de Feûillade of the illustrious house D'Buston so considerable for the many Hero 's issued from that Family and for that great Master of Rhodes of the same name and so renowned in his own person and so well known in the Ottoman Empire who after a thousand gallant Actions done for the Honour and Service of the King his Master had the happiness to see the Infidels chased out of Hungary after their being defeated by those brave French Troops he commanded who following the Orders he gave them and imitating his valour defeated an almost innumerable Army composed of the choisest Forces of the Musulmen he whose name is at this day so famous through the whole Empire of the Turks that same Mounsieur de Feûillade has been presented by the King with the charge of Collonel of his Regiment of French Guards his Majesty did him the Honour to receive him in person into this Charge which is so much the more glorious because those who enjoy it receive thereby the Honours pavable to the Children of France This Dukes Oath was received by the Marshal Duke Du Pleâ—sis who was chosen out among all the Marshals in France who are Commissaries of His Majesties Forces This Marshal is famous for his great Employs for many Towns and Battails won for the Siege of Roses where the Over flowings of the Waters and all the Inconveniences of a hard season seemed to have conspired together to oppose his Success yet though he assailed that City with fewer forces then defended it his valour made the King Master of it which his Majesty recompensed with the staff of Marshal of France This great Captain is likewise famous for the gain of the glorious Battel of Rochel which he won with so much advantage and which decided the fortune of the Realm in a time wherein the Civil Wars had wrought so much confusion 'T was this Battel dispersed the Enemies of France and made the frontiers of the Kingdom the Barriers against the Enterprizes of the Revolted Party Some days past was acted on the Theatre of the Hostel de Burgogne a Tragedy called Bajazet which has gain'd the repute of an excellent Work and you perhaps will think it so when you hear 't is a Composition of Mounsieur Racines since nothing but what is most accomplished comes from the Pen of that Eminent Author The Subject of the Tragedy is Turkish as the Author says in his Preface I will tell in two words what I could learn of that Story from the Historians of the Country by which you may judge of the Admirable Genius of Poesie that without taking any thing elsewhere could form so excellent a Tragedy Amurath had three Brothers when he went to besiege Babylon two he caused to be strangled neither of which was called Bajazet the third was saved from his fury because he had no children to succeed in the Empire This Grand Signior carried with him in that Voyage his favourite Sultaness The Grand Vizier who was called Mahomet Basha went likewise as we may see in a relation writ by a Turk of the Seraglio and translated into French by Mounsieur du Loir who was then at Constantinople and this was that Great Vizier who began the assault of that famous Town towards the Levant with the Governour of Greece Ali Basha the Son of Arlan and the Aga of the Janizaries with his Regiment At his return he entred triumphantly into Constantinople as his Master had done some days before Yet the Author of Bajazet does ingeniously make him stay at Constantinople under the name of Achomat to favour the designs of Roxana who is here found in the Seraglio at Byzantium though she were indeed in his Highness Camp and all this to raise Bajazet to the Empire whose name is very well invented The third Brother of Sultan Amurath which remained and escaped his wrath was called Ibrahim whom this cruel Emperour had the barbarous thoughts of destroying in that extream sickness which seized him and of which he died with design say they to leave for Successor the young Mustapha Capoudan Bassa his Favourite whom he had given in marriage to an onely daughter he had by his best beloved Sultaness I cannot yield to them who think this piece expresses not enough of the Turkish nature There are Turks truly Gallant and since it pleases no matter how nor costs it more when we are feigning to invent honest and gentile Characters than those barbarous ones which agree not with the humour of the Ladies of our Age whom 't is a thing of the greatest Importance to please Gallantry Bravery and Goodness are not things without Turkish Examples and we have a very pleasant History in a Letter of Mounsieur de Loir writ to Mounsieur de Charpentier in 1641 which it's possible you would not be displeased if I should rehearse to you some of it you shall have He says speaking of a Friend of his newly arrived at Constantinople He was no sooner got hither but within three days a Lady gave him private notice of the inclination she had for him she caused one of her Companions to throw into his Windows Citrons stuck with Cloves which are here the first Letters and Embassies of Love and he finding the sweetness of being beloved answered with the same fervency the passion of her that loved him She was a young Turkish Damsel of very good quality called Zenakhoub with whom he entertained an Amorous Commerce of which the History sets down each particular And surely if Adventures are thought the more pleasing the more hazardous they are few can claim preferrence to this intrigue and though your self should impose silence on me I cannot forbear telling what at last happened to him which is an Adventure worth relating and cannot be unpleasant in the reading This rash man had often disguised himself like a Woman to see his Love in Marriage-Assemblies whither he was introduced by a Jew Woman intrusted with their secrets and passed for a young Slave she said she had lately bought his Youth his Knowledge in the Countrey-Language and the love he was inflamed with were a favourable Pasport to him But it was not long ere by an unheard-of Boldness and strange Imprudence going to see his Mistress in mans Attire he was like to lose her and be lost Zenakhoub had a long time been sought in Marriage which she had always concealed from this new Lover resolving never to tell it him till it was impossible for her to hinder it longer and now she found it unavoidable She therefore sent one morning very early to seek her new Love commanding him to come immediately with the Jew whilst the Turks were at their prayers at break of day for that she feared she should never more have an opportunity to speak with him He was so shortned in time that he could not onely not disguise his Sex but had scarce leasure to hide his own Habits under a Vest and to cover his Chin
THE Mercury-Gallant Containing Many True and Pleasant RELATIONS Of what hath passed at PARIS From the First of January 1672. Till the KINGS Departure thence Translated from the French LONDON Printed by T. R. and N. T. for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultry and Jonathan Edwin at the Three Roses in Ludgate-street 1673. To my much honoured Friend George Bowerman Esquire SOme men not so good as you might perhaps think that while I have thus long been unfortunately hindred from paying the respects due to your many good Offices and Kindnesses I have blotted them quite out of my memory and become utterly undeserving both of them or any future Favour and there may possibly some Reasons be urged for the entertainment of such suspicions but I am more than half confident they cannot at all have reached you for as your Kindnesses were free and unconstrained out of your own pure and natural Goodness so I am bound to believe they were accompanied with a Judgment which cannot easily think it self deceived because it were both a sin and shame it should be And therefore to endeavour the best I can to disperse any such Clouds that may be gathering I have taken this course to let you perceive that I have preserved a Remembrance of You and your Kindnesses and am meditating of them even when you perhaps may believe they are least in my Thoughts and though this be the miserablest way in the World to requite Courtesies and can no way form an Aquittance for any Obligation yet at worst 'tis an Acknowledgment which generous Minds use to receive in good part and where they find it think the Defection of a Larger Satisfaction proceeds rather from Misfortune than Fault As such then Please to accept this small Present I now send you which when in the Original was thought worthy of being presented unto the FRENCH KING and was a Book He Himself passed the License for under His Seal when He officiated as His own CHANCELLOVR I will not prevent You with its Contents Let them speak for themselves Onely thus much I will say That in my Judgment it may be as Vseful for This Horizon as That for which it was Calculated And if the Pleasant Stories contained in it shall give You and other Gentlemen that shall peruse it any Divertisement I shall have received my Satisfaction and have no more to addle but to beg you to value me still as one that will ever be SIR Your most faithful and most humble Servant J. D. THE French Bookseller TO THE READER I Believe now I have hit on a Book will please all the world because of the diversity of matter it contains Those who are wholly addicted to Romantick writings will here find Stories though true yet as pleasing and divertisant as in any of the most exquisite Books of that Kind the curious and the Countrey Gentleman and the Stranger who never had the least knowledge of many persons of high birth and extraordinary worth will in this Volume and those shall follow it find the springs of their Renown and what has made them esteemable To know the value of any person you shall only need to turn over the Mercury-Gallant and find your wish Every Six months shall come forth a Volume and in the second shall be set down the express time of their coming out that people may know when to expect them and hereafter we shall take the liberty to speak of Forreign Courts and Countries The Author begins now to settle his correspondencies and to search out the ways of the most considerable assistances that nothing of Novelty may happen in the world which his Letters shall not speak of These are but Essayes but by what they are you may judge what will follow consider therefore this only as the design of a work which time will better polish Those who know any thing of Gallantry or worthy to be made publick may bring it to me who will engage the Author to entertain with it the person to whom he addresses his Letters I think my self likewise obliged to give notice that this Book has no resemblance with the Journal des scavans that treats only of such Books of Sciences as are published and this of pretty Love-stories and intrigues and of the worth of persons any way extraordinary though their Pens never made them famous It is not of necessity that all who have wit must be writers there are many proofs to the contrary and I will add that if here any Books be spoke of they are only Books of Gallantry and of which the Journal sayes nothing and that there is not in the whole Treatise twenty lines to that purpose ERRATA PAg. 21. l. 19. dele so p. 22. l. 10. for with r. the. p. 3â— l. 7. for woman r. women p. p. 33. l. 19. for foryed r. forced p. 44. l 1. for Balads r. Ballets p. 51. l. 14. dele and. p. 63. l. 11. for seventy r. severity l. 19. for her r. his p. 71. l. 3. for any r. an p. 72. l. 12. for sweezing r. squeezing l. 13. for his r. her p 73. l. 15. for unmatched r. unmasked p. 74. l. 2. after these r. perswasions l. 11. dele or l. p 81. l. 16. for it r. its p. 63. l. 18. for Faries r. Farces p. 98. l. 14. for Jestu r. Testu THE TABLE OF Matters contained in this Treatise Letter I. THe Design of the Work The Story of the Neclace of Pearl Honours paid to the memory of the late Madam de Montausier The establishment of the Academy of Architecture of which the Sieur Blondel is to be Professor Letter II. The Story of the Green Silk Stockings The reception of the Duke de Feuillade to the charge of Collonel of the French Regiment of Guards Elogy of the Marshal du Plessis Discourse on Bajazet a Tragedy of the Sieur Racines Adventures happened to a French man at Constantinople by which Turkish Gallantry may be judged of Letter III. The Story of a Lady chose rather to burn with her Husband then see him disloyal A Discourse on the Marriage of Bacchus an Heroick Comedy The arrival of Monsieur Courtine in Sweden The departure of the Duke d'Estrees extraordinary Ambassador at Rome Letter IV. The History of the Family of hope The publick entrance of the Marquis de Villars into Madrid Monsieur de Pompone's return from Sweden Letter V. The Story of the maiden Souldier Elogy of the Duke of Coaslin Letter VI. The Death of the Chancellor and his Elogy Praise of the Marquis of Louvoy Death of the Princess of Conty Letter VII The Elogy of six Coansellors of Estate and six masters of Request chosen by the King to be Assistants to the Seal An accident happened to a young Marchioness on the death of Monsieur Gualtier the most excellent master of the Lute Letter VIII The Story of a man who would believe he had made himself a Cuckold Monsieur de Pachau's
yet been acted but without doubt they have reason for whâ—t they say and the success will be answerable to their judgment of it Paris Jan. 1. 1672. Letter II. SInce I have proposed to begin the weekly news I have tyed my self to write as often as I can with fome extraordinary adventure you have here Madam a true one which will doubtless please you A young Sovereign Gallant and amorous being one day walking without the ordinary confident of his Gallanteries after having studied upon something for a while hastily asks for him which obliged all that Princes Courtiers to look out every was for Cleodates so will I name that favourite or rather under that name speak of him in the Story since you have given me an Item that I should put feigned names to all the Gallant Adventures I shall get to send you Philemon a young Cavalier more solicitous then any of the rest to make his Complements to the favourite was mosthappy and thought himself the more so because as he imagined his master had particularly addressed himself to him to seek him he flyes to Cleodates house which had a back door directly opening toward the Princes Palace and which he found only put to he must have gone a great way about to the ordinary Gate of entrance and there to no purpose asked for Cleodates For that Cavalier no less Gallant then his Master whose Confident he was had gone out alone and taking a turn about came in again by that private door without being perceived by any of his people This way then Philemon went in without meeting any body he goes up a little pair of Stairs which stood in a by Corner but which he knew very well this not being the first time he had tryed that passage and came presently to the Chamber where he thought he might find Cleodates but seeing no one there he was forced to knock at a little Closet door stood by it After having knockt a good while it came into his head to look through the Key-hole for he thought he heard some body within he presently observed Cleodates kissing a Lady but could not discover who she was her face being hid from him only he took notice she had Green Silk Stockings on and very rich Garters He easily guessed by their not answering nor stirring up and down that they would not have it known they were in that Closet and that they would not open the dooâ— for any one whatever Philemon hereupoâ— returns with intention to tell the Prince hâ— could not find Cleodates he did so indeed but 't was in a way made him suspect there was a mystery in it for he could not forbear laughing at uttering his name Thâ— Prince would needs know the reason anâ— very earnestly required it he was soon saâ— satisfied for Sovereigns not being to be refused any thing Philemon told him all hâ— had seen This adventure which one would have thought should have diverted the Prince begot a dumps in him made Philemon a hundred times repent his weakness in discovering a thing he observed grieved his Master and might be prejudicial to Cleodates This Prince loved a young beauty in his Court and now grew suspicious his favourite might be his Rival he asked Philemon if he knew the Lady he had seen by her Legs Philemon was so ready to answer yes that he had not time to consider how he might by it both displease his Master and loose his Friend The Prince replyed If that Lady were one of the Court he would know her e're it were long and at that instant obliged the Princess his Wife to send for all the Ladies of the Court and as soon as they were come proposed to them to mount immediately on horse-back and see a chase some said they should have time given them to put shorter Coats others were of a contrary opinion The Prince could have wished it that he might the better have seen their Stockings but then he doubted they might in changing Cloaths change Stockings too but whatever he feared he was soon recovered of it as you will hear by the sequel This Prince who was naturally Gallant appeared so in this occasion somewhat more so then usual and talking pleasantly with all the Ladies told them that he would set them all on Horse-back you may easily guess what he meant by it and that by this contrivance he only designed to discover the Lady with the Green Stockings He had already seated a great many without finding what he feared to find when at last he discovered one of the delicatest Legs in the world and on it a Green Silk Stocking You will be as much surprized as he was Madam when you shall understand that it was upon his Mistress he found them but 't is no time to stand wondering now or if you will wonder what you have yet to hear will but amaze you will more The Prince in despair stretcht on the extreams of love and jealousy gave a shreck at the sight of those Stockings and stood like one astonished Philemon who was still near him perceiving the cause of his disquiet told him in his ear That the Stockings he had seen were of a deeper Green and the Garters of another Colour Thou would'st abuse me replyed the Prince only to asswage my grief but if I find no other Green Stockins I shall give no faith to any thing thou sayest At these words he endeavered to appear Blith and Gay as he did before and with a Countenance full of mirth and jollity though his heart were heavy proceeded to seat the rest of his Ladies on Horse-back He was come now to the very last without finding any other Green Stockings but his Mistresses and the fear he should fail of finding any other hindred him from casting up his eyes on her whose Leggs he only look'd on without knowing whose they were he was much surprized to find Stockins and Garters both to be like those Philemon had described Philemon who thought of nothing more then relieving the Prince from the trouble he had put him and making it appear he had no intention to deceive him kept still his Eyes cast downwards so that at the same time both he and the Prince cryed out they had found what they sought for if their joy were great their amazement was no less when lifting up their Eyes almost both at a time they perceived I believe you are very impatient now to know and that your curiosity would be very burdensome to you if I should long delay it It was Philemons wife which fight made him look as like a Coxcomb as indeed he was The Prince appeared as much amazed as he but yet could not forbear laughing from the bottom of his heart The Srory goes no farther and since I have promised to write you nothing but truth I will add nothing of my own though it were easie to invent a thousand fine things on so delicate an occasion Monsieur the Duke
Requests and since Provost of the Merchants he is at this present one of the Eldest Councellors of State and has ever been one of the most zealout Servants of his King The many different Charges undergone by Monsieur Poncet have got him a great fame and made his merits be acknowledged Monsieur Boucherat is well known by the great imployments he has had and the many important Commissions he has always discharged to his Majesties content particularly in Britany where he has been often Commissioner of the States for the King he is a man of great Learning Monsieur Pussort is estemable for many things and particularly for the invention of new Laws and Ordinances which may deliver the French from oppression Monsieur Voisin has Signalized himself in many occasions respecting his Ministry he has been Provost of the Merchants where he deserved the place of Ordinary of the Counsel with which he was honoured Monsieur Barretin is sometime since returned from the Super-intendence of Poictou he is Master of the Requests and President of the great Counsel I know Madam you are sensible of his worth and therefore shall say no more of it Monsieur le Boulange de Haqueville is a man whose uprightness is well known in the Council he has a great deal of wit and makes himself be distinguished by a particular way of reporting affairs Monsieur le Pelletier de la Houssaye is fearless a good Judge and who knows how to value a good Cause Monsieur de Lamoignon is Son to Monsieur the premier President The great worth of his Father and the care he had of his Childrens Education would sufficiently of themselves speak advantagiously of him if he had not of himself given particular Evidences of his merit He has Signalized himself in the Parliament and continues to do so every day in the Council thereupon his Majesty has chosen him an Assistant of the Seal Monsieur Pellisson is known by all the world his judgment and his uprightness are indisputable and though he had every where left Evidences of them the Favours he continually is receiving from the King would be an assured Testimony for him The Young Marchionesse whom you know very well who began to play so well on the Lute is fallen into despair some dayes since Monsieur Gaultier who taught her had assured her she should in a little time play as well as Madam Moiselle de Lenclos 'T was a bold word that but he was one might give decisions in those sort of Affairs Those were the last words that great Master spoke about playing on the Lute For at his going from this young Marchionesse he fell sick of a distemper which he is since dead of She no sooner heard the News but resolving her Lute should not survive so great a Master she broke it all in pieces and has determined never to play more I will not discant on this action but leave you to judge of it But if the death of Monsieur Gualtier hinders her from ever playing on the Lute so well as Madam de Lenclos she may yet endeavour to resemble her in her wit and judgment with which you know that excellent person is infinitely well stored Paris February 13 1672. Letter VIII I Cannot tell Madam whether you may have yet heard of any Adventure happened sometime since in this City and which has been occasion of much pleasant discourse this Carnaval in all the Balls at Paris A young married man being one afternoon with some of his Friends told them that that Evening he had a Meeting at his house and that he gave a Ball to a Sister of his Wives that sojourned with her One of the most pleasant fellows of the Company perswaded to go in Masquarade and told the young married man His pleasure would be much the greater if he came along with them in a disguise He consented and they presently sent for Habits of Masquerade The Hour of the Ball being come they all went thither and their Gentee carriage made many Conquests The young Husband made one which in the end pleased him not at all for his Wife fell in love with him without knowing him she staid not long before she gave him signs of it tenderly sweezing his hand and he answered his kindness in the most loving manner he could for the Adventure had a little Chilled his Blood and never was man so vexed to be taken for another yet he was resolved to see how far the business would go but he found all things so well disposed that it was no mighty task to make himself happy I mean happy in quality of Gallant for he was not so as Husband His wife who had doubtless heard some good Gossips say That a favourable occasion must never be lost For it is a hard matter to find again those we let scape thought best to make use of this opportunity which the Ball presented and since the confusion of so many people as were there gave her the means of stealing safely from them without being perceived she thought it a duty to love and nature to slip à side with her new Gallant and 't was no sooner thought then done She led him up a private pair of Stairs into a Chamber where they could not be surprized I will not tell you all that passed there but the Lady was very well contented yet it somewhat troubled her that he would not speak to her and that for fear to be known he had put out the light before he unmatched himself She asked him many times the reason of it He would not then answer her but as soon as he had proceeded far enough to convince her of disloyalty he broke silence and began to reproch her with her falseness She was so much the more bold to answer him because there was no light to discover any change of Countenance and having thereby time to recover from any surprize She told him she knew him as soon as he came into the house and that she only contrived this to laugh a little with him He was not at all satisfied with these but would and will pass for what other men are so afraid of being accounted and though it were done by himself yet he believed himself as substantial a Cuckold as any man in the world could make him He would never see his Wife from that time and designs to sue out a separation from her I leave you to judge whether he or I have reason and pass to other News The King willing to acknowledge the merits of Monsieur Pauchau and recompence his services gave him some days past a Commission to be one of the Masters of acccounts and joyned a considerable sum to that gift his Majesty likewise let him know that he should attend to the same services under Monsieur Pompone he had formerly done under Monsieur de Lyon The Messieurs de Vendosme are lately returned from Italy where they have gained repute in all places where they
this was the chief Motive to make mine Host resolve to give him his Daughter I will not trouble you with all that passed till the wedding-day but onely bring this new-married Couple to Bed There 't is I believe you expect them The Bride's heart went pit-a-pat out of fear her Husband should discover another had reap'd those Favours should have been reserved for him But that fear soon vanished when she perceived too clearly that he was in a Condition to examine nothing thus from one danger she apprehended she fell into a worse from which she would soon have with-drawn her self if she had not been with Child by discovering all But however she did nothing and was so long consulting with her self what to do that her Great Belly appeared and now she thought it too late to speak But unhappily for her as she was in her Ninth Moneth and a bed with her pretended Husband one of her Kinswomen came into the Chamber while they were asleep and putting her hand on the bed to wake her Cousin who stirr'd not at the noise she made coming in she met with the Brests of the Maiden Husband which lay uncovered and presently it was known she was a Woman for the Kinswomans astonishment was so great that she cried our aloud what she had discovered This is the original of that Adventure has been of late so much talked of and which has made so many ignorant people publish That one Maid got another with Child Mounsieur the Chancellour finding himself much afflicted with his Distemper has ordered his Children to return the Seals into his Majesties hands fearing lest his Malady should hinder him from serving him with the same application he had done for this thirty nine years in which he had officiated in this important Charge Mounsieur the Duke of Coaslin carried word of it and did it in a way very satisfactory to his Majesty I know not Madam whether you have ever understood all the Worth of that Duke his Valour is well known and he esteemed one of the best men in the world and the most officious Friend earnest to do kindnesses and joyful when he has done them As for his internal parts the place he has in the Academy is a sufficient Testimony of them Paris 30 January 1672. Letter VI. I Am very doubtful Madam whether this Letter will have the good fortune to please you and I have a great deal of reason to doubt it since instead of finding as in the precedent some divertizing Story you will understand that such is my grief for the death of the good Chancellor that I am not in a condition to relate Adventures That great Chancellor is now no more nor had death so long spared him but to make France more sensible of his loss He was a man of eminent knowledge of admirable eloquence and a Prudence often put to the test in the Counsels of two of the greatest Kings in the world he was a great Benefactor to learning the Protector of all knowing men and for a Crown to all his glories he was the strongest prop and buttress of the Church that any age has known Nor do I say this but upon the credit of many Prelates who publish it as a truth Never did man better understand the Justice Ordinances and Laws of the Kingdom nor appeared more to value able men of whatever profession He sought with much labour and diligence to understand what belonged to his employment or to those Counsels he was obliged to give in affairs of State often acknowledging the search he had made of persons who might give him the least light though he had much more understanding then those he consulted with But if death hath ravished from us one great Minister The King has made another by giving Mounsier de Louvoy the quality of Minister of State he ows this advancement only to his worth for it is apparent that his vigilance exactness and good conduct in all things depending on his ministry have made his Majesty discern in him the most accomplished policies which obliged him to make choise of him to assist in all Counsels in the quality of Minister of State Though he be yet very young there shines in him all the prudence and sagacity of a Counsellor grown gray in affairs All his actions are beautified with an incorruptible fidelity and an exemplary strictness which may be observed in his seventy towards his dependants when they at any time faulter in their duty he is always ready to applaud and recompence good service but he is inexorable when men stray from their duty The choice he makes of those he puts into imployments under him justifies the good choise the King made when he left things to hir dispose and daily intrusts him with affairs of most concern both to the publick and to his own particular glory Death the day before yesterday snatcht from us Madam the Princess of Conty she was as you very well know daughter of Count Martinozzi and of a Sister of the late Cardinal Mazarine Though nature had given her a great portion of beauty her devotion made her neglect it she lived with Mounsier the Prince of Conty with that respect made her reguarded with much kindness and consideration Her great piety none are ignorant of and her plentiful Almes could not be hid from the world Her care in bringing up her Children was worthy so great a Princess and the fruits of her endeavours may be seen in those little Princes in whom may be observed qualities above the usual reach of such tender spirits Paris February 6. 1672. Letter VII I Believe Madam fame has already given you an account how since the death of the late Lord Chancellor the King would himself take the Charge of Keeper of his Seals but perhaps you have not yet heard that the first day he took that care upon him he imployed himself at it for near seven hours and yet that hindred him not from holding the same day two Counsels of more then three hours and a halfe each Never was Prince heard of that took so much pains or laboured so hard for the good of his Subjects his Majesty has since named to have care of the Seal with deliberative voice six ordinary Counsellors of state who are the Mesieurs D' Aligre de Seve Poncet Boucherat Pussort and Voisin he has nominated likewise fix Masters of Requests which are the Messieurs Barretin le Boulanger de Haqueville le Pelletier de Faucon de Lamoignon and Pellison The Kings prudence may be judged of by the merit of those he has named Monsieur D' Aligre is of Sixty Nine years of Age and Son of a Chancellor he has been Fifty years in the Counsel has passed through all Charges and been a long time Director of the Finances his honesty and uprightness are known and esteemed by all the world Monsieur de Seve has been Secretary of the Closet Master of