inclinations a little and reform his expences to the just measure of Decency and the quality of his Illustrious Birth THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE Prince of CONTY HE is mild good natur'd and accomplished in all excellent Qualities He is very Learned in all the Sciences and hath been admired in the most celebrated Academy for his great Wit and capacity in the knowledge of the highest points of Theology but besides his Titles and excellent Qualities he is Master of a very great stock of Bounty and Vertue His life is a fit Exemplar for the best Courts and makes good the possibility of being a very great Lord and a very honest man His Lady is a most vertuous Princess who agrees admirably well with him in his Zeal and Piety and had the Cardinal brought no other benefit to France but the bestowing of so rare a person on us who is so Noble and Charitable to the World he would deserve our eternal thanks and praises since by her means Millions of our lives have been preserved during the Famine besides the many Souls she hath saved by her frequent Prayers and eminent Examples insomuch as this Prince and Princess are the true patterns of Piety amidst the Pomp and Bravery of this Age. I shall not mention the Beauty of this Woman for though she be of an excelling Shape yet that is the least of her perfections she being infinitely good and wise charitable and discreet and in a word a complete Model of Christian Perfection There is a worthy Branch of the Noble Stock who is called Monsieur le Comte who is as yet too young to shew the World the advantages he is like to derive from such a worthy Birth All that is yet observed iâ— his ravishing prettiness and such a Physiognomy as promises he will hereafter keep up the Fame and Reputation of his Illustrious Parents THE Character or Pourtraict Of Mademoiselle de Montpensier MAdemoiselle de Montpensier the elder is of the house Bourbon both by Father and Mother Gaston the Son of France yonger brother to Lewis the XIII was her Father and Mary de Montpensier his first wife derived her Birth from Henry Duke of Montpensier and that Henry from a third Son of the house of Bourbon whose direct line failed at the death of the Constable revived again in Charles the Second Son of that Family the third Son having begotten the Prince de la Roche Suryon and the Duke of Montpensier from whom Mary the Mother of Mademoiselle was descended The Princess being of the blood of Kings and Princes is haughty daring and of a more then feminine courage It may be truely said she is an Amazon and fitter to manage the Sword then a Distaff which she made apparent at the business of St. Anthonies where the Princes fortunes being desperate and her Father not daring to appear to save the Prince of Conde's party who were at the brink of destruction She went to the Town-hall and took the Provost of the Merchants and the Governor of Paris by the Beards using great threats to oblige them to arm and raise the Citizens for the defence of the Prince from whence she went to her Father his Royal Highness in his Palace whom she in a manner constrained to go with her to the Bastille that so his presence might support the staggering forces and all that rising of the Citizens an enterprize too rugged and daring for that foster Sex especially against a Royal Army and in presence of their Majesties was an action hardly to be excused but upon the consideration of the rashness of a woman the Kings minority and the general aversion at that time against Cardinal Mazarine For she commanded them to fire their Cannon upon the Kings Army and facilitated the Princes retreat opening the City-Gates to him which saved both him and his whole party from evident ruine She is passionate resolute and active free in discourse and endures not to be contradicted in her opinions She never cared for the Kings nor her Fathers Minsters because that obliged her to some condescention towards them She had formerly some thoughts of marrying the Arch-Duke Leopold of Austria without the Kings consent which obliged his Majesty to have a Guard attending her and to secure all the passages into Flanders lest she should throw her self into his Arms who then made War against France It is said she otherwhile refused the King of Englands courtship during his misfortunes which is a fault of youth not to be repaired I hold it somewhat difficult to believe that her great heart could submit it self to any mans commands how potent and noble soever he might be She is the richest Princess in Europe for she enjoys above eight hundred thousand Livres revenue in Lands yearly She is of a very tall and handsome proportion of a Masculine aspect a confident and free garb and pace a majestick presence and yet a pleasing and graceful conversation Her humour is somewhat impatient sprightly and forward to undertake whatever she designs and being a stranger to any kind of dissimulation speaking her minde freely without disguise not caring who listens It is thought they apprehended at Court that she would express some discontent by reason of the Marriage of her younger Sisters before her who were by another Mother or else upon some resentment written or spoken she was commanded to withdraw her self from the Court to her own Estate where she remains in a great deal of freedom and liberty and not without much hopes of being suddenly recalled to Court where some advantagious propositions are on foot for a fit match for her but with what Monarch is not so well known THE Character or Pourtraict Of the House of Vendosme THe Duke of Vendosme named Caesar of Bourbon is the natural Son of Henry the IV and the Marchioness of Estree called the beauteous Gabriele The excessive tenderness which the King his Father had for this Lady and for this Son had almost caused his legitimation by a Marriage which the King had given his promise for in favour of that Mistress which promise in writing Monsieur de Rosny tore in pieces in her presence as Monsieur de Sully mentions in his Memoires He does very much resemble that great Prince his Father is well shaped and of a good meen He is something jovial and hath wit enough but above these he is really good natured mild and extraordinary affable He was a long while absent from Court with his Family in the late Kings days but since this Mans Reign he returned again with all the honour due to his birth and quality nay his Majesty conferred the office of high Admiral upon him which is one of the highest in the Kingdom and hath bestowed the reversion upon Monsieur de Beaufort the youngest of his Sons insomuch that he is now higher at Court then ever his age and experience making him capable of that great imployment which he executes with
of Longueville THe Count De St. Paul ought to have been ranged before the Duke of Guise but because of the Kings Declaration in favor of the House of Lorrain that they shall go next to the Princes of the Blood of France I observe that Method though it be yet but in Idea and against which this Prince hath made his Protestation which for my part I shall not interest my self in but leave it wholly to his Majesties decision And truly his Family although descended from John Count de Dunois a natural Son of the Duke of Orleans hath been declared capable of succeeding to the Crown having assisted the Pucelle of Orleans more then any one in regaining the Kingdome from the English who had usurped it in the time of Charles the VII He is the Son of Henry of Orleans lately deceased who hath left him Heir of much Wealth and more Vertues he being a Prince of the greatest hopes in the World He is a very graceful Person of much Wit Courage and Learning a great lover of Arts and Sciences Vertuous and in sine one that promises to be nothing less then his great Ancestor who rendred this Kingdom such eminent and extraordinary services But he is yet only learning his Exercises which he begins to perform with that dexterity that the world admires him His eldest Brother is become a Jesuite and hath left him sole Heir of the richest Family amongst the Princes THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE New House of Soissons HE who at present bears the Title of the Count of Soissons is the youngest Son of the decased Prince Thomas of Savoy and the Princess of Carignan Daughter of the true House of Soissons He is well shap'd mild and civil and is as it were the eldest of the Family his eldest Brother being both deaf and dumb He married one of Cardinal Mazarines Nieces by which means he got very much in favor He enjoys the Command of Colonel of the Swissers which is one of the handsomest imployments about the Court. Besides this he is Governour of Champagne and Brie and in a word is one of the best setled Princes in the whole Kingdom He was in disgrace some years since for attempting to draw his Sword upon the Duke of Novailles in behalf of his Wife who contended with the Dukes Lady about the Priviledge of giving the Queen her Napkin but he is now restored again and more then ever respected by his Majesty THE Character or Pourtraict Of the House of Courtenay THis Family though very illustrious and indeed descended from the Kings of France is very low at present and unless the King out of his meet bounty be pleased to raise them again they must be contented to remain as they are the Relicks of a Princely House with onely the bare title of Nobility There are yet extant of this Family a Father and Son called Princes of Courtenay and a Knight of Malta a younger Sprigg of them Nothing is more true then that they were of the Royal stock having lost their right of Succession by their own default and negligence having mis-allied themselves and changed their Coat of the Arms of France which they should ever have preserved as an infallible mark of their Original Thus have they deprived themselves voluntarily of a great advantage and according to Law Volenti non sit Injuria They remain still in obscurity though they have many times endeavoured to raise themselves again and restore their Family to its wonted quality and splendour There are other Lords who take upon them the title of Princes as the Princes of Bouillon or Sedan De la Rochefaucalt De Marsillac De Tarante amongst whom the most considerable for his great exploits is the Marshal Turenne younger Son of the Family of Bouillon He is a person of great conduct and admirable judgement prudent in the midst of Battles and fearless in dangers and perils and though he hath not always had the success he deserved yet in the opinion of brave Warriours he is esteemed one of the greatest Captains this Age affords He was ever most fortunate when he commanded for the King as may be observed by the taking of Stenay his relieving of Arras and the gaining of the most important places in Flanders before the conclusion of the last peace On the contrary at the Battle of Rhetel he lost a great number of men and had like to have been taken Prisoner himself He married the Daughter of the deceased Marshal de la Force by whom he hath no Issue He hath no defect but that of his Religion founded upon a false Maxime That a man ought to dye in that Religion he was born in which ought not to be maintained but in the true Church He is a man of Faith and of his word in respect of the world and glories in this that he never failed of his promise to any one which begets a great deal of credit and assurance towards him There is likewise the Marshal Gramond Soveraign of Bidache who is one of the ablest Counsellours about the Court and one that wants not for any courage at a time of need He obeys Authority and Command as it were blindfold and is accused for giving Battle at Honincourt against all appearance of success but when this rashness was objected against him he answered That he had a written Order from the Cardinal Richelieu who then had the sole command and this was when the King was at Perpignan and the Cardinal as it were in disgrace who to re-establish himself in his former power and get an opportunity to revenge himself of those Enemies that had brought him to that condition by the means of his Royal Highness and monsieur de St. Mare he designed to give the King this considerable Chocque being then at a great distance from Paris and the Frontiers of Flanders which succeeded just as he designed it for the King being surprized at this sudden blow and imagining all was lost said aloud Alas then shall I not return to Paris for they had apprehensions for that great City destitute of any Forces and too far from any relief against a victorious Army But Monsieur de Noyers taking his time replyed Sir there is none but the Cardinal that can ward this fatal blow Whereupon the King immediately sent for him and restored all power and commands to him enjoyning him to provide for the safety of the Nation and take a just revenge of his opposers who were immediately seized and Monsieur de St. Mare and Monsieur de Thou executed at Lyons a while after as guilty of Treason against his Majesty in the person of his chief Minister of State THE Character or Pourtraict OF THE Cardinal de Retz THis Cardinal is the Son of the General of the Gallies by name Father Gondy Priest of the Oratory And the reason which moved him to take a Religious Habit was this having informed the King of somewhat he
a word she appeared to be what she really was that is to say good natur'd and pacifick in her heart when she forgave her enemies without the smallest resentment of any injury and stood for Peace in despite of the Cardinals intentions even so far as to command him to make it up for the general good of all Christendom She is Magnificent without excess and glories in her Birth and Alliance Her Devotion is more then common and often repeated yet without affectation or severity Her Vertue appears without any disguize she taking pleasure to do good in the best manner thereby to attract the World to follow her vertuous Examples Shee caused the Val de Grace to be built for her retreat as a holy Solitude whither she goes to seek her God out of the noise of the Court and the confusion of State-Employments She is very Charitable to the poor Convents to whom she allows a comfortable subsistence that so they may follow their Devotions and Studies with their harmless Recreations She hath always endeavoured to nourish a happy Union and Correspondence in the Royal Family and by her vertue maintained her self as Mother to the King of France with so much discretion that she yet retains a great Authority with a potent King and a Noble Prince who do each of them honour her most entirely She made the match betwixt the King and the Daughter of Spain whose Father is her Brother having setled them in perfect Amity to the great content of their Subjects and the joy of all Christendom She shewed a great deal of moderation amidst that power and plenty she was Mistress of in an Age so corrupt and greedy of gain that nothing is sufficient to glut the desires of most people She alone never heaped up any Treasure but rested content with what Nature Justice and her Quality brought freely to her Store THE Character or Pourtraict Of MONSIEVR HE is the Kings only Brother a Prince well shaped good natured and very Gallant he is not however so Majestick as the King hath not that full stock of generous bounty solidity and haughty bravery He is mild agreeable civil and obliging very complaisant to the Ladies always gay and active curious of rarities and nice in his Habits and Modes in his Furnitures and Cabinets and very perfect in the Ornaments belonging to Architecture the Art of Musick Perspective and Agriculture Though this Prince hath ever shewed an exact submission to all the Kings commands and preserved an extreme respect for the Queen-Mother yet he could never be brought to favour Cardinal Mazarine For it is reported that the Cardinal one day at St. Germains passed by him and pulled off his Hat by way of salutation he onely cast an eye upon him but moved not at all not so much as to take notice of his civility or return the ceremony The Cardinal going immediately to the Queens apartment complained openly to her saying I do not know what I have done to Monsieur that he should treat me with so much scorn I thought he had a better esteem of me having never given him any occasion to treat me so The Queen-Mother having sent for Monsieur made him a thousand reproaches for it and threatned him with some kinde of indignation for not rising up to the Cardinal To which Monsieur at the instant replyed Though he had been the Pope I should not have risen to him He was threatned to be chastised for saying so but he explained it very handsomely telling them One doth not use to rise up to the Pope but fall down upon ones knees before him which I should then have been obliged to do He ever shewed himself averse to that Ministers proceedings chiefly because he did not give him enough to maintain his Family and his other divertisements in that splendor and magnificence as he desired and as indeed was requisite to his quality of the Kings Brother He was bred up with a great deal of fear and respect towards the King without much application to learning or knowledge in the Art of War yet he did sometimes ride the great Horse but not with so much assiduity as the King He hath a marvelous ready wit to make reparties a mongst others let this show his ability it being somewhat remarkable The King took him one day to visit the Buildings at the Lonvre before Monsieur Fouquet's disgrace and complaining That he wanted money to continue that vast Structure Monsieur replyed very aptly Sir your Majesty must onely take upon you to be Super intendent of your revenues for one year and you will have enough to carry on your Building He loves peace and quietness seldom disturbing sturbing himself with the tumult and trade of War yet he hath kept his Majesty company and endured all the fatigues of a long voyage without trouble or complaint Before his Marriage he had a great deal of friendship for Madam de Hourdon and the Queen to make some discovery of his minde told him once That it seemed to her he was in love with that Lady having sent her a pair of Pendants worth four thousand Crowns for a New-years gift To which he answered That for friendship and compassion he had indeed some towards her as being a poor stranger far from her own Country and destitute of means which were indeed the treasons why he sent her that Regalio THE Character or Pourtraict Of the PRINCE PRince Lewis Son of Henry of Bourbon descended from Lewis Prince of Conde younger Brother of Henry the IV. is one of the most couragious and stoutest Captains either of this or former Ages not excepting either Alexander or Gustavus Adolphus being so fearless of any peril or danger that it hath been sometimes judged he was rather desperate then valiant The Marshal Gassion who was one of the bravest men of his time was deceived in him the Prince to convince him of his error thought it sufficient to let him know by experience that no danger could in any attaque shake his great Soul At the Battel of Rocroy where this Prince made his first Essay he never shewed the least apprehension although the beginning of it were very disadvantagious to his party and himself threatned with a general defeat but he bestirred himself with so much cagerness and rallied up his broken and flying Regiments with so much courage and heat and good example that he made all the French at last resolve either to vanquish or die with him The Baron de Syrop one of the best resolved men in his Army did second him extraordinarily well in this sight and justly merited a Marshals Staff for that eminent service but he missed that due recompence and all other advantages since rather by misfortune then any want of desert that days actions having proclaimed his worth to all the world Besides the battle of Rocroy which was both his maiden-attempt and Master-piece He hath gained three other Victories two in Germany at Fribourgh and
Nordlingen He also took Philips bourgh in eighteen days which had withstood a Royal Seige for eighteen months and saved it self from the prosperous valour of the Great Gustavus The last battle he won was that of Lens the joy and triumph for which Victory was silenced by the disorder of the Barricado's where the whole Kingdom was in confusion most people in Arms and the Kings Palace almost besieged all which uproar happened about Monsieur Bronstet a Counsellor in Parliament who had been that day arrested upon his vigorous proceedings on some points in the behalf of the people The Parisians in this action plainly violated all Authority through their obstinacy obliging the Ministers to surrender up the Prisoner with two others who were taken with him and in this great heat of theirs they remained three whole days and nights in Arms nor would they be appeased till he was restored whom they called the Protector of the People and had brought him back with triumph and general acclamations in the Kings own Coach The Prince employed all his courage to revenge this seditious act and his resolve being fixt to besiege the City he went out thence in the night with the whole Court leaving those that remained in a horrible consternation but after much ado things being brought to an accommodation the Court returned to Paris and the fruits of all the Princes labours came to this that he drew the general odium and hatred of the Citizens upon himself by his being so forward and busie to endeavour their chastisement However the Prince having served the Court so faithfully on all occasions thought he had reason to expect some considerable recompence and being obliging active and restless he after pressed the Cardinal in favour of some of his relations for some Command or Office The Cardinal thinking to remove him from any vicinity to the Court presents him with the Government of Guienne in lieu of that of Burgundy which the Prince readily gave way to as well because it is more honourable as because he hoped to keep the better correspondence and intelligence with the Sieur de Marsin Lieutenant-General in Catalonia who was his Creature But this not being enough to secure him from the private attempts of Enemies they assaulted his Coachon the Pont-Neuf in disguise shot into it and wounded a Page who then sat in the Princes Seat The Prince made a narrow and diligent search after these Assasines and some jealousies there were of Monsieur de Beaufort and the Cardinal de Retz but whilst he was laying an Ambuscade to intrap some of the Accomplies he never imagined they had pitched their Toils to take him and conduct him to the Bois de Vincennes whither he was led Prisoner by his Majesties Order Never did so great a heart so patiently submit to confinement himself directed the best way to that place which he had found out upon an occasion of carrying some Guns thither during the troubles at Paris which could not be drawn the other way by reason of the deepness of it About thirteen months afterwards he was released upon occasion of the Intrigue between the Cardinal de Retz and the Parliament a Letter which he writ with a Back-lead-pen and which was signed by the Prince of Conti and the Duke of Longueville his Brothers and companions in his restraint being presented to the Parliament to whom it was directed did very much contribute to his release He hath ever since been very jealous of the Cardinal and rather adventured to withdraw himself into Flanders then to fall again into his hands But although he ever was his Enemy yet he never spake any ill of him only he would sometimes let his friends know he did not approve of his Conduct He was saying once That there were three persons in France that made much noise one was the Marshal of Turenne who was the best and most prudent Captain of those times but yet very unfortunate Another the Cardinal Mazarine who was the ablest in the World for Counsel but the greatest coward alive The last was himself who had neither of those two perfections but yet was much happier then either of them He is now returned to his duty and yields his obedience with so much submission and adherence that it is easily judged he had no quarrel with his Master but all his discontent arose from Cardinal Mazarine with whom he was again presently reconciled He is Brave Generous Learned and Active as any man alive nor does he want discretion when occasions call for it At present he is very intent about the Oeconomy of his Family enquiring into all the minutest concernes thereof and having made so great an Alliance betwixt his only Son and a Princess of the Palatine House his chief care is to heap up Treasure sufficient for the maintenance of so Illustrious Persons THE Character or Pourtraict Of the DUKE HE is a young Prince not at all wanting of that Courage and Spirit of his Ancestors he is Prompt and Active and keeps an absolute Authority over all those that are submitted to him yet hath he Allay enough to temper his heat and do all things with prudence and circumspection He delights much in hunting even to the discomposing himself sometimes as he did at Fountainbleau He hath been a hard Student and speaks divers Languages He hates great Ceremonies and tedious Discourses and gives quick dispatch to those that address themselves to him about business He promises very much for the future and hath both Heart and Capacity enough to imitate his Fathers exploits of Warre It is said that he hath some hopes and pretences to the Crown of Poland Certain it is that he is the adopted Son of the King and Queen of that Country as having espoused that Queens Niece He does every thing very gracefully and without any affectation He takes the upper hand of his Father for what reason I know not though some attribute it to a paternal Humility and Goodness which I most encline to as others say that it arises from the consideration of his Nobility which augments the more by how much it is the older and more distant from its Origine others imagine it is only for his Fathers convenience who thinks that place in the Coach less easie holding this Maxime That it is the Person gives the Dignity to the Place not the Place to the Person as may be observed in the Queen-Mother who ever rides in the fore-part of the Coach His knowledge is great in Poetry he taking a delight to read and remember things that are exquisite in that kind Every ordinary divertisement does not relish with him but there must be something more then common in them to gaine his approbation He answers any Philosophical Question with a great deal of Wit and Judgment and would please himself very much with a Magnificent Train stately Balls and Masques and all other splendid appearances if his Father did not moderate his
to be governed by any other he is bold haughty and fearless speaks but little and well to purpose constant in his resolutions very secret and judicious The Portugal Ambassadour told him once Sir I shall dispatch this business with your Ministers I have no Ministers Sir replied the King you mean our inferiour Officers At their return from Lions the Cardinals having set some persons aside for whom the King had a particular esteem he said in the presence of several of his Gentlemen who have often affirmed it to me The Cardinal does all what he pleases and I suffer it because of the good services he has rendred me but my turn will come to be Master one day He covets to imitate his Grandfather nay even to surpass him as himself once testified to Monsieur de Paris who was discoursing of it The King my Grandfather did many great things and has left many great things to do if it please God to let me live twenty years longer I may perhaps do as great if not greater things then he There was never any Prince that knew better how to make himself be respected then this nor to keep every one within his duty and distance all which he effects without any noise or the least appearance of clamour I have also been a witness of his patience upon a trial which would have lost it self in any other person One afternoon at Fountainbleau he had given order to his Coachman to have his Calesche there about four a clock to go a hunting the whole Court was in a readiness for the sport and it had struck four a long while before by the Clock yet the Kinâ—â— Coach came not The King himself came often to the Balcone to look for him but it was on the stroke of five before the Coach appeared The King going into the Calesche said Coachman I told you I would have the Coach at four a Clock Sir replied the man who had it may be tipled the time away It is but four now The King who knew the contrary said no more but Drive along that 's your best way and never commit the like agen It is averred that he pardons the first offence severely reproves the second but at third he turns them away without remission He requires an inviolable execution of all his Orders when he had given command to seize on Monsieur Fouquet at his coming forth from the Council Monsieur at Artagnan by accident miss'd him for he had not taken his own Sedan but retired in another into a little Alley to give Audience to some certain people Monsieur d'Artagnan very much surprized and fearing Monsieur Fouquet might have some intelligence of the design and make a secret escape immediately sent a Musquettier to give the King notice he was not to be found The King was then writing a Letter about the detection of the said Treasurer to the Queen-Mother at that time at Fountainbleau and the Souldier having told him the news without naming any body Go said the King and tell Artagnan that he must be found and I shall find him well enough And then turning himself towards the Prince 'T is Fouquet Cousen that I intend to seize upon because be withholds all my Revenues and puts me to a thousand troubles to get a little money of him of which he never gives me any account The Prince and all the other Lords were much astonished at this they knowing nothing of it but every one commended the conduct and resolution of his Majesty He is very temperate and was never known to give himself over to the least excess amidst the abundance of his delights and pleasures no more then he does to his anger for all his Power and Authority which plainly shews he is a perfect Master over himself not tainted with any passion that might eclipse his other excellent Qualities Or if there be any Objection against him it is his Frugality but that is inherent to the Family of the Burbons who have ever been noted for great heapers up of Riches But this reproach he hath wiped off very judiciously by saying publickly My Subjects will I hope consider me as a young married man who is about setling his Family and ought to take care of furnishing himself plentifully but within a while they shall find the effects of it for I have a regard to them as well as to my self He understands all his Exercises to the best advantage especially the Mathematicks and the Art of Fortification There is no Officer can command his Troops so distinctly and with so much sweetness He rides the Great Horse very gracefully and skilfully and can use any Weapon with as much dexterity as any Master of those Sciences He Dances admirably and though he wear sometimes a disguize yet his Majestick Garb and Ayr does soon discover him He laughs but seldom and with much moderation and the Jest must be very witty and well placed to gain his approbation however others esteem it In fine it must needs be acknowledged that this Great King hath all the Vertues and Qualifications necessary to command so vast a Kingdom as his is nay so eminently is he endued with them that he is worthy of the whole Worlds Empire there being nothing wanting towards it but his being fully known to all Nations who without doubt would be charmed by his incomparable Vertues and willingly submit themselves to the mildest and best-regulated Empire that was ever yet known to this Great Universe Of the Kings Family THe wise Solomon upon his first advancement to his Fathers Crown built him a House such as the Scripture represents to us of so marvellous a Structure that it invited the Queen of Sheba to come and admire both its greatness and glory and of this puissant King of Lillies under the Conduct of an Illustrious Woman one who is worthy of the Title of Mother of the greatest Monarch in the World I think we may say the same if not more who Reigns at present with so much splendour through the Care and Noble Impressions of that Regent who guided him during his minority and hath seated him on the Throne with so much Pomp and Majesty after she had bestowed an universal Peace The stately building of the Louvre continued with so much heat besides the admirable Structure of a thousand other Royal and Publick Buildings the Iustre of the Throne sustained with so much Judgement the admirable Conduct in the establishment and reglement of the Royal Family the present re-union of the Princes the general Peace which spreads a joy over all the Earth In fine the august and glorious presence of Lewis the Gift of God hath not only attracted a High-born and Wise Queen to come and admire his Greatness but likewise tempts the greatest and noblest part of all Europe besides to behold him whom Fame hath noised all abroad All these I say are Subjects sufficient to be compared to all the Wonders of Antiquity and to
quoted Monsieur de Liancourt for his Author the King having sent for Monsieur de Liancourt to know the truth he flatly denied that he had mentioned any such thing to Monsieur de Gondy This affront of giving him the lye should have succeeded to a Duel but resigning his resentment and satisfaction to God in favour of his friend he resolved to quit the Court and indeed the World and retire himself to those Fathers of the Oratory His Son at that time Abbot of St. Berigre was elected Coadjutor to the Arch-Bishop of Paris his Uncle During the Troubles he made himself famous under that quality having raised a Regiment for the Parisians which at Court was in a scoffing way called the Corinthian Band from his being entituled to that Arch-Bishoprick of Corinth In partibus insidelium He obliged the Court to make him a Cardinal even against their Wills for the Cardinal Mazarine being otherwise unable to break that Party called Les Frondeurs whereof he was Chief resolved to frustrate him of the Cardinals Cap and deluded him and therefore upon their dissolving that League framed against him he had the grant of the Kings nomination of him for a Cardinalship but another Express was immediately dispatched after his Messenger to oppose his Promotion at Rome which he somewhat doubted of and having given his Kinsman the Bailly Gondy Secretary of State to the Great Duke of Florence notice of it he set all his Friends and all the Engines imaginable on work to advance his Family by this means and having at the same time caused Mazarines Messenger to be way-laid in his passage he was stopp'd while they carried on their design at Rome where they obliged the Pope to call an extraordinary Assembly to expedite the business So that having eluded the Cardinals crafty design by this handsome subtilty he grew very much fuspected at Court where they believed him capable of great undertakings Cardinal Mazarine became both jealous and afraid of him and therefore to ensnare him he was flattered with the hopes of being made a Minister of State to which the Queen-Mother seemed to encline This extraordinary favour having swell'd his thoughts he imagined he might attain it and went to Court accompanied with his Guards attending the Queen with great exactness In the end staying there one day at Dinner-time the Queen bid him go to dinner himself but he waiting till the Queens Fruit was served in and then taking his leave with great respect and having had some good words from her Majesty he was seized on upon the Stair by a Captain of the Guards who commanded him in the Kings name to go into a Room where they had a Dinner provided for him after which he was carried to Vincennes and there transported to Nants Castle being committed to the Custody of the Marshal de Milleray He made his escape from that Prison and riding post to save himself fell and put his Arm out of joynt There were some sent after him but having caused some of his Gentlemen to continue riding in the ordinary Road he deceived those that pursued him and kept himself concealed in a Barn which he afterwards forsook and travelled in By-ways He went out of the Kingdom the neerest way and retired himself in St. Sebastians Port which is under the Spaniards Dominion The Governour having heard of his arrival sent notice to the King his Master and according to Order came and visited the Cardinal de Retz and offered him 7000 Pistols The Cardinal refused them telling him he would receive money from none but the King his own Master and all he craved of the King of Spain was a free passage and security against his Enemies which he hoped for The Governour replyed That the King of Spain was able enough to make such presents and did not pretend thereby to gain a person of his quality to side with him but he intreated him not to refuse that liberality The Cardinal being fully resolved not to accept of any thing though he were in the extremest necessity The Governour returned next day with 2000 onely and told him That the King of Spain knew he was in want of some money and therefore he would take it very kindly if he accepted but of that small sum Whereupon the Cardinal being unwilling to shew too much obstinacy took 500 to serve him only for defraying his charges into Toscany whither he designed to go and returning his thanks to the King by the Governour he prosecuted his journey the very next day He arrived at Florence where he was very cordially received and treated with all imaginable magnificence amongst other rarities which were shewed him at the Great Dukes Palace he stood a while to gaze on the Picture of John de Medicis a Cardinal and General of an Army in a negligent habit as it was said he was wont to go whereupon he said Those Gentlemen our Ancestors were not so Ceremonious as we are now adays and yet I believe they were no less honest and considerable then we are now But though he had boasted then that in despite of Cardinal Mazarine he should die Arch-Bishop of Paris yet he hath shewed a great deal of moderation in his surrender of it into the hands of his Majesty who made it known that such was his Royal pleasure He is without doubt very generous magnificent and full of honour and vertue learned wise and very capable of being a Minister of State were he called to it THE Character or Pourtraict of Cardinal Baberino Called the Cardinal Antonio HE is Nephew of Vrban the VIII and the youngest Son of his Family He is great Chamberlain of the holy Church Chair and in his Name are all affairs dispatched after the death of the Pope and during the Election in whose life-time he keeps his Holinesses Ring He is great Almoner of France Archbishop of Rheims first Duke and Pair of France Abbot of S. Denis He was born Commander of the Kings Orders and hath the right of Information touching the lives and behaviours of the Knights of the Order and receives the profession of their faith This Office is Solstitium Honorum in France the Zenith of all Honours which was created by Francis the first in favour of Cardinal Antonio Menden He administers the Oath of Fidelity to the King and takes it of all the other Ecclesiasticks according to the Court of Bishops and Archbishops of France Grand Priors of Aquitaine Auvergne Champagne and other considerable Abbies He delivers the prisoners from their bondage upon solemn Festivals or days of Coronation and the like extraordinary occasions He disposes of the whole stock of the Kings Alms and exercises all these Functions without any dependence upon others as superiour which power he can communicate to whomsoever he pleaseth He is milde peaceable and humble loves the French way of living and hath otherwhile governed the affairs of the Church during the life of his Uncle It is reported of him
ill will of any to do his Master service relying wholly upon the justice and power of a Monarch able to protect him against all his adversaries It is reported that he hath assured his Majestie that in three years time he will redeem and clear all his Demesnes which when accomplished will make him the richest Potentate of Christendom which he is indeed already in the reputation of all stranger-Nations THE Character or Pourtraict OF Monsieur Tellier HE is descended of a Family of the Long Robe and raised himself to the height he is now at as much by his own diligence and conduct as by the favour of the Cardinal Richelieu who made him chief Master of Requests He is of a friendly discreet and prudent temper and one that understands Military affairs better then any man in the Kingdom I mean as to the manner how to keep up and maintain an Army what the charge will amount to according to the numbers raised and the like which knowledge he hath acquired by a very long experience He hath maintained himself unblameable in his Office and was but feignedly disgraced or set aside during the Intestine Troubles For the Prince complaining that the Cardinal though banished still ruled at Court by means of his Creatures amongst whom Monsieur Tellier Monsieur de Lionne were counted the principal the Queen to take away all cause of jealousie caused them to be sent out of Paris and promised to admit no more of them to her Council which Order within a month was again reversed and the policie of this Court-turn apparent He is a person nothing tainted with the vanities of the times having no ambitious thoughts but performing his duty meerly out of a principle of honour and honesty not minding either concurrences nor enmities not aiming at higher preferments or greater profits being already in a condition indeed so good in these respects that there is little left him to wish for He hath a son the Marquis de Louvais very much in favour with the King to whom his Majestie has granted the reversion of his Fathers Office of Secretary of State for Military affairs THE Character or Pourtraict Of Monsieur de Lionne HE is of a Noble Family and was formerly chief Secretary to the Queen-mother and when she was Regent he was employed in State-affairs and the Cardinal a while before his death recommended him to his Majestie in particular as a man fit for the employments he holds He is one of the most prudent men in Europe one that hath the most flegme and reservedness of temper as the Italians themselves confessed when he was amongst them they endeavoured by all the ways imaginable to make him discover himself but with all their subtilty they could not make themselves Masters of the least of his secrets The Great Duke and the whole House of Medices treated him to that very end and laid all the plots snares they could but all their diligence and cunning could not entice him to utter one sillable but what was meerly indifferent He went since joynt Ambassadour with the Marshal de Gramont into Germany at the Election of the Emperour and we may truly say that the two subtillest and wisest Politicians of France did then share together in that Illustrious Negotiation He is a person of much honesty and conscience and one that will not make use of any one that is not good and vertuous though it were his misfortune a while since to have a person in his Family who was a Traytor both to him the King and the State but this was a fellow taken in by his other servants not of his chusing and having found that his Secrets were divulged to Forraign Ambassadours by his infidelity he caused him to be chastised according to his deserts having made him confess that he had never spoken so much as one word to him He is a lover of Vertue and Arts is milde affable of a good presence and exactly faithful in the Kings concerns and though he be Secretary of State for all Forraign affairs which he understands incomparably well yet in the Cardinals Will he is preferred before all others to inform the King of all the concerns of Lorraine and whatever is to be transacted with the Duke Charles who is one of the subtillest and wary Princes of this Age of whom the Duke said that he was a fit man to be treated with but it must be onely for three days Which words he taking hold of did indeed finish his Negotiation within that space of time as is apparent by the Treaty mutually Signed to by each of them THE Character or Pourtraict OF Monsieur Foucquet HE is the son of a Citizen and pretends the original of his Family is Noble He rose to his Fortune by his Brother the Abbot Foucquet's means who was much in favor with Cardinal Mazarine He borrowed a sum of money to buy the Office of Attorney-General and in that quality did the Cardinal many good Offices in the Parliament and the Government of Paris He was very exact in prosecuting any that wrote against that Minister Yet all these Services could not exempt him from being suspected which obliged him to draw up that Project found amongst his rifled Papers to defend himself in case he were attaqu'd The Cardinals favour procured him the employment of Superintendant which he managed alone after the decease of Monsieur Servien who during a time shared it with him He hath a vast and lofty spirit and was the profusest and most magnificent man in the Kingdom His ambitious minde made him chuse this Motto for his Devise Quo non ascendam Whither shall I not climb And it is believed his thoughts aspired at being Chief Minister but the King by no means enduring to have any Subject raise himself to that Authority in his Reign reserving that power most justly for himself caused him to be arrested some years since in his journey to Brittany and sent him to Vincennes and from thence to the Bastille He was liberal with profusion being accused of having squandred away infinite sums of money upon his Pleasures and Mistresses He is likewise accused of allowing several large Pensions to the Grandees at Court to be his creatures it being his Opinion and Maxime that no mans Faith could be of proof against Fifty thousand Crowns His Buildings do also shew his excessive Prodigality together with the Furniture Conches Attendance Rarities and unparallel'd Banquets as for example the Collation he gave his Majestie at Veau de Vicomte where he expended Fourty thousand Crowns by all computation He bestowed great Largesses likewise upon the Jesuites viz. a Library a Thousand livres of annual Rent to maintain it and Fourscore thousand livres for a Building within their Colledge THE Character or Pourtraict Of The First President of PARLIAMENT MOnsieur de la Mignon issued from a Family of the Long Robe enjoys this considerable Office which is onely attained unto by