the Gospel, the Restoration of which was its main purpose.

THIS Corrupt Difpofition of the Mind has not only stopped the Progrefs of Reformation, but it has alfo alienated the Minds of even many Proteftants, and gave them a diftafte to their Religion. Popery took advantage of it, and the Jefuits, whose skill makes ufe of every thing, did not neglect this Opportunity of infpiring with doubts, not only on the Authenticknefs, but alfo on the Antiquity of our facred Books, the Minds of all fuch as wait but for a pretence to renounce not only Reformation, but even Chriftianity itself, in order to frame to themselves a Religion after their own way. Hence that prodigious Croud of Deifts, and other pretended Free-thinkers, where with thefe Kingdoms are infested and overfpread!

HAPPY thofe Prelates, my Lord, who being informed, like your Lordship, of the whole purpose for which the fovereign Paftor of our Souls has established them Bishops over his Church, do whatever lies in their power to promote his Defigns; are animated with a Chriftian Zeal for Virtue as well as for Truth, with a Zeal guided by Knowledge, infpired by Charity, void of all human Confiderations, having nothing but the Glory of God, and the Happiness of Men in view, with a Zeal entirely free from a base complaifance for Errors, and no lefs full of Condefcenfion and Indulgence for such as are

under

under them; that prevents them with an ardent officiousness, inftructs them in a gentle manner, bears with them through tendernefs, and strives to make them happy according to their Condition, both as to Time and Eternity, without any other diftinction between the Jew and the Greek, the Scythian and the Barbarian, than what a Chriftian Difcretion requires. As this is the true and only way to win Souls to Chrift, it is likewife the right and fole method to get the approbation of Men, to gain their Hearts and Friendfhip, their Good-will and Efteem, their Truft and Prayers to God.

MAY you live, my Lord! unto grey Hairs, to be the Light of the Ignorant, the Comfort of thofe in diftrefs, to promote the Reign of our common Mafter, by ways as agreeable to his Example and Intentions, as those you have always made ufe of; may the infinitely good God preferve your Health, pour his most precious Bleffings upon all your pious Labours and Undertakings; and when you fhall be full of years, change your Mitre into a Crown of Glory. I am, with all imaginable Zeal and Respect,

My LORD,

Your LORDSHIP's

Moft bumble, moft obedient,

and most obliged Servant,

LAVAL.

ADVERTISEMENT.

MY first Defign was to prefix to this Work a Differtation on the uninterrupted Succeffion from the Apofttes down to Luther, of our Doctrine on the chief Points that divide us from the Communion of Rome, and even had accordingly referred my Reader to it in the 18th Page of the first Book. But the enormous Size of this Volume obliged me to put it off to another Occafion.

I fhall be very short in fpeaking on the general Plan of this Work. It is divided into three Volumes. The first two contain three Books each, and the third contains four. The first includes the HiStory of about 41 years from 1520, to January 1562, N.S. It is divided into three Books, the first of which comprehends the Reigns of Francis the Firft, and Henry the Second. The next contains the Reign of Francis II. and the Third relates what bas paffed about Religion, from King Charles the Ninth's Acceffion to the Crown, to the Edict of January. 1562.

The fecond Volume includes the History of 36 years, and about three Months. It is likewife divided into three Books. The first contains an Account of what paffed from the Edict of January to the Majacre of Bartholome-day in the year 1572. The fecond relates what happened from the faid Mafacre unto the Murder of King Henry the Third, in the year 1589; and the left fays, what paffed from that Murder unto the Edict of Nantz in the year 1598, inclufively.

The third Volume contains the History of about 87 years. It is fubdivided into four Books; the first whereof gives an Account of the rest of the Reign

of

of King Henry the Fourth, the next, of the Reign of Lewis the Thirteenth the third fhall mention the State of our Churches in France, under Lewis the Fourteenth, as far as the year 1685. And the fourth fhall relate all the methods made ufe of by the Minifters of that Prince, to deprive us by de-' grees of our Liberties and Privileges, and the various Kinds of Perfecutions and Tortures, that were employed to force the Proteftants to act against their Confciences.

I need not mention here the Authors from whom I have borrowed the Fats herein advanced, they being fufficiently known, and quoted at the bottom of the Pages. As to the Ecclefiaftical History of M. De Beze, I have told my Opinion of it, in giving the Character of this great Man, to whom the Proteftant Churches are fo much indebted, and who has acquired an immortal Glory by fo many other excellent Books, that it would not be a whit the lefs fbining, though he were not the Author of that I am now Speaking of. I shall add befides, that in dubious and obfcure matters of fact, I, most commonly, bave preferred the Authority of M. De Thou, to that of any body else.

'Tis true, we have the Hiftory of the Edit of Nantz of M. Benoit: but as he only touches upon the 60 years that have preceded that famous Edit, and is contented with barely pointing out the most confiderable Events of the five laft Reigns of the Houfe of Valois, that bear any Affinity with Religion; I thought that an exact and particular Account of thefe most interesting Events might be the better received from the Publick, because the Books from which they are borrowed are become extremely rare. Befides, every thing is not to be found in one and the fame Author. M. De Beze goes no further than the year 1563, inclufively and M. De Caftelnau, no further than the Maf

a 4

Sacre

facre of Bartholomew-day, exclufively, &c. Befides, thofe who have written of the fame Times and Events, do not always relate the fame Particulars fome will mention one, and others another, either because they happened not to know them all; or, because they thought not fit to relate them, or bad perhaps fome particular reafon to pass them under Silence. The Reader will find in the first two. Volumes, what is most curious and effential to know of the Affairs of the Proteftants in France, from the year 1520 to the year 1598.

The Speeches that were delivered at feveral times, and by feveral Perfons, at Fontainebleau, Orleans, St. Germain, Poiffy, and in the Parliament of Paris, which I have given an Account of in this Volume, plainly and fully inform us of the State of the Kingdom; and of the Difpofitions they then were under with regard to Religion. Therefore I have related them just as I have found them, either in M. De Thou, or in M. De Beze, without the leaft Alteration.

Many particular Reasons obliged me to write in English, which icing of no concern to the Publick, ball not be mentioned here. The Reader will find many Gallicifms in this Work, and I, myself, remarked feveral after it was done; though I have Spared neither my Trouble, or the Expence I could afford, to avoid it. It is not fo cefy a matter as is ufually thought, to tranflate our old French into good English. The Answer of the Cardinal of Lorrain, to M. De Beze's Speech in the Conference of Poify, has given me a world of trouble, either becaufe they have affected to make bim talk in that obfcure Stile, or because it was really bis. It is, however, very certain, that one can bardly understand it, and that I never had got over that Difficulty without the help of M. De Thou.