THE duke de Mayennes Ghost speaking to the PRINCES, LORDS, AND Gentlemen of France.  
Ex populis qui regna ferunt, sors vltima nostr● est.  
Faithfully Translated according to the F●nch copy.  
Printed at the Hage by Hillebrant jacobson, Printer to the general States of the united Netherlands. MDCXXII.   

THE duke DE MAYENNES Ghost, speaking to the Princes, Lords, and Gentlemen of France.  
Ex populis qui Regna ferunt, sors vltima nostra est.  
MY Lords and Gentlemen, &c. I beseech you be not abashed to see and behold me raised again from the dead in the world. Sith the sighs and tears of my desolate friends and seruants, and the slanders of my ungrateful Enemies, haue broken up my tomb, and my poor soul, violently drawn from his rest, by those cruel executioners, hath entred again into my body, with it to yield unto France, the last motions of my affection, whereof death had bereaved it. Alas, I fear, and am in great doubt, that my admonitions will prove as unprofitable as charitable, and that his voice, which proceedeth from heaven, is given unto me, but onely to make your faintness unpardonable, and your complaints unlawful and needless, when your destruction shall fall vpon you. How often and many times haue you been  told and forewarned of the mischiefs and miseries which you feel, and the wholesome and necessary remedies thereof offered unto you, which you haue not onely refused and despised, but to the contrary haue injured and persecuted those whom you had called to aid you, and whom you had summoned and warned to use their Art and vocations therein: Which hath been done by a most just and secret iudgement of God, who as the Physician, that is able to heal all sicknesses and diseases, did best know the cause of your malady, and gave you the readiest and fittest means that might be found. He hath dealt with the three flower Deluces of France, as with those that were since of an over great abundance of wealth and blood, and to every on eof them hath particularly applied a feminine horseleech, which always suck and draw, and never is full, nor satisfied, by reason of an infinite number of little ones that loyue with them, and which stand behind at the tail, and receive that which others suck from the head.  
At this day, God giveth you a means by your weakness, and continual fevers, to know and perceive the overgreat evacuation of your blood, and treasures, and that th every best and purest blood and treasure that you haue. Therefore watch carefully, and not diligently, for the conservation of that small remnant which remaineth, and lay hold vpon the remedies that may serve to recover your health and strength again: without flattery aclowledge it, and without fear or any doubt of your further mischief, and of the causes and advantages which your Enemies hold on: consider the debased and weak state, first by the dissipation of the great treasures of the same, and then by the youth, superstition, faint-heartednes, persideousnes, or division amongst the Princes thereof, which make the Nobility become careless of their zeal towards their Country, and the common people benumbed, and as it were senseless of the mischiefs and forces thereof, and all of them together moved with envy, to run and labour of see which of them shall first fall into the net. The onely cause of all these disorders and abuses, is the horrible ambition of Luynes, and his followers, who for the establishing of his tyrainnie, hath fully determined, after he hath devoured all the treasure of France, laid and heaped it up, in the surest places, and whole provinces which he usurpeth, imprisoned, flattered, and corrupted, the most part of the Princes, and great personages, and embased, cast down and disgraced those whom he could not corrupt, to use the means and interest of strangers, to advance his tyranny, by declaring war against those, of whom, for the good of the State, it is requisite to ask peace.  
The advantages which he hath already had, and which he further expecteth, are great, if he be not prevented. First, he hath given colour to an infinite number of new Edicts, Proclamations, imbursements, imprests, impositions, exactions, and oppressions, which the greatest tyrants in the world never imagined nor thought of, he hath caused those to be executed, which he introduced the last year, under pretence of making war against the queen mother, and which the Parliament, as the echo of the peoples sighs, had refused to ratify and confirm, and I cannot imagine how those Edicts should be become more just and lawful this year; If not, but that by the executions of the same, God hath determined to punish France, for suffering them to be proclaimed: by this means then he hath bereft France of her last juice, and from thence hath drawn two special and principal commodities: The first, that he hath fortified himself, and brought France into an extreme necessity. The second, that he hath induced and drawn the peoples hearts unto a revolt, and to a general disunion.  
again, he heapeth, and that with great apparance, that this war will deliver and free him from all those that esteem his tyrannicall resolutions, to be dangerous, and that he shall be the principal heir: Therefore you see, that he hath given the command of his first disordered Armies( not to his confederates and trusty friends) but onely unto those, who at other times opposed themselves against the progress, & issue of his tyranny, whom he distrusts, and by their blind courage, longeth to be rid of them, his last Armies, which bear for a device: The manifestation of his tyranny, he conferreth unto those that shall be his partners, and shall order them best: and in the mean time, he leaveth the office of a Constable, like an ignorant Physician without mercy, putting his own people like poor souls into hospitals.  
again, he hopeth so conveniently to abuse both the Kings authority and forces, that after a long time of war, and misery, both parties shall be so weakened, and yet so much animated, that they cannot any more hurt him, nor join together to resist his tyranny: he hath also made a good entrance,( and if he be suffered to continue) a year longer, I am assured, that he will manifest himself. First, by the issue of two sieges, and having divided the Army to weaken it, sending part thereof to lye before Rochell, he drew the King himself in person, with the rest, to lye before Montaubon, which against all military reason he would besiege, and against the season of the year, and the advice of all the world, unless it were of Pater Arnoux, who paid the Captaines and the Souldiers onely with miracles, and revelations: he hath wearied the Army, without paying them any money to live vpon, and without any order, that the poor sick or wounded Souldiers might be relieved with bread and water, in such manner, that hunger and sickness hath killed many more of them, then the Enemy hath done, and expressly left their dead carksses lying above ground without burial, to the end, that the putrefaction of them might infect the air, and engender a plague, which was the cause that the Souldiers despairing, ran through the country, and there robd and spoyled fellow-travelers and Marchants, that they met in the high ways, whose poor wives and Children cry unto God for vengeance against Luynes and his adherents, and for a full accomplishment of all the rest, after that with so long headstrongnesse, he had lost more men, then the King had done in three battailes, he was forced( to the great prejudice of the Kings authority) which till then had never failed, to raise his siege, and in the Kings name in submissive manner to desire a shameful peace, of those, who on their knees ought to haue asked the same of him. Thus you see the notable functions of the Constables office, and the effects of the happy conduction and success which he promised by his Letters. And in the mean time, that all these great disorders and necessities happened, with a great fire at his back; he stood and played 1000. pistolets and French crownes at Dice, vpon a Table after Dinner: he never went near the fight, but he made it come unto him, and never went further forward( but onely by his sight) having a Corselet of of prospective glass between: he motioned a small Truce or ceasing from arms for two houres long, that he might go to visit the Trenches, always bearing the monster fear in his pocket, least he should stay longer there: he caused great conuoyes of money to be sent from Paris, under pretence of paying the Souldiers in the Army, but the greatest part thereof stayed in Blaye: every day he caused 600. men to work at Lisigny, as many at Quillebouef, 800. at Amies, 500. at Calais, and more then 200. in Luynes places in Paris, every man for 20. Solz a day, and 500. men in Garrison in Amiens, for the keeping of one part of his treasure, all ordained as if it had been for the King, and paid them as it were with blood: in the mean time, poor France suffereth, she tares her own entrails in pieces; shee is dismembered by these disorders, which are as many seeds of partialities, and of commonwealths, as there are strong places of Hugonites, that is the point whereunto Luynes aspireth, for coadjutors and conspirators in his designs, having the ancient Enemies of the State, who for the space of 100. yeares, haue sought and advanced the dissipation of the State, by all the means they can devise, and particularly by the superstitions which both day and night they sow in weak consciences: their principal Ministers are Arnoux and Rousselay, who abuse the Kings conscience, as Luynes abuseth his affection. In Luynes they say there is iustice and agility, in establishing of his tyranny: they pronounce and promise him prosperity, from the Popes secret chamber of Cardinals, and from the conclave: they assure him, that the dissipation of this State being effected, the Enemy will leave him the principal manor, and the right of eldership: these are things which heretofore were offered to those of our house, whose hearts were never capable of so pernicious a design. Since that time the Enemies ambition hath no more diminished then the invention of his Ministers: those are they, who by their treasons and secret practices, haue made the entrance into this pleasing war, thereby to lull the people asleep, and so with more applause to bring all the State into dissipation. First, having bereft it of all alliances; and it is likely, that if the patience of Rench men doth continue, they will soon attain to the end thereof, & place Luynes on the top of the wheel: he hath already gotten all the treasures of the realm, which are the Sinnowes of an estate, both in peace and war: he hath yet of late within four moneths space laid up above two millions of Franckes, he hath all the Pensions given since three yeares past, all the Kings debts which are not discharged, he hath diuers whole provinces, all the best places in others, he seeks to haue province: If he can in exchange of Guyenne, whereby he may haue the charge of the general of the Gallies, he hath been dealing with the places which Chastillio holdeth, that therewith he may speedily pretend something against Langnedor, and the Admiralty, and by that means both by Sea and land on all sides of France, bring in all sorts of Strangers, to assure himself against the natural Patriorts, by new colonies, after the manner of the romans; he hath the King on his side, whose nature he hath so much disguised, that he hath persuaded his majesty, that it is not enough to love him, if he do hate himself. I cannot refrain to speak of a point of most strange arrogancy, which he hath done besides all the rest; whereof I haue made mention, which is, that the King loved an ancient musician, that had continually served above 25. or 30. yeares, both the King his Father deceased, and himself, and had for a reward given him, before other suitors, a Canons place void in the holy chapel of Paris, for the which he was determined to give him his Letters Patents. This poor man, as his manner was, being gone to the Kings mass at Piquecox, Luynes presented a man unto the King, and said: Sir, here is a man to whom you must give a Canons place, which is vacant in the holy chapel in Paris: to whom the King said, I haue given it already to such a man, naming the Musician who as then was there: Luynes replied, and said, Sir, you must give him somewhat else, and content this brave man, who will do you good service. The poor Musician that stood behind, therewith could not refrain from speaking and weeping, but spake as loud as he could, and said: My Lord, I pray you hinder me not from that which it hath pleased his Grace to bestow vpon me, it is the recompense of 25. yeares service: the King hath given it willingly unto me, that I might pass my old dayes in praying unto God both for his majesties prosperity and yours: wherewith his majesty moved to pity, said unto Luynes, My Lord Constable, I pray you hearty let him haue it; It is long time since I promised the same unto him, and I gave it him without asking. But Luynes arrogancy was so great, that neither respecting the Kings request, nor the Musicians tears: after he had imposed silence unto them both, he caused Letters Patents to be made for the same to him, whom he intended to gratify. By this it is easy to judge, whether such dealings savour not rather of a proud arrogant commander, then of an humble seruant. It evidently appeareth, that the Kings great losses, are Luynes great gains, the King hath lost all his treasures, Luynes hath gotten them, and of governments and strong places may be said the like: it may be he will say, that whatsoever he hath is the Kings, and particularly his places: but I say, it is far from that, he seeth the necessity and disorder in the Kings affairs for want of money: he hath great treasure, but doth not aid the King therewith: that is a sign, that he hath robbed the King, and that which he hath, his majesty knoweth not of, for it is not to be doubted: but if the King had given it unto him, he would be ashamed to see his majesty want, and not restore him a small part of that benefit which he had given him. And touching his places and governments, he hath too well shewed, that they are no more at the Kings disposition: every man knows, that the last year, he would not suffer his majesty to enter into the citadel of Amiens, with above six persons besides himself. Hath not the King also received a great loss, by the death of so many brave men before Montaubon: to the contrary, Luynes hath lost but so many fears, and obtained many assurances; and now hile he is somewhat out of breath, and perceiveth that the murmurings of the catholics seem to beat against him, in regard of the notable actions of a Lord high Constable that he hath persormed: he makes show to seek for his protection among the Hugonits, thereby to diminish the courages both of the one and the other, by his treoheries and deceits: and so having breathed himself, to begin some other practices: he doth like the Wcauer, that casts his Shuttle on both sides too and fro, to wave his cloath; he fisheth on all sides, as well in clear as troubled water: those who this day think themselves to be his friends, the next day he makes them his Enemies, and when he will, makes his Enemies his friends, for the benefit of his affairs: whereunto he makes account that all things are subjecteth, without exception of the King, or of heaven: he is persuaded that neither the King, the queens, the Princes, the Lords, the Gentlemen, nor the people; no, nor yet that which is impossible, can be any obstacles to his designs. Touching the King, I haue said somewhat already: concerning the queen Mother, it is horrible and incredible unto those, that haue not seen it: he caused himself to be followed to the army, and in all other places by that princess, as long as it pleased him, like a Carrabin, always bound to the Pack, till at last, tears, shane, and remorse of conscience having overcome him, he granted her departure, vpon condition to be always ready, to walk, stay, or guide her, where and in what manner so ever he would, having first bereft and deprived her, as he thought, of all the Princes and great personages that held with her, so that he feareth nothing on that side. For Monsieur the Kings brother, he hath him in his possession, he gulls him continually, and causeth him to be gulled by others: And to set a colour vpon the strait Guard which he holdeth about him, he hath wickedly supposed, that he should haue been carried away to Granado; and which is more, he hopeth that his tyranny will be established before the lawful age of that Prince be accomplished.  
Touching the Prince of Conde, he assures himself, that promising him some archbishopric, or the Maiors place in burgess, or causing him peaceably to enjoy the Office of the bailiwick of Berry, or of some such like thing, or of the most, giuing him a present of 100000. Franckes, that he will cause him to do whatsoever he will: yea, and if it be 10 renown his degree and quality of the first Prince of the blood, and to consent to his tyranny. The poor Prince is much abused, to put his trust and confidence in Rousselay, to make him beleeue that he is a good catholic: he shall never obtain that credit, unless he and his son both become monks, for many reasons that I know. Luynes is somewhat more afraid of the County, he is a young oriental sprig, who as yet hath not abused any man, or lost his credit: he groweth in age of strength and authority, and begins to draw many mens hopes unto him; and further, as yet he is not prisoner, he is stiff and uneasy to be bowed: it concerns him to preserve his liberty, and that good opinion which is conceived of him, specially in his first action, for that is it, whereby he shall be the better esteemed of, all his life long. All the rest of the Princes and great persons, Luynes makes no account of, commanding and using them like his seruants, or rather like dogs: he drives, calls, and turns them back again, when he pleaseth, with a beck of his hand, and they are happy, if in all their voyage, they may but once enter into his outward Chamber, and as he passeth by, receive a kind nod with his head for their congee, or benediction: he saith he hath accustomend them thereunto, and that he fears them not, and boasts that he hath corrupted, divided, and so much altered, all their credits among the Nobility, that at this day, there are few Gentlemen that speak not evil of all the Princes, and which utter not their opinion sof the government. As all these greatnesses( Gentlemen) are as many fore-runners of his tyranny, they also seem to thrust forward, and provoke his ambition to proceed further, for his own security: he should be very blind, if he were persuaded, that the successor of our king( whom God grant long to reign) would not find his greatness to be odious, and unseemly in the State, and that he would not utterly overthrow and abate it. The great mischiefs which he hath done, and the great treasure which he unjustly possesseth, will continually put him in this fear, until such time as that he hath assured himself, and that for his assurance, he sacrificed the greatest persons in the State, which are the mightiest obstacles against him, he could be content that they would sacrifice themselves( as I haue done) at his instigation.  
The traitor as he is, knoweth how he hath  told me a hundred times, at the least, that in this war, he would haue no other recourse but unto me, and but two dayes before my death, comforting me for the death of some of my friends, said unto me, that if he might attain to the winning of Montaubon, he would do me so much good, and give me so good contentment, that I should haue no mind nor cause to weep for the losses, that I had received: and yet nevertheless, at the time of my death, he could not refrain from rejoicing thereat, together with his confederates, as a thorn pulled out of their hearts, and to make my death the less lamentable, and my memory dishonourable: presently after the same, he falsely and traitorously supposed certain factions and intellgiences to be practised and known by me, to the prejudice of the Kings service, and his State, and restrained some of my seruants, imprisoned others, bereaving them all of the means of their happiness, unless they would yield to a scandalous disposition against me. Is not all this manner of proceeding a sufficient proof of his treachery, and of the design that he had to work my decay. traitor as thou art, hadst thou need of sacrifices of such qualities? and yet if thou wouldest haue been content with the loss of my life, without seeking to extinguish the memory of me: thou shouldst haue  told the King( thereby to haue lessoned his grief) that I had done ill service to his majesty, and therein thou hadst said true: but it is to be understood, that it was, because I did not venture to lose my life, to bereave thee of thine: my tomb thereby would haue been more honourable then it is, and my fidelity would never haue been assailed by the slanders: my happiness would haue been much more, and my memory more apparent. Thereby I should haue stayed the continual murmurings of many millions of souls, which thou hast raised against the Kings bounty: I had saved the ruin and death of above 100000. persons, whom thou onely hast caused to perish in six moneths space, by plague, famine, and fire. And you my Lords, &c. to whom I direct my speech, will you yet draw vpon yourselves, so many murders, plagues, famines, and other miseries? do you not hear the voice of innocent blood, which cries out, and saith, That your impious patience, or rather, your negligence, and faint-heartednes, are most great crimes before God, and that you are the murtherers of those, whom you defend not from perishing, and that as you should haue been the murtherers of others, you shall also most assuredly be murtherers of yourselves, and certainly the greatest favour that some of you shall obtain, is, that you shall be the last that shall be devoured.  
Were it not better then, that you should join your affections, your courages, and that force which as yet you haue resting, altogether to save and defend yourselves from this shipwreck, and rather drown your Enemies therein. It may be, that you my Lords, the Princes, and great men of the State will say, that this coniunction is impossible, because of the infidelity or division which is amongst some of you, and that so it would be unprofitable and in vain; in as much as you should not bee seconded by the Nobility, and the people would cry out against you. It is most true, that your infidelity formerly past, and committed, hath much divided and altered your affections: but now, when you perceive and know the damage and hurt that this infidelity hath done unto you, and the great good from the which it withdraweth you. Set vpon him, that is the Author thereof. Is it to bee said, that a man should never leave nor cease from sinning, and that your consciences should never stir nor move you to repentance, specially at this day, when every one of your Honours lives and goods, are interressed therein: haue we not seen affections more separated, to be reioyned and united again, thereby to oppose and withstand a common Enemy: Dogs do the same against wolves, to save their flocks, and children against strangers to preserve their own houses: do it then to defend your troops, and your houses; and in a word, to save that, for the which you strive, and are divided amongst yourselves; If not, then hereafter do not pretend that there is any life, dwelling, state, quality, honour, or good whatsoever resting to be striven for in France, I see no other way of safety for you: It is not slight, virtue, nor faint heartedness that can save you; I cannot see any hope otherwise of an honest and honourable death. If the onely grief that a man can do nothing in this respect, do not cause the most courageous and best beloved of God, to die for sorrow, that so they may not bee left as a prey, to Luynes tyranny, and the object of his cruelty.  
And you famours Nobility, that haue obtained your great privileges, for having three times, one after another been the fundamental stones of this State, cimented with your blood: Infinite times the protections of our Kings, bridles against the usurpations of Strangers, spurs to prick you forward against all tyrannies, can, or would you degenerate and become so faint-hearted, as to abandon the ensigns of your virtues, so dearly wooen and obtained, for a prey to your Enemy: Suppose that a new Tyrant always hateth and feareth those that haue seen the beginning and birth of his tyranny, and that are able to reprove him for the same. It is much, if the children that are born under it, may be sure of their lives. Luynes fearing you, were very simplo, if he would not bee cruel against you. Then with a good will, and courageous hearts: follow the good motion sof your Princes and great States men: I know that many of them haue abused you, and haue much cooled the heat of your zeal: but let not that hinder nor withdraw you, in this worthy occasion, to join with them for the preservation of your country, and yourselves.  
And you my Masters of the commonalty, effect this last work, for the healing of your disease, you haue done others of great moment, to procure your own sickness: it is you that are lulled asleep, with false pretences, thereby with more ease to pull the sky off from your backs: you are fed with false news, to maintain and support your patience, and to lay sugar vpon the long Pills of poison, which they make you swallow down: many of you are so sick, that you feel not your pain, and those that feel it, think to ease it onely with sighs, or at the least, with some silent groans; that is not enough, you must cry out, and that so loud, that you may be understood: speak boldly, and flatter not yourselves, fear not your Enemies; you cannot be worse then you are, but may rather hope for them: tell them that you haue seen your last liberty, and that now you feel the extremity of bondage, that your mischiefs are remedies, that it is now time or else never, to free the spirit of the King, in his state, and to pull away the foot that is ready to tread vpoon his belly, drown his Enemies in your blood. I intend not hereby, to make or incite you unto a new war, or to stir you upon to new disorders among yourselves: my meaning is clean contrary; you ought to join and reunite all your affections and interests together, under the good conduction of the queen Mother, she was crwoned by the late King deceased, she governed this State in the Kings minority, none can bear greater affection to her son, nor hath a greater vocation in this matter, nor less iealousy in such authority, shee neither would nor could make any thing worse. Then altogether with one voice require that Luynes may be called in question, to yield account of his government, & the managing of the Treasure: If he hath done well, his justification cannot choose but be honourable: If he hath done ill, he is a man subject to the Law and to Iustice, as well now when he is Lord Constable, as then when he was but a bird-catcher: many of our Princes, and of our Queeens, haue been brought thereunto: those that were innocent, escaped with honour, and the culpable were punished: Is it not great reason, that every one should yield an account of his actions; none but Tyrants will not harken thereunto: our Kings( although they are bound unto it) use to gratify their Subiects with their declarations: why then should he, who as yet is not, nor never shall be, if it please God, refuse to appear before the Court of Parliament in Paris, before that honourable Senate, where partiality hath no place: Therein he should obtain great titles of Nobility, which his predicessours never had, to be judged by their peers: If conscience makes him shun and abhor this state, and his courage persuades him, before he is accused, that he shall be overthrown; he shall condemn himself, and so there will rest nothing for him, but onely to execute him: you haue reason and means to do it by arms, he shall never escape Iustice, for she will triumph over him, God will hinder him from withdrawing himself from the Law, and from the example, for the which he hath reserved him: Assure yourselves, that his conscience itself which hath failed him in his pernicious designs, will also fail him in bringing him to his punishment. And do not stay the vengeance of God, and his laws, with so wicked an offering, which is not sufficient to appease him: you must also extend it, even unto all the participants and executioners of his designs, and first his two brethren, refer the entire execution of his process to the Parliament: let it re-edify the pyramids that is fallen down, and drive away those plagues and cuill Cankers of the State. Those Tyrants of mens spirits, and consciences, which every day induce a thousand tyrannies into France, and would make our Kings and our liberties slaves and Subiects to Strangers, and our Citizens murtherers( I dare not say of whom) in regard of the ecclesiastical character. Call to mind and remember, that the King, when the Marshall d'Ancre died, said, that then he began to reign: If you deliver his majesty from this Tyrant, at hath made is a thousand to mourn for the shall Ancr; you will King to say, that he beginneth to lieu in the rection of his State: make spick then to hast gene design; let everyone of you, and particularly be; shamed to bee pre therein by another. Is it possib good which cannot be son enough concei execution should be defened to my part, altheough I an but a Ghost, forrie, for not having conibuted thereunto. Therefore now I will with all speech to assail and torment his courage and their in pieces with all and friends.  
FINIS.