AstoFrance，thiseraoftheentirefalloftheSpanishpowerislikewisethatfromwhichwemayreckonthatFrancegrewasformidable，aswehaveseenher，toherneighbors，inpowerandpretensions。HenrytheFourthmeditatedgreatdesigns，andpreparedtoactagreatpartinEuropeintheverybeginningofthisperiod，whenRavaillacstabbedhim。Hisdesignsdiedwithhim，andareratherguessedatthanknown；forsurelythosewhichhishistorianPerefixeandthecompilersofSully’smemorialsascribetohim，ofaChristiancommonwealthdividedintofifteenstates，andofasenatetodecidealldifferences，andtomaintainthisnewconstitutionofEurope，aretoochimericaltohavebeenreallyhis：buthisgeneraldesignofabasingthehouseofAustria，andestablishingthesuperiorpowerinthatofBourbon，wastakenup，abouttwentyyearsafterhisdeath，byRichelieu，andwaspursuedbyhimandbyMazarinwithsomuchabilityandsuccess，thatitwaseffectedentirelybythetreatiesofWestphaliaandbythePyreneantreaty；thatis，attheendofthesecondofthoseperiodsIhavepresumedtoproposetoyourlordship。
　　Whenthethird，inwhichwenoware，willend，andwhatcircumstanceswillmarktheendofit，Iknownot；butthisIknow，thatthegreateventsandrevolutions，whichhavehappenedinthecourseofit，interestusstillmorenearlythanthoseofthetwoprecedentperiods。Iintendedtohavedrawnupanelenchusorsummaryofthethree，butIdoubted，onfurtherrejection，whethermymemorywouldenablemetodoitwithexactnessenough：andIsawthat，ifIwasabletodoit，thedeductionwouldbeimmeasurablylong。Somethingofthiskind，however，itmaybereasonabletoattempt，inspeakingofthelastperiod：whichmayhereafteroccasionafurthertroubletoyourlordship。
　　Buttogivesomebreathingtime，Iwillpostponeitatpresent，andaminthemeanwhile，Mylord，yours，&；c。
　　LETTER7
　　ASketchoftheStateofHistoryofEurope，FromthePyraneanTreatyinOneThousandSixHundredandFifty-Nine，totheYearOneThousandSixHundredandEighty-EightThefirstobservationIshallmakeonthisthirdperiodofmodernhistoryis，thatastheambitionofCharlestheFifth，whounitedthewholeformidablepowerofAustriainhimself，andtherestlesstemper，thecrueltyandbigotryofPhiliptheSecond，wereprincipallyobjectsoftheattentionandsolicitudeofthecouncilsofEurope，inthefirstoftheseperiods；andastheambitionofFerdinandtheSecond，andtheThird，whoaimedatnothinglessthanextirpatingtheprotestantinterest，andunderthatpretencesubduingthelibertiesofGermany，wereobjectsofthesamekindinthesecond：soanoppositiontothegrowingpowerofFrance，ortospeakmoreproperly，totheexorbitantambitionofthehouseofBourbon，hasbeentheprincipalaffairofEurope，duringthegreatestpartofthepresentperiod。ThedesignofaspiringtouniversalmonarchywasimputedtoCharlestheFifth，assoonashebegantogiveproofsofhisambitionandcapacity。ThesamedesignwasimputedtoLouistheFourteenth，assoonashebegantofeelhisownstrength，andtheweaknessofhisneighbors。Neitheroftheseprincesasinduced，Ibelieve，bytheflatteryofhiscourtiers；ortheapprehensionofhisadversaries，toentertainsochimericaladesignasthiswouldhavebeen，eveninthatfalsesensewhereintheworduniversalissooftenunderstood：andImistakeverymuchifeitherofthemwasofacharacter，orincircumstances，toundertakeit。Bothofthemhadstrongdesirestoraisetheirfamilieshigher，andtoextendtheirdominionsfarther；butneitherofthemhadthatboldandadventurousambitionwhichmakesaconquerorandahero。Theseapprehensions，however，weregivenwisely，andtakenusefully。Theycannotbegivennortakentoosoonwhensuchpowersasthesearise；becausewhensuchpowersasthesearebesiegedasitwereearly，bythecommonpolicyandwatchfulnessoftheirneighbors。eachofthemmayinhisturnofstrengthsallyforth，andgainalittleground；butnoneofthemwillbeabletopushtheirconquestfar；
　　andmuchlesstoconsummatetheentireprojectsoftheirambition。BesidestheoccasionaloppositionthatwasgiventoCharlestheFifthbyourHenrytheEighth，accordingtothedifferentmoodsofhumorhewasin；bythepopes，accordingtotheseveralturnsoftheirprivateinterest；andbytheprincesofGermany，accordingtotheoccasionsorpretencesthatreligionorcivillibertyfurnished；hehadfromhisfirstsettingoutarivalandanenemyinFrancistheFirst，whodidnotmaintainhiscause“informapauperis，“
　　ifImayusesuchanexpression：aswehaveseenthehouseofAustriasue，inourdays，fordominionatthegateofeverypalaceinEurope。FrancistheFirstwastheprincipalinhisownquarrels，paidhisownarmies，foughthisownbattles；andthoughhisvaloralonedidnothinderCharlestheFifthfromsubduingallEurope，asBayle，abetterphilologerthanpolitician，somewhereasserts，butamultitudeofothercircumstanceseasilytobetracedinhistory；yethecontributedbyhisvictories，andevenbyhisdefeats，towastethestrengthandcheekthecourseofthatgrowingpower。LouistheFourteenthhadnorivalofthiskindinthehouseofAustria，norindeedanyenemyofthisimportancetocombat，tilltheprinceofOrangebecameKingofGreatBritain：andhehadgreatadvantagesinmanyotherrespects，whichitisnecessarytoconsiderinordertomakeatruejudgmentontheaffairsofEuropefromtheyearonethousandsixhundredandsixty。Youwilldiscoverthefirstoftheseadvantages，andsuchaswereproductiveofalltherest，intheconductofRichelieuandofMazarin。Richelieuformedthegreatdesign，andlaidthefoundations：Mazarinpursuedthedesign，andraisedthesuperstructure。IfIdonotdeceivemyselfextremely，therearefewpassagesinhistorythatdeserveyourlordship’sattentionmorethantheconductthatthefirstandgreatestoftheseministersheld，inlayingthefoundationsIspeakofyouwillobservehowhehelpedtoembroilaffairsoneveryside，andtokeepthehouseofAustriaatbayasitwere；howheenteredintothequarrelsofItalyagainstSpain，intothatconcerningtheValteline，andthatconcerningthesuccessionofMantua；withoutengagingsodeepastodiverthimfromanothergreatobjectofhispolicy，subduingRochelleanddisarmingtheHuguenots。Youwillobserveholyheturnedhimselfafterthiswasdone，tostoptheprogressofFerdinandinGermany。WhileSpainfomenteddiscontentsatthecourtanddisordersinthekingdomofFrance，byallpossiblemeans，evenbytakingengagementswiththeDukeofRohan；andforsupportingtheprotestants；RichelieuabettedthesameinterestinGermanyagainstFerdinand；
　　andintheLowCountriesagainstSpain。TheemperorwasbecomealmostthemasterinGermany。ChristiantheFourth，KingofDenmark，hadbeenattheheadofaleague，whereintheUnitedProvinces，Sweden，andLowerSaxonyentered，toopposehisprogress：butChristianhadbeendefeatedbyTillyandValstein，andobligedtoconcludeatreatyatLubec，whereFerdinandgavehimthelaw。ItwasthenthatGustavusAdolphus，withwhomRichelieumadeanalliance，enteredintothiswar，andsoonturnedthefortuneofit。
　　TheFrenchministerhadnotyetengagedhismasteropenlyinthewar；butwhentheDutchgrewimpatient，andthreatenedtorenewtheirtrucewithSpain，unlessFrancedeclared；whenthekingofSwedenwaskilled，andthebattleofNordlingenlost；whenSaxonyhadturnedagaintothesideoftheemperor，andBrandenburgandsomanyothershadfollowedthisexample，thatHessealmostalonepersistenceintheSwedishalliance：thenRichelieuengagedhismaster，andprofitedofeverycircumstancewhichtheconjunctureafforded，toengagehimwithadvantage。For，first，hehadadoubleadvantagebyengagingsolate：thatofcomingfreshintothequarrelagainstaweariedandalmostexhaustedenemy；andthatofyieldingtotheimpatienceofhisfriends，who，pressedbytheirnecessitiesandbythewanttheyhadofFrance，gavethisministeranopportunityoflayingthoseclaimsandestablishingthosepretensions，inallhistreatieswithHolland，Swedenandtheprincesandstatesoftheempire，onwhichhehadprojectedthefutureaggrandisementofFrance。Themannerinwhichheengaged，andtheairthathegavetohisengagement，wereadvantagesofthesecondsort，advantagesofreputationandcredit；yetweretheseofnosmallmomentinthecourseofthewar，andoperatedstronglyinfavorofFranceashedesignedtheyshould，evenafterhisdeath，andatandafterthetreatiesofWestphalia。Hevarnishedambitionwiththemostplausibleandpopularpretences。TheelectorofTreveshadputhimselfundertheprotectionofFrance：and，ifIrememberright，hemadethisstepwhentheemperorcouldnotprotecthimagainsttheSivedes，whomhehadreasontoapprehend。Nomatter，thegovernorofLuxemburgwasorderedtosurpriseTrevesandtoseizetheelector。Heexecutedhisorderswithsuccess，andcarriedthisprinceprisonerintoBrabant。Richelieuseizedtheluckycircumstance；
　　hereclaimedtheelector：and，ontherefusalofthecardinalinfant，thewarwasdeclared。France，yousee，appearedthecommonfriendofliberty，thedefenderofitintheLowCountriesagainstthekingofSpain，andinGermanyagainsttheemperor，aswellastheprotectoroftheprincesoftheempire，manyofwhosestateshadbeenillegallyinvaded，andwhosepersonswerenolongersafefromviolenceevenintheirownpalaces。AlltheseappearanceswerekeptupinthenegotiationsatMunster，whereMazarinreapedwhatRichelieuhadsowed。ThedemandsthatFrancemadeforherselfwereverygreat；buttheconjuncturewasfavorable，andsheimprovedittotheutmost。Nofigurecouldbemoreflatteringthanhersattheheadofthesenegotiations；normoremortifyingthantheemperor’sthroughthewholecourseofthetreaty。
　　Theprincesandstatesoftheempirehadbeentreatedasvassalsbytheemperor：
　　Francedeterminedthemtotreatwithhimonthisoccasionassovereigns，andsupportedtheminthisdetermination。WhilstSwedenseemedconcernedfortheprotestantinterestalone，andshowednootherregard，asshehadnootheralliance；FranceaffectedtobeimpartialaliketotheprotestantandtothepapistandtohavenointerestatheartbutthecommoninterestoftheGermanicbody。Herdemandswereexcessive，buttheirweretobesatisfiedprincipallyoutoftheemperor’spatrimonialdominions。Ithadbeentheartofherministerstoestablishthisgeneralmaximonmanyparticularexperiences，thatthegrandeurofFrancewasareal，andwouldbeaconstantsecuritytotherightsandlibertiesoftheempireagainsttheemperor：anditisnowondertherefore，thismaximprevailing，injuries，resentments，andjealousiesbeingfreshononeside，andservices，obligations，andconfidenceontheother，thattheGermanswerenotunwillingFranceshouldextendherempireonthissideoftheRhinewhilstSwedendidthesameonthissideoftheBaltic。Thesetreaties，andtheimmensecreditandinfluencethatFrancehadacquittedbythemintheempire，putitoutofthepowerofonebranchofthehouseofAustriatoreturntheobligationsofassistancetotheother，inthewarthatcontinuedbetweenFranceandSpain，tillthePyreneantreaty。
　　BythistreatythesuperiorityofthehouseofBourbonoverthehouseofAustriawasnotonlycompletedandconfirmedbutthegreatdesignofunitingtheSpanishandtheFrenchmonarchiesundertheformerwaslaid。
　　ThethirdperiodthereforebeginsbyagreatchangeofthebalanceofpowerinEurope，andbytheprospectofonemuchgreaterandmorefatal。
　　BeforeIdescendintotheparticularsIintendtomention，ofthecourseofaffairs，andofthepoliticalconductofthegreatpowersofEuropeinthisthirdperiod；givemeleavetocastmyeyesoncemorebackonthesecond。
　　ThereflectionIamgoingtomakeseemstomeimportant，andleadstoallthatistofollow。
　　TheDutchmadetheirpeaceseparatelyatMunsterwithSpain，whoacknowledgedthenthesovereigntyandindependencyoftheircommonwealth。TheFrench，whohadbeen，afterourElizabeth，theirprincipalsupport，reproachedthemseverelyforthisbreachoffaith。Theyexcusedthemselvesinthebestmanner，andbythebestreasons，theycould。Allthisyourlordshipwillfindinthemonumentsofthattime。ButIthinkitnotimprobablethattheyhadamotiveyouwillnotfindthere，andwhichitwasnotpropertogiveasareasonorexcusetotheFrench。Mightnotthewisemenamongstthemconsiderevenwhen，besidestheimmediateadvantagesthataccruedbythistreatytotheirCommonwealth，thattheimperialpowerwasfallen；thatthepowerofSpainwasvastlyreduced；thatthehouseofAustriawasnothingmorethantheshadowofagreatname，andthatthehouseofBourbonwasadvancing，bylargestrides，toadegreeofpowerasexorbitant，andasformidableasthatoftheotherfamilyhadbeeninthehandsofCharlestheFifth，ofPhiliptheSecond，andlatelyofthetwoFerdinands。Mighttheynotforesee，eventhen，whathappenedinthecourseofveryfewyears，whentheywereobliged，fortheirownsecurity，toassisttheiroldenemiestheSpaniardsagainsttheiroldfriendstheFrench。Ithinktheymight。OurCharlestheFirstwasnogreatpolitician，andyetheseemedtodiscernthatthebalanceofpowerwasturninginfavorofFrance，someyearsbeforethetreatiesofWestphalia。