THE Beginning, Progress, and Conclusion of the late Troubles in FRANCE etc. Faithfully observed, and written from a Gentleman now in PARIS, To a Person of Honour in this Kingdom.  
Dated at Paris March 23. 1649.  
LONDON Printed in the Year. 1649.   

To the Reader.  
Reader,  
THat you may be a little more assured of the verity of what follows in this Paper: know, That the Gentleman that writ this, is a man of that quality, that as he hath been constantly in an eminent civil employment in Paris, so he hath had (during these troubles) frequent access to the Court at St. Jermains, and been conversant with most of the Counsellors of State, both there, and the Parliament at Paris.   

THE Beginning, Progress, and Conclusion of the late Troubles in FRANCE.  
Sir,  
I Believe I have lost three or four letters that I sent you in the beginning of these troubles and I am like to be at a greater loss by not receiving your answers to them: But I shall desire you by the next Post to send me an abstract of yours, that I may understand whither they contain any thing so necessary, as will constrain me to inquire after them at St. Jermins'. I will take no notice of the last actions in England, nor tell you how impatiently they are supported here, and every where, as fare as the correspondence of this place can reach: but you shall observe in France the greatest cure of the most desperate diseases, that perhaps is mentioned in story.  
The Prince of Condy had beseidged this City with his own Army, the chief of that drawn out of Catalonia, that out of Italy, and some Troops out of Germainy. The Parliament of this City had raised 14000 Mercinaries, and had 10000 Burgois, ever attending extraordinary Convoys. Duke Longivile was marching with 8000 Mercinaries from Rovin, an Army in Britain, and another (though very small) in Province: The Arch Duke Leopold, and Duke of Lorraine entered into France, and Martial de Turin come out of Germany, (and after many Letters of promised Loyalty to the King, Cardinal and Prince of Condy) declared for the Parliament: This war continued very hot during this Siege: wherein the Parisians were continually beaten from their Convoys, by the P. of Condy, and D. Longevile as often defeated by the Count de Harcourt; and at last (which gives to be of greatest importance) Count Erlock (Turin being declared Traitor at S. Germane) wrought so with the Officers of that  Army, that the Marshal was glad to escape with fifty of his own Guard: These successes you might imagine would humble the Parisians into a Treaty, but it was more occasioned by those observations the Parliament here, and elsewhere made of the people and their Generals: For three times they have been ready to revolt, and tear them out of their Robes, the Burgois have been jealous, and both Burgois and Parliament jealous of the Princes their Generals; who now have only the popular voice. But those Princes, and Parliament, that began this War by the example of England, did mistake the constitution of their own Nation, or did not observe the constitution of ours.  
For ours are more open handed, and more apt to disburse frankly towards the maintenance of their wills, and (as they are more fluingly phlegmatic) more constant to their affections, or hatred than the French, for here the people have shifted four times their Favourites; and when they came to levy moneys, (though in a small proportion) the Parliament found more Enemies, and fiercer within the walls, than abroad: Thus several causes hath begot this Treaty, so much unexpected by the world, and finished by the Deputies in two days, with all perfectings of hands, and Seals those Deputies being Plenipotentiaries.  
But those Articles they brought from Court were as honourable, and as solidly essential for the Crown as could be wished, and such as left the revolted Princes, and Generals in their first condition, without any reward for raising this storm; which they knew by secret intelligence from Court, before the Deputies brought them to the Sessions at the Palace.  
Therefore the Princes raised the people into such a Fury as they assembled like a whole Nation about the Hostell Devile; and meeting the Parliament denied the peace, and were ready to sacrifice them, if the Burgois had not come in a strong body to their rescue; and all this Tumult was begotten by the specious advantages the Princes have against the Court for the protection of Mazarine, whom the Prince of Condy preserves and defends in his first condition, and would not suffer the Articles to pass unless the Cardinal signed them.  
Monday the 14. from 6. in the Morning, till 6. at Night, the debate held; the Princes and their Confederates moved to have the Articles burnt by the hand of the Hangman, because the Cardinal's hand was to them, but that would not be admitted; then it was propounded, not to accept of them, and to send down for new conditions; but at last it was concluded (the Burgois awing the people without, which fomented the choler within) that the Articles should be accepted, and only by the same Deputies, the Queen should be humbly requested to moderate two of them, one concerning the lict de Justice to be kept at St. Germains; the other concerning the Parliaments not assembling during this year 49. but it was likewise concluded, that though the Queen did not consent to that moderation that they should sign the peace, and the Princes and Generals are obliged to accept of such Conditions as the said Deputies can procure for them: Duke Longivile) who hath already united himself by a civil Message to the Prince of Condy) is included in this peace, and the City of Rovy, if they sign it in ten days, and so is Britain, and Provance, if they sign it in twenty; and the chief of the Articles consented to by both sides, is that some chosen from the Deputies of Paris, shall immediately accompany the Ambassadors of the Court for the general Peace.  
Now, Sir, I must tell you, my opinion is, that it is happy for the Crown, that they had this Civil War, because the Parliament and Princes have gained so much experience from it, as giveth them a perfect knowledge of the inconstancy of the people, and of one another, and of such parsimony in the natures of all as cannot give them any courage to a new undertaking; and it is well their humours are found out, and purged, whilst so excellent a Physician as the Prince of Condy was extant; who is a true State Physician, and gives violent Medicines. I am weary, and  
Sir, Your most humble faithful Servant, F. C. Paris 23. March, 1649.  
FINIS.