Maximilian de, duke of Sully, grand-master of the artillery, and marshal of France, sovereign prince of Enrichemont and Bois-Bell, marquis of Roeny, and one of the ablest and most upright ministers France ever had, was descended from an illustrious house, and was born in 1560. He entered very young into the service of Henry of Bourbon then king of Navarre, afterwards Henry IV. of France, who was only seven years older than Sully. He was bred in the reformed religion, and continued in the profession of it to the end of his life, though from political motives he advised his master to abjure it, as the only method of putting an end to the miseries of France. After Henry had gained possession of the kingdom, Sully performed all the duties of a great and good minister, while his master exercised all the offices of a great and good king. He had been at the battles of Coutras, Arques, and Ivry; at the sieges of Paris, Noyon, Rouen, and Laon; and signalized himself on every important occasion. In 1597 he was made chief overseer of the highways of France; and the following year was raised to the post of superintendant of the finances. Though he was then but 40 years of age, and had hitherto signalized himself only in the army, he put the king's finances in such order, that he paid his debts, which amounted to two hundred millions of livres, and laid up great sums in the king's treasury. In 1601 he was made grand-master of the artillery, the next year governor of the Bastile, and afterwards superintendant of the fortifications. He was then sent into England as ambassador extraordinary; and had, at his return, the government of Poitcon. At last Henry IV., in 1606, erected in his favour the territory of Sully on the Loire into a duchy and peerage, and made BETONICA Aquatica. See Scrophularia, Botany Index.

BETONICA Pauli. See Veronica, Botany Index.