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THE French Writers have usually compared Henry the Great to the Conqueror of Asia: For Alexander was of a low stature, but of an invincible Courage; and a Scy∣thian Embassador very handsomly insinua∣ted it in an Eloquent Discourse, to these excellent Expressions, Si magnitudinem ani∣mi
tui corpus tuum aequaret, universus Orbis non te caperet, altera manu contingeres Ori∣entem, altera Occidentem. If thy Body were equal to thy Courage, the whole World wou'd not contain thee; for with one Hand thou wou'dst touch the East, with the other the West. Juvenal speaking of Alexander, and alluding to his being a little Man, says,
Unus Pellaeo Juveni non sufficit Orbis. — Mors sola fatetur Quantula sint hominum Corpuscula.
Our Illustrious Henry was a little short Man, but his small Body contained a Noble Heroical Soul; and in his time the French applied that Proverb to him, * 1.1 Small appearance and Great matters. He had the Title of Great for his valiant Actions; which made him be look'd upon as the Balancer of the World. And for his intirely suppressing the League, and driving Foreign Enemies out of the very Heart of his Kingdom; these Verses were therefore usually put under his Picture, or Statue:
Endomtant mes sujets, guerroyant l'Etranger, La gloire de mon Nom n'a pont eu de seconde.
Et lors que le destin vint mes jours abreger, Je m'etois fait Monarque & l'Arbitre du Monde.By Taming Rebels, Conquering Fo∣reign Foes, The Glory of my Name no equal knows. But when I fell by an untimely Fate, I was the Balance of all Europe's State.
This Gallant Prince was so overjoy'd, when he was compared to Alexander, that he gave a very great reward to Malherbe the Poet, for four Verses he made extempore upon a little Horse that this Monarch rid upon.
Petit Cheval, gentil Cheval, Propre à montrer, propre à descendre Tu n'és pas tant que Bucéphal. Tu portes plus grand qu' Alexandre.Pretty Horse, little Horse, Yet fit to bear the World's Commander. Thou want'st Bucephalus his Force, Thy Lord surpasses Alexander.
Some are apt to think that the Sirname of Great, was not given to this King for his great Actions only, but for the design he had of giving France the bounds it had
of Old, so that he intended to extend the Kingdom Eastward to the Rhine, West∣ward to the Pyrenean Hills, Southward to the Alpes, and Northward to the Ocean; but the untimely Death of this Monarch stop'd this great Work, which has still been endeavoured at by his Successors; and the present King seems to be pretty well advanced toward it.
IF ever any King was Unfortunate in his Marriages it was he; for, though his Heart were very sensible of Love, and his Inclinations to it too Violent; yet it was always his Fortune to find full as much Dissatisfaction, as Pleasure in his Amours. His First Marriage with Margaret of Valois, was only made for a blind, the better un∣der the specious Pretence of that Al∣liance, to commit that Massacre on St. Bar∣tholomew's Day; in which, against all the Rules of Wisdom, they contrived the De∣struction of Henry, who was then but King of Navarre. There hapned then an
accident very surprising, which was, that when the Massacrers sought him, to Di∣spatch him, he was sitting alone in a Room with his Wife; and seeing every Place streaming with the Blood of his best Friends, and these Villains hastning to cut his Throat, he thought of hiding himself after this manner; Queen Margaret sate in a great Chair, and at that time Farthin∣gales were worn, which made their Petty-coats stand out round, our Henry hid him∣self underneath, between his Wives Thighs. The Assassinates having broke open the Door, and seeing no Body but the Queen, ask'd her where the King her Husband was? She without changing her Counte∣nance, or shewing any Concern, haughti∣ly told 'em he went away from her in a great deal of haste; so that these Mur∣therers, who always look'd upon this Lady with a great deal of respect, departed without Executing their purpose; and, therefore it was merrily said, That Mar∣garets Petty-coats saved King Henry's Life.
This Queen was the Sister of Charles IX. of the Duke of Anjou, afterwards King of Poland, and Henry III. and of the Duke of Alenson. She had extream Violent Inclinations to two things, that were very different, Learning and Love; so that she
was called the Minerva and Venus of France. It is a Common report that she made good Verses, with great readiness; and it is a known Story, that this Princess one Day taking the Air, saw a Poor Scho∣lar lying on a Dunghil, she said to him, Pauper ubique jacet; which he hearing pre∣sently writ down this Distich, and pre∣sented to her.
In thalamis, Regina, tuis hac nocte jacerem; Si verum hoc esset, pauper ubique jacet.Whereupon as soon as this pleasant Lady had read them, she sent him these extempore,
Carceris in tenebris plorans hac nocte jaceres; Si verum hoc esset, pauper ubique jacet.
And indeed this Princess was so fond of Learning, that she continually entertained at her Table the greatest Scholars of the Kingdom. As for what concerns her Love, it's said, that she never denied her Lovers any thing; and Henry, who let her do what she pleas'd, rather look'd upon her as the King of France's Sister, than as his own Wife, for neither of them had that Love for each other, which is necessary for a real Marriage. But she was afterwards Divorced from Henry for her Barrenness; but after the Dissolution of the Marriage,
the good Lady by a Lover of hers had two Children. She had been brought up, and incouraged in these Practices, by her own Mother Catharine de Medicis, who was usually called the fourth Fury of Hell, as appears by these Verses, said to be made by Q. Marg. her own Daughter.
This Queen Catharine, as Thuanus re∣ports, was very Cunning, and of a mali∣cious Temper; and had a Company of Fortune-tellers and Conjurers that always followed her, and because they had all Foretold her that she should be Destroy'd the Ruins of a House, qu'elle seroit accablée sous les Ruines d'une Maison; she never would go into any till her Work-man had Survey'd it, to know if it were strong∣ly Built. But after the Death of the Duke
of Guise, and the Cardinal of Lorrain his Brother, who were kill'd at Blois, and were the great Creatures and Favourites of this Queen; she took it so to Heart, that she fell Sick and Died of Grief. A little before she expired, she had two La∣dies near her, one of them was a Prote∣stant, and the other a Papist, who both Exhorting her to lift up her Soul to God her Maker, and implore his Divine Mer∣cy; she spoke these Words, My good Friends now my Days are ended by the Ruins of a House. For of all her Sons, there now on∣ly remained Henry III. who had no Chil∣dren, nor had hopes of any, so that the House of Valois was at an end.
They say, that she made use of the Conjurations of these Wizards, to know who should succeed her Sons; which they did by the means of a Looking-glass, and shewed her who should have the Crown after the Race of Valois. The First that appeared was our Henry IV. for whom she had such an Aversion, and so im∣placably hated him, that ever after she used her uttermost endeavour to destroy him. Notúmque furens quid foemina possit, but God delivered him from all her snares. After him she saw in the Glass Lewis XIII. and then appeared one with a stately Mien and Majestick Air, which was Lewis XIV.
After whom the Magick-glass shewed her a Company of Jesuits, who were to have their turn to be absolute Masters of France. She then wou'd see no more, and was ready to break the Glass; but, however it was preserved, and it's reported that it is kept at present in the Louvre.
IF Henry the Great was Unfortunate in his First Marriage, he had but very little better Fortune in his Second, except his Posterity. For the first Night he lay with his Wife Mary de Medicis, there was fix'd over his Bridal Chamber, in great Letters, these Words of the Scripture, Non erat opus Bene-valentibus Medicis; which was a Satyrical allusion to the Queens Family, who was Daughter to the Great Duke of Tuscany, of the House of Medicis. These Illustrious Lovers did not always agree very well, their particular Intrigues made 'em often Quarrel; the Queen had great Heart-burnings, to see the Kings several Mistresses; and the King could not bear
the Queens Leudness with the Marquis of Ancre an Italian, that was her Favorite. One Night, when they lay together, after some Curtain-lectures, and sharp Re∣proaches of each other, the Queen got up, and flew at his Face, and in the heighth of her Auger scratch'd him soundly; the King for his part spared her no more than she did him; so that to end this Combat, those of the Bed-Chamber then in Wait∣ing, were fain to run and call the Duke de Sully, Lord Treasurer, who had a great ascendant over the King's Temper, he hastned to the Louvre and after he had very much intreated the King, and re∣monstrated to him how scandalous it was; he obliged him, to hinder further disorder, to quit the Field, and carried him to lodge in another Chamber.
THe Servants that were most intimate with this Prince, have always tax'd him with want of Gratitude, and not rewarding those that were most Faithful
and Loyal to him, which Monsieur d'Au∣bigny very smartly expressed; for when the King had given him his Picture, as a par∣ticular Reward and Favour, he was so bold as to write these Verses under it.
Ce Prince est d'etrange Nature, Je ne sçai qui Diable l'a fait; Car il récompense en Peinture Ceux qui le servent en effet.This Prince is of a very odd Nature, Who the Devil made him so? Though he's substantially serv'd by his Creature, He only rewards him with shadow and show.
But yet we may see an extraordina∣ry Instance of his Liberality in the Pre∣sent he made of his House at * 1.2 La Fleche to the Jesuits, which is the noblest College they have in France. Of this College and another call'd L'Arc, or the Bow, which they have at Dole, in Franche Comté, one who was no Friend to their Order, made this Distich,
Arcum Dola dedit Patribus, dedit Alma Sagittam Gallia; quis funem quem meruere dabit?
Dole gave the Bow, France did the Ar∣row bring; But who shall give what they deserve, the String?
The Jesuits answer'd in French to this purpose,
L'Arc & la Fleche sont à nous Prêts à décocher contre vous, Mais pour ce qui est de la Corde Elle est à vous, je vous l'accorde.The Bow and the Arrow we have, Which we are ready to shoot against you To you the String we will leave, Because we think it your due.Which was answered.L'Arc & la Fleche vous avez De la France & de l'Espagne; Mais pour la Corde vous l'aurées Du Roi de la Grande Bretagne.The Arrow you from France did gain, The Bow was given you by Spain: But we hope from England's King You'll have what fits you best, the String.
But if Henry the Great did not bestow
his Rewards so liberally as his Predeces∣sor Henry the Third, who said, he only shared the whole Kingdom with his be∣loved Servants, yet he had another qua∣lity, which, in some measure, made a∣mends for his want of Liberality, which was, that he patiently endured his Ser∣vants Complaints and Reproaches without being angry. And there is a remarkable Instance of it; for once when Monsieur La Force and D'Aubigny, two of his Favorites, lay together in a Field-bed, near his Ma∣jesties Bed, Mr. D'Aubigny thinking the King had bin fast asleep, began as he u∣sually did, to complain of the King's In∣gratitude, very often repeating to La Force, who was just dropping asleep, and snor∣ing, Sir, our Master is the basest and most ungrateful Fellow upon the face of the Earth; and as the other who was slumber∣ing, only replyed, What say'st thou, D'Au∣bigny? The King, who was awake, and heard this goodly Dialogue, cryed out, La Force, Hearken a little; dost thou not hear what D'Aubigny says? how that I am the basest and most ingrateful Fellow upon the face of the Earth: And yet, for all this, he never mentioned it to either of 'em ever af∣terwards. He was extreamly pleased with Raillery, and a thing well and home said; of which there are several Examples in his Hi∣story,
but this I have not read, which is that in that time there was a severe Song made upon the Clergy of France, called, La Va∣che à Colas, or Nick's Cow, (or may be, like Colly my Cow;) which was burnt at Paris by the Hangman, and all people of what quality soever, were forbid singing it, but the Prohibition made it be sung the more. One day, when the King was in the Lou∣vre with some Courtiers about him, the Duke de la Force, then Captain of the Guards, came towards the King in great haste, the Count de Grammont, who was his mortal Enemy, was by, who, to abuse him, sung these Words aloud,
Voicy venir la Force, Qui vient à grand Force, Voir la Vache à Cola, Fa, la, la, &c.Here comes la Force With all his Force, To see Nicklis's Cow.
The King was pleased with this, and made it be repeated when La Force was come to them, who immediately addres∣sing himself to Grammont, who was coun∣ted a Cuckold by all the Court,
Les Cornes de la Vache Serviront de Panache A Grammont que Voila, Fa, la, la, &c.The Cows horn For a Plume, may adorn Grammont, that stands there, When he feathers will wear, Fa, la, la, &c.
The King, turning to Grammont, cry'd, Ventre St. Gris, Thou art paid home; and they say, that this disgusted Grammont, to that degree, that he immediately left the Court, and never appear'd there more. But to return to our Henry, his faithfullest Friends have thought his Love for his Mi∣stresses was too violent; for it was to that degree, that to enjoy one of them, which is reported to be the fair Gabrielle d'Estrée, before he was married to Mary de Medicis, be took some of his own Blood to sign a Promise of Marriage; but Monsieur de Sully, Superintendent of the Finances, or Treasurer, seeing that Writing, tore it be∣fore the King's Face, the King saying, Ventre St. Gris, I believe you are mad; yes, Sir, replyed Sully, but wou'd to God I were the only Mad-man in the King∣dom. Another time Madam D'Entragues
made him promise to give her 50000 Crowns the first time he lay with her, and going out of this noble Mistress's Lodg∣ing, and seeing Monsieur de Sully in the Antichamber, telling out the Sum, asked him, who that Mony was for? Sully an∣swering, it was for Madam d'Entragues, says the King, Ventre St. Gris, this is a damnable dear Nights Lodging. Indeed Demosthenes said of Thais the Courtizan, Tanti Paenitere non emo: They say he com∣mitted several mean things to come at his Mistresses, sometimes disguising himself like a Country Fellow, sometimes like a Porter or Labourer, to get at them with more ease.
In point of Religion, he was justly counted by all Europe a mere Turn-coat: He was born a Roman Catholick; but Jane, Queen of Navarre, his Mother, se∣cretly instilling into him the Principles of the Protestant Religion, he afterwards made open profession of it at Rochelle, and was there declared the Protector of the Protestant Churches in France. At the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, to save his Life, he was forc'd to change again, but it was only in appearance; for two years after he fled from the Court, and being come to Alenson, he abjured the Papist Religion, and continued a Protestant till
he came to the Crown. He used to say, Ventre St. Gris, the Crown of France sure is worth a Mass; but as his Heart did not go along with his Mouth, when he saw others follow his Example, he used to tell them, Why do you change? you have no Crown to gain. However, some time after he quite changed his Mind, by the Jesuites Endeavours, that were about him, especially Father Cotton, whom he had great Confidence in. For a few days be∣fore his Murther, going to Fountain-bleau, and the Regiment of Guards with him, it began to rain very hard, and therefore letting his Guards march before, he staid behind alone with Monsieur de la Force, who was a Protestant and his Favourite, and talking familiarly with him of the two Religions, he spoke these Words with a great air of Sincerity, My good Friend, the Roman Religion is not so full of Idola∣try as I thought it was heretofore. Which plainly shews that he was no longer in∣different, but firmly perswaded of the truth of that Religion.
This Great Prince was so very sensible of the Malice of Catharine de Medicis, that he used to say to his Confidents, There are four things when I think of them, that fright me, Catharine's Magick Glass, her Clock, her Bed, and St. Bartholomew's
Massacre, which was contrived by her and her Son the Duke of Anjou, after King of Poland, and then King of France, who, for his Device, used to give two Crowns, and a third pointed with Stars, with this Inscription, Manet ultima Coelo. And up∣on the front of the Louvre, Triplicem dabit ille Corona. To which was satyrically added,
Tertia sic dabitur, tenuit velut ante secundam.
The day that this potent Monarch was stab'd at Paris, in the Street of the Feronnerie, there hapned a surprising thing in Bearn. As the Duke de la Force's Son, who was Vice-Roy of Navarre, was walking with abundance of Gentlemen, by the little River of Pau, all the Cows that were in the Meadows, at the same time, ran with an extraordinary violence, so that it was impossible to stop them, and threw them∣selves headlong into the Pau, and were drowned. This was lookt upon as a Pro∣digy; and the Vice-Roy observ'd the time and hour that it hapned, very ex∣actly, as thinking it might presage some Disaster; and so it hapned, for a few days after there came an Express of that exe∣crable Parricide committed upon the King's Person, at the very same hour the Cows drowned themselves. The reason of this
is, the Cows are part of the Arms of Na∣varre where this hapned.
But while this gallant Prince designed great things, and had raised a numerous Army, he was barbarously murther'd by Ravaillac, in the Month of May, and the Year 1610. which, in few words, hapned after this manner.
He went from the Louvre to visit the Duke of Sully at the Arsenal, who was sick, and passing through a Street near St. Inno∣cent's Church-yard, which then was very narrow, called the Feronnerie; his Coach meeting with Hay-carts, was stop'd: And the Footmen that ran by the sides, were forced to quit it: At this moment the Monster Ravaillac got near the Coach, and setting his Foot upon one of the Wheels, struck the King (who sat at the end of the Coach, and then lean'd upon the Duke' d'Espernon) with a Knife, which leaning stretcht his Body, and made him lye so open, that it proved mortal. The King cryed, I am hurt, and then Ravail∣lac stab'd him again into the very Heart. He never spoke after the second stroke, but only fetcht a great Sigh, and groaned a little. So that this Verse of Virgil was very well applyed to him.
Vita{que} cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras.
Monsieur de la Force, who sat next him, took hold of him, and endeavour'd to help him as well as he cou'd, holding his Handkerchief upon his Wound, from whence the Blood gushed out in great quantity, but all in vain; for he was al∣ready gone. Thus lamentably died this brave Prince.
Petite mine & grand jeu.
The Arrow.