iiJ|ii4^4|4^^/l4^4fiNfjr^l4l4fl4H14!^l^li|.i!l:INli!iJ

-<il?i.'-iMMMMit.<t>-:r,

^i^il

iiUi

iUiiiV.M'iii

M-HH-iUMiiUNi

U i- H !•* i)J*

!HHl*Nl*^

]t^^-4f-'iufl^

■ii^i'ti'i^-H-iU}

iiMMMUi

^mmiimmmt

i iJ i> J/

ilitH

p«*;

-32.

Arcana Gallica :

OR, THii

Secret Hiftory

FOR THE

Last Century,

SHEWING,

By what Steps the French Minifters de- ftroy'd" the LiBERTi E s of that Nation in General, and the P k o t e s t a n i R E L I G I o N in Particular.

With a View of the BiftraBions and Civil Wars during the Two Minorities in that Pe- riod'.

Collefted from the moft Authentick Authorities.^ never before Printed in Trance or EnjiUnd.

By the Author of the Secret Hiltory of £urope.

LONDON:

Printed for A.Bell, at the Crojs-Keys in

CornfUly N. Cliff and D. J a c k s o n, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheaffide^ MDCCXIV.

Price bix S ii- n^;

TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE

fFILLIJM

EARL OF

PORTLAND.

Mr Lord,

TH E TrotetHion Your LORD- SHIP was pleas'd to give that Exaft and Faithful Htfiortan, Monfieur Vajfor^ who Addrefs'd his Hijiory to You^ has encourag'd me to beg the fame Favour for this, which is built entirely on the fame Foundation,

Ai Your

"The dedication.

Your Lordship knows too much of French Politicks and French Merit to be in Love with either ; and tho' no Man was ever more Careis'd by them than Your Lordship, when You accom- pany'd Your Noble Father in that Embajfy of his, which was the Glory of England and the Won- der of France*^ yet You have never had the leaft Complacency for their Counfels^ but have Ihewn that You are as Infenfible of Na- tional Flattery as of Terjonal.

Your Lordshifs Heart is fo perfedly Brtti/h^ that it is a. Secret Reproach to many of our. Country- Men who fiq^ne themfelves of a long Deicent of Briti/h An- ceftry, and yet feem to have no more Regard for the true Intereft of their Country than their Ance- jiors^ the Normtins^ had, when they invaded it. They have nothing

of

l^he ^eBcation.

of the Ancient Qerman Blood in them : Have no Notion of that Sfmt and Trinci'ple of Liberty which infpir'd our Saxon Fathers in the Defence of it. And feem to be fo in Love with our Neigh* hours the F?^n2Ci^^ that one wou'd think they were prouder of being defcended from a Nation that enjlaVd^ than being ally'd to one that deliver d us. ^ ,'

'T I s that Glorious Deliverance which has endeared the Memory of Your Iliuftrious Father^ who had fo great a Hand in it, to all good Englifh'Men : For 'tis that. My Lord, to which they owe the Prefent Happy Government^ and the hopes of the Future. The Conftitution owes its birth to the Principles that eifeded it, and its Prefervation is built on the fame Bottom. Every affault that is given to it by advancing contrary Doftrinesj is ftriking at the very

Root

The ^edicatim.

Root of the Eftablilhment, which we cannot be too Jealous of, as this Hillory will fufficiently evidence ; and that a Nation no fooner takes one Voluntary ftep towards Sla- very^ but Power will prefently find means to force them to take o- thers. It is in Tolitich as in Faith^ and he who ers ever fo little in the Ejfentials^ is in great Danger of erring further till it ends in Per- dition.

I am Confcious that I ought not to interrupt Your Lordship's Leifure with fuch fort of Lectures, but my Zeal for the Truth made me forget to whom I was Speak- ing ; and that in whatever Minute this Addrels meets You, whether You had dedicated it to Bufinefs or Pleafure, it is very Prefumptious in me to give it any other Diverfion without Your Lordship's Particu- lar Command. To dare to come Unbidden into Your Lordship's

Pre-

ne dedication.

PrefencCj is what I cannot Anfwer to either Delicacy, Decency or Di- fcretion. But there are fome Paffions too ftrong for all, and none ftronger than the Love of One's Country. It will in fome Meafure be an Excufe for me, that when I confider Your Lordship as one of the firft of the Briti/b Peers, who have always appeared Zealous in thcCaufe of Liberty^ I couM not reftrain my felf from paying that Acknowledgement which is a Debt to You from all who Love it.

This i^ a Virtue that Ihines brighter in Your Lord SHIP than fo many others which adorn Your Charader. Generofity^ Humanity^ Affal?tlttyy and all the Qualities that gain Love and Efteem, muft give Place to that Tublick Spirit by which You have on all Occa- lions diftinguiffc'd Your felf Even that pcrfeft Beauty of Body and

Mind.

The Dedkdtm. 'I

Mind, which are, with fo much Joyi in fome and Envy in others, beheld in Your Lordship, wou'dr;: v;ant the Zeal of the "Patriot to; finifli their Perfeaion. But with it, it gives ineftimable Merit, and makes every Man Ambitious of being what I am, with all ima- ginable Duty and Refpeft,

:6\VS

My LqroI

Jour Lordjbifs, jAoJl Humhlef 'mofl''Oh'edieht,

ii

And mo(i Drv&^d'S&kJMt, ^

• t

i/i

( I )

THE

PREFACE

THERE will he the J ame Oh)Qdi\on to this Hiftory^ as is generally made to all Anecdotes, that the Fads are either Falle or Common. But J have a ready and (l)ort jinfwer to it^ that they are neither Common nor Falfe, For, with refpeHr to the Englifh Reader^ not a Tenth Part of them has ever ap fear d in EngliHi, nor were they ever printed in France, and the Authors from whence they are taken were of the mofi -undoubted Veracity that ever that Nation -produced, to inftance Vaiibr'j Life of Lewis the Xlllch, whofe Hiitory conftfls of Twenty large Volumes^ and is a ColleUion of the mofl valuablelVriters who wrote of that Reign with a Spirit of LihQVty and Truth ^ moft of whofe Works durfi never be printed in France, io this I may add the Hifiory of the Edidof Nantes, confiftirig of Five large Volumes in Qiiarto *, neither of which have been tr an fated into our Tongue entire hut only by Parcels^ and Three only of Vziibr^s Twenty f^olufnes are to be met with in it. If this Hijhry therefore were ncthir^g more than an Abridgement of the fe Two Voluminous Hiflories^full of Arcanas of the French Hifiory^ if^ as I may venture to fay it does^ it takes in every thing Curious and Remarkable tending tofliew hoiv Tyranny was efiabliflid /^France by Cardinal Richiieii'j Mini- ftry, and what fteps that Court took to deflroy not only the Liberties of the Protellant?, hut of the French Na- tion in general^ were there ^ Jj^y-t Clothing more in it-^ this Work coud not fail of being a grateful Prefent to th^

ii- The PREFACE.

Englifli, wh4i have the Frefervation of their Lihertie fo much at Hearty and are fo SolUcltous to avoid any Meafures which tend to their DeftruEtion. The follow- ing Pages are full sf In^ruEiive Examples of the Trea chery of great Men, and their Sacriffmg the Caiife of Liberty^ and even Religion to their Avarice and Am- bition. It ^r.ews us what I\egurd that Mini fry had to their Treaties^ hdw complying they were in Di^ ftrefs^ how Infolem when out of it . and by what Steps they laid the F&v.ndation of the late formidable great - nefs of the French Monarchy.

It will he a melancholly Ir f]eB to fee with.what Set- fifh views the great Lords of the Reform'd Religion managd its Jnterefis^ and how eafily they abandon d them when their own were in Onefiion. How they made Confciencea Pretence to colour their Ambitious Defigns^ and made a Market ofthatCA-^iUTCh whofe Champions they pretended to be. when they had a Th'^nto Serve by it. There has no YLoxx\t in France been more fat^ to the Proteilant Religion there than that of Bouil- lon. The Father of the Marefchal cle Turenne did net turn Papift, but he always betray d the Protefiant Cavfe^ and appeared at the Head of it for nothing but to render himfelf by it ccnpderable at Court Had h& been faithful to his Profeffion^ the Re form 'd had made . another fort of a flan d, and had his Son the Afarefchal de Tuienne<^^,w the fame^ the Edid of Kantes might not have been fo tramphd. under Foot as it was fo on after his Apoflacy.

The Reader' will obferve hov:) freely the Catholich took Arms in the Defence of their Liberties in the Minority and Reign of . Lewis the Juft, that the French were pot then fo ccnvinc'^d of the Verity of the DoEtnne of f ^^iVw'^'Oh^^i^T.CG and Kon-Refiflance as they have been fince by the Arts cfthe Two Cardinal Mi- riifiers^ and the Lejfons of an Army of Two or Three Hundred Thoufand Men. Whether that brave Gallican Spirit is irreccvcrahly lof} by it lirg nfzge of Arbitrary

power

The PREFACR. lil.

Tewer, md whether another Minority may not give new Life to ity Time will difcover-, and the Difcovery may not he at a Dlfiame.

I Jh^ll not be fo Impertinent as to recommend this Work to the World for am other good Quality k has but Truth. The utmofi Care has heen taken not to mention any Event but what is attejled by the befi Authority, I do not hate the French p much as to Falfify Hiftoryto render them Odious'^ indeed they have taken Care by their Politicks in the lafi Century^ to prevent an Hiflo- rian^s having any Temptation to it. The FaEi does more than Invention coud do^and if one hated them never fe much for the Jnvafions they have made on the Rights of Nations one need only Speak the Truth ef them to bf fuffciently revenged-

This is not intended as d Satyr on the French Na^ tion in general J but o ' thofe that have involv d, them^ felves in the Guilt of their ill Minifiers^ and contribu^ ted to make their Government fo Ahfolute as it is^ fo Ruinous and Deflruciive to all the refi of Europe, France has obliged the World with fo many Excellent Things in Letters and Arts, that it wou'd be ungrate- ful notto Speak of her with Honour. But then the Two Cardinal Minivers went fo far in eflabliflnng the Poli^ ticks fl/Matchiavel, and compelling otherCourts to fall ■ in with the fame Principles and Pra^lices^ that fure all good Englifh Men cannot hut have an Abhorrence foi' every Thing that^s French in Religion and Policy.— This I hope may be fiid without Offence. Indeed I do not fee how his Pojfhle for one to Offend in a Free Na-- tion^ Governed by Laws^ againfl a People that won d give ■up all Law to the Wi/i of the Prince, I know very v^elL what is the Duty of every SubjeHr in obferving the Trea-* ties made with other Kingdoms and States^ and fliall alivays PraBife it ^ hut J do not think it Inconfiftent with that Duty to tell the Reader what has been done by our Neighbours 1?% former Times^ that he may make the better judgement what they will do now* It is 4 a 2 AUxim

\v. The PREFACE.

Maxim in Common Commerce^ for People to deaiwith every Man as if he tie alt with a Knave ^ whether he is known to be fo or not ^ hut when he has a certain pxt CharaEher^ when his Reputation for Knavery is Incon- teftahle^ the Folly of trufiing fuch a one is ever puniflj^d with Shame and fever e Repentance, What holds good in Trivate Things. generally does the fame in Ptihlick^and a Nation that have been once bubbled by another muft fure- ly fink in their Charatler if they are ever bubbled again*

I question whether the good Lvck c/Richlieu in being trufted fo often^ was fo ??juch oiving to his own Cunning as the Credulity of others \and whether a great many People who -had to do with him,didnot ^ew that if he had had lefs Dexterity \ others had eafinef enough to have made the fame Bargains with him* This fort of ConduH of the French and their Neighbours Will not appear fo much in this as in other Parts of their Hiftory, I have now had mofi Attention to their Afanagement at Home^ their Divifons^ Commotions^ the Intrigues of their Regencies and Minifters, and have touched very lightly on their Foreign Affairs farther than they Conduce to fhew what is chiefly m^ tended by this Work \ and with what fecurity the Neighbouring Nations may build on their Sincerity,

It will be Jeen in this Hiflory that France was not only co'fitented to attack the Empire openly without any juji Provocation^ but held a Correfpondence with ths Arch Rebel VValleftein, to whom that Court wrote a very Complaifant Letter^ a Secret which will never he met with in theirown Story : I need net mention ether fuch Important Secrets^ the whole is nothing elfe but a CoileUiion of Aiemoirs which the French Hi- forians muft not meddle with^ v.nlejs they fly or the Liberty 0/ Hiftory to the Prote'dion of other Nations*

I have avoided as much as poffible to mention any FaHs that are to be met with in thofs Authors that have written in France of this Period. Mezeray is a very faithful H'fiorian^^is far ^j was c&nfiltent with

Pru^

The P R E F A C E. v.

Prudence and Safety^ but he us*d to complain of the breaches that had been made in the Ancient Gallick Constitution^ and has to fome of our Countrymen in whom he coud confide^ envyd us the Ha-pfynefs of ha- ving preferv*d our own fo entire as it is from the Invafi^ ons of Arbitrary Power ufurpt by otherTrinces and their Minifiers, His Difcretion kept him from touching fuch Events as woud have given his Readers a frightful Ideaofthofe ferfons and Things^ which the French are fmce taught to hold Sacred *, and I have been fo far from receiving any help from mm^ that I wou^d not fo much as confult him \ being ajfurd that Ijhou^d. foon lofe the CharaUer of a Writer ^/AnecdoteSj and deaden the Cur i» fry oj the Puhlick if in the leaft I pre- tended to Coppy after fo well known an Original,

This Volume takes up the Reign of Lewis the Juft, and 'Thirty Three Tears of the lafl Century, A Reign full of Intrigues and Ad;ions under the DireEhivn of a Adinifler of as a great Cemus as ever France or any other Kingdom produced. One who tho' he had afublinte Capacity^ and was not for want of Ability to A5i openly, reduced to the Scandalous necejjity of Tricking , yet of fo u?jbounded an Ambition^ that there was no Arti^ fees fo mean and fo wicked which he wou'd not put in VraU:ice to carry his Point j and when he dy*d hefeem*d to have infused his Soul into Mazarine his bvcceffor^ whofe Genius^ however^ was not offo large an extent as Richh'eu'j, but con fifed more in Italian Repnementy than the Wife Politicks of an experienc'^d State fman. Moth of them agreed in one HellifliDefgn toSacrifife ths Rights and Privileges of the People of France ai well Papifls as Proteftants to the Will &fthe Prince, and un- der him to their own^ and theMeafures they took are the fame which ail Miniflers will take who have the fame Treacherous intent, in whatever unhappy State their Lot fliall throw them.

Honefl Abel and his Brother the Examiner have for above Two Tears been endeavouring to maks us in

Love

vl The PREFACE.

Love with the French, ?<7 reflore^ as thy Phrafe it, the Afic lent kmity between the Two Nations, who have not however known what ^tis to be Friends ever fince they were Nations. Englifh and French are as greatOppo/ites as Liberty atid Slavery -^and whatever Meafures we are obligd to obferve with thsm-i as to Peace or War, ix does not follow^ I hope ^ that we muft have fuch a Veneration for what is done^ or has been done by them, that we muft not dare to Speak the Trvth of them. But we fjall not learn to write Hiftory by the Examiner and Honeft Abel, .the former as diflin- guijlj'd by hisgreat Modefty^ as the latter by his as great V^eracity. They have indeed intra dvc^d a new way of Writings which Pofterity wou^d be infinitely obliged to them for^ if it was poffible [or either of their Papers to live longer than the Day for which 'twas written. If a Man fjou'd write a Hiftory of the Times^ and take the Memoirs from Abei, and the ReileB ions from the Examiner, I doubt not but ''twoud make the mod: In* comparable Secret Hiftory that ever was written. How many of their Heroick Events will Fifty Tears hence be as entirely forgotten as if they had never been *, for no o- ther Writers will venture to carry fuch a load along With them to Futurity^ and the Memory of them can never be pre fervd anywhere but in the Poft-Boy and Examiner, which muji: therefore in the next Age be the great eft Anecdotes that will be tranfmttted to it, As great a Secret will it then be that Six or Seven Tears of her Majefty^s glorious Reign, the moft glorious that ever appear d in the Britifli Annals. difti?jguljh'd hyfo many f^iSlories andConquefts Abroad ^by fuch a wife and happy Adminif ration at Home^ were the fubje^l of, the Ridicule of fuch Infamous Libellers. For our Chil- dren will be afijam'd of the FrenTjy with which that Fa- ^ion is poffefs'd and will do what they can to hide their ISfakednefs^ to bUt fuch Fnfolence and Ingratitude out of Remembrance^ and it will be forgotten long before that , perhaps^ that France had ever any profejs'4 Fristjds a- mo*^g us. In

The FRF F ACE. vii.

In this Hifiory there will be found Inftances of fuch Libellers as theje^ Two Hireiings emfloy'^d by Richlieu an J hii Creatures to vindicate iois fatal Mi" fiiftry^ and bUckett the former. ^Txvik be found that one of his Authors^ Father jofepb, a great CoTifi^ dent and Creature of his^ was fo Extrax'agant in his Flattery^ that he wrote a Treatije ititittd d^ The Unity of the Mmiikxy ^fliewingthe neceffitythat it fhoud be .^ ingle ^ and by Arguments that he derived from the Unity of thf Godhead. J make no manner of doubt but if the Examiner coud frocure m Chapman^ he woud oblige its with jufi ftich another Treatife, and with more of the bicophant and the Slave than was in Father JofephV. The Relation there is between thv French a-ad the fe Friends of theirs in all Things is very Remarkable^ and was one of the main Infiigations I had to profecute this Work.

It has beenfome Comfort ts me^ that I have not had accafion in this Book to talk much of the Examiner/ new Friends. Thofe I here ffeak of^ hav^ been rotten thefe Three fcore Tears ^^and I fljall on that Account come of the better with him. He does not fure care what %sfatd fjfRichiieiU'ZW^ Mazarine, as long as d^e Deference is -paid to thofe that are in Being. For my Part if it was not more out of Regard to the Opinion of othersy than his or my owa^ 1 fjjou'd deal as^ freely with the Living ^j with the Dead, for they have all alike been the mofi Inveterate Enemies vf our Coiiniry.

/ cannot on this occafion omit an Excellent Ohfer-^ vation of that trziely Noble Lord the Earl <?/ Warring- ton in his Charge to the Grand Jury of Che (hire y he is f peaking of the late King James J Illegal Aciiom^ hisgo.ng to France, and learning there to continue ana encreafe them from the Converfation of the French King. It is nat probable, fays his Lerdfhip^ that King woivd have treated him as he has done, had hediicover'd in Kmg James any Difpofition to govern more mildly and realbnably for the fu- ' ture.

viii. The PREFACE.

ture. How much he is influencM to the con- trary is very Evident, by defigning to bring in the Frer2ch upon us, the People of all other this Nation ought to dread, being the old Irrecon- cileable Enemies o^ England \ for whoever looks into Hiftory will find that France has occaflon'd more Trouble to England than all the World befides. Nay, there has fcarce been any 111 Dcfjgn againft this Nation but France has had a Hand in it, as if their very Climate did ne- ceflitate them to be at Enmity with us. Is it not then highly necejfary wejhou^d be well acquainted with the Myfiery o'f their Politicks which will he found to be as dark as the black Regions where they were formd .<*

What Ohligatim do we lye 7wder not to look into their Hifiory^ and expo/e it to the Judgment of an Jm- ■partial Briton ? France has Frie-zids enough among -us to whom fuch a Defign will give Offence \ but alas^ what jhould hinder an ^Vi'^\\^-yizn from offending a Friend to France? / matter not the hatred offich as h4te the Government and the Protefiant Succejfion to it, as hate our Country and Conjlitution. ^T'is Glo' rious to bear the Enmity of fuch ^ and the more they are difpleas^d, the more^ I hope^ will all Lovers of Liberty be pleased with this Worky for who fe Entertain- ment 'twas tn an Efpecial Manner Written^ and with whofe approbation all the Pains I have taken will be abundantly rewarded.

Malice and Envy pretend to very great Penetra- tion^ and will defile the rnofi pure and Innocent Hiftory with {train d and corrupted .Applications , to prevent their doing fuch Injujlice to this-, we mnft declare that the RefltBiont are every where fuch as are born of the Subjefl-^ and are not to be mifconflru d and abused with any Odious Parallels^ for which the Hiftory of our Affairs gives no Oc- cafion,

THE

(l)

THE

Secret Hiftory

O F

FRJNCE,&cc.

I Do not pretend in the following Hiflory^ to publifh the Secrets of Cabinets, and the Arcana s of Council. It wou*d be a Ridi- culous Impertinence to endeavour to impofe thefe FadVs on the Reader for Novelties never feen before. But. this I may venture to affirm^ he has never feen them in our own Language, and they are all taken from Books which never durft ap- pear in France.

I (hall not enter into the Hiftory of that Kingdom for this laft Century, farther than it has relation to 'my Defign, to-fhew the Steps taken in it to ruin 'the Reform' d Religion and the Liberties of the People, which was entirely accomplilh'd in the laft Reign and this. The Civil Wars and the Fo- reign in thofe Times, I fhali leave to the General Hiuories of them. As far as Mez^eray has gone/ he is Hone!i and Excellent; but as for the otheV French Hiftorians, particularly The Grand Hiflory of Lewis the XlVth now Reigning, begun by Mon- fieur Pelijfon^ and continu'd by Monlieur Racine^ Monfi-ur Boileauy Mdn fieur P^alincQurt and other s< . . i B U

2 The Secret Htfiory

it will doubtlefs have a Relifh of the Profeffion of thofe Gentlemen, who being Poets, will not fail to Adorn it with all the Beauties of Fidion as well as of Language.

One of their, greateft Wits of the laft Age, was the Count Bujjy de Rahutm^ and one, wou'd think an Author themoft likely to write Truth, when he wrote in Banifhment, and under a Com men -Wealth : Yet fuch is the Natural Vanity of the Nation, and fuch their Idolatry to their King, that even this Count, writing in Exile, borrowed a great Part of his Hifiory of Lewis Ihe Great, from his Inven- tion. I will give a few Inftances of it, that a Judgement may be thence forni'd of the Ne- ceffity w^e lye under to look into other Htflori- ans than thofe of the National Religion in France^ if we wou'd well inform our (elves of their Affairs, and the Methods taken to Eftablilli Popery and lyranny^ without thofe Hated Rivals of Liberty and Reformation,

The Count fpeaking of the Exploits of the French at Tmmouth^ fays, Aionfievr Tourville, Burnt Twelve Men of War there^ and a little after that, The Prince of Orange was Beaten at the Boync, Not content with this, he is fo hardy as to fay, fpeak- ing of fome Advantage gain'd by the French Heet, We commonly Beat both the Englifli and Dutch at Sea. In a Word, tho* his Hiftory is only an Abridge- ment of the Life of Lewis the XlVth, yet there are more Falfhoods in it than in any Life at large, that ever was written, all to the Honour of the King or the Country.

To give other Inftances of the Honefty or good Information of the French Hiftorians, one need only refer to The Life of Cromwel, Dedicated to the Famous Bifhop of Meaux, by a Perfon of no mean Charafter^ in which there's hardly a Page with- out one or more grofs Miftakcs, if not wilful Er- rors. He fays, Cromml was a Prebend^ and that Bifhop William's Quarrel with Bifhop Laud, was aboi^t Precedence. But to fhew what Dependance there is to be made on them, I ihall repeat what

Do£lor

ef

FRANCE.; 3

Do£lor Welwood has written on this ^ubje£l. j^U the Hifioriet almojt of this and the lafi Jge, that h^,ve been Printed in Paris, thefe Thirty Tears paji^ are full of Pvfitive falfljcods^ ~^wt to memion either the Paramovnt Hijiory that Morjfieur PtjliiTon is jufl vow affnting of the Life of Lewis le Grand, which will certairdy he a Complication of Vntruths^ And a Ffflfome Pa.^eg)rick on the French King. Nor need I mention the fever d Hiftories that Maimbourg, Varillas, and other of the Kings Penfioner.\ hav9 imposd on the World of late ; which makes it abfo- lutely necelTary, if we wcu'd know the Hiftory o^ France for this iaft Century, to look into other Memoirs than thofe they fen(i us from thence.

We are nov/ at War with that King and his Country, but how long we (hall be fo by the prefent Difpofition of the Times, is not hard to determine ^ and that perhaps the Promised Peace will be 1 roclaim'd before thefe Sheets are pub- lifh'd. However, confidcring vve Live under a Con- ftitution where Truth is no Crime, and Liberty is defended by Law, that of fpeaking what's True of any Nati.on, is the Right of every EngHJ}} Man, and God forbid we fhou'd ever be fo fond of the French^ as to except that Nation out of fuch Li- berty. I fhall therefore report ?II thofe Events which tended to the Deftrudion of the Proteftant Intereft, and the Erefting an Arbitrary Deipotick Government in that Kingdom, from the Death of Henry the IVth, to tiie Revoking the Edi^: of Nantz^j of which the Crown of England VN'as Guaranty, as has been reprefented to our Court, in a late Memorial from the French Refue;ees. This Hidory, for the Entertainment of the Rea- der, will be diverfify'd with fevcral Incidents and Events no where elfe to be met with in our Tongue, and fuch as probably never v/ill be, the Memoirs I took' them from being too Voluminous, and too Particular to admit of any other Verfion or life. I defire therefore, that (inc^ I have taken fo much P'ains to divert him , be will allow me in my Turn, the Pkafure oi making fuch R^fieaionson B 3 the

4 The Secret Wfiorj

the Fa£ls as are of General Concern to all True Lovers of the Proteftant Religion and Liberty, free from the Scandal of Sedition and Schifm.

The Liberty of the Proteflants in France was precarious, and depended on the Pleafure of the Court, till Henry the IVth, the Fir ft Prince of the Houle of Bourbon^ who fat on the French Throne, confirm'd his bell Subjects by that Edi£t, which was ccncerted with great induftry and De- liberation, and by the Command of a King, who, in his Leart, was fufpe^ted to think well of the Protellant Religion, tho' he outwardly made Pro- fefiion of the I opilli. I have two Authorities to juilify this Sufpicion, one the faying of Hardouin de Perefixe^ Arch-BiOop of Paris^ in his life cf He?/ry the IVth, the other, that of liis Pupil Lewis the IVth, to the Deputies of the Reform'd Churches in France. The Arch Biil^op of Parity the prefent King's 1 receptor, writes in the before mention 'd Hiftory, When Henry the IVth fearing the King of Spain wojJd prevail on the States ajfemhled for the Choice of a Kmg^ turn'd Papifl, The Author adds, // ffioit temps que le Ro) fe convert it ^ 'livas lime for thi King to he Converted -, which (hews how little Confcience was concern'd in that Converfi- on ^ an J the King now wearing the Crown when thofw' Proteftant Gentlemen complain'd to him that his F.difts were not oblerv'd, laid, Tou look upon me as upon the King my Faiher^ and the King my Grandfather *, without doubt you believe I love you like the one^ or fear you like the other ; but I wou'd have- )Oti know I neither love you nor fear you. As to the Murder o( Henry th^Wth by Ravillac, it is not quefiion'd even by the Papifts, but that he was iet on by Bigotted Vriefts to commit that Aflailination. Thefe Bigotb being apprehenfive the King waj formnig Tome Delign in favour of He- refy, wiiich they imaging he had only abandoned in Appearance. Raviliac v;hen iie was examined, confefs'd, He had heard thiit the Kmg was about to make War on the Pope^ that to make War on the Fope^ is to make War on- Cod^ inafthuch as the

Pops

^/FRANCE. 5

Pope is God, and God is the Fope^ as may be i^Qn in the Mercure Francois. 1610, which Dam- nable Doftrine he had learil*d from the Sermons of the Execrable Preachers of the League^ who jufti- fy'd James Clement in his Murdering Henry the Tlld.

One cannot determine what Henry the IVth in- tended to do with the Army he was getting toge- ther, whether to aggrandize himfelf by feme Fo- reign Gonqueft, to fettle a Chimerical Ballance of Power, or to return to the Reform'd Religion, &nd maintain himfelf in it by Might. Tis pro- bable Ambition was the Caufe of his Arming. A Lufl: of Empire has for feveral Centuries burnt in the Hearts of the Monarchs of Frame ^ they cou'd not forget that a King of the Franks was once Mafter of the Weftern World*, that Charlemagne was the Reftorer of that Imperial Monarchy j and they, tho' defcended of the Tepins and G'pets., were fo vain as to look on themfdvesas the Sons of Pha- ramondy who drove the Gauls out cf France, Being delivered from the Fears of an Enghfl) Yoke, by the unhappy Divifioas between the Two Houfcs of Lancajler and Tork^ they cou'd not be content with the Kingdom they had recover'd, but inflead /)f •being Conquer'd, fet themfelvas up for Conquerors. This Air have they aiTum'd ever fince the Reign of Charles the Vllth, who having the good Fortune to have Henry the Vlth of England^ a weak Prince, for his Competitor, from a King cn Bourges^ be- came a Monarch of frarxe, and left a Thirft after Glory in all his SuccefTors, as well thofe tiydit were airaid to War in Perfon, as thofe that dar'd to Fight their own Battles. Nay, their in- (atiable Dehre of Rule,- has pofTefs'd the very Wo- .men, and none more than Katherine Ve Afedicis, xali*d the Fury of Fr^.nce^ Mother to the Three -laft Kings of the Race of K'dcis, It was iLe who rais'd and fomented the firft Civil Wars about Pv.e- ligion and Liberty, which ended in the Deftru<flion of both. It w'.s llie who permitted the Guides to perpetrate that Horrid MaiHicre at the Marriage

^ I of

€ The Secret Hijiory

of Henry the Wih, thinking if {he cou'd deflroy the Proti:flaiit Intereli, that of Liberty wou'd fall of CoiuTe, and the Government of France wou*d be as Arbitrary as her Will. How that inclined her to Dominion, may be feen by the following Piece of Hif^ory.

In the firft Civil War, when the Prince of Conds was in all appearance like to prevail, and Kather'we was thought to be very near the End of her much defir'd Regency, during the Young King's Minority, fhe was known to have been for Two Days together, retired to her Clofet, with- out ad"mitting her menial Servants to her Prefence. Some few Days after, having called for Monfieur De A<iefmey one of the Long Robe, and always firm to her Intereft, (he deliver'd him a Steel Box faft lock'd, to whom flie faid, giving him the Key, T^hat m refpeEi fije knew not what ?night come to be her FortHne^ amidft thofe Intefiine Broils that then fiook France. fl)e had thought fit to indofe a Thing of great Value wLhin that BoXy which fije confignd to his Care^ not to open it upon Oathj bnt by an Expref Order under her own Hand. The Qiieen Dying, without ever calling for the Box, it con- tinu'd many Years unopened in the Family of Ve MefrKe, after both their Deaths, till at laft Curi- olity, or the Sufpicion of fome Treafure from the heavinefs of ir, tempted Mon/ieur De Mefme's Suc- cefTjr to break it open, which he did. Inflead of any Rich Prefent from io Great a Queen^ what Horror mud the Lookers on have^ when they found a Copper Plate of the Form and Bignefs of one 0^ the Ancient Roman Votive Shields, on which was Engraven Queen Katherine de Medicis m her Knees^ m a Prajing Pojiure^ Offtring up to the Devil fitting upon a I'hrone^ in one cf the ug- Heft Shapes they rfe to Paint him , Charles the iXth then Rsigningy the Duke of Anjou, afterwards Henry the III4, and the Duke of Alanfon her Three SonSy with this Motto in French, So he ity I but Reign, This very Plate continues yet in the Cu- jipdy of the Hotifs of M^jme^ of vvbich Monfieur

D' jivaux^

^/FRANCE. 7

D* jivauxj fo Faroous for his Ambaffies, was a Branch, and was not only acknowledg'd by him to be fo, when Ambadador in Hollami^ but he was alfo pleas'd at that time^ to promife a Great Man in England^ a Copy of it •, which is a Terrible In- ftance of the Power of Ambition in the Minds of French Princes, and to what Divinity, if one dares give the Devil that Name, even in Irony, they are ready to pay their Adoration, rather than part with their hopes of Empire.

The Truth h^ King Htmy had got a Powerful Army together, and had form'd mighty Projefts, which fome fay terminated in no lefs than altering the whole Frame of the Government of Europe, That in order to this, he had enter'd into Con- federacies with ffeveral Potentates, who found their Interefts in his Model, to reduce this Quarter of the World into the Fifrcen following Govern- ments.

Monarchies. Lomhardy,com^o%i

of the Territories

The Tapctcy, ^^ ^^'^'y-

Gtrmanyy it.,

Franuy Republicks. Spairij

Great Britain, Venice,

Hungary^ The Irdicli Repub-

Bohemiay lick, coa^os'd of

Poland, the Principalities

Denmark, of Italy,

Swedtn, The Low Countries, The Swifs,

And befides the Ere£ling thefe New Kingdoms and States, and the modelling others, they were all to joyn to drive the Turk out of Europe^ ivhich Projeft, as Chimerical as it is, is mention'd by Perl- fixe *, but it is generally thought thole Prepa- rations were intended againft Spainj and that the Great Duke of Sully, his Chief Minifter, was the fole Mafter of the Secret, if not the Advifer of

B ^ the

8 The Secrtt Hijlory

the War ', tho' as foon as the King was. Dead, and the Qtieen Regent, Mary de Aiedkis and her Two Minifters, appear'd againftit, that Duke, great as he was in Office and Dignity, to make his ^ Court to the New Government, aflur'd Her Ma- ^efly he had endeavour'd to divert the late King frcm his Deligns, appealing to the Duke of Ven- dome for the Truth of what he had faid to his 'Father in his Prefence. Bafe Courtier I fays even a Hugonot Writer, Who Sacrlfis'd fo early the Re^ put at ion of his Benefan:orj to his , Wavering, For_ tune,' . '.Z'^-. . : ■ .'', }]' ■.

But the GKa^raJ^er of this Duke, as fhiiling as it appears in the Memoirs^ of ^idli and Rohan, had a mixture of Diffimulation in it, whch render 'd •it unworthy the Purity or the Religion he profefs d. His Ambition, fays the Author of the Hiftory of the Edift of NamZj was very fingular '^ tho^ he profefs* d the Reformed Religion, he made it his Study to acquire phe Pope's Favour : He valud himfelf upon having more FrieTids at Rome, and upon his receiving more Applaufes there than among thofe of his 07V n Religion, Neither did it burthen his Con- fcience, to find that the Court of Rome was bet' ter fatisfyd than his Brethren, with his way of ma- naging their Liberties and Safeties, The Truth is, he had behav'd himfelf fo well in the Opinion of the Catholicks, at the Aflembly at Chatteleraud^ that Cardinal Du Perron, who was then at Rome^ v;rit to him to Congratulate his Succefs in his De- putation. He fo far gave up their Security to the Pleafure of the Papijh, that he endeavour'd to perfwade them to hold no more General A flem- blies, becaufe they always created fome Jealou- fies in the Court. He put the King upon pofTef- fing himfelf of the Marefchal De bouillons Pla- ces: Heprevail'd with the AfTembly not to urge the reftoring the Edid of Nantz, in its full Ex« tent*, and tho' he afterwards, when in Difgrace appear'd a ZealousDefender of the ProteflantChurch, yet when he was in the height of his Favour in King Henrys Time, he was very much fufpedled

by

^/FRANCE. 9

by the Re form 'd, who had Reafon to believe he delign'd to change his Religion by his C6ndu6l on the folJowing Occafion. The King had ofFer'd him one of his Natural Daughters for his Son, pro- vided they woud both turn Cat holicksj upon which the Duke of Sulli was oblig'd to have fome Con- ferences wiih Cotton the Jefuic, who fhar'd the Qua- lity of Convertor with Cardinal Du Terrom Thefe Conferences commonly produc'd the Effect they defir'd, being feldom accepted but for a Pretence to change \ neverthelefs, whether it were a Blind contriv'd between the King and Sully^ or whe- ther it were Real, the Duke refus'd "'to change, but gave his Son leave to do it if he pleas'd. The King preiling him to oblige his Son to do it. he refus'd to Command him v however, he declar'd that he left it to his own Free Choice, with .wdiich the King feem'd not to be very well fitisfy'd. '/ vpoii'd not affirm^ fays the above mention'd Au- thor, thai this was any thing hut a Juggle te Re- .ejiahl':fh Sully's Reputation amcngfi the Reformed^ who no^ longer looked upon hi/n as a Afember vf their Party, Indeed it was not very likely that SullyyZow'i^ refiije in earnefl what the King proposed to hitny to obtain an yilUance which fever at Princes of Eu- rope v^oud not have dlfdaind. It was alfo as eafy for him, according to the Nhtions he had infpird into the King to n:ake a Religion to himfelf^ reduced to certain General Articles^ as to perfwade another to do it^ or to believe he 'might hinccewly Authorizle his Son to turn Roman Cathoiick. This Incident is mention 'd in the Duke of Sullies Memoirs to his Honour. 'lis faid there the King upbraided him with loving the Hugonots better than him.

Tho' it is a general Opinion that King Henry vj^^ not a good Cathoiick in his Heart, yet by his A£li- or.s he did not give the Jefuits any fuch caufe to dread him, as might put them on contriving his Murder. His obliging tlie Prince of Co^^^^e to turn Papift ^ His Endeavours to do the fame by the Duke of Sally^ and other Proteflant Lords, are enough to convince me, that whatever Religion he had 'o'i

bis

lo The Secret Hipry

his own, the Reformed was not fo much at his Heart, as perhaps they flattered themfelves, or that his lail Preparations, were in their Favour. Two Years before he dy'd, he gave the Catholicks a Sub- ftantial Proof of the little regard he had for his Old Religion •, which was this^ The Moors being under a Terrible Perfecution in Spain^ thofe Wretches ofFer'd to fubmit to the King of Fra?ice^ if he would take them under his Protection : But King Hsnry not confiding in thofe People, naturally iSlfe and Inconftant, thought fitfirft to fend a Perfon among them, to fee what might be expefted from that Overture. To this purpofe, he made choice of Monfieur Pamjfant, a Gentleman of Gafcoyne, and a Proteftant, to be his Envoy. Monfieur Paniffant went to Granada^ in the Habit of a Francifcan^ and negotiated the Affair with fo much Succefs, that fome confiderable Advantage might have been made of it, had he been fuflfer'd to go on. But the Popifh Bigots told the King that Panijfant infpir'd them with Herefy, and King Henrys rather than be ac- ceiTary to fuch a Crime, recalled Paniffant^ and fent a. Papift in his room.' whofe Dodlrine was fo ill re- Iifh*a by the Moors^ that the Projeft came to no- thing \ whereas Panijfant had brought them into a good difpofition towards his own ^ which removes from the Mahometans the Pretences of their Aver- fion to Chriftianiry, on account of the RomiJJj Ido- latry, Cou'd a King that had rather the Moors fhou'd remain Mahometans than turn Hvgonots^ have form'd any Defign in favour cf Heretkhf And yet that the Proteftants had vain hopes of his Prote(n:ion, may appear from the RefleClions of the Hiftorian be- fore-mention'd, upon the King's formidable Power at the Time oi his Death. The Blood boil'd^ fays he, in the Veins of the Reform* d^ who expelled the end of their Fears^ by the downfall of the Houfe ef Auflria, and only defer d an occafinn to revenge them- felves by a ^itji War of the Maffacres and P'lolences they thought the Council of Spain had infpir^d that cf France with* He had Great and Powerful Alii- mces 5 Befides that of the United Provinces, which

has

c/ F R A N C E. II

had been renevp>'*d. Another had lately been tonclw ded at Hall, in Swabia *, notwithftanding all the Empeyo/s oppofition^ with about Fifteen Protejiant Princes. Thefe Preparations made Rome tremble for Its Religion, and Spain for its Greatnefsj &c. Again, The truth isj the Kings Defign was not poji- tively known^ but it is certain he woud never con- fent to the Exterminating of Proteftants ; therefore he was not look'd upon at Rome as a good Catholicky and they did not doubt but he had retained from hisfirji Religion the Defign of humbling that Haughty See, Their fear was all grounded upon his having made almofi all his Alliances with Protejiant s : From whence it follow' d naturally that in cafe he fiould fucceed in his Enterpriz,es^ none but Protefiants wou*d enjoy the Benefit of hts Vi^ories* The Damages of which would corifequently fall upon the Catholick Religion*, Whatever King Henry had in his Head, I am not iatisfy'd from all that has been faid, it was to ferve the Proteftant Intereft that he took Arms, any more than that it was to Reform the Govern- ment of £i/r<?pe. The Monarchy of France did not feem to be in a Condition to pull down and iet up Empires at Pleafnre, and of her felf was in more dan- ger of receiving Laws from that of Aujiriay than in a Condition to prefcribe them : What is faid in the Duke of Sally's Memoirs on this fubje^, has fome Agreement witn the Arch-Bifhop of Pern's Life of this King, as to the Airy Defign I have already fpoken of, that he had a D<fign to found the Equi- librium of the Powers of Europe, upon the Equili- brium of the ReL'gicn.

In the Firil: (ten taken by the Regent there feems to be fome fmall Remains of Liberty left in France^ for fhe carry'd the Young King Lewis the Xlllth, than entring the i oth Year of his Age, to the Par- liament of Paris^ and made this Speech to them, 1 hctve here brought yon my Son to intreat you to take that Care of him which you are obliged to do \ I con" jure you to do this by the Memory of hts Fr^ther^ by the Love you ought to have for your fehes^ and your Zeal for your Ountry-i IwiUinJiruU him tofol-

12 The Secret Hijlorj

low your Advice^ in all the Concerns of State, ft is your part to fee this be whole fo me and Good, And the Young King alfo promised in the Speech that was made for him, that he woiid follow the Advice of his Parliament, Anne ot Auftria and her Son Lewts the XlVth, faid the fame thing in the next Minority, when the Cabals of the Princes and Grandees for the Regency and Miniflry made it prudent to give good Words to all Men, Neverthelefsj fays a French Hiftorian, We have' feen with onr own Eyes in the prefent Reigrij and we fhall fee in that^ whofe Hiftory I now nritej that Lewis XIII, and his Succejfor have too much given Ear to Vde Flatterers^ who have prompted them to annul -the Authority of a Body of Meny on which the Prefervation of France does de- pend, and ryhich was efiabiified, to curb the abfo- lute Power of the King, The Regent to Eftablifh her own Power, thought convenient to keep the Proteftants in her friterefts, and to obhge tiiem publifh'd a Declaration, to confirm the Edi£l of Nants ^ tho' as the Young King is reported to have faid^ this For mail y was not neceffary^ in regard that Law was irrevocable and perpetual^ and the Loyalty of the Proteftantswas then fo Exemplary, as that, when Queen Mary de Medicis fent word to that good Man, Monfieur^w Plejfis Mo^nay^XiQ might ask what he lik'd beft, and her Majefty wou'd readily grant it. He reply d.A^^ Man Jh all ever reproach ?ne with taking Advantage of the Dfafters of my Country J or extoHing the leaf thing from a Minor King^ or his DifirefQ Mother^ &C. ^f

The Prince ofConde^ the Firfl Princeof the Blood, had left France in Difguft for Kir>g Henry's A- mours with his Wife, and retir'd to Bruffels^ where he was when that King dy d - and the Con!e Fuentes^ the Governor, did his ucmofl to periwade hmi not to neglect fo fair aii Opportunity to make him* felf, King The Divorce of your lUnfman^ fays he, from Ma) garet of France, and his Marriage with Mary De Medicis, are contrary to the Laws of God and the Church. Will you tamely. Ife a Crown which belongs to you, • Have bv.: Courage to ajfert

your

o/ F R A N C E. 1}

your Ri^^ht^ you will not want Power or Support, I offer you all the Kwg my M ijler can do- for you. If the Authority of the Holy See interposed in the Di" 'vorce of Henry, we will find a way to engage Paul V. to declare Null what his Predecejfor did. The Thing is not without Example, The Propofal was made to the Pope, and the Prince did not rejeft it, till he found his Holinefs would not hear of it. Spain never had a fairer Opportunity of revenging herfelf fur all the Injuries fhe had receiv'd from France, than by putting the Prince of Conde on this Defign, which wuu'd certainly have involv'd the French Nation in infinite Troubles, andatleaft have fecur'd the Paroteftant Interelt, for it was then very Powerful. The Marefchal De Bouillon^ the Marefchal De Lfdifguieres^ the Duke of Sully, the Duke of Rohan,, ard many of the moft Potent Lords in France profeifing it. The Marefchal Bou- illon advis'd the Prince to return to the Reformed Religion, which Hnry had forc'd him to forfake, and declare himlelf Protestor of that Church. The Proteftants were Mafters of feveral of the moft Important Offices and Cities in the Kingdom: The Duke of Sully was General of the Ordinance, Governor of the Baftile, and had all the Money the late King had lodg'd there in his PofTeiTlon. The Duke c^ Rohan was Colonel General of the Swifs, the Marefchal De Lefdifguieres General of an Army on the Frontiers of Savoy. The Marefchal De Bouillon kept a drift Alliance, and conftant Intelligence with Foreign Princes. TheSoveraignty of Sedan made him confiderable at Home and A- broad *, King Henry flood in fear of him, and had he been a Man lefs Govern d by his ralTion, it was in his Power to have done a great deal of Good. He demanded the Coma^and of the Army intended againft the Spaniards in the NetherUnds, but it was given to the Marefchal De la Ch^^t?e^ upon which the Marefchal faid, A<fufi my Religion ex- clude me from all Employs due to my Rank and Set" vices : IV hen the Prince returns^ III try to male <i New Party to oppofg this New Triumvirate* But

the

14 The Secret Hijlory

the Prince had neither Vertue nor Courage enough to Head the Proteftants, he was only for getting of Money with the Spirit of a Country Gentleman j and having good Words, and the Hotel of Gondi given Him, he negledled fo happy an Occafion of Eftablifhing the True Religion; and with that the Liberty of France, Inflead of Uniting among them- felves, the Lords of that Religion, hated one ano- ther as much as they did the Faptfis ^ the Duke Be Sully was Obnoxious to all the New Minifters, on account of his Favour and Power in the laft Reign : He was no\^ Zealous enough for his Religion, butof fo Auftere an Humour, that he had few hear- ty Friends y and when Conchmi the Italian Fa- vourite to the Regent, joyn'd with the other Lords in his Difgrace, the Duke De Bouilln was fo far from fupporting him, that he perfwaded the Prince of Co'^de to abandon him, tempting him with the Confifcation of the Eftate of an Old Superintendant. The Proteflants had fo little refped for this Prince, that he having a Quarrel with the Duke of Guife, the World was amaz'd to fee the Grand-Children cf Admiral Coligny , the Dukes of Sully and Ro- han^ the Marefchal De Bouillon^ and the Heads of that Party, forget the Bloody Day of St. Uartho- lomeWy and go olfer their Services to the Children cf Bdafre againd the Son of the Brave Lewis Prince of Conde, i he Duke oi Sully ftrenuoully vindicated the Duke of Guife in Council, purely becaufe the Prince had an Eye at the Confifcation ^ but when Ihortly after the Super-Intendant's Dilgrace was in Agitation, the Guifes deferted him, becaufe the Pope and King of Spain were difTaiisfi'd that a Hugonot was in the Chiefeft Employs. The Re- gent cou''d not efFe£l the Fall of fo Experienced and Upright a Minifter, while the Lords of his Party efpous'd his Intereft, and therefore they or- dered the Marefchal De Bouillon to be fifted on that Head, who out of Envy declar'd readily. Sully deserves the worjl that can befal him *, however^ I muji not appear in it^ it concerns me very muchy that thoje cf our Religion^ JJjoidd not reproach me with

c_/ F R A N C E. 15

removing a Man who is Necejfary to them in ths Pofi he is in. Here is a fad inflance of the little dependancc thofe who fide with a Party out of Principle, can make on the Heads of it. The Duke of Sully to maintain himfelf in his Poft, makes his Court to the Houfe that were the Proje£lors and Executioners of the Butchery of St. Barthoo lomevp- The Duke De Bouillon to ruin him, aban- dons an Intereft which he confefles is a fupport of his Religion. 'Tiseafy to be imagined, whatufe the P^p/]^; made of this ]ealou(y and Envy, among the Chief of the Proteftants, and it was a very good LefTon for others to have learnt by, how to avoid the fame Rock, Uniting themfelves heartily for the Defence of the Common Caufe, giving up all Tri* vial Confiderations to that of the Publick Good. But is this an Age to Preach Unity and Difin- tereft in, and have x\\q B R IT A I N S {o many fuch Shining Examples of Generous and True Zeal, that they ihou*d pretend to cenfure their Neighbours for the oppofite Vices ? Let them look round them and judge, they need not put me to the Trouble. At this time the Grandees liv'd in a fort of In- dependency in France^ the King was a Minor, and the Regent a Woman, who lov'd Rule better than fhe underftood it. It is remarkable, that on every flight Occafion, the Great Lords appeared at the Head of Arm*d Bands, as if in an Fnemy*s Coun- try. The Duke De Omfe . had a Difference with the Count De Soiffmsj and immediately he has always i jo Horfe in his Train. The Duke oi Eper- non has a Quarrel with the Marquifs D Anere^ fo Conclim was now call'd, and he never came to Court but attended with 7 or 800 Gentlemen, his Men marching in Order of Battle, and when the firft were at the Louvre^ the lafl: were at the Hotel of Epernon. The Diltaoce of thefe is near 2000 Paces.

It has been already obferv'd, that Lewis tho Xlllth had in his Minority confirm'd the Edift of Nantz.j to excufe which, the FLegent his Mo- ther, fent the Cardinal De Joyevje to Rome^ to

reprefent

t6 The Secret Hijiory

reprefent the Necellity of doing it in a Minority. But at that time the Proteftant Intereft was very Powerful, infomuch that fhe thought it conveni- ent to allow them the Liberty of a General Af- fenibly, which was held at Saumur in 1611. But the Qtieen took care to corrupt the Mareichal De Bouillon^ by the Promife of the Government of Foitou^ which fhe intended to take from the Duke cf Sully^ and put Money into his Hands to di- {tribute as he thought fit among the Members of the AfTembly, to prevent their doing any thing efFedually for the Advancement or Security of their Religion •, and how the Marefchal De Bou- illon fervd her in that Deflgn, will be feen pre- fently. When he came to Saumur^ he who had before declar'd, He rvoud not be Prefidem of the yiffemhly^ faid, That DifiinUion was due to the Long and Confiderahle Services he had done for the Re- formed Churches of France. The Duke of Stilly^ the Duke of Rohan^ the Duke De la Trimovilie^ the Duke of Soubiz^e^ the Duke of Chatlllon^ the Duke De la Force^ and other Proteflant Lord^^, who aflided at the AfTembly, had a Sufpicion of him, and Monfieur Du Tlejfi; Aiornay^ Governor of the Town and Cadle of Saumur^ was Ekifhed Prefident, which the Marefchal, who made his Religion fubfervient to his Ambition, took for fuch an Affront, that he refolv'd at any rate to be reveng'd on the Dukes of Sully and Rohan^ whom he look'd upon as the Occafion of his be- ing fet afide ; but he difTembled his Refentment for the prefent, and in appearance was reconcil'd to the Duke of 5.v//y, whom having upbraided for drawing Canon our of the Ar\tnal in Henry the IVth's Reign, to deflroy his Town of Sedan^ he faid to him, Let us forget what^ is pa/f^ I -will be* come your Fnend and Servant^ if you are attacked in Sully upon account of Religton^ I :ri!l as readily bring down the C ami en cf S^dan to defend you^ as you drew out that of the Arienal to dejlroy me At i^edan. Let us agree for the Benefit (f our Religi- on ^ Confc.ence and our Common Ints- eft req-nre it \

ive

of ¥ K AN Ck. 17

rve cannot fuhjijl without an Vnion^ the Party we foiiowy cannot procure us great Advantages^ hut is capable of fupporting a A4o derate Fortwie. Yef as foon as the AfTembly fhew'd that they wou'd fup- port the Duke of Sully s Intereft againfl: thofe who were for depriving him of his Pofl of M after of the Artillery, and his Government of PoiEiouy the Marefchal expeding the latter, procured the DifTolution of this Airembly, {ending privately a Letter to the Qaeen Regent, to be Sign'd by, her, and return'd to the Meeting for that parpofe, commanding them to Name their Deputies, and break up. Bouillon had endeavour'd to perfn-ade the Duke of Rohan to abandon his Father-in- Law, pretending his Caufe was defperate, telling him at a Vifit he made him, when he was under fome Indiipofition, However Upright and Careful a Man may he^ who has the Admrn^firaticn i)f the Fin an* cts and Artillery-, it is hard for h^m to avoid coni- mitting fome faulty which deferves to he punijr/dy if it he inquird rigorou/ly into, A Superintendant of the Finances^ and a great Majler of the Artillery^ are not only anfwerahle fcr what they do thsmfelves^ hut for the management of their Inferior Officers, If the Court Jhould appoint Commiffioners to inquire into the Duke of Sully's Admin iflr at icn^ do yoi% think they would not find feme plaufible Pretence tb take away his Places. The Affembly and the Re- fcYm*d will have no Colour of Complaint ', nay, the* Wrong he done to the Duke of Suliy, the M tetter will be determined in the ufual Form of Law* For you^ My Lord, you make a Profefficn cf exatl PrO' hityj you are fo great a Lover of good Order^ m a Wordy you have jo Loyal a French Hearty you will not he able to fiir when the Matter ffjall he de- termin*d Judicially. Is this the Sincerity of a IVlah of Honour and a Proteftant ? What fhali we fay of thofe Men, who Sacrifife Coufcierice and Ho- nour to their Avarice jtnd Ambition. Thus is Religion made a Cloak to Intereft, and we may fee what dependance is to be made on thofe who profefs ir^^ when they can make their Market by G deftroym^.

1 8 The Secret Hifiory

deftroying it. The Churchy The Churchy is the Cr/., till they are provided for, and then She is no more in their Mouths, than in their Hearts. The Duke Ds Bouillon knew as well as any Body, that the Froteftants cou'd not fubfifV without Union, and that the Duke of Sully's keeping his Pofts, was a great Strength to the Party of the Re- form'd *, yet to get his Government of Foi^ouj he confented to expofe them to the Perfecution of their Enemies, by weakning the ProteJiantSj and ilrengtliening the Papifls, In the Duke of Rohan s Anfwer, will be fonnd the Sentiments of a good Politician, a good Chrifiian, and a good Soldier, one who knew very well how far he was bounded by Scripture and Law, in the Es- ercife of Refinance. What^ faid he, lifter the great Services the Duke cf Sully has done to the tats Kingy [hall he become a Prey to thofe who were always doing Mifchief to the State, His Conduct- is unhlar^;eahle^ and we d,o not fear it Jljould he ex- (train d ; He is a Peer^ and canmt he judgd but by a Court of Peers : If his Enemies endeavour to bring him before any other Iribunal^ his Kinfmeii and. Friends will never endure fuch an Indignity : Be affurd^ my Lord^ that I will do my Duty on this Occafwn^ and will not leave my Father-in-Larp to be trampled on,

h this the Language of the Peers of Frar.ce at this Day ? Durft any Duke in tiiat Kingdom Ay now, / l[vill not leave iny Father-in Law to he trampled on ? What will the Duke of Rohan do to prevent it ? Is it not to take Arms, and that to defend the Caufe of a particular Man? How Lawful muft it then have been, in the Opinion of that Chriftian Heroe^ to have Arm'd for the Defence of Religion and Liberty? Are we more reflraind by our Conditution than the French were a Hundred Years ago by theirs ? Or are o.ir Doil^ors better Chriltians, and better Politi- cians than this Famous Duke, whofe Vertue, \'a- iour and good Senfe, h^v- render 'd his Name immortal ?

The

^/FRANCE. 19

The AfTsmbly of Saumur fat Three Monrhs, was compos'd of the moft Eminent Men fur their Birth, Ability, and Experience in Bufmeis, and in all Probability they had efFeded foinething for the Security and Advantage of the Proteflant Churches of IFrmcSy had not the Marefchal Dq Bouillon betray'd them to the Court; That Fa- mily has been Fatal to the Reform'd Interefl in that Kingdom, which was entirely ruin d by the Apollacy of the Vifcoant Ds Turerme, Francs^ at the Death of Henry IV. was in a ftri£l Alliance with England^ Holland^ l^enice^ and other States, to oppofe the then encroaching Power of the Houfe of Aujlrh. This Allyance was of the lafl Confequence to the Proteftants in that Kingdom, moft of the States that compos'd it being of that Religion ; yet at the Inftigation of the Pope, the Queen Regent enter'd into a Private Treaty with SpAin^ and concluded a double Match to confii-m it. The Marefcbal De Bou'dlcn faid foaietimes well in Council, that too flrid a League with Spah^ would be prejudicial to the Stare, but at the bottom he fell in with that Opinion in which he found his Account bed. Lefdifguieref^ another of the Principal Protefrants, longed Pailionately to be a Duke and Peer, w^hich made him pli- able to every thing the Court w^ould have hi in. There is fbmething in the Affair of the Double iMatch, which lets one into the Cabinet of Prin- ces, and fliews us that Counfel is fometimes re- quir'd for Form's fake, when Refolutions are be- fore taken ^ and the Hiilory of our own Times will furnifh the Vv'orld with an Event, which bears To near a Refemblance to this, that 'tcvill doubtlefs put the Reader in mind ofir. It had been re* folv'd by the Queen and her Minifters, to con- clude a League with Spam^ to xMarry the Fiincefs Eiiz,abeth of Fraricfy with the Prince of Spub?^ and that the young King Leivis the Xllhh of France^ (liould be contracted to th^ Infawa Aam ot Aufiria, The Regent and her Creatures did their utmoil to engage the Grandees to give into it. C 2 The

ao The Secret Hijlory

The Marefchals De Bouillon and Lefd if o uteres Che was lure of, the Coiiftable de Montmerency was lur'd in, by a xMarriage of his Son with her Neice, a Princefs of the Houfe of Mantua, The Duke of Gmfe and his Family came into the Pro- je<^5 out of hatred to the l^rinces of the Blood w^ho oppos'd it. The Duke of Epermn was daz- led by the more than ordinary Honours paid him on this Occafion •, and things being thus pre- par'd for a Council to conclude the Bufinefs, an Extraordinary one was held, at which the Prince of Conde^ and his Unkle tlie Count De Soijfons^ afliiled about the beginning of the Year 15-12, and the managementt of this Confultation is, what I think, has fometbing in it worthy our Cu- riofity. ^ All Perfons jays Monfieur Fajfjr, were ^ brought about to confent to the Double Match

* whenever it (hould be proposed in Council, but ^ the Two Princes were not yet fatisfy'd. The ^ fame Day they were cali'd to Council, Conde

* firft demanded that every one might declare his

* Opinion according to his Degree ^ Chancellor ' Sileri fpoke much in Praife of the Queen's Ad-

* miniftration of Affairs, and laid open the great

* Benefit which would accrue to the State from

* this Double Match. The Duke of Oft^Je fet

* forth the Eloquence which was Natural to his

* Family, There's no need faid he, of Deliberation

* upon fo Advantagious a Propoptionj rve ought only

* to thank God that Her Majejiy hath happily brought

* about the Noble Defign which Heaven had Injpir'd ' into her. The Conftable Montmerency^ with the

* Dukes of Nsuers and Epsrnon^ extreamly ap-

* prov'd of what was faid. The Marefchal Bou-

* illon and Lefdifguieres faid only, that they ought ^ to take care the New Treaty with the Spani-

* ards might uot be prejudicial to the Ancient

* Allyances of the Crown with other Soveraigns,

* At laft came the Prince of Condes Turn to ' rpeak, but he was fo furpriz'd at the Duke of

* Guife's pofitive way of delivering himfelf, that

* he was quite out of Countenance, and after an

* indifferent

of

FRANCE. 21

* indifferent manner faid, Since this is an Jffair *• refolv d upon^ it was needlefs to ask our Opinion. ' It was believ'd the Two Princes came with a

* Defign to oppofe the Match which People were

* Confirni'd in, by fome Words the Count Ds

* Soiffons let fall. Tou fee Sir, faid he, turning

* himfelf to the Prince o£ Conde, That we ars ^ dealt with here m Fools and Serving Men, The

* Queen vext at this Reproach, wou'd have fpoke, ' but the Chancellor cunningly turn'd her from

* it, by propofing fome other Matter to difcourfe

* upon, &c. The Prince of Conde and Count Soif-

* fons, fhew'd a great Weaknefs upon this Occa-

* fion, their Confciences would not fuffer them to

* approve the Thing, and either Fear or Hope

* hinder'd them from fpeaking as they ought to

* have done. Sir, faid the Gonftable to his Son- ' in-Law the Prince of Conde^ Tcu neither know ' how to Fight with Courage, oryeild ixith Prudence, " which was made more evident by his Servile Com- pliance fome time after. The League and Matches between France a*nd Spain.^ alarming all Europe, ef. pecially the Proteftant States, the Qaeen Regent fent AmbafTadors to £«^te^ and Holland^ to difii- pate all Sufpicions and Jealoufies. The Marefchdl De Bouillon was pitch'd upon to go on that Er- rand to England, one of his Inftruaions being to get King James to difapprove of the Demeanour of the Reform'd of Fra-nce in their laft AlTembly at Saumur. A Pious MelTage for a Proteftant Mi- nifter, to a Proteftant Prince. He was alfo to bid that King Jar^^es beware of the Duke of Rohan, one of the nioR Zealous of the Proteftant Lords, and to interceed for the Papifts in Eng- land. Thus we fee the Court of France made ufe of the Hugoaots to deftroy themfelves, and that Profit and Power are Temptations too ftrong for Honour and Religion. King James, fays my Au- thor, was eafily made to believe that France thought of nothing but the General Good if Chrifiianity, in making the Double AUyance with Spain. A Prince ot his Pacifick Gounlcls, was not ea.Hjy brciight

C 3 * to

52 The Secret Hijiory

to believe any thing which was likely to bring Him into a War. The Marefchal endeavoured alfo to perfwade the King of the Pope's good Intentions to- wards the Protefiants, and that be defjgn^d only to Com'srt them by Preaching^ and the good Examples cf the Clergy ', and his MajeHy out of the abundance of his good Nature, pretended he was very willing to let the Roman Catholkks be quiet \ tho' <* or 7 Years before, they had Plotted to Blow Him and Parliament together up with Gun-Powder. As to the Duke of Rchan, the Marefchal had a harder Task to fet the King againft him, for that Duke Kept a conflant Correfpcndence with his Son Prince Henry^ and the King was prepared by that means to return him an Anfwer, in vv'hich we fhali find that King James did not only think it Lawful for Subjects to make ufe of NecefTary Means for the Defence of their Religion, but that he thought it was hi« Duty to aflifi them. If the Quern your Mijirefsy fays he to Bouillon, will break A^s agreed to the ProtefiaKts of her Realmj I dont pretend thm the yJlliance I have made a?id Confirm d with France, ought to hin- der jne from Succouring and ProteUing them. When tny Neighbours are attacked in a Quarrel that re- fpeHs mej Natural Law requires that 1 fijou^d pre- 'vent the Mifihief which may arife from thence, Believe me^ Monfieur Marefchal^ you maifi be re-^ ccncil'd to the Duke of Rohan, / will let him know his tny defire that you Live Friendlily together. Up- on which a French Hiftorian has this Refle<fi:ion : IVoud to God King James and his Children^ had alwa\is prefervd Sentiments fo Juji and Neceffary for the Good of England and the Reformation^ Lewis the Xlilth or his Son^ had never dafd to opprejs fo many Innocent French Men, The Marefchal fuc- ceeded fo ill in his Negotiation at the Court of England^ that 'twas faid by the Minifters in Fra-nce^ He had neither follow'd the Intention nor Orders of Her Majeiiy *, and the Marefchal on his fide com- plained, he was not well dealt withal, and that they had a mind to ajfront hiiii^ by fending hiu) thither,

Ths

of F R A N C E. 2j

The Divifion between this Marefchal and th^ Duke of Rohinn, gave Afary de Afedicis and he*^ Minifters, the means of breaking the Edi«fl: o^Namz.f which never wou*d have been attempted, if they bad had a good Underilanding, and adled in con- cert. But the former, as has been faid , con- ceived fo Fatal a Jealoufie and Hatred of the Duke of Roha^y that forgetting all the Interefls of Religion, he drove his Hatred To far, as to endeavour to get his Government of St. Jea?7 d\ jingell taken from him, tho' it had been an irre- parable Damage to the Common Caufe. The Duke of Rohm underftanding the ill Offices the Marel- chal De Bouillon did him, went to Court to jaiiify himfelf, and having reprefcnted to the Regent, that he had behav'd himfelf as a good Man in the AlTembly at Sazfmitr^ He faid, Ico/ifefsy A^a- danty J opposed the Defigns of A4opfieur De Bouil- lon, but this was only done in Order to give Tour Majefty freQy Tokens of my Fidelity and Zeal, I diflruji thofe Perfcns who turn Scales^ and pay their Services en hcth -Sides, ^Tis feldom known that J uch Men are Upright in their Intentions. If A-hnfieur De Bouillon had brought his Defigns about in our j^jfembly at Saumur, he might have unde/'fiood how to have us'd them^ and prevailed even againji your felf. When he becomes the A^'^fier among uSy your Authoriy Jhall 'never be better EflabLffd in this Realm, The Qtieen prepoiTcirsd by thel Maref- chal, took no Notice of th^ Duke's Remon- ftrances, and to put his Resolution to the Tryal, Vv'ou'd have impos'd a Mayor on his Town of St. Jean d' Angelt^ which if it had been effeaed, wou'd have deilroy'd his Power there. The Duke, without taking Leave of the Court, hafkns back thither, and gives the Keys of the Town to aji Alderman whom he could truft, turning fuch as he fufpeifbcd out of the Place, and (lighting th^^ Order the Reaent had fent to him to the contrary. This fo enrag'd Her, that llie talk'd of railing au Army, which was to be Ccmm-inded by Two Pro- teilants. The Marefchals De Boudlon^ and L^fdiy- C 4. gui^rss.

24 1^^^ Secret Hiftory

gtiieres *, fhe cauS'd his Lady, his Daughter and all his Family to be fecur'd •, (he put a Gentleman into the Bajiile^ who was fent by the Duke to juftify his Anions ; ^Q caus'd the Duke to be proclaim'd a Rebel, and gave out fhe wou'd in Perfon head the Army that was to a£l againfl; him : But by the good Offices of Themines^ Senefcal ot Quercy, who was fent to the Duke, and the good Advice of Monfieur Du Plejfis /viornay^ the Matter, in appearance, was accommodated. The Queen fearing many Provinces wou'd declare for him, fhe at laft acknowledg'd, that if the Duke of Rohan had withftood her Orders with too much Haughtinefs, fhe alfo had too eafily given way to have the King's Authority undermin'd *, ^nd fo the Matter was made up, the Duke readmit- ting thofe whom he had turn'd out of the Town, and the Regent providing otherwife for all the Officers ihe wou'd have impos'd on him. Such was the State of the Sovereign Power in France in the Minority of Lewis the Xlllth. There were more Lords than one that upon a Difguft thought himfelf ftrong e- ijough to arm, and do himfelf Juflice. Such was the Opinion not only the Papifls, who had leagu'd againft their King, but the Proteftants had of Obedience and Refiftance^ fuch their Praftice, in a Kingdom where now but to fpeak wou*d be enough to ruin the firfl Peer or Prince in the Nation. ^ It will not be ami fs here to take Notice of the Power the Princes and Grandees of France always afTume in a Monarchy. No fooner was the Breath out of King Henrys Body, but the Court ftW imme- diately into Cabals ; The Dukes of Sully ^ Rohan and the Parliament of Paris were for a Regency of the Princes and Minifters*, the Dukes of Epermn^ Guifcj and others, for the Regency of Mary De Medicis \ the former imagining if they obtain'd their Ends it would put them at the Head of Affairs, and the latter afting the contrary with the fame Views. The Count De Soijjons^ a Prince of the Blood, quarrels with the Duke of Epernon^ becaufe he will not con- lent to have the Duke of Sully affaflinated. In the Choice of the Council, the Duke of Nevers cannot

be

^/FRANCE. 25

be admitted, for fear of offending the Duke o[Guifi. If the Marefchal De Bouillon has a Place at the Board, the Duke of Epernon will have none. The firft thing proposed to them to confider was the double Match. The Princes of the Blood oppofe it, but the Pen- fioners of Spain are the Majority.

The Prince of Conde^ whohad fled out ofFr^>;ce, returns, and prefently the Count of Soifot7s and the Duke of Epernon take Arms. The Prince of Conde appears at Court at the Head of one Faftion, and his Uncle the Count De Seijfom at the Head of another. The Marefchal De Bouillon endeavours to unite the two Fa£lions. The C^ueen Regent traver- fes the Union, thinking it better, fays my Author, to keep up Jealoufies and Ad.fmderjlandings hetvteen the contrary Varties^ and gain the Heads of both by her Favours, Conchini and the Italians form a third Fadion, and watch their Opportunity to make their Advantage of the other two, who came behind them in Favour, tho' in Appearance they had the ftart in Authority. The Marquifs /)' Ancre^ fo Conchini was call'd, has Apartments given him in the Palace, and the great Mafter Monfieur De Bellguarde refufes to give him the Keys. This is enough to create a new Faction. The Count of Sotjfons falls in with Bell- guarde^ and others with Conchini. The Prince of Conti challenges his Brother the Count De Soiffons for not giving his Coach the Way ; and the making up that Difference caufes another between the Count and the Duke of Gidfe, The Prince of Conde^ the Conftable de Mommerency and other Grandees fide with the Count De Soijjons ^ the Duke De Sully, the Duke of I^ohany the Marefchal De Bouillon and the Duke De Chattllon with the Duke of Guife, The Citizens of Paris arearm'd. The Marefchal De Brifac has Orders to fet a Guard on the Count Soijfon^s Hotel \ the Marquifs De Vitry on that ofGuife^ The Count of Soiffons threatens to leave Faris^ it he has iiot Satisfadion ^ and by leaving Paris was meant at that time retiring to a Government, and taking A rnis. Not long after a new Party is form'd, of the Prince of Conde^ thQ Count of Sejjfons^ and the Marquifs D*

Ancre^

26 Tk Secret Hipry

jincre^ to ruin the Duke of Bpernony who immedi- ately appears in Purls at the H'^ad of eight hundred Gentlemen. Tlie next Divifion, and all within the Compafs of a Year, was tiiat cf Soifons and the Re- gent *and her MiniAers. The latter finding the for- mer prefum d too much on his Qaality of Prince of the Blood, Ctt up the Duke of Eperncn againft him, and engag'd the Prince of Conde on their fide. The Count upon this reconciles bimfelf heartily with the Prince his Nephew, both leave the Court, and the Guifes and the Duke of Epernon triumph in their Abfence. The Marquifs D' jincre and his Wife quarrel. Wou'd one think the State was concern'd in it ? Yet fuch is the fteady and wife Conduft of the French in a Minority. The Queen and Mini- fters fided with Galigai. The Marquifs, to be re- veng'd, perfwaded the Princes to return to Court. They came firft to Paris^ attended with 500 Horfe, and from thence to Fonta'mehltau ^ where the Guifes and Epernon receive the iVlortification to have their Friend the Duke of Venhfrne refus*d his Pvequell', to hold an Affembly of the States of Bretagne ', which Commiffion was given to the iMarefchal De Brifacj and that occaficns a Challenge from Vendofme, The Princes are fet againft the Chancellor Silery^ and LefdifguiereSy who was retir'd into Dauphme in Dif- content, promifes to bring them 1 0000 Foot and 500 Horfe to the Gates of Paris. Conch'ml Cc^rries away the Favour of the Regent from all -the Princes and Grandees, and all but the Duke o{ Epernon enter into a Combination agair.ft him *, which Combination was broken by the Death of tlie ComMDe Soijfons, TheMa- refchal De Bouillon was the hotteil: of all his Enemies, and indeed they had great Reafon to be angry, for this Italian had rifen overall their Hands, and what \T-as a terrible Mortification to the French Vanity, coa'd not or woii^H not.fpeak their Language. The Marefchal De Bouilhn^ while he was at the Head of thefe Cabals, feem'd to have no Share in them, and manag'd himfelf with fo much Cunning, that he be- came Mediator of the Differences between the Prin- ces and the Court , during which the Dake De

Rohan s

of F R A N C E. Q7

Rohnn*s Poil of Colonel General of the Swtfs was ta- ken from him, and given to Monfieur Baffompiere^ the Duke having ^atisfaftion in Money, he think- ing fit to accept of it, rather than lofe his Place without it, which, as Affairs then flood, it was probable he would have done. The Count Pe Soijfons \M?.s the nioft troublefbme fof the feveral Pretenders to the Adminiftration ; he was hardeft to be oblig'd, and foonefl difgufted. yaj(fer fays of him. He had vaft Defigns rollwg in his Hsad when he dyd^ 'Twas [aid he kept a fecret Correfpondence with Henry Trince of Wales, Maurice Prince of Orange, the Duke of Savoy, and the Hugonot Party. The Duke of Rohan improv'd his Difcontent with the Regent, to engage him in the Proteftant Intereft. He de- manded the Government oi Quillehevf in Normandy, to be in a Condition to receive the Succours he had projefted to be fent him from England and Holland, Nothing would fatisfy him but an entire Change of the Minifters, and the Ruin of the Guifes and Eper- non *, which it is probable he might have accompliih'd by the Means above- mention'd, had not Death put an End to all his Proje£ls. A new Party was now fet up at Court, who having got the uppermofi-, ] diiTipated all the refl. The Prince of Conde headed it. The Dukes of Mayonne^ Longiieville ^ the Ma- refchal Be Bouillon^ and the Marquifs jy Ancre came into it. The Guifes^ the Dukes q{ Epernom':\d^ Am- ville could not make their Party good againft them, tho" the Marquifs De Bellguard Vv'as of it. This Gen- tleman was Mafler of the Horfe, and when the new Party was formed was at his Government o( Burgun- dy, which was intended to be taken from him, and given to tl^e Duke of A'tayenne, The Queen Regent order'd him to come to Court, and the Guifes wrote to him to haften to their Relief. The Marquifs, v/hen he arrives at Sens., had Notite he was fent for only to be remov'd from his Government '^ upon which, inflead of obeying the Regent's Orders to come to Court, he returns to Burgundy : Such was the Obedience of the Grandees in the Minority of l^srvls the Xilltb^ fnch the Harmony of the Coun- cils

^S The Secret Hiflorj

cils of France^ and the Concord between the Great for the two firft Years of the Regency of Mary Ds Medicis, The Prince of Conde's Party triumphing, the Guifes and Epernon receiv'd Mortifications daily. Tlie Duke of Cuife had not Intereft to fave his Bro- ther from being banifh'd the Court with his Friend the Count Be la Rochfaucaut, Gujfe enrag'd at this, refolves alfo to fall in with the Party of the Prince, for the Deftru£lion of the Miniftry •, which would have been fuch a Weight, that it might have born down the Reg^ency. Mary De Medtcis told Bajfom- piere^ fhe muft have Guife coft what it will ^ and for looooo Crowns, a Government for his Brother, and an Abbey for his Sifter, the Bargain was made. The Duke of Epernon alfo con fen ted to come into the Intereft of the Regency •, and the two Dukes having bad a private Audience of the Queen, Matters were then concerted to break up a puifTant Faftion, con- trived by the Firft Prince of the Blood and Grandees of France ^ and thefe two Dukes joining with the Regent againft them, ftie thought her felf fo ftrong, as not to fear any Oppofition from the other fide. To ftiew how little fhe dreaded it, fhe the very next Morning fuffer'd an Affront to be put upon the Prince of Conde^ which was a plain Declaration of the Lofs of his Credit *, for when he came to Court, he found, to his Amazement, that the Queen was fbut up in her Clofet with the Minifters of State, and no body offer'd to open the Door to him. Here again is a- nother Revolution, and not two Years of the Regency yet expir'd. There was at this time a Dilcoveiy made of a Correfpondence carry'd on between Co-a- chini and his Wife and the Duke of Savoy^ with whom the Court of France had then a Rupture. Yet fuch was the Jtalia^js Favour with the Regent, that both the iVIarquifs and iMarchionefs were clear'd, and the Miniflert of Stare courted them more than ever. The Princes of the Blood and the Grandees of their Party had withdrawn from Court, upon the Reconciliation of Mary De A^t edicts to the Dukes of Guife and Epernon^ and Conchini and his Wife remained in full PoflefTion oi the Regent,

which

^/FRANCE. 29

which made the Miniflers endeavoar to ftrengthen themfelves by their Protedion. The Infolence of that Woman was intolerable-^ Ihe wasof an ordinary Birth, yet the Queen had fuch an immoderate Affe- ction for her, that fhe not only rais'd her but her Husband and Brother for her Sake. Let us fee what Monfieur raffor fays on thisOccafion : The Marquifs and Marchionefs D' Ancre fet no Bounds to their Am- bition. Conchini obtained the Staff of Marefchal of France ^ and Galigai, not being content that her Hus- band was raised to the fecond Military Honour in that Kingdom^ propofes to obtain for her Brother the fecond Dignity in the Church of Rome. This Creature Jo far forgot her felf\ that Jhe did not obferve the Rules of Decency with the Prince ffes of the Blood : A little while before flje had fpoke in the Queen's Clofet to the Frincefs of Conde, in fuch a proud imperious man- ner^ that her Highnefs was extremely affronted. All the World was offended at the Infolence <?/" ConchiniV Wife^ whofe Behaviour did not a little' provoke the Primes and Great Men againfi her Husbandj &c. We fhall fee prefently what was the miferable End of this Upftart She-Favourite, and how her Husband was involv'd in her Ruin.

Some Mention has been already made of the Dif- content of the Prince of Conde and the Grandees of his Party, who left the Court, and were gone to their Governments. The Duke of Epernon, tho' of the contrary Faaion, did the fame, becaufe the Queen would not give his Son, the Duke of Can- daley a Poft he demanded for him. The Retreat of the Firfl Prince of the Blood, of the Dukes De Never s^ De Mayenne, De Vendofme^ Be Longueville^ De Piney Luxemburgh^ De Bouillon^ De Retz,^ and other great Lords, fo alarm'd the Regent, that fhe immediately invited the Duke of Epernon back to Court, and gave him what he defir'd. It was the fourth Year of the Minority, and after" fo many Cabals and Quarrels at Court, that the two Parties had Recourfe to Arms •, but the Prince and his Friends, whatever they pretended, having only their own particular Advantages in View, "were foon

tempted

§0 The Secret Hiftory

tempted to an Accommodation, before much Mif* chief was done, which had never been offer d them but out of a Jealoufy of the Marefchal D' Ancrs, to prevent the Duke of Guije's commanding the Army that was to be fent againfl the Prince. The Court being thus divided upon the Prince's Retreat, Part being for ufing Force, Part for Treaty, the Queen embrac'd that Counfel which was recommended by V Ancre^ and the latter falling in with thof^ who were for Pacifick Meafures, Mary Be Medicls did the fame *, purfuant to w^hich Commiilioners were lent to the Prince at Alederes in Champag?ie^ to treat of a Compolition. The Prince of Conde^ in the Manifeflo he publiih'd, did like almoft all the other Great Men that have taken Arms upon private Dif- gufiS : He talks of nothing hut the Pubiick, and with the Sentiments of a Gresk ox: Roman, He is ready to give up all for a free AfTembly of the States, and at the fame wanted only his particular Saiisfaflion to give up them for ever. Thus it is that the Heads of Factions commonly deal by the Multitude whom they impofe upon. C3ne would think by their De- clarations that they had nothing but the pubiick Good at Heart, when let them be contented as to their own private IntereRs, aud the pubiick Good is treated as a vihonary Bleffing, afine'Word to flatter Fools, and a Jell after thofe that ufs it have gain'd their Ends. This Breach between the Regent and the Prince was in the Year \6ij^, and the Reafons he, gave for it was worthy the PvefoUition he pretended to in requiring a Redrefs of Grievances. He com- plain'd, That the Treafury was xvajled '^Tf/at the high- ift Emplo)n^ents were given to People umrorthy of them *, That the Minijlers had too great Authority j That lit- tle RefpeEi was paid to the Peers of the Realm *, That the Parliament met with Ohfiacles in the Exerc-fi of their Power 'f and^ That the A^jembly of the States was negletlsd. Grievances that will always be intolerable to true Lovers of their Country, and which in this Cafe were all v^eli founded. He demanded. That Terfons of Honour and Integrity fhould^e placed near her Majefiy^ and fpoke favourably of the Proteflants,

to

oj V R A N C E. ji

to engage them on his Side. But their Behaviour then and at all times in France^ fhews that their Religion made them the bell Sub;e£ls ; for tho* the Prince did his utmoft to get them to declare for him, tho* he Tent in an efpecial r/ianner to Monfieur Du Plejfis Mornay^ to reprefent to him the Care he had taken of the Reform d in his Manifefto, yet they would not ftir, and Du PleJfis wrote imme- diately to the Deputies General of thQ Proteftant .Churches, to beware how they brought a Reproach upon thetnfelves^ by fhewing any Difpofition to rife upon any Account but the obtaining of the Liberty of their Confciences ; forj fays he, it wou*d he to •wrcng their good Caufs to mix it with Interefis purely Civil J and that thofe of the Religio^y as they we? e Reform d Chripilam^ cijght not to meddle with the Re- formation of the State. His Anfwer to the Prince of Ccnde\ MefTags by Monfieur De Marais^ Lieu* tenant of his Guards, and a Hugonot^ is a Demon- flration of the VVifdom of that excellent Perfon, and the Innocency of the Proteflants, for which they have been {mzQ fo barbaroufly and bloodily perfecu- ted. We have feen fever al Princes^ fiys he, tfe the fpecious Pretences of the Publick Goody only to earn on their own particular hterefi, I woud believe the Defgns of his Highncfs are upright and fincere^ but that is not fujjicientj we mufi tifs lawful Means to obtain a good End, All the World hnows that there are Diforders in the State y they are greater than Men imagine ^ but Prudence will not admit that Monfieur the Prince fijould apply Remedies worfe than the Dif- eafe. The weil meaning Towns of the Kingdom are fo afraid of a Civil War^ that they will never declare for him. He has a Mind to corracl fame Abufes^ which the Toivns for their own Profit do not dsfire fijould be correlated. ' Thofe who tell htm the Reformed will rife^ do not know us, or at leafi would imtpofe vpon his High- nefs. They offer him People which are not a: their Difpofd. Tis true we complain of fome Grievances^ hut we will remain peaceable as long as the Edl^s are obferv'dyScc, Here are the Principle's and Pj-a^ices of the Proteflants : They will not take Arms againit

the

32 The Secret Hijlory

the Government to reform the State, or redref^ Grievances ; but they will be no longer peaceable than the Edifts for the Liberty of their Confciences are obferv d. As to the Prince of Conde and his Popifh Confederated Lords, fuch admirable Pra£li- fersof Pafiive Obedience were they, that they wou'd not conclude the Treaty with the Regent, unlefs fome Places of Safety were put into their Hands, that they might have an Opportunity to pradlife it over again when they were again difgufted. This- Condition was no more eafily obtained, than that of fummoning the States of France, The Queen's Council made great Oppofition to it, and the Dukes of Guife and Epernon in the Fulnefs of their Loyalty were pleas'd to fay, If the Regent granted Places of Security to their Enemies j they would alfo demand the fame J and would look for Ajfifiance out of the Kingdom^ threatning to call in the Spaniards, Such being the Allegiance of the Catholicks abroad, tho'they and their Abettors in England fo highly extol their exem- plary Loyalty, Obedience and Fidelity But notwitlv (landing their Threats, the Minifters, fupported by the Parliament, prevail'd for tlie Concluiion of the Treaty on thofe Terms. * The Prince of Conde had the City and Caftle oi Amhofe put into his Hands for his Security, the Duke De Never s^ St. Menehou^ and the Marefchal Be Bouillon a large Sum of Money paid him> The Duke De Vendcfme refus'd to fign the Treaty, and ftood on his Defence in Bretagne ^ and the Court of the Regent was in Confufion on Account of the Differences between the Marefchal U Ancre and the Minifters. The Marefchal had marry'd his Daughter to a Grand fon of l^tlleroy^ Se- cretary of State, and one of the oldeft Minifters in France *, yet out of Difguft at his oppofing the Ad- vancement of Dole his Confident, the Marefchal was always doing the Secretary ill Offices. D' Ancre was the Regent s Favourite, and nothing but FUle- rays Merit and Experience cou'd have fupported him •, the Chancellor .S'/Z/erj; being his clofeft Enemy. The Favourites and Minifters had each their Friends and Enemies, and neither the Authority of the Fve-

gent

of F R A N C E. j3

gent, nor even the Royal Authority prevait'd, lo coHipofe thofe Jars which kept the Kingdom in per- petual Diflraaion. The Prince finding he had ra- ther loft than got Ground, by the Trouble he had given the Regent and Minifters, wou'd have re- uew'd it, and had an Interview with the Duke of Rohan^ to bring him and the Hugonots into his Par- ty. He did not forget to lay ail the Fault of his ill Succefs, on the Treachery of the Marefchal Be Bouillon y and to reprefent the great Intereft he fhou*d have in the State's, which, were to be Af- fembl.ed by his Procurement only. But the Duke oiRohan^ tho' of a more Martial Genius than Mon- fieur Bu Plelfis Mnrnai^ had the Prudence to re- jeft this Teiiptation. He tdd the Prince, The Queen poud have more Authority in^ the jjfenMy than you \can hope for, Thofe whom you reckon up- on at prdfentj will leave you inftead of fupporting you *, Fear and Hope are the Two great Springs which move the Members of thefe Jffemblles : Tou are not in a Condition to pro wife them great Matter s, nor. to fright them by Menaces, The Queen has Pre- fer ments and Places to difpofe of '^ She can do a great deal ofMifchiefto'ihofe that oppofe Her Will: Who is there that will declare openly for you againjt Her Majefiy. Believe it, Sir^ the States General will op*^ pofe your Defigns, Notwithltanding this wholefom Advice, and that the Prince and his Party were not fo ftrong as before the laft Rupture, yet he attempted to make himfclf Mafter of Poitiers, by means of the Governor the Duke of Rsannez., and the Marquifs De Bonnlvet \ but the Bifhop of the Place by his Intrigues prevented it, and Short- ly after the Queen and the young King, made a Progrefs with an Army attending them, to reduce, the Duke of Vendome^ and fecure the Peace of PolEiou, Upon which the Prince retir'd to his Seat in Berry^ not d^'-ing to return to his New Government of Amboife, This March with an Army, tho* not very Numerous, was made ufe of by the Prince and his EmifTaries, to raife Sufpi- cigns in the Reformed, but the Regent fent a Gen-

P tleraap

^4 The Secret Hifior)

tlemati to Monfieur Du Plejfts at Saumur^ to re- move the Fears thole Sufpicions might create \ and to give him a Proof of tiie Confidence She had in him, She pafs'd through Saumur with the Young King her Son. Monfieur Du Plejjis Mornay went to meet her, follow'd by an Hundred Gentlemen. As foon as the Young King enter 'd the Caftle, Du Plefis offer'd to order the Garrifon to march out, but his Majefty wou'd not permit him. Jt is not agalnjl our King, faid the Governor, that we have jirong Places in our Poffejfion. They have been willing to grant them us^ againfi the Hatred of our Sworn Enemies : If at any time his Majejly does us the Honour to be prefent there^ we defire no other Security but his Pre fence. Sentiments agreeable to the Chara^ler that's univerfally given him of one of the Wifeft, Noblefl, and moll Religious Gentle- man of his Age and Nation.

This Year i^i+, being that of the King's Ma- jority, by the Conftitution of France^ Founded on the Edia of Charles the Vth, Sirnam'd the Wife^ in 137+ Lewis the Xlllth was declared Major. Th^ French Kings when they enter their Fourteenth Year, commencing their Majority, Mezsrai fpeak- ing of this Ed id of Charles the Wife^ fays. That King believed it was very important for the Aiinority of Kings to he as Jfjort as pojftbly coud be^ for fear the Regent of the Realm Ujoud grow fo Powerfuly as to Dethrone his PupiL The firft thing they made Young Lewis do^ was to publilh a Decla- ration for the AiTembly of the States, and to con- firm the Edift of Nants^ which, fays ^afor^ it was faid, They woud keep Laviolahly, How they have perform'd it, the Hiftory of Lewis the Xllltli and his Son, fufficiently make appear. As the cal- ling an AfTembly of the States, was the Effect of the Stir lately made by the Prince of Conde^ and the laft Appearance of Liberty among the French, it will not be an improper Digreffion, to give a brief Account of the Antiquity and Nature of fuch AiTemblies,

111'

of F RANG E. 35

in the Eldeft Times of this Monarchy, the Prin- ces, caird the Chief of the French Nation, met together on Tome Extraordinary and Important Occafions. . The Mayors of the Palace ufually Sum* D3on'd them once a Year :, The Kings who had then only t lie Name of Soverftigns^ prehded in the Af* fembly -J Pepht exactly kept up tiiis Cuftpm. Th^ Principal Men of the Clergy were admitted to aflift at it, and this Pra<^ice was continued by (^harlemagne: Lewis tlie Meek rendered it more frequent. It //J as in thofe AfTemblies,, the Kings of ihQ Car ofovingi an Kd.CQypuh\i{\\d thi^k Capitular JDecrees and other Orders, and what the^r Enaded, by the Advice, and Confent of the Grandees and Prelates of the Kingdom. ; H«W? Capet InwiDg been recogniz'd K'mg,; by Virtue ©f an Agreement con- cluded with. the Dukes, pirls and Barqns, us'd to Aflemble his Peers and Vatfals, in which he was imitated by his SuccefIo):s," who call'd, this the Holding t'4^ir • Parliament, , , There the Differences between the Peers and Barons with the King were decided, and the Affairs of the greateft Confequence to the Kingdom debated. There the Private Dif- putes between the Dukes, Earls and Barons, were definitively ended, and the Encroachments of the Pope and Clergy repuls'd. There they heard the Complaints 'of the People, about the Adminiftra- tion of Juftice, and the Vexations of the Prieft- bood. What fince has been call'd the Third Eftate^ or the Deputies of the People, owes its Original to Philip the Fair, upon his Return from his Ex^ pedition againft the Flemings. Much about the feme time, it is pretended thofe Deputies were admitted to allift at the AfTemblies in Englandj tho* the latter is only Pretence, for the Old Verfe tells us what fuch Aflemblies were composed of, even before the Gonqueft in the Saxon Monarchy.

Prelati Fraceres mijfifq-^ Potentibus Vrbes*

_ Jhe Prelates, Peers, the Cities by their Powrs : '

D 2j This

^6 The Secret Hipry

This FhlUp^ Sirnam'd the Fairy was the firflt that Summon'd the Third Efiate^ or demanded Money of his people, the Kings of France before his Ti^iiie, living on their Demefnes. By this it appears, that the Firft AfTeiiiblies were of the Nobles and Clergy, and that about 450 Years ago, the Third Eftate was added to raife Supplies for the Wants of the Crown, when its Demefnes and Ancient Revenues' were Embezel'd and Alienated. The Kings of the Race of jyalois, us'd frequently to call AiTemblies of the Three Ejlates^ the Prelates, the Nobles, and the Deputies. Charles the Wife^ always a fFeifled to have his Orders received in the AfTembly of the States, and confirmed the Third, It is remarkable, that Thllip de Valois when he was threaten'd by Edward the Third, for keep- ing from him his Kingdom of France^ AfTembled only One of the Three Efiates^ the Peers and Ba- rons, who depending more immediately upon the Crown, were fure to decide that Difpute againil King Edward ', whereas the Deputies of the Peo- ple, who, in the bed Times have their Intereft' onjy in View, might not have been To hafly to bring on themfelves a Bloody War for his fake only.

I muft own freely, I wonder at the Madnefs of foiiie Nations in the darker Ages, who have in- volv*d themfelves in the moil Sanguinary Contefts to fupport the Claims of Two Perfons only, each of whofe Government wou'd have made them as happy as the other. Philip de Valois^ John and Charles the Vth, had a great Deference for their People, and often communicated to them the Af- fairs of Stare. When Charles the Vlth became unfit to Govern, the Three Ejlates conferM the Adminiftration on the Dukes of Berry and Bur- gundy^ in preference to the Duke of Orleans the King's Brother. The Authority of thefe AfTemblies vs^as much lefTen'd by Lewis the Xlth, whofe Fa- ther Charles the VII th, having driven the Englijh out of France^ and polTefs^d himfelf of the Kingdom by the Sword, began to Rule Abfolutely> and his

Son

of V R A N C E. :j7

Son had no Thoughts, but how to fettle his Arr birrary Power, which was his Idol. He and his Succeflbrs found Means to alter the Conftitutioii of thefe AfTemblies, as alfo of their Great Coun- cils Inflituted at firft for the Government of the State, but reduc'd by them to Ordinary Courts of Judicature, fuch as the Courts of Parliament now in France,

From the Reign of Lems the Xlth, to that of HefJry the IVth, there was no Regular Aflembly of the Three Ejfate/^ and that which he held at Koariy was too Partial to deferve the Name of the States General. The Truth is, thefe AfTemblies in France^ were almoft all along made Tools to drain Money from the People, tho' fometinies a Spirit of Liberty exerted it felf, as it feem'd to' do in the Minority of Lewis the Xlllth, when the Prince of Conde and the Lords of his Party, demanded and obtained a Meeting of the Three Eflates, the laft that ever met in France. It o- pen'd the loth of OH-ober^ 1514, and tho* in the Treaty concluded between the Regent and the Prince, it was Stipulated to be holden at Si^m^ yet She by her Authority, only remov'd it to Parisy that the Prefence and Artifices of the Court i.aght have the greater Influence *, and to render this Meeting inefFe£lual, Sh^ fo divided the Three Or-, ders, that it was loon feen no Good w^s ever in- tended by admitting them to m.ett. For the very firfl Thing they d d, was a Motion from the No- .bility and Clergy, To fupprefs the Sale of OJfices^ which touching the Third Eitate, coinpos'd chiefly of Gentlemen of the Long Robe to the quick, they retaliated upon them by a Propofal for Icf- fenning of Taxes^ and fuppreffifig of Penfirns, which concerned the Two other Efiates to fupport. Af- ter long Debates in the feveral Orders about thefe Matters, the Clergy and Nobility Petition'd the King to fuperfede the Sale of Offices •, and the Third Eflate, to be reveng'd of them, did the fi\me with refpe£l to Taxes and Penfionb. Tiie (Courtiers vs^ere extreamly pleas'd with tliefe DJ- D '3 viiions,

§9 The Sea'et Hiftary

vifions, which they look'd upon as a good EfFeft of their Intrigues ; and nothing cou*d pe more fa- tisfaftory to the Minifters, than to fee that the Three Houfes fhou'd ieparateiy demand different Things, without being able to come to an Agree- ment among themfelves. This furnifh'd them with ^ Favourable Pretence not to grant any of their Demands. The Nobility minded only the conti- nuance of their Pen (ions j the Depuries only the fup- prefTing of the Tailles which paid them ^ and the Clergy had nothing fo much at Heart, as the Tublicatlon of the Council of Trent ^ which had not been received in France^ To this end, they were very complaifant to the Nobility, and the Court labour 'd to get their Demands com ply 'd with, knowing it wou'd meet with infuperable Difficul- ties in the Third Houfe, which wou'd foon give ^hem Occafion to break up their Seflion, and all the Fault wou'd lye on the Three Orders, wlio cou'd not agree among themfelves about their Greivances.

The Nobility concurred with the Clergy, for the receiving the Council of Trent^ but the De- puties of the Third Houfe wou'd not hear of it' And their Speaker, Mondeur Miron^ Provofl of the Merchants of Varis^ lliew'd in his Speech to the Deputies of the Clergy and Nobility, fent to the Third Eftate for their Confent, that thofe Trench Men who had ever any Love for their Country, had always an Abhorrence of the Ty- ranny and Ufurpation of the Pope, tho' they were Members of the Koman Church. HoX9 many Com- cils^ faid he, have there been^ which we have never puhlipj'd in France ? And yet we obferve the good Regulations made by them : The Gentlemen of the Clergy may renounce the Plurality of Livings^ and reform the other Ahufes Condemn d by the Councily we jhall be mofi Edify d by ity and their Sincere Submiffion to its Ordinances^ will be a tacite Ac- ceptation of it. Their good Example in this Cafe^ will be as advantageous to the Council of Trent, as a Formal Publication of it. The Hovfe of the Third

State,

0/ F R A N C E. ?9

Strtte^ return their Thanh to the Clergy for the Zeal they Jhevo to propagate the Catholuk Religion^ anci will endeavour to fecond their good Intentions : Whilft thele Matters hung, a Propofal was made to Eredl a Chamber of Juftice, to inquire into the management of the Treafury during the Queen's Adminiflration. This Propofal was firft mov'd in the Houfe of the Nobility, and pafl: there cur- rently *, but tliQ Clergy^ fays VafTor, fiillmore Slaves to the Court than the Nobility^ had fome Scruples about it. The Cardinal De Sourdis told them the like had been attempted before en feveral Occafwns^ but it was never found to turn to the advantage of the PMicL Meer Shame ^t laft obliged the Houfe of the Clergy to agree to this Motion. The Deputies of the Third Houfe heartily con- curr'd in it, and the King v\^as petitioned to E- reft fuch a Chamber. The Court fell immedi- ately to their ufual Artifices of getting over fome of the Nobility *, and after two or three Anfwers to as many Petitions of ihQ Three Edates^ theSu- perintendant of the Finances told them^ the King wou*d chufe a Fit Number of Perfons out of the Soveraign Courts of the Kingdpm, to inquire in- to the management of the Treafury. The Houfe of the Clergy prefently contented themfelves with this Offer, and Voted it Satisfa5loyy . The Nobility did not infift on the Erefting a Court out of the Members of the Three Efiates^ and the Deputies of the Third Houfe found themfelves too weak to fland out againft the other two. .

It muft be obferv'd here, that when Henry the IVth dy'd, there was a Treafure of near 20 Mil- lions of Livres in the Bafldey wliich was fuppos'd to have been prodigally fquander'd away by the Regent in Penfions and Profufion, befides the Annual Income of the Kingdom. To excule this, the Su- perintendant told the Eftates, that the yearly Reve^ nueofFr^??ce was but 18800000 Livres, and the Ex- pence 21500000, whence it fclJow'd that there were near 3 Millions a Year wanting, and that might very well take up what v;as left in King fEmy s D 4 Coilers,

40 The Secret Hlflory

Coffers, adding to it the Charge of Secret Services never brought to Account. This Revenue of 18800000 was encreas'd during the Minority to 57000000, of which ip only was brought into t tie King's Coffers *, and during the Miniftry of Cardi- nal RichlieiL 'twas rais'd to 80000000, of which 45000000 only were employ'd in raying the Charges of the State •, the reft under the Minority and that Miniftrv w^ere lavifh'd on Favourites and Courtiers^ the Minifters of the Luxury and Ambition of their Princes. In Lewis the XI Vth's Time, this Revenue mounted to no lefs than 140 Millions of Livres year- ly, an Income fufficient to enilave fo corrupt a World as that we live in *, and how near to Slavery it was, let the Hiftories of this Age tranfmit to Pofterity with the fame Pride that they endur'd it.

1 cannot think this Digreflion will be tedious, and then I am latisfy'd it will not be reckoned imper- tinent. The honeft and well affefted Members of the Three EJiates^ highly refenting the Treatment of the Court in the Bufinefs of the Chamber of Jnflice, thought they cou'd do their Country no tetter Service than to incert an Article in their Addrefs, in which they gave the King moft admi- rable Advice, in lively and prelling Terms, concern- ing the Method of regulating his Expences to the beit Advantage : However, fays my Author, a French- tnan, the Court did not micch trouble their Heads with their Politicks^ being fully refilvdy as foon as the States were broke upj to take the Liberty of following fuch Councils as they fiould think fit. They alfo re- prefented to his Majefty, that he ought by no means to lay any extraordinary Taxes upon his People, for That Hellifi) Maxitn^ adds he, that the King may exacl from his Subjects whatever he pleafes, and that therein his Will is the fate Rule of his Power was not then received in France. What I have before call'd an Addrefs, is in French term'd a Cahier^ and is a kind of Petition each Eftate drew up to preient to the King for the Redrefs of their Grievances. That of theTiiird Eflate, at the Motion of the Deputies

of

of FRANCE. 4f

of Taris and of the Ifle of France^ incerted in theirs a very material Artide for the Sovereign Power of the King, and the Security of his Royal Perfon, which was to this EfFciH:, That for preventing the Consequence of a pernicious Do[irine^ which had been hroach'dfome Tears fince^ againfi Kings and Sovereign. PowerSy his Majefty P)oud be defird to caufe to he pMifid in the Affemhly of the States General, as an inviolable and fundamental Law of the King- dom^ That the King being recognifed Supreme in France, and holding his uiuthority from God alone^ there was no Power upon Earthy either Spiritual or Temporal^ that had Right to deprive him of hts Kingdom *, nor to difpence withy nor to abfolve his Subje^s from their Fidelity ^ and the Allegiance they pwd himy for any Caufe whatfoever^ &c. They then defird an Oath might be taken to this Purpofe, by all Magiftrates and Clergymen, with other Circumftances which aim'd direftly enough at the ufurp'd Authority of the Pope. The Deputies of the Third Eftate were almoft unanimous in their Votes for this Claufe, which the Murder of the two preceding Kings had made as neceflary as rea- fonable. The Houie of tlie Clergy cry'd out, All is undone^ all is undone-^ there are Rafcals and Here- ticks in the Ajfembly^ that have confpird the Ruin of our Religion. See the Loyalty of the French Priefts, fee the Happinefs of having a double Jnrifdidion in a Conftitution ; the facred Power of Kings and the Safety of their Perfons cannot be fecur'd againfi: the AfTaffinations and corrupt Do£lrincs of Friefts, Slaves to Rome^ but Religion is prefently in Danger. The Clergy apply'd themfelves to the Nobles, and they with great Complacency afTur'd them, they wou'd enter on no Article of Faith or Do(n:rine without their Advice. Tou^ faid the Seigneur De Maintenon to the Deputies of the Clergy, are our true and lawful DoHors^ and it belongs to you to in- ftru5l uSy and prefcribe what we ought to believe in thefe Matters* '' Was there ever, fays Monfieur " Va'jfory a more bafe and ridiculous Piece of Fkt- « tery than this ? For were the Deputies of the

' ■ « Clergy

^S The Secret Bifiory

** Clergy fuch able and extraordinary Men ? Had *' they all the Learning and Light imaginable ? So '^ far from it, that their Houfe was compos'd for *' the mod part of timerous, ignorant and fuperfti- *' tious Monks ; and if there were any learned Men *' among them, their Ambition made them perfeft *' Slaves to the Court of Rome» In the mean time the Parliament of Paris made a Decree in favour of the Ariide of the Third Eftate, which the Nobility and Clergy had rejected. Cardinal Bu Perron came to the Lower Houfe, J]nd fpoke three Hours againft it ^ and Monfieur Miron their Prefident vindicated it with equal Reafon and Gravity. Thefe Difputes were very agreeable to the Court, as ob- flruding the Proceedings of the States General. The Prince of Conde^ in an AfTembly of the King's Council upon this extraordinary Occafion, made a Speech, which ierv'd only to fhew the Weak- nels of his Judgment and Spirit, for to ingratiate hii.ifelf with the Clergy, he clos'd it with Advice, Thiit the K'wg fljoud forbid the Clergy and the ihird ^fiate to difpiite any longer on the controverted Arti- cle^ hvt that he fl)oud be Judge himfelf\ which was accordingly done, and the Execution of the Arret of Parliament fuperfeded. What lefs cou'd have been expe£led from the blind Obedience of an Italian Prince fs to the Bifhop of Rome ? But the Clergy not thinking the Order of Council againft the Ex- ecution of the Decree of the Parliament of Paris ftrong enough, and encourag'd by the Partiality the Minifte.rs had fhewn them in this Difpute, remon- firated again, to which they receiv'd only a general Anfwer. This did not fatisfy them, who fancy 'd there were fome Perfons of great Intereft and Ability in the King's Council, that obftrufted the Church in her Defigns. The Marefchal De Bouillon was chiefly rufpefted, and therefore Cardinal X)z^ Pfrr<7» faid. We challcng'e fuch of the Kings Council who are not Catholich^ and humbly defrre that his Majcfiy woud not admit them therein when the Church Affairs are concern d. I Woud not have appeared therein^ reply d Bouillon^ who knew very well that he alone

was

^/ F R AN C E. 4?

was meant in that Requeft, had the Church been con- cerrfd m that Quejiion *, hut feeing the Dtfpute re- lates to the Kings Sovereignty, that Afair is merely political. Tou do wifely, Sir^ faid the Cardinal of Sourdis^ in not medling in a Taint of Religion -i hut we maintain that the Contents of the Article of the Ibird Bfiate ii of f^^f Nature. '* Could any thing, jays ' *-' the Author I lafi mention d^ more plainly difcover « the true Genius of the Clergy than that Anfwer ? <' Here is a Cardinal who maintains, in the very « Prefence of his Prince, that the Supreme Autho- *' rity of Kings being a Point wherein Religion is « concern'd, his Majefty cannot determine in his <'. Council, that the Pope has no Right to deprive *' him of his Crown whenever he will be pleased *<i to declare him an Heretick. The Prince of Conde cou*d not bear the Cardinal's Infolence, but the latter mattered not his Reproaches, having fo bigotted a Princefs as Mary De Medicis to proteft him, who fo ordered it, that the Article in Conteft was by the King's Command (truck out of the Cahier of the Third Eftate, the' rot without the Oppofition of above an hundred Members. The Pope wasfooverjoy'dat thisTriumphof the Clergy, which left it in his Power to depofe of Prin- ces at his Pleafure, and encouraged his Ruffians to Murder thein, that he wrote a Letter of Thanks to the Two Upper Houfes of the States General, The Article being thus dropt, there was form'd a fort of Harmony between the Three Houfes. The next about Duelling was agreed to by all of them. But this Harmony was Toon interrupted by an Affront one of the Nobles put on one of the De- puties of the Third Eftate. Monfieur Bonneval^ one of the Deputies of the Nobility of Upper Li- woifin^ Can'd one of the Deputies of the fame Di- flrich. The Third Eftate complain'd to the King, and his Majefty referr'd the Cognizance of the Affair to the Parliament. The Nobles complain'd to the Clergy, that they had not been ac- quainted v^ith it : The Clergy appeared willing enough to fide with them in it, but the Third ^ ♦ Eftate

44 7^^^ 'S'eri'^/ Hijiory

Eftate continuing a Vigorous Profecution, purru- ant to the King's Reference of the Matter tc Par- liament, Monfieur Bonneval abfconded, and Sen- tence pafs'd againft him to be Eeheadec!. About the fame time there happened a New Occafion of Difference between Mary de Medicis and the Prince oiConde-^ the latter had had a Gentkaian in his Service, who, having deferted it, enter 'd into tiie - Queen's, and was fufpefled by the Prince to be- tray his Secrets to her, which he was fo offend, ed at, that he order'd another of his Servants, Mr. Rochfort^ to beat him whenever he met him. Rochfort takes three or four Fellows wiih him, fets upon, and Wounded him in feveral Places. The King and Queen being inform'd of the Af- front offer'd them in the Perfon of one of their Servants, order'd Rochfort to be profecuted as an Affaflin. The Prince went immediately to Coun- cil, and faid, He thought it very jirange^ that they pretended to deal with him as with the meanefk Sub' jei^ 171 the Kingdom *, adding, I own whatever Roch- fort has done^ 'tis by my Order *, Marcillac hat been punijh'd for his Infolence and Infidelity: The Queen reply*d, / have a better Opinion of Tour Honour^ than to think you will take upon Tou another s Crime to proteU him from being Profecuted by Jtifiice. The Queen and Prince had fome hot Words, and the Young Prince, w^io had been prepoffefsd againft the King, was about to fecond his Mother in this Difpute, but Ihe hinder'd him, and the Pirnce left the Council in a Paffion, the King Teeming angry with his Mother that fhe did not let him tell the Prince his Mind. This Violence in the Prince of Conde ruin'd his Intereft in the States General, who feeing what little Credit he had at Court, declin'd embarking in his Quarrel. Th;i Queen inform'd them of what pafs'd, and the Three Orders addrefsd her that Rochfort might be prc- jecuted notwithftanding the Declaration of the Prince, which was done fo warmly, that his High- nefs was forc'd to prefent a Petition to the Parli- ament, fetting forth the Caufe he had to proceed

as

e/ F R A N C E. 45

as he did againft Marcillac, The Queen to pre- vent their being influenced by it, fent for the Pre- fident, and told them, he only intended to hinder the Profecution of Juftice. Her Majefty's Inter- pofition was too ftrong for his Highnefs's, and he, "who had made fuch a ftir to proteiH: Rochfort^ was oblig'd to yield to a Warrant of Parliament, and open all the Doors of his Houfe for tiieir Of- ficers to fearch for the Offender. Upon this Sub- miffion, the Queen accepted of the Mediation of Queen Margaret and the Countefs of Soiffonsj in behalf of the Prince, and the matter was in ap- pearance accommodated between them. The Prince coming to Court, was well recQiw'dy * Marcillac being abandon^ by Mary de Medicisy when Ihe had had the Satisfaction to let the Prince fee fhe was too hard for him, both in the AfTembly of the States and in the Parliament, Rochfort had a Pardon, Marcillac in a Raee challenged him, but the Prince wou'd not fuffer Rochfort to anfwer it, fo the Affair dropt, all Parties thinking it Policy to carry it no further.

The Prince of Coride finding he. fhou'd not ad- vance his Affairs much by the continuance of the AfTembly of the States General, did not concern himfelf to procure it. The Court, who wifh'd they coud have hinder'd their Aflembling at aiJ, was weary of them, as Zealous as they appear*d to be in its Service. Th^ Papifis hsid nothing to expeft from them, which they cou'd not do bet- ter without them ^ and the Proteftants no Good to hope from an AfTembly fo much byafs'd by the Clergy. Tis no wonder, that in fuch a Difpoil- tion of Things, there was a' quick End put to their Meeting , and that they never met more. What contributed chiefly to the Future Perfecu- tion of the Proteflants, was the Cahier of the Cler- gy, in which they were treated not only as He- reticks but Infidels : Their Religion not being cal- led Religiotj Tretendue ReformeSy but Pretendue Re- ligion Reformee, It confilled of 300 Articles, the Principal of which were dire^ Invafions of the

Edi^s

46 Tlje^ Secrete Hijhry

E<3i£t5 in Favour of the Proteftants, ^nH there were no lets than ^5 of that Nature. I iliall only name fome of them, as The Rejioration of the Roman ^^• ligion i'fi all Places under the Kings Dowi/iions^ the Condewnation of all Booh injurious to the Pope^ the Revocation of all Pe72fions given upon Benefices to ProteftantSy Leave for Bifiops to fend to the Gal*' leys, &c;

I cannot help obferving how fearful thefe Monks were of the Preis, for there's another Article, That the Printers in every City might be reduced to a cer-* tain Number y and no Books be printed without the Bifhop's Licence ; That all Books from abroad fijoud he prohibited^ unlefs they, had the fame Approbation* Thofe that are afraid of the Power of Truth will certainly be of the feme Mind with thefe French Priefts ^ tho' it is well known that the Proteftants have done more tliaiithe PapiRs in France to polifh their Language, to reSne their Tafte, and improve their Genius. A Truth confefs'd by Monfieur Bran- tome^ in his Memoirs^" long before the 5f^p/;d-?z/, the Le Fevre*s-j the U Ahlincourt^s^ &c. appear'd in the World, ' . - ■ -

The Qergy further requcft in this Petition, That the Marriage with- Spain might he ■ accompli (//d 1 That the Treaty of St, Menethond, tho they ow'a their Seffion to it might he annull d *, Thai all Church Lands fijoud be refior'd •, That Proteflant Judges P)Qud\rm take CognizMnce of Ecclefaflical Caufes ^ That all Privileges granted the Proteftants [inee the Death of Henry r/;pIVth be revok'd j That the Proteftants fi)ould -not bxry in Churchyards ^ but ba ej}pos'd if they offer d ik by Arms ; That they J})ould be forbidden to Write or fpeak againft Ed. Nant. the Sacraments of the Roman Churchy

yd*. II. ;B; 5. or the Authority of ty Pope^ on Pain

''-Vl/f, "4" of fever e Punijhment 'y. That their Aflmft'ers //joud not vi/k the Sick ^ That their Tern* pies JJjoud be at leafi. 1000 Paces 'dift.wt frofn Churches ; Ihat their P air o-nnges fwud go to the next of Kin of the Cathohck RiUgion j That Proteflant Lords P)oiid have Sermons m none of their Houfcs^ but'

where

^/ F R A N C E. 47

where they refided \ That their Colleges and Seniina' ries J/joud he taken from them j That no Foreigners Jhoud be allowed to preach or teach any Do^rine hut, the Catholick within the Kingdom^ dec. It wou'd b«^ cndlefs to repeat all the Articles intended againft, l^ie Reform'd^ which tho' they did not take Effect immediately, yet the future Conduct of the Court fhew'd they made ufe of this Cahier as a Scheme to ruiu the Proteftants.

The Nobility, who were entirely gain'd over by the Clergy, did not fpeak fo plainly in their Petition, but they proposed a Claufe, That the King mighp. be addrefid to maintain the Catholick Religion accor' ding to his Coronation Oath* The Proteftant Lords took this Propofal as an Attack upon them, finca part of the Oath is to deftroy all H^rmV^.r, which\ the Catholick Church had adjudg'd them to be; and the Debate was fo hot, that it was like to end in great Extremities. The King hearing^ of it, put an end to it, by giving both Sides good Words ^ and by a new Declaration of the 12th o{ May^ k^ij- he confirm'd all former Edifts to the Reformed. It began with great Elogies of the Queen's Conduct, of the Care (he had taken to confirm thofe Edifts, in Imitation of the late King, and to remedy the Infractions of it. After this the King exprefs'd in his Declaration, That this good EffeB of the Queen's Trudence had ohlig'd him to entreat her to cotitinue to affifl him with her Council^ tho* he had been d^^ clar'd Major, with the fame Authority xii if the Ad* miniflratlon of the Kingdom were flill in her Hands^ >. There was ^o much Diffiniulation in this new De^-^ claration, that there was no likelihood of its an- fwering the End proposed by it. The Parliament of Paris let it lie ieven Weeks without Verification 5 - and^ fays my Author, it was fo far from curing the Evil rais'd by the Con- Ed. NatltsS-'^ tejk among the Nohility^ that it hm^dly Vcl.II, Ra^^ ferv'd to palliate. Hq ^OQS on. Indeed -* *' '-

'twas not very likely it JJjould fatisfy any body, "cdn-^- fidering how it was pennd. It was natural to fufpeEb that a conftant Laa>. coud not b^ th? Sequel of a-

Prefacs

48 The Secret Hifiory

Frefave without Truth , That Imitation ^/ Henry the IVth*/ Prudencey fo much inpfied upon^ had never appear d in the Queen s Condu^, on the contrary, fl}e had abandoned all the late Kings Proje^Sy alter d^ confounded and defiroyd all that he had done for the Peace and Grandeur of the Kingdom^ and concluded the Alliance with Spain, for which he had exprefs*d an invincihle Averfion to his Dying Day, That Af- fetation of always f peaking of the Imitation of a Prince y all whofe Alaxims had been Overthrown^ of- fended thofe who griev'd to fee how much the Re» gency had disfigurd the Government. It is Odious to boajh of a things the contrary of which is Noto- rious to every one ^ and Study d Proteftations of per- forming a Duty which one fwerves from by a Thou- fand A^ions^ fetdom perfwade a thing which Effe^s^ contraddh Moreover^ every Body was too fenfihle how many Cabals and Fa^ions had torn the King- dom during jhe Minority^ to reiiff) the Praifes that were given to the Queen^ of having maintain d it in Peacc^f &c.

The Difagrecment between the Vpper and Lower Hoafes, was fufficicnt Ground for the Court to difTolve an AlTembly that gave fo little Satisfa£li- on to France, The Marelchal De Brifacy who was fent to the Houfe of the Clergy, on the dif- ference about the Controverted Article^ brought in by the Lower, exhorted them to finiih their Cahiersj in order to their Difmiflion. 'lis to be^ f«ar*df fays he, the Provinces will complain of the /low Proceedings of the States *, there are fome un^ quiet Spirits that love to be Filing in Troubled IVa- ters and Clamour becaufe of the long Sitting of the Ajfembly j wherefore 'tis convenient to put a flop to this Extraordinary Commotion^ and to reflore Peace and Tranquility in the Kingdom, A Fort- night after this, the Duke De rendefme was fcnc tp the Three Houfes on the fame Errand, and to let them know how much they were oblig*d to the King that he did not demand Money of them as his Anceftors were wont to do, which he did WJt> probably, becaufe never intending to depend

on

of F R'A^iN^^Cl. i,9

bntbftm for Supplies, or to ttiake ufe^^^f ^&m any iiiore,. he might make no New'-Pierjii^t of the Neceility of thtir Meeting for thiii 4^rpo{^.

The Nobility joyn'd witH -the Lower Mbule, in (lefiring they might not he difmirs'ei tiHube Kmg had given his Aniwer to their fevepal. (S*Aifrii, ti^o* wi^h different Views v^'® former beitig^ .earneft to have the Sale e/ Oj^^c-eiTupprefs'd,'- i«ld<the lat- ter to feve the famcidonefby Aw>;^A'^f^ie^Cler- gy alfo finctiiig there was, no-othet way to gei'the; Publication of the' Council df 7r^;?f , ' joy ti'd with the other -Two Eftates in addreffiti^^ the \(mg\ that the tahUrs might be^a?]fv\fer-d .'^efor'e"th<3f breaking up of the States General. Nay; there ii on this Occafron 5 an In(l^Hc6 of Honefty in a French Pi-ieft, that m'ight mfike fMie of the OfdiSf in our own Church, 'tiie Bhlwark'^and Ornament of the Re- form'd-ReUgi'ptt blufh.'^^For'he told tl^^'rlM ambers bf his Houfc,' that the ftrppreffing the Sdb''of Offices and Petifions^ was a Trifle -inComparifert^of li^ Affairs that tliey ought'io take Cogrir^kff(^e ^f : To fettle the Kmgs Counfely-Md regvlate- the-^^rMfury^ thefe^ fays- hej are the Ajfaih the Thre& -Hohjes'^ught mojily to- ■■be taken up mthi There is nf jtijjemhly but the States General to determine tht'fe Matter s^ for Vohat mher Afemhly woud be fo bdd^fir'to ex- pofe th^Hifelves. to the Hatred a?]d Re^ntmbnf of Powerful 'MeUj whofe Inter eft obliges them 'to hhder ail they can the falling uptnlwi) juch Thtder Points as thefe. 'Tis'k^pos'd this Honejt Monk was en^ gag'd by the Prince of Conde to make this Moti- on, for inquiring into ti*re prefeiit AdminWration^ which the Prince aim'd at wnh a Defigri to turn out the Chancellor Stiiery^ tlie Treafurer Jednnin^ and all the. Marefchal D' A-cre's Friends and Creatures^ from the Council and Miniftry.- But no Body had Courage enough to fecdnd this brave Motion -^ y^t the Three EJiates took upon them to direa the Ring, whom he iTioii d advife With, vv'hen he tdck into Conlidefation the Anfwer to be given to their Cahiersy naming only the Princei and Officers i^f the Cntprii ntid defirinj if he Csiird iriany of hi? E oth^r

50 The Secret Hiftory

other Counfellors, he wou'd pleafe to give in a Lift of them, and confent that the Three Orders might Name five or fix to confult with the Princes and Officers of the Crown, about the Anfwer they were to, receive to their Petition. Nay, they in- fiftcd. That four or five Deputies of each Houfe miqht be prefnt at the Counctl, when the Cahiers Jbould there be Examind,

I defy tlie Engllfi) Hiftory to give any Inftance in the^ moft Flouriihing, Times of Liberty, that ever a Parliament of England fhou'd dare to pre- fcribe to the Sovereign whom to chufe for his Counrellors, and demand to have the Naming of One of them. Is it not therefore Prodigious to fee how the Spirit of the French are funk, even from what it was a Hundred Years ago, in the Reign of the Father of Lewis Le Grand. The on- ly way the Regent had to avoid complying in feme meafure with the States Demands, was to gain over the Clergy, no hard matter for her to do, who bad the Bilhopricks and Benefices at her difpofal. She upbraided the Cardinal de Sourdis^ that the Houfe of the Clergy had Blindly given in to the Propofafs of the other Houfes ^ that they demanded dangerous Novelties^ and the like. But what won him at once, was, her giving him to underftand that the Clergy fhou*d never obtain their De- mands as long as the AfTembly fate : That if the Minifters of State, who were in the Church Inte- rcfl, were excluded from deliberating upon the king's Anfwers, the Commons woud ftart infur- mountable Difficulties, and perhaps the Nobility joyn with them. She concluded, Tou are now pretty well United^ when the u^jfcmhly is broke up^ they cant reed their IVord^ and the Third Eft ate will no further crofs yon with Renwnftrances. As foon as Cardinal du Ternon was informed of the Queen's Pleafure, he fell in with it immediately, and there was no more Talk of continuing the icjlion among the Priefts, whofe Order refolvd to he Obedient^ as the Phrafe began to be. A Specious Name^ fays Vaflbr, with which the Timerousj or thofe who are

to

(?/ F R A N C R 51

to make their Interefis in France, Colour all their Bafefjep. The Nobility mads fome Oppofition, and reprefented to the Clergy, Hon? bafe it was to ^ive vp to the Court all that is difpleafing to the Minijlers. They perfifted in fefolving to demand the Calling of Six of the moft Ancient Counfel- iors to aflift at the Deliberations of the Anfwcrs to the Cahiers, and the Clergy durfl not refufe to joyn in with them, for fear of the Nobility and Commons uniting againfl them ^ fo the Arch- Bifhop of u4ixj of the Family of Hopital^ was appointed to make this Remonftrance to the king, upon which the Duke de Fentadour was fent to the Houfe of the Clergy, to feparate them from the Two other Houfes, hoping then to make them all defift fronl their Demands, on a Promife of accepting a De- putation from each Order, to repreferit to the King and his Council, the Reafons why their Orders thought fit to make them. But it feems the Priefts were not in fo good a Temper us was expected, and the Cardinal de Sovrdis told the Duke in plain Terms^ Tl^at Houfe xooiid perfifi in thsir Humble Requefts. And accordingly the Bifhop oiCrefiohU^ it the Head of the Three Houfes, deliver'd ano ther Remonftrance on that Head, upon which th« Court a(runi*d the Air of Authority, ^\ Set them a " Day for delivering their Memorial, and pro- " mis'd if there was Occafion for their Meeting *' again about the Anfwer, they (hou'd have timely *« Notice; '' This contented the Clergy, and the Two other Orders being deferred by them, were bblig'd to fubmit, and all Three deliver'd in their Cahte-ts: That of the Clergy, of which mention has already been made, was deliver'd by Armand John de Pleffis, Bifhop of Lucon, afterwards Cardinal Eichlieu, a great Stickler for the Regent in this Af- fenibly. He fpoke with great Vehemence againft the Reform'd^ and particularly of a Riot at Mil- hatr, in the D'ibccfs of Rhodes^ where they bad ta- ken Arms, routed the EcckaalHcks^ broken the Crucifixes, torn the Ornaments, broken down the Altars, prophatn'd the Relicks, taken the- Fix out

E 2 OJ

52 :Tbe Secret Htfiorj

of the Tabernacle, flung down the Gonfecrated Hofts, and trampled them ttnder their Feet, which the King hearing (aid, He thought hmfelf as fTmch cbligd to revenge the Stabbing of his God, as the Parricide of his Father, and doiibtlefs he h?,d done it, had not the Papifts committed a worfe Riot at Beleftat m the fame Diocefs, pulling down the Tem- ple of the Reform'd, and Plundering, Beating and Wounding thofe of that Religion ^ of which Com- plaint being made to Court much about xht fame time, both Affairs were alike referred to Judges, and after having been fome Months in Agitation, came to nothing.

Upon the Breaking up of the General AfTembly, which was the 20th of February ^ the Baron de Se- 7iecy made a Speech for the Nobility, and Men- fieur Mircn for the Commons. The latter was obferv'd to be full Refpeftful, and yet Bold, all which had no other Effe^, than the Naming Com- niiflioners by the Court to Examine the Cahiers^ jthat AnCwcrs might be given to the Deputies of tiie Three Orders. And the Anfwer to that Part of 'the Cahiers^ which related to the felling of Of- fices, was, that it fhould be abolifh'd, but inflead thereof,^ a Yearly Duty was to be laid on Salt, which falling hard on the Midling fort of People, the Lower Order oppos'd ity and met again to Ad« drefs the King againli: it. The King had probited any fuch Formal Meeting, and told them, / very vrell underftand what you have reprefemed to z?;f, J,v:ill eafe my People as much as lyes in ?ny Power ^ and to that end will advije with the Queen niy Mother and my Council, Then the Regent told them, fo long a CotJtinuancc at- Paris, bei'ag voy Chargeable and Tr&ublefome to them^ it was high time now for theinj to think of -repairing Home to their refpeftive Comnries, Thus was the lafl: Af- fembly of the States General of France^ fent pack- ing, without having obtain'd the Redrefs of one Greivance. The Clergy were the only Gainers, and the Proteflants, tho' not the only, the Chief Lofers. The Deputies of the other Orders obtain- ed

^/FRANCE, 5j

cd nothing but Vain General Promilts, of whic^^ they were fenfible they (hou'd never fee the Ef* feas.

The Queen Regent having given a Marefchal's- Staff to Conchints Husband, now caH!d the Ma- refchal D* Ancre^ it rais'd the Envy of almoft all the Prime Nobility. Tho* the Prince of Conde had loft Ground by the Meeting of the States, which fhew'd what little Intereft he had in them, yet being the Firft Prince of the Blood, and the Court taking no Notice of the States Cahiers^ the Parli- ament of Paris, the fliadow of that Aflembly, be- gan to caft their Eyes upon him. About a Month after the breaking up of the Eftates, they made a Decree, inviting the Princes, the Peers, and Of- ficers of the Crown that fit among them, to Af- femble with them to remedy the Diforders of the State. This Boldnefs very much aljarm'd and of- fended the Court : They fent for the Parliament to have an Account of their Enterprife, revers*d their Decree, and forbad the Execution of it, as will be feen hereafter more at large. The Parli- ament, in/lead of f alFive Obedience, remonflrated to the King, as became Men who Jov'd the Glory / and Peace of the State, infifting Vigoroufiy on the Article of the Third Eftate, which the Court had rejeded. One of the Articles of their Remon- flrance ought not to be forgotten: They defirdhii Majefly to preferve the Splendor and Dignity of the Roman Religion ^ without fwerving from the Edt^s of Pacificauon, See here ye Bigotted Britalns^ a Body of French Paplfis bravely Handing up for re- drefling of Greivances, and Toleration to Proteftants, Men that declar'd themfelves for Moderation in Religious Matters, and learn all of you, who know not that LefTon, To Love your Country and your Neighbours, The Marefchal de Bouillon was at the bottom of this brave Attempt of the Parliament of Purify to fave the Dying Liberties of France : He was eYirag'd to find him felf neglected, and tho* he had no great Opinion of the Prince of Conds's Capacity or Conflancy, yet as he was Firft Prince E 5 ^f

54 The Secret Hijlory

of the Blood,- he thought it his Intereft to joyii in with him, and engage as many Great Lords and others as he cou'd in his Party, to make Head againfl the Marefchal D* Ancrz and the Miniftryl To this Purpofe, he held Intelligence with Ed- munds the Enz^liJJ} AmbafTador, Tho\ as Fajfor ex* prefTes himfelf, There was little or no Ground tq depend vpon a weak Kingj and one who was depen- dant on his Almijiers *, yet the Marefchal was of Opinion it wou'd do good if he cou*d fay only King James was on their (ide. And it was on the forming this Party, that the Parliament prefented th"'nc Vigorous Remonlf ranee. The Queen look'4 upon it as an Invedive againft her Government *^ the Marefchal J>' Ancre as an Affront offer'd by thofe that envy'd him '^ the Prefident Jsanmn^ as a Reproach ol the Deflipation of the Finances : And the Pukes of Cuije and Epemon having old Grudges againft that Venerable Body, offer'd their Service to the Queen and Miniftry, to Humble, if not Deflroy them. Upon which a Decree of Coun- cil was publiihd in the King's Name, to annul that of the Parliament, Commanding it to be ta- ken cut of the Regifters, and that of the Council to be put in its room *, which Injury doiTe to the Chief Senate of France^ increased the Prince's Par- ty, to which the Marefchal de Bouillon^ did his utmoft to add that of the Reforni'd , and at lafl engaged their Deputies, Monfieur Kcuvray^ Mon- Jieur Des Bordesj Monfieur Mirande^ and Monfieur BertheviHe. But how did he engage them, by FerfwaGons founded on the Welfare of the Pub- lick, or the Advancement of Religion J Nu, by promifing Advantages and Honours to themfelves as Monfieur Roirjray to be Amballador to the Vnitcd Prpvirjces^ Monfieur Des Bcrdes to be a Counfellor in ParJiament, Monfieur BertheviHe to be Deputy General of the Reform'd Churches o\ rrance : fowerfid and Ferfwafive Motiv^s^ fays the Duke of Rohan ^ ^

I havQ

(?/ F R A N e E. 55

I have before mentioned the Order of Council publifh*d againft the Decree of Pa ili mien t, in thc^ Management of which happen'd feveral Turns, that ftew how little one may depend on the Ho- nour of Men in Places of Profit for their Love to their Country, when their own private Intercft can be better ferv'd at the Expence of both.

When the Court fent for Vionfieur Servietjy Advo- cate General, to give him Inflruftions to kt up the Order of Council againft the Parliament's Decree, he at firft ftrenuoufly defended the latter, faying, Ijf any body fljould go aijout to /peak againjl the Parlia- 7}jem^ we JJjoitd be obliged to maintain the Legality of the Decree. The Queen reply'd in a Paflion, Tou woudget more by obeying the King, Moiifieur Servien perceiving a Biihop come up to hear with greater Satisfadlion how fevcrely their Majefties exprefs'd themfelves againft the Parliament, and that Prelate being one of the moft zealous for the Pope's vSupe- riority, the Advocate General rais'd hisV^oice. and {iiid. Madam ^ ire have long ago obtain d the Glory of rendring that Obedience -we owe to the Kingj that Obedience which all who hear us owe him likewife^ of what Quality foever they may be. We have always fiewny and always fiall fljew by our Difcourfes and Example^ Str^ continu'd he, turning to the King, that you hold your Authority from God only^ and that you in no way depend on any other Power whatfoever^ as to what concerns the Temporal Government of your Kingdom^ ^c. All the Inftances of the Advocate General and the King's Counfellors were to no pur- pofe, they were order'd to acquaint the Parliament with his Majefty's Pleafurc ; and tho' Monfieur Ser' vien complimented that Body, as the lively Refem- blance of an old Roman Senate, yet he found them juft fuch another AfTembly as the Senate of Rome un- der the Emperors. They readily complyM with the Orders they received ,• and Monfieur Servien himfelf, when he made his Report to the King, alTur'd him. There was \nothing in the World that they more hear- tily defird than the Prefervation of hii Authority^ and nothing was dearer to them than hU Favour, But

E 4. tlie

0 ShiySetref. Mfiory :

the MarefthalD? Bouillodfcmnd Means to aggravate tbefe Mortifit^.tibns, in fucb a manner, to that Body-, tiiat tliey' refolv'd to ftand by their Decree :, Mon- fieur Ferditn^ the firft^ Preljdent, holding a ftri£V Gorferpiofid^tice with the Marefchal. Upon this the Prefidents are fent , for to Court, and told, That holding their' Amharity from the King^ they ought td jnake no other Vfe of it but to a[fert his Authority-, and intimating,- that what was done was taken to be an Effeft of the rafh and yoting Members of this Body* Monfieur'^^r/j/w^ anfwer'd, that they were unani- nious. ' The Queen faying. She return' d her Thanh to all thai had opposed this Innovation -^^ that the King ke^ Son fijould retnemher their Fidelity ^ and jhe would tifi her Endeavonrs to prowpt htm to befiow jcme^ J'okem of Ms Kindnefs upon them^ the firft- Prefident reply*d, M/idam^ we do nioft humbly defirs yeii to b^. perfwaded that we have been all concerned in ih Decree j to give no Credit to the conVtiary Report^ and to favour Hi all equ(Myxoith your Kindnefs and your FroteElion ^iththe King. And the Parliament, when they re* turn'd to' their Court, periifting in their Refolutioq to maintain their Arret j (he ient for them again. The King referrd thera to his Mother, who fet an Example to all future Governpients m France^ to treat that Body with no more Ceremony than the meaneft Corporation in the Kingdom, in which fl^ie bas been imitated by them all : He ^ your Xing and your M^if^er, fliys fhe, be perfwaded he fhall exert hk -Authority^ if yowtrefpafshts Injunctions-'^ thofe ar^ ■Men tli-affeiled to his Service^ who put you upon yiightinj hu- Orders. The firft Prefidentfaid coldly, '.He vtoud acquaint the. Tarliarnent with the Kings In- tentions, However, the Ccmmittee they had ap- ^pointed to^ draw up a Remonftrance, purfuant to their Decree; went on with it. The Qaeen and Miniftry being apprehenfive that the i^arliament M'ou'd not have taken tliis Step, if they had not •been put upon it by the oppofite Party, thought it advifeable to keep the prcteftants in as good a Hu- mour as-tbay could, by Fromifes and fair Words. "She reiy'd on the Probity acid Moderation of • Maii- -'' iieur

of F R AN G R 57

HonYDuPleffis Mornay,' The Minifters and Secre- fariesof State often wrote to him, and he was ac- quainted with all the Proceedings, of the States Ge- neral. In a w or d, the Court made a Shew, of fetting a great Value oh the Advices of that wife Gentleman, as if they refolvd to follovv them upon all Occa- hons, and the Reform d having been alarm'd at the Propofal made in the States General, that the King fhould be addreft d to maintain the Catholick Religion, according to his Coronation Oath, againft Hereticks, to cafe them of tli^ir Fears, the beforer hiention'd Declaration was put forth in iheir Favour the i2th oi Marchy 1515-. wherein he declares. He mil hep INri OLABLT what his Father And 'himjelf had granted to the Froteftants, commanding that all EdiBs^ Declarations and private Article i fiouldbenligioujly maintain d. We fliali fee p're- fentiy how this Declaration and thefe Command? were obfervxl. What follows is. a Confellion from the Mouth of this King, ofaTruth he butillpra- flis'd in the Courfe of liis Reign, and his SuccelTor much^orfe than himfelf t We €xpeU:from the Divine Mercy i fays iie^ that he will reunite all cur Subjects in the fam^ Religion by the ordinary and vfual Means j the Church' being fully perj waded by the Experience of ^im^s pajt that viole'rit Remedies were never effe^ual^ #r. Thefe fine Speeclies were to prepare the way for a General Aflembly of the Reformed, which was tp meet at Grenoble^ a Place the Proteftants did not fit all approue of^ as being entirely in the Pofieiiion of the Marefchal De Lefltfguieres^ whofe Diffimu- iation and double Dealing they were as much afraid of as afham'd of his fcandalous Life 5 of which the following Story is a fufficient Proof, and in it will be feen what infamous things the greateft Men are capable of, to gratify their Ambitipn and Interefh Charles Blanchefort^ Sire De Creqiti^ had marry*d the only Daughter remaining of the Marefchal De Lef- 'difguieress lawful Children ; but the Marefchal had two other Daughters by a certain Woman nam'd ,Mary Ftgnon^ whom he had taken away from her YiM%hm^y , Smiimnd Matel^^^ ^i]k Merchant at .;«.._-; " * • Grenoble,

^8 The Secret Hifiorj

Grenoble, Their Commerce was for feme time kept private, Lefdifgutre$*s Wife being living^ but as foon as ihe cfy'd, he caus'd her to be calT'd Madam De Moyranc^ the Name of one of his Lord- jhip's, the* he was then above threefcorc Year's old. La Moyranc not being fatisfy'd to be ferv'd and re- fpcfted as if fhe had been his lawful Wife, would needs marry him, her Husband being flill living. To remove him out of the way, Co\ont\ Alar dim Confident, a Man who carry d on the Intrigues be- tween the Duke of Savoy and him, took upon him- felf to get poor Afatel murder'd, and all the World prefently fufpefted he was the Inftrument La Moy- .fjanc had employed to rid her felf of her Husband. The Parliament of Gienobk order*d Alard to be apprehended on Sufpicion. The Marefchal, who had abfented himfelt while the horrid Fa£l was per- petrating, haften'd to Grenoble as foon as he heard Alard was ftcur'd. But the Difficulty was how to get him out of the publick Prifon. To this end he went to it himfelf, and took him out, pretending he was the Duke of Savoy*s Minifter, and not to be medled with, unlefs his Highnefs gave Leave. The firft Prefident of Grenoble being highly provok'd at fuch a Violence, which plainly proved the Marefchal was privy to the Crime, made a great Buftle •, but nothing came of it» The Court, who flood mor« in need of Lefdifguteres than of him, induc'd the King to give an A^t, whereby he own*d all the Marefchal had done, in order to take Alard out of the Hands of the Magiftrate, He now gave Orders that La Moyranc ihonld have the Title of Mar- chioftefs of Tresfirty and afterv^ards marry'd her, Hu^ues Arch-Bifhop of Anwrun giving his Bleffing to that Criminal iMarriaj^re, La Moyranc being a Roman Catholick, and Lefdifguieres^ who wou'd llill retain the Name of a Proreftant, fubmitted himfelf to the Ecclefiaftical Cenfure, ordain'd by the Re- form'd againft thofe that marry after the way of the Church of Rome. *Tis reported that Charles Emanuel^ Duke of Savoy ^ being perfwaded that La Moyranc had a pirevailing Intereft with the Ma- refchal,

0f ¥K A N C E. 59

i'eOchal, was fo bafe as to propofe txD tliem a Match between the Count of Sault^ Son to Cre/fui^ and Lefdifguieres's Grandfon, and the Princefs of Savoy *, as alio another Match between La Moyranc's fecond Daughter, whom ^he Marefchal tenderly lov*d, and one of Charles Ewanucl*% Sons. Perhaps this was only an Artifice of that Duke's, who was paffionately defirous to fecure Lefdtfgtiieres in his Intereft. The Count of Sautt marry'd fince this fecond Daughter, jiis Aunt, but (he dy'd without IfToe. Crequi was then afraid left the eldeft Daughter of La Moyranc^ nurry'd to the Marquifs oi Mom^run^ fhou*d deprive the Count of Saidt of a confiderable Share of the Jncceflidn of his Grand-father •, and to prevent it, ib eJFe^luall'y managed the matter that Momhrm\ Marriage was diffoWd. Crequi prefs'd his Son to marry tier, tho' ihe was his Aunt, and his Sifter- in-Law, which the young Count refus'd with Hor- ror. 'Upon which his Father marry 'd her himfelf. Sifter as {he was.to his firft Wife. All thefe in- Ceftuous Marriages cou'd not be perform 'd without Difpenfations from Koim \ which is enough to give one an Idea of the Heligion and Juflice of that Court, as it does of the Honour and V^irtue of i>/- difguleres and Crequi,

Cou*d the Rerorm'd think of bringing fuch a Scandal on their Religion, as to put themfelves in tlie Hands of a Murderer and Adulterer ? Befides all this, the Proteftants had very good Reafon to be jealous of his keeping a clofe Correfpondence with the Queen and Miniftry, ' to whom he was ready enough to facrifife them at any time for his own Intereft. They therefore defir'd to meet at fome other Place than (tremble *, but hearing the Ma- refchal was about to leave it, and come to Paris ^ they agreed to meet there *, which when they had done, the Marefchal put off his Journey, and ftay'd ito affift at the AfTembly. fending Ballufon to Court with AlTurances of his Fidelity, and to receive their prders, \.'j ■ •

In

ia The Secret Hi/lory .

In the mean the Parliament had fini/h*J the Re- monftrance already fpoken of, and a Committee of them went with grsat Ceremony to deliver it, the People following their Coaches with loud Ac- clamations to the Gates of the Louvre^ where was in the Court, at the Windows, and on the Stair- Cafes, as great a Crowd as ever was feen. They were introduc'd by Munfieur f^itrl^ Captain of the Guards, into thci Council Chamber, where •were the King and Queen, accompany 'd by the Dukes of Gmfe^ Nevers^ Vendome^ Afontmerency and ^permn *, tlie Chancellor Silleni^ tlie Marei- chals n Ancre and Souvre , and] many other J.ords and Chief Councellors of State. The Re^ monftrance being deliver'd to the King, he gave it to Lomenie^ Secretary of State, and his MajeAy commanded the Parliament to withdraw ; upon which Mr. Verdun^ the Firft Prefident faid, Sir^ we are ordered by the reft of our Body^ rAofi humbly to befeech Tour Afa'iefiyj that our Remonflratice be prefently read. All that were prefent, heard it feemingly with with much Attention and Gravity, under which appearance they concealed the moft Furious Sentiments of Paffion and Refentment, ac- cording as it feverally touch'd them. This was one of the laft Efforts of Expiring Liberty in the Parliament of Paris^ and therefore worth the Readers being acquainted with it. They prov'd by many uncontrovertible Inftances, that the Par- liament had a Right to take Cognizance of State Affairs : And then they proceeded to fet forth their Greivances, which touching the Marefchal D' An- crey the Chancellor Silleryy and others who were at the hearing of it, gave Pleafurc to the Great Lojds, who cou'd not forbear cafling their Eyes upon them, as often as any Article was read where- in they were concerned. The Subllance of the Remonfirance, was to affert the Independency of. the Monarchy of France, which flruck at Cardinal du TerroJi's Speech to the States General, m fa- vour of the Pope. They defir'd Foreign Alliances m^ be maintain d. This the Regent underftood

* very

0/ F A R N C E. 6t

very well, to be aim'd at the Conclufion of the Double Match, which broke the Treaties with the Proteftant Princes and States, enter'd into by Henry the IVtth, againft the Exorbitant Power of the Houfe of Auflria. They pray*d his Majefty to call the Trinces and the Great Officers of the Crown to his Council^ and turn out thofe who had been brought in by Fapotir^ without Merit, At the reading of this, the Marrefchal D* Ancre and his Creatures, turn'd Pale, to the Satisfaction of alnioft all the Spe£latoas. They remonftrated againft Ven- fions and Gratuities from Foreign Princes^ and againft erv ploying Strangers in Offices^ either Civil or Mi^ litary^ They aflerted the Liberties of the Gallicia}t Churchy in oppofition to the Vfurpation of that of Rome. They infiuuated an Expulfion of the Je- Tuits : They complain'd of the Abufes in the Ad^ mimflration of Jujiice and the Finances^ which was defign'd againft tlie Chancellor Sillery^ ^nd the Comptroller of the Finances Jeannin. They ^^n*d- ed with humbly befeeching His Majefty to fuf- fer their Arrets inviting the Princes and Peers to deliberate with them about the State of the Nation, to ftand in Force. Thefe Articles were full and #^goroufly exprefs'd, and when the whole Remonftraiice was read, the Members of the Par- liament were order'd to withdraw. After they were cali'd in again, the King laid, / have heard your Remonftrance^ and 1 am not pleased with it \ the Queen my Mother^ will acquaint you with my Intentions, 'Tho nothing had been faid particular- ly againft her, on the contrary fhe had been com- mended in fome Parts of the Remonftrance ^ yet *twas plain all of it tended to oppofe her Adm>* niftration, and Ihe took it accordingly, which \^t her in a Violent Paftion, and in this Fury ftie anfwer'd the Parliament to this purpofe. " The *' King has juft Reafon to be offended at the Ac- -^ tempts of his Parliament *, you have taken the '' Affairs of State into your Confideration, noc- " withftanding yon were forbidden fo to do. Do V you relolve to reform the Kingdom ? Will you

[^ prefcribe

6t The Secret Hijioty

" prefcribe us Laws for the Government, and Adl* " miniftration of the Treafury ? I perceive very ** well what it is you aim at *, you have a Defign " upon my RegeiKy, which has been approv'd of *' by all the Orders of the Kingdom, in the Af- " fembly of the States General, and was even *^ commended by the Parliament it felf. When ** you defire to have the pretended Abufes re- " drefs'd, which have been introduced fince the " Death of the late King, yoU plainly declare by " that, that I have not Govern'd as I ought. I *' have been fufficiently inforni'd, how all things *' were carry'd in the Parliiment : Your Re- *• monftrance has not met with a General Appro- ^' bation there, Six Prefidents oppos'd it ^ but the *' Faftion of Six or Seven other PrefidehtS or ^' Councellors, have carry'd it: We will not for " the future, fuffer any (uch like Attempts^ This *' I fay pofitively, and I am pleas'd that all the **' World fhou'd know it, France has never had ** a more happy Regency than mine. " She cou'd go no farther, being To tranfported with Paflion. The (Chancellor was in not much better Temper than Her Majefty, but he put a better Face upon it, and after having in his Speech enlar^'d on the Boundlefs Power of the Kings of France^ he en- deavour d to leflen the Authority of the Parlia- ment, and flatter'd tiie Queen even more than Oie had flatter'd herfelf, Jeamin defir'd them not to believe Falfe Reports, and Vindicated himl'elf as to the management of the Treafury. The other Lords, who had not the Gift of Oratory, and be- sides were not fo much concern'd in the Remon- ftrance, did not make Speeches. The Dukes of Guifcy Montmerency and Vendome^ rofe up and of- fered to (land by the King with their Lives and Fortunes, againft all who iliou'd dare to difobey him, aduring him they wou'd not go to the Par- liament, unlefs his Majefty fent them to main- tain his Royal Authority. The Duke of Epernon faid, The Parliament have no Power to Call the PeerSy nor to Aj[9mhle them without the Kings Per-

mi([ion.

e/ F R A N G E. 6J

mijfton. I have the HmovT of fitting in it^ God forbid I Jbou'd ever inform them of State jiffairs : Such was the Slavifh Complyance of thofe Lords, with the Queen and Her Miniftry • It will not be long before we (hall find how they were them- felves punifh'd for being acceffary to the dcftroy- ing tlie Authority of tnis Venerable Body. The Queen, and they too late, apply'd to them for Prote^ion againit the Infblence of a Minifter, of as little Merit ^s Conchini^ and they late repent- ed of a Folly in which they now Glory. The Firft Prefident endeavoured to reply to the Duke de Epernony and they came to high Words, but the Queen intcrpos'd, and prevented the ill Con- fequences that might have happened. The Maref- chal U Ancre had nothing to fay for himfelf, but complain'd of Libels and Lampoons ^ fuch Fa- vourites as he may very well be afraid of Wit and Truth, for they will always be againft them. He produc'd a Pamphlet, caird the French Cajfem- dra^ fcveral Paffages ©f which he had mark'd for the Queen to take Notice of. See here^ faid Ihe, ^011? Lampoons and Libels againft the Kln^ and me are permitted^ and then gave it to the Secre- tary to read thofe PafTages. The Firft Prefident reply'd, He had made a firiEi Enquiry aftsK the Printer, but coiid not find him out. The Duke de Epernon anfwer'd, Tou Jhoud inquire after the Authors of fuch Scandal^ Printers are poor forry Fellows^ TPho have no other Defign^ but to get a Pen' ny for a pitiful Livelihood,

Authors and Printers will never have a good Word from th®fe who are Enemies to their Coun- try, from the Creatures of Tyranny. There's not fo forry a Fellow in the World, as he who be trays the Liberties of his FeIlowSub;efts, nor a Livelihood fo pitiful, let it be with all the out- ward appearances of Grandeur, as that which fub- (ifts by Flattery and Corruption.

The Duke of Never ^ was the only Lord that had Courage to fay a Word in favour of the Par- liainenr. / have given them no Commijfwn tofpeak

for

64 ThOSeirei, Hifiorj

formty feid he, / know what I owe to the Kwg-t; there one jome good things in the Retnonfirance^ if there be any that are iil^ hts Majejly may reject r^w/i No Body rriinded him, and ^Thr^e Days afterwards, the King's Decree in ■ Council was Publifh'd, declaring, The. Parlid/nent to have ^one beyond, their Tower \ th^t it was only a Caurt ere tied to admnijler Juftice. Their Ordinances touchiitg thefe Matters were repeal'd, and they were en^ )oyii*d ' nop to meddle ariy more for the future^ with State Affairs. This Decree bore Date the 25th of May] isis-, and fror/i that time have their Senate been indeed no nioi^ than a Court of,Jurrice, ex- cept when there have been Commotions in the State, and the Court or th6 Princes have thot^ght it for their Intereft to engage them on thbir Mq. They have then afJiim'd occafionaljy a Face of Authority, but on no better Foundation than the prefent Keceility of a Troublefome Tan£lu?e of Affairs *, which being over, this Decree of Lewis rhe Xlllth, under the direction of iiis Mother Mary de Medicis^ was . the Rule of their Coil- dud, and inftead of a Senate, they have from that Year to this, been no more tiian a Body of Men depending entirely on the Crown, ready to re- ceive with a Slavifli Submifiion, all the Orders fent them by the Minifters, and to give them the San^K on of Laws. Thus in Three Months there was an end put to the Authority of the Two AiTemblies, that were the Bulwarks of the French Liberties,- that of the States General, and that of the Par- liament of Paris,

The Decree above- mention'd, did not pafs with- out Obftacles, and thofe from the King's own Ser- vants, the Advocate and Attorny - General, who were order'd to carry it to the Parliament. Thefe Gentlemen were Members of tlie AiTembly, and reprefented that it feem'd as if they had a mind to have tliem ill look'd upon by them, which wou'd be .a means to render them incapable of ferving his Majefty in ParliamcnL Monfieur Ser- vien, the Advocate General, made ufe of all the

Flowers

of ¥ RANGE. 6^

Flowers of his Rhetorick to be excused from that Mellage. The Queen told him with great Warmth, The King will have it foj his Commands and. mine ought to be obeyed without any Excvfe or Delays Then Monlieur Mole, the Attorney-General, tcU down at the King's Feet, to dcfire him to confi- der their Station in Parliament, but the King was alfo jnflexible^ / will have it fo^ faid he, and the Qu^en too, Servien when he came to the Parli- ament, reprefented how unwillingly he obey'd the Royal Commands, and to moderate Matters, ad- vis'd them to make their Submijfion, and Proteji both to the King and his Mother^ that the Parlia^ tnent had never found Fault with their Proceedings'^ tho' 'twas plain that every Word of their Remon- ftrance reflected on the Adminiftration of the Go- vernment lince the Death of Henry the IVth. The Parliament, whofe Spirit was funk with their ill Succefs, inclin'd to do what the Advocate had pro* pos'd, but the Qiieen fent for Servien^ and told him, the King woud hearken to nothing till his^ Be'- cree was read and regfier^d, Servien continu'd to iiiake Excufes for the Parliament, with refped to her Regency, but all in vain. The Decree muft pafs in due Form, tho' by it all the Arrets of Parliament on this Subjea:, were to be raz'd out of the Regifters. The King Wills and Commands you^ reply*d ihe with an imperious Air , to fee that his Orders he punctually obey'd^ and that the Decree of his Council be Read and Recorded under Fain of Difobedience. At laft the Decree was read, but the Regiftring of it met with a Stre^ iiuous Oppofition, and was not foon determined.

In the mean time the Double Match going for^ ward, the Frincefles of B^ance ?ni Spain were to exchang-'d, and the Queen prefs'd the King to be-, gin his Progrefs to the Frontiers for that purpofe; the Prince of Conde opposed it to his utmoftj gi- ving kveral plsofible Reafbns, which having no weight with the Queen, hQ retnrn'd to his Coun- try of Clermontj and the Marefchal de Bouillon to his Principality of Ssdan^ th§ Duke de Mayenm

F to

66 The Secret Hijlory

to Soljfons, and the Duke de Longueville to Picardy, Things tending thus to a Rupture, both fides be- gaii a Paper War, in which the Weakeft in the Field, had the befl at the Frefs, as it commonly happens in other Cafes •, when Power prevails over Right. The Queen being intent on the Progrefs, and afraid of leaving tiie Parliament difgulled, when the difcontented Lords were ready to take Arms, thought to accommodate Matters with' that Body, and to be contented with their former Of- fers of Submiflion. Upon Notice of this from the Advocate General, the Zeal of this other Ro- ?77au Senate vanifhes, and the Patriot Monfieur F'er- dun^ the Firft Prefident, prefents himfelf with his Company before their Majcrllies, to fignify to them, Imv extreamly the ^ffemhly was affetled with their JDtjfatisfaliion^ and to protej} they never had any Dejign of concerning thern [elves with thetr Atlions^ highly applauding the Qiieen's Wife Condu<fl, They declin'd all further 1 roceedings, and the De- cree of the Council, which repeal'd their Arrets-, was not executed with any Severity.

Let us not fay they were Frenchmen who fo bafely ^ gave up the Caufe of Liberty, unlels we can diftin- guifh any other Nation by their Perfeverar.ee at all times in maintaining it. Other Nations there are who have pretended more to it, and yet have been found as flavifh in their Compliance with Defpotick Power as were thefe French Senators, who were not likely to iave the Freedom of their Country, v«hen they had not Courage enough to embrace the Opportunity that was offering it felf to fupport itj by the Declaration of the firft Prince of the Blood, and the moft powerful Lords of the Kingdom, for the Redrefs of thofe Grievances againit which they remonftratcd.

The Queen, to hinder any Difturbances in her Abfence, fent Fillcroy to the Prince of Conde\ with Offers of giving h\va entire Satisfiftion as to his Share in the Adminiitration of the Government •, for well fhc knew if he was falisfy'd m that Point, he wouU ikcrifice all others. But he had been fo

often

(?/ F R A N C E. 67

often aeceiv'd by her, he durft- not triift her ,- other wife, no doubt, their Differences would have been eafily and prefently adjufted. This Diffidence made the Prince keep a Uttk more Heady to his Party than lie us'd to do ^ and his Coldnefs in ac- cepting the fair Propofals made him by ^ilkroy^ occafionM another Conference between hmi and Vilkroy and "jeannln^ to endeavour to brmg hun over. The Lords of his Party were come to hnn, b fee how Affairs were managed, and to have an Eye over his Condua: , and the Marefehal D' Aicre and SiUerl the Chancellor, being apprehenfive that VilUroy and Jeannin would give them up tor an Accommodation, fo reprefented the Danger o^ thele Negotiations, with the double Match, totheQiieen, that Hie oQi the King to fend Fontchartrain^ Secre- tary of State, with a Letter to the Prince, to de- mand a pofitive Anfwer, Whether he wou'd attend him or not in his Progrels ? This enrag'd the Prince bf Conde to that Degree, that he comply'd with the Defires of the difcontented Lords, and refolv d to take Arms, He alfo wrote a Letter to the Kingj in which having complain'd of the Abufes in the Go- vernment, he charg'd the Mareichal D' Ancrez^wd the Chancellor Silleri by Name. as,the chiet Inftru- ments of it, and defir'd they might be call d to Account for their evil Praftices. ,

While the Marefehal De Bouillon appear d tlie inoft forward of the difcontented Lords to come to a Rupture, he privately made his Court to the Ma- refehal D* Ancre, and fent an Excufe to him for his Name being incerted in the Letter, laying all the Blame of it on the Duke Dc Longuevllle, who had had a long Difpute with tiie Marefehal D' Ancrn about the Rights of his Government of Pkardvi which the other as Governor of A/msns^ Capital of that Province, Wou*d have invaded.

The (^jeen, to ^^revent the fpreading oi thiS Lvi!, caus'd a Declaration to be publiih'd in the King « Name, vvhich, anaong other things faid tO' amui« the People, had one PafTage in it that had its ht- fea, aod that was. the Lords being diicontenteci

68 The Secret Hifiorj

purely for the Court's refufing them fome private Advantages it was not convenient nor fafe for them to grant. This being (o probable as it was from the Chara^^ers of the Men, made the Prince's Friends very backward in engaging in his Qii;irrel •, and thole who were for redrefling of Grievances, de- fpairing to have their Defires accompliOi'd by fuch intcrefted Chiefs, lay quiet, and let them work themfelves out of their Difficulties as they cou'd. Others, outof Love tuthe Perfons of the difconten- ted Lords, out of Dependance on their Fortunes, or out of a warm Zeal for the publick Welfare, to which they mightily pretended, join'd with them. But their Force was not fufficient to juftify the Re- fiRance, they had begun, and therefore it foon got the Scandal of Rebi^llion. The King commanded that no Towns fhould receive them, and that all Governors of Provinces fhould hinder the raifing of Forces for the Rebels^ as they were term'd. A fure Sign the Court did not much fear them, for then they would have made ufe of fome fofter Term*, Rebellion being as eafily turn d into Dlfco^' tcnt^ as the Rebellious into the DifaffeUed^ which is very common.

The Reform 'd having a General AfTembly at Gre- ?7oble^ the Prince of CWf fent a Gentleman to invite them to join with him in order to procure a good Reformation of the State, in which he promis d the Proteilants all the Sureties they could reafonably expecl. A confiderable Part of the AfTembly inclin'd towards the Jun£^ion. The Pretences the Prince us'd were (o plaufible, and fo noble, they could hardly fail of making an ImprefTion on People fo fenfible of Liberty as were the Proteftants of France. His Highnefs propos'd lo pafs tlie Independence of the Crown into an A£l of State •, to fecure the King s Perfon againil AlTalTinations, Excommunkatiuns and Depofitions *, to revenge the too long negleiHied Murder of the late King *, to hinder the Publica- tion of a Council, aga^nft v^hich the King had protefled *, to reduce Taxes and Impofitions to reafonable Rates 5 to remove tiie excellive Autho- rity

^/FRANCE. 69

rity of Foreigners ; to fettle the Edi£ls o'f Pacifi- cation beyond Reach, &c, Thefe v/ere tempting Baits, and hearken'd to by many of the AfTembly, who were animated by the Intrigues of the Friends of the Marefchal De Bouillon, But the more mode- rate Part were of the fame Sentiments with that good and wife Man- MonCeur Du Plejfis Alornay^ which he deliver'd to fome Deputies who came to take their Leave of hmi before their fetting out for Grenoble : I do not pretend^ fays he, to reflet upon the Princcj nor the Lords that have )o'.nd With him. It belongs to them to Ji^fiijy the Vprlghtnefs of their Intentions before him who fearches all Hearts \ but it does not concern our Ajfemblies to take any Cogni- zance of the Affairs of State, We ought at mcfi to concur with his Highnefs for the reforming what is contrary to our Edi^isy fuch as the Coronation Oath^ fuch as the Reception of the Council of Trent. And 'tis probable the AfTembly wou'd have folio w'd his Advice, had not that of the Clergy of France^ then met at Paris^ alarmed them, by refolving on a Cahier for the Reception of the Council of Trent \ and had not the Jefuits in their Sermons done their utmoft to exafperate the Catholicks, and kindle a Fire, which they and the PrieHs were only to get by. The Court, 'tis true, were angry with the , Clergy for their Cahier^ not becaufe they did tjot like the Wording but the Timing of it, which might prove dangerous now the Proteftants v^ere aflembled at Grenoble, and the (irft Prince of the Blood was folliciting them to declare for a Reformation in the State, wherein they were to find fo many Advan- tages.

Some few Days after the King put out his De- claration, the Prince of Conde wrote to their Ma- jefties, to defire Leave to fend a Manififto he had prepared to all the Parliaments and Corporations in the Kingdom, and to all the Princes and States in Alliance with the Crown. The Subflance of it is as follows : " He complain'd of the Queen Regent's *' refufing to have any Regard to the Remonftrance'. f, lie had often made her concerning her Male- Ad- F 3 niiniflratioiU

fO The Secret Hijlory

^* miniftration \ of the Reflraint the States General

** had been under as to Freedom of Speech •, of

*' the Clergy s oppofing the Independency of the

*' Monarchy ; of the Marefchal D' Ancre's Crimes

*' and Abufes of her Majedy's Favour *, of the fquan-

*' dering away the Publick Money ; of the Precipe

^* ta'tion of the King's Marriage, and tlie Conteoipt

" of the Allies of the Crown ; of the ill U(age of

*^ the Parliament of Paris about their Arrets and

*' Rernonflrances ', of the Ground of Sufpicion and

*^ Diftrufi given to the Reformed ^ of the Oath

** taken by the AfTembly of the Clergy at Paris to

*? receive the Council ofTrerJtj &rc* This Manifeflo

being (ent to the Parliament, vs^hich was fo f avoii-

i-ably fpoken of in it, they ient the Packets to the

King unopened. The Prince took particular Care

to have it conveyed to Monfieur Du Pleffis Mornay ;

be (ent Monfieur Gifr/^e??^2 P/e??.7;2 with it and fome

private Letters. JDu Plejfis commended the Prince

of Conde'% Courage and Zeal, confeiTing there were

great Grievances to be redrefs'd *, but having read

the Manifefto, he coldly ask'd Ccurtcna'^ Whether

the Prince had a gcod Army to affert it ? He added,

/ am afraid all thefe grc^'it Dcfigns will come to no-

thi',iz like thcfe cflaji Tear, Covrtenai anfvv'er'd, His

HigKinefs is jure of \$ooo_ Soldier's '^ His Afr^pfiy of

Great- Britain affijis him with 5ooo, rv'ho are already

CfTibarkd, Prince Maurice fumljij^s. him with 4000',

end the re/l are to come out of Germany. ' Which J

liiention to thew how fondly thofe that eafily deceive

them'elves with vain Hopes, think they can as eafily

deceive others •, for the Troc.ps that were embark d

\x\' England^ according to Q'^r/^;^?.^/, were not fo

much as rais'd or defign'd to be raib'd. The King

was not as yet gone from Pnris^ w^hcn the Prince

difpatch'd this Gentleman to Monfieur Bn Pleffis

Morrjay ^ who, tho* he did not join his HigbnelSg

thought it a favourable Junfture to f^llicite the Court

to redrefs the Grievances of the Proteftants : /

have cften importuned yeur Majeftys Afimjiers^ faid

he, to take iiito ferious Confideration the Complaints

i'f our Chnrchcs 5 they have refused hitherto to hear

0/ F R A N C E. 71

me, 'Tii dnngernus to wait any lo'ngcr to give them Satisfa^ion^ for fear they Jhould he compell'd to join their Inter fjis to thofe of the Prince. The King did not anfwer Dm Pleffis till he was fet put from Paris ^ he then Taid, He kindly received his Remonflrance \ that the Council had taken his Reafons into Con fid er at ion ^ hutfome Renfons of greater Weight had carry d it, I have pafs*d my Word^ added he, and I mitji forthwith perform what I have promised to the King of Sp:un. The Marefchal f/ Am re was proposed by the Duke D' Epernon and the Chancellor SiAleri to command the Army that was to a£l againft the Prince of Conde : but they afterwards confidering haw-pro- bable it was that the Marefchal might reconcile iiimfelf to the Prince, by means of the Marefchal De Bouillon, they fo frighten'd the Q^jeen with Ap- prehenfions of the Refentment of the Parifuns^ if a Foreigner had that Trufl given him, thatlhe took it from him, and gave it to the Marefchal De Bois Dauphin, to pleafe them, for at the Bo'tom fhewas offended that D' Ancre did not command it ^ and himfelf retiring to Amiens ^ contriv'd there the Ruin of thofe that hinder d him of it, his Wife having fuch An Influence over the Queen, that i\\c very War, which was raised to deftroy him, turn*d to his Advantage.

The Marefchal Detefdifguieres h^d undertaken to have a watchfu^l Eye on the General Affcmbly of the Reformed RtGrenotpUj and to hinder their taking any Refolu lions contrary to the Queen's Intereft. The Parliament of Paris had been fo mortify'd and manag'd, that there was no great Fear of them. However, to prevent their tak'ngany Stepin fuvour of the Prince of Cofde^ fl^e refolv'd to terrify them by a Proceeding, that none of fo timerous a Body ihou'ci have Courage to put to the Trial Le Jay^ one of the Prehdents, w^as one of the Prince's moft intimate Friends, He bore a great Sway in the Parliament, ar.d the Court look'd upon him as th« Man who had been moll bufy in procuring the Arret for inviting the Princes and Peers^ which they were

f 4 afraid

72 The Secret Hi[iory

afraid be might fet a-foot again when they wer$ gone, and to prevent it, refolv*d to fecure his Per- fon. He was therefore told his Majefty had fome Thoughts to take him with him in his Progreis, to have the Benefit of his good Counfel. But he mi- firufted fo extraordinary a Complement, anddefir'd to be excus'd on account of his Health. The Courip thought there was fome Myftery in his Excufe, the Prefident nor being very Sickly *, wherefore the Queen refolv'd to have him apprehended, and to fhut him up in the C?.?i\t oi Amboife^ as (oon as the Court arrived there. On the Day of the King's Departure, they came very early to acquaint him his Majefiy woH'dTpeak with him. He was no fooner drefs'd, and got out of his Houfe, than two Exempts of the Guards, accompany'd with fifteen Troopers, put Lim into a Coach with fix Horfes, immediately drew up the Window, and inftead of carrying him to the Louvre^ hxowght him to the King's Train then going out of Paris, His Wife prefently complain'd to the Parliament, who fent fome of their Mem- bers to the Louvre to demand him ^ but their Ma- jeilies were departed. They then fent fome of their Eody after the Court, to know what they intended to do with Monfieur Ls Jay. They were aufwer'd bluntly. To make him ferviceahle during the Kine's Trogrefs. Here was an open Invafion of the Liberty of the Subjeft, no Occafior of Offence being ^iven by the Prefident, except in the Diicharge of his Trufl:. Rut tho' Monfieur Vaffor cries our fo much againfl- this Violence, one would think he need not have made fuch a VN^onder of it after having read fo much of the French Hiftory.

As to the General Affembly of the Reform'd at Grer.oble. FaO:ioiis and Divifions ruin'd all the Hopes the Proteilants had of that Meeting. The Duke Be Lefdif^/iieres v/as againft their joining with the Piince, having a fecret Correfpondence with the Court. The Duke De Botdllo-a wa^ for their joining with him, becaufe he hop'd by that means to renew his Correfpondence with the Court. The Seignior J>u liejfis Mem ay was againfl that Jun^ion, be- - .. - ^ c;iu{e

of

FRANCE. 75

jcaufe be wou'd not have Religion made a Sacrifice to Politicks. The Duke De Rohan was firft againfl;,an<i afterwards for their joyning, becaufe the Marefchal De Bouillon was his Enemy, and becaufe the Queen liad neale£led him. Thus we fee that only Du Plejfts was a£ted by a Chriftian Spirit, and that Revenge and Ambition infpir'd ail their other Counfels. The Duke Ve Sully was agiinft or for joining the Prince, as his Son- in Law, whom he look'd upon as the Support of his Family, was for or againft it. The Proteftants had fo little an Opinion of the Sincerity of the Marefchal De Lefdifguieres^ that he had no great Influence over their Determinations *, and Die Pleffiss folid Arguments were not flrong enough for' the plaufible Pretences of the Prince in favour of the Reform'd. He fent Monfieur Le Hate to Grenoble with his Manifefto, and that Gentleman made a labour'd Speech at the Delivery of it, afTu- ring them, his Higlmefs woud hazard every thing for the Prefervation of their EdiBs ; clofing his Speech thus, Such a noble Attempt as this is worthy of you : 'T/i not long fmce your Fathers couragioufly defended the Authority of oirr Kiiigs^ the Rights of the Princes of the Bloody and the Liberties of their Coun- try. But as yet the AiTembly were not in a Difpo- fition to declare for the Prince's Party ^ they took the wifeft Courfe, and refolv'd to take hold of fo fair an Opportunity to get their Grievances redrefs'd. They fent two Deputations to Court with their CahierJ, in vvhich, contrary to DuFleJfus Advice, who being there however feconded them with his Rem on ft ranees, they mention'd feme Political Af- fairs, as 7he Article of the Third Eflr.te^ the Spanifh Matchy both very offenfive to the Court, and there- •fore the Occafion of the Delay they met with in getting an Ai:rvver. The Queen did not care to drive them to Defpair, at a time when fhe had Work enough upon her Hands to keep the dis- contented Catholicks quiet. She reply*d as to the deferring the Progrefs, That had it been defird fooner^ it might have been put offj hut It was then too late to th'nk npon itj it bslng impojfible to r£treat

with

74 3^^ Secret Hiftory

with Honour'^ the Piaffe was fix' d^ the Day appointed^ and they were too forward in their Journey to go back. Fair Words of no more Weight than the Wind that form'd them. Had it not been too late to go back, it wou'd have been too hafty, and the Court had had no Thoughts of it. Du Plcjjls preiVd them ' to give a favourable Anfwer to tlie Deputies*, but the Queen depending on the AfTu ranees t) e Duke De Lrfdifguieres had given her of croffing the Intrigues of the Prince's Friends at Grcnoble\ and the Duke U Epemons to convey them {A\t to the Frontiers, did not much trouble themfelves about the ill Confeqnences of negle£^ing the AfTembly, .which Du Plefjis reprefented to them. That good Man had feveral Conferences with the Minifters, in one of wbich he told the Chancellor Siller l^ If the Jefuits openly in their Sermons tell us-, the Defign cf the double Match with Spain is to root out Herejy^ TJphy fljGuld you be furprlzsd that our Churches are alarm d at it^ and that the Memorial of the ^jfemhly Tncntlon it ? Sillery reply'd. Good God ! muft ycu fnind every thing the jeiuits fay ? They do not go^ vern the Nation, Slr^ (aid Du Plejfis ' ^gzin^ They are net ajarm^d at what other Monks may fay^ but citr People believe they ought to take a pijfticular Notice of all the Proceedings and Dlfcourfes of the Jefuits *, we fee them continually attending on Priricei and Minijicrs of State \ under the Colour of Reli- gion^ they in finuate their Defgns and Political Fiews into them. Sir, Ton know this better than I can tell ycu ', France ha^ too much felt the EffeUs of the Advices given by Jefijits. The AfTembly at Grenoble fent Deputies to the Prince of Conde as v;ell as tc the King •, Monfieur f'eneville and Cagni were ap- pointed tor that Commifiion. The former was only to make Tome general Complements, and re- turn him Thanks for what La Haie (aid in his Speech. The latter was to do his utmofl: to found his Highnefs's real Intentions, and examine whether he had Strength enough to make good his Manifefto. The Court had given the hard Name of Rebelltpn to all thole that fhould raifc Commotions in the

Pra-

of FRANCE. f$

Provinces, but did not particularly declare the Prince and the Lords Rebels^ til^j^ey airiv'd at PolEliers, This Declaration was fent to the Parliament of Taris^ where feme Debate arofe about pafRng it ^ and they might well debate whether the Proceedings of the Prince's Party were rebellious, when they had fo lately in their Arrets and Rem onft ranees faid as much againft the Miniftry as was faid in his Manifefto. However that Blaze of Zeal being quick' ly out, the Majority voted it downright Rebellion, adding, We JJjall be Accomplices our felveSy if we refufe to obey the Kings Will and Pleafure. Is it any wonder that fach a Body of Men fhould have loft all their Privileges, and from a Parliament of Senators dwindle into a Bench of Juftices, All that's left of their real Power, tho' the Formality of en- regiflring, remain with them, hardly exceeding thatof a Qiiarter-Sellions, except in Matters of Law and Equity. There are fome Authors who reprefent this Affair of the Parliament mere to their Repu- tation *, That the i^lurslity of Voices declar'd againft: tne Vei incation of the King's Declaration *, That a Decree was made upon it, by which that Court declar'd, that they neither could nor ought to regifter it •, That the Party in the Intereft of the Miniftry caus'd the Words nor ought to be omitted out of the Extrafis of the Decree which was publilb/d *, and foon after had Credit enough to forge another Decree of InroUment without any Exception, which was found in the Regifter in the room of the firft. We may eafily imagine^ fays a credible Kiftorian, that this bold Falfification of a folemn Decree^ in a Cafe (f fuch Confequcnce^ was highly rejented : It created great Dlfputes among the Members of the Parliament, ivho proceeded on bcth Sides to Jnvcclivcs and Troteflatlons. The Prince's Refentment was not without Reafon, and it is faid in the Prelimi- naries of the Treaty of Peace,he demanded that thofe who were concerned in theFalfificationsof the Decree fhould be punifh'd. The Truth is, the Prince of C6nde\ Army gave no great Encouragement to any one to join it. He cou'd only raife'a fmall Body,

' " which

76 The Secret Hifiory

which happily efcap'd the Purfuit of the Marefcha^ De Bois Dauphin, whoi^ight have oafily difpers'd it: Whether he omitted it out of Negligence or Defign, the Court was fo difpleas'd. that they gave his Command to another. The Duke of Rohan had been powerfully follicited to take upi^rms, but he flood out even after his Brother the Duke of Soiihiz.e had join'd the Prince. This Jundion facilitated the other ; Scuhlz.e being a Man of Intrigue, zealous for his Religion, and belov'd by his Brother. Not- withflanding which and the Security that was pro- pos'd by the Prince for the Proteftant Churches, Rohan was for Pacifick Meafures in Oppofition to the Marefciial De Bouillon^ 'till preffing her Majefty to grant him the Survivorfhip of the Government of Poi5louy held by his Father in- Law 5«//j/, and being refus d, he openly declared for the Prince, and engaged to join the Count De St. Pol in Guyenne with 60OO Foot and 500 Horfe ^ which if he could have done, a Stop had been put to the Progrefs of the ( ourt, and to the double Match. But initead of this the Count Be St. Pol deferted the Party, at the Perfwafion of his Wife, a bigotted Papift, and jRohans Friends cou'd not raife above 2500 Men. By which Means the Court continu'd their Progrefs uninterrupted to Bourdeaux. The AflTembly at Grenoble were dilatory in their Proceeding's, ccca- fion'd by the Awe the Marefchal De Lefdifguieres had over them *, for which Reafon thofe that wifh'd well to their Janftion with the Prince, propos'd to remove their Seffion to another Place, and ih^ Major Vote carry'd It for N'fmes, Lefdifguieres knowing their Removal would (ofe him the Merit of mana- ging them with the Court, oppos'd it in a ki Speech ^ and finding his Arguments wou'd not prevail, he had Recourfe to Violence, and (hue the Gates. Monfieur Chaufepie, o.ne of the Deputies for the Province of PoiEiot^^ was flop'd as he was going out only to take the Air *, which put the AfTem- bly into fuch a Ferment, that the Marefchal doubt- ing his own Power againlt that of the whole Body of the Protedants of France^ who wou'd certainly * * hav^

£?/F A R N C E. 77.

have highly refented the Affront offered their Ge- neral AfTembly, ordered the Gates to be open'd, and permitted the Members* to depart. The Seffion being removed to Nifmes^ all their Afts wer<; look'd upon by Du Plejfis Mornay and the moderate Prote- ftants as Nulhties ^ the King's Writ not warranting them to meet there. The Deputies that were fent to Court for his Majefty's Permiflion, cou'd procure none for any other Place except Montpdier^ where the Duke De Chatillon^viho, tho' a Proteitar:t, was as much in the Court Intereft as Lefdtfguieres^ was Goveirnour. i his City the AfTembly did not like, and infilling ft ill on Nifmes^ the QLieeti (eem'd paf- five in the matter, referving a Pretence at any time to call their Meeting Seditious, or to approve of It, as their Conduft pleas'd or difpleas'd her.

What help'd to determine the Alfembly to declare for the Prince, was an Accident that aftoniih'd all France^ and that was the Convcrfion of the Duke De Candale^ a Son of the Duke D' Epernorij the greateft Enemy of the Reform'd in France j and as all New Converts are moft Zealous, fo this Lord did not give over his Inftanccs, till he prevail'd with them to unite with the Prince of Co-rjcie, Tis true the Duke did renounce theCatholickReligion,butitwas only out of Defpight, Convidion had no Share in it: His Father had procur'd his younger Brother the Survivorfhip of the Poft of Colonel General of the Infantry, and refus'd him himfelf fome Govern- ments that were at his Difpofal. He thought no Revenge cou'd be {o effectual, as that of his em- bracing a Religion his Father abhor'd more than any Man j and tho' his Converfion was all Grimace, the Proteftants fond of fo illuftrious a Convert, were willing to believe it fincere, and to truft him accordingly. They thought they could not do too much to confirm him in their Interefts, and to oblige him, comply'd with thofe Counfeis which he proposed to them ; the Confequence of which was a Treaty of Union between the AfTembly and the Prince, carry'd by two Voices only. The Court

a^cd

j% The Secret^ Hijiory

a£led very prudently ^ on this Occafion, andpublifh- ing a Declaration, diftingu-fh<I between the Loyal Proteflants of France^ and tnofe of the AfTemhly at Nifyriss and their Adherents ; for in the Declaratiori 'twas faid, an infinite Nupiber of the Reformed re^ -main A faithful And this Diilili^ion had the in- tended Effed ', the Proteflants in general did not look upon the Union of the AfTembly at N'lfmes with the Prince as any thing but a State Qiiarrel, and therefore the Major Part of them flood Neuter. The Proteflant Lords of the Prince's Party cou*d engage none but their Creatures Several entire Provinces, and almoft all their Cities, refus'd to take Arms *, and this Commotion being much more Catholick tiian Proteflant, the Reliftance it was accus'd of is not to be laid to the Hugomts^ but to the French Papifts, of whom none was more a Bigot than the Head of it, the Prince of Conde himfelf.

We mull not forget that the King, in the before- mention'd Declaration, publifh'd upon the Union of the AlTembly at Ktfmes with i\-\q Prince, expreiTes aaain his Opinion as to compelling Confciences in Religious Matters : We finnly believe^ Gys he, that Differences about Religion ought to be left to the De^ cifion of God alone.

Let this be a LeiTon to you the Enemies of xMo- deration all over the Chriflian World, a King of France^ Father of the King now reigning > teaches it to you ', one who had for his Mother an Italianj for his Wi"e a SpanlJI) Bigot, who was environ 'd with Popifh Counfellors and Priefts. He once more affures tiie Proteflants, He will INVIOLABLY ohferve the Edi^ofJ>lmtz, and all other EdlEhs mads in Confeqvence of it.

The Prince's Party was now become pretty confi- derable. The Duke De Nevers, who had rais'd Men without declaring himfelf, and the Duke of Fendofme^ the King's natural Brother, joined them. The City of Rochde declar'd for the Prince •, and had not the Exchange of the PrincefT^s of Spam and Francs deftroy'd all manner of Hopes of preventing ths

double

(?/ F R A N C E. 79

double Marriage, it is probable the Peace wou*d not have been io fooii concluded.

The Queen remembring the Advice formerly gi- ven her by the Duke of Rohan to break the League of the Prince of CW^, as Lewis XI. did that of the Publick Good^ by gaining over the Chiefs of it one after another, refolv'd to put it in Pradlice, as the fureft and quickeft: way to extricate her felf and her Friends out of thefe Difficulties. The firft fhe ap- ply*d to was the Duke of Mayenne^ who hating the lleform'd, fhe fuppos'd wou'd be the nioft ready to quit a Party^ in the Succefs of which they propos'd to themfelves fo many Advantages. This Duke ac- cordingly being (ecur'd in his Governments, he»- ken'd to the Propoilils that were made to him, and enclin'd to a Treaty. The next ilie founded upon it was the Duke De Bouillon^ who entered into the "War only to (hew he cou a end as well as begin it, and thus let the Government fee he was not to be negle<^ed. A lucky Accident happen'd to bring the Prince himreif into pacifick Meafures, and thac was the Arrival oi Edmonds the EngllJI) Kvch^^-^^oK^ with Inflruftions to offer his Mediation between the King and xX^s, Prince.

We have already mentioned the great Expe<flations his Highnefs pretended to have from the Alliitance of King James I. of England , whereas in Truth he knew that King had refus'd to aflift him in any thing but in his Mediation. God jorhld^ faid that King to the Marquifsi^e Bonneval^ the Prince's Envoy, / ftjoud, break the Peace and good Ccrrefpondence thers is between the French King and me ! As I have no- thing more at Heart than the Frefervation of ths Peace in my own Kingdoms^ I wou'd be glad to pro^ cure the fame Happinefs to -my Neighbour s» All I can do for the Prince of Conde is to ojfer him my good Offices and Endeavours to reconcile him with the King his near Relation.

Edmond' s oiTering this Mediation, the Court rea- dily accepted of it in Appearance-, but however when the Treaty was (et on Foot, the French King aflfumd other Airs, and faid he woud give Peace to hisSub-

jeas

8o The Secret' Hijlory

Jefts without any one*s Intervention. The Prince of Conde^ the Marefchal De Bouillon^ and the A.f- fembly at Nifmes^ infifting on Edmonds's, being pre- fent at the Ccnferences for Peace, it was allow 'd a^ a Witnefs only. Loudon was appointed for the Place of Treaty, and t[-\Q Conferences carry'd on vyith great Formality, tho' the Chiefs of the. Party had made their Peace with the Court privately, each as he thought molt for. his Advantage. The Prince feem'd to ftickle on Behalf of the General Aflembly of the Reformed, who fent Deputies to make their Submiffion, and fome Articles were agreed to in their Favour, but fuch as the Cour£ cou'd not hinder them of

The Conferences open'd on the i ®th of February^ j6i6' The King's Commiflioners were.

The Countefs of Soijfm^y The Duke De NeverSj The Marefchal De Bnfav,

Monfjeur De Ftlleroy, 7 secretaries of State, Monlieur Pomchartratn^ f '

Monfieur De Thou^ Prelident of the Parlia- ment of PartSj Monfieur De Vic^ Counfellor of State.

For the Prince of Conde appear'd, The Duke De Mayenne^ The Duke De Fendofme^ The Duke De LongnevilLe^ The Duke De Rohan, The Duke De Luxembourg^ The Duke i>^ Trejnouiiley The Duke De Sully, The Duke De Candale^ The Marefchal De Bouillon.

Befides thofe great Lords, the Prince came in Per- il)n to Loudon^ 'accompany d with his Mother the Princefs Dowager of Longueville^ and the Deputies of the General AfTembly of the Reform'd Churches. l.ihall not enter into the detail of this Treaty^

which

of F H A N C E. 9i

ivhich niay be found at large in the Hiftories of iPrancey. but obferve only fbme things that their Hiftorians durfl not mention.

yUleroy^ in order to difpofe the Prince to Peace^^ jBatter*d him with having the chief Management of State-Affairs *, that he fhou*d turn out and put in whom he pleas'd ; which being the main thing he aim'd at, his Highnefs gave into it immediately, and refblv'd to conclude the Peace -^ all that w^as done afterwards for the Lords vvho join'd him, or the Reformed Churches, being to fave Appearances* The firft Sacrifice the Queen made to him, was! that of her fall: Friend the Proud Duke of Epernon^ who had to his great Impatience born feveral Slights from her, by the Procurement of the Marei^hal D' Ancrey who hated that Duke for not paying the Refpeft he thought due to his Wife's Favour. The laft Affront drove him from Court, depriving him, at the Prince's Requefl, of the Difpofal of the Pofts of Colonel and Captains of the Regiment of Life- Guards, which had always been taken to be a Per- iquifite of his Poft of Colonel-General of the FootJ He cou'd not bear Attendance after fuch a Difgrace, and took his Leave of both King and Queen in fuch a manner, as fhew'd, he thought, they wou'd want him before he vvanted them. His Retirement re- moved a powerful Rival of Conchinis^ an 3 made Wily for his rifing higher in Favour aftsr than be- •fore the Rupture, tho' that was the main Occafion bf it.

The Chancellor 5///fr^ had been devoted to the Will of the Regent, and ftuck at nothing to keep in his Office. He was a Man of mean Pai-ts, and generally thought unfit for it. His Conduft had treated him Eilemies on all iMes. The Marefchal jy Ancre did not love him, becaiife being an old Minifter he {jretended to fome Preference of him m the Miniflry on tiiat Accounto The Prince hated him for being a Tool to all the Qiteen's Favourite?; Silleri finding the Treaty of Loudon v/as not likely to break ofi^ fancy'd he might fecure himfelf in hh Poll, by offering his Service to the Prince of

O Conds

82 The Secret Biftorj

Condcy to the Marefchal de Bouillon^ and other Lords of that Party, on Condition he ihou'd by an Ar- ticle of that Treaty, be continu'd in his Employ- ment. A ihameful Inftance of the Meannefs of his Capacity, to flatter himfelf that thofe Lords wou'd fo expofe themfelves, as to infift on the continu- ing a Man in an Office by a particular Article of Peace, when the removing him was one of the Articles of the War.

The Prince of Conde and the Duke de Bouillon made themfelves merry v\''nh f^illeroy^ on the Chan- cellor's Folly. The Secretary got his Collegue, Tcmchartrain, to tell the Qdeen Mother of it, and llie told Baffompierre^ who being one of the frank- eft Perfons at Court, defir'd her leave to tell Sil- ler i the ill Offices his Enemies had done him to her Majefty, it being Bajfompierre's Character to ferve every Body if he cou'd, that every Body might ferve him. The Queen, weary of the Chan- cellor, permitted him to load him with fo much Shame, as the difcovering to him his Plot muft bring upon him. , The Chancellor was fo filly as to imagine Baffompterre had himfelf told the Queen of a Project he cou'd not have known, but from the Perlons Sillerl had informed of it. / am mightily obligd to you^ Sir^ for the Information you have given me^ faid the Chancellor to Ba^ornpierre^ in the Queen's Chamber, hut fome woud fain per- fivade ??i£ it was from your felf the Queen received the Intelligence you have now told me^ tho' I will Pot believe it. Sir, reply'd Baffompierre very brisk- ly, / JJjall Jhortly convince you I am not fo had a Man as you are pleas' d to fuppofe me to he j the Queen •will tell you her felf who wrote to her the Neivs' which you imagine to he of my own Contrivance ^ Upon tnis Silleri conjur'd BaUompierre^ in the moft humble and,, preiling manner, not to inhft fur- ther on the Bu/inefs, but to keep it private from the Qijeeu Mother. Tou wilt ruin me^ Sir^ laid the Cliancellor, and therefore take Pity of a Man whom you know but too many already en- deavQiir to imdo^ after fo long . Servicei, For all

thatj

^/FRANCE. 85

that, Baffompierre acquainted her Majefty with th^ Chancellor's Diftruft of him, and the Queen faio to Siileri^ with a fcornful Smile, Methwksj Mon- fieur Chancellor, you make but frnall Returns to Baf- fompierre for the Services he endeavour d to do you^ knoTP then that this Bufinefs comes from Bouillon, who communicated it to Pdntchartrain. What Con- fufion muft the Old Fox, as he took himfelf to be, Tnew on this Occafion, all he cou'd anfwer was, Madam ^ the Marefchal de Bouillon hds been this long time my profefs'd Enemy. I moji humbly befeech your Majefiy^ not to givc^any Credit to what he has caus'd to be written to you^ with a Defign to ruin me. This poor Evafion made him a Jefl to the whole Court, and every Body afterwards looked upon him as a Loft Man there; '

During the Conferences at Loudon^ tl>e General Affembly of the Proteftants were remov'd by l\-\^ king's Writ to Rochelle., which made them wdth- out DifpUte, a Lawful Aflembly. They h^d Ten Deputies at Loudon, to take care of their Inte- refts, but it was rather to be WitneflTes of the Prince of Conde'% Signing the Peace, than to pro- cure advantageous Terms for the Reform'd. The Dukes de Mayenne and de Bouillon, having receiv*4 Satisfaction as to their Demands, the Prince was hot very follicitous to fatisfy either the AfTembly or the other Lords : He lent for the Duke de Sully ^ who feenVd moft cdiicern'd for the Intereft^ of the Reformed, and Filler oy v^ho had Ihewn a great Complacency td his Highnefs during the Treaty. He whifper'd fomething to the latter, and foon after did the fame- to the former : He then declared P^illeroy had granted what was defir'd, and taking Pen in Hand^ Sign*d the Ti;eaty, without allowing any Body Time to anfwer him; Thi^ abrupt Conclufion vext the Deputies heartily, but there was no remedy for ito They difcover'd by- fevcral Paflages, *twas a defign'd thing, to pay 'em thus for the Services they had done ths Prince in declaring for him^' and that they wou'd be forced to accept of the Conditions' the Lords had G 7. thoaghe

$4 The Secret Hifiorj

thought fit to demand for them. They defir'd on- ly to Sit till their Edift was verify'd, which was deny'dj inftead of it, they had a Time prefix'd fur the Duration of their Sefiiion, after the Con- cluiioH of the Treaty. Before they had fet their Names to it, Orders were fent to the Minifter of Loudon who was in his Pulpit, to acquaint the People the Peace was made, and to exhort them to return God Thanks for it. Here's a Peace which they do not at ail approve of, which leaves them more exposed to the Power and Rage of their Enemies, yet they muft not only fubmit to it, but give God Thanks for it. The Author of the Hiftory of the Edi£l of Nantz.^ writes on this Subjeft. This tnade thofe murmur who knew there were Difficulties undecided^ and made them judge it was a forc'd Peace, which they were <?- hlig'd to accept of^ for fear of falling into greater laionve-fUencies, What fijall they do, they are de- ferted by their Proteciors, The Duke de Bouillon, who was the Chief Author of the War, forgot the Interefts of the Common Caufe, fays the fame Hijiorian, becaufe he had iecur'd his own. He ex* claimed higher than any Body again ji the Ajfcmbly^ tho* they had only fallowed his Motions, He de- ^lar^d he wou'd look upon thofe to be Enemies to the Statey who flmu'd refufe to Sign the Peace, Is there any Story extant, wherein a League was fo fhame- fuily diffolv'd , wherein the Head is for War- ring with the Members, becaufe they look to themfelves, and do not like the Peace he likes. Nay, Bouillon was accus'd of having engaged him- feli to the King's Commillioners, by Writing, to march againft the AfTembly, and to make War againft them, in cafe they Ihou'd offer to conti« nue their Sefnon longer than the King allow 'd them by this Treaty. Good God ! Was he not of the iame Religion, were not their Interefts in- feparable ? If the AlIembLy was ruin'd, muft not his Ruin foon follow ? What Madnefs, what In- fatuation, Oh, the Fatal Power of Intereft, the accuris'd Efrei^s of Ambition, in Minds infenhble

of

^/FRANCE. S5

of their Duties to their Religion and their Coun- try. Bouillon caus'd his Nephew the young Duke de Tremouillej to enter into the fame Engagements, but the AfTembly gave them no ground to pro- ceed to fuch Extremities againft them : They fub- mitted to tiie Treaty, Nominated Deputies Gene- ral, and Bertheville^ to whom the Marefchal de Bouillon had given hopes of obtaining that Depu- tation, was Ele£led according to his Promife.

The Edift for the Publication of this Peace, was call'd the Pacification of Blots, and in it feme fmall Favours were granted the Refonii'd, as a New Office in the Parliament of Taris^ and ano- ther in the Chamber of Accompts, one of the moft con fiderable Courts of the Long Robe. The Prince of Conde and the Lords of his Party, were to have 1500000 Livres, which makes the Peace a Purchafe of the Crown, tho' they had doub- lefs as Loyal Divines as any in the World, to d^- ter People from Refiftance, and Eftablifh the Or- thodox Dodlrines of Pajfive Obedience and Non- Refiftance. We (hall lee how they were praftis'd again a few Months after, and it cannot* but be matter of Confolation to us, that of all Nations upon Earth, we are that which profcfTes them in the ufmoft extent of thein •, and it is great pity we have fo many Initances of Nature rebelling againft Principle, and of our Praftices contradid- ing our Profefiions.

The Marefchal U Ancre had the Satisfa£lion to fee a Confederacy broken that was form*d for his Deftrudion, and that he gain'd Ground in the Favour of Ifls Miftrefs ; yet all that Satisfaction was fower'd by the Hatred which he faw increafe daily in the People to him and his Family. When he firft enter'd into the Queen's Service, he was 8000 Crowns worfe than nothing, and in a few Years lie was become worth fome Millions. His Infolence was as boundlefs as his Wealth, and for a long time he thought there wou'd be no end of his xMiniftry. But alas, what are the Fomidati- ons upon which fuch Favourites Build, Sandy and G 3 Light,

86 The Secret Hipry

Ligbt, which the firft Tumultuous Storm tears to Pieces. He \\as at Paris while the Conferences W^re held at L-oudoriy and notvvithlianding there was a Sufpenfion of Arms, the Parifians llill kept a Guard at their Gates.

Tiie Marefchal D' ^ncre having Occafion to go out of the City, came to one of them, where a certain Shoemaker, nam'd Picard, kept Guard ^ the Fellow ftopt his Coach, and demander' his Pafs, the Marefchal in a Paftion, commanded his Coach Man to drive on, at which the Guard pre- fented their Halberts and Mufquets, and fet them to their Breads. Conchini putting his Head out of the Coach, fai:l to the Shooemaker, Ton Rogue^ do you know who I am f Tes^ very weli^ anfwer'd Ficardy in a haughty difdainful manner, however you /ball not go^ unlefs you fijew me your Pafs. Du- ring this Difpute, the Mob gather d about them, and Ccnchiril fearing fomething worfe, fent fome of his Servants to the Perfon who had the Com- mand of the Guard, for an Order that he might go out, refolving to be reveng'd of Picard when the King return'd. Accordingly he order'd his Gentleman of the Horfe, to take Two of his Ser- vants, and give Picard the Shoemaker a thorough Thralhing, which was fo well put in Execution, that the poor Man w'as left almoft Dead upon the Spot. The MarefchaFs Servants relying too much on their Mafter's Credit, did not run away for it, and being taken, were Try'd, Condemn'd and Hang'd. a few Days after, before Picard's Houfe. Their Mafter was forc'd to pay a j-Qund Sum to Ficardy or his Gentleman of the Horll wou'd have had tii,e fame Rate^ Conchini then Yav/ his Feli- city in France was drawing to an end, and wou'd fain have perfvvaded Galigai his Wife, to fly to Italy in time, off-ring to buy the Dutchy of Per- rara, of ll>e Pope for tlieir joint Lives •, but Gait- '^gai had more Courage, or lefs Forefigiit, and wou'd not leave Mary de Aiedicis, Conchini cou'd not handfoniely defert his Wife, by whofe Favour he had acquir d his own, and made fuch an envy 'd For- tune. The

^/ F R A N C E. 87

The Danger he was in was not Vifionary, he had proposed to enter into Engagements with the Dukes de Mayenne and de BouUlon^ to ruin the Dukes