heightned it by the variety The Chevalier in his first visits endeavour'd strongly to gain an interest in Madam Mazarins affections but not meeting with the success he desir'd he had not the patience to wait longer for it but all on the sudden broke off his amorous Addresses In a short time after I design'd to entertain the Queen of Sueden at a Consort of Musick and at the same time to take a little recreation as necessary for my self whose Element was Action and my greatest delight to set others at work My Sister and Brother were pretty good Friends then and though I knew both cold enough towards me I was so far from resenting it in the least that I told them with all sincerity my humour being uncapable of dissimulation I was not troubled at the care they both took to avoid seeing me The matter rested not there but my Musick applauded by every body else was so jeer'd by my Brother that he told me the Voices and the Airs were the pityfullest in the World and the Symphony worse My Sister though she said not a word confirm'd by her looks the censure he had past This anger'd me so that I fell out with them both being unwilling to be made their sport and their laughing-stock or to allow my Brother the satisfaction of the pleasure he took in provoking me by his crossness and contradictions Things being at this pass they plotted privately to go together into France and never let me know it till three days before they set out which they did without bidding me adieu The greater love we have for any person the more we resent an injury done by him I was both surpriz'd and griev'd at their absence and willing to know the cause of it I received a Letter from each of them wherein they told me with very good words that they had great business in France which call'd them thither but that my ill humour made them hasten their Journey yet they would come back again without fail if I desir'd to see them for which Madam Mazarin gave me her word To satisfie my curosity I expected their return without giving my self the displeasure of reading out their kind thoughts of me Soon after my Brothers arrival at Paris he marry'd a Kinswoman of Madam de Montespagne call'd Mademoiselle de Siange whose beauty assisted with the Kings perswasions brought him under a Yoke he never exprest any inclination for Madam Mazarin not thinking her self safe at Nevers where she staid and fearing the Duke her Husband might make use of his right and attempt something against her liberty she went to the Abby-Royal within ten Leagues of Paris where she continued till the King sent for her to know what she desir'd having at her arrival answer'd his Majesty she desir'd only a Pension to live handsomely in Italy she obtain'd it without difficulty The Chevalier de Lorrain in her absence accompanied us to some houses of Pleasure of the Constables where we commonly went a hunting Having spent some time in those Country sports we return'd to Rome where the Walks the Collations and sumptuous Treats given us sometimes in the Vineyards of the Family of Borghese sometimes at Montalto and sometimes in other places contributed not a little to our pleasure to continue which we resolv'd to treat one another by turns every Sunday Cardinal Chigi Prince Savelli the Chevalier de Lorrain the Dukes Sforza and Basanello who was the Constables Cousin being of the company so that we past the Carnaval with more pleasure than usual Pippa Acciaioli having obtain'd leave of the Pope to present an Opera About the end of the Spring Madam Mazarin performed her promise and I had the pleasure to see her again after nine Months absence more beautiful than ever But this satisfaction had like to have cost me dear for having taken Physick that day I got so strange a Collick by going abroad the day I had been purged that had it lasted a little longer it had certainly made an end of me I was so ill the most stony heart would have pitied me yet the Constable was not in the least mov'd at it at least in appearance having with wonderful tranquility and unconcern'd repose heard me groan frightfully a whole Night My Sister appear'd as little concern'd as the Constable while his Brother and all those about me exprest their sorrow for my pain they only excepted who were my nearest Relations who never troubled themselves for what should become of me However the violence of my Disease yielded at last to the strength of the Remedies us'd which effectually cur'd me Then it was the Chevalier de Lorrain presented me from Monsieur a full hunting Equipage of the value of a thousand Pistols garnish'd with an infinite deal of Ribbands the finest and richest in Paris which his Royal Highness had sent him to present me with Having been pleas'd to accept of a Present I had made his Highness of Gloves and other Toys not worth the speaking of The Chevalier procur'd me this Present who had not done him any service nor lent him any thing as was falsly reported it being certain he never wanted Money and was extreamly displeas'd with me for going about to borrow some to pay him my loosings at play The following Summer intending to take the pleasure of bathing my Brother Madam Mazarin and I went to Sebaron a passage very dangerous through the rapidity of the stream where the violence of the Water carry'd me with such force I had been certainly drown'd had I not been help'd by a Turkish Maid-servant that Monsieur Rospigliosi General of the Popes Galleys in Candy had bestowed on me She was more strong than big and with my Brothers assistance drew me out of the danger I was in This made us chuse a place of more safety in the Tyber near which we caused a Cabbin to be made to undress us in from whence we had a Gallery that reach'd just to the bathing place all made up of Canes Leaves and Boughs with admirable art The Autumn we spent in the Country and the Carnaval in seeing Operas as we us'd to do though not with equal pleasure the Constable of a long tme not having the same complaisance tenderness and esteem for me as formerly he seldom spoke to me and when he did it was in such Language I could have wish'd rather he had not spoken at all to me The Count Sermino his Brother formerly known by the name of the Abbot Colonna who had several times compos'd our differences and by his prudence hinder'd them from breaking out is a witness of my sufferings Not able to endure any longer such sensible displeasures and injuries I apply'd my thoughts to find out a remedy My Sister and I in the time of our bathings and walks had contracted a stricter amity than ever I resolv'd to take the advantage of the tenderness she had profest for me and earnestly pray'd her not to return into
me undertake this Journey with a great deal of pleasure and I forgot nothing that might oblige the Constable to come thither also who did all he could to excuse himself and divert me alledging among other reasons I was not oblig'd to go so far Yet he resolved to go upon the arrival of a Courrier sent by the Marquess de los Balbaces to inform us my Sister was arriv'd at Altoff and to invite us to Millan The Constable having with some difficulty answer'd he would go we set forward The Marchioness and I in a Caleche in which we went away Post and the Constable in another with the Countess d' Estela whom I formerly mention'd by the name of Hortensia Our train was reduced to three or four Valetts whom we thought most necessary for a Journey of haste with whom we arriv'd at Millan in six days where I found my self extremly disorder'd not only with the fatigue of the Journey but the perpetual Jars I had with the Constable who was never better pleas'd then when he saw things fall out ill in this Journey undertaken against his will in the worst time of the Year Being arriv'd we learnt by the Marquess de los Balbaces that Madam Mazarin was at a Country house six or seven Leagues from Millan and set out presently for the place where we found her a-Bed which she was oblig'd to keep for a hurt she had received in her Knees by a fall from a Horse the hurt was considerable though she said it was nothing and bore it so well she appeared not troubled at all with it Being newly come from France she had her fancy full of the fashions of that Country and the humours of the Nation which considering only the outside takes the measures of esteeming others meerly from the dress they appear in The Marchioness and I very defective in that point found after a very cold reception our ill equipage had met with the contempt it deserv'd This mortification being over the passage by water being thought more convenient for my Sister we embarqued for Millan where we arriv'd that Night and the Marchioness soon after return'd for Bologna Every one was desirous to see Madam Mazarin the greatest things seldom answer the Ideas we conceive of them before-hand and generally fall in their value with us when acquainted with them but 't was otherwise with my Sister who exceeded at sight all that had been imagin'd of her and discover'd new Graces every day she was seen which was not so often as was wish'd by reason of the great pleasure she took at Millan in being alone appearing only to her own People and locking her self up in the Apartment we had provided for her where she kept her Bed for the most part that she might be cur'd the sooner of her hurt so that if she went sometimes abroad with us which was not ordinary yet she went very negligently drest though she appear'd beautiful as ever her hurt which was rare having added new Graces to her Person so that in a loose dress she look'd as charming as in the most exact and compleat the World could afford Some weeks after my Brother came to us and was ravished to see her but this mighty kindness was quickly broke off on the account of a Gentleman of my Sisters whom she gave a little too much encouragement it being usual with those of his Character to forget themselves and abuse the liberty allow'd them yet I reconcil'd them though but for a few days they falling out again upon a difference of which you shall have an account in its proper place I was then so weary of so long stay at Millan that I pray'd the Constables leave to go with my Brother and Sister to Venice The answer he made my humble request was he could not go so soon nor would go thither any more but that I might go without him I was so shock'd at the refusal and especially the manner of it when I saw him take pleasure in crossing me that I had left his House that very moment had not my resentment yielded and submitted to the arguments of the Marchioness his Sister against it The reason the Constable staid so long at Millan was only to attend the coming of the Marquess of Mortara the new Spanish Governour but finding his coming deferr'd longer than expected he resolved to be gone My Sister and Brother desir'd of him that I could not obtain not able to deny it them he gave his consent on condition we should not make any long stay at Venice knowing it a place I was most pleas'd with and pretending the cause of our short stay to be a promise he had made Cardinal Chigi to meet him at a hunting match at Sienna We quitted Millan with the satisfaction of having reconciled my Bother and Sister the second time my Brother promis'd to come to us before we left Sienna But having heard by the way the Cardinal was not there we went to Bologna to attend his coming The Constable here lodg'd in a House belonging to one of his Gentlemen to a-avoid the trouble of complements would have been expected from him had he lodg'd in a greater The short time we staid there the Marchioness de los Balbaces was very good company for us but though we were entertain'd in the Country with great and sumptuous Collations I was so troubled to see my Sister so sad that I took no delight in the Entertainments At last we went for Sienna upon the news we had of the Cardinals arrival there where I began to recover my good humour through the pleasant reception given us by his Eminence who feasted us for fifteen days wherein the pleasure of hunting contributed not a little to our divertisement my Sister being much taken with that exercise and doing often as mortal execution on the Game with her Hands as with her Eyes on the Gamesters Amidst all this joy I had the grief to see a new falling out between my Sister and Brother who came to us according to his promise and presently after this third broyl returned for Venice My Brother being gone we went to Marino an Estate of the Constables qualify'd with the Title of a Dukedom within twelve Leagues of Rome Having staid there till Allhallantide we went to Rome where my Sister continuing her way of living at Millan made our House a very Wilderness letting us see her very seldom avoiding our conversation and not receiving any visit Her retreat extremely troubled me and my Brother who in few days came to Rome where he had new cause of displeasure Every body look'd upon her retirement as an effect of the ill Counsels of a Gentleman of hers in whom she had great confidence and I was willing to use all my Endeavours to perswade her to other courses And mov'd with a just resentment to see all my care and pains made the subject of their raillery and laughter I told that Gentleman who was call'd
Camp of the Marquess d' Assentar Fortune having design'd to use Borgamanero as an Instrument to persecute me found the means to help us out of a scurvy accident befallen us by the breaking of our Coach which happening to be in a place where we had neither time nor materials to mend it Horses were offer'd us And the way being very dangerous the Weather cold and the Night dark being not far from the Marquess d' Assentars Camp I accepted of a very fine Horse offer'd me by the Marquess of Marber Camp Master to the Regiment and a Gentleman of one of the best Families in Flanders Two of my Maids mounted other Horses provided for them and the rest of my Train went with good Passports for Holland Four or Five Days after our arrival in the Camp we continued our Journey in a Coach of the Marquess d' Assentars This Horse so good and so sure was though indirectly the cause of all my future sufferings and threw me headlong into misfortunes I had not foreseen The Marquess de Borgamanero having from that time resolv'd my ruine and executed his designs with so much Art it was not in my power to defeat During my Journey the Principal Officers as well Spaniards as Hollanders and Flemmings exprest for me all the care and complaisance imaginable endeavouring to divert me sometimes at Play and sometimes by discourse As I was thus passing my time with a great deal of Pleasure I observ'd the Marquess often out of humour and in deep meditation I little dreamt of what he and d' Assentar plotted against me who could not imagin the ill prepared for me with the help of the Count de Monterey then Governour of Flanders sufficiently possest with reports to my prejudice We arriv'd at Malines where the Governour told me the Count had written to him not to let me pass further till things were in readiness for my being received into a Covent at Brussells 'T is impossible to express how I was astonish'd at this admirable Complement and unexpcted Reception The Marquess fearing I might attribute this proceeding to him made as if he had been extremely surpriz'd to which he added Oaths and Protestations I thought so sincere that I instantly pray'd him to go presently to Brussells and intreat the Count to give me leave to come into that City and retire into the Covent of Barlemont to recovâ—r in some measure the liberty taken from me by the Governour of Malines who under pretence of doing me honour plac'd Guards about my House a civil way to colour my imprisonment but a double offence to hide an injury under the vail of an obliging action The Marquess promis'd to do me all the good offices in his power with the Count and I expected his performance hoping that the protestation he made of sincerity and my confidence in him notwithstanding the just cause of suspition I had from the order above mentioned would have oblig'd him to lay aside all thoughts of revenge and serve me faithfully in this affair or at least to remain neuter and not do me harm But the pleasure of Revenge is a weakness incident to Men as well as Women and more criminal in the former The Marquess and Abbot did all they could to inspire into the Count a hatred against me and advis'd him to clap me up in the Cittadel of Antwerp to prevent my going to France or England So that when I was fully perswaded thâ—se two Gentlemen labour'd my liberty and to banish from my mind all umbrage to the contrary I look'd on the passages at Malines as an illusion of fancy behold with Bourgamanero a Gentleman from the Count who told me his Excellency being oblig'd to march the next day with the Army to meet the French Troops desir'd me to stay at Antwerp till his return The Marquess to confirm the complement or to name it right the order told me with a feigned trouble that there was a necessity of obeying it but that it should be for few days and so long only till an answer might be had from the Constable and leave from the Pope for my entring a Covent that he was extremely sorry it had not been in his power to obtain leave from the Count for my coming to Brussells that the refusal was to be attributed to the ill informations he had received of me adding that time must be allow'd to take away the ill impressions they had made and that he would undertake the doing it I did not yet mistrust him not doubting but he proceedded with the generosity he pretended but told him I was very sensible of his kind offers and accepted of them And seeing there was then no other course to be taken I went with the Admiral a board a fine Barque he had brought to take me in The next day we arriv'd at Antwerp very early they kept me so long aboard after our arrival that I began to suspect something in hand against me Yet after three hours waiting news being come that the Marquess d' Osseyra Governour of the place waited for me in his Coach I thought all well again concluding by all appearances it was done for my honour Having landed I went into the Coach with Borgamanero and the Governour who carried me strait away to the Cittadel where continuing in my mistake and thinking my self at liberty all my care the first day was to recover of my weariness The second day I pray'd the Governour to let me have a Coach to go abroad in Borgamanero astonisht at this told me with some trouble that the weather was foul and that I were better rest my self a little longer Having thank'd him for so obliging a care I made no further reply But the next day Borgamanero being gone to the Count de Monterey at the Army and the Abbot Oliva to Brussells under pretence of returning that way to Rone they plac'd two Guards and an Officer at my door Then it was I clearly saw my former blindness and the treachery of my pretended Friends and that if Borgamanero had kept them from using me thus till after his departure it was for no other end but that he might not be thought the Author of my ill usage But in the Affairs of this World the blow is often felt when the hand that gave it is not seen This was not all but as if I had been an offender against the State they received and opened all the Letters written by me or addressed to me they proceeded yet further for Borgamanero not thinking himself sufficiently reveng'd of my slights and contempts which proceeded only from the small obligation I had to him and knowing I had received a Letter from the Constable and a Brief from the Pope wherein he permitted the Archbishop to give me my choice what Covent I would go into he advis'd the Count Monterey to stay for an answer and an order that was to be sent me from Spain telling him he was
the Bed the Posts whereof stood on four Sea-Horses mounted with as many Syrens so excellently cut and curiously guilt all that saw them thought them made of Massy-Gold ten or twelve little Cupids serv'd for Hooks and Claspes to hang the Curtains on which were of the richest Cloth of Gold and hung down loosely to hide from sight whatever might be thought ordinary in this sumptuous Bed which indeed was more for Ornament than use My young Son being much better and I so well as to give the Constable hopes of another Successor his Joy was so great that he declared he was never better satisfy'd never more at ease and to compleat his happiness he made it his business to give me cause of equal satisfaction I took my advantage of this favourable disposition and having a great desire to pass the Carnaval at Venice I propos'd a Journey thither he promis'd to go with me if the Cardinal his Uncle would bear us company His Eminence at my first motion made some difficulty to consent but yielded at last upon my assuring him I was not with Child the fear of my miscarriage being the Obstacle he objected We left Rome about the end of April and had a pleasant Journey the more to my satisfaction in that the Constable was not so scrupulously careful of me as formerly but allow'd me to use my Coach or ride and sometimes at full speed as I pleas'd Till this occasion he had always seem'd to love me very well but was now so far from being angry at my excesses that he bid me one day not discover my condition to any lest it might come to the Cardinals Ear. Having escaped very well all my Journey I miscarry'd the second time soon after my arrival at Venice this deferr'd for a while the effect of the Constables Vows but I lay in of this miscarriage a fortnight only and was perfectly recover'd While I went with Child I was always pretty well and being now the fourth time so I pass'd the Carnaval with much pleasure in seeing Plays in feasting danceing and other Entertainments playing often at Bassette a Game I was much taken with wherein I had the Company of the Prince of Brunswick and the Duke of Mantua and other Persons of quality who were come to Venice to enjoy the pleasures of the Season In the midst of which I was tormented with the fear of leaving a place of so much divertisement and returning to Rome Accordingly the Constable told me one day we must of necessity be gone and that having gone with Child a pretty while I was to prevent the like accident as had happened to me at my coming to Venice I was much troubled at this order though expected and to make me comply with it he was forc'd to give me his word to come thither the next Carnaval with that we parted having taken leave of our Friends particularly the Prince of Brunswick who was so pleased with our company and the Constables civilities that he promis'd to come to Rome on purpose to see us and would bring with him thither the Princess his Wife I was carry'd all the way in a Litter our Journeys were easie so that it was the begining of Summer when we got to Rome where having past the great heats which were more troublesome for my being so big with Child I was brought to Bed the begining of November of a second Son the night before Cardinal Colonna was to take his Journey for Spain to bring the Infanta Margaret of Austria to the Emperour His Eminence was extreme glad at the news brought him of a second prop of his Family newly born and not content to express his Joy in words he made me several very fair presents and no less rich than the former and presently took his leave in obedience to his Majesties orders By the Cardinals absence the Constable came to have the absolute command and disposal of all his Estate the management whereof had been left to his Eminence A few days after we went to Cisterna where the Prince of Brunswick with his Lady the Princess came from Rome to see us and stay'd with us three days The Constable and I exprest our selves very sensible of so extraordinary an Obligation and I particularly thank'd him for keeping his word so exactly I will not undertake to speak of the civility and generosity of this Prince being qualities as well known as his name As soon as I came to Rome I went to pay the Princess her visit and found in her carriage her humour her wit and her dress an Abridgment of all the charming Perfections and exactest Beauty of France About that time my Brother being come to Venice writ to us to come to him which we could not then do but respited our Journey till Spring when we set out for Venice to be there at the Ascension to see the solemnity of that Feast and that famous Fair which so many curious Persons from all parts of Europe resort to see The Circumstances of the one and the other are too long to be inserted here I was then with Child but being more careful of my self than formerly I escap'd without any ill accident in my Journey or at Venice where having seen all the Solemnities of the Feast of Ascension we went for Millan the begining of Summer which we spent very pleasantly till the Constable finding himself obliged the begining of September to pass over into Spain left me in much trouble for his absence which the Marchioness of Balbaces the Marquess her Husband and my Brother who was pleas'd to bear us company endeavoured to sweeten to me by the great kindness they exprest for me While I was afflicting my self for the Constables absence he was in extream danger by a terrible storm that overtook him in the Mediterranean being aboard a Gally of the Squadron of Scicily bound for Spain But having narrowly escap'd it he went ashore and though without equipage continued his Journey by Land He took the first Coach he met with till he might accommodate himself better with necessaries to carry him to Madrid where he arriv'd at length three days after the death of King Philip the Fourth The death of this Monarch having chang'd the face of Affairs caus'd the Constable to change his design and made him resolve to return after a fortnights stay in that Court where the extraordinary solitude on that sad occasion and his impatience to see me would not permit him to stay long to satisfie this desire and perform his promise to me of being back by that time that I was to lye in he came by the way of France and arriv'd at Millan about the end of November His Sister and I went to meet him out of Town where I was as joyful to see him as I had been troubled for his absence and the very night he arriv'd I brought him a third Son for his welcome-home But having been in labour of this Child to