into the Dukes hands told him that nothing troubled him but that he knew not how to invest him into a more absolute Authority and that he could not adde a part of the Royal Dignity to his charge And it is certain that in giving the Duke the Governments of Metz Toul and Verdun his Majesty would have given them in Sovereignty and have demis'd to him the Title of the Crown but the Duke displeas'd with this proposition as an injury offer'd to his Obedience and Loyalty complain'd to the King that his Majesty honouring him with so noble an employment should go about to deprive him of the dearest Relation he had which was that of his Majesties most humble and obedient Subject an honour that in his soul he preferr'd before all titles of Sovereignty and all the advantages of Fortune his Majesty could prefer him to and thereupon receiv'd both the Governments and the charge of Colonel General under the Kings Authority From this new advancement the League as I have said before deriv'd their second pretense for the taking of Arms they look'd upon the Duke of Espernon's new Honour as an offence to their whole Party and the Duke of Guise took it for a particular injury to himself and thereupon openly publish'd That there were now no more Employments Riches or Honours save only for the Duke of Espernon and la Valette his Brother That the State was only impoverish'd by profusions made in their favour That they were the true causes of the peoples oppression That the Treasure set apart for the extirpation of Heresie was by them perverted to their own uses and particular profit That the greatest Dignities the most important Places and Governments of greatest concern were too many advantages for their ambition That whilst the Kings good Servants were neglected and kept under there were new Offices with unheard of Priviledges contriv'd and erected for them That if the power they had over the King were longer suffer'd they would equally ruine the State and Religion That the Duke of Espernon was therefore to be remov'd from Court if men desir'd to see an end of publick Miseries That his Majesty being deliver'd from his Counsels which were equally violent and interessed would doubtless for the future be more favourable to his good Subjects and better inclin'd to the Catholick Cause At the same time a Manifesto was publish'd by the Cardinal of Bourbon who was the declared Head of that Faction containing principally the foregoing complaints and immediately after follow'd the rising into Arms. The first design of the League was upon Metz as if they meant to strike at the heart of the Duke of Espernon's Fortune a place so considerable that the Duke had reason to look upon it as the surest foundation of his greatness neither did he in his latter years condescend to any thing with more unwillingness and reluctancy than to the surrender of that place that proposition seeming to him as though men were bent to the total ruine of his House nor could he ever have been perswaded to have stript himself of such a defense upon a less consideration than the investiture of his Son the Cardinal of la Valette into that Government who being younger by forty years than himself he might reasonably hope it would continue in his Family at least during his life but God was pleased to dispose it otherwise To make a right judgment of the importance of this place it will be necessary to consider its Site and condition and the share it has ever had in the Duke's Fortune does indeed require it should be something insisted upon Metz then is a City something bigger than Burdeaux or Orleans that is to say one of the greatest and the fairest in the Kingdom full of Inhabitants and those a rich and industrious people to whom the neighbourhood of Germany gives great facility to an advantageous Commerce She was in former times thought beautiful enough to be the Metropolis of Austrasia once the Inheritance of one of our Kings but when the Empire of Germany began to decline and that the Princes who were Subject to it began to withdraw themselves from their obedience every one being ambitious to be Sovereign in his own Dominions many Cities which were also in the same subjection allur'd by the tempting sound of Liberty follow'd the same example Of these Metz was one who for many years took leave to govern her self by her own Laws annually creating Sovereign Magistrates disposing absolutely of the Lives and Estates of her Subjects Coyning Money and in all things taking upon her the Authority of a Sovereign Jurisdiction in which condition she maintain'd her self till the Year 1552. that the Constable Montmorency passing with the King's Army that way totally freed her from all kind of Homage to the Empire and settled it under the Protection of the Crown of France 'T is true that King Henry the Second in whose Reign this Conquest was made continued to this City her ancient priviledges but withal to assure himself of his possession he did exceedingly fortifie it establishing a Governour of his own and causing a Citadel to be built which was mightily cryed up for one of the best and most exact of that time but this was before Sieges were turn'd into a Science and that the industry of man had left little to Fortune in this kind of War It does not now carry that Reputation and in this condition it was when the Duke entred upon his Government only with this difference that what it s own Laws had formerly perform'd by their own Virtue during its independency was now executed by his order under the Authority of the Royal Name the Duke as I have said before absolutely refusing to accept it upon other terms He annually appointed and created the Supreme Magistrate whom they call Maistre Eschevin and appointed him his Council and Judges who were to determine in Sovereignty upon the Lives Honours and Estates of all the Inhabitants but withal the Duke had Authority upon occasion to censure them had power to remove them from their Magistracy within their year if he saw cause or to continue them beyond their term if he thought fit It is then no wonder if he were infinitely respected in a place where all things so absolutely depended upon him but that which was indeed very rare and very commendable was that in so unlimited a power and in the course of above threescore years that this City continued in his Custody he behav'd himself with that Justice and Moderation that not so much as any one Citizen ever complain'd of his administration neither is there any now living that do not yet remember with a kind of delight the indulgence and sweetness of his Government Whilst the Duke stood seiz'd of a place of this consequence and so dispos'd to his service it was no easie matter to cut him off such a retirement being a sufficient refuge from all
indeed fell out At this time every one despair'd of his Life and the report of his Death that was spread in all parts follow'd a few days after with the certain news of his Recovery having astonish'd all the world that now scarce pass'd any longer for raillery which had so pleasantly been said That he had out-liv'd the Age of dying In truth all Forein Parts having for the space of threescore and eight or threescore and ten years been continually full of the great Name of Espernon finding him still in their Gazetts one while taking Towns another in the head of Armies now Triumphing and again in Disgrace but ever in some great and illustrious Occasion Strangers conceiv'd of him that this must be the Grand-child of that Duke of Espernon who had been the Favourite of Henry the III. of France and could not perswade themselves that the lives of two men could furnish this History with so many important Actions The Duke whilst he was yet sick and even in the worst of his Sickness had an inckling of some designs the Spaniard had upon several Frontiers of this Kingdom and particularly upon those of his own Government of which to be better assur'd he was careful to send thither such persons as were capable of discovery and as he durst trust to bring him true intelligence of what pass'd amongst our Neighbours abroad By these Spies he understood that all the Frontiers of Arragon Biscay Guipuscoa and other finitimous Provinces of Spain had order to make Preparation of Arms and were to set out a certain number of Souldiers by an appointed day That to these Provincial Forces they would moreover adde several standing Regiments and of both together to make up a considerable Body Of all which the Duke was so precisely inform'd that he did not only know the number of men but even the names of all the Captains who were to Command them Neither did he fail to send the King an Account of the Intelligence he had receiv'd but our great Ministers were so taken up with other nearer and more immediate Affairs that they were not much concern'd at a danger two hundred Leagues from Paris They therefore contented themselves with writing to the duke that he should cause Bayonne the place that was principally threatned to be fortified at the Charge of the Inhabitants and as to the rest that he was by his Wisdom and Interest to provide for all things within the Precincts of his Command These Orders so general and of so vast a Latitude had formerly been the fullest Commissions the Romans were wont to give their Generals in the greatest necessities of Publick Danger but they were in our times the narrowest and the most limited that could possibly be granted who had the King's Interest committed to their Trust. There were already others establish'd by Law which no one without being Criminal was to exceed and those were That no one should make Leavies either of Men or Mony without Order by Letters Patents from the Council That no one should mount Artillery or take necessary Arms out of the Arsenals without special Order so to do So that all the Power of the Kingdom residing in the persons of the Prime Ministers no Governour could make use of his own without incurring the danger of Censure The Duke knowing that in the evil disposition the Court then was as towards him this was only a device to make him run into some error that might draw the King's Indignation upon him wisely fear'd to be involv'd in those Calamities under which for Causes light enough in themselves he had seen men of great Quality and Merit to perish was not easie to be trap'd that way He therefore again writ to the King for more precise Orders in occurrences that might happen and in those dangers he had humbly represented to him and in the end with much importunity obtain'd Order to send an Engineer to Bayonne to see it fortified as far as forty thousand Livers would extend the one half whereof was to be rais'd out of his Majesties Revenue and the other upon the Inhabitants of the place The Duke seeing he could obtain no more did as he was commanded and began some Fortifications which the want of money caus'd to be left imperfect and by that means the Town left in a weaker condition than if nothing had been done at all This Affair which at this time was the only one of moment in the Province being put into this forwardness the Duke conceiv'd he had now leisure to look a little after the recovery of his own health which that he might do at better convenience and greater vacancy from the perpetual distraction of the Affairs of the Province he humbly intreated the King to give him leave for a few days to retire himself to Plassac to the end he might at greater liberty make use of those remedies that were proper for his Disease The King without any difficulty and in very favourable terms granted his so just request whereupon he accordingly in the beginning of May came to his House of Plassac but it was to make a very short stay he being scarcely there arriv'd but that he receiv'd Order to return speedily into Guienne to look after the Affairs that very much requir'd his Presence there The great Preparations that were every where making by the Enemies of France to invade it obliging him to provide also for his defence as he did and that so well as in the end turn'd all their designs to their own confusion There never perhaps in this Kingdom had been more to do for the great men of it than at this time and as the Government of Guienne by its vast extent made up one of the most important and considerable Members of the State so did it consequently produce for its Governour so many and so various Affairs that it is to be wondred at a man of so extreme an Age could undergo so many and so continual labours The first thing the Duke did after his return into the Province which was in the latter end of May was to execute an Express Commission had been directed to him from the King for the enrolling the Edict de Crâ—e newly pass'd by his Majesty for the addition of one President and twelve Counsellors to the Parliament of Bordeaux This Affair could not pass without encountring several Difficulties all the other Parliaments of France were charg'd with the same Augmentations proportionably to the extent of their several Jurisdictions this being therefore a common interest amongst so many men of condition it begat also a great correspondency amonst them to oppose it The King having foreseen and expected all these obstacles from the Parliament of Bordeaux thought fit to invest the Duke with as much Authority as he could himself desire to overcome them wherein his Majesty and those of his Council doubted not but that he would with great alacrity put all his
Messages of Treaty sent to and fro on either part it at last ended in this that many of the Catholick Lords submitting to his Majesties first Proposition what he had then promis'd by word of mouth was now only more formally drawn into a writing interchangeably deliver'd betwixt the King and his Catholick Subjects and Sign'd by the greatest part of Men of Quality that were then in the Army But the Duke of Espernon believing this delay of six months propos'd by the King to be no delay intended only to win longer time and that at last their hopes and expectations would be deluded demanded some further assurance than he yet saw of his Majesties conversion neither could he notwithstanding the importunities of all the Friends he had be drawn upon other terms to seal to that Writing And this was the true and only reason of his refusal and not what both Mounsieur de Thou and D'Avila have reported of it They say that the thing which made him refuse to seal to that Instrument was a contest which hapned betwixt him and the Mareschals de Biron and d' Aumont who should sign first these as Mareschals of France and in immediate command in the Army pretending a priority and he claiming a precedence as Duke and Peer a difficulty that might easily have been overcome had that been all But the cause proceeded from a principle of greater moment than the trivial contest of a â—light Ceremony The King however caus'd him by several hands to be over and over again solicited and importun'd to satisfie himself as other good Catholicks had done and as the Dukes were the best and the fullest Regiments of the Army and as his person and his example which were likely to be follow'd as they afterwards were not only by those under his own command but by many others of good quality in the Army altogether render'd him very considerable So did his Majesty by all sorts of perswasions and promises endeavour to detain him but all to no purpose 'T is true he acknowledg'd the King for lawful Successour to the Crown as he had sufficiently declar'd in a time when the greatest persecutions were practis'd against him and when he was only King of Navarre by which he had in part drawn the hatred of the Duke of Guise upon him And it is also true that he had all the reason in the world to desire that Prince should now become his Master whom he had all his life labour'd to raise to that Dignity to which he was now arriv'd But he thought the Ruine of the Catholick Religion inevitable should things continue in the posture they were now in which made him rather choose to expose himself to all those disgraces he knew his Enemies were preparing for him than to serve his own interests whose advancement he likewise saw infallible in so favourable a juncture to the reproach and prejudice of his own Conscience Fortified therefore still more and more in this resolution he caus'd his Troops to be made ready for his departure these at his first coming to the King consisted of six thousand Foot and twelve hundred Horse which though they were now much diminish'd in the Service yet were they notwithstanding in such a condition as that there were hardly so many more French in the whole Army as he had under his sole command The Marquis de Rocquelaure and other of his intimate friends labour'd by all imaginable means to disswade him from his ill taken up resolution but not being able to prevail his Enemies would have perswaded the King to have met his obstinacy with a Stab a Counsel the Duke was as soon enform'd of But whether it was that he thought this generous Prince not to be perswaded into so foul an action or that he thought it at that time a thing not easie to be executed he had the assurance notwithstanding the caution had been given him to go take his leave of the King before he left the Army and to excuse his departure A Ceremony that was pass'd over in few words and I have often heard him repeat the manner of it to be thus The Duke took along with him thirty Gentlemen of his Train in whom he repos'd the greatest confidence and of these he left some at the Doors of the King's Lodgings and others upon the Stairs to facilitate his retirement if any foul play should be offer'd to him and himself with only two more in his company enter'd the Gallery The last Journey he made to Paris he hapned to lie in the same house and shew'd ús the place where he took his leave of the King This house did at that time belong to Mademoiselle du Tillet his old and intimate Friend a Lady illustrious for her courage and constancy and passionate for the Duke's Interests to that degree that he has had few friends who have justified their affection by so great and so continued a fidelity The King was at the one end of the Gallery when the Duke appear'd entring at the other whom the King no sooner perceiv'd but that coming up to him with an angry countenance and striking his stick with some vehemence upon the floor he said What Mounsieur d' Espernon it seems you have refus'd to Sign the Writing which has been Sign'd without difficulty by most persons of Quality in my Army as good Catholicks as your self do not you as well as they acknowledge me for your King To which the Duke made answer That he was his Majesties most humble Subject and Servant That there was not a person in his Kingdom who had more ardently desir'd to see him in the place where he now was should the King his Master die than himself had done That he would never do anything contrary to his Service that he had rather die than once to entertain so dishonest a thought but that he did humbly beseech his Majesty to excuse him if being of a Religion differing from that his Majesty profess'd he could not attend his person that being a thing he could not do without offering the greatest violence to his own Conscience The Duke had scarce made an end of speaking when he heard a noise of armed men behind him in the Gallery and then it was that he certainly believ'd these were the men appointed to kill him as he had been pre-advis'd but he was soon deliver'd out of that fear when he saw the King move forward with a smiling countenance to embrace them These were two Captains of the King 's Light Horse the one call'd le Baron de Sainte Marie du Mont a Norman the others name I have forgot who having upon their Guard which was at a good distance receiv'd intelligence of the Death of Henry III. were come in all haste to congratulate the King with his new Advancement and lighted at the Door of his Lodging were come up in the same posture the news had surpriz'd them in upon
the Queen who had no mind to be kept any longer at a distance from the King her Son endeavour'd with Luines and that with all the insinuation and artifice her haughty and imperious nature would permit to remove those difficulties which as they had been the causes of their former separation were most likely to oppose their concurrence now The next day after her arrival the King with all his Royal houshold came also to Cousieres where at their first enterview there was nothing but mutual manifestations of great affection and tenderness on both sides from whence their Majesties went the same day to Tours where for some days they continued together but in the end after all this dissembled kindness the King returning towards Paris left the Queen more dissatisfied to see her self oblig'd to go to Anger 's after so many assurances that had been given her she should no more depart from Court than she had been before pleas'd with these demonstrations of Honour and Respect wherewith they had endeavour'd to deceive her credulity and to flatter her sincere intention From thenceforward therefore she so far resented Lâ—ines his ill usage as to meditate a revenge and how by a second War to procure what by this first Peace she saw she could not obtain neither was the Bishop of Luçon become now absolute with her sorry to see her so dispos'd He consider'd that whilst his Mistriss remain'd thus excluded from Court her power being so small his could not consequently be very great a consideration that made this aspiring spirit who already had propos'd to himself no less than the Government of the Kingdom suffer if possible with greater impatience than the Queen her self those obstacles that he saw were oppos'd to the level of his haughty Ambition and vast designs Animated therefore with these reflections he began to labour a good intelligence betwixt such as he knew were dissatisfied with the present Government to re-unite them in the Queens Interest as discontented as they Neither was it any hard matter to win many over to her side the happy issue the Duke of Espernon had single and alone procur'd to this Princesses Affairs having got him so great a reputation that the major part of the great ones of the Kingdom made no great difficulty of engaging in a cause they had seen so easily and by so little means to succeed Of this number was the Count de Soissons and the Countess his Mother the Dukes of Longueville and Vandosme the Grand Prior of France the Dukes of Mayenne and Retz with many other Princes and Lords of very eminent condition Had the Duke of Espernon not been concern'd in the first business he could never have been drawn into this so many confederates of almost equal quality giving him to apprehend more from their ill intelligence betwixt one another than he could reasonably hope from their union but the Queen who repos'd her chiefest confidence in him who had already made trial of his Service and found it so successful to her did so ply him with reiterated favours and entreaties that he could not handsomly avoid engaging in her behalf Neither had he so long stood off that he had fewer particular grievances than the rest but having engag'd his Faith to the Duke de Luines it would have been almost impossible to have perswaded him to break his word had not Luines himself given the first example and on that side it was that the Queen assaulted the Duke by representing to him the non-performances of those things had been promis'd and that as it had been principally through his assistance she had obtain'd all that had been granted to her she expected he should see the Articles of the Treaty fulfill'd endeavouring to perswade him that his own honour was no less interested therein than her satisfaction And that he might the better taste her reasons she fail'd not to prepossess him with all sorts of civilities and favour honouring him with some presents whereof one was a very fine Watch set all over with Diamonds and very curiously wrought which she accompanied with a Letter as kind as could possibly be writ upon such an occasion wherein amongst other obliging expressions she told him That the Diamonds wherewith it was embellish'd were not more firm than her affection and that he might assure himself the Services she had receiv'd from his generosity should ofter come into her memory than the hand of that Watch should point out hours every day To which words which were it seems the way of writing at that time and none of my invention I have neither added nor diminish'd But by this complement and several other testimonies of affection and esteem the Queen having awak'd the passion the Duke had to give her always all satisfaction she gave him consecutively a full accompt of her determination of all the persons of quality she had made to her party and of the powerful means she intended to make use of to re-instate her self in that degree of honour which was due to her Person and Dignity Whereupon the Duke considering this second action as dependent upon the first solemnly engag'd himself and made an absolute promise once more to serve her If the Queen was thus diligent to form and redintegrate her party Luines on the other side was no less industrious now than he had been before to break and disunite it He very well knew the Queen to be discontent which she had her self so publickly profess'd that could be no secret He was moreover inform'd that most of the great persons in the Kingdom had engag'd with her and though he doubted not but that the Duke of Espernon from whom she had for the time pass'd receiv'd so many good Offices continued still his ancient fidelity to her yet would he notwithstanding feel his pulse by la Croix de Bleré whom he dispatch'd away to him to that purpose This Gentleman therefore comes to the Duke to Angoulesme in the time of the Carnaval where he found him taken up with entertainments that nothing relish'd of the meditation of an approaching War making merry with the Company of the Town which at this Festival was increas'd with several Families of the neighbouring Gentry La Croix who would by all means make use of his dexterity to sound the Duke's intention met with a person in him that was not easie to be pry'd into so that the Duke after having discours'd with him in general terms of the Queen Mothers Interests and Affairs and having return'd a civil answer to Luines his Complement dismiss'd his Ambassadour perfectly instructed of what he conceal'd from none and of what he did not care Luines himself should know The first Essay having given the Favourite no great satisfaction who already saw that Affairs began to grow hot with the season that the Count de Soissons with the Countess his Mother had left the Court that the Duke of Mayenne
the name of the Russet Cassocks which was the Duke's Livery demanding of the Magistrate protection and assistance to oppose them and protesting to Retire with his Clergy if they would not provide for his Safety Whilst the Archbishop was thus busie to vindicate himself by Forms of Law the Duke conceiving it very unbecoming the Authority he had in the Province to proceed by the same ways would try to do his business by other means He therefore commanded the Lieutenant of his Guards the next day after the Archbishop had exhibited this injurious Bill against his Guards to go with all his Souldiers to present himself before him and to ask of him If amongst all those he knew any one man who was likely to commit an unhandsome action The Lieutenant did as he was commanded and waited near to the Archbishop Palace his return from the City when seeing him come in his Coach he presented himself to speak to him It was about Dinner time when the Archbishop seeing so many Souldiers attending the Lieutenant and not imagining they could come after that manner for any civil end he commanded his Coach-man to drive on The Lieutenant was still earnest with him and with his Hat nevertheless in his hand beseeches the Archbishop he would be pleas'd to hear him assuring him withal he had nothing to say that could any way offend him but all was in vain the Coachman was still call'd to to drive on when the Lieutenant fearing to lose the opportunity of executing what he had in charge and having on the other side not much studied the Canon wherein so many persons by this Contest have since been made perfect call'd in the end to one of his Companions to lay hold of the Reins and to stop the Horses which being accordingly done the Archbishop came immediately out of his Coach crying out there was violence offer'd to his person and so retir'd himself into his house The Duke inform'd by the Lieutenant of his Guards how all things had pass'd perceiv'd by the manner of it that the Archbishop had been put into a terrible fright which was the only thing he had intended and so turn'd the whole business into Mirth and Laughter But the Archbishop did not so but having on the contrary the afternoon of that very same day being the 29 th of October summon'd in all the Orders and Societies of Ecclesiasticks in the City he there expos'd before them the open Violence he pretended had been offer'd to him rendring the action as foul as he could possibly make it and omitting nothing he thought would conduce to the interessing the whole Body of the Clergy in his Quarrel Wherein he succeeded so well that at the very instant most of the Assistants fir'd by his Eloquence concluded upon an Excommunication some notwithstanding there were more moderate than the rest who a little allaying the fury of this first Sentence perswaded them in the end to resolve upon a Deputation to the Duke to complain to him of the ill usage their Prelate had receiv'd since his arrival and therein chiefly of the inâ—olence committed by the Lieutenant of his Guards and to demand his Justice This Complaint was preferr'd to the Duke the 30 th of October at which he was a little surpriz'd and now better considering what this Affair by the interest all the Ecclesiasticks would take in it might produce would it was conceiv'd have been glad that things might have continued in the same posture they then were without running on into greater extremes neither would he upon the suddain return any precise Ansâ—er He therefore told the Canon who had been deputed to him in the behalf of the whole Clergy That the Speech he had made to him consisted of several Heads of great importance That he was old and his memory so ill that it would be hard for him to remember all he had said That he therefore desir'd he might have it in writing and that then he would consider of it and return his Answer in writing also The Duke thought that during this respit he desir'd the Archbishop would suspend the Publication of his Censures and that in the mean time what had pass'd might by the mediation of Friends in some amicable Treaty be hush'd and taken up but he did not in his Adversary meet with a spirit so flexible to an Accommodation who on the contrary was so obstinately deaf to all overtures of Agreement that upon All-Saints day he thundred out his Excommunication against the Lieutenant of the Guards and all those who accompanied him at the Prosnes of all the Parish Churches of the City Neither did he therein spare the person of the Duke himself of whom in his Act he spoke in these terms And although the Authors of this attempt be compriz'd in the same censures nevertheless considering â—ow many persons are oblig'd to frequent them for the Service of the King and the good of the Province we would not neither will we make the same Declaration and Denuntiation against them but reposing our trust in the mercy of Almighty God who strikes the most obdurate hearts and thence draws tears of saving Repentance we have appointed and ordained and do hereby appoint and ordain Prayers of forty hours upon Sunday the 6 th of November in the Church of St. Michael of this City to implore the assistance of the Divine Goodness for the Conversion of Sinners c. Given at Bordeaux this Monday the last of October 1633. Here you have the first Action that pass'd betwixt these two great persons which could not possibly have been push'd on by either side with greater heat or violence there being not a day nay hardly a minute lost betwixt them but all things hurried on with that vehemency and precipitation that whoever had observ'd the impetuosity wherewith these two Enemies ran against one another might very well have foreseen that the shock at their meeting must of necessity bear one of them to the ground This business made a mighty noise at Court whither the Archbishop had writ in great diligence and where the Cardinal interested himself in his cause as it had been his own Affair but although he was from that time forward resolv'd to push things to the last extreme and from this Quarrel to derive an occasion wherein to revenge himself of the Duke for all his former discontents he had nevertheless the Duke and the Cardinal de la Valette the Duke of Espernon's Sons in so high consideration that he surrendred all his Animosity to the respect he had to them He would therefore take a moderate course to compose this Disorder by an Accommodation the agitation whereof was committed to Villemontée one of the Council of State and Intendant de la Iustice in Poictou Xaintonge and Angoumois a man of great esteem with the Cardinal and the whole Council This Gentleman therefore departed with this Commission to transfer himself in all haste to
City and also in that of Cadillac by a publick Act I shall forbear to Copy in this place that I may not importune my Reader This first Spiritual Thunder-bolt having been darted by the Archbishop he had moreover recourse to the Temporal Authority very well foreseeing that if that did not justifie the Blow he had already levell'd at the Duke it would be no very hard matter for him to evade it and to frustrate any mortal effect by very pertinent and powerful Reasons He sent away a dispatch therefore to Court wherein he gave Cardinal Richelieu an account of the Violence had been offer'd to him at which the Cardinal was so highly incens'd that nothing now had power to appease him He therefore talk'd no more of attempting an Accommodation Villemontée's Commission who had been sent away upon their first difference to that purpose was at an end even before he could arrive at the place so that nothing now was thought of save how by the Kings Authority to enquire into the Riots contain'd in the Archbishops Complaint and his Majesty as Protector and eldest Son of the Church was counsell'd by the Cardinal particularly concern'd in the Affair by the interest of his profession which he would render inviolable to make a signal example of his Piety and Justice in the Person of the Duke of Espernon It is believ'd that if the Duke had taken the same course the Archbishop did and had sent to Court in time to give his Reasons for what he had done he had infinitely discredited his Adversaries Cause but it was for some days impossible to prevail with him to do it He still carried on the business with the same indifferency saying to such as urg'd him to that course with a generosity something out of season at this time That he was not to give an account of his Actions to any but the King himself which he was ready to do when-ever his Majesty should please to call him to it That he very willingly gave the start to such as were diffident either of themselves or their Cause and that he had done nothing but what he ought to do for the maintenance of the King's Authority entrusted with him So that carrying himself at the same careless rate it is not to be imagined how much he fortified his Enemies side by his own negligence nor how many advantages he gave him which he would otherwise perhaps never have obtain'd had not he himself contributed to them In the end notwithstanding for fashions sake he dispatch'd away one of the Souldiers of his Guards to Court but it was not of four days after the bustle and then he did it after such a manner as made it appear it was rather out of complacency to his Friends who were importunate with him to that effect than out of any respect to his own Interests His Sons who before this Courriers arrival knew not what to oppose to the Archbishops Complaints had now something to say in their Fathers behalf but it was impossible for them to alter the Resolutions already taken or to suspend the blow the King who had his hand already up was ready to discharge upon him Whilst Affairs were debated with this heat at Court they were carried on with no less violence at Bordeaux The Parliament there had taken cognizance of the Quarrel and though the Duke had several very good Friends in that Assembly yet the number of those who were not so prevailing and the news that came every day from Court to the Duke's disadvantage having given mens minds very ill impressions of the success of his Affairs the Company could not be disswaded from sending a Deputation to the Archbishop to let him know how highly they interested themselves in his Offense and to make him a tender of all the good Offices they were capable to do him upon this occasion After which from Offers going on to Effects they began to fall to fall to work about drawing up an Information against the Duke and notwithstanding he made several Protestations to appeal from the Parliament as a Court prohibited in all his Causes nothing could stop the Torrent of their proceeding but they would perfect what they had begun as they did and so exactly for the Court Palat that they would hear talk of no other Information Villemontée who had heard nothing before his departure of this last business was gone according to his Orders to Accommodate the first and was by this time arriv'd at Bordeaux The Duke of Espernon knew him not on the contrary he had been rendred suspected to him by having been represented for a great Creature of the Cardinals and that was consequently like to be very partial to the Archbishops side but the Duke having at their first Conference found him much more sway'd by his Duty than all other Respects he made no difficulty to repose his entire Confidence in this man's Vertue and to give him a full account of the whole action to the end that he might draw up his answer in due Form of Law The Duke was so generous as herein to cause every thing that had pass'd to be laid open at length and without disguise to which he would moreover add his Seal to confirm it and although it was often represented to him by very undeâ—standing men that so ingenious a Confession was not necessary in an occasion wherein he saw his Adversaries prosecute with so much heat and that in this case his single Confession would more prejudice his Cause than the Depositions of all the Witnesses could be produc'd against him yet those Remonstrances were not of force to disswade him he smaâ—tly replying That he had not done an action to disavow it and that whatever the issue might be it would be much more supportable to him than the shame of being reduc'd to the necessity of disowning any Act of his life It was in truth upon this single confession of the Duke's after the Parliaments Information had been sufficiently canvas'd that the Cardinal pronounc'd the Excommunication to be valid and right and that the King was oblig'd both in Equity and Honour to repair the Injury committed by one of his Officers of that condition against the Person and Dignity of a Prelate and the whole Church The first reparation was a command the Duke received in a Dispatch from the King to depart out of his Government and to retire to his House of Plassac which was in these words Cousin Having seen a Declaration of several Riots whereof the Archbishop and the Clergy of Bordeaux highly complain to Us We have thereupon thought fit to send you this Letter which will be delivered you by the Sieur de Varennes one of our Gentlemen in ordinary to tell you We desire that immediately upon sight hereof you retire to your House of Plassac and there remain till our further Pleasure We do also send to the Archbishop to signifie to him that it is our
of Pau without being able with all the submission he could use and with all the Interest he could make to reconcile himself to the Queen was now on his own way home in the same equipage he came when his servant looking accidentally back perceiv'd three men rush out of a Wood hard by and the two formost who were arm'd to come upon the spur directly towards his Master the third it seems being as it was afterward reported one of the Queens Domesticks sent rather to be a witness of than an assistant in the intended assasinate Mounsieur de la Valette at the first sight apprehending them for what indeed they were and their business for what really it was immediately commanded his Page to alight and having mounted his Horse spur'd boldly upon them with so much gallantry and success that he left them both dead upon the place I have often seen the Sword he made use of in this occasion and have often heard the manner of the action related to the Duke in the very same terms I deliver it here From this wise and valiant Captain the Epithetes with which all the Historians of that time have honoured the Vertue of this great man and from Iane de Saint Lary de Bellegarde Sister to the Mareschal de Dellegarde and Niece to the Mareschal de Termes were descended Bernard Iean Louis and another Iean de Nagaret and de la Valette the eldest in the year 1553. Iean Louis in May 1554 and the youngest died almost as soon as born They had likewise issue three Daughters Helene Catharine and Mary the eldest of which having engaged her affection before her Brother rose to favour with the Marquess of Rouillac a young Gentleman of good quality in the Countrey preferr'd him to many others her Brother afterwards offered to her The second was married to the Count de Bouchage Brother to the Duke of Ioyeuse fellow Favourite with Iean Louis from which match sprung Catherine de Ioyeuse now Dutchess of Guise The last married the Count of Brienne of the House of Luxemberg and she died without Issue within a few years after she was married The two Brothers Bernard and Iean Louis having been brought up in their Fathers House till the ages of thirteen and fourteen years were from thence sent to the Colledge of Navarre at Paris there to continue their studies where amongst other instructions they had particular charge often to see and diligently to observe Mounsieur de Villeroy then Secretary of State and a man lookt upon as an extraordinary person in that imployment Mounsieur de la Valette esteeming him for his intimate and assured friend hoped in him to establish such a friendship for his Children in their greener years as might one day be of great use and advantage to them so hard it is even for the wisest to foresee the events of things this very man proving at last amongst all the great Ministers that govern'd the Affairs of that time the only or the greatest enemy to their Advancement and Fortune After some years continuance of their studies at Paris the report of a War spread from all parts so enflam'd the noble courages of these two young Gentlemen that it was impossible longer to restrain them from the exercise of Arms. They considered Letters now as an obstacle to something nobler they conceiv'd themselves oblig'd to profess so that their Governour fearing some sally of youth should he carry too rude a hand over them was constrain'd to give Mounsieur de la Valette timely notice of the disposition of his Sons Their Father either unwilling to cross them in their first desires or loth to discourage so early and so generous resolutions and considering the maturity of their age now grown up to Man and fit to undergo the hardships of War upon the first intimation call'd them home to place them by his own side there to share with him the fortune of War which chanc'd to be about the beginning of the troubles that happened in the year 1570. Mounsieur de la Valette having by the great services he had done the King in his Armies attracted the envy or jealousie of the other Chiefs who were more diligent at Court than he was by their procurement sent away into his Government to oppose as was pretended the designs and enterprizes that those of the Reformed Religion daily practised in several parts of that Province And whether this were effectively the true or but the pretended cause of his dispatch into Guienne so it was that he was commanded there to reside which he accordingly did and during that residence perform'd many notable exploits to the advantage of his Masters Interest amongst which I cannot omit the mention of one that particularly relates to the honour of his second Son whose History I have undertaken and to whom his Father had given the name of Caumont by which we shall for some time call him In an encounter that happened near to Mauvasin whether Mounsieur de la Valette had carry'd his two Sons he charg'd so far into the Enemies Body that his Horse being kill'd under him he was himself in manifest danger of his life when Caumont seeing his Father in that peril threw himself desperately in amongst them and being well seconded by some few of the Troop behav'd himself so well as to disengage and bring him off paying in this first trial of his Arms by an act of no less Piety than Valour part of the obligation due to him from whom he had receiv'd his being And this was his first exploit He past some years at this rate under his Fathers Discipline but a Province was a Theatre too narrow for the acts his courage was likely to produce ambition began already to make him aspire to greater things which his Father perceiving and willing to encourage so generous a passion resolv'd to send him together with his elder Brother to the Siege of Rochelle that was then sitting down He was the rather enclin'd to send them to that place because he himself was to have no share in the honour of that action prevented by the jealousie of the Mareschals de Byron and Bellegarde who although they were both of them his near relations and the best reputed Captains of their time employ'd nevertheless their utmost interest to hinder Mounsieur de la Valette from serving in that occasion They very well knew his merit with the favour and esteem he had with the Duke of Anjou who was to command at that Siege and foreseeing that such a concurrent as he was likely not a little to eclipse the glory they intended to engross wholly to themselves they carried on their design with that dexterity that he was not so much as once call'd to that service This ill office was so much the more sensible to him as it made him lose the Mareschals Staff which had been promis'd him before an injury that no doubt he
afterward Caumont and Ioyeuse were to solicit but without the least dispensation notwithstanding their Favour from the due and customary forms of Law where if any difficulty or opposition chanc'd to arise his Majesty ever interpos'd his Justice to over-rule them if justly they were to be over-ruled neither did they ever receive any Grace or Largess which did not either first pass the Seal the Chamber of Accounts or an Act of Parliament In these beginnings the two young Favourites were continually call'd to all the Councils not to give their advice from which by their immaturity and inexperience they were exempt but to inform and to inure themselves to business Which the better to exercise them in the King himself was pleas'd often in private to propose weighty questions to them and to make them debate them before him without exposing their early Opinions to the Experience of his graver Council initiating them with his own Precepts and forming them with his own hand and that rather with the tenderness and indulgence of a Father to his Children than with the authority of a Master over his Servants About this time as I have already observ'd the Order of the Holy Ghost was instituted and the first Ceremony was already past where although Caumont had no share by reason of his Youth but was deferred to the next Creation which happened a few years after yet his Majesty though he judg'd him too young to be admitted into that honourable Fraternity thought him notwithstanding sufficient to treat with Philibert D. of Savoy though he were one of the most discreet and most circumspect Princes of his time This Prince had rais'd a considerable Army which he intended to imploy against the Genoveses and the King who was oblig'd to protect them dispatch'd Caumont to the Duke to disswade him from that enterprize His negotiation in this Affair met with great difficulties and infinite oppositions both from the House of Austria the League and the Pope which nevertheless he overcame with that dexterity that having untied all those knots of State he obtain'd full satisfaction for the King his Master and acquir'd so much Reputation and Esteem with the Duke as at the same time to obtain a signal Favour and a timely assistance for himself The occasion this The Mareschal de Bellegarde his Uncle having for some time possest the Kings Favour was at last through the ill Offices of some fallen into disgrace and had thereupon retir'd himself into the Marquisate of Saluzzo of which Province he had the Government and whither being come he had chas'd Charles Birague the Kings Lieutenant in that Marquisate out of all the Places and strong holds he had formerly possest which he had taken upon him to do without any order from the King and indeed Bellegarde unsatisfied with the Court rather endeavour'd to fortifie himself and to secure his own interest than to stand upon the niceties and punctillio's of his duty This disorder gave a hot alarm to all Italy who knew not to what Bellegardes designs might tend and the Queen Mother desirous in time to prevent any ill consequence had her self taken a Journey to accommodate the business and had compos'd it to the Kings satisfaction and seemingly to the Mareschal's too who had receiv'd a ratification of whatever he had done but the Mareschal was no sooner return'd into his Government than he fell immediately sick and of so violent a distemper as in few dayes carried him away not without vehement suspicion of poison Many being perswaded that his turbulent spirit having given the Court an apprehension that a discontented man of his Courage would be hard to be continued in the due limits of his Obedience they thought it better at once to dispatch him out of the way than to be at the continual trouble would be necessary to contain him in his duty His Son whom he leâ—t very young and much unsettled in his Government soon found himself in danger to be turn'd out by the Faction of the People the whole Countrey in general favouring the Biragues Gentlemen of good quality and Natives of that Countrey whom doubtless they would have restor'd to the Government had not Caumont in the time of his Embassy in Savoy obtain'd some Troops from the Duke for his Kinsman's assistance with which he brought him so opportune and so effectual a succour that he soon supprest the Faction plac'd Bellegarde secure in his charge and left him strong enough to defend himself until the King whose interest requir'd a Minister of greater Experience in that Countrey call'd him from thence to place la Valette Caumont's elder Brother in his stead giving to Bellegarde in recompense the Governments of Xaintonge Angoumois and the Countrey of Auluis It was during the interim of this Voyage that the disgrace of St. Luc one of the Favourites was concluded D' Aubigné tell us that he learn'd the cause of this disgrace from St. Luc's own mouth and thereupon tells an impudent Story but they who well consider this malevolent Author's way of writing will easily judge it his own invention to bespatter the Kings reputation against whom besides the interest of his Party he had a particular spleen having been ill us'd and slighted upon many occasions Of which he himself cannot forbear to complain in his History and which confession in it self is sufficient to discredit all the calumnies he has forg'd against the Honour of this Prince Here then take the true reason of his disgrace The King falling in love with a Lady of great Quality had made Caumont and St. Luc the confidents of his Passion shortly after which Caumont was sent upon the Embassy of Savoy spoke of before and St. Luc in this interval of his absence discovers the secret of the King's love to his Wife who was of the Family of Brissac and his Wife immediately to the Queen who could not long dissemble her discontent to the King her Husband but reproach'd him with his Love and that with so many circumstances that in effect he could not much deny it The King infinitely concern'd at the infidelity of his Confidents to whose discretion he had only intrusted that secret falls upon St. Luc Caumont being out of the reach of his anger complains how basely he was betray'd and in fine reproaches him with the discovery St. Luc excuses himself and that he might do it with the better colour charges Caumont whose absence expos'd him to that ill office with the fault but the King who had before begun to distaste St. Luc ever since his Marriage with a Wife who was very partial to the House of Guise a Family whose designs were every day more and more suspected to him was still in his own Judgement more enclin'd to condemn him than Caumont of the Treachery Yet for the better clearing of the truth which he was impatient to know he addresses himself to the Queen pressing and conjuring her to tell him freely
his soul to hazard his own life that he might by an honourable way deliver his Master from the troubles and apprehensions with which the practices of this Duke perpetually afflicted him though his Majesty would never consent to it But Ioyeuse liv'd after another manner maintaining a greater intelligence with the House of Guise than ought to have been betwixt so oblig'd a Servant and his Master 's open and declared Enemies which doubtless was the chief cause of the diminution of his favour and in truth either prompted by the sole ambition of seeing himself Brother-in-law to the King to which honour he thought he could not arrive without the Duke of Guise's assistance or by the desire he had to secure his Fortune on all sides which is very often a ruinous maxim he ever industriously labor'd the friendship of that Family Some believe that he at first treated with them unknown to the King about his Marriage with a Princess of their House and Name Sister to the Queen 'T is true he had afterwards the King's permission and the overture being once made was prest by the King himself to a consummation of it but it was his part to have foreseen the inconveniences of this Alliance and to have consider'd the consequences before he had embark'd himself As one of the King 's chiefest cares was to keep such an equality towards his Favourites that they might have no occasion to trouble the delight he took in their conversation with complaints or differences so had he no sooner concluded the Marriage of his Sister-in-law to the Duke of Ioyeuse but that he would bestow another call'd Christina upon the Duke of Espernon I begin here to give him the title of Duke because he had it before although the thred of this discourse permits me not to speak of his promotion to this dignity till the following page A temptation delicate enough to flatter a mind so great and so ambitious as that of the Duke nevertheless he excus'd himself with a moderation highly to be commended in an occasion of this nature neither was his prudence less to be admir'd than his moderation and all the world have believ'd that amongst all the actions of his life this was of greatest importance to the conservation of his Fortune Upon this refusal of his divers Judgments were made all actions of great men especially Favorites never wanting interpreters such as were justest to the Duke highly approved his conduct that so prudently under the shadow of respect had rejected an advantage that in it self carried only noise and shew though otherwise it might render him capable of pretending to more solid things and at least make him rival the extraordinary honor the Duke of Ioyeuse had receiv'd others that would less favourably interpret him discommended his carriage as if by this refusal he intended tacitly to condemn the Duke of Ioyeuse his Vanity and Ambition and these confirm'd themselves in their opinion by the great disproportion they saw betwixt the moderate expense at the Marriage of the Duke's elder Brother and the prodigious profusion that was made at that of the Duke of Ioyeuse where the expense was so great as amounted to above two millions of Livers an immense summe in those days and especially at a time wherein the State was in great necessities This gave a great occasion of murmure not only to the well and ill dispos'd French but even to such strangers as were affectionate to the Crown of France whereas that of Mounsieur de la Valette which was solemnized at the same time with Anne de Batarnay was past over with very little noise not but that the King would also in this occasion have powr'd out his liberality but the two Brothers having discreetly avoided an unnecessary expense soberly husbanded their Masters purse to his and their own reputation From the time that his Majesty had determined to raise his two Favourites to the honour of his Alliance he honoured them both with the Dignity of Duke and Peer and purchas'd in Caumont's name the Manour of Espernon to the end he might bear that Title But his Letters Patents having been carried to the Parliament receiv'd at first some difficulty in their verification as it had before happened in the case of Ioyeuse which difficulty arose from the place the King had given in those Letters to the two new Dukes having there ranck'd them immediately after the Princes of the Blood which the other more ancient Dukes being highly displeas'd at oppos'd and had so wrought the Parliament to their Favour that the King was forc'd to send them a peremptory command to pass over all oppositions telling them amongst other terms of favour that having chosen Caumont and Ioyeuse for his Brothers-in-law and intending to place them by this Alliance so near his own person he could not endure they should make any difficulty of receiving them into the degree he had assign'd for them that Honour being far inferiour to what he had already conferr'd upon them by that choice Upon which there being no more contest the thing past according to his Majesties pleasure and was recorded without reservation Though the King seem'd to have his thoughts wholly taken up with these little domestick Affairs and to intend nothing but the advancement of his Favourites yet was he not even in this without a further end and design for perceiving himself too weak by fine force to crush the two powerful Factions that divided the whole Kingdom he try'd to accomplish that by policy which he could not effect by power in depriving both sides of all kind of authority and trust advancing on the contrary his Favourites and such as he had confidence in to all the Offices and Employments he possibly could neither was there any grace or favour to be obtain'd but for them or for such of their creatures as wholly relied upon their fortune Neither met this design of his with any opposition from the Hugonot Party who the more they were his open and declared Enemies the less were they in his way and gave him the less trouble For the Court being suspected to the King of Navarre the Prince of Condâ— and the other Chiefs of their party kept them at such a distance as depriv'd them of the means to sue for Governments Offices and commands of places nay it was a favour to let them enjoy those they already had so that living retir'd and at ease but without credit or consideration their interest by degrees mouldred away and grew weak of it self which was the posture the King would have them in But the heads of the League were in a far different condition they had for many years upheld their credit at Court had discharg'd successively from Father to Son the greatest Offices of the Crown were possest of many important Governments and very considerable places and by the greatness of their Birth and Services by the reputation of their
sudden danger neither the Town being intrusted in the hands of valiant and faithful friends had it been convenient even when he was most remote from it to provoke him lest a place of that importance should have taken part in his disgrace and follow'd the humour of his discontents It was therefore by the taking of this Town that the League would begin to labour the Duke's ruine and in that the advancement of their own Affairs The most considerable Forces the League had then on foot were those of the Duke of Lorain a Prince who having till this time contain'd himself Neuter in all the Affairs of France upon this occasion thought fit it seems to declare himself partial to his Family in hopes nevertheless to joyn Metz Toul and Verdun to his own Dukedom neither was his design unlikely to succeed for the two last having made no great difficulty of receiving the Duke of Guise he had reason considering the intelligence he had in the City to expect the same from Metz had not the Duke of Espernon by his vigilancy prevented him seasonably re-inforcing the Garrison with divers Gentlemen his particular Servants and a good number of Souldiers by whose coming it was so well secur'd that the League thought it not fit to attempt it This great storm thus blown over the Duke alarm'd by the late hazard this City had run resolv'd to establish himself in that important possession so as that for the future it might be secur'd from the like danger and to that purpose some of his friends having rendred the Governour suspected to him by some carriage of his at such time as the Army of the League were approaching towards him though the grounds of this mistrust were not in the Dukes opinion clear enough to countenance an open rupture with him yet were they sufficient to make the Duke remove him from that trust and to call him about his own person instituting Sobole who before was only Lieutenant of the Cittadel in the absolute authority both of the City Cittadel and Messin Countrey adding withal ten thousand Crowns in Gold to mend his Equipage that he might with the more honour support the honourable charge he had seated him in a bounty we shall hereafter see how Sobolâ— requited but that being the business of another time I shall refer it to another place and pursue my former Subject The Leaguers not contenting themselves with those petty successes in Lorain and being made wise and active by the example of the Kings ruinous supineness who sate still in vain expecting the arrival of his Foreign Forces almost at the same time by the several Captains they had dispos'd into divers Provinces surpriz'd a great many of the chief Cities of the Kingdom and made no light attempts upon the rest The Duke of Guise after the taking of â—oul and Verdun which I have spoke of before possest himself yet of Meziere by which he assur'd to himself the whole Countrey of Champagne The Duke of Mayenne took the City and Castle of Dijon which made him Master of the Dâ—tchy of Burgundy la Chartre seiz'd of Bourges Entragues of Orleans the Count de Brisac of Angiers and many other Cities of that Province Vaillack had hop'd to have done as much by Bordeaux by the neighbourhood of Chasteau-Trompette of which he was Governour but the Mareschal de Matignon broke his design and Marsâ—lles by the Loyalty of her good Inhabitants maintain'd it self against the Faction of some who labour'd to betray it into the power of the League but the enterprize of the Cittadel of Lions succeeded better with Mandelot who was Governour of the City and one of the Duke of Guise's firmest Adherents who having been formerly awed into his duty by the Cittadel in which le Passage had been plac'd by the Duke of Espernon to preserve a City so important to his Majesties Service he who before-hand had been made privy to the Duke of Guise's Designs as soon as ever he heard they were in Arms failed not suddenly to begirt the Cittadel and being assisted by the people who naturally hate to be bridled by a Fortress having surpriz'd le Passage who little suspected any such thing made himself Master of the place and immediately raz'd it to the ground It was upon this occasion that the ill will which had so long been conceal'd yet had continually been fostering in the Bosoms of the Duke of Espernon and Mounsieur de Villeroy broke out from which quarrel in the succession of time sprung so many and so important consequences as do not only take up a large share of the Dukes Life but also make up a considerable part in the general History of that time which obliges me in this place to discourse both what I have receiv'd from the Dukes own mouth and what I have gather'd from the Commentaries of Mounsieur de Villeroy himself Mounsieur de Villeroy had been from the Dukes infancy Secretary and Minister of State a friend to Mounsieur de la Valette the Father and a man of great Credit and Interest in the King's Council he had seen the beginning and encrease of the Dukes Favour at which he ought not in reason to repine but on the contrary had cause to believe that such a friend as he would fortifie him with the King and be no little assisting to support that Trust he already possest in the management of Affairs And in effect the Duke had a true affection and esteem for him who as he was ever very respective and constantly fix'd to all his Fathers Interests whose memory he had in the greatest veneration it is certain had a particular consideration for all his Friends of which number Mounsieur Villeroy being one the first years of the Duke's Favour were past over in a strict correspondency with him but at last Villeroy perceiving the Dukes Credit proceeded so far as wholly to possess that interest in the Kings Bosom he pretended to share he began in the end to grow jealous of a Prosperity he ought so much the more to have cherish'd by how much it was likely to be more useful to him and thenceforward began openly to thwart all his opinions in Council rais'd up a party against him to lessen his Reputation there and the Queen Mother nettled to see her Authority weakned with the King by the great power the Duke had with him desiring nothing more than to have him remov'd that she might recover her former possession could find no one so ready as Mounsieur de Villeroy to second her Passion and the animosity she had conceiv'd against him They joyntly advis'd that it was necessary to sacrifice the Duke to the malice of the League and that the King ought to abandon him for the general satisfaction a Counsel that had been voluntarily follow'd by the Duke himself and I have heard him say he would as willingly have retir'd then from Court as he did not long after could he have
qualities in high esteem after his death And indeed he had so often and so generously employ'd those rare Endowments for the safety and honour of the Kingdom that his Vertue could never have been too highly commended could he have added the qualities of a good Subject to those other excellencies which rendred him one of the greatest men of his time A little before the Duke of Guise's death the King had dismist from Court the High Chancellor Chiverny and the â—ieures de Believre and de Villeroy Secretaries of State upon considerations that were then variously interpreted though the King would have the Duke of Espernon believe that the chief cause of Mounsieur de Villeroy's disgrace was the business of Angoulesme which his Majesty wholly laid to his charge and that the Duke might the better be confirm'd in this opinion the Sieur de Révol a particular creature of the Dukes one that was under him Comptroller of the Exchequer of Provence and that had no interest at Court saving his Protection was receiv'd into his Place His Majesty had no sooner absolutely determin'd the Duke of Guise's Ruine than that foreseeing the consequences so bloody an execution was likely to draw after it he dispatch'd away Colonel Alphonso Corso afterwards Mareschal d'Ornano to seize upon the Duke of Mayenâ—e at Lyons where he then resided which if it could have been in time effected his Majesty had in all apparence been secur'd from the greatest part of those mischiefs which this action afterwards produc'd but the Duke having receiv'd the news of his Brothers Deaths some hours before Alphonso's arrival was already in great diligence got to Horse and fled out at one Gate of the City as Ornano entred at another to surprize him and by that means first recovered Dijon and afterwards Paris without any impediment Where he was no sooner arriv'd than that laying aside that moderation he had euer manifested during his Brother's Life he declar'd himself Head of that Party he had ever till then to his great Reputation seem'd to condemn and drawing together all the Forces of the League that lay scatter'd up and down in several places he of them without stirring from Paris made a very considerable Army His Majesty easily judg'd that this storm would suddenly break upon him and fail'd not out of that foresight to call all his principal Servants about him which nevertheless made up but an inconsiderable Body and such as could no ways secure him from any attempt of the Enemy So that he was advis'd to send once more to the King of Navarre to intreat him to advance with his Troops to his succour which notwithstanding the King not being able to perswade himself to do his regard to Religion and the 〈◊〉 he bore to the Pope opposing that Council he only at that time sent Orders to the Duke of Espernon who had then a considerable Force on Foot to come over to him though afterwards and after many deliberations being also dispos'd to call in the King of Navarâ—e he sent to the Duke that before he put himself upon his march he should first go to this Prince to make the first overtures of this business to him The Sieur de Beaujeu was purposely dispatch'd to the Duke with these Orders which were no sooner receiv'd by him than he departed from Angoulesme to go to St Iean d' Angely where the King of Navarre then was and where having found him well dispos'd and very ready to do his Majesty the Service he desired of his Person and Faction he immediately made himself ready to go to the King who seeing his Enemies now ready to fall upon him had sent a new and instant Express to the Duke in all haste to come and joyn with him which express Order to satisfie with the greatest diligence he rather chose to leave the Negotiation he had already so successfully begun with the King of Navarre to the Dutchess of Angoulesme who soon after brought it to effect than one moment to defer his attendance on his Master in so critical a time and on so urgent an occasion All these great transactions hapned at Court after the Duke of Espernon had retir'd himself from thence into his Governments Neither was he in his retirement or in his choice of the place he retir'd unto either unactive in himself or in a Scene improper for his Majesties Service for he was no sooner disingag'd from the enterprize of Angoulesme but that he put himself immediately into a condition to awe many of his ill Neighbours in the adjoyning Provinces so as either to continue them in or to make them return unto their duty For which purpose having increas'd his Forces the first occasion he had to employ them was against those of the Religion who having beâ—ieg'd Periguex and upon the point to make themselves Masters of the place at the Duke's approach rais'd the Siege in great disorder and retir'd not without some considerable loss The Duke was after this preparing himself for greater enterprizes when Beaujeu brought him those foremention'd Orders from the King by whom having understood the great preparations the Duke of Mayenne made to come first to Blois and from thence to Touâ—s whither the King had then retir'd himself and knowing his Majesty almost naked of all defense and as it were expos'd to the violence of his Enemies he thought it necessary upon the instant to move with all his Forces that way and at the same time by a Gentleman to give his Majesty notice of his motion that he might receive his Majesties Commands upon the way By which Gentleman the King sent him presently word that the most important service he could then do him was to put himself into Blois For the Duke of Mayenne having resolv'd to make his first attempt upon that place either by the ruine of the Castle to revenge in part the death of his two Brothers who there last their lives or to make that City which by its vicinity to Tours was very proper to watch all advantages against the King his seat of War his Majesty conceiv'd there would be little security for him in Tours should his Enemy possess himself of that Post and had therefore bent all his care and endeavour to preserve it out of the power of the League His Majesty would have put the Mareschal de Biron into that place and afterwards he having excus'd himself the Mareschal d' Aumont but both the one and the other having refus'd the danger of defending and with unequal Forces a place that being in it self open on all sides was not well to be defended and that was to expect the first fury of the League to be bent against it his Majesty turn'd his thoughts towards the Duke of Espernon and knowing that the difficulty of the undertaking would be no little motive to make the Duke embrace it his Majesty sent him word that the Mareschals de Biron and d'
was superior to him in Name and Person wherâ—fore at his entring upon hâ—s command having found the King set down before la Fere he thought he could not give a more glorious beginning to his administration than by force or policy to defeat that his Majesties design An undertaking which for the difficulty and danger thereof was every way worthy the greatness of his mind for the King having foreseen the Spaniard would infallibly attempt a relief had forgot nothing that might serve to frustrate their endeavours His Forces were great his works about the place compleat and perfect and almost all the most experienc'd Captains of his Kingdom were come in from all parts to attend his Majesties Person and to signalize themselves in so brave an occasion all which being very well known to the Cardinal of Austria he durst not notwithstanding his earnest desire to relieve that 〈◊〉 engage his Army in so dangerous an attempt but rather â—earken'd to the Counsels of such as more warily advis'd to raise that 〈◊〉 by an attempt upon some other place of a greater or no 〈◊〉 â—â—portance Amongst the many opinions that were deliver'd in the Cardinals Council abovt this Affair the ill Fortune of France would have the counsel of a Frenchman to prevail that by the procurement of one of her own Sons this Kingdom might receive the greatest dishonour it could possibly sustain And this was the advice of Rhosne a Gentleman born in Champagne upon the Frontiers of Lorain one who having in the infancy of the League devoted himself to the Duke of Guise and done him many signal services in his life after his death persevering in the evil cause he had before embrac'd had put himself under the Duke of Mayenne and so far his too violent zeal to Religion or the error of his judgment which might be deluded amongst the rest were rather to be excus'd and pittied than his carriage absolutely to be condemn'd but after the Duke of Mayenne was reduc'd to reason and had given up his cause his yet engaging himself with the King 's most implacable enemies made it manifest to all that his turbulent spirit would stick at no mischief he could any ways effect against his Prince and Country This man then discrediting in the Cardinals Council all the diversions had been there propos'd as by making an attempt upon St. Quintin Montreuille Boulogne or Guise gave advice to fall upon Calice at the same time offering himself to be the man that would undertake and accomplish the design A proposition of so high and generous a nature that the Cardinals ambition which was bent â—pon some noble atchievement being fir'd thereby he was afterwards deaf to all other Counsels and so wholly bent upon an enterprize so suitable to the greatness of his mind that without further delay he gave immediate order to dispose all things for the execution of that design To which end his Army was forthwith drawn into the Field and there divided into three several bodies to amuse the King and to keep him in doubt of the course he intended to steer a policy not very necessary to the concealment of his design it being impossible any one could imagine he durst so much as meditate the thoughts of an enterprize which to all mens astonishment he so suddenly effected that the King had no sooner intelligence of his motion but that withal news was brought him of the loss of the place Bidossan Governour of Calice surpriz'd with so unexpected a Siege was in a few days reduc'd to so great an extremity that he was forc'd to dispatch a Post to the King to acquaint his Majesty with the Articles of his capitulation which was to make a positive surrender if within six days he was not reliev'd at which unhappy and unexpected news his Majesty being beyond all expression afflicted he advanc'd with all diligence as far as Boulogne in hope that the convenient vicinity of that place would give him some opportunity or other to send in some relief to the besieged before the time of limitation should expire neither did he fail to try all possible ways by which he conceiv'd it might be done but all in vain the contrary winds by Sea and the Enemies vigilancy by Land still frustrating what ever endeavour he could use when one sole Servant of the Duke of Espernon's had the good hap beyond all humane expectation to put himself into the place Fortune being it should seem resolv'd by the performance of one of his Servants to confer upon the Master though absent the honour of the bravest exploit that pass'd upon this occasion The man whose resolution was so eminent in this affair was commonly call'd the black Cadet a Gentleman of the house of Campagnol who bravely undertook and as bravely perform'd the Action His elder Brother by the Duke's Favour was preferr'd to be Captain of a Company in the Regiment of Guards and his own Lieutenant in the Government of Boulogne as this also had a Company in the Regiment of Picardy with which he had likewise been gratified by the Dukes Bounty This Gentleman no sooner receiv'd intelligence of the Enemies motion towards Calice but that he immediately repair'd to his Brother at Boulogne where he was at his Majesties arrival there and where his courage not permitting him to sit still in so general a consternation as appear'd in all persons about the King he made a voluntary offer of himself to pass through the Enemies Guards into the Town of Calice with any number of men his Majesty would please to commit to his charge or to perish in the attempt The valour of the man was so well try'd and known that the King doubted not in the least of his performance to the utmost of what could by man be done but the danger was such that his Majesty was very unwilling to expose so brave a Gentleman to so manifest a ruine yet such was his importunity and the occasion of such importance that at last three hundred men only were assign'd him with which by the favour of the night and his own good conduct he arriv'd safe at Calice without the loss of so much as any one man so that certainly had he carried a more considerable number of men the Town had been sav'd but as the case then stood the must content himself with the honour of his own bravery without reaping any other benefit from the success of his attempt The term of six days being expir'd the Enemy sent to summon the Town to a surrender according to the Articles of Capitulation betwixt them to which summons they had no other return than this that the besieg'd were now acquit of their promise and that they had receiv'd a relief an answer at which Râ—osne being more enrag'd than the Arch-Duke himself he presently caus'd the Cannon to play with greater fury than at any time before during the Siege when a sufficient breach being
should no ways engage him to any partiality in his favour nor in the least restrain the liberty of his proceeding in that concern A coldness that so much disgusted the Count de Soissens who expected a greater complacency and freedom from him that his affection so violently begun was not likely long to last The first opposition he met with in the Duke to his desires was in the proposal he made him to give way that he might cause the Duke of Sully to be stab'd in the Louvre He was their common Enemy and the sole cause of all the trouble had befall'n this Prince and of his retirement from Court wherein the inury he had receiv'd was such that although the King had laid upon him his positive command to be reconcil'd he had notwithstanding rather chosen to abandon the Court than to do it The Duke had also receiv'd from the Duke of Sully a great Creature of the late King 's all the ill Offices could possibly have been done by the most implacable Enemy which being not unknown to the Count de Soissons he doubted not to have met an Animosity in the Duke against him as great as his own and to have found him as prompt to his revenge but he was deceiv'd the Duke excusing himself by telling the Count he could by no means permit so great a violence to be offer'd in the King's Palace beseeching him to consider that the Guards which he had the honour to command being principally design'd to preserve the respect due to his Majesties Person and Presence inviolate and such as it ought to be he should commit an irreparable offense to his Duty should he consent to favour an act of so dangerous Example An answer at which the Count a man of a furious and cholerick temper was infinitely mov'd yet his interest not permitting him to break with the Duke he for that time with an extraordinary patience made the best shift he could to dissemble his discontent During these transactions at Court there was something pass'd also at Metz wherein the Duke was no little concern'd you have already heard how Arquien Lieutenant Colonel to the Regiment of Guards had immediately upon the King's Death taken post to retire himself into the Cittadel of which he was Governour afâ—â—â— whom the Duke had sent Mun to spoil his Design so that Mun who was much the younger man having posted in great diligence overtook him some six Stages short of Metz where he found him so bruis'd with riding that he was scarce in a condition to perform the rest of his Journey When Arquien who saw himself likely to be prevented and in danger to be deny'd admittance into Metz by the Duke's Servants plainly told Mun That he made no doubt but that his Journey was occasion'd by a just suspicion the Duke had conceiv'd of his sudden departure without his Order and Command that therein he must needs confess he had been to blame but that he had been prompted to that diligence by a jealousie the Duke might perhaps have detain'd him by force in Paris with an intent to deprive him of his command in the Cittadel That he therefore had undertaken that journey simply and for no other end than to keep his possession of that place which was the most considerable member of his Fortune and the only reward of his Service but with no design to disserve the Duke That he was his Servant neither did he desire to govern so much as in the Cittadel but under his Authority and Command That for a testimony of his Candour and good intention herein he promis'd Mun if he would slack his diligence and let them go together not to enter the Cittadel till first he should by the consent of the Duke 's own Creatures be permitted so to do submitting moreover till it should be by them determin'd that the Garrison there should be divided betwixt them A proposition that Mun conceiving to be as fair as the Duke could himself desire he condescended to the condition and accordingly in his company perform'd the rest of the Journey arriving both together at the City Where being come they immediately assembled the Duke's Friends and Servants which were Tilladet and Fromigieres Captains of the two Companies of the Guards who were in Garrison at Metz and Momas Camp-Master to the old Garrison amongst whom it was concluded that Tilladet the elder Captain should with an hundred men only of his Company enter the Cittadel till the Duke's further pleasure could be known a number that to the Duke's Friends seem'd sufficient to make good their Quarter should Arquien intend any thing but fair as Arquien thought his would be able to maintain his Authority and to over-power the other should the Duke be obstinately bent to exclude him absolutely from his Command Things then being thus concluded Arquien whilst yet in the City sent order to his Lieutenant to receive Tilladet into the Cittadel with such Souldiers as he should bring alonâ— with him not naming any number as not suspecting any foul play a negligence which the Duke's Servants making use of to his advantage they caus'd above fifty more and those the best men they could chuse out of all the Companies to be added to the hundred that by Article were to be admitted who being all without any difficulty receiv'd into the Cittadel it soon appear'd Arquien's was not the strongest Party and that the advantage he had in number his Garrison consisting of two hundred men being balanc'd by the quality of the Souldiers Tilladet was rather in a condition to give than to receive the Law from him Arquien having thus by an excess of faithful dealing perform'd his promise went himself last of all into the Cittadel where he was no sooner come but that his Lieutenant at the first word told him he was no longer Master of the place to whom Arquien having reply'd that an hundred men could not dispute his Authority there the Lieutenant gave him to understand that almost twice so many were already got in which he had not dar'd but to receive not knowing the precise number of those he was to admit at which Arquien now sensible of the oversight he had committed was so enrag'd that he would presently revenge himself upon Tilladet and was ready to fall on Tilladet also on his part preparing for the Encounter when the Friends of both parties who were in the City came in at the first noise of the disorder At their first coming they found the Gates of the Cittadel shut but being opened in the end to such as pretended to endeavour an Accommodation it was with much ado concluded that for Arquiens satisfaction Tilladet to whom he chiefly laid the blame as contriver of the Treachery and Surprize should depart the place but that those Souldiers already enter'd should continue there and that Fromigieres should come in to command them Thus ended this dispute and thus was the Duke of Espernon's absolute
Authority though with some trouble re-establish'd in Metz which from the time of Sobole's dereliction until now he had altogether lost Fromigieres being receiv'd into the Cittadel was still more and more fortified by new Souldiers which the Duke's friends continually slipt in from the City so that Arquien seeing himself in a lost condition and also stung with the conscience of his own fault he return'd in all haste back to Paris at once to beg the Duke of Espernon's pardon and to implore the Queen Regents Justice Where being come and finding the Duke inflexible to his submissions and positively resolute to hold what he had seeing he was to expect no good accompt from him he thought fit as his last refuge to appeal to the Queen Neither did he want interest at Court to support and countenance his cause where besides de Montigny his Brother a man of great merit and esteem and afterwards Mareschal of France he had many Relations and Friends together with the Duke's Enemies who could not without great heart-burning see him re-settled in so considerable a command Of this number were the Lords of the House of Guise and their Family who made up a great part of the Court and who being all averse to the Duke's greatness endeavour'd by possessing the Queen that the action of Metz was an intolerable affront to her Authority to make her restore Arquien to his Command They represented to her that this was an Affair by the late King conceiv'd to be of such importance to the State that his Majesty had made no difficulty to make a Journey thither in person and on purpose to retrive this place out of the Duke of Espernon's hands That his Fidelity ought at this time to be much the rather suspected by how much his Ambition was more inordinate and less easie to be cur'd That having under pretense of some trivial Services to her Majesty in the beginning of her Administration committed a violence of this high nature he made it plain that his sole aim was in this new face of Affairs to establish his own particular greatness and that instead of endeavouring to continue Subjects in their Duty by the example of a Subjects Obedience he had himself committed the greatest insolence imaginable against the Sovereign Power by dispossessing one of the most ancient and faithful Servants of the Crown from a place wherein he had serv'd without the least blemish or reproach It is certain that the Queen how well satisfied soever with the Duke of Espernon was notwithstanding something stagger'd in her resolution at this Remonstrance but the Duke having also given his reasons and represented to her of what importance it was to have his Majesties Authority in the City and Cittadel of Metz conjoyn'd in one man that the emulation of two Governours might not produce mutiny such as would endanger the introducing of Forein Power into the place with how long and with what Fidelity he had serv'd his Kings in that Government the Authority being united in his Person he found the Queen so well dispos'd to accept of his justification that she was absolutely satisfied so that from that time forward nothing was more thought of in that business save only how to content Arquien in finding out for him some other command that might hold proportion with that Employment In the transaction of this Affair Fortune as upon other occasions would needs interest her self to appear in the Duke's Favour De Vic Governour of Calice was one of the principal Mediators in this difference who on the one side making profession of great respect to the Duke's Service and on the other of a strict friendship with Arquien labour'd with extraordinary passion and diligence to satisfie both parties in their pretense and had brought matters to so good an issue that nothing remain'd to their mutual satisfaction save only to find out a Government for Arquien equal to that whereof he was now divested but there was none at this time vacant of equal value which was the only knot in the Affair At last this poor Gentleman prov'd both the Mediator and the price of their Accommodation who had acted so vigorously in the Treaty that with posting to and again in the most violent heats of Summer he was surpriz'd with a Pleurisie whereof in six days he dy'd With his Government Arquien was recompens'd who after that quit claim to the Cittadel of Metz leaving the Duke absolute Master of it as before a possession he afterwards kept till that a few years before his death he demised it in favour of Cardinal de la Valette his Son Amidst these many important Affairs the Duke was not unmindful of his particular Duties whereof one and to which he conceiv'd himself most particularly oblig'd was to manifest his gratitude to Henry the III. his Master and Benefactor He had formerly after his death attended his Body to Compiegne where the misfortunes of War and the confusion of Affairs not permitting at that time a performance of his Funeral Rites and the Queen now resolving to begin the Regency with those of the late King he humbly begg'd of her to give him leave to make use of that opportunity for the interment of Henry the III. wherein her Majesty doing an Act worthy her Piety would add little or nothing to the expense she was already resolv'd to make The Queen readily consented to his request so that the Duke accompanied with a great number of Lords and Gentlemen went to fetch the Body from Compiegne from whence he convey'd it to St. Denis where it was deposited in the ancient Sepulchre of the Kings of France Neither was this the sole testimony the Duke gave of his gratitude to his old Master the Records of his Bounty and Favour being so impress'd in his memory that they perish'd not but in his Grave where all things are buried in Oblivion A little before his death causing a Marble Pillar one of the most celebrated pieces of Architecture of these late times to be carried and set up in the Church of St. Clou wherein he was so curious as to make it be wrought in his own House and almost in his own sight his design being to found a Revenue of a thousand Livers yearly for the Service of the Chappel where it was erected which was also adorn'd with Pictures and pav'd with Marble at his own charge but some difficulties arising about the settlement of that Foundation which could not be clear'd before his death the thing to his great grief remain'd imperfect The Ceremony of these Obsequies perform'd in the end of Iune was immediately follow'd by the return of the Prince of Condé to Court where he arriv'd in Iuly and where all the men of condition contended who should give him the greatest testimonies of joy for his return Amongst whom although the Duke of Espernon was none of the latest yet was he not the best receiv'd The Duke of Sully who had great need
security than in any other place of the Kingdom All the Princes and Lords not only those then present at Court and who had engag'd with the Prince in the late commotions but also all the rest of their party astonish'd at so extraordinary a proceeding and believing that after an example like this neither respect of persons nor any security in general was to be expected they suddenly retir'd from Court to whom the rest almost as suddenly re-united themselves for their common safety The Mareschal who thought that by securing the Head of the Faction he had likewise secur'd himself from the danger of the rest was infinitely surpriz'd when he saw them now united in more formidable numbers than before and that the Lords of the House of Guise also absented themselves upon this occasion wherein nevertheless he had this hope that so many persons of equal quality would not long agree together especially if press'd home by the Royal Arms An opinion that made him resolve to set immediately such Forces on foot as should be sufficient to encounter and suppress them in several places at once Neither did he care to reduce any by Treaty save only the Duke of Guise conceiving an Accommodation with him would be more easily effected than with any of the other by how much he had ever observ'd a greater moderation in him and his Brothers towards himself than the rest to which likewise the complacency the Duke had ever manifested for the Queen in other occasions gave him greater assurance of a flexibility in him to her Majesties desires in this and that without much difficulty a good intelligence might be establish'd betwixt them as there afterwards was the Guises having receiv'd caution for their security being content to return to Court This little negotiation being so happily dispatch'd the Mareschal immediately betook himself to Arms and so vigorously that in a very few days three great Armies were set on foot whereof one was sent against the Duke of Mayenne who was retir'd to Soissons another against the Duke of Nevers in Champagne and the third against the Dutchess of Nevers who with a generosity something extraordinary in her delicate Sex was resolute to defend the Dutchy of Nivernois which was the Inheritance of the Duke her Husband In this disorder of Affairs the Duke of Espernon apprehending that the hatred the Mareschal had conceiv'd against him was no less than that he manifested against the rest and that he would infallibly fall upon him so soon as he had dispatch'd with them he had no mind to be surpriz'd nor to suffer himself tamely to be oppress'd considering therefore that alone he should not long be able to resist the power of the King whose name his enemy had usurp'd in all his Affairs he address'd himself to the Duke of Montmorency to engage him in his Quarrel by whose mediation he made no doubt to draw over l' Esdiguieres also The Duke knew those two to be no better satisfied with the present Government than himself who although they were not openly persecuted as he was yet the example of the other persons of the same condition making them reasonably to apprehend for themselves what they already saw others suffer he doubted not but that without much difficulty they would be perswaded to embrace the union neither was he mistaken herein the Duke of Montmorency as also l' Esdiguieres absolutely engaging with him So that these three Confederates having opportunity to concur in the work through the mediation and by the assistance of several powerful friends the Duke had in Guienne nothing could hinder them from uniting in so necessary a defense and so just a Quarrel The Duke notwithstanding he had thus wisely play'd his game and that he was certain to receive very great assistance from his Confederates did nevertheless very well understand that as he was nearest to the approaching danger so it would be very necessary for him to put himself soonest into a posture of defense that the Mareschal might not surprize him His thoughts therefore were fully intent upon the resolution of Arms but he wanted not only a cause but even a pretense to colour his preparation without which only to go about it was to make himself Criminal in the highest degree neither the Court Minion being absolutely his enemy could he reasonably hope either for a Commission from thence for the raising of men in the King's name and at his expense or so much as to be permitted to do it at his own charge In this strait and anxiety what course to take the Rochellers gave him as fair a pretense as he could possibly desire to do that under the vail of Duty and Obligation which he could not otherwise have undertaken without incurring the highest censure They had at this time surpriz'd a little Castle near to their City and situate upon the Sea-coast call'd Rochefort an enterprize condemn'd by all the world for the most sensless and unadvis'd that could possibly have been undertaken to begin a War by an action of so little importance in a time when themselves and their whole party were priviledg'd by so absolute and inviolate a Peace The Duke who had been at so great a loss before and that could not then have wish'd for a more specious pretense it may easily be imagin'd was very ready to lay hold of this occasion now neither did he fail herein to aggravate the misdemeanour to the height but repeating all the Accusations he had formerly preferr'd against the Ambition and Infidelity of those of the Reformed Religion and particularly against those of Rochelle he of them drew up a kind of Manifesto which he caus'd to be publish'd in all parts of the Kingdom In this Declaration he forgot not to reckon up the several insurrections those of that Faction had broke into to make their advantage of every disorder had at any time hapned in the Kingdom notwithstanding all satisfaction had been given them by the inviolate observation of â—everal Edicts granted in their favour That they had been observ'd for many years to call together Assemblies in Rochelle without either his Majesties Order or Royal Assent from which such unjust and unreasonable Propositions and demands were usually sent to the King as made it appear they did not Treat with his Majesty in the quality of Subjects but like Free-States that were nothing ally'd to his Sovereign Power That by such a behaviour it was plain enough the City was arriv'd to the utmost degree of Licence and that the Rochellers could never satisfie their Ambition till they had introduc'd a popular Government amongst them That if hitherto his Majesties Council had contrary to his Judgment and Advice wink'd at the progress of so dangerous a design that nevertheless he to whom the Government of their City was entrusted and who therefore was more concern'd than any other to keep such in their obedience as were committed to his care was
resolv'd to chastise their insolence which he nothing doubted but by the assistance of his own friends he should be able to do and to make them know they had hitherto been only strong in the weakness of our own Counsels This had in truth ever been his saying and the effects made it appear he had made a right judgment so that under this pretense he took Arms which as it was colour'd by a design that immediately pointed at his Majesties Service so did he not scruple to make use of the King's mony in the Levies he made upon this occasion With these summes though very small and some mony of his own he rais'd four Regiments of Foot consisting of above four thousand five hundred men and betwixt five and six hundred Horse to which were added sixscore Guards on Horseback in his own Livery a force which though not very considerable for their number were yet such as he conceiv'd sufficient to keep the Field against any he had a mind to offend The Rochellers who formerly had by many injuries highly incens'd the Duke no sooner saw him resolv'd and ready to advance in a posture of War even to the Gates of their City but they began now to examine their Forces which they had not so well consider'd before the danger and which the more they examin'd the weaker they found them to be This City the Capital of a powerful Faction and that had so often disputed the King's Authority enrich'd by an extraordinary Traffick and confederated with all the Protestant Princes of Europe finding it self in so weak a condition that it could not in this necessity muster 2000. men to sally out of their Walls utterly without Horse or the least assistance from any of their Confederates and Friends So that converting their usual Rhodomantades and Menaces into the most submiss terms of Humble Supplication addressing themselves by their Deputies to the King they humbly and with all importunity besought his Majesty to interpose his Royal Authority betwixt the Duke of Espernon and them that he might not commence a War against them Had the Rochellers made this confession of their weakness at another time it would doubtless have very well pleas'd the Council and 't is likely the Duke of Espernon would have been countenanc'd in his design to the end that City might have been made to know what they were one day to apprehend from their Prince's indignation but the Mareschal d' Encre unable to endure that his Capital Enemy should be in Arms and consequently in a posture fit to frustrate the design he had long projected of his ruine made the Council resolve to dispatch away Boissize one of the Council of State to the Duke with a positive command to lay down his Arms. Boissize at his arrival found the Duke with his Forces quarter'd at Surgeres but four Leagues only distant from Rochelle and ready to march up to the City neither did he fail with all the Rhetorick he had to disswade him from that resolution Representing to him the danger of what he was about lest the noise of the enterprize in hand should alarm the whole Hugonot Party whom the King would by no means should be provok'd and in which case of a particular Quarrel he would be the cause of a general War With which commands from the King and Queen he moreover mix'd menaces of their highest indignation should he disobey with many promises on the contrary of all satisfaction from the Court and the Rochellers if he would desist all which wanting force to divert him from his purpose the Duke gave order in the presence of Boissize to sound to Horse and nettled to the last degree at the difficulties he saw strew'd in the way of his designs march'd directly towards Rochelle Boissize seeing his endeavours altogether ineffectual and that the Duke was obstinate in his first determination after having highly protested against his proceeding went and put himself into the Town giving the Inhabitants thereby to understand that their Majesties had no hand in the Duke's Enterprize that it was absolutely contrary to their order and that therefore they were at full liberty to arm themselves for their own defense But this consent though it warranted their Arms gave them nevertheless no other power so that they were to suffer whatever the Duke was pleas'd to inflict upon them He quarter'd his men in their best Farms made his approaches up to the very Gates of their City and defeated some who under the protection of their Counterscape attempted to oppose him till in the end after having maintain'd his Army for almost a month at their charge and that his fury was a little abated by that little revenge he had taken in some inconveniencies he had put them to he grew more flexible to a new Order he receiv'd from Court and was at last content to let them alone It was by Vignoles that the Duke receiv'd this last Command a man for many years well known and highly esteem'd by him which rendred the Duke more flexible to a Treaty with him than the other from whose mouth having receiv'd his Majesties pleasure he made answer That having now made a discovery to the whole Kingdom of the Rochellers weakness the dis-union of their Faction and with how much ease they were to be reclaim'd when ever his Majesty should think fit he was content to let them rest in peace but that if the King had pleas'd he might at this time have punish'd their insolence as it was in his power easie to do he could without much trouble have done his Majesty a very important Service but he saw to his great affliction his Enemies who were prevalent with his Majesty envy'd him the honour of this Action but that he must however give place to their malice in obedience to his Royal pleasure though in a thing very prejudicial to his Majesties own peculiar Interest That therefore he would retire so soon as the Rochellers should surrender the Castle of Rochefort into his Majesties hands and that after that act of their Obedience having no other particular concern he had nothing more to desire of his Majesty for his own private satisfaction than that his Majesty would please to assert and avow what he had only undertaken for his Service in the past occasion Which being accordingly in another dispatch brought him by Vignoles and all those who had assisted and serv'd him in this occasion compriz'd he rose from before Rochelle dismissing his Army nevertheless in such sort that most of the Commanders most of them having relation to him might be ready upon the least warning to re-unite in the same equipage as before What the Duke had express'd to Vignoles of his discontents by word of mouth did not nevertheless save him the labour of writing to Court in such a style as manifested he still retain'd the honest liberty his great spirit had ever suggested to him during the Reigns of his two
where after having been sufficiently abus'd hiss'd and hooted at he was by four Souldiers of the Garrison conducted to his Inn who it may be imagin'd were not commanded to use him with overmuch respect But if this first part of his entertainment surpriz'd him he was much more when his Host coming to him at night demanded his Name Surname Country Quality and Age with many other interrogatories as if he had been upon the Selette From all or most of these questions he for some time defended himself till being threatned if he would not answer to be proceeded against as a Spy he was at last constrain'd to do it when as his answers came from him he saw them recorded in a great Book order'd for that purpose amongst other ancient rules establish'd for the defense of the place though he conceiv'd that under the protection of the Royal Name which he had ready to produce he ought to have been dispens'd from that Ceremony He was scarce recover'd from his first astonishment when he saw four of the Duke's Guards at that time call'd les Simons a name very famous at Court entring his Chamber Their first Complements it may be suppos'd were none of the most obliging neither did they long forbear to tell the new come Gallant That they were order'd by the Duke their Master to have an eye upon his actions That the Duke very well knew upon what pretense he came to Metz but that the true cause of his coming was to him much better known which was to do a diâ—â—ervice to the King to observe the weaknesses of the place and to give intelligence thereof to his Majesties enemies That therefore they were not to leave him and that they very well knew how to prevent him from executing his malicious designs That in the mean time it would concern him to have a care how he behav'd himself since no mercy was to be expected if the least thing was discover'd in him contrary to his Majesties Service At this declaration the poor man was put into a most terrible fear he knew the Dukes Authority to be absolute in Metz and that whatever he should determine though it should reach to his life and under what pretense soever it might be would infallibly be executed upon him Whereupon he ask'd his Guards if there were no possibility of safety for him to which they reply'd that doubtless yes provided he attempted nothing against the Crown After which they entertain'd him with stories of how many they had Bastinado'd at Paris and after what manner the Duke us'd to chastise several fool-hardy fellows who had imprudently attempted upon his Honour If he went out of one Chamber into another they were continually at his heels and if â—e went to sleep they lay down by him never ceasing day nor night to afflict him insomuch that after having two days endur'd this usage such a terror seiz'd him at last that he fell down at his Guards feet weeping praying and conjuring them to assure the Duke that he was his most humble Servant that he acknowledg'd his fault begg'd his pardon and did humbly intreat he would give him leave to depart the City At which though his Guards seem'd to comfort and assure him advising him not to fear and protesting that the interest of his Majesties Service only excepted they were there to no other end than to do him Service yet were all their consolations vain so invincible a fear had possess'd him and so wholly was he taken up with the desire to escape from the danger whereinto he saw he had so precipitously engag'd himself The Duke after he had a few days made himself merry with mortifying his Gull let him at last depart who as he had been before at Metz became afterwards the Fable of the Court. Yet did not the Duke spend his time altogether in diversion having serious business enough to take up his thoughts with something of more concern and those were the Affairs of the Queen Mother This Princess after the death of the Mareschal d' Encre having been constrain'd to leave the Court where Luines could not suffer a person of her Authority and offended to the degree she had been to reside had the Castle of Blois appointed by the King for her retreat To which place accordingly the Queen in this change of her Fortune being allow'd to keep very few of her Servants about her departed with a very slender Train The Bishop of Luçon since Cardinal of Richelieu who had been Secretary of State during the favour of the Mareschal d' Encre was one of those who follow'd her in her disgrace as Chanteloube also was another but the Abbot Rucellary and Italian and very affectionate to her Service was as a person altogether unnecessary about her Majesty sent back into one of his Abbies neither did the Bishop of Luçon remain long without another Order of the same kind by which he was first oblig'd to reside in his own Diocess and soon after to retire into Avignon The Queen Mother from the time of her departure from Court had meditated nothing so much as how to recover her lost Authority and to overthrow that of the new Favourites wherein though she had communicated something to Messieurs de Luçon de Rucellay and de Câ—anteloube men of the greatest Fidelity and Conduct about her and though they had taken some pains for her satisfaction yet could they discover no possibility of effecting her Designs Neither were they permitted long to consider of the means the entire confidence the Queen was discover'd to repose in them being suspected at Court having soon procur'd the banishment of the two first as has been said before of which that of Luçon had rendred him utterly uncapable of all manner of correspondence with her But Rucellay a man of great courage vivacity and ambition having for some time conceal'd himself about Blois and having from time to time in disguise taken opportunity to consult with the Queen was after having rejected several propositions at last of opinion that she should address her self to the Duke of Boüillon to try if with the party of those of the Religion who were absolutely at his dispose he might be induc'd to declare himself of her side and to attempt something in her favour The Queen being very well pleas'd with this proposition Rucellay as chearfully undertook to make the first overture of it to the Duke of Boüillon at Sedan I have often heard this Abbot during five or six weeks that I was continually with him in order to the Queen Mothers dispatches which all pass'd through his hands after her escape tell the whole story of this negotiation so that I am able to say something of my own knowledge botâ— as to the qualities of his person and the circumstances of that Treaty which perhaps will not be altogether unpleasant to my Reader Rucellay then was a Gentleman of Florence descended from a Father
behaviour the more industrious he was as guilty men usually are to wipe off all shadow of suspicion they might justly conceive insomuch that 't is said he dispatch'd post after post to the King to give him assurance of his Loyalty a thing that afterwards prov'd one of the most dangerous circumstances of his offense The Duke of Espernon did not promise so much and perform'd much more he only sending the Sieur de Campâ—ls Gentleman of his Horse to assure the King of his Fidelity and was so punctual in the performance of his word that he fail'd not in the least Article of his duty After the Duke of Montmorency had kept the Court sufficiently in suspense of what he resolv'd to do he at last declar'd himself by taking open arms in favour of the Monsieur who was now come into Languedoc where he caus'd several Cities he had made firm for his purpose to revolt and moreover debauch'd many Gentlemen of very eminent quality whom either the respect and affection to his person or the hope of change had allur'd over to his Party If the Monsieur's designs before the Duke of Montmorency declar'd in his Quarrel had amus'd the whole Court their astonishment was infinitely augmented after he had betaken himself to Arms who having immediately thereupon publish'd several causes of his discontent many at that time allow'd them to be very just though no one could approve the course he took to manifest his resentment The news of his defection surpriz'd the Duke of Espernon at Agen it surpriz'd him indeed who expected nothing less than to see himself engag'd in a party contrary to the dearest friend he had in the world though that friendship as all his other friendships had ever done must here give place to his duty Upon the first Orders therefore he receiv'd from the King after the Monsieur 's entry into the Kingdom he immediately departed from Cadillac to advance into the center of the Province which was Agen to the end that from that prospect he might observe what parts of his Government stood most in need of his presence There was no dispute the Duke of Montmorency having declar'd but that he must of necessity advance towards Languedoc to secure Montauban that being the nearest City of importance to the revolted Province but the difficulty was how to do it so that Montauban might not rather secure him who had only his own Guards about his person with ten Companies of the Regiment of Pâ—alsbourg that remain'd of twenty he had had in Guienne the rest being a few days before sent away to joyn with the Mareschal de Schomberg The Mareschal arriving in Languedoc had sent to borrow these Forces of the Duke of Espernon perhaps out of a design rather to weaken him of whose resolutions they were yet uncertain than to strengthen himself which though the Duke could at that time very ill have spar'd who was to go to expose himself in a place where he had great reason to suspect his own safety yet would he not refuse the Mareschal upon his first demand by that freedom sufficiently manifesting with what integrity and candour he proceeded in the Kings Interest This proceeding how franck and generous soever could not nevertheless so satisfie the Court that they were not yet in great anxiety and suspense what his resolution might be the hereditary friendship and strict alliance betwixt the House of Montmorency and him were sufficiently known neither were they ignorant that the tender and passionate affection he had for the person of this Duke was equal to that he had for his own Children they knew moreover that two days before the Duke had declar'd the Marchioness of Montferrant of the House of Montmorency widow to the Baron de Montaut the Duke's Cousin German and now Wife to one of the most intimate friends he had in the Province had parted from the Dutchess of Montmorency to return into Guienne to her Husband who was then with the Duke of Espernon so that this Lady a woman capable of the greatest Affairs above what is usual in persons of her Sex there were few who did not conclude she had been purposely sent by the Duke her Kinsman to labour an intelligence with the Duke his ally though in truth there was no such thing In fine the good or ill success of Affairs depending without all doubt absolutely upon him the Court had all the reason in the world to be in some fear of what his determination would be All the Gentry of his Government were wavering those of the Reform'd Religion who had been constrain'd to accept of an incommodious Peace in all apparence waited only expecting a fit opportunity to begin a new War thereby to obtain more advantageous conditions than those that had been impos'd upon them and the people oppress'd more than ordinary by new Taxes desir'd nothing more than trouble and confusion which they conceiv'd to be the best and only remedy for their present calamities These evil dispositions were not only in Guienne but Angoumois also Xaintonge Limousin and Poictou panted with the same thirst of Innovation so that in all these Provinces where the Duke had long govern'd they yet retain'd for him so great a love and respect that what resolution soever he had taken would without contradiction have been follow'd by them for the best Neither had he needed to have made any great ado to procure a great deal of mischief since by only sitting still and conniving never so little at those who were ready for Commotion he might have wrought matters into such a confusion as would infallibly have put the Kingdom into very great disorder and then the Mareschal de Schomberg shut up betwixt the Forces of Languedoc and Guienne would have been irrecoverably lost But this good Frenchman what aversion soever he might have to the Cardinal 's immeasurable greatness what affection soever for the Duke of Montmorency or what advantage soever he might reasonably propose to himself from the alteration of Affairs the face whereof he might doubtless have chang'd he still preferr'd the Service of his Prince and the good of his Countrey before any particular Interest of his own and remain'd unshaken in his duty notwithstanding all the overtures had been made and the importunities had been us'd to debauch him The Duke acting with this sincerity and candour thought it very requisite to confirm the King in the assurances he had formerly given his Majesty of his fidelity and truth which he did by sending away the Count de Maillé to that effect and proceeding from words to actions after he was arriv'd at Montauban his first care was speedily to dispatch away two Gentlemen throughout the whole Province to summon in to him all the persons of quality whom he had most reason to suspect There were very few who did not promptly obey this Summons which being deliver'd them by men of Repute they could not make any excuse that
been agreed upon the day before was totally overthrown and Messieurs the Prelates would by no means accept the high degree of Judges the Duke had so submissively offer'd but would humble themselves to the qualities of simple Parties only They assembled then again at the Archbishop of Bordeaux his Palace and from thence sent a Deputation to the King wherein the Archbishop of Arles was to speak for the rest All that they say was observable in the Bishop's Oration was only an excessive vehemency in the heat whereof he made use of all the odious terms he could invent to allure his Majesties Indignation and to possess him with the highest sense of the Duke's Misdemeanour Upon which occasion it was that Caspian Bishop of Nantes one of the greatest and most vertuous Prelates of his time cry'd out That if it were possible for the Devil to submit himself to God Almighty to such a degree as the Duke did he would infallibly obtain pardon for all his Offenses and that notwithstanding the Church deny'd this Pardon to a Christian who had ever serv'd God and his Church But neither this true Remonstrance nor any other whatsoever that could be offer'd in the Duke's behalf could produce any good effect to the composing of this Affair He had very good intelligence of all the Severity was practis'd to his prejudice for although the greatest Powers were declar'd against him he had notwithstanding friends in the Assembly that were sway'd by no other consideration save only the pure interest of Piety and Justice Of this number were the Archbishops of Sens and of Tholouze the Bishop of Nantes before mention'd that of Mans of Beauvais and some others These Prelates acknowledg'd by the whole Kingdom for men of great Merit and Example no sooner had intelligence of what the rest of their Order were contriving against the Duke but that they came in all haste to Paris to do him all the good Offices the condition of the time would permit but there was an over ruling power that rendred all their endeavours fruitless so that after having long sustain'd the Torrent of Authority that opposed their Reason they were constrain'd at last to give way to force that ever gives the Law to the best Arguments Upon the Complaints of the Clergy preferr'd to the King by the mouth of the Archbishop of Arles his Majesty commanded that the Informations of the Parliament of Bordeaux should be put into the hands of Lauzon Master of Requests to make his Report Villemontée who was also at the same time at Court was likewise order'd to give in his Answer after which and that the Depositions of the Witnesses had been sufficiently canvas'd the Cardinal who was present at the Council was of opinion That upon the Duke 's single Confession contain'd in his Answer he ought to be reputed Excommunicate and as so that the King ought to declare him laps'd from all his Offices and Dignities till by vertue of his Absolution he should be re-united to the Church Though the King's Sentences were by the Duke himself obey'd with all manner of submission his Friends and Servants nevertheless did not forbear even in the face of the Court with many powerful Arguments to move for his Quietus est of which Arguments there were enow of themselves to make an entire Volumn but I have nothing to do to transcribe them here both in regard they were of no advantage to the Duke at that time and that his intention remains sufficiently justified by his Respect and Submissions to the Church The Cardinal de la Valette fail'd not however to urge and dispute those Reasons as he had ever done but not having been able to prevail that the Clergy might themselves be Judges of his Father's Cause nor that the King would please to take off the punishment he had impos'd upon him till after he should be absolv'd The Duke was constrain'd to apply himself to the Court of Rome first to obtain the repose of his Conscience and after his Restauration to his Offices and Commands His Secretary was therefore dismiss'd from Plassac to go to Rome furnish'd with several Dispatches directed to several of the principal persons of that Court The Duke's name famous in all parts of Europe was with his Holiness in very great esteem he had had the honour to be acquainted with him in the time of his Nuntiature in France and he was then reputed no ill Catholick His Holiness therefore very graciously receiv'd his Submissions and contrary to the câ—stom of that Court where delays are very usual chiefly when the Authority of the Apostolick See in any Debate of Consequence is concern'd cutting off a great many of the tedious Forms caus'd the Expeditions necessary for the Duke's satisfaction to be dispatch'd and sent them away to Cardinal Bichi his Nuntio in France So that had the Resolutions of the Court of Rome at that time had less dependence upon those of France the Duke had from thence obtain'd a speedy and full satisfaction But so many rubs were on this side the Alpes laid in the way that four whole months were laps'd before the Duke could receive his Absolution which when it came was no other neither than Ad Reincidentiam a term us'd by those who treat of such matters when it is not a plenary Absolution Who is it that reading the progress of this Dispute but must admire that a little Complement ill receiv'd and a few words ill interpreted should grow to be one of the most important Affairs of two of the greatest Courts of Europe I was very unwilling to have been so tedious in being so particular but others having related it so as they knew would please the Great Ones of that time who were no Friends to the Duke I thought my self oblig'd to render here an account of things as they truly pass'd which if it will not here absolutely excuse the Duke for being in his sudden passion too violently transported against an Ecclesiastical Person it will at least serve to manifest the respect he bore to the Church and to a Dignity he ever had in the highest Reverence and Esteem From this time forward the Duke's Affairs began to appear with a much better face at Court his Sons having by their diligence and discretion so moderated Cardinal Richelieu's heat that nothing remain'd to do save only how to contrive a durable Reconciliation and from this breach as it often falls out to derive an occasion of inseparably uniting their two Families The Cardinal notwithstanding would first have his Will he had as has been said in the Year 1632. desir'd that the Duke would demise his Government of Metz in his favour wherein having not met with that complacency he expected he must now be satisfied Neither would promises serve the turn the laying down the Government of this place must also precede the Absolution the Cardinal being by no means to be perswaded to consent that the
was very perfect in yet did not that knowledge make him alter his resolution choosing rather to live with him in a less degree of Favour than to beg Offices and Employments at the price of his own Honour Many secret discontents arising from this first cause it must of necessity follow that these two Spirits having been so long dissatisfied with one another and so equally dispos'd to a final Rupture would at one time or another produce their ordinary effect An occasion presented it self at the Enemies entring into Picardy and about the taking of la Capelle The Baron du Bec was Governour of this place which this Gentleman very well known to and entirely belov'd by the Duke de la Valette had surrendred sooner than the Cardinal could have wish'd for want as he pretended of Provision The Cardinal who by an example of high severity would oblige the Governours of other places to hold out to the last extremities or perhaps by that means to justifie himself to the King from any censure he might undergo as Prime Minister of State in not having sufficiently provided for the necessities of so important a place caus'd an Honourable Council immediately to be Assembled This Council consisted of all the Officers of the Crown who were then to be found in Paris together with some Counsellors of State whose business it must be to condemn the Baron du Bec as convict of Cowardise and Treachery to a privation of his Life and Honour The Duke de la Valette was amongst the rest summon'd to this Assembly wherein as he saw he was not call'd to it to deliver his free Opinion that the Gentleman was beforehand mark'd out for Ruine and that Sentence of Death must consequently ensue so did he endeavour with all the art he had to decline having any thing to do in that business but it was altogether in vain The Cardinal would admit of no excuses but after having sent three times to his House to seek him Chavigni Secretary of State went the fourth time to tell him plainly he must either satisfie or absolutely break with the Cardinal This express and positive Declaration prevail'd in the end with the Duke de la Valette to go to the Council but it was not nevertheless to comply in the least with the animosities of others The Baron du Bec's Affair was laid open in the Presence of the King and the Cardinal and the greater part of the Judges concluded the Crimes laid to his charge sufficient to condemn the party accus'd but the Duke de la Valette did not think himself oblig'd to be of that opinion and consequently could not consent to his Condemnation If the Cardinal had manifested something of vehemency in importuning the Duke to come to the Council he express'd yet a far greater indignation to find him of a judgment so far dissenting from his own insomuch that at his coming out of the Council taking the Duke de la Valette aside he could not contain himself from breaking into very unhandsome Language proceeding to so bitter and so injurious expressions that the Duke was not able to forbear giving a very smart Reply the Reverence due to the place where they then were permitting him at that time to do no more though such as were acquainted with his temper will easily judg that he would omit no occasion of manifesting a higher resentment In the heat of this Discontent he receiv'd the Command of which I have already spoken to go joyn himself with the Count dc Soissons in Picardy and then the Cardinal could find some expressions of Civility and Complement to smooth him withal at his departure but an Offence being much harder to be repair'd than committed the Wound the Duke carried along with him in his Bosom was not to be clos'd by so slender a Remedy It was presently after this that the Cardinal was inform'd the Duke de la Valette had hearkened to the Propositions had been made to him by the Count dâ— Soissons for the Revenge of their common Injuries and that the Monsieur was also consenting with them At the time the Cardinal receiv'd this intimation the Duke de la Valette to his good Fortune was as far off as Bayonne but the Monsieur and the Count de Soissons being both at Paris escap'd but a very few hours of being both Arrested having nevertheless time enough to withdraw themselves they departed suddenly from Paris when though they scarce knew which way to fly for refuge from the power of their Enemy yet hoping that either the danger the Duke de la Valette ran equally with them or that the Generosity of the Duke of Espernon who on the other side was himself not very well satisfied with the Court might induce him to receive them into Guienne they dispatch'd away thither first the Count de Bourdeille and after him the Count de Montresor his Brother of which both the one and the other had instructions to address themselves to the Duke de la Valette that by his perswasions the Father might be rendred more favourable to their desires But this Duke who had much rather be alone expos'd to the Cardinal 's whole stock of hatred than to disquiet the old Age of the Duke his Father by interessing him in his Quarrels freely told them That the Monsieur and the Count were to expect nothing from his Mediation in this Affair That he was indeed resolv'd to follow his Fathers Resolutions but that he would never prompt him to any thing that might trouble his repose Montresor who came last and who would not depart without a positive resolution finding no hopes of concurrence in the Duke de la Valette desir'd to talk in private with the Duke of Espernon He was accordingly admitted into his Chamber at ten of the Clock at night after all his Servants were retir'd where he represented to him The immediate danger wherein two great Princes of the Blood were at this time engag'd by the violence of Cardinal Richelieu their and his particular Enemy That in securing their lives he might also establish his own Fortune and that of his Family That he knew very well how great was the number of discontented persons how violent the despair of the people and how intolerable the oppression of all the several Orders of the Kingdom That all these favourable dispositions wanted only some considerable heads to work their common safety by the ruine of the Cardinals Affairs That there was not a person in the Kingdom who would not be ready speedily to joyn with these Princes seeing their good intention for the Redress of the Publick should their cause be supported by his prudent Conduct That this Act would crown all the other actions of his life for ever establish the Fortune of his own Family and render oblig'd to him for their Lives and Honour two Princes the one the Son and Brother of the King his Master's his own
Father receiv'd his Dispatches from Court wherein he had order and express power to serve himself with the King's money and strength of the Province and moreover to lay what Impositions they should together think fit upon the people for the execution of his Majesties Designs The Duke of Espernon very well judg'd what was to be expected from these kind of Leavies he knew with what difficulties and delays the King 's own Revenue was gather'd in He was also not ignorant of the little kindness they had for him at Court He knew very well that his Obedience herein might be converted to a Crime all Leavies of money being expressly forbidden excepting such Taxes as should be impos'd by the King himself all which being duly consider'd by him made him resolve to write to his Majesty That both himself and his Son were very ready franckly to expose their Lives for the execution of his Majesties Commands provided something of what was necessary might be added to their Endeavours that they might attempt to execute his Orders with some possibility of success but that he should ever impose a Tax upon his Majesties Subjects he most humbly beg'd to be dispens'd from any such Employment and that his Majesty would be pleas'd since hitherto he had kept his hands clean from any thing of that kind he might still preserve his Reputation without exposing it to the Clamour of his miserable Subjects whose Necessities were to him already too well known These last words wrought the most dangerous effect imaginable against him the Court perswading themselves that he affected Popularity and sought this way to ingratiate himself with the people to the end that he might by their assistance be able to maintain himself in his Government and was in effect the principal Cause if not the only Motive that caus'd him to be remov'd from thence the ensuing year Whilst the Duke of Espernon was engag'd in these troublesome Disputes with the Court the Duke de la Valette continued the War with the Enemy after the same manner he had begun keeping them close mew'd up in their Trenches without permitting them to receive any relief from the Country or so much as to taste of the Air of the Field where they never presented themselves without some notable disadvantage This way of making War having continued for two whole months together had reduc'd the Spaniard to Necessities were no longer to be endur'd they were necessitated to have all their Provisions out of their own Country and those to be brought to them by Sea with infinite hazard and inconvenience and at an intolerable expence The Duke de la Valette was very well inform'd of the ill condition to which they were reduc'd their Necessities had bred an infinite number of Diseases in their Camp and the number of six thousand men which they were at first was diminish'd to that degree that not above half of them were left alive In this condition he prepar'd to make some attempt upon them and to that end caus'd those Forces which by reason of the late Commotions he had been oblig'd to leave in the Lower Gascony to advance toward the Frontier not doubting but at this time to effect that which they would have had him some time before have attempted with almost certain and apparent ruine but the Enemy inform'd of his resolution by a shameful and precipitous flight which was the highest acknowledgment of their weakness he could possibly desire prevented his design They embark'd therefore all their Artillery their Equipage and their Sick by night the Port of Socoa which they were Masters of affording them conveniency so to do by the same way and with so little noise drawing off the rest of their Forces that their design was not discover'd till they were all aboard The Duke de la Valette was no sooner inform'd of their flight but that he drew up to the Fort which was surrendred to him without resistance But it is not to be imagin'd how many several Objects of Misery were to be seen in their Camp nor to what extremities by his long perseverance they had been reduc'd They then quitted him their Forts giving him thereby the most absolute and most happy Victory could possibly be desir'd so that he had the good fortune almost without men at least with Forces not half so great as the Enemies without money having never touch'd a peny of the King's almost without Victuals having had none save what by the industry and providence of Vertamont Intendant de la Iustice had been convey'd to the Frontier and without the loss of any one man of note to ruine an entire Army of an invading Enemy to make them spend ten months time in vain to consume Provisions sufficient for the plentiful subsistence of the greatest Army and to leave three thousand of their men behind them for a testimony of their Defeat Yet how great and of what utility soever this Victory might be to the Kingdoms Honour and Safety the Court was notwithstanding dissatisfied with the success who seeing he had done more than any one durst propose to himself and outstrip'd the hopes and expectation of those who were emulous of his Vertue and would have been glad some disaster had befall'n him were by no means satisfied with this performance as if he had not done enough in doing so much with so little means and with so great safety and reputation to his own Person and Name Had he been at this time in a state of Favour what recompence might he not reasonably have expected for two Services of so high importance and both perform'd in one Campagne Which though he fail'd of through the ill Offices of some that blinded by Animosity could not discern his Merit yet such as will make a right Judgment of things must maugre the ingratitude and injustice of the Age set a right Value upon them I know very well without mentioning the Defeat of the Spanish Army which speaks sufficiently for it self that the other exploit has been highly magnified by disinterested persons that had at that time the principal Command of Poictou and Xaintonge who have declar'd that all the Provinces on this side the River Loire had run an extreme danger had the general disorder to which the people were apparently and absolutely enclin'd not been suppress'd by the vigour and celerity wherewith the Duke acted upon this occasion If the King's Affairs had the good success you have heard under the Conduct of the Duke de la Valette in Guienne they succeeded no less fortunately upon the Frontier of Picardy under the command of the Duke de Candale and the Cardinal de la Valette his Brothers These two Generals joyntly commanded the King's Army in those parts and so well that they had in a short time retaken the Castle of Cambresis Maugbeuge and Lendrecies in the end That which was most remarkable in the Siege of this last place was that they
the place having the Sea open to them two several times convey'd Relief into the Fortress in the very face of our Land Army and at one of those put a Governour into it a Relief of so infinite importance as that it was first the cause of the places preservation and afterwards of the disaster that befel the Royal Arms. I shall not trouble my Reader with a long Narrative of the manner of this Siege I could on the contrary wish it were in my power to extinguish the memory of it for ever not that the Enemy however obtain'd any so signal reputation by it they only making use of a kind of Lethargy of which our whole Army was at that time sick so that although they made shift to kill a few people that lay without motion and consequently uncapable of any resistance yet had they no other advantage by it than what their Fortune and our mischance combin'd together put into their hands even beyond their own aim or expectation And this is all I should have said of this business had not some endeavour'd to have engag'd the Duke de la Valett's Honour in the miscarriage but his interests being not to be separated from those of the Duke his Father and the concern here being the vindication of Truth and the defence of both their Honours from Calumny and the malice of malevolent men I coâ—ceive I may here be permitted to say always retaining the respect due to those who were not very favourable to them that it is not to be deny'd but that the Duke de la Valette was the first man who going over on foot and up to the middle in water at the head of the Army open'd the way into the Enemies Country beating them from the Trenches they had cast up upon the Banks of the River to defend that Pass That at the Quarter where he commanded in the Siege he had very much advanc'd his Approaches and so as had infallibly reduc'd the place to a necessity of being taken on that side had it not been reliev'd neither is it to be contradicted but that he gave advice to Fight thâ— Relief so soon as ever it began to appear They know moreover very well that he had nothing at all to do in the Siege at the time it was rais'd he having resign'd his Post to the Archbishop of Bordeaux by express Order from the Prince and under his own hand that he was above a League distant from the Battel when it was sought and that being totally ignorant of the disorder till he had it from the Run-aways who brought the Alarm into his Quarters he thereupon immediately put himself into the head of those men he had with him That he rallied as many as he could of those that were squandered and that with these and his own men having staid the pursuit of the Conquerours he by that means preserved all those who had escap'd from the Defeat These truths though sufficiently known to all the world were not nevertheless of force to hinder his Enemies from laying the whole miscarriage of this business at his door and from charging him who was certainly innocent with the fault of ten thousand who were guilty He was not so much as permitted without a Crime to set a manly counâ—enance upon this disaster or to manifest his Courage and Assurance upon so dangerous an occasion even his Valour and constancy an unheard of injustice were the main things in his Accusation it being objected against him that he was glad of the mischance and was observ'd to laugh at the Defeat because he did not appear dejected and shew'd a countenance void of fear and confusion He was not however so unjust to them but has ever commended as there was just cause both the Actions and Intentions of those who commanded at this Siege never doubting in the least of their Sincerity and passionate desire to serve the King effectually and well and ever believing that had their Valour been seconded as it ought to have been they would have obtain'd those advantages over the Enemy was reasonably to be expected from their Bravery and good Conduct But if the chance of Arms was contrary to them if the panick Terror that seiz'd the Souldier would not permit them to follow the example of their Leaders and if his Counsels which would have procur'd safety to the Army were not follow'd or approv'd why should he be rendred criminal for not having been able to prevail upon the humours or opinions of other men Some days before this Disgrace hapned the Duke of Espernon had return'd without Order into his Government after having continued some months at his House Plassac wherein his design in truth was to have pass'd away his time in repose at his other House Cadillac without intermedling at all with the trouble of Affairs neither would he so much as go to Bordeaux to the end that what accident soever should happen nothing might reflect upon him nor that he might any ways appear responsible for the event of things which he ever apprehended would be finister enough and seeing the Orders had been left in the Province deposited in the hands of men of very little Experience and Authority and who had scarce any other argument to recommend them to that trust save only the hatred they openly bare to him he very well judg'd by the apparence which prov'd also in the end but too certain that from these Orders ill executed as they were like to be nothing but disaster and confusion could ensue Whilst the Duke liv'd in apprehension of this mishap he receiv'd the joyfullest news that could possibly arrive which was that of the Birth of Monsegnieur the Dolphin the same whom we now see reigning with so much Glory and Happiness in the Throne of France that there is not that prosperity can fall within the limits of Humane Expectation we may not reasonably promise to our selves from so auspicious a beginning By a Dispatch from the King dated the fifth of September the precise day of this illustrious Birth the Duke was to order a publick Thanksgiving and to cause Bonfires to be made for Joy of this Blessing to his Majesty and the whole Kingdom The Courrier who had been expressly dispatch'd away to the Duke having found him at Cadillac willing without all doubt to flatter his credulity told him That it was his Majesties desire he should himself in person be assisting at the Ceremonies which were to be perform'd in the City of Bordeaux to render the Solemnity the more Iâ—lustrious by his Presence a deceit that gave a strange addition of joy to the good old Duke who could not in himself but hug and applaud his own foresight by which he had so seasonably prevented the King's desire and in that pleasing error he departed from Cadillac the 29 th of the same month to go to Bordeaux where being arriv'd he began the very same Evening
proud to meet occasions wherein I may manifest how great an esteem I have for your Person and how much I am c. From Ruel this 10 th of Decemb. 1641. The Duke after the departure of his Secretary was fall'n into so profound a Melancholy accompanied with a lingring Fever that the reading the favourable Letters he brought him back at his return was not of Vertue wholly to cure a Disease that had already taken too deep root in his mind He was affected with grief to that degree that nothing could content him but he was nevertheless a little reviv'd to find that this Affair had not deriv'd it self from the source he had at first suspected nor produc'd those dangerous effects he reasonably apprehended it would In this little interval of repose he dispatch'd Auterive in all diligence into Guienne with the most express Orders he could possibly tell how to give to cause Madaillan and his Complices to be apprehended but it was labour lost he went of his own accord to put himself into the Cardinal's hands who kept his word with the Duke committing him the very day of his arrival to the Conciergerie du Palais from whence he came no more forth but to suffer the punishment of his Crimes But that was not till after the return of the Duke de la Valette who with so much passion and generosity prosecuted this accursed Villain the real instrument of the Duke his Father's Death that in the end he procur'd his chastisement by the hand of the Hangman After the dismission of Auterive of which I have now spoken the Duke made yet another dispatch which also was almost the last of his Life and that was to Cardinal Richelieu All his Friends at Court knowing how civilly the Duke had been us'd by him in the business of Madaillan had joyntly given him advice to return him thanks by some express Messenger at whose perswasions he writ to him by the Count de Maillé whom he entreated to undertake that Journey and these were the words of the Letter Monsieur After the Favours wherewith you were pleas'd to oblige me when my Secretary a few days since took a journey to wait upon you I were of all men living the most ingrate should I not to the utmost of what I possibly can manifest to you the the high sense I have of so great an Obligation The care of which Commission I thought I could not better entrust to any than to my Cousin Monsieur de Maillé whom I have intreated to protest to you in my behalf that I will preserve the memory and acknowledgment of that signal Favour to the last hour of my life I do beseech you to believe this great truth which by my Actions should be justified and confirmed to you if the power to serve you were equal to the will he shall ever retain who is Monsieur Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant c. This Complement of Most Obedient which I have here purposely transcrib'd was none of his usual stile it had now also by inadvertency scap'd his Pen and he sent an express Courrier after the Count de Maillé to retrive his Letter so soon as he perceiv'd he had subscrib'd it after that manner Instead thereof sending him another with the ordinary Subscription of Most Humble and most Affectionate choosing rather to be thought stiffe and punctillious than to go less in the condition he then was and to descend to an extraordinary civility which might rather be interpreted and imputed to weakness and want of courage than to complacency and gratitude His first Letter was indeed never delivered but he also never saw it again His Death preceded the return of the Count de Maillé who had still kept it in his hands and the time was now come when this long life which had escap'd from so many and so eminent dangers must end by a Disease that was easily enough to be foreseen but for which no remedy could possibly be found I have already given an account of the dangerous effect the news of Madaillan's Conspiracy produc'd to the ruine of the Duke's Health And I shall now tell you that it was a wound which had pierc'd so deep into his heart as no Balsam neither of the King 's nor Cardinal's civil and obliging Letters of his Friends Consolations or of the conscience of his own Innocency of greater vertue than them both that could be apply'd could possibly cure The assurances he had receiv'd from Court that this Calumny had made no impression to his disadvantage there nor the hopes he had thence receiv'd of receiving thereupon a full and honourable satisfaction could never so appease the tempest of his mind that the discontents he had deriv'd from this accursed cause was not continually working upon all the unpleasing Objects his unquiet thoughts could represent to his imagination He was grown impatient almost of all kind of Company the divertisements which had formerly been most acceptable to him were become nauseous and offensive and nothing was now so pleasing to him as solitude which till this time he had ever abhorr'd An alteration that he himself was very sensible of and would often speak of it to those with whom he was pleas'd to be the most familiar about him as a certain presage of his approaching End he nevertheless did all he could to disappoint his ill humour which he had no way to do but by play sometimes in his Chamber seeing he found himself incapable of taking any pleasure abroad Thus spinning out the small remainder of his life in this perpetual trouble of mind his strength was every day observ'd visibly to impair not long before he had been seen to tire out young and vigorous men with walking for it must needs be confess'd that never man perhaps felt the infirmities of Age so late as he whereas now and on a sudden he appear'd so faint and overworn that he could scarce take two turns in his Chamber without reposing himself It was now come to that pass that he must repose for good and all and the seventh of Ianuary having in the night been surpriz'd with a grudging of a Ague he past it over with great unquietness and without any rest at all The next day notwithstanding he could make a shift to rise to talk with some of his principal Servants of his Affairs and to make some Dispatches as in the times of his better health but he found withal so great a thirst upon him as he could neither by a Broth nor two great Glasses of cold water his familiar and best Remedy quench and overcome He went nevertheless to Mass in a Cabinet adjoyning to his own Chamber but he was not able to stay it out insomuch that presently after the Elevation he was constrain'd to retire and to betake himself to his Bed And it was for the last time his Fever immediately seizing him with so great violence
calms the Sedition The Boorâ— Mâ—tiny The Duke of Espernoâ—â— goes onâ— againâ—t them And disperses them From whence a calm ensues The Duke â—soers'd after all his brave Service The honesty of one of the Mutineers Cardinal Richelieu's civil Letter to the Duke of Espernon The Duke receives some satisfaction But not full The Cardinal de la Valette sent at the head of a great Army into Germany A brave Retreat of the Cardinal de la Valette The Duke dissatisfied that the Cardinal de la Valette his Son should follow the profession of Arms. The Duke of Espernon falls dangerously sick Anno 1636. The Spaniard mâ—kes preparation to invade Guienne The Coâ—rt neglects the Duke's Intelligence And provides very slenderly â—or the defence of the Frontiers * A Statute of Augmentation * Taxes or Imposts A rare example of the Duke's love to the people The Duke for all the injuries he had receiv'd of Briet would take no other revenge but only to put him into a fright The Parliament of Bordeaux interest themselves in the affront offer'd to Briâ—t The great Employments of the Duke of Espernon's Family The 〈…〉 Guienne The Duke of Espernon falls â—ick at Bayonne The Spanish Army enters into Biscay The Duke de la Valette comes to his Father to Bayonne The Spaniards make themselves Masters of the Country of Labourt and take the Fort of Socâ—a without resistance A panick fear in the City of Bayonne They are encourag'd by the Duke of Espernon The order taken by the Duke of Espernon for the conservation of the pâ—ace A remarkable oversight in the Spaniard The Duke of Espernon goes from Bayonne to Dacqs And from thence sends a Dispatch to the King An exemplary Fidelity in the Inhabitants of Biscay Anno 1637. The Duke of Espernon raises Forces with his own money The fiâ—st cause of the Dâ—ke de la Vaâ—ette's Disgrace The manner of the Duke de la Valett's Conduct after he entred into Cardinal Richelieu's Aâ—liance Discontents arise betwixt them The Monsieur and the Count de Soissons retire from Court And send to the Duke of Espernon to engage him in their Quarrel Who exeâ—ses himseâ—â— The Cardinal dissembles his dissatisfaction with the Dukes of Espernon and de la Valette And puts them joyntly in Commission for the Affairs of Guienne A formidabâ—e Rebell on breaks out in several Provinces of France The number of the Rebels And their progress The Rebels suppress'd by the Duke de la Valette * Des Prevosts The Court 〈◊〉 the news of tâ—e 〈◊〉 de 〈◊〉 Valett's Victory very coldly The Duke of Espernon refuses to 〈◊〉 money by Impositions upon the people The Duke de la Valette defeats the Spanish Army without Fighting Which nevertheless is but coldly receiv'd at Court The Duke de Candale and the Cardinal de la Valette command the Army in Picardy Annâ— 1638. The Duke asks leave to retire himself to Plassac * Secretaire de Commandemens ou d'Estat The four Principal Secretaries who in the Court of France sign Letters Patents and Dispatches of State Anno 1637. The Duke de la Valette is constrained to make a journey to Court But with infinite danger The Frince of Condé arrives in Guienne The Royal Army baffled before Fontarabie For which the Duke de la Valette is unjâ—stly blâ—m'd Reasons for his Justification The Duke of Espernon returns without Order from the King inhis Government of Guienne The Duke of Espernon receiveâ— news of the Bâ—rth of the Dolphin The Duke receives news of the Defeat of Fontarabie The Duke of Espernon returns to Plassâ—c A very extraordinary accident by Lâ—gâ—â—ning Passionate expressions of the Cardinal agaiâ—st the Duke de la Valette By which he is diverted from going to Courâ— The Duke of Espernon's Dâ—sgraces Hâ— is depos'd of his Government The Dâ—ke of Espernon calumniateâ— Anno 1639. The Duke of Espernon falls dangerously sick The Death of the Duke de Candale The Duke de la Valette sentenc'd to Death with Confiscarion of Offices Honors and Estate The Duke de la Valette solemnly justified The Duke of Espernâ—n still persecuted by the privation of a good part of his Estate The Death of the Cardinal de la Valette The Duke of Espeâ—non's constancy The Duke of Espernon receives many Consolatory Letters both from the King Queen the Monsieur Cardinal and most of the Eminent persons of the Kingdom The Queens Letter to the Duke of Espernon The Cardinal's Letter to the Duke of Espernon The Duke of Espernon's Letter to Cardinal Richelieu Anno 1640. The Prince of Condé offers his Service to the Duke of Espernon upon some Conditions Which are rejected by the Duke New persecutions for the Duke of Espernon The Duke of Espernon's noble constancy Three remarkable stories of the Duke of Espernon's good Fortune whereof this is the first * A piece of money to the value of xviii pence sterling * The second Story The third Sâ—ory Anno 1641. The Duke of Espernon falls dangâ—rously sick The estate of the Affairs of the Kingdom from whence the Cardinal took occasion to send the Duke of Espernon to Loches A malicious Contrivance against the Duke of Espernon The King's Letter to the Duke of Espernon The Duke of Espernon's Letter to the King The generous proceeding of the Mareschal de Scomberg The Duke of Espernon's irresolution concerning the Journey of Loches * One whereof I find in Davila when the Duke of Elbeauf was sent thither Prisoner presently after the Death of the Duke of Guise at Blois The Count de Soissons makes great preparation for War News brought to the Duke of Espernon of the Death of the Count de Soâ—ssons slain at the Battel of Sedan The Duke of Espâ—rnâ—n's Letter to the King His Majesties Letter to the Duke The Cardinals Letter to the Duke The Dâ—ke of Espâ—rnon 〈◊〉 at Leches and is there receiv'd with great Honour The Cardinals Letter to the Duke of Espâ—rnon The Duke's answer The Cardinal's Return to the Duke's answer Commotions at Court stir'd up by the Favourite Cinq-Mars * Above all things take heed of the Baâ—â—ille Monsieur de Thou involv'd in the Grand Esâ—uyer's ruine The Calumny of Madaillan against the Duke the cause of his Death Madaillan's Character His Resolution to ruine the Dâ—ke of Espernon His Artifice herein He proposes his Design to his Complices The Duke 〈…〉 And dispatches his Secretary to Court to justifie himself His Secretary is favourably receiv'd by the Cardinal And an Order granted to apprehend Madaillan and his Complices The King's Letter to the Duke of Espernon The Cardinal's Letter to the Dâ—ke of Espernon * Oâ— Prison The Dâ—ke of Espernon sends a Letter of thanks to Cardinal Richelieu Anno 1642. The Sickness and Death of the Duke of Espernon The Dâ—ke's good dispoâ—â—tions to dye The Duke's last reqâ—est to the King concerning his Children * Amende honorable signifies something more but what cannot be inteâ—ded by the Author in this place His Death