remember the Letter you did me the favour to write in my behalf to Monsieur Canaples wherein you blam'd him for presuming to suspend me when the King and you were present in the Army and commanded him from the King to let me alone in the free discharge of my Command When after this he went about to dishonour me against the Kings and your Lordships express Order I conceiv'd that both the King and you your self my Lord had put the Sword in my hand to repell the injury that was offer'd to the Kings authority and at the same time to defend my self from the affront they would have put upon me These reasons were of force to work upon Monsieur Espernon whose honour and authority seem'd to be engaged in my quarrel but he not being then at leisure to consider of it and possest too by what Monsieur Canaples had told him and in regard my action appear'd really very foul and odious in it self when all the circumstances were laid aside that might make it appear more excusable I plainly perceiv'd that he was very ill dispos'd toward me and that I ought to take my leave And withal thinking my self not very safe I resolv'd to withdraw to Mareschal Schomberg who hath ever done me the honour to love me and to protect me with extraordinary kindness and favour XII Then it was that I began to reflect on the inconstancy of mens fortune I sigh'd heartily to see that after serving the world so faithfully so many years I should be so ill rewarded by it that after exposing my life a thousand times in the service of my Prince I was now like to lose it ignominiously by the rigour of publick Justice or at least to pass the remainder of it in exile and oblivion I represented to my self the misery of a fugitive and a vagabond who fears every thing hath nothing to hope looks upon all Creatures as combin'd against him to render him unhappy and one that can only expect from death the end of all his miseries and misfortunes And indeed I never wisht to dye but that day for then I thought death the greatest good fortune that could have befallen me fearing above all things the hand of Justice and almost as much as that to live wretchedly out of the Court and my native Country Such were the thoughts meeâ—ly humane and the low considerations that wholly possest my mind I was not then sensible that it is a happiness for a man who hath liv'd long in Courts and Armies to be oblig'd to leave them and driven to think of something more serious to dedicate the remainder of his life at least to God when the World will have no more to do with him But God was pleased thus at a distance and by degrees to prepare me for renouncing the world by giving me a taste of its bitterness and tho I did not then apprehend it yet the various afflictions he try'd me with were so many earnests of his mercy to me While I was thus intent upon my self with regard to the outward consequences of this extremity to which I was then reduc'd God was pleased to look upon me and inspire me with a thought of begging his assistance This made me with deep sighs say Lord thou knowest my misery and I know thy mercy take upon thee my defence for I have no defender My prayer was short but my devotion was ardent and sincere But my grief and disquiet were so excessive that within a few days I was so chang'd as hardly to be known my very hair turn'd grey in that short time and I am sure none who have not experimentally known what it is for a man of Honour and Courage to see himself reduc'd to fear the hand of a common Executioner can be a competent Judge of the condition I was in XIII When I had withdrawn to Mareschal Schomberg's house they began to examine my business The usual informations were made and the Drum beat throughout all the Quarters to cite me to a personal appearance but I chusing rather to pass for a Criminal when at Liberty than to surrender my self up a Prisoner and be expos'd to all the violent designs of my Enemies was interdicted and cashiered and all Souldies and Officers of the Regiment were forbid to own me for an Officer The Proceedings when concluded were carry'd to Monsieur Espernon as Collonel of the Infantry and so the principal Judge He spoke of it to the King who not being able utterly to cast off the extraordinary goodness he had ever had for me and designing to save my Life had a mind not to oppose Justice publickly but to spin the Cause out as long as he could that so when time had qualify'd mens Spirits he might the more easily grant my Pardon without being blamed by the principal Officers of the Army whose authority seem'd to be concern'd for my punishment The King therefore answer'd the Duke of Espernon that they were to have the opinion of the Mareschals of France and the principal Officers of the Army and so the business was ended But that which made very much for my Justification was the extraordinary generosity of Mareschal Creâ—uy Monsieur Canaples his Father who as soon as ever he heard of our quarrel declar'd highly in my favour against his own Son He condemn'd Monsieur Canaples publickly as a person that broke his word and commended what I had done as an argument of my Courage and repelling an extraordinary injury by an extraordinary action This declaration from Mareschal Crequy who thus renounc'd his natural inclination for the sake of Justice was of very great weight in my Cause for it could not easily be imagin'd that a Father would pronounce against his own Son if he could have found any Justice on his side Nevertheless my business was examinâ—d in the Council In the mean while Mareschal Schomberg wrought privately with the King to have compassion upon an Officer who had serv'd him all along with so great fidelity and zeal and to incline him to order it so that all things might be composed The King as I said was pretty well inclined to this of his own accord and had often spoken of it to several people but every body answer'd cautiously fearing on one side to offend his Majesty and doubting on the other lest they should offend Monsieur Canaples who was a person of great Interest and Power There was one however that spoke his thoughts freely to the King upon this subject But this mans opinion was as base and unworthy as Mareschal Crequy's my adversary's Father was generous He had formerly been my Captain under Henry the Great when I was a young Cadet in the Regiment of Guards And the King being pleas'd one day to do him the honor to unbosom himself to him upon my concern said You have known Pontis longer than any body He seems to me to be patient tho he be a little hot and provencal doubtless
that he might take notice of the Offenders he could never discover any one of us Yet was I for all that under some suspicion by reason that I was known to be a little eager of the Chace but having obtain'd my leave in due form they could not well conclude me absolutely guilty and so at last this affair past over without much more talk of it About three months after it fell out that I being upon Duty before the Gate of the Louvre Monsieur de Vitry passing by knew me again and immediately applying himself to me O ho Cadet said he you are my man Do you remember the Stag at Fontain-bleau In good earnest I was very much surpriz'd at his Complement especially in the post I then was which I was by no means to quit so that having no other way left me but that of entreaty and submission I said to him in the most humble and moving Accent that I could form my voice to Ah Sir would you ruine me Have compassion upon a poor Cadet as I am He answer'd me after the most obliging manner in the world 'T is enough that I know you said he and I am so far from being the cause of your ruine that I resolve to serve you Come see me I give you my word upon the faith of a Gentleman no harm shall befall you In the mean time so soon as he was gone from me I not yet having the honour to know him and the apprehension wherein I was not permitting me to repose too much confidence upon his word I made my Corporal believe that I had some inconvenience upon me that would not suffer me to continue any longer upon my Post and withal intreated he would put some other in my place which he did without suspecting any thing and I kept my self afterwards upon my guard I deferr'd three or four days going to wait upon Monsieur de Vitry fearing always and not being able after the fault I had committed to present my self before him but at last I resolv'd to go one morning and took two or three of my Comrades along with me we found him abed and being enter'd the Room I made him my Compliment with a thousand excuses for the misfortune that had befaln me assuring him that I was extreamly troubled that I had carried my self so like a Beast towards a person of his quality and one to whose generosity I stood obliged for my life He was pleased to receive me with great testimonies of affection and embracing me told me with the greatest civility in the world that he was extreamly glad to be acquainted with me and that he would make use of me upon occasions and supposing rightly that I might stand in need of Money he presented me with some Pistols and compell'd me to receive them telling me that a Souldier ought to refuse nothing III. About the same time I had a Contest of an extraordinary kind with a friend of mine and was very near bringing my self into a scurvy circumstance by insisting upon the punctilio's of gererosity and friendship in his behalf His name was Esperance and he was the natural Son of the famous Monsieur de Grillon This Gentleman having fought a Duel after a very severe Edict of the King that expressly Interdicted all Duels he was seiz'd and condemn'd to be shot to death He according to the custom conjur'd me being his intimate friend to be his Godfather as they call it and to give him his first shot but I who could not suffer my friendship to be govern'd by this cruel and false Custom plainly told him That for the very reason that I was his intimate Friend I would not be his Executioner and that absolutely I could not kill the man I lov'd He still urg'd me to do it with great earnestness and importunity and gave me several instances to induce me to give him that last testimony of friendship telling me that it was a Custom and practic'd by the most faithful friends I resolutely reply'd that I did not follow the fashion in my Friendship and that it was in vain to press me to do an act I could not think on without horrour and that I would never do it Our Lieutenant-Collonel Monsieur de Sainte Colombe and Monsieur de Brisac my Captain did both of them command me to do what my friend requir'd but I roundly answer'd them That the friendship I had for him would not suffer me to do it They then proceeded to threats telling me That if I did not obey Justice I should be executed in the Criminals stead I made answer with the same constancy That I could not obey in this particular and that I was ready to dye in my friends stead rather than set my hand to his death and thereupon was presently committed to Prison and went without regret for so good a cause But they were satisfied in the end that my refusal in this affair did not proceed from humour or obstinacy but a true foundation of friendship which will not permit a generous man to take away the life of his friend in obedience to a false and ridiculous custom so that I was soon set at liberty and tho the rules of military discipline oblig'd the Officers to reprimand me for my disobedience they made it notwithstanding appear that they had me not in less esteem upon this account but commended the resolution I had manifested in this affair IV. I had after this an opportunity to be known of the King and some of the greatest men of the Court by an accident which though very inconsiderable in it self was not however disadvantageous to such a younger Brother as I. King Henry IV. being at Fontain-bleau had some jealousie of one of the principal Lords of his Court about a Lady then in the Castle and suspected that he went privately to her But he making those visits with so much circumspection that he could never be discovered after the King had contriv'd the means by which he might be surprized he concluded at last to choose out a person that was faithful subtle and bold to execute his design and to deliver him from the disquiet he was in upon that subject He gave order therefore to Monsieur Belingan one of the principal Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber and the great Confident of all his Intrigues to find him out two such as he design'd to plant upon two Avenues where they might stand as Spies upon him of whom his Majesty had the suspicion Monsieur de Belingan having accordingly spoke to Monsieur de Sainte Colombe Lieutenant Collonel of the Regiment of Guards he immediately commanded the eldest Corporal of his own Company to choose him out two Souldiers such as were capable of executing the Kings design The lot fell upon me and the Corporal having chosen me for one that was to be presented to his Majesty he carried me to his Lieutenant Collonel who brought me to Monsieur Belingan who told me
de Schomberg as much surpriz'd as overjoy'd to see me made me drink a glass of Wine by reason I was almost quite spent having taken extraordinary pains I then made my report to him which put him into a very great astonishment and when he askt me over again if I was very sure of what I had told him I made answer that I would undertake to shew it him and to assure both the King and himself by his own sight having taken notice of an eminence from whence one might discover what I had seen nearer at hand The King being very impatient to know what I had discover'd I got on Horseback and went with Monsieur de Schomberg to wait upon him at Piccis Being there and they having much ado to beleive me the King would be satisfied by his own eyes which made me guide him to the same place I had observ'd and from thence with the help of a Perspective his Majesty plainly discover'd the Retrenchment and behind it the Battalion of which I had given him account He was very much surpriz'd at it and could not forbear declaring aloud the extream peril to which his Souldiers had been expos'd without this foresight of Monsieur de Schomberg which had sav'd the lives of a great many men After which his Majesty had the goodness to tell me that I had that day done him a very great service and that he would remember it upon occasion I did not nevertheless percieve at that time that I was much remembred and was accustomed to serve without any other interest than that of honour which also sometimes cost me very dear I then returnâ—d to find out Monsieur Zamet who having believ'd me to be dead cryâ—d out so soon as he saw me I protest you shall go no more upon such designs and I will take very good order for the future that you shall receive no more Commissions of this kind For in truth the thing which nettled him the most and made him speak after that manner was that whether I was upon the Guard or no they thus us'd to make me as it were the publick Victim in all perilour occasions He ask'd me whether I was not hurt and I assur'd him I was not but only that Monsieur de Schomberg had shew'd me two shots upon my Arms. XV. The Army upon this was drawn off and they thought no more of an assault Some days after Monsieur de Roban who kept the Field with a little body of an Army for the Hugonots was resolv'd to come and relieve Montaubon In order to this design he gave fifteen hundred men to a very brave Gentleman call'd de Beaufort to try if he could put part of them into the place Upon the intelligence his Majesty had of their March he caus'd the Guards to be doubled and reinforc'd in his Camp which notwithstanding could not hinder Beaufort being come up to his Quarter from forcing the Guard and getting into the Town with eight hundred men the rest having been either kill'd or fled Upon the arrival of these succours they two days after made such furious Sallies as very much discourag'd our men and gave his Majesty occasion to consider that Winter drawing on it was better to retire and preserve his Army for the next Campaign by reason he would have lost too many men after this relief Thus at the expiration of fifteen days namely the first of November 1621 we raised the Siege order having been given throughout the Quarters that upon hearing the first Cannon shot that should be fir'd that night every one should be ready with his Arms to march where their Officers should lead them and before they went to make extraordinary Fires throughout the Camp This order thus executed made the Enemy expect some new thing and rather a general assault than the raising of the Siege Wherefore contenting themselves with causing their Posts to be well guarded they never thought of commanding out any Troops to fall upon the Rear of our Army that began to file off about the dawning of the day Monsieur Zamet who had been cur'd a few days before was order'd to make good the retreat wherein he was not a little astonish'd to see the precipitation not to say the flight wherewith our Troops march'd away I being with him he made me observe this hasty retreat that savour'd indeed of a pannick fear for they made off as if they had seen the Enemy at their heels And being so good a Christian and a man of so much judgment as he was he began to speak to me a language I had never heard before I assure you said he that reflecting upon the Order of Providence in the management of affairs here below I manifestly discern that the God of Justice is the God of Battels that he gives the Victory to whom he pleases and oftentimes to those that are against him by reason that they who defend his cause do it so very ill and so justly draw upon themselves his indignation by their own Crimes that he punishes them by casting the disadvantage on their side and filling their Armies with unreasonable terrors Thus much is plain upon the present occasion where our Forces run away without knowing any reason why 'T is visibly a stroke from the hand of our good God that contrary to all humane appearances we have not been able to take this place which according to the ordinary course of Arms must have fallen into the King's Possession His judgments are very different from those of men which stop at the outside of events without penetrating into the secret springs of them Our Enemies no doubt will be as much deceived as we for they will magnify themselves for this advantage without ever considering that the Victory that God gives them will at length but render them the more unhappy by a false assurance that it is a mark of the Justice of their Cause and he will at one time or other find means to make them sensible what loss they sustain while they flatter themselves with a thought of winning all Let us admire then and adore the Chastisements he inflicts after so different a way both upon the one and the other I confess I was marvellously surprized at this discourse having never as I said been used to hear the like and acknowledged the obligations I had to him for the insight he gave me into so great a truth And I must also say that I did not reckon this favour among the least I received from him and have since been sensible that it was one of the first God was pleased to confer upon me in order to the giving me some sense of Christianity The virtue and pious conduct that I observed in this great man did in some sort contribute to laying the first seeds in the bottom of my heart and 't is that which hath infinitely increased my acknowledgments to him and value of his memory especially since after abundance
me though he had declar'd to me that he could not do it having the honour to be one of the Collonels Officers who were not to receive Orders from the Officers of the Maistre de Camp and that I had detain'd him by force in the place which was to be attackt the next day that being he could not help obeying me in this occasion where his Majesties service was in question and where he had not the liberty to do as he would otherwise have done he was come so soon as he could get out to acquit himself of his duty in making his complaint to him whose honour alone was therein engag'd by reason of the priviledges of his command Monsieur d' Espernon having only made answer that he would talk with me about it sent an express messenger to me to come to him to Cadillac Really I was very much perplext and surpriz'd at this order suspecting what the occasion was and knowing the severity with which Monsieur d' Espernon maintain'd the honourable priviledges of his command I thought it would be convenient that I should first see Monsieur le Mareschal de Saint Geran by whose order I had acted to have his advice what I ought to do and therefore went to wait upon him at Castel-Sarasin where he then was and told him the occasion of my coming In good earnest said he this is a very scurvy business for you for though your action was perfectly right and good and though therein you have exactly observ'd the rules of military discipline yet you will have much ado to defend your self being to give an account to Monsieur d' Espernon who is not easie to be satisfy'd in things that respect the least punctilio of his command He said moreover that he apprehended they would put upon me some affront and therefore doubted whether or no I ought to go to Cadillac But Sir said I if I do not go can I secure my self from his authority Can I find any way to excuse my self from giving him an account of what I have done for if that may be I do not stick at not going thither but being oblig'd in spite of my teeth to submit to his order and that he can by vertue of the authority his command gives him cause me to be laid by the heels I think I should make my cause worse or rather of a good cause I should make a very ill one should I fail to obey him for doubtless he would never pardon me a thing that he would have some reason to look upon as a great affront done to him by such a simple Officer as I. But if he will hear my reasons and when he sees the Order I receiv'd from you Sir as my General I hope he may be satisfy'd if any thing can satisfie him Monsieur le Mareschal de Saint Geran having heard me speak after this manner seem'd to approve of my opinion and offer'd me to write to the Duke of Espernon to assure him that he himself had given me the Order to command in the Town but I would not engage him in an affair that I was much more willing to end alone and therefore returning my thanks after the most civil manner I could I told him that I had kept his Letter which being the Order I had receiv'd from my General would amply justifie me in what I had done I took my leave and went to Cadillac about the time that the Duke of Espernon was going to dinner when having sent him word that I desir'd to kiss his hands he gave order to have me brought into the Parlor where he was with above thirty Gentlemen with him So soon as he saw me make him a profound reverence he presently turn'd his back towards me and talking to a Gentleman left me without giving me one word He askt all the rest that were present to wash and sit down to Table with him but as for me he was not pleas'd to shew me the least civility and us'd me no otherwise than he would have done a Serving-man 'T is true I found my self wounded to the last degree with this affront which I receiv'd so publickly for having serv'd the King and perform'd the duty of my command but I saw no remedy having to do with a man that has been known throughout the Kingdom for the most imperious that ever came into the world and knowing of old that it had been his custom to use all Officers at this rate by whom he conceived he had been any ways injur'd Wherefore thinking of nothing at that time but how I might justifie my self which was the only end of my Journey and not seeing how I could do it without speaking to him I addrest my self to one of my friends who had great access to him which was le Commandeur de la Hiliere and having acquainted him with the occasion of my coming entreated him to assist me to get out of this scurvy affair in obtaining me the audience that was necessary for my justification And thus matters stood for that day VI. In the mean time the Commander spoke to the Duke of Espernon as he had promis'd me he would and did it with so much zeaâ— and friendship that he obtain'd his request So that the next day Monsieur d' Espernon bid him go fetch his friend telling him that he would hear what I had to say So soon as I was enter'd the room and had saluted him I told him that I was come in obedience to his command that I very well perceiv'd Monsieur de Bastillat had done me an ill office to him and that I could not doubt but he had sent for me upon the complaint that this Officer might have made of me about something had past at Moutesche but that I hop'd that after his Lordship had done me the favour to hear me and that I had given him a true and sincere account of the affair he would not condemn me that I assur'd him at least beforehand that I was come resolv'd to submit to whatever it should please him as my Judge to impose upon me if I did not make my innocence appear I then gave him an account of the command the Mareschal de Saint Geran had given me by word of mouth to give all the Orders in the place and in the Regiment I shew'd him the Order in writing he had afterwards sent me wherein he gave me warning to prepare my self well to defend the Town against the Enemy who were resolv'd to attack it He took and read it and seeming satisfy'd gave me very well to understand that he had already chang'd his humour as concerning me I continu'd my justification in telling him that I had read the order to all the Officers that Monsieur de Bastillat had heard it and submitted to it as well as the rest without any manner of opposition that it was true he afterwards came to me in the evening and made some difficulty telling
believe he would have done with me had he known me for such as I am and therefore I most humbly beseech your Majesty ever to look upon him as one of your good and faithful Servants The King was pleas'd to take this address well and Monsieur De la ... and I went out very well satisfy'd with one another But I was not rid of my Suit for all this but forc'd to continue my prosecution against him who had held me in hand so long about the Donation from the King I obtain'd at last another Attachment against him which forc'd him to leave Paris a second time and flee to Lions I pursu'd him so close that he was fain to take Sanctuary in the Popes territories at Avignon Then I writ to the Kings Ambassador at Rome which was the Marquis d' Estree and having obtain'd leave of his Holiness I was about to arrest him and he escap'd from me again to Orange I was not discourag'd for all this but writ to the Prince of Orange at the Hague to demand Justice against this litigious Knave He had notice of it and seeing no reâ—uge left but either flying into Germany or Spain and hazarding the being taken in his flight too he writ to the Duke of St. Simon to desire an accommodation and chose at last to pay though against his will what at first he resolv'd never to give us rather than to banish himself the Kingdom So he paid the Duke twenty thousand Crowns and me about forty thousand Livres But this Suit tho upon a summ so trivial to so rich a man was the cause of his utter ruine For he spent above four hundred thousand Livres in it and was made a perfect Bankrupt So truly was the promise I made him kept that the Kingdom should grow too hot for one of us And I thought it not amiss by this remarkable instance to shew the world how very apt the false trust a man puts in his Credit and cunning in Law is to betray and undo him Yet for all this I did his Brother a very good office to the King for he having a mind to buy a Lieutenants place in the Guards and the King asking me what I thought of him I gave the best Character I could both of his valour and deserts Adding withal that since he had Money it was fit he should spend it in his Majesty's service who had an original right to it XVII It was near about this time that Monsieur Bouteville's misfortune happen'd who having fought as 't is well known contrary to the Kings express prohibition was seized just as he was upon the point to escape into Lorrain with the Count de Chapelles The Marquis de Buâ—â—y's Servant knowing his Master was kill'd follow'd them close and made so good haste that he overtook them at Vitry-le-Brushe It had been the easiest thing in the world for them to ride on till they had got into a place of safety for they waâ—ted but two Post-stages and the Count de Chapelles did all he could to perswade Monsieur Bouteville to it But providence so order'd it that himself should be the cause of his own ruine by pretending an unseasonable bravery and reproaching the Count with want of Courage for the necessary caution he advis'd him to In the mean while this Servant had time to go to Vitry-le-Francois of which the late Marquis de Bussy was Governour where he gave notice to the Provost Marshal of the place where the men that kill'd him were and this Provost with his Archers beset the house took them and carry'd them to Vitry-le-Francois The King heard of it and immediately order'd Monsieur de Gordes Captain of the Guards and me to go with two hundred men to Vitry and bring Monsieur Bouteville and des Chapelles to Paris I who had the honour to be particularly acquainted with Monsieur Bouteville was employed in such a Commission sore against my will and it went to my heart to do so sad a piece of service to one who had always exprest a great deal of favour and affection for me Tho on the other side I could not choose but disapprove and condemn so criminal a thing in them whose death I lamented before-hand As soon as we were arrived he exprest great joy for my coming and in complement said I was exceeding welcome for he knew now I was of the party there would be no foul play I answer'd that indeed he had reason to think so for Monsieur Gordes was a man of too much honour to suffer any such thing He was very pleasant all the Journey and shew'd little or no trouble depending no doubt upon his great relations and the Interest of his friends When we came to the Inn he would needs have me to play with him as being undisturb'd in his thoughts and perfectly master of himself There was a rumour abroad that the Duke of Orleans had put seven or eight hundred men into the field to rescue Monsieur Bouteville out of our hands The King was made acquainted with it and sent us a reinforcement of five hundred men a league beyond Loguy with positive order to defend our selves very well if any attempt were made upon us I observed Monsieur Bouteville was a little surpriz'd at the arrival of this great Convoy and said to me by way of confidence What 's the meaning of all this Company What are they afraid of Have I not given you my word and having given it can any body imagine I will break it But I who thought I might easily disengage a man from his promise who was so well guarded and had no great reason to hope well in this business told him again with the same freedom Look you Sir this is not a time to stand upon generosity and punctilio's of honour I release you of your promise and if you can make your escape do not scruple to do it In good earnest I could heartily have wisht it done provided it might have been without any fault of mine When we drew near Paris he began to be apprehensive and told me that if we carry'd him to the Conciergene he was a gone man But when he found he was to be convey'd to the Bastille he exprest great joy and assur'd himself he should not dye In the mean time we knew well enough his hopes would deceive him and that the King would make him an example the rather by reason of the Holy-days which he had proâ—an'd by his bloody Duels And not being to be prevail'd upon by the intercessions of the most eminent persons in this Kingdom he gave all his Nobility to understand by this instance of severity that it was their duty to reserve their valour for his service and the publick Interests of the Crown The End of the Sixth Book BOOK VII Several considerable particulars of the Siege of Rochelle Cardinal Richlieu tries to draw the Sieur de Pontis into his Service Father Joseph's Conference
leave as I told you before first to acquaint his Highness To which Monsieur Comminges made answer Well Sir then I go and make my report to the King You may do as you please for that Sir reply'd the Count. Thus we took leave of him and went back to his Majesty who declar'd he did not take Count Verrue's answer ill at all but said he answer'd like a wise man and a good Commander and he would prepare to act like a great King So orders were presently given for attacking the Pass What was most remarkable upon this occasion which hath been so much talkt of since was that the Enemy standing firm to expect us at this streight which it had been impossible for us to force was very much surpriz'd to see the Count de Saux who had shovell'd away the Snow and crawl'd up those high Mountains come fall on them on a sudden and enclose their Rear upon which they fled immediately and left all their Fortifications so that our Souldiers had leisure to make them feel the weight of the King of France's Arms to whom they had the boldness to deny a passage There were however a great many of our men kill'd by the Cannon of Suza which scowrâ—d all the passage after a strange manner Mareschal Schomberg was wounded there but his wound only servâ—d to render him more glorious and more hardy against the Enemy Suza presently surrendred to his Majesty and a Peace soon after being concluded the King was visited there by his Highness and the King resolving to pay his visit did all he could to surprize him but he could not For the Duke having notice of his coming came down stairs to meet the King who said I had a mind to surprize you and have got into your Chamber To which his Highness very pleasantly replyâ—d So great a King as he could not easily be conceal'd And as the King and the Duke were passing with a great crowd over a Gallery that was not very strong the King saying That they had best make haste lest the Gallery should fall under them The Duke return'd this complemental answer That one might see that every thing trembled under so great a King His Majesty then shewed him all his Army and gave him the pleasure of contemplating the French Nobility after having made him some time before feel the force of their Courage While our Army lay in Piedmont before the Peace they plunder'd by right of War and I having three very beautiful Neapolitan Coursers for my share Count Soissons sent to entreat me to sell him one of them to restore it to the Duke I sent him word that having given thirty Pistoles for one of them he should have him for the same price if he thought fit but for the other two which cost me nothing I would freely send them to him without taking any thing for them The Count was a little surpriz'd at my answer and sent me a Purse full of Pistoles with this Message That he would not have my Horses unless he might pay for them but though I was not so rich as many others yet my Soul was as great so that I sent him back his Purse with the Horses without ever taking any more but the thirty Pistoles that the Horse I mention'd cost me XII The King while at Valence after having repast the Mountains understood there that several Cities had revolted by the inducement of the Religionists and therefore went to besiege Priras which was one of the strongest Here I lost a very good friend a Captain of the Guards who was unfortunately kill'd by one of our own Centry's as he was going to discover some works And what was most deplorable of all in this accident was that his best friend was the cause of his death against his will For as he was climbing up the side of a little Hill this Officer taking him for one of the Enemâ— commanded the Centinel to fire which he did discharging a great Musquet shot upon him by which he was slain I miss'd but little of sharing in his misfortune having offer'd my self to go along with him but he would go alone and so perisht alone Who can in such cases but acknowledge and admire that Providence that rules and ordains so many different events as best pleases him who parts two friends to take away one and save the other and permits that one who would have given his blood for his friend should himself be innocently the cause of his death But my Eyes at that time were too much fix'd upon the earth to raise me up to this principle and went along as other people with the stream of the age lamenting the loss of a person whom I lov'd and improving that thought no farther I shall say nothing more of this Siege nor of the other Towns that surrendred to the King my design being not to compile a History which were an undertaking above my abilities but only as I said to observe the different accidents and circumstances that occur to my mind such as may be useful to manifest the Government of the Almighty in the course of this mortal life or may afford some light into a profession that I have addicted my self to so many years with more than common assiduity and application XIII At the King's return to Paris there befel me what the world would think a great fortune especially for such a one as I who seem'd to be cut out more for the acquiring Honour than Wealth while I saw so many others advance and enrich themselves in a short time One day as the King was at St. Germains and coming very nimbly down stairs to go a hunting I happen'd to be there and his Majesty leaning upon my arm that he might go faster and surer I thought to snatch this opportunity of begging a considerable Escheat of a Sempstress of the Queen's one Rachel de Viaga a Spaniard by birth one who had not been naturalized and then lay extremely sick I contented my self at that time with giving a very short account of the matter and beg that his Majesty would please to remember me as he had done me the favour to promise he would His Majesty assur'd me he would not forget it and accordingly hearing some days after that the woman was expiring and could not live till morning he promis'd me the Escheat I was sensible I should not want Competitors and beggâ—d the King's protection representing to him that a great many would attempt to deprive me of his bounty as being more worthy than I. To which the King reply'd Go go take you no care I 'll support you against them all And his Majesty shewed afterwards that he had taken me into his protection preferring me before several Lords who would fain have been nibbling at this Escheat which was indeed very considerable and what I might very well look upon as a reward his Majesty's bounty intended me for all my past services The
a humour to bend under a mutinous Souldiery that I urged to Monsieur Vitry that this was his fiâ—st Campagne that if he did not assert the King's Authority not only the Officers but the very common Souldiers would despise him that he would draw the Odium of a whole Town upon his head who might prefer their Complaints at Couâ—t if he let such a Fault go unpunished that this occasion in short was of mighty consequence to him and that commonly all one's following management depended upon good beginnings Monsieur Vitry was very much of my mind and resolved Justice should have its course notwithstanding all the importunity of the Officers and that he depended upon me for the compassing this business This was in truth a good generous and bold Resolution for a young Lord like him to undertake the opposing himself against the whole Regiment but since he did me the honour to repose great confidence in me and that his Father had directed him to do nothing without my advice he thought I would not engage him in a matter which did not make for his honour Accordingly I took the business upon me and carry'd it on with so resolute and so high a hand that I had the Malefactor condemned to be hanged and strangled and made all those Captains that appeared in his favour to sign his Sentence But seeing these Officers came however to Monsieur Vitry for his Pardon though they could not deny condemning him neither fearing that those importunities might prevail upon his youth and good nature I conjured him not to vilifie his Authority upon this occasion and advised that he would rather go divert himself at his house near Brie-Câ—mte-Robert telling him that possibly there might be some mischief that I saw People were heated that most of the Officers were new and unexperienced and therefore I thought it my duty to urge his going that if any thing should happen amiss his Reputation and Authority might not be concern'd in it but all the ill consequences might fall upon me I gave him so many good Reasons for what I said that at last I prevailed with him to go and leave the whole burden of the thing upon me Finding my self left in full power and not fearing any yielding in any body above me I set my self to the supporting the King's Authority as I ought and mustered up all the courage and resolution I had fearing nothing so much as not to be feared as I ought When the time of Execution was come I drew up all the Regiments resolving to dye rather than submit to the humour of raw Officers and mutinous Souldiers The Criminal being brought out they began to make a great Noise and the Sedition running high they made ready for Blows and putting their Match to the Pan cryed all together Mercy Mercy I stood single against so many Men in Arms and ready to give Fire most of the Officers seeming pleased with the Souldiers Revolt and openly approving it But having learnt by long experience that Boldness and Resolution is all in all upon such occasions and that Authority once exerted presently quells Sedition seeing one Blade make a greater bustle than the rest that opened his throat Mercy Mercy I broâ—â— through the Crowd and going boldly up to him seiz'd him by the Collar before them all and said to him in a commanding tone Say you so Sir Do you pretend to mutiny Have you the impudence to rebel against the King's Orders You shall be hanged immediately without more ado Prepare your sâ—lf to dye Then I exalted my voice and shewing my anger in my eyes That Man cryed I that dares to stir and does not behave himself quietly I will shew him that I know how to do Justice upon him and preserve the King's Authority from being slighted Who do you think you have to deal with Gentlemen It is no less than the King himself that you oppose Immediately I had my Man bound who in great confusion fell at my feet and had no other concern now but to beg mercy for himself I pretended to be inexorable and leading him toward the Gibbet told him there was no mercy to be expected for him and therefore he should recommend his Soul to God for hanged he was like to be and that presently When I had seized this Fellow all the rest were so daunted that they presently grew quiet and silent no body daring to open his mouth except the Man that thought he should be hanged who begg'd to be spared with tears and cryes In this interval the Malefactor upon whole account all the Sedition had been raised was just going to be turned off and seeing there was no hopes of life was desirous to disburden his Conscience and declared before all the World That as for the murther upon the big-bellied Woman drink was the cause of it but he thought himself obliged to discover several other Crimes besides to vindicate the innocence of several persons who had been falsly charged with them There he confest publickly several Murthers he had been guilty of and then the Executioner did his office When the time came for the other to be hanged too I seeing the Mutiny composed thought it better not to be too hasty nor carry things too far for fear of exasperating People besides that I was really softned with the concern and submission of this Cadet who had not yet had time to come to himself So for the present I contented my self with confining him and told him that since no formal Tryal had pass'd upon him I pardon'd him upon condition he should serve a whole year and not quit this Regiment which he most willingly embraced as a very gentle Pennance upon him After 〈◊〉 so resolute and successful Action the chief of the City of Troyes the President Counsellors Chamberlains and several others came to my Lodging to thank me for the seeing Justice done upon so wicked a Wretch and exprest mighty acknowledgments and gratitude for it I told them I had done no more than my duty and was obliged to see Justice done as I then did IV. Monsieur de Vitry came afterwards and joined us again at Bar when our Troops were come thither And there I told him That since he had been forbidden by his Father for the Reason I hinted before to join the Duke of Angoulesme I had best go wait on the Prince at Longvic and receive his Orders He was of my opinion and staid with his Troops at Bar till my return So I waited on Monsieur the Prince and told him I came to acquaint his Highness that our Troops were advancing that Monsieur de Vitry was at Bar with the Queen's Regiment and that he was desirous not to command it himself but to wait upon him if he pleased to give him leave The Prince told me he should be very glad to see Monsieur Vitry and think it an honour to have him with him And then gave me a Ticket for
and all this in gratitude for the care I took of his Son But notwithstanding Monsieur Cumans great Civility I who could never endure to be outdone by my friends in the little emulations of generosity and kindness and was desirous to pay off my debts faithfully sold an Estate which I had in Beauce for fifty thousand Livres and paid Monsieur Cumans his Correspondent at Paris what Money I ow'd him At the same time I put two of my Nieces that were poor and had been recommended to my charity into the Habit placing one of them in a Convent of Vrsulines and the other in St. Mary's Monastery both in Provence Thus when I had most occasion for Money my self I was desirous to make some acknowledgment for the charity I had lately received from Strangers and the eminent protection of God over me At my return from Germany I found that the Relation I had trusted with my Money had made use of it for his own pleasure and was extremely enraged to see so base a disposition in him nor would I ever be reconciled till he had restored me my Jewel and engaged to give two hundred Pistoles to my Nephews When this was done I had a mind to let him see that this unworthy behaviour had not alter'd my affection for him and as a pattern of generosity for him to copy after gave him the first Company of the Queen's Regiment which had all this while been reserved for me For I had no inclination to go abroad with Monsieur Vitry the next Campagne being much offended at what I had heard that his Mother Madam de Virty had not spoken so well of me to the Queen as she might have done and finding so ill a return made me for the service I had done her Son at the hazard of my Liberty my Estate and my Life But still I continued to love and honour Monsieur Vitry and he exprest all the Sentiments of a Person of Quality and a true Friend for me I forgot to tell you that when I came back to Paris my honest Picture-Merchant came to see me and congratulate my return I was extremely glad it was in my power to entertain him and express'd by all the possible civilities how much I thought my self obliged by the charity he shew'd me when in a strange Country and unknown to him Afterwards I bought a Case of Pictures very curious ones which cost me four hundred Livres and made him a Present of them But this good Man had a generous Soul and would by no means accept of them telling me in his honest plain way Pray Sir do not oblige me to take this Come I am richer still than you are and your occasions for money are greater than mine So we contested this point of generosity some time I carried the cause at last and engaged him whether he would or no to take what he could not refuse without putting a slight upon me II. Being to receive one of my Pensions I went to Fountainbleaâ— where the Court was at that time to sollicit the Queen for payment Her Mujesty having given me assurance that she would remember me I was in continual expectation of seeing her promise made good But after two months stay at Fountainebleau and a great deal of money spent to no purpose in hopes of receiving my due I grew weary at last of sotedious a delay and thinking I had got a fair convenience of putting her Majesty decently enough in mind of her promise I presented the Ticket for my Pension and told her She was graciously pleased to say she would think of me but since I perceived a multitude of other business of greater concern in which her Majesty was involved had been the occasion of my being hitherto forgotten I was come to return the Grant which my Master the late King had done me the favour to bestow upon me that so she might gratifie some other person with it of more desert than I could pretend to The Queen was a little surprized and said to me in some heat You are very impatient wait a little longer I did so and was resolved to see what would become of this second promise But at last I grew impatient again and seeing my self so long put off in the getting so small a sum as five hundred Crowns that were due to me was resolved to apply my self a third time to the Queen and contrary to the advice of my Friends which I ought to have followed rather than my own opinion went a little too warmly to offer my Grant again She took it but in the sudden passion she was in threw me the Paper back and full of indignation to see me so importunate said Oh! the late King hath often told me indeed that you were hasty and passionate Madam said I the late King was my Master and his taking notice of me though but to reprove my failings was an honour greater than I deserved But Madam I dare assure your Majesty if he found any fault with my humour he never could find any failing in my fidelity The Queen said She did not speak so with regard to my fidelity but she blamed my passion Thus was I paid for my obstinacy and taught to my cost to take my Friend's advice another time And yet methinks there was a great deal to be said in my excuse and some allowance might be made for a Man that finds himself driven to extremities and is mad to see such a return made for his Services Upon this Reprimand I kept aloof off and Monsieur d' Etampes the Master of Requests coming into the Room some time after made up towards me and began to enter into discourse with me I said to him with a smile Have a care what you do Sir do you know that you are talking with a Man in disgrace and one that the Queen hath but just now been in a great passion against Say you so reply'd he very pleasantly Well I would discourse with you for that very reason that I may convince you my friendship for you is not the less for all that III. The Queen who was gone into her Closet came out in the evening with only one light before her and was very intent upon reading a Letter I took her for Madam Senecay because her Majesty did not use to appear so slenderly attended I could be pretty free with that Lady and came behind her as if I would look into the Letter she had in her hand and said Madam Will not you do me the favour to speak for me to the Queen Her Majesty turn'd short at this Compliment and I stood much confounded and most humbly begg'd her pardon for my insolence telling her that seeing her alone which was very unusual I took her for one of the Ladies of her Court The Queen who some way or other was grown calm in three or four hours time and perhaps displeased at her self for having spoken to me in so much
a kind of Râ—mantick adventure IX The Knight some years after had a considerable Lordship in Provence for several belonging to the Order lye there and happen'd to engage himself unfortunately in the quarrel of a friend of his to whom he was Second in a Duel where though he got the better of his adversary yet he received a wound that some days after cost him his life I confess I cannot sufficiently express my abhorrence of this custom or rather of this madness that puts so many gallant men upon these fatal engagements I have been told that within the time of the late Queen Mother Ann of Austria's Regency there were reckon'd up nine hundred and thirty Gentlemen that were kill'd in Duels within the several Provinces of this Kingdom and no doubt a great many more there were whose deaths were either conceal'd or else imputed to other causes Such a number of men scattered through the parts of an Army in several Posts I fancy were enough to win a considerable Battel And really the wisdom and justice of the present King Lewis XIV is in this particular highly to be commended who by a severity becoming both a Christian and a Prince hath resolved never to pardon any Duellists and so hath found a way to make these Combats now as uncommon as they us'd to be frequent in the reigns of his Predecessors And for my own part I cannot but have an exceeding honour and value for those many Lords and Gentlemen whose Courage is out of all danger of being call'd in question that have made a publick Declaration under their hands that they could never look upon those men as persons of Valour who place their honour in playing of prizes and by a brutish stuoidity lavishly throw away those lives that were design'd for the nobler purposes of serving the Kingdom and the defence of their Prince Let us dye in Gods name at the mouth of a breach or in a fair Battel at the head of a Company or a Regiment where our Death is honourable and our Life a Sacrifice paid to God and our Princes who have a right to it But who in his senses would ever expose himself to these bloody encounters where not only our Life but our Fortune and Honour are lost with it too and in which we cannot lose our lives but we must lose Heaven and our Salvation at the same time X. Now I come to speak of the favourable circumstances which concurred to the matching first of my Nephew and afterwards of his Daughter to both their advantage and they are such as were likely enough to be thought no less Romantick than my account of the Knight of Maltha did not that sincerity and strict regard to truth which I have been known to observe all my life long secure me from any suspicion of falshood It happened then while my elder Brother's Son who was sent to me out of Provence to Paris continued under my care that a Lady of Dauphinc came thither with her Daughter about a great Suit of Law then depending concerning the Guardianship of this young Lady which was like to be taken away from her I had heard some discourse of the thing and thinking my self obliged to take their part as being my Country-women had a mind first to dive into the true reason of the Mother's carrying on the cause so zealously Making a visit one day I took the freedom to ask her if the interest of her Daughter was the only prospect she had in this Suit she answered me very frankly that she sought no advantage of her own and valued nothing comparably to her Daughter and for her sake alone it was that she gave herself all this trouble I believ'd what she said to be true and answer'd her with as much ingenuity and openness that since she proceeded upon so generous a principle I would shew as much generosity to her and serve her both by my self and my friends as heartily as if her concern were my own Accordingly I began to make my words good and set all my friends to work in behalf of this Lady Her adversaries resolv'd to trouble and tire her out both by delays and expences which are always very great at Paris especially for such as are not settled inhabitants there and used all arts to spin out the cause to as great a length as they could The whole Court removing to the Siege of Rochelle as I shewed formerly this Lady found it necessary to follow them thither that she might not seem to desert her Cause which then lay before the Council The extravagant charge of this business and at a time when she wanted Money too forc'd her one day to confess to me the great concern she was in to see her estate wasted thus to no purpose and her self reduced to want of Money to supply her present occasions for this Journey I encouraged and supported her under it the best I could assuring her I would do my utmost to bring this troublesome contest to an honourable conclusion Then I asked her what Money she wanted and upon her desire that I would lend her five hundred Crowns I furnished her presently after with two hundred Pistoles And at last I made so good interest among my friends that the Lady carried her point XI She esteemed her self extremely obliged by the service I had done her and resolved upon the most effectual return of my kindness that was possible to be made For having seen my Nephew several times who came to me from Paris to Rochelle and was then about sixteen years old she would needs marry her Daughter who was a great fortune and for whose interest I had been so sollicitous to this young Gentleman The great confidence she had in me made her open her thoughts freely and she profest her self highly pleased that she had this way of making an acknowledgment for all the trouble I had been at upon her account and her Daughters I 〈◊〉 this â—roposal was some surprize to me for it was what I never lookt for nor haâ— the â—east design in the world to hook it in by any service I had endeavoured to do 〈◊〉 I thought this civility very obliging and told her she did me a great deal of honour and that the young Lady her Daughter deserved a much better match than my Nephew who was but young yet and no body could tell what sort of man he 〈◊〉 â—ake She took my complemental answer for a refusal and told me She perceived I lookt higher and thought her Daughter a match not worthy my Nephew I presently rectified this mistake and convinced her I spoke sincerely that it was my real opinion her Daughter deserved much better and all could be said of my Nephew was that he was a Youth of good hopes and one that I durst promise my self might do very well in time But Madam said I since you have done me the favour of so generous an offer I agree to and