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.

REbels at their first rising may perchance get some advantages, either by intel∣ligences in strong Towns or surprisal of those which are but ill kept, but in fine they do moulter away and are reduced to nothing. It were to be wished, that before they attempted any thing, they did but know, what is the true Reason hereof which it this, they are to seek for those things which are necessary to continue a War, with good successe, for the beginning there need little or nothing, but those beginnings must of necessity terminate in disasters, if he who is the first mover, have not store of Forces, and power to recruite them, if he be not furnished with ex∣pert Officers and Treasures, if he have not very good intelligences with the Lords & Princes bordering upon those places which he pretendeth to assault, & lastly if him∣self too, be not endewed with a soul & courage truly great that he ought of necessity to have Forces and power to recuit himself, cannot be doubted, because otherwise, his soveraign will presently crush him, the inconstancie of his Souldiers will by di∣sbanding leave him naked; and sicknesses will help to take away some too, so that in fine he will be reduced to nothing, if he cannot repair his losses by recruits, and new fresh Regiments. That which gave the Romans such advantage over other Na∣tions, was, first their discipline of War, but secondly their Numbers; now the means used to get such great Armies, was to exercise those Enemies whom they had over∣come, in their Militia, as Tacitus observeth on the Life of the Emperour Claudian, and on the other side the Lacedemonians, and Athenians, not entertaining any Strangers, though by them subjugated, never brought any great considerable Armies for number into the field, and consequently could never attain unto so great an Empire. Next to the great numbers of Souldiers, which he ought to have, comes Treasures, without which it is impossible to prevent an Army from wanting victuals, clothes, and necessaries, and by consequence from disbanding, Quintus Flaminius seeing Philopoemon Captain of the Grecians, with a great Army, both of Horse and

Foot, but without any mony, laughed at him; he hath indeed, quoth he, store of Legs and Arms, but no Belly; meaning, by like, that he wanted wherewithal to feed them. Caesar how great a Souldier soever, and how valiant soever his Souldiers were, brake open the Treasure Gate at Rome, contrary to Motellus the Tribunes will: for he wisely foresaw, that it would be impossible to give a good account of the War, without he were provided with store of Treasures. Next of all I come to expect Officers who are not lesse needful, because they are as the soul of the Soul∣diers; and as it is true that a Body cannot move without it's soul, neither can any Souldiers do any thing considerable, if not conducted by the example of their Commanders and instructed how, where and when, they ought to fight. And then ought he to hold good intelligence too with the Grandees, and those places which border upon that part which he designeth to attaque, for otherwise, his Convoyes will be stopped, every day will make some hole in his Coat, and they will serve for retreits to his Enemies to contrive Ambushes and designs against him. For this Reason it was that James King of Scotland, contriving to make War upon Henry the eighth King of England, was careful to hold intelligence, with the English, who else might have endangered and troubled his Forces; & that Hannibal assaulting the Romans; first made sure of the Spaniards, French, and Africans; and that the Romans bending their powers against Philip of Macedon, first sent their Ambassadors, to make a League with Ptolomei King of Egypt. Lastly, and most especially he himself ought to be of a genius and courage, every way truely extraordinary, for every day he must be exposed to new dangers; the successe of the greatest part of his affairs, will depend upon his own prudence and addresse; the least distrust or fear that shall appear in him will drive away whole troops from him; extraordinarie designs re∣quiring a proportionate conduct to carrie them on, in regard Revolts have the more need of Fortunes assistance, because they are the most hazardous exploits in which a man can ingage, never any mean Low heart arrived to any good succusse or Fortune by them. These are the chief things necessary for a great enterprise, and they that engage themselves, without these, do rashly run the hazard of their own destruction: It is only by the want of these supports that so many Authors of Revolt have gone out with shame and confu∣sion.