he nevertheless so well conceal'd his grief that he was not observ'd to be either more melancholy or dejected than at other times and he had so great a command over his own passions as not to utter so much as one word unbecoming either his courage or his piety ever retaining in all things the devout Reverence due to the Holy Church So oft as any one writ him word from Paris that his Friends could have wish'd he had retain'd a greater moderation and respect towards the person of a Prelate he would still maintain That in repelling an injury done to the Royal Power he had done no more than it was his Duty to do That the King himself might prostitute his Authority as he pleased but that as for him who was oblig'd in his Majesties Right to maintain all the Priviledges of his Command he neither could nor ought to have done otherwise than he did and that he would ever do it though he was thereby certain to forfeit not only his Offices and his Estate but also his Life So soon as the Duke was arriv'◠at Plassac he began to observe his Excommunication though he wanted not the advice of several very Learned Divines who maintain'd it to be invalid and unjust wherein his submission appear'd to all so much the more to be commended in that he was willing to undergo the punishment of an Offense he was not convinc'd he had committed Thus banish'd to a Countrey House where his only consolation should have been to have convers'd with his God even there also the doors of his Church were bolted against him so that he assisted no more at Masses as he had formerly ever done he moreover deprived himself of the participation of all the Sacraments but he omitted nothing withal that might any ways serve to manifest his respect to the Holy Church and her Ministers He made all the Protestations that could be prevailing to the vindication of the integrity of his Obedience and to that purpose sent away an express dispatch to Cardinal Bichi the Pope's Nuntio in France he sent also to Poictiers where he knew the Archbishop of Bordeaux had call'd together an Assembly of Prelates to make the same Declarations but it was all in vain and it was decreed he should undergo all and all the severest Forms of Penance before he should receive his Absolution But as the Spiritual Authority was not arm'd against him alone and that it was not that though he had it in the highest reverence he had the greatest reason to apprehend it was also necessary for him to employ his principal care and endeavour to divert the Fury of the Royal Power which was already display'd against him To that effect therefore he dispatch'd away the Count de Maillé to the King with instructions especially to solicite that the Commissioners his Majesty had made him hope for in his Dispatch might be sent away that by the return of their Report his Majesty might be fully inform'd of the truth of his Actions but after the Information of the Parliament of Bordeaux which was altogether favourable to the Archbishop the Court had no ear left open either to his Prayers or Complaints and the Cardinal having solemnly espous'd the Quarrel and made it his own was so far from permitting the Duke's Friends to dispute his Will with their best Arguments and Reasons that he would not so much as endure any one should dare to propose them How great soever the Cardinal's passion was herein or how great soever his Credit with the King they were not however such as could hinder the Duke and the Cardinal de la Valette from paying with equal Generosity and good Nature the respect which by all sorts of Obligation they so justly ow'd to the Duke their Father The first of which had no sooner notice of the Dispute his Father had with the Archbishop but that he departed from Metz to come first to Court there to observe the disposition of things and from thence to go to Plassac either to comfort the Duke his Father in his Affliction or to give him his best advice in his Affairs As for the Cardinal his Brother what dependence soever he had at Court he very often expos'd all that Interest to perform his Duty and so far as to engage sometimes in so hot Disputes with the Cardinal Richelieu that it was often believ'd they would never again be so fully reconcil'd that there would not still remain a Core in the bosom of the one or the other So soon as the Archbishop had got his Information perfected and so well to his liking that he conceiv'd his proofs could admit of no Dispute he departed from Bordeaux to go to Paris Plassac the place to which the Duke was retir'd was in truth in his way but not so that he might not without any inconvenience have balk'd it and all the world believ'd he would have been so civil to the Dukes Disgrace as to have done it he did not nevertheless but on the contrary pass'd along by the Park Wall after so braving a manner that he made the noise of his Equipage rattle against the very Walls of the Duke's House And then indeed it was that the Duke felt himself most sensibly wounded and that this Bravado had like to have transported him to something that might have made the Archbishop's Cause better than it was by offering to him some signal Violence I was my self a witness how much ado he had to forbear but his Friends and Servants representing to him the importance of the Action he was about he in the end gave way to their Reason though I do believe with the greatest violence he committed upon himself and his great Spirit throughout the whole progress of this troublesome Affair The Archbishop was no sooner arriv'd at Court but that all the Prelates who were then in Paris assembled after an unusual manner to deliberate amongst themselves what was best to be done in the bebalf of their Brother which Convocation the Duke of Espernon had no sooner notice of but continuing to do as he had formerly done he sent to them his Protestations of an absolute submission to the Holy Church The Duke de la Valette therefore who was return'd back to Court demanded Audience in the Assembly in the name of the Duke his Father which being granted he there laid down his Reasons before them with so much efficacy and elocution that of five and twenty Prelates who were there present thirteen were of opinion to take upon them the quality of Judges under the good pleasure of the Pope and the King the Duke having absolutely submitted himself to their Determination but this resolution was not for the gust of the Court by this way the business would have been too soon decided and it was resolv'd the Duke should pay much dearer for his re-establishment in his Offices and Commands The next day therefore what had
in its due place we shall give a further accompt This satisfaction the King order'd for the Duke though very sufficient of it self was not however the only testimony his Majesty gave him of his Royal Bounty and Justice in this occasion for the offence having been publick his Majesty thought fit that beside the satisfaction had been given in private the Mareschal should moreover pay the Duke some publick civilities to evidence an absolute disowning of the Act it was therefore order'd that the Duke going to Loches as it was determined he should do I believe for that purpose the Mareschal who at the same time was upon his Journey into his Government should give him a visit by the way as he didâ— by whom the King writ a very obliging Letter to the Duke wherein he commanded him to entertain the Mareschal as His Friend a command that was also on the Duke's part so punctually obey'd that the visit was pass'd over with great civility on both sides wherein the justice of this generous and excellent Prince was eminently manifest who would use a man at this obliging rate that had no share in his Royal Favour Not long after this Accommodation the 11th of September the same year the Court was wholly possess'd with the joy all good Frenchmen were full of for the Birth of the young Dolphin whom we have since seen live a long and a glorious Reign under the name of Lewis the XIII of all other a blessing of the greatest importance that could at that time possibly have hapned to the King and Kingdom in him all pretense of past disturbances being determined as the publick Peace seem'd to be for ever secur'd There was now no mutinous Subject nor no ambitious Neighbour who seeing themselves fall'n from their unjust and imaginary pretensions to the Crown did not covet the favour and friendship of a Prince so apparently favour'd by the care of Heaven but if on that side the Duke with other vertuous Subjects of his condition was in a high rapture of joy there hapned to him soon after great occasions of affliction that involv'd him in no few not no little inconveniencies which befel him by the discovery of the Conspiracy of the Mareschal Biron that came to light in the beginning of the ensuing year wherein we shall notwithstanding see that although this business begat him trouble and disgrace in the beginning yet it brought him honour and satisfaction in the end having given him opportunity at once to express his constant affection to his friend and his inviolate Fidelity to the King his Master I have already made mention of the great friendship that was contracted betwixt the Duke and the Mareschal Biron one of the most constant and sincere I have known their interests ever being one and the same and their affections so united in all things that nothing was a secret betwixt them if not in what concern'd the interest of the King and Kingdom but as to concerns of that nature what confidence soever the Mareschal had in the Duke's friendship it is certain he had ever so great a respect to his fidelity and did believe him so impossible to be debauch'd from his duty that he never communicated to him the least syllable of any thought he had conceiv'd to the prejudice of the one or the other though it is to be wish'd for the preservation of so brave a man he had done it because then the Duke would doubtless have perswaded him into better resolutions The King who was very well acquainted with all his designs would himself sometimes talk to him in terms easie enough to be understood on purpose to make him come to himself to see his error and to reconcile himself sincerely to a Prince who proceeded with that tenderness towards him and who was pleas'd in his behalf to moderate the absolute Authority the knowledge of his Crime and his own Royal Power gave him over his Life and Fortune but that would not reclaim him That way then failing and his Majesties obliging language to him wanting force to make that impression upon his obstinate spirit he could have desir'd his Majesty try'd yet further to overcome him by testimonies of confidence in his Loyalty and to divert him from criminal thoughts by conferring upon him his employments of Trust and Honour amongst which that of Ambassador into England was one The King being in Picardy receiv'd a Complement from Elizabeth Queen of England wherein she earnestly solicited the King for an enterview betwixt them at any place he himself would appoint a request that his Majesty not thinking it convenient to gratifie her in he dispatch'd away to her the Mareschal Biron as it were his second self to make his excuse and to Treat with her with all freedom of their most private Affairs An employment wherein Biron receiv'd extraordinary Honours as also several cautions from this prudent Princess enough to have diverted him from his evil designs had not his destiny already blinded his judgment and rendred him incapable of counsel She often laid before him the recent and sad example of the late Earl of Essex she represented unto him what a Subject ought to apprehend even from the greatness of his own Service and Merit if his Ambition was not moderated by prudence and whether it were that she had had some inckling as many have believ'd of Biron's designs or that she only intended by such discourses to justifie the execution of that unfortunate Earl she laid before him a perfect image of his own unhappy destiny though all was lost to a man obstinately bent to his own ruine This Queen also having heard of the strict friendship betwixt the Mareschal and the Duke of Espernon desir'd him at parting to tell the Duke from her that if of his three Sons which she own'd for her Kinsmen and Princes of her Kingdom he would send her one she should gladly receive him upon his accompt and that the world might see the esteem she had of the Fathers Merit would not deprive his Posterity of that place in her Kingdom which was due to the House of Candale wherein she had only one condition to make which was that the Duke should give way that a Son of his so sent should be bred up in her Religion the only one she could by any means suffer in her Kingdom A Complement that the Duke thinking himself oblig'd to take notice of he presented her Majesty with his most humble thanks for the Honour she was pleas'd to do him and his Family in so gracious an offer but that he should ever prefer any Fortune or Condition his Children could attain unto in France making profession of the Catholick Religion before any advantages could derive to them in a belief contrary to his own The Mareschal at his return from England puff'd up more than ever with the vanity of his Ambition and big with the Idea of those imaginary Principalities the Spaniard
difference betwixt a Governour and a Lieutenant of Guienne He therefore began imperiously to cancel and overthrow all his Orders A Consul of Agen who had been created so at his recommendation was displac'd by the Duke's command for no other reason but because he had been preferr'd at his request such of the Gentry or the People as were known to be affectionate to the Mareschal were certain to obtain little favour with the Governour if any order was presented him sign'd by the Mareschal he would presently issue out another to supersede the first whatever carried the name of Themines was invalid and whatever he own'd as his act must signifie nothing at all And moreover to let him see he had the same Authority over him in his own particular Countrey he had in other places the Duke prepar'd himself to go to Cahors whither the Mareschal was retir'd and accordingly went The Mareschal's House stood near this City he was moreover invested with the Seneschalsy of the Countrey his chiefest Relations Friends and Acquiantance inhabited there notwithstanding all which at the Duke's arrival the Mareschal quitted him the place and retir'd to his own house where seeing himself as it were shut up without Reputation without Authority and almost without Friends he began though something with the latest to see the error he had committed He then plainly saw himself so overmatch'd that he could not contend but to his ruine nor longer stand out to other purpose than thereby to make the advantages of his Superior more manifestly appear and then it was that he rendred himself more facile to his friends perswasions who had before been fruitlesly importunate with him to reconcile himself to his Duty to acknowledge the Duke's Authority and to seek his friendship He therefore sent to the Duke to make an Apology for what had pass'd and to let him know that if he had hitherto fail'd of paying the respect due to his Quality and Command it had not proceeded from any dislike he had of his person which he had in as high reverence and esteem as any man living and that he should have look'd upon it as a very great honour to obey him had not the sweetness of some years Authority wherein he had commanded in Chief and the assurances had been given him he should do so still blinded his Judgment from seeing his duty That he did therefore beseech him he might be permitted to come tender his excuses for what had pass'd and to assure him of his obedience for the time to come The Duke was very well pleas'd to find to this Lord a man full of years and honour in so good a disposition neither had he begun to justle him till after having expected the return of his good humour with the extremest patience so that he sent him word he should be infinitely glad to see him and that he might be confident for the future of as civil usage as he had hitherto found rough and perverse dealing in the exercise of his Command A day for their interview being agreed upon by their friends the Duke would by no means suffer it to be in the Capital City of his Government being unwilling to expose the Age and Person of the Mareschal to so publick a satisfaction but appointed it to be at Saint-Foy whither he himself accordingly came accompanied with many persons of Quality of the Province thither the Mareschal also came to wait upon him when coming into the Duke's Lodgings he receiv'd him without stirring out of his Chamber for which he made his being surpriz'd at Play his excuse It had been concluded that the Mareschal at their meeting should say as he did My Lord I am yoâ—r very humble Servant and am come to give you an assurance that I am so and that I shall be proud of any opportunity â—herein I may by a better testimony manifest it to you and therein satisfie the King's Command and my own Duty To which the Duke return'd for answer in as few words which had also been set down in writing Sir you oblige me with your Friendship you and I are both of us in a capacity of advancing his Majesties Service in this Province I shall gladly concur with you in any thing that may be conducing to it and embrace any occasion wherein I may let you see that I have ever had an esteem for your Valour and Merit and that I am your Servant This first visit continued but very little longer when the Mareschal taking his leave the Duke brought him only to the top of the â—tairs without going any further by which he would let him see that he both understood his place and knew how to keep it The Mareschal having after this first complement continued two days at Saint-Foy in perfect intelligence with the Duke at last frankly told him That he had us'd him according to his desert that he had made â—im know his duty and that he took it for a greater honour to be subservient to him than to any other person of France And in truth he afterwards continued both whilst he staid in the Government and when he was made Governour of Brittany which hapned a few years after to render him so much honour and respect and to give him so many testimonies of friendship that I do not think the Duke had a truer friend in the Kingdom Yet did not all this pass in the order it is here set down there having been some years of interval betwixt their coldness and their reconciliation But I chose rather to record these passages all together than to disperse them into several pages of my History conceiving such a division would more have intangled the thred of my discourse than would have been recompens'd by the order in a more exact observation of the succession of time This Quarrel with the Mareschal de Themines was not yet compos'd when the Duke who had never enough to do resolv'd to come to an open rupture with the first President de Gourgues without dissembling any longer his resentment of the ill Offices he had receiv'd at his hands I have already given an accompt of the Injury which was the Presidents proposing a diminution of Honours at the Duke's reception a thing that bearing with it a shew of contempt pass'd in the Duke's opinion for an irreparable offense Neither could he forbear at his first visit to give him some hints of his displeasure nor from manifesting a little reservedness towards him and as heated spirits never want occasion of new offense his passion making the lightest pretenses to pass for reason and just causes there soon after fell out new accidents which animated the Duke against the first President to the last degree This man subtle and dextrous as the best very well foreseeing that without the concurrence of his Brethren he should never be able to withstand the power of the Duke he had so highly provok'd began betimes to think
the Cardinal and one of the best Families in Britany equally considerable both for the rare Endowments of her Person and the advantages of her Condition was sought after by all the great men of the Court but the Cardinal her Uncle having long had a design to engage the Duke and his in the Interests of his own Fortune and Greatness preferr'd the Duke de la Valette above all other persons that pretended to her So soon as this Affair which put an end to all the rest with Honour and cut off all difficulties whatever was agreed upon the Duke de la Valette who had been sent for to Court to conclude it return'd back again to the Duke his Father to ask his consent The Duke gave it him 't is true but that also was all and although this Match had been made for no other end than meerly to disingage him from those troubles wherewith he was involv'd he would notwithstanding grant no more than his complacency only nothing more being to be obtain'd of his severe and untractable humour but a generous denial He said That he had esteem enough for the person who was to enter into his Alliance to gratifie her with a good share of his Estate which in due time he would also do but that he had much rather continue in the posture he then was all the days of his life than that it should be said he had redeem'd himself by his money or by Bribes been restored to his Command What offense soever the Cardinal took at this disobliging carriage of the Duke he proceeded notwithstanding to the accomplishment of the intended Match which being done he dispatch'd away the Abbot de Coursan one of the Ecclesiasticks in his dependence with Orders from the King to end all Differences Wherein the Archbishop had order to give the Duke his Absolution as the Duke also had his about what he was to observe in the receiving of it The Cardinal had a desire that the Ceremony might have been perform'd in the Chappel of his Castle of Coutras that his House might have been rendred famous by so memorable an action but the Archbishop would never consent to have it done there on the contrary obstinately insisting that he would have it at the Gates of the Parish Church of that place and in the face of all the people wherein although Caspian at that time Bishop of Nantes and de Esprüet now Bishop of Saint Papoul who were the Mediators of the Duke's Interests with the Archbishop endeavour'd all they could to conquer this resolution it was all in vain The Duke who for a nicity like that would not defer the accomplishment of an Affair which through so many difficulties had been brought on to the pass it then was conquering his own humour submitted in the end to all the Archbishop could desire But it was withal an odd beginning of a Reconciliation the two Parties before they parted from the place being perhaps more dissatisfied with one another than they had been before The day for the Absolution being appointed the Duke of Espernon attended by the Duke de la Valette and several persons of quality went to Coutras where being come the Archbishop who was already there accompained with his Ecclesiasticks went first to the Church where the Duke following after and presenting himself before him kneel'd down upon a Velvet Cushion laid ready for that purpose In this posture and in the presence of five Councellors of the Parliament of Bordeaux who were by the King's Order to be assisting at this Ceremony the Archbishop pronounc'd his Absolution in these words Et Ego Autboritate Ecclesiae â—â quâ fungor absolvo te vinculo Excommunicationis quam incurristi quia immunitatem Ecclefiae meae Metropolitanae perfregisti manum armatam militum ut me currumque meum in via sisterent misisti Statione dispositâ Palatium nostrum vallasti Iurisdictionem Ecclesiasticam violasti eámque tibi arrogasti Nos Clerumque nostrum insignibus indignis contumeliis affecisti In nomine Patris Filij c. Though the Duke was no great Latinist he had nevertheless so much as to understand many words of this Absolution by which he observ'd they were not according to the ordinary style of the Church so that as he afterwards said he was once going to interrupt the Archbishop as he was speaking but being unwilling to do any thing that might either look like an Irreverence to the Church or retard the satisfaction he hop'd for both as to his Conscience and Affairs after the business was done he permitted him to proceed choosing rather to pass for an indifferent Clerk than to play the Doctor out of time and to his own prejudice The Absolution being pass'd there were mutual Visits to be paid wherein the Duke in Obedience to the King's Order began first and went to give the Archbishop thanks for his Absolution a civility that was soon return'd by the Archbishop but with so much coldness on both sides that it was easie to judg this Reconciliation was likely to beget no very good intelligence betwixt them In plain truth the Duke could not digest the Severities the Archbishop had made him undergo which he interpreting to be done out of a premeditared design to provoke him to something that might either hinder or deâ—er his Absolution he was much more sensible of those publick Manifestations of his ill will than of any obligation for the involâ—ntary Grace he had imparted to him There ensu'd therefore and that immediately upon the Absolution high complaints on both sides of which upon the instant great Relations were made and whereof those of the Duke were justified by the testimony of the Abbot de Coursan who by seeing how hardly he had been dealt withal was become altogether of his Party But whilst these Remonstrances were upon their way to Court the Duke to divert himself took a turn into his Territories of Angoumois beginning now to make use of that liberty which by his Reconciliation to the Church was once more his own At his return from this little Journey by an express Courrier from Court he receiv'd his Majesties Orders to return into Guienne neither could they have been couch'd in more obliging terms there being therein not one syllable of any thing that had pass'd and the King's Letter without speaking of any re-establishment which would have presuppos'd a former Suspension containing only these words Cousin Having consider'd how much your presence may be necessary in my Province of Guienne that you may have an eye to such Occurrences as may happen there I have thought fit to write you this Letter to let you know that I desire and shall be well pleas'd that you go thiâ—her to the end you may there continue the Functions that belong to the Authority of your Command as you have formerly done and to take care that all things be continued in the good condition they ought to be for
remain'd in the minds of the people when having by gentle and obliging ways made them sensible of their late miscarriages and of their Duty and Obedience for the time to come they soon after by the King's Order publish'd an Act of Oblivion for all things that were pass'd a Grace his Majesty had been pleas'd to grant to their intercession and at their humble request Who could have imagin'd that so many brave Actions of the Duke's whether consider'd in the dangers to which he was so often oblig'd to expose his Person the great conduct wherewith they were carried on or the utility that deriv'd from them to the publick repose that those Actions I say ought to have serv'd for a pretence to the blackest and most hateful calumny that could possibly have been invented to the prejudice of his Honour It was nevertheless the fruit and reward of his brave Service after which no man certainly is ever again to repine at Detraction or complain of Envy Briet a Counsellor in the Parliament of Bordeaux openly profess'd himself to be no friend to the Duke and secretly nourish'd in his bosom an implacable hatred both to his Person and Name instigated therefore with this accursed passion he writ to the Archbishop of Bordeaux who was no better inclin'd to the Duke that it was to be prov'd the Duke himself had been the Author of all these Commotions that it was he who had so long fomented them and that he would again revive them whenever he thought it convenient so to do for the promoting of his own Authority in the Province and to get himself a Reputation at Court He had not always writ after this manner but on the contrary after the action of the Barricades the 15 of Iune compell'd to it by the vertue of Truth which will dart her Rays through the darkest Clouds of Malevolence and Envy he had writ to Monsieur de la Vrilliere Secretary of State with whom he had a particular Familiarity and Correspondence a Letter that was sent to the Duke containing these words SIR If you be curious to know what pass'd here upon Friday last I send you this short and true Account of it as I could inform my self from the best hands This Action of our Governour was very great and perform'd with great Bravery Judgment and Fortune had any sinister Action befallen him we had all been lost and for my part I cannot but highly esteem him I have nothing more at present but that c. From Bordeaux the 18 th of Iune 1635. But if he had in the beginning so highly applauded this Action he had with no less malignity censur'd the sequel of it and the sinister interpretation he put upon the Duke 's good intentions wrought so much the greater effect by how much they fell upon a spirit dispos'd of old and of it self to convert to ill what god soever could come from the Duke's side The Archbishop therefore with open Arms embrac'd this new occasion of doing him a new mischief he spoke of it to Cardinal Richelieu of whom he easily obtain'd order to write to Briet as he also did that he might promise both impunity and reward to such as should prove the Duke of Espernon to be the Author of these Disorders The Archbishop's Letters to Briet which were intercepted spoke in these terms and in others far more odious than these Briet having receiv'd this Order caus'd the Host of the Petit More the first and one of the chiefest Ring-leaders that had appear'd in this Sedition to be temper'd withal causing him to be often spoken to and tempted by one of his own Domesticks who was very familiar with him but the Fellow what promises soever they could make him would never be corrupted into so foul a practice and the Duke 's good Fortune would have it that there was honesty enough in this man to secure him from those dangers wherein persons of a much more eminent condition would otherwise have involv'd him The Duke as yet knew nothing of the Mischief that was brewing against him but on the contrary relying upon the merit of his Services and the acknowledgment the King had made him hope for in all his dispatches he had never liv'd at greater ease in his Government than he thought he might expect to do for the time to come In his Majesties Dispatch of the last of Iune he writ to the Duke these words Cousin I understand by your Letters of the 17 th and nineteenth instant and by the Relation annex'd unto them besides the Account I receiv'd from the Sieur de Magnas the Disorders that have hapned in my City of Bordeaux whose ill example has also produc'd the like Insurrections in several other Cities and places of my Province of Guienne which I conceive to be of so high importance that had not powerful and speedy Remedies been seasonably applyed worse and more dangerous Consequences were yet to be fear'd as it had doubtless fall'n out in my said City of Bordeaux if by your wonted Bravery and Wisdom you had not oppos'd the Torrent of that Mutinous People And as all the Accounts have been given me of that business as well by the Principal Officers of my said City as other my Servants agree in this That your Valour together with your Zeal and Affection to my Service have been equally eminent upon this occasion so can I not omit to assure you that I am so highly satisfied with your behaviour that no opportunity shall ever present it self wherein I may manifest my sence of your good Service in this Affair by the effects of my Favour and Affect on but you shall find me very ready to embrace it which the Sieur de Magnas shall the more expressly confirm to you on my behalf c. The Duke 's other performances upon this occasion receiv'd from his Majesty the same Approbation and Applause and in all apparence he ought to rest very well satisfied with the Acknowledgment his Majesty was pleas'd to profess when on a sudden and without dreaming in the least of any such matter he saw himself reduc'd to the necessity of a Justification He did not however do it after the submiss and abject manner of a guilty man but on the contrary confident in the security of a good Conscience he had no sooner notice of the aspersion had been cast upon him but that he sent away immediately to the King to demand his Majesties Justice and writ to the Cardinal himself complaining that some persons had made use of his name to suborn false Witnesses to the prejudice of him and his Honour The King granted him his desire permitting him to prosecute his satisfaction on in the Parliament of Paris and the Cardinal after having utterly deny'd the giving of any Order to the prejudice of the Duke's Interests or that he ever doubted of his Candour and the sincerity of his intentions writ him an answer in these
have procur'd the Equipages necessary for my departure From the time that I have been in a condition to move I have been in motion having never had the least repugnancy to your Majesâ—ies command I shall ever have the same inclimation to obey them and in the last moments of my Life make it my glory to manifest to your Majesty that I have never swerv'd from the absolute Obedience that was vow'd to you from your birth by Sir Your c. And being he conceiv'd it not enough to give the King this account only unless at the same time the Cardinal was also satisfied with his Conduct he wrote to him in like manner and almost in the same words he had done to the King Whilst these Letters were posting to Court he by very short Journeys was still advancing towards Loches where notwithstanding all the delays he could make having the hazard of his Liberty ever present to his imagination he thought he should but too soon arrive With these melancholy thoughts going on to Poictiâ—rs the compassion which the principal Officers and the people of that City manifested for his present Adversity did much augment his Grief and suspicion of some future mischief He there receiv'd from all the Orders of the City the same Honours and Respect as if he had still stood in the highest degree of his Prosperity and Favour and every one making the same reflections upon his present condition that he himself did the people ran from all parts to see so great an example of the Injustice Viciâ—â—itude and Extravagancy of Fortune which occasion'd so great a crow'd even in his own Lodgins as put him upon a resolution to go out on foot into the Market-place of the City which was also near to his Inne to satisfie the curiosity they had to behold him but he was thereby in so great danger to be stifled by the multitude that he had no way to free himself but by the favour of his Coach that he was of necessity constrain'd to send for to disingage him From Poictiers he continued his way to lâ— Tricherie but he had made so little haste withal as had given his Courrier time to go to Court and to return whilst he had been advancing twelve or fifteen Leagues of his Journey only so that he found him still upon his way when he brought him this Dispatch from the King Cousin I was very well pleas'd to find by your Letter that you had put your self upon your way to Loches so soon as your health would permit neither did I doubt but you would upon this occasion conform your self unto my desires and I do moreover assure my self you will ever do the same whereby you will oblige me to continue to you the testimonies of my Affection upon which assurance I pray God c. From Rhemes the 21. of Iuly 1641. That of the Cardinal was couch'd in these terms Monsieur The King is very well satisfied with your Obedience to his Commands which he also has laid upon you in order to your own particular good and I for my part have receiv'd a very high contentment in understanding by this Gentleman the good disposition wherein you now are a continuation whereof I heartily wish you as being c. To add yet something more to the satisfaction the Duke had receiv'd by these two kind Letters the Gentleman that brought them moreover assur'd him that he had observ'd at Court no other than Serene and Auspicious Countenances and that there was nothing which for the future threatned any worse usage than what he had already receiv'd Insomuch that even his best Friends there and those who were most solicitous of him did believe that had he not already receiv'd a Command to depart from Plassac they would not now have enjoyn'd him that trouble the Cardinal being reassur'd by the Death of the Count de Soissons but seeing that Order had been already sent him they would rather choose to have it executed contrary to all reason than to revoke it with any kind of Justice These Dispatches and this news from Court being so much better than the Duke had expected did a little quiet his mind so that in the end he arriv'd at Loches with much less apprehension and far greater chearfulness than he had parted from Plassac This satisfaction was improv'd to him by the extraordinary Acclamations wherewith all the people receiv'd him at his arrival there which was upon the third of August there being no kind of Honours nor any evidences of Publick Joy omitted at his Reception All the Persons of Quality of which there are a very great number thereabouts came to visit him The City of Tourâ—s paid him the same Respect and the Archbishop having given the example to the rest of the City the Chapter and President also sent to Complement him besides which Civilities from the Body in general and the several Societies and Fraternities in particular almost all the Magistrates and Officers at least the most considerable of them came in their own persons to wait upon him insomuch that it seem'd whilst Courted and Complemented at this unexpected rate he was nothing fall'n from his former Prosperity and Greatness All these Honours of which he was as sensible as any having reviv'd his Spirits and consequently quickned and rais'd his Wit and Fancy he made himself to be highly admir'd by an infinite number of the Curious who being continually asking him a thousand Questions concerning the State Secret of past Transactions he clear'd them of several important Doubts which few men living could unriddle and explain'd to them many passages in d' Avila's History which at this time was so new in France that it was in the hands of very few He had a complacency for all sorts of people far above what till now he had ever had and a gracious and winning sweetness for his own Servants they had never known before by which obliging and free fashion together with the antient esteem annext to his Person and Vertue he in an instant won the Love and Applause of all the world In this publick and universal Favour and Reputation and in the assurance had been given him from Court that nothing â—inister was to be apprehended thence the memory of his antient Authority began again to revive in his mind and that put him upon a desire to exercise it in this little Government which that he might the better do he particularly inform'd himself of all the Affairs of the City and Country about it he caus'd all the Courriers that pass'd that way to come immediately to himself and suffer'd nothing of Publick Business to be determin'd without first giving him an account so that in a place where it seem'd he had nothing at all to do he was ingenious enough to find himself employment and to create himself some diversion and delight Who is it but must be astonish'd in this condition of the Duke's and after
other men usually give for their Follies in such cases will nevertheless serve perhaps to satisfie such as are kindest to me and who will not render themselves over-hard to be satisfied in a thing wherein I presume they would themselves be content to see me justified It was not therefore out of any ambition I had to be again in Print I having suffer'd too much that way already nor to be reputed a good Translator the best whereof sit in the lowest Form of Writers and no one can be proud of the meanest Company neither shall I pretend to be put upon it by my Friends for that would tacitly imply something of opinion they must have of my ability that way and I must be so just to 〈◊〉 my worthy Acquaintance as to decâ—â—re them men of better judgments than to be so deceiv'd besides the greater part of them being better Frenchmen than I pretend to be such as have read the Original could never wish to see it blemish'd by so unskilful a hand neither was I prompted to it by any design of advantage that consideration being ever very much below my thoughts nor to oblige the world that being as much above my expectation but having an incurable humour of scribling upon me I believ'd I could not choose a braver Subject for my Friends diversion and my own Entertainment than this wherein I thought at least I discover'd as much Variety of Revolution and accident as is any where in no larger a Volume to be found besides something of utility here being a general account of the most important Transactions of Europe for above threescore years together and in one continued series of Discourse which are otherwise only to be pick'd up out of several Authors and most of them â—mitted in all but that which gave me the greatest invitation besides the Character of Honour that continues throughout the whole thred of his Life was the great example of uncorrupted Loyalty the Duke of Espernon ever retain'd in all his Exigencies and Disgraces a Vertue which though none of the Nobility of this Kingdom for whom this is chiefly design'd need to be informed in 't is nevertheless a glorious Record and ought to be in History that succeeding times may see after what manner a good Subject â—ow powerful soever ought to behave himself how or how unkindly soever his Prince shall please to dispose of his Person and Fortune This consideration it was that after a first and second reading of this brave life though every year of it contains variety enough to furnish out a History which I must confess to have been the greatest temptation that decoy'd me into this undertaking especially when I reflected upon the times we our selves have too lately seen when Loyalty was not very much in fashion or not to be owned withouâ— manifest ruine And although I know very well we have Examples enow of Vertue Bravery Wisdom Fidelity and Honour in persons of our own Nation as well Kings as Subjects Princes of the Blood Generals Ecclesiasticks and Statesmen both of Former and the present Age and the meanest of those Lives sufficient to create as beautiful a Story yet of those the Dead are many of them already recorded beyond my imitation and to Write in Praise of the Living besides the danger of standing suspected either of Flattery or Design were to offend the modesty natural to all generous minds In the next place I am to acquaint my Reader that the Author of this History Monsieur Girard was Secretary to the Duke of Espernon and a very extraordinary person in himself as you will find in the Texture Disposition and Elegancy of the whole in despight of my ill handling by which advantages he must doubtless be able to give the best and truest account of any wâ—â—ever both of his Masters private Affairs and the general Transactions of that time he being especially in the Duke's later Years continually employ'd by him and the Duke himself being so eternally upon the Scene of Action that we shall seldom find him retir'd and alone in the whole course of his Life And although his dependence upon this great person may render his testimony suspected to some he is however so generally allow'd by the most Intelligent and such as are best read in the Affairs of that Kingdom for a faithful Historian that the truth of the Story ought to Balance any other defect of the work Lastly in the behalf of my Bookseller Mr. Brome to whose Kindness I owe more than I can pay him by this Impression I am to say that although I dare not answer how far this History may suffer by my Oversights or Mistakes or by the Faults escap'd the Press which I know not by what accident are very many and some of them very considerable yet I dare pronounce it one of the best things I have seen in that Language I do not mean for the Excellency or Harmony of the Stile which in the Original it self though the words there be very Significant Elegant and admirably well chosen is notwithstanding none of the smoothest I have read but for the importance of the Subject wherein you will find much of the Policy of that time not only of France it self but moreover of the Courts of England Rome Spain Savoy Germany Sweeden and the States of the United Provinces together with a Narrative of all the most celebrated Battles Skirmishes Rencounters Combats Sieges Assaults and Stratagems for above threescore years together with the Descriptions of the Strengths Situations and distances of Cities Towns Castles Cittadels Forts Rivers Countries Seigneuries Iurisdictions and Provinces and all this collected and deliver'd by a Iudicious and Impartial Hand an exâ—raordinary effect of a French Pen that Nation especially in Records that immediately concern their own Honour having been commonly observ'd to be very civil to themselves So that methinks the Dignity of the Subject and the Ingenuity of the Author consider'd a work how unhappily soever perform'd by me undertaken nevertheless meerly for the common benefit and delight ought not to be discountenanc'd nor very ill receiv'd Yet do I not though in the foregoing Paragraph I have discover'd something of the Charlatan in the behalf of my Bookseller hereby intend to beg any favour for my self or by these large promises to bribe my Reader into milder Censures neither do I think it fit to provoke him by a defiance for that were to be an ill Man as well as an ill Writer I therefore franckly and without condition expose my self to every mans Iudgment of which such as appear civil to me are my Friends and I shall owe them the same respect when it shall be my turn to Iudg as it is now to be censur'd Those who will not be so I shall threaten no further than to put them in mind that if ever they attempt any thing of the same nature they will then lie under the same disadvantage I now do and consequently may
with the Queen his Mother such persons as were of chiefest trust about him and whose Counsels he ever made use of in debates of greatest importance to deliberate and advise what in this posture of Affairs was best to be done These were the Dukes of Espernon of Joyeuse and of Retz the Chancellour Chiveruy Bellieure D'O Villeroy and Villequier The Duke of Espernon as the youngest being commanded to give his opinion first of the Proposition in hand freely Remonstrated That so long as the ambition of the House of Guise had contain'd it self within some moderate limits of respect to their Sovereign he had infinitely commended his Majesties Clemency that so long had wink'd at their faults expecting when Subjects of their quality and merit should come to themselves and see their own error That in the beginning of great Crimes Patience was almost a necessary Vertue and that it had often oblig'd such Offenders into their duty as it would have been a matter of some difficulty to have reduc'd by force but that this Patience had its bounds as well as other Vertues and that the excess of it degenerated into Vices of all other most pernicious to Princes That he would never advise his Majesty to cruelty because it was dreadful and inhumane though it often begot tht Sovereign power a more absolute respect That profuseness begot love at least in the receivers and that the other mistakes of Princes were seldom altogether unfruitful whereas an excessive toleration render'd them contemptible to all the world That from contempt men fell into hatred and from hatred ran headlong into attempts That above all things Princes should fear being despis'd which is infallibly destructive to Authority as on the contrary Fear and Respect supports it That it was his opinion the King without further deliberation should have recourse to Arms. That his Enemies not having yet the assistance of Strangers and the Forces they expected at home not being yet united would be easily supprest That his Majesty ought not to suspect his own strength in this occasion that so good a cause as his could want no Souldiers and that his own Royal Courage would give vigour and encouragement to all true Frenchmen to maintain his Authority not only against his Rebellious Subjects but against all the World The Chancellour Chiveruy the Duke de Retz and the Marquis D'O were of this opinion and the King himself had too much experience and too much judgement not to be of the same but the Duke of Ioyeuse Bellieure Villeroy and Villequier were of a contrary advice to whom the Queen Mother adhering the King who had ever a great deference to her Councils cool'd in the inclination he had to that of the Duke of Espernon and was over-rul'd into mildness and moderation which as they are usually the ruine of all Affairs of this nature so they prov'd to be of this They thenceforward therefore began to treat about this War and that by propositions not like those of a Prince to his Subject but such as were more proper betwixt enemy and enemy that stood upon equal ground The King before he would resolve upon the last remedy of Arms first caus'd the Duke of Guise to be sounded to try whether or no he would by fair means be prevail'd with to leave of those practices his Majesty very well knew he entertain'd against his Service and his own Duty which having in vain attempted and finding his obstinacy to be such as was not to be overcome by gentle wayes he presently dispatch'd away into Germany and Switzerland to make speedy Leavies both of Horse and Foot and conceiving he could not in the present necessity receive so prompt and so certain a succour from any as from the King of Navarre his Majesty would try if he could not gain him to his Interest that they might joyntly oppose the first fury of the League that erected it self to their common prejudice In which deliberation there was notwithstanding an almost invincible difficulty namely the difference of Religion for the King what need soever he had of the King of Navarre's assistance could never perswade himself to joyn with him in Arms if he were not first a Catholick wherein the respect to his Conscience prevail'd with him above the consideration of his Fortune and Kingdom This point therefore upon which so much depended was to be discreetly managed and the Duke of Espernon as Supreme in the Kings confidence was before all others chosen to treat with the King of Navarre about this great Affair which that it might be carried with the greater secresie the Duke pretended a visit to Madam de la Valette his Mother at Caumont whom he had never seen since his advancement to favour nor whom a rare example of Vertue and Moderation in a person of her Sex and Condition he could ever with all the instance he could use prevail with to come to Court nor perswade to leave the sweet repose of her own House nor the modesty and retiredness of her former life Things being thus ordered the Duke began his Journey from Court with a Train and Magnificence that is still remembred in all the places through which he past He had above 500 Gentlemen and many of those men of very great quality in his attendance so great authority and esteem he had already acquir'd neither did that authority and esteem ever decline but were his inseparable Companions during his whole life The King writ to all the places through which he was to pass to receive him with the same respect and to pay him the same honours they would do to his own person which was absolutely obey'd if not over-done the Duke receiving infinite and unusual civilities both at Orleans Poitiers Burdeaux Tholouse and in all the other Cities through which he pass'd At last he arriv'd at Caumont where he had the satisfaction of seeing his Mother who was no more dazled with the immediate sight of her Son's greatness than she had been before elevated with the report of it She discours'd with him of Affairs of State and of the advantages of his own Fortune with the Gravity and Authority of a Mother but of a Vertuous and Prudent Mother and I have heard him say That he receiv'd more safe and solid Counsels from the prâ—dent simplicity of that good Lady than from the subtlety and experience of the most practis'd Courtiers After having staid some days in her company and his chief business being not to receive a dispatch there he parted thence towards the King of Navarre who was then in the County of Foix. The King did him the honour to meet him as far as Saverdun where they had the first Conference The second was at Pamiers in the same County of Foix whither the Duke of Espernon who could by no means avoid the great crowd of Nobility and Gentry that came from all parts of Guienne and Languedoc to see him came so extraordinarily accompanied
mercy that there would afterwards remain the King of Navarre a powerful active and diligent Enemy back'd with great Forces within and ready to receive greater from without the Kingdom he conceiv'd it requisite to subdue him first that he might afterwards dispose of the Kings Affairs with less opposition so that he altogether fell from the extravagancy of his first demands and only insisted vpon the suppression of the King of Navarre which he call'd the extirpation of Heresie though it was in effect in order only to the establishment of his own Power The King had so openly declared himself an Enemy as effectively he was to this new Religion and it so much imported him to clear himself to his Subjects from those aspersions the League had cast upon him that he was now necessitated to declare against the King of Navarre in the most severe Form the League could themselves invent yet was it not without the greatest reluctancy imaginable that his Majesty was constrain'd to that extremity against a Prince whom as has been said before it was not his interest wholly to suppress but having lost the opportunity he once had whilst they were weak and inconsiderable of chastising the Heads of the League he saw himself now necessitated to grant them that he could no longer without apparent Ruine refuse His Wisdom then prompting him to submit to the necessity of Affairs he made a show of complying in all things with their desires and that he might with less difficulty encline the Duke of Espernon to consent to a resolution he had ever before been so much against he privately told him That he did not consent to those things that were exacted from him without very great Aversion but that he hop'd to reap from thence a signal effect and a very great advantage to his Affairs that the Party of the League was now too strong to be supprest by force that they had brought their Armies to the Gâ—tes of Paris and that Paris it self was corrupted in their Favour That he very well saw the time to chastise them was now past and that he now knew but too late what he had lost in letting the occasion slip wherein they might have been punish'd when he had advis'd him to it but that such an opportunity would certainly return again and that then his evil Counsellors should never disswade him from making better use of his time That in the mean time it was necessary to dissemble that they might the better look into their Enemies Interests to discover their weakness and to make use of that discovery to their ruine That there was no Party so strong that was not defective somewhere That it was necessary to discover where that defect lay and that it was impossible to make that discovery without engaging with and being interested in the cause they meant to overthrow That being Head of the League as they would have him declare himself to be he should be able to strew such difficulties in the way of their Designs as that they would find themselues perplex'd in every enterprize they should undertake Though the Duke of Espernon had much rather his Majesty would have defended his Honour and trampled Authority by the Arms of those few good Catholick Servants he had and to have joyn'd with the King of Navarre with whom he did not think an accommodation impossible and with such Foreign Forces as were affectionate to the Crown yet seeing it was now expedient to submit to the necessity of the time he humbly acquiesc'd in the good Pleasure of the King his Master In this posture of Affairs the King writ to the Queen his Mother that she might conclude the Treaty upon such Conditions as she thought fit and for a further testimony of his Candour and sincere intention herein sent the dispatch by the Duke of Espernon whom all the world knew to have the greatest power with him and the greatest Antipathy for the League to the end that the Lords of Guise might not in the least doubt the observance of a Treaty that was ratifi'd on his part by a person who liv'd in so eminent a degree of favour with him This employment of the Duke's though it was only intended to countenance the Queens Negotiation and to make it more easily succeed did nevertheless incense her in the highest degree against him She look'd upon his interposition as proceeding from a diffidence the King had in her and not daring to manifest her dissatisfaction to him she threw it wholly upon the Duke and took from thence a new occasion to augment the ill will she had formerly conceiv'd against him The Treaty was notwithstanding concluded at Nemours wherein the Lords of Guise had the full of their own demands whether against those of the Hugonot Party or in their own particular favour They were to command the Armies that should be set forth against the Hugonots and over and above the great and advantageous Governments they were already possest of the King delivered over twelve or fifteen of the best Cities in the Kingdom into their hands together with vast summes of money And then it was that men were undeceiv'd and that all men plainly saw they minded more their own private Interest and the establishment of their own greatness than they regarded the advancement of the Catholick Religion The Treaty then being concluded the Duke of Guise came to kiss the Kings Hands at St. Maur des â—aussez his Majesty so ordering it purposely to defeat the Duke of the Parisians applause from whence after the Ratification of the Articles the Duke return'd into his own Government of Champagne dismiss'd with some feign'd Demonstrations of Favour which was also on his part receiv'd with the same dissimulation From thence forward the King began with great artifice to spin out the violent designs of the League manifesting nevertheless such an animosity against the Hugonots and so firm a resolution vigorously to effect what had been concluded against them as he conceiv'd necessary to satisfie a people jealous of his sincerity and apt to take up new suspicions upon every instigation of their own corrupted fansie And in order thereunto he went to the Parliament in great Formality and State to cause an Edict to pass against those of the Reform'd Religion where after a revocation of the cautionary Towns of the Chambres Mi-parties of the liberty of Conscience and of other Concessions that had formerly been granted in their Favour they were prescrib'd by a day prefix'd either to abjure their Religion or to be declar'd enemies to the State and punishable to the last degree This first Act thus play'd his Majesty assembled the Provost des Marchands and the Eschevins of Paris to demand money of them for the prosecution of the War they had so ardently desir'd which he also propos'd to the Clergy who had shewed themselves no less zealous than they but finding both the one and the other equally
He says that the King at the Duke's dismission to go to the Army his Majesty had given him in command gave him this reproach Che la Corte lo teneua in concetto di poltrone é chegli era bene di levarsi questo fregio dal viso which is to say That the Court look'd upon him as a Poltron and that he should do well to wipe off that blemish Towards the Dukes latter end I read this History to him which was then newly publish'd in France and the Duke had very highly commended the Author though in many particulars he had not spoken very favourably of him above all he infinitely commended the exact care he had taken to inform himself of the secret motives by which the several interests of that time were carried on of which he does in truth for the most part render a very precise and very often a very true accompt But when he heard these words which were so highly injurious to the Duke of Ioyeuse he could not forbear crying out â— hat D'Avila was a lyar that he himself was present when the Duke of Joyeuse took his leave of the King that his Majesty could never have had so great a kindness for a man of whom he had once entertain'd so mean an opinion that on the contrary be esteem'd him to be as valiant and as brave a Gentleman as any was in his Kingdom And where D'Avila continues to say that he was become burthensome to the King that the King could no longer bear it and that he therefore sent him upon this expedition purposely to be cut off the Duke of Espernon bore witness That he saw the King weep at the Duke of Joyeuse his departure than which there could not be a greater evidence of his tenderness and affection to him That had the King had a mind to have been rid of him and to have expos'd him to the King of Navarre's Forces he would never have set him out with an Army almost twice as strong as that he was employ'd against and made up of as good Souldiers as any were in the Kingdom so that if he lost the Battel of Coutras it was rather through the chance of War or through the Valour and good fortune of the King of Navarre than by any default of his Army And to answer yet further to what has been writ concerning his Favour of which D'Aubigné only speaks by hear-say making stories as it is his custom at the random of his own passion and fancy The Duke has told me that the King was indeed grown colder towards the Duke of Ioyeuse than he had formerly observ'd him but that he only attributed that to the Alliance the Duke had contracted with the House of Lorain and that it was only a diminution of â—avour and never grew to a disgrace and indeed had his Majesty conceiv'd a positive aversion to him would he have given such publick evidences of sorrow for his Death as he did would he have honour'd his dead Body with that excessive Pomp and those unusual Obsequies which were such as gave all the Nobility occasion to murmur having never before been allow'd to any save to the Princes of the Blood and to the Constables of France exclusively to all other great men of the Kingdom The Historians of that time have further discours'd of the jealousie betwixt the two Favourites to which I can answer on the Duke of Espernon's behalf that I could never find by any thing I could ever gather from him that he had been in the least touch'd with that passion neither is it very likely considering the advantage the Duke visibly had in the Kings Opinion there could be any jealousie on his part but if there had formerly been any such thing betwixt them as it is hardly possible but there must have been some emulation betwixt two concurrents in so high a pretense as that of a Kings Favour the Death of the Duke of Ioyeuse and a long series of time having worn out those impressions there now remain'd nothing more in the Duke of Espernon's memory than the remembrance of their near Relation and former Friendship Some time before the Duke of Ioyeuse his Death the knot of that Alliance had been broken by the death of Catherine de Nogaret and dela Valettâ— the Duke of Espernon's Sister who having at the King's motion and to the common satisfaction of both the Favourites been married to the Count de Bouchage younger Brother to the Duke of Ioyeuse after they had for four or five years only liv'd together in a most perfect harmony this Vertuous Lady died leaving one Daughter only behind her namely Catheâ—ine de Ioyeuse the same who having formerly been Dutchess of Montpensier is now Dutchess of Guise a Princess of undisputed Vertue and such as has ever shone equally bright throughout the prosperities and afflictions that have divided her life The Câ—mpte de Bouchage after having lost his Wife finding nothing in the world either to allure him or to comfort him retyr'd himself from it amongst the Father Capuchins where he took upon him the Habit of that Order and there continued some years under the name of Father Ange de Ioyeuse 'T is true the Pope having since enjoyn'd his Superiours to perswade him abroad again to the end he might be Head of the League in Languedoc that he obey'd his command but it was to return afterwards into the same order again as soon as Affairs would give him leave where he continued to his death and died in great opinion of Sanctity And since upon occasion I have been drawn aside to mention this Marriage out of its due order it is reasonable that I now speak of that of the Duke which happened at this time The Duke therefore having been offer'd a match with the Sister-in-law of his King and having been esteem'd not unworthy to marry with the King of Navarre's Sister her Brother being at that time immediate Heir to the Crown It is to be presum'd he might reasonably pretend to the greatest Fortune whatsoever in France but amongst the many were propos'd to him he preferr'd that with Marguerite de Foix and de Candelle Daughter and Heir to Henry de Foix and de Candelle and to Mary de Montmorency before all the rest The Father and Mother of this Lady died both young her Mother of Sickness and her Father at the Siege of Sommieres For the Duke de Anville his Brother in law having undertaken that Siege the Compte do Candelle rais'd two thousand men amongst his Tenants in Gascony to favour his Design a very considerable supply in the weak condition the Duke de Anville's Army then was where being come and finding the breach already made and the assault ready to be given he intreated the Honour of the first Assault might be conferr'd upon his men who he desir'd might give immediate proof of their Valour A fatal request which having been granted to him
and fearing to be prevented for they now no longer doubted but that their Treasons were discover'd dispatch'd away in all haste to the Duke of Guise pressing him by all means to make what speed he could to Paris hoping by his arrival in the first place to be sheltred from the King's Justice and in the next to reap the fruits of their inordinate desires Neither was the Duke long deliberating upon this Journey the time as he conceiv'd being as favourable as he could possibly wish for him to raise his Fortune to that prodigious height to which his ambition had already design'd it For the danger of the Foreign Army being already blown over and the King of Navarre so depress'd since that it was almost impossible for him ever to rise again he thought he could never meet with so happy an occasion and consequently prepar'd himself without further delay for his Journey Of which resolution the King being advertis'd and knowing that he was now on his way and already advanc'd as far as Soissons he dispatch'd away the Sieur de Bellieure to meet him and to forbid him from coming to Paris a command that added spurs to his desire which usually in great spirits grows most violent where it meets with most difficulty and is most eager when most forbidden But by this message the Duke presently imagining that his Designs were discover'd and doubting that if he did longer defer to drive them on to their intended end he was in danger to be prevented and to see himself involv'd in the disaster that commonly attends men who deliberate too long upon the execution of great Enterprizes he made all the haste he possibly could and turning aside from the ordinary Road for fear of meeting another command which notwithstanding his Ambition still presenting to him the image of that greatness to which he aspir'd he was resolute not to obey he came at â—ast with extraordinary diligence to Paris surprizing all men with his sudden and unexpected arrival At this time which made still better for the Duke of Guise the Duke of Espernon was gone to take possession of his Government of Normandy where he had been receiv'd with great acclamations of the people both at Rouen Caen and the other principal Cities of that Province so that all places there continued quiet and firm in the King's Obedience Havre de Grace only excepted which alone stood out for the League But before the Duke's departure into Normandy the King having as it was his custom taken him one day in his company to â—resne his Majesty there in a private Conference discover'd to him the trouble and disquiet the Duke of Guise's Resolution of coming to Paris had put him into with the danger to which his arrival the absolute power the Duke had with the People duly consider'd would expose both his Person and Affairs and there his mind equally possest with foresight and jealousie making him penetrate into the events of things as if they had been present before him he prophesied to the Duke almost all the misfortunes that befel him in a few days after Whereupon the Duke freely told him that he saw only one way to avoid those mischiefs his Majesty foresaw and that was to cause the Duke's Head to be strook off even in the Louvre it self should he be so impudent as to come to Paris contrary to his Majesties express command an advice which he fortified with so many reasons that the King bound himself with an Oath to do it though when it came to the test his resolution appear'd no more constant in this than it had done before in other occasions as we shall presently see But if things were thus determin'd on the King's part the Duke of Guise was no less diligent on his and had omitted nothing that might any way conduce to the effecting of his Designs and that he might not at his coming to Paris lie at the mercy of his Enemies he had secretly and by several ways sent thither divers of his best Commanders beforehand with order to prepare all those of his Faction in readiness to appear in Arms upon the first occasion and having thus provided for his safety came himself to the City the ninth of May in the year 1588. and attended only with twelve or fifteen Gentlemen alighted at the Queen Mothers Lodgings who though infinitely surpriz'd at his coming went immediately along with him to the King by whom he was receiv'd notwithstanding that his Majesty had been before disswaded from his first resolution with so great a disorder in his countenance as plainly denoted the contrary passions that were then strugling in his mind Which the Queen Mother perceiving and knowing what a determination the King had put on against him the execution of which she perhaps thought neither safe nor easie or perhaps willing to preserve the Duke she took the King aside and wrought so effectually with him that she absolutely chang'd his mind which was then wavering and irresolute from his premeditated purpose Yet could she not so qualifie and appease him but that he gave the Duke of Guise very manifest tokens of the highest Indignation but after a few words and those exceedingly bitter on the Kings part the Duke retyr'd to his own house where he more than ever continued his ambitious Designs and seditioâ—s Practices For his vast Courage the excess of which had rais'd him above the condition and debauch'd him from the obedience of a Subject would as it is believ'd now perfect the work had been so long before contriv'd and strike home to the main Design All which though the King very well knew and though he endeavour'd all he could to prevent him and to deprive him of those means by which he was most likely to effect his purpose yet those his Majesty employ'd proving too weak to divert so great a mischief by their vain oppositions only made the Torrent to swell higher which soon after overflow'd the Banks with greater violence All the world has heard of the Barricades of Paris a day of all others the most infamous to the French Name and to the inviolate respect that Nation has ever born to their natural Princes that ever hapned since the first foundation of that Monarchy Of which to write the particulars were to deviate impertinently from my Subject It shall therefore be sufficient to say that the Duke of Espernon was not at Paris when this disorder fell but they there found his richest furniture upon which the hatred and avarice of the people wreak'd their utmost spleen and extremest rancour This storm of popular fury having continued the space of three days without intermission or abatement and the King after the disarming of his Guards and some other Forces he had then in Paris having now no means left to defend his Person which he saw in danger every moment to fall into his Enemies hands the multitude preparing on every side to beset the
but his Majesty who was as perfect in the Nature and Designs of the Queen his Mother as she was in his had still been constant to his Servants Protection and the Duke having been bred up in the School of so politick a Master had learn'd so much cunning as had hitherto ever rendred all those Artifices ineffectual by which she had so often and so industriously labour'd his Ruine But at last the Queen knowing how important the present occasion was to the Kings Repose embrac'd it with that fervour that in the end it procur'd the Dukes so long wish'd for removal She had the management of the Treaty in hand absolutely committed to her with the choice of any two of the King's Council to assist her of which such as she knew were affectionate to the Duke you may be sure msut have nothing to do in this business so that it was no hard matter all parties concurring in the same design to conclude his disgrace and in conclusion the King was plainly told that it was absolutely necessary for him to dismiss the Duke of Espernon if his Majesty intended to have that Peace he seem'd so passionately to desire To the same end there was then Printed a Manifest subscrib'd by the Cardinal of Bourbon as Head of the League wherein the whole Faction were very importunate for the Duke 's total Ruine together with Mounsieur de la Valette his Brother his bare removal from Court being now too little to satisfie their Malice the League in this sole point comprehending the suppression of the Hugonot Party of which they said the two Brothers were the Protectors with the King the redress of the people opprest to enrich them and the satisfaction of the great ones who might easily be contented with those Offices and Governments which the two Brothers now possest to their common prejudice The Duke who very well foresaw that he must either comply with the time or reduce the King to a necessity of taking up Arms to protect him which would have made him responsible to his Majesty for any sinister event that might happen chose the lesser evil and would rather alone undertake the defense of his own Fortune than be any ways the occasion of so great a mischief He saw the Kings mind perpetually fluctuating and continually alarm'd with the Counsels of his Enemies which in his Majesties astonishment grew still more and more prevalent with him he saw the powerful Faction of the League wholly Arm'd against his Person neither was there any who did not conclude his ruine inevitable in so dangerous a conjuncture should he be once though but a moment remov'd out of the King's Protection but he had courage enough to run the hazard and his undaunted Spirit notwithstanding he very well understood his danger made him resolute with his own single Interest to stand the shock of all his Adversaries I ought here to adde yet another Motive the Duke had to retire from Court a thing which will perhaps hardly be believ'd though it be precisely true but it merits a due place in the Duke's History as the noblest testimony of a generous heart and this it was The Duke had understood something of the King's intention to cut off the Duke of Guise by those ways by which it was afterwards effected at Blois and not being able to divert that resolution he chose rather to absent himself than to be present at an action he thought so unworthy of his Masters Authority and Greatness though it redounded to his own particular preservation 'T is true that in the first motions of the League he had advis'd the King to take up Arms to chastise him that he had afterwards counsell'd him to cut off his Head at the very Gate of the Louvre when the Duke came in contempt of his command to raise that Commotion in Paris and that he had offer'd himself to fight him hand to hand in Duel but he could by no means consent that his Majesty should commit an Act so unworthy of his Name And this in truth was as powerful a Motive as any to oblige him to retire There is great diversity of Opinions amongst the Historians of that time about this retirement of the Dukes whether or no it were franckly and of his own motion whether he were dismist with the King 's good Opinion and Favour or whether he went not away in a real disgrace which they severally report every man according to his particular passion But D' Avila much better inform'd in the Affairs of the Cabinet than the rest enclines to the more favourable opinion and says very truly that the Duke resolv'd upon this retirement of his own voluntary inclination and that to the King 's great grief who notwithstanding compell'd by the necessity of the conditions imposed upon him in the Articles of Peace consented to it And of this truth there are two evident proofs One the great familiarity and privacy the Duke had with the King some days before his departure and the same D'Avila records a very remarkable and a very true passage upon this occasion That the night preceding this separation the Abbot del Bene a great confident of the Duke's and a man in great esteem with the King for his excellent parts of which his Majesty made continual use in his Politicks a study in which he was strictly regular was shut up alone with the King in his Cabinet for many hours not so much as the Grooms of his Majesties Chamber permitted to come in all the while by which he conjectures and very rightly that his Conference was in order to some Instructions which were to be convey'd by the Abbot who was to accompany him in his retirement to the Duke for his future Conduct during the time of his absence And I have heard the Duke say that he never in all his life receiv'd so many Testimonies of his Masters Affection as he did at this time His Majesty being pleas'd not only to chalk him out what he would have him do and what he would have him avoid during his retirement but also adding a thousand Protestations that he would sooner abandon his Crown than his protection and that he had not consented to his departure but with a resolution to recall him speedily back to Court with greater Honour and to confer upon him greater advantages than he had ever yet done Commanding at the same time the Abbot del Bene not to stir from him to have a care of his Person and to be assisting to him with his Counsels in whatever Accidents might happen and in all the difficulties and dangers he well foresaw would by his Enemies be prepar'd against him The other proof that the Duke was dismist in a high state of Favour was this that his Majesty made him at his departure Generalissimo of his Armies in the Provinces of Anjou Maine Perche Poictou Xaintonge Angoumois and the Country of Aulnis with absolute Power
addressing himself to Mounsieur de Villeroy made this Proposition to him and was by him very well receiv'd Villeroy promising to acquaint the King with the good affection of the Inhabitants and to give him a speedy answer I shall not here make shie of delivering plainly what I have receiv'd from the Duke 's own mouth upon this occasion and that without fear of reviving Animosities long ago extinct the Duke an Mounsieur de Villeroy having often since and that with some kind of delight discours'd themselves into a better intelligence about this Subject So true it is that time is a Sovereign Remedy for the most violent passions no former unkindness betwixt these two great Ministers being of force to hinder the mutual esteem they had of one anothers Vertue in their later years from ending in a most sincere and perfect Friendship The King's answer to Villeroy was that he should be glad to have the Duke within his power that so he might hinder him from joyning with the King of Navarre but withal if it could not be done without endangering his Person that they should by no means attempt in his Majesty being neither willing to have him destroy'd nor exasperated but only restrain'd within the bounds of his Duty Which were the very words his Majesty repeated to the Duke at his return to Court graciously adding that it was in order to a speedy recalling of him about his own Person where he intended to use him like a Son a title by which his Majesty was ever pleas'd to Honour him in his Letters and ordinary Discourse as hitherto he had ever done But this was too nice a Commission for his Enemies to work upon who would by all means make use of this occasion the hair-brain'd Citizens presented to them to take a full revenge of former injuries for after the business had been communicated to the Duke of Guise it was told Souchet by Mounsieur Villeroy that it was the King's desire they should take the Duke Prisoner and that they could not do his Majesty a more acceptable service Whereupon Souchet having reply'd that it would be an enterprize hard to execute so as to meet with no opposition and that in such a case he desir'd to know how they were to behave themselves he was further order'd to take the Duke alive or dead that such was his Majesties intention and that it was a business of so great importance that both he and all others who should be employ'd therein might certainly expect a recompense proportionable to the merit of the Action Some have further added and it was a common report that a man utterly unknown to Souchet was disguis'd in his Majesties Cloaths and taught to pronounce this Command as if it had come from the King 's own mouth but however it were carried certain it is that Souchet could not have return'd more fully perswaded than he did At his return he acquaints the Consul with his Instructions at a private place without the City who hoping to do the King a signal Service communicated the Order he had receiv'd to forty or fifty all active and resolute men of his most intimate Friends and conferr'd yet further with some Gentlemen of the Duke of Guise's Faction about it so that having made himself as strong as he could and having writ to the Vicount Aubeterre who was Head of the League in that Province to be ready to assist in an action so important to the Service of the King and the Catholick Union he at last receiv'd the Deputy into the City upon St. Laurence Eve the day following without further delay being design'd for the execution of the Enterprize There are few Historians of any note of those times who have not given a full description of this days business and who have not thought it though only relating to a particular person an action for the Novelty and handsome performance of it worthy to be recorded amongst the general Transactions of that time Mounsieur de Thou D' Aubigné and D' Avila have all made long Relations of it and there were many Printed Reports of it current in France immediately after the thing was done of which several old Copies yet remain to all which I could refer my Reader and spare my self the pains of repeating it over again could a business so highly important to the Duke's Honour be left out of the recital of his Life without making my self guilty of an omission Posterity might justly blame me for Take here therefore what I have collected both from the Duke 's own mouth and from some of his Servants who as they shar'd in the danger of this Conspiracy had also the Honour to do their Master signal Service in so memorable an Action The Duke living in great security in the City and behaving himself very obligingly to all the Inhabitants in general but more particularly to those he saw bore the greatest sway amongst them spar'd no kind of good Entertainment that he thought might win the Consul over to his Devotion a man who besides the addition of his Authority was very considerable in his own Person as being descended from one of the best Families in the City and a man of great sagacity and valour The morning of his enterprize therefore being St. Laurence day he going early as it was usual to give the Duke a Visit was by him entertain'd with extraordinary civility the Duke not suffering him to depart till he had made him a promise to come again to Dinner which the Consul thinking by that means to have his access into the Castle more open and free for the effecting of his purpose readily engag'd himself to do And in the mean time returning home he found Souchet and with him some dozen of the most resolute Fellows and fiercest Leaguers of all the Town got thither before him These were to begin the work and the others to the number of five and forty or fifty were lodg'd in the Houses nearest to the Castle to be ready to second them when they had given the first Assault Neither were these all in the Conspiracy for there were divers others dispos'd into the several Streets of the City to alarm the rest of the people altogether ignorant of the Enterprize by telling them that the Hugonots had taken the Castle by the Postern-gate that look'd into the Park and to make them by this device run to their Arms to repel them Things being thus order'd the Consul first entred the Castle taking along with him Souchet Booted and Spurr'd as if he newly arriv'd from Court with another in the same Equipage and being come into the Hall where he met with some of the inferiour Servants he of them enquir'd for the Duke saying He had there two Courriers to present to him who brought him good news from Court Whereupon the Servants who saw him every day with the Duke and receiv'd with great Demonstrations of Favour and Respect
their Guard to present their Duty The Duke taking this occasion to â—etire withdrew himself forthwith to his own Quarter but before he would absolutely depart he would first attend the Corps of the King his Master and Benefactor as far as Compeigne whither they were carried with very little Ceremony the disorders of the time not permitting greater and where having paid his last duty he return'd to overtake his Troops which were now marching upon the Road of Loches towards Angoumois The example of the Duke's departure was followed by many others so that in a few days the Army was grown so thin that the King had scarce any save strangers left in his Camp and even they in the end for want of pay disbanded as well as the rest and then it was that the Duke's Enemies with a redoubled malice spoke loudest in his disgrace and did all they possibly could to animate his Majesty in the highest degree against him There had already pass'd as you have heard some secret discontents betwixt the King and the Duke during the life of the late King amongst which the business of Gergeau and that of Estampes had made no little noise but to these many have added and likewise some endeavour'd to possess the King that the Duke ever impatient of a Rival in his Master's Favour and less able to endure his Majesty who was so much above him had in that time done all the ill offices he could invent to beget a mis-understanding betwixt the King and him such as might cause a separation and certainly so effectually had they labour'd with him as to make him believe too much by which they had so incens'd his Majesties mind against him that doubtless he would have bent his whole endeavour to the Duke's Ruine upon the late refusal he had made of his assistance had not the necessity of his own Affairs diverted his designs another way but all these evil dispositions though they still threatned worse consequences could not hinder the Duke from persevering in his resolution to retire As his departure was of infinite importance whether we consider it as to the Fortune of the King and Interest of the State or as to the Duke 's own particular concern and that there are few Historians of that or later times who have not taken occasion to blame the Dukes proceeding herein I think it fit to say something here in his vindication and to discover the reasons upon which he built that resolution which having receiv'd from his own mouth in the same terms that I shall faithfully deliver here every one may afterwards 〈◊〉 what judgment of the Action he shall in his own discretion think most fit He told me that a little before his departure many of his intimate friends had endeavour'd to disswade him from his Design by presenting before him the present juncture of Affairs so favourable as they said to the support of his immediate condition so generally envy'd by all that he could not himself have wish'd a more advantageous conjuncture That as it was principally by his means and assistance the King could build any probable hopes of effecting what he desir'd so were there present no advanâ—ages besides an indempnity and oblivion of all pass'd unkindnesses a thing in it self highly to be consider'd to which he might not reasonably pretend That he might now establish his own greatness in so sure a condition that it would be no hard matter to maintain himself for the future in the same height should the Kings humour chance to come about That all men plainly saw how much upon his departure or stay depended the standing or dissolution of the Royal Army That upon his concurrence with his Majesty depended that of the greatest part of the Catholicks and the Ruine of the League wherein were his most capital Enemies That by his assistance men might yet promise to themselves the reducing of Paris and in that the peace and settlement of the whole Kingdom That having in his hands the disposition of things of so great utility to the publick and so great honour to himself he neither ought to envy his Country those advantages not to deprive himself of the glory of so admirable a success These were considerations that in their own weight and laid home to him by men he knew to be his Friends were not unlikely to prevail and to have overcome his obâ—â—inacy as doubtless they had done had the Duke look'd no further than his own Interest and so he told his Friends who had so freely argu'd with him He told them that he was not so little acquainted with the business of the world that he did not well enough discern all those advantages they had propos'd as relating to himself That he did very well believe his Majesty assisted by his Catholick Subjects might reduce his Enemies to the point he desir'd but that from thence would infallibly ensue the subversion of the Catholick Religion which would likewise bring on the ruine of the State That instead of the Peace they propos'd to themselves after the League were reduc'd to their obedience they would see themselves engag'd in a more violent and obstinate War than before That those of the Reform'd Religion being grown more strong and having a lawful mighty and active King to head them would doubtless establish their own Religion in France and constrain the Catholicks to submit to whatever Law they would impose upon them That it was far better betimes to refuse to countenance the evil which lay concealâ—d under the apparence of a present good than to engage himself in mischiefs of so inevitable consequence and to forbear a while the fruits of a specious and alluring Peace to enjoy it at better leisure more permanent and secure That the King what promises soever he had made and what real dispositions soever he might have to cause himself to be satisfied within six months had nevertheless been prompted by those of his own perswasion to demand that respite for no other end than to keep the Catholick Forces about him that he might make himself Master of Paris That having done that which must necessarily put an end to the War and being wholly possest by creatures passionate for their ill receiv'd and new opinions he would certainly be continued in his Error by their restless practice That there was a necessity of a prompt and sincere Conversion not such an one as was to be hop'd for no man knew when and that then perhaps would be luke-warm and unsound That whensoever that should come to pass they should see him stake his Fortune his Friends and his Life for a Prince whom he did ever acknowledge undoubted Successour to the Crown That in the mean time he made no doubt but his Enemies as they use to do would lay all the disorders that should happen at his door and hourly incense the King against him with all the malice and artifice they could invent but that
he had receiv'd from the King conceiving this business what gloss soever might be put upon it would be interpreted to his disgrace and would pass in the opinions of men at honour for a Bravado and an affront to him in his Government could by no means perswade himself to digest it which made him very important with the King that his Majesty would please to absolve him from so injurious a condition a thing the King who had him in great esteem would as willingly have done But his Royal Word being already pass'd to the Duke whom he knew to be as obstinate as the other in things wherein his Honour was concern'd and not knowing how at once to satisfie two so different humours matters were in all apparence going into as ill terms as at first when an accident fell out that soon took the Duke off all thoughts of that Solemnity The Dutchess of Bar the King 's only Sister hapned to dye at this time which gave the King occasion to write to the Duke of Espernon that he assur'd himself all such good Subjects and Servants as he was would rather lament with him for the loss of so dear a Relation than to think of Mirth and publick Solemnities of Joy at so unseasonable a time a command so much the easier for the Duke to obey by how much he himself had particular reason to be really afflicted at the death of that excellent Lady So that by this accident the Mareschal d' Ornano saw himself disingag'd from one of the greatest extremities he had ever found himself involv'd in it having been otherwise necessary for him either absolutely to disobey the King which he could not have done without incurring his disgrace or patiently to submit to an affront he himself had declar'd to be the greatest he could possibly receive and that 't is said he was resolv'd to have avoided by laying down his Commission such as were most perfect in his passionate nature being confident had it come to the push he would certainly have ransom'd himself from that submission at the price of his Fortune The Duke continued some time after this in Guienne and from thence returned into Angoumois where he spent the remainder of the year without being call'd thence upon any publick occasion All things as has been said were quiet and the King seem'd to be wholly taken up with the care of husbanding and filling his Exchequer wherein though some believ'd him to be meerly carried on by a natural inclination to the love of mony yet his designs which a few years after disclos'd themselves gave the world an accompt that there was more of design than avarice in the exact care he took to moderate the excessive expense had by his predecessor been introduc'd into the Kingdom The Duke of Espernon nevertheless could have wish'd his Majesty had been more open handed to the Garrisons in his Government those of Angoulesme and Xaintes being so ill paid that they could hardly subsist which putting him into an apprehension that those places become now as it were Frontier Towns since those of the Reformed Religion had made a kind of separation in the State of which Rochelle seem'd to be the Metropolitan City might be lost in his hands he continually represented to the King the danger those Cities were in but without being regarded at all which made him in the beginning of the ensuing year resolve upon a Journey to Court to try if in person and by word of mouth he could not prevail more than by continual importunities in writing he had hitherto done where being arriv'd and presenting himself before the King his Majesty as'd him in what condition he had left his Governments to whom the Duke reply'd That they could not possibly be in a worse the necessity of the Souldiery in Garrison being so great that he durst not undertake for the security of those places committed to his charge To which the King having made answer That they were us'd as others were The Duke who very well knew the difference his Majesty made betwixt his Catholick Garrisons and the neighbouring places possess'd by those of the Reform'd Religion took the liberty to tell him that those who had so inform'd his Majesty had given him a very ill accompt of his Affairs the Garrisons of those of the Religion who perhaps were arm'd to the prejudice of his Service being nothing in Arrear whilst the Catholicks who were firm in their obedience were ready to perish for want of pay The King nettled at so tart a reply and angry that the Duke should give him so publick a reproach in the discovery of a truth he had a mind for many reasons should have been conceal'd suffer'd himself to be so far transported by his passion that he could not forbear to tell the Duke He was perverse and importunate That he sought all occasions to displease him That he would have done him a greater kindness to have kept still at the distance he was at than to come into his presence only to offend him and for the close of all that he had long observ'd he did not love him To which the Duke without being thunder-struck at the King's anger which might perhaps have surpriz'd another man less confident of his Fidelity than he insisting upon the last words answered coldly but after a serious manner Sir your Majesty has not a more faithful Subject than my self in your Kingdom and I had rather die than do any thing contrary to the least particle of my duty But Sir for what concerns friendship your Majesty knows very well that is a thing not to be acquir'd but by Friendship At so bold and generous an answer there was none who was not astonish'd at the Duke's freedom and that was not ready to condemn his rashness though the King himself who knew how to put a just value upon great actions and how to interpret language of this nature was of a more favourable opinion and gave no reply but on the contrary reflecting upon what the Duke had said converted his indignation into esteem and interpreting what others thought temerity for an effect of honest liberty proceeding from a good conscience resolv'd to make himself belov'd by the way the Duke had laid him down and from that time forward began to use him much better than he had ever done Neither was the Duke wanting on his part but perceiving his Majesties good disposition towards him and adding the spur of affection to what he had formerly perform'd upon the meer accompt of duty he at last obtain'd so great a share in his Majesties favour and good opinion that before his death he receiv'd as many testimonies of his Royal good Will and Confidence as any other person of his condition whatsoever in the Kingdom This confidence began soon after to appear by the command the King was pleas'd to give the Duke over the Horse and Foot he sent into Limousin when tir'd
of this Princes Protection had prevented others in the possession of his Favour and conceiving he should make himself more acceptable by rendring the affection of other Grandees suspected to him he had amongst others pointed out the Duke of Espernon for one of those of whom he had most reason to complain An ill Office that having at first preferr'd in general terms he afterwards pursu'd by particular circumstance telling the Prince that the Duke had doubled the Guards of the Louvre at his arrival and put all the King's Family into Arms as they had been to defend it against a common Enemy Which impression the Prince was more apt to receive by how much he believ'd that the Duke being already in a great degree of Favour with the Queen and very intimate with the Count de Soissons must needs be jealous of his return which he could not consider but as a great power directly opposite to all his concerns which made him at the first interview receive him not only with apparent coldness but also not able to dissemble his dissatisfaction reproach him for having endeavour'd to possess the Queen with some suspicions to his prejudice The Duke surpriz'd at so unexpected an entertainment and so groundless a reproach he having alter'd nothing in the usual Guards that had been kept in the Louvre since the King's Death and nettled with the sense of so injurious an Office gave aloud the Lye to all those who had branded him with so false a Calumny Yet would not this publick and generous profession of the truth so satisfie and appease the Prince that there was not still some remains of discontent in his mind against the Duke He did not think him so affectionate to him as to the Count de Soissons and seeing him advanc'd to that height of Reputation with the Queen could not expect he should be favourable to him in the design he had to assume that place in Court and to share that Authority in the management of Affairs which were due to his Birth and Greatness So that here the Court was divided the Prince of Condé having his Faction and the Count of Soissons his amongst whom the Duke of Espernon was the chief and most considerable member Yet did not this diversity of Interests produce any sudden ill effect the Princes paying a due respect to the Queen and being by her admitted into the debate of Affairs though the most important were carried on by other hands The Cabinet Council at this time consisted of the Duke of Espernon the Chancellour de Sillery President Ianin and Mounsieur de Villeroy wherein the Duke's Vote had the greatest sway and his Opinions did usually prevail by whom it being conceiv'd necessary for the honour of the Nation and the memory of the late King to pursue the Enterprize of Iuliers which had been the pretense of his Majesties Arms he propounded and got it to be concluded that the Mareschal de la Chasire with an Army of 10000 Foot and 1200. Horse should be sent to assist the interested Princes in the restitution of this Place The issue of which expedition was as succesful as could be wish'd the places possess'd by the Arch-Duke Leopold were restor'd into the hands of the Marquis of Brandebourg and the Duke of Newbourg so that Affairs on that side remain'd in as good a forwardness as could be desir'd to be shortly compos'd as they were to the satisfaction of the German Princes As in the occasion we spoke of last things were carried on for the honour so was it no less necessary for the safety of the Kingdom to give some satisfaction and assurance to those of the Reform'd Religion in the beginning of this new Reign it being very much to be fear'd this Faction which at this time was very powerful pretending a violation of the Edicts formerly publish'd in their toleration might run into insurrection to the ruine of the publick peace Wherein the Duke was of opinion to prevent either the real jealousie or else the evil intentions of those who were likely to breed any Commotion by Declarations to confirm the ancient Edicts granted in their favour It is very true that he had no kindness for their Religion but he thought it nevertheless unfit to violate the publick Faith where what he did then for reason of State he has ever since observ'd in his own particular administration so that though an enemy to new opinions he was notwithstanding ever very solicitous to maintain the professors of them within his Governments in peace and safety and it has been observ'd that although at Metz the best Families of the City were of that perswasion that they abounded in Xaintongue and Angoumois and that Guienne was not free it could never be perceiv'd that he made any distinction betwixt them and other the Kings Subjects except where he found them refractory and disobedient to his Commands These precautions so seasonably apply'd in this turn of State secur'd the Peace of the Kingdom both within and without to so fortunate a degree that a more happy Government could not possibly have been wish'd Which certainly if we consider the great number of discontents within before the King's death the distastes many persons of great Quality had taken who breath'd nothing but revenge with the Ambition that reigns in all Courts able to overthrow the surest foundations is infinitely to be wondred at To which may be added the envy of neighbouring Princes who could not without anxiety and apprehension suffer the height of prosperity to which France was already advanc'd together with the Artifices of such as usually in the troubles of a State seek to repair the ruines of their own desperate Fortunes all which evil dispositions could not according to humane imagination have found a more favourable juncture than during a Regency to have produc'd their fatal effects and yet never was France at greater peace within it self nor more respected of her Neighbours than in all the whole time of the Queens administration Wherein though I dare not I confess attribute the whole reputation of the good Government to the Duke of Espernon alone who having call'd the most prudent and experienc'd Ministers of the latter Reign into his Councils they ought also to share in the praise yet can I not in equity deny him the first place of Honour he having without dispute the greatest Authority and consequently having ever carried the greatest sway in the results of the most important Affairs This Power and Reputation being the ordinary objects of envy even amongst men of equal condition it is no wonder if the Princes of the Blood were jealous of the Duke of Espernon's greatness who as they said unknown to them dispos'd the greatest Affairs of the Kingdom wherein they particulary complain'd that he had perswaded the Queen to resolve upon a match betwixt the King and the Infanta of Spain a thing which in his Minority was not to
certainly involve the Kingdom in a desperate confusion but the Duke of Espernon having consider'd that the Princes for the most part had neither mony nor credit at home nor no intelligence abroad few places to retire unto and fewer friends amongst the people whom the serenity of the present Government had rendred very well satisfied with their condition was of a quite contrary opinion He therefore advis'd the Queen Regent to cause them by the Regiments of French and Swisse Guards with such Horse as were ready at hand to be suddenly purâ—â—â—d assuring her that if the King would please to put himself into the head of this little Body he might with the greatest ease imaginable and without resistance suppress a faction that had inconsiderately engag'd in a Rebellion without other ground than the meer instigation of some mutinous spirits and no other support at all It was the same advice he had formerly given Henry the III. in the time of his favour and in the first commotions of the League which not having then been hearkened to had cost the King and the whole Kingdom so dear but the same Counsel had here the same success the wisdom of the Ministers of State could not give ear to an advice wherein they apprehended so great a danger so that for want of having observ'd what the presence of a King does in a Kingdom where the respect to the Sovereign Authority has ever been so inviolate as that it seems to be a quality inherent to that people they lost the most favourable opportunity to have secur'd the present peace and to have prevented the mischiefs that ensu'd could possibly have been wish'd An oversight that the Prince of Condé very well observing as I have heard him say himself he of that observation as we shall see hereafter made a great advantage for the King's Service in the Queen Mothers Affairs The advice of taking Arms being thus rejected the Duke of Espernon refus'd to have any hand in the insuing Treaty wherein he saw they were to purchase a Peace he neither thought honourable nor likely long to continue It was nevertheless soon concluded and the Princes having at this time found no disposition in the people to follow the humour of their priuate discontents nor being able of themselves to raise any considerable force made no great difficulty of selling a Peace they would undoubtedly have bought at any price had they once been made to feel the smart of War But for this they had great summes of mony that furnish'd them for another Rebellion with some other conditions as that there should be a Convocation of the Estates General for regulating such disorders as they said were introduc'd into the Kingdom And this was that call'd the Peace of Saint Menehou according to the Articles of which there follow'd after a Convocation of the Estates but not till the Declaration of the King's Majority had first been ratified in the Parliament of Paris that Act having been thought convenient to precede the Assembly to the end that whatever they should there conclude might be more authentick and admit of no dispute for the time to come During this Session of the Estates and in the sight as it were of all France which in the persons of their Deputies seem'd to be then present at Paris the Duke did an action which made a great bustle and noise in the beginning but that in the issue through the high consideration and esteem of his Authority and Vertue was pass'd over well enough I have already said when speaking of the erection of the Duke's command of Colonel General in Title of an Office of the Crown that the King annex'd thereto a Sovereign Justice or Court Martial over all the French Infantry In any difference betwixt Souldier and Souldier the Duke together with the Officers of that Body to which the Souldier did belong was absolute and sovereign Judge of the Offense but if the difference hapned to be betwixt a Souldier and a Citizen there he was to call some Officers of Justice together with the Officers of the Regiment to assist him Rules that being enter'd amongst the Statutes of the Crown are at this day part of the Law as they make up the most noble part of that brave command It hapned that at this time two Souldiers of the Regiment of Guards fighting a Duel in the Pré-au-Clercs a place within the Jurisdiction of the Abby of Saint Germans the one being slain the other was taken and delivered into the hands of the Prevost of Saint Germans who detain'd him in the Prison belonging to the Abby Whereupon the Duke conceiving this had been ignorantly done by the Officer who perhaps might not know how far in this case his Authority did extend sent the Prevost-Martial of the Regiment to the Bailiff to make him understand the right the Duke had to demand his Prisoner and withal civilly to entreat him to deliver him up that he might be brought to his Trial But this entreaty was answer'd with a surly and positive denial which being in the terms it was deliver'd carried back to the Duke made him infinitely impatient that the Laws establish'd in favour of his command should suffer so great a contempt neither could he on the other side submit to pursue all the due Forms by which he was by order of Law and Justice to retrive his man Thinking it therefore the most expedite way to make use of his own Authority in the case he commanded the Lieutenant of the Company of which the Prisoner was to take a Squadron along with him and by fair means or foul to bring him away which was accordingly executed and upon a second refusal the Prison of Saint Germans broke open and the Souldier carried away to be punish'd according to the rigour of the Law but by those nevertheless who were his proper and natural Judges Hereupon the Bailiff goes to the Parliament to complain of the contempt had been offer'd to the Court by a violence upon their inferiour Officers upon which complaint and an Indictment Viva voce preferr'd by the Bailiff himself the Parliament issued out a Warrant to apprehend the Lieutenant for executing his Colonels Order with a Citation of personal appearance against the Colonel himself A proceeding that as it could not certainly be approv'd by all surpriz'd and nettled the Duke to the last degree He complain'd of it to the King representing at the same time his reasons to justifie the Act and not being able to support the contempt he conceiv'd was cast upon his person by a body he had ever honour'd and sometimes oblig'd he would give the world an accompt it was no easie matter to serve a Process upon him That from the Parliament had been granted out the sixteenth of November and on the ninteenth the Duke went thither in person accompanied with five or six hundred Gentlemen besides whom there also crowded as many more young Souldiers of the
Regiment of Guards into the Palace insomuch that all the Base-Court Galleries and the very Hall it self was full of them The Duke pretended he went to present himself in obedience to the Process had been issued out against him though no one could believe he went in such a posture with any intent of submission So that the Parliament advertiz'd of his coming with so great a Train and not knowing his design nor to what his passion might transport him suddenly adjourn'd retiring every man his own way before their usual time As it is hard to govern a confus'd and unruly multitude a sort of young hair-brain'd fellows who attended the Duke offer'd some indignities and affronts to some of the inferiour Officers of the Court and being most of them in Boots purposely intangled their Spurs in the Ushers and Proctors Gowns thinking thereby the more to oblige the Duke as they appear'd more sensible of his offense An insolence that infinitely aggravated the business which without that had been foul enough of it self A great complaint whereof was made against the Duke as responsible for all that hapned at the Palace every one believing that in the design he had to brave the Parliament all things were done by his order which had pass'd in his presence If the Duke had manifested a resentment of the injury he had receiv'd from the Parliament the Parliament express'd no less for what the Duke had done to the contempt of their Dignity yet did they make no complaint thereof to the King but remaining in a profound silence the truest sign of a violent affliction order'd a cessation of Justice with a determinate resolution never to meet again till first a publick and solemn reparation should be made This business proceeding to such a height put the King and Queen into a very great confusion they thought it neither convenient nor safe in this juncture of Affairs which seem'd to threaten some sudden mischief to disoblige the Duke of Espernon neither did they think it an easie matter to perswade him to pay the Parliament any great submissions who on the other side would in such a case as this accept of no ordinary satisfaction At last the King sent the Duke de Vantadour to the Palace to tell the Parliament from him That by their Body his person being represented all the injury they pretended to have receiv'd from the Duke of Espernon reflected immediately upon him That his Majesty also took it to himself to whom it did belong to vindicate his own Honour which he should be sufficiently able to do without any necessity upon them of espousing his Quarrel but that because the business had made some noise that might perhaps have given some offense to the publick he therefore desir'd they should receive a publick satisfaction and such a one as should satisfie the world of the great respect he had to Justice That in order thereunto it was his pleasure the Prisoner should be return'd to the same place from whence he had been taken and by the same person by whom he had been fetch'd away and as for what concern'd the Duke who protested he had no intention to offend the Parliament in what he had done he should be desir'd in his own person to make the same protestation before them Things being thus order'd the Duke of Espernon the nine and twentieth of the same month went to the Palace when though with no extraordinary Train about his person so many nevertheless of his Friends had convey'd themselves into the Palace as were sufficient to make head against his Enemies should they by taking advantage of the place or by pretending to do a right to the Assembly have attempted any thing against him Being come into the great Chamber and having taken his accustomed seat he speaking with his hat on in few words Remonstrated That having never had other intent than to pay all due respect to an Assembly in which he had had the honour for many years to have some place he could not but admire they should interpret what was an effect of that due honour and respect for a premeditated offense That he was not altogether so unthrifty of his own Interest as to offer an injury to them which he could not but know would rebound upon himself That he had for two and thirty years past been a Member of that Honourable Body during all which time there had not been perhaps a man of his condition more passionate for their Service than himself in the Kingdom That he had set down amongst the good fortunes of his life the opportunity he had happily met withal of expressing his good Affection to the Dignity of that Assembly when after the death of Henry the Great of Glorious Memory he had first advis'd them to make use of their own Authority in providing for the Regency of the Kingdom That he had tendred them his Service upon that occasion which had not been altogether ineffectual to the putting them in possession of a priviledge which would doubtless be taken notice of in ages yet to come That if any indiscreet persons had made use of his name either for the pretense of their insolencies or in the prosecution of their own private revenge he seriously demanded their Justice as the person most concern'd in the offense That he very well knew his enemies would lay hold of that occasion to make him appear in all the fault but that he did humbly beseech them to judge more favourably of his intentions and that all things past might be forgot concluding his speech with these very words That he diâ— intreat to be excus'd if in a rude and unpolish'd discourse he had not given that satisfaction he could have wish'd to their Learned Ears who having been all his life a Captain of Foot had ever made it more his study to do than to speak well To which the first President Verdun after having gather'd the Votes of the Assembly return'd this Answer That since the King was graciously pleas'd to incline more to Clemency than Rigour the Court by his Majesties express Command and in consideration of his many brave Services as also willing to make the best interpretation of what had pass'd accepted of his excuse hoping thereby for the future to engage both himself and his Sons to pay those Services to the King and Kingdom to which they were in gratitude oblig'd and to that Court the Honour and respect was due unto them Of which he never after fail'd neither at the hour of his death was there any person of his condition in the Kingdom who had more friends than he in that honourable Assembly nor that had more reason upon several occasions to magnifie their Justice The end of the Sixth Book THE HISTORY Of the LIFE of the Duke of Espernon The Seventh Book SOon after the forementioned dispute betwixt the Parliament and the Duke the Assembly of Estates broke up which instead of the happy
his Service to be altogether necessary at this time took this opportunity to importune the Queen either to cause the Duke of Espernon to satisfie him in this point or to give him leave to retire Whereupon the Queen spoke of it to the Duke whom she found very averse to any such motion he humbly entreating her Majesty to dispose absolutely of all his own concerns but not to command him to neglect his Nieces interests though in the end the Queen who could promise to her self no good issue of that Journey without a good intelligence betwixt these two great persons so far prevail'd upon the Duke that he was content to satisfie the Duke of Guise by which means their friendship upon the point for ever to be dissolv'd upon this little occasion grew greater and more firm than ever As it had been no hard matter to foresee how advantageous the long Sickness of Madam and their Majesties stay at Poictiers would be to the designs of those of the Religion and others who were engag'd in the Princes Quarrel So had the Duke of Espernon omitted nothing that might any way serve to divert the dangerous effects of that untoward accident And herein he had been especially solicitous to put his Governments of Xaintonge and Angoumois into a posture fit for his Majesties Service upon that the security of that Voyage chiefly depending To this purpose therefore he had sent thither the Duke of Candale his eldest Son already establish'd in the succession of those Governments to keep them in Obedience Nevertheless what he did for so good an end succeeded otherwise than he expected news being brought him that this Son had entertain'd resolutions much contrary to his own and having suffer'd himself to be misled by certain ungovern'd passions was fall'n off from his duty to embrace new Counsels and to follow new Designs Whether it were the sense of this miscarriage in his Son which also occasion'd a new and a wider breach betwixt them or the apprehension of being by this means made incapable of performing his word with the King and Queen that put his mind into that disorder whereinto he soon after fell so it was that he fell sick of so violent a grief as every one expected would carry him to his grave Things nevertheless succeeded in his Government according to what he had undertaken their Majesties after the recovery of Madam having left Poictiers proceeded in great security to Angoulesme neither there nor in any other place throughout the whole Journey meeting with any impediment at all But the Duke wounded to the soul with the violent sorrowâ— of his Sons untoward carriage was now no longer able to bear it out but having convey'd their Majesties to the utmost bounds of his Government that is to say out of all danger they there entring upon Guienne where the way was clear to Bordeaux fell suddenly into so great a weakness that he was carried back for dead to Angoulesme He lay above forty hours a very extraordinary thing without speech pulse or any kind of motion insomuch that not a person about him but concluded him absolutely dead but at last his Spirits which had been so long overcome with grief and his strength weakned by a very long abstinenâ—e being stirr'd up by a glass of Water his ordinary and best Remedy and which he ever made use of in all distempers he began a little to come to himself with so great an astonishment nevertheless that he continued a great while without any kind of knowledge his sighs which were the issue of his grief being the only evidence almost he gave that he was yet alive Yet could he not in this great and total neglect of himself forget the care of his Masters Affairs he being no sooner return'd to a new life but that he dispatch'd away the Marquis de la Valette who had continued about him during his Sickness to attend the King and Queen that the Friends he had engag'd in this Voyage having himself as it were present with them in the person of so dear a part of himself might continue more diligent in their duty The Duke had the honour during this Sickness to be visited by several persons sent purposely by the King and Queen to see him by whom he receiv'd very obliging Letters under their Majesties own hands and when something recover'd others of the same stile and kindness Mounsieur de Villeroy also after their old animosities being become his very great friend writ very often to him wherein he still gave him an accompt of all Affairs conjuring him to make all the haste he could to Court where he said his Presence and Service was never more necessary than at this time Two of which Letters I have seen bearing date the twentieth and four and twentieth of October 1615. Not that the Duke was nevertheless upon so good terms at Court as he had formerly been neither did those Letters imply any such thing it being hardly to be expected he could be in any eminent degree of favour with the Queen Mother upon whom at that time all things depended being out with the Mareschal d' Encre whose Wife had so strange an ascendent over her Majesties inclinations but that his Service could in this juncture by no means be spar'd neither did he how evidently soever he saw his favour decline fail out of that consideration in any part of his Duty being resolute rather to perish than that their Majesties should suffer the least inconvenience So soon therefore as he was able to Travel he went to Bordeaux where he arriv'd the twelfth day of November and a few days after attended the King to Castres a little Village upon the great Road from Bayonne to that City where the King would tâ—e first time see the Queen his Spouse and where the Duke who was very perfect in the Spanish Tongue had the honour to entertain her at the Boot of her Coach whilst his Majesty in a crowd of some young Lords and Gentlemen on Horseback pass'd by incognito to view her The young Queen arriving at Bordeaux the 25th of November found the Court in a very great Alarm at the news of the Princes being advanc'd on this side the River Loire whose Forces being by this time united and moreover reâ—inforc'd with some Forein Troops were likely to make their Majesties return to Paris very difficult and dangerous An occasion wherein the Duke of Espernon's Services were again of very great moment who during his abode at Angoulesme after his recovery had made many Levies which were all ready at Ville-Bois a recruit that consisting of 5000. Foot and 400. Light Horse and joyn'd to the Forces their Majesties already had absolutely secur'd their return through the Countries of Xaintonge and Poictou possess'd by those of the Religion and without any difficulty made good their way to Poictiers and so to Tours notwithstanding whatever the Princes could do to oppose them In
where he arriv'd in the beginning of Iuly and where the first thing he did after his arrival was to commit the pretended Maire of Libourne to prison he having been advanc'd to that Magistracy in contempt of the King's Order The first President had herein his hearts desire neither did he fail to make use of this occasion to interest the whole Body in the affront which he said was the greatest violence imaginable upon their Authority a high Complaint whereof was immediately sent away to the Council The King though very much dissatisfied with the first President would not nevertheless absolutely countenance the Duke in the Justice he had executed in his own behalf but writ to him to set the Prisoner at liberty though that Letter could not prevail the Duke pretending to believe that this Command had been procur'd either at the importunity of some of the interested party or negligently granted as many times a Letter under the Privy Seal was not hard to obtain But the Cardinal become now as has been said all powerful in Affairs having undertaken to establish his Majesties absolute Authority which was in effect the establishment of his ownâ— upon the contempt of this order caus'd a positive sentence to be pass'd in the Council bearing date the 12th of August wherein it was order'd That the Prisoner should immediately be enlarg'd By which magisterial proceeding it was then believ'd as it was very likely that the Cardinal would exercise this severity towards the Duke that his will might no more be disputed not doubting but that after an example like this all the other great men of the Kingdom would acquiesce in his Commands This Arrest was directed to the Chief Justice d' Autry to cause it to be put into speedy execution without so much as forbearing to hear any Reasons the Duke could represent to justifie the demur he had given to his Majesties first Order His Sons who were at Court and le Plessis whom he had sent thither not long before upon several accompts us'd their utmost endeavour that the sending away of this Arrest so highly prejudicial to the Duke's Honour might be some time deferr'd they were vehemently importunate with the Queen Mother and the Cardinal to that purpose but all to no effect the Queen in so light though nevertheless so sensible an Affair totally abandoning the Duke's Interest who had so passionately embrac'd hers in so important occasions and the Cardinal being obstinate in his resolution all the favour they could obtain in this business was from d' Autry himself who was perswaded not to produce the Order but it was upon condition the Duke should enlarge the Prisoner as he immediately did and that too the Court would have him understand to be a special Grace After this manner then they began to reward the Duke's and his Sons Services they gave them things of no moment for the highest obligations and most current pay they were continually us'd at this rate and it is not to be believ'd what prejudice these inconsiderable things were to the Duke 's more important Affairs nor what encouragement it gave little people frequently to offend him It had therefore been to have been wish'd either that he could have supported these affronts in his Administration with a better temper or totally have retir'd himself out of their way but his great spirit that had never encountred any difficulty it had not overcome was impatient to be resisted by men who as they were single incapable of contesting with him being embodied would neither relent nor obey The Cardinal stung no doubt with the Conscience of having in so trivial a thing disoblig'd a man who had formerly been serviceable to him in so many important occasions would make himself Mediator betwixt the Duke and the Parliament and consequently dispatch'd away Guron to Bordeaux for that end with Instructions that joyntly with d' Autry he should labour an Accommodation betwixt them By Guron the Cardinal writ to the Duke that his Journey was absolutely upon his accompt and in his favour offering withal his Service in this and in all other occasions but these Complements were accompanied with no marks of honour and respect the Cardinal doubtless nettled at the little Ceremony the Duke had observ'd with him in his congratulatory Letter at his promotion to the Ministry leaving by his example but a very little space above the first line and concluding his Letter with only Your affectionate Servant Before Guron's arrival the difference had been already compos'd by the mediation of d' Autry but the Duke touch'd to the quick at the ill usage he had receiv'd from Court was not to be appeas'd with so light a satisfaction and I have ever thought that the injury he apprehended upon this occasion was perhaps the first if not the only motive that totally alienated his heart from the Cardinal's Interests which as you may have observ'd he once had in as high consideration as his own The Peace that had been concluded before Montpellier in the year 1622. had hitherto continued the Affairs of the Kingdom in some repose and though those of the Reform'd Religion express'd great dispositions to a new Commotion there was as yet no manifest breach so that men rather liv'd in expectation of fresh Alarms than in any disorder of open War When Soubize by an attempt he made upon the King 's Shipping at Blavet began first to break the Ice All the rest of the Party broke into Arms at the same time and the Duke of Rohan who had long been known to be the head of that Faction infecting all parts of the Kingdom which were affectionate to his cause with his discontents stirr'd them into Insurrection without ever moving from Sevenues and without meeting the least contradiction A promptitude in his Partizans so much the more to be wondred at as he commanded a sort of people whose obedience was only voluntary and from which every one conceiv'd himself to be dispens'd by all both Divine and Humane Laws Montauban was one of the Cities not only of Guienne but also of the whole Kingdom that engag'd the deepest in this Revolt the Inhabitants whereof by having had a Siege rais'd from before their Walls and by having baffled a Royal Army even when animated by the presence of the King himself being elevated to such a degree of Vanity as to think themselves invincible and their City a place not to be taken A presumption that it was nevertheless very necessary should be corrected and the people by some exemplary Punishment made sensible of their Crimes It should seem that the Duke of Espernon was by his Destiny call'd into Guienne only for this end he had formerly subdu'd the pride of Rochelle neither did the King doubt but that he would be as successful at Montauban and that his Vertue which had ever been fatal to the Capital Cities of those of the Religion assisted by his powerful Arms
having attempted the other whereas before both the Court and the whole Kingdom talk'd a little odly of his proceeding so ready is ill natur'd mankind to censure the bravest Spirits upon the least shadow of occasion though after having perform'd in the sight of all the world innumerable actions that ought the least of them to defend the Author's name from Calumny upon any accident of Fortune The King lay at this time before Rochelle and le Plessis who had serv'd in the Isle of Ré at the defeat of the English with marvellous reputation continued to serve with his Regiment at this Siege where being upon the great Scene of Affairs and hearing what was said of the Duke his Master he fail'd not to let him know what censure the world pass'd upon him concerning the business of Caussade and how he had been represented to the King insomuch that the Duke finding it necessary to give his Majesty an accompt of what had pass'd upon this occasion he dispatch'd away Monsieur Fabert who was then in his entertainment to Court to that effect This Monsieur Fabert was a Gentleman of whose education the Duke had had so particular a care that he had ever been either under his own eye or with the Duke de la Valette his Son and having observ'd in him in a very green youth great courage and understanding and an extraordinary assiduity and application to matters of his profession and thence conceiving the hopes of those rare fruits we now see had ever honour'd him which was not ordinary with him to young people with great demonstrations of particular favour and esteem Fabert being arriv'd at Court presently acquainted the King with the occasion of his coming presenting with all his Letters of Credence to the Cardinal wherein he acquitted himself so well that his Majesty remain'd highly satisfied with the Duke's Conduct and as touching the Cardinal le Plessis who had an old establish'd familiarity with him writ to the Duke in a Letter dated from Perigny the 24 th of September 1628. in these terms Before the arrival of Monsieur Fabert there were various discourses of your proceeding at Caussade wherein though some were prompted by their malice yet even the most moderate and who spoke neither out of Envy nor Disaffection could not absolutely acquit your Reputation but since his coming all men unanimously applaud your Wisdom insomuch that Cardinal Richelieu himself who before in obscure language would sometimes give me private touches of reproach to which I could return no other answer than to entreat he would suspend his Judgment till you writ to Court has confess'd to me since that had you engag'd in that Siege Monsieur de Rohan had doubtless pass'd by as he had promis'd the Rochellers and that you had been so long in possession of well doing that it was henceforward impossible for you to do amiss After the raising of the Siege of Saint Afrique they were now to think of a second devastation of Montauban and to make the innocent Countrey suffer for the Crimes of that rebellious City to effect which the Duke had only two Regiments remaining of three that he had rais'd the third which was that of Saint Croix d' Ornano having by the Prince been taken into the Body of his own Army yet did he not for all this refuse to undertake this difficult Enterprize which nevertheless I do verily believe he could never have been able to execute without the assistance of a great number of gallant Gentlemen Volunteers to whose Valour as has been already said he stood oblig'd for most of the Services he perform'd for the King in that Province The business was therefore perform'd with very good success not that the Enemy did not make a stout Opposition and did not daily engage the Duke's small Forces but it was ever to their own loss Whilst matters went thus prosperously on the continual toil wherewith the Duke had been exercis'd during this whole Campagne had so overcome his spirits that the fell dangerously sick at Castelsarrazin where how importunate soever his Physician was with him to retire from the ill air of that Countrey corrupted no doubt by the excessive heats and the length of the War which had there continued for almost five years together without intermission he was notwithstanding obstinate to continue in his Camp and would by no perswasions be drawn to forsake his Army Neither though his indisposition confin'd him to his bed could it hinder his indefatigable mind from still working upon his business he would have his people to bring him an hourly accompt of all that pass'd and his Genius inspiring his followers with the same good Fortune had ever attended him in all his designs he even in the most violent height of his distemper gave himself Orders the execution whereof made him ever victorious But after having long strugled with his Disease he must at last give way to its violence and his strength by the agitation of his mind visibly impairing made his Physician begin to apprehend a more dangerous issue of his distemper than was at first suspected They were therefore constrain'd whether he would or no to force him from his Camp and to carry him aboard a Boat in which he was convey'd upon the River Garonne and the next day brought to his own House Cadillac where he was scarcely arriv'd but that the change of air produc'd a manifest alteration in his health which in a few days was succeeded by a perfect recovery The waste having been made about Montauban it was still necessary to leave some Forces thereabouts to hinder the excursions of those of the City which Forces though very few were notwithstanding so conveniently dispos'd that the Enemy could never make any advantage of their own numbers The Marquis de Monferrant who together with the Lieutenancy of the Duke 's Gens d'-Armes had at his recommendation moreover obtain'd the Office of Mareschal de Camp was left to command them an employment wherein he so well discharg'd himself as besides the honour he deserv'd for having with so few men bridled the Licence of so populous a City he further acquir'd that of having kept those men in so admirable a Discipline that there was never the least complaint made of any disorder or the least insolence committed by any of his party Whilst in Languedoc and Guienne the King's Forces were taken up with these petty Enterprizes his Majesty in his own person continued to streighten Rochelle both by Sea and Land carrying on the Siege with so much vigour and conduct that after having made the besieg'd suffer extremities far beyond what we read of with horror in the most sensless obstinacies of other desperate Cities he at last reduc'd them to a necessity of submitting to his Royal Mercy In which Surrender though the wilful blindness wherewith the Rochellers had been so long possess'd had kept them from looking into their own miserable
him to sue for this Peace was doubtless the blocking up of Montaâ—ban and the waste that now the third time by express order from the King was made round about that City The Duke of Rohan had plac'd his latest refuge in the strength of this place and had ever hop'd whilst it could maintain it self in a condition to sustain a tedious Siege that resistance would infallibly put him into a capacity of obtaining very good Conditions but the King who had foreseen this design writ to the Prince of Condé to joyn himself with the Duke of Espernon to whom he also writ at the same time to the same effect to deprive Montauban by destroying their Fruits of all possibility of subsistance and therein the Duke of Rohan of the assistance he promis'd to himself from thence in the last extremity of his declining Affairs The Prince would himself be the bearer of this Dispatch dated from Suze the 27 th of April and accordingly arriv'd at Bordeaux in the latter end of May where betwixt him and the Duke all things were soon concluded on for the execution of his Majesties Commands an Enterprize that although the Duke had neither competent Forces nor other means wherewithal to perform it that no order had been sent either for money to raise men to furnish ammunitions of War or to buy provisions for the support of the Army his affection to the Service notwithstanding supplying all other defects he soon put himself into a condition to second the Princes desires wherein he was indeed necessitated almost alone to undertake the business how difficult soever he knew it to be For the Prince being oblig'd by his Command to have an especial eye to the higher Languedoc his presence was there very requisite and almost continually requir'd but the Duke fail'd not for any other consideration according to his custom to acquit himself very exactly of his share of the work Whilst the Duke was in the heat of this execution the Peace was concluded with the Duke of Rohan in Iuly which all the other Cities of his Faction likewise accepted excepting Montauban which for some days stood out not that they did not desire it equally with the rest they had suffer'd too much and were reduc'd to too necessitous a condition to oppose their own quiet but the Duke whatsoever those of Montauban could pretend to wit That having suffer'd so much by his Arms they could not consent to allow him the honour of having subdu'd them very well understood that all those excuses were suggested to them by the Cardinal who ambitious to have the honour of totally suppressing that party attributed to himself did especially desire that this City which after the surrender of Rochelle was become the Metropolis of the Faction should be deliver'd up into his hands He had therefore acquainted the principal of the Inhabitants that it was from him alone they were to expect whatever advantages they could propose to themselves from this Accommodation and that it would therefore concern them to reserve themselves entirely for him to be the more worthy of his protection from whence they might derive a greater support than from all other powers upon earth The Duke nettled at this usage and unable in the interests of Honour to give place to any whomsoever retir'd himself to his House Cadillac with a resolution seeing the Cardinal would by his Authority ravish from him an honour he had by his Services so highly deâ—erv'd not to pay him so much as the civility of a Visit in his Government into which he was now coming to take possession of Montauban as if he had been the man had reduc'd it But the Cardinal whose design it was as has been said to engross to himself the whole reputation of this War thought nothing would so much illustrate his Triumph as to receive a Visit from the Duke of Espernon in one of the principal Cities of his own Government and conceiving such a Complement would pass in the opinion of all the world for an absolute testimony of an entire submission he was infinitely desirous to have him won to that complacency which being he could not handsomely try to do directly from himself he caus'd him to be very highly importun'd to that purpose by some of the Duke 's own peculiar friends who were at that time about his person These Gentlemen therefore and amongst others particularly Mareschal Bassompierre represented to the Duke that all this time an enterview betwixt the Cardinal and him was highly necessary to the good of his own Affairs without which he could not possibly avoid giving a mortal Affront to a man become absolute at Court by the ruine of a Faction which alone had hitherto serv'd for an allay to the excess of his power An advice that was so well seconded by le Plessis who of all others had the greatest sway with the Duke and fortified with so many powerful Arguments that at last he resolv'd upon this Visit. Yet do I very well remember with how great reluctancy it was and with how strange a violence upon his own humour and haughty spirit that he suffer'd himself to be overrul'd in this particular and how unwillingly he set out towards Montauban Though the Cardinal was very much press'd by his own Interests to go in all diligence after the King who had taken the way to Paris immediately upon the conclusion of the Treaty it is notwithstanding most certain that he waited two whole days together the Duke's coming to Montauban where when he came he receiv'd him with extraordinary kindness and respect and though many things had pass'd upon leveral occasions that might reasonably enough beget ill blood betwixt them the Cardinal by an excess of freedom and civility gave manifest testimonies that he retain'd no memory of any former unkindness but on the contrary protested that he would value the Duke's friendship preferrably to any other persons in the Kingdom which was his own expression and upon an intimation the Duke gave him that he had occasion to make a Journey to Court promis'd him that soo soon as he should see the King he would procure him leave so to do a thing which with all the importunities he could make the Duke had before not been able to obtain Neither did the Cardinal limit his offers here he assuring him moreover that he would serve him in all things and if he would give him leave supply the place of a fourth Son to him wherein he would contend with the other three which should pay him the greatest honour which were the express terms of his Complement The next day after his arrival the Cardinal treated him in his own Lodgings where he gave him the chief place of honour at the Table notwithstanding the Duke of Montmorency was there present omitting no civility that might beget a strict League of Friendship betwixt them so that it is most certain could the Duke have bow'd a little
and discretly have husbanded these good dispositions he might have improv'd them infinitely much to his own advantage but according to his custom either as if he hd repented the having done too much or as if he had a mind to blot out what any one could lay to his charge for having condescended too low in this visit by retaining a kind of a grum reservednes in the rest of his Actions he overthrew in a moment all the good his friends expected he should reap from this complacency insomuch that I have often heard le Plessis wish he had never advis'd him to it After they were risen from the Table the Duke being withdrawn to a Window in the Room where they had din'd to entertain the Duke of Montpensier in private the Cardinal who had the Archbishop of Bordeaux in very high consideration came to present him to the Duke to reconcile him to him This Prâ—late had apply'd himself particularly to the Cardinal's Service and by a great complacency in all things having adapted himself to his humour and by that means got into a high degree of favour with him had entreated the Cardinal by his Interest to put him upon good terms with the Duke there having since the Archbishop's advancement to that Dignity which fell to him by the death of the Cardinal de Sourdis his Brother some differences hapned betwixt the Duke and him that had begot a little distance betwixt them I was present at this Dinner led thither by my curiosity as some others were and if it may be call'd one consequently at this Reconciliation When the Cardinal who had already prepar'd the Duke for the busienss and thought he had conquer'd his animosity coming to him to the Window where he stood said to him these words My Lord I here present you the Archbishop of Bordeaux who is resolv'd to be your Servant and I therefore intreat you to be his friend upon my accompt to which the Duke scornfully turning that way coldly reply'd My Lord the Archbishop and I know one another very well After which and a salute as cold as his complement he turn'd again without more Ceremony towards the Duke of Montpensier and follow'd on his discourse The Duke of Espernon had no friend nor Servant there that could not heartily have wish'd this action had pass'd after a more obliging fashion but that was all could be got from him It is not to be doubted but that this indifferency highly disoblig'd the Cardinal who found by that he had not yet acquir'd so great an Empire over the Duke 's haughty spirit as by his great civilities he hop'd he had gain'd upon him he nevertheless retir'd into his Chamber without taking any more notice at all and conquering his own passion chose rather to attribute that odd carriage to the Duke 's imperious humour which he had practis'd so long as to be well enough acquainted with it than to lose the earnest he had already given towards the purchase of his friendship He continued therefore to use him with the same respect he had hitherto done and was yet so highly civil to him that the next day when he departed from Montauban to go towards the Court accompanied with the Duke of Montpensier Mareschal Bassompierre and several other persons fo very great quality that follow'd his Litter on Horseback he was so highly respective to the Duke that he would not offer to go into it so long as the Duke staid with him which was nevertheless half a League at least from the City but entertain'd him all the way on Horseback though so soon as he took his leave he went into his Litter without retaining the same respect to any of the rest I cannot before I proced any further omit an observation I made at the Entertainment of which we are now speaking and of which the several misfortunes of the most eminent persons there have often put me in mind There was scarce any body at the Cardinal's Table excepting the Dukes of Montmorency and Espernon the Mareschal Bassompierre and Marillac three of which were the Cardinal 's most intimate friends and he would needs ranck the fourth in that degree from whence if we consider what advantage he amongst them all that was the best us'd in succession of time reap'd from his friendship we shall understand upon how tickle and dangerous a point all Court-favour depends The Duke of Espernon was no sooner resolv'd upon a Journey to Court but that he would in the first place acquaint the Prince of Condé with his purpose and therein consult his advice the respect he bore to this Prince and the confidence he repos'd in his Friendship being such as would not permit him to settle the least resolution without making him privy to his design wherein there was nothing of dissimulation for he was effectually the Princes Servant and to such a degree that it must have been a service of a very foul nature he would not chearfully have undertaken for him He therefore dispatch'd away his Secretary to him to acquaint him with his determination and thereupon to beg his advice The Prince was at this time at Rabastens in Albigeois where after the Secretary had deliver'd what was given him in charge from the Duke his Master the Prince with great civility return'd this answer That he concern'd himself very much in all the Duke's interests That in another time and during the favour of the Luines he might have been capable of giving him such advice as he durst have answer'd would have been serviceable to him they having been men of so candid dispositions as that their intentions might have been perfectly discover'd but that at present he was so totally in the dark as to any understanding in the designs of those who were now at the Helm That he durst not adventure to give the Duke any counsel lest something might happen as prejudicial to his advice as contrary to his desire only he had very good intelligence that the Garde des Sceaux had been very busie and inquisitive in making a collection of what Warrantâ— the Duke had issued out for the subsistence of such Forces as had serv'd in his Government That indeed he could not tell to what end he had done it but he could not imagine it would be to any good intent and that therefore the Duke might if he pleas'd consider of it With which uncertain answer the Secretary was dismiss'd The Duke who was very secure of his own innocency and it is to be wish'd he had been as cautious and moderate to his own good as he was perfectly honest to the King did not for all this caution desist from still earnestly soliciting his leave which in the end after the Cardinal's arrival at Court he obtain'd by a very favourable dispatch from the King himself to that effect The Duke no sooner receiv'd this permission but that he made all the haste he could to Court to
the narrow bounds of a particular Life wherein the Duke of Espernon having also had no share I should not have waded so far as I have done into these secret Affairs of Court had they not at last proceeded to involve him further therein than he had himself intended to engage Before the King's departure from Paris the Duke especially solicitous of his Service within the Precincts of his own Government intreated his Majesty to appoint him an Intendant de la Iustice he having at his coming out of Guienne left there neither Lieutenant nor Intendant in his absence to look after his Majesties Affairs in that Province a request that the King being very willing to grant as it principally concern'd himself he gave the Duke liberty to choose whom he should think fit out of his Council The Employment being one of the greatest honour was covered by several persons of very great desert but the Duke preferring above all those who made suit for it one of the Council that perhaps least dream'd of any such thing entreated Monsieur de Verthamont Master of Requests to accept it This person of approved honesty and equal capacity had in several Employments of very great importance given very good proofs both of the one and the other but these qualities how eminent soever were yet accompanied with another that serv'd no less to recommend him to the Duke's Election and that was the great friendship betwixt him and Monsieur d' Autry at that time President Seguier and since Gard des Sceaux and Chancellor of France with whose good conduct in the same Commission the Duke had been so highly satisfied that he desir'd nothing more than one that would imitate his Vertue to succeed him and he hop'd to find in this Gentleman what he had already prov'd in his Predecessor neither was he deceiv'd in his Judgment he found his expectation answer'd to the full And for ten years together that Verthamont serv'd the King in the Duke's Government he gave the Duke so many testimonies of his integrity and vertue and in return receiv'd from the Duke so high and so just applause that I dare be bold to affirm there was never observ'd the least dissent or contrariety betwixt them The end of the Ninth Book THE HISTORY Of the LIFE of the Duke of Espernon The Tenth Book AT the same time that Verthamont departed for Guienne the Duke of Espernon was preparing to go to Metz there to expose his person for the defense of so important a place A Journey to which he was continually press'd by the constant intelligence he receiv'd from thence that the Emperours Forces every day increas'd that he was fortifying Moyenvic a very considerable place near that City and that the Duke of Lorain notwithstanding all his fair pretenses was certainly confederated with the House of Austria to the prejudice of the Kingdom of France The Duke de la Valette his Son had by his Majesties Command been sent away befoe upon the first jealousie the Court had conceiv'd of the Emperours and the Duke of Lorains designs but the Duke prudently considering that a Frontier of so great importance could not be too carefully provided for went with some of his friends to put himself into it having moreover engag'd several other persons of condition who had staid behind at Paris after the King's departure if occasion were to come and joyn themselves with him for the defense of the place So that had it ever come to a Siege the respect that several worthy men bore to the Duke's person would without all doubt have invited a great many persons of great quality and approv'd valour to serve in so honourable an occasion But there hapned to be no need of any such thing and perhaps the presence of the Duke and the prudent care he together with the Duke his Son took for the preservation of that City made the Emperour alter his design by putting him out of all hopes to effect it The Duke arriv'd at Metz the first of May where he was receiv'd with manifestations of an universal joy in the people becoming their gratitude and his own desert In his way thither he had call'd to see the Mareschal de Marillac who as he was at this time at least in outward appearance in greatest repute with the Cardinal so had he the principal charge of the Affairs of that Countrey committed to his care wherein doubtlesâ— this unfortunate Gentleman labour'd to his own ruine and to the Sentence of Death that not long after pass'd upon him for the Duke found him busie fortifying the Cittadel of Verdun preparing provisions and other necessaries for the Army of Champagne and performing several other Services which after pass'd for Crimes that were judg'd worthy of no less than Death The Duke was by him receiv'd with all sorts of honour and noble entertainment to which the Mareschal soon after added a visit at Metz where they consulted long together of what was best to be done for the King's Service upon that Frontier continuing ever after in a more strict correspondence than before The Duke was no sooner arriv'd at Metz but that he forthwith fell to work about the repair of the old Fortifications of the City and to the designing of new he sent moreover to solicit the Duke of Orleans left Regent during the King's absence for a supply of some Ammunitions of War but he had first sent a dispatch to the King to acquaint him with his motion towards the Frontier with which his Majesty in his answer of the 23. of May declar'd himself to be highly satisfied sending him word That his being in those parts would secure his fears for what concern'd the safety of the whole Frontier of Lorain exhorting him to continue his vigilancy and care for the conservation of so importanct a place assuring him withal of his good will and affection and of the esteem he had of his person justly grounded upon his merit and old Services for the Crown Which were in part the express words of that Dispatch In the mean time the rumor daily increasing that Wallestâ—in was advancing with his Army to waste the Countrey about Metz and afterwards to block it up by Forts and the Duke conceiving that the King would be so taken up in Savoy that he could not come to relieve him should he chance to be reduc'd to any great straight he saw it was necessary for him to make use of his own Credit Money and Friends therewithal to serve his Majesty upon this occasion He writ therefore to the Cardinal de la Valette his Son who was then with the King to tell his Majesty the Queen Mother and the Cardinal That foreseeing how hard a thing it would be for his Majesty in the heat of his Enterprizes to provide for the necessities of the place and Frontier where he had the honour to serve him he franckly offer'd if his Majesty would give
him leave upon his own credit to raise and arm ten thousand Foot and five hundred Horse for the defense of the City of Metz and the Messine Countrey An offer that the King with high commendationâ— of his worth as freely accepted writing him a very obliging Letter thereupon and the Cardinal in his dispatch dated from St. Iean de Morienne the 25 th of Iuly expressing himself thus As concerning the offer you have made the King to advance money for the Levies you desire to set on foot his Majesty looks upon it with such an eye of acknowledgement as the quality of so generous an offer does justly deserve knowing as he does the zeal you have to the success of his Affairs and the power you have as heretofore to serve him for the time to come The Duke to add effects to this promise departed from Metz about the end of Iuly to return to Paris there to raise money for his Leavies and to provide himself of such men of Command as were willing to take employments upon this occasion but the threats of the Imperialists by little and little vanishing at last to nothing they satisfied themselves with having fortified Moyenvic which was soon after taken and demolish'd by the King's Army and the Duke of Lorain not daring at this time wholly to discover his evil intention staid to expect a fitter season which also was not far off wherein to do it as he afterwards did but with very ill success as will in its due place appear The Duke being thus return'd to Paris deliver'd of those apprehensions he had been possess'd withal concerning Metz and satisfied with his present conditon sate still calmly expecting without any disquiet in his own particular concerns the issue of the great Contests at this time on foot in the Court at Lyons where it was said the Queen Mothers animosity against the Cardinal was increas'd to such a degree that in the greatest height of the King's sickness which at this time was exceeding violent she omitted no opportunity of incensing his Majesty against him as the sole author of his Disease wherein her importunities were so great as at last to obtain a solemn promise from the King that so soon as the War of Italy was at an end he would give her the satisfaction she desir'd by removing this great Minister from the Administration of Affairs Though the peril the Cardinal was now in was very great and that the Duke had continual intelligence of all that pass'd at Court yet did he notwithstanding still continue towards him the same civility and respect he writ to him very often and in truth so long as that great cloud of disgrace hung over his head the Duke would have been really sorry that it should have broke upon him though he had by his dexterity no sooner clear'd the sky of Favour but that the Duke who could not brook his excess of Authority and Power converted all his former complacency into testimonies of hatred that fail'd very little as we shall hereafter see of rebounding back upon himself to his own ruine Which till it shall more plainly appear I shall only say this by the way that the Duke had doubtless a very great esteem for the Cardinal never speaking of him so much as in private but with a Character of Honour and respect so that had he not expected from his friends an over servile and submiss regard I do verily believe the Duke's friendship would have been constant and inviolate to him but a civility that went very far with the haughty humour of the one appearing nothing to the excessive ambition of the other the Cardinal enduring no equal and the Duke hardly admitting of any superior it was impossible so to compose things betwixt two so aspiring spirits but that they would at last break out into an open feud Whilst the Court at Lyons was agitated with this Tempest of Division of which we are now speaking the Duke of Espernon in the greatest calm and serenity of repose enjoy'd at Paris the honour and applause that his well known and long continued vertue had acquir'd to his person and name insomuch that as his Coach pass'd through the streets we had continually the pleasure of seeing the people flock together in crowds from all parts of the City to gaze upon him considering with admiration so vigorous a health in so great an extremity of age pursuing him with acclamations wherever he went and the old hatred that the former Factions had stirr'd up against him being now converted into love and esteem gave us to understand that envy is not always the concomitant of Vertue but that there is a certain pitch to which the one being once arriv'd is got clear out of sight of the other which of a mean and earthy composition cannot shoot its darts so far as to reach the Station where Supreme Vertue is enthron'd In this great and undisturbed leisure that the Duke enjoy'd at Paris he who was himself a great lover of Building could find no better entertainment wherewithal to divert himself than by going abroad to see the Houses in and about the City which were then erecting with the magnificence that we now admire in our proud and stately Structures Amongst others going one day in very good company to the Hostel de Luxembourg that the Queen Mother was then finishing they entred the Gallery where she had caus'd the manner of her escape from Blois as the most remarkable passage of her life to be painted in Story One of the most apparent evidences the Duke could possibly receive that that service of his was no more regarded was that he who had been the sole Authour of the whole Action was no where represented in that painting though so much as the very Footmen that opened the Boots of her Coach had not been omitted He had heard before of this injustice that had been done him but though it had touch'd him very near had never manifested the least discontent neither do I believe he would have said any thing upon this occasion if the company who were with him had not provok'd him to it But every one asking him questions of a thing whereof they knew he was able to give them the best accompt at last some one freer than the rest ask'd him how it came to pass that he was only left out of the story to which the Duke modestly reply'd That he did not know who had done him that wrong but that whoever they were that intended to disoblige him in it had doubtless therein more offended the Queen than him That he was very certain however excluded the story that no one could condemn him for having any ways fail'd in the action or in any thing he had undertaken for the Queen upon that occasion his carriage of that business being too generally known for that neither did he believe they would much magnifie her for having deny'd him so poor
they had not receiv'd his Commands and it was no hard matter for the Duke when he had them so near his person to keep them there and so narrowly to watch them that they were not conveniently to be practis'd by which means besides this advantage which was none of the most inconsiderable he from this way of proceeding deriv'd another of exceeding great moment which was insensibly and as it were almost without design to fortifie himself in a City where he was very weak and the disposition whereof was as yet very uncertain It is not to be believ'd how great an effect these prudent precautions produc'd to the security of Affairs nor how much several persons were disabus'd thereby who otherwise might have suffer'd themselves to have been deceiv'd by false impressions of the Duke and such as were utterly contrary to his intention but his fidelity was so legible throughout the whole order of his conduct and he gave so little hopes to those who were seditiously affected of being to be tempted to embrace any disloyal motion that in so great a disposition to evil and in so favourable an occasion to do it there was not one man of quality of Guienne excepting Saint Croix d' Ornano who was one of the Monsieur 's Domestick Servants that went out of the Province to joyn with him the Duke 's good Example and Exhortations so containing all the rest within the bounds of their Duty that the King had a very good issue of an Affair his Majesty himself thought would not so easily have determin'd It was after all these important services that it was justly said of the Duke of Espernon that In doing nothing â—e had done all for in effect without stirring from the place without arming any other than his own Guards without having spilt one drop of blood or spent six pence of the King's money he procur'd his Majesty without danger or expense a Victory that settled the whole Kingdom in repose The King inform'd by the Duke's dispatches of the good order he had taken in his Government by very gracious Letters which the Count de Maillé brought back at his return signified to him how highly he was satisfied with his conduct wherein amongst other things his Majesty acquainted him with his intention to leave Paris and to take the way of Lyons there to command his Army in his own person a thing the Council would never consent unto till they were secure of the Duke's intentions and the Cardinal in his Letters bearing the same date with the King 's writ to him in these express terms I shall content my self with giving you this assurance that nothing can possibly be added to the infinite satisfaction his Majesty has receiv'd in the Zeal you have manifested to the good of his Service in the present occasion and that I shall with great diligence seek all opportunities that may contribute to the desire I have to let you see that no one is more really than my self Your c. To these during the King's Expedition he receiv'd several other Dispatches of the same obliging style which I forbear to copy here that I may not importune my Reader But how great soever the Duke's Merits and Services were and how large soever the promises that had been made him the memory of those Services was notwithstanding so short liv'd that even before the storm was well over they sought an occasion to quarrel with him thinking it belike better cheap to cavil at some little passages which ought rather to be imputed to his humour than his intention than to stand oblig'd to him for this Service I should never have done should I undertake to relate all the particularities though remarkable enough in themselves or should I so much as insist upon the more eminently considerable passages that hapned upon this occasion which makes me omit many things that perhaps would not be altogether unpleasant to come to the main business of all which is the defeat of of the Duke of Montmorency and his being taken prisoner 'T is well enough known after what manner this unfortunate Lord precipitously and almost alone engag'd himself against a whole Army a rashness by which he became the principal instrument of his enemies Victory insomuch that had he combin'd with them against himself he could not more blindly and wilfully have run upon his own destruction He compell'd the Mareschal de Scomberg to fight against his intention and to overcome him against his will he had not 't is true full fifty men slain in this Engagement which will yet appear a great number considering that he had not above an hundred that charg'd with him upon this occasion The Count de Moret a young Prince of great merit and much greater expectation was so unfortunate as to lose his life without the Trenches that separated the Monsieur 's Army from that of the Mareschal some other persons of quality ran also the same Fortune but although this loss was small in respect to the number of men the taking of the Duke of Montmorency made it nevertheless so highly considerable that every one concluded the ruine of the whole party infallible For the Monsieur having upon him repos'd his whole confidence for the command of the Army the Cities and Forces of Languedoc being wholly ty'd to his person and interest and all things absolutely depending upon him he was no sooner taken but that the Cities revolted and the Army disbanded so that in a few days the Monsieur saw himself so totally deserted that what attempt soever he had a desire to make to rescue the Duke of Montmorency out of the enemies hands and yet to dispute the Victory he had so few left wherewith to execute his desire and those few so dejected with the late misfortune that he was reduc'd to a necessity of relying upon the faith of a Treaty for the preservation of a Servant who contrary to his order had lost himself The Duke of Espernon advertis'd of this accident by a dispatch from the Mareschal de Scomberg dated the second of September which was the next day after the fight was afflicted beyond expression at the Duke of Montmorency's misfortune He gave him at the first for lost and being very well acquainted with the severe Maxims of that time together with the implacable hatred the great Minister had conceiv'd against him did forthwith conclude that this first Offense would also be the last he was ever likely to commit Yet not to fail upon this event in any of his respects he wrote to the King to signifie to his Majesty the joy he conceiv'd for the prosperity of his Arms he sent likewise the same Complement to the Mareschal de Scomberg and to the Marquis de Brezé who had behav'd himself very gallantly upon this occasion but he also manifested to the Duke of Montmorency his great grief for his misfortune It was by a Gentleman dispatch'd on purpose to that end
indeed fell out At this time every one despair'd of his Life and the report of his Death that was spread in all parts follow'd a few days after with the certain news of his Recovery having astonish'd all the world that now scarce pass'd any longer for raillery which had so pleasantly been said That he had out-liv'd the Age of dying In truth all Forein Parts having for the space of threescore and eight or threescore and ten years been continually full of the great Name of Espernon finding him still in their Gazetts one while taking Towns another in the head of Armies now Triumphing and again in Disgrace but ever in some great and illustrious Occasion Strangers conceiv'd of him that this must be the Grand-child of that Duke of Espernon who had been the Favourite of Henry the III. of France and could not perswade themselves that the lives of two men could furnish this History with so many important Actions The Duke whilst he was yet sick and even in the worst of his Sickness had an inckling of some designs the Spaniard had upon several Frontiers of this Kingdom and particularly upon those of his own Government of which to be better assur'd he was careful to send thither such persons as were capable of discovery and as he durst trust to bring him true intelligence of what pass'd amongst our Neighbours abroad By these Spies he understood that all the Frontiers of Arragon Biscay Guipuscoa and other finitimous Provinces of Spain had order to make Preparation of Arms and were to set out a certain number of Souldiers by an appointed day That to these Provincial Forces they would moreover adde several standing Regiments and of both together to make up a considerable Body Of all which the Duke was so precisely inform'd that he did not only know the number of men but even the names of all the Captains who were to Command them Neither did he fail to send the King an Account of the Intelligence he had receiv'd but our great Ministers were so taken up with other nearer and more immediate Affairs that they were not much concern'd at a danger two hundred Leagues from Paris They therefore contented themselves with writing to the duke that he should cause Bayonne the place that was principally threatned to be fortified at the Charge of the Inhabitants and as to the rest that he was by his Wisdom and Interest to provide for all things within the Precincts of his Command These Orders so general and of so vast a Latitude had formerly been the fullest Commissions the Romans were wont to give their Generals in the greatest necessities of Publick Danger but they were in our times the narrowest and the most limited that could possibly be granted who had the King's Interest committed to their Trust. There were already others establish'd by Law which no one without being Criminal was to exceed and those were That no one should make Leavies either of Men or Mony without Order by Letters Patents from the Council That no one should mount Artillery or take necessary Arms out of the Arsenals without special Order so to do So that all the Power of the Kingdom residing in the persons of the Prime Ministers no Governour could make use of his own without incurring the danger of Censure The Duke knowing that in the evil disposition the Court then was as towards him this was only a device to make him run into some error that might draw the King's Indignation upon him wisely fear'd to be involv'd in those Calamities under which for Causes light enough in themselves he had seen men of great Quality and Merit to perish was not easie to be trap'd that way He therefore again writ to the King for more precise Orders in occurrences that might happen and in those dangers he had humbly represented to him and in the end with much importunity obtain'd Order to send an Engineer to Bayonne to see it fortified as far as forty thousand Livers would extend the one half whereof was to be rais'd out of his Majesties Revenue and the other upon the Inhabitants of the place The Duke seeing he could obtain no more did as he was commanded and began some Fortifications which the want of money caus'd to be left imperfect and by that means the Town left in a weaker condition than if nothing had been done at all This Affair which at this time was the only one of moment in the Province being put into this forwardness the Duke conceiv'd he had now leisure to look a little after the recovery of his own health which that he might do at better convenience and greater vacancy from the perpetual distraction of the Affairs of the Province he humbly intreated the King to give him leave for a few days to retire himself to Plassac to the end he might at greater liberty make use of those remedies that were proper for his Disease The King without any difficulty and in very favourable terms granted his so just request whereupon he accordingly in the beginning of May came to his House of Plassac but it was to make a very short stay he being scarcely there arriv'd but that he receiv'd Order to return speedily into Guienne to look after the Affairs that very much requir'd his Presence there The great Preparations that were every where making by the Enemies of France to invade it obliging him to provide also for his defence as he did and that so well as in the end turn'd all their designs to their own confusion There never perhaps in this Kingdom had been more to do for the great men of it than at this time and as the Government of Guienne by its vast extent made up one of the most important and considerable Members of the State so did it consequently produce for its Governour so many and so various Affairs that it is to be wondred at a man of so extreme an Age could undergo so many and so continual labours The first thing the Duke did after his return into the Province which was in the latter end of May was to execute an Express Commission had been directed to him from the King for the enrolling the Edict de Crâ—e newly pass'd by his Majesty for the addition of one President and twelve Counsellors to the Parliament of Bordeaux This Affair could not pass without encountring several Difficulties all the other Parliaments of France were charg'd with the same Augmentations proportionably to the extent of their several Jurisdictions this being therefore a common interest amongst so many men of condition it begat also a great correspondency amonst them to oppose it The King having foreseen and expected all these obstacles from the Parliament of Bordeaux thought fit to invest the Duke with as much Authority as he could himself desire to overcome them wherein his Majesty and those of his Council doubted not but that he would with great alacrity put all his
was very perfect in yet did not that knowledge make him alter his resolution choosing rather to live with him in a less degree of Favour than to beg Offices and Employments at the price of his own Honour Many secret discontents arising from this first cause it must of necessity follow that these two Spirits having been so long dissatisfied with one another and so equally dispos'd to a final Rupture would at one time or another produce their ordinary effect An occasion presented it self at the Enemies entring into Picardy and about the taking of la Capelle The Baron du Bec was Governour of this place which this Gentleman very well known to and entirely belov'd by the Duke de la Valette had surrendred sooner than the Cardinal could have wish'd for want as he pretended of Provision The Cardinal who by an example of high severity would oblige the Governours of other places to hold out to the last extremities or perhaps by that means to justifie himself to the King from any censure he might undergo as Prime Minister of State in not having sufficiently provided for the necessities of so important a place caus'd an Honourable Council immediately to be Assembled This Council consisted of all the Officers of the Crown who were then to be found in Paris together with some Counsellors of State whose business it must be to condemn the Baron du Bec as convict of Cowardise and Treachery to a privation of his Life and Honour The Duke de la Valette was amongst the rest summon'd to this Assembly wherein as he saw he was not call'd to it to deliver his free Opinion that the Gentleman was beforehand mark'd out for Ruine and that Sentence of Death must consequently ensue so did he endeavour with all the art he had to decline having any thing to do in that business but it was altogether in vain The Cardinal would admit of no excuses but after having sent three times to his House to seek him Chavigni Secretary of State went the fourth time to tell him plainly he must either satisfie or absolutely break with the Cardinal This express and positive Declaration prevail'd in the end with the Duke de la Valette to go to the Council but it was not nevertheless to comply in the least with the animosities of others The Baron du Bec's Affair was laid open in the Presence of the King and the Cardinal and the greater part of the Judges concluded the Crimes laid to his charge sufficient to condemn the party accus'd but the Duke de la Valette did not think himself oblig'd to be of that opinion and consequently could not consent to his Condemnation If the Cardinal had manifested something of vehemency in importuning the Duke to come to the Council he express'd yet a far greater indignation to find him of a judgment so far dissenting from his own insomuch that at his coming out of the Council taking the Duke de la Valette aside he could not contain himself from breaking into very unhandsome Language proceeding to so bitter and so injurious expressions that the Duke was not able to forbear giving a very smart Reply the Reverence due to the place where they then were permitting him at that time to do no more though such as were acquainted with his temper will easily judg that he would omit no occasion of manifesting a higher resentment In the heat of this Discontent he receiv'd the Command of which I have already spoken to go joyn himself with the Count dc Soissons in Picardy and then the Cardinal could find some expressions of Civility and Complement to smooth him withal at his departure but an Offence being much harder to be repair'd than committed the Wound the Duke carried along with him in his Bosom was not to be clos'd by so slender a Remedy It was presently after this that the Cardinal was inform'd the Duke de la Valette had hearkened to the Propositions had been made to him by the Count dâ— Soissons for the Revenge of their common Injuries and that the Monsieur was also consenting with them At the time the Cardinal receiv'd this intimation the Duke de la Valette to his good Fortune was as far off as Bayonne but the Monsieur and the Count de Soissons being both at Paris escap'd but a very few hours of being both Arrested having nevertheless time enough to withdraw themselves they departed suddenly from Paris when though they scarce knew which way to fly for refuge from the power of their Enemy yet hoping that either the danger the Duke de la Valette ran equally with them or that the Generosity of the Duke of Espernon who on the other side was himself not very well satisfied with the Court might induce him to receive them into Guienne they dispatch'd away thither first the Count de Bourdeille and after him the Count de Montresor his Brother of which both the one and the other had instructions to address themselves to the Duke de la Valette that by his perswasions the Father might be rendred more favourable to their desires But this Duke who had much rather be alone expos'd to the Cardinal 's whole stock of hatred than to disquiet the old Age of the Duke his Father by interessing him in his Quarrels freely told them That the Monsieur and the Count were to expect nothing from his Mediation in this Affair That he was indeed resolv'd to follow his Fathers Resolutions but that he would never prompt him to any thing that might trouble his repose Montresor who came last and who would not depart without a positive resolution finding no hopes of concurrence in the Duke de la Valette desir'd to talk in private with the Duke of Espernon He was accordingly admitted into his Chamber at ten of the Clock at night after all his Servants were retir'd where he represented to him The immediate danger wherein two great Princes of the Blood were at this time engag'd by the violence of Cardinal Richelieu their and his particular Enemy That in securing their lives he might also establish his own Fortune and that of his Family That he knew very well how great was the number of discontented persons how violent the despair of the people and how intolerable the oppression of all the several Orders of the Kingdom That all these favourable dispositions wanted only some considerable heads to work their common safety by the ruine of the Cardinals Affairs That there was not a person in the Kingdom who would not be ready speedily to joyn with these Princes seeing their good intention for the Redress of the Publick should their cause be supported by his prudent Conduct That this Act would crown all the other actions of his life for ever establish the Fortune of his own Family and render oblig'd to him for their Lives and Honour two Princes the one the Son and Brother of the King his Master's his own
Father receiv'd his Dispatches from Court wherein he had order and express power to serve himself with the King's money and strength of the Province and moreover to lay what Impositions they should together think fit upon the people for the execution of his Majesties Designs The Duke of Espernon very well judg'd what was to be expected from these kind of Leavies he knew with what difficulties and delays the King 's own Revenue was gather'd in He was also not ignorant of the little kindness they had for him at Court He knew very well that his Obedience herein might be converted to a Crime all Leavies of money being expressly forbidden excepting such Taxes as should be impos'd by the King himself all which being duly consider'd by him made him resolve to write to his Majesty That both himself and his Son were very ready franckly to expose their Lives for the execution of his Majesties Commands provided something of what was necessary might be added to their Endeavours that they might attempt to execute his Orders with some possibility of success but that he should ever impose a Tax upon his Majesties Subjects he most humbly beg'd to be dispens'd from any such Employment and that his Majesty would be pleas'd since hitherto he had kept his hands clean from any thing of that kind he might still preserve his Reputation without exposing it to the Clamour of his miserable Subjects whose Necessities were to him already too well known These last words wrought the most dangerous effect imaginable against him the Court perswading themselves that he affected Popularity and sought this way to ingratiate himself with the people to the end that he might by their assistance be able to maintain himself in his Government and was in effect the principal Cause if not the only Motive that caus'd him to be remov'd from thence the ensuing year Whilst the Duke of Espernon was engag'd in these troublesome Disputes with the Court the Duke de la Valette continued the War with the Enemy after the same manner he had begun keeping them close mew'd up in their Trenches without permitting them to receive any relief from the Country or so much as to taste of the Air of the Field where they never presented themselves without some notable disadvantage This way of making War having continued for two whole months together had reduc'd the Spaniard to Necessities were no longer to be endur'd they were necessitated to have all their Provisions out of their own Country and those to be brought to them by Sea with infinite hazard and inconvenience and at an intolerable expence The Duke de la Valette was very well inform'd of the ill condition to which they were reduc'd their Necessities had bred an infinite number of Diseases in their Camp and the number of six thousand men which they were at first was diminish'd to that degree that not above half of them were left alive In this condition he prepar'd to make some attempt upon them and to that end caus'd those Forces which by reason of the late Commotions he had been oblig'd to leave in the Lower Gascony to advance toward the Frontier not doubting but at this time to effect that which they would have had him some time before have attempted with almost certain and apparent ruine but the Enemy inform'd of his resolution by a shameful and precipitous flight which was the highest acknowledgment of their weakness he could possibly desire prevented his design They embark'd therefore all their Artillery their Equipage and their Sick by night the Port of Socoa which they were Masters of affording them conveniency so to do by the same way and with so little noise drawing off the rest of their Forces that their design was not discover'd till they were all aboard The Duke de la Valette was no sooner inform'd of their flight but that he drew up to the Fort which was surrendred to him without resistance But it is not to be imagin'd how many several Objects of Misery were to be seen in their Camp nor to what extremities by his long perseverance they had been reduc'd They then quitted him their Forts giving him thereby the most absolute and most happy Victory could possibly be desir'd so that he had the good fortune almost without men at least with Forces not half so great as the Enemies without money having never touch'd a peny of the King's almost without Victuals having had none save what by the industry and providence of Vertamont Intendant de la Iustice had been convey'd to the Frontier and without the loss of any one man of note to ruine an entire Army of an invading Enemy to make them spend ten months time in vain to consume Provisions sufficient for the plentiful subsistence of the greatest Army and to leave three thousand of their men behind them for a testimony of their Defeat Yet how great and of what utility soever this Victory might be to the Kingdoms Honour and Safety the Court was notwithstanding dissatisfied with the success who seeing he had done more than any one durst propose to himself and outstrip'd the hopes and expectation of those who were emulous of his Vertue and would have been glad some disaster had befall'n him were by no means satisfied with this performance as if he had not done enough in doing so much with so little means and with so great safety and reputation to his own Person and Name Had he been at this time in a state of Favour what recompence might he not reasonably have expected for two Services of so high importance and both perform'd in one Campagne Which though he fail'd of through the ill Offices of some that blinded by Animosity could not discern his Merit yet such as will make a right Judgment of things must maugre the ingratitude and injustice of the Age set a right Value upon them I know very well without mentioning the Defeat of the Spanish Army which speaks sufficiently for it self that the other exploit has been highly magnified by disinterested persons that had at that time the principal Command of Poictou and Xaintonge who have declar'd that all the Provinces on this side the River Loire had run an extreme danger had the general disorder to which the people were apparently and absolutely enclin'd not been suppress'd by the vigour and celerity wherewith the Duke acted upon this occasion If the King's Affairs had the good success you have heard under the Conduct of the Duke de la Valette in Guienne they succeeded no less fortunately upon the Frontier of Picardy under the command of the Duke de Candale and the Cardinal de la Valette his Brothers These two Generals joyntly commanded the King's Army in those parts and so well that they had in a short time retaken the Castle of Cambresis Maugbeuge and Lendrecies in the end That which was most remarkable in the Siege of this last place was that they
himself to be transported into any action unbecoming his Gravity and Wisdom The Table being taken away and he having retir'd himself into his Chamber sooner than he ordinarily us'd to do he caus'd his Secretary to be call'd in his behalf to write to Messieurs de Ioinville de Turenne de Thou and de Fontravilles to recommend to them the care of his Sons health to whom all humane help was already fruitless and vain writing moreover to him himself some few lines under his own hand One of his Gentlemen who had lately been sent on the same errand was now ready to depart with this new Dispatch when the Duke overcome with the violent agitations of his mind was constrain'd to cast himself upon his Bed where calling his Secretary to him he said to him these words I do not know why you should all dally with me thus long nor to what end you should conceal from me the Death of the Cardinal my Son is it that you imagine me so weak I have not fortitude enough to support the News Do not you deceive me as the rest have done but tell me the naked truth which also cannot long be conceal'd from me At which words the poor Gentleman who for four or five days had had the power to govern his Tongue had not now the same command over his Eyes so that his Tears having whether he would or no betray'd him to be the Messenger of the ill news he had hitherto so faithfully conceal'd he proceeded by word of mouth to interpret what was before but too legible in his tears and told his Master That what he had prophesied the first hour he heard of his Sons Sickness was but too true That the news of his Death had been brought four days ago but that his people apprehending left so great a blow of mishap might ruine his health had address'd themselves to Monsieur de Saint Papoul to fortifie him with his Consolation in acquainting him with the fatal News At which words he lift up his hands to Heaven and after a profound Sigh cried out aloud O Lord since thou hast reserv'd my old Age to survive the loss of my three Children be pleas'd withal to give me strength wherewith to support the severity of thy Judgments Hereupon the Bishop of Saint Papoul was presently call'd in to him who after having highly commended his resignation of himself and his Affairs to the Will of God made him a Learned Discourse infinitely full of such admirable Arguments and Examples both Christian and Moral as were proper for his disconsolate condition And then it was that they presented him with the relations of the Sickness and Death of the Cardinal his Son wherein was observ'd so many testimonies of Piety and Resignation so firm a confidence in the Divine Mercy and so little concern for Humane Life that every one concluded him infinitely happy to have take his leave of it in so good and so holy a disposition and it was also from thence that the Duke deriv'd his chiefest Consolations After this he requested some respite from his Friends wherein to satisfie the resentments of Nature and in private to pay some tears to his Affliction His Curtains were therefore drawn when his tears which he had hitherto with so great violence to his sorrow suppress'd having now liberty to â—ally out flow'd in so great abundance that those about him began to fear his immoderate passion might endanger his health but having remain'd two hours in this condition he himself at last rows'd up his spirits so long overcharg'd with grief and was heard to say That Tears were to be left to women and that it would be a shame a man could not allay his grief but by so poor and effeminate a Remedy That he would live perhaps to survive his Enemies When starting from his Bed he had so great a power over himself as the same day again to appear in publick He entreated the Bishop of Papoul to bear him company where he walk'd with him above two hours on foot entertaining him all the while either with Discourses of Piety or the state of his present Fortune and that with a constancy this good Prelate could never sufficiently magnifie and admire It must nevertheless be confess'd that amongst all these afflictions which were many and extreme the Duke likewise receiv'd very many and great Consolations or at least what were intended for such there being few persons of any eminent condition in France who did not manifest the part they shar'd with him in his grief The King did him the Honour to write very obligingly to him he receiv'd the same Favour from the Queen the Monsieur all the Princes Cardinal Richelieu and almost all who were any ways considerable either in Birth or Dignity in the Kingdom gave him testimonies either of their Affection or Esteem upon this sad occasion But if out of all these Complements he did extract any real Consolation it was chiefly from the gracious manifestations of the Queens Royal Favour to him which took so much the deeper impression upon his mind by how much he knew they proceeded from the heart of this excellent Princess He had ever made her the object of all his Services neither was there any he would not have been very ready to have perform'd for her even in this moment of his greatest Adversity An inclination that as it gave him a legitimate Title to her Grace and Favour so was he the man of all the other Great Ones of the Kingdom that had the highest place in her Esteem but the condition of the time not permitting her to manifest it to that degree her Majesty could have desir'd she did upon this occasion all she had the liberty to do which was to send him a very obliging Letter written with her own hand of which the Contents were these Cousin I can here neither fully express nor altogether conceal the sorrow I share with you for the loss you have sustain'd in the person of my Cousin the Cardinal de la Valette your Son the sence whereof being too great to be express'd by words I shall only entreat you to believe that I partake in it equally with any person living And since it is from God alone that you are to hope for a true Consolation I do from my heart beseech him of his Divine Goodness to fortifie your mind against the severity of this accident and to pour his Blessings upon you in the abundance that is heartily wish'd by her whom you know really to be Your very good Cousin Anne From St. Germains en Laye the 12 th of Octob. 1639. Cardinal Richelieu also would not upon such an occasion be wanting in the Ceremony of a Complement but it signified no more than so and these were the words My Lord I can not sufficiently manifest to you the extreme sorrow I sustain for the Death of Monsieur the Cardinal de la Valette and
Bed has left me in a very weak condition I shall notwithstanding chearfully expose my little remainder of Life to this long and troublesome Journey in obedience to your Majesties good pleasure and shall think my self exceeding happy if I may conclude it in manifesting my Zeal and Passion as I have ever done my Obedience and inviolate Fidelity c. From Plassac this 20 th of Iune 1641 Neither in this answer nor in his Discourse to Varennes had he made any Reply to that part of the King's Letter which mention'd the intelligence his Majesty had receiv'd out of Guienne forasmuch as he was as yet totally ignorant of the business of Socoa but having sometime after understood that his name had been made use of in that Affair he conceiv'd it very necessary for him to address himself to the Mareschal de Scomberg to request that he would penetrate into the bottom of that Imposture that so he might be able to inform his Majesty of the truth of the Story This Mareschal had been withdrawn from his Government of Languedoc as well as the Duke of Espernon had been out of that of Guienne but being it had been done without any visible mark of Disgrace and only out of deferenee to the Prince who was impatient of the least contradiction from any of the Governours of the Provinces where he had any thing to do he had been dismiss'd with an honourable Commission into Guienne to Command as the Kings Lieutenant in that Province His carriage there towards the Duke of Espernon was very different from that of those who had preceded him in that Employment he highly and publickly declaring that he shar'd in the feeling an honest man ought to have of the ill usage had been inflicted upon a man of that eminent Quality and who had ever behav'd himself without all manner of reproach Neither was this the only testimony of his Friendship he proceeding from these favourable expressions to effects of a much more obliging nature They had propos'd to him the Government of Guienne in recompence of that of Languedoc with the privation of which he had also been tacitly threatned but all those offers and menaces could never prevail upon him he professing that he had much rather choose to be without any Employment at all than to be invested with the spoils of two persons of that eminent condition yet living and with whom he was not convinc'd that any fault could justly be found exercising moreover the Commission he had there with so great tenderness and respect to them that though he had thereby as ample Authority as he could himself desire he would notwithstanding never come to execute any of his Functions at Bordeaux the Capital City of that Province He would not so much as come near it but contented himself to stay at Agen which he made the seat of his residence till his return into Languedoc and whereas others who had commanded there before him had carried themselves very rudely to the Duke's Friends and Servants there the Mareschal on the contrary took them into his especial Trust and Favour conceiving he could not make a better choice than of such men as had pass'd the tryal of his late Adversity This noble way af proceeding had so highly oblig'd the Duke that he made no difficulâ—y to solicite his Favour a thing he had never done to any since his persecution he writ to him therefore before he departed from Plassac intreating him to cause the Impostor by whom he had been accus'd to be throughly sifted that he might be able to satisfie the Court of what could be discover'd from his Examination The Mareschal upon this Letter did the Duke all the good Offices could be expected from his generous and noble Nature and writ so favourably to the Council in his behalf as from des Noyers Secretary of State to obtain this answer a Copy whereof he sent to the Duke For what concerns the Fellow that is detain'd Prisoner at Socoa I could have wish'd that Monsieur du Bourg had better examined the business before he had acquainted the King with it and brought so great an inconvenience upon persons of that condition Monsieur de Lauzon who is at Bayonne will in two hours time be able to clear all doubts observing the Order I have sent him according to your desire In effect the business was perfectly clear'd and the Dukes Innocence sufficiently manifest but notwithstanding the resolutions that had been taken against him were nothing alter'd neither indeed did he solicit any thing of that kind nor would address himself to any other saving the Mareschal de Scomberg only his design being only to secure his Reputation and not to receive any the least favour from his Enemies Yet whatever he had said to Varennes or whatsoever he had writ to the King concerning the diligence he would use to put himself upon his way he did not for all that make so much haste that three weeks at least were not laps'd before he began his Journy He spun out the preparation of his Equipage in great length and although he at first manifested an absolute and franck disposition to depart either the tenderness and apprehension of his Friends or his own doubts and diffidences had possess'd him with so great a jealousie that he could not easily perswade himself to perform a thing he saw was nevertheless by no means to be avoided Some who would seem to be most solicitous of his Person and Safety had often represented to him That the Castle of Loches was a Prison of State That it had already been made use of in that nature upon very considerable occasions That it being situate in the heart of the Kingdom his Captivity would be the more severe by how much there was no possibility of an escape and that so soon as he should be come thither it would be in the power of any one of the Exempts-des Guardes to charge the Garrison and to make himself Master of the Gate to engage his Liberty for ever It was no hard matter to foresee that all these inconveniences might possibly arrive but being his forbearing to go would inevitably convince him of the highest disobedience the discreeter sort of men concluded it the safest for him to try if he could not avoid the utmost extremes by an entire confidence in his Majesties Justice and in outward shew to perform that with great alacrity and freedom which in effect there was a necessity upon him he must however do The Duke saw clearly enough into the truth of this last advice yet could he not without great repugnancy and unwillingness follow that Counsel and the natural desire of the Liberty he believ'd ready to be ravish'd from him or that at best depended only upon his Enemies Capricio possess'd him with so great a disquiet of mind as fail'd little of endangering his health by a new relapse He nevertheless by his constancy once more overcame
that the falsity of this Accusation might be strictly examin'd by any person he should think fit to appoint and not to permit that the most ancient Officer of the Crown who had serv'd four Kings without Reproach should in the last Act of his Life undergo the most odious of all Aspersions without receiving the satisfaction he might reasonably promise to himself from his Eminences Justice and his own Innocency The Cardinal after he had hearkened to this Discourse which was pretty long with great Civility and Patience the Secretary having done made answer That it was true the King being five or six weeks ago at Amiens Messieurs the Ministers who staid behind at Paris had given him intimation of a man of the Province of Guienne who deliver'd himself to be a Gentleman and whom they had found to be a man of understanding that was purposely come thither to assure them that a Conspiracy had been made in Guienne to attempt upon the Life of the King and that he had offer'd to prove his Accusation by sufficient evidence in Writing under the Hands of the Conspirators You will very well judg added the Cardinal that an Advertisement of this kind was of too important a nature to be neglected but he deny'd withal that the Duke's name had ever been mention'd in that Affair assuring him moreover that had it been so much as glanc'd at in that Information he should immediately have concluded the whole thing altogether forg'd and false as he now absolutely did That he knew the Duke to be too good a man to entertain so criminal a thought and that he would ever answer for him as for himself That therefore he ought not to concern himself about his Justification and that he had been very well wash'd which was his own expression but that notwithstanding they were to consider which way to give him satisfaction in causing those who had been the Authors of his Calumny to be brought to exemplary punishment After which he enquir'd by what means Madaillan might be taken concluding in the end that the King should give the Duke power to apprehend him if possible even in Guienne it self that in the mean time he would give order to have him sent for to Court whither in a very short time he had also promis'd to come that by one means or other it should be a hard matter for him to escape and that if he did once fall into his hands he would deliver him up into those of Justice as he afterwards did and in that was very just to his word The King's Dispatch was made ready at this time but the Secretary could not however so soon depart as by this successful beginning he was in hopes he should have done Chavigny who had order to deliver him his Dispatch appointing him to stay yet some few days longer But these few days were spun out into some few weeks during which interval he had notice given him by several of his Friends that there was an Order granted out to Arrest him to make him give an account of those Counterfeit Papers were laid to his charge These advertisements which he receiv'd from very good hands did much more trouble him for the regard he had to the Duke his Master than for any thing that concern'd himself he believ'd that they would proceed in this Affair by the way and in the forms of Justice which was nothing consonant to what had been promis'd him in the beginning The Duke's Servants to whom he had instructions to communicate all things were also infinitely surpriz'd at the news but he forbore not what danger soever had been represented to him to appear as at other times in all places where his business lay-After he had given all the time was necessary wherein to clear any doubts that might have been started concerning this Affair and weary to see no more than the first hour he came he resolv'd at last finding he could obtain nothing from Chavigny to make his Address immediately to the Cardinal himself hoping from him at least to learn the true reasons why he had been thus long delay'd This design accordingly took effect and the Cardinal having espied him amongst a crowd of other Solicitors and Suitors that were attending in the Hall caus'd him presently to be call'd to tell him That upon the hopes Madaillan had given him of his coming every day to Town he had desir'd he might stay to be a witness of his Confinement but that seeing there was no end of his delays he might now return to his Master and assure him that what he had promis'd upon this occasion should be punctually perform'd That it would also be necessary he on his part should employ all the Friends and Servants he had in Guienne to cause the Slanderer to be taken and that the thing being of that importance to his Honour he did not doubt but the Duke would herein use endeavours proportionable to the quality of the Affair After which he pour'd out himself in several expressions of very great Civility concerning the Duke but they were so distant from his manner of proceeding and so differing from the ill usage he made his Master at the same time undergo that giving them no place in his belief he scarce allow'd them a room in his memory After this manner the Duke's Secretary departed from Court charg'd with Letters from the King and the Cardinal which were couch'd in these terms Cousin Having understood by the Sieur Girard the intimation you have receiv'd that one Madaillan of Sauvetat had an intent to accuse you of a design to attempt upon my Person as also upon that of my Cousin the Cardinal of Richelieu I write you this to let you know It is my pleasure that you cause the said Madaillan to be apprehended in any place where he shall be found as also the named le Sage Bois-Martin Seingoux and a certain Scrivener dwelling at la Linde in Perigort whom it is said he intends to make use of to fortifie his Calumny I doubt not but you will use all imaginable diligence to cause the forementioned persons to be taken and to dispose them into some secure hold until you receive my further Order In which assurance I pray God Cousin c. At St. Germaine en Laye this 10 th of Decemb. 1641. That of the Cardinal contain'd these words Monsieur The Sieur Girard will acquaint you with how great facility the King has been pleas'd to give way to the clearing the Calumny wherewith you have discover'd some malicious people have a design to asperse you I can assure you that such a justification is not at all necessary for the possessing his Majesty touching the business in agitation with such impressions of you as you would your self desire but he will be very glad for your own satisfaction that so wicked an Imposture be punish'd according to its desert For my own particular I shall ever be very
Suze The Duke of 〈◊〉 takes Arms whilst the King is in Italy The Cardinal come to Montâ—ubâ—n The Dâ—ke gives the Cardinal a visâ—â— at Montauâ—an 〈◊〉 and is very well receiv'd by him The Duke of Espernon gives Cardinal Richelieu new cause of oftense Which is nevertheless dissembled by the Cardâ—nal The Duke acquaints the Prince of Condé with his resolution of going to Court * A Countrey in Languâ—dâ—â— The Duke of Espernon arrives at Court and is very well receiv'd Anno 1630. Extraordinary civilities of the Cardinal to the Duke of Espernon A smart râ—ply of the Duke of Espernon to the Cardinaâ— New stirs at Court occasion'd by the discontents of the Queen Mother and the Monsiâ—â—r The Queen Mother professes an open hatred to the Cardinal The War with Savâ—y The Monsiâ—ur discontented The Duke of Lorâ—in takes Arms The Cardinalâ— dexterity in compoâ—ing these Affairs The Cardinals expedition into Italy The King resolves upon a Voyage into Italy Upon the bruit that the Imperialists design'd an attempt upon Metz the Duke of Espernon puts himself inâ—o the place The Duke of Espernon comes to Metz. He visits the Marâ—schal de Marillac The Duke's orders for the defense of Meâ—z The Dâ—ke offers the King to raise an Army upon his own interest Which is accepted The Duke of Espernon returns to Paris The King falls sick at Lyons A sudden answer of the Duke of Espersion to a very nice qâ—est on A Famine in Gâ—ienne Cardinal Richâ—lieu in disgrace Cardinal Richeliâ—u restores himself with the King by the advice of the Cardinal de la Valette The two Cardinals go together to the King to Versaille where whilst the Queen Mother remains at Paris they overthrow all her designs An alteration in Affairs at Court All people address themseâ—ves to the Cardinal Except the Duke of Espernon Anno 1631. The Cardinal falls foul upon his enemies noâ— sparing the Monsieur nor the Queen Mother The Duke of Espernon retires into his Government of Guienne which he finds in a most deplorable condition The Duke goes into the higher Gascony The Duke of Espernon stops the progress of a new Rebellion by dismanteling several strong Cities of the Hugonot party The Inhabitants of Montauban behave themselves very well upon this occasion The Duke goes to the Baths of Banieres The Marquis de la Valette takes his Oath for Duke and Peer of France The Cardâ—nal de la Valâ—tte made Governour of Anjou The death of le Plessis Baussonniere the Duke's principal Servant Anno 1632. Troubles arise upon the retirement of the Queen Mother and the Monsieur The Emperour the King of Spain and the Duke of Lorain engage in their quarrel The Monsieur enters the Kingdom The Duke of Montmorâ—ncy declareâ— in favour of the Monsieur The Duke of Espernon aâ—vâ—nces towarâ—s Languedoc The Court in 〈◊〉 of the Dâ—â—e of Espâ—rnon's resolutions The King writes very graciously and the Cardinal very kindly to the Duke of Espernon in acknowledgment of his good Service The Engagement of Castelnaudary wherein the Caunt de Moret was slain and the Duke of Montmorency taken prisoner from which disaster the ruine of the Monsieur 's party ensues The Duke of Espernon sends a Complement to the Duke of Montmorency in Prison * Not otherwise to be rendred without spoiling the sense The Duke advances to Tholouze The Duke of Montmorency brought to Tholouze and his Tryal begun The Duke of Espernon intercedes for the Duke of Montmorency The Duke of Espernon not being able to prevail with the Kiâ—g in the behalf of he Duke of Mâ—ntmorency begs leave to retire and obtains it Cordinal Richeliâ—u's amoitioâ—s deâ—â—gns The Queen goes to Cadillâ—c The Cardinal comes to Cadillâ—â— where he takes new offense at the Duke of Espernon The Câ—rdinal's first complaint The Cardinal 's second complaint The Cardinal's animosity against the Duke of Espernon fomented by the Archbishop of Bordeaux The Cardinal arrives at Broüage Anno 1633. The disgrace of Chasteau-Neuf Garde des Sceaux President Seguier made Garde des Sceaux The difference betwixt the Dâ—ke of Espernon and the Archbishop of Bordeaux The Archbishop of Bordeaux sends to complement the Duke of Espernon * Siquis suadente Diabolo c. * The Prosnes are the Publilications of the Feasts and Fasts of the Church Banes of Mâ—trâ—mony Excommunications c. Thâ— Archbâ—shop pronounces a Sentence of Excommunâ—cation against the Lieutenâ—nt of the Dâ—ke of Espernon's Gâ—ard and tacâ—tly against the Dâ—ke himself Cardinal Richeliâ—u endeavourâ— an Accommodâ—t on betwixt them Bâ—t in vain The Sentence of Excommunication pronounced against the Dâ—ke of Espernon The Court 〈◊〉 with the Archbishop And the Parlâ—ament oâ— Bordeaux also who draw 〈◊〉 Inâ—ormaâ—â—â—n against him The Duke Signs his Answer wherein he gives a true Relation of â—he whole business The Dâ—ke receives a Command from the King to depart out of his Government The Duâ—e comes to Plassac where he observes his Excommunication And submits to the Church The Dâ—ke sends a Dâ—spatch to the King The Archbishop of Bordeaux goes to Paris Anno 1634. A Sentence against the Duke of Espernon The Duke sends a Dispatch to Rome to procure his Absolution The Duke's Affairs begin to discover a better face An Alliance with the 〈…〉 The Alliance concluded with the Duke de la Valette The Duke's Absolâ—tion resâ—lved upon The Absolution The Duke of Espernâ—â— returns into Guienne Anno 1635. The Seditions of Guienne their birth and progresâ—â— The Dâ—ke of 〈◊〉 falls 〈◊〉 An account of the Forces oâ— Guâ—enne The Excâ—se noon the Victuallers begets a Sedition in Bordeaux The first effects of the Popâ—lar 〈◊〉 * Prâ—vost de Hostel an Offiâ—er belonging to the King's Houshold that set rates upon Victuallerâ— the same I suppose with one of our Officers of the Green-cloth A Clerk of the Market The Progress of the Sedition The Parliament sends to the Duke to quicken his haste The Duke's presence appeases the tumult The people run into open Armâ— The Dâ—ke aâ—most alone goes out against them The Duke though stoutly opposed forces the first Bâ—rricade And breaks through with his Horse The Dâ—ke forces tâ—ree other 〈◊〉 wherein several of his men are slain and wounded The Duke goes into another quarter of the City which was also in mutiny and Barricado'd The Duke's danger The Duke's Clemency The Dâ—ke prepares to go to a new occasion which he effects without fighting The whole City upon the point to run into Sedition But are with-held by the Duke's success The Dâ—ke 〈◊〉 the Kâ—ng an Account of the latâ— Insurrection The whole Province of Guienne except Montauban break into Sedition * A Sovereâ—gn Court wherein all caâ—â—es that concern the Aidâ— or Taâ—les that is Tâ—xâ—s or 〈◊〉 are â—ear'd and determâ—n'd * Eleus Aâ—sessors or Collectorâ— of the Kings Sâ—bsidies President du Bernet opposes the Sedition of Agen. Aud Monsieur de Vertâ—mont that of Perigueux The Duke sends his Orders into all parts of the Province Which a little
to untye the first he had scarce toucht the string but he was immediately consum'd by the devouring flame Neither did his men escape any better and the violence of the powder was so great that it blew up the floor where the Duke satâ— at dinner with the story above it the roof of the house only remaining firm All those who were above with the Duke were blown up to the roof and thence tumbling headlong to the foundation were many of them crush'd to pieces under the ruines the Duke only by a miracle of Fortune remaining still sitting and upright in the midst of this subversion for his Chair being plac'd upon a great Beam that butted upon the Chimney of the Chamber and the fire not having force enough to blow up that which at both ends was strongly fastned into the Wall the flame only burnt his hair and his beard without any further harm to his person That which hindred the powder from doing greater execution and from blowing up the whole house as in all probability it was like to do was that the Windows being all open the flame found a passage that way and by that lost much of its force within otherwise the house and all within had certainly been tost into the Aire and consum'd in a moment Bigne who from without the Town had seen his mine play believing the effect to be infallibly such as he had propos'd to himself ran in all hast to Aix to carry the news of the Duke of Espernon's certain death to the Duke of Guise to whom withal he declared at large the whole circumstance of his design not without the amazement and horror of all that heard him that any man could be guilty of so barbarous and inhumane a fact As for the Duke of Espernon he was a man so well prepar'd beforehand against all the accidents of fortune that he soon recover'd the astonishment this surprize had put him into and doubting it might be a stratagem of the Enemy in the disorder and confusion that must necessarily attend so sudden a mischief to make himself Master of the place made all the Souldiers he had in the Town immediately to repair to their Arms whilst himself mounted on Horseback and attended by some Gentlemen his friends went to visit the several Posts of the City to see that all was quiet there where having found all things right within and that nothing of suspicion appear'd from without it must of necessity be concluded that the mischief arose and that the Conspiracy must have been made within the Walls of his own Lodgings Diligent search was there therefore presently made and the woman of the house examin'd who ingenuously confess'd the bargain about the Corn betwixt Bigne and the Baker by her means whereupon they desir'd to see the place where the Sacks had been set but there was neither Sacks nor the men who had open'd them to be seen the fire having so consum'd them that scarcely their bones could be found They then sent to Bigne's house who was fled and his house left void his Goods and Family being remov'd to Aix the night before So that no further doubt being to be made of the Author of the Fact the Duke's heart began to be at rest which before was a little unquiet with the suspicion that some of his own people might have had a hand in the Plot. Some who have made reflections upon the Duke's life and the many Accidents by which it had often been brought into extreme danger which were at least as many as any other great mans of his time have sometimes drawn the several hazards he has run into comparison with one another as he himself amongst his private friends so pleasant is the memory of dangers past upon occasion delighted to do though he ever declar'd the conspiracy of Angoulesme to be the greatest peril he had ever been in next to which he plac'd that of Corbie where he confest his fear to have been much greater than in the former though the business never arriv'd at that degree of danger that was manifest in the other accidents of his life As for the precipice of Lyons the Cannon-shot before Aix and the Mine of Brignoles but now mention'd though he acknowledg'd his danger in all those to have been extreme and that in all apperance it was hardly possible he could escape yet the suddenness of them took away the sense and his good fortune opportunely interposing betwixt him and those mortal accidents prevented his apprehension and gave him no time to fear whereas in the other two he had had leisure to see his approaching ruine and death coming upon him in all his ugly shapes especially in the business of Angoulesme which he could not consider as one but a concatenation of many and those mortal dangers that succeeded one another for above forty hours together At this very time and in the height of these untoward occurrences Mounsieur d' Ossat since Cardinal a person equally to be commended for the integrity of his life and the excellency of his learning writ very bitter things to the prejudice of the Duke's Loyalty and Honour which though by the care of some of the Duke's Friends they were supprest in the first impression of his Book yet having since been added in a particular sheet I think my self oblig'd not to suffer the publick to be impos'd upon by so gross calumnies and that it is my duty to interpose the truth in the Duke's defense This Prelate then after having writ favourably enough to the King concerning the Duke in his Letter of the 22. of December 1594. that having given Pope Clement the VIII an account of all things his Majesty had given him in charge concerning Mounsieur de Guise and the Government of Provence his Holiness sighing replyed And what will they do with the Duke of Espernon In another Letter notwithstanding to Secretary Villeroy bearing date the 17. of Ianuary 1596 writes thus Marselles puts me in mind of the Duke of Espernon concerning whom they write from Lyons that after the taking of Cisteron he has sent to the King to make a tender of his submission and obedience but they do not know that at the same time he he sent to Turin to the Duke of Savoy and to Milan to the Constable of Castile of whom he had obtain'd 6000. Crowns that is to say 5000. down with which his Agents buy Horses and Arms at Milan and 55000 more by Bill of Exchange to be return'd at Genoa which is said to be two months advance of 30000. Crowns a month given him by the Crown of Spain for being a good Frenchman as he writes into these parts he will be so long as he has life causing it to be reported that the mony he receives at Milan is mony of his own that he has there in Bank as if even to have a Bank of mony in a Town belonging to the King
of Spain and to think it there secure were not a sign of no very good Frenchman There has been a rumor in these parts for some days that he has promis'd Boulogne to the Spaniard c. Thus writes the Cardinal d' Ossat with many other things of the like injurious nature The Duke of Espernon saw all these invectives as soon almost as they appear'd in Print and though in his own nature he was a man not much enclin'd to Books yet the quality of the Author having given a great reputation to this he had a great desire to see it when having it brought before him and the place being turn'd unto wherein he himself was concern'd it could not be perceiv'd that he was at all mov'd at the many reproaches he there found against him but on the contrary was so moderate and calm as to say That he could by no means blame the Cardinal d' Ossat for what he had written and that being employ'd as he was by the King in the most weighty Affairs of the Court of Rome he had done no more than his duty in giving his Majesty a faithful accompt of what ever was reported to him That he knew very well many others at the same time talk'd of him at the same rate some out of spleen and others perhaps out of a belief the common bruit his Enemies had spread amongst the people had begot in them but that neither the one nor the other said true That indeed the King of Spain the Duke of Savoy and the Duke of Mayenne measuring his discontents by the provocations he had received had all of them often sent to him the first to offer him his protection and the two last their friendship and alliance That he had been solicited by a Religious of the Order of St. Francis on the behalf of the King of Spain by a woman of quality the world believ'd had a great interest in him from the Duke of Savoy and by the Abbot of Cornac since Abbot of Ville-Loin a man of great dexterity and prudence from the Duke of Mayenne but he dedeclar'd and bound it with an Oath that he had never hearken'd to any such practice That in truth seeing himself press'd by his own particular enemies under the King's Authority and in his name and that alone he could not long be able to make a head against them he had sometimes been in suspense what he should do and a little tempted by the advantageous conditions these Princes had offer'd to him but that notwithstanding his Fidelity and Duty had ever so stoutly oppos'd his Interest and Passion that he rather chose to surrender his Right to the Government of Provence and which was far more insupportable unto him to quit the Field to his Enemies than to make a longer resistance by joyning himself with Parties and Factions contrary to his Majesties Service and Interest All which in the end he made so evident that I cannot but admire after so manifest a justification by his Actions any body could be so unjust as to tax him with any intelligence with Spain To fortifie which so odious a Calumny they ought at least to have prov'd that he had receiv'd from thence or by their means some kind of Assistance in his Affairs by whom had he been secretly favour'd would they have husbanded their favour so ill 〈◊〉 not to have drawn from him some effectual acknowledgement and return by the giving up some one at least of those places in his custody into their hands The same Cardinal says that he had promis'd them Boulogne though it was plain enough afterwards how far he was from any such purpose that he had receiv'd mony from Spain and that he pretended for his excuse it came out of his own Bank at Milan where himself had before laid it up and that the one and the other were almost equally criminal which were it true no one could deny it to be a Crime But to answer to this point I would fain know what he did contrary to his Majesties Service after he receiv'd this mony and whether he was afterwards observ'd to favour that Faction more than before No it was so much otherwise that almost at the very same time the Cardinal sent this intelligence against him he went in person to the King where he put himself into his Majesties hands without Article or Reservation to be absolutely at his disposal Would the Spaniard have been thus tamely cheated of his mony without speaking had he parted with such a Sum would he not have publish'd to all the world the Duke's infidelity and unhandsome carriage and would he not at least have seiz'd upon that Bank the Cardinal d' Ossat writes of at Milan for his reimbursement Others have further added that the Duke had a design to take this opportunity of the Kingdoms distraction to make himself a Sovereign Prince in Provence but let any one consider whether after having conceiv'd so unjust and so unruly an ambition he would not betimes and before he had proceeded to matter of Fact have fortified himself by a correspondency and intelligence with Foreign Princes to have justified his usurpation or whether in common discretion he would not have confederated himself with those Factions at home that already brav'd the lawful Authority Yet is it most true and it was evident to all the world that instead of doing the one or the other he fought with all the power he had and maintain'd the sharpest War he could possibly maintain both against the Duke of Savoy though back'd with the Spanish Forces and also against the League of it self sufficient to have amaz'd man of less conduct and resolution It is very true that he would fain have kept and maintain'd his Government of Provence against all pretenders had it stood with the Kings good liking and that he was the longer before he could perswade himself to give it up hoping at some time or other that his Majesty reflecting upon his Services might think him as worthy as any of that Command but at last finding his expectation vain and all he could do or say ineffectual to the procuring of his Royal Consent he rather chose to quit claim to a Title his Majesty would not be prevail'd with to approve than by a longer obstinacy to oppoâ—â— his Masters pleasure to the prejudice of his own duty Some who can endure no truths but such as are couch'd in the worst Characters and that call all things flattery which are not offence may perhaps think me too zealous in the Duke's justification but let such before they too liberally determine examine the Arguments I have us'd in his behalf whether there be in them any thing forc'd or uneasie to an unbyas'd judgment or whether any thing can be contradicted in all I have said It has been an observation almost to a rule that the lives of great Favourites have ever been the objects of the hatred and envy of