THE HISTORY OF FRANCE, FROM THE ACCESSION OF HENRY THE THIRD, IN 1574, TO THE DEATH OF HENRY THE FOURTH, IN 1610. PRECEDED BY A VIEW OF THE CIVIL, MILITARY, AND POLITICAL BETWEEN THE MIDDLE, AND THE CLOSE OF THE AND FOLLOWED BY A VIEW OF THE STATE OF EUROPE AT THE ACCESSION OF LOUIS THE THIRTEENTH. BY SIR N. WILL". WRAXALL, BART. THE SECOND EDITION. IN SIX VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND. 1814. PREFACE. ΤΟ THE FIRST EDITION. IN N composing the History of France, I have not had it so much in my intention, to relate the series of political facts under the reigns of Henry the Third and Fourth; as to delineate the genius, spirit, and character of the French nation, during that period. The nature and limits of the work itself, did not permit me in the first volume*, to do more than sketch, in nineteen chapters, the general state of the European system, between the middle and the conclusion of the sixteenth century. In the second and third volumes, I have minutely and accurately shaded the picThe sources from which information upon national manners, and the progress ture. * In the present edition, each of the Quarto volumes is contained in two of Octavo. VOL. I. a of |