he could consent to neither that when the thing was done he did not question his Mother's approbation because his Daughter was likely to be Heiress to at least ten Thousand Pounds and that such Portions were but seldom to be met with at Bern. The Baron who desired no more than this having at last given his consent the Marriage was consummated immediately to the satisfaction of both Parties But the Baron having both before and since his Marriage made great brags of his Estate his Father-in-law was mighty desirous to go with him into his own Country so that he was once more forced to put all the wit he had to work to disswade him from that Journey He told him therefore that it would not do well for them both to leave his Wife alone who perhaps might be brought to bed in the mean while and that it would be the much better way to send his Brother along with him to Bearn This Brother you must know was a good Fellow who loved his Cup better than his Business he being a Counsellor at Angiers The Baron's Father-in-law being prevail'd upon to let his Brother go with his Son-in-law they both set forward together and liv'd very merrily upon the Road. A little after their Arrival at Bern which was about a League distant from the pretended Seat of the Baron there came two Gentlemen who bid them welcome to Town and shew'd abundance of Respect to the Baron From thence they Conducted him and the Counsellor to a very handsom Seat which passed for his own where there was an Ancient Matron to receive them who embrac'd him as her Son and all the Servants paid him the same Respect as their young Master The Table-Cloath being laid they made good Chear and the Counsellour got so Drunk that they were forced to lay him in Bed In the mean while the Baron had leisure given him to instruct them more fully in every thing he had writ to them before He told them that he had Married a young Lady of a great Fortune that the Person whom they had seen was her Uncle who was come on purpose to take an Account of his Family and Estate That it would be no difficult matter for them to make him believe what they pleas'd for Provided they ply'd him well with Wine he would not trouble himself much further That the only thing they had to manage was that whenever he should talk to his pretended Mother concerning his late Marriage she must seem very averse to it till by the Intercession of a Friend of his she should be prevail'd upon to give her approbation after some time Matters being thus concerted betwixt them they found out a Cunning Fellow who should wait on the Counsellor at his Levy as if he came to pay him a Visit as a Stranger This Spark Acted his part so well that as soon as the Counsellor happen'd but to mention the Baron's Name he began to extol him to the Sky but above all things spoke Wonders of his vast Estate so that the Unkle who was pretty hot headed as yet was wonderfully proud of his Nephew At that very moment the Baron enter'd the Counsellor's Chamber where to Breakfast they went and drinking good large Bumpers they set the Counsellor in again for that day They continu'd the same Course for three Weeks together whilst they stay'd in the House so that the Unkle had no opportunity to speak to any body but who was taught his Lesson before The conclusion of the Play was that the Baron speaking to his Mother concerning his late Match she acted her part so dexterously that this serv'd as the chiefest confirmation to the Counsellor of the opinion he had conceiv'd before of his Nephew's Quality and Estate For to compleat the whole she told him that since he had been pleas'd to marry himself without her consent she could not prevent what was done but that to make him sensible of his Error she was resolv'd to give him nothing till after her Death which she should never have thought on if he had ask'd her consent before his Marriage The Baron appear'd much afflicted at it and could not forbear to utter his Complaints to his Unkle who was fain to comfort him telling him that his Mother being very Antient he needed not fear but that he would e're long be Master of the whole Estate They left Bearn a few days after the Baron pretending it was impossible for him to stay longer from his Spouse When they return'd to Angiers they were joyfully receiv'd by the whole Family who had already had an Account of every thing by the Counsellor's Letters which he afterwards confirm'd to them by word of Mouth as believing the whole to be nothing but truth The whole City and Adjacent Country rung of the great Match of Monsieur de Beautru's Daughter Her Father dy'd soon after and some said it was for Joy But as things will come out one time or other it was at last discover'd that this Baron was only a younger Brother who had no other Fortune but his Sword and that his Estate and Riches were only in imagination The Unkle was jecr'd wherever he came to have been thus impos'd upon but he did not much matter their Words as long as he had his full share of good Wine This may serve as an Instance that Marriages with Strangers are to be avoided there being scarce one in a hundred that succeeds well Not but that the Baron was a very honest Gentleman as to his Person but as for his Estate he had nothing to brag of Monsieur Savonnieres being by this time to make his appearance before the Marshals of France at Paris I was fain to look out for fresh Quarters because my Father would not be reconcil'd to me as yet I met with very good ones at a Gentleman's House near Chateaugontier and being gone abroad one day a hunting with two of his Sons the eldest of which was much of my Age we saw at some distance a Messenger in a Forest conducting two Prisoners to Paris one of whom was a young Man of about two and twenty the other a young Woman of about eighteen Years of Age. We made all the haste we could to come up with them to see them and to know their Crime We ask'd the young Woman who was very genteel what was the matter with her and the young Man She answer'd us with tears in her Eyes that he was her Brother that they were both condemn'd to Death and that they had deserv'd it They would give us no further account but one of the Provost's Men told us that they had lain together which was the occasion of their present Calamity We pity'd them extreamly and having taken a resolution to save them we told the Provost's Men that if they did not immediately take off their Fetters and Chains we would treat them very scurvily and told them that we were strong enough because we had at
a very considerable Reward for his pains I was so confident of this des Isles's Honesty who told me that it was more safe in his Hands than in my own and that I might always have it at command as I should meet with any Purchase for my purpose that I let him have it without paying any Interest for it But this Merchant happening to die some time after I lost seven thousand Livres by him which he had of mine left in his Hands I should never have done if I should go about to give you an Account of the various Artifices this Counsellor made use of to catch me in the Trap which indeed he might do with a great deal of ease considering I had left the whole Management of my Affairs to his Conduct But at last he so grosly abused the Confidence I had put in him that the Veil which hitherto had been before my Eyes being removed I began plainly to perceive how he had dealt with me and therefore I called him to an Account for his Miscarriages I will relate but one more of his cheating Tricks which may serve as a patern for all the rest About fifteen Years ago he procured me the Purchase of a Farm near my House which belonged to a Protestant Gentleman of that Country he himself drew the Deeds betwixt me and the Seller who besides this engaged himself in a Bond to surrender the said Farm to me free from all Incumbrances on his behalf which also this Lawyer signed as a Witness Notwithstanding all which about six years after something less or more when he understood that I was a Prisoner in the Bastile of which I shall have occasion to say more hereafter I was entangled in a very troublesome Law Suit upon his account under pretence that he had lent some Money upon the Estate The Duke de Mazarine to whom I owe many and great Obligations has since interposed his Authority and proposed that it might be left to his Arbitration But not to insist any longer upon his Treacherous Dealings I will return where I left off before and put you in mind that it was this prefidious Wretch who having got some notice by what means I know not that I had been taken and carried a Prisoner into England made my Spouse the above mentioned Complement He began to talk to her at so extravagant a rate that though she was a Native of Germany who among us are not looked upon as the quickest yet had foresight enough to take care that she might have a Witness to what he said she happened then to be at Montrevil Bellai a small City in our Neighbourhood where I used constantly to pass the greatest part of the Winter in a House of my own which I have there to this Day She pretended to this tricking Councellor that being obliged by some sudden Accident to leave him for a Moment she begg'd his Excuse but took this Opportunity to send immediately to another Lawyer of our Acquaintance in that City whose Name being Esquinurin she desired him to come to her immediately upon some Business of very great Consequence Esquinurin being come accordingly she had only so much time as to tell him that he should go into a Closet she shew'd him which being parted only by a single Wainscoat from the Room where the other Councellor was she desired him to take particular notice of what he should hear Then she returned into the Room where she had left him and after having once more begg'd his Excuse she sent my eldest Daughter out of the Room who had Entertain'd him the mean while she was absent She then began a fresh to enter upon the same Discourse and the Councellor also continued to sing his old Tune to wit That without all question the King would seize upon our Estate as soon as he had notice that I had engaged my self in the Prince of Orange's King William III. Service That he knew but one way to avoid this Misfortune which threatned our entire Ruin which was to sell it as soon as possibly could be done that he would pretend to be the Purchaser but under-hand give her a Deed of Trust in which he would declare the same for our use thereby to exclude his Heirs in case he should happen to die in the mean while from any Legal Pretension to the Succession He told her that after this was done she might with her whole Family go over into England where he would be as Serviceable to her in her absence as if she were present in France He advised her also that this being to be look'd upon as an occasion presented to her by God's peculiar Providence to reconcile her self to that Church she was born and educated in and which she had abandoned since she ought to make use of it at this time which if she should neglect to do she must expect to be called to a severe Account about it by God Almighty He could not have given me a greater Advantage over him than this at such a Juncture when to perswade a Person to change her Religion and to leave the Kingdom with her Family is looked upon in France as one of the worst Crimes that can be committed I wrote therefore a Letter upon his account to the Marquess de Louvois to desire him by some means or other to deliver me and the whole Province from a Person who by his Intrigues had almost brought me to the brink of ruin This Minister was pleased to espouse my Cause and after I had sent him a Memorandum containing many Grievances both in respect of my self and other Gentlemen of that Country against this Councellor he dispatch'd his Orders to Monsieur de Ribere then Intendant of the Province of Poictou to make a strict Examination concerning his Behaviour and if he found him guilty of what was laid to his Charge to have him made an Example to others Next Day I continued my Journey to Port Lowis for Monsieur de Vaux was by this time come to Samur according to his Promise As we pass'd through Nantes I went to see a certain Merchant there unto whom I used sometimes to sell my Wines he told me among other things that he had understood that whilst I was lately in London I had got into very good Acquaintance there and that if any of my Friends had Interest enough at that Court to procure a Pass for a certain Quantity of French Wines and Brandies to be Imported there he would not only buy all the Wines I had by me at a very good Price but also besides this make me a Present of a thousand Pistoles I must confess such a Wind-fall as this would have been very welcome to me at that time for besides that a thousand Pistols don't come amiss to any Body especially in these hard Times I had all the Wines in my Cellar which were made since the beginning of this War because the Trade with Holland whither
Figure or Princes to be so taken with him as to bestow these Preferments upon an unknown Person This might be easiely answered if it be granted that his Deserts and agreeable Conversation did make amends for the defects of his Body but that some among the Criticks have observed more indiscretion in his Writings than they believe to be consistent with such a Character unless it be alledged in his behalf that the irksomeness of so long an Imprisonment might cause a change in his Temper But without insisting any further upon this point even the nicest Criticks cannot refuse to acknowledge that these Memoirs are full of agreeable and most pleasing turns that great variety of Accidents so naturally and lively represented his Actions in the quality of a Spy and his Discoveris of what daily passes in the Bastile are such as must needs both delight and instruct the Reader For the rest as his Stile is more Natural than Learned so what it wants in exactness it makes up in its perspecuity and genuine purity and if he had been more careful in assigning the exact times of some things contained in this Relation it would have been free from all obscurity which seems to remain in some few passages to those who will not take the pains to compare them in all their Circumstances THE MEMOIRS OF JOHN BAPTIST De La Fontaine Kt. LORD OF Savoy and Fontenay BRIGADIER and SURVEYOUR General in the French King's Army LIB I. MY Extraction is much more considerable than my Estate being descended from the Race of Artus Duke of Britany who had a Natural Son by a certain young Lady of the House of Fougere He took upon him the Name of Fontaine being the same that belonged to his Mother My Coat of Arms is an undeniable proof of my Noble Extraction being the entire Arms of Britany with a Bar cross the Gules Charg'd with two Golden Beasants There are several Branches of this Family some of whom are still remaining in Britany the rest have settled themselves in Maine Anjou Tourain and Piccardy and we acknowledge for the Head of our Family the Marquiss of Savilly My Father who had but a very slender Estate Married a Widow of a certain Gentleman of the Province of Anjou where he likewise setled himself He had in all four Children by her the two eldest of which died very young I was born on the 24th of June in the Year 1636 and brought up under the Tuition of my Mother whom I lost when I was scarce seven Years of Age. The first Rudiments of Latin I was taught by a Priest who was our Chaplain and when I was ten Year old I entred the third Form at Alenson I afterwards was Instructed in Rhetorick and the Logick But before I could go through the Course of Natural Philosophy I began to give my self over to all manner of Debaucheries so that being sent back to my Father who livâ—d in the Service of the late Duke of Orleans he commited me to the care of a Curate of a certain Parish which was his Lordship This Curate happen'd to have a Niece in the same House with him who being about four or five Years older than I we play'd the Fool together so long till she was brought to Bed of a lusty Child Being thereby obliged to leave her Unkle's House I returned to my Father who was so far from chiding me that he used to laugh at it This serv'd me for no small Encouragement to continue my former Debauched course of Life so true it is that young People ought to be check'd in the first beginning I being then but 16 Years old But it was not long before I began to be weary of living at my Father's House which made me take a resolution to go and try my Fortune in the City of Paris where I had a Kinswoman Married to a Person who made at that time a very considerable Figure there This was Mounsieur de Bordeaux Intendant of the Finances a vast Rich Man and one who Improved his Fortune every Day He was all in all with Mounsieur de la Vicuville Sur-intendant of the Finances who by reason of his great Age left the whole Management of Affairs to his Conduct I was very kindly received by Mounsieur de Bordeaux who would needs have me lodge in his House and gave me every Day fresh marks of his Friendship so that he offer'd to lay down half the Money for the Purchase of a Counsellor's Place in the Parliament believing my Father to be in a Condition to supply the rest which he declined by reason of his Incapacity to furnish such a Summ. I resolved therefore to enter my self as a Cadee in the Regiment of the Guards in the Company of Pradelles I lived thus very handsomly being furnished with Money by Mounsieur Bordeaux who as he was very well known to the King and well considered by the Cardinal Mazarin then chief Minister of State so he introduc'd me to them both This Regiment was sometime after Commanded to Reinforce the Siege of Estampes where I was wounded above the Groin Mounsieur de Bordeaux his Son being at that time Intendant of the Army and lodged in the same Castle where the King's Quarters were I was carried to his Quarters and he was so obliging as to send Mounsieur Bontems his Gentleman to enquire after the present state of my Health It was a considerable time before this Wound could be cured and the Army being in the mean while obliged to Decamp I obtained a Pass from the Enemy in order to be convey'd to Paris The young Mounsieur de Bordeaux was sometime before Married to a young Lady who being not above 12 Years old lived in the same House with his Father I was also carried thither which proved a great obstacle to my recovery For she used frequently to visit me with some other Ladies her Companions among whom there was one I had a most particular respect for above the rest and as she used often to sit down near me she would infallably have occasion'd the loss of my Life if it had continued thus much longer but the Chyrurgeon having guest at the matter forbid any Woman to be admitted into my Chamber for the future After I was recovered of my Wound the King who at that time in some measure saw Tranquility restor'd in his Dominions which for a considerable time had been harrassed by Intestine Broils did to satisfie his Warlike Inclinations order a Fort to be Erected in the Gardens of the Thuellerie where several mock Attacks were made under the Conduct of Mounsieur de Puissigny As I was Employed among the rest of the Guards that used to be Exercised in this Place in the King's presence so I had several times the honour to speak to him and he promis'd me an Ensigns place in the Guards which however I never obtain'd the Cardinal who sold every thing disposing of all the Vacancies for
afterwards for two Leagues round For in two Months and more whilst he encamp'd thereabouts he did nothing but ruin and burn the Country scarce leaving one Stone upon another I being not in a posture to prevent it My Wife's Estate was involv'd among the rest in this Ruin the Revenue of which was settl'd by her Brother upon her Mother-in-law as a Jointure which she had enjoy'd quietly till now but there being but little likelihood she should draw any thing of Moment from thence for some Years after she sued me for her Jointure under pretence that this being fallen away to nothing I was oblig'd to assign her another Revenue in lieu of it and that it was in her power to chuse which part she pleas'd of my Brother-in-laws Estate In the mean while Provisions beginning to grow scarce in Stetin the besieg'd saw themselves reduc'd to the utmost extremity The Swedes made several attempts from without to open themselves a Passage into the Town whilst the Besieg'd endeavour'd to facilitate the Enterprize by a vigorous Sally upon our Trenches which had been open'd now against the place the Elector having charg'd the Blockade which seem'd too tedious to him into a formal Siege But tho' some of these Sallies were made with success enough and they seem'd resolute to defend the place to the last their Necessity increas'd more and more every day so that having taken a resolution to represent their miserable condition to Coningsmark a certain Cornet undertook the business He came into our Camp under pretence of having deserted the Swedes but there being several Troopers more of the same Regiment with him who pretended to be deserters at the same time this created some suspicion in the Elector who thereupon threatn'd the Cornet to hang him forthwith if he did not discover the whole truth of the matter The fear of death extorted from him this Confession to wit That the Besieg'd were reduc'd to such a deplorable Condition as was impossible to be express'd The Elector who almost began to despair of Success by reason of the approaching Winter and who was upon the point of raising the Siege being now encourag'd by this deposition to continue it did make it his chiefest care to prevent Coningsmark from sending any relief into the Place and the Swedish General being not in a condition to force his Passage with that small body of Troops he had with him the City of Stetin which would scarce have been taken by force was necessitated to capitulate for want of Provisions The Law Suit I had with my Mother-in-law was extreamly vexatious to me the more because I was advis'd that in all likelihood it would go against me which made me more desirous than ever to return into France I had also notice given me that she intended to attach a Summ of 100000 Livers which belonged to my Wife and was in the Bank of Dantzick which made me take them from thence and so transfer them to the Bank of Amsteldam till such time I should meet with an opportunity to put my Design in execution which was not to stay much longer in Germany The chief reason which made me first take this resolution was that the Electoral Prince continu'd still to look upon me with a very ill Eye and I was inform'd by credible Persons that he had let fall certain words which gave me sufficiently to understand that in case the Elector should happen to die I should certainly have all my Places taken away from me So soon as the Peace was made I pretended to have receiv'd News of my Father's Death which made me ask leave of the Elector to take a Journey into France I had prevail'd with my wife to go along with me but it was near six Months before I could get leave from the Elector so that I did not set out from Altenoe till towards the end of August in the Year 1679. I took my Children being five in all two Boys and three Girls along with me and because no body should guess at my real Intention I told my Acquaintance that I had a mind to have them Educated in France the Sons in some College or other and the Daughters in a Nunnery I took the way of Amsteldam where I drew my Money out of the Bank which I put into the Hands of Mr. Gerard Mr. Gueverdin and Mr. Poelhoven who gave me Bills of Exchange to the full value of it upon Mr. Gouteure and Mr. Amonet in Paris I show'd my Wife all what was curious in Holland and from thence pursu'd my Journey to Paris by the way of Antwerp and Brussels which I had a Mind she should also see Whilst I was at Amsteldam I paid a Visit to Mr. Ramp one of the greatest Merchants of that City with whom I was familiarly acquainted at that time when our Regiment was in the Dutch Service The first foundation of our Friendship was laid at Zwoll where I happen'd to be Instrumental in a certain case which was mighty pleasing both to his Father and him They were both very Zealous Catholicks and by chance both at Zwoll when this thing happen'd of which I will give you the truest account I am able You must know that in the Province of Over-Yssel the Exercise of the Catholick Religion is not so freely allow'd of as in the Province of Holland One Day when a certain Priest was saying Mass in a place where the Sehout which is one of the chief Magistrates of the City pretended it was not allowable so to do without special leave from the Magistracy he caus'd the Priest to be taken away from the Altar and without the least respect to his Character and Sacerdotal Habit carried him away Prisoner and seiz'd upon the holy Vessel wherein the Host was I happen'd not to be in Town when this was done being then at the Hague but being after my return inform'd of the matter it touch'd me to the very heart I told the French Officers there in Garrison how they were able to brook such an Affront given both to God and their King and that if they would follow me we would soon deliver the Priest and make the Sehout restore us the Holy Vessel with the Host and let him know how he should meddle with such like things for the future They having soon consented to my Proposition we went to the Sehout's House which we enter'd without asking leave and gave him such a Compliment as did not much please him We told him in short that we would cut his Throat if he did not give us satisfaction immediately that he had committed a gross Error which would never be approv'd of by the States General whose intention was not that the Auxiliary Troops should be debar'd from the free Exercise of their Religion for I pretended to be one of them He answer'd us that he knew what he had done tho perhaps we did not that the Priest whom he had made a Prisoner was a
where I paid a Visit to Monsieur Sanguin desiring him to make use of his Interest in my behalf to obtain a Commission in the Army which had always been my profession It was at that time strongly discoursed at Court that four new Companies were to be establish'd which were to belong to the Ordnance to wit one of Germans one of Poles one of Swedes and one of Hussars but this Project being laid aside for that time my Journey prov'd fruitless Nevertheless we did not live without hopes to see the War soon re-kindled because the Spaniards refus'd to give satisfaction to our King concerning his pretensions upon Alost Several Conferences were held upon this account at Courtray whither both Kings had sent their Deputies to treat about it and compose the difference in an amicable way Lewis the Great had also proposed to leave it to the Arbitration of his Britannick Majesty but the Spaniards did not think fit to accept of it This made the King to order his Troops to enter in an Hostile manner the Spanish Territories which proved very troublesome to the Spaniards notwithstanding which the Prince of Orange who had his particular design did by the great Influence he had upon that Court disswade them from giving us due satisfaction Thus it came to an open Rupture by the Seige of Luxemburgh Whilst the French were busied in making their Lines of Circumvallation the Prince of Chirnay who was then Governour of the Place thinking himself in a condition to defend the place against us caus'd his Musick to play upon the Walls for a Bravado to shew how little he valu'd our Approach But it was not long before he found his mistake for he was attack'd with such vigour that he was glad to come to a capitulation The Dutch who were earnestly press'd by the Prince of Orange to relieve the Place finding themselves either not in a condition to undertake it or being not dispos'd at that time to follow his advice remain'd only Spectators of the Conquest of this place without meddling in the least in the matter The Spaniards were not alone extreamly sensible of the loss of this place but the Emperor bore as great a share in it as any finding that our King thereby had considerably extended his Conquests upon the Rhine considering especially that he had made himself Master of Strasburgh before as being a dependance on Alsace But the War in which the Emperor was at that time engag'd against the Turks not leaving the least room for the Imperial Court to flatter themselves with hopes to act with any success at the same time upon the Rhine it was resolv'd at the Dyet of the Empire to accept of the Twenty Years Truce offer'd by his most Christian Majesty Not long after my return home from Paris my Father dy'd in the 89th Year of his Age. Just before his Death he recommended my Sister to my Care and desir'd me to pardon all what was pass'd and to take the same care of her as if she never had committed any thing against me I promis'd him to do what he desir'd and it has not been my fault that she has not reap'd the Fruits of my Promise since Whilst he lay sick I sent for a Physician living at Montreville who refus'd to come asking my Servant What I meant by sending to him whether I intended to play the Fool with him it being well known that I understood more in Physick than all the Country Doctors thereabouts and upon this occasion I cannot forbear to tell you how it came to pass that I acquir'd the Reputation of a famous Physician One time being at Tours to look after a Law Suit I was engag'd in at that time against my Sister a certain young Woman one of the most confiderable of the whole City being Sister to the Chanter or chief manager of the Musick in the Cathedral there had a Swelling which all the Physicians there did not know what to make of Some were of opinion it was a species of the King's-Evil and that it must be laid open Her Parents were very unwilling to cónsent to the opening of it because it was just upon the Knee and consequently might prove of dangerous consequence by reason of the conjunction of many Nerves near that place Hearing by chance somebody talk of it one day I had the curiosity to go and see her because I had made my observations in Germany that they us'd frequently to cure swellings upon the Knee by simple Fomentations I no sooner cast my Eyes upon the Swelling but I found that it was one of the same kind which made me tell them that if they would trust to my skill I did not question but to cure her Her Parents having given their consent I got my Remedy prepar'd and apply'd it to the Tumour She found some relief the same day after the first application and to be short the Remedy succeeded so well and its effect was so quick and stupendious that it was not long before she could walk abroad again This Cure being perform'd upon a Person of note at Tours I got such a Reputation by it that I was look'd upon there as one of the most skilful Physicians of the Country The best of all was that one of the Physicians of the City happen'd to be seiz'd with a violent Cholick proceeding from the Gravel in the Kidnies and after he had try'd all his own Remedies sent one of his Acquaintance to me to desire my Advice I went to see him and finding what was the true cause of his Distemper I gave him a certain Remedy which I had formerly seen prepar'd at Berlin which I order'd him to take as they commonly do in Germany The Composition was made of Vitriol about half the bigness of a large Pea of a certain dose of Chrystal mineral and half an ounce of Black Radish Seeds the outward Rind of which is black but the inside as white as a Turnip This I infus'd in White-wine and so gave it to the Patient This was the whole foundation of my Doctorship But this Remedy as simple as it appears succeeded as well as the former which made me to be cry'd up all over the City of Tours for one of the most able Physicians they had seen a great while so that I verily believe if I had been put to it I might have got a very good livelihood by the practice of Physick there So true it is that outward appearances are very deceitful and that a slender accident sometimes proves of great consequence For the Nuns of Beaumont sent one to Compliment me immediately after who told me that being fully perswaded of my extraordinary ability in Physick they hop'd I would come and pay them a Visit but I civilly excus'd it It was much about this time that the destruction of the Protestant Religion in France was warmly debated at Court The King who at present saw all his Dominions enjoy the fruits of
to ask pardon from God Almighty Notwithstanding all this I appear'd every day at Court in hopes of being employed some where or other One day the Marquess de Louvois told me that my Lord L ..... had sent my Commission and other Papers according to the direction I had appointed him at Calais which Courchamp had sent to him together with a Letter from the said Lord to me There was among them another Commission from the Pr ..... by vertue of which I was constituted Governour of the first place that should be taken in Poictou or in any part of France after their landing He delivered them all together into my own hands and at the same time made me write again two Letters in his presence to the same two English Lords I had Writ to before They were both dated in Paris as were likewise the two former and contained in substance that being fallen ill two days after my arrival in this City I could not immediately pursue my intended Journey into Poictou that nevertheless being not unmindful of what I had to do I had met with several Gentlemen of that Province whom I had found as great Favourers to our design as I could wish for and did not question but that their concurrence would be of greater consequence to us in that Country I told them further that being on the mending hand now I did not question but to be able to give them before long a more compleat account of the matter to their entire satisfaction I gave likewise an Account to my Lord L ..... what success I had met with in his Affairs in the same manner as I have related it just now having not Writ to him before upon that Subject because I was very cautious of Writing any thing to them without their Knowledge nay even without the positive Orders of the Marquiss de Louvois I did not send these Letters to the Post-house at Versailles but took the Copy of them along with me to Paris where I tarried two days whilst the King and Court were at Marli After I had Writ them over I enclos'd them in one Packet with an intention to carry them the same Night to the Post-House But Monsieur Christian's pretended Niece happening to see them lie upon the Table told me she would save me that labour and carry them for me she being also to send a Letter to her Uncle Knowing how she had serv'd Prancourt I ought sooner to have thrown them into the Fire than trusted her with them but having not the least suspicion that she would serve me the same trick I told her without the least hesitating upon the matter That if she pleas'd she might but desired her withal to make haste back again But she play'd me the same Pâ—anck as she had done to the Swiss before for in lieu of carrying the Packet to the Post-House she kept it and taking the next opportunity whilst I was gone into the City unsealed the Letters and after she had seen the Contents of them resolved to present them to the Marquess de Louvois In the mean time we continued our former familiarity and she caress'd me to the highest degree the better to dissemble her design against me a convincing instance of the deceitfulness of such light Creatures She had the cunning to desire me to take her along with me the first time I should have occasion to go to Versailles under pretence that she intended to deliver a Petition to the Marquess de Louvois in order to obtain some further Gratification I was so far from suspecting her intention that I freely carried her thither when she took this opportunity to deliver these Letters into this Ministers own hands not questioning but that by this second piece of Service she had made her Fortune for ever But if she had found her self deceived in her first hopes about Prancourt's Letter she had this as an additional Affliction for her pains that she was not rewarded with the value of a Peny for this I for my part met with so cold a Reception from the Marquess de Louvois the next time I saw him that I don 't at all question but this mistake turned to my great detriment ever after And to speak Truth what Opinion can a Wise Minister have oâ— what Confidence can he put in a Person who could be guilty of so gross an Oversight I did what possibly I could to dissemble my Resentment against this Treacherous Wench whilst I was in his presence but he soon perceived the different Passions which struggled within me and I verily believe he guess'd at the whole Matter and what Familiarity there used to be betwixt us for he forbid me expresly not to mention one word of it to her for says he if you do so she will be sure you must have it from me and when she perceives that I let you go unpunished what other Construction can she make of the whole unless she be quite a Fool but that these Letters were written by you with my consent He told me further that he was unresolved what he had best to do in the matter whether he ought not to have me taken up for fear she should else guess at the Intrigue when she found me to come off thus unpunished after what she had convinced him of against me That I had put him by this Imprudence of mine to a great Non-plus and that I deserved to be severely Chastized for it I cannot deny but that if he had sent me to the Bastile I should have looked upon it as a Chastizement I had very well deserved at his Hands at this time when his words had made so deep an impression upon my mind that I durst not look up into his Face and if it had not been for his express Commands it would have been impossible for me to have kept my self within the bounds of Moderation in respect of this Treacherous Wretch But being full of Shame and Confusion I could say no more than to beg him to forgive me this Fault and though I always had a natural aversion to Hypocrisie yet I master'd my Passion so far as not to gave the least Suspicion of it to the young Wench Nay though I hated her ever after to the highest degree I would not send her away immediately but resolved to take another opportunity to rid my Hands of her for fear she should guess at the occasion of it Whilst I was at Paris I had presented to the Marquess de Louvois a Memorial containing the Names of all those Gentlemen who according to what had been related by the above-mentioned two French Protestant Ministers were ready to do and hazard every thing for the Re-establishment of the Protestant Religion The same Memorial likewise shewed that the principal Design of the Enemy was at that time upon Port Lowis in Britany which they believed to be but ill provided and where by reason of the small Garrison they judged they
must take care to see them Lodged in some Inns near to my Lodgings and to agree with the Inn-keepers for their Subsistence as cheap as could be done adding that it would be for a little time only to wit till he should have time to consider what was further to be done with them I reply'd that my Purse was not in a condition at this time to bear the Charges of so many Gentlemen unto which he answered that he would take care of them in a very little time and that I should not be long troubled with them But whilst these Officers were disposed in these Inns my Banker in London drew a Bill of Exchange upon me of four thousand one hundred Livres which he had paid to them by my Order in England I gave immediate notice of it to the Marquess de Louvois and desired him to enable me to discharge this Debt which he promised me to do forthwith but the time of the Payment being just expiring without hearing any thing further from this Minister I was put to a great Nonplus He happened just then to come to Paris so that I took this opportunity to wait on him there and to put him in mind of the Bill of Exchange which was payable within two days after He gave me for Answer that he had forgot to perfom what he had promised me but that he was going to Versailles the next day and immediately after his return from thence would take effectual care of the payment of the said Sum. But either he did forget it again or else he had no mind to think of it the last of which seems most probable to me for the day of payment came and I had not one Shilling from him to pay the Bill This disappointment was followed by another for if this Minister had failed in his promise concerning the payment of the Money he was as careless in performing it in relation to those French Officers which he had promised to take off of my Hands in a short time and were not in a capacity to subsist without my Assistance I had no Sur-plus of Money to supply their wants and the Inn-keeperâ— where they Lodged began to be very backward to take my Word any further than they had done already considering that I had no settled Habitation either in or near the City of Paris This made mâ—strain my Credit with my Land-lady who being an old rich Maid I prevailed with her so far as to engage her Word both for them and me to the Inn-keepers Thus they were pretty quiet for some time but Monsieur de Ville a Banker of Paris unto whom I was to pay the Bill of Exchange having Protested for want of due payment the said Bill I carried a Copy of it together with two Letters lately sent me from England to the said Marquess de Louvois These two Letters being brought to me directly from the Post-house without being first sent to the Marquess de Louvois as they always used to be done before I began to suspect that this was intended for a Trap to catch me in to wit to try whether I would either be so ill advised as to open them without him or perhaps keep them by me without communicating them to him For besides that I began to be jealous of the Effects of those malicious Suggestions which Monsieur de Vaux had insinuated into this Minister I had great reason to believe that at this time more than ever he had taken a resolution to Sacrifice me for the publick Interest considering as I told you before that he judged it more adviseable to let me fall as a Sacrifice to the State than to punish a great many of the Protestants whom he knew to be ill affected to the present Government in France But whether I were mistaken in my guess or not I was resolved not to give him the least occasion of this nature and so carried those Letters to him Sealed up as they were delivered to me from the Post-house After he had perused them he gave them to me and told me that it was time now to put a stop to our further Correspondence with England and that I should not write any more either to the Earl of S ..... or my Lord L ..... who had sent me these in answer to my last Letters I writ by this Minister's direction They contained in substance That they were not a little surprized at the Advice I had given them in my last because they were assured from very good hands and such as were beyond all question that the Protestants in the Province of Poictou were ready to hazzard every thing for the recovery of the liberty of their Consciences and to free themselves from that Bondage they groan'd under at this time that therefore they would have me not be discouraged or mis-led by these ill grounded Suppositions which were the only obstacle that could in all likelihood prove prejudicial to so great and well laid a Design My Lord L ..... sent me also Word about the Pass I had desired of him for the Importation of some Wines and told me that he could not but wonder I had not mentioned any thing of it since desiring me at the same time to let him know where the fault lay being well assured on their side that every Body was very ready to gratifie me in this as well as in any other matter which might tend to my Advantage As to what I had demonstrated to him concerning the protest of my Bill and the trouble I was in about these French indigent Officers I could get no other satisfaction but what he had given me several times before to wit That he had forgot it but would take care of it without any further delay If I had not been beyond my right Wits and made serious Reflections upon a matter of such Consequence to me as I ought to have done I might without consulting the Stars have dived into the bottom of the whole business or at least have given a shrewd guess at his design and its true Origin But it seems it is a natural defect in Mankind not to make use of the same foresight in our own Affairs as we do in others which made me not to be in the least aware of the Snare that was intended for me till I was catch'd in it past retreating This made me be so careless as freely to perswade my self that it was that great weight and multiplicity of business which continually Harrass'd this Ministers thoughts which had made him forgetful of mine in hopes of which I returned to Paris living in expectation of the issue of his fair promises In the mean while Mr. de Ville who I told you had protested the Bill of Exchange had given an Account of it to my Banker in London who had sent him word to talk with me again concerning the Payment of it and that in case I were not as yet in a Capacity to satisfie the