Seignior Massimi if I mistake not had at his landing in the Kingdom of Valentia been arrested in the Kings name with prohibibition to go forward he was fain to stay till that difference was accommoded which arose from Innocent the Tenth's sending him that was to succeed without having first given the Court advice of it and known whether it were acceptable and since the French had on the same occasion arrested the Nuncio in Provence it was thought Spain might do the like besides that this came charged with some instructions relating to Portugal and this Court which in the Kings opinion were not sufficiently Catholick who possessed of that title with precedence of all others required them after his own fashion These difficulties and such other as concerned his reception being at last removed after his passing sometime as a private person in the Kingdom of Valentia he was permitted to come to this Town and exercise his function He arrived on the Eve of Corpus Christi or a little before it and saw the solemnity through a grated Window not appearing because not received and he in whose place he came doubtlessly not a little troubled to be removed from so profitable an employment did that day his last office in attending the King in that Ceremonie Now I am speaking of the Ambassadors and Ministers of forrain Princes I will not omit what I have to say of Margarite of Savoy Dutchess of Mantua who prepared to leave the Court and pass the rest of her life in the Dutchy of Millan where the King had assigned certain lands for her entertainment She is Daughter of an Infanta of Spain and of Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy She was married to Duke Ferdinand the last Duke of Mantua of that Line and had but one Daughter during the life of her Father married to the Duke of Rethel Son of the Duke of Nevers to secure to him the succession of those Estates as nearest Heir but Spain resolving to dispute it with him this woman whose inclinations were totally Spanish sided with the house of Austria against her own Daughter the Commotions that were consequences of this in Italy are known to all the world it is enough that I remember here that this Princess being retired to this Court for which she had so openly declared was well received and to employ her wit and zeal made Vice-Queen of Portugal where to speak truth she comported her self prudently But the insolence and avarice of the Ministers imposed to act under her seconded by the countenance and approbation of the Condeduke at that time Favorite was so great she could not prevent their driving the people to dispair discontenting the Grandes and wronging the Clergy giving occasion to all of them to take Arms for reestablishng their liberty These things she often wrote both to the King and his chief Minister particularizing all exorbitancies committed and danger of a general revolt But the Favourite caused little regard to be given to her advice ever crying out she was a Woman and all she writ trifles more crediting the letters of the Ministers he had sent with the intrigue than hers on which accompt after affairs in Lisbonne had changed face and a short exile that permitted her not to come to Court was passed over at her return from that lost Kingdom getting opportunity to speak with the King she assisted towards ruining the Duke of Olivares in his opinion She was afterwards entertained at Madrid by his Majesty who now at last gave her permission to retire to her native Country there to lay her bones being very aged Some nevertheless suppose her sent into Italy to be a means of inticing the Duke of Savoy her Nephew now of age from the French alliance and of continuing the Duke of Mantua her Grandchild in the Spanish interests into which he entred after the taking Casal and from which they distrust he may be biassed by his great engagements to France as well on accompt of his birth as of the Estate he possesses there During our stay at Madrid we had many faithful Companions of our Travails Monsieur ...... in whom to the desire of knowing things that are considerable is joyned such a comprehension of them he is become capable of signalizing himself in service of his Country as soon as he shall attain the rank his own merit and his deceased fathers services seem to have acquired him I will say nothing of his other vertues that have made too deep impression in my memory to believe they can ever be effaced I had the happiness to know him in Florence where Mr. ..... and he renewed the friendship they had contracted in their tender years when they bore arms together in Holland under Prince William of Orange Coming out of Italy he landed in the Kingdom of Valentia and from thence went streight to Madrid in hope of meeting us but having continued there sometime despairing of our arrival he resolved to be gone when he least thought of us and could not expect at Madrid in the Middle of the Spring those that should have passed the Winter there four horse-men passed by his lodging whose habit and horses discovered them to be of the other side the Mountains his curiosity obliged him to follow them to the place where they â—â—â—ghted not a little surprised to find those he had so impatiently expected he was then in such an equipage that I must confess at first I knew him not he wore the Cassock Rocket thin and streight Stockings with Pumps and Breeches like Holsters which so strangely diguised him he seemed not the same person we had been acquainted with in Florence his mustaches or whiskers grown long and turned up with irons made me more a stranger to the air of his face he not a little resembling the King of Spain of whom he hath more of the meen in that habit than of himself when clothed after the fashion of his Countrey After mutual expressions of our joy we acquainted him with the delayes of our journey and he told us the successes of his and having passed three moneths in Madrid during which we failed not one day of seeing one another we resolved to pass together into France by way of Arragon but before we put this in execution a Troop of illustrious Strangers whom we were very glad to see arrived in Madrid amongst them were two Gentlemen whose perfections of mind and body made evident that if heaven hath given them great advantages by eminent birth their education and docility have contributed no less to that virtue and prudence which surpasses their age They brought many Letters from the Earl of Fuensaldaigne Dom Stephen de Gamarra and other of the King of Spains Ministers in the Low-Countries to the best of this Court who received them very well but wanting the language they took along with them a Burgundian Doctor called Rognar imployed in the businesses of several Officers that serve in the Kings Armies
not suprised at her letters during the Diet of Ratisbone as well to the Emperor as to the Electors and other Princes about election of a King of Romans They easily perceived that the Counsellors of the Kingdom and ablest heads had not contributed to so open and authentick a Declaration in favour of the King of Hungary During her Fathers reign and in her minority they had been otherwise inspired and if their opinions might have prevailed doubtlesly the Party of the Princes and Towns had rather been supported who demanded a making good of all that had been agreed on by the Peace of Munster before they would proceed to thâ—t Election This makes easily comprehended that an Ambassador from this Court was necessary during all that time but that he should be continued after the resignation of this Princess and that when she had left the Kingdom â—iementeâ—â—â— should every where follow her under that character is a mystery of which no reason can be imagined that seems not too flat and feeble to be real For why should the Spaniards be at such cost to keep in with this Princess after she had dispossessed her self of her Dominion or court her then their enemies having received all her favours whilst she sate on the throne The Spaniards I say that never do any thing where that interest that as much governs Kings as Kings do Subjects is not exactly observed that repine at the entertaining the many discontented Princes that have sided with them and that seldom abandon what is solid and necessary for what is plausible and superfluous Notwithstanding all which they not only caused her to be attended by an Ambassador when she had no right to one and who her Prerogative being gone with her Soveraignty must needs appear rather a Gentleman Usher than Publick Minister but omitted not to complement and present her from Madrid it self with 12 of the beautifullest Horses of the Kings Stable What is rumored here that she hath still the disposal of Forces and that Koningsmarc by her Order marches to assist the Arch-Duke with an Army of Twelve thousand men is a meer raillery Her resignation was doubtless a secret of State spun and wove with more art than is imagined and nothing less than what it seemed she retained neither credit nor authority to make her Mistress of any thing more than her Pensions and though because the Pill was very well gilt the World believed she swallowed it willingly and tasted nothing bitter a Person of as great judgment as curiosity told me That as the Palatine appeared a great Captain when Generalissimo in Germany he no less approved himself an able Polititian in a quiet possessing himself of the Crown of the Great Gustavus his Uncle even in the life-time of his Daughter and only Heir The manner of doing this seems very subtle for after he was declared her Successor partly on occasion of the over-heroick inclinations of that Princess who seemed amorous only of her own wit and more ambitious to be thought a Woman learned and liberal than a Queen prudent and capable of governing partly by reason of the inclination of the Counsellors and States of the Kingdom who grew weary of obeying a Maid more sollicitous to be the Miracle of her Sex than of her Dignity and a resolution taken that if she should marry it must be with none but him all his endeavors tended to make known he was fitter to espouse the Kingdom than Queen in effect he quickly appeared equal to the former and were it naturally or artificially so well acted the part of a King that it was very apparent that whilest he fell back from probability of being such by means of the later he advanced in hopes of it by the general inclination of the People and Interest of State His Conformity of Humors and Manners with those of that Countrey opened him so fair a way to the Throne that the Queen whose Customs were directly contrary became jealous with such an aversion for his Person as she could not sufficiently conceal This obliged him to retire to an Island part of his Inheritance leaving all to time and the Queen her self who confirmed the People in their dislike of her She continued to value less than she ought the most considerable Persons and most important Affairs Her vast fancy and ardent thirst after curious Sciences joyned to that extraordinary manner of conduct that possessed her made her flie from thought to thought and from employment to employment without ever fixing on the Duties of her Charge and Care of her Crown and Subjects One while she was entirely taken up by Letters with Des Cartes Salmasius and Bouchard whom she had sent for with the first to engage her self in the Labirinth of his Modern Philosophy with the other to trace the Antiquities of Rome and Greece and with the last to penetrate the Mysteries of the Catholick and Protestant Faith Sometimes she abandoned both Books and Scholars calling all the first Bawbles and the last Pedants At the time of this gay humor crowds of young people that swarmed about her pâ—ssed their time very agreeably Masks Balls Plays Collations Huntings Tours with all the little pleasures that are the principal ragouts of the idleness of Courts were then alone in request Wit and Fancy with all that boundless and extravagant jollity can produce then displayed themselves with the highest advantages and his parts were most applauded that seemed capablest of these fond Diversions which lead from pleasure to pleasure and pastime to pastime without knowing what they seek or on what to settle In these several manners of living she equally scattered the Crowns Revenue amongst Strangers by whose Counsel she governed her self in many things and by her own head in all the rest This gave occasion to one Missenius a Physitian or Historian if I mistake not that had been advanced by her to publish a Book little to her advantage He highly extolled the Prince Palatin then declared Heir of the Crown addressing himself to him and the Kingdoms Senators for remedy of the disorders he observed His Stile discovered him and the Queen made appear very great moderation on occasion of his ingratitude and the Prince no less address and judgment in satisfying her that he too much detested the Crime of that unworthy fellow to have contributed any thing towards it All this while a secret aversion for the Queen insinuated it self amongst the greatest part of the Senators and People Some said they must have a Soldier to command them others lamented the poverty of their Country and that Rixdollers were so scarce amongst them That Peace suited ill with a Countrey that produced nothing but iron which they ought to truck for the Ducats of Poland or Patagons of Germany That an occasion of rupture with one of these could not be wanting that the truce with Poland was almost at an end and that they stood in need of nothing but a King either a
the publick hatred his politicks having been thought very corrupt and biassed It is believed this Favourite makes no use of his Masters coffers and it is but necessary he spare them they having never been so exhausted for besides the Monthly Pensions of the Prince of Conde and those that follow him which are very ill paid this Court is obliged to an extraordinary charge in Catalonia and its forces being very weak there to treat for three or four thousand Wallons and Germans of which the poorest foot Souldier will stand it in six score crowns The Marquis Serra a noble Genouese who on that condition returned to Barcelona is promised a hundred thousand crowns a month to maintain that Army and to resist the French The Indian Fleet was expected which brought but 800 thousand crowns on the Kings accompt the last year what it would then bring was very uncertain thought it was given out to be very rich and that it had aboard it two years Revenue Before the King went to Aranjuez he assembled the Estates of both Castiles which consist of the Deputies of 22 Towns each Town sending two Such Assemblies are called las Cortes The King made them a Speech and told them that of the ten Millions of Gold his Kingdoms yearly supply him with not above three came into his Coffers and necessities of State considered it was his pleasure they should consult of wayes to bring the entire sum into his hands That to this purpose every Town and Province should take care themselves to bring their proportion into his Exchequer where he willed them to suppress many of the Officers that managed his Revenue and devoured the greatest part of it after this he also demanded some augmentation The Cortes met and laboured in this affair but it was much feared they would not consent to such a suppression which would undo many and some of their Relations for the augmentation it was believed they would not think the people able to pay any more the miserie and poverty of the Country considered In the mean time this King his ten Millions of crowns excepted draws little or nothing from the People and Navarre Arragon and the Kingdom of Valentia not united to the Castiles are not thought to bring up above two Millions The great expences to which his Warrs oblige him are known to all the world but some nearer home consume the best of his Revenue these are many Pensions there being hardly any Grandee of Spain Duke Earl Marquis or Knight that hath not something from the Publick not in recompence of service in War but because the most of them are extremely necessitous in so much that I have been assured that many of them compounding with their Creditors have assigned them their Pensions reserving only some small sum towards a wretched subsistance Neither are any accompted rich the three Favourites above-mentioned excepted but the Duke of Alva the Marquis of Leganes the Earl of Ognate and two or three others whose names I have forgotten the rest of the Nobility wanting wherewithal to supply their ordinary expences But did the King allow no Pensions to them he payes enow to others to divert a very considerable part of his Incom His Armies abound with Reformadoes who receive pay as if actually in service it is true indeed that these are so il paid that I connot imagin how they subsist and I spoke with an Alfieres that came from Portugal whose Pension is twelve crowns a month that protested he had not recived six in six year The Jesuits have of late been obliged to bring sixty thousand crowns into the Kings Coffers which very much disgusted them and allayed their zeal in these quarters for the House of Austria This Sum was shipped by them on the Indian Fleet without registring it and upon discovery confiscated according to the Law The Jesuit to whose care it was entrusted playd his part so well that the Kings Officers could not find it but that which belonged to other Cloysters being seised they peached and it became the Kings notwithstanding the good Fathers alleged it designed to build a Church in Navarre in the Town where the Saint the Founder of their Order was born This King spends nothing either in Buildings or Gardens Much of ornament might be added to his Palace and its height require a Wall in form of a Terrass to support its declining that increases daily A Wood below it that serves only for a Shelter to Rabbits and a Nest for Crows brought by Charles the 5th out of the Low Countries might be converted into a fair Garden The river that passes by it is called Maucanarzes not so broad as its name is long its Channel is gravelly and it self in Summer so low that in June and July Coaches at the Tour go through it The Bridge or rather Causey by which it is passed is both long and large and cost I know not how many thousand Ducats and he was no fool that being told that Philip the Second bestowed so much cost on so poor a River said it was fit either to sell the Bridge or buy Water Gentlemen here contrary to the customs of England France and Germany live in Cities few of them having any priviledges for Hunting or Hawking neither Mannors or Vassals as with us where they are most of them Lords of the Parishes they dwell in and indeed the quality of a private Gentleman is here scarcely intelligible the people having respect only for Orders of Knighthood and such as are Titulados which comprehends Dukes Marquisses and Earls Here are yet some Families whom they call Solariegas or de Solar Conocido who alone are true Gentlemen and can derive pedigrees of which they may have testimonies called Cartas Executorias and on accompt of them enjoy some inconsiderable priviledges The most antient of their Titles was that of Riccos Hombres very different from Hombre Ricco which last implies no more but a rich man but the othet antiently were the great Lords of Spain before Dukes Marquisses and Earls were heard of They were covered in those days in presence of their King and alone had deliberative voices in Assemblies Neither Governments nor Military nor Civil Charges are here sold which is not altogether so commendable as it seems at first sight for ununworthy persons if well looked on by Favorites may more easily attain them then if they paid for them and several of antient extraction and great abilities are willing to lay out their money to put themselves in a condition to serve their King with honour neither in Countreys where Charges are most vendible are they so to all Chapmen but to Gentlemen only and such as are qualified for them All the while Olivares was in favour he caused an ill understanding between the King and his wife Elizabeth of Bourbon In order to which as some report he sought to corrupt his Master with an abominable opinion of certain graceless People who in Madrid joyned