condition of the Court till events breakin gs this Union so necessary to the State brought upon it most fatal mischiefs Before I relate them I must take notice of the Prince of Condy's death happening just before these troubles which was so much the more considerable because it was the common opinion that if he had liv'd he had prevented them by his Prudence and Authority which gave a check to the Ministers and was revered by the Parliament The Union of these Powers was so solid a Pledge of the Tranquillity of the Kingdom that it gave the Ministers too much confidence and encouraged Emery Superintendent over the Kings Revenue to levy great Taxes Now because this Conduct although colored with a Foreign War and the Defence of the State was introduced in the time of Cardinal Richlieu's Ministry and was but a consequence of that it will not be impertinent to speak thereof This Minister whose absolute Polity had violated the antient Laws of the Kingdom to establish the immoderate Authority of his Master which he was the dispenser of look'd upon all the Rules of this State as forced Concessions and bounds imposed on the power of Kings rather than a solid Foundation of governing well and because his very long Administration was authorized with great success during the life of of the late King he quite chang'd all the forms of Justice and the Kings Revenues and introduced the Royal Will for the Sovereign Tribunal of the Lives and Estates of Men. This so violent method of Governing continued till his death and the King surviving him but a few months left to the Queen with the Regency the establishment of his Orders for the Taxes which seemed necessary to maintain the charges of the War Her Majesty being in the beginning of her Regency constrained to be expensively Liberal drain'd her Exchequer whereupon Emery was obliged to put in practice all the Expedients his Wit could invent without being restrained either by Justice or pity or the despair into which he might drive the People To this end after having consumed the Peoples Estates by new Subsidies he extends his Arts as far as the Cities Taxes Rich and Poor Creates new Offices Seizes the Publick Rents forc'd them to give him Credit prepares more new Edicts and by this rigorous imposition upon Estates in every kind drove the Companies Commonalties and Corporations into a secret Revolt In fine all Springs being drain'd dry he would have seiz'd the Revenues of the Chambers of the Courts of Aids and the great Council who complained to the Parliament which thereupon made the famous Arrest d'Vnion This Act was a signal to all the disconted the Renters the Treasurers of France the Kings Secretaries the Assessors the Officers of the Taxes and of the * Impost of Salt in France Gabelle In fine people of all conditions repaired thither exposing their Griefs to the Parliament demanding reparation The Names of the Farmers and of Emery fell under a publick Curse every one cry'd out against the violent exaction of the Customers the unbounded Power of the Intendants the Cruelty of the Soldiers the rigorous force used to the poor people by the selling of their Goods and the imprisonment of their Persons and the heavy weighty Taxes in a word against this oppression as great to the last degree destructive of the Lives Liberties and Estates of all the Kings Subjects The Parliament appearing sensible of the publick miseries received the Petions of the afflicted People offered to do them Justice and by professing that they bore a part in their sufferings gained their affections to that degree that they looked upon them as their Revenging and Redeeming Gods I don't pretend to give a recital of the Assemblies of the Chambers of the matters they treated of there of the Counsels and Results of their Conferences and of the Remonstrances of the Company carried to their Majesties by the chief President Moles there are Memoirs enough filled therewith it suffices to say that there were three Parties in the Parliament The First was that of the Frondeurs a Name given in Raillery to those that were against the Court. These People being Zealous to stop the course of the present Calamities had the same Object though from a different Motive that those had who were Interested by their Fortune or particular Hatred against the Principal Minister The Second Party were the Mazarins who were perswaded that they ow'd a Blind Obedience to the Court some out of Conscience to maintain the Peace of the State others out of Respect to the Obligations they had to the Ministers or Interest with the Men in Business And the Last were such as Condemn'd the Violence of the First yet approved not the Coldness of the Second but kept themselves betwixt both to act upon occasion either according to their Interest or their Duty Thus the Parliament was divided the greatest part whereof who at the first had no love for Innovations yet for want of Experience in the Affairs of the World were very glad to be Commissioners for Regulating the Abuses that were Crept into the Government of the State and to see themselves Mediators betwixt the Court and the People It was insinuated into them that this Imployment gave consideration and lustre to their Persons that Charity oblig'd them to succor the Distressed in their Pressing Necessities and that the Duty of their Charges which were instituted to Moderate the Extreame Power of Kings and Oppose their Irregularities prompted them to it That they ought to know that the Ministers of France were of late years perswaded that it was to Reign Precariously if their Power extended only to permitted things That the Laws are stifled by Fear and Justice by Force That to our Misery our late Kings left the Management of the State so much to them that they became themselves a Prey to their Passions That the time is come when they must revive their Antient Orders and that Harmonious Relation which ought to be betwixt a Lawful Command and a Reasonable Obedience That for this end the People Invoked their Justice as the only Refuge to prevent their extreme Oppression That so Holy a Commission approved by Heaven and followed with Publick Acclamations would Skreen them from all fear or if there should be danger that it is the property of Eminent Vertue to signalise it self in a Tempest rather than in a Calm and that Death which is common to all Men is distinguish'd only by Oblivion or by Glory These Venmous Discourses made so much the greater Impressions on their Minds because Men have a Natural Inclination to believe whatever flatters their Greatness so that they suffer'd themselves to be charm'd with the fine words of Tutelar Gods of their Countrey and the Restorers of Publick Liberty He that infus'd this Poyson into them with most Artifice was Longueil Counsellor in the Great Chamber who being push'd on with a Spirit of Ambition to advance his Fortune in
manner that he took off all the Envy that his extraordinaay Reputation might create in him by particular Honors and Respects in leaving to him the outward marks of Command Add that the Abbot de la Riviere to whom he promis'd that the Prince de Conty should not traverse his Nomination was a certain Security for his Masters Affection Monsieur le Prince left Compeigne with this good understanding betwixt them to go to his Government The Cardinal took his leave of him very well attended as if he was afraid to trust his Life with him who had ventur'd his for his preservation so frail are the tyes and friendships of the Court and the least Accidents expose them to the greatest Changes At parting he desired the Commander of Souvré le Tellier and others of the Cardinals Confidents and charged Marbille his own Servant to tell him That he could not be his Friend if he thought of this Marriage The Cardinal being vexed at the heart to see himself constrained to publish to the World a dependance so submissive as if the Will of Monsieur le Prince was the only Rule to which he must conform his Interests defended himself from it with vehemence enough alledging That having imparted this Allyance approved by the Queen and his Royal Highness to Rome and all the Princes of Italy he could not desist from it without shame and dishonor So that being ballanc'd betwixt the Reputation of the World and the fear of Monsieur le Prince he could not resolve either to break off or to conclude this Marriage but following the Genius of his own Nation which was very Ascendant in him he waited the benefit of Time In the mean while we were obliged to send out an Army into the Field to deface the Infamy of our Civil Wars and raise the Reputation of our Affairs A strong Army was set out made up of the Troops of Germany with which a Peace was just before concluded whereof Comte d'Harcourt was the General who had orders to lay Siege to Cambray This Success besides the Publick Interest was of advantage to the Cardinal who intended to re-establish himself in his ancient Lustre by a glorious Conquest with the thoughts whereof he was the more pleased because Monsieur le Prince had no hand either in the Design or the Execution also to make the Honor of it more entirely his own he went himself from Amiens where the King was to the Siege rather out of Ostentation than for any good effect that it had contenting himself to distribute some Presents of little value which served only to discredit him in the Army and expose him to their publick Railleries But his Fortune look'd upon him with an evil Eye this year Cambray was relieved and this Enterprise turned to his dishonor This Event raised the Party of Paris and revived their Violence though they were always actuated with the same Animosity against the Cardinal For he having made no endeavors to gain the Coadjutor the Duke de Beaufort Longueil and the most in credit with them they kept up notwithstanding the Peace the Peoples and the Parliaments hatred against him as quick and active as in the time of the War that hereby they might render themselves necessary at the Kings return to Paris and make their Conditions better even the Prince de Conty by the advice of Prince de Marcillac though that which was agreed upon in his favor at the Peace was fully performed forbore not to head this Party and to shew himself the Cardinals enemy that he might by this render himself more considerable Besides He being intirely devoted to the Will and Pleasure of Monsieur le Prince who by his power procured for him Danvilliers and brought him into the Council it was for their mutual Interest that he should keep up his credit at Paris during all the Storms at Court So that at this time the Kings Authority was as little respected as before the War because its only support is Fear or Admiration both which were lost and the Publick were no less violent against the Chief Minister expecting that he should become sensible of the little Power he had since he broke with Monsieur le Prince Notwithstanding as he wanted not such who by false Flatteries suggested to him that the Party of paris was baffled even in Paris it self and that his prevailed there he made a tryal thereof by Jarzè who received an affront from Monsieur de Beaufort at the Jardin de Renard wherein the Duke de Candalle Boutellier and other Persons of Quality were concerned hereupon some Challenges followed which went no further than the disarming of Monsieur de Beaufort A Rencounter which stirred up all the Fronde into an almost universal Insurrection against the Cardinal and his Partisans The the Cardinal being undeceived of all the Errors they had perswaded him into and foreseeing that how averse soever he was to it he could not prolong the Kings return to Paris who was pressed to go by the Princes and the necessity of Affairs wholly employed his Thoughts upon what might contribute to his safety with respect to the Prince de Conty and Monsieur de Longueil he engaged his Word to Prince de Marcillac to procure him the Honors of the Louvre which the greatest Families in the Kingdom enjoy He forgot no promises to the Dutchess de Monthason who had an entire and absolute Authority over the Duke de Beaufort He at this time promised the Superintendency to the President de Maisons Brother to Longueil and as to the Coadjutor he being in League with the Marquess de Noirmoustier de Laigues and the Dutchess de Chevereuse who in the Troubles returned from her Exile in Flanders to Paris the Cardinal enter'd into a Conference with her upon his account so that the Upholders of this party being cool'd by his Treaties with them were glad enough to cover the weakness of their credit which would have appeared if they had attempted to oppose the concurrence of so great a number as desired the Kings presence at Paris But the Cardinal though he stood in need of the support of Monsieur le Prince for his re-establishment yet either because he believed he could make a shift without him by the means of these new Practices or indeed because he could no longer endure the Yoke of his Obligations which he thought lay too heavy upon him kept only a civil correspondence with him during his absence treating him like a suspected Friend Monsieur le Prince to say the truth now saw the prosperities of the Court for which he was before so blindly passionate not without some regret he was vexed at the Siege of Cambray and was glad when he heard it was raised The troubles of Guyenne and Provence with the difficulties of the Kings return to Paris pleas'd him well enough and the more because he saw into the Cardinals Intentions who thought of nothing but how to surmount the
Cardinal that it was impossible for him to repose any assurance in him not that I believe he ever harbored in his Breast any such Designs as were laid to his charge only his entertainments of the Cardinal were either full of coldness or civility according to the humors of those Ladies Madam de Chevreuse and Madam de Monthazon insomuch that if he gave him occasion to be satisfied with him one day he disoblig'd him as much the next saying That he only came to see him by his Fathers order If in the condition he is in I had a mind to complain of him I should have some reason to do so it being very true that at this time though he did me the honor to dine at my House often and pass the greatest part of the Afternoons with me yet he imparted to me very little of his Conduct And I dare say though I am not the greatest Politician in the Kingdom that if he would have opened himself more freely to me he had never been embarrass'd in that ununluckly and shameful Intrigue of Madam de Longueville's Letters which hapned about this time and into which his Love for Madam de Monthazon hurried him without considering the bottom of the thing and imputing the Malice to those who could not possibly be guilty I can say further That to take this Affair right nothing at all of it is to be believed I never enquir'd into the thing to get more knowledge of it But if Monsieur de Beaufort had spoke to me of it at the beginning I would have advised him without examining the falshood or truth thereof to have given the Letters into Madam de Longueville's hands and I think that this service done to a persson who was once passionately belov'd and who is even yet as much hated is a very sensible reproach and the most honest and glorious Revenge that could be taken But he suffer'd himself to becarried away with anothers Passion and by the breaking out of this cursed Quarrel absolutely threw himself upon a Precipice From that time there was little familiarity betwixt Monsieur d'Anguien and him and besides the remembrance of what pass'd in the Quarrel of the Grand-Maistre and the report that this Prince had ask'd to have his Brother-in-law the Duke de Brezè protected in his charge he gave an answer to a Letter which Monsieur de Beaufort wrote to him upon the Birth of his Son wherein he treated him rudely and in a kind of revenge which his little Pride prompted him to only subscrib'd himself Your most humble and affecttionate Servant But though these little peeks betwixt two such haughty and ambitious Minds were enough to carry them to extreams yet they might have been qualifi'd with some moderation whereas after an Affair which directly wounded their Honor there was no way left for a Reconcilement I confess I speak not upon this subject with a cold heart and that of all that has pass'd since the Kings Death this is the only thing I look back upon with regret and would say with some fort of Repentance if I did not find an infinite number of Reasons that forced me to take that side which I did Those which ought to have disswaded me were first of all Interest almost all my Estate lay in le Berry and under the Government of Monsieur le Prince I saw the Duke de Anguien likely to return to Court within a little while having augmented the glory of his Victory at Rocroy by the taking of Thienville which was judged impregnable and that after such Services it was hard to believe that the Queen would favor any other Party than his The Duke de Longueville had always dealt very obligingly with me and there were few that he spoke to with more confidence In fine it was to be observ'd that I had the honor to be nearly related to Madam la Princess whom I should mortally offend if I offer'd my Service to Madam de Montbazon my relation to whom was further off and less Honorable But also very strong considerations invited me to the other side almost all my Friends were embark'd in it and above all Monsieur de Guise who caress'd me extraordinarily at his return into France and seem'd to choose me for his principal Friend I had the Honor to be nearer him than any of his Quality I had all along dearly loved and very much honor'd him and was the first Author of the strait Union betwixt Monsieur de Beaufort and him which seemed to be one of the principal causes that put him upon this Intrigue I believ'd that the Womens Quarrel would certainly breed one among'st the Men and resolved not to embrace one Party to acquit it again the next day But to speak freely the most essential reason that made me declare was That I knew whatever Caresses the Cardinal made me he had no kindness at all for me and thought that I must of necessity get some other support near the Queen I knew very well if I should hope for one in Monsieur le Prince that he would not displease the first Minister for me if in Monsieur la Riviere the mortal Enemy of my Friends was an invincible Obstacle so that I saw none but Madam de Chevreuse who hiding her Disgrace the best that she could and continuing her ancient familiarity with the Queen seem'd to me to be yet in a condition to protect me Being joyn'd in Interest with her common Friends I had in a little time gain'd a great deal of Freedom and receiv'd from her Assurances to serve me upon all occasions But I had a mind to oblige her to it with something more extraordinary knowing well That she being Vain and Ambitious would be touched therewith and told her That 't was she I had chiefly respect to when I rank'd my self on Madam de Montbazons Party which she receiv'd as well as I could wish and promis'd me all the assistance imaginable I will say nothing of all that afterwards pass'd in this Affair because it was so publick that no body can be ignorant of it only that if the Opinion of Monsieur de Longueville had been followed it had stifled all But Madam la Princess following the heat of her Natural Temper and finding an opportunity of satisfying her old Animosities carried it to the utmost extremity to which I know not whether she was push'd on by the Cardinal who look'd upon our Party as form'd against him and thought it not so much design'd against Monsieur le Prince as against his Authority which increased every day At the Hotel de Madam de Chevreuse there was a meeting of fourteen Princes at which I was not present and would have been sorry to have been so thinking it very useless and impertinent Two days after the Amende Honorable which Madam de Montbazon was to undergo at the Hotel de Conde the Queen being in the Circle call'd me to her and said That she believed I
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE Late Troubles DURING THE WARS of PARIS CONTAINING The Material Transactions and Private Intrigues practised by the Rebels and Traytors for obtaining the Regency and Government Shewing the Endeavours used by them to maintain a Confederacy disadvantageous to the Kings Authority With the manner of their imprisoning the Court the Nobility and the People And an Account of the Parliaments Proceedings in declaring them Enemies to the King and Government LONDON Printed for Henry Chapman near Stanhope-Court at Charing-Cross MDCLXXXVI An Historical Account of the late Troubles during the Wars of Paris Containing the material Transactions and private Intrigues practised by the Rebels and Traytors for obtaining the Regency and Government THE Persecution which I suffered during the Authority of Cardinal Richelieu being ended with his Life I thought of returning to Court The King's Sickness and the little Inclination he had to trust his Children and State with the Queen made me hope that I should quickly find considerable occasions of serving her and giving her at that juncture of Affairs the same marks of Fidelity which she had received from me in all the Occurrences wherein her Interests and those of Madam de Chevereuse were contrary to Cardinal Richelieu's When I came to Court I found it as submissive to his Will after his Death as it had been during his Life his Kindred and his Creatures there had the same Advantages which he had procured them and by an effect of his Fortune whereof you 'l find very few Examples the King who hated him and wish'd his Ruine was forced not only to dissemble it but also to Authorize the Disposal which Cardinal Richelieu made in his Will of the principal Charges and most important Places of his Kingdom He also chose Cardinal Mazarin to succeed him in the Government of Affairs and so was assured of Reigning much more absolutely after his Death than the King his Master could do all the thirty three Years that he enjoy'd the Crown Notwithstanding the King's Sickness being desperate there was some probability that things would e're long change and that the Queen or * The King 's Brother so called Monsieur coming to the Regency would be reveng'd upon the Remains of Cardinal Richelieu for the Injuries which they had received from him Cardinal Mazarin Monsieur Chavigny and Monsieur de Noyers who then had the greatest share in the management of Affairs resolved to prevent this Mischief and to make use of the Power which they had over the King's Mind to oblige him to declare the Queen Regent and to Reconcile themselves to her by this Service which ought to appear so much the more considerable to the Queen as she believed the King far from any such thoughts by reason of the little Inclination he alwayes entertained for her and because of the League which he believed she yet had with the Spaniards by the means of Madam de Chevreuse who had fled into Spain and was then at Brussels Monsieur de Noyers was the first who gave the Queen hopes that they might win the King by his Confessor to Establish her Regent thinking thereby to tye her strictly to him and to exclude Monsieur de Chavigny whom she most favoured in Cardinal Richelieu's Life-time but Monsieur de Noyers soon found himself far from his designs for the Confessor had Orders to withdraw and he himself was afterwards turn'd out It seem'd to me that this Change did not at all lessen the Queens Hopes and that she expected from Cardinal Mazarin and Monsieur de Chavigny the same Service which Monsieur de Noyers designed to pay her both of them every day gave her all the assurances of their Fidelity that she could desire and she expected a proof thereof when the Kings Sickness growing to such a height that there remained no hipes of Cure gave them an opportunity of proposing to him to regulate every thing whilst his Health would permit him to choose a Form of Government himself which might exclude from the management of Affairs all those whom he held suspected This Proposition altho it was apparently against the Queens Interests did notwithstanding seem to him too favourable to Her He could not consent to declare her Regent and also could not resolve to share the Authority betwixt her and Monsieur The Intelligences which he suspected her guilty of and the Pardon which he had but just before granted to Monsieur for the Treaty of Spain held him in an Irresolution which he could not have overcome if the conditions of the Declaration which Cardinal Mazarin and Monsieur de Chavigny proposed to him had not furnished him with an expedient to diminish the Queens Power and render her in some manner Dependent upon the Council which he intended to establish Notwithstanding the Queen and Monsieur who had had too many Testimonies of the King's Aversion and who almost equally suspected that he would exclude them from the management of Affairs sought all manner of ways to acquire it I was informed by Monsieur de Chavigny himself That being sent to the King from the Queen to beg his Pardon for all that she had ever done and also for having displeased him in her Conduct beseeching him particularly not to believe that she had any hand in the business of Chalais or that she had the least design of Marrying Monsieur after Chalais had killed the King To which he answered Monsieur Chavigny without being moved In the condition I am in I ought to Pardon her but I am not bound to believe her Every one presently then thought they had a Right to pretend to the Regency to the Exclusion of one another and if Monsieur was not long of that mind he at least believed that he should be declared Regent with the Queen The hopes of the Court and of all the Kingdom were too different and all the State which had almost equally suffered during the Favour of Cardinal Richelieu expected a Change with too great an Impatience not to receive with joy a Turn from which every one hoped an Advantage The different Interests of the chief Men in the Kingdom and the most considerable in the Parliament obliged them to side either with the Queen or Monsieur and if the Interests which they made for them underhand did not break out more it was because the King's Health which seemed something repaired made them fear lest he should be advertised of their Practices and make the provident cares which they took to establish their Authority after his Death to pass for a Crime It was in this juncture that I believed it would be of Importance to the Queen to be assured of the * The now Prince of Conde Duke d' Anguier She approved of the Proposal I made of gaining him to her side and being a very particular Friend of Coligny's in whom the Duke d' Anguien wholly confided I represented to them both the Advantages that would accrue to the Queen
his Family and his own Greatness to take the Queen into his Protection and she to fly to him as her only refuge that he being of a hot nature would reduce things to the greatest extremity and that it was already talk'd that he was coming with the Regiment of Guards to force the Palace of Orleans to reduce that company of Seditious which were about his Person They Remonstrated to la Riviere if he would pretend for his private Interest to make a division in the Royal Family and cause a Civil War If it was reasonable that he should be offended because a Prince of the Blood was preferr'd before him That he would become the object of the hatred and vengeance of Monsieur the Prince and of all his Family that the load he laid upon his Master was too weighty that he would quickly be weary of it or that if he broke off with him his favor would become a prey to others and as to the Cardinalship that the Prince of Conty would either give it over or the Court demand two Caps for the First Promotion The two Commissioners of the Court found the Minds of the Duke de Orleans and de la Riviere very well disposed to understand their Reasons for Time had done much towards an Accommodation and this Minister was already perswaded by his own fears that things ought to return to the same degree of concord that they were at before and so they did upon this Agreement The Declaration agreed upon by the Kings Council and the Deputies of the Soveraign Courts seem'd to secure the Repose of the State and to quench the least sparks of Fire which threatned it but the Ambition of those who hated the present Government and desired Innovations had taken too deep root in their Minds to keep within the bounds of Mildness So that they omitted no endeavor or practise whereby they might incite the Parliament and People to disturb it They represented to them that this great business of the Barricadoes this Victory of Subjects over their Soveraign this Diminution of Royal Authority the Publick Invectives against the Cardinal would never be forgotten That his want of Power made him at present prudently dissemble his Resentments but that they would break out with so much the greater violence That it was never heard that so powerful a Minister was ever attack'd without being ruin'd to all intents and purposes that he stayes only for favorable occasions a Division in the Parliament a change in the People the King's Majority in a word the Benefit of Opportunity which cannot be wanting to him who absolutely disposes of the Royal Power that therefore they must make use of the present junctures if they would get rid of so dangerous an Enemy That the Duke of Orleans was a sober Man and one too knowing in the Affairs of the World to oppose an universal concourse That Monsieur le Prince will bethink himself that the true Refuge for Princes of the Blood and his own Reputation against the jealousie of Favorites must be the Publick Love of the People so that at the most to please the Queen they will appear to defend her but weakly and with reservedness Lastly That they must consider that the Declaration which was extorted from the Court when in a weak condition and which will be of force no longer then while it continues so is a Necessity not a Sincere Friendship in the heart of the Queen who but waits the Moment to Revenge her self Those who dispersed such Discourses in Parliament and who declared most against the Court were after Broussel and Longueil the President of Noujon and Blanmenil Enemies to the Cardinal because of the disgrace of the Bishop of Beauvay their Uncle and because their Cousin was retused to be made the Coadjutor of this Bishoprick and Viole because they broke the promise they made him to be Chancellour to the Queen but the person that at this time by the instances of his Friend in Parliament and his Emissaries among the people laboured with most success to make a party to their Association was the Coadjutour of Paris This man who had joyned too many excellent both Natural and acquired Qualities that defect which the Corruption of minds makes to pass for a Vertue was tainted with an extreme ambition and an unbounded desire of increasing his Fortune and Reputation by all sorts of ways so that the Constancie of his undaunted Courage and mighty Genius found a sad and unhappy object which was the troubles of the State and a Compassion to the Capital City whereof he was Arch-Bishop Now judging that this Party could not Subsist with out a Head he cast his eyes upon Monsieur le Prince whom he Assaulted with such strong reasons that it was reported he was perswaded by them or at least seem'd to be so even to give his word to Broussel and Longueil to put himself at the Head of them But whether it was that he did not engage his word and that the Duke of Chatillion who Negotiated for him with the Frondaurs had advanced so farr on his own head without his Orders or rather that the Prince had expressely given it to hinder them from addressing themselves to the Duke of Orleans during his discontent however it was he undeceived those who suspected Him of Favouring his Desire The Coadjutor seeing himself disappointed having a Head of this Importance turn'd his hopes upon the Prince of Conty whose Birth alone was of Great Consequence in the Kingdom This Prince was dissatisfied because he was not one of the Council and much more because the Prince set so little esteem upon him But being entirely Governed by the Dutchess of Longueil his Sister who was netled at the Indifference which Monsieur the Prince shew'd to her he abandon'd himself without reserve to her Opinions This Princess who had a great hand in the sequel of Affairs had all the advantages of Wit and Beauty to so high a Degree and with so many charms and so generally liked that nature seem'd to have been pleased to frame an accomplish'd and perfect Work But a Blemish which is rarely or never seen in a Princess of this merit somthing darkened these fair Qualities which was far from prescribing to those who had a particular Adoration for her she transformed her self so very much into their sentiments that she was not sensible of her own At this time the Prince de Marcillac had a place in her Affections who joyning his ambition to his Love inspired her with a desire of intermedling in Affairs tho she had a natural Aversion to it and made use of the passion she had to be reveng'd on Monsieur the Prince to set the Prince of Conty against him The Coadjutour was happy in his project to see the Brother and Sister disposed to Unite themselves with the Frondeurs by a Treaty into which the Duke of Longueville was drawn being push'd on with the Hopes that the Parliament
would bring about his ill grounded pretensions to be a Prince of the Blood The Court seeing that the Designs of their Enemies prevailed to that Height as openly to demand the Cardinals ruin put all their hope in the Duke of Orleans and Monsieur le Prince and thought that their Union with their Majesties would reduce them into Order Now because the mischief had taken such deep root that there was required a great deal of force to pluck it up they judg'd that the temperate Nature of the Duke of Orleans was not so proper as that of Monsieur le Prince which was incapable of all Moderation Add to this that his Reputation in the Wars the Splendor of his Victories the Forces of his Troops would strike terrour into peoples minds so that they applyed themselves particularly to gain him to espouse a cause so just The Queen to this end made use of very pressing perswasions to Wit Tears and most affectionate words telling him that she look'd upon him as her Third Son The Cardinal promised him that he would all his life depend upon his Will The King himself embracing him told him that he recommended to him the saftey of his State and Person So that the Court consider'd him as the Principal Defender of its Fortune but those who determin'd him were Marshal Gramont and le Tellier by these or the like Arguments they represented to him that by little and little the Parliament would Usurp the whole Authority That instead of bounding their Ambition within the Declaration of the 28 October they would not only be judges of the Affairs of War but also took upon themselves a power to turn out the Minister that at the same time they might set up a new one of their own chusing and further that frequent Mutations are Pernicious to Kingdoms nay that it is sometimes better to suffer an ill one than to change him that it is ten thousand to one but if an usurpation the like whereof was never heard of till now be tolerated they will assault priviledg'd persons and nothing be sacred enough to secure it from Violation by this licentiousness that the Counsellors would be in a fine Condition if they should impose Laws upon Kings and the Princes of the Blood miserable if they received them That this new practice shock'd the Monarchy which is absolute and independant and contrary to the Constitutions of France and even to the Institutions of the Parliament that if there be abuses in the Kingdom they ought to be reformed by the Assemblies of the General States and not by the Decrees of a Company whose suffrages are rather counted than weighed That when ever the Parliament went beyond their Duty they were severely corrected sometimes by the late King sometimes by Henry the Fourth and Charles the Ninth and other Kings their Predecessors upon occasions less dangerous than this That Great Kingdoms cannot be supported by remiss Councils but must give a proof of their Courage and strength and that the justice of Kings consists in their Power That He the Prince was interested in the person of the Cardinal to oppose an enterprise which tends to the Destruction of the Royal Family and that if the Duke of Orleans and his Highness would not stand in the Gap the Queen would be forc'd to go with her Children to Implore the Help of the Princes that were Allies to the Crown Besides that Monsieur le Prince must think that the Innovations made by the Parliament since the Declaration wounded the Establishment of the Peace These Discourses which represented the thing very lively made such an Impression on his Spirit that he would not hear of a neutrality without ever so much as thinking that he might lose the peoples Affection It is certain that Great Minds like this of Monsieur le Prince produce great Vertues but are eminent also for great Defects By an Invincible Excess of Passion he ruin'd all the Advantages Fortune had even to Envy added to his person which were such that the would have surpassed the glory of the greatest men in former Ages if Piety Justice and Solidity had been answerable to that Excessive Valour that incredible Constancy in Adversities and that sparkling Wit which were remarkable in him Monsieur le Prince might have rendred himself ador'd by all the World if he could have manag'd himself with a design to have treated his Affairs with calmness but instead of this he was forc'd by his rash conduct to have recourse to means which brought him to strange Extremities He went with the Duke of Orleans to the Parliament and push'd on by his ill Fate as soon as Viole had invoked the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Princes in their Consideration of the Cardinals Conduct Monsieur le Prince rose up and bid him hold his tongue this inconsiderately raised a murmuring amongst the Young Counsellors with which he was fir'd into a passion and threatned them with his hands and words At this time he lost the Affection of the Company and when this Action was spread abroad the esteem his Victories gain'd him was chang'd into Fear and the love of his Person into Hatred not to say Exceration from which he recovered not but by particular good Fortune And now being interested in a quarrel of his own as well as of the Courts he hearkned to all propositions that were made him for reducing the Parliament They tell him that the speediest and surest way was to besiege Paris that by stoping all the Avenues the people would be starv'd in three Market days and so rise against the Parliament and accuse them of being the Authors of all their miseries In fine that the Parisians were without any to head them without Soldiers and accustomed to soft ease he relish'd these Reasons which seemed strong to him because animated by his Fury to which nothing was impossible so that he made himself the Head of the enterprise to besiege Paris under the command of the Duke of Orleans who at first opposed this design but the sollicitations of the Queen the perswasions of the Abbot de la Riviere and the willful Resolution of Monsieur le Prince overr-ulled his own Opinion and the contrary advice of the Dutchesse of Orleans This being resolved on Monsieur le Prince and the Marshal de la Meilleraye proposed that they might gain their end more speedily to seise upon the Isle of St. Louis the Port St. Antonie the Arsenal and the Bastile and also to put their Majesties in the Bastile but either because this proposition was not well enough grounded or because they were afraid of exposing the Kings person they rather chose to quit Paris than to besiege it After his Majesty had solemnized the Festival of the Epiphany at the Marshal Gramont's House the King retired to the Cardinal's Palace from whence he departed the next day at three a Clock in the Morning with the Queen Cardinal Mazarin and all the Court except
Madam de Longueil to go to St. Germains whither the Nobility and all the Ministers likewise came the same day and presently in a Council that was held the Blocking up of Paris was Publish'd and talk'd of by all the Court. This Departure or rather Escape was joyful News to the Factious and was by no means approved of by wise Men who esteem'd it unbecoming Sovereign Dignity which Princes ought to be jealous of since the splendor of the name of King is the chief thing that awes the People into Respect The Parisians were not so much startled as was imagined they would be on the contrary as if they had taken courage from the condition they were in they declared That they were prepared for all the Consequences that threatned them and fear did not keep them from railing against the Cardinal Monsieur le Prince the Queen and all those whom they believed to have advised this departure which they called a Rape of the King The Parliament appeared less constant in this accident because they foresaw the Consequences of it better and after the first Assembly they deputed some of the Kings Council to carry their Submissions and Offers which though very advantagious yet were sent back without being heard so much was all the Court possessed with a vain hope that the Parisians would yield too with a blind obedience upon the first Alarm of the Siege but they were quickly undeceived for the day after which was the eighth of January that the King's Council had made their Report so that they could no longer question the design of the Court the Parliament declared the Cardinal an Enemy to the Government and issued out Commissions to levy Soldiers the Companies voluntarily taxed themselves they laid in abundance of Provisions and the people with a great deal of ardor stood to defend the City So true is it that Fear oftentimes begets Courage and that nothing Arms the Hand more powerfully than Despair Notwithstanding Monsieur le Prince with six or seven thousand Men who were the remainder of the Army of the last Campaign block'd up Paris possessing themselves of Laigny Corbeil Saint Cloud St. Denis and Chaerenton a thing Posterity will admire but never believe That he should by his Conduct and Vigilance block up the greatest and most populous City in Europe when at the same time there were so many Princes and Lords in it with an Army stronger than his Now as the Court never wants Malecontents the Duke d'Elbeuf his three Sons the Duke of Brisac and the Marquiss de la Boulaye first offered themselves to the Parliament who had no sooner installed the Duke d'Elbeuf in the Office of General of the Army but news was brought them that the Prince de Conty and the Duke de Longueil accompanied with the Prince de Marcillac and Normonstier were that night privately come from St. Germains and lighted at the Hotel de Longueil who came to declare themselves for the Parisians according to the Agreement which they had made with the Coadjutor This their sudden arrival gave occasion to some controversy which was ended by the nomination of the Prince of Conty for Generalissimo and of the Duke d'Elbeuf for General with whom the Duke de Bouillion and Marshal de la Motthe were joined in equal power Monsieur de Longueil would not take any Employment but of assisting the Prince of Conty by his Counsels esteeming himself above the last and not able to be equal to the first The Prince of Conty had great difficulty to justifie the sincerity of his Intentions because the Publick who were ignorant of the misunderstanding betwixt him and Monsieur le Prince who was the real head of the Enterprize against Paris could not think themselves secure of him even Provost a Counsellor of the great Chamber gave himself the liberty as if this mutual Confederation against their Duty inspired him with boldness to be disrespectful to a Prince of the Blood Nevertheless Madam de Longueville was required to live in the Hotel de Ville to be an Hostage for the Fidelity of her Brother and Husband to the People who naturally distrust great Men because they are ordinarily the Victims of their Interest This departure of Monfieur le Prince de Conty and of Monsieur de Longueil from St. Germains was a mighty surprise in it self but became much greater by raising a jealousie that Monsieur le Prince was of the Party which put the Queen and the Cardinal into extraordinaryfears though they were quickly removed by his return from Charenton He storm'd and was incensed against them with the greater heat in this quarrel that he might be reveng'd on his Relations who he believed ought to depend absolutely on his Will 'T was said That at this time the Cardinal resolved to leave France thinking it impossible for him to be safe in the midst of all these Tempests and destitute of support But the Prince encourag'd him and engaged his honour to the Queen That he would perish or bring him back to Paris triumphant over his Enemies In the mean time the Party in the City got no small strength by the Declaration of a Prince of the Blood whose quality was of great consequence in the Kingdom and of another Prince who was almost absolute in his Government of Normandy the Marshal de la Motthe also rendred himself considerable in the Army and the Duke of Bouillion incomparably more so by the great Knowledge he had in the affairs of the World and his strict Alliance with his Brother Marshal Turenne who commanding at this time the Army in Germany it was presumed would Sacrifice his Duty to the raising of his Family and to the Peak he had against the Cardinal Monsieur le Prince indeed who took these two Brothers for his Friends wrote to the Duke de Bouillion fearing lest he should think that the retreat of the Prince de Conty and of Longueil was contrived with his consent and therefore he was willing to undeceive him and conjured him to return to St. Germains where he would procure him all the satisfaction possible to his Interests Monsieur de Bouillion shewed this Letter to the Parliament and the Ministers being informed That Marshal Turenne stood ill affected the King and Monsieur le Prince who had great Interest amongst the Troops in Germany wrote to the Colonels to observe his Commands no further and to abandon him which took effect and was the safety of the Court. At this time likewise the Duke of Beaufort arrived at Paris He had absconded in the Provinces beyond the Loire since his escape out of Vincennes and found this favourable occasion to set him up again in the World He came to offer his service to the Parliament who cleared him from the Accusation of having conspired against the Life of Cardinal Mazarin admitted him Peer of France and made him one of their Generals Now although his Genius was none of the most raised
Madam la Princess which should be of her own choosing The Duke de Bonillon retired to Turennes and the Duke de la Rochefoucault who was as I have said Governor of Pâ—ictou to his own House without exercising the Office of his Charge and without any reparation for his House de Vertueil which the King had caus'd to be razed Madam la Princess the Duke d' Anguien and the aforesaid Dukes went together from Bourdeaux to go to Coutras Marshal la Meilleray as he went to Bourdeaux met Madam la Princess upon the Water and advis'd her to go and see the King and Queen giving her hopes that the King it may be would grant to the Prayers and Tears of a Woman what he thought himself obliged to refuse when it was demanded by Arms. In fine notwithstanding the aversness which Madam la Princess had to go to Court the Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault counsell'd her to follow the Advice of the Marshal that they might not be reproached with the neglect of any thing that might procure her Husbands liberty The arrival of Madam la Princess at Court produced many Effects so suddain a change made Madamoiselle believe that they treated about many things without acquainting Monsieur with them The Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault had great Conferences apart with Cardinal Mazarin with a design either to make him resolve to give the Princes their Liberty or to render him suspected by Monsieur They represented to him that the Princes would be the more obliged to him for it because they very well knew that he was not in a condition to be compell'd to it by War That it would be glorious enough for him to let all Europe see that he had ruin'd and re-established Monsieur le Prince when he pleas'd That the proceedings of the Frondeurs ought to make him sensible that they desired to be Masters of the Princes either to destroy them and afterwards him himself with the greater ease or to set them at liberty and thereby engage them joyntly to effect the Queens and his ruine That the War was ended in Guyenne but the desire of renewing it all over the Kingdom would never end but with the Imprisonment of the Princes and that he ought the more to give credit to those that spoke to him because they did not fear to tell it himself whil'st they were in his hands and had no other Security but his word That the Cabals would every where be renewed in the Parliament of Paris and in all the other Parliaments of the Kingdom to procure the Princes Liberty and to get them out of his hand And in fine that whatever the said Dukes could do by all ways possible should be to procure Liberty to the Princes but that they had much rather owe the Obligation to him than to any body else This Discourse had the effect they desired it should have it shak'd the Cardinal and made the Frondeurs and Monsieur de Orleans jealous it took away their hopes of getting the Princes into their hands and made them resolve to be reconcil'd to them and seek again for means to destroy the Cardinal The Frondeurs since the Imprisonment of the Princes endeavored not without Cardinal Mazarins consent underhand to make all the advantages they could of their Reconciliation with him but they affected always to make the World believe they had not changed their design to ruine him that hereby they might keep up their Credit amongst the People So that what they did for this end at the beginning with the Cardinals approbation was afterwards serviceable to them against him when they really intended his ruine I have already told you that the Dukes de Bouillon's and de la Rochefoucault's conversation with the Cardinal had made them jealous Madamoiselle took the alarm and gave it to Monsieur d'Orleans afterwards the Frondeurs used their utmost and last endeavors to get the Princes within their power and seeing that they were refus'd it they enter'd upon a Negotiation with the Princes and those who Treated for them they engaged Monsieur d Orleans to procure their Liberty The President Viole Arnaud Montrueil the Prince of Conty's Secretary and many others enter'd upon Negotiating with Monsieur d'Orleans the Coadjutor Madam de Chevreuse and the Frondeurs and with Monsieur de Beaufort and Madam de Monthazon the rest treated with the Cardinal At this time the Princess Palatine was more than any Body the Confident of the Princes and the Dutchess de Longueville she began all the Negotiations of the Princes as well with the Frondeurs and the Cardinal as also with Madam de Chevreuse whose Daughter was to be married to the Prince de Conty and with Madam de Montbazon and the Duke de Beaufort She was the Trustee for their Treaties how opposite soever they were who seeing her self charged with so many contrary things at a time and fearing to become suspected by one or other of them sent word to the Duke de la Rochefoucault that it was necessary he should come to Paris ineognito and that she would acquaint him with the state of Things that they might together resolve upon concluding with one side or other The Duke de la Rochefoucault was then a declared enemy to the Coadjutor to Madam de Chevreuse the Duke de Beaufort and Madam de Montbazon So that seeing the Negotiations equally advanced on both sides and judging That if they concluded with the Frondeurs the Princes could not get out without a Revolution of all the present state of Affairs He came to Paris and having let the Princess Palatine see that the Cardinal had the Key of the Princes Prison and could set him at liberty in a moment he hindred her from making Monsieur le Prince ratifie the Treaty with the Frondeurs to give the Cardinal time to consider the Difficulties he was going to be entangled in The Duke de la Rochefoucault saw him three or four times in private they both of them desired it might be so because the Cardinal would have no body in the World know of this Negotiation for fear Monsieur and the Frondeurs should speedily break out against him and the Duke de la Rochefoucault kept it the more secret because the Frondeurs demanded as one Condition of their Treaty That the Duke de la Rochefoucault should sign it which he neither would nor ought to do so long as he had reason to hope that the Treaty with the Cardinal might be sincerely intended both by him and the Princes He received also from the Dutchess de Longueville a full Power to make the Cardinal Friends with all the Family upon condition that he would set the Princes at Liberty In the interim the Frondeurs who got intelligence that the Duke de la Rochefoucault treated privately pressed him to sign their Treaty with Monsieur le Prince so that seeing himself necessitated speedily to conclude with one party or the other
before demanded for his Brother the Duke de la Rochefoucault and his other Friends In the mean time the Counsels of Chavigny had the success he desired he alone was Monsieur le Prince's Confident and had perswaded him to break off his Treaty with the Queen contrary to the advice of Madam de Longueville the Princess Palatine and the Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault Servien and Lyonne were on both sides in this Negotiation and were afterwards discarded The Queen deny'd that she ever heard of the Proposition of Blaye and accused Servien for having done it on purpose to make the Demands of Monsieur le Prince so high that she could not possibly grant them Monsieur le Prince again complained of Servien for either entring into a Business with him by the Queens orders upon conditions which she never had knowledge of or for having made so many vain Propositions to amuse him with the pretence of a sincere Treaty which was really nothing but a premeditated Design to ruine him In fine though Servien was suspected on both sides it diminished not the disaffection that begun to arise betwixt the Queen and Monsieur le Prince which was almost equally fomented by all that came near them they perswaded the Queen that the difference betwixt Monsieur le Prince and Madam de Chevreuse would reunite the Frondeurs to the Cardinals Interests and that things would ere long come to the same pass they were in when Monsieur le Prince was Arrested He on the other side was hurry'd on by many different Interests to break with the Court He found no security in the Queen and was afraid of falling again into his first disgrace Madam de Longueville knew that the Cardinal had made her Husband hate her past all hopes of reconciliation and that after the Impression he had given him of her Conduct she could not go into Normandy to him without either exposing her Life or her Liberty Notwithstanding the Duke de Longueville would by all means have her come and she had no way to avoid so dangerous a Journey but by inciting her Brother to quit the Court by an open breach with it and to prepare for a Civil War The Prince de Conty had no particular aim nevertheless he followed the Opinions of his Sister before he know them and would have a War because she prevented his taking upon him a Profession which he had no inclination to The Duke de Nemours also counsell'd it with a pressing earnestness which proceeded not so much from his ambition as from his jealousie of Monsieur le Prince he could not bear his seeing and loving Madam de Chastillon and because he could no way hinder it but by separating them for ever he believed that the War alone would effect it And this was the only motive he had to desire it The Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault were much more averse for they had by a fresh experience try'd to what invincible Labours and Difficulties they expose themselves who would support a Civil War against the presence of their King they knew with what Infidelities they were threatned when the Court by Proclamation promised rewards to those that would submit and gives Interested persons a pretence of returning to their Duty they knew also the Treachery of the Spaniards how vain and deceitful their promises are and that their true Interest is not that Monsieur le Prince or the Cardinal should be at the Helm in the management of Affairs but to foment the Quarrel betwixt them and so advantage themselves by our Divisions The Duke de Bouillon also added the consideration of his private Interest to that of the publick and hoped he might do a thing meritorious in the Queens eyes if he contributed to restrain Monsieur le Prince within the bounds of his Duty The Duke de la Rochefoucault could not so openly declare his Aversion to this War He was obliged to follow the Sentiments of Madam de Longueville and all that he could then do was to endeavor to perswade her to a Peace But the Conduct of the Court and of Monsieur le Prince soon gave occasions of Diffidence to both parties the consequence whereof was fatal to the State and to most of the great Families of the Kingdom it ruin'd almost in a moment the greatest and most splendid Fortune that ever dignified the Head of a Subject Whil'st things were on all sides disposed for an entire Rupture Monsieur le Prince sent the Marquis de Sillery into Flanders under a pretence of disengaging Madam de Longueville and Marshal Turennes from the Treaties which they had made with the Spaniards in order to procure his Liberty but really with an Order to take Measures with the Count de Fuensaldaigne and know before-hand what assistance Monsieur le Prince might expect from the King of Spain if he should be forced to resolve upon a War Fuensuldaigne answered him to this according to the usual custom of the Spaniards and by promising in general much more than he could reasonably ask omitted nothing that might engage Monsieur le Prince to take up Arms. On the other side the Queen had made a new Treaty with the Coadjutor the principal foundation whereof was the common hatred they had to Monsieur le Prince This Treaty was to be kept secret both for the Queens and the Frondeurs Interest because she could expect no service from them but by the Authority they had amongst the People which they could preserve no longer then while they believed them the Cardinals enemies both parties equally thought their safety consisted in the Princes ruine they also offer'd the Queen to kill him or to take him Prisoner but she aborr'd the first proposition though she willingly consented to the second The Coadjutor and Lyonne went to the Count de Montresor's to consult about the means of executing this Enterprise They unanimously agreed that it should be attempted but could neither resolve upon the time nor the manner of doing it Now either because Lionne feared the Consequences thereof for the State or because he considered the liberty of Monsieur le Prince as the greatest obstacle to the Cardinals return which he desired to hinder he one day discovered to Marshal de Grammont all that was resolv'd upon against Monsieur le Prince at the Count de Montresor's Marshal de Grammont kept the secret no better then Lionne for he told it to Chavigny after having engaged him by all manner of Oaths not to reveal it but Chavigny immediately gave notice of it to Monsieur le Prince He for some time thought that they had raised this report of Arresting him only to make him quit Paris and that it would be a weakness to take the Alarm seeing the People so zealously adhering to his Interests and finding himself incessantly accompanied with an infinite number of the Officers of the Army of his own Troops of his menial Servants and
look upon as the first foundation of the Cardinals hatred to me In the beginning of the year 1643. those two parties seeing the Kings indisposition growing daily worse and worse leaving him but little hopes of a much longer life every one of them judg'd it now time to think of getting a support and as they were of different opinions in other things they were no less in this Monsieur de Chavigny believed that his Place and assiduous waiting upon Monsieur and the Services that he pretended to have done him since the Treaty with Spain would belook'd upon as very meritorious by his Royal Highness and on the contrary the Queen would always hate him as the having been the Principal Minister of her Enemy he inclin'd Cardinal Mazarin to Monsieur's Side and both endeavour'd to perswade the King to recall him to Court There is one thing particularly to be mentioned in that which at first perhaps does not appear of great importance but which prov'd of so fatal a Consequence to me that I may say it was the beginning of my Ruine After the taking of Monsieur le Grand the Treaty with Spain being discover'd there was a Talk that it was by the means of the Count de Bethune Monsieur seem'd to strengthen that Falshood by tacitly confessing it excited by la Riviere who believ'd he could be no way better reveng'd of Monsieur de Montresor during his absence nor better cut off all ways of his returning again to his Master than by making him Author or at least Approver of so black a Calumny against one of his best Friends That Detraction was but short-lived and the deceas'd Cardinal tho not much a Friend to the Count de Bethune disabus'd all those who spoke to him about it The world may judge how much a Man of Honour ought to be sensible of such an Offence but the Cardinal's Authority which protected la Riviere exempted him from satisfying the just Resentments that are due to such an Injury He maintain'd this Report during the Cardinal's Life without suspicion but his Death changing the Face of things and la Riviere not knowing if his Master would be able or kind enough to support him against so considerable a Family and seeing no other Prop he fell into a mortal Fear and some days after being sent for to come to Paris by Monsieur de Chavigny to Treat about his Master's Return he could not be perswaded to take the Journey before he was secure that the Count de Bethune was appeas'd and Monsieur de Chaviguy who had need of him employed Monfieur de Liancour and also spoke himself to the Count de Bethune who being sensible of the highest affront that could be given a Gentleman could not for some time be induc'd to give him his Word till at length he was commanded by a Letter from the King sent by Varrennes one of the Messengers to him which tho it put a stop to his Proceeding did but increase his Hatred which was both right and justly founded Perhaps this Digression may seem a little long but it will appear hereafter that it is to my purpose La Riviere being at length come to Court manag'd with the Assistance of the two Ministers the Interest of his Master so successfully that in a little time he was seen with the King his Brother in a very good Understanding as to all appearance whilst Cardinal Mazarin and Monsieur Chavigny took so much Pains on their Sides Monsieur de Noyers took the other Ship-wrack'd Vessel and by Chaudenier his intimate Friend assur'd the Queen of his service and of an inseparable adherence to her Interest After that first Declaration he had upon the same Subject several Discourses with the Bishop of Beauvais in which he clearly enough manifested the Designs of his Collegues who gave him sufficient Subject for Discourse at that time for seeing the King's Distemper still increased by little and little and his Majesty having several times spoken to them about settling the Affairs of the Kingdom they perswaded Father Sirmond his Confessor to propose to him a Corregency betwixt Monsieur his Brother and the Queen and at the same time sollicited many of the Parliament at Paris to pursue the same Design and made use of the Interposition of the President de Maison for that effect But that Proposition so much displeased the King that after he had sharply rebuked them and also spoke to the Queen something of it he gave ear no more to his Confessour and dismissing him upon some other pretext took Father Dinet into his Place After this first Attempt these Gentlemen seeing themselves utterly excluded from their Hopes follow'd another Bias which agreed better with the King's Inclination who was carried to it enough of himself thinking the Queen incapable of the Management of Affairs which was to propose that same Declaration which appear'd two Months after and which had been publish'd at that very time if Monsieur de Noyers had not disswaded the King from it He gave the Queen notice thereof whom this Advice about the Regency infinitely alarm'd At the same time the King 's having been in a Fever which the Physicians apprehended dangerous those who understood the Particulars of the thing offer'd anew their Services to the Queen and I whom she had forbidden some time before to ask to serve as Mareschal de Camp judging me more useful to her in the Court offer'd my self to her if the King came to the last Extremity to go with my Regiment of Suisses and seise upon the Palais and hinder every body whatsoever from entring till such time as she should be received into it This Proposition appearing full of Love and Boldness did not a little please her and the Answer she made me shew'd that she was satisfied with me and believ'd me intirely hers A little before the Cardinal and Monsieur de Chauvigny had perswaded the King to set at Liberty the Mareschals de Vitry and Bassompierre and the Count de Cramail The Means which they made use of to effect it deserves to be written being not unpleasant for they seeing that the King was not much inclin'd to it attaqu'd him on his weakest Side representing to him That those three Prisoners were an extreme Expence to him in the Bastille and they not being in a condition to make any Party in the State would be even as well at their own Houses where they would cost him nothing This Design succeeded for the King was possess'd with so extraordinary an Avarice that whosoever had pretention to ask him for Money seem'd to hang heavy upon him to such a degree that when Treville Beaupuy and several others that the late Cardinal upon his Death-bed had forced him to relinquish were returned he sought all occasions to find out something to reproach them with thereby to take away all Hopes of Recompence for all that they had suffer'd for him The recalling several from Banishment follow'd after
the Publick Divisions was in Private Clubs for some years prepared with some of his Confederates to Combat the Power of the Favorites under the color of the Kingdoms Good insomuch that in the birth and progress of these Troubles he was Consulted as the Oracle of the Frondeurs so long as he was constant to his Party Notwithstanding the Parliament pretending to apply themselves to Reform the State met every day They had already suppressed the New Edicts and Laws Revoked the Intendants of the Provinces and Restored the Treasurers of France and the General Assessors to the Execution of their Offices and further pretended to exact an Account how the last Levies since the Regency were Employ'd and insenfibly Attack'd the Cardinals Administration On the other side the Court omitted nothing that might be serviceable to dissolve their Meetings the Duke of Orleans the Chief President and the President of Mesmes represented the consequence thereof to be prejudicial to the General Peace the Enemies fancied to themselves a Triumph which should repair their former Losses and notwithstanding the King had Authorised all the Acts which the Company had Proposed to him yet the Mild Methods were ill represented and pass'd for Marks of weakness and fear which made the Cardinals Enemies more active and eager to push at him At this time Monsieur le Prince commanded the Kings Army in Flanders he had taken Ipres but whilst he Besieg'd that the Spaniard surpriz'd Courtray and gained other small advantages But as his Genius is great and successful in War he found the Spanish Army on the 21 of August on the Plains of Arras and Lens Fought it and obtain'd a Famous Victory The Duke de Chatillion who had bravely signaliz'd himself there came from him to bring the News to Court The King's Council look'd upon this great success as an extraordinary Providence which they might use to stop the course of the Disorders which time and patience increased and resolved to secure such of the Parliament as were the most active chiefly Broussel Councellor in the Great Chamber a person of antient probity of competent abilities and one who was grown old in hatred to the Favorites This Man inspir'd with his own Opinions and the Perswasions of Longveil and others who had gained credit with him first gave the most rigorous Counsels which were followed by the Cabal of the Frondeurs insomuch that his Name made a noise in the Assemblies of the Chambers and he was made Head of this Party in the Parliament being the more in Credit with them because his Age and Poverty plac'd him beyond the Strokes of Envy Now seeing the People who stirr'd not from the Palace when inform'd that he so mightily concern'd himself for their Relief lov'd him extreamly and gave him the Gilded Title of their Father to secure him must needs be a bold action and as it might be very advantageous so it might be of dangerous consequence as we shall see hereafter Nevertheless it was happily executed by Comings the Morning that they Sung the Te Deum at Noterdame Church for the Victory at Lens while the Company of the Guards were ranked on each side of the Street and was conâ—â—ucted out of the City with Blanmenil to be transmitted to ..... Two hours after the Report of Brussels being taken was spread abroad the most considerable Burgesses came to the Palais Royal where they dissembled the excess of the Disorder and those who were afraid to go thither had the complaisance to tell the Queen That it was only some Rascally Fellows whom they would quickly reduce into better order The Coadjutor of Paris who till then did not appear upon the Stage and kept himself within the bounds of his Profession was to offer his Service to the Queen from whom he conceal'd nothing of what pass'd but his Offers and Advice were both rejected he apparently employ'd the Dignity of his Character and his Perswasions to calm the Storms and after came to the Palais Royal to give an Account of the Sedition where having not received the Satisfaction he expected he conceived a hatred against the Cardinal which with his being refused to Treat for the Government of Paris was the Cause or at least the Pretence that he so much Interessed himself for the Faction opposite to the Court. Notwithstanding the Queen who is naturally uncapable of Fear commanded the Marshals of La Meilleray and the Hospital to take Horse with their Friends to ride through the Streets and restrain the People by some Example of Justice but they found the Mischief so great that they could not execute their Orders So that they were reduc'd to hope that the Night might appease the Tumult as it did but the morning after an Accident kindled the Fire which was almost quench'd The Chancellor going to the Palais to carry the Kings Declaration which forbad the Chambers to Assemble was perceived by some of the Mutinous Rabble his Person odious to the Publick and the Errand he was sent on animated a Croud of People to run after his Coach which they forc'd to fly to the Hotel de Luines where they sought him to Sacrifice as they call'd him This Mercenary Soul the Protector of the Impositions laid on so many ruin'd People by the Edicts which he had Sealed Notice of the Condition he was in was brought to the Palais Royal from whence the Marshal de La Meilleray came with some Companies of the Guards who Discharg'd upon the Seditious and deliver'd the Chancellor but this was a Signal for the City to take up Arms for at the same time the People shut up their Shops put Chains cross the Streets and Barricadoes almost to the Palais Royal. During this uproar the Parliament consulted about the Imprisonment of their Members with the more courage because they saw the People Rise in favor of them and without doubt if the Chancellor had come to the Palais with his Commission they would have detein'd him as Reprisal It was Order'd by common consent That the Parliament should instantly go in a Body to beseech their Majesties to set at Liberty their Members They found the People up in Armes in the Streets some Threatning them if they brought not Broussel back others Conjuring them to fear nothing and that they would die for their Preservation and all together Protested that they would not lay down their Armes till they saw the Father of their Countrey The Parliament after having been introduced into the Great Closet in the Palais Royal where their Majesties were accompanied with the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Conty Cardinal Mazarin the Nobility of the Realm and the Ministers of State the Chief President Represented how much the Company was concerned for the Imprisonment of their Fellow Members and shew'd their Humble Addresses for their Liberty which were Seconded with the Vows of a Hundred Thousand Armed Men who demanded Monsieur Broussel The Queen Answered That she wonder'd they should keep