Letters of the Cardinal Duke du Richelieu great minister of state to Lewis XIII of France / faithfully translated from the original by T.B.

LETTER CCXLVI. To Mareschal Crequi, upon the Com∣protection.

SIR,

AS the King cannot be sufficiently amazed at the weak∣ness, with which the Pope prohibits Cardinal Anthony from the exercise of the Comprotection, and at the want of consideration, with which Cardinal Barberini gives him this Advice: So he cannot sufficiently esteem the Sincerity and the Courage of Cardinal Anthony.

His Majesty is as well satisfied with the last, as he is dis∣pleased with the two former.

Let the Pope do what he will, he can never compromise, that Cardinal Anthony should not be Comprotector of France, since he has deprived Cardinal Bentivoglio of this Charge for that purpose.

Cardinal Anthony accepted of it by the consent of his Holi∣ness, without which, neither the King nor he had ever thought of that Affair; Cardinal Barberini also shew'd no dislike of it to his Brother.

The Pope may, by his Authority and Violence, hinder Cardinal Anthony, his Nephew, from the Exercise of this Charge; but as he cannot do it with Reason, he will never do it with the King's Consent, who being sensible, that the Ene∣mies of St. Peter's Chair, the Pope and his Family are the Au∣thors of so bad Counsel, will be pleased very much to oppose it, because of the Respect which he owes to the Church, and the Affection to his Holiness's Family; which is such, that his Majesty gives Orders to the said Embassadours to hinder any Preconisations to be made in the Consistory of the French Be∣nefices, till it please his Holiness to permit Cardinal Anthony to make them in executing his Office.

The Embassadours shall give this Answer to the Pope and to Cardinal Barberini, with all Compliments imaginable; but with as much Resolution not to depart with the Comprote∣ction of Cardinal Anthony.

They shall also tell Cardinal Barberini, That his Majesty would find it very strange, if he should have any Umbrage of the Comprotection of France, in the Person of Cardinal An∣thony; because he only desired he should Exercise that Of∣fice, to let the World know the particular Affection he has to the Pope's Family, and to have more Ways to keep the two Brothers united, when their Interests shall more require it.

They shall also particularly make known to Cardinal Anthony, the Satisfaction the King has in him, and shall give him Assu∣rance of his Protection and Assistance in all things.

They shall communicate to Cardinal Bentivoglio, the Reso∣lution the King takes to put an end to the Preconisation of the Consistorial Benefices, till the Pope, putting an end to the Prohibition which he has given Cardinal Anthony, repair the Injury, which, by that means, they would do France: And shall let him know, That it is not that his Majesty dislikes that he should continue to Execute the Office of Comprote∣ctor, but only that he might not give this Advantage to the Spaniards, to think that France yields to their Desires.

In the mean time, if his Holiness, coming to himself, will give his Majesty that Satisfaction which Justice and Reason require, permitting Cardinal Anthony to Exercise the Fun∣ctions of the Office of Comprotector, for whom it doth not seem that the Pope has lost his Cause, and the King has gained

his; yet his Majesty thinks it good, that the Embassadours consent to this following Expedient, which is, That it be a Month before Cardinal Anthony execute the Functions of his Office in the Consistory, upon condition, that, from that mo∣ment, his Holiness pass his Word to the said Embassadours, That, from that time, he shall agree, That he Execute his Office, without having a new Licence from his Holiness.

This Overture has not been made to Cardinal Bichi, that the Embassadours may be able to manage it so much the better, because they only are acquainted with it.

If the Pope is not satisfied things shall be left in the fore∣mentioned condition, without any Preconisation of the French Affairs in the Consistory, yet Mareschal Crequi shall return by the way of Venice, giving his Holiness a Testimony, That the Respect his Majesty has for the Church is such, That, notwithstanding former Passages, the King has not failed to give him order to Negotiate the Pope's Affairs at Venice, as tho' his Majesty had not been disobliged. In taking leave of his Holiness, the said Mareschal, as well on the King's as his own part, shall make him all the Compliments imaginable; assuring him withal, That his Majesty will never change his Resolution concerning the Comprotection, being by no means able to endure, that any other, beside Cardinal Anthony, exer∣cise that Office.