Lustra Ludovici, or, The life of the late victorious King of France, Lewis the XIII (and of his Cardinall de Richelieu) divided into seven lustres / by Iames Howell, Esq.

OF THE LATE FRENCH King and his CARDINALL. The Proem.

I Attempt the life of a potent King, with the sway of a prodigious Favorite, for there are prodigies in Fortune as well as in Nature; If the exploits of the one, and the policies of the other were cast into counterbal∣lance, I know not which of the scales would outpoise: Both of them have got high seats in the Temple of Immortalitie, and registred their names (though in deepe sanguine characters I confesse) in the great booke of Fame.

Concerning the first, As I disdaine to be a Parasite to my owne Prince in any sordid way of flatterie, much more to a forreiner (though living;) so I shall be very carefull not to detract any thing from the honour of this great Prince, who had inhaerencies enough, and realities of his owne, without need of any forc'd encomiums, or flourishes of art to render him glorious: And had the strength of naturall parts, and gift of expression been an∣swerable to the successe and bravery of his outward acti∣ons; had his (theoricall) knowledge of vertue been equall to his ignorance of vice, he had been a miracle among Monarks.

For the second (his plenipotentiary minister) had he been as active for the universall good and incolumitie of Christendome, as he was for the interests and safety of his owne Countrey: Or had he been of another coat, and in lieu of being a Priest, Bishop and Cardinal; had

he been Knight, Baron and Marshall, it had put a farre clearer lustre (though with lesse noise) upon his abilities, which were not common; And he had the opportunity and advantage to shew them upon so high and open a theatre, that he made the whole Europaean world his Spectator: Indeed a sword hangs not handsomly by a Churchmans side, and a morrion upon a mitre shewes ill∣favouredly: But me thinks I heare this martiall Prelate passe it over, as Pope Iulius the second did upon like oc∣casion, who having had a long feud with the Emperour Frederick (against whom he had fought twelve battels) and being one day gently admonish'd by the Archbi∣shop of Ostia who had consecrated him (and whose pe∣culiar jurisdiction it is to consecrate all Popes) how S. Peter his first predecessor was commanded to put up his sword, T'is true said Iulius, Our Saviour gave the prime Apostle such a command, but t'was after he had given the blow, and cut off Malchus eare.

So this adventrous Cardinall got out his Masters sword to cut off the excrescencies, and to loppe the luxu∣riant boughes of that broad-spreading Austrian Tree, fea∣ring they would extend and shoot out into France; As also to clip the wings of the Imperiall Eagle, who was in a faire way to recover some of his old feathers, I meane those Hansiatick and other free Townes in Germanie, who had emancipated themselves time out of minde for money, and by other meanes from the Empire: But ha∣ving not finish'd the worke, Both of them have left the weapon still unsheath'd, and dropping pittifully with Christian blood, and Heaven onely knowes, when it will be put up againe.

Now to proceede more regularly in my intended sto∣rie, I will begin with the Monarch, and then fall upon the Minister, it being consentaneous to reason, and con∣gruous to good manners, that the Master should have prioritie of the Servant, though I am not ignorant how some mercenary Chroniclers would hoise the Cap above

the Crowne; They seeme to attribute the successe and glo∣rie of things more to the Minister, praising him with greater industry and heat; They would cut his name in marble, and his Masters but in freestone: By a new Astro∣nomy they make such a Constellation of him as should give a greater lustre in the French firmament, then the Sunne from whence he had deriv'd all his light: Others goe further, and seeme to idolatrize him, by calling him the good Genius and tutelar Angel of his Countrey, and that he was as necessarie for the government of France, as God Almighty was for the universe: Nay some soare high∣er, and by monstrous parasiticall reaches of prophanenes would make the world believe that the Almightie had imparted unto him some of his own peculiar attributes, as to make him omniscious, cardiognostick, and to worke without the concurrence of second causes; which made one futilous pamphleter fall into an egregious bull, while scruing up his wit to hoise him aloft, he call'd Him the person in the Trinitie.

Such Scriblers as these are a more sordide sort of Flat∣terers, then those we read of, who lick'd up Dionysius his spittle, and in my judgement are a scandall to the noble French nation; besides, they rather eclipse then illustrate his worth; for his very enemies confesse, that his merit had matter enough for modestie her selfe to work upon without such ridiculous hyperbolies, and forc'd transcendencies; For Vertue (whereof there shin'd in him many eminent pieces) is of her selfe so amiable and powerfull, that shee attracts all eyes upon her, and ex∣torts praise and admiration from foe as well as friend. The truth is, that all those yeares this great minister sate at the helm, may be term'd a time of miracles, by that prodigious course of constant successe matters had abroad and at home, as if he had struck a nail in Fortunes wheele, that shee should not turne all the while.

Yet let me tell you, there wanted not those that writ as satyrically of him, as others did sycophantically, as will

appeare in his life; for though his habit was in grain, yet there were many foul spots cast upon it, insomuch that the Spaniard, with other nations, thought it would never be fit to make reliques of, because it was so deep∣ly drencht in blood; Nay some of his owne Countrey∣men, specially the poore face-grounded Peasan, doe much doubt whether he that was so much deified upon earth, will ever be a Saint in Heaven.

But now to the maine designe the life of Lewis the thirteenth, and to take him in all his proportions we will go first to his cradle, and begin with his nativitie and Dauphinage; Then we will on to his minoritie or bassage; and thence to his majoritie and raigne, and so our storie shall grow up with him in dimensions and yeares.

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