his Majesty's father, of blessed memory, and his parliament of England, namely, those of the first of November, and thirtieth of December, 1642, and the sixth of November, 1648. V. Against a declaration and protestation of the noble and mighty States of Holland and West Friesland, dated the sixth of November, 1649, to the same purpose. VI. Against all former treaties and alliances between his Majesty's royal predecessors and this State. As, amongst others, that of the fourteenth of February, 1593, likewise consisting of thirty-six articles, between King Henry the Seventh of England, his heirs and successors, made in his name, and by his authority, as the words of the said treaty do bear, and Philip, Archduke of Austria, and Duke of Burgundy, which bind and oblige, to this very day, divers of the United Provinces, and the chief members and towns thereof, to assist the said Henry the Seventh and his heirs, (which unquestionably pleadeth for my master Charles the Second, he being the sixth from him in descent, in linea recta) and to afford them all favour and friendly assistance, as well by sea as by land, and prohibiteth any treaty and alliance to be made with the rebels, and the enemies of one another. Whose undoubted right, according to God's sacred word, the laws, and the fundamental constitutions of the kingdom of England, as, Rez non moritur, &c. is firmly radicated in his Majesty's person, however he by violence be kept from it : Non unquam perdidit ordo Insomuch that the ancient Romans, by the light of nature, did refuse to enter into any alliance with Nabis, the usurper of Lacedæmon, but continued the same with the just and lawful King Pelopides. Amicitia et societas nobis nulla tecum est, saith Titus Quintius, in the behalf of the Roman empire, apud Livium, lib. 34. sed cum Pelopide rege Lacedæmoniornm justo et legitimo facta est. Finally, against the renewed treaty in the year 1550, December the fifteenth, made at Bins in Henegow, called the Perpetual Treaty, between the tutors of Mary, Queen of Scotland, in her minority, and Queen Mary of Hungary, regent for Charles the Fifth in the Low Countries, renewed again in solenni forma, word by word, at Edinburgh, 1594, between King James the Sixth and the high and mighty States, after the baptism of the late Prince Henry, his Majesty's son, celebrated at Sterling. In the which it is promised and agreed upon, inviolably to maintain and preserve mutual friendship one with another, for all ages to come, and, as far in them lay, to prevent and hinder any damage that may befall either of them; that they shall traffick in safety and security, and likewise, that they shall assist each other with ships, and all sort of ammunition, as may be seen at length in the treaty itself, inserted by Peter Borr, in his thirtieth book. But how opposite this is to their fourth, fifth, and thirty first articles, propounded to your Lordships, appeareth clearly out of the words there contained, where they not only deny to the King, and his subjects, privativè, all favour, friendship, and provision of war, but likewise endeavour to oblige your Lordships, de facto, to infest and make war upon them, as having now no other enemies, as they themselves give out, but Scotland. But, expecting better things of the high and mighty States, and a religious observation of all treaties, resolutions, protestations, and declarations, your Lordships are intreated not to give ear to the said propositions, and memorials; as also, that the said thirty-six articles, perishing in their birth, may not be taken into any further consideration. The Lord will reward every one according to his works; and, I wish, that he may ever bless the high and mighty States with his fatherly protection, and keep them from contracting any league and alliance, which may be attended with dishonour and damage unto them. NEWS FROM FRANCE, OR A DESCRIPTION OF THE LIBRARY OF CARDINAL MAZARIN, Before it was utterly ruined. Sent in a letter from Monsieur G. Naudæus, keeper of the publick library. London, printed forTinothy Garthwait, at the little north door of St. Paul's, 1652. Quarto, containing six pages. Gentlemen, TO THE PARLIAMENT OF PARIS. SINCE all the ordinances of your famous company are like thunder bolts, which dash in pieces each person whom they strike, and make dumb, or astonish every one that sees them fall: Give me leave to tell you, yet with all respects and submissions possible, that what you thundered out on the twenty-ninth of the last, against the library of the most eminent Cardinal Mazarin, my master, hath produced these two effects, with so much force and violence, that forasmuch as concerns the said library, it is not likely it should ever recover those losses which it hath already suffered, nor yet avoid those wherewith it is still threatened, unless by some very remarkable effect of your singular goodness and protection. And, as for me, who cherish it as the work of my hands, and the miracle of my life, I protest to you ingenuously, that, since that stroke of thunder, which was cast, from the heaven of your justice, upon a piece so rare, so beautiful, so excellent, and which I have, by my watches and labours, brought to such perfection, as none can morally desire a greater, I have been so extremely astonished, that if the same cause which once made the son of Croesus, though naturally dumb, to speak, did not now untie my tongue, to utter some sad accents; my last complaints, at the decease of this my daughter, as he there did, in the dangerous estate wherein he found his father, I should remain eternally dumb. And, in truth, gentlemen, since that good son saved the life of his father, in making them know, wherefore he did it; why may not I promise myself, that your benevolence and ordinary justice will save the life of this daughter, or, to speak plainer, this famous library, when I shall in few words have represented to you an abridgement of its perfections, being the most beautiful and the best furnished of any library, now in the world, or that is likely, if affection do not much deceive me, ever for to be hereafter? For it is composed of more than forty-thousand volumes, collected by the care of several Kings and Princes in Europe, by all the ambassadors that have set out of France these ten years, into places farthest remote from this kingdom. To tell you that I have made voyages iuto Flanders, Italy, England, and Germany, to bring hither whatever I could procure that was rare and excellent, is little in comparison of the cares which so many crowned heads have taken to further the laudable designs of his eminence. It is to these illustrious cares, gentlemen, that this good city of Paris is beholden for two-hundred bibles, which we have translated into all sorts of languages, for an history, that is the most universal, and the best followed of any yet ever seen; for three thousand five-hundred volumes, purely and absolutely mathematical; for all the old and new editions, as well of the holy fathers, as of all other classick authors; for a company of schoolmen, such as never was the like; for lawyers of above an hundred and fifty provinces, the most strangers; above three-hundred bishops concerning councils; for rituals and offices of the church, an infinite number; for the laws and foundations of all religious houses, hospitals, communities, and confraternities; for rules and practical secrets in all arts, both liberal and mechanick; for manuscripts in all languages, and all sciences. And to put an end to a discourse, which may never have one, if I should particularise all the treasures which are heaped together within the compass of seven chambers, filled from top to bottom, whereof a gallery, twelve fathoms high, is reckoned but for one; it is to these illustrious royal personages, that this city of Paris, and not Paris only, but all France, and not France only, but all Europe, are indebted for a library. Wherein, if the good designs of his eminence had succeeded as happily, as they were forecast wisely, all the world should, before this, have had the liberty to see and turn over, with as much leisure as benefit, all that Egypt, Persia, Greece, Italy, and all the kingdoms of Europe, have given us, that is most singular and admirable. A strange thing, gentlemen, that the best furnished lawyers were constrained to confess their want, when they saw the great collection that I had made of books, in their profession, in this rich library. That the greatest heap of volumes, in physick, were nothing, compared with the number of those which were here gathered in that faculty. That philosophy was here more beautiful, more flourishing, than ever it was in Greece. That Italians, Germans, Spaniards, Englishmen, Polonians, Dutch, and other nations, found here the histories of their own nations, far more rich and better furnished than they could find in their several native countries. That catholicks and protestants might here try all sorts of passages in authors, and accord all manner of difficulties. And to accumulate all these perfections, to enhance them, and set them in their true lustre ; is it not enough, gentlemen, to shew you assured proofs of his Eminence's intentions, that he resolved to present it to the publick, and to make it a common comfort for all poor scholars, religious persons, strangers, and for whoever is learned, or curious, here to find what is necessary or fit for them? Is it not enough, gentlemen, to shew you the inscription, which should have been put upon the gate of the library, to invite the world to enter with all manner of liberty, and which should have been set up about three years ago, if wars, and domestick dissensions, had not prejudiced the good intentions of his eminence? It is this: Ludovico XIV, feliciter imperante, Anna Austriaca, Castrorum Matre Augustissima Regnum sapienter moderante, Julius, S. R. E. Cardinalis Masarinus, utrique Consiliorum Minister acceptissimus, Bibliothecam hanc omnium Linguarum, Artium, Scientiarum, libris instructissimam, Urbis splendori, Galliarum ornamento, Disciplinarum incremento, lubens, volens, D. D. D. publicè patere voluit, censu perpetuo dotavit, posteritati commendavit. MDCXLVIII. Behold, Gentlemen, an inscription, that may now be called ancient; for it is long since it was first spoken of, and though it contain many things, I can assure you, that his Eminence intended somewhat more in his generous design of founding a publick library in the midst of France, under the direction and protection of the prime presidents of three sovereign courts of this city, and of the lord attorney-general, persuading himself, that, by this means, so potent and venerable, posterity would perpetually enjoy a very advantageous pledge; and such, as without disparagement to the famous libraries of Rome, Milan, and Oxford, might pass, not only for the most goodly heap of books, that this age can shew, but likewise for the eighth wonder of the world. And this being true, as I am ready to swear upon the Holy Gospels, that the intention of his Eminence was always this, as I tell you; Can you permit, gentlemen, the publick to be deprived of a thing so useful and precious? Can you endure that this fair flower, which yet spreads its odour through all the world, should wither in your hands? And can you suffer, without regret, so innocent a piece, which cau never suffer, but all the world will bear in a share in its loss, to receive the arrest of its condemnation from those who were appointed to honour it, and to favour it with their protection? Consider, gentlemen, that when this loss hath been suffered, there will not be a man in the world, though he have never so much authority in publick employment, never so much zeal to learning, that will be able to repair it. Believe, if you please, that the ruin of this library will be more carefully marked in all histories and calendars, than the taking and sacking of Constantinople. And, if my ten years toil in helping to gather such a work; if all the voyages which I have made for materials to it; if all the heavy cares that I have taken to set it in order; if the ardent zeal that I have had to preserve it to this hour, are not means sufficient to make me hope for some favour at your singular goodness; especially at this time, when you have the same excellent occasion to shew it towards this library, which you had three years since, when, by a solemn arrest or ordinance, you resolved it should be preserved, and that I should have the keeping of it: Yet give me leave, gentlemen, to have recourse to the muses, seeing they are so far concerned in the preservation of this new Parnassus, and joining the interest they have in you, with my most humble prayers, speak to you in the same language which the Emperor Augustus used, when the question was, Whether Virgil's Eneids should be destroyed or saved? Which doubtless, was not so inimitable a piece then, as this library will be to all posterity. -solvetur litera dives? Must such a rich and learned work be dissolv,' The will of supreme power must be obey'd.' GABRIEL NAUDEUS, a Parisian. |