declared he might marry again in Conscience he wou'd do whatever the King desired of him probably because he knew the Court of Rome wou'd never consent to it He only expressed himself in this manner when he was at Court for when he was at home he did not speak a word not daring to open his mind to any of those that were about him whom he knew to be the Cardinal's Creatures He often appeared extreamly thoughtful and melancholy so that nothing cou'd divert him People remark'd another thing at Court which was That the Cardinal had so ordered Affairs that the Privy-Council met at his Palace at Ruel whither the King himself was used to come from S. Germain or Versailles It is true indeed he excused it upon the score of his Illness but as his Indisposition was not so great but he cou'd walk out in his Garden several persons were of opinion that he was afraid of being in a place where he was not the strongest If he went at any time to S. Germain it was at such times as no body cou'd tell whether he wou'd go thither or no as if he did it purposely to break any measures that might be taken against him But after all if the King was resolved to destroy him all these precautions were useless for he had found in a moment all the Court and Kingdom upon his hands The Princes of the Blood whom he treated so disrespectfully and the People whom he daily oppressed with new Imposts and Taxes equally hated him and nothing was capable to save him Thus this mighty Authority founded wholly upon the King's Weakness and a perpertual series of Acts of Violence was attended with no little Inquietude In the mean time the Cardinal being resolved to preserve his post by the same ways as he had hitherto used continued to act with the same heat against the Queen-Mother As soon as he knew that Abbot Fabbroni was at Rome in Quality of Resident from the Queen-Mother he complain'd of it to the Pope by the Count de Noailles who told him That the Queen-Mother not being a Soveraign but a Subject of the King had no right to keep a Resident at Rome and that she ought to have recourse to the Ambassadour of France The Pope answered that simple Bishops had their Agents there and that there were several Examples of the like nature But whether he sent to inform Fabbroni of it or whether the latter was afraid of having some Affront put upon him he retired immediately to Florence and thus eas'd the Cardinal of the trouble to get him removed from that place The Queen-Mother provoked to the highest degree to find her Design of keeping a Resident at Rome thus opposed writ a long * Dated Dec. 7. See Aubery l. 4. c. 54. Letter to the Pope wherein she described the Cardinal's Conduct in very severe terms She told him that this Minister who set the Ambassadour upon such an impertinent Harangue very foolishly urged that she was to make use of the King's Ambassadour a thing against common sense it being certain that these Ambassadours wou'd concern themselves in nothing she desired them to do without an express Order from the King That it was impossible for her to get any thing deliver'd to His Majesty since Cardinal Richlieu had deprived her of all means of acquainting him with her Circumstances by Letters or otherwise That the Ambassadours who absolutely depended upon the good Will of the Cardinal were obliged to act according to the Passions of this Minister to avoid the loss of their Lives their Estates and Honours That thus they treated with no other Dâ—â—â—gn but to foment the Divisions that were between the Christian Princes to carry Subjects to Rebellion against their Soveraigns and to set all Christendom in a Flame That they continually talked of a Peace without ever designing to effect it That they made no Scruple to overturn all Laws both Divine and Humane to fly directly in the face of the Apostolick Authority and to violate the Sacraments of the Church by their endeavouring to break off the Marriage of the Duke of Orleans That she desir'd the Pope to allow her the Favour to keep a Resident to give him an Account of all that she knew which might facilitate a General Peace That the Cardinal abundantly discovered his Hatred and Malice against her by seeking to rob her of an Honour which belonged to her That the King had no hand in these Violences and that he durst not open his mind to those that were about him who were all gained over to the Cardinal by Bribes or else aw'd out of their Duty by the fear of punishment That he attempted by his Threats to gain an Absolute power over his Holiness but that she cou'd assure the Pope that although the Cardinal was capable of all sorts of Wickedness yet he was of so fearful a Temper that he durst never undertake so horrible and so impious an Attempt as that was with which he had threaten'd him She means his design perhaps to make himself Patriarch of France That the Emperour and Catholick King had not condemn'd the Affection she express'd towards France nor disapproved of her Desires of a Peace but on the contrary had esteem'd her the more for it That the Cardinal wou'd rather consent to have all France embroil'd than suffer her to concern her self about a Peace In the whole course of this Letter she represents the King as more depending upon his Minister than the Minister upon him although she seems desirous to excuse the King all along However this Letter produced no effect since as it has been already said Fabbroni was forced to withdraw to Florence and the Efforts the Queen-Mother used to incline France to a Peace had no better Success This same Year the Cardinal gave several Mortifications to the Count de Soissons †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 207. who having occasion to complain of the Marquiss de Seneterre was obliged to dissemble his Resentments in consideration of the Minister who gave the Countess of Soissons his Mother to understand that he had taken Seneterre into his protection The Count afterwards made the Cardinal a Visit which was a thing he had never done before because he cou'd not suffer this Prelate to take the Right-hand of him at his House according to the custom of Rome In the midst of these Disorders and Quarrels in the Royal Family which I have related together that I might not interrupt the series of Foreign Affairs the Cardinal employ'd his Majesty's Forces against the House of Austria with that unwearied Application and Vigour as if nothing else had taken up his Thoughts After several Proposals to no purpose concerning the means of accommodating the Differences of the Crowns by the way of Negotiation they began on both sides to make preparations for an open War * The 24th of January About the beginning of this Year Philipsburg was
had now received Upon the Arrival of this Messenger to Flanders * The 16th of Febt Se◠Aubery 's Mem. T. 1. P. 422. and Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 761. the Queen-Mother dispatch'd de Laleu with three Letters of her own Writing one to the King and the other two to the Cardinal and Bouthillier the Contents of which were That she was ready to do whatever His Majesty desir'd of her and particularly to be reconciled to the Cardinal that so she might obtain Permission to return to Court De Laleu had Orders to tell them the same Thing by word of mouth and the Letter which this Princess writ to the King serv'd him instead of a Letter of Credence I will set down the Words of that which was addrest to the Cardinal and which wou'd certainly have inclined him to Compassion if it had been possible for him to pardon an Injury Dear Cousin THE Sieur Bouthillier having given me to understand from your Part that my Misfortunes sensibly affect you and that being concerned to behold me so long depriv'd of the Honour of seeing the King it wou'd be a great Satisfaction to you to procure me that Happiness I thought my self obliged to assure you by the Sieur de Laleu with what Pleasure I receive your kind Inclinations Repose Confidence in him and believe that I shall be with all Sincerity Your c. The Instructions of de Laleu ran to this Effect That he shou'd wait upon the Cardinal and tell him that the Queen-Mother had not the least Resentment for what was past That she desired to make no other Advantage of those Professions of Friendship which he made her than to fix her self again by his Interest in the King 's good Graces and obtain leave to send some of her Servants to him to negotiate her Return That as for himself he had no reason to be apprehensive of the Queen-Mother since he was infinitely the more powerful of the two and she wou'd always be commanded by him De Laleu was order'd to observe whether the Cardinal exprest any Diffidence or no because if he did it was an infallible sign that it wou'd be in vain to think of an Accommodation As for Father Chanteloube the Queen wou'd not remove him of her own proper Motion but if the Cardinal excluded him out of the Treaty as he himself desired he promis'd to withdraw of his own Accord This Gentleman having thus deliver'd the Queen-Mother's Letters and executed his Commission †Siri Ibid. p. 761. the Cardinal found himself extreamly embarrass'd because that since this Princess had humbled her self to such a degree as it was never expected she wou'd condescend to all the World wou'd be of opinion that the King cou'd not refuse to give her Leave to come back to Court without the Imputation of an unnatural Severity However he did not find himself disposed either to believe that his old Benefactress cou'd heartily forgive him the Vexations he had caused her or to pardon this Princess for her manner of treating him before she left France and for the Writings she had caused to be published against him after her Departure Besides he pretended to have received Advice from several hands that Father Chanteloube design'd him a Mischief and that he had written to some of his Friends that the Queen wou'd never abandon him altho' he had desired her to leave him in Flanders At the bottom this was but an inconsiderable Matter and which he might easily have prevented afterwards if the King had preserv'd any Tenderness for the Queen his Mother and if the Cardinal cou'd have resolved to forgive a Princess who in her time had done him incomparably much more Good than Harm But the King instead of being influenc'd by those Considerations that naturally presented themselves to his Mind was easily perswaded by the Cardinal to persist in his Demands that she shou'd deliver up to him some of her Domesticks in order to receive farther Punishment which she cou'd not do without renouncing the Principles of Humanity and frighting all those Persons from her Service that shou'd have any Inclinations to serve her So de Laleu being ordered to come to Ruel †The 19th of Febr. where the King was to meet him with the Cardinal he accordingly went thither but was surprized to find only the latter there However he was received with extraordinary Civility and the Cardinal told him that the profound Respect he had for the Person that sent him obliged him to shew him more if it were possible But his Answer made it sufficiently appear with what Sincerity he delivered this Complement He told him That the Queen-Mother had always been welcome but that his Majesty was willing to be satisfied that she wou'd never be disswaded from that Desire she then exprest wholly to submit her self to his Pleasure by those malicious Spirits that had deceived her hitherto and of which he could never be fully assured so long as they were in the World for now it seems they were not content to have the Queen discard them when they saw she was inclined to do it That for this end the King demanded of her to deliver into his hands Father Chanteloube the Abbot of St. Germain and the Fellow that calculated Nativities he meant Fabbroni whom he afterwards named because they had not only injured the Queen but likewise offended the King to that degree that they must never hope to be pardoned The first by his ill Counsels the second by his seditious and wicked Libels and the third by his Predictions wherein he had given out that the King had but a short time to live which had made the Queen-Mother listen to pernicious Counsels disorder'd the Royal Family and done a mighty Disservice to the State That therefore the Queen-Mother ought without farther delay to surrender up the Man that had put the King's Life in question as Fabbroni had done the Man that by his defamatory Libels had endeavour'd to take away his Reputation as the Abbot of St. Germain had notoriously done and lastly the Man that by attacking the Life of His Majesty's most faithful Servants gave him all the just reason in the World to be apprehensive of his own The Cardinal added That this would be an effectual way to convince all Mankind that she disapproved of their wicked Designs and seem'd to testifie abundance of Joy that his Enemies had not been able to alienate the Queen-Mother's good Affections from him He concluded with saying That he cou'd not forbear to inform the Queen with the same Freedom he had spoken to her heretofore that considering what had past it was impossible but that the King must still have some Distrust and that she must resolve to dissipate it entirely in order to build her Reconciliation upon a sure and lasting Foundation after which she wou'd receive all imaginable Marks of natural Tenderness and Affection from the best Son in the World and she
was signed by the Duke of Orleans and the Marquiss d' Aytone and the Duke of Lerma and Philaurens sign'd it as Witnesses The Marquiss d' Aytone and Prince * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 88. Thomas of Savoy who had lately put himself in the Service of Spain were very urgent with the Queen-Mother to sign this Treaty and used her ill upon that Account but she had too much Resolution and Prudence to engage her self in a Treaty so directly opposite to the Interests of the King her Son The Marquiss d' Aytone having sent this Treaty into Spain to have it ratified the King of Spain signed it and sent back the Ratification of it by Sea * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 84 c. But the Vessel which carried it happening to run a-ground upon the Coast of Calais this Ratification was taken by the French and sent to Court where perhaps it help'd to hasten the Cardinal to conclude the Treaty which he had begun with the Duke of Orleans The Abbot of Elbene made several Journeys for this purpose from Paris to Brussels and the principal Difficulty which retarded the Conclusion of it respected the Person of Madam whom the King wou'd have his Brother deliver up to him It was likewise proposed That he should consent that those Judges whom the Pope should nominate out of the Bishops of France should determine the Validity of his Marriage but he wou'd give his Consent neither to the one nor the other The Treaty which Monsieur had made with the Marquiss d' Aytone was not perhaps kept so secret but they had some Intelligence of it in France before they happen'd to light upon the abovementioned Ratification and the Abbot of Elbene reproached Monsieur with it It was also known that he had written to Rome that he wou'd never agree that the French Ecclesiasticks should judge of this Marriage and that he had complain'd that Cardinal Richlieu design'd to call in question his Right of Succession to the Crown and for that end had made an Alliance with several Heretick Princes at the time when Gaston had married a Princess of a most Catholick Family The Abbot of Elbene at his Return to Paris gave an Account of his Negotiation and told them he was clearly of opinion that if they let alone the business of the Princess Margaret Monsieur would readily accept the Conditions that were offer'd him But whether the King was possest with is ancient Jealousie against his Brother or whether the Cardinal was not willing that this Prince should have a Lady that was obliged to the Queen-Mother for her Marriage the Court obstinately persisted to make him declare it null under a Pretence that the King had not consented to it * Siri ibid. p. â—41 A Council was held just after the Abbot of Elbene's Return wherein the Cardinal was pleas'd to say That there were but two ways to preserve the King from the ill Designs of Monsieur the first of which wholly depended upon the Blessing of Heaven and the other upon his Majesty's Prudence The first was if the King had a Son who might take away all hopes from the Duke of Orleans of ever finding the Throne vacant for himself The second according to the Cardinal's Notion of Things was a firm Association between those of whose Fidelity his Majesty was assured which might make Monsieur's Adherents sensible that if they hasten'd that Prince's Succession by any indirect means they wou'd find persons enough ready to chastise their Wickedness and that even if the Throne happen'd to be vacant naturally he shou'd not take possession of it without some Dispute The Reason of this was that if Monsieur believed that after the King's Decease his Succession might be vigorously contested he would never desire his Brother's Death This Expedient in the Cardinal's Opinion was the only means to secure the King and to preserve the State from those Dangers into which the Designs of the Spaniards might throw it as well as the Cabals of the disaffected French because whenever the King happen'd to die neither one nor the other could then constrain Monsieur to act as they pleased their Power being counterbalanc'd by that of the contrary Party and that thus his Majesty's Servants being supported by the undoubted Right of Monsieur might be in a condition to defend him against the Spaniards and wou'd find their Security in endeavouring the Peace and Welfare of the Kingdom History no where informs us what Reflections were made upon this strange Advice but 't is certain it fairly tended to give the Cardinal power to chuse whom of the Princes of the Blood he should pitch upon to succeed to the Crown This Minister who reproached Monsieur with having violated the fundamental Laws of the State would have perswaded his Majesty against all manner of Justice and all received Precedents to invest him with an Authority to which the whole Body of the People has no right to pretend in an hereditary Monarchy Some time after * Towards the beginning of June Monsieur reconciled himself to the Queen his Mother upon the occasion of a Difference that happen'd in his Family in the heat of which the Queen sent to offer him all her Servants and to dispose of them as he should think fit The Duke of Elbeuf likewise made up matters with Monsieur and Puilaurens but the Duke of Orleans was so uncapable to regulate his Affairs at home and to make himself beloved by his Domesticks that the greatest part of them abandon'd him without taking their leave of him and withdrew into France although Passports were refused them Thus the Cardinal was in no great pain for any thing the Duke of Orleans might do because in gaining his Favourite he was assured to bring him to what Terms he pleas'd The unshaken and firm Resolution of the Queen-Mother gave him a great deal more trouble and as he carried Matters to the highest Extremities he was afraid that this Princess provoked to the greatest degree wou'd cause him at last to be assassinated if she still continued in the Low-Countries which are but a few days Journey from Paris Therefore he now thought afresh of sending her to Florence whither the Grand Duke offer'd to invite her if the King thought it convenient For this purpose * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 8. p. 93. he obliged Gondi to take a Journey into Flanders and make this Offer to the Queen to see what Answer she wou'd return to it He was of opinion that though she absolutely rejected it yet it was good to let her know that the King wou'd not be displeased at her going to Florence Gondi undertook this Journey and presented to her a Letter from the Grand Duke wherein he invited her to come and live with him till such time as she was reconciled to the King The Queen received this Complement very kindly and told him that the Grand Duke had a greater Consideration for her
Armes and another of Light Horse consisting of a hundred Men each for six Months and afterwards of fifty till such time as Monsieur returned to Court The King granted these Articles only upon Condition that Monsieur accepted them in fifteen days and perform'd them by coming back to France within three Weeks reckoning from the day of the Date which was the first of October Puilaurens for his part had the * Government of Bourbonnois and the Dutchy of Eguillon †Siri Me◠Rec. T. 8. P. 102. with a Promise to marry one of the Cardinal's Relations eight days after his Arrival into France This Marriage and the great Favour he was in with Monsieur made him imagine that the Cardinal wou'd share his Authority with him and take him for his Partner in the Management of Affairs But the Event made it sufficiently appear that he was as little acquainted with the Cardinal as he was incapable to serve his Master faithfully In the mean time Monsieur and He full of Joy and Satisfaction for having obtained these Advantages of the Court were contriving how to make their Escape with all speed for fear least the Spaniards shou'd detain them if they came to suspect their Design They took their Opportunity when the Marquiss d' Aytone was gone to confer with the Duke of Newburg and parted out of * On a Sunday the 8th of October Brussels under a pretence of going to Hunt with the Duke of Fargis and six more and some led Horses Instead of looking after Foxes as they pretended when they went out they rode strait to Capelle which is about twenty five Leagues from Brussels and is the first Town belonging to France on that side Monsieur took his Leave of no body nay not of Madam her self whom he afterwards recommended by a Letter to the Queen-Mother From thence he marched directly to S. Germain where the King was * The 21st of October Siri ibid. p. 103. to whom he made abundance of Complements to beg his Pardon and promis'd to be more obedient for the time to come Those that were with him did the same and the King received them all into Favour The Cardinal came thither from Ruel to visit the Duke in his Majesty's Presence He assured him that he had been extreamly concerned that his Absence did not permit him to do him those Services which otherwise he had been ready to have done and expressed a great deal of Joy that he was now able to serve him after his Return which had been so long desired The Duke told him that he was heartily sorry that he had not been undeceived sooner and that for the time to come he wou'd follow his Advice and then embraced him The next day the Duke went to Ruel to repay the Cardinal the Visit he had made him and entertain'd him in private where 't is supposed he told him all that he knew The Cardinal afterwards treated him very splendidly and with extraordinary Honour After this Monsieur went to his Estare at Limours within five Leagues of Paris The first Complements being now over they began to discourse of Affairs and laboured to perswade Monsieur to give his Consent that his Marriage shou'd be declared void The Duke rejected this Proposal as he had reason good and alledged that his Conscience wou'd not permit him to disannul a Marriage which after all cou'd not be justly condemned although the King had not consented to it Upon this the Cardinal sent several Divines to him to cure him of these troublesome Scruples for he was seldom unprovided of dexterous Casuists that knew how to accommodate his Passions to Religion At first Puilaurens joyn'd with them but because Monsieur cou'd not be brought to relish the Cardinal's Gospel it was supposed that this Favourite did not cordially represent the Matter to the Prince although he told them that for his part he was very well satisfied with their Reasons but since they had not wrought any Conviction upon Monsieur he would not pretend to force him However the Cardinal still kept to his Resolution to bestow his Cousin Mademoiselle de Pont Chateau upon him although he was not willing that the Marriage should be yet consummated which made some People suspect that Puilaurens was not so much in the Cardinal's Favour as he believed The King after he had paid to Monsieur the money which he had promis'd him and expedited the Patents for Puilaurens sent F. Joseph and Bouthillier to the Duke of Orleans to tell him from him that he wou'd never approve of his Marriage though at the same time he wou'd never force him to marry again Some more Divines were afterwards sent to him upon the same Errand three of which were Jesuits three Secular Priests besides the General of the Fathers of the Oratory but in spite of all their Reasons deduced from Politicks which were founded upon the Jealousie of the King and of his Minister Gaston contrary to his custom still maintain'd that his Marriage was valid He told them that since the Parliament were able to find out no other Reason for the Nullity of this Marriage but the pretended Constraint of the Princes of Lorrain it was unquestionably lawful since of his own proper motion he had demanded their Sister of them and that they durst not refuse him That as for himself he cou'd be content to live separated from his Wife to shew his Obedience to the King but that he wou'd never consent to marry another Thus these seven Divines after they had harangued him three full Hours to perswade him to write to the King that he was convinced of the Nullity of his Marriage by their Reasons returned without doing any thing Puilaurens began to be somewhat distrustful that the Cardinal intended to deceive him when this Minister sent the Abbot of Elbene to Monsieur who was then at Blois to tell him that the King was not displeas'd with his Conduct and that the Cardinal desired Puilaurens to come to Paris to marry the youngest Daughter of the Baron de Pont-Chateau This News was exceeding welcome to Puilaurens who before had some Thoughts of retiring into England Upon this they return'd to Court and the Duke of Orleans was again * The 19th of Novemb. Regaled by the Cardinal at Ruel and from thence went to S. Germain Afterwards the King put out a Declaration by which he restor'd Monsieur to his former Possessions pardoned him for all that was past and order'd it to be †The 27th of November registred in the Parliament of Paris At the same time the Duke de la Valette married the eldest Daughter of the Baron de Pont-Chateau and Puilaurens the youngest The Count de Guicke also married a Relation of the Cardinal of the House of Plessis Chivrai and their Marriages were kept the same day at the Arsenal with an extraordinary Magnificence Puilaurens bought the Dutchy of Eguillon of the Princess Mary for six hundred thousand Livres and
the Company were wanting but only Puilaurens who made the rest wait above half an hour after the time appointed which made the King and the Cardinal suspect that he was informed of the Design against him At last he came and after he had discoursed some time with the King the Duke of Orleans the Cardinal and other Noblemen of the Court that were present the King took Monsieur by the hand and led him to his Closet This was the Signal they agreed upon with the Marquiss de Gordes and the Count de Charot Captains of the Life-Guards when they were to arrest Puilaurens and du Fargis They immediately executed the King's Orders and these two Domesticks of the Monsieur were taken up without any noise The King as soon as he had received notice of it told this Prince what he had done and at the same time embraced him and assured him that he was perfectly well satisfied with him He added that Puilaurens was an ungrateful Wretch and that Monsieur couâ—d never expect to be well serv'd by him after his horrid Ingratitude to the Crown which had been so kind to him The Duke seem'd to be somewhat concerned at it but fearing to be served after the same manner himself he said he would abandon Puilaurens for ever if he had made any unhandsome Returns to His Majesty's Favours The Cardinal came afterwards into the King's Closet whose Presence hearten'd Monsieur a little for he concluded that if there had been any Design to apprehend him the Cardinal durst not appear in that place This Minister complimented him afresh and assured him it was his Majesty's Pleasure that for the future he shou'd assist at the Council Monsieur asked him whether the King gave him leave to stir out of the Louvre and go the Palace of Guise where he lodged The Cardinal told him he might go when he pleased so this Prince after he had waited upon the Queen at her Apartment where the King then was retired Nevertheless he returned to the Louvre towards the Evening although several of his Domesticks had been seized Puilaurens and du Fargis lay at the Louvre and were conducted the next day to the Castle of Vincennes but Coudrai Montpensier was carried to the Bastile Upon this the King publish'd a circular Letter which was sent to the Parliaments and to the Governours of Provinces to acquaint them that he had been obliged for several weighty Reasons to apprehend some of Monsieur 's Domesticks It was penn'd in an obscure style because the Prisoners were not as yet convicted of any crime but most People concluded that the chief Minister had caused Puilaurens to be confin'd because he cou'd not trust him any longer and that he wou'd perhaps carry his Revenge farther Richlieu sent the Cardinal de la Valette and Bouthillier to Monsieur to give him fresh Assurances that he was wholly at his Service and to tell him he was heartily sorry that Puilaurens had forced the King by committing fresh crimes to take so rigorous a course with him It was observed that the Cardinal did not go himself to the Palace of Guise fearing perhaps least a fancy should take the Duke of Orleans to revenge this ill Usage This Prince told them that he had promis'd to be a faithful Servant to the King and a Friend of the Cardinal and that he wou'd keep his Word That if he found Puilaurens was really guilty let his fault be what it wou'd he wou'd be so far from making any Intercession for him that he wou'd be the first man that shou'd demand Justice upon him That he did not believe he had committed any new crimes and That if he kept any commerce with Vieux-Pont it was about some matters of Gallantry in Flauders and not Affairs of State That if they thought it proceeded from the Advice of Puilaurens that he stuck to his Marriage they were mightily deceived and That neither Puilaurens nor any other man in the World shou'd make him give his consent to a Thing which he believ'd to be against his conscience This unalterable Resolution of Gaston strangely perplex'd the Cardinal who cou'd not endure to see him married to a Princess whose family he had so lately ruin'd It was likewise no small Mortification to the Minister that People laugh'd at the Arrest which he had sent to the Parliament by which they were to declare that Monsieur cou'd not contract a Marriage in Lorrain After this the Duke of Orleans return'd to Blou from which place merely for his Diversion he took a Journey as far as Nantes which made the Court believe that he went thither to ship himself for England but his Return dissipated the Fears they began to entertain that he wou'd go out of the Kingdom again In the mean time Puilaurens died at Vincennes * The first of July after a few days sickness which his Vexation as well as his close Imprisonment threw him into The Duke of Orleans was extreamly concern'd at the News and this was the second of his Favourites whom the Cardinal had caus'd to die in Prison without convicting them of any other crime than that unpardonable one of not being overdevoted to his Pleasure Few people regretted the death of Puilaurens whose Pride and Arrogance had render'd him insupportable to all Mankind Ever since his Confinement the Court had given Monsieur a Council composed of such persons as had an entire Dependence upon the Cardinal Bouthillier was the chief of it with the Title of Chancellour and the others were the Abbot of Elbene Goulas his Secretary and the Abbot of La Riviere his Chaplain Not long after the Cardinal summon'd the Clergy of France to meet at Paris and the King sent to the Assembly to know of them what were their Sentiments concerning the Marriages of the Princes of the Blood who might pretend to the Succession of the Crown and particularly of those that stood nearest to it when they were made not only without his Majesty's consent but even against his express Prohibition Upon this the Assembly deputed certain Bishops to consult about this Affair with several Divines both Regulars and Seculars These Bishops having * The 6th of July made their Report to the Assembly they return'd their Answer the next day just as the Cardinal desired That Marriages might be render'd null by ancient Customs granted upon Reason and authorized by the Church That the Custom of France did not allow the Princes of the Blood but especially the Presumptive Heirs of the Crown to marry without the King's Consent and much less against his positive Commands That Marriages of this nature were illegitimate and void for want of an essential Condition without which Princes cou'd not marry lawfully That this Custom of France was reasonable ancient established by a legal Prescription and authorized by the Church The Queen-Mother having received Advice of this Declaration writ to Rome to desire his Holiness to forbid the Clergy of France to
interpose in this Affair because it was notorious to all the World that this Convocation was almost wholly composed of Court-Bishops who to advance their own Fortunes were ready to say every thing the King and his Minister wou'd have them and that if it was the King's Pleasure nay if one of his Ministers was of a different Opinion they wou'd find no Difficulty to frame another Declaration directly opposite to the former Lest the Spaniards might obtain of the Pope a Declaration contrary to that of the Clergy of France or lest his Holiness might express his Dislike of it †The 12th of October the King sent the Bishop of Montpelier to Rome to instruct him for what Reasons they had declared the Marriage of his Brother to be null But he was expresly ordered not to let fall the least Word by which it might be gather'd that the King had sent him thither as having any occasion for the Papal Authority to support his Right or as if the Nullity of Monsieur's Marriage was doubtful He was only commanded to inform the Pope what dangerous consequences an Alliance with the House of Lorrain might derive upon the Crown and to represent to him the several just Reasons his Majesty had to complain of the Princes of that Family The Queen-Mother had sent the Viscount Fabbroni * In May. Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 272. some months before to Rome to be her Resident at that Court and endeavour to perswade the Pope to employ his Interest to reconcile her to the King since she cou'd not prevail upon the Cardinal who was resolved to let her die out of the Kingdom †The 25th of May. Siri ibid. At the same time she writ to the Pope to prevent the two Crowns from coming to an open Rupture and to procure a general Peace to Europe In another Letter which almost contains the same Things †The 1st of June Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. 4. Cap. 53. she nominated for her Resident not the Viscount but the Abbot Fabbroni her Almoner The Queen-Mother owns in this Letter that she had dispatched a Gentleman to the Emperour to incline him to a Peace perhaps out of this consideration That when it came to be concluded she might be comprehended in it and so might once more see France in spight of the Cardinal She had likewise sent to the King of Spain for the same Reason as it appear'd by another of her Letters to * See it in Aubery's Life of the Cardinal lib. 4. ◠5 Mazarine Nuncio extraordinary in France As the Cardinal was the chief man that had voted for declaring a War against Spain to render himself more necessary to the King than he wou'd have been in time of Peace she thought it wou'd be no small Mortification to him to see her take the contrary Party which besides was more suitable for her self who was Mother to the King of France and to the Queen of Spain than that which this Minister had perswaded the King to take Some time after she writ a long †Dated the Last of Aug. Aubery ibid. Letter to the King which she address'd to Mazarine as not knowing how to have it brought any other way to his Majesty But she was mightily mistaken in her man for Mazarine was entirely devoted to the Minister without troubling himself whether this was conformable to his Character of Nuncio Thus he deliver'd it into the Cardinal's hands †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 33◠who cou'd have been content to suppress it but durst not do it because he understood that the Queen had sent other Copies of the Letter to be carried to the King The Expedient he made use of to hinder this Letter from producing any effect was to accuse the Queen-Mother for having endeavour'd to corrupt the Duke of Rohan in favour of the Spaniards by the means of one Clausel who was hanged for that reason The Contents of this Letter principally related to the War from which the Queen endeavour'd to disswade her Son by all manner of Arguments She told him among other Things That War is never just but when it is necessary and that the Justice and Necessity of it are only founded upon Preservation and Defence which are not lawful but when all other means are insufficient that War is an Evil which is not tolerated but to avoid a greater And what Evil continued she are you constrain'd to avoid and what Advantage can you expect equal to the Loss you expose your self to Hitherto you have been the Arbitrator of Peace and War but so soon as you quit the Quality of a Judge for that of a Party neither of the two will any longer depend upon you The Forces the Conduct and the Interests of your Enemies will be balanced with yours The disproportion between them not being extraordinary consequently the Success cannot be infallible and if they are uncertain how can you be assured that the ill which must of necessity happen to one of the two Parties will not fall upon yours She afterwards represented to him the Mischiefs which France might suffer by this War and told him that his Father had always recommended to her to keep the Kingdom in Peace with her Neighbours and that if ever she saw the King her Son ready to declare War against them She was to conjure him by his ashes and by his memory not to come to those Extremities or if he happen'd to be engaged in them she shou'd perswade him to bring a speedy remedy to them and listen to a Peace as being the properest means to preserve what he had left him having purchased it with his own blood and by the perils and fatigues of twenty years Mazarine to acquit himself outwardly of his Duty as Nuncio Extraordinary who was sent on purpose for the Peace desired the King to answer this Letter but the King refus'd to do it He alledg'd for the reason of his silence that if he answer'd a Letter so seditious so much inclining to the Spanish Interest and so full of pretended Affection while the Queen-Mother endeavour'd to corrupt the Duke of Rohan he shou'd be forced to lay before him the great Injury she did to France That she made a great Bustle about the Advice of the late King to maintain a Peace with Spain but that the design of it was to decry the present Government to render the Cardinal odious and to cause an Insurrection of the People That when the Queen-Mother wou'd carry her self truly like a Mother he wou'd honour her as such and that it was purely out of respect to her that he wou'd not answer her Letter but that the Nuncio might return her such an Answer as he shou'd think convenient All this while * Siri Ibid. p. 360. Monsieur continued firm in his Resolution not to agree to have his Marriage declared null All that they cou'd draw from him was That if the Pope
promised him when he gave him the Seals His Letters were presented to the Parliament on the 10th of January and registred The famous Antoine le Maitre employed his Rhetorick upon this occasion and made a Panegyric upon the Chancellor and his Ancestors who had been Members of the Parliament of Paris as he was before his Majesty made him Keeper of the Seals He was received with great Applause but soon after he served to mortifie that very Body to which he so lately belonged * See Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 433. The Life of the Duke of Espernon p. 536. To support the expences of the War the King was obliged to create abundance of new Officers and every Parliament according to the extent of its jurisdiction was constrained to receive a certain number of Presidents and Counsellors who bought these places of the King Upon this the Parliament of Paris had a meeting and resolved to make a Remonstrance to His Majesty upon this augmentation but instead of hearkening to them the King banished some of the Councellors to Anger 's and Ambois for talking too boldly The New Chancellor fell into a great Rage at the Parliament telling them That it did not belong to them to censure the King's Conduct and that their Authority reach'd no higher than to see the Laws duly observed and to administer justice to the People The King likewise sent La Ville aux-Clercs to forbid the Chambers to assemble and to tell them that no Notice wou'd be taken of their Remonstrances till they had received the new Counsellors They accordingly obey'd and on the 17th of March they obtain'd the return of those that had been banished upon this Condition that they would behave themselves more dutiful for the future At the same time the King shut up his Treasury as to all sorts of expences but those for carrying on the War so that the Governors of Provinces and the Officers of the Crown had been obliged to throw up their Places and Pensions if there had not been a way found out to get them paid by the Kingdom which for that reason they burthen'd with new Impositions Some of them rather chose to remit them than to ruine the poor People but the greatest part of them made use of this Expedient to satisfie themselves for what was owing to them which excited great Clamours and Discontents The Minister did not much trouble himself what the World thought of these exactions so long as they brought in Money He was infinitely more concerned to hear that the Pope had a design to call Mazarine home whom he had sent in quality of Nuncio extraordinary to procure a general Peace and particularly to obtain the re-establishment of the House of Lorrain Mazarine instead of acquitting himself faithfully of this Commission thought of nothing else but how to gain the good Graces of the Cardinal Duke and ever since the Affair of Cazal he had all along appeared so partial for France that the Spaniards cou'd not endure him So by Virtue of their constant importunities * At the beginning of the Year 1636. Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 375. the Pope was prevail'd upon to recall him from the Court of France and order'd him to discharge the Office of his Vice-Legate at Avignon The Cardinal did all that lay in his Power to obtain of his Holiness that Mazarine might still continue in France or in case he wou'd not suffer him to stay longer there to send him into Spain to incline that Crown to a Peace as he pretended but as the Spaniards believ'd to serve as his Spy or Agent in that Court The King too freely gave his consent that the Pope shou'd nominate him as Collegue to Cardinal Ginetti whom they discoursed of sending to Colen to treat of a Peace * Id. Ibid. p. 386. But the Pope wou'd not listen to any of these Proposals and so Mazarine prepared himself to go to Avignon where he designed to make as short a stay as he cou'd The Court of Rome gave another Mortification to the Cardinal this Year for the Cistercian Monks and the Premonstratenses having elected him to be their Abbot General the Pope refused to grant him the Bulls He was already Abbot of Cluny who is chief of the Order and consequently Abbot General of the Benedictines so that if he had procur'd this he had been the Head of the three richest Orders of the Kingdom It was alledged in his Favour that these Orders standing in need of a Reformation for this end they ought to have a person of great Authority set over them as the Cardinal was But they were well satisfied at Rome that it was his desire to Rule and not to Reform that induced him to demand this Benefice Had he succeeded in this affair besides a vast Revenue he had found a great Number of Monks depending wholly upon him ready to concur with him in all his inclinations either to obtain Benefices which are in the Collation of the General of these Orders or to testifie their acknowledgments to him after they had once obtained them It was likewise feared that he wou'd endeavour to get himself declared Patriarch in France or at least Legate à Latere for all his Life after the example of Cardinal d' Amboise and that having this Prospect he wou'd use his Interest to exempt the Monks and Secular Priests from any farther dependance upon the Court by the means of his Benefices which the King always disposed of upon his Recommendation If the Court of Rome did not show him that Complaisance which he desired it was not to be imagined that he wou'd give them any Satisfaction as to what they demanded of him Ever since the last year it had been resolved upon to send the Mareschal d' Estrées Ambassadour Extraordinary to Rome although the Pope shew'd a mighty unwillingness to receive him and had testified so much to the Court of France Notwithstanding this opposition the Mareschal parted towards the * The 24th of January beginning of this Year to perswade the Pope to treat the Duke of Parm◠with more Moderation and Gentleness He had written two Briefs to this Prince by which he disapproved his uniting with France to attack the Milaneze because by that Conduct he exposed a Fief of the Church to the Resentments of the Spaniards He had likewise given that Duke to understand that if the Holy See was obliged to arm for the Defence of his Dominions he expected to be satisfied for the Charges of the War This was the principal reason of the Mareschal d' Estree's Embassy with whom the Pope refused a long while to treat because he seem'd to have despised his Authority when he seized upon the Valteline as has been observed elsewhere It was likewise pretended that by his rough Behaviour he had been the death of Paul V. However the Cardinal who was not used to start back from what he had once engaged in did
Lib. 3. towards the end a Musquet-ball hit him full in the breast and kill'd him on the spot He was exceedingly lamented by all people for his good Qualities and for the eminent Services he had done the Kingdom The Cardinal never loved him because the King had expressed an Inclination to make him his Favourite and after he had sent him into Italy made the King jealous of him because two of his Brothers had been in Monsieur's Army at the Battel of Castelnaudarry Nor was this all for he got his Governments and Pensions to be taken from him and gave the King such a Character of him as he pleased and the Mareschal had not the means to defend himself Fontanct surrendred soon after and the Mareschal de Crequi joyn'd the Duke of Savoy without any opposition because the Spaniards had entirely abandoned all the places about the Tesin thinking that the French had a Design to pass the Tanare and afterwards the Po. The Duke and the Mareschal continued together upon the Banks of the Tesin one on one side and the other on the other till the 20th of this Month in consulting whether they should send the Duke of Parma back again to his Country The latter knew not himself what Measures to take but at last for fear an Army of his Friends shou'd ruine him as well as that of his Enemies he resolved to part incognito and in that manner to get into his own Dukedom through the Territories of Genoa As he had no Experience in Military Affairs he hop'd at first that within a few Months and without any great Expence the Confederate Army would over-run all the Milaneze but having seen the quite contrary happen and his own state in Danger to become the Theatre of the War he wholly alter'd his Opinion and became fearful very unseasonably as he had formerly suffered himself to be led away with ill grounded expectations At last the Confederate Army marched on the two Banks of the Tesin to fortifie some Post there which they should judge most advantageous to command that River and to make a Bridge over it In their march they received Advice that the Marquiss de Leganez was coming towards them on that side where Crequi was so that the Duke of Savoy set his Men to work all Night upon a Bridge which was †The 23d of June ready by the next Morning that he might joyn the Mareschal The Spaniards had Fourteen Thousand Foot Four Thousand Horse and Four Canon They charged the French in the Morning who sustained the Shock till the Duke of Savoy had passed the River The Fight was so resolutely maintain'd on both sides that it lasted till Night the Victory being uncertain all the Day and the two Armies return'd several times to the Charge and wou'd not give way But the Spaniards retir'd in the Night and the Duke of Savoy and the Mareschal endeavoured in Vain to begin the Fight afresh the next Day All the Advantage they got was the Field of Battle and the number of the Dead and Wounded on their Side was somewhat less In the mean time the Duke of Rohan forced several Passes above the Lake of Como but when he was at Lech he sent word to the Duke of Savoy that he cou'd not advance further than Gravedonne because the ways were impracticable Thus he was obliged to return to the Valteline and the Duke of Savoy abandon'd the Tesin and * The 23d of July went back to Turin From that time the French Army began to diminish considerably by perpetual desertions and on the Contrary the new Levies of the Milaneze and of the Kingdom of Naples daily augmented that of the Spaniards The Duke of Parma was no sooner returned to his Dominions but he saw a considerable Body of Spanish Troops under Duke Martin of Arragon who ravaged and plundered the greatest part of them He then repented that he had not accepted the Forces that were offer'd him for the preservation of his Country which he was afraid of burthening too much by receiving them and he sent to demand them again with great earnestness But the Spaniards being at that time Masters of the Field it was not an easie matter to relieve him To compleat his Misfortunes the Pope published a Monitory against the Duke by which he cited him to Rome and commanded him to recall the Troops which he had in the Territories of any other State Besides this the Pope pretended to have Security in Writing that he wou'd obey him in the space of Thirty Days otherwise he threatned to excommunicate him and give his Lands to the first Possessor People were so much the more surprized at these rigorous Proceedings because at that time the Duke had Soldiers no where but at Rome and the Spaniards ravaged his Country at Pleasure and kept Placentia blocked up The World was not then acquainted with the Mystery that there was a secret Treaty between the Spaniards and the Barberini's who desired to make themselves Masters of this Prince's Dominions under any pretence whatever and to put D. Taddeo Barberini prefect of Rome in possession of them The King sent orders to the Mareschal d' Estrees to complain highly of the Pope's Proceedings and hinder'd him from pushing on this Design any longer in publick He likewise ordered the Mareschal de Crequi to succour the Duke of Parma with all Expedition but the Passes being all shut up as well through the State of Genoa as through the Milaneze partly by the Troops that were posted there and partly by the Rains and badness of the Weather the Mareschal was not able to execute this Order so that the best course the Duke of Parma cou'd now take was to make his Peace with the Spaniards who being satisfied to see him humbled did offer very reasonable Conditions of which the Pope and the Grand Duke of Tuscany were to be the Guarrantees But the Vexation to be so soon reduced to beg Pardon of the Crown of Spain and the great promises of France occasion'd this Prince not to listen to those that advised him to accommodate matters with Spain although he was blocked up in Placentia and 't was now discoursed to besiege that Place in the usual Forms Thus this Champaign ended in Italy not so advantageously for France as it had begun and their Victories were scarce able to preserve their Allies The King was resolv'd to succour those places which he still held in Alsatia to secure them against the Imperialists who endeavour'd to retake them and hop'd to reduce them in a short time by reason of the great distance of the French The Cardinal de la Valette who had served his Apprenticeship the Year before in Germany * The 2d of January Aubery 's Life of the Cardinal lib. 5. c. 24. Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 457. undertook this Expedition They gave him Three Thousand Horse and the same number of Foot all choice Men and with this Body
Majesty had sent to him The Duke of Orleans appear'd to be well enough pleas'd and told him He was ready to sign the Promise that was proposed to him but he would not wholly conclude it till he had Written to the Count de Soissons if it were onely for form sake He likewise desired that Du Fargis Coudrai-Montpensier and the Abbot of la Riviere who had lately been sent to Prison should be set at liberty This though it was not wholly refused yet they intimated to him that it would be much more proper to ask these Favours of the King after he had entirely adjusted all differences with him The Abbot of la Riviere indeed was soon after released from his Confinement because he promised to joyn with Goulas the Duke's Secretary who was of the Cardinal's Party to perswade Monsieur to doe what the Minister desired of him As for a place of Security they thought it by no means fitting to grant him one and unless they granted that the Duke was afraid they would not keep their words with him Some of his Domesticks put that into his head as also to stick firm to the Count de Soissons from whose Interests the Court endeavoured to disengage him As he was naturally inconstant and irresolute he sometimes seemed inclin'd to make his own Agreement by himself yet Writ at the same time to the Count who had invited him to Sedan that he design'd to come and joyn him But at last the Offers of the Court and the Advice of those about him that favour'd it determined him for some time to make his Reconciliation without the Count and to feign himself sick of the Gout that he might not go to Sedan In the mean time several of those persons who had been in the party of Puilaurens came to Blois and Monsieur's Court increased every day The Dukes of Vendome and Beaufort came thither in private to offer their Services to him and the D. of Beaufort engaged to conduct him securely where-ever he would be pleased to go The Cardinal fearing lest this Prince might be prevailed upon to alter his Mind by the suggestions of those that were about him advised His Majesty to dispatch Orders to all the Governours of the Provinces and Towns about Blois to have an eye upon all the Passes and stop him in case he attempted to go farther till they had fresh Instructions Troops were posted in several places for the same reason and people were set at Blois to look after all Monsieur 's Motions and send advice of all that happen'd year 1637 Ever since the beginning of this year the Court was informed by Chavigny and the Count de Guiche who were sent expresly to Blois that the Duke of Orleans continued to demand a place of Security such as Blaye Blavet or Nantes The Count de Soissons demanded the same for himself before he would return to Court and named Verdun or Stenay The Duke supported this demand of the Count whom he seem'd willing enough to abandon before and sent Chaudebonne to Paris to demand farther for himself and enlargement of all his Domesticks that after a General Peace they should pay all his Debts that for the present they should pay him down all those Sums they had promised him and allow him a Hundred thousand Crowns towards some Buildings he was then about that they should not question any of his servants or of the Count de Soissons that he might reside where he pleased and that they would assign him out of the Treasury a Pension for the Maintenance of Madam so soon as she should come into France The King and Cardinal looked upon these Pretensions of Monsieur to be extravagant especially what related to the Places of Security which they thought these Princes demanded for no other reason but to be in a condition upon the first occasion of Discontent they pretended to receive to introduce the Enemies of the Crown into the Bowels of France So they were rejected and the King enlarged the Chevalier de Grignan out of the Bastile who had a great Ascendant over Monsieur hoping that when he was near his Person he might counter-balance the Credit of those who perswaded him to demand a place of security They were perswaded at Court that Monsieur was so effectually led by the instigation of others that they did not question but that if those that were about him would advise him to put himself into the King's hands without making any Stipulations he would immediately come and do it About the middle of January they sent him word That His Majesty would grant him all the Securities he could desire but that he was willing to see an end of this Affair Upon this Monsieur dispatched F. Gondran his Confessor to Court with demands like those he had made before They discover'd plainly by this that he onely endeavour'd to gain time to make his escape to Sedan to which place the Count de Soissons sought all manner of ways to draw him and that perhaps they waited till the Spaniards and Imperialists were in a condition to act in their favour So the Cardinal advised the King to go to Orleans in Person with His Guards to put an end to this business but he thought in the best way to send before-hand to Sedan to the Count de Soissons a * See it in Aubery ' s Mem. Tom. 2. p. 17. Writing to Sign by which he should declare That if His Majesty gave him leave to reside at Monzon a small Town in Champagne he would live there like a dutiful Subject and that if the Duke of Orleans endeavoured to debauch him from the Obedience he owed the King he would not assist him in any manner The Count answered That he would leave that matter to the Duke of Orleans to act in it as he pleased but refused to sign the Writing by which he should engage himself to live in one of the worst Towns in the Kingdom 'T is probable the Cardinal made him the offer of that City purposely to make him refuse it that so he might not make his peace with the King so soon for he hated him as much as he despised the Duke of Orleans when he had no body to advise him The Minister who put the same Sentiments into the King's Head about both the Princes perswaded him upon the receipt of this Answer to employ his Authority to make an end speedily with Monsieur and to leave the Count for some time out of the Kingdom So the King's departure for Orleans was fixed on the 25th of January and he was to carry along with him the French and Swiss Regiments of Guards with Twelve hundred Horse After some Negotiations Monsieur obtain'd a promise of the King that he wou'd not pass beyond Orleans but upon the Cardinal's * The 31st of January Arrival thither the Duke was so terribly affrighted that all that he insisted upon amounted only to this that they wou'd not
wou'd declare for him Chavigny deny'd the matter of fact and wou'd have put a writing into Scoti's hands by which he was forbidden to come to the King's Audience till his Majesty had receiv'd satisfaction from him but the Nuncio refusing to receive it Chavigny deliver'd it to him by word of mouth After some discourse concerning a Peace to which the Nuncio accused France to have an aversion he told Chavigny that the menaces which the Cardinal de Richlieu made no longer to acknowledge the Pope in France but only as he was â—â—ad of the Church and a Spiritual Prince unless Mazarine was immediately promoted to the dignity of a Cardinal and the disgust he took because he had not obtain'd his Bulls to be Abbot General of the Cistercians were the true cause of the misunderstanding between his Holiness and the King That Cardinal Richlieu had first made use of violent ways in stopping the Pope's Curriers and hindering him Scoti to perform the functions of his Nunciature Ordinary and Extraordinary That he had assembled some Bishops at his Palace to talk of convening a National Council under pretence of Annates and other pretended Grievances that this was not the way to procure Mazarine a Cap and that as for a National Council the Prelates of France had too much zeal for the Holy See of which they had given so many public testimonies to engage in an affair of that nature The Nuncio likewise complain'd that Chavigny had order'd Father Valerio a Discalceated Carmelite to tell him nay to send word of it to Rome that the King might with Justice if he pleas'd revenge the death of Routray upon the Nuncio by sending the Mobb to insult him in his house or bastinado him in the streets but that his Majesty wou'd not make use of his power and that he expected satisfaction from Cardinal Antonio Barberin Chavigny denyed he ever said any thing like it but the Nuncio offering to send for Father Antonio he told him there was no necessity for it and began to make a Panegyric upon the Cardinal * See the Relation of this Conference on the 9th of Dec. in l. 2. of Aub. Mem. p. 409. After some other discourse they parted As the Nuncio refused to receive from Chavigny the above-mentioned order in writing which he tendred to him Berlise the Introductor of the Ambassadors accompanied by an Usher of the Privy Council was sent to give it him The Nuncio refus'd it a second time nay not only so but wou'd not hear it read and withdrew into another Chamber Berlise left it upon the Table and charg'd the Nuncio's Officers to give it him but as soon as the Introductor of Ambassadors was gone they threw it back to him into his Coach In the mean time the King forbad all the Bishops of France to have any manner of communication with Scoti and every night a Guard was placed about his house to hinder any one from going to him The Nuncio writ a complaining * Ibid. p. 414. 415. Letter to the King that he never spoke the least disrespectful word in regard of his Majesty and that he had done nothing which he was not indespensibly obliged by his character to do But the Cardinal complain'd highly of his conduct to Cardinal Bagno as being inconsiderate and too violent for he did not value it seems their threatning to Bastinado him which the Grand Seignior said Scoti durst not do at Constantinople to a Bayly of Venice The Cardinal writ likewise to the Pope to complain of him for refusing to take informatiens about the life and manners of him whom the King had nominated to the Bishoprick of Cominge altho they had been taken before a Diocesan Bishop pretending that it was to be done before the Nuncio To this he jâ—yn'd several other Grievances which some Prelates assembled several times at St. Genevieve had presented to him All this only tended to obtain more speedily for him the Bulls for his being General of the Cistercians and Praemonstratenses and he on his side granted to the Court of Rome a great part of what they demanded After having thus recounted the most remarkable passages in Italy that have a relation to our Cardinal's History we must now relate in a few words the attempts of France in the Low Countries in Languedoc and in Germany against the House of Austria Ever since the preceding year the French had a design to attack Hedin but the relief which Prince Thomas of Savoy had thrown into the place diverted that design This year they took it in hand again and the Marquis de Meilleraye had orders to open the Campaign on the side of Artois with the Siege of this place At the same time a small body of men was given to the Marquis de Feuquieres to enter into the Country of Luxemburgh and attack Thionville * Siri Mem Rec. T. 8. p. 773 Some persons are of opinion that Feuquieres received this order from the Cardinal against his will and that he was only sent thither to facilitate the taking of Hedin and do honour to the Marquis de Meilleraye Others * Aub. Vie du Gard. l. 6. c. 30. deny it and pretend that Feuquieres was left at liberty to attempt the reduction of this place or barely to oppose Picolomini However it was while * The 22. of May. Meilleraye attacqu'd Hedin the Army commanded by Feuquieres which consisted of eight thousand Foot and four thousand Horse advanced before Thionville Altho the place was strong enough yet it was so ill provided that in all appearance Feuquieres would carry it in a few days if Picolomini did not march to the relief of it He made so much haste and marched with so little noise that he * The 7th of June appear'd before the French thought he could have reach'd them so that Feuquieres could not imagine who he was when he saw his Colours As he marched between the Woods they could not judge what quarter he would attack and all that the French General could do was to put his Army in Battel in the different posts where they stood to be in a condition to march if there should be occasion All this while Feuquieres was in an extraordinary perplexity which made several Officers laugh who did not love him and call'd him the Pedant because he was fitter for Negotiation than the Military profession In the mean time Picolomini gave the first onset on that quarter which was posted on the other side the Moselle which he carried after a vigorous opposition made by the Foot for the Horse run away By this means Picolomini threw what succors he pleas'd into Thionville and then placed his Army in Battel Array between the Counterscarp of the place and the Quarter of Feuquieres without advancing further till about five a clock in the Afternoon The French General who had sent his Artillery Horses to Mets was of the opinion to stay for them to
him the King would not be displeased at it but otherwise he would send to them an Heir of the last Kings into Portugal Whether these offers inspir'd the Portugueses with courage or noâ— 't is certain that after their insurrection the aforesaid St. Pe resided at Lisbon in quality of Consul of France with instructions containing two advices which he was ordered to present to the new King from the part of the Cardinal The first was that the Ambassador who was to be sent into France to communicate this Revolution to the King should have full power to treat about the assistance which should be demanded of his Majesty that so it might be sent without delay The second That D. Juan was not to sleep upon this happy success which he met with at first but make all necessary preparations out of hand to offer War to the Spaniards both by Sea and by Land and to support himself by Alliances with those that were inclin'd to favour his cause Ever since the beginning of the same year the * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 833. Princes of Savoy had made several Proposals of agreement with the Dutchess tho for all that the Hostilities ceased on neither side in Piedmont or even between the Cittadel and Town of Turin Feragelli the Pope's Secretary who was come to Turin to assist the Nuncio in perswading the different parties to a Peace did likewise propose a Truce for some years between France and the Milanese and altho the Marquis de Leganez seem'd disposed to accept of it yet he made great preparations to take the Field before the French recruits could pass the Mountains The French too on their side used all imaginable diligence and were not behind the Spaniards in talking of a Peace or a Truce All these discourses only tended to render themselves odious to one another and to lull one another asleep if it were possible The Cardinal was of opinion that Prince Thomas in particular only talked of an accommodation to ingratiate himself with the People of Piedmont who had this long while languished for a Peace and to make his Sister-in-law odious to them He sent therefore to acquaint her that this Prince kept a private correspondence with some Officers of her Houshold The Prince proposed to make a Treaty with her by herself without having regard to the Interests of France but she scornfully rejected this Proposal as she herself related the story to de la Cour adding that she was resolved to follow the Cardinal's advice altho he had treated her with a great deal of rigour at Grenoble and that she would not cease to love him as much as the King did and as much as so great and so excellent a Minister deserved Thus she communicated to him all the Proposals of Agreement made to her by Prince Thomas Assoon as he saw them he rejected them as impertinent and immediately dispatched the Abbot * In April See his Instructions lated the 20 of that Month in the Collection of Aubery T. 2. p. 313 Mondin to acquaint the Dutchess with his sentiments He had Orders to tell her that the King did not understand how any people durst be so bold as to engage her to sign such a Treaty as this was without consulting his Majesty who was her only Protector and wondered that she did not perceive that they aimed at nothing but her destruction That she ought to break off all these Negotiations and declare that she would not enter into any Treaty which was not equally secure and honourable to the Duke her Son and to herself That otherwise she would only destroy herself and ruine her State That in the Declaration she was to publish upon this occasion she must take care to incert all the most advantageous circumstances for herself which were to be found in any of her Negetiations with Prince Thomas and that whoever should mention this affair to her any more should be obliged to retire Besides this he was ordered to press the Dutchess to turn Father Monod out of Monâ—â—â—lian The * Ibid. p. 812. Cardinal writ to her much to the same purpose and remonstrated to her that her Brothers-in-law did only design to trepan her as she herself had observed In the beginning of his Letter he assured her that the King desired nothing more earnestly than to see her well re-established in her Dominions and maintain a good intelligence with her Brothers-in-law that his Majesty would be always ready to restore back the places which he held in Piedmont assoon as the Spaniards would fairly part with what they had in their possession so that the Dutchess might for the future remain absolute Mistress of them That nevertheless the security of her person and that of the Duke her Son being the principal cause which ought to be considered the King would never consent that either one or the other should fall into the hands of those persons whose interest obliged them to destroy both While the French were thus negotiating with the Dutchess of Savoy the Spaniards held a close correspondence with the Dutchess of Mantua and it was with her consent that the Marquis de Leganez attempted the Siege of Casal He began to invest this place on the 8th of April with fourteen thousand Foot and five thousand Horse at a juncture when the French were scarce able to defend the Cittadel of Turin against Prince Thomas who attack'd it on the side of the Town The Princes of Savoy did earnestly wish that he would have helped them to take this Cittadel because by the reducing of it they had effectually establish'd their authority in Piedmont which must needs be in a tottering condition so long as the Cittadel of the Capital City held out for the Duke their Nephew Besides this they could not behold Casal in the hands of the Spaniards without extreme regret But the very same reasons perswaded Leganez to undertake this Siege and push it on with all imaginable vigour because it was of the highest importance to Spain that these Princes should be still dependent upon that Crown and Casal was very proper to retain the people of Piedmont in their duty Nor was this all for he began to suspect these Princes for the frequent proposals of Accommodation they made to their Sister-in-law and was of opinion that the only reason why they so much desired to have the Cittadel of Turin in their hands was that they might compound more advantageously for themselves without having any consideration to the Interests of Spain These were the motives which engaged Leganez to undertake the Siege of Casal against the sentiments of the greatest part of the Officers of his Army who did not look upon him to be strong enough for such an attempt He mightily depended upon a secret intelligence he held in the place but it fell out unluckily for him that de la Tour the Governor of that City discovered it and put every thing in
had been now too long together to think of parting which he desired all the world should know This Billet was sufficient to remove all his suspicions but the indiscreet conduct of the Master of the Horse who neither knew how to conceal his design nor to preserve himself in the Kings favour gave him a greater security Thus while Monsieur and the Master of the Horse were deliberating upon what they had to do without coming to any resolution the Cardinal receiv'd a Pacquet wherein he found a Copy of the Treaty of Madrid Some people say it was the Nuncio in Spain that sent it to him Others name other persons If the Spaniards were so unwise as to let a Copy be taken of it they committed an unpardonable Solecism and if this Copy came from the Conspirators the fault was still the greater However it came about the Cardinal no sooner procured it but he sent Chavigny to the King to show it him and to desire him to cause Cinq-Mars to be apprehended Chavigny had all the trouble in the world to make his Majesty resolve to deliver this Criminal into the hands of Justice He fell down upon his knees and pray'd to God to inspire him with the best resolution and sent for F. Sirmond a Jesuite and his Confessor to ask his advice The Father Confessor was not backward to tell him that after so enormous a crime as this was the King need not scruple to order his Favourite to be apprehended According to the custom of Lewis XIII to apprehend any one for a crime against the State and to put him to death was in a manner the same thing as if it had been unlawful once in his life to have shown mercy to some of the Cardinals Enemies As it was a nice and difficult matter to apprehend the Master of the Horse in the Army where he was extremely beloved the King was resolved to go to Narbonne under a pretence that he had an Ague altho he could never be perswaded to go to that City while the Cardinal was there At that time he desired to confer with him about the affairs of Picardy which seem'd to be in danger after the defeat of the Mareschal de Guiche Being therefore arrived at Narbonne while the Cardinal was at Tarascon the Master of the Horse whose place would not give him leave to be from the King follow'd him thither altho he was before-hand inform'd that his designs were discovered Thus he was apprehended on the 14th of June altho he hid himself and the houses were once search'd to no purpose the King having given orders before that the City gates should be shut De Thou was likewise apprehended the night before with one Chavignac a Hugonot and some of their Servants These two last were afterwards carried under a strong Guard to Tarascon and the other to the Cittadel of Montpellier In the mean time Ossonville Lieutenant of the Guards to the Duke of Bouillon who sent him to attend upon the Master of the Horse being inform'd that he was apprehended took post to carry this news to the Duke that so he might take his measures accordingly He past through Monfrin a Town of Languedoc over against Tarascon on the other side of the Rhine where the Vicount de Turenne was to whom he thought he was oblig'd to tell this news The Vicount who knew nothing of the whole intrigue and who thought the Cardinal knew no more of it than himself believ'd he would take it kindly to be inform'd of it so he sent to acquaint him at the same time that he receiv'd this news from Ossonville who was going into Italy The Cardinal no sooner understood it but he immediately dispatch'd a man with necessary orders to stop Ossonville whom he apprehended at Valence and there imprison'd him * Dated from the Camp before Perpignan the 12 of June Aub. Mem. T. 2. p. 759. Orders had been sent before to Aigucbonne Du Plessis Pralain and Castelan Mareschals de Camp of the Armies in Italy to apprehend the Duke of Bouillon * Tve 23 of June This order was executed at Casal altho the Duke upon the first notice conceal'd himself at the time when Conoonges Governour of the place was gone to fetch the Kings order to shew it him Thus the Duke and the Master of the Horse were taken without any prospect of escaping partly through their own imprudence and partly through that peculiar good fortune of the Minister from whom very few of his Enemies escaped while he luckily withdrew himself from the most eminent dangers The Duke was for some time kept under a Guard in the Cittadel of Casal but was removed in August to Lyons and lodged in the Prison of Pierre-Ancise The Duke of Orleans receiving advice that the Master of the Horse was apprehended instead of finding out means to save and retrieve his friends relapsed into his usual weakness and thinking himself discover'd sent the Abbot of la Riviere from Moulins where he then was to the King to confess his fault and beg his pardon He writ at the same time Letters * See them in the Mem. of Montr. p. 162. dated the 25th of June to the King to the Cardinals of Richlieu and Mazarine and to De Noyers and Chavigny Secretaries of Estate full of mean submissions and lyes either to beg mercy or to desire Cardinal Mazarine and the two Secretaries to assist him to obtain it However the Duke burnt the Original of the Treaty which Fontrailles had brought him from Spain and only kept one Copy of it which he might likewise have burnt had he so pleased so that if he had been master of any resolution it had been impossible to have convicted him of any thing The King pardoned him after this indiscreet discovery upon condition that he would go to Nisy in Savoy a House of the Duke of Nemours where he was to reside with a pension of 200000 Livres the rest of his Revenues being stopt to satisfie his Creditors Monsieur desir'd to see the King before he went thither but the King refused him that favour and the Marquis de Villeroy had orders to accompany him * Ib. 171 175 195. At first they had some designs to send him to Venice as it appears by several Letters but at last they changed their resolution Neither did he go to Nisy so that 't is probable the true reason why they pretended to make him leave the Kingdom was only to oblige him to discover all he knew In the mean time the Secretaries of State were not wanting to incense his Majesty against the Prisoners and the Abbots d' Effiat and de Thou expressing a design to intercede for their Brothers he sent them word that he would not see them The King still continuing to be indispos'd and being now resolved to return to Paris the Cardinal prevail'd with him to order himself to be carried to Monfrin within a league of Tarascon that he might there
THE TRUE EFFIGIES of ARMAND JOHN du PLESSIS CARD DUKE of RICHLIEU THE LIFE Of the Famous Cardinal-Duke De RICHLIEU Principal Minister of State TO LEWIS XIII King of France and Navarr VOL. II. LONDON Printed for Matth. Gillyflower Will. Freeman J. Walthoe and R. Parker 1695. THE HISTORY Of the FAMOUS Cardinal de RICHLIEV VOL. II. BOOK IV. Containing the most Remarkable Occurrences of his Life from the flight of the Queen Mother in 1631 to the Year 1634. year 1631 BEFORE the Queen-Mother went out of France as I have already observ'd in the preceding Book the King sent to the Parliament of Paris the same Declaration which he had caus'd to be Confirm'd in that of Dijon wherein he Declar'd all the Adherents of the Duke of Orleans to be guilty of High-Treason But the Parliament of Paris made some difficulty to confirm it without any foregoing Deliberation as the King desir'd them and this they grounded upon the following Reasons First This Declaration against all usual Forms had been laid before another Parliament besides that of Paris which alone is the Court of Peers and the first Parliament of the Kingdom Secondly It by Name declared a President to be guilty who by this means would be condemned by the Court without being heard Thirdly This Declaration might reach even the Person of the Duke of Orleans whose Interest had been always dear to the Parliament They came * The 25 of Ap. Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. iv c. 17. Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 358. therefore to a Deliberation and the Company divided instead of Voting the Confirmation which the King demanded Our Minister not able to endure that they should show the least consideration for his Enemies perswaded the King to go quickly to †The 12th of May. Paris to have his Declaration Confirmed and to give some Mortification to the Parliament The King being arriv'd at the Louvre sent Orders to the Parliament to come thither in a Body on foot The Parliament obeyed and were conducted to the Gallery which joyns the Tuilleries with the Louvre where they found the King under a Canopy raised up for that purpose The Lord Keeper Spoke first and after the first Ceremonies were over told the Parliament That their Power extended onely to the Affairs of private Men and not to matters of State the cognisance of which belonged to the Supreme Governour That where a Prince or Duke or any Officer of the Crown receives his Trial for any Misdemeanour in the Administration of the Treasury or of State-Affairs his Majesty is obliged either to direct a particular Commission to the Parliament to enable them to Act in such a case or else to be present himself Personally to Authorize these extraordinary Proceedings That it is true indeed that to Judge by a Commission required a previous knowledge of the Cause but that in the case of Ratifying a Declaration which always allows a certain time to those that are Guilty to return to their Duty there was no need of farther Deliberation This was as much as to say That the King was willing to make use of the Parliamentary Authority to destroy with more formality those who favoured his Brother but would not allow the Parliament the Power of Clearing them if they were innocent Chateaunouf's Discourse being ended the King Commanded the Register of the Parliament to be brought to him and the Leafe to be shewed where the Vote of Separation was Written and so tore it himself to pieces to have the Decree of the Council inserted in its place which Prohibited the Court of Parliament to Deliberate any more upon the Declarations concerning State-Affairs upon pain of Interdiction to the Counsellors and of something worse as the King should think fit 'T was likewise Ordered That for a Punishment of the Fault committed by the Parliament the Declaration sent to them should be drawn back and they Prohibited to take any knowledge of the Contents thereof For a Token of his Indignation the King Suspended from their Office and Exiled two Presidents of the Court of Inquest and a Counsellor who were nevertheless immediately after re-established The same day the Council pass'd another Sentence against the Duke of Orleans's Attorney who Presented the before-mentioned Petition and the King upon that issued out * The 26th of May. another Declaration upon the same Subject a few days after These Proceedings against the Duke of Orleans's Petition were the cause that the Queen's Request which was sent to the same Parliament Packed up with some other Papers was not onely broke open but the Pacquet it self was carried to the King So that the Complaints which this Princess and Monsieur made against the Cardinal onely ended in a few Printed Pamphlets which they took care to have thrown about the Streets or under-hand distributed but there was no Tribunal where they might make their Address for as to the King's Council which depended more upon the Minister than himself it was to no purpose to make their Application to it The King himself was beset with People devoted to the Cardinal whose continual business it was to entertain him in an Ill Humour against his nearest Friends and Relations and as he beheld nothing but by the Eyes of other People both his Mother and Brother appeared as Guilty before him as it pleased the Cardinal to represent them Sometime * The 12th of August See Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 4. c. 18. after the withdrawing of the Queen-Mother the King issued out another Declaration in which he Defamed this Princess and the Duke of Orleans and on the contrary bestowed large Commendations on the Cardinal He said amongst other things That the Evil Counsellours of his Brother had moved him contrary to the Duty of his Birth and to that Respect he owed him to Write him Letters full of Calumnies and Seditious Lyes against the Government That against all Truth and Reason he had Accused his most Dear and Well-beloved Cousin the Cardinal of Richlieu of Infidelity and of harbouring Ill Designs against his Sacred Person that of the Queen and his own and against the State That the Queen-Mother had been wrought upon long ago by Ill Counsels and took more part in the Duke of Orleans's Designs than she ought being in all probability induced to it by the Ill Reports which some Persons professing Curious and Evil Sciences had spread abroad to give them some hopes of a sudden Revolution That having desired the Queen-Mother to assist him with her Advice as she had done before she had Answered him She was weary of meddling with Affairs and would have no more to do with them whereby she gave him sufficiently to understand that she was deeply ingag'd in the Duke's Designs That thereupon he had taken a Resolution to Separate himself from her for some time After this manner did the Cardinal speak of the Imprisonment of the Queen-Mother which he called a Separation
and so desired her to go to Moulins which she refused to do and that she onely offered to go to Nevers while Monsieur was at Orleans to be nearer to his Person but had refused to do it when she heard that he was gone from thence That after her departure from Compeigne she had sent a Request to the Parliament of Paris full of false and injurious Invectives against Cardinal Richlieu and Written a Letter to His Majesty containing several Studied Pretences to Colour her withdrawing and many Complaints against the Cardinal which had no other foundation but those Calumnies and Falshoods which were suggested by the Ill-Counsellours of Monsieur That both the one and the other aimed by the same means to endeavour the Subversion of the Royal Authority and of the Kingdom That not being yet satisfied with the first Calumnies she had Written to His Majesty she was * See these Letters in the Collection of Aubery's Memoirs T. 1. P. 374. besides wrought upon to Write to the Parliament and to the Provost of the Merchants of Paris to perswade them to Revolt and to give an Ill Example to others That as he Confirmed all the preceding Declarations so he declared all those to be guilty of High-Treason and Disturbers of the Publick Peace who should be found to have any share in such Pernicious and Damnable Designs as to withdraw the Queen-Mother and the Duke of Orleans from their Allegiance and to induce them to go out of the Kingdom and likewise all those who had followed them and were with them That his Royal Pleasure and Will was that they should be proceeded against and that he strictly prohibited all Persons to keep any Correspondence either with the Queen-Mother or the Duke upon any pretence whatsoever and if any of their Letters should fall into the hands of his Subjects they should send them immediately to the Royal Judges of the Provinces or to the Keeper of the Seals That all the Mannors which they held of the Crown should be seized upon and re-united to the King 's Demesne themselves deprived of their Dignities and Offices and all their Estates forfeited to the King This last Article involved the Queen-Mother and Monsieur as well as those that followed them the Queen's Dowry and all the Revenues of the Duke being stopt and seized While the King dishonoured both his Mother and Brother with so rigorous a procedure and took from them all manner of Subsistance because they had been so daring as to desire that the Cardinal of Richlieu might be turned out he heaped new Honours and Favours upon this happy Minister His †By Letters given at Monceaux in the Month of August Land of Richlieu was erected into a Dukedom and Peerdom and there was afterwards a Contention amongst the Courts of Parliament which of them should receive this Prelate in the Quality of a Duke and Peer But at last it was agreed That the Great Chamber that of the Edict and that of the Tournelle being Assembled together should receive him †The 4th of September and he went to take the usual Oath and to sit in the Parliament attended by the Prince of Conde by the Dukes of Montmorency of Chevreuse of Montbazon of Rets of Ventadour and of Crequi by the Mareschals Vitry Etrees and Effiat and by many other Persons of Quality From that time he was call'd The Cardinal-Duke as Olivarez Chief Minister to the King of Spain was stiled the Count-Duke The King gave him besides the Government of Britany lately vacant by the death of the Mareschal de Themines This Government could not fall to any one more advantageously than to the Cardinal who being Superintendant both of Navigation and Trade could scarce exercise his Office without being Master of the Ports of Britany This was at the same time an assured Refuge in case the King should ever change his Affection towards him Thus what was a Capital Crime in the Huguenots who made a considerable part of the State and what would have driven out of the Kingdom the most considerable Persons next to the King unless they had chosen rather to be confined to a Prison was esteemed a just recompence for the great Services of Cardinal Richlieu The Prince of Conde who was sent from one Province to another to pacifie the Spirits of those who might be surprised at the excessive greatness of a Minister who caused him formerly to be put in Prison went basely publishing his Praises all over the Kingdom and yet was not able to get into the Favour of this Man who could bear with nothing that gave him any Jealousie * See Aubery Lib. 11. Cap. 17. He had made already in the Year 1628 a Panegyrick upon this Minister before the States of Languedoc with Expressions onely fit to come from a wretch that wanted Bread and had no other ways to subsist but this was nothing in comparison of what he said in the Assembly of the States of Britany I shall relate his very words that thereby the Reader may judge both of the mean Condescensions of the Prince or of the Minister's great Authority †See Aubery Ibid. Lib. ◠Cap. 19. Amongst those infinite Obligations you have to the King saith he either for having preserved your Privileges or for the great Advantages favourably granted to your Province of Britany even almost to an impossibility in regard of the other Provinces of his Realm you have contracted a new one which is the greatest of all for His Majesty has given to you Monsieur the Cardinal of Richlieu for your Governour whose Learning and Piety preferr'd him in his younger years to a Bishoprick his Deserts to a Cardinal's Cap his Services and Capacity to the Ministry of State Affairs his Valour to the Generalship of several Armies his Fidelity and Love for the King's Person to the Cordial Affection of His Majesty and as a Token thereof and of his Trust to the High Places and Governments which he possesseth and holds from him All which things though very considerable and great yet we may say nevertheless of them that they onely make up the least part of those recompences which he justly deserves for having in his first Dignity confounded Heresie in the second maintained the Church in his Employments strengthened the State by his Counsels by his Valour pull'd down and defeated Rebellion and extended the Limits of France into Italy Lorraine and Germany and by his Fidelity with a continual care watched for the King's Preservation under whose Command he hath always acted as a second Cause in those great Affairs which His Majesty had and hath yet to restore the Kingdom to its first Splendour The Prince had better have said As a first cause since the King did nothing else but blindly follow the Motions of his Minister and then he had said at least one true thing in his Speech which was worthy of none but some Poor Hungry Priest and not of
a Prince who aspired formerly to the Crown For indeed What could the King have done more in favour of this Cardinal but to Associate him to the Crown by a Publick Declaration or rather to yield it wholly to him considering he had received but the least part of that Recompence which he deserved After this there is no reason to wonder that private persons flattered the Cardinal since the Princes of the Blood offered him their Incense in so shameful a manner Therefore from this time may we almost date the universal Extinction of that generous love for Truth which formerly if we may so express our selves made Martyrs amongst the very Pagans Nothing having been fashionable in France ever since the excessive Authority of the Cardinal but fulsome extravagant Flatteries and Stories made on purpose to advance ones Fortune at the Expence of Truth and Sincerity The same Prince * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 360. whose Words I have related was sent by the King into Provence under pretence to assemble the States but in effect to sound their Inclinations to observe the Conduct of the Duke of Guise whom the Cardinal hated and to lessen the Authority of the Governour of that Province both by the Dignity of his Person and the Power he had received from the King The Cardinal had caused the Marquis of Saint Chamond to be made Lieutenant for the King in Provence with a Design to cross the Duke of Guise in any thing which he might undertake against the Authority of the Ministry The Prince of Conde wrote to the Duke of Guise to desire him to come to Avignon and confer together concerning some Affairs relating to the Crown not telling him what they were The Duke being offended at this Proceeding sent word back again he could not go to wait upon the Prince beyond the Confines of Provence and complained to the Cardinal of the haughty manner he had been dealt with The King had been informed that he kept a secret Intelligence with the Spaniards and had Intentions to invite some of their Troops into Provence Nay it was reported that the Duke of Feria had received Orders to send two thousand Italians and five hundred Spaniards to Barcelona to embark 'em there for Provence Whether it was really so that the Duke of Guise had invited a foreign Power to his Assistance against the Minister or it was only an Artifice of his Enemies to render him suspicious to the King the Cardinal advised his Majesty to send an Order to the Duke of Guise to come to Court He refused at first to obey fearing with reason to be sent to the Bâ—sâ—â—le or to Bois de Vincennes and he obtained at last the King 's Leave to make a Journey to our Lady of Loretto from whence he retir'd to Florence under the Protection of the Great Duke of Tuscany This Prince became suspected to the Cardinal †Siri ibid. P. 444. because it was thought that he sent Money secretly to the Queen-Mother and that he favoured the Spaniards It was for this Reason that Gondi who had been at Florence for some time about his own private Affairs at his Return to France in the Month of November received Orders immediately to be gone and had much ado to obtain Permission to stay Once as he had Audience of the Cardinal this Minister gave him a long Narrative of the Discontents of the Queen-Mother and of all that had pass'd between them ever since the Beginning He assured him that he had never given her any Occasion to be angry with him but that she had fallen into a Passion upon Trifles and that by suffering her self to be too much influenced by some People who desired nothing so much as to cause Disturbances at Court in order to cultivate their own particular Interest she had forsaken the King to embrace the Party of the youngest of her Sons that he the Cardinal was willing to withdraw himself to take away all occasion of Division in the Royal Family but that the King would not permit him to do it not believing himself to be safe without him and not thinking fit he should have so much Condescension for those who had dealt with him so unworthily so that having been thus forc'd to remain at Court he was willing both as a Christian and as one that had infinite Obligations to Their Majesties to reconcile them together that he might avoid thereby the Necessity of serving the King against his Mother that not being conscious to himself of having ever offended this Princess he had desired of her that she would be pleased to tell him what Reasons she had to complain of him and even to suppose if she would any Wrong which he had never done her to support what she had said against him because he would not contradict her and if condemned he was ready to make her any publick Satisfaction for it but that she answered nothing before the King but only that she would never be reconciled to him that the Wrong which she complained to have been done to her was that which she said the Cardinal had done both to the King and State That he had served her during fourteen Years with all possible Fidelity and Zeal but that being fallen out with him she would not hearken to any Accommodation and sought every day an Opportunity to have him murther'd which obliged him to take care for the Preservation both of his Life and Fortune and therefore he had not rejected the King's most gracious Offers made to him to change those Ministers who did not please him That the Queen was never a Prisoner and that to satisfie her that she was free they had removed the Soldiers that were about her That she was to be blamed for retiring into Spain and that Animosities were now grown to such a degree that the King could not be reconciled with safety This Discourse made Gondi believe the same thing which several Persons had already suspected viz. that the Cardinal knew that the Queen had a mind to retire and therefore was glad to leave her the means to effect it that so he might have an Occasion to accuse her of keeping an Intelligence with the Spaniards and to hinder the People from being offended at her Banishment The Party of this Princess which was linked with that of Monsieur was extremely weak as wanting both Friends and Money The Severities used against their Followers kept back a great many others who would have otherwise joyned with them nor cou'd the Queen-Mother borrow any Money upon her Jewels because People feared that the King wou'd demand them again as belonging to the Crown The King on his side was so incensed against his Mother that there was no likelihood he would trust her again as well by reason of her Correspondence with the Spaniards as because she had declared her self for the Duke of Orleans who she believed would infallibly succeed to the Throne after the
King's Death which according to the Predictions was to happen very soon To confirm the King in this ill Humour against his Mother an exact Enquiry was made after those Persons whom the Queen had consulted to Calculate his Majesty's Nativity and Senel Physician to the King and Du Val were condemned to the Galleys for having examined it and made sinister Predictions against the Life of his Majesty The Duke of Orleans who had always entertained a great Correspondence with the Duke of Lorrain endeavoured to engage him into his Party and this Prince raised some Troops with an Intention either to take some Advantage of the present Disturbances or to put himself in a Condition of Defence against the Swedes who threatned to invade his Dominions The Cardinal who was no Friend to the House of Lorrain and who feared it would support the Party of Monsieur took this Occasion to cause a Declaration of War to be published against it The King sent the Mareschals La Force and Schomberg into Lorrain with an Army and order'd them to take divers Places depending upon the Bishopricks of Mets Toul and of Verdun which they said had been usurped by the Duke of Lorrain but above all to attack Moyenvic which the Emperour had possessed himself of by the Counsel Advice and Assistance of this Prince Both the King and the Cardinal designed to go personally thither but before they went they resolved to see the Declarations against those that espoused the Party of the Queen-Mother put in Execution The Court feared that if they should remit it to the Parliament this Execution would go but heavily on because the Parliament acted only against their Wills and the usual Formalities ought to be observed Besides the Injustice of proceeding otherwise it was dangerous too violently to countenance the Passions of the Minister against Monsieur who because the King was then without Issue was look'd upon as the next Heir to the Crown So the Cardinal who never loved the ancient Proceedings but when they were favourable to him so managed matters that the King resolved to constitute a Chamber of Justice to proceed with Rigour against those who favoured his Mother and Brother and especially against such as had retired with them out of the Kingdom The Parliament refused to own the Declaration concerning the establishing of this new Chamber unless the Members that should compose it were all taken out of their Body The King sent to them thereupon a special Command to oblige them to let fall this Opposition and the Parliament were contented to ask that the Substitute and the Register of that Chamber should be taken out of their Company But the Minister being not willing that any one should be enabled either to clear or to delay the Condemnation of those whom he had a mind to destroy engaged the King to establish by his Letters Patent this Chamber in the Arsenal * The 23th of September 1631. and to admit none into it that were of the Parliament but only two Counsellors of State six Masters of the Requests and as many Counsellors of the Grand Council The King afterwards established another Chamber of Demesne to follow the Court and to put his Orders in execution In the mean time the Parliament seeing their Authority would fall at last to nothing and that no body's Innocence would be secure from the excessive Power of the Minister if once it was grown a Custom to act by extraordinary Proceedings summon'd an Assembly of all the Chambers †The 28th of Novemb. in which it was concluded that a Remonstrance should be made to the King concerning extraordinary Commissions and in the mean while a Prohibition directed to the Commissioners to act by vertue of these Commissions and an Order should be sent to the Chevalier Du Guet to put the Judgment of the Parliament in execution They assembled themselves again on the 10th and 12th of December and publish'd a Decree pursuant to this Resolution The King being informed of it caused this Decree to be disannull'd by his Council the 16th of December and commanded the Presidents Believre and Seguier who were present at this Deliberation and the Counsellors who signed the Decree and likewise the oldest Presidents of the second third fourth and fifth Chambers of Inquests with the most ancient Counsellors of each of these Chambers to appear a Fortnight after and attend the Court. The King's Army had in the mean while seized all the Places in Lorrain to which he had any Pretensions Moyenvic only excepted which was invested in the name of the Bishop of Mets the King being not willing to declare openly against the Emperour This Place being ill provided surrender'd on the 27th of December and the Duke of Lorrain who was not in a Condition to oppose the Royal Army thought only how to put a stop to its Progress and make the best Bargain he could Therefore he came to Mets where the King and the Cardinal were arrived who received him very kindly in outward Appearance Though the Count of Soissons had reconciled himself to the Cardinal some time before yet this Minister gave him no marks of his Confidence till after the Countess of Soissons had proposed the Marriage †Aubery's Life of the Card. Book 4 Cap. 23. of her Son with Madam de Combalet which gave an Occasion to the Queen-Mother to tell the King that the Cardinal had a Mind to advance this Prince to the Crown The King to shew how little regard he had for the Advice of his Mother and what an entire confidence he reposed in the Cardinal at his going into Lorrain left the Count of Soissons to be in his Absence his Lieutenant General at Paris and in the neighbouring Provinces To return now to the Affairs of Italy upon which the Cardinal had likewise a watchful eye the Duke of Mantua came to an Agreement with the Duke of Guastalla by the Interposition of the Pope's Nuncio Pancirolo and of the Embassadors of the Emperour and of the French King The most difficult Treaty was that of Querasque which was manag'd by Matthias Galas for the Emperour and by the Mareschal de Thoiras and Servien for the King of France The Nuncio interposed as Mediator and the Duke of Savoy was there present in person After a long Negotiation several Things were agreed upon the chief of which I shall only relate The Duke of Mantua * The 6th of April See Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. Pag. 363. and the Hist of the Mareschal de Thoiras Lib. 3. Cap. 2. and seq did agree with the Emperour and the Duke of Savoy upon these Conditions whereby both Spain and Savoy were likewise reconciled to the French I. That the Revenue of ten thousand Crowns which the Duke of Savoy was to have in Montferrat together with the Town of Trin should be reduced to fifteen thousand each Crown to be valued at two and twenty Florins II. That the Duke of
another way The Cardinal of Richlieu was so strongly of opinion that this Place was necessary to the Crown that he could not resolve to have it restored to the Duke of Savoy whatsoever inconveniences might arise from the contrary Most part of the Italian Princes confirmed him in these Sentiments by the secret Sollicitations of their Ministers to that purpose They were glad that France should have a Door open to enter Italy when occasion should require to have a Foreign Army to Counter-ballance the excessive Power of the Spaniards By complying thus with their desires France would recover their Friendship lost by the Peace of Lions in 1601. by which they quitted to the Duke of Savoy the Marquisate of Saluces and consequently gave up the Passes of the Alpes and the French King's Authority grew so much the greater as the Power of the Spaniards was more lessen'd Besides the Cardinal could not leave behind him a more Illustrious Monument of his good Conduct than a place of this Importance which was formerly quitted by Henry the III. to the Dukes of Savoy The Difficulty was how to find a way to keep it without breaking the Peace of Italy but it could not be done against the Duke of Savoy's Consent Therefore the Cardinal who had already a great Esteem for Mazarine and knew that he was likewise well-accepted by the Duke of Savoy charged him with this Negotiation which he perform'd to his Satisfaction The Duke of Savoy having consented to leave Pignerol in the hands of France they got him besides what was promised to him the Possession of Canaves which was dismembred from Montferrat by the Treaty of Querasque to the prejudice of the Duke of Mantua Both the Spaniards and the Imperialists who knew nothing of the Negotiation concerning Pignerol which was kept secret were surprised that France should spoil the Duke of Mantua their Ally to serve the Duke of Savoy who had taken Arms against them but time discovered the Mystery No noise was to be made about it before Mantua was Restored the Passages of the Country of the Grisons remitted to their Ancient Masters and the Hostages released for the Spaniards who had a visible Interest in keeping the French on the other side of the Mountains would certainly have broken the Treaty rather than permitted Pignerol to remain in their hands It was therefore necessary so to order Affairs that if the French quitted the Place in Compliance to the Treaty they should be secure of returning into it again The Duke of Savoy promised to do it after the Execution of the Treaty and for a Pledge of his Word sent the Cardinal of Savoy and Prince Thomas his Brothers into France under pretence that they were to pass into Flanders But the Cardinal feared least this Prince to whom this Place was at least as Important as it was to France would not be as good as his Word since the Spaniards would infallibly be ready to assist him in this occasion with all their Forces Therefore they labour'd to find out some Stratagem or other to secure themselves of continuing still in the Possession of Pignerol though at the same time they made a shew of quitting it so that no body should perceive it This difficult business was committed to the Marquess of Villeroy who carried it on in such a manner that he deceived not onely the Spaniards and the Piedmontois but the French themselves He pick'd out Three hundred Men whom he pretended to trust with a Secret Order he had lately received from the King which was to send them with all speed to the Cittadel of Casal and commanded them to send away their Baggage with the rest of the Garrison who were disposing themselves to clear the Place at the time prefixt being about Three thousand Men in number and to take their way to Dauphine In the mean time he caused them to hide themselves in several secret holes of the Castle and particularly in an old Garret where was a long time ago a Door Wall'd up adjoyning to the Dungeon Villeroy caused this Garret to be divided by a Partition of Boards and at one side Corn to be laid up and on the other side where the Wall'd-door was lay part of his Men. But because this would have met with very much difficulty in the Execution if many Piedmontois had been in the Place he caused a Report to be spread abroad That the Plague was at Pignerol and particularly in the Cittadel which put a stop to the curiosity of the People from flocking thither and also to the speedy Levies which the Duke of Savoy intended to make there for the Garrison The Count of Verrue sent by the Duke to Receive the Place was acquainted with the Secret but the Imperial and Spanish Commissioners had not the least suspicion of it As soon as they were arriv'd they saw the French Troops go out in a File towards Dauphine and Villeroy took care himself to Conduct them to all the Magazines affecting in this an extraordinary Punctuality to tire them and get time which succeeded so much the easier because the Commissioners were unwilling to enter any place that had not been before purifi'd with Fire and Sweet Odours for fear of catching the Plague Being entred the Cittadel where the Three hundred Souldiers were hid the Marquess deliver'd up the Gate to the Count of Verrue who committed it to Fifty or Threescore Souldiers under the Command of an Officer after which he drew the Garrison out and led the Commissioners to every part of it The Count had with him a Colonel of the Duke of Savoy named Porporati who knowing nothing of the Secret looked into every Corner with a great deal of Care so that Villeroy fearing least he should discover the place where most part of his Men were hid gave a Jog to the Count and turning himself to the Commissioners told them That it being already pretty late they would do well to send some body to visit the Fort of St. Bridget and this Commission was given to Porporati The Cardinal was so entirely resolv'd not to abandon the Cittadel of Pignerol that Villeroy had Orders to Imprison the Commissioners in case they should discover the Cheat and for this effect he had along with him Ten or Twelve of the most strong and resolute Fellows to put his Orders in Execution at the first sign This Resolution which could not be put in execution without a Scandalous Violation of the Treaty of Querasque and even of the Law of Nations sufficiently shewed how willing the Cardinal was to keep this Place By good hap the Commissioners were not aware of the Cheat and Villeroy got the very same day an Attestation from them by which they acknowledg'd That Pignerol was faithfully deliver'd again into the hands of the Savoyards He sent it Post to Ferrara to have the Hostages released Not above four or five Persons were in the Cittadel to look after the Magazines and the Piedmontois
they had hid themselves The Duke of Savoy gave notice to Duke Feria of the Articles he had Agreed upon with the French The Governour of Milan durst not disapprove wholly the Duke of Savoy's Conduct though he thought it would be highly prejudicial to Italy Thus the French appeared to re-enter into the Possession of Pignerol which they had not quitted and they afterwards engag'd the Duke of Savoy to yield it up wholly to them the Spaniards not perceiving at first the Trick which was put upon them As the Spanish Ministers in Italy were blamed for their want of Conduct so it was thought very strange that the Duke of Savoy for some Lands in Montferrat which France caused to be given him by the Treaty of Querasque should voluntarily tie up his own hands by parting with Pignerol The Duke of Mantua was reduc'd by this War to such Extremities that he depended wholly upon France and durst not contradict them in the least So that at the same time that the French were busie to secure Pignerol for themselves he was oblig'd to permit them to send a strong Garrison to the Cittadel of Casal for fear the Spaniards seeing the French in Pignerol should endeavour to make themselves Masters of it This business was likewise carried on with so much secrecy that they knew nothing of it in Italy till after Two French Regiments had got into Casal As soon as the Italian Princes who were jealous of the Power of Spain knew that the French were in Possession of these two Places notwithstanding the Treaty of Querasque they shewed in all parts how well they were pleased with it and especially the Venetians who were not in favour with the House of Austria and feared its Resentments The onely thing which remained for France to do for the perfect security of that Republick on that side was to seize on the Passes of the Valteline and indeed they made it their business to effect it soon after Towards the end of the same year the * The 27th of Novemb. 1631. See Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 438. Duke of Savoy reconciled himself wholly with the Republick of Genoua by Restoring reciprocally what was taken from one side and the other during the Truce Zuccarello which was the occasion or the pretence of the War as I observed in another place remained to the Genouese upon condition that they should give One hundred and threescore Crowns of Gold to the Duke of Savoy who was to renounce all his Pretensions to this Marquisate year 1632 The King being at Metz the Duke of Lorrain came there and after some Negotiations he concluded his Treaty with France * See Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. ◠Cap. 23. which was Sign'd at Vic on the 6th of January The Duke Promised to disengage himself from any Intelligence League and Association which he had made with any Prince or State whatsoever to the Prejudice of the King his Dominions and Countries under his Obedience or Protection and to the Detriment of the Alliance made by His Majesty with the King of Sweden and the Duke of Bavaria for the Defence of the German-Liberty and of the Catholick-League He oblig'd himself likewise to turn out of his Dominions all the King's Enemies and all his Subjects who had left the Kingdom without his Leave and to deny them for the future any Passage or Retreat A little while after the Deputies of the Parliament of Paris came to Metz where the King was †Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. Pag. 359. After they had stay'd there a Fortnight he gave them Audience and told them That for this time he forgave them but they ought to take care least they fell into the same Faults again for a Relapse would prove fatal to them That he loved his People better than they did that he took more care for the Glory and Greatness of the State and would maintain it better than they That he forbad them to busie themselves about any thing else but the Administration of Justice They Answered They had been brought up in a very good School where they had learned Obedience and Fidelity to His Majesty and the King Reply'd They had then soon forgot what they were Taught The Keeper of the Seals made them afterwards a long Remonstrance in which he Reproached them that they design'd to divide the Royal Authority with the King He told them nevertheless that His Majesty sent them back to the Exercise of their Offices except Five who were Suspended from their Places and ordered to follow the Court to serve for an Example Nevertheless as soon as the King was returned to St. Germain they were restor'd to their Employments Monsieur who was then at Nancy was oblig'd to withdraw and to retire to the Low-Countries and the French Army advanc'd to the Frontiers of Germany as if they would have favour'd Gustavus Adolphus though at the bottom France began to grow jealous of his Victories and to fear least the Emperour and the Catholick League should wholly sink under the power of his Arms. * Siri Mem. Rec T. 7. Pag. 475. The King of Sweden desired extreamly to have a Conference with Lewis XIII being used to manage his Negotiations himself and the King of France shew'd on his side a great Inclination to see Gustavus for fear of offending him But this Prince had quite other things in his Thoughts and durst not expose himself to an Interview which had turned wholly to the Honour of the King of Sweden to whom he was not to be compar'd for the Qualities either of Body or Mind So a little time after the King of Sweden was acquainted that the French King being indisposed was not in a condition to come to an Interview therefore it was propos'd to him that he would be pleased to meet Cardinal Richlieu who was more fit to treat with Gustavus than Lewis XIII who referr'd every thing to his Minister Gustavus who was of a hasty Temper answered he would send one of his Servants to confer with the Cardinal that he esteemed himself not inferiour to the French King and did not understand why he should decline to meet him that the Swedish Kings never truckled to those of France and that all Crowns were equal These Expressions of Gustavus besides that he was suspected of aspiring to no less than an Universal Monarchy cooled very much the Design which the French had to assist him and hinder'd the King at that time from declaring openly against the House of Austria Besides the Cardinal had some particular Reasons which kept him back from engaging himself in great Enterprises in which France might perhaps not always get the better The extreme Aversion of the Queen-Mother and of Monsieur towards him the hatred even of almost the whole Kingdom not to mention the Foreign Powers whom he had mightily offended and the little Certainty he had that the King upon whose Affection his Fortune was built would
live long all this made him very often think of his own Security in case any sinister Accident should befall him To shelter himself against all Misfortunes he design'd at this time to marry his Niece Combalet with the Count of Soissons to whom he made very advantageous Offers He pretended to put him in a Condition not only of being able to be a Support to the Relations of his Lady but also almost of giving Laws to the King himself The Count consented to it but was desirous that the King should declare in Writing that he promoted this Marriage as being advantageous both for his Service and the Good of the State and that for this Reason he commanded him to marry the Cardinal's Niece The Minister whom the King humoured in all things thought he might easily obtain this Favour and demanded it though without the return of any positive Answer He continued then to treat of this Business himself and had his Propositions carried to the Count of Soissons by his Creatures but at last he perceived that this Marriage displeased the King because he had very good reason to believe that it would make the Count of Soissons too powerful that the Prince of Conde who was an Enemy to the Count would joyn with the Disaffected and that consequently the King would find himself alone with the Count and draw upon him all the Enemies of the Cardinal This Prelate coming to understand the Sentiments of his Majesty upon this Affair shewed an entire Submission to his Will and gave out that his Niece was going to retire into a Nunnery though nothing was so far from her Thoughts It was secretly whisper'd to the King that this Marriage would render the Count of Soissons too greats and that it would utterly disoblige the Queen-Mother and the Duke of Orleans whom neither in Conscience nor even in good Politicks he could always keep out of the Kingdom In the mean while the Cardinal who was used to Refusals feared lest the King's Affection towards him should change and he was observed to be very sad for some days The Prince of Conde weary of publishing his Praises without any Advantage to himself and angry at the Marriage which was proposed instead of going to assemble the Estates of Burgundy retired to Bruges In order to hinder him from having any Communication with the Governours of Burgundy and Berry it was thought necessary to cause some Forces to advance to the River Loire to guard the Passes But there was no Necessity for this Precaution as a little time made it appear The Duke * Aubery ' s Life of the Card. Lib. 4. Cap. 24. of Lorrain offered his Mediation to reconcile the King with Monsieur and received this Answer that if that Prince would return into France a general Pardon should be granted to all those who had followed his Party and that they should be re-establish'd in their Estates and Dignities except only in the Governments which they possessed before But these who far from being willing to come and surrender themselves to the Cardinal intended not to go home unless they could be considerable Gainers by the Bargain perswaded Monsieur to reject these Offers and the D. of Lorrain who saw very well that their Return upon these Conditions would only encrease the Authority of the Cardinal a professed Enemy to his House was the first who advised Monsieur to recover his Right by force of Arms and begun himself to make new Levies again for fear of being surprised as he was before and soon after Monsieur who was retired to Flanders returned into Lorrain with some Forces which he joyned with those of the Duke Both the King and the Cardinal were gone into Picardy to oppose the Enterprises of the disaffected Persons who kept private Correspondences there The Governour of Calais one of those who declared for Monsieur was reduced to his Duty by the King's Arrival who returned afterwards to Saint Germain The Cardinal in this Journey was seized with a small Fit of an Ague which detained him two days at Corbie though it never hinder'd him from taking care of the Publick Affairs and soon after he follow'd the King As soon as his Majesty received the News of Monsieur's Return into Lorrain he sent the Mareschal d' Effiat thither to Command the Army with Mareschal La Force and gave him Orders to enter again into the Duke of Lorrain's Territories and to oppose the March of Monsieur in case they could not oblige the Duke of Lorrain by way of Negotiation to observe the Treaty of Vic. All the Promises and Threatnings made use of to win that Prince were ineffectual till he saw an Army and the King present in Person They took * In the Month of June Aub. ibid. Cap. 25. immediately Pont a Mousson and entirely defeated a Regiment of Lorrain Horse which they surprised The Duke not being in a condition to make farther Resistance was glad to come to an Accommodation and the Treaty was concluded on the 26th of June by his Deputies and Cardinal Richlieu who was desirous to return into France with all speed to oppose and frustrate Monsieur's Designs The Duke of Lorrain engag'd himself to deliver up the Towns of Stenay Tamets and Clermont to the King and even to sell him the latter to which the Crown of France had some Pretensions While the Cardinal was in Lorrain and in Picardy he took care that an end should be made of the Tryal of the Mareschal de Marillac †A true Relation of the Trial of Mareschal Marillae in the Journal of Richlieu Tom. 2. Pag. 1. and Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 495. and foll who having been arrested in Piedmont as we said before was brought Prisoner to the Castle of Saint Menehoud and from thence to the Cittadel of Verdun as soon as Biscaras had surrender'd it Afterwards according to the Cardinal's custom the King appointed a Chamber of Justice at Verdun to judge of this Affair It was composed of four Masters of Requests of two Presidents and twelve Counsellors of the Parliament of Burgundy and their Commission was dispatch'd on the 13th of May 1631. The Mareschal de Marillac was accused of embezzling the King's Treasury and some Witnesses who were brought against him since his Detension accus'd him of having converted to his own use part of the Moneys which the King had sent him to fortifie Verdun He was examined before the Court and the Witnesses confronted him with several other Proceedings at his Sollicitation and at the Instance of the King's Attorney but at last they agreed in a Decree whereby he was allowed to make his Defence The Cardinal who was in good hopes that the Court would have sentenced him to death caused the Commission to be recalled and the Judges to be discharged The Mareschal was some time after removed from Verdun to the Castle of Pontoise and from thence to the Village of Ruel The King established there a
remove them immediately of His own accord That the King being not ignorant how those bad Counsels which Monsieur had followed were suggested to him by Puilaurens this latter should sincerely give notice of all secret transactions that might be prejudicial to the State to the King's Interest and of those who had the honour to serve him faithfully and should declare that he would be held as guilty as he was before he received the King's most Gracious Pardon if he acted contrary to his Promise In a particular Article the Duke promised to cherish all those who served His Majesty and particularly Cardinal Richelieu whom he ever had esteemed as was said in this Act for his fidelity to His Person and to the Interest both of King and State The King on his side granted His Pardon to Monsieur and to his Domesticks and moreover to the Duke of Elbeuf whom he restored to his Estate and permitted to reside in one of his Houses that should be appointed by His Majesty Monsieur signed this Agreement at Besiers on the 29th of September and the King ratifi'd it by Letters Patents dated at Montpellier on the first of October After this Monsieur's Troops retir'd into Rousillon and he * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 519. Wrote a Letter to the King and another to the Cardinal full of Complements wherein he disapproved the Declaration publish'd at his coming into the Kingdom against this Prelate as having been publish'd without his knowledge and having never seen it Lastly he desired the Cardinal to forget what was past and promis'd him his Friendship Puilaurens sent also an Act to the King written with his own hand in which he promis'd to perform whatever was desired of him * On the 4th of Octob. After this Monsieur and his Domesticks took their way to Tours where the King thought fit he should retire He wrote another Letter to the King wherein he earnestly desired him to forgive the Duke of Montmorency but to no purpose As soon as he was taken it was debated in a secret Council what to do with him and 't is confidently reported that care was taken already to incense the King against him by telling him That they had found about his Arm a Locket of Gold to which was tied the Picture of a certain Lady in Miniature for whom His Majesty had a great Kindness Pompone de Bilievre Intendant in Mareschal Schomberg's Army took it dexterously from him at his Examination and took the Picture from it but as this was done in presence of several persons notice was given to the Cardinal of it to exasperate the King against him So when the question was put If the King should use the Duke of Montmorency severely or forgive him it was no hard matter to incline him to a rigorous usage Nevertheless the Cardinal being willing to affect an appearance at least of Equity towards a Man to whom he was very much oblig'd he begun to deliver his Opinion * Siri Mem. Ree Tom. 7. p. 561. by saying That His Majesty might be moved for several Reasons to Pardon the Duke of Montmorency That Monsieur had offered to leave off all Correspondences that were displeasing to His Majesty and to return to his Duty upon condition that this Noble Lord should receive his Pardon otherwise the Duke of Orleans could never with Honour renew His Obedience to His Majesty for all his Domesticks advised him to hazard all things to save the Duke of Montmorency That if Monsieur retired into Spain he would induce the Spaniards to be very mischievous to France That if Monsieur was brought into Despair those who serv'd the King would not be in safety because those of the contrary Party would not think themselves safe till they had brought them to ruine That if Monsieur came once to leave off all Cabals and Practises contrary to the good of the State any thing might be afterwards undertaken against the Spaniards whereas while he was discontented they could not make use of any occasion though never so favourable After he had thus produc'd his Reasons in favour of the Duke of Montmorency the Cardinal turned the Tables and said That on the other side if they consider'd that the King was without Children and Monsieur look'd upon as Presumptive Heir to the Crown they would find that if those who followed his Party were not rigorously punish'd the first time the King fell Sick how inconsiderable soever his Sickness should be so many People would declare for the Duke of Orleans that the King would not be able to Master them That on the contrary if the Duke of Montmorency was brought to Deserved Punishment no body would dare to engage in such Attempts any more That not a sew Kings whom he named had maintained themselves in the declension of their Age only by Severity he cited some Examples and continued saying That if the Nobility and Commons should once know that the consideration which the King had for Monsieur was capable to hinder Seditious Persons from being punished with Death there would be still great Numbers of Persons who thinking their Lives in safety would venture their Estates and Fortunes for him in hopes of being gainers at the Expence of the Kingdom That turning Men out of their Offices in such an occasion signified nothing without taking their Lives away because Monsieur being consider'd as next Heir to the Crown those who should lose their Offices for taking up Arms for him would hope to recover them with usury as soon as this Prince ascended the Throne That Montmorency's Crime was not a Simple Rebellion in which Monsieur had engaged him but that he had Incited the Duke of Orleans to enter into France with Arms and raised up the Province by Summoning an Assembly of the States a thing that was never practised before That it would be very difficult and dangerous to keep him in Prison That in stead of extinguishing that Party it would be revived and gather more strength than before That Monsieur submitted himself to the King out of Necessity and not out of Inclination That the Spaniards would prove always the same and the Queen-Mother would still persist in her Anger That Puilaurens would have no less credit with Monsieur than before and that his Ambition and Intreaguing with the Lorrainers would always continue So that the danger being over the Duke of Orleans would hearken to bad Counsels again That if they thought fit to forsake the Hollanders and the Swedes the Rage of the Spaniards might perhaps cease and if they would Sacrifice to the Queen-Mother all those whom she hated and put the King in a total Dependance upon her her Animosity might likewise be at an end but if none of these things cou'd be done as really the King could do neither of them without undoing himself 't was certain that the more Monsieur 's Party subsisted in the Heads of it the greater the danger wou'd be by reason of their
continual Cabals and because the danger when it was once over was reckon'd for nothing That the Duke of Montmorency being Punished his Party would fall in Languedoc and that of Monsieur all over France whereas if he was kept a Prisoner though never so many besides were Executed he would have always secret Friends and so much the more true to him that they should have no other hopes but in his re-stablishment which consequently they would endeavour to procure by all ways whatsoever Afterwards the Cardinal begun to Confute the Reasons he had at first proposed to favour the Pardon which Mensieur demanded for the Duke of Montmorency He said That the Promises which Monsieur made to obtain what he desired wou'd be indeed considerable had he not broken his word three times though he had been very kindly used by the King and seen all his Houshold rewarded with extraordinary Favours but after this it would be imprudently done to trust him That if Monsieur could not save the Duke of Montmorency's Life he would find fewer People ready to serve him than if he saved him and that this Reason alone was sufficient for to have him Punished That Monsieur being not able to procure his Pardon would not ruine himself because of his Death and that the necessity of leaving him to the Severity of his Sentence wou'd secure his Reputation since it is better at last to have an Arm cut off than to lose ones Life That suppose Monsieur should pass into Spain uppon the Duke of Montmorency's being Punished yet his Power would be so much Clipp'd that he would never be able to set up another Party That indeed the Ministers who declar'd for Severity in this occasion expos'd themselves very much but when the Service of King and State were called in question they ought not to have any regard to their particular Interest Lastly The Cardinal concluded That to grant the Duke of Montmorency's Life to Monsieur's Request would strengthen his Party and weaken that of the King nevertheless the King might Grant it out of His meer Bounty and not being oblig'd to it by a Treaty but there was more danger in the doing than in not doing of it The whole Council yielded to the Cardinal's Advice which no body ever contradicted Unpunished in Affairs of any moment The King who naturally was inclined to Severity and to whom Generosity was almost an unknown Vertue embraced in this occasion as in all others the most Rigorous Party †Aubery 's Life of Cardinal Rich. Lib. 4. Cap. 34. After this Council the King presided Personally at the States of Languedoc whom he Assembled at Besiers and the Cardinal was there present It was onely done with a design to lay a Censure upon the States for suffering themselves to be seduced by the Duke of Montmorency and to give order for the punishing of some Bishops and Gentlemen who had declared for him From thence the Court repaired to Toulouse where the Parliament took in hand the Trial of the Duke of Montmorency though it belonged by Right to that of Paris The Cardinal who did not love delays especially when the Ruine of his Enemies was to be effected moved the King to nominate this Parliament to be the Judges in this Cause Chateauneuf formerly Page to Constable Montmorency Father to the Prisoner and Six Masters of the Requests came thither to Preside at this Judgment and forasmuch as the Duke of Montmorency was taken in Arms against His Majesty and declared Guilty of High-Treason after Examination and a free Confession on his part he was Condemned to * The 30th of Octob. Death During these Proceedings and even after Sentence given all the Duke's Friends who were very numerous Interceeded for him in vain †Pontis Mem. T. 2. P. 36. Francis of Tussac Lord of Saint Breuil Captain of the Guards who took him Prisoner went to Beg his Life of the King in presence of the Cardinal which was thought very absurd there being so many other Persons of greater Quality that could have interceeded for him without his Interposing therefore the King Laughed at him for it and the Cardinal Reprimanded him after his manner Saint Breuil if the King would do you Justice he would put your head where your feet are As if it had been a Crime for such a Man as he was to Intercede for a Criminal of State * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 565. Nevertheless the Cardinal would sometimes feign himself Afflicted in Publick and wou'd desire several Persons of the First Rank to apply themselves to the King for Mercy He sent Biche the Nuncio and Cardinal de la Valette upon this Message but the King was too much prepossessed to hearken to them S. Simon a Relation of the Duke's endeavouring to move the King to Mercy the Cardinal made as if he took part in his Affliction and in appearance joyned with him to incline the King to Compassion by excusing the Criminal But at the same time he own'd that His Majesty after he had overcome the Huguenots and extinguish'd a Dangerous Faction in His Dominions found himself oblig'd to make an Example of the Duke of Montmorency to keep the Grandees in their Duty and Allegiance The Princess of Conde Sister to this Lord went and cast her self all in Tears at the Cardinal's feet Conjuring him to Intercede for her Brother but the Artificious Prelate in stead of lifting her up fell himself upon his knees before her and begun to Act the Afflicted Man for not being able to Appease the King The Duke of Espernon Governour of Guienna †Hist of the Duke of Espernon in the year 1632. p. 473. who had been suspected of favouring Monsieur's Party but had always kept firm to his Duty though he was a particular Friend to the Duke of Montmorency went immediately to Toulouse and took upon himself to go and speak to the King in the Name of all the Relations and Friends of the Duke of Montmorency He kneeled down before him and the King having bid him rise up the Duke of Espernon after having Acknowledg'd the Criminal's Fault told him amongst other things That he was so much the more embolden'd to beg His Majesty's most Gracious Pardon that himself having received the like Favour from his Bounty in an occasion almost like this he esteemed himself very happy that he had given no occasion to His Majesty to Repent of it That he was not the onely Man amongst His Subjects that lay under the same obligations That Cardinal Richlieu had as great a share in it as himself that both of them had sided with the Queen-Mother at a time when the King's Name was contrary to them though they had no other intention than to serve him and that if he had then abandoned them to the severity of the Laws and of Justice he would have deprived himself both of the most profitable Services of the one and of the grateful Acknowledgments of
the other That the Duke of Montmorency's youth ought to be no less an excuse to him than their honest Intentions had been to them That his Person being in the hands of His Majesty he was not able to do him the least Injury but his Conservation wou'd be an eternal Monument to His Glory He desired the King to consider that in this young Duke's Person alone remained the Great and Illustrious Name of Montmorency That the high Merits of his Ancestours whose long Scries spread as far as the beginning of the French Monarchy did call more loudly for His Grace than his rashness did for the Severity of the King's Justice That if he was so happy as to obtain a Second Life for his Friend he would be his Security that it should be wholly employed in the Service of His Majesty and that his blood should onely serve to blot out both the Blackness and the Memory of his Crime The King heard the Duke of Espernon without interrupting him and having cast his looks towards the ground from the very beginning of his Speech he continued in the same posture and answered him not one word The Duke perceived very well by this obstistate Silence that the Cardinal had so deeply perswaded the King that Montmorency ought to die that it was impossible to save him However he reassumed his Speech again and told the King That since there was no Pardon to hope for the Duke he desired him to give him leave to retire The King answered He might do it and that himself would not make a long stay at Toulouse The Duke of Montmorency was so universally beloved by every body and the Cardinal so universally hated that a General appearance of Sorrow * Pontis Mem. T. 2. P. 37. was to be seen at Court and in the Faces of the People One day the People of Toulouse fell a Crying about the House where the King â—odged and once when he was in the Hall in Company of many Persons Cried aloud Mercy Mercy Pardon Pardon The King asked what it was and they told him That if His Majesty would look out of the Window he would pity that poor People but the King answered fiercely That if he followed the Inclinations of the People he should not act as a King As soon as his Sentence was Read to him the King sent to him to deliver back the Order of the Holy Ghost and his Mareschal's Staff which the Duke sent him back by De Launai * Puisegur Mem. P. 105. Lieutenant of the Life-Guards who guarded him He charged him to assure the King That he Repented extreamly for having offended him and that he would die His very humble Subject and Servant Launai found the King in His Closet Playing at Chess with Liancourt and after he had deliver'd the Duke's Compliment to the King he fell at His feet all in Tears and begged His Royal Pardon All those who were in the Closet did the same and the King had the displeasure to see every body weep about Him no body but the Cardinal and his Creatures being able to digest the inflexibility he shewed upon this occasion He answered That there was no Pardon and that he must die that no body ought to be sorry to see a Man put to death who had so much deserved it and that he onely ought to be lamented for falling into so great a misfortune The onely Favour which the King granted him was That the Hangman should not Tie him that his Estate should not be Confiscated and that he should be Executed in the Court of the Town-Hall His Head was Cut off the same day that his Sentence was pronounced to him after which the King prepared to take his Journey to Paris 'T was wondred at that this Prince who always yielded to the first Accusation which the Cardinal made against any whom he desired to ruine had they done never so great Services to the State should remain inflexible to all the Sollicitations of the whole Court and of all France in an occasion when by saving the last off-spring of the most Illustrious Race of His Kingdom this single act of Clemency would have infinitely more turned to His Honour than Severity But besides that the Cardinal had put it into His Head that Monsieur and his Followers had no other design but to Invade the Throne though they feigned onely to be offended at the Minister the fatal Miniature that was found about the Duke of Montmorency did Incense the King so much against him that nothing was able to save him While the King was at Toulouse they begun to proceed likewise against the Bishops of Alby of Vzes of Nismes of Lodeve of S. Pons and Alers all of them Favourers of Montmorency The Pope nominated some Prelates that were upon the place to manage the Trial against them The Bishops of Alby and Nismes were deprived of the Temporalities not onely of their Bishopricks but their other Benefices and the Bishop of Vzes had suffered the same Punishment if he had not died before his Trial. As for the rest they were sent back to their respective Diocesses Those of the Nobility who had declared for Monsieur had their Houses and Woods beaten down and thus the whole Province was intirely restored to its former Tranquility The Mareschal d' Effiat Superintendant of the Finances dying soon after in Germany Bullion succeeded him in that place and the Marquiss de Breze Brother-in-Law to the Cardinal was made a Mareschal of France after the Battel of Castelnaudarry The Mareschal de Schomberg was rewarded with the Government of Languedot which the Duke of Montmorency had before him but he enjoy'd it not long dying soon after The Cardinal proposed to the Duke of Espernon at Toulouse that if he would in Complaisance to him lay down the Government of Metz the Survivership of which Place belonged to his Son and resign it up to him he wou'd obtain of His Majesty the Survivership of that of Guienne But the Duke of Espernon who had no kindness for the Cardinal and besides was not a Man to be manag'd after such a rate refused the Motion 'T was believed that this Prelate had a design to possess himself of the Bishoprick of Metz and of some rich Abbeys in that City and to set off this with the Title of the Governour of the City and Country about Metz as well as the Cities and Citadels of Thoul and Verdun in order to secure himself of a secure retreat on that side in case of necessity After the Death of the Duke of Montmorency the King returned to Paris and came to his Castle of Versails in a few days Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. Pag. 570. The Cardinal was desirous to carry him with the whole Court to his Government of Brouage and to Rochel designing to bring him back to Paris by the way of Richlieu where he intended to regale him but though the King would not go thither himself yet
he gave his Consent that all the Court should follow the Cardinal Some People were of opinion that this Prelate since he could not prevail with his Majesty to go along with him was resolved so to manage Affairs that no body should talk with him in his Absence the Queen herself not excepted Thus this Princess was forced upon this Journey contrary to her Inclinations as all the World imagined because she had no reason to be a Friend of the Cardinal who not long before had proposed to the King to repudiate her for being barren besides that she was too much concerned for the House of Austria not to hate the Man that was a professed Enemy to it For this reason she was sad and melancholy all this Journey notwithstanding the great Honour and Respect which the Cardinal caus'd to be paid her wherever she went She had a mind to * Life of the D. of Espernon go and see the House of the Duke of Espernon at Cadillac in order to which she must pass the Garonne The Duke got his Coaches ready to receive her as she came out of the Boat and gave Orders for one to stay behind to take up the Cardinal if he happened to come after her As soon as her Majesty arrived the Duke received her and waited on her to her Apartment thinking there was a Coach left for the Cardinal but it seems his Orders were ill executed and indeed there were but Coaches just enough for the Queen's Retinue In the mean time the Cardinal passed the River and finding ne'er a Coach there to receive him walk'd a foot towards the Duke's House and was got half the way thither when the Duke after he paid his first Devoirs to the Queen at his own House ran to meet him He made him a thousand Excuses assuring him he had given Orders for a Coach to be left for him at the River-side but that his Commands had not been observed The Cardinal pretended to be well satisfied with this Excuse but 't is certain he was inwardly displeased with the Duke since he refused to go into a Coach that was offer'd him and walked the rest of the way on foot although it incommoded him The Queen after she had stayed two days at Cadillac returned to Bourdeaux and the Cardinal came thither likewise Here he fell sick of a Stoppage of Urine which put him in danger of his Life 'T was generally believed he would never recover and all People were glad at the News hoping now shortly to see Peace in the Royal Family Justice administred according to the Laws and the King's Favours distributed with more equality to those that deserved them †Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. Pag. 594. While his Sickness continued there were several Balls at Bourdeaux and other Rejoycings which sufficiently discovered the Peoples Hâ—tred of this Minister who favour'd none but such as were wâ—lling to live and die his Slaves Chateauneuf who otherwise seemed to be very submissive to him danced in one of these Balls at a time when the Cardinal pretended all the World should be at their Prayers for his Recovery and this in the opinion of some Persons did not a little contribute to his Ruine The Queen not thinking her self obliged to make a longer stay at Bourdeaux although the Cardinal was in a desperate Condition took the Road to Rochel with a design to return from thence to Paris †Life of the D. of Espernon p. 478. All the while her Majesty continued at Bourdeaux the Duke of Espernon ordered his Guards whom he kept in Quality of Governour of the Province to leave off their Liveries and Musquets and laid aside all the Functions and Marks of his Office but as soon as the Queen was gone he thought there lay no Obligation upon him to shew the Cardinal that respect which was only due to a Soveraign Thus going to make this Minister a Visit who was now on the mending hand he came accompanied as far as the Gate of his Lodgings by his Guards with their Coats and Musquets The Cardinal's People who were used to make others tremble run to their Arms while the Duke enter'd and without taking the least notice of the Disorder he saw was got to his Anti-Chamber where he enquired after his Health The Cardinal sent him Word that he was still so indisposed that he begg'd his Excuse if he could not see him After this the Duke still observed this Custom and when the Cardinal parted for Brouage he went to accompany him to his Boat attended by his Guards and several of the Nobility of that Province as it were to shew him the greater Honour However the Cardinal was afterwards made to believe that the Duke had some Design upon his Person and 't is credibly reported that ever since that time this Minister was not thought to be safe enough at Bourdeaux But if the Duke had design'd any thing of that nature he might easily have accomplish'd it being much stronger and infinitely better beloved at Bourdeaux than the Cardinal was and besides the Cardinal de la Valette who was the Duke's Son never quitted this Minister during the whole time of his Illness While the Cardinal was in the height of his Distemper he ordered the Commandeur de la Porte his Unkle and the Marquiss de la Meilleraye his Cousin to accompany the Queen who gave her a Magnificent Entertainment at the Castle of Richlieu in Poictou which the Cardinal had lately built and had made a very pleasant place He was not fully recovered when he caused himself to be carried to Blaye and from thence to Brouage where he was intirely restored to his health After this he returned without farther delay to Paris and the King went as far as Rochefort to meet him which stands within Ten Leagues of that City While the Court was in Languedoc * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 175. Ten Men were apprehended at Paris who were accused to have come thither by the Queen-Mother's Order to steal away Madam de Combalet who stay'd all the time at Paris and to carry her into Flanders One of these Ten Men was a Nephew of Father Chanteloube a Favourite of the Queen and one of her Valets de Chambre It was discours'd that this Princess was desirous to get the Cardinal's Niece into her hands either to facilitate her own Return into France or else to hinder this Lady from Marrying the Count de Soissons or Monsieur as the Report ran The King being informed that they were in Prison sent Orders to have them immediately Tryed and Writ a very obliging Letter to Madam de Combalet wherein he told her That he cou'd never have believed that since he had given Peace to His Kingdom by the Force of his Arms and brought the Rebels to due Punishment there had been any so bold and adventurous as to attempt such an Enterprize But that since some disaffected Persons still sought new
occasions to embroil the Nation he wou'd immediately come to Paris to set all things in order He also Congratulated her good Fortune that she had so happily escaped the Snare that was laid for her and added That if she had been taken he wou'd have gone in Person with an Army of Fifty thousand Men into Flanders to set her at Liberty again This Lady had lived till the above-mention'd Affair came to be discover'd in an Hôtel which joyned to Luxemburg-House and which the Queen-Mother had bestowed upon the Cardinal when he was in her Favour upon condition that she might take it into her own hands again whenever she pleas'd paying down the Sum of Thirty thousand Livres When she came to fall out with this Prelate she demanded to have this Hôtel surrender'd to her and having sent for the Contract she found that instead of so many Livres it was Crowns and that instead of whenever she pleased it was when the King commanded it The Queen protested That she never meant to make any such Articles as these and charged the Cardinal with Forgery She Addressed her self to the King to oblige him to deliver it up but His Majesty the more to Mortifie her wou'd have the Cardinal still keep in Possession This ill usage vexed this Princess extreamly but she had farther occasion to complain when being out of France she was inform'd that Combalet lived there and daily receiv'd Visits from Persons of the First Quality who made their Court to her Unkle by going to see her Besides this she made several new alterations in the House for her own Convenience and for this purpose without any more adoe caused part of the Wall belonging to the Palace of Luxemburg to be beaten down 'T is believ'd that it was partly occasion'd by this that the Queen fell upon the design to have Combalet stollen away although there is no question but that she made these Alterations by her Unkle's Orders not being naturally of so haughty a humour as to disoblige the Queen-Mother in so high a point as this was of her own head However when this Design was discover'd she thought her self no longer safe in this House and went to live at her Unkle's Palace where she seldom stirr'd out of doors Monsieur having receiv'd the News of the Duke of Montmorency's Death whose Life he perswaded himself they wou'd have sav'd thought that he should be everlastingly Disgrac'd and that no body for the future wou'd expose themselves to the Minister's Indignation for his sake if he did not express some resentment for so notorious an Affront It was confidently reported that part of his Domesticks wou'd be removed and that some of them should be declar'd not to be of that number in order to punish them as being excluded out of the Treaty which had been concluded with him This made him interpret the Beheading of the Duke of Montmorency to be an Infraction of this Treaty which he said He Sign'd onely out of a supposition that they wou'd give that Nobleman his Life So he parted secretly from Tours on the 6th of November and on the 12th Writ a †See it in the Hist of Lewis XIII by Ch. Bernard Lib. 16. Letter to the King from Montereau Faut-Yonne wherein he vehemently complains of this Violation and tells him That to obtain the Life of that Illustrious Lord his Cousin he had Sacrificed all his own Interests and those of his Followers stifled the justest Resentments dissembled his dearest Affections and even renounced for a time that very duty to which Nature oblig'd him He farther added That he had been given to understand from the Part of the King That if he made the least movement towards Rousillon it should cost the Duke of Montmorency his Life and that he had inferr'd from this Discourse that he might hope for a quite contrary Treatment if he obey'd His Majesty but that after he had made the most Humble Submissions to the King which he cou'd expect from the meanest Subject he had no regard was made of his Honour Towards the close he begg'd His Majesty not to be displeas'd at the Resolution he had taken of endeavouring to find a safe Retreat for his Person among Foreigners since he had just reason to apprehend the consequences of that extraordinary contempt which they had shewn to all his Submissions The King answer'd this Letter on the 25th of the same Month by accusing the Duke of Montmorency whom no body excused and by saying That down-right necessity had constrain'd Monsieur to submit himself however 't is certain that nothing cou'd have hindred him from making the best of his way to Rousillon if he had had the courage to attempt it Thus by the way of * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. P. 580. Champagne he retired into the Low-Countries and was extreamly well received by the Infanta at Brussels although the Ministers of Spain did not build much upon his Discontent being perswaded that the Cardinal cou'd make him return into France when he pleased by offering him some Advantageous Terms As for the Queen-Mother under a pretence of changing the Air she went to Malines the day before his arrival being displeased with him because in the Treaty of Besiers he was so far from supporting her interest that he did not so much as make any mention of her The Duke of Orleans followed her but cou'd not prevail with her to return to Brussels nor disswade her from the Design she had taken up to go and reside an Ghent He strove to justifie himself by the necessity he lay under to give way to the time that so he might find a way to escape out of the Cardinal's hands till he cou'd do it with more security and come to re-joyn her in the Low-Countries 'T is indeed certain that Gaston who was of a timorous disposition and besides was none of the most able Men in the World cou'd not have done otherwise and the Queen without doubt had pardon'd him this Omission if Father Chanteloube had not inspired her with a coldness for her Son The reason of which was that this good Father cou'd not endure that Puilaurens who had an absolute Ascendant over Monsieur shou'd equal him and he for his part was not of an humour to truckle to any one and had in his time refused to be over-ruled by some People that were infinitely more considerable than Father Chanteloube This inflexible temper on both sides brought them to an open defiance of one another and this caused them to sow that disaffection between the Mother and the Son which gave the Cardinal an opportunity to ruine all their Designs with much more ease than if they had been better united Monsieur sent advice of his departure out of France to the Emperour and to the Kings of England and Spain and desired their Assistance to enable him to make his way into France again The King had before this sent Bautru into Spain to
complain of the †Siri Ibid. P. 582. Succours which the Infanta and the Ministers of the Catholick King had given Monsieur and at the same time to justifie those which France gave the King of Sweden against the House of Austria Soon after the News arrived of the death of Gustavus Adolphus who was slain on the 6th of November in the Battel of Lutzen where his Army got the Victory after he was kill'd From that time it was concluded in France That if they did not more vigorously Assist the Swedes in Germany the House of Austria would soon Triumph over their Party so several Persons were dispatched thither to support it and to engage the Protestants to favour it more than ever year 1633 On the first day of the year 1633 the King held a Council upon the Affairs of Germany where the Cardinal represented to them That the first thing they were to do was to raise a good Sum of Money at what price soever and to manage matters so that the War might continue in Germany and the Low-Countries and yet not declare formally against the House of Austria upon condition that those whom they furnished with Money shou'd neither make a Peace or Truce without the Consent of France That however in case they found they were not able to carry on the War then they must come to such an Accommodation as they cou'd obtain That they ought to consider whether the King was not obliged in point of Interest rather to break openly with the House of Austria and to joyn himself with the Protestants of Germany and the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces than to run the hazard of seeing a Truce concluded which wou'd put a stop to the War in which he was not Included That if a Peace were made in Germany and a Truce in the Low-Countries or one of these onely then France wou'd be left alone by it self to support a Defensive War which might be carried into the Bowels of it and in which the Party of Monsieur and of the Queen-Mother wou'd become as powerful as they were now contemptible That on the other side if they began the War all the World wou'd believe they did it voluntarily and of their own motion although they were really drawn into it by mere necessity That the zealous who are generally very indiscreet wou'd cry out That this War was design'd for the Destruction of the Catholick Religion that His Majesty therefore ought maturely to deliberate what Measures He was to take in this juncture before he engaged Himself too far The Cardinal continued his Discourse and observed That if they design'd to Unite with the Protestants of Germany and to declare for them they cou'd not do it but upon the following Conditions That they should maintain the Catholick Religion in those places where it was already setled that they should deliver up to the King all that they held on this side the Rhine the Principal Towns of the Palatinate with what they possessed in Alsatia and in the Bishoprick of Strasburg that they should help him to take Philipsburg and Brisac and that they should be obliged to enter into no Peace or Truce without the King's Consent that they must obtain a Promise of the States-General of the Vnited Provinces to preserve the Catholick Religion in those Conquests they shou'd happen to make that they must likewise in conjunction attack the Maritime Towns upon condition that whatever they took shou'd belong to the King that the Protestants shou'd demand nothing more of France than onely to break with the House of Austria either in Germany or Flanders or in Italy and to keep an Army in Alsatia ready to assist them in time of need that this being supposed the Advantages that wou'd arise from this War wou'd be very considerable and the danger but small since the King might extend the limits of His Dominions as far as the Rhine without drawing his Sword that having such considerable Pledges in his hands he wou'd be the Arbitrator of War and Peace neither of which cou'd be concluded without him that this Surrendry wou'd give him an open entrance into the Territories of Strasburg the Franche Comte the Dutchy of Luxemburg and that it wou'd bridle the Duke of Lorrain so effectually that he cou'd attempt nothing of any consequence that they shou'd run no manner of hazard since as they made War in Conjunction with the Germans and the Hollanders it wou'd be impossible for the House of Austria to carry it into France that they needed but a few more Troops to effect all this and that the Queen-Mother's Dowry and the Appanage of the Duke of Orleans wou'd bear the Expence that otherwise France wou'd find it self alone to deal with the House of Austria that in all probability a Peace might be concluded in Germany and a Truce in Holland by the Intervention of His Majesty which wou'd contribute mightily to the setling of a General Peace which perhaps wou'd be the effect onely of the Union between France and the Protestant-Princes of Germany After he had reason'd a long while upon these Heads the Cardinal concluded and the Council after him to set all Wheels a-going to continue the War in Germany and the Low-Countries against the House of Austria although the King was not to declare Himself openly and for this end it was resolved to send at the same time Ambassadours Extraordinary to the Emperour to all the Electors Catholick and Protestant and to the States of the Vnited Provinces to exhort the one to continue the War with vigour and to Promise them Assistance against their enemies while they assured the latter that they wou'd live in Peace with them This Resolution was accordingly put in execution and all endeavours were used to oblige the Generals Baudissen and Horn to deliver up into the hands of France all the Places which they possessed in the Electorates of Colen and Mentz and in Alsatia Above all they desired to have Mentz that they might more easily make themselves Masters of Strasburg and all the Country which lies on this side the Rhine By that means the King wou'd be in a capacity either to enlarge the Frontiers of his State or else wou'd have enough in his hands to make an Advantageous Treaty or lastly if he must sit down content with the bare Honour of the thing he might dispossess the Protestants of those Places which they had taken from the Catholicks and pretend that he had never any other Design and that this was the end of that Alliance which he had made with the late King of Sweden The Cardinal being arrived at Paris * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. p. 588. sent one day for †The 23d of Jan. Gondi the Resident of Florence and after he had entertain'd him about several other matters began at last to discourse about the Queen-Mother's Affairs He enquired of Gondi what he thought of the Queen-Mother's Design for so it was
reported of going into Italy and when Gondi had assured him That he never heard the least word that the Queen had any inclinations to quit the Low-Countries the Cardinal continuing the Discourse told him That the Imprudence and fury of Father Chanteloube having oblig'd the King to demand him of the Infanta this Man was in so great a Consternation that he had perswaded the Queen to leave the Low-Countries where he did not think himself safe enough that upon this suggestion the Queen-Mother had sent to the King of England to know if he wou'd be pleased to receive her but that he had refused to do it at the instance of the King her Son that afterwards she had desired the above-mention'd King that he wou'd give her leave to come to Plimouth and lend her some Ships to Transport her to Spain That this Prince who believed that if ever she set foot in England she wou'd never be brought to leave it had made Answer That he wou'd willingly provide her with Ships if he was assured of her Reception in Spain and that France wou'd not take it ill That Spain had declar'd she was ready to receive her but that the King cou'd not tell what to resolve upon by reason of the great compassion he had for her and that England wou'd not receive her but upon condition that she wou'd not make any long stay there That this poor Woman for so the Cardinal thought fit to call her had drawn these Misfortunes upon her self by following the Ill Advice of other People and by her own obstinacy which was so incurable that she still protested That she did not now and never wou'd repent of what she had done At last after he had pretended to have a mighty Commiseration for her he added That England perhaps might be induced to furnish her with Ships in case she wou'd retire to some place where His Majesties Clemency and Filial Amity might grant her some acts of Favour without prejudicing the welfare of the State and where the Cardinal might be able to procure them for her as he passionately desired That he cou'd scarce believe she design'd to tarry in Spain and since she was deny'd Admission into England he cou'd not tell but that she might have some thoughts to pass into Florence in case the Grand-Duke wou'd give her a Kind Reception Upon this he Asked Gondi Whether he cou'd give him any Light as to this Affair And the Resident Answer'd That he was wholly ignorant what the Queen's Intentions were but that he durst venture to Assure him that the Grand-Duke was wholly unacquainted with them and that as there was not the least reason to doubt but that the King Lov'd His Mother no body had any occasion to be in any pain about her The Cardinal Reply'd That if the Queen was minded to return to her Native Country for a short time till she had fully reconcil'd her Self to the King it wou'd not be taken amiss of the Grand-Duke to receive her and that the Queen's Conduct wou'd not be disapproved since she wou'd be in a place where she then cou'd not abuse the kindnesses His Majesty show'd Her The Cardinal added That nevertheless if the Queen once set foot in England she wou'd not easily leave it He wou'd not explain himself any farther thinking it sufficient that he had made an Overture which the Grand-Duke might make the best use of in time of necessity He was resolved to come to no manner of Accommodation with her till he had effectually humbled her and constrain'd her to do what he pleas'd At present the onely trial of Skill was to oblige her to depart out of the Dominions of Spain and to endeavour to make her go to Florence that so she might not prove an obstacle to any Treaty that they might make with Spain according as an occasion should present it self While she and Monsieur were in their Territories it wou'd be impossible to make a Treaty without comprehending them in it and the Cardinal pretended that they should leave all to His Majesty's good pleasure and give their consent for him to Punish those that had followed them Thus all endeavours were used to make them quit the Spanish Territories In the mean time the Prince of Conde was come back from Bruges and the King sent him into Burgundy to oblige the Parliament of Dijon to hasten the Trials of the Duke of Elbeuf Puilaurens Coudray Montpensier and the other Domesticks of the Duke They were Condemned to Die as Rebels they were Executed in Effigie and their Goods were Confiscated Not long after †The 25th of Febr. Siri Mâ—m Rec. T. 7. p. 594. the King being at St. Germans took away the Seals from Chateauneuf who nevertheless had been a faithful drudge to the Cardinal and had exercised several Arbitrary Acts of Violence to please him As the causes of his Disgrace were not positively known people fell upon several things which might contribute to ruine him Some said That he was in Love with the Dutchess of Chevreuse and that he was Loved by her that this made the Cardinal jealous who was exceedingly offended at Chateauneuf when he saw some Letters of his to that Dutchess wherein * Lâ— Mordevano says Siri di cuto fraâ—ido à causa delle sue malattie hemorrhoidale he Ridicul'd the Cardinal in very outrageous terms They add farther That the Cardinal came to know that he had Danced in a Ball at Bourdeaux when he lay so dangerously ill there 'T is also pretended that this Prelate being told That he flatter'd himself with the hopes of arriving to be Chief Minister in a short time and that he had formed certain Cabals for that end he wou'd never pardon him this Ambition †Aubery's Life of the Cardinal lib. 4. c. 36. However it was the Seals were given to Peter Seguier President of the Parliament with a certain Promise to be made Chancellour so soon as d' Aligre was dead Chateauneuf was sent to the Castle of Angouleme being accused of a Design to raise Disorders at Court At the same * Siri Ibid. p. 595. time they sent some of his Friends to the Bastile and among others the Chevalier du Jars who as it was alledged against him perswaded Monsieur and the Queen-Mother to retire into England As they had no Proof of it the Cardinal bethought himself of an extraordinary stratagem to discover whether he was concern'd in this Affair or no. He not onely caused him to be put into Prison but he engaged the Judges to manage his Trial and Sentence him to have his head cut off by giving them his word that this Sentence shou'd not be put in Execution but that the King shou'd Pardon him in case there were no Positive Proofs brought against him at his Trial. In pursuance of this he was Condemned his Sentence was Read to him and being upon the Scaffold after he had said his Prayers without making
any Confession and he had put himself in a posture to receive the Stroke they cryed out A Pardon As he was ready to come down one of the Judges perswaded him Since he had now tryed the King's Clemency to discover the Intrigues of Chateauneuf but he courageously answer'd That he very well saw that some People were willing to take hold of his present circumstances to make him say something disadvantageous to his Friend but that he ought to know That since the terrible Image of Death had not made him speak nothing was capable to extort from him the Secrets of his Friends or any thing that might do them the least Injury He was almost the onely Person of all those whom the Cardinal brought to the Scaffold that showed Resolution and Courage the greatest part of the rest making him as it were an Honourable amends before they were Executed under a pretence of dying like Christians Christianity indeed obliged them to forgive him but by no means to approve of his Arbitrary and Unjust Conduct which was full as contrary to the Gospel as a Spirit of Vengeance which they were afraid to betray But the truth is that after they had vainly endeavour'd to live like Freemen they lost their Sentiments with their Liberty and rather died like vile Slaves than good Christians When Chateauneuf was sent to Prison the Mareschal d' Estrees who was one of his best Friends having received the news of it at Treves where he Commanded the King's Army it so strangely astrighâ—ed him that he * The 15th of March Siri Mâ—m Râ—â— T. 7. p. â—95 quitted the Army without saying a word and retired to Vaudervange The example of the Mareschal de Marillac came into his Mind when he heard of the Disgrace of his Friend and saw a Courier bring Letters to the other Officers and never a one to himself He imagin'd that Saludie and Busse-Lamet to whom the Pacquet was directed had Orders to Apprehend him But discovering at last that his fear had been in vain he sent a Gentleman four days after to the King and Cardinal to beg their Pardon for going away so abruptly and ingenuously to confess how he had been imposed upon by his Fear This set the whole Court a Laughing and he received Orders to return to Treves At the same time the Dutchess of Chevreuse left the Court by the King's Order which made the World believe that the Cardinal's Jealousie was in great measure the cause of the disgrace of Chateauneuf The King came to Paris on the 11th of April and went next morning to the Parliament to suppress the Office of President which Coigneux had and that of Counsellour enjoy'd by Payen Chief Secretary to the Queen-Mother whom he afterwards restor'd in Compliment to the Two Masters of Accounts whom the Cardinal favour'd exceedingly Nevertheless the Law concerning Five years which are allowed to those that were Condemned for Contumacy was suffer'd to stay in full force in respect of others because it wou'd have given them too much trouble to make any Alterations in it The King Censur'd the Company very severely for presuming to send their Deputies a few days before to S. Germans to desire him to re-call the President de Memes whom the Cardinal had Banished The King told them That he wou'd take care to Chastise those that refused to obey him and that if the Parliament wou'd not suffer the Magistrates that were subordinate to it to be remiss in the execution of its Orders it was not just that a Soveraign should bear the disobedience of His Subjects He added That he wou'd be obey'd that very instant and that for the future when he came to the Parliament he expected the Four Presidents should come and receive him upon their knees without the door of the Chamber as the Custom had been formerly As for the President de Memes instead of being set at liberty and called home he was Imprison'd in the Cittadel of Anger 's Thus the King hindred them from making any Remonstrances to him upon any occasion whatever and striving to Reign more Absolutely than any of His Pedecessors he resigned himself entirely to all the Passions of his Minister though they were never so unjust so that it was not possible to open his eyes and undeceive him Soon after the King * The 14th of May Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 4.0.36 held a General Chapter of the Knights of the Holy Ghost and gave the Ribbon to the Cardinals of Richlieu and La Valette They received the Blew Ribbon standing whereas the other Commandeurs even Bishops used to receive it kneeling The King â—id the Cardinal a particular Favour and asked him Whether he desired to be Promoted before or after Vespers and the next day when His Majesty made the New Knights he sent him two or three Dishes from his own Table at every Service and towards the end a Rock of Sweet-meats out of which sprung an Artificial Fountain of Water While these things happened within the Kingdom the Cardinal used his endeavours to keep the House of Austria so well employ'd without that it cou'd make no advantage of the Broils of the Queen-Mother and Monsieur The Marquiss de Feuquiers renew'd with Chancellour †By a Treaty sign'd the 9th of April Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. p. 67. Oxenstiern at Hailbron the League which the Crown of France had made with the King of Sweden and promis'd that his Daughter Christina should receive the yearly sum of a Million of Livres to continue the War in Germany The two Crowns oblig'd themselves to make no Treaty but with Common Consent and to support all their Allies I shall not stop at the particulars of this League nor at the other Negotiations which the Ministers of France managed in Germany to Embarass the Emperour and at the same time to lay hold of any fair opportunity to extend the Frontiers of France on that side At the same time the Cardinal set his Engines at work to break off the * Siri Ibid. p. 655. Negotiation that was on foot at the Hague between the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces and the Envoys of the Spanish-Netherlands concerning a second Truce between the King of Spain and the States-General As there were abundance of great difficulties in the thing it self it seem'd an easie matter so to order Affairs that the War might continue Besides this some of the Nobility of the Spanish Low-Countries who were discontented at the Government offer'd to deliver up to the King Bouchain Quesnoi Avenes and Landreci places of great importance upon the Frontiers of Artois and to make a general Insurrection in the Country The Malecontents represented to the King that if he lost so fair an opportunity he might perhaps be never able to recover it and that those persons that were now disposed to throw themselves under his Protection cou'd not be supposed to be able to live in a perpetual inquietuâ—e
and danger of being discover'd The Cardinal told the King in Council That Henry the 4th wou'd never have let slip such an occasion but that regard must be had to the time That the King was without Children and that Monsieur the Presumptive Heir of the Crown was in Flanders with the Queen-Mother That the King's Constitution was not strong enough to engage him in a War which wou'd exceedingly fatigue both his Body and Mind That upon this occasion the Court must of necessity be at a great distance from Paris That the King's Exchequer was exhausted That the zealous Catholicks wou'd exclaim more than ever that this War was carried on to favour the Hereticks That they wou'd be obliged at the same time to keep up Considerable Armies in Champagne and Italy because there was good reason to distrust the Dukes of Savoy and Lorrain That it was the Genius of the French Nation to be equally weary of War and Peace That if the King was once engaged in a War the Governours of the Provinces wou'd more easily declare for the Duke of Orleans That the least ill success as the loss of a Town or a Battel wou'd be enough to cause terrible Convulsions in the State That in case His Majesty happen'd to fall sick his Servants wou'd be lost to all intents and therefore though it was probable that some Advantages were to be got by a Rupture with Spain yet it wou'd be better to live in Peace and be content with assisting their Enemies that so they might not have them upon their hands That the Money which the Hollanders demanded to continue the War against the Spaniards was ready so that now nothing remain'd to doe but onely to take care to execute the Project they had propos'd which was that if the King wou'd send Six thousand Foot and Six hundred Horse before Dunkirk they wou'd send their Army and Fleet to Attack that place as also to take Graveline which they offered to deliver up to France That nevertheless great care was to be taken least these Troops should occasion an open Rupture and for that Reason it wou'd be better to send them by Sea than by Land The Baron de Charnace Ambassadour to the States-General offer'd them the Troops above-mention'd and the Continuation of a Million of Livres for a year The States made some difficulty at first to accept of these offers but not being able to adjust Affairs with the Spaniards they grew weary of so tedious and tiresome a Negotiation They gave certain Articles in Writing to which they demanded to have an Answer in Fifteen days and if this were not done they declared they wou'd hear no mention of a Truce Upon this the Agents of Spain desiring a longer time the States rather chose to receive two thirds of a Million in ready Money which Charnace offer'd them than to wait any longer for the uncertain Resolutions of the Spaniards Thus the Dutch Army took the Field and began the War afresh by the taking of Rimberg which Surrendred on the 4th of June In the mean time the Spaniards discover'd the Conspiracy that had been agitated by some of the Nobility in Flanders who kept a secret Correspondence with the French and by making Examples of some kept the rest in their Duty And now France properly speaking was neither in Peace nor Open War with the House of Austria and the Two Crowns were inclin'd to follow that side which carried the greatest Advantages with it All this while the Spaniards and French crossed one anothers Designs by turns as far as was possible But the Count-Duke who Govern'd Spain being nothing comparable in dexterity to the Cardinal-Duke who was as it were the Soul of all the Counsels of France the Affairs of Spain went every day worse and worse To prevent a Communication between the States of the House of Austria the Duke of Rohan who had Resided at Venice ever since the Peace was concluded with the Huguenots had Orders sent him to repair to the Country of the Grisons in quality of the King's Ambassadour with those People and of Lieutenant-General of the Troops that were design'd to be raised there in order to secure himself of all the Passes of the Valteline The Spaniards immediately complained of this Infraction as well as of several others and made a Proposal to France to enter into a Negotiation to prevent the dangerous consequences which a Misunderstanding might produce The Cardinal openly declar'd to the Spanish Ambassadour That France desired to see a General Peace establish'd upon sure foundations and to preserve that which they had at present with Spain He added That the King was extreamly glad to hear that the Ambassadour had full Power to Treat but the Ambassadour Answer'd That he had no Commission to Propose any thing but upon the Foot of the Treaties of Querasque and Ratisbone The Nuncio's vainly Interpos'd to Accommodate the Differences between the Two Crowns and soon perceiv'd that all these General Discourses of a Peace and a Good Understanding which they pretended on both sides were onely so many Discourses in the Air which were purposely Trumped-up to gain Time till they saw what Resolutions were to be taken The Spaniards pretended that the French in case they design'd to observe the Treatics of Querasque and Ratisbone ought to deliver up Pignerol to abandon Casal and the Passes of the Valteline to draw their Garrisons out of Treves and other places which they held in that Archbishoprick to restore those which they had taken from the Duke of Lorrain and to meddle no more with the Affairs of the Empire To this the French Answer'd That they were ready to recall the Troops they had in Montferrat and in the Country of the Grisons so soon as they were secured that the Governour of Milan wou'd not think any more either of seizing Cazal or the Passes of the Valteline That as for Pignerol they had immediately put the Treaty of Querasque into execution and that if the Duke of Savoy had since sold it to the Crown of France they cou'd not see what exceptions cou'd fairly be made against it since the Spaniards were allow'd to buy Final and Monaco and several other places which depended neither upon the Kingdom of Naples nor the Dutchy of Milan That Pignerol was one of the Dependencies of Dauphine and that since it was now reunited to the Crown the King wou'd never suffer it to be dismembred from it That some of the places in Lorrain likewise were sold to the King and others by way of caution intrusted in his hands for a certain time That the Duke had been an enemy to himself by desâ—gning a mischief to France which cou'd not otherwise preserve her self from him That as for what respected Triers and some other places in that Arch-bishoprick if they had not fallen into His Majesty's hands they must of necessity have fallen into those of the Swedes and that it was much better
both for the Catholick Religion as for several other Reasons that they shou'd be in the hands of France That the Elector had implored his Protection when he saw his States upon the point of being lost and the House of Austria cou'd not hinder it That the King was very much grieved to see Germany in the condition it was in at present but that it was the consequence of the Invasion which the Spaniards design'd to make in Italy and that nevertheless the King had interposed as a Mediator between the Swedes and the House of Austria if he had seen that House in a disposition to have kept the Peace elsewhere and not to make any Attempts against France These were the Reasons which the Ministers of France made use of to justifie the King's Conduct in this conjuncture and in the mean time they forgot nothing which might irritate the Enemies of the House of Austria against her They promised the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces to carry on the War and they sent Money to the Duke of Rohan to distribute among the Grisons who complained they were not paid and to make new I evies in order to secure the Passes They complain'd in France that the Duke of Lorrain made every day new Infractions of the Treaty of Liverdun It was said That he raised Troops and then disbanded them upon the Frontiers that so they might pass into the Imperial or Spanish service nay that he gave them leave to make Levies in his Dominions He had surprized Molseim and ravag'd the Territory about Strasburg Deuxponts and Sarbruck He had obtained Saverne and Dachstein for Payment as 't was pretended of an old Debt of Two hundred thousand Crowns but what offended the Cardinal the most was that it came to be known that ever since the preceding year Monsieur had consummated his Marriage with the Princess Margaret second Sister to the Duke which had been manag'd so secretly that not so much as his Domesticks knew any thing of the matter * The 10th of June The Count de Vaudemont and the Princess of Phaltsburg had made up this Match and it was a long while before it came to be discover'd Although the Duke of Lorrain had wholly left all Correspondences that displeased the King and especially that which he had formerly kept with the D. of Orleans yet he had all along maintain'd it in private and the Cardinal who was resolv'd to bring Monsieur to such a pass that he must intirely depend upon him and who looked upon him as the principal support of the Queen-Mother cou'd not pardon those that assisted him in any manner whatsoever Things were in this condition when the King sent †Aubery 's Life of the Card Lib. 4. Cap. 37. Guron to the Duke of Lorrain to reproach him with his Violations of the Treaty of Liverdun and to demand Satisfaction of him for it The Duke being inform'd of his coming conceal'd himself so well in Nancy where he made his Residence that no body cou'd tell Guron where he was So that this Envoy was obliged to return to Metz without delivering his Message But soon after repenting of this unpolitick Trick he sent Guron word That he might find him such a day at Luxeville however when the Envoy of France came thither he cou'd not bring him to any reasonable Terms This made the King resolve to Treat him like a Rebellious Vassal and to Confiscate his Dutchy of Bar because he had not done Homage to the Crown for it The Attorney-General after he had Assign'd this matter to the Parliament of Paris pursu'd this Confiscation which he obtain'd by a Decree on the 30th of July At this time the Neighbourhood of the Swedes furnished the Duke with a pretence to give out Commissions to raise Eight thousand Foot and Fifteen hundred Horse hoping to be powerfully assisted by an Army of the Duke of Feria who crossing the Country of Luxemburg had now joyn'd the Imperial Troops in Alsatia Soon after the Swedes intirely defeated the Lorrain Troops near d'Haguenau and the Duke affrighted at this Accident and the King's preparations who Marched towards Lorrain at the Head of His Army sent the Cardinal his Brother to meet His Majesty on the way and appease Him This Prince went as far as * The 19th of August Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 66◠Chateau-Thierry where on the very Night of his arrival he waited upon the King and Queen Next day the Cardinal-Duke made him a Visit and gave him abundance of civil words but very small hopes as to the Affairs of the Duke his Brother It was to no purpose that the Cardinal of Lorrain represented to him That this Prince had an intention to keep the Treaty of Liverdun and as little did it signifie to excuse the Infractions they reproached him with The Minister of Lewis the XIII answer'd That they were heartily sorry to find that the Effects did not agree with his Promises and that the King being now upon a Journey was not in a condition to hear any Talk of Business That in a few days His Majesty wou'd arrive at Bar and that the Duke of Lorrain might inform him nearer at hand which of the two ways either that of Gentleness or that of Force he wou'd have employ'd against him that they might be secure of him for the future The Cardinal of Lorrain protested that the Duke was ready to surrender all the Places he held in Alsatia to the King but this was not sufficient and to satisfie them that he wou'd break his Word no more with them it was propos'd That a French Garrison shou'd be left in Nancy the most considerable Place in all his Dominions Nay the Cardinal his Brother offer'd to consent to the dissolution of the Marriage between his Sister and the Duke of Orleans and begg'd pardon for it But the Cardinal-Duke told him That this Reparation did not equal the Injury that had been done to the King and that His Majesty found himself oblig'd to put the Duke of Lorrain out of a condition of being worse than his Word for the future that for this end it was necessary the King shou'd have Nancy by way of Caution which the Duke should forfeit for ever that very moment he attempted any thing against France The Cardinal of Lorrain reply'd That this was all one as to propose to his Brother to lose the remainder of his Dominions because such sort of Pawns are very rarely Deliver'd That it wou'd be too mean-spirited a condescension in a Prince to stoop so low as voluntarily to strip himself of his Territories in the way of Negotiation that it was too severe a Mortification to lose ones Honour and ones Country at the same time and that let the War succeed never so ill it was impossible for him to be a greater Sufferer That Lorrain was the Half-way-House between France and the States of the House of Austria and that the Dukes of Lorrain were
consequently obliged in point of Interest to preserve an Amity both with one and the other That this caution which they proposed wou'd so highly provoke the Emperour upon whom the Dukedom of Lorrain depended that he wou'd confiscate it and put it under the Imperial Ban which might happen at a juncture when the King of France being employ'd elsewhere wou'd not be in a condition to support him These Reasons however specious they were made no Impression upon the Cardinal-Duke who was resolved to ruine the House of Lorrain And so the Cardinal of Lorrain went in all hast the very same day to carry this ill News to his Brother and the King advanced with his Forces as he had given this Prince to understand In the mean time the Cardinal-Duke advised the King not to lose this Opportunity of Conquering Lorrain in case the Duke made the least difficulty to deliver up those places which they demanded The Cardinal arrived with the King at St. Dizier the 23d of August upon the Frontiers of Champagne where the Cardinal of Lorrain sent him word That if he wou'd give him his Niece Combalet in Marriage his Brother and he wou'd consent to leave Nancy in the King's hand because they should be then secure of its Restitution Whether the Cardinal of Richlieu thought that this was onely a pretence or that he had some other reason not to give his Assent to this Proposal he thanked the Cardinal of Lorrain for the great honour he did him and made Answer That he should be sorry to have the World believe that he had made the King go into Lorrain for his particular interest as it wou'd be apt to believe if he accepted the Honour which they did his Neice That the Duke of Lorrain ought before all things to give the King satisfaction and after that His Majesty wou'd see whether this Marriage wou'd be advantageous for His Service and take his Measures accordingly In this juncture the Cardinal-Duke represented to the King That if he did not suddenly surprize the Duke of Lorrain there wou'd be no likelihood of reducing him in a long time That Nancy was a considerable place regularly Fortifi'd and not to be taken by force this Campagne That it wou'd take up seven or eight Months to reduce it by a Blockade and that abundance of things might happen in that interval That a Peace might be made in Germany and a Truce in Flanders and that if it were so the Spaniards wou'd be in a condition to make a powerful diversion That to Block up Nancy it wou'd require Twenty thousand Foot and Three thousand Horse besides that there must be a small Army to attend the King's Person which wou'd demand a prodigious expence That on the other hand to suffer tamely an Affront in State-matters was the ready way to occasion a greater That Money was of no use to His Majesty if he did not employ it for his Necessities that is to say to support his Reputation or to enlarge his Dominions That a Million of Gold was sufficient to bear the extraordinary Expences of this Enterprise That he cou'd never expect a fairer opportunity and that the War which raged in all pâ—râ—s of Germany made it impossible for her to prevent the total ruine of the Duke of Lorrain especially since in all appearance it seemed to be long-lived That the Affairs of the Low-Countries were not any more inclined to a Truce That all great Enterprises have their Difficulties but that this was attended with very few the Duke not being able to make head with his Forces against those of His Majesty and the Allies were so much busied for themselves that they cou'd not come to his Relief That the Duke wou'd be always in the same mind he was then that is devoted to the House of Austria from which no considerations cou'd disengage him and that he onely wanted an opportunity to joyn with it to the detriment of France That if the Duke was not ruin'd the Marriage of the Duke of Orleans wou'd infallibly hold good which wou'd be the occasion of an everlasting War That a Man ought always to be upon his Guard to protect himself not onely from open violence but from the secret practises of others That on the other hand if the Duke was once ruin'd the Marriage of Monsieur wou'd break of course and that Puilaurens had told the Abbot of Elbene That he should not be sorry to see him reduced to such a pass That Puilaurens was too much an humble Servant to his Interest and Monsieur had too little Resolution to stick to a Woman by whom he should gain no advantage and who besides wou'd be a charge to him That by this means Monsieur wou'd be brought to a necessity to find out a way to get himself reconciled to the King by offering to take another Wife whereas so long as the Duke of Lorrain subsisted Monsieur wou'd never think of an Accommodation That Nancy was the best Rampart which France cou'd oppose on that side to the Attempts of the House of Austria and that she wou'd be deliver'd from all that she had reason to apprehend from the Implacable hatred of the Duke of Lorrain by taking this place The King relishing the Cardinal's Reasons for the Conquest of Lorrain advanced as far as Bar where he left the Queen and the other Ladies of the Court. From thence he Marched to Pont-a-Mousson where he arrived on the 28th of August In this Interval the Lorrain Regiment of Florenville which wou'd have thrown it self into to Nancy was defeated by the Marquiss de S. Chamond whom the King sent before with part of the Army to Block up that place The Cardinal of Lorrain also came to Pont-a-Mousson where he offer'd the King to put into his hands for Security Saverne Dachstein and la Mothe with the Person of the Princess Margaret The King accepted the latter but instead of the Places that were offer'd him he still demanded Nancy which was infinitely of greater importance At last the Cardinal of Lorrain told Richlieu That the Duke of Lorrain was so unfortunate that he cou'd not engage His Majesty to repose any confidence in him he was resolv'd to Resign his Dominions to him the Cardinal of Lorrain in case the King approved of it Richlieu Answer'd That he did not believe the King wou'd oppose this Resignation if the Duke was fully resolved to put it in Execution and that he for his part had reason to wish it might be so his past-conduct giving them hopes that he wou'd be better affected towards France but the Mischief on 't was that this remedy was uneffectual because as the Duke was of a wavering and fickle temper he might take a Fancy to reasume his Dominions which wou'd be an easie matter for him to effect by recovering Nancy at a juncture when the King happened to be employ'd elsewhere The Cardinal of Lorrain found by this that it was not possible to save
Nancy It was some time ago since he had demanded a Passport of the King to come and go and fetch his Domesticks and Equipage out of the City The King had granted it him and the Duke his Brother and he having consider'd that the Princess Margaret being the principal occasion of the War might be in danger if Nancy was taken while he was there they resolved to contrive her escape out of the City and afterwards out of Lerrain to send her into Flanders to her Husband The Cardinal of Lorrain got her disguis'd in Man's Apparel and carried her in his Coach out of the Town At last an old Gentleman and two Soldiers drest up like Lacqueys conducted her through several Quarters of the Royal Army without meeting any stop by the way and after they had Travell'd a Dozen Leagues in the Night they arriv'd by break of day at Thionville a place belonging to the King of Spain From thence she Writ to the Infanta to the Queen-Mother and to Monsieur to demand a Guard and an Equipage she had occasion for to come to Brussels The Duke of Orleans received this News with wonderful joy and the Queen-Mother was no less pleas'd although she lived in no very good understanding with him because she imagin'd that having a Daughter-in-Law wholly opposite to the Cardinal's Party she should at last Triumph over all his Artifices They sent to this Princess all she demanded and Monsieur went to meet her as far as Namur The King being at S. Nicholas where he arrived tho 24th of that Month received Advice That the Princess Margaret had made her escape into Flanders in the manner as I have already related it This News exceedingly displeased him as well as the Cardinal whether for the consequences which might attend the flight of this Princess or because it vexed them to be Tricked by the Cardinal of Lorrain in whose Integrity they had reposed a Confidence 'T is true S. Chamond had been ordered to examine all the Cardinal's Coaches but that wherein the Princess was passed by one Morning before he was up and was not at all Examin'd The King being angry at this Trick that was play'd him sent Word to the Cardinal of Lorrain That since the Negotiation was broke he design'd that the Passports he had given him shou'd be Revoked and that if he tarried in the City he must expect to be made a Prisoner of War However the King gave him leave to come to Neufville where the Cardinal of Lorrain confessed to him That he had contributed to his Sister's Escape but then he assured him That she was still in the Dominions of the Duke his Brother and that he might dispose of her Person Next day they learnt the quite contrary News and Nancy being Invested on all sides they began to Work on the Lines of Circumvallation and Contravallation because they were afraid the Siege wou'd last a long while and that the Duke of Feria and Aldringuen wou'd come to releve the place But the Duke of Lorrain who was of a light and changeable disposition had not provided for the Defence of this City though the preservation or loss of his Dominions absolutely depended upon it Thus after some Proposals to no purpose the Cardinal his Brother was obliged to Sign a Treaty on the 6th of September by which he promis'd to deliver Nancy within three days into the King's hands to keep such a Garrison there as he shou'd think fitting till such time as his own good Behaviour or the Peace of Germany should convince His Majesty that he had nothing to apprehend on that side He consented besides That the Marriage age of the Princess Margaret should be declared null in all the Forms and that within Fifteen days she should be put into His Majesty's hands who had agreed that she shou'd tarry at Nancy that he might inform himself upon the place of all the Circumstances of her Marriage The Cardinal of Lorrain desir'd permission of the King to goe and find out the Duke his Brother that he might Ratifie this Treaty In the mean time the King took Charmes and the Duke retired to Remiremont from which place he sent his Brother back again to the King to endeavour to gain as much time as he cou'd But the Succours he expected not coming he had a mind to go and Treat in Person with the King an Indiscretion scarce to be parallel'd in History To this end having demanded a Passport which was immediately granted him he arrived at Charmes on the 18th of September with 800 Horse There he Negotiated for the space of Three days with the Cardinals of Richlieu and Bich who manag'd him so dexterously that on the Third he Ratifi'd the Treaty in the form they desired It was agreed that Nancy should continue in the King's hands for Four years however with this proviso That if the Duke deliver'd up the Princess Margaret to the King in Three Months and consented that her Marriage was Null from that very moment and besides if he observed the rest of the Treaty which confirmed that of Vic the King should then surrender Nancy without farther delay after he had demolish'd the Fortifications of the place if he should so think fit The Duke promis'd that he wou'd do all that lay in his power to get his Sister out of Monsieur's hands and deliver her to the King In the mean time this short-sighted * Poâ—tis Mem. T. 2. p. 38. Prince imagin'd That after he had paid the Cardinal thus with fine words he might retire without putting Nancy actually into the hands of the King He had forbidden the Marquiss de Mauy who Commanded in that place for him to open the Gates whatever Letters he might Write to him unless he saw a certain Mark which they had agreed upon Thus although he Writ to have the Gates open'd to the King's People yet since the Mark was not in the Letter the Governour refus'd to obey The Cardinal who was more cunning than he had at first some Suspicion of him that he design'd to withdraw and under a pretence of Treating him like a Great Prince the King set his own Guards upon the House where he Lodg'd The Duke was sensible of it and they made no difficulty to tell him the Reason of it so that having no hopes to escape he Writ to Nancy and sent the Mark in the Letter The King's Garrison enter'd the Town on the 24th of September seized all the considerable Posts built a sort of a Fort upon the Bastions of the old City and disarm'd the Inhabitants who were too well-affected to the Duke It was of the highest importance for the King to have Nancy in his hands as to the Affairs of Germany and the Duke of Lorrain was forced by this Surrendry to comply for the future with whatever France Proposed While the Cardinal-Duke stay'd at Charmes he was desirous to see whether the offer which the Cardinal of Lorrain had
made him about Marrying his Neice was sincere For this end he show'd extraordinary Civilities to Chamvallon who had appear'd very zealous to have the Match concluded that so he might engage him to reassume this Negotiation As the Prince of Lorrain when he threw up his Cardinal's-Cap wou'd be likewise oblig'd to resign all the Ecclesiastical Benefices he possess'd so it was convenient on the other side that he should have an Estate sufficient to support his Dignity The Cardinal-Duke promis'd to give his Neice a vast Portion and to make her his Heir of the greatest part of his Wealth and therefore he expected that the Duke of Lorrain shou'd settle upon his Brother Land to the value of a Hundred thousand Crowns a year that so he might be enabled to bear the Title of Duke which together with the above-mention'd Revenue shou'd descend to the Issue of the Cardinal of Lorrain even though the Duke shou'd happen to have Children If the Duke wou'd consent to this the Cardinal of Richlieu oblig'd himself to employ all his Interest with the King to get the Dutchy of Bar surrendred to him for which he shou'd do homage not in the Name of his Wife as it had been pretended but as Rightful Heir however with this proviso that he shou'd immediately after surrender up this Dutchy to his Brother that he shou'd assign him the Hundred thousand Crowns upon its Dependancies and that in case it was not enough to make up that Sum he shou'd annex some Neighbouring-Lands as on the other hand if it was more than enough the over-plus shou'd belong to him The Cardinal wou'd not speak to the King about this Affair himself but he got it to be proposed by the other Ministers of State and its probable it had succeeded if the Duke of Lorrain cou'd have been prevail'd upon to cut off so considerable a part of his Dominions as that was which they demanded of him But so soon as the King had made himself Master of Nancy and re-taken the way to Paris this Negotiation was interrupted It seems that ever since the Spring * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 679 c. the Cardinal had some thoughts of sending the Queen-Mother into Italy and that the Duke of Florence had exprest himself that he was ready to invite her to come and live with him if the King thought it convenient But the Cardinal observing that the War was begun afresh in the Low-Countries with as much fury as ever changed his Mind because from that moment he ceased to fear the Spaniards and believ'd that this Princess wou'd onely perplex their Affairs by tarrying in their Country She continued Indisposed all the Summer and the King sent frequently to visit her as well to discover their designs as to pay that respect to her in appearance which he cou'd not in honour omit This gave occasion to the Queen-Mother to Write to the King and speak of a Reconciliation but as she was so far from adjusting matters with the Cardinal that she hardly ever mention'd him without Injurious Language there were small hopes that she should see her Son again Puilaurens also made some Proposals of an Accommodation to obtain the Return of Monsieur He procured the Abbot of Elbene to demand †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 633 of the Cardinal the meanest of his Relations and promised to do all that lay in his Power to engage Monsieur to return to his Duty But the Marriage of this Prince with the Princess Margaret put a stop to these Negotiations and the King solemnly declared this Alliance to be null as having been contracted without his consent The King at his return from Lorrain made some * In the Mâ—nth of October stay at Metz and during this time the new Parliament of that City condemned one Alfeston to be broke on the Wheel alive He had confess'd it seems that he had a Design to kill Cardinal Richlieu if he passed through such a place It was not long since he came from Brussels with two more in his Company who had belonged to the Queen-Mother's Guards nay the Horse he rode upon came out of her Stables 'T is said That as he was going to the place of Punishment he accused Father Chanteloube and the Parliament summon'd him with some more At the same time under pretence of Respect to the Queen-Mother but in effect to defame her they sent her the Horse back again and desired her in His Majesties Name not to suffer any such wicked designs to be laid in her House for the future because that besides the Person of the Cardinal was insinitely dear to him such profligate wretches as this was were capable of making several attempts of the like nature This was an effectual course to improve that Animosity which was already too great because Father Chanteloube was the Principal Confident of the Queen-Mother However to secure the Cardinal's * Aubery 's Life of the Cardinal lib. 4. c. 47. Life from any such Attempts the King gave him besides the Guards he had already assign'd him a Company of an Hundred Musqueteers whom he chose out of a great number of Persons that came to offer him their Service It was belâ—ev'd that the Cardinal did not in the least desire the Queen-Mother's return to Court since after what had pass'd between them he cou'd not expect to sâ—and over-secure if that Princess came there again On the other hand Father Chanteloube who had a mind to make his advantage of that Favour she showed him advised her to stay in Flanders or at least somewhere out of France till they offer'd her honourable conditions such as they had done some years before by the Treaty of Angouleme It was no difficult matter for him to perswade the Queen who passionately desir'd it that the King wou'd at last be constrain'd to come to her Terms The Cardinal on the contrary who was inform'd of every thing that pass'd counsell'd the King to stick inflexibly to his Resolutions since His own Authority was so nearly concern'd which wou'd sensibly diminish if he once permitted the Queen His Mother to Capitulate with Him or gave her leave to return on any other conditions than as she entirely rely'd upon his Generosity But as it was Scandalous to keep this Princess so long out of the Kingdom and the King sometimes selt a Remorse upon that score the Cardinal told him That he ought not onely to remember that he was a Son but also that he was a King and that he lay under greater obligations to procure the repose and tranquility of his Kingdom than to satisfie the Passions of the Queen His Mother By this Maxim which took it for granted that the Wellfare of the State was incompatible with satisfying the demands of Maria de Medicis he hindred the King from suffering himself to be touched by those Sentiments which Nature implants in all Children towards their Parents Father †Siri
Ibid. p. 698. Joseph discoursing one day with Gondi told him much about this time That if the Queen-Mother wou'd return the must give Security to the King before-hand that she wou'd not attempt any thing in the Kingdom against His Majesty's Service which necessarily demanded that the Cardinal shou'd continue in the Ministry When once this Security was given Father Joseph did not question but the King wou'd pay her all manner of Respect and that he wou'd show her the same Acknowledgments as he had ever done when he was most in her favour Father Joseph made this security to consist in the Queen 's wholly abandoning her Servants but especially Father Chanteloube to the King's Justice after which she was to leave her self to his discretion He fansied that His Majesty so soon as he saw her discard those People who had all along suggested ill Counsel to her wou'd treat her with all the Kindness that she cou'd desire from a Respectful Son Now it was so Infamous for a Princess as the Queen-Mother was to Sacrifice her most Ancient Servants after this blind manner to the Cardinal's Revenge and of so dangerous an example to all those that might hereafter attempt to serve her that 't was believ'd she wou'd never be induc'd to consent to it and that they propos'd it to her with no other prospect but to make her despair of a Reconciliation Towards the beginning of * The 3 Siri Ibid. p. 699. November she sent Villiers S. Genet to the King in appearance to Congratulate him upon His happy return from Lorrain but in effect to see if there was any way left to induce His Majesty to consent to Her return upon tolerable conditions because she was weary of that disrespectful Treatment which she received from Monsieur and Puilaurens The Gentleman whom she sent upon this Message had Audience of the King †The 6th of Novemb. immediately and told him He was ordered by the Queen to complain to His Majesty of Monsieur 's disrespectful behaviour to Her since he daily put some affront or other upon Her That she was certainly perswaded that he did not do this of his own proper Inclination but onely by the Advice of Puilaurens That she beseeched the King to take care of His health not onely for the Love of the Queen but likewise for the Love of Her since she wou'd rather choose to die than fall under the Tyranny of Puilaurens That she desired His Majesty to believe that she had no share in the Enterprizes of Monsieur and that his last Expedition into Languedoc was without Her knowledge The King Answer'd That he was extreamly sorry at the Ill Treatment the Queen His Mother received from the Duke of Orleans but that she had never fallen into these Inconveniences if she had followed his good Advice and that of her most faithful Servants That he formerly believed that she had a Kindness for him but that since she had discover'd so much Ill-will towards him he cou'd hardly perswade himself that she had really that Affection for him as she pretended That he knew well enough how far she was concern'd in the Affair of Languedoc since she had Pawn'd her Jewels to furnish the Rebels with Arms That it afflicted him to see there was no Security for Him in France if his Mother returned thither since those disaffected Persons that were about her began to Cabal more than ever At last he enquired of Villiers If he had any Orders to see the Cardinal Villiers answer'd No but said That if he met him he wou'd not fail to pay his Respects to him although the Queen was still incens'd against him The King reply'd That if it was true that this Princess loved her Eldest Son as she said she did she wou'd likewise love the Cardinal for the signal Services he had done the Crown since the Reduction of Rochelle but that so long as she kept such People as Chanteloube and Madam du Fargis about her it was to no purpose to expect any Reconciliation Upon this Villiers said That the Queen knew du Targis for what she was valuable and the King answer'd That she was one of those Vipers of Lyons who together with the Duke of Bellegarde Marillac the Keeper of the Seals and such like blessed Instruments had seduced the Queen-Mother into all these Inconveniences It was discover'd by Villiers's Discourse that the Q. Mother was really provok'd against Puilaurens from which 't was thought this advantage might be drawn as to oblige him to return to his duty and to make more modest demands for his Master and at the same time it was no less plain that she was enraged against the Cardinal * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 699. However she sent to acquaint the King in Answer to some Proposals she had receiv'd from France That to let him see how well she loved him and to facilitate an access for those persons whom she wou'd send to him she was willing to forget all the ill Offices the Cardinal had done her nay even to have an Affection for him in consideration of His Majesty That nevertheless she wou'd not be forced to part with the meanest Servant she had and much less with Father Chanteloube who had faithfully served her in things of the greatest Importance but that he wou'd quit her Service of his own accord as soon as ever the King commanded him to do so That if she might be so happy as to procure an Accommodation she wou'd manage it by her self without appearing in the Affairs of Monsieur and that Puilaurens had told her That she might do so if she pleas'd The King before he dismiss'd Villiers told him That he was heartily sorry at the Vexations which the Queen his Mother had met in Flanders but that if she impartially examin'd her self she wou'd soon find that she alone was the occasion of them That if she wou'd deliver her Evil Counsellors up to him in order to their Punishment as they deserv'd and love the true Servants of the Crown as she was in duty oblig'd then there wou'd be no room to suspect that she continued longer in the evil disposition that possessed her when she left France That Chanteloube had Written That she wou'd never be reconcil'd and in one of his Letters which had been sent to the King had made Merry with the Visit which he meaning Villiers had made him and that while the Queen encourag'd such a notorious Hypocrite as he was it cou'd not be imagin'd that her intentions were sincere All the King's Discourses as also those of the Cardinal's Creatures tended to the same purpose which was That the Queen-Mother shou'd abandon all her Domesticks to the Indignation of the Minister and receive others of his Nomination before any thing was concluded But they did not believe that this Princess who was full as haughty and obstinate as the Cardinal wou'd ever make such low condescensions If the King
but a very short space was allowed them and the King came thither in Person on the 18th of January with the Cardinal to get a Declaration confirmed by which he restored the Duke of Orleans to his Estate and Honour provided that in Three Months he acknowledged his Fault and came to Reside in France He extended the same Favours to all his Domesticks except Coigneux Monsigot Vieville and some others The King also declar'd that he could not approve of the Marriage of Mensieur for the Reasons specified in His Declaration and ordered the Parliament to Judge of the Informations which had been taken against the Duke of Lorrain to Justifie that he had caused Monsiuer to be stollen and consequently to show that his Marriage was null The Cardinal likewise made a long Harangue in the Parliament full of Rhetorical strains which was afterwards * In the Jourral of Richlieu Part II. p. 148. Printed In it he praised the King and exaggerated the Victories which he had obtained in his Ministry rather in the Style of a Declaimer than that of a Minister of State He described in a very Hyperbolical manner His Majesty's kindness to the Queen-Mother and to Monsieur and particularly the Favours he designed to show that Prince He promised great ease to the People if these Perplexities which they gave the King were once over and added that for the present besides a Reduction of the Duties and a Revocation of a Hundred thousand Officers of new Creation the exemption of whom was a Vexation to those that bore the Burden of the Taxes he Remitted one Fourth of the Impost †Siri Mem. 〈◊〉 T. 7. P. â—â—0 But this Fourth was of New Imposition and it had been Raised for the Enterprize of Lorrain besides Nine Millions of Livres extraordinary The People did not rejoyce much at this small Satisfaction because they expected the quite contrary The Parliament was not a little perplexed about Monsieur's Marriage by reason of the ill Consequences which the Judgment they gave might draw after it since it concern'd the Heirs of a Prince who might one day sit upon the Throne The Duke of Lorrain was generally blamed for giving his Consent to this Match which as it displeased the Court so it had plunged him in very mortifying Circumstances Otherwise this Marriage was neither too unequal nor was it disadvantageous to the State and indeed nothing could be found fault in it but that it was done without the King's Approbation who might at last approve of it after he had testified his Dislike of it as in the Upshot he was obliged to do To revenge himself for this Affront he demanded Zore of the Duke of Lorrain which is a Place between Metz and Thionville to Fortifie it The Duke immediately granted it because he durst not do otherwise However the King promised to surrender it to him not by Letters Patent but by a private Letter of the Privy Seal to denote the King's Superiority He likewise demanded of the Duke the original Contract of the Marriage of the Duke of Orleans and all the Papers he had in his hands relating to that Affair He desired to know who were the Witnesses that had assisted at the Ceremony of the Espousals and to have the Priest who had officiated deliver'd up to him On the other hand to make the Duke sensible that in case he would submit himself he might expect a gentler Treatment Orders were sent to the Parliament of Metz to deferr the Prohibition which they had been commanded to issue out to the Inhabitants of the Lands depending upon the Bishopricks of Metz Thoul and Verdun not to own the Duke of Lorrain any longer for their Prince and they suffer'd him to gather his Revenues in the Dukedom of Bar without pressing him to come and do Homage for it * Siri Ibid. p. 742. Altho' this Prince was in a manner divested of his Territories yet he was so deeply provoked against France which had opprest him that he searched all Opportunities to retaliate the Injuries he received And therefore that he might be able to declare openly against her without Danger of being deprived of the Remainder of his Dominions he made on the 19th of January a Donation of his Seats to his Brother Nicholas Francis Cardinal of Lorrain under a pretence that the Person of this latter was more agreeable to the King than his own However the World was sensible that this Donation was only a Pretence because he performed several Acts of a Sovereign Prince after he had made it When this was over he retired with eight hundred Horse and two thousand Foot and joyn'd the Imperial Army The new Duke dispatched Contrisson immediately to the Court of France to acquaint the King and Cardinal with what had passed between his Brother and him and to promise that he wou'd observe the Treaty of Charmes As for his Brother he assur'd them that he did not know whither he was gone but this did not hinder the Parliament from carrying on the Process they had begun against him The Cardinal of Richlieu told Contrisson when he shew'd him the Surrendry which the Duke had made in favour of him That they had just Occasion to complain of the Duke for two Reasons the first was his Violation of the three several Treaties which he himself had concluded with the Duke and the other was the Rape of the Duke of Orleans whom he had forced to marry his Sister For the first the Duke's Dominions in the Opinion of this Minister were engaged to France and could not be restored to the Cardinal of Lorrain but upon the same Conditions by which his Brother held them And as for the second the Duke was not excused from the Guilt of it by absenting himself Besides this the Cardinal of Lorrain was his Accomplice in the Matter for he as Bishop of Thoul had granted a Dispensation not publishing the Banns as otherwise they ought to have done for the Marriage of Monsieur and the Princess Margaret and had authorized a Monk to say Mass upon this Occasion to the prejudice of the Curate that this Affair might be kept the more secret The Cardinal Duke reproached him of Lorrain with having abused the King's Passport to further his Sister's Escape out of Nancy and to send her to Brussels Thus the Princes of Lorrain found themselves engaged in very great Perplexities and were at a Loss how to appease France or how to defend themselves against her Nothing in all appearance but the Match proposed to the Cardinal's Neice could accommodate these Differences but several great Difficulties arose in that Affair as I have already observed On the other hand it was to be feared that if the Cardinal-Duke suspected that they had asked his Neice in Marriage only to amuse him he would revenge the Affront in a cruel manner Contrisson was sent back to the Cardinal of Lorrain with Orders to tell him that it was in his
power to follow his Brother's Steps or not but that if he desired to live in peace he must take different measures He was demanded to explain himself upon this Head and that he would discover by his manner of acting what were his true Sentiments But above all it was desired of him that he wou'd disapprove the Marriage of his Sister and deliver the Original Papers of the Contract and the Dispensation for the Banns They gave Contrisson in Writing all that they required of his Master and told him that they expected an Answer to each Article in Writing also As the King neither liked nor disliked the Duke of Lorrain's Surrendry of his Dominions to his Brother the latter took upon him the Title of Duke and put himself in possession of the State belonging to his Family with the usual Solemnities that so he might convince the World there was no Collusion in this Matter between his Brother and him He had not as yet resign'd his Cardinal's Cap and therefore stiled himself the Cardinal-Duke of Lorrain Soon after he sent back Contrisson to the Court of France with an Answer to every Article in particular as also to demand Saverne which the Mareschal de la Force without alledging any Reason for so doing had taken from the Duke his Brother when there was no War between his Majesty and him and to complain that the King's Officers who commanded in those Places which his Majesty held in Trust hinder'd the Duke's Commissaries from levying upon the Inhabitants of those Cities the ordinary Taxes and to demand farther time in regard of the Homage he was to do for the Dutchy of Bar. Contrisson being arrived †The 14th of February at Paris acquitted himself the next Day of his Orders and went to carry his Letters of Credence to the Cardinal When he saw in the Subscription of the Letter Cardinal-Duke of Lorrain he said that this was a pleasant sort of a Quality by way of Contempt as if the Title of Cardinal-Duke had only belonged to Armand John du Plessis exclusively of all others After this he fell into an extraordinary Passion against the House of Lorrain and spoke of it in very despicable Terms as he was used to speak of all those that used the same Artifices against him which he employ'd against others Contrisson was so daunted that he scarce knew what to answer but at last he told him that after they had examined the Houses of all the Notaries of Nancy as the Count de Brassac Governour in that City for the King knew they could not find any Minutes of the Contract of Monsieur's Marriage and that in all probability there never were any having perhaps been written by the hand of the Duke of Orleans himself neither could they find the Dispensation for the Banns but that the Cardinal Duke of Lorrain offer'd to sign one in the same manner as the other had been That they cou'd not tell the Names of the Witnesses to the Marriage and that the Monk who had perform'd the Ceremony of the Espousals had left Lorrain To this the Cardinal of Richlieu replied in a great passion That now it plainly appeared that the Cardinal of Lorrain for he never vouchsafed to call him Duke would follow the Footsteps of his Brother That these Answers full of Dissimulation and very different from what he had promis'd by word of mouth did sufficiently discover his Design as they formerly found by what Spirit he acted when after he had denyed that he knew any thing of his Sister's Marriage it was now discovered that he had granted a Dispensation for the Banns That till then they had believed the Cardinal of Lorrain was a Prince of Honour and Sincerity whereas they found him at present to be the quite contrary That if he refused to send the Contract it was a Matter of no great Importance since they cou'd easily discover after what manner it was done That if they stisled the Original Papers it would be so much the easier to get the Marriage annull'd That they very well knew who were the Witnesses and that as for them and the Monk who had disappeared the King would let them see to their Cost that he had long Hands At last he concluded That whereas he had been formerly a Friend to the Cardinal of Lorrain he wou'd be his greatest Enemy if he continued to follow the Maxims of his Brother As for what concerned the Taking of Saverne the King according to the Cardinal was not obliged to make any Excuses for what had been done upon very just Grounds And he added That if the Cardinal of Lorrain had defended it they wou'd have taken it away from him by force That they wou'd consider what was to be done to the Governours of those Places which his Majesty held in trust who had hinder'd the Duke of Lorrain from raising his Duties That instead of allowing farther time for him to do Homage for the Dutchy of Bar he must expect every moment to see it declared lapsed to the King by the Duke's Felony and incorporated to the Crown and that the Principal might well follow the Accessary His meaning was that they might justly enough seize upon all Lorrain by vertue of a Decree of Parliament which wou'd be inflicted upon the Duke by way of Punishment for his stealing away Monsieur and for the Charges of War After this manner it was that the Cardinal-Duke pretended to oblige those that were weaker than himself to submit to his imperious Will under a Pretence of doing Justice to the King's Reputation All his Ministry was supported by the same Arrogance because he had to do with Persons of very ordinary Discretion and having full Power to oppose them with the Forces of the Kingdom and all the King's Authority he crushed and overwhelm'd them before they were in a condition to ward his Blows While the Discourse at Paris ran upon the Duke of Lorrain and every one imagined that he wou'd at last marry Madam de Combalet to appease her Unkle he * At Luneville the 16th of Fâ—b Siri Mem. Rec. T. 7. p. 750. married Claude de Lorrain his Cousin and Sister to his Brother's Wife in the Presence of the Dutchess some Ladies and a Gentleman The Reason why he took this Resolution and put it so speedily in Execution was because he feared that the Mareschal de la Force who was at the Head of the King's Army not far from thence came with a Design to take these two Princesses and to send them into France which might furnish that Court with a plausible Occasion to justifie the Rights which they pretended to have upon Lorrain to the prejudice of the Princes of that House In Effect the Mareschal de la Force having received Advice of this Marriage caused Luneville to be * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 7. p. 740. invested and conducted the new-married Couple with the Dutchess of Lorrain and the Princess of Phaltsburg
to Nancy where they were kept in Confinement although they were otherwise treated with a great deal of Respect He likewise placed a French Garrison in the Town after he had turned out the Lorrain Soldiers that the Prince had left there for the Security of the Place This New Married Prince whom we shall hereafter call Duke Nicholas Francis sent a Gentleman to the Court of France to acquaint the King with his Marriage and to desire him to order Luneville to be restored and himself and the Princess to be set at liberty since he was ready to observe all the Treaties that had been made with His Majesty As for what related to his Marriage they told his Envoy That the King did not concern himself about it but they denied he was a Prisoner since he had liberty to walk all over the City of Nancy But so far were they from delivering up any thing which they had taken that under pretence that the Cardinal was of the same Humour with his Brother they said The King was obliged for his Security to seize upon the remainder of Lorrain In the mean time Duke Charles offer'd to deliver up la Mothe and Biche two strong Places which he still kept in his possession into the King's hands if he would set his Brother and the Princesses at Liberty But the Court of France thought it better to take them by main Force and not to part with the Prince and Princesses whose Rights they designed to make use of So the Mareschal de la Force was ordered to Block up la Mothe till such time as he could formally Besiege it The Princess of Phaltsburg was kept more closely confin'd at Nancy than any of the rest because she was of a Spirit much more difficult to manage and had been the principal cause of her Sister's Marriage But as she was the Person who found out means for that Princess to make her escape she contrived a way to escape her self notwithstanding the Guards by hiding her self in the Seat of a Coach that was to carry one of her Gentlemen who was Sick and Maimed in one of his Legs out of the City by vertue of a Passport he had procured The Coach was examined at the City Gate but they saw nothing but a Gentleman lying upon a Quilt which they did not search Within nine Miles of Nancy she and her Cripple got on Horseback and took the way to Besanson It was known she had made her Escape two Hours after she was gone and a world of People were sent to retake her but they did not know what Road she took The Cardinal was exceedingly vexed at this new Trick which the Princess had play'd him and was afraid that she wou'd go directly to Monsieur to conclude her Marriage with Puilaurens which had been talked of some Years before Duke Charles who was in Alsatia in the Imperial Army design'd in the mean time to surprize the French Camp before La Mothe and having obtain'd some Troops of the Imperial Generals he joyn'd them with his own and marched on that side But the Rhingrave Otho who commanded the Swedish Army * The 12th of March. prevented him and cut his Men in pieces so that he was hardly able to make his Escape with a few Men into the Franche Comte there to pick up the Remainders of his Army Cardinal Richlicu who was highly provoked because Duke Nicholas Francis did not marry his Neice though upon disadvantageous Conditions prepared to carry on his Tryal since he was now no longer a Cardinal upon the pretended Rape of Monsieur The Parliament of Paris appointed a day for him and his Brother to answer to the Charge laid against them as well as the Princess Margaret and order'd the Priest that had married them to be apprehended These Formalities made it evidently appear that in case these Princes did not appear they wou'd be condemn'd for Obstinacy and afterwards deprived of their Dominions But neither did Duke Nicholas Francis nor the Dutchess his Wife think themselves obliged to expect the end of this Tryal in Lorrain so having found an opportunity to escape out of Nancy in a Disguise they retired to Besancon and from thence to Florence only the Dutchess Nicole the Wife of Charles still tarried in Nancy in the Hands of the French Some People were of Opinion that this new-married Couple were purposely suffer'd to escape because their Marriage having been approved of by the Pope no Exceptions could be made against it But the Court talked of re-uniting all Lorrain to the Crown under a Pretence that it was formerly a Feif of the Counts of Champagne and that this County having long ago fallen into the Hands of the Kings of France all that depended upon it ought to belong to them While this passed in Lorrain the Cardinal made great Promises to Monsieur and Puilaurens to draw them into France for fear least Gaston should reconcile himself to the Queen-Mother It was generally expected that they wou'd now shortly return since almost every thing they asked was granted them except a place of Security The Queen-Mother who still fell out more and more with the D. of Orleans and found there was no probability of adjusting Differences with him so long as Puilaurens continued near his Person was at the same time inclined to make her Peace with the King whatever it cost her and she was so much the more disposed to use this Conduct because she perceived that the Marquiss d' Aytone Governour of the Low-Countries shew'd a greater Respect to Gaston than her self She caused F. Chanteloube to write to Bouthillier that she was resolved to come and throw her self upon his Majesty's Generosity and to be reconciled to the Cardinal of Richlieu if the King commanded her to do it Bouthillier carried this Letter to the King seal'd as it was and at the same time caused the Main that brought it and came without a Passport to be secured at his own House The King open'd it in the Cardinal's Presence where besides what is related above he found that the Queen demanded a Passport to send one la Roche who might come and go as Business required F. Chanteloube said that the Queen demanded nothing more for him but that he might peaceably end his Days in some Convent of his Order Upon this the King assembled a Council who as they were surprised to see the Queen-Mother pass from one Extremity to another so they imagin'd that there was some Artifice in this unaccountable Conduct What help'd to confirm them in this Belief was that this la Roche had been the Accomplice of Alfeston and that another Man who had been lately sent to the Bastile accused F. Chanteloube afresh So they answered the Bearer of this Letter by word of mouth That so soon as the Queen removed F. Chanteloube and writ with her own hand they wou'd give more Credit to it than to such blind Instructions as these were which they
wou'd see the Effects of the sincere Inclinations of one of her Creatures who in this Juncture cou'd not dissent from the King's Intentions without offending him sensibly Before de Laleu return'd to Brussels he received fresh Letters for the King and Cardinal in which the Queen-Mother confirm'd the same things in terms still more humble and condescending particularly in regard to the Cardinal She likewise demanded a Passport for Father Suffren her Confessor whom she desired to send to Court But Answer was made that they wou'd hearken to no one unless he brought them word from the Queen that she was ready to deliver into his Majesty's hands the three Persons he demanded of her De Laleu return'd to the Low-Countries with this sad Message which made the Queen lose all hopes of ever seeing the King her Son again While these Negotiations were managed by the Queen-Mother Monsieur consulted the University of Louvain about his Marriage which they judged to be valid and he got it to be solemnly confirmed by the Archbishop of Malines in the presence of seven Witnesses The Queen-Mother was desired to be present at this Ceremony but refused it whether she had resolved to concern her self no more with the Affairs of Monsieur as she had told him or was not willing to disoblige the King at a time when she endeavour'd to appease him However when she received the abovementioned News she was so far from complying with those dishonourable Submissions they expected from her that she bestowed upon the Abbot of St. Germain the Place of her chief Almoner which happen'd then to be vacant At the same time the Court employ'd the Mareschal de Crequi at Rome to engage the Pope to declare the Marriage of Monsieur null by representing to him all the Reasons they could think of But as these Reasons only served to cover their Desire to hinder Monsieur from Marrying the Pope who was not prejudiced that way formed great Difficulties upon all the Proposals they made him The surest Expedient was to get the Duke of Orleans into France because there they cou'd make him do whatever they had a mind to for which reason they laboured in private to effect it although this Prince pretended to be as far from entring into any Reconciliation as ever he had been At this time * See Aubety's Life of the Card. Lib. 4. Cap. 49. Puilaurens was extreamly out with the Duke of Elbeuf and the latter complained of him because in the Treaty which was secretly making with the Cardinal he had demanded nothing in favour of him save only that he should not be excluded out of the Amnesty While these Quarrels were on foot †The 3d of May Aub. Ibid. Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. 8. p. 73. it happen'd that some unknown Bravo's attempted to murder Puilaurens and discharged a Carabine loaden with several Bullets at him as he was going up the Stairs at the Palace of Brussels He was only wounded slightly in the Cheek and the Assassines made their Escape so speedily that no News cou'd be heard of them whatever search was made Monsieur made a mighty Noise about this barbarous Attempt and laid it to the charge of the Duke of Elbeuf or some of the Queen-Mother's Servants which served to compleat the Breach between them and afterwards occasion'd several Differences the Particulars of which 't is needless to relate here Whoever it was that design'd to kill him 't is certain it did a great Injury to the Queen-Mother who was now suspected of designing to assassinate the Favourites of her two Sons that so she might manage them as she saw convenient However others were of opinion that the Spaniards being informed that Puilaurens was negotiating the Return of Monsieur were resolved to break off this Negotiation by causing him that was the chief Promoter of it to be taken off But as this Blow happened to miscarry it only retarded Monsieur's Return for a short time and made Puilaurens desire it more than ever who did not think himself any longer safe at Brussels But as it was highly necessary to conceal this Design from the Spaniards for fear they might stop Monsieur and his Servants besides that the Treaty with the Cardinal was not yet concluded this Prince enter'd into a new Treaty with the Spaniards * The 12th of May Aub. Mem. T. 1. p. 425. a few days after the Assassination that so they might not suspect he designed to accommodate himself with the King his Brother The principal Articles of this Treaty are as follow by which it will appear that Gaston who signed them did not trouble himself much to keep his Word That he engaged himself to enter into no sort of Agreement with the King his Brother whatever Advantages were offer'd him and whatever Alterations might happen in France upon the Cardinal's ruine for the space of two years and a half without the Consent of his Catholick Majesty That nevertheless if he came to treat before that time was expired tho' it were by the Consent of his Catholick Majesty he should be obliged to break it when it pleased his Catholick Majesty That in case any Rupture happen'd between the two Crowns his Highness promis'd to take the part of the House of Austria and to support its Interests till a General Peace was concluded That if the Arms of the Duke happen'd to make any progress in France by the Taking of any Places his Highness shou'd deliver up some of them to his Catholick Majesty partly to re-imburse him for the great Expences he had already been at and partly for an Assurance that he would be grateful to them one day if his Highness came to the Crown in which case his Highness engaged fully to recompense them for all their Charges That upon this Supposition his Catholick Majesty wou'd furnish his Highness with 12000 Foot and 3000 Horse one half of which were to be French and the other Spaniards That these Troops shou'd be ready to act towards the End of next September and that then his Catholick Majesty if the state of his Affairs wou'd permit him shou'd draw his Troops towards the Frontiers of France to alarm the King's Forces on that side while his Highness enter'd the Kingdom at another That his Catholick Majesty wou'd give 70000 Crowns towards the raising of the French Troops and 45000 each Month for their Subsistence which however was to lessen according as the Army advanced so that when they were once in France his Catholick Majesty should not be obliged to be at any Charge for their Maintenance since they might live upon Contributions from the Country as 't is the way in Germany That his Catholick Majesty shou'd allow 15000 Crowns a Month for the Support of his Highness and Madam as soon as Monsieur shou'd leave Brussels to march towards France but that when he was arrived there he and his Army were to live at the Expence of the Country where he resided This Treaty
than either her own Sons or her Sons-in-law of which the former used her ill and the other refused her all manner of Assistance or else were weary of giving it any longer She seem'd to be very sensible of the Grand Duke's Kindness and desired time to consider of an Answer till Gondi who was going into Holland came back again She gave him to understand that she was dissatisfied with her Domesticks that Father Chanteloube wanted Integrity and the Abbot of St. Germain was a Man of no Judgment but she cou'd not resolve to turn them away least the World should say that this was an open Acknowledgment that she had been ill advised The King of Spain as she told him did not furnish her with what she wanted but slowly and with great Difficulty and she wanted several things that were necessary even for her own Person Puilaurens she said was the Man that had begun to ruin her and then had compleated her Destruction because after he had engaged her against the Cardinal by swearing to her that he wou'd never abandon her he had to regain this Prelate's Favour acquainted him with what had passed between them before Monsieur parted from Paris the first time And afterwards this Man fearing least she shou'd resent this Injury had done all that lay in his power to ruine her At Gondi's Return from Holland the Queen told him she was obliged to the Grand Duke for the great Kindness he express'd towards her but though she did not absolutely refuse the Treat which he offer'd her she said that Florence was too far from Paris and that if she went thither her Affairs would go on with too much Slowness Upon this Consideration she reserved that place to retire to when she was destitute of all Hopes to make an Accommodation She once more intimated to Gondi how little she was satisfied with Father Chanteloube the Abbot of St. Germain and Fabbroni and own'd that if the King gave her to understand that he was pleased she should dismiss them she would not fail to do it but that she would not after this run the risk of a Refusal as it had happen'd to her at the beginning of the Year when they despised all her Submissions She open'd her self very frankly to Gondi because he was the Grand Duke's Resident whom she believed to be well-affected to her Interests and received his Advice very courteously In all these Conversations she shed abundance of Tears and shew'd all imaginable signs of a great Inclination to be reconciled to her Son by throwing her self wholly upon his Generosity and demanding nothing of him Nay she said that she desired to owe her Return to the Cardinal and that she was very well satisfied that none but he could serve her Gondi saw that she was really in a Condition that deserved Commiseration and her Discourses were enough to have affected any one but those she had to deal with At his Arrival at Paris he gave the Cardinal and the other Ministers an Account of his Journey and endeavour'd to represent to them the hearty Inclinations of the Queen-Mother in so feeling a manner that it might touch them with pity The Cardinal * The 17th of October hearken'd to him with a great deal of Indifference although he seem'd to be satisfied with his Negotiation At last he told him that so long as Father Chanteloube who was convicted of a Design to kill him more than once continued about the Queen it was impossible to repose any Confidence in her and that she always said the same things Gondi had †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 126. another Audience of the Cardinal wherein he tryed to move him to Compassion by laying before him the sad Condition of this Princess and the Resolution she had taken up to forget all that had pass'd this Minister answer'd him that he did not know her so well as he did and that the day she had broke off with him notwithstanding all his Submissions and all the King's Entreaties she had said That she was and wou'd be always implacable which made his Majesty tell her That she was of a very cruel Disposition At last he fell into an outrageous Passion against Father Chanteloube St. Germain and Fabbroni whom he called Murderers Poisoners and execrable Persons After he had complain'd that Father Chanteloube had thrice endeavoured to get him assassinated as three Men who had been executed for it had accused him that S. Germain had assaulted his Reputation in several villainous Libels and that Fabbroni had lodged Money at Antwerp to recompense the Murderers that had been sent into France he said that this was the least Fault they had committed and that they were guilty of High Treason Nevertheless he testified That if the Queen-Mother wou'd deliver them perhaps they might not be treated so rigorously as they deserv'd At the Conclusion he said That if she wou'd acknowledge by doing this that she had till then believed and protected those that were Enemies to the King he was ready to subscribe her Return with his own Blood and that he wou'd leave no means unattempted to obtain it of his Majesty D' Elbene met with better Success in his Negotiation for the Return of the Duke of Orleans because having gain'd Puilaurens by fair Promises this Prince consented to whatever they wou'd have of him at the perswasion of his Favourite who had no regard to his Master's Honour The Treaty was concluded and sign'd by the King and the * See it in Aubery 's Memoirs T. 1. P. 427. Substance of it was that the King and Monsieur agreed to be determined as for what related to the Marriage of the latter by those Laws which the other Subjects of the King are used to be judged by in the like Cases the King allowing full liberty to Monsieur to satisfie his Conscience in this point by the usual Methods that if this Marriage happen'd to be dissolved Monsieur promis'd the King not to marry again without his Majesty's Consent as on his side the King gave his Word not to constrain him to act against his Inclinations that in whatever place Monsieur resided by the King's permission that is to say whether in Auvergne Bourbonnois or at Dombes he promised to behave himself there like a true Brother and a good Subject without maintaining any private Correspondence which might offend the King that his Majesty granted an Amnesty for him and all his Domesticks except three or four That Monsieur shou'd be re-establish'd in all his Goods Appanages and Pensions and That the King shou'd give him immediately upon his Arrival into France four hundred thousand Livres to pay off his Debts at Brussels and elsewhere and a hundred thousand Crowns fifteen days after to set up his Equipage That the King shou'd give him the Government of Auvergne instead of that of the Province about Orleans and Blois That he shou'd keep for him a Company of the Gen d'
eight Divines of the Sorbone upon his Majesty's Scruples four of them made Answer that in the present conjuncture of Affairs his Majesty was obliged to continue to act upon the same foot to preserve Tranquillity in his Kingdom and that this sufficiently justified his Conduct Soon after the King began a-fresh to visit the Cardinal and did him the honour to come to the Castle of Chilly where this Minister then was to consult with him as formerly about the most important Affairs of the Crown The End of the Fourth Book THE HISTORY Of the FAMOUS Cardinal de RICHLIEV VOL. II. BOOK V. Containing the most material Passages of his Life from the Year 1635 to the Year 1638. year 1635 THE Duke of Orleans being now taken into Favour and Puilaurens his Consident seeing himself a Duke and Peer of France they imagined that they had nothing more to fear and that they might manage the Cardinal as they had formerly done * Siri Meâ—â— Rec. T. 8. P. 107. So this Minister having sent word to Puilaurens that if he cou'd perswade Monsieur to consent to have his Marriage annull'd they wou'd reward him with the Command of an Army and make him a Mareschal of France Puilaurens laughed at this proposal and thought he might railly the Cardinal safely enough Coudrai Montpensier who had the greatest credit with the Duke of Orleans next to Puilaurens was of the same humour and had as little Inclination to comply with the Minister's pleasure as the other The Cardinal fansied he was the Man that possessed Philaurens with these ambitious Thoughts so that he resolved to remove him Upon this he tells Puilaurens that since he had contracted so near an Alliance with him he was desirous to be united still more closely to him but that he cou'd not do it so long as he kept Company with Coudrai Montpensier and reckoned him one of his best Friends Whether Philaurens distrusted that the Cardinal had some Design upon him or else was resolved to pay no farther regard to this Minister instead of discarding him as he was desired he gave him the next Apartment to his own which procedure began to incense the Cardinal whom all the other Ministers obeyed at the first word and who cou'd not digest this Opposition from the Favourite of the Duke of Orleans whom he had so far honour'd as to give him one of his Relations in Marriage Monsieur generally resided at Blois and * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 199 c. it happen'd while he was there that several Spaniards of Quality who travell'd from Flanders to Spain by Land came to Blois to pay their Respects to him who received them very courteously He frequently mention'd the Gentlemen of that Country with great esteem as if he intended to shew his Gratitude for the kind Reception he found among them and engage them to use Madam well who still continued in their Territories This made Don Cristoval Benavides the Spanish Ambassadour say That although Monsieur left the Low-Countries without taking his leave yet if he went thither a hundred times and came back as often after the same manner he should still find a hearty Welcome there This Conduct of Monsieur and the Discourses of the Spaniards gave the Ministers occasion to suspect that he still kept some private Intelligence with them or at least preserv'd an Affection to that Nation which might be prejudicial to France in the present posture of Affairs On the other hand the Duke of Orleans continually protested that if the King cou'd find any way to dissolve his Marriage legally he wou'd not oppose it but that he wou'd never go to tell the Parliament a Sham-story that he was forced to this Match by the Princes of Lorrain since he cou'd neither do it in Conscience nor in Honour He praised the Princess Margaret exceedingly and preferr'd her infinitely for her good Qualities to his first Wife He frequently writ to her and sent her Money Cloaths Liveries for her Servants two Coaches and five thousand Crowns a Month towards her Expence The Cardinal was of opinion that this inflexible steadiness of Monsieur cou'd only proceed from the Advice of Puilaurens nay he pretended that this shew'd him to be ill affected to the King's Person and that he desired to behold the Duke of Orleans upon the Throne that he might become chief Minister of State as if the Marriage of Monsieur had any relation to the King's Death Puilaurens was accused of being familiarly acquainted with one Vieux-Pont a Domestick of Monsieur who had spoken scandalously of His Majesty He was likewise charged with keeping a correspondence with the House of Lorrian and that the reason why he approved this Marriage was that this House might support the Prince in case the King happen'd to die Thus it was interpreted a Crime in the Duke of Orleans because he wou'd not depend upon the Discretion of the Minister for his Succession to the Crown and yet this Minister must be allow'd to take what Securities he pleas'd against the whole Royal Family and all the Princes of the Blood The Cardinal who had always taken great care to keep up that Jealousie which the King ever since his Infancy had entertain'd against his Brother easily perswaded him that all these Practices of Monsieur only tended to dethrone him and that there was no other way to prevent the Designs of his Domesticks but to destroy them So the King was resolved to apprehend Puilaurens and that he might exâ—â—ute it with more facility they were contâ—iving of means to draw him from Blois to Paris To effect this a Ball was proposed at the Carnaval where Monsieur and Puilaurens were invited to dance as well as the King They came to Paris upon this Occasion and Monsieur was mightily caress'd on all hands though they cou'd not prevail with him to make the least step towards the Dissolution of his Marriage The 14th of February was the Day agreed upon to apprehend Puilaurens and the Guards at the Louvre were order'd to be doubled This had like to have discovered their Plot for a Footman belonging to the Duke of Orleans having observed it went to his Master to bid him have a care of himself because the Court had some extraordinary Design on foot This Prince came to the Louvre about Two a clock in the Afternoon to practise the Ball before-hand when he received this Advice but as foresight was none of his Talents he neglected it and went to the King's Chamber where he stayed till the Cardinal came there They had sent to find him out at the Keeper of the Seals where he dined and carried the Marquiss Du Fargis and Coudrai Montpensier with him When he went away he took du Fargis to the Louvre along with him and gave Orders for the other to be apprehended when he offer'd to be gone which was accordingly executed Every thing was ready at the Louvre to begin the Ball and none of
joyn with the Forces of the Duke of Weimar Galas had besieged Kaiserslauter and blocked up Mentz and the Duke was not strong enough to raise the Siege or break the Blockade He was so much the more concerned to preserve that place because he had laid up there the most considerable part of the Booty which he had got since the Entrance of Gustavus into Germany For this reason he had put some of his best Troops into the Town and among the rest the Yellow Regiment of the late King of Sweden This Place made a very brave Resistance and this Regiment refusing to capitulate sustain'd several Assaults and perished upon the Breach But at last the Town was taken by force and all of them put to the Sword It cost the Imperialists very dear but the Duke of Weimar sustained an irrepairable Loss by it The Cardinal de la Valette joyn'd the Duke of Weimar after this This latter although he was a Lutheran The 27th of July gave him the Right-hand because he rather considered the great credit he was in with the Minister of Lewis XIII than his Dignity of Cardinal All the World wonder'd that the King who did not want Generals and kept a Mareschal in Prison wou'd have recourse to an Archbishop to command one of his Armies at so dangerous a Juncture for in short whatever Inclinations the Cardinal de la Valette had to the profession of War 't is certain that he came infinitely short of several Commanders whom his Majesty might have employ'd But it was one of the Minister's Maxims To employ Bishops and Abbots in things that had no relation to their Function whether he had a greater esteem for Ecclesiasticks than he had for the Laity or whether he thought they wou'd serve him with more punctuality In the mean time Galas had besieged Deuxponts which place he had brought to surrender the next day when he received Advice that the Cardinal de la Valette and the Duke of Weimar were marching towards him to relieve it Upon this News he drew off but notwithstanding all the haste the French made with the Duke of Weimar they cou'd not overtake him so as to give him Battel However they advanced by the side of Mentz and obliged 14000 Imperialists to raise the Siege of that City The 5th of August which the Enemy had reduced to such Extremities that they must have been forced to surrender in four or five days for want of Provisions A few days after Galas having re-united all the Imperial Forces that were about the Rhine into one Body he formed an Army of them consisting of 30000 Men and finding himself superiour in numbers to the Cardinal and the Duke obliged them to retire in their turn But it was impossible for them to subsist longer in the place where they were by reason that Francford had declared for the Emperour and Sicknesses having got into the Army had lessen'd it considerably Now the difficulty was how to make a safe Retreat before an Army much stronger than their own They made an account to march straight to Sarbruck and to St. Avaud where there was plenty of Provisions but Galas having cut off that way from them they must resolve to take that of the Mountains although un-peopled and without Refreshments and endeavour to reach Vaudervange where there was a French Garrison They took this Road labouring under all these Inconveniences without daring to make a Halt at any place either by reason of the great want of Victuals or out of fear of having Galas upon their hands this General following them very closely At last they arrived on the 26th of September at Vaudervange without any other loss than that of their Artillery which the bad Weather and the swiftness of their March obliged them to leave behind The same day they passed the Save and this Precaution was not unserviceable to them for Galas appeared on the other side four hours after He likewise passed it on the 28th and found that the French had abandoned their Baggage to retire under the Cannon of Metz. He advanc'd within a League and half of this City but finding the Enemy secure he conducted his Army back again into the Country of Luxemburg within some Leagues of that place He had fifteen thousand Foot eight thousand Horse and six thousand Croats The Cardinal and the Duke of Weimar had no more than eight thousand Foot and six thousand Horse In the mean time Charles Duke of Lorrain had attempted with a Body of Men under his Command to re-possess himself of his Dominions where some of his Subjects received him with great joy But as all the strong Places were in the King's hands it was impossible for him to make any progress by reason of the great Opposition he found from the Mareschal de la Force and the Duke of Angoulême And thus after some Incursions and a few Skirmishes he retired to joyn himself to Galas The King being informed of the Retreat of his Troops that were followed by the Imperial Army sent immediately to Oxenstiern to oblige him to make some Diversion in order to hinder all the Imperial Forces from falling into Lorrain But * Siri Mem. Rec. Tom. ◠p. 347. the Duke of Lunenburg the Landgrave of Hesse and all the other Allies of Sweden had made their Peace with the Emperour after the Example of the Elector of Saxony Banier was abandon'd by the Army so he was obliged to think of retiring with the Forces that remained towards Pomerania to treat afterwards with the Emperour and obtain the easiest Conditions he cou'd get of him Oxenstiern was thinking of nothing but how to return into Sweden when he received the News that Banier had got a signal Victory over the Saxons that pursued him Although this Advantage inspired Banier with fresh Courage and occasion'd him to stay in Pomerania yet he was not in a condition to make any considerable Diversion for the rest of that Campaign But the Marquiss de St. Chamond managed Affairs so dexterously that he hinder'd several Princes of Germany from declaring for the Emperour and others he prevail'd with to espouse the Swedish Party afresh He likewise obliged several Colonels who had left Banier for want of Pay to rejoyn themselves in Westphalia under Kniphausen Mareschal de Camp by giving them some money in hand and promising them a farther Supply General Arnheim gave his word not to take any Party without the consent of the King of France Thus if France did not obtain any great Matters by the Swedish Troops this Year yet she hinder'd them from wholly dispersing and put this Party in a posture to act with more Vigour the following Campaign The * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 334. King had a Design to come in Person to his Army in July though he said that if he went thither he shou'd certainly fall sick But as the Army in Germany was not numerous enough to pass for
a Royal Army and as there was an appearance of Danger to expose His Majesty's Person there he was disswaded from it and indeed the Event shew'd that it was not without good reason However when he heard of the Retreat of his Army * The 24th of August he cou'd not be hinder'd from †going to S. Disier upon the Frontiers of Champagne although the Cardinal tarried at Paris expecting that he would not travel far But instead of stopping at S. Disier he enter'd into Lorrain and with a few Troops gathered up and down in Champagne of whom the Count de Soissons had been declared General he went to besiege S. Mihel a small place of no Defence which some Lorrain Soldiers had Taken and Defended four days against him after which they were constrained to surrender at discretion It was observ'd †Siri Ibid. p. 339. that after the Taking of this Place the King having held a Council of War would not suffer the Count de Soissons to assist at it though no one knew the true Reason of it it was not doubted but that some Advice from the Cardinal occasion'd it In the mean time the Cardinal was extreamly * Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 16. incommoded with the Hemorrhoids but after the Application of Causticks he was soon freed from his pain During his Majesty's Expedition the Army of Germany arriv'd at Metz and to re-inforce it Orders were sent to the Mareschal de la Force and to the Duke of Angoulême to send their Troops to the Cardinal de la Valette They encreas'd it still from all Parts with all the Troops they cou'd get together so that now the Cardinal found himself stronger than Galas although the Duke of Lorrain had joyned him Thus the Duke of Weimar and the Cardinal were ordered to bring him to a Battle if possible or to cut off his Provisions but above all to hinder him from making any Excursions in Champagne But this General being advantageously incamped and intrench'd so that there was no way to force him was not willing to run any hazard He hop'd to be soon joyn'd by a Body which the Duke of Lorrain commanded but more that the Cardinal de la Valette's Army would lessen by frequent desertions so soon as the cold Rains of the Autumn began to fall This King's Person being unnecessary in these Places and indeed not out of imminent dangers since the Enemy was not above fifteen Leagues off he was advised to return home sooner than the Cardinal wou'd have had him there * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 339. See also the Q. Mother 's Letter to the Pope dated the 7th of December in Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. 4. c. 54. 'T is reported that the Count de Carmail Maréschal de Camp in the Army of Cardinal de la Valette told the King who asked him his Advice what was best for him to do in this Conjuncture That his Majesty expos'd himself too much that he might be taken Prisoner by the Duke of Lorrain if he did not speedily return to St. Disier and that Jean de Werth who had lately come to observe his Quarters marched with Six Thousand Horse to put this Enterprize in Execution For this good Council the Count de Carmail was made a Prisoner at the King's Return and sent to the Bastile Upon this and other Informations the King resolved to go back into France but to cover his Retreat with some specious pretence he gave out that he wou'd go to Langres to cut off the Duke of Lorrain's Provisions that came to him from the Franche-Comte But as soon as he was in Champagne he took the Road directly to St. Germain where he arrived on the 22d of October The Cardinal who was at Ruel went to meet him as far as Nully which is within a League of that Place and was extreamly well receiv'd The King stopt at Ruel to hold a Council there and the Cardinal went the next day to St. Germain where he had another long Conference with him At his Return to Ruel he caus'd the Count de Carmail to be apprehended there by his Guards and sent him to the Bastile under a pretence of not having perform'd his Duty so well as he ought The same Day the Cardinal told the Count de Soissons that his Majesty was very much displeased with him and that it would be his best way to absent himself from the Court for some time which the Count immediately did and retired to a Country House near Fontainbleau They took away from him at the same time his Title of General which had been conferr'd upon him and this the Cardinal did by way of revenge upon the Count because he had dexterously excused himself from marrying his Niece but soon after the Cardinal to show what an absolute ascendant he had over the King gets the Count to be recalled and procures him the Command of the Army of Champagne Some days after the King's Return the Duke of Weimar's †The 27th of October Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 340. Agent at Paris made a new Treaty for his Master and for the rest whose Troops he commanded By this Treaty the King oblig'd himself not to make any Treaty without the Allies of Germany and the Duke promised the same thing in Relation to the King Weimar likewise engaged to have Twelve Thousand Foot and Six Thousand Horse in Germany with Artillery necessary upon Condition that the King wou'd cause to be paid to him Four Millions of Livres a Year that if in fighting he happen'd to lose this Army the King shou'd raise him another and that if he was taken Prisoner he shou'd take the same Care of him as of one of his own Generals By a secret Article the King promised him the Title of Landgrave of Alsatia and Fifty Thousand Crowns Pension for ever In the mean time all the Troops being got together under the Command of the Cardinal de la Valette which formed together an Army of Forty Thousand Men advanced towards Vic to oblige Galas and the Duke of Lorrain that were intrench'd at Dieuse to abandon that Post or cut off their Provisions and Forage on the side of the Moselle These two Generals already felt an extream scarcity of Hay and Oats as well as Victuals but their Army being accustomed to suffer did not disperse for that On the Contrary the Army of France that wanted nothing was sensibly lessen'd by desertions and that only for the cold Weather But this excessive scarcity causing Distempers in the Imperial Army Galas was obliged to go out of his Camp with his Horse and over-run Alsatia and the Country of Triers no one being able to hinder him from whence he sent store of Victuals to the Camp after which his Troops that had stay'd there all this while to make Head against the French retired in good Order into Alsatia without leaving any thing
behind them but their Sick The French did not pursue them whether because they were not soon enough aware of their Retreat or because they contented themselves with having obliged them to quit Lorrain They drew off in their Turn on this side the Moselle while the Duke of Lorrain took his Winter Quarters in the Franche-Comte and Galas repass'd the Rhine after he had plunder'd Alsatia To come now to the Affairs of Flanders ever since the beginning of the Year the Cardinal was sensible that the Maxim which he had observ'd till then of not breaking openly with Spain wou'd be for the future disadvantageous to France since she was not at a much less expence to support her Allies than if she had been in an open War and yet made no advances against the Spaniards On the Contrary she had given them an Opportunity by this means to joyn their Forces with those of the Emperour in 1634 which made them gain the Battle of Norlingue and had like to have entirely ruin'd the affairs of the Swedes in Germany several Cities and Princes that furnished the Sweedes with considerable Supplies had thought of nothing ever since but of making their Peace with the Emperour least they should be in a short time irreparably overthrown if they continued to oppose him with so much disadvantage The States General of the United Provinces weary of the War with Spain which had lasted so many years and fearing to be abandon'd by France that wou'd never be brought to declare it self express'd a great inclination to reassume the Negotiation of a Truce which had been broken off out of an Apprehension that the Emperour after he had given Peace to Germany wou'd do the Spaniards the same kindness they had done him that is to say come with a formidable Army into the Low-Countries to help them to re-conquer the Seven Provinces which had with-drawn themselves from their Obedience If it so happen'd that a Peace was concluded in Germany and a Truce in the Low-Countries or that the United Provinces were subdu'd then France which was not in an open Rupture either with the Emperour or the King of Spain might see these Treaties concluded without being comprehended in them because the House of Austria would be in so advantageous a posture at that time what she thought fit to command must not be disputed and Matters being so France which had so long assisted the Enemies of the House of Austria had no reason to doubt that all her Forces wou'd pour down upon her The Ministers of the Emperour and of the King of Spain said aloud in all Places that the French vainly flattered themselves that they should continue in the possession of what they had taken since the Treaties of Querasque and Ratisbone and that they shou'd be forced at last to surrender all For these Reasons the Cardinal thought it the best way to prevent the House of Austria in declaring openly against Spain to hinder her from assisting the Emperour and to give new Life and Vigour to the Hollanders and Swedes To this end he took great pains to form a League against Spain both in Flanders and Italy in order to give her so much Business at home that she shou'd not have leisuro to look abroad and interpose in the Affairs of Germany * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 2â—4 To begin with the League Offensive and Defensive which the King concluded with the States General it was Signed at Paris the 8th of February They obliged themselves to enter upon the Spanish Provinces on two Sides with Twenty Five Thousand Foot and Five Thousand Horse each next May. However the French had inserted this Condition into the Treaty If the Spaniards don't agree to reasonable Terms of Accommodation but it was not doubted but what they christened by the Name of reasonable in France wou'd pass for very unreasonable in Spain so that this Condition was impertinent enough The Conquests were to be parted between them so that the King was to have the Country of Luxemburgh Namur Hainault Artois and Flanders and the Estates the Marquisate of the sacred Empire where Antwerp is the Lordship of Malines the Dutchy of Brabant Hulst and the Country of Dam. To perswade the Inhabitants of the Low Countries to an insurrection it was resolv'd to invite them to joyn with the Confederates in turning out the Spaniards with a promise to restore them to their Liberty which being performed within the three first Months the Spanish Provinces were to remain united in one Body as a free State with all the Rights of Sovereignty It was agreed that they shou'd act conjointly and that Frederick Henry Prince of Orange shou'd command the two Armies United in quality of Generalissimo and shou'd give the Word unless the Duke of Orleans or the Cardinal should be there in Person So the King sent Orders to the Mareschal de Chatillon and de Brezé who had the command of the Army that was designed for the Low-Countries to meet at Mesieres the 28th of April to go and joyn the Dutch Army near Maestricht the 12th of May. Charnace had long Conferences with the Prince of Orange upon what measures they were to take The French were desirous to find out the Enemy and fight him fearing to lose too much time in besieging of places and the Hollanders chose rather to undertake the Siege of some Town without hazarding a Battel At this time the Dutch understood the manner of besieging of Places better than the French and the French were fitter to give Battle After a long debate they only came to this Conclusion to enter the Low-Countries to Luxemburg and for the rest to leave it to the discretion of the Generals to regulate what was fit to be undertaken so soon as the Armies were joyn'd This Treaty was to be kept secret till the very time of execution when France shou'd declare War against Spain upon occasion of the several infractions which the Spaniards had made of the peace of Vervins although the French had done no less on their Side In the Interim the Spaniards happen'd to surprise Triers and carried away the Arch-bishop Prisoner as has been already observed The Cardinal thought he cou'd never find a more plausible Pretence to declare War against the Spaniards than the forcible detaining of a Prince who had put himself under the protection of France He therefore ordered d' Amontot * The 21st of April Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8 p. 230. the Resident at Brussels to demand the liberty of the Elector of Triers of the Cardinal Infanta who was come thither the last year from Germany and of the Marquiss d' Aylone They both answered they could do nothing in this Matter till they knew what was the Emperour's Pleasure about it They took this answer in France for a down right Shift because they had had time enough to send to the Court of Vienna and receive an Answer since the taking of the
Elector of Triers upon this the King sent a Herald of Arms to Brussels to declare War against the Crown of Spain upon this Refusal The Prince of Orange delay'd to march to the Randezvouz till he received advice that the French Army was entred upon the Territories of Spain fearing least an opposite Order should stop them on the Frontiers of France This retarded the motion of the French Army for some days which expected the same thing of the Prince of Orange but at last it marched and arrived the 16th of May at Rochefort As it advanced towards Maestricht divided into two Brigades one of them commanded by the Mareschal de Chatillon and the other by Brezé they were informed that Prince Thomas who had about Twelve Thousand Foot and Four Thousand Horse was intrench'd at Avein designing to dispute the Pass with them or charge them in the Rear The Armies were so near when this News came and the ways through which they must pass to avoid a Battle were so disadvantageous that the French General immediately resolv'd to attack the Spanish Army This they perform'd so †The 20th of May. See Siri Ibid. p. 318. and the Memeirs of p. 1â—â— p. 127. successfully that without sustaining any great loss they kill'd them Fifteen Hundred Men took Three Thousand Prisoners and put the rest to Flight Prince Thomas lest behind him all his Baggage and Artillery and retired to Namur with the Cavalry which had abandon'd the Foot The Prince of Orange did not joyn the French Forces till towards the end of May which began to give occasion of complaint to the French who pretended that if he had been at Maestricht on the day appointed they might have drawn great Advantages from their Victory and that this Delay had given time to Prince Thomas to pick up the straggling Remainders of his Army There was likewise some difficulty about the Command The Mareschal de Chatillon although a Relation of the Prince of Orange wou'd not receive his Orders from him but only communicate to him his Designs and act in concert with him But the Mareschal de Brezé oppos'd the Intentions of his Collegue as well as the Marquiss de la Meilleraye and so the Command was yielded according to the Treaty concluded at Paris to Frederick Henry At this time the King * The 6th of June Aubery's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 3. publish'd his Declaration of War with a Manifesto wherein he recounts at length the several Infractions which the Spaniards had made of the Treaty of Vervins The Spaniards were not wanting on their side to put out a Declaration and Manifesto quite contrary in which they defended their Conduct and made the like Reproaches to France They said in this Writing that it was not so much the King of France that had declared War against them as Cardinal Ricâ—â—â—eu because every thing was done at the instigation of that Minister The two Armies being joyned went to besiege Tirlemont which they attacked each on their respective side The Governour Don Francisco de Burgos defended himself so ill that the Soldiers †The 8th of June took the Town with their Swords in their hands and plunder'd it At last without any Order from the Generals the Soldiers set it on sire and so vast quantities of Provisions which wou'd have been very serviceable to the French Army were by this means consumed Several Disorders were committed here which the Hollanders imputed to the French and the French threw back again upon the Hollanders Some persons were of opinion that Frederick Henry was not sorry to render the French odious by this and to destroy the Provisions for which they had occasion Having at last form'd a Resolution to attack Louvain they took Diest and Arschot in their way and marched directly towards Brussels as if their Design had been upon that City purposely to draw the Cardinal Infanta thither who was at Louvain with his Army So the Confederates laid Siege to this Place on the 26th of June They sat down ten days before it when Provisions growing very scarce they thought of leaving it to be more conveniently supplied with Victuals in some other place Besides they received Advice that Piccolomini who was coming to the relief of the Cardinal Infanta with five or six thousand Horse was already arrived at Namur which made them fear that he wou'd stop their Provisions with which they were only furnished from Liege Thus after they had received their Convoy they raised the Siege on the 4th of July and the French went to refresh themselves about Ruremonde and Venlo while the Army of the States took the way of Boisleduc This Scarcity had considerably lessen'd the French Army besides that the Generals not keeping a good Understanding between one another it was impossible for their Enterprises to be well regulated The Mareschal de Brezé naturally warm and haughty upon the score of his Brother-in-law's great favour proceeded so far as to give the Mareschal de Chatillon ill Language but the Prince of Orange reconciled them and Chatillon being afraid of displeasing the Minister dissembled his Anger more than he wou'd have done upon another occasion The French accused the Prince of Orange to have been the Cause of all this Mischief by his Slowness and want of Resolution which had made them lose an opportunity of acting with Success and mightily impaired the Army The Dutch on the other hand reproached the French Generals with disagreeing among themselves and observing no order in their Troops Abundance of people imagined that Frederick-Henry who was never suspected to want Resolution in his Life feared that the French made too great a progress in the Low-Countries and that the States thought it more advisable to have the Spaniards for their Neighbours than the French And in truth it was much better for them that the Spaniards shou'd keep what they had in the Low-Countries because the great distance of their different Dominions wou'd hinder them from acting with the same Vigour against the Vnited Provinces as the French if they became their Neighbours and afterwards their Enemies might employ against them 'T is likewise said that the Dutch Army never wanted Provisions all the while and that the Prince of Orange if he had been so pleased might have easily furnished the French but that having no other Design than merely to engage France in a War with Spain he did not care what Success they found in the course of it and that for this reason he always suffer'd their Army to perish However it was there happen'd to him much about the same time an Accident of a much more dangerous consequence and that was the Surprizal of the Fort of Schenk which is one of the Keys of the Vnited Provinces It was surpriz'd by Colonel Eenholt in the night on the 27th or 28th of July for it seems no care was taken to make necessary Reparation there and then the Garrison was very
inconsiderable so that after they had vigorously opposed two Assaults of the Spaniards they were cut off at the third The Prince of Orange wou'd have fain got thither before the Enemy had thrown any more Men into the place and begg'd the French Mareschals to assist him but the Spaniards made such haste to supply it with Men and Provisions that he arrived too late and he judg'd it was impossible to reduce it by force So he undertook to make himself Master of the Fort by Famine and block'd it up almost a whole Year before it surrender'd Several Rencounters happen'd between the two Armies near this Fort but there was no decisive Action Afterwards the Cardinal-Infanta went to fortifie Genap by the means of which place he greatly incommoded the Garrisons of Venlo Ruremonde and Maestricht All the World was surprized that an Army of forty thousand Men as was that of the Prince of Orange and the Mareschals of France durst not attack that of the Cardinal-Infanta which had but half the number and was still disheartned by the Defeat of Avein †Siri Mem Rec. T. 8. P. 329. * Some ascribe it to Jealousie of State but others pretend that the Prince of Orange who was skilful at forming a Siege was afraid to run the risque of a Battel Nay some people add That if he had only lodged himself upon the Banks of the Rhine between Cleves and the Fort of Schenk he might have reduced it in ten days but he was so much afraid that the Spaniards wou'd oblige him to fight them that he came into the Betawe with his Army to cover them from any such Attempt 'T is true indeed he hinder'd the Spaniards at the same time from piercing too far into the Territories of the States which wou'd have caused a prodigious Disorder Cardinal Richlieu was now sensible that the Design of entring the Low-Countries by the way of Luxemburg which was the opinion of the two Mareschals was ill grounded by reason of the great distance of the Frontiers of France and that it had been much better to attack Dunkirk as the Prince of Orange had advised But now it was too late to remedy this fault The King who was made at first to expect Miracles from this great Enterprize was mightily concerned that it succeeded so ill although care was taken to conceal a great part of their Losses from him It so fell out that a Gentleman whom the Prince of Orange sent to him having informed him of the particulars he fell into an excessive passion against Bouthillier called him a Lyer and forbid him to open any Packet but in his presence This sate so hard upon him that his Minister fell sick upon it and the Cardinal himself appear'd very pensive about it At last they were ordered to save the rest of the Army as well as they cou'd but especially the Horse Charnacé who came from the Army to Paris was ordered to return into Holland to endeavour to conduct it from thence While the Cardinal thus treated with the States-General about the manner of attacking the Spaniards in the Low-Countries the President de Bellievre Ambassadour Extraordinary to the Princes of Italy formed a League with some of them to fall on the Milaneze and to defend the Liberty of Italy against the Spaniards The Dukes of Savoy of Mantua and Parma engaged themselves in this League for three years but the other Princes of Italy wou'd not be concerned in it Besides the Troops which the King kept on foot in the Valteline as we shall see in the series of the History * See the whâ—le Treaty in Siri Mem. Rec. T. â— â— 252. It was signed the 11th of July he obliged himself to send twelve thousand Foot and five thousand five hundred Horse against the Spaniards The Duke of Savoy promised six thousand Foot and two thousand two hundred Horse the Duke of Mantua three thousand Foot and three hundred Horse and the Duke of Parma four thousand Foot and five hundred Horse Every one was to maintain his own Troops till the End of the War and in case the Spaniards augmented the number of their Forces the Confederates were to raise a fourth part more than they had before It was concluded that the Duke of Savoy shou'd command the Army and in his Absence the General of the French Forces which Station was to be possessed by the Mareschal de Crequi They had likewise agreed about the Division of the Milaneze if it shou'd be conquered After this League was signed Siri ibid. p. 292. the Mareschal entred into the Territories of Spain on the 29th of August with the French Troops and having taken some inconsiderable Places he went to invest Valence upon the Po without any Orders from the King or the Duke of Savoy Edward Duke of Parma took the Field the next day assisted by an experienc'd French Captain whose name was de la Marne whom Mareschal de Crequi had sent to direct him He joyned him soon after after he had routed a small Body of Spaniards that pretended to oppose his March The Duke of Savoy made a longer stay before he came to the Rendezvouz and as the Siege of Valence was not as yet perfectly formed the Spaniards had an opportunity to throw four thousand Men into the Town commanded by the Marquiss de Celada to reinforce the Garrison Francis del Cardine was Governour of this place assisted by Captain Spadini a Man of great Courage and Conduct After this the Duke of Savoy sent his Troops to the Camp and the Mareschal began to carry on the Siege he imagined that he shou'd be able to carry the Place in a few days although the Besieged sallied out continually and added some new Works to the ancient Fortifications In the mean time the Duke of Parma's Men who had never been in any War before daily diminished and as for the Duke of Savoy he made some difficulty of going in Person to this Siege as being undertaken against his Advice and begun by another The Mareschal de Thoiras out of Envy to Crequi disswaded him from going thither but at last at the Instances of Emery Ambassadour of France at Turin he arrived at the Camp on the 13th of October and after he had visited the Works he was of opinion that the Siege wou'd come to nothing and in truth this unhappy Misunderstanding between them ruined all their Designs The Mareschal having received Advice that the Spanish Army commanded by Don Carlo Colonna was on their March to endeavour to raise the Siege sent to desire the Duke to order his Men to pass the Po that so they might fight the Enemy before they were intrenched at Frescarolo But the Troops of the Duke passed so slowly that they were forced to send them back the next day It was still believed that it wou'd be their best way to go and attack the Spaniards so the Army marched forward the Mareschal being in the Vanguard
the Duke of Savoy in the Body of the Battel and the Duke of Parma in the Rear The Enemy had taken no care to entrench themselves thinking that the French durst not stir out of their Lines to meet an Army stronger than their own and they began already to retire when they were attacked Crequi had the Right and the Duke of Savoy commanded on the Left The Attack began on the Duke's side with a great deal of Vigour although they had not sent to observe the ground where the Enemy lay They were beaten back into the Vineyards where their Infantry was posted and they disputed the ground very weakly when Crequi upon a false Information sent word to the Duke of Savoy that the Spaniards were entrenched on the other side and superiour to them in number upon which he did not think it safe to push it on any farther This occasioned Victor-Amadeo who had already dislodged the Spanish Infantry out of the Vineyards to sound a Retreat and lose a fair opportunity of beating the Enemy It is reported that Crequi suspected that the Duke of Savoy only designed to engage him to suffer him afterwards to be cut in pieces and that for this reason he did not attack them He retired likewise at the same time and the Spaniards who looked upon themselves as good as beaten were surprized to see the Enemy abandon of their own accord an Enterprize which had begun so well This News they learn'd of the Prisoners but then it was too late for after this the Spaniards entrenched themselves and were always upon their Guard Nor was this all for they threw fresh Succours into the City through a place where the Lines of Circumvallation were not compleated and where the Savoyards did not make any manner of resistance Another Supply enter'd the Town by the Po after which the Rains that usually fall in the Autumn incommoded the Besiegers The Army which was otherwise exceedingly weakned by Weaknesses and Desertions and the mutual jealousies between the Duke of Savoy and the Mareschal de Crequi still increasing they began to talk of raising the Siege as they did the next day leaving their Canon and part of their Baggage behind them The Generals drew off complaining one of another and that the Milaneze which they had wisely shared between themselves before-hand still continued in the Hands of the Spaniards The Cardinal who had believed the Conquest of it to be a matter of small Difficulty was exceedingly concerned at the ill success of this enterprize and the reciprocal Accusations of the Duke and the Mareschal which afterwards came to him gave him but little Consolation Crequi accused the Duke with holding private Intelligence with the Spaniards and the Duke made it appear that the Mareschal had undertaken this Siege with too small an Army and show'd no Conduct in the whole Affair whatever Bravery he might otherwise have He that was the most in Danger was the Duke of Parma whose Territories lay exposed to the revenge of the Spaniards He complain'd that he was the only Person that had observed the Treaty both in regard to the number of his Troops the time appointed and to his Zeal in executing with Vigour the projects that had been concerted in the Council of War To prevent the ruine of the Duke of Parma and frustrate the other designs of the Spaniards the Troops of France took their Winter Quarters in Italy and were distributed into several Garrisons Thus the Cardinal 's great Expectations of conquering the Dutchy of Milan vanish'd on the sudden although 't is certain that he cou'd not have chosen a fitter time for this enterprize if it had been well executed for the King had made himself Master of the Passes of the Valteline beforchand to hinder any Troops from coming to the assistance of the Spaniards out of Germany * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 216. The Duke of Rohan who was in Alsatia had Orders in the Spring to go into Switzerland there to take Six Thousand Men and four Troops of Horse and conduct them into the Valteline in order to possess himself of that Country and to defend it with the Forces which were there already Being ready to march cross the Country of the Protestant Cantons he writ to Du Landé who commanded three Regiments of French there and as many of the Grisons to make himself Master of all the Passes of the Valteline which he very happily executed on the 13th of April so that neither the Spaniards nor the little Cantons cou'd possibly hinder it Soon after the Duke of Rohan arrived there and began to work upon the Fortifications of those Posts which they had seized The King of Spain being informed of this Invasion sent to demand assistance of the Emperour who dispatched Orders to Galas to send a Detachment of his Army into Tirol and from thence into the Valteline to joyn the Troops of Spain that were to force their Way there on the side of the Milaneze Galas detach'd Eight Thousand Men under the Baron de Fernamond Serjeant de Bataille who being arrived in Tirol attack'd the Pass of the Valteline on that Side in the Month of November The Duke of Rohan received him with Four Thousand Men and the French Infantry charged the German Horse with that Fury that they routed them and put the Army to Flight Fernamond lost Two Thousand Men upon the Spot besides Prisoners and retired towards Tirol Soon after he received a Reinforcement of Three Thousand Men and Serbellon entred the Valteline on the side of Milan and advanced towards Sondrio The Duke of Rohan thought it adviseable to march against the latter before the Recruits of Fernamond were in a Condition to Act. To this end he marched all Night from the 13th to the 14th of November and having met Serbellon at Morbegno where he had intrench'd himself he attack'd him kill'd him Fifteen Hundred Men and took all his Baggage The next Day he returned to Bormio lest Fernamond shou'd take any advantage of his Absence By this Action he hindered a considerable Relief from entring into the Milaneze and falling upon the Allies of France This was the only advantage that turned to any account with France obtain'd against Spain this first Year of the War While France was thus employed by Land in Italy in Germany and the Low-Countries the Spaniards had a design to attack her by Sea and to make a descent upon Provence But their Fleet being severely shattered by Tempests they only seized upon the Isles of St. Margaret and St. Honorat where they left a Garrison and some Men to build two Forts This Acquisition might serve to incommode the Trade of Provence and to facilitate a descent upon the Continent but it was a difficult matter to keep these Islands so that the Spaniards were no great gainers by this Exploit year 1636 Chancellor d' Aligre being Dead the King conferr'd this Dignity upon Pierce Leguier as he had formerly
espouse him so vigorously that the Pope was forced at last to lay down his Pretensions and treat with him He had Orders * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 426. to recommend Father Joseph as from the King to his Holiness for a Cardinal's Cap. But besides that the person of this Capuchin was not very acceptable at the Court of Rome the Pope made a Difficulty to confer the Purple upon a Capuchin because that the Cardinal of St. Honorio his Brother who had been a Capuchin pretended that he was the only person of his Order that enjoyed that Honour The Pope insisted upon this That after he had given a Cap to one Capuchin it wou'd be demanded for others of the same Order as was already done and so that Body which at present was so well regulated wou'd be corrupted by ambitious Thoughts with which abundance of Capuchins wou'd be possess'd that wou'd begin to pretend to the chief Dignities of the Church The Mareschal was very liberal in his Commendations of Father Joseph but was not able to procure any thing in his favour for the Pope still persisted in the same Reasons whatever Arguments were brought to perswade him to the contrary Before the Armies cou'd take the field the Duke of Parma resolved to come to Paris to recommend himself to the King and Cardinal He was * The 16th of February Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 389. received with all Demonstrations of Kindness and was lodged in the Louvre in the Queen-Mother's Apartment †Ibid. p. 394. The Duke of Weimar came thither at the same time and lay at the Arsenal and though he was entertain'd with a great deal of Respect yet they did not treat him like the Duke of Parma who was received in the Quality of a Sovereign Prince This caused a little Discontent at first but it was soon over the Duke of Weimar having otherwise sufficient Reason to be well satisfied with the Cardinal The Duke of Parma obtained leave of the King to command a small Army which the Duke of Savoy was to furnish him with in Quality of his Majesty's Lieutenant In his Absence the Spaniards and the Duke of Modena made some Incursions into his Territories and made themselves Masters of some small places those Troops which the Duke of Parma had on foot assisted by some of the French and the Duke of Savoy not being able to defend them * The 18th of March. Siri ibid. P. 396. For this reason he parted in all haste from Paris to give necessary Orders for their Defence and at his Arrival into Italy he desired the Duke of Savoy to send him instantly a strong Detachment to beat the Enemy out of his Country and to revenge himself upon the Duke of Modena but the Troops which they expected out of France having not passed the Mountains as yet it was impossible to satisfie him And now all the World began to condemn the Duke of Savoy for having so rashly declared against Spain upon the Chimerical hopes which the Cardinal had given him to put him in possession of part of the Milaneze so soon as it was conquered He found it to be true upon this occasion That a neighbouring Enemy is infinitely more prejudicial than a Friend afar off can be serviceable to us although his power is in no respect inferiour to that of the Enemy Nevertheless the King at the earnest Instances of the Duke of Parma †The 16th of April sent to the Duke of Savoy to take the Field with all Expedition to go and relieve him since none of the Princes of Italy wou'd favour the League if they saw the Members of it abandon one another The Duke of Savoy resolved to satisfie the King and wou'd needs carry the Mareschal de Thoiras with him for whom he had a particular Friendship although the Cardinal kept him as it were banish'd at Casal without giving him any Employment Upon this there happen'd some Disputes between Crequi and him which his Majesty soon ended by giving the Preference to Crequi who was the King's Lieutenant whereas Thoiras served in the same Post under the Duke of Savoy In the mean time the Spaniards and the Duke of Modena fortified themselves in the places which they had taken in the Duke of Parma's Country The Marquiss de Leganez to whom the King of Spain had lately given the Government of Milan placed the principal Troops of Spain at Novara at Pavia at Alexandria and in the Neighbourhood and threw a Bridge over the Po at Girola by which the three Bodies into which their Army was divided might have free Communication one with another in order to hinder the Duke of Savoy from coming into the Duke of Parma's Country On the other side after several hot Contests between the Leaders who agreed no better this Campaign than they did the former it was concluded to accompany the Duke of Parma to the Frontiers of his Dominions with the whole Army and to lend him six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse to beat his Enemies out of it and at the same time to fortifie themselves upon the Tesin and get Oleggio into their hands that they might be in a condition to have a Communication with the Forces of the Valteline Several Difficulties arose in the execution of this Design occasion'd by the Misunderstanding of the Leaders and by the Duke of Savoy's Neglect to furnish the Army with a sufficient number of Boats to pass the Rivers so that if the Spaniards had understood Military Affairs they had more than once found an opportunity to ruin the Army of the Confederates but they took the Irresolutions and false Steps of the French for so many Stratagems At last they came before Oleggio the 14th of June and the next day Crequi made himself Master of this place which surrendred in an instant Three hundred Horse that were sent towards the Tesin to seize the Boats upon which they were to pass found that they were on the other side but the French Commandant who had ordered the Carabineers of Montferrat to wear red Scarfs made the Boatmen believe they were Troops in the Service of Spain that were pursued by the French and having by this Artifice perswaded them to bring their Boats on his side they soon made themselves Masters of them By this Trick and by the means of some other Boats which the Duke of Savoy had commanded to be brought thither they passed the River and the Mareschal de Crequi being come up to them they began to make a Retrenchment to cover the Bridge which they designed to make in this place The Duke of Savoy marched at the same time to Fontanct which upon his Arrival he found to be stronger than he believed Thoiras invested it and ordered a Battery of four Pieces of Cannon to play upon the Town but as he stood too near this Battery * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 411. History of Mareschal Thoiras
Side to oppose the Spaniards And thus the States-General not being assisted by France as they ought to have been the Cardinal Infanta was not apprehensive of any great harm they could do him and therefore directed his Thoughts to retaliate to France what France had done to him the Year before Besides seeing the principal Forces of France taken up in Italy and in Burgundy he thought it sufficient to send the Count de Feria against the Prince of Orange with a small Army He designed to make himself Master of the * Aubety 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 35. City of Liege which had stood neuter ever since the Declaration of the War and Jean de Werth went to besiege it but the Inhabitants having made their peace with a Summ of Money the Cardinal Infanta order'd that General to joyn Prince Thomas and Piccolomini †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 436. and make a descent upon ‡ Picardy together The first place they besieged was Cappille which only held out * It surrendered on the 10th of July seven Days and then the Baron du Bec surrendered it by Capitulation After they had taken some other small Places they went to attack Catelet which St. Leger who was the Governour of it surrendered likewise without staying till they had made a Breach All People were surprized at the small resistance which the Governours of these Places made and the Cardinal fell into an excessive rage against them although it was purely his Fault for the Frontiers of Picardy even after the Declaration of the War were left naked and unprovided as if it had been in the midst of a Peace To turn the Eyes of the World from himself he composed a Council of the Officers of the Crown that were at Paris and of some Councellors of State which condemned the Governors of the Places surrender'd to be quartered like Traytors Nay * See the Life of the Duke of Espernon p. 548. he fell foul upon the Duke de la Valette because he wou'd not give his Vote to have the Baron du Bec condemned to die as the Interests of the Minister demanded All they cou'd do at that juncture was to oppose the Progress of the Spaniards by a small Body of Men commanded by the Count de Soissons and composed of the Troops of the Mareschal de Brezé which he had brought out of Holland and of those of the Mareschal de Chaunes who had acted the Summer before upon the Frontiers of Artois But this Army being in no respect capable to make head against the Spaniards and being also lessen'd by the Detachments that were made out of it to defend those Places which were in danger to be attack'd they contented themselves to dispute the Passage of the River Somme with them and to incommode their March On the first of August the Spanish Army appeared upon the Banks of that River and pretending to pass over at a certain place by the favour of twelve Pieces of Cannon placed in Battery upon the Banks of the Somme they passed it at another place where the French did not expect them The Count was resolved to attack their Infantry who had with great haste cover'd themselves with Gabions but he sustained so great a Loss without being able to dislodge them that he was obliged to yield the field to the Spaniards and to retire to Compeigne This alarmed the whole Country which was surprized to see that the Count shou'd fly before 8 or 10000 Horse which Piccolomini and Jean de Werth commanded Thus Roye the next day open'd their Gates to the Spanish Army and the French Troops every where began to be possess'd with a great Consternation It was feared that as they fled towards Paris the Spanish Army wou'd pursue them whereas had they taken any Post that lay nearer to the Frontiers the Enemies durst not have advanced too far into the Kingdom Within a few days after Corbie which pass'd for a strong place was taken after a Siege of 8 days although there were 1800 Men in Garrison there Soyccourt Lieutenant-General of the Province surrendred it without staying till it was assaulted or fearing the Punishment to which the other Governours were condemned At this time the Parisians were in an extraordinary fear notwithstanding the King's presence among them and the perpetual Arrival of new Troops which daily encreased the Army Cardinal Richlieu was cursed in all places who had engaged the Kingdom in this War before he had provided for the Security of the Frontiers and especially those of Picardy which are at so small a distance from Paris As he was beloved by none but his own Creatures they now took occasion to say all the Ill of him they knew * Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 38. It was not only said that War was not his Profession but they added that he had a Design to deliver up Paris to the Spaniards and that for that reason he had caused the Walls of the Fauxbourg of St. Honore to be broken down under a Pretence to enlarge the City on that side However †Aubery Ibid. c. 40. Siri Ibid. p. 438. notwithstanding all these Murmurs against him the Cardinal being come to Paris went into the City without his ordinary Guards as it were to hearten the People and to let them see how secure he thought himself upon the score of his Innocence All the Companies of Paris went to offer their Service to the King upon this occasion and they assessed themselves to raise new Levies with all Expedition All the young Fellows about the City that were capable of bearing Arms were sent for Those that had several Lackeys were obliged to send one as well as the Tradesmen that had Apprentices to spare and several Buildings at Paris were laid aside for the present to list the Carpenters and Masons The King likewise put out an Order that all those that had above one pair of Coach-Horses should give one to serve for the Artillery or Troopers and that all Gentlemen and all those that were exempt from Taxes and all the Officers of his Houshold should repair in their Arms to St. Denys within six days In the mean time the Siege of Dole was raised as has been already observed and the King on the first of September found himself at the Head of forty thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse and with a Train of forty Pieces of Cannon The Army being met together His Majesty came thither accompanied by Monsieur the Cardinal-Duke the Duke of Angoulême and the Mareschals de la Force and Chatillon besides abundance of other Officers Monsieur was declared Generalissimo of that Army and the Count de Soissons Lieutenant-General which was rather done for fear of discontenting those Princes than obliging them The Cardinal desired to be Generalissimo and that the Count de Soissons might Command under him but the Count-refused it and so he was
came to the City and the Council being over the King retired according to his Custom One of the Four Conspirators coming up to the Duke and the Count as if he had something to say to them asked in their Ear Whether they still continued in this Resolution They answer'd Yes So this Man made a Sign for the others to approach at the time when the two Princes were discoursing with the Cardinal at the bottom of the Stair-case of the Council-Chamber Nothing now remained for the Duke to doe but onely to give these Fellows the Signal and then the Cardinal had been certainly kill'd without any possibility of escaping But at this moment the Duke leaving the Cardinal with the Count began to go up the Stairs towards the Hall in a great confusion One of the Conspirators immediately followed him and would have pulled him back but the Duke never stopt till he was got up to the top It was to no purpose for this Man to represent to him That he had lost the fairest opportunity in the World and that nothing had been so easie as to accomplish it The Duke was so strangely disorder'd that he could make him no positive Answer but expressed himself in confused and doubtful Terms The Count still entertained the Cardinal in Conversation one of the Conspirators being behind him and the other two at a little distance off but Monsieur not returning the Cardinal began to fear there was some design against his Person and taking his leave of the Count got into his Coach and went home He did not know till some time after the circumstances of the danger he had been in but from that moment he would never trust himself more in the hands of his Enemies These Princes afterwards pretended That when they were upon the point of having him Assassinated they were hinder'd from doing it by considering that the Cardinal was a Priest a weak Reason to put by the Execution of a Lawful Design if this was one and which did not render the Crime much more heinous if they looked upon this action to be a crime as really it was Besides it was not at that very Moment when they design'd to kill the Cardinal that they first learnt he was a Priest no they knew that long before and if that reason was good it ought to have disswaded them at the beginning from falling upon such a Design But those people that had engaged these Princes in this Affair attributed this sudden change to the natural weakness of Monsieur which rendred him equally uncapable of good and bad actions when they required any force of Mind or Resolution Having failed of this blow the Duke and the Count took the other way which had been proposed to ruin the Cardinal in the King 's good opinion of him To effect this more easily they endeavour'd to engage the Dukes of Espernon la Valette Bouillon and Rets in their Design and they sent Messengers to them for that purpose but they onely discover'd their thoughts by this means without strengthening their party The Cardinal who was inform'd of it judged that the best way to support himself against them and to be revenged of 'em was to remove them from the Court by making false Advice be given them That the King design'd to Apprehend them Thus being gone to Paris by the King's Order on the 18th of November while the Cardinal was still in Picardy he Alarm'd them so dexterously with this false news that on the 20th or 21st of November at Night both of them made their Escapes Monsieur retired to Blois without seeing the King and the Count de Soissons to Sedan without taking his leave of him As soon as they had left the Court it was no difficult matter for the Cardinal to perswade the King what he pleased but when His Majesty came to be informed that these Princes gave it out publickly That the reason of their going away was because there was a design to apprehend them he was extreamly offended at it and in reality he had never thought of any such thing Monsieur sent a very submissive * See T. 11 of Aubery 's Mem. p. 13 c. Letter next day to the King which His Majesty was pleased to Answer in very obliging Terms The Cardinal Writ to him likewise and made him great offers of his Services but at the same time blamed him for his over-great credulity in believing good and false News alike As for the Count de Soissons who was of a more haughty spirit he sent the King a Letter full of Reproaches wherein he complained That in stead of a Reward for the services he had done him he found himself constrain'd to fly for Sanctuary to one of his Friends to avoid Imprisonment However the King was not much offended at his complaints and sent him word That he had not the least intentions to have him apprehended and that if he had left the Kingdom merely out of fear he would consent that he should tarry where he was and that he should enjoy all his Revenues and Pensions provided he would behave himself like an obedient Subject The Duke of Orleans seemed to be well enough satisfied with their usage of the Count for whom he pretended to have a particular concern and the great kindness they expressed towards himself had in appearance stifled all his Resentments At last after they had sent several persons to him to know what occasions he had to complain and to see what might be done in his behalf to cure him of all his jealousies †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 451. †Chavigny obtain'd a promise of him That he would suffer himself no more to be influenced by the Counsels of the Count de Soissons and a * Dated the 11th of December 1636. Writing sign'd by his own hand wherein he desired the King to favour him so far as to put an end to every thing that might give him any subject of suspicion or distrust This might easily be done if the King would consent to his Marriage or if he made him the Judge of it himself If the King agreed to the latter he demanded a place of security where he might declare himself without running any danger The Duke added That he hoped they would treat the Count de Soissons with the same lenity and indulgence Chavigny returned to Court and was †The 16th of December soon after sent back to Blois with a Writing from the King wherein he approved the Marriage of Monsieur if he absolutely desired it upon condition that he would not at the same time espouse the Interests of the Duke of Lorrain or entertain any Correspondences that might be prejudicial to the welfare of the Kingdom The King desired that Monsieur would oblige himself to the performance of this by signing a Promise that was drawn up and sent to him As for what concerned the Count de Soissons Chavigny inform'd him what Message His
apprehend him when he came to Orleans The King †Aubery ' s Mem. T. 2. p. 19. writ to him to invite him to come and see him there and gave him his Royal Word that he wou'd be so far from using him in that manner That if after he had been with him he still persisted in his Inclinations to leave the Kingdom he wou'd give him free leave to do it with all the security he cou'd desire The Cardinal joyn'd a Billet to it where he assured him That he wou'd engage his life and his honour for the performance of what the King was pleas'd to write to him The Duke on his side sign'd a new Oath of Fidelity at Blois wherein he begged a Pardon for the Count de Soissons and promised to renounce all manner of Friendship with him if he behaved himself unworthy of the great favour his Majesty had shewn him in giving him leave to enjoy his Estate his Pensions and his Offices if he continued to act like an obedient Subject Upon this the King made a sort of a Declaration wherein he promised to leave the Duke and the Count in the possession of the above-mention'd Things upon condition they did nothing prejudicial to his Service After this the Duke ‡ The 8th of February Siri Mem. Rec. T. ◠p. 474. came to Orleans accompanied by the Cardinal de la Valette supp'd with the King visited the Cardinal-Duke and was received extreamly well altho' all the World despised him for his Weakness Even the Cardinal-Duke cou'd not forbear to rally him though he made him abundance of Compliments This Prince sent to acquaint the Count de Soissons with what had passed between the King and him and to let him know that if he had a mind to be comprehended in this Treaty he had a Months time allow'd him to consider of it and that in case he accepted it he might either stay in his Government of Champagne with all safety or come back to Court The same day that the Duke of Orleans saw the King His * See the Collection of the Mem. of Aub. T. 2. p. 18. Majesty sent Orders to the Countess of Soissons who was at Paris to retire to Creil a small Town in the Isle of France for fear lest she shou'd form any Cabals at Paris in favour of her son In the mean time this Prince received the Advice which Monsieur sent him and after he had complain'd of his Inconstancy he †Aubety ' s Mem. T. 2. p. 20. answered that he was very glad that the Duke of Orleans had given content to the King but as for himself who had left the Court for no other Reasons but for the Interests of the Duke and his own proper Security all that he desired was to live in quiet at Sedan as his Majesty had promised he might do That if it were lawful for him to complain he might complain that in the Declaration which was published in favour of Monsieur the King pardons him a fault which he had never committed since the King had not disapproved his retiring to Sedan that he might add to this the ill Treatment they had shewn the Countess his Mother and that they pretended to take away from him his Estate his Pensions and his Governments Although this Answer shew'd much more Resolution than the Duke of Orleans had expressed yet the Count de Soissons was not the worse used for that On the other hand the Cardinal fearing lest if the Enemy happen'd to make such a Campaign this Year as they did the Year before and cou'd bring the Count over to their Party they wou'd occasion infinite Disorders in the State prevailed with the King to send the Count de Brion to Sedan to hinder the Prince from bending his Thoughts that way The King and the Cardinal writ to him some time after * The 27th of March. in very obliging terms and in his Answers the Count exprest a great deal of †The 6th of April Mem. d' Aub. T. 2. c. 21. Submission to the King and Civility to the Minister but wou'd not own that he had committed any fault In the mean time the Cardinal came to be informed that this Prince who was mightily beloved by the Soldiers had sent several †Aubery 's Life of the Card. Lib. 5. Cap. 49. Emissaries to the King's Armies to endeavour to debauch several Officers there and bring them over to his own Party Besides this it was * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 474. discovered by the means of Father Hilarion a Capuchin whom the Court sent to him to induce him to reconcile himself with the King or to know his last Resolution that he was upon the point of concluding a Treaty with the Emperour and the Cardinal-Infanta by the Intervention of the Queen-Mother The Cardinal-Infanta offer'd to furnish him with Money to raise a new Body of an Army and the Emperour granted him the Title of General to command the Troops of Piccolomini to which the Duke of Bouillon was to joyn some others The Cardinal had notice of this and fearing the fatal consequences of this Treaty sent la Croisette a Gentleman of the Duke of Longueville to Sedan as in the name of the Countess of Soissons not believing that the King cou'd in honour send any one in his own name after he knew how far the Court had advanced La Croisette knew so well how to manage the Count that he delay'd to sign the Treaty which St. Yval brought him out of the Low-Countries and gave his Word that he wou'd not engage himself till he knew whether his Majesty wou'd grant what he demanded of him La Croisette returning with all speed to the Court obtain'd in a manner all that the Count pretended to and went immediately to * The 14th of July carry him this News to Sedan The King gave him leave to †See the Mem. of Aub. T. 2. p. 21. reside at Sedan or any other City he shou'd pitch upon in his Government of Champagne in case he wou'd not come to Court or in any Foreign City that was not suspected for four Years unless his Majesty sent for him to serve him in any important Affairs that then he shou'd be obliged to come and that till then they wou'd not interpret his Absence to be a Crime against the State or a Disobedience The same Articles specified That during the space of four Years the King shou'd furnish him with 25000 Crowns a year to be employ'd in the Payment of the Garrison of Sedan That the Duke of Bouillon should be paid all that was due to him and that the King shou'd testifie to him that he was well pleased with him for assisting the Count and that he should augment his Revenue with 15000 Crowns by reason of his Alliance That the Count shou'd enjoy his Estates Functions Offices Benefice and Emoluments That the King shou'd publish a Declaration
in favour of all those that had follow'd him that they shou'd not be taken again for this fault That the Count shou'd â—â—gn these Articles and swear Fidelity to the King between the hands of one of his Almoners and that the Countess of Soissons shou'd return to Paris The Count sign'd these Articles and took the Oath of Fidelity to the King as was expresly provided by the Treaty after which he excused himself as well as he cou'd to the Queen-Mother and Prince Thomas for not concluding that Affair which he had begun with the Cardinal-Infanta His Constancy and Resolution made him obtain better Terms than the Duke of Orleans without stooping to make any of those condeseensions as he had done The Cardinal who shew'd himself imperious to the highest degree against those whom he did not fear complied with those that knew how to make themselves be feared He did not behave himself so in relation to the Queen-Mother * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 539. for whom the King and Queen of England interceded in vain with her Son towards the end of this Year She sent Monsigot to London with an †Dated the 11th of September Instruction by which she demanded to be re-established as before and the same favour for her Domesticks and all those that had followed her Departure But as they did not in the least fear Charles I. in France and much less Mary de Medicis they cou'd obtain nothing To come now to Foreign Affairs ‡ Siri ibid. p. 476. The Duke of Parma being besieged by the Spaniards in Placentia and in great danger of being taken there had long ago implored the Assistance of France which they were now resolved to send him by the Fleet that was arrived at Provence to recover the Isles of Honorat and St. Margaret But when this Succour was ready to part the Duke of Parma fearing that it wou'd not come soon enough made an Accommodation with the Spaniards by the means of Pandolfini Minister to the Grand Duke who performed all the Offices of a Mediator He excused himself to the King of France upon the invincible necessity he lay under and the Court did not seem to be much displeased with him because they knew not which way to get into his Country nor how to find Subsistence for their Troops there which they design'd to send him The Duke of Parma order'd the few French Forces he had in his Dominions to depart and after that was obliged to surrender Sabioneta to the Spaniards under a pretence of restoring that little Principality to the Neice of the Princess de Stigliano lately deceased He likewise adjusted Matters soon after with the Duke of Modena And thus the League of Italy and the great Hopes that were built upon it fell to the ground The Marquiss de Leganez enter'd afterwards into Montferrat where he took Castel Ponzone and Nice de la Paille but advancing towards Final with a Design to cover it because the Mareschal de Crequi made as if he had a mind to attack that place he was obliged to retire in Disorder after the loss of five or six hundred of his Men. In the mean time the French Fleet * Siri Ibid. p. 499. that they shou'd not be said to do nothing went to attack the Isle of Sardinia although they had scarce one Pilot aboard the Fleet that knew the Harbours and the Roads However they arrived very happily there and made a Descent in the Bay of Oristan without any one to oppose them The French afterwards took a City of that name which they found full of Provisions The Officers had resolved at first to spare private Houses and only carry off the Victuals and send them to the Fleet but this Order being ill executed and the Country Houses plundered all the Island took the Alarm and the Inhabitants perceiving the small Numbers of the French who were wholly destitute of Horse resolved to beat them out by force The French who did not make above four thousand Foot with some Field-pieces fearing to be over-run by the Cavalry of the Island which were as many as they were and besides were followed by a considerable Body of Foot thought of making a Retreat which they performed luckily enough by reason of the great Inexperience of their Enemies Militia In this Precipitation they scarce carried away any thing but the Glory of having shewn the Nobility and People of the Island that they understood the Affairs of War better than they did So soon as these Naval Forces were * See Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 502. returned to Provence they had Orders to attack the Isles possessed by the Spaniards This they executed with so much Vigour that in a few Days the †The 12th of May. See Charles Bâ—rnard upon the Year King was Master of the Isle of St. Margarets notwithstanding the brave Resistance of the Spaniards after which they forced the Garrison of St. Honorar to Capitulate to have the Liberty to retire without Cannon without Ammunition and without Colours The Count d'Harcourt who commanded the Fleet acquir'd a great deal of Reputation upon this occasion as well as Castelan who commanded the Troops in Quality of Mareschal de Camp The Archbishop of Bourdeaux who was likewise there attributed to himself part of the Honour of this Action although others wou'd have been apt to say that he neither understood the office of a Bishop nor that of a General of which he was so Ambitious Thus the Spaniards were beaten out of the Isles of St. Honorat and St. Margaret which had cost them a great deal though they scarce made any advantage of them while they kept them in their Hands The Duke de la Valette found it an easie matter to * The Life of the Duke of Espernon turn them out of Guienne without doing any thing else than cutting off their Provisions They were reduced to such great extremities that without staying till they were attacked they embark'd their Artillery and the Sick at Socoa of their own accord after which the rest of the Army marched All this while the Duke de la Valette had been but sorrily assisted by the Court where he was not much respected because neither he nor his Father had ever submitted to the Cardinal's Authority although the Son was allied to the Minister The Attempt which the Spaniards made upon Languedoc towards the end of the same Summer †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 513. See also Ch. Bernard Lib. 18. S. 10. met with no better Success although the French were not in a very good Condition to receive them Count Serbellon at the Head of Fourteen Thousand Foot and Fifteen Hundred Horse went to besiege Leucate on the last day of August He attack'd it with a great deal of Vigour but the place being sufficiently strong what by its Fortifications and what by its natural Situation Du Barry the Governour defended
* Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. p. 497. no care was taken to pay their Troops as they were promised At this time indeed it was impossible to do it by reason of the vast Expences in other Places some of which were as good as thrown away as particularly the great Charges they were at for equipping the Fleet in the Year 1636 occasion'd by the differences between the Officers and the Mareschal de Vitry Thus they were indebted upwards of a Million to the Troops of the Grisons who saw there was no probability of their being satisfied which disposed them to hearken to the Sollicitations of the House of Austria It unhappily fell out too that the Duke of Rohan who had a great Authority among them fell dangerously ill During his indisposition the Grisons resolved to break with France and they obliged one another by an Oath to take up Arms to beat the French out of their Territories The Three Leagues made a Treaty at Inspruck with the Marquiss de Leganez and the Arch-Duke Leopold for the execution of this Design On the day appointed for it the Grisons abandon'd the Posts which the Duke of Rohan had given them to keep One part of them entred into Coire to secure that City against the French and the rest positively refused to obey any other Officers but those that were nominated by the Leagues The Duke of Rohan finding himself somewhat better went to all places to appease them and by his repeated instances at last obtain'd of them to stay two Months to give the King time to satisfie them In the mean time the Spaniards put themselves in a posture to assist the Grisons if they shou'd have occasion for them and these two Months passed and two Months more and yet through the Cardinal's Negligence no Money came from France though the Duke of Rohan represented to him the great Danger he was in if some course was not taken to pay the Grisons what was due to them It seems the Cardinal had a Design to ruine the Duke of Rohan by suffering him to lose the Valteline and to throw the fault at last wholly upon him in case he did not perish there At last all the Country took up Arms on the 18th of March and some of them run to the place where the Duke was to apprehend him but he immediately retir'd to the Fort du Rhine not that it was in a Condition to defend it self but to avoid the fury of the People who were provoked to the highest Degree to see themselves paid with nothing but fair Words Nay though the Fort had been in a case of Defence yet the Duke of Rohan was not able to do any thing because it was kept by the Switzers who were fully resolved to deliver him up The Grisons insisted That the Duke should immediately give Orders for the French Troops to goe out of their Country but as he had no Commission from the Court to doe it he was afraid lest he should ruine himself if he consented to it However he was obliged speedily to come to some resolution or else to see the French that were dispersed in several places up and down the Country Murthered In this extremity he bethought himself of an Expedient which at the same time saved his own honour and the lives of his Souldiers And that was to promise That within Twenty days reckoning from that on which the Treaty was Signed he would Command them to quit the Valteline But the Grisons not being content with that proposal he offer'd to goe to Coire and there to stay as an Hostage till the entire accomplishmment of the Treaty By hazarding his Person thus the Duke saved his Army and gave the King time to send another General to the Valteline through the States of Venice if he thought it convenient or if the Court was minded to abandon this Country they might do it then with more honour than if the Duke had given Orders for his Troops to remove when the Grisons would have had him doe it In this conjuncture the Spaniards endeavour'd to perswade the Grisons to deliver up the Duke to them for fear he should make his escape but the Grisons would by no means consent to that but rather chose to keep him as a Prisoner of War but would not give him leave to converse with any body The term of Twenty days was expired and yet no Order came from Court the Cardinal being resolved to take no notice of the matter However the French Troops * The 5th of May. departed the Forts were consigned to the Grisons and the Duke set at liberty The principal Persons of the Country accompanied him as far as the Frontiers as it were to excuse themselves for the Violence that had been used towards him After he had crossed Switzerland and carried his Troops to the Province of Gex he left them in the hands of the Count de Guebriant Mareschal de Camp and retired to Geneva there to expect His Majesty's farther Orders This Conduct of the Duke of Rohan was extreamly censured at Court as if he had not been sensible that the Country would be infallibly lost if they did not speedily supply him with Money and as if he had not acquainted them with all that happen'd The Cardinal caused Two hundred thousand Livres to be sent to the Count de Guebriant with Orders not to obey the Duke but endeavour to re-enter into the Country out of which he came with his Troops in case the Venetians were willing to assist him But now it was too late and the Passes were two well Guarded so that these Troops consisting in all of about Six thousand Foot and Seven hundred Horse were ordered part to go into Italy and the rest for Burgundy to joyn the Duke of Longueville there From that time the War which France made in Italy was onely a slight diversion for the Forces of the House of Austria and it appeared by what followed that the Cardinal had no other design than that This year Three Princes of Europe died whose death it was to be feared would occasion great Disorders The first was the Emperour Ferdinand the II who died on the 14th of February His Son Ferdinand the III who had been already Elected King of the Romans succeeded him The Cardinal for what reason I don't know would not suffer France to own him either for the King of the Romans or for Emperour although every thing had been done in the accustomed forms and all the Catholick Princes and the greatest part of the Protestants had own'd him without any difficulty And therefore France which otherwise would have disobliged the Electors extreamly and several other Princes without any Necessity or the least prospect of an Advantage to be made by it soon after acknowledged Ferdinand the III as every one had done before them The Affairs of the Swedes went ill enough this year in Germany and Banier was content to put himself in possession of
to fall into the Cardinal's Hands in case this young Prince should die This obliged her to unite her Self more closely to France than ever and in spight of her own Inclinations to resign her Self wholly to the Cardinal's Advices without whose good Affections it was of no Service to her that she was the Daughter of Henry the Fourth and Mary de Medicis as well as Sister of Lewis the XIII The Cardinal of Savoy parting secretly from Rome came incognito to Tortone where he made some attempts upon Turin and Carmagnole but miscarried in them several Persons that had a Hand in this Affair were sent to Prison and the Cardinal interceeded for them in a * The 10th of December See it in T. 2. of Aubery 's Mem. p. 230. Letter which he writ to the Regent wherein he tells her that no Authority could hinder him from coming to his Father's House In the mean time he narrowly escaped being taken which had he not done they had certainly sent him into France In this Conjuncture the Cardinal Duke writ frequently into Piedmont to the Dutchess or to the Ministers of France to assist her with their Counsels He represented to her in a long Letter That at last she ought to awake her out of that Lethargy which had so long possessed her since if she did not do it suddenly The 10th of November Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 613. her Condition wou'd be helpless His meaning was that she must turn Father Monod away otherwise the King wou'd support her no longer That perhaps God Almighty had permitted by an extraordinary Providence that her Enemies shou'd force her to do what her natural inclination to Peace wou'd have disswaded her from to sign the offensive League and to put French Troops into her Garrisons against which Reason and her Interests seemed to advise her that God wou'd not always work such Miracles as he had done upon this occasion to preserve her That in humane Affairs he wou'd have every one make the best use of that understanding he had given them and that her Highness for that reason ought to examine her Mind and see what it advised her to That Nature invited her to it since otherwise she was unable to preserve her Son as well as secure her own Preservation and Honour That he wou'd not conceal from her that the Calumnies of her Enemies from which she might easily defend herself as long as she lived would pass for so many Truths when she came to die That to be plain with her her Subjects did not love her as they were obliged to do whether because the Government of Women is never so well liked as that of Men or for some other particular malignity that her Highness very well knew what it was to pretend to a Sovereignty in Italy and that the weakness of the Cardinal of Savoy might be perswaded to Evil as well as to good That in suffering Father Monod to continue in his present Post and Passer that savoured the Cardinal of Savoy to be let out of Prison she kept the worst Councellors that she cou'd have against her That since 't was to no purpose to represent to her the Evil that press'd her without giving her the due Remedy he assured her she might soon put her self in a condition to despise all the World if she wou'd follow his Majesty's advice which wou'd never be different from what Nature and Reason inspired That she ought therefore without any farther difficulty to secure her self of Father Monod's Person and severely to chastise all such as had conspired in favour of Prince Maurice That such Governours ought to be put into places as depended absolutely upon her That her Army was to be reinforced with Troops that she cou'd rely upon and that for the guard of her Person and that of her Son she should choose none but her own Creatures and endeavour to encrease the number of them by her Kindnesses That if she took this Conduct he durst with the assistance of Heaven be answerable to her for the happy success of it towards which he would freely contribute his own Life but that if on the other Hand her easiness and indulgence led her the contrary way she would fall into inevitable Calamities That he beseech'd her to dispense with him from concerning himself any longer with her Affairs because if any misfortunes happen'd to her they might not be laid to his Door by his seeming to Countenance her Irresolutions The plain English of all these Lessons was to make her turn away Father Monod and to become the Oracle of the Dutchess of Savoy himself as he was of her Brother Thus he seemed to be born to be the Pedagogue or the scourge of the whole Family of Henry IV. To come now to the most remarkable Occurrences in other places the Cardinal ordered the Duke of Rohan who was at Geneva to retire to Venice least out of revenge for his base usage he might carry on some Designs against him But the Duke pretending it was impossible for him to go to Venice the ways being all stopp'd he went to confer with the Duke of Weimar in Switzerland and afterwards came to him at his Army They had frequent Conferences together which made the Cardinal very uneasie and it was reported that the Duke of Weimar was to marry the Daughter of the Duke of Rohan The former after he had taken some few places went to besiege Rhinfeld the Capital of the four Forrest Cities Jean de Werth Duke of Savelli and the other Generals of the Emperour marched to the relief of it with Ten Thousand Men. The Duke of Weimar being informed of their March went to meet them by the Duke of Rohan's Advice and the latter who refused to have any share in the command of the Army putting himself at the head of the Left Wing * The 28th of Febr. was one of the first that began the onset and fought like a common Soldier The Imperialists were beaten after the dispute had lasted a long while but the Duke of Rohan was wounded by two Musquet-shots of which he died on the 23d of April although the King sent him an obliging Letter to thank him for the great Services he had done the Crown yet he was not sorry for his Death for his great qualities and the past Wars had long drawn upon him the displeasure of the Court which was never heartily reconciled to him but only in outward Appearance The Cardinal who by his good Will employ'd none in his Majesty's Service but such as were ready to do every thing he commanded them and who had used him ill more than once looked upon himself to be now delivered from a dangerous Enemy Rhinfeld afterwards fell * The 23d of March into the hands of the Duke of Weimar after which Friburg and the Country of Brisgow submitted to him as well as several Towns of Swabia His design was to block up Brisac
which Place he had a great desire to get into his own Hands He performed it at last but beat the Imperialists twice before he cou'd lock up this place at a convenient distance After this the Enemy endeavour'd to throw Succours into the Town and were repulsed with Loss At last Weimar forced Brisac to surrender for want of Provisions on the 19th of December This Place wou'd have been of mighty importance to France but the great Services which the Duke of Weimar had done those he might still do and the promise which his Majesty had given him to make him Landtgrave of Alsatia were the Reasons why they suffered him to enjoy this Conquest In short he put himself in possession of it and the Court connived at it that they might not disoblige him at a time when he might do them as much Mischief as Good till they found an occasion to get it into their own Hands as we shall find in the Series of the History This was the greatest Advantage which France obtain'd this Year against the House of Austria The * See the Champaign of Prince Thomas in Emanuel Tesauro ' s St. Omero Assediato Mareschal de Châtillon at the first opening of the Campaign enter'd Artois and after he had ravaged the Country all about for what design no Body knew he went at last to besiege St. Omers on the 26th of May and as the place was not in an extraordinary good Condition he did not question but he shou'd carry it in a very short time But Prince Thomas having put some Succours into the Place this retarded his Hopes somewhat but he still fansied he should accomplish his Design But at last the aforesaid Prince Thomas and Piccolomini obliged him to * The 16th of July raise the Siege after they had reliev'd the Town the second time although the Mareschal de la Force had joyn'd him with a Body of Men. This ill Success was partly attributed to the over-sight of the Mareschal de Châtillon who had not made his Lines of Circumvallation strong enough and had carried on the Siege too slowly and partly to the mis-understanding between the Generals However they drew off in very good Order and Prince Thomas not following them took the way to Terwin to cover the Country and throw some Forces into Hedin which was threatned The Cardinal was extreamly concerned at the raising of this Siege not only for the Interest of the Crown but because he had flatter'd himself with the taking of ir upon the score of a pretended Revelation of a certain Nun in the Convent of Mount-Calvary in le Maréts * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 668. Father Joseph who had consulted her it seems told him that this Nun had continued three Days in Prayer that God would be pleased to reveal to her the Success of the next Campaign and that at last she fell into an Extasie wherein she had seen two Armies fighting near St. Omers and the Victory remain'd on the King's Side Upon this impertinent Vision which either might be wholly invented or else was the effect of a disordered imagination in the Nun the Cardinal consented to the Siege of St. Omer rather than of any other place because he was in hopes that the King's Army wou'd obtain a Victory near that City The Cardinal Infanta had the good Fortune that very Champaign to ‡ Siri ibid. p. 476. The 21st of June defeat Seven Thousand Men belonging to the States-General who had made themselves Masters of the Fort of Kalloo upon the Dyke of Antwerp under the Command of Count William of Nassau He likewise forced the Prince of Orange * The 25th of August See Relation of Em. Tesauro to raise the Siege of Gueldre so that he might justly boast that he had made a very glorious Champaign However he sustained some Losses since the French took from him the Fort of Renty which * The 9th of August See the Description of this siegâ— by Em. Tesauro surrendred after a Siege of eight Days and retook †The 14th of September See the Description in the same Author Catelet the only place remaining in the Hands of the Spaniards since their Invasion in the Year 1636. The Mareschals de Châtillon and de la Force took Renty and rased it to the Ground Du Hallier Mareschal de Camp took Catelet by assault with a small Body of Men who had been commanded by the Mareschal de Brezé who being indisposed obtained permission of the King to go to the Waters These were all the Advantages which the French obtained in the Low-Countries who at the beginning of the Champaign had put the Cardinal Infanta into a great Consternation by the great Preparations they had made The King provoked at the Mareschal de Châtillon's want of fore-sight who had writ word to Court several times that it was impossible for St. Omers to miss him * By a Letter the 4th of Sept. See Aubery's Life of the Cardinal sent word to him to leave the Command of the Army to the Mareschal de la Force and to retire to his House of Châtillon without coming to Court. However he went to wait upon the Cardinal as St. Quintin and was not ill received by him the Minister judging that it wou'd be by no means adviseable to drive this General to despair who might be useful to them upon another occasion He had a fresh Subject to employ the same * Siri Mem. Râ—c T. 8. p. 632. moderation towards the Prince of Conde who met with worse success at the Siege of Fontarabia than the Mareschal de Châtillon had done before St. Omers The Count-Duke having in the Year 1637 carried one Invasion into Guienne and another into Languedoc the Cardinal-Duke who was jealous of every thing that Olivarez did resolved to quit Scores with him whatever it cost him He propos'd to go and attack Fontarabia The Life of the Duke of Espornon to carry the War into Spain It was a long while since he had caused that place to be observed by the Duke de la Valette who disswaded him from this Attempt by reason of the insuperable Difficulties that attended it However the Cardinal took it into hand again and offered to trust the management of it with the Duke of Espernon and la Valette upon Condition that they wou'd advance one part of the expences of the War and find a way to make the Province of Guienne bear it If they refused to accept this Employ they were to be told that the Prince of Conde wou'd be sent down to command in the Province and all the neighbourhood Being afraid the Cardinal put them upon this enterprise to carry on their Destruction they rather chose that the Prince of Conde shou'd take it The Prince accepted it and arrived in Guienne in May to get every thing in readiness that was necessary to this Design As for the Duke of Espernon he had
since his Disgrace had lived at his Country-House to demand his Advice upon this occasion He was somewhat troubled that the Queen should Consult him upon so nice an affair as this was knowing the implacable humour of this Minister but at last he could not refuse to tell Her his Sentiments of the Matter One day when the Queen was at Val de Grace the Chancellor came there and acquainted Her with the Commission which the King had given him He afterwards asked Her some Questions but so as to Insinuate to Her Majesty what Answers she was to make him And the Queen pointed with her Finger to the place where she used to keep the Cardinal-Infanta's Letters and gave him the Keys of it She told him That as for what related to the Prince her Brother she could never stifle the affection which Nature obliged her to show him but that she knew how to love her Brother without prejudicing the State a Maxim directly contrary to that of the Cardinal-Duke who had possessed the King That it was impossible for him to love His Subjects and his Mother with his other nearest Relations at the same time The Queen had taken the Precaution to trust all her Papers with the Marchioness de Sourdis Daughter to the Count de Carmail So that the Chancellor found nothing in the Closet but a few Disciplines From hence he return'd to carry this News to the Cardinal who was enraged to miss his Blow after he had put an Affront of this nature upon the Queen It fell out very luckily for this Princess that she was big with Child otherwise he had too cruelly offended her not to use all his Efforts to ruin her and he had formerly spoken to the King more than once to be divorced from her At the same time another Accident happen'd at Court which was not indeed of the same consequence but serves as well to discover the prodigious Authority of the Minister The King had fallen in love with Mademoiselle de la Fayette and had for some time entertain'd a Commerce with her which was by no means pleasing to the Cardinal who cou'd not endure to see any one in favour with the King that did not wholly depend upon him It happen'd without the King 's knowing the occasion of it that this Lady retired to a Convent call'd La Visitation to put her self in the Service as she pretended of a greater Lord than he was The King was extreamly inquisitive to know the reason of so sudden a Retirement and not contenting himself with what the Cardinal's Creatures had been instructed to tell him he resolved to discover the whole Mystery himself so pretending to hunt in the Forests which lye between Gresbois and this Monastery he came to this last place where he had a long Conversation with Mademoiselle de la Fayette and thus they came to be satisfied that they had been both cheated by Boizenval Valet de Chambre to his Majesty who nevertheless ow'd his preferment to this Lady Whenever the King sent him to Mademoiselle de la Fayette to deliver any Message to her or carry her a Billet and whenever this Lady sent him back to the King or writ to him he went directly to the Cardinal who caused the Billets to be chang'd as he saw convenient by counterfeiting the Hand or else order'd him what Answers to make This imperious Minister had engaged him thus to sacrifice the King and his Benefactress by sending him word that since he was made Valet de Chambre without a Recommendation from him he must not expect to enjoy that Post long Boizenval affrighted at this Menace which he did not question but the Cardinal wou'd soon put in execution went to acquaint him that if he wou'd be pleased to take him into his Protection he wou'd blindly obey him in whatever he shou'd think fit to order The Cardinal promis'd it upon condition he wou'd inform him of every thing he saw And thus Boizenval communicated to him the King's Billets and those of his Mistress which he alter'd in such a manner as was most proper to inspire them with a disgust each for the other At the same time the Cardinal threaten'd the Marchioness de Sennecey and the Bishop of Limoges who were related to Mademoiselle de la Fayette to banish them the Court unless they prevailed with this Lady to betake her self to a Retirement Their Advice and the Letters she received from the King obliged her at last to think of a Recluse Life and she accordingly put this Design in execution as it has been already said The King being inform'd that she had received some Billets which were wholly different from those which he had writ to her was sensible that Boizenval had betray'd him and resolv'd to turn him out of his place While he was in the Parler with Mademoiselle de la Fayette Boizenval who had follow'd him was at the Gate and came to understand as soon as ever the King was gone that His Majesty and She had been talking of the Cheat he had put upon them By this be concluded himself to be undone and next morning he was discarded yet the Cardinal did not condescend to speak one word in favour of him to the King lest he should thereby discover from what Quarter the Cheat proceeded The King had spent four hours in entertaining himself with Mademoiselle de la Fayette so that it being too late for him to go back and lie at Gresbois he went to Paris and the Queen * The 5th of September that very night was deliver'd of a Son afterwards Louis XIV who was born on the same day that the Cardinal-Duke was and has to their cost convinced all Europe how terrible a figure a Monarch makes that can govern by himself This Birth ruin'd in a manner all the Cabals of the Grandees which were in a good measure founded upon the Expectations they had that the Duke of Orleans wou'd succeed to the Crown In all probability too it seem'd to threaten the Cardinal's Authority who had for a considerable time drawn the Queen's Hatred upon himself but he was so strongly possessed of the entire Management of the King's Will that this did not cause the least Alteration in his Power The †Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. P. 639. same Year the Queen-Mother passed over into Holland where she was received with all imaginable respect and from thence into England to engage King Charles I. her Son-in-law and the Queen her Daughter to make new Efforts in her behalf that she might be suffer'd to return to France Belliévre was at that time Ambassadour in England and the Queen-Mother having found an opportunity to converse with him although he studiously endeavour'd to avoid it she acquainted him that she had for some time employed all the means imaginable to signifie to Cardinal Richlieu the extraordinary desire she had to return into France through his means but that she had
received no manner of Answer from him and that no Promises had been ever made her but upon such hard Conditions that she could not comply with them The Ambassadour interrupted her and desired her Majesty to remember that the King had sent him in the Character of Ambassadour to the King of England but that he had not the Honour to be sent to her He added that if her Discourse tended to command him to write about her to France he desired her not to charge him with that Commission because he had no Order to meddle with any thing whatever it was that concerned her Majesty The Queen replied that then they had not forbidden him to do it and the Ambassadour made Answer That he had no Orders To this the Queen rejoyn'd That it signified nothing at all and that she requested him to listen to her That the Afflictions she had sustained since her Departure out of France had inspired her with quite different Sentiments from what she had when she quitted that Kingdom That she should think her self infinitely obliged if he would acquaint the Cardinal that she conjur'd him to deliver her out of this Misery and the necessity of begging her Bread That she long'd exceedingly to be near the King not to concern her self in the least with any Affairs but to pass the Remainder of her Life in Repose and Tranquillity and employ it in serving of God and thinking how to die well That if the Cardinal cou'd not obtain leave of the King for her to return to Court he wou'd at least get permission for her to live in some part of France where His Majesty thought convenient and there to provide for her Maintenance That she wou'd turn away all such out of her Service that were either hated or suspected by him and That she was ready to do all that the King order'd and the Cardinal counsell'd her to do That this was all she desir'd him to communicate to the Cardinal because she believed that some Persons who had undertaken to do it had not acquitted themselves faithfully in this Affair The Ambassadour answer'd that he wou'd never give her the same occasion to complain of him because he would not concern himself in her Business Upon this the Queen told him that this was the Stile of all Ambassadours who nevertheless were obliged to write all that was said to them and that she wou'd not fail to expect his Answer The Queen of England afterwards gave Belliévre to understand that they had pitch'd upon this way because the King had declared that he wou'd not have any Strangers interpose to accommodate Matters between him and his Mother The Ambassadour still continued to say as before that he had no Authority to concern himself in this Affair but for all that * By a Letter dated the 25. of December writ to the Cardinal to inform him what the Queen-Mother had said to him The End of the Fifth Book THE HISTORY Of the FAMOUS Cardinal de RICHLIEV VOL. II. BOOK VI. Containing the most Remarkable Passages of his Life from the Year 1639. till his Death year 1639 THE Cardinal having received Belliévre's Letters was no more mov'd with pity towards his old Benefactress than by the other Steps she had formerly made to reconcile her self to him * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 640. The natural Inclination that Women have to Revenge the Humour of the Queen-Mother in particular who dissembled her Indignation so much the more as she appeared to humble herself before the Minister and who if she were in France wou'd not fail to discover to the King all that he conceal'd from him and lastly the implacable Malice of the Cardinal himself who seldom quitted what had once fully possess'd him determin'd him to reject all Offers which this afflicted Princess caused to be made to him and as for the King he had not of a long while thought fit to deliberate upon any thing which he saw was not approved by this Minister Thus the Cardinal having dictated a Letter in the King's Name to Cheré his Secretary his Majesty signed it He pretended that before he had read an Extract of Belliévre's Dispatches concerning the Propositions which the Queen-Mother had made to him he had told the Council of his own proper motion that he believed there was no longer room to rely upon the fair Words of the Queen his Mother who had always been accustomed to dissemble that her unquiet Temper hinder'd her from being able to live peaceably in any place since she cou'd never bear her Prosperity when she was in France nor agree in Flanders with the Duke of Orleans after she had obliged him to leave the Kingdom to go thither no more than with the Princess to whom she had married him that it was not without some Design that she went to Holland and that she was already disgusted with England that if she was not able to content her self with the extraordinary Authority which she enjoyed before her Departure out of France much less wou'd she rest satisfied with what they cou'd give her at present and which wou'd be nothing near so great as what she formerly had that considering her aspiring Humour she wou'd be no sooner in France but she wou'd oblige the Malecontents to occasion new Disorders and that the more easily because the greatest part of them had been formerly engaged in her Interests that the Spaniards who had despised her in their own Country wou'd not fail to influence her to excite Commotions in France as soon as she was arrived there and that merely for this Consideration they desired her Return that within 7 or 8 Months she had endeavour'd to form a new Party at Sedan with the Duke of Bouillon and the Count de Soissons though she cou'd draw nothing but bare Words from them that the King of England having in vain interceded for her design'd to send her elsewhere that all these Reasons obliged him to stick firm to the Proposal he had made to the Queen his Mother that she shou'd retire to Florence where she should receive what was sufficient to maintain her according to her Quality that lastly his Conscience was satisfied and that he shou'd be justified before God and before Men since he had done all that in him lay to satisfie the Queen without exposing his Kingdom to new Broils and Troubles Upon this Answer which was wholly founded upon this Supposition That the Queen-Mother wou'd embroil the Kingdom in case she came back as if they had been certainly assur'd of it and that there was no way to hinder it but by sending her home to Florence the Queen of England touched for her Mothers Affliction writ several Letters to the King and Cardinal with her own Hand and sent them by my Lord Jermyn to confirm them by Word of Mouth The King answered these Letters by others which Chavigny composed and were corrected by the Cardinal wherein he commends the
good intentions of his Sister but desired her not to interpose in this Affair that he intended on his Side to give his Mother all reasonable Satisfaction but that she had ingag'd her Self in so many Cabals against him that he cou'd come to no other Resolution about her till a Peace was concluded that as for the Maintenance they demanded for her he was afraid she was abused by her own Evil Councellors as if there was no Medium between granting her all and refusing his Mother a Dowry which lawfully belonged to her and yet Lewis the Just refus'd it her Thus my Lord Jermyn's Negotiation came to nothing and though he offer'd in the Name of the King and Queen of England to ingage for the good Conduct of the Queen-Mother and promised every thing which cou'd in reason be expected yet they would talk of nothing less than sending this unfortunate Princess to Florence where they promised to settle an Appointment upon her which perhaps they wou'd have stopt afterwards No one durst speak a word to the King upon this occasion and the good Prince could not bethink himself of any middle Expedient between treating his Mother with this excessive Rigour only to please the Cardinal and restoring her to her first Authority He cou'd without jealousie behold his chief Minister assume a Power infinitely greater than the Queen-Mother had ever pretended to and abuse it in a more notorious manner and yet it never disturbed him but the Cardinal had gain'd that absolute Ascendant over him and had so far possessed him that without him both he and his Kingdom wou'd be intirely ruin'd and that none but he had honest intentions towards him that he perceived nothing of the Cardinal's Designs However to secure himself in some measure from the Inhumanity which the World wou'd be apt to charge him with in refusing to let the Queen-Mother return since she desir'd it with so much Submission he wou'd not declare his own Opinion in the Council upon this Affair But he ingag'd the other Ministers to give their Sentiments in Writing which he drew up for them himself and they afterwards sign'd They are still to be seen in the Memoirs of * Page 340. Montresor and they take two things for granted first that it was impossible for the Queen-Mother to come back without embroiling the Kingdom and that there was no other way to preserve it in Tranquility but by suffering her to want even Necessaries out of France unless she wou'd go to Tuscany Secondly that as Princes are design'd more for their State than for themselves so they are also more nearly related to that than to their Father or Mother and are not obliged to show them any marks of the respect they owe them but as far as they agree with a more publick and noble Duty According to these Slaves of the Cardinal France wou'd be undone if the King made any Provision for his Mother and this Action of the King resembled the Separation of Jesus Christ from the Virgin-Mary They gave this Advice to his Majesty in the Month of March and their Names that sign'd are as follow Leguier Bullion Bouthillier Chavigny and Sablet At the same time the Cardinal-Duke order'd a Process against the Duke de la Valette who had been received very honourably in England * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 781. According to the usual Forms it belonged to the Parliament of Paris to judge of it but according to a custom establish'd by this Minister the King nominated some Commissioners of Parliament and of the Privy-Council although the Parliament had remonstrated to him that it was an Infraction of their Privileges and that these Causes belonged to them The Duke de la Valette was accused of Cowardice and Treason besides that he had left France without Permission which he cou'd not do as being Colonel-General of the French Infantry Governour of Guienne and Duke and Peer of France The King order'd the Judges to come before him at St. Germains and commanding them to give their Opinions the chief President humbly begg'd of his Majesty to dispense with him from giving his Opinion in that place being obliged to give it in Parliament if the King wou'd be pleased to send back the Cause to be there tried conformable to the Laws as he was going to prove But the King took him up short and told him That the Councellors of Parliament started difficulties of their own making and had a mind to keep him in Tutelage but he wou'd have them know that he was their Master He addâ—d That it was a great mistake to say that he cou'd not order a process against a Peer of France after what Manner he saw most convenient and forbad them to speak of it The * So they call those Judges in France that make a Report of the Case to the Parliament Rapporteurs de la Posterie and Machaut concluded after a long reasoning that his Body was to be apprehended and then the King spoke to the rest to give their Opinion Pinon began his Harangue with observing that in all the Fifty Years he had been a Councellour of Parliament he never remembred a thing of so vast an importance to have come before them that he consider'd the Duke de la Valette as a Person that had the Honour to be married to the King 's Natural Sister and as a Duke and a Peer and that therefore his Judgment was That this Cause ought to be brought before the Parliament The King told him that this was not giving his Opinion and that he did not take it as such But Pinon answer'd That in the Order of Justice a Reference was a lawful Vote The King reply'd in great Anger That he wou'd have them give their opinion of the Merits of the Cause and Pinon made answer That since his Majesty commanded him he was of the same Opinion with the former The Presidents Nesmond and Leguier said the same thing seeing the King positively bent to have it so The President de Bailleal who had heard at his coming into the Hall that the Cardinal shou'd say That the King wou'd make the Duke de la Valette taste of his Mercy once more said that he approved of the Overture which the Cardinal had made but the latter reply'd That he needed only to cover himself with his Robe to give his Opinion so he was constrain'd by the King's Command to do as those before him had done The President de Meme thought of his Bonnet without saying a Word The President de Novion after a long Discourse wherein he remark'd that no mention was made neither of the Name nor Age of the Witnesses that swore against the Duke and that the process was against the usual Forms as the King himself confess'd declar'd that he thought the Duke ought personally to appear and besides that he cou'd not in Conscience give his Opinion in the place where he was He added that if
the King constrain'd him he wou'd be of the most favourable Side because he wou'd not load his Conscience The President de Belliévre rising up said That in his Judgment this cause ought to be sent back to the Parliament but as the King obliged him to pass his Judgment upon the equity of the matter he made a short but handsom Discourse the substance of which was That he thought it was extremely strange that his Majesty shou'd interpose in the Trial of one of his Subjects that his Ancestors were accustomed to reserve their Graces to themselves and to remit Condemnations to the Tribunals of Justice that he did not believe that his Majesty had rigour enough in him to see a Man upon a Sledge to be dragg'd the next Hour after to a Gibbet that the sight of a King carried Acts of Clemency along with it that it took off Ecclesiastical Interdicts and that no one ought to depart from his Presence dissatisfied He afterwards took notice how inconvenient it was for them to deliver their Opinions before the King since they were not at liberty to speak their Thoughts freely The King after he had heard him with a great deal of Patience commanded him to speak positively to the matter in Hand Belliévre made answer That these were his Sentiments but the Chancellour still pressing him to give his Opinion he said That it was time lost to speak if he must say nothing but what the Chancellor approv'd of and so stuck still to his first Judgment The Premier President continued to insist upon a Reference but at last gave his Opinion that the Duke's Body was to be seized After the Presidents had done the Councellors declared their Sentiments and it was remarkable enough that le Bret alledged the Custom of the Persians and Turks and Leon Bralart the most violent Proceedings of Germany to serve as a Rule upon this Occasion After this the Dukes and Peers spoke and were follow'd by the Chancellour by the Cardinal and by the King At last the Court rose and the King calling the Presidents to him told them in a great Passion that they always made it their Business to disobey his Orders that he was extreamly ill satisfied with their Conduct and that he hated all those that were against his Trying a Duke and Peer out of Parliament that they were sorry ignorant Wretches unworthy of Places and that for all he knew he might put others in their room that he was resolv'd to be obey'd and that he wou'd make them see that all their Privileges were only founded upon an illegal Usage and lastly that he wou'd hear them argue no more about the Matter Thus the blindest of all Kings with whom the Arbitrary Courses of his Minister pass'd for Law and Policy violated all the Ordinances as if there had been no such thing as Justice in France before the Cardinal-Duke sate at the Helm and that all the ancient Customs ow'd their Original to Madmen and Fools It was too dangerous a point to endeavour to make him sensible of his Error not only by reason of the vast Authority of the Minister but his own natural Opiniatrete which was as great as his Knowledge and Insight into Things was small Thus he cou'd never have been brought to comprehend what might have been said to him concerning the beginning of Laws and the great Advantage which Princes as well as their Subjects find in seeing them carefully observ'd In consequence of the Result of this Assembly the Duke de la Valette was condemn'd by an Arrest of the * 〈◊〉 4th of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—uary Council of State to be sent to the Bastile to answer the Crimes he was accused of or to be adjourned to appear at Sound of Trumpet at a certain time and his Goods in the interim to be sequestred Afterwards they examined the Testimony of fifty as well Officers as Soldiers whom they thought most proper to make him seem guilty Their Depositions were read in full Council and the †â—â—â—e 24th â—â—â—ay Attorney-General concluded that the Duke de la Valette was condemn'd to have his Head cut off and his Goods confiscated for the Crimes of Cowardice and Treason The Presidents who saw it was to no purpose to make any Opposition approved of all these Conclusions except Belliévre who said it was a hundred Years ago since Francis I. had made an Order by which he ordain'd that in Civil Matters the Plaintiff shou'd not come to a conclusion under a pretence of Contumacy unless he cou'd justifie his Demand and that it was much more just to follow this method in Criminal Matters where the Honour and Life of the King's Subjects lay at stake That those that were attainted of Contumacy were not always guilty at bottom That the Duke de la Valette was accused of Treason and Disobedience to his General That in relation to the Treason it was hard to imagine that a French Gentleman and one that had so many Obligations to the King cou'd be guilty of so base a Thought That he had remark'd no proof of it in the Process and that the Attorney-General seem'd to be of the same Opinion since he had not pronounced the usual Sentence of Traitors which was to demolish their Houses to cut down their Woods and to declare their Posterity degraded from their Nobility That if the Duke de la Valette had en ertain'd any private Intelligences with the Enemy he wou'd never have discover'd it to a parcel of Scoundrâ—ls since this was the most effectual way to ruin his Designs That none of these Witnesses had deposed that he sent any Letters to the Enemy or received any from them or kept any Correspondence with them or their Adherents That consequently he judged him innocent in respect of this Allegation That as for his Disobedience to his General this was a point purely military the Cognizance whereof belonged to Gentlemen of that Profession and that if the Duke were present he might perhaps demonstrate the contrary That as to this Article the Witnesses deposed no more than that the Breach was reasonable and that if an Assault had been made immediately in all appearance the Place had been taken That it was a Matter of dangerous consequence to submit the Honour and Life of a General to the Judgment of thirty Soldiers That nevertheless tho' there was not any direct proof of these two Capital Points of which the Duke de la Valette was accused to condemn him to die yet he thought him to be so great a Criminal for leaving the Kingdom and not appearing to justifie himself even though he were in person that he was of opinion that he deserved to be banished for nine Years to be turn'd out of his Places and to pay a Fine of a hundred thousand Crowns Upon this the Chancellour replied That from whatever Principle it was that the Duke de la Valette had made the King lose the Opportunity of Taking
himself In the mean time Don Martin of Arragon parted from Alexandria with Seven or Eight thousand Men and went to Attack the Fort of Cengio where there was a French Garrison which defended it self bravely The Spanish General being killed before the place Don Antonio Sotello succeeded him and after he had repulsed the Succours which the Marquiss de Ville wou'd have thrown into it obliged it to surrender On the other side Prince Thomas marched in the * The 26th of March. Siri Mem. Pâ—â— T. 8. P. 697. Night to Chivas a place Situate upon the Po between Turin and Crescentin and took it which gave a Terrible alarm to the Dutchess and to the French who were not as yet strong enough to take the Field Quiers Montcalier and Jore declared at the same time for Prince Thomas After this he marched to * The 9th of April Verrue where the Governour did not acquit himself of his Duty and the Castle being unprovided of several Necessaries surrendred to the Prince as well as the Town Crescentin submitted soon after and thus the Spaniards hinder'd the French from being able to send any Relief to Casal by the Po. Cardinal de la Valette not being in a condition to oppose the progress of the Enemy contented himself with preserving of Turin hoping it wou'd be no difficult matter for them to regain the rest provided they cou'd but keep that City in their possession Thus either the Cardinal or the Dutchess of Savoy to destroy or preserve Father Monod put the young Duke of Savoy in danger of being stript of his Territories At the bottom the true motive which engag'd Victor Amadeus and his Widow in this War against the Spaniard was only to give their forces some diversion in Italy for fear they shou'd grow too strong in the Low Countries and it must be acknowledg'd that the Cardinal assisted them after a feeble manner But in all probability he was not much concernâ—d to see the Daughters of Mary de Medicis out of a condition to make themselves be feared He affected to mortify them upon every occasion and had order'd d Emery to reside as Ambassador at Turin altho he was extremely disagreeable to the Dutchess whom he sometimes treated with a great deal of pride and arrogance The Dutchess fearing to be besieged in Turin thought of sending the Duke her Son and her Daughters to some place of security tho the Cardinal made some proposals to her to send them into France But as she already depended but too much upon him she concluded it would be her best way to send them to Montmelian under the guard of Don Felix of Savoy who was Governor of that place Now to engage the Dutchess in some Treaty Prince Thomas and the Marquis de Leganez * The 18. of April advanced within sight of Turin and made themselves Masters of the Bourg du Pau which thâ—se within were not able to maintain The people of Piedmont generally speaâ—ing were so little affected to the Dutchess that theâ—e had been a just occasion to be apprehensive for her if the French Garrison had not been stronger than the Burghers of Turin There were quartered in that City five thousand Foot and two thousand â—orse by whose means the Cardinal de la Valette so bridled them that they were not able to attempt any thing and at the same time kept the Dutchess who was affrighted to see her Enemies so near her from making any Treaty contrary to the interests of France And thus after some few propositions the design of which was to â—â—sâ—ngage this Princess from assisting the French Pâ—â—nâ—â— Thomas and Leganez retired The Prince took Villâ—nâ—â—ve d Aâ—ti and Leganez Monicalvo and after waâ—â—â— Pontâ—slure which occasion'd a suspicion that the Spâ—niards â—ad a design upon Casal but the Cardinal de la Valette recruited it in good time with all manner of necessary provisions In the mean time the King resolv'd to send Chaâ—igny into Piedmont in quality of Ambassador extraordinary to assure the Dutchâ—ss of her Brother's assistâ—nce and withal to prevail with her to oppose the dâ—â—â—gâ— oâ— tâ—e Princes of Savoy D' Emery was but lately 〈◊〉 tâ— Fâ—ance and 't was designâ—d to send him 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—dmont as indeed they did but as the Duâ—â—â—â—s â—ad â—â—â—en an incurable dislike to his person it was â—â—aâ—d thaâ— all his endeavours wou'd fall to the gâ—â—â—â—d Chaviâ—â—y had * Sâ—e Hiâ— Instructiâ—â— in the Mâ—m o◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 p. 272. orders dexterously to insiâ—â—â—â—e to the Princess that there was only one way left to save herself and that in the Cardinal's opinion was 〈…〉 her Children into France and to securâ— herself so effectually of all the principal places of her Country that she might lye under no farther apprehensions of â—osing them Now to secure these places for herself she needed only to put Frenchmen into them which she might do both with honour and safety because the Spaniards had made a powerful Invaâ—â—â—n in Piedmont and the King promis'd to restore theâ—e places to her whenever she pleased Chavigny had instructions to support this advice with several other reasons and to tell the Dutchess that if she follow'd it the King her Brother would redouble his efforts to deliver her out of her present difficulties but if she neglected it his Majesty discharged himself before God and Man of the protection he otherwise design'd to give her since it would be unserviceable The places which the King demanded to have in Piedmont were the Castles that secure the entrance or the Vallies as Caâ—ours Revel Coni and some others like them D' Emery was likewise order'd to return from Lyons to Piedmont to fortifie Pignerol and make the same propositions to the Dutchess Besides this in case the Dutchess made a Treaty of Neutrality or a Cessation of Arms with the Spaniard he was commanded to confer with the Cardinal de la Valette to see how one might seize those places which lay upon the road from Pignerol to Casal and to effect this design in case it were feasible The Cardinal in the mean time in all his Letters to the Dutchess and to the Cardinal de la Valette gave them to understand that this Princess cou'd never truly reckon herself mistress of any place where she had Piedmontese Governours even tho the Garrison was French because those Governors wou'd make the people rise up against the Garrisons In this conjuncture the Dutchess sent to acquaint Prince Thomas that if he did not surrender the places he had taken she was resolved to throw up all which she had into the hands of the French who already possessed Carmagnole and Querasque and who wou'd soon be masters of Turin if they had once the Cittadel Soon after she began a Treaty with her Brothers-in-law by which she agreed to divide the Guardianship with them and to receive them into Turin which had it gone on would have infallibly subjected her to their power
Governor of it for the King a pension of six thousand Crowns besides what he had under the Duke of Weymar provided he would consent to have a French Lieutenant and one half of the Garrison French The like orders were also sent concerning the Governors of the other places on t' other side the Rhine but as for those on this side in regard of France the King pretended they belonged to him of right Besides this the Count de Guebriant was to propose the Duke of Longneville to the Army to be their General and to back this proposition by bestowing sums of Money as he should see convenient The King was afterwards inform'd that General d' Erlach was very well inclined to France and * See the Letter of the 31 of July to Noyers Mem. d' Aub. T. 2. P. 423. that he had taken great care to prevent the Army from disbanding and to engage the Officers to continue in the Service of the Crown The Court also received a Copy of the Duke of Weymar's Will and contrivances were set on foot to hinder it from being executed To effect this De Choisy was sent to confer with the Count de Guebriant and Baron d' Oisonville upon this affair with the following instructions that they should endeavour to secure themselves of the Army without any relation to the Brothers of the late Duke nay tho they should have a mind to enter into the Kings service that it was not reasonable that the expences his Majesty had been at to re-establish the Duke of Weymar's Army after the Battel of Nortlingac and support it ever since and to make him conquer Brisac and other places should be lost in an instant by changing of parties which the Brothers of the late Duke might be easily perswaded to do since they had already once abandoned that side which they now embraced that the Duke might have very well left all his Money to his Brothers but that he could not leave them the command of the Army nor the places of Alsatia for several reasons that are mentioned in this Instruction that therefore they ought to employ all manner of means to secure both the Troops and the Places directly for the King and not tarry to know whether his Brothers had a mind to accept what the late Duke offer'd them in his Will That if they could gain all the Leaders there needed no more to do but if any of them made a difficulty to engage in his Majesty's service they should not fail to receive the Oaths of the rest and sign a Treaty with them to assure them that they should be gratified by the King In the mean time Count Flerschein who was sent to the Court by the Directors of the Army arrived thither and presented their proposals upon which the King dispatch'd new * Dated the 20 of Aug. Instructions to the Count de Guebriant and to two other Deputies that acted in his name for the affairs of the Army and the places possess'd by the Duke of Weymar At last after several Conferences and difficulties too tedious to be recounted here a * See the whole Treaâ—y in Aub. l. 2. p. 450. Treaty was concluded at Brisac on the 9th of October the principal Articles whereof are as follow That the King agreed that the Troops commanded by the Duke of Weymar should continue in a Body as he expressly desired in his last Will and Testament and under the direction of the Officers whom he nominated That the Artillery should be commanded by the same Officers that commanded it when the late Duke of Weymar was alive and for the most part be joyn'd to the German Body with power to the Mareschals of the French Camp and to the Directors of the German Troops to give them from time to time the necessary orders That if it so happen'd that the Army came to be destroy'd in whole or in part by any misfortune of War or some other inevitable accident the King should be oblig'd to give the Officers extraordinary Allowances to re-establish their Troops That the King should take care to pay them the Arrears due at May which amounted to two hundred thousand Crowns and were to be employed in paying a months pay to all the Army and should give them good Bills for six hundred thousand Livres more for the third payment of that year due the last of September of which the Directors and Officers of the Army should employ three hundred thousand to remount and recruit the Troops That the King should pay the Army three payments and a half yearly according to the agreement made with the Duke of Weymar with this proviso that the half payment should be employ'd by the Officers in recruits and re-establishing their Troops and the other three in paying off the Officers and Souldiers according to the reviews that should be made of them by the Kings Commissaries That besides this his Majesty should pay as well to the General Officers as to those of the Artillery eight payments per annum according to the Appointments assign'd to them by the Duke of Weymar That his Majesty should still supply them with all necessary provisions of War besides all extraordinary expences as well as Ammunition-bread without deducting any thing out of their pay for it That if any of the Officers Soldiers or other private persons of the Army should demand of his Majesty the Donation of some Lands or Houses scituate in the conquer'd Countries the King shall promise to give them such gratifications as shall content them and ratifie all the Donations which the Duke of Weymar had granted to them That the Orders should be given to the Soldiers by the Directors or by one of them as they should agree amongst themselves and that they should first receive them from the Duke of Longueville as the French Officers used to receive them from the Duke of Weymar that the Directors should be called to all the Counsels which shall be kept for the common cause That the conquer'd places should be deliver'd into the King's hands that so he might give Brisac and Friburg to such Governors as he should see fit and place in them Garrisons half French and half German as well as in the other places whose Governors he should chuse out of the Body of the Army Upon these conditions the Directors and Officers promis'd the King in the name of the whole Army to serve him upon all occasions and were to confirm it by Oath assoon as the Treaty was ratified which the King's Deputies were obliged to procure in the term of two months to commence from the day this Treaty was dated By a secret Article it was provided that the King should continue the Governments of Brisac and Friburg in those hands that then commanded them that if he should remove those of other places he should choose others out of the Army to put in their room That lastly he would permit in all these places a free
exercise of the Protestant Religion After the Ratification of this Treaty the Duke of Longueville having staid a month at Creutsnach and not able to subsist there any longer by reason of the great scarcity of Forrage ordered his men to pass the * See the Relaâ—ion of it in the Mem. d' Aub. T. 2. p. 454. Rhine about the end of the year and the beginning of the following upon a small number of Boats and the Horses swam over in which several days were spent This Army which was quartered in high Hesse about Marburg might easily have been cut in pieces if the Imperial and Bavarian Troops could have stir'd out of their Winter Quarters D' Amontot and de la Bodiere Envoys from the King to Amelia Elisabeth Landgrave of Hesse had concluded a Treaty with her to engage her to declare against the Imperialists on the 22d of August * See it in the same Collection T. 2. p. 432. It was in a manner the same with that which the King had made with the Swedes and the Landgrave was to have two hundred thousand Crowns a year for declaring against the Catholick League The Duke of Longueville being now in her Territories made a new Treaty with her concerning the quartering of his Army and some other difficulties that arose in the preceding Treaty Banier who all this year kept himself not far from the Elb and the Baltick Sea in the preceding year carried the War into Saxony * See Sam. Pufend. Rer. sacc l. 11. Silesia and into Bohemia where his Army subsisted conveniently enough and the Imperialists could not hinder him It was a pretty while since people began to talk of a general Peace but so many great difficulties started up that it came to nothing Before we pass to the Affairs of State and the events of War for the ensuing year we must here take notice of some intrigues of Court wherein the Cardinal had a much greater share than in the conduct of the Army I have already spoken of the * Siri Mer. T. 2. l. 2. p. 555. Marchioness de Senecey first Lady of Honour to the Queen and of the great confidence that Princess repos'd in her It was thirteen years since the Marchioness had enjoy'd that Post and she had always serv'd the Queen with an unshaken fidelity without purchasing the Cardinals favour by betraying her Mistress as the greatest part of the Courtiers us'd to do The Cardinal who was jealous lest this Lady who possest a great share of vivacity and wit would one day or other insinuate into the Queen some designs contrary to his Ministry resolv'd to ruine her and as the King implicitly believ'd every thing he told him he prevail'd with him to write a Letter to the Queen wherein he sent her word that for some important reasons he found it convenient for her to dismiss the Marchioness de Senecey Chavigny * In Sept. 1639. brought this Letter to the Queen as she was ready to sit down to dinner and was just come from Notre Dame to acquit herself of a vow she had made for the birth of the Dauphin The Queen was exceedingly surpriz'd at this Order of the King since it concern'd a Lady with whom she had so much reason to be well satisfied and cou'd not forbear to shew a great deal of concern for it But at last she said she was born to obey the King and that she would execute his Orders She perceiv'd well enough from what quarter this storm attackt her and hoping that she might perhaps bring the Cardinal to a better temper if she addrest herself to him she writ to him to interpose in this affair and prevent the execution of what would give her so much disturbance But the Minister who was not a man that would suffer himself to be wrought upon by pure civilities sent her word that he was much oblig'd to her Majesty for the confidence she seem'd to repose in him but that he could not give her better advice than to obey the King The Queen was extremely offended at this answer and could not forbear to say that it was not the King but the Cardinal she was forc'd to obey So without taking the least notice of her complaints or so much as acquainting her with it Madam de Senecey's place was given to Madam de Brassac whom the Queen could not endure because she was entirely in the interests of the Cardinal For the same reasons the Cardinal got the Baron de St. Ange who was Comptroller of the Queens Houshold to be discarded It seems he was afraid lest the Queen who was now become a Mother might insensibly gain the good affections of the King and at last prevail with his Majesty to turn him off To prevent which he gave the King to understand that the Queen was excessively partial to the House of Austria and engag'd him as much as he could to mortifie that Princess following his ancient Maxim That a man ought not to have any confidence or friendship for those whom he has often treated ill However to give the Queen some time to vent her passion he order'd matters so that under a pretence of hunting the King came not nigh her for a long time A little before this happen'd the King seem'd to have an extraordinary kindness for Madam de Hautefort after the retreat of Mademoiselle de la Fayette but the Cardinal did not think it worth his while then to cross this new amour because she was a Lady of a soft easie temper and incapable of caballing It was some years ago since the King had a respect for her but he had discontinued for a long time to give her any marks of it The Court was mightily surpriz'd at the Kings fondness and knew not well what name to give it for as on one side he seem'd to have a wonderful passion for those of the fair Sex so he was the coldest of all men living Instead of seeking an opportunity to entertain them in private he never spoke to them but in the face of the whole Court and in the Queens Apartment and this Princess was so far from entertaining any jealousie at it that she was extremely pleas'd that these Ladies drew the King to her Apartment nay what is more she made them her friends and confidents 'T is probable the King design'd no more than barely to amuse himself with their conversation to unbend himself from his other affairs The Cardinal had at first without any distrust beheld the esteem which the King seem'd to have for Madam de Hautefort but he began to look with an ill eye upon it when he found this Lady to be an intimate friend of Mademoiselle de Chemeraut who had infinitly more wit than she and was the fittest person in the world to suggest to her what she was to say to the King To disengage his Majesty from these correspondences which he suspected the Cardinal carried him
in this exigence would be to have recourse to France They had formerly sent Seminat to d' Espenan Governor of Leucate to know what assistance the Catalonians might expect from France in case they declared against Spain D' Espenan writ to the Cardinal concerning it * In the Month of August who was then at Amiens and immediately dispatched Du Plessis Bezancon with full power to negotiate in his Majesty's name with the Catalonians He arrived at Leucate and afterwards at Barcelona where after he had offer'd the King's Protection to them and had many conferences with several Members of the Deputation of Catalonia who are the Magistrates of that Country it was concluded that to engage the King to send an Army into Catalonia they should deliver him nine Hostages three out of each Order six of whom were to tarry at Toulouse and three at Court as Deputies of the Principality of Catalonia that they should surrender up to the King two Gates of Barcelona one on the side of Tarragone and the other on the side of Rousillon That the King should send a certain number of Troops both by Sea and Land Thus they made a sort of a Treaty which however was not signed by reason of some difficulties which arose about it The Hostages departed shortly after with Villaplena a Catalonian and Du Plessis and the first having left them with the Prince of Conde and conferr'd with him return'd to Barcelona while the other pursued his way to the Court to instruct the Cardinal in what condition the Catalonians were In the mean time it being reported that the Spaniards were preparing a powerful Army Orders were sent to the Archbishop of Bourdeaux to repair incessantly to Provence to get the Fleet in readiness to sail assoon as possible and to the Prince of Conde to cause the Body which he commanded to advance under D' Espenan Mareschal de Camp towards Catalonia This last putting himself at the head of these Troops entred into this Principality by le Col de Pertuis even before the Treaty was signed being urgently pressed by the Catalonians by reason of the advice they receiv'd that the Spanish Army was not far from their Frontiers To prevail with him not to lose more time they assured him that their Militia Forces were both numerous and well disciplin'd that they only wanted a General to head them and that the Spaniards were extreamly weak So he marched directly towards Barcelona with three thousand Foot and a thousand Horse where he was received with extraordinary Acclamations Bezancon arrived thither shortly after him with orders from the Cardinal in quality of Serjeant General de Bataille In the mean time the Spanish Army having passed the Ebre at Tortose drew near to Tarragone where d' Espenan lay with seven or eight hundred Horse and a Catalonian Regiment of the new Levies waiting for the coming up of his own Regiment and that of d' Enguien He afterwards repented for having advanced so far without the French Foot when he was informed that the Spaniards had an Army of twenty five thousand men and when he saw the Catalonian Militia fly before them This Army was commanded by the Marquis de los Velez nominated the Viceroy and Captain General of Catalonia and by the Marquis de Torrecusa who was Mestre de Camp General while the Duke de St. George his Son commanded the Cavalry Bezancon who tarried all this while at Barcelona at last concluded the Treaty with the Catalonians and sent it to the Cardinal who could scarce believe it was true of so prodigious an importance did he look upon this Revolution to be He afterwards bestowed the Title of Lieutenant General upon Bezancon who being now arrived at Tarragone proposed to d' Espenan to march out with his Horse and come to joyn his Infantry which was incamp'd within seven or eight leagues of him and there to stay in some advantageous post for the arrival of the Catalonian Train-bands that were gathering together in all parts while the Catalonian Regiment of St. Olaric with two Companies of Light Horse defended Tarragone as very well they might He represented to him how dangerous it was for a General of an Army to be locked up in so bad a place as that was But d' Espenan would not listen to this wholsome advice but sent to him to order the French Foot to advance immediately and to press the Catalonians to put themselves in a condition to make a vigorous resistance He imagin'd he should be able to defend Tarragone as he had done Salces but finding nothing in a manner ready when he attack'd the Spaniards he was obliged to capitulate and promise to return into France with all the French Forces that were in Catalonia to save Rosseil Commandant of the Catalonian Regiment and the Standard of St. Olaric which is the Standard General of the Country He writ to Bezancon to come and confer with him upon the road and told him he design'd to enter the Frontiers of France to be as good as his word and then immediately to come back to Barcelona In spight of all that could be said to him it was impossible to perswade him to stay longer in Catalonia tho his retreat had like to have put the Catalonians in despair and no less displeas'd the Cardinal who had assuredly punish'd him for his Cowardice had not the Prince of Conde interceeded powerfully for him The Deputation of Catalonia took all imaginable care to put Barcelona in a capacity of defending itself lest they should see all they had most remarkable in this Principality sacrificed on the sudden to the indignation of the Castilians Bezancon who was return'd to this City and understood the Language of the Country assisted them very much with his advice We shall see the consequence of this affair in the history of the events of the following year At the same time the * See Mere. l. 1. T. 1. p. 115. Portugueses gave another blow to the Crown of Spain by throwing off their Yoak and placing the Duke of Braganza under the name of D. Juan IV. upon the Throne These people were so weary of the Spanish Government that not one person took the party of the Catholick King so that in the space of eight days the Castilians were obliged to quit Portugal and yet not the least effusion of blood happen'd upon this occasion 'T is confidently reported that Cardinal * Aâ—â—oeâ— y's Life of the Card â—al l. 6. c 64. Richlieu had some share in this great Revolution and that finding the Portugueses were extremely disgusted at the insolence of the Spaniards he dispatched one whose name was de Saint-Pe in the year 1638. with the Chancellor Captain George d' Azevedo and some others to offer them the protection and assistance of France in case they were minded to turn out the Spaniards He was further to add that if the Duke of Braganza would take the Crown upon
such good order betimes that he must expect to reduce it no other way but by main force At the same time the Governor having given the Count d' Harcourt advice of this design that General used all his endeavours to bring his Troops together assoon as he was able in order to raise the Siege and at the same time sent word to the Court that he was resolved to put this enterprize in execution or else to dye before the place He likewise demanded that the Troops which were design'd for Piedmont should instantly advance and that they would take care to furnish him with all things necessary for a Campaign The Cardinal was at a Play when this news came to him and was surprized at the boldness of the undertaking however he did not think fit to disswade him from it on the other hand he told Correro the Venetian Ambassador who sate near him that he would not trouble himself to give the Count any farther advice about it that the thing was already done and that he had great reason to hope good success from it by reason of the good conduct and bravery of the General Thus the Count having received a promise at Pignerol to be immediately relieved marched with seven thousand Foot three thousand Horse and ten pieces of Cannon directly to Casal altho the Spaniards were almost double the number The Marquis de Leganez had not as yet compleated his Lines of Circumvallation when he receiv'd advice that the Count d' Harcourt was coming towards him Upon this he orders some Pioneers out of the Milaneze with all speed to labour on the Works and in the mean time embarks his heavy Baggage and Artillery to be carried by the Po to Breme in case he should not be able to oblige the French to retire He likewise attack'd the Castle of Rossignan within some leagues of Casal but his men were repulsed with loss The Count's Army appeared on the 28th of April and skirmished with the Advance Guards of the Spaniards as they were going to take a view of the Spanish Lines on the side of Frassinet He attack'd them the next day after he had beaten off some Troops that would have hinder'd his passage over the Gattola which falls into the Po near Frassinet He made three attacks one of which was commanded by the Viscount de Turenne the other by the Count du Plessy-Pralain and the third by la Mothe Houdancourt Du Plessy-Pralain thrice attack'd the Lines of the Enemy on his side but he was as often repulsed by reason of the great depth of the Ditch But the Count d' Harcourt finding it easier to effect it upon the left where he was pushed his Horse forward with that vigour that he was the first that leapt into the Enemy's Lines but those that were to have followed him being not so well mounted could not enter along with him so that for some time he found himself all alone exposed to the firing of the Enemy In the mean time Lâ— Mothe found a more easie place to pass over within some paces of it and entred with his Cavalry to which the Count went and joyn'd himself At the head of this Body he charged the Spanish Horse with so much impetuosity that they immediately gave way He had his Horse kill'd under him in this occasion but was soon re-mounted upon one belonging to a Captain of the Light Horse whom he took Prisoner with his own hand Not long after as he pursued the Enemy down their Line his Horse stuck fast in a miry ditch so that he was not able to disengage himself from this embarras but by leaving one of his Boots his Hat and one of his Pistols behind him Being once more re-mounted he continued to beat back the Spaniards that they might not have time to recover their disorder Turenne and Pralain on their side return'd with their Foot to give the fourth Charge and forced the Lines after which they bore down all they met notwithstanding all the fire which the Enemy made upon them The Cavalry of the Besieged did likewise joyn that of the Count and then the Marquis de Leganez thought of nothing but how to make a retreat to Frassinet which he performed with a body of four thousand Horse and by that means gave his Foot an opportunity to draw off and as part of them had not been concerned in the battel they might have made a Body sufficient to repel the French in case they had had time to range themselves in Battel but they pursu'd them so near that they put them in disorder Several of the Spaniards out of fear threw themselves into the Po where great numbers of them were drown'd and the night saved the rest Others withdrew in the same confusion to Poutesture and had no better luck The Spaniards lost five thousand men in this rencounter eight pieces of Cannon six Mortars all their Ammunition which themselves set on fire and a great part of their Baggage Leganez had not so much precaution as to save his Papers so that there was found in his Tent the secret Treaty he had made with the Dutchess of Mantua concerning Casal and some Lands which the House of Savoy held in Montferrat and he thought to have taken from them The Count d' Harcourt in this occasion acquir'd the reputation of one of the bravest and most resolute Generals which France had sent out of a long time altho in reality this was a very rash action The importance of the place which he saved made the world willing to excuse a boldness which would have been blamed in any other occasion On the contrary the Marquis de Leganez was accused to have equally wanted bravery and courage It was certainly a gross * See the Siege of Casal and â—urin by Emanuel Tâ—saâ—ro Solecism to stay within his Lines which were of a prodigious length and enclosed a very uneven ground and there to wait for an Enemy which he might have defeated in a plain field and in the heat of the Action he was so strangely discomposed that he abandoned his quarter which the Count d' Harcourt attackt and in half an hours time sent seven different orders to his men After so considerable an * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 885. See Aubery ' s Mem. T. 2. p. 816. advantage the King disswaded his Sister more than ever from listning to the proposals of accommodation which Prince Thomas made her and sent word to Count Philip d' Aglie who was supposed to incline the Dutchess to a Treaty that as he might hope every thing from his liberality if he served his Sister well so he might expect to feel his resentments in a heavy manner if he behaved himself otherwise The King likewise promised the Dutchess to beat her Enemies without intermission in Piedmont till such time as he had entirely turn'd them out of that Country and to send her with all convenient speed such forces
a thousand Foot without troubling himself whether the Enemy made any opposition against those that followed him In the mean time La Mothe having rallied his Troops cut the rest in pieces and defeated those that conducted the Powder and Ammunition which La Gatta was to throw into Turin and which they wanted more than they did men Those that escaped sav'd themselves in disorder at Colegno and thus for want of discretion in this General they lost a fair opportunity of utterly ruining the French Army As for the Marquis de Leganez it was too late before he attack'd the Count d' Harcourt's Quarter and after he had spent four hundred Cannon-shot all the day long against it he was twice repulsed nay and pursued by the French out of their Lines However Prince Thomas and La Gatta made a Sally with four hundred Foot and twelve hundred Horse and made themselves Masters of Valentin which news being brought to Leganez he brought his men back again to the Onset But the Count who had seen by the preceding Attacks that there was little danger to apprehend from so harmless an Enemy sent part of his Souldiers against Prince Thomas and at the same time sustain'd the attack of Leganez and forc'd the Prince to retire into the Town again He for his part complain'd that Leganez had not given him the Signal that was agreed upon when he attackt the French that so he might have made a vigorous Sally against them at the same time as was projected But the Spaniards said that the discharge of the Artillery and Musquet shot might easily have made Prince Thomas to comprehend when their attack began Next day the Vicount de Turenne and the Count de Tonnero arriv'd from Pignerol with six thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse and provisions for the Army The Marquis de Leganez return'd to his ancient Post and Don Charles della Gatta wanting forrage in Turin thought of nothing else but how to get out of the Town as soon as it was possible This he vainly endeavour'd to do on the 23d and 31st of July being constrain'd to return back again into the place In the mean time the French lock'd up Turin closer and closer still and Prince Thomas was at a loss how to inform Leganez of what he wanted or what measures to take with him when an Engineer of Bergamo whose name was Zignon according to some or according to others Francis Gallo Valet de Chambre to Prince Thomas furnished him with an expedient to render a correspondence between the Town and Spanish Camp very easie * See Siri 's Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. â—69 V. Tesauro 's Torin Assed p. 125. As Leganez was within Cannon shot of him he was advised to make hollow Cannon Bullets in which he was to close up the Letters which he had a mind to send from the City to the Camp of Leganez or from the Camp to the City and to stop up the hole with Lead Before he shot it he gave him a signal by some lighted powder to let him know that he must take care of the Bullet 'T is said they used the same Stratagem in the Spanish Camp and threw into the Town Bombs full of Powder which those of the Town took up in the Ditch to take out the Powder that they had occasion for The Citizens of Turin made use of the same expedient to acquaint their Friends in the Spanish Camp with what they had a desire to communicate to them and this was the reason why they call'd these Billets the flying Couriers By the same way Prince Thomas agreed with the Marquis de Leganez to make a vigorous Sally on the 14th of September with four thousand Foot and a thousand Horse while at the same time the Spaniards attackt them on their side The Prince did not fail to Sally at the time appointed and made himself master of some Redoubts of the Frencâ— and a Bridge which they had thrown over the Po But the Count d' Harcourt regain'd these Posts because the Spaniards did not appear and forc'd the Prince to enter Turin again after the loss of three hundred men Leganez who being deceiv'd by the narrow Valleys through which he was to march did not think the way was so far as it really was arrived too late the Prince who despair'd of seeing him having already made his retreat Thus he return'd without doing any thing and thought no more of relieving the place as those within the Town ever since this defeat thought of nothing more than how to make the most honourable Capitulation for themselves that they could The King and the Cardinal had design'd to send Mazarine thither to negotiate with the Princes of Savoy but the Count d' Harcourt being inform'd of it was not willing that another should take that honour out of his hands after he had taken so much pains to regulate the Capitulation of that place It was therefore agreed on the 22d of September that Prince Thomas should either surrender the City of Turin to him or re-establish the Regence of the Dutchess and the Soveraignty of the Duke her Son that all hostilities should cease and that Hostages should be given on both sides till Prince Thomas had retir'd with his Troops and all his Baggage where â—he should see convenient He withdrew to Yvrees â—nd the Count d' Harcourt entred Turin before Maâ—arine could arrive there Thus in the compass of â—wo years he acquir'd the reputation of the bravest â—nd most happy General that had for a long time â—ommanded the French Army altho he was far from â—aving all the experience requisite for War But his â—ashness and good fortune joyn'd to the cowardice and want of conduct in the Enemy supplied the place of capacity and experience The Count du Plessy Pralain was made Governour of Turin where he put a French Garrison of four thousand men after which the Dutchess came to this City with the Duke her Son The Princes of Savoy did * See the Mem. of Aub. l. 11. p. 833 c. accommodate their matters soon after with France and with their Sister-in-law But the particular Articles of their Agreement having no relation to the life of our Cardinal I shall pass them over in silence Before the * The 30 of Lec Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 877. year was expired the Cardinal made the Dutchess of Savoy and Count Philip d' Aglie sensible that he had not forgot the opposition they made him at * See the former p. 380. Grenoble when he was so earnest to have the Dutchess surrender up Montmelian to his Majesty He sent a secret Commission to Mazarine who was at Turin so to manage affairs as without the least noise to get the Count apprehended with orders not to communicate it to the Count d' Harcourt nor to Du Plessy Pralain till just upon the point of execution when they were to give necessary orders to effect it
whether he fancied himself to have so great an ascendant over the Kings inclinations that it was not possible for his affection to alter whenever his Majesty reprimanded him for his faults he answer'd him with very little respect Upon this account the King forbid him to appear before him so that he shut himself up in his Chamber for some days under pretence of a Feavor year 1641 The Cardinal did all he could upon this occasion to accommodate matters between his Majesty and the Master of his Horse and as he was at Ruel and the King at St. Germain he writ a Letter to the King and gave the Pacquet to * Mem. of Auberi â— 2. p. 83â— Where is to be sound a â—â—tter of the King to the Cardinal where he recounts this Conversation to him T is dated Jâ—n 5. 1641. Cinq-Mars to deliver it to his Majesty The King having read the Cardinals Letter thus directed himself to the Master of the Horse The Cardinal has here sent me word says he that you have testified a great desire to comply with me in every thing and yet you don't amend as to one particular which I desired him to re-mind you of and that is your idleness Instead of promising the King that he would amend that fault for the future Cinq-Mars answer'd that he could not reform as to that point Upon this the King replyed A man of your condition who ought to render himself worthy to command an Army and who has assured me that he design'd such a thing must above all things avoid Idleness as altogether destructive to his reputation Cinq-Mars bluntly answer'd that he never had any pretensions that way and the King maintain'd the contrary after which he proceeded in his discourse telling him that Idleness made a man uncapable of every thing that was commendable that it was only good for the people of Mavais among whom he was bred up who entirely abandon'd themselves to their pleasures and that if he design'd to continue that sort of life he must return to them again The Master of the Horse replied in a great heat that he was ready to return thither Well says the King if I were not wiser than you I know what answer I should return to what you have said He added that Cinq-Mars having those great obligations to him which he had ought not to treat him after such a fashion when the Master of the Horse with his usual good address and civility answer'd that as he was always ready to serve the King so he was as ready to leave him and that he should be full as content to be Cinq-Mars as Monsieur le Grand and that he could not change his way of living The King and he continu'd to pique at one another all the way to the Castle till they arriv'd in the very Court where the King told him that considering the humour he was in at present he would mightily oblige him not to come near him So the Master of the Horse withdrew and did not appear before the King for some days One may see by this boysterous and insolent behaviour that Cinq-Mars was not born to continue long in this advantageous Post to which the Cardinal got him advanced and that Lewis XIII was not a Prince extremely impatient since he could suffer a young fellow to talk to him after such a manner In the mean time the * Aub. ib. Cardinal took care to appease the Kings anger at the repeated instances of Cinq-Mars and the King and his Favourite liv'd together as formerly The Minister was extremely glad to make the Favourite every day more and more dependant upon himself in becoming wholly necessary to him to maintain him in the Kings favour By this means he continued to know all his Majesty's secret thoughts who reserved and close as he was in relation to all others yet frequently open'd the most hidden inclinations of his Soul to his Favourites Nay tho he was never so much minded to conceal what lay within him yet his Favourites by putting him upon certain subjects were able to sound his true sentiments notwithstanding all the dissimulation he was master of so that the Cardinal being perfectly inform'd of all occurrences knew how to regulate his conduct accordingly Altho the King intrusted him with the administration of all his affairs yet he was desirous to be made acquainted with every thing and could not forbear to express his displeasure if he knew that any thing was kept hid from him or at least he shew'd his dissatisfaction when he entertain'd himself in private with his Favourites and the Cardinal took care to appease him by some flatteries which he mingled as he saw convenient in his discourse * Siri Mer. T. 2. p. 563. Cinq-Mars being thus reconciled to the King imagined now that he had nothing more to fear tho his Majesty expressly told him that if the Cardinal once came to be against him he would abandom him for ever The King having taken care that those that were about him should acquaint the Cardinal with all that he said was sometimes displeas'd to find himself encompass'd by Spies but the great occasion he had for his Ministry and the high esteem he had for his capacity hindered him from removing these people from him altho he did by no means affect them However that he might have one near his person to whom he might freely open his sentiments he made the Master of the Horse swear to him that he would never acquaint the Cardinal with what he should tell him This Minister was soon sensible that Master of the Horse did not come as he had been accustomed to inform him of what past near the King so he began at first to suspect him and at last form'd a design to ruine him on the very first occasion that presented it self The Cardinal's Enemies having observed the coldness between them did not fail to insinuate into the Master of the Horse that the Minister was ill affected to him and only wanted a fair opportunity to destroy him Cinq-Mars who on his side did not naturally love his Benefactor look'd upon his Grandeur as an obstacle to his own and did him no more good offices to his Majesty This Prince being now satisfied that Cinq-Mars carried no more tales to the Cardinal had a greater affection for him than ever and resolved to have him admitted into the Privy Council One day when he was at Rethel the Councellors entred the Council Chamber with the Cardinal to hold a Council there and as the Courtiers withdrew to leave them their places and Cinq-Mars follow'd them the King stopt him and turning himself towards the Cardinal That my dear friend here says he meaning the Master of the Horse may be able to serve me one day I think it convenient that he should without further delay instruct himself in the affairs of my Council The Cardinal who knew well enough that it was to no
temper'd the form of Government by mixing some appearance of an Aristocracy with it and by establishing Laws which they themselves were not allowed to violate that so the People might with greater chearfulness submit to their soveraign authority That for this end they had voluntarily submitted their own Edicts to the examination of the Parliament that so they might fully be inform'd whether they contain'd any thing contrary to the known Laws and Rules of Equity That their Conscience and true Interest engaged them to observe these Laws impartially and not to violate Justice That nevertheless in case they were of opinion that the Parliaments did not give them good counsel they were still at liberty to have recourse to their absolute power as it appeared by these terms in their Edicts For such is our good pleasure That Declarations are not addressed to the Parliaments out of pure formality which was wholly unnecessary but that the people might afterwards obey them without any repugnance That it had been the antient policy of the Kings of France to make all sorts of Graces depend upon themselves but to see Justice administred in the Soveraign Courts That this discharged the Kings from the Odium that might ensue upon the exercise of any severe act of Justice and besides disengaged them from the importunity of their Courtiers who without this might lead them to commit several injust things highly prejudicial to the Welfare of their States To return now to foreign affairs ever since the beginning of the foregoing year the Duke of Lorrain had demanded a Passport of the King to come to Court out of hopes he might obtain the possession of his Dominions by giving some satisfaction to his Majesty and it was at last * The 24 of Jan. 1639. Mem. of Aub. T. 2 p. 947. granted him in very advantageous terms Another was dispatched to him some * The 24 of August months after and yet he did not come to Court as was expected * Siri Mer. T. 1. lib. 2. p. 289. The Cardinal who by his natural inclination to invade the Rights of others without considering the ill consequences that might follow had seized upon the Dukedom of Lorrain some years before found by experience that this conduct had extremely sunk his Reputation but especially in Italy where there was not a Prince who did not with great Jealousy and Concern look upon this aggrandizing of France as fearing to be treated after the same manner as the Duke of Lorrain had been Upon this consideration he judged that after he sufficiently humbled him it would be the best way to re-establish him since he was not now in a condition to give any umbrage to France and that this would gain him the esteem of several Princes who might very eminently contribute in their respective stations towards the depressing of the House of Austria About this time the Duke of Lorrain falling passionately in Love with the Countess of Cantecroix had a mind to be divorced from his Dutchess Nicole but this is a point upon which we need enlarge no more 'T is sufficient to observe that the * Siri Ib. p. 291. Countess was very serviceable to the Cardinal to incline the Duke to make fresh Sollicitations for the favour of France which promised to procure a Divorce for him from Rome The ill condition of his own affairs did likewise oblige him to it since having no money to pay off the small Army he kept on foot he was constrain'd to allow the Soldiers to do what they pleased which set him in ill circumstances with the House of Austria upon whose Lands they had been quarter'd for a long time At last being entred into France he saw the Cardinal and arrived on the 10th of March at St. Germain where he was received with all imaginable respect Assoon as he appear'd before the King he immediately set one Knee upon the ground and told him that he came to humble himself before him and submit his fortune to his Majesty's Clemency The King offer'd thrice to raise him up but he protested that he would not quit that posture till his Majesty had forgiven him for all his past faults The King was then pleased to assure him that he had not the least remembrance of what was past and that he would assist him for the future The Duke got up and covered himself after which he went to see the Queen and the Duke of Orleans The Duke of Lorrain undertook this voyage to endeavour to regain at least one part of his Country to procure some money for the subsistence of his Troops and to engage the King to act at Rome in the favour of his Marriage with the Countess of Cantecroix If he obtain'd the two first Articles he would be able to make better conditions of agreement with the House of Austria in case he designed to embrace their party afresh or if he found it advantageous to him he might still continue linked to the Interests of France But what he most earnestly desired was the Confirmation of his Marriage and he had brought the Countess along with him into France if the King had not sent him word to leave her at Espinal The Cardinal had given his word to the Nuncio that he would in no manner support the Duke as to his Divorce from his Dutchess Nicole and that the Duke of Lorrain might not speak to him about him he spread a report abroad that the King was resolv'd to employ all his power with the Duke to prevail with him to be reconciled to his Wife When the Duke first heard of this pretended design of the King he was extremely mortified for he could not endure to hear the least mention of this Accommodation so that any one might perceive he took it for a great favour not to talk to him about it much less to pretend that they would lend him their assistance to break off his Marriage Thus he contented himself to talk with the Nuncio concerning it and since he found the King did not countenance his design he did not importune the Cardinal to favour him in a pretension so unjust as this really was Not to descend into the consequences of this private affair 't will be sufficient to observe that the King concluded the Treaty concerning the restitution of Lorrain on the 29th of May and swore to the observation of it the same day as well as the Duke in the Chappel of St. Germain * See the whole Treaty in Siri Mere. T. 1. lib. 2. p. 296. The King restored Lorrain to him and the Dutchy of Bar upon condition that he would do homage for the latter and that Clermont Stenay Jamets and Dun with all their dependencies should continue re-united to the Crown Nancy likewise was to continue as a pledge in the Kings hands till the end of the War Besides this the Duke was obliged to renounce all manner of correspondence with the House of Austria and
he had pâ—â—sessed himself of all the Avenues began to work upon his Lines of Circumvallation on the 25th of May and the Enemy did not put themselves in a readiness to hinder them or to stop the Convoys which arrived soon after Nevertheless General Bec coming to St. Venant which is upon the River Lie a little below Aire found means to throw five hundred men of the old Troops into the place which somewhat retarded the progress of the Besiegers Bec marched afterwards on the side of St. Omers and the Cardinal Infanta having joyned him they marched towards Aire as if they meant to attack the Lines of the French in the sight of whom their Army appear'd on the 22d of June and had some skirmishes with them The night following the Spaniards got a great quantity of Fascines to fill up the French Retrenchments and a boggy place over which they design'd to enter the City But having sounded the Morass and examin'd this place they found the Morass was too deep and the French Guard too strong to make any attack on that side which made the Cardinal Infanta change his Post and so he sent a small party into the Bolonois to make some diversion there In the mean time the place defended itself with a great deal of vigour divers works were taken and retaken several times and the Besiegers bought very dearly every foot of ground they got The Cardinal Infanta was resolv'd to succour the place assoon as General Lamboi whom he expected every moment with impatience had join'd him but the French being acquainted with his design prest their works with that braveâ—y and diligence that they made very great breaâ—hes with their Mines and reduced the Garrison and Burghers to * See the Capiâ—ulatio◠〈…〉 Mer T 1. l. 2. p. 420. capitulate on the 16th of July Not to give the Spaniards longer time to relieve this place the French Generals granted them very honourable conditions The Garrison marched out the next day with Drums beating Colours flying Match lighted Ball in Mouth in short with all the other Marks of Honour which are usually granted to those that have defended themselves well and yet don't stay till the last extremity before they surrender The same day that the Garrison of Aire marched out that of Genap capitulated after a Siege of about a months continuance The King had renewed this year the antient Treaties he had made with the States General and had promised to send them twelve hundred thousand Livres upon condition they would attempt some considerable enterprize In pursuance of this Treaty Frederic Henry attacqu'd Genap and after he had made himself Master of the Town reduced the Castle to capitulate at the time abovementioned The taking of Aire did so wonderfully provoke the Cardinal Infanta by reason of the lamentable consequences this Conquest might draw after it for the rest of Artois and for Flanders that he resolv'd to dislodge the Army of the Mareschal de la Meilleraye and attempt the Siege of this place * Siri lb. p 465. before they could furnish it with necessary provisions So Lamboi having join'd him with four thousand Foot and two thousand Horse the day after the reduction of the place he adventur'd to besiege the victorious Army and to hinder them from receiving victuals or other relief he made a Detachment out of his Army under the command of the Count de Salasar who took Lillers and the Fort of Ecluse between Doway and Cambray and defeated a Convoy which advanced to throw themselves into this latter Fort. The Spaniards made some new Forts between Terwen and St. Omers to hinder any provisions from coming that way On the 5th of Angust the Cardinal Infanta marched directly towards the Lines of the French whom he kept in breath with continual skirmishes but was not able to bring them to a battel till at last the Mareschal de la Meilleraye fearing that if he stay'd in this Post much longer scarcity of Provisions and Ammunition would destroy his Army as well as the place he had so lately taken retired by night on the 9th of the same month and marched in all haste to possess himself of the Pass of Terwin lest the Enemy should prevent him Before he parted he repair'd the Breaches as well as he could and fill'd up the greatest part of the Lines He put three thousand men into the place and gave the Government of it to Aigueberre with food enough for two or three months if rightly managed He could not leave them any more Powder which was absolutely necessary for them but he hoped to throw a Convoy shortly into the place Assoon as the Mareschal was dislodged the Cardinal Infanta enter'd his Lines and began the Siege of this place with a great deal of vigour and diligence but so as not to expose his men too much to the Enemy's shot As he knew it was not provided with every thing necessary he hoped soon to reduce the Garrison by Famine The Mareschal did what he could to throw some provisions into it but the Spaniards were so strongly upon their guard that all those that endeavor'd it were beaten back with loss By the 20th of August the Spaniards had already rais'd three Batteries the besieged not thinking it worth the while to incommode them by their Cannon because they had not Powder enough and were oblig'd to reserve the little they had till a time of necessity Soon after the Garrison disarm'd the Burghers and turn'd all unprositable Mouths out of the place However to oblige the Cardinal Infanta to abandon his design the Mareschal de Breze attacked Lens which he took and Meilleraye took la Bassee likewise and made inroads into Flanders where they burnt and ravaged ten or twelve leagues round the Country But the Spaniards still carried on the Siege which they had begun hoping the place would shortly fall into their hands through want of provisions The Prince of Orange importun'd by France enter'd Flanders at another â—â—de Siri Mer. T. 1. l. â—â— p. 514. wiâ—â— the Army of the States and design'd to attack le Sas de Gand but the Count de Fountains having got thither before him with seven thousand Foot and forty Companies of Horse obliged him to retire to Bergen op Zoom without doing any thing The French also did attempt in vain to make themselves Masters of Armentieres upon the Lis for some of Lamboi's Troops that were in Garrison there beat them back with loss But upon advice that the Spaniards had weaken'd all their Garrisons to form a small body of men in order to hinder the excursions they made into their Country the Mareschal de la Meilleraye attempted the Siege of Bapaume a place of great importance and difficult to be besieged by reason of the great scarcity of Water He began to besiege it in September and took it by Capitulation on the 18th of the same month The Garrison was to be conducted according to
the Court with half the Colours that were taken at the Battel of Montjui Cardinal Richlieu having receiv'd this news was in doubt whether it would be for the advantage of France to accept of this Donation of Catalonia or no by reason of the great obstruction this would bring to the concluding of a Peace and the mighty Expence the King would be oblig'd to be at for the preserving of this Country He could rather have wished that this Principality would erect an independent Republic under the Protection of France because the King would have then drawn the same advantage from iâ— without engaging too far in its defence But being convinc'd at last that the Catalonians would never be able to govern themselves long in the form of a Commonwealth but would infallibly fall again under the Spanish Government and lastly considering that it would be scandalous for the King to refuse so important a Donation only for fear of engaging himself in some expence he believed he was obliged to accept of it Bezancon was surprized at this irresolution in the Cardinal being fully of opinion that if they had not neglected matters so at first but immediately imployed sufficient Forces in that Province the Kingdoms of Arragon and Valentia the Inhabitants of both which places had a mighty kindness for the Catalonians would have fallen after the same manner into the hands of France The Spaniards after the defeat of Montjui retreated to their first Camp of Tarragone and the Catalonians encouraged by this Victory put themselves in a posture to preserve the advantage they had gain'd The King gave Orders to the Marquis de Breze who commanded a small Fleet in the Ocean to sail towards the Coasts of Spain to hinder them from sending any Fleet upon the Coasts of Catalonia He met near Cales with a Fleet bound for America of which he sunk or burnt five Gallions whereof the Admiral was one and the rest he put to flight The Bishop of Bourdeaux likewise gave chace to the Spanish Gallies in the Mediterranean commanded by the Duke de Ferrandine and cruised upon the Coasts of Naples where he burnt a Gallion under the Cannon of some Forts by the Sea side Not long after the King sent a dispatch to la Mothe Houdancourt Siri Mer. T. 1. l. 2. p. 287. who was in Italy to set himself at the head of three or four thousand men that were marching to Catalonia He arrived at Barcelona with his Troops and as he saw that Montjui was a more important post than was at first believ'd la Mothe caus'd a more regular Fort to be built there which was no sooner in a condition of defence but he marched to the Enemy who besieged Aytone and having obliged them to abandon this attempt he threw five hundred men into the place He likewise increased the Garrison of Lerida and kept the Spaniards in a perpetual inquietude Their Troops which had abundance of Portugueses in them diminished daily by desertions so that they were constrained to retire to Constantin a small City within a league of Tarragone La Mothe * The 1st of May. Siri ib. 344. advanced towards that side after he had put a Catalonian Garrison into Valz with a design to favour the Descent of the Archbp. of Bourdeaux who was lately arrived at Barcelona and had brought some Troops by Sea The French Army being divided into two bodies for the greater convenience of their March met several scattered bodies of Spaniards which they fought and put to flight after which the Spaniards having abandoned their Camp the Archbishop landed eight hundred men without difficulty and made himself Master of the Fort of Salo. * The 12 of May A few days after the French besieged Constantin in view of the Spaniards who were under the Cannon of Tarragone and carried it in three days At last la Mothe approached nearer to the Camp of the Spaniards and a hot skirmish past between the two Armies in the sight of Tarragone The Spaniards found themselves extremely incommoded for want of Forrage and this still served to augment the desertions so that the French and Catalonians found themselves much stronger than the Spaniards La Mothe then attempted the Blockade of Tarragone both by Sea and Land with a design to reduce it by Famine or lay a regular Siege to it assoon as more Troops were come up to his relief In the mean time as the Forces that were sent by Land into Catalonia run great dangers so long as the Spaniards were Masters of Rousillon and it would be a difficult matter to preserve Catalonia unless they were possest of that County * Siri Mer T. 1. l. 2. p. 434. the Court of France now began to think of seizing it if it were possible this year The Marquis de Mortare was Governour of it and had a small Body of five thousand Foot and thirteen hundred Horse The Prince of Conde enter'd this County with about seven thousand Men about the beginning of June and sent the Vicount dâ— Arpajou to take a view of Perpignan who had much ado to avoid an Ambuscade of the Spaniards The Prince being advanc'd before Canet carried that place and the Castle in a few days The inhabitants of Argeles a place of great importance because it could cut off from Rousillon all manner of communication with the port of Roses turn'd out the Spanish Garrison and open'd their Gates to the French Soon after the Catalonian Peasants who extremly incommoded the Spaniards with their excursions carried off a considerable Convoy which was going from Collioure to Perpignan and the Prince of Conde took Elne which lyes between Perpignan and Collioure on the 27th of June altho it was very well defended by some Italian Troops that were in the place After this the Prince divided his Army into two Bodies one of which was sent to La Mothe near Tarragone and the other design'd to overrun Rousillon La Mothe prest the Spaniards so near that he kept them as it were besâ—eg'd under the Cannon of Tarragone where they continued without endeavouring to get out for they hoped by this means to amuse the French Armies by Sea and Land without doing any thing all the rest of the Campain He on the other hand flattered himself that he should be able to starve them in this post and reduce them to capitulate upon what conditions he pleas'd On the 9th of July the Spaniards having form'd a design to seize a post near the Sea from whence they expected relief and at the same time to favour a Convoy of sorrage which was to come to them put two or three thousand men out of their Lines to put his project in execution But la Mothe having receâ—ved advice of it before-hand by a Walloon deserter went to meet this detachment and defeated it The rest of the Spanish Army which had advanced out of their Lines to favour the retreat of those who
it to you but in whatever condition I am be assured that I am entirely yours The 6th of June 1642. The irresolute proceedings of D. Francisco de Mello deliver'd the Mareschal out of his apprehensions and this blow which rightly manag'd might have destroy'd the Cardinal himself did not shake his authority in the least At last the designs of the * Siri Mer. T. 2. l. 2. p. 880. Master of the Horse of which I shall speak immediately being discover'd and the Duke of Bouillon apprehended the Spaniards imagin'd that if they advanced towards Sedan the Dutchesses of Bouillon Mother and Wife to the Duke who was now a Prisoner would to revenge his quarrel open the Gates of this important place to them or at least grant them a free passage into Champagne But the Dutchesses considering that the Dukes life depended upon their good conduct absolutely refus'd it so that he retir'd to Mons where General Bec lay In the mean * In the month of August time D. Andre Cantelmo made an irruption with six thousand Foot and twelve hundred Horse into the Bolonnois where he seiz'd upon several Forts and important Posts between the Cities of Graveline Calais and Ardres But the Count d' Harcourt having immediately sent the Marquis de Seneterre with two thousand Foot and six hundred Horse he follow'd soon after himself and so they presently put a stop to the progress of Cantelmo The Count regain'd in the space of four and twenty hours and that with the greatest ease imaginable all that Cantelmo had been gaining with difficulty in six days The Country suffer'd exceedingly by this invasion of the Spamards however they did not divert the forces that were employ'd against them in Rousillon and Catalonia and attempted nothing more considerable in the Low Countries for the rest of the year Thus the ill conduct of the Count-Duke and of the other Ministers of Spain made that Crown lose the best opportunity they could have desired to humble France by carrying the War into the heart of the Kingdom as the French endeavour'd to do in relation to Spain One may remark upon this occasion as upon several more that the great incapacity of the Count-Duke made the conduct of the Cardinal-Duke to be so much admired which had frequently appear'd but very indifferent had he been to deal with people that had been Masters but of common prudence and discretion To come now to the affairs of Rousillon and Catalonia ever since the beginning of this year it had been resolved to undertake the Conquest of Rousillon which was absolutely necessary either to cover the Frontiers of France on that side or to support the Rebellion of the Catalonians to whom it would be a difficult matter to send relief if they were not in possession of Rousillon Besides France pretended to have a right to that Country which is the reason why she has not surrendred it since Over and above * Siri Mer. T. 2. l. 2. p. 566. these reasons of State the Cardinal who perceiv'd that the King was grown somewhat cold towards him was willing to engage him in some considerable enterprize which as long as it lay upon his hands he should not be in a condition to part with him This Prince who had began to fall into a languishing distemper of which he died some * The 14 of May 1643. months after the Cardinal was unwilling at first to make this Voyage as contrary to his health The Chief Physician was of the same opinion and the Master of the Horse seconded him in private before the King But the Cardinal so order'd matters that the Chief Physician soon after chang'd his discourse and his Majesty resolv'd to go thither It seems the Cardinal only design'd that the King should go to Languedoc * See the Kings Letter to the Chancellor in Aubery's Mem. T. 2. p. 842. without coming in person to the Siege of Perpignan at least he testified as much afterwards This resolution being taken the King order'd twenty two thousand effective men of the best Troops in the Kingdom to march on the side of Narbonne and these were to be joyn'd by the other forces that were already in Languedoc and Dauphine besides abundance of Volunteers In the mean time the Mareschal de Breze Vice-roy of Catalonia and La Mothe Houdancourt had orders to observe the Spaniards upon the Frontiers of Arragon to hinder them from sending any relief into Rousillon through Catalonia Before the King parted for Languedoc all possible care was taken for the security of the other Frontiers of the Kingdom during his Majesty's absence Orders were given to the Count de Guebriant who still commanded the remainder of the Duke of Weymar's Army not to stir from the Rhine near which he was posted in the Electorate of Colen lest the Armies of the House of Austria should attempt any thing against France on that side The P. of Orange sent him one party of his Horse at the earnest instances of the Cardinal who threaten'd the States to take away the Regiments from them which the King entertain'd in their Army if they would not assist the Count in this occasion where the Spaniards had sent fourscore Troops of Horse to act upon the Rhine Care was also taken to send three thousand men to Count d' Erlach in Alsatia for the defence of those places which he there held for France Du Hallier commanded in Lorrain and the Count de Grancey in Burgundy The Duke of Bouillon was to go and joyn the Army in Italy to command it with the Duke of Longueville and provision was made for Picardy Artois and Champagne as I have already observ'd All things being disposed after this manner the Cardinal advised the King to carry the Queen and Duke of Orleans along with him lest there should be any caballing against his Ministry in his absence He was of opinion too that the Children of France should be left at Bois de Vincennes under a good Guard where they could run no manner of danger These strange counsels which suppos'd that the State was in danger unless the persons that were most concern'd in its preservation were under the eyes or guard of the Minister gave his enemies an occasion to say that he endeavour'd to destroy the King and make himself Regent of the Kingdom Perhaps he had no such design in his head but his austere and haughty way of treating the most eminent persons at Court did every day increase the number of his Enemies and made them say some things which otherwise they had never spoken The Queen broke this design which the King had form'd to carry her with him by telling him all in tears that she could never endure to be separated from her Children and as it was not thought advisable to expose them to so tedious a Journey the King gave her leave to stay with him at St. Germains The Prince of Conde was left at Paris
should be sent by Land to Rousillon through Catalonia while the Marquis de Leganez and de Tavara amused the French and Catalonians About the beginning of July an engagement happen'd on the Coasts of Catalonia between the Fleets of France and Spain which lasted two days without any great loss on either side however it proved extremely prejudicial to the Spaniards who could never hope to save Rousillon without beating the French Fleet. The latter retir'd to Barcelona and the other to Majorca The fight had scarce begun when a man pretending himself to be sent by the Duke de Cindad-Real Admiral of the Spanish Fleet took post to carry the news to the King that the Duke had gain'd an entire Victory and taken from the French sixty Ships and ten Gallies In his way thither he happen'd to communicate his design to one Perazza a Captain in the Regiment of Mortare This last to get the Royal Present which the carrier of so good news would undoubtedly receive from the King cunningly got there before him and filled the Court with joy before the other arrived Soon after he arrived and past for a new Courrier who confirm'd what the former had said The King and the Favourite transported with joy without condescending to examine the bearers of this news dispatch'd Dominic d' Herrera to the Queen to give her advice of this Victory and she presented him with three hundred Crowns and a Golden Chain At the same time orders were sent to the Marquis de Torrecuse who was upon his march to stay where he was till he receiv'd fresh orders because the Victory which the Fleet had gain'd open'd a passage by Sea to the Spanish forces and thus they made him lose the opportunity of relieving Perpignan Not long after a Bark arrived at Veneros which brought a true relation of the engagement and they no sooner heard the news at Court but they were in a strange confusion for having so slightly believ'd a thing of that importance and dispersing wrong informations all over the Kingdom From extremity of joy the King past to extremity of sorrow and sent a second order to the Marquis de Torrecuse wherein he expressly forbid him to hazard a Battel upon any terms till he had received a fresh reinforcement He afterwards joyn'd the Marquis de Mortare who â—â—me from Saragossa and they marched together to â—â—rragone to the number of four thousand Horse â—â—â—d twelve thousand Foot The King still tarried â—â—me time at Molina and afterwards went to Saraâ—â—ssa where he stay'd till September and as nothing 〈◊〉 as resolv'd upon in relation to the War the Army 〈◊〉 Rousillon continued undisturb'd in their posts about â—â—erpignan tiâ—l such time as the place surrendred It may with reason enough be affirm'd that part â—f the losses which the Crown of Spain sustain'd and â—â—e greatest part of the advantages which France â—â—ain'd over her were the effects of the prudence and â—ast abilities of the Cardinal-Duke However he narrowly escap'd being assassinated or at least to survive his Prince's favour in the midst of so many events that were so extremely advantageous to the Crown The Master of the Horse being as we have already said become an Enemy to the Cardinal thought of nothing else but how to destroy him To compass this design he believed there was a necessity of having the assistance of Monsieur who as he never had any real kindness for this Minister still hated him notwithstanding all the seeming reconciliations that had been made between them It was no difficult matter for Cinq-Mars to gain him * Seâ— Siri Mer. T 2. l. 2. p. 571. by representing to him that the Cardinal finding the King was indisposed endeavour'd to get himself nominated Regent of the Kingdom in his Will exclusively of all others that might better pretend to it The Duke who desired nothing so earnestly as he did this and knew the great ambition of the Minister was easily induced to believe it and had several secret conferences with the Master of the Horse to contrive means to ruine him But as the Duke of Orleans was none of the fittest men at finding out expedients the Master of the Horse thought it would be his wisest course to get the Duke of Bouillon who was engaged in the same affair to come and meet him at Paris He sent a Messenger to desire him to come thither at the same time that the Cardinal dispatched a Couâ—rier to him to oblige him to come before the King's departure on purpose to receive his Orders to go and command the Army of Italy Accordingly he came and saw the Master of the Horse at Paris and St. Germains * Seâ— the Râ—â—aâ—â—on of 〈◊〉 â—â—aâ—◠〈◊〉 in the â—â—â—oâ—r's of â—â—onâ—â—eâ—or where they concluded that it was absolutely necessary to treat with Spain that they might have an Army sufficient to cover Sedan and to give battle as the year before without which it was impossible to defend Sedan against the Armies of France that were in Champagne in Picardy and Artois It was also agreed between them that they should treat with the King of Spain in the name of Monsieur who gave Letters and necessary instructions to Fontrailles to address himself in his name to the Count-Duke This Messenger arrived safely at Madrid and * Signed hâ—◠〈◊〉 of Ma◠〈◊〉 See 〈◊〉 â—â—id p. 572. concluded a Treaty with the Count-Duke whereby the King of Spain promis'd to give Monsieur twelve thousand Foot and five thousand Horse of old Troops besides four hundred thousand Crowns in ready Money to raise more Monsieur promised to be ready at a place of security which was Sedan to put himself at the head of this Army and enter France with a design to oblige the Cardinal to consent to a Peace between the two Crown which was pretended to be the end of this Treaty But at the bottom 't was only to turn out the Cardinal by raising a Civil War in France the Duke of Orleans no more troubling himself about the welfare of the people than the Minister of the King his Brother The Cardinal easily perceived that the Master of the Horse was contriving some mischief against him but he knew none of the particulars of his designs A report was spread about that the affection which the King had for his Minister was sensibly diminished and that Cinq-Mars had much the greater share of his Majesty's favour The Cardinal fearing lest this report which his enemies industriously spread about in all places might become true if it was not so already resolved not to lose the King out of his sight in his Journey to Rousillon They lodged all the way in the same places altho they were very much straitned for want of room and that heretofore they were always accustomed to lodge in different places Besides this the Cardinal never fail'd to see the King every morning and evening to dissipate by his presence all the contrivances
see him To this end in the Chamber where the Cardinal lay another Bed was prepared for the King which was set up at his arrival None but de Noyers and Chavigny were present at this visit 'T is reported that the Cardinal after he had with great vehemence ennumerated the services he had done the Crown reproached the King for countenancing the Conspiracies against his person by suffering the Master of the Horse to be with him after his Majesty knew what designs he had formed against him This discourse drew tears from the King who recounted to the Cardinal all that had past in his disadvantage which he knew of and promised to leave the Conspirators to Justice At last the King took the way to Lyons and the Cardinal still continued at Tarascon got the * Ib. 161. Secretaries to ask him Whether in important and pressing affairs he might give orders as he should judge expedient for his Majesty's Service as he had frequently commanded him to do In case the King consented to this proposal he desired he would write to him as from his own proper motion The King was soon prevailed upon to do what he desired and writ to him a * Aubery Mem. T. 2. p. 841. Letter on the last day of June wherein he tells him that being constrain'd by the consideration of his own affairs as well as the Cardinal 's present indisposition to leave him in Languedoc his intention was that he should manage all matters there which concerned the State with the same authority as if the King himself was there in person and that he should provide for all urgent affairs without sending to him for directions The Cardinal return'd this * The 2 of July Montres 181. answer to the King that as he had never abused the honours he had been pleased to do him so he would use that power with which his Majesty had entrusted him with all due moderation The Duke of Orleans had indeed confest at first in general Terms that he had kept a very particular correspondence with the Master of the Horse and the Duke of Bouillon and promis'd to inform the Cardinal of all the particulars but they desired that he would give them the detail in writing There was some difficulty to obtain it but at last he made a * Ib. 211. Declaration on the 7th of July wherein he discover'd all that he knew It is daced from Aigueperce in Auvergne where he had leave given him to stay instead of going to Savoy In fine he engaged himself to do every thing they would have him to convict his friends of this conspiracy provided they would suffer him to live in the Kingdom privately and without any retinue but such as the King would be pleased to allow him The Duke of Bouillon being informed that the Duke of Orleans had confessed all was induced to own all his engagements with the Master of the Horse and their designs against the Cardinal only he denied that he gave his consent to the Treaty of Madrid To carry on this process and pronounce sentence against the Criminals the Cardinal according to his custom nominated some Commissioners who appeared at the places assign'd and performed all the necessary formalities The Chancellor was the Chief of them and the rest were Laubardemont Marca Miraumes Nil De Paris Champigny Counsellors of the Councils of his Majesty De Chaze and De Leve likewise Counsellors of the King and Masters of the ordinary Requests of his Houshold While this Process was preparing the Cardinal who continued still at Tarascon received advice that the Q. Mother his ancient Benefactress and for seveveral years one of the principal objects of his hatred died at Colen on the third of July He caused a Magnificent service to be celebrated for her in the Collegiat Church as if he design'd to make her some reparation after her death for all the evil he had done her while she was alive 'T is said his Majesty was extremely grieved at this News and that his natural affection began but too late to revive when he came to consider that through his onw want of tenderness and to satisfy a rigorous inflexible Minister he had suffer'd his Mother to dye in banishment and indigence and never would hearken to a reconciliation with her altho she so earnestly desired it The Cardinal still tarried at Tarascon when finding himself somewhat better he began to think of returning to Paris As he was not entirely restored to his health and apprehended lest he should renew his distemper by being jolted in a Coach he caused a sort of a Litter to be contrived wherein was his Bed with a little Table and a Chair for one person to discourse and confer with him It was cover'd with Damask with a Wax covering over that to serve in time of rain This Litter was to be carried by eighteen men and the Cardinal had resolved to choose Peasants for that Employment but his Guards offer'd their service to him and relieved one another by turns as heretofore Alexander's Souldiers did upon a like occasion When they were upon this duty those that carried the Litter walked with their heads uncovered As this Litter was too large to enter the Gates of some Towns they were forced to beat down the walls of all those places through which the Cardinal was minded to pass as well as the walls of the Houses where he lodged and brought his portable Chamber Nay the Roads must be enlarged when ever they happen'd to be too narrow and levelled where they were too uneven Thus our ambitious Minister travell'd about two hundred Leagues in this Triumphant Bed and if I may be allowed the expression enter'd every where through a breach after he had equally ruin'd his private enemies and destroy'd all the priviledges of France To return to the Conspirators Cinq-Mars having been * Siri Mer. T. 2. l. 3. p. 1182 c. carried to Lyons and examined resolutely maintain'd at first that what Monsieur deposed against him was false He showed the same constancy when he was confronted with the Duke of Bouillon tho he was extremely surprized at it What perplexed the Judges upon this occasion was that having only one Copy of the Treaty it was a difficult matter to condemn the Master of the Horse without his confession They used all imaginable means to extort the truth out of de Thou whom both Monsieur and the Duke of Bouillon affirmed to know the whole affair except only the League with Spain but he protested that he knew nothing of what they asked him and that the only reason why he had endeavoured to cement a friendship between the Duke of Bouillon and Cinq-Mars was upon some particular considerations which were not in the least criminal It was discoursed that the Duke of Orleans was to confront the Prisoners but he so earnestly begged of the King to exempt him from it and so positively declared that he would rather
got out of another Thus the Cardinal defeated this Conspiracy with great glory to himself and very advantageously for the Interest of France Altho those that envied his authority were not properly speaking enemies of the State yet as they could not destroy this Minister but by embroiling the Kingdom by the help of its real enemies they furnished the other party with a plausible pretence to accuse them with designing to betray their King and Country The Cardinal receiving the news of the death of Cinq-Mars and De Thou almost at the same time that advice was sent him of the reduction of Perpignan writ a Letter to the King which began after this manner Sir your arms are in Perpignan and your Enemies are dead In the compass of one month France got possession of two Places that were of the last importance to her particularly so long as she was engaged in a War with Spain Perpignan secured Rousillon and put her in a condition to preserve Catalonia in case she persisted in that resolution and Sedan hindred the Spaniards from entring France on that side whereas before if they gain'd the Duke of Bouillon over to their party which was no difficult matter they might easily enter it when ever they pleased On the other hand the affairs of Spain went every day worse and worse John IV. having been proclaimed King of Portugal not only resolved to preserve the Crown which was so lately put upon his head but likewise to regain all that it formerly possest in Afric America and the Indies The Government of the Castilians was become so odious every where where the Portugueses had formerly been that this design succeeded no less happily at a great distance from Spain that it had about the Tagus The Portugueses received with extraordinary Joy the News of the re-establishment of the Flouse of Braganze to which they generally submitted in spight of the Spaniards In the mean time the new King finding that the Castilians were unable to preserve their usurpations not only beat them out of the ancient bounds of Portugal but likewise enter'd into the dominions of the Catholick King and advanced as far as Salamanca He besieged several Towns in Gallicia Estramadura and Andalusia nay he had certainly made these Provinces the Theatre of the War by causing his Army to subsist there if there had been any strong places or such as were in a condition to be fortified to retire into in case of necessity Thus Spain was reduced to an extreme weakness thro the great indiscretion of the Count-Duke and the discontents of some Princes and several great Lords The Kingdoms of Valentia and Arragon that possest great privileges could not without a sensible regret see them daily infringed Catalonia which had so lately call'd in the French for that very reason furnished them with a very bad example and might perhaps influence them to do something of the like nature if things were not regulated in good time The Intrigues of the Duke de Medina Sidonia and of the Marquis d' Alamont put Andalusia into a tottering condition which Province was besides incensed at the change which had lately been made in the Money which after it had been made to go at an excessive high rate was at last cried down Those of Biscay had assassinated a Farmer who had been sent thither to introduce marked Paper against the Franchises of that Country and were exceedingly concern'd at the punishment of the principal Male-contents who had been wheedled to Madrid by the Count-Duke under a promise of being pardoned there and altho this had happen'd many years before yet they still deeply resented that perfidious usage In short the excessive poverty of Gallicia which besides was inviron'd almost on all sides by Portugal made it incapable to contribute much to the expence of the War Add to this that the Catholick King had sustain'd great losses in Catalonia without making any advances there thro the ill conduct of his Generals and that his America Fleet was destroyed so that he was forced to borrow Silver Plate of private persons to Coin it into Money The greatest Governments and Offices had for a long while beeâ— only bestow'd upon the Creatures of the Favorite without any regard to their capacity and merits and those that were best able to serve the State were turned out of Court because they could not submit to his imperious haughty temper In the mean time he caused forces to march from all parts at an incredible expence to endeavour the relief of Perpignan and 't is very observable that in six months time after he had used his greatest efforts he could bring no more than thirty thousand men into the field To compleat his misfortunes they arrived too late for the place which had long suffer'd the utmost extremities of Famine and which no one took any care to relieve was obliged to surrender on the 7th of September Don Flores d' Avela delivered it up to the Mareschal de la Meilleraye wholly destitute of Victuals but extremely well stored with Ammunition It had an Arsenal sufficient to arm twenty thousand Foot and Horse sixscore pieces of Cannon and three thousand pounds of Powder with all other things necessary for its defence The Mareschal gave the government of it to Varennes Mareschal de Camp till such time as the King should provide otherwise for the place This Conquest gave no little joy to the Court of France by reason of the mighty importance of the place which covered their Frontiers on that side and made them Masters of Rousillon On the contrary the King of Spain was exceedingly concern'd at it and could not dissemble his resentments while the Count-Duke affected a certain Gayety which surprized all the World He imagined by so doing to keep the King in heart who seemed to be strangely dejected and to put courage into the Army and People who were alarm'd at the progress of the Enemy He used all diligence to get together as great an Army as he could and the Grandees of Spain strove who should contribute the most towards the raising and maintenance of it in these urgent he cessiâ—ies of the State But instead of placing a General at the head of them who was able to raise the hopes of Spain he caused the Marquis de Leganez to be nominated to command them against the general expectation because this Marquis had not been able to obtain leave to come to Court but was as it were banished into Valentia by reason of the great complaints of the Allies and the Subjects of Spain against him but althâ— he was thus ill used in outward appearance the Count-Duke had given him private hopes that he should be suddenly advanced While he was putting himself in a posture to march Don Benito Henriquiz de Quirega surrendred Salse the Mareschals de Schamberg and Meilleraye on the 30th of September for want of provisions Part of the French Army which had been employ'd in the
blockade of Perpigaan and Salse marched afterwards into Catalonia to reinforce that of the Mareschal de la Mothe who put himself in readiness to oppose the Spanish forces which were now upon the confine and hoped to repair the loss of Rousillon by for considerable advantage Lerida was particular threatned and while Laganez marched thither on one side the Marquis de Torrecuse an Italian advanced on the other so that the Mareschal that followed the latter was not able to recard his march He was opinion to attack the place immediately without staying for the coming up of Leganez but the Spaniards that commanded under him opposed this motion This so mightily provoked him that he threw up his Command to the Marques d' Amposte who was one of them that had contradicted it the most This Spaniard that had not conduct enough to make his best advantage of the present conjuncture quitâ—â—d the post where he was for fear lest the French should cut off his provisions and so led his Troops to joyn Leganez The latter instead of following the advice of Torracuse who was insmiâ—ly more capable to command than himself constrained him to leave the Camâ— and go to meet the King at Saragossa nay he publickly own'd that tho he could conquer France if he follow'd the counsâ—l of this Italian yet he would refuse to do it The Spanish Army consisted of seventeen thousand Foot fifteen hundred Dragoons and six thousand Horse and had forty pieces of Cannon Almost all the Robility of Spain was there and particularly a great number of persons that had formerly served in the Armies belonging to that Crown so that they had reason to promise themselves good success The Army of the Mareschal de la Mothe consisted of no more than about eight thousand Foot and four thousand Horse but the experience of the General made amends for the small number of his Troops There was also this difference between the Spanish forces and those of France that the latter intirely relyed upon their General whereas a great part of the Spanish Army lost their courage when they saw the Marquis de Torrecuse leave them who was generally esteemed by all those that knew him The Armies being in this condition Leganez thought it his best way to attack La Mathe and marched towards him in order of Battel on the first of October On the seventh the Armes came in sight of one another and the French being sensible of the great inequality of their Troops endeavour'd to get the advantage of the ground by posting themselves upon imminent places where they had placed their Cannon so that there was no coming to them without sustaining the whole shock of their great Guns In the mean time the Spaniards advanced with extraordinary bravery and having given a vigorous onset immediately disordered the Cavalry of the Right Wing and put them to flight but they were beaten back on the Left where the Mareschal commanded in person The French Horse on the Right Wing abandon'd three pieces of Cannon to the Spaniards and Laganez fearing to lose them again gave orders to his men to carry them off from the place to joyn the Spanish Artillery In this interval his Van-guard which had gained them instead of continuing to charge the French stopt short till the three pieces of Cannon were carried off so that the Mareschal had time to rally his Cavalry and lead them on again to the Charge In a short time they return'd the like to the Spaniards and pursued them in disorder towards the body of their Army which they put into confusion The inequality of the Troops and the coming on of the night hindred the Mareschal from making his advantage of it and having sounded a retreat he retired to his Camp but being soon after informed that the Spaniards had withdrawn he came back to the Field of Battle where he passed the night to let the Enemy see that the advantage of the day belonged to him Leganez on his side writ to the Court that he had obtain'd a signal Victory over the French and that he had taken their Cannon However the loss was in a manner equal and it was computed that about five hundred men fell on both sides but the small number of the French rendred their advantages the more considerable besides that they had done what they at first proposed since by this means they hinderd the Spaniards from forming the siege of Lerida The Court of Spain made great rejoycing for this pretended Victory and 't is an ancient custom in that Country to feed the people with Chimerical News by dissembling or extenuating their losses and representing their Victories to be infinitely greater than in reality they are The Spaniards who seldom travel out of their own Country and scarce keep any correspondence with Forreigners cannot inform themselves of the truth but by Officers of their own Nation who serve in the King's Armies and as they are not unacquainted with the Maxims of the Court take care not to publish their losses Thus it is generally believed in Spain that the King's Forces are victorious in all places and that the remote Provinces in his possession still continue intire till the Treaties of Peace make them discover the contrary After all the particulars arrive to the knowledge but of a few persons and the Commonalty are still lulled asleep in their ancient errors Leganez ended the Campaign by the taking of some small Castles in the neighbourhood of Amposte and took so little care of provisions that his Army was obliged for the space of three days to feed up â—n Asses Flesh and mouldy Bisket which occasioned a great sickness among the men and forced them all to disperse in November This secured the French in the possession of Catalonia and encouraged the Catalonians in their Rebellion At last the King's Eyes were opened and he perceived that they had imposed upon him when they excused the conduct of Leganez The management of this Campaign sufficiently perswaded him that the complaints which the Italians had made against him so long ago were but too true The Artifices of the Count-Duke who began to sink very much in his credit with the King availed nothing So Leganez was deposed from his place of being General sent at first to Prison and afterwards as it were banished to his House in Madrid being forbid to stir out of it as well as to receive any visits Don Philip de Silva who had served a long while in the Armies of Spain without obtaining any honour there was put into his place after he had been disgraced for not relieving of Arras All Europe was surprized at so strange a choice but the scarcity of persons sir to command was 〈◊〉 that juncture so great in this Country that they â—â—â—â—d not tell upon whom to pitch While France obtained these advantages ever the Spaniards the House of Austria was full as unsuâ—â—â—ful in Germany * See the 14
Book of Pufendorf Hist Rer. Suec Leonard Torstenson General of the Swedes defeated them twice in the course of this Campaign In Silesia he cut to pieces the Emperors Army commanded by Francis Albert Duke of Saxe-Lawenburg and took him Prisoner and he defeated the Arch-Duke Leopold near Leipsic He took several considerable places and got several other advantages â—ver the Imperialists The Count de Guebriant with some French Troops and the remainder of the Duke of Weymar's Army which he commanded ever since the departure of the Duke of Longueville contributed mightily to these Victories altho he was at a great distance from the Swedes because he obliged a considerable Body of the Imperial Troops to be upon the Rhine Towards the beginning of the year he * Siri Mer. T. 2. l. 1. p. 4 c. entered into the Archbishoprick of Colen with seven thousand Men and five pieces of Cannon The Count de Herbestein joyn'd him with four thousand men of the Troops of the Landgrave of Hesse and nine Field pieces They besieged Ordinguen together and took it by Capitulation altho Lamboi was within three Leagues of the Place with twelve thousand men But whether he believed the Town would hold out longer or that he was minded to stay till General Hazfeldt joyned him he made no movement The Count de Guebriant receiving advice that these two Generals designed to joyn one another resolved to attack Lamboi altho he was entrenched in a very advantageous place and was full as strong as himself that he might not have them both upon his hands at a time He divided his Arm into three Bodies one of which was composed of French commanded by himself the other of Hessians commanded by their own General and the third of the Troops of the Duke of Weymar under General Tubadel In this order he attacked the intrenchments of the Imperialists and after a long resistance beat them on three sides and put Lamboi to the rout notwithstanding all the efforts he made to rally his men This General grown desperate at the defeat of his Army return'd to the Charge with a small reserve and after he had given great proofs of his bravery was oblig'd to surrender himself Prisoner He lost three thousand men upon the spot besides fourteen hundred Prisoners among whom were the principal Officers as well as the Gâ—neral After this the Count de Gâ—â—briant * The 26 of January took the Town of Nuys and several other small places in the Electorate of Colen where he committed great ravages There was a hot discourse this year of a place of Congress to treat of a general Peace and Passports for the Ambassadors that were to meet there The * Siri Mâ—â— T. 2. l. 2. p. 1064. Spaniards for their particular desired to conclude a Truce for two years with France hoping in that time to make new preparations for carrying on the War but France was in too formidable a posture to consent to it and the Cardinal declared he would listen to nothing but a Peace by which he pretended to keep some places to make a descent upon Germany or Flanders whenever the King pleased The unnatural disorders in England still continued and the King being necessitated to declare War against his two Houses of Parliament engaged himself in those unfortunate Broils which he was never able to master and in the end proved fatal to him He was suspected in France to be inclined to Spain and in England to have a leaning towards France The Ambassador of this last Crown having addressed himself to the Parliament after the King had broke with them this Prince was extremely offended at it and sent great complaints of this procedure to the Court of France Lewis XIII answered that it was without his orders and to convince the English Envoy that it was so he promised to call this Ambassador home which was accordingly performed soon after However several persons were of opinion that he durst never have appeared in a matter of this consequence at least without an order from the Chief Minister who for his part was not sorry to have these disturbances last longer it being to be feared that England jealous of the Grandeur of France would declare for Spain as soon as their troubles were over The French Ambassador nevertheless protested to the King of England that he had done nothing but with a design to induce the Parliament to a Peace and it was said in France that it was not the Interest of that Crown to suffer the authority of the Parliament to encrease too much because that Calvinism would be then more strongly estabâ—ished in England and that this Religion might be of ill example to the Calvinists of France But after all nothing was done in favour of the King to support him against the Parliament and in the sequel France openly declared for Oliver Cromwel Protector of England for fear lest he should joyn with the Spaniards Italy which perhaps would have concerned it self one way or t'other and declared for the weakest side was still strangely disordered Notwithstanding the * Ib. l. 1. p. 178. intervention of most of the powers of Italy to accommodate the Duke of Parma with the Barberines the latter not only pretended to keep whâ—â— they had gotten into their hands but that the Duke should go to beg pardon of the Pope They caused him to be cited at Rome to make his appearance there at a certain time under pain of excommunication and as the Duke was better advised than to venture himself there the Pope brandished the Ecclesiastical Thunder against him on the 13th of January Nay they talked of putting his dominions under an Interdict but as they were sensible that all the Powers which had interceeded for that Prince would declare for him if things were carried to those extremities they laid aside that design In the mean time the Duke took all possible measures to secure himself of the fidelity of his Subjects as well of the Laity as the Church-men and continued to make preparations of War necessary for his defence The Pope did the same on his side and it was feared that he would soon swallow up the rest of the Duke of Parma's dominions At last * Ib. l. 2. 3. after several negotiations to no purpose the Republic of Venice the great Duke of Florence and the Duke of Modena made a defensive League with the Duke of Parma to oppose the progress of the Pope's Army in case he attempted any new conquests and to oblige him to surrender Castro to the Duke of Parma The Troops of Venice and Florence were ordered to advance towards the Dutchy of Parma the Modenois to move as the Popes Army should do and the Duke of Parma was ready to make an irruption into the Ecclesiastical State This was the face of affairs in Italy at the beginning of the Campaign in the year 1642. The Barberines being informed of the
resolution of the Confederate Princes ceased to threaten as at first they had done those that opposed their designs and pretended that they were desirous to end this affair by the way of negotiation France employ'd it self to pacify these commotions at least in appâ—arance but the Duke of Parma perceiving that the Barberines only endeavour'd to gain time took the Field on the 10th of September with about four thousand Horse which the Mareschal d Estrees commanded under him in quality of Lieutenant General His design was to go and attack the Pope's Army commanded by Don Tadeo Barberini and in case he defeated him to march strait to the walls of Rome but if he was repulsed to retire into his own Territories covered by the forces of Modâ—na and the Troops of the Confederate Princes That if it so happen'd that the Army of the Barberines kept within their Camp it would be easy for him to go up to Rome without any opposition because being inferiour to him in Horse it would not be possible for them to follow him The Pope's General being acquainted with the Duke's design ordered the greatest part of his Troops to encamp near the Castle of St. John to be in a condition to oppose the Enemy's maâ—ch However neither he nor those that commanâ—ed under him could imagine that the Duke of Parâ—a durst strike so hardy a blow as to enter the Territory of Bologne by leaving Fort Vrban behind him and venturing himself between that City and the Popeâ—s Army Being thus lull'd asleep they were extremely surpriz'd at the Duke's boldness when they were not in a condition to oppose him Their Troops were seized â—â—â—h terror and as soon as those of Parma appeared they fled on all sides Thus this Army which had given the Alarm to all Italy was in a short time made unable to oppose a small body of Horse without Artillery and supported by no Foot On the other hand the Duke of Parma's Army advanced as far as Castiglione del Lago in Romagnia and struck a terror into Rome At this time the * Ib. T. 2. l. 3. Negotiations were set on foot afresh the Duke offering to withdraw provided that Castro was put into the hands of the Confederates with a promise to deliver it up to him in a short time The Barberines being in a great fright had recourse to the Ministers of France and desired them to interpose the authority of the King to bring this affair to some accommodation Altho they were not sorry in France to see these disorders and broils in Italy yet they were afraid lest the Confederate Princes seeing the happy success of the Duke of Parma's enterprize might form some designs disadvantageous to the rest of Italy For this reason they were glad of any opportunity to stop the progress of the League and they did it effectually by beginning to negotiate afresh The Ministers of several Princes and those of the Pope met at Castel Georgio for this purpose but after abundance of proposals on both sides nothing was concluded upon and yet the Duke of Parma withdrew his Troops out of the Ecclesiastic State This was the only thing which the Barberines desired and perhaps the other Powers helped them to deceive the Confederate Princes However 't is certain that during these divisions Prince Thomas of Savoy General of the French Troops in Italy took Nice de la Paille from the King of Spain by composition dated the 3d of September On the 20th of the following month the Marquis de Pianezza re-took Verrue the taking of which places was of consequence for the time to come and Prince Thomas made himself master of the City of Tortone at the beginning of October and of the Castle on the 25th of November The King to recompence the services or this Prince made him a present of this Town and the Territory belonging to it and after this manner the Campaign ended The Spaniards had in vain attempted to relieve it but could not hinder the taking of it 〈◊〉 and the succours which they threw into the Castâ—e did not defend it with more success Thus the projects of France were almost every where fortunate under the Conduct of the Cardinal-Duke while the Count-Duke saw the King of Spain come by the worst in all places through his want of dexterity Another misfortune happen'd to him about the end of the year as he endeavour'd to make some attempt before he return'd to Castile The Catholic King sent some Troops to reduce the City of Monzon which the French possessed upon the frontiers of Arragon and from whence they made frequent excursions into the most fertile part of that Kingdom but a furious tempest happenâ—d which broke down the Bridge of Fragues over which they must pass and entirely dissipated that small remainder of men which the Spaniards had And soon after the King who was provoked to see that nothing but ill success attended all his undertakings disgraced the Count-Duke after he had been fully convinced that this Favourite was in no respect to be compared with the Chief Minister of Lewis XIII To return now to the Cardinal and represent the last Scene of so busie a life altho he had taken all imaginable care to recover his health yet he continued in a languishing condition ever since his return from Rousillon The King being at Fontainâ—blâ—au * The 17. Siri Mere. T. 2. l. 3. in October the Minister went to visit him there altho he had still a pain in his Arm and felt some approaches of an Ague From thence he went to Pariâ— where having summon'd the Privy Councellors to wait upon him at his house he fell upon several projects for the ensuing Campaign Some were of advice to make a vigorous irruption into the Kingdom of Arragon which might easily be effected since the dissipation of the Army commanded by the Marquis de Leganez But to this others objected that it was to no purpose to advance so far because the first Treaty of Peace would oblige them to surrender up all that they had conquer'd on that side and besides that this Country being at too great a distance from the heart of France and the presence of the King which is so necessary to animate and give lifâ— to all great undertakings it would be impossible to perâ—orm any considerable action there Others gave their opinion to make the chief effort on the side of the Low Countries but then it was objected that there were too many strong places on that quarter and that experience had made them see that they must spend a whole Campaign to take one Town so that the advantage they got by any Conquest did by no means ballance the expence they were at to obtain it Some proposed Italy but before it would be safe for them to advance thither they must destroy the League and principally disengage the Venetians from it who seem'd to be the most zealous for the repose of their
quick and lively and at the same time piercing and vast and capable of all affairs of State His Judgment was profound and solid in these sorts of things He could not bear an injury and nothing was more agreeable and pleasing to him than Revenge He was proud and choleric yet at the same time affable and full of sweetness and civility He discoursed easily and with eloquence enough a talent which he had acquired and cultivated by study as well as by practice He was not destitute of Learning which he had carried to a much higher pitch if he had continued his studies with the same warmth and industry as he began them He was courageous and undaunted in time of danger where the State was concerned and â—un great hazards altho he is accused of fearfulness in his own private affairs When they did not succeed he was cast down and dejected but when Fortunâ— smil'd upon him and he had compass'd what he â—esired nothing could be more haughty more imperious and insulting He loved Flattery in a most excessive manner and complements never pleased him heartily but when they were gigantick and extremely Hyperbolical Besides a world of Political Maxims observed by this Minister which may easily be found out in the perusal of this History and consequently need not to be repeated in this place * Siri Mem. Rec. T. 8. p. 670. 't is said he had three beloved ones which are worthy of observation and were principally learnt from himself I. He said that in matters of great importance he had frequently experimented it that persons of the least wisdom oftentimes gave the best expedients For this reason he concluded that a man ought always to take advice II. He said that those resolutions which he had taken up in a heat and passion had always succeeded ill with him and that he had heartily repented of them III. He has been heard to say that men of Quality ought to take great care that the Servants they keep in their Chamber or about their persons be not too penetrating because it may so happen that by the least word nay even by the least sign they may in spite of themselves discover their most secret sentiments and their most hidden designs Those who were Favourites of the King after the * Siri Merc. T. 2. l. 8. Constable de Luines as for example Baradas and S. Simon were content to enjoy his Majesty's favour without concerning themselves with State affairs but the Cardinal was no sooner taken into favour but he undertook the administration of every thing He was arbitrator of all the deliberations in respect of Peace and of War Master of the Finances and dispenser of all the King's favours He disposed of the strongest places belonging to the State and of all Offices that depended upon the Court so that the greatest persons strove for his favour with no less zeal and application than even the meanest The King had an extraordinary affection for him at first but this friendship was mightily lessen'd in his latter years through the too assuming behaviour of the Cardinal who often treated him as his equal Nevertheless the natural fearfulness of Lewis XIII and the great services of this Minister hindered him from finding any ill effects of this coldness The King had more than once shown himself somewhat inclined to discard him from all publick business especially when he sent him word by the Duke of Angouleme as some report that he thought it proper for him to dismiss his Guards which had been granted him for his security To which the Cardinal made answer that he was ready to obey his Majesty in that and every thing besides but that while the King made use of his person he would pretend to live in safety and to preserve himself from those Conspiracies which some factious persons might form against him For fear of being overwhelmed under the weight of public affairs which the weakness of his constitution would not suffer him to attend perpetually he assigned certain hours for recreation where he would not hear the least mention made of any thing that demanded too much application For this reason he kept Boisrobert about him who diverted him with a thousand agreeable stories and told him all the news of the Court and City proper to make him laugh Among his other amusements we may reckon the great pleasure he took to speak of the French Language and Poetry The Author of the History of the Academy has related several considerable stories to this purpose which I shall not set down here because I have proposed to my self to write the History of the Cardinal's Ministry and not of his private diversions The Reader may consult the above-mentioned Author as for what he says of our Minister upon the occasion of his establishing the French Academy Nay he gave orders that no difficult affairs should be proposed to him but one after another and he employ'd both for his own in particular and for those of the State de Noyers Bouthillier and Chavigni altho there were some which he only communicated to the King After he had taken such measures as he judged necessary for the preservation of his own person he thought of nothing with more application than how to maintain himself in this eminent post which it was no easie matter for him to do by reason of the great numbers of envious and disaffected people whom he had made Daily endeavours were used to possess the King with suspicions to the disadvantage of our Minister and 't is certain that this inconstant distrustful Prince whose dark Genius was so hard to be found out gave him no small trouble And therefore to hinder his Majesty from being prejudic'd against him before he could be able to justifie himself he took care to remove all those persons from about him whom he in the least suspected and only left such near him as depended absolutely upon himself As he saw that the King was scrupulous and that the fear of doing something against his Conscience held him sometimes in a long deliberation prejudicial to the affairs of the State he would be the director of his Conscience and ease him of those scruples which embarass'd him He pretended that the Kings Confessor ought to follow his Maxims and got Father Gaussin the Jesuit to be dismissed because he would not be obedient to him The greatest ambition of this Minister was to reign and make a noise in the world to which end it behoved him to preserve himself in his post and to render himself absolutely necessary to the King This he effected by engaging him everlastingly in some new enterprize or other because it was an infallible Maxim with this Prince never to part with any Minister till he had concluded the affairs which he had begun and besides he did not look upon himself to be able to govern the State of himself He saw that the King on one side was but indifferently affected
Madam de Hautefort b. 251. Takes H. d'Effiat for his Favourite ibid. 252. Loves him exceedingly one while b. 253. Falls out with him b. 277. Being sick is at a stand whether he should go into Roussillon b. 329. He departs b. 332. Falls sick in the Camp b. 342. Goes to Narbonne and causes his Favourite to be apprehended there b. 345. Sees the Cardinal b. 347 Lewis XIII inclin'd to believe ill of others a. 69. Was cruel a. 65 313. Of a dissembling Humour a. 15 188. And melancholy b. 172. Could not part with a Minister that once governed under him a. 34. Fearful and distrustful a. 31 Lewis XIV his Birth b. 219 Louvain besieg'd in vain by the Hollanders and French b. 149 150 Luines Charles d' Albert Sieur de the beginning of his coming into Favour a 12. His great Power over the King ibid. 19. How much he was at a loss in State-Affairs ibid. 19 21. Made a Duke and Peer ib. 24. The Queen-Mother and he distrust one another ib. 32. Opposes the Promotion of the Bishop of Luçon ib. 47 49. Presses this Promotion ib. 51. Made Constable of France ib. 55. His death ibid. 60 Lude Count of Governour of the Duke of Anjou a. 89. Lunel a Capitulation for the surrendry of that Town which was but weakly defended a. 66 M. Maillé Urban of Brother-in-Law to the Cardinal a. 2. See Brezé Mansfeld Count of his Projects a. 99 Mangot Claude added as Partner to the Secretary of State a. 10. Has the Seals conferred upon him a. 14 Mantua See Charles de Gonzaga Mantua attack'd by the Imperialists a. 329. Attack'd a second time and taken ibid. 343 Margaret of Lorrain escapes out of Nancy in Man's Apparel b. 71 Marie de Gonzaga beloved by Gaston de Bourbon a. 222. Intrigues carried on for and against her marrying with him a. 290 c. 318. Is imprisoned a. ibid. Set at liberty ibid. 320 Marie de Medicis a short History of her Regency a. 4 5 c. Is deprived of it and imprisoned ibid. 16. Makes her escape ibid. 21. The difficulties she makes to return to Court ibid. 23 c. Sees the King near Tours ib. 26. Goes to Anger 's and will not stir from thence ib. 27. Makes her Party formidable a. 35. Deliberates whether she shall leave Anger 's ib. 40. Her Reconciliation with the King ib. 44. Is deceived by the Bishop of Luçon ib. A Declaration in her behalf a. 49. Is readmitted into the Council ib. 61. Presses to make Cardinal Richlieu a Privy-Councellor a. 69. Is desirous to give one of the Duke of Nonnie's Daughters in Marriage to Gaston ib. 221. Suffers herself to be led away with Predictions ib. Is countermined by the King and Cardinal a. 222 She begins to complain of the Cardinal a. 291. Her too violent carriage towards Mary of Gonzaga disapproved a. 320. Her vexation at the Duke of Orleans's retreat into Lorrain a. 321. Receives the Cardinal ill and breaks off with him a. 322 c. Takes too much Authority over her Son ib. 325. Falls out a-fresh with the Cardinal ib. 358 c. Vainly believes she had ruin'd him ib. 360. Is reconcil'd to him in appearance ibid. 263. Goes no more to the Council ib. 364. Goes to Compeigne without making up these differences a. 372. Apprehended at Compeigne ib. 374. Complains to the Parliament of Paris a. 374. Retires into the Low Countries ib. 375 Marie de Medicis The Declaration of the King her Son against her b. 4. Her vexation about her Palace b. 50. Complains of Gaston ib. 52. Is desirous to retire into England ib. 56. Willing to make her Peace ib. 76. Accused of a design to get the Cardinal assassinated b. 76. She is in vain desired to abandon her Servants b 78 80 88. Complains of Monsieur and would fain be reconciled to the King ibid. and 98. Writes to the Cardinal b. 99. She is asked to deliver Chanteloube St. German and Fabbroni ib. 101. 'T is propos'd to send her to Florence ib. 108. But she refuses ib. 109. Dissatisfied with her Domesticks ibid. Writes to Rome to confirm the Marriage of Monsieur b. 128. Complains to the Pope ibid. Writes to the King to persuade him to a Peace b. 129. Complains that they won't suffer her to have a Resident at Rome b. 131. Demands in vain to be restor'd b. 184. Goes into England and endeavours to be reconcil'd to her Son b. 219 c. The King answers her roughly and would send her to Florence b. 222 223. The Opinions of the Ministers of Lewis XIII about her return b. 224. Goes to Cologne b. 308. Where she dies b. 348 Marillac Keeper of the Seals a. 182. Imprison'd a. 362 Marillac Lewis made Mareschal of France a. 314. Apprehended in Italy ib. 262. His Tryal 28 c. Mayenne Duke of the Commotions he was concerned in a. 9 30 33. Killed before Montauban ib. 60 Mazarine Julius negotiates a Cessation of Arms between the Garrison of Casal and the Besiegers a. 348. His Negotiations in favour of the French a. 352 c. Mazarine for too much endeavouring to gain the Cardinal's Favour is call'd home by the Pope b. 158. Created Cardinal 308 Mailleraye Marquiss of discarded out of the Queen-Mother's Service a. 358 Mailleraye Marquiss of Grand Master of the Artillery b. 120. Attacks Hedin and takes it b. 239 241. Besieges Arras b. 256. Takes Aire b. 293. Obliged by the Cardinal Infanta to dislodge from before Aire b. 294. Takes Bassée b. 295. And Bapaume b. 296 Mello Duke Francisco of takes Lens b. 326. La Bassée ibid. Beats the Mareschal de Guiche b. 327. An oversight of this General b. 328 Merode Count of enters into the Country of the Grisons with an Imperial Army a. 326 Mirabel Marquiss of Ambassador of Spain in France a. 100 Monod the Jesuit his Intrigues against the Cardinal b. 199 200. The Cardinal angry with him b. 200 c. Montague Lord willing to treat with the Cordinal a. 239 240 Montauban the Siege of that City a. 58. Raised 59. At last reduced by the Cardinal a. 315 316 Montbazon Duke of employ'd to negotiate with the Queen-Mother a. 23 c. 31 Montcálvo taken by the Viscount de Turenne b. 288. Retaken by the Spaniards b. 292 Montjoy A Battle fought near this Mountain b. 298. Fortified b. 300 Montmorency Henry Duke of Admiral of France beats the Fleet of the Rochellers a. 146. Heads the Forces in Piedmont a. 344. Made Mareschal of France a. 355. Vndertakes to protect the Cardinal a. 356 Montmorency Henry Duke of what occasions the Cardinal gives him to be angry with him b. 34. Takes up Arms for Monsieur and receives him in his Government ibid. Is wounded and taken b. 35 36. His Tryal b. 42. A general Intercession made in vain for him b. 43 44. Beheaded 45 Monzon A design of the Spaniards upon this place comes to nothing b. 365. A Treaty concluded in this City a. 175
La Mothe Houdancourt goes to command in Catalonia b. 300. What Progress he makes there b. 301. Blocks up Tarragon ib. c. Beats the Spaniards 302. Relieves Almenas b. 305. Is made a Mareschal of France b. 333. Beats D. Pedro d' Arragon and takes him Prisoner b. 334. Besieges Tortose in vain b. 336. And takes Monzon ib. Gives Battel to Leganez b. 357 c. Moyenvic taken from the Duke of Lorrain b. 12 N. Nancy surrendred to the King b. 74 Nari Bernardon sent by Urban VIII into France a. 102. His Negotiation about the Valteline ibid. Negropelisse put to the Sword a. 68 Nobility ruin'd under Lewis XIII a. 202 208 Norlingue a Battel lost near this City by the Swedes b. 118 Notables An Assembly of Notables at Fountainbleau a. 153. Another at Paris ib. 201 Novi taken by the Genoueses a. 114 O. Oleggio taken by the Mareschal de Crequi b. 162 Olivarez Count-Duke his ill Conduct 354 355. Disgraced 365 Orleans Duke of See Gaston Ornano Colonel Governour of Monsieur a. 89. Imprisoned and set at Liberty ib. 90. Made a Mareschal of France ib. 179. The cause of his disgrace ib. Imprisoned a. 181. His death at Bois de Vincennes ib. 193 Orval Count of defends Montauban a 59 Ossonville an over-sight of this Man b. 345 Ottagio The Spaniards and Genoueses defeated near that place a. 117 Oxenstiern Chancellour of Sweden comes to Paris b. 136 P. Papenheim beats the French in the Valteline a. 157 Parliament of Paris how far it concerned it self in the Government under the Regence of Mary de Medicis a. 8. Advises the King to make up matters with his Mother ib. 36. Is forced to enroll several Edicts ib. 64 Parliament of Paris refuses to enter a Declaration against Monsieur b. 1 2. Censur'd by the King ib. Refuses to confirm a Declaration for the setting up a Chamber of Justice b. 11. Mortified by the King b. 11 24 60 157 282 c. A Defence of the Rights of Parliament b. 283 284 Parma Edward Duke of enters into a League with France b. 152. Goes to Paris b. 160. Punished by the Spaniards for making a League against them ib. 161 164. Is reconciled to the Spaniards b. 184. Plundered of Castro by the Barbarians b. 306. Excommunicated b. 362. A League to defend him b. 363. Makes an Irruption into the Ecclesiastick State ibid. Passage taken by the French b. 210 Perez Michael defends Fontarabia b. 211. Perpignan besieged and taken by the French b. 335. Factions in the French Camp b. 342 Phaltsburg Princess of cunningly retires from Nancy b. 97 Philip IV. departs for Arragon b. 336. Deceived by false News b. 338 Philipsburg surprized by the Imperialists b. 133 Picardy over-run by the Spaniards b. 169 170 c. Piccolomini defeats Feuquieres b. 240. Attacks Monzon in vain ib. 241 Pignerol attacked and taken by the Cardinal a. 337 338 Pignerol the vast importance of this place in the Hands of France b. 16. A Stratagem to keep it by pretending to surrender it b. 18. Given up by agreement to the King of France b. 22 23 Du Plessis Besançon negotiates with the Catalonians b. 259. Beats the Spaniards near Barcelona b. 298 299 c. Du Plessis-Prâlain Governour of Turin b. 274 Plessis Alphonsus of Brother of the Cardinal is made Bishop of Luçon a. 2. Quits it to turn Carthusian ibid. 3. Archbishop of Lyons and Cardinal a. 330 Plessis Francis of Father to the Cardinal a. 2. His Children ibid. Plessis Armand John of his Birth and Education a. 2 3. Goes into Orders and is nominated to the Bishoprick of Luçon ibid. Sollicites his own Bulls himself and obtains them ib. 4. Betakes himself to preaching ib. And to the Mareschal d'Ancre ib. and 11. His Harangue before the States ib. 7. Is made Grand Almoner to the Queen ib. 11. Privy-Counsellor ib. Advises the Imprisonment of the Prince of Conde ib. 12. Made Secretary of State ib. 14. Obtains the Precedence before the other Secretaries ib. Disgraced after the death of the Marquiss d'Ancre ib. 16. Goes to Blois ib. 17. is ordered to retire into Anjou from whence he writes to the King ib. Banished to Avignon ib. 18. Writes Religious Treatises there ib. Is recalled ib. 22. His Conduct towards Marie de Medicis ib. 22 c. 29. The ill Counsel he gives that Princess ib. 41. Ruines her and yet by her means gets the King to demand a Cardinal's Cap for him ib. 44. The Enemies he had at Court ib. 47. Who secretly oppose his Promotion ib. 48. At last 't is asked heartily and then he obtains it 62 63 Plessis Armand John of Cardinal of Richlieu declared Privy-Counsellor a. 78. Receives the Ambassadours of England in his Bed a. 79. His opinion about the Marriage of Henrietta Maria ib. 83. The Discourses he had with Spada the Nuncio about it a. 84. And about the Valteline 95 102 103 134 136 140 148 150. With the Legate ib. 134 c. 149. His Discourse in the Assembly of Notables at Fontainbleau ib. 155 156. Thinks of making War against Spain a. 100. His Conversation with the Marquis de Mirabel ib. 100. Designs to destroy the Hugonots a. 167. Falsely accused to favour them ib. 171. Pretends to quit the Ministry a. 177. Endeavours to ruin the Mareschal d'Ornano ib. 179 c. Called The King of the King ib. 182. Feigns an inclination to retire a. 184. A Conspiracy against him ib. 185. Tricks the Messieurs de Vendôme a. 187. Obtains Guards for his security 195. Is made Admiral under another Name a. 209. His Government of Oleron and Broüage a. 213. Cheats the Hollanders and Spaniards a. 217. Sticks fast to the Blockade of Rochelle a. 219 221. Has the Title of Lieutenant-General ib. 220. What Orders he makes in the Army a. 239. Treats with the Rochellers ib. 241. Grants them such Capitulation as he pleases a. 248. Enters that City ib. 250 c. Plessis Armand John of superstitiously fond of Judicial Astrology a. 292. Advises the King to assist the Duke of Mantua and brings him over to it a. 302. Goes to Grenoble and from thence to Susa a. 307. Negotiates with the Prince of Piedmont ib. 308 310. Comes back into France and ruins the Hugonots to whom he gives a Peace at last a. 313 c. Reduces Montauban a. 316. Refuses to have any share in the Benefices of the Grand Prior a. 319. Will no longer depend upon the Queen-Mother a. 320. Ill received by that Princess a. 322. A Rupture between them a. 323 c. Declared Principal Minister of State a. 325. Lieutenant-General of the Army of Piedmont ib. 330. Departs for Dauphiné ib. Refuses to go to Pont de Beauvoisin to treat with the Prince of Piedmont a. 331. Treats with him near Susa a. 334. The Habits the Cardinal wore in Piedmont a. 336. His march to go to Rivoli ib. Goes to attack Pignerol and takes it a. 337 c. They try in vain to engage him
Cardinal b. 309 310 311 Richlieu See Plessis la Richerie apprehended accuses several Persons b. 310 Riviere Abbot of an unfaithful Servant of Monsieur a. 184. Imprisoned and set at liberty b. 178 Rochelle Forts built about that City a. 68. Makes War against the King a. 101. Burns some French and Dutch Ships ib. 143. Their Fleet is beaten ib. 147. They obtain a Peace a. 158. The English promise to relieve them ib. 165 c. Treat afresh with the King ib. 168. Of what importance this Place is to England ib. 210. Block'd up by a Royal Army a. 219. Demands Assistance of England ib. 210 220 c. A Digue that shut up the Harbour ib. 227. Continuation of its Siege a. 230 c. Extreme scarcity in that City a. 232. Endeavours in vain to shut out the unprofitable Mouths a 232 236. The English endeavour in vain to relieve it a. 234 238 c. The City parlies a. 241. Capitulates and surrenders a. 248 Rohan Henry Duke of Chief of the Hugonots a. 57. Throws Relief into Montauban a. 59. Causes Montpellier to surrender a. 67. He begins the War afresh ib. 141. Rises a third time ib. 214 293. Treats with the King 314 Rohan Henry Duke of goes to the Grisons b. 64. His Progress and Victories in the Valteline b. 156. Tries in vain to join the Duke of Savoy b. 164. Oblig'd to abandon the Valteline b. 189 191. Goes to the Duke of Weymar b. 207. Dies ibid. Rome the manner of treating with that Court a. 106 Rossiglione a Defeat of the Genoueses near that Place a. 115 Roussillon a Design to conquer it b. 329 Roye taken by the Spaniards b. 170. Retaken by the French b. 173 S. Salces taken by the Prince of Condé b. 241. Retaken by the Marquis of Spinola b. 242 c. Surrenders to the French b. 256 Sardinia a Descent made by the French Fleet upon that Island b. 185 Savoy conquer'd by Lewis XIII a. 342 Savoy the Broils of the House of Savoy after the death of Victor Amadeo b. 193 c. 224 c. 228 236 288 Savoy Cardinal of his Designs upon Piedmont b. 326 c. Siezes upon Nice and Villa Franca b. 232. Adjusts his Differences with France and with his Sister-in-Law b. 325. Turns the Spanish Garrisons out of Nice and Villa Franca ibid. Schenck a Fort taken by the Spaniards b. 151 Schomberg Count of loses his Office of Superintendant of the Finances a. 69. Made a Mareschal of France a. 139. Relieves the Isle of Rhée ib. 218. Commands a Body of Men by himself in Italy a. 348. Goes to relieve Casal 351 Scoti the Nuncio his Conference with Chavigny b. 236. Ill us'd by the Court of France ib. 238 Seguier Peter made Chancellor of France b. 157. Goes to interrogate the Queen b. 216 217 Senecey Marchioness of remov'd from Court b. 250 Serbellon John trick'd by the Duke of Rethel a. 226. Beaten by the Duke of Rohan b. 156. Besieges Leucate and raises the Siege b. 186 187 Serignan enters into Catalonia b. 297 Serravalle an Overthrow of the Spaniards near that Place a. 115 Sillery Commandeur of recall'd from his Embassie at Rome a. 74 Sillery Chancellor depriv'd of the Seals a. 72 Silvio Emanuel de Savoy defends Yvrée b. 289 S. Simon a Favourite of the King a 195 Sirvela Count of Governour of Milan his Incapacity in War b. 290. Displeases Prince Thomas of Savoy b. 324 Socoa taken by the Spaniards b. 167. Abandon'd b. 296 Soissons Count of retires into Italy a. 193. Complains of the Cardinal ib. 223. Received by the Count de Bethune in spight of the Cardinal ib. 224 Soissons Count of a discourse of marrying him to Combalet b. 13 26. Mortified by the Cardinal ib. 132 144. Commands the Army in Picardy b. 170. Is Lieutenant-General of the Army of Picardy b. 171. Joins with Monsieur against the Cardinal b. 174. Flies away and retires to Sedan b. 176. Negotiations on foot to bring him back b. 177. His Reconciliation b. 179 183. His new Quarrels with the Cardinal b. 308 c. 312. His Manifesto against the Cardinal b. 317. Declar'd guilty of High-Treason by the Parliament b. 321. Is kill'd in the Battel of Sedan 322 c. Sondrio taken by the Marquis de Coeuvres a. 98 Soubise beaten out of the Isle of Rhée a. 64. Takes Six of the King's Vessels at Blavet ib. 102. He makes a Descent in several places ib. 141. Goes into England a. 146. How he was receiv'd there a. 164 Sourdis Cardinal of his Opinion in the Assembly of the Notables at Fontainbleau a. 155 Spada the Nuncio his Negotiations in the Court of France a. 81 84. concerning the Valteline a. 95 136. Offends the Cardinal ib. 153 Spain the Weakness of that Crown in 1642. b. 335 354 Spain over-sighted in the Conduct of the Spaniards a. 128 Spaniards complain in the Year 1633. of the French b. 64. The Answer of the latter b. 64 65. Spaniards a great Errour they committed in assisting the King to take Rochelle a. 217 228 Spaniards A Pretence of Religion that they cunningly made use of a. 148 Spinola Ambrose his Advice upon the Siege of Rochelle a. 228. Condemns the Conduct of the Spaniards ib. Besieges Casal a. 343. Falls out with the Emperor's Generals and with the Duke of Savoy a. 347. Falls sick ib. and dies a. 348 Spinola D. Philip takes Pontesture a. 343 States of the Kingdom assembled under Lewis XIII a. 7 The States abolish'd in France a. 202 States-General of the United Provinces assist the King against the Rochellers a. 143. Their Treaty with the King in 1627 a. 217. Another Treaty with the King in 1633 b. 61. Weary of the War with Spain b. 145. Nevertheless make a League with France b. 146. Make some Offers to the Cardinal which he does not accept b. 168. Make a new Treaty with France b. 172 Strigio Count firmly espouses the Interest of the Duke of Nevers a. 225 227 Spire attack'd and taken by the French b. 135 Sweden their League with France renew'd b. 61 Swisses their ill Politicks a. 121 Sully Duke of banish'd the Court a. 5 Susa the Pass of that City forc'd a. 309 Surrenders to the French ibid. T. Targon Pompey Engenier endeavours in vain to shut up the Harbour of Rochelle a. 227 Tarragon block'd up by the French b. 302 c. Tellieres Count of Ambassador in England a. 80. Call'd home ib. 90. Themines Marquis of made a Mareschal of France a. 13. Has the Government of Bretaigne ib. 194. Thoiras John de S. Bonet of makes a Descent upon the Isle of Rhée a. 145. Fortifies himself there ibid. 210. Goes to Casal a. 311. Takes some Places by force a. 327. Press'd hard in Casal a. 342 346. Made a Mareschal of France a. 354 Thoiras Mareschal of Commands the Army of the Duke of Savoy in Quality of his Lieutenant b. 161. Is kill'd b. 163 Thomas of Savoy Prince enters into the
the Emperor employ'd against him could not act against her He had passed the winter with his Troops in the Mountain de Vauge and in the Franche-Conâ—â— where he had reduced abundance of small places which were not in a condition to make any resistance and where his Army fatigued and diminish'd one haâ—â— at lâ—â—st by the preceding Campaign reâ—râ—â—â—d and increasâ—d considerably Altho his Troops were but indifferently paid the great indulgence he showâ—d them and the frequent ravages they made gainâ—d him so â—â—fâ—â—tually the hearts of the Souldieâ—s that he â—ais'd what Recruits he had occasion for wiâ—â—â—â—â—â—reat 〈◊〉 â—â—y At this time his thoughts were châ—â—â—y employ'd in preserving oâ— Brisâ—c inâ—â—nding to crâ—â—t a Pâ—â—ncâ— paâ—â—ty with what he could conquer about that City for he began to 〈◊〉 weary of being as it were a bare General of the French and to depend upon the Câ—pâ—â—â—â—s of a haughty inconstant Minister from whâ—◠〈◊〉 could expect nothing but an everlasting Sâ—aveâ—â— fâ—r the Reward of his Serviceâ— After 〈…〉 the Cardinal â—â—nt him word 〈…〉 would be 〈◊〉 â—aâ—y for him to come to Pari◠〈…〉 the nâ—xt Campaign but the 〈…〉 was to engage to deliver up theâ—◠〈…〉 to the French As he exprest some difficulty of going thither they took care not to pay him the Arrears they had promised him altho he demanded them with great importunity However he kept to his resolution not to go to France but contented himself to send Colonel d' Erlach the Governor of Brisac thither who only talked of the designs of the ensuing Campaign and pretended that the great preparation that the Emperor made to regain Brisgow hindered the Duke from coming to Paris The Count de Guebriant having orders to feel his Pulse about Brisac the Duke bluntly answer'd him that to demand a chaste Woman's Virginity and a brave Man's Honour was the same thing Nevertheless the Cardinal extorted a promise from d' Erlach that if the Duke happen'd to dye he would resign Brisac to France and ordered him to acquaint that Prince that if he would quit it they would supply him with Men and Money to make himself Master of the Franche Comte and see him confirm'd in it by a Treaty of Peace But he was too wise to fall into such a snare as this and thought it much better to be in possession of Brisac and part of Alsatia than of the Franche Comte because it lay nearer to his friends in Germany and that he could more easily preserve this Principality even against France it self in case she should ever pretend to dispute it with him On the other hand the Cardinal who was sensible of the Duke's designs began to be afraid of him and knew not whether he should wish that he should make any new advances or be beaten by the Imperialists The report runs that he secretly treated of a Marriage with the Landgrave of Hesse's Daughter which would have put him at the head of twenty thousand men kept in constant pay by that House besides his own Troops and thus have made himself formidable to all Germany The Cardinal and he were taken up with these different thoughts when the Duke came from Burgundy to Suntgow to pass the Rhine at Newbourg and from thence to march to the Black Forrest Being arrived at Newbourg he there fell sick on the 4th of July and died on the 18th in the thirty sixth year of his Age. The Cardinal was suspected to have got him poison'd in order to make himself master of his Conquests and indeed people talk'd of indications strong enough * †See Sam Pusendors Rer. sacâ—iâ— l. 11. to prove that he was dispatched by poison But after all perhaps the only foundation to charge the Cardinal with this crime was because immediately after his Death France took possession of those places he had conquer'd The Duke of Weymar had order'd by his * See it in the Mem. of Aâ—bâ—râ— T. 2. p. 4â—9 Will that they should be consign'd into the hands of one of his Brothers who was willing to take possession of them and who to preserve them more easily would endeavour to gain the favour of the Crowns of France and Sweden and that in case none of his Brothers should think fit to take possession of them France should be preferr'd upon condition that the strong places should receive a garrison of part French and part Germans and that they should be restor'd to the Empire by a general Peace In regard of the Army he order'd that after his decease it should be commanded by Major General d' Erlach Collonel Olem Count Nassau and Collonel Roze and after them by other Collonels He gave several Legacies to the Officers of the Army and to his Domesticks amounting to the summ of three hundred thousand Crowns and gave his Charging Horse to the Count de Guebriant The Directors of the Army which were in a manner wholly composed of old Souldiers sent immediately into France to demand the protection of that Crown and endeavour to make some advantage for themselves in this conjuncture An Agent of Sueden then residing at Benfeld took pains to perswade the Army to joyn that of Banier by remonstrating to them that 't was what they ow'd to the memory of Gustavus Adolphus But the Money which the Count de Guebriant liberally distributed among the Officers made a greater impression upon them than all the discourses of the Suedish Minister 'T was unanimously agreed by them to compose a body apart by themselves nay some discoursed of putting the Elector Palatine in the room of the Duke of Weymar but this Prince coming from England was stopt in Frances through which he design'd to pass incognito The Cardinal having receiv'd advice that the Duke of Weymar was dead was not overmuch troubled at the news for he had long ago entertain'd a jealousy that this Prince rather designed to make his own fortune than either to aggrandize France or humble the House of Austria The first thing they took care of was to preserve his Army for the King and get possession of the places he had taken In pursuance of this * Aubery's Life of the Cardinal l. 6. c. 5. See his Instructions in T. 2. of the Mem. d' Aub. 421. dated the 27 of July Baron de Oisonville was immediately dispatch'd to the Count de Guebriant to bring him those Orders he was to follow upon this occasion He was commission'd to tell the Officers that they should not only have the same pay continued to them which they had under the Duke of Weymar but likewise considerable Pensions if they would take the Oaths of Fidelity to the King Above all he was particularly charged to remember Major General d' Erlach of the promise he had made in case the Duke happen'd to dye concerning Brisac and to offer him two hundred thousand Livres in ready money if he would surrender it to the King or if he was minded to continue