The illustrious Hugo Grotius Of the law of warre and peace with annotations, III parts, and memorials of the author's life and death.

The Author's Dedication to the most Christian KING.

THis Book, Most Eminent of Kings, is bold to bear Your Royal Name in the Front, in Considence, not of It self, not of the Author, but of the Argu∣ment. Because it is written for Justice. Which Vertue is so pro∣perly Yours, that, by your own Merits, and by the Suffrage of Mankind, You have thence re∣ceived a Title most worthy of so Great a King: being known every where now, no less by the Name of JUST, than of LU∣DOVIC. The Roman Comman∣ders esteemed the Titles very specious, which were deriv'd from Crete, Numidia, Afric, Asia,

and other conquer'd Nations: How much more Illustrious is Yours, whereby you are decla∣red both the Enemy every where, and all ways the Con∣querour (of no people, of no man, but) of that which is Unjust? The Egyptian Kings thought it a great matter, if One were called the Lover of his Fa∣ther, Another of his Mother, a Third of his Brother: How small parts are These of Your Name, which comprehendeth not only those things, but what∣soever can be imagined fair and honorable? You are Just, when, by Imitation of Him, you ho∣nour the Memory of your Fa∣ther, a King Great, above all that can be said; Just, when you instruct your Brother every way, but no way more than by

your example; Just, when you grace your Sisters with Highest Matches; Just, when you revive the Laws almost buried, and, as much as you can, oppose your self against the declining Age: Just, but withal Clement, when you take away nothing from your subjects (whom Ignorance of your goodness had transpor∣ted beyond the limits of their Duty) beside the licence to of∣fend; and offer no Violence to Souls of a different perswasion in matter of Religion: Just, and withall Merciful, when, by your Authority you relieve oppressed Nations, afflicted Princes, nei∣ther permit Fortune to be too insolent. Which singular Bene∣ficence of yours, and as neer like to God, as human Nature suf∣fers, compells me, on my own

behalf also, to make this pub∣lick thankfull Acknowledg∣ment. For, as the Heavenly Stars do not only communicate their Influence to the greater parts of the world, but vouchsafe it to every living Creature; So you, being the most beneficent Star on earth, not content to raise up Princes, to ease people, have been pleased to be a safeguard, and a Comfort, even to me, ill used in my own Country. Here is to be added, to fill up the Orb of Justice, after your pub∣lick Actions; the Innocency and Purity of Your private life, wor∣thy to be admir'd, not by Men alone, but by the Angels too. For, how Few of the Infe∣riour sort, yea of those that have secluded themselves from the Fellowship of the world, keep

themselves so untoucht by all faults, as You, being placed in such a Fortune, which is sur∣rounded with innumerable al∣lurements to sin? And how Ad∣mirable a Thing is This, among Business, in the Throng, in the Court, among so many Exam∣ples of Those that sin so many ways, to attain unto that, which solitude scarce, yea often not at all, affordeth others? This is indeed, to merit, even in this life, not only the name of JUST, but of SAINT, which was given by the consent of pious men, to Charles the Great & Lu∣dovic your Ancestors, after their Death; that is, to be, not by a Gentilitious, but by your own proper right, Most Christian. Now, as every part of Justice is Yours, so is that which con∣cerns

the Matter of this Book, a∣bout the Counsells of War and Peace, yours peculiarly, as you are a King, and King of France. This your Kingdom is great, which stretcheth it self to both Seas, through so many spaces of so happy Lands: but it is a grea∣ter Kingdom than This, that You do not covet other King∣doms. This is worthy of Your Piety, worthy of that eminency; not to Invade the Right of any Other by your Arms, not to re∣move antient Bounds; but to do the Business of Peace in the time of War; neither to begin War, but with this Desire, to bring it to a speedy end. And, How Brave, How Glorious is This, How Joyful to Your con∣science, that, when God shal call you up to His Kingdom, which

alone is better than yours, you may confidently say, This sword have I receiv'd from Thee, for the safeguard of Justice; This I render to Thee pure and unstained with the blood of any man, rashly shed? Thus it shall come to pass, that the rules we now look for in books, hereafter may be taken from Your actions, as from a most perfect Exemplar. It is a very great matter, This; Yet doth the world of Christians dare to ex∣act something more at Your Hands; Namely, that, the Flames of War being every where extin∣guished, not only Empires, but Churches may see their Peace returning to them by Your pro∣curement: and, that Our Age may learn to submit to the Judgment of That Age, which All Christians profess to have

been truly & sincerely Christi∣an. The minds of Good men, weary of Discords, are raised to this Hope by the Friendship newly made 'twixt you & the King of Great Britain (a most wise Prince, & exceedingly stu∣dious of that Holy Peace) and confirmed by the most Auspi∣cious Marriage of your Sister. Difficult is the Business, by rea∣son of Partial Affections, infla∣med and exasperated more and more: but Nothing is worthy of so excellent Kings, but That which is Difficult, but That which is Despaird of by all o∣thers. The God of Peace, the God of Justice, O Just & peaceable King, Crown your Majesty (nee∣rest to His) as with all other happiness, so with this also, the procuring of a Just & Universal Peace. 1625.