to take at that time which was to repudiate their Wives contrary to the Prohibitions of the Church and the Holy Canons He put away Plectrude and continu'd his Intreague so publickly with Alpayde that Lambert Bishop of Liege after frequent and severe Admonitions both in private and publick threaten'd to Excommunicate him Alpayde was alarum'd at this and made her Complaints to her Brother Dodon who being a Man Violent and Revengful murther'd the Holy Bishop For which it was not long e're he receiv'd condigne punishment from Heaven for he fell into the Lowzie Sickness which drove him to such a terrible despair that he threw himself into the Meuse Some time after Pepin dy'd and Plectrude made her self Mistriss both of the Government and of the Person of Charles whom she shut up in the Castle of Cologne which was the usual place of her Residence Charles however found a way to make his escape out of Prison and having found a considerable Party in the Kingdom got himself chosen Mayor of the Palace and constrain'd Plectrude to renounce all her Pretensions The Amours of Charlemaigne THO' Charlemaigne had several Mistresses Anno 771. while his four Wives liv'd we know the Names of none but of Reginia and Adelond nor do we know who was the Mother of Pepin the eldest of his Natural Sons This Emperor passing through Mayence as he was going to make War against the Saxons Count Ganelon considerable for his Rank and Quality in that part of Germany besought him to receive Reginia his near Kinswoman into the number of Luigard the Empresse's Maids of Honour who had accompanied him in that Journey Charles consented to it willingly and found the Virgin so amiable that he many times took delight to divertize himself in her company after he had tyr'd himself with the toil of business And at first the Emperor thought of making no more then a Pastime of his Discourses with the young Lady but in a short time he soon perceiv'd that he had another sort of Kindness for Reginia and begg'd her to correspond with his Passion How was it possible to resist the importunities of a Prince who was already the Admiration of all Europe Reginia suffer'd her self to be overcome and grew big with Child Charles afraid lest the Empress should discover the Intreague left her at Aix la Chapelle where she dy'd soon after In the mean time Reginia was brought to Bed of Frogon he was afterwards Bishop of Mets and the next year of another Prince whose Name was Hugh Nor was Reginia ungrateful to her Kinsman Gamelon to whom she was beholding for her Fortune for she procur'd him Preferments and Employments which oblig'd him to follow the Court. And in regard he was frequently in his Kinswoman's Chamber during these marches and journeys he beheld among the rest of her Companions a Lady whose Name was Adelond with whom he fell so deeply in love that he resolv'd to Marry her To which purpose he besought the Emperor's permission so soon as he return'd to Aix la Chapelle who at first readily gave his consent But having better relish'd Adelond's Wit he could not resolve to behold her in the possession of another and having therefore found some pretence to recall his Word he engag'd himself altogether with Adelond and forsook Reginia Nor was this Second Mistriss less fruitful then the First for she made him the Father of Prince Thierry However the Emperor did not give himself up so absolutely to his amorous Pleasures as to forget the Affairs of his Dominions Understanding therefore that Alphonsus King of Leon had made a League against him with Fortune Garsil King of Navarr and with Marsillus the Moorish King of Cordona he cross'd the Pyrenans in order to fight ' em Ganelon thought this an opportunity to be reveng'd of the Emperor for bereaving him of his Mistress and for having dishonour'd his Kinswoman Thereupon he went over secretly and by giving 'em seasonable notice of the march of the Imperial Army was the occasion of the loss of the Battle of Roncèvaux wherein the choice of the French Nobility were slain However the Treason of the Count was discover'd and he receiv'd a punishment proportionable to the enormity of his Crime the marks of which are to be seen by what befell the Tours of Monthlery and de la Queve in Brie that both belong'd to him for they were half demolish'd and so have ever finde remain'd Reginia who had no share in the Conspiracy was no less exempted from any Consequences of his punishment as being all along in high esteem with Charlemaigne who put her Children into his Will year 814 Charles's Galantries had been so publick that they gave an occasion to the Princesses his Daughters for whom he had not been very careful to provide Husbands to seek out for Lovers themselves and tho' the Emperor had notice of their irregular Conduct he did but laugh at it and let 'em live according to their own Fancies But after his death Lewis his eldest Son who was of a different character from his Father and desirous to remedy these disorders gave Commission to the Princes Walon Warner Lambert and Tagobar diligently to enquire into 'em and to punish those that should be found guilty To this purpose he sent 'em before to Aix la Chapelle and follow'd 'em himself with a puissant Army to support the execution of his Orders and oppose the Pretensions of his Sisters who had made a powerful Party against him and with their Arms in their hands demanded their share in the Succession and Inheritance left by their Father The Prisons of Aix la Chapelle were soon fill'd with those who had abus'd the easie Nature of the Princesses or who had favour'd and encourag'd their unchast Amours and they were punish'd according as their Crimes deserv'd Harwin who had been summon'd to answer to the Informations exhibited against him made his appearance but arm'd and well attended and when Warner and Lambert order'd him to be examin'd upon the Interrogatories he drew his Sword and slew the first and dangerously wounded the other in the Thigh However he could not escape death for he was massaker'd with all his followers by the Prince's Officers and Guards When Lewis also arriv'd at Aix la Chapelle he sent for his Sisters and after he had caus'd his Father's Will to be read in their Hearing he unbraided 'em with their loose Conduct and then sent 'em away to the Lands of which Charlemagne had given 'em the Rents and Profits and which he assign'd 'em for their Dowries for term of life only Valdrade Mistress to Lothaire King of Lorraine year 862 AFter the death of Lewis the Debonaire his Dominions were divided among his Children Lothaire was Emperor and King of Italy Lewis obtain'd Germany Charles had Burgundy with Neustria and Pepin enjoy'd Aquitain Lothaire turning Monk left three Male Children Lewis Lothaire and Charles Lewis shar'd Italy together with the Empire
her Eyes unless she ruin'd the Queen she never boggled at the taking a resolution to prevent her and she understood so well how to make the best of the shallow feeblenesses of which the King had given her such frequent marks that she perswaded him to make away Galsuind Thereupon Chilperic after he had fully resolv'd upon it made a shew of more then usual complyance with the Queen's humour and never visited Fredegond but withal the precautions imaginable that he might take from Galsuind all occasion of mistrust and when he found her quite cur'd of all her jealous suspitions one night that he was in Bed with her he strangled her with her own Hair Sigebert being inform'd of the Death of his Sister in Law thought it his duty to revenge it and layd the design without ever considering that the Murderer was his Brother He engag'd also Gontran to joyn with him On the other side Chilperic rais'd an Army to defend himself but before he took the Field he Marry'd Fredegund However he did not prove successful in that War for that his Army being defeated and his eldest Son Theodebert having lost his Life in the Battel he himself made a hard shift to escape to Tournay where Sigebert immediately besieg'd him But Fredegund who made a slight matter of commiting the greatest crimes suborn'd a crew of Ruffians who assasinated Sigebert in his Tent and by that means deliver'd the King her Husband For which piece of service Chilperic thought himself so highly beholding to her that he could not imagin any better way to gratify her then by settling the Crown upon Fredegond's Children to the prejudice of those whom he had by Audouaire But Meroveus to whom the Kingdom belong'd as being his eldest Son understanding what was a brewing so contrary to hiâ— interest took Arms against his Father and retir'd to Rouâ—u whither Brunebaut Sigebert's Widow had been banisht by her Brothers in Law There he beheld that Princess and thought her so amiable tho' he were then above fourty Years of Age that he resolv'd to Marry her To that purpose he made the Proposal to her and with little trouble obtain'd her consent because she look't upon that Marriage as the means to obtain her liberty So soon as Chilperic receiv'd the news of this Marriage he march'd directly to Roueu with all the Forces that he could muster together nor did the City make any great resistance so that by the taking of it Chilperic became master of the new Marri'd couple Presently he declar'd the Marriage void as being solemniz'd without his consent and after he had shut up Brunebaut in the old Palace of Roueâ— he march'd to Soissons taking his Son along with him where he was no sooner arriv'd but he was besieg'd by the Champenois who took part with Childebert the Son of Sigebert Fredegond that she might deliver her self from the captivity of a Siege got out of the Town with Clovis the Youngest of Audouair's Children nor did she return till after the War was ended by the defeat of the Champenois At hee return the invasion of those People was the subiect of all the Town discourse and Fredegond cunningly infus'd it into Chilperic's read that they had never enter'd into his Dominions but at the sollicitation of Merovâ—â—â— who by their assistance thought to have seiz'd upon the Throne And tho' there were a Thousand reasons to have justify'd the conduct of that Prince Chilperic believ'd him guilty because Fredegond accus'd him and therefore after he had caus'd his Head to be shav'd shut him up in a Cloister But the cruel Queen was not satisfy'd with that punishment which was not deem'd severe enough for an imaginary crime and rightly judging that she could not secure the Crown to her Children so long as Audouair's Offspring remain'd alive she thought it behov'd her to send them out of the World Therefore to bring this to pass 't was requisite to engage Meroveus in some new exploit by which he might incurr his Fathers farther indignation For which purpose she sent Gontran Bosor who was wholly devoted to her interests to discourse him in the Monastery Presently the Young Prince know him because he had seen him at the head of Sigebert's Armies but he was ignorant of the secret engagements between him and his Mother in Law so that he easily fell into the snare which the traytor had laid for him who propos'd to him his leaving the Convent to head a party that he had ready to embody under his Banners and to that purpose gave him an opportunity to make his escape But no sooner was he arriv'd at the place appointed but he was assassinated by the very person into whose arms he had thrown himself for protection Which Chilperic look't upon as a great piece of service as being misinform'd and not understanding the depth of the affair There remain'd now no more then Clovis Anno 577. of all the Children of Audonaire and Fredegond was not without hopes of being rid of him too But Heaven that would not permit her to enjoy the fruit of so many crimes in less then six Months swept away all the three Children she had by Chilperic with the Pestilence So that the King not having any more Children then Clovis plac'd all his affections upon him and consequently render'd him more odious to Fredegond Nor did the Young Prince less mortally hate his Mother in Law and tho' it highly conccern'd him to conceal his sentiments which otherwise might prove his bane yet could he not forbear to entrust his secret thoughts with one of her Maids of Honour with whom he had an intreague So that as Lovers can keep nothing hid from their Mistresses he told her one day that if he ever came to the Crown he would not leave the Death of his Brothers unreveng'd and that he would extend the punishment of Fredegond to the utmost rigor of the Law This severe language being reported to Fredegond as she had great reason to fear the dire effects of it so she made it her business to prevent her Son in Law And to that purpose she accus'd Clovis to his Father for having destroy'd the three Children born of their Body 's in lawfull Wedlock by vertue of certain charms compos'd by one of her Maids of Honour and her Daughter the very same person in whom the Prince had put so dangerous a confidence Thereupon the King falling into the snare tho' so palpable and obvious to the sight caus'd the two unfortunate Lady 's to be arrested who being put to the Rack that they might free them-from from torment whatever was ask'd 'em they confest not only all but more then was sufficient for the conviction of Clovis So that the King after he had seen the verbal report of the depositions commanded Didier and Boson the Captains of his Guards and Fredegond's creatures to seize the person of his Son which was presently done with more then ordinary inhumanity
upon Hugo gave him several mortal Stabs before the King's Face thô he made himself known to 'em on purpose to stop their fury out of that respect which was due to his Person and when they had done they threw themselves into a Forrest adjoyning and soon became invisible Several Months find away before the King could discover the Authors of so dating an enterprize but at 〈◊〉 he understood that the Murder was committed by the Queens Order and so far he was from shewing himself either griev'd or displeas'd at it that he lov'd her the more ever after and wholly fortook Almafrede who out of despair retired to a Convent and veil'd her self As for Foulqueâ— he underwent a severe Penance for having contributed to the Homicide being at Jerusalem whither he accompany'd Godfrey of Benillon and others of the Croisado For he caus'd himself to be drawn naked upon a Hurdle with a Rope about his Neck and to be whipp'd till the Blood came crying out with a loud voice Have mercy Lord upon the treacherous and perjur'd Foulques Bertrade Mistress to Philip. Anno 1086. Foulques Rechin going to pay a visit to Amaney Lord of Montfort and condole with him upon the death of his Mother fell in love with his Sister Bertrade He left nothing omitted to procure her Affection during the stay that he made at Montfort and not being able to obtain any Favour from her he resolv'd to marry her thô he were already marry'd to Ermengard the Daughter of Archambaut Lord of Bourbon and that he had a Son by her who was afterwards call'd Jeoffrey Martell To which effect he caus'd his Marriage with Ermengard to be declar'd null under pretence of being near akin and took Bertrade to Wife by whom he had a Son that bore his Fathers Name and who going to the Holy Land was King of Jerusalem In the mean time Foulques Rechin having had a Quarrel with his Brother Jeoffrey about sharing the Succession of their Father Foulques Nera the contest came to a Battle near Brochelac where Jeoffrey was overthrown and taken prisoner but took his being detain'd in Prison so hainously that for meer vexation he run mad Pope Gregory VII being inform'd how hardly Foulques had us'd his Brother and of the unlawfull Marriage which he had contracted with Bartrade excommunicated him Jeffery Martell who by this time was arriv'd to years of maturity taking advantage of the excommunication thunder'd out against his Father took Arms to revenge this Mothers Quarrel and set his Uncle at liberty Bertrade seeing her self so dangerously threatn'd by the ambitious Youth who was already become the head of a potent party sought which way to rid him out of the World and caus'd him to be poyson'd Pope Gregory being dead Foulques sent Embassadors to Vrban VI. who succeeded him to obtain his absolution offering to set his Brother at Liberty and to quit Bertrade Upon which the Pope empower'd Hugo Archbishop of Lion to take off the censure provided the Count perform'd what he had promis'd In the mean time Phillip coming to Tours to give Foulques a visit year 1093 and settle affairs between 'em in reference to the County of Gatinois which the Count had mortgag'd to him during the Wat with his Brother saw Bertrade who appear'd to him most charmingly beautiful notwithstanding those Clouds of sorrow that hung upon her countenance because her Husband was just going to put her away The King therefore having engag'd her to entrust him with the cause of her grief offer'd her his service and promis'd to marry her having under pretence of consanguinity vacated his Marriage with Bertha the Daughter of the Count of Frise whom he had banish'd to Montrevil upon the Sea Bertrade suffer'd her self to be surpriz'd with these alluring hopes and consented to be conveigh'd away by force The King thus satisfy'd after he and Bertrade had consulted upon the ways and means which way to effect their designe departed for Orleans and left behind him at Tours a Gentleman whose name was William Rechin to put the project in execution Bertrade and the Knight having conserted together how to manage the business she her self went to hear Mass at St. Martin's upon Easter-eve and after she had sent away the persons that attended her upon several errands slipt into a by Street where Rechin waited for her with two Horses She made choice of that which went most easily and being got a little way out of the City they met with laid Horses fresh and fresh every six Leagues and made such hast that before Night they reach'd Orleans where the King who had notice of every thing receiv'd 'em with those transports of joy that are hardly to be express'd He carry'd Bertrade to his Palace and by a thousand caresses endeavour'd to alleviate the Fatigues of her journey As for Foulques he did not much trouble himself for the loss of his Wife whom he lookt upon as an obstacle of his reconciliation with the holy See and finding himself well stricken in years he wholly gave off his debauchery Some time after Philip publickly espous'd Bertrade and caus'd her to be Crown'd with extraordinary magnificence He had two Sons by her Philip to whom he gave the Barony of Mang upon the Lâ—ire and whom he Marry'd to the Daughter of Gontier Lord of Montbery Henry who was design'd for the Church and a Daughter named Cecilia who was first marry'd to Tancrede Son of the Sister of Bremond Prince of Antiochia and after his death to Ponce the Son of Beritand Count of Tiral in Stiria descended from the Counts of Thoulouse However several Bishops who where present at the nuptials to which they were invited according to the custom of the Kingdom remonstrated to the King that the Church could not approve a Marriage directly contrary to all the Canons as well by reason of the proximity of Blood between him and Bertrade as for that Bertha was still living as well as Count Foulques But none of 'em took upon 'em to speak with more freedom then Yves Bishop of Chartres which exasperated the King to that degree that he caus'd him to be apprehended However in a short time after he releas'd him again at the sollicitation of the Clergy Pope Vrban VI. being inform'd of these disorders sent away on purpose a Legat into France who assembl'd a Council at Auâ—uâ— where it was decreed that Philip should be excomunicated But the Pope suspended the effect of the Decree till the next Year and then he thunder'd out his Anathema's against the King in the Council of Clermont The King terrifi'd with these censures parted from Bertrade for some time but he recall'd her shortly after by the consent of her Husband Foulques himself over whom she had so powerfull an ascendant that he sigh'd at her feet like the most passionate of Lovers The Popes Legats perceiving that the King had renewâ—d his crminal familiarity assembled another Councill
sollicited to do homage for the Dukedom of Burgundy He felt strange combats in his breaâ—t and struggl'd with more then one single passion upon this accompt and before he would positively determin he would needs take advice of Madam de Gyac with whom he had a long time had an Intreague That Lady who was still young and handsome did not suit with the Kings age who was already going down the hill of his years and would willingly have been reconcil'd to the Court in hopes of smiting the Dauphin in the Eye for whom she felt some kind of amorous inclination and with that design she advis'd the Duke to do what was demanded from him The place appointed for the Ceremony was Monterault where a large room of hoards was erected upon the Bridge with three bars that were let down as the Duke pass'd forward But when he was upon his knees in order to do his homage a pretence was taken from hence that he laid his hand upon the hilt of his Sword upon which Tonnequi du Chastel who stood next the Dauphin fell'd the Duke with a blow upon his Chin with his battle ax and the rest of the Courtiers compleated the Murder However his death was reveng'd by his Children who introduc'd the English into France nor had the Dauphin who in a short time after came to the Crown by the name of Charles VII sav'd the Kingdome but by a particular assistance that Heaven miraculously sent him The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Charles VII year 1424 JAQVELINE of Haynault Countess of Holland had espous'd for her first Husband John Dauphin of France the Son of Charles VI. and after his death was marry'd to John of Burgundy the Son of Anthony Duke of Brabant his cousin He was a Prince both old and gouty who avoided the World and sought retirement only Jaqueline was quite of another humour and could not find in her heart to shut her self up in the Country with her Husband However she was bound to obedience and was constrain'd to consine her self with him in a Castle whither he had withdrawn himself from the hurry of business Nor had she any other consolation then to bemoan in private with her Women the fantastick humour of her Husband Her Maid of honour had formerly made a voyage into England attending at that time upon Katherine of France who had marry'd Henry V. and she was return'd with all the Officers of the Houshold of that Princess whom the King her Husband had sent back some Months after Now tho' that Lady had made but a short stay in London nevertheless she had seen all the magnificence of that Court of which she made so pleasing a description to her Mistress that she infus'd into her a desire to cross the Sea's and taste her share of the pleasures which that Court afforded The Lady also spoke to her so advantagiously of Humphrey Duke of Glocester the King's Brother that she caus'd her to conceive an esteem for that Prince which did not a little disquiet her repose She desir'd also to see his Picture and open'd her mind to her Maid of Honour who found a way to satisfy her curiosity And the Portraicture and the Persuasions of her Woman increas'd her Chimerical Passion to that degree that she resolv'd to cross over into England She imparted her design to none but such Officers whom she could not avoid entrusting with her Secret and having made choice of a day for her departure she got a Horse-back with a small Train carrying all her Jewels along with her She got to Dunkirke whence she embark'd for Dover and so for London She was well receiv'd by the King of England and better by the Duke of Gloucester who had been inform'd how much he was concern'd in the voyage which she had undertaken And he knew so well how to make the best of her preventing him that he oblig'd her to yield her fell up to him upon the faith of a Marriage which she could not contract in regard she had a Husband living But the King of England's complacency in indulging her idle Passion had like to have broken the good correspondence between him and the Duke of Burgundy Cousin to the Duke of Brabant his kinsman but reason af State prevail'd above that frivilous Disgust Sometime after John of Bavaria Duke of Luxembourg Governor of the Counties of Holland and Zealand ordain'd his Heir Philip Duke of Burgundy his Sisters Son without making any mention in his Will of Jaqueline his Neece by the Father's side which oblig'd her to return into Haynault where the Duke of Gloucester would needs accompany her She was receiv'd by her Subjects with extraordinary Magnificence notwithstanding the opposition of the Counts of Conversano and Anguien who sided with the Duke of Brabant The Duke of Gloucester also endeavour'd to make himself Master of such places as he pretended were fall'n to Jaqueline by the death of the Duke of Luxembourg But he was constrain'd to quit his enterprize and her whole Rights he maintain'd because Pope Martin V. threaten'd him with Ecclesiastical Censures if he did not restore the Duke of Brabant his disloyal Wife The Duke obey'd without any reluctance and was glad of that pretence to abandon Jaqueline that she might not perceive he was become unfaithful and paid his Vows to another Shrine For Jaqueline had taken along with her into Haynault an English Lady who was call'd Madam Shelton and the Duke was soon aware of the advantage which that Lady had over her Mistress as well for the Graces of her Body as for the fineness of her Wit and delicacy of her Sentiments Nor could he withstand so many charms and finding they concurr'd with his Sedulities he was glad to find himself at liberty that he might follow his own inclinations He therefore left the Dutchess at Mons and return'd into England where he marry'd Madam Shelton But the Duke of Gloucester's infidelity was not the only thing which troubl'd the Dutchess she fear'd the effects of her Husband 's just resentment and she imagin'd every moment that she saw him invading her Territories with an armed Force But the death of the Duke deliver'd her from these Fears news being brought her in the midst of her disturbanbances that a Feaver which seaz'd him at Brussels had put an end both to his Life and his Jealousies Réne de Anjou Duke of Barr having had a contest with the Count of Vandemoâ— who should succeed to Charles Duke of Lorrain they disputed their Right by dint of Arms. The Count had recourse to the Duke of Burgundy a sworn Enemy to the House of Anjou who assisted him with Men and Money and after he had obtain'd that reinforcement he march'd to find out his Enemy meeting him in the Plain of Bullenville near Neuchatel in Lorrain he gave him Battle defeated his Army and took him prisoner Nor could the Duke obtain his liberty till the death
did the Spaniards make between your Majesty and the King of Castille upon your thread-bare Cap and your Leaden Agnus Dei instead of one beset with Diamonds The King was so amaz'd at this Curtain Lecture that he had not the power to interrupt her However as he was a great dissembler he did not discover his disgust tho he thought it high time to get him a more complaisant Mistress To that purpose having heard much talk of a young Lady of Dijon whose name was Huguette de Jaqueline that was well descended but very poor he sent for her to Court and having taken her for his Mistriss he had a Third Daughter by her whom he bestow'd upon Amà nd of Poitiers Lord of St. Valier Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Charles VIII Anno 1483. LEWIS Duke of Orleans had the misfortune to be belov'd by Ann of France the Daughter of Lewis XI I say the misfortune because the Passion of that Princess was in good part the cause of all the crosses that befell him during his life She gave him to understand her Inclinations toward him and thô the Duke did not comply with her but in terms rather of Respect then Tenderness yet she surceas'd not to interpret 'em favourably and to believe she was belov'd because she deserv'd to be so She refus'd for love of the Duke of Orleans a Match which her Father would have made for her with Nicholas of Anjou Duke of Lorrain and acknowledg'd to that Prince that it was the only reason of her refusal He answer'd with so much indifferency to what she spoke to him the most obligingly in the world upon that occasion that she began at length to open her Eyes and to understand that she had flatter'd her self to little purpose when she thought he had comply'd with her tenderness which was the reason that she resolv'd to marry Peter of Bourbon Duke of Beaujou Upon the first proposal of it that the King her Father made her as she was unwilling to be unfortunate alone she perswaded Lewis XI over whom she had a powerful Ascendant to marry the Duke of Orleans to Joan of France his Daughter who was neither beautiful nor of an agreeable temper The Duke would fain have excus'd himself but the King laid his Commands upon him so imperiously that he was forc'd to obey 'T is true that the Marriage was not consummated whether it were that he had an aversion for the Princess or that she had some natural defects as it was afterwards pretended which hinder'd her having of Children After the death of Lewis XI the Duke of Orleans demanded the Regency during the minority of Charles VIII who was not above Thirteen years of age but the Dutchess of Beaujou carry'd it before him But thô she had got this advantage yet for all that she could not chuse but seek the Duke of Orleans's friendship whom she had not the power to hate notwithstanding his indifferency and she offer'd him a share in the Government if he would but live in a friendly correspondence with her but he return'd those Answers that ill became him to her civilities Thereupon the Dutchess exasperated by his Contempt studied nothing so much as which way to be reveng'd She grounded her pretence upon a quarrel which the Duke of Orleans had had with the Duke of Lorraine while he was playing at Tennis with him and would have had the Duke apprehended but he withdrew to the Duke of Bretagne In whose Court while the Duke of Orleans resided he waited most sedulously upon the Princess Ann his Daughter and fell so deeply in love with her that he preserv'd his Passion for her till his death In the mean time he enter'd into a strict confederacy against the Duchess Regent of which himself and the Duke of Bretagne were the Heads They betook themselves to Arms on both sides and they came to the decision of a Battle in the Plain of St. Aubin where the Confederate Princes were defeated and the Duke of Orleans being taken pris'ner was afterwards lock'd up in the Tower of Bourges nor was he releas'd till after Charles VIII had espous'd Ann of Bretagne and at the same time that the King was preparing for his expedition into Italy Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Lewis XII LEWIS of Orleans being come to the Crown made it his whole study to marry the Princess Ann Widow of Charles VIII his Predecessor He caus'd the Reasons for the dissolving of his Marriage with the Princess Joan to be laid before Pope Julius as being uncapable of ever bringing forth Successors to the Crown and desir'd a Dispensation from his Holiness to marry the fair Queen whom he dearly lov'd Nor would his impatience permit him to stay till he receiv'd the Dispensation 't was enough to hear by the Legate's Secretary whom he had gain'd to his side that it was allow'd and drawing up Yet for all this the love of that Princess surceas'd not to cause him new disturbances She became jealous of Louise of Savoy Countess of Angoulesme Mother of Francis the First and their hatred brake forth to that degree of exasperation that it divided the whole Court into Parties Lewis XII had a design to marry the Princess Claudia his Daughter with the young Count of Angoulême whom he look'd upon as his Successor but the Queen oppos'd it to the utmost of her power Therefore to cross this design she resolv'd to marry her with Charles of Austria who was already call'd Prince of Spain and to give him Bretagne in favour of that Alliance To this purpose she sent privately a Gentleman of the House of Rieux into Flanders and thence into Germany This Gentleman made the Proposal to the Emperor Maximilian the Prince's Grandfather by the Father's side and to Chieuvres his Governour They agreed upon the Articles which were Sign'd and there remain'd nothing but the Ceremony of the Nuptials which had been solemniz'd unknown to the King had not the tender age of the Parties been an obstacle to the Consummation and had it been in the power of the Queen to have dispos'd of her Daughter as she would her self to which end fortune sometime after gave her an opportunity of which she try'd to make her advantage The King falling sick at Paris his distemper increas'd to that degree that the Physicians gave him over for lost and while the whole Court was in a consternation upon the desperate condition of the King's health the Queen took her opportunity privately to send away her Daughter by water down the River Loire to Nantes But passing through Angiers she was stop'd by the Marshal de Gi◠who was Governor of that place The Marshal was one that took part with the Countess of Angoulême and in regard he was not ignorant that the Queen oppos'd the King's design of marrying Claudia with the Son of that Princess he soon conjectur'd the reason that his masters
full hopes to be Queen see quite alter'd her Conduct and took upon her such an Aire of Modesty that the King several times repented that ever he had accus'd her â—of Disloyalty But 't was not enough for him to be satissfi'd of it the world must be also no less fully convinc'd â—to which purpose the Dutchess resolv'd to receive the Sacrament at Paris The King had stay'd all the Lent at Fontain Bleau from whence he departed upon Palm-Sundy for Melun at what time the Dutchess order'd a Barge to be made ready to carry her upon the Tuseday in the Passion Week to Paris where she arriv'd the same day and alighted at her Sister 's the Marshal of Balagni's Wife The next day she went to little St. Anthonies to hear the Service call'd the Tenebres with Mâ—dam and Mademoiselle de Guise the Dutchess of Rétz and her Daughters The other Ladies went in their Coaches but she was carry'd in a Sedan a Captain of the Guards of the Body walking always by the side of the Sedan whose business it was to attend her to a Chappel that was preserv'd on purpose for her to the end she might neither be crowded nor expos'd to the View of the People During the Office she shewâ—d Mademoisselle de Guise certain Letters from Rome which gave her to understand that what she desir'd would be suddenly accomplish'd She also shew'd her two Letters which she receiv'd the same day from the King so Passionate and so full of Impatience too see her his Queen that she had all the reason in the world to be satisfi'd The King sent her word that he was just sending away to Rome Dufrene Secretary of State whom she knew to be entirely devoted to her Interests as having marry'd one of her Kinswomen to press his Holiness to give him his Liberty in a Matter which he was wholly resolv'd upon When Service was done she told Mademoisâ—lle de Guise that she intended to alight at the Deanry of St. Germains where she had accstom'd to lodge and that she intended to go to bed not feeling herself ver well withall desiring her to come and keep her Company And at the same time she went out of the Church and got into her Litter while Mademoiselle de Guise went back to her Coach So soon as Mademoiselle came to the Dutchess of Beauforts she found her undressing herself and complaining of a great Pain in her Head But the Dutchess was no sooner a bed but she was taken with a terrible Convulsion from which she recover'd by the help of Strong Remedies and then it was that she began a Letter to the King ' tho she could not finish it being hinder'd by another Convulsion When she came to her self again a Letter was presented her from the King but she could not read it being seiz'd by another Convulsion that held her so lohg as she liv'd Upon Tuesday she was brought to Bed of a still-born-Still-born-Child the Violence of her Distemper having Kill'd it and the next day being Friday she expir'd by Six a Clock in the Morning Some there were who ascrib'd the cause of her Death to another cause and gave it outh that she had made a Contract with the Devil to Marry the King and that that same Enemy of Mankind had taken away her Life They farther add as an Embellishment to set out the Fable that the Dutchess was acquainted long before with the Tragical end that atended Her For that being one day in the Garden of the Tuillerys she met with a famous Magician who was telling several Ladies of the Court their Fortunes at what time the Dutchess having a desire to know what should be ber Destiny was very Importunate with the Magician who excus'd himself for above an hour telling her that considering the flourishing Fortune she enjoy'd she could wish for nothing greater But at length the Dutchess insisting to know at least what end she she should come to the Magician bid her at her leisure pull out her Porket-Lookinglass and there she should see the Object of her Curiosity Upon which the Dutchess when she pul'd out her Mirror saw the Devil taking her by the Throate which terrifi'd her to that degree that she sounded away in the arms of one of her Women that attended her The very same thing or very like it is told of the Constable Montmorancy's Lady who dy'd but a little before after a very strange manner But People of Sence and Judgment gave no Credit to these Stories The same day being Wednesday La Varenne came to tell the Marshal d Ornano who was hearing the Passion Sermon at St. Germains de Lauxerrois that the Dutchess was dead and that it would be convenient to hinder or prevent the King 's coming to Paris whether he was just designing his Journey and therefore desir'd him to go and meet him in order to make him alter his Roade The Marshal requested the Marquess of Bassompierre then at the Sermon to go along with him which he did and so they met the King beyond Saussi near Ville Juif who was coming Post for Paris So soon as the King saw the Marshal his heart misgave him that he knew already the Tidings which he came to tell him and by his Lamentations and bitter Complaints soon made it appear that Hero's have their failings as well as other Men. They carry'd him to the Abby dela Saussaye and lay'd him upon a Bed till they could meet with the Convenience of a Coach to carry him back to Fontain Bleau Where being arriv'd before night be found in his Appartment the greaest part of the Lords of the Court who were all got thither upon the noise of this Mournful Accident So soon as the King was enter'd his Chamber he desir'd all the Company to return to Paris and pray to God to send him Consolation retaining only to keep him Company Bellegard the Count de Laudes Termes Castelnau La Chalosse Monglas and Fronteval Nevertheless as Bassompierre was retiring with the rest he bid him stay to give him an account of the Circumstances of his Mistresse's death because he was the last that was with her For Five or Six dayes the King was not to be seen but by those whom he had excepted unless it were by some Embassador's whose condoling Complements he was oblig'd to receive but they return'd immediately after they had had their Audiences When the King's Grief was a little allay'd his Favorites who understood that the right way to dissipate his Melancholy was to set before his Eyes some other Dazling Lady that might make him amends for the loss of his Dutchess engag'd him in a Hunting Match near Malherbe a Castle belonging to the Marquiss d' Entragues That Lord had two Daughters surpassingly Beautiful and Witty above the Common Rate especially the Eldest who was call'd Henrietta de Balzack Madam d' Entragues being acquainted with their Design to entangle the King with one of her Daughters sent to him