Nevv epistles of Mounsieur de Balzac. Translated out of French into English, by Sr. Richard Baker Knight. Being the second and third volumes

To Mounsieur du Moulin. LETTER. III.

SIr, no modesty is able to resist the Praises that come from you. And I vow unto you, I tooke a pleasure to suffer my selfe to be cor∣rupted, with the first lines of your Letter. But it must be one, that knowes himselfe lesse then I doe, that dwels long in this errour. After a pleasing dreame, One is willing to awake; and I see well enough, that when you take such advantage to speake of my Travell: you make not use of the whole ability of your Iudgement. You doe me a favour, I cannot say you doe me justice; you seeme to have a will to oblige me to you, by hazarding to incurre the displea∣sure of Truth. Now that you are your selfe at the Goale; you encourage with all your forces those that are in the race; and to perswade them to follow you; make them believe they shall goe beyond you. An admirable tricke of Art, I must confesse; and which at first I did not discover. But whatsoever it be, and from

what ground soever this wonderful cōmendati∣on of yours proceeds; I esteeme it not lesse then an ambitious man doth a Crowne; and with∣out piercing into your purpose. I take a joy in my good Fortune which is not small Sir, to be loved of you, whom I have alwaies excee∣dingly loved; and whom I have a long time looked upon in the Huguenot Party, as an excellent Pylot that affronts a great Fleete, be∣ing himselfe but in a Pinnace. The Right and Authority is on our side; the Plots and Strata∣gems on yours, and you seeme not lesse confi∣dent in your courage, then we in our cause. It is certaine, that this is the way to give a sediti∣on, the shew of a just warre: and to a multi∣tude of mutiners, the face of a well ordered Army. By this you keepe many in a good opi∣nion of that which hath now lost the attractivē grace of Novelty; and though it be now ben∣ding to its declination; yet it cannot be deny∣ed, but that it holds still some colour, and some apparance, by the Varnish of your writings; and that never man hath more subtilly covered his cause from shew of weakenesse; nor more strongly upheld his side from ruine then your selfe:

Si Pergama Dextra Defendi possent, etiam hac Defensafuissent.

This is my ordinary language, when it comes in my way to speake of you. I am not of the passionate humour of the vulgar; which blan∣cheth the liberty of their judgement; and finds never any fault in their owne side, nor vertue

in the opposite. For my selfe, from what cloud soever the day breake; I account it faire; and assure my selfe that at Rome honest men com∣mended Hanniball; and none but Porters and base people spake basely of him. It is indeed a kinde of sacriledge to devest any man, what∣soever he be, of the gifts of God, and if I should not acknowledge that you have received much; I should be injurious to him that hath given you much; and for difference of the cause, wrong our Benefactor that is indifferent. It is true, I have not alwaies flattered the ill dispo∣sed French; and was put in some choler against the Authors of our last broyles; but observing in your Bookes, that our intendments are alike; and that the subjection due to Princes is a part of the Religion you professe; I have thought I might well speake of your conformity herein, as much as I say; and in so doing, be but your Interpreter. Whether the tempest rise from the Northerne winde, or from the Southerne; it is to me equally unpleasing; and in that which concernes my duty; I neither take Councell from England, nor yet from Spaine. My humour is not to wrestle with the Time; and to make my selfe an Antagonist of the Pre∣sent; it is paine enough for me onely to con∣ceive the Idea of Cato, and Cassius; and being to live under the command of another, I find no vertue more fitting then obedience. If I were a Switzer, I would thinke it honour enough to be the Kings Gossip; and would not be his subject, nor change my liberty for the best Ma∣ster

in the world; but since, it hath pleased. God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have me borne in chaines, I beare them •…•…illingly; and finding them neither cumber∣•…•…me nor heavy, I see no cause I should breake •…•…y teeth, in seeking to breake them. It is a •…•…reat argument, that Heaven approoves that •…•…overnement which hath continued its succes∣•…•…on now a dozen Ages: an evill that should last 〈◊〉〈◊〉 long, might in some sort seeme to be made •…•…egitimate, and if the age of men be venerable, •…•…ertainely that of estates ought to be holy. These great Spirits which I speake of in my •…•…orke, and which are of your Party, should •…•…ave come in the beginning of the world, to •…•…ave given lawes to new people; and to have •…•…etled an establishment in the politicke estate; •…•…t as it is necessary to invent good lawes, so •…•…ertainely it is dangerous to change even those •…•…at are bad. These are the most cruell thoughts •…•…at I entertaine for the heads of the party; in •…•…is sort I handle the adverse side; and take no •…•…easure to insult upon your miseries, as you •…•…eme civilly to charge me, who have written •…•…at the King should be applauded of all the •…•…orld, if after he hath beaten downe the pride •…•…f the Rebels, he would not tread upon the •…•…alamity of the afflicted. The persecutors of •…•…ose who submit themselves are to me in e∣•…•…uall exēcration with the violatours of Sepul∣•…•…hers; and I have not onely pitty of their af∣•…•…iction, but insome sort reverence. I know •…•…at places strucken with lightning, have some∣•…•…mes beene held Sacred. The finger of God

hath beene respected in them, whom it hath touched; and great adversities have some∣times rather given a Religious respect, then received a reproach. But thus to speake of the good successe of the Kings Armes were to speake improperly. Both sides have gained by his victory. All the penalty that hath beene imposed upon you; hath beene but this, to make you as happy as our selves, and you are now in quiet possession of that happinesse, for which before your Townes were taken, you were but suppliants. Our Prince will put no yoke upon the consciences of his Subjects; he desires not to make that be received by force; which cannot well be received but by perswa∣sion; nor to use such remedies against the French, which are not good, but against the Moores. If the King of Sweden use his prosperity in this man∣ner, and soile not so pure a Grace with pro∣scriptions and punishments; I make you a faith∣full promise, to doe that which you desire me to doe; to employ all my cunning and all my engines, to erect a statue to the memory of his Name. You touch the right string of my incli∣nation, when you pray me to praise and to magnifie that Prince. If all the Crownes that are wrought upon his Scarfe should be chan∣ged into so many Kingdomes, they could ne∣ver in my opinion sufficiently recompence so rare a vertue; nor be able to fill so vaste a Spirit as his is: As I expect nothing but great from his valour, so from his honesty I hope for no∣thing but good; and although in Spaine it be

currant that he is certainely Antichrist; yet I am •…•…either so devout to beleeve such a fable, nor •…•…o fearefull to be afraide of such a deame. I on∣•…•…y answer some scrupulous persons, who que∣•…•…tion me about this Prince; that our King hath •…•…n him a second to stand by him; and such a one •…•…s a fitter could never be found, to strike an a∣masement into the house of Austria; and to •…•…ivert it from the care it takes of our affaires. But I will stay my selfe here for this time; and •…•…ot enter upon a subject which I reserve for the •…•…earest houres of my leasure, it is better to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stand at the porch of holy places, then to enter •…•…nto them without preparation. Besides, my dis∣•…•…ourse may seeme already long, if not too long, •…•…or a beginning of acquaintance, pardon I be∣•…•…eech you, the contentment I take to be this way with you, which makes me forget both •…•…our employments, and my owne custome. It •…•…s not any desire I have to be troublesome to •…•…ny, much lesse to make Sermons to my friends, •…•…ut your selfe gave me the Text I have hand∣•…•…ed, and I cannot doubt, but that having open∣•…•…d unto you the bottome of my heart, without •…•…issimulation; you will give my liberty the credit of your beliefe, and with this I solemnely •…•…ssure you that I truely am,

Sir,

Your, &c.