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.

Politique Observation.

HE who defendeth the wicked, and he who offendeth the good, are both in equal abomination before the Lord, as Salomon saith in his Proverb's, I should therefore submit to that of St.Chrisostome who saith, That as Justice without Mercy is not Justice, but cruelty: So Mercy without Justice, is not Mercy but extream rashness. It were not lesse improper, to pardon all Crimes, then to use on all occasions the extremity of Justice. Both ought to be moderated by discretion, without which there are as many inconveniences which will follow gentleness as severity. Philip advised his son Alexander to be very courteous to his subjects, whilst he was not King, for it would not be fit for him to use so great indulgence towards them, when as he should arrive to the Throne; Judging, with great wisdome, that it is impossi∣ble for him who ruleth, to treat all with clemency; not only because the Interest of his subjects doth sometimes compel him to be severe, but also because unlesse he punish the wicked, it will be a dimination of his own authority: The Heathens say, Jupiter himself cannot raign without Justice. And Plutarch in the Life of Demetrius saith, nothing is more becoming a Prince, then the excercise of this vertue; and doth not Solomon who is much more authentique, say, The Throne of a King is established by Justice. St. Cyprian in his Tract of the twelve abuses,

saith the Justice of the King, is the Peace of the people, the Nurse of Children, the defence of the Country, the comfort of the poor, and himself the hope of Heaven to come. And if a Soveraign ever may make use of it, he ought not to let it lye idle, when it sends to the purging of his Court from such seditious companions, as engage his nobles daily to cut one anothers throats.

It is a Crime more then Brutal; for the instinct of nature, forbideth beasts to fall upon one another. It is reported that Neurians are Wolves one six mouths of the year, & men t'other six mouths, but I should with more Justice imagine their swash bucklers, not to be men at all, but that by their greediness of spilling mans blood, that are beasts Wolves and Tigres, all their lives. Their courage is not courage but a fury, which hurrieth them on to dip their hands in their brothers blood, not a courage but a Rage which maketh them madly expose their bodies to death, and their souls to damnation. It is not any just Law of Arms which obli∣geth that to be thus barbarous, but a Devilish Charm which deprives them, of their reason. The foolish passion of an imaginary honour which animateth them, is a monster begot by vanity, brought up by fury and nourished by blood; as it is said of that in Habacuc, the greatest, the noblest and most courageous serve it for a prey. What apparency of reason can there be alledged, for renuing the old Butchery of Haman flesh, before the images, not of a Moloc; a Saturn, but a vain fantasie of honour? What Justice to tollerate that, which God hath so ex∣presly forbid and condemned to be punished with death, which heaven abhors, which the Laws detest and which is only worthy of Hell fier? But above all things, it ought not to be permitted, when committed in dirsion of the Regal authority, for once admitting a Kings power to be trampled on, the next thing which fol∣lows, will be the peoples revolt, and a general confusion in the whole Kingdom.