The history of the government of France, under the administration of the great Armand du Plessis, Cardinall and Duke of Richlieu, and chief minister of state in that kingdome wherein occur many important negotiations relating to most part of Christendome in his time : with politique observations upon the chapters / translated out of French by J.D. Esq.

The Duke of Rohans Attempts in Languedoc, with the Process in the Par∣liament of Tholouse, against him, and all his Adherents.

ABout the same time in the end of April, the Duke of Rohan, having con∣trived several Cabals in the Hugonot Towns of Languedoc, began the Warre, and got together about two thousand men, near Castres the chief place of his Re∣treat, and where he had a full Power, by means of those Consuls whom he had procured to be elected. He gave out, that the Rocheloiis had taken Arms, and sworn a League with the Churches of his party, that he might by this pretence get a like Interest in some other Towns, which he had an eye upon; and accordingly, he went to Puilaurens, Ruel, Soreze, St. Pauls Leviate, & Briteste, and made the Consuls swear to the Confederacy, afterwards came before the Gates of Lavaur to surprise it, but his design took no effect.

The Cardinal having sent out Orders from the King, to the Governours of the Provinces, to fall upon him, as soon as ever he should appear in the Field. The Count of Carmain Governour of Foix, was presently upon his skirts, and impe∣ded not onely the Progress of his Rebellion; but also, getting into Ruelle and So∣reze, after the other had forsaken them, he so dealt with the Consuls, that they confessed their fault, and protested not to take part with him any more. And as the Authority of Parliaments on such occasions, ought to uphold the Courages and Fidelities of those who Conduct the Kings Armies; so that of Tholouse, was not wanting to command the Souldiers who were assembled with the Duke of Rohan to separate themselves, and to give Orders to the Nobility and Commonalty to fall up∣on them, to forbear all sort of Commerce with those of Castres, and to translate the Royal and Ecclesiastique jurisdictions, and the Receipt of the Kings Monies un∣to the Town of Lautrec, with command to all the Judges and Officers to come thi∣ther, as well to prevent the Kings monies from falling into their hands, as also to preserve Justice in its Integrity, and to diminish the Force and Power of that Re∣bellious City. The same Parliament too, granted an Arrest for the seizure of all the Goods, any waies belonging to those who were revolted, both to punish them, and deter others who were ready to follow them. The Half divided Chamber of Beziers, half Hugonots, and half Papists, did as much, and declared (according to the Kings Edict, of the 25th. of January the same year) the said Duke to bee guilty of Laesa Majestatis, to be a troubler of the Publick Peace, as also all his Ab∣bettors and Adherents, and Prohibited both Cities and particular persons, to hold any communication with him, and injoyning all his Majesties Subjects, to fall upon any Troops that should injure them, to cut them in peeces, and to pull down the Houses and Castles of such Noble men as were of that Faction.

But the Order which the Cardinal perswaded his Majesty to send was more power∣full then all those others; for the preventing the further progress of this Rebellion seeing it was accompanied with an extraordinary diligence. The King sent a Com∣mission to the Marshal de Themines, whom his Majesty sent to those places, to ob∣serve what passed, to raise such Troops as were already in the Province, and to ad∣vance such others as might form the Body of an Army, which might cut off the growth of this Rebellion in its Cradle. The Marshal had the Marquess de Ragny, and the Count de Carmain for Marshals of the Field, and that no longer time might be lost, he soon after came to the place, where he had designed the Rendezvouz for the whole Army, and upon his way forced the Castles of Blauc and Dovac, which served for Retreits to those who were revolted. After the Companies were assembled together, and a review taken of the whole Army, he made his Forces be∣fore Castres to Plunder the Country. The Sieur de Ferrieres who commanded the

Rebels horse, made a Salley upon the Marshal, as soon as he came within view of the Town, but they were forced to turn back again with more hast then he came out, and not onely so, but himself and three or four more of his own party, were lest wounded upon the place. The Pioneers and Plunderers played their parts un∣der the Protection of the Army, which countenanced them in it; and notwith∣standing the many shot and skirmishes, in which many were hurt and slain, both of one side and t'other, they did their work so exactly, that there was not a Tree, Vine, or Stalk of Corn standing any where neer the City. In this interim, the Duke of Rohan attempted to become Master of Sommieres, and led up his Army to it, and comming thither just upon day breaking, hee approached it by one of the Gates, which being soon thrown down, made way for his entrance; but thinking to surprize the Castle too, Masillac the Governour of it, repelled all his Attempts with such Courage, that having received the succours of ten thousand foot, which the Sieur de Valensay had sent to him from Montpellier, the Duke was forced to re∣tire to Anduze, where he was not well received. After this, the Marshal de The∣mines went without more adoe to besiege St. Paul and Miatte, which lie upon the River Langoust between Castres and Lavaur; when he had Quartered his Army before St. Paul, he forced it in few dayes, and rifled divers of the Inhabitants that were got into Miatte; but they had small hopes of any comfort, so they sent to the Marshal to desire Articles, which being granted, he entred and took possession of the Town.

But all this was nothing worth, if he did not attempt to fight the Duke of Rohan, and cut off his Forces, so he resolved to follow him, and over-taking him at Vianes in Albigeois, he set the Army into Battalia to fight him. The Duke was Quartrred in Vianes, and about two thousand of his Foot were at Peyresequade, which is at the Foot of the Mountains whereon Vianes is scituated. The Count de Carmain went to view them, and having reported to the Marshal the Condition in which he found them, it was resolved to fight them. The Marshal with his Sword in his hand mar∣ched in the Head of the Army. The Marquess de Cragny and the Count of Car∣main, took their Stations one upon his right, t'other upon his left hand, and at the same instant, the whole Army couragiously advanced towards the Enemy, with so much Resolution, that nothing more could have been wished, but onely that they had made a little more resistance, for that there was not one single man of them sa∣ved; for whilest those who made the first encounter were at it, the rest got into Vi∣anes, who were however so closely pursued by the Marshals forces, that the Regi∣ment of Normandy was hard at their heels, entring into the Town with them. Thus he remained Master of Peyresequade, where there were about one hundred and fifty of the Rebels Souldiers killed and hurt, all which the Duke of Rohan beheld from a Fort in Vianes where he then was, from which time forwards he began to despair of doing any great matters for the future, especially since he saw himself so closely followed, and that the Cardinal had taken such a course in Languedoc, that the King could have raised more men in twenty four hours, then the Duke in a whole moneth.