t $<*> 3 



LETTER OP THE CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU TO 

 FATHER SUFFKEN, A JESUIT, ON THE APPOINT- 

 MENT OF THE LATTER TO BE CONFESSOR TO 

 K. LOUIS XIII. 



It having pleafed his majefty to make choice of 

 you to be his confefTor, it is my hearty prayer, as a 

 well-wifher to your order, and becaufe I know how 

 much good you may do, if you ferve the king in that 

 capacity, as you certainly will not fail to ferve him ; it 

 is my prayer, I fay, that you may fo long fill that 

 office, as it fhall pleafe God to grant you to this 

 world. 



Accordingly, and forafmuch as I think you will have 

 fome regard to my fuggeftions concerning the conduct 

 you mould follow in that office, though I am confident 

 that you will not execute it merely from the ambition of 

 keeping yourfelf at court ; I would yet exhort you to 

 have at heart two powerful motives to the proper dif- 

 charge of it, the glory of God and the fervice of the 

 king, to whom you are indebted for it, in having done 

 you the honour of fele&ing you from fo many other 

 worthy eccleliaftics of all the feveral orders ; and in the 

 next place, I would fay a word or two to you, by this 

 opportunity, concerning what I think neceffary, as 

 well for your behaviour, as for the honour and pre- 

 fervation of your fociety, which I have always loved. 



Never dabble, I .befeech you, in ftate -affairs ; be- 

 caufe, not to mention that they do not belong to your 

 province, you know not the confequences ; and there- 

 fore 



