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.

How the Cardinal de Lorrain came to meet the King at Chasteauthierry, where his Majesty stayed to demand Nancy in Deposite.

IT had been not only commendable but advantagious to Monsieur de Lorrain, to have been more concern'd at the seizure at Bar, and to have waited upon his Majesty to do him homage, and satisfie the just discontents conceived against him by his submissions; but fortune contriving to destroy him, had cast her Mantle before his eyes, so that the continued immoveable in his first designs. Whereupon his Majesty, about August, found himself obliged to go to Chasteau∣thierry, from thence to meet the Army, which he had recall'd from the Country of Treves, and to carry them before Nancy, the better to hinder the Duke of Lor∣rain's Levies; and in case he persisted in his late Procedures, to reduce him to such a passe, that he might be no more in a condition of giving any jealousie to France, or interrupting the forces of its Allies. Whiles his Majesty was at Chasteauthierry, the Cardinal of Lorrain came to meet him, and after some complements and ex∣cuses,

beseeched his leave to make some Propositions unto him. He told him, that he did much condemn his brothers actions, and that he had never had any hand in them; both in regard of the respect he owed his Majesty; as also because be foresaw the issue could not but be disadvantagious; that if his Majesty should con∣tinue in the resolution to drive this affair to the utmost, he concluded his Brothers ruine inevitable, and that for his own particular fortune, he should seek no other refuge but that of his royal bounty, beseech'd him to receive him into his protecti∣on, and to permit him to retire into France. His Majesty received him very fa∣vourably, and told him, that he should alwaies know how to distinguish betwixt his and his Brothers actions; that he was sufficiently inform'd, that he had no hand in his Brothers deport; and that he should willingly afford him all the proofs of as hearty a good will, as the interest of his affairs would permit; that he assured him of his protection; and that amidst his Brothers disgrace, he should be sure to find all the advantage which could be justly desired from his protection. The Car∣dinal de Lorrain, would have made hereupon certain Proposals to his Majesty for the accommodation of affairs, which his Majesty remitted to Monsieur the Cardi∣nal. The same day the Cardinal de Lorrain, went to visit Monsieur le Cardinal, assured him of Monsieurs marriage, proposed to him to break it, to put his sister, the Princesse Marguerite into his Majesties hands, and to cause the homage of the Dutchy of Bar, to be payed unto his Majesty in the Dutchesse of Lorrain's name. The Cardinal answered him, that the King could not give ear to any proposition, seeing the breach of that match was not in the power of Monsieur de Lorrain; that besides his so little fidelity in observing the three Treaties lately made with him; his Majesty had particular information of his evil conduct, and could no longer trust him without some more potent means to oblige him to keep his word; that his faltrings, had three several times constrained his Majesty to raise great Armies, to the great and trouble expence of his Subjects, which made his Majesty resolve to put a final end to the War, that there might be no more trouble in it; that the Duke his Brother might not have the boldnesse to intermeddle in any factions of his State, as he had formerly done, even to the ingaging of Monsieur in a match, which did equally offend the dignity of the Crown and Person of his Majesty, be∣ing managed without his consent, against the Laws of the Kingdom, and to the countenancing of his invading France; and that the only means which could in∣duce his Majesty to trust the Duke his Brother, was to Deposit Nancy in his hands, that this was the best course he could take, seeing it would preserve his Country; and that Nancy it self, should be assuredly restored unto him, if he carried himself for the future, as did become him; that in case he intended fairly, he need not fear any thing; but if on the contrary, he was resolv'd to persist in attempts against his Majesty, it would be to no purpose to treat; that his Majesty was positively resolved, to admit of no other conditions; and that Monsieur de Lorrain ought to make the lesse difficulty to consent thereunto, in regard he was despoiled of all his Estates, excepting Nancy it self, the losse of which would be unavoidable, un∣lesse he gave his Majesty satisfaction; that this place indeed was strong, but that the Duke being unable to keep the field, and without Revenue, his Majesty would the more easily force him to surrender it, in regard he might manage the War against him at his own charges; that to ground his hopes upon the alteration of times, was a counsel very pernicious, seeing his Majesty was young, absolute in his Kingdom; and that his cause being just there was reason to hope that God would continue to prosper his Armies with the like happy successe, as he had hi∣therto done. Hereupon the Cardinal of Lorrain, represented to him that this condition was so hard, that he could not advise his brother to accept of it; but at the last extremity, seeing the chance of War could not reduce him to a worse pass then to see his Captal City taken from him, and forced to depend upon anothers Will; That he doubted not of his Majesties intention to perform the trust of a De∣posit; but that the state of affairs being subject to change, his enemies might by

their ill Offices make his Majesty believe that he had broken the Treaty; and con∣sequently, give him occasion to detain Nancy; that he beseeched the Cardinal to consider what a shame it would be for his brother to deliver up one of the best places in the World, in the sight of all Europe, without resistance, and not being forced thereunto; that he confess'd his Majesties Power was great, and that it would be difficult for him to withstand it; and that finding himself between two great Princes, he ought to be the more cautious of his deportment, in regard if he should satisfie the King by delivering Nancy, he should contract the Emperour's displeasure, from whom he holdeth his Dutchy, which doubtlesse he would de∣clare to be forfeited by Proclamation of the Empire, with a resolution to seiz up∣on it as soon as ever the affairs of Germany would permit him; That indeed he might reasonably expect his Majesties protection, but that then it might so fall out that his Majesty might be so far ingaged in other Wars, as not to be in a condition of assisting him, by which means his ruine would then be inevitable; and more∣over, that he thought it impossible to perswade his brother to Deposit Nancy, un∣lesse at the last extremity of his affairs. Whereunto the Cardinal answered, that he found it not strange that he should alledge his holding of the Empire, and the power of the House of Austria; but besides that, the King did not consider such pretensions, he thought that if the Duke of Lorrain did well weigh it, he would find no great reason to build upon it, because he well knew that those whose inte∣rests he alledged, being the chief Authors of his evil conduct, had not been very solicitous to assist him: That he confess'd indeed Monsieur de Lorrain was under the P••otection of two Crowns; but that the Laws of the very protection, obli∣ged him to deserve it from the King, by his respects and good deportment; and to conclude, by the desires which his Predecessors had testified, that his preservati∣on intirely depended thereupon: That instead thereof he had provok'd his Maje∣sty, broken his faith by infringing of Treaties, taken part with Spain, run into all acts of Hostility, and to compleat all the rest of his breaches of promise which might offend his Majesty, had ravish'd a son of France, and ingag'd Monsieur to marry his sister, whereupon his Majesty had but too much reason to invade his Countries; and that if he did more fear the power of the Emperour, then that of France, then at his Gates, he might chuse what party he pleased to defend himself by force; but that in case he would prudently avoid his ruine, which was inevita∣ble, he could not take a better course, then by depositing of Nancy, which would secure his States without any loss to him.

As for matter of his holding of the Empire, the King was far enough from ad∣mitting it, seeing he himself claimeth the Soveraignty of Lorrain, and that the Homage was due unto him; that the Empire had heretofore usurp'd it from this Crown, but that length of possession could not prejudice a Soveraigns right, be∣cause great Princes, who acknowledge no other Tribunal upon earth, where they may claim their own, are alwaies permitted to demand their rights from Usurpers, and to enter them by force; so that no time can cause a prescription against them; that the affairs of France had not heretofore been in a condition to dispute these pretences; but that now God having opened his Majesty a way to establish his Monarchy, in its primitive greatnesse, Posterity would have a just cause to reproach him with negligence, if he should not imploy his forces in the recovery of the most ancient rights of his Crown: that Monsieur de Lorrain ought to have had those fears alledged by him in his mind, at such time as he was running on to provoke his Ma∣jesty against him, but that now having done the injury, his Majesty could not dis∣semble his resentment: wherefore he was absolutely resolved to be reveng'd unless he receiv'd such satisfaction that all Europe might know to be reasonable: that his P••edecessors had ever well-esteem'd the friendship of France, and that he himself might have rested secure in this protection, because his Majesty well knew how to defend him against any man: But in fine, that the King could not admit of any other condition then the Deposite of Nancy, seeing though he already had the

best places of Lorrain in his hands, they could not oblige the Duke to keep his pro∣mise, and that his Majesty had reason to suspect he would not be much more soli∣citous for keeping it in future, after so many changes of his resolution: that his Maje∣sty chiefly desired this assurance, that he might no more hazard the receiving a new injury, or be necessitated (to his great expence) to raise a new Army: a thing, peradventure, which might then fall out when the State of his affairs would hardly permit him to attend it, whereas the present conjuncture was such, that his Maje∣sty could not wish it more favourable, there being no likelyhood of any thing to divert him; that the Duke of Lorrain might be thereby the more readily induc'd to this resolution; his Majesty desired to inform him of the present state of his af∣fairs; that that of France was such, that it was not only at Peace, but without fear of civil War, all ill Subjects conspiring to be obedient, the Treasure being full of money to sustain the charge; and on the other side, the Treaty of the Low Countries being broken, without the least hopes of being brought on again, and the Spaniards being in so much want of assistance from their Allies; that the Duke of Lorrain could not pretend to expect any from them. As to Germany, that the Emperours forces had enough to do, to defend themselves from the prosperous successe of the Swede, who was not likely to be stopp'd. As to matter of Italy, that the Cardinal Infanta's forces; were not yet ready to march, and that admit∣ting they were, yet that they might meet with great obstructions in the Valtoline, the Swedes being advanced thither to hinder their march; and that thus Nancy might be besieg'd, and taken without hopes of any assistance to releeve it, unlesse Monsieur de Lorrain, had rather Deposite it in his Majesties hands. The Cardi∣nal de Lorrain found it an hard task to answer these reasons, and being retired, all the course he took was to beseech his Majesty, to give him time to confer with the Duke his brother; and in the mean time, not to make any further progresse. The King not only refus'd it, but assur'd that he would march before Nancy, with the greatest speed that might be, resolv'd never to depart, until he had reduc'd it to its obedience.