of Conde it not seeming decent to the Greatness of the King who was Master not to be able to have near him such as he liked best And albeit any other consideration might require that the Cardinal should continue out of the Kingdom the pretensions of the Parlement and the Frondeurs were sufficient that to confound them the contrary should be done by which means the Soveraign Authority independant from all other might shine with greater lustre and not to permit so scandalous an Example that the Servants should impudently give Law to their Master These Reasons were fomented by the first President more then any other being no friend to Chasteauneuf and alienated from the Prince for having no greater passion then that of his service to his King He had a principal part in this resolve sufficiently knowing the need that they had in Court of a prime Minister thoroughly inform'd of all the Affairs of the Kingdom The President was called to Poictiers with the Marquess of Vieville The Parisiens and the Parlement regretted their departure so much the more by how much they knew it prejudicial to their Party that a person of so high estimation had totally given himself up to the Kings Interest and the Cardinals Chasteauneuf for this cause not being able to make good his Maxim he took himself to those Arts which were suggested to him by his many years experience in the Affairs and Interests of the Court. To disturb then Mazarine's return he writ to the Sieur de Fremont Secretary to the Duke of Orleans to dispose his Master to come to Court because by his presence giving countenance and support to them that opposed the Cardinal he should easily prevail to hinder the designs of those that adhered to him But the Coadjutor on the contrary foreseeing that the Duke would be quickly brought about to the Queen and instead of opposing would condescend to her satisfaction he opposed the counsel of Chasteauneuf and with great sagacity diverted the journy of His Royal Highness who had undertaken it if instead of writing to Fremont he had writ to the Count of Chavigny and the Secretary Goulas In that interim the Mareschal de Hoquincourt had rendezvouz'd his Troops about Laon to joyn with the Cardinal who was ready with others under his pay to enter into France wherefore having agreed to meet about Derlans and Espernay upon the Marne in the beginning of January the Mareschal began to move the 18th of December and the Cardinal leaving his Nieces at Sedan advanced likewise toward Espernay with 5000 chosen fighting men and there calling a Council of War it was concluded that the Mareschal with 1000 Horse should secure the Passes on the Rivers Aube and Sene which he accordingly did passing luckily without any opposition by l' Anglure and l' Aube and crossed the Sene at Mery where the Regiments of Horse and Foot under the command of the Sieur de St. Mor joyned with him and receiving intelligence that the Duke of Orleans had sent out four Companies to Pont sur Sonne Hoquincourt charged them routed some Horse which infested the road to Sens and compelled the Sieur de Morandiere Commander of the Dukes men to quit his Post and retire It was thought that the Princes did not do all their endeavour to hinder this return for perceiving that their Affairs were in a most desperate condition the whole Kingdom concurring in favour of the King they knew that nothing could keep them from their last tottering but some new pretext that might give an honest colour to their Cause and retard the Subjects from the assistance which they contributed to their Soveraign And it was suspected that instead of providing to defend the Passes with some competent Forces which they might sooner have gathered together they delayed so long till the Cardinal was far advanced into the Kingdom and it was believed that not onely the Princes that were in Paris promoted this design but that it was also secretly fomented by the Prince of Conde it being known that he had made Gourville and others to sollicit the Cardinal to undertake his return to Court hoping that this would serve him either for a pretext to justifie his proceedings or for an occasion to piece with him because he had rather have to do with Mazarine then with Chasteauneuf The thoughts in the mean time of the Coadjutor were to induce the Duke of Orleans to frame a third Party of Male-contents and Enemies to Mazarine which perhaps might be seconded by the Courtiers that were averse to him and therefore he used all industry to make the plot succeed imagining that the Queen being intimidated by the Duke more firmly adhering to Conde she would be necessitated to keep the Cardinal further off in which case Orleans uniting himself to the Interest of the Court and fortifying himself with the Troops of Lorrain he should totally ruine the Prince But the Count of Chavigny and the rest of Conde's friends kept Orleans firm making him understand that he could not sustain himself but by uniting with the Prince and though they should not fully make sure of him they hoped at least to prevent him by closing with the Court in which case he would hardly be able to uphold himself In the interim the Duke of Nemours coming to Paris confirmed in the name of the Prince of Conde the Treaty with Orleans and the result was for the keeping out of the Cardinal and to make peace with Spain The news being spread in Paris of Orders given out by the King different to his former Declarations it is not to be imagined how the contrary Spirits were enraged yet they could do no more then make a noise so long as the Kings Authority was prevalent in the Kingdom but however the Cardinal was thwarted by the one side yet he was animated by the other for the Parlement of Brittain being sollicited by that of Paris to frame a like Ordinance in favour of the Princes against the Cardinal they ordered quite contrary that all Proceedings against him should be suspended till the Prince returned to his duty and the Spanish Troops were departed the Kingdom The Tumults of the Frondeurs continuing the Parlement decreed to proceed to the sale of the Cardinals goods and not to ratifie the Kings Declaration against the Prince till that against the Cardinal had first taken effect from whence it behoved that he should again quit the Kingdom if they meant that the Parlement should pass the Declaration They had many Consultations great in appearance but weak in substance and some Overtures to the King succeeded them The Court talked in ambiguous terms and amused them still with hopes because Time which ripens all things they hoped would also maturate the bitterness of the turbulent minds The Queen afterward sent to exhort the Duke of Orleans to retire from Paris to remove the umbrage that they had of him but the design succeeded not and increased the distrust
of the Duke of Lorain's Army Every one desired to establish his own interest by diminishing the Royal Authority supporting themselves with the pretext that Mazarine was the ruine of the Kingdom and all Paris was full of seditious Libells Satyrical Verses lying Stories and Politick Discourses which tearing the name of the Cardinal and other Ministers of State did redound to the contempt and disgrace of their Royal Majesties and with such formes those seditious did seek to make sinister impressions in the people ignorant of the Mysteries of State On the contrary all the streets and corners of the City did echo forth the Praises of the Princes and of the Arch-Duke himself celebrated in prose and verse by a number of Writers with the Title of Deliverers of the oppressed people and many Preachers getting into the Pulpits wearied themselves with no less liberty speaking detractingly of the present Affairs and all this to imprint sinister apprehensions in the people which redounded more to the blame of the Superiours which tolerated them then of those that recited them The Parlement continuing still in their purpose to reduce Mazarine to the last extremity dispatch'd the President Nesmond with other Counsellours to Sully to represent to the King what they thought necessary for his removal from Court in conformity to their first Deliberations and His Majesty's Word but the Court was not at all moved for any of these instances judging it a petulancy and too great an impudence of the Parlementarians in pretending to give Law to their Master In the mean while the Spaniards making use of these favourable conjunctures which the discord in the Kingdom of France gave them they possess'd themselves of Trino in Italy taken by the Marquess of Caracena and in Flanders of Graveling gained by the conduct of the Count of Fuensaldagna who commanded under the Archduke The Cardinal did his utmost to succour Graveling a place of great importance but the remedies are too weak in a time that the Court was miserably distracted by domestick broyls when the Foreign enemy from many parts assailed her with powerful Forces and in a conjuncture that the Seditious of the Parlement to render the Malady more incurable diverted the Kings revenues in such manner that oftentimes he was reduced to great necessity not having wherewithall to provide even for the Court it self In Paris the disorders continued more then in any other part The Prince of Conde being come thither it is impossible to relate with what Applauses he was received whereat the Kings faithful servants and the Cardinals friends were so much astonish'd that they durst not set their foot out of doors These sent Dispatches to Court supplicating their Majesties to draw near the City with all speed otherwise the Faction of Conde growing stronger they should be constrained to abandon it and let all their consultations fall to the ground The Kings Council being moved by these Sollicitations and much more persuaded by reason to preserve by all means that great and potent City determin'd to approach nigh it In order hereunto their Majesties came to Auxerre from thence to Sens to Montreul to Melun and other places near and in the Kings Council it was debated to famish Paris by taking away the commerce of the River but this was not assented to by the Cardinal who knowing well that these Extravagancies of the Citizens proceeded from the Arts of a few Seditious people more covetous to advance their particular Interests then desirous as they gave out of the publick good and that suddenly they would perceive their errour and put themselves again in their due obedience to their King adding that it was not good by rigour to exasperate the people of that City further and precipitate them by despair to declare for the Princes which was the Card they call'd for without which their Party was weak and declining That the people ofttimes changed their minds and sometimes for the better as there was some hopes they would do now when they continually invited His Majesty to return to his Royal Palace having to that purpose sent the Sieur de Lerygue But the Cardinal was not for embracing that counsel it not behoving to trust the Kings Person on the word of the people and la Fronda without good caution he consented nevertheless to hold the Parisiens in hand with hopes and fair words without coming to any particular Declaration And thus by Mazarines dexterity Paris was in effect kept Neutral though in outward appearance it seemed the contrary by which they gain'd time to perfectionate those things which afterward followed to the Kings advantage The Court departed from Melun and came to Corbeil and thence by the way of Chily to St. Germains still under covert of the Army Though Paris was not in open breach with the Court they nevertheless continued to keep a good correspondence with the Princes the Inhabitants took Armes and began to keep guard held consultations and made preparations for Warre And among other Assemblies they held a General one of the Body of the Citizens assisted by the Deputies of the Parliament in which was decreed that when the Cardinal should be driven out of the Kingdom with security not to return again they would presently lay down their arms but as they made use of this pretext only to make their actions appear innocent to the people and that they directed their intentions to no other end then to the publick relief by sending farther off that Minister to whom they imputed all their grievance and continuance of the Warre so the Court admitting they did deprive themselves of the Cardinal by licensing him to depart knew that they should be at the same pass that they were the last time he left the Kingdom And by yielding to the pretensions of subjects they sensibly wounded the Royal Authority which ought to be kept absolute and independent wherefore they pretended on the contrary that it did not belong to any one to give laws but to receive them from their Sovereign and that the sole pretension that the King should serve himself of Ministers of their appointing deserved as much blame and correction as it was contrary to the Maxims of good Government to permit that any body of His Majesty's Council should depend on any other then on the King himself so that they cried Out on 't as too great an impertinency to require that one should be driven away of whom his Patron did profess himself well served to put in another that probably would not please him and who might perhaps study more the Interest of particular persons then the publick good and the Crown 's it manifestly appearing that to deprive the King of the Cardinal was to take away from him all satisfaction and to make him depend on their pleasure And therefore not to give so pernicious an example though he had had a mind for other causes to put him away he ought not to do it but to uphold
in the minds of the good Frenchmen for the affronts and abuses offered them by the Seditious and for the little safety that was for them at that time in Paris where the burning of the Town-house had let them see how violent the designs were of the Male-contents whereupon Cardinal Mazarine who continually studied all opportunities for the service of the Crown perceived at last that the surest remedy was to call the Parlements from Paris of which although he had often thought and for some doubt of opposition omitted At this time he found it necessary not to defer it any longer The Cardinal and Monsieur Fouquet the Attorney General keeping correspondence with each other and taking the opportunity Fouquet propounded and maintained that the Parlement ought to remove to Pontoise which was done by His Majesty's Decree the 6th of August containing first a long discourse upon the Reasons that moved him to it annulling and abolishing all the Decrees and Arrests made as well in the Parlement as in the Town-house and particularly those of the 20th and 24th of the same August prohibiting all persons not to acknowledge the Duke of Orleans of Lieutenant of the Crown nor the Prince of Conde for General of the Army who made use of these Attributes for scandalous intents and of dangerous consequence forcing the Subjects to execute Orders and Designs tending to the subversion of the Kingdom He commanded moreover all the Counsellours and Officers of the Parlement to appear at Pontoise under the penalty of losing their Offices and with express prohibition to all not to take notice of nor obey other Orders then those of His Majesty's nor other Decrees then those of the Parlement removed to Pontoise In order to this the major part of the Presidents went thither five of six Masters of Requests and about twenty Counsellours to whom divers Counsellours of State joyn'd themselves with the Dukes and Peers that were at Court these formed a Party strong enough to precipitate the whole Faction of the Princes This new Parlement then beginning to act that they might acquire Authority and to let the people understand that they desired the publick good they proposed to the Cardinal that now he would do well to retire himself since his stay was the onely pretext of the Princes and of the Frondeurs so that he being gone they would either lay down their Arms and return to their duty by which means the King would remain absolute Master or persevering in their disobedience the world would plainly perceive their evil intention the honest people would be a weary of following them and the Parlement of Pontoise now acknowledged by the other Parlements for lawful would give out Decrees against the Princes and the Rebels and the King having made it clearly appears that the Cardinal served merely for a pretext to the Enemies of the Common wealth might the people remaining convinc'd and satisfied recall him at his pleasure The Cardinal declared that he desired nothing more then the service of His Majesty and with much readiness and zele resolved to depart against the sentiment of most of his friends and the King himself who knew not how to dispose himself to give him leave which he had so often requested This the Parlement did not only for the Reasons abovesaid but to surprise the Opinions that went about concerning the Kings breach of his Word given heretofore both in Speech and Writing for the assuring of the Cardinals departure Since that not seeing it accomplished they branded the Court with falsness and the Princes set a fair colour and strengthened their contumacy with that pretext they added moreover that this retirement of the Cardinal would greatly facilitate the Negotiation which was carrying on in Paris for receiving the King and expelling of Condé In the managing of this Affair Father Forz Bishop of Amiens and Father Bertaut a Franciscan and Monsieur Prevost a Counsellour of the great Chamber with others devoted to the King did interest themselves with much affection and fidelity who found the way more open after the departure of the Cardinal The wisdom of this Council quickly manifested it self because the People who pierce not so far took it for granted he should return no more With these considerations therefore the King gave the Cardinal leave to be gone although at that time there was more need of his presence then of his departure But before we proceed any further it must not be omitted that the Kings Council being greatly disturbed at the resolution of the Parlement of Paris in choosing the Duke of Orleans Lieutenant General of the Crown and in declaring the King the Cardinals Prisoner they proclaimed invalid not only what the Parliament had done till that time but all other deliberations for the future as unlawful insufficient and void of all Prerogative and that no other Parlement ought to be acknowledged then that which was lawfully called to Pontoise The major part of the Counsellors that remain'd in Paris amongst whom were divers of the most seditious contesting about this matter several Declarations were pass'd in opposition to that of His Majestie that the translating of the Parlement to Pontoise was invalid and unlawful protesting against it and maintaining that the Parlement was never kept out of Paris though Charles the VII once removed it for certain Affairs to Montargis They annull'd besides all that was done in the Kings Council about Prohibiting the levy of the imposition upon the gates of Paris ordering on the contrary that none should be exempt from paying it They decreed moreover that the Farmers of the Salt should pay the dues of their Farmes to the Deputies of the Parlement and that the Goods of those Counsellours and Presidents that were gone to Pontoise should be confiscated if they did not suddenly return to Paris to the exercise of their places and further would they have proceeded if force had been coupled to their will which failing all those determinations proved vain and ridiculous The Cardinal making haste for his departure the day before he went he procured the Kings Grant for a Brevet of Duke and Peer of France to Monsieur de Crequy first Gentleman of the Chamber to the King to the Marquesses de Mortmar also first Gentleman of the Chamber and de Roquelaure Great Master of the Wardrobe The Cardinal afterward consigned into the Kings hands particulars Instructions of all things concerning his Government Though his Majestie had given express Order to all the Counsellors of the Parliament to assemble at Pontoise yet many of them refusing to give their Consents the thing seemed to many to have something of impossibility in it which proved to be the safety of the Kings party since those that remain'd in Paris not having means to maintain the War and to hinder this removal to Pontoise they were constrain'd to yield to all the conditions that were prescribed them by the Court. The Cardinal left in the exercise of his Charge of
as to see what was most expedient to be done in this wavering condition of the inconstant people and tired out by the long continuance of these disturbances Mareschal Turenne a no less prudent then valiant Captain stood always vigilant to observe those moments which opportunely taken bring great advantage to those who know how to make use of them in Warre and being advertised of all that past after a short Conference with his Colleague the Mareshal de la Ferte Seneterre he resolved to get out of these streights and bring his Army into a securer place and more proper for their subsistence Having caused therefore the Baggage and Artillery to pass over the Sene October 4. in the night upon the Bridges of Boats which he had there at break of day he discamped with such order and silence that the Army was got over before they were discovered by the Enemies Sentinels There was no other General-Commander left in the other Camp but the Count de Tavannes who perceiving though late the March of Turenne caused presently to sound to Horse and put his Army in order to follow him and fight him But the Mareschal continuing his march under covert of the River quickly arrived at Corbeil a place held by the King where passing the Sene over the Stone-bridge very happily and to his great reputation he withdrew himself from all danger and encamped upon the River Marne between Meaux and Lagny getting provisions for his Army from all the neighbouring Country and observing the motion of the Enemy with so much advantage to His Majesties Interest that this action becoming a great and experienced Commander was acknowledged to be the saving of the Kings Party and one of the most celebrated acts of this Prince and true Master of the art of War This blow brought extraordinary confusion and astonishment to the Princes particularly to the Prince of Condé who shewed himself very much grieved at the negligence of his Officers reproching Tavannes as if he had lost his sense of Hearing saying If he had been well so favourable an occasion should never have escaped his hands but there being no help for things past and Fortune changing being weary of staying in the midst of Confusion and so many different Humours upon the 7th following the whole Army of the Princes drew up at the end of the Suburbs of S. Anthony and encamped near to the Castle of Vincennes to keep Paris in awe The King and Court were already come to Mantes to pass the Sene the Bridges of Poissy and Meulan being broken down and so to go forwards to S. Germain with intent to enter into Paris when Affairs should be brought to that pass to which they seemed to tend every day more and more The Parisiens were resolved to free themselves of these miseries before they were irrecoverable Wherefore following one anothers example and concurring in the same mind as Fortune abandon'd the Princes so they inclin'd more and more to the Kings side The Prince of Conde therefore perceiving that the tempest which threatned him was near at hand and began to provide for his own safety his Armies by withdrawing with all speed from Paris And because by his departure and the Kings return they foresaw the quiet of Paris and the recalling of Mazarine many strove to second the rising fortune of that Minister of State and even among the Princes own friends upon this turn of Fortune some changed their inclinations and in particular the Count de Chavigny Ever since the Cardinals return into France he had thoughts of closing with him considering that if his Enemies were not able to ruine him at a distance they would be less able to do it when he should appear at Court and be Master of all affairs Besides at this time the Coadjutor was made Cardinal his capital Enemy who might he feared be made chief Minister if Mazarine was kept out He resolved therefore to come to an agreement with Mazarine so as to oblige him and that his Authority might be limited He entered therefore upon a secret Treaty for adjusting the Prince with the Cardinal and replacing of Conde there seeming an apparent necessity of making use of him and that he might live quietly at Court they would find means that he should not only preserve his Fortune but increase it But as it is not always easie to walk streight between two Praecipices so in the end he found himself deceived in his Maxims on the one side while he thought himself secure on the other for whether it was that he was resolved to forsake the Prince as he was accused that he was not Loyal to his Interests or whether he would have necessitated him to make peace by persuading him that the Duke of Orleans would otherwise conclude it without him or whether indeed he preferred his own and the Courts Interest before the Princes he made the Abbot Fouquet believe to whom the Cardinal committed the management of this affair that if the Prince did not conclude the peace upon those terms which he thought reasonable he would so order it that the Duke of Orleans should quit his Party The Letter which Fouquet wrote to the Secretary Tillier to inform him of this was taken by one of the Prince's party and presently delivered into his hands who perceiving that his confidence was misplaced in Chavigny complain'd of it to persons who were not much Chavigny's Friends and that in terms injurious to his Reputation yet would not openly fall out with him The noise of this being divulged about Paris and increased by the malice of those who were engaged in the same disorders obliged Chavigny to justifie himself to the Prince at a Conference held between them from whence he came out so mortified and concerned for having dealt with a Prince after this manner from whom he had received such high Honours that returning to his house he threw himself in despair upon his bed and after a Feaver of six days encreased by the passions of his mind he died the 19th of October This was the end of Lion de Bouttilier Count de Chavigny in the 44th year of his age a person who for being related to the deceased Cardinal Richlieu was admitted into His Majesty's Council at 19 years old at 24 he was made Secretary of State and at 34 Minister of State had the care of the most important affairs of the Crown and after the death of Lewis XIII he was nominated Plenipotentiary for the Treaty of Munster a person of a quick Wit a haughty Spirit of a ready Judgment and covetous of Glory and Greatness to procure which he spared no Industry In the mean time the Parlement and the Assemblies at the Town-house met often upon the occurrent emergencies where all the well-wishers to the publick thought themselves obliged to deliver the poor Country people from the insolencies of the Souldiery and especially of the Lorrainers who destroyed and wasted every thing Upon
Preparations for War the Cardinal in the first place caused several sums of money to be paid to the Colonels and Captains of the old Troops for their Recruits and Commissions to be given out for new Levies he thought it necessary likewise to entertain a Squadron of German Horse as Persons very proper for his Incampments and constant to the Party in which they engage to that end he dispatch'd the Count de Nantueil Monsieur Milet Monsieur Gontier Monsieur Gravelle and others into Germany with ready money as likewise the Counts de Grandprè and Beaujeu into the Countrey of Liege And because of the loss of Casal and the Preparations for War which the Spaniards made in the State of Milan where great Recruits were expected as well from Naples as Germany Piedmont was so dangerously threatned that the Duke of Savoy by his rieterated solicitations prest hard for considerable supplies or else to be permitted to enter into a Neutrality with Spain the Court of France dispatch'd into Piedmont 4500 Foot and 1500 Horse which arrived happily in the Month of May at Anone as an insorcement to the French Troops already in those parts under the Command of Count de Quincy till the Arrival of a Mareschal of France who was expected every day And because the Spaniard continued the Negotiations which were begun long before with the Duke of Savoy to gain him to their party or at least reduce him to a Neutrality by their advantageous Exhibitions to which a Minister of that Court appear'd to be inclin'd The King sent Monsieur de Plessis Besanzon his Lieutenant General with the Title of one of his Gentlemen to all the Princes of Italy to Negotiate about the present Affairs of those parts In execution therefore of his Orders Besanzon advanced with great diligence to Turin from whence Having assured the Duke that his Majesty would maintain the Treaty of Chirasco that he would defend Piedmont always protect that State and cause an Army with considerable Commanders to march immediately thither to that purpose he proceeded to Casal where he found the Duke of Mantua at that time and being receiv'd with the honours usually exhibited to the Kings Embassador he contracted his business into two Points One was that His Majesty should be satisfy'd about the interest of Casal and that that place should be put into a condition not to be surprized exchanged or fall any other way into the hands of the Spaniard The other was about the pretences the Ministers of Spain might make under the name of the said Duke of Mantua to Montferrat which was then in possession of Savoy forasmuch as His most Christian Majesty waâ— ready to deposit the sum contained in the Treaty of Chirasco for thâ— discharge of the House of Savo To these two Propositions the Duke replyâ—d That he esteem'd the coming of the said Monsieur du Plessis as a particular favour not doubting but he as a prudent person would apprehend the necessity which obliged him to possess himself of those places and be perswaded that by no accident whatever he should be alienated from that devotion which upon so many reasons and obligations his Highness profess'd to His most Christian Majesty so he hoped also on the Other side he would shew himself so courteous as to convince His said Majesty that he was resolved to hazard his own life and estate and the lives and estates of all his subjects before he would suffer the Spaniards or any other to make themselves Master of the said places That it might possibly be the money for the payment of the Garrison might come out of the Coffers of the King of Spain which yet was more then he knew but however he protested he receiv'd it as coming from the Empress his Aunt and her Sister under whose Authority that Treaty was concluded That whenever he should be repossess'd of that part of the estate which the House of Savoy with manifest injustice detein'd from him and might freely make use of those Rents as he had formerly done and as he had often protested against the Treaties which were never consented to by the House of Mantua as being too much to its prejudice he would maintain that Garrison himself without the assistance of any one and therefore he conceived in that respect it would have been more proper for him to have been sent to the Court of Savoy to have interpos'd his Majesties Authority there and caus'd them without further expostulation to have restor'd what so unjustly they detein'd then to address himself to his Highness who would be more ready to embrace ways of Amity and Peace then of Violence and War which he knew would disturb the quiet of all Italy so much desired and endeavoured by the House of Mantua which would clearly appear to whoever would impartially look back and consider who they were which did really interrupt it and at length he told him that he could not in reason accept of the sum he was offer'd seeing he had not only not consented to but oppos'd the aforesaid Treaties and besides the said sums would fall much short of what was due by reason of the advantages had been made of the rents of it since the House of Savoy had it in their hands Du Plessis had declar'd before both to the Duke and the Marquess de la Val his Highnesses prime Minister that they could not satisfie France any other way but by putting the affairs of Casal and Monferrat in the same condition they were in before his Highness made use of the Spaniards to cause the French to march out But perceiving by their Answers both by word of mouth and in writing that that instance was in vain and believing it would be sufficient for His Majesty considering the importance of the place if it were well fortified and provided with a Garrison independent on the Spaniards and able to keep them out upon any pretence whatsoever he propos'd that to satisfie those ends if it were possible That half the Garrison should consist of the subjects of the said Duke and the other half of Swisses raised in the Catholick Cantons That all of them should remain under the Command and Authority of his Highness That one half of them should be paid by His most Christian Majesty and the other half by the Princes and Potentates of Italy his Allies and such as were most interested in that Affair He considered this Expedient would be a great ease to the Dukes Treasures till a General Peace could be concluded betwixt the two Crowns upon such conditions as should be proper to draw his Highness out of the necessity in which he was at that time of taking money of the Spaniards which was a thing much to the dishonor of those who had so often defended that place against them and might at length produce inconveniences absolutely repugnant to the quiet and security of the said Duke and his subjects John Coexens Secretary to the Emperess
for the future in the maintenance and support of the Condean Party But the Count d' Ognon's Accommodation with the King of France did not a little startle Don Lewis de Haro and the rest of the Grandees of the Council the foundation they had laid upon the fidelity of this Cavalier who had franckly undertaken the defence of Guienne being taken away and no grounds left for any future resolution by reason of the inconstancy of the French who would promise the highest fidelity one day and the next day leave them in the lurch So that the Kings party increasing hourly in those parts and the Princes growing every day weaker their apprehensions could not but be very great nevertheless in this very Exigence the Court of Spain fail'd not to send their Orders to suggest their Counsels to transmit Men and Money as far as the utmost of their power and ability would extend Not long after the Baron Batteville represented to the Court the difficulty of getting in to the Garonne unless he were reinforc'd with a much stronger Squadron of Ships Twenty thousand Crowns were immediatly dispatch'd to him with new Orders to ship himself upon the aforesaid six Men of war and to put 500 Irish into Bordeaux But affairs changing daily their face it was necessary to change Counsels as often and Batteuille being unable to execute them without further supplies their Commands were received oftner then put in execution After this the Marquess of Lusignan was dispatch'd in great haste from Bordeaux to Madrid where he Arrived in May. The pretence of this Embassy was to complement his Catholick Majestie upon the recovery of the Queen who had had the small Pox with great danger of her life besides the King himself had been ill five or six days of a Feaver But the intrinsick reason was the soliciting for fresh forces in respect the French had made themselves Masters of the Garonne and fortified it so that it would be no easy matter to remove them and by consequence the Kings Army increasing without interruption as it did it must needs follow that Bourdeaux must be lost Lusignan had many fair Promises 200000 Crowns were deliver'd to him and the Dispatches for the Ships from Port de Passage consigned to him Not long after that design being look'd upon as impossible Battiville had new Instructions if it were possible to get into Bourdeaux by the Lake of Arcazon with all imaginable diligence to keep that people in their fidelity and support as much as in him lay the drooping spirits of the Prince of Conty and the rest of the Officers in his Party He had Orders moreover to propose three things to them viz. Whether they would have the Spanish Fleet force its way up the River Garonne and fight them Whether they would have them clap before the Mouth of the River and lie there Or whether they thought it not more convenient for them to cruse along the Coasts of Britain and Normandy and by alarming them in those parts give them a diversion in Guienne Nine hundred more Irish were dispatch'd into Guienne and Letters sent Post to the Arch-Duke and the Ministers in Flanders that they should take the Field with all Expedition that they should supply the Prince of Condy with 200000 Crowns mere for the reinforcement of his Troops to put him into a Condition to march immediatly for France The Spaniard considering that Mazarine being in all likelihood thereby constrained to draw down what force he could make against that Invasion would not be able to pursue his Enterprizes against Guienne but by consequence give them opportunity to make Provisions for the defence of that Province But neither in this could the Spaniard compass his design for the Ship which carried the 300000 Crowns into Flanders to hasten that Affair falling unluckily into the hands of the English they made no scruple to to seize upon it though the King of Spain was at that time in Amity with that Nation and to stop the Ship likewise for some time it being a Dutch bottom Nor was this Miscarriage to be imputed to the negligence of the Ministers but to the uncertainty of humane accidents which many times run counter though managed and contrived by the best Counsels in the World Besides these sums 30000 Pistols more were sent to the Fleet with express Orders to Batteville to try all ways of introducing himself into the Garonne and open a Passage into the Town to which end and no other that sum was intended At the same time the Count de Fiesco and several other persons went also into Spain to represent the necessities of those parts and to sollicit for relief But some are of opinion the chief end of these journeys was to receive Presents and Gratuities which the King of Spain distributed very liberally to all French-men that came to his Court so that many pretended to joyn with him more to be nibling at his money then out of any true service they intended him and it is believ'd that if the money he in this manner distributed among the French-men were fairly computed it would appear sufficient to have conquered a whole Kingdom and yet either by their treachery or inexperience all these vast sums were utterly lost and these great preparations become entirely ineffectual In the mean time the Duke of Vandosme was employ'd in hastening the building of Caesars Fort upon the Garonne as likewise another in the Countrey betwixt the two Seas beginning above Vallier before the house of Alinet who considering of what importance it would be to interrupt the Communication betwixt the several Posts belonging to the Prince and the Town of Bordeaux if he could possess himself of Lermont which was situate exactly upon the mouth of the River and Garrison'd by 500 Irish under the Command of Colonel Dillon On the 26. of May he caused the Tertia's of Moasieur Milleray and Normandy to be drawn out and ship'd in such Galleys and Brigantines as he had ready under the Command of the Chevalier d' Albret his Camp-Master who with others being embark'd they sally'd forth by the favour of the Tyde against the Galliots which lay under that place Being arriv'd there disbarqu't the Count of Comminges the Lieutenant General the two Brothers the Count and Baron of Montesson the Baron of Croix Camp-Master and Sir George Carteret who as they say perswaded the Governour of the place to take up Arms with his whole Party for the King of France They agreed upon the paiment of 7500 Franks to deliver up the Town and it was done accordingly for the Irish Soldiers being much discontented and looking upon themselves as sold to the Spaniards like so many slaves did not hold themselvs oblig'd to them by any faith or duty in the world The rest indeed had followed their Example out of a temple they had taken up that they could not in conscience serve the Spaniard because of the League and Amity at that
with the desire of Novelty then the Waters with the Wind. All this was managed and effected without noise the said Duke being contented to deliver it up to the Sieur Bar and he in Exhange to enter upon the Government of Dorlans held by the said Bar To which was added the Title of his Majesties Lieutenant General in the parts about Dorlans and a certain sum of Money payd him for such Arms and Ammunition as he had provided at his own Charge in the Cittadel of Amiens But the end of this Voiage was not barely the securing of Amiens but to be more ready at hand to assist the Army with his Counsels and besides the usual Guards of Horse and Foot there being great numbers of the Nobles attending the King with the one and the other to succour the Army in time of need Nevertheless it had not been amiss had their Majesties stay'd in Paris to prevent such accidents as might arise in that City where the sinister intentions of some persons towards the Government were not absolutely dispell'd especially the Archbishop being decrepit and the Cardinal de Retz to succeed him new troubles might arise among the people who would have pretended not to be satisfied without their Pastor he being a person of much esteem amongst them for his Generosity But there being a necessity of the Kings going into the Field the Cardinal thought to evade all accidents that might happen and to remove the said Retz out of Paris as a person of too high and extravigant a spirit to be left behind to offer him his liberty and the Kings favour upon condition he would renounce the hopes of his future succession and retire to Rome with promise to stay there and not return into France in recompence of which he promis'd him an Equivalence to the Archbishoprick though his Uncle was living and other assistance besides to augment his dignity and splendor Cardinal de Retz though under the durance and inconveniences of a Prison preferr'd the glory of his Constancy before all other private considerations and being puff'd up with hopes of seeing in a short time the face of things altered either by the death of the Arch-bishop or by the means of his friends at Rome emulous of Mazarine he stood firm in the Negative not to quit his dignity declaring That for the King he would do this or any thing else to the very effusion of his blood and loss of his whole estate but knowing it to be no other but the Artifice and interest of Mazarine he could not swallow so bitter a potion presented to him by his most irreconcileable enemy The Pope though not much inclin'd to the interest of France declar'd that the Proposition in his judgment was honourable and practicable of this also the Prisoner had notice but it would not sweeten the bitterness of his mind who bearing his adversity with great constancy he gain'd the reputation of an intrepid person and having found a way to write to the Sacred Colledge of Cardinals in Rome Letters full of Lamentation with earnest requests to be assisted with their Protection by whom he did humbly conceive he ought not to be abandon'd for fear of manifest prejudice to the dignity of the Purple One of the Cardinals of principal credit amongst them seeing they were inclined to answer him declar'd in delivering his opinion that he could not see why they should engage in an Affair more likely to prove a detriment to the Church then any benefit to the prisoner seeing they could give him no other assistance then by words which would perswade more by gentleness then by rigour He urged moreover that Cardinal Mazarine was in the same or greater perplexities with the Parliament of Paris and that nothing have been done in his behalf though concurrent with the service of the King his Master much less were they obliged to do any thing for Cardinal de Retz who was at that time in his Majesties displeasure The Counsel of this Cardinal being heared and approved as the best gave occasion to the resolution they took of interceding to his Holiness that out of his paternal care he would exhort his most Christian Majesty to grant Cardinal de Retz his liberty The King shew'd himself very ready and after divers Negotiations the Dutchess of Chevreuse undertook it shuffling in Conditions for the Duke of Lorrain who though he was secured by the Spaniards as we shall hereafter relate Nevertheless the Treaty about the Cardinal was not laid aside but at last was concluded upon Condition he should renounce his Coadjutorship of Paris giving him as many Benefices as were Equivalent to that Arch-bishoprick the revenue of which amounted to a vast sum This affaire was almost brought to a Period all difficulties being reduc'd to two points the one about the value of the Benefices the other about the security for the performance when the death of the Archbishop chang'd the face of Affaires but though the Curates of Paris all the factious party and the friends of the Coajutor had rais'd new tumults in his behalf nevertheless the Cardinal resolv'd to accept of the Conditions offered him Being brought therefore from the Castle of Vincennes he was delivered into the hands of the Mareschal de la Melleray who convey'd him to Nantes where he was to remain till the Articles agreed on were accomplished after which he was to be sent to Rome and money given him for his Voiage and subsistence there but he making his escape from Nantes all things were disordered again as we shall relate in its proper place In the mean time the enemies of Mazarine seeing their Artifices and Cabals to ruine him ineffectual they began to plot and contrive how to take away his life It was divulged that the Prince of Condy had a hand in this business upon a suspicion that the Cardinal had attempted his life It is most certain as was afterwards made manifest that neither the one nor the other were true but that all was plotted and designed by the malice of the common enemies One Recous and Bertau were gain'd and perswaded to do the deed who being resolv'd upon the Enterprize they began to frequent the Louvre and to watch for a place and time to put their design in execution it hapned that Letters were accidentally intercepted which gave such discoveries as were sufficient to cause them to be apprehended upon which they freely declar'd their resolution to have stabb'd the Cardinal with a knife as he was coming down as he was accustomed every night from the Kings Apartment by certain private and strait stairs They were according to their deserts condemn'd to be broken upon the wheel the 11th of October in Paris near the Bastile in the great street of St. Anthony The Cardinal according to the gentleness of his nature and as a true Prince of the Church abhoring such bloody spectacles interceded very earnestly for their Pardon and had certainly obtain'd it if
but that they ought not to pretend nor expect the execution of it without due precautions for the security of the State aggravating withall that all the suppositions brought in against the Cardinal were seditious lies and calumnies But the Regents exaggeration availed nothing for the delivery of the Princes and the removal of the Cardinal were decreed anew by the Parliament All the three Factions were at this time united against that of Mazarine who was upheld by the sole Authority of the King and Queen and Forces of the Kingdom and being in this streight his only Meditation was how to put in practice the laudable Maxime of temporizing The Court by reason of the general uniting of so many Seditious was necessitated to give way to so many contrivings in which the Dutchess of Chevreuse acted her part to the life stimulated by interest and by the ambition of the aforesaid Marriage for setting that aside she was the Cardinals intimate friend And feigning her self still so told him confidently that if he did withdraw himself for some short time he should by that means appease these first passions of the Duke of Orleans who returning to the Council the Queen would soon win him to her party and in few days he would be recalled again knowing the nature of the French that having obtained their desire they presently grow weary and change their minds The Cardinal suffering himself to be lulled asleep by the harmony of this Syren and not to put to hazard the publick Tranquillity resolved his Departure and went to impart it to the Queen advising her to stand firm in her resolution of keeping the Princes fast while he securing his own person should take away all pretext from the Male-contents to proceed further and leaving her many good Memorials for the service of the King and the State with a Letter from the Regent to the Sieur de Bar who had the custody of the Princes containing a precise Order to obey the Cardinal in every particular he went in all diligence towards Havre de Grace with design that if he could not handsomly secure the detaining of the Princes to cause them at least to acknowledge him the Author of their liberty and by this act to oblige them to a gratitude making the Count de Servient and Monsieur le Tillier partakers and actors in this and other secrets The evening before the 6th of February 1651 he got on Horseback with onely three persons and passed out by the gate of Richlieu without which he found divers Gentlemen to the number of 400 Horse that expected him and with these he went to St. Germaines whence he dispatched a Courrier to the Marquess de Lionne at Havre de Grace to understand the issue of his Negotiations and to Monsieur le Tillier putting him in mind to give way to the Princes delivery till he had adjusted what they had agreed upon amongst themselves which being come to the knowledge of the Marquess de Chasteauneuf he making use of it for his own benefit hoped by rendering himself the principal Author of the Princes liberty to delude the designs of the Cardinal who being advised of the streights to which the Queen was more and more reduced resolved no longer to defer the Princes releasment The 12th of February he hasted away to Havre de Grace where he was received with all demonstration of Honour and entering where the Princes were with much frankness uttered these words Jo porto per ordine della Regina la liberta a V. V. A. A. senza alcuna conditione I bring by the Queens Order your Highnesses liberty without any reserve yet adding S.M. vi prega però d'amar lo Statto il Re la di lei persona Her Majestie prays ye to love the State the King and her Person delivering all this in a posture of Respect and Reverence yet not unbeseeming his Quality and sweet manner of speech The Prince answered in name of them all with a chearful but grave countenance Noi si chiamamo obligati a S. M. della giustitia che ci rende serviremo sempre il Re la Regina We hold our selves obliged to her Majestie for the justice which she renders us we shall always serve the King the Queen and embracing the Cardinal ancora voi Signore and also you Sir The Prince of Conde resolved to dine before he went out wherefore the Princes the Cardinal Gramont Palleau Lionne and Goulas sate down to dinner entertaining one another with mutual familiarity in which was verified the saying of Caesar speaking of the French Humour After dinner the Cardinal had private Conference with the Prince and immediately going out of the Fort they entred into Mareschal de Gramonts Coach the Prince of Conde going in last placed himself in the Boot and hearing the Cardinal to with him a good Voiage did not answer him with the least shew of courtesie making the Coach drive on without saying any thing giving the Cardinal quickly to understand the requital he was to expect for the kind embracements with which he received him on the day of his imprisonment with Protestations of a sincere friendship when at the same instant he made the Marquess of Lionne write the order for his Arrest Upon the News that the Cardinal was gone from Paris the people were presently up in arms running tumultuously to the Palace Royal and suspecting that the King and Queen were also upon departure they placed 2000 men in Guard and the diffidence and impudence of the Frondeurs went so far that they placed Guards even at the Kings bed-fide who ever and anon opening the Curtains observed if he slept and if he were there The Cardinal being departed the Queen sent to invite the Duke of Orleans to the Council who under several pretences refused to come for fear lest the Queen should gain him and send for the Cardinal back who caused his Nieces also to be conducted out of Paris Mazarine's Enemies greatly fearing his return insisted that Orleans should receive a promise from the Queen that he should return no more about which the Parlement framed a most rigorous Decree by which they enjoyned him to depart the Kingdom within 15 days as likewise his Kindred and familiar Friends under a great Mulct to any that should receive them procuring this Order to be confirmed by all the Parlements of France The Cardinal lingered some time at Havre de Grace consulting with his friends to what part he should retire upon which occasion they that coveted his Charge reported that he staid there to make himself Master of that place Wherefore to take away all pretexts of their Exclamations and being daily more convinced of the ill will of the Prince of Condé who spake injuriously of his Person he resolved to depart with many Gentlemen his Friends who together with several Souldiers made up the number of near 100 Horse and travelling with great hardship and incommodity by reason of the sharp season
side from whence they had been formerly reliev'd The Count Marin was sent to possess himself of the Forts of Testa and Certes But though the Cardinal was not insensible that force was the most secure way of reducing that Town to obedience yet considering very prudently it was like to be the longest he began to think of some other way to bring them to a voluntary submission to which end he sent particular instructions The House of Espernon by a long residence in those parts having made many creatures and gain'd much upon the affections of the people contributed exceedingly to the Duke of Candale renewing his Practices with the well-affected Citizens in the Town By the help therefore of their Friends and Confidents there being several others dispos'd also to peace they esteem'd it convenient to take such measures as were most likely to succeed The throng of Countrey-people which were retir'd into the Town increas'd their scarcities very much the corn was conceal'd very dexterously in particular houses the building or repairing of their Mills neglected and the other Machines laid as on purpose out of the way so that their meal failing and the Bakers unable to furnish Bread for such a number of people that coming in great multitudes to receive their distributions began to believe that their necessities would be great and that it was therefore time to think rather of the publick safety then of their private interest Besides this the care and Government of the Hospitals was utterly left off and the poor people sent to their doors who were suppos'd to be the most concern'd in the Continuation of the War and this was done that by their miserable clamours and importunitys they might be brought to consider that not being longer able to contend with those calamities their best way would be to moderate the Obstinacy which caused them The sight of these Troops of poor creatures sighing and begging at their gates who where esteem'd the authors of the War had a wonderfull influence to dispose them to peace whilest they began to feare least those very poor people of whom they had made use for raising those desturbances should fall uppon them and pillage their houses It was also proposed to the Religious orders to expose the Holy Sacrament in all the Churches of the Towne veiled with black to signify that God Almighty was displeas'd with and detested that Rebellion But the Counsellors of Parliament and the Princes suffer'd it to be expos'd in the great Church only to imply that they desired of God a General peace which was the pretence they made vse of to foole and delude the poor people In this kind of destraction they continued till Wednesday the 9th of July 1653. Upon which day after divers private conferences several Marchants mett publickly upon the Exchange and declared it was high time for them to shutt up their Shops seeing they were not like to have any more Trading during the Wars The Prince of Conty having private intelligence of these Murmurs made a publick Cavalcade thorow the City but went no further The next day a certain person call'd de Bas being by his Order apprehended for crying out Peace Peace before the Palace of Judicature all the Neighbouring quarter took up armes and demanded to have him released This de Bas had private Consultations with a conventual Minim call'd Friar Romein who holding correspondence with the Count d' Autenil shew'd a certain writing to several Citizens which he said was from the Prince of Conty wherin he gave them liberty to meet to give him advice of what passed relating to his party but this Affair had another intent for the Friers design was to discover by this means which were the Kings good and bad subjects and the good Citizens perceiving it they proceeded reservedly in communicating things of importance to the Friar The reputation therefore this de Bas had in the common opinion was the cause the Citizens were so obstreporous for his enlargement as to threaten a Commotion without immediate satisfaction The Prince of Conty and Marsin with the greatest part of the Nobility and Officers in the Town got on Horseback forthwith the City-Companies whose Captains for the most part were of the Faction of the Olmiere were commanded to their Arms but the Butchers led up by one Gilbert and Master Isaac arm'd with Musquetoons and other weapons cried out for Peace and that if any one had any particular disgust he should revenge himself with his own hands as he could and not endanger the Lives of the whole City A Hollander that had House and Family in the City told Marsin to his face that they knew how to die but not unreveng'd and that their deaths would not trouble them so they died free-men At this being all amazed it was concluded that all the Olmeisti should meet in the Town-house after dinner where several things were propos'd and the plurality of Voices concurr'd in this to assault the Citizens inhabiting the Quarter towards Rochel and the New-street and to bring down the great Guns against them The Prince of Conty was of a contrary opinion and thought it better to expect the judges and Consuls of the City who were coming to beg of him with great submission that he would not suffer the good Citizens of the Town to be abus'd and ruin'd in compliance with the Olmieri who were about him and had threatned to plunder their houses The Merchants appeared before him and intreated for Peace as the only probable way to prevent greater disorders The Prince reply'd That he would not subject any body by compulsion though it was easie for him to do it but if they would remain constant to the service of his Brother the Prince of Condy and himself he would protect them and their interest and by their unanimity all the difficulties would easily be overcome which their dissentions increased and rendred past Remedy and that he would advise with his Counsel what was best to be done in this Affair During these tumults at Bourdeaux the Count de Fiesco had his Dispatch at the Court of Spain and imbarking in a Frigat at St. Sebastian he arrived at the Port Testa di Bus where at his landing he found all the Citizens in Arms for the Kings and had much ado to escape but his Ship remain'd at the discretion of those Bores who took it and all that was in it making use of their Artillery against the Forts of la Teste de Bus and Sertes which were Garrison'd by the Princes Souldiers to keep open the passage for those that went and came from Spain To these Countrey-men the Count Marin joyn'd with 600 Foot with which recruit in five or six days both those Posts were taken The Count de Fiesco arriving at Bordeaux the twelfth of July went immediatly to the Town-house with the Prince of Conty where with great Rhetorick he magnify'd the power and greatness of the King of Spain and
Three weeks together the Armies lay facing one another in this posture without any Action at length the Prince of Condy and Spanish Generals despairing of their design'd Inroad into France or of giving them battel or surprizing any Town upon the Somme by reason of the great vigilancy and precaution of the French Generals they grew very confus'd and variable in their Counsels Condy had insinuated into the Spanish Ministers and Captains that upon his entrance into France he should meet with so much welcom and assistance that they should make their way more by the good-will of the people then by the sword But not managing his Interest dexterously and wanting the means the Cardinal had to inveigle and cajole by recompences those who were of a contrary judgment he found himself deluded and those persons who had promis'd him their fidelity in lieu of proving constant to his party let themselves be corrupted by the said Cardinal and served more to endamage and prejudice him then to assist and profit him The generous mind of the Prince being netled in point of reputation which being lessned already by his daily misfortunes would be absolutely lost if with so much preparation and so great forces he should consume unprofitably a whole Campagne which at first did seem to promise so much advantage and glory to Spain and threaten so much ruine and destruction to the Kingdom of France in a full Counsel of War he propos'd the Enterprize of Rocroy making good his opinion both with martial and politick Arguments He acquainted them that he was inform'd the Garrison was very weak by reason the Chevalier Montague Governor of the place upon confidence that he could not be attaqued had sent away the Regiment of the Crown to Rhetel That therefore in 12 dayes time it might be taken That there would be no great difficulty to invest it in respect there were no great Rivers to pass and the Siedge would be very easie since the Town lying betwixt thick woods whosoever were first to gain the Passes might be able to maintain them defend their lines with a very few men That Rocroy would be of very great importance being a Key of the Frontiers of Picardy and though indeed the loss of it would be no great detriment to France yet it was very considerable to the Spaniards for by this place the French made all the adjacent Countrey pay Contribution and a great part of the Province of Luxenbourg These Considerations of the Prince of Condy were excellently good and his opinion credited and receiv'd as an Oracle by all the Commanders But the Spaniards who seldom put their foot into the water till they have first sounded the bottom and who hold Prudence as an inseparable Companion of all their Actions though in appearance they inclined to the Propositions of the Prince by way of Complaisance yet in reality they did not assent in their hearts for it being formerly by agreement betwixt them and the said Prince declar'd that all such Towns as should be taken within the distance of three Leagues from the Frontiers of Flanders should belong absolutely to the Prince they considered that they should expose and consume their Army in the acquisition of a place that would adde nothing to the advantage of their Crown and would be rather instrumental towards the reconciliation of the said Prince with the Court of France then any furtherance towards the General peace of Spain To this they added that if the Siege should happen to prove longer then was propos'd they ran a great hazard of consuming their Men their Money and their patence So that at length their Souldiers failing they should no longer be Masters of the Field in which consisted the hopes of those who relying upon their assistance were contriving new Cabals in France The Count de Fuensaldagne's judgment was to lay siege to Arras seeing they had an Army big enough to undertake it and maintain a line of Circumvallation about it Others were of opinion that encamping still with their Army in the Enemies Countrey they should not only put them to a great burden of the War but might with money and promises encourage and propagate their Intelligence whereby to obtain an advantageous victory which could never be compleat unless they advanc'd into the very bowels of France and divided that powerful and opulent City of Paris from their Union with the King But as this had been endeavored even from the beginning without any effect so was there less hopes now especially since by the pacification of Guienne the interest of the Princes was in a declining condition and the credit of the Cardinal much increased At last the Enterprise of Rocroy was resolv'd on To which effect the Count de Ligneville advanced with 3000 Horse with all speed to block up the Town the 5th of September by break of day and was followed by the whole Army which was so unexpected and not foreseen by the Governour that 100 of his best Souldiers were shut out of the Garrison being gone a scouting according to custom The French Generals did their utmost to put in supplies but the ways being narrow and difficult they could by no means effect it The Spaniards having possest themselves of all the Passes the Prince of Condy took up his quarters at a place call'd l' Vnghero The Count de Fuensadagne in the Champion Country extending his quarters from the Main body to the watch above The space from thence to the Prince of Condy's Post was possess'd by the Lorainers Their Army being Lodg'd in this posture they began immediatly their line of Circumvallation which in 4 days was compleated and on the 11th of September they open'd their Trenches directing their approaches to the Bulwarks of Chene and del Perdu and to the Half-moon or Ravelin betwixt them The Commanders in chief of the Spaniards in this Leagure were the Count de Fuensaldagne General the Count de Garzias Lieutenant-General and the Prince of Ligny in the third place Prince Uldric of Wittembourg was Captain-General of the German Horse The Lorraine Troops were Commanded by the Count de Ligneville The Prince of Condy's by the Marquess de Bouteville the Count de Briole the Count de Duraz and the Prince de Tarante who a while after left the Camp disgusted with the Spaniards because they would not admit him to the Command conferr'd upon him by the Prince Rocroy was well-provided with Victuals Ammunition Cannon Forts and a good wall Their chief want was of men there being in the whole Garrison not above 450 Foot 50 Horse 30 Inhabitants in Armes and about 90 Peasants that had fled thither The foss was full of water and the Plain without the Works spungie and morish but 4 or 5 Foot deep chalkie and firm The French Generals at the first motion of the Enemies Army perceived immediately they could nave no other design but upon Rocroy and because they judged it impossible either to
is despised As an example they alledged Cardinal Richlieu who by his extravigant greatness was become so odious to Lewis the 13th that without doubt had they lived longer together that Minister must of necessity have fallen That it would be better therfore to settle his Alliance further off to secure a retreat if any accident should happen without exposing himself to the inconstancy of that Nation who are friends to none but their own fortune But the Cardinal esteeming the advantage to be reciprocal his inclination to his own interest prevail'd above all other Advice so that the Contract was at last agreed on and the Marriage concluded by their Majesties to whose determination the Cardinal left the whole disposure of that Affair submitting his will to their pleasure as he said he had sacrificed all the rest of his faculties to their service but the consummation was put off because the Prince was unwilling to be present in the Parliament of Paris whilst they were forming a Process of High Treason against his Brother the Prince of Condy. He obtein'd therefore to protract his coming to the Court till the latter end of the Carnevale about which time he arrived and was received with all applause and satisfaction imaginable The first Saturday in Lent the Ceremony of touching the hand and signing the Articles of Marriage was perform'd The Princess had a Dowry of 200000 Crowns given her by her Uncle and 50000 by the Kings bounty besides a Pension to the Prince equivalent to his Ecclesiastical Revenue which he resign'd into his Majesties hands after this followed the Espousals and the Nuptials which were honoured by the continual Presence of their Majesties the Duke of Anjou and all the Princes and great Lords of the Court where there was not any one found so stimulated with envy or overwhelm'd with rancour no mind so enraged or corrupted that durst cavil at this Alliance since the deserts of the Uncle towards the Crown were unparallel'd and the Beauty of the Bride such an entire Compendium of the most conspicuous qualities in a woman which were able to excite the praises and commendations of the greatest Emulators and Detractors The Queen her self would needs do her the honour to see her in bed by which incomparable Civility her Majesty made appear how much she was pleased with this Wedding The King afterwards made a Present to the new married Prince of all the Estate and Offices belonging to his Brother the Prince of Condy but he out of an exemplary Grandeur of mind refused that grace as despising the riches which came from that spoil To express the content and joy every one conceiv'd for the reuniting this Branch to the Royal Stock The days following were spent in Balls Feasting Musick and other Recreations and Divertisements becoming a Royal and Majestick Court as is that of the most Christian King The HISTORY of the Managements of CARDINAL MAZARINE Lib. II. Part III WHilst Paris was thus full of joy and festivity at Brussels all was in sadness and confusion for the Imprisonment of Duke Charles of Lorrain who was Arrested Prisoner in that City as shall be related in the ensuing Narrative The Spanish Troops were retiring into their Winter-quarters and the Count de Fuensaldagna considering that by reason of the Numbers of great Officers and the Generals of the three Armies it would be impossible to quarter them all in the Low Countreys he treated with the Duke of Lorrain and paid him a sum of money upon condition he would quarter his Troops and some of the Prince of Condy's out of the Countreys belonging to his most Catholick Majesty as he was accustomed to do at other times under pretence of being General of the Empire by which he made bold with several Neutral Countreys in those Provinces and other Principalities of the Empire as were most expos'd to that inconvenience The Duke began to take up his quarters accordingly and about the middle of Winter marched with his Army into the Countrey of Liege pretending the Elector of Colen had given Sanctuary to Cardinal Mazarine in his State permitting him to make levies there and giving him other assistances against the Prince of Condy. The Elector desir'd help of the King of France against the Troops of the Prince and take Duke Immediately Orders were sent to Faber the Governour of Sedan to draw a Body of an Army together and march to the assistance of the Elector He executed the Orders with all possible expedition marching with the French Troops directly towards Liege The Duke of Lorrain so soon as he had notice hereof in stead of meeting and engaging them as he might easily have done being much stronger then Faber retired into the Territories of the King of Spain took up quarters there for his men and came himself to Brussels The proximity of these Troops of the enemie being as it were in the heart of the Countrey and the Dukes retreat without attempting in the least to oppose them The various Advices they received from several parts that what was acted by the Duke of Lorrain was done by private Intelligence with Cardinal Mazarine gave no small trouble to the Arch-Duke and the Count of Fuensaldagne and so much the more because these Advertisements did quadrate with the Treaty the Duke made with the King of France near Paris deserting the Princes in their greatest need With the withdrawing of his Troops from the siege of Rocroy with the Negotiations which were lately discover'd he had held with the Crown of Swedeland and other Princes to hinder the New Election of the King of the Romans hoping himself by the help of his money and the assistance of the King of France and the Protestant Princes in Germany to be able to pretend to that dignity This jealousie was not a little fomented by the strait correspondence he held at that time with the Elector Palatines Family with the Swedes and with other Princes of Germany to whom he had sent Ronselot his Secretary having sent likewise for the Prince Palatine of Sultzbach in the place of his Brother killed at the battel of Rhetel with design to marry him to his daughter By the displeasure he expressâ—d for the assistance granted to the Prince of Condy by whose Treaty with the Court of Spain he pretended to be very much prejudiced by reason that all the acquisitions made in France being to be deliver'd into his hands there remain'd no place in the power of the Spaniards to exchange afterward for those of Lorrain at the General Peace He began therefore to doubt that the bare Protection of Spain would not be sufficient to restore him to the Sovereignty of his Dominions This was one of the principal Reasons that renewed in the Duke the ancient emulation betwixt the Houses of Lorrain and Bourbon not being able to endure that the Prince of Condy should be Master not only of Stenay Clermont and other places belonging to Lorrain but of the Conquests
service of their Prince were not a little surprized at the novelty of this case Several reflexions were made upon this Action and some omitted not to consider whether the advantage or prejudice that might succeed upon it was likely to be the greater It was consider'd that the services the said Duke had done for the Crown of Spain were apparent but his failings publish'd in the Arch-Dukes Manifesto and Declarations were not known to all and that little credit is ordinarily given to what is publish'd by those that are interessed That it would be hard to disposses the people of an opinion they had imbided That the Duke out of meer complaisance to the Spaniards had drawn upon himself the displeasure chastisement of the King of France so that if after being beaten out of his countrey for their sakes they had received him into Flanders it was rather what they were obliged to then a courtesie That by how much the more the said Duke was blamed by the Ministers of Spain by so much the more justifiable were the Proceedings of the French against him because if the Spaniards who were so much obliged to him had just cause to chastise him it might well be thought the French had more reason he having proceeded in a hostile manner against them Moreover the doubt that this example would be mis-interpreted by others that served them gave no small trouble to the Spaniards fearing it might move them to resolutions little beneficial to their service upon suspition that their merits might hereafter meet with ingratitude and their errours never be pardoned Upon this News the Court of France made a great stir endeavouring to make advantage of this Conjuncture as favourable to calm the Actions of their enemies And because the whole Affair will be more clearly comprehended by the Manifesto which was publish'd in the Name of his most Christian Majesty the 2. of July 1654. at Sedan where the Court was then resident it will not be amiss to insert it here as followeth His most Christian Majesty being informed that several Officers as well as Souldiers and other persons belonging to the Wars Natives of the countreys of Lorrain and Barrois to the prejudice of their honour and duty notwithstanding the great injury done by the Spaniards to Duke Charles their lawful Prince in detaining his person have taken part and engaged themselves with them contemning the advantageous offers made them to enable them to set him at liberty and his Majesty considering further that to continue the same tenderness towards them which he had shewn ever since Lorrain was reduced under his obedience haveing never proceeded to any severity against those who abandoned their Country seeing they followed the fortune and commands of their Prince his Clemency would prove too prejudicial to his affaires he is resolv'd as in justice he is bound to have recourse to all such means as are in his power to repress them and make them sensible of his indignation since they acting indirectly against the interest of his Crown as also against the interests of their own Duke and his Family for whom his Majesty has always sufficiently manifested his esteem and affection having many times as is notorious to all the world offered the said Duke to restore him to his Countrey if he would desert the Spanish interest and come over to his Partie but he could never be brought to any resolution to prevent the disgrace which is at length fallen upon him imagining perhaps that by refusing such considerable and advantageous Propositions from France and by his strict Alliance with Spain so long continued and with such extraordinary constancy he should have deserved of them another kind of recompence then to be laid in prison and deprived of his â—state His Majestie therefore Orders and expresly commands all Officers Souldiers and other Natives of Lorrain and Barrois serving in the Army of the said Duke and that are any way engaged with the Spaniards to abandon them and retire themselves within the space of 15 days after the Publication hereof into the Frontiers of France either to take up Armes under his Majestie in which case they shall be entertained and used as the rest under his Command or to return into their Native Countreys or wherever else their Estates do lie provided they make a Declaration in authentick manner and form before the Kings Judges in those places where they intend to reside or the next they can meet with never to bear Arms nor to engage directly or indirectly upon any account to the prejudice of his Majesties service under penalty to those which transgress after the time allotted of being declar'd guilty and convict of High Treason and as such to be treated by the confiscation of their Estates the razing of their houses cutting down their woods and other most severe Penalties contain'd in the Orders upon such crimes His Majestie does furthermore command and require the Sieurs de Turenne and la Fertè Mareschals of France to cause these Presents to be Published in every place where need shall require to the end that no man may pretend ignorance and that they be aiding as much as in them lies to the full and entire execution of all and every particular herein contained declaring that equal credit is to be given to the authentick Copies hereof as to the Original it self To this Manifesto there was annexed a Declaration concerning what reception should be given to the Colonels Captains Officers and Souldiers of the Duke of Lorrain's Army which should come into the French service in the Tenor ensuing That the King being highly concerned for the detention of Duke Charles of Lorrain by the Spaniards and for the unworthy treatment he receiv'd from a Nation that have no Authority over his Person nor his Troops he caused to be proposed to the Count de Ligneville Commander in Chief of the said Dukes Army divers ways for the procurement of his liberty before he were convey'd into Spain according as the said Count had notice was intended But he would not hearken to this Advice to the prejudice of his honour and fidelity having suffered himself to be gained by the Spaniards to whom he hath shewn greater affection then to his own Master and considering that the Colonels Captains and other Officers might be inclin'd to follow his Majesties designes for the enlargement of the said Duke he did by these Presents give assurance to all Officers and Souldiers as well of Foot as Horse belonging to the Lorrain Army which to vindicate the wrong done to their Master and to set him at liberty should come into his Majesties service and pay That they should be placed and continued together in one body under the Command of the Mareschal de la Fertè Seneterre Governour of Lorrain and Barrois That according as any such body or company of the said Troops shall unite and joyn together they shall immediately receive a Pay both Officers and Souldiers and
commotions likely suddenly to arise to the destruction of the Peace and the publick good might be avoided and the Duke of Orleans was intreated to joyn some of his with the said Deputies mutually to importune that the Cardinal might be kept at distance By a publick command they did prohibit all Cities Towns and all those who were in Authority on the Frontiers not to receive him nor give him any assistance upon pain of High Treason Though they reaped small benefit from these deliberations because every one laugh'd at it reputing it mere madness and folly to pretend to controle with scribling and papers where the Kings lawful power was predominant back'd with the strength of Arms nevertheless they were so intoxicated with a most sottish pretension of Authority and so instigated by their Passion that they persuaded themselves that an Order of Parlement was sufficient to bring the whole Kingdom under obedience and so passing from one absurdity to anothet to end this year 1651 the 29th of December in virtue of the aforesaid Declarations of the 7th and 9th of February the 11th of March the 2d and 8th of August last past and of those and some other Parlements against the Cardinal he was by the Parlement of Paris declared guilty of High Treason for returning to Sedan contrary to the Prohibition and for putting himself in a posture to return into France ordering moreover to finish the selling his Library and all the Furniture of his House with the Confiscation of all his Ecclesiastical Emoluments depositing 50000 Crowns to be given to him that should kill him or deliver him alive to Justice petitioning His Majesty in such case to give his Grace to the Assassine who if by his misfortune in giving the blow should not escape but be kill'd himself that his Heirs should be capable of the reward making their account that so great a recompence would invite some desperate Villain to take away his Life a thing never heard of and unworthy to be decreed nay not to be propos'd in a Catholick Parlement the bounds of whose Authority extended no further then to judge of Civil and Criminal causes and not in the least to interest themselves in the Affairs of State It was therefore looked upon with detestation that they should proceed to the condemnation of so conspicuous a Statesman so dear to the King and by His Majesty's Council known to be so advantageous to the good of France and adorned with the Dignity of Cardinal All Europe abhorr'd this Action and every good Catholick was scandaliz'd that the Life of a Prince of Holy Church should be expos'd to sale so acceptable to the King by whose express Order onely he acted And many foresaw that the Authors of these execrable doings though Humane Revenge should fail would find in their season no less then those English who condemn'd their King to death the chastisements of Heaven for the little respect that they bore not only to the Cardinal but also to the King and the Holy Church This Decree as far as could be guess'd pass'd not without the secret intelligence of the Count de Chavigny who believed by such means to hinder the Cardinals return supposing that if the Order had but issued out a little before he would not have enter'd again into the Kingdom The Count was the first that tasted Gods judgment dying a while after in despair conscious of betraying the Court and the Prince of Conde his greatest Confident in one and the same time All this was represented to the Court of Rome supposing that the Sacred College would not allow that such an Example should remain in the memory of the present Age much less be transferred to posterity without those remedies and punishments which belong to the Popes Authority But the Romanists considering that if the success should not answer the attempt the reputation and dignity of the Apostolical See would be too far engaged wherefore they passed it over palliating it with dissimulation for Mazarine had his back-friends in Rome as well as in France and the Pope himself was his Enemy These news coming to the Court they rejoyced at the seditious Parisiens and valued little their words and inconsiderable strength and had frequent Consultations about this business and although few pressed the return of Mazarine yet finding the King was resolved to have him near about him according to the Court custom where they flatter more the Fortune then the Person they began with an affected ostentation to shew that they desired as much some of them persuading the Queen to hasten his return constraining their own inclination that they might appear to be his most cordial friends But Prince Thomas being a little before come out of Piemont into France the Mareschal de Plessis Pralin the Sieurs de la Ferté and Seneterre the Count de Servient the Sieur de Lionne and other Noblemen of a clear Fidelity ingenuous Disposition and true Friends deliver'd their minds with affection and sincerity as also the Princess Palatine the Secretary Tillier recalled to Court by the means of the Marquess de Chasteauneuf and of the Mareschal de Villeroy which vexed those at heart who persuaded themselves that they might be useful in that charge and beheld with an evil eye that Mazarine's Affairs proceeded so smoothly on to his re-establishment They that chiefly opposed his return in the Council were the Marquess de Chasteauneuf who exercised the charge of first Minister of State and deliciously relished the Applauses and the Honours which to it paid Tribute as Rivers to the Sea but he vailed his thoughts with the pretext that yet the conjuncture of Affairs was not ripe for his return because the unseasonableness of it would colour the pretences of the Prince of Conde and of the other Male-contents with the face of Justice and would ferment new grievances and revolutions not only in Paris but in other parts of the Kingdom and said it would be better counsel to seek first to remove out of the way the Prince and his Party that he might return with more security The Proposition truly in it self look'd well and if at that time nothing had been innovated about Mazarine's coming back the Prince had been totally ruined the whole Kingdom standing firm for the King but when it was considered that if while the Cardinals return was delay'd the business of the Kingdom and the present state of Affairs should be mitigated and the Prince destroyed the reasons for his return as a necessary Minister would not have so much vigour as when it might be averred that the King had no person about him sufficient to undergo so weighty a Charge For this reason Chasteauneuf's Opinion did not take place and their counsel was imbraced who supported the Cardinals Interest alledging that his presence was of great importance for the better carrying on the Affairs besides the recruit of a Body of old Souldiers levied by him to hasten the depression