SIr, the title of your good Brother, and auncient Friend, wherwith the King my Master is truly stiled, doth assu­redly perswade him that you also on your part haue the like impression of sincere affection, which is infused and ingrafted in him by the suc­cessiue and perpetuall continuance of that vnited amitie and alliance, which his Prede­cessors the Kings of Scotland haue had at all times with your Crowne, hath beene te­stified also in these latter daies, by the Kings of England, in their worthy and effectuall [Page] assistance often performed vnto your State, chiefly vnto your Father, the late King of worthy memory, in the time of his most dif­ficult affaires; so that you cannot impute any thing proceeding from him, but vnto that same entire affection, which his Maie­stie, on his part, desires (if it may be) to con­tinue, and perpetuate in his Successours, both to you and yours.

Whereupon, his Maiestie by expresse command hath charged me, seriously to re­monstrate vnto your Maiestie, for the good of your Person and State, and all Christen­dome in generall; and as he assureth him­selfe, that all his actions and proceedings since his raigne, which began with his life, will iustifie him before you and the world, that he neuer through practicality, or curio­sitie intruded himselfe into forraine affaires, so hath he this testimonie of his conscience, and doth protest before God, that the onely end and cause of his enter-meddling in this action, is the aforesaid welfare of your State, and discharge of his owne consci­ence.

Sir, his Maiestie hath been aduertised, [Page] that your Maiestie is resolued speedily to take your Iourney, to make an exchange of Princes with Spaine: whereupon he findes himselfe obliged (as wel by the affection he beares vnto you in particular, as by the care he owes vnto the publike of Christendome, faithfully to represent vnto you the great & imminent danger, wherinto, by this your resolution, you wil plunge both the State of your owne Kingdom, and also of your nee­rest neighbours, and best allios, not that hee doth counsell your Maiestie to depart from tho contract which is already past touching these mariages. For his Maiesty knows wel, that the greatnes and dignity of Kings doth in good reason require, that they should seeke the amity one of the other, and com­bine theselues by such alliances and leagues of friendship, but only to present vnto your view, how expedient and necessarie it is, (both for the consideration and welfare of your person in particular, as also in respect of all Christendome in generall, in this doubtfull vncertaintie, wherein the affaires of these times now stand, to remit the ac­complishing of the said marriages vnto a [Page] time more mature and opportune.

Besides this ancient affection, and bond of amity betweene your Crownes, his Ma­iestie takes himselfe obliged in Conscience to performe vnto you this office, by reason of that faithful promise passed betweene the late King your Father of happie memorie and him; by the secret Ministerie of some certaine of your seruants, and namely, the deceased Monss. de Ʋitry, which was, that when either of the two departed this life, the suruiuour should take into his care & pro­tection, the Estate and posteritie of the de­ceased. Which, his Maiestie, presently af­ter that vnfortunate accident of the late Kings death, made knowne (by the Baron of Hales) vnto Mons. de la Borderie, who was then with him, offering himselfe to the vt­most of his power for the accomplishing of this promise, whereof since the bond yet re­maines in his person towards your Maiesty, hee cannot, for the discharge of his consci­ence, but shew vnto you, and the Queene your Mother, the great wrong, which hee supposeth, is done vnto you, if, before you haue attained to that maturitie of yeeres [Page] and iudgement, requisite and necessary for your direction in the choise of your Wife and associate, be it for the content of your affection, or welfare of your State, you should be precipitated into the yoke of ma­riage, to the manifest preiudice of your health, and (may be) of your contentment and affaires; for, as touching this last point, his Maiestie weighing that which publikely appeares of the cōstitution of your present estate, the diuers iealousies and discontent­ments of the greatest of your Court, the ill treating of your Parliament, which without doubt hath caused much discontent in the mindes of your Subiects, in respect of the great credit and reputation, which this bo­dy, and principall member of your State hath with the people, besides the grieuāces which those of the reformed Religion pre­tend, he knoweth not how in the middest of these agitations and disorders, your Maie­sties may absent your selues from the heart and center of your Kingdom, as you should doe by this voyage; besides, the leauing of your affaires here exposed to a great deale of confusion, and danger of disorder.

[Page] But besides these considerations which meerely concerne your Person and King­dome in particular, the generaltie of Chri­stendome doth finde it selfe greatly inter­essed in the precipitation of this voyage, for if in the doubtfull and vnsettled estate of the affaires of these times, the accomplishing of the same were for a certaine time suspen­ded, there would be hope, that by the com­mon & ioynt intercession of all their friēds and allies, the differences which now mo­lest and menace the quiet of Christendom, might be ordered; whereas if in this doubt­full and dangerous Coniunction, these mar­riages be suddenly perfected, it cannot be in all likelihood, but there must ensue a ge­neral combustion throughout all Christen­dome.

For first, what iealousie and discontent will the States of the vnited Prouinces re­ceiue, when they shall see France & Spaine so ioyntly vnited? can they hope that France will then labour to cause the Arch-Duke to make restitution of those places kept, and detayned in Cleues and Iuilliers, by the Marques Spinola, for the which they are [Page] now in controuersie with him; yea rather, will they not suspect all counsels and reso­lutions, to be enterprised to oppugne them? yes, without doubt they will beleeue, that in this Coniunction, the ill will of Spaine to­wards them, will surmount the good will of France, and that it will not cease, vntill it hath ingaged this State in open enmitie a­gainst them. And this with great griefe his Maiestie is forced to say, that if the same wil and resolution had beene brought from hence, as was taken by him, for the ordering of the affaires of Wesell, those points and puntillioes whereon so long time the Spa­niards haue dwelt, to prolong this affaire, might haue beene long agoe cut off: but now on the cōtrary, he hath cause to grieue, that hauing as much labored to sollicite the interuention of this State in this affaire, as to draw the Spaniard to some reason; not­withstanding all this importunitie, he could neuer procure any other answere from hence (neither touching this point, or the other affaires) but in generall termes, wit­nesse that weake satisfactorie answere pre­sented vnto his Maiestie, by Mons. de Buis­seaux, [Page] as also all the other answers to the sol­licitations of the Princes of Germany.

Moreouer, these Princes of the Vnion, knowing that Spaine is the Fauourer and Protector of their Enemies, will receiue no lesse damage and displeasure by the accom­plishing of these mariages, thus prosecuted without any necessity, and so out of season, that they will not only weaken them by the losse of France, but also strengthen their E­nemies by the aduantage of this Cōiuncti­on. And who can secure them from feare, (if the troubles of Sauoy can be appeased) that the Army of Spaine, which now threatneth Italic, doth not come expresly by the for­bearance of this State, to fall vpon them, and in particular, the Elector of Brandenbourg, who hath so long timerelyed vpon France, cannot hereafter expect any fauour from hence for the deciding of his controuersie, seeing that the King of Spaine hath taken the Duke of Newenbourg, his Competitor, into his protection?

As for the Duke of Sauoy, who is descen­ded from this Crowne, and whose preser­uation doth much concerne it, as well for [Page] the neerenesse, as for the situation of his Countrie; if before the accomplishing of these marriages, hee hath found France so violent and discourteous towards him, as well by the harsh and peremptorie messa­ges, which haue been sent him from hence, as by the rigorous inhibitions published in disfauour of him, declaring all such as goe to aide or assist him, offenders of his Maie­stie, and so vsing them, by confiscation and razing of their houses, (a thing neuer heard of, nor practized, especially by France, to­wards a Prince and Friend, so vexed and op­pressed by the Armes of one stronger then himselfe) how may he hope, after the con­summation of the said marriages, that this State will remaine an impartiall Arbitrator betwixt Spaine and him, or that these Mini­sters which shall be imploied in his busines, will deale faithfully and sincerely for the good of his affaires, his Maiestie protesting for his owne part that his desire hath and e­uer shall be, firmely to vnite himselfe with your Maiesties, to incite the said Duke vnto peace, howbeit he iudgeth it fit to haue an equall care, lest by such disfauour, he might [Page] be inforced to accept of conditions vnsafe and preiudiciall?

And since that the greatest Honour of France, during the wise gouernement of the late King, was the authority and trust which it had, prudently and profitably to prouide (as it hath done vpon diuers great and important occasions) for the accom­modating of differences betweene forraine Princes and States, to the conseruation of the publique peace of Christendome, and seeing that it is already apparent, that the shaddow of these double alliances doth mi­nister cause of feare to your ancient friēds, that together with them the interests also of Spaine will be espoused, it is most certaine, that the precipitation of these marriages wil much augment this feare in them, causing France to lose that authority and trust which their Councels haue had alwayes heretofore on their part, turning their con­fidence into distrust, and their loue into discontent.

If therefore, notwithstanding all these weighty and vrgent considerations, which concerne so neerly the person of your Ma­iestie, [Page] and the Weale publique, aswell of your owne State, as of your Neighbors and Allies, you shall hastily proceede to the cō ­summation of this voyage; what may they imagine, who in this State, and also among your Neighbours doe clearely perceiue, weigh and apprehend these pregnant consi­derations, but that thereby there is some hidden designe tending to their preiudice?

Lastly, the King my Master shall haue iust cause of regret in his owne particular, if hauing liued so many yeeres in loue, and correspondency so firme with this Crowne, insomuch that these two States (hauing had almost one & the selfe same to will, and not to will, the same Friends and Enemies) haue alwayes ioyned their Counsels, and guided their actions in all affaires and occurrances, tending to the Weale publique, after one and the same manner: Now France diuer­ting it selfe from him, by the precipitation of these Marriages with Spaine, shall leaue vnto him alone the burthen and charge of all such affaires and differences, as yet re­maine in Christendome vndecided; how­soeuer notwithstanding his Maiestie is not [Page] ignorant of the aduantage, which elsewhere is offered vnto him by this alienation, if he were a Prince ambitious to winne vnto him selfe alone the good will and friendship of all those ancient Allies, which by this action seeme abandoned, if he alone should not enterprise the managing of their affaires, as hee will neuer bee wanting either by assi­stance or counsell, to effect the same, when necessity shall require. But being not able on his part so sleightly to forget & renounce the ancient correspondence & Coniuncti­on, which hee hath hitherto maintayned with this Crowne, hee is willing to vse all care and meanes for the preseruation of it in its owne estate, before hee change his course, or addresse himselfe to new coun­sels, if he be not thereunto constrayned by this sudden alteration.

And this is it that his Maiesty hath char­ged me, thus freely to represent these fore­said considerations vnto your Maiesty, be­seeching you to accept and embrace this his aduice, euen as he presents it vnto you, that is to say, with his true and ancient affection for the good of your Person and State, and [Page] the zeale he beareth vnto the weale publike of Christendome, that you would be plea­sed so to dispose of your resolutions hereup­on, in this most weighty occasion, that his Maiesty may enioy the content­ment, and you the fruit which he earnestly desi­reth.

SIr, the King my Master, (hauing seene a certaine Oration, made in the Assembly of your States Generall, held lately in this City, and since published by Mons. the Cardinall of Perron, wherof he himselfe hath sent a Copie vnto his Maiestie) cannot suf­ficiently wonder at the licentiousnesse, and deprauation of this age, animated with such audacity by the speeches and writings of a person of that qualitie, who, to ouerthrow a wholesome proposition, made in the third Chamber of the said States, for preseruation of the life and authoritie of Kings, vnder pretence of maintaining the interest and rights of the Pope, doth not onely expose and lay open as a prey, the life and States of Princes, by the doctrine maintained in the said Oration, but also doth vnworthily sub­iect the Crowne of his owne King, to the tu­telage [Page] and authoritie of the Sea of Rome; and thirdly, doth send forth, without any re­spect, diuers reproches and iniurious inuec­tiues against the Person and Gouernment of the King my Master.

First therefore, his Maiestie complaines, and takes in ill part, that the said Cardinall, in diuers places of this speech, publikely maintaines, that a King by the Law of God may fall from his Right, and cease to be ac­knowledged as a King. That a Pope or Councell hath authoritie, particularly in ca­ses of Heresy or Apostafy, to depose Kings, and absolue Subiects of their oath of Allea­geance, and that consequently their Sub­iects may enterprise against them. Which were not only to put the State and Tempo­rall dignity of Kings, into the hands and dis­posing of the Pope, but also disobedience into the hearts of their Subiects, and a knife into the hands of Assassines, to execute vp­on their Sacred persons, the decrees of a will transported either by error or malice vnto their ruine; whereof, within these fiue and twentie yeeres, this Kingdome hath felt too too lamentable & remarkeable effects.

[Page] Secondly, the said Cardinall, applying this execrable Maxime, in particular vnto France, maintaines, that it hath alwaies been receiued and authorised here, yea, some­times for crimes of Religion, lesse weightie then Heresie or Apostafie: And if any hold the contrary, the Popes do but tolerate the same for the good of the Churches peace, conditionally that they hold it as doubtfull, and Problematicall, and not affirme it con­tradictorie to the word of God; by which meanes, your Maiesties Life remaines con­tinually exposed to the same danger and enterprises, that your two Predecessors felt.

Thirdly, his Maiestie findes himselfe greatly offended in particular, by the lan­guage, that the said Cardinall vseth of him and his actions, chiefly, that vnder pretence of gratifying his person, he rankes him (as much as in him lyeth) in the number of Pa­gans, commending him onely for his ver­tues, Morall and Naturall, without attribu­ting vnto him any Christianitie at all; wher­in his Maiestie glories principally.

Secondly, he accuseth him of malice and [Page] faction, affirming that he hath enterprised to sow Schisme and deuision in this assembly of the Estates, and in the States of this King­dome, endeuouring thereby, to bring in the same Article and oth, which himselfe impo­seth on his own subiects, and which is worst of all, describes him in his Gouernement, as if he were a bloudy Tyrant, and as if no sort of torments could be deuised, which he in­flicteth not vpon his Catholike Subiects, whom he presents sighing, and as it were, breathles vnder the yoke of persecution; & at the end of this discourse (by way of Anti­thesis) saith, that, God bee thanked, the French are not vnder a King that maketh Martyrs. Inferring thereby, that the King of great Brittaine is so cruell and vnmerci­full, as he taketh pleasure in the effusion of the bloud of Innocents.

But his Maiestie being content to tram­ple vnder his feete, all these opprobries and iniuries, which concerne but his own parti­cular, standeth not vpō any reparation with the Cardinall, but onely esteemeth himselfe obliged, and should thinke himselfe de­fectiue and wanting in that, which God and [Page] nature hath made him to bee, if he did not testifie vnto the full, the sensible apprehensi­on, which he herein hath, touching the ho­nour, safetie, and dignitie of Kings in gene­rall; which the said Cardinall by this Max­ime and pernicious speech of his, doth abase and subiect to the disposing of another.

This is that which his Maiestie hath com­manded me liuely, and seriously to remon­strate vnto this State, to the end, that your Maiesties, and my Lords of your Counsell, opening your eyes to see and apprehend (as is requisite) the scandall, danger, and per­nicious consequence of this doctrine, aswell in generall to all Christendome, as to the State of France in particular, may speedily prouide a forcible remedy for the choaking of the seede hereof. And more particular­ly, his Maiestie out of the impression of that hearty and sincere amitie, which was be­tweene him and the late King, whose losse he daily deplores, and whose memory hee honours with all respect in his heart, hath charged me to shew and call to your Maie­sties remembrance, that during the life of the said King, they contracted this amiable [Page] accord, and brotherly agreement, betweene them in such sort, that when it should please God to take vnto him one of the two, the Suruiuor should vndertake as Father and Protector of the childrē of the predeceased.

And for this cause, his Maiestie (desiring to acquit himselfe of this obligation and duty, which he beareth to the remembrance of him, whom he so faithfully loued during his life) cannot but declare the liuely fee­ling and commiseration, which hee hath of the miserable and perillous estate of your Maiestie his most deare Brother, which is continually in danger, if the doctrine of the Cardinall be receiued & allowed in France.

And therefore his Maiestie, for the dis­charage of his conscience, and dutie of his quality, desires, and requires this state, open­ly to manifest to the view and knowledge of all the world, (by publike and rigorous suppression of the oration of the said Cardi­nall, and by a solemne decree touching the same) their disauowing and condemning of this new and accursed doctrine, to the end, that by this declaratiō, the licentious Spirits of your subiects may the better bee kept in the duty of their fidelitie and obedience

COVSIN; I haue oftentimes gi­uen you to vnderstand the desire which I had, that you should accompany me in my voyage which I intend to make into Guyenne, for the accomplishing of my Marriage, and haue inuited you to prepare [...]our selfe for the same, and to repaire vnto me for that purpose: I haue also made knowne vnto you my good meaning touching some points, whereof you desired, before your returne, to be informed, aswell concerning the affaires generall, as others, hauing to that ef­fect sent diuers times vnto you Mons. de Villeroy, who is with you at this present, by whom also you might haue beene certified, and assured, of my af­fection [Page] and good will, as also of the Queenes my Mother, towards you. Notwithstanding hitherto, I cannot know your intent in this businesse, ha­uing yet had nothing but delayes on your part. In the meane time being forced to take my iourny, I send Mons. de Pont Chartrain my Counsellour & Secretarie of State in those parts, with the said Mons. de Villeroy, [...]o [...]signifie vnto you, that my resolution is to begin my said voyage vpon Saterday, the first of the next Moneth, without any fur­ther delay, and to desire you againe in my behalfe, to come and accompany me, and there to take the place which is due to your qualitie and birth; or to declare your minde in the presence of the said Mons. de Pont Chartrain, if (con­trary to that hope I haue euer had of [Page] you) you intend to make refusall, or dif­ficulty, and denie me this content, to the end that he may bring me certaine in­telligence of your intentions, being the principall cause of his voyage: referring my selfe therefore vnto that, which the said Mons. de Villeroy, and he, shall say vnto you in my behalfe, Cousin, I pray to God to haue you in his blessed protection.

SIR, hauing vnderstood by your Let­ters, which your Maiestie vouchsafed to write vnto mee, by Mons. de Pont Chartrain, the 26. of this Moneth, the speedy resolution which you haue to vndertake your voyage into Guyenne, and the com­mand it pleaseth your Maiesty to impose on me, to goe and accompany you in the same, I judged that this departure so hastie (without order first giuen to the affaires of your State, and prouision for the disorders which haue beene represented vnto you, both by your States generall, as also your Court of Parliament of Paris) was but a cō ­tinuation of the ill counsell of those, which are the Authors thereof, whom heretofore I haue forborne to name in my most hum­ble Remonstrances, being not willing to displease you, Sir, nor the Queene your Mother, hoping that they would at length haue ceased to abuse your Maiesties good­nesse. But seeing that they continue to make vse of your authority, for pretext and [Page] couert of their owne pernicious designes, and violēt counsels too manifest to be now doubted of, and too publike to be tolera­ted and suffered any longer, seeing they tend to the subuersion of your State, the weakning of your Crowne, and the ruine of those of your Bloud and other Princes, and Officers of your Crowne, and principall Lords of your Kingdome. I am constrai­ned, Sir, after long patience, to present vn­to your Maiesty (in all humility and respect which a most humble Subiect oweth vnto his Prince) the iust reasons which detayne and hinder me, from rendering obedience to your command. I will declare therefore vnto your Maiesty, that when I withdrew my selfe to Chreil, you being pleased to send thither vnto me Mons. de Ʋilleroy, to cō ­mand mee on your behalfe to come vnto you, with promise made vnto mee, that your Maiesty would giue good order vnto the publike affaires of your Kingdome: I made answere, that (hauing beene eight Moneths at Paris, where I saw the begin­ning, proceeding, and issue of the Assem­bly of the States, such as it was, the course [Page] which was taken to suborne and peruert the Deputies, and frustrate their Counsels and resolutions, the Parliament abused, and vnworthily handled, for endeuouring the seruice of your Maiesty; my life, and the life of diuers other Princes and Lords of quali­tie endangered, because I freely with them declared my aduice in your Councel, touch­ing your seruice and the welfare of your State;) I say, my answere was, that I could not returne either with dignity or safety, vn­till it had pleased your Maiesty to prouide for the reformation of your Councell, and those publike disorders, contayned in the Declarations of your Parliament. Whereup­on, your Maiesty being pleased to send a­gaine vnto me the said Mons. de Ʋilleroy to Clermont, with more ample authority then he had the first voyage, we conferred toge­ther of the reformation of your foresaid Councell, and of those Orders which he had in charge to shew vnto mee; and as touching the aduices of the Parliament, I re­serued to make knowne vnto him my in­tent, vntill that I had conferred with, and taken the aduice of other Princes, Officers [Page] of your Crowne, and Lords, who con­curre and agree in the same opinion with mee, and stand no lesse affected to your seruice, the good of your State, and the esta­blishment of your Crowne, euen as the said Mons. de Villeroy hath shewed vnto your Ma­iesty, who taking in good part that, which he had begun to treate of, thought good yet a­gaine to send him backe to the same place, where the same morning of his arriuall, wee were already entred into conference con­cerning the foresaid Remonstrāces, in such sort, that the affayres seemed to be brought to a good point, when the said Mons. de Pont Chartrain arriued, who deliuered vnto me your Maiesties Letters, and declared vnto me your speedy departure, which depriues the Cōmonaltie of that fruit they expected by the issue of this Conference, and makes the affaires (which we were in hope to haue compassed) impossible to bee effected be­fore the same, by reason of the suddennesse thereof, and by this meanes increaseth the disorders that are in your State; the Authors whereof, I am forced to name vnto your Maiestic, viz. the Marquesse d'Ancre, and his [Page] Wife, the Chancelor, the Cheualier of Sille­ny, Dole, & Bulion, who only were dessigned in the remonstrances of the Parliament; vp­on whom I most humbly beseech your Maiestie publikely to execute iustice, and to ordaine, that the complaints made against their actions and behauiours, may be veri­fied and admitted; and also, that it may bee proceeded against them, according to the ordinarie and accustomed manner, as also concerning the murder committed vpon the person of Mons. de Prouuille, Sergeant Maior of the Towne of Amiens, by an Itali­an souldier of the Garrison of the Cittadell, appointing that he be deliuered into the hands of the ordinarie Iudges, to draw his Inditement, according as so wicked a fact doth deserue: And vntill that order for the reformation of your Counsell be taken and effected, the Declarations of the Court ex­amined, the disorders of the same preuen­ted, and punishment inflicted vpon the per­sons therein denoted, whom at this present I name vnto your Maiestie, as also vpon the Italian souldier; I most humbly beseech you [Page] to excuse me, if I attend you not in this your voyage; which otherwise I would doe, and readily will doe, if it please your Maiestie, before your departure, to prouide for these things; being alwaies willing to testifie by my obedience vnto your Maiestie, that I am