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Politique Observation.
A King ought never to forget the rewarding of extraordinary services, with marks of honour; for glory is the Nurse of Vertue, and reward ought to follow all Actions accompanyed with Courage and Valour; so that it is unjust not to reward those advantages which a grand Minister procureth to the Crown It is likewise true, that honourable Qualities cannot more justly be conferred on any, then those that do honourable actions; seeing the most significant names are given to Subjects, only in consideration of their ordinary Actions. Now the name of Duke most properly belongeth to him who leads an Army in War, and manageth affairs of State in peace under the King's Authority. In this sence the primitive Gauls took it, and it is most conformable to the Etymologie of the word: Those are the Offices which Just••nian ascribeth in his Institutes to a per∣son of this Quality. Ancient Authors do not observe that this was taken for any constant Honour, until Dioc••esian and Constantine, in whose time the Gover∣nours of Provinces and Frontiers, and Generals of Armies, were called Dukes, and Masters of War; as may be seen in Amienus Marcellinus. Tacitus indeed who lived under Trajane, called Generals of Armies Dukes, but it was only a temporary Quality, which lasted no longer then their Commands. It was under the later Emperours, and our first Kings, that this qualification was annexed to any particular person, and made permanent, as may be seen in Gregory de Tours, the most ancient of our Historians; where it is observed, how King•• ••••ntram gave the Dukeship and Government of the whole Kingdom for five years unto Eudistus. At that rime indeed this quality was not so fixed, but that it might somtimes be recalled from those on whom it had been bestowed, seeing it was conferred on him but for a certain time; and the same Historian mentioneth some Lords of those times who were deprived of the Ducal Dignity; yet commonly it was given for life. As for the Dignity of Peer, that is not so ancient, but very eminent; for that the Peers take place before all other Honours of the Kingdom, as may be seen in the example of Philip the first Duke of Burgogne, who went before Lewis Duke of Anjou his elder Brother, at the Creation of Charls the sixth their Nephew, by reason he was a Peer, which his brother was not. The most common opinion attributeth the first Institution to Char••em••gne, but with∣out other proof then this, that History maketh no mention of it before his time, and it is believed that they were created to be Judges of State Affairs, which were decided by the Parliament in the King's presence: That great Prince esta∣blishing this Order in the Kingdom, to secure it from those misfortunes whereunto the late Merouingiens had exposed it, by refusing to take any other care then that of their pleasu••es. T••ere are some ancient Titles found, which make ap∣pear, That the Comter de Champagne had seven Lords in their Comte, who were Peers, and did astist them in great Ceremonies, and the Decision of chief Af∣fairs. In Germany there are some who are chief Ministers of their Princes Ju∣stice; but although they partake of the Name, yet are they but Images, and those very imperfect, in regard of the greatnesse of those of France, who are thought to have been instituted to assist the King, to serve him, and receive his Oath at his Consecration, and by their Office are impowered to advise him in the Government of the State.