The history of France under the ministry of Cardinal Mazarine containing all the remarkable and curious passages in the government of that state, from the death of King Louis XIII, which happened in the year 1643, to the death of the cardinal, which was in the year 1664 / written in Latine by Sieur Benjamin Priolo ... ; done into English by Christopher Wase.

To the Most SERENE DUKE, AND AUGUST SENATE OF THE Republick of VENICE, BENJAMIN PRIOLO Wishes Prosperity, Victories, Triumphs.

THis is the first Monument of my Wit, Most Serene Prince and High Lords, which I readily and thankefully consecrate to your renowned Name in that Language, which was once the Band of Man∣kind, and now continues the Repertory of Sci∣ences. It is the Ministry of Mazarine, an

Historical Abridgment of our Affairs from the Decease of Lewis XIII. to this very day, and the Dawn of this most blessed Age, wherein the Sun-shine of Peace hath risen upon us. It borrows Lustre and Protection from you a∣gainst Detraction and Envy. Owne it, My Lords, and communicate of your Brightness to it: For this is within the Verge of your Pow∣er, who are able to extol or depress with the single Reputation of your Judgments. Vpon a manifold Title doth this Book lay claim to your Patronage, who will discover in our late Transactions the Tracks of your Prudence. For when our Country was embroiled in the Tumults of civil Dissension, that Commander who recovered us from a most unquiet to a most glorious State, was Honourably Enfranchised by You, who are so united with us by an eternal League and common Interest of State, that our Adversities have always been an Affli∣ction to your Republick; and ye have with joy received the News of this Empires good successes, ever since the Foundation of both Nations that are contemporary. This Work being full of Politick Maxims and Presidents, to whom should it more justly address than to the most Politick Statesmen? Whom doth it better suit than those who are the Pattern to all the World of a perfect Government? The

whole Subject, Vertues, or Sloth. Them we re∣commend by relating; and you are a great instance, who have, and always have had them. This we decry, which in all Ages you have been clear of, either by avoiding, or re∣deeming it. Plainly Rivals of those, who having been daunted with no wound of For∣tunc, after Trebia, Thrasymen, and Cannae held out stoutly, you never sunk under mis∣fortunes; but have obliged the Turk, the m••st Potent of Empires in the World, so often to retreat before your Forces, and the Provi∣dence which attends your Arms; whilest the chief Monarchs of Europe were bloodily en∣gaged against one another, upon trivial pre∣tences, to the ruine of Christendom, whose Bullwark and Admiration you are. Nor doth the matter only invite and sollicite your Authority, to grace the Front of this Labour, being small in Bulk, though perhaps that shall be eternal in duration; but much more my grateful mind, which presents you with your own gifts. In like manner, as when we Sacrifice and bring oblations to God, it is for our own, and not his benefit. For if I am some-body, my Lords, if a Candidate of Fame, if enrolled in the Catalogue of them, who do not promise, but confer immortality; thanks be to you, in whose Bosome I have been edu∣cated.

First of all, That your City Founded by Antenor, my Nurse, the sweet Mother of Arts, the Fruitful Seminary of Industry, the Fat Soil of Vertues, implanted in me her Principles: Which how greatly you esteem, we collect from hence, because that one Vni∣versity of Padua, hath more Schollars in it, then whole Kingdoms besides. This taught me to look down from the lofty Tower of a rightly informed judgment, upon Vulgar Er∣rors; and to discover upon true Grounds, with what gross darkness the seeming light of frail mortality is Eclipsed. After that I Travelled to Venice, the joy and darling of Heaven, the Shop of Policy, the School of Wisdom; where I searched into the Mystery of your Government. This doth not deliver a Prince to be made up of wicked Plots, falshood, and a dedolent Spirit hardned a∣gainst all remorse of Conscience; not of subtle Devices, or Craft, but of Sincerity and Faith; whose venerable Name holds out among you her right hand, the Security of the Worlds Peace. A Republick happy in its Orders, with which, as with Ligatures, it stands un∣shaken without fear of fall; boasting of its duration for 1300 years. And what won∣der, when so many Vertues are the Poles upon which that Immortal Frame is rolled? Laws

you have few and good; as Medicines, which should neither be many nor divers. Suing at Law, which is very subject to abuse, is more restrained with you, then any where else in the World; none are vexed with long Suits. You have wonderful Concord one with ano∣ther, with which Cement your State holds; and I have confidence will hold to the Worlds end. Superiors manifest their Greatness only in extending Favours; and Inferiors without grudging, render Obedience, and rejoyce in your Grandeur. Private quarrels you pass by for the Publick, benefit, and remit offences in view of your Country. There is no Contention but who shall love, that most which is every Noblemans Treasure and In∣heritance. No where if so great a price set upon faithful keeping of Counsel, Nor are Secrets any where preserved with such strict silence; so that as other People have a great itch of spreading reports, at Venice they have unmovable affectation of holding their peace; which is almost incredible in their noble Youth, who condemn talking much, as the companion of lying, by an inward prin∣ciple of sound judgment, and by the rules of their Education. Whilst Candidates, they stand at the doors of the Court, and are admitted to a sight of the Publick Counsel, before a Voice

in it. From the first entrance of their Age, they are by degrees used to their Honours, which you sharing equally, and judging of Vertues, deprive none of their due; nor un∣der a colour of preferment, do you exhaust the worthy Pretendants in the Purchase. Such as are advanced to Places of Honour, bring in humility, not scornfulness; and as it proves all the world over, find what they bring: When private, you obey without Servility; and when advanced, you command with Mo∣deration. Young Men dive into the depths of Prudence, because they hearken to the Old; concealing great Abilities, under an obstinate temperance of Words. Afterwards the avo∣cations of youth being cast off, when they must put on after glory; and being used to improve, they find nothing strange or new. Ye are covetous for the Publick Money, sparing of your own, which you do not get to scatter, but to maintain your state; In habit, not only indifferent, but plain; you think it decent so to discover the Modesty of your minds. And in truth, Silks and Gold Lace are not Orna∣ments of brave Men, but Arguments of light Spirits: You excel the common sort in Ver∣tue, in Clothes you conform with them: Your Houshold-stuff doth not strain the rest of yo••r Estate. Variety of Offices, and multitud•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Servants doth not clamour after you. With Athenian Severity you punish Luxury, which plundering great Estates, ingenious to destroy it self, drives on furiously after its own Confu∣sion, being withal the Bane of Common∣wealths, and Ruine of States. Those that are empty of solid goodness, glister in that bor∣rowed appearance, and bare of Worth spread in Pomp, and sumptuous Dishes, rather exci∣ting than satisfying the Appetite. How ad∣mirable is it, that you who are (upon more accounts than one) Kings, should condescend in your whole Furniture to the plainness of Fellow-Citizens, and should shrowd the de∣gree of Princes, as you all bear, under an or∣dinary Garb. But that Majesty which you carry about every where, especially by your Ambassadors, who being Noble in Birth, do every where represent the Dignity of the Re∣publick, hath its Source from your internal Greatness, and is that Mother of the Honor and Reverence due, and deferred to you; which Glory accompanies, that inflames gallant Souls, being peculiar to the immortal God, or his immediate Representatives, as you are. All these things do adorn you, but the Foun∣dation and Basis of your State is Religion, by which Subjects are made better, and more peaceful. You have an ancient Doctrine im∣printed

in you, and received by Tradition from your Ancestors, that all our Enjoyments are bestowed upon us by God, and by him con∣tinued to us. To believe this is commenda∣ble, but so as you believe it, that is, avoid∣ing Irreligion and Superstition, both of them great mischiefs. The insultations over mens weakness, which were prevalent in times of Ignorance, are received by you only in ap∣pearance, who do not compel men to Faith against their wills, but are of opinion, that a right Judgment in Holy matters is insinuated by God into mens minds, and that the Devo∣tion which doth not proceed from the choice of the heart, is unacceptable to God; but that false Opinions are subdued by length of time, not by the violence and commands of such as being chosen into the Sacred Ministry, do exasperate all things, and retain nothing of that Office besides the Name and Revenues. You do not take these men into your Counsels, being aware, that such are for the most part unsound at heart, and for audaciousness for∣midable: of no moderation, but dangerously inquisitive into the Designs of Princes, and Secrets of State. Ye are indeed devout in Religious Worship, but do prescribe its Mini∣sters a measure of Church-Possessions. There is a Prohibition in your Laws for the Augmenta∣tion

of Church-Livings without leave from the Senate. For you think it an irreligious thing, pious Liberalities should be alienated, and the last Wills of dying Persons turned to ends, for which they did not leave them. Between an open neglect of Gods Service, and a slavish fear of God, as between two Rocks, you sail happily. From hence flourishes among you that unmoveable and stedfast Vprightness of Justice in distributing every one his own, without the trifling delays and captious ad∣vantages of the practice in corrupt Courts of Judicature; by this means so many people are united under equal Laws into your Empire and Jurisdiction. This you superadd to your no∣ble Customs; nothing among you is bought and sold. Publick Offices are the Rewards of Vertue; and if there be any contrary instance, it hath been introduced through the necessity of hard times. Your moderate Revenues, without crying up or down the price of money, almost the highest and lowest equally contri∣bute. The sum growing from thence is not consumed and lost before the true uses are an∣swered for which is was levied, by the multi∣tude of Collectors, and by profuse gratificati∣ons; whilst each do stop some as their own, and give away more lightly, as being none of their own. You cajol them to part with a lit∣tle

money for great Occasions, never constrain them; which is a handsom sleight in mana∣ging matters. So that there are no complaints in the case; or if there be, the Senate never ex∣amines them, having no inclination to convict misinformers. They neither hear the Accu∣sers, nor punish the accused; thinking it disho∣nourable to give satisfaction without occasion: and that it is only the part of a bad Prince to force the Conscience to Honesty. This is to be attributed to your singular Policy, with which as it were the Top of your Vertues, foreseeing so many imminent dangers, ye have driven off the threatning Clouds; always Vmpires of the disagreeing World, courted even when di∣stressed; and have in your Adversities per∣swaded, that there is more relief to be had in your Friendship, than in the spacious promises of many Kings. And all this who would not admire to be done with an Outlandish Army and General. It is the Art of your Govern∣ment to trust Strangers, not an Evidence of your own Valours, being decayed. How warily is this provided? it appears, lest any of your Own puffed up with Martial Glory, should aim at that which heretofore confounded the Roman, your parallel State, of which in other matters you are close Followers, especially in instances of Mercy. That was contented with one Pri∣son,

and that often empty: I lived with you seven years, and saw but one poor Malefactor executed, over whom the Judge groaned, and cryed. No Prince loves to inflict more gentle punishments, and this he doth honourably. For it is not Majesty whose Object is Dread, but Cruelty; and nothing is more gallant for Men in Dignity, than to grant pardon for many things, to ask and need it for nothing. We French had happy proof of this. For who∣ever read or heard of so much meekness as we have found. It is now above eighteen years ago, since we have not seen the Sword drawn but against Enemies amidst so many provoca∣tions of severity. He that was supreme Mini∣ster among us, and that managed the Reins of the Publick Fate, was ambitious rather to be thought to have found us good, than to have made us so. Thus did he seal the Publick Peace with shedding no high Blood: nor was he instrumental, that for securing his Domi∣nion, Executions of rich Delinquents should upon their Attainder be estreated into the Ex∣chequer. By gentleness he shamed men into Obedience: whereupon prosperous Fortune did succeed all his Attempts to the Envy of the astonished World. This is he whose many Vi∣ctories, many good Services ye have often heard of; but especially in the blessed Aspect of

this time, wherein the security of France, and so many honourable Advantages are to be ac∣knowledged to have been received from him next under God; whom as the Top of your Glory you have enrolled in the List of so many Heroes, whose Names mounted in the Chariot of Fame and Honour, shall flye through the remotest Regions: who have founded your li∣berty in the Waters; who have given Laws to the Sea; who have made the Pelasgi and Amathuntis, the Court of Alcinous, the Grange of Ulysses, and the Kingdoms where Jupiter crept, about which at this day there is such stubborn fighting, tributary to you. O Blood defiled with no sordid Commonalty! and heat of Spirit allayed with no tincture of a meaner Bed! Though I had a fiery activity of Fancy, I could not equalize in worthy sort the Honours of that excellent Nation, which being sprung from a narrow spot of Ground, having entred the Deep in Gallies, hath spread its Fleets parallel with the Course of the Sun. O Country! O Empress of the vast Gulph! owne thy Native, Beloved by thee upon the sole ac∣count of the Name of Priolo. So may thy people eternally possess, and eternally desire to possess under the best Prince, the best, that is, a quiet State: so may the Semitars fear the peaceable Gowns: so may thy Fate never ebb:

so never may the triumphing Ottoman, that fierce Potentate, that perpetual Attaquer of high Vertues increase by thy Ruines, but may thy Empire flourish without end. Dated at Paris on New-years day. 1665.

The Contents of the Work.

A Thing of singular estimation and the most remarkable in any Story: Among the French when a King succeeded five years old, that the Queen a Foreigner, and Mazarine a Stranger should go∣vern, whilst the Provinces were refractory, the Peo∣ple in Rebellion, the Princes and Parliament oppo∣sed greatly, the Spaniard and the English watching their Advantages. That he breaking through all this, and having gloriously concluded a Peace, should dye in the Kings Arms, against whom had been raised so many Designs, so many Plots, so ma∣ny Slanders. That is a mighty thing: wherein is to be considered as the rarerness of the matter, so the difficulty; for in other Stories the very Novelty detains the Readers. Here is nothing of particular Narrative, all is known and published: whence follows, that only the Phrase must be attended; wherein, being the only point expected, it is hard to give content.