which the Kings Army had put upon them then commanded by the Marshal de Themines who succeeded the Marshal de Plessis and who pressed so close upon them that they could not peep out but in danger of being taken For that they no longer had the liberty of injoying their Goods and that all their Traffique was spoiled Affliction doth at last open the eyes of those Rebels whom insolency and ambition had but lately closed up of which they gave assured proof by those earnest intreaties which they made to his Majesty to forget the Rebellion of which they had been guilty The same reasons which invited his Majesty to shew his Clemency to the rest of that party did also perswade him to do the like to them of Rochel as also the Cardinal hinted one more to him somewhat powerfuller then the rest There had then been newly discovered a Combinatiyn between divers Princes and Lord of the Court as shall be anon declared and amongst others one of their designs was to ingage Mensieur with the Hugonots Party so that if Peace had not been granted to Rochel as well as to the other Towns and Cities it were the ready way to let open a door for War and to give those Rebels the more means to execute their designs by a high hand for it were an easie matter by the means of this one City to raise all the party And last of all this great Minister laid down before his Majesty That the English being as they were picking a quarrel with us to which they were inclined would upon a word speaking find Rochel ready to let them into France These reasons of State were of great weight and fit to be considered of which his Majesty being sensible he did at last grant the City of Rochel the favour which was desired and the Cardinal was not a little diligent to watch that this Peace were not concluded upon such shamefull Articles and full of basenesse as formerly they had been The King consented that the Town should be delivered into the hands of the Corporation on condition they kept no Ships of War that they observed those Orders for Traffique which were established in the rest of the Kingdome That they should restore to the Ecclesiastiques all the Goods which had been taken from them That they should suffer the Catholicks to live freely and quietly in the exercise of the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Religion and in the injoyment of those Goods which appertained unto them That his Majesty should leave what Garison he thought fit in Fort Lewis and the Islands of Ree and Oleron onely promising that out of his bounty and goodnesse he would settle such a course in it as those of Rochel might receive no trouble by it either in their Commerce or the injoyment of their goods These Articles were agreed on about the beginning of February and the next day the general and particular Deputies ratified and confirmed them thinking themselves happy for having obtained this end from his Majesties Bounty By this years injoyment of Peace among the Hugonots his Majesty did with the more ease detect and break the designs of those who were factiously bent as also he assisted his Allies in Germany he eased the people and went on labouring in the means for restoring of that happinesse and glory which had been so long wished for in the Kingdome I shall onely adde that his Majesty for the surer execution of the Treaty sent Commissaries to Rochel who were received there with great honour Those of Rochel having sent their Deputies to Surgeres for the establishing the exercise of Religion and setling things into such order that there were very great hopes of a true Obedience and long Peace had not that people been extreamly much inured to Rebellion Politique Observation ALthough the Rebellions of subjects force a Prince to punish some for an example yet prudence doth oblige him sometimes to dissemble it and to give them peace when as there is any fear of a greater mischief to follow by any new revolt which joyning their flames with the former might endanger the putting of the whole into combustion It could not be any weakness of heart or necessity to which as an Antient saith the Gods themselves are obedient will force him to it It is no fault to fear when as there is a just ground for it but it is rather a great piece of prudence and a vertue without which there is no enjoyment of happy success in war any long time together of this Marcellus heretofore gave us a good example when as Badius that he might acknowledge the favour which Hanibal had done him in saving his life and giving him back his Ransom made the most part of the inhabitants of Nole revolt against the Romans in the Battle of Cannes This Captain seeing the conjuncture of Affairs did oblige him rather to allay then exasperate used his utmost power to regain Badius by assuring him that if he would but return to Rome those wounds which he had that day received would bring him great rewards Badius was much taken with the generousnesse of the Message and Marcellus the more to accomplish his design sent him a very goodly Horse and five hundred drachma's of Silver which did so oblige him that he was ever after very loyal and faithfull to him so that from that time forward he would never inflict any punishment upon those who were revolted It was more by Prudence then by Force that the Romans became Masters of the Universe A discreet Minister ought much rather to induce his Master to accommodation on such occasions then to hazard the State in any eminent danger by too much stiffenesse in resolution for the punishing of those who are revolted when they are upon the point of having a strong assistance by which means they may hazard the successe of the War An Edict against Duels JT was no small happinesse for France to be thus at Peace abroad and with the Hugonots at home but the Cardinal could not imagine it sufficient if not setled amongst the Nobility who were every day cutting one anothers Throats in Duels It was impossible to perswade them by any reasons that it was one of the greatest parts of glory for a wise man and a Christian to overcome his own emotions of anger and to forgive his enemies So this great Minister insinuated into his Majesty who was already zealously desirous of Justice That nothing was so contrary to the Law of God and
punished according to their deserts and to take off any pretext for their making of Factions in the State should they but arrive to the end which they proposed to themselves he resolved to beseech the King to give him leave to retire himself from the Court He could not be reproached for this Act without injustice seeing the discontent of all those Factious persons was onely grounded upon the Power Authority and Glory which he had acquired for his Master and the good Order and Government which he had established in the State Great and Noble Souls cannot endure that Envy her self should have the least occasion to detract from their Glory and accordingly he testified to the whole Nation that he did not at all consider his own Interests Now that hee might the easilier obtain his request of with-drawing himself and that he might the better dispose his Majesty to grant it he entreated the King being then at Fountainbleau that he would give him leave to passe away some few days at Limours by reason of some indisposition which he found growing upon him which the King gave way to and being there he was visited by Monsieur what resentments soever he had for the Marshal de Ornano's imprisonment as also by Monsieur the Prince of Condy whom he had perswaded the Queen Mother to Caresse notwithstanding all her aversions from it that he might ingage him in his Majesties interests and divert him from taking part with those of the Cabal From thence it was that Monsieur the Cardinal writ to his Majesty beseeching him that he would be pleased to let him withdraw himself He presented to him that for his own part he never had any other designs in his service then his glory and the good of his State but was now extreamly much discontented to find the Court divided upon his occasion and the fire of dissention ready to flame out and all with design for his ruine That he would little esteem his life if imployed in his Majesties service and for the good of his Crown but that it could not but trouble him to see himself basely Butchered in the midst of the Court as it was almost impossible for him to avoid it he being every day attended by a multitude of men whom he knew not and not having any one near him who could defend him from any violence which might be offered to him that in case his Majesties pleasure were such that he would command him to continue neer him and in this danger he would most gladly obey him without the least repugnancy because there was not any thing which he would prefer before his Majesties Will. But the confidence he had that his Majesty could not take any delight to behold him ending his dayes by such a death to which he could not be exposed but his Majesty must remain injured and offended did oblige him to think good to retire himself from the Court He added that his want of health too which was much impaired by that great concourse of people with which he was dayly over-pressed did make him beleeve he could not long hold out in the management of Affairs and that his Majesty had so much the more reason to grant him his request in regard his weaknesse would in a little while make him uselesse in his service He writ to the same effect unto the Queen Mother and begged her to imploy her Power with his Majesty to obtain his requests But their Majesties were so far from having the least inclination to admit of his retirement that on the contrary the King openly declared he would never give his consent to it he being sensible enough of those great happinesses which he had procured to the Kingdom already of that credit and esteem which he had raised his Arms unto amongst strangers of the submission to which he had reduced the Heretiques of the good Order which he had established in the Treasuries and of the great height whereunto he had advanced the Authority of his Scepter The Queen Mother too considering over and above these reasons which were not unknown to her what a losse it is to a State to be deprived of a grand Minister how usefull the Cardinal was to her Counsels and Interests at the same instant resolved to oppose his removal so that it was by their common advices concluded to command him no longer to think of absenting himself and to let him know that his services were too well known to procure an assent for his departure and lastly that he need not be afflicted at the sense of those wicked designs which were contrived against him nor at the inconveniences which he suffered in point of health for that it were easie to remedy both one and t'other Monsieur the Cardinal who prefers nothing in respect of their Majesties will and pleasure submitted all his resolutions accordingly The King too that he might provide for the safety both of his life and health assigned Guards to him who were to wait on him every where and defend him from any attempts of his enemies he commanded the Sieur de Folain to have an especial care that his health were not prejudiced by the multitude of people who made addresses to him but that entrance were onely permitted unto such as had occasion to speak with him about some urgent Affairs These Provisions of the King were so many certain testimonies of the good Will which his Majesty did bear towards him and I think that the honour he got in this Action was more considerable then all the rest for by it he evinced to the whole Nation that hee was not tied to the Court but onely for his Majesties service and that his own particular intrests and concerns were not valued at all by him Politique Observation IT is impossible to prevent that the splendour of an extraordinary vertue honoured by a Prince with a great power should not raise up the Envy of those who have never so little Ambition in them The Sun doth not more naturally attract divers vapours from the earth which afterwards become Clouds and darken his light then a grand Minister doth ordinarily see his own merit and the greatnesse of his Genius draw upon him the hatred of the Grandees that they make use of factions and divisions against him We have elsewhere said that Fortune was never yet seen to defend them from this infelicity and I shal now adde that the cheef and ready way for great men to exempt themselves from the blame and the troubles which envy may stir up against them is to manifest that their medling in affairs of Publique concern is free from all manner of self-interest which may easily be done by their desiring to withdraw themselves from the trouble of Government to lead a private life This moderation will stop the mouths of the most imbittered men who after this cannot find any thing to object against the power wherewith they are honoured and are forced to convert their
qualifications as would only render his power feared and redoubted An Assembly at Paris to redress disorders of State THe setlement of Trade was sufficient to bring great profit to the Kingdom but it was likewise necessary to use divers other means for the raising of it to it's height and greatness The King had long before concluded on it but finding himself unfurnished of a Minister to put it in execution the affairs had still continued in some lameness until at last seeing himself assisted by the Cardinal he resolved to assemble the Chief Officers of his Kingdom especially those who had acquired most experience and shewed best conduct in affairs And for the better resolving upon the means he appointed them to attend him a Paris where being met together his Majesty himself opened the reasons of their Assembling upon the second of Deceâ—ber in the Thuillâ—ries He was pleased to tell them That he had called them together to provide some remedies against the disorders of the State and that the Lord Chancellor should farther acquaint them with the rest of his desires and the Lord Chancellor beginning his speech represented to them the great disorders that had crept into the Kingdom whilst the King was imployed abroad to repel his enemies and the great expences he was at for the keeping up of his Armies and then told them that his Majesty was resolved for the establishing of the Kingdom in its ancient splendour to employ powerful redresses and so to regulate his Treasuries that there might alwayes be a sufficient foundation to supply the occasions of the State without being forced to overcharge the people as of late He gave them to understand that the King was contriving to lessen the expences of his house and even those which he was at for the paying of several Garrisons in places of no importance which he was resolved to dismantle To settle Trade with â—ll possible advantages for the enriching of his subjects So to govern his Souldiers both in garrison and the field that his subjects might be no more oppressed upon which it chiefly was that his Majesty had desired their advices When he had concluded the Cadinal made a most excellent speech in which his eloquence was no lesse to be admired at then his prudence He laid before that Illustrious Assembly how visibly God had made use of his Majesty to atchieve that in a little time for the publique good which many thought impossible to have been effected in an age He gave them to understand that as there had been great charges and expences so the King and Queen had received very great advantages by it in relation to that Honour and Glory which is due to them and that if any good successe had at any time happened it was only the dawning of those resolutions which his Majesty had taken for the easing of his people and restating the Kingdom in its former Splendor That as only God can make something out of nothing so it was necessary to lay a good foundation in the Treasury and to that end to cut off from the extravagant expenses and add to the receipts or indeed to do both at once He shewed them how that every one regarding the advancement of his own private Interest it might possibly provoke some to anger if their expences were moderated but he added withal that no one could justly complain at it since nothing was to be preferred before the Publique good and that the King and Queen Mother were both resolved to give a good example by contracting the expences of their families He told them that if in great tempests there was sometimes a necessary to part with the goods to ease the vessel and defend her from shipwrack prudence did direct the like thing in a State Which ought not to be cast away for the preservation of any ones particular good and that they themselves were bound in reason to conform themselves to the resolution thereof for that it is impossible private and particular mens plenty and Riches should long last when the State is poor and needy in fine he told them that setling a good government in the Affairs and Treasuries they would in a very few years find both the King and Kingdom raised to a greater pitch of glory then ever it had formerly been but he added it would not be so necessary to order such things unlesse they were really put in execution That the glory of setling the Nation being reserved for his Majesty they who were deputies ought to esteem it a great Honour done them in that he gave them part of it and that for his own particular he should esteem himself most happy to dye in the prosecution of so glorious a design After this first overture the King sent divers proposals to the Assembly by his Solicitor General upon all which such courses were resolved as were thought most necessary for the setlement of the State But it was first of all concluded what order should be observed in the levying of men as also for the maintaining of them in such order that the Country man might not be injured by them It was thought fit to keep two Armies in readiness of between eighteen and twenty thousand foot and two thousand Horse as well to secure the Publique Peace as to support the Kings Authority and also to keep Forreigners in a due respect It is true there were sufficient means found out to prevent the peoples damage but it was to be doubted that the Souldiers would not so readily observe those commands which his Majesty had been so careful to order Next of all it was considered what unnecessary expences of the State should be cut off as well to pay off two and fifty Millions of Livers which the Exchequer was indebt as also to acquit the charges of the Nation without increasing the taxes In order to which it was thought fit to contract the expences of the King and Queens Families according to the resolution taken before the late Kings death Not to exceed the sum of two Millions in Pensions which was the sum appointed by the late King Henry the Great for that business and lastly the Assembly proposed to his Majesty the dismantelling of a great number of strong places which being in the heart of the Kingdom or at least remote from the Frontiers did only serve to countenance Rebellions and consume a vast sum of mony for payment of the Garrison Souldiers and building unnecessary Fortifications There was also care taken with reference to his Majesties good pleasure for the relief of divers poor Gentlemen Captains and Souldiers wounded in his Majesties service And at last the Assembly made earnest request to his Majesty that he would for the future prevent those revolts of the Grandees which were commonly made every year to the great trouble of the State and that he would punish some for example sake who had the Boldnesse to take up Arms against his Authority or to divide
discredit he began to quarrel with him and told him that he should be very glad to meet him with his Sword in his hand Which so insolent discourse being before his Majesty he told him that he did not remember the pâ—ace where he was and that he deserved to be sent to the Bastile there to be punished according to the Act for Duels but he only commanded him to get him gone from which time forward hee was no more seen at Court Politique Observation THere are but few Favourites who know how to moderate themselves and so to manage their Affairs that they may preserve their Masters good affection A man ought to be of an excellent temper well to digest any very great favour It is most certainly true that as excesse of meat stuffeth up the stomack and choaketh the natural heat so an extraordinary favour depriveth most men of their judgement intoxicateth them and makes them loose the exercise of their reason And for this cause it is that they injoy those favours of fortune to their Graves as it hath in all ages been seen that the most part having been led in Triumph as it â—ere unto the highest point of Glory have precipitated themselves into the greatest gulfs of misery and have so bruised themselves against the favour which they possessed as if it had been purposely turned into a Rock for their ruine The wise man considereth that an indifferent favour is much more certain then those great ones and contenteth himself with what his Master bestoweth Fortune doth no sooner raise him up but his discretion presently tells him that her smiles are inconstant and that nothing can so much contribute to his preservation as to use them with moderation He oftentimes reflecteth on that memorable passage of Sosistratus who being drawn in his Triumphant Chariot by four Kings entertained himself with observing the motion of the Wheels how that which was now uppermost presently became lowest and being asked the reason of his contemplation answered that he delighted to remark the turning of his Wheels and was by it put in mind of the inconstancy of humane Affairs and that the same Fortune which had raised him to that height of prosperity above those four Kings then sub-jugaged to him might shortly bring him to the same condition The wise Favourite fixing his mind upon the inconstancy of Fortune as upon a sure maxime never permitteth her to blind his mind with vanity but keeps himself upon his Guard not putting himself on in matters of State but as his Master calls him and payeth him the greater respects as his obligations increase He is industriously carefull not to abuse his Masters favour by assuming too great a power on himself remembring how Calisthenes lost Alexanders good will by reason of his too great presumption and the vanities which he did commit in the Emperors presence nothing doth so much destroy Favourites as their affecting too great an Authority and taking upon them too much power over their Masters He likewise knoweth that it is with them as with the Moon who hideth her self when ever she approacheth near the Sun it being from him that she receiveth her light and that so Favourites ought not to exercise any kind of authority when they are near Kings but are rather bound to shew them in their requests all imaginable respects whatsoever it is his care not to intermeddle in the administration nor doth he ever attempt to adde the power of governing the State to that of his Masters good affection But on the contrary he takes so much the lesse upon him when the Testimonies which he receiveth of his Masters Favour seem to give him most power and it is his dayly fear to be raised to too eminent a degree least he should by it be exposed to too great a fall which might totally destroy him Differences between the Bishop of Verdun and the Officers of the City ABout the end of this year great differences did arise between the Bishop and the Officers of Verdun This being a Frontier Town was then looked upon as somewhat considerable in regard Monsieur de Lorrain seemed to be active and able to attempt something upon France which obliged the King to go on with the design which he had long before resolved of building a Cittadel there The Abbey of St. Vannes was ever reputed the most proper place of all the City for that purpose whence it happened that in the Charter of the said Abbey as was to be seen there had been divers Articles concluded between the Bishop of Verdun to whom that place hath ever belonged in which they bound themselves to build their Church in some other place if it should be found necessary to make use of some part of it for the raising of a Cittadel However the Lines were so contrived that the Church was saved but that of the Capucines was forced to be taken down which was afterwards done and rebuilt in another place Now the Bishop of Verdun being a Kinsman of Monsieur de Lorrain had no other motion but what came from him so that not considering what dependance he had upon the King suffered himself to be ingaged by the Duke to prevent with his utmost power the building of the Cittadel His Temporal power was but weak to manage his design so he had recourse to his spiritual and accordingly on the lâ—st of December he published a Monitorium fixed upon all publick places against all such as should labour about it But as the spiritual power hath no authority over the Temporal to deprive it of its rights so this procedure was looked on as a strange thing by the Kings Officers who wanted neither courage nor loyalty in this affair The Sieur Guillet Lievtenant at the Royal Siege in the Town presently called a Councel of his Majesties Officers of the Town to consider of what was to be done where it was concluded to tear down such Papers as had been any where Posted up and to set others in their places of a contrary tenour in the Kings behalf which was presently put in execution The Bishop was much offended at it and to be revenged for it he thundred out an Excommunication the next day against Gillet which he fastned in divers places and having given Orders to his great Vicars not to act any thing in prejudice of his pretended Authority he departed from Verdun and rid Post to Cologne In the mean while the Sieur Charpâ—ntiâ—r his Majesties President in Mets Thoul and Vâ—rdun being acquainted with the whose proceeding and considering how Derogatory it was from the Power who was Soveraign of the Town and consequentially had absolute authority to fortifie it as himself should think fit as also to give such assurances to his Officers who should execute his royal commands as might secure them from any Bishop Excommunication onely for doing their duties he declared the said Monitorium to be abusive and scandalous and commanded it to be torn and
flowed back again It were easie to produce many the like examples But I rather think the wisest course which can be taken on such occasions is to make them pay dearly for their Landing by cutting good store of them in peeces and to adventure on them at their first footing with courage and resolution The first attempts are they which make way for all the rest An Enemy finds himself astonished at the death of some of his party and at the great resistance which he meeteth The difficulties which are forseen in obtaining of victories disheartens all those who have but a little courage and it hath been often found that an enemy will more willingly retier himself then run the hazard of a second rout Cruelty is allowable in such occasions to strick terrour into an enemy to shake their resolutions and to affright them for many from fearfall to despair of victorie whilst they judg considering the strong resistance made in defence of a pass it must needs be a mark of the assured resolution they have taken to defend themselves in a place when once they are besieged Prosecution of the Historie THE newes of the English Fleets arrival was soon brought to the Court but the Cardinals Prudence was such that he would not let the King be acquainted with it least it might encrease his Fever neverthlesse his Great Genius who findeth remedies for all things did take wonderful care by his orders to repel them The King had already upon Intelligence that the English were setting out commanded many Regiments of Foot and Troops of light Horse and dispatched several Commissions to raise more Forces with order to all Officers to come to the randevous at Poictou and there to be in a readiness for such imployments as occasion should require He had also given the charge of this Army to the Duke of Angoulesme who at his first comming gave all necessary orders for the safetie of Brouage and the Iles of Oleron relying entierly as to the I le of Ree on the courage and Loyalty of the Sieur de Thoyras Monsieur d' Angoulesme had also put into Fort Lewis all kinds of Ammunition with great diligence whereby to repel the English if they should come to assault it and he made use of a Stratagem which was the probable cause of staying the English at the I le of Ree as also of preventing them from coming on the Mainland His devise was this He gave order upon his first comming to the Quarter Master General of the Army to go to all the Boroughs and Villages there abouts to provide Quarters for an Army between fifteen and twenty thousand men though he had not in all above the half of that number The Rochelois hereupon swallowing this fiction for a truth presently advised the English of it who apprehending the encounter of so great Forces went to the I le of Ree He also observed the order given him by the Cardinal not to provoke the Rochelois nor give them the least jealousie of any thought to besiege them This Great Minister well knew That the people are easily transported to all extremities when they fear any severe punishment to fall upon them and particularly that the Rochelois having called in the English to vindicate their Liberty would never be induced totally to give themselves up to them whilst they did not fear a siege and that therefore it would be proper not to give them any suspition And for the same reason it was that the Duke of Angoulosme did so favourably receive their Deputies assuring them that the King intended nothing else but to let them enjoy their priviledges on condition they deserved it by their submission he also suffered them to gather in their harvests thinking it lesse inconvenient to let them make that provision which at best could not much prolong the siege then to give them occasien by declaring their design to deliver up themselves to the English This disposal of his was accompanied with great Prudence yet not sufficient to drive the English out of the I le of Ree or hinder them being Masters thereof to go on the Mainland Monsieur the Cardinal who had the Charge under the Authority of the King and Queen Mother to provide against this necessity employed more effectual means for the procuring those happy successes which forced the World to believe that the King could bring such things to passe as his predecessours could not aspire to He used extraordinary deligence to hasten the Levies and to draw together good store of shipping to succour Ree as also to hinder the English from entring into the Channel of Rochel in case they should attempt it one of his Chief cares was to prohibit by an Edict all sorts of Maritine commerce and at the same time he sent into parts to man those vessels formerly employed and with all speed to bring them neer Rochâ—l he sent to Havre de Grace and Diepe Commissions and mony for the dispatching of the Ships which he had there prepared and unto Oleron Brouage and â—uyenne to have victuals and ammunition in a readiness He gave Charge to the Abbot of Marsillac to passe by the Coast of Olonne to raise Marriners and to the Sieur de Beaumout Chief Comptroler of the Kings house intimate friend of Monsieur de Thoyras to emyloy his utmost care and industry to put provisions into the Cittadel of Ree Withal Touredes was dispatched to St. Mallos to rig out three great Ships and Beaulieur Courcelles with Cantâ—lona Sea Captains unto Olâ—nne to contrive away how to clap victuals into Ree Beauliâ—â— Persac was sent to execuse a design he had proposed to set fire on some of the English Ships and to throw himself into the Cittadel of St. Martin but he could not effect it La Rinterre after Greffier was sent along the Coast to presse all the Shallops that went with oare he sent Magnac to the Duke d'Espernon and several Couriers to the Towns upon the Garronne to draw together all the Barks Galliots and small vessels which might be serviceable He sent post into Holland to the Commander de Gouttes who commanded the Kings Ships to come away with all speed and at the same time understanding that the Hollanders were sollicited by the English to assist them with their shipping he set a Treaty of renuing alliance on foot by his Majesties Ambassadour there whereby to divert them Which was soon agreed upon by giving them certain monyes and so the Articles were signed amongst which this was one that they should assist the King with their shipping if need were This Grand Minister excercised with admirable Prudence the advice of an Ancient who counselled him that had two enemies that he should compound with one of them the better to make war with t'other He likewise employed the Bishop of Nismez Monsieur de Thoyras his Brother and Monsieur Desplan one of his best friends to advance those succours with all dilligence He made divers
promises of ten thousand Crowns to them who should convey victuals into Ree in short from July to the end of August there was nothing to be seen but Couriers of all qualities poasting up and down the Country and others to advance the succours which at last arrived as we shall hereafter declare and relieved Ree to the shame of the English and the Kings immortal Glory Politique Observation PRudence is a Helmet which secureth a Kingdom from all sinister accidents which may betide it It is the Eye of a Minister of State which helpeth him to see all that is needful to be done as his valour is the hand which serves him to put it in execution Without it he were more feeble then a Blind man and might expect nothing but confusion from the resistances which he shall make against the enemies of the State whereas with Prudence every thing is possible Antiquity hath said that a Wise man is Fortunes Master and that there is not any thing in the power of that blind Goddess but is subjected to the Laws of vertue and which may not be diverted by the prudent Counsel of a Wise man Plutarch on the life of Fabius saith God only gives good successe to mens actions according to their being messured by vertue and Prudence and the Example of the Emperour Antonius the Debonnaire may serve to Illustrate this truth He had so many good successes in all his undertakings it is said he never repented of any his resolutions and that he saw all his designs come to passe according as he contrived them Now a certain Roman Senator taking the boldness to aske him the reason of it after he had testified how much he esteemed his conduct and with what wonder he was possessed to see so happy an end crown all his endeavours he was answered that he did as much as was possible foresee all those accidents which might fall out and thereupon he prepared proper remedies for them That he spared neither his care nor discretion to bring his designs to passe and that he committed the executing of them to person fit for it This is the Rule of Prudence and true it is that as the light of the Sun shews the way to any place where a man would go so this vertue when possessed in any eminent degree inlightens the Soul of a Minister with so much Splendor that it gives him a means to obtain whatever he can propose to himself It discovereth to him infallible wayes to arrive unto the ends of his undertakings guideth his motions ordereth his Counsels regulateth his affections composeth his Actions Governeth his wisdome appointeth his orders and discovereth to him whatever is able to stop the course of his designs And as it teacheth never to attempt impossibilities so it is a most certain way to arrive unto whatever is within compasse of being brought to passe And thus it may safely be said that by Prudence it is that God doth prepare the wayes of happiness and good successe for mankind Buckingham stormeth the Cittadel of St. Martin NO one but God alone moveth in an instant The succours could not be put into Ree on a sudden and the English finding no body come to trouble them in the fortifications upon the shore resolved to besiege the Cittadel of St. Martin The Duke of Buckingham conceived such great hopes of making himself Master of the place that he writ to his Master of Great Britain that in eight days he would set up his Colours in it and his Majesty published a Declaration inviting his subjects to go and inhabit the Island of Ree promising them great priviledges and freedoms and that he would take care to hunt out all the French That which made Buckingham thus confident was he found himself on the Island very strong and knew there were but few French in the Cittadel and his Engineers assured him of making such devices that it should be impossible for his Majesty to relieve it To which purpose he made his approaches upon the Cittadel on the sixth day after his arrival and on the seventh commanded six peece of Cannon to be planted upon the Port of St. Martin who began to batter the place from day break with such effect that beating all down where the Mills stood they wantest but little of bearing them clear away but the besieged laboured with that dexteriousnesse and diligence that they covered and so saved them and withall their Battery shot at that of the English so luckily that they soon dismounted all their Cannon This discredit madded the English who the next day raised another Battery to be revenged of it and drew their Trenches about the Cittadel that they might make their nearer approach Now the Sieur de Thoyras not acquainted with letting his enemies make their avenues without going out to meet them fell upon them in their works and the English were no sooner at their labour but he sallied out upon them with great violence and courage But above all on the very first day he made use of one for to secure a Haven where such Barques as came to releeve him might land in safety and raised a work round about it upon the shore-side which he kept as carefully as the Cittadel it self and from thence it was that he received those succours which afterwards delivered him out of trouble The enemies Trenches were not such but that he had intelligence with those of the Island especially the Catholiques who were a good number and such as might furnish him with many necessaries for the Cittadel which the Duke of Buckingham perceiving sent them all away in Boats so that there was now no other hopes of relief but from the main land The English in the mean time trifled out a moneth more without doing any thing but at last growing impatient they resolved to assault a Half Moon not quite finiâ—hed and by favour of the night fell upon it but being got on the top of the Wall they were knocked off again by the Halberds and so ill-handled that after the losse of about one hundred and fifty men they drew off again whereas we had onely four souldiers hurt This vexed them indeed and made them resolve to try once more what good they could do upon the same Half Moon but they were then also beaten off with good successe The Sieurs Montant Praron Montandre Caisac and Saint Previl received the assault with a great deal of courage of the French party Beauliâ—u onely miscarried and the greatest hurt which the English did was this they poysoned a certain Well near the Half Moon that they might the more incommodate the besieged who to say truth did very much want water and thereupon they resolved not to stir any more but to force the place by Famine and to put them to all imaginable inconveniences which might compell them to surrender Politick Observation A Passe being once forced it is discretion in him who is repelled to retreat unto some
De Nostre Dame des Ardelliers The King knew that victory was the gift of Heaven that it is rather Gods than the Souldiers hands which procure it and that men do in vain attempt if not favoured by his providence He commanded publique prayers to be made over all Francâ— for the imploring of Gods assistance He rested one day at Saumer where he fasted with such devotion and confidence that every one hoped for an happy successe from his fervent prayers Neither was it in vain for shortly after Audouin got into the besiedged Cittadel the newes whereof came to his Majesty then at Niort upon the 9 of October from whence he forthwith departed toward Rochel Politique Observation AS God is the Authour so his Providence is the Governour of Kingdomes His wisdome is an all seeing eye to look into whatever is necessary for them and his hand is omnipotent to provide all waves for their glory That Creature which is born in the Sea finds his livelihood there The Tree which grows on the earth is nourished there The Fruit which owes it's birth to the Tree owes also it's maturity The Sun compleateth the Gold which he formeth and thus States established by God ought to expect all their happiness and good successes from his providence That is it which infuseth into Kings the knowledge of what is proper to be done both in Peace and War It is he who holdeth the hearts of all subjects in his hands who inspireth them with respects due to their Authority and keepeth them in obedience How easily can God humble at his own pleasure the minds of Rebels abate their Fury pull down their courage and force them to live within their limits And is he not the God of Battailes too who bestoweth victory where he pleaseth defendeth Justice by the Arms of the Souldier striketh terror amongst his Enemies and many times gives greater successe then reason and the means would admit to be hoped for To him it is Kings ought to have recourse in matters of concernment David never went to war but he consulted with God Constantine the Great in that war which he made with the Persians caused a little Oratory in form of a Church to be carried with him that in it he might do his devotions and every Legion had its Templum Mobile wherein the Priests and Deacons said Masse to implore Gods assistance By Prayers is Peace continued and Enemies by it are overthrown Every Prince who is ingaged in any great enterprise is bound to believe it and to have recourse to God by Prayers by works of Piety and Religion assuring themselves upon his promise of giving them what ever they shall heartily request because he is just and will be near them who shall call upon him that he will fulfill their desires who fear him Exalt the faithful who hope in him and keep those who love him Ree is relieved UPon the Kings arrival all thoughts were bent to execute the resolution taken at Paris to send a strong relief into Ree not only that the English might be forced from the siedge but quite driven out of the Island The Kings courage would have carried him to go fight his enemies in person at Sea but the Cardinal and his Generals by their intreaties foreseeing into how great danger he run perswaded him to the contrary His Majesty would not by any means give leave that the Cardinal should go but desired he might stay behind to take the Chief care of sending the relief upon him it being easie to judg that if his counsels were so succesful in his absence he might obtain by his presence what ever could be desired Hereupon the Cardinal commanded that some of the vessels designed for the business should be made ready with whatever was necessary for the sick and the sound with store of Munition and the day following the Sieur de Beaumont commanded them to Fort Delapree which place the English did not much secure for they had victuals sufficient for six months for one hundred men that kept it the same day he likewise sent order to Oleron for the conveighing part of the Regiment of Plessis-Prasilin to begin certain Trenches and to draw certain lines and redoubts about the port which might favour the comming of the great relief They all got safe in and lost not a man this good successe put the rest of the Souldiers in heart who were to passe thither Without loosing more time the Duke of Orleans was sent by the King to Plumb that he might put aboard the Ships Le Sieur de Canaples seven hundred men of the guard the Regiment of Beaumout some Voluntiers and good store of Munition who though he were then only eighteen year old yet disposed all things so prudently as if experience had made him grow old in arms After the five and twentith of October the King who knew the names and persons of most of his old Souldiers had filled up all the Troops the Masters of the Camp Captains and all the rest who were to go His Majesty knew that it is not the number which gets the victory but courage and therefore he would not have one man amongst them of whom he had not some experience These Forces commanded by the Sieur de Canoples came all safe within two howers to the Fort De La Pree The aire was of a light fire with the shot which were made at them but not a Ship persued them so they received no losse St. Previll seeing them approach went out to discover who they were and told the Sieur de Canoples that the enemy informed of their imbarking were in ambush behind certain old houses with intention to fall upon them at their Landing hereupon he commanded the Sieurs de Fourille de Malicy de Tilladat and de Porcheus presently to Land their Souldiers he shewed Serjant Major Brierees the several Posts where every one should be and gave orders for the fight The Duke of Buckingham who commanded in his own person hearing the noise of their landing drew out his Forces into three divisions and leading them towards the Port they were not discovered until they came just upon the Kings Forces and that only by the light of their Matches so dark was the night Tillades's Chief Serjant who led on the forlorne hope first espying them gave them a salute which laid some of them on the ground however the rest came on The Sieur de Canoples seeing them not above fifty paces from Fourilles Squadron resolved after he had proposed it to the other Captains to fall on them which put an end to the business Fourille went up and that so near them that not a Musquet was shot off but at push a Pikes The two Battalions of the French and English discharged at the same time the fight grew hot Both Commanders and Souldiers were at emulation with one another to shew that it was not without reason the King had made choise of them in this occasion
Their Courages saved them for the Enemy was much more numerous then they were Indeed the Sieur de Canoples good conduct did not a little further the business for knowing the strength of the English he had commanded the Captains to draw all their Souldiers into the Counter Scarps of the Fort but he had not so ordered his businesse had it not been in the night for Buckingham seeing his first Battalia in disorder and thinking he had onely met with the Forlorn Hope commanded a retreat He left six and thirty on the place and of his Majesties party there were onely six and twenty killed and wounded amongst the rest Mausan Tourilles Lievetenant was found dead of a Musket shot and two cuts with a Halberd Politique Observation WHen there is a necessity at first dash to fight an enemy it is more discretion to fall on him then to expect him and especially being inferiour to him in force for then pure valour must carry it Souldiers are ever more couragious in assaulting then receiving an enemy An assault distracteth an enemy maketh in suspect some further stratagem and puts him often into disorder Julius Caesar made an experiment hereof when passing the Hellespont in one onely Galliot he met Crassius Captain of the contrary Faction with ten Gallies A courage lesse resolute then his would have endeavoured to save himself by the lightness of his vessel but in stead of flying be put himself into a posture of defence went directly up against Crassius and so terrified him that Crassius delivered up himself When such encounters are foreseen it is needful to be accompanied with choise resolute Souldiers such as know not what fear is for fear is repelled by any the least resistance A timerous Souldier never yet did any thing worth notice but to a resolute man every thing makes way It is said of Cajus Marius that in his youth he was so hardy in all his enterprises that nothing could resist him but that in his age his Vallour decreased with the heat of his Bloud which lost him some part of his reputation Bertrand du Gueslin was both one of the most valiant and Fortunate of his times But every one doth ascribe those great advantages which he obtained in Battails to that resolution of his which would sometimes so transport him that he would with a dozen Souldiers fall into the midst of his Enemies who unable to withstand the effects of so admirable a vallour would presently be put to disorder Robert de La March hath afforded us one more notable example of the successe which attendeth on vallour it was in the Battail of Navarre where being touched with a fatherly affection he rushed into the Battail of the Swisses then victorious that he might save his Sons Florange and Jamets who lay upon the ground much wounded Which resolution of his was so succesful that though seconded but by a few Horse yet it so terrified the Swizzers that they could not prevent his bringing of them off in safety Prosecution of the Subject THe Duke of Buckingham finding it would be a difficult thing for him in future to prevent the accesse of relief to the Island as well because divers Vessels of his Fleet were lost as also by reason of the small successe he had hitherto had resolved to make his last attempt upon the Cittadel of St. Martin He was not ignorant of those other and greater preparations which were in agitation upon the main land to send a stronger supply then any yet so that there was a necessity of taking the place or hazarding a sharp conflict The Sieur de Thoyras had divers conjectures of his design and that he might put himself into a condition of defending himself he sent advice to the Fort de la Pree desiring them to have their Forces in a readinesse to assist him when he should discharge three Canon shot for a sign that the enemy began their assault Presently hereupon the Sieur de Canaples called the Officers together to consult of what was proper to be done and it was unanimously concluded that all their Forces should be put into Battalia by break of day That they should march towards Abbay and that upon hearing of the Signal they should go directly to the enemy to divert them from the Assault This Order was exercised accordingly and they were no sooner drawn up together but the Cannons gave them notice of the assault the Sieur de Canaples went directly towards the Cittadel It is reported that there were between four and five thousand English at the assault However they made but two considerable attempts one upon the Bastion de Thoyras which was not quite finished they got up upon the Rampars but were so ill treated by the Besieged that they were forced to give back and to make such hast down their Ladders that some of them never touched but the last round The t'other Attempt was at the Bastion Antioch where the English had no better successe for many of them were killed with Musket shot Stones and long Staffs which were in the Half Moon so they fled and were pursued home to their Trenches That which forced them most to fall back was to see the Forces which were come out from Pree so neer them The Duke of Buckingham guesâ—ing their design was to fall upon his Trenches and to charge them in the Rear drew off his forces and set them in order to receive them But the Kings forces finding the assault given over and the enemy embattailed made an halt the Sieur de Canaples being unwilling to undertake any thing but the defence of the Cittadel until the great relief were arrived that he might not hazard his men to no purpose The two Armies lay in view of each other the rest of the day without doing any thing and night comming on they of the Kings party withdrew to Pree In the mean while the Sieur de Canaples unwilling as hath been said to attempt any thing was inform'd how the besieged had taken all the Ladders of the English fifty Prisoners most of which were Captains and Officers that they had killed between five and six hundred without losing above eighteen or twenty men and some few wounded amongst which were the Sieurs de Sardaignes and Gran Val who being shot through the Bodies died in a few dayes after This Victory did much rejoyce the Kings Army and his Majesty himself too who was diligently informed of it The English doubting their Trenches would not secure them forsook the one half of them and shortly after resolved to go back for England Politique Observation TWo things are chiefly necessary for the repelling of an assault men and fortifications It cannot be denied but that fortifications are needfull for it were a vanity to beleeve that a few men blocked up in a place should be able to resist a whole Army if they be not defended with Bastions half Moons and other Forts raised up to a sufficient height
Baron de Lignieres Monsieurs de Vantadours Guards and on the right by the Comte de Bioule and the Sieur de Enox who led on Monsieur de Montmorency's Company and the Sieur de la Croix who commanded his Guards seconded by the Comte de Bioules Regiment he was at last constrained to give ground yet he maintained the fight above two hours and saw about one hundred six score Souldiers fifteen men of his guard and seven or eight Captains of his Troops killed and divers others wounded And in conclusion he found to the mis-fortune of his Rebellion this other added of being beaten in the Field and saw at the years end that he had very little or not at all advanced his design Politique Observation TRue Religion giveth a very great advantage to them who fight for the defence of it He hath Justice for his second which is the Bulwark of strong place the Rampard of Towns the upholder of Crowns the Pillar of Authority and the Chain of obedience an Engine it is much stronger then any of Archimedes seeing it brings down God himself upon Earth to assist it The Divine Providence ordained that the first Assises of Justice should be kept under Palms to teach them who make any enterprises as Philo observeth That Justice is the most assured pledge of victory What can that Prince fear then who fighteth to uphold it seeing God fighteth for him No power can resist that of God who hath alwayes overthrown the designs of them that rise up against him unlesse when he hath designed a people to be the Instruments of his Justice for punishing the wicked In the old Testament he causeth himself to be called the God of Battails and the Lord of Hosts to teach the people that he is Master of them and that he it is who turneth the victory where he pleaseth What did ever the greatest Souldiers bring to passe who have risen up against him They have only felt his power and seen their own weakness And every one may observe in History that their Counsels have not only been vain and ridiculous but have likewise precipitated them into great ruins They are like Icarus who designing to counterfeit wings by joyning certain Fethers together with wax melted them at the Sun Beams just thus their rising up and soaring a lost only serveth to make their â—â—ls the greater and their ruins the more certain And who knoweth not that the cause of true Religion maketh Souldiers couragious Hence it happens that valour being the ground-work of victorie is in this particular infallible Machiavel in his discourses upon T. Livy sheweth us That Religion is a wonderfull Foundation and Instrument of great Actions That the Romans made use of it to govern their City in the carrying on of their designs anâ— in pacifing all tumults and seditions which did at any time happen in their Commonwealth Now if the false Imagination of a false deity which this people did believe were the punishers of Crimes and Rewarders of good Actions by a quiet repose in the Elysian fields could make such great impressions upon their courages what may not the true Religion cause us to hope for which promiseth unto us the infinite rewards of Heaven when the belief of it is truely imprinted in the Soul The Souldier who fighteth for Religion obeyeth his Prince as the Image of the God head he will never spare this life which passeth away in confidence of another which shall be eternal If the Champions who heretofore fought in the Olympique Games were delighted to see their skins flayed off their bloud run down and their bones broken before a Laurel Crown the reward of their pains what would they not have done into with dangers would they not have cheerfully run had they but apprehended with the Eyes of faith the Saviour of the World at the end of the course the Gate of Heaven open and a Crown which shall never fade as a reward of their Loyalty and Vallour We have at all times seen that those Emperours who have been most Pious have had the greatest victories Constantine became great by his embracing of the Christian Religion It served Pepin for a Stair-case to lead him up to the Throan It bestowed the Empire on Charlemaine and the Turkish Nation which seemeth to have been born for Armes feareth nothing so much as Christians Ensigns Anno 1628. The Rochelois send to the King of England to demand Succour THE Heathenish Antiquities relate That Pandora going to meet the Rebel Epimetheus in behalf of the God's carried him a Box filled with all sorts of Evils amongst which he had only hope left him It is a Fiction yet may it be aptly applyed to the Dutchesse of Rohan the Mother who being come to Rochel to encourage the Rebellion brought all sorts of misfortune with her insomuch that there was not any kind of misery which the inhabitants did not undergo and without any other hopes but only of relief from the English which they retained to the very last In order to which hope they finding his Majesties resolved to force them to live in the rules of obedience had sent their Deputies to England with full and ample Power to treat with his Majesty of Great Brittain To beseech him to take them into his protection and that he would assist them with a second Army which might force the King of France to raise the siedge Their Deputies were received with great kindness The King of Buckingham being much exasperated against France for the late repulse given to the English at Ree They had audience granted and after examination of their Proposals The King made a Treaty with them by which he obliged himself to assist them with such a number of Souldiers as should be sufficient for their defence To send them all sorts of Provision and to permit a Collection to be made in his Countries for their present relief The Deputies obliged themself in the name of the Rochelois to give an happy successe to the English Army promising they would rigg out the greatest number of Ships they could possibly procure that they would provide Pilats and places for Magazins for all sorts of provision in the Town that if occasion were their Port should be a place of retreat for their Fleet that they would not hearken to any accomodation with the King their Lord and Master but by and with consent of the King of great Brittain and also that before France should attempt any thing against England they should declare themselves for the English and should divert to the utmost of the power all designs tending to their prejudice The King of Great Brittain was not absolute enough to conclude upon great enterprises his power somewhat depending on the Parliament so he was forced to call one to authorize this and to consent to such levies of mony as would be needfull for this business The anger which every one there bore against France and the desire
of revenging the affront which they had so lately received perswaded them to a general consent They wanted onely the third Vote upon which the Levy depended where upon they refused to contribute any money colouring their denial by diverse complaints which they made against the Duke of Buckingham and most part of the Chief Ministers in England which made a great noise in the Parliament and so incensed the King that being constrained to give way to the insolence of their requests he told them that he would examine their demands and complaints and give them answer accordingly However be gave order for the rigging out of a strong Fleet in behalf of the Rochelois and gave the command of it to the Earle of Denbigh the Duke of Buckingham's brother in Law This was all the Rochelois could hope for yet it blinded them to all respect and obedience They shaked off the yoak of Loyalty which they owed to the King they carried themselves to the utmost extremities that possibly could be imagined they trod under foot the Kings Authority and chose him for their Protector who was Declared Emeny of his Crown Politique Observation ALthough a People never hath any lawful reason to become disloyal to their Prince or to cast themselves into the Arms of the Enemy of his Country yet it is a thing easily resolved on when there are no other means to secure them from the fears which they apprehend and which have engaged them in their revolts In Philosophy it is held for a Maxim That granting one absurdity a thousand others will follow by consequence It is no lesse certain among Polititians that a people carried into one fault which is the taking up Arms against their Prince will be exposed to great extremities and every day augment the number of their Crimes Their Custome is to promise to themselves great matters in desperate affairs from strangers and such means as are without all apparence of reason probable wayes or ordinary instruments They are great lovers of Novelties and with a little wind carried to extremities and new thoughts if they find their former resolutions and designs not come to the accompt they expected They easily follow those who put them in hopes of liberty If any seditious person in credit with them do but tickle them in the eare with telling them that they do not enjoy their full and perfect liberties under their lawful Prince nothing is then more easily perswaded then to revolt nay to throw themselves into the Armes of their very worst enemy never considering whether the remedie be not worse then the disease Being once revolted they never return to their duties but by force of Armes and the fear they have of paying the punishments they have justly deserved inviteth them rather to run and hazard then that of confessing their errour and repenting An Ancient Authour said very wisely when he likened them to day-labourers who are at every ones service that will make use of them ready they are to subvert all things not for the publique good but in order to their own design and under pretence of liberty The greatest part of such Revolts are commonly accompanied with some Intelligences and encouragements from strangers who offer their assistance not for any love to them but themselves that they may make advantuge out of their divisions discord is their Musique The History of Italy furnisheth us with a notable example of this particular in that of the Pisan's who having been perswaded by one of our Kings and Lewis Forza to withdraw themselves from the obedience of the Florentines presently banish their Officers gain'd many rich Merchants and began to live as free people but finding themselves too weak to hold out at that rate they emplored the ayd of their neighbour Princes which was not denied to them by reason of the jealousie which all those States are in of one another Geâ—â—oua sent them men and Munitions Lucqua mony and Sienna which was in hopes of great advantages from them sent both one and t'other Neither is this the last degree of a mutinous people for if they cannot attain unto their desiers by a Forraign protection they will rather totally deliver up and sell themselves the return to their Princes power especially if they be but a little perswaded of being hardly dealt with and that they shall be reduced to a slavish subjection such difficulty will they find to stoop under their former yoak after a tast of licentiousness and impunity The King of Spain sendeth Don Frederick de Toledo High Admiral with a Fleet to his Majesty THe King finding what need he should have of Ships had as hath been related accepted of the proffer which was made to him at Villeroy by Don Diego de Maxia in behalf of the King of Spain But their design in that proposal being only to engage France in an open war with England that they might the better carry on their designs in Germany and Italy they were careful not to be at Ree to assist his Majesty to expel them At last Don Frederick de Toledo High Admiral of Spain after many delayes came about the end of December with his pretended Fleet to the Haven of Morbian in Brettaign The King commanded the Duke of Guyse to receive him with all possible Honour and indeed such it was that Don Frederick could not enough admire at the manner of his entertainment Shortly after he departed towards the I le of Ree where at that time was no great need of him But however he proffered his service unto the King who received him with great kindness His Majesty sending to visit him but his vessels were found so unprovided of victuals men and necessaries that those things together with his long delay considered It was easie to Judg they had no great mind to fight for France and that the King his Master would be very sorry to contribute to the taking of Rochel a place which might be made use of to raise a war in the Kingdome and that with a little charge if he had a mind to send any Forces to them At last he gave an assured sign of the truth of this suspition when not long after he went to his Majesty and took his leave of him to return towards Spain telling him that he could not now be any more serviceable to him The King would have much wondered to see him so hasty to be gon considering he came so far but that he knew they had more mind to ingage France in a war with a third party then adventure on it themselves His Majesty on the other side knowing That strangers and Forraign Forces ought not be employed but in urgent occasions and at last cast did so much the easilier consent to his departure and in regard too that the Cardinal had assured him That great store of vessels would very shortly come before Rochel So he finding the wind fair hoysed sail about the end of January to return to
Spain Politique Observation THere may such occasions in war fall out that it may be absolutely necessary to make use of Forraign Forces and the very greatest Princes are subject hereunto because at some one time or other they may chance be so surprised that it may be impossible for their own proper Forces to repel the Enemy who assaults them But without doubt he that can make a shift without them does wisely not to make any use of them at all for relying on the Forces of strangers he doth in some sort make himself dependant on that Prince who assisteth him and also they cannot in reason be so loyal faithful and courageous in any his affairs as his own subjects Forriners fight more for gain and their own particular Interest then for any good will to him unto whom they are sent insomuch that could they find any where else more advantageous conditions though it were in the very adverse party they would make no scruple of running in unto them This hath been formerly evidenced by the Celtiberi who having bin first suborned by the Romans left the Carthagians and not long after were regained by those of Carthage and did as soon forsake the Roman Army and return to their first Masters Do not the Swisses often do the same thing Their Profession is not to fight but for mony It once fell out that Lewâ—s the Eleventh for some reasons of State being unable to pay them so precisely as he promised they resolved to seize on his Person and the Chief of his Court and to keep them until they had received the last penny and he fearing to fall into their hands was forced to flie for his safety The Baylif of Dion who had raised them together with some others could not escape their fury they were taken by them and could not get off until they were satisfied to the utmost farthing of their due Whereas on the other side a Princes own subjects are tyed to him by the fidelity which they owe to his Crown and though not punctually paid yet do they continue Loyal and courageous and whilst they fight for their own Interest and glory no doubt but they will shew themselves more resolute and daring then strangers who have not any of those concerns All Princes who ever obtained any signal victories have been beholding to their own native forces for them The Turkish Emperour useth no other Alexander by this means in a little while made so great a progresse in Armes as never any one did the like I suppose that it is with Armies composed of a mans own subjects as with the natural clean strength of a mans own body which is much more to be esteemed then that which is infused by art into sick persons That Prince who useth strangers cannot more fitly be compared to any thing then a man in a languishing condition whose natural heat is decayed who to warm and comfort his stomach hath recourse to spices which instead of preserving him scorch up his bloud and destroy his life for just so do strangers to him that depends on them advantage him they cannot but will it may be ruin him as before is manifested by divers pregnant Reasons Marquis Spinola his Son and the Marquis de Leganez come to see the siedge of Rochel THE same day that Don Frederich de Toledo set sail for his return came the Marquis Spinola from the low Countries and having passed by Paris where the Queen received him with great Honour arrived at the Camp before Rochel with his Son his Son-in-Law and the Marquis de Leganez Ambassador Extraordinary from Spain The Marshal de Schomberg went a League out to receive them by the Kings desire and after he was arrived the King Commanded him to be visited with great Honour His Audience was granted very shortly thereupon with all the endearments that possible could be expressed Amongst other things the King told him that he came into those parts against his Phisitians advices being not yet quite recoverd of a troublesome sickness but he was forced to it to drive out the English from his Teretories who indeed had not made any long stay That having perceived his subjects of Rochel to have been the Bringers in of the English he resolved to punish them for it and to take them by siedg in which he observed for a pattern that which was made at Breda and then he invited them to see the Works though at that time they were not quite finished The Marquis highly extolled all his Majesties Actions especially that of beating the English from Ree He told him that his Presence made his Nobility invincible and withal that indeed nothing was so glorious for a man of quality as to fight in his Princes sight That for his part it grieved him never to have had the King his Master for a witness of his Actions and that he should willingly dye to obtain that Honour After he had gone the round he went to see the Banck which he much admired and openly said that if they finished that work of shutting up the Channel and keeping the Souldiers in good order it would be impossible for the town to escape taking He well knew what place the Cardinal was in neer his Majesty and that the King had not engaged himself in this design but by his advice he observed that the admirable order kept in the siedg was an effect of his Conduct so he went to visit him with great Respects The Cardinal received him with the like they continued a long while in discourse together during which they interchangably contracted a very great friendship with each other which was the cause that afterwards meeting in Piedmont one in the behalf of France and t'other of Spain they carried on the war with courtesie and courage shewing that civilities and kindnesses might be used amongst Enemies without prejudice to their Masters Interests Politick Observation THE entertaining of strangers who passe by a Princes Court with Honour if they are considerable either in their Births or Actions doth much advantage the glory of a Prince He who would be esteemed a generous Prince as well abroad as at home is obliged to it The Honour which he doth to such Persons is a Ray of Glory which by reverberation doth reflect on himself for they who receive his kindness are bound to be the Trumpeters of his Praise Though the Romans slighted all strangers esteeming them Barbarous yet they had a Law whereby they were bound to receive them with greater Honour and respect when they came to the City of Rome And that I may a little open the quality of their reception I shall first observe that it ought to be with all kind of civility and courtesie For this vertue is a Charm so powerful and so captivating the soul That as Lewis the Eleventh said it doth sometimes of the greatest Enemies raise up the perfectest friends whence it hapned that he himself took great care and delight
it by Force of Arms. It cannot be doubted but that this is the safest way of dealing with an Enemy provided it be managed without breath of any oath or Promises passed between Comanders of both parties for otherwise Stratagems only pass for infidelity yet it is lawfull to use all devices and win them to a Credulity and thus did every one commend the procedure of the French Army at the siedge of Gisonne neer Saint Severin against the Army of Ferdinand The Arragonois wearied out with the Incomodities of the siedge had recourse to their devices and endeavoured to practise with some French to deliver up the place The French too generous to be so cowardly and too faithful to be corrupted would not however loose the advantage which they might make by this proposal of theirs they seemed to approve of it and assigned the hour for execution In the mean while they inform the Governour of it who laid some certain Souldiers in ambush neer the Gate by which they were to enter by which means he slew about a hundred on the place took divers Prisoners and by this losse brought Ferdinands Army into a great disorder and trouble The King goes from Rochel to Paris to dissipate those Factions which began to rise thereabouts by the Hugonots in Pircardie Champagnie and Brie THE Cardinal who dived into the Counsels and designs of Forraign Princes acquainted his Majesty with those promises the English had made to assist the Rochelois and that his presence would be very needful in the Camp both to incourage his Souldiers as also to hasten on the works where every one in his sight would labour in emulation of one another But on the other side his Majesty was informed that his being so far from Paris had given opportunity to the Hugonots of the Provinces neer adjoyning to make assemblies and to incourage the people to revolt He was advised of several meetings which they made in Picardie Champagne and Brie under divers pretences as sometimes of Civility of a wedding or some quarrel in all which meetings there were means used to perswade the people to rise and take up Arms. He was also wel acquainted that they designed to seize upon some strong place or other so that his Majesty was obliged to return to Paris that by his presence and authority he might dissipate these growing mischiefs In the mean while that no time might be lost and that the Rebels might have no advantage order was sent to the Queen Mother to secure the Counts de la Suse and de Roussy in the Bastile The former she arrested by an Exempt in her Antichamber and the second at Roussy by the Duke d' Elboeuf The King having resolved upon his Journy thought it necessary to commit the care of the siedge of finishing the works and the Bank and of keeping the Souldiers in obedience and from disbanding which they formerly used to do upon his Majesties removal unto some Person whose dilligence and credit might be capable of giving successe to it Besides it was necessary that this person should be exceeding Loyal for the preventing that misfortune which befel Charles the ninth when he lay before the same town where he was put unto infinite trouble and charge and all to no purpose because they whom he trusted with the Chief commands and orders were not faithful and true to him It being very difficult to find all these three qualities in any one Person the King cast his eyes on the Cardinal as the only man in whom he could totally confide for carrying on of the siedge and all other things in order thereunto His Majesty discoursed with him to that purpose now the Cardinal although he was not ignorant that the absence of the Court is commonly a great disadvantage to such as are in favour by reason of the oportunity which they who are envious of their condition have to work them a mischief yet he readily accepted of that employment and protested to his Majesty that he would not spare any pains or diligence to bring it to a happy issue though it cost his blood and life which he should think well sacrificed in his Majesty service so the King gave him a full power to dispose of all things during his absence and gave him the command over the Duke of Angoulesme the Marshals de Bassompierre and Schomberg the Marshals of the Camp the Master of the Artillerie and all other Inferiour Officers whatever But I cannot omit with what reluctancy his Majesty went from him to Paris For it is very remarkable that his Majesty having received the Adieux of all his Officers rid up apart to a certain person of quality who was then to receive his Commands for Italy and keeping close with him said not a word for a good while together so troubled he was at his departure until at last my heart quoth he is so sad and heavy to leave Monsieur the Cardinal for fear least some mishap befal him that I am hardly able to speak for grief and therefore tell him from me that if he would have me think he loveth me that he must be careful of himself and that he adventure not hereafter into any of those dangers which he usually doth That he consider in what state my affairs would be if I should loose him I am not ignorant quoth he how that there are many people who endeavour to obstruct and hinder his bringing of his business to effect but tell him I do so much esteem his service that I shall never forget it These words were very obliging and assured testimonies of the great affection which his Majesty had for him The glory too which this Grand Minister did every day obtain by his happy services in his Majesty behalf was a tye very powerful to continue those affections of his King and Master Politique Observation THE love of a Prince is a great Honour to a Statesman and that not only in respect of the particular Benefit which floweth from it but also in regard of the Publique good which he doth watch over Where he is not beloved he wanteth authority without which he cannot do any thing worth consideration For the obtaining of this love then he ought to use his utmost art and diligence and he is bound to prefer it before his own or any other Interests whatever Alcomiaas the Grecian Servant to King Philip being told that the Athenians and Thebans wished his death with a great eagernesse replyed he was sorry for it yet that he regarded it but little so he could preserve his Masters affection This ought to be the Rule of a Chief Ministers conduct when he finds himself in his Masters good esteem For to hope that he may please his Soveraign and the Lords of his Court too is a vanity and can never be brought to passe Now to the Intent he may enjoy his Masters love in an eminent degree I should advise him not to rely too much on
Fortune but to follow Plato's advise who in his Book de Republicâ saith That to be a King and to Rule to serve and be beloved to fight and overcome are three such things as a man need not trouble himself to look after they being the Guifts of Fortune and only subjected to her power who granteth them to whom the pleaseth I am not of his opinion but do suppose that a Minister is bound having once obtained any great credit in his Masters soul to uphold it by all the cares and diligences which may render him beloved Philosophy teacheth very well That to obtain ones desire there ought to be causes applied to the subject by which a man designs to work whence it followeth that those qualities which make a man perfect and accomplished are the true causes of love so that he is obliged to let his Master see he is endued with those and the like recommendations and vertues amongst which I place that of a faithful servant in the Front For as an ancient hath observed services have a particular attractive power in them which insinuate affection and charm the mind Those subjects which are most useful are most beloved and as nothing is beloved but for Interest so those persons who are most conducing to the good of the State and the preservation of their Masters Authoritie are ever best affected And to speak the truth I believe that necessity maketh them more considerable then any other quality whatever For as the Bough of a Tree is in considerable in respect of the whole Body yet it is of great use to him who without it were in hazard of being drowned Just so is it with him he is beloved embraced and esteemed above all things when there is a need or want of him But a Minister what necessity so ever a Prince hath of him ought not if he would be dear to his Master become importunate or craving either by being alwayes in his sight on by begging any favour or boon of him Too great a Familiarity will bring his qualities into contempt how eminent so ever they be and the consideration of his services would be much diminished by his importunities Lâ—cullus one day asking Sâ—neca his intimate friend what course he should take to render himself acceptable unto the Emperour Nero in the Goverment of Sicily was thus answered by him That he is most in Princes favour who doth him most services The surest Rules which in this case is to be observed is this To see him but seldome to speak but little to him unlesse when occasions of State require it and then too with great respect and submission and in such terms as may never clash with his Masters thoughts and mind If there be any ill news to be discoursed let others first acquaint him with them The Souls of great men hate ill tidings as of Broyles and Insurrections things which diminish the respects which are due to their Authority He will not a little Fix and settle himself in his Masters favour by testifying a good courage in his occasions and affairs The Reason of this is Princes do naturally love those who are men of resolution they look on such as the supporters of their State Authority and lives and they who are themselves the greatest cowards do yet love such as are courageous stout and hardy Phalaris the Tyrant hath given us an example of this particular when he writ to a certain emulator of his I confesse thou art a good man and thou canst not deny but all in thy house are bad whereas if thou doest observe any vice in my person yet thou wilt find me still attended by wise learned and courageous followers and attendants These are the Chief Buttresses which support a Ministers favour to these I will only add That seeing there are not any qualities how eminent soever which the envy of some or other will not attempt to disguise unto his Prince he therefore ought with great care to remove such persons from him and that with the more Authority in regard Justice alloweth of the punishing such who requite services done for the Common good with Ingratitude Cardinal Richelieu Commandeth the Army in his Majesty absence THE Prudence of a King is no lesse demonstrable in his choise of Officers than in his Commands and in particular the King acquired no lesse Glory in commiting the care of the siedge of Rochel unto the Cardinal then if he had been there in person The whole management of affairs did evidence how judicious a choise his Majesty had made For Monsieur the Cardinal every day animated the Souldiers by his presence payed them weekly gave them cloths to preserve them from the cold every day oversaw all his Officers and Commanders to give them necessary instructions and to redouble their courages by his words and Actions by these means he so hastned on the works both by Sea and Land that his Majesty at his return found the first finished and the second in such forwardness that it deserved to be esteemed the eighth wonder of the World The Souldiers who are naturally addicted to mutinies and plunderings lived in such decorum that they had lost their very inclinations to one or t'other the Country men brought their provisions into the Camp without fear and received ready mony for them The Marchants kept open their shops as if it had been in a well governed City drunkenness and swearing were criminal faults And the Religious Persons whom his Majesty had sent thither of all sorts and orders were respected and held in such esteem as if they had been in a Church The most experienced in Military affairs could not sufficiently admire the Cardinals conduct in so much that they who knew him not would have imagined he had been bred all dayes of his life in the wars Some certain Persons there were who flattered the Ambition of those Grandees then under his Command by telling them it was unfit for them to obey a man of his Profession seeing their Offices gave them power to Command in his Majesties absence But the wonders of his conduct and courage were such that they were forced to confess nothing could out do him and that considering how many hapinesses he did atchieve unto France by one and t'other it were unreasonable not to obey his Majesties choise of him every one in particular acknowledging that no one but himself could under go those daily laborious knotty difficulties which he so easily did Politick Observation MIlitary discipline ought the more carefully to be observed in order to good successe because without it nothing followeth but confusion Vegetius a man well versed in such affairs saith The Romans had never been so potent but by their continual order and exercise in Arms. The strength of a Fort consisteth more in the Form then the matter the Power of an Army is undoubtedly as great by the good order amongst them as by their numbers Discipline is one of the Chief
sinews of war and as a Body soon fals to the ground if those nervers which are destinated for its Motion be cut in sender so is it with an Army they soon moulder away to nothing if not kept together in good discipline and order and on the other side where they are so disciplined they bring wonders to passe with little care or trouble Alexander being asked by what means he became Master of the Universe said by the discipline and good order which his Souldiers observed by the good Counsel which they had and the eloquence he used in animating them and withal he added that he knew not any means more powerful to execute the greatest exployts in warfare Domitius Corbulo with ten thousand Roman foot and some few of his Allayes sustayned all the attempts of a multitude of Parthians and this he did only by the good order and discipline he caused them to observe The Chief points of this order were according to Tacitus first to prevent any of their disbanding a thing of so great importance that without it the greatest Armies melt in a little whiles to nothing and this ought to be effected either by furnishing the Souldiers with all things necessary or by severly punishing such as offer without leave to forsake their colours The second was that no one durst go out to fight without Command given for it a thing of no lesse importance then the first For they who fight contrary to or against their Commanders order are easily overcome both because they are not as wel informed as because they ever fight in disorder The Germans which went to relieve Ferdinand King of Napels may serve for an example of this kind for presently upon their arrival being provoked by an extreame desire to make themselves famous by some exploit or other they adventured to sally out of Troye contrary to the order of Fabritius Colonna Governour of the Town that they might joyne themselves with King Ferdinand and fight those Enemies who opposed their passage but Monsieur de Montpensier perceiving it fell upon them in a place where they could neither fight nor save themselves by flight by which means not a man escaped The third was that all guards day labourers and sentinels should stand to their Arms day and night he having put two Souldiers to death for having found them at work in the Trenches the one without his Arms and t'other only with his dagger The reason hereof is because by this means an Army cannot be surprized by an Enemy and that in case he should attempt any thing on the Camp he would alwayes find them ready to resist him Avidius Cassius esteemed all these three points of so great concernment in Arms that he thought such as did not exactly observe them deserved to be cruelly punished he usually cut off their legs and Arms who left the Army without leave and he forbore putting them to death because quoth he it is a greater example of terrour for a man to living in misery and shame then to dye It one day hapened that his Souldiers discovered the Sarmatians kept no very strict watch so they surprised them fell in upon them and killed three thousand of them but for their punishment he crucified all the Captains alleadging that the Sarmatians might have had some ambush for them unknown to them which if it had so been they might by their rashnesse have discredited the Roman Honour and Glory Neither was he lesse sever in punishing those who had stollen any thing from their quarters The Emperour Aurelian was so strict in this particular that he writ to a Tribune that as he tendred his life he should suppresse his Souldiers from stealing but told him they must look to enrich themselves by the pillaging of their Enemies not by the tears of his and their friends I shall only add that the Souldiers ought to be trained up to the use and exercise of their Arms which both keeps them from Idleness and worse things and maketh them perfect in their Trade and if they have any other leasure time over and above it were not amisse to find them out some diversions or entertainment it being otherwise hard to keep them from disbanding Marcus Aemilius finding his Souldiers lazy and in want of employment made them pave the way between Plaisance and Riminy and Julius Veter made his work in a Channel to joyn the Sarna with Mâ—lessai The Cardinal de Richelieu attempteth to retard Rochel DUring his Majesty absence the Cardinal disirous to save him the trouble of returning back to the siedge and knowing how needful it was to prevent the English arrival besides his great courage being impatient of delay attempted all means to make some enterprise upon Rochel He proposed the breaking open one of the Gates and then the falling in with so great force as might carry the place and having discoursed it with the Marshal de Schomberg he at last concluded on it and carried his design so close and private that had not Marillac Marshal of the Camp in the Duke of Angoulesmes quarter been faulty he had doubtlesse succeeded in it The Cardinal had get together whatever was proper or necessary for the whole business He gave out orders for the execution of it the night being come he assigned the Rendevouz The Marshal de Schomberg sent divers Companies thither with ladders and bridges to cast over the Ditch The Marquis de Roselia Grand Master of the Artillery brought with him Petards Granadoes and other Artificial Fier-works The Cardinal was there in Person within Musket shot of the Town that he might shew some marks of his courage upon the first opening of the Gate and be ready to command in the assault not like the Cardinal Ximenes at the taking of Oran who was all the while at his Prayers in a Chappel but like a General indeed and such a one as would incourage his Souldiers by his own words and Actions so that every one did plainly perceive he was no lesse Souldier and Captain when occassion should require it then Cardinal in the Church and Counsel He so behaved himself that Historie need not make any excuse for him upon the score of his profession as for that same Minister of Spain But Marillac who had the charge for the bringing on the most part of the Forces to Rendevouz not comming to second the courage of his General rendered his Conduct and Valour uselesse He was sought after most part of the night indeed but could not any where be found but about day break he appeared with more excuses though than courage he endeavoured to excuse himself by many frivolous pretences which the Cardinal was contented to put up in consideration of the Queen Mother whose creature he was yet was it a great displeasure and vexation to him when he came to draw off least the Rochellois should have discovered them and beaten him off with losse Politique Observation FAint hartedness is an Enemy to
of it said the place would assuredly be taken if he went not in person to releeve it and that it might so happen that his presence might save it and therefore that it was better to hazard this latter then to leave the former without remedy preferring his honour and the publick good before the particular consideration of his person The same courage carried his Majesty to the most glorious and honourable design that his good fortune with that of France could lead him to undertake which was forthwith to depart Upon the third of April he set forward from Paris and arrived at Rochel on Easter-munday Upon his arrival the Artillery both of the Forts and Ships saluted him and his presence so revived the Army that every one redoubled his courage and affection to behave themselves with resolution There were but the Marilacs and those of their faction who were troubled to see him on the Theater of his glory but the Laurels which his Majesty gathered there did serve to set forth unto what mis-fortunes a Prince is reduced when he is councelled by passionate advisers Politique Observation ONe of the most dangerous qualities that he who is Councellour to a King can have is to suffer himself to be transported with envy hatred anger or any passion whatever Wise Council is an affect of Prudent reason and it can be no longer Prudent when it is once darkned with the Clouds of some irregular motion The Irascible power being once master of Reason doth so obscure it that maketh men see no objects in their true colours and that Passion carrieth it away where ever it pleaseth with the same impetuousnesse as a hot metled horse draws a Chariot into Precipices that it is impossible to stay him It is reported that the Flowers of Egypt being watered by the vapours of Nile which are for the most part gross and earthy yeeld not any smell and it is no lesse certain that a Statesman with how great a Genius soever he be indued is no more capable to give good Counsel after he hath once given himself up to envy or hatred His Passion maketh him quarrel with truth it self and to approve of those Councels which are most prejudicial to the State that he may satisfie his own self-will The disgraces of others are his delights Factions are his joys and the ruine of those whom he would destroy is his sweetest and most pleasing spectacle neither is he concerned at the rise or fall of any one so he be satisfied in his own particular To this purpose the Poets feigned that Hercules being transported with anger knew not his wife or children insomuch that he tore them in pieces But how many other true and assured proofs doth History afford us That of England tels us how the Duke of York Henry the Eighths Favourite being dis-affectionate to Spain alwaies gave his Master advices in prejudice of Charles the Fifth and on the other side being full of good will towards France perswaded him to such resolutions as might continue the friendship which was between them Antiochus his Favourites being incensed against Hannibal caused him to be banished from the Counsel though he were a person very necessary and usefull to him In fine he who is mastered by Passion onely thinks of satiating himself for the obtaining thereof he disguiseth the disloyalty of his Counsels with so many fair glosses and specious colours that he may draw his Prince to that end he aimeth at by this means if his Prince have any confidence in him he will easily deceive him and quickly dead him into those mis-fortunes which he will soon perceive but too late to get clear of them All Soveraigns are not so fortunate as the Pisans who refused to make a War against the Florentines being invited thereunto by the Arch-Bishop of Milan for that Francis Gambacortij gave them to understand he onely advised to it out of hatred to the Florentines and not out of any advantage to their interests The Rochelois are summoned by a Herald to surrender to the King THe King being returned to the Army caused the Rochelois to be summoned by a Herald to surrender but their minds and answers were full of insolency so that his Majesty bended all his thoughts to make preparations for the fighting with the English Fleet at their first comming Divers Lords and Gentlemen of the Nation came from all parts to the Army for this occasion and to partake of the glory of his Majesties Arms every one of them were on fire to be ingaged with the English and the Rochelois that they might obtain a second victory against them Now it being expedient that he who commandeth an Army should exactly know the condition and number of his forces that he may the better resolve upon that which is necessary to be done the King thought fit to make a muster and to take a strict view of the Army He caused them to muster in his own presence which was no small satisfaction to him especially when he observed how dutifull they were and how well Disciplined not stragling up and down as formerly they were wont to do all which was an effect of the Cardinals admirable care Conduct and Prudence The Order which he had caused to be observed was this every eight days there was a muster of all the Souldiers every Regiment having a Commissary appointed to it to whom the Souldiers pay was distributed and not to their Captains as formerly had been the custome By this means the Captains were deprived of the power of mustring any foisted hirelings and every week there was an exact number of the Army that new recruits might be sent for if occasion did require This alteration you may imagine did much trouble divers Captains especially such as preferred their own Interests before his Majesties glory but it cannot be expected how advantagious it was to the Kings service who thus reviewing his Army found it composed of nineteen Regiments of foot and eighteen Troops of Horse besides a very great number of Volunteers insomuch that they were five and twenty thousand men compleat The King likewise took a view of all his Vessels and finding them to be in good order and enough to secure the Channel from the English he began to be impatient to see them appear that he might make them pay for the rashnesse of their attempts and signalize his own forces by a second Victory Politique Observation ONE of the chief cares a General ought to have is that he keep his Forces in good order that none of them run from their Coullors or muster any hirelings It is a businesse of so great importance that oftentimes Victorie dependeth on it as at Pavie where the ill successe which befell Francis the first is by divers Historians attributed to the defect of this particular for onely looking over the Commissaries Roules he thought there had bin full as many Souldiers as were there listed upon which the fight was begun but
lost and the King taken prisoner Now for the staying of Souldiers in an Army one of the best ways according to Alexander Severus is this pay them well clothe them well shoe them well arm them well feed them well and so order the businesse that they may alwayes have some mony in their purses and when they be thus well used such as run from their Collours must then be severy punished Corbulo beheaded all such without mercy and it was observed that this severity of his was of great advantage to him for by it he kept all his toopes neer at a stay in point of Number Neither is it lesse needful to prevent Captaines and Commissaries scroles who can by a dangerous miracle revive dead Souldiers in their companies and make more to appear then really they have This is an inconveniency of which the losse of the Kings mony is the least consequent evil for if it happen that a Prince assure himself according to the Roles is thereupon become confident in attempting any enterprises he may perchance when it comes to a trial find himself much weaker then he expected and by that means run into the same premunire that Francis the first did at Pavie The best preventive Course in such disorders is that which Darius used who notwithstanding the vastnesse of his Armie and the Extent of his States was however so careful of his Forces that he would often review them in his own presence pay the Souldiers with his own hands and be perpetually in company with them not onely that he might be particularly acquainted with them but that he might take care to provide necessaries for them encourage some and reward others who had wel deserved of him If after all their cares the Captains shall still presume to make false musters both they and the Commissaries who admit of them ought to be punished with so much the more rigor in regard their faults are of so dangerous a consequence The English Fleet cometh before Rochell THE perpetual instance which they of Rochel made to the King of Great Brittain at last wrought on him to send out his Fleet to Sea upon their first being ready for it and about the eleventh of May they were discried two leagues off the point of Coreille The light Vessels which the Cardinal in his Majesties absence being then at Surgeres had sent out to discover the Coast brought intelligence that their Fleet consisted in four Pinnaces seven men of War of about one hundred and fifty Tun a peece twenty smaller of neer one hundred Tuns twenty Barques of about thirty and forty and divers Fire-ships There was such order taken to repel them in case they should attempt to passe the Bank that it would be almost an impossibility for them to effect it For besides there engines which were at the mouth of the Bark there was also the Kings Fleet composed of good store Men of war and divers other Vessels which lay in the Channels The Chevalier de Velencay was in the formost Ship of the vant-guard and commanded as Vice-Admiral who had order to grapple with the first Ship of the Enemies and to fight those who were in it The others were to follow his example and every one had order to beat the Enemies as neer to the Shore as possible they could where they would find it a hard taske to get off in regard of the great shot from the Forts and Batteries thereabouts If the Enemie should break through all those obstacles of the greater Vessels shot from the Batteries yet they would find themselves entangled amongst fourscore other Vessels Gallies Galliots and Barques from whence it would be difficult to get off and at the worst they would be stopped by those vessels which had been sunk or the first Pallisade of three and forty ships which were next to them The Cardinal who knew that his Majesties courage would lead him to every thing presently gave him advice of the arrival of the English and his Majesty presently took horse and came the same night to the Camp The strength of his Army the Batteries which were built on the shores and the good order which he observed both in his Land and Sea forces banish'd all causes of fear from him neither were his resolutions lesse fortified by the confidence which he had in God for whose glory he did fight more then for the Interests of his own Kingdome to whom he caused publick Prayers to be made for his blessing on this occasion In short as he was not ignorant that the presence of an enemy obligeth him who commands to be the more vigilant he sent to discover the enemies Fleet at a nearer distance within Musket shot then lying in the road of the Chef de Bay he likewise called a Councel of War where he resolved upon the following order for his own Fleet He commanded that upon the first motion of the enemy no Vessel should weigh Anchor untill they were neer at hand and that then they should board them before they came neer the Bank That no Vessel should releeve his Companion being ingaged with the enemy that in case any Vessel were in pursuit of an enemy and should fall foul upon one of his own party not yet provided then the first vessel should cast Anchor to the end to stay the enemy that both might fall upon him that if any vessel were fired the Shallops should presently come to assist and that in case she were grappled with a Fire-ship they should remove the Wedges from the Cannons that they might shoot over That in such case too they should knock out the ends of their Barrels of Power and pour in some Buckets of Water That they should not make ready any greater number of vessels then the enemy should bring in between the two points That the ships should every day send their Boats to watch before the Fleet and that their chief care should be to prevent the enemies Fire-ships by surprising their Shallops in case they had any or by casting an harping Iron whereby to draw them off from the vessels That for the more readinesse every vessel should have a grappling hook in the stern and that when-ever the enemy should hoise sail they should have their long boats armed and ready to advance with assistance against any fire where it should happen This order was resolved on by the King assisted with his Generals and Sea Captains and so delivered to the Commander of Valencay Vice-Admiral who distributed it amongst the Officers Lastly his Majesty took a review of all his Quarters and Batteries to see if all were in condition to fight and repel the enemy when-ever they should appear Politique Observation OF all the Arts none more becommeth a Prince than the Military which not onely preserves his own State to him but gives him means to increase it and raise his power to a higher degree It cannot be doubted but that it is one of the
both parts exchanged some Broad-sides and the King being in person upon one of the Batteries caused about thirty to bee lovelled at them which did not a little indamage them Politique Observation ALthough shame be the Child of evil Parents yet it begetteth excellent effects It proceedeth from some Actions which have a certain infamy with them and leave behind them some ill tincture upon the reputation but then the grief which a generous mind apprehendeth at it when he findeth himself disgraced maketh him redouble his courage and carrieth him to glorious actions A thing very remarkable in the persons of Soveraigns who being jealous of their glory the fairest flower of their Crowns cannot indure that it should be sullied by any misfortune which may seem to carry a faith-heartedness with it It grieves them and not a little to find themselves deficient in those successes which have Crowned their equals Hereupon it was that Caesar reflecting on himself how that during two and thirty years time he had not signalzied his Courage by any one great exploit fell into tears before an Image of Alexander which seemed to reproach him by those great Acts which he had brought to passe in a lesse time But who can express the lively impression which it maketh when it hath been seen to inflame the most cowardly an faint-hearted with resolution and courage History affordeth us many examples of Armies which after a shamefull rout have been possessed with the Army of the Persians when they saw their wives come to them holding up their Coats faced about and charged the Army of Astyages which then pursued them with so much Courage that they gained the Victory and in the same manner the shame which the Romans conceived upon their defeat by the Samnites at the Forges of Caudine did so sensibly excite them that they could not rest till they had been revenged they marched to Capua but so sad that they could hardly speak which they of least understanding attributed to their despair but Offiliâ—â— Ascalanius more judicious then the rest told the Citizens that this silence and confusion which was in their Countenance did presage no great good for he could not be perswaded but that the resentments of such extraordinary grief would transport them to strange attempts for the recovery of that honour whereof fortune had bereaved them especially seeing shame when it spurs on a resolution is an hope of safety The Roman Consul Agrippa that he might incourage his Army would oftentimes take one of his Ensigns and cast it into the middle of his enemies to the end the shame which his Souldiers should conceive at it might animate them the more and oblige them for the regaining of them to shew all proofs of an extraordinary Courage The Fâ—ight between the Kings Fleet and the English AFter the English had stood in this Posture two dayes they sent out between Sunday even and Munday morn 10 or 12 floating Petards to set fire on the Kings ships The Composition of those Petards was of Lattin filled with Powder laid upon certain peeces of Timber crosse which there was a spring which touching any Vessel would flie off and give fire to the Petards but onely one took effect which did no great hurt onely cast water into the ship and that was all the rest being taken by the Kings Boats their Petards were answered by good store of Cannon from the Kings ships yet their Fleet continued still in the same posture insomuch that many beleeved that they would either return that day without any more ado or else land their men Now as he who commands an Army is obliged to foresee all accidents and to prevent them so the King commanded the Duke of Angoulesm and the Marshal de Scomberg to guard the Point de Coreille and the Duke de la Trimoville and the Comte de Alets to stand their charge with the Light-horse and the Cavalry and took his own station at the Point of the Chef de Bay with some foot and divers of the Nobility which he intended to defend in his own person His Majesty further gave order to several Voluntiers to go aboard the ships with his Souldiers and which was done in sight of the English Fleet which had no great mind that day to ingage but the day following being the 30 of October and considering that the reputation of their Master was too much ingaged in the defence of the Rochelois for them to go away without doing of any thing and having the Wind favourable they hoised Sails made ready and came up to the Kings Fleet which presently met them in good order The fight began at 6 of the Clock and in about four hours time they discharged between them near 5000 great shot but never came nearer one another then Cannon distance The Kings Fleet commanded by the Commander de Valencay did as much as could be desired and though the English had the wind of them yet were they but ill treated by the Cannon one of their great ships being so torn that they were forced to retire to the Isle of Oye to mend her A Cessation of Arms for some days between the two Fleets IN the mean while the King being in the Batteries of the Chef de Bay which he had but raised two days before caused his Cannons to be discharged by his particular Order without the least fear of the danger whereunto he did expose himself in regard of the many Bullets which fell at his feet and came very near him he took a great delight to see his Guns do that execution which he intended the Elements fight for him and the English betray their fear of his presence good fortune and courage And was it not much more glorious for him to give order for the standing of this assault and to be himself present in it by offering his life to God then to have been in his Chamber at Paris where those of Marillac's faction would have staied him Was it not a greater pleasure to him to behold the Sea all on fire bringing flaming Vessels to his feet as if they did him homage and to command in his own person amidst the Batteries then to have been idle in the Louvre In my sense he had been as much too blame to have been at Paris whiles these affairs were acting as it was now glorious to see him here reducing Heresie to his obedience And this was as much as was done the first day The next morning the wind being still fair for the English they set their Sails began to shoot but durst not come nearer the Kings Fleet then before they were answered in the same language and for four hours together the Ayr seemed to be all on fire The little more which they did worth observation was this they sent 9 Fire-ships seconding them with Ships filled with Stones and full of dung to which they had set fire with intent that the smoke of it driven by the Wind
hundred and thirteen when they absolutely opposed him and that the most he could expect was some paltry Town whereas adhering to his Majesty he would find means to induce Monsieur de Mantua to let him have Triâ— and other handsome places to the yearly rent of fifteen thousand Crowns That withal he disobliged the Princes and extreamly much wronged himself by favouring the growing greatness of Spain in Italy upon which they had already testified but too great a design That Cazal would give him great advantages and that he had the more reason to be suspâ—tious of it himself he being so near a borderer upon Milan and that the Spaniard having drawn him off from France would quickly invade his territory as being assured himself alone could not resist him It were much to be wished that we knew the Cardinal ' whole discourse in this conference or that I could discribe the gracefulness and authority with which he spoke But that not being I shall content my self to say that it is impossible to defend ones self against his discourse when he undertakes to perswade any thing his words being accompanied with certain charms which in a little while force a surrender It is not possible long to deny him his discourses are replenished with such an I know not what sweetnesse which insinuateth it self into the heart his gesture and complasance do no lesse second his discourse and they ought to be esteemed for such as the best wits have confessed it was impossible to defend themselves from him whatever promises they had made of sticking close to any resolutions of theirs contrary to his desires Politique Observation ELoquence is an ornament so much the more necessary for great States-men in regard they are obliged more then others to perswade diverse things to the people and those Grandees with whom they treat The Roman Prince of Eloquence saith It is Rhetorick which raiseth men above beasts and I may add that it iâ— Eloquence and a volubility of discourse gives a States-man great advantages over those with whom he treats Prudence teacheth him good counsels and the wayes to obtain his ends but Eloquence is that which gives him the perswasive power so that in some sence it is the soul of Counsels Rash Eloquence would do him no good it being like counterfeit Gold glisters indeed but is worth nothing and a mute prudence where there is a defect of good expression is of no great use but is like a fair statue whose proportions and sculpture are admired by every one but cannot speak whereas Eloquence and Prudence joyned together work miracles The Ancient Sages saith Cicero who have established the foundations and Laws of the most famous States as Lycurgus Solon Pitâ—acus and the like were equally endued both with one and the other with prudence for the invention of those just Laws which they published and with Eloquence for the perswading the people to receive them It cannot be denied but that Eloquence was one of those qualities which did insinuate into the peoples belief that Doctrine which Jesus Christ preached seeing the Gospel it self recorded it where it is said that the sweetnesse of those words which came from his mouth ravished the people with admiration And who can doubt of the power which Rhetorick hath on mens minds seeing that tongues were the first Arms given the Apostles when they were sent abroad to preach Indeed there cannot be an handsomer ornament added to the dignity of great Ministers then to discourse well nor really stronger Arms to their Prudence Their affairs will continually lead them to treat with Grandees who must be satisfied with reasons which when well expressed are the more perswasive They must know how to appease to mollifie or provoke passions by the addresse of their discourse according as occasion requires Is it most certain that naked reason is commonly weak whereas clothed with the ornaments of Rhetorick it captivateth the soul insinuateth into the most unreasonable cureth the disaffected softneth the most obdurate hearts reclaimeth the most irregular actions and in a word exerciseth an absolute empire over the will The Athenians were not ignorant of it when being oppressed by Alexanders Arms to deprive themselves either of their Captains or Orators they chose rather to banish the former than the latter preferring the Gown before the Sword Eloquence in the person of a States-man is then most powerful when accompanied with affability and complasance for these virtues rendring his person as well as his reason agreeable do insinuate themselves with such power and charms that it is impossible to hold out against them Prosecution of the History THE Prince of Piedmont had promised to return the next morning with the Duke of Savoy's ratification but however he came not his perswasions not having that power over the Dukes reason as the Cardinals had over his He only sent the Comte de VerruÌ„e with Complements and Civilities in stead of a positive resolution The King was not satisfied with it and Monsieur the Cardinal who is in nothing more sensible then that which concerneth his Majesties glory took these delayes of the Duke of Savoy with a great deal of regret and Impatience So that his Prudence telling him there was no more time to be lost he sent word unto his Majesty that the next morn by day break he would secure the passages who unwilling to let the attempt be made without him told him he would make one of the patty to which end he presently took Horse and accordingly having taken order and given instructions concerning the main Body of the Army then neer him he came away about ten or twelve at night and march't four leagues in so great a darknesse that he was forced for the most part to walk on foot yet at last he came to Chaumont where he met the Marshals de Crequy Bassompierre and the Schomberg with the Cardinal contriving every thing for the assault and for carying of the Baricadoes upon the very first break of day which they were all resolved to do notwithstanding the snows the wearinesse of the Souldiers and the fight it self which could not be but furious in regard the Duke of Savoy had laid his choysest forces for the guarding of those passages which of themselves were so strait and strong that a hundred men might defend them Politick Observation IT is no lesse advantagious than seemly for a Prince to give Orders in his Battels and to appear in his own person to see them executed as well by his example as command I say it is seemly in regard Kings have not received their swords from the hand of God onely to devolve the charge and conduct of their Armies upon their Captains Their crowns are not bestowed on them so much for the honour of their own persons as to oblige them to maintain and encrease by the prudence of their counsels and the force of their Arms the glory of their States they are like the Sun
infirmity and another injunction made to the Bayliffs in the year thirteen hundred and four commanding all Prelates and Ecclesiasticks who were bound to attend his Majesties service that they should be ready to wait on his person These examples may serve to demonstrate that Prelates have heretofore been accustomed to serve our Kings so that there cannot be any just exceptions made against their following of his Majesty in Arms. Politique Observation THe General of an Army being the second person of a Kingdom had need be indued with all the qualities necessary to the King himself but those which do most contribute to his glory and the good successe of the Armies under his command are Prudence Courage and Reputation Prudence is like the eye which beholds those things that are proper to be done and what is fit to be commanded Courage is that which executeth them and Reputation is like the soul in couragious Battels which gives motion to the Souldiers with so extraordinary a generosity that it is easie to know when they are commanded by a General in whom they have a confidence Prudence is necessary for him to deliberate with judgment what is sound and fit and to command them to good purpose which teacheth him to keep his Army in good order which acquainteth him with the humour and disposition not onely of those Officers who command under him but likewise of his Souldiers that he may the more readily know how to command them upon his designs which teacheth him the observation of military Laws which helpeth him to foresee and prevent great dangers which gives him means to judge of Treaties and make advantages of them as occasion shall happen which furnisheth him with resolution to prosecute his designs with courage of mind to bear mis-fortunes and with moderation in good successe These are some of those effects of that Prudence which is requisite in a General I could add a thousand other subjects in which it is needfull but for the present I shall onely say in general terms that Prudence ought to be the rule by which he squareth all his actions Thus did the Egyptians acknowledge it for an inseparable companion of command whiles they represented it by an eye placed over a Scepter If a General have need of Prudence surely Courage is no lesse necessary for him that he may break through all obstacles which may happen for the assaulting of his enemies with rigour that he may adventure upon dangers without fear that himself may be in the fights and that in his own person he may lead up his forces to infuse the greater resolutions in them It is not that he should rashly run into dangers but to look them in the face and to send others on without apprehension of fear It is an errour in young men who think that a General cannot be couragious unlesse he run madly into dangers that were rather fury and would procure him the discredit of being rash rather then the honour of being couragious If he had an heart without judgement to what purpose were it He being the Soul of War and others lives depending on his he is bound to preserve himself for the preservation of others Not that he ought to be absent when orders are to be given or his Souldiers incouraged but that he ought not to run headlong into the heat of the Battel unlesse when he finds the Victory wavering and that his example is requisite to renew the courage of his Souldiers and to carry the day by some extraordinary attempt In such occasions he may adventure himself else not His staffe of command being to force others on and the Sword in the Souldiers hand to execute his commands Lastly Reputation is requisite in a General for without it the Souldiers have not any confidence in him whereas when they once esteem him it intitles him to a greater power over them then any other thing when they shall have oftentimes seen him break through dangers they will not flinch at any thing The Sun his vigour maketh all things the more fruitfull and it is most certain that the reputation of a General is that which makes him more resplendant amongst his forces and adds a great life to his commands The Souldier moves but by halfs under a low spirited Commander and is hardly perswaded to any extraordinary enterprises He seems onely to have Arms for his own defence but when his Commander is a person of reputation it is far otherwise I am of the same judgement with him who said Opinion hath so great an Empire that it governs the whole world at least it is so far true for that virtue her self would have but small authority in commanding without being beholding to her Thus an ancient and that wisely held that the happinesse of successe was the daughter of authority and of the reputation of great men The End of the First Book THE HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE Cardinal de Richelieu Second Part. Anno 1630. IF Antiquity hath made Afrique to passe for one of the most wonderfull Countries of the World because it every day produceth something which is both new and Monstrous I am most confident that this years History will enforce the judgments of those who shall consider it to confesse that Europe runs the same Parallel and the extraordinary diversity which is here met with is ground enough for it seeing every Sun brings to light somewhat which is not common and seems to give a new face to all State affairs Bellona sets all parts on fire with the flames of War Peace endeavoured which all it's might to extinguish it in Italy Honour and disgrace breed strange effects Ingratitude will cause us to behold such Monsters that the Age to come will want faith to believe the qualities of them Love and hatred will a like strenuously act their parts The Stars of Heaven in their malignities one against t'other seem to conspire the ruin of Nations and Armies In a word there is not any one thing which a man may call strang or unheard of but I find acted to the life in this years compasse not to say in Europe but even in France it self If should seem that Heaven which cannot justly be more admired at for any thing then that of its various twinking lights the Stars is sometimes delighted to shew us an extraordinary diversity in Negotiations of States and partly to afford those who govern fit opportunities to testifie their Prudence to the World The Divine wisdom permits their Splendor to be somtime Eclipsed with thick clouds which are soon after dissipated and blown over to make their light appear the more glorious Such is the condition both of Kingdoms and particular men that they are both equally subject to the changes of Fortune But as the wise and prudent Pilot saves and keeps his vessel in the greatest and most violent storm not losing his judgment either at the flashes of lightning or the claps of Thunder which
of the Emperour Spaniard and Duke of Savoy joined together could not bring them any releef so that they had much rather render themselves upon such honourable conditions as were accorded them then expect that rigour of the Kings army which was impossible for them to avoid and accordingly surrender they did upon our Lady-day a day which hath ever been fortunate for France in their Italian expeditions for on that day they won the Battels of Cerssolles and Ravennes Politique Observation IT must be confessed that the reputation of a General of an army giveth a great stroke either in Sieges or other Incounters Their very name is a Thunder-bolt which strikes amazement into the whole world they are accustomed as by their trade to vanquish and those whom they do at any time besiege give themselves for lost as soon as ever they see them appear before their Walls and resolve to set open their Gates to them having no other hopes but of being forced with dishonour I am of opinion with that ancient Authour who saith that great Captains carry good fortune along with them and cannot blame Caesar who forbad such as were with him to be afraid onely because they were in his Company Câ—riolanus made it apparent to the Romans when he was banished by them and retired himself to the Volsians who made him General of their Army which he led up directly to the Walls of Rome to revenge the injury they had done him and there overcame them though they had not long before beaten and triumphed over the Volsians and this made Titus Livy to say the Common-wealth of Rome hath gained as much reputation and glory by their Commanders as by their multitude of Souldiers Credit is to a General the same as 't is to a Merchant and it hath been often seen that by it little Armies have defeated very great ones that is it which keepeth Confederates close to their promises which renders the Souldiers couragious which removes all obstructions opens all Passages which doth facilitate the waies for Provisions and finally which doth attempt many things with good success which otherwise would appear to be impossibilities The Passages from France to Piedmont were open after the reducing of certain Towns of the Duke of Savoy DUring the Siege of Pignerol the Cardinal gave order for the besieging the Fort of Perousa which held out but a small time and thereupon sent the Marshal of Scâ—omberg with a Regiment of foot and 22 Troops of Horse to seize upon the Town of Briqueras which as soon yeelded it self The same day he followed on his design'd way and formed a foundation for a Fort which was finished with extraordinary diligence that he might thereby make himself master of many Vallies which adjoyned to the Mountains of Dauphine and secure himself of a safe Passe which strook such a terrour into the inhabitants of the Vallies of St. Lucerz Augroaque and St. Martin that they forthwith rendred themselves under the Kings Obedience and went to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Cardinal accordingly There was one onely Fort remained called Mirebourg lying at the foot of the Valley of Lucern which was besieged and soon taken by which means the Passages between Piedmont and France were open clear and safe not onely for the Army to march without danger but for the conveying of Recruits Provisions of Victuals and Monies and other necessaries for the Army as often as need should require Politique Observation THere is not any one thing which a General ought to have a more especial care in then that he leave no Place behind him which may afterwards trouble or indanger him Charlemaign gained a very great deal of honour amongst other our Kings by his Arms and withall he was much blamed when he passed into Spain for not making himself Master of those places which he passed by in the Mountains It cannot be denied but he deserved that blame considering the consequences which followed it for that the greatest part of his Forces were cut in pieces upon their return and all the Baggage rifled by the Mountainers Caesar in his Commentaries upon the War with the Gauls holdeth it for one of the greatest maximes in the Art of War that marching through a strange Country one ought to secure himself of all such places which are in his way and that it was a great joy and satisfaction to him being there making War to find those of Therovanne voluntarily proffering to render themselves after some little resistance because willingly he would not leave an enemy behind him One of the greatest oversights which Charles the Eighth commited in his voyage into Italy was his relying upon the Duke of Milan's promise instead of making himself master of such places as were needfull for his safe Passage The Duke being in league with other Princes appeared in the head of the Passage of Tar to obstruct and hinder his further proceeding and this Prince returned not into France but by the Battel of Fornone where he ran very great dangers and hazards But if in their return they o not ingage them yet two hundred Musquetiers in a Fort behind them will so gall those that come to bring Recruits that the whole Army may be much annoyed by it The Mutiny in Dijon VVHilest the Cardinal was atchieving these glorious exploits the King was advancing toward Lyon and marching by Fountainbleau his Majesty received intelligence of a great sedition which had happened at Dyon on the 28 of February by the mutiny of a Company of Vineyard Dressers who had the boldnesse to pillage and rifle some of the chief Officers houses They which blowed the fire of this sedition informed the people that the establishing the Elections in Borgogne was to no other intent or purpose then in conclusion to settle the taxes and other impositions though in reality his Majesties intentions were onely to rectifie and redresse the ordinary contributions which were made by all the Provinces The insolencies of Mutineers hurrieth them on to the greater extremities by how much Magistrates are more remisse or negligent in confronting and punishing their first emotions and rebellions His Majesty presently dispatched Monsieur de Bellegarde Governour of that Province who had a great power and influence upon the affections of the people not onely in respect of his Office but in relation to the great love and repute he had particularly got a long time amongst them He quickly allayed and quieted all things and not long after his Majesty going to Lyon would passe through it to take course for a better order in future forcing those great multitudes of Vineyard-keepers to pack away and setling new Magistrates and Officers who should be diligent to keep the people in their due obedience not forgetting to give a charge to the Parliament that some of the principal Mutineers and Assistants of those destructions and spoils should be punished and thereby be made examples of his Justice and their own follies
him lies the friendship of the Princes of the blood it being most certain that a good intelligence and correspondence with them is as advantagious to the State as a breach with them is unfortunate and ominous And as their greatest inclination is to command so one cannot more oblige them then by giving them imployment But one ought to be well assured and carefull of their truth and fidelity and that the stedfastnesse of their minds be not to be shaken by the dangerous suggestions of such as are about them who are alwaies sure of endeavouring to render themselves agreeable that they may instil into them more Ambition then they ought to have and induce them to revolt with the Army and those powers which are intrusted under their command Isocrates did well advise Nicocles never to prefer those of his blood to imployments untill he was extreamly well assured of them for that the desire of rule doth so much the more charm the kindred of a Prince by how much they are neerer related unto him as T. Livy very well observeth Blood hath no tie so strong â—hich ambition doth not oftentimes break when it finds it self with Arms in its hand They ought to be so much the lesse intrusted by how much they have lesse true affection or friendship as Plutarch hath verified by many examples in the life of Demetrius If a King be obliged for any just reason to confide his Armies into the hands of any Prince of the Blond I imagine he must follow the Prudence of Tiberius who when he sent Germanicus to command his Army into Syria he recalled Creticus Syllanus from the Government of that Province who was an intimate friend to Germanicus fearing lest their intelligence and correspondence might lend a helping hand to advance him into the power of Soveraignty and placed in his room Cneus Piso whose violent humour would make him oppose any designs of his if they should be contrary to the duty of his Office In a word a King ought to such a person to associate some one whose valour and fidelity may be able to counterpoise or ballance any enterprizes which hee may attempt The King came to Lion then to Grenoble where the Cardinal came to meet him THe King passed by Dijon that he might there give such orders as we have already said and thence came to Lyon but rested there a very little while for the great desire he had to be at Grenoble where he had directed the Cardinal to meet him as soon as the Passages of Italy were open The Cardinal was passionately desirous to be neer his Majesty to pay him his usual services and to ease him of the care and trouble of his estate and his Majesty was no lesse impatient to see the Cardinal as he testified by his extraordinary care and caresses with which he honoured him at his arrival and which were proofs not onely of the affection but of the extream tenderness which he had for him Politique Observation THe Passion of Love produceth the same effects in the Souls of great Kings as it doth in those of private persons It is that which carrieth their minds so naturally towards those whom they honour with their favours that they take a singular delight to see them alwaies neer them Alexander could not be without the sight of Hephestion And it is most sure that the greatest successes which Princes have be it in War be it in Peace are but lame and do nothing neer so much affect their minds with joy if they have not neer them some persons with whom they use to discourse with freedom and familiarity And what greater satisfaction or content can there be to a Prince then the Prudence of a couragious and faithfull Minister who he assuredly knows to have no Passion so great as that which tends to his honour and glory What an honour is it to have neer him a person to whom his Majesty may lay open his bosome and intrust with his grandest secrets without the least suspicion or doubt of his fidelity What a great satisfaction and content is it to have by one so noble a Genius whose discourses disburthen his cares whose councels facilitate his greatest State-difficulties whose vigilance secures him from dangers and whose courage conducts him to a happy successe in all his enterprises The happy succeess of the Treaty of Peace by the Cardinal Mazarini between the King and Duke of Savoy THe King no sooner arrived at Grenoble but Mazarini was ready to make propositions of Peace to his Majesty The Duke who till then had been deaf to all overtures how reasonable soever as well as the Marquesse Spinola caused word to be sent to his Majesty that if his Majesty would be pleased to restore him Pignerol he would accord to any Articles which should seem just The King who desired nothing more then Peace provided it were honourable and advantagious to his Allies received the message with much joy and thought fit that the Marshal of Crequy the Sieur of Chasteauneus de Bullion and Bauttillier should assemble with the Cardinals Bagni and Mazarini to prepare such Articles as might be for the contentment of all parties however he would not be obliged to quit his design of prosecuting the War untill the Treaty was intirely concluded and resolved on for his Majesty knew of what importance the restitution of Pignerol was without which they did not so much as name or speak of any accomodation Politique Observation SEeing Peace when it is certain is to be preferred before a doubtful victory that being in the hand of a Prince but this subject to the Laws of Fortune it is not prudence to refuse it in Treaties said Hannibal to Scipio in T. Livy But Thucydides teacheth us in his History that a Prince who would treat with his Enemy should not cease to prosecute the War in such manner as if there were no hope of an agreement otherwayes great Inconveniences might follow adding Thus did the Lacedemonians when they treated a Peace with the Atbâ—nians and Peace is then soonest made when both sides appear in the field with their Swords in their hands and an equal power following them for if either hath the least advantage he will be the more peremptory and demand the harder conditions in his Treaties as Caesar hath observed in his History of civil Wars The taking of Chambery from the Duke of Savoy HOwever the King assembled his Counsel to take advice whether it were not propper to prosecute the Victories of his Army and to make himself Master of all Savoy and so secure himself more and more of the Passes Many offered to his Majesties consideration that the Duke of Savoy and Marques Spinola would never hearken to any Peace but by necessity and to regain Pignerol having until that time refused to do it but upon dishonorable terms for his Majesty That there was little reason to trust him as to that of the Duke of Mantua for whose
his industry Prudence without doubt acquires great glory when it surmounts force Thucydides in his History prefers its victories before all others Prudence it self which ought to be so much more honoured as it cuts the evill in the roote and preserves an Army oft times from running the hazard of a combate weaken in such sort the Forces of an Enemy that he has not the boldnesse to dare an encounter as the Cardinal hath made appear in several occasions The Kings gives the command of his Army to the Duke de Montmorancy Marquis d' Effiat and the Marshal de la Force IT was requisite besides that to send new Troups to the Kings Army the Marshall de Marillac having show'd himself obstinate till then not to follow his Majesties commands in leading the Army of Champaigne into Italy the Cardinal thought to go himself to make them passe the Mountains and take the reins into his own hand But the great Cabals he found at Court which were capable not only to hinder the relief of Cazal but to overthrow the whole State if not dissipated constrained him to stay at Lyons with his Majesty who thought fit to send in his place the Duke of Montmorancy the Marquis of Effiat and the Marshal of la Force Those great Captains commanded the Army every one his week by turns with such Order that notwithstanding the Marquis of Effiat was above the two others one commanded the Van-Guard one week the other the Battalia the third the Rear-Guard and he who commanded the Battalia gave during his week all the general Orders necessary for the conduct of the Army The principal consideration which induced the Cardinal to propose this expedient to the King of committing the command of his Army to many Generals was the necessity of Councel and the great need which he saw there was of the advice of many persons of great understanding and experience in those affairs which should happen Now it was impossible to send them thither without command by reason that being persons of great quality they would hardly be under command in the Kings absence if they might not have Governed in their turn Not that he was ignorant that the multitude of Generals often stirs up envy among them and consequently is cause of great confusion in an Army but his incomparable Prudence who could find remedies for the most desperate maladies of the State wanted not inventions to hinder those inconveniences and this same to make them command the Army in their turn in the Van-Guard Battalia and Rear-Guard was an excellent one by reason that making them all participate of the same glory they had no occasion to envy one another Politique Observation AS there is no person goes under the notion of being excellent in any profession whatsoever if he doth not shew some effects which are not common so a Minister of State shall never passe with the reputation of being endued with an extraordinary Prudence if there be nothing singular in his conduct And he doth not set up a new Order both in Peace and in War which is evidently advantagious to the Publick The ordinary rules of War admit but of one General to command an Army because the Commonalty know not the wayes of conserving a good intelligence amongst divers to whom the charge of them is committed But this here was found to be so much the more profitable as the Counsel of several persons whose judgment and experience being as eminent as there qualities is advantagious upon all occasions Who knoweth not that a happy successe doth as often depend upon good Counsel as upon the quantities and indeed the courages of Souldiers But who is more capable of giving and resting stedfastly upon good resolutions then several great Captains the least of which is able to command an Army One only person of this temper is worth six Regiments and that expedient which happens not in the thoughts of one falls into those of another and if one misse to discover any Stratagem of the Enemy another doth not if one foreseeth any danger the other finds out a necessary remedy to prevent it It is difficult to find in any one man all the qualities necessary for the General of an Army but whoever joynes three together supplies that defect provided he keep them from dissention one perchance excels in stoutnesse and being blinded with it is by consequence fitter for execution then Counsel another is more dexterous in the Prudence of his Counsels and to invent necessary expedients but being of a colder constitution is lesse proper to be made use of when there is occasion of a sudden execution and another haply may have an admirable addresse and a winning carriage to retain the Souldiers in their Discipline and to make them live in good order so that joyning these great persons in commission together and giving them the same commands in the Army not leaving any ground of jealousie or cause of confusion there cannot follow any other then a glorious successe The Prosecution of the History EXperience hath made it appear a truth amongst these three great Captains who advanced the Kings Arms to so high a pitch of glory in Italy that the Spaniards and Germans will not easily resolve to give them a new occasion of encounter The first encounter that they had with the Enemy was upon passing the Bridge of Villane where the Duke of Savoy and the Prince of Piedmont came with 6000 foot and 200 Horse and made a most furious assault upon some Troops which remained to passe over But the successe was so disadvantageous notwithstanding the great inequality of the Forces that all the Enemies Army was either put to flight or cut in pieces The two Princes that led them sweating as was afterwards heard that they never saw any fight so well In Prosecution of this victory they maâ—ched directly to Saluces with design to take it and to make use of it in the room of Pignerol whence the plague did hinder the drawing out of any necessary commodities The Marshal de la Force whose week it was commanded his Son with 500 Horse to go summon the Town with all sorts of civility to surrender thinking it proper so to deal with them that he might get the good will of the people of whom he intended to make use in the design which he had to raise a Magazine there Those of the Town could not imagine the Kings Army to be so neer so that they desired leave to send their Deputies to treat with the Generals which was granted to them and accordingly they were conducted where they then were But upon their return 500 choise men were clap't into it discharging both at them and ours too with such insolence that the Generals being informed of it advanced with the Army Many who made the first approches were slain and wounded But the courages of others who saw them in his condition could not endure to suffer the Kings Army to receive
sorts of wickednesses which are not powerful enough to entertain the minds of women especially when they believe that the subject they work upon would set bounds to their Authority and hinder them in their Governing according to their own Fancies The greediness of absolute command hurries them with a greater impetuosity to revenge then any other cause whatsoever without this consideration that God hath not created their Sex for Government and experience hath evidenced it upon many occasions that they are very unfit for that purpose But as Ambition is a blind Passion we do many times see great obstacles opposed to their Powers when they think to increase their Authorities and the greatest props of their Grandeur ruined whilest they use their greatest endeavours to render themselves more absolute The great Qualities of the Cardinal ALL the Artifices of the Queen mother made no other Impression upon his Majesty then to carry him to recollect and reiterate in his mind the Fidelity of the Cardinals services the great affection wherewith he had behaved himself in all occasions where his Majesties glory was concern'd the good success which accompanied his Conduct of his Armies the Incomparable Prudence wherewith he was endued with which he did penetrate into what was to come and foresaw effects in their Causes and accordingly prepared Remedies before they hapned the indefatigable vigilance which made him so intent both day and on the affairs of State that though he gave Orders in the greatest yet he never forgot the least and that prodigious promptitude which produc'd effects from resolution in Counsel before one knew whether it were resolv'd on or no These were those just considerations which the King recalled into his mind to oppugne the divers Artifices of the Cardinals enemies and one may say they did so fix his Majesty against those violences with which they would as it were shake him that to the end he might evade those perpetual instances which the Queen-mother hourly made to him he resolved to go to pass away some days at Verfilles In effect that was the cause of the King 's going from Paris and the Queen-mother could get no other satisfaction from his Majesty then that of Respect and hearty affection by his taking leave of her Politique Observation THe King well knew that the disgraces of a grand Minister are as dis-advantagious to a State as his services have been profitable and that in it a Prince receives as much blame as he had once gotten glory in drawing him neer to Person An excellent Workman never uses to throw away his Instruments wherewith he is accustomed to make rare pieces of his Art and a King doth much recede from a great Conduct if he doth drive from the Government of his State-affairs such a Minister whose admirable Genius is the principal instrument of his glory Undoubtedly the Counter-blow of such a stroke might rebound against his Authority He ought to know that it is easie to blame those who govern and to lament their Conduct and that many more find it very perfect and compleat seeing it doth not give them leave to do whatever they would in their own particular and that the Estate of Publick Affairs ought not to be judged by those of their own houses There need no more but to consult with experience to evince that it is very difficult to find a great Genius on whose Prudence they may confidently rely for that two or three whole ages do hardly bring forth one only such How many Kings have been constrained to leave both their Courages and States as unusefull for that their Country produc'd none such in their times He who is so happy as to meet with one ought to preserve him with as much care as the most assured foundation of his Kingdomes happinesse How frequent are the misfortunes which happen in Battels for the only losse of an expert great Captain And how many confusions arrive to States by the loss of one grand Minister his only conservation is of greater importance then that I will not say of Towns but of whole Provinces for he is not only capable of regaining them but conquering new ones whereas the losse of him is irrepairable for that hardly many ages produce one that doth resemble him Why the King went from Paris and caused the Lord Keeper of the Broad-Seal and his Brother the Marshal de Marillac to be Arrested THe King went from Paris only to give himself more liberty to negotiate in his important affairs and to withdraw himself from those importunities not to say violences of the Queen-Mother In whose presence the respect which he had for her hindred him from doing any thing which might displease her His Majesty knew that it was necessary for the good of his Estate to chastise those contrivers of Intreagues and on the other side he cemented himself in an unalterable resolution which being an effect of his own onely Prudence acquired him so much the more Glory never to part from the Cardinal Now it was often seen that these Cabals had no other beginning then from the Lord Keeper and the Marshal de Marillac therefore his Majesty took away the Seal from the former as the Arms of a mad man which he had imployed to do evil causing him to be carried to Lysieux and sent Orders to the Marshal de la Force and Schomberg to arrest the t'other and send him Prisoner to the Castle of St. Menehoud What reason was there to suffer any longer the insolence of these two ambitious humours who had been so audacious to commit such offences between the King and Queen-Mother and to breed a division between their Majesties which keeps them at a dislaâ—â—e to this very day Was it possible to suffer their unbridled Ambition which made them aspire to the Government of the State by the destruction of him who had established it in so sublime a pitch of Glory that it is not only more honoured but more feared too by strangers Again could it be that the Ingratitude of these two Brothers should not pull down as it were by force the Kings Justice to dash them as with a Thunder-Bolt and to punish their devices which they used with the Queen-Mother to carry her on to the ruining of him by whose Counsel his Majesty had raised them to the highest degrees of their profession winking at their unworthy actions which had heretofore rendred them culpable and by which they made their first attempts His Majesty knew in how many occasions the Cardinal had favoured them the great gifts which he had obtained of him for them and how that in som affairs he had become their Protector when in their conduct there was just reason to complain of them And on the other side when he reflected on the extremity of their ingratitude he could no longer permit that one of them should be any more imployed in affairs or that the other should remain unpunished for those many Crimes of
the necessity of withdrawing her from those Factions which would ingage the Kingdom in Revolts and all this to compel him to deliver up this grand Minister in case they could not effect it by the dayly instances which they perswaded her to make unto his Majesty This indeed is the true reason which forced his Majesty to part with her as himself testifieth in his Letter to the Governours of the Provinces where true it is mention is made of her refusal to love the Cardinal but it is likewise said that the hatred which she bare to him transported her to attempt things contrary to the good of his State and the publick quiet insomuch that he could no longer permit her stay at Court But who can impute her removal to the Cardinal when it is well known how carefull and solicitous he was to appease that anger which she express'd against him which he did so effectually as to renounce his own interest and Fortune and to sue for his own discharge from the Court with that earnestness that his stay there may justly be said to be only in order to his Majesties Will and satisfaction who expresly commanded it and to acquit himself of the Obligation which he had to acknowledge by the continuation of his services of the honour which he did him the King still protesting as great a resolution to preserve him as the Queen-Mother did eagerness to destroy him But lastly who can deny that a designe tending to ruine what-ever it cost one of the chiefest pillars of the State and him whom the King himself had often professed to be the principal Author of his good is not a crime Laesae Majestatis Were it not such in any one to attempt the destruction of any the strongest places on the Frontites or rather to invade any the fairest Towns of France Had not experience then made it evident that the Cardinal was of greater use and concern for the good of France then many Citadels and divers of the best Towns in the Kingdom He would easily have retrived them all if so be any Invasion of our Enemies should have forc'd them from us but it was not to be hoped ever to find a Minister qualified as he was who was a greater Protection to France then all the Citadels put together and who by his Industry had made the King master of a great number of Towns and Cities Politique Observation JT was not without reason that Theodosius the younger and Justinian inserted in their Books as likewise Leon the first and Constantine in their Politicis and Basilicis that Law made by the Emperour Arcadius whereby they who had engaged themselves in any Faction tending to ruine the chief Ministers of a Soveraigne were guilty Laesae Majestatis And for this very reason If any one in England be convicted of having contrived though but in his thoughts the downfal of any Counsellor of State though he had not executed it yet such is the Law there that he lose his life as guilty de laesae Majestatis against the King as it was in the case of Somerset Uncle to Edward the sixth and Protector of the Kingdom for only having designed in his thoughts to put the Duke of Northumberland to death who likewise governed the Kingdom of England under the same young King The Laws of Swedeland are so respectful of them that it is death only to speak ill of them Salvian de Marseille saith That the enormity of Injuries ought to be weighed by the quality of them on whom they reflect whence it followeth saith he that those injuries done to a chief Minister of State who representeth the Person of his Prince are to be reputed as done against the Prince himself Thou hast commitied an offence saith Quintilian but because it is against the Magistrate thou art therefore guilty of Treason Whence it was that Verterius as Plutarch observeth was condemned to die he having been defective in his respects to a Tribune whose place is much inferiour to that of a chief Minister This was the sense which Antiquity had of those offences committed against publike persons and thus were they punished who so offended And who can deny these their Laws and Customs to be very reasonable and just seeing chief Ministers are like the noblest parts of the Soveraigne as is declared in the Law of Arcadius And if the Prince be the head of his State they are then the Members and Instruments by which he governeth And thus hath another said Our Saviour is the Head of the Church the Church are his Body and the Prelats are his chief members They are Stars clothed by their Princes with part of their own splendour that they may the better guide the people by their Influences they are the lively Images in which they cause the foot-steps of their Authority to shine forth Whence it is that if a man be guilty de Laesae Majestatis for only offending by any dis-respect his Princes Image or Picture made only of Brass Stone or the like surely he is much more guilty who disâ—respecteth his living Image in whom the most lively stamps of his Royal Authority are engraved who is the Organ by which he delivereth his Will unto the People and indeed the principal Instrument of his Glory And if it be needful to re-inforce this with any stronger reason That is the crime de Laesae Majestatis which offendeth the Soveraign or which interfereth with the greatness of his State And what Is not this to attempt upon the greatness of his State when a Cabal shall be contrived and fomented for the ruine of a Minister who by the conduct of his Masters Arms and his own Prudence hath extended his limits hath rendered him terrible to all other Nations hath vanquished all his Kings enemies and reduced them to an impossibility of attempting any new thing against his Masters authority who hath extinguished all those Factions which troubled the publike quiet who daylie augmenteth the Revenue of the Exchequer hath established Peace in the Kingdom and in a word next unto his Majesty is the greatest prop and supporter of its greatness Cicero saith That he who raiseth a Sedition against the Publike Peace doth diminish the Majesty of the Empire There are three sorts of High Treasons The first is absolutely against the Princes person The second against the Respect due to him And the third against the Grandeur and Safety of his State and Kingdom Now it were to be purposely blind not to rank under this third degree all those Factions which contrive the ruine of any Ministers of State they being so much contrary to the good of the State neither were it unreasonable to range them under the first as in England seeing Ministers carry their Masters Image instamped on their Foreheads Prosecution of the Subject THe Mareschal d' Estree whose Discretion hath been often experimented in the many affairs in which he had been imployed used his utmost endeavours to
this But without making of comparisons it shall only suffice to say this complaint was ridiculous seeing the Cardinal had at that time only two places which were of any importance and his Kindred as many whereas some great Houses of France had more Besides what cause of Jealousie could there be seeing he was every week twice or thrice at least with his Majesty and still brought with him a surrender of his Offices it being in his Majesties power not only to dispose of his Charges but of his Person likewise He had indeed over and above the Government of Bretagne But how Was it not at the earnest intreaties of those of the Country who considering themselves to be invironed with Ports concluded that he could most effectually establish their Trade by means of his Superintendency upon the Sea which had been much decayed during the late Governours times because of the frequent differences between them and the Admirals of France each of them pretending to command upon the Sea coast That which made these factious exclaim more loud then all the rest was because his Majesty had discharged some Governours from their places and committed them to him But what Was not his Majesties so doing a piece of great Discretion when he foresaw the ruine of the Kingdom by the little obedience of such Governours who having the possession of Towns and Places in their Families a long time together would hardly be perswaded they were beholding unto his Majesty for continuing them unto them but would presently fly out into Rebellion upon the first noise of any insurrection Hereupon his Majesty resolved to punish them according to their deserts and deprived some of them of their Offices and Governments with intent of bestowing them on such persons of whose fidelity he was well assured as upon those of the Cardinals Family who were never seen to intermeddle in any Cabal against his Majesties service and who knowing the honour of his Majesties favour to be the only support of their Fortunes were careful of not being ingaged in such Designs as might make them unworthy of it The advantage which this alteration brought with it was soon after apparent for how would it have been if one had continued Governour of Brest if another had kept his Government of Brouage and if Calais had not been dispossessed of its Commander would they not have served for so many Citadels and Magazins to countenance all Revolts which they designed And what I pray is become of all those places which were entrusted with the Cardinal or his Allies Have they not continued in their Obedience to his Majesty and those who engaged the Queen-Mother and Monsieur in their differences could not dispose of any of them according to their own desires And that indeed was the only and chief motive of their complaints Politique Observation NOthing gives greater tranquility to a State then the disposal of Governments into the hands of such persons whose affection and fidelity are well known unto their Prince The experience which France hath so often had hath been too sad to be forgotten seeing the most part of Civil wars nay of Forraign too had not been broached but by the defect of Governours more solicitous of their own Interests then of their Masters glory and service Few are the Grandees who are not discontented if they have not Governments conferr'd upon them nay if they have not some kind of assured settlement in their Commands that their Authorities may be greater A King therefore is obliged to be the more inquisitive whether with their Gandeur they have loyalty and zeal for his service otherwise it were only to give them the means of combining one with the other to raise Factions and to diminish the Soveraign by advancing their own private power Admit they be discontented 't is without cause for no one hath any right to prescribe a Law to his Prince how he shall chuse such persons as he is pleased to employ in his service It is prudence not to regard such discontents they are inconsiderable when the publike Peace is in question A King cannot distribute his Governments with more discretion then by intrusting them with such persons whose loyalty is impregnable and who he is assured will never interest themselves with any party but his own if any Division should arise Now of whom can he better be assured then of such a Minister of whose fidelity he receives daily testimonies and who when he sees him brings with his Person all the Governments and Charges which have been conferred upon him As for those related to him seeing they absolutely depend upon him and that their Power is as his own dependant upon his Majesties good favour they are equally obliged to be faithful For this reason it is that the greatest Princes have not only not been backward to bestow the chief Governments upon them but have looked upon it as a thing very necessary for their service Touching the distribution of Governments I add That a King is obliged what he may to displace those persons who have enjoyed their Offices any long time unless he be very well assured of their fidelity they are so used to hold them when long continued that the fear of losing them doth oftentimes engage them in some Faction which gives them hopes of a longer continuance Besides when not received by his Majesty but his Predecessors they are the sooner ingaged in a Faction because they think not themselves beholden to him for them Withal in processe of time they get so absolute a Power that somtimes it exceeds their Masters it being usual that long command is accompanyed with pride and insolence Hence it is that in the most politique States their Governments were never but temporary Rome lost her Liberty by continuing her Magistrates too long in their Power and Caesar could never have mastered his own Country but by acquiring too great a Power over the souldiers by his long command The Cardinals Riches not to be envied NExt of all these factious spirits would have the Cardinal 's possessing of his Majesties favours to pass for a great crime although his free humor acquits him to every one from the guilt of covetousness and concludes him to be so naturally generous that he values not all the goods of the world but only in order to the well disposing of them The place which he holds under his Majesty in the State necessitateth him to great expences and without them sure it is that both he and all those who are in the same employment would fall into dis-esteem and that inevitably unless they be accompanied with some splendour and extraordinary magnificence else how should they cause his Majesty to be obeyed Those charges once defrayed the rest he doth employ in good uses to the poor oâ— some actions becoming his virtue and bounty Ought his moderate estate to be envied who hath done so great services for France We have in our times beheld a
own interest who will become spies to give intelligence and agents to draw others into their opinions It seems rigorous indeed that the innocent should suffer with the nocent but how prejudicial would it be to the Common-wealth if not so better it were to preserve the publike tranquility severity then to indaâ—ger it by lenity Never was there yet Law made for the publike good which was not attended with some inconveniences to particular persons and he who would make Laws in which no particular man should be interessed will but deceive himselâ— for want of penetrating into the consequences The best course which can be followed is ever to prefer the universal beâ—ore a particular good remembring that wise saying of Tacitus that all exemplary acts have somwhat of evil in them but the injury they do particular men will be abundantly recompenced by the publick advantage Prosecution of the History THus you have the several Intreagues and the strange attempts which they who abused the favours of the Queen-mother and Monsieur used during this year contrary to their allegiance the Kings Authority and the tranquility of the Kingdom You have likewise the courses which were taken to impede their designs which ended in the ruine of the Complotters The Cardinal used such care addresse and Prudence that all their attempts were only like so many impressions made upon the clouds which vanish with the first breath of Wind they were like Bullets shot at random like blows in the air and like pictures in the water which the waves do as soon deface as designed The Pilot seems sufficiently employed during the Tempest if he preserve his Vessel from the violence of the Winds and fury of the Waves his presence and command being necessary to guide all those who have any charge to the performance of their Offices and his prudence to incourage them to go through stitch with any thing which conduceth to his happy successe so it is hard to beleeve that a Minister of State hath not as much employment as humane wit can undergo when he is obliged to defend himself and the State too from the violence of a faction headed by the chief persons of the royal family seeing he must necessarily every day issue out a thousand several Orders and hardly will any one beleeve that he can be capable of any other thoughts whiles he is agitated in such furious Tempests True it is the highest pitch of glory that a Minister in such encounters can attain to is to avoid shipwrack Experience hath made it evident that great Souls can passe further on and that as the intelligences though taken up in their contemplation and love of the Divinity yet cease not to be solicitous of things here below or neglect the protection of Princes Kingdomes and particular persons so likewise Heaven doth sometimes produce certain sublime wits endued with courage addresse and prudence enough to undertake such encounters a thousand other noble enterprises besides the conservation of the State Hath not all Europe found it so in the Cardinal who without shewing any trouble at all the attempts this year made to embroil France and destroy it under which any other but himself would have sunk not only rendred them successelesse but re-established the Duke of Mantua and defended the Princes of Germany whom the House of Austria had almost swallowed up a thing which I cannot sufficiently admire and of which I find my self obliged to say something that it may serve for instruction in the Government of States Affairs of Germany I Will begin with the assistance of the German Princes concluded with the King of Sweden in January at which time these factious agents did their utmost to destroy this great Minister We have demonstrated in the precedent year with how much justice the King of Sweden entred Germany to defend the liberty of some Princes oppressed by the House of Austria who were allied unto him as also to this Crown and who were not only driven out of their Principalities but also reduced to such extremity that they knew not how to live We have likewise seen that he was the more readily induced to defend them in regard himself had received some injuries from the Emperour particularly when the Emperour caused his Letters sent unto the Prince of Transilvania to be opened and falsly interpreted when he sent the Duke of Holsace with a great Army under his own Colours to make War upon him in Prusse when he confiscated the Ships and Merchandises of the Swedes formerly landed in the Towns of Germany when he not only refused audience to his Embassadours and denied them answer but commanded them upon pain of their lives presently to depart the Empire and when he refused by way of scorn his proffer of Peace in confidence of destroying him not thinking him able to sustain the force of his Arms. The Cardinal knew that a Prince received no lesse glory from defending his Allies then from curbing the Ambition of his Neighbours and therefore thought himself obliged to perswade his Majesty not to forsake the King of Sweden and Princes of Germany in so important an occasion He knew no War was more lawfull then that which tends to the keeping of confederate Princes in their Dominions and to revenge any injuries offered unto them Hence it was that having taken order for the interests of the Catholick Religion in Germany he perswaded his Majesty to conclude and sign the Treaty of Alliance with the King of Sweden the conditions whereof had been concluded about three or four moneths before His Majesty engaged to assist him with Men and Money as he then did and the King of Sweden expresly engaged not to attempt any thing in prejudice of the Church in the Catholick Towns of which he might possibly become Master our invincible Monarch not thinking it enough to follow the generous sentiments of his justice which led him to secure those Princes from oppression unlesse accompanied with those of his Piety so he could not resolve to assist an Heretick King without precaution for the interest of the Church that those violences which are the usual effects of Arms might not be attributed but to the disorders which do necessarily follow the Camp Politique Observation THat War is just saith St. Ambrose which is undertaken in defence of the weak or the Allies of a State against those who oppresse them St. Augustine teacheth us that those Arms are justifiable which are taken up to revenge injuries The defence of Confederates is one of those actions which doth most of all set off a Kings glory and raise it to the highest pitch of greatnesse Nothing doth more assimilate them to the Divinity then the stretching out of their hands to support the weak the protecting of whom is an act well-beseeming their Majesties He who never ought to divide his Crown to any one ought however let his Arms be common to other Soveraigns for their defence They who do otherwise
hath solidly resolved and to content himself with answering moderately such objections as are made against him without receding from those fundamental propositions upon which the main chance is to be decided Irresolution is a thing extreamly dangerous in him not only because it gives great advantages to the opposite party but because it allays that vigour of spirit with which his advice ought to be accompanied and that earnestnesse which he ought to have for his Masters service not that I would have his Prudence joined with so sublime a subtilty unlesse he were indued with all those extraordinary qualities which make a man eminent for experience hath evinced unto us that they who are only crafty do commonly lose themselves in their own thoughts and follow such expedients which savour more of Chimera's and Apparencies then Truth or Solidity Such ruine affairs by their Ambition to extract the quintessence of them like those who have a long time blowed to find the quintessence of Mettals and in the end have nothing but wind for their pains Secresie is a quality the more needfull in him because a design once discovered is of no more advantage them a Mine contramined and that nakednesse doth as ill become his Soul as his Body besides as no one can keep a secret without dissimulation he ought to have a Soul strong enough and wel adjusted to disguise his designs to make shew to have other ends then those which he doth pretend though he ought not to make use of it unlesse in matters of great importance for the most part behaving himself with great freedom to beget the reputation of being sincere which will make his disguisements passe for the more currant truths by reason he useth them so seldom In fine it were to be wished that he were powerfull in discourse both for the well deducing of his reasons as also to animate them with that vigour which is necessary to get approbation and which might render them as effectual as faintnesse renders them uselesse when they are therewith accompanied A Treaty of Peace at Querasque THe Deputies were no sooner arrived but the conference began yet not untill after the order of their sitting had been concluded It was resolved that Panzirolo should sit at the end of the Table which in Italy is esteemed the most honourable place the Baron of Galas on his left hand the Marshal de Thoyras on his right hand the Sieur de Servient beneath Galas the President de Banies over against him and the Chancellour Guichardy at the lower end over against the Nuncio At first indeed and before the beginning of the Assembly there was some difference upon this score because the Baron de Galas and the Comte de la Rocque comming together to visit the Sieur de Servient the Comte de la Rocque took place of Galas for afterwards the Marshal de Thoyras and the Sieur de Servient did likewise pretend to take place of Galas they being too much concern'd in their Masers glory to indure that his Majesty should suffer any diminution which must have been if representing his person they should have given place to him of whom the Spanish Embassadour took place The Comte de la Rocque would take this advantage of Galas because he was only qualified as a Comissary pretending that Kings Embassadours took place of the Emperours Comissaries though not of his Embassadours In fine it was adjudged that for this once the Spanish Embassadours should give place to the Emperours Commissary unlesse Galas would likewise give place to the Most Christian Kings Embassadours To conclude they went publickly through the Town the Comte de la Rocque being in a Coach beneath Galas and the Sieurs de Thoyras and Servient took place next after him their priorities being thus regulated they began to confer upon the means for executing the Treaty of Peace concluded the precedent year at Ratisbone in order to that which concern'd Italy for as to the rest the Most Christian King would never ratifie it his Embassadours having gone beyond their Commissions There were two chief causes of difficulty the first in regard of the eighteen thousand Crowns rent accorded to the Duke of Savoy in Montferrat for which the Town of Trin was left him and divers other Lands and ancient Demesnes which did amount to that sum The second was about the manner of restoring the places both of Mantua and Montferrat as also Savoy and Piedmont the contests of either party were hot and nothing concluded untill the 6 day of April when it was resolved that the Duke of Savoy should content himself with fifteen thousand crowns rent in Montferrat valuing the Crown at eight Florins in consideration of the quality of those Towns and Lands which were left unto him which was concluded by the Assembly as concerning the restitution of places it was concluded that the Forts newly built should be demolished that each party should withdraw his forces and lastly that the places should be restored at the same time and that for assurance of the restitution hostages should interchangeably be given and all to be conformable as much as could be unto the Treaty at Ratisbonne neverthelesse it being apprehended that those of the House of Austria would more readily sacrifice three Hostages then relinquish the Grisons seeing the possession of them would joyn their estates in Germany with those of Millan it was concluded by a secret Article that the Towns of Suze and Avigliane should be delivered into the hands of the Swisses raised in the Cantons allied with France and Savoy to be by them kept in his Highnesse of Savoy's name untill such time as the Forts and Passages held by the Comte de Merodes in the Grisons were left free with obligation of restoring them to the Marshal de Thoyras in case the said Forts and Passages were not quitted This general Treaty being concluded there were particular indeavours used to decide the differences between the King and Duke of Savoy for the establishment of an assured Peace between their Subjects It was not long unconcluded because there was nothing of difficulty in it only the same conditions which had been agreed on the foregoing year These two Treaties being thus finished were signed to a general satisfaction of all except Monsieur de Mantua who was something troubled to pay the charge and the Comte de la Rocque who would have continued on the War upon any conditions whatever all the rest thinking that Peace was now restored unto Italy which for three years last past had been the Theatre of Sorrow Politique Observation HAppy is the Prince who after he hath seen his Country desolate by horrid and cruel Wars can at last settle it in Peace He will find this great Mistris of Arts to give being to all those exercises which had been interrupted and neglected during the troubles He will see Religion upon which as an Emperour once said dependeth all the good or bad fortune
increase his Revenue but cannot so well peradventure secure him from those violences whereunto he is exposed as the power of a great King with whom he intrusteth it Ferdinand King of Naples did wisely when he found himself without money destitute of necessary Forces to recover his estate of which we French had despoiled him in resolving to enter into a league offensive and defensive with the Venetians who made a scruple to admit him unlesse he would deliver them the Cities of Otrante Bronduze and Trave with Monopoly and Sulignan with condition that they should be restored upon payment of 200000 Ducats for their expences in his occasion Prudence alone is capable to make known unto us without producing other examples that it is more discretion to quit a part to secure the rest then by preserving it to endanger the losse of the whole When Pignerol was promised to the King by the Duke of Savoy PRinces actions are liable to divers interpretations because they are more maturely considered then ordinary mens and their drifts are more secret This Treaty of the Duke of Savoy did set many heads on work and divers apprehended it in terms quite different from the truth He granted the City and Castle of Pignerol to the King for six moneths only and that for performance of his promise to give him free passage through his State and to assist him with Ammunition and Provision of all sorts as much and as often as need should require for defence of his Allies in Italy However divers believed that he had absolutely given this place to the King and besides that it had been so concluded before ever the Marshal de Thoyras and the Sieur de Servient departed from Paris toward Querasque It was said that the Comte de Drouin had passed his word in January and then assured his Majesty that the place should be delivered to him But that being never declared they did rather guesse then know it for knowledge is grounded upon reasons certain All that can be said is that the Duke of Savoy did consent to remit Pignerol absolutely into his Majesties hands for the conservation of the rest of his estate in so doing he did very prudently as we shall hereafter declare had the King procured this advantage to his Crown it had been but just to recover an ancient Demeasne which had been lost by the condescention of his Predecessors he had raised a Trophy to his glory obtained by his Arms in Italy he had conserved part of that which did justly belong unto him by the Laws of War it fine he had secured all his Allies on the other side the Mountains and curbed the Spanish Ambition These reasons were so full of Justice that the greatest part of the world was perswaded that the Duke of Savoy had absolutely given Pignerol to the King for what likelihood could there be that his Majesty should not retain some part of his Victories That he should expend at least fifty millions in a War without reserving somewhat for recompence That his Prudence should not take some care for the preservation of his Allies after the experiment he had made of those difficulties in the Passages And that he should leave the Spaniards in full power to prosecute their Usurpations There could not be any reason for it and he must have renounced his just and lawfull pretensions so to have done On the other side that which did most of all call in question the truth of the Treaty if indeed there were any thing was that it was alwaies denied and dissembled in the conferences and kept as a secret till this present neverthelesse this secret cannot be denied but to have been the effect of the Cardinal's Prudence who well knoweth that the greatest designs ought to be executed with the greatest secrecy and that counterfeit pretences cannot but be commendable provided they be advantagious and free from injustice Politique Observation ALthough Dissimulation is commonly esteemed a vice amongst private persons yet it is so much the more needfull amongst great Princes in regard their designs ought to be kept more especially secret The discreetest Princes never look that way they design and though they alwaies effect their thoughts yet they seldome speak what they think they who apply themselves to reading are more fit to entertain good company than for high enterprizes seeing the Government of a State is a Stage upon which the Actors oftentimes ought to change their Masks and habits They who can best of all cloak their designs are the most ingenious and do oftnest attain their ends hence it is that he who hath any thing to do with a crafty companion hath work enough to look about him Who knoweth not that if all truth were necessarily to be told nothing would remain unknown which if so the highest enterprizes would be successelesse it being most certain that the discovery of an affair is like an Alarum to summon together the strongest oppositions It is allowable to keep that a secret which may be advantagious to our selves or our friends and cannot injure any one It is great Prudence not to discourse it with those whom a man suspects and absolutely to disown it to all others Thus Lewis the Moor Duke of Millan having made a Treaty with Charles the Eighth to give him passage into Italy and to favour his designs did constantly deny it to the King of Naples the Pope and Peter de Medicis although the report of it was common and some signs of it almost indubitable Whereupon he denying it so confidently they remained a good while in suspence without knowing what to conclude The denying of a design with asseveration doth insensibly leave some doubt in the most determinate minds to believe it and although the protestations made to the contrary do not gain an absolute belief yet do they commonly delay obstructions which might be raised and put off those enterprises which would be set on foot to hinder them The Interdiction of the Court of Ayds of Paris VVHilest the Cardinal 's incomparable Prudence was thus busied in these weighty forraign affairs there passed some others in the Kingdom which I cannot omit especially seeing his Genius which giveth orders for all things teacheth by his conduct divers maximes very necessary for all Ministers The great expenâ—es made the last four or five years in the Wars having exhausted the Treasure and the factions of the Queen-mother and Monsieur breaking out there was a necessity of raising great sums to support divers Armies at the same time This was that which forced the King to lay new Impositions upon his Subjects which he did with the greater regret in regard he had formerly by the Cardinal's counsel used some expedients to ease them but necessity whose Empire is more absolute then that of Princes forced his Majesty to defer them until such time as his affairs were setled in a sure Peace neither did the Chamber of Accompts make any scruple to confirm
any alone be able to defend themselves from their enemies it cannot be without danger and somtimes loss to their Countries whereas if they unite themselves with others that are powerful no one will think of invading them Though the Head be the noblest Members of the Body yet it standeth in need of those others and God who hath crowned the greatest Monarchs hath so established them that they have all occasion to make use of one another This may be said in general of the advantage of Defensive Alliances but it is more particularly advantagious to have recourse unto them when a Neighbour Prince is so successeful in Arms that he begins to be terrible On such occasions it is great prudence to contract alliances with those which may joyn their Forces as is usual amongst such Princes whose Powers are indifferent to follow the Fortune of the Conquerors because contracting an Alliance with such they not only augment their own Power but weaken that of their enemy and make him incapable of further mischief It is great prudence in him who hath one enemy to take a care that he hath not two for their power being united will be more terrible Thus the Comte de Chaâ—olois son to Philip Duke de Burgogne was very sollicitous to contract an Alliance with Charls Duke of Normandy only brother to Lewis 11. knowing that by this means the King will be weakned one third and the less able to hurt him His Majesty sendeth Ambassadors to the King of Morocco THe Cardinal was not satisfied with the bare contributing to render his Majesty the most renowned Prince in Europe by land but endeavoured to make him likewise the most powerful by Sea by causing divers Ships to be rig'd out and taking care to furnish them with able Seamen In order hereunto the Sieurs de Moleres de Razilly and de Chaalar were sent to the King of Morocco that an Alliance might be contracted with him and a safe Commerce obtained upon the Coasts of Barbary He had before by under-hand Treaties so disposed of affairs that they were well received The Commander de Razilly was Admiral of the Squadron and the Sieur de Chaalar Vice-Admiral At â—heir landing they were receiv'd by two Alcaides and two Companies of Souldiers The King gave them present audience and with as much honour as they could wish so venerable was his Majesties Name amongst Strangers Their first demand was in the behalf of an hundred and fourscore French slaves who were in his Dominions whose liberty was presently granted the King of Morocco not taking any thing for their ransom to testifie how much he esteemed his Majesty It is true indeed he accepted a Present of Stuffs worth an hundred thousand Livres which the King sent to him â—et his Proveydor would not receive them but on condition that his Majesty would accept of such Horses as the King his Master would send unto him to testifie the desire he had to hold a good Correspondency with him The next thing under consideration was the articles of alliance for securing the French upon their Coasts and safe passage into his Countries which was presently accorded the substance of it was thus that all French which should enter into his Ports with his Most Christian Majesties Pass should not in future be made slaves nor be compelled to pay above the Tavaly or tenth of their goods according to their usual custome that for the better continuing their correspondence Ambassadors should be interchangeably sent and that all Religious persons might live in the King of Morocco's States but on condition not to exercise their Functions unless only to the French The Treaty was signed and the Sieur de Razilly presently established three Consuls at Morocco Male and Saphy In fine The French had full Liberty to Trade in any Commodities of that Country Politique Observation IF Commerce in general brings riches to a Kingdom without doubt that of the Sea is more considerable the gains being greater and more just That of the Land how advantagious soever seldom yeilds above 15. or 20. per Cent. and many times is forced to such things as savour of Usury whereas the Sea doth oftentimes yeild Cent per Cent and somtimes more and that without giving the least cause of complaint Commerce at Sea is that which hath made small States very considerable and great States vastly rich and abounding with all sorts of commodities There is another reason which rendreth it the more important and that is Princes being bound to make themselves powerful as well by Sea as by Land which double Power is the highest pitch of their greatness for it renders them the more redoubted It is in vain to drive a commerce by Sea unless a provision of Ships be made to secure them otherwise their riches will be exposed as a prey to Pirats and is Prince who maketh himself powerful on this Element is the more feared by his Neighbours in regard he may make his attempts upon them both by Sea and Land in case they should presume to offend him Cosmo de Medicis first Duke of Tuscany and the ablest Politician of his time said That a Soveraign can never gain an high repute unless he joyn both those Powers together which are to a State as the Arms to the Body This Sea Power is that which makes England considerable were they but deprived of it they would soon grow weak and poor but maintaining that Power as they do in a good equipage by a long tract of time they want nothing but are capable of undertaking great expeditions Hath not this enabled the Hollanders though their Common-wealth may be reduced to a small number of men to sustain the whole power of Spain What makes Gâ—noa so rich but this power by Sea And what but this makes the great Duke of Tuscany one of the richest Princes in Italy Thus we see all our Neighbours have been sollicitous to establish commerce by Sea in their Territories and we know that our late King Henry le grand whose Prudence was no less advantagious to this Kingdom then his Courage was extreamly desirous to settle it in France after he allayed those storms of Civil War to which end he gave order unto the President Janin when he was treating with the Hollanders to learn of them what was necessary in that particular The Establishment of a Chamber of Justice in Paris AFter those great difficulties which the Parliament of Paris had raised against the proclaiming of his Majesties Declaration against such as had carried Monsieur out of the Kingdom his Majesty finding it necessary to proceed in the Instruction of their Processe and to chastise those who were found guilty was not willing to let it fall into their cognizance He well knew that Kings ought not to expose their authority to be dis-respected as his would have been if the Parliament instead of punishing offenders should neglect to prosecute them as was much to be feared they would Those
one of the greatest marks of their Authority God entrusting them to dispence Justice hath not only appointed them to chastise the people but likewise to make Laws and Statutes which may serve for a Rule of their Government Hence the Lawyers say That Princes Will is Law Democracy ascribeth this power to the People but Monarchy restraineth it to Kings only and acknowledgeth no Laws but what are signed by their Majesties Now as the power of making Laws is in them so is that of changing and adding according as they shall think fit if they had not this power we should have no other Laws then those of Nature imprinted in the heart of man by the meer instinct of reason or such as were made by the first Father of Mankind All the Volumns of Theodosius and Justinian might be burnt and those of our Kings too as so many attempts against the liberty of the people because they have been but of late Creation there being none so ancient but what did once savour of Novelty Were not this to put the people into an extream licentiousnesse and to shut our eyes against reason which teacheth us that the Kings of this age have no lesse power then those of old who in their Laws have included what-ever they thought necessary and which could not tye up their Successors hands from following their examples left unto them It is a vulgar error to imagine that to alter Laws must needs be dangerous Without just consideration indeed it ought not to be done but when there happens any such to be the alteration of them cannot but be advantagious it being impossible that the first Law-makers should foresee all inconveniences which being so their Successors have power to change or abrogate them as occasion shall require Absolutely to reject Laws because they are new is but a Cynical humour seeing the antiquity of them cannot be a just denyal to the use of several others which have since been ordained neither can novelty be a sufficient reason to impower those which are at present in use Vlpian saith Kings may change any Laws into better and Cicero pleading against Verres very boldly saith That the ancient ought to be left and the new received when there is a probability of advantage by it All France hath commended Hugh Capet for changing that law which called all the male children to the succession of the Crown and stiâ—l will approâ—e of those changes which tend to preserve the Royal Authority in its luster The Cardinal is created Duke and Peer of France THe King having established all things so firmly in France that none of the factious Caballists could trouble the Peace and restored the Princes and People of Italy to their Liberties by the Treaty of Queraâ—que it was but just that the Cardinals services should be rewarded with some new Titles of Honour in regard those important affairs had been managed by his discreet counsels No one can doubt but that the Quality of Duke and Peer was his just due seeing he had so gloriously acted the part of a Duke and Peer which as the French History relates is either to govern the Affairs of State or some particular Province by his Majesty's Order or else to command his Armies Was it not in these two employments that his prudence and courage so eminently appeared that all Strangers were no lesse terrified then the true Frenchmen rejoyced His Majesty who admires more then any one the eminence of his Genius having made the greatest experiments of him was not defective to confer this honour upon him His Majesty dispatched his letters unto him which carried in them an extraordinary recommendation it being seldome conferred on persons of his worth and after so many glorious actions They were confirmed by the Court not only without any difficulty but with high eulogiums and a particular acknowledgement of the good offices he had done in France In fine he went to take his Oath at the Palace on Sept 15. accompanied with Monsieur le Prince the Dukes of Montmorancy Chevreuse Rets Crequi Vantadour and Montbazon the Marâ—schal d' Estree Vitry and d' Effiat and many other Lords who desired to follow him to testifie by their presence how great an esteem they had of his services which rendred him worthy of so eminent a quality The Chambres were all assembled and coming into the great one he took his Oath to serve his King well and faithfully in his highest greatest and most important affairs to do Justice impartially both to poor and rich and to behave himself in all things like a most vertuous most generous and most magnanimous Duke and Peer of France and then he took his place beneath all the rest of the Dukes Amongst these great honours I cannot omit one remarkable passage that as the greatest Genius are the most modest and scorn inferiour men who esteem of nothing but an extraordinary honour so he would not pass by the great Gate of the Palace where many thousands attended him but by a private door where he might not be seen because he desired not to be publikely commended as the custome alwaies was on such occasions and indeed the most eloquent of the Barreau would have found themselves gravelled to have done it his Actions and Qualities being above expression Politique Observation A King ought never to forget the rewarding of extraordinary services with marks of honour for glory is the Nurse of Vertue and reward ought to follow all Actions accompanyed with Courage and Valour so that it is unjust not to reward those advantages which a grand Minister procureth to the Crown It is likewise true that honourable Qualities cannot more justly be conferred on any then those that do honourable actions seeing the most significant names are given to Subjects only in consideration of their ordinary Actions Now the name of Duke most properly belongeth to him who leads an Army in War and manageth affairs of State in peace under the King's Authority In this sence the primitive Gauls took it and it is most conformable to the Etymologie of the word Those are the Offices which Justâ—nian ascribeth in his Institutes to a person of this Quality Ancient Authors do not observe that this was taken for any constant Honour until Diocâ—esian and Constantine in whose time the Governours of Provinces and Frontiers and Generals of Armies were called Dukes and Masters of War as may be seen in Amienus Marcellinus Tacitus indeed who lived under Trajane called Generals of Armies Dukes but it was only a temporary Quality which lasted no longer then their Commands It was under the later Emperours and our first Kings that this qualification was annexed to any particular person and made permanent as may be seen in Gregory de Tours the most ancient of our Historians where it is observed how Kingâ— â—â—ntram gave the Dukeship and Government of the whole Kingdom for five years unto Eudistus At that rime indeed this quality was not so fixed but
of Lorrain was not a little happy in having obtained his Peace from the King's Bounty neither was the Cardinal a little extolled for having setled Peace between the Churchmen of the Kingdom But the sky cannot long continue without clouds neither can a Peace be so established as that no troubles should at any time arise which now fell out accordingly For Monsieur having resolv'd to go unto Bruxels began to prepare himself for his journey that he might make sure of those Forces which the Spaniards had promised unto the Sieur de Puy-Lauzens towards the invading of France and there to conclude with them that course it were best to steer Monsieur at his departure from Nancy made a small days journey unto Remiremont where the Princess Marguerite then was that he might satisfie the passion which is incident upon new Marriages From thence he went unto Besançon whence after a short repose he went towards Bruxels by Luxembourg Passing by Thionville he left Coigneux and Monsigot behind him having taken his Seals from the former and delivered his Pen unto Guillemi◠in place of the second I may not omit to observe that the discredit of these two persons was but the effect of Puy-Laurens displeasure conceiv'd against them for their boldess in informing Monsieur with reasons to divert him from the marriage whereunto he had alwaies inclined him for from that time he put an hundred several tricks upon them and such was his Love and Ambition that he could not endure the sight of any one in the House who durst contradict his Will and Pleasure The Infanta hearing that Monsieur was drawing near unto Bruxelles gave order for his reception according to his Quality At his coming he was entertained not only with great honour by her Highness but from the Spaniards too who finding him inclined to interest himself in their designs endeavoured to give all imaginable content Monsieur made his entrance on the 28. of January attended with two hundred Horse The Marabel received him in the King of Spain's name The Marquis de Sainte Croix with all the Officers and Nobility of Flanders met him a league from Bruxels with a Troop of Gentlemen before them armed from head to foot All the Companies of the City came to salute him Briefly they did him all the same Honours as had been shewed to the Queen his Mother He dismounted at the Infantas Palace before he visited the Queen She received him with those Civilities and Favours which are inherent in her and those so obligingly that they were extraordinary great in persons of her age She came to meet him at the first Hall where she intended him his audience and presently told him she was very sorry there should be any quarrel between them at their first interview because he had come to visit her before the Queen his Mother Whereunto Monsieur replyed very handsomly that he should more easily give her satisfaction as to that Quarrel then for the great obligations which he owed unto her After some other Civilities she lead him into a Hall where were the Grandees of Spain together with the Knights of the Golden Fleece who saluted him being all bare himself being likewise uncovered some little time After which Monsieur and her Highness seated themselves in chairs provided for that purpose th' Infanta in that on the left hand and Monsieur on the right where after half an hours entertainment Monsieur desired leave to kiss the Ladies who were all placed as if it had been at a Ball This complement pass'd over he went to visit the Queen his Mother who considering him as the person who should vindicate her quarrel force his Majesty to banish the Cardinal from the Court and establish her in her former power in France received him with all the testimonies of joy and gladness though she forbore to discover all her thoughts the better to hide the intelligence and agreement between them The Infanta defrayed all his expences until the 17. of May when he departed from Bruxels and took great care that he might pass away his time with all sorts of diversions both within door and abroad which recreations were somtimes interrupted by the jealousies and quarrels hapning between those of her Court and the Queen-Mothers The danger of Drawing Strangers into a Kingdom IT is very dangerous to call strangers into a State in hopes to support a revolt by their means No doubt they will be ready to foment any discontent and to incourage any attempt but it is wisdom to mistrust them Is it not a madness to hope for men and miracles from a Prince who hath enough to do to defend himself If there be any Libertines uncapable of civil society any disorderly irreligious persons any Plunderers such as take all they meet these are the men with whom they shall be furnished Now were it not I pray a folly to build hopes and designs upon men so qualified To say the truth such men as they cannot affectionately ingage themselves so will they not readily endanger themselves but behave themselves most couragiously in rifling and robbing naked and poor people until they come to fight and then nothing is so pittiful and backward Now if it be weakness to trust in strange Souldiers it is more folly to confide in their Commanders who if persons of no courage what reasonable expectations can be hoped from them And if they be persons well qualified and fit to command there is then more cause to fear then trust them for doubtless they will hardly forsake any Hold they once take in a Country but will do their utmost to surprize some place of Importance which if it be not suddenly to be effected yet certainly they will designe it and bring it to pass when opportunity inviteth them The Carthaginians according as Polybius relateth saw their affairs run from bad to worse when their Army became full of Strangers Gauls Spaniards Greeks and Fugitives and Tacitus tells us the true cause why Armies compos'd of Strangers subsist no longer then Fortune smileth upon them but disband upon the least blow or loss because they want affection Th' Emperour of Constantinople having called ten thousand Turks unto his assistance soon perceived his own folly because they finding themselves the strongest party would not return back again but laid the foundation of those miseries under which they now hold that Empire But that we go no further then France it self which hath more indangered it then the calling in of the English and Spaniards and doth not every one know that when Civil Wars have opened the Gates of a Kingdom unto Strangers they soon fortifie themselves so strongly that they are hardly to be removed but after long and sad Wars It is great prudence in a Prince not to engage in any revolt but if he be so ill advised as to take up Arms against his Soveraign let him beware of calling in strangers to his assistance Monsieur resolveth to joyn himself with
Goncales de Cordoue MOnsieur perceiving the Spring to come on and the time for leading Armies into the Field draw neer resolved to leave Bruxelles and joyn with Dom Gonçcales de Cordoue who expected him at Treves Before his departure he took leave of the Infanta at a publick Audience who after he had been re-conducted by all the great Lords of the Court unto his Lodgings sent him a Present to three Coffers which bespoke her no lesse magnificence then noblenesse of mind The first was of perfumed Leather imbroidred the Lock Key and Arms of Gold enamelled within were two suits very rich the second was of crimson Velvet embroidered fill'd with very fine linnen and the third was full of all sorts of sweet meats She likewise presented him with a Suit of Arms and two handsom Horses fitter for shew then use neither was she unmindful of gratifying the chief Gentlemen of his Retinue some with Rings some with Diamonds and others with Chains of Gold having Meddals of the King of Spain hanging at the ends of them Monsieur being once departed from Bruxels made his usual speed towards Treves whither Dom Gonçales de Cordoue was advanced with design to fall upon the Palatinate as he pretended and there to establish his Masters affairs which the Swedes had much disordered but in truth to invade France with Monsieur which was most probable The King of Spain had dispatched him from Court about the beginning of January with Commission to command the Army in the Palatinate and Order to go into France as an extraordinary Embassadour to indeavour some way of accommodation for the affairs of Germany and from thence to go unto the Arch Dutchess who should give him instructions for his further procedure Accordingly he came to Paris and thence went to Saint Germain en Lare about mid March the King being then there His Majesty treated him with a great deal of splendour and caused his Musquetiers to exercise before him that he might see how dextrous he was to imbattle an Army and to lead them on to fight with more judgement then the ablest Commander in his Kingdom The next thing he did was to visit the Cardinal by whom he was very civilly receiv'd but having never seen him before he thought to surprize him and in his discourses upon the affairs of Germany to make him swallow shadows for real substances But his Eminency let him perceive that the Emperors and his Masters designs were but too well known and that it was but a trick â—o perswade the World that the War of Germany was a War of Religion and not of State so that in conclusion he saw his devices were eluded and that there is not any Fetch able to circumvent the prudence oâ— that grand Minister Hereupon he made no long stay at Court his design thither being for other ends then to receive bare complements and civilities yet in going off he committed one Act absolutely contrary to the custom of all Embassadours viz. his refusing of a Sword beset with Diamonds which with the Scabbard was worth ten thousand Crowns sent unto him from the King for a Present shewing by this Action that having left Spain to trouble France he would not receive any Present which might oblige him to lessen his ill will Not but that he was soon payed in his own coin and that by the Sieur de Guron who was the presenter of the Sword for Dom Gonçales his Secretary coming to him and offering him some Present from his Master was told that he would not receive any thing from a Minister of Spain who had refused the Liberalities of his Master and that it was hard to surprize him at Paris as at Cazal After he had continued some few days in this Court he departed towards Bruxels and from thence having received Orders from the Infanta went towards Treves in expectation of Monsieur who came to him about the end of May. Dom Gonçales received him with all imaginable honour went to meet him with the Spanish Nobility entertain'd him and his retinue at Supper with a great deal of splendour and in fine left his own lodgings unto him Treves was the Randezvouz for the forces of Dom Gonçales of the Comte de Mâ—rode of the Comte de Embden had he not been diverted Monsieur was in consultation with them hoping he might carry most of their Forces into France but they let him see how the Spaniards have not yet lost their old custom of promising much and performing little to such as expect relief from them The King indeed had by the Cardinals perswasion taken a good course to divert their designs viz. by giving them work enough in Germany and the Low-countries so to keep them off from invading their neighbours For just at that nick of time it was that the Hollanders by his advice went and besieged Maestry with so potent an Army that the whole force of Spain and the Empire could not possibly relieve it Dom Gonçales found himself necessitated to draw thither that one affair being work enough to imploy his utmost force so that Monsieur was necessitated to be satisfied with such few men as could be spared and to dispatch the Sieur de Fargis unto Spain there to negotiate a greater assistance in the interim he advanced towards Nancy hoping to supply this defect by the forces which he expected from the Duke of Lorrain Politique Observation IT is great Prudence in a Minister of State having once discovered that the designs of a Forraign Prince are to foment and support Revolts in his State to cause an enemy to encounter him that being a most infallible way to break his resolutions for most certain it is every one will sooner bestir himself to quench the fire which burneth his own house then to kindle a fire in his neighbours Prevention and Diversion are too great advantages in War saith Alphonsus de Arragon thus did the Syracusians procure the Lacedemonians to invade the Athenlans whereby they might prevent their sending of succors to Nice in Sicily Thus Hannibal advised Anâ—iochus to go and Forrage the country of Philip to the end that finding new work for his Forces he might be disabled from sending them to the Romans to fight against him and thus Avitus a Roman Captain invaded the Country of Tentari to hinder them from assisting the Ansibarians with their Forces To provide great Armies for the defence of a State and for the suppressing of an insurrection is not all no there ought to be prudence and discretion in the management of affairs and to make a strong diversion is as necessary as to fight well Besides Prudence is of so much the more advantage in regard by such diversions it weakneth those who revolt reduceth them to exigencies and inability of doing any thing considerable and in fine maketh them easie to be overcome wheras without it it would be a hard matter to secure any thing from their violence The Indictment of the
every little Town to stand upon their guard Some of his Forces attempted to seize upon about thirty or forty Mules neer Corcone but the Inhabitants falling upon them beat them back and saved their Mules but with the losse of twelve men left dead in the place which so incens'd his Highnesse that he resolv'd to besiege the Town and make them pay dearly for it But the Bishop de Mande whose Loyalty and Courage was well known hearing thereof raised a hundred Gentlemen and four hundred foot and with them got into the Town and resolved to defend it Whereupon Monsieur who had no leisure to stay in any place marched off traversing the whole Kingdom without any considerable thing done untill he came to Languedoc such good order had the Cardinal taken under his Majesties Authority Politique Observation IT is great Prudence not to neglect or slight the smallest Revolts but to cut them off in the first growth Some are so fatally blind as to perswade themselves that having great Forces a small Army can hardly get any advantage upon them But the wisest men have learnt from Reason and Experience that mean beginnings have sometimes had dangerous ends and that insurrections are like Rivers which the further they run the more they increase their Channels and inlarge their Banks They are not ignorant of the instability of humane affairs and that of all others the chances of War are most incertain They know that to disregard an enemy giveth him a great advantage for that he is thereby permitted to raise Forces and to fortifie himself so that in conclusion it will be as hard a task to subdue him as at first it would have been easie to have prevented him from making the least progress in his design One of the Pharaohs of Egypt was so inconsiderate as to slight the Caldeans being thereunto perswaded by some eminent men of Tunis who told him that for a Prince of his birth descended from a stem of ancient Kings Lord of a large Country and esteemed by every one as the Arbitrator of War and Peace to fear so inconsiderable an enemy would be injurious and dishonourable to him but he was not long unpayed for the Caldeans invaded his Country assaulted his Cities and ruin'd his Kingdom they meeting with no opposition at all The small esteem which those of Ninive made of their Besiegers and the great confidence they put in their own Walls and Power were the causes of their being taken in the middest of their mirth There need no more but one small sparkle to kindle a great Fire and but a small Revolt to over-run a whole Kingdom if there be not some preventive Force used Do we not see how the greatest Storms begin with a little Gale of Wind and that the greatest darknesses are Ushered in by small Clouds so do we likewise often see the greatest Wars to grow from little beginnings A State is seldome without I think I may safely say never some discontented persons who would be very glad to joyn their forces with those of any Revolted Prince if they could have but a small opportunity And some indeed too too many Ransâ—ckers who would be extraordinary glad to be under any protection where they might be permitted to forrage Pillage and Plunder The surest remedy in such cases is to prevent them betimes and to wait upon the first appearers in the field with such power and force that they may not have time to know where they are and that others may not dare to stir a foot to joyn with them Monsieur de Montmorency's Discontents THe Duke of Montmorency was the man who had ingaged Monsieur to come into Languedoc giving him to hope for great assistance in those parts and that himself had credit and power enough to arm all that Province in his behalf He had been much discontented from the year 1629. when the Esleus were established of such concern was the Creation of those new Officers unto him for they were then impowered to impose the Contributions upon the people which formerly belonged unto the States and especially the Governour Who sometimes would exact a hundred thousand Livres for his own share which losse he could ill brook by reason he was used to make great expences It is true indeed the Sieur de Emery Intendent of the Treasuries being sent into Languedoc to execute the Edict about the year 1631 found a means to content him which was to levy the said Contributions by certain Commissioners from whom the King should receive as great advantage as from the Esleus and yet who should act nothing but by direction from the States and thus had the Governour of the Province still liberty to make his usual profits But the Marshal d'Effiat Super-intendent of the Treasuries could not approve hereof either by reason of the disgusts which happened between them whilest they commanded the Army together in Piedmont or else because it was not just that the Governours of Provinces should raise such sums upon the people already too much oppressed and that without any benefit to the King So that Monsieur de Montmorency's Discontent rendred Monsieur de Emery's Proposal of accommodation of no use Besides he was resolved to prosecute the Office of Marshal General of his Majesties Camps and Armies which would have conferred upon him almost all the Functions of Constable which he could not obtain upon just considerations he having ever shewed more of Courage then Prudence in his Conduct The Refusal hereof was the more sensibly resented by him in regard his birth and the honour his Ancestors had in being Constables perswaded him that he deserved it These were the chief causes of his discontents which ingaged him to revolt whereunto may be added his Wifes perswasions who being an Italian born for which and her particular merits rice Queen-Mother much honoured her she so dealt with him that he imbraced her interests and consequently Monsieur who was then strictly leagued with the Queen-Mother for to ruine the Cardinal For most certain it is she did very much contribute to ingage him in those designs unto which he was of himself sufficiently inclined having naturally more fire then earth in his temper Besides he verily believed that the great acquaintances which his fore-fathers Governours of that Province for a long tract of tisâ—e had left unto him together with what himself had acquired would enable him to dispose the Cities the Nobility the States and people as himself pleased whereby he might raile the whole Province as one man and being then countenanced by Monsieur that he might force the Cardinal and suppresse the Edict of Esleus and to obtain for him what honours he should desire In order to this design he used his utmost indeavours with the Bishops and Nobility of Languedoc to oblige them to him well knowing that the people are like the small stars in the Firmament which having no particular motions of themselves are guided by the higher Orbs.
divers Provinces in his absence AS in times of Revolts there ought alwaies especial eye to be had upon the Insurrections which a Rebellious party may make especially in the absence of heir Soveraign His Majesty before his removal from Paris thought good to commit the Government of that place and the adjacent Provinces unto the management of some Princes of the Blood Accordingly he dispatched his letters unto Monsieur le Prince de Conde to impower him to command in Nivernois Berry Bourbon Tourain Poictou Aunis Zainctonge Haut and Basse Marcke Limosin and Auvergne to preserve them in peace and quiet which he intrusted with him especially in confidence that his loyalty and zeal for his service as also his Prudence and good Conduct would effectually cause him to be very sollicitous and diligent in preventing any troubles what ever The Letters were accompanied with an extraordinary and unlimitted power which did a little surprize some people of small understanding who think a King never ought to intrust so great a power with any Prince of the Blood But indeed it was an effect and that a very remarkable one of the Cardinal's Prudence who knew there is not any cause to fear the power of a Grandee where there is any assurance of his being discreet The Laws of Gratitude and Submission do both oblige them to oppose any thing which incroacheth upon their Kings glory and it cannot be denied but that they preserve their own in particular by preserving their Kings Authority Whilst the Duke of Montmorency was disposing all things in order for the war Monsieur marched into Albigieis and the Bishop delivered Alby into his hands He rested there some time to refresh his Army and from thence he went leaving five hundred horse behind him unto Carcassenne where he held some intelligence but having been inform'd of the Sieur Mangot Villarceaux his great care to preserve the Inhabitants in their duties he passed on Beziers and gave order for a new Fortification From thence he designed to march to Narbone and make sure of that place by the help of some Intelligence which he there had which would have been a Port at command to have received any assistance from Spain as likewise to retire unto in case of necessity But he was presently discomfited to hear that those of his party had been over pow'red by the Arch Bishop and some other of his Majesty's servants who under pretence of assisting him got into the place and so mastered it Now the King being informed of all these proceedings The Result of the States she Revolt of Cities and of the inclinations of some Lords thought his presence would be necessary about those parts The Cardinal was of the same opinion and assured his Majesty that if he would undertake the trouble of the journey all those storms would pass away in fix weeks time as it fell out accordingly Hereupon the King concluded upon the expedition and before he left Paris caused the Parliament to publish a Declaration in common form against all those who followed Monsieur or favoured his designs proclaiming them to be Rebels guilty of high Treason and Disturbers of the Publike Peace commanding all Officers to proceed against them according to the Rigour of the Law yet with so particular a testimony of affection unto Monsieur that his Majesty would not have him declared guilty but it s the Declaration published That he would totally forgive him if he acknowledged his error within six weeks after publication thereof His Majesty likewise made a Declaration sent unto the Parliament of Tholose to proclaim the Duke of Montmorency guity of high Treason degraded from all honours and dignities the Dutchy of Montmorency extinct and re-united in the Crown and all his goods confiscate enjoyning the Parliament of Tholose to make his Process and requiring all Prelats Barons Consuls and Deputies of any Cities who had assisted subscribed or assented unto the Result of the States to appear before the Parliament at Tholose or the next Presidial to their dwelling houses within fifteen days after publication thereof to dis-own their Actions and Consents and in case of non-obedience to be deemed as Rebels and Traytors degraded from all honour and dignity prohibiting the imposing of any Taxes by vertue of any order from the said States Moreover his Majesty expresly commanded the Mareschals de la Force and de Schomberg to be careful that Monsieurs levies might not draw into a Body together but that they should fall upon them upon their first appearance These things thus setled he departed from Paris the eleventh of August The very news of his march out of Paris so encouraged his Majesties servants and disheartned the Rebels that all their contrivances did forthwith begin to fall The first thing which befel them but which was a great good Fortune for France was a division between their Leaders which gave the two Mareschals a great advantage upon them The Sieur de Puy-Laurens had been accustomed to command all who came neer Monsieur and could not now well endure that the Duke of Montmorency should issue out Orders for the carrying on of the War whereupon there grew a great jealousie between them Moreover the Duke d' Elboeuf being of another quality then the Duke of Montmorency pretended to be Monsieurs Lievtenant General which however the Duke would not admit off in regard he was Governour of the Province where all the Tragedy was to be acted Hereupon it being hard to make any accommodation between them it was thought requisite to part them and to assigne every one what he should command who being thus divided by and amongst themselves were easily overcome by his Majesties Forces Politique Observation THere is not any thing which giveth more advantage against Revolts and in general all enemies then the division of their Commanders and Forces if unexpectedly they fall into this disorder fortune is to be thanked and if it be possible to contribute in the least thereunto it ought the more industriously to be attempted in regard the effect cannot but be advantagious All great Captains have been chiefly solicitous of this one thing Coriolanus warring against the Romans destroyed the possessions of all their principal men but saved those of the people that so he might provoke the one against the other Hannibal on the contrary he preserved those of Fabius but burnt all the rest The Thebans advised Mardonius to send great Presents to the most eminent of the Grecians that the rest might be jealous of it And Cleomenius the Athenian assaulting the Fraezenians cast certain darts into the City with Letters fastened to them which served to raise a sedition amongst them in the heat whereof he fell upon them and became Master of the City To prevent this disorder the wisest Politicians have ever thought it proper that there should not be several Heads of an Army of equal power unlesse every one so commanded in particular that there should be only one
desired not to live but to serve his Majesty that he dayly begg'd of God that his services might be the boundaries of his life and that his health would soon be recruited since he found his Majesty in so good condition After this they retired two hours in private together to consider of divers affairs which his Majesty would not conclude without him after which his Majesty returned to Paris Politique Observation EXtraordinary honours are justly due to great Ministers of State as the only lustre of their fair attempts The joy of their return from a long voyage hath often invited the people to go forth and meet them and to render them all imaginable respects Thus Pompey returning after he had been some time detained at Naples by a dangerous sicknesse the greatest part of the Romans marched out of the City the ways the Port and the streets were so full that there was hardly any Passage Some were offering sacrifice for his health others feasting and making merry in sign of joy some march'd before him with Torches and others strewd the way with flowers Thus likewise Scipio returning from Germany where he atchieved glorious exploits every one long'd to see him return triumphing to Rome that they might render him the glory which he deserved yet because the Triumph was not a custom to be granted to such who were neither Pro-consuls nor Magistrates the Senate could not resolve to grant him that honour neither did he desire it but on the other side it is observed in History that there never was so great a concourse of people in Rome as at his return either to see him or to testifie their acknowledgements they had of his services by their going out to receive him I will passe a little further and add that justice and prudence do oblige Kings to joyn with their people on such occasions and so render extraordinary honours unto their Ministers either for the more ample acknowledgement of the services they have receiv'd from them or for the more countenancing of them in the execution of their commands or to incourage others to be affectionate to their service Acknowledgement is a Virtue requisite both in Prince and people and seeing the service done to a State is of no lesse advantage to a Prince then to his Subjects he is no lesse obliged to testifie his gratitude if these proofs of his good will confer a great honour on those who have served him himself receives no mean advantage thereby because the Nobility who are extream sensible of honour will not then sticke at any thing which may tend to his service and the Agents of his Will have more credit and authority to execute his Commands It there any thing more glorious said the great Chancellor of Thiery King of the Goths then to deserve praise and approbation who by reason of their Soveraignty are not to be suspected of Flattery Surely no the honour which they confer upon any one proceeding from the favourable Judgements which they give of his actions and their authority permitting not them to be guilty of adulation Which if true as doubtlesse it is there is not any thing then which doth more incourage Nobility then the glory wherewith Princes honour their servants nor is there any thing which doth more impower a Minister then the carresses which his Prince bestoweth upon him they confer no lesse credit upon their Ministers then their stamps do on their monies Tiberius one of the wisest Roman Emperours did well understand the importance of this maxime in the honours which he bestowed on the Consuls those chief Ministers of his Will when he went to receive them at the Gate of his Palace at such time as they came to sup with him and waited on them back again when they took their leaves Ferdinand King of Spain the man who layed the foundation of that great power which this Monarchy hath since obtained was not to seek in it when as Gonzalve one of his greatest Captains returning to Burgos after having rendred him such important services as are well known to every one he went out to receive him with such honour as cannot be exprest Neither was the manner of his entertaining Cardinal Xinimes lesse remarkable for he seldom spake to him but bare headed and sometimes received him upon his knee He well knew that the honour wherewith he acknowledged his services did animate others to follow his example and gave that grand Minister so powerfull an authority to execute his commands that there was not a person of what condition soever durst oppose him A dispatch sent to the Hollanders to hinder the Treaty IT being of great concernment to prevent the conclusion of any Treaty between the Spaniard and Hollander his Majesty bent his chief care to take order accordingly Indeed it was at that time a matter of so great concernment that the Fortunes of most Princes of Europe seemed to depend thereupon and so much the more circumspection ought his Majesty to use in regard of the Procedures of the Spaniard who had contrary to form permitted the States of the Provinces obeying the Low Countries to negotiate the particulars of the Treaty with the Hollanders and the advantagious proffers by him made to obtain it gave great cause to look about lest they might be induced to assent thereunto Neither was it unknown how that he designed the League once concluded to assist the Duke of Orleans with an Army as also the Duke of Lorrain to invade France and to send the residue of his Forces unto the Emperour the better to curb the Swede and to prosecute those advantages he had lately obtained against them The Cardinal who pierceth into the depth of their pretensions was industrious to fortifie his Majesty in the resolution of preventing the conclusion of that Treaty in order to which he likewise made him certain Proposals well-becomming the acutenesse of his more then humane spirit He committed the management of that negotiation unto the Sieur of Charnace who was newly returned from Germany where he had given such sundry proofs of his prudence amongst divers Princes that his well-acquitting himself of that imployment could not be any ways suspected I shall not say any thing concerning his instructions onely this the Orders contained in them were so many incomparable effects of the Cardinal to whom nothing was impossible but I shall passe on to the addresse which he used in the execution of it so happy I say it was that he obtained all that could be desired After having pass'd the usual Complements in his Majesties behalf to the Prince of Orange the Governours and Deputies of the States of Holland he told them that his Majesty was very solicitous of such a League which may conclude their differences in an happy peace but not finding any likelihood thereof in that now proposed unto them he was pleased out of his affection and good will to their interests to send him unto them to communicate such
an enemy to his own interest The Marquess de St. Chaumont sent by the King into the Country of the Elector of Treves to force his Enemies from the rest of his Towns and to establish him IF his Majesty shewed any thing of Prudence in preventing the conclusion of any Treaty between the Spaniard and the Hollanders he discovered no lesse courage in his indeavour to re-establish the Elector of Treves in the rest of those places which his enemies had usurped from him Fumay and Reveign scituated on two Pennisula's upon the River Meuse had ever acknowledged him for their Soveraign Lord but the Spaniard whom conveniency seemeth to intitle unto any places which they may master had clapp'd a garrison into them designing to fortifie them to secure the Commerce of that River and withall to make some enterprise upon the Frontier of Champagne The King could not put up such an injury offered unto the Elector since he had taken him into his protection but ordered the Marquess de St. Chaumont to march toward Meziers with those forces which he commanded in Champagne to dislodge them The Sieur de Chastelliers Barlort and the Comte de la Suze were made Marshals de Camp who comming to the Army marched directly away toward those two places His courage made him wish that he might find some opposition whereby he might obtain the more glory to his Masters Arms but making his approaches he understood that the Spanish Garison notwithstanding all their Rodomontades had marched out the night before without sound of Trumpet so that instead of fighting all he had to do was to receive testimonies of the inhabitants joy who acknowledging his Majesty for their Protector did willingly receive the Regiment of Champagne into Fumay and that of Normandy into Reveign The Marquess de St. Chaumont finding himself obliged to remunerate their good will by all the favours which he could do them in quartering of the Army setled so good an Order amongst the Souldiers that they never took any thing without paying for it but behaved themselves with great moderation and courtesie The Enemy did not then oblige him to be more active at that time and indeed the season of the year was such in regard of the Snows and Frost that he could not march without difficulty so that his Majesty sent him Order to return and to leave his Forces in Garrison upon the Frontier He returned to spend some time at the Fort whereupon the 10th of February he and the Comte Brissac were created Ministers of State to serve his Majesty in his Counsel the Spaniards who never sleep but when they have nothing to do took the occasion of his absence to return into the Country of the Elector of Treves and to do what they pleased but the King and the invitation of the Spring permitting his return he carried the Army back again and without much ado forced them to quit the Field The next thing he resolved was to assault Freidembourg upon which they had seized whose Garrison offered a thousand violences to Travellers and the adjacent places The Comte de la Suze commanded it to be invested and comming in person before it in the moneth of June he summoned Machinister who commanded it for the Comte d'Embden and upon refusal of a surrender they provided to assault it The Town was won with little resistance and the Castle forced within two daies after there being not above three or four men slain on both parts Thus the Country of Treves was totally reduced unto his Majesty's Possession neverthelesse his Majesty having only secured it for the Arch-Bishop the true Lord thereof caused him to be restored in his Metropolitan City about the beginning of October by the Sieur de Bussilamet The Arch-Bishop indeed finding himself unable to make it good against the Spaniards he desired him to stay with him and command his forces and the Sieur de Bussy having presented the Keys unto him he presently returned them saying I beseech you keep them for his Majesty his Eminence likewise published a Declaration about the end of this year commanding his Subjects to acknowledge the King for their Lord to assist him in his interest to receive his Souldiers into their Cities jointly to defend them and to give unto them the best entertainment the places could afford The principal Obligations of him who taketh a Prince into Protection DOubtlesse it is honourable for a great Prince to undertake the Protection of another unable to subsist by his own force but though it is honourable yet it is not without care if this protection be to his advantage yet is he obliged to recover whatever is taken from him and in fine fairly to restore it To leave him a prey to his enemies were a sign of weaknesse or want of courage or an absolute breach of promise in the first assumption He that for fear of the charge the successe of the War or any other consideration shall neglect it doth not only deprive himself of that honour which the quality of a Protector ascribes unto him but doth likewise cloath himself with shame Moreover what expences soever he is at on such occasions yet he is obliged by Justice to restore all places into the hands of their natural Prince he being only as it were a Depositary and as the Laws of Deposition do not permit the appropriating of any thing to ones self the restoring of them will be as honourable as the detaining of them will be unjust Ptolomy King of Egypt dying committed his son heir to his Crowns then a child unto the protection of the Common-Wealth of Rome who professing a particular observation of their promises were not deficient in resigning the Kingdom into his power upon his first being capable of Government Thus Archadius seeing his son Theodosius very young and unable to secure himself from the power of the Persians so played his Game with Indigertes their King that he undertook his protection and by this means he tied up his Arms by delivering his son into his hands Indigertes receiv'd the Tutillage as an honour and discharg'd it with such fidelity that he preserved Theodosius life and Empire That I may let you see these latter ages want not the like examples Philip of Austria King of Castile leaving his son Charles but of twelve years age requested Lewis the Twelfth by his Will to be his Guardian and to take the Kingdom into his protection The King accepted thereof and in prosecution of his charge was so punctually correspondent to the Trust Philip had reposed in it that he preserved his States against France it self nor would usurp the least whatever provocations Maximilian gave him In fine notwithstanding all restitutions or expences which a King is obliged unto yet ought he never to refuse the protection of a Prince bordering upon his Countries because besides the glory whereof he deprives himself he inforceth the other to throw himself into the protection of some
as often as occasion required discovered unto him so that finding himself at leisure about the beginning of the Spring and without a necessity of being over early in the field he resolved to perform the Ceremony of the Knights of the Holy Ghost and to fill up all the vacant places It is impossible in such affairs to content all men because there are never so many places vacant as men who think their services worthy of that honour All that can be done is to prefer those who are most considerable either for their birth their services or the particular inclination of the Prince who in such things ought to have his own liberty His Majesty took this course but that he might totally follow the Orders of the Primitive constitution he gave a Commission to the Cardinal de Lyon great Almner of France and Commander of the Order to inform him of their Religion Life and Works who were proposed and to send him his informations seal'd up The next thing his Majesty did was to assemble the Chapter of the Order at Fountainbleau where the Ceremony was performed and where all the Knights met and told them by the mouth of the Sieur de Bullion Lord Keeper of that Order that he should be very glad before the Creation of the Knights to have their opinions about the Rebellion and Felony of the Duke d' Elboeuf and the Marquess de la Vieville who being fled out of the Kingdom and having born Arms contrary to his Majesties service and consequently broken the Statutes of the Order had rendred themselves unworthy of Knight-hood and deserved to be degraded the Sieur de Bullion adding that his advice was to follow the example of Charles Duke de Bourgogne towards Charles Duke de Brabant his cousin viz. to erase their Arms and that in their Escutcheon should be inserted their judgement and degradation All the Knights were of the same opinion with the Lord Keeper excepting only the Marquesse de Trajanel So that the judgement of their degradation was pronounced and executed before the new Creation In prosecution of this judgement his Majesty caused the Role of those whom he would have of this Order to be read aloud and nominated eight Knights to assist at the tryal of the proofs of their Nobility Life and Manners and the proposing the difference which was between those who were Dukes and Peers and those who were only Dukes concerning their order and place in the Ceremony it was ordered that all the Dukes in general should march according to the Order of their Creation because the Peers hold no place in Assemblies It was likewise decreed that if any of those who were name to be Knights did not appear at the time of the promotion to receive their Order it should not be sent unto them The 14 of May was the day assigned for the Ceremony and his Majesty being there punctually followed the Statutes of that Order and conferred it upon Monsieur the Cardinal of Richelieu The Cardinal de la Valette The Arch-Bishop of Paris The Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux The Arch-Bishop of Narbone The Duc de Longueville The Comte d' Harcourt The Comte d' Alets The Duc de la Trimouille The Duc de Vantadour The Duc d' Alvin The Duc de Brissac The Duc de Candale The Duc de la Valette The Comte de Tonnerre The Mareschal d' Estree The Sieurs de Vaubecourt de Seneterre The Vicomte de Pompadour The Marquis de Nesse The Marquis de Gordes The Comte de Lannoy The Marquis de Varennes The Maresâ—hal de Breze The Comte de Brassac The Comte de Noailles The Sieur de Popanne The Marquis de Fossez The Marquis de Bourbonne The Vicomte de Pollignac The Vicomte d' Arpajon The Marquis d' Aluye The Comte de Saulx The Comte d' Orval The Sieur de St. Simon premiers Escuyer The Baron de Pont-Chasteau The Sieur de Pont-Courlay The Sieur de la Messeray The Marquis de Mortemart The Sieur de Villequier The Comte de Teurnon The Sieur de la Mailleraye The Comte de Tianges The Marquis d' Ambres The Comte de Parabere The Sieurs de Montcaurel De Liancourt De St. Simon l'aisne I will not trouble my self to describe the particulars of the Ceremony it is beyond my design only for conclusion I will say his Majesty by this conferring of Honour shewed that he did as well acknowledge as know the services of his Nobility Politique Observation THe reward of Services and the punishment of Crimes are equally great supporters to a State whereupon Socrates being demanded what Estate could be esteemed the best governed answered that where honest men are rewarded and knaves punished Xenophon likewise thought that a man being naturally more couragious the fearfull should be excited sooner to great actions by praise riches or honours after a Victory For this reason it was that Plato in the Fifth of his Republicks would that all men who behaved themselves couragiously in the War should be gratified in all reasonable things nay they were permitted to marry divers women the better to replenish the Common-Wealth with valiant men This licentiousnesse I must confesse is contrary to the Laws of Christianity and Experience hath told us that it is seldom seen brave men beget children like themselves but in the main the gratifying of valiant men in all reasonable things is conformable to the rules of all politick States Thus Homer to give a testimony of Agamemnon's conduct doth usually bring him in at all feasts in the Greek Army honoured with an whole Chine of Beef being the greatest rarity among them Upon the same example Plato grounded his Decrees for the honouring of those at publick Feasts who had given proofs of their valour by serving them with the greatest dainties and the best Wines and by singing of songs in their praise to invite others to imitate them To speak the truth if the flame dies for want of Wood generosity languisheth if unrewarded All goeth to rack in that State where men of courage are no better treated then uselesse cowards It should seem the greatest courages are as it were benum'd where the splendour of honour the reward of handsom actions doth not incourage them All that can be further observed is that recompences be proportioned to the qualities of the persons Souldiers are more usually pleas'd with riches then honour and are more proper to be acknowledged with reward accordingly The Nobility on the other side are better satisfied with honour Let them have it This course did the Common-Wealth of Venice take after that memorable battle of Tar they exalted the Marquis of Mantua from that government to be general of the Army and as to those Souldiers who had behav'd themselves couragiously they increas'd their pay They gave divers recompences to the Sons of such as were slain Dowries to their daughters and good Pensions to such as were maim'd The Romans did much more esteem the rewards
of honour then any other and indeed they are more to be esteemed because Honour is more excellent then Wealth There was no Crown more esteemed among them then the obsidional which however was made of Turf that of Gold inlaid with Stones was beneath it because lesse honourable there was not any greater honour in their Common-Wealth then that of Triumph which however brought no Wealth to the Triumpher for after he had appeared in a Chariot cloathed and attended magnificently he was obliged to live in the City in the quality of a private person without other reward then the glory of their actions Cneus Ovillius thought himself more highly rewarded after he had concluded the first Carthaginian War by the Common-Wealths permitting him to have a Trumpet alwaies march before him and Pompey by the power granted him wear his Triumphant Robe at all publick Feasts and Caesar by the priviledge of continually wearing the Lawrel Crown then if they had had all the riches of the Empire divided amongst them The Institution of the Parliament of Mets after the King had reduc'd to his Obedience divers Cities and Places of Lorrain AFter the King had reduc'd to his Obedience divers Cities and places of the Bishopricks of Mets Toul and Verdun and recovered to his Crown divers Lands and Lordships heretofore pulled from it he thought it necessary for the preservation of the people in Obedience and Peace and for conservation of the Rights of his Crown to establish a Soveraign court of Justice which should have full power to Judge without further Appeal all matters both civil and criminal His Majesty was the rather invited unto it by the earnest intreaties of all the Orders of the Cities and Provinces in prosecution of the promise made unto them by the late King Henry le grand especially to redresse those great abuses committed in the Administration of Justice in regard of the inexperience of the Magistrates as to prevent the Dukes of Lorrain's usurpation who had oftentimes presumed to give judgement in places and upon persons depending on the Crown of France It was resolved about the beginning of the year The King ordained a Soveraign court with the Title of Parliament in his Bishopricks of Toul Mets and Verdun the seat whereof he founded at Mets both in regard of the commodiousnesse of the scituation as also the populousness of the place and confluence of the people which came from all parts and besides that place having been formerly the Metropolis of Austracia one of the best Flowers of this Crown His Majesty ordained there should be one chief President six other Presidents forty six Counsellors of which six should be of the Clergy the rest of the Laity one Attorney General two Advocates General and to brief all Officers usual in other Parliaments to execute Justice without Appeal every six moneths upon the Cities and persons of those Bishopricks as also upon Mouzon Chasteau-Regnaud and its Appurtenances notwithstanding any Soveraignty they might heretofore claim Lastly desiring to chuse such persons as might be capable of doing actual service in this Parliament he committed the charge of chief President to the Sieur de Bretaign and of the other Presidents to the Sieurs of Charpentier Blundeau Pinon Treslon Vignier and Chanteclair all men of worth that of Attorney General to the Sieur de Paris Master of Requests those of the two Advocates General to the Sieurs de la Gresliere Remifort and Fardoil they had all Commission to go with four Masters of Request and five or six who were created Counsellours to establish the Parliament which they did about the end of August to the great happinesse and satisfaction of the inhabitants of Mets glad to see their City re-assume its ancient splendour and true it is the industry they used to preserve his Majesties right and the people in their obedience did not a little conduce to the establishment of the Royal Authority in its lustre That new Magistrates of Justice ought to be established in Countries newly conquered AS Subjects ow love and obedience to their Kings so Kings ow them Justice and affection The debts are mutual and two incumbent duties which compose the most agreeable harmony in States upon the accomplishment of which dependeth the good fortune of both Prince and People which being so a Prince can no sooner conquer a country but be is obliged to do them Justice nor is it of small importance to him to execute it by new Judges and to change the old Magistrates Caesar and Nero knew it well enough by their indeavours to suppresse the Senate at least to diminish their power when they despaired of being able absolutely to depose them In a word the Soveraign power being composed of the Authority of a Prince and that of Magistrates to force a country out of the hands of another Prince and not to change the Magistrates were to be but half Master of it for their Prince having bestowed those imployments on them they cannot but preserve some affection for him nor wil they ever fail to serve him so that great inconveniences may thereby arise for as they in some sort serve as a Chain to tie the people in obedience to their Soveraign they will do their utmost indeavour to preserve them in their dependance upon him from whom they have received their imployments and with time they are able to cause a general insurrection A Seat of Justice though without a Sword with the Purple onely and those other marks of its dignity doth oftentimes cause that which they favour to be more respected and obeyed then the force of an whole Army so much are the people us'd to submit to its judgements and to follow its motions therefore there is nothing of a conquest secured untill the Conquerour hath setled such Magistrates as are affectionate and loyal to his service That once done let the people mutiny make unlawfull Assemblies and be factious it signifies little especially if there are any strong Garisons or Souldiers in pay to quel them The people do commonly return to their duties at the only sight of their Magistrates and they quickly calm themselves as tost vessels do at the appearance of Castor and Pollux but if they find any to second their insurrection they rage more and more and flie out into all kind of extremities Alpheston and Chavagnac executed at Mets by Decree of Parliament THe exemplary punishment which the Parliament of Mets executed this year upon Alpheston and Chavagnac was one of the greatest services which could be rendred to the State Alpheston a notorious Assassinate came to Mets about the end of September with Sausier and Bellanger who had both been of the Marshal de Marillac's guard These two Souldiers touch'd with repentance and horrour for the crime wherein they had been ingaged made their addresses to the Sieur de Mommas Governour of the City for the Duke de la Valette and discovered to him upon what design they were come
the King to treat entred into conference with the Cardinal of Lorrain and concluded a Treaty upon these following conditions 1. That the Duke of Lorrain should renounce all new Alliances it prejudice to that of France 2. Thatt he should oblige himself to serve the King with and against all 3. That he should not make any Levies of War during the present troubles of Germany without his Majesties consent 4. The he should disband as soon as his Majesty should receive notice from the Chancellour Oxenstern that he would not attempt any thing but withdraw the Swedish forces from his Countries 5. That he should deliver the City of Nancy both old and new in Deposit to his Majesties hands within three days until such time as his good behaviour or the pacification of the trubles of Germany should take away all cause of suspicion of the like enterprizes as he had heretofore made against his Majesty and his Allies and also untill such time as the pretended marriage between Monsieur and the Princess Marguerite were declared null by Law and that the differences between the King and the said Duke were decided each of them in the mean while enjoying their rights without prejudice of this Treaty yet however that in case the War of Germany should last four years the conditions of this Treaty being first accomplished his Majesty should restore Nancy into the hands of the said Duke or his Successors 6. That the Princess Marguerite should be delivered into the Kings hands within fifteen days or at least that the said Cardinal and Duke of Lorrain should use their utmost endeavour to recover her from whence she was and to deliver her into his Majesties hands and should so order the business that her retreat should not hinder the dissolution of the marriage 7. That the Dutchy of Bar should continue sequestred untill such time as his Majesty should be satisfied for the homage thereof 8. That the Revenue of Lorrain and the States thereupon depending should be receiv'd by the said Duke with all sort of liberty 9. That he whom his Majesty should place in Nancy during the Deposit should have the absolute command of the Arms without other obligation then that of receiving the word from the Cardinal of Lorrain in case he would make his abode there 10. That Order should be taken that the Garison might not offer any distast to the Inhabitants This was the conclusion made in the Camp before Nancy the 6. of September Whereupon the Cardinal went to the Duke to procure his ratification He brought in and the Cardinal accompanied by Janin his Secretary of State coming to give his Majesty assurance thereof there were three days time alotted for execution of the Treaty and for his Majesties entring into Nancy But the day being come the Cardinal de Lorrain fell off to delays and excuses pretending that his brother had sent order to the contrary by a certain Gentleman named Giton so that the whole businesse was to be begun again However the Cardinal sensible of his own power and not ignorant of the advantages he had upon the Duke of Lorrain would not totally break off the Treaty but sent the Marquesse de Chanvalon to Nancy to the Cardinal of Lorrain with charge to tell him as from himself that the King found himself by divers reasons forced to carry his affairs to the height yet had however some unwillingnesse to put that resolution in execution because of the franknesse and affection he had testified to contribute his endeavours for a reasonable accommodation The Cardinal testified that his good will was no whit diminished that he would once again see what he could work upon his Brother to induce him to adhere to the Treaty in order whereunto he sent a Gentleman to him with such effectual expressions perswading him to settle his affairs then in a declining condition that he at last hearkned to his advice and sent the Sieur de Contrisson to his Majesty to desire a safe conduct to confer with Monsieur the Cardinal at St. Nicholas His Majesty granted it but the morning following thinking it more fit that the Cardinal should go as far as Charmes to treat with him for fear lest he might have propos'd this conference at St. Nicholas that he might the better get away into Flanders where once being there was no lâ—kâ—lyhood of his depositing Nancy it was signified unto him that Charmes would be a place much more proper for the Treaty which he accepting of the Cardinal and he came thither upon the 18. Monsieur le Cardinal came first thither about five in the evening accompanied by the Cardinal de la Valette the Popes Nuntio a great many Lords and Gentlemen and a good party of Horse and Foot The Duke came not untill about eleven at night so that finding the Cardinal in bed and not willing to permit his people to wake him according as he had commanded they met not untill the morning following That day they had two long debates without any conclusion so that every one thought there would be no agreement but in fine the Duke perswaded by the Cardinal's eloquence and addresse submitted just as his eminence was bidding him adieu at his Lodging and pass'd his word to conclude the Treaty which his brother had made by his Order without including any other condition but this that he might make his abode at Nancy with all honours due to his quality as also the Cardinal his Brother and that the Treaty being within three moneths particularly that which ingag'd him to deliver the Princess Marguerite into the Kings hands his Majesty should restore him the City of Nancy without more ado then demolishing the Fortifications if his Majesty should so think fit Monsieur le Cardinal did the more willingly consent unto these two Articles in regard he pretended only to put things into a way of reason not to extend the bounds of France which was of it self large enough to obtain as much glory as his Majesty could desire so that both of them having signed it there wanted nothing but the execution of them Monsieur le Cardinall was not ignorant how important it was not to abandon Monsieur de Lorrain or to leave him to his own honesty which possibly might have been shaken by the natural inconstancy of his humour So that he earnestly laboured to perswade him to meet his Majesty in person in order to the performance of his promises He represented to him that it would be the more glorious for him in regard it would testifie unto all Princes that he had not Deposited Nancy upon compulsion as also of great advantage in regard it would be an ample demonstration of his real intentions of submitting his unto his Majesties Will Who would thereupon be the more indulgent of him and surrender Nancy unto him as soon as ever he should be assured he might be confident of his good deportment Such were the charms of his words that
affect his own Kindred deserveth not the affections of any others and will also give more assurance to his Government by defending him from any insurrections which might be made by them And this is the more considerable as Tacitus saith for that it is ordinary with the people to have a particular affection for the Kindred of a Prince when they shall see them hated without any just cause or reason exemplyfying the Love which the people of Rome did bear to Germanicus which increased in them by the hatred which was born to him by Tiberius and it cannot be doubted but that the particular affection with which the people love them may give them great advantages to embroyl the State and may serve for a strong prop to their revolts It cannot be avoyded but that Princes nearly related to a Soveraign must have some hand in the Government of Affairs and must partake with him in the Honours of the State how can it then be done in a good order unless they live in a fair correspondence with one another What way can a vessel goe when as they who guide it do some row towards the Poop and others towards the Prow despising the Pilots orders so that the vessel becomes exposed to be wracked And what may there be expected from a State where the Princes of the Blood Royal who have the Government of the Provinces fall off from his Majesties designs and interests engaging themselves in Factions and Parties Doth it not by this means absolutely expose the State to Civil Wars which being left at random by this disunion becomes a prey to strangers who will be sure to take advantage of it The sending of the Sieur de Blainville into England in the quality of Extraordinary Ambassadour THough the Allyance which had so lately been contracted with England seemed to be indissolvable by the confirming of it with the Mariage of the Princess yet it was not long before some grounds did arise to obstruct their good correspondency The great confidence which the Queen of England had in certain Ladies who had been a long while near and about her as also in certain Ecclesiastiques a little too inconsiderate in their zeal was in part the occasion of it for they giving her advices which were not alwaies accompanied with Prudence did clash with the King her Husbands humour and were upon the point of breeding some differences between them The King did not much wonder at it having of a long time known how little considerable womens counsels ordinarily are and how they commonly end in some broyl unless there be some one near them who may prevent it by the reputation and credit which he hath amongst them But however it did not hinder his Majesty from dispatching the Sieur de Blanville his Extraordinary Ambassador to the King of England that he might take some course before the inconsiderateness of those persons who were about the Queen had caused any more mischiefs which was the easilier to be done in regard the Queen wanted neither Respect nor Love for the King her Husband and was onely to be blamed for having relyed a little too much upon those who were given to her to be her Counsel But this was not all there was another cause of difference between the two Crowns which was this The Sieur de Soubize having fled into England and there saved himself had taken in times of Peace and against the approval too of those of Rochel a small vessel called the little Saint John at the Port of Blavet which he afterwards carried to Plymouth And not long after the English had detained and unladen another Ship at Dover called the Merchant Royal full laden with goods to the value of twelve hundred thousand Liuvers This kind of acting was as strange as unjust and a great noise it made The French Merchants not being able to get a satisfactory answer in it because the Sieur de Blainville's demands were sent to the Council of his Majesty of Great Britain seised upon some English Ships which exasperated them afresh and hindred the resolution of any thing untill the following year Politique Observation ALthough the common end of private Mariages tend to concluding of Peace amongst Families yet it is not alwaies the same thing with Princes They do never make up any Matches but on the score of Interests and if any cause of difference arise amongst them they do not at all value their Alliances but it is well known that those Wars which have been between such Princes have ever been the most bloody It was imagined that those many Contracts which had been made between the Princes of the House of Orleance and those of Burgogne would have extinguished the fire of their Quarrels but the sequel made it apparent they all served to no purpose Lewis the Moor Duke of Milan was near a kin to the Arragonois of Naples yet he undid them by his intreagues And who knoweth not that France never had such great Quarrels either with Spain or England as when they were allyed by some Mariage And indeed it ought not to seem strange for a Soveraign hath no Kinsman so nearly related to him as his State A private man may govern himself according to the Rules of Friendship but it is otherwise with a Soveraign who is obliged to preserve the Rights of his Crown against every one His reputation is of so great concern towards the good of his Affairs that he may not suffer any injury to be offered to it which he is not bound to repell by any wayes whatsoever The Treasuries are better regulated by the Cardinals care THey who have had particular knowledge of things ever since ten years last past could not sufficiently wonder at those vast charges which the State had been put to both by maintaining so many Armies together in Languedoc in Poictu in the Valtoline and Italy as also in the Match with England and defraying of Ambassadors expences together with Alliances with States considering that the Cardinal entring upon the Administration had found the Treasury not onely exhausted but likewise much indebted so that they lived upon the next years Revenues This was an effect of that great Ministers prudence who knowing how necessary it was for a State to have a good mass of Mony in reserve had quickly so setled the Treasuries that there was great plenty succeeded that former want The Secretaries of State were commanded not to seal any more Orders but by express command from the King or his Chief Ministers The Superintendants were also ordered not to authorize those which should be presented from the Secretaries of State but upon good and just consideration There were divers persons removed from Court who attended there to no intent or purpose but only had sometimes the honour to see the King Rewards were kept for those who deserved them by their services There were also new orders taken at the same time concerning the Treasuries which were so
exactly observed that it was impossible any more to abuse the Kings Monies as formerly they had done so that the Treasury was not only acquitted of those advances which had been made but was afterwards filled with such great sums that France had never seen the like Politique Observation THe King who designs great matters and wants store of monies to execute them doth onely attempt vain enterprizes The most part of Politicians have alwaies been of opinion that the Riches of a Prince are the Nerves of War because as it is impossible for a man to go or stand without Sinews so it cannot be expected that an Army should subsist or that Souldiers should do their duties if there be not good store of monies to pay them and to provide all necessaries for them There is not onely Machiavel who denieth this Position against the Authority of Dion Quintus Curtius Vegetius Cicero and Plutarch who is of opinion that money is not a Nerve in War But besides that the Judgement of these great Sages of Antiquity is at least as considerable as his opinion So I find not that those reasons of his are solid enough to overthrow so commonly received a maxime I must confess with him that War may sometimes have a good successe though the Souldiers be but ill payed because the Authority of a grand Commander and their own Courages may very much animate them but as that doth but seldome happen so there cannot be any certain conclusion deduced from it There is hereof a notable example in the Battel of Pavy where the Imperialists despairing to perswade their Army to fight by reason they were so ill paid the Marquesse of Pescaire took the resolution on himself to exhort them and infused such mettle into them that they went on with great Courage and got a great honour over the French But that Prince who would deduce an absolute Rule from this example or any of the like nature and shall follow them in his Conduct shall onely prepare himself for his own Confusion and Ruine Experience having made it evident on a thousand occasions that it is unreasonable to hope for a happy success in matters of War though never so inconsiderable without great practice I know that it is not money onely which conduceth to the carrying on of great exploits but that good Souldiers are also necessary an experienced old Commander courteous generous able in Counsels quick in executions beloved by the Souldiers and indued with several other qualifications necessary for command But besides all this though a General and Souldiers should be thus accomplished yet unlesse there be good sums of monies nothing can be really attempted For how can a Prince without this satisfie several Souldiers and Commanders How can he without this make his preparations of Victuals Provisions Ammunitions Artilleries and other things which cannot be had without great expences And in case his Forces shal be cut off or destroyed how can he make Recruits or new Levies Charles the eighth having great occasions for Souldiers to raise the Siege of Navar sent the Bayliff of Dion to raise it but having no money he could procure no Souldiers In the mean while the King accorded with the Florentines for the restitution of Pisa and several other Towns in Hostage by which means he received great store of monies of which he sent a small part into Swizzerland and the Bayliff who onely demanded ten thousand men brought twenty thousand with him The Assembly of the Clergy for the Condemnation of certain Libels sent abroad by the Spanish Ambition ALL the rest of the year at least after May the Bishops and Clergy of France were assembled at Paris The chief intent of this meeting was for the renuing of that contract which they made every tenth year with the King for the payment of those Rents which are imposed upon them But this was not the onely worthy imployment which entertained them the affection which they alwaies had for the King would not let them give way to the permitting those infamous Books abortives of the Spanish Ambition which had been sent into France There need no more then onely to read them and it would soon be apparent that they were full of seditious Doctrine That they were published onely with design to diminish the Kings Authority to detract from his Majesties glory to raise Wars amongst strangers to stir up the people to sedition and to kindle a flame of War in France The Contents of them were replenished with a thousand specious pretences of Religion These generous Prelates soon discovered their designs and made it apparent that they were like Apothecaries or Mountebanks Boxes which are marked on the outside with the title of some healing Medicine but have within nothing but what is very dangerous and hurtfull They condemed the Authors of them as enemies to the publick quiet and seducers of the people to sedition putting them in mind that God had commanded them to honour Kings as Lieutenants of his power and required them to be in a straight obedience by shewing honour and respect to his designs and Justice whom God had placed over them for the good and happiness of France and not contented with having thus verbally expressed their affections to his Majesty they testified their zeal and fidelity to him by granting him six hundred thousand Crowns upon the Churches of France as a contribution toward the Wars in which the State was ingaged as also to preserve Religion in its splendour and to maintain the glory of the Crown It cannot be denyed but that many poor low spirits grumbled at it who considering but one of those ends for which Lands were given to Churches began to oppose it as if the Church which is part of the State were not bound to contribute to the good of those Corporations of which they were members and as if the publique necessities were not more considerable than the private profits of some particular people who often employ their Revenues to bad uses Politique Observation KIngs may lawfully compel Eccleasiastiques upon an important occasion to contribute to them some part of their Revenues for the maintenance of the State seeing the goods of the Church are upon such necessities in the same condition with those of others They are not exempted from ordinary contributions either by the Son of God or his Apostles for when as they lived on the earth the Church had not any immovable Goods and it is from the favours of Emperours and Kings that she hath since obtained that priviledge it was never granted to her but only that they might be employed on the publique extraordinary necessities of the State They are only tyed by Religion not to exact it though they may by absolute authority force it for if they might not make use of the Churches Goods in a case of urgency their Soveraign power would be of little worth And Soveraigns not compelling them in this harsh manner doe so much