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
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
place they desired that Sigismund the King 's eldest Son should be bred in the Protestant Religion because that young Prince began to give some Umbrage Queen Catherine Jagellon his Mother had so strongly tinctured him with the Principles of the Church of Rome that the Senators of the Kingdom having one day threatned him that he should lose the Right of Succession to the Crown if he did not soon renounce the Religion he had imbibed and embrace the Ausburgh Confession I prefer replied he boldly the Kingdom of Heaven to all the Crowns in the World No other Answer could be got from him On some Occasions the States of Sweden had more Complaisance for the King All seem'd dispos'd to receive the new Liturgy and the Accommodations he had invented Charles of Sudermannia the Clergy of his Provinces and some great Lords were the only People who defended the Reformation but the Interest of the Duke and the effectual Remonstrances of the rest brought back several whose Hopes and Fears had abated their Warmth and Zeal The King himself had lost much of that Ardor the Jesuit Possevin had inspired into him Whether he could not accommodate himself to the haughty Humour of Sixtus V. Successor to Gregory XIII or his Doubts were not sufficiently cleared or the great Power of his Brother kept him in awe John humbled the Catholicks who thought themselves now Masters of all things He drove out the Jesuits and demolished their College Gennila Bielke whom the King married after the Death of Catherine Jagellon cooled the Fervour her Husband had before shewed for the Roman Religion Kings often think they do that of their own Heads which a dextrous and insinuating Woman inspires into them John King of Sweden thought he had solid Reasons to doubt of the Truth of the Protestant Religion But his principal Motive though he scarce knew it himself was his great Complaisance for Catherine Jagellon The Queen Gennila might have brought him back to his first Religion in the same manner as the other had seduced him from it Sigismond Prince of Sweden is chosen King of Poland After the Death of Stephen Battori King of Poland Ann Jagellon his Widow and Aunt of Sigismond Prince of Sweden managed the Polish Nobility so well that the greatest part declared for him The contrary Faction chose the Arch-Duke Maximilian Brother to the Emperor Rodolphus But Sigismond's Friends carried it He was received in Poland beat the Arch-Duke and Maximilian being taken Prisoner redeemed his Liberty by renouncing all his Pretensions to the Crown of Poland The Swedes made their Conditions before the Prince left that Kingdom as the Poles made theirs before they received him The Principal thing which the Senate of Sweden stipulated with Sigismond was the preserving the Priviledges and Religion of their Country They added this Clause in the Treaty that if the King of Poland becoming King of Sweden after the Death of his Father should contravene any of the Articles agreed on that then the Swedes should be discharged from the Oath of Allegiance they had taken It is very probable that Sigismond before his departure from Sweden urged the King his Father to pursue his Design of causing his new Liturgy to be received together with the ancient Ceremonies which he had establish'd a little after his coming to the Crown When Princes have begun a Work that makes a great Figure they are loth to quit it and soon resume it when they see the least Prospect of Success Sigismond hoped his late Advancement would make it easie for him to accomplish the Work which his Father had drawn a rough Draught of And the King of Sweden strengthned by the new Alliance of Poland flatter'd himself that Charles of Sudermannia would not dare to oppose him He was deceived in his Conjectures The Churchmen of the Dutchy agreeing perfectly well with the Prince refused to receive his Liturgy This disturbed the King so much who was now at greater variance with his Brother than ever that he thought of recalling Sigismond in earnest The new King himself was tempted to return into his Country He would willingly have done it if the Poles had not briskly opposed it A Foreign Prince is easily dazled with the glittering Title of King of Poland But he soon takes distaste at the false Lustre of a Crown which only appears fair at a distance Those who have left their Hereditary Countries to go into Poland have repented This is the way to hazard the loss of an Effective Sovereignty for a Title which has more Pomp than Reality Sigismond knew by Experience the Truth of this Maxim The King his Father finding so great opposition from the Swedes who were more upon their Guard since the Election of Sigismond had nothing else to have Recourse to but to reconcile himself speedily to the Duke of Sudermannia and admit him to a Share in the Administration of Affairs The Apprehensions of John were something lessened by Charles's losing his Wife She left no Issue behind her and John pretended his Brother promised him never to think of a second Marriage If it were so the Duke in his turn broke his Word He soon after married Christina Daughter of Adolphus Duke of Holstein It is reported Sigismond courted this Lady before he went into Poland But a Sister of King John diverted the Prince her Nephew from the Match He after married Constance of Austria Daughter of Charles and Sister of Ferdinand Arch-Duke of Gratz in Stiria Christina enraged at this Contempt conceived so great a Hatred against Sigismond that after she was married to Charles of Sudermmannia she incessantly urged him to force the Crown of Sweden from Sigismond King John was not well satisfied with this second Marriage of Charles But his ill Humour did not last long He died soon after at Stockholm The Duke of Sudermannia was active as soon as he heard this News He set at liberty the Senators and Clergymen Sigismond King of Poland succeeds in the Kingdom of Sweden whom the late King had confined for opposing his Designs Sigismond very much distrusted his Uncle To prevent his enterprizing any thing to his Prejudice the new King writes that he was making all Preparations to come speedily into his Hereditary Countries In the mean time the Duke of Sudermannia takes the Administration as next of Kin to the King Puffendorf Introduction à Histoire Tom. IV. p. 11. Rhap 1. 2. John left another Son by his second Wife but he was yet a Minor The Senators without prejudice to their Oath taken to Sigismond promised to obey Charles in every thing he should order with their Consent for the Glory of God the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the maintaining the just Rights and Priviledges of the Nation The Duke promised of his Part not to transact any thing of weight without the Advice and Consent of the Senate A Council is thereupon assembled at Vpsal to regulate Matters of
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
declared at the same time that neither his Conscience nor the Love he bore his Country could ever permit him to comply with the Orders left by his Nephew yet notwithstanding his seeming Modesty the Duke wanted only to be further courted in the Matter The Senate was to have almost an equal share with him in the Government and Governors of Towns did exercise a sort of Sovereignty in their Jurisdictions The King had contrived it should be so as a necessary precaution to ballance his Uncle's Authority and to lessen his Power Such a Scheme of Government was not for the Duke's turn He expected that the Senators would abate somewhat of their Rights and Privileges and that more Authority would be allowed him over the Governors of each City Matters were accordingly brought to that pass as he would have it The Duke then as if he had only yielded to the repeated Address of the Senate slides into the Saddle of State and marches to Stokholm Then he was wont to say That the best way of Government at that juncture was to put into execution what the King was indespensably bound to perform himself And are we bound said he to obey such Orders of his that are found to be contrary to his Coronaâ—…ion Oath As soon as the Duke enter'd â—…tokholm he Cashier'd the Governour of â—…he Castle for being a Roman Catholick he â—…lso forbid the Exercise of that Religion within that City he made great Presents to the Senators he granted Pensions to the Bishops and to the Professors of Colleges and won his Clergy's and Citizens Love by his Affable and Courteous ways His Wife Christina was brought to bed at that time and the Child was Christn'd by the Name of Gustavus Adolphus This Ceremony was concluded with a splendid Entertainment which he gave to the Senators and to the chief of the Nobility The Famous Astronomer Ticho Bradhe who then Calculated this young Prince's Nativity pronounced that he should one day wear a Crown This was sufficient to raise his Parents hopes to a high pitch It is usual for Persons that are enter'd upon Difficult and Glorious Designs to entertain such uncertain Prognostications 〈◊〉 undoubted Oracles The Duke of Sudermania thought that the calling together of the States would be a means to Establish his Authority The Confusion in which the King left Matters in Swedeland at his going away was a Specious pretence enough for this Convocation Charlâ—â— together with the Senate writ to the King about it But he made them no Answer This Silence of his was by some Interpreted as an Assent to this Meeting 〈◊〉 the States by others as an unjust Dissent But if so the Prime Officers of State iâ—… Swedeland do pretend that in such a Caâ—â— they are impowr'd by the ancient Lawâ—… and Constitutions of the Kingdom to convene a General Assembly of the States They met accordingly at Suderkopin As soon as the News of it came to the King he charged them not to proceed any further declaring that he would never ratifie such Resolutions that were taken contrary to his Will and Pleasure But no Regard was had to such Prohibitions of the King 's The States maintain'd that their Meeting at this Juncture of time was both Lawful and Necessary for the Welfare of the Kingdom They then came to a Resolution not to allow of any other Religion in Swedeland saving the Protestant Persuasion according to the Ausburg Confession of Faith That the Rites and Worship after the manner of Rome should be every where Abolisht That Priests of that Communion should hasten out of the Kingdom in a Fortnight's time The Duke of Sudermania was declared Regent during the King's Absence With this Limitation that all Affairs should be Administred by him in Concurrence with the Senate Many other Laws were ordain'd for the Preservation of the Liberty and Privileges of the Country and they who would not submit to such Regulations were declared to be evilly affected toward the Welfare of the Land and to be Disturbers of the publick Tranquillity Charles his Regency seemed now to be well Established A Misunderstanding betwixt the Duke of Sudermania and the Senat. so that Sigismond had no other way left him but to endeavour to create Jealousies and Divisions betwixt that Duke and the Senate This took and it was cunningly carried on Charles was the more readily disposed to fall out with the Senat for that he did suspect them with holding a Correspondency with those of the Province of Fineland who still held for the King The Senators on th' other hand complained that he did all things after his own fancy and dealt harshly with such as opposed his Designs in the least Charles alledged that they did wast the Publick Revenue and had fomented Misunderstanding betwixt the King and him with a design as it should seem to ruin both his Majesty and himself that they themselves might thereby become sole Masters He made a shew of laying down the Administration of Affairs that was committed to him but was extreamly surprised when he found not one of the Senate opposed that his seeming Resolution Therefore considering with himself that he had gone too far to retreat in hopes to slip his Neck out of the Collar he again laid hold of the Helm of publick Affairs He Summon'd a General Assembly of the Senates to be held at Arboga There the Senate with many of the Nobility formed a distinct Party in opposition to that of the Dukes many went home again and there were not very many that came to this Parliament held at Arboga The Decrees of the Convocation at Vpsal were here confirmed and whatever was enacted by the late General Diet at Suderkoping Addresses were made to Charles to request him not to Abandon the Government at this juncture with a promise that none should be allowed to have so great a sway as he in the Administration of publick Affairs Yet the Senate refused their Assent to these New Regulations and the Chancellor with some others left the Kingdom upon it Such a favourable Conjuncture as this King Sigismonds unsuccessful Attempt to reduce the D. of Sudermania by force prompted Sigismond to march with a good Army towards Swedeland if he had made more speed he might have disperst the Duke's Party which grew weaker every day but the King's slackness gave him time to gather strength and to seise on many fortified Places and to secure the Fleet. When Sigismond Landed the Elector of Brandenbourg and other Princes of Germany us'd their Endeavour to Reconcile the Nephew and Uncle but their Negotiations proved ineffectual Charles protested that he only sought the Preservation of the Peace of the Privileges and of the Religion of the Country But Sigismond would not trust him He resolved to be the ruine of an Uncle who openly aspired to no less than the Crown These two Princes was each of 'em at the Head of his own Army and there was great likelihood that the
His Discourse ended in earnest Prayers to her Majesty for this speedy prevention of the Mischief which this forward undertaking of the Parlement was making said he against Religion Mary de Medicis gave the Nuncio good words But it was not sufficient to have Circumvented a Woman not so clear-sighted Superstitious to the utmost degree and absolutely depending upon the Pope for the Ministers of State and the principal Men in Parlement were to be brought over The Queen was not in a capacity to do any thing without them upon this occasion The Nuncio sent first his Auditor to the Ministers of State 's Houses There he made a great noise Is it then come to this pass saith this Italian that the Kings Advocates General believe they have right to propose in Parlements Questions which respect the administration of Sacraments Doth this Assembly pretend to be the Sovereign Judges of them If the Edict which it hath set forth did only oblige the Jesuits to follow the Doctrine received in ev'ry Church or at least what the Prelats of the Gallican Church profess to believe the Matter might have been born withal but when a Parlement shall constrain them to conform to what is not taught but in so small a Corporation as Sorbonne the Pope must needs condemn so unsufferarable a procedure Then the Auditor insisted from the Nuncio that the Kings Privy Council might make void the Edict of Parlement or at least Suspend the Execution of it The Nuncio's Railing against the Advocate General Servin Then the Master on his part bawl'd and ask'd if the Sorbonne pretended to make a Schism in the Church by the Adoption of a Doctrine which was contrary to any received in all other Universities If this continue saith he the Pope will be obliged to call a National Council in France in order to have the Sorbonne Doctrine Condemned there as Rash False and Erroneous In the mean time his Holiness shall proceed by way of Ecclesiastical Censure against those Doctors who shall subscribe the Articles which the Parlement proposes to the Jesuits As for Servin added this Italian Minister all the World knows how he is a downright Hugonot and a Pentioner to the King of England His Office ought to be taken from him or he for the future be prohibited to speak any thing that concerns Religion the Pope the Court of Rome and the Immunities of the Church This Man infects the young Lawyers with his evil Sentiments he strives to serve the Hugonot Party by breaking the good intelligence betwixt the Court of France and the Holy Chair and by sowing Jealousie and Distrust betwixt the Pope and the most Christian King The Nuncio maintain'd further that the Clergy of France ought to Excommunicate the Advocate General If Humane respect he added stop the Bishops from doing this the Pope himself shall proceed against a Man who meddles with making of New Articles of Faith and Condemns for Heresie Doctrines conformable to the Truth which the Catholick Church teacheth Paul the 5th could he have dared to undertake the Excommunication of the principal Magistrates of France for having stood up for the Interests of the King and State Would to God this bold Pope had undertaken it One might have seen then how the Gallican Church would have defended this great Article of its Liberties viz. That a Magistrate cannot be Excommunicated for any thing that regards the exercise of his Office I question whether Paul the 5th could have got rid of this Affair as well as of his Interdiction fulminated against the Republick of Venice The Nuncio complain'd chiefly of the Article touching the Seal of Confession as it refers to ill Attempts upon the Persons of Kings and the State he spoke of this as if 't was nothing less than Impiety and Sacrilege This Doctrine said he is against the Security of the Persons of Princes This is Surprizing for the Parlement intended to do the King good Service in Establishing that the Confessor is obliged to Reveal what he knows of ill Attempts upon the Person of the Prince and State Observe here how the Popes Minister argued Should this be received he continued Those who conceive such black Designs will never come to Confession a Priest will be no longer able to disswade his Penitent from the execution of his wicked Enterprize When such sorts of Practices are made known by way of Confession it s permitted to give the Prince or Magistrate notice of them in general Terms without Naming or describing the Persons but to use such a way of dissuasion Discourageth Men from Confession of the Crime they intend and deprives their Confessors of the means to do this good Service for the Publick What Vbaldini said against the Article touching the Popes Superiority over the Council was more Malitious and more capable to affright the Queen Regent The same Arguments said he aloud which the Sorbonne use to establish this Doctrine prove likewise that the States General of the Kingdom are above the King The Hugonots or at least the troublesom Catholicks will be able to appeal to a future Council from the Sentence of Divorce which Clement VIII hath pronounced betwixt the Deceased King and Queen Margaret The Birth of the King is not certain according to these Principles and that Man is in the Right who provides against the Queen's Regency This is that which Servin aims at He 's a declared Enemy to the Queen and her Council This great bustle rais'd through the Nuncio's means was the reason why Mary de Medicis and her Ministers resolved to appease the Italian But the Grandees and Ministers of State could not well agree amongst themselves about the Expedients which ought to be taken The Grandees were for the Queen 's Suspending the Execution of the Parlement's Edict for the calling of this Affair to her Counsel and that the Advocate General should receive a sound Reprimand and be advised never to engage the Queen again to such Difficulties The Ministers of State were not of the Grandees mind They were afraid least this high dealing should provoke the Parlement Prudence required they should handle this Matter much more discreetly in a time of the King's Minority than at any other time T' was found at last more convenient to hinder the Sorbonne with soft words from explaining themselves upon the four Articles and to engage the Parlement it self to Limit the Edict and not to receive any more New Petitions against the Jesuits The Nuncio's tampering with the Members of Parliament to get this Sentence Mitigated Conchini was ordered to speak to the Presidents of Parlement from the Queen and inform them that her Majesty wisht their Edict were Limited The Chancellor Sileri and Villeroy were further employ'd for the obtaining the same from the Magistrates This Resolution did not at all please the Nuncio He sees himself sent back to the Parlement to Limit an Edict by a Negotiation with them which might not be to
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
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
Regency of Mary de Medicis The Tryal and Execution of Ravillac The Condemnation of Mariana's Book and Doctrines The Funeral of Henry IV. The Good and Ill Qualities of that Prince The Regents Council resolve to send Aid to Juliers Edicts revoked to ease the People A Declaration in Favour of the Protestants The Prince of Conde's Return His Arrival at Paris Two Powerful Factions at Court The Prince of Conde Head of the one the Count of Soissons of the other The Mareschal de Bouillon attempts to unite the two Parties The Queen Traverses this Reunion The Rise of Conchini the new Marquess of Ancre The King of Spain's Prospect in renewing the Treaty of the double Marriage Differences between the Emperor Rodolphus and the Arch-Duke Matthias his Brother A Treaty of Peace between the two Brothers Matthias is Elected and Crowned King of Hungary The Discontent of the Protestants of Austria appeased Quarrels about Religion in Bohemia The Pacification of the Troubles in Bohemia The Diet of Prague in 1610. The Emperor gives the Elector of Saxony the Countries of Cleves and Juliers The Siege and taking of Juliers by Maurice Prince of Orange The Meeting at Cologne to determine the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers Reflections on the Coronation Oath The Oath that James I. King of England required of his Popish Subjects occasions a Dispute of the Independance of Sovereigns in Temporal Matters Paul V. forbids the English of his Communion to take the Oaths King James prints an Apology for his Oath without putting his Name to it He declares himself Author of the Apology He Addresses this to all the Princes and States of Christendom Coeffeteau writes against the Apology Cardinal Bellarmine addresses to the Emperor and all the Kings of the Papal Communion his Answer to the King of Englands Apology The Sentence of the Parlement of Paris against Cardinal Bellarmine's Discourse of the Authority of the Pope The King of Spain's Edict against the XI Volume of Cardinal Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals Differences of the Marquess of Ancre with the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Epernon Their Reconciliation a Party made at Court against the Duke of Sully BOOK II. A Quarrel between Bellegarde and Conchini The Count of Soissons falls out with the Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon A Difference of the Count of Soissons with the Prince of Conde his Brother The two Princes Reconciled Another great difference of the Count of Soissons and the Duke of Guise The Duke of Guise is Reconciled to the Count of Soissons The Duke of Sully's Disgrace The first President de Harlay lays down his Place A Cabal to hinder Mr. de Thou from succeeding him La d' Escouman charges the Marquess de Vernueil and the Duke of Epernon with being concerned in the Murther of Henry IV. She is Condemned Reflections on her Sentence The State of the House of Austria in Germany The Ambitious Designs of Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasburgh and Passaw on the Kingdom of Bohemia The Troops of Leopold advance into Bohemia Matthias King of Hungary Marches to the Assistance of Bohemia He is Crowned King of Bohemia A Cabal at the Court of France against the Duke of Epernon The Cardinal of Joyeuse and the Duke of Epernon resolve to leave the Court. The Marquess of Ancre designs to Marry his Son to the Princess of Soissons The Count of Soissons accepts the Proposition The Duke of Epernon's Generosity The Cardinal of Joyeuse's Instructions upon his going to Rome The Regent justifies her self to Paul the V. upon what she did in Favour of the Protetestants Complaints of the Court of France against the Duke of Savoy The Perplexity of the Duke of Savoy upon the Death of Henry IV. The other Princes of Italy not less Embarassed than the Duke of Savoy The Prudent Conduct of the Senate of Venice The ill Designs of the Court of Spain against the Duke of Savoy Divers Treaties to oblige the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy to Disarm in Italy The King of Spain demands the Duke of Savoy to make him Satisfaction by way of Preliminary France lays down her Arms in Dauphine She has some Jealousie of the Spaniards remaining in Arms in Italy The Voyage of Philibert Prince of Savoy into Spain The Form of the Satisfaction which the Prince of Savoy gave the King of Spain for his Father The Reconcilement of the Duke of Savoy to Spain Velasco Constable of Castile and Governor of Milan receives Order to lay down his Arms. Divers Projects of the Duke of Savoy The Duke of Savoy resolves to Attack Geneva and the Country of Vaux The Council of France resolves to protect them At length they force the Duke of Savoy to lay down his Arms. The Civil Meeting of the Protestants of France The Protestants preparation to hold a General Meeting The Mareschal of Bouillon suffers himself to be won by the Court The Meeting of the Reformed is Transferr'd from Chatelleraut to Saumur The Reconciliation of the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Sully The Protestants renew their Oath of Vnion The Duke of Sully's Affair proposed in the Meeting at Saumur The Duke of Sully's Remonstrance to the Assembly A Discourse between the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Duke of Rohan about the Duke of Sully's Affair The Assembly declares for the Duke of Sully The Court undertakes to break up the Meeting at Saumur A Division in the Meeting at Saumur The Wisdom of Du Plessis Mornay on that occasion The Book of Du Plessis Mornay against the Papacy The Book of Du Plessis Mornay is censured by the Faculty of Paris Reflections on this Censure The Troubles of Aix la Chapelle The Meeting of several Protestant Princes of Germany about the Affairs of Cleves and Juliers The Princes of the Protestant League meet at Rottenburgh in Bavaria The Death of the Elector of Saxony The Electoral Diet at Neurembergh The Elector's Requests to the Emperor The Emperor's Answer The Death of the Queen of Spain The Death of the Duke and Dutchess of Mayenne The Dutchess of Lorrain and the Cardinal of Gonzaga come to the Court of France The Count of Soissons discontented The Faculty of Paris Censures the three Panegyricks of Ignatius Loyola Reflections on the Miracles ascribed to Saint Ignatius and the Character given him Disturbances at Troies in Champagne about the Settlement of the Jesuits in that City The Process of the Vniversity of Paris against the Jesuits upon the opening their College there Disputes on the Questions of Grace and Predestination The Rise of Arminianism in Holland Vorstius is chosen to succeed Arminius James the I. King of England opposes the Election of Vorstius The King of England's Apology for his Conduct in the Business of Vorstius Revolutions in Sweden after the Death of Gustavus Ericson John King of Sweden Attempts to change the Religion Established by his Father Sigismund King of Sweden is chosen King of
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
take to a contrary Interest possibly underhand countenanced the discontented Party and the Papists in England formed that Horrible Attempt which has since been call'd the Gunpowder Plot. Since that time James ever dreaded the Spaniards And they were so Skillful to improve this weakness of his and Avarice of his Ministers that far from opposing the Enterprizes of the House of Austria you will find he will patiently suffer her to dispossess the Elector Palatine who married a Daughter of England Henry IV. prepares for War In this posture were the Affairs of Europe when Henry Troops and bring them to to raise Troops and bring them to the Frontiers of Champagne John William Duke of Cleves Bergh and Juliers dying without Children lest a contended Succession His four Sisters or their Children had each different Pretenstions some Imperial Constitutions contrary to each other embroil'd the Affair more Some of these determined the Fees of the Contested Countries to be the right of the Heirs Male and others supposed Daughters capable of the Succession Among all the Princes who were pretenders the Right of John Sigismund Elector of Brandenburgh and that of Philip Lewis Palatin of Newburgh were the most plausible The first had married the Daughter of the Eldest Sister of the last Duke and the other was Husband of the second Sister who maintained that the Succession was devolved on her to the prejudice of the Children of her Eldest Sister Deceased before Duke John William These two Princes each took possession of a part of those Estates they pretended did entirely belong to them But it was to be feared a third stronger than both of them would make himself Master of the best places while they made War to drive each other out Therefore the Landgrave of Hess their common Friend made them consent to a Provisional Treaty In this they promised to terminate their Differences Amicably and by Arbitration and to joyn their Forces against any who should Attempt to usurp the Countries of Cleves and Juliers Till this should be decided it was agreed they should govern Individually and in common and without prejudice to the right of the Emperor or the other Princes pretenders The States of the Country Assembled at Dusseldorp took this Affair into their Cognizance at the Intreaty of the King of France who already declared for the two Princes They were both Protestants and the Vnited Provinces supported them as far as they were able This gave Umbrage to the Arch-Dukes of the low Countries whose Estates bordered on one side on those of Juliers A certain Prince of their House in Germany would have been glad to have made his Advantage in this Litigious Title The pretence of Religion is never wanting upon occasion and here it would have been very seasonable The Governour of Juliers then is won over and Leopold of Austria Bishop of Strasbourg and Passaw passes secretly into the place He brought with him a Commission from the Emperour who pretended to be the Natural and Soveraign Judge of a Difference arising about the Fiefs of the Empire and in the mean time he gave to his Cousin Leopold the Administration of the contested places This Sequestration seem'd to tend to an Usurpation By the Addition of the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers to its other Hereditary Countries the House of Austria was in a condition to oppress the German Liberties with more ease The Neighbourhood of the low Countries gave the King of Spain an opportunity to send his best Troops to the Assistance of his Kinsmen This Enterprize ought to have alarmed equally all the Princes of Germany but the Jealousie caused by difference of Religion made the Duke of Bavaria the Electours of Mentz Triers and some others fear the Protestant Party would be too strong if the disputed Countries should fall to a Prince of that Religion See then the Catholicks assemble at Wirtsbourg and form there a League of which the Duke of Bavaria was Chief and send a Deputation to Rome and Madrid to demand Aid of Pope Paul the V. and Philip King of Spain On the other hand the Protestants come in great numbers to Hall in Swabia The Electour and Princes of Saxony do not appear there Those of the branch of Weymar and Koburg had their particular Pretensions to the Dutchies of Cleves and Juliers and hoped the House of Austria would espouse their right sooner than that of other Princes more jealous of her growing Greatness The Elector of Saxony contented himself to send to Hall in conjunction with the King of Denmark to exhort all the Pretenders to put their Interests into the Emperours hand The Resolutions taken in that Assembly were kept private The Prince of Anhalt whom those of Brandenburgh and Newburg had desired to go on a Negotiation to the Court of France returned to Hall accompanied with Boissise Ambassadour from the King This Minister declared publickly his Master would Assist them with all his Strength and would march himself at the Head of a powerful Army to oppose the Designs of the House of Austria The Vnited Provinces too promised to joyn their Troops with those of Henry The Neighbourhood of the Contested Countries made it unsafe for them to suffer them to fall into the hands of a Kinsman or Friend of Spain The mortal Displeasure the King of France had to see the Arch-Dukes of the low Countries and the King of Spain receive the Prince of Conde with open Arms who had secretly withdrawn himself to Brussels with the Princess his Wife and promise him all sort of Assistance against the Injustice done him by Henry This Accident I say hapning at the same time with the Affair of Cleves and Julieâ—…s urged him more to a War than the Noble desire to assist his Allies Being Resolved to revenge the many Affronts he had received from Philip the II. and his Son and to have the Princess of Conde back what ever it cost him Henry again sent Troops towards the Alps. Lesdiguieres who from a mean Birth and Fortune had raised himself by degrees during the Wars in Dauphiny and Provence and had obtained the staff of Mareschal of France This Man was sent to conduct to the Duke of Savoy the Troops designed against Italy and to Attack the Milanese in Conjunction with him Vast Preparations were made These at first were covered with the ordinary pretence of the Publick Safety the preserving the Râ—…pose of Europe and the maintaining the Kings Allies in their rightful Possession but a Vile and Criminal Passion made them to encrease and march with the greatest Expedition Henry it was said had reason to fear that his ancient Enemies abusing the easiness and resentment of the first Prince of the Blood should excite an Ambition in him and put it into his Head to contest the Validity of the Marriage of the King with Mary de Medicis after a Divorce founded on very frivolous Reasons and the I egitimacy of his Children by this second Wife
Blasphemies against the late King Henry III. and against the Persons and States of Kings and Soveraign Princes The Jesuits have ever had their Partisans and Adversaries The first were ready to excuse them and the latter rose up against them with great Zeal and Vehemence The Abbot Dubois preaching at St. Eustace in Paris undertook in one of his Sermons to refute the Opinions of Mariana By a figure of Rhetorick lively enough he addrest his Speech to the good Fathers and exhorted them strongly for the future to take care in the Books published in the name of their Body and with Approbation of their Superious to let nothing pass offensive to France unless the Jesuits would expose themselves to Dangers which all their Prudence strengthen'd by the Power of their Friends would not be able to avoid This Discourse made a great Impression on the Audience They went away enraged against the Society and the People appeared extreamly incensed against them Complaint was made to the Queen of this Sermon and she remitted the Affair to the Archbâ—…shop of Paris Dubois protested before that Prelate he meant no hurt to the Society My Love said he to Truth my Grief for the Death of the King and a just Dread of the fatal Effects that the Doctrine of Mariana may produce such Sentiments as these made me speak in that manner The Archbishop of Paris had nothing to reply and contented himself with exhorting the Preacher to live well with all the Servants of God and particularly with the Jesuits But it had been more to the purpose to perswade effectually those good Fathers to pardon the Abbot the injury which they thought they had received I do not know how it came to pass but Dubois had the Imprudence to go to Rome the next year and then they did not want colour to shut him up in a close Prison The Patience of Father Coton Confessour to the late King could not bear to hear the General Exclamation against his Brethren He resolved to justifie the Society against the Imputation on the account of Mariana's Book His Wise and discerning Friends advised Coton to say nothing for fear of any Misunderstanding in an Affair that must be so nicely handled Every one wonder'd that a Man who knew the World so well and wanted not Prudence should not take so good Advice He published a long Letter addressed to the Queen to perswade the World Mariana was a private Person disown'd by their Body who had true Notions of the Authority of Princes and the Obedience due to them The thing happened at the Friends of the Jesuits had foretold A thousand Pamphlets were instantly published against the Fathers Letter It is full say they of Ambiguous Expressions and Tricking They insulted him on his pretended disclaiming the Doctrine which was plainly forced to comply with present necessity It comes too late said some maliciously enough to the good Fathers but perhaps it will not be useless to the Children of him who is now in his Grave Indeed the defence of Coton was weak and ill put together What he said of the Complaints of the Provincial Congregation held at Paris some years before and the Answer of their General Aquaviva gave an Advantage to the Enemies of the Society The French Jesuits having desired their Superiour to stop the Liceace and Suppress the Books of some Authours who had written some things to the prejudice of France the Father gave them this Answer We approve the Judgment and Care of your Congregation And we are very sorry that this was not discover'd till after the Impression of those Books We have taken order they shall be corrected and we will have a care that nothing of the like nature shall happen for the future This is very cold and ambiguous for an Opinion which allows Attempts on the Lives of Soveraigns Here are some of the Prudential Managements of the Children of this World But there is no formal disavowing that execrable Dogm the Defenders of which deserve an Exemplary punishment We must be very simple to believe that the Superiours of the Society did not know what Mariana and others of the same stamp wrote till after the Publication of their Works do's not all the World know what are their Statutes relating to the Publication of their Books It is to little purpose that Coton cites several Authours of different Sentiments from Mariana If among so many able Men there was none to be found who maintain Homicide to be absolutely forbid by the Laws of God it would be a very extraordinary thing The permission of the Society to print Mariana's Book is ground enough to conclude they approve it or at least do not condemn it as ill These Writers pass for grave Authours but according to the Principles of Probability a Dogm which ows its Birth to or at least is adopted by the Society in all its Forms James Clement could on the Authority of Mariana Assassinate Henry III. And his Successour might be kill'd with a safe Conscience at least at a time when Sixtus V. and Gregory XIV darted all the Thunder of the Vatican against him The Jesuits bore the most violent Assaults of the Preachers of Paris The Funeral of Henry IV. at the time of Henry's Funerals The Ceremony was performed with the usual pomp The Heart was sent to the College of Jesuits which the King had founded at la Fleche in Anjou He had ordered it thus before his Death Coton made his Funeral Oration there The Body was first carried to the Cathedral Church of Paris and from thence conveyed to the ordinary Burying-place of the Kings of France The Bishop of Aire pronounced the Elogy of the Deceased King at Notre Dame and the Bishop of Anger 's at St. Denys Tho' Henry might deserve in the Eyes of the World the Title of Great his Vertues and Actions did not deserve the Church of Rome should interrupt her Holy Rites to make his Panegyrick in a Pulpit which ought to be Sacred to the Preaching of the Truth What can a good Christian say in praise of a Prince dead in several Criminal Habits on the point of putting all Europe in a Flame and causing a great Effusion of Blood to satisfie his Ambition to revenge himself of his Enemies who were not in a condition to hurt him to force away a Princess in the face of the World whose Husband took Refuge to defend himself from the Solicitations and Pursuits of a King whom love had deprived of all Senseand Reason His pretended Conversion was a fair Field for prophane Orators void of Religion to exercise their Eloquence Their Triumph in so Important a Conquest served to cover his ill Life and impenitent Death But were they ever assured Henry was sincerely a Catholick Let us leave that to the judgment of God If it be true this Princes Conscience was setled in matters of Faith it is certain his irregular Life did not do much honour to the
Prince The Mareschal de Bouillon undertakes to Reunite both Pazties he made his Account of had neither Genius nor Courage to follow the steps of his Predecessors he resolved to reconcile himself with the Court. Bouillon would have put himself at the Head of the Protestants of France He had thought of this in the preceding Reign But the Dukes of Sulli and Rohan the Mareschal Les Diguieres and divers other considerable Persons of the Party were no Friends to him So he made new Protestations of his Devotion to serve their Majesties He proposes to the Marquess de Coeuvres the Reconciling of the two Princes I 'll undertake to dispose Conde says the Mareschal to the Marquess if you will treat with Soissons who has a Regard for you Sillery Villeroy and Jeannin govern whilst the Princes and great Lords are divided among themselves Let us Reunite the contrary Parties without prejudice to the Queens Authority This is the only way to remove these great Ministers and reduce the rest to the simple discharging the Duties of their Places The Queen Traverses the Vnion of the Princes and great Lords The Count of Soissons was afraid this was a Trick of the Mareschal He imagined if those of his Party gave ear to Bouillon's Proposition he would inform the Queen and create a Distrust in her of the Count and his Friends The Cardinal of Joyeuse was of another Opinion perhaps he sincerely meant the Good and Repose of the State The Cardinal then obtained the consent of Soissons to treat with the Mareschal upon the Subject The Queen to whom the Count communicated the Accommodation proposed seem'd to be well satisfied with it however underhand she Traversed it The Ministers made her sensible that if the two Princes of the Blood the Constable of Monimorency the Dukes of Guise and Epernon the Mareschal of Bouillon and the Cardinal of Joyeuse were once agreed her Authority would be much diminished by it The Regent thought it better to keep up Jealousies and Misunderstanding between contrary Factions and gain the Heads of both by her Favours The Rise of Conchini the new Marquess of Ancre The Failing of so many Projects made the Mareschal of Bouillon resolve to retire to Sedan at the same time preparations were making for the Inauguration of the King The Mareschals Religion would not give him leave to assist at the Ceremony But before he left the Court for some time he was resolved to make a powerful Friend near the Regent This was Conchini Husband of Leonora Galigai a Confident of Mary de Medicis He had lately bought the Marquisate of Ancre in Picardy As his Favour encreased every day he had obtained the Governments of Peronne Montdidier and Roie in the same Province So sudden a Rise made all the Ministers uneasie I cannot tell whether the Count of Soissons and those of his Party neglected a New Favourite whom they did not think able to serve or hurt them However this was Conchini strove to gain the good will of the Prince of Conde This Man was the Instrument which the Queen employed to divert the Prince and Duke of Guise from hearkning to the Accommodation proposed by the Mareschal of Bouillon the Mareschal was too discerning a Man not to see the Friendship of the Marquess of Ancre might be of great Service to him He offer'd to lay down his Place of first Gentleman of the Chamber if Conchini would buy it the Bargain was soon concluded The King of Spains Prospect in the double Match All Foreign Princes the Republick of Venice and that of the Vnited Provinces had sent Ambassadours to the New King The ancient Alliances were renewed and Lewis with all Solemnity received in the Church of the Feuillans the Garter which the Ambassadour of England brought him from James I. The Duke of Feria appeared with great Pomp and Splendour in the Name of the King of Spain Not being able to embroil France by means of the Prince of Conde Philip offered his Forces to Mary against all those who should disturb her in her Regency The Ambassadour again proposed the double Marriage which his Master had made an offer of to the late King Philip knew very well he could not propose any thing more agreeable to the Regent The present posture of Affairs of the House of Austria required her speedily to conclude a Treaty which might give her time to settle her Affairs in Germany and raise Jealousie and Distrust among those Princes who were Allies of France And because the Marriage could not so soon be finished the King obtain'd Mary's Word that France should not meddle in the Affairs of the House of Austria in Germany and he engaged himself reciprocally not to hear any Propositions which the Disaffected Party in France should make him Behold now how the Court of Madrid was Embarassed Differences between the Emperour Rodolphus and the Archduke Matthias his Brother The Emperour Rodolphus extremely broken seem'd not likely to live a long time Endeavours were used to secure the Empire in the House of Austria by the Election of a King of the Romans Rodolphus lived in a misunderstanding with his Brethren and the Protestants were very powerful The King of Spain was afraid some Men should make use of so favourable an Opportunity to remove the Empire from a House which possest it for too long a time and seeks to make it Hereditary The Archduke Matthias taking advantage of the weakness of the Emperour his Brother had carried on in the Year 1608. a Confederacy between the States of Hungary and Austria He marched sometime after towards Moravia at the Head of an Army of twenty Thousand Men with a design to compel Rodolphus to yield up the Kingdom of Hungary the Arch-dutchy of Austria and Stiria and Moravia Matthias took the Pretext of ill Administration and Infractions of the Privileges of those Countries who after the Example of the ancient Germans never gave their Princes an Arbitrary Unlimited Power A Fundamental Maxim of Government in all States formed out of the Ruines of the Roman Empire Philip II King of Spain had attempted to Abolish the Privileges of the Hereditary Provinces of the Low Countries and he took them away entirely from the Kingdom of Arragon the first Magistrate of which would have opposed the unjust Oppressions of Antonio Perez The Archduke Matthias next Kinsman to Philip better instructed than that cruel Tyrant in the Maxims of lawful Government made no scruple to place himself at the Head of the Vnited Provinces for the Defence of their Liberty against the Spaniards At present too the same Archduke makes without scruple War on his Brother who violates the Privileges of the States of Hungary and Austria If Rodolphus gave just cause for this Opposition or not it is not a place here to examine the Fact I only Remark that in the first years of an Unfortunate Age in which Tyranny has Established it self almost every
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
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
Assistance of the Pope and Governor of Milan did not desist for all this The Count of Soissons sent him privately word to be very reserved to Berrault a Creature of Villeroy who aimed to surprize and daunt the Duke Siri Memorie recondite Tom. II. pag. 463 464. The Pope's Nuncio in France declared his Master knew nothing of the Designs of Charles Emanuel but this Italian Minister maintained them as well as he could and strove to prove the Justice of them to the Queen All this gave Umbrage This was the reason she earnestly recommended to the Cardinal of Joieuse to Discourse with the Pope upon this Subject and to Represent the Reasons which France had to oppose the Enterprize which the Duke of Savoy seemed to design The Duke of Savoy is forced to Disarm The World could not comprehend the Intrigues of this Prince perhaps he himself did not very well know what he would have Charles Emanuel undertakes to make a War on the Protestants and his chief Prospect is to raise the Hugonots of France in case he were left alone to act against Geneva At the same time he proposes to the King of England a double Marriage of the Prince of Wales with the Princess of Savoy and of the Prince of Piemont with a Daughter of England It was very difficult at first to make King James hear the Envoy from Savoy and yet the Duke pushed the Matter so far that the Court of Rome was alarmed at it Paul V. took Measures to break the Treaty which the King of England and the Duke of Savoy had no great mind to conclude A Capucin had Orders to go to Turin with an Instruction from Cardinal Borghese to divert Charles Emanuel from thinking on an Alliance with England All that could ever be guessed of so capricious a Movement was that the Duke thought to create a Jealousie in France and bring her by this means to finish the Treaty or the Marriage of the Eldest Daughter of that Kingdom with the Prince of Piemont He hoped too the Pope would break the Treaty of the Double Marriage between France and Spain and Assist the Prince of Piemont to Marry the Eldest Daughter of either of those two Crowns rather than suffer the Duke to bring a Protestant Princess to Turin The poor Duke spoil'd all his Affairs by aiming too much to be crafty His Intrigue with England did not succeed better than any of the rest The Regent determined too on the double Marriage between France and Spain thought no more on the Prince of Piemont except for Madam Christina second Daughter to the late King For his designs on Geneva and the Country of Vaux these he must quit too Mary de Medicis had acted her part so well with the Pope and King of Spain that they joyned with her to compel the Duke of Savoy to lay down his Arms. La Varenne was sent from the Court of France to Turin to conclude this Matter Charles Emanuel still flattered with some Hopes the Regent would be his Friend had a mind to do this with a good Grace He thought at least to make this Advantage that Mary de Medicis should take in good part the Deference which he feigned to have for her Majesty A Civil Meeting of the Protestants of France The Queen was the more Solicitous to put a stop to the Commotions in Savoy because the Court feared the Protestants met at Saumur might take Umbrage at it When the Reformed of France saw there was a necessity for them to defend themselves against those who attacked them with open force they began to form set Meetings in different Provinces of the Kingdom to agree on Measures for their Safety and the free Exercise of their Religion One or more Provinces joined together first held their Provincial Assembly Out of these they deputed a certain number of Gentlemen of those they called Elders or Ministers to form the General Assembly who were to take Resolutions for the common Good of the whole Body Reason and Natural Equity allow of these sort of Confederacies The Primitive Christians united and had their Meetings for the Regulation of their Discipline and preserving the Purity of the Gospel After their Example the Reformed had their Synods to draw up their Confession of Faith and form the Government of their Churches These being born in a Christian State where Subjects have Privileges and Liberties had not only their Religion to take care of but were under an Indispensable Obligation to defend their Right as far as the Rules of Natural Equity and Christianity admit against their King and a Faction of their Countrymen who strove to oppress them The Sovereign Power ought to hinder as far as may be all Associations and Meetings which may cause Disorder and Confusion in a State but this must be by a due Execution of the Fundamental Laws and maintaining those Rights and Privileges which Subjects cannot without Injustice be deprived of It is reasonable to alledge Men ought not to form a State within a State None would think of this if they were left peaceably to enjoy their Birthright But for Princes to pretend to prevent Disorders which would never happen if they were disposed to do Justice and to use these plausible Maxims to oppress with more ease those whom they have Sworn to protect is a Tyranny which it is lawful to oppose This is ever most dangerous when it is covered with the fair Colours of the publick Good The King of Navarre liked these Principles very well and thought them solid and conducing to the Welfare and Repose of Civil Society whilst he was struggling to defend himself against the power of the League but when he once saw himself Master of a fair Kingdom he soon abandon'd those Sentiments which Interest more than Reason had led him to embrace Princes never consult this Oracle they are only entertained with Discourses of Reason when they are not in a condition capable of understanding it In the following part of their Lives they are flattered and Transported with Passion for their own Greatness Whatever makes them absolute and Independent ever seems most Just and Reasonable to them After the Verification of the Edict of Nants Henry did not without great difficulty grant the Protestants leave to hold a General Meeting He was afraid the Lords that resorted to it or had their Creatures there should attempt any thing to his prejudice Are not the Synods said the King sufficient to determine Matters of Discipline and Religion As for Civil Affairs and the keeping the Edict of Pacification the two Deputies General which I allow the Protestants to have in my Court can represent to me the Griefs and Complaints of the Provinces I will take care to do them Justice This manner of Reasoning had been good if Henry had had the Knowledge and Integrity not to be Surprized by the Popes Nuncio and other crafty Men who were ever near him to Extort
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
Conduct is unblamable and we do not fear it should be examined He is a Peer and cannot be judged but by a Court of Peers If his Enemies endeavour to bring him before any other Tribunal his Kinsmen and Friends will never endure such an Indignity Be assured My Lord that I will do my Duty on this Occasion and will not leave my Father-in-Law to be trampled on The Steddiness of the Duke of Rohan discomposed the Mareschal of Bouillon The Assembly declares for the Duke of Sully The Assembly declared for Sully They pressed him to keep his Places and particularly that of Great Master of the Artillery But if he was inclined to accept of a Reward they intreated him rather to accept of a Dignity than a Sum of Money The one suited better with the Duke of Sully's Family and the other with the good of the Reformed Churches In the Conclusion the Assembly declared Sully's particular Interest and that of the whole Protestant Party were Inseparable on this Occasion and that they would assist him if any should Attempt to give him Trouble for his Administration by any unlawful Methods This Resolution was attacked in several Libels One came out with the Title of the Overseer of Charenton This was a Satyr on the Rough and Covetous Humour of the Duke The Author Admonishes the Reformed that this step of theirs in supporting thus highly a private Person was subject to the most Sinister Interpretations and they would do well to be moderate and reserved The Court resolves to break up the Meeting at Saumur with all speed The Court Resented it that the Reformed should use such high Language in their Assembly The Duke of Rohan made a Speech full of Vigour Courage and Piety He was heard with Pleasure and every Man discovered more Constancy than before That which Rohan then delivered as a Maxim of State is since become a Prophecy V. le Discours du Duc de Rohan a Saumur apres ses Memoires in 4. and we see the Accomplishing of it in our Times Rules of State says that Lord change with the Times No certain Maxims can be laid down That which is profitable to one King is prejudicial to another If whenever the King of France becomes a Prosecutor of our Religion he loses the Protection of it all over Christendom He enriches some Neighbour with that Title He does not encrease his Interest in the Church of Rome he entirely ruins his Kingdom The Regents Council being devoted to the Court of Rome was very far from following Counsels so safe and conducing to the Wellfare of France The Consequences of the Union and good Correspondence of the Hugonots scared the Court. This was enough to break the Double Marriage which the Queen Negotiated It was resolved therefore to divide the Party and break up the Assembly and to do this in such a manner that they should have no reason to complain of any but themselves After some time treating with the Commissioners of the King about the Paper Boissise and Bullion declared they had no Orders to give an Answer and it was requisite for the Assembly to depute some Persons to the Court to carry their Complaints and Requests This is done The Deputies are well received by the Ministers They are amused with fair words But how were they surprized when in stead of giving them the Paper with a favourable Answer V. la Relation de l'assemblee de Saumur apres les Memoires de Rohan in 40. as they were made to hope the Chancellor declared this should not be done before the Nomination of six Persons two of which the King would chuse for Deputies General of the Reformed Churches This was in plain French to tell them the Court would not give them any Answer to the Paper they presented till after the Dissolution of their Meeting This could not hold longer than till the Nomination was made the King having only allowed of it for this purpose It was in vain to insist and make very humble Remonstrances The King never treats with his Subjects replied the Ministers He grants what Favours he thinks fit Proceed to your Nomination The Paper is answered as favourably as you can wish Bullion protested this at Saumur with a Curse on his Eternal Damnation A Division in the Assembly at Saumur The Question is only about a Formality said some Mercenary Slaves of the Court The King will not deliver to us the favourable Answers which he intends to give us This is but decent to shew it is his favour which he voluntarily grants and not Articles extorted by a long Treaty It concerns us to obtain what we desire but in what manner this is indifferent Those who had most Knowlege and Integrity were not dazled with this They saw that if the Assembly were once broke up they must be content with what Terms the Regent would please and the Remonstrances of the two Deputy Generals would be too weak to oblige the Court to take notice of them But the Mareschal of Bouillon had gained a very considerable Party La Varenne Valet de Chambre of the King sent by the Court a Man of great Address and Management went from Door to Door to distribute or promise Gratifications to those who would purchase them When the Mareschal of Bouillon thought the Party well enough united he drew up himself the form of a Letter which the Regent should write to the Meeting and sent it privately to Court The tenour of this was to require the Assembly to proceed incessantly to the Nomination of six Persons to receive the Answers given to their Paper and then to break up Those who refused to obey this Order were declared Rebels and the lesser Number which were won over by the Mareschal of Bouillon was Authorised to Name six Persons to the King The Regent sent the Letter as Bouillon had contrived This was Communicated in the first place to divers Persons to sound their Inclinations Most were of Opinion they should withdraw and not hear it read But Du Plessis Mornay and the Wisest part thought the Party made by the Mareschal and the Court should pay a blind Obedience and the rest refuse to do it that such a Separation would cause a fatal Division in the Reformed Churches For this reason they strove to perswade the most Warm and Zealous to use Prudence and Management on this Occasion The Wisdom of Du Plessis Mornay upon this Occasion We know well enough the Author of this Pernicious Advice said the Wise Du Plessis Without him our Enemies would not have dared to have attempted a thing of this Consequence Let us not flatter our selves He who has began to snare is not of a Humour to leave it unfinished He will have the Honour to have Accomplished that which the Persecutions Civil Wars and the Bloody St. Bartholomew could not do Our Vnion will be broke our Churches divided by an unhappy Schism Let God judge between
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
and Strength of France These Princes who were Apprehensive of the too great Power of the House of Austria were enter'd into a League with the Deceased King The good Correspondency that he took care to maintain in this sort of a Confederacy which he Headed did keep Spain in awe and within due bounds This put Henry in a capacity of undertaking any thing whenever he should think it most expedient But so soon as these Allies of France perceived that the Queen Regent was entring into a strict Alliance with the House of Austria they presently grew Jealous and betook themselves to other Measures The Venetians did not so openly declare themselves The Duke of Savoy extream angry that no regard was now had of the Treaties that had been made between King Henry and him sought all manner of ways to raise Commotions in France he had thoughts of siding with Spain if he might be secured of any thing to content his Ambition France taking no care to preserve the old good Correspondency that was between the Protestant Princes of Germany and elsewhere they fell off one from another The House of Austria that has always a watchful Eye to its own Interest was wise enough to make the best of these Divisions James King of England might have in this case supplied the Place of Henry the 4th and compel'd the Queen Regent to keep to the Model of Government that was left with her by the late King her Husband The concern of the Protestant Religion as well as the Wellfare of England did require that James should have at that time thought on 't better But alas the good Prince never lov'd sincerely either one or th' other Such a State of Affairs as this did well for the Court of Rome The Popes have been ever Spaniards by Inclination The Kings of Spain are wont to bring the Popes over to their Interest by affecting a great Zeal to ruine Heresie The aim of these is to raise their Worldly State and of the former to serve those that will best contribute to restore their Spiritual Monarchy It appears that the Court of France at this time was pleased with this old policy of Spain whereby to gain the Popes favour But was it not a little too late to think of this way The Court of Rome never keeps a Neutrality with France but when reduced to it by some emergent Necessity The French have Principles that are opposite to the Pope's Pretensions and to the greediness of his Courtiers The Factions which had formerly put France into such a Confusion under the Regency of Catharine of Medicis were now seen to revive under this Government of Mary For the maintaining of her own Authority Mary took care to bring down the Princes of the Blood Royal as that other Queen her Cousin had done before She thought fit to make use of the House of Guise which enter'd into a new Knot with that of the Duke d'Epernon Instead of joyning with the real Friends and Well-wishers of the Crown she gave her self over to be led by the Popes and King of Spain's Counsels who could not grow great but at the cost of young Lewis The Princes of the blood understood this great Evil. They were in the Right but in renouncing their Forefathers Religion they had lost all their Credit They likewise wanted Strength to oppose the Queen Regent's Designs They of the Reformed Religion in France being well inclin'd sought to prevent the Mischief this double Alliance with Spain would bring on the Head of the Protetestants But alas how could they help themselves There were now no Princes of the Blood to Head them any more The Grandees of that Communion divided more than ever since the Assembly at Saumur were now ready to undoe one another I come now to particulars of the History of the year 1612. We shall in it begin to see these three different Parties following their Intrigues and the different condition they are in The Queen Regent and her Confidents shall make use of the Kings Authority to cover their wicked Designs The Princes of the Blood shall exclaim against the ill Management of the Government but either no ear shall be given to what they 'll say or their Mouths shall be stopt by false Promises or slight Gratifications The Hugenot Party fully convinced that â—…ll effectual ways are taken to ruine them totally shall make loud Complaints and shall bestir themselves without being able to mend their Matters in the least thereby Their mutual Divisions will hinder them from having sufficient Strength to cause their just Remonstrances to be heard Negotiations touching a double Marriage betwixt France and Spâ—…in Cosme Grand Duke of Toscany now enter'd into a Closer Alliance with the House of Austria by a Marriage with Magdalen Arch-Dutchess of Grats does set on foot the Negotiation that was begun by his Father Ferdinand concerning a double Marriage to be concluded betwixt the two Crowns of France and of Spain The better to succeed for to obtain the Deceased Kings consent he proposed a third Match between Don Carlos King Philip the 3d's second Son and the Princess Christina second Daughter of France The King of Spain did offer to give with the Infant the Sovereignty of the Low Countries after the Arch-Dutchess Isabella's Death But Henry gave no ear to this New Proposal no more than to the former being convinced that it was only a Snare for to get him to Abandon the Protection of the Vnited Provinces As soon as the News of his Death was brought to Madrid Siri Memorie râ—â—â—ndite pag. 3â—…0 3â—â— c. the Duke of Florence's Embassador at that Court did again sâ—…t on foot the Business of the double Marriage He knew well enough how agreeable it would be to his Master to gratifie Mary of Medicis who had an extream desire this Affair might Succeed The Duke of Lerma and the other Spanish Ministers of State readily agreed to the renewing of this Negotiation but they finding that France was not now so much to be feared as heretofore they made some other lower Proposals These Gentlemen would hear no more of that third Marriage of Don Carlos with the Princess Christina pretending that their King was unwilling to Alienate and cut off for ever the Sovereignty of the Low Countries from the Monarchy of Spain and they did even give out that Philip was not out of Hopes of reducing the Vnited Provinces as soon as the Truce was expired or broke And on pretence that the Daughters of France do not carry along with them into another Family any Right of Succession to the Crown the Council of Spain scrupled moreover to give the Eldest Infanta of Spain to the New King of France so that they would offer only the Second Daughter Mary of Medicis would have been contented with this it self so that Philip would also accept of the Second Daughter of France By this means a way was left to satisfie the Duke
Dr. Duval at the Head of his Party promis'd to answer in case the Parlement press't them to it that the Faculty could do nothing without the Bishops or without an express Order from the Queen that the Articles in question had not only a Reference to Religion but to State Affairs also In the mean time the Jesuits were at a stand they long'd to open their College of Clermont To obtain this Permission The Jesuits puzl'd how they could content the Court of Rome and the Parlement at the same time they were to follow the Advice which the President Seguier their good Friend and some others gave to the Society which was to content the Parlement by a Promise to conform to the Doctrine generally received in the University of Paris But this exposed them too to the Indignation of the Holy Father and Court of Rome The Cardinal Perron the Bishop of Paris and many other Prelates Counsell'd them not to content the Parlement so far Vbaldini entreated them from it being persuaded that the Honour of the Holy Chair was concern'd in this Affair After great Consults the Provincial accompanied by five other Jesuits goes without giving notice to the Nuncio or Cardinals to make a Declaration in Writing before the Register of Parlement like to that which the Provincial had made in Parlement vivâ voce The good Fathers believed they should easily Extricate themselves in this Affair with the Court of Rome when the thing was done and should escape with only a chiding from the Nuncio and their General who would not be sorry for it at the bottom of his Heart As soon as the Nuncio had understood what the Jesuits had done he was in a furious Passion Father Coton was order'd to wait on him to Appease him The oily Tongu'd Jesuit represented to him to little purpose that his Provincial did not think to do any Mischief in signing what he had already said viz. That the Rules of the Society required it should conform to the Sentiments of the Universities where it had Colleges that their good Friends counsell'd them to prevent the Troubles which the Parlement would not fail to give them if the Society should obstinately refuse to obey the Edict Lastly that they had believ'd the Pope to have Reasons why he did not give them expresly Permission to submit to a Law which the Parlement would impose upon them but that they hop'd the Pope would not take it ill from them likewise to have contented the Parlement without the knowledge of the Court of Rome The Nuncio was not paid with these Reasons Doth it belong to you said he to Coton to guess the Intentions of his Holiness You should have consulted his Minister who knows them better than any one else And since you ought to conform to the Sentiments of Vniversities why have you not tarried till the Sorbonne explain'd clearly what it believes In stead of consulting your President Seguier and the Lawyers it might have been more expedient to have taken mine and the Prelates their Advice who have good Intentions and have expected Orders from your Father General Coton had nothing to reply but the business was over The Nuncio likewise could not further complain to the Queen of the violence the Parlement had done the Jesuits for one might have answer'd him that the good Fathers went of their own accord without any new Summons to promise to conform to the Sentiments of the University and Intentions of the Parlement As Equivocations Silence keeping and Mental Reservation are always the Society's great help the Jesuits of Paris made wonderful use of them in the Letters they wrote to the Pope and Cardinal Borghese his Nephew Can any one forbear laughing and see Coton speaking down right to his Holiness that by the Liberties of the Gallican Church they understood nothing but the Concordate made betwixt Leo X. and Francis I. A Book of Doctor Richer Sindic of the Doctors of Paris occasions there a great stir Vbaldini bestirr'd himself yet farther with the Clergy and Sorbonne to ruine Richer Doctor and Syndic of the Faculty at Paris At the beginning of the year two Books were put out one of which brought great trouble to the Author tho' his Name was not put to it The first was but a Collection of some Decrees of the Faculty at Paris upon the Authority of the Pope T' was intended to prove herein that the ancient Doctrine of Sorbonne is That Jesus Christ hath instituted an Aristocratical Government in his Church And because the Court of Rome accuseth all those of Huguenotism who oppose it's Usurpations the Author of this Collection was willing to prevent this Reproach against the Faculty in joyning to his Collection the Sorbonne Decrees against Luther and du Plessis Mornai The second Book unfolds the Hypothesis of the Aristocratical Government of the Church The Title of the Book is Of Ecclesiastical and Politick Power The Author pretended that Spiritual Jurisdiction belongs properly to the Church and that the Pope and Bishops are but the Instruments and Ministers whom she makes use of to exercise this Jurisdiction that Jesus Christ is the Essential Head of the Church of which the Pope is only Head Ministerial as they term it and that the Authority of the Pope extends only to particular Churches where he is to see that the Decrees and Canons publish't in General Councils be observ'd that the Church ought not to be govern'd by one Absolute Monarch but by the Canons that Infallibility is given to the Church in general that is to say to the Body of the chief Pastors every particular Bishop and Pope likewise being subject to Error that the frequent calling of General Councils is necessary that the Decrees of the Pope oblige no further than they are Conformable to the Canons Lastly that the Pope cannot impose any Obligation upon the Church against her will and without her consent to it As to politick Power the Author maintains that Jesus Christ hath given no Temporal Jurisdiction to the Church and that she hath not any power to use the Sword or Constraint that Censures and Excommunications are the Spiritual Arms of the Church and that they could not heretofore be employ'd without the Counsel of the Assembly which they call'd Presbyters that the King is the Defender and Protector of the Natural Divine and Canonical Law and that in this Quality he hath right to make Laws and use the Sword to maintain what God and the Councils have ordain'd that Christian Emperors have by Right call'd the first General Council That Appeals as Appeals from Abuse or Error are lawful and that Sovereigns ought to receive them in quality of being Protectors of the Canons that the Church hath an indirect Power over Temporal Matters by way of Persuasion and Excommunication but not by way of Constraint and Deposition of Sovereigns that the Decrees of Popes wherein Sovereigns who don 't Exterminate Hereticks are Excommunicated have no
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
they desired to make a publick Testimony of their Stedfastness for the Service of the King by censuring Becan's Book and to make at least the Publick know that it was not their Fault if so dangerous a Book had not been condemn'd in Forms or formally They moreover said that they entreated leave to remonstrate to the Queen upon this as an Affair of the greatest Importance Sileri approved the Zeal of the Sorbonne He gloried that he had all his Learning in the University of Paris And so he promised the Doctors to introduce them into her Majesty's Presence Dr. Fayet who was the Spokesman told the Regent that the Faculty of Paris not being accustom'd to receive Orders from the King by the Mouth of any private Person or by Letters under the Privy-Seal but only by Letters sealed with the Great Seal they had obey'd as soon as it was reported to them what the Cardinal Bonzi had told the Syndic of ther Majesty's Intentions Nevertheless Madam said he the Faculty hath believed it was their duty to receive your Order from your own Mouth If you don't judge it convenient for us to deliberate upon Jesuit Becan's Book we most humbly entreat your Majesty to take care that our Silence upon this Occasion be not interpreted as a tacit Approbation of those pernicious Sentiments which deprives Kings of their lawful Authority and justifies their Assassination The Regent answer'd that she would speak of this Affair to her Council and that the chancellor should by the Faculty know her Intentions Dr. Fayet being come to the Chancellor some Days after The Queen said Sileri is inform'd that the wicked Book of Becan is become too common Her Majesty gives you leave to do what you judge convenient 'T is a great Mischief that the Sorbonne is divided for what concerns good Sentiments Will you never unite and agree again Fayet answer'd the Chancellor That the Faculty was willing to preserve its ancient Doctrine and that they had always taught the same Doctrine in the Sorbonne till some certain Persons had broach'd there some Foreign Oâ—…inions The Chancellor commended the Doctors for their Zeal and gave the Queen's leave to censure Becan's Book â—…ut the Nuncio Vbaldini cunningly turn'd he Blow aside He being persuaded that â—â—mething would be attempted in France â—…gainst the Jesuit's Work straitways solliâ—…ited a Decree from the Inquisition As â—…on as he receiv'd it he communicated it 〈◊〉 the Queen She being always submisâ—…ve to the Pope told the Faculty that it â—…as sufficient to read the Decree openly in â—…e Sorbonne The Affair thus rested One â—…ight be surprized to find Robert Bellarâ—…in's Name amongst those Cardinals â—…ho condemn'd the Author's Book who â—…llow'd Bellarmin's Principles if it was not known that the Cardinal promoted in the Society had in a readiness his Equivocations and Mental Restrictions to condemn with safety of Conscience in the Work of one of his own Fraternity the Doctrine which he maintain'd as the most Orthodox in the World An Edict of Palement against Scioppius's Book It was the Jesuits alone who courted Paul V. by writing against James I. King of England concerning the Authority of Sovereigns and the Holy Chair Gaspar Scioppius the most violent Enemy of that Society would enter the List likewise and shew some of his fine Latin in this notable Dispute His Book having been brought from Frankfort-Fair to Paris there was a Presentment made of it to the Parlement Scioppius discours'd herein of Henry IV. as if he was a Prince without any Religion He seem'd to approve of the infamous Action of Ravillac All Kings and Sovereigns who let Hereticks live in repose in their States were in his Opinion Hereticks themselves What do I say nay even Turks and Atheists The Parlement order'd that this extravagant and impious Book should be burnt by the Hands of the Common Executioner and that all the Copies should be suppress'd That it should be branded in England after the same manner Dictionaire Hist Critique de M.. Bayle is no wonder But I can't enough admire the King of Great Britain should suffer a Farce to be acted before him wherein Scioppius was represented and hang'd upon the Stage A Revenge alike unworthy of a Prince and an Author If his Majesty had look'd upon Scioppius's Work as the Libel of a contemptible Declamator should not the King have despis'd it or at the best contented himself to have left to the Magistrates the Execution of the Laws against defamatory and pernicious Libels But to take a Pleasure to be reveng'd of the Author after such a manner so little becoming a Crown'd Head was to shew the Publick that the Book had touch'd to the Quick the Person whom the Author had attack'd The Care which his Britannick Majesty took at that time to reconcile the King of Denmark with Gustavus Adolphus Peace betwixt the Crowns of Swedeland and Denmark the new King of Swedeland was a Work more worthy of a Prince Christian IV. endeavour'd this Year to push on his Conquests in Swedeland He accompanied with George Duke of Lunenbourg who had brought him Succour advanc'd as far as Jenkoping laying all the Country desolate where he went The young Gustavus gave now such clear Tokens of his Wisdom and Valour as that the Queen Christina his Mother left to him the Administration of the Realm though he was but yet in the eighteenth Year of his Age. He stopp'd the Enemies Progress and oblig'd him to retire into the Province of Schonen Gustavus follow'd him thither and after the way of using Reprisals he put all to Fire and Sword The Swedish Army had some disadvantage in their Retreat The King of Denmark made a new Irruption into West Gothia Being aboard the Fleet he try'd to get near to Stockholm Gustavus broke the Enemy's Design with an extraordinary Prudence and Courage At last the Hans Towns and the United Provinces troubled that the War betwixt the two Northern Crowns broke off all Commerce in the Baltick Sea engag'd the King of England to intermediate for a Peace Christian himself treated with four Swedish Senators After some Conferences held at the end of this Year the Treaty was concluded at the beginning of the next following Denmark gave up to the Swedes the City of Calmar and the Isle of Oeland but kept Eâ—…sbourgh for a time and till the Crown of Swedeland had paid a certain Sum of Money which Denmark pretended was due to him Revolvtions in Muscovy Gustavus very freely surrender'd something on that side to be in a Condition of marching towards Muscovia There was a strong Party who desir'd of him Prince Charles Philip his Brother whom these People intended to set upon the Throne of their Nation Altho' the Affair of Muscovy seem to have no Relation to those of France I think I ought to say something of the surprizing Revolutions which were seen there at the beginning of the XVII Century This may give us a
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
little thing and the one pretended to disannul what the other had done Prince Wolfgang of Newbourg marries the D. of Bavaria's Daughter and changes his Religion The Spaniards wisely made their Advantage of so fair an occasion to weaken the Protestant League and to bring over the House of Newburg to their Faction They proposed to Prince Volfgan a Match with Magdalen Sister of Maximilian Duke of Bavaria and of Ferdinand Elector of Cologne They promised him the Protection of the House of Austria a Pension from the King of Spain and the Support of the Catholick League if he would quit his Religion and enter into the Communion of the Church of Rome a very sensible Temptation to an Ambitious young Prince and who was big with Revenge for the horrible Affront which had been offered him Newburg falls before the force of it But Wolfgang whether 't were to keep fair with his Father who was a zealot for the Confession of Ausbourg or whether he had some other Reasons would not renounce his Religion before his Marriage He only consented to Marry the Princess Magdalen and the Duke of Newbourg gave his Consent not seeing the Snare which was laid for his Son who was blinded with Passion The Marriage was Celebrated at Munich the 10th of November this Year And that he might keep within bounds as to outward appearance the Prince was not Married by the Mass he only received the Nuptial Benediction by the hands of the Bishop of Aichstat at Evening Service in the great Church of Munich But at length Wolfgang declared himself in the Month of May the next Year He made publick profession of the Popish Religion at Dusseldorp The Duke his Father was extremely troubled at it The Proclamation which he publisht immediately after is an infallible proof of it It imported that every Munday throughout the Year publick Prayers should be made for the Conservation of the Protestant Religion in the Dutchy of Newbourg The Artifices and Fetches of the Duke of Savoy The Peace mude between the D of Savoy Mantua has much ado to continuefirm stable oblige us frequently to return to him The Treaty of Peace between Charles Emanuel and the Cardinal Ferdinand Duke of Mantua had been concluded with so much precipitation that they spoke there only of Resigning the Places in Monferrat without making any mention of the Mutual pretentions of each Party of the reparation of the Damages done in Monferrat which Ferdinand demanded nor of an Amnesty for the Subjects of the House of Mantua who had declared for that of Savoy which Charles Emanuel was willing to obtain These Affairs not being settled Disputes must presently revive Neither were the Princes of Italy very well satisfied with a Peace that was so infirm and subject to a Rupture They imagined and that with probability enough that the Marquiss d'Inojosa had made it because he could tell how to refuse Obedience to the positive Orders of the King his Master They were still afraid there was a Collusion between him and the Duke of Savoy and that they both of them had an under-hand Design At the very same time that Charles Emanuel Restored the Towns in Monferrat he re-enforced his Troops and the Governor of Milan remained in Arms diligently observing all these steps of which the most penetrating head could not understand the Secret The Venetians took care to continue to the Cardinal Duke the assistance which they had given him since the beginning of the Quarrel and to be themselves upon their Guard The Quarrel which arose between their Republick and Ferdinand of Austria Arch-Duke of Gratz who had a great Interest at the Court of Madrid obliged them to distrust the King of Spain 'T was upon the account of the Vscoques Pyrats and Robbers upon the Coasts of Dalmatia whom the Arch-Duke openly protected although the Venetians and the Turks did equally complain of their Robberys We shall say something in the Course of this History concerning this Quarrel which occasion'd the Vscoques to be known in the World The Governor of Milan presseth the Duke of Savoy to lay down his Arms. That which most perplext the speculative Italians about the Affair of Monferrat was that the Governor of Milan who was thought to be in the Interest of Charles Emanuel nevertheless powerfully prest him to lay down his Arms as soon as possible And at the same time that he was contending with him he would constrain Ferdinand to do all that the Savoyard could wish These steps Contrary in appearance are not difficult to be reconciled Spain endeavoured to make its advantage of the Quarrel His Catholick Majesty pretended to be the absolute Arbiter and to direct the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua as should be most for his Interest The Governor of Milan who had no mind to be at the charge of having an Army on Foot to oppose the Duke of Savoy in case his Attempts should make it necessary was continually pressing him to Disband his Troops And because it was of Importance to the King his Master to have at his Disposal the Heiress of Monferrat he boldly demanded her of the Cardinal Duke and thus the Intrigue comes out Now let us see how these Two Parties will get clear of the Demands of the Catholick King Inojosa had sent to Turin the Commander of the Castle of Milan possitively to tell the Duke that he must comply immediately with what was required of him Charles Emanuel bore very impatiently this Imperious way which the Spaniards took with him and with the other Princes of Italy althô he had been used to it for many Years But not being able openly to resist the will of King Philip he found out according tâ—… his usual way divers pretences to shrinâ—… back Never was a Mind more fruitfuâ—… of such Inventions than that of thiâ—… Prince He answered to this Message that he was ready to dismiss his Troops when the Marquiss of Inojosa should perform the private Articles to which the Cardidal Duke of Mantua had agreed at the time of the Treaty made with him Mr. the Governor hath himself given me positive assurances said Charles Emanuel that the Cardinal Duke did consent to deliver up into my hands the Princess Mary my Grand-daughter and to grant a general Amnesty to â—…he Subjects of Monferrat which declared for me Is it not fit that I should continue â—…n Arms till this be performed All the World was mightily surpriz'd when this Answer of the Duke of Savoy was known The Cardinal Ferdinand denied that he had â—…ver promis'd any such thing He pretendâ—…d likewise that Inojosa had told him to the â—…ontrary People could not tell what to â—â—ink of this Riddle Some said that â—â—e Governor of Milan having received â—…resents from Charles Emanuel and Ferdiâ—â—nd had impos'd upon them both in telâ—â—ng the Duke of Savoy that which I have â—â—lated before and in promising the clear â—â—ntrary to the Cardinal Duke that
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
to represent to you further Madam that they put you to needless Expences to gain certain Persons of our Religion We know who those mercenary Souls are They deceive your Majesty who tell you that they can he Serviceable to you I can tell you a far less Chargeable way to have all the Reformed at your Devotion That is to give Orders that all Promises made to us be performed our Griâ—…vances be redressed some ambiguous Expressions in the Edicts be more favourably Interpreted and some things be granted us which may secure the Peace of our Churches and do no great Injury to the Roman Catholicks The ardent and sincere Zeal which I have for your Majesty makes me speak against my self Pursue the Method which I take the liberty to propose you may take away when you please our Offices and Pensions Our Churches living peaceably under his Majesty's Protection will never concern themselves in my favour or for any of the Lords of the Kingdom This Advice was generous and worthy of a truly Christian Gentleman It might have had some good Effect upon such as had no other design but to preserve Peace in the Kingdom by doing Justice and perhaps some small gratification to the Reformed But they were resolved to Ruine them and to effect a design long since contrived and pursued For almost an Age together the Court could not take more convenient Measures than the corrupting of those who had any Credit or Authority in the Reformed Church The ambition and avarice of the Lords and a great number of Hugonot Gentlemen has done more mischief to the Religion than the haâ—…red of the Pope and his Clergy or the Zeal of the blind and superstitious Kings and Queens of France If the Dukes and Peers the Mareschals of France the Lords and Gentlemen of Note had had as much Religion and Probity as du Plessis Mornai I question whether the Son of him whose History I write would ever have ventured to attempt the overthrow of the Reformed Churches of his Kingdom The Posterity of a corrupted Gentry who had no great Concern for their Religion does at this day bewail the fatal Consequences of the Baseness of their Ancestors The Regent received at Tours The K. and Q. his Mother go to Poitiers Letters from the Duke of Maienne He informed her that the Prince de Conde was retired to Chateauroux and that he defired at the present no Reparation of the Injury Mercure Francois 1614. which he had complained had been done him at Poitiers It was wisely done to seem to neglect an Offence for which the Court would never have granted him the Satisfaction which he expected The Bishop was too much favoured by the Queen He went boldly to Tours with Two hundred of the Inhabitants to pray their Majesty 's to come to Poitiers That day when Chataigner made appear that he understood the Office of a Captain better than that of a Bishop was in his Opinion the day of the preservation of Poitiers Their Majesties went thither They were Received with all imaginable Expressions of Joy They Elected a Mayor Mazurier had Orders to remain there as Intendant Rochfort Lieutenant General for the King in that Province a-little after resigned his Office The Count de la Rochefoucaut of the Party of the Guises succeeded him They had a mind to have Poitou in their Power that they might go and Receive the Infanta of Spain when the time should come Memoires de Duc de Rohan The Duke de Rohan being admonished by Velleroi that the Queen was surprized that he did not appear at Court since she was so near to St. Jean d' Angeli came to pay his Respect to their Majesty's They received him kindly and the Regent taking all oportunities to get him near her self made him promise to be present at the meeting of the States of Bretagne which was to be held at Nantes their Majestys being present and to go afterwards to the States General which were already appointed to Meet Mary de Medicis The Q. goes to hold a meeting of the States of Bretagne at Nantes Vie de M. du Plessis Mornai Liv. III. pleas'd that every thing went according to her mind took the Road of Anger 's to go to Nantes Her Majesty had a mind to give a Proof of her Confidence in du Plessis Mornai as she passed through Saumur He went to meet the King being followed by an Hundred Gentlemen As soon as the Young Lewis had enter'd the Castle du Plessis Offer'd to make the Garrison march out But his Majesty would not permit him It is not against our Kings said the Governor that we have strong Places in our Possession they have been willing to grant them us that we may be secured against the hatred of our sworn Enemies If at any time his Majesty does the Honour to be present there Mercure Francoise 1614. we desire no other Security but his Presence The Duke de Vendome seeing their Majesties came in good Earnest towards him submitted himself They gave him New Letters of Re-establishment Memoires de Bassompierre which were Registred in the Parliament of Rennes But he had the Mortification of see that in the meeting of the States of the Province of which he was Governor they made Invectives against him and took Resolutions injurious to his Person and utterly contrary to his Interest So bad a Beginning was no good Omen for the rest of the Life of Coesar de Vendome He could never after recover his Reputation or Respect Henry IV. his Father had Married him to the Heiress of the House of Mercoeur and one of the greatest Fortunes of a Subject in Europe He wasted the great Estate which she brought him The death of the Prince de Conti. Maâ—…y de Mâ—…dicis Returned triumphantly to Paris She found there a Court deprived of a Prince of the Blood The loss was not very great Francis de Bourbon Prince de Conti who died the 13th of August made no great Figure in the World His Widow was soon Comforted after the loss of a weak Husband She was desperately in Love with Bassompierre There had passed between them that which they call Marriage before God Entragues the famous Marchioness de Vernueil's Sister and Daughter to Mary Touchet Charles IX his Mistress had commenced a Suit against Bassompierre upon the account of a Promise of Marriage which he had made her This happy Spark had Two Wives at the same time The First out of a Family more Renowned for the fine Ladies which were Married into the Family or were of it than for any of its Military Exploits the Second being the Daughter of the Duke of Guise and the Widow of a Prince of the Blood might have done Bassompierre great Honour But by an odd Accident Bassompierre would never own the one for his Lawful Wife the other never dared to make her Marraige Publick New Contests between the Princes of
motion but this was so slowly as Prince Thomas Son of Charles Emmanuel had time to prevent the Spaniards and enter himself into the Milanese Country The City of Candia was taken at this time and put to Fire and Sword The Savoyard's Army return'd loaded with considerable Booty The Mediators complained of this Action But the Duke of Savoy disclaim'd his Son's proceedings 'T was endeavoured to excuse him by saying that the Prince knew nothing of what was done The Spaniards afterwards repair'd their loss by taking some small Places in Piedmont Charles Emmanuel a little time after intercepted a Letter from the King of Spain to the Governor of Milan 'T was there seen that some certain Persons had done some ill Offices to Inojosa with his Majesty He seem'd much dissatisfied with Inojosa's Conduct He was order'd to cause his Army to take their Winter Quarters in Piedmont and not to agree to any accommodation with the Duke of Savoy unless he did before hand submit to every thing his Majesty had prescribed before his last motions Charles Emmanuel did not fail to make this Letter publick And he found thereby a double convenience one in mortifying Inojosa's Arrogance whom this Letter had strongly censured the other in making it appear to the Princes who interceded for a Peace that Philip intended as absolute a Command over the Princes of Italy as he had over his Grandees of Spain Lewis XIII his Majority In the time that the Marquiss of Rambovillet began his Negociation in Italy Lewis XIII enter'd into the Fourteenth year of his Age. Mercure Francois 1614. Here then you may see him in his Majority Conformable to the Edict of Charles V. made at Vincennes in the Year 1374. and Registred in the Parlement at Paris with great Solemnity the following Year One might think it strange that he of all the Kings of France who was Surnamed the Wise Recherches de Paschier Lib. II. Chap. 18. should judge that a Prince could be capable to Govern of himself so young Historians relate that Charles believed it was very important for the Minority of Kings to be as short as possibly could be Mezerai dans la Vie de Charles V. for fear the Regent of the Realm should grow so powerful as to Dethrone his Pupil or at least carry away from him a great part of his Estate and Authority The good King thought more of his Family upon this occasion than any else He had not his health so well and his Two Sons in all appearance would be left Minors Of Three Brothers whom Charles had Two of them did not want for Boldness or Ambition Having now a Power to declare sooner For to secure the Crown to his Children it behov'd the King to forward their Majority The Uncles had less time to undertake any thing against the young King sooner than he would Govern of himself Of the Princes who might be mistrusted that Person might be turn'd aside from governing Affairs by other who were better minded under the plausible pretension of the King 's being at Age. That which is singular in this new Law is that he in favour of whom the Father made it had need of a Tutor and Regent the greatest part of his Life He was out of his Wits became crack-brain'd and infirm in Body And this sad Accident caus'd in France all the great Evils which Charles V. had a design to prevent This very Edict proves to us that 't is a long time since the Council of France set themselves on work to set out piteous Prefaces at the beginning of their most solemn Ordinances Charles V. saith in his That the Sons of France have such excellent Masters so good Governours to inform them as they become capable of managing themselves and administring Affairs much sooner than other Children We have seen Two Princes under Age in the Two last Reigns Have the Regents had the care to give their Sons any extraodinary Education Was France so unprovided of Men of Merit that Souvre and Villeroy should be judg'd the most capable of instructing the young King Charles V. besides brought another Reason which is no better than this God said he who gives Sovereign Power to Kings never fails to enrich them the soonest as may be with necessary Qualities to make use of it Alas Let 's behold now how God doth Miracles to enlighten young Princes Understandings and make them more Prudent than other Children These Gentlemen seduc'd early by Flattery hurried away by their Passions which find no great stop in their way usually begin later than others to become reasonable and oftentimes by a just Judgment of God upon a People whom he punisheth a King never knows the First Principles of Reason and good Sense According to Charles the Fifth's Edict a King ought not to be Inaugurated and Crowned till after the time of his Minority But this Formality was past over in favour of his Son who had publisht this Law Charles VI. was a Minor when his Father died and his Uncles contended amongst themselves for the Regency Lewis Duke of Anjou pretended to it as being the Eldest of the Brothers to the deceased King The Dukes of Berry and Bourgundy would have a share in it The Duke of Bourbon Uncle to young Charles by the Mother's Side maintained for his part that he ought to be call'd to the Administration of the Government as well as the Paternal Uncles Some Lords chosen for one Party and t'other were Arbitrators of the Difference 'T was determined That Charles VI. notwithstanding his Father's Law might be Inaugurated and Crowned Affairs dispatcht in his Name and under his Seal the Dukes of Berry Bourgundy and Bourbon might take care of the King's Education and of Lewis Duke of Orleans his Brother the Duke of Anjon might have the Name and Honours of Regent but should do nothing but in Concert with the Three other Princes From that time it hath been a Custom to Crown Kings during their Minority and dispatch Affairs in their Names and under their Seals The first Act in the King's Majority The First thing they made young Lewis Enact in his Majority appeared to be an Act of Religion and Justice I don't know whether Policy and Dissimulation were not the secret Motives to this Performance They were willing to impose upon the People Mercure Francoise 1614. who easily believe what they wish for with all Fervency His Majesty held a Council the First day of October The Declaration which he would have to be Registred next day was there dispatcht and Sealed Lewis at first promised to study every thing that was Expedient for a most Christian King who was Zealous of God's Glory a lover of Peace and the Tranquility of his Subjects to watch the Execution of the good Laws publisht by his Predecessors and make new ones as he should be advised in the approaching Assembly of the States General of the Realm The Edict of Nantes
and Predestination in the Vnited Provinces A new Contest in Holland about the manner of chusing Pastors The Differences in the Vnited Provinces encrease A Conference at Delft between the Remonstrants and Contra-remonstrants The Prejudice of James King of England against the Arminians is abated Sibrund a Frieseland Minister publishes a Libel on the States of Holland Grotius is ordered to reply An Edict of the States of Holland to compose the Differences about the Questions of Predestination and Grace BOOK V. A New Party form'd at Court by the Marechal of Bouillon Artifices of the Duke of Savoy to raise a Civil War in France Different Measures propos'd to the Council of Franco for dispersing the Prince of Conde's Faction The Regent's Circular Letter upon the Retreat of the Prince of Conde and some Lords of his Faction The Duke of Nevers seizes the Citadel of Mezieres in Champagne The Prince of Conde writes a Letter to the Regent in form of a Manifesto The Weakness of the Parlement of Paris on this Occasion Reflections on the Answer the Cardinal of Perron made the Prince of Conde The Reply of Mary de Medicis to the Prince of Conde Mary de Medicis raises Six Thousand Swisses Bassompierre is made Colonel General of the Swisses in the Duke of Rohan's Place The Conduct of the Reformed in France in the Prince of Conde's Business The Wisdom of Du Plessis The Prince of Conde solicits the Reformed The wise Reply of du Plessis Mornay to the Regent and the Prince of Conde The Duke of Rohan seems to hear the Prince of Conde's Propositions The Duke of Vendome's Evasion He writes into Britany The Death of the Constable of Montmorency The Duke of Savoy shuns meeting the Marquess de Coeuvres Ambassador from France into Italy The Jealousie of the Princes and States of Italy occasioned by the Correspondence of the Two Crowns about the Affairs of that Country The Spaniards secretly traverse the Treaty carried on by the Marquess de Coeuvres The Cardinal-Duke of Mantua accepts the Conditions proposed by the Marquiss de Coeuvres The Duke of Savoy seems likewise to accept them Troops are raised at Turin The Treaty of the Duke of Ventadour and the other Commissioners of the King with the Prince of Conde and those of his Party The Prince retires to Soissons and goes into Champagne A Division in the Regent's Council on the Demands which the Prince of Conde and the Malecontents make with respect to their private Interests Intrigues of the Marshal of Ancre to divert the Regent from making War on the Prince of Conde The Pope's Nuncio's reasoning on the Resolution taken to make Peace with the Prince of Conde An Examen of the Political Reflexion of a Venetian Author of the Treaty made with the Prince of Conde A Treaty concluded at St. Menehoud between the Regent and the Prince of Conde The Sentiments of the Parlement of Paris against a Book of Suarez the Jesuit Paul V. complains of the Proceedings of Parlement against Suarez's Book A Discourse of the Pope to the French Ambassador upon the Parlements Sentence The Conduct of the Court of France to satisfie the Pope The Jesuits stir to have the Parlement's Sentence burnt The King's Declaration in his Council concerning the Parlement's Sentence The Pope will not be satisfied with the King's Declaration The King at last is obliged to suspend the Execution of the Parlements Sentence Differences in the Court of France The Duke of Vendome refuses to accept the Treaty of Menehoud The Ability and Prudence of du Plessis Mornay Mary de Medicis sends the Marquiss de Coeuvres to the Duke of Vendome to dispose him to an Accommodation A new Disturbance of the Prince of Conde An Interview of the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Rohan The Prince of Conde thinks to make himself Master of Poitiers A great Tumult at Poitiers The Gates of the City are shut against the Prince He retreats to Chateouroux in Berry A Remonstrance of du Plessis Mornay to the Regent The King and Queen Mother go to Poitiers The Queen goes to Nants in Brettany to hold a Meeting of the States The Prince of Conti's Death New Differences between the Princes of Brandenburgh and Newburgh about the Administration of the Countries of Cleves and Juliers The Town of Aix la Chapelle is put under the Ban of the Empire The Marquess of Spinola reduces the Town of Aix la Chapelle and seizes divers Places in the Countries of Cleves and Juliers Maurice Prince of Orange takes divers Places in the same Country A Conference at Santheim about the Succession of Cleves and Juliers The Duke of Savoy is more embroyl'd with Spain than ever He seeks to gain the Venetians into his Interests The Marquiss of Rambouillet is sent Ambassador Extraordinary into Italy An open War between Spain and Savoy Several Things writ on both sides The Pope's Nuncio and French Ambassador labour for an Accommodation between them The Duke of Savoy accepts the Conditions proposed and Spain refuses them The King of Spain is not satisfied with the Governour of Milan's Conduct The Majority of Lewis XIII His first Act. Sits in his Seat of Justice Education of Lewis XIII THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarre BOOK I. THE Reign whose History I am about to write The Plan of the Work abounds in Great Events Here is a Scene of Civil and Foreign Wars Bloody Battles Towns attack'd and defended with great Conduct and Courage The Protestants oppress'd in France and supported in Hungary Germany and the Vnited Provinces The Nobility Clergy Parlements and People reduced to Slavery A King unable to extricate himself from those Difficulties in which some were still busie to involve him leaves the Care of Affairs to his Favourites and Ministers Alike averse to his Mother his Wife his Brother he treats the one ill and obliges the rest to form Leagues at Home and Abroad and at last to throw themselves into the Hands of the ancient Enemies of France The Princes of the Blood and the Great Lords disgusted sometimes at the ill Administration of a Regent at other times with the excessive Power of a Favourite or Minister rise under the specious Pretence of a Concern for the Publick Good The Protestants driven to Extremity by the frequent Infractions of the most inviolable Edict that ever was at last take Arms to defend the Liberty of their Consciences and preserve those Securities which had been so justly granted them in the preceding Reign The Enterprizes of the House of Austria on the Princes of Italy force them to have recourse to the Protection of France and make an Alliance with her These Sovereigns jealous of their Repose and Liberty see without concern the Duke of Savoy give up to the King of France a Place which opens a way into Italy whenever he shall think fit to send any Aid thither A great Conqueror coming from the
I should not have found fault with these grave Magistrates for not relying much upon a young Prince whose little Genius and low Conduct gave them no great hopes but what shall we say of People that pretend to be the Guardians of Kings Here we see they dare not open a Letter written by a first Prince of the Blood to complain of the ill Administration of Affairs during a Minority Our Fathers were then Born to Slavery and we have gone on in the Paths they chalkt out to us Reflections upon Cardinal Perron's answer to the Prince of Conde None of the Parlements had the Courage to Answer the Prince several Officers of the Crown sent their Letters to Court unopened some few Printed Answers I find that of Cardinal Perron seems to me to deserve some Reflection This flattering and mercenary Pen did not dare to deny that there was a great many disorders to be regulated in the Government under the Minority of Lewis XIII Mercure Francois 1614. They have been pleased to multiply them since his Minority and during the long Reign of his Son How great a Reformation is necessary now and who at this time dares to Demand it One of the Ancients said the Cardinal hath wisely said that there is no Prince so bad but that he is better than a Civil War And thus we may say of the Government of Kingdoms that there is no Administration let it be what it will but it is better than Civil Discord Whether the Author who laid down this Maxim be a Greek or Latin one it is all one to us if we take it in its utmost Extent it tends only to Establish Tyranny in the World Would it be better to endure all the extravagancies and Bloody cruelties of a Caligula and Nero than to take Arms to Resist such abominable Monsters If any say that these two never had their like I will grant it But they that follow too near the Politicks of Philip II. of Spain and Charles IX of France will find some there like them Is it not lawful to defend one's Life and Liberty against such Tyrants I confess t is often better to bear the inconvenience of a bad Prince to a certain degree than to raise a Civil War A good Prince is a great Rarity The World would never be in Peace if it were lawful to take Arms as soon as a Prince ceases in all Instances perfectly to do his Duty But that a King who loads his Subjects with heavy Taxes to Indulge a boundless Luxury and Ambition who Sacrifices without Remorse the lives of a million of Men to his Vast and Unrighteous designs who Ruins at pleasure the Nobles of his Country who overthrow's the Priviledges of Princes and Great Noble-Men who Orders that his Edicts how contrary soever to the publick Good shall be Registred before there can be any Remonstrances made who shuts up the mouths of Parliaments who Banishes and Imprisons without any legal Process those who testifie their dislike of his Usurpations upon his Subjects and his Neighbours who abolishes without all Reason the most sacred and inviolable Laws who thinks it meritorious to make a million of Men miserable because they won't renounce a Religion which I may say they have had the liberty to be Born and Bred up in who does his utmost to enslave a Nation which has been always Free that such a Prince as I describe is better than a Civil War undertaken and carried on with wisdom and discretion so that one might hope for some redress of those miseries which would be but increased by patiently enduring of them this is the thing the Cardinal du Perron will never persuade Men of Sense to believe with all his Skill and Rhetorick Answer of Mary de Medicis to the Prince of Conde Mercure Francoise 1614. Mary de Medicis returned a large Answer to the Prince de Conde in Form likewise of a Manifesto to clear her self from his Imputations and to shew the irregularity of his Conduct who accus'd her If her Majesty does not make the best Defence with respect to some Articles yet with respect to others she gives good Answers enough The greatest number of those Disorders which the Prince Complains of began before the Regency The Avarice of Conde himself and of the Lords put her under a necessity of wasting the Treasure which had been heap'd up by the late King They increased the number of Malecontents form'd Cabals threatned to Rise So that she was obliged continually to give them Money to appease some to retain others To what purpose did the Prince begin to Complain now in the Fourth Year of a Regence which was now expiring Had he not done much better to have employed that Reputation and Authority which the Quality of first Prince of the Blood gave him in endeavouring to Establish a good Council and to regulate the Administration of Affairs But instead of applying himself to that which was of absolute necessity he spent his time in Intrigues to remove one or prefer another His irresolution and mildness of Temper made him a Cully to all the Factions that were on Foot at Court during the Minority of Lewis the XIII Nevertheless Mary de Medicis fearing lest the Prince should strengthen his Party by reason of the general Discontent of Men of all Ranks through the Kingdom Judged that the surest way to allay the begun Heats and Animosities was to promise in her Answer to the Prince of Conde an Assembly of the States of the Kingdom in order to redress every thing which they Complained of This experiment succeeded well The Faction of the Prince was weakned and her Majesty took Care that the Assembly of the States should not entirely answer their Expecttations But she did not so far rely on the way of Negociation resolv'd on in Council nor upon the assurances of the Mareschal de Bovillon that she had no thoughts of having an Army ready to Fight the Prince of Conde Mary de Medicis raises Six thousand Swisses in case they refused the advantageous accommodation which was proposed to them by the President of Thou whom the Queen sent for that purpose into Champagne This Magistrate whose integrity and ability the Princes and great Lords had a Respect for had a Conference with them at Soisson in which he endeavoured to adjust the matters in dispute between them and the Queen To secure herself against the Fears of the Malecontents it was resolv'd to send away the Colonel Galatis into Switzerland to raise Six thousand Men of his own Nation But the Duke of Rohan who was made Colonel General of the Swisses by the late K. was suspected by the Queen She did not dare to trust him with a Body of Troops in which the chief strength of the King's Army was to consist Mary de Medicis she thought convenient to make another Colonel General of the Swisses in the Room of the Duke of Rohan and to give him
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