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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47671	The history of Father La Chaise, Jesuite, and confessor to Lewis XIV, present King of France discovering, the secret intreagues by him carried on, as well in the court of England, as in all the courts of Europe, to advance the great designs of the King his master / made English from the French original.; Histoire du père La Chaize, jésuite et confesseur du roi Louis XIV. English.	Le Noble, Eustache, 1643-1711.; Le Noble, Pierre.; Le Roux, Philibert-Joseph.	1693 (1693)	Wing L1052; ESTC R179438	143,271	350

France in hopes to meet with Advancement sooner there then other-where At his return the Bishop of Bayeux carry'd him to Cardinal Mazarine who shew'd him a thousand Kindnesses and told him he would be his Friend And indeed he was very much in his Favour He it was that presented him to the King 1665. as a Person whose Ability he understood to the very bottom He also go● him admitted in his life-time into the Council of Conscience which indeed was no more then to make him Co-adjutor to the Confessor Nor did the Father in any thing belye the Testimony which his Eminency had given of him He govern'd himself in this Post with all the Dexterity of a Man grown old in Business and understood so well to study the King's Humour and Genius that when the Cardinal dy'd he found himself able to stand upon his own Legs Nay more then that he supplanted his Competitor who though he had been longer in the World had nothing near the Wit or Knowledge that La Chaise had By this time the King was become enamour'd of La Valliere and in regard his Passion was strong and violent he but a hunder'd Slights upon the Queen for her sake which many times came to hard Words though that Princess had a great Love for him at least as much as his Mistress nor was she much inferior ●o her in the Allurements of Beauty But I found the King was of the Humour of those that never love their Wives because they are ty'd to ' em His Confessor was always harping upon this String and would not let him be at ●est which was a great Vexation to him the King enduring no Lectures upon any Subject whatever Father La Chaise who knew this pretty well took the quite contrary course he carefully avoided all manner of Disputes upon this Subject ●nd if at any time he were oblig'd to speak his Thoughts he never fail'd to bring in Humane Frailty to excuse the King La Valliere who had notice of ●t order'd Thanks to be return'd him by Monsieur de Montausier who desir'd him in her Name to give her a Visit But La Chaise excus'd himself as being loth to incurr the Queen's Displeasure After that she would needs have him for her Confessor and the same Person gave him notice of her Intentions This put our Reverendissimo to a little stand for hi● Ambition soar'd higher nevertheless h●● durst not refuse her for fear of incensing her He therefore return'd fo● Answer That the Dutchess of Vauj●● did him a great deal of Honour an● that he look'd upon it as a special Favour of Christ himself that offer'd him Occasions to serve her and to be any way contributing to the saving of her Soul but in regard he had no desire that the thing should spread any further he went to attend her that Night So soon as s●● perceiv'd him What good Father sai● she brought you hither You do me a Favour that I could never expect at you● Hands What will Their Majesties say when they hear that you bestow'd a Vis●● upon a poor Girl whose Soul they woul● never value the Loss of I come Madam answer'd he to repeat those Pr●testations which I made to the Marquis o● Montausier when he did me the Honour to speak to me in your Name He told me Madam that you had so good a● Opinion of me as to entrust me with th● Direction and Guidance of your Soul Yes Reverend Father reply'd La Valliere and I should be highly engag'd to yee if you would take Charge of it 'T is too great a Favour Madam that you vouchsafe me answer'd the Father But Madam permit me to speak to yee with all the freedom of a sincere Heart I have an infinite Value for the Good and ●piritual Repose of your Soul and should be glad to assist yee with that little Knowledge which the Lord has been pleas'd to impart to me However Madam 't is true that my Zeal for your Service does not permit me to stop there I would if it were possible contribute something to the Establishment of a Fortune and a Favour which you so duly merit I dare be bold to say Madam That hitherto I have labour'd out of a pure Inclination without pretending to deserve any thing ●t your hands but as yet it has not been in my Power to do any thing considerable But if you will consent that I may cast my Designs and watch Occasions to do you Service then you may reck'n upon me as a Person wholly at your Devotion You may perhaps wonder Madam that a Man of my Profession should ●alk to yee after this rate those of my Robe being accustom'd to preach Mortification and Penitence and I must needs confess that this would be the best way when all 's done But when fatal Experience teaches us That Youth Great Engagements in the World Beauty Extrao●dinary Merit and Birth are things absolutely incompatible with an entire Self-denial I cannot but agree with those that believe there are some Grains to be allow'd to Humane Frailty and since the King cannot bridle his Amorous Passion I cannot chuse but applaud the Choice that he has made I do not see any Lady in the Court that merits his Heart and Esteem so much as yo● do and as for your part Madam I shall never condemn yee for having hearken'd to the Vows of the Greatest Monarch in the World Nor do I believe that any Lady in the Kingdom would have refus'd ' em Your Affection for him has had an extraordinary good Effect For it has drawn him off from his Engagements begun with Madam his Sister-in-Law which made me tremble a thousand times out of that Zeal which I have for his Honour and Salvation So that it may be said That your Charms have rescu'd his Royal Soul from a greater Danger into which it was falling La Valliere who desir'd no more then that he would prove by substantial Reasons that she might Love the King with a safe Conscience listen'd very attentively till he had made an end of speaking After which said she fetching a deep Sigh How happy should I be if the Father-Confessor were but in some measure of your Opinion But he continually torments the King upon this Occasion and moreover incenses the Queen against me and urges her to persecute me with all the Vexations imaginable There 's more Truth in that then you can well believe reply'd La Chaise for I have left the Queen's Chamber twenty times not being able to hear how bitterly she inveighs against you Madam who without Contradiction are the Person in the World who most naturally deserves her Kindness and Respect In a word What shall I say to yee Madam but that that same Old Fool has got a certain Notion of Morality in his Brain which he takes to be pure Devotion and imagines there is no Salvation without Hypocrisie and Dissimulation You have hit his true Character answer'd La Valliere and

That he could not blame the pious Zeal of the whole Society nevertheless that he was oblig'd to put 'em in mind That when there was an incumbent Necessity to condemn any Person they could not act with too much Moderation because it many times fell out That our proper Passions disguising themselves under the plausible Appearance of Zeal for God transported us to utmost Severity against our Brother who by that means became a Victim but that then not considering what we did we sacrific'd to the Devil travesty'd into an Angel of Light which cautious and evil Spirit not caring how he brought Men to Perdition provided they were destroy'd had made too great a use of this same fatal Means to Damn an infinite number of Souls which but for that would be in a happy Condition That it behov'd us to have this Fear before our Eyes and after the Example of all the most eminent Saints always to lean toward Charity which was the Soul of all Vertues without which they are no more then a dreadful Chaos according to the Doctrine of St. Paul To whatever Extremity we encline on this side we can never Sin whereas on the other side we cannot be too cautious as the same Apostle shews us That he did not take upon him to palliate or lessen the Crime committed by the guilty Person which to say the Truth was very Enormous but that Christ himself had taught us That there was Mercy to be shew'd upon all Sins more especially when it was merited by Repentance and that after all altho' this poor Father had had the Misfortune to be vanquish'd by Temptation and an opportunity at hand the effect of humane Frailty yet for all that he might come to be a worthy Man and a great Saint That St. Peter fell into a Crime much more heinous then His nevertheless we do not find in Scripture that ever the rest of the Apostles call'd him to an Account for it He only wept and they believ'd his Tears sincere he protested his Repentance and their Charity would not permit 'em for a Moment to doubt the Truth of his Words Wherefore then Brethren should you now be of an Opinion so opposite to theirs Why should you estrange your selves so far from the Example which they set before you or Do you require a greater Read then what our Saviour said to Judas though he knew him to be a Traytor and impious Person and worthy of Death He was so far from severe Usage or Excluding him from the Holy Society or forbidding the Disciples from Communicating with him that he admitted him to his Table without Distinction As for my part Brethren pursu'd he that which I have here to say as already I have given you to understand is not in order to take part with Vice The whole Society and all the Order in general will bear witness for me that I have never given any occasion of Scandal to any Person I am neither Ravisher nor Unjust nor Whore-monger nor Adulterer nor Covetous as many among our Religious Orders are I Fast twice a Week I observe with a particular Regularity my Vows and the Constitutions of my Order and as an Accumulation to all the rest I am ready to give all that the Vow of Poverty leaves me to the Glory of God As for you my Brethren be not offended if 〈◊〉 re-call to the Consciences of every one of yee the past Conduct of his Life How many are there in this illustrious Order of Jesus as also in this particular Society who have not slipp'd into Crimes more dangerous then this which is now lay'd to the Charge o● our poor Brother and perhaps wh● never so truly repented of 'em as he does And I may be bold to add thi● farther How many are there who are actually engag'd in infamous Correspondencies and which perhaps are within an Inch of being brought i● Evidence against themselves Wha● shall we then say against such Persons as those who pretend to be so ridgidly Austere and Interested for the Cause of God God preserve my Brethren from such Accidents as these but who knows how soon he may fall into Temptation I declare therefore that I shall never consent to the inflicting of any other Punishment upon our Brother then to stand Bare-foot and Bare-headed before the Crucifix confess his Fault beg Pardon of the Party and then be sent into another Province 'T is your Business now to debate the Cause and give your Opinions over again but before you go about it permit me to say to yee what Christ said formerly upon the like occasion Let him that is without Sin cast the first Stone After so roguish a Speech I cannot forbear crying out O Popelings and Hypocrites how are poor People deluded with your Mock-shews But as roguish as it was it wrought the same Effect which he desir'd The Process was re-view'd at what time every Man reflecting upon his own Conscience or rather upon the Punishment to which he should be lyable upon a slip of the same Nature the Provincial's Sentence was ratify'd by general Consent and Father La Chaise was acquitted for declaring before the great Crucifix upon his Knees that he begg'd Pardon of God for the Sin he had committed For as to his being sent to another place that was so much to his Advantage that it was not look● upon as a Punishment Some few Days before Father Barbin had been appointed Assistant-General of France at Rome and in regard that Father De Vaux had contributed most to his Election he could not refuse upon his Recommendation to entertain Father La Chaise for his Secretary so much the less because his Friend assur'd him That he knew no body more capable of an Employment that requir'd so much Activity Ability and suppleness of Wit and that he should find all those Qualities in him to Perfection Thus he departed in the sight of his Enemies to go and possess a Post which several among 'em had in vain contended for He govern'd himself very well and in regard the late Misfortune which had befall'n him had render'd him more Circumspect he never expos'd himself for the future to the like disgraces Not but that he would be still carrying on some Intriegues because his amorous Complexion would never permit him to lye Idle but he had learnt to manage 'em so well that they never came to make any Noise Among the rest there was one particularly to be taken notice of with Donna Margareta del Caniglio 1657 the Cardinal Padron's near Kinswoman who fail'd but very narrowly of procuring him a Bishop's Crosier had not the Holy Father out of a peculiar Discontent refus'd it but a little before to the Cardinal who begg'd it for Father Davila at that time Assistant-General of Spain Which ruin'd all Father La Chaise's Hopes and disappointed all the Canvassings that were made use of in his behalf But for all this he was well esteem'd in the Court of

the Meanest among the Jesuits 'T is true these petty Mortifications are amply allay'd and soften'd by the Pleasure which he has to see Princes Dukes Archbishops and in a word all sorts of Persons of the Highest Rank and Quality come to kiss the Hemm of his Garment and beg his Protection Thus much in general for his Out-side But his In-side is quite another thing Nothing in the World more close and hidden so that unless you are extremely Familiar with him 't is a hard matter to Know him The foul Concealments of his Breast are impenetrable He is Knave and Wicked beyond Imagination does Good to Few Mischief to Thousands unless it be to the Ecclesiasticks to whom he is oblig'd to distribute Benifices because that otherwise they would lye vacant But the Man is unborn for whom he did a Kindness of his own Inclination or if ever he does one be confident 't is out of some Prospect of Interest There are two sorts of Persons with whom he is never to be reconcil'd Honest Men and those that are in Favour The First because he in nothing resembles 'em the Second by reason he is jealous of 'em and for that he would fain possess the Prince's Ear alone by himself He loves his Pleasures and his Ease more then any Courtier and his Inclination leads him to Luxury and Expence But in regard he knows this would not be the shortest way to maintain himself in the Credit to which he has attain'd he keeps himself within Bounds as much as he can However he cannot forbear allowing himself a Lacquey and a very neat Coach with Four the best Horses in Paris As for his Table he finds it always spread in the King's Palace and when he returns to the House of St. Lewis he fares ne'er a whit the worse for that But 't is not there that he makes his most delicate Repasts for they that would know how this blessed Father governs himself must go to the fine House which he has built at the end of the Faubourg St. Anthony which affords a most delightful Prospect to those that walk upon the Bulwark That 's the Place where all the sumptuous Collations and Merry-Meetings are appointed but they must be his intimate Friends that are invited thither Many Courtly Adventures happen there which I shall not recite in this place because there are several Particulars of which I am yet ignorant and which I shall take care to inform my self of more at large and if I find that this little Manual meets with a favourable Reception I shall impart my further Knowledge another time Whatever Liberty he allows himself in that Place when he returns from thence he resumes his Air and Meen of Devotion without the least Trouble in the World For my part I cannot apprehend how he is able to strain his Dissimulation so high but you may give a Guess by this little Draught One day that he was extremely tyr'd with an Audience of above Five Hours and that he was already retir'd to repose himself in his Cabinet Fryer Benedict came to tell him That the Bishop of Angiers who was return'd from his Province desir'd to kiss his Hand What would that Jansenist have with me reply'd La Chaise in a great Passion I am so plagu'd with his Visits Why does he not keep at home I 'll assure him I 'll never run after him But 't is my misfortune to be thus perpetually besieg'd by such kind of Persons So saying away he flung out of his Cabinet and returning to the Bishop so soon as he perceiv'd him with open Arms and with a Countenance wherein Joy and Satisfaction were serenely painted Oh Sir said he what an Obligation have you laid upon me to prevent me with so much Goodness What a Contentment to my Soul is this Visit of yours Truly seeing I have not had the Honour to see you a long time I have been labouring under most cruel disquiet to know what place I possess in your Heart I beseech yee Sir let me know Have I the least share of your Affection Do me the Favour to list me in the number of your most Humble Servants In this Tone he continu'd his Familarity all the time of the Visit with such an Outward Shew of Sincerity that I knew not whether I was asleep or awake for you must know that this Prelate was Mr. Arnauld his mortal Enemy's own Brother Having given this Portraiture of this Religious Saint I should think it Impertinent to add any thing farther and I am also apt to believe that a Man cannot well know more I proceed therefore to the Relation Were it my Intention rather to Please my Reader then to speak Truth I should follow the Example of a great number of Authors who would think it a Transgression against the Laws of History should they write the Life of any Person without ascribing to him some extraordinary Birth or signaliz'd by some surprising Events which in truth very much prepossess and awaken the Attention but in regard it is not my Design to frame a Romance I shall only relate things nakedly as they are La Chaise was born at Lion and descended from a Family that made some Figure among the Burgesses His Father also had serv'd some time in the Wars had seen the World and understood the Manners of it so that he wanted only an Estate to write Gentleman as he had a great desire to do He had several Children and among the rest the Person here mention'd who putting forth early Blossoms of a pregnant Wit and giving great Hopes was sent to School where he made great Progresses in a short time though he were very debauch'd which is a way of living that does not well agree with studious Application He perform'd his Philosophical Exercises under Father de Vaux who was afterwards advanc'd to the Highest Employments in the Order and to him it was that he owes all his Fortune in regard that Father protected and supported him with his Credit upon all Occasions and while he liv'd their Interests were inseparable Some good honest simple Soul may imagine perhaps that the Foundation of so firm a Friendship was nothing else but Neighbourly Love and Charity 'T is true that Neighbourly Love had a great share in it but it was not that Love of our Neighbour which is recommended to us in Scripture In the Year 1644 Our Scholar who kept a Daughter of Joy having promis'd one of his Friends that liv'd at Mascon to bring her to his House during the Vacation in Vintage-time set forth from Lion along with his Love but Night overtaking 'em they were constrain'd to lie in a Village where there was but one poor Inn. La Chaise call'd for a Chamber and order'd Supper and a Bed to be got ready for his Wife and himself and then went out to take a walk He was not gone far before a certain Knight came to the same inn and desir'd a Lodging also