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.

Cabals against the Cardinal.

AT the same time that his Majesty began his journey towards Paris, the Cardi∣nal mounted on horse-back, for the reducing of Montauban; but I cannot behold him thus blindly, sacrificing his own interests to the good of France (whilest sundry great ones were contriving his ruine and destruction) and not answer that malicious pen, which being unable to asperse him with any truth, takes the li∣berty and boldnesse to find fault with, and condemn those actions of his, begun, car∣ried on, and finished with so much judgement, zeal, and good successe for his Ma∣jesties glory. This Calumniator searching for pretences, whereby he might incense the Queen Mother against him▪ and instigate her to complain unto his Majesty, and whereby she might be provoked to do her utmost for his destruction; amongst other forgeries, writeth, That she could no longer indure to see him expose his Majesties person unto so eminent dangers, as passing over the Alps in the dead of the Win∣ter, and commanding of an Army infected with the Plague, and thorough a Coun∣try full of sicknesse, in the very heat of all the Summer. But how sencelesly hath he alledged it, how without truth or judgement? Surely nothing but passion and heat, the two enemies of reason and truth, could thus guide his Pen, whose onely quarrel is the meannesse and disorder of his Fortune, which he thinks must all be attributed to the Cardinal, without considering that it is the effect of his own mis∣demeanours and ill behaviour. Is there any man living so sencelesse, besides him∣self, as to beleeve, that the Cardinal should hazard his Majesties life and person, when as all his Fortune and hopes depend onely upon him? Was he not at that time well acquainted, how mortally the Queen Mother hated him? that Monsieur had no affection for him? and that by consequence, if his Majesty should miscarry his disgrace and ruine were unavoidable? The Queen Mother could not possibly be of his opinion, seeing her complaint was, that the Cardinal was too much tied to his Majesties Interests; which one consideration alone, were enough to have kept him off from hazarding his Majesties health upon a slight occasion, if his Loyalty had been capable of so great an Infidelity: But what would not the detain∣ing of his Majesty have been, to ravish from him one of the greatest Subjects of glo∣ry that had been presented to him since his Reign? had he stayed at Paris, he had been hindred from his journey to Suze, from the raising the siege at Cazal, he had never forced the Alps in despight of the Duke of Savoy, though seconded with the forces of Spain; he had not returned by Languedoc, and there brought all the re∣bellious Hugonots under his obedience, who had had the boldnesse to take up Arms against him. The Kings Generosity was such, that should the Cardinal have dis∣swaded him from the expedition withall his Art, yet I am confident he would ne∣ver have been perswaded to let any one else go and gather the Harvest of that glo∣rious expedition. Besides the Cardinal had much forgot himself, should he have

attempted to divert the King from this design, seeing there could not be any appa∣rent hazard of his health; doth not every one know, that his Majesty was used from his Infancy, to endure the ayr, and that he could not suffer much more in this Journey then he commonly did in his huntings? I shall only add this one consideration more. Hi•• being there was an absolute necessity, for the incouraging of his Forces, which wee newly come off from the troublesome siege of Rochel, and just then to begin a new voyage, no lesse laborious and painful.

The presence of a Prince is the soul of his Army, and without it the Souldiers are never so courageous. The Duke of Savoy, the Spaniard and the Hugonots, were to be overcome, they were no small encounters, and it was to be doubted whether his Majesties Army could have gone through with them, without his presence, to wh••se sight they were formerly wont to ascribe all their victories. Without all peradventure, some trouble and labour he must needs endure, and who knoweth not, that never any great Prince, did yet refuse it, for the obtaining of an hono∣rable victory?