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 Sieur de Leon sent Ambassador into Zwizzerland.

HIS Majesty was advised, presently after the news of the Comte de Merodes, that the Spaniards were making of parties amongst the Swizzers, and en∣deavouring to gain the Catholick Cantons. Whereupon his Majesty sent the Sieur de Leon Brulant Ambassador towards them, to assure them of the affection which he still had for their interest; to exhort them to continue in that alliance which had been for many years between them; and to perswade them to preserve that corre∣spondence which was between their Cantons, as also to preserve the Cantons their Neighbours and Allyes from the oppression of the house of Austria. He was not wanting to acquaint them, what devises had already been used to divide them from the Grison••, which was the inserting of a clause in the treaty of Madrid, by which it was provided, that the 13 Cantons, or the Major part of them, should see the per∣formance of the Articles of the Treaty, and at the same time to contrive under hand, that the Catholick Cantons should not consent to this warranty, and to perswade the Grisons, that those Cantons had fain off from their interest; the design being by sowing this darnel among them, to weaken them by division, and consequently to enable themselves the better to seize upon their Forts and passages; and last of all he represented to them by very evident reasons, that the Spaniard had design to sow the like division amongst their Cantons, to the intent he might also seize on their passages, which he had already sent letters to demand; and that therefore to secure them from this danger, the more important to them, in regard all their force consisteth in the good intelligence of their Cantons, and that of their Allyes, they were obliged to be careful, that no division were cast amongst them by any proposi∣tions which should be made, and also to take up Arms to assist the Grisons, not one∣ly because they were part of their Common-wealth, but to keep off from themselves the like mis-fortune wherewith they were threatned. The Sieur de Leon negotiated this affair with a great deal of prudence, and made them see their interests by such lively reasons, that they resolved in an assembly at Soleur held the 5. of August, to preserve themselves in a strict Union, and to write unto the Emperour, that if he did not restore the Grisons to their first State, they would then joyne themselves with the most Christian King to be revenged of the injury he had done them. This Re∣solution

gave the Spaniard an alarum, who presently sent Cassate to destroy it, and disunite the Protestants from the Catholicks who are Masters of the principal passa∣ges: They employed their continual cares to that end, and being more considera∣ble amongst them then we are by reason of their commerse, and trade with Milan, they so prevailed that at last they changed their minds, and we were forced to be contented with the raising of some Troops, which were to stay in their own Country to guard and defend the passages against the Imperialists, in case they should attempt to enter.