come up to them and that in all probability there would be sudden action yet durst no one venture positively to determine whither that preparation was directed or who was to feel the first edge of his Arms neither shall I presume to deliver these conjectures for truth nor suffer my curiosity to transgress the bounds this mighty Prince in his wisdom prescrib'd even to the most faithful Ministers of his Kingdom This brave and laudable ambition having long possess'd his generous heart he had from the first Idea of his design wisely laid up for the means to effect it that it might succeed to his glory and to that end from the time peace was first settled in his Kingdom had been gathering and had now got together a prodigious Treasure His Artillery and Ammunitions were all ready and in equipage fit to execute his vast designs France was able to furnish him with an infinite number of old Souldiers neither in the fair weather he had been so solicitous to maintain at home had he forgot to take a particular care of breeding so many brave Captains and good Souldiers in the Low-Country-Wars as were sufficient in a very short time to bring such raw men as should be rais'd into very good discipline Besides the Forces of his own Kingdom he had made a League with all the neighbouring Princes The Duke of Savoy the Republick of Venice the Duke of Florence and almost all the Princes of Italy the Prince of Orange and most of the Princes of Germany with the Hanse-Towns of the Empire were engag'd to joyn with him And the King of England had made great preparation in favour of his designs so that in all apparence what and how great soever these designs might be they were very likely to succeed Nothing then being wanting but a pretense to give colour to his action the death of the Dukes of Cléves soon supply'd him with one as good as he could desire for after his death the succession to his Dukedom being pretended to by all his Brothers-in-law who were five the Marquis of Brandebourg the Duke of Nâ—whourg the Count Palatine the Duke of Deux Ponts and the Marquis of Burgau all these Princes agreed to appeal to the King and to stand to his Arbitration but whilst they were pleading their titles in the Court of France the Emperour pretending all vacant Jurisdictions to be Fiefs of the Empire and that for want of Heirs Males he had right to seize them in trust had there establish'd the Arch-Duke Leopold his Cousin as his Deputy and Governour for and under him in order to which delegation the Arch-Duke had already by the assistance of the Austrian Forces possess'd himself of the best part of the Dutchy by the taking of Iuliers notwithstanding that the King had publickly declar'd he desir'd things might remain suspended till every man's Title was examin'd and the true Heir could be known And this was in effect all the reason could be given for this mighty preparation though an Army consisting of forty thousand French Foot ten thousand Swisse ten thousand Horse and fifty pieces of Cannon with their Equipage together with the Leavies the confederate Princes were still on all hands preparing to joyn with him giving all the world to understand that so great Forces were design'd for some other end than only for the Accommodation of a particular Quarrel all men were in suspense and in great expectation of what the event would be The Army then being in the Field and the King ready to depart from Paris his Majesty would yet first take so good order to secure the interior Peace of his Kingdom that he might not when at a great distance and in the heat of his Enterprizes be call'd back by Domestick troubles A consideration that made him determine to devolve his Royal Power to the Queen and to cause her to be declar'd Regent in his absence and knowing that how good soever her intentions were and how sincere soever her administration might be yet that the sovereign Authority he left her invested withal would require the Fidelity Courage and Prudence of some great and experienc'd Minister to support it he cast his eye upon the Duke of Espernon to confer upon him that great Trust and Honour In this resolution therefore having one day call'd for the Duke and causing him to come into his Closet where he was then with the Queen alone the Duke was not a little surpriz'd at the favourable and obliging Character his Majesty was then pleas'd to give of him to the Queen on so unexpected an occasion He told her That being upon the point to go out of the Kingdom the Government whereof he had during his absence committed to her care he had consider'd how necessary it would be for her to have a faithful Servant about her person upon all occurrences that might happen and in occasions where the modesty of her Sex would not permit her to act in her own person to be assisting to her with his Wisâ—om and Valour That having to that end severally weigh'd the abilities of all the chief Officers of his Crown he had found none in whom the qualities necessary for so great an employment were more eminent than in the person of the Duke of Espernon there present That having had a long experience of his Fidelity Wisdom and Valour he had determin'd to deprive himself of his Service though infinitely necessary to him in the prosecution of his designs and to send him back to her upon the first sally of his Arms. That she might repose an entire and perfect confidence in him as he himself also did who knew him to be a man of approv'd Fidelity and Honour That he was going to execute designs wherein he was likely to meet with many difficulties and perhaps some danger but that whatever should happen he desir'd her to rest secure in the Duke's vigilancy and care for which he would undertake both to himself and to her After which turning to the Duke he told him That he did not require from him any confirmation by new promises of those things whereof he had assur'd the Queen in his behalf That he had had so many proofs of his Vertue in the integrity of his former Actions it was not now to be suspected that he conjur'd him by the esteem and affection he had for him to justifie his expectation to serve the Queen and the Princes his Children with the same Fidelity he had serv'd him and to promise to himself for his reward all the acknowledgement he could reasonably expect from a grateful Prince and a good Master The Duke a little out of countenance at what the King had said in his favour made answer in few words That he did humbly acknowledge his obligation to his Majesty for so high a Character and for the unexpected Honour he was pleas'd to confer upon him which in the nature of it was far above all others he had
and practices that might discompose the calm of Peace his Kingdom was now settled in but so it was that for one or both these reasons he engag'd the greatest part of his Nobility whom he knew to be monied men in vast designs of this kind amongst whom his Majesty conceiving the Duke of Espernon to be one the most at his ease he was so importunate with him as to cause a plot for Cadillac to be design'd in his own Presence order'd the charge of the whole to be cast up and made one of his own Architects to undertake for an hundred thousand Crowns to begin and perfect the work upon which assurance the Duke as has been said in the year 1598 began the foundation conceiving that such a summe as that he might without inconvenience spare to gratifie his Masters humour though time afterwards gave him to understand how hard a thing it is to contain a man's self within a determinate charge after he has once set his hand to so tempting a work as Building this Pile before it was finish'd having cost him above two millions of Livres 'T is very true and which seldom happens to undertakers of such vast designs that with this infinite expense he brought the greatest and most stately pile of Building the Royal Houses excepted in France very near to perfection the whole body of the Building being perfected before his death and nothing save some few Ornaments left to finish neither had he left those to his Successors had not the disgrace of being withdrawn from his Government which still afflicted him diverted his thoughts from the sole care of that design The Duke as has been said being come into Guienne to take a view of his Building arriv'd at the City of Bourdeaux in the beginning of August where he found the Mareschal d' Ornano but newly there establish'd Lieutenant for the King by the decease of the Mareschal de Matignon who died of an Apoplexy and where their old Animosities though great were nevertheless on both sides so well dissembled as not to hinder a mutual Civility betwixt them no more than these civilities could hinder past jealousies from breaking out upon the first occasion into a new and open rupture This Mareschal though an Alien born had yet by his Valour and Fidelity acquir'd so great a reputation in France as in the Reign of Henry the III. to be a great confident to that Prince to whom the Duke of Espernon having been a principal Favourite it is nothing strange that a man of inferiour credit should envy another in a higher degree of Favour neither if the Mareschal were prepossess'd with this antiquated jealousie was the Duke on his part insensible of the recent traverses he had in Provence receiv'd from him the greatest part of the disgraces he had met with in that Country having been laid in his way by the opposition of l' Esdiguieres and him all which put together it may easily be imagin'd were likely to beget no very good blood between them To this the Mareschal a man of an imperious and haughty temper and who only under a forc'd smoothness conceal'd a natural arrogance could with no patience endure a Superiour an humour that made him with great anxiety look upon the Honours which at the Duke's arrival at Burdeaux he receiv'd from the Parliament with the other Orders of the City and which were also continued to him by the Nobility at Cadillac who from all parts came in to do him Honour But if his impatience were great before it was rais'd up to the height when he knew the Duke who well enform'd of his dissatisfaction to make it yet more had invited all the Nobility and Gentry of the Country to Bordeaux to a publick running at the Ring a solemnity that being there to be kept where he was in Supreme Command the Duke knew would much more nettle and afflict him It is very true that the Duke might have forborn this Bravado to a man whom he knew to be so tender of his Honour as the Mareschal d' Ornano was and perhaps it was not well done to offer that to another he himself would never have endur'd from any man living in a place where he had commanded in Chief but having once engag'd in the business his great spirit whatever might succeed would by no means give him leave to desist especially when he knew the Mareschal was resolv'd by open force to oppose him This was that which made what was before only a private discontent to break out into open quarrel which grew so high that the Mareschal address'd himself to the Parliament where in the presence of them all he complain'd what a commotion the Duke went about to stir up amongst the people to the prejudice as he pretended of his Majesties Affairs acquainting them at the same time with his resolution to make his Garrison stand to their Arms to play his Cannon and in fine to do what in him lay with all the power and authority he had to break that appointment and to drive the Duke from the City This declaration from a man of his furious spirit as it very much troubled the whole Assembly so it gave the first President D' Affis one of the greatest men that Society ever had since its first institution and a particular friend of the Duke's having by him in his times of favour been rais'd to that dignity occasion to make use of his Eloquence in the best Arguments he could contrive to disswade the Mareschal from that determination but all in vain he had already given out his orders and summon'd the Gentry to come in to his assistance though not a man save only one call'd Ruat would appear a thing which though perfectly true appears almost incredible that a Governour of so great Authority and Repute should be able to procure no more than one single man to serve him against the Duke of Espernon in his own Government Neither were the people better dispos'd than the Nobility and Gentry to take Arms against the Duke all men on the contrary of any note both within and without the City so manifestly appearing for him that the Governour was forc'd to arm his Garrison of Corses and to call his Company of Gens-d ' Armes out of their Country Quarters into the Town which were yet apparently too weak to execute the Mareschal's design And this was in effect the main cause that hindred things from proceeding into a greater disorder the Duke satisfied with the advantage every one plainly saw he had over his Enemy being the more easily enclin'd to the Parliaments solicitations who had sent their second President Nesmond to him to entreat he would not persist in his first resolution at whose instance and being loath to disturb the Peace of his Country as also to expose the great number of Gentlemen of Quality who were about him against a Garrison in his own particular quarrel and having a greater
Mareschal Biron without my knowledge To whom the Duke reply'd again That he did not conceive it necessary to ask his Majestie 's leave to send a meer Complement to his Friend That seeing him come without a Guard or any apparent marks of disgrace and his Majesty treating him with the same favour he us'd to do he had on his part us'd him at the same rate he had ever done That it had been a custom long observ'd betwixt them that which of them soever had been any time absent from Court was at his return by some Servant of trust enform'd by the other of all the little passages had hapned during his absence That it was true he had in this occasion continued this custom That he humbly besought his Majesty to believe nothing more particular had pass'd betwixt them and that he had rather dye than once conceive a thought to the prejudice of his Majesties Service or his own duty That he hop'd the event would more clearly evidence the integrity of his actions but that nevertheless he thought it fit to give his Majesty that security in hand The King being well satisfied with the Duke's Reasons but much more with the Confidence he perceiv'd him to repose in his Justice and his own Innocency all jealousies that before had been infus'd into him to the prejudice of the Duke's Fidelity and Honour vanish'd away and he with the greatest care and assiduity was more than ever about his Majesties Person His Children which a little before he had brought to Court had order to continue about the young Dolphin's Person to be as it were Hostages of their Father's Innocence and the Mareschal's Tryal being at last over all Witnesses and Parties examin'd and heard without the least mention of the Duke of Espernon's name in all their practice his Majesty was not a little satisfied with himself that he had carried things with that moderation towards the Duke upon this occasion This untoward business was soon after seconded by another which though of far less dangerous consequence begaâ— the Duke nevertheless as much trouble as the first The Duke as he was ever very circumspect in his duty to preserve his Fidelity entire to the King so was he no less solicitous to maintain himself in all advantages deriving to him as particles of any of his Commands That of Colonel therefore having been conferr'd upon him by Henry III. with extraordinary priviledges as by his Patent does appear he could not endure the least violation of his Interest but with a stiffness that doubtless would have offended a less equitable Prince than that under whom he had the honour to serve was ever obstinate to maintain every punctilio of his right One of the greatest and of the greatest Honour that was annex'd to this Command was the power he had to name the Camp-Master to the Regiment of Guards when ever that place should be void and it hapned now that Grillon who had been possess'd of this Command before the Duke was created Colonel was fail'n into infirmities that rendred him incapable of his Charge Yet had his former Services been such as made it very reasonable he should however make his best advantage of it as his Majesty was content he should but having a singular and a very just respect for the Mareschal de l' Esdiguieres and a very great affection for his Son-in-law Crequy he intended the latter having first compounded with Grillon should be preferr'd to that Command intending perhaps hereby as much to clip the wings of the Duke's Authority which he had as Colonel over the Regiment of Guards as altogether to oblige Crequy The Duke advertis'd of his Majesties purpose could not forbear giving out aloud that he would never consent to it and the King on the contrary was resolv'd his pleasure should prevail But in the end after many oppositions which this good Prince was pleas'd to endure from a Servant the Duke who had never discover'd his mind to the King but by the mediation of others was resolv'd to deliver it to his Majesty with his own mouth as accordingly he did representing to him with a liberty which to his Subjects was none of the least felicities of his happy Reign the Justice of his Cause All which notwithstanding his reasons could not so prevail upon his Majesties temper but that he remain'd as firm as ever in his first resolution Which the Duke seeing and conceiving he could not consent to his Majesties desire without going less in the dignity of his place he rather chose to absent himself from Court than to be compell'd by an express and positive command to do a thing so much to the prejudice of his Authority and Honour and accordingly very much dissatisfied retir'd himself to Angoulesme The King who was not yet totally cur'd of a jealousie still kept awake by the practices the remainder of Biron's Faction not quiet extinct yet kept on foot in his Kingdom gave manifest signs of discontent at the Duke's departure and as he knew the alliance the Duke of Montpensier had contracted with his Family by his Match had begot a strict friendship betwixt them so was it to him especially that he spoke of it with the greatest freedom and in terms not without threats of the highest indignation This Prince who concern'd himself as much at the Duke's Interest as his own dispatch'd away to him in great diligence the Sieur de la Chetardie in whom he had an especial confidence to let him understand the King's displeasure and to remonstrate to him the danger he would expose himself unto should he longer persist in opposition to his Majesties pleasure who would herein be absolutely obey'd A caution by which the Duke plainly seeing he was reduc'd to a necessity either to bow or break he indeed chose the latter though not without high complaints of the injustice was done him which were neither so modest nor so private that they were not soon carried to the King's ear And though so stubborn an opposition in the Duke might reasonably enough have more exasperated the King against him yet such was the noble nature of this great Prince that it would not suffer him long to bear in mind the memory of his offense for the Duke had no sooner given his consent to Crequy's admission but that his Majesty commanded him the first thing he did to take a Journey a hundred Leagues from Paris to see his Colonel to take his Oath betwixt his hands to obtain his hand to his Commission and to receive his Order for his admission into his place Civilities by which although the King endeavour'd to give the Duke all satisfaction yet could they not so far reconcile him but that at Crequy's arrival he made him wait a whole day together at his Chamber door and expect some days after before he would receive his Oath or Sign his Commission And although he was himself very sensible that so many manifest aversions were
posture after which he told them that his Sword was yet in the Scabbard his own words but that if before he went thence there was not order taken for the security of the City and Kingdom by declaring the Queen Regent he foresaw to his great grief he must be compell'd to draw it against the Enemies of the Crown and to fill the City with Blâ—od and Confusion That he knew there were some amongst them who would ask respite to deliberate upon the things propos'd but that he must tell them beforehand nothing was so dangerous as delay That in many great occurrences it was wisdom not to be too precipitous and to proceed slowly and by degrees to a final determination but that here it was quite otherwise it being necessary in this Crisis of Affairs to cut off all difficulties and immediately to resolve upon the thing propounded That what might to day be concluded without danger could not be done to morrow without Blood and Slaughter and indeed what pretense could any man have to ask respiâ—e in this case what was requir'd of them out of the rule of Equity and nature To whom was the King's Fortune more properly to be intrusted than to her who brought him into the world or to whose care the safety of the Kingdom than to her who for the space of ten years had with the late King been a Coadjutrix in raising it to that degree of height and reputation wherein it now stood He told them that the Queen was a Princess for whom his Majesty from the hour of his Marriage had never had any reservation in his most weighty and most â—ecret Affairs That he had made her his Companion in all his Expeditions That he had already deputed the Regency of the Kingdom during his absence into her hands a preordination after which he could not believe any one would dare to contradict the Judgment of a Prince so great in himself and so solicitous of the good and welfare of his Kingdom That therefore the most effectual means to preserve the Peace and Tranquillity wherein France had been happy many years was to concur in the King's Judgment and to justifie his Election That the discontents which govern'd in the minds of many men of very eminent condition were very well known to all That those persons it might easily be believ'd wanted no adherents That the impatient humour of the French in hopes to make their advantage of any disorder in the State would be apt to create more Mutineers if things were not settled in due season That there was no time so fruitful in Sedition nor so proper for mischief as when mutinous spirits were in suspense whom to obey That if ever this evil disposition was to be fear'd it was chiefly now when all the Forces of the Kingdom were on foot That they would doubtless soon be practis'd on all hands so that if by the prudence of that Assembly such temptations were not prevented those noble Troops design'd for the enlargement of the Borders of France and for the glory of the French name would by an unhappy and a sad revolution be seen to employ their Arms to the ruine of their own Country That they were therefore to take time whilst things remain'd yet inviolate and capable of the best impressions to mould them into the best form which depended upon their immediate Election That he had put the Regiment of Guards all the King's Servants and his own particular Friends into Arms that they might at convenient liberty and security deliberate of what he then propos'd that he knew very well what he now advis'd them to was without President but that he hop'd an Act of so great utility and importance to the publick good would one day obtain the Authority of Example and add to the Dignity and Reputation of that Honourable Body a priviledge by so much the more their due by how much they had never till then possess'd it That they did not need to apprehend herein their Authority should be prostituted to Arbitration or be disputed by any but that how high and generous soever their results might be they should infallibly be executed and that he and all his Friends were ready to lose their lives or to cause them to be inviolably obey'd The Duke's Oration being ended the whole Assembly remain'd in a profound silence and being equally astonish'd at the Accident had hapned and surpriz'd at the Proposition was made not a man on the sudden durst either by word or action express his thoughts only President Harlay in few words Gave the Duke thanks for the affection he had manifested to the Service of the Kingdom and to the Honour of that Assembly exhorting him to persevere in a passion so worthy of his Vertue and so becoming the place and honour he possess'd amongst them Whereupon the Duke perceiving their silence still to continue and unwilling to give them occasion to complain that by his presence he had extorted from them a resolution contrary to their sense and opinion he retir'd himself But at his departure that they might understand there was something of necessity in the case he told them aloud That what he had propounded was the best course they could take and that they were therefore absolutely and suddenly to resolve upon it Upon which last words the Sieur de la Guesle the Attorny General taking hold began in a short Speech to break the Ice by representing to the Assembly That though what had been propounded by the Duke of Espernon seem'd by the respect wherewith it had been deliver'd to be a thing wherein they were free to determine yet that what he had last said imply'd a kind of necessity but a necessity by so much the more just and honourable by how much the Peace of the Kingdom would not only be secur'd thereby but also a great advantage to their Body would certainly accrue That it was therefore in his opinion better immediately and voluntarily to declare the Regency to be in the Queen than to stay till their consent should be wrested from them upon compulsion and perhaps in a season when they should have no thanks for their labour Which being said the whole Assembly forthwith concluded upon the business by that Act not only securing the Peace of the Kingdom but also introducing a great example to pitch upon the same and an equally salutiferous resolution in our days when out great Queen Anne of Austria was settled in the Regency by virtue of the same Election I have often heard the Duke discourse of this Transaction wherein though he acknowledg'd his proceeding to be by an unusual and something an irregular way Yet that the Queens Regency being as yet not authorized by the Suffrages of any of the Princes of the Blood whose arrival also should it have been expected would probably have put all things into Confusion he thought it necessary to have it ratified by the consent of the people
the Queen who had no mind to be kept any longer at a distance from the King her Son endeavour'd with Luines and that with all the insinuation and artifice her haughty and imperious nature would permit to remove those difficulties which as they had been the causes of their former separation were most likely to oppose their concurrence now The next day after her arrival the King with all his Royal houshold came also to Cousieres where at their first enterview there was nothing but mutual manifestations of great affection and tenderness on both sides from whence their Majesties went the same day to Tours where for some days they continued together but in the end after all this dissembled kindness the King returning towards Paris left the Queen more dissatisfied to see her self oblig'd to go to Anger 's after so many assurances that had been given her she should no more depart from Court than she had been before pleas'd with these demonstrations of Honour and Respect wherewith they had endeavour'd to deceive her credulity and to flatter her sincere intention From thenceforward therefore she so far resented Lâ—ines his ill usage as to meditate a revenge and how by a second War to procure what by this first Peace she saw she could not obtain neither was the Bishop of Luçon become now absolute with her sorry to see her so dispos'd He consider'd that whilst his Mistriss remain'd thus excluded from Court her power being so small his could not consequently be very great a consideration that made this aspiring spirit who already had propos'd to himself no less than the Government of the Kingdom suffer if possible with greater impatience than the Queen her self those obstacles that he saw were oppos'd to the level of his haughty Ambition and vast designs Animated therefore with these reflections he began to labour a good intelligence betwixt such as he knew were dissatisfied with the present Government to re-unite them in the Queens Interest as discontented as they Neither was it any hard matter to win many over to her side the happy issue the Duke of Espernon had single and alone procur'd to this Princesses Affairs having got him so great a reputation that the major part of the great ones of the Kingdom made no great difficulty of engaging in a cause they had seen so easily and by so little means to succeed Of this number was the Count de Soissons and the Countess his Mother the Dukes of Longueville and Vandosme the Grand Prior of France the Dukes of Mayenne and Retz with many other Princes and Lords of very eminent condition Had the Duke of Espernon not been concern'd in the first business he could never have been drawn into this so many confederates of almost equal quality giving him to apprehend more from their ill intelligence betwixt one another than he could reasonably hope from their union but the Queen who repos'd her chiefest confidence in him who had already made trial of his Service and found it so successful to her did so ply him with reiterated favours and entreaties that he could not handsomly avoid engaging in her behalf Neither had he so long stood off that he had fewer particular grievances than the rest but having engag'd his Faith to the Duke de Luines it would have been almost impossible to have perswaded him to break his word had not Luines himself given the first example and on that side it was that the Queen assaulted the Duke by representing to him the non-performances of those things had been promis'd and that as it had been principally through his assistance she had obtain'd all that had been granted to her she expected he should see the Articles of the Treaty fulfill'd endeavouring to perswade him that his own honour was no less interested therein than her satisfaction And that he might the better taste her reasons she fail'd not to prepossess him with all sorts of civilities and favour honouring him with some presents whereof one was a very fine Watch set all over with Diamonds and very curiously wrought which she accompanied with a Letter as kind as could possibly be writ upon such an occasion wherein amongst other obliging expressions she told him That the Diamonds wherewith it was embellish'd were not more firm than her affection and that he might assure himself the Services she had receiv'd from his generosity should ofter come into her memory than the hand of that Watch should point out hours every day To which words which were it seems the way of writing at that time and none of my invention I have neither added nor diminish'd But by this complement and several other testimonies of affection and esteem the Queen having awak'd the passion the Duke had to give her always all satisfaction she gave him consecutively a full accompt of her determination of all the persons of quality she had made to her party and of the powerful means she intended to make use of to re-instate her self in that degree of honour which was due to her Person and Dignity Whereupon the Duke considering this second action as dependent upon the first solemnly engag'd himself and made an absolute promise once more to serve her If the Queen was thus diligent to form and redintegrate her party Luines on the other side was no less industrious now than he had been before to break and disunite it He very well knew the Queen to be discontent which she had her self so publickly profess'd that could be no secret He was moreover inform'd that most of the great persons in the Kingdom had engag'd with her and though he doubted not but that the Duke of Espernon from whom she had for the time pass'd receiv'd so many good Offices continued still his ancient fidelity to her yet would he notwithstanding feel his pulse by la Croix de Bleré whom he dispatch'd away to him to that purpose This Gentleman therefore comes to the Duke to Angoulesme in the time of the Carnaval where he found him taken up with entertainments that nothing relish'd of the meditation of an approaching War making merry with the Company of the Town which at this Festival was increas'd with several Families of the neighbouring Gentry La Croix who would by all means make use of his dexterity to sound the Duke's intention met with a person in him that was not easie to be pry'd into so that the Duke after having discours'd with him in general terms of the Queen Mothers Interests and Affairs and having return'd a civil answer to Luines his Complement dismiss'd his Ambassadour perfectly instructed of what he conceal'd from none and of what he did not care Luines himself should know The first Essay having given the Favourite no great satisfaction who already saw that Affairs began to grow hot with the season that the Count de Soissons with the Countess his Mother had left the Court that the Duke of Mayenne
those of the King embodied and acting by one sole authority could in a moment produce the effects of all their power it was no hard matter for the Cardinal to frustrate the attempts of all these Forein Princes and to repel even upon them themselves who were most active to destroy him the designs they had projected for his ruine If the Cardinal's wisdom was of great use to him as questionless it was upon this occasion it must likewise be confess'd that Fortune did no little contribute to his safety who from the extremities of the North rais'd him up a Prince one of the most eminent and great in all qualities both Military and Civil that latter ages have produc'd and that was the great Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden This Prince in truth inconsiderable enough had not his single Person and Valour in themselves been worth the greatest Armies undertook to invade Germany and to assault the Emperour in the heart of his own Dominions notwithstanding that this mighty Prince who had already subdu'd all the powers that were opposite to him possess'd that Empire compos'd of many Kingdoms in a greater degree of Sovereignty than any of his Predecessors who had sway'd that Scepter for many Ages before him had ever done These difficulties sufficient to have discourag'd and withheld the mightiest powers serv'd only for Spurs to the ambition of this generous and magnanimous Prince He entred then into Germany where at his coming he proclaim'd liberty to all the Princes and People a great allurement indeed but his large promises without some advantageous effects were not of force to draw many Partizans over to his side He sought therefore with great eagerness an occasion wherein to make tryal of his Arms which he knew was the only way to win himself Reputation and Friends and the Emperour who had no less Interest to stop the impetuosity of an Invader who came to brave him in the heart of his own Empire oppos'd to this Torrent and that under the command of the best and most fortunate Leaders he had his Army hitherto victorious over all the Forces they had met in the Field but the glory of all those Victories serv'd only to render that of the King of Sweden more illustrious which he obtain'd over these Conquerours at the Battel of Lipsick by which great and famous action having rendred his name till then almost unknown formidable throughout the whole Empire he ran from one extremity thereof to the other almost without any resistance at least without meeting any impediment that could stop his way The Cardinal as he had good reason rendred himself very facile and favourable to this Prince who seem'd to be come out of his Rocks and Desarts for no other end save only to defend his quarrel He assisted him therefore in the beginning with some few men and a little money which though not very considerable the Swede nevertheless gave so important a diversion to the House of Austria that having their hands more than full of their own Affairs they were far from being in any capacity of traversing their Neighbours designs If the Emperour had enough to do at home the King of Spain had no less need of all his Forces at the Siege of Mastrick and the Duke of Lorain depriv'd of the support of these two great Princes under whose shadow and protection he had taken Arms being of himself unable to withstand the King's Power was necessitated as he had done some time before to fly to his Majesties mercy By the Treaty of Vic concluded in the beginning of the year he had dâ—liver'd Marsal to the King by way of caution for the performance of his word and for this second of Liverdune he moreover assign'd to him Stenay Iamets and Clairmont upon which good security his Majesty having granted him peace he was constrain'd to observe it though it was only not long after to break it from whence ensu'd the loss of his whole Dukedom The Monsieur seeing himself thus defeated of all hopes of any Forein assistance his Servants assay'd to procure that for him at home they saw was not elsewhere to be expected to which end Letters from the Queen Mother and himself were presented to the Parliament of Paris to try if by that application they could interest that Assembly in their grievances and inveagle the Parisians into a good opinion of their cause but all in vain they practis'd moreover several discontented persons whose assistance consisting only of a very few men was also of no great effect the remains of the Hugonot party were likewise tamper'd withal but besides that they were reduc'd to such a low condition that they had greater need of some Potent Prince to protect them than that they were in any capacity to repair the fortune of a great Prince declin'd there was so good order taken to hold them in in all parts of the Kingdom that not a man amongst them durst once offer to stir The Cardinal having from the beginning of the year foreseen that the discontents of the Queen Mother and the Monsieur exasperated and fomented by strangers would infallibly bring a War upon the Kingdom had omitted no manner of precaution that might serve to frustrate their designs he had caus'd the Kings standing Regiments both of Horse and Foot to be reinforc'd had put sufficient Garrisons into all the important Cities had by very severe prohibitions forestall'd all such as were likely to engage with the Enemy and those of the Religion though already upon the matter subduâ—d being yet in some sorâ— even in their impotency to be suspected he had taken a particular care to make sure of them upon this occasion What difficulties soever the punctual execution of these Orders had strew'd in the way of the Monsieur 's designs and notwithstanding that he saw himself abandoned by his Forein friends sufficiently taken up with their own particular Affairs he thought nevertheless that the sole interest of the Duke of Montmorency who was absolutely at his Devotion would of it self enable him to execute his revenge for the injuries he had receiv'd Upon which assurance he entred the Kingdom in Iune accompanied only with two thousand Horse pick'd up of several Nations and two thousand Foot or thereabouts taking his way through Burgundy without making any discovery into what part of France he intended to retire and then it was that the King's Orders and dispatches were redoubled and sent with great diligence into all parts of the Kingdom to which it was probable those Forces would direct their March They seem'd principally to threaten either Languedoc or Guienne the Governours of which two Provinces having no great reason to be very well satisfied with the Court the Cardinal did not well know what to think of them nor what to promise to himself from their Fidelity in so critical a time Of these the Duke of Montmorency the more reason the Court had to be jealous of his
many several impressions in mens minds as their inclinations were different towards him But the King was afflicted beyond imagination though his Majesty was not long in that error For some of the company having immediately descended the precipice found the Horse who by good fortune fell plum upon his feet and bore the whole weight of the fall kill'd stone dead but the Duke miraculously escap'd with only a slight hurt in the Shoulder This accident set all the Court Wits on work neither was there any who did not write something upon this occasion but that which most pleas'd the Duke was an Emblem that was presented to him The body of the Emblem was a figure of the Duke himself hanging upon the brow of a precipice so as that he seem'd to be irrecoverably falling from that prodigious height when Fortune running to his succour withdrew him from the danger with this Motto in Italian the first words thereof expressing his name Eper non lasciarti mai A Motto the Duke at first took for a good Omen which time and his own good conduct after turn'd into a kind of Prophesie and causing it to be grav'd in a Cornelian and set in a Ring he wore it many years upon his Finger as a mark of his gratitude to Fortune or rather Providence which is effectually that we call Fortune to which he ever attributed all the successes of his life rather than to his own conduct By this accident the Kings affection to the Duke seem'd to be augmented at least it made a greater shew of tenderness than in former occasions his Majesty never almost departing his Chamber during the time he was constrain'd to keep his Bed and it was in this condition that he gave the King a full account of his Journey and Negotiation a thing that furnish'd the League with a sufficient pretense to decry the Kings actions neither did the Chiefs of that Faction fail to cause it proclaim'd in the Pulpits as it is usual to make Holy Places and Religious men the Scenes and Instruments to blemish the Actions of Princes that his Majesty was strictly united with Hereticks and that this slander might the better be believ'd the Duke of Espernon's Voyage whom they endeavour'd to render odious to the people by calling him the Abetter of that Party was first brought upon the stage they publish'd that Negotiation to be a conspiracy against the Catholick Religion which was no way to be oppos'd but with their Swords in their hands So that this was the first Pretense they made use of to colour their Rebellion But before they would proceed to the effects of so violent a Rupture the Duke of Guise who would have been glad to have won the Duke of Espernon to his Party by that means to remove those Obstacles which the Dukes Vigour and Fidelity ever had and were still likely to oppose to his Designs caus'd him to be treated with about a match with his Daughter since Princess of Conty a Princess that for the beauty of her person the vigour of her mind and many other endowments and excellent qualities had few rivals in the Kingdom neither was the Duke of Espernon so blind as not to see the honour he should receive by this alliance had it been propos'd in a more quiet time or had the Duke her Father been upon better terms with the King but knowing he must by such a match abandon his duty or at least be oblig'd to favour designs he could by no means approve the last consideration so absolutely prevail'd above the other that he scarce deliberated upon a thing that was likely to stagger his fidelity and how dangerous soever it were to declare himself an open enemy to the Duke of Guise which he must of necessity do by refusing his alliance he rather chose to run that hazard than to faulter in the least in the duty he ow'd to his Prince and Benefactor It is hard to judge what passions of grief and despite the Duke of Guise was possest withal to see his designs so frustrated and his offer so despis'd by this refusal which was in it self no light offense neither did he afterwards meditate any thing more than his revenge and how to destroy him he could neither by civilities nor by threats acquire unto him but his fury was rais'd to the height by a new Honour the Duke and conferr'd upon him which was the second Pretense the League took hold of to justifie their proceedings The King had some time before this bought the Duke of Mayenne out of his charge of Admiral of France which the Duke had the rather laid down in favour of the Duke of Ioyeuse and his Majesty desirous to conferre upon the Duke of Espernon also some Office of the Crown to continue the same equality he had ever observ'd in their Fortunes propos'd to the Duke of Guise a very advantageous recompense in lieu of his Office of Grand-Maistre to the Kings Houshold and it seem'd probable he would follow the example of his Brother the Duke of Mayenne who doubtless had not quitted so important a charge without his elder Brother's advice but the Duke of Guise notwithstanding would never comply with his Majesties desire and though the King would never permit him to exercise any function of his charge thereby to make him weary of it yet was he still more obstinately bent to keep it nor would ever consent as he said That his Enemy should possess any of those charges he had exerciz'd and been invested withal The King seeing him so obstinate and perhaps not more solicitous to advance the Fortune of his Favourite than willing to spite the Duke of Guise resolv'd with himself to erect purposely for the Duke of Espernon an Office so honourable and so great as should by its authority and power infinitely surpass all other the highest and most important employments both of the State and Crown and this was that of Colonel General of France an Office formerly divided into two on this side and on that side the Mountains of which Andelot had possest the one and Strozzi the other and after Andelot's death they were united in Strozzi who remain'd sole Colonel After Strozzi's decease the King having by an Edict re-united these two Offices into one made it an Office of the Crown under the Title of Colonel General of France caus'd that Edict to be ratified in Parliament attributing to it the absolute power to name in general Officers for all the vacant places in the French Militia without so much as excepting from this nomination that of Camp-Master to the Regiment of Guards He establish'd for the Colonel a Sovereign Court of Justice or Council of War to determine of the Lives and Honours of Military men without calling any other to it than his own Officers adding to it besides several Graunts Priviledges and Pensions and finally to sum up all his bounty his Majesty delivering the Commission
he hop'd his Majesty would himself one day commend his Zeal to Religion which ought to be the first thing in every good man's prospect and which was also his sole object in that resolution wherein he would live and die That he was retiring into his Governments where his Actions should justifie the integrity of his heart and that he would there serve the King to his utmost power by making Warre upon those whom he knew to be enemies to his Service This was the Duke's Declaration to his private Friends to which his Conduct afterwards was so conformable as sufficiently demonstrated to all the world that he was possess'd with a better spirit than that of Ambition 'T is true his determination was in it self positive and bold and he had reason in all apparence to apprehend a dangerous issue and has himself ever acknowledg'd that according to the Maxims of humane Prudence he herein committed a dangerous error but that having nothing but the sole interest of Religion for his aim he had reap'd greater advantages by it than he durst have propos'd to himself from any other resolution and that he did believe it was from this fountain he since deriv'd all the successes of his Life of which the most signal was that his Majesty himself after some time having pierc'd deeper into the candour of his intention receiv'd him into as high a degree of Favour as any of his other Servants but it was not until he had first receiv'd many infallible and continual proofs of his Loyalty and Affection Having after this manner deserted the Army he soon arriv'd at Angoulesme where the first thing he did after his arrival was to send the Pope an accompt of his proceeding and that he had been constrain'd to quit the Army being bound so to do out of his respect to the Catholick Religion It was also requisite he should by a Declaration purge himself from the Calumnies cast upon him by the League who had deliver'd him to the people for a grand Confederate with the Hereticks But other particular correspondencies he had none for of all Foreign Princes the Popes were only they with whom he ever held any intelligence and whatever has been said to the contrary he ever preserv'd his fidelity unspoâ—ted from the practices of other Princes who daily tempted him with no contemptible offers to an intelligence with them a vertue not to be pass'd over in this part of his Life without a worthy mention it being in a time when few of the great ones of either party had so temperate a respect for their duty the misfortunes of the time and the various Factions that divided the Kingdom seeming as it were to give every one liberty to fortifie the interests of his own party by all the Friends and Confederates he could make The Duke having engag'd himself before his retirement from the Army to serve the King by all the ways he could would now sit no longer idle but gave immediate order for the recruit of his Troops and the experience of what had formerly past having given him sufficiently to understand what confidence was to be â—epos'd in the people he was now resolv'd no longer to depend upon their giddy and volâ—ble humour nor no more be subject to such commotions as his Enemies might attempt to raise amongst that credulous and mutinous rabble He therefore caus'd a considerable Fortification to be speedily rais'd at the Castle of Angoulesme the King having given him leave so to do as also to raise what mony was necessary to the perfecting that work upon the Province He likewise rais'd another at Xaintes so that in a short time he secur'd himself from all Surprizes like that of St. Laurence but he had scarce time to settle this good order in his Governments when he was call'd away to look after other and those very considerable Affairs that immediately concern'd the safety of the Kingdom All the Provinces of the Kingdom being divided betwixt the King and the League it was to be expected that the great Cities would likewise â—andy within their own Walls and stand up for the one party or the other as mens passions or judgments enclin'd them to the cause Of this number was the City of Limoges where the Bishop who was of the Family of Marthoine assisted by the Sieurs de Pompadou de la Guâ—rche de Rastignac de la Chappelle Biron and many other Gentlemen of Quality favour'd also by many of the Inhabitants labour'd all he could to make the Town and City declare for the Duke of Mayenne and his Faction wherein nevertheless he at first met some difficulty but proceeding from perswasions to open force he by the assistance of those Gentlemen made himself Master of the City and was upon the point to have made himself also Master of the Town when the Count de la Voute eldest Son to the Duke of Ventadour put himself into it and made all possible resistance to preserve it out of their hands Yet had he not his Party being so much the weaker been able long to have held out had not the Duke of Espernon advertis'd of this disorder come in to his timely succour But at the report of the Duke's arrival the Leaguers immediately dispers'd themselves abandoning the City they already possess'd as he afterwards turn'd all suspected persons out of the Town and settled it so well by the prudent order he establish'd there that it never after started from its duty but on the contrary continued so firm and maintained it self so well that it was almost the only City of the Kingdom which tasted not of those miseries with which the Civil War by taking re-taking plunder and other mischiefs infested all other Cities of France a happiness that place principally owes to the timely succour it receiv'd from the Duke of Espernon's vigilance and care The example of the Capital City contain'd almost all the lesser Cities of the Province in his Majesties Obedience neither was there any except that of St. Germain which refus'd to keep within the limits of its Duty but that declaring for the League constrain'd the Duke to turn his Forces that way to reduce it Puiferrat a Gentleman of the Country commanded there who after some vollies of Cannon shot surrendred upon conditions that he and his Souldiers should have free Quarter and march away with Bag and Baggage a capitulation notwithstanding very ill observ'd to the Duke 's great displeasure who having appointed the elder Sobole's Troop of Light Horse for their Convoy without considering their Officer had been kill'd at the Siege the Cavaliers incens'd at the loss of their Captain reveng'd his Death upon these miserable people and cut them almost all to pieces A cruelty some Authors have laid to the Duke's charge though very unjustly for had his generous heart been capable of committing so dishonourable a crime what advantage could he have propos'd to himself from so â—oul a
was superior to him in Name and Person wherâ—fore at his entring upon hâ—s command having found the King set down before la Fere he thought he could not give a more glorious beginning to his administration than by force or policy to defeat that his Majesties design An undertaking which for the difficulty and danger thereof was every way worthy the greatness of his mind for the King having foreseen the Spaniard would infallibly attempt a relief had forgot nothing that might serve to frustrate their endeavours His Forces were great his works about the place compleat and perfect and almost all the most experienc'd Captains of his Kingdom were come in from all parts to attend his Majesties Person and to signalize themselves in so brave an occasion all which being very well known to the Cardinal of Austria he durst not notwithstanding his earnest desire to relieve that 〈◊〉 engage his Army in so dangerous an attempt but rather â—earken'd to the Counsels of such as more warily advis'd to raise that 〈◊〉 by an attempt upon some other place of a greater or no 〈◊〉 â—â—portance Amongst the many opinions that were deliver'd in the Cardinals Council abovt this Affair the ill Fortune of France would have the counsel of a Frenchman to prevail that by the procurement of one of her own Sons this Kingdom might receive the greatest dishonour it could possibly sustain And this was the advice of Rhosne a Gentleman born in Champagne upon the Frontiers of Lorain one who having in the infancy of the League devoted himself to the Duke of Guise and done him many signal services in his life after his death persevering in the evil cause he had before embrac'd had put himself under the Duke of Mayenne and so far his too violent zeal to Religion or the error of his judgment which might be deluded amongst the rest were rather to be excus'd and pittied than his carriage absolutely to be condemn'd but after the Duke of Mayenne was reduc'd to reason and had given up his cause his yet engaging himself with the King 's most implacable enemies made it manifest to all that his turbulent spirit would stick at no mischief he could any ways effect against his Prince and Country This man then discrediting in the Cardinals Council all the diversions had been there propos'd as by making an attempt upon St. Quintin Montreuille Boulogne or Guise gave advice to fall upon Calice at the same time offering himself to be the man that would undertake and accomplish the design A proposition of so high and generous a nature that the Cardinals ambition which was bent â—pon some noble atchievement being fir'd thereby he was afterwards deaf to all other Counsels and so wholly bent upon an enterprize so suitable to the greatness of his mind that without further delay he gave immediate order to dispose all things for the execution of that design To which end his Army was forthwith drawn into the Field and there divided into three several bodies to amuse the King and to keep him in doubt of the course he intended to steer a policy not very necessary to the concealment of his design it being impossible any one could imagine he durst so much as meditate the thoughts of an enterprize which to all mens astonishment he so suddenly effected that the King had no sooner intelligence of his motion but that withal news was brought him of the loss of the place Bidossan Governour of Calice surpriz'd with so unexpected a Siege was in a few days reduc'd to so great an extremity that he was forc'd to dispatch a Post to the King to acquaint his Majesty with the Articles of his capitulation which was to make a positive surrender if within six days he was not reliev'd at which unhappy and unexpected news his Majesty being beyond all expression afflicted he advanc'd with all diligence as far as Boulogne in hope that the convenient vicinity of that place would give him some opportunity or other to send in some relief to the besieged before the time of limitation should expire neither did he fail to try all possible ways by which he conceiv'd it might be done but all in vain the contrary winds by Sea and the Enemies vigilancy by Land still frustrating what ever endeavour he could use when one sole Servant of the Duke of Espernon's had the good hap beyond all humane expectation to put himself into the place Fortune being it should seem resolv'd by the performance of one of his Servants to confer upon the Master though absent the honour of the bravest exploit that pass'd upon this occasion The man whose resolution was so eminent in this affair was commonly call'd the black Cadet a Gentleman of the house of Campagnol who bravely undertook and as bravely perform'd the Action His elder Brother by the Duke's Favour was preferr'd to be Captain of a Company in the Regiment of Guards and his own Lieutenant in the Government of Boulogne as this also had a Company in the Regiment of Picardy with which he had likewise been gratified by the Dukes Bounty This Gentleman no sooner receiv'd intelligence of the Enemies motion towards Calice but that he immediately repair'd to his Brother at Boulogne where he was at his Majesties arrival there and where his courage not permitting him to sit still in so general a consternation as appear'd in all persons about the King he made a voluntary offer of himself to pass through the Enemies Guards into the Town of Calice with any number of men his Majesty would please to commit to his charge or to perish in the attempt The valour of the man was so well try'd and known that the King doubted not in the least of his performance to the utmost of what could by man be done but the danger was such that his Majesty was very unwilling to expose so brave a Gentleman to so manifest a ruine yet such was his importunity and the occasion of such importance that at last three hundred men only were assign'd him with which by the favour of the night and his own good conduct he arriv'd safe at Calice without the loss of so much as any one man so that certainly had he carried a more considerable number of men the Town had been sav'd but as the case then stood the must content himself with the honour of his own bravery without reaping any other benefit from the success of his attempt The term of six days being expir'd the Enemy sent to summon the Town to a surrender according to the Articles of Capitulation betwixt them to which summons they had no other return than this that the besieg'd were now acquit of their promise and that they had receiv'd a relief an answer at which Râ—osne being more enrag'd than the Arch-Duke himself he presently caus'd the Cannon to play with greater fury than at any time before during the Siege when a sufficient breach being
made he prepar'd the Army for a general assault The assault was accordingly given in the beginning of which Bedossan being slain Campagnol took upon him his Authority and Command giving the Enemy after two hours sharp fight a brave and notable repulse which notwithstanding the breach was so wide as was impossible long to be defended by so few men as he had left which made the Enemy by frequent Messages often put him in mind of what he himself knew as well as they by representing to him the desperate condition the place was in and his own inevitable ruine should be longer persist in his defense offering him at the same time conditions of Honour and Advantage if he would deliver up the Town but all to no purpose he had not put himself into that place with so much hazard of his life to depart thence in so great security the assault therefore was again renew'd and the Enemy again beaten back but coming up the third time with greater fury than ever before and bringing up still fresh Companies to succeed those who were beaten off Campagnol's men were in fine overcome by numbers and constrain'd to retire a thing their Captain scorn'd to do who though alone and abandon'd by all still fought with the same courage and vigour when his resistance how brave soever being too weak to stop the torrent of a victorious crowd he was at last rather overwhelm'd than overcome and by a multitude taken prisoner with this resemblance nevertheless betwixt his honour and disgrace that as he had appear'd single in the defense of the Town so was he also alone in his imprisonment the Enemy killing all that fled before them without humanity or respect of persons excepting of his who had so undauntedly stood alone in his defense wherein his Vertue was his refuge D' Avila attributes this Action to the Sieur de Matelet whom he qualifies Governour of Foix although Cardinal Bentivoglio in his description of this Siege Mounsieur de Thou and D' Aubigné make no mention of any such man Yet it is true that Matelet had so great a share in the business as ought not to be pass'd over without its due report of honour for the King having commanded him with an hundred Gentlemen of his Court to cut his way through the Enemies Army during the heat of the Assault and to put himself into the Town it was no fault of his that his Majesty fail'd of his desire he did what was by valour to be done though he was not so fortunate as to perform his Majesties command neither was the Enemies Army so thin but that they had men enough to maintain the Assault and at the same time to intercept such petty succours as those so that those hundred Gentlemen were almost all cut to pieces with very little resistance a panick fear having made them blind to their own safety and honour excepting Matelet who bravely fighting as fortunately escap'd Thus was Calice lost the King himself in a manner looking on after which Guines and Ham were carried without resistance successes with which Rhosne being yet unsatisfied he had moreover the confidence to undertake the Siege of Ardres which the same day that la Fere was surrendred to the King surrendred also to him as if he had been in fee with Fortune and that she had been oblig'd to give him all the respite was necessary for the execution of his Designs for in effect the same day that concluded the Cardinals Conquests had in all probability determin'd of his honour and put a ruinous period to all his Affairs had his successes gone on with never so little a slower pace The King in the whole course of his life was never perhaps more astonish'd and afflicted than at these disgraces and his great spirit was prone enough to prompt him on to an immediate revenge by obstinately settling himself to the recovery of the Places he had lately lost since the Cardinal 's sudden retreat had put him out of all possibility of fighting but his prudence laying before him the difficulty of the enterprize he rather chose to give his Army some refreshment which had been tir'd out with the tedious Siege of la Fere than anew to expose them to other dangers and such as were like enough to be the ruine of them all Wherefore having distributed them into the most commodious quarters upon the Frontier to be in readiness against the next fair season he left the Mareschal de Biron to command them with order upon the first opportunity to enter into the Enemies Country and to make them feel his Majesties Arms whilst himself retir'd to Paris to consult with his Subjects about the means he was to pursue in the vindication of his own and the Nations honour for the Attempts the Enemy had made upon his Crown and Kingdom The King being come to Paris and either not expecting or not finding that readiness or ability he expected in his own people who having been harrass'd and impoverish'd with past mischiefs were now very unfit to supply him with mony proportionable to the greatness of his designs he saw he must of necessity have recourse to Strangers his ancient Consederates and Allies to which purpose he dispatch'd away Ambassadors to Elizabeth Queen of England to the States of Holland and to some Princes of Germany during which Negotiations the Pope who from the month of September 1595. had given the King Absolution in the persons of Messieurs du Perron and d' Ossat his Majesties Agents at Rome desiring now to see an effectual re-establishment of the Catholick Religion in France and a reformation of such abuses as were crept into the Church during the disorders of the Kingdom resolv'd upon sending a Legat at this time to appoint what was necessary to be done for his entire satisfaction Neither was this the only though the principal end of this dispatch this good and holy Pope having further a design to set on foot a Treaty of Accommodation betwixt the two Crowns conceiving he did not fully discharge the Duty of the Common Father of Christians if after having given repose to the King's Conscience he did not also procure a good and lasting Peace betwixt two the greatest Princes of the Holy Church To this good end Cardinal de Medicis the Pope's Legat fail'd not according to his Instructions so soon as he arriv'd in France to offer some propositions of Reconciliation betwixt the two Crowns which though well receiv'd by the King yet did they not hinder him from making his preparations for a smart and vindictive War he had as has been said renew'd his Alliances with his Confederates and had further call'd an Assembly of several the most intelligent persons of his Kingdom by their joynt advice to find out the most easie and indifferent ways of raising mony upon his people for the prosecution of the War which Assembly by reason of the Plague which was that year
inclination to decide it in his own person when it might be done with less noise and tumult with the Mareschal man to man he was content to let things rest till a fitter opportunity and quietly departed the City to his own house In this Journey to Cadillac he was accompanied with President Nesmond a Gentleman of great merit and his particular friend for whom after the death of President D' Affis he obtained the Dignity of first President during the Regency of the Queen Mother with many other Principal Members of that Parliament and City whither he was no sooner come but that the Gentry of the Higher Gascony at the report of this Quarrel flock'd to him in so great a number that scarce any occasion could have hapned wherein his interest in that Country could have been more manifestly seen And here the Duke environ'd with so many of his Friends pass'd his time in that jollity and mirth and appear'd so little concern'd at any thing that had pass'd betwixt the Mareschal d' Ornano and him as made every one certainly believe all had been absolutely forgot where after having spent some days and his company being retir'd to their own houses he himself also departed to go visit his paternal estate and from thence to Tholouse From hence it was that whilst every one thought him more intent upon his recreations than mindful of his quarrel he dispatch'd away a Page of his call'd Talanges who continued long after in his Service to the Mareschal d' Ornano with a Challenge which I will here present my Reader word for word as I transcrib'd it from the original draught under the Duke 's own hand wherein though there be no studied stile there is nevertheless something of a natural and easie bluntness that methinks sounds better than if it had been couch'd with greater care and art the words are these Sir I make no doubt but that when the toy took you to commit the action and to make the bustle you did against me at Bordeaux the last of August you did then believe knowing me for such as the men of Honour of this Kingdom know me to be that that Carriage of yours must needs give me a just desire to talk with you as indeed I passionately do and that after the manner commonly practis'd by men of honour of my Profession which is the reason I have sent this Page on purpose to let you know that I am going to Court where I shall wait four months in expectation either by return of this Bearer or by what other honourable way you shall think fit of an assignment from you of a day and place where I may have the happiness to embrace you in your Shirt with the Arms of a Cavalier which are a Sword and Poignard that I may there let you see it is not in the power of a Corse to affront a Gentleman of France who remains yours to serve you as much as by the courtesie you have shew'd to him he stands oblig'd From Tholouse the 7th of September Sign'd I. Lewis de la Valette And in a Postscript I do assure you upon my Faith that no one living knows a syllable of what I have written to you not the Page himself and I do believe you to be so much a man of Honour as to carry it with the same secresie The Page arriv'd in a disguise at Bordeaux where he found opportunity to deliver his Letter and without being discover'd by any return'd to seek out his Master at Paris but the Mareschals action had made such a noise that what secresie soever could be us'd it was hardly possible but it must come to the King's knowledge and accordingly at the Duke's arrival at Court his Majesty question'd him about it when although the Duke made a shew of being wholly unconcern'd yet his Majesty having had intelligence by other hands than either by the Duke or any of his people of the Challenge that had pass'd positively commanded him to engage his word that things should proceed no further promising him withal that he should have all satisfaction he could himself in Honour desire a thing the Duke in obedience to his Masters absolute pleasure could by no means refuse though by some Libels that came out after in the Mareschals name he was infinitely exasperated and desir'd nothing more than to come to the decision of Arms. The Mareschal was soon after summon'd to Court where being arriv'd and his Majesty having heard both parties concerning the occasion of their Quarrel order'd for the Duke this satisfaction which Writing I found in the same bundle with the Challenge That which was said by the Mareschal d' Ornano in the presence of the King to the Duke of Espernon My Lord To explain my self and to satisfie you concerning what lately pass'd at Bordeaux I shall in the first place assure you that I never knew or esteem'd you for other than his Majesties most faithful Subject and Servant that such I ever have and ever shall declare you to be It is very true that a jealousie some flying rumours which I too easily believ'd possess'd me withall made me do things which having found those reports altogether false I have since been very much afflicted at I never having any intention to offend you and I could wish I had given a great deal I had never done them I do therefore entreat you to excuse me and to believe me to be your Friend and one that has a desire to do you Service As for the Manifesto I am so far from approving any such thing that I never so much as saw it never caus'd it to be writ and ever have and do now disown the man that did it This was that which was said in the presence of the King by the Duke of Espernon to the Mareschal d' Ornano Sir Since the King is pleas'd to think what you have said to be a sufficient satisfaction that you entreat me to forget what is past and desire my friendship I rest satisfied and shall be as I have been heretofore your friend to serve you At St. Germans en Laye the 25. of March 1601. Sign'd Henry and below Potier It was not without many difficulties that matters were thus compos'd betwixt them the Duke desiring something more for his satisfaction and the Mareschal on his part ill digesting the distinction the King had made betwixt to serve you and to do you service but that which touch'd him most to the quick was that his Majesty by one of the conditions of Accommodation gave the Duke liberty when ever he thought fit to call together the same Assembly in Bordeaux which had begot the former dispute commanding the Mareschal not to oppose it A Licence without which the Duke conceiv'd his affront could not be wip'd off And accordingly he some time after return'd to Bordeaux to have made use of his Priviledge though it was then also interrupted by an accident of which
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
till then receiv'd from his Royal bounty and that if he had a thousand lives he would willingly lay them all at his feet to express his gratitude for so signal a favour That he did humbly beseech their Majesties to retain that favourable opinion of him and to conclude him the most unworthy of all their Subjects and the worst of all men if he ever fail'd in the least part of his Duty After this the King told him he could not leave him at present with the Queen having occasion for him to command the Vant-Guard of his Army till the Prince of Orange should come up to him for whom he had reserv'd that employment A thing the Duke knew before as also that the King intended him the honour of that important command in the mean time But the election of his person in that great employment of sitting at the Helm did not a little displease and increase the envy of many of the greatest men of the Kingdom who had long look'd a squint upon the Duke's Prosperity and Favour though his Majesty having maturely and upon very good grounds proceeded to that choice was not for any consideration or by any arguments whatsoever to be disswaded from that resolution I know not how some who envy the Duke's name and memory may entertain a relation so much to his advantage though were I put to prove the truth of what I report I could bring a great many persons of Honour and Quality to attest it the Queen Mother in the first Letter she writ to the King after her escape from Blois makes particular mention of it than whom no one could be better inform'd in this Affair and has also several times since declar'd by word of mouth what she then publish'd in writing neither was it a secret at that time no more than I hope it will be suspected in this where so many persons are living of Reputation enough to give it Authority should it be contradicted by any who perhaps are not so well inform'd The King having as has been said taken order to secure all things that were likely in his absence to disturb the peace of his Kingdom prepar'd himself to be gone The Queen had been Crown'd at St. Dennis the thirteenth of May and her entry into Paris was design'd to have been on Sunday the sixteenth and on the seventeenth his Majesty intended without further delay to set out towards the Army Nothing was now to be seen in Paris but great preparations of joy and triumph to honour the remaining Ceremony of the Queens Coronation nothing but demonstrations of the Kings Magnificence and of the felicity of his Reign himself being most diligent in giving the Orders necessary for the state of that Solemnity when this Great and Illustrious Prince the terror of his Enemies and the love and delight of his people going abroad upon the fourteenth of the same month to view the preparation of those Magnificences was in a stop he 〈◊〉 upon the way in the street de la Ferronnerie by Saint Innocents Church with three stabs of a Villain 's Knife laid dead in his Coach The Duke of Espernon had the honour to be seated by the King in the hinder part of the Coach upon whom his Majesty was leaning to whisper something in his ear the Duke of Monbazon with the Mareschal de la Vardin was in one of the Booâ—s and other persons of great Quality took up the rest at the first stab the King cried out I am hurt at which the Duke of Espernon who saw the next blow coming holding up his arm to divert it receiv'd part of it in the sleeve of his Doublet that was strook through though the King's Destiny would not suffer him to receive it all nor permit that at the peril of his own life he should save that of his Master as with all his soul he would have done The cursed Parricide proceeded yet to a third stab of which the two last were mortal and with the second the King tumbled dead upon the Duke who receiv'd him in his Arms his blood boiling in great quantities out of his mouth After this execrable act the cursed Assassinate was soon discover'd against whom those who attended the King and amongst them Saint Michel one of his Gentlemen in ordinary prompted by a just fury had already drawn his Sword to dispatch him when the Duke calling to mind how much those Gentlemen had been condemn'd who kill'd Iaques Clement upon the Murther of Henry the III. by whose imprudent zeal a further discovery from the wretches own mouth of the Authors of that abominable Treason was prevented he cried out to Saint Michel and to the Footmen who had drawn their Swords to the same purpose to hold and upon pain of death not to kill him but only to seize kis person that he might be deliver'd into the hands of Iustice. A caution that serv'd not a little to the vindication of an infinite number of worthy men on whom without all doubt the various Factions that after broke out in the Kingdom would according to their several Animosities have laid the blame of that detested Fact to serve for a pretense to their Insurrection The Duke having given this first order commanded the Coach man to turn back to the Louvre and having spied in the King's Train the Marquis de Monferrant his particular Friend and Servant he intreated him to go before and from him to command the Foot Companies that were upon the Guard before the Louvre to stand immediately to their Arms and to secure all the Gates to prevent any disorder in the King's Houshold In the execution of which command and in the distraction the sight of so horrid and so unexpected an accident might reasonably put him into Monferrant met the Chancellour de Sillery then going to Council in the Louvre who asking him the reason of that hurly burly and of the Souldiers running to their Arms Monferrant told him the King was dead at which the Chancellour amaz'd and in suspense how to believe it grasping him by the arm and saying how 's that Mounsieur de Monferrant do you know what you say the Coach arriv'd with the Curtains drawn out of which the King without any motion was carried up in a Cloak and laid upon the Bed in his Wardrobe The Duke after he had paid this last Office to his dead Master though surpriz'd to the degree may be imagin'd at so tragical an accident was not long nevertheless before he recollected himself when considering that the greatest testimony he could give of his gratitude to his dead Prince was to serve those he had left to succeed him he began to pay the Queen those services he had but a few days before in the King's Closet engag'd himself to perform though the Orders he there receiv'd were not intended to have been executed so soon nor upon so fatal an occasion The rumout of the King's death
Reformation was expected to ensue was immediately follow'd by a War upon which the Council after having long waver'd in the uncertainty of the Peace so lately and so dearly bought saw it necessary at last to resolve The discontents of the Prince of Condé was again the cause of this as it had been of the late Commotion and those discontents again founded upon the greatness of Conchini now advanc'd to the honour of Mareschal of France The Mareschal therefore finding the Prince had conceiv'd an implacable animosity against him and very well foreseeing that unless he freed himself from the difficulties he would eternally strew in his way he could never raise himself to that pitch of greatness to which he did aspire he resolv'd to come to a publick Rupture with him and to remove him from the King's Presence by a War that should for a sufficient time secure himself from those obstacles he was otherwise certain to receive from so powerful an Enemy The Prince was already retir'd in great discontent from Court having as before taken the way of Champagne that he might be near Sedan his surest refuge should he be overmatch'd by the Royal Power where after Conchini had long amus'd him with the hope of some advantageouâ— Accommodation he at one blow cut him off that expectation by causing a Summons to be sent him to be in readiness to attend the King in his Progress into Guienne whither his Majesty was resolv'd shortly to take a Journey for the consummation of his Marriage an Affair that having ever been oppos'd by the Prince he very well understood the meaning of that Summons and now plainly saw how he was to trust in the strength of his own Arms. He had ever since the last breach been so solicitous to continue his intelligence and to maintain the League he had contracted with the Lords of his Party the precedent year that it was no hard matter for him to engage them in this nâ—w Quarrel the Dukes of Longuâ—ville Mayenne Vendosme and Nevers declar'd highly in his favour and the Duke of Boüillon whose interest carried the whole Hugonot Faction along with it did the same so that all things were apparently dispos'd for an intestine War in all the best Provinces of the Kingdom So many discontented persons and those so considerable in themselves put the Court into no little disorder the Kings Journey in order to his Marriage had been resolv'd upon and the time with the Spanish Agents concluded which was every where so publickly known that the Honour of the King and the Queen Mother was not a little concern'd in the consummation of a thing to which they were so solemnly engag'd but there was scarce any who durst undertake to overcome the difficulties were prepar'd to hinder that great Affair For after the retirement of all the forenam'd Princes there was not any remain'd at Court except the Dukes of Guise and Espernon who were capable of serving the King in so dangerous an occasion and of these the Duke of Guise though in shew well enough with the Queen stood nevertheless so suspected to her that she durst not trust an Army in his hands lest by joyning with the discontented Princes whereof the greater part were his Kindred or nearly ally'd to him his Majesties Person might be left wholly to their discretion and although she had not the same jealousie of the Duke of Espernon no body doubting his Fidelity yet could not that command be conferr'd upon him without giving offense to the Duke of Guise In this anxiety then how she might satisfie them both the Duke of Espernon went one day to attend the Queen where he made it his humble request to her Majesty she would not in the least consider his particular satisfaction in this occurrence Telling her he should ever be very well satisfied provided their Majesties were serv'd as they ought to be That he did hope they would and that he was doing something in order to securing their Journey so far as Bordeaux wherein he nevertheless pretended to no other Command than barely to ride in the head of those Friends which he should make ready for that Service That perhaps a greater Authority might give distaste to some who at this time were by no means to be disoblig'd That for what concern'd the Princes a good Army interpos'd betwixt them and Paris under the command of some man of Quality and Experience would be sufficient and that for any thing could be apprehended from those of the Religion whose greatest strength were in Poitou Xaintongue and Rochelle upon the way to Bordeaux he himself would undertake his Governments in those parts giving him sufficient power so to do The Queen Mother by this assurance being confirm'd in her first design â— told the Duke that she absolutely resign'd the King's Person and her own to his care and protection that she therefore desir'd him to order all things as should seem to him the most convenient as she absolutely left them to his Valour and Wisdom A Commission the Duke had no sooner receiv'd but that seeing himself authorized so to do he caus'd the King's departure the seventeenth of August to be proclaim'd perswading the Queen to confer the Command of the Army which was to attend the Princes motion upon the Mareschal de Bois-Dauphin advising her Majesty further and in the first place to provide for the security of Paris that the Princes Servants who had great Authority in the City might raise no commotion there in their Majesties absence After therefore that had been taken order for by the securing of some eminent and suspected persons the Court departed from Paris happily arriving in a few days at Poictiers and had not Madam the King's Sister fallen sick of the Small Pox delayed their Journey their Majesties had been upon their return before the Princes could have got their Forces together but that unhappy accident having constrain'd them to stay near two months at Poictiers gave their Enemies leisure to put them into great apprehensions which was also the only harm they received from this insurrection At the same City of Poictiers there hapned another disorder at this time wherein had not the Duke of Espernon who was principally concern'd in the Affair rendred himself unusually tractable another obstacle to that Progress had infallibly ensu'd The Duke of Guise from the time of his Marriage with the Dutchess of Montpensier had pretended to the Wardship of Madamoiselle her Daughter who was Inheritrix to such a Fortune as might reasonably induce any man to covet the management of so brave an Estate which nevertheless he could not obtain without the consent of the Duke who was great Uncle to the young Princess and he having very good reason to believe the Duke of Guise did in this claim more consider his own interest than that of the Dutchess of Montpensier his Niece would never gratifie him in that particular But the Duke of Guise conceiving
the whole design By a supposititious hand one that took upon him to be a Servant to the Duke de Luines he caus'd five hundred crowns to be paid down to Lorme by virtue of which he retriv'd the Packet out of his hands disposing so of Lorme himself that he was never seen or heard of after by which means this great design in the greatest danger imaginable to be discover'd and lost was again restor'd to its former condition The Duke who as yet was totally ignorant of Lorme's treachery and who knew nothing of it of above a month after put himself in the mean time upon his Journey the order whereof at his setting out and which he also continu'd during the whole Voyage I shall here present you Wherein we shall observe so admirable a conduct that we cannot forbear notwithstanding the Duke's modesty who ever gave Fortune too great a share in all his performances to attribute the whole success of this enterprize immediately to his own prudence No body knew of his resolution till the night before his departure when all the Gates of the City being shut which at Metz as at all other Frontier Towns was commonly betimes he commanded every one to make ready for their departure the next morning He had some time before this caus'd eight thousand Pistols his whole stock at that time to be sowed up in Girdles of Leather which were all found in his Truncks at his death in the same condition they were at his departure from Metz such as a man might without much trouble wear about him which he distributed to fifteen Gentlemen of his Family whom he knew to be the most faithful and that were the best mounted to take care of with orders to follow him wherever he went should any cross accident befal him in the way His Jewels also which were lock'd up in a little iron Chest and carried in a Male was committed to a Valet de Chambre of approv'd fidelity who had likewise order not to stir from his person He had fifty Gentlemen only in his company every one arm'd with a Case of Pistols and a Carabine forty Guards with each one a Musket and a case of Pistols fifteen Sumpter Mules the ordinary Officers of his Houshold with several common Servants With this Troop amounting in all not to above an hundred good Horse and that would have been too little had he gone upon the accompt of a private quarrel only the Duke of Espernon adventur'd upon a Journey contrary to the King 's express Order from one extremity of the Kingdom to another and thence to return back again into the very heart of the same Kingdom there to assist the Queen Mother resolv'd contrary to the King's will to make her escape from a place to which she had been by his Majesty in the nature of a Prison confin'd and without certainly knowing by whom he was to be assisted in his design undertook to change the face of a mighty State so quiet and so united within it self as that it seem'd impossible either at home or abroad to be threatned with the least danger or trouble Wherein if the attempt was bold we shall find the execution no less worthy to be admir'd He must alone make an end of what he had alone begun his good Fortune it seems to his Glory ordering it so that not one great man of the Kingdom either envying or astonish'd at so daring a design would be drawn to embark in an action the honour and success whereof could derive to none but the Duke of Espernon So that they were content to let him bustle it out alone whilst themselves sate idle spectators of this haughty and noble Enterprize though it was certainly reported and believ'd that many of them had engag'd themselves to the Queen to serve her upon this occassion The Duke having thus order'd his little Train and not being able to separate himself from the Marquis de la Valette his most beloved Son without taking his leave he call'd him aside where embracing him with the tenderness of an affectionate Father he told him That the greatest testimony he could possibly give him of his Affection and Esteem was as he now did to commit to his Vigilancy and Valour the Custody of Metz it being the principal member of his Fortune and to the conservation of which he ought to be the more awake as it concern'd himself much more than it did him who having but a short time to live could expect but a few years possession That he might assure himself he should with the soonest be beleaguer'd with all the Forces the King could make and that no better was to be expected from the Inhabitants how well affected soever they might pretend to be to oppose both which much prudence and constancy would be requir'd That upon the success of the Action wherein they were now engag'd depended not only their Fortunes but their Reputations also which if it succeeded well they should be loaded with Honour but if otherwise be look'd upon as Criminals and Traytors That therefore they were to put on a Resolution rather to dye than to fall into that disgrace but that it was much better to live and to overcome as his heart assur'd him they should honourably and fortunately do By which few words the Marquis being confirm'd in the generous resolution he before had taken humbly besought the Duke his Father to be confident he would never do any thing unworthy his own Birth or his expectation when his tears having stop'd all further expression he by that tenderness gave a much better testimony of his courage than otherwise and at a greater liberty of speech his own modesty would perhaps have permitted him to do The Duke was no sooner parted from his Son but that he presently went to Horse to begin his Journey it being Monday the two and twentieth of Ianuary as had been before appointed The Gates of the City had not been opened since the evening before and then only that by which the Duke was to sally which was also shut again so soon as he who would himself be the last man was gone out Neither of three days after his departure was any one opened at all the Duke having moreover lest any Tickets might be thrown over the Walls or any persons let down who might carry intelligence of his motion to Court left order with Paul Lieutenant to a Company of Carabines belonging to the Garrison of Metz night and day to scour the Road to Paris and to intercept and stop all that should travel that way a precaution of so good use that the last news the Court receiv'd of the Duke of Espernon's departure came from Metz so well had all the Avenues been guarded on that side The Duke being now out of the City pursu'd his way with great diligence taking as long Journeys as the heaviness of his Sumpter-Mules would permit which though they ty'd him to
Upon which occasion the Duke of Espernon though very much incommodated with the expense of this War maintain'd almost throughout at his cost and by his interest endeavour'd nevertheless all he could to turn the best side outward pouring out himself in so many magnificences as perhaps he never had in his most flourishing condition so fair an opportunity of shewing the greatness of his mind and fortune After having lodg'd the Princes of Savoy in the Palace belonging to the Bishop of Angoulesme furnish'd throughout with his own rich Hangings emboss'd with Silver and Gold he entertain'd them with the pleasure of hunting a Stag presenting them with two very beautiful Coursers he had supply'd them with for that Chace After which he treated them three several times with so much splendour and magnificence that it could hardly have been greater at Paris The Tables which were forty times cover'd were at every covering serv'd with five several Courses neither was the profusion less at the entertainment of the Cardinal de la Rochefoucault and Brantes wherein if the excess made the Duke's liberality highly esteem'd it gave no less reputation to that little Countrey which could of it self furnish all sorts of provision in so great abundance It was not by the Cardinal de la Rochefoucault alone that the Queen Mother was complemented from the King and assur'd of his good inclinations and affection to her Luines who had a desire so soon as was possible to allure her from Angoulesme sending moreover thither le Pere Berulle at that time General of the Congregation of the Oratory and since Cardinal to settle her mind in a full confidence and security This Father a man of great Vertue and no less Capacity was very acceptable to the Queen and in no less esteem with the Duke to whom he had another quality of it self sufficient to commend him which was his near relation to President Seguier the Duke's most intimate friend After this person had dispos'd the Queen so soon as she could to come to the King he afterwards treated at great liberty and freedom with the Duke in the behalf of the Favourite from whom he deliver'd him other Letters full of affectionate expressions promising him withal in his name all sorts of good Offices and Service to which the Duke having answer'd with the same civility the Queen was in all apparence likely to be very secure and the Duke very well us'd for the time to come whose discontents as they had been the occasion of the War their satisfaction ought in all probability to have settled the Peace of the Kingdom though notwithstanding this fair outside of Affairs we shall see things fall out quite contrary in the ensuing year But to go on with the Subject in hand the Duke seeing all things now perfectly reconcil'd conceiv'd it very fit for him to write to the King to excuse what was pass'd which he accordingly did and indeed in terms of very great submission and respect though nevertheless far from any meanness or so much as any acknowledgment of the least offense Wherein he represented to his Majesty that having obey'd the Queen his Mother whom he had ever known passionately solicitous of the Kingdoms prosperity he never so much as imagin'd that the reverence he should pay to a person so nearly related to him could be reputed for a Crime That although in the very act of taking Arms to which he found himself oblig'd by an inevitable necessity he might possibly have given his Majesty some distaste he nevertheless conceiv'd he had by his behaviour therein so amply justified his good intention that no impression ought to remain in his Royal Breast but what should be to his advantage That he could confidently say that without so much as ever reflecting upon his own grievances and disgrace he had govern'd his passion from resolutions that might evidently enough have succeeded wherein he had sufficiently manifested the Reverence he bore to his Majesties Name and Arms though in the hands of his own particular enemies That he call'd all good Frenchmen to the test whether ever his own interest or animosity had transported him to any action contrary to his duty and whether he had not ever preserv'd his fidelity unspotted and pure during all the disorders of this Kingdom That he had now remaining but a short time to live and that he should himself conclude he had already liv'd too long could he find himself guilty of the least thought contrary to his Majesties Service and his own Duty That his Conscience being clear in that particular he demanded no other recompense for his Services pass'd than only a little repose in his old age expecting an occasion wherein he might honourably dye for his Majesties Service which was the conclusion of his Letter Dated at Angoulesme the 7th of Iune 1619. The Archbishop of Tholouze his Son was dismiss'd away with this dispatch who had also another Letter for the Duke de Luines in answer to those the Duke had receiv'd before The Queen in the mean time was preparing for her departure but her equipage being not to be made ready so soon as was desir'd at Court where she was with great impatience expected the Duke de Monbazon Father-in-law to Luines had yet time to come kiss her Majesties hands which was nevertheless by giving her new and greater assurances of all the good usage she could desire to press her with the soonest to part from Angoulesme and to separate her self from the Duke In the beginning of August therefore according to the Favourites desire she departed from Angoulesme in which Voyage the Duke only attended her to the borders of his own Government not caring to engage himself nearer to a Court to which he was so lately reconcil'd where the Queen at his taking leave after many gracious expressions of the infinite obligation she had to him presented him with a Ring of very great value together with a request that he would continually wear it for her sake as he did almost to his death This Ring was a Diamond cut into a heart and is at this day reputed one of the finest and cleanest for its size in France and this was all the Recompense he receiv'd for his Service he had done the Queen and for above two hundred thousand Crowns he was out of purse upon that accompt which nevertheless was more than he expected in the condition she then was having propos'd to himself in the undertaking no other acknowledgment and reward than the honour to serve her effectually and well upon this occasion The Queen after her departure from Angoumois arriv'd in a few days at Cousieres in Touraine a house belonging to the Duke of Monbazon where Luines accompanied like a Favourite with many persons of very great quality came first to wait upon her complementing her with the greatest civility and respect imaginable as he was also very graciously receiv'd And here
continued in a hopeful Heir But as this was the richest Present this young Princess could possibly make him so it was God knows the last she ten days only surviving the Birth who being deliver'd upon the fourteenth of April and dying the four and twentieth after left her noble Husband a Widower and all France her mourners The Duke receiv'd this sad news as he was upon his return from Medoc to which place the Wrack of the Carrick had oblig'd him to make a second Journey and where now that the season gave him leave to come nearer to the Sea we saw a most incredible thing which was the Relicks of this mighty Vessel several pieces whereof were to be seen for above a quarter of a League together along the shoar and in so great number that whoever had seen those floating Spoils would rather have judg'd them the ruines of some demolish'd City than the remains of one single Ship The Duke with much ado recover'd twelve great brass Pieces that were buried in the Sands which were also all that could be sav'd of an hundred and eight or ten that were aboard either the Carrick or the Gallions that Convoy'd her Upon his return from this short Journey the Duke receiv'd intelligence of the Death of the Dutchess de la Valette at which though his Affliction seem'd to be so great that nothing could be more it was nevertheless exceeded by that of the Husband who having staid behind at Bordeaux during this Journey into Medoc knew nothing of his misfortune till the return of the Duke his Father but then all the comfort they were capable of was their mutual Affliction wherein as a more just occasion of sorrow could not possibly arrive so could it not possibly be express'd with more or with more unfained tears Upon this sad occasion both the Father and the Son receiv'd many Complements of Consolation from the whole Court the King the Queens the Monsieur and Madame with all the other Princes and Princesses and almost all of any eminent condition at Court manifested their interest in this dire misfortune But they had scarce wip'd off the tears for this first disaster when it was succeeded by another of almost equal concern for I remember that the Gentleman sent by the Monsieur and Madame upon this consolatory Envoy was scarce departed from Bâ—rdeaux when they receiv'd the intelligence at once of the happy delivery of Madame and the deplorable accident of her death an occasion by which they were oblig'd to their great grief to make a quick return of the Monsiâ—ur's Complement and to recommence a new showr of tears even before the first storm was overblown In this variety of good and evil events but as it usually falls out in the course of humane life such as had more in them of evil than good the Duke saw himself necessitated to engage in a Dispute with the Cardinal and upon this occasion The rumour that had been spread abroad of the infinite Riches the shipwrack'd Carrick carried in her had allur'd the Cardinal to put in that title to the spoil which he pretended his Office of Superintendent of the Navies with which he had also confounded that of Admiral gave him to all the wracks that should happen upon the Coasts of France Wherein doubting nevertheless that the ordinary Officers he had establish'd at Bordeaux as in all other parts and Havens of the Kingdom would not be sufficient to justifie his Claim against the Duke of Espernon who was upon the place and whom he knew to be a man that would not easily be baffled out of his Right he caus'd a Commission to be directed to one Fortia a young Master of Requests that under the Authority of the Royal Name he might with greater facility obtain his own desires This business was at first debated with great civility and moderation and the Duke was very willing to satisfie the Commissioner of his Right and Title by shewing him Evidences of above three hundred years standing by which his Ancestors had ever been maintain'd in their Title to all the Wracks that hapned upon the Coast of Medoc exclusively not only to the Officers of the Admiralty but even to the King himself by whose predecessors it had been formerly demis'd in free gift to the Lords of Candale for ever After which he moreover deliver'd him Copies of those Evidences clearing to him by several Authentick Writings and Records his antient and lawful Right which he desir'd him to prefer to the Council together with his Reasons and the equity of his cause But this was not the thing was desir'd at Court and Fortia was blam'd for having taken cognisance of the Duke's Title and for having receiv'd Copies of his Deeds as if he had a mind to bring a business to the issue of a Suit and Tryal wherein they intended that Authority should stand for Law Fortia therefore having receiv'd this check would for the future endeavour by violence to repair what he had by moderation and respect to Equity overthrown and to that end began to talk to the Duke in other terms than he had us'd at first wherin meeting with a Spirit that was not to be frighted with the menaces of the Court the heat of their disputes grew at last to an open Quarrel betwixt them Whereupon the Commissary either unwilling or not daring to have any more to do with the Duke desir'd to be recall'd as he was and it is not to be doubted at his return to the Cardinal fail'd not to lay all the evil success of his own ill carriage at the Duke's door by whose ill offices the former discontents were not likely to be any thing qualified much less appeas'd The Duke had in the mean time dispatch'd away le Plessis to the King to beseech his Majesty that he would please to send to the Parliament of Paris to do him right in his lawful claim giving him moreover instructions to go to the Cardinal and in his name to conjure him to sue forth his Title by such of his own Council as he should himself think fit and that he for his part would willingly stand to their award but the Duke's case was too clear for the Cardinal to submit his to reference He had already seen his Title which was such as he knew nothing but the Sovereign Authority could supersede and that made him deaf to any thing of Arbitration He chose therefore rather to continue his pretense under the protection of the Royal Name and to that purpose procur'd Monsieur Servient another Master of Requests to be put into Commission to prosecute his Title in Fortia's stead a man that by his dexterity and handsome carriage prevail'd so far upon the Duke's inclination and esteem that he obtain'd that from him and in a very few days which the other had been constrain'd to give over as a hopeless thing and impossible to be effected The Duke
avoid the inconvenience of a Winter Journey which he did by coming to Paris before All-Saints At his arrival as at other times he was welcom'd with a great number of persons of Quality who came out to meet him and to attend him to the Louvre where he first alighted and where he was by his Majesty much better receiv'd than he expected by reason of several ill offices he knew had been done him to the King It was indeed chiefly to justifie himself from those aspersions that he had been so passionately importunate for leave to come to Court and he had express'd so much in his Letters which was perhaps the thing that made his permission so hard to obtain Princes being commonly no better dispos'd to admit of excuses than they are to make them From the Louvre he went to wait upon the Cardinal to whom he stood oblig'd not only for his leave to come but also for his Majesties gracious reception now he was come and was by him also receiv'd after a most infinitely obliging manner the Cardinal still improving his civilities and again making him a new tender of his service upon all occasions as indeed from that time forward he began to distinguish him by his respect from all other great persons of the Kingdom Already either the multiplicity of business with which the Cardinal was continually taken up or the design he had to render his person more venerable and more authoritative by communicating it to few had put him upon that stately way of living that he was very rarely to be seen insomuch that the Dukes and Peers of France the Officers of the Crown the blue Garters and whoever of the highest quality of the Kingdom made no difficulty to wait below in the Hall amongst a promiscuous crowd of Clients and Suitors the hours of his leisure whether they came only to visit or to speak with him about their Affairs nay and were glad to go sometimes twice sometimes more before they could get access to his person But the Cardinal who was well enough acquainted with the Duke's temper to know that such a repulse would not need to fright him for ever coming again to see him entreated him beforehand never to give himself the trouble of coming to see him without first giving him notice that he might always be at liberty to receive him a rule the Duke on his part so well observ'd that he never came but all the Gates were open'd to him his Coach admitted into the Court and himself to all the freedom he could desire when oftentimes persons of very great condition could hardly be admitted at the Wicket It has however been believ'd that all these extraordinary civilities began at Montauban and continued to this time were not altogether without design Some have thought that the Cardinal who evidently perceiv'd that the Queen Mother who had suffered her self to be wrought upon by some ill offices had been done him in his absence to be grown cold in her affection to him would have been glad to have made the Duke his friend He was powerful in himself and much more in his Sons so that being secur'd of their friendship which the whole Court knew to be faithful and inviolate where they once took he thought he could receive no so violent an assault of Fortune he should not be able whilst back'd with so powerful a Family to withstand There was great probability in this conjecture and the Duke himself as clear-sighted as any was perhaps of the same opinion but if on the one side the Cardinal courted the Duke's friendship for this reason the Duke on the other side would by no means go directly opposite to the Queen Mothers inclinations He had ever honour'd her though he had not always been well us'd by her and having ever imputed to the Cardinal himself the greatest part of those unkindnesses he had receiv'd from this Princess was more dissatisfied with him than the Queen Mother for the ill returns of his Service But another reason which made him so reserv'd in the acceptation of this precipitous friendship was the imperious superiority the Cardinal pretended to over all the other great men of the Kingdom which the Duke could never allow him over himself to the degree that he desir'd as still retaining a memory how much he had known him inferious to him All these considerations together rendred him less complacent than could have been wish'd for the prosperity of his own Affairs I shall not nevertheless herein take upon me to censure the Duke's conduct nor attempt to pass so liberal a judgment upon a person I am for so many respects oblig'd to honour though the event made it plain that had he carried things otherwise he had done better In short the Duke was so much the more reserv'd to the Cardinal than he expected he should be that the ardour of his sudden affection cooling by degrees every day more and more degenerated at last into a perfect hatred and from thence to persecution as we shall hereafter in due order of time and the occurrences of Affairs make more evidently to appear All things that had hitherto pass'd betwixt the Duke and the Cardinal were well enough understood and this good intelligence continued till the Cardinals departure for Italy the Duke being as has been said ever treated by him with extraordinary kindness and respect far different from what he shew'd to all other persons of the same condition yet could not the Duke whose humour was impatient of any thing that touch'd him sometimes forbear lashing out into very free expressions giving the Cardinal thereby very often to understand that he was not to expect any mean or submiss toleration from him of which I shall here present you one example The Cardinal either presuming upon the authority of his favour with the King or the affection he pretended to have for the Duke took one day the libetry to give him some advice concerning his deportment whereupon falling into discourse of his severe humour and giving him counsel to correct it he did it merrily in the Duke 's own broad Gascon accent from which how long a habitude soever he had had at Court he could never totally wean himself which interweaving with some very civil expressions he seriously desir'd him in the end not to take it ill if he had made a little bold with him in imitating his own way of speaking to which this untractable spirit highly offended at a raillery something too familiar for his humour briskly reply'd Why should I take that ill from you which I suffer from Marais who every day acts me in your presence This Marais was one of the Grooms of the Chamber to the King a pleasant fellow and a Buffoon that had a marvellous faculty of imitation who by his faces and tricks would make folks laugh and when acting before the King and the Cardinal would make a bold with the Duke of
the safety and conservation of the said Province in my Obedience Wherein being assur'd you will acquit your self with your accustomed vigilancy and care and resting secure in the absolute confidence I have ever repos'd in your Fidelity and good Affection I shall say no more but only assure you of my Affection Praying God c. From Saint Germain en Laye this first of October 1634. With this there were other Dispatches sent directed both to the first President d' Agnesseau that he might acquaint the Assembly with his Majesties intention and also to the Jurats of the City which the Duke having sent away some days before his departure from Plassac he himself followed soon after and return'd into his Government more honour'd and esteem'd for having so handsomely disingag'd himself from this troublesome Affair than if it had never been Men as it usually happens soon forgot all the Disgraces he had undergone to consider how great his Credit must necessarily be who of all the Great Persons of the Kingdom whose Fortunes had been so rudely assaulted alone kept himself upright and entire in spight of all his Enemies or all they could contrive against him All those who had been unkind to him sued to be reconcil'd to his Favour and the Duke de la Valette who would by no means leave him till all things were absolutely settled to his own desire became their Mediator by that means re-establishing matters in so good a posture that for the future there was more repose to be expected for the Duke his Father than he had ever yet enjoy'd since he had first taken possession of the Government of Guienne The End of the Tenth Book THE HISTORY Of the LIFE of the Duke of Espernon The Eleventh Book IT was not fortunate to the Duke alone but as much at least to the Province and the whole Kingdom that he was at this time restor'd to his Command the first whereof without his Valour and Wisdom had been in manifest danger and the other embroyl'd in no contemptible disorders but by his Prudence and generous Conduct he brought them both so brave and so reasonable a relief that what we are now about to deliver makes up no small part of the principal Actions of his Life He was no sooner arriv'd in Guienne but that several Complaints were presented to him of the Insolence some Officers who Farm'd the Crown Revenues of that Province exercis'd over the King's Subjects The people were no longer able to support their Exactions and their Poverty which is ordinarily accompanied with despair had so stirr'd them up that they were ready to rush into Arms and to shuffle all things into confusion The Duke could have been glad the Court would have order'd some moderation in these Impositions to have prevented those mischiefs which are usually the issue of general Discontent and the certain effects of popular fury and to that end had made so many several Remonstrances to the Council and urg'd them so home that what he did for a good that as much respected the King's Service as the Publick Interest was in the end so misinterpreted as to turn to his own disgrace Seeing therefore he could by his Prayers and Importunities prevail nothing with the Court he was necessitated to make use of the Authority he had in the Province to prevent a total Revolt to which the generality of men were too visibly inclin'd Wherein his conduct was guided by so admirable discretion that what by convincing such by Reason as were capable of it by feeding such by Hopes as would be satisfied with them and threatning Punishment to those who would be satisfied with neither he for a long time continued all things in a pretty quiet condition He practis'd these gentle and easie Remedies during the course of a very troublesome Disease he had fall'n into presently after his return from Plassac His abode and solitude in his House together with the hard measure he had receiv'd had not lighted upon a heart insensible of wrong nor had committed no ordinary violence upon his generous spirit and although by a wonderful Victory over his own Passions he had suppress'd his discontent from breaking out to the discovery of those about him it is notwithstanding to be believ'd that the more he smothered his fire the more it must of necessity burn him within and discompose his natural Constitution He suffer'd therefore by the heat of Urine so intolerable and so unintermitted pains as scarce gave him any truce of repose in which Distemper that which was most remarkable was the Remedies they made use of for his Recovery â—or of eighteen days together that his Infirmity continued he drank nothing but cold water and of that so prodigious a quantity that I do not think any stomach in the world but his could have digested so much crudity He was moreover very often put into cold Baths so that all the art and industry of his Physicians was wholly employ'd to qualifie the ebullient Blood of a young man of fourscore and four years old He was scarcely deliver'd of his pain when he was forc'd to attend the Affairs of his Government with greater diligence and care than at any time before The King from the beginning of the year having taken a resolution to fall out with Spain would not however engage in that War before he had well and particularly examin'd the condition and strength of his Kingdom to be therefore well inform'd of the State of Guienne the greatest and best of all his other Provinces he writ to the Duke in March to send him a true account of what number of men he could for time of need draw out of his Government and how many men of Command he might relye upon to bear Office in his Armies to which the Duke return'd Answer that although within eight months time above eighteen thousand men had been sent out of the Province as by the Muster Rolls annex'd to his Dispatch his Majesty might perceive there might yet be a very great number rais'd provided the Affections of the People were discreetly manag'd by some good usage that his Majesty would also find a great many Gentlemen of Quality and capable of Command of which he sent a List of above sixscore but that the greatest part of them were so necessitous that to his great grief he durst not promise to himself from their inability all that his Majesty might expect from their good will by which Abstract let any one judg of the Forces of the Kingdom and what a King of France may propose to himself having the Love and Affection of his Subjects The Duke who knew by a long experience what strange effects the good will of the people was able to produce never ceas'd importuning the King to husband it by granting some redress to their Oppressions which though he always did after the most humble and respective manner could be imagin'd it notwithstanding wrought
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
noise a thing of little or no moment and that notwithstanding had like to have turn'd very much to his own prejudice After therefore the Duke had rejected the proposal of one of his own Souldiers who offer'd to stab Briet and to do it after such a manner that he could never be suspected for the Murther he commanded four of his Footâ— men to kill his Coach-Horses in the open Street This Command was executed one day that Briet was returning out of the City to his own House when his Coach-man being assaulted by these four Foot-men they first pull'd him out of his Coach-box and afterwards thrust their Swords into the Flancks of the Horses whereupon the poor Beasts enrag'd with the smart of their Wounds ran away full speed hurrying the Coach and their Master in it three or four hundred paces along the Streets till at last at one and the same instant upon the pavement they fell down and dy'd Briet who had at first been terribly frighted with the sight of the Swords was not much less afraid of his Horses precipitous Career which was also all the harm he receiv'd the Coach stop'd and overturn'd at the death of the Horses giving him time to come out half dead with Fear and to retire to his own House The Relation of this business was immediately carried to the Duke which shadow of Revenge was to him matter of entertainment and laughter for an hour after But the Parliament took it after a quite contrary manner who offended to the height at the Injury done to one of their Robe the next day assembled their several Chambers to enquire into the Fact There was none of them who were not very well satisfied with the Justice of the Duke's resentment and who would not have approv'd of his Revenge had it proceeded a great deal further but there was also hardly any one of them who did not interest himself in the offence offer'd after so publick a manner to the Dignity and Honour of the Assembly Without doubt the business would have gone very ill with the Duke had matters continued upon these terms and those of the Parliament after having declar'd themselves Parties remaining still Judges would neither have spar'd the Duke's Footmen nor any other could have been prov'd concern'd in the Action they had already prepossess'd the Cardinal by representing to him that neither the King's Autâ—ority nor that of his Eminency had been sufficient to protect an Officer in the Execution of his Duty in the most honourable Body of the Province but besides that the Cardinal ever very ill satisfied with the Duke who on his part also did not much study to please him was of himself sufficiently dispos'd to do him a mischief had not the occurrences of the time involv'd the Court in the greatest disorder wherein perhaps it had ever been The Enemy after having long threatned the Kingdom was in the end with a powerful Army entred into Picardy and at their first coming had carried la Capelle and le Catelet assaulted Corbie which they also took and alarm'd Paris it self to such a degree as is sufficiently known to all They were likewise enter'd into Burgundy and were preparing for the like attempt upon Languedoc and Guienne was not to be spar'd neither was it a little while after So that the great Minister wholly taken up with concerns of so high importance had no leisure to look after the Duke's Affairs neither did he think it convenient to nettle him in a time when his services were so necessary to the Kingdom and the Chancellor who still retain'd his old affection to the Duke's Interests seeing himself absolute Master of this business concealing it from the Parliaments knowledge referr'd it to the ordinary Justice where being animated with very little passion it soon fell of it self At this time of all others the Greatness of the Duke of Espernon seems especially to appear by the important Employments and Commands wherewith his whole Family were invested The Duke de Candale his eldest Son was Generalissimo to the Armies of the Republick of Venice an Ally to this Crown The Duke de la Valette his second Son was in the Army of Picardy wherein though he had not in truth the Principal Command the Count de Soissons being General there yet had he the honour to be chosen out by the King to infuse life and vigour into that Army the Souldiers whereof by some ill successes had befall'n them being exceedingly dejected which were the express terms wherewith his Majesty allur'd him to that Service The Cardinal de la Valette was also employ'd against Galas in Burgundy into which Province the Enemy being entred with a formidable Army had already made some Conquests before his arrival there Mirebeau had been taken Saint Iean de Laonne was besieg'd and the best Cities of the Country were highly threatned the fear there was exceeding great and the danger had been no less if the Cardinal de la Valette by opposing himself to their designs had not stop'd the progress of their Arms. He fought them with advantage in five or six several Engagements and without ever being able to tempt them to a Battel with all the provocation he could use forc'd them in the end to retire with the ruine and dissolution of their whole Army that unprofitably mouldred away to nothing As for the Father his business lay in Guienne a Province that as it made up a principal part of the Kingdom of how great utility must the Service necessarily be that preserv'd it from disorder in so critical a time A thing nevertheless fortunately effected by his Wisdom so moderating the discontents of the people as to keep them in so dangerous a Juncture of Affairs from lashing into those extremes whereinto by their former behaviour it might reasonably be apprehended should they find an opportunity of this nature they would precipitously run This was indeed one of the most important but not the only Service he did the King upon this occasion The Spanish Council having as has been said determin'd to invade the Kingdom in several places at once principally hasted to enter into Guienne to come to which Province they were to pass through the Country of Labourt which is that of Biscaye and by the way highly threatned the City of Bayonne They knew very well the Duke of Espernon had no Forces to send into that Country neither had he had them durst he indeed have done it without the consent of the Inhabitants lest being a cholerick and impatient people as they naturally are any thing he should do of that kind out of care to preserve them should put them upon desperate resolutions and make them wilfully lose themselves They had before they came so despis'd the Enemies Forces that they would not endure any one should think of contributing to their preservation a security that did nor a little afflict the Duke who had been of old