The political testament of M. Jean Baptist Colbert, minister and Secretary of State wherein is contain'd all that hath pass'd under the reign of Lewis the XIV unto the year 1684 : with remarks upon the government of the kingdom of France / translated out of French.

TO THE Right Honourable SIDNEY Lord Godolphin, Baron of Rialton, One of the Lords Justices for the Administration of Affairs in the absence of the King, first Com∣missioner of the Treasury, and one of his Majesty's most Ho∣nourable Privy Council.

My Lord,

ALL who have the happiness to be acquainted with Your Lordship, know how litttle You love, or want a Dedication; and I should not have presum'd to fix Your

Name to this, were there not a kind of necessity for it; but when I reflect on the Character of my Author, so like, and in so many circumstances agreeing with Your Lordships, where can I draw so exact a Parallel, where could I make choice of so fit a Patron?

For whether I consider the late Fa∣mous Monsieur Colbert, either in his publick or private Capacity, in justice to his Memory, I must compare him to Your Lordship, being otherwaies unable to describe him as he deserves; and in this, I am sure, I have outdone the Ori∣ginal, tho' I fall much short of it in the Translation.

The Reader may observe, he was Comp∣troller general of the Finances in France, the most like to a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury in England; a Station, Your Lordship hath long maintain'd with so great Honour, Justice, Integrity, and Prudence, that You never deservedly

made an Enemy, nor undeservedly pre∣ferr'd a Friend; I may well say long, considering the different prevailing Par∣ties in our Nation; but You have still preserv'd Your Interest, by the same Merit You acquir'd it; what ever Changes have happen'd, You have never deviated from Your own just Principles, and none hath better demonstrated that Infallible Maxim, an Honest Man is the best Politician.

But tho' Honesty is the best, and ought to be the chief Ingredient in a Statesman, there are other extraordinary Qualifications, Stars of a lesser Magni∣tude, which shine bright in Your Lord∣ship, a sound and steady Judgment, a clear and ready Wit, a quick Apprehen∣sion, a perfect Knowledge of Languages, Foreign Courts and Customs, an abso∣lute Command of the Passions, an easie and affable Behaviour, and a true Ap∣plication to Business, without its tedious

forms and incumbrances. 'Tis these Exemplary Vertues that justly recom∣mend Your Lordship to all Good Men, and all Good Men to Your Lordship.

It is very difficult to quit so fruitful a Subject; but I am to remember to whom I am speaking; and tho' I cannot say enough to my Reader, I must not say too much to Your Lordship. I will therefore trouble You no longer, hoping the Ho∣nesty and Usefulness of the Subject, will atone for the Imperfections of the Translation, and the importunity of,

MY LORD,

Your Lordships Most Faithful and Obedient Servant,

William Granvill.

THE EPISTLE TO THE KING.

SIR,

GOD hath so visibly appear'd in Pro∣tecting your Majesty's Reign, that I am verily persuaded your Majesty doth in no-wise attribute to your Own good Conduct, those happy Events which have made your Kingdom so Glorious, and humbled its Enemies. GOD answer'd the Prayers of all your good Subjects, and gave You to them in a time, when there was little hope of their being heard; since it was not till after Twenty three Years Barrenness, he began, by the Miracle of your Birth, to declare, He had chosen you from all Eternity, to be one of the most perfect Works that have been, for a long time, upon Earth. So certain a Truth,

and so generally acknowledg'd by all your Subjects, ought also to be known to Strangers, that they may be convinc'd, the Mighty Hand of GOD acteth for you against your Enemies. But seeing there is in al∣most all other Courts but a meer out∣ward appearance of Piety, while it shines so bright in yours, they attribute all your Maje∣sty's Prosperity only to your good Fortune, without lifting up their Eyes to Him who is the Lord of Hosts, and without whos•• Aid, 'tis impossible for any one to expect Victory. It were to be wish'd your Enemies had been sooner undeceiv'd, and in good time convinc'd, That it is GOD alone who protects you; then there had not been so much Blood spilt in the War, which you have so gloriously end∣ed, and the Lives of an infinite Number of Men might yet be spar'd, who seem destin'd to perish in the same Quarrel. For your Majesty, by having given a Peace to Eu∣rope, hath not quite extinguish'd the Jea∣lousie of many Potentates, wherewith they feel themselves disquieted. When they see what great Things are done by you, they do but watch for an Opportunity to be reveng'd; and rather than they will yield to those Submissions which one of your Ministers requires from them, 'tis very likely they will hazard All, to keep All.

But, SIR, may I be so bold to ask, Whether all that this Minister doth, be any Service to your Majesty? I fear you may think the little good Correspondence, which hath hitherto been between us, puts me upon this Quest••on. The deep Wounds, which your Majesty knows better than I, he hath endeavour'd to give me, by his frequent Addresses to your Majesty, to make you suspect my Fidelity, may incline you to believe, That my Resentments are still great enough to prompt me to do by him, as he hath dealt with me. But GOD forbid that I should be more concern'd for my own Interest, than for your Majesty's; having no other aim, but to represent faithfully to your Majesty how things are. A Great KING, who hath in his Hands the Government of a large Kingdom, doth not always know what his Ministers do; especially when he gives them the same Authority, which you do to the Marquess of Louvoy. Publick Mini∣sters Faults are usually imputed to their Master; and if War happen to ensue, How many People suffer for the Guilt of one par∣ticular Person? It seems to me, that Mon∣sieur Louvoy was the cause that the War lasted so long. 'Tis true, the end of it hath prov'd glorious to your Majesty; but it can∣not be said you owe it to his good Conduct:

'Tis evident, that by him the Safety of your Realm was brought into danger, out of which, nothing but the Hand of GOD deliver'd you. He is then answerable to all your Peo∣ple for the Blood he hath cost 'em. Be∣sides, had your Majesty been less respected and admired, he might have perhaps made you lose the Love of your Subjects; for you who are their Father, ought to be as sparing of their Blood, as of your own. Is it not like∣wise very strange, that a Minister, who never saw War but in Paint, should pretend to know more of it than all yonr Comman∣ders, when your Majesty can justly boast of the best in all Europe? For where-ever the Prince of Condé and Viscount Turenne are nam'd, there is no body but knows that your Majesty's Reign (destin'd to have in it all that is great upon Earth) hath two of the greatest Generals Europe hath seen these many Years.

Divine Providence, of whose Effects your Majesty is hourly sensible, hath led you out of those dangerous Ways, wherein another would have been lost: Your Piety, which appears in all your Actions, returns daily Thanks to GOD for it, who is delighted with your Gratitude. But since every one doth not think, that all which here below comes to pass, is from

GOD, the Faults of your Minister aug∣ment the Number of your Enemies; they be∣lieve when he exposes your naked Breast, who should take most care to defend it, they shall at last pierce your very Heart. Hence it is, that so many Princes in Europe endeavour to do you all the Mischief they can; and would certainly mortally wound you, were it not impossible to do Him any harm, whom GOD hath so visibly taken into his Prote∣ction.

We can also say, without flattering your Majesty, That never was any Prince more worthy of that Protection. You have all the Qualities of a Great King, and of a King truly Christian: If you had any Fail∣ings in your Youth, you are, Thanks be to GOD, so well come to your Self, that you only remember 'em to do the greater Penance for 'em. He that will please your Majesty, must live in your Court as if he were in a Cloyster, out of which all Vice must be ba∣nish'd. If Envy reign there, yet no body is suffer'd to shew it: Your Majesty is an Ex∣ample of Vertue to all your Courtiers: And though the Corruption of the Age be so great, that they cannot imitate their Master; yet if they would please him, they must seem to do it.

This return of your Majesty to GOD, is the Reward of your never having forgot Him, in what State and Condition soever you were. If through Human Frailty you have done like a David, or many of those Sinners who are now in Paradice; yet you never pretended upon that account, to excuse your self from rendring to GOD that which was due to Him. You endeavour'd to ob∣tain his Pardon, by Worshipping him as he ought to be, and by a perfect resignation of your self to him; because you know 'tis the way to incline him to Mercy. No Man can say you have been one Day of all your Life without hearing Mass: And though the de∣ceased King your Father was very pious, he never could, as you do; refrain, during the Celebration of that adorable Mystery; from talking with those about him, nor from many indecent Postures in which he then used to be.

The Fear of GOD, which you have al∣ways had before your Eyes, made you some∣times resolve, to let People, for a while, be∣lieve things of you, which were only suspe∣cted, rather than clear your self in their Thoughts, by frequenting the Sacraments. You forbore coming to them, so long as you

thought your self not worthy of them; or be∣liev'd your Weakness too great, to perform the Promises you made to GOD. This was a sign of the Tenderness of your Conscience, wherein you are so far from being like other Princes, who affect external Mortifications at that very time they are privately plunging themselves into all sorts of Pleasures.

What shall I now say of all your Maje∣sty's good Qualities, which make you pass in the Opinion of those that perfectly know you, for the honestest Man in all your Kingdom? A Truth equally in the mouths of all your Subjects; and assures me, I cannot be guilty of Flattering you, though your Majesty were less known. It is then neither Flattery, nor is it the Gratitude I owe you, for all those Ho∣nours and Favours I have receiv'd from your Majesty, which make me say, There hath not, for a long time, been so Great a King upon Earth: I say it, because I verily be∣lieve it is true; and nothing shall ever make me change my Opinion.

For without mentioning the many Strong Places you have taken, and the many Vi∣ctories you have obtain'd, where is the Prince, who after having been so ill Educated, hath better natural Inclinations? I dare not say

all that I think in this particular, because I may be accused of Ingratitude to Cardinal Mazarin, my Benefactor. 'Tis better for me to be silent, and only speak of that which all the World cannot behold without Admira∣tion: Yes, SIR, I will maintain, not ex∣cepting the Caesars, or the Alexanders, more wonderful Things have been done in your Reign, than in any of those Great Men's, whom Antiquity doth so much boast. Never did any King go so early into the Wars, as you did; if it be said you did not properly go, but were carry'd, because the Condition of your Affairs requir'd you should be seen by your Soldiers on the Frontiers: In answer to this, I only ask, Whether it was not of your own accord, and not by the Counsel of Cardinal Mazarin, that you continu'd whole Days on Horsback; which was the cause of that great Sickness, whereof 'twas thought you would have dy'd at Calais? 'Tis well known, that Mini∣ster daily told you, you would certainly endan∣ger your Health, by being so much fatigu'd. 'Tis also certain, he would have hinder'd you from going to the Fort of Mardyke, where the Air was so much infected, and so many were sick, that he might well be in great fear for your Majesty's sacred Person: But the In∣clination you then had for all that is Great and Glorious, made you neglect his Counsel;

so that he had reason to think, that would hap∣pen which he so much fear'd.

You being then but Twenty Years of Age, some perhaps will say, that in what your Ma∣jesty then did, there was nothing extraordina∣ry; and that many others have done as much. But 'tis fit it should be known, that more than Ten Years before, you had been in the Field, and seen several Sieges, from which for the safety of your Person, you were drawn against your will; because you were never better pleas'd than when you were with your Soul∣diers, to inform your self of a hundred things, which were then above your Age. What pity is it, that a Prince born with so great Qualities, had not that Education which your Majesty hath given Mon Seigneur the Dauphin? What Miracles had we not then seen in your Reign? Seeing 'tis a wonder if a Prince, who hath not had the help of good Education, doth not heap fault upon fault.

I could make very good Reflections, upon your Majesty's having so perfectly well ac∣quitted your self, notwithstanding you never had any knowledge of that which contributes to the compleat Education of a Prince. This also gives me a good occasion, to speak of all that your Majesty hath done, in bringing

Learned and Skilful Men (at your own great Charge) from Foreign Countries, and by Establishing Manufactures in your own King∣dom: So that the French have now at home, that which they were obliged with great Expence of their Money, to seek for abroad; and what is yet more, this hath your Ma∣jesty done of your self, without receiving the least light or advice from others.

You were Educated very tenderly amongst Women; I cannot forbear saying so, because it would rob your Majesty of that Glory which is your due; when it is known, that notwithstanding so ill an Education, you are become that which we now see you are. I have yet a great deal more to say of those many things your Majesty hath done, which appear so great and surprising; considering what I have just now said of your Educati∣on: But I pass that by, to keep my self to the Subject I have here proposed. I must tell you with all the Respect I owe your Ma∣jesty, that the only thing wherein you can be blamed, is, that you are too good to, and put too much confidence in those on whom you rely in some of your Affairs. It is not to shew my own Parts, that I pretend to find fault with other Mens Actions: Perhaps I am more subject to Faults than they; but the Zeal I have for your Majesty's Ser∣vice, will not suffer me to be longer silent.

Be pleased therefore to let me give you the History in short, of all that hath past in your Majesty's Reign, and shew you wherein I think you have been ill serv'd: Be also pleas'd to let me tell you, by what means I Imagine you may yet make your Kingdom more Glorious. I m••st humbly beseech your Majesty to pardon this Liberty, and to believe I would never have presum'd to have said any thing on this Subject, were it not that I cannot better testifie my Zeal to serve your Majesty. That which more particularly obligeth me to tell you my Thoughts, is, That I find my self daily declining; and that according to all appearance, I have but a very little longer time to do you any Service. Curts and Night∣watchings shorten Men's Days; and I have toil'd enough, since your Majesty was pleas'd to trust me with the Management of your Re∣venue, to think 'tis now time to leave my Place to another. How happy should I be, if in dying, I could persuade your Majesty to believe, That I am, what all Days of my Life I have been, with most profound Respect,

SIR,

Your Majesty's most Humble, Most Obedient Servant, and Most Faithful Subject,

J. B. Colbert.