The Life of the Truly Eminent and Learned Hugo Grotius: Containing a Copious and Circumstantial History of the Several Important and Honourable Negotiations in Which He Was Employed; together with a Critical Account of His WorksBurigny, M. de (Jean Lévesque)
History
The Life of the Truly Eminent and Learned Hugo Grotius: Containing a Copious and Circumstantial History of the Several Important and Honourable Negotiations in Which He Was Employed; together with a Critical Account of His Works
Burigny, M. de (Jean Lévesque)
Grotius, Hugo, 1583-1645
Chancellor, without effect, on this subject; that if France would not
have him for Ambassador, he would be employed elsewhere; that it would
be in vain to write to Sweden because Oxenstiern's reasons for not
ratifying the treaty of Paris would certainly be approved there. They
cooled a little; and gave him to understand, that an alteration might
be made in some of the articles, and that the King would consent that
the Swedes should not be excluded from the chief command, though the
treaty imported that a Prince should be General. Grotius shewed that
there were many other articles, which occasioned great difficulty both
by their ambiguity and their opposition to the interests of Sweden. The
two Ministers put themselves into a passion, and concluded with
complaining that they would inform the King and the Cardinal that they
could settle nothing with Grotius, and that the Swedes made a jest of
treaties. Father Joseph retiring, the conversation became milder with
the Superintendant: Grotius shewed that it was the promise of assistance
from France, which engaged Sweden in such a burthensome war; that the
High Chancellor had done essential services to the common cause; that if
the King should drop his alliance with the Swedes, they should be
obliged to take care of themselves; that France might give subsidies to
the Germans, but it was just that those promised to Sweden should be
exactly paid. Grotius informed the High Chancellor of this conference in
a letter of the 15th of March, 1635.
Cardinal Richelieu[228], to induce the Swedes to conform more to his
measures, spread a report, and even said himself often, that he was in
treaty with the Emperor, and the accommodation on the point of being
concluded: but Grotius, who knew the Cardinal's character, was not duped
by it; and wrote to the High Chancellor that it was only a stratagem of
that Minister, and the report ought to make no change in Sweden's
conduct.
On the 28th of March the Cardinal sending to acquaint Grotius[229] that
he wanted to confer with him, he immediately waited on his Eminence:
which shews the inaccuracy of Du Maurier, who assures us that Grotius
never saw Cardinal Richelieu whilst he was Minister from Sweden in
France, because his Eminence gave not the precedence to Ambassadors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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