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 Dispatch of the Sieur du Chasteauneuf to the Common-wealth of Ve∣nice, for the Affairs before-mentioned,

THE Sieur de Bulloin made use of his Reason with so much Judgement and Prudence, that he obtained all he could desire: The Cessation of Arms was consented to; and accordingly, proclaimed in Milan, Genoa, and Piedmont. The referring of the businesse to Arbitration was well approved of, and his Highnesse delivered a breviate of his pretensions to the Crown of Cyprus, to the Sieur at Bullion, who assured he would recommend that businesse particularly to his Majesty; and told him, that most assuredly his Majesty would be very careful of it. On the other side the Sieur de Chasteauneuf was at the same time sent to the Com∣mon-wealth of Venice, to induce them to accord to the Treaty and accommodati∣on of Mouson, and from thence for the same purpose to the Grisons, the Valtolines, and the Swisses. Those first Reasons which were given in charge to the Sieur de Bullion, to represent to the Duke of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were also included in his Instructions, and he had likewise particular order to ad•…•… to the Common-wealth of Venice, That they had great reason to be well satisfied with the Peace, seeing it freed them from a chargeable War, subject to many accidents, and in which well they might lose much, but gain little. And because the Venetian Embassador declared that he did imagine the assurance of the Treaty to consist in the keeping up of those Forts in the Valtoline; the said Sieur de Chasteauneuf had Order to let them know, that such a pretension as that was, would most assuredly have broken off the Treaty of ac∣commodation, and that all that was to be wished, was sometimes impossible to be effected: Besides that, the keeping up of the Fort; would be a great charge, ei∣ther in relation to the necessary expences, for the giving of a full satisfaction, or else for the maintaining of a strong Garison, and who at last cast too, might not peradventure be able to keep out the Spaniard, if at any time hee should have a mind to enter upon them with an Army. He was also charged to let them perceive that the natural inclination of the Valtolines, was not to indure any Rule or Go∣vernment, and that they would never have indured any long time together, that those Forts should remain in the power of a stranger, and that the Spaniards know∣ing their natures to be such, would alwaies be inciting and assisting them under∣hand to retake them; so that the keeping up of the Forts, would instead of secu∣ring the Treaty, onely become an absolute ground of troubles to the Common-wealth; as they who are nearest seated to the Valtoline, who are in perpetual fears and jealousies, and forced still to be upon their Guard against the Spaniards at∣tempts, which would put them to vast charges, and force them too at last to yeeld to reason. And he was commanded by his Majesty, that he might humour the Commonwealth in its Interests, to tell them, that the King would willingly grant them the Passages of the Valtoline and Grisons for ten years, he knowing how passi∣onately they desired it; and moreover, that his Majesty would in case they should request it, enter into a defensive League with them.

The Sieur de Chasteauneuf prosecuted these Instructions so luckily, that the Com∣mon-wealth was sensible of the honour the King had done them, in sending to them an extraordinary Embassadour upon their Affairs; and left it to his Majesty to consider, whether all those advantages which were to be wished for, were com∣prised

in the Treaty, and that for their particulars, they thought themselves much obliged for his proffer of a defensive League, assuring the said Sieur de Chasteau∣neuf, that they should be ever ready to continue those testimonies of affection and observance, which they had alwaies had towards the Crown of France, which was as much as could be desired from them. Then the Sieur de Chasteauneuf went to∣wards the Grisons and the Valtoline in prosecution of his Embassiy: The Instructi∣ons which he received from his Majesty concerning those parts, was to joyn him∣self with the Marquesse de Coeuvres and to swear those people to a solemn observa∣on of the Treaty. The Valtolines made not any difficulty at all at it, but accepted of the Treaty, as also to pay every year unto the Grisons, five and twenty thousand Crowns, which had been imposed on them: But as for the Grisons, there were many meetings and Assemblies held amongst them, without any resolution; but onely in general terms they thanked his Majesty, for his assistance, and acknow∣ledged themselves infinitely obliged to him. But as to the Treaty, they desired they might send their Deputies towards his Majesty to represent to him the difficul∣ties which did arise in their acceptation of the said agreement, by reason of the al∣teration of Justice, seeing the Magistracy and Authority, was given into the hands of the Valtolines. They accordingly sent their Deputies to make their com∣plaints, but after they were once fully informed of the Justice of those reasons which invited them to accept of the Treaty, seeing otherwise it would be impossible to preserve the Soveraignty of the Valtoline to them, or to defend themselves from a perpetual War with the Valtolines, who being under-p••••••pped by the Spaniards, would never submit to their longer government of them; as also that the Sove∣raignty of Justice was well payed for by a great sum, and that themselves too might be chosen into the Magistracy as well as the Valtolines, they did at last accept of it, and were content to receive the Treaty. So the Sieur de Chasteauneuf con∣tinued on his journey towards Switzerland, for the satisfying of his Majesties pleasure, who had commanded him to induce the Cantons both Catholick and Pro∣testant to accept of the Treaty, seeing they had not a little contributed to the re∣covery of the Valtoline, by those Troops which they had sent thither, and that it were not amisse to ingage them in the execution of those Articles of Peace, for that they might be very much assisting towards the preserving of the Valtoline in that condition as had now been resolved on. To the Catholiques he represented, that they had great reason to be satisfied with it, seeing the Catholique Religion was established so firmly in the Valtoline; and to the Protestants he alledged, that considering the Soveraignty was maintained to the Grisons, they had reason to rest contented; accordingly, the Catholicks resolved to subscribe to it and to perswade the Grisons to do the like. And the Protestants after some difficulties at first, being shortly after assembled at Aran, resolved likewise to imbrace it, excepting as to what concern'd Religion, and delivered their Declaration at the same time to the Sieur de Chasteauneuf. And thus the Treaty being accepted of all hands, that were any wayes concerned in it, there remained onely the putting it in execution.