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 Queen-Mothers Request to the same effect.

THis Request was only the beginning of those Calumnies wherewith Monsieur's Agents did endeavour to bespatter the Cardinals glory; for from that time lay∣ing their heads together, with those of the Queen-Mother, they never ceased from inventing and spreading of defamatory Letters and Libels. The Queen Mother too her self presented a Request unto the Parliament against him. But when they perceived all their attempts were vain, either as to the ruining of him in his Maje∣sties good opinion, or for the advancing of the Army which they had already con∣trived in their conceptions, then their Anger turned into Fury, and they resolved not to leave any thing unsaid which might bring his Reputation into dis-esteem. They verily perswaded themselves, that at last some Neighbour Prince would assist them with an Army, to maintain their Quarrel, or that they might ra••e so great a hatred against him in the peoples minds, as they would rise and take up Arms, so

to force his Majesty to sacrifice him unto their Fury. Indeed I should have con∣cluded him very unfortunate, had his glory depended upon their testimonies, and if the honour which he hath merited by laying out so much of his health, by drying up his blood, by watching day and night over the Affairs of State, by giving up his Freedom▪ his very soul, his words, his writings, and all his time unto his Kings service, and for the good of France, by doing things even above admiration it self, should need their approbation. But as the reward of Vertue is extracted from Vertue it self, and as there are no Theaters where great mens actions appear with more pomp, then in the testimony of their own proper Conscience, whereby Noble deeds glance out rayes of honour, like the beams of the Sun, so it was hap∣py for him that they chose this time to calumniate him, when he had newly accom∣plished such glorious actions for his Majesties service, as cannot easily be described in History. He needed not have desired (as that Ancient did) to have a house so built, that all the world might behold him, seeing the glory of his actions was of so great advantage unto all Europe, that every one was taken up in contemplation of him with admiration. I may safely add, that the malice wherewith they bely'd his most just and sincere proceedings, did render all their accusations suspected. And who knows not without more ado, that the usual course with them who would embroyl a State, is to fall foul upon the Ministers of Government.