HISTORY OF LEWIS XIII THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarre CONTAINING The most Remarkable Occurrences in FRANCE and EUROPE during the Minority of that Prince By Mr. MICHEL Le ASSOR LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs and Bible against Grocers-Hall in the Poultrey 1700. Advertisement THE Remaining Parts of this History will be Printed in the same Size with this Volume TO MY Lord Viscount WOODSTOCK My LORD AS soon as I began to write the Book I now present you with My Lord the Earl of Portland your Illustrious Father did me the Honour to employ me in your Service to read History to you I was surprized with Pleasure to observe that the Providence of God having designed me for this Employment had turned my thoughts upon a Subject the knowledge of which is so absolutely necessary for you that so you may reap the full advantage of those wise Instructions which your Father who loves you tenderly will one day give you concerning those extraordinary Revolutions which Europe has with Amazement beheld for thirty years together He knows the secret Motives and hidden Springs which produced them all and he has always been the Depositary of the Secrets of that Great Prince who had the greatest hand in them he has served him in his brave and hazardous Enterprizes with equal Zeal and Courage 'T is from a Father so exquisitely skill'd in all the Arts of Politicks and War that you will learn my Lord the Intrigues of all the Negotiations which have been transacted in his time the present Interests of Princes the Account of Battels Sieges Marches of Armies in which he has always held a considerable Post In giving you the Narrative of his own Actions he will instruct you how a Person of your Rank and Quality may equally love your Country and a Prince who do's you the Honour to trust you with his Secrets what Rules you are to observe that so you may do good service for the one without intrenching upon that inviolable fidelity which you owe to the other In short he will teach you what a Peer of England is obliged to do that he may be serviceable to the King in Parliament and at the same time deserve the Esteem and Approbation of a People extremely jealous of its Rights and Priviledges Others besides my Lord the Earl of Portland may possibly be able to give you good Counsel in these Affairs But there is one thing yet behind which your incomparable Father alone can teach you And that is My Lord Moderation in an elevated Fortune He has himself lately given you a rare example of it The Greatness of his Soul in this respect is a thing so extraordinary that you will scarcely find an equal Instance in all those Ancient and Modern Histories which you design to read Keep your Eyes always fixt on this Domestick Example It can't but powerfully impress this weighty Maxim in your mind That to set bounds to your Ambition though just and reasonable is truer and more substantial Glory than 't is to rise to the highest Dignities I have told you my Lord that the History of the Reign of Lewis the XIII will be of great use to you to let you into the understanding of those Revolutions which have happened for some time past in Europe You will there see how the Affairs of the Empire put on a new face after the Peace of Munster And there find the causes and first beginnings of the Decay of the Spanish Monarchy which before that time was dreadful to its Neighbours You will there read the first steps of France to that height which it arrived at under the Conduct of the violent and refined Politicks of a Cardinal who renders his Master powerful at home by humbling the Princes and great Men there and formidable abroad by entring him into a seasonable League with the Crown of Swedeland and the United Provinces The good Correspondence which the great Frederick Henry Prince of Orange and this able Minister held together did not a little assist the Cardinal in compassing his vast Designs The Swedes were hitherto hardly known but for their Wars against Denmark Poland Muscovy and some extraordinary Revolutions which Religion or the differing interests of King and Subjects had produced in Swedeland We shall see in the course of this History a new Warrier arising out of the North with a small number of Troops for the Rescue of Germany almost entirely enslav'd by the Ambition and Arms of Ferdinand the Second Gustavus Adolphus King of Swedeland makes the Emperor Tremble for fear of losing his Hereditary Countries The Rapid course of his Victorius Arms carryed to the Rhine makes jealous even those Princes which call'd him to their Assistance and those Sovereigns which had desired his Alliance That which you ought particularly to be affected with My Lord is the reading of the resolute Efforts of your Dear and Illustrious Country to defend it's Liberty after the twelve years Truce was expir'd The Spaniard's pleas'd themselves with the hopes of making great Advantages of the Divisions which arose in Holland and some other Provinces after the Conclusion of that Truce But the Valour and Wise Conduct of Maurice and Frederick Henry Princes of Orange defeated those hopes which seem'd to be but too well grounded You will be very much pleased to find here Sieges Form'd by those Two Great Masters in the Art of Taking Towns and Victories Won by those Two Famous Generals to whom they came from all Parts of the World to learn the Art of War and in short That Courage not Inferiour to that of the Ancient Romans with which the United Provinces did weary out the King of Spain until he renounc'd all his Pretensions to 'em and was forc'd to acknowledge them in a Solemn Treaty for a Free Republick I believe you have not forgot that which my Lord your Father told you in one of his Pleasant and Profitable Discourses which he had with you the last Summer in the Walks of his beloved Solitude near the Hague He recited to you one Day the Prediction of Prince Frederick Henry a little before his Death That his Posterity would be under a Necessity one Day to declare against France as he had been to oppose the Ambitious Designs of the House of Austria It has fell out as this Judicious and Knowing Politician had foretold The House of Orange hath had the Honour to have given the first Blow which shook the Power of Spain and by a surprizing Turn of Affairs the only Remaining Branch of that Noble Stock which hath been so fruitful in Heroes can glory this Day that by his Prudence and Valour he hath defended that same Monarchy threatned with approaching Ruin Could that fierce and bloody Philip II. have ever thought that the Posterity of that Man whom he had basely murder'd after an unworthy and ridiculous Proscription should be one Day the best Support of
King is Master of the Body and the Goods of his Subjects The Courtiers who instil'd this Doctrine into Sovereigns this Judicious Divine without Ceremony calls Dogs and Court-Parasites To prevent the ill effects of the bad Politicks of the Cardinal Director of the Education of King Lewis the XIV they printed the same things during the Minority of that Prince Neither the Bookseller nor the Author did dare to set their Name to it This Book was writ by a Churchman Eminent for his Learning and Probity Mr. Jolli Chantre de Nôtre-Dame de Paris Maximes veritables impnrtantes pour l'institution du Roi. He since enjoyed one of the first Dignities of the Church of Paris but what was spoken freely to Henry the II. and what was published covertly about 50 years since the French would have now lost the Memory of if it were as easie to forget as it is to be silent to avoid Danger all Books of this kind are now burnt by the hands of the Hangman Can those unworthy Magistrates who order this believe that the flames by consuming of Paper will erase out of the Hearts of good Frenchmen those Sentitiments that right Reason hath deeply inscrib'd in them The Oath which James the 1. King of England requirâ—…d of his Pâ—…pish Subjects caus'd a Dispute concerning the Independance of Sovereignty in Temporal Matters The Parlement of Paris on the 26th day of November the same year made a Decree for the Suppression of the Treatises which Cardinal Bellarmin a Jesuit had published concerning the power of the Pope in Temporal Matters since this new Book was a Consequence of the Dispute of the Author with James the first King of Great Britain upon the occasion of the Oath which that Prince required of the Roman Catholicks of England I will in a few words Relate the beginning and Progress of the Controversie After the Horrible Gunpowder Plot King James thought for his own Safety it was necessary to require the English Papists to take a particular Oath of Allegiance to him The Form of this was so ordered that it might not offend the Conscience of those who without renouncing their Religion would pay that duty to their Sovereign they rightfully ow'd him In this they acknowledg'd the Pope had no right to Depose Kings or dispose of their Kingdoms or any Foreign Prince to Invade them or Absolve their Subjects of their Oath of Allegiance or Command them to take Arms against their Sovereign they promis'd farther to be faithful to the King and serve him notwithstanding all that the Pope should attempt against him or his Successors and to discover all Conspiracies which should come to their Knowledge They Abjured and Detested as Impious and Heretical the Doctrine of those who teach it is lawful to Depose and Assassinate Princes Excommunicated by the Pope and lastly they protested they believed that neither the Pope nor any other power could dispense with the keeping of their Oath and Renounced all Dispensations which the Pope might think fit to give The thing appear'd reasonable to the English Papists the Nobility Gentry Priests and all others swore in this Form George Blackwell nominated Arch-Priest of England by the Pope not content with taking the Oath himself wrote in Defence of it against all its Opposers Paul V. forbids the English of his Communion to take the Oath The Court of Rome made a quite different Judgment in the matter Thinking Men were not surpriz'd at it a Proposition which she makes one of the Fundamental Articles of her Religion was here Rejected as Impious and Heretical Whatever be said on this Subject those who approve the Oath reason inconsequently if they own the Pope for the Vicar of Jesus Christ Paul V. scared at these proceedings of the English Catholicks without his Knowledge and Consent sent a Brief immediately to forbid them to take an Oath Inconsistent as he said with the Catholick Faith and the Salvation of their Souls These Expressions are as moving and strong as if he designed to disswade these poor People from subscribing the most Impious Tenets against the Divinity of Jesus Christ This thundering Brief discompos'd them so much they thought they could not do better then regard it as Subreptitious or Spurious His Holiness not being well inform'd of the proceedings in England King James his Apology for his Oath without setting his Name to it They were not suffered long to remain in this voluntary Mistake Paul soon dispatch'd another Brief to confirm the first Cardinal Bellarmin was the greatest and most eminent Champion of the Pontifical Power since the Death of Cardinal Baronius which happened not long before Bellarmin I say wrote a well studied Letter to Blackwell to reduce him into the right way A more passionate Remonstrance could scarce have been made to one who had renounc'd the Gospel and embrac'd the Alchoran This made James loose all Patience he wrote himself to defend his Oath against the two Briefs of the Pope and the Letter of Bellarmin and now he did not set his Name to the Work Had not a King better forbore Writing at all and left this care to another This good Prince own'd himself publickly that it became a King more to Judge than Dispute A little Jesuit made a Cardinal by blotting of Paper was not an Adversary worthy of a great Monarch Borghese behav'd himself like a King and James acted the part of a Doctor one Commanded and the other Disputed Except a Prince then write as Julius Caesar or Marcus Aurelius he is in the wrong to become an Author Julian was pleas'd to take his Pen to defend his Philosophick Gravity and Religion and with all his Learning made himself Contemptible and Ridiculous The King of England declares himself Author of the Apology to the Princes and States of Christendom Bellarmin did not fail to reply to the King but under a borrowed Name A Learned Prelate of England undertook to refute the Cardinal he shewed that before Gregory the VII no Ecclesiastical Writer had attempted to maintain the Authority of the Pope over the Temporalities of Sovereigns The King of England caused another Edition of his Apology to be printed and declared himself the Author of it Shall I say he thought in this to do himself Honour by becoming a Champion for the common cause of all Sovereigns or had a mind to display a Learning not very common in Persons of his Rank The Work appeared with a very pompous Preface at the Head of it This was a Manifesto addressed to all the Kings Princes and other Republicks of Christendom to give an account of his Oath and his Conduct with regard to his Roman Catholick Subjects Rouse your selves it is high time said the King to them The Common Interest of all Sovereigns is concerned a Formidable and Obstinate Enemy is undermining the Foundations of your Power unless you act in Concert to put a stop to the Progress he makes every Day
Crown to be Entailed on his Heirs Male in short for setling Luther's Reformation in his Country and Abridging the too great Power of the Clergy Eric the Eldest Son of Gustavus Succeeded him but wanted the Virtues of his Father He introduced into Sweden the Dignities of Count and Baron which before were unknown there It was thought this was done to divide the Nobility among themselves The too great Union of this Powerful Body was able to create Trouble to a Family newly raised to the Throne The Dignities bestowed on some gave a Jealousie to the rest Those who had most Ambition made their Court to the King to obtain the same Distinction And the New Nobility were obliged to support the Authority of the King and adhere here to his Family to preserve their Privileges Eric made himself Odious by his Cruelties and Despicable by his Debauches and Extravagancies His ill Treatment of John Duke of Finland and Charles Duke of Sudermannia obliged them to rise and put themselves at the Head of the Malecoutents These two Princes Attacked Eric in Stockholm it self He first delivered up his Favourite whom all the Kingdom Exclaimed against They inflicted an Infamous punishment on him John and Charles would have something more than all this They agreed to take the Sovereign Power from Eric who abused it unjustly and that the Duke of Finland should be declared King and the Duke of Sudermannia should share with him in the Government without having any outward Marks of Royalty John thought himself now discharged from the Oath he had taken when Eric delivered him out of a close Prison where he had kept him three or four years The Duke had given Assurance by a Writing under his Hand that he would continue faithful to the King and not aspire to the Crown neither before nor after the Death of the King his Elder Brother and that he would acknowledge those Children for lawful Heirs of the Kingdom which Eric had by a Mistress of Mean Birth whom he afterwards Marryed Solemnly But John was not very anxious about the Religious observing his Promises When he was Master of his Eldest Brother not contented with shutting him up in a Castle he soon poisoned him John and Charles continued to attack Stockholm The Senate of the City delivered it up to them and poor Eric reduced to Extremity was left to the Discretion of his two Brothers The States of Sweden declared him fallen from the Crown and John Duke of Finland was set up in his place John King of Sweden endeavours to alter the Religion Established by his Father The New King of Sweden was not truer to the Duke of Sudermannia than he had been to his Predecessor Charles had no share in the Administration of the Kingdom Men promise any thing when they are to ascend a Throne but when they are once Established in it they find other Principles of Religion and Honour John had Married Catherine Jagellon Daughter to the King of Poland Whether the Princess had inspired her Husband with an Aversion to the Protestant Religion or the Reading the Books and Conversation of able Men of the Papal Communion had raised doubts in him or he hoped to be King of Poland after the Death of Sigismund Augustus his Brother-in-Law who had no Children as soon as John had made a Peace with Denmark by the Treaty of Stetin in Pomerania he applied himself seriously to change the Religion which his Father had setled in Sweden It is not a place here to relate all the Artifices he made use of to prepare the Minds of his People for the Alterations he designed I shall only observe that the King who wanted not Wit or Judgment was convinced there were a great many things to be altered in the Worship and Doctrine of the Church of Rome He can neither be reckoned among the good Catholicks nor the true Protestants Ever uncertain and wavering sometimes he relished the Project of Accommodation which Cassander had given to the Emperor Maximilian II. at other times he was inclined to the Greek Church The Answers of Jeremiah Patriarch of Constantinople to the Divines of Wirtembergh pleased him so much that he once thought to unite with that Communion Possevin a Learned Jesuit whom Pope Gregory the XIII had sent into Sweden thought he had persuaded King John to Reunite himself in earnest to the Church of Rome He confessed himself to that Jesuit the Popes private Nuncio he received the Communion in the Form used in that Church Possevin imposed as a Pennance on him for the Murther of his Brother Eric whom he had poysoned to fast every Wednesday throughout the year It is said John observed this Practice regularly all the rest of his Life Nevertheless he frequented the publick Service of the Church of Sweden There was a New Liturgy used which himself had introduced and the Pope refused to approve of The Mixture of these two Religions was one of the ways by which this Prince pretended insensibly to bring the People to forsake the Worship and Belief of the Protestants of the Ausburgh Confession Several Romish Churchmen came into Sweden The Irresolution of King John and his Indulgence drew them thither Several of his own Subjects too favour'd his dissembled Designs By their manner of Discourse the more unthinking People took these Preachers for free Protestants But others observed in spight of their Disguises all they spoke tended to insinuate into the Minds of the People the Doctrines of Popery The Archbishop of Vpsal suffered himself to be won by them Some Prelates and divers ignorant or ambitious Churchmen follow'd his Example There were some Bishops ordained according to the Roman Pontifical The Bishop of Linkoping several of his Brethren and a great number of Churchmen couragiously defended the Reformation setled by Gustavus Ericson The Clergy of the Dutchy of Sudermannia shewed a firmness of Mind which much confounded King John Charles his Brother declared highly for the Ausburgh Confession He opposed this Alteration with all his Might Neither the King nor I can make any Innovation in the Religion established by Law he replied to those sent to dispose him to comply All things are well regulated by the last Will and Testament of the late King our Father We must fix there For my part I am resolved never to depart from it The States of Sweden shew'd great Vigour on several Occasions They represented to the King that mighty Jealousies were risen in Sweden and Foreign Countries that his Majesty would overthrow that Constitution which his Father had wisely established and that to put an end to all those Rumours it concerned him to declare publickly that the Reformation received in that Kingdom was conformable to the Sense of the Primitive Church Farther the States commanded several Popish Books brought into that Country to be suppress'd they press'd the King to place able Men of unblemish'd Reputation in the Publick Schools to instruct the Youth In the last
Religion They abolished the Liturgy and Ceremonies introduced by the late King and reassumed those of the Protestants of the Ausburgh Confession They elected an Archbishop who was well affected and deprived those of the Clergy who had devoted themselves to serve the late King in his Innovations The Swedes and the Goths only assisted aâ—… this Assembly The other Provinces weâ—â— afraid of displeasing King Sigismond iâ—… they engaged without his Consent Thâ—… Decrees of the Council were confirmed by the Duke of Sudermannia by the Senate the Clergy the Nobility the Ministers of State and the Burgo-Masterâ—… who were present Those who were noâ—… there subscribed after Sigismond and his Uncle Charles observed each other The Nephew's Distrust was encreased by Charles his demanding that before he left Sweden his Majesty would give him a Promise under his Hand that he would confirm the Liberties and Priviledges of the States of the Kingdom and suffer them to enjoy the same Freedom of Religion they had done under the Reign of Gustavus Ericson and in the beginning of the late King 's The Duke of Sudermannia farther represented to the King that the ill Condition of his Country would not admit him to carry much People away with him These Instructions and Demands increased Sigismond's Jealousie He thought his Uncle plainly discovered he had vast Designs Sigismond was resolved not to heed the Duke's Remonstrances And now Charles had greater Hopes than ever to embarass the new King when he saw the Poles gave Sigismond leave to go into his Hereditary Country under Condition to keep his ancient Oath not to abandon Poland as Henry III. King of France had done â—…nd that his Majesty should return when he â—…ad setled his Affairs in Sweden and have â—…is usual Residence amongst them The Swedes were disatisfied the new King had plainly declared the Decrees â—…ade at Vpsal in his Absence and without â—…is Consent to be null However they reâ—…eived him with great Marks of Joy â—…nd Affection Duke Charles withdrew â—â—fter he had made his Compliments to his Majesty He thought it proper to leave â—…im alone with the Council of his Kingâ—…om The Pope's Nuncio who was with â—…igismond much disquieted the Swedes â—…t was visible the new King hearkened to â—…he Councils of the Court of Rome He â—…roke the Regulations made at Vpsal and commanded another Archbishop to be chosen He who was raised to that Digâ—…ity was in his Opinion an Enemy to the late King Afterwards he demanded a Church in every great Town for the Roman Catholicks The States of the Kingdom and the Clergy vigorously opposed his Enterprize being assured of the Protection of the Duke of Sudermannia The time of the Coronation approaching the Senators demanded in the Name of the States of Sweden that the King should first promise under his Hand-writing not to hinder the Exercise of the Protestant Religion Sigismond replied only in general Terms that he would give his Subjects satisfaction after his Coronation All these Difficulties retarded the Ceremony The Quarrel between King Sigismond and Charles Duke of Sudermannia Men cover Liberty and Independence only for themselves Very far from procuring it for others they strive by all ways possible to enslave the rest of the World The Polish Nobility so Jealous of their Privileges and Liberty but accustomed to keep other People in Slavery incessantly cried to their King Sigismond that an Hereditary State is Governed otherwise than an Elective Kingdom That in Poland he was subject to the Laws but in Sweden he was above them These Maxims easily insinuate themselves into the Mind of a Prince Sigismond displeased to see himself dependant on the Senat of Poland was better satisfied with being Absolute in Sweden He Rejected the Petitions presented to him The Duke of Sudermannia stood Neuter in the beginning of the Dispute He advised the King to have regard to the just Requests of his Subjects but he was not very uneasie to find a Difference arise between them by his Denials and Delays The States secure of Charles Assistance abated nothing of their Pretensions The stubbornness of the King strangely incensed them and the Sermons of some zealous Preachers of the Protestant Religion warmed the most cold â—…nd indifferent They talked of offering â—…he Crown to the Duke and giving it to Prince John in case he would not accept â—…t Being persuaded it was not yet time â—…o hear a Proposition of this kind he conâ—…ented himself with going to wait upon â—…he King at Vpsal and strongly backing â—…he Pretensions of the States The Neâ—…hew and the Uncle so heated each other â—…hey were upon the point of Fighting They were parted and as soon reconcil'd â—…o prevent any Confusion and Disorder in â—…he Kingdom These Accidents conâ—…irm'd the States the more in the Resoâ—…ution they took to make the King Exâ—…lain himself before they would proceed â—…o his Coronation The Popes Nuncio and such of the Poâ—…ish Nation as then attended at Sigismond's Court now perceived clearly that in Pruâ—…ence he ought not to stand it out any â—…onger but must yield to the present Exgency of Affairs They told him withal That he was not bound to keep a Promise exâ—…orted from him by Violence Now Sigismond promises 'em any thing they 'd have He reserved only that he might have the â—…ree Exercise of the Popish Religion for himself within the private Walls of the Castle where he should make his Residence But he from that very time took a Resolution of destroying his Uncle The Plot of Murdering him at a Play having miscarried they undertook to drive at him with all the Vigour and open Violence that was possible Immediate Orders were given to the Polish Army to march toward Stockholm This made the States of that Kingdom begin to think of their own Security They Summoned the Inhabitants of the Highlands to come down to their Assistance In the mean time during all this bustle the King took no care of the Government nor of securing the quiet of the Kingdom When any Proposal was made to him by the States he likewise would make a demand of some other thing at their Hands The Polanders were still at him to return home and to come to no Conclusion with the Swedes They flattered themselves that the wider the Breaches and Divisions grew in Swedeland the easier it would be to reduce it So that Sigismond in fine following their Advice took thipping for Dantzick He left Orders how he would have the Kingdom Governed in his Absence but neither the Duke of Sudermannia nor the States would submit to any of them as judging the Persons imploy'd therein to be averse to the Treaty concluded at Vpsal before the King's Coronation The States of Swedeland commits the Government of the Kingdom during the King's Absence to the Duke of Sudermannia Soon after his Departure the States of Swedeland pray'd Charles of Sudermannia to take upon him the Government The Duke desired to be excused yet
Fate of one Battle would decide the Quarrel Sigismond was so overseen that his Camp was surprised at Linkoping Part of his Army was kill'd and some drown'd To save the remainder he sued to his Uncle for a Peace Charles agreed to it on condition that the five Swedish Senators that were with the King might be delivered up to him he charged them to be principal Authors of all these Distractions and that they should be brought to their Tryal for it at the next Sitting of the States The two Princes concluded a Treaty Charles renewed his Oath of Allegiance to the King And Sigismond ingaged that for his part he would govern the Realm henceforward according to the Constitution of the Country and his Coronation Oath He further promis'd to call a Parliament in four Months time and that all Matters in Controversy should be there decided in presence of such Commissioners as the Emperor the Confederate Kings and Electors should appoint on Application made to 'em for it There were other Stipulations made for the Mutual security of both Princes and for the Disbanding of their Forces on each side Care was taken to add this farther Article That in case King Sigismond performed not this Treaty his Subjects of Swedeland should be discharged of their Oath of Fidelity to him The States of Swedeland depose King Sigismond The King and Duke had frequent Meetings and all things seem'd dispos'd toward a lasting Peace Charles seemed sincerely inclined to observe the Treaty on his part But Sigismond vext to the Heart to see himself forced to submit to his Uncle's Terms retired secretly into Poland instead of going to Stokholm as he had promised He was no sooner arrived at Dantsick but that he publisht in all Courts of Europe that his Uncle was a Traytor and a Rebel and therefore pretended that he himself was in no ways bound to the Treaty concluded at Linkoping Was it possible for him to do any thing that could more contribute to the promoting of Charles his Designs who knew accordingly to turn all this to the best Advantage He therefore so managed the point that the States met at Linkoping where Sigismond was cited and summoned to make good his Promises at the last Treaty of Accommodation That he would embrace the Protestant Religion that he would come to make his Residence in Swedeland or that at least he would send his Son Prince Ladislaus to be brought up under his Uncle's Tuition in case that he himself did chuse rather to tarry in Poland It was at the same time Enacted by the States that in case the King refused to accept these Terms that he and his Issue should forfeit all their Right to the Crown of Swedeland which would be bestowed on a Person capable to govern this Realm after the Fundamental Laws of the Land Whilst Sigismond dallyed to return an Answer the Duke of Sudermania was desired to take the Government upon him and to maintain the Protestant Religion The States since held at Stokholm declared That they were no longer bound to the Oath of Allegiance they had taken to Sigismond because he had contravened his Grandfather's last Will and Testament had not performed the Office of a good King refused to observe the Treaty concluded with him at Linkoping and slighted all Remonstrances made to him Yet after all this they made an offer of the Crown to Prince Ladislaus in case that in a years time he came to reside in Swedeland and would be instructed in the Protestant Religion But that if Sigismond and his Son refused to agree to such reasonable Demands as these they Solemnly protested that neither himself nor his Issue should be ever capable of pretending to the Crown of Swedeland Charles Duke of Sudermnia chosen King of Swedeland Nothing in the World could be more favourable to Charles his Designs than such a Conjuncture of Affairs as this was King Sigismond took a fancy to maintain the Claim of the pretended Demetrius in Muscovia He had afterwards several wrangling Contests with the higher Nobility of Poland so that whilst he was thus taken up all he could do in some of the Remotest Provinces of Swedeland proved to be very weak and unsuccessful Then the Duke become Master of the Heart of the Country and of the best Garrisons summon'd the States to meet at Norkoping in March following in the stear 1607. To make the World believe that he had no hand in perverting the Loyalty of Sigismond's Subjects nor of Usurping of his place on the Throne he offer'd to lay down the Regency committed to him and even proposed to accomodate Matters with Sigismond or to place John the King's Brother on the Throne The States would have no further mention of either Sigismond or of his Son As for Prince John whether it was that he more loved his Ease than Ambition or whether he rightly guess'd at his Uncle's Real Sentiments in the bottom who made such Proposals but for a shew but truly coveted the Government for himself John I say did very generously refuse it in outward appearance declaring at the same time That he was content with his Dutchy of East Gothia and would always approve himself a faithful Subject if any Person that was better able to govern the Realm than himself in such Troublesom times as these Charles therefore after so many shews of declining the Crown which were never thought to be sincere accepted it at last It was ever setled on his Heirs Male and not to devolve to John but for want of such Issue Male of the Body of Charles The States being moreover sensible that Queen Catherine Jagellon was the chief Promotress of the Troubles and Difficulties that King John her Husband and her Son Sigismond had brought the Protestant Religion under decreed that their King might be only Marry'd to a Protestant The New King without any more adoe writ to Sigismond Mercure Francois 1607 1608. and to the Common-wealth of Poland to give them notice of his Accession to the Crown and to make them an offer of renewing former Alliances betwixt both Kingdoms The States of Swedeland writ to the same purpose to the Senate of Poland in particular Charles was presently after Crown'd at Vpsal together with Christina his Wife overjoyed to see her self now above Sigismond's disdain The King of Poland did not vouchsafe to make any Answer to his Uncle's Letter looking on him to be no better than an Usurper The Senate writ only to the States of Swedeland The Polanders took upon 'em to tax the Swedes after an insultting way with Disloyalty towards Sigismond they protested they would own no other as lawful King of Poland saving him They inveighed bitterly against the cunning Tricks made use of as they pretended by Charles to strip his Nephew of the Crown The States of Swedeland replied to this Letter by a Manifesto directed to the Senate of Poland wherein they did justifie their own Conduct all
The primitive Christians did they pretend the Empire to be in the Church She ought to obey God and Sovereigns but Emperors and Kings have none but God above them Thus they thought in the primitive Ages All the World would think still the same if Sovereigns would be instructed in their true Interests and those of the Religion they profess By giving great Riches and Principalities to the Clergy they have given them wherewith they may degrade their Benefactors Matthias having wisht the Empress his Spouse was Crown'd the Ceremony was perform'd two days after Leonard Donato Doge of Venice died almost at the same time Antony Memmi chosen Doge of Venice after the Death of Leonard Donato Antony Memmi was Elected in his place the 24th of July and Crown'd the next Morning The Dogate of Donato was famous for the Contest of the Republick with Pope Paul V. who interdicted all the Country of the Seigniory of Venice The Doge and Senate seem'd at first willing to defend courageously the lawful Authority of Sovereigns but when they were come to treat of this with the Pope the Venetians Degenerated from the Vigour and Stedfastness of their Ancestors upon the like occasions They yielded cowardly to almost all the Articles which the Court of Rome required from them except the Reestablishment of the Jesuits who had been gone after the Fulmination of the Interdiction The Society had done much more Mischief in France than at Venice In the mean time being extreamly content to see themselves deliver'd from the good Fathers these Wise Senators Resisted a longer time than France the Solicitations of the Court of Rome for the Reestablishment of their Society During this quarrel with the Pope the Seigniory had forbid the Subjects of the Republick under pain of perpetual Banishment to have any Commerce with the Jesuits or send their Children to studie in their Colleges The same Act was this year renew'd Mercure Francois 1612. upon the account of a Woman of Bresse who was gone to Castilione to live there under the direction of the good Fathers They had Establish't there I can't tell what College of Women and a great many Maids had put themselves into it The Brissan Lady sold the Estate she had in the States of the Republick to Augment this New Foundation but the Senate endeavour'd to stop the Money that arose from the Alienation and caused the Venetian Dames to be recall'd that might have put themselves under the conduct of the Society into the College of Castiglione The Mareschal d'Bouillon's Embassy to England The Mareschal Bouillon was gone extraordinary Ambassador into England and this was to impart to King James the double Marriage and so dissipate all Suspicions and Jealousies which this double Alliance might create in his Majesty Bouillon had a particular design in this Voyage Siri Memoire recondite Tom. II. p. 684 685 686. He was minded to Negotiate a Marriage of the young Elector Palatine Nephew of the Mareschal's Lady who was of the House of Orange with the Princess of England Mary of Medicis whom the Court of Rome always made use of for it's own ends had recommended to her Ambassador that he should complain to the King of great Britain for that he had enter'd into a League with the Protestant Princes of Germany against the Roman Religion and to desire his Britannick Majesty to moderate the Rigor of the Laws against the English who were of the Popish Communion The Mareschal had besides express Order to cause King James to Disapprove of the Demeanour of the Reform'd of France in their last Assembly at Saumur but especially to bid him beware of the Duke of Rohan who was the most Zealous of the Protestant Lords Bouillon had already done to Rohan such ill Offices with the Queen of France as he himself was enough dispos'd not to be more favourable to the Duke in the English Court. King James was easily made to believe that France thought of nothing but the General good of Christianity by making this double Allyance with Spain and that the Regent would not less preserve the Amity of Princes and the States Protestants Bouillon endeavour'd at last to make his Majesty understand that the Pope would not use violent means against the Protestants and that he intended only to Convert them by Preachments and the good Examples of the Clergy The Mareschal laid hold on this occasion to insinuate into the King the Regent's Complaints for that he had enter'd into the Protestant League of Germany and the entreaty that Mary of Medicis made him in favour of the English Papists I don't know whether this good Prince was enclin'd to believe what the Ambassador had told him concerning the good Intentions of the Pope Whatever the Matter was James answer'd that the Protestants lookt only to the Reciprocal Defence of the States of the Confederate Princes and that Religion was not concern'd in it As to the English who were of the Roman Communion his Majesty protested he willingly would let them be at Rest as soon as they could give certain Assurances of their Fidelity and Obedience Bouillon sent this into France and then Villeroy imparted it to the Nuncio as a great Secret The Regent press'd Vbaldini to make his Master acquainted of it Subjoyning that she would write of it to Breves her Ambassador to the end his Holiness might find some Expedient to content the King of Great Britain Memoires de la Regence de Mary de Medicis When they came to speak touching the Matters of the Reformed Churches in France James was not altogether so Tractable The Duke de Rohan held a great Correspondence with Henry the King 's Eldest Son This was a very hopeful Prince he shew'd a Zeal little common to Persons of his Age for the good of the Protestant Religion Never did the Roman People so much love Germanicus as the English lov'd this Prince of Wales and the Father perhaps was not much less jealous of the Applauses they gave his Son than Tiberius was of old jealous of the Reputation of him whom Augustus made him adopt Rohan had gain'd over a Gentleman of the Ambassador's Retinue This secret Friend of the Duke was to instruct his Britannique Majesty with the truth of all which pass't in France Insomuch as the King was well prepared whenever he was spoke to concerning the Assembly at Saumur If the Queen your Mistress reply'd he to Bouillon will break Acts agreed to the Protestants of her Realm I don't pretend that the Alliance I have made and confirm'd with France ought to hinder me from succouring and protecting them When my Neighbours are Attack't in a Quarrel that respects me Natural Law requires that I should prevent the Mischief which may arise from thence Believe me Monsieur Mareschal said the King you must be Reconciled to the Duke of Rohan I will let him know 't is my desire that you live friendly together Would to God King James
rather the Risque of yielding to Force and Injustice than augment the hatred they already have against our Reformation by giving our Enemies a new Pretension of accusing us of Rebellion What Crime can they upbraid me withal I don't fear their Scrutinies or their Informations what have they to find fault with me I have no part in Mr. Rohan's Concerns Set upon me for Religion This would be to set the whole Kingdom on Fire Du Plessis resolv'd not to stir He was contented to let the Ministers of State know the troublesome Consequence of the ill Counsels which were given her Majesty and to exhort them to let the Reformed enjoy peaceably the Repose which the deceas'd King had granted them with so much Justice and Prudence It had been better to have hearkned to the good Counsels Du Plessis gave if the Enemies which the Duke of Rohan had amongst those of his own Religion had not obstructed it In the mean time whether the Regent gave any heed to what the King of England had answer'd to the Marshal Bouillon upon the Subject Matter of the Protestants in France or that she fear'd many Provinces declaring for the Duke of Rohan a Civil War might break out in France her Majesty at last acknowledged that if the Duke of Rohan had withstood her Orders with too much Haughtiness she likewise had too easily given way for the King's Authority to be undermined There was sought then some way to accommodate Matters Themines Seneschal of Querci was sent to St. John d' Angeli to bring back the Duke Du Plessis Mornai had given him wise Counsel to yield willingly and fairly as if the Queen was in the Right provided he kept his Government in the same Condition as it was before The Negotiation was set on foot on that Condition The former Major was again put into the Exercise of his Office and the Subaltern Officers whom the Duke of Rohan would not suffer to be in the Town entred there again But in few Days after there was a new Election and the Regent gave other Employments to those whom the Duke did not at all approve of The Reformed Protestants after this held a National Synod at Privas in Vivarets They agreed there That the Division of the greatest Persons of their Communion was going to make Destruction of the Reformation in France The Synod was resolv'd to make a Reconcilement amongst them efficaciously They wrote to Du Plessis Mornai to join all his Earnestness and Diligence to that of the Commissaries which the Company had nominated to agitate in this important Affair The Marshals Bouillon and Lesdiguieres not content with the Court easily consented to the Re-union This made them more formidable to the Regent and her Ministers The Princes of the Blood with whom they were lately confederated should have had more Consideration for Persons who were capable of bringing the Huguenot Party well united on their side In the Act of Reconciliation prepar'd by consent with Du Plessis Mornai the Reform'd Lords mutually promis'd to forget all that had past to love one another to give one another reciprocal Testimonies of their Amity as far as Religion and their bounden Faith to the King would give them leave to labour jointly for the Advancement of God's Kingdom and the Repose of their Brethren to do nothing which might prejudice the Union and Conformity of the Doctrine and Discipline establish'd in the Reformed Churches of France The Dukes de Rohan and de Sulli the Marshals Bouillon and Lesdigueres Chatillon Soubize La Force and Du Plessis Mornai signed the Writing They agreed further that the Governours of places of Security and Gentlemen distinguish'd in the Provinces should be ask'd to subscribe the same The Protestation which the National Synod of Privas publish'd in the Name of all the Reformed Churches in France made a great noise in the World See here the Occasion The Regent in her Letter to the General Assembly at Saumur had enjoin'd the Deputies to retire into their Provinces and there make report of the good Intentions of her Majesty The Reform'd seeing at last that this Assembly was oblig'd to break up before they had time to examine the Answer made to their Address of Complaints and Demands thought to remedy this Misfortune by convening Provincial Assemblies The Regent seem'd to suffer these by ordering the Deputies to make their Report in their Provinces They assembled then for this Effect without that the Court could find any thing to say against them The King's Lieutenants had themselves call'd some and the Presidents of the Sovereign Court were present at others The Regent had her self given order to the Commissioners sent to examin the Contravention made against the Edict of Nants That they should repair to the Provinces before any Assembly was held They were present upon certain Occasions One can't say then that these were held without the Knowledge and Sufferance of her Majesty She thought that she had so fully allow'd them as her Commissioners had had Orders to assist there in Person and her Officers with the Magistrates were present there likewise The Deputies of the Eight Provinces being come afterwards to Paris with design to finish what the Assembly at Saumur was not able to perform and to sollicite more favourable Answers to the Remonstrance which they had presented the Regent found her self in a Perplexity she had not foreseen It is to be confess'd that the way of the Reformed upon this Occasion was not ill contriv'd This was a Means to hinder their secret and profess'd Enemies from gaining so great Advantages from the Separation of the Assembly of Saumur There was much likelihood that the Duke of Rohan had furnish'd them with this Expedient for to cross the Marshal Bouillon who had deserv'd much at Court by having manag'd so well Affairs in the Assembly at Saumur as the Regent could not from thence expect a more favourable Issue These Deputations put the Regent and her Council at a stand which was as troublesom as if the General Assembly had continued And the Marshal Bouillon did not now seem to have done such great Feats It concern'd him to save his Reputation by seeking some Remedy for this new Inconvenience A better could not be found out than to send back the Deputies of the Provinces as being sent from People who were assembled against the King's Will or at least without his Permission And for the Court should not scruple this by reason of the Discontentment that the refusal to hear the Deputies might raise the Marshal Bouillon took all the Blame upon himself that might ensue They went yet further The Regent had put forth a new Declaration which forbid the Reform'd to hold for the future these Provincial Assemblies Consistories Colloquies Provincial and National Synods were only allow'd them upon Condition that none should be there besides Ministers and Elders and that they should treat of nothing but what concern'd the Doctrine and Discipline of
prince of Conde solicites the Reformed he advis'd him to send some of his Domesticks to the Heads of the Huguenot Party to exhort them to take Arms. Conde and Bovillon had each their particular Designs in this Step. The first hop'd to make a more advantageous Treaty with the Regent if the Reformed Declared in his Favour The other thought to make himself doubly necessary to reclaim the Prince and the Discontented Lords and to Travers the Designs of the Duke de Rohan amongst the Reformed Des Marais Lieutenant of the Princes Guards was of the Religion he seemed a fit Man to Negotiate with the Duke of Rohan they sent him therefore to St. Jean d'Angeli with Orders to pass first through Saumur and to sound his old Friend du Plessis Mornai They did not doubt if Rohan and du Plessis would listen to the proposals of the Prince but that the Credit and Reputation of these Two Men would draw after them all the Protestant Party in France Mary de Medicis did likewise manage the chief Men amongst the Reformed The wise answer of du Plessis Mornai to the Regent and the prince of Conde Hist du Connetable de Lesdiguieres Liv. VIII Chap. 6. Memoires de Duc de Rohan she sent immediately to the Mareschal de Lesdiguieres to Treat at the same time with those of the Religion and the Prince of Conde and the discontented Lords to hinder the one from being drawn over and to persuade the other to an accommodation The Duke of Rohan was likewise solicited by her Majesty he answered that his Design was always to adhere to the Reformed and that the readiest and surest way to reduce the Party of the Prince of Conde was to give Satisfaction to the reformed Churches who are able to weigh down the Scales to that Side which they should be of As for du Plessis Mornai the President Jeannin and the Queen her self writ obliging Letters to him They knew that this Gentleman who was very honest and zealous for the welfare of his Religion and his Country might be gained by shewing themselves willing to maintain the Edicts which were granted by the late King to his Reformed Subjects They gave therefore du Plessis the highest hopes in the World in this respect Jeannin assured him that the Regent had not Concluded the double Marriage with Spain with a design to Effect the Ruine of the Protestants in Conjunction with the House of Austria The Marriage which is at present Negociated with England said this cunning and dissembling Minister is a convincing Proof of the Contrary This business is in such forwardness that in my Opinion nothing can hinder it In the mean time they had no desire to Conclude it This was but a Trick to amuse the Protestants whom the double Marriage Alarm'd through all Europe Du Plessis gave the Ministers and the Regent all possible assurance of his Fidelity and Devotedness to the Service of their Majesties He took this occasion to represent to the Court how important it was for the Peace of the Kingdom exactly to observe the Edicts which had been granted to the Reformed who were better Subjects than the Catholicks when they were left to the free Exercise of their Religion The Answer which du Plessis gave the Prince of Conde is yet more worthy of his great Wisdom We have seen several Princes saith he Vie de Mr. du Plessis Liv. III. 1614. use the specious Pretences of the publick Good only to carry on their own particular Interest I would believe the Designs of his Highness are upright and sincere but that is not sufficient we must use lawful means to obtain a good End all the World knows that there are Disorders in the State they are greater than Men imagine But prudence will not admit that Mr. le Prince should apply Remedies worse than the Disease The well meaning Towns of the Kingdom are so afraid of a Civil War that they will never Declare for Mr. le Prince He has a mind to Correct some Abuses which 't is for the Interest of the Towns to suffer those which tell him that the Reformed will Rise don't know us or at least they have a mind to impose upon his Highness They offer him People which are not at their disposal 'T is true we Complain of some Grievances but we will remain peaceable as long as the Edicts are observed The Allies of the Crown will not approve of this Enterprise of Mr. le Prince France is the only Counterpoise which can oppose the greatness of the Spanish Monarchy If a Civil War should arise in the Kingdom who can resist the ambitious Designs of the House of Austria The Agent of the Prince de Conde had better encouragement at St Jean d' Angeli than at Saumur He invited the Duke of Rohan to take Arms in Favour of his Highness The Duke of Rohan seemes to listen to the proposals of the prince of Conde Memoires du Duc de Rohan Vie de Mr. du Plessis Liv. III. 1614. promising that his Highness would not come to an Agreement with the Court without his Consent The Duke did not seem very backward to join the Party But the distrust which he had of the Mareschal de Bovillon whose artifices and ill-will to him he was aware of made him more reserved Before he would Engage himself he sent one of his Confidents to the Prince to discover the real Designs of his Highness and the discontented Lords When du Plessis Mornai understood that the Duke of Rohan was inclined to join with the Prince Mr. de Rohan said he does not think to appease the Troubles by Interesting himself The Queen will be more inclined to satisfie the Prince and the Mareschal de Bovillon jealous of Mr. de Rohan will take care to conclude a Peace as soon as possible No body could have better foretold what would come to pass The Envoy of the Duke was kindly received by the Prince the Party gave out that Rohan offered a Thousand Horse and Eight thousand Foot The Treaty with the Court that was already far advanced was immediately concluded and the Prince obtained that which otherwise would never have been granted As for the Mareschal de Lesdiguiâ—…res he only exhorted Conde to the Peace and offer'd him his good Offices for that purpose Caesar Duke of Vendome Hist. du Connetable de Lesdiguieres Liv. VIII Chap. 6. The escape of the D. of de Vendome he retires into Bretagne that was seiz'd at the Louvre and kept Prisoner in his Chamber made his escape Eight days after he took the Road to Bretagne but when he came to Ancenis he found that the Regent had given such good Orders on that Side that the Duke de Montbason who was sent to Command in his Place and the Comte de Vertus in Conjunction with the Parliament de Rennes took care to have the Gates of the best Cities in the Province shut against him
his tottering Crown The History of the Reign of Lewis XIII will discover to you my Lord the Reasons which Philip Frederick Henry had to foresee the Glory which was reserv'd for a Great King the Heir of his Blood and of his Virtues who gives you already signal Marks of his Distinguishing Favour 'T would be but a small Matter to learn from History The Interests of Sovereigns the Accounts of Battles and Sieges the Intrigues of Treaties and Negotiations the Good or Bad Quality of the different Actors It s greatest and principal End is to confirm in you the Good Sentiments of Religion Virtue and Probity which my Lord your Father hath took care to inspire you with They charm'd me the first Day I had the Honour to be in your Company and I bless God with all my Heart that they appear so pure and so deeply engraven in your Soul that we have all the Reason in the World to hope that the Contagious and insinuating Air of the Court and of the World will never be able to corrupt or wear them out and that you will never wander from the Paths of Piety Prudence and Valour which my Lord the Earl of Portland hath trac'd out to you Heavens grant which have design'd you to enjoy the great Advantages which a Father can leave to his Son that you may make an Use of them worthy of the Purity of the Holy Religion which we profess These are the ardent Desires of him who shall be all his Life with a prosound Respect and inviolable Fidelity My Lord Your most Humble and most Obedient Sevant MICHAEL Le VASSOR THE PREFACE Polybius in the beginning SInce all who have written History before me says an Able and Judicious Writer have taken pains to shew the usefulness of things past It would be to no purpose to excite the Curiosity of the Reader by a like Preface All Men are sensible that the reading of History is the most proper means to form the Mind and Inclinations of those who apply themselves to it with Reflection and Judgment They who are born to the first employs of the State learn here how to govern those whom Providence has placed under them and private Persons often find Instructions for the Conduct of their Lives To read the Ancients and Moderns and only fill the Head with a confus'd heap of different Facts is the vainest thing in the World and conduces most to Debauch the Mind But to run thrô History with a design to learn Human Nature to reflect on the Disorderly and Unjust Passions of Men to distinguish Solid and Real Virtue from that which consists in the mistaken Opinion of the Multitude This certainly is the most proper Study to form a Man for the World and Business Notwithstanding the reading History has these mighty Advantages there are few that profit by it The fate of those who spend their time in it is often the same with that of Persons who Travel live in a Court or Converse in the World A Man who has the Skill to make a good use of his Parts and Reason Accomplishes himself very much in Foreign Countries by Conversation with Courtiers and Men of Business But it ordinarily happens that Travellers only seek to Divert themselves in the places where they come A young Fellow returns out of Italy France Germany or England as ignorant as he went there And very often in stead of correcting his Domestick Vices he encreases them by the Addition of Foreign ones Most Men who come to Court or into the World only think how to wast away their Lives and spend their Time agreeably Very far from considering how private Interest and Passion play their parts on the publick Stage and reasoning with themselves oâ—… the different steps Men take and profitably observing their good and ill Qualities they only strive to please them and wiâ—… their savour by some Motives of Interest or Pleasure The greatest part of those whâ—… read History fall into the same Mistake They only aim to consume their Time and pass away the Tedious Hours It is enough for them if a Book be Pleasant and Diverting They are never in Pain to profit by the Examples of Virtue they meet with or reflect on the Faults of those who are exposed in it This Negligence proceeds from the little care taken to acquaint Youth with the Nature of Mankind and infusing good Principles of Morality into them before they are put on reading History sent into Foreign Countries or left to live at large in the World If their Tutors and Governors which had the Charge of their Education had accustomed them to Meditate on those Remarks which the Incomparable Author of the Search after Truth P. Malebranche de Recherche de la Verite has made on the Mistakes and Delusions of our Senses Imagination and Passions on the Maxims of Mr. de la Rochefancault and some other good Books published in our Times I do not in the least question but Minds thus prepared would draw a wonderful Fruit from Travelling Conversation in the World and Ancient and Modern History Perhaps too the small number of good Authors in this and former Ages is another cause of the little Progress made by those who promiscuously run over all without Choice or Distinction Herodotus whom the Ancients call the Father of History Cicero Liv. 1. De Legibuâ—… is a polite Writer and pleasant to read One may learn good Jonick in him Let him if you will have it so be a good Model of an Elegant and Clean Style but what Solid Knowledge can be gained out of an Author fill'd with Fables and Falsities who only aims to Divert and not to Instruct The History of Cyrus is thought to be a Romance devised by Xenophon I do not know whether the Plan of the Work do not come nearer Truth than what Herodotus delivers of the Birth Conquest and Death of Cyrus The one at least is more probable than the other However this be a Man of good Sense will ever prefer the Reading of Xenophon to Herodotus If the former did not design an exact History of the Life of Cyrus he draws at least the Idea of a good and just Government This should make us value the Eight Books of the Cyropedia of Xenophon more than the nine of Herodotus his History though they have the Name of the nine Muses given them This may amuse me indeed but the other will instruct me I find a thousand Maxims a thousand Reflections proper to improve my Mind and Reform my Passions Discourse of the manner of writing History Thucidides was very sensible of Herodotus his Fault Notwithstanding the great Reputation of a Man who first writ History among the Greeks I had rather said he as Lucian Reports displease by speaking the Truth than please by relating of Fables If I do not please my Reader so well I shall profit him more I would not prejudice him by Accommodating
think they can bestow their time better in advancing themselves and their Families They will be sure not to give us an Exact and Faithful account of the Intrigues of the Cabinet and Court and discover to the World the true Motives of Wars Alliances and other Enterprizes Will they publish to the World their own Roguery and Villanies Will they speak sincerely of the Infamies and Criminal Passions of a Prince to whom they owe their Places and Preferments Will they tell the Artifices they used to flatter or incense them to ruin a Rival of more Merit than themselves or advance their own ill-deserving Creatures Statesmen and Ambassadors sometimes write Memoirs But these are not to be trusted to Without fearing to make a rash Judgment I will say these Writers of Quality are like certain Persons who publish'd the History of their own Actions in Cicero's time This Man the vainest that ever lived was even dead with longing to see his Consulat writ by some eminent and able Pen. Ad familiares Lib. V. Ep. 12. Displeased that he could not obtain what he so earnestly coveted he was tempted to do as others had done and to write himself the Wonders of that Consulat with which he had stunn'd the World in his Orations Books and Letters One thing restrained him For says he very Ingenuously there are two very great Inconveniences in being the Historian of a Man 's own Actions He must be too modest in his own Praises and dissemble his Faults to save his Honour See here the Condition of all Writers of Memoirs If Decency requires them not to speak too well of themselves their Partiality leads them to conceal or at least palliate what they have done amiss If an Historian ought to be a Statesman for the same Reason he ought to be skilful in the Art of War Without this how shall he describe an Incampment a Siege or a Battle If I may freely speak my Thoughts these Particulars are not very necessary in a General History This Caution belongs more to a particular Relation or the Memoirs of a Man who intends to give Instructions to those of his Profession Dr. Burnet Bishop of Salâ—…sbury I have heard an eminent Prelate who has a Noble Genius for writing History as well as for the Pulpit and Divinity say That the late Mr. de Schombergh Mareschal of France and after a Duke in England had advis'd him to forbear entring too far into Particulars in Matters of War None said that excellent General but the most able Men of the Trade can speak well of these things It is almost impossible to know exactly all the Circumstances of an Action The General gives Orders and after is ignorant of what passes The Inferiour Officers must give an Account of what they do themselves It is reasonable to believe the Memoirs Caesar has left to Posterity should have the utmost Exactness Yet there were some Men in his time who did not exceedingly rely on them Caesar said they Suetonius in Julio Caesare cap. 56. too lightly gave credit to what was reported to him of other Mens Actions and is not very faithful in what he relates of his own either because his Memory deceiv'd him or he would not sincerely speak the Truth Since it is difficult to learn all the Circumstances of a Battle where things on both sides are in great Confusion an Historian may be excused if he do not inform us of all Particulars He may describe more exactly a March an Incampment or a Siege But of what use is this at bottom Few have any Interest here except those of the Trade The Business of History is more to form a Gentleman than to instruct a Soldier or an Officer These Reasons have prevailed with me to think I may undertake to write the History of a Reign which contains a great number of Sieges and Battles though I understand nothing of the Military Art I have not more Experience in Affairs of State or Court Intrigues This is true But on the other Hand I do not relate the Actions of my own time I have chosen with all the Industry and Judgment I am Master of what is extant any where of all that passed in the Reign of Lewis XIII There are some who imagine a good History cannot be written unless the Author have secret and curious Mâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 This is the way some late Wriâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—ken to raise and give a 〈…〉 Works Varillas at first 〈…〉 by publishing that 〈…〉 Histories from Extracts of 〈◊〉 in the King of France's Library and Memoirs preserved in the Cabinets of some of the chief Families of the Kingdom But when the World took the Pains to enquire into what this boasting Scribler bodly advances they soon discover'd his Books were only Romances wrote with something of Easiness And when they press'd him to name his Authorities he could only produce some exploded Writers Manuscripts so confus'd that no one could find out the Truth and Memoirs so secret that the Persons who own'd them would not be named For my part I will not dissemble I have not yet procured any of those rare and curious Memoirs After the Example of Titus Livy and Tacitus who compiled their Histories out of the Works of those who writ before them I have carefully collected the best Things I could find in the Country where I reside and have compos'd out of them a continued History of the Reign of Lewis XIII in the most useful and instructive manner I was able I have taken that part of the Annals of Tacitus which yet remains for my Model not for the Stile or that mysterious Air which he affects in every thing he speaks of but in the Design and Plan of the Work It is plain the principal End Tacitus had in view was to shew by what Means and Degrees Tyranny was entirely established in Rome after the Death of Augustus And my chief Aim is to shew the Practices after the Death of Henry IV. to destory the little remaining Liberty of France to oppress the Clergy the Nobility and People in short to lay the Foundations of an enormous Power which has struck a Terrour into all Europe in our Days Perhaps some will reproach me that if I want the Strength and the Sententious Stile of Tacitus at least I have imitated his Malignity Some charge him with giving an ill Turn to all the Actions of those he speaks of and finding no Virtue and Probity any where But not to say how small the number of the Good is when a Man is obliged to bring on the Stage ambitious Men who sacrifice all to their Rise and Fortunes Base and flattering Courtiers who make no Scruple of betraying their Religion and Country Can he give these Actors the Part of an honest Man All that can be reasonably required of an Historian is that Men being rarely entirely corrupt and wicked he should not conceal what is good and commendable where he
Extremities of the North to defend those of his Religion in Germany overthrows the ambitious Projects of the Courts of Vienna and Madrid The Emperor trembles and fears to lose his Hereditary Countries and France by the help of a League opportunely made with Sweden forces from the House of Austria part of her ancient Patrimony The Success of the Spanish Arms in Picardy strikes a Terrour into Paris it self The King of France comes out of his Capital to repulse the Enemy and cannot refrain from Tears to see the Fire advanced so near the Gates of his own Palaces The Revolutions on the other side the Pyrences change the Face of Affairs Catalonia surrenders to Lewis XIII and Portugal drives out the Spaniards and replaces the Duke of Bâ—…aganza on the Throne of his Ancestors Philip the IV. in a Consternation leaves Madrid to secure the Country of Arragon and reduce the Catalonians But no soonâ—…r does he begin this Expedition but he receives the unwelcome News that France had seized the Town of Perpigan and the County of Rousillon In this Variety of Events there may be â—…und many eminent Instances of Virtue â—…nd Vice Treachery richly rewarded â—…e highest Posts of Honour obtained by â—…e most infamous Crimes some few beâ—…owed on Merit great Preferments reâ—…cted with Contempt from Motives of â—…eligion and Probity Some great Lords â—…eanly ransom their Lives and Estates by coming Slaves to an Ambitious and Revengeful Cardinal Others threatned to be made a Sacrifice to his Passions and Interest with a Noble Haughtiness continue faithful to their Friends and suffer Death with an Heroick Courage This Fragment of the Modern History of France which I design to illustrate is so curious and full of Variety it would soon tempt a Man who would employ his Time in writing something Diverting and Instructive However the boldness of the Attempt has often awed me and perhaps it is above my Abilities If I praise the principal Actors who appear upon the Stage I am in danger of being censured for Flattery and if I speak too freely I am sure to be charged with Detraction Constant Panegyrick disgusts and incenses most Readers They love to have the Vices and secret Passions of Men laid open This Air of Freedom pleases and diverts them But if I should indulge this natural Inclination we have to heaâ—… others condemned will not the World too say I am making a Satyr and not wriâ—…ting a History I shall endeavour then to avoid theâ—… two Extremes with all possible Care have no Inducement to praise or blaâ—â— Persons who were almost all dead befoâ—â— I came into the World What particular Reason can I have to love or hate them The difference of Opinion in Matters Religion and Government shall not hind the from doing Justice to Merit or conmending what is worthy of Praise I am thanks to God in a Country where every one enjoys a Happiness which is so rare in this World to speak their reasonable Thoughts with freedom If I am not in a Capacity to do my Country Service I have the Liberty to deplore its Misfortunes The State of Europe and of France at the end of the Reign of Henry IV. Before I enter upon the Matter I shall promise some few Things of Henry the Fourth and the End of his Life It s necessary to know the Posture of Affairs in Europe and France when this latter lost one of the greatest Monarchs she ever had He employ'd the first Years of his Reign in reducing by force of Arms or gaining by Treaties all who had formed a potent League against him under Colour of Religion and in carrying on a War against Philip II. King of Spain This Ambitious Monarch had supported the League with a mighty Assistance of Men and Money out of a Design to place a Prince of his House on the Throne of France or at least to dismember that Monarchy whose Power was an invincible Obstacle to the vast Projects he had conceived But finding himself worn out with Infirmities of Body and seeing his Country quite exhausted by the Immense Sums he expended and the great number of Soldiers and Ships which he lost in his Wars against the Vnited Provinces of the Low Countries England and France Philip I say after so many Men and so much Treasure consumed in vain was glad to make Peace with Henry on such Conditions as the State of France not less exhausted than Spain could not give them leave to hope for Elizabeth Queen of England and the States of the Vnited Provinces made loud Complaints that the King abandoned his good and faithful Allies in preâ—…sing â—…o cagerly the Conclusion of the Treaty with Philip. Tâ—â—â— say they is a sure way to lose the favourable Opportunity of taking those Advantages against Spain which its low and declining Condition must have put in our Hands Henry excused this Proceeding of his as well as he could alledging the Incapacity of his Kingdom to support a Foreign War after it had been so miserably harass'd by a Domestick one which had lasted so many Years and was not yet well extinguished The Reason was specious But the King seemed impatient to give himself up to his Pleasures and with ease to enjoy so fair a Succession which he had purchased with so much Hazard and Trouble It must be own'd Henry had good Reason to distrust his Strength for the future The Duke of Mercoeur penned up in Britany would not have made his Peace if he had not believ'd that of Spain entirely resolv'd on Besides the Protestants of France who had served a King bred up amongst them with so much Courage and Constancy took Umbrage and Jealousie His changing his Religion and the Favours with which he purchased the friendship of the Great Men who had been Leagued against him began to Alarm them and his New Engagements to the Court of Rome their crael and implacable Enemy had like to have cool'd them Henry prudently confirmed his best Subjects by the Edict of Nantes which was concerted with great Industry and Deliberation Happy had they been if the Successors of this good Prince had left them peaceably to enjoy what he so justly granted them No sooner was Peace setled at home and abroad but Henry strove to win the Hearts of his Subjects by publishing he would labour incessantly to make them live in Ease and Plenty Several Manufactures were set up and some certain Duties taken off It is probable the great Debts he contracted and the engagement of a great part of his Revenue would not give him leave to take away divers others very burthensom and made him give ear to all Projects for bringing Money into his own Coffers But in all this he had the Address to prevent and stifle all Murmurs by making the French Nation since for a long time accustomed to patience believe his greatest desire was to make them happy The King flattered himself he should check the turbulent humour of divers great
Men and perhaps by degrees ruin them by engaging them after his Example to make excessive expences in Buildings Play and other more Criminal Pleasures In this he found his Account in a double manner It was his natural Inclination though he was a Manager good enough and those who could embroil the State would be drained of Money and Credit and forced to depend on the bounty of their Prince This did not succeed in all points as he had projected it If the Constable of Montmorency the Dukes of Montpensier and Epernon the Mareschals of Bouillon and Biron did not proceed so far as to take Arms to express their Resentment some because they were not Rewarded according to their mind others because some Ministers Confidents of the King had a greater share in secret Councils than themselves Yet these I ords created him great Disquiet The just punishment of Biron the most imprudent and violent of all the Malecontents and the Submissions of the Mareschal de Bouillon Defeated the Conspiracy which Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy had laid in his Journey to Paris and Philip the III. the New King of Spain had promised to support That of the Marquise de Vernueil a Mistress of the King who had foolishly promised to make her his Wife before he was married to Mary de Medicis was likely to have had terrible Consequences but was fortunately broke by the Condemnation of d'Entragues Father of the Marchioness and the Imprisonment of the Count d' Auvergue her Brother by the Mothers side and Natural Son to Charles the IX The King complained the Court of Spain promised Aid to all his Factious Subjects He shew'd his Resentment publickly when he discovered an Intrigue of the Spanish Ambassador with a Gentleman of Provence who undertook to deliver up the Town of Marseilles to Philip the III. Two Rival Powers have ever matter to Recriminate when the one thinks he can convict the other of a secret Infraction of Treaties The Ambassadour without scruple Reproached the King with assisting the Vnited Provinces after the Peace of Vervins and endeavouring to raise the Moors in Spain In some occasions Henry was not more upright and sincere than Philip. Princes seldom concern themselves much about so fair a Vertue No sooner had the King of France setled his Affairs and amassed several Millions by the Care and Management of the Duke of Sully Superintendent of the Finances but he began to think in earnest of Humbling the Pride of the House of Austria This was the Language of those times the World is busi'd at present in Leagues to oppose the Ambitious Designs of France Henry waiting only for a Specious Pretence to make War on Spain renewed his ancient Alliances abroad and carried on Negotiations with diverse Princes to bring them over to his Interests By the Treaty of Marriage between the Infanta Isabella and Arch-Duke Albert Philip the II. had given his dear Daughter the Soveraignty of the Provinces which Spain had at that time in the low Countries Catherine Sister of Isabel brought Charles Emmanuel Duke of Savoy her Husband but a very moderate Fortune So unequal a Division did not satisfie the Ambition of a Prince who was always stirring to make himself Great though he could never obtain his Aim Charles thought the Dutchy of Milan ought in Right to be given up to him Henry seeks to take the Advantage of Discontent of the Duke A Proposition is made to Assist the Duke in the Conquest of a Country which lay so convenient for him and to give the Kings Eldest Daughter in Marriage to his Son On these Conditions Charles voluntarily makes a League Offensive and Defensive with France Some pretend all the Powers of Europe were engaged in it or at least ought to have been to confine the House of Austria to Spain and its Hereditary Countries in Germany but the Project which is ascribed to Henry on this occasion is strangely Chimerical If it be true that this King ever entertained a thought of that kind and proposed no other end in so vast Enterprize than the glory of having brought Euâ—…ope to a Balance Henry doubâ—…less was the vainest Man in his Kingdom Is it not much more probable that seeing so favourable an occasion to revenge himself on Spain he was resolved to make his advantage of it The Declension of that Monarchy was visible to all the World Philip the III. a Prince Inferiour to his Father for his Parts found it in so ill a condition that being unable to supply Arch-Duke Albert with Provisions necessary for carrying on the War against the Vnited Provinces he was constrained to make a shameful Truce with the States-General in which he owns them to be free and Disclaims any Pretension of his own or the Arch-Dukes over them We must not think Spain wanted good Generals brave Officers or States-Men bred in the Cabinet of Philip II. but the Duke of Lerma her first Minister had neither Genius nor Ability to gain his Master Reputation abroad or govern a Monarchy opprest with its own Greatness The House of Austria was still weaker in Germany The Emperour Rodolphus had no great Vices but the Vertues which make up the chief Character of a Prince were wanting in him Shut up in his City of Prague he employed himself in any thing rather than Politicks Had he had good Ministers he would not have hindred them from acting well But he had so little care to chuse them or observe their steps that himself did not know whether he was well or ill served Rodolphus did not live in good understanding with his Brethren The Arch-Duke Matthias forced him to give up the Kingdom of Hungary to him and secure to him the Succession to the Crown of Bohemia Both unable to keep their Subjects of different Religion in Peace were obliged to receive the Conditions which the stronger Party imposed on them England is so seated it ought equally to fear least Spain or France become too Potent James the First succeeded to Queen Elizabeth a Princess whose Memory is still dear to the English for her great Courage her matchless Prudence and her sincere Love to her People Both Crowns strove which should make an Alliance with the New King They believed that being more Potent than his Predecessors by the Union of the Crown of Scotland to that of England he would be more able to hold the balance even or make it incline to which side he pleased But James still fearful and wavering governed by his Wife or his Favourites soon shewed the World he was fitter to manage the Pen than the Sword to write on a Question of Civil Law or Divinity than to Reign gloriously and make himself formidable to his Neighbours He made a Treaty of Alliance with Henry Both Kings engaged to assist the Vnited Provinces and to defend each other in case either of them was attacked by the Spaniards The Court of Madrid exasperated to find the King of Great Britain
where there have been some Princes of the House of Austria have thought their Conscience and Religion allowed them to stir up People to defend the Liberty of their Countrey and march at the Head of an Army against their own Brothers As soon as the Emperour found the Designs of the Archduke he convened the States of Bohemia raised Troops writ to the Elector and Princes of the Empire to demand Aid of them There was in Bohemia at that time two powerful Parties of a contrary Religion the Catholicks and the Gospellers Under the name of Gospellers were comprehended the ancient Hussites those of the Confession of Ausburg and the Reformed The States of Bohemia were composed of Persons of both one and the other Party They presented to the Emperour divers Articles for the Regulation of Policy and Justice The Gospellers in particular required That the Clergy should not meddle in Civil Affairs That they should not determine Disputes concerning Marriage That they should not acquire Estates in Land without the consent of the States of the Kingdom That all Persons should be admitted to places of Judicature without distinction of Religion Rodolphus consented to what the States demanded The Concerns of Religion were remitted to the next Assembly which was appointed the end of September following And the States in conclusion swore to employ their Lives and Fortunes in the Emperour's Service Matthias was already at the Gates of Prague with his Army A Treaty of Peace between the two Brothers After some Negotiations the two Brothers agreed to name Deputies on both sides to confer together in a Neighbouring Village The Peace was concluded on certain Conditions I will relate the principal ones That the Emperor should quit the Kingdom of Hungary the States of the Country should chuse no other King than Archduke Matthias that Rodolphus should give him and his Heirs Male the Archdutchy of Austria without reserving to himself any Right That he should succeed to the Kingdom of Bohemia in case the Emperor died without Issue Male That the States of Bohemia should ratifie this Article That the Archduke should promise to maintain their Privileges if the Kingdom came to him That Matthias and his Heirs should have the Administration of Moravia with the Title of Marquess That in the Assemblies of the Countries yielded up by Rodolphus the Archduke should take care to have a certain Annual Contribution paid to the Emperor When the Treaty had been ratified on both sides Matthias goes to take Possession of the Arch-dutchy of Austria The Catholicks swear Fidelity to him but the Protestants refuse to do it and take Arms. By the Perswasion of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburg of Mellini Cardinal and Nuncio of the Pope and Forgatsi Bishop of Vienna and Cardinal the new Soveraign published an Edict to forbid all his Subjects of Austria the exercise of the Protestant Religion Matthias is Elected and Crowned King of Hungary From Vienna Matthias passes into Hungary Before they proceeded to Crown the new King the Lords of the Country presented divers Articles to him which they required him to swear to observe viz. That the Protestants should have free exercise of their Religion in all Cities not excepting that in which the King resided That a Palatin should be erected who should in Conjunction with the Senators have the Administration of Affairs in case the King did not reside in Hungary That the Jesuits should not be tolerated and the Licentious Lives of the Clergy be reformed On these Conditions Matthias was proclaimed King and Crowned at Presburgh in the year 1608. The Discontent of the Protestants in Austria abated The Protestants in Austria sent a Deputation to those in Hungary intreating them to interceed with Matthias in favour of their Brethren and desiring their Assistance by virtue of a League Offensive and Defensive still in being between the States of Hungary and Austria in case Matthias persisted to refuse them the free exercise of their Religion He replyed to the Instances the Protestant Lords of Hungary made to him That he would leave all things in the same State they were put in by the Regulation of the Emperor Maximilian his Father The Consideration said he I am obliged to have for the Pope and the Catholick King will not allow me to grant the Protestants the exercise of their Religion in the Towns of Austria Let them lay down their Arms and I will grant it them abroad In the mean time those of both Religions shall be indifferently promoted to places of Judicature The Hungarian Lords thought this reasonable and advised the Protestants to accept the Terms rather than make War It is hard to come to a Resolution on a sudden After some Movements the matter was determined in the year 1609. At the Intreaty of thaâ—… States of Moravia and by the care of the Archduke Maximilian Brother of the Emperor and King of Hungary Matthias consented That the Lords and Protestant Gentlemen of Austria should have the free exercise of their Religion in their Castles Villages and their private Houses for their Family only when they should be in Town That they should have Publick exercise of it in three Cities specified in the Treaty where the Churches should be equally divided between the Catholicks and Protestants That all places should be indifferently given to capable Persons of both Communions The Protestants upon this submitted and took an Oath of Fidelity to the new King Differences about Religion in Bohemia The Emperor had longer and more difficult Contests with the Gospellers in Bohemia The Assembly of the States appointed at the end of September 1608. was put off till January following The Roman Catholicks did all they could to exasperate Rodolphus against the Gospellers and perswaded him that they enjoyed the exercise of their Religion only by a simple Toleration The Oath of Subjects is relative to that of a Prince said the Gospellers with Indignation to Rodolphus hearken to the ill Advice given him by certain Persons If the Emperor will not keep the Oath he has made to us we think our selves discharged from that we have taken to him Rodolphus remitted the hearing of their Complaints to the chief Officers of Bohemia who were all Catholicks These interessed Judges contemning what the Gospellers alledged in their Defence they protested in a full Assembly against all the proceedings of the States and demanded time to give notice to the rest of their Brethren in the Kingdom of what passed and to inform his Imperial Majesty The Gospellers instantly sent a Deputation to the King of Hungary and the Electors and Princes of the Empire intreating them to intercede with Rodolphus The Emperor resolved the States should continue to sit and regulate all Matters of Religion The Term of their Sessions being expired the Emperour dismist them and forbid the Gospellers to meet in the Court of the New Prague or debate of their Affairs there In vain did they Petition his Majesty
to allow them a place of Meeting for the taking Measures to represent to him the Justice of their Pretensions and read the Answer which the King of Hungary and the Electors and Princes of the Empire had sent them Incensed at the unjust refusal of Rodolphus the Gospellers take each other by the hand and mutually swear to lose their Lives in defence of their Liberties and Religion take Arms in the Court of the new Prague broke open the Gates enter and consult what was fit to be done in their Condition They were not more than three Hundred Budovitz their chief lays open to the Assembly the Importance of their Undertaking the danger they are threatned with and the ill Designs of their Enemies Then making an Ardent Prayer to God sings the Hymn of the Holy Ghost in the vulgar Tongue This animates the Assembly with new Zeal and Devotion they continue to sing and shed Tears in abundance A great number of Gospellers come presently into them and all set themselves to sing and weep together Notice is given a great Body of Masqueteers were coming to charge them Instead of being daunted they take Courage come down into the Area seize all the Avenues and prepare for a Vigorous Defence There was about twelve Hundred Horse and three Hundred Harquebusiers The People of their Religion in Prague came on all sides to the Assistance of their Brethren so that there was soon about ten Thousand Men differently Armed There was a Rainbow seen in the South and the Sun appeared encircled with this new Phaenomenon The vulgar naturally addicted to Superstition interpret any thing which seems extraordinary according as their Imagination is more or less heated And now they conceive great hopes thinking God has given this as a visible sign of the particular Assistance they had begg'd of him with great Ardour The chief Persons were desired to return into the Hall of the Assembly and consider what Methods were to be used The People promised in the mean time to guard the Avenues with all possible care Rodolphus informed of what had passed sent the first Burgrave of Prague and the chief Officers of his Court to appease the Tumult His Imperial Majesty says the Burgrave in the Hall cannot imagine for what reason you have taken Arms. He has always loved you as his good Subjects The Emperors Conscience bears him witness he has faithfully kept his Word in every thing he promised to the States of the Kingdom and hopes you will not be less steddy in your Fidelity to him He is disposed to summon a new Meeting to determine all Disputes which may arise on the Head of Religion contrary to the Intention of his Majesty Budovitz replied in the name of the rest that the Gospellers humbly thanked the Emperor for his good Will towards them and intreated him to believe they never design'd an Insurrection against him We only complain says he of certain Persons who under colour of preserving the Catholick Religion give his Majesty Advice which tends to the Subversion of the Government We hope to make this appear in the next Assembly which he shall convene Farther we most humbly intreat his Majesty the Publication of this Meeting may be made within three Days This is the only way to prevent those Accidents we have reason to be afraid off The Suspicion which the Gospellers had of the Catholick Party was the cause of more Commotions Rodolphus appeased these without much Difficulty by publishing a Proclamation In this he own'd those of the Bohemian Confession and the Protestants for his good and faithful Subjects declared that in their Meetings held without his consent they had no other end than the good of the Kingdom and his Majesties Service required all the Deputies to meet in the Castle of Prague the 25th of May 1609. and to bring no Soldiers with them promised on his side to send away all those in his Service that so he might leave the States an entire Liberty to settle all matters of Religion The Gospellers had a solemn Thanksgiving upon the publishing this Proclamation but their Enemies every day finding new Pretences to hinder the Conclusion of the matter the Gospellers began to raise Soldiers and brought them into Prague All preparations were made for a Civil War The Pacification of the Trrubles in Bohemia when at the Intercession of the Elector of Saxony Rodolphus published a Declaration That all his Subjects communicating under one or both kinds should have free exercise of their Religion and their Service in Bohemian or High-dutch forbidding the Archbishop of Prague to disturb the Ministers of the other Party in their Worship That Catholicks and others should equally enjoy the same Privileges That the Gospellers might build Churches and found Colleges This Edict was declared perpetual and irrevocable and those who broke it were to be punished as Disturbers of the publick Peace By Virtue of this Grant the Protestants had the liberty to exercise their Religion in Prague and the 15th of July 1609. their Ministers preached publickly in a Church of the Hussites shut up for a long time before None doubted the Jesuits inspired into the Archbishop of Prague and the other Officers of the Empire the violent Counsels which caused all the preceding Troubles The Catholicks and Gospellers were alike enraged at them Both parties reunited to present jointly an Address to the Emperor In this they represent that the Jesuits being very poor when they came into Bohemia had gained considerable Wealth and did not contribute at all to the Charges of the State for this Reason they did humbly beseech his Majesty to take care the good Fathers should not be exempted more than other Churchmen and for the future they should not receive any thing by Will or Donation without the express consent of his Majesty A Diet at Prâ—…gue in 1610. The Emperor soon repented of the Treaty with Matthias his Brother and demanded the Restitution of Austria and Moravia The Electors and Princes of that Empire summon'dâ—…to meet at Prague in 1610. came thither to endeavour a Reconciliation between the two Brothers Besides this they were to Treat of the Election of a King of the Romans and determine the Difference about the Succession of Cleves and Juliers The Elector of Cologne Ferdinand of Austria Archduke of Gratz and Henry Julius Duke of Brunswick went to Vienna to confer with the King of Hungary After a long Negotiation the two Brothers made a new Treaty Matthias remained in possession of what had been given him and the weak Rodolphus had only some seeming Submissions and a sort of annual Tribute of a certain number of Tuns of Wine and a small sum of Money The Emperor gives the Elector of Saxony the Countries of Cleves and Juliers The Diet did not take any Resolution about the Election of a King of the Romans The Posture of Affairs did not seem very favourable to the House Austria As for the Succession
Pleasure Mayenne by his Address and Resolution had brought his Nephew with Honour in a very Nice case if it be true that the Duke of Guise had no ill design yet he made an Ostentation which might well give Vmbrage to the Princes of the Blood In vain did the Duke of Sully thus meanly make his Court to the Guises The Duke of Sul'y's Disgrace They would not hinder the accomplishing the Design on foot to ruin him their Party indeed made a Mien as if they would Combine to oppose the Ruine of one who had taken pains to very good purpose to serve them but the contrary Cabal was too Powerful and Zealous Perhaps too the House of Guise were not very Solicitous 〈◊〉 Bottom to support a Protestant Lord whom the Courts of Rome and Madrid were dissatisfied to see in the chiefest Employs The Marquiss of Ceuvres was the Man whom the Enemies of the Duke made use of to sound the true Sentiments of Mareschal of Bouillon in this matter of Sully The Interest of their Religion ought to have united these Protestant Lords It s Preservation depended in part on a good Understanding between them but Courtiers never think of this Sully deserves the worst that can befall him says the Mareschal However I ought not to appear among those who declare against him It concerns me very much that those of our Religion should not Reproach me with removing a Man who is necessary to them in the post he is in If Bouillon would seriously have avoided that Reproach should he have join'd himself to the Count of Soissons The World saw plainly the poor Duke of Sully was the Sacrifice in his Reconciliation The Prince of Conde and the Count of Soissons joyntly demanded of the Regent to have him removed Her Majesty readily granted a thing she desired no less than they To keep fair with the Hugonot Party who must think it strange Mary should so soon take away the Rewards Sully had deserved by his good Services to the late King They gave out and would make Sully himself believe it was his desire to have his Ease The Regent civilly offer'd him a Sum of Money for the Government of the Bastile which she took away from him at the same time with the place of Superintendent of the Finances The Duke was very much surprized to see himself taken at his Word upon General Complements made to the Queen He had protested upon some Occasions to her Majesty that she might dispose of all that he had Mercure Francois 1611. I did not think said Sully that such Offers made to ones Prince were Crime enough to forfeit ones Places I have now learnt this new Maxim but I do not repent of having done my Duty The Duke shewed great Constancy in his Adversity and was Skillful enough to conceal his inward Disturbance He writ a Letter to the Queen which was filled with fine Thoughts was not this a Noble Effort of the secret Pride of his Heart to seek thus to repair his Losses by making himself Admired Perhaps he thought he should perswade the World he deserved those Places which he could quit with so much equality of Mind â—…nd Disinterestedness This Greatness of Mind would have appeared less affected if he had not made a long Enumeration of the Services he had done for the late King This was Reproaching his Widow he might talk plausibly how that without encreasing nay by lessening the Excises and Duties he had paid the immense Debts of his Master had put the Finances in a good Method subsisted three great Armies amassed seventeen Millions in ready Money the People could not believe him in his Word Fifty four Edicts revoked in the beginning of this Reign were a proof the Superintendent had not yet found the secret to enrich the Prince and at the same time to ease his Subjects The first President de Harlay resigns hiâ—… Place A Cabal to hinder Mr. de Thou from succeeding him The Duke retired to his Castle of Sully on the Loire no Superintendent was put in his Room The Presidents Jeannin de Chateauneuf and de Thou were named for Directors of the Finances De Thou declined this Employ this did not suit with a Magistrate so Upright so Zealous for the publick good and so great a Lover of all good Learning The Place of first President of the Parliament of Paris was more worthy of his Noble Ambition Christopher de Thou his Father had filled it with a mighty Reputation His Memory would have been Irreproachable if the necessity of excusing his Master had not forced him to seek out for frivolous pretences to give colour to that cruel Massacre of St. Bartholomew which this Wise Magistrate abhorr'd in his Heart Achilles de Harlay succeeded him in the most unhappy and difficult Time that ever was All Men still speak with Honour of the Integrity Justice and Affability of that great Man All good Frenchmen cannot forget the Services he did for his Country when she was almost opprest by the Efforts of the League Worn out with Age and Labour he desired to lay down his Office Memoires de la Regence de Marie de Mediciâ—… All Honest Men wished to see James Augustus de Thou in the Place his Father had formerly been but the Regent too much depended on the Pope The Knowledge and Moderation of so Learned a Magistrate did not suit with the Interest of Rome besides the Jesuits had too important Business to Sollicit in the Parlement of Paris They did not care a Man who was not less acquainted than his Brother-in-Law had been with the secret designs of the Society should preside in the determining the Process they had against the University of Paris Condé who had great Obligations to the President de Thou promised to assist him in his Pretensions to a Dignity justly due to his Merit and Services But the Weak and Ungrateful Prince had not the Courage to oppose a Cabal of Bigots Villeroy made his Advantage of this Opportunity he procured Verdun his Kinsman to be preferr'd who ought to have been content with seeing himself at the Head of the Parlement of Toulouse La d'Escouman accuses the Marquess of Vernueil and the Duke of Epernon of being concerned in the Murther of Henry IV. Some few days before his Resignation Harlay had presided in the Sentence against La d'Escouman This Creature it is said did not want either Wit or Address But her lewd Life ought to have taken away the Credit of her Evidence if all concerned in Villanies were not of necessity Scandalous Persons It is not known who put d'Escouman upon presenting her self to Queen Margaret whom she was known to and discovering to her that the Duke of Epernon and the Marquise of Vernueil had suborned Ravaillac Whether Margaret was in a Combination to ruine these two Persons or was afraid of ill Consequences if she did not give notice of what she heard to the Court the
Princess sent to let the Regent know that La d'Escouman had great things to Reveal Some Persons were ordered to go to the Hôtel of Queen Margaret They conceal themselves in an adjoyning Closet while the Princess makes la d'Escouman repeat with a loud Voice what she had said Margaret testified the Woman did not vary but repeated Word for Word before to her what they had now heard She is Condemned Upon the Report made to the Regent her Majesty ordered her Letter Patents to be dispatched for the Parlement of Paris to take cognizance of this New Affair La d'Escouman being examined by the first President de Harlay accuses two Persons one of which had been Valet de Chambre to the Marquess d' Entragues These Men are Seized Examined thrown into a Dungeon confronted with d'Escouman who affirms peremptorily all was true she had charged them with Farther she declares the Marchioness of Vernueil had sent Ravaillac to her with a Letter for one Madamoiselle du Tillet and that in her Presence du Tillet had spoke to Ravaillac to Assassinate the late King But the Evidence so ill maintain'd her Charge was so deficient in describing the Person of the Murtherer and said so many things directly false that no Credit was given to her Depositions The two Prisoners were acquitted and la d'Escouman condemned to close Imprisonment for the rest of her Life Reflections on 〈◊〉 Sentence The care taken to confine this Wretched Woman and the keeping her Examination so private gave occasion for divers Suspicions and many Reflections It was pretty commonly believed Persons of Eminent Quality had a share in this Mystery of Iniquity and it was not judg'd convenient to disclose it Some pretended this was only done to spare the Reputation of certain Persons of the first Rank who had made this use of la d'Escouman to ruine their Enemies So ill and revengeful a Woman as la Vernueil said they may well enough be guilty of a great Crime But is it to be believed the Queen who mortally hates the Marchioness would spare her Could she ever find a fairer opportunity to revenge the frequent Disquiets which the ill Nature and Raillery of a Rival had given her The Duke of Epernon 's Interest added some Judicious Men could never stifle this Matter He has powerful Enemies at Court The Prince of Conde and the Count of Soissons declare openly against him The Mareschal de Bouillon and the Marquess of Ancre strictly tied together seek to remove and ruine him If any one reflect on the Conduct of the Duke of Epernon his Humour and Inclinations he will not appear capable of so black an Attempt And if he had Malice enough to conceive it is he so void of Common Sense to trust this in the Hands of a Fool as Ravaillac was In short if he suborned the Assassin would he have taken pains to keep him from being killed on the spot as James Clement was The Duke of Epernon said some who were the most prejudiced against him could not be called to an Account without bringing in the Queen whom he served in it Doubtless said others to them it would be much safer and easier to have poison'd the King than to depend upon a Blow of that Importance on such a Fellow as Ravaillac was There was a greater Division in the Court of Prague than that of Paris and the Princes of the House of Austria in Germany lived in a more visible Misunderstanding than the Princes of the Blood in France The Emperor Rodolphus had three Brothers Matthias Albert and Maximilian The first had forced from his Elder Brother the Kingdom of Hungary and the greatest part of what the House of Austria calls her Hereditary Countries Albert lived contented with the Provinces of the Low Countries which the Infanta Isabell brought to him in Marriage and Maximilian having long agoe relinquished his Pretensions to the Kingdom of Poland which he disputed with Sigismund King of Sweden led a quiet Life with Matthias King of Hungary These four Brothers had two Cousin Germans Children of Charles Brother to the Emperor Maximilian II. The small Country of Gratz in Stiria did not satisfie the Ambition of Ferdinand the Eldest of this second Branch of that House and Leopold the younger Brother desired something more than the Bishopricks of Strasburg and Passau Rodolphus and his Brothers had no Children this gave their Cousins mighty Hopes but as yet they were a great way off The King of Hungary this year Married Ann Archdutchess of Austria and might leave Heirs Ferdinand Wisely concealed his vast Ambition he seemed contented with managing the Pope and keeping a strict Correspondence with Spain and seem'd willing to wait patiently for a more favourable Opportunity to obtain the Succession of his Cousins All Men looked on the Emperor as a dead Man The Courts of Rome and Madrid were not very well satisfied that Matthias kept fair with the Protestants which he did to prevent being opposed by them when there should be a Debate about chusing a Successor to his Brother Perhaps too his Inclination led him to follow the steps of Maximilian II. a very Wife and Moderate Prince He had had a good Opinion of the Protestant Religion and it is thought would have embraced it if he had not met with Obstacles from Ferdinand the I. and the Court of Rome The Emperor his Father pressed by the Pope threatned Maximilian to Disinherit him but if the Son had shewn greater Resolution the Father would have found it no easie Matter to have made such an Exclusion valid I very much doubt if he would have dared to attempt it Ferdinand Archduke of Gratz was very far from this Moderation of Maximilian He was violent against the Protestants to a prodigious degree The Jesuits and Ignorant Monks who had too great Influence on the Councils of this Prince and his Descendants kept him in this extravagant Bigotry flattering him with the Assistance of the Pope and King of Spain to obtain the Empire even whilst those of the Elder Branch were yet alive The Archduke Leopold had no less Ambition but was still more impatient The Ambitious Designs of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburg and Passaw on the Kingdom of Bohemia vext to see himself reduced to live on his Benefices and to find his mighty Designs on the Countries of Cleves and Juliers prove Abortive he resolved to take his Advantage of the Weakness of Rodolphus and to make himself King of Bohemia to the prejudice of Matthias to whom that Crown was promised after the Emperors Decease Leopold had raised a small Army with the consent of Rodolphus under colour of keeping Juliers against the Confederate Princes The Town being taken by the Brave Maurice of Orange the Arch-duke kept his Troops in his Bishoprick of Passau with an intention to employ them in some greater and more prositable Work Romeo their General as Active and Stirring as Leopold
in Appearance When the Mareschal had Reproached the Duke that in the late Kings time he had drawn the Canon out of the Arsenal to destroy the Town and Church of Sedan Let us forget what is past says he I will become your Friend and Servant If you aâ—â— attacked in Sully upon account of Religion I will as readily bring down the Canon of Sedan to defend you as you drew out that of the Arsenal to destroy me at Sedan Let us agree for the benefit of our Religion Conscience and our Common Interest require it We cannot subsist without an Union The Party we follow cannot procure us great Advantages but it is capable of supporting a moderate Fortune That which is commonly called Greatness of Soul is most commonly Vanity and Ostentation The Mareschal would appear generous by feigning to Sacrifice a private Injury to the publick Good And perhaps he was sincere in what he did The Sense of Religion and Probity sometimes awakes in Noble Minds but Passion in its turn rising again stifles every thing that opposes it Bouillon sought an Advantage from the Reformed he gave Proofs of it in this Meeting He discovered Vigour in some weighty Affairs in others blinded by his Hatred and Ambition he could not see that by serving the Court he scattered the Seeds of fatal Division amongst his Brethren The Protestants renew their Oath of Vnion To prevent the ill effects of Differences amongst them the Protestants thought fit to renew the Oath of Union they had formerly taken on divers Occasions This Oath was first used amongst them when they had a Prince of the Blood and the late King at their Head Mercure Francois 1611. After he had changed his Religion he did not shew his Dislike of his Protestant Subjects renewing their Union at Mante under his Eyes and swearing publickly before the Catholicks of his Party that they would die in defence of their Confession of Faith A Just Prince should never complain of an Oath made under his Obedience In it they protested they would ever continue Loyal to the King But Henry being now in peaceable Possession of France he was much offended at an Act which the King of Navarr had approved off The Renewing this at Chatelleraut put him into an ill Humour He resented it highly that Lesdiguieres had Signed what himself had done under preceding Kings Sully gave him good Reasons for this proceeding The Reformed would not be afraid of any thing that could happen Sir said he to him if the Crown could make you Immortal But the Memory of St. Bartholomew will strike a Terror into them We are not ignorant the Catholicks press you only to give a Toleration for a Time See then what Reasons the Protestants have to take care for Futurity When the Reformed had so many just Grounds to distrust the Regent and her Council could it seem strange they should renew their Union at Saumur but the cry was against them They were ever Reproached with this Oath in the Reign whose History I am now writing To make a thing which was Innocent and Necessary in the Opinion of Henry Criminal was not this plainly to declare to the poor People their Ruine was absolutely resolved on The Affairs of the Duke of Sully proposeâ—… in the Meeling at Saumur Boissise and Bullion Counsellors of State and Commissioners sent by the King to the Assembly at Saumur having brought with them hopes of the Favour of the Court there was a serious design to draw up the Complaints and Requests of the Reformed Party Whilst this was managing by Persons appointed for that purpose there arose a Debate about the Duke of Sully's Concerns He feared the Consequences of the Threats made him to appoint Commissioners to enquire into his past Actions and proceed against him if he persisted to refuse to lay down his place of Great Master of the Artillery and his Government of Poitou To bring him to do this with the better Grace the Court offered him the choice of two sorts of Recompences a Dignity as that of Mareschal of France or a considerable Sum of Money The Duke desired to keep his Places and Government and convey both to the Marquess of Rony his Son He could find no way besides to baffle the Potent Enemies he had at Court but by engaging all the Hugonot Party to support him and declare loudly their cause was concerned in his Preservation He took Measures to succeed in this Project and the Mareschal was no less busie in Traversing it reckoning the Government of Poitou his own by Virtue of the Regents Promise when Sully should be deprived of it The Duke of Sully's Remonstrance to the Meeting Sully made a Remonstrance to the Meeting Under Colour of desiring their Advice he dextrously insinuated that his Religion was the only cause of Disgrace and the Association Oath which he had just now taken would expose him still farther to the Displeasure of the Court This was at least true in part Mercure Francois 1611. the Deputies were convinced it was so and the most Disinterested amongst them declared for Sully The Consideration all Men had for the Duke of Rohan a Lord already very Eminent for his great Courage his rare Probity A Discourse between the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan concerning the Duke of Sully's Affair his Discernment and capacity still encreased the Friends of Sully whose Daughter he had Married This was an Invincible Obstacle to Bouillon's designs and embarassed him exceedingly He thought to surmount this by perswading Rohan to abandon his Father-in-Law pretending his Cause was desperate However Vpright and Careful a Man be who has the Administration of the Finances and Artillery says the Mareschal to the Duke of Rohan in a Visit he made him when he was ill It is hard for him to avoid committing some fault which deserves to be punished if it be enquired rigorously into A Superintendent of the Finances and a Great Master of the Artillery are not only answerable for what they do themselves but for the Management of their Commissioners and Inferior Officers If the Court should appoint Commissioners to enquire into the Duke of Sully's Administration do you think they would not find some plausible Pretence to take away his Places The Assembly and the Reformed will have no colour of Complaint nay though wrong be done to the Duke of Sully The Matter will be Determined in the usual Forms of Law For you My Lord you make such a Profession of exact Probity You are so great a Lover of good Order in a Word you have so Loyal a French Heart you will not be able to stir when the Matter shall be determined Judicially The Duke of Rohan took this Complement very ill What replyed he with some Disturbance after the Great Services the Duke of Sully has done to the late King shall he become a Prey to those who were always doing Mischief to the State His
Magistrates to be Elected with the consent of the Protestants The Ambassador of the Arch-Dukes of the Low Countries at Paris made an Instance to the Regent to Annul the Regulations made by the Marquess de la Veuville and his Collegues But the Regent being informed of the truth of Things declared to the Envoys of the Princes of Brandenburgh and Neuburgh and those of Aix la Chapelle that her Son would not suffer any thing to be done to the prejudice of their Masters The Meeting of some Protestant Princes of Germany about the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers They were afraid in Germany that the Litigious Succession of Cleves and Juliers would cause a Division among the Protestant Princes The Elector of Brandenburgh and the Duke of Neuburgh had their Pretensions the Elector of Saxony too was resolved to maintain the Rights of his Family The difference of these three great Protestant Houses was like to give great Advantages to the Roman Catholicks Divers Princes met in May at Introbock near Leipsic in Saxony to Advise about Means to prevent this unfortunate Clashing and bring the Pretenders to an Agreement The Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh Mercure Francois 1611. divers Princes of the two Houses and of that of Hesse and some other agreed that the Matter should be decided by the Emperor the Countries of Cleves and Juliers should be jointly Possessed and Adminâ—…stred by the Elector and Princes of Saxony together with the Princes of Brandenburgh and Neuburgh on condition that the Saxons should advance a certain Sum of Money to the two Princes which were in Possession The Protestants were glad of this Means to Reconcile the two Electoral Houses But the Prince of Neuburgh having refused to consent to it notwithstanding the whole Assembly of Princes in the Protestant League at Rottemburg in Bavaria intreated him earnestly to comply this Treaty of Introbock had no effect The Princes of the Protestant League meet at Rottemburgh in Bavaria The several Persecutions which the Reformed suffered in Bavaria at Bambergh Wirtsburgh Cologne Worms and elsewhere gave occasion to this Meeting of the Princes of the Protestant League at Rottemburgh They were glad they still had the liberty to Regulate some common Matters and take Measures to preserve and strengthen their Union The Emperor sent two Persons of his Part to the Assembly Complaints were made to these Men Mercure Francois 1611. of the new Execution of divers things which his Imperial Majesty had promised to the Protestants and of the Persecutions which those of the Religion suffered in several places The Emperors Deputies excused this as well as they could His Imperial Majesty said they will keep peace among the Subjects of his Hereditary Countries without any Distinction of Religion But having no Power to Control the Archbishop of Cologne nor the Bishop of Wirtsburg and Bambergh he cannot be Responsible for what those Prelates do The Electors must meet in a little time at Nuremberg to debate there of the General Affairs of the Empire The Emperor desires to act so as to give every one Satisfaction The Protestant Princes being accustomed to these sort of Delays replied in high Terms if the Emperor deferred any longer to keep his Word they would make such Provision as the State of Affairs should require Matthias King of Hungary who hoped to procure himself to be chosen King of the Romans sent the Baron de Polheim to Rottembergh to manage the Princes of the Protestant League It concerned him not to have them Traverse him in his Designs Polheim thanked the Princes for the Affection they shew'd to his Master assured them of the Friendship of Matthias and communicated to them the Agreement made between the Emperor and his Brother After the Complements which Princes Reciprocally make each other on the like occasions the Protestants prayed the King of Hungary to forbear all sorts of Violence to preserve a Respect for the Emperor his Brother and prevent the Foreigners of his Council from taking Measures which might disturb the Repose of Germany The Republick of Venice the Swiss Cantons and the Seignoury of Geneva had likewise sent to the Meeting of the Protestant Princes The Venetians were upon their Guard against the House of Austria and especially against the King of Spain and Ferdinand Archduke of Gratz The Swisses and the People of Geneva feared the Enterprizes of the Duke of Savoy This made them seek the Goodwill of all the Protestant Princes of Germany A like Assistance was promised to the Seignory of Geneva and a very civil obliging Answer was given to the Republick of Venice and the Swiss Cantons The Affair of Aix la Chapelle was brought under debate The Princes resolved to defend the Protestant Citizens if there were occasion for it but they prest them to live peaceably with the Catholicks They undertook to intercede with the Magistrates of Cologne to admit the Protestants to go without Scandal or Fear of being Disturbed into the Countries of the Neighbouring Princes to pray to God with those of their Religion But if the Magistrates refused to comply with this Request they were exhorted to suffer patiently and to avoid committing any Violence Besides this they writ to the Bishop of Bamberg and Worms to pray the first not to disturb his Protestant Subjects and the latter not to introduce the Jesuits and to send away those he had admitted I take pleasure in relating these particulars It shews the Wisdom and Moderation of the Protestant Princes of Germany They did not take Arms for Religion till the last Extremity These Princes farther sent into France England and the Vnited Provinces to renew the Alliances and thank the two Kings and the States-General for the Aid they gave in the War of Cleves and Juliers In the Conclusion several Counties and Towns of the Empire upon their desire were admitted into the League and the Affairs of greatest consequence were remitted to the Judgment of the Electoral Diet appointed at Nuremberg Christian the Second Elector of Saxony The Elector of Saxony's Death died of an Apoplexy before John George his Brother succeeded him Excess of Drinking is a common fault among the German Princes It is surprizing the unfortunate and untimely Death of so many of their Kinsmen as are daily killed by the excess of Wine should not divert them from a Vice so unbecoming Persons of their Rank and so contrary to Christianity Christians ever rewarded the greatest Drinkers best His Successor was forced to be at a greater charge to redeem the Castles and Lordships which he had lavishly given to the Companions of his Debauches Mercure Francois 1611. There is a Report that the Princess his Mother sent a Minister to him to exhort him to leave off that Vice The Elector placed him at his Table and knowing he loved Money promised him a great Golden Cup if he would drink it off at a certain number of times The Minister accepted the
advis'd of the evil Offices that were constantly done him at Court went to justifie himself After having represented to the Regent that he had behav'd as a good Man in the Assembly at Saumur I confess to you Madam said the Duke that I oppos'd the Designs of Monsieur de Bouillon But this was done but in order to give your Majesty fresh Tokens of my Fidelity and Zeal which I have for your Service I Distrust those Persons who turn Scales and pay their Services on both Sides 'T is seldom known that such Men are upright in their Intentions If Monsieur Bouillon had brought his Designs about in our Assembly at Saumur he might have understood how to have used them and prevailed even against your self When Monsieur Bouillon comes to be the Master amongst us your Authority shall be never the better Established in this Realm The Duke of Rohan upon this occasion prov'd the Truth of a Reflection which he himself made viz. That a Prince who hath a prejudicate Opinion is hard to be perswaded The Regent gave no Attention to these Remonstrances The time now of the Election of the Mayor of St. John of Angeli was near It was a thing of the greatest Importance that could be to the Duke of Rohan that he who was in the place might not be continued The adverse Party to the Governor had got over this Man to their side and if their Project had succeeded the Duke had lost all his Authority in the place Feigning then that his Brother was dangerously sick he took a Journey suddenly from Paris Rohan took Soubize in his way and they both got to St. John d' Angeli The day of Election being come a Letter under the King 's Privy Seal was produc't that the Ancient Major should continue this not being to be any Rule for the future and to be without prejudice to the Privileges of the Inhabitants The Duke de Rohan Remonstrated that her Majesty had been ill inform'd of the State of the City where there was not any thing at all of Division as the Letter under the King 's Privy Seal had suppos'd and that they might proceed to a new Election according to the accustom'd Form I hope said he I shall bring her Majesty to agree to it To this effect I send my Secretary to Court The Mareschal Bouillon flatter'd himself that the Duke of Rohan would infallibly lose himself whatever Party he would take in an Affair that was so ticklish for him to manage If Rohan suffers the former Major to be continued they wou'd strip him of all his Authority and if he oppos'd the Court's Orders this would find it self in a necessity of punishing a Man who neglected to observe the Authority of the King To engage the Queen after such a manner as she should not flinch back for the future the Mareschal perswaded her to send a more express Order for to contitinue the old Major But the Duke of Rohan being perswaded that if he lost the Government he himself was lost without any Redemption believ'd that he ought not to obey the Orders which the Queen had sent as being Surprised unwarily by his Enemies A New Major was chosen that is to say three Persons were Nominated whose Names were sent to the Court to the end her Majesty might pitch upon one whom she judg'd most proper for the place Whilst they were expecting an Answer from the Regent the Keys of the Town were put into the Hands of the Eldest Alderman and thus the Duke of Rohan made himself Master of the Town from whence he caus'd some Subaltern Officers to be put out who were against him This bold Action mightily stir'd up the Queen against the Duke of Rohan Those whom he had sent to Court were committed to the Bastile T' was forbid the Dutchess his Mother his Wife his Sister to stir out of Paris Some Persons proposed to the Counsel that t' was fit to go and Besiege the Duke in St. John d' Angeli as a Rebel Orders were dispatch't for raising Troops and sending the Artillery The Queen publish't abroad that she would go her self in Person to the Army which the Mareschal Bouillon and Lesdiguieres were to command to make the Reformed know that there was no point of Religion here in Question but only a Chastisment of a particular Lord who had Revolted from his Obedience The Duke as soon as he understood this published a Manifesto which he Addres't to the Reform'd Churches he gave them notice that his Zeal for their Preservation brought upon him this Persecution that the loss of St. John d' Angeli drew along with it other places of Retreat and Security and their Enemies wou'd not stop in so fair a way after they had taken from him his Government Mercure Francois 1612. The Manifesto ended with a lively Exhortation The Duke complain'd because his Enemies had made Information of his Conduct and that having found him irreprovable they had inform'd against some Gentlemen who were not at all faulty of any other Crime than his giving him a Visit The Court said he fears that our divided Body will reunite the Reputation Monsieur de Rohan hath acquired by his Quality and Probity which he hath always made profession of gives Vnbrage must they for this cause apply themselves by little and little to weaken our Party and to undoe us by Peacemeals Let us know our selves if we would Live and Subsist Let us revive the good Intelligence which was heretofore amongst us Let us Devote our selves to the Service of our God and our King Let us work for the Good of our Church and the State We were the most judicious and considerable Party before our Divisions at Saumur This great Man who knew better to Fight than to Write not standing upon Manifesto's only prepar'd himself for a courageous Defence Another Manifesto was publish'd on the Queen's side She took great care therein to advertise the World that her Majesty complain'd only of the Duke of Rohan's Undertaking All the French of either Religion were exhorted in it to relieve their Majesties in the just Design they had to punish a Crime of so dangerous Consequence to the Common Good of the State At last the Queen protested to the Reformed that Religion not being concern'd in this Affair the Edicts of Pacification should not be less exactly observ'd Du Plessis Mornai was then in a great Perplexity The Town of Saumur of which he was Governor was in the Queen's way in case she went to St. John d' Angeli and Prudence required that she would assure her self of that important Passage Du Plessis did not know which side to take If I fortifie my self said this Judicious Gentleman if I call for Succours they will attack me under pretence of Rebellion Besides if I don't think at all of being aware beforehand I leave a place of Security which I am entrusted withal to the Discretion of our Enemies Let 's run
death of his Son whose Court having for some time been fuller than his made him Jealous This was clear enough from a word that fell from him What will they bury me alive An expression which the World reflected on when the Prince of Wales came to die a little while after The occasion of so many Diversions and Festival Solemnities in England was the Marriage of the Princes Elizabeth the Kings Daughter with Frederick Count Palatine of the Rhine This Alliance pleased the English extreamly and all the Protestants Mercure Francois 1613. The House of Austria took a great deal of pains to Traverse it And the Queen whom the Court of Madrid had took Care to make their Friend did her best to dissuade the King from it But he concluded it notwithstanding the Intrigues of the Spanish Faction James conferred the Honour of the Order of the Garter upon the Elector before the Solemnity of the Wedding The Illustrious Prince Maurice of Orange was Received into the same Noble and Ancient Society at the same time with his Nephew The Chapter of the Order was Convened at Windsor Castle the 14th of February this Year The Ceremony was performed with all the Solemnity imaginable The Elector Palatine who was himself in England to Negotiate his Marriage Received the Order in Person and Maurice being absent Received it by Count William of Nassau his Proxy Ten days after Frederick was publickly Married to the Princess Elizabeth Before and after their Wedding day the King Entertained the People with Plays and magnificent Spectacles Holland also was well pleased and joyful for a great while Prince Maurice Received in the Presence of the States General of the United Provinces the Garter which the Herald of the Order had brought thither and there was nothing omitted which might contribute to the Glory of the Ceremony The wise Barnavelt Pensionary of the Province of Holland Returned thanks in the Name of the States General to the English Ambassador who had presented the Garter in the Name of the King his Master to Prince Maurice The New Electoress having past from England into Holland in the Month of May following to go to Heydelberg she was Received almost in every City of the Province and particularly at Amsterdam with a Magnificence answerable to their Wealth and the Memory which they retained of the great assistances which their Infant-Republick had received formerly from the Crown of England The Protestants were in hopes that the Marriage of the Elector Palatine with the Princess of Great Britain would be very advantageous to their Religion But there was yet one thing which they wisht for And that was that King James would abondon his Design of Marrying his Heir to a Princess of the Popish Communion A Marriage talkt of between Charles Pr. of Wales Christiana of France But althô his Majesty did not stick publickly to say that the Pope was Antichrist yet he never had a sincere and fervent Zeal for the Establishment of the Reformation As soon as Prince Henry was in his Grave James proposed the Marriage of Charles his Second Son now Prince of Wales with Christina Siri Memoire recondite To. III. p. 44.45 c. Second Daughter of France The Regent frankly received the Memoires which the Ambassador of England delivered touching this Affair to Villeroy Secretary of State She hoped that the Protestants of France and elsewhere allarmed with the double Marriage concluded with Spain would be calmed when they saw that nevertheless the Crown of France was not set at such a distance from an Alliance with Protestants but that it still designed a strict Union with them in giving the younger Sister of the King to the Heir of the most powerful Prince of their Communion Althô the Conduct of Maria de Medicis in this Negociation was full of Artifice and Dissimulation the Court of Rome was Jealous and the Pope used all his Power to dissuade the Regent from listening to the offers of his Brittannick Majesty The Pope plainly told Breves the King 's Ambassador that he took it ill that there should be any design of mingling the Blood Royal oâ—… France with that of an Heretick Princeâ—… Breves took the liberty to represent to the Pope that the welfare of the Kingdom and of Religion it self required that the Proposals of the King of England should not be rejected The Old Man being devoted to Spain did not regard him He insisted to conjure the Regent not to enter into a Negociation so disadvantageous to the Church which is really as much as to say so little conducible to the Interests of the Court of Rome The Nuncio Vbaldini very much bestirred himself in France Ibid. p. 50.51 c. he tired the Queen with his Remonstrances he exhausted himself in finding out the most pressing motives of Piety and Religion at length he heated the Cabals of Devotees which are always numerous and powerful in an ignorant and superstitious Court. Said this Italian Prelate to the Queen Is it possible Madam that your Majesty should be so little sensible of the particular kindness of God to you 'T is to distrust his Providence to have recourse to the Alliance of Hereticks as a thing necessary for the Repose and Conservation of the Dominions of the King your Son Your Ministers think it convenient that you should hear the Proposals of an Heretick Prince Your Majesty agrees with them but that is not sufficient to clear you before God and all those who detest this sort of Politicks You should rather listen to the Voice of your Conscience and the good Advice of the Pope than the vain speculations of a Council that govern themselves by the maxims of the wisdom of the Children of this World rather than by those of Religion This Prelate advanced at that time a Principle of his particular Gospel which deserves to be related He declares that these pretended good People whom he would make the Queen afraid of entertain this piece of corrupted Morality that the Princes of their Communion are not obliged to observe Treaties made with those whom they are pleased to call Hereticks if the Terms appear to them to be never so little contrary to their Religion that is to the Court of Rome This Nuncio said moreover It is true Madam that promises made against the interest of God don't in any wise oblige and that we ought not to keep them But consider that your Majesty will hereafter find it more difficult to break your promise with the King of England than it is now to reject his Proposals Your Affairs are thanks be to God in a better Posture than they have been since the death of the King your Husband The Kingdom is in a peaceful State without the assistance of such an Alliance The time of your Administration will shortly Expire What a comfort will it be to you to deliver up to the King your Son France in a better Condition than you
found it without doing any thing against your Conscience or the welfare of Religion These studied Discourses made no great impressions on the Queen She coldly answered the Nuncio that all her Council except the Marschal de Bovillon were good Catholicks and that they were the best Judges what made for the Interest of the Kingdom and of Religion Besides added her Majesty I do nothing upon this occasion but what certain Princes of Italy have done as well as I and that before the Pope's Eyes The Dutches of Tuscany with all her Devotion did she refuse to allow of any Discourse concerning the Marriage of her Daughter with the late Prince of Wales The Emperor Matthias goes to Ratisbonne to the Diet. Of all the Protestants the United Princes in Germany were those which flattered themselves with deriving great Advantages from the Alliance of the Elector Palatine with the Crown of England They hoped that King James would Support their League of which Frederick his Son-in Law was the Chief Since the Dispute that arose concerning the Succession of Cleves and Juliers the Animosite which the Catholicks and Protestants bore towards one another in Germany was inflamed The Two Parties got all the Strength they could and made Attempts upon each other The weakness of Rodolphus contributed much to this unhappiness Matthias his Brother and Successor tryed to Cure it in the begining of his Reign But he had neither Power nor Wisdom necessary to reconcile so different Interests or to Command equal Respect from Princes that were sowr'd one against the other with mutual Discontents Possibly the Emperor had no very ill intentions with respect to the Protestants at least he seemed to imitate the moderation of Maximilian his Father But not having so much Sense and Resolution he was ensnared with the Contrivances of the Court of Rome the Catholick Party The Progress the Turks made a little while ago in Hungary seemed to threaten Matthias with a War near Home This obliged him to keep even with both Sides because he equally needed their assistance against a formidable Enemy The Protestants endeavoured to make their use of this opportunity to better their Condition and to secure the repose of their Churches The Catholicks and Protestants complain of each other Matthias had promised at his Coronatiion to call a Diet to consult about means to secure the Peace and Tranquility of the Empire and to remedy those Disorders of which several parts of it had complained a long time It was appointed to meet at Ratisbonne The Emperor and the Three Ecclesiastical Electors came thither But the other Electors only sent their Deputies Lewis Landgrave of Hesse declared at large the Reasons the Emperor had to convene the Diet. Mercure Francois 1613. Five were with relation to the particular Government of the Empire and the Sixth related to the Attempts of the Turks upon Hungary His Imperial Majesty thinking it necessary vigorously to oppose them desired that they would grant him certain Contributions for that purpose but before they would enter upon the Consideration of what the Emperor proposed the United Protestant Princes who were then called Correspondans presented several Grieveances of which they had before complain'd under the preceding Reign without obtaining any Redress 'T would be to no purpose to give an account of them here The Emperor in vain endeavoured to Elude the Demands of the Correspondans and to defer till another time the Examination of that Affair they stood to it that his Imperial Majesty ought first to Redress their Greivances The Catholick Princes being convinc'd of the Justice of the pretensions of their Adversaries were of Opinion without having any regard to the Complaints of the United Protestants that they should immediately proceed to deliberate upon the Articles proposed by the Emperor The Consideration of some particular Persons less in Number said they ought to be preferred before the necessity of the publick Welfare which was very pressing Being sure to have the plurality of Voices on their Side these Gentlemen had a mind that what ever they Ordered should be lookt upon as a Resolution of the Diet There could be nothing more contrary to the Repose and Tranquility of the Empire in the present posture of Affairs At this Rate they would presently have Ruined all the Protestants in Germany The Catholicks did likewise maliciously insinuate to the Empire that the Protestants had ill Designs under-hand and that there was Reason to fear they would at last Contest the Lawful Authority of his Majesty Within a little while after they presented a long account of the Complaints which the Catholicks had to make against the Protestants They accused them of diverse Infractions of the Treaty of Pacification that was made some time past at Passau and of diverse Attempts contrary to the Constitutions of the Empire The Catholicks Demanded Justice in their turn of his Imperial Majesty These Gentlemen have been a long time us'd to cry out of Injustice and Persecution against those very Men which they Tormented and Opprest Not to suffer them to Tyranize is to Persecute them So that the Pope grants Jubilees and Indulgences with a liberal Hand to obtain the Deliverance of those of his Religion as if they were unjustly Opprest althô at the same time they live in perfect Tranquility This we see done every day The bad Success of the Diet at Ratisbonne Not being able to Reconcile Spirits which were more and more sowr'd against one another the Emperor endeavoured to avoid the Examination of the Complaints which were made of either Side He proposed to defer it to another time Nevertheless he demanded Assistance for the Security of Hungary where Bethlem Gabor the New Prince of Transilvania Supported by the Turks had made himself dreadful The Protestants answered that they did not doubt but the Emperor was well affected to them and that they were ready to Contribute both Men and Money for the Defence of his Majesties Hereditary Countrys But that they could not forbear to desire his Imperial Majesty in the first Place to restablish the Peace and Tranquility of the Empire and take Care of redressing the Greivances which they had presented to him The Arch-Duke Maximilian the Emperor's Brother a Prince of a sweet and moderate Temper was then at Ratisbonne Matthias desired him to Treat with the Protestants hoping he was able to bring them over but althô they profest a great Respect for the Arch-Duke yet he could obtain nothing of them With a design to make the Emperor more favourable the Catholicks shewed themselves Liberal and well Inclined They promised to furnish him for Two years with their Antient Contributions to carry on a War against the Turks the Protestants oppos'd this Deliberation being resolv'd not to suffer that the Resolutions taken by the Catholicks should be lookt upon as the Decrees of the whole Diet of the Empire Thus the Diet of Ratisbonne broke up instead of remedying the disorders of
There seem d to be a good understanding at first between the Two Professors But it did not last long Whether 't was that Polyander was Jealous of the Reputation of Episcopius a Man of uncommon Learning of a clean subtle and penetrating Head whither he was urg'd by an honest Zeal and Love of the Truth to prevent the Mischiefs which the Free Opinions of Episcopius's concerning Important Points 〈◊〉 Grace and Predestination might do in the University of Leyden There arose an open War between the Two Professors Polyander had a very strong Party The liberty with which his Adversary discours'd concerning the Nature and Attributes of God the Trinity and the Incarnation did the Remonstrants a very great Injury since they were headed by Episcopius and Vytenbogard The Conference of Delft between the Remonstrants and the Contra-Remonstrants The latter kept himself more within Bounds and stuck closer to the Belief of the Ancient Church Count William Lewis of Nassau Governor of Frizeland being at that time in the Hague and contriving means to Calm these Contests about Religion which were like to be of ill Consequence to the Church and Common Wealth brought Vytenbogard and Festus Hommius a Professor of Leyden and one of the moderatest of the Contra-Remonstrants to a Conference The Count first of all asking them if they could think of an Expedient and to restore peace to the Churches of the Vnited Provinces Hommius answered that 't would not be hard to re-unite the differing Parties if till such time as there should be a general Synod the Remonstrants would declare positively that setting aside their Five Articles they sincerely received the Confession of the Faith of the Belgick Churches As for me saith Uytenbogard I have no other-private Sentiments of my own I am ready to Declare it when you please And I don't doubt but the Wiser part of the Remonstrants will do the same This Declaration occasioned another Conference in the City of Delft in the beginning of the Year 1613. between certain Select Persons on each Side The States of Holland thought it convenient that there should be but Three Divines of a Side when they came to Discourse concerning means of healing their Divisions The Remonstrants propos'd the way of Toleration and desired that their Adversaries should declare whether the Doctrine of the Five Articles were Tolerable or not The Contra-Remonstrants were for a Convocation of a National Synod which should definitively pronounce concerning the Five disputed Articles As for a Toleration added they you demand it in too general Terms Tell us plainly if the Five Articles are the only Points in which you differ from the Confession of Faith commonly receiv'd among us Explain your Thoughts concerning the Satisfaction of Jesus Christ of Original Sin and certain other Important Points We have taken out of the Books of Arminius Vorstius and some other Remonstrants several Tenets that are contrary to the Coufession of Faith in other Essential Points as well as those of the Five Articles Let us see you Reject these Tenets which are evidently Bad. The Remonstrants answered that Councils had often done more harm than good that a Convocation of a National Synod did not look like a good Expedient to end the Quarrel and that the Province of Holland did not think themselves obliged to submit themselves to the Judgment of the other Provinces in matters of Religion Grotius Apologeticus eorum qui Hollandiae praefuerunt Cap. IV. As for the Declaration which you require of us concerning the other Artiticles of the Confession of Faith said the Remonstrants We will deliberate of that Proposal with our Brethren 'T is likely we may grant your desires provided you will Sign that the Doctrine of the Five Articles is not contrary to the Fundamentals of Christianity And thus the Conference of Delft was attended with no better Success than the preceding ones They broke up without coming to any Resolution Vytenbogard one of the Deputies for the Remonstrants and Festus Hommius for the other Side went immediately for the Hague to inform the States of the Province of what had past at Delft In good truth these Divines and Professors are a strange sort of Men. Instead of bringing things to a happy Conclusion they are good for nothing but to perplex them more when they are left to their Prejudices and Passions What hindred them from giving Peace to their Churches and Country which their Disputes expos'd to remediless Peril only a ponctilio of Honour The Remonstrants did not care to humour their Adversaries so far as to explain themselves upon certain Articles and I know not what Tenets of Arminius and Vorstius As for the Contra-Remonstrants they were afraid of giving ground of Triumph to the others by letting them obtain a Connivance in favour of the Five Articles For what reason should they both refuse to make an advance which appear'd so reasonable With a little Charity and Condescention they might have prevented all those Miseries which ensued For my part I cannot approve of the obstinacy of the Remonstrants on this occasion If they spoke sincerely why did not they stop the Mouths of their Adversaries by a clear and distinct Explication of their Faith It cannot be denied but that the Writings of Vorstius and some others of that Party give just ground of Suspicion both to their Adversaries and to wise and disinterested Persons In the mean time Vytenbogard had the skill and Reputation to insinuate a good Opinion into the States of Holland of the Conduct of the Remonstrants in the Conference of Delft He excus'd their backwardness by representing to them that the Contra-Remonstrants had a mind to have the same Power as the Inquisitors of Spain It is Lawful said he to prosecute Men when one has sufficient Proof to Convict them But to oblige those whom they think fit to suspect to accuse themselves is a Tyrranical Maxim of the Tribunal of the Inquisition If we Teach any Heretick Doctrines our Adversaries have the Liberty to Convict us But if they have no Proofs against us why should they spread abroad suspitions of Persons whose Doctrines are Irreproveable This come-off was specious but had nothing in it at the Bottom We ought not to think much to give a reason of our Faith when Charity and the Edification of our Neighbour and the Conservation of Peace demand it Certainly there was something in the Conduct of the Remonstrants which wanted Fairness and Sincerity Vytenbogard and those of his Party James K. of England is loss prejudised against the Arminians Preface des Actes du Synode de Dordrecht Uytenbogard Hist Ecclesiastique Part. IV. 16113. Brand Hist de la Reformation did not take so much Pains to obtain the Favour of the States of Holland but that they did endeavour also to Efface the ill Impressions which his Brittish Majesty had received of their Doctrines and their Persons It was of high Concernment to the Remonstrants to withdraw from
a Sum of Money in requital Rohan whose great Design was to be Head of those of his own Religion whom he was willing to Defend and to maintain the Reputation which he had gotten by his Zeal and Probity in Poitou in Guienne and Languedoc where he had very well Supported the Interest of the Reformed Party against the Connestable Governor of the Province Rohan I say was not concerned to keep his Post near the King A Sum of Money was very welcome to him in the present posture of Affairs Bassompierre is made Collonel General of the Swisses in the Room of the Duke of Rohan The business was to get a Man devoted to the Queen and agreeable to the Swisses She proposed Bassompierre in the Council But Villeroy who favour'd the Duke of Longueville whose Family he was a great Friend to told her Majesty that the Place of Colonel General of the Swisses had always been fill'd by a Prince and that the late King promised to give it to no Person but one of that Rank when he renew'd his Ancient Alliance with the Thirteen Cantons The Duke of Rohan said Villeroy was afterwards chosen as a Prince of the Blood of Navarre and Scotland Several of the Ancestors of the Duke of Longueville have Commanded the Swisses The offering him this Post of his Forefathers will be a likely way to draw him off from the Party of the Male-contents Mary did not approve of trusting a young Lord who declared against her and who had often quarrelled with the Mareschal d' Ancre about the Execution of their Offices Longueville was Governor of Picardy and Conchini of the City and Castle of Amiens Because Bassompierre was excluded by the Treaty with the Swisses Mary de Medicis proposed the Chevalier du Guise who unhappily died a little after Villeroy interposed a Second time by saying that this would open the mouths of the Male-contents more than ever who complained of the too high preferments of the House of Guise 'T was happy for Bassompierre that they did not come to a resolution then After he understood from the Queen her self that he was excluded from the Office of Collonel General of the Swisses because he was not one of the Princes he used all his endeavours to take away this obstacle One of the Montmorenci's having had this Employ with the consent of the Helvetick Nation Galatis a Friend of Bassompierre's undertook after all to obtain for him the consent of the Cantons He acquainted the Queen with this who gave him Three Weeks to try what might be done Galatis went directly to Switzerland where he obtained leave to raise Six thousand Men and the Consent of the Thirteen Cantons in favour of Bassompierre And thus this Lorain Gentleman became a Collonel General of the Swisses The sooner to bring this advantageous business to an Issue he paid out of his own Estate the Money promised to the Duke of Rohan But her Majesty afterwards re-embursed him Bassompierre was afraid that if the Duke of Rohan was not paid presently he might have some contrivance to prevent him from an Employ that was likely to be a Step to higher preferment The Conduct of the Reformed in France in the Affair of the prince of Conde The better to Engage the Prince of Conde and his Party to Rise against the Government the Mareschal de Bovillon flattered them with hopes that the Reformed Churches would declare for them He had taken care to discover this Project to the most intimate Friends of the Duke of Rohan Memoires of the Duke of Rohan whether it were that the cunning Mareschal had a mind to make the Prince believe that Rohan would readily join him or whether he had a mind to raise yet greater suspicions in the Court against a Person whom he had a mind to Ruine and make himself more necessary to the Regent Conde seem'd so well persuaded of the favourable Inclinations of the Huguenot Party that he wrote to the Deputy Generals of the Reformed Churches to let them know the Obligations he had laid upon them in not forgetting the Interests of the Protestants in the Manifesto which he had Addressed to the Queen But the Wise du Plessis-Mornai had the precaution to prevent the Deputy Generals from interesting themselves in this Affair and to prescribe to them the Conduct which they were to observe in this Conjuncture After having reflected upon the Steps of the Prince and the measures which he had taken with the Male-contented Lords du Plessis said very aptly that they which Halt at the Threshold are not like to go far And when he had read the Prince of Conde's Letter to the Queen he said Judiciously to the Ambassador of the States General of the Vnited-Provinces to the Queen that he could not imagine what was the Principle of that Charity which the Prince of Conde and his Party pretended to the Reformed Churches These Gentlemen added he are no less at the Devotion of the Pope than the Queen her self of whom they Complain Thâ—… Court of Rome will interpose to reconcile them and his Emissaries will not fail to make us more odious if we imprudently Side with those who hate us in reality and sollicite us only with hopes thereby to obtain better Terms for themselves The wisdom of du Plessis Mornai Villarnoux came to visit du Plessis his Father-in-Law upon the first report of the Rising of the Prince of Conde He sent him immediately back to Paris with Orders to admonish the Deputy-Generals that they should take Care not to draw the Reproach upon themselves of Rising upon any other account but the obtaining of the liberty of their Conscience That would be to wrong their good Cause to mix with it Interests purely Civil and that those of the Religion as they were Reformed Christians ought not to meddle with the Reformation of the State Altho' added he we should think it our Duty to joyn witih them as French-men who desire it of us the Opportunity is not Inviting the design of the Prince according to all appearance will not succeed His Retreat will be look'd upon as an effect of his Discontent or as a desire to Embroil the State The Queen will easily break all their Measures by promising to assemble the States of the Kingdom and to defer the Marriage of the King To what purpose do they think to meet together in a Corner of France Those People which the King can Attack without making any great diversion of his Forces will not continue long before they are reduc'd to beg his Mercy The Event justified this right Guess of this able Old Man Conde could not have drawn himself out of the Intrigue so safely if the Mareschal de Ancre had not apprehended that the Duke de Guise would have been too powerful if he should have had the Command of the Royal Army When the Mareschal de Bovillon had joined the Prince of Conde in Champagne The
abuses a Religion the principles of which reduce him to the simple Quality of a preacher of the Gospel and an Overseer of a particular Church The Methods used by the Court of F. to content the Pope The Regent of France and her Ministers were pleased with the Marquiss of Trenel for having engaged the Pope to take the way of Negociation for his obtaining Satisfaction concerning the Decree of the Parlement of which he so bitterly complain'd Siri Memo recondite Tom. III. p. 269. 270. c. 'T was not that the Court of France were afraid of the Menaces of the good Man His Quarrel with the Republick of Venice had taught the World that though his anger might make him take a violent Resolution yet he soon repented of it and became more mild when when he was steadily Opposed No one could imagine that a Man of his Age and Experience would have ever been so Imprudent as to break with France This Step would have done the Pope and the Roman Religion more mischief than it would those whom he threatned with his Thunders and Anathemas This would have been matter of Triumph to the Protestants They would have certainly have yet more insulted over the arrogance of Paul V. on whom they had already bestowed many sharp and ingenious Raileries He would thus have expos'd himself to the Indignation of all Wise and Judicious Catholicks who would have highly blamed him for an Effort so contrary to good Sense and the true Interests of those of their Communion The Court of France resolved therefore not to meddle with the Decree of Parlement They had good reason to disgrace Suarez his Book And at this Juncture 't was not convenient to put the Chief Magistrates of the Kingdom out of humour They applied themselves only to find means to content the Pope and to quit themselves of this Affair with Honour When Vbaldini the Nuncio presented the Brief which the Pope had written with his own hand to the Queen she answered him very handsomely Her Majesty intimated that she should be very glad that the Nuntio should agree with the French Cardinals upon an Expedient which might please his Holiness The Jesuits bestir themselves at Rome for to have the Decree of tae Parlement burnt there The Jesuits at Rome were more inraged against the Decree of the Pralement than the Pope and his Ministers If we will believe their Founder that Society is to do every thing for the great Glory of God But did not he secretly Inspire this Principle into his Disciples that the Honour of their Society ought to be dearer to them than the Glory of God and the welfare of his Church This hath been the Temper of the Jesuits ever since they have been taken notice of in the World They don't care what Scandals and Divisions they cause in the Church of Rome so that that they can preserve and increase the pretended honour of their Society This they have plainly enough discovered in the business which I am speaking of If Paul V. had been carried away with the first motions of his Anger he might have lost France as Clement VII did England The Jesuits were not concerned to prevent the Pope from exposing himself to the same Inconvenience They used their utmost endeavours that the Holy Office might avenge the honour of Suarez by Condemning the Decree of the Parlement of Paris as Heretical and ordering it to be burnt by the hand of the Common Hangman in the Field of Flore To stop this impetuous Zeal the Marquiss of Trenel was forced to admonish them that they run the risque of being a Second time driven out of France The Court injoined also the chief Jesuits at Paris to write to Rome and to declare to their inraged Brethren that if the Pope took any violent Resolution her Majesty would impute it to the Suggestions of that Society and that she knew how to punish them sufficiently The Declaration of the K. in his Council upon the Decree of Parlement One of the first things the young King did who was become of Age the end of the Month September was to give the Pope Satisfaction His Majesty having had the Decree of Parlement read to him in full Council Ordered an Act to be drawn up in which after having expressed his Zeal for the Honour of the Apostolick See and the desire he had of satisfying the Pope Lewis XIII declar'd that his Intention in Executing of the Decree Siri Memo. Recondite Tom. III. p. 303. is not to do any prejudice to the Pope's lawful Authority nor to the priviledges of the See which his Predecessors had always acknowledged When the Declaration was read to the Nuncio Vbaldini he thought fit to object against that part which supposed that the Temporal Power of Kings is Supreme and Independent This was in the Opinion of the Italian Minister very unreasonably to reject the pretensions of the Court of Rome who would have that Crowned Heads should at least be subject to the Authority of the Pope in some particular Cases but they did not much concern themselves about the long reasonings of the Nuncio The Pope is not content with the Ks. Declaration His Master was no better pleas'd than he with the Declaration of the King Paul V. said plainly that that would not remedy the Disgrace which they had thrown upon the propositions of Suarez with relation to the Authority which Jesus Christ had given to St. Peter and his Successors Siri Memo. Recondite Tom. III. p. 298 299. c. This Author said the Pope like a Divine well vers'd in the Holy Scriptures and the Ecclesiastical Antiquity had good reason to maintain that I have Power to Excommunicate Heretick Princes and even to Depose them when they continue obstinate in their ill Opinions and endeavour to eompel their Subjects to embrace them If Jesus Christ had not given this Power to St. Peter and and his Successors they would have wanted a Power requisite for the preservation of his Church God forbid that I should be guilty of a base prevarication by ceasing to defend the Right of the Chair of St. Peter to which God hath advanced me Thus the Popes are pleas'd to form a Plan suitable to their Ambition according to which Jesus Christ in their Opinion ought to Govern the Church Who told them that the Saviour of the World would not have Established a good Order in his Religion if he had not followed the fine System they give us Should God have called them to his Councils The Ancient Popes who Deposed neither Constantius nor Valens nor Julian the Apostate were then either downright Fools or base Prevaricators Is it credible that they did not know the Power which Jesus Christ had given them for the welfare of his Church And if they did know it why did they not imploy it against those Emperors who endeavoured to re establish Idolatry or to force their Subjects to
was extremly troubled when he understood that their Majesty's were at Orleans and that the Troops were on their March Uncertain which way to take he sometimes made a shew of going to the Duke de Rohan at St. Jean d' Angeli But what Assistance could he expect from the Huguenots They were never disposed to stir in the favour of a wavering Prince that was imprudent in all his Steps I don't see says du Plessis Mornai of what advantage the Prince's Journey to St. Jean d' Angeli will be to him If he goes there with a few Men he will be despised if with a great many it will be troublesome to Mr. de Rohan to Entertain them can one imagine that the People of St. Jean d' Angeli will Expose themselves to the danger of having all the King's Forces upon their backs by giving Reception to a Prince who has no Inclination for a Religion which his Ancestors have Defended and is not capable of doing any great Service to our Churches Conde was very sensible he would never have Reputation enough to draw after him the Huguenot Party as long as du Plessis Mornai persisted to perswade the Reformed from having any hand in their Commotions The Prince wrote therefore to du Plessis to ask Advice of him But his real Design was to make the Reformed afraid of their Majesties March This Journey said he in his Letter was not undertaken but for one of these Three Reasons Is there not a Design to take away from those of your Religion that which the late King hath granted them Some think that they are going to receive the Infanta and to accomplish the King's Marriage For my own part I believe they come to Ruine me here Pray tell me added Conde what is in your Opinion best for me to do in this Juncture Du Plessis easily perceived that under a pretence of asking Advice he solicited him to appear for him He answered the Prince that the King's Journey did not at all allarm the Reformed Churches We are perswaded said he that the Queen is very sensible she would put the whole Kingdom into a Flame if she should suffer those of our Religion to be injured I confess some People have given it out that the Queen is going to Receive the Infanta But should a Prince take his Measures from common Rumour Are there any Vessels ready in the Ports of Spain Are there any Gallys fitted out at Barcelona The Infanta can't come any other way than by Sea The Spaniards are too Proud Don't think they 'l ever send their King's Eldest Daughter to us Incognito She will never come away before the Court of Madrid is sure that she will be received as Queen before ever she sets Foot in France I doubt not but her Majesty is either coming into Bretagne against Mr. de Vendome who has not consented to the Treaty of St. Menehoud or at lest to Poitiers Her presence seems absolutely necessary there For this reason your Highness can't do better than make an handsome Retreat from Poitiers It concerns your Hignesse's Reputation not to stay till you are forced to it The Duke of Maienne was at that time at Chateleraut He went there with the Consent of the Court and urged Conde forthwith to Submit to her Majesty The Prince had no other Course to take From this last foolish Design he got nothing but the shame of being forced to hide himself in Chateauroux in Berri He did not dare to Return to his New Government of Amboise Those which Commanded for him in that Place of Security which he had so earnestly desired had so little Respect for him that they Presented the Keys to the New Queen when she came there a little while after Her Majesty seemed to despise the vain Efforts of the Prince in letting him have a Place which she could recover at pleasure without any Resistance The Remonstrances of du Plessis Mornai to the Queen Regent The Regent used her endeavours to take away the Suspicions which the Prince of Conde and his Emissaries had â—…nspired the Reformed Churches with concerning their Majesty's Journey As â—…oon as the Court was arrived at Orleans Mary de Medicis dispatch'd a Gentleman â—…o Saumur with Credential Letters Vie de M. du Plessis Mornai Liv. III. He was to assure du Plessis that the King's Army should not Advance into those â—…rovinces which lie on the other side of â—…he River Loire Lettres memoires du Meme 1614. That the Queen had no â—â—oughts of Concluding the double Marriage with Spain before the Meeting of the States of the Kingdom and that they only designed to Reduce the Duke of Vendome who every day raised new difficulties against the Treaty of St. Menehoud although the Marquiss de Coeuvres had already made two Journeys into Bretagne to persuade him to comply The Court moved from Orleans to Tours Her Majesty invited du Plessis to come thither They gave it out the King and Queen his Mother would not pass by Saumur in their Journy to Bretagne They don't care said some to be at the discretion of the most Zealous Hugonot in France These Discourses troubled du Plessis He resolved to complain of them to the Queen Madam said this Genâ—…leman whose Virtue exceeded even that of Cato and Aristides I don't give any credit to what I hear But if it should be proposed in your Majesties Council that the King's Person would not be safe at Saumur I should look upon it as the greatest Injury that could be done me The Government of Saumur was committed to me as a Reward of the Treaty which I had managed between the late King and hiâ—… Predecessor That Negotiation which 〈◊〉 brought to a happy Conclusion made way for the late King to sit upon the Throne oâ—… his Ancestors God forbid that that Placâ—… which he entrusted me with should ever bâ—… suspected by the King his Son This generosity pleased the Queen She lookeâ—… upon it as a handsome Invitation to go to Saumur Du Plessis had several private Audiences of Mary de Medicis during her stay at Tours Her Majesty discoursed very freely to him concerning the present Condition of the Affairs of the Kingdom He on his Side undertook frequently to inculcate upon the Regent the necessity of avoiding a Civil War Nothing said he does more weaken the Authority of a Prince I have heard it several times said to the late King That he never was really King till the end of the Civil Wars Whatsoever they may say to your Majesty against those of our Religion believe Madam that you have no such faithful Subjects as those who obey from a Principle of Conscience We have at least this Advantage above our Adversarys that we acknowledge no power under God Superiour to his Majesty The fundamental Maxims of our Religion will not allow us to hold any Commerce with Foreigners who would Encroach upon the Kingdom or the King's Authority Suffer me
was afterwards Confirmed in all its Articles in the Orders and Acts which were made and lastly in every thing that was since agreed to either in the Interpretation of it or in its Execution which they would as 't was said inviolably keep and observe After having forbid his Subjects to enter into any Leagues contrary to the Well-being of the State with foreign Princes and to receive any secret Pensions from 'em the King confirm'd his Father's Edicts against Duels and the Ordinances of his Predecessors against Swearing and Blasphemy I should not refuse to give so pious and just a Declaration in all appearance its just Praises if the Son of him who made it had not declared Solemnly that neither his Father or his Grandfather had ever any Intention to continue such an Edict which they had promised so many times to maintain as a Perpetual and Irrevocable Law How then Were these Two Kings who had the magnificent Sirnames conferred upon them of Great and Just by the Confession of their Son Men without Conscience and Probity Will Posterity ever believe a thing of this Nature As for my self I shall always preserve a better Opinion of Henry IV. and Lewis XIII I can't be persuaded that they were so bad as Lewis XIV represents them to us The K. takes his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris The next Morning being the Second day of October the King went to take his Seat of Justice in the Parlement at Paris as he was going and in his Seat he was accompanied with all imaginable Pomp and Splendour Mary de Medicis made a short Discourse there Mercure Francois 1614. in which her Majesty declared That she put the Administration of Affairs into her Son's hands who for some days had been in his Majority Lewis greatly thank't his Mother and ended in declaring that he was willing that his Mother should always continue to take Care of him and Govern the State and this is what the good Princess had discreetly brought about with a great deal of diligence She preserved her Authority without making her self Responsible for what should be done hereafter Too happy If the Favourite who began already to insinuate himself into the young King had not banisht her from the Court and the Chief Minister of State whom shâ—… her self had Establisht in the place of the deceased Favourite had not drove her away out of the Kingdom Sileri Chancellour and Verdun Chief President made Speeches upon the Majority of the Kings of France Servin the Advocate General 's Discourse was more remarkable for the prudent and Religious Remonstrances he made to the young King There 's only this one thing I have to find fault with that so grave a Magistrate was himself ensnared with this base flattery which was introduc'd then into the Parlement and is since establisht there so shamefully Servin heap'd up upon Mary de Medicis excessive Praises for her Administration of the Government Amongst the good Counsels he gave Lewis with a Christian and French liberty ought he to have inserted that he should behave himself as his Mother should Advise who rather aimed at the maintaining of her Authority and the Advancement of her Creatures and Favourites than at the Instruction of her Son in Religion and Virtue and the making of his People happy and satisfied in her Administration of the Government The Ceremony ended with reading and registring a Declaration despatcht the day before Searching as carefully as 't was possible for me what regarded the History of Lewis XIII in his Minority I oftentimes wondered to find so little matter touching the young King's Education His Father had made Gilles de Souvrè his Governor But it seems that upon this occasion Henry IV. less thought of choosing a Gentleman who had the Qualities which this important Employment required than of Recompensing the faithfulness of an old Servant I can find out that Souvrè bestirr'd himself to settle his Family and procure his Son the Marquiss of Courtenvaux a considerable Office But I could never learn what he did to give Lewis a Royal Education Souvrè's Family which this Prince hath made Illustrious did not continue long after his death The Heiress carried all the Means away into another Person 's House who was a Minister of State and whose Father of an obscure Birth was advanc'd to the chief Dignity of the long Robe Memoires de la Regence de Maried Medicis Melanges d'Histoire de Litte-rature par Vigneul-Marville Vanquelin des Ivetaux was the King's first Tutour A Person of Quality whose Memoires we have saith that Vanquelin was a Man of great Merit and very capable to Instruct a Prince But the Character which a Modern Author gives us of the exâ—â—vagant and romantick Amours and of the Epicurean Life and Death of this Man is a certain proof that Henry IV. did not well distinguish Men of Worth The Cardinal Perron used many Intrigues to get his Brother into the place of being his Tutour He offered himself to take the care and directions of the Dauphin's Studies Yet Henry IV. of his own Inclination chose Vanquelin He did not long continue in the Employment The envy and jealousie of some caused him to be removed from it in a years time after the death of Henry IV. Nicholas le Fevre succeeded him This was a Person noted for his Knowledge and Piety The late King had sent him to the Prince of Conde who was willing to Recompense le Fevre in being a means to procure Vanquelin's place in which he behaved himself with much approbation Le Fevre died the year after and Fleurance Rivant an able Mathematician as 't is said rose from the Office of being Sub-Tutour to be Tutour in Chief A Youth who passeth through so many different hands doth not usually become a Man of Abilities Bernard Historie de Louis XIII Liv. 1. Lewis XIII learnt very little Latin Falconry and the exercise of Hunting pleased him more than Study he lookt very well after Hawks and became in Hunting the greatest Rider in his Kingdom His Majesty saith an Historian called to his Dogs in Perfection Had it not been much more to the purpose to have taught him how to speak to Men 'T was likewise observed that Lewis was no bad Gunner and that he very well understood Fortification These Qualifications which might be of some use to a younger Brother of the Nobility who is to seek and make out his own Fortune are not in any wise fit for a King if you except from hence understanding and knowledge in Fortifications He may for his diversion Hunt and flie his Hawks but he ought to Employ his time in something that 's better than to be expert in Falcons and Hounds I should have nothing to say against Lewis's having some knowledge in Artillery which is necessary for a King who ought to make himself capable of Commanding his Armies when the publick-good requires it But is not this ridiculous that he is suffer'd to burden his Memory with the names and use of the smallest things in Artillery They ought to have been constantly instilling into his Head Precepts useful and important to one who intends to Govern well In a Pack of Hounds he could call every one of them by their Names But t is a business more worthy of a Prince to learn the knowledge of Men to distinguish from others those who are more capable of Places of greatest Dignitiy in the State and to Reward those who are of good Use and Service to the Publick Lewis XIII had always good Inclinations and Principles in him of Virtue and Equity Courtiers dared not speak any thing of obscenity or Swear in his Presence He feared God loved Justice and was willing to do good to his People If Souvrè and others had been diligent to Instruct and Cultivate what God had given him of Judgement and Integrity they might have done considerable Service to their Prince and Country Lewis then might not have been in the unhappy necessity of leaving all to a Favourite or Minister of State who did not think of any thing but the better Establishment of their Credit and Fortunes in raising to day a Civil War and to morrow a Foreign one The End of the First Tome Books Printed for and Sold by T. Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultry ANnotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Pool in Two Volumes Folio The Works of the Reverend and Learned Divine Stephen Charnock B. D. in Two Volumes in Folio Historical Collections by John Rushworth Esq the Third Part in Two Volumes in Folio Sermons Preached on several occasions by John Conant D. D. in Three Volumes in Octavo A Discourse against customary Swearing by the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq Geography Anatomized or the Compleat Geographical Grammar being a short and exact Analysis of the whole Body of Modern Geography after a new and curious Method by Patrick Gordon M. A. and Fellow of the Royal Society The private Christian's Witness for Christianity in Octavo A Preservative against Deism by N. Taylor in Octavo Memoirs of the Countess of Dunois Author of the Ladies Travels into Spain written by her self before her Retirement in Octavo Essays on several Projects in Octavo A Practical Discourse of God's Sovereignty with other material Points deriving thence by Elisha Cole in Octavo English Exercise for School-Boys to Translate into Latin by J. Garretson in Duodecimo An Exposition on the Assemblies Catechism by J. Flavel Tales of the Fairies by the Author of the Ladies Travels into Spain in Duodecimo The Reasonableness of a Personal Reformation by John Flavel History of England by James Tyrril Esq in the Press and will shortly be Published in Folio Geography Rectified by Robert Modern in Quarto Devotions for every Day in the Week by Dr. Dumoulin
punished him severely he would have made him left out what was of ill tendency in the Book Since the death of Henry IV. many French Authors have published several satyrical Libels against the Holy See and the Person of the Pope They have endeavoured to Ruine his Authority at that time when he employed it for the Interest of the King and for the Prosperity of France The Bishop of Folìgni charged the Ambassador to inform the Regent that the Pope complained of the violent Proceedings of the Parlement and to desire her Majesty to get the Decree revok'd The Discourse between the Pope and the F. Ambassador about the Parlements Decree The Marquiss de Trenel having an Audience of the Pope sometime after he represented to his Holiness how impossible it was to obtain what he desired of the Queen who in the present juncture of Affairs could not fall out with the Parlement of Paris Her Majesty said the Ambassador to the Pope will always retain a remembrance of those kindnesses which you have done her but she will be concerned to understand that your Holiness gives protection to a Book the Author of which is so far from incouraging Subjects to Obey their Sovereigns as be is obliged by his Profession to do that he laies down Maxims to stir them up to Rebellion and make an attempt on the Lives of their Princes France still bewails the Bloody death of Henry IV. Her Parlements will never fail to oppose those Authors whose pernicious Doctrine Struck the Knife in the Breast of so good a King The Magistrates will never cease to employ their utmost Care for the preservation of the Person of his Son without being defective in that Respect that they owe to your Holiness and the Apostolick See Accordingly the Parlement of Paris hath taken all possible Care that their Decree might not violate the Lawful Authority of the Successors of St. Peter These Remonstrances did not at all affect a proud and angry Pope If the King of France replied he will not revoke the Decree of Parlement as to those Points which concern the Rights of the Holy See I will follow the light and dictates of my Conscience You must not imagine that the fear of a Rupture will be any restraint upon me in this matter In case Her Majesty refuses to give me the satisfaction that I desire I 'le endeavour to do my self justice and follow the examples of my Predecessors Must I maintain â—…a Nuncio at Paris to be there the Spectator of the outrages that are done me and the Indignity with which they there trample under their Feet the Authority of the Holy See Is it so hard a matter to stop the proceedings of the Parlement I know the Chancellor well enough Maxims of Politicks are more pleasing to him than truths of Religion The Ambassador was not at all dismaied He desired the Pope to reflect upon the reasons which the Parlement had to Condemn Suarez his Book I have heard say added he like a Gentleman that Divinity is a holy Science It is therefore inconsistent with an Opinion which allows the murder of Kings The Parlemenâ—… is indispensably obliged to take care of the preservation of good Divinity in the Kingdom of the Authority and Person of the King They have a Book brought before them which maintains that in some cases a particular Person may attempt with a safe Conscience the Life of his Prince Caâ—… any one desire that the Magistrate should be Silent when Two Kings have been successively murdered by Fanaticks who have imbibeâ—… this damnable Divinity Paul replied that the matter in dispute was not about the killing of declared Tyrants I have forbid my self said he the teaching such Doctrines and I do not know but that I have complied too much in that matter Many approved Authors in the Church are of the Opinion But I complain of the Condemnation of certain passages recited in thâ—â— Decree which speak only of the Prerogativeâ—â— of the Holy See And what were these They were those where Suarez affirms that the Pope may depose Princes when they become Tyrants That which Paul Vâ—â— acknowledges deserves to be remarkâ—… He pretends to be very favourable to Kings in forbidding any to teach that iâ—… was lawful to kill them with a safe Conscience in any Case what ever But with a moderation altogether worthy of the Successor of St. Peter he reserves to himself the Right of Deposing them when ever he should judge that their Government is degenerated into Tyranny Trenel replied very aptly that Princes were not so much obliged to him and that it was his Holiness's own Interest that such a Doctrine should be banished all Christian Communions For says he the Protestants hold that the Popes are Hereticks Tyrants and Antichrist and if the Opinion which allows the attempting the Lives of Tyrants be once Established among Christians It is not impossible but a Fanatick Hugonot may take a fancy to do a brave Action and kill the Pope Paul V. was enraged instead of being pacified He said again with a threatning and angry Air that nothing should hinder him from defending the Rights of the Holy See if the King would not revoke the Decree of Parlement I wish your Holiness replied the Ambassador in a submissive manner would have the goodness to offer some Expedient that you would write to your Nuntio and would send Orders â—…o the Cardinals which are in France to consult with him about some means of accommodation the Queen will agree to any thing that she can do with Honour As for Revoking of the Decree it is not a thing possible to be done at present Trenel's design was only to hold him in play that so the hot and haughty Old Gentleman might have time to grow cool and reflect upon the Consequences of his Threatnings After some farther discourse he took a resolution to write to the Nuncio and to send to the Cardinals de Joieuse du Perron and de la Rochefoucault to enjoin them to confer with the Nuncio about the Satisfaction which his Holiness should Demand in the present posture of affairs in France In reciting these particulars Two things seem equally Surprising to me The arrogance of the pretended Vicar of Jesus Christ who will not endure that Crowned Heads should make use of their Authority to support their Sovereign and Independant Power or to preserve their Lives from Assasins They must humbly desire of the Pope the Condemnation of a Jesnit who allows attempts upon their Lives They must be content with his publishing throughout their Dominions that the Pope hath a Right to examine their Conduct and to Depose them when he thinks they Tyrancically abuse their Power The other thing which does not less amazâ—… me is the mean and low-spirited Superstition of the Princes of the popish Communion What good Reason did he alledge to oblige them blindly to submit to the arrogance and pride of the Bishop of Rome which grosily