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Ms. i^.no MEMOIRS o t MAXIMILIAN de BETHUNEj / DUKE of SULLY, PRIME MINISTER OF li HENRY the GREAT. it ' Newly tranflated from the French edition of M. de L’ECLUSE. To which is annexed. The TRIAL of FRANCIS RAVAILLAC, for the Murder of HENRY the GREAT. * fc. IN FIVE VOLUMES. 1 VOLUME V. E D I N B U R G H: Printed and Sold by Gavin Alston. MjDCC.LXXUI. $>' B -_5^Des -z 19 75 0^ ., r - SUMMARY of BOOKS in Volume V. SUMMARY of BOOK XXVIII. Continuation of the memoirs of the year iGro. Remarks upon the aflaffination of Henry IV. a defcription of his perfon : particulars relating to his life ; his charafter ; his good and bad qualities. The fituation in which his death left the Duke of Sully : his reafons for fufpecfing the new council: he (huts himfelf uji in the Baflile ; but afterwards goes to the Louvre : the gracious reception given him by the Queen : he alhfls at th^ceremony of the bed of juftice. Mary de Medicis fettles a pub- lic and private council, in which the policy and maxims of the government are entirely changed : Sully’s complaints of thefe proceedings t he is not regarded. The Count of Soiflbns returns to court: quarrels between him and Sully. Councils held concerning the armament fet on foot by Henry,., concerning the Duke of Savoy, &c. in which Sully makes fruitlefs reprefentations againft their pro- ceeding : he refolves to refign his employments, and to retire from court: Iris family oppofe this ■ defign : he fends Arnaud to Conchini, who re- ceives with haughtinefs his advances-: he unites with the prince of Conde : the wife advice he gives him; notwithftanding which, this prince joins his enemies. Other plots of the court; and Sully’s difputes with the miniflers and courtiers A far- ther account of the affair of Cieves, and its con- clufion.. Vox. .V*. a - 2: SUM- SUMMARY. SUMMARY of BOOK XXIX. Continuation of the memoirs of 1610,—idir.. The realbns why the princes, grandees, and mini-* flers, hated Sully: he oppofesthe unjuft proceed- ings of the council : refufes to fign a countant at the Queen’s requeft. Quarrels in full council with the Duke of Bouillon, Qifputes in the aourt and council. Coronation of Lewis XIII. f?ully goes, to Montrond, and is taken ill there: reafons for the Queen-regent and the minifters recalling him : the reception given him by this princefs, who aftetr- wards takes part with Conchini and the minifters againft him. His refolutionin oppofing the unjuft demands of the grandees, and, the diflipation of the royal treafures : the uneafinefs he fuffers on this occafibn. He quarrels with Villerci and D’Ar lincourt in full council. The princes, lords, and miniftfers enter into a confederacy againft him. He takes a refolution to retire for ever from court: different opinions concerning his retreat. Sully jefigns the fuperintendhnce of the finances, the government of the Baftile, &c. The prudent ad- vice which he gives his fecretaries :. their obliga- tions to him. He prevents the artifices of his ene- mies to ruin him : his, letters to the Queen-regent for this purpofe, in which he juftifies Ins condudf, and his adminiftration,: the een’s anfwers. The- King increafes his penfion. Ie, gives a general account of his public and private conduct: of his wealth ; and of his domeftic affairs : his faithful performances of. the. promifes he made to Hen* SUMMARY of BOOK XXX. Difeuffton of the political fcherr.e, commonly ealied tlic great defign of Henry IV. Prelimi- nary SUMMARY. r nary confiderations upon the Roman empire ; upon the eftablifhment of the French monarchy ; upon the afferent governments of the three races of '»ar Kings, See. The poffibility of the great defiga proved. Hemy with difficulty makes Sully approve of it: in what manner Elifabeth and this prince formed it. Favourable and unfavourable events. The advantage of this fcheme to all Europe. That part of the political fcheme which regards religion, confiding in peaceably maintaining the religions re- ceived in Europe, and in driving the infidels from thence. The political part, which confids in eda- blidiing fifteen equal monarchies; in reducing the power of the houfe of Audria ; and dividing what it was deprived of among the princes and republics of Europe. Means of indemnifying himfelf, and of proving the equity of his proceedings.. The mo- deration and difinteredednefs of France in this di- vifion. Edablifhment of a general council of the Chridian republics. Negociations and other means employed to induce the princes and dates of Eu- rope to engage in the great defign. Account of forces, and the expences neceffary for the execution of it. The march and difpofition of the armies of the confederate princes: the probable refult of it. SUPPLEMENT to the Life of the Duke o£ SULLY, after his retreats Conduct of the Duke of Sully in the affembly of the Protedants at Chatelleraut; and of this af- fembly with regard to the perfonal affairs of Sully : the part he has in the Duke of Rohan’s difputes with the Queen-regent on account of St John d!Angely. The Queen-regent's reliance upon him ^ and the letters which (he writes to him during the rebellion of the Princes and the Protedants Coun- fels which he gives her; and thefervices he performs on. this occafion. He is made Marfiial of France. a 1 Hi > vi summary. H is difcontent with his fon and grandfon. State of his family; and the difpofition which he makes of his eftates among his children. His death. Ho- nours paid him by the Duchefs of Sully. His tomb and epitaph. An account of his domeftic condu£ta and of his private life. Occupations of the Du- chefs his wife. The Duke of Sully’s fentiments *pon religion. His public and private buildings. The TRIAL of Franc is RavaillaC) for the murder of K.. Henry IV. MEMOIRS-- ( i ) 4 M E M O I R S O F S U L L Y. ^ ’i* >§‘# ^ ‘i*# #>§■## BOOK XXVIII. THE reader muft not expe£I to fee in thefe Memoirs a particular relation of that ex- ecrable crime : my grief is renewed by the fad remembrance, nor fhall I ceafe to la- ment it but with my laft breath. It is with alto- nifliment that I behold perfons capable of hearing £nd talking with indifference of the greateft misfor- tune which ever befel this kingdom : in me the thoughts of it are'attended with fuch horror, that I turn my eyes as much as poffible from that deplo- rable object, and my tongue refufes to pronounce the name of the molt abominable monffer *, who was the caufe of all our miferies ; while inwardly I implore the divine vengeance againft him, and a- gainft thofe that armed his impious hand ; the pu- blic outcry directs us to the authors of this deteft- * Francis R^viillac. See a full account of this ren-iclde in the trial annexed to ;his volume. VoL*V- A able 2 MEMOIRS Book XXVIII, able plot; nor can I hinder myfelf from exclaiming, with all the world, againft a circumfiance, of which no one is ignorant. After the parricide had per- petrated his horrid defign, he was guarded with fo little care in the houfe * to which he was firft car- ried, that during four hours, all forts of perfons were permitted to fee and talk with him ; and cer- tain perfons, whom it is unneceflary to name here, made fuch imprudent ufe of this liberty, that they were heard to call him Friend, and bid him, I repeat their own words, “ take care that he did “ not accttfe good men who were innocent, and “ good Catholics,” becaufe that would be an un- pardonable crime, and worthy of eternal damna- tion. Some perfons, truly fcandalized at what they faw, loudly exclaimed againft fuch negligence; which obliged them afterwards to guard the mur- d rer with more care. Whatever may be in this, fuch was the tragical end of a prince, on whom nature, with a lavifh profufion, had be/lowed all advantages, except that of a death fuch as he merited. I have already obfer- ve<;, that his flature was fo happy, and his limbs formed with fuch proportion, as conftitutes not on- ly what is called a well-made man, but indicates ftrength, vigour, and adbivity f; his complexion was animated ; all the lineaments of his face had that a- greeable livelinels ^ which forms a fweet and happy phyfiognomy, * In the hotel of Retz. L’Etoile fays he was carried the next day from the iiotel of Epernon to the Conciergerie- | “ Henry i V. fays Le Grain, was of a midJHug ftatvire, ra- 4< (her tali than low, his forehead was broad, his nofe aquiline 14 and royal, his mouth Wfll made, ^nd his lips red/’ Decade de Henry le Grand, book i. Morizot, being worfe informed, lays, on the contiory, thit he was low, and of Iquare make ; and afLrts that he dref^ed himfelf nearly in the fame manner in winter as in Aimmer chap. 49. $ D’Aubigne informs us. th t hr hid an extreme piercing fight, ami. (tr> make ufe of hi? own words) a monUrous quick hc-aring, of which he gives hi con-vincinr proof ** The f ys he, being in bed at La Garnache. in a large ue chamber; and his ** I cd» Ufivjes the curtains, being fur rounded wfth a thick fuze : irron ten jc j6io. OF SULLY. ^ phyfiognomV} and perfectly fuited to that engaging eafinefs of manners wliieh, tiro’ fometimes mixed •with Majefty, never loft the graceful affability and eufy gaiety * io natural to that great prince.