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DEDICATION

OF THE

HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE."

SIR,

TO THE KING.

HAVING

AVING received the honour of your Majesty's commands to translate the HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE, I have applied myself with my utmost diligence to obey them; first by a thorough

7 THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE, written in French by the Jesuit, Louis Maimbourg, was translated by our author, and published in 8vo. in 1684.-Dr. Johnson has said, that this work was undertaken "with the hopes of promoting popery;" but this is certainly a mistake. The translation was made previous, as it should seem, to Dryden's conversion to popery; and the object in view undoubtedly was, to strengthen the hands of government, and to discredit the party who had acted with Lord Shaftesbury, between whom and the French Leaguers our author in a former work, published in the preceding year, (VINDICATION OF THE DUKE OF GUISE,) had endeavoured to shew there was a strong similitude.

The Leaguers in France were a party of noblemen and gentlemen, headed by the Duke of Guise, who in 1576 associated, and bound themselves to each other by a

understanding of my author, in which I was assisted by my former knowledge of the French history in general, and in particular of those very transactions which he has so faithfully and judiciously related; then by giving his thoughts the same beauty in our language which they had in the original, and, which I most of all endeavoured, the same force and perspicuity; both of which I hope I have performed with some exactness, and without any considerable mistake. But of this your Majesty is the truest judge, who are so great a master of the original, and who having read this piece when it first was published, can easily find out my failings; but to my comfort, can more casily forgive them.

I confess I could never have laid hold on that virtue of your royal clemency at a more unseasonable time; when your enemies have so far abused it, that pardons are grown dangerous to your safety, and consequently to the welfare of your loyal subjects. But frequent forgiveness is

solemn League and Covenant, to maintain and preserve the sole exercise of the catholick, apostolick, and Roman religion, and all their ancient rights and franchises. They were joined by a party of malecontents, who were called the Politiques, because, says Maimbourg, "without touching on religion, they pretended they took arms only for the publick good, for the relief and benefit of the people, and to reform those grievances and disorders which were at present in the state: a ground which has always served for a pretence of rebellion."

their encouragement; they have the sanctuary in their eye, before they attempt the crime, and take all measures of security, either not to need a pardon, if they strike the blow, or to have it granted, if they fail. Upon the whole matter, your Majesty is not upon equal terms with them; you are still forgiving, and they still designing against your sacred life: your principle is mercy, theirs inveterate malice; when one only wards, and the other strikes, the prospect is sad on the defensive side. Hercules, as the poets tell us, had no advantage on Anteus by his often throwing him on the ground; for he laid him only in his mother's lap, which in effect was but doubling his strength to renew the combat. These sons of earth are never to be trusted in their mother element; they must be hoisted into the air and strangled.

If the experiment of clemency were new, if it had not been often tried without effect, or rather with effects quite contrary to the intentions of your goodness, your loyal subjects are generous enough to pity their countrymen, though offenders; but when that pity has been always found to draw into example of greater mischiefs,-when they continually behold both your Majesty and themselves exposed to dangers,—the church, the government, the succession, still threatened; ingratitude so far from being converted by gentle means, that it is turned at last into the nature of the damned, desirous of revenge, and hardened in impenitence; it is time at length for self-preservation to cry

out for justice, and to lay by mildness, when it ceases to be a virtue. Almighty God has hitherto miraculously preserved you; but who knows how long the miracle will continue? His ordinary operations are by second causes; and then reason will conclude, that, to be preserved, we ought to use the lawful means of preservation. If on the other side it be thus argued,-that of many attempts one may possibly take place, if preventing justice be not employed against offenders, what remains, but that we implore the Divine assistance to avert that judgment; which is no more than to desire of God to work another, and another, and in conclusion a whole series of miracles. This, Sir, is the general voice of all true Englishmen; I might call it the loyal address of three nations, infinitely solicitous of your safety, which includes their own prosperity. It is indeed an high presumption for a man so inconsiderable as I am, to present it; but zeal and dutiful affection in an affair of this importance, will make every good şubject a counsellor. It is, in my opinion, the test of loyalty; and to be either a friend or foe to the government, needs no other distinction, than to declare at this time either for remissness or justice. I said at this time, because I look not on the storm as overblown. It is still a gusty kind of weather; there is a kind of sickness in the air; it seems

8 Our author here alludes to the Ryehouse Plot of the preceding year.

indeed to be cleared up for some few hours, but the wind still blowing from the same corner; and when new matter is gathered into a body, it will not fail to bring it round, and pour upon us a second tempest. I shall be glad to be found a false prophet; but he was certainly inspired, who when he saw a little cloud arising from the sea, and that no bigger than a hand, gave immediate notice to the King, that he might mount the chariot, before he was overtaken by the storm.9 If so much care was taken of an idolatrous King, an usurper, a persecutor, and a tyrant, how much more vigilant ought we to be in the concernments of a lawful prince, a father of his country, and a defender of the faith, who stands exposed by his too much mercy to the unwearied and endless conspiracies of parricides? He was a better prince' than the former whom I mentioned out of the sacred history, (and the allusion comes yet more close,) who stopped his hand after the third arrow; three victories were indeed obtained, but the effect of often shooting had been the total destruction of his enemies.

To come yet nearer, Henry the Fourth, your royal grandfather, whose victories, and the subversion of the League, are the main argument of this History, was a prince most clement in his

9 This notice was given by the prophet Elijah to Ahab. See Kings, ch. xviii. v. 43-45.

Who this prince was, I have not been able to discover.

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