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.

Prosecution of the History.

IF it was a businesse of some difficulty to perswade the Allies to accept of the agreement, it was no whit lesse troublesome, to execute those Articles which had been concluded particularly for demolishing those Forts in the Valtoline: The two Armies could by no means be drawn off untill the Forts were slighted, which was no small charge to the two Kings as well as to his Holiness, who had carried six thousand men as far as Milan; whence is followed that it was treated both in France, Spain, Rome, Milan and Valtoline, in what manner it should be done, and so many difficulties did arise, that it was November before any thing was re∣solved on; and the execution of it deferred untill February in the year one thousand six hundred twenty seven. The Treaty was to this effect, that the Forts should be restored into his Holinesse hands to be forthwith demolished; but the Pope made some difficulty of charging himself with the doing of it, and onely desired that the Forts might be delivered up into his hands, for reparation of the injury, which had been dore him as he perswaded himself, when as the Marqueis de Coeuvres took them from him, and that afterwards he would cause the Spaniards to rase them. France did not at all stand upon re••••oring them into the Popes hands, but the King would be well assured that the Pope should not deliver them over into the Spaniards

hands to be by them demolished, to which effect he desired that his Holiness, would only send in so many Souldiers, that in appearance only they might seem to be Masters, which his Holiness would not be drawn to, and the Spaniards too disswaded him from it, as hoping that when his Holiness should have them in his absolute power, they might find some way or other, to get them into theirs and so demolish them, which many amongst them thought to be very honourable, though divers others were of a contrarie opinion, as imagining it to be a work ignoble for their Master, who had first caused them to be built.