A wittie encounter betweene Monsieur du Moulin, and Monsieur De Balzac Esteemed two the most elegant pens of their nation. Wherein they deliver things weighty, and important both in religion and state. Faithfully translated out of the french (sic) coppy by A.S. Gent.

The Answer of Monsieur de Balzac, to Monsieur du Moulin.

Sir,

NO Modesty can resist praise pro∣ceeding from you, and I should much dissemble should I denie that I tooke

pleasure in being ta∣ken with the first lines of your Letter. But I knew my selfe too well to remaine long in that errour. I am now awakned out of this plesing dream and clearely see that when you speake so much in honor of my industry, you lay a∣side

the severity of your Iudgment. You have done me more favour then Iustice, and to praise me, you have run the hazard of offending Truth her selfe. Now that you your selfe are ar∣riv'd at the Gole, you encourage both w^th hands & voice those

that are in the Car∣riere, & to perswade them to follow you, make them beleeve they may goe be∣yond you. And this was (without Ly∣ing) an admirable device, which at first sight I discovered not: But be it as it will, from what prin¦ciple

soever this Glo∣rious approbation of me is deriv'd, sure I am, I value it at no lower a rate then a man ambitious does a Crowne, and with∣out penetrating into your designe. I glory in my Fortune, w^ch is not small, Si^r, in that I am belov'd of you,

whom I ever per∣fectly honour'd, and whom I have a long time beheld in the Huguenot party as an excellent Pilot, who braves a whole Fleet in a single Bri∣gandine. We have the right, and au∣thority, but you the Subtilty, & the Stra∣tagems,

and you re∣pose as great trust in your Wit, as we in our cause. It is cer∣taine that this way you are able to give Sedition the Coun∣tenance of a just Warre, and to a multitude of Muti∣niers, the face of an Army well disci∣plin'd.

By this you endeere to many an opinion, which hath lost the grace of its Verdure, & though it incline to it's de∣clination, yet must we acknowledge that it retaines both fea∣tures, and colour in your Writings, and that never man knew

better the Art of gi∣ving Weakenes a sha∣dow, or of supporting Ruine with a greater strength. I speake al∣waies in this Phrase, when you are my Theame, and side not w^th the Vulgar, who never keepe entire the liberty of their Iudgement, nor are

apprehensive of their owne defects, or o∣ther mens Vertues. For my owne part, out of what Cloud so ever the Day breaks it is faire in my Eye and I assure my selfe that even in Rome the more honest, & well bred People prais'd Haniball, &

that none but Rogues revil'd him. It is no other then a kind of Sacriledge, to ravish from any man the gifts of GOD, and should I not confesse that you have recei∣ved, much, I should Iudge my selfe jniu∣rious to him, who hath conferred much

on you, and in a dif∣ferent cause, should offend our common Benefactor. True it is that sometimes I have not flattered your party, & that I was a little incens'd against the Authors of these last Troubles. But having obseru'd in your bookes, that

our Iudgements are conformable, and that the subiection due to Soveraignty makes a part of the Religion you teach, and pro∣fesse, I thought I might well deliver your con¦sent as I did, being in that no other then your simple Inter∣preter. Whether

the Tempest arise ftom the North, or the South, it is to me alike odious, and I professe not to take a patterne of my Du∣ty either from Eng∣land, or Spaine. My Humour is not to combat the Times, but to oppose some present occurrences. I

have enough to doe to conceive the Idaea of Cato, and Brutus, and living under the command of ano∣ther, I find not amore commodious Vertue then obedience. Were I a Smisse, I would content my selfe to be the Kings Godfather, and would by no

meanes be his Sub∣iect, nor change my liberty for the best Maister of the World, but since GOD hath caus'd me to be borne in Chaines, I will carry them cheere∣fully, and being nei∣ther cumbersome nor heavy, I will not hurt my Teeth in essaying

to bite them asun∣der. There is a great apparance that Hea∣uen approves a Gover∣ment which it hath preserv'd during the succession of twelue Ages. Had an evill continued so long, it would have become in a manner legitti∣mate. If antiquity in

men be venerable, in States it ought to be Sacred. Those great Spirits I describe in my worke, which were of your party should have liv'd at the beginning of the World, and have gi∣ven Lawes to a new people, and labour'd to establish a new

Goverment. But as the invention of good things is necessary, so the mutation even of bad is dangerous. I have not a Cruell thought, but such as aime at the Heads of your party, against whom I inveigh as Enemies, nor is it my intent to insult over

your miseries, with which inhumanity, though civilly, you reproach me. Should I be guilty this way, who have publish'd that the King should be blessed by all the World, if (having once abated the pride of the Rebells) hee trampled not on the

infortunity of the afflicted? The Perse∣cutors of those that submit themselves are with me in the same execration with the Violaters of Tombes. I doe not onely pitty, but in some sort reverence affliction. I know that heretofore it was the

Custome to conse∣crate the places struc∣ken with Lightning. The finger of GOD is to be reverenced in the persons of the miserable, and great adversities should ra∣ther produce Reli∣gion, then receiue re∣proaches. But I should speake improperly

should I give the Kings successe such an Epithite. In his Victory we all are win¦ners. All the penalty imposed on those of your party, is to be as happy as we our selves, and they are at this day possessors, and enioyers of that secu∣rity, whereof before

the taking of their Citties they were e∣ven fond, and jea∣lous. Our King will not compell the Con∣sciences of his Sub∣iects to put on the Yoake, neither desires he to have them re∣ceiue by force that w^ch ought not to bee admitted but by per∣swasion,

nor to make use of such remedies against the French as are onely proper against the Moores. If the King of Swede demeane himselfe thus in his prosperity, and that he doe not sully so pure a gift w^th proscriptions, & pu∣nishments, I here pro∣mise

you to performe what you desire of me, and to imploy all my Art, & Tooles in erecting him a Sta∣tue. You hit my in∣clination on the head in intreating me to praise this Prince, in whose Scarfe if all the Crowns Imbroy∣dered were turned

into so many King∣domes, they would not in my opinion, be too much to recom¦pence a Vertue so rare, or to busie a spirit so vast: As I expect no∣thing, but what is great from his Ua∣lour, so I hope for nothing but what is

just from his Equity; and though in Spaine they have declared him to be the true Antichrist, I am not devout enough to be∣leeve this Newes, nor fearefull enough to be daunted at it. I onely answer the scrupulous who questi∣on me thereupon, that

the King hath in the meane time a Second that does him good service, and that one could not present the House of Austria any thing to study on that better diverted it from the care it tooke of our affaires. I will passe no further, Sir, it is better to rest at

the dore of holy pla∣ces, then enter with∣out preparation, be∣sides this discourse is become already very long, for the begin∣ning of our acquain∣tance. It may please you to pardon the content I take to entertaine you, w^ch is the cause I have

neither beene mind∣full of your affaires, nor my owne custome, which is not to Preach to my friends: but you gave mee the Text that I handled, and I thought that in laying my heart open to you, even to the ve∣ry bottome, and not dissembling my thoughts

you would repose hence forward, con∣fidence in my free∣dome, with which I protest truely that I am

Monsieur,

Your thrice humble, and thrice Obedient Servant, De Balzac.