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.

IT cannot but be an unjust reward, to repay the services of a grand Minister with calumnies. If good offices do by all kinds of Justice oblige a grateful return, what reason can there then be, injuriously to attaint his honour, who imployeth his whole time in his Countries good? It is faith an Ancient, a great mans misery, when he seeth himself appayed with slanders; yet notwithstanding, the most famous men of Antiquity, and those very persons from whom our Kings have received most signal services, have found themselves ingratefully rewarded. Let us a little look back into the beginning of this Monarchy, and take a view of those who have served our Kings, hardly shall we find any one whose conduct hath not been blamed, accused condemned. We have hereof laid down the reasons in other places; at present I shall insert this only, That the Favour of their Master the Benefits they receive from Him, and the Glory which they obtain by their ser∣vices, are a sufficient cause to procure them hatred; so great an Empire hath Envy in the Courts of Princes. Not that this misfortune is only appropriate to this Mo∣narchy; No, it is of longer standing, and more universal: For did not the Atheni∣ans banish Themistocles, the greatest man of his time, and one who had done them unspeakable service? Was not Coriolanus hated, accused, banished by the Romans, whom nothing but meer necessity could reduce to a sense of their fault? And how often did the Israelites rebel against Moses, who had how-ever done so many mi∣racles before their eyes? A thousand other examples might be produced, were the universality hereof a thing questionable. Surely a deplorable thing it is, either in respect of its injustice, it being unreasonable, that a person who hath done the State good service, should be therefore ill requited: or else in respect of the ill conse∣quences, it being frequently seen that it begets troubles, to which only end such defamations are spread abroad. Marlius Capitolinus had no other way to raise a Sedition in R••me against Camillus, after he had secured the City from the French, who had surprized it, then by raising of scandals upon him, and endeavouring to perswade the people that he had embezelled the Publike Treasure. But what? may

it not I pray, in general be said, That aspersions have been the seeds of all the Re∣volts which ever hapned in France, and that the Authors of them have seldom gotten any thing thereby, except shame, hatred, and confusion.