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 Deputation of the Valtolines towards his Holiness.

IF those Proposals made by the Legate were repugnant to the Glory of France, those which the Valtolines Deputies made at Rome, to his Holinesse, and the Sieur de Bethune, were absolutely unjust. The Spaniards had excited and wrought the Catholiques of those Countries upon the score of Religion, to offer the Soveraign∣ty to his Holiness, and to declare by their Deputies to the Sieur de Bethune, that it was not to be hoped they would ever submit themselves to the Government of the Grisons, a thing they could not do with their Consciences. They also framed a long discourse, in which they pretended to shew by many reasons, that the two Crowns of France and Spain, not being able to agree upon the Interest and Right which either pretended in those Countries, there could not be a more proper, more plausible or just expedient found out, then to put themselves into his Holiness hands, who treating the two Kings as a common Father, might grant them passage, as it should seem best unto him, and when hee should find it proper for the good of Christendom. This discourse conducing to the Popes Interests, did not a little ele∣vate his thoughts, and he had made no great Bones to consent to it, had not the Sieur de Bethune once and again dexteriously hinted to him a reason which could admit of no reply, which was this, That the Valtolines could not with Justice assume the liberty of putting themselves under the domination of any one whoever he were, they being born true and natural Subjects to the Grisons, and that the King his Master would never give way to it. He well knew, that to put the Valtoline into the Popes hands, would be the same thing as if they were given up to the Spaniard, for that the Popes are either by affection or fear, more inclined to the Spaniard then to the French. But it was very ridiculous to see the Artifices which the Deputies did use to perswade the Sieur de Bethune, that the Proposal they had made was for the Kings advantage. They several times protested to him, that they themselves and all the rest of the Valtoline, did bear so great a submission to his Majesties judgment, that they would wish for nothing else, but onely that his Majesty would pass his word for the Grisons accommodation, which if he would, they would then do what∣ever he would command them. But in conclusion, they added that his Majesty would be pleased with their resolutions of neither submitting themselves to the Gri∣sons or Spaniards. Because they evidently knew, there would be little security or advantage to the French, either in one or t'other of these expedients; withall, that to oblige them to come under the Grisons, were to force them to flie to the Spani∣ards, which if his Majesty should do, they must of necessity run to them for assist∣ance; for that they could not trust themselves under the Dominion of the Grisons, for that there was not any other Prince neer them, from whom they might receive a more ready or favourable relief. That they would full willingly have desired his Majesty to protect them; but that they doubted it would be a means to ingage his

Majesty in a perpetual War in their Country against the Spaniard, who would ne∣ver consent to it; and that all these considered, there could not any other party be found out more proper or fit then the Pope, and that France had some reason to accord to it, in respect that the Pope shewed himself very favourable to the French Interests. The Sieur de Bethune, answered them with Civilities, nothing inferior to theirs, assuring them of the affection, which his Majesty did bear to their concerns, and obliging them to be confident he would never abandon them, and that his Majesty would never consent to any Peace, by which they should not have a full and perfect Freedom for the exercise of their Religion: But as to the ground-work of the business he discovered to them, that in case they could find a means to be assured of this Liberty, that then they had no reason to exchange Masters; and especially, seeing they were not in a condition to dispose of themselves. He open∣ly professed to them, That his Majesty did not pretend in the least to the Supream Power over them, but that his resolution was to preserve them to the Grisons, pro∣curing to them full Liberty for the free exercise of their Religion, and that he would never consent the business should be ended upon other terms. This answer was both resolute and full of Justice; but however, as Passion takes away the use of Reason, so they seemed not to apprehend the reasonableness of it; as also they thought good, That the Spaniards should cause a second discourse to be writ, by a Prelate of Milan, in which they indeavoured to clear by several reasons, which were willingly assented to by the Pope. That the King had no right in the Valtoline to hinder their giving up themselves to the holy See, so unjust and unreasonable is the inconsiderate zeal, into which men do sometimes suffer themselves to be carried for Religions sake.