Abridgement OF THE LIFE OF HENRY THE GREAT, The fourth of that name: King of FRANCE and NAVARRE.  
Translated out of French.  
LONDON, Printed for NATH: BUTTER. 1637.   

To the KING.  
SIR,  
I Have found an old Manuscript, which being in mine opinion both judicious and true, I made bold to print and present to your Ma.tie which if with a quarter of an hours time only you honour, in very few words you shall see the glorious life of the King your Father. This life Sir can be imitated by none but your Ma.tie, and can be offered you by no more faithful witness of it then myself, who not dying under the Father's commands, have no greater ambition then to end my life in the Son's service, and deserve by well serving to be regarded by your Ma.tie  
Sir, as Your most humble, most obedient, and most faithful subject and servant, VIGNOLLE.   

TO THE IMMORTAL MEMORY OF HENRY the Great, the fourth of that name, King of France and Navarre.  
Virtue and fortune agreed to title this Prince Great, whom the wonders of his life have styled Incomparable. He was conceived at la Fleiche, borne at Pau, passed his infancy at Coyrase, in sharp airs, in the most rustic exercises of the country, that the delicacy of his breeding might not hinder the actions of his courage. At seven years old he was brought to Court, to be educated with those to whom by right and merit he was to succeed. The tenderness of his first age was hardened by diverse great accidents. At nine years old, the King his father dies, the Queen his mother being absent, his Uncle in disgrace, his friends in distrust, and his servants in exile. At thirteen he leaves the Court, and to obey his mother, the religion wherein he was bred. At sixteen he is made head of a party, whose hopes being cast down by the loss of four battles, relevate themselves under the favour of his arms, and happiness of his presence. At nineteen he was entangled in a truly funeral wedding, which began with the unexpected death of his mother, and was followed by the loss of his liberty, death and proscription of his. At twenty three he was freed from that captivity, to enter into the ordinary servitude of those who command in civil wars. He was often constrained to make necessity a virtue, and to entertain his army, even by his army. The dignity of General dispensed him not from the dangers of a common soldier, until he had made his party safe by the fift edict of peace. At thirty one the death of the King's only brother raised him to the nearest degree of the Crown. The Flowers de luce turn towards him and salute him, as the Sun rising of France. All at once this great calm which they enjoyed, changeth into a terrible storm, which poured on him in five years ten royal armies. The battle of Coutras the orient of his hopes, manifested that he ought to be feared by those who loved him not. Yet the prosperity of his affairs bereft him neither of feeling the public miseries, nor of grief to see himself constrained to vex his King, to whom heretofore he had offered his person and friends. The Tragedy, whereof he was made the argument, France the theatre, and strangers the authors, was fearfully concluded by the death of two Princes, which filled the Kingdom with fire and blood. The King being surprised at Tours, was so happily relieved by him, that three months after he had entered victorious into his capital City, but for that execrable parricide that ended his life. Then the true French being quite desolate, apprehending for one King diverse Tyrants, and acknowledging the just cause of their lawful King, cast themselves into his arms. He seeing the most powerful forces of Europe banded against him, the rebels insolent, and the good subjects astonished, makes as many combats as treaties, as many sieges as lodgings. He digests in his Cabinet incredible griefs and perplexities, and overcomes in the field infinite dangers. Diep receiving him, serves for an example of obedience, Arques declares him invincible. Paris believing him vanquished, was terrified to see him at her gates. Vendosme, le Mans, Lizieux, Eureux, Alencon, Vernevil, Honfleur are carried away by the torrent of his arms. Meulan owes her safety to his help, jury elevates his crown by a renowned victory, Nantes and Vernon open their gates to him, Melun receives chastisement for her temerity, S. Denis is forced to yield, which the enemy taking, is there taken and killed. Paris had been lost, had he not feared to lose it. Corbeil by her loss ruins the enemy's army, and by him being presently retaken, manifests his diligence. Longeval admires his conduct, Chartres his perseverance, Noyon his courage, Lowiers his vigilancy, Aumale is a witness of the blood which he spends for the safety of his. Roven reduced to extremity, sees him meet his enemies to fight with them, Ivetot disorders them, Caudebecq covers their flight, Espargnay advances, and Dreux augments the shame of it. All the forced towns publish his power, the rendered his faith, the surprised his goodness. Never beaten, Always victorious. His palms flourish in the Provinces, under the reputation of his arms, and the good fortune of his commands. The same day that his presence gave life to them at jury, his power produceth them at Issoire, they stretch forth even to Grenoble, and further draw Aix from out the servitude she sought, and confirm the fidelity of Bourdeaux and Rennes. Under their shadow do happily succeed the battles at Poncharra, Vignon, Beaumond, and Villenur. All France being filled with the glory of his exploits, confesseth, that what he could or hath not done, is unknown or impossible to any other. God who conducted him by the hand to the Throne of his Fathers, fortifies his soul by a singular foresight, to break the new designs which rendered the divisions of France immortal. He adds to his victories that of himself. Stretcheth his arms to the truth, acknowledgeth the Church, the sacred monument of his Predecessors are witness of the sincerity of this action, and is sacred and crowned Most Christian King, in the most ancient Temple of the Christian world. At that change, the pretext which had filled the wicked with audacity, and the good with fear, vanished. The Angel guardian of Kings saves him from a damnable and enormous attempt on his person. Meaux, Lions, Orleans, Bourges, acknowledging him, confirm themselves in their first fidelity. He takes Paris, makes her sensible of the effects of his clemency, safety and felicity enter, justice is reestablished, and the authority which sedition had taken from her, is restored. He permits the foreign forces to issue, armed to the glory of his generosity, who knows neither how to fear nor hate his enemies. Roven frees herself from their yoke, Laon is their sepulture, The towns which followed the greatest in their revolt, imitate them in obedience. Troy's, Sens, Again, Charteauthierry, Poitiers, Peronne, Amiens, Beauvais, Reims, S. Malo, come and offer him the tables of the shipwreck they escaped. Every where he abolisheth the remembrance of his own injuries, sweetens the resentment of the public, and amongst so many proofs of a royally generous and debonnaire mind, carefully cherished by heaven, Hell raiseth in Paris a monstrous one, who hurting him with an execrable knife, leaves on his royal mouth, the mark of the unhappy design it had against his life. He darts the fire of war into the Estates of those who were pleased with the embrazement of France. Luxemburg, Artois, Piedmont, Savoy, and Bresse, have tried what an offended patience can do, under a great power. Dijon renders herself under his obedience, draws thither all Burgundy, Fontaine-Francoise, constrains the enemy's army to sacrifice his pride at the feet of his valour. He enters the Franche-Conte, that hath nothing against him, but the remains of his trophies. Rome receives him, changeth her anathemas into blessings, acknowledgeth him the eldest son of the Church; his heart being the Temple, and his mouth the oracle of truth, he induceth his greatest enemies to trust to his word. He happily finisheth the civil wars, drowns in the sea of his clemency all things past, Changeth punishments into recompenses, Pacifies Provence, Daunts the obstinacy of la Fere, Tholouze who seemed to have lost the remembrance of her first being, resolves to regain it, Marseille recovers her liberty by the death of the author of her servitude. He convocates an Assembly at Roven, that he might provide by the advice of many, for the good of all. Spain knowing by the regaining of Amiens, that impossibilities yielded to the justice of his arms, asks peace by the mediation of the Common Father of Christians, and to obtain it, forsakes all the profit of the war. Brittanny follows the good fortune of his victories. He confirms the edicts, which assure the rest of his Kingdom, to perfect the Peace. He leads his arms into the Alps, Montmelliam trembles to see him, Piedmont becomes a Frontiere, Milan is afraid to be so, Italy is astonished, but he declares, that he is armed but to recover his own, resistance hinders not the prosperity of his conquests, his pure zeal for the public rest, stops the course of his designs. He returns triumphant, Marries the most Illustrious Princess MARY, whom heaven had declared Queen of Virtues, before she was saluted Queen of France, and the blessing it bestows at this marriage, serve to crown the former, and render the Flower de luces eternal. The severity of his justice was not yet known, when the insupportable contempt of his goodness incited and constrained him to lose what he could not amend, punishment to one only, fear to many, and to all the example. He dissipates the malign influences prepared to trouble the State, and subverts the intents of those, who having not made war to get peace, would disturb the peace to renew the war. His diligence cured the ulcers which carelessness had rendered incurable. He comes, he sees, he triumphs. Sedan unable to suffer the lightning of this thunder, shall convince the temerity of those who will abide the clap. His glorious name gets so much authority, that his will is received for a law, and his counsels for infallible precepts. The Conclave respects them, Italy honours them, the Low-Countries submit to them; And under the happy auspexes of this peace, he enjoys the rest which he hath given to all, with the price of his blood, and of thirty five years of his life He keeps united divided spirits, tempers passions, restores sciences, calls back by edict the exiled, by decrees repairs the ruins of war, ends the great and sumptuous designs of his Predecessos, beautifies France with new structures, both useful and necessary causeth trade and arts to flourish, so that it seems France was cast down by the enemy's hands, but to elevate itself higher by his victories. Always August, feared and loved. From him six royal plints did spring forth, which heaven ordained for the good and glory of his Crown. [Three sons, of which the eldest proves himself the true Inheritor of his Father's greatness and virtue: the second his follower to a heavenly inheritance: The third remains his brothers most worthy second. The other three tenderest and sueetest Lilies, have by their beautiful lustre ravished all eyes, and by their urtuous odor rejoiced the hearts of all the world: The youngest causing a cntinuall Spring in Great Britain, The eldest a pleasant qualification of the heat of Hesperia, and the Middlemost an agreeable aspect of the rudest rocks in Piedmont.] He manisests his piety, shows his magnificence in his buildings, his povidence in his revenues, his liberality in his pensions, his judgement in his choice of men, his vivacity in his answers, his magnanimity in accidents, his faith towards his allies, his moderation at all times, his prudence in all things, his justice towards all men. Invincible in labour, Never idle. His royal hair is not grown white but with watching and experience. The Laurels which crown his head, were gathered in the victorious field of three set battles, of thirty five encounters, of one hundred and forty combats, wherein he fought with his hand, and in three hundred sieges. And of all these is form the great renown, which by the singular providence of God, makes him Protector of the Public tranquillity, Restorer of the State, Ornament of the Church, Arbitrator of Christendom, and the Delight of the world.  

AT jury, Coutras, Arques  
immortal fame shall sing  
The courage, fortune, right,  
of this most valiant King:  
And stoutest strangers proud,  
do quake for very fear,  
When of the fights of Coutras,  
jury, Arques they hear.   
FINIS.