of his Death for he was mortally wounded by a wild Bull that had broke from the Toils wherein he had been entangl'd as if he had design'd to revenge the Death of Gosswind whose Ruin he had been the cause of by his incestuous Love Clotaire's Incestuous Amour Anno 560 CLOTAIRE reunited the Kingdom of France which had been divided after the Death of Cloâ—is He had Marry'd Isgend of whose Family or place of Nativity the Historians speak not a word However she had a Sister that far exceeded her in Beauty for whom she besought the King to provide a Husband and to that purpose sent for her to the Court but Clotaire found her so amirable that he could not endure to part with her He took so great a delight in her Conversation that at length he perceiv'd in himself an affection for her much more tender then it became him to have for the Sister of his Wife For some time therefore he contended with his Incestuous passion and strove to vanquish it But finding at length that the more he withstood it the more is encreas'd he resolv'd to speak to her Heregoud trembled at the King 's first imparting his mind to her and for some time avoided coming into his presence but afterwards she grew less scrupulous and accustom'd her self to listen to his Allurements and in matters of Love when a Virgin begins once to hearken she is not far from droping into the share so that when she once forceas'd to be deterr'd with the horor of the Crime that accompany'd the King's Love she soon surrendred her Fortress and became the Mother of Chilperick who Reign'd after his Father in Normandy and Paris But when Clotaire had satiated his Lust that same disgust that usually follows Enjoyment open'd his eyes and made him sensible of the wrong he had done Ingoud by violating the conjugal Vow that he had made her in devoting himself to her Sister Thereupon he submitted to the Remonstrances and Reprimands of Pope John III. who constrain'd Heregoud to betake her self to a Nunnery Some time after the King having buri'd the Queen his Wife espous'd Chinsiu or Chimsen for the Historians are not agreed about her Name The Amours of Cherebert King of Paris AFTER the Death of Clotaire the Kingdom of France was divided and Paris fell to Chereberts share who was the eldest He had marry'd Ingeberge 〈◊〉 Princess extraordinary Virtue and who Lov'd him tenderly she saw to her grief how the King spent all his time in Hunting and never came near her till late in the Night of which she made most grievous complaints to Meroflede and Marcoâ—efe her Maids of Honour in which the most consided They were Sisters and tho' they were of no higher extraction then the Daughters of a Câ—mber of Wooll yet the Queen disdain'd not their attendance about her Person because they were endow'd with particular Talents Marcouefe had spent her Youthful Years in a Convent and had also enter'd into Vows but in regard she pretended a constraint upon her she had â—â—â—â—â—â—ded her self under the Queen's protection She 〈◊〉 learnt all sorts of Needle-work in the Cloister and she had a lively Wit polish'd with much Learning She was serious yet she had so many charms in her conversation that it was a difficult matter to be tyr'd with her Company On the other side Meroflede was of a lively frolick disposition danc'd with a goodly grace sung most charmingly and plaid upon several Instruments Now these two Young Lady 's propos'd to the Queen as the neatest course she could take to divertise the King with courtly â—easts and Banquets thereby to retain him longer in his Palace They also study'd a sort of Pastoral wherein Meroflede prov'd so successful that the â—ing gave her a thousand praises he took so much delight in her conversation and found the Air of it so quaint and delicate that he could by no means forsake her company Insomuch that he very seldom went a Hunting unless it were upon a set match Meroflede who was Ambitiois forgot the Duty which she ow'd her Mistress and ply'd all her Artifices with so much diligence to keep possession of the King's Heart that a length be obtain'd the utmost of his desires But being a wanton as she was she could not be content with one single tho' so noble a Conquest She would be continually ensnaring with her purloining glances all that were so daring as to seek their Thraldom in her looks Marconefe who was no less Beautiful nor no less witty then her Sister tho' more reserv'd Stomack'd a preferment that seem'd so injurious to her However for some time she stifled her Vexation in her Breast not breaking her mind to any person whatever But when she saw the Meroflede let her self loose to others besides the King she discover'd her Infidelity to him after so discreet and so ingenious a manner as if her intention had been only for her sisters sake to reform the Errors of her ill conduct On the otherside Cherebert lodg'd in Marconefe's Breast all his vexations and sorrows for Merofledes wanton and no less wandring humour and found so much Judgment in her arguments and her councils that he thought he might be far more happy with her then with her Sister and therefore he attempted to gain her affection wherein the speed of his success was answerable to the eagerness of his pursuit Marconefe spar'd for nothing for indeed her emulation was so great to deprive her sister of Cherebert's Heart that she prevented his desires to the end she might compass her ends Meroflede on the other side was soon sensible of this alteration and did all she could to regain his affections Cherebert gave ear to her reproaches bore 'em patiently and endeavour'd to justify himself and finding charms in both unwilling to loose either he made it his business to perswade one Sister that he was intirely devoted to her and the other that she was the only Mistress of his affection All this while he was so enthral'd to his passion for these two Ladies that he neglected the Government of his Dominions and altogether slighted Ingoberge And she unfortunate Queen acknowledg'd soon the fault she had committed in drawing off the King from the pleasure of Hunting to make him sensible of amorous delights and found her self more unhappy then she was when the King forsook her company only to wage War against the wild Beasts of the Forest So that after she had in vain attempted to reclaim him by her caresses and her complaisance she had recourse to St. Germain at that time Bishop of Paris who had gain'd a high reputation for his piety and begg'd of him to lay before the King the wrong he did her in making her such ill returns of her kindness But the remonstrances of that Prelate were so far from moving him that they rather serv'd to render the Person of Ingoberge more hateful to him For from that time forward he
Dutchess of Monbason should avoid all occasions of meeting the two Princesses which in the conclusion she never took care to observe For the Dutchess of Cheuvreux having invited the Queen to a Collation which she had provided for hâ—r at Renard s House carri'd her Mother-in-Law with her to assist her in the management of the Solemnity On the other side the Queen took a long with her the Princess of Conde who seeing the Dutchess of Monbason would have gone back again but the Queen bid her stay and desir'd the Dutchess for her sake to to walk off and divertise her self some where else Which she did after such an unmannerly fashion that the Queen was highly offended insomuch that when she return'd to the Palace Royal she sent her an Order by Guenegaud the Secretary of State to retire forthwith to her House at Rochefort 'T was thought there would have been an end of this quarrel by the removal of the Dutchess but Coligny who did not think himself sufficiently reveng'd upon 'em for designing to create a difference with the House of Bourbon to which he had the honour to be alli'd sent a Challenge to the Duke of Guise by the Marquiss d' Estrades The Duke accepted the Challenge and took for his second the Marquiss de Brideu The Duel was fought in the Royal Piazza where the Duke of Guise had absolutely the better as having disarm'd and dangerously wounded his Adversary after which he went to part the Seconds who fought with great courage but without any harm done on either side This Duel got the Duke of Guise a great reputation and would have augmented the value which his Mistress already had for him had he persever'd in that engagement but his heart gave way to other impressions in a short time afterwards The Queens six Maids of Honour were all of 'em beautiful and wanton except Mademoiselle de Segur upon whom the following Couplet was made But how unjust is young Segur Flaxen her Hair Complexion pure But Heart so hard that no Addresses Can gain her Amorous Caresses But the Lady whose Beauty had made the greatest noise was Mademoiselle de Pons of an Illustrious Family in Guyenne Her adorers were the principal Gallants of the Court and among the rest the Duke of Candale the Son of the Duke of Espernon admitted by Surviviourship to the Command of Collonel General of the Infantry Mareschal Schomburg Collonel General of the Swisses the Marquiss of Villeâ—â—ier Captain of the Guards of the Body the Marquiss of Moissans Lieutenant of the King's Gens-de-Arms and the Duke Joyuse Great Chamberlain Brother to the Duke of Guise This Latter had caus'd Madam de Pons's Picture to be drawn in Miniature but had not taken it away from the Painter in the mean time the Duke of Guise happen'd to go by chance to the Painters house where he saw the Picture and was so charm'd with it that he put it in his Poket and carri'd it away notwithstanding all that the Painter could say to him only he was so just as to pay him thirty Pistoles for his work The Picture infus'd a desire into him to make his addresses to the Original he discours'd Mademoiselle de Pons discover'd his Passion to her and was so assidous in his addresses that he dispeirc'd the greatest part of her Lovers The Duke of Candale engag'd himself with the Marchioness of Castellana which was the cause of his death she having given him too violent marks of her Love when he pass'd through Avignon where usually she liv'd in his return from Catalogna where he comanded the Kings Army The Duke of Joyeuse made his addresses to Mademoiselle de Guerchi a great Companion of Madam de Pons's who sacrific'd him aferwards to the Commander de Jars of the House of Roche Chouard The Duke therefore to be reveng d of his Brother for depriving him of his former Mistress endeavour d to put a formidable Rival upon him and to that intent so highly cri'd up the Charms of Madam de Pons to the Duke of Orleance that he set him a gog to get the sole possession of her Presently he became her most diligent Servant and for some time was a great disturbance to the Duke of Guise who understanding that his Brother had rais'd him up that Rival to perplex him endeavour'd to pay him in his own Coyn. Understanding therefore that the Duke of Joyeuse made his addresses to Mademoeselle de St. Megrin who was also one of the Queen's Maids of Honour he perswaded that Lady that Monsieur was in Love with her and knowing there was to be a Ball within an Evening or two at the Regents Lodgings he desir'd her in Monsieur's name to give him a Blew Ribband that she wore upon her Sleive assuring her that the Duke desir'd to wear that favour of hers when he came to the meeting The Lady being easily entreated gave Guise the Ribband who presently carri'd it Monsieur and requested him in the Ladies name to wear it that Evening at the Ball which he did accordingly After which to Monsieur who began to be a weary of the great croud that usually environ'd Madam de Pons left her and stuck to Mad. de St. Megrin who had not so numerous a throng about her and by that means deliver'd the Duke of Guise from the vexation of his Rivalship The time being come for the Army to take the Field the Duke of Orleance went to command the Army in Flanders and was accompani d thither by the greatest part of the Mettl'd Nobility that belong'd to the Court The Duke of Guise and Marquiss of Villequiers went as Voluntiers and at the same time to give proofs of their Valour and their love for their Mistresses they resolv'd at the Siege of Dixmude to venture so far in the Trenches that whoever of the two lost his life the survivour might be so happy as to enjoy Mad. de Pons without a Rival The same day the Besieg'd made a Salley where the two Lovers gave signal marks of their Courage but tho neither the one nor the other were any way sparing of their persons yet they both came off without so much as being wounded Upon which the Duke of Guise who was very sincere wrote a Letter to Mad. de Pons wherein he highly extoll'd the undaunted Bravery of his Rival When they reurn'd from the Campaign the Court remov'd to Fontain Bleau where happen'd a great quarrel who should have the King's Musick which Villequier had bespoke to give Madam de Pons an entertainment upon the Canal and which the Duke of Guise would have had for the same design insomuch that the Queen was forc'd to make use of her authority to deside the difference There also happen'd another quarrel between the Duke and Marshal Schomburg about a certain Lampoon which had been made upon the Queens Maids of Honour wherein the Duke of Guise was severely nipt and Copies were carri'd to him under the hand of the
they should go about to set up another to execute the most noble function of his Office as if they had taken the Sword from him and then it was that in the first transports of his resentment he let fall some words that reflected upon the Honour of the Countess of Angoulême So many persons heard 'em that the Countess had immediate notice of what was said and in regard her Continency was that of which she principally boasted thô she had been a Widow Seventeen Years she could not bear that the person whom she lov'd above all the World should tax her of a criminal weakness without seeking all the ways to hate him that Reason and Revenge could infuse into her But whither it were that the affront she had receiv'd was not so violent as her despite to see her Lover espouse another person or whither it were that all things which ought to have abated her Love contributed to augment it she could not forbear loving the Constable notwithstanding his ingratitude in like manner as the seeing him marry'd could not stifle her passion before it so faling out in Love as upon the Sea that sometimes we discern some rays of hope through the most gloomy and dismal Tempests In May 1522. The Constables Wife dy'd in Childbed leaving no Children behind her Of which the Chancellor du Prat being inform'd immediately went to the Countess of Angouleme with a Congratulation that Heaven had now open'd her a way to enforce the Constable to espouse her Interest since he refus'd to do it out of his own inclination Then he told her that she was the next Heiress to the Deceas'd in regard the Constables Lady was the Daughter of Peter of Bourbon and the Countess was the Daughter of that Dukes Sister Whence he concluded that he was in hopes to invest the succession in her by finding a flaw in the Constables Contract of Marriage and the ancient entail of the House of Bourbon That which induc'd the Chancellor to act in this manner was not so much his desire to please the Countess thô he let slip no opportunity to do it as to revenge himself upon the Constable for refusing him the accommodation of a piece of Land that lay near his House of Verrieres where he was born in Auvergne However the Countess return'd him thanks as much as if she had been beholding to him for the felicity which she expected all the remainder of her Life The Chancellor undertook to furnish her with such Memoirs as were requisite for drawing up the process But the Countess before she began resolv'd to make her last tryal upon the Constable's inclinations And she grounded her resolutions upon this that she knew the Constable naturally lov'd Wealth and a thrifty manner of expence thô he were magnificent upon occasions that requir'd Pomp and splendor and for that having marry'd to get an Estate he might be induc'd to a second Wedlock to preserve his Riches To this purpose she employd the Admiral de Bonnivet But she knew not that he was the most improper person she could have made choice of to carry on her design with success tho' he had all the qualities requisite most delicately to negotiate an affair of that nature There were therefore two reasons which ought to have oblig'd the Countess to have cast her Eye upon some other person had she known so much The one was that he was in love with the Dutchess of Alençon her Daughter and that the virtue of that Princess instead of vanquishing his passion by putting him quite out of all hope had caus'd him to commit those follies which in truth had no success but for which neither the excess of his Love nor the quality of a favourite ought to have procur'd a pardon had not the King been more kind to him then he was just to his Sister So that the Kings indulgence to him had cover'd his passion but had not extinguish'd it and in regard he was perfectly acquainted with the delicacy of the Constable he well foresaw that if that Prince marry'd the Countess he would absolutely forbid him the Dutchess of Alençon's company The other reason was that Bonnivet as he was the King's favourite labour'd nothing more then the Constables disgrace that he might afterwards have the command of the Armies So that t was no business of his to employ his cares in advancing the reputation of that Prince and fixing him at Court by assisting him to Marry the King's Mother But the Countess who was ignorant of all these circumstances open'd her Heart to Bonnivet with an entire confidence concealing nothing from him of her most secret thoughts Nevertheless it was not the perfidiousness of the Negotiator that was the principal obstacle to her design for that another more faithful might have had no better success Besides that the Constable was so convinc'd of the Justice of his cause that he did but laugh at whatever they said On the otherside the Queen had signifi'd to him her wishes that he would Marry Renê of France her Sister A Princess that was Mistress of all the advantages of a sublime Wit for want of the graces of her body and whose Estate was very large in regard a third part of the Free lands of the House of Bretaigne belong'd to her The Constable therefore prepossess'd with those hopes sent away Bonnivet with a flat denyal so that the Countess of Angâ—ulême who could not dive into the reason gave the Chancellor leave to set the Suit on foot in her name and try her title to the succession of Bourbon Monthelon a famous advocate pleaded the Constables cause with so much strength of argument that the King thought him worthy to be keeper of the Seals Poyet spoke for the Countefs of Angoulême and thô his Plea were neither so strong nor so solid as the former yet he dazl'd the greatest part of the Judges whither they were propossess'd by the Chancellor who had furnish'd that Advocate with imaginary Nullities or whither they were afraid of offending the head of the Law by not favouring the party for whom they saw him sollicite with so much heat or whither he had promis'd to reimburse 'em the twelve hundred Crowns which they had paid for their places Nor had they delay'd to pronounce sentence but at the sollicitation of the Countess of Angouléme who was willing to gain time to make her last efforts upon the Constable to perswade him to marry her She laid before him by the friends she had in Parliament that his case was deplorable and that he would make himself the poorest Prince in Europe But those two considerations did but augment his hatred of her and perhaps it was but only the more to incense her that he begg'd leave of the King to court Reué of France his Sister in law The denyal which His Majesty gave him could not be more civil then it was and it may be said that if Francis I. did second his
full hopes to be Queen see quite alter'd her Conduct and took upon her such an Aire of Modesty that the King several times repented that ever he had accus'd her â—of Disloyalty But 't was not enough for him to be satissfi'd of it the world must be also no less fully convinc'd â—to which purpose the Dutchess resolv'd to receive the Sacrament at Paris The King had stay'd all the Lent at Fontain Bleau from whence he departed upon Palm-Sundy for Melun at what time the Dutchess order'd a Barge to be made ready to carry her upon the Tuseday in the Passion Week to Paris where she arriv'd the same day and alighted at her Sister 's the Marshal of Balagni's Wife The next day she went to little St. Anthonies to hear the Service call'd the Tenebres with Mâ—dam and Mademoiselle de Guise the Dutchess of Rétz and her Daughters The other Ladies went in their Coaches but she was carry'd in a Sedan a Captain of the Guards of the Body walking always by the side of the Sedan whose business it was to attend her to a Chappel that was preserv'd on purpose for her to the end she might neither be crowded nor expos'd to the View of the People During the Office she shewâ—d Mademoisselle de Guise certain Letters from Rome which gave her to understand that what she desir'd would be suddenly accomplish'd She also shew'd her two Letters which she receiv'd the same day from the King so Passionate and so full of Impatience too see her his Queen that she had all the reason in the world to be satisfi'd The King sent her word that he was just sending away to Rome Dufrene Secretary of State whom she knew to be entirely devoted to her Interests as having marry'd one of her Kinswomen to press his Holiness to give him his Liberty in a Matter which he was wholly resolv'd upon When Service was done she told Mademoisâ—lle de Guise that she intended to alight at the Deanry of St. Germains where she had accstom'd to lodge and that she intended to go to bed not feeling herself ver well withall desiring her to come and keep her Company And at the same time she went out of the Church and got into her Litter while Mademoiselle de Guise went back to her Coach So soon as Mademoiselle came to the Dutchess of Beauforts she found her undressing herself and complaining of a great Pain in her Head But the Dutchess was no sooner a bed but she was taken with a terrible Convulsion from which she recover'd by the help of Strong Remedies and then it was that she began a Letter to the King ' tho she could not finish it being hinder'd by another Convulsion When she came to her self again a Letter was presented her from the King but she could not read it being seiz'd by another Convulsion that held her so lohg as she liv'd Upon Tuesday she was brought to Bed of a Still-born-Child the Violence of her Distemper having Kill'd it and the next day being Friday she expir'd by Six a Clock in the Morning Some there were who ascrib'd the cause of her Death to another cause and gave it outh that she had made a Contract with the Devil to Marry the King and that that same Enemy of Mankind had taken away her Life They farther add as an Embellishment to set out the Fable that the Dutchess was acquainted long before with the Tragical end that atended Her For that being one day in the Garden of the Tuillerys she met with a famous Magician who was telling several Ladies of the Court their Fortunes at what time the Dutchess having a desire to know what should be ber Destiny was very Importunate with the Magician who excus'd himself for above an hour telling her that considering the flourishing Fortune she enjoy'd she could wish for nothing greater But at length the Dutchess insisting to know at least what end she she should come to the Magician bid her at her leisure pull out her Porket-Lookinglass and there she should see the Object of her Curiosity Upon which the Dutchess when she pul'd out her Mirror saw the Devil taking her by the Throate which terrifi'd her to that degree that she sounded away in the arms of one of her Women that attended her The very same thing or very like it is told of the Constable Montmorancy's Lady who dy'd but a little before after a very strange manner But People of Sence and Judgment gave no Credit to these Stories The same day being Wednesday La Varenne came to tell the Marshal d Ornano who was hearing the Passion Sermon at St. Germains de Lauxerrois that the Dutchess was dead and that it would be convenient to hinder or prevent the King 's coming to Paris whether he was just designing his Journey and therefore desir'd him to go and meet him in order to make him alter his Roade The Marshal requested the Marquess of Bassompierre then at the Sermon to go along with him which he did and so they met the King beyond Saussi near Ville Juif who was coming Post for Paris So soon as the King saw the Marshal his heart misgave him that he knew already the Tidings which he came to tell him and by his Lamentations and bitter Complaints soon made it appear that Hero's have their failings as well as other Men. They carry'd him to the Abby dela Saussaye and lay'd him upon a Bed till they could meet with the Convenience of a Coach to carry him back to Fontain Bleau Where being arriv'd before night be found in his Appartment the greaest part of the Lords of the Court who were all got thither upon the noise of this Mournful Accident So soon as the King was enter'd his Chamber he desir'd all the Company to return to Paris and pray to God to send him Consolation retaining only to keep him Company Bellegard the Count de Laudes Termes Castelnau La Chalosse Monglas and Fronteval Nevertheless as Bassompierre was retiring with the rest he bid him stay to give him an account of the Circumstances of his Mistresse's death because he was the last that was with her For Five or Six dayes the King was not to be seen but by those whom he had excepted unless it were by some Embassador's whose condoling Complements he was oblig'd to receive but they return'd immediately after they had had their Audiences When the King's Grief was a little allay'd his Favorites who understood that the right way to dissipate his Melancholy was to set before his Eyes some other Dazling Lady that might make him amends for the loss of his Dutchess engag'd him in a Hunting Match near Malherbe a Castle belonging to the Marquiss d' Entragues That Lord had two Daughters surpassingly Beautiful and Witty above the Common Rate especially the Eldest who was call'd Henrietta de Balzack Madam d' Entragues being acquainted with their Design to entangle the King with one of her Daughters sent to him
Thibaut Count of Blois But some time after she was brought to Bed the King being inform'd of all Eleonor's Galantries resolv'd to vacate his Marriage To which purpose he assembl'd the Clergy of France at Boisgency where Alegrin his Chancellor set forth the reasons that mov'd the King to desire a separation and easily obtain'd what his Master desir'd because the Queen made no opposition However Lewis that he might come off with Honour surrendred back to her the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earldom of Peitou which she brought him in Dowry and only kept the two Daughters which He had by her Eleonor after this Divorce retir'd to Poitiers where she was visited by Henry Duke of Normandy the King of England's Son Who thô he were a Prince whose Person was no way inviting and had the worst colour'd Hair in the world yet she fail'd not to admit of his sedulities and to hearken to the proposals of Marriage which he made her because he was Heir presumptive to the Crown of England Henry was well inform'd of all the disorders of her past life but his eager desire to joyn Guyenne and Peitou to the rest of those Dominions which he was to inherit prevail'd over all other Considerations He espous'd Eleonor which so enrag'd Lewis that he suffer'd no opportunity of Revenge to escape him So that a War was kindl'd between the two Princes so soon as Henry came to the Crown which lasted till an end was put to it by the Marriage of Henry the King of England's eldest Son with Margaret the Daughter of Lewis and Elisabeth of Castille his second Wife And thô the affianc'd Princess were but five years of Age she was put into the hands of the King of England for a farther confirmation of the Alliance When she came to be of age proper for the consummation of the Nuptials the King of England refus'd to deliver her to his Son for fear he should become too potent and go about to dethrone him with the assistance of France Thereupon Henry impatient to enjoy his youthful Spouse that was to secure him his Succession to the Crown of England the Princess being design'd to the Heir of the Kingdom he stole her away and fled into France to the King his Father-in law From thence he wrote to his own Father demanding England or the Dutchy of Normandy as an Earnest of his Succession and upon the King's refusal resolv'd to obtain his Pretensions by force of Arms. Queen Eleonor also engag'd Richard Duke of Aquitain and Jeoffrey Duke of Bretagne her Brothers to take part with Henry and Lewis oblig'd William King of Scotland to invade England on that side while he sent Robert Earl of Leicester with a powerful Army to make a descent into the Island out of France So that a Man would have thought that the King of England assail'd on every side must have been overwhelmed by so many Enemies But Heaven protected him His Son Henry dy'd in a short time after and Peace was concluded between England and France and the Marriage of Richard who was become Heir to the Crown by the death of Henry with Alice the Daughter of Lewis was the Seal of that Union But in regard the Princess was very young she was put into the hands of the King of England as her Sister had been till she came to years of maturity and Queen Eleonor was shut up in close imprisonment to prevent her contriving new troubles at Court. In the mean time King Henry shew'd himself so extreamly complaisant to the Princess Alice that it was look'd upon to be an effect of love and the Princess answer'd him with a frankness pardonable as her years however Richard grew jealous to that degree that he could not find in his heart to marry her when he came to the Crown Queen Eleonor also whom he set at liberty so soon as he saw himself seated upon the Throne confirm'd him in his aversion and negotiated a Match between him and Beranguelle the Daughter of Don Garcias King of Navarre whom she carry'd to Richard then in Palestine where he espous'd her This anger'd Philip surnam'd the August King of France who at the same time had made a voyage to the Holy Land but he would not shew his resentment there for the injury done his Sister because he would not give the Infidels an opportunity to take advantage of the division of the Christians But so soon as he return'd into France he enter'd the Territories of the King of England in revenge At length Eleonor after she had been the cause of many mischiefs in both Kingdoms where she had worn the Crown ended her days at Poitiers in the Fourscore and fourth year of her age Mary of Moravia Mistress to Philip surnamed the August Anno 1192. PHILIP the August after the death of Isabella of Hainault his first Wife marry'd Isembourg or Eudelberge the Daughter of Waldemar the Great King of Denmark but found so little pleasure in the enjoyment of her that after the first Night he never would Bed her again However he endeavour'd a long time to combat this aversion but not being able to surmount it he imparted the secret of his disgust to William Bishop of Beauvais who told him that in regard there was a near affinity between him and the Queen it would be no difficult thing for him to disannul the Marriage if he would summon an Assembly of the Prelats of his Kingdom The King relish'd this Proposal and having sent for all the Bishops of France and amongst the rest for the Archbishop of Rheims who presided in the Assembly the sentence of Separation was pronounc'd Some time before the King had seen the Portraicture of Mary Agnes the Daughter of Bertol Duke of Moravis which appear'd so charming to him that he had always the Idea of her in his sight Therefore when he saw himself at liberty he sent to demand her in Marriage and having obtain'd his desires he espous'd her with a more then ordinary Magnificence Anno. 1198. Isemburg would not be present at the Nuptial Ceremony but secretly left the Court with a design to retire into Denmark But when she came to the Frontiers of France she bethought her self of the fault she was about to commit in abandoning the Justice of her Cause she return'd back again and shutting her self up in a Convent sent an account of her misfortune to King Conuie her Brother He being astonish'd at Philip's inconstancy sent to his Ambassador then residing in Rome to make his complaints to Pope Celestin and to demand Justice of him Celestin immediately dispatch'd away two Cardinals the one a Priest and the other a Deacon to make inquiry into what had past in the dissolution of the Marriage and to make use of all the Authority of the Holy See to oblige the King to take Isemburg again in case he had no lawful cause of separation So soon as the two Legates arriv'd at Paris
they call'd together an Assembly of the Clergy wherein the Motives to the annulling the King's Marriage with the Princess of Denmark were strictly examin'd But tho' the Prelates assembl'd saw well that the sentence of Separation that had been pronounc'd was slight enough yet they durst not attempt to revoke it for fear of the King's Indignation However Pope Celestin being dead Innocent III. his successor at the solicitation of the Danish Ambassador sent into France the Cardinal Sta Sabina with order to make use of all the most effectual means to oblige the King to a reconciliation with Isemburg When the Legate arriv'd he assembl'd a Council at Lyon and cited the King together with all those that had pronounc'd the sentence of Separation to make their appearance but Philip instead of appearing sent a Herald to Protest the Nullitie of whatever should be done to his prejudice and to appeal as from an improper Judge to the Pope or the next General Council But for all that the Legate went on and by advice of the Prelats assembl'd Excommunicated the King and Interdicted the whole Kingdom Philip enrag'd at these violent Proceedings caus'd the sentence of the Assembly to be declar'd void by a Decree of his Parliament of Paris upon the motion of the Advocate-General and to punish the Bishops who had been so daring as to deal so unworthily by him he seiz'd upon their Temporalties In the mean time well understanding that Isemburg had been the occasion of all these troubles he sent her to the Castle of Estampes with a prohibition not to stir from thence upon pain of being declar'd Guilty of High Treason Mary of Moravia who was a Woman of great virtue and very nice in her sentiments was afraid that all Europe would look upon her as the cause of the Divorce in regard the King had so often given her in publick such transcendent marks of his affection She was desirous therefore to be gratefull and willingly would have resign'd her own Life to have appeas'd these troubles provided that the King her Husband's honour might not be wounded by the accommodation She besought him therefore several times that he would permit her to retire into a Convent But his passion for her was too violent to consent to such a separation and he was too haughty to give his Enemies an occasion to think that he submitted out of any sentiments of fear But as it impossible for Princes long to conceal the most secret emotions of their Souls the favourers of Isemburg had found out that the violent proceeding of the Legat had not a little contributed to exasperate Philip against any reconciliation with that unfortunate Princess Presently therefore they acquainted the Pope with the King's inclinations who yielding to their reasons sent into France two new Legats Octavian Bishop of Ostia and John Bishop of Velitri with Orders to make use of gentler means Those two Legats after they had assembl'd another Council at Soissons immediately took off the excommunication that had been thunder'd out against Philip. Mary likewise laid hold upon this opportunity to beseech His Majesty to take Isembergh again and she assail'd him with arguments so pathetically moving and so judicious that at length he consented Thereupon he sent for Isemburgh to his Palace but the more generous Mary had appear'd to him the more it griev'd him to have separated from her So that after he had remain'd about forty days with Isemburg he sent her to a Monastery The two Legats having notice of this so sudden and unexpected change summon'd a new assembly to meet at Soissons Mary therefore afraid of the fresh troubles into which the King was about to precipitate himself would return to him no more and press'd him so earnestly that she might have leave to retire that at last with his consent she betook her self to the Abby of Boissy But it was not without an extream violence upon her self that she took this resolution She lov'd Philip sincerely and it was meerly to procure him that repose of which he was going to deprive himself for her sake that she could prevail upon her self to loose him for ever And the combat she had in her mind before she could obtain this victory over her self reduc'd her to such a low condition of Health that at length she sunk under the weight of her affliction and dy'd within a Month after her retirement from Court Just before her death she wrote to Philip beseeching him to take Isemburg again and to live lovingly with her The King not able to refuse her this complacency at a time when she gave him such transcending marks of her Love took Horse and rode alone to the Convent where Isemburg lay He sent for her out of the Abby and taking her up behind him carry'd her back to his Palace where he liv'd with her after that in perfect Conjugal society nor did she die till many years after in the Reign of St. Lewis The Pope was also so glad of this reconciliation that to comfort Philip for the loss of Mary he legitimated the two Children he had by her The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Philip the Fair. PHILIP the Fair had Three Sons who reign'd successively after him Lewis whom he made King of Navarre in his life time and who marry'd Margaret the Daughter of Robert Duke of Burgundy Philip Count of Poitou who marry'd Joan the Daughter of Otheliu Count of Burgundy and Charles de la marche who marry'd Blanche the Daughter of the same Count. These three Princesses were endow'd with all the Graces both of Body and Mind and being of a gay Humor their Courts were always full They drew to 'em all the young Persons of Noble Rank and Quality and their usual divertisement was Hunting whither they went sometimes with the Princes their Husbands but generally alone with the Officers of their Houshold and such Ladies as were wont to be the companions of their Pastimes more especially Philip and Walter de Launoy of whom the one was Squire to the King of Navarre the other to the Count de la March never left 'em upon these occasions They might well be lookt upon for two of the most compleat and handsomest Lords in the Court and they were persons of that brisk and lively Wit that 't was impossible to be tir'd with their Conversation The two Princesses Margaret and Blanche so well lik'd their jolly Humours that without stopping at Esteem they proceeded even to Love The two Lords who had great experience in that Passion and had met with very few hard-hearted Ladies easily perceiv'd the progress they had made in the Hearts of those two Ladies and the Conquest was so illustrious that without reflecting upon the fatal consequences of Intreagues of that Nature they thought of nothing so much as to pursue and preserve it They dextrously wrought upon the Princes to declare their Minds and having drawn from their own Lips
Daughter was sent away by that private conveyance during his Sickness Nor was he ignorant how prejudicial the conjunction of Bretagne to the Dominions of Spain would be to France which was the reason that without many more to do he resolv'd to cross a contrivance so dangerous notwithstanding he was assur'd that the Queen would never forgive him should the King happen to die of his Sickness Thereupon he stopt the Princess with most respectful protestations of his sorrow for being constrain'd to come to that extremity This action of the Marshal was commended by the King and all good French men and the Queen her self feign'd to applaud it however when the King was recover'd she made use of her credit to ruin that faithful subject Nevertheless she could not prevent the marriage of her Daughter with the Count of Angoulême because it was generally desir'd But it was such an inward vexation to her that sinking under the weight of her corroding anguish she dy'd in the thirty seven Year of her age 'T is true the King did not express that sorrow for her death as 't is thought he would have done considering the passion he had for her as long as she liv'd whither it were that his mind was taken up with his cares of the Wars of Italy or that the Queen's attempts against his authority had cool'd the heat of his Love However after that he liv'd such a reserv'd life that no body believ'd he would ever have thought of a third Marriage but the Duke of Longueville was the occasion of reviving that desire in him That Prince having rashly engag'd himself in a battle against the English year 1514 lost the battle of Spurs and became a prisoner to Henry VIII of England To repair this fault he undertook during his imprisonment to bring off that Prince from his confederacy with the Emperor nor did he find any great trouble to perswade him to it For thô he were very young he was very thrifty and he was a weary of paying the Emperours Troops who was extreamly poor and of furnishing him a hundred Crowns a day for his table There only wanted therefore a plausible pretence to break the Confederacy and there was not a better at that time to be found then a more strict alliance between France and England Henry VIII had a Sister whose beauty was a domestick mischief to him as we shall find in the sequel of this history She was born after another Daughter so much unprovided of the graces of the body that the King of Scotland had never marry'd her but because the King would not marry the youngest before the eldest The youngest being come of Age the Duke of Milan and several other Sovereign Princes sought her in vain because 't was not then the custom to marry the King's Daughter out of the Island This custome which had not been alter'd for four Ages together had infus'd into the young English Lords of the highest Quality a confidence to pretend to the Princess and the King gave way to it lest he should be accus'd of too much severity toward his Sister tho' he had no design to have marry'd her to any of his subjects for fear of drawing a civil War upon himself not unlike to those wherein several of his predecessors had miscarry'd Nevertheless in regard it is a difficult thing for a Woman to hold out any long time against Love when she makes it her business to allure the Princess of England after she had entangl'd in the snares of Love all those that could give any cause of jealousy to her Brother was her self smitten with one whom he had little reason to fear There was introduc'd into the Court of England a young English Gentleman whose name was Charles Brandon without any other recommendation then that of the King's Nurse whose Son he was He was extreamly handsome well proportion'd in his person and very active in all manner of exercises He had the air of a person of Quality and there was observ'd in him that sweetness of temper and that discretion that he was welcome into all societies and chiefly into the Ladies company who were altogether prevalent at Court The King took him for his second in all his matches at Tenis and made him the confident of all his most secret pleasures He conferr'd upon him the office of his chief Huntsman and lest his name should remind the Courtiers of the meaness of his Birth he caus'd him to assume the title of the Counts of Suffolk illustrious for the merit and quality of the persons who had born it for above two hundred years It is not certainly known whether this new title had convinc'd the Princess that she might bestow her affection without any dishonour upon the person whom the King her Brother had honour'd with it since the English Histories are full of presidents of several Earls of Suffolk that have pretended to the marriage of the Sisters and Daughters of their King 's or whether the Love which she already had for him had imprinted that Idea in her mind in his favour but it was observ'd that in a short time after the Princess lookt upon Suffolk with a more passionate glance then she was wont to do Nor wat it so much to be wonder'd at that the Earle should make her suitable returns with Eyes no less inflam'd and sparkling And the Courtiers in a little time were so us'd to it that they took little notice of it whether it were the custome at that time to love at well beneath as above their quality or whether it were that the Courtiers thought it not proper to be more concern'd about it then the King himself was who only laught at the business and made himself merry with the two lovers so soon as he discover'd their reciprocal affection Not that he approv'd it in the main or that he had so high a value for Suffolk as to make him his Brother in Law thô he had a greater kindness for him then for the rest of his Courtiers But he was in hopes to draw some advantage from the inequality of this Amour which he thought would exasperate the English Lords against her and cause 'em to desist from looking any more after her besides that he assur'd himself that he should be so much the master of his Sister and Suffolk that nothing should be acted between them two but by his consent This was the posture of the Court of England when the Duke of Longueville made a proposal as from himself of a match between the Princess and Lewis XII The King of England listen'd to him with those marks of respect and approbation which suficiently discover'd what he had in his Heart He was importun'd to bestow his Sister out of the way and he met with the most lucky means that Fortune ever could have offer'd him 'T is true he could not without some trouble to himself put an end to a War so advantageous to him
quitted his allyance with France Lautrec was commanded to return to his Government He made some scruple at first out of a secret misdoubting before hand the ill success of his journey He knew there was no Money in the Royal Treasury and yet he requir'd three hundred thousand Crowns without which he protested that the Dutchy of Milan could not be preserv'd But at length his Sisters tears and the King 's absolute orders she deliver'd to his hands oblig'd him to take Post after that Semblançay the King's Treasurer had sworn to him that he should no sooner arrive at Milan but he should receive bills of Exchange for the Sum he demanded But the ill omen that attended his arrival was enough to have terrifi'd a courage less undaunted then his For a flash of Lightning set on Fire the Tower of the Castle of Milan where the Powder lay and blowing it up into the Air in a solid bulk overturn'd it after so odd a manner that the top fell lowermost and the Foundation stood uppermost The rest of the structure was so shaken that the French who were settl'd in Milan and the Senators were constrain'd to keep watch whole Nights together till the Garison was reinforc'd The first Action then wherewith Lautrec signaliz'd his return was the punishment of Pallavicini the Popes kinsman accus'd of holding correspondence with the Spaniards whose Head he caus'd to be cut from his Shoulders and gave the confiscation of his Estate amounting to 20000 Crowns a year to his Brother Leseut who was then call'd the Marshal de Foix which only serv'd to incense the most considerable Families of Milan against him and to render his Government more odious But notwithstanding the aversion of the Nobility and the People to the French Lautrec might have preserv'd the strong holds within his Government could he but have retain'd the Swisses that were the chiefest strength of his Infantery but not being able to pay 'em what was their due the Cardinal of Sion found a way to debauch 'em by supplying 'em with the same Sum. Lautrec foresaw this inconvenience and might have avoided it had the Court of France been as good as their word But the 300000 Crowns which he was to have receiv'd at his arrival at Milan not being sent and the Contributions which he drew from the Country not sufficeing for his Men he was reduc'd to loose the flower of his Infantry for want of five and twenty thousand Crowns The King rely'd upon his Mother for the sending of Money into Italy But she who saw that her Son began to do at every Day more then other upon the Countess of Chasteau-Brian was afraid least she should supplant her in what concern'd the Principal Government of affairs And perhaps she might have been provok'd to take some unhappy resolution against the Countess if Bonnivet had not stop'd her by telling her that an unseasonable violence would gather augment then cure the King's passion And that consideration made her have recourse to destroy the credit of that Female favourite To that purpose she made choice of a way that seem'd less hazardous thô most prejudicial to the Crown which was to render her Brother odious by ruining the success of their endeavours for the defence of the Milanois committed to their care This she thought an infallible way since the King's aversion which they would incurr by the loss of that Dutchy the fairest in Christendom would not fail to reflect upon their Loyalty who had procur'd 'em the Government of it With this design the Countess of Angoulême the same Day that Lautrec departed from Paris paid away the Money that was designâ—d him to another use under pretence of Pensions and other gifts charg'd upon the five greater Farms And when Semblancy endeavour'd to oppose it she deliver'd him an Acquittance and told him that the Authority which Nature had given her over her Son was enough to secure a Treasurer from being call'd to any accompt Semblancy was either so credulous or so timorous that he suffer'd the Princess to carry away the Money and thought it a sufficient dispensation for the Oaths that he had sworn to Lautrec so ingenious a Man is to deceive himself when he is afraid of loosing his employment What the Countess of Angoulême had foreseen fell out for the Souldiers that were in Milanois disbanded for want of their pay Lautres after he had lost the principal strong holds within his Government return'd into France with two of his Domestick Servants only and pass'd in disguise through the Cantons of the Swisses The King refus'd at first to see him nor would he admit him into his presence till the Countess of Bourbon had assur'd him that he had wherewithal fully to justify himself and that he came to discover those secrets which were of great importance for His Majesty to understand Thereupon he was introduc'd into a full Council where no less haughty then ever he could not forbear complaining of the King 's frowning upon him Francis I. made answer that a Man who had lost in one Campagne all the Conquests that he had won in Italy deserv'd no other usage to which Lautrec reply'd without seeming to be any way concern'd that 't was an easie thing to know who was the cause of all the mischief The King imagining that he would lay the blame upon him as'd him after a scornful manner and as it were to upbraid him whither he had not receiv'd the 400000 Crowns that were sent him by the way of Genoa To which Lautrec repli'd that indeed he had receiv'd Letters of advice that Money should be sent him but that he had never seen a Farthing At those words the King stood like one in an amaze at what time Lautrec unwilling to loose the opportunity to inform him of the Truth added with a resolute utterance that no way betoken'd guilt that he had often writ to His Majesty that his Infantery for the most part compos'd of Souldiers altogether mercinary would infallibly Desert if they were not pay'd by such a time that the French Cavalry Loyal and Constant beyond expression had serv'd Eighteen Months without receiving so much as one Muster but that the Swisses who were no Subjects of France did not think themselves bound to follow their exampleâ— that he lead the remainder of his Army into the territory of the Firm-land but that the Venetians grew weary of supplying 'em and had sent him word by the Proveditor Gritti that they were no more oblig'd to preserve Milanoise for the French then the most Christian King who took no care of it Upon which he dislodg'd without sounding so much as a Trumpet lest they should have stop'd him and deliver'd him up to the Enemy in hopes of making their Peace By this time the King being recover'd from his astonishment interrupted Lautrec telling him that he could not but acknowledge the receipt of the 3OOOOO Crowns that Semblançay had undertaken in his presence
to pay him at Milan To which Lautrec reply'd that he had not receiv'd a doite either of the one or the t'other Sum which put the King into a passion no less just then it was violent Semblançay was sent for while the King in the mean while seeking to pick a quarrel with Lautrec told him after an insulting manner that Colonna and Pescara were no better assisted with Men and Money then he yet they had found a way to drive him before 'em and therefore why could not he find a way to defend himself without Money which was the easier thing of the two Lautrec answer'd very modestly that to make the comparison true t was requisite that the Milaneses should have no more kindness for one party then another Which might so fall out under the Reign of Lewis XII when the French being exactly paid liv'd civily and peaceably among ' em But the Army being grown licentious for want of pay the Italians had conceiv'd such a hatred of 'em that was only to be satisfi'd by opening their Bellies and tearing out their Hearts as had happen'd in Navarr and other places Immediately upon these words Semblançay came into the Council Room but the King instead of calling him Father as he was wont to do look'd askew upon him and ask'd him why he had not paid Lautrec the 300000 Crowns which he had so solemnly promis'd Semblançay who knew not the danger he was in answer'd with that Ingenuity which was natural to him that the same Day the Assignations for Milanois were drawn up His Majesties Mother came to the Treasury and demanded to be paid for all that was due to her till that very time as well for Pensions and Gratifications as for the Dutchy of Valois Tourcine and Anjou of which she was the Donee that he represented to her that by the paying away so great a Sum all at a time the Royal Treasury would be exhausted and the Funds appointed for the Dutchy of Milan be deliver'd another way contrary to what the King had order'd that Morning in her hearing and to which she had consented yet the Princess continu'd obstinate in her pretensions and threatned to ruin him if he did not let her have what she demanded and whereas he declar'd to her that it was as much as his head was worth if Lautrec did not find the Money ready upon his arrival at Milan she reply'd that she had credit enough with the King to secure him from any prosecution and that if he should be call'd to an accompt for the payment of the Money another way that was design'd for Italy he should say that 't was done by her Order Thereupon the King to clear the dispute sent for his Mother and Semblançay repeated in her hearing what he had said which put her into such a rage that the respect which she ow'd to her Son could not restrain her from giving the Treasurer the lye and demanding justice of the King against a hair brain'd Fellow that went about to make her guilty of High Treason But in regard they had the Acquittances which she left in the Treasury to justify her receite of the Money design'd for Lautrec she confess'd that she demanded the payment of her Pensions but she stood it out that Semblançay when he gave her the Money never told her that it was order'd for Milan She deni'd all the rest that Semblançay had said and demanded his Imprisonment with so much heat that the King was forc'd to cause him to be arrested in the Antichamber The business being thus clear'd up it appear'd that Lautrec was Innocent and all the blame fell upon Semblançay upon which the Chancellor du Prat a Creature of the Countesses the President Gentil and certain Counsellor who were the Chancellors Friends being appointed to try the Treasurer condemn'd him to Death and he was publickly Executed But the King never recover'd the places which he lost in Italy the Marshal de Foix also who was left in Crâ—mona to defend that City surrenderd it up to Colonna upon very easy term These were the fatal effects which the jealousy of the King's mother lest she should be supplanted by the King's Mistress produc'd But she did a far more considerable prejudice to France by her transports against the Constable of Bourbon for she constrain'd him to depart the Kingdom and treat with the Enemies of the State she compleated the ruin of the King's affairs in Italy and was the principal cause of the King 's being taken Prisoner The story was thus Charles of Bourbon Constable of France was the second of Three Sons of Gilbert Montpensier and Clarice Gonzaga that is to say he descended from the only branch of Bourbon that was unfortunate His Father had lost his Life and reputation in the Kingdom of Naples where Charles the VIII had left him Viceroy His eldest Brother expir'd for grief upon his Fathers Tomb and the youngest was slain at the Battle of Marignon As for himself he appear'd at Court toward the end of the Reign of Lewis XII when Claudia of France was marry'd The turnament matches and the divertisements at that time gave him an opportunity to signalize his Strengh and Activity but it was his misfortune in despite of himself to be the object of the Countess of Angoulêmeâ— affection who could not be insensible of the rare endowments that render'd him so worthy to be belov'd He was extreamly Beautiful Discreet Liberal and Valiant nor did his frank humour which came near that of the ancient Gauls hinder him from being successful in all manner of Intreagues For thô he seem'd to be very open yet he govern'd himself so well in all Negotiations and manag'd what he had to say with so much art that he tyr'd the patience of the most refin'd Politicians The sweetness of his manners had acquir'd him the Friendship of the French and the exact discipline which he kept among his Souldiers produc'd him the esteem of his own Enemies It seem'd as if fortune had been unavoidably bound to follow him because that eversince he bore Arms the French had been always victorious wherever he was and were vanquisht whereever he was not He was beholding only to his own deserts for the dignity of Constable and it may be said that he wanted nothing to accomplish him for the Hero of his Age but a little more complacency for the person that lov'd him or a little less resentment of the injury she did him when she saw her self slighted That haughty Princess made no opposition either to the growth or progress of her passion whither she were weary of living a Widow or that she was unwilling in changing her condition to be forc'd to leave France where she was assur'd of being in great credit when her Son the presumptive Heir to the Crown should come to Reigne But this Love was not reciprocal whither it were that the Count of Montpensier for so was the Constable call'd at first
on when he pleas'd that he never envy'd the present that Fortune had made to so charming a person that the Ring belong'd to her by an inviolable Law of the Empire which was so far from permitting the Emperors to take back again what had fallen from their hands how great so e'er the value of it were that he ordain'd it to remain with the person that should find it as a testimony of the Adventure 'T was no difficult thing to find out the place from whence this Law was taken nor to bring examples to justify that it had been in use The Dutchess therefore made use of all her alluring language to perswade the Emperor to receive the Jewel back again and the King press'd him withal the civility that could be imagin'd But the Emperor who had too well begun his artifice to leave it off imperfect persisted so obstinately in his resolution that the Jewel should remain with the Dutchess that the King was constrain'd to let her keep it The effect of this Jewel was that the Dutchess who wanted no Wit reflecting upon the Emperors courtship and upon his suttlety to make her accept of a magnificent present at the only conjuncture wherein the King could consent to her acceptance of it found her self engag'd to defer her revenge upon the Constable for fear least the disgrace of that Favourite should reflect upon a Prince so liberal as the Emperor The Court remov'd afterwards to Paris where his Imperial Majesty staid only so long as was necessary to give the King some time to empty his Coffers by a supersluous magnificence From thence he went to Chantilli where the Constable treated him in his turn The King also conducted the Emperor as far as St. Quentin and commanded the Dauphin and the Duke of Orleans to accompany him as far as Valenciennes A Man would hardly believe the caresses which the Emperor bestow'd upon the Youngest of those two Princes under pretence of his being charm'd with his pleasant humour He treated him like one that was to be his Son-in-Law and put him in hopes that the fief of Milan was not the only favour which he was to expect After the Emperor was got within his own territories the Constable and the Bishop of Vabres the French Ambassador demanded Audience and prest him to perform his promise The Emperor durst not disgust 'em at first because the King might succor the Inhabitants of Gaunt and therefore he only return'd 'em for answer that the King of the Romans his Brother was upon the road for Flanders and that it was necessary to stay for his arrival to the end there might remain no dispute about the investiture which he had promis'd without acquainting him who was to succeed in the Empire with his design The Constable upon that return'd to the King his Master but the Bishop of Vabres who folow'd the Emperor continu'd his importunities so vigorously that he constrain'd him at last to pull off his Maske and to disown all that he had said to the Constable The King so much the more nettl'd at this piece of Infidelity by how much it equally concern'd both his Honour and his Interests acknowledg'd his fault in not demanding a writing from the Emperor and because there is nothing so usual as for Princes to lay the blame of their own mis-failings upon others when they have the least pretence he complain'd of his being deceiv'd for no other reason but that he might have an occasion to punish the Constable whom he upbraided with all the faults he had committed he confin'd him to his House of Chentilly and people made no question but the Dutchess d'Estampes was the cause of his Disgrace And the proof of what was alledg'd was grounded upon this that the Dauphin after he had made use of all his power to support his Gossip for so he call'd the Constable not only could not prevail with the King but drew upon himself severe Reprimands which he thought he no way deserv'd year 1540 Nor was the Constable the only person upon whom the Dutchess's wrath fell heavy for the Chancellor Poyet felt those effects of it which were much more violent The pretence that she took to ruin him was occasion'd by John du Tillet chief Prothonotary of the Parliament of Paris and John de la Renaudy Gentleman of Perigord who was afterwards the Principal Author of the Civil Wars of France The credit of the Parties or the difficulties of the Questions that were to be decided had remov'd the Affair to several Tribunals from whence it was summon'd to be heard before the Council and at last transmitted to the Parliament of Dijon La Renaudie fearing lest he should be overthrown obtain'd the King's Letters by the favour of the Dutchess d'Estampes whom he had engag'd in his Interests to delay giving Sentence that he might have time to perplex the Cause anew Gilbert Bayard the King's Secretary presented the Letters to the Seal and fail'd not to advertise the Chancellor that it was by his Majesties express Order who could not refuse that Favour upon the sollicitations of the Dutchess d'Estampes 'T is not known whether the Chancellour examin'd those Letters to the end he might acquit himself in his Office like a person of Sincerity or whether it were out of any secret reluctancy to follow the Capticio's of the Dutchess with a blind adherency or whether it were that he favour'd du Tillet's Cause but certain it is that he refus'd to seal the Letters till he had alter'd 'em in several places La Renaudie not finding 'em then fit for his purpose carry'd 'em to the Dutchess not a little already incens'd against the Chancellor since the Admirals arraignment and quicken'd her to Revenge under pretence of maintaining her Honour Nor did she delay it any longer then the Evening of the same day at what time she presented la Renaudie holding the Letters in his hand to the King as he rose from the Table That Gentleman naturally eloquent as he made it afterwards appear in the conspiracy of Amboise aggravated the importance of the words which the Chancellor had alter'd and endeavour'd to exasperate the King against him by reason of that opposition which he adventur'd to make aginst his absolute Power The King who for a long time had had a desire to disgrace the Chancellor could not have met with a more plausible pretence He was hated by all the Court and it was well known that no body would be sorry for him nevertheless for important Reasons his downfal was delaid The King only order'd La Renaudie to carry back the Letters to the Chancellor and to command him peremptorily in his Name to dispatch 'em without any qualifications La Renaudie return'd to Poyet and deliver'd his Message with an arrogant Tone in the presence of the Queen of Navarr who at the same time solicited for a Servant of hers who was convicted for having stoll'n a wealthy Heiress The Chancellor was
too haughty patiently to endure that a Country Gentleman should put a kind of affront upon him in his own House and before a Princess whose Esteem it concern'd him to preserve But in regard he durst not refuse to obey the second Order not to give the bearer ill language he took the Letters from Renaudie and shewing 'em to the Queen of Navarr See here Madame said he what the Ladies do at the Court they are not contented to exercise their Empire but they undertake to violate the Laws and to instruct the Magistrates the most accomplish'd in the exercise of their Offices Now thô the Chancellor aim'd in his Discourse at no body but the Dutchess yet it happen'd unluckily for him that the Queen of Navarr thought her self nipp'd by the severity of his short Satyr by reason that the terms were equivocal and might as well be apply'd to her sollicitations in behalfe of her Servant as to the constraint that was put upon him to Seal la Renaudie's Letters However she did not discover all her Resentment for fear of quarrelling with one of the King her Brother's Officers only made him answer That she was too much concern'd in the misfortune of which he complain'd to procure him any reparation since she could not right her self But she was no sooner gone out of the Chancellor's House but she went to the Dutchess and gave her an account of the chafe that Poyet was in nor did she leave her till they had concerted both together which way to put him quite out of the King's Favour 'T was no difficult thing for those two Ladies who had shar'd between 'em the Love and Friendship of that Prince to make him consent to abandon a Man whom he had a design already to be rid of immediately therefore his Majesty sent for the Seals which he gave to Francis de Manthelon President of the Parliament no less famous for his Integrity then for his vigorous Defence of the Constable of Bourbon's Cause when he was an Advocate Nor would the King permit so signal an action to go unrewarded and had therefore advanc'd him to one of the principle Dignities of the Gown thô he had not displai'd his Eloquence but for pleading against the Countess of Angouléme his Mother But the Queen Of Navarr and the Dutchess were too much exasperatâ—d against the Chancellor to be satisfy'd with a punishment which only suspended him from the execution of his Office They had sufficiently penetrated into his Intreagues to be convinc'd that if he had his liberty he would infallibly refix himself at Court or if that way fail'd him such a conjuncture might happen that some exigency of Affairs might constrain the King to send for him to come and take his place in Council It behov'd 'em then to disable him from waiting for such an opportunity and the two Ladies to bring about their design form'd a Faction against him consisting of the Principal Persons of the Court not excepting Queen Eleonor who made one thô she had resolv'd not to meddle with any thing more especially when there was a War in agitation against the Emperor her Brother People were a long time searching after the reason of this change in the Queens Mind and the speculative Persons imagin'd they had made the discovery which was this She had liv'd in France as it were in exile and she had little acqaintance in the Country She had suffer'd much from the Dutchess d' Estampes who left her no share in the King's Affection and as an accumulation to her discontent she was neither able to revenge her self nor to better her own condition Nor had her misfortune mov'd any of the Courtiers but only the Constable Montmorency who had assisted her out of Love as her Enemies reported or out of pity which was most probable She knew that the Chancellor Poyet had contributed to the Chancellors disgrace and her stomaching of that was sufficient to oblige her to side with a Party which gave her the opportunity to be reveng'd of the one and to contribute to the restauration of the other The Dauphin appear'd at the Head of the Chancellor's Enemies that he might give Montmorency in his retirement to Chantilly the consolation to understand that he who had been the instrument to remove him from the Court was himself banisht from thence without any hopes of returning thither again The King of Navarr joyn'd meerly out of complacence to his Wife The Count of St. Paul out of a certain antipathy which sometimes happens between the Princes of the Blood and the Chief Ministers The Admiral Chabot that he might have the satisfaction of seeing his Enemy fall into the snare which he had laid for him Mompezat in hatred of the Counterpoise which the Chancellor gave to his Favour And the Cardinal of Tournon and Marshal d' Annhauit that they might remain alone in the Council of State All these Persons had made so powerful a combination that the King was unable to withstand it any longer They peal'd in his Ears how dangerous a thing it was to let a Lion live in a condition to hurt him after he had once provok'd him That the Chancellor had in his hands all the Deeds and Instruments of the Crown and that his Majesty had trusted him with his most important Secrets which Poyet might render useless by revealing 'em to the Emperor and by his perfidiousness procure himself a publick Settlement as considerable in Spain as he lost in France Whence they concluded that there was a necessity of confining him to a place of security and to watch him so narrowly that it might not be in his power to do any mischief thô he should design it The King rather weari'd with the frequent repetition of these Reasons then convinc'd by the strength of 'em gave order at his going to Bed to Lewis de Nevers to Arrest the Chancellor and carry him to the Tower of Bourges Nevers discharg'd himself of his Commission with as much joy as a Man could be sensible of who reveng'd the Publick upon his own particular Enemy He beset his House with armed Soldiers he waken'd him with a terrible noise and signify'd the King's Order in expressions full of nipping raillerie he would hardly give him time to put on his Cloaths nor would he permit him to go into his Study nor to speak to any body but carry'd him away in all haste to the Tower of Bourges Nor was this alteration of Fortune so surprizing as that which appear'd in the Soul of the Chancellor They who had known him for the boldest and most superb among Men before his fall could not sufficiently admire his abject pusillanimity and cowardize in his imprisonment He tir'd both his Friends and his Enemies with unseasonable complaints and ridiculous entreaties and left nothing omitted which he thought might inspire compassion into the Ladies that he had offended and made use of his liberty to exercise his Pen which was at
length allow'd him to beg of the King the Cardinal of Tournon and Admiral Chabot to redeem his Life and Liberty at the price of the vast Wealth which he had acquir'd Nothing more manifestly prov'd him unworthy of his high fortune then his extream desire to survive his disgrace His carriage quite chang'd that fear and aversion which People had against his Person into a contempt which was no way advantageous to him seeing that they left him for some years in the Tower of Bourges without so much as thinking of him At ength he was so importunate with the Ministers of State that they order'd him to be brought to his Trial but not after such a method as he expected For they appointed Commissioners to try him chosen out of all the Parliaments of the Kingdom However they did him this justice to make choice of the most able and the most honest Nor were there ever in France any Judges whose Probitie and Abilities were more universally known then those of Peter Raymund President of the Parliament of Rouen who was order'd to draw up the Informations They were willing to give him that satisfaction whether it were that his enemies thought that they had more prooâ—s then they needed to ruin him or that the King who had no mind to pardon him as he had forgiven Admiral Chabot had taken all the precautions requisite to prevent any thing that might be spoken against the severity which he intended to inflict upon the chief Magistrate of the Kingdom However it were the Process lasted till the year 1545. because the Party accus'd finding himself abandon'd by all the world and ready to sink unrder the same Artifices with which he had oppress'd others made use of all the tricks that long experience had taught him and summon'd up all his cunning and his parts to defend himself He led his Judges through all the by-paths of Subterfuge and Evasion that Cavil could invent to elude or at least to delay his Condemnation He puzzl'd alike both his Judges and his Witnesses that were brought Face to Face against him and made so good a defence that he sav'd his Life whither it were that his Judges after a long debate did not find reasons enough to condemn him to Death or that the too open animosity of the prosecutors had infus'd compassion into those Magistrats by perswading 'em he was Innocent because his Enemies were so violent in seeking his ruin He heard bare-Headed the Decree pronounc'd that depriv'd him of his Dignities and Estate and confin'd him to perpetual Imprisonment for having Rob'd the Treasury fold Offices and traffick'd in several bargains misbecoming his quality The King surpriz'd at the mildness of the Decree could nor forbear testifying his resentment against the Judges and threw upon 'em those reproaches that extended even to accusations of being corrupted However his Majesty remitted the punishment of Imprisonment and Poyet was constrain'd for a Livelyhood to resume his first employment of Chamber-Counsellor in the Palace deeming himself happy that he had got himself out of the Bryars at any rate before Judges of approv'd integrity for that indeed there was as many persons convinc'd that he deserv'd Death as there were People that knew him The Dutchess d' Estampes after she had ruin'd all those that dar'd to obstruct her credit year 1587 seem'd to fear nothing but the Death of the King which was the only disturbance of her mind For thô the Duke d' Estampes her Husband had made a judicial enquiry into her behaviour since her Marriage yet she was well assur'd that he could make no use of it so long as the King liv'd however he was not immortal and the time would come when that cruel separation would happen The Dutchess also to her sorrow beheld the misfortune at a distrance and was sensible of the approaches of it For Francis I. decay'd insensibly in his Health and whither it were that his Physicians were ignorant of the true cause of his disease or whither they durst not discover it or whither they despair'd that His Majesty would submit to violent Remedies which could only correct the malignity of it they only put a stop in some measure to the outward effects which were most incommodious without ever going to the root of the Disease So that the King perceiving himself grow more unweildy every Day then other and loosing that vigour and Address which had formerly been the cause that he delighted with so much passion in the sports of Hunting and other laborious exercises liv'd a kind of morose Life of which the Dutchess was forc'd to bear all the inconveniencies at the same time that on the otherside she was afflicted and disturb'd to think what would become of her after the King's Death who in all probability could not be long Liv'd She was in some hopes of reassuming that place in her Husbands affection from whence jealousy had expel'd her in regard she was yet young and was the Mistress still of that same ravishing Beauty which had formerly charm'd him Nor was it unlikely but that compassion might overrule her Husbands Heart after the King's death had extinguish'd the cause of his jealousy by producing these effects therein which are expected from Love However it were Diana of Normandy's hatred seem'd to be much more formidable to her she was to be what she her self had been and it was to be presum'd that she would make use of all her credit to ruin her Enemy Diana was the Dauphin's Mistress as the Dutchess was the King's but there was no other resemblance between 'em either in their persons or their Wit The Dutchess was never more Beautiful then she was at that time nor had she lost any thing of that lustre which had caus'd her to be look'd upon by the most curious Eyes even by the Emperor himself as the most accomplish'd Beauty in Europe whereas the she-Seneschal had none of those Allurements which at one and twenty Years of Age had sav'd the Life of her Father Sr. Valier The Dutchess was not above thirty and the she Seneschal was suspected to be above threescore for she had caus'd her name to be torn out of the Register of the Christ'nings The Dutchess commanded naturally Diana of Poictiers by art and those different Empires were preserv'd by opposite means The Dutchess who fear'd not her being degraded till the King began to decay in his health stood less upon her guard and never laid any constraint upon her self when she spoke of Diana whereas the other conceal'd under feign'd demonstrations of respect and compliance the despite to see her self contemn'd and was in company when that terrible expression fell from the Dutchess's Lips that she was born the same Day that the Seneschal's Wife was marry'd Nevertheless she dissembled her resentment so long as the King was strong and lusty but she no sooner perceiv'd that His Majesty began to decline but she began to make the Dutchess sensible
whether I have added or diminish'd in any thing choosing rather to omit some Circumstances then to repeat all her Follies For such is the real name that ought to be given to her jealousies and her Extravagant Amorous furies which began with Bonnivet and have continu'd ever since Who could ever have suspected the Daughter of one of the greatest and wisest King 's upon the Earth to have been guilty of so much unworthiness Nevertheless of a Queen she is become a Dutchess and of the Lawful Wife of a King of France a Passionate Lover of one of her meanest Officers But tho' she observes no measures in satisfying her inordinate desires she thinks to dazle the Eyes of the world by prophaneing the most August Mistery of our Religion Three times a Week she approaches the Holy Table with Lipps as much adulterated as her Heart with a Countenance daub'd with Black and Red and her Neck lay'd bare down to her Shouldâ—rs Her Dotage upon Pomeni was attributed to some Charm because she always wore between her Skin and her Shift a Blew Silk Purse hanging in a string from her Neck wherein was a Silver Box upon which several unknown Characters were Engrav'd She opend it in the Presence of some her Friends who saw her own Picture at one end and the Tinker's at the other She told them with Tears in her Eyes that she was never to open it but at such certain Times and to keep it till her death Nor is this the first time that extraordinary things of which we can give no true Reason have been ascrib'd to Supernatural Causes The same thing is reported of the Dutchess of Valentinois that she was only beholding to Magick for the great Ascendant which she had over Henry II. the Queen of Navarrs Father No body knows it better then this Lascivious Woman They who read these Heroick Actions of Hers for she will never want Historians will admire her obstinacy in Vice which neither Age nor the abatement of her Charmes nor the Affronts which she receiv'd could ever vanquish They will agree that so vertuous a Life ought to be enregister'd in the Temple of Paphos to serve as a Model to those who desire to enrol themselves in the Famous Corporation of the Daughters of Cyprus 'T is true that some there were who thinking she had the Purse and soul of a Queen Dedicated Books to her and in their Panegyries ascrib'd those Virtues to her which she never had But they had as good have let 'em alone for long Tradition far more like to last from Father to Son for many Ages will give 'em the lye and convince the world not only of their sordid flattery but their vile Imposture besides the reproach that they are like to undergo from those that shall read their Writings after their Decease But which was worse they did but labour in vain in this Life as being all of 'em frustrated of their great Hopes and Expectations for that never any body boast of her Liberality but all Men complain'd of her Ingratitude Her most favour'd Paramours were never enrich d with her presents and the Prisons are full of those that she has Ruind She has been sometimes seen to have been Prodigal of her Almes but never willingly paid her Debts she had always so little respect for Religion that she never was at a Sermon but she slept at Vespers but she talk'd all the while never at Mass without a Paramour by her side She gives away to my cost the Tenths of her Rents and Pensions to the next Monasteries but she detaines the Wages of her Servants and the price of the Goods which People trust her with for the support of her House-keeping She minds nothing but outward shew and Vanity but in her heart she has not the least Sence either of Honour or Piety I thought to have finish'd this Manifesto with a Description of her Inclinations but Bajomon stops me and enforces me to give him a dash of my Pencil This fellow the greatest sot that ever appear'd at Court was introduc d by Madam Danglure instructed by Madam Roland and Le Maire compleated the Polishing of him This Man she had made her Idol tho' He had been cuft by de Lone the Son of a Procter of Bourdeaux and she had taken care of his fortune to prevent his ending his days in an Hospital I shall not enter any farther into the particulars of their Amours there being nothing in 'em to be observ'd but what is base and below the honour of a Queen It behoves me now to draw the Curtain out of a remainder of value for her and so end this Story that I may not be tedious to the Reader I shall only pray to God to touch their hearts and shed down upon em his effectual Grace without which they can never hope to be recoverd from that blindness which now obscures their understandings Tho' we may well judge by this Manifesto that the King could not be refus'd the Divorce which he demanded yet in regard they are very slow at Rome in the dispatch of Affairs therefore the King to oblige the Countess of Beaufort to awaite the success of that Negotiation with more Patience he erected the Signioriy which bore that Name in a Dukedome and Peerage Sometime after this the new Dutchess became a fourth time quick with Child which encreas'd the King's Love for her and his Impatience to enjoy her under the Justifications of the Law For which reason he wrote very earnestly to Silleri not to omit any thing that might contribute to a quick dispatch of the Affair whe rewith he was intrusted year 1598 Tho' the King had utterly ruin'd the Party of the Leaguers yet the Duke of Mercoeur would not make his Accomodation but throwing himself into the Arms of the Spaniards he headed a Powerful Party in Bretaign where he propos'd to make himself Soveraign but most of his strong holds being reduc d he found there was no way for him to escape but by imploring the Kings Clemency Therefore to obtain his Pardon he had recourse to the Dutchess Beaufort who offer'd him her Protection provided he would give his Daughter to the Young Duke of Vendome her Eldest Son Thereupon the Duke of Mercoeur who expected a higher match for his Daughter sent Mary of Luxemburgh his Wife to Court with orders to offer His Majesty full power to dispose of his Daughter to what Prince he pleas'd in hopes by that Artifice to elude the Pretensions of the Dutchess but she was too cunning to fall into that Snare and prevail d with the King not to give eare to Madam de Mercoeur till the Marriage was concluded Which done she made the Dukes Accomodation who came to kiss the Kingâ—s Hands at Anger 's where the Cardinal de Joyeuse perform'd the Ceremony of Betrothing the Young Couple with great Pomp and Magnificence So soon as the Dutchess had so lay'd her design that she was in
from her own mouth he let fall all his jealousie upon Emeri Controller of the Finances who visited her some times Nay it made him so â—horn mad that he resolv d to dudgel his Rival and told his mind to Coquerell Lieutenant to the Grand Provist of the Household Coquerell gave Emeri notice of it who to divert the Storm that threatned him for bore to visit Marion and broke off all intercourse with her In the mean time St. Mars's jealousie redoubl'd his passion for his Mistress whom he visited every day and Incognith and in disguise not withstanding the Kings Prohibitions His assiduities also were so signal that 't was reported he had marry'd her Lewis XIII had notice of it from all parts and St. Mars's Relations who were afraid least he should be so much a fool as to match himself so unequally were the first that complain d of it to his Majesty Upon which the Ingratitude and Obstinacy of this Favourtie so sensibly affected the King that he kept his Bed for some days feigning himself sick on purpose to avoid the sight of that unthankful Officer to whom he could not forbear shewing his resentment On the other side St. Mars an enemy of restraint grew weary of being cuâ—â—â—'d by his Master in his Pleasures and in a sit of discontent gave ear to the proposals of the Count of Soisons who offerd him for a Wife his Neice Mademoislle de Longueville with several other advantages if he would enter into a League against the Cardinal 'T is true that the Death of the Count of Soisons which happen'd within a little while ater the Battle of Sedan discompos'd this Conspiracy for some time but it was renew'd again with the Duke of Bouillon by the meanes of Madam de Thou After St. Mars was once engag'd in this Intreague he forgot to give intelligence to the Cardinal as he was wont to do of what the King said of him when he found any fault with his Ministry On the other side the Cardinal who had plac'd that Favorite near the King s person and had supported him in that Station only to be a faithful Spy to inform him of his most secret thoughts no sooner saw him fail of his sincerity but he began to grow cold in his kindness for him till at last those reciprocal disgusts degenerated into an irreconcileable hatred One of the principal causes of St. Mars's antipathy against the Cardinal was his obstructing the King's design to have made him one of his Privy Council One day at Reâ—el as all the Courtiers were quitting the King's Chamber to leave it free for the chief Minsters the King took St. Mars by the Arm and stopping him said he to the Cardinal 't is necessary that our Friend for so he call'd his Favorite should be well instructed in Our affairs to the end he may be able to serve Us usefully The Cardinal who was perfectly well acquainted with the King's humour would not withstand the King's design but suffer d St. Mars to take his place in the Council however he would not permit any matter of consequence to be debated there and the next day being in private with his Majesty he neatly represented to him how dangerous it would be to impart his secrets to so young a man as St. Mars who might be easily wrought to reveal ' em The King approv'd his Eminencies reasons and never after that call'd his Favourite into his Council Which coming with ease to St. Mars's ear he could never be induc'd to pardon the Cardinal Upon that the Minister and the Favourite never afterwards observ'd any measures of Decorum but display'd their Hatred so publickly that the King had much ado to keep 'em quiet St. Mars being one day with the King when a Gentleman who came from Marshal de la Mothe to bring his Majesty the news of the Relief which the Spaniards had put into Tarragon by Sea endeavour'd to lay all the fault upon the Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux who commanded the French Fleet this Favourite left nothing omitted to justifie the Archbishop and blame the Marshals conduct who was a Kinsman of Noiers the Secretary of State and consequently the Cardinals Creature Nor did he stop there for understanding that the Cardinal had accus'd him to the King for having shew'd but little Courage at the Siege of Arras where he commanded the Voluntiers he slyly put it into the King's Head finding him enclin'd to Peace that the Cardinal prolong'd the War for his own particular ends and started every day new obstacles to hinder an Accomodation of the differences between the two Crowns In short he omitted nothing to put his Majesty out of conceite with the Cardinal And the little kindness which the King shew'd the Cardinal for some days afforded St. Mars whose Reputation was plainly discern'd to increase as the Cardinal began to wain and loose his Masters favour a means to draw to his party several persons whom it would have been in vain for him to have attempted at any other time The Cardinal on the other side who had notice of all these practices engag'd the King to leave Paris in order to besiege Perpignan himself and compleat the conquest of Rousillon in hopes that the cares of the War would divert the King from familiar Discourses at what time his Minions took their opportunity to cry down his Ministry This Journey infus'd a Jealousie into St. Mars who fearing least the Cardinal during the Campaign should work himself again into the King's favour and make use of it to his ruin deem'd it convenient to secure a place of refuge for himself Nor could he think of any more convenient then Sedan the Soveraignty of which City belong'd to the Duke of Bouillon He opend his mind to Madam de Thou who promis'd him to obtain from the Duke all requisite Assurances of the Sanctuary which he desir'd In short he went to wait upon the Duke at Sedan to perswade him to come to Paris and he got thither at the same time that the Duke was press'd by the Cardinal to undertake the same Journey to receive his Commission for command of the Army in Italy which the King intended to confer upon him The Duke finding himself solicited on both sides set forward at length and went to Court and was at first at a great puzzle which party to adhear to not knowing which would be most for his advantage to joyn with the Cardinal of the Favourite But at length his inveterate Hatred against the Cardinal and the perswasions of Madam de Thou over-rul'd him to engage with St. Mars However he did not refuse the Command of the Army in Italy and they drew from him a promise that he should admit into Sedan the King's Brother who had already declar'd himself head of the Party But in regard there were several particulars that were to be agreed upon they assign'd the Hostel de Venise for the place of their Rendevouz where Monsieur had
his advanc'd years would incline the Duke of Guise to listen to him with so much the more patience and he was willing to undertake the business The Duke of Guise had much ado at first to believe what Aged Cheuvreuse told him however it fixt some kind of jealousie in his mind Now Mademoiselle de Pons who was oblig'd to part with Malicorne upon her entrance into Guyenne not being able to live absent from him wrote to the Duke of Guise and desir'd he would be pleas'd that she might return to Paris The Duke well understanding the cause of her impatience desir'd her on the other side to stay for some time longer with her Parents but she without any respect to his request set forward and away she came When she was arriv'e the Duke of Guise brib'd one of her Chambermaids and by her means got into his hands the little Box wherein she lockt up all her Lovers Billet douxes and there he found a great number of Letters which plainly made out a form'd Intreague besides some other Letters from the Marshal de Aumont and Marshal d' Albert that spoke the Language of fortunate Lovers which drove him to his wits end Upon this he broke off with Mademoiselle de Pons and us d her very unworthily for he su'd her at Common-Law for a pair of Pendants valu'd at 50000 Crowns and a rich suit of Tapestry which he had given her but with very ill success So that the loss of his Suite redoubld his indignation and he resolv'd to assault her in her own house of which she having notice sent for the Marshal d'Aumont and Marshal d' Albert to protect her the one being Captain of the Guards the other Lieutenant of the King 's Light Horse Presently they hastn'd to her aid with a Body of Cavalry which was the reason that the Duke of Guise made no farther attempt Fain would Marshal d' Albert have made his Market of this piece of service and exacted compliances from Mademoiselle de Pons which she could not find in her heart to grant because she doated altogether upon Malicorne Thereupon that jealous Lover resolv'd to be reveng'd upon her for her ingratitude and entring to that purpose into a League with the Duke of Guise they resolv'd to get an Order from the King to take her away by force and send her into an Abby in the Pyreneans of which a Kinswoman of the Marshals was Abbess Madam de Pons having notice of this Conspiracy stole out of Paris in the habit of a Country market-woman with only two of her waiting women and went to Brussels under pretence of pursuing her Steward who having robb'd her was fled the same way At her departure she left the fatal Box wherein were all her Love Letters with Mademoiselle de Tieure who had been a Pensioner with her at Chassemidi with orders to deliver it to no person living but her self which was afterwards the cause of her breaking off with Malicorne as we shall relate in due place As for the Duke of Guise he being inform'd of her departure resolv'd to make a second voyage to Naples and to that purpose embark'd himself aboard the King 's Fleet. 1654. Nor was the Duke the only Person that prov'd unfortunate in his Amours for the Abbot Touquet who was no less violently in love with the Dutchess of Chatillon left nothing omitted to gain her affection but all the complacency she had for him was only in order to coaxe him out of considerable presents One day that he went to visit her he found her upon the Bed in a sullen moody humour nor could all that he could say to her put her out of it Thereupon he ask'd her chief woman what he should do to divert her and propounded several ways that were not accepted But at length the cunning Ouistrel who was acquainted with all her Mistresses knacks put it into the Abbots head to carry her to St. Germons Fair and the Maid and the Mistress acted their parts so well together that they got out of the incontinent Abbot a Service of Gilt Plate valu'd at above Fifty Thousand Crowns However she had other Admirers that came off at a cheaper rate among the rest Bouchu Intendant in Burgundy and Cambiac Canon in the Cathedral of Albi who was above fifty years of Age. As for Mademoiselle de Pons she made as great a Hurlyburly at the Court of Brusselles as she had done in France The Marquiss of Bouteville a Favourite of the Prince of Conde's and the Marquiss of Fuenclara a Captain under Don John of Austria both offer'd her their Services and to the first she lent a favourable ear The Prince himself also paid her some sedulities but finding more resistance then he expected he quitted her Lodgings full of Choller and Indignation Some days after he understood that Bouteville had not been so unkindly repuls'd which put him into such a Chafe that he swore to him he would never pardon him if he did not quit her forever offering on his part never to have any more to do with her Moreover to let him see that he would be exact to his word he obtain'd an order from Don John by which Madam de Pons was commanded to leave Brussells in twenty four hours and within eight days to depart the King of Spains Territories Howerver Bouteville paid her several private visits after she had receiv'd this Order and they agreed together that she should make a shew of departing and that after she had travell'd about four Leagues from Brussells she should return in the night time to a Chamber which he would hire for her in a by corner of the Town Nor was she worse then her word to Bouteville and for fifteen days together they enjoyâ—d each other in great tranquility But by misfortune Fuenclara having espi'd one of Madam de Depons's Chamber-maids looking out at the Window he learnt by her that her Mistress lay in that Lodging Incognito for it was not the first time that that same damsel had tasted of his liberality Mademoiselle de Pons finding her self discover'd would stay no longer at Brussells for fear of being affronted but withdrew to the Hague where she stay'd all the while that the Spaniards kept the field But after they had taken up their Winter Quarters Bouteville sent for his Mistress to Antwerp whither she was coming but he sent her word by one of the Trumpeters of his Rement to miss Antwerp and return to Brussells in regard the Prince of Conde was gone to give instructions about some thing to be done in the former City Madam de Pons no sooner receiv'd these tydings but she set forward and by an unlucky mischance met the Prince of Conde in a narrow hollow way in his return form visiting the Frontier Garrisons who thought he knew her but Lainett and the President Viole perswaded him to the contrary After this happy escape Madam de Pons arriv'd at Brussells and alighted at
forth She excus'd her self at first alledging the ill usage of both the Queens To which the King reply'd that he was King and that he would fain see who they were that durst controule his Actions At length therefore she came forth and put her self into the King s Coach Upon the Roade the King propos d to provide a House and a Train for her But that seeming too glorious she avoided it for that time by only returning him submissive thanks Thereupon the King carry'd her himself to Madam and recommended her to her care which redoubl'd the Princesses Despite Besides that the King continu'd his Visits with more assiduity then before He openly sent her Presents the most magnificent that Soveraignty could purchase All this while the King continually urging her to take a House she at last consented and he gave her Biron-House which he went himself to see furnish'd with the Richest movables that were in France The Queen was almost at Deaths Door for Grief but her Amends lay in her own hands what could not be avoyded was to be endur'd At the same time also the King fell sick at Versailles La Valiere was more prudent then to visit him However his Indisposition not proving dangerous at the same instant that Liberty was allow'd for Persons of Quality to pay him their Devoirs she wrote to him the following Lines 'T is the General Report that You are very ill It may be 't is only to afflict me 'T is likewise said that You are disturb'd at this last Rumour In the midst of these Perplexities I begg the Life of my Lover and then am ready to abandon the Kingdom and all the World besides Wherefore if You love me will you not permit me to pay You the Duty of a Visit Adieu send for me to morrow that is to say if my Disquiet will suffer me to live till then The King kiss'd the Billet a thousand times and order'd Madam de St. Agnan to bring Mademoiselle la Valiere to him His Orders were obey'd he saw her with a thousand Transports of joy and exceeded so far in his Amorous Caresses with his Mistress that he fell into a Relaps But that Excess of his produc'd no bad effect in regard that la Valiere nine Months after was brought to Bed of a Young Princess that prov'd a most enchanting Beauty The King's Love was so violent that some time after he became jealous of his Mistress He went to Visit her every day but he only mus'd or fell a reading all the while he was there and sometimes left her without so much as hardly speaking to her His jealousie became so prevelent that he fell into a dreadful fit of Melancholy However in regard that jealousie most commonly proceeds from an excess of Passion he was taken one Evening with so violnet a Pain in his Head and such frequent Vomitings that the Duke of St. Agnan to whom the King had imparted his jealousie thought it convenient to give la Valiere notice of it He also put her in mind that it became her to leave nothing omitted that might contribute to his Cure La Valiere made answer that the Kings Humour had extremely afflicted her but that she could not condesend to begg Pardon for that she was never Guilty of that in a word she had reason to complain of the King but that His Majesty had no reason to blame her The Kings Indisposition redoubl d but as violent as his Headake was his Love was yet far more impetuous He bid the Duke of St. Agnan go immediately to his Mistress and acquaint her with his Malady who presently return'd with the following Billet Did I but know the cause of your Pains I would apply a Remedy tho' it cost me my Life But Good God! how much in vain it is to tell you what I say 'T is not I that can dispose of Your Majesties happy or unlucky Dayes The King was charm'd with the manner of his Mistresses writing who presently after came to see him together with Madam de Montauzier who retir'd out of respect to the end of the Room with the Duke of St. Agnan while la Valiere sate upon the King's Bed Where she carress'd him with a thousand tender expressions which so enchanted the King that he beg'd her Pardon a thousand times This their Conversation lasted five hours and then they parted after they had reciprocally vow'd to Love each other Eternally The two Queens were at their witts end to see the King 's excessive Devotion to la Valiere nor was their any thing which they left omitted to take him off from this extream Passion But when they found that all their Efforts prov d fruitless they thought there was no other way but for Father Anat who was his Confessor to interpose his Spiritual Authority Which he did and that too after so severe a manner that the King thank'd him for his good Counsel and his Service but told him withal that for the future he would have no other Confessor but his Curate Thus was Poor Father Anat turn'd out of favour to the great grief of his Brethren whom he forgot to consult upon this ticklish point Sometime after it came into the Kings head that he would have both the Queens receive la Valiere into their favour To which purpose he spoke of it to Madam de Montauzier who went at the same Instant by his Order to the Young Queen's Chamber Madam de Montauzier was very much perplexed about the complaint she had to deliver however she ventur'd upon her message but the Queen would by no means listen to her Three days after she miscarry'd which had like to have cost her her life The King appear'd to be very much afflicted at it and one day as he stood by the Queens Bed side she desir'd him in the presence of the Queen Mother and a Clergyman of Note to bestow la Valiere in Marriage To which the King made answer that if la Valiere were so dispos'd he would not be against it and presently bethought himself of the Marquiss of Vardes for her Husband But the Marquess who was in love with Madam de Soissons and had no mind to any of the Kings Mistresses laught at the Proposal And afterwards the Marquiss of Vardes and Count de Guiche made such bold Lampoons upon the King's Amours that they were both banisht the Court. The King who had a vehement affection for la Valiere and understood how terribly she was discompos'd upon the Proposal of Marriage went to see her three times a day La Valiere however could not forbear upbraiding the King with the little love he had for her since he could consent so easily to resign her into the Embraces of another But the King gave her such potent Reasons for what he did that his Mistriss was satisfied The Kings Assiduitie and Affection for la Valiere thus redoubling they who approv'd not his Familiarity would needs proceed to violence One night
certain Persons in Vizards got into her Chamber by the help of Ladders made of Cords But she avoided the danger I know not how and the King appointed her Guards and a Steward to tast all the Meat that was carryed to her Table People discours'd according to their Fancies upon this Adventure but 't is an easie thing to understand from whence the Blow came without being a Conjurer Nevertheless la Valieres Enemies were not at all discourag'd there was nothing which they did not attempt to deprive her of the Kings Affection The Duke of Mazarin who pretended to a world of devotion demanded of him a Particular and private Audience which was granted him â—he Subject of their whole discourse was upon a Vision which the Duke had seen that the Kingdom should be quite ruin'd if the King did not utterly abandon la Valiere 's Company withal he told his Majesty at length that he had a Commission from God himself to give him that fair warning And I reply'd the King advise ye from my self to take a great care of your Brains which are in a deplorable condition and to restore like a Good Christian what your Uncle the Cardinal has robb'd from the Kingdom Upon which the Duke made him a low Bow and withdrew full of shame and confusion Two or three Months after the Queen would needs make her last Efforts She talk'd to him her self of the scandal which he brought upon his Kingdom by a familiarity that was the sport of all the Courts of Christendom To which the King reply'd that Kings and Queens had always been the talk of the world and that she knew by experience that she her self had not been spar'd Which so netled the Queen to hear him touch upon that string that she never after open'd her Lips to reprove him for his Amours The next day la Valiere was brought to bed of a Prince The King who was almost all alone with her when her Pains came upon her was at a loss and it may be said that he was half her Midwife Soon after he made her a Dutchess and still the King continued his Visits to her and one day he found her in a deep Melancholly For as for her Beauty it was never very charming so she was grown so lean after her last lying in that it was a great mortification to her Now in regard she perceiv'd that the King was sensible of her Pensiveness she confest to him that she was afraid he had not the same Affection for her which formerly he had For added she do you think that my Looking Glasses does not inform me that I have almost lost those allurements that render Mistresses agreeable to their Lovers Yet this I dare say that you will never meet with otherwhere what you have found in me I understand ye reply'd the King But wherefore do you thus by your unjust suspicions affront a Prince that adores and ever will adore ye as long as he lives This Protestation charm'd la Valiere Nevertheless 't is certain that the King began to miss those charms which he had found in her till then tho' he was convinced that he lov'd her when he consulted his own thoughts In a word he was never taken with her Beauty but with her Wit and her Behaviour and somthing I know not what which it is impossible for a Man to express About this time it was that Madam de Montespan appear'd at Court And in regard she was a Person of a Transcending Beauty she laid great designs to insnare the Kings heart But as yet la Valiere possess'd it so intirely that all her Plots prov'd ineffectual So that finding the King so little inclin'd to entertain her she cast her eyes upon Monsieur and he comply'd however he had another Mistress who disgusted Madam de Montespan It may be said that the King had still some little inclination for la Valiere But for all that at the same time that Madam de Montespan display'd all her temptations at Court to render him sensible of her Charms he had some little kindness for the Princess of Monaco That new Mistress was nothing cruel However the King grew weary of her in a very little time M. de Lausun who at first had no small share in the Princess of Monaco was so enrag'd at the Infidelity of his Mistress that he payd all his vows to Madam de Montespan Nor was he long before he obtain'd her last favours Thus M. de Lausun's Happiness became the publick discourse of the Court and the King reflecting upon the good fortune of his Fovourite of whom all people gave out that he was belov'd by the most beautiful Woman of France this made him look upon Madam de Montespan as a Person that had all those perfections which really she had And from that time forward it was that he began to fall off from his affection to la Valiere for she was still call'd by that name tho' she had the Title of Dutchess conferr'd upon her Madam de Montespan on the otherside had too watchful an eye not to perceive as soon that the King began to have a growing kindness for her and from that very time she endeavour d to the utmost of her power to settle her self at Court. This she thought she might be able to do â— once she could but wind her self into a strict amity with Madam de la Valiere Nor did she attempt it in vain while Madam de la Valiere sought on her side to disburthen into the bosome of some sincere friend her sorrow for the extinguishing flames of her Lover And the forwardness of Madam de Montespan so highly pleas'd la Valiere that they became great friends in outward appearance especially on Madam de Montespan's part who had her aim and hated at the bottom of her heart a Rivaless whose favour with the King she was labouring might and main to undermine On the otherside the King who began already to feel something of tenderness for Madam de Montespan was overjoyd to find her everyday with la Valiere For which reason he was the more assiduous in his visits But Madam de la Valiere soon perceiv'd that 't was not for her sake that the King so frequently came to see her but that Madam de Montespan possess'd his Inclinations She complain'd to the King therefore after a most tender manner and the King without evasion and as obligingly as he could told her that Madam de Montespan was one of the most beautiful women that ever he saw and that he verily believeâ—d she had a passion for him To this the King added that she had no reason to be surprisâ—d at it that the change should be no prejudice to her that he would always preserve a particuliar esteem for her and that he thought she had no cause to be disatisfied Madam de la Valiere melted into tears But then the King repeated what he had said He declar'd to her that he desir'd she
the King she never su'd to him for any favour for any of her acquaintance Therefore Marshal Grammont told her very well to the purpose one day when she complain'd to him that every body had forsaken her since her Rivalless came into credit That while she had an opportunity to be merry her self she should have taken care to make others merry if she had had a mind that others should have pitty'd her when she her self had an occasion to mourn But Madam de Montespan took a quite different course No considerable Employment was conferr'd but upon her solicitation and by her intercession She it was to speak properly that bestow'd every thing even to the very Ecclesiastical Benefices She advanc'd all her kindred to that degree of Grandeur to which otherwise they could never have attain'd In short she procur'd for her Brother who was no more then the Count of Vironne the Dignities of Duke and Peer and General of the Gallies and the Battoon of Marshal of France Which caus'd a Person of the First Quality in France to say speaking of Marshal de la Fueiltade and her Brother that one was Marshal of the Sword and the other Marshal of the Scabbard Never did Mistriss better understand to manage her Lovers humour then she did and that too when the King had not all that kindness for her that people imagin'd for 't is said that Madam de Lude who was but a * A Virgin that lives like a Nun but makes no vox nor renounces her Estate Canoness of Lorrain frequently shar'd with her the favours of the French Monarch which gave an occasion to the following Epigram Valiere was a Commoner Of Noble Race fair Montespan Du Lude had in the Church her Place And all the Three to serve one Man But would you know the main design Of the most great of Potentates The thing 's as clear as Noon-Sunshine He would unite the Three Estates Certain it is that la Valiere was of no very Noble Extraction Her Enemies were therefore wont to say after the King had made her a Dutchess that 't was but a few months ago that she was hardly a Gentlewoman and Madam who had been disapointed by the King upon her account never call'd her otherwise then the little Cittizens Daughter of Tours However it were the Canoness of Lorrain was the cause that Madam de Montespan spent many a night without closing her eyes Yet this was not the Rivalless that caus'd the change of the Kings Affection At the same time that M. de Montespan thought her Affairs in the most setl'd condition and that she lookt upon her self to be most solidly fix'd in the King s Affections a young Damsel surprizingly Beautiful was preferr'd to serve the Mounsieur's Dutchess as one of her Maids of Honour This was Mademoiselle de Fontange who might be said to be a Master-peice of Nature But before M. de Fontange appear'd M. de Montespan's Enemies made use of all their Artifices to set the King against her They told him a thousand stories to put him out of conceit with her But all their Artifices failing they thought there was no other way but to give him a home stroke upon the Conscienceside The Confessor who succeeded Anat had more wit then to undertake the Employmeut He knew what it had cost his Predecessor and the reproaches it had brought upon that silly Jesuit However they found out a Preacher who had the courage one day in his Pulpit before the King to tell him the story of David and Bathsheba 'T is true he seem'd to turn his matter another way but all men easily perceiv'd what he aim d at But after he came out of his Pulpit the King said the Preacher had made a very good Sermon and away he went to visit Madam de Montespan This pious fraud not succeeding it came into their heads to show him something of reality which might infuse into him an Aversion and Contempt of his Mistriss And the treachery of a Serving Maid gave 'em a favourable opportunity This Maid being brib'd deliver'd into their hands a Billet of M. de Montespan's hand writing which they counterfeited so well that by adding one single word there was a necessity for the King to fall into the snare and to acknowledge himself betrayd The Billet was given to the King as if it had been found by accident He read it nor was it possible for him to distinguish the difference of the Character That which was added though spoken after an Ambiguous manner presently gall'd him and put him into such a rage that he resolv'd forthwith to find out the Mystery Away he flung to Madam de Montespan whom he found reading a Courtly Novel What! Madam said the King with a kind ofscornful Air have you not left of these trifles yet T is true replyed Madam de Montespan that there is nothing of Solidity in these sort of books and I must acknowledge that they are no more then the Dreams and Visions of others that create in us either joy or sadness Nevertheless I am so weak sometimes as to suffer my self to be seduc'd and I could not read the Infidelity of a Mistriss mention'd in this little Story without paying some tears to the misfortune of her Lover I wonder reply'd the King that a thing so customary to your Sex should raise your passion to that degree He went on with his discourse in the same tune and carry'd it on so far that Madam de Montespan began to suspect some mystery Alas Sir said she such a Prince so rarely endow'd as your self have no reason to fear any such thing had he to do with the most fickle and inconstant of Women In a word they who possess a Merit so Illustrious as Yours are above these suspicions I so flatter'd my self hitherto reply'd the King but Kings are deceiv'd as well as other men This Conversation not a little troubl'd M. Montespan who was altogether innocent of what the King believ'd her Guilty of and therefore knowing herself to be free from all reproach she answer'd only with tenderness and tears Which so mollifi'd the King that without seeking any farther for the satisfaction which he desir'd he withdrew after he had privately conveigh'd the Billet into Madam de Montespan's Pocket The King had no sooner left her but M. de Montespan pulling out her Handkerchief to wipe her Eyes saw the fatal cause of her misfortune fall at her feet She took it up open'd it read it and soon perceiv d the soul play of her Enemies Now it was of that Importance for her to prevent as soon as might be the Kings first Impressions from sinking too deep into his mind that she went to him immediately and having made it out to him that something had been added the King was convinc'd and discours'd her with a thousand obliging tendernesses It never could be discover'd who the Authors of this Artifice were The Billet was so dextrously
conveigh'd into the Kings hands that 't was impossible to have other then weak suspicions Some thought this Blow to have been given by Madam la Valiere who in the midst of the Austerities of her Cloyster could not be insensible of her disgrace Others threw this Intreague upon one of the Queens Ladies of Honour and others upon some of Lausun's friends and the latter perhaps were not mistaken One would have thought that after such a satisfaction as this the King should not have chang'd his Affection so soon But he no sooner beheld Madam de Fontange but his heart was smitten and he began to make her magnificent Presents Madam de Montespan was alarum'd at it She flatter'd herself however sometimes that the King would not forsake her But at length she saw so much coolness in him that she no longer doubted but that he was altogether in love with Fontange nor was she deceiv'd The King who was smitten with her Charms from the very first moment that he saw her commanded the Prince of Marsillac to tell her in his name that he had a Passion for her and that he should be the most happy Monarch in the world if she corresponded with his Tenderness Nor did the Prince of Marsillac meet with any great trouble in perswading her to grant what ever the King demanded for that she was brought to the Court with no other design but to please him She presently therefore made answer to the Prince of Marsillac that he had those Powerful Attractives that she must be altogether Insensible not to be charm'd with the Passion of the greatest Monarch in the World However that she could not rely upon what he had said to her so long as Madam de Montespan was still belov'd but if she could assure her self that the King had no farther thoughts of his Old Mistriss she might then build upon his Affection The Prince of Marsillac to make a quick end of the business and to pride himself in the success of his Embassy told Madam de Fontage whatever could be said upon the like occasion that the King had then no kindness for Madam de Montespan but what was only habitual and he swore and vow'd that M. de Montespan was utterly obliterated out of the Kings heart and alleadg'd so many reasons for it that Mademoiselle de Fontange acknowledg'd the Adorations which she had always payd the King in her heart nor could she conceal the transports of her joy Madam de Montespan who soon after had notice of all that had past was at her wits end She left nothing omitted to regain the the Kings Affection And the Marquess of Lonvois who was one of her sincerest friends advis'd her to watch an opportunity to speak with the King in private She did so she sigh'd she sobb'd complain'd and wept a shower of Tears But all could not force from the King any more then these words That he would visit her as he was wont to do but that a King ought to have his own Liberty In a word he return'd to her as he was wont to do but always wholly taken up with his new Passion The first time the King saw Mademoiselle de Fontange was at the Tuilleries At what time he had a long Discourse with her wherein he acquainted her after a most tender manner with his love and told her it should be her fault if in loving him she did not meet with all the sweets of a most sincere Correspondence La Fontange answer'd with an Air so full of discomposure that the trouble of her mind furnish'd her with new Charms And the King perceiv'd from that very moment that her Heart was not made of Adamant In a word when they parly'd he told her that he saw well her shamefastness and modesty had hindred him from delivering to her his whole mind After which he desir d her to write to him adding withall that he flatter'd himself with having one of her Letters within a few hours wherein she would express the sentiments she had for him with more freedom then perhaps his Presence would permit her to do Mademoiselle de Fontange who had accompani'd to the Tuilleries a Lady of the Highest Quality in whom she very much confided and who had left her with the King walked a while with that Lady transported with joy and satisfaction because she well perceiv'd that the King had a real love for her After that they took Coach together and all their discourse was about what the King had said most obliging to her And in regard she told the Lady that the King had desir'd her to write the same day the Lady advis'd her not to fail for that she ran a hazard of losing her good Fortune if she did not yield him a blind obedience and that it was high time for her to declare herself And therefore added she write immediately such a Letter as Love shall dictate to ye Mad. de Fontage follow'd her advice so that she was no sooner got home but she writ to the King as follows Tho' the vast difference there is between your self and me ought to oblige me to look upon your Majesties Addresses as a peice of Gallantry rather then a real Declaration of your Affection nevertheless if it be true that real lovers when they have once beheld each other know the most secret thoughts of their own hearts 't would be a vanity for me any longer to conceal from you the sentiments which I have discover'd in yours I must acknowlege sincerely Sir that the Merit alone of your Person had already dispos'd of me before your Majesty made known to we your inclinations Pardon me however if I have strove against this Passion from the first minute that I perceiv'd it growing in me I did so but it was not out of any reluctancy that I had to cherish what appear'd to me so aimable only I was afraid Sir to displease ye Judge of my Inclination by so ingenious a Confession of my weakness It would be a difficult thing to express the Raptures the King was in after he had read this Letter He could not forbear reading it over and over and repeating the last words He was so well satisfi'd with his new Conquest that some time after he conferr'd the Office of Grand Huntsman of France upon Marsillac Which drew upon him the following Lampoon On Favour 's Ocean with full Sailes Marsilliac Swimms for tho' he fails In what belongs to Horn and Hound Yet cause he had the happy chance To hamper kindly in his Hay The King his Masters Royal Prey The King for service so renown'd Grand Huntsman made him of all France The sme day that Mademoiselle de Fontange wrote to the King the Monarch went to see her privately and after that was very assiduous in his visits to her Two days after he appointed a Hunting Match where were all the Ladies of Distinction that belong'd to the Court and among the rest Mademoiselle
de Fontange made her appearance in more then ordinary Splendor The King never left her and after he had given her the pleasure of seeing the Hunted Deer run just before her they went aside into the thickest part of the Wood where they stay'd for some time and from that day forward it was that M. de Fontange still found her self somewhat indispos'd She had on an Embroider'd Justtaucore of very great value which the King had presented her and wore a little flat Shepherdesses Hat cover'd with a Carnation and white Plume of Feathers which wrought a wonderful effect 'T was a most lovely day but toward the evening when the King was returning home there was a gentle Breeze which forc'd M. de Fontange to leave off her Hatt After which she ty'd her Head Attire with a Ribband the Knots of which hung down a little upon her Forehead and that same dress so highly pleas'd the King that he desirâ—d her not to dress her self otherwise all that evening The next day all the Ladies appearâ—d with their Heads drest after the same manner And this was the Original of those large Towers that Women still wear a Fashion that deriv d it self from the Court of France over all the Courts of Europe The next day after the Hunting March Madam de Fontange was troubled with extraordinary pains in her head and faintings of her heart so violent and sharp that she could not forbear complaining nor would the King stil from her overwhelmed with grief to see her in that condition At what time all of a suddain casting her Eyes upon the King with a tender and languishing Utterance Dear Prince said she was there a necessity that such great Pains should so speedily follow such great Pleasures But 't is no matter added she immediately I love the cause of 'em and shall do while I live The Passionate manner of her delivering these words rais'd the Kings Pity and his Love withall to that degree that he Embrac'd her with those Transports that he never had shown for any of his other Mistresses He vow'd to her that he never lov'd any one before so dearly as he lov'd her and that he would love her eternally After the King had declar'd himself for his new Mistress he so little observed any Measures that the whole Court knew within two Hours after all that had passed upon this occasion Madam who had as great an aversion for Madam Fontange as she had for La Valiere and who was no less vext to the heart and the Soul for having supply'd the King with two Mistresses that had quite baulk'd her of the King's Affection made it the subject of a thousand Nipping Taunts and Jokes Nor could Madam de Montespan forbear from doing very near the same thing So that one Evening the King found the following Verses under his Toilete Trouble not thus Great Pince your Brains nor Breast A Hero like your self too much of weakness shews Thus to disturb your rest And labour under Female throws To see Fontange in a Fainting-Fitt For Fainting-Fitts ne'r kill'd a Mistress yet How Kings themselves the loss of Reason prove When once submitted to the Laws of Love Then curb yoâ— Sighs and Lamentations cease For this is not the only time in short That your Fontange's Heart Has been tourmoil'd with Fainting-Fitts like these The King who had been told some days before that Madam had asserted in Company that M. de Fontange had been guilty of Intreagues in the Province from whence she came made no question but the Verses proceeded from her hand on of some of her Friends Upon which he declar'd that the affront touch'd him so much the more to the quick because the Attack was made upon his Mistresses Honour the most sensible part of a woman On the otherside M. de Fontange desir'd Justice to be done her for the Calumny that was thrown upon her and presently let fall a deluge of Tears But the King told her the best Justice he could do her was to despise the Lampoons and Satyrs of her Enemies and she agreed and Satyrs that 't was the best course they could take wherein she acted very prudently In the mean time the King refus'd no favour that Mademoiselle de Fontange desir'd of him She could but speak and have and more then that she obtain'd what he refus'd to several Princes He grunted Pensions to the greatest part of her friends and conferr'd upon one of her Sisters the Abby of Chelle very considerable for the yearly Revenue And that new Abbess was Conscecrated with that Pomp and Magnificence as it would be a difficult matter to describe The Ceremony was honour'd by a great number of Prelates almost all the Court was present and M. de Fontange appear'd with so much splendor that she drew upon her the Eyes of all the Spectators as much as the Abbess who was consecrated The faintings of the Heart which Madam de Fontange complain'd of continu'd till she declar'd herself to be big with Child which oblig'd the King to confer upon her the Title of Dutchess as he had done upon la Valiere and to provide her a House for the maintenance of which he allow'd her a hundred thousand Crowns a Month. But in regard she was extreamly liberal the Duke of Nouailles was made choice of to regulate her Expences to the end the Sum might hold out And then they began to call her Madam So soon as Madam de Montespan was fully convinc'd that she was to make room for her Rivaless she began to think of retiring and gave it out openly 'T was thought at first that she would have encreased the number of the Nunns at Fonterault because she had made some journey 's thither but she never had any thoughts of confining her self to such a Melancholy Life She withdrew indeed but was so far from removing from the Court as her Predecessor had done that she tarri'd there paid her Visits as she was wont to do and order d her Affairs after such a manner that she had always some little share in the Cabinet Intreagues This Retirement was better understood then Madam de la Valieres but she had reason without doubt for what she did However it were the King forbore not his Visits to Montespan but went to see her sometimes which made her give out that her Credit with the King was still greater then ever it was That the King's Love for Fontange was but a Transitory unsteady Affecttion from which he would recall himself as soon as he did from that which he had for Madam de Lude which lasted but for a few days lastly that she had reason to believe that her Lover would return to her again more enamour'd then ever he had been her Favourites also and Friends at Court endeavour'd to give a Reputation to these Reports But the more cleare-sighted finding that the King abandon'd himself wholly to Madam de Fontange began to seek her favour who still