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.

Nothing is more ingenious then Women to attain their Designs.

VVOmen of all creatures are the most dexterous in contriving their designs, their natural sprightlinesse of imagination, furnisheth them with a thou∣sand expedients, and proposeth all kinds of overtures, with such probabilities of happy successe, that they are easily inflam'd with a desire of trying them. This desire maketh so great an impression upon their Passions, that in case any obsta∣cle present it self to divert them, they never want anger; which so disturbeth them, that they admit of no rest, untill they have surmounted it, and obtain the ends which they propose to themselves. This their violent apprehension, augmenteth the fruitfulnesse of their conceptions; and as the heat of the ayr doth every day disclose new productions in the bosom of the earth; so their ardent desires beget new expedients in their minds, carrieth all their thoughts, conducteth all their motions, guideth all their affections, and so disposeth of all their power, that they neither think, desire, discourse, or do any thing, but what tendeth to their ends; they sleep with the consideration of those means which may conduce to their own ends, the desire of executing them, awakeneth them in the morning; and as they have little diversions in the day time, they have no greater delight then to discourse with them, in whom they put their confidence. Men who are imploy'd in great affairs, have their imginary faculties more barren, and granting them to be as fertile as those of Ladies, yet the diversity of their imployments doth so divert them, that it is impossible for them ever to be ruminating upon the same Subject; but otherwise it is with Ladies, especially those of quality, who have nothing to do but to please their own fancies. I might likewise adde, that the defect of Prudence,

which is evident in most of them, is in some sort to their advantage, because it gives them more courage to execute, than the wisest of men, whose judgement makes them fore-see many inconveniences, which women do not at all apprehend. Besides, the respect which every one beareth to their Sex, seemeth to take away al•• ••ear from them, by perswading them that the worst that can befall them, is but to discover their Sex and quality; and that once known, not any person of quality will use them uncivilly. Amongst the many inventions which they have used to save themselves by flight, or to obtain their desires, that of changing their ha∣bits is one of the most frequent. So Laodice, the wife of Mithridates, unwilling to forsake her husband, when vanquish'd by Pompey, cloath'd her self like a man, and follow'd him a long time, as if she had had an indefatigable body and courage. Se∣miramis knowing most people impatient of the Government of women, left off her usual habit after her husbands death, and assum'd that of the Kings, the better to preserve the government in her hands, during the nonage of her son Ninus. Doth not History record the same of divers Persian women, who in the habit of Souldi∣ers followed their Husbands to the Wars, between the King of Persia, and Selim the Turkish Emperour? We read that divers Germans went to the Holy War with the Emperour Conradus, cloath'd and accoutred like Cavaliers, with as much valor as Amazons.