of the Duke of Lorain's Army Every one desired to establish his own interest by diminishing the Royal Authority supporting themselves with the pretext that Mazarine was the ruine of the Kingdom and all Paris was full of seditious Libells Satyrical Verses lying Stories and Politick Discourses which tearing the name of the Cardinal and other Ministers of State did redound to the contempt and disgrace of their Royal Majesties and with such formes those seditious did seek to make sinister impressions in the people ignorant of the Mysteries of State On the contrary all the streets and corners of the City did echo forth the Praises of the Princes and of the Arch-Duke himself celebrated in prose and verse by a number of Writers with the Title of Deliverers of the oppressed people and many Preachers getting into the Pulpits wearied themselves with no less liberty speaking detractingly of the present Affairs and all this to imprint sinister apprehensions in the people which redounded more to the blame of the Superiours which tolerated them then of those that recited them The Parlement continuing still in their purpose to reduce Mazarine to the last extremity dispatch'd the President Nesmond with other Counsellours to Sully to represent to the King what they thought necessary for his removal from Court in conformity to their first Deliberations and His Majesty's Word but the Court was not at all moved for any of these instances judging it a petulancy and too great an impudence of the Parlementarians in pretending to give Law to their Master In the mean while the Spaniards making use of these favourable conjunctures which the discord in the Kingdom of France gave them they possess'd themselves of Trino in Italy taken by the Marquess of Caracena and in Flanders of Graveling gained by the conduct of the Count of Fuensaldagna who commanded under the Archduke The Cardinal did his utmost to succour Graveling a place of great importance but the remedies are too weak in a time that the Court was miserably distracted by domestick broyls when the Foreign enemy from many parts assailed her with powerful Forces and in a conjuncture that the Seditious of the Parlement to render the Malady more incurable diverted the Kings revenues in such manner that oftentimes he was reduced to great necessity not having wherewithall to provide even for the Court it self In Paris the disorders continued more then in any other part The Prince of Conde being come thither it is impossible to relate with what Applauses he was received whereat the Kings faithful servants and the Cardinals friends were so much astonish'd that they durst not set their foot out of doors These sent Dispatches to Court supplicating their Majesties to draw near the City with all speed otherwise the Faction of Conde growing stronger they should be constrained to abandon it and let all their consultations fall to the ground The Kings Council being moved by these Sollicitations and much more persuaded by reason to preserve by all means that great and potent City determin'd to approach nigh it In order hereunto their Majesties came to Auxerre from thence to Sens to Montreul to Melun and other places near and in the Kings Council it was debated to famish Paris by taking away the commerce of the River but this was not assented to by the Cardinal who knowing well that these Extravagancies of the Citizens proceeded from the Arts of a few Seditious people more covetous to advance their particular Interests then desirous as they gave out of the publick good and that suddenly they would perceive their errour and put themselves again in their due obedience to their King adding that it was not good by rigour to exasperate the people of that City further and precipitate them by despair to declare for the Princes which was the Card they call'd for without which their Party was weak and declining That the people ofttimes changed their minds and sometimes for the better as there was some hopes they would do now when they continually invited His Majesty to return to his Royal Palace having to that purpose sent the Sieur de Lerygue But the Cardinal was not for embracing that counsel it not behoving to trust the Kings Person on the word of the people and la Fronda without good caution he consented nevertheless to hold the Parisiens in hand with hopes and fair words without coming to any particular Declaration And thus by Mazarines dexterity Paris was in effect kept Neutral though in outward appearance it seemed the contrary by which they gain'd time to perfectionate those things which afterward followed to the Kings advantage The Court departed from Melun and came to Corbeil and thence by the way of Chily to St. Germains still under covert of the Army Though Paris was not in open breach with the Court they nevertheless continued to keep a good correspondence with the Princes the Inhabitants took Armes and began to keep guard held consultations and made preparations for Warre And among other Assemblies they held a General one of the Body of the Citizens assisted by the Deputies of the Parliament in which was decreed that when the Cardinal should be driven out of the Kingdom with security not to return again they would presently lay down their arms but as they made use of this pretext only to make their actions appear innocent to the people and that they directed their intentions to no other end then to the publick relief by sending farther off that Minister to whom they imputed all their grievance and continuance of the Warre so the Court admitting they did deprive themselves of the Cardinal by licensing him to depart knew that they should be at the same pass that they were the last time he left the Kingdom And by yielding to the pretensions of subjects they sensibly wounded the Royal Authority which ought to be kept absolute and independent wherefore they pretended on the contrary that it did not belong to any one to give laws but to receive them from their Sovereign and that the sole pretension that the King should serve himself of Ministers of their appointing deserved as much blame and correction as it was contrary to the Maxims of good Government to permit that any body of His Majesty's Council should depend on any other then on the King himself so that they cried Out on 't as too great an impertinency to require that one should be driven away of whom his Patron did profess himself well served to put in another that probably would not please him and who might perhaps study more the Interest of particular persons then the publick good and the Crown 's it manifestly appearing that to deprive the King of the Cardinal was to take away from him all satisfaction and to make him depend on their pleasure And therefore not to give so pernicious an example though he had had a mind for other causes to put him away he ought not to do it but to uphold
he ended this Answer with a demand which he made them to try their good intentions and as a business most necessary which was That the Inhabitants would re-establish in their Offices the Governour the Prevost of the Merchants and the Sheriffs who had been turned out Which being done his Majestie would presently send Orders to be observed in the Town-house assuring the six Companies of Merchants of his entire satisfaction good-will and Protection The Princes the Parliament and the whole Faction were very much disturbed at this Message and as they clearly saw that those of Paris had changed their minds and most earnestly sought for Peace which was not a little destructive to their designs they applied themselves with all industry to finde out means to overcome the Kings Army by force of Arms and make themselves Masters of the Field esteeming this the only way to maintain themselves in Paris while it remain'd deprived of that support which on all occasions it might deceive from the Kings troops But to return to Mazarine who arriving at Sedan and from thence Bovillon out of the Kingdom there wanted not persons who interposed for the adjusting at least of the Duke of Orleans with the Court. The Cardinal de Retz and the Marquess of Chasteauneuf promising to themselves that if once his Royal Highness should return to Court he might by degrees regain His Majesties favour and taking his place again in the Council they should not be left behind To this end with the consent of the Duke of Lorrain the Marquess of Saint Lambert was dispatch'd to the Court to begin the Negotiation But the Queen and the Kings Officers who were attent upon the return of Mazarine and their own security could in no wise consent that the Duke of Orleans a Confident of the Prince of Conde's and a Confederate of the Spaniards should meddle in the Government considering that if the Duke of Orleans with his followers and Adherents should insinuate themselves into the Affairs of the Kingdom there would be more danger then ever of diminishing the Kings Authority for the secure support whereof it is requisite that no Officer of State should depend upon any other then the King himself for these by diminishing the credit of others would endeavour to dispose of all things after their own fancies threatning whomsoever should oppose them to turn all things upside down again The Prince of Conde who was engaged with the Duke of Orleans by the Promise of Marriage between his Royal Highness his Daughter and the Duke of Anguien and thought he went hand in hand with him although he was left out of the Treaty might in time also have made his Peace with those advantages himself desired and the Duke of Orleans had promised Mazarine therefore making prudent reflexions upon considerations so nice who though far from the Court yet directed all things was very sensible how inconsiderate advice this must be that exposed the Government to the will and discretion of others which under an absolute Monarch will admit of no Companion These Affairs being thus on foot the Princes and the Parliament stood much upon the Point that the Act of Oblivion granted by the King did not contain a full abolition and pardon of what had been done in the last five years past nor was expressed in those termes which were desired viz. in general and without conditions but served only for the inhabitants of Paris with design that if they were once satisfied not to matter much the Princes and Parliament They urged therefore that the King ought to give full and irrevocable Authority to the Duke of Orleans to forme another without any exceptions to be ratified in the Parliament of Paris where the Counsellors gone to Pontoise ought to appear and this to be done in the Presence of the King himself for this cause the Parliament met often some Letters were writ by the Duke of Orleans the Duke d' Anville and the Marquess of St. Lambert negotiated with the Kings Council and many things were done the particular relation of which would be too tedeous But Cardinal Mazarine knowing how prejudicial this would be to the Kings Authority by his Advice the granting of Pass-ports was absolutely denied to those deputed by the Parliament already declared invalid holding firm to their first resolutions so that Affairs remained in the same posture as at first each party endeavouring to uphold their own opinions The third of October the Parliament in Paris being assembled to hear what News the Marquess of St. Lambert brought from the Court two Watermen were laid hold of who cried aloud God bless the King and Cardinal Mazarine and were seconded by many others they were led to the prison of Conciergery and Order given to draw up their Indictment as also against divers others who cried the same in several streets of Paris giving out that such kind of Fellows were set on by some that gave them money on purpose to move the people to sedition This News being brought to Court and besides that the Parliament continued to proceed against some of those who met at the Assembly in the Palace-Royal the King with the Advice of His Council passed a Decree upon the fifth of October by which he cancell'd and annull'd all the aforesaid pretended proceedings informations and orders published or to be published imposing severe penalties upon the Commissioners or Judges that should proceed any further commanding all the Inhabitants of Paris to execute His Majesties Orders and Commands In the mean time the Kings Army was at Villeneufue St. George much streightned and pressed hard upon by the Troops of the Princes and their Confederates who were superior in number and in danger either to be forced as they lay or set upon in their retreat seeing that for want of provisions and forage many both men and horses died This troubled the Court very much and above all Mazarine who was the cause that the Army put themselves in that place and doubted some sinister event the winning of the day consisting in keeping the Kings Army near Paris by which means those Practices were fomented which were managed by the Cardinals directions in that City in favour of the King The Princes who understood the importance of this business and that if the Kings Army should preserve themselves all their designs were ruined omitted nothing either to overcome them or reduce them by famine and sufferings to the utmost despair but the nearness and delights of Paris together with the sickness which hapned to the Prince of Conde Wirtemberg and many other of the Principal Commanders which may be truly attributed to an effect of the Divine Providence was the break-neck of their party but besides the sickness of these Princes the Dukes of Lorrain and Beaufort and most of the other Chief Officers with a considerable number of the best Souldiers were also in the City as well for the suspicion they had that the Citizens might rise
Julio Mazarin THE HISTORY OF THE MANAGEMENTS OF Cardinal JVLIO MAZARINE Chief Minister of State of the CROWN of FRANCE Written in Italian by Count Galeazzo Gualdo Priorate And Translated according to the Original In the which Are Related the Principal Successes Happened from the Beginning of His Management of Affairs till His Death Tom. I. Part I. LONDON Printed by H. L. and R. B. in the Year 1671. To their most Serene HIGHNESSES the Duke and Dutchess Regent of Modena and Regio c. CArdinal JULIO MAZARINE'S Government of Affairs hath deserved all the Applauses that Fame can give The World hath admired him as the Product of a Phoenix I have writ his History And as he hath been the Splendour of our times I think it proper to bring him to the Feet of your Highnesses of Este who are the most splendid Ornaments of all Italy In the Heroick Actions of so great a Minister your most Serene Highnesses may behold your own proper Glory take therefore as I most humbly supplicate this testimony of my observance with that benignity which is proper to the Greatness of your most Serene Family known for thousands of years to be the true Seminary of Heroes There is no room for Panegyricks in this short Dedication neither ought your Modesty to be wronged by my weak Pen with inferiour Praises to your unexpressible Merits and therefore with a most humble submission asking Pardon for this my boldness I rest Your most Serene Highnesses most humble and most obsequious Servant Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato TO THE Reader THE HISTORY of the Managements of Cardinal Julio Mazarine is a matter most proper and most curious for Posterity The Rules this man went by wil serve for a most profitable Example to whomsoever shall have the Fortune to pass thorough the degrees of the like Sphere Histories do mention many Statesmen with Applause and Veneration and the Managements of the late Cardinal Richlieu are Celebrated with more then humane Attributes as if Nature had given him the preeminence of all her Graces Without doubt Richlieu was a great Politician a great Minister of State and a man may truly say that for Humane Prudence France never had his equal He knew loved and had in so much esteem the vivacity of Mazarine that oftentimes he has been heard to say that this man by his ability and his fortune would surpass not only his Master but the most sublime Wits that have guided States and Monarchies Richlieu was not at all deceived for whoever compares their Actions shall not finde them equal Richlieu was a Frenchman Minister of State to a King in his Majority strengthned by Kindred Friends and Parties Mazarine an Italian Minister to a King in his Minority and to a Regent of an emulous and suspected Nation without Relations and no other friends but his own spritely Wit Richlieu was at the Helm when France was assisted by the Conjunctions of Swedeland Holland the Protestant Princes of Germany the Royal House of Savoy and many others and enjoyed an entire obedience of its subjects When England naturally emulous of the Greatness of France was embroiled by Intestine troubles and when there was a perfect Correspondency with Pope Urban VIII Mazarine governed in a time that Holland was reconciled to Spain that the major part of the Princes of the Empire had deserted the Cause the Swedes abated in their Power the English become formidable by their Victories In the heat of the Revolutions of the Kingdom Persecuted by the Princes of the blood by the major part of the Grandees by the Parliaments and by the People and under the Pontificate of Innocent X. little affecting his Person Richlieu acted with Rigour and with too high Pretensions ending his life in no good opinion with the King his Master disgusted with his vast Aims and left the Warre unquenched Mazarine deported himself with Affability and kindness and exercised Humanity more then Austerity He died in compleat favour with their Majesties who lamented his loss with tears and was he wailed by his very Enemies He gave his King a great Queen for his Wife and with her the Peace so longed for by the Kingdom with so great advantages and so much Reputation that the most Christian King Lewis XIV may rightly be instyled the Great being that France hath never had greater strength in Forces nor a greater King for Valour and all other Eminent Vertues The Reader will pardon the feebleness of my Pen if it hath not sufficiently expressed the merits of so great a man for his Actions having brought forth Effects above the order of Nature would require a Style Supernatural not to say Divine to celebrate them The HISTORY of the Managements of Cardinal MAZARINE Lib. I. HE was born in the Year 1602 at Piscina in Abruzzo the 14th day of July son of Peter Mazarine and Hortensia Buffalini In his Infancy he was instructed in the Rudiments of that tender Age and by little and little in all those Exercises befitting a Gentleman In the Jesuits Colledge at Rome he so cultivated his Understanding that the vivacity of his Wit and the sublimity of his elevated Mind shined forth even to Admiration He compleated his course in Philosophy at the Age of 17. maintaining Conclusions in the most subtile Points to the Wonder of all men His courageous heart began to be inflamed with desire of new things and to see and be informed of the Manners and Qualities of forein Nations for that purpose he accompanied Don Girolamo Colonna now a Cardinal into Spain and together with him studied the Law in the University of Alcalà and in a short time he became perfect in the Spanish Tongue While he was intent upon his Studies it hapned that his father being accused of a certain Homicide was in some trouble and having no other sons for Alexander the younger brother was become a Dominican so that he was obliged to return to assist his father in his troubles where he arrived with all diligence and bestirred himself in his Defence so efficaciously that he was clear'd from his accusations He had no sooner Accomplished the Age of 20 years when as his Heroick Genius excited him to the desire of Armes and being favoured by the House of Colonna he obtained to be chosen Captain Lieutenant of the Colonels Company in the Regiment of the Prince of Palestrina he led his Company to Milan where he came acquainted with Giovanni Francesco Sacchetti Commissary General of the Popes Souldiers sent to take possession of the Valtoline and in the management of divers smaller Affairs he made appear so much Ability that he was soon employed in matters of greater moment performing them to the entire satisfaction of those who employed him and of the parties with whom he Negotiated He made a Relation of the Occurrences in the Valtoline full of such exquisite Observations that Torquato Conti General of the Popes Forces sent them to his Holiness that perused them with
when that unfortunate accident happened of the Gentleman of the Horse to the Mareschal d'Estree the French Embassadour But as the best qualified and ablest men are most envied and most liable to Persecution and Malice so he being watch'd on every side could not advance himself to those Honours which the Malignity and Emulation of others hindered him from Whence the King of France perceiving that this Person for being well affectionated to his Crown was persecuted by the Spaniards and esteeming it a dishonourable thing to keep idle and depress an Understanding so sublime took him near himself with profession of great esteem and with offers of support honour and assistance Many other Princes of Italy proffered him considerable advantages in their Courts Vittorio Amadeo Duke of Savoy a very intelligent Prince particularly invited him with much benignity to his Court. Resolving finally to pass into France he went thither in the beginning of the year 1639. and arrived just at the time when Father Joseph the Capucine died one for his great Parts and Experience in the Affairs of State imployed with great assurance by Cardinal Richlieu in the Intrigues of the Kingdom The King had nominated him to a Cardinalship and his Promotion was with all earnestness sollicited by Mazarine whose Fortune it was not to obtain the Scarlet for Father Joseph seeing that the King named him instead of the other declaring by this the great esteem he had for him in preferring him before any other of his Kingdom qualifying him besides with the Title of his Plenipotentiary at the Treaty of the General Peace which Mazarine valued more then his Recommendation to the Cardinalship Few days after his Arrival in France His Majesty sent him Extraordinary Embassadour into Piemont upon business of Importance and particularly to win to the French fide Prince Thomas and to reunite those Princes to the chief of their House He dexterously atchieved them both though that which concerned the first with Prince Thomas had not then its effect for some impediments which he could not suddenly surmount but he fixed the second in such manner that France thereby received many advantages Returned from Piemont he waited upon Cardinal Richlieu into Languedoc honoured by that great Politician with an entire Confidence and his Zele for the Kings Service was succesful not onely in the Affairs of that Voyage but also in remoter parts for at the same time by his Negotiations he reduced the strong Town of Sedan into the Kings power which was a receptacle of Male-contents He was the man that designed the Attempt of Tortona in the State of Milan and took upon him to provide all things necessary for the gaining of that City and it was he likewise that drew the Prince of Monaco to the French Party Finally on the 16th of December 1641. with universal Applause he was promoted to the purple robe to the particular satisfaction of the King and of Richlieu who was pleased to see him his Companion in the Ecclesiastical Function whom he already presaged his Successor in his Ministery He prepared for his journey to Rome to receive the Hat and to perfect many important Commissions But Richlieu's indisposition of body increasing and the machinations of his enemies growing stronger to justle him out of the Kings favour he thought fit to cause him stop his journey to make use of his help and councel of which he had so good experience very useful in that rugged conjuncture The King perfectly knowing Mazarines abilities in the foreseen failing of Richlieu had oftentimes thoughts to make use of him in direction of the Affairs of the Crown and had also discovered this his intent to some of his Confidents extolling him for the most able he knew to undergo this burden which gave much trouble to Mazarine doubting with himself that such manifestation of his Majestie might give Richlieu some jealousie it being for the most part the humour of Courtiers to look with a scouling brow on those they deem able to sustain the same charge with themselves and therefore he urged anew for leave to go to Rome which was still denied him by the King and opposed by Richlieu himself quite contrary to Mazarines expectation besides Richlieu before his death assured His Majestie that he could not better trust the Management of his weighty Affairs to any then to Mazarine Richlieu dying the King immediately began to make use of Mazarines Advice and Councel with open shew of the value and confidence he had of his ableness and fidelity and to qualifie him higher caused him one day to sit in his Presence an honour that was never bestowed on Cardinal Richlieu in so many years of his Attendance The King desirous he should take notice that the Choice he had made proceeded solely from himself assured him that of his own proper inclination he had chosen him out from amongst so many excellent men of his Kingdom The Cardinal being very wary in his demeanour conformed himself so well to the humour of his Majestie that he did not give him the least doubt of that odious power that he had abhorred in his Predecessor from whence it hapned that he became in a short time disposer of the Kings Will and Trust By how much the more he saw himself advanced in his Princes favour so much the more did he reflect on his tottering Fortune for while the King lay under a languishing condition he began to weigh what a difficult passage it would be from a firme to a wavering Government by the disorders changes and turbulencies commonly hapning in Minorities especially the Queen-Mother being of a Nation so much exposed to the jealousie of that Countrey The first trial the King made under the direction of Mazarine was to render his Armies victorious the next Campania to the intent that the world might not attribute his past Victories totally to the Government of Richlieu Mazarine in this occasion gave great proof of his dexterous abilities by obtaining that the Command of the Army in Flanders might be conferred on the Duke d' Anguien eldest son of the Prince of Conde notwithstanding his Majestie had some aversion against it The Kings sickness increasing with little hope of recovery calling for Mazarine he communicated to him his intent of forming a Councel without the Princes of the blood of which he intended to make him President The Cardinal though astonish'd at so great honour was not at all dazled with the ambition but with great reverence demonstrated to his Majestie the disorders such a form might cause and with convincing reasons framed his answer in favour of the Queen comprehending also the Princes of the blood as for what concerned his own person he beseech'd his Majestie that others might share in that honour which he thought too far exceeding his merit and too probable to excite envy against him being a stranger The King notwithstanding continued resolute in his purpose to limit at least the Regency of the Queen
with Restriction of the Council to the plurality of Voices he was confirmed in this determination by the Prince of Conde who by the Authority he had above the other Counsellors imagined to turn and wind all at his pleasure wherefore the Councel of Mazarine for the uncontrolled Authority of the Queen conformable to the examples of former Regencies remained fruitless That which only remained to settle the Kings minde was to have an assurance that the Cardinal would not return into Italy after his death wherefore having earnestly besought him never to abandon his sons importun'd him to a direct promise as likewise the Queen not to permit him upon any pretext whatsoever to quit the Affairs and to engage him the more he was pleased that he should answer for the Dauphine at the Holy Font in Quality of Godfather together with the Princess of Conde confessing that he did it more straitly to oblige him to his sons service His Majestie well knowing the need he should have of him in his unripe years The King dead it seemed not convenient to the Queen to suffer that Authority to be retrenched in such manner which other Queens had enjoyed freely wherefore she permitted her self to be perswaded against the sense and counsel of the Cardinal to make the Parliament annul the Will of her late husband which Mazarine foreseeing would prove a mortal blow to the State and highly prejudicial to the Regent her self did not only forbear to appear in Parliament but likewise prepared himself to retire which was by no means assented to by the Queen who having the Authority of the Regency confirmed to her not only assured him of an entire confidence but engaged him also to remain minding him of his promise made to the King never to depart from his children and notwithstanding the great oppositions made against Mazarine by the enemies of Richlieu and by the disaffected he carried himself so well that in a short time he engrossed all Affairs The Bishop of Beauvais whom the Queen had added to the Councel where in those few days of his direction all things were fallen into disorder being excluded On the contrary Mazarine entred upon the business of the Kingdom with very lucky beginnings when many important considerations would have been enough to have discomposed the stoutest mind in so dangerous a condition of so Infantine a Minority The unquiet nature of the French desirous of Novelties easie to be drawn into sedition the Court full of turbulent spirits many prisoners set free many returned from their exile others who before for their rebellious attempts durst not so much as shew their heads now so arrogant as to pretend a share in the Government The Parliament depressed and discontented desirous to recover their lustre and dilate their power The Provinces oppressed by the grievances of a long War more inclined to disloyalty then obedience the Princes disposed to the most desperate attempts to make their advantage of these Conjunctures the people animated to shake off so weighty a yoke The apprehension not ill grounded that the Confederates of France fearing the unstable Resolution in a womans Regency and for their own proper Interests were ready to relinquish their former Union And lastly all the Concerns of the Crown threatning on all hands fear and terror Yet nothing could dismay the courage of the Cardinal resolved to despise all danger for the Royal service He applied himself suddenly to strengthen and conserve the external and internal vigour of the Kingdom And procured in the first place to confirm the Confederates in their Adherence to the Crown writing to all with such assuredness of the stability of the Regency in the established mutual Union and with such motives of honour and profit to themselves that he easily confirmed them in their Confederations thus in that beginning was established to the Crown the Amity of the Swedes of the Duke of Savoy of the Langrave of Hesse of the States of Holland of the Catalonians and of the Portugals a League which rendred the Power of France so much the stronger and feared and which at last did so much cooperate to the Conclusion of the Peace And secondly considering that intestine evils are most dangerous and aptest to destroy the Individual and foreseeing how much Civil discords do indamage a State he placed all his care to preserve the Peace of the Kingdom by uniting the Royal Family which was easily brought to pass for some years To handsel the Regency with some egregious deed he propounded and against the opinion of every one undertook the Siege of Teonville a place of great importance which happily succeeding he gained great commendation Frieburg afterward being attacqued by the Army of the Elector of Baviere with manifest danger to be lost he opportunely provided to relieve it causing the Queen to command the Duke of Anguien to joyn speedily his Troops to those of Mareschal Turenne and to bring timely succours which succeeded prosperously by which means not only the possession of that City was kept which had already capitulated but also other considerable Conquests were acquired The French Armies passing beyond the Rhine the Danube and the Lech and the Duke d' Anguien having gained a singular victory they over-ran Spire Ghermensain Landau Bindemo Cronach and Magonza By like advantages in those parts the Confederates were got in a condition to lend their helping hand at any time of need who by making themselves Master of a great part of Franconia and Suevia they became much stronger then their enemies but chiefly by the taking of Hoilbrun yet an Imperial City of very grear importance confirmed to them by the Treaty of the Truce concluded at Ulme with the Elector of Bavaria He cooperated afterward to the Peace of Munster and quickly saw it concluded with notable advantages to the Crown of France to which he establish'd the possession of both the Alsatia's and the two very strong places of Brijac and Phillipsburg near the Rhine opening a Pass into Germany at their pleasure By this Peace there did accrew to France the three Bishopricks of Metz Tul and Verdun and by the creating Metz a Parliament heretofore found a matter of much difficulty firmly established the controverted Jurisdiction of them with an absolute and perpetual possession ratified by the Emperor and the several Orders of the Empire The cares of the Cardinal were not restrained to these Expeditions only but at the same time he was likewise intent upon the Caballs of the Cabinet finding himself compelled by the Court-Intrigues to apply himself to extinguish in the beginning every spark of Civil trouble and oft-times to ward his own life from the treacheries of his enemies By this his care he saved himself from the Conspiracy contrived against him by the Duke of Beaufort who thinking the Cardinal an obstacle against his high designes by the occasion of a certain Collation which the Count of Chavigny had prepared for the Queen at the Castle of
but that they ought not to pretend nor expect the execution of it without due precautions for the security of the State aggravating withall that all the suppositions brought in against the Cardinal were seditious lies and calumnies But the Regents exaggeration availed nothing for the delivery of the Princes and the removal of the Cardinal were decreed anew by the Parliament All the three Factions were at this time united against that of Mazarine who was upheld by the sole Authority of the King and Queen and Forces of the Kingdom and being in this streight his only Meditation was how to put in practice the laudable Maxime of temporizing The Court by reason of the general uniting of so many Seditious was necessitated to give way to so many contrivings in which the Dutchess of Chevreuse acted her part to the life stimulated by interest and by the ambition of the aforesaid Marriage for setting that aside she was the Cardinals intimate friend And feigning her self still so told him confidently that if he did withdraw himself for some short time he should by that means appease these first passions of the Duke of Orleans who returning to the Council the Queen would soon win him to her party and in few days he would be recalled again knowing the nature of the French that having obtained their desire they presently grow weary and change their minds The Cardinal suffering himself to be lulled asleep by the harmony of this Syren and not to put to hazard the publick Tranquillity resolved his Departure and went to impart it to the Queen advising her to stand firm in her resolution of keeping the Princes fast while he securing his own person should take away all pretext from the Male-contents to proceed further and leaving her many good Memorials for the service of the King and the State with a Letter from the Regent to the Sieur de Bar who had the custody of the Princes containing a precise Order to obey the Cardinal in every particular he went in all diligence towards Havre de Grace with design that if he could not handsomly secure the detaining of the Princes to cause them at least to acknowledge him the Author of their liberty and by this act to oblige them to a gratitude making the Count de Servient and Monsieur le Tillier partakers and actors in this and other secrets The evening before the 6th of February 1651 he got on Horseback with onely three persons and passed out by the gate of Richlieu without which he found divers Gentlemen to the number of 400 Horse that expected him and with these he went to St. Germaines whence he dispatched a Courrier to the Marquess de Lionne at Havre de Grace to understand the issue of his Negotiations and to Monsieur le Tillier putting him in mind to give way to the Princes delivery till he had adjusted what they had agreed upon amongst themselves which being come to the knowledge of the Marquess de Chasteauneuf he making use of it for his own benefit hoped by rendering himself the principal Author of the Princes liberty to delude the designs of the Cardinal who being advised of the streights to which the Queen was more and more reduced resolved no longer to defer the Princes releasment The 12th of February he hasted away to Havre de Grace where he was received with all demonstration of Honour and entering where the Princes were with much frankness uttered these words Jo porto per ordine della Regina la liberta a V. V. A. A. senza alcuna conditione I bring by the Queens Order your Highnesses liberty without any reserve yet adding S.M. vi prega però d'amar lo Statto il Re la di lei persona Her Majestie prays ye to love the State the King and her Person delivering all this in a posture of Respect and Reverence yet not unbeseeming his Quality and sweet manner of speech The Prince answered in name of them all with a chearful but grave countenance Noi si chiamamo obligati a S. M. della giustitia che ci rende serviremo sempre il Re la Regina We hold our selves obliged to her Majestie for the justice which she renders us we shall always serve the King the Queen and embracing the Cardinal ancora voi Signore and also you Sir The Prince of Conde resolved to dine before he went out wherefore the Princes the Cardinal Gramont Palleau Lionne and Goulas sate down to dinner entertaining one another with mutual familiarity in which was verified the saying of Caesar speaking of the French Humour After dinner the Cardinal had private Conference with the Prince and immediately going out of the Fort they entred into Mareschal de Gramonts Coach the Prince of Conde going in last placed himself in the Boot and hearing the Cardinal to with him a good Voiage did not answer him with the least shew of courtesie making the Coach drive on without saying any thing giving the Cardinal quickly to understand the requital he was to expect for the kind embracements with which he received him on the day of his imprisonment with Protestations of a sincere friendship when at the same instant he made the Marquess of Lionne write the order for his Arrest Upon the News that the Cardinal was gone from Paris the people were presently up in arms running tumultuously to the Palace Royal and suspecting that the King and Queen were also upon departure they placed 2000 men in Guard and the diffidence and impudence of the Frondeurs went so far that they placed Guards even at the Kings bed-fide who ever and anon opening the Curtains observed if he slept and if he were there The Cardinal being departed the Queen sent to invite the Duke of Orleans to the Council who under several pretences refused to come for fear lest the Queen should gain him and send for the Cardinal back who caused his Nieces also to be conducted out of Paris Mazarine's Enemies greatly fearing his return insisted that Orleans should receive a promise from the Queen that he should return no more about which the Parlement framed a most rigorous Decree by which they enjoyned him to depart the Kingdom within 15 days as likewise his Kindred and familiar Friends under a great Mulct to any that should receive them procuring this Order to be confirmed by all the Parlements of France The Cardinal lingered some time at Havre de Grace consulting with his friends to what part he should retire upon which occasion they that coveted his Charge reported that he staid there to make himself Master of that place Wherefore to take away all pretexts of their Exclamations and being daily more convinced of the ill will of the Prince of Condé who spake injuriously of his Person he resolved to depart with many Gentlemen his Friends who together with several Souldiers made up the number of near 100 Horse and travelling with great hardship and incommodity by reason of the sharp season
he went to Dorlans a Town in Picardy under the Government of the Sieur de Bar who was one of those that followed him being received with great honour and civility in all those Provinces He stayed there some time to resolve where he might best retire out of the Kingdom The Parisiens renewing their clamours to the Queen constrained her to write to the Cardinal that for the good of the State he would speedily go out of the Kingdom inducing her moreover to make a Declaration that all strangers though naturalized should not for the future be capable of being admitted into the Council of State some insisting that even the French Cardinals should be comprehended and this chiefly to keep off the Coadjutor from being Chief Minister of State to which he aspired together with the Cardinalship who was really more hated then loved being held to be a man very violent and hardy in his resolutions though he was doubtless one of the bravest Persons of France This Declaration was passed in Parliament but by reason of the contrariety of opinions in the particular of the French Cardinals according to the inclination of those Counsellors thought it passed also in this particular it was moderated and had not its full force and was put in execution only against Mazarine who staying still in France expecting his Pass-port from the Spaniard gave new occasion to his adversaries to murmur who induced the Queen again to sollicit his departure out of the Kingdom to which the Cardinal shewed himself most ready though his friends offered him 10000 fighting men to defend him against the persecution of his enemies and even the Spaniards themselves promised him all vigorous assistance with a Pension not inferiour to what he had in France The Cardinal rejected all most generously into whose Heart the French his Enemies with all their injurious dealings could never introduce the least sense of revenge to the damage of France since that the sense of gratitude towards their Majesties and his Cordial affection for those that were Loyal were too prevalent in his Noble Soul He departed therefore speedily from Dorlans from whence he wrote two very handsom Letters which were seen in Print on to the Queen and the other to the Count de Brienne at that time chief Secretary of State full of cordial expressions of his constant fidelity to their Majesties and of prudent counsel for the good of the State the tenour of which Letters moved a tender compassion in the minds of his Friends and inwardly convinced and staggered his Enemies From thence he went to Perone not without some inconvenience where he found his Nieces conducted thither in safety by the Abbot Ondedei He went with them to la Fere and thence to Rhetel from whence Generel Rosa with 300 Horse conducted him to Barleduc Where in sequence of the Honours done him in every place in this his Retirement by an express Courrier he received the most courteous proffers of the Elector of Colen who sent to invite him offering him his whole State to be at his service with all the kind expressions that could possibly be expected from a generous Prince and a true Friend For which having given to that Prince most affectionate thanks he proceeded on to Clermont by the assistance of the Mareschal de la Ferté Seneterre who in that Rencounter gave him many authentick proofs of a loyal and faithful friendship which he made more particularly appear in refusing to put the Town into the hands of two Gentlemen of the Prince of Conde's who had brought him the Kings Order the Mareschal excusing himself by telling them that he had too much cause to believe that that Order was extorted by violence and that therefore he would not give credit to it unless he were commanded by him that intrusted it with him which was as much as to say the Cardinal who understanding this notwithstanding the foresaid reflexions to shew how much a Kings Order ought to be respected prayed the Mareschal to obey it which immediately he did From Clermont he went to Sedan where once more by the importunity of his enemies receiving the Queens Orders to depart quite out of the Kingdom he went to Boullon in the State of Liege convoyed by Don Antonio Pimentelli Major General of the Spanish Army with 500 Horse the Spaniards themselves concurring to demonstrate to the world that they understood the Merits of the Cardinal and the Honours due to the Sacred Purple better then the French From Liege he continued his journey towards Aix la Chapelle and from thence he passed to Brul a place belonging to the Elector of Colen who sent immediately to complement him offering him all manner of courtesie and being Royally received in the Electoral Palace he was first visited by all the Cannons of the Archbishoprick of Colen the principal Gentlemen of the Country and afterward by the Elector himself who came expresly from Bona place of his residence The Cardinal went to return his Visit where he was received with all the Honours that could be done to the greatest Prince and came back to Brul infinitely obliged to the Elector for his civilities Here he fixed his abode and the concourse of all sorts of people that came to see him was such that that place seemed a great Court He was complemented here by Expresses from the King and Queen of Poland from the Queen of Swedeland from the Electors of the Empire and finally from most of the Princes of Europe who sent to offer him their Dominions to the great mortification of his enemies who the more they sought to abase him by their passionate resolutions the more they saw him honoured and extolled by all the world The Princes in the interim arriving at Paris and the Queen with the King remaining in a manner prisoners in the Palace Royal where they were begirt on all sides by the armed Parisiens all the concourse of the Cavaliers was at the Prince of Conde's and of the Ladies at the Dutchess of Longueville's so that there seemed to be no such thing as a King But although the Cardinal was absent in person yet he was virtually present applying himself continually with the greatest artifice to divide the minds of the Frondeurs from the Union of the Princes and the Dutchess of Chevreuse being the person that together with the Coadjutor governed the whole Caball he applied himself to those means that might draw her from the Prince's party or indeed make her their enemy for which he knew no better way then to frustrate the Match betwixt the Prince of Conty and her daughter Taking this business in hand he suggested to his Confidents at Paris such items which being by them punctually observed they made Conty believe that the Princess of Chevreuse was not of that Quality besitting his birth and they intimated to the Prince of Conde that if the Prince his brother should marry it would much prejudice the Revenue of his Family by the
commotions likely suddenly to arise to the destruction of the Peace and the publick good might be avoided and the Duke of Orleans was intreated to joyn some of his with the said Deputies mutually to importune that the Cardinal might be kept at distance By a publick command they did prohibit all Cities Towns and all those who were in Authority on the Frontiers not to receive him nor give him any assistance upon pain of High Treason Though they reaped small benefit from these deliberations because every one laugh'd at it reputing it mere madness and folly to pretend to controle with scribling and papers where the Kings lawful power was predominant back'd with the strength of Arms nevertheless they were so intoxicated with a most sottish pretension of Authority and so instigated by their Passion that they persuaded themselves that an Order of Parlement was sufficient to bring the whole Kingdom under obedience and so passing from one absurdity to anothet to end this year 1651 the 29th of December in virtue of the aforesaid Declarations of the 7th and 9th of February the 11th of March the 2d and 8th of August last past and of those and some other Parlements against the Cardinal he was by the Parlement of Paris declared guilty of High Treason for returning to Sedan contrary to the Prohibition and for putting himself in a posture to return into France ordering moreover to finish the selling his Library and all the Furniture of his House with the Confiscation of all his Ecclesiastical Emoluments depositing 50000 Crowns to be given to him that should kill him or deliver him alive to Justice petitioning His Majesty in such case to give his Grace to the Assassine who if by his misfortune in giving the blow should not escape but be kill'd himself that his Heirs should be capable of the reward making their account that so great a recompence would invite some desperate Villain to take away his Life a thing never heard of and unworthy to be decreed nay not to be propos'd in a Catholick Parlement the bounds of whose Authority extended no further then to judge of Civil and Criminal causes and not in the least to interest themselves in the Affairs of State It was therefore looked upon with detestation that they should proceed to the condemnation of so conspicuous a Statesman so dear to the King and by His Majesty's Council known to be so advantageous to the good of France and adorned with the Dignity of Cardinal All Europe abhorr'd this Action and every good Catholick was scandaliz'd that the Life of a Prince of Holy Church should be expos'd to sale so acceptable to the King by whose express Order onely he acted And many foresaw that the Authors of these execrable doings though Humane Revenge should fail would find in their season no less then those English who condemn'd their King to death the chastisements of Heaven for the little respect that they bore not only to the Cardinal but also to the King and the Holy Church This Decree as far as could be guess'd pass'd not without the secret intelligence of the Count de Chavigny who believed by such means to hinder the Cardinals return supposing that if the Order had but issued out a little before he would not have enter'd again into the Kingdom The Count was the first that tasted Gods judgment dying a while after in despair conscious of betraying the Court and the Prince of Conde his greatest Confident in one and the same time All this was represented to the Court of Rome supposing that the Sacred College would not allow that such an Example should remain in the memory of the present Age much less be transferred to posterity without those remedies and punishments which belong to the Popes Authority But the Romanists considering that if the success should not answer the attempt the reputation and dignity of the Apostolical See would be too far engaged wherefore they passed it over palliating it with dissimulation for Mazarine had his back-friends in Rome as well as in France and the Pope himself was his Enemy These news coming to the Court they rejoyced at the seditious Parisiens and valued little their words and inconsiderable strength and had frequent Consultations about this business and although few pressed the return of Mazarine yet finding the King was resolved to have him near about him according to the Court custom where they flatter more the Fortune then the Person they began with an affected ostentation to shew that they desired as much some of them persuading the Queen to hasten his return constraining their own inclination that they might appear to be his most cordial friends But Prince Thomas being a little before come out of Piemont into France the Mareschal de Plessis Pralin the Sieurs de la Ferté and Seneterre the Count de Servient the Sieur de Lionne and other Noblemen of a clear Fidelity ingenuous Disposition and true Friends deliver'd their minds with affection and sincerity as also the Princess Palatine the Secretary Tillier recalled to Court by the means of the Marquess de Chasteauneuf and of the Mareschal de Villeroy which vexed those at heart who persuaded themselves that they might be useful in that charge and beheld with an evil eye that Mazarine's Affairs proceeded so smoothly on to his re-establishment They that chiefly opposed his return in the Council were the Marquess de Chasteauneuf who exercised the charge of first Minister of State and deliciously relished the Applauses and the Honours which to it paid Tribute as Rivers to the Sea but he vailed his thoughts with the pretext that yet the conjuncture of Affairs was not ripe for his return because the unseasonableness of it would colour the pretences of the Prince of Conde and of the other Male-contents with the face of Justice and would ferment new grievances and revolutions not only in Paris but in other parts of the Kingdom and said it would be better counsel to seek first to remove out of the way the Prince and his Party that he might return with more security The Proposition truly in it self look'd well and if at that time nothing had been innovated about Mazarine's coming back the Prince had been totally ruined the whole Kingdom standing firm for the King but when it was considered that if while the Cardinals return was delay'd the business of the Kingdom and the present state of Affairs should be mitigated and the Prince destroyed the reasons for his return as a necessary Minister would not have so much vigour as when it might be averred that the King had no person about him sufficient to undergo so weighty a Charge For this reason Chasteauneuf's Opinion did not take place and their counsel was imbraced who supported the Cardinals Interest alledging that his presence was of great importance for the better carrying on the Affairs besides the recruit of a Body of old Souldiers levied by him to hasten the depression
of Conde it not seeming decent to the Greatness of the King who was Master not to be able to have near him such as he liked best And albeit any other consideration might require that the Cardinal should continue out of the Kingdom the pretensions of the Parlement and the Frondeurs were sufficient that to confound them the contrary should be done by which means the Soveraign Authority independant from all other might shine with greater lustre and not to permit so scandalous an Example that the Servants should impudently give Law to their Master These Reasons were fomented by the first President more then any other being no friend to Chasteauneuf and alienated from the Prince for having no greater passion then that of his service to his King He had a principal part in this resolve sufficiently knowing the need that they had in Court of a prime Minister thoroughly inform'd of all the Affairs of the Kingdom The President was called to Poictiers with the Marquess of Vieville The Parisiens and the Parlement regretted their departure so much the more by how much they knew it prejudicial to their Party that a person of so high estimation had totally given himself up to the Kings Interest and the Cardinals Chasteauneuf for this cause not being able to make good his Maxim he took himself to those Arts which were suggested to him by his many years experience in the Affairs and Interests of the Court. To disturb then Mazarine's return he writ to the Sieur de Fremont Secretary to the Duke of Orleans to dispose his Master to come to Court because by his presence giving countenance and support to them that opposed the Cardinal he should easily prevail to hinder the designs of those that adhered to him But the Coadjutor on the contrary foreseeing that the Duke would be quickly brought about to the Queen and instead of opposing would condescend to her satisfaction he opposed the counsel of Chasteauneuf and with great sagacity diverted the journy of His Royal Highness who had undertaken it if instead of writing to Fremont he had writ to the Count of Chavigny and the Secretary Goulas In that interim the Mareschal de Hoquincourt had rendezvouz'd his Troops about Laon to joyn with the Cardinal who was ready with others under his pay to enter into France wherefore having agreed to meet about Derlans and Espernay upon the Marne in the beginning of January the Mareschal began to move the 18th of December and the Cardinal leaving his Nieces at Sedan advanced likewise toward Espernay with 5000 chosen fighting men and there calling a Council of War it was concluded that the Mareschal with 1000 Horse should secure the Passes on the Rivers Aube and Sene which he accordingly did passing luckily without any opposition by l' Anglure and l' Aube and crossed the Sene at Mery where the Regiments of Horse and Foot under the command of the Sieur de St. Mor joyned with him and receiving intelligence that the Duke of Orleans had sent out four Companies to Pont sur Sonne Hoquincourt charged them routed some Horse which infested the road to Sens and compelled the Sieur de Morandiere Commander of the Dukes men to quit his Post and retire It was thought that the Princes did not do all their endeavour to hinder this return for perceiving that their Affairs were in a most desperate condition the whole Kingdom concurring in favour of the King they knew that nothing could keep them from their last tottering but some new pretext that might give an honest colour to their Cause and retard the Subjects from the assistance which they contributed to their Soveraign And it was suspected that instead of providing to defend the Passes with some competent Forces which they might sooner have gathered together they delayed so long till the Cardinal was far advanced into the Kingdom and it was believed that not onely the Princes that were in Paris promoted this design but that it was also secretly fomented by the Prince of Conde it being known that he had made Gourville and others to sollicit the Cardinal to undertake his return to Court hoping that this would serve him either for a pretext to justifie his proceedings or for an occasion to piece with him because he had rather have to do with Mazarine then with Chasteauneuf The thoughts in the mean time of the Coadjutor were to induce the Duke of Orleans to frame a third Party of Male-contents and Enemies to Mazarine which perhaps might be seconded by the Courtiers that were averse to him and therefore he used all industry to make the plot succeed imagining that the Queen being intimidated by the Duke more firmly adhering to Conde she would be necessitated to keep the Cardinal further off in which case Orleans uniting himself to the Interest of the Court and fortifying himself with the Troops of Lorrain he should totally ruine the Prince But the Count of Chavigny and the rest of Conde's friends kept Orleans firm making him understand that he could not sustain himself but by uniting with the Prince and though they should not fully make sure of him they hoped at least to prevent him by closing with the Court in which case he would hardly be able to uphold himself In the interim the Duke of Nemours coming to Paris confirmed in the name of the Prince of Conde the Treaty with Orleans and the result was for the keeping out of the Cardinal and to make peace with Spain The news being spread in Paris of Orders given out by the King different to his former Declarations it is not to be imagined how the contrary Spirits were enraged yet they could do no more then make a noise so long as the Kings Authority was prevalent in the Kingdom but however the Cardinal was thwarted by the one side yet he was animated by the other for the Parlement of Brittain being sollicited by that of Paris to frame a like Ordinance in favour of the Princes against the Cardinal they ordered quite contrary that all Proceedings against him should be suspended till the Prince returned to his duty and the Spanish Troops were departed the Kingdom The Tumults of the Frondeurs continuing the Parlement decreed to proceed to the sale of the Cardinals goods and not to ratifie the Kings Declaration against the Prince till that against the Cardinal had first taken effect from whence it behoved that he should again quit the Kingdom if they meant that the Parlement should pass the Declaration They had many Consultations great in appearance but weak in substance and some Overtures to the King succeeded them The Court talked in ambiguous terms and amused them still with hopes because Time which ripens all things they hoped would also maturate the bitterness of the turbulent minds The Queen afterward sent to exhort the Duke of Orleans to retire from Paris to remove the umbrage that they had of him but the design succeeded not and increased the distrust
whereat the others taking Alarm became much more audacious and undertaking The Parlement added to the Instructions given to their Deputies dispatched to the Court to urge the release of the Counsellour Bitant and that the Mareschal de la Milleray could be advanced to the Dignity of Duke and Peer if first he did not give the pretended satisfaction to the Parlement of Brittain Moreover that no Duke Mareschal of France or other Officer of the Crown should hence forward be admitted to their Function if the Cardinal were not first withdrawn out of the Kingdom It was thought that this was done to lessen the Interest that he had by disposing of the Offices of the Crown thereby to gain those Officers to their Party But of this the Gentry and Nobility of the Kingdom made no reckoning but by how much the more the Parlement shewed themselves eager against the Court so much the more contemptible they render'd themselves no body regarding their Decrees so long as the Authority of the King could annul them and render them invalid and therefore they who sounded the Affairs to the bottom found it better counsel to keep the streight way of Obedience then to walk in rugged paths and praecipices In this manner the Princess Palatine Anna Gonzaga from being first Conde's Friend became the Queens greatest Confident and the Cardinals to which the King corresponding called her to Court to foment by her ready and smart Wit the Parties proper to destroy the Caballs of the Male-contents She arrived there as likewise divers other Lords did who openly condemned the Opinion of those which could not but in the end be losers yet obstinately follow'd the Game In the mean while the Cardinal at the Head of the Army departing from Pont sur Saone came to Chasteaurenart and from thence advanced to Gien upon the River Loire The Souldiers of the Marquess of Sordis who were enter'd into the Town upon news of his March quitted it The Cardinal pass'd the River over the Bridge and was civilly receiv'd by those Inhabitants He went thence to Vierron where he left the Army under the command of the Count Broglio to continue their March towards Guienne and His Eminence accompanied with Hoquincourt and Grançay Mareschals of France with a great number of other principal Officers and Persons of Quality went in diligence towards Poitiers where the King was and drawing near was met by His Majesty without the City The King light out of his Coach and imbraced him with so much affection that the Honours were greater which the Cardinal received by that benign Reception then his misusage by so many Decrees of the Parlement His Majesty took him into his Coach and conducted him to kiss the Queens hand where the joy of the Court was redoubled By how much the more splendent the Applauses and Contentments were in this part by so much the more the hatred was dismal and cloudy in other parts and in no City greater threatnings appeared then in Bourdeux whose Parlement after the example of that of Paris persevering in their Assemblings and unlawful and seditious Decrees drove from the City the persons and whole Families of those who were esteemed faithful to the King and did all that Rebells and Enemies of their lawful Soveraign could do THE HISTORY Of the Managements of Cardinal MAZARINE Lib. II. MAZARINE being enter'd into France the 16th of January 1652 the King cancell'd and annull'd the Decree of the Parlement of Paris of the 29 September 1651 with express prohibition to put it in execution and not to attempt any thing against him upon pain of death He forbad also not to proceed to the sale of his Goods nor Books the Transgressors in this case being to lose what they had paid and â—0000 Livres penalty declaring â—â—at the said Decree was contrary to His Majesty's intention to the ordinary Forms of Justice to the Customs of the Kingdom and injurious to the Sacred College of Cardinals to the Head of the Church and to the Holy Apostolick See towards which he protested following the example of the Kings his predecessours always to observe an unalterable devotion and reverence that the Cardinal was entered into the Kingdom by his express Order to conduct a good Body of an Army levied at his own proper charges to serve him in the present Emergencies and that he being a Soveraign King and absolute Master of all he ought to be obey'd by his Subjects without any limitation In Poitiers after the arrival of the Cardinal divers Consultations of War were held which were reduced to the examinations of two points The one to go with all the Forces into Guienne to bring under Bourdeaux and totally to suppress the Prince of Conde's Party the Queen and the Cardinal were of the same judgment The other was to go towards Paris with the greatest part of the Forces to disperse those of the Duke of Orleans encourage the well-affected Citizens and hinder the passage of the Duke of Nemours Souldiers who were about to enter into France Divers Reasons were alledged for both these Opinions and it was resolved on to pass into Guienne but the City of Anger 's being up in Arms by means of the Duke de Rohan Chabot Governour of Anjou the Cardinal judged it more opportune to direct their course that way so that unexpectedly on the 6th of February the Court hasted to Saumeur to the great resentment of the Marquess de Chasteauneuf who seeing that in the Kings Council it was resolved on to march into Guienne and afterward without consulting him they changed their resolution for Anjou He thought they made little Account of him and that the Cardinal was become again the sole Disposer of all Affairs wherefore he took free leave of the Court and retired to live privately at Tours whereby Mazarine remain'd to direct all as before without any companion but not without the envy and jealousie of some of his friends who could not brook the preeminency of a stranger The Court having finished the Enterprize of Anger 's which was reduced to the Kings obedience possessed themselves also of Pont de Cé and secured the Provinces beyond the Loire the News coming of the Duke of Nemours Arrival in France with some Troops out of Flanders the Cardinal thought fit not to defer time but to provide carefully for the Affairs of those parts where all their friends desired the Kings Presence The Court then departed from Saumeur the 7. of March 1652 and settled at Tours whether from divers Provinces and Cities came several Persons of Quality deputed to confirm to the King their fidelity and obedience and amongst others the Archbishop of Rouen Chamvallon Primate of Normandy deputed by a great Assembly of Prelates met at Paris upon the Decree against the Cardinal to demonstrate to his Majestie the wrong that was done to the Church of Rome and the injury she received in the person of one of her Members out-raged The Archbishop
sole occasion of all these disturbances The Affair was remitted to the Council of State they examined the Answers The Cardinal renewed his instances divers times made for leave to depart alledging that it was not convenient that for him alone the tranquillity of the Kingdom should be discompos'd He was oppos'd by the King himself saying that he was Master and would be served by them that liked him best nor did he acknowledge any to give him Laws but God The Sunday following the Deputies return'd to the Audience of the King who plucking out from under his Garment a Writing said that by that they should know his Will Monsieur de la Vrilliere Secretary of State read it and afterwards deliver'd it to the President Nesmond who return'd with it to Paris It contain'd that the King did wonder very much that having in his Parlement so many persons endued with so excellent understanding and acuteness they did not discern that the request of removing the Cardinal was onely a specious and varnish'd pretext since it was manifest the true cause of the present disturbances was the Interest and Ambition of them that had taken Arms and kindled the Civil war when the Cardinal was as far as Germany from the Court and Ministry which made it clearly appear that the evils of a State were not to be healed so long as they rested upon pretences whose roots do produce as much as are lopp'd off wherefore the onely remedy left was to pluck up the deepest and most principal That if His Majesty should resolve to permit the Cardinal to retire upon some imployment abroad and with due reputation to his Honour what Security should he have that the waverings of the unquietness of the Male-contents should calm since it was fresh in memory that his departure in the beginning of the last year had rather augmented then moderated the Troubles which if they were not allay'd by his going then though it was proposed for the only remedy nor ought he less to believe that it would succeed otherwise if he were sent away a second time unless at the same instant the occasion was taken away that caused these matters That the prudence of His Majesty sought a prompt and permanent repose to his Subjects that they might not fall again into the same inconveniences of which they had too much felt the sad effects It being very well known that in the same time that the Princes declar'd themselves ready to lay down their Arms if the Cardinal was sent away they endeavoured to fortifie their party by fomenting of strangers and drawing other of His Majesty's Subjects from their obedience That the Declaration made a few days before by the Duke of Orleans to the Communalty of Paris shewing that he had no Authority over the Forces of the Duke of Lorrain which he boasted he had drawn into France was not conformable to that he made in Parlement That the Treaty concluded by the Prince of Condé with the Spaniards did not speak of laying down their Arms when the Cardinal should be sent away nor could it be mentioned for when it was concluded Mazarine was in Germany That in the mean while therefore it behoved to have real and positive Security of the Princes for the entire performance of what they offered and therefore he desired to know if they would renounce all their Leagues and Associations contracted with strangers and all Treaties concluded in particular with his Subjects against his Royal Service If they would make no other pretensions after the departure of the Cardinal If this being done they would repair to His Majesty to serve him according to their duty If they would cause the strangers they had brought in to depart the Kingdom and would promise that the Spanish Troops and the Duke of Lorrains should retire without giving them that they might pretend to in prejudice of the King and the State If the Souldiers that under their name made war against His Majesty should be disbanded If those of the King of Spains at Stenay at Bourg in Guienne and in other places should retire and refusing to do it what way should be taken to force them If the Prince of Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville would return to their devoir and whether the Prince of Conde had power to promise for them If the Prince of Conty would lay aside all pretensions If they have joyntly the power from the Persons of Quality that have engag'd with them to give Security for their obedience If the Cities and Fortified places kept in the name of the Pr. of Conde should be put into the same state and being that they were before If the City of Bourdeaux would return to its duty If the Establishment made against the Kings service since these present troubles should be revoked And finally all things settled in their former state according to the Articles in the Kings Declaration of December 1649. Concerning which Points when His Majesty should receive full assurance of their performance without cavils and and new pretences he should be induced to believe that the Malady which afflicted the Kingdom might be easily remedied This Answer being read in Parlement with the twelve Questions in reply to that of the Princes the Duke of Orleans said it was all of the Cardinals dictating who ill-inform'd of the Customs of France framed Questions to the Princes of the Bloud in form of Interrogatories which was never yet seen practised and having declared over and over as they did now again to lay down their Arms so soon as the Cardinal should be out of France there was no need of other Security since all was done with sincerity and without any doubleness They disputed a great while upon this subject in the Assembly in which it was proposed by those on the Kings side that they ought to send again Deputies to His Majesty with Authority to treat of Peace so necessary to the State The Counsellour Brussel stood still fix'd in his averseness to the Conference and to hold themselves simply to the Declaration There followed other Disputes and Contests in words amongst some of the Counsellours and the 21th of June the Chambers met again where they made two Propositions one to seek a way to maintain the poor and the other to raise 150000 Crowns for the price of the Cardinals head having thoughts that there would be some rash enough to offer themselves to kill him but this was laid aside as then as an unworthy thing and detestable in Christians and all that was done was to raise 100000 Crowns for the relief of the poor every Counsellour taxing himself 100 Livres Many of these poor people were paid expresly to clamour at the Parlement door and raise some tumult to oblige the Assembly to a declared Union with the Princes which was the design of these to necessitate Paris to provide Moneys and other necessaries for sustaining the War As the Counsellours came out of the Palace People
his Command of Governour of Paris that dignity was conferr'd on the Duke of Beaufort and this was the first effect of the foregoing violence and the first step the Princes mounted to arrive at their intents The Parlement being afterward convened and although none of the Presidents of the Morter appeared there they did not cease to give Counsel the Dean of the Parliament presiding by way of Supplement The Duke of Orleans propounded four things which he said was convenient should speedily be taken care of The first to take order about the-Provisions and particularly about bread which was risen to an exorbitant price The second the safety of the City and Parlement shewing great displeasure for the accident hapned at the Town-house The third to finde means to retain those that left the City amongst which were several Officers of the Parlement in contempt of the Decree which prohibited them to depart from their Companions and the fourth that it being a great while that the Deputies were kept at Court without being able to obtain an Answer they ought to resolve what was to be done upon these Points It was resolved that the Decrees of the fourth of the same month and others heretofore made concerning the ordering the Provisions should be punctually observed That the Officers should be prohibited to depart from Paris and the Counsellors invited to come and assist in their several Charges Messieurs de Lesne and de Gilbert Members of the Parlement had order to forme a Process against the Riot committed by the People at the Town-house three days before That no publick nor private meetings should be held upon pain of death And because the disorders of the Princes Souldiers were insupportable who sack'd all the neighboring Territory and rifled all that pass'd those High-ways it was likewise ordered to prosecute not only those who cut or sold the corne in the fields but those also that bought it or help'd to convey it away Besides these Decrees there followed likewise an Ecclesiastical Monitory against the Authors and Complices of firing the Town-house and nothing was forgot to soften the Parisiens who were generally offended there being few Citizens that in the late disorder were not concern'd either by alliance or friendship The Prince seeing the small hopes of subsisting only with his own forces and that there was need of speedy help he dispatch'd in all haste a Courier to the Baron de Batteville at S. Sebastian with advice of what had hapned and of the urgent necessity of assistance without which he could not long subsist Batteville sending the Letters into Spain they arrived so opportunely and that it was easie for the Spaniards to supply him with a sum of ready money to finish those enterprizes which without ready coyn they could not bring to pass This was the Arrival of the Plate Fleet from the Indies the 8. of July in this same year which delivered Spain from a mischief which without money could not have been avoided Conde sent also into Flanders to represent to the Ministers of Spain the state of his Affairs And they perceiving the Princes party after the retreat of the Duke of Lorrain not a little weakned and in danger to be suppress'd or forc'd to yield to an Agreement which would prove very prejudicial to their interest they fill'd the Prince with great hopes and large Promises resolving to strengthen his Faction with a recruit of six thousand men under the Command of Prince Ulderic of Wirtemberg General of the German Horse in Flanders to which purpose the Count de Fuensaldagna entring into the Fields and taking the common Rode betwixt the Rivers of Somme and Oyse came under Chauny where the Duke of Elboeuf Governour of Picardy was with many people gathered together out of the Neighbouring Countrey to hinder the Spaniards from advancing further into France but having no Provisions nor the place defenceable they yielded upon conditions that he and his Monsieur de Manicamp his Lieutenant General with some other of the chiefest Officers should march out all the rest remaining prisoners of Warr amongst which there were above a hundred Gentlemen Voluntiers and about 500 Souldiers Officers and some few Horse which were all taken Here the Spaniards stayed several days as well to enjoy the benefits of that fertile Country as to expect a better opportunity to advance towards Paris not judging it prudent Council to give further assistance to the Male-contents while the Treaty was on foot and nigh being concluded lest the Court should condescend ro the Pretences of the Princes wherefore they neglected to answer the hopes given to the Princes and Parlement levelling their aim not to fortifie them so thar they might by their strength make the Court ply to their demands the Ministers of the Catholick King considering that if it should so happen as there was likelihood in stead of adding new fewel to these Civil broyles they should at their own charge and ruine quite extinguish them The time thus passing away without any resolution on this side was spent likewise on the other without any considerable accident for from the 2. till the 20. of July the Kings Army about St. Denis and the Princes without the Suburbs of St. Victor lay quiet without any stirring all those days being spent in Treaties of Peace betwixt both parties The result of which was that the King finally declared that although he did ever believe and still thought that the instances made unto him to send away the Cardinal were only pretexts to colour other designes Nevertheless his Majestie wishing nothing more then the Quiet of the Kingdom he was content to gratifie the Cardinal granting him the favour oftentimes requested by him to retire from Court but yet not until all things necessary for re-establishing the Peace in France should be better settled to which effect his Majestie ordered the Deputies to advertise the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde to send some on their part to discuss the essential points and they in the mean time remaining at Court to expect the resolution from Paris and because some doubt might arise if before or after the Ratification the Cardinal should be effectively withdrawn His Majesty declared he should depart immediately upon the Conclusion of the Treaty and before the Consummation This Affair was variously debated in Parlement The Duke of Orleans said the Answer was ambiguous and contrived to engage them to a Conference to spin out the business That if the Cardinal had really an intent to retire he ought not to have kept the Deputies of the Parlement 15 days for an Answer and in the Interim betake himself to violent resolutions as was that of the second of this Month in the Fauxbourgs of St. Anthony to destroy the Army and afterwards cut the throats of all the Parisiens If he intended to retire there was no need of any other Conference upon this subject for so soon as he should be out of the
Kingdom according to the Kings Declaration they asked no more nor would they fail to render immediately all duty and obedience to his Majesty That to send Deputies in their names was superfluous since those of the Parlement being there in whom they reposed all confidence they did not intend to do any thing without the privity of the Parlement to which effect they should at all times write their mind to President Nesmond After which it was concluded to return thanks to his Majestie for his favourable Answer for sending away the Cardinal and to supplicate him anew that it might be done speedily That the Princes would be pleased to write to Nesmond or to some other of the Deputies to second this their Declaration that whensoever the Cardinal should be out of the Kingdom they should perform what they had promised and order the said Deputy to receive what Commands the King should deem necessary In this Assembly the Prince was observed to discourse with some sternness as if he were angry Monsieur de Bust proposed to choose new Deputies that might find out the most convenient means to send the Troops farther off and to do their utmost endeavour to procure the Peace and although all things should happen to be agreed on yet nothing to be done till the Cardinal was first departed Upon this the Parlement thought it expedient to order their Deputies at Court to give the King thanks for his Promise of giving Mazarine licence to depart and to sollicit the performance of it and to desire the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde to write to the President Nesmond with assurance as they had declared in the Assembly to lay down their Arms and yield entire obedience to his Majestie so soon as Mazarine should be gone Orleans therefore writ that by the desire of the Court that he and the Prince should send Deputies to the King they could imagine no other thing considering with what delays the Audience of the Deputies was retarded but that it was a device of the Cardinal to elude his Majesties resolution in banishing him the Kingdom and making Peace with his subjects that although the solemn Declarations made and reiterated before the Parlement might suffice yet to make it more clearly appear how sincerely and candidly he had behaved himself in all those Transactions he was resolved to let him know by that Letter that he might assure and faithfully promise to the King that he should punctually make good his said Declaration so soon as ever the Cardinal should withdraw in good earnest and without any other shadow of suspition and should send to render him his humble thanks receive his Orders and Commands having no other Agreements or Conditions to make with his Majestie but only to obey him as he was always ready to do with all respect and submission according to the obligation of his birth The Prince writ also to Nesmond in the same form and charged him to give all assurance of the reality of their intentions Hereupon Nesmond being admitted to the Kings Presence spake in this manner Sir The Assurance that it hath pleased your Majestie to give us for the retirement of Cardinal Mazarine hath fill'd the hearts of your Vassals with hope upon the confidence they have that the words of Kings as the Word of God bring their full effect and can never be but profitable Your Parlement hath given us in charge to testifie to your Majestie with all humbleness and respect their desire and to request the effecting it conformable to their Declaration and to the Decrees that have seconded it supplicating your Majestie to consider that the miseries of France augmenting daily and suffering no delay it will be an effect of your bounty Not to defer the remedy so desired a benefit any longer the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde have given us in charge to confirm to your Majestie their first Declarations and represent on their behalf that they have nothing to propound by employing Deputies submitting themselves to obey your Orders with all obedience so soon as the Cardinal shall have fulfill'd your Majesties Declaration It depends now Sir on your Authority to shorten all these ills yielding to this departure at our supplication We have no more words to express our grief the force of which does stop our utterance The publick disorders the ruine of the State the Power of the Enemies the Misery of the People are sensibly obvious to your Majesties sight and will yet more touch your Majesties heart to whom we protest that we shall always have an eternal obligation for the end of so many mischiefs and for the Peace the Kingdom The King reply'd that he would participate all this to his Council and they should receive his Answer which was delivered them the day following in writing and read by the Count de Brienne in these words That the King had granted the request made him to send away the Cardinal though he clearly saw it was only a pretext to disturb the State if the Princes had accepted the Articles that were to be performed on their part sincerely there would have remained no other stop to the establishment of the quiet of the Realm That if his Majestie had believed that his Answer to the Deputies touching that Affair should have served as an occasion for a new Decree of Parlement he would not have given it in any wise knowng that in the condition the Parlement was then in as well for the absence of a great number of the principal Counsellours as for the violent Authority usurp'd by the Heads of the Rebellion they were deprived of their freedom and reduced to obey other mens wills since by the Decree of the first of July it was resolved not to treat nor determine any thing concerning the publick Affairs till the Courts of Justice and the City were restored to their freedom but instead of providing for their safety when the Assembly was convened in the Town-house to that effect the burnings violences and slaughters had reduced the Tribunals and the City to the extreamest oppression so that his Majestie could no longer regard the determinations made in a Company where the Liberty of Voices was not free The Kings intention in his Answer to the Deputies was to give them opportunity that the Princes might send persons of their own with Authority to receive Orders for putting the Articles by them accepted in execution and to agree upon the time the manner and the security for the performance so that not without Reason His Majesty was surprized to see Subjects pretend to obtain things of their Soveraign that were never practised even among Princes that were equal It was not fit that he should be the first to fulfil on his part what hath been agreed on till the Conditions which comprehend the true cause of these distractions be solemnly promised and cleared as they ought to be It being evident that the principal occasion
artificial reach of the Court to weary them out by delays in stead of giving consolation in good earnest and to protract time by which Mazarine hoped to be able at last to gain the Parisiens by force of sufferings accustomed to enjoy peaceably their rich Traffick and to make extraordinarily advantage of those commodities that they send to all the parts of the world To take order for all these things the King with advice of his Council the 18th of July after a long rehearsal of all things past and of the principal causes of those ill events decreed that Information should be taken of the horrible and scandalous attempt upon the Town-house the 14th of the present moneth seeking and finding out the circumstances and dependencies also by way of Monitory and to proceed against the Authors and Complices of the Massacres and Violences committed according to the Statutes and rigour of the Laws and in the mean time annull'd and revoked the pretended Election of the Counsellour Brussel into the place of Provost of Merchands whom His Majesty expresly prohibited to act in that Function upon pain of Death and he and all his posterity to be accountable for the disorders happened or that should happen since his pretended administration He declared moreover all the Resolves made from the first of July as well in the Parlement as in the Town-house touching the publick affairs null and invalid till the Governour and the Provost of Merchands and the other Magistrates that were constrained to absent themselves were restored and that sufficient Provision were made for securing of the due Administration of Justice and safety of the City according to the tenure of that Decree The King expresly prohibited all the other Cities of the Kingdom and all his Subjects and Servants not to take any cognizance of any Orders or Decrees from Paris so long as it remain'd under the Tyrannical power of Rebels And to the end that the Money destin'd for the publick Uses of the City should not remain at the Enemies disposal to make use of it for the Warre and to pay the Spanish troops that they had call'd in His Majestie ordered it to be brought to the place where he should establish his abode to be put into Hands of the Pay-Masters of the publick Rents who were commanded to repair to Court with all the other Consuls and Sheriffs of the Cities within the term of three days after the publication of the Decree in the usual manner The Princes the Parlement and the Frondeurs were greatly disturb'd at this departure believing that the Court did but mock at their licentious and extravagant Pretences The Count de Servient had signified to the Deputies in His Majesties Name that if the Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde not willing to nominate Commissioners of their own should rather desire to make use of the Parlements Deputies that the King was content and would adjust the Propositions with them contain'd in the foresaid Answer promising to send away the Cardinal and that before the Articles should be performed on their part provided they could come to an Agreement with their Deputies or with those of the Parlement when they should be impowered but the Princes in stead of accepting this offer and staying the Deputies at St. Denis to expect there the Kings Answer or to go and find him at Pontoise as he had ordered they were conducted as hath been said to Paris where continuing their Complaints of their being slighted by the Court they stood firm to have the Cardinal expell'd before any thing else was done flattering themselves in their own opinions and esteeming every thing easie arising from an overweening sufficiency The Parlement ambitious to usurp a greater Authority then what became them fell at last upon the resolution to chuse the Duke of Orleans Lieutenant General of the Crown and the Prince of Conde General of the Army under Orleans and supplicated His Royal Highness to take upon him this Quality under pretence of freeing the King from the hands of the Cardinal who had snatcht him from his people and kept him in constraint But this determination profitted them little as well because it was not imbraced by the other Parlements of the Kingdom but rather refused and reprehended as also because Orleans being of a disposition absolutely contrary to violent courses would not imbroil himself in that attempt but especially because he and the Cardinal de Retz the Contriver of all the Plots promised to themselves that without their ruining the Court Mazarine would be gone of himself The Cardinal de Retz put this into the Dukes head for fear that the Court being too much depressed the Prince of Conde his irreconcilable Enemy should rise too high Retz thus endeavouring to arrive at the Ministry first with the expulsion of Mazarine and afterward with the ruine of the Prince through the re-uniting the Queen with the Duke of Orleans was supposed the onely and true cause of the total downfall of that Party and afterward of his own imprisonment The Parlement moreover decreed that should go in the sale of the Moveables and other things belonging to the Cardinal The fond was likewise laid for the 50000 crowns the price of the Cardinals Head upon a years tax on Cattel But whether it was lukewarmness or the policy of those who endeavoured with like arts to bring to an advantageous conclusion the secret Treaties still managed in the Princes name by Monsieur de Goucourt with the assistance of the Duke of Bovillon who insisted earnestly for bringing the Prince of Conde and the Cardinal to an Agreement excluding Orleans or for what other secret respects the money was never deposited and many other things were passed by by reason of the concerns of the parties that interven'd The day following Orleans went to the Parlement and after many Complements declared that he would accept the charge of Lieutenant-General of the Crown so long as the King should be retained by the Cardinal but desired to have a Council about him establish'd by the Parlement The Chambers return'd Answer that they referr'd themselves to what his Royal Highness should determine He went in the same manner to the Chamber of Accounts where he declared the same thing and made the same request to have some of their Members in his Council and here again he had the like Answer that all was left to his own choice in pursuance whereof he took into his new Council of State the major part of the Male-contents and the first Consultation that was held was the third of August But these Proceedings so prejudicial to the Crown were carried on with as much coldness as they were embraced with eagerness And although in appearance these Decrees of the Parlement and Actions of the Princes looked like some great matter of importance in reality they were only shadows which in a short time vanished of themselves for by the cunning contrivances of Mazarine by little
chief Minister of State with the Kings good liking Prince Thomas of Savoy as one who besides being his great Confident was of an incomparable Integrity in whom the King might wholly confide without any suspicion he left also the Count de Servient a Person no less Politick then versed in all the Affairs of the Kingdom Tillier the Secretary of State a man of great wit and understanding ready to execute the Court-orders with faithfulness and zeal and these three for the Negotiations of the State and the War he left besides with the Queen for the directions of the most important and most secret Affairs the Abbot Ondedei who was afterwards Bishop of Fregius Counsellor of State to Her Majestie of whose known and experienc'd fidelity and practice in managements he had full assurance This being done he took leave of their Majesties with that tenderness which his ardent affection urged him to and the 19. of August 1652. departed from Pontoise for Sedan passing first to the Mareschal de Turenne's Camp to view the Army which from Lagny was already advancing into Brie to oppose the March that the Duke of Lorain was taking after the Prince of Wirtemberg had sent back the Count of Fuensaldagna's Spaniards into Flanders and proceeding in his journey with a good Convoy he came to Sedan and from thence went to Bouillon where he staid expecting from time the fruits of his truth and innocency The Prince of Conde understanding that the Cardinal was going and by consequence the Pretext of the War ceasing He sent the Marquess de Jersé to the Army of Lorain to which were joyn'd the Troops that Wirtemberg conducted to the Princes with direction to take his time and set upon the Cardinal in his journey and take him prisoner But the Spaniards upon this becoming diffident he was by their means advertized and shunn'd the danger seeing the Ministry of Spain knew that it was for their interest that the Cardinal should subsist for under this colour the civil dissentions in France were kept afoot from which they drew much profit The same day the King the Queen and all the Court went to Compeigne and the better to dispose the minds of the Parisiens to joyn themselves to their party the King so soon as he was arrived at Compeigne put forth a General Act of Oblivion the Contents whereof imported after a summary Rehearsal of all things past from the year 1648. till that time a General Pardon and abollition of all that had been done against his Royal Service making void and of no effect all the Informations Decrees Sequestrations and other Proceedings following thereupon by occasion of the disorders from the first of February 1651. till this time as also His Majesties Declarations of the month of September and the 8. of October in the same year upon this Condition that the Duke of Orleans the Princes of Conde and Conty and all others of their party should lay down their Arms within three days after the Publication of this Act. To this end the Duke of Orleans should send to His Majestie within the term of three days an Act subscribed with his own Hand by which he renounced all Treaties Leagues and Confederations made with what Prince soever without his Majesties Approbation the like was enjoyn'd the Prince of Conde and Conty who were also at the same time to put into the Kings Hands necessary Orders as well to send the Spanish Souldiers out of Stenay and Burg in Guienne and other places wheresoever as also to cause the Enemies Ships to draw off from the Coasts of France That the said Duke of Orleans and Prince of Conde should cause the foreign Troops that were about Paris to march directly to the Frontiers of Flanders and unite their Souldiery to the Army of Turenne and la Ferté Seneterre and all those who were further off within the space of fifteen days declaring that those who should fail to perform in the space of three days the Contents of this Amnesty should reap no benefit by it from which his Majestie only excepted the Crimes committed betwixt particular persons which were to remain as before without other alteration This Amnesty with such an Exception at the end of it was esteemed only as an Artifice by those that did not desire it though for that time it took no effect for it was publish'd abroad that not including those that had fought in duel and assaulted the Town-house the 4. of July it rested in the Will of the King to chastise whom he pleased under colour of this Delinquency yet it ceased not to leave an impression in many who understanding the cavil introduc'd by the Princes and the Frondeurs were much offended having always believed that when the Cardinal should be gone the Princes and the Parlement would have cast themselves at the Kings feet But although those with the Frondeurs had no thought to receive the said Amnesty though it should be made in the forme they desired nevertheless they feined themselves zealous for the publick good shewing themselves very well pleased at the Cardinals departure The Duke of Orleans and the Prince of Conde went afterward to the Parlement where it was concluded to present the King their thanks for sending away the Cardinal and the Sovereign Courts and the body of the City send Deputies to the King to the same effect and to compleat all that was necessary for the welfare and repose of the State A little after the Parlement resolved to desire the King again to return to Paris and the Princes declared that they were ready to lay down their Armes so an Amnesty were granted them in good forme making the same Protests in the Chamber of Accounts and Court of Aids The Duke of Orleans dispatch'd a Courier to the Duke d' Anville his Friend and a Minister of State very dear to the King and most faithful to the Queen to obtain of his Majestie Passports for the Deputies that were appointed to negotiate the final Peace But d' Anville having kept the Courier a while sent him back empty because it did not seem decent for the King to enter into other Treaties since by the Amnesty he had perfected every thing and expected that the Princes should suddenly lay down their Armes as they had formerly declared to do so soon as the Cardinal was gone from Court D' Anville writ withal another Letter to the Duke of Orleans importing that he believed the Passports would be granted if they renewed their requests directly to the King himself which being done a Passport was granted to the Mareschal d' Estampes to come to Court not as a Deputy but as a meer Courtier and at the same time some secret Negotiations were renewed betwixt the Secretary Goulas the Marquess de Chasteauneuf and the Dutchess of Aiguillon the drift of which was to take off the Duke of Orleans from the Union with Conde they clearly perceiving that the Declarations that he made
to the Parlement and the Court were not sincere while at the same time that he profess'd himself ready for the Peace he protested at Madrid and Brussels that he would always adhere to the Crown of Spain and hold on the War negotiating likewise in England to get assistance to carry on his designes and therefore it concern'd them to take away his Helps and Associates in France without which he would remain only a bare Captain of the King of Spain and be able to do little against a Kingdom more potent then any other when united and obedient to its King In the mean time the Troops of the Princes remain'd encamp'd on the other side the River Sene betwixt Surenne and St. Cloud expecting the supplies which were sent him from Flanders but those fruitful hills being full of Vineyards and the Grapes beginning to ripen the damage which the Souldiers did to the people was very grievous by whose Sollicitation they were drawn out to the end of the Suburbs of St. Victor where in quartering themselves they fell to blows with the Citizens that were upon the Guard at the street end where four or five inhabitants ans◠fifteen or twenty Souldiers were slain which help'd so much the more to augment the discord amongst them But the Cardinal knowing that the safety of the Royal party consisted in reducing the Parisiens to seek their quiet which began to be wish'd for by them The people the Merchants and all persons generally being weary of the calamities they sustain'd and tired out by the continual Guards which without pay and with abandoning their traffick they were constrained to keep he advised the King to stay at Compiegne and not to be prevail'd on by intreaties to return to Paris without unquestion'd security that he should not be detain'd again and this was one of the Maxims especially recommended to the Queen in his absence and which he particularly gave in charge to the Abbot Ondedei He added that the Kings Army ought to go to oppose the troops of Flanders which were marching to assist the Princes and if they were too weak so that enterprize they should remove to Ville neufve S. George on the North-side the Sene four leagues from Paris and fortifying themselvs with good trenches live upon the provisions that from Corbeil Melun and other neighboring places they should get in abundance by means of the River where making a stay the Enemies troops by consequence must lodge themselves thereabouts so that the Souldiers sacking and pillaging the Country and robbing and killing all that should pass that way without coming to a rupture of shewing any such intention Paris would be involv'd in a very troublesome siege and the Princes rendred odious as being reputed the principal occasion of all those disasters and thus carrying on their intelligence with their loyal friends in the City the Parisiens would be brought with greater facility to take fit resolutions to free them from their miseries which could not be done so long as they were deprived of the King This was the greatest stroak the Cardinal could give and it is certain that this Maxim duly observed promoted the ruine of his opposite Party for Paris could not free it self from the hovering ruine without sending away the Prince of Condé whose fall was most certain because staying there with the Army he increased their miseries which stirred up the peoples hatred against him and by retiring himself he lost the support of so rich and powerful a City with so much the more prejudice as that he would be forc'd to retire to his places upon the Mose quit the Realm and throw himself into the arms of the Spaniards Upon the news of the Cardinals departure out of the Kingdom the Ministers of Spain were not a little troubled because they perceived by his removal the Male-contents had no more pretext for what they did Taking their measures therefore to assist but not to strengthen too much the Party of the Princes two things were propos'd One was to advance with their whole Army and forcing the Kings Army from about Paris keep those Citizens faithful and united to the Princes The other to amuse that Party and the people of Paris with great hopes but little effects that by their seeming assistance they might hold firm in their pretensions and redoubling their disobedience and injuries against the Court be finally necessitated to declare against the King so that rendering themselves unworthy of favour and affrighted with the thoughts of chastisement they would endeavour to preserve their Usurped Authority To the first Proposition were opposed the imminent dangers that the Court seeing themselves reduc'd to should be forc'd to grant to the Princes those Points which with much fervency were insisted on by their friends and partakers Neither did the other seem convenient in that present conjuncture for when the Princes and the Parlement should perceive themselves depriv'd of the hopes and promises made them by the Spaniards knowing they were not able to subsist by Paris alone which was wavering even in the beginning of the Union they would be constrain'd to regulate themselves as Necessity should counsel them and accept those conditions that had been already offer'd them upon the Accommodation so that by either of these ways they apprehended they should not much help forward their Designs which they had proposed to themselves upon the continuance of the civil troubles in France Embracing therefore a third counsel they resolved to cause their Troops to advance knowing that if the Parisiens did not continue firm they should at least encourage the Martial and haughty thoughts of the Prince of Condé who making war in France as first Prince of the Bloud and esteemed one of the Valiantest of the Age he could not but much trouble and annoy the contrary Party Wherefore the Spanish and Lorein Troops began to move towards the Sene to the number of 3000 Horse under Prince Ulderick of Wirtemberg 6 other Regiments of Horse conducted by the Chevalier de Guise and 6000 Lorrainers with their Duke who all together formed an Army of about 11000 combatents These thought to put themselves into the Post of Villeneuf S. George but were prevented by the Mareschal Turenne who according to the Instruction of Cardinal Mazarine had already possessed it and intrenched himself there with the Kings Army and cast two Bridges over the River The Spaniards the Lorrainers and the Troops of the Princes quartered round about the Country so that the Souldiers of both Parties scouring the Campania on all sides Paris remained besieg'd by their own friends wherefore the Citizens daily pressed the King to return to Paris who answered he was ready so to do if the Duke of Orleans would cause the Prince of Conde to retire to his Government of Guienne the Duke of Beaufort to his Castle of Anet and the strangers out of the Kingdom The Cardinal de Retz took the advantage of these favourable accidents and with
command them to give up their places without delay under pain of most severe punishments due to Rebels and Disturbers of the publick Peace As to his Return to Paris the substance of his answer was that as soon as his Enemies and those who by abusing his Name and Authority to keep the people in disobedience had procured the destruction of the principal Inhabitants in the Town-house and did still make use of the Spanish Forces to keep them in subâ—ection should have left the Town that then he would immediately return having drawn right to Paris to that intent His Majesty added that as he was much contented and satisfied that those who had entred upon offices without a lawful title and contrary to His Royal Will were discharged of their places and from the Assemblies at the Town-house so he declared that he could not for the future but disapprove and declare void and unlawful whatsoever should be done at their Meetings in the Presence of the Rebels and their Adherents if they continued to appear there or did any thing by their order or any ways favoured their evil designs of which he thought fit to advertise the Inhabitants that they might take care for all things as they should judge convenient and necessary assuring himself that upon these occasions they would give good proofs of their fidelity of which His Majestie would take particular notice and give proof of his Royal gratitude to all those who should be assisting in so important an occasion as the Preservation of the State and the re-establishment of the Metropolis of his Kingdom to its ancient splendour While Affairs pass'd in this manner at Court they fail'd not at Paris to attempt all manner of ways the Accomplishment of these designes and the Citizens growing daily more and more weary of the Spanish Troops which lay about Paris a part of the Duke of Wirtenberg his baggage was plundred by the people of St. Honore's street near to the Croix du Teroir whilst those who conducted it were busie at some Taverns in lading of Muscat and Spanish Wines for the Camp of the Confederates After this strict Order was given that the Gates should be guarded and none of the Army to be permitted any more to enter the Town esteeming it a dishonour to the French name that the enemies of their King and Countrey should be seen publickly in their red Scarfs in the Capital City of the Kingdom whereat the Parliament and Princes were extraordinarily surprized perceiving that their Authority became every hour more weak and languishing being deprived of the support of the people and the Citizens in Arms but what astonish'd them more was to see the device of the Straw obscured by the splendor of the white Scarfs and Ribands worn by many of the Kings faithful Servants The Assembly at Palace-Royal was afterward advertised that the Guards of the Duke of Beaufort were to go out to Convoy the bread made at Gonesse a Captain of a Quarter being spoken to and perswaded to cast away his Straw as a mark of Sedition and to take a white Scarf the Colours of those who were Loyal and threatned withall that if he did otherwise he should be set upon seeing that in the Assembly it was resolved to fall upon as many as should be found without Scarfs or White paper about them and that they should begin to execute this design at the gate of St. Martin where this Captain was to keep Guard who thereupon and all his Company very joyfully accepted of the white Colours and drank the Kings health and the Cardinals obliging moreover the Captain of the Duke of Beaufort's Guards to do the like who going out at that Gate were stopped telling them that none must go out there without Passports from his Majestie on his Generals and that by the white colours they wore they might perceive they were the Kings Servants The Captain answered that he had a Passport from the Duke of Orleans they replied that that was not the question but that they must drink the Kings Health and return back again which he was constrained to do the Souldiers making use of their Hats in stead of Glasses all this was done and not a man of that quarter offered to stir The Duke of Beaufort having notice immediately took Coach to remedy this Affair but having understood the resolution of the Assembly he stopped at the Curates house of Saint Nicholas Parish expecting while that Company should come off the Guard After this beginning there followed many happy occurrences and great advantages to the Kings party many in emulation of one another following this example The King being very much satisfied with these demonstrations of their loyalty to encourage them the more commanded upon the 29. of September that the Passages should be opened for the conveying of Corn Wine Wood and other necessary Provisions for so numerous a people The Answer afterwards which he gave to the six Companies of Merchants contained That His Majestie was very sensible of these new Testimonies of Affection and Fidelity from his beloved City of Paris and profess'd himself the more satisfi'd in that he discovered in their looks the good intentions of their hearts by the tears which accompanied their speeches As to the new instances they made for his return to Paris he gave them the same Answer he had signified to the Deputies of the Town-house upon the same subject of which he caused a Copy to be delivered into their hands adding only That there was no need of applying themselves any further to His Majesty for Peace since he had already granted it them by the Declaration of the Amnesty given in the Parliament at Pontoise the forme or termes of which ought not at all to be censured by Subjects seeing that the most guilty and blameable with perfect security might therein finde the Pardon and Oblivion of all their Errours but that they ought withal to oppose them who were the cause of the continuation of the War and made their advantage by it and these were the only persons to be complained of seeing that His Majestie for his part upon these occurrences had out of his incomparable goodness granted without any exception whatsoever was pretended to or desired when the others had so often gone back from their word so solemnly given making use still of the Royal Authority to the great prejudice of His Majesty and the State continuing armed contrary to their Promise and united with the declared Enemies of the Crown keeping the Capital City of the Kingdom in awe by continual seditions and violences sacking and ruining the French by Foreiners and to serve Spain made desolate and destroy'd France and therefore it being the interest of all the Inhabitants to put an end to these disorders in that City he hoped that they would apply themselves with all diligence to restore her to her former state notwithstanding the opposition of those who were enemies to the publick good
the 9th of October in the Assembly held at the Town-house divers were chosen and deputed to go to Court and to intreat His Majesty again to return to Paris but because His Majesty did not admit of publick Messages from an Assembly where the Duke of Beaufort pretended Governour of Paris used to be present contrary to the Kings Prohibition so that by consequence the Assembly was accounted unlawful it was proposed in Parlement and concluded on that the Duke of Beaufort should be desired to renounce his Charge voluntarily that he might not hinder the conclusion of the Peace which was so earnestly sought for by all wherefore Beaufort remitted it into the hands of the Duke of Orleans who had conferred it upon him The whole Body of the Militia of Paris was also resolved for Peace and knowing that the presence of the King was necessary for the consummating of it they made choice at the same time of 250 persons Colonels Officers and other Inhabitants to go and render their due respects to His Majesty and to entreat him that he would honour his good City of Paris with his return These Officers having given notice of this to the Court and desired the accustomed Pasports they were immediately granted and the King himself wrote to them with Orders to come to S. Germans Octob. 14. where he intended to be that night and besides this Letter to all in general he sent one in particular to every Colonel in which he thanked them for the affection and goodwill which they expressed to his service He wrote also to the Communalty and commanded them to call a general Assembly and to restore to their Offices the Prevost of the Merchants and the Sheriffs which had been turned out The Prince of Conde seeing by all these changes that his longer stay at Paris would be to no purpose and that every thing was in readiness to receive the King he resolved to hasten his departure The Duke of Lorrain also took leave of his Brother in Law the Duke of Orleans upon the 11th of October to follow his Army which were on their march not far off but at his going out of S. Martins Gate the Guard stopt him for not having a Pasport from the Communalty and were very near giving him some affront for some of them reproching him for all those evils which had happened to France proposed to have him imprisoned and detained till his Forces were out of the Kingdom and he had given satisfaction for the damage they had done to the Country about but this was not put in execution for the respect they bore to the Duke of Orleans but they gave him a thousand injurious words and the next morning they permitted him to depart upon His Royal Highness command The Prince of Condé went away two days after together with the Duke of Wirtemberg the Duke of Rochefocaut the Prince of Tarante and many other peesons of Quality who resolved to take their Fortunes with him At his going away he said as he passed through the streets That the Parisiens hoped for the return of the Court but that would not end the War He went afterwards towards Rheims a great City and Metropolis of Champagne with intention to lay hold of what he could in that Province that he might the better winter there under the Protection of Stenay and Mauson two places upon the Mose which held for him At his departure from Paris he left a printed Manifesto in which he set forth how much he had done for the publick and in particular for the Parisiens exhorting them not to trust to the Court and to believe that he could by the force of Arms have constrained them to make Peace Conde therefore and all the Officers of the Army having thus abandoned Paris upon the fifteenth following the aforesaid Colonels and Officers went to St. Germains Accompanied with two hundred Citizens more who joyned with them upon the way They had a favourable audience in which they express'd the general desire of all to see these mists cleared up by the splendour of his Royal Presence and assured His Majesty of their inviolable faith and entire Obedience engaging faithfully their word that they would be all in armes upon any occasion ready to spend their lives and fortunes in his Royal service beseeching him not to refuse them this favour but to be touched at their sighs and tears proceeding from their sincere and zealous devotion protesting to him finally that he should finde nothing from them but due observance and a perfect propensity to make good the Character which they bore of His most humble and most faithful subjects The King Answered them with his own mouth that he should be mindful all his life-time of the service they had done him upon this occasion and desired them to be always assured of his affection and that although the disorders stirrâ—â— up by those who were revolted might oblige him to take some other journey yet nevertheless seeing they had so great a desire he was resolved to go with the first occasion to Paris and would signifie to the Prevost of the Merchants and the Sheriffs what he thought necessary to that effect the Deputies gave him thanks and did their obeisance to their Majesties severally who were pleased to receive them with testimonies of extraordinary satisfaction After this they were treated with a Dinner and had leave to depart to Paris with so much joy of the people that seeing them pass through the streets and hearing the News of the Kings sudden return they loaded them with benedictions and deafned them with their continual shoutings of Vive le Roy. The same day that the Colonels went to St. Germains his Majesty before he left Mantes answered the Letters which the Duke d' Anville had delivered him from the Duke of Orleans to desire an Act of Oblivion in better forme then the former the Contents were that the King did not desire any further Declaration from the said Duke it being sufficient if he made his word good which he had so often given to lay down his Arms and send the foreign Troops to the Frontiers thereby to free Paris his Majesty having nothing more to do seeing he had already publish'd a General Amnesty and such an one as the most seditious could not find what more to adde to it for their security and less to pretend that it should be registred at Paris seeing that it was done publickly in the Parliament at Pontorse so that his Majestie having anticipated all that the Duke desired of him without any reservation there remained nothing but that he on his side should perform his Promises And that therefore his Request for Passports was superfluous and from the purpose because it tended to no other end but to gain time till the Spanish Troops commanded by the Duke of Wirtenberg were drawn near Paris to joyn with those at the Prince of Conde and to amuse the people whilst that another
entred the Town and not the Mantuans But the Marquess of Caracena kept his word punctually with the Duke in all what he had promised in so much that his Highness thinking it convenient for the security of that place to put in a Garrison of German Souldiers he proposed to take in some of those which had served in the Spanish Army after they should be disbanded by the Spaniards and had taken an Oath of Allegiance to him but the Spaniard would not consent to it left there might be some suspicion of deceit in this neither would he suffer any of his to enter into the Town nor would he go himself but in Company of the Duke of Mantua who came thither a few days after The Savoyards not being able to relieve Casale assaulted and took Crescentino and would have obtained their desired intents if those of Montferrat had corresponded with them but they being very faithful to their Prince were assisting towards the Recovery of the Town The Duke of Mantua declared the French Plenipotentiaries that whensoever his Territory of Montferrat should be restored to its former estate and put peaceably into his hands without trouble or injury to the Treaty of Chirasco he would presently renounce the three thousand Crowns a month which the Empress was to give him for the paiment of the Garrison and maintain it at his proper charge without any ones help This his Highness did to take away all jealousie or pretence which the French might have upon this account though this was not his principal motive for it is certain that he had not the least imagination of letting this most noble place go out of his hands again which rendred him conspicuous to all Italy and made him esteemed by both Crowns and this was always the opinion of the Marquess de la Val. But these Declarations of the Dukes and his Agents availed little for things being diversly suggested at the Court of France suspicion had such force that they judged always sinisterly nor could the Kings Ministers of State rest satisfied after the loss of so important a place and which rendred their Authority so considerable to all Italy Most of the other Italian Princes grew jealous also that Casale should at length fall into the hands of the Spaniards and therefore lamented that the French had not provided against it in time which they said they might have done very easily if they had not busied themselves more in persecuting Cardinal Mazarine and overthrowing his Counsels then in taking care for the concerns of the Crown their Jealousies and Suspitions were also much more encreased by the report which went about that the Spaniards after they had driven the French out of Casale were in a close Treaty with the Court of Savoy soothing their chief Ministers with a belief that his Catholick Majesty would restore Vercelli drive the French from Pignerol and the Cittadel of Turin make up the differences with Mantua and perhaps espouse the Infanta to the Duke of Savoy by which insinuations they went about to gain that house and keeping the French beyond the Mountains restore Peace to Italy and their own Authority to its former splendour These Propositions were hearkned to by the Piemontesi who opened their ears with no little attention and the more by reason that they were fearful that whilst his Christian Majesty was involved in Civil Wars and not able to contribute to the defence of Piemont the Spaniards might make some considerable Progress so that if they should defer the remedy to another time it might so happen that they should find neither time nor remedy These Treaties cast a great cloud upon the Affairs of the Court of France The Cardinal particularly considering the Prejudices which the King might receive if the Spaniards after they had setled their Affairs in Italy should employ all their forces in Flanders and Catalonia he endeavored with all industry by the means of the Embassador Servient and the Abbot of Aille to keep the Savoyards in hopes of a speedy and certain care of their Affairs so that Mazarine being in great credit and strict friendship with the house of Savoy his word alone prevailed more then all other means to elude the Artifices of the Ministers of the but because the troubles at home permitted not at that time the effecting of those things which the necessity of affairs required he sought no further at present then to keep Piemont united with the Court by putting them in hopes of restoring into their hands Verva and Villeneufve d' Astinelle and of the Honour of treating their Embassadours for the future equal to those of Kings Besides these Honours the Count de Quincé General of the French Forces in Piemont was sent to them who arrived at Turin in December accompanied with a great number of Officers and Persons of Quality Mazarine who amongst these dangerous storms had saved the Kings Authority from imminent shipwrack made himself known to all the World for one of the most expert and undaunted Pilots that sails in the Ocean of Policy so soon as ever he saw the Whirlwindes of those commotions which had so furiously agitated the whole Kingdom allayed by the Presence of the King in Paris He applied himself with all sollicitousness to search out means proper not only to calm the intestine troubles but to raise up the trampled upon credit and reputation of the Regal Dignity Wherefore he judged it would be easier to render it esteemed and honoured by pardoning then by punishing This being the Cardinals constant Maxime to win upon the generous humour of the French Nation rather by gentle usage then by violence of Arms. He began therefore to treat with those who were most contumacious He was of opinion that the sole love of the King ought to be the Quintessence fit to nourish that Concord amongst subjects which is interrupted by nothing more then by the apprehensions of hatred and revenge He revived new Treaties and Propositions of Peace with the Prince of Conty with the Parlement of Bourdeaux with the Count d' Harcourt the Count d' Ognon and with all the other Princes and great Lords of high spirit He sent also an Intimate of his to negotiate closely with the Prince of Conde to pacifie him and remove him from the Spanish service offering him the Sovereignty of some state out of France but whether the Prince found himself too far engaged with the Catholick King or whether the Nobleness of his minde would not suffer him to be worse then his word without cause or apparent reason or whether he judg'd the dignity offered him inconsistent or moved with other reasons or regards the effect of these Propositions vanish'd The Prince declared that he had no ambition of Sovereignty but was contented with the honour which he had of being first Prince of the blood-Royal that he knew not how to trust him any more who under the pretence of friendship had deceived him nor could
the City in the month of November upon the 13. of the same month the King appeared in Parliament and caused the Decree made in his Counsel of State against the Princes of Conde and Condy the Dutchesse of Longueville the Duke of Rochefoucaut and others to be ratified and registred The Court continued after this to give out convenient Orders for the good Government of the Kingdom but always regulating himself by Mazarines Instructions but above all the Kings counsel applied themselves to settle the minde of the Cardinal de Retz who as he was a person of an eminent judgement and deep understanding so he was considered by Mazarine above all others as the greatest impediment to his designes He hated the greatness of Conde and at the same time the exorbitant Authority of Mazarine he declared himself a good French man and the Kings servant and thought it no offence to procure the ruine of the one and the suppression of the other He sollicited therefore the Parliament to meet to procure the return of their banished Companions to bring his designs to pass Mazarine on the contrary and the other Ministers of State endeavored to remove him from Paris where he was in great esteem and veneration but finding no way to do it by all the Arts they could use and Mazarine not willing to return to Paris so long as he was there so powerful in friends and dependents It was finally concluded to imprison him The difficulty consisted in the manner for it was not to be done in his own house and dangerous in the streets of Paris Besides this was far from the Kings mind who desired it might be without noise as well in respect of his dignity of Cardinal as that his intentions were to do all quietly and without confusion While therefore the Ministers of State were seeking out means to bring about this Affair and discovered every day more and more difficulty in the execution of it there hapned a more favourable Conjuncture then they could have wish'd for His friends represented to him how that the King would now be Master of all and therefore he ought to render His Majesty the accustomed Visits or to abandon Paris shewing him how scandalous it was for him to act in that manner which he did these Reasons sufficiently perswaded the Cardinal and therefore the Feast of Christmass being near at hand he resolved to preach himself in the Church of St. Germain l' Auxerrois of which the Queen being advertised she gave notice to the Parochial that she did intend to be present there her self The Cardinal took this for a favourable occasion and thought himself obliged to go render thanks to her Majestie for so great an Honour and to this intent upon the 20. of December most improvidently and without the least suspicion he went to the Louvre and entring the Court he found that the Queen was not fully dressed wherefore going up the great stairs to visit the King in the mean time he met His Majesty just upon the middle of the stairs as he was coming down who received him courteously and carried him with him into the Queen-Mothers Chamber while the Cardinal was complementing and discoursing with the Queen the King whispered le Tellier the Secretary of State in the ear and ordered the detaining him which was presently done by the Marquess of Villequier Captain of the Guard who arrested him as he was going out of the Anti-chamber The Cardinal was in great confusion and said What me for what reason Villequier with some Souldiers conducted him into the great Gallery and from thence to the Duke of Anjou's Apartment where he stayed about two houres whilst the Coach and the Guards were made ready which carried him through the Gate de la Conference to the Castle of Vincennes without the peoples knowing the least of it and when they afterwards heard the News they discoursed of it without any concern praising the Kings resolution and saying It was well done to imprison the Cardinal de Retz but to do better he should likewise imprison Cardinal Mazarine and give such an example to Ecclesiastical Persons that for the future they should not meddle any more with secular Affairs Upon this accident not ordinary and so fortunately succeeding there were presently various and different discourses Those of the Court said that the King began to shew himself a King and That his Majestie had taken this resoluon on the sudden without any prompting or counsel of his Ministers That the Order was given of his own proper accord and from his own mouth being incensed at the strange proceedings of the Cardinal and induced hereto by the necessity of the publick good and quiet Those of the prisoners party on the contrary gave out that this blow came from Cardinal Mazarin who would not nor could not return and live at Paris with so considerable an Emulatour supported by so many friends that opposed his interest That he on purpose kept himself at some distance from Court that he might not be known to be the contriver of this fact and for fear that the people rising in the defense of the imprisoned Cardinal should vent their inveterat and immortal hatred against him but however it was Mazarin declared that he had no hand in it to confirme which he wrote a letter to the King which was suddainly published very much in favour of the imprisoned wherein he represented to his Majesty that by the title which he bore of most Christian King he was obliged to defend the Ecclesiastical immunities and therefore he humbly beseeched his Majesty that he would in these cases have that regard which was becoming his Royal Piety and the title which he bore of eldest Son of Holy Church recommending to him with all earnestness the concernes of the imprisoned This Letter was diversly censured some were of one opinion and some of another Many other considerable persons of the Clergy of France did very good Offices in favour of the Prisoner But the publick good being more prevalent then the satisfying of particular persons His Majesty openly declared that he had no other intention in this then the quiet and happiness of his subjects and least the Court of Rome should take occasion to resent this action of the French in doing what was so contary to the Ecclesiastical Laws a Courier was dispatched to the Pope to inform him fully of this Affair The friends of the prisoner likewise a few houres after sent another to complain to his Holiness of this violence and to engage him to protect the imprisoned This News arrived in a few days at Rome and the Pope was much troubled at it not only as being obliged to maintain the reputation of the Scarlet Gown and the indemnity of one of his own Creatures but because it was thought he was one of not so entire an Affection to the Court of France nor Mazarine and if he had had means to testifie his resentments as
he had the will there might perhaps have followed considerable disturbances His Holiness called divers Congregations of the most learned Cardinals and in whom he most confided and although there were not some wanting who were more moderate to represent to them how circumspectly they ought to proceed in so nice an Affair yet Monsignor Marini was ordered to go to Paris and there to forme a pleading of what was imputed to the Criminal and to sollicit that the Judgment of it might be left to the Holy See which was the only Court and Tribunal for the Causes of Cardinals But as they were very certain at Rome that if they would not receive in France Monsignor Corsini in quality of Legat to that Court because there was not Advice first given of it to the King or his Ministers of State much less would they admit of the Arch-Bishop Marini with the like Commissions and consequently they determined a thing which could have no effect so they at Paris did verily apprehend that this proceeded from the Counsel of them who desired to arm the Pope with pretences to blame France for bearing so little respect to the Apostolick See giving him occasion to joyn with their enemies it being certainly believed in Rome as also in Paris that the King would never have venture to thwart the Pope in those unhappy Conjunctures so that by this bold Resolution of sending the Arch-Bishop Marini into France they should uphold the Pontifical decorum and make the Ecclesiastical Authority very glorious The Cardinal Prince Trivultio who was at that time in Rome to take care of the Spanish Interest and supplied the place of Ordinary Embassador for His Catholick Majesty wisely foresaw the bad success of this deliberation which fell out exactly as he had foretold for those that were concerned judging presently that these Maxims of the Court of Rome had no other foundation then a flattering opinion of their own wishes they quickly applied themselves to overthrow them Cardinal Mazarine convinced of the nature of the French as easie to give way to Novelties that bring their delight as inflexible to those things that threaten them he was constrained to minde nothing else but the maintaining of the Kings Authority and therefore Marini was not permitted to enter into the Kingdom the French were unsatisfied with the Court of Rome taxing them of great partiality For the Affronts and Abuses having been oftentimes represented to them that were put upon Cardinal Mazarine a year before by the Parlement of Paris against all Law divine and humane without drawing up his Indictment without lawful Authority and contrary to the Kings minde who defended him and acknowledged himself faithfully served by him and what was worse although the Parlement proceeded so far as to set a Tax of fifty thousand Crowns on his Head besides the Confiscation of all his estate yet for all this the Pope never concern'd himself for defence of the said Cardinal who had no other support left him then that of his Holiness the Kings Authority being at that time contemn'd and trampled on where on the contrary for the only detention of Retz which was done out of meer necessity for the publick good and for maintaining of the Royal Dignity against which he was accused to have a long time plotted they made so much noise They added moreover that the Pope had the less reason to find himself aggrieved seeing the most Christian King had no other intent then to stop the imprisoned Cardinal from going on in his Instigations and not to bring him to trial much less to judge him knowing very well that this did belong to the sole Vicar of Christ although the Parlement passing all respects due to the Holy See and to a Prince of the Holy Church had arrogated to themselves the Authority to do it against Mazarine These and the like Reasons were deduced by the French alledging likewise the example of Lewis the 13. who caused Cardinal Ballua to be imprisoned and detained many years for holding correspondence with the Kings Brother and the Duke of Burgundy and yet the Pope resented it only with fatherly Admonitions and good Offices for his freedom and his errours were not to be parallel'd with those wherewith de Retz was charged They said moreover that the King had caused to be conferr'd upon him the dignity of the Scarlet Robe to oblige him to serve him with the greater affection and not to make use on 't to the prejudice of the Crown That to Sovereign Princes all things were permitted for the security of their States And as the most Christian Kings did justly boast to have alwayes defended and protected the Holy See and to have also reverently and piously obey'd it assisting them in all occasions with their forces and power so His Majestie should glory to follow the footsteps of his Ancestours But that he ought likewise to take care for the benefit and quiet of his loving subjects of whom the King was the Common Father The Imprisonment of this Cardinal who was one of the principal Supports of the Faction of la Fronda compleated their total ruine and destruction for though there remained in Paris some Reliques of this Fire the Sparks were so weak that of themselves they were not able to raise the least Flame and therefore the Royal Authority being more and more setled the Ministers of State proceeded in those deliberations which they judged most proper for the re-establishing the Kingdom in its ancient splendour By these troubles the Kings Revenues were much diminished and the necessity of having money was very urgent great debts being contracted and the credit of the Court reduced to last extremity notwithstanding that the King enjoys a yearly Revenue of above eight millions of Pistols so that to raise money His Majesty made divers Decrees which upon the last day of December were ratified and registred in Parliament in Presence of His Majesty with all readiness although they amounted to the number of thirteen but to please them it was declared that the money raised should be employed upon the most urgent Affairs of the Kingdom and particularly in paying the Souldiery These Edicts were also ratified upon the 7. of January following in the Chamber of Accounts and Court of Aids in Presence of the Duke of Anjon who to that purpose was sent thither by the King with these Redresses of the Political Affairs the Military also took vigour in the Managements of the War with good success in regard of the ruines and losses suffered by the King and the whole Kingdom not only in those parts towards Flanders and in Guienne but also in Italy and Gatalonia Cardinal Mazarine was resolved to keep the War on foot in this last Countrey to divert the Spaniards from employing their forces more powerfully in other parts and therefore he opportunely reliev'd Roses with some barks of Provisions which he ordered to be sent out of Provence by the Duke of Mercoeur The
had already beaten off the Princes Troops from several Posts upon which it was resolv'd in His Majesties Councel to transmit a new Amnesty to the Citizens of that Town to let them understand that notwithstanding the advantages the King had which rendred affairs almost secure and infallible yet such was his gracious clemency that he stood always with his Arms open to receive them again into his favour who had so ungratefully offended him This Amnesty was published and registred in the Parliament transferr'd to Agen upon which divers Assemblies were held in Bourdeaux in which the most moderate declar'd themselves very sensibly for their Countrey making it plain and palpable in what damages and dangers those subjects would finde themselves involved who establish't the Fabrick of their contumacy and disobedience upon the foundation of foreign assistance but the incentives oâ— ambition and the temerity of thâ— multitude were too potent to be capable of Reason so that they â—mmerged themselves over head and ears in their former presumption and more particularly those of the Olmiera who perverting the Counsels of the good Citizens and calling them unfaithful who with more fidelity and reason prosecuted the advantage of the Publick they rejected all their Counsels and Advice threatning those who spake any thing to the contrary insulting the more by how much they would have them perswaded that the said Propositions were rather an effect of the weakness of the Kings Power then of the sincerity of his heart They believ'd their best support was that which was promis'd â—hem by the Spaniard who with their money and their insinuations gain'd daily upon the Principals of â—hat Counsel and Faction They presumed likewise that the Engâ—ish would not neglect so favourable an occasion of improving their interests in the divisions of France and assisting that City which was upon the point of establishing it self into a Commonwealth like another Rochel They hoped the Prince of Condy with his Flanders Army would be able to force his way to the very gates of Paris and give them so strong a diversion in those parts that the Kings forces would not be strong enough to do any thing there where the Princess the Prince of Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville with their presence gave so great lustre to the darkness which overspread the Town These Considerations were very plausible and their fair Shew had a great power to effacinate the eyes even of Prudence it self so that the spirits of the people were become so obstinately perverse that the reestablishment of the Kings Authority in those parts was esteemed a very difficult if not an impossible thing so strangely were they possest of the irresistable assistance of the Spaniard who with a vast Profusion of money omitted no provision that might quicken that party which was so likely to contribute to his Grandeur But as private interest for the most part prevails over the publick and hopes that are only grounded upon appearance produce the least fruit so the Bourdelots in time found it true to their Costs For though they dispatcht their Deputies to London to that Parliament and Cromwell to represent of what importance it was to England to assist them at that time and to foment the divisions in France and though the English understood their interest well enough and were likewise inclined to their assistance yet those inclinations were overweighed by other reflexions relating more to their future then to their present advantage The English at that time were at Wars with the Hollander and their new Government stood upon too tottering a foundation to embark in such mighty designes The consideration that the ruine of France would be the aggrandishment of Spain which was always a more implacable enemy to their Religion made them recollect that a rupture with France at that time would not suit with their present affairs in respect that the French accommodating as probably in that case they would do with the Crown of Spain they would be able by a Conjunction afterwards with Holland and by the intelligence they had with the English who for the most part submitted to that new Government for want of power to dispute it any longer they might bring King Charles once more into that Kingdom and pull that slautry and confusion upon their own backs which they design'd upon their Neighbours whereupon their resolution being to foment the differences betwixt the two Crowns equally and with such Artifice that should harrase and weaken one another and not engage themselves wholly with one which would be the way to drive them to a Peace the people of Bourdeaux had but small hopes of expectation of assistance from England Besides these there was another reason more secret and intrinsick then the rest and that was a private design which Cromwell had to reform that Government which he knew well enough not suiting with his designs to be of no long duration so that it was not convenient for him to engage in any foreign troubles whilst the discontents and emulations at home gave him such employment both for his Counsels and Armes Yet though President Bourdeaux the French Embassador at London assur'd his Master that the English would conserve the Peace and continue their intelligence with that Crown nevertheless the people of Bourdeaux did not absolutely despair but that at length some resolution would be taken for their relief flattering themselves that when the peace with the Hollander at that time in Agitation should be concluded and those differences compos'd they would apply themselves to their interests and support In the mean time the Spaniard used all possible Art to propagate their troubles and make his advantage thereby But his Indian Fleet being insufficient and his Treasure at home too small to satisfie all sollicitations and maintain War in so many places besides the Kingdoms and States under the dominion of that Monarchy being almost depopulate with long Wars and by consequence unable to afford them sufficient supplies of men they were forc't to address themselves to the English for a certain number out of Ireland which were immediately rais'd and transported to evacuate that Countrey of such persons as were Catholicks and ill-affected to the new Commonwealth In Germany and other parts they could make no levies at all insomuch than being uncapable of making any benefit of so benigne a Conjuncture it made the weakness of the Spaniard more then ordinarily conspicuous To the reinforcement of the Princes party 2000 Irish were sent at several times into Guienne The Marquess of Santa Croce had Orders to refit the Navy in the Bay of Biscay the Baron Batteville to beat up his drums for men and to provide Ammunition and all Accommodation for their speedy return into the Garonne besides which large Promises and a considerable sum of ready money was sent to Bourdeaux and into Flanders to hasten new Levies and reinforce those Armies that by the assistance of the Prince of Condy and his
an humour so haughty and disdainful it could not but become odious to the Grandees of Spain who stood much upon the Ceremony and Punctilio besides the natural antipathy betwixt the Nations and his ignorance in their Language must of necessity produce some inconveniences seeing he could not speak so as to make himself understood or obey'd by the several Nations in the Spanish Army And if it should so happen that by his extraordinary valour he should atchieve any thing extraordinary it would but make them jealous and emulous of his glory and let his Actions be what they would he should be always look'd upon in Spain not only as a Foreigner but as a Conspicuous Prince of an Enemies Countrey who might every moment find out some way or other to regain him if they pleas'd But if his fortune should be adverse his loss would be accompanied with disdain and regret for having consumed as much gold for the support of one person as would have sufficed to have maintained a whole Army So that when ever the Prince came to any difference or rupture with the Spaniard it must needs redound to the advantage of France because in that case it would fall out either the Spaniards would destroy him or he ruine the Spaniard so that the leaving the Prince still in their hands would be so great a burden to them that in stead of giving them the assistance they expected he would be an impediment and obstruction to all their deliberations Again if the Prince should be restor'd and the affairs of France succeed to advantage the honour would be attributed wholly to his conduct and adding new lustre to his former reputation he would be able to eclipse the glory of other people so that reassuming his old sentiments of giving not receiving Lawes the good Government would becom confused and distracted which under a Monarchy ought to acknowledge but one Master besides which they should want occasion to evince that in France there were other Captains as considerable as he contrary to what the Royal Council of Spain had given out The King of France out of his inexpressible clemency would have condescended to have received the Prince again into his favour if without concerning himself in the affairs of that Kingdom he could have resolved to have retired out of France into som unsuspected State and quietly enjoy the profits of his Revenue till the War were ended But being in the flower of his Age and accustomed to command he was too passionately addicted to honor which is acquir'd by labour and pains to make himself a slave to his own quiet and repose Upon these Maxims the French interest being managed and the Cardinal proceeding with all courtesie and demonstration of kindness his Ministery being full of sweetness and Moderation pretending to revenge himself no further of his enemies then by making himself known to be a good man and a vertuous the acrimony and disgust at his Administration which had been infus'd into the fancies of the people by a few seditious persons began to clear up and dispel The first effects of this alteration was seen in Paris where his Reputation having been more wounded then in any other part of the Kingdom the Citizens touch't with Remorse for what they had done thought themselves obliged to make some publick manifestation of their Repentance which they perform'd by inviting him on the 29 of March 1653. to a most sumptuous Dinner in the Town-Hall an honour seldom shewn in France but to some great Prince The Cardinal went thither accompanied by several Grandees of the Court and the Principals of the Counsel of the Communalty of Paris where he receiv'd a Dinner so pompously prepar'd and serv'd up with so great demonstration of affection from the people with whom the great Piazza called the Greve was full that I my self being there in curiosity among the rest heard his name very frequent among their Acclamations heard them applaud his management and curse those who had misrepresented him with an astonishment equal to the facility wherwith those animals pass from one extream of contempt to the other of honor and esteem The Cardinal appear'd to them several times at the window and caused several sorts of money to be thrown out among them who return'd their thanks in extraordinary Applauses The Citizens drank his health very often and did him all the Honors could be exprest to a chief Minister Whilst he was at Dinner the Rooms and Hall were as full of the Citizens Wives as they could hold who were come thither as fine as they could make themselves to behold a man who as they call'd him was the Miracle of Nature The Cardinal treated them with all imaginable Civility distributing Sweet-meats and other Junkets amongst them in abundance When he went down the stairs he stop'd very often discoursing somtimes with one and somtimes with another and though he was then in the sight of the whole Piazza there was not one of the unruly and insolent multitude which gave him the least ill word but all saluted him with benedictions and well-wishes for his health with the same noise and acclamation they follow'd him to his Coach only one of them was observd to cry Per mia fe voi non sete Mazarino ma un honorato huomo In my conscience you are not Mazarine but an honest Gentleman Every one strove to see him and to be seen by him Their Augury was good and the event was suitable their happy Annunciations corresponding in their effects for the Prince of Condy's Troops under the Command of the Count de Coligny being drawn out to fall upon Couvin a little Town upon the River Noirau they were catch'd in an Ambuscade by the Count de Beaujeu cut to pieces and Coligny and others of the principal Officers taken Prisoners which the Court looking upon as a good Omen concluded the Duke of Espernon Governour-General of Burgundy should commence the Enterprise against Bellegard After the Surrender of the Castle of Dijon Burgundy was in no small distraction by the continual excursions of that Garrison that continually infested the Countrey to restrain their Extravigancies the aforesaid Duke clapt a Garrison into the Castle of Pagny which was not far off but wanting strength sufficient to reduce it he hearkned to certain Propositions made him by the Creatures of the Prince of Condy who had some thoughts of putting it into his hands as being very hard to be kept in respect of its scituation which was in the midst of the Kings Provinces But that treaty being interrupted by the high remands of the Governour thereof the Marquess de Batteville the Duke of Espernon made Preparations to besiege it and being advis'd that those of the Franche County though at that time in Neutrality might break with them and relieve it he dispatch'd a Messenger to the Marquess de Saint Martino and the Sieur de Cea the principal Directors of his Catholick Majesties Affairs in
them he caus'd them quickly to change their note and cry out as fast Viva il Re e la Pace Long live the King and the Peace and from thence passing to the Town-house where the Prince of Conty then was he prest him to declare himself either for Peace or War telling him that as his servant he could not but advise him of the evident danger he was in seeing the design was to make themselvs Masters of the Town though with the destruction and ruine of his Highness That therefore he did earnesly desire him to continue the suspension of Arms which during till the conclusion of the peace would secure him and take away all occasion from the Kings Generals to attempt any thing against the City which in the confusions they were then in would be no hard matter for them to do to the endangering of his person and his friends or at least to his dishonour These Propositions sunk very deep into the heart of the Prince full of generosity and therefore the more dispos'd to receive such counsels as were grounded on reason and honour Besides Gourville being in private Treaty with him at that time who took great pains to remove him from all contrary sentiments he finally resolv'd to subscribe the suspension of Arms which was solemnly publish'd and went to the Exchange to declare openly that he renounc'd all leagues and confederacies with Spain Here were likewise read the Articles of peace which were to be propos'd as also a renunciation of the Citizens of all Treaties with the English and the Ministers of Spain and this was also done in publique by the Prince with much frankness which drew after him all the acclamations of the people The Arrival of the Spanish Fleet was not yet known in Bourdeaux and those that understood the inconstancy of the people always desirous of novelties endeavour'd to conceal it as much as was possible The Duke of Candale went to Lormond to the Duke Vandosme and the articles of the Truce were agreed on in the same form they were presented except the granting of quarters to the Princes Troops a passport to Baltasser or liberty for bringing in victuals or Ammunition into the Town They agreed afterwards on the houre to meet the Deputies to treat about the peace The designes of the seditious and the Spaniards being in this manner defeated The Kings Generals were much rejoyced and the rather because they had reason to fear that if the Spanish Navy had appear'd before the Treaty had been concluded they would easily have made themselves Masters of Bourdeaux and all the Kings Affairs in Guienne been utterly ruin'd besids the prejudice they would have receiv'd in the other parts of the Kingdom by so potent and so considerable a diversion The Spanish Fleet came to an Anchor at the mouth of the Garonne and the Generals having notice of the resolution of the Bourdelois whilst they lay there attending the opportunity of the Tyde to attempt the relieving of the Town were in great confusion and at a stand what to do fearing to engage themselves in vain further in the River with so much hazard not being assur'd to be receiv'd by the City but rather treated as Enemies They concluded at length to continue where they were upon their Guard and to dispatch away a Messenger with all speed to the Spanish Court to give notice of the alteration of Affaires that they might deliberate what was best to be done in this exigence They sent likewise advice into Flanders to the Spanish Ministers and the Prince of Condy who at the receipt of this News saw his expectations quite vanisht while with a secure confidence he had cherish'd himself that the Spanish Fleet would have got easily to Bourdeaux and have had the better of the day if they came to an engagement which the Spaniards themselves gave evident tokens they were not willing to undertake upon a slight account On the 27. of July the Deputies being twelve in number whereof Chevalier Todias was the chief to whom was joyn'd the aforesaid Virtade they propounded the Articles of the Peace By the permission of the Prince of Conty Bartau a Citizen of Bourdeux was sent to the Spanish Navy to let them know that the City renounced all leagues and confedederacies concluded with his Catholick Majesty and disowned all succours that came from him The Generals having perus'd the Propositions of Peace they found some things too prejudicial to his Majestie 's honor so that they had like to have sent back the Deputies But apprehending by rendring the Bourdelots disperate they might throw themselves into the Arms of the Spaniards already advanced too far they found out a medium very proper to compose all which was to shorten the Trea-and come to a Conference in which those Articles that could not be granted should be remitted to the King rather then to send away the Deputies It being more then probable that Marsin would take new courage by the discontents of the people and the well-affected themselves seeing their hopes frustrated would easily be perswaded to admit the Spanish supplies For these Reasons the Deputies were recall'd and after having offer'd them the favour of the General Amnesty for the inhabitants of the Town in the same form as it was granted to the Parisiens and as it was Registred in the Parliament transferr'd to Agen To the Princes and Princesses and all others of their partie as ample passports as they could desire to the Generals and French Officers leave to retire to their own houses and to the Foreign Troops to depart out of the Kingdom They promis'd to examine the Articles in a Conference the day following All which being tendred to the Prince of Conty and the assembly of the Citizens in the Burse in two Sessions they resolv'd them in this manner following Upon the 1. and 2. after the Kings Declaration of 1650. was read it was agreed That a general Amnesty should be granted to the Citizens of Bourdeaux with confirmation of their prviledges The 3. which respected the Person of the Prince of Condy and his indemnity was referr'd to the King but it was propos'd that they might have a months time to give him notice of their Treaty by a Messenger express to whom the Kings Generals were to give a Passport to the Court and from thence he was to have the Kings safe conduct into Flanders That the Prince of Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville were to be comprehended if they pleased in the Amnesty of Bourdeaux or if they desired one separately it should be granted them in the best form and verified for them and their dependents in the Parliament of Paris as that for the Bourdelots was to be in the Parliament of Guienne That the Duke d' Enguien and the Princess his Mother should have Passports given them for their security and residence in case they were inclin'd to abide in any part of the Kingdom That Marsin should have liberty
to go to Liege by Sea or by Land as he pleas'd it being his native Country and the same to the Count de Mora the Marquess of Lusignan Lenet and the rest if they refus'd the benefit of the Amnesty Some difficulties arose about the Gens d'armes the Princes Guards and the Regiment of Enguien the Generals pretending that those Troops belonging to the King they ought either to be disbanded or entred again into his Majesties service but the Example of the Capitulation at Bellegard prevailing They consented that they should have ticketts given them for quarters till they came to the Frontiers of the Kingdom The Regiments of Marque and Marquese with the rest of the Princes party were all of them disbanded The Irish had leave to retire into Spain having secretly treated with the French Generals The Castles were surrendred the Prisoners released but the dismantling of Fort Caesar Bourg and Libourne and other places upon the River was referr'd to the pleasure of the King There was a long debate likewise upon the restitution of the Parliament in Bourdeaux as also upon the Article about the taking off the Imposts establish'd at Blay of two Crowns upon every Tun of Wine the reimbursement of the debts contracted during the War upon the Merchandizes and Rents as also the revocation of the subsistence of the discharge of Taxes and Tenths for ten years and the suppression of the Court of Aids all which Articles being of more then ordinary importance were left to the decision of his Majesty Moreover the Generals refus'd to comprehend Villeneuf d' Agenois and the other Towns of the Princes side in this Treaty alledging they were free to accep of the Amnesty and return to their obedience without it if they pleas'd After this Conference the Duke of Vandosme demanded of the Deputies what the sentiment of the City of Bourdeaux would be these Articles being granted the Kings General Pardon pass'd in the forme and manner requested and the Souldiers drawn off This was a long time under debate the 29. of July in the Burse where in the presence of the Prince of Conty the Duke d' Enguien and Lenet the Propositions of the Generals were read Which contained this That the Articles being signed they were to rely upon the word of the Generals as Persons of honour seeing it would require time to procure the Kings confirmation That the said Generals would enter into the City allow Provisions to be brought in and give security to the Princes and their Troops to retire if otherwise they chose rather to expect the Kings Declaration before they suffered them to enter in that case no Provisions were to be brought in nor liberty for any to come out but the Deputies themselves The Counsellors of the Parliament who were then in Bourdeaux and who were all of them Frondeurs especially Spagnet and Saux declar'd their opinions That in that case War was to be preferr'd before a doubtful and uncertain Peace That they ought not to consent that the Kings Declaration should be registred any where but in the Parliament sitting in Bourdeaux Nor the Generals permitted to enter into the City But the Prince of Conty and Lenet were of another minde and declar'd that they ought to treat with their Sovereign in termes of obedience and respect In this Intrigue they took this expedient To cause the peace to be published To attend the Kings ratification with mutual Hostages on both sides without admitting the Generals into the Town To this was to added That the people beginning to tumult and cry out for an end of the Treaty and their miseries the Troops should be sent away and only some few days granted to the Princes to adjust their Affairs But the Generals would not condescend to these demands replying that if the peace was not absolutely concluded they could not draw off the Kings Troops from the Town and that whilst the Prince Princesses Marsin Lenet and others remain'd in the City they must only expect the benefit of the bare suspension of Armes agreed on by the Truce of the 30th of July The Prince of Conty who for himself and his whole family had subcrib'd a Treaty with Courville declar'd in the Assembly at the Burse that for his part he relied upon the Generals Parole nor should his interest or his families hinder the Citizens from obtaining a speedy remedy for their miseries by the withdrawing off the Troops That as for his part he was resolv'd to leave the Town forthwith and retire to Cadillac It was declar'd likewise by the Chevalier Todias That the Princess of Condy would retire to L' Esparre and the Dutchess of Longveville to Plassac there to expect either their passports or the Amnesty The Dutchess of Longueville as soon as hers was arriv'd by the consent of the Duke her husband retired out of the noise and clamours of the world into a Monastery of Nuns in the Suburbs of Moulins in Bourbonnois The Deputies being return'd the same day it was concluded that the Dukes might enter the Town when they pleas'd according to their condition and quality and the honour due to His Majesties Armes and that the Princes troops should withdraw as was desired The Passports were brought to the Princess of Condy the Duke d' Enguien Marsin Lenet the same day were dispatch'd to Court the Count of Montesson from the Duke of Vandosm and the Conte de Marinville from the Duke of Candale for the ratification of the Treaty The 3d. of August the Dukes were receiv'd into the Town with great Ceremony and the universal applause of the people who but few days before were of a cleer contrary mind The Dukes to demonstrate the entire confidence they had in them dismissâ—d their own Guards and caus'd their houses and persons to be guarded by the inhabitants They elected new Jurats and the Assemblies which were held in the Burse were removed to the Town-house The Princess with the Duke d' Enguien her Son went to Chastillon de Medoc Marsin into Spain by Sea The Count de Fiesco took Post thither by land the Prince of Conty retired to Cadillac where he found Langlade Cardinal Mazarine's Secretary sent thither to assist at the Treaties of Bourdeaux but falling sick he could not be present at the Conclusion Colonel Baltasser entred himself into the Kings service with 600 Foot and 400 Horse Monsieur de la Rocque who was at that time with some Horse and Foot at the City of Perigueux followed the example of Baltasser and took up Armes for the King the said la Rocque conceiving a jealousie that the Marquess de Chanlo Governour of that Town had a design to take him Prisoner went out himself with some of his freinds and repairing to the Commanders of the Kings forces was an occasion of a Treaty with the Inhabitants of that place in order to their returne to their Obedience Father Ythier a Jesuite by directions from Cardinal Mazarine led the
with such advantage to the King and glory of the Cardinal whose fortune appear'd more and more favourable to him in all his Enterprizes In the other parts on the Frontiers of Flanders the Armies encamp'd themselves with different designes The Spaniards with the Prince of Condy trusting in the greatness of their force which consisted of 30000 fighting men extended their quarters and lay at large seeking to allure the French Army to a Battel because if they obtein'd the victory they hoped to advance to the very Gates of Paris to encourage those as were dispos'd to sedition to create new troubles before the Affairs in Guienne were compos'd to the advantage of the King and by forcing their way into the heart of the Countrey to fill the whole Kingdom with horrour and confusion The number of their Counsellors being great the opinions were various what course they were to steer to bring their designs to a happy issue For though the Prince of Condy stood firm in his opinion of marching to the Seine without engaging in any tedious Leagure yet the Spanish Captains were backward in concurring with the undaunted thoughts of this warlike Prince as being fearful to engage their Army in some desperate Affair or puff up the Prince with too much glory of whose instability as a French-man though their experience since has convinc'd them of his constancy it appear'd they were not a little jealous after various consultations upon the best and most seasonable expedient it was resolv'd all ways should be tried to force the Enemie to a battel and according to the event of that they might proceed afterwards to other resolutions With these designes the Army advanc'd facing the French for several days and parted only by the River Oyse The Mareshal de Turenne though in number inferiour to the Spanish Army out of the greatness of his courage would with all his heart have accepted of the Combate but his generous Spirit was restrain'd by the mature experience he had gain'd to his great glory in 22 Campaigne's in which though young he had always the Principal Command besides he was with-held by express orders from the Cardinal who considering very wisely that the fortune of the whole Kingdom depending upon that Army they ought not to expose their past labours their present condition and their future hopes to the hazard and uncertainty of a Battel with so much disadvantage wherefore in this case following the example of that politick Roman who by his cunctation and delays destroy'd the Army of the Carthaginians He contented himself to Alarm the Enemies Camp now in the slanck now in the Front now in the Rear and by forcing them somtimes to keep close somtimes to hasten somtimes to retard their March reduce them to a scarcity of provisions and finally to frustrate all the designes they had contrived against France But their being in the Mareschal Turenne no less then in the Prince of Condy an ardent and immense desire of glory he could not satisfie the fervour of his mind if in so conspicuous an occasion he gave not some proof or testimony of his valour He past the River therefore one day with 7 or 800 Horse and joyning with his main Guard which was kept on the other side he fell upon the Enimies Guards at the head of the Fens of Fonsomme and charg'd them so briskly that he beat them into their main Body took several Prisoners and return'd with great honour to his quarters In the mean time the King the Cardinal and the whole Court arriv'd at the Army the 24. of July where he was received with extraordinary applause there being drawn up in excellent Order an hundred Squadrons of Horse and 18 Battalions of Foot in all about 16000 old Souldiers well inured to the Warres with a great Number of experienc'd Officers and Reformadoes The Mareschal de Turenne being willing to entertain the King with the sight of a Skirmish very much desired by his Majesty who is naturally Martial He forded the Oyse with his light Horse Gens d' armes and about a Thousand other select Horse and fell again upon the same Guards of the enemie and beat them back The Prince of Condy being confident that upon the arrival of the King the French Generals would dispose themseves for a Battel he put his Troops in Order and stood firm observing their motion till the King was retreated and understanding afterward it was but a party of Horse he was much troubled he had not advanc'd and try'd his fortune in a charge The King remain'd all that day in the Camp animating every body with the Majesty of his presence and filling them with an impatient desire of signalizing themselves in his service He dined at the Mareschal Turenne's with a great number of his principal Officers who had the honour to be called by his Majestie to his own Table He supped with the Mareschal de la Ferte Seneterre in the same order and return'd to lodge in the Mareschal de Turenne's Quarters in the midst of the Army The Cardinal having given the Generals Orders and Instructions how they should regulate themselves that Campagne return'd with the King to Paris Two or three days after the Kings departure the Spanish Army quitted their Posts and took their March directly towards San Simon and at Serocourt pass'd over the Somme The French Army follow'd them by the way of la Fere and quarter'd at Chery and Maiau and pass'd the Oyse at the place where it formes it self into a little Island and a little above Verduel and Trauessy they drew into Battalia from whence they march-to Fargny where they encamp'd observing always the enemy that they might not have time to sit down before any place and entrench themselves which was their design after they found how difficult it was to draw the French to an engagement The Prince of Condy suspecting that Turenne would fall upon his Rear as he was passing St. Simon he march'd through with all speed and lodged within a league of Ham doubting he would attaque that most important place scituate upon the Somme betwixt St. Quintin and Peron This sudden motion obliged the French Generals to advance to Chauny a Town upon the Oyse and from thence to Noyon the chief City of a County upon the same River with a strong wall about it and well-peopled where they made a halt for some days while the Spaniards facing them the Prince of Condy pass'd with six thousand men at Magny and march'd from thence to Roye and approaching it in three several places he forced it to surrender Turenne hearing what had pass'd and suspecting he might surprize some of the Towns upon the Somme he advanc'd to Magny Condy designing against Corbie pretended to march with part of his Army towards Beauvais to draw the French Army from their Post and at the same time to invest Corbie Turenne who by long experience understood the Arts of the Prince and knew very well