a Capacity to succeed to the Government of a Kingdom which had formerly belong'd to their Predecessors The King who saw that the Duke of Lorrain was fix'd in his Resolutions urg'd no farther the Surrender of Marsal He made a shew as if he did not much care for that Town and imagin'd that the Vexation for what had pass'd a little before had put the Duke into an ill Humour and that if he manag'd him well he should bring him in time frankly to perform whatever he desir'd and there was great likelihood that this way would take But when the King found him to be unalterable that all his Managements prov'd fruitless that he still obstinately demanded that the Parliament should change their Language and that he was ready to retire into Lorrain with a Resolution to defend Marsal he thought it then high time to employ more effectual means than he had hitherto made use of To that purpose he endeavour'd to hold Intelligence with the Lorrain Nobility who were not a little discontented He imagin'd that if he could but gain some of the Principal Gentlemen there would be nothing more easie than to make himself Master of Marsal and some other considerable Place to boot and therefore to effect this there was no means that he left unessay'd This Negotiation was undertaken by the Governor who stay'd at Nanci with a strong Garison till the Fortifications were dimolish'd and he miss'd but very little of Success For in regard he made large Promises to the Nobility that if they would shake off the Duke of Lorrain's Yoak they should be restor'd to their Ancient Privileges they stood tottering a long time But coming at length to consider that there is seldom the more Liberty gain'd by the Change of Domination and that our Enemy becomes our Master they rejected the King's Offers choosing rather to languish for some time under the Government of a lawful Prince though he disputed their Privileges than to purchase a dubious Liberty by Treason and Revolt But before the Lorrain Nobility had determin'd to refuse the Advantages offer'd them by the King of France Prince Charles who remained at the Court of Vienna was inform'd of what pass'd at Nanci and indeed the News alarum'd him for he thought the King would compass his Ends. Fearing therefore lest if he became Master of any one Strong Hold he would soon get Possession of all the rest and that it would not then be in the Duke's Power to expel the Enemy out of his Dominions he posted away for Lorrain and found a means himself to get into Marsal undiscover'd He was no sooner arriv'd but he dispatch'd a Courier to the Duke his Uncle to give him notice that he might not be surpriz'd at his coming Protesting withal that his putting himself into the Town was only to secure it upon the Information which had been given him that the King of France had a design to Besiege it but that he was resolv'd to defend the Place and Sacrifice his Life for his Interests The Governor also of the Place had sent him an Express for the same reason wherein he let him know that besides that the Prince was in no Condition to attempt any thing to his Prejudice he had made him a thousand Protestations that he had undertaken that Journey only to Sacrifice his Life for him and to oppose the Designs of France But the Duke mistrusting the Prince did all he could to get him out of Marsal To which purpose he caus'd Duke Francis to write to him and withal wrote himself to him The Prince's Friends likewise who saw there was somewhat of rashness in the Attempt in regar'd he expos'd himself to the danger of falling into the hands either of the Duke or the King were the first that incessantly importun'd him to withdraw Thereupon the Prince being convinc'd that the King of France had no Design upon Marsal as having not yet assur'd himself of the Nobility and finding besides the King could not corrupt any one Officer of the Garison and that he had fancied to himself without any grounds that he could make himself Master of the Place he departed some few days after and return'd to Vienna This Action of the Prince of Lorrain as inconsiderately undertaken as it was shew'd nevertheless a Great and Generous Spirit which they who blam'd him most admir'd in him And all agreed that it was an Auspicious Preludium to his future Performances and that in that Attempt they beheld the Bravery of his Ancestors To which they added that what would have been an inexcusable Imprudence in an experienc'd Captain was a piece of Temerity to be applauded in a young Prince whom it behov'd to be covetous of Honour that they who never had an opportunity to signalize themselves ought not to refuse the first that presents it self and that the Prince had done more in daring to put himself into Marsal at that time than if he had made himself Master of it at another and this was also the Discourse of his Enemies Nor could Lewis XIV refrain from acknowledging that he had made himself an Enemy that he fear'd would find him work enough one day And the Duke himself was so scar'd with a Resolution so daring that in a short time after he left Paris and return'd into Lorrain out of an apprehension that the Prince would not stop there but that he was labouring underhand to make a Party and excite the Nobility to Rebellion For he could not put it out of his Mind that the Prince would have engag'd in an Enterprize so hazardous but that he had kept Intelligence with his Enemies which was a Conjecture not without Probability However these Reasons could not oblige the Duke to be more moderate toward the Nobility in respect of their Privileges Nay he carried things with so high a hand that they were near upon the Point of throwing off their Masks and declaring for the King of France who desirous to make Advantage of the Occasions of their Discontents never ceas'd solliciting them to shake off the Duke's Fetters flattering them withal that under his Government they should enjoy their Privileges so amply that they should never repent the change of their Master Nevertheless the Lorrain Nobility upon better Consideration chose rather to suffer for a while than to venture the utmost Extremity so that all the Practises of the King of France came to nothing Which caus'd him to take a more sure way to constrain the Duke to deliver up Marsal He therefore Summon'd him to Surrender the Place without further delay alledging without vouchsafing to hear the Duke's Reasons that the Princess Nicole had privately pass'd a Donation of the Dukedoms of Lorrain and Barr to the deceas'd Lewis XIII his Father and that he himself had made another so authentick that it was impossible for him to retract it whatever Imaginations he might have and thereupon he order'd his Forces that lay still in and about
Marshal Crequi was at hand and fell upon the Imperial Guards Nevertheless how great soever the disorder were at first in the Imperial Army by reason they were in a quandary whether to Fight or Fly however at length they made good their Retreat to Offenburgh and there secured themselves with the loss of about Eight Hunderd Men. The French also lost as many but notwithstanding the equality of the losses the Duke of Lorrain was strangely dejected to see such a failure of Resolution in his Officers believing that if his Advice had been followed they had cut the French Army to pieces But in regard the French had burnt the Bridge of Strasburgh and that there was a necessity of making a new one it was impossible for him to undertake any thing more though he had pass'd the River near Philipsburgh All that he could do was to defeat some Parties and to seize upon Landau which in regard it was not tenable he quitted after the Souldiers had sufficiently Plunder'd it But these were petty Exploits in Comparison of the Brushes which he receiv'd and no way answerable to the great Hopes with which he had fill'd his Mind at the beginning of the Campagne Insomuch that he acknowledged he had done nothing all the year though it was none of his Fault that things happen'd so unluckily Of which his Imperial Majesty was fully convinc'd Nevertheless in regard that at the same time the Spaniards and Hollanders tir'd out with the Hardships and Expences of the War had accepted and Sign'd the Peace upon the best Conditions they could get and for that all the rest of the Princes and States were just ready to do the same the Emperor seeing that whatever Assistance he had receiv'd from the Allies it was impossible for him to prevail on this side the Rhine resolv'd to follow the Example of Spain and the States-General Thereupon he sent the Duke Word to repass the Rhine upon which Crequi not understanding his Design yet fearing he had still an Eye upon Friburgh cross'd the River after him but finding him bend his March another way he return'd back with his whole Army and after he had Garison'd the Castle of Lichtenbergh and demolish'd the Star-Fort and that of the Island both Armies took up their Winter-Quarters in expectation of the General Peace which by this time all the Princes had Sign'd except the Duke of Lorrain who disdaining the Conditions to which the King of France would have subjected him rather chose to live a Private Life then Sign a Treaty so Dishonourable and all Men were of Opinion that he took the best way Now in regard the King of France would not acknowledge the Duke of Lorrain's Envoys for Ambassadors he never would treat with them In short the French Ambassadors had only Power to treat with the five Principal Confederates who were at War with that Crown So that the Duke of Lorrain after several Contests being constrain'd to put himself as it were under the Wings of some one of the Five referr'd all his Business to the Emperor's Ministers Those Ambassadors therefore were to Stipulate for the Dukes Pretentions and to procure a Ratification of such Articles as should be agreed on because they were inserted into the Draught of the Peace between the King of France and their Master But they were at a loss when they found that the President-Canon had protested that the Duke of Lorrain would never Sign the Peace upon the Conditions impos'd upon him by France without such a Moderation as might render them acceptable And therefore they declar'd that since the Conditions were so hard if the King of France would remit nothing of their Severity they ought to be raz'd out of the Treaty or a Declaration made that they were not to be adjudg'd as compriz'd therein in regard the Emperor could not Sign them as agreed by him But this rais'd a new Difficulty for that the Ambassadors of France made answer That the King their Masters Ratification which they had in their Hands was plain and clear and so the Emperor 's also ought to be So that after several fruitless Cavils and Contentions they condescended to declare That his Imperial Majesty was no farther oblig'd in reference to the Articles which concern'd the Duke of Lorrain then the King of France had declar'd himself to be After which they desir'd that the Peace between France and the Duke might be reserv'd till another time protesting they were ready to Sign the Peace upon those Conditions which was done accordingly Febr. 5. 1679. The Duke of Lorrain having no more to do in Germany after the conclusion of the Peace retir'd to Vienna where the Queen of Poland his Wife was at that time with a design to serve the Emperor in Hungary if he should deem it necessary For the Troubles of Hungary were never yet so well extinguish'd but that there still remain'd some Coals of Discontent that wanted only blowing up In the mean time the Duke had been so generous that when he protested by his Ministers against the Articles propounded to him by France he caus'd them to declare at the same time that his meaning was not thereby to be accompted an Enemy of France much less of the Most Christian King For he had yet some glimmering Hopes that the Haughty Monarch over-ruled by the perswasive Dictates either of Honour or Conscience would at length surrender back his unjust Usurpations But in regard the King of France when he vouchsaf'd that Peace to Europe had his Designs which since have too notoriously appear'd the Duke of Lorrain's Territories lay too conveniently for him to restore them back under other Conditions then those which he had made himself His design if he could have brought it about being to have made himself Master of all Germany after that by the Peace of Nimeghen he had broken the League that was enter'd into against him and therefore of necessity he was to keep Lorrain or if he did restore it to the Duke it was to be done in such a manner that he might drive him out again when he pleas'd as he had done the Duke his Uncle So that the Duke of Lorrain was deceiv'd to expect as he did the Restoration of his Country unless he would resolve to be as great a Slave in France as Charles IV. after several Treaties which he had Sign'd I shall not spend time to shew that one of the Designs of France in the General Peace was in conclusion to surprize the Empire For the Publick Rejoycings at Vienna were hardly over before the King of France seiz'd Strasburgh which he dismember'd from the Empire and incorporated into the Crown of France And by what was soon after discover'd Monsieur de Nantoil's Embassy to Constantinople in the year 1673 was only to make an Alliance between the Most Christian King and the Turk to oblige the Grand Signior to invade Hungary However it were the Emperor having irreconcilably embroil'd himself
reason to complain of him upon the Marriage propounded with Mademoiselle de Montpensier he declared to him that he always earnestly desired it and to remove all suspitions he sent at the same time a full Power in writing under his Hand and Seal to the Duke of Guise to conclude the Articles upon the same Conditions which he himself had proposed The Princess was overjoy'd at this Marriage she found in Prince Charles all the Noble Qualities she could desire and besides the Condescention of the Duke his Uncle seem'd to be no small advantage to her On the other side considering the Condition of the House of Lorrain at that time it was the greatest good Fortune that could befall it in order to a Re-establishment for besides the Greatness of the Alliance Mademoiselle had a plentiful Estate And therefore as all people desired the Match so all endeavoured to bring it to a Conclusion Prince Charles every day paid his Visits to Mademoiselle On the other side the Princess took delight in his Assiduities All the Court took it for granted that every thing was agreed upon but when all things were ready for Consummation Prince Charles fell in Love with Mademoiselle d' Orleance a Princess Young and of surpassing Beauty to which may be added that having been bred together their Affections had taken root along time before And indeed to speak the Truth Mademoiselle de Montpensier was a little too far advanced in years to inflame so Youthful a Prince And as certain it was that Mademoiselle d'Orleance was design'd the Prince of Tuscany the King himself being for engaged to make the Match and it being also his Interest to see it concluded Of all which Prince Charles could not be ignorant But being of an Age not apt to make reflexions he gave himself blindly over to a domineering Passion not considering that he forgat his own Interests to run after a Chimera since it was a Conquest impossible for him to make and this was that which caused him so much to slight Madam de Montpensier that the World took notice of it All that were concerned for the Interest of the Young Prince were alarm'd at his manner of proceeding They said that he posted visibly to his own Detriment and the ruine of his Affairs It was laid before him that he acted to his Uncles wish whose design it was to cross his Marriage so he might not be seen to be in the fault to the end that by that means he might secure the Succession of his Territories to his Son the Prince of Vaudemont They gave him to understand that he laboured inconsiderately to loose himself not only in the Kings good will who had a high esteem for him but also in the Affection of all the Lorrainers who looking upon him as their Deliverer would cast of all that Love and Endearment which they had shewed him upon several Occasions when they should come to be informed that for a passion impossible to succeed he had renounced the Re-establishment of his House and the repose of a Languishing People that had their Eyes fix'd only upon him They told him at length that being presumptive Heir of Lorrain he ow'd himself entirely to his Subjects that he ought to think of no other Alliance but such a one as might be for their Consolation and to redeem them from their Miseries and that in short he was to put a force upon his Inclinations But in regard that Mademoiselle d' Orleance was the only Object that possessed his Soul he would not listen to any thing that could be said concerning Her or if he did hearken sometimes 't was only to answer that he did not think he was oblig'd to sacrifice himself to the publick and that a Prince was in an ill Condition that was bound to be miserable all his Life to procure the uncertain Welfare of his Subjects Now that which confirm'd him in his Obstinate Resolution to Court that Princess was this that he met with some Persons who designing to make mischief between the King Madamoiselle de Montpensier and himself fed him with vain hopes that he might find a thousand ways to compass his Desires 'T was true they told him that the King had given his Word to the Duke of Tuscany for the Prince his Son but they flatter'd him at the same time that if he persisted in his Pursuit the King would fall off at last from his Promise that he was not so fond of the Match as Men imagin'd and that he knew well that an Heir to the Dutchies of Lorrain and Bar was as good as the Prince of Tuscany On the other side the great Affection which Madamoiselle d'Orleance manifested for the Prince of Lorrain and her Reluctancy to Marry the Prince of Tuscany contributed not a little to make him the more eager in his Design He knew that the young Princess had open'd her Heart to the Dutchess of Orleance her Mother that she had not conceal'd the tender Kindness she had for him that she had also discover'd to her the little Love she had for the Prince of Tuscany and that it was the Dutchess's desire that her Daughter might be left to her own Choice But in regard the King took little care to satisfie the two Lovers and that he only minded his own and the Interest of the Kingdom in this Affair he prest so hard the Conclusion of the Marriage at the very time that the Dutchess of Orleance was about to have declar'd her Mind to him that he sent Monsieur de Tellier to her to let her know that he had already Signed the Contract and that there was a necessity for Madamoiselle within three or four days at most to take her Leave of the Court and set forward for Tuscany and that she must either resolve to obey or prepare her self for a Nunnery nor was there any Reply to be given to this So that the Marriage with the Prince of Tuscany was concluded as the King had contriv'd it and Madamoiselle d'Orleance was sent away like Madamoiselle de Mancini to end her days in Italy Prince Charles thus disappointed of his Hopes on that side there was nothing left for him to do but to put a Constraint upon his Inclinations to forget Madamoiselle d'Orleance and to endeavour the regaining the Affections of Madamoiselle de Montpensier which without difficulty he might have effected But by I know not what strange Blindness that always accompanies vehement Passions he was so far from taking that prudent Course that he openly bewail'd his hard Fate and privately withdrawing himself from his Father some days after that the new Princess had begun her Journey away he posted to overtake her at St. Fargeau whither Madamoiselle had carry'd her to take her last Farewell of her And this was that which compleated the Ruine of his Affairs For Madamoiselle soon perceiv'd that 't was not for her's but solely for her Sisters sake that the Prince had
the Author of the Negotiation made it known to the Count of Furstenbergh and the Count the next moment carried the News to Prince Charles who was so stunn'd with the Blow that he knew not where he was 'T is true Monsieur Lionne had not positively said that the Treaty was yet sign'd and therefore in regard the Friends of Duke Francis and Duke Francis himself were in hopes that it would prove no more than a Loud Threat or that if the Duke had resolv'd upon such an Extremity he might be wrought upon to change his Mind by making him sensible of his going about to ruin his Family therefore Prince Charles was advis'd to go and throw himself at his Feet The Prince was deeply sensible of his Misfortunes for he saw himself not only stript in a Moment of the Territories of the Duke of Lorrain upon the Succession to which he depended but that which more cruelly perplex'd him at that instant was that after this terrible blow he was no more to think of Madamoiselle de Nemours there being no likelihood that she would marry a Prince despoil'd of all his hopes and reduc'd to the Condition of a Private Life In the mid'st of these thoughts he accosted his Uncle with a Consternation hardly to be represented by the most Skilful Pencil He mov'd him at first with an infinite Number of wounding Expressions and after he had laid before him with a profound Submission the Injury which he did to himself in the World if he persisted in his Resolution to make a Foreign Prince the Successor to his Territories to the Prejudice of his own Lawful Heirs He conjur'd him to withdraw himself from Paris there being but that only way to break a Treaty the Conclusion of which he would infallibly repent when it was too late He besought him to consider that out of a desire to ruin him he ruin'd the Prince of Vaudemont his Son and that he would be universally look'd upon as the weakest of all the Princes of Europe which he must be forc'd to acknowledge upon maturer and more considerate thoughts And that he might endeavour by all manner of means to bring him to a Recollection of himself and render his perswasions prevalent he added that if he were resolv'd to leave France which he most humbly besought him to do he was ready to follow him and to surrender himself up into his hands to give an absolute Obedience to his Commands and in a word he let him know that after what manner soever he us'd him he should be satisfied with his Destiny provided he brake off the Treaty Now in regard that all that Prince Charles said proceeded from his Heart his Remonstrances pierced the Duke of Lorrain so deeply to the quick that he could not forbear to relent and to protest that he had over-rashly engag'd himself in that Affair But the Prince was come too late the Duke could make no Advantage either of his Counsel or his Remonstrances And tho' he were a Person of a present utterance he knew not at first what Answer to make the Prince But at length after he had paus'd a while he told him that himself was the Cause of his Misfortune that if he had not driven on so furiously as he did he had never reduc'd himself to that Extremity and that it was an Act of Despair to which he had forc'd him against his own will He did not think it necessary to tell the Prince he had Sign'd the Treaty but he let him understand that he had given his word so positively to the King that he could not retract And whereas the Prince persisted in representing to him the necessity of his withdrawing himself out of France and that then there might be some Expedient thought upon he reply'd That it was observ'd on all parts ever since the Negotiation was on foot that the Counsel which he propos'd was good but dangerous to take that in short he had been so unfortunate at Toledo that he would not try the Experiment whether he should be more happy in Paris should it be his Misfortune to be Arrested While the Prince was thus importuning the Duke his Uncle Madam de Nemours and the Marshal D'Estree arriv'd at the Duke of Lorrain's Lodgings Now in regard they could speak with more freedom than Prince Charles they omitted nothing to shew him in the worst dress the Error he had committed And the Marshal after several Discourses told him plainly That neither the Prince his Nephew nor his Son the Count of Vaudemont would have any reason to be beholding to him unless he resolv'd to retract what he had done besides that all the World would talk of him to his eternal Infamy To which he reply'd with a cold indifferency that as for his Nephew he did not pretend to oblige him though he began to repent that he had carried on his Revenge so far That he was above all that his Enemies could say of him to the staining either of his Honor or his Memory and that as for the Prince of Vaudemont he had manag'd his Interests so well that he would have Cause to be glad to see himself stript of an Estate which he was not sure that he should ever enjoy though he never had sign'd the Agreement considering the Pretensions of Duke Francis and the Condition of Affairs In short besides the Articles mention'd the King had accorded him the Liberty of disposing a Hundred thousand Crowns a year to whom he should think fit to be charg'd upon such Lands as he should make choice of in his Dutchies and he had also leave for once to Levy a Million and to employ it as he thought convenient Madam de Nemours was so exasperated at the Duke's Answer that she brake forth into a violent Passion against him more then that she complain'd after a most extraordinary manner of the Injustice which the King himself had done her insomuch that the Marshal was constrain'd to give her a Check for indeed she utter'd very injurious Language in the Transports of her Choler But these were only airy Complaints that signified little and therefore might the more easily be forgiven For besides that these Ejaculations of a boyling Passion no way contributed to accommodate the Breach the Duke had already done that which he was fully perswaded he ought not to have done And this was evident the next day In a word it was discover'd that the Duke of Guise himself had carried the Agreement Sign'd to the King at the time that he was raffling at St. Germain's Fair and this Circumstance was farther added that the King had no sooner cast his Eyes upon him but with a smile he told him There was never a Jewel in the Fair of equal value to the Price of that which he had brought him The King till the Signing Sealing and Delivery of this Treaty had look'd upon the Prince of Lorrain with so much Esteem and Honour and had given him also