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12 History of the League T h e Authour's Advertisement to the Reader S INCE perhaps there are some, who may think themselves concern'd in this History, because they are the Grandchildren or Descendants of those who are here mention'd, I desire them to consider, that Writing like a faithful1Historian, I am oblig'd sincerely to relate either the good or ill, which they have done. If they find themselves offended, they must take their satisfaction on those who have prescrib'd the Laws of History: let them give an account of their own rules; for Historians are indispensably bound to follow them; and the sum of our repu10 tation consists in a punctual execution of their orders. Thus as I pretend not to have deserv'd their thanks in speaking well of their Relations, so I may reasonably conclude, that they ought not to wish me ill, when I say what is not much to their advantage. I faithfully relate, what I find written in good Authours, or in particular Memoires, which I take for good, after I have throughly examin'd them. I do yet more; for considering that no man is bound to believe , when I say in general that I have had the use of good Manuscripts, on whose credit I give you what is not otherwhere 20 to be had; I sincerely and particularly point out the originals from whence I drew these truths; and am fully convinc'd, that every Historian, who hopes to gain the belief of his Reader, ought to transact in the same manner. For if there were no more to be done, than barely to say, I have found such or such an extraordinary passage in an authentique Manuscript, without giving a more particular account of it under pretence of being bound to Secrecy, there is no kind of Fable which by this means might not be slurr'd upon the Reader for a truth. An Authour might tell many a lusty lye, but a Reader, who were not a very so credulous fool, or a very complaisant Gentleman, wou'd have a care of believing him. 'Tis for this reason that I have always mark'd in my margents, the Books, Relations, and Memoires, LOUIS MAIMBOURG IN 1686 FRONTISPIECE OF Histoire du Pontificat de Saint-Leon le Grand Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum This page intentionally left blank Advertisement to the Reader l 3 whether Printed or Manuscripts, from whence I take the substance of my Relations. One of those Writers, of whom I have made most use, is Monsieur Peter Victor Cayet; in his Nine Years Clzronology, containing the History of the Wars of Henry the Fourth: Because he having always follow'd that Prince, since he was plac'd in his service together with Monsieur de la Gaucherie (who was his Preceptor) 'tis exceeding probable, that he was better inform 'd of the passages of those times, of which he was an eye 1~ witness, than others who had not that advantage. For what else concerns him, he was one of the most Leained and able Ministers which our Protestants have ever had: and in that quality serv'd Madam Catlzarine the King's Sister, till, about two years after the Conversion of that great Prince, he acknowledg'd the true Catholique Religion, and made his Solemn abjuration of Heresie at Paris. He also publish'd the motives of his Conversion in a Learned Treatise, tvhich was receiv'd with great applause both in France and in Foreign Countries; and his example, fortifi'd with the strong reasons of a man so 20 able as he was, to which no solid answer Mas ever given, was immediately follow'd by the Conversion of a great number of Protestants, who by his rneans came to understand the falshood of their Religion pretendedly reform'd. This action so infinitely netled his former Brotherhood of Ministers, that they grew outrageous against him. They ran down his reputation with full cry, and endeavour'd to blacken it with a thousand horrible calumnies, with which they stuff'd their Libels, and amongst others, that which they have inserted into the ilfemoires of the League, with the greatest villany im30 aginable, taking no notice of the solid and convincing answer5 he made them: Which proceeding of theirs is sufficient to discover the falsity of all they have Written to Defame him, according to the Libelling genizis of...

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