of his Death for he was mortally wounded by a wild Bull that had broke from the Toils wherein he had been entangl'd as if he had design'd to revenge the Death of Gosswind whose Ruin he had been the cause of by his incestuous Love Clotaire's Incestuous Amour Anno 560 CLOTAIRE reunited the Kingdom of France which had been divided after the Death of Cloâ—is He had Marry'd Isgend of whose Family or place of Nativity the Historians speak not a word However she had a Sister that far exceeded her in Beauty for whom she besought the King to provide a Husband and to that purpose sent for her to the Court but Clotaire found her so amirable that he could not endure to part with her He took so great a delight in her Conversation that at length he perceiv'd in himself an affection for her much more tender then it became him to have for the Sister of his Wife For some time therefore he contended with his Incestuous passion and strove to vanquish it But finding at length that the more he withstood it the more is encreas'd he resolv'd to speak to her Heregoud trembled at the King 's first imparting his mind to her and for some time avoided coming into his presence but afterwards she grew less scrupulous and accustom'd her self to listen to his Allurements and in matters of Love when a Virgin begins once to hearken she is not far from droping into the share so that when she once forceas'd to be deterr'd with the horor of the Crime that accompany'd the King's Love she soon surrendred her Fortress and became the Mother of Chilperick who Reign'd after his Father in Normandy and Paris But when Clotaire had satiated his Lust that same disgust that usually follows Enjoyment open'd his eyes and made him sensible of the wrong he had done Ingoud by violating the conjugal Vow that he had made her in devoting himself to her Sister Thereupon he submitted to the Remonstrances and Reprimands of Pope John III. who constrain'd Heregoud to betake her self to a Nunnery Some time after the King having buri'd the Queen his Wife espous'd Chinsiu or Chimsen for the Historians are not agreed about her Name The Amours of Cherebert King of Paris AFTER the Death of Clotaire the Kingdom of France was divided and Paris fell to Chereberts share who was the eldest He had marry'd Ingeberge 〈◊〉 Princess extraordinary Virtue and who Lov'd him tenderly she saw to her grief how the King spent all his time in Hunting and never came near her till late in the Night of which she made most grievous complaints to Meroflede and Marcoâ—efe her Maids of Honour in which the most consided They were Sisters and tho' they were of no higher extraction then the Daughters of a Câ—mber of Wooll yet the Queen disdain'd not their attendance about her Person because they were endow'd with particular Talents Marcouefe had spent her Youthful Years in a Convent and had also enter'd into Vows but in regard she pretended a constraint upon her she had â—â—â—â—â—â—ded her self under the Queen's protection She 〈◊〉 learnt all sorts of Needle-work in the Cloister and she had a lively Wit polish'd with much Learning She was serious yet she had so many charms in her conversation that it was a difficult matter to be tyr'd with her Company On the other side Meroflede was of a lively frolick disposition danc'd with a goodly grace sung most charmingly and plaid upon several Instruments Now these two Young Lady 's propos'd to the Queen as the neatest course she could take to divertise the King with courtly â—easts and Banquets thereby to retain him longer in his Palace They also study'd a sort of Pastoral wherein Meroflede prov'd so successful that the â—ing gave her a thousand praises he took so much delight in her conversation and found the Air of it so quaint and delicate that he could by no means forsake her company Insomuch that he very seldom went a Hunting unless it were upon a set match Meroflede who was Ambitiois forgot the Duty which she ow'd her Mistress and ply'd all her Artifices with so much diligence to keep possession of the King's Heart that a length be obtain'd the utmost of his desires But being a wanton as she was she could not be content with one single tho' so noble a Conquest She would be continually ensnaring with her purloining glances all that were so daring as to seek their Thraldom in her looks Marconefe who was no less Beautiful nor no less witty then her Sister tho' more reserv'd Stomack'd a preferment that seem'd so injurious to her However for some time she stifled her Vexation in her Breast not breaking her mind to any person whatever But when she saw the Meroflede let her self loose to others besides the King she discover'd her Infidelity to him after so discreet and so ingenious a manner as if her intention had been only for her sisters sake to reform the Errors of her ill conduct On the otherside Cherebert lodg'd in Marconefe's Breast all his vexations and sorrows for Merofledes wanton and no less wandring humour and found so much Judgment in her arguments and her councils that he thought he might be far more happy with her then with her Sister and therefore he attempted to gain her affection wherein the speed of his success was answerable to the eagerness of his pursuit Marconefe spar'd for nothing for indeed her emulation was so great to deprive her sister of Cherebert's Heart that she prevented his desires to the end she might compass her ends Meroflede on the other side was soon sensible of this alteration and did all she could to regain his affections Cherebert gave ear to her reproaches bore 'em patiently and endeavour'd to justify himself and finding charms in both unwilling to loose either he made it his business to perswade one Sister that he was intirely devoted to her and the other that she was the only Mistress of his affection All this while he was so enthral'd to his passion for these two Ladies that he neglected the Government of his Dominions and altogether slighted Ingoberge And she unfortunate Queen acknowledg'd soon the fault she had committed in drawing off the King from the pleasure of Hunting to make him sensible of amorous delights and found her self more unhappy then she was when the King forsook her company only to wage War against the wild Beasts of the Forest So that after she had in vain attempted to reclaim him by her caresses and her complaisance she had recourse to St. Germain at that time Bishop of Paris who had gain'd a high reputation for his piety and begg'd of him to lay before the King the wrong he did her in making her such ill returns of her kindness But the remonstrances of that Prelate were so far from moving him that they rather serv'd to render the Person of Ingoberge more hateful to him For from that time forward he
Lothaire the Kindom of Lorraine and Charles Provence with part of Burgundy The young Lothaire had marry'd in his Father's life time Thietberge the Daughter of Hubert Count of Burgundy Transjurana at this day call'd Savoy He was tenderly belov'd by that Princess and on the other side he had all the Affection for her that her Virtue deserv'd but this Union lasted not long For Hunting being the chief Divertisement of this Prince one day being surpriz'd by a violent Storm while he was impriming a Stag near Metz he retir'd to a Castle hard by where he was receiv'd after a most obliging manner by Valdrade the Daughter of the Lord who was the owner of it He was no less charm'd with her Wit then her Beauty and thought himself Happy that the bad weather had procur'd him such a fortunate meeting Afterwards he paid Valdrade such frequent 〈◊〉 that the Queen perceiving him so much estrang'd from her was resolv'd to know what sort of pastimes he follow'd To that purpose she caus'd him to be dogg'd and by that means discover'd that she had a Rivaless Nor could she dissemble her Jealousie She plagu'd Lothaire with such tart and bitter reproaches that to be reveng'd of her he no longer observ'd any Decorum He sent for Valdrade to his Palace and allow'd her as many Officers as if she had already been his Wife Valdrade also abusing the Power which she had over the King's Heart perswaded him to get rid of Thietberge whose fretful taunting Humour disturb'd the King's pleasures and to dissolve the Marriage Thereupon Lothaire propos'd to Gontier Arch-Bishop of Cologne his Grand Almoner the design which he had to repudiate the Queen and that he might engage him to a compliance the King put him in hopes that so soon as he should be at liberty he would marry his Niece Hermengard Flatter'd with these pleasing Hopes Gontier summons a National Council to meet at Metz compos'd of all the Prelats of the Kingdom and having gain'd Thietgand Archbishop of Treves who promis'd to serve him with all his Friends he propos'd the Dissolution of the Marriage upon these grounds that Thietberge had committed Incest with her own Brother and that the King had been affianc'd to Valdrade before he marry'd the Queen He likewise produc'd false witnesses to support the Calumny and so well manag'd his Affairs that he obtaâ—â—'d whatever the King desir'd Thietberge was summon'd she was examin'd upon the Articles exhibited against her and confronted by the Witnesses who persisted in their Depositions Upon which the Assembly order'd that she should be divorc'd from the King her Husband and banish'd whither his Majesty should think convenient Now tho' this Sentence set Lothair at liberty to enjoy his Amours nevertheless he was not wholly satisfy'd Valdrade would needs be crown'd and secure the succession of the Kingdom to the Children begot upon her Body and with this design she press'd the King so to order the matter that the Clergy of Lorraine should more clearly explain themselves upon the invalidity of Thietberge's Marriage Upon that Lothaire calls a second Assembly to meet at Aix la Chapelle where he represented to the Prelates that it being necessary for the publick good that he should have Children to inherit his Crown he desir'd 'em to consider whether his Marriage with Theitberge were contracted in due Form to the end he might take her again if she were his lawful Wife or marry another if his first Nuptials were of no force Wherein he testify'd such a seeming Sincerity to the Assembly that they gave him permission to marry another and he immediately caus'd this Sentence to be publish'd over all the Kingdom This done he declar'd to Gontier that he had a full intention to accomplish his promise and engag'd the Archbishop to send him his Neice Hermengard but after he had obtain'd whatever he desir'd he return'd her back to her Uncle and espous'd Valdrade publickly at Savern Thietberge finding her self so unworthily and undeservedly us'd Anno 863. retir'd to her Brother who implor'd the aid of Charles the Bald King of France and Lewis the German who were both glad of the pretence to invade the Dominious of their Nephew Lothaire But Nicholas VI. then Pope having intelligence of the War that was just ready to breake into a flame sent away his Legate Arsenius with Orders to accommodate the difference and take cognizance of the affair After Arsenius has fully inform'd himself of every thing he return'd to Rome accompany'd with the two Archbishops Gontier and Thietgaud who pretended to obtain at Rome a confirmation of the sentence given against Thietberge But the Pope understanding their prevarication and treachery against the Queen at a Council assembled on purpose in St. John di Laterano cancell'd the sentence depos'd the two Prelats and excommunicated ' em Instead of submitting to this Judgment they retir'd to the Emperor Lewis Lothaires Brother and wrote an insolent letter to his â—onnels wherein they declar'd himself to be excommunicated Which done they joyn'd with John Archbishop of Ravenna and Pâ—otius Patriarch of Constantinople and had like to have made a schism in the Church But Heaven protected the justice of Nicolas's cause and enforc'd all those Prelats to submit to his Authority The Pope sent back Arsenius to Metz that he might oblige Lothaire to take the Queen his Wife agen But the Legat unwilling to do any thing of his own head in so nice a matter assembled all the Bishops of France and having made known to those Prelats the innocency of Thietberge he desir'd 'em to instruct him what course it became him to take for reparation of the scandal which Lothaire had commmitted Thereupon it was resolv'd in that assembly that Arsenius should admonish the King in the name of the Holy See to take his Lawfull Wife again and to break of all commerce with Valdrade under pain of Excommunication The Legat acquitted himself of his Commission with all the respect that was due to His Royal Majesty but yet withall the resolution and constancy that became his character Lothair surpriz'd at such a terrible menace recall'd Thietberge and put away Valdrade who being cited to Rome ordered Angeltrude her confident and the Daughter of Count Mainfroy to sollicit her pardon For Angeltrude was oblig'd to take that journey with the Legat for her own interests as being under Excommunication for having quitted Boson her Husband to marry Auger his Vassal When Angeltrude departed from Metz she appear'd to be the greatest penitent in the World and fully resolv'd to do penance for her past disorders But she was hardly arriv'd at the foot of the Alps when being no longer able to live absented from the person she lov'd but she slipt away secretly without saying any thing to the Legate and hasten'd back to seek out her Lover Nor was Lothaire more constant in his resolution For so soon as hâ— saw that Arsenius's back was turn'd he expell'd the innocent
THE ROYAL MISTRESSES OF FRANCE OR The Secret History OF THE AMOURS Of all the FRENCH KINGS From PHARAMOND the First Monarch Anno 418. to this present Time Made English from the French Original London Printed for Henry Rhodes at the Star the corner of Bride-lane in Fleet-street and John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultry 1695. To the READER MAny are those Excellent Observations and Instructive Admonitions that might be drawn from the following Sheets but lest the Men should take amiss my going about to descant upon their Follies and the Women be offended with me for unfolding the Arcana's of their Empire the Reader is left to make his own Reflexions himself I am none of those Enthusiast's who dream of Fifth Monarchies but I cannot tell what to think of it when I find the Women in so fair a way to erect One Some perhaps there are who may think these Stories Fabulous but such People display their Ignorance For certain it is that in the Main these short Stories agree exactly with what they call the Truth of History and as for the Circumstances which are added they may be justly thought rather to illustrate the Stories and discover the Causes of those odd Events which others only barely and obscurely relate For example 't is assuredly true that a Prince committed such and such miscarriages that such and such Persons of no Worth or Merit were advanced to high Prefernâ—â—ts and that others greatly deserving of their Prince and Country fell into disgrace while the True Historian as they call him is at a loss for the Reason of these Whimseys of Fortune But here the Riddle is unfolded Let no Man therefore censure that for fabulous which in the least he cannot taxe to savour either of Romance or Improbability THE AMOURS OF THE Kings of FRANCE c. The Amours of Pharamond First King of France THEY who apply themselves to the reading or History to the end they may reap Benefit by it ought to understand the true Causes of the most remarkable Events and this is that which cannot be known without being perfectly acquainted with the Intreagues of the Courts wherein they were acted For many times what is attributed to Policy has no other foundation then an erroneons Indulgence of Princes to their Mistresses or their Favourites And at the same time that they were believ'd â—o have in their Thoughts nothing more then the welfare of their Dominions t was only a burning Desire to revenge the quarrels wherein the Amours had engag'd ' em This is that which will be found in the sequel of this History wherein I have endeavour'd as much as lay within my Power to clear and give light to matters of â—act that seem'd obscure in regard the contemporary Historians were either ignorant or willing to conceal the weaknesses of those Princes under whose Reigns they liv'd I have very little to say of our first Kings not only because the Authors disagree among themselves touching the most memorable Events but also because the Princes themselves being oblig'd to be continually on Horseback for the preservation and establishment of their Dominions never minded Love but only as a trifling business to pass away time and were ignorant of the Delicacies of that passion which is the refinement of all Pleasure All Historians agree that we ought begin with * Anne 418. Pharamond when we go about to recount the extended series of Kings that have rul'd the â—â—ourishing Kingdom of France which is justify'd by a Medal that represents the Ceremony of his Coronation We shall say nothing of the Atchievements of that Prince which relate to the story of his Reign because they nothing concern our subject And for his Amours we are ignorant of 'em as also of the very name of his Wife and tho' It be very probable that such a Prince as he could not chuse but be engag'd in amorous Adventures worthy to have been transferr'd to Posterity yet in regard Historians make no mention of 'em neither can we deliver any thing of certainty concerning ' em No body doubts but what is said by the Author of the Romance which hears the Title of Pharamond was very ingeniously invented and thither it is that we refer all those who are Lovers of Fictions 'T is concluded on all hands that Pharamond was He who first introduc'd into France the Sallck Law which excludes Women from the Succession to the Crown At length after he had establish'd his Empire by several Conquests and Reign'd about 14 years he dy'd and left his Son Clodion to succeed him The Amours of Clodion CLODION the Son of Pharamond was call'd by the French to succeed his Father He was surnamed the Hairy because he wore his Locks very long which was at that time a mark of free Dominion But we are no more inform'd of his amorous Intreagues then of those of Pharamond Historians only report that the Queen his Wife walking one day upon the Sea stoâ—e was surpriz'd by a Monster that flung himself of a suddain out of the Salt water and that she had a Son by him who was call'd Meroveuâ— and was his Successor 'T is thought this Fable was invented by Meroveus to conceal the loose Amours of his Mother and to imprint Respect and Awe into the Minds of his Subjects by attributing to himself a birth so extraordinaâ—y The Amours of Childerick * Anno 459 or 460. CHILDERICK at his first coming to the Crown by no means follow'd the example of his Father M coveus's Virtues For he debauch'd the Wives and Daughters of his Subjects so notoriously and openly that he drew the Hatred of the whole Kingdom upon him and constrain'd 'em to depose him Upon which he retir'd into Turingia where King Basin at that time reign'd Now in regard he was of a very amorous Complexion and for that his misfortune had not cool'd the heat of his lustful Desires he soon became enamour'd of the King of Turingia's Wife who was a most lovely Princesse As for himself he was handsome in his Person and very pleasing in his Conversation so that it was not long before he reap'd the fruit of his Sighs The Queen Basina corresponded with his Affection in a most tender manner insomuch that his banishment became a pleasure to him But at length his Subjects having recall'd him home to the re-possession of his Throne his Love was forc'd to give way to his Ambition and he was constrain'd to quit his Fair Queen Who not being able to raze from her Heart the remembrance of Childerick follow'd him into France where he was re-settâ—d in his Kingdom neither regarding her Honour nor her Husband Childerick admiring to see her ask'd her what reason had induc'd her to leave her Husband Basin to follow him Thy Modesty answer'd she Thy Valour and thy noble Carriage have in a manner constrain'd me to come and seek thee for my Husband I am only in love with thy Virrtue and
if I knew where to fiâ—d a person of greater Vitue than tâ—y self I would not spare foâ— any paints to enjoy him Childerick charm'd with her Language and enclin'd as well by his own passion forgot the Duties of Friendship and the Protection which King Basia had so generously afforded him in his Misfortunes The pleasures which he hop'd for in the possession of Queen Basina would not permit him to hesitate one moment nor to ponder upon the injury the greatest he could do the Prince his Benefactor 'T is said that having desir'd Childerick not to lye with her the first Night of their Nuptials she went three several times to desire him not to be afraid but to observe the Apparitions that should present themselves before his Eyes and that by virtue of her occult Magick she shew'd him the first time Unicorns Lions and Leopards The second time Bears and Wolves and the third time Dogs and Cats to signifie the various manners and conditions of the Princes that should descend from that Marriage But iâ— we observe the ardent Affection which that Queen had for Childerick 't is enough to convince us that this same Story was no more then a Fable invented at random For t is not probable that her vehement desires would permit her to employ her time so ill as to lye alone while her Lover was taken up with gazing and musing upon pretended Apparitions The Amours of Clovis the First Christian King Anno 485. CLOVIS who succeeded Childerick his Father desirous to devolve and establish his Authority upon his Legitimate Offspring for he had had already by one of his Mistresses a natural Son whose name was Thierry cast his Eyes upon Cletilda the Daughter of another Childeriâ— and Neice to Gondebaut King of Burgundy who was a very beautifull Princess and by the Marriage of whom he might reap so much the greater Advantage because it afforded him an opportunity to aggrandize his Dominions on Burgundy side For Gondebaut after he had defeated his Brother and cut the Throat of their Wives and male Issue let the Daughter live and retain'd Clotilda at Court where she was so strictly lookt after that they watcht even her very smiles and all the meanest her Actions not permitting any Man to come near her But Clovis's Love and Ambition found out a way to deceive her Guards Aurelian a Confident of Clovis his Master took his time to go into Burgundy when Gondebaut was in Italy with Thierry and found a way to speak to the Princess by disguising himself in the habit of a â—eggar for in that disguise he waited for her at the Church-door and begg'd an Alms of her which when she stretch'd forth her hand to give him he squeez'd and kiss'd it after so passionate a manner that she presently conjectur'd there mâ—st be some secret Mystery in the Beggers carriage Having therefore found out a way to discourse him she listen'd to his Propositions and receiv'd the Nuptial Ring that Clovis sent her with this condition that he should turn Christian The Prince being thus assur'd of the Affection of his Mistriss sent a magnificent Embassy to Gondebaut on purpose to congratulate his good success and demand his Niece in Wedlock who â—â—ous'd himself under pretence of his Religion But Aurelian who was Clovis's Ambassador promis'd to remove that obstacle out of the way so that Gendebaut having no other exception to make and not knowing which way decently to avoid it was forc'd to comply with his demand Deuterie Theodebert the King of Austratia's Mistress CLovis's Children having divided the Kingdom of Fâ—â—â—ce bet weulâ—om Austrasia sell to Theoderie est â—â—â—el Prince this Dominions were of a large 〈…〉 bâ— oâ—pâ— cheâ—do not only Lorrain but the â—oâ—i Countries and part of Germany which was the ancient â—â—tismony of our Kings and â—eath was far as Bauaria Theod. had but one only Son whose name was Theadebâ—rt a Prince both stood and ambitious and medicated nothing but great designed His Father bâ—t bought himself of Marrying him betimes and to match him vnto such an alliance as might be able to assist him in the preservation of the Dominions which he should heare him alter his Death To that purpose he â—â—st his Eyes upon Wisgard the Daughter of Wocâ—in King of the Lombards Waâ—â—oâ— as a Parent Prince of his possess'd a good part of Italy and who was able to assist him to wage Wâ—â— with the other â—â—nus of Clovit if any of 'em not contented with his share should attempt to fall upon Austria Theoderic having taken his Resolution sent Ambassadors to Wachon to demand his Daughter and having obtain'd his desire he affianc'd her to his Son but the Marriage was not consummated whither it were that Theodebert had any reluctancy to the Match or that Theoderic growing jealous of his Son's Ambition would not entrust him with an oppurtunity to make himself 〈…〉 by that Alliance All the People of Austrasâ—â—â— were charm'd with Theodâ—bert's Vertues and they spoke so highly in his praise that the King was somwhat disturb'd at it and resolv'd to remove him from the Court. To which purpose an opportunity offer'd it self which he was unwilling to 〈◊〉 escape him The Sâ—â—viant who possessed Spain finding themselves over powr'd by the 〈◊〉 who made it their business to 〈…〉 of the Kingdom sollicited the King of â—â—â—trasia to fall upon Narbâ—nâ—oisâ— Gaul to the end the Enemy might be compell'd to â—epass the 〈◊〉 in order to defend that Province which at that time belong'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoriâ— discover'd to his Son the Preposals that had â—een made to him and ask'd him whither he would command the Army which 〈…〉 to send into 〈◊〉 the Young Beâ—â—â—e was 〈…〉 that his Other offer'd 〈…〉 opportunity to exercise his Valour and declar'd that 〈…〉 ready too set forward as 〈…〉 few Days after 〈…〉 with a powerful Army and 〈…〉 Burgundy and the 〈…〉 to his entering into 〈…〉 in all the Towns that he did 〈…〉 Army and after 〈…〉 strong 〈…〉 Nimes and Montpelier to come and 〈…〉 his Camp upon the Banks of the â—iâ—er Orâ— near â—o 〈◊〉 Deuterie Wise to the Governor of that City laythen at his Castle of Cupâ—â—â—ic which some call Cabrieret but others more justly Capostâ—â— in regard that Village stands more near to Beziers whereas Cabrieres adjoyns to Nimes She would fain have goe away to her Husband with her Daughter about ten Years of Age but She had not time for they were both taken by the avenâ— Couriers of Theodebert's Army and presented to the Prince He was charm'd with their Beauty and after he had made a thousand excuses for the ill usage they had met with he surrender'd up to them his own Tent and besought 'em to make use of it In the Evening he went and paid a visit to Douterie and told her she was at her own Liberty and that she should have a Convey to guard her to Nimes when she pleas'd But Deuâ—erie who was
And they carry'd it with so much neatness and so much artifice that they obtain'd of Lewis to consent to the Match And for fear the Emperor should alter his mind they caus'd the nuptials to be solemniz'd in a short time after But the Emperor dying the same Year there happen'd great disputes about the succession in regard that Ricarda who was left big with Child was soon after brought to bed of Charles the Simple The States assembl'd at Meaux to regulate this difference and Boson left nothing omitted to procure the exclusion of the Posthumus but he could not compass his design and therefore contented himself with obtaining the regency for Lewis and Carleman during the minority of Charles 'T is true that when they were in possession of the Government they understood so well how to fix their Authority by Boson's counsel and intreagues that they caus'd themselves to be acknowledg'd Kings and divided the Kingdom between 'em at Amiens The Amours of Blanche the Wife of Lewis Clotaire III K. of France Anno 985. LOTHAIRE after he had successfully concluded the War of Lorraine and taken Jeoffrey Count of Verduu Pris'ner associated his Son Lewis to the Crown and marry'd him to Blanche the Daughter of Rothbaud Count of Arles She was a Princess of an exalted Courage a lively Wit and a Humour inclin'd to Gallantry On the other side Lewis was a weak Prince and whose Genius was extreamly limited Blanche therefore well understanding his defects despis'd him and suffer'd her self to be taken with the Assiduities which Jeoffrey paid her Nevertheless she carefully conceal'd his Intreague and carry'd her self so cunningly that she obtain'd his Liberty of King Lothaire At the same time Ancelin Dalbron Bishop of Laon was fallen in love with the Princess and tho' he were already above Fifty years of age nevertheless she forbore not to listen to his Courtship because the City of Laon of which he was absolute Master was lookt upon as one of the best Fortresses in the Kingdom and she was willing to be assur'd of a Sanctuary Jeoffrey became jealous of her complacencies for that Prelate and therefore Blanche to stifle the Count's Jealousie engag'd Lewis to go along with her and spend some time in Provence by which means she got rid of the importunate Bishop In a short time after she departed secretly without giving Lewis any notice and hasten'd to meet Jeoffrey according to an Assignation by her self appointed King Lothaire was desirous to apply some remedy to a disorder of this nature but it cost him his life being poison'd by Blanche Ancelin on the other side finding himself deluded by the subtle Princess quitted her to pursue another Amour with Emma the Mother of Lewis who tho' advanc'd in years yet still preserv'd a fair stock of Beauty This Princess pretended to Govern the Kingdom thô her Son was come to the Crown But Lewis by the counsel which Blanche gave him caus'd her to be seiz'd together with her beloved Bishop by Charles of Lorraine nor could they obtain their liberty thô earnestly su'd for by the Empresses Adelaida and Theophanis and all the Bishops of the Kingdom For Lewis was so afraid of Blanche that he durst not release 'em because she would not have it so However he was but very ill repaid for his complacency for Blanche poison'd hiâ— as she had done his Father and oblig'd him upon his Death bed to declare Hugh Capet his Successor upon condition he would marry her as unchast as she was Almafrede Mistress to Robert King of France CAPET had been too busily employ'd in Reforming the abuses of his kingdom which had taken root in the Reigns of the Kings of the Second Race and fecuring the possession of it to mind Affairs of Love But his Son Robert who had not the same multiplicity of Business delightfully spent all the time he had to spare among such Ladies as he thought worthy of his Addresses He had in his Fathers life time made choice of Hugh de Beauvais for his Favourite This young Lord one day entrusted him with his Passion for Almafrede the Daughter of the Count of Nogent But he found her so agreeable that instead of promising to assist his Favourite in his design he pray'd him to surrender his Mistress to himself Hugh was somewhat difficult at first to resolve but at length his Ambition prevail'd above his love Moreover he himself discover'd to Almafrede the Passion that Robert had for her and serv'd his Master so well that he had no reason to complain of Almafrede's Reluctancy She admitted him by Night into her Chamber and not being able to defend her self against his importunities was brought to Bed of a Son who was nam'd Amaury from whom are descended the Counts of Montfort In the mean time in regard the Matches of Princes are usually grounded upon Policy notwithstanding all the engagements and tyes of Affection that had fasten'd Robert to Almafrede he was constrain'd in obedience to his Father's Commands to espouse Constance the Daughter of William Count of Arles and Sister of Foulke Nera Count of Anjou However he conceal'd from that Princess his first Engagements and abstain'd from any familiarity with Almafrede so long as his Father liv'd But so soon as he came to the Crown he surceas'd to put that constraint upon himself and to repay his Favourite for the Sacrifice he had made him of his Mistriâ—s he made him Grand Master of his Houshold and wholly rely'd upon him for the Government of his Kingdom Yet did not Hugo's Business so entirely take him up as to hinder him from sharing sometimes in his Master's Pleasures They often went together to Nogent to divertise themselves at Almafrede's Palace whither it were that the King had still the same tenderness for her or that it was their Rendezvous where they met other Ladies However it were the Queen being inform'd of these Assignations turn'd all her Hatred against the Favourite upon whom she look'd as the Author of this Disorder Thereupon she sent a Trusty Officer to her Brother to give him an account of the injuries done her and to desire him that they might not go unreveng'd Presently the Count of Anjou laid the Resentments of his Sister so deeply to Heart that he promis'd the Messenger to fulfil her desires With that he gave his Commission to a dozen Gentlemen whom he knew to be Men of resolution and devoted to his â—nterests He gave 'em Money and Horses and sent 'em to King Robert's Court where they saw the Queen privately and agreed with her upon the means of being serviceable to her jealousie One day then that the King had appointed a Hunting match with Hugo to the end that afterwards they might go and visit Almafrede they follow'd the King at a distance and when they saw him and his Favourite separate from their company and take the Road to Nogem they got before 'em through by ways and poudring full Gallop
Thibaut Count of Blois But some time after she was brought to Bed the King being inform'd of all Eleonor's Galantries resolv'd to vacate his Marriage To which purpose he assembl'd the Clergy of France at Boisgency where Alegrin his Chancellor set forth the reasons that mov'd the King to desire a separation and easily obtain'd what his Master desir'd because the Queen made no opposition However Lewis that he might come off with Honour surrendred back to her the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earldom of Peitou which she brought him in Dowry and only kept the two Daughters which He had by her Eleonor after this Divorce retir'd to Poitiers where she was visited by Henry Duke of Normandy the King of England's Son Who thô he were a Prince whose Person was no way inviting and had the worst colour'd Hair in the world yet she fail'd not to admit of his sedulities and to hearken to the proposals of Marriage which he made her because he was Heir presumptive to the Crown of England Henry was well inform'd of all the disorders of her past life but his eager desire to joyn Guyenne and Peitou to the rest of those Dominions which he was to inherit prevail'd over all other Considerations He espous'd Eleonor which so enrag'd Lewis that he suffer'd no opportunity of Revenge to escape him So that a War was kindl'd between the two Princes so soon as Henry came to the Crown which lasted till an end was put to it by the Marriage of Henry the King of England's eldest Son with Margaret the Daughter of Lewis and Elisabeth of Castille his second Wife And thô the affianc'd Princess were but five years of Age she was put into the hands of the King of England for a farther confirmation of the Alliance When she came to be of age proper for the consummation of the Nuptials the King of England refus'd to deliver her to his Son for fear he should become too potent and go about to dethrone him with the assistance of France Thereupon Henry impatient to enjoy his youthful Spouse that was to secure him his Succession to the Crown of England the Princess being design'd to the Heir of the Kingdom he stole her away and fled into France to the King his Father-in law From thence he wrote to his own Father demanding England or the Dutchy of Normandy as an Earnest of his Succession and upon the King's refusal resolv'd to obtain his Pretensions by force of Arms. Queen Eleonor also engag'd Richard Duke of Aquitain and Jeoffrey Duke of Bretagne her Brothers to take part with Henry and Lewis oblig'd William King of Scotland to invade England on that side while he sent Robert Earl of Leicester with a powerful Army to make a descent into the Island out of France So that a Man would have thought that the King of England assail'd on every side must have been overwhelmed by so many Enemies But Heaven protected him His Son Henry dy'd in a short time after and Peace was concluded between England and France and the Marriage of Richard who was become Heir to the Crown by the death of Henry with Alice the Daughter of Lewis was the Seal of that Union But in regard the Princess was very young she was put into the hands of the King of England as her Sister had been till she came to years of maturity and Queen Eleonor was shut up in close imprisonment to prevent her contriving new troubles at Court. In the mean time King Henry shew'd himself so extreamly complaisant to the Princess Alice that it was look'd upon to be an effect of love and the Princess answer'd him with a frankness pardonable as her years however Richard grew jealous to that degree that he could not find in his heart to marry her when he came to the Crown Queen Eleonor also whom he set at liberty so soon as he saw himself seated upon the Throne confirm'd him in his aversion and negotiated a Match between him and Beranguelle the Daughter of Don Garcias King of Navarre whom she carry'd to Richard then in Palestine where he espous'd her This anger'd Philip surnam'd the August King of France who at the same time had made a voyage to the Holy Land but he would not shew his resentment there for the injury done his Sister because he would not give the Infidels an opportunity to take advantage of the division of the Christians But so soon as he return'd into France he enter'd the Territories of the King of England in revenge At length Eleonor after she had been the cause of many mischiefs in both Kingdoms where she had worn the Crown ended her days at Poitiers in the Fourscore and fourth year of her age Mary of Moravia Mistress to Philip surnamed the August Anno 1192. PHILIP the August after the death of Isabella of Hainault his first Wife marry'd Isembourg or Eudelberge the Daughter of Waldemar the Great King of Denmark but found so little pleasure in the enjoyment of her that after the first Night he never would Bed her again However he endeavour'd a long time to combat this aversion but not being able to surmount it he imparted the secret of his disgust to William Bishop of Beauvais who told him that in regard there was a near affinity between him and the Queen it would be no difficult thing for him to disannul the Marriage if he would summon an Assembly of the Prelats of his Kingdom The King relish'd this Proposal and having sent for all the Bishops of France and amongst the rest for the Archbishop of Rheims who presided in the Assembly the sentence of Separation was pronounc'd Some time before the King had seen the Portraicture of Mary Agnes the Daughter of Bertol Duke of Moravis which appear'd so charming to him that he had always the Idea of her in his sight Therefore when he saw himself at liberty he sent to demand her in Marriage and having obtain'd his desires he espous'd her with a more then ordinary Magnificence Anno. 1198. Isemburg would not be present at the Nuptial Ceremony but secretly left the Court with a design to retire into Denmark But when she came to the Frontiers of France she bethought her self of the fault she was about to commit in abandoning the Justice of her Cause she return'd back again and shutting her self up in a Convent sent an account of her misfortune to King Conuie her Brother He being astonish'd at Philip's inconstancy sent to his Ambassador then residing in Rome to make his complaints to Pope Celestin and to demand Justice of him Celestin immediately dispatch'd away two Cardinals the one a Priest and the other a Deacon to make inquiry into what had past in the dissolution of the Marriage and to make use of all the Authority of the Holy See to oblige the King to take Isemburg again in case he had no lawful cause of separation So soon as the two Legates arriv'd at Paris
could never recover his Speech and in that manner he expir'd Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Francis I. WHen Queen Catherine de Medicis saw that her Husband was mortally wounded she consulted with her Confidents whether it were her best way to close with the Constable or the Guises For she lookt as well upon the one as the other to be her Enemies in regard they were equally alli'd to the Dutchess of Valentinois whom she mortally hated thô while the King liv'd she carry'd it very fair with her At last she resolv'd to unite with the Guises because they were the Queen her Daughter-in-Law's Uncles and for that somtime they had carry'd themselves but very coldly toward the Dutchess The Constable being inform'd of this Union dispatcht a Courrier to Anthony of Bourbon King of Navarr giving him an invitation to the Court there to assume the degree and Authority which his Birth allow'd him But the King who was afraid lest the Spaniards should possess themselves of his Kingdom during his absence remain'd in his irresolution so long that the Queen and the Guises had leisure to form their Cabal to remove such persons as they suspected and fill up the principal offices with their own Creatures The Duke of Guise had the Command of the Armies and the Cardinal the management of the Treasury The Dutchess of Valentinois was banish'd and forc'd to restore the Jewels and costly moveables that Henry II. had given her and more then all this they took from her the noble House of Chenonceaux which the Queen Mother would neeeds have for her self giving her in Exchange the Castle of Chaumont upon the Loire Bertrandi was depriv'd of the Seals which were restor'd to the Chancellor Olivier and he himself resettl'd as the Head of the Law in all the functions of his Office The Constable had Orders to retire to his House of Escouan and the Cardinal of Tournon was recall'd The Dutchess of Valentinois made her self amends for her misfortune with Brissac's company who continued faithful to her and being reconcil'd to the Guises prevented her being any farther persecuted But the King being arriv'd at Orleance after twelve Days Sickness di'd not without some suspition of being poyson'd in the Eighteenth Month of his Reign which gave occasion to new Intreagues The Intreagues of the Court of France under Charles IX year 1560 THere was great bustling and contending at Court for the Regency during the Minority of Charles IX but at last Queen Katherine obtain'd it and enforc'd the King of Navarr to be contented with the Lieutenancie General of the Kingdom The Queen Mother was a refin'd Politian and one who thought she might make use of illegal as well as legal ways so she might Reign She was magnificent in all her actions and lov'd all manner of divertisements which she made subservient to her Ambitious designs During the troubles that turmoyl'd the State the same Wagons that carry'd the Warlike Ammunition carry'd the Accoutrements for Balls and Masquerades By these Artifices it was that she retain'd the Young Courtiers about her who finding in their attendance upon her pleasures conformable to their Ages and their inclinations and Charm'd with the beauty of her Maids of Honour generally preferr'd her part before others that were set up in contempt of the Royal Authority The Court was then divided into two Factions Huguenots and zealous Catholicks Lewis Prince of Conde headed the first and the Guises govern'd the second The King of Navarr the Constable and the Marshal de St. Andrè seem'd to make a third party and the Queen's aim was to preserve the Authority which the Regency gave her by dividing and balancing these three cabals in such a manner that the one should not oppress the other two The third party which was usually call'd the Triumvirate seem'd to her to be most powerful and she made use of the Dutchess of Valentinois to divide the King of Navarr and the Constable for fear least being united they should leave her no more then the shadow of Government And the Dutchess undertook it so much the more willingly because her Interests agreed best with the Queen 's She feign'd as if she had suffer'd her self to be over-rul'd by the tears of her eldest Daughter and the submissions of the Duke of Aumale her Son in Law to reconcile her self and renew her good correspondence with the House of Guise which had abandon'd her to the mercy of her Enemies and the Court took this reunion for an effect of Heroic Virtue thaô indeed an indispensable necessity was the only motive that induc'd her to it The Dutchess had both Wit and experience enough to Judge that 't was impossible for her to preserve the vast wealth which she enjoy'd but by the support of the House of Guise which was not in a condition to hold up any long time but by a reconciliation with the Constable so that indeed the Dutchess labour'd for her self while the Queen and the Duke of Aumale fancy'd to themselves that she acted for them In a word she made such effectual use of the Authority which she had still over the Constable that she accustom'd him by degrees not to look upon the Guises any longer as his Enemies Thus the Dutchess maintain'd her self till she dy'd in the same flourishing condition wherein Henry II. had left her no body daring to cross her any more when they saw her have such potent protectors But it was not enough for the Queen to have broken the Triumvirate it behov'd her also that she might get all the power into her hands to fasten to her Interests the two Princes of the House of Bourbon And in regard she knew that Love was the most powerful engine to move the inclinations of that Age she made use of the Charms of her Maids of Honour to bring about her design The two most amiable were Mademoiselle du Rouet the Daughter of Lewis de la Berandiere de Guiche Lord of the Island of Rouet in Poitou and Mademoiselle de Limueil The first undertook the Conquest of the King of Navarr and the second to subdue the Prince of Condè To that purpose M. de Rouet wherever she came spoke so highly in praise of the King of Navarr that she infus'd into him a long desire to knoe who it was that so much oblig'd him with her encomiums in all companies Mademoiselle de Limueil on the otherside said nothing that could reflect upon the reputation of the Prince of Condè but still she gave out every where that he should be the last Man that she should make choice of for a Lover because he was naturally unconstant and minding nothing so much as his Ambition he could not condescend to those petty complaisancies that more frequently win upon the affections of Ladies then great Services The Prince of Condè hearing of these discourses thought himself bound in Honour to undeceive M. de Limueil and by that
sparkling Glances which she darted from her eyes but was very officious in paying his assiduities to her never valuing the trouble it might be to Madam de Beaufort The Counstable also took delight in her disturbances and jeasted about 'em with Marshal de Biron who solely possess'd the Kings Inclinations But Fortune soon after delivered the Marchioness from so dangerouss a Rivaless for she dy'd in Childbed leaving the Constable two Children Henry afterwards Duke of Montmorancy and Charlote Margarite who was marri'd to Henry of Bourbon Prince of Condè which was the occasion of a very great Intreague towards the end of this Raign Madam de Beaufort had also by the King Katherine Henrietta legitimated of France whom in 1619 marry'd Charles of Lorrain Duke of Elbeuf and Alexander de Vendosme commonly call'd the Grand Prior who ended his days in the Dungeon of the Castle of Vincennes where he had been confin'd by the order of Lewis XIII But the Marchioness was not brought to bed of this Prince till after the Queen was unmarry'd and then it was that finding her self at liberty she made use of all her wit to oblige the King to set the Crown upon her Head The King also over whom she had an absolute ascendant left nothing omitted on his part to have gratifi'd her desires and banish'd Nicholas de Neuville Lord of Villeroy and Secretary of State for presuming with too much liberty to condemn his design Now in regard the King was certain to obtain whenever he pleas'd the consent of Queen Margaret there remain'd no more to do but only to get the Court of Rome to allow the Divorce To which purpose he sent with the Character of his extraordinary Embassador Nicholas Brulard Lord of Sileri then President of the Parliament and afterwards Chancellor of France He was one of the most able Ministers the King had and in regard he was no less Zealous for his Masters Interests then for those of the Marchioness to whom he was beholding for a good part of his Fortune 't was to be presum'd that he would leave nothing uneffected to render his Embassie successful But before we relate the success of his Negotiation it will not be amiss to shew upon what grounds the King demanded the Dissolution of his marriage which cannot be better understood then by the Manifesto that he publish'd upon that occasion The Manifesto of Hen. IV. upon his Divorce from Queen Margaret I Thought my self exempt from giving an accompt to the Publick of the motives that induc'd me after twenty years being wedded together to separate my self from the Sister of the Kings my Predecessors under pretence of being too near in Blood And indeed being above the Laws I did not think my self oblig'd to give an account of my actions to any but God only But in regard that Strangers and several of the French Nation take an occasion from thence to blame my Conduct some calling me Voluptuous others Atheistical and both tother condemning me for ingrateful I thought my self concern'd in honour to satisfie those who have suffer'd themselves to be abus'd and to confound the malice of my secret Enemies by exposing to the Eyes of the World the true causes of the Divorce which I desire For considering the high Station to which God has rais'd me 't is not sufficient that my life should be without reproach it behoves me also to render it free from suspition and to draw the Curtain with which I endeavour to hide the disorder of my Family 'Ts said that Heaven sends admonitions to those who are born to command over others of the misfortunes that will be fall ' em If the bloody Rain that fell at Rome before the Battle of Cannae were a presage of the loss which the Republick was shortly to sustain I may say that the Blood that was shed upon the day of my Nuptials seem'd to foretel the cruel Afflictions that should befall me by reason of this fatal Union But I never minded that unlucky Omen nor the words of Charles the Ninth Brother to this unchast Woman who being better acquainted with her then my self said by way of Raillery that he did not give his Megg for a Wife to the King of Navarr only but to all the Hereticks in his Kingdom I interpreted his meaning another way and imagin'd that he lookt upon it as a knot that would for the future inevitably bind to his Service all the Huguenots nevertheless time has but too plainly discoverd to me the mistery of that Oracle I was so little acquainted with that Princess that I knew not that she had been sensible of love ever since Eleven years of Age that Entragues and Charrins both boasted that they had obtain'd her chiefest favours at that Age. I know not whither a Generous Emulation to dispute the Conquest or the Transports of his Pleasure caus'd Entragues to go beyond his strength but certain it is that his efforts brought him within two fingers breadth of the Grave and made him relinquish his bargain to take a Wife less beautiful but more prudent and reserv'd The Prince of Martignes supplyâ—d the place which Entragues left vacant and having discarded Charrins for whom she had no great kindness he remain'd the sole master of her heart That Prince being naturally vain glorious was so far from making a mistery of his good fortune that there Intreague after it had been the discourse of the whole Court was divulg'd in the Army and passing from mouth to mouth afforded ample matter of Raillery to all the Foot Souldiers of which Martignes was Collonel That indiscreet Lover upon all occasions of greatest danger wore an Embroider'd Scarf and carried with him a little Dog that she had given him which he kept to his dying day as a Pledge of her Friendship The loss of this Favorite drew tears from her which the King endeavour'd to wipe away by marrying her to the King of Portugal But the Duke of Guise who pretended by espousing her to give some colour to his Ambitious Designs cross'd that Match by the cunning of the Cardinal of Lorrain her Uncle who was sent to the King of Spain to condole the Death of Elizabeth of France his Wife In the mean time the Duke insinuated himself into the favours of that Princess by means of the kind Offices which he did Madam de Carnavalet 'T is said that the Dukes of Alenson and Anjou broke off that Intreague and that she had those complacencies for 'em that propinquity of Blood did no way authorize but I cannot believe that her Debauchery ran up to that excess However it were the mark had been hit several times before our marriage and all men will be easily convinc'd that I had no need of any great strength to carry the Ring at the first Course So soon as we were marry'd they who had right to pretend to her familiarity discarded themselves and oblig'd her by their withdrawing themselves to stoop to
certain Persons in Vizards got into her Chamber by the help of Ladders made of Cords But she avoided the danger I know not how and the King appointed her Guards and a Steward to tast all the Meat that was carryed to her Table People discours'd according to their Fancies upon this Adventure but 't is an easie thing to understand from whence the Blow came without being a Conjurer Nevertheless la Valieres Enemies were not at all discourag'd there was nothing which they did not attempt to deprive her of the Kings Affection The Duke of Mazarin who pretended to a world of devotion demanded of him a Particular and private Audience which was granted him â—he Subject of their whole discourse was upon a Vision which the Duke had seen that the Kingdom should be quite ruin'd if the King did not utterly abandon la Valiere 's Company withal he told his Majesty at length that he had a Commission from God himself to give him that fair warning And I reply'd the King advise ye from my self to take a great care of your Brains which are in a deplorable condition and to restore like a Good Christian what your Uncle the Cardinal has robb'd from the Kingdom Upon which the Duke made him a low Bow and withdrew full of shame and confusion Two or three Months after the Queen would needs make her last Efforts She talk'd to him her self of the scandal which he brought upon his Kingdom by a familiarity that was the sport of all the Courts of Christendom To which the King reply'd that Kings and Queens had always been the talk of the world and that she knew by experience that she her self had not been spar'd Which so netled the Queen to hear him touch upon that string that she never after open'd her Lips to reprove him for his Amours The next day la Valiere was brought to bed of a Prince The King who was almost all alone with her when her Pains came upon her was at a loss and it may be said that he was half her Midwife Soon after he made her a Dutchess and still the King continued his Visits to her and one day he found her in a deep Melancholly For as for her Beauty it was never very charming so she was grown so lean after her last lying in that it was a great mortification to her Now in regard she perceiv'd that the King was sensible of her Pensiveness she confest to him that she was afraid he had not the same Affection for her which formerly he had For added she do you think that my Looking Glasses does not inform me that I have almost lost those allurements that render Mistresses agreeable to their Lovers Yet this I dare say that you will never meet with otherwhere what you have found in me I understand ye reply'd the King But wherefore do you thus by your unjust suspicions affront a Prince that adores and ever will adore ye as long as he lives This Protestation charm'd la Valiere Nevertheless 't is certain that the King began to miss those charms which he had found in her till then tho' he was convinced that he lov'd her when he consulted his own thoughts In a word he was never taken with her Beauty but with her Wit and her Behaviour and somthing I know not what which it is impossible for a Man to express About this time it was that Madam de Montespan appear'd at Court And in regard she was a Person of a Transcending Beauty she laid great designs to insnare the Kings heart But as yet la Valiere possess'd it so intirely that all her Plots prov'd ineffectual So that finding the King so little inclin'd to entertain her she cast her eyes upon Monsieur and he comply'd however he had another Mistress who disgusted Madam de Montespan It may be said that the King had still some little inclination for la Valiere But for all that at the same time that Madam de Montespan display'd all her temptations at Court to render him sensible of her Charms he had some little kindness for the Princess of Monaco That new Mistress was nothing cruel However the King grew weary of her in a very little time M. de Lausun who at first had no small share in the Princess of Monaco was so enrag'd at the Infidelity of his Mistress that he payd all his vows to Madam de Montespan Nor was he long before he obtain'd her last favours Thus M. de Lausun's Happiness became the publick discourse of the Court and the King reflecting upon the good fortune of his Fovourite of whom all people gave out that he was belov'd by the most beautiful Woman of France this made him look upon Madam de Montespan as a Person that had all those perfections which really she had And from that time forward it was that he began to fall off from his affection to la Valiere for she was still call'd by that name tho' she had the Title of Dutchess conferr'd upon her Madam de Montespan on the otherside had too watchful an eye not to perceive as soon that the King began to have a growing kindness for her and from that very time she endeavour d to the utmost of her power to settle her self at Court. This she thought she might be able to do â— once she could but wind her self into a strict amity with Madam de la Valiere Nor did she attempt it in vain while Madam de la Valiere sought on her side to disburthen into the bosome of some sincere friend her sorrow for the extinguishing flames of her Lover And the forwardness of Madam de Montespan so highly pleas'd la Valiere that they became great friends in outward appearance especially on Madam de Montespan's part who had her aim and hated at the bottom of her heart a Rivaless whose favour with the King she was labouring might and main to undermine On the otherside the King who began already to feel something of tenderness for Madam de Montespan was overjoyd to find her everyday with la Valiere For which reason he was the more assiduous in his visits But Madam de la Valiere soon perceiv'd that 't was not for her sake that the King so frequently came to see her but that Madam de Montespan possess'd his Inclinations She complain'd to the King therefore after a most tender manner and the King without evasion and as obligingly as he could told her that Madam de Montespan was one of the most beautiful women that ever he saw and that he verily believeâ—d she had a passion for him To this the King added that she had no reason to be surprisâ—d at it that the change should be no prejudice to her that he would always preserve a particuliar esteem for her and that he thought she had no cause to be disatisfied Madam de la Valiere melted into tears But then the King repeated what he had said He declar'd to her that he desir'd she
what you were would do you a great deal of good 'T is requisite to put you in mind of it for you look as if you had quite and clean forgot it All the World knows Madam that when Monsieur Scarron talk'd of Marriage all his friends laugh'd at him They told him that for such a Decrepit Creature as he was to Marry was to list himself in the Family of Acteon and that because they should not reproach him with any thing of that nature he made choice of a cracke Vessel By good Fortune Scarron lit upon your self he marry'd ye Publickly which made him say very wittily that they could not lay it in his dish that his weakness was the cause of his Wives Wantonness and no doubt but he was in the Right As he was a man of Wit and Sence be left yee to your own Conduct and all the World knows how you behav'd yourself Should the Good Man return from the other world how heartily would he laugh to behold your Metamorphosis And as he was a Man of a good humour I make no question but he would bring such an Action against the King as would puzzle the Parliament who could not but do him Justice and sentence you to quit Royal Honours and reassume your old Titles of Mistress and Gooddy such an one Adieu Beldam take my advice and remember what you were I give you wholsome Counsell Madam de Maintenon was not much puzzled to know from whence the Letter came so sfoon as she had read it She burnt it in cold Blood as she did all the rest of the same nature which she receiv'd without making the least complaint to the King and for others that were so full of grating particulars she shew d 'em to her Monarch to make him sport and those sort of Confidences tho' indeed they were but Trifles never fail d of success In a word Madam de Maintenon has manag'd her business so well that she triumphs over all those that envy'd her The King has a friendship a value an esteem for her and should the Monarch dye before her she has an apartment in St. Lewise's House at St. Cyr where she is to reside as long as she lives and to be maintain d with all the Persons that belong to her Traine by the Revenues belonging to the Foundation of that House and to enjoy all the Honours due to a Foundress Care is also taken to canonize her before hand for notwithstanding all the Inventions of Obloquy she has met with Panegyrists who have made it out that tho' Scarron who marry'd her at Sixteen Years of Age made choice of her to solace and refresh his Eye-sight and to discourse with her when he had no other Company rather then for any Carnal Society yet the indisposition of her Husband was no injury to her Virtue They have own'd that those Persons who fell in Love with her were not the Richest or of the best Quality in the Kingdom yet that she has merited a universal Esteem among all Men for the prudence of her Conduct and that she ought to have this Justice done her that she observ'd a fair Conjugal Amity without practising the Principal Actions that belong to it As for Madam de la Valiere and Madam de Montespan they have as much reason to be satisfy'd as Madam de Maintenon It may be said that when they were Favourites the King idoliz'd 'em and tho' he grew weary of 'em at length he never forgot that they had been his Mistresses Both the one and the other have been always lookt upon with distinction and the Children which the King had by 'em have been advanc'd to Dignities and Matches the most Illustrous in the Kingdom The Count of Vermandoise the Son of la Valiere was made High Admiral oâ— France and Mademoiseâ—â—e de Blois his Sister was marry'd to the Prince of Conti last deceas'd The Prince of Conde who was retir'd to Chantilli at that time and who by that means approv'd not that match in his heart was constrain'd to undergo the trouble and vexation to see the Title of High and Potent Lord which was always allowed him left out in the Contract of Marriage which he was to sign Colbert presented him the Contract but he refused to set his hand and went with his Complaints to the King but the King after a rough manner bid him sign it so that he was forc'd to do it tho' enrag'd to the Soul at the contempt that was put upon him which was not the only Affront which had been put upon that Prince after this Retirement Mademoiselle de Tours the daughter of Madam de Montespan and the Count of Tholouze dy'd before they were Marry'd but Maidemoiselle de Nantes and Bloise their Sisters were as advantagiously bestow'd as Madam the Princess of Conti the first to the Duke of Bourbon and the other to the Duke of Chartres Lastly the Duke of Maine M. de Montespan's eldest Son Duke of Aumale Prince of Dombes Count d' Eu Peer of France Collonel General of the Swisses and Grisons Governour of the Province of Languedoc Collonel of a Regiment of Foot Knight of the Kings Orders and Officer General of his Armes Married Mademoiselle de Charolois the third Daughter of the Prince of Conde that now is and the Nuptials were Solemniz'd upon the 9th of March 'T is not to be express d what Respect the whole Court is oblig'd to give to the Kings Natural Children even the Princes of the Blood are constrain'd to do the same which Posterity will hardly believe One day that the Prince of Conde was discoursing with some Courtiers the Duke of Maine who was then very Young and some other Noblemen s Children of the same age made such a noise that they interrupted their discourse which was very serious so that the Prince was constrain d to bid the Children be quiet Which the Duke of Maine hearing made answer that he thought his Highness had not been afraid of noise he that had made so much in the world Immediately the Prince went and repeated these words to the King with the same gayety to outward appearance as if he had been to have repeated some witty Expression or genteel Act of the Duke of Burgundy Nay the Prince finding it was a Course which of necessity it behov'd him to take carryed his deference a little farther for when he went to the Count of Vermandois to let him know how much he was pleas'd with the Marriage of M. de Blois his Sister to the Prince of Conti he durst not presume to take an Elbow Chair that was presented him but sat him down upon a Plain Chair because the Count made use of such another Nevertheless all these deferences cannot hinder the whole Court from making private Comments and Censures upon these odd kind of mixtures which is the reason that many are turn'd out of favour In a word they who have bestow'd the highest applauses upon the
look't upon her only as a jealous Woman that sought to interrupt his pleasures and whose revenge was to be dreaded so that he redoubl'd his scorn of her and oblig'd her to retire into a Convent After the Queen's retirement the jealousie of ambition intermixing with that of Love the two Sisters were emulous each to possess alone the King's inclinations and dispose of all his Favours and their embitterment augmented to that degree that it enrag'd 'em to a quarrel which made a great noise and divided all the Court The King in vain endeavour'd to reconcile and perswade 'em to live peaceably together at least to keep an outward correspondence of civility if they could not love each other as sisters But at length dishearten'd by their transportments and despairing of doing any good he sell again to his old sport of Hunting and left 'em at leisure to quarrel among themselves One day being separated from his Train and very Thirsty Anno 524. he alighted close by a Fountain for want of a glass he took up the Water with the hollow of his hand at what time a young Shepherdess perceiving him drew near him and presented him an earthen Cup. The King took it and observing in her Face all the agreements of proportion and colour that Nature could afford without the help of Art he ask'd her name to which she answer'd that her name was Dandelind and that she was a Farmers Daughter who had a House hard by adjoyning Upon that Cherbert declared who he was and told her withal that he would carry her to Court she excus'd her felf with an ingenuity that charm'd him alledging that Obedience and Duty which she ow'd her Father and the Grief it would be to her to live absented from him Goe then and fetch him hither reply'd the King and I will carry ye along with me both together Immediately away ran the Shepherdess and soon after return'd with the Peasant whom she call'd her Father Presently the good old Man who understood by his Daughter that it was the King who sent for him sell at his Feet and begg'd to know his pleasure 'T is my pleasure reply'd the King to make your Fortune and your Daughter Happy come to morrow morning to me when I rise The Country-man fail'd not to attend upon him and he made him Keeper of his Palace Nor did the King believe he should meet with any reluctancy in the Shepherdess but she shew'd him â—o much Prudence and Virtue in her Conduct that he was afraid of offering any violence and rather thought her worthy of a Crown And the death of Ingoberge that happen'd soon after afforded him an opportunity to fulfil his desire So that he espous'd Dandelind and married his two Mistresses to two great Lords of his Court Cherbert however could not continue faithful to his new Queen for he involv'd himself in so many Courtly intreagues that the young Queen who lov'd him intirely dy'd for grief within two years after her Marriage Cherebeâ—t after that Marry'd Theogedild who was so far from being troubl'd at the infidelity of her inconstant Spouse that she paid him in his own coin And her extravagancies were so notorious that the King having in vain made use of intreaties and Menaces to reclaim her fell into a deadly Melancholy that put an end to his days in the Castle of Blaye whither he retir'd from the World The Amours of Guntran King of Orleans GVNTRAN the Brother of Cherebert Anno 572 to whom the Kingdom of Orleans fell for his share being very young when his Father dy'd disburthen'd himself of the weight of his Government and laid it upon the Shoulders of Rotharic who had been Prime Minister of State under the Reign of Clotair This Rotharic had two Daughters who might well be said to be the Ornaments of the Court The eldest of the two was named Veneranda not above fifteen years of age at most Fame-Rofle the youngest not above eleven years old promis'd much but she was not as yet come to perfection Their Mother was dead so that they liv'd both together in Rotharic â—s House under the care of an ancient Governess The King who often went to visit his Prime Minister was charm'd with Veneranda's Beauty so that he never saw her but he gave her to understand by a tender and passionate Look that she had obtain'd the conquest of his Heart However Veneranda was a stranger to that language or at least she seign'd to be ignorant of it which troubl'd the inamour'd Prince so much the more because he could never have an opportunity to speak to her in regard her Governess would never permit her out of her sight Desirous therefore he was to corrupt the old Woman nor did he think it impossible but he knew not whom to intrust with the secret for fear it should reach Rotharie's ear who having the disposal of all Favours had all the Courtiers â—t his command But while he was in this perplexity fortune gave him a fair opportunity to get rid of it For Rotharie recommended to him for one of his Pages a Nephew of the Governesses who discover'd so great an affection for his Service that the King thought he might impart his Mind to him without danger Thereupon he adventur'd to speak to him and found him well inclin'd to second his designs Accordingly the Page gave his Aunt an account of the King's desires and the great advantages she might justly expect as the Rewards of her faithful Services Presently the old Woman suffer'd her self to be overcome and being well acquainted with Veneranda's Humor which was naturally ambitious she told her that 't would be her fault alone if she did not come to be Queen provided she would but comply with Gontran's Affection but in regard it became her first to be assur'd of Gontran's Heart before Rotharie were acquainted with the business 't was requisite she should admit the King to visit her in private Veneranda firmly believ'd she could never go astray while she follow'd the Counsels of a Woman to whose care and conduct her Father had intrusted her and who had never preach'd to her any other Lessons but those of Virtue So that by her means she saw the King more then once she hearken'd to his Courtship and enter'd into those strict engagements with him that she became the Mother of Prince Gondebaut In the mean time Fame-â—oâ—le's Beauty Anno 574 which augmented as she grew in years arriv'd to so extraordinary a perfection that Gontran fell in love with her at the same time that he began to be tir'd with Veneranda's Favours But Fame-Rafle who was not ignorant how her Sister had engag'd her self by her example had learnt how unsafe it was to relye upon Gontran's protestations and therefore taking better measures she kept her ground and disputed the Conquest inch by inch She oppos'd her Reserv'dness against the Transports of the Prince and neatly and ingenuously gave him to
understand that there was nothing to be got but by fair and lawful means so that the Prince whose Passion resistance augmented gave his consent at length and marry'd her Upon that St. German who was acquainted with his former engagements earnestly remonstrated to him the heinousness of such a scandalous Wedlock and told him withal that the Church would never approve his incestuous familiarity therefore be exhorted him to break it and divorce himself from Fame-Rafle and not being able to gain any thing by fair means he had recourse to Anathema's and banish'd those two Lovers from the communion of the Faithful Veneranda thô sensibly nettl'd at Gentran's Infidelity had a long time patiently undergone her misfortune yet not daring to exert her Revenge upon her unconstant Lover because he was her Sovereign nor upon her Rivalless whom she could not ruine without violating the Law of Nature Nevertheless she alter'd her opinion when she saw her Excommunicated for then no longer looking upon her as a Sister but as an Abominable Person whose life lay at the mercy of any one that would take it away she gave her a dose of Poison and sent her out of the World However she was never the more happy for so doing for she could never regain the King's Affection the heat of whose Passion was quite extinguish'd Nor was she less perplex'd to see him so prodigal of his amorous Sedulities to Theodegild who after the death of the King her Husband was fled for Sanctuary to Gentran's Court. That Princesse made him proposals of Marriage to which he gave ear immediately more out Ambition then Love in hopes by that means to joyn the Kingdom of Paris to that of Orleans Nevertheless reflecting upon the Troubles which the Marriage of Fame-Rafle had brought upon his Shoulders he was unwilling to engage himself in a second Incestuous Wedlock for fear of emboldning his Subjects to revolt and furnishing his Brothers with a pretence to invade his Dominions He therefore contented himself with making the best of his Sister in-law's confidence in trusting him to lay violent hands upon her Treasure which done he banish'd her into Provence and thrust her into a Nunnery Upon Theodegild's retirement he espous'd Marcatrude the Daughter of Duke Magnacaire and this new Queen had a Maid of Honour whose name was Austrigild a Lady of surpassing Beauty with whom Gontran fell in love and having gain'd her Affections had two Children by her who dy'd both before him Fredegond Mistress to Chilperic King of Neustria and Paris CHILPERIC the Brother of Cherebert and Gontran to whoss lot fell the Kingdom of Paris and Neustria had for his first Wife one Audouaire whose Original is not known only 't is said that she was the Daughter of one of his Subjects and that by her he had three Sons Theodibert Meroveus and Clovis together with a Daughter whose name was Basina who took upon her the habit of a Nun in the Convent of St. Crosse's in Poiters of which St. Radegond was then the Abbess But while Queen Audonaire liv'd she had a Maid of Honour of mean extraction that resided with her who was born in the Village of Auancourt in Picardy but whose Beauty Wit and other endowments render'd her worthy of high esteem and her name was Frâ—degond She had ingenuity enough to gain at the same time the affection both of her Master and Mistress and withal she knew so well which way to conceal her fain'd commerce Chilperic that no body at the Court perceiv'd it but the King's passion for her was near a whit the less violent for being secret and Fredegoud on the other side who had a piercing Wit conjectur'd shrewdly that it would be no impossible thing for to see her self seated in the Throne if she could preserve that ascendant which she had over the Queen who being a good honest downright simple Woman and consequently never mistrusting Fredegond's tricks and artifices easily fell into the snares which she laid for her About that time it was that Chilperic left Paris to make War upon his Brother Sigebert King of Austrasia leaving Audouaire big with Child nor was it not long after his departure that she was brought to Bed of a Daughter to which by Fredegond's advice she stood for one of the Godmothers her self who perswaded her that would it be a means to render her more acceptable to her Husband Chilperick being return'd she inflam'd his Love by affected Refusals and seeing him one day at her feet protesting that he lov'd no body but her self and that nothing in the world could equal the delicacy of his passion she answer'd him with a cold indifferency that if his protestations were sincere he would not every day as he did share his caresses between her and a Princess whom the laws forbad to look upon as a Wife since she was become so near a kin to him by being God-mother to the Young Basina Chilperick was at first surpriz'd at this discourse but at length suffering himself to be prepossess d by the artifices of Fredegond he was made believe that he committed Incest in performing the duty of a Husband to Audouaire and therefore to avoyd all occasions of committing so foul a crime he shut up his Wife in a Nunnery Fredegond having thus remov'd the main obstable believ'd that nothing else could prevent her being Queen only one politick reason crossed her designs For Sigebert had Marry'd Brunebant the Daughter of Athanagild King of Spain Now Childerick fearing least that allyance should render him too Potent sent to demand for himself Galsuind the sister of that Princess and to oblige Athanagild the more easily to give his confent he offer'd to affiance Basina to the Prince his Son But that was more then he could perform in regard the King could not procure the consent of the States of his Kingdom that his Daughter should Marry with the Prince of Spain because he was an Arrian Which denyal tho' it was enough to have incens'd Athanagild nevertheless it infus'd into him no occasion of resentment against Chilperic as being well acquainted with his sincerity and for that he knew 't was none of Chilperic's fault that he could not be as good as his word so that he consented to his demand of Galsuiud and gave her to him without any scruple But in that Marriage Chilperic met not with those sweets of Wedlock which he expected Galsuiud was proud and haughty as all the Spanish women are and not of a humour to brook that her Husband should share-with another Heart and that affection which she believ'd to be only due to her self she soon perceiv'd the Love which her unfaithful Husband had for Fredegond and display'd her resentment with a vengeance Chilperic accustom'd only to the patience of Audonaire could not submit himself to Galsuinds outragious transports and Fredegond left nothing omitted to exasperate the King against her For in regard she beheld her certain ruin before
her Eyes unless she ruin'd the Queen she never boggled at the taking a resolution to prevent her and she understood so well how to make the best of the shallow feeblenesses of which the King had given her such frequent marks that she perswaded him to make away Galsuind Thereupon Chilperic after he had fully resolv'd upon it made a shew of more then usual complyance with the Queen's humour and never visited Fredegond but withal the precautions imaginable that he might take from Galsuind all occasion of mistrust and when he found her quite cur'd of all her jealous suspitions one night that he was in Bed with her he strangled her with her own Hair Sigebert being inform'd of the Death of his Sister in Law thought it his duty to revenge it and layd the design without ever considering that the Murderer was his Brother He engag'd also Gontran to joyn with him On the other side Chilperic rais'd an Army to defend himself but before he took the Field he Marry'd Fredegund However he did not prove successful in that War for that his Army being defeated and his eldest Son Theodebert having lost his Life in the Battel he himself made a hard shift to escape to Tournay where Sigebert immediately besieg'd him But Fredegund who made a slight matter of commiting the greatest crimes suborn'd a crew of Ruffians who assasinated Sigebert in his Tent and by that means deliver'd the King her Husband For which piece of service Chilperic thought himself so highly beholding to her that he could not imagin any better way to gratify her then by settling the Crown upon Fredegond's Children to the prejudice of those whom he had by Audouaire But Meroveus to whom the Kingdom belong'd as being his eldest Son understanding what was a brewing so contrary to hiâ— interest took Arms against his Father and retir'd to Rouâ—u whither Brunebaut Sigebert's Widow had been banisht by her Brothers in Law There he beheld that Princess and thought her so amiable tho' he were then above fourty Years of Age that he resolv'd to Marry her To that purpose he made the Proposal to her and with little trouble obtain'd her consent because she look't upon that Marriage as the means to obtain her liberty So soon as Chilperic receiv'd the news of this Marriage he march'd directly to Roueu with all the Forces that he could muster together nor did the City make any great resistance so that by the taking of it Chilperic became master of the new Marri'd couple Presently he declar'd the Marriage void as being solemniz'd without his consent and after he had shut up Brunebaut in the old Palace of Roueâ— he march'd to Soissons taking his Son along with him where he was no sooner arriv'd but he was besieg'd by the Champenois who took part with Childebert the Son of Sigebert Fredegond that she might deliver her self from the captivity of a Siege got out of the Town with Clovis the Youngest of Audouair's Children nor did she return till after the War was ended by the defeat of the Champenois At hee return the invasion of those People was the subiect of all the Town discourse and Fredegond cunningly infus'd it into Chilperic's read that they had never enter'd into his Dominions but at the sollicitation of Merovâ—â—â— who by their assistance thought to have seiz'd upon the Throne And tho' there were a Thousand reasons to have justify'd the conduct of that Prince Chilperic believ'd him guilty because Fredegond accus'd him and therefore after he had caus'd his Head to be shav'd shut him up in a Cloister But the cruel Queen was not satisfy'd with that punishment which was not deem'd severe enough for an imaginary crime and rightly judging that she could not secure the Crown to her Children so long as Audouair's Offspring remain'd alive she thought it behov'd her to send them out of the World Therefore to bring this to pass 't was requisite to engage Meroveus in some new exploit by which he might incurr his Fathers farther indignation For which purpose she sent Gontran Bosor who was wholly devoted to her interests to discourse him in the Monastery Presently the Young Prince know him because he had seen him at the head of Sigebert's Armies but he was ignorant of the secret engagements between him and his Mother in Law so that he easily fell into the snare which the traytor had laid for him who propos'd to him his leaving the Convent to head a party that he had ready to embody under his Banners and to that purpose gave him an opportunity to make his escape But no sooner was he arriv'd at the place appointed but he was assassinated by the very person into whose arms he had thrown himself for protection Which Chilperic look't upon as a great piece of service as being misinform'd and not understanding the depth of the affair There remain'd now no more then Clovis Anno 577. of all the Children of Audonaire and Fredegond was not without hopes of being rid of him too But Heaven that would not permit her to enjoy the fruit of so many crimes in less then six Months swept away all the three Children she had by Chilperic with the Pestilence So that the King not having any more Children then Clovis plac'd all his affections upon him and consequently render'd him more odious to Fredegond Nor did the Young Prince less mortally hate his Mother in Law and tho' it highly conccern'd him to conceal his sentiments which otherwise might prove his bane yet could he not forbear to entrust his secret thoughts with one of her Maids of Honour with whom he had an intreague So that as Lovers can keep nothing hid from their Mistresses he told her one day that if he ever came to the Crown he would not leave the Death of his Brothers unreveng'd and that he would extend the punishment of Fredegond to the utmost rigor of the Law This severe language being reported to Fredegond as she had great reason to fear the dire effects of it so she made it her business to prevent her Son in Law And to that purpose she accus'd Clovis to his Father for having destroy'd the three Children born of their Body 's in lawfull Wedlock by vertue of certain charms compos'd by one of her Maids of Honour and her Daughter the very same person in whom the Prince had put so dangerous a confidence Thereupon the King falling into the snare tho' so palpable and obvious to the sight caus'd the two unfortunate Lady 's to be arrested who being put to the Rack that they might free them-from from torment whatever was ask'd 'em they confest not only all but more then was sufficient for the conviction of Clovis So that the King after he had seen the verbal report of the depositions commanded Didier and Boson the Captains of his Guards and Fredegond's creatures to seize the person of his Son which was presently done with more then ordinary inhumanity
of their Families there having been always an extraordinary aversion between the Pinces of the Blood of Meroveus from whence Dagobert descended Ì„Ì„ and those of the Clodiâ—â— Branch from which the Queen deriv'd her original Dagobert who was a great lover of Musick going one day to the Abby of Romilly to heaâ— Vespers heard a voice that pleas'd him extreamly So that after Mass was done he went into the Convent and desir'd to see the person that had sung with so melodious a voice With that the Abbess sent for her and presenting her to the King told him her name was Nantild Nor was Dagobert less charm'd with her Beauty then he had been taken with her Voice and leading her aside told her 't was a great loss to the World that so amiable a Person should be mew'd up in a Cloister To which Nantild repl'yd That she had not assum'd the vail of a sequester'd Life but in obedience to her Parents who had constrain'd her to quit the World and that if his Majesty would grant her his Protection she would renounce her Vows The King was over-joy'd to find his Hopes so fairy flatter'd by the yielding disposition of the young Virgin for whom he began already to feel a violent Passion So that he was no sooner return'd to Paris but he sought which way to break the Knots that bound him to Gomatrude and finding his Prelates complaisant enough to approve his Design he caused his Marriage to be declar'd void and being by that means at liberty he sent for Nantild out of her Convent and publickly espous'd her But Heav'n was not pleas'd to prosper this Marriage for the new Queen had no Off-spring which insensibly cool'd the Affection of Dagobert toward her and infus'd into him a desire to go and hold his Grand Assizes in all the Principal Cities of his Realm according to the custom of the Kings of the First Race Now while he lay at Blois a young Lady came and presented a Petition to him demanding Justice against the Count who abusing his Authority had possess'd himself of certain Lands that belong'd to her Father She made her Addresses with such a comely Grace that the King was charm'd with her deportment and promis'd that Justice should be done her After she was gone he sent for the Count and being inform'd of the particulars of the whole Affair he commanded him to make Raguetrude satisfaction for that was the name of the fair Lady The next day she came with her Father to return her humble Thanks to the King who order'd 'em both to follow the Court during his Progress Dagobert also gave so many marks of his Affection to the Lady that she could not remain unsensible and at length upon his Return she was brought to Bed at Orleans of a Son who was Christen'd Sigebert by Aribert King of Aquitain who was Dagobert's Brother The Ceremony of Baptism was solemniz'd by St. Amant Bishop of Vtrecht 'T is reported that the Infant not then above Forty days old when the Bishop pronoun'd these words VIS BAPTIZARI answer'd VOLO which extreamly surpriz'd the whole Assembly Raguetrude for several years preserv'd the Heart and Inclinations of Dagobert remaining faithful to him But happ'ning again into the company of Nantild he could not withstand her Caresses and then he had a Son by her that was nam'd Clovis and who succeeded him in the Kingdom The Birth of that young Prince re-kindl'd his first Flames he begg'd Pardon of Nantild for his youthful going astray and sacrific'd Raguetrude to her Love Who seeing her self despis'd retir'd into a Convent Alpayde Mistress to King Pepin Mayor of the Palace under the Reign of Childebert II. TOward the end of the First Race the succeeding Kings gave themselves up in such a manner to their Pleasures that they left the care of the Government so entirely to their Majors that they never medl'd with Publick Business Pepin exercis'd that Dignity under the Reign of Childebert II. He was one of those Great Genius's that Heaven seem'd to have rais'd for no other reason then to Command others All the French had so great a Reverence for him that they lookt upon his Will and Commands as so many Oracles 'T is true that his Virtues render'd him extreamly worthy of that absolute Power to which he was advanc'd He was an enemy to Sloth and Effeminacy and during the first year of his Ministry he seem'd to be insensible of Love He had always liv'd in great Reputation with Plectrude his Wife thô she were somewhat stricken in years and of an imperious Humour But there are certain Minutes when the greatest Heroes suffer themselves to be surpriz'd by that dangerous Passion which equals 'em with other Men. A French Lord whose Name was Dodon had had a quarrel with one of his Neighbors and had kill'd him Upon which the kindred of the Person slain prosecuted him with great fervency and according to all outward appearances he dould not have avoided suffering the extremity of the Law unless he obtain'd the King's Pardon which his Sister Alpayde went to beg of Pepin This Lady was one of the most amiable Persons in the Kingdom and her Manners and Deportment were so engaging that 't was a difficult thing to refuse her whatever she demanded Pepin beheld her with Admiration and felt upon the sight of her something that he had never been sensible of before He upbraided in private his own weakness and was just going to send back Alpayde with the rudeness of one that scorn'd the Tiranny of Love Nevertheless he could not resolve to lose her for ever and therefore that he might have a pretence to see her again he told he would examin the Informations and that if the Fact were not very foul but deserv'd Pardon he would grant it her Brother After that he counterfeited scruples started obstacles and at last after he had been often waited on by Alpayde he declar'd to her that Dondon's Life depended upon her complyances with his Affection The Lady stood surpriz'd at his Discourse which was altogether unexpected she blush'd and look'd pale But at length Pepin accompanied his Courtship and his Proposal with such passionate Terms and such large Promises that Alpayde could no longer hold out She yielded to his importunities and surrendring to his Caresses became the Mother of Charles Marâ—â—ll who afterwards became so famous in History Plectrude having discover'd this Amorous Intreague made a most terrible Harburlie and became so outragiously troublesome to her Husband that her Extravagancies exasperated him to seek out ways to be rid of her 'T was a great vexation to a Person of his Rank and Reputation to see that such Domestick Squabbles should render him the object of the Publick Lampoonry Nevertheless he could not quit Alpayde and he believ'd it no less an unbecoming weakness to sacrifice her to his Wife because she made a noise He therefore made use of the liberty which the French were wont
Thietberge again and renew'd his illegall engagements with Vildrade and carry'd his violence so high that he made an attempt upon the Life of the disgusted Princess Thietberge finding her self no longer safe in her Husbands Dominions retir'd to Charles the Bald Anno 865. who took her into his protection and offer'd the King his Nephew a Champion to maintain the rights of the wrong'd Princess according to the custom of those times But the Pope would not suffer that no affair which had been already adjudg'd should be referr'd to the hazard of a combat and gave Charles to understand that he could proceed no farther without entrenching upon his Authority So that the King being unwilling to displease his Holiness contented himself with only exhorting Lothaire to take his Wife agen but could not obtain any thing from him The Princess therefore perceiving there was nothing more to be expected on that side Anno 866. return'd to her Brother Hubert who having no other way to maintain his Sisters interests but by Force and Arms rais'd an Army and fell into Lothaire's Dominions with Fire and Sword In revenge of which Lothaire muster'd a more numerous power together led 'em himself and crossing the Mountain Iura repayd Hubert in his own coyn but fortune did not favour him For he lost three Armies without being able to take so much as one Town Lothaire discourag'd by so many losses senâ— Conrard the Father of Bacul against the rebellious Prince who was more fortunate then the King his master For he perceiving the Passes ill guarded and surprizing Hubert utterly defeated his Men and slew him himself with his own hand Thietberge understanding the Death of her Brother retir'd to Rome where she took upon her the habit of a Nun and shut her self up in a Cloister leaving the King her Husband to enjoy his Amours in peace and quiet But Death soon after put an end to his Life and his disorders Richild Mistress to Charles the Bald Emperor and King of France Anno 869. CHARLES the Bald had Marry'd Ermentrude Grand-Daughter to Adelart who had been Treasurer of the Royal Exchequer in the Reign of Lewis the Debonaire his Father and who had greatly enrich'd himself at his Masters cost This Prince liv'd very lovingly with his Queen and shew'd himself as complaisant towards her as if there had been no inequality in their conditions But after Thietberge had quitted the World Richild her Neice betook her self to Queen Ermentrude who endeavour'd to comfort her in her misfortune And she recommended her so often to the King her Husband and spoke so highly of her that he was desirous to know whither the praises which his Queen bestow'd on her were true or no. He several times discours'd her and as oft he found in her Wit a Tour so free and yet so delicate that he could not chuse but Love her 'T was a long time however before he durst adventure to discover his passion because he perceiv'd her enrich'd with sentiments so vertuous that he was afraid of incurring her displeasure Nevertheless he could not long contain himself within the bounds of this reservedness His dignity and the reputation he had acquir'd by a Thousand glorious exploits put him in hopes that he should be heard with some kind of indulgence He spoke but met with resistance from Richild's Wit For she made use of all her address to cure him of his Love and told him with an extraordinary constancy that having been a witness of the disorders which Lothairs passion for Valdrade had occasion'd in his Family she would not give the same occasion of grief and vexation to Queen Ermentrude her benefactress and draw down the curse of Heaven upon a Prince whom she esteem'd Richild persever'd a long time in this resolution but at last for what Woman is able to resist a lovely Prince and very amorous she suffer'd her self to be overcome by one had been Victor over many Nevertheless she so well observ'd her measures and carry'd her self with that decorum in this intreague that the Queen had never any knowledge of it Which in Charles created so high an esteem of her virtue that after the Death of Ermentrude he marry'd her Ansegard Mistress to Lewis the Stammerer Emperor and King of France Anno 876. DURING the long Wars that Charles the Bald wag'd with Lewis the German and his Children Lewis the Stammerer liv'd with Richild his Mother in Law who was Regent of the Kingdom in the absence of the Emperor her Husband And in regard it was his interest to live in friendship with her as being Mistress of all the Kings favours he had a kindness for all persons for whom that Princess had a value He had observ'd that Ansegard of all her Maids of Honour had the greatest share in her affection which was the reason that he study'd to please her with an extraordinary assiduity But long converse and society had begot a more tender passion between 'em insomuch that Lewis the Stammerer had two Children by her Lewis and Carloman and she was brought to bed of both without any bodys perceiving that she was big with Child After the Emperor return'd from his Journey into Italy whither he went to receive the Crown Imperial from the Popes hands he bethought himself of marrying his Son and told him he had design'd him for a Wife Ricarda the Daughter of Alfred King of England You may easily conjecture the grief of those two lovers when they heard the news Lewis therefore had recourse to Richild and besought her to make use of all her credit to perswade his Father to consent that he might marry Ansegard But reason of State prevail'd above the Emperors complacency for his Wife and Lewis was constrain'd to conform to his Fathers will After the Death of Charles the Bald Richild who was in great credit and had a powerfull party at Court endeavour'd to set the Crown upon the Head of his Brother Boson upon whom she had already perswaded the Emperor her Husband to settle the Counties of Provence Milan and Paris under the title of the Kingdom of Arles But the French would not permit that prejudice to be done to the right and lawful Heir and therefore acknowledg'd Lewis for their King So that Richild finding her self frustrated in her expectations employ'd all her credit with Ansegard to make her peace with the King whose passion for that Lady was not at all abated for he had still a high respect for her tho' he liv'd very contentedly with Ricarda Richild also promis'd Ansegard to employ all her Friends in order to secure the succession of the Kingdom to her Children and to assure her that she would never part from her interests she propos'd to her a match between her Son Câ—â—leman and Ingoberge the Daughter of Boson Ansegard relishing the proposal the two Princesses resolv'd to make it to the Emperor at a banquet that Boson was to give him
they call'd together an Assembly of the Clergy wherein the Motives to the annulling the King's Marriage with the Princess of Denmark were strictly examin'd But tho' the Prelates assembl'd saw well that the sentence of Separation that had been pronounc'd was slight enough yet they durst not attempt to revoke it for fear of the King's Indignation However Pope Celestin being dead Innocent III. his successor at the solicitation of the Danish Ambassador sent into France the Cardinal Sta Sabina with order to make use of all the most effectual means to oblige the King to a reconciliation with Isemburg When the Legate arriv'd he assembl'd a Council at Lyon and cited the King together with all those that had pronounc'd the sentence of Separation to make their appearance but Philip instead of appearing sent a Herald to Protest the Nullitie of whatever should be done to his prejudice and to appeal as from an improper Judge to the Pope or the next General Council But for all that the Legate went on and by advice of the Prelats assembl'd Excommunicated the King and Interdicted the whole Kingdom Philip enrag'd at these violent Proceedings caus'd the sentence of the Assembly to be declar'd void by a Decree of his Parliament of Paris upon the motion of the Advocate-General and to punish the Bishops who had been so daring as to deal so unworthily by him he seiz'd upon their Temporalties In the mean time well understanding that Isemburg had been the occasion of all these troubles he sent her to the Castle of Estampes with a prohibition not to stir from thence upon pain of being declar'd Guilty of High Treason Mary of Moravia who was a Woman of great virtue and very nice in her sentiments was afraid that all Europe would look upon her as the cause of the Divorce in regard the King had so often given her in publick such transcendent marks of his affection She was desirous therefore to be gratefull and willingly would have resign'd her own Life to have appeas'd these troubles provided that the King her Husband's honour might not be wounded by the accommodation She besought him therefore several times that he would permit her to retire into a Convent But his passion for her was too violent to consent to such a separation and he was too haughty to give his Enemies an occasion to think that he submitted out of any sentiments of fear But as it impossible for Princes long to conceal the most secret emotions of their Souls the favourers of Isemburg had found out that the violent proceeding of the Legat had not a little contributed to exasperate Philip against any reconciliation with that unfortunate Princess Presently therefore they acquainted the Pope with the King's inclinations who yielding to their reasons sent into France two new Legats Octavian Bishop of Ostia and John Bishop of Velitri with Orders to make use of gentler means Those two Legats after they had assembl'd another Council at Soissons immediately took off the excommunication that had been thunder'd out against Philip. Mary likewise laid hold upon this opportunity to beseech His Majesty to take Isembergh again and she assail'd him with arguments so pathetically moving and so judicious that at length he consented Thereupon he sent for Isemburgh to his Palace but the more generous Mary had appear'd to him the more it griev'd him to have separated from her So that after he had remain'd about forty days with Isemburg he sent her to a Monastery The two Legats having notice of this so sudden and unexpected change summon'd a new assembly to meet at Soissons Mary therefore afraid of the fresh troubles into which the King was about to precipitate himself would return to him no more and press'd him so earnestly that she might have leave to retire that at last with his consent she betook her self to the Abby of Boissy But it was not without an extream violence upon her self that she took this resolution She lov'd Philip sincerely and it was meerly to procure him that repose of which he was going to deprive himself for her sake that she could prevail upon her self to loose him for ever And the combat she had in her mind before she could obtain this victory over her self reduc'd her to such a low condition of Health that at length she sunk under the weight of her affliction and dy'd within a Month after her retirement from Court Just before her death she wrote to Philip beseeching him to take Isemburg again and to live lovingly with her The King not able to refuse her this complacency at a time when she gave him such transcending marks of her Love took Horse and rode alone to the Convent where Isemburg lay He sent for her out of the Abby and taking her up behind him carry'd her back to his Palace where he liv'd with her after that in perfect Conjugal society nor did she die till many years after in the Reign of St. Lewis The Pope was also so glad of this reconciliation that to comfort Philip for the loss of Mary he legitimated the two Children he had by her The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Philip the Fair. PHILIP the Fair had Three Sons who reign'd successively after him Lewis whom he made King of Navarre in his life time and who marry'd Margaret the Daughter of Robert Duke of Burgundy Philip Count of Poitou who marry'd Joan the Daughter of Otheliu Count of Burgundy and Charles de la marche who marry'd Blanche the Daughter of the same Count. These three Princesses were endow'd with all the Graces both of Body and Mind and being of a gay Humor their Courts were always full They drew to 'em all the young Persons of Noble Rank and Quality and their usual divertisement was Hunting whither they went sometimes with the Princes their Husbands but generally alone with the Officers of their Houshold and such Ladies as were wont to be the companions of their Pastimes more especially Philip and Walter de Launoy of whom the one was Squire to the King of Navarre the other to the Count de la March never left 'em upon these occasions They might well be lookt upon for two of the most compleat and handsomest Lords in the Court and they were persons of that brisk and lively Wit that 't was impossible to be tir'd with their Conversation The two Princesses Margaret and Blanche so well lik'd their jolly Humours that without stopping at Esteem they proceeded even to Love The two Lords who had great experience in that Passion and had met with very few hard-hearted Ladies easily perceiv'd the progress they had made in the Hearts of those two Ladies and the Conquest was so illustrious that without reflecting upon the fatal consequences of Intreagues of that Nature they thought of nothing so much as to pursue and preserve it They dextrously wrought upon the Princes to declare their Minds and having drawn from their own Lips
found himself near a Lady who was ready to be stifl'd in the croud he took care of her and put her into the hands of one of his Gentlemen who threw Water in her Face and after he had fetch'd her again from the swoon into which she was fallen carry'd her home to his own house Some few days after the Duke calling the Lady to mind ask'd his Gentleman what was become of her and understood that she was the Wife of Raoulet d'Auteville who had been Treasurer of France upon the recommendation of Philip Duke of Burgundy With that he remember'd that he had been the occasion of displacing him from his employment for several misdeameanors and believ'd that the little service he had done his Wife would not countervail to extinguish that aversion which without question she had for him Nevertheless in these contrarieties it is that Love takes delight to shew his capricious humours as the Duke soon after found by experience For one day that he was at Mass in St. Pauls Church he there observ'd the fame Lady who as she pass'd by saluted him with an obliging smile The Duke was too much a Courtier to be ignorant what that meant and he was too great a Lover of adventures to fall of the opportunity of making the best of ' em Thereupon he sent a Page to delite Madam d'Auteville to meet him in the Evening in the Garden of the Palais des Touruelles where he should be glad to speak with her and the Lady accepting the Assignation fail'd not to meet him at the time appointed And then it was that in her melting Breast the Duke soon met with sentiments far opposite to those of that same hatred with which he thought her prepossess'd against him and engag'd her without much trouble to come to him to his Palace the next Morning Nor did she fail of being punctual to her hour and being introduc'd into the Princes Chamber by a back pair of stairs she gave him no cause to complain of her cruelty This visit was attended by several others by means of which the Duke of Orleans understood that she was very intimate with the Duchess of Burgundy and that she had understood by her discourses that 't was none of her fault if he were not belov'd by her The Duke open'd his Ears to this Proposal For besides that the Princess had charms sufficient to inflame his amorous desires she might prove advantageous to him in the rearing of his Fortune by drawing from her Lips the secrets of the Duke her Husband who was declar'd Regent of the Kingdom during the King's distemper and with whom he thought he had a right to dispute the Government of the Realm He therefore left Madam de Auteville to manage the intreague who carry'd it on with so much address that in a short time she accomplish'd his desires year 1406 This Intreague lasted several Years and was carry'd with that privacy that no body had the least inkling of it but at length it was discover'd through the imprudence of the Duke himself For he had hung up in his Cabinet the Portraitures of all his Mistresses and he was wont to say that all those whose pictures were there to be seen had never been cruel to him The Duke of Burgundy likewise had often heard him say the same thing tho' he never minded it at first But one day coming into that fatal Cabinet he there beheld his Wife's picture and then calling to mind the Dukes unlucky rallery it gave him no small disturbance Thereupon he resov'd to be satisfy'd in his suspitions and at last discover'd that the Duke had frequent meetings with his Wife by the means of Madam d' Autevil1e whom she had made her confident but then the jealousie of Love joyning Forces with the jealousie of hatred he thought it behov'd him to be reveng'd upon a Prince who was doubly his Rival To this purpose he discover'd his design to d' Auteville who having a share in the affront was easily induc'd to have a part in the revenge and promis'd to serve the Duke according to his intentions Next Morning therefore the prâ—fligate undertaker corrupted several Ruffians needing only the temptation of Money and among others William and Thomas Courtois and John de la Mothe who promis'd him upon their words to second his pernicious design to the utmost of their power He also gain'd one of the King 's Valet's de Chambre who was sent to tell the Duke of Orleans at that time gone to the Palais de Tournelles to visit the Queen it being St. Cecilia's day in the Evening that the King desir'd to speake with him at the Hostel de St. Paul Immediately the Duke got a Horseback attended only by some of his Lacqueys without any weapons and one that carry'd a Flambeau before him But when he came to the gate Barbette before the house of Marshal d' Eurex out comes d' Auteville from a Tavern where he waited the Dukes coming with about fifteen or twenty of his accomplices and flew upon him with his drawn sword and having cut off his Bridle hand threw him off his Horse and deliver'd him to the rest of his Confederates who stab'd him in several places When they had done they set fire to a house adjoyning on purpose to amuse the People and made their escapes through by Lanes and Alleys The Duke was carry'd into the Marshal de Fires house where he expir'd and thence to the Benedictin's Convent The Parliament took cognisance of this Murder and order'd a Councellor to take the Informations He presently issu'd forth a Warrant against the squire of the Duke of Burgundy's Kitchin who was charg'd by the witnesses and in regard he never stir'd out of the Hostel d' Artois where the Duke lodg'd and whence they could not fetch him out by force without his Masters permission the Councellor who had took the Information went to demand him of the Duke at the Hostel de Nesle where the Duke of Berry lay and where the Council was kept Louis de Anjon King of Sierly being then present when the Councellor made his compliment to the Duke of Burgundy took notice that he turn'd pale and that a sudden disturbance seiz'd upon his mind Upon which he drew him aside and having made him confess that the Duke of Orleans had been assasinated by his order he advis'd him to retire The Duke took his advice and departing the Hostel de Nesle without any noise went home took horse and never stop'd till he came to Dâ—jon However he could not escape the punishment that Heaven had prepar'd for him The Dauphin resolv'd to revenge the Death of the Duke of Orleans year 1419 and contended for the regency during his Fathers sickness On the otherside the Duke of Burgundy enter'd into a League with the King of England and France was in a strange combustion Persons of high quality interpos'd to accommodate the difference and the Duke was
should give credit to none of his Letters if she did not find the Jewel which he kept himself inclosed within in it The Countess never made many reflexions upon her Husbands endocuments for that having always liv'd above a hundred Leagues from Court she was neither acquainted with the divertisements nor the dangers of it So that she only lock'd up the Jewel and made a promise of Obedience to her Husband The Count was most graciously receiv'd by the King yet gently chiding him now and then for not having brought his Wife along with him but having a great deal of Wit he excus'd himself as long as he could without making any promise Afterwards he made as if he were willing to leave it to the Countess to do as she pleas'd her self and wrote to her in the very Language that the Court prescrib'd him but because she saw no Jewel she still answer'd with some evasion or other This collusion had continu'd much longer had not the Count betraid his own Secret But he was govern'd altogether by one of his Valets de chambre from whom he kept nothing conceal'd now that Servant seeing him set such a value upon a Jewel that did not seem to be very rich demanded the reason of it because said the Count very imprudently it contains the Secret which way to make my Wife come to Court The Valet de chambre did not presently apprehend the meaning of his Masters words but after he had ponder'd 'em for some time in his Mind he gave a shrewd conjecture at a good part of the Truth and as he had been tempted several times to serve the Court to his Master's prejudice he went to find out those that had sounded him and told 'em he could put into their hands the only infallible means to send for his Mistriss and to bring her up to Court provided he might be secur'd of a Livelyhood if the Count should turn him out of his Service The bargain was made and the Jewel was stollen and deliver'd to an expert Artist who made another so like it that the Valet himself could not discern the one from the other Thereupon the Counterfeit was intermix'd among the rest of the King's Jewels and the true one was kept to fetch the Countess from her solitary Recess This done they told the Count that they could never believe that he wrote sincerely to his Lady to come to Court and upon his offer to make use of the most moving and tender expressions and to deliver his Letter to any Messenger they should make choice of he was taken at his word and the Jewel was seal'd up in the Letter The Countess deluded by this Artifice departed from Chateau-Brian and made so much haste that her Husband saw her before he knew that she was sent for But he was not so much surpriz'd however at her arrival as at the two Jewels which she shew'd him and then he founnd that he was betraid but he never call'd to mind that he himself had been the occasion of it He accus'd Heaven for the fault which himself had committed and immediately departed in order to his return into Bretain for fear of being the witness of his own shame The Countess thus abandon'd by him whom it most concern'd to preserve her Honour did no more then what mâ—ght well be expected from a Virtue that never was put to the Tryal She resisted for some time but at length surrender'd to the King's importunities She had at first a very great Ascendant over the King and she might have advanc'd her Husband to the chiefest Imployments in the Kingdom had he been of a humour to prefer Ambition before Honour but he still refus'd what he suspected was was only offer'd him for his Wives sake nor would he ever hear talk of her under any pretence whatever When the Countess saw that her Husband withstood with so much obstinacy whatever she did to advance his Fortune she bethought her self of setting up her two Brothers They were both as stout as she was Fair and she caus'd the Government of Milanois to be given to Lautrec who was the eldest after the Constable of Bourbon was dismiss'd from his imployment And it was given out that all was done to do justice to his Deserts and to recompense him for Two and twenty wounds that he had receiv'd at the Battle of Ravanna fighting to save the Life of Gaston de Foix his Cousin German Nevertheless 't is certain that if the Countess of Chateau-Brian had not been his Sister he had never obtain'd that imployment because the King knew him to be a Man fix'd to his own Opinion and one that would never submit to the Counsels of those who had more experience then himself His negligence was the reason that Pope Leo X. lost the Dutchie of Vrbin which made him repent of the Alliance he had made with France and of which he made heavy complaints to the King Trivultio also who was one of the greatest Captains of his Age because that seeing Lautrec's faults he took the liberty to school him was turn'd out of Favour The Countess of Chateau-Brian caus'd him to be recall'd at the sollicitation of her Brother and he came to Court to justifie himself against several Crimes that were laid to his Chatge but he was so ill receiv'd by the King that it broke his Heart and he dy'd with Grief Thus you see how this Prince prepossess'd by his Mistresses entrusted the Command of his Armies with persons unable to manage such great imployments and slighted those that were able to do him profitable Services Lautrec therefore having done nothing considerable in Italy return'd to Court to marry the Heiress of Orval Teligny whom he had left at Milan to Command there in his room by his good Conduct repair'd the disorders which his imprudence had caus'd and the People appear'd so well satisfi'd that there was good reason to hope that all things would have gone well But the King's Complacency for the Countess spoyl'd all again She perswaded Lesent her youngest Brother made Bishop of Aire to quit his Cassock and obtain'd the same employment for him while Lautrec minded his own Domestick affairs in Guyenne Lesent had all the virtues and all the vices which are commonly attributed to the Beruois his Countrymen His courage was undaunted and he never appear'd with more a chearfull courage then when he was to look the greatest dangers in the Face but in exchange he was highly presumptive prodigal to excess and these were two defects the most contrary that could be to the Genius of the Italians whom he was to govern The first render'd him contemptible to the Nobility and the second made him for slight offences confiscate the Estates of several wealthy Families without any other motive then to maintain his Pomp and Luxury so that he prov'd as unfortunate in the administration of the Government as his Brother When the news came to Court that the Pope had
to pay him at Milan To which Lautrec reply'd that he had not receiv'd a doite either of the one or the t'other Sum which put the King into a passion no less just then it was violent Semblançay was sent for while the King in the mean while seeking to pick a quarrel with Lautrec told him after an insulting manner that Colonna and Pescara were no better assisted with Men and Money then he yet they had found a way to drive him before 'em and therefore why could not he find a way to defend himself without Money which was the easier thing of the two Lautrec answer'd very modestly that to make the comparison true t was requisite that the Milaneses should have no more kindness for one party then another Which might so fall out under the Reign of Lewis XII when the French being exactly paid liv'd civily and peaceably among ' em But the Army being grown licentious for want of pay the Italians had conceiv'd such a hatred of 'em that was only to be satisfi'd by opening their Bellies and tearing out their Hearts as had happen'd in Navarr and other places Immediately upon these words Semblançay came into the Council Room but the King instead of calling him Father as he was wont to do look'd askew upon him and ask'd him why he had not paid Lautrec the 300000 Crowns which he had so solemnly promis'd Semblançay who knew not the danger he was in answer'd with that Ingenuity which was natural to him that the same Day the Assignations for Milanois were drawn up His Majesties Mother came to the Treasury and demanded to be paid for all that was due to her till that very time as well for Pensions and Gratifications as for the Dutchy of Valois Tourcine and Anjou of which she was the Donee that he represented to her that by the paying away so great a Sum all at a time the Royal Treasury would be exhausted and the Funds appointed for the Dutchy of Milan be deliver'd another way contrary to what the King had order'd that Morning in her hearing and to which she had consented yet the Princess continu'd obstinate in her pretensions and threatned to ruin him if he did not let her have what she demanded and whereas he declar'd to her that it was as much as his head was worth if Lautrec did not find the Money ready upon his arrival at Milan she reply'd that she had credit enough with the King to secure him from any prosecution and that if he should be call'd to an accompt for the payment of the Money another way that was design'd for Italy he should say that 't was done by her Order Thereupon the King to clear the dispute sent for his Mother and Semblançay repeated in her hearing what he had said which put her into such a rage that the respect which she ow'd to her Son could not restrain her from giving the Treasurer the lye and demanding justice of the King against a hair brain'd Fellow that went about to make her guilty of High Treason But in regard they had the Acquittances which she left in the Treasury to justify her receite of the Money design'd for Lautrec she confess'd that she demanded the payment of her Pensions but she stood it out that Semblançay when he gave her the Money never told her that it was order'd for Milan She deni'd all the rest that Semblançay had said and demanded his Imprisonment with so much heat that the King was forc'd to cause him to be arrested in the Antichamber The business being thus clear'd up it appear'd that Lautrec was Innocent and all the blame fell upon Semblançay upon which the Chancellor du Prat a Creature of the Countesses the President Gentil and certain Counsellor who were the Chancellors Friends being appointed to try the Treasurer condemn'd him to Death and he was publickly Executed But the King never recover'd the places which he lost in Italy the Marshal de Foix also who was left in Crâ—mona to defend that City surrenderd it up to Colonna upon very easy term These were the fatal effects which the jealousy of the King's mother lest she should be supplanted by the King's Mistress produc'd But she did a far more considerable prejudice to France by her transports against the Constable of Bourbon for she constrain'd him to depart the Kingdom and treat with the Enemies of the State she compleated the ruin of the King's affairs in Italy and was the principal cause of the King 's being taken Prisoner The story was thus Charles of Bourbon Constable of France was the second of Three Sons of Gilbert Montpensier and Clarice Gonzaga that is to say he descended from the only branch of Bourbon that was unfortunate His Father had lost his Life and reputation in the Kingdom of Naples where Charles the VIII had left him Viceroy His eldest Brother expir'd for grief upon his Fathers Tomb and the youngest was slain at the Battle of Marignon As for himself he appear'd at Court toward the end of the Reign of Lewis XII when Claudia of France was marry'd The turnament matches and the divertisements at that time gave him an opportunity to signalize his Strengh and Activity but it was his misfortune in despite of himself to be the object of the Countess of Angoulêmeâ— affection who could not be insensible of the rare endowments that render'd him so worthy to be belov'd He was extreamly Beautiful Discreet Liberal and Valiant nor did his frank humour which came near that of the ancient Gauls hinder him from being successful in all manner of Intreagues For thô he seem'd to be very open yet he govern'd himself so well in all Negotiations and manag'd what he had to say with so much art that he tyr'd the patience of the most refin'd Politicians The sweetness of his manners had acquir'd him the Friendship of the French and the exact discipline which he kept among his Souldiers produc'd him the esteem of his own Enemies It seem'd as if fortune had been unavoidably bound to follow him because that eversince he bore Arms the French had been always victorious wherever he was and were vanquisht whereever he was not He was beholding only to his own deserts for the dignity of Constable and it may be said that he wanted nothing to accomplish him for the Hero of his Age but a little more complacency for the person that lov'd him or a little less resentment of the injury she did him when she saw her self slighted That haughty Princess made no opposition either to the growth or progress of her passion whither she were weary of living a Widow or that she was unwilling in changing her condition to be forc'd to leave France where she was assur'd of being in great credit when her Son the presumptive Heir to the Crown should come to Reigne But this Love was not reciprocal whither it were that the Count of Montpensier for so was the Constable call'd at first
could not find in his Heart to marry a Woman that had a Son almost as old as himself or whether it were that he felt at the bottom of his Heart a secret antipathy against her or lastly that he fear'd to create a jealousie in him whose Father in law he was to be Slander invented a fourth reason which could not be true because that Montpensier had not as yet that ill opinion of the Countesses vitue as he afterwards gave out when she had depriv'd him of the principal function of his employment However because he had not a Revenue sufficient to support the lustre of his Birth and for that he was not of a humour to neglect any thing that he could lawfully come by thô his probity and his continency were exemplary in the age wherein he liv'd he corresponded with the Countess's affection in such a manner that she should not despair of rendring him sensible of her kindness thô she well perceiv'd him so far from being mov'd that still his Heart enjoy'd it's primitive liberty nor to be enslav'd by all her Charms With this design she procur'd him the Command of the Army in Guyenne where he prov'd fortunate and that of the Army in Italy which he refus'd out of a secret misdoubt of the little satisfaction he should purchase by it The misfortune which always accompani'd the person who had that employment in his room manifested his judgment and augmented his reputation The Countess of Angouleme who saw that all Men applauded the care which he took of his Fortune would have advanc'd him at the same time to the chief dignity of the Sword had he not been constrain'd out of an unavoidable necessity to espouse those interests which were opposite to those of his Benefactrice When the Count of Angoulême had marry'd Madam Claudia the Countess his Mother began to take her place in the Council and quarrel'd with the Dutchess of Beaujen who till then had the chief management of affairs and had acquitted her self with extraordinary reputation She had â—â—olâ—d judgment accompani'd with a profound penetration and it may be said that she deserv'd all the encomiums that were bestow'd upon her but her noble qualities were subject to two defects She liv'd wrapt up with a continual admiration of her own person and universally scorn'd all other Ladies whatever their rank or merits were Nor was she thus haughty without good grounds for if there were any who equal'd her in Beauty there were none that came near her for strength and delicacy of Wit These happy talents had obtain'd her the regency during the minority of Charles VIII to the Exclusion of the Prince of the blood who was afterwards Lewis XII Thô she had marry'd no other then a Younger Brother of the House of Bourbon the King her Father not deeming it convenient for reasons of State to bestow her better she had reduc'd the factious to their duty she had supported the Royal Authority preserv'd the Kingdom in peace at home and reunited Bretaign to the Crown The King her Brother therefore being arriv'd at Years of Majority and mov'd with the services she had doâ—e nâ—m coâ—ti nu'd her in the prin cipal management of affairs and Lewis XII for the same reason thought it not convenient for him to remove her She was also in Council when the Countess of Angoulême was admitted Lewis XII perceiving these two Princesses embroil'd and not being able to reconcile 'em chose rather to declare for the Mother of his Sod in law then for his Sister in Law Which partial giving the precedency to the Countess of Angoulême enrag'd the Dutchess of Beaujeu beyond Imagination and made her greedily embrace the opportunity of revenge which offer'd it self soon after Her Husband di'd after he had reap'd the succession of Buurbon and left her but one Daughter nam'd Susanna who was afterwards the Original of the greatest suit that ever France beheld for several Ages The Count of Montpensier who was become the eldest of the House of Bourbon pretended to the whole Estate by virtue of a kind of Salic Law as the Civilians term it or rather by virtue of an ancient entail renew'd from time to time in both the Houses of Bourbon which invested in the succession to their Inheritances the most remote Males to the prejudice of the nearest Females The Princess Susanna on the otherside grounded her right upon Common Law and upon the Law of the Kingdom which never excluded the Daughters of the most Illustrious Houses any more then the Daughters of the meanest Families from the Inheritances of their Fathers when they had no Brothers Now the only way to avoid the Suit was to marry both Parties together and the Dutchess of Beaujeu who had discover'd the Countess of Angouléme's intention thought there was no better expedient to cross the Match then by insinuating into Monpensier by trusty Persons that it belong'd to him as his Right to marry the Princess of Bourbon The Artifice of this Proposal consisted in this That the Duchess of Beaujâ—u was certain of securing by that meanes Monpensâ—er to her self and bringing him off from her enemy seeing that he who had so long withstood the charms of the Countess of Angouléme when he was unmarry'd would the more easily resist 'em after he had marry'd the Princess of B urbon Monpensier never hesitated upon a Proposal that was doubly to his advantage He knew well that thô the Estate of the House of Bourbon were adjudg'd to him by Decree yet he should be liable to perpetual trouble not only because the Dutchess of Beaujeu's Portion Jointure and Right of Eldership were very considerable Lewis XI not having left any thing omitted in his Daughters Contract to make the Articles as advantageous as could be but because the Princess had expended all the Profits of her Regency in paying the Debts of the House of Bourbon which amounted to vast Sums and which she was to be reimburs'd before she could be put out of possession Monpensier convinc'd by these Reasons su'd to the King for leave to court Mademoiselle de Bourbâ—n and to be so favourable as to demand her for him The King also thought this Match so necessary that he caus'd it to be concluded in three days His Majesty the Princes the Officers of the Crown and fifteen Bishops Sign'd the Contract But the Learned Lawyers who had drawn it up forgot one Formality of which the Chancellor du Prat made his advantage afterwards convincing 'em of ignorance in things which they had been studying all their life time The Dutchess of Beaujeu had given 'em leave to insert the most favourable clauses that could be for Monpensier and they thought they had secur'd his Interests and stretch'd 'em as far as humane Prudence could have done by making the marry'd Couple to exchange a mutual Deed of Gift to each other of all their Lands Rights and Pretensions of what nature soever Nevertheless they never minded
that the Bride wanted two or three Months of being of Age to engage her Estates and that for a supply of that defect as to what regarded the Civil executions they were as it behov'd 'em to obtain a Sentence This neglect was afterwards laid to their charge but they excus'd themselves by saying that they foresaw the difficulty but that they did not mind it because that in Marriages contracted in France the King's Presence was a Salvo for the defects of all Conditions as the Bishops Presence made good all Ecclesiastical Contracts The Countess of Angoulênâ—e was so much the more incens'd at these precipitated Nuptials because she had so much the less time to cross 'em and she made extraordinary efforts upon her self to curh her Passion But when she thought she had reason sufficient to exchange her Love for Hatred she made choice of the Duke of Alençon the First Prince of the Blood to be the instrument of her Revenge believing him fit enough to second her designs because he was particularly concern'd in the Affair Mademoiselle de Bourbon having been promis'd him before Monpensier sought her in Marriage So that in point of Honour with which the Court of France was at that time highly prepossess'd he was to look upon Mompensier as one that had injur'd him in the most sensible part by marrying his affianc'd Lady before he had ask'd whether he persisted in his design to espouse her Thô these Reasons upon which the Countess built her hopes had a foundation solid enough yet they produc'd not that effect which she expected For besides that the Duke of Alençon was not a person to engage in a Quarrel with Mompensier he was overjoy'd at the Match which others thought it behov'd him to be offended at In a word after he had been designed to Mademoiselle de Bourbon while she was yet in her Cradle he had been in love with Mademoiselle de Angouleme the Countess's Daughter thó he durst not discover his Passion for fear of provoking the Princes of Bourbon who were extreamly nice in the punctilio's of Honour and all were very stout But the obstacle being remov'd he thought of seeking Mademoiselle d' Angouleme in marriage when her Mother came and offer'd her to him He accepted the proffer with joy and promis'd whatever she would have him to undertake to the prejudice of Monpensier foreseeing that otherwise the Countess would never have made use of all the Authority which Nature and Law had given her over her Daughter to perswade her to a Match against which she had always testify'd a reluctancy But after the Nuptials were over the Duke of Alençon did not think it so proper to adventure his Person to content his Mother-in-law and by good luck which he ne'er expected he was never sollicited to accomplsh his promise For the Countess who had not well sounded her Thoughts when she exacted that condition was not long before she perceiv'd that she had still a kindness for Mompensier and that she was deceiv'd in taking the rancour under which it lay conceal'd for the quenching of her Passion Her inclination was not exempt from the destiny common to violent things that redouble their efforts proportionably to the resistance which they meet with seeing that she lov'd Mompensier so much the more vehemently by how much the less she saw her self in a condition to be belov'd So that she observ'd no bounds in reference to the Favours which lay in her power to procure him and the first thing that she demanded for him of her Son so soon as he came to the Crown was the Constables Sword The new King altogether young and without experience made some scruple at it and excus'd himself by reason of the danger of committing all the Forces of the Kingdom into the hands of a Prince who would soon be able to overturn it if his Ambition were answerable to his Birth and Deserts But the importunities of the Countess and the ascendant she had over her Son prevail'd above his Reason And that which was most extravagant in this conjuncture was that the King suffer'd himself to be over-rul'd when his Mother told him that if he intended to merit not only the esteem but the admiration of his new Subjects it was of great importance to him to let 'em see that he had neither the Pusillanimity nor the want of Courage of his four Predecessors that durst not trust the Sword in the hands of the Princes of the Blood for fear they should afterwards stand in awe of ' em Monpensier was no sooner Constable but he repented his being rais'd to that Dignity His Wife was brought to bed of a Daughter and the King did him the Honour to go to Chantilly and be Godfather to his Child He was receiv'd by five hundred Gentlemen holding by Fealty of the House of Bourbon clad in blew Velvet with Gold Chains about their Necks consisting of there rows and rarely well hors'd But this superfluity was far exceeded by the Luxury of Feasting Tournaments Balls and Masquerades insomuch that the King return'd home stimulated with jealousie as if the Constable had pretended to dispute the point of Magnificence with him This his Majesties displeasure broke forth in his march to Valenciennes where the Duke of Alençon most earnestly desir'd his Mother-in-law to procure the Command of the Vanguard for him threat'ning to leave the Army if he did not obtain it for that being the First Prince of the Blood he could no longer obey a second without prejudice to his Quality and redring himself contemptible to the French of whom he might be one day Master before the Constable His reason was easily answer'd but he was otherwise so unfortunate that he might well deserve to have his real discontents appeas'd by a shadow of Honour that was not to last above four or five hours His Wife who was the most witty Woman of her Age could not find in her heart to love him as well for his ill Qualities both of Body and Mind as for that she was constrain'd to marry him after she had been so ambitious as to pretend to the Prince of Spain This same disagreement between Man and Wife with which the Countess of Angoulême was well acquainted moy'd her so much the more because she had been the occasion of it Therefore to make amends for the mischief she had done as much as lay within her Power she begg'd of the King to let his Brother-in-law lead the Vanguard which pretension of the Countess was grounded upon two Reasons One because the Constable would not be much concern'd at it the King not being resolv'd to give battel and the Other for that the Duke of Alençon would have no more then the name of Chieftain all Orders being to be given out by the Marshal de Chatillon who serv'd under him with the Title of Lieutenant-General But she was deceiv'd in the first of her conjectures For the Constable was as much concern'd that
the Count not having any longer before his Eyes the only beloved object that Dayly begg'd the t'others Pardon thought of nothing more but his Revenge To which purpose he enter'd his Wives Chamber with Six Men in disguise and two Chirurgeons who open'd the Veins in her Feet and Legs and so left her to Bleed to Death The King upon his return was all for making examples of the guilty but a new Amour soon blotted out the remembrance of the first Nor was the Count forgetful of his own safety in the excesses to which his jealousy had transported him for he prevented the prosecutions of justice by a voluntary exile and liv'd in Forreign Countries so long as the House of Foix was in a condition to prosecute him At length he address'd himself to the Constable Montmorency who was become a greater Favourite then before by the Death of Bonnivet and Monchenu who shar'd with him in the King 's good will The Count offer'd him a deed of gift of his Royalty provided he could get him out of his Troubles and Montmorency chose rather to purchase Chasteau-Brian by that means then by a Confiscation which would have engag'd him in perpetual quarrels which the House of Laval from whence the Count was decended Some Critiques have pretended that M. de Varillas from whom I drew these Memoirs was ill inform'd and that the Countess of Chasteau-Brian was reconcil'd to her Husband and that she did not Die till ten Years after the King's return But these objections are so well answer'd that I am convinc'd of the Countess's tragical end so that I made no scruple to follow that famous Historian word for word No sooner was Francis I. deliver'd out of the hands of the Spaniards bat he re-enter'd into a new imprisonment which thô more easie and pleasant yet was do less dangerous The Countess of Angoulême going to meet him as far as Mont de Marsan carry'd along with her the young Ann de Pisseleu who was call'd Mademoiselle de Hellé who was entertain'd as a Maid of Honour into the Houshold of that Princess The King found her so amiable that he was not able to defend his liberty against her Charms He marry'd her in a short time to the Duke d' Estampes who conniv'd at her conduct neither willing to approve it for fear of injuring his Reputation nor to condemn her lest he should bring himself into trouble The Dutchess finding her self at liberty to make the best of her good fortune to please the King ne'er minded any longer the avoiding any occasion that might advance her prosperity She had got so much experience at Court as to know that the most dangerous Rock that the King's Mistresses could hazard their Fortune against was to quarrel with the Favourites or Ministers who having often the Prince's Ear may take the advantage of certain moments of disgust and petty fallings out between Lovers to exasperate 'em and perswade 'em to an absolute Rupture This consideration made her resolve to unite Interests with the Constable Montmorency the Admiral Chabot and the Chancellor du Prat who by the Authority of their Imployments and by the King's Indulgence had got possession of the prime Ministry Those three Officers very obligingly corresponded with the first movements which the Duchess made toward the Quadruple League well knowing that notwithstanding the Greatness of their Credit yet it might be shaken if the King's Mistress understood how to make the best of those Favourable Minutes when a Lover can deny nothing to the person upon whom he doats This correspondence between these four Persons prov'd successful during the remainder of time that the Chancellor liv'd because that cunning Minister by his experience and diligence provided so well for all the exigencies of the State that the Favourites had no other care upon 'em but to divertise their Master But after his death the Council wanting a Director the Constable and the Admiral who took no heed to instruct themselves appear'd such Novices in the Government that the King was constrain'd to call up the President Poyet He was one of the most able Magistrates in the Kingdom and his Capacity was equally the same to manage as well great as small Affairs only his Genius led him rather to put things into confusion then bring 'em to a final end So soon as he had taken his place in the Council he propos'd the removal of the two Favourites that only serv'd to fill up the number because the haughtiness of the first was become insupportable to him and he fear'd the resentment of the second by reason of a Suit of great consequence wherein he had caus'd him to be overthrown Fortune seem'd to favour his Designs for the King disgusted at the ill success of his Enterprizes had it put into his Head that he might justify his ill Conduct to posterity if he laid the blame of it upon his Favourites and that their downfal would render 'em guilty of all the false steps which he had trode in the publick management of Affairs The Admiral was the first that was to feel the effects of his ill humour thô he were in friendship vvith the Dutchess of Estampes They who did not dive into the King's more secret Thoughts ascrib'd the Fall of Chabot to his imprudence which had hinder'd his Majesty from utterly despoiling the Duke of Savoy of his Territories The King intrusted Poyet whom he had invested in the Office of Chancellor with his Indignation against the Admiral and consulted with him the best way to proceed against him in due form of Law The Chancellor was overjoy'd to find the King so well dispos'd to favour his designs and made him those Proposals that gave him great satisfaction Nevertheless because he stood in awe of the Dutchess d' Estampes's Anger whose Power he well knew he sought the Protection of Diana of Poictiers Wife to the Seneschal of Normandy and the Dauphin's Mistress That Lady was the Daughter of John of Poictiers Lord of St. Valliere who had preferr'd her very young to the Countess of Angouléme after which she was advanc'd to the service of Queen Claudia as one of her Maids of Honour Neither was St. Valliere deceiv'd in his design of getting some Protection at Court through the power of his Daughter's Charms for it may be said that she sav'd his Life by the secret Engines that she set at work St. Vallier had had a hand in the revolt of the Constable of Bourbon and the misfortune to be apprehended For which he had been Arraign'd and was condemn'd to lose his Head Diana was so astonish'd when she heard the news that she thought her self oblig'd to do her utmost to save her Father from such a threatning danger Thereupon she went and threw her self at the King's Feet all in Tears and begg'd pardon for him to whom she was beholding for her Life And she appear'd to the King in that deplorable condition so amiable and so
charming that she obtain'd whatever she desir'd and infus'd Love into his Heart under the mask of Pity She preserv'd her Conquest till the King 's fatal march into Italy and he endeavour'd to conceal his Infidelity from the Countess of Chateau-Brian for whom he had always a great respect We have already said that at his return he was so enamour'd of Mademoiselle d' Helle that she wholly possess'd his Heart and render'd him insensible to all the other Ladies of the Court Diana who had been marry'd a long time before to Lewis de Brezé Seneschal of Normandy endeavour'd to comfort her self for that same change of the King's Affection with the marks of kindness which the Dauphin shew'd her whose Inclinations she understood so well how to manage that he continu'd faithful to her till death But thô she had reason enough to be satisfy'd with this victory yet she could never pardon Madam d' Estampes for stealing the King's Heart from her and conceiv'd such a mortal hatred against her that she never fail'd of giving the proofs of it upon all occasions that presented themselves Poyet who was acquainted with all these things believ'd that he could not make choice of a better support and in regard she was no less glad to have the Head of the Law on her side the League was soon made The Chancellor after he had taken these Precautions gave the King such positive assurances of ruining the Admiral in due form of Law that he caus'd him to be arrested and sent him to Bois de Vincenues and Poyet immiediately drew up the Interrogatories upon which he was to be examin'd Nor was there any need of any great subtilty in the matter for that the Admiral answer'd after such a manner as did himself the greatest injury And in regard he made his defence more like a brave Soldier then a cunning Lawyer he confess'd the very things that condemn'd him believing 'em to be service able to his justification Nor did he speak exactly the language of the Seamen which was only understood by the Mariners at that time nor was he sufficiently inform'd of the difference between the Priviledges belonging to the Admiral and those which the Laws reserv'd to the King The Chancellor therefore that he might make the best of these three defects perswaded the King to chuse Commissioners out of all the Parlaments of the Kingdom to decide the Process and to take the particular cognizance of it from the Parlament of Paris the natural judge of Affairs of the Crown as the Admiral 's business was They who were made choice of were so devoted to the Chancellor that there was no question to be made but they would regulate their Suffrages according to the Chancellor's Instructions and had he been contented with that precaution the Admiral would have been condemn'd and no body should have known who had been the most active Agent in his ruin But nothing would serve the Chancellor but to put himself at the head of the Commissioners of which the Admiral had no sooner knowledge but excepted against him It is hardly to be believ'd that Poyet should be ignorant that his Dignity exempted him as well from the Exception as from the Reproaches that attended it Nevertheless if we consider his Conduct at that time it lookt as if he understood not the Priviledge that belong'd to his Office To ward off this blow which broke all his measures he had recourse to an Artifice the malignity of which had never been practis'd in a Court where there was some decorum still observ'd in matter of Probitie He was assur'd that the imprisonment of the Admiral had allarm'd the Dutchess and the Constable who could not chuse but be apprehensive of the same usage in a little time and that the consideration of their own rather then of the danger of their Friend would incite 'em to leave nothing omitted which they deem'd requisite to save his Life Therefore he order'd his Agents neatly to insinuate it into their Heads that it was no less his interest then theirs to preserve the Admiral and that the change which had happen'd in the Council threaten'd with the same disgrace all those who had the Honour to be admitted into it Nevertheless that the mischief was not so great as it might be imagin'd to be since the Chancellour was not excluded from the number of the Commissioners that be had taken all the precautions which the Law had taught him to prevent the Judgment from extending it self either to natural or civil Death but that he had understood with equal sentiments of Vexation and pity that the Admiral had not a worse Enemy then his own self that of necessity it must be concluded that either the fear of Death had depriv'd him of his judgment or that the Councel assign'd him of were false to him since he talk'd of refusing the Head of the Law and the only Friend that he had remaining among the Judges that his pretence for excepting against him grounded upon the loss of his Suit was ridiculous in regard that besides that the business in controversy was but a trifle 't was so long while ago and there had been such a change in the face of affairs since that that the Admiral had no more reason to bear it in remembrance then two grave Old Gentlemen might have to mistrust one of another because that in their Infancy they had quarrel'd about a Pin. This comparison as mean as it was made 'em so clearly apprehensive of the difference between Poyet a Counsellor in Parliament only and the same Poyet a Chancellor and Minister of State that the Dutchess and the Constable suffer'd themselves to be surpriz'd They were dazled with the false hopes which the Chancellor gave 'em and communicated their mistake to the Admiral while they thought to un-hood wink his Eyes So that they oblig'd him to desist from his exception and the Chancellor by that means being become Master of the process by the consent of the parties promis'd to himself that he should be able to manage it as the King pleas'd A Man would have thought there was nothing now that could have prevented the ruin of Chabot after his Friends had so stupidly fallen into the snare that was laid for 'em when the King unwilling to take away the life of a favourite for a crime which he did not believe him guilty of signifi'd to the Chancellor that he would be content with a decree that might only punish the Admiral with the loss of all that he had acquir'd The sentence then was pronounc'd with all the formality that could be and the King after he had made use of Poyets Ministry to shew a great example of severity was no less desirous immediately after of his own free will and without communicating his thoughts to any body to make manifest as great an example of his clemency doubtless that he might improve the value of his Mercy and cause the Dutchess
to set a higher price upon the favour which he was resolv'd to do at her request For he did not only restore the Admiral to his employment and his Government of Poitou but he order'd the Process to be review'd and a Declaration to be made by way of Interpretation of the Edict that that same Officer of the Crown had neither been convicted of Treason nor Treachery After the Restoration of the Admiral the Triumvirate recover'd it's former Authority and it was thought that nothing could have broken the Union between those three Persons when the Constable through his own imprudence drew upon himself a misfortune from which he could never retreive him self during the Reign of Francis I. and if he return'd to Court in the following Reign 't was no longer to second the designs of the Dutchess's d'Estampes for he took part with her Rivaless and marry'd his Son to the Daughter of that Lady the Widow of Horatio Farnese of which more in due place The Emperor had desir'd of the King of France free passage through his Country year 1539 to punish the Gaulois who were revolted against him and offr'd the investiture of the Dutchy of Milan to the Duke of Orleance his second Son The Constable was for giving the Emperor leave to cross the Kingdom provided that before he enter'd he confirm'd in writing the promise which the Commissioners had made and that to that effect some person of Quality might be sent to meet his Imperial Majesty under pretence of doing him the more Honour but indeed to get that Writing from him in due form The Cardinal of Tournon was of a contrary opinion but tho supported with reasons so solid that they seem'd to be beyond all reply yet it was not follow'd And as the Constable in speaking had more regard to the Idea that prepossess'd him then to the Truth so did the King also give his judgment rather according to his own inclination which had turn'd his Eyes toward Milan then with a prospect of the Kingdoms welfare Not was the Constable contented to have turn'd the balance on his side his vanity was such that nothing would serve him but to be made choice of for the person that was to go and meet the Emperor and receive him upon the Frontiers nor would the vain glory of so honourable a Commission let him see the dangers that attended it He met the Emperor beyond the River of Bidassoa and press'd him according to his Instructions to grant before hand the investiture of the Dutchy of Milan to the Duke of Orleans who together with the Dauphin stay'd for his Imperial Majesty on the otherside of the River The Emperor who had his answer ready caress'd the Constable after an extraordinary manner and declar'd to him that he would wholly refer it to him and rely upon what he should advise him to do Which done he entrusted him with a Counterseit secret feigning to discover to him the bottom of his Heart and lest nothing omitted to convince the Constable that he was resolv'd at last to satisfy the King He added that all the scruple lay in the time and that he did not stand so much upon preserving his own Reputation as the credit of Francis I. for that as his most Christian Majesty chiefly affected to appear generous it would be the greatest injury that could be done him in the World should his Honour be Ecclips'd by giving all Europe a pretence to presume that he had not permitted but sold the Emperor a passage Which they would not fail to give out if the investiture should be given before the passage was granted Whereas if the leave were permitted nobly and without conditions he gave his Imperial word that he would cause the Instrument of the investiture to be dispatch'd in the first City of the Low-Countries with a preamble no less to the Honour of his Brother-in-Law then his own because it should contain that the kind entertainment that he had given him in France and the Friendship that he had-shewn him had engag'd him to acknowledge such signal favours by a present no less magnificent then was the Dutchy of Milan The Emperor upon the score of his promise was regal'd from Bayonne to Chatelraut whither the King was advanc'd to receive him nevertheless when Francis I. understood the snare into which the Constable was fallen he was dissatisfi'd with his Negotiation and was just upon the point of pursuing the Counsel that had been given him to seize upon the Emperors person under plausible pretences till he had put the Duke of Orleans in full possession of the Dutchy of Milan Le Peloux a French Gentleman who had put himself into the Emperors Service gave him notice of it who judging the danger so much the more inevitable by how much People are apt to believe as soon what they fear as what they wish for and desire he revolv'd in his mind all the expedients that the most accomplish'd subtilâ—y could furnish him withal and and found none better then that of a surprizing liberality The Lady whom he feard most was the Dutchess d'Estampes who solely govern'd the King and had quitted her association with the Constable ever since the understood that he held correspondence with the Seneschal's Wife to the end he might have the protection of a person near the Dauphin when he came to the Crown These two Ladies had had a terrible falling out during Montmorenci's journey and upon his return he was oblig'd to choose his side in the quarrel The occasion of the quarrel was that the Dutchess should say that she was born the same Day that the Seneschal's Wife was marry'd Which villanous reproach of Old Age so hainously offended the person whom it concern'd that it was impossible to pacify her The Constable after he had in vain employ'd all his credit declar'd for the she Seneschal whither it were that he prefer'd the rising before the Setting-Sun or that he thought his Fortune so firmly settl'd with the King that nothing could shake it But his foresight was not true on bothsides for that in forsaking the Dutchess he incens'd a revengeful Woman who had too much Wit to omit the first opportunity she met with to hasten his ruin In a word she had approv'd the advice which the Cardinal of Tournon gave and peal'd continually in the King's Ears that His Majesty would become the object of publick raillery if he suffer'd himself to be so cheated and deluded Whither the Emperor were inform'd or no of these particulars is not so certainly known but he acted after such a manner as if he had perfectly understood ' em One Day that he was washing his hands with the King before Dinner and that the Dutchess prereated 'em the Towel he let fall a Jewel enrich'd with a Diamond of great value presently the Dutchess took it up and would have return'd it but the Emperor told her with a graceful and pleasant aspect which he could put
length allow'd him to beg of the King the Cardinal of Tournon and Admiral Chabot to redeem his Life and Liberty at the price of the vast Wealth which he had acquir'd Nothing more manifestly prov'd him unworthy of his high fortune then his extream desire to survive his disgrace His carriage quite chang'd that fear and aversion which People had against his Person into a contempt which was no way advantageous to him seeing that they left him for some years in the Tower of Bourges without so much as thinking of him At ength he was so importunate with the Ministers of State that they order'd him to be brought to his Trial but not after such a method as he expected For they appointed Commissioners to try him chosen out of all the Parliaments of the Kingdom However they did him this justice to make choice of the most able and the most honest Nor were there ever in France any Judges whose Probitie and Abilities were more universally known then those of Peter Raymund President of the Parliament of Rouen who was order'd to draw up the Informations They were willing to give him that satisfaction whether it were that his enemies thought that they had more prooâ—s then they needed to ruin him or that the King who had no mind to pardon him as he had forgiven Admiral Chabot had taken all the precautions requisite to prevent any thing that might be spoken against the severity which he intended to inflict upon the chief Magistrate of the Kingdom However it were the Process lasted till the year 1545. because the Party accus'd finding himself abandon'd by all the world and ready to sink unrder the same Artifices with which he had oppress'd others made use of all the tricks that long experience had taught him and summon'd up all his cunning and his parts to defend himself He led his Judges through all the by-paths of Subterfuge and Evasion that Cavil could invent to elude or at least to delay his Condemnation He puzzl'd alike both his Judges and his Witnesses that were brought Face to Face against him and made so good a defence that he sav'd his Life whither it were that his Judges after a long debate did not find reasons enough to condemn him to Death or that the too open animosity of the prosecutors had infus'd compassion into those Magistrats by perswading 'em he was Innocent because his Enemies were so violent in seeking his ruin He heard bare-Headed the Decree pronounc'd that depriv'd him of his Dignities and Estate and confin'd him to perpetual Imprisonment for having Rob'd the Treasury fold Offices and traffick'd in several bargains misbecoming his quality The King surpriz'd at the mildness of the Decree could nor forbear testifying his resentment against the Judges and threw upon 'em those reproaches that extended even to accusations of being corrupted However his Majesty remitted the punishment of Imprisonment and Poyet was constrain'd for a Livelyhood to resume his first employment of Chamber-Counsellor in the Palace deeming himself happy that he had got himself out of the Bryars at any rate before Judges of approv'd integrity for that indeed there was as many persons convinc'd that he deserv'd Death as there were People that knew him The Dutchess d' Estampes after she had ruin'd all those that dar'd to obstruct her credit year 1587 seem'd to fear nothing but the Death of the King which was the only disturbance of her mind For thô the Duke d' Estampes her Husband had made a judicial enquiry into her behaviour since her Marriage yet she was well assur'd that he could make no use of it so long as the King liv'd however he was not immortal and the time would come when that cruel separation would happen The Dutchess also to her sorrow beheld the misfortune at a distrance and was sensible of the approaches of it For Francis I. decay'd insensibly in his Health and whither it were that his Physicians were ignorant of the true cause of his disease or whither they durst not discover it or whither they despair'd that His Majesty would submit to violent Remedies which could only correct the malignity of it they only put a stop in some measure to the outward effects which were most incommodious without ever going to the root of the Disease So that the King perceiving himself grow more unweildy every Day then other and loosing that vigour and Address which had formerly been the cause that he delighted with so much passion in the sports of Hunting and other laborious exercises liv'd a kind of morose Life of which the Dutchess was forc'd to bear all the inconveniencies at the same time that on the otherside she was afflicted and disturb'd to think what would become of her after the King's Death who in all probability could not be long Liv'd She was in some hopes of reassuming that place in her Husbands affection from whence jealousy had expel'd her in regard she was yet young and was the Mistress still of that same ravishing Beauty which had formerly charm'd him Nor was it unlikely but that compassion might overrule her Husbands Heart after the King's death had extinguish'd the cause of his jealousy by producing these effects therein which are expected from Love However it were Diana of Normandy's hatred seem'd to be much more formidable to her she was to be what she her self had been and it was to be presum'd that she would make use of all her credit to ruin her Enemy Diana was the Dauphin's Mistress as the Dutchess was the King's but there was no other resemblance between 'em either in their persons or their Wit The Dutchess was never more Beautiful then she was at that time nor had she lost any thing of that lustre which had caus'd her to be look'd upon by the most curious Eyes even by the Emperor himself as the most accomplish'd Beauty in Europe whereas the she-Seneschal had none of those Allurements which at one and twenty Years of Age had sav'd the Life of her Father Sr. Valier The Dutchess was not above thirty and the she Seneschal was suspected to be above threescore for she had caus'd her name to be torn out of the Register of the Christ'nings The Dutchess commanded naturally Diana of Poictiers by art and those different Empires were preserv'd by opposite means The Dutchess who fear'd not her being degraded till the King began to decay in his health stood less upon her guard and never laid any constraint upon her self when she spoke of Diana whereas the other conceal'd under feign'd demonstrations of respect and compliance the despite to see her self contemn'd and was in company when that terrible expression fell from the Dutchess's Lips that she was born the same Day that the Seneschal's Wife was marry'd Nevertheless she dissembled her resentment so long as the King was strong and lusty but she no sooner perceiv'd that His Majesty began to decline but she began to make the Dutchess sensible
that the time of her revenge was drawing on The Dutchess being oblig'd by this ill usage to reflect upon the irregularity of her Tongue was so much the more afâ—aid of the effects of Diana's hatred by how much the less she was in a condition to avoidx'em For instead of managing to her advantage the Duke d' Estampes her Husband whose humour insensible and little subject to the pleasures of Love might have been amus'd by slight marks of the King's liberality and vain employments provided he had receiv'd 'em when he stood in need of 'em she had displeas'd him to that degree as to incense him beyond the bounds of decency out of the strangest capricio's that ever jealousy infus'd to publish his own dishonour by a judicial enquiry into the behaviour of his Wife as we have already said This way of proceeding put the Dutchess out of all hopes of ever returning to her Husband and reduc'd her to that misery that the Seneschal's Wife after the King's Death made use of the jealous Duke as an instrument to torment her till her revenge was fully satiated These inducements of terror that could not be either more powerful nor more probably grounded oblig'd the Dutchess to seek out for an expedient to secure her from the impending storm And that which seem'd to her to be best and the most easie altogether was to shroud her self under the Duke of Orleance's protection and to set up a faction at Court so powerful in his favour as to equal that which Diana had form'd for the Dauphin The Dutches's aim was to seek for some great establishment for the Duke of Orleance without the Kingdom where she might find that repose and security which she stood in need of Nor was there any other establishment which he could pretend to then what the Emperor had so many times propos'd which was the investiture of the Dutchy of Milan or the Low Countries upon two conditions The one was that he should marry the Emperors Daughters or his Niece The other was to prevent the Reunion of what ever should be given in favour of either of these two Matches to the Crown of France All the difficulty lay in the last Condition to which the pretended sterility of the Dauphiness was an invincible obstacle That Princess had been marry'd ten Years yet never had any signs of a great Belly and let the cause be what it would from whence the defect proceeded the Duke of Orleance would be ne'er the less presumptive Heir to the Crown nor by consequence less capable in the Emperors judgment to hold the fiefs of Milan and the Low Countries Fernelius the Physitian after he had sounded the Dauphinesses temper took a fancy that he could cure her indisposition and whither it were that the Physick that he gave her wrought effectually or that his secret consisted only in revealing to the Dauphin the particular minutes wherein his Wife was most capable to conceive the whole Court perceiv'd in a few Months after that the Dauphiness was big with Child The Dutchess's surprizing joy upon the news would not allow her so much liberty of thought at first as to know the advantages that she might draw from thence but afterwards she order'd the Emperor to be sounded whether he had any mind to engage the Duke of Orleans to his Interests or no. He that was entrusted with a Commission so nice as this had all the qualities sufficient to begin so great an affair but not those that were proper to bring it to a conclusion He was of the Illustrious House of Longueval and Count of Bâ—ssu and he had insinuated himself into the friendship of the Dutchess by the care which he took to improve her Estate and give her notice of such opportunities as offer'd themselves to encrease it by begging vacant gratifications of the King And in regard he had Lands in the Low Countries as well as in Picardy he might without being suspected hold a correspondence in both Provinces He had both Wit and Address Resolution and Reservedness but he was extreamly felt interested and in regard he had a greater Estate in Flanders then in France that which he mainly aim'd at was to establish himself in the first of those Countries where his posterity afterwards fix'd themselves and grew numerous This inducement made him accept of the Order to negotiate for the Dutchess because it would render him more considerable to the House of Austria and the Emperor overjoy'd to see so potent a faction among his Enemies that sought to correspond with him look't upon this conjuncture as a favour that Fortune offer'd him for the resettlement of his affairs in the Low-Countries He assur'd the Dutchess that he would give the Duke of Orleance the Duthy of Milan with his Niece or the Low-Countries with his Daughter and for sear she should mistrust he would deceive her because he granted her demand so soon and so readily he added that he reserv'd to himself the choice of the alternative and that he would not be oblig'd to explain himself nor to perform his promise till he should have made an agreement with the King that is to say till he should reap all the effects of that friendship which the Dutchess and her faction could procure him for those remote promises the performance of which depended upon his sincerity The Count of Bossu had understanding sufficient to perceive that the Engagement was not reciprocal but he shut his Eyes and the Dutchess from whom the Allurement of a retreating place took away the sight of the Serpent that lay under the flowers perform'd her part in forming so strict a League with the Emperor that nothing past either at the Court or in the Council of France which was not immediatly conveigh'd to his knowledge In short the first Letter that he receiv'd by the Counts means did him so signal a piece of service that it sav'd both his person and his whole Army And the Emperor knew so well to make his advantage of the intelligence that she gave him that he reduc'd France within two Fingers breadth of utter ruin But Fortune having balanc'd his first successes the Dutchess took an occasion from thence to manage a peace between the two Crowns The reciprocal fears of Francis I. and Charles V. were the foundation of a new intreague between Queen Elenor's and the Emperors Confessors both of 'em Dominican Fryars The first was cal'd Diegos Chiavez and the second Gabriel de Gusman Chiavez by virtue of a private Order which he conceal'd wrote to Gusman as if he had pretended only to impart to him a thought that was come into his Head that the greatest good they could do both the one and the other was to try whither Divine Providence would make use of 'em as Instruments to confound the Wisdom of Men by employing 'em to make that Peace which so many great personages could not conclude Gusman presently apprehended what lay conceal'd in his
Dutchess was extreamly allarum'd at her being so ill fearing lest it the Queen should dye the King would Marry some young Person whose Charms might â—oâ— her of his Affection But the distemper which had been so violent at first was but of short continuance for that in eight days the Queen was past danger and her recovery resâ—or'd tranquillity of Mind to all that were concern'd in her preservation year 1549 The Chancellor Olivier because he could not comply with the Dutchess as he ought to have done to preserve himself in the Ministry fell into disgrace Nevertheless because they could not deprive him of his Imployment without taking away his life and for that his integrity would not permit 'em to fasten any accusation upon him the Dutches to suspend him from the execution of his imployment caus'd the King to deliver the Seals into the custody of Commissioners Bertrand whom she had already advanc'd to be first President of Paris and Giles le Maitre a Creature of her own And now the Dutchess to secure her self a Protection both within and without the Kingdom marry'd her two Daughters that she had by the King the eldest who was call'd Diana to Heratio Farnese Duke of Castro the youngest Son of Pope Paul III. and the youngest to Claudius of Lorrain Duke of Aumale she also procur'd the Battoon of Marshal of France for Brissae for whom she had still the same tenderness year 1556 Pope Paul III having embroil'd himself with Philip II. King of Spain sent into France Cardinal Carâ—ffa his Nephew to engage King Henry II. in a League against the Spaniards The Affair was debated in Council where the Duke of Guise maintain'd with great hear that 't was requisite to give assistance to his Holiness with a design to make advantage of it He was in hopes that by sending Forces into Italy he might be able to advance his Brother the Cardinal of Guise to the Pontificate so soon as the See should become vacant and in the mean time to make himself Master of the Kingdom of Naples which as he said belong'd to him as Heir to the House of Anjou The Queen upheld his Opinion in hopes to procure the Command of the Army for her Kinsman Marshal Frotzi The Dutchess of Valentinoiâ— who was in a strict Union with the Guises was of the same Opinion nor durst the Constable Montmoranci oppose her for fear of displeasing her and in hopes that the Guises going into Italy would give him an opportunity in their absence to fix his Credit more stedfastly at Court Thus the League with the Pope being resolv'd upon a numerous Army was rais'd to be sent to the Pope but Davaâ—son the King's Ambassador at Rome a Creature of the Guises who was acquainted with this Intreague explain'd himself so openly upon it that the King who was inform'd of it alter'd his opinion for fear of contributing to their ambitious designs Their credit also receiv'd a kind of check but they recover'd themselves in a short time by the marriage which they negotiated between the Dauphin and Mary Stuart Queen of Scotland their Kinswoman The Dutchess of Valentinois who began to grow jealous of their advancement cross'd this Match as much as in her lay but not being able to prevent it resolv'd to unite her self more strictly with the Constable by marrying her Daughter to his eldest Son she being now the Duke of Castro's Widow who was slain at the Siege of Hedin There was one obstacle in the way which she had much ado to surmount For the young Montmoranci privately and without his Father's consent had marry'd Mademoiselle de Pienne of the House of Alvin The Constable sent his Son to Rome in order to get his Marriage declar'd void by the Rota But Montmoranci after the Affair had been examin'd at several Sittings could obtain no definitive Sentence for the Pope was desirous to make the best of the Dutchess and to tye her to his Interests by keeping her in hopes of a favourable Judgment But the Dutchess tir'd out with these delays took a shorter way obliging the King to make a Law by which all Marriages contracted by Infants under Age without the consent of their Parents were declar'd void After this Ordinance was verify'd upon Montmorancy's averrment that he never gave his Faith to Madana de Prenne but upon condition that his Father would give his consent the Parlament cancell'd all the Engagements that were between 'em and then the young Lord marry'd the Dutchess of Castro The Guises seeing that the Dutchess of Valentinois treated 'em but very coldly and trusted no body but the Constable who was of kin to the Marshal de Brissac her Favourite endeavour'd to revenge themselves The Queen of Scotland had brought along with her into France Madam Hamilton a kinswoman of hers who was Mistriss of all the Graces both of Body and Mind Presently they spread abroad the fame of her Beauty and by their Emissaries cunningly and neatly gave her such frequent commendations in the in the King's Ear that he desirous to know whether her applauders did not flatter her found so much sweetness so much life and gaiety in her Conversation that he could not chuse but love her He had aleady for some time taken some disgust against the Dutchess but she had such an ascendant over him that he durst not give her the least offence and he took as much care to conceal from her his Intreague with Madam Hamilton as if she had been his Wife Moreover his new Mistress proving big with Child he provided for her Lying in with so much privacy that no body at Court knew any thing of it The Prince that she brought into the World was Christen'd Henry and under the ensuing Reigns was Grand Prior of France and Governor of Provence The King that he might shew his activity to Mrs. Hamilton for whom his Passion was much increas'd since she had brought him a Son would needs make one in the Turnaments that were prepar'd in Honour of the Nuptials of Elisabeth the King's Daughter with Philip II. which was a Match concluded in pursuance of the Treaty of Chateau Cambresis Toward the end of the third Day which was the 30th of June 1559 the King who had already broken several Lances with good success would needs Tilt with his Beaver up against the Count of Montgomery the Son of Lorge Captain of the Guards of his Body The Count did all be could to excuse himself but he was at last constrain'd to obey his Master and that Course prov'd so unfortunate that Montgomery's Lance being broken into shivers the Truncheon that remain'd in his hand struck the King above the Brow of the right Eye with that terrible force that the King fell to the ground without either Motion or Sense in which condition they carry'd him to his Bed and notwithstanding all the remedies they could apply to him for eleven days together that Life remain'd in him they
King's Hands because she had no kindness for him She bid him with a Scornful Aire go and shift his Cloaths if he intended to stay with Her and so somewhat rudely flung out of the Room leaving her Sister to excuse her incivility While the King took this unprofitable Journney the whole Court was in a strange disorder nor did they come to themselves till the King's return disperc'd all their fears He stay'd not at all at Coeuvres finding it in vain to tarry since he could not oblige Mademoiselle d' Estrees to shew him the least Favour However he appear'd for some time with such a Melancholy Countenance that they who saw him so disconsolate thought verily he had lost the half of his Kingdom But coming at length too himself he applied himself to Publick business as he was wont to doe yet not being able to banish from his Heart the ungrateful Mademoiselle d' Estrees he sent word to her Father that 't was his pleasure to admit him into his Privy Council on purpose to oblige him to come to Mante with his whole Family The favour 's which were bestow'd upon the Father oblig'd the Daughter to use the King a little more civily But in regard he was oblig'd to be every hour on Horseback either to execute some Enterprize upon his Enemies or to prevent their Designs he could not be constantly with her During the King's Absence Mademoiselle d' Estrees continu'd her Familiarity with Bellegard nor did she surcease giving an Ear to the Duke of Longueville nor to write to him not to receive Letters from him But as soon as the King had appeas'd the Troubles of his Kingdom he remov'd all his Rivals The Duke of Longueville sacrificing his Love to the Care of his Fortune desir'd his Mistress to put an end to an Intreague which could not but be attended with unluckey Consequences and inconvenient as well for the one as the other he also demanded his own Lâ—tters and offer'd to return those which she had written Mademoiselle d' Estrees was nothing troubl d to consent to this Rupture and appointed the place where to make the exchange And indeed she was very sincere in bringing all the Letters which she had received from the Duke but the Duke was not so ingenious as to bring all the Letters she had written to him but kept the most tender by that same pledge to keep her as it were under a kind of dependency But she was extreamly incens'd at his perfidiousness and to revenge he self did the Duke of Langueville so many ill Offices with the King that finding the Court a place where he receiv'd nothing but new Affronts every day he engaged himself in a treasonable League and was slain making his entry into Dourlans with a Musket from a Volley of Honour that was given him by the Garrison Some there were who accus'd Madam d' Estrees to have hir'd a Soldier to take away his Life who made use of that opportunity nor was it without some probability But notwithstanding all the care which the King took to oblige the Marquiss de Coeuvres by his Favours he could not win him to like well his sedulities to his Daughter fearing least she should compleat the dishonor of his Family of which the Marchioness his Wife had already began to stain the reputation For she like a shameless Woman had follow'd the Marquiss d' Allegre into Auvergne and there liv d with him in a publick Concubinage not minding the scandal or what the world said of her The Marquiss therefore fearing least it should be laid to his charge if Madam d' Estrees should come to lead a Licentious Life resolv'd to marry her to free himself from the trouble of keeping a watch upon her Actions and for a Husband he made choice of Nicholas Damarsal Lord of Liancourt a Gentleman of an Illustrious descent and who had a great Estate but whose mind and disposition were as crooked as his Body Madam d' Estrees was well inform'd of all his defects however she consented to the marriage to free her self from the Tyranny of her Father upon the King's word that he would never permit the Marriage to be consummated But the King being engag'd in an Enterprize which held him longer then he expected could not be present at the Nuptials The new marry'd Lady perceiving the fatal hour approach wherein she was to be deliver'd to the Monster which her Father had made choice of for her Husband and no Galaunt appearing to rescue her from the danger to which she was just ready to be expos'd after she had storm'd a hundr'd times against his negligence and sworn as many times to be reveng'd of him she prepar'd her self to bear the brunt with all the vigour she was capable to shew And finding she was to expect no other assistance but what her own resolution afforded her she so well oppos'd her own reluctancy to the importunities of her Husband that he could not engage her to go to bed with him that night The next day he carry'd her home in hopes he might more easily overcome her obstinacy in a place where he was absolute Master But she took along with her all her kindred that had been invited to the Nuptials and retain'd 'em with her tell the King came to set her at liberty Henry IV. Being arriv'd at the next Village sent for Liancourt to come to him and the convenient Husband went immediately taking his Wife along with him in hopes of drawing some advantage for the raising of his fortune from the King's love for his Wife But alas the King without taking any notice of him set forward in order to the Seige of Chartres Madam de Liancourt went along with him accompani d by her Sister and one of her kinswomen Tho Siege was long which gave the King an opportunity to send for Elizabeth Babou to the Camp She was the Wife of Francis de Escoubleau Marquiss of Sourdis and Aunt to Gabriella d' Estrees and the King was resolv'd to make use of her to be her Neices Governess To very good purpose as it fell out For the Marchioness who was greatly experienc'd in Amorous Affairs gave her Neice such good instruction that she became mistress of all the Kings Affections by her Compliances and obtain'd for the Marquiss of Sourdis the Government of Chartres after the place was taken Hen. IV. Before his Intreague with Mademoiselle d' Estrees had perswaded Queen Margaret his Wife Sister to the three last Kings his Predecessors but somewhat loose in her behaviour to consent to a dissolution of their Marriage under certain conditions Nay the Qâ—een her self was already retir'd to the Castle of Vsson in Auvergne seated upon a steep Mountain and to which she had added all the Fortifications that could render it Impregnable But the King 's Amour delay'd the conclusion of this affair as being afraid least when he was at liberty his Subjects should press him to
Marry her which he could not find in his heart to do in regard it was not lawful for him because she had a Husband Under these circumstances finding it impossible for him to have a Successor he bethought himself of maraying Madam Catherine his Sister with a Prince of the Blood With this design he sent for her to come to him and going as far as the Loire to meet her He presented the Duke of Montpensier to kiss her hand whom he design'd her for a Husband The Princess gave him but a very cold reception whither it were that she did not like his person or that having already surrender'd her heart to the Count of Soissons she could not find room in her breast for another She arriv'd at Dieppe where she met with Madam Gabriella for so was Mademoiselle d Estrees call'd after her Marriage and the more she found her worthy of the Love which her Brother shew'd her the more she hated her She beheld her being in Favour with Envy and to humble her treated her with so much scorn and loftiness that had it been any other person 〈◊〉 could never have bore it However Madam Gabriella complain'd of her contempt to the King and besought him to part ' em But all that the King could do to satisfie his Mistress without disobliging his Sister was to carry Madam Gabriella along with him where-ever he march'd to compleat the Conquest of his Kingdom and to leave his Sister at Dieppe Madam Gabriella who seldom or never stirred from the King began to inform her self in the management of Publick Affairs by the advice of Madam de Sourdis and shew d so quick a Penetration and Judgment in matters of the highest importance that she procured to her self an entrance into the King's Counsels Nor did the Chancellor Chinconi contribute a little to procure her that favour He had conceiv'd a most violent Passion for her nor could he refrain from letting her understand it notwithstanding the gravity which the dignity of his Office exacted from him but doing himself that justice as to be convinc'd that there was no such Charms in his Person that could engage Madam Gabriella to endure his Courtship he had recourse to other means and made himself useful to her in giving her opportunities to satisfie her Ambition But her extraordinary joy to see her self mounted to such a high degree of honour was somewhat allai'd by the news which she receiv'd of her Mothers death who was massaker'd at Issoire in Aâ—vergne by the people that mutini'd against her Lover the Marquiss d' Allegre But she endeavour'd to repair that loss by her Correspondence with Bellegard whom she met in Private yet so warily that the King could never tax her of infidelity tho he had frequent jealousies which she made a shift to dissipate with her Caresses and her Protestations of being insensible to any but himself Nevertheless Fortune found away to discover this mistery notwithstanding all the Precautions which those two Lovers took to avoi'd surprisal The King having lain with Madam Gabriella one night rose very early the next morning to execute some enterprize that he had in his thoughts and left his Mistress a bed where she lay under pretence of some little Indisposition while Bellegard the better to conceal his Game gave out that he was return'd to Mante But so soon as the King was gone Arphure a Confident of Madam Gabriella's commonly call'd la Rouse introduc'd the Duke into a Cabinet of which she her self had only the Key and let him out again so soon as her Mistress was rid of all such persons as were any way suspected to her But while these two Lovers were tasting all the Pleasures that a tender Passion could afford 'em dreaming of no disaster the King who mist his design return'd and by his hasty return put 'em into a strange Confussion However a bad shift was better then none Arphure presently slipt the Duke into her Cabinet where she hid him at first the Door of which was next the Bedside and the Window lookt into the Garden The King had a mind to eat some Sweetmeats and knowing that Arphure kept her Mistresses junkets in that Closet he call'd for the Key Madam Gabriella made answer that la Rousse had it in her Pocket and that she was gone to visit a kinswoman of hers in the Town Upon that the King whose suspitions were but the more exasperated by such a refusal threatend to break open the door and was going to work tho she complain'd that the noise would offend her Head But the King who was resolv'd to be satisfi'd of his doubts made as if he had not heard what Madam Gabriella said and laid on with his Foot against the Dore that Bellegard finding he should be forc'd in his Sanctuary thought it became him to venture Body and Soul to get out of the Bryars and therefore opening the Window out he got and jump'd into the Garden tho he thought it a little to dear to buy his Pleasure at the price of such Catts leaps But fortune happen'd to favour him so far that he got no harm by the fall whether it were that the Ground were moist and yielding or that this fear had dispos'd his body for the danger Arphure who stood Sentinal to see what would become of the business no sooner beheld the Jump and the fair Escape but in she comes sweating and wiping her face with her Handkercher and crying Lord Madam I never dreamt you would have had any occasion for me With that the Crafty Confident open'd the Closet and gave the King what Sweetmeats he desir'd But then surpriz'd to find no body in the Closet he concluded that Bellegard was become invisible while Madam Gabriella embolden'd by his astonishment lay reproaching him and deriding his jealousie at such a rate that she made an absolute triumph of it She told him that surely his love began to coole and that he only sought a pretence to be rid of her but that she would not give him the advantage of quitting her first for that she would e'en prove an honest Wife at length and go home to her Husband The King scar'd with these menaces threw himself at her feet begg'd her Pardon a thousand time and promis'd never to have an ill thought of her more Nor durst he for a long time after shew the least mark of Jealosie for fear she should in earnest take a whimsey so contrary to his Repose While the Court was in this posture the Dutchess of Guise who stay'd at Paris with the Heads of the League sent to desire a Pasport of the King to go to one of her Houses in the Country which the King granted freely and also gave her leave to pass through the Town where he lay Mademoiselle de Guise was glad of the Journey not so much out of Curiosity an Infirmity natural to persons of her Sex as to satifie two opposite Passions She lov'd Bellegard
Gallantries not so Illustrious The Dutchess of Nevers her very good friend who lov'd Cocona's engag'd her to favour la Molle a Confident of their Intreague to spare him the trouble of holding the Cloak when they were together But they preserv'd not those Lovers very long for being found guilty of the Conspiracy of the Marshals Montmorency and de Cosse they left their Heads upon a Scaffold At what time these Compassionate Ladys understanding that they lay expos'd to the view of the People took up the pretious remainders of the Objects of their Amours and put 'em into their Coach which done they carry'd 'em to St. Martins Chapel below Montmatre where after they had bedew'd 'em with their Tears they buried 'em with their own hands The Queen was so over press'd with grief for the Tragical end of la Molle that she was pitty'd by St. Hue. That Noble Knight was resolv'd to make her amends for the loss of him and out of that Pious Intention went often to visit her at Nerac in several disguises but finding her melancholy return'd the very same day that she saw herself depriv'd of his sweet Consolations she stood in need of Bussy to chear her up Nevertheless she did not find the latter fit for her turn because as t is said he was a better Trencher-man then a Bedfellow and for that he was often tormented with a Colick of which he had usually a fit at the beginning of his sport But the difference between those two parties did not hinder her from harkning to the Duke of Main a good Champion Plump and Fat and Voluptuous like her self That conformity of humours caus'd the correspondence to last very long notwithstanding that Madam Vitry came in for a share and did all she could to interrupt it Nevertheless the Duke forgot himself one day when he wrote to her Rivaless that he prefer'd the Sun before the Moon that is to say in plain intelligible Language Madam Vitry before the Queen of Navarr because my chast Spouse callâ—d her self Diana but there was a reconciliation and the Moon Ecclips'd the Sun This Sacrifice could not make Diana loose her inconstant Humour nor was it just that she should continue her fidelity to a Man who seperated himself from her to make War against the Party which Honour and Virtue oblig'd him to embrace The Huguenots also would have had reason to complain could she have found no body among 'em worthy to enjoy her for a few dayes at least Vicount Turenne was the first of their Hero's that enter'd the Lists he was Proper and had a good Presence and his acceptable outside pleased at first But she found him not so amiable in Private as in Public so that she dismiss'd him with this Character that he was like Empty Clouds that onely make a fair show This Lover in Dispair would have gone and hang'd himself in some remote Country and I know not what would have been become of him if for the Interest of our Party I had not oblig'd her to recall him She had much a do to find in her heart to be so good natur'd because her Vanity had put her in hopes that the Vicount would have done like Anaxarete's Lover who hang'd himself up at her Dore. And it was a trouble to her to see her self depriv'd of the Honour to have forc'd a Man of his Merit to have hang'd himself for her Sake She made me pay dear for this Complainsance so that I was constrain'd to suffer that which she had for Clermont d' Amboise who embrac'd her often in her Night Gown upon the Threshold of the Chamber-dore while I to give her time to go to bed either walk'd or play'd in my Parlor with such Officers as I had about me The Convenience could not be carry'd any farther and I know more Coquetts then one that would have purchas'd at the price of any Gold a Husband of this Character Nevertheless because I would not be accus'd of venting my Morals so extraordinary to tame the jealous and take advantage of their weakness I will set forth the reasons that induc'd me to observe this Conduct I was a King without a Kingdom and Head of a Party which it behov'd me to maintain most commonly without Men or Money to raise any and when I saw the Tempest ready to poure upon me had no other way to divert it then by my submission Then this good Lady such as she is was not unuseful to me the consideration of her mollifi'd her Mother and her Brothers exasperated against me On the other side her Beauty drew to me a good number of stout Men which her easiness retain'd in my service and she would have thought it an injury done to the interest of our Party had she discourag'd any one by the excess of her severity Judge you after all this if I had not reason to keep fair with her However there were some that were the subject of her railliery and I had the honour to be entrusted with their ridiculous Passion The old Fool de Pierat was one of that number Love made him her Chancellor and he contested for this Employment that he might have the priviledge to write to her those Letters which his tenderness dictated and with which that perfidious Officer and my self divertis'd our selves when we were alone together Those who had erected her Scheme had foretold that her Stars threatned that she should dye by my hand between the 21 and 28 of March 1580. and that I would sacrifice her to my outrag'd Honour but my prudence or the hopes of my future separation render'd that prediction vain and frustrated the malignity of her Stars We continu'd together as before I in my Indulgence and she abandon'd over to her Voluptuousness She invented also new Ragoos by laying on black Taffata Sheets upon her Bed and lighting up a thousand Wax Candles in her Chamber And then it was that she became fruitful and brought to light that fruit of her Libertinism which being educated under a borrow'd name promises one day to out do her Mother in her happy talents These niceties and refinements of her wantonness had brought her to that delicate pass that she could not endure me When at any time I return'd from Hunting with my face all dusty and bath'd in sweat lay down by her side I was no sooner out of the Bed but she caus'd the Sheets to be chang d tho perhaps I had not lain there above a quarter of an hour She did not only scorn my Person but my Birth which she thought inferior to hers One day having desir'd her to let Madam de Thoiras with whom I had something of Affinity sit down at her Table she answer'd me that then she must wash her feet in a Bason full of Water as if she had been one of the poor Women that come to have their feet wash'd upon Maunday Thursday As if she had not at Florence a hunder'd
Request that the Marchioness might Dance amongst the rest the Queen broke off the Match But the Friendship between the King and the Countess was not of long continuance Her Intreague with the Prince of Joyinville with which his Majesty had been acquainted having set 'em at Variance only when she had nothing else to say for herself she endeavour d to excuse it by saying the Prince had promis'd her Marriage Of which the King desirous to be satisfy'd sent for the Dutchess of Guise and blaming the Imprudence of her Son threaten'd to punish him if he relaps'd into the same miscarriage and if he did not repair the fault he had commited by marrying the Countess adding withal that he could well endure the having his Mistresse's sought for in Marriage but that he would not permit the covering of Criminal Intreagues under that Vaile and that if he were any thing indulgent to the Prince of Joyinville t was for love of her that was his Mother But the Dutchess naturally haughty took amiss the King's Civilities and answer'd him in such a manner as highly provoak'd him In that ill humour he commanded the Prince of Joyinville to be seiz'd but he made his Escape upon notice that had been given him of the King's Anger His Parents endeavour'd to pacifie His Maiesty but they could obtain nothing more but only that his rash Miscarriage should be pardon'd provided he departed the Kingdom never to return again Which Order he obey'd nor was he recal'd from his Exile till the next Reign And now the King to make himself amends for the Disloyalty of the Countess of Moret would needs knit an Intreague with the Dutchess of Montpensier who had been a Widow some few months And because she was then in the Countrey he order'd the Count of Cramail her Neighbour to make her the first Overture The Count sounded the foard but with a design to make himself the advantage of it but finding her no way inclin'd to act any thing contrary to her Honour he said nothing at all to her All that he could do for the King s satisfaction was to engage her to come to Court Nor was the King more successful and therefore seeing no hopes of prospering in his Enterprize he gave it â—â—ite over Madam de Vernueil knew so well how to make her best advantage of the King 's Melancholy upon the ill success of his other Amours that she triumph d over all her Rivals tho' the Countess of Moret within a few dayes after was brought to Bed of a Son who was the same Antony of Bourbon Count of Moret who in the next Reign was slain at the Battel of Castelnauari fighting in the Duke of Montmorency s Army More then this the Marchioness thinking to increase the King's Passion by rowsing his jealousie spread abroad a Report that the Duke of Guise had a desire to Marry her and had caus'd the Banes to be publish'd unknown to that Prince who never thought of her but address'd all his Vows to Madam d' Entragues her Sister Nevertheless he was not at all belov d by Her For Bassompierre who was the sole possessor of all her Affections spent whole Nights with her almost every four and twenty Hours He ascended through a Private Door that open d into the Cutlter's Street in the third Story of his House which he had caus'd an unknown Friend to hire and she met him by a back pair of Stairs when Her Mother was a Sleep 1607. The King being inform'd that some body slipt in every Night into Madam d' Entragues's Lodgings thought it had been the Duke of Guise and that he went to Visit the Marchioness of Vernueil Thereupon he spoke to the Prince about it who appear'd so astonishd that the King perceiving his Innocence by the marks of Amazement which he discover'd in his Countenance and entrusted him to make the Discovery Upon that the Duke of Guise set his Spies to work the same Night who saw Bassompierre make his Entrance but could not tell who he was because he was wrapt up in his Cloak upon which nevertheless they could discern the Order of the Holy Ghost upon it That Cloak belong'd to Bellegard only he had lent it to the Marquiss by reason of a showre of Rain that fell just after they had sup'd The Spies therefore abus'd by that appearance reported to the Duke of Guise that they had seen a Young Chevalier whip in at the back Door before which they watch'd The Duke of Guise not being able togather any thing from this blind Relation sent two of his own Servants to the same place to watch his happy Rival at his coming out But Bassompierre observing that he had Sentinels upon him took the more care of himself which was the Reason that they could inform the Duke nothing but what confirm'd him in his mistake so that after he had made a thousand Reflections upon this Adventure he fix'd upon Bellegarde who was the only Young Knight that could pretend to so much good Fortune On the otherside Bassompierre acquainted Mademoiselle d' Entragues as soon as she was awake of what had happen'd to the end she might be ready with her Answer to the Duke of Guise That Jealous Lover eager after the Discovery of this same hidden Secret went the next Morning to give Bellegard a Visit but he could not be admitted They told him the Marquiss had been troubled all Night with the Toothach and that he would not be seen till the Evening Which confirm'd the Duke of Guise in his Suspitions imagining that Bellegard lay a bed all day to fetch up the Sleep he had lost in the Night From thence he went to Bassompierre and finding him abed desir'd him to rise and put on his Night-Gown that they might have a little Discourse together The Marquiss believing he had been discover'd rose immediately to hear what his Rival had to say to him But all his Alarums ceas'd as soon as he heard the Duke deliver himself in the following manner What would you say Marquiss said He if the Grand Squire should be better belov d then you or all the World beside by Madam d' Entragues I would say reply'd Bassompierre very coldly that cannot be and that neither He nor She have any design one upon another How easily are Lovers deceiv'd reply'd the Duke I would have sworn as well as you that she had been as chast as Diana yet 't is very true that the Grand Squire was with her all Night and that he did not leave her till four a Clock in the morning He was seen to go in and my Valets de Chambre saw him go along fo carelesly and minding so little the Discovery of his happiness that he never so much as took care to hide the Star upon His Cloak During this Discourse the Duke and the Marquiss walk'd together very fast at what time the latter perceiv'd the Cloak which the Duke had taken for Bellegardes
your advice what course I shall now take by way of redress By my Troth Sir I cannot tell reply'd the Duke but let me return to the Arsenal where I will Sup and go to Bed and then as I lye musing in the night I shall think upon some expedient which I will communicate to your Majesty to morrow morning No pursu'd the King I will have you tell me your thoughts presently I must then consider a little reply'd Sully and at the same time turning himself to the Window that lookt into the Court after he had stood drumming a while with his Fingers upon the Board he return'd to the King who ask'd him whither he had thought upon the business and what he ought to do Nothing reply'd the Duke How nothing reply'd the King very much surpriz'd I say nothing at all added Sully If you do nothing at all and thereby shew that you do not value the Prince but rather contemn him no body will assist him no not his dearest friends nor the most zealous of the Officers he has left here and within three months pinch d by necessity and tyr'd with the flouts and scoffs that will be put upon him he will return and implore your Clemency On the other side if you are eager to recall him you will put a value upon him he will be with Money assisted by several persons of your Court and he will find those that will protect him on purpose to create you trouble who would have abandon'd him had they been convinc'd how little you minded his absence But the King whose thoughts were in too great a ferment to relish such judicious advice resolv'd upon what the President Jeannin had given him which as it was more blunt and harsh so it flatter'd his Passion the more and the next morning dispatch'd away the Marquiss of Pralin as well to the Prince as to the Archduke The Marquiss could not overtake the Prince of Conde and therefore repair'd to Marimont to the Archduke of whom he immediately demanded Audience and went with the Ordinary Embassador He lay'd before the Archduke that Henry of Bourbon Prince of Conde making his Wife the occasion of his Pretence to cover his design of raising troubles in France had withdrawn himself into the Territories under his Government and therefore he desir'd him in his Masters name to cause him to be apprehended To which the Archduke reply'd that he thought he had done enough in not receiving the Prince but that he could not refuse him free passage and that it should not be long of him that he did not return into France as one that zealously wish'd the King's particular satisfaction and the Tranquility of the Kingdom 'T is true that the Prince of Conde did not stay in the Low Countries for he pass'd forward to Cologne and had left the Princess his Wife at Breda with the Princess of Orange his Sister who carry'd her afterwards to Brussels whether the Prince her Husband came in a short time after Thither also went the the Archduke to receive the Ladies and pay'd 'em a visit so soon as they were arriv'd The Marquiss of Spinola General of the Spanish Forces who was then in the same City complain d to the Archduke and blam'd him for not allowing the Prince of Conde refuge and so continually persecuted him with his importunities that he oblig'd him to send a Gentleman to the Prince on purpose to invite him to return Spinola also wrote by the same Courrier and causâ—d the Spanish Embassador to write to him also to the same effect 'T is true that the Archduke did nâ—t act with the same thoughts as the Ministers of that Crown for that he wish'd an Accommodation as much as they desir'd Peace But soon after he was no longer Master of the differences for the Catholick King sent his orders wherein he declar'd that 't was his Pleasure to grant his Protection to the Prince of Conde This Declaration so enflam'd his Courage that he made it his business to justifie his departure out of the Kingdom and publish'd some matters of Fact of which the greatest part were suppos d. To the same purpose also he wrote to Pope Clement VII and Cardinal Borghese his Nephew in terms that might make his Letters pass for so many Manifestos Now in regard the King had given no order to Pralin to enter into any Negotiation with his Nephew so soon as he heard that he was return'd to Brussels he sent the Marquiss of Couvres with the Character of his Extraordinary Ambassador who as soon as he arriv'd press'd the Archduke to deliver the Princess of Conde either into the Hands of the Constable her Father or of the Dutchess of Angouleme her Aunt But the Archduke declar d that he would never dispose of her Person but with the consent of her Husband So that Couvrs finding his Negtiation did not take effect bethought himself of carrying away the Princess by force There was some sort of coldness in Affection between her and the Prince whither it were out of a Natural Antipathy or out of vexation to see her self so far remote from the Court of France and the French had taken care to cherish this embitterment to bring about the King's designes The Marquiss of Coeuvres being inform'd of her Inclinations endeavour'd to perswade her to suffer her self to be taken forcibly away to which proposal she could not a long time tell what answer she should give On the other side she was not satisfi'd with the Prince her Husband she saw herself to her great grief under the Tyranny of the Spaniards The Archdukes Court by no means pleas'd her seeing nothing there that came near the Magificence of that of France and besides she most passionately desir d to be with her Father and her Aunt who by their Letters signifi d the same earnestness on their part But on the other side she durst not forsake her Husband to put her self into the hands of a Person who was bound by no tye to her interest and she was equally afraid of falling into the hands of a Incens'd Husband and of giving Obloquy an occasion to blame her Conduct Nevertheless after she had a long time revolv'd these different reflections in her mind the desire of seeing her Family once again and of returning into France prevail'd above all other considerations Coeuvres's design was to carry her away from Brussels in the Night and to get so far upon the Roade while it continu d dark that when her flight was discover'd it should be impossible to overtake ' em But for the bringing this about there was a necessity of taking several precautions which way to climb or break thro' the Walls of the City to have Horses ready upon the Ramparts to have Horses laid in several places with Horsemen to oppose all such as should go about to stop em Now in regard there was a necessity of employing several persons in the execution of â—his
Project it could not be kept so secret â—â—t that the persons concern'd had an inkling of it The first person who had notice of it was the Count of Buquoy Grand Master of the Ordinace in Flanders who carri'd the news to the Archduke and Spinola Immediately a Council was held wherein it was resolv'd that under some fair pretence the Princess should be invited to lodge in the Palace with the Archduke and the Infanta This was propos'd to the Prince of Conde without discovering the mistery to him withall they insinuated into him that in regard there was some unkindness between him and his Wife 't would be the best way to separate a while that he might have time to recover himself from his disgust To which the Prince consented without any scruple upon those assurances that the Archduke and the Infanta gave him not to part with her out of their Custody without his Consent Nor durst the Princess nor Coeuvres oppose it not having any manifest pretence to excuse themselves besides that hey were in hopes of executing their designs before the change of her lodging Nevertheless because they could not adjust all their Measures during the time that the Princess was to stay in the Prince of Orange's Palace therefore 't was thought convenient for the gaining of three or four days more that the Princess her self with whom he faign'd to be in Love should entreat Spinola to give her a Ball at his House the but crafty Genoese who smelt the design excus'd himself neatly However Coeuvres no ways discourag'd by this unlucky accident resolv'd to carry away the Princess upon Saturday night being the 13th of Feb. 1610. because she was to remove into the Palace the next day being Sunday She pretended she was ill for fear her Husband should lye with her which was a thing that very rarely happen'd and hinder from making her Escape The Archduke who was inform'd of every thing by Buquoy gave notice of it by Spinola to the Prince of Conde to whom they had never made any discovery till then for fear he should make a noise to no purpose and it was resolv'd that the Archduke should be requested to order the Prince of Orange's House to be guarded all the Night Conde was so alarum d at what Spinola had told him that not being able to keep the secret after he had taken sufficient care to disappoint the enterprize he brake out into frivolous complaints As for Coeuvres he deny'd every thing because he had as yet done nothing to convict him and because there was nothing more to be done he dispatch'd away a Courrier to the King for new Orders upon this unexpected Change The King perceiving that Artifice had nothing avail'd him resolv'd to make use of Force to get the Princess of Conde out of the hands of the Archduke and to declare War against the most Catholick King To which purpose he sounded James VI. who after the Death of Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the Crowns of England Ireland and Scotland and endeavour'd to oblige him to break with the Spaniards But he being already grown in years was unwilling to engage in a War of that consequence Upon which Hen. IV. made a League with the Duke of Savoy the Venetians and the States of the United Provinces who were most concern'd to humble the Pride of the House of Austria The Death of the Duke of Cleves upon which a difference arose between the Elector of Brandenbourgh and the Duke of Newburgh about the Succession furnish'd the Most Christian King with a specious pretence to take Armes and he began to send his Forces toward the Low Countries but the tragical end of that Prince disappointed all his vast designs For Hen. IV. going in his Coach to the Arsenal with the Dukes of Montbason and Epernon Ravaillac attempted to kill him as he went out of the Louvre but could not execute his design in that place because he found himself posted on that side where the Duke of Epernon sate The King moreover had not order'd his Guards to follow him as he was wont to do so that when his Coach enter'd into the Ironmongers Street and that his Footmen passâ—d through St. Innocents Church-yard by reason of a stop that hinder'd the Coachman from driving on the Ruffian had an opportunity to get upon the fore-wheel and give the King two Stabs with a broad Knife the first between the second and third Rib which was of little consequence the second between the fifth and sixth Rib which peirc'd his Lungs and cutt the veiny Artery near the left Valvule of the Heart which last wound prov'd Mortal Thus this great Monarch ended his days when he was about to have made all Europe Tremble The Intreagues of France under the Reign of Lewis XIII THE Amours of Lewis XIII afford but little matter because that if he cast a particular eye upon any Lady of the Court 't was rather a Pastime then any real Passion Nevertheless there were Intreagues wherein the Ladies bore a part which I shall endeavour to relate with as much conciseness and clearness as the Thing will give me leave The Duke of Buckingham a Favorite of Charles I. King of Great Britain was come to Paris to conduct Madam Henrietta of France whom his Master had marri'd into England but intruth to set up a Faction in the Kingdom which might prevent the King from putting his design against the Hereticks in execution To which purpose he thought it necessary to acquire some familiarity among the Lady's who had most Credit at Court as being perswaded that 't was a difficult thing for persons of their Sex to conceal the greatest secrecies from those who are once so happy as to have touch'd their Hearts The Daughter of the Duke of Montbason who after the death of the Constable de Luynes marry'd in second Wedlock to the Prince of Joyinville and who was then call'd the Duke of Chevreuse was she whom Buckingham deem'd the most proper to second his designs Her Beauty had purchas'd her an absolute power over all the great Lords of the Kingdom She had a most persuasive Eloquence a boundless Ambition and a wanton Humour which made her covet the Conquest of all those whom she thought worthy of particular distinction Buckingham who had a penetrating judgment quickly understood her Character and perceiv'd that the Grand Prior natural Son to Henry IV. and the Count of Chalais were the most assiduous to pay her homage and the two persons likewise for whom she had the greatest value but that she treated 'em with so much equality that they could not discover which way her heart most enclin'd Buckingham having insinuated himself into their confidence offer d 'em to make the Dutchess explain her self and tho a man would have thought a Confident so lovely as the Duke a very improper person to fulfill the Trust which they had repos'd in him yet they never suspected any thing because that being a
in good part the occasion of most of the misfortunes of his Life This Prince being the youngest Brother of his Family was design'd for the Church and was promoted to the Archbishoprick of Rheims but after his Brothers death he quitted his Benefices and courted Anna de Gonzaga Sister to the Princess Marie of whom we have already made mention Cardinal Richlieu finding this Alliance to be contrary to the good of the State made use of the King's authority to prevent it and order'd the Princess to be shut up in a Convent The Duke of Guise enrag d to see his Passion cross'd departed the Kingdom and withdrew to Cologne whither his Mistress having made her escape follow'd him in Mans Apparel but he oblig'd her to return and went to Brussells where he met with the rest of the Exiles Now in regard there was no good Company there to his mind he spent the greatest part of the Afternoons with the Dutchess of Chevreuse his Kinswoman who fearing least his assiduities should create a jealousie in the Archduke endeavour d to engage him other where and brought him acquainted with the Countess of Bossu She was a young Widow of a sweet and blithe humour and the Dutchess's great friend It was so order'd that she should be of the Dukes side in a match at Cards and she put her self to forward that he coulde not choose but return her an answer 'T is true that for fear she should make a wrong judgment of his Conduct she presently spoke to him about marriage and the Duke declar'd to her that he desir'd nothing so much as to share destinies with her but in such terms as sufficiently shew'd that he only sought to divertise himself during his Exile But tho the Countess had sounded his drift yet she made as if she hade never perceiv'd it hoping the more easily to engage him by her faigned Ingenuity One day she carry'd him to a very stately House of her's about a League from Brussells and treated him with all the divertisements that were proper for the Season which was the most pleasant in all the whole year for which the Duke could not choose but testifie his acknowledgment to her and talk to her of love as he was us d to do The Countess told him that if he were so amorous as he would seem to make her believe he should shew himself more eanestly desirous of their Marriage The Duke swore to her that there was nothing that he more Passinonately wish'd for then to spend the rest of his life with so amaible a person as she was and that it was her fault if she did not put it to the Tryal The Countess taking him at his word reply'd that she should soon see whither his Protestations were sincere since she had both a Notary and a Priest in the House to marry ' em The Duke was surpriz'd at this discourse but made as if he had not been so and thought he might take his liberty without running any hazard while he made the Dutchess the Cully of her own cunning seeing that a Marriage of that nature wanting the formalities prescrib'd by the Canon and without the Kings consent was voyd in Law The Dutchess therefore seeing the Duke ready to do what she desir'd sent for Manfele Almoner to the Army who gave 'em the Nuptial Benediction and dispens'd with asking the Baines as if he had the same authority with the Bishop of Malines Thus the Duke stay'd all that night with his new Spouse to whom he shew'd so much kindness and affection that she was extreamly satisfi'd with the happy success of her designs The next day he return'd back after he had desir'd the â—hew Dutchess that she would keep their Marriage private till he got the consent of the Court and his own Relations But notwithstanding all the care they took to conceal this Adventure from publick knowledge it reach'd the Ears of the Duke d' Elboeuf and the Dutchess of Chevreuse who both upbraided him with it as a piece of the foulest Treachery imaginable The respect he ahd for Laides curb'd him from flying out against the Dutchess but the Duke d' Elbouf and he had such high words together that they had drawn their Swords if the Archduke had no pacifi'd ' em The Duke of Guise finding he could not revenge himself by his Sword sought out for otherways to plague the two persons that had affronted him and thought he could not find a better than to bring the Countess home to his House and treat her there publickly as his Wife This was the course he took and from that time he liv'd with her very lovingly so long as she remain'd at Brussels But we must now return to France with the Duke of Orleance who having obtain'd of the King to approve his Marriage went to waite vpon him at St. Germains together with Madam 1640 While the King was busily employ'd in reducing the Huguenots of his Kingdom and defending his Allies against the enterprizes fo the House of Austria he was govern'd altogether by his Favorites never minding the Conversation of Ladies The Marquiss de Paradas succeeded the Constable de Luynes and the Duke of S. Sâ—nogi succeeded him After that Duke was thrown out of favour Cadinal Richlieu Iâ— obtain'd the sole ascendant over his Majesty without any Companion either in his favour or in the Ministry But after the Peace had given the King a little liberty to converse among the Ladies 't was soon perceiv'd that he cast a more particular eye upon Mademorselle de Fayeâ—ro tho that same application was wholly Platonick for he bounded his desires within the limits of Conversation never caring to have any particular pastime with her and never spoke to her but publickly in the Queen's Chamber This Love however as innocent as it was created a jealousie in the Gardinal and it seem'd to him so much the more dangerous and prejudicial to his favour because Madam de la Fayette was in a strict union with the Queen and for that the Marchioness of Senesay a Lady of Honour and the Queen's Creature was the Confident entrust d with the Secret The Cardinal therefore us'd all his endeavours to break that Union and at length obtain d an order from the King to banish those two Ladies which was carry'd to 'em by Cavigny Secretary of State and within a little while after the Marquiss of St. Ange Master of the Queens Household underwent the same desgrace Which very much incens'd the Queen against the Cardinal but in regard he was assur'd of the King has Master freindship he took little notice of it Mademoiselle d' Hautefort soon suceeded in the room of Madam de lu Fayette and the Cardinal suffer'd that growing Passion without any jealousie because that Lady had neither judgment nor with to carry on Intreagues equal to the Kings first Mistress But when he discover'd that she was solely guided by the Counsels of Mademoiselle de Chennerault
whose genius and cunning were no way inferiour to Madem de la Fayette's abilâ—ties he was no less disturb'd then before Nevertheless he durst not openly assail the King's Passion for fear of incurring his displeasure and putting himself out of favour but to unhinge him insensibly from her he thought it convenient to fix about him a Favorite depending in such a manner upon his will that he might ruin him when he was able to subsist of himself For that purpose the Cardinal cast his eye upon Henry Deffiat Marquiss of St. Mars Grand Squire of France who had all the qualities requisite to supply such a Post He was handsome and genteel in his Addresses but he lov'd his pleasures to that degree that there was all the probabilty imaginable that the fear of loosing the means of enjoyment would hinder him from attemping any thing upon the Credit of the Prime Minister The King at first dislik'd St. Mars's licentious humour which was absolutely contrary to his reserv'd way of living However this Favorite following the Cardinals advice became so complaisant that at length he vanquish'd the Kings reluctancy For when the King made him any Presents he besought him to be spairing of his Favours which would but create a jealousie in Madam de Hautefort and expose him to the darts of her revenge and at last he so well manag'd his Master during his Journey to Chambort that he drew a promise from him never to see Madam de Hautefort any more when he return'd to Paris The Cardinal however afraid least the King should change his mind upon a fresh sight of the Charming object left nothing omitted to keep him at a distance from her He invented several pretences to hinder him from returning to the Capital City of his Kingdom and engag'd him in a tedious Journey to go and meet Madam Royale his Sister as far as Grenoble upon the Fronties of Pâ—emont After this Interview it was impossible to detain the King any longer in the Country as being absolutely resolv'd to return to Paris The Queen also went to meet him as far as Fontain Bleau and carry'd Madam de Hautefort along with her But the King's Passion for that Lady was accompani'd with so great a respect that he durst not allow himself the least liberty with her as you may judge by what I shall tell ye One day the Queen having receiv d a Billet of which she had a mind to make some kind of mistery plan'd it to the Hangings of her Chamber that she might not forget to answer it but the King coming in within a little while after the Queen unwilling he should see the Billet commanded Madam de Hautefort who was one of her Maids ot Honour to take it down and lock it up which she did accordingly The King would fain have taken it from her and the King and she contended together after a jeasting manner but at last Madam de Hautefort no longer able to defend her self clapt the Billet into her Bosom a Sanctuary too secure for him to meddle with for the King durst not touch it there nor was he curious in the least any more to see it But tho the King's Passion was accompani'd with great reservdness never the less it was very nice and attended by jealousie For the King having a desire to settle Madam de Hautefort in the World resolv'd to marry her to the Marquiss de Gevres Eldest Brother to the Duke de Gevres at this day first Gentleman of the Chamber and Governor of Paris who was no more at that time then an Abbot and commanded her to receive him as a person whom he design'd her for a Husband which she did without any constraint for the Marquiss was well shap'd and had a very graceful presence Now while all things were preparing for this Wedding the Spaniards Besig'd Corbie and all the brave Gentlemen of the Court hasten'd to the relief of that place and among the rest the Marquiss of Gevres who was there slain the news of which the King himself carry'd to Madam de Hautefort and endeavour'd to comfort her Some few days after going into the same Ladies Chamber he found her upon her knees before her little Altar and stealing softly behind her saw that she was reading the Vespers of the dead upon which imagining it was for the Marquiss of Gevres it seiz'd him with such a sit of jealousie that for six weeks together he would not so much as hear her name mention'd tho he himself had propounded the Marriage of the Marquiss to her Which can be attributed to nothing else but the Capriccios customary to Love that frequently looks upon those things which once it desir'd as so many befallen mischiefs At length Madam de Hautefort was brought into his Presence by another Lady but the King gave but a very cool Reception either to the one or the other teling his Mistress withal that she had made unhappy Jokes upon St. Mars 〈◊〉 but bid her have a care how she did so any more unless she had a mind to incur his displeasure Madam de Hautefort who expected to have receiv'd some marks of kindness from the King after a long absence was so surpriz'd to see herself so disobligingly reprimanded that she burst into tears not able to give the King any other answer So soon as the Cardinal understood by St. Mars the success of the first meeting he thoâ—ght it a proper Season to remove Madam de Hautefort from the Court together with Madam de Cheunerault â—er Confident for fear the King's passion should re-kindle by any longer frequenting her Company To which purpose the prime Minister and the Favourite labour'd by consert and so sedulously importun'd the King that he sent an Order to those two Lady 's to depart the Court forthwith upon which they put themselves into a Convent in Paris But the Cardinal would not suffer 'em to harbour long there enforcing Madam de Chennerault to retire into Poitou and Madam de Hautefort to betake herself to one of her Houses above forty Leagues from the Court. St. Mar's perceiving that no body had a greater share in his Masters Affections then himself thought himself in a condition to aspire to nobler Alliances He had a long time Courted Marie de Gonzaga of whom we have already made mention and had been so fortunate as to gain her Affection Nay report gave it out that he had had a Daughter by her of whom she was privately brought to bed at the Marchioness d' Arquien's House who was her Governess and which afterwards went for her Daughter St. Mars spoke to the Cardinal about marrying this Princess but he afraid least the Favourite should become too powerful by means of that Allyance refus'd to give his consent and so order'd it that the King quickly dispos'd of her to another Ladislaus the IV. King of Hungary sent to demand her in marriage and the match was soon concluded She carry'd along
the Fidelity of her good Friend Maâ—â—moisâ—lle d' Enclos who thought it a stain to her Honour to have above one Lover at a time and tho she were not so lovely as Marâ—â—n de Lorme yet she had a much wit plai'd so delicately upon the Lute and was so sincere that many prefer'd her before her friend These happy talents induc d the Marquiss of Villarceaux who had always a good Relish and a true Judgment to league himself strictly with her Upon which the Marchioness grew so jealous that she never heard her name mention d but she fell into a passion This occasion'd a pleasant Story She had by the Marquiss a pretty young Lad to her Son who began to learn Latin and one day it came into her head to ask his Master whither the Boy were likely to be a Schollar The Master to satisfie her curiosity bid him decline Ninus in his Mothers hearing The Boy began Ninus Nini Nino and at length he came to Ninum But then the Mother knitting her brows told the Master he was an Impudent Fellow to teach her Son the name of such a Punk 'T was in vain for the poor man to protest that he never thought of Ninon and that he never knew her the Mother in her fury would hear of none of his excuses but drove him out of the Rome with great indignation and disdain Whether this be true or no I know not but I had the story from the Abbot of Bois-Robert Toward the end of Lewis the Thirteenth's Raign there appear d a certain Prince by the name of Zagachirst who said he was one of the Kings of Ethiopia he had an excellent Talent at Courtship and made a world of Conquests in Paris Madam Saulnier was so violently in love with him that she gave him all she could wrap and rend out of her House-keeping Which was a very great accommodation to that Prince whose Subjects were not very exact in supplying him with Bills of Exchange Monsieur Saulnier who was a Counseller in Parliament could not brook the duration of this Intreague which dishonour'd him and was a very great disturbance to his Affairs he put in an Information against him for debaushing his Wife and obtain'd a Capias utlegatum against Zagachrist who was carrid Prisoner to the Chastelet The Lieutenant Criminal Tardieu drew up the Inditment against him and when he askt him any question observ'd all the Decorum that was due to the Majesty of his Character the Party accus'd being always sitting and cover'd while the Judge stood up and with his hat off However the Abyssiman Monarch dy'd in Prison nor did his Subjects ever send any splendid Embassy to demand his Carkass since they could not have his Person Intreagues of the Court of France under the Raign of Lewis the XIV till the Death of Cardinal Mazarin year 1643 IN regard the present King was but five years of Age when he came to the Crown the Regency was granted to Ann of Austria his Mother and the Lieutenancy General of the Kingdom to Gaston of Orleance his Uncle The Queen made choice of Cardinal Mazarin for her Prime Minister as having manag'd several successful Negotiations for her in Italy and fit for the Employment But the Duke of Beaufert in whom the Queen put a great Confidence while she was the Object of Richlieu's Persecutions lookt upon her choice with an envious eye because he was in hopes of governing the Queen during the Regency or perhaps for other reasons which his enemies attributed to him The Queen who endeavour'd to prevent division did all she could to soder disunited minds and to oblige the Grandees of the Kingdom to live in friendly manner with the Cardinal For there were then no less then three Factions at Courâ— Monsieurs who was govern'd by the Abbot 〈…〉 Riviere that of the Princes of the House of Bourbon which comprehended Lewis Prince of Conde the Prince of Conti and the Duke of Longueville who but a little before had married their Sister Mademoiselle de Bourbon The third was compos'd of the House of Vendosme and the Lorrain Princes who were alii d to the Duke of Vendosme the Duke d' Elbeauf being his Brother-in-Law The Ladies govern'd these Caballs the Prince of Conde being engag'd with Madam de Coligni afterwards Dutchess of Chastillon Sister to the Marquiss of Bouteville which had hinder'd the Prince from chastizing the presumption of Coligni her Husband for making his addresses to Madam de Longueville Coligni who was proper and goodly had expell'd the Duke of Beaufort from her Heart and she had rudely broken off with him tho she had written very tender Letters to him but a little before The Duke therefore to make himself amends for the infidelity of Madam de Longueville intreagu'd himself with the Dutchess of Mombason Daughter of the Countess of Vertus who might well be thought the greatest Beauty of France and sacrific'd to her the Letters of the Dutchess of Longueville This was the posture of the Court of France when all the Exiles were recall'd The Duke of Epernon return'd out of England the Counts of Montresor Fonterailles and Aubijous being assur'd of the Duke of Orleance's protection began to shew themselves publickly Mesdames de Senelay and Hautefort were restored to their places and the Duke of Guise who had quitted Brussells came to pay his vows to Madam de Monbason The Dutchess of Cheuvreuse who was one of the Gang at the same time appear'd at the Louvre but was coldly receiv'd by the Queen and commanded to withdraw to Dampierre not that she had any real design to banish her but she would have her be beholding to the Cardinal for her being restor'd into Favour that she might be oblig d to live amicably with him In short he went to see her the next day and gave her five and twenty thousand Crowns and made her great offers of his Service Immediately the Dutchess put him upon the proof of his sincerity by demanding two very important things of him The one that he should satisfie the Duke of Vendome for his pretentions to the Government of Bretagne in reference to which he had as yet been only fed with words and the next was that the Duke of Epernon should be restor d to his Emploment of Collonel of Foot and his Government of Guinne The Cardinal carri'd himself in both very obligingly and offer'd the Duke of Vendome the Admiralty in lieu of his Government The Duke of Epernon was restor'd to all his Honours and nothing was omitted to get the Government of Guienne out of the Count de Harcourt's hands Madam de Cheuvreuse after she had obtain'd these two Favours demanded a third which the Cardinal at first was very unwilling to grant but at length he gave his consent This was that he would confer the Government of Havre de Grace upon the Prince of Marsillac whom she had a desire to engage effectually in her Interests After two
Heiress of the House of Rohan without the consent of the Dutchess of Rohan her Mother who to be reveng'd of her set up a Brother of whom as she said she lay in privately at Paris the 18 of December 1630 upon her return from Paris in the presence only of two Women and her Apothecary She pretended also that she had caus'd him to be Baptiz'd under Counterfeit Names because her Husband was then at variance with the Court that she had nam'd him Tancrede and that she had caus'd him to be bred up by a Lady of her acquaintance call'd Mademoiselle Millet That the Duke of Rhoan returning to Paris in 1634 saw this Son of his several times with great satisfaction That the Spaniards having taken Corbie in 1636. and the Parisians having taken the Alarum she sent away Tancrede into Normandy to the Father of Temon her Steward to secure his Person till she could take him along with her out of France That this Son was stolen away by people unknown the 2d of February 1638. That seven Years after she discover'd that Tancrede had been stollen away by the order of Mademoiselle de Rohan and carri'd to Leyden in Holland where his Pension was paid to a Merchant by his Sister However it were the Dutchess of Rohan sent for this Son whether real or supposed to Paris and the Duke of Guise at the Request of M. de Pons who was a particular friend of the Dutchesses went to meet him took him into his Coach carry'd him to his House and declar'd himself his Protector while Monsieur the Prince with great heat supported Chabet's Interest but Tancrede was kill d in the Civil Wars and so put an end to that Controversie The Duke of Guise understanding what effect his Letters had produc'd resolv'd to make one fair push for it to open the Passages and make way for Provisions to come to the City To which purpose he went and laid Siege to a little Island within a League of Naples and within a few hours reduced the Spaniards that were in the Fort to Capitulate Now in regard the place was not to be deliver'd till the next day the Duke was forc'd to stay there all Night and in that time Gennaro together with the chief Magistrate of the People and the rest of the Dukes Enemies sign'd the Treaty which they had made with the Spaniards and deliver'd the Principal Posts of tne City into their hands So that when the Duke would have return'd he found the Gates shut and an Enemy fireing upon him He sought then to make his Escape with some Squadrons that stook to him but all the Passes were so well guarded that he was forc'd to yeild himself a Prisoner Don John of Austria who at that time commanded the Spanish Army in the Kingdom of Naples after he had kept him some for time in the Castle of Puzzuolo sent him to Segovià in Spain where he remain'd some years and ran a great hazard of his Life becuse he had not been own'd by France During his Imprisonment Mademoiselle de Pons became unfaithful to him for having at a Ball at Chauron the Presidents Wife 's House beheld Malicorne the Chavalier de Hautefort's Brother who seated himself at her Feet to discourse of Love she took an Affection to him and forgot all that the Duke of Guise had done for her However this Passion was thwarted by Malicorm's Family who did all they could to break off this Engagement but all their Obstacles serv'd only to unite 'em more closely together nor could the return of the Duke of Guise oblige 'em to a separation But before we speak of the Revolutions that happen'd the next Year 't is requisite we should say something of the rest of the Queen's Maids of Honour Mademoiselle de Chemeraut had marry'd La Basiniere Treasurer of the Privy Purse and Mademoiselle de St. Louis was wedded to the Marquiss of Flavacour Mademoiselle de St. Megrin after she had harken'd a while to the Marquiss of St. Meme the Monsieur 's first Esquire broke off with him to engage herself with the Marquiss de Broutte Collonel of the Regiment of Navarr whom she took for her Husband when the Civil Wars were at an end Mademoiselle de Nevillan made choice of the Duke of Novailles who at the conclusion of the Troubles made her his Wife So that there was only Mademoiselle de Guerchi that could not meet with a Husband She had quitted the Commander de Jaret wholly to give her self up to Jeannin of Castille the King's Treasurer and she carry'd herself with so little reserv'dness that the Queen expell'd her the Court. However the Duke of Vitry engag d with her for all that and treated her with as much respect as if she had been a Lucretia tho' she had had four or five Children by several Fathers More then that she grew with Child a sixth time and the Duke being desirous to preserve her Reputation which he would not believe to be quite so much lost as it was nothing would serve his turn but that she must come before her Time 'T was in vain to cry she should be overjoy'd to have such a Pledge of their Friendship he was absolutely resolv'd she should destroy the fruit of their Amours and sent her a Midwife whose name was Constantine who would needs deliver her by force but she dy'd in the Operation and Constantine was hang d. The Duke of Vitry was a long time a comfortless bemoaner of her death and preserv'd the Memory of her so charily that he afterwards engag d himself with a common Harlot because the Strumpet resembl'd her And that Woman being enrich'd by his Liberality marry'd afterwards the Marquiss of Goudron a younger Brother to the House of Gamache 1649. The Duke of Beaufort having made his Escape out of the Castle of Vincennes enter'd into a new League with the Princes of the House of Lorrain the Parliament and the People who had taken Arms upon the Imprisonment of the President Blanc-Menil and Broussel a Councellor in the same Body which enforc'd the Queen to besiege Paris Monsieur the Prince who then adhear'd to her Interests commanded the King's Army and constrain'd the Mutineers to Capitulate But the pretentions of the Prince whose extraordinary service had augmented his Reputation were so great that Mazarin fearing least he should grow too Powerful resolv'd together with the Queen to arrest not only him but the Prince of Conti his Brother and the Duke of Longueville his Brother-in-Law The Marquiss of Miossans had the Warrant and did this business with so much address that in recompence of his service he obtain'd a Marshâ—l of France's Battoon and was afterwards call'd Marshal d' Albret The three Princes were carry'd to the Castle of Vincennes Guarded by the Marquiss of Barr thence remov d to the Castle or Marcousins and from thence to Havre de Grace The Princess of Conde and the Dutchess of Longueville not being able to
the Appartment which Bouteville had hird and furnish'd for her Their first enterview was very tender and passionate and at night they parted very well satisfi'd the one with the other But when she was a bed she was astonish'd to hear the door open and an unknown person come into her Chamber She ask'd him what he would have but he went out again without answering so much as one word presently she call'd her Maids but they could give her no account of this adventure But the next morning she was inform'd that the Chamber where she lodg'd had been hird by an Italian Fencing Master who had a pretty woman to his Wife of whom he was jeaous that being to ride a little way out of Town he had carri'd the Key along with him thinking to surprize his Wife at his return and discover whither she had not some peculiar favourite besides himself Thereupon not knowing that his Wife was remov'd he open'd the Door softly with his Key but was in so great amaze to see the Chamber so richly furnish'd and to hear a strange voice speak to him that he made all the hast he could out again Madam de Pons told Bouteville the Story who came in a short time after and the Fencing Masters jealousie prov'd the subject of their merriment for several days together At the beginning of Autumn Madam de Pons went to the Spa where she saw the Rhine-Grave and gain'd a new Conquest He carri'd her home to his Palace after she had been drinking the Waters and there she contracted a most intimate friendship with her admirers Wife who was no less innocent then beautiful and reported up and down that she was highly oblig'd to Mademoiselle de Pons who had infus'd good humours into her Husband but there were some that were careful to disabuse her so that Madam de Pons dreading the effects of that Ladies jealousie return'd to the Hague where she heard that Malecorne lay dangerously sick which oblig'd her to return into France 1656. She came to Charleviâ—le where the King s Lieutennant who commanded in the absence of the Duke of Noitmoutier who was Governour receiv'd her after a most obliging manner and fell so passionately in Love with her that he offer d to deliver up Charleville and Mount Olympus into the hands of the Spaniards if by that means she could procure to her self a considerable Establishment at Brussels but she refus d his Offers Malicorne who had by this time recover'd his Health came to see her Charleville and after he had stay'd with her some few days return'd to Paris to prepare a Lodging for her where she might remain Incognito till she could reconcile herself to the Court. At his departure she gave him a Letter directed to Mademoiselle Le Fevre which he made use of by adding some lines in a counterfieited hand to get out of her hands the little Box wherein were all the Letters from all the Lovers of his unfaithful Mistress by which he understood her complacency for the Marshalls d' Aumont and d' Albret during their Intreagues and deeming her unworthy of a real Passion he resolv'd to forsake her utterly broke off with her and never saw her more As for the Duke of Guise he Intreagu'd himself with Mademoiselle de Gorce who was not of so illustrous a Family but who lov'd him more cordially and faithfully so that after his death she retir'd into the Convent of Carmelites where at length she took the Habit upon her 1656. The same Year the Queen of Sweden arriv'd in France the King sending the Duke of Guise to meet and receive her upon the Frontiers Love had oblig'd that Princess to quit her Crown for she was in Love with Count Magnus de la Gardia and because he refus d to Raign with her nor could find in his heart to love her because he had devoted all his Inclinations to the Sister of Charles Prince Palatine the Father of the present King after she had made use of all her address to procure the consent of the States of the Kingdom she resign'd her Scepter and the Throne of Sweden to the Prince Palatine upon condition that he should marry his Sister to the Count du la Gardia This Queen was perfectly learned in all the Sciences spoke the greatest part of the Languages of Europe and with as much ease as she did the Swedish Tongue Now in regard she had a great Reputation among all the European Nations she strove to conceal the real Motive of her Abdication and would have People believe that Religion was the pretence She had been bred up in the Lutheran and was desirous to embrace the Roman-Catholick-Faith To which purpose she came into France and took into her Service none but Foreign Officers and Roman-Catholicks Among the rest she made the Marquiss de Monaldeschi descended from a very mean Family in Italy her Squire and did him the Honour wholly to confide in him After she had spent the remainder of the Year at Paris she remov'd to Fontain Bleau at the beginning of the next where she discover'd that Monaldeschi from whom she had had complacencies a little too familiar for a Princess to have with one of her Officers had boasted of 'em to the disadvantage of her Reputation She had also intercepted Letters which he wrote to his Friends in Italy for which she first upbraided him with his Ingratitude but seeing that he obstinately persever'd in denying his Crime she convicted him by the Testimony of witnesses that were not to be contradicted and then deliver'd him to three of her Officers who killd him in the Stagâ—-Gallery after she was withdrawn Nor did the Marquiss dye like a Roman but like a Modern Italian that is to say like a Coward not making so much as one struggle to defend his Life nor striving otherwise to save it but by imploring the Queen's Pardon which he beg'd the Priests that confess'd him and the Queen's Almoner who came into the Gallery at the time they were just preparing for the fatal stroak to sue for The King was highly offended at this act of Violence and sent to the Queen of Sweden to let her understand that she would have done more prudently to have addrest herself to him and to have demanded Justice against the Marquiss since she had no Priviledg to exercise any Soveraign Authority within his Dominions The Queen thus reprimanded made but little stay in France but went to Rome where she was kindly receiv d by Innocent X. and took into her Service a French-man whose name was Alibert the Son of one of the deceased Duke of Orleance's Super-intendents She continud at Rome till her death and kept a very modish Court the Roman Ladys that came to visit her relaxing in respect to her Grandeur much of that severity which is usually practis'd in Italy Before I finish these Memoirs I think my self oblig'd to give some account in this place of an Intreague
forth She excus'd her self at first alledging the ill usage of both the Queens To which the King reply'd that he was King and that he would fain see who they were that durst controule his Actions At length therefore she came forth and put her self into the King s Coach Upon the Roade the King propos d to provide a House and a Train for her But that seeming too glorious she avoided it for that time by only returning him submissive thanks Thereupon the King carry'd her himself to Madam and recommended her to her care which redoubl'd the Princesses Despite Besides that the King continu'd his Visits with more assiduity then before He openly sent her Presents the most magnificent that Soveraignty could purchase All this while the King continually urging her to take a House she at last consented and he gave her Biron-House which he went himself to see furnish'd with the Richest movables that were in France The Queen was almost at Deaths Door for Grief but her Amends lay in her own hands what could not be avoyded was to be endur'd At the same time also the King fell sick at Versailles La Valiere was more prudent then to visit him However his Indisposition not proving dangerous at the same instant that Liberty was allow'd for Persons of Quality to pay him their Devoirs she wrote to him the following Lines 'T is the General Report that You are very ill It may be 't is only to afflict me 'T is likewise said that You are disturb'd at this last Rumour In the midst of these Perplexities I begg the Life of my Lover and then am ready to abandon the Kingdom and all the World besides Wherefore if You love me will you not permit me to pay You the Duty of a Visit Adieu send for me to morrow that is to say if my Disquiet will suffer me to live till then The King kiss'd the Billet a thousand times and order'd Madam de St. Agnan to bring Mademoiselle la Valiere to him His Orders were obey'd he saw her with a thousand Transports of joy and exceeded so far in his Amorous Caresses with his Mistress that he fell into a Relaps But that Excess of his produc'd no bad effect in regard that la Valiere nine Months after was brought to Bed of a Young Princess that prov'd a most enchanting Beauty The King's Love was so violent that some time after he became jealous of his Mistress He went to Visit her every day but he only mus'd or fell a reading all the while he was there and sometimes left her without so much as hardly speaking to her His jealousie became so prevelent that he fell into a dreadful fit of Melancholy However in regard that jealousie most commonly proceeds from an excess of Passion he was taken one Evening with so violnet a Pain in his Head and such frequent Vomitings that the Duke of St. Agnan to whom the King had imparted his jealousie thought it convenient to give la Valiere notice of it He also put her in mind that it became her to leave nothing omitted that might contribute to his Cure La Valiere made answer that the Kings Humour had extremely afflicted her but that she could not condesend to begg Pardon for that she was never Guilty of that in a word she had reason to complain of the King but that His Majesty had no reason to blame her The Kings Indisposition redoubl d but as violent as his Headake was his Love was yet far more impetuous He bid the Duke of St. Agnan go immediately to his Mistress and acquaint her with his Malady who presently return'd with the following Billet Did I but know the cause of your Pains I would apply a Remedy tho' it cost me my Life But Good God! how much in vain it is to tell you what I say 'T is not I that can dispose of Your Majesties happy or unlucky Dayes The King was charm'd with the manner of his Mistresses writing who presently after came to see him together with Madam de Montauzier who retir'd out of respect to the end of the Room with the Duke of St. Agnan while la Valiere sate upon the King's Bed Where she carress'd him with a thousand tender expressions which so enchanted the King that he beg'd her Pardon a thousand times This their Conversation lasted five hours and then they parted after they had reciprocally vow'd to Love each other Eternally The two Queens were at their witts end to see the King 's excessive Devotion to la Valiere nor was their any thing which they left omitted to take him off from this extream Passion But when they found that all their Efforts prov d fruitless they thought there was no other way but for Father Anat who was his Confessor to interpose his Spiritual Authority Which he did and that too after so severe a manner that the King thank'd him for his good Counsel and his Service but told him withal that for the future he would have no other Confessor but his Curate Thus was Poor Father Anat turn'd out of favour to the great grief of his Brethren whom he forgot to consult upon this ticklish point Sometime after it came into the Kings head that he would have both the Queens receive la Valiere into their favour To which purpose he spoke of it to Madam de Montauzier who went at the same Instant by his Order to the Young Queen's Chamber Madam de Montauzier was very much perplexed about the complaint she had to deliver however she ventur'd upon her message but the Queen would by no means listen to her Three days after she miscarry'd which had like to have cost her her life The King appear'd to be very much afflicted at it and one day as he stood by the Queens Bed side she desir'd him in the presence of the Queen Mother and a Clergyman of Note to bestow la Valiere in Marriage To which the King made answer that if la Valiere were so dispos'd he would not be against it and presently bethought himself of the Marquiss of Vardes for her Husband But the Marquess who was in love with Madam de Soissons and had no mind to any of the Kings Mistresses laught at the Proposal And afterwards the Marquiss of Vardes and Count de Guiche made such bold Lampoons upon the King's Amours that they were both banisht the Court. The King who had a vehement affection for la Valiere and understood how terribly she was discompos'd upon the Proposal of Marriage went to see her three times a day La Valiere however could not forbear upbraiding the King with the little love he had for her since he could consent so easily to resign her into the Embraces of another But the King gave her such potent Reasons for what he did that his Mistriss was satisfied The Kings Assiduitie and Affection for la Valiere thus redoubling they who approv'd not his Familiarity would needs proceed to violence One night
to take at that time which was to repudiate their Wives contrary to the Prohibitions of the Church and the Holy Canons He put away Plectrude and continu'd his Intreague so publickly with Alpayde that Lambert Bishop of Liege after frequent and severe Admonitions both in private and publick threaten'd to Excommunicate him Alpayde was alarum'd at this and made her Complaints to her Brother Dodon who being a Man Violent and Revengful murther'd the Holy Bishop For which it was not long e're he receiv'd condigne punishment from Heaven for he fell into the Lowzie Sickness which drove him to such a terrible despair that he threw himself into the Meuse Some time after Pepin dy'd and Plectrude made her self Mistriss both of the Government and of the Person of Charles whom she shut up in the Castle of Cologne which was the usual place of her Residence Charles however found a way to make his escape out of Prison and having found a considerable Party in the Kingdom got himself chosen Mayor of the Palace and constrain'd Plectrude to renounce all her Pretensions The Amours of Charlemaigne THO' Charlemaigne had several Mistresses Anno 771. while his four Wives liv'd we know the Names of none but of Reginia and Adelond nor do we know who was the Mother of Pepin the eldest of his Natural Sons This Emperor passing through Mayence as he was going to make War against the Saxons Count Ganelon considerable for his Rank and Quality in that part of Germany besought him to receive Reginia his near Kinswoman into the number of Luigard the Empresse's Maids of Honour who had accompanied him in that Journey Charles consented to it willingly and found the Virgin so amiable that he many times took delight to divertize himself in her company after he had tyr'd himself with the toil of business And at first the Emperor thought of making no more then a Pastime of his Discourses with the young Lady but in a short time he soon perceiv'd that he had another sort of Kindness for Reginia and begg'd her to correspond with his Passion How was it possible to resist the importunities of a Prince who was already the Admiration of all Europe Reginia suffer'd her self to be overcome and grew big with Child Charles afraid lest the Empress should discover the Intreague left her at Aix la Chapelle where she dy'd soon after In the mean time Reginia was brought to Bed of Frogon he was afterwards Bishop of Mets and the next year of another Prince whose Name was Hugh Nor was Reginia ungrateful to her Kinsman Gamelon to whom she was beholding for her Fortune for she procur'd him Preferments and Employments which oblig'd him to follow the Court. And in regard he was frequently in his Kinswoman's Chamber during these marches and journeys he beheld among the rest of her Companions a Lady whose Name was Adelond with whom he fell so deeply in love that he resolv'd to Marry her To which purpose he besought the Emperor's permission so soon as he return'd to Aix la Chapelle who at first readily gave his consent But having better relish'd Adelond's Wit he could not resolve to behold her in the possession of another and having therefore found some pretence to recall his Word he engag'd himself altogether with Adelond and forsook Reginia Nor was this Second Mistriss less fruitful then the First for she made him the Father of Prince Thierry However the Emperor did not give himself up so absolutely to his amorous Pleasures as to forget the Affairs of his Dominions Understanding therefore that Alphonsus King of Leon had made a League against him with Fortune Garsil King of Navarr and with Marsillus the Moorish King of Cordona he cross'd the Pyrenans in order to fight ' em Ganelon thought this an opportunity to be reveng'd of the Emperor for bereaving him of his Mistress and for having dishonour'd his Kinswoman Thereupon he went over secretly and by giving 'em seasonable notice of the march of the Imperial Army was the occasion of the loss of the Battle of Roncèvaux wherein the choice of the French Nobility were slain However the Treason of the Count was discover'd and he receiv'd a punishment proportionable to the enormity of his Crime the marks of which are to be seen by what befell the Tours of Monthlery and de la Queve in Brie that both belong'd to him for they were half demolish'd and so have ever finde remain'd Reginia who had no share in the Conspiracy was no less exempted from any Consequences of his punishment as being all along in high esteem with Charlemaigne who put her Children into his Will year 814 Charles's Galantries had been so publick that they gave an occasion to the Princesses his Daughters for whom he had not been very careful to provide Husbands to seek out for Lovers themselves and tho' the Emperor had notice of their irregular Conduct he did but laugh at it and let 'em live according to their own Fancies But after his death Lewis his eldest Son who was of a different character from his Father and desirous to remedy these disorders gave Commission to the Princes Walon Warner Lambert and Tagobar diligently to enquire into 'em and to punish those that should be found guilty To this purpose he sent 'em before to Aix la Chapelle and follow'd 'em himself with a puissant Army to support the execution of his Orders and oppose the Pretensions of his Sisters who had made a powerful Party against him and with their Arms in their hands demanded their share in the Succession and Inheritance left by their Father The Prisons of Aix la Chapelle were soon fill'd with those who had abus'd the easie Nature of the Princesses or who had favour'd and encourag'd their unchast Amours and they were punish'd according as their Crimes deserv'd Harwin who had been summon'd to answer to the Informations exhibited against him made his appearance but arm'd and well attended and when Warner and Lambert order'd him to be examin'd upon the Interrogatories he drew his Sword and slew the first and dangerously wounded the other in the Thigh However he could not escape death for he was massaker'd with all his followers by the Prince's Officers and Guards When Lewis also arriv'd at Aix la Chapelle he sent for his Sisters and after he had caus'd his Father's Will to be read in their Hearing he unbraided 'em with their loose Conduct and then sent 'em away to the Lands of which Charlemagne had given 'em the Rents and Profits and which he assign'd 'em for their Dowries for term of life only Valdrade Mistress to Lothaire King of Lorraine year 862 AFter the death of Lewis the Debonaire his Dominions were divided among his Children Lothaire was Emperor and King of Italy Lewis obtain'd Germany Charles had Burgundy with Neustria and Pepin enjoy'd Aquitain Lothaire turning Monk left three Male Children Lewis Lothaire and Charles Lewis shar'd Italy together with the Empire