keep alive through a confidence with him the Party in Italy but also to oblige him in such sort that he should not give countenance to the Hugonots in the thoughts which Luines had to take out of their hands the places wherein having been established in the time of the Minority rendred that Sect equal to the Royal Authority if not superiour The Marriage therefore upon the going of the Prince Cardinal Maurice to Paris was concluded of Christine Sister to the King with Vittorio Amadeo Prince of Piedmont nowithstanding that the Spaniards with much money scattered amongst their Partisans in the Court had endeavoured to hinder it The design nowithstanding against the Hugonots was for a while deferred because some disturbance rising in the Kingdom Luines having not so suddenly been able to resolve whether to deliver the Queen-mother from her Confinement or Conde from his Prison was most for his interest Whereupon the Duke of Espernon a man of an inflexible spirit habituated formerly in favour an object rather than a party in the flatteries of Court receiving discontent because in the Council the precedence of the Keeper of the Seal had been decided against him and in the nomination to a Cardinals Cap Gondi the Bishop of Paris had been preferred before his own Son retires to his Government of Metz where communicating counsels with the Mareschal of Bouillon he enters into the Party to take away the Queen from Blois which he secretly effected bringing her first to Lochies and afterwards to Angoulesme The King came to Tours and the Kingdom was every where in Arms when the Bishop of Lusson whom Luines secretly gave leave to quit Avignon having a more than ordinary ascendant upon the mind of the Queen concluded an agreement in which with the pardon of Espernon and his Followers was promised to the Queen her self the Government of Anjou with that of Angiers Chinon and Pont de Cé But de Luines not wholly relying upon this new-made friendship takes Conde out of Prison and enters into familiarity with him which causing suspicion in the other Party he both pursues new Intelligences and Levies of Arms. THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLICK OF VENICE An. Dom. 1618 THE FOURTH BOOK THE calm and quiet of the rest of Europe had till now rendred more considerable the successes of the Wars in Italy and the Treaties worthy of greater observation but mens minds began also elsewhere to be distracted for War creeping like a Cancer corrupted all the parts of Christendom with mutations of States alterations of things memorable Sieges great Battels Actions famous though very often unjust with so much slaughter of People and calamity of Countries that the present time might justly be called the Age of Iron and Blood The beginning of such grievous mischiefs brake forth in Bohemia with the commotion of the Kingdom which was believed the cause and no less warranty of the Peace of Italy It will not therefore be besides the purpose to deduce the motives and successes of it because no otherwise than in the Conjunction of the greater Planets upon whom the most notable Effects depend the influences of the one alter the dispositions of the other so in the affairs and linked interests of Princes the accidents whether good or bad of the one part are felt to be weighty in the other King Ferdinand did now appear adopted by Fortune to the hope and succession of the Empire because the Line of Maximilian the Second though numerous having no Heirs the Masculine Issue failing the Dominions devolved to the other Line of Carlo that was his Brother upon which Right Ferdinand having already received the Crown of Bohemia that of Hungary was now to be joyned to it to make way for him to the Imperial also and in his person to unite the Soveraignty and States of the whole House in Germany But there wanted not oppositions and difficulties jealousies awakening in the stranger Neighbours through the apprehension of so great a Potency and doubt creeping into the hearts of the Germans themselves to fall at length under the yoke of a base slavery if the Empire should be perpetuated in the Austrians and in particular if they should confer it on Ferdinand in whom the power of all the hereditary Provinces coming to be united they did believe they should strengthen for ever after that Chain with which for a good while already they had found themselves begirt To the Policy of Princes and to the Zeal of the People Religion equally served for a pretext and motive because Ferdinand brought up in the Catholick Faith detested all sorts of errour and therefore by how much not succeeding to his Father he found the Patrimonial Countries incumbred with false opinions so much the more with signal piety had he applied himself to promote the true Worship with such success that at last those Provinces rejoyced to be restored to the bosom of the ancient Religion But this was not effected without some sort of severity so that many not to leave their errours constrained to abandon their Country and sell their Estates lived elsewhere in poverty and discontent and others droven away by force and their Estates confiscate saw them not without rancour possessed by new Masters In the Empire therefore in which the Religion no less than the Genius loves liberty there appeared great apprehensions that where Ferdinand should get the power he would exercise the same reformation and impose a yoke so much the more heavy by how much standing in need of money and the Councils of Spain he should be governed by the Rules and Maxims of that Nation so hateful to the Germans Frederick Elector Palatine young in years but of a high mind troubled more than any other with those thoughts visiting for that purpose the Electors had diverted them from the Election of a King of the Romans remonstrating that if the succession of the Austrians were not interrupted now that the right Line failed there would be no reason to hope for it when it should fall to Ferdinand who being upheld by foreign Force and having Issue would for ever establish the Imperial Throne in himself and his posterity Nevertheless not thinking it an easie matter to gain the Empire for himself or any of the Protestant Electors he offered it to Maximilian Duke of Bavaria for whom concurring the Votes of the three Protestants and a fourth of the Archbishop of Cologne his Brother the Election would be secure But the Ministers of the Pope and those of Spain opposed that Proposition and therefore besides private interests stirred up those of that Religion which the Empire going out of the House of Austria could not wanting so strong a support but extremely suffer Great advantages being offered to Bavaria not to accept the invitation the proceeding vanished which notwithstanding the Election of a King of the Romans was deferred The Empire tossed to and fro amidst these Negotiations Bohemia falls into commotion In that Kingdom as it
Favourite agrees with the King his Brother Puilaurens had been gained by Richelieu so that as he in compliance with his own loves to the Princess of Falsburg another Sister of Carlo's had already driven on Orleans to the Marriage with Margaret so now weary of those inclinations and baited by the Cardinal with promises of great recompence and the Marriage with his own Niece perswades him to leave his Mother and Wife at Brussels and to return by stealth into the Kingdom But Puilaurens was not long ere he felt the punishment of his over-much credulity for being allured by the Marriage and at that very time new offences being produced and he condemned to lose his life his death dissolved it The Spaniards remained by the escape of Orleans frustrated of their hopes and the surprise of the Islands of Ere 's in Provenze was deferred contrived by them to be executed under Imperial Colours upon pretence of succours and diversion for Lorrain For five and twenty Gallies seven great Ships with Souldiers and all other Provisions being come from Naples into Sicily to joyn with other eight Gallies and to take on Board Souldiers found things there in so little readiness that they were forced to put it off till the next year From such provisions and so great designs was easily to be comprehended that some great motion to War was near And therefore the Venetians failed not to attempt by their endeavours effectually imployed by Luigi Contarini in France and Giovanni Giustiniani in Spain to pacifie their minds and moderate animosities but the evil being at the point of breaking forth was rather provoked so that all diligence became fruitless and reasons were heard but not considered both the Crowns endeavouring rather by allurements and promises to bring the Republick into their opinions and change the Mediation into an adhering either to the one or other side An. Dom. 1635 THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLICK OF VENICE THE TENTH BOOK ANNO MDCXXXV THE slaughters and calamities which dishonouring Christendom and destroying Europe have made famous the rancour of two great Ministers will give posterity just occasion to number this rather amongst the most doleful than a renowned year in which France and Spain came to an open breach and gave a beginning to a long War with memorable accidents and bloody successes intermingled with fallacious Treaties vicissitudes of Arms insurrections of people and the mockeries of Fortune It was already discovered that the emulation betwixt Richelieu and Olivares could no longer remain concealed neither wanted there on either side occasions or pretexts for the Fleet in Italy the Armies in Spain the Treaties with Orleans the stirring up the discontented abundantly discovered what engine was preparing by the Spaniards and on the other side the possession of Lorrain the progresses in Germany the Treaties with the Swedes and the Subsidies to Holland pointed out what designs the French were contriving The Cardinal sent the Count of Botru to Madrid and the Condé Duke Benavides to Paris but rather to espye the state of things than to beget confidence having rather mutually brought back instead of fair words and kind usage provocations and stinging incentives it is not credible to what a height rage was inflamed and minds irritated made sensible through ambition and resolute in revenge the better to confirm authority amidst Arms and uphold favour and glory Richelieu was happy who in these preludiums of War experienced in every Treaty the more lucky destiny to conclude with the Vnited Provinces of the Low Countries the League offensive and defensive which so much awakened in the World discourses expectation and fame and stirred up in the Austrians so many apprehensions and fears for by the Articles of the same The Provinces in obedience to the King of Spain were to be assaulted by the Confederates with Forces united of fifty thousand Foot and ten thousand Horse after that by a publick Manifest they should be invited and for three months their answer expected to shake off the Yoak and to unite themselves with others in one common body of liberty saving to every one their priviledges and in particular their Religion but when that time was past they designed them a pray to their Arms and the Conquests were to be divided Lutzemburg Namur Henault Artois and the Territory of Cambray were to be yielded to France with a part of Flanders on this side of a line which was to be drawn from Blankenburg betwixt Bridges and Dam taking in Ruplemond the rest was to belong to the States of Holland with a promise to leave the Catholick Religion every where in the state they found it It was agreed not to make Peace or Truce but by common consent and not to admit of any terms till the Spaniards were first totally driven out of the Low Countries They proposed to attacque Towns in an alternative order one of the repartition to France and then another of those assigned to Holland but leaving the choice to the will of the Generals A Fleet at Sea was over and above this agreed upon and the French were to declare War to the Emperour and every body else that upon this account should molest the States All this tended to give a great stroke if in the management of the War the interests of the Confederates had met with a parity as in the Treaty their minds were equally disposed and their wills agreeing The Spaniards coming to the knowledge hereof to the Pope and in all Courts laid load upon the French with bitter invectives as if they would expose Religion in pray to the Hereticks and that not contented to see it through the countenance of their assistance depressed in Germany they went about to extirpate it also in those Provinces where under the Government of their Monarchy the true Worship was retained But all that availing little placing their confidence in Arms rather than complaints they determine upon prevention by shutting that door by which the French assaulting the back-side of the Provinces intended to bring their Army to join with that of Holland The Count of Embden then sent by the Cardinal Infanta to attempt the gaining of the Citadel of Triers succeeded in the surprise of it by night through the negligence with which Arnoud the French Governour kept it the Garrison in the exploit being cut to pieces and the Elector remaining Prisoner for that hindred by the Gout he was not able to make his escape He was sent to Vienna to give account to the Emperour of his putting himself under the protection of the French and to have introduced into his Towns stranger Garrisons contrary to the constitutions of the Empire At the same time Fortune applauding beginnings Colonel Bamberg who after a long Siege had rendred Phillipsburg to the Swedes by whom it was afterwards delivered over to France by the favour of the Ice passing the ditch happily surprised that very strong place At two so great and unexpected blows the French were
readiness to march not without the Spaniards apprehending that to this League might adhere other Princes made jealous or provoked by them and particularly the Italians the most disgusted although the most patient They therefore apply with greater earnest to protect their interest with the Banner of Religion imploying all art chiefly to gain the Pope under whose Skirt they did not only hope to preserve the Valteline from War and induce the Confederates to reason but setling themselves in the present advantages by this means obtain yet greater To interest then Gregory in this cause they offer to deposite the Forts of the Valteline in his hands magnifying their intentions to quiet and considering That postposing their own conveniencies and the possession so much the more just by how much it proceeded from invitation and a voluntary resignation of the people it appeared that not the desire of dominion not the ambition of the Country nor the designs to oppress Italy but the sole consideration of Religion had induced them to protect it That they resigned it to the common Father of Princes to the Guardian of Religion it self to the end that the jealousies of the Catholicks being quieted the fierceness of the Hereticks restrained he might prescribe rules to holy Worship and to Italy convenient security whilst the King would not depend but upon his Arbitrement and with wonted zeal to his judgment and the good of the Church imploy the power of all his Dominions where no other but the true Religion raigned In Rome the opinions and counsels upon an offer of such importance were wavering for some penetrating into the Mysteries of Policy did not approve that either the power of the Church or the Authority of the Pope should be so far ingaged that the professed Neutrality and Mediation should run a hazard They well knew that if the trust were accepted Peace was not to be hoped for because if betwixt the Crowns there should happen any agreement of restoring all things to their former estate no man could see with what decency the Valteline could pass through the hand of the Pope back to the Hereticks its first Masters it being not fit that he should subscribe with the Protestants to reciprocal limitations cautions and conditions On the other side if with the fast band of Religion he should be willing to continue in the possession how could he ever hope for the consent of the Confederates who pretended to right themselves by Arms. Will they said they be terrified with an empty name and Authority without force and at the sight of the Popes Standard which upon the first Invasion must implore assistance from Feria and under the shadow of the power of the Spaniards repair themselves of their losses and wrong Will Gregory then in the utmost of his life cut off Peace betwixt his Children making himself a Party and leave to his Successor a lamentable Inheritance of War and Troubles And take it for granted that the Confederates would suffer it the Protestants yet were not like to endure it but at the name alone of the Ensigns of the Church would come down in Troops to oppose them That Helvetia was near the Princes of the Empire not yet suppressed Mansfelt had his Arms in his hands all greedy and longing to over-run Italy and mischief the most sacred Seat of Religion and the Apostolate The offices of the Confederates joyned their assistance to these apprehensions and in particular the Venetians who sending Girolamo Soranzo Cavalier Ambassadour Extraordinary to Rome disswaded the Pope from lending his Name and Authority to the Interests of Spain But he environed by his Nephews and they gained by Spain with Benefices Pensions and the Marriage of the Princess of Venosa Vassal of the Monarchy believed that the Princes made such a noise only to fright him and that at the appearing of his Colours all their Arms out of veneration would fall out of their hands there remaining to him as an ornament to his Name and a Crown upon his Sepulchre the glorious Memorial of Peace preserved and Religion protected The trust then was accepted by him upon condition that a Treaty of Agreement betwixt the two Kings should be pursued and when without the Spaniards being in fault it should not be concluded that the Forts should then be restored to them again This being treated in Rome Feria perswades the Grisons under pretext of moderating the Articles heretofore concluded to send to him new Ambassadours to bind so much the faster the knots of servitude and dependance Leopold raises at Steich a very good Fort and there was published an Investiture of the Emperour which granted to the House of Trivultia according to a certain pretension they had the Valley of Musoccho The French shewed themselves much moved that before a Resolution taken upon the Deposition Gregory had not expected the sense of that Crown upon it But in the counsel opinions were divided according to affections some voting to break off all Treaty and with a sudden march of Troops hinder the Popes meddling and the execution of the Trust it self Others were of opinion that the Deposition should be approved with certain limitations and reserves and those counsels taking place which squared with the favour for Pisieux was Author of them in whose inclinations both in Rome and Spain were grounded their greatest hopes it passed so It was then by the French declared That the Deposition should remain until the end of July it was now the month of May within which time the Forts being demolished and all restraints upon the Grisons and Armies removed which did oppress them affairs should be restored to their former state which not being performed the League should supplicate the Pope to joyn himself to their Arms thereby to obtain the effect Before such opinions were represented to the Pope the Spaniards getting notice of them proceeded to hasten the Deposition with so much precipitation that notwithstanding the indisposition into which Gregory was at that time desperately fallen the Cardinal Lodovisio orders that the Duke de Fiano the Popes own Brother with fifteen hundred Foot and five hundred Horse should march towards Milan He being a person of most sottish parts with the assistance nevertheless of some of better abilities served only to make surer the engagement and to conciliate some respect to those Troops But being arrived in the Valley he found that the people fearing to fall under another Dominion than that of Spain to the number of two thousand took Arms and resolved to oppose him but all obstacles being removed by the authority of the Governor of Milan he enters into the Forts Feria himself furnishing Ammunition and Victuals and keeping besides with his own Garrisons those of Chiavena Riva and Bormio Fiano nevertheless returns presently to Rome leaving in the Valley for the command of the Troops Niccolo one of the Marquesses of Bagni and at Milan Monsieur Scappi to reside with the Governour In the mean
in for a share perswaded themselves that what with reputation and what with the terrour of the name it was like to preserve her peaceable Richelieu had reason above any other to rejoyce the Arbitrement of Peace and War being now put into his hand and having manifestly revenged himself of Olivares who if with clandestine blows sowing factions and discords in the Kingdom and in the Royal Family he had endeavoured to ruine him he on the other side by signal advantages in Negotiations and upholding himself by Arms had discredited and confounded him In these two was lodged the Destiny of Europe now openly become Rivals in ambition envy strife and hatred to such a degree that the World could no longer bear them either at odds or agreeing without great destruction The Spaniards seemed highly moved seeing the Duke of Mantua to their shame established in his Countries and both by inclination and gratitude adhering to France he of Savoy constrained to depend upon the same Crown and the French with Reputation and Forces fixed in Italy to give jealousie and dispute the predominancy till now by them enjoyed And for this cause they made their complaints in all Courts amplifying in words that Richelieu had deluded publick Faith Conditions were broken and the Peace disturbed But complaints being vain in an Age wherein Interest gives the Law Feria beyond measure in disorder for that having formerly by possessing the Valteline with so much labour endeavoured to shut up every passage into Italy from Strangers the Gate of the Alps was now in his Government set wide open by the French armed with great diligence and from Naples and the other Kingdoms drew men and money and to the end to discover affections in so great a confusion of things he presses the Princes of Italy for their obliged assistance as if the Invasion of the Milanese were near at hand Richelieu nevertheless had not as yet brought things to that pass at Court nor ripened his designs abroad so as to be able openly to break with Spain but laying hold of advantages his aims were to make himself Master of Avenues and places of consequence Piedmond by this means open to the Arms of the French he contrives to exclude succours by the way of the Grisons to the Milanese out of Germany But it being difficult without the joyning or at least the making use of the Frontier of the Venetians to maintain an Army in that Country he sounds them to joyn to three thousand of the Kings two thousand of their Souldiers proposing Rohan General over all under the title of preserving those Posts and the Liberty of the Country but chiefly to prevent the designs of Feria lest to be quit with him for Pignarol he might elsewhere and particularly in Rhetia direct his craft The Senate intent upon Peace and doubtful lest the spight betwixt the Crowns should proceed so far as to be the cause of a new War did not only refuse to cooperate there but in all the Courts made it their business by effectual offices to remove what was obscure and assure the Peace Howsoever Rohan without expecting leave from Venice departs and going into Helvetia among the Protestant Cantons where by reason of conformity of Religion he was in great esteem he applies himself to dispose things for the future designs whilst in the Grisons Monsieur de la Lande raising with money from France three thousand Souldiers of that Country fortifies the Steich and guardes other Passes Feria to oppose him sends into Rhetia Casati advances Troops to Como and the Confines of the Valteline solliciting the Archduke of Insbruck to possess in the County of Bormio the Post of Sainte Maria to keep the Communication with the Milanese open and inciting the Emperour to be sensible of so great an emergency But Leopold admonishing the three Leagues to abstain from unseasonable novelties would not by proceeding further procure himself disturbance and Ferdinand in the declination of his own Interests takes little notice of the Affairs of Italy contented to please the Spaniards and redeem for a time the prejudices to form secretly a Decree by which he declares the Investiture null granted to Duke Carlo in case of transgression in the Peace of Ratisbone As to the rest exhorts the Spaniards to sufferance and to assist with all their Forces the common Cause which in Germany was running a hazard Feria for this and also understanding the important defeat which near Leipzich the Swedes gave the Emperor was obliged to suspend his motion and to defer the resentments to more proper Conjunctures and time About the beginning of the year there had been published in the Swedish Camp at Berwald the League betwixt France and Gustavus for the defence of their common Friends security of the Commerce of the Baltick Sea and restoring of Liberty in Germany and the Grisons These were obliged to proceed in their enterprise with thirty thousand Foot and six thousand Horse and that to disburse to them four hundred thousand Ricks Dollers by the year They had conditioned that in the places which should be taken Religion should remain as the Peace appoints which they call the Religious Peace in the Empire and where the Catholick was the Worship should remain free The Swede during the Winter made sufficient progress for that the Souldiers by reason of the natural coldness of the Clime equally strong in body and mind made light of hardships so that in a short time were taken in not without some dispute Griffenhaghen Gartz Damin and other places amongst which was New-brandenburg re-taken a while after by Tilly with the Imprisonment of Colonel Kniphausen that kept it and an infinite slaughter of the Garrison and Inhabitants But the King at Franckfort upon the Oder a Town of greater moment was even with them for forcing it by assault he permitted that the whole Garrison should be cut to pieces The Towns of Colberg and Landtsperg intimidated with this success yielded to him on conditions whilst Tilly in this interim was ingaged in the Siege of Magdenburg The Protestants held at this time a Diet in Leipzich and published under the warmth of the Swedish Protection those conceptions which the Emperours power had for a long time suppressed nay they appeared the more irritated for that in Swabe the Troops of Ferdinand in their return out of Italy had as they passed to some of that Religion done very great mischief The Emperour had also denied them to recall the Edict concerning the restitution of the Goods of the Church whereupon they resolved to arm themselves and to joyn with the Swedes imploring of the King speedy and vigorous succours for Magdenburg Gustavus denied it not but being first desirous to assure himself of the Electors of Brandenburg and Saxony while they were negotiating about the delivery of the places and union of Forces Magdenburg was taken by assault destroyed by the Sword and desolated by Fire with such a slaughter as was