The Copie of a Letter From Paris, the 24. Jun. 4. Jul. 1642. Upon the subject of the CONSPIRACIE: For the which the Marquesse of Sainct Mars, great Esquire of France, Monsieur de Thou, Councellour of State, and Monsieur de Chauagnac, are kept in prison.
VVith another Copie of a Letter from Narbon, serving to the clearing of the businesse:
Wherein may be seen the marvellous deliverance of France, and of her Confederates or Friends, but especially of England, Involved in that plot.
Printed at London for J. B. 1642.
A true Copie of certaine Letters from Paris, and other parts: Declaring the conspiracie of divers great personages against France and England.
THe Conspiracie (for the which Monsieur le Grand is still kept strictly in the Citadelle of Montpellier, and the Lords of Thou and Chauagnac in the Town of Tarascon) was not tending onely to the destruction of the Councels of Monsieur the Cardinall Richelieu, and of his credit by the King, but to the confusion of this State, and Confederates, and specially to the subversion of England. They have been examined by the Lord of Choizi, and by this examen it appeared, that they had already in some sort worked in the spirit of his Majesty, and that without any notice to the great Cardinall; for the said Lord le Grand had confessed to have written (by Order sealed by the King) to the Queen Mother; and the Lord of Thou to have sent also, by order of his Majesty, by Letter of Exchange, ten thousand Crowns, to Madam de Cheureuze.
Many Letters or Missives of the Queen of England, [Page 2] were found among the writings of the said Lord le Grand.
The Dutchesse of Bovillon (which is suspected to be of the same party) had withdrawne her selfe few dayes agoe, from this City, to Sedan. The said Lord of Thou, (being questioned againe for the space of three houres, by the Lord of Chauigni, Secretary of State) had declared among other things, that it was resolved to kill the said Lord of Chauigny, which is a person mightily acting, and confident to the service of his Majesty, under the said Cardinall, and that it was he which had prevented that blow.
The King had confessed to the said Cardinall, that the Lords de Grand and of Thou, had propounded unto him some Articles of Peace with the House of Austria. This Peace was so plotted without any warning to his Eminencie, perswading his Majesty, that the said Cardinall for his owne ends was repugnant to the publique tranquillity, and therefore that he was not to have any notice of this negociation: embraced by the highest Ladies, forged by the Jesuites, stirred up by the violence of this primum mobile of Spaine, which caused Madame de Cheureuze to passe from Paris to Madrid, from Madrid to London, and from London to Bruxels, and which had been choaked or still-born, (in the point of the execution.) By that supreame providence, the ordinary guide of his Majesty, which had inspired him to perceive suddenly the danger of this precipice, and to stick close, better and better to [Page 3] the good and male councels of the said Cardinall.
By this Peace, the Queene-mother, the Princesse, and other discontented persons, exiled from France, were to be re-established; the houses of Savoy and Lorraine reintegrated, and restaured, all that is of this side of Rhine re-established; as it was before the wars. Catalonla, and other Countries and places taken in Spaine restored, the Cardinall of Richelieu and all his friends destroyed, the Kings true confederates, (after the consummation or spoile of so many men and money these many yeares agoe, for their recovery) left desolate; especially the house Palatine, and other Protestants, and France to the prey of the house of Austria, the which onely was to receive benefit, in this disorder, by the vilenesse of his creatures, which under hope to rule therein, did imagine to subvert the wise proceedings of his Majesty, and under him the generous designes of that brave Cardinall, the repercussion of which blow was to be fatall, and bringing ruine to England, notwithstanding whatsoever female promises made to the Catholiques there, and to their Adherents, blinded in this plot, that by this Peace they should have their liberty, and that Kingdome should be hereafter so absolute, as the liberty of the Subject hath been there great and happy untill this time, under the priviledges of the Parliament.
Now to shew you cleerly and by proofe of fact, that the house of Austria thought to destroy the said Cardinall, not for the publique tranquility, but [Page 4] for the better advancing his owne vast and prodigious designes; and that those which directly or indirectly have any hand to it, doe worke out their owne confusion. I send you here annexed the Copie of a Letter written from Narbonne, by a Minister of State, before the imprisonment of the said Lord le Grand and others: In the which you shall perceive what hath hindered this generall Peace to be desired.
THe last Avisoes that we have from Hamborough, make better and better known unto us, how little sincere the proceedings are of the house of Austria, touching the publique tranquillity, whereunto she hath no inclination. The King of Hungaria hath not onely disclaimed or disallowed once the Lord Lutzall his Ambassadour, (which hath signed the Tract of Preparatories, founded with full power from himselfe) but he hath imployed him since, and the Earle of Aversburg, which is also from his part in Hamborough, for to propound to the Lord Salvius, Ambassadour of Swede, one Tract of particular peace with the Swedish, which doth witnesse that he desireth in no wayes the peace of the Common-wealth, but onely to be free of some of his enemies, for to warre still against [Page 5] the others, and that he had not any good intention when he treated of the Preparatories of Peace. Notwithstanding all this, his designes shall not come to passe, seeing that the Crowne of Sweden is not for to repugne to the Confederacie made with France. By all this is to be discerned the wicked faith of the King of Hungaria, and that nothing but strength of Armes is able to bring him to Peace; In such sort that all the contribution of men and money made unto him in these wars by Germanie, is onely one Sacrifice that she makes to the advantage of the house of Austria, which shall bring forth nothing but the ruine of the Empire.