of their Reputation than of their Fortune which is already great enough not to purchase new Establishments with the loss of their Honour In controversies of Things dubious let justice still carry the Cause and let no man think to maintain a Title by force which cannot support it self That of which I am now speaking was of this Nature and it were to be wish'd your Majesty had seriously consider'd it You would then have seen that this was only a Bait thrown out the better to deceive you and also that this Treaty contain'd some things in it which render'd the Execution of it impossible as I shall hereafter plainly shew your Majesty This Business of which I have spoken all in a Breath because I was ingag'd in it by mentioning your Majesty's Design to marry Mademoiselle Montpensier to Prince Charles ought not to do things in order have been plac'd here but the Excuse I made before must serve me again without making any other Your Majesty having declar'd in all the Conferences I had with you the great Desire you had to do something effectually toward the Reformation of your Kingdom call'd for those Memoirs that had been drawn up in Cardinal Richelieu's time concerning it The suddain Death of that Minister having prevented the doing of it himself You found in those Papers many things against which you had reason to object because the time which had past since that Cardinal's Death had chang'd the State of Affairs and that which was good under his Ministry was not so now But your Majesty made choice of the Good and left the Bad wherein you shew'd so much Judgment that I can never enough commend you You resolv'd to make the Partisans render again what they had swallow'd for abusing your Minority they had fill'd their own Coffers by emptying yours You intended to begin with their Master who was as you thought most faulty I mean the Superintendant of the Finances whose Abuses I had discover'd to your Majesty and who was himself so conscious that to avoid the Punishment he deserv'd he thought of saving himself by a greater Crime To that purpose he had bought Belle Isle of the Family of de Rets where he intended to stand upon his Guard against your Majesty having by Pensions made several Governours of Provinces and Frontier Places of his Party of which a Draught was found amongst his Papers when he was seiz'd so that if Justice had been done upon him he should have been brought to a Scaffold The Place which he had in Parliament made your Majesty think it dangerous to prosecute him till he had quitted it You perswaded him to part with it under pretence that all the Affairs of State being since the Death of the Cardinal in his Hands his Place in Parliament would be now of little worth to him Fouquet ran into the Trap and having sold his Place to one of his Friends you went into Britany and there had him arrested At the same time you seiz'd upon Belle Isle The thing was executed in the same manner your projected it and having appointed Commissioners to try him you caus'd him to be prosecuted Monsieur Tellier was his capital Enemy but his trimming Politicks would not let him act against him He begun to be jealous of your Majesty's shewing me so much Favour and as he would not have been displeas'd if you had not put so much confidence in my Services so he would if he could have made the Prosecution of Monsieur Fouquet pass for Injustice See how they who desire to pass for Wise Men in Publick yet cannot dissemble when they think their own Interest is at stake so that to judge of Things rightly a Man must not do it rashly by appearances A Prudent Man ought to stay till such Accidents happen as use to move Peoples Passions for 't is then we are to make a Judgment of Mens Wisdom and not where that which passeth doth not concern 'em for then 't is no wonder if they appear insensible Your Majesty erected a Court of Justice to enquire how the Farmers of your Revenue had behav'd themselves which drew upon me the publick hatred because the number of those who had robb'd your Majesty was so great that half Paris was concern'd in it either by themselves or by their Friends and Relations Indeed the prodigious Wealth of those Blood-suckers of your People was so great that they were ally'd to most of the Considerable Military or Gown-men They had also brought the Sale of all Places to so excessive a Price that no body but themselves were able to buy Fieubet offer'd for the Attorney-General's Place sixteen hundred thousand Francks That of a Chief Judge was not less worth That of a Master of Requests was valued at a Hundred and ten thousand Crowns A simple Councellor of Parliament's Place at two Hundred and I know not how many thousand Livers I very plainly foresaw what effect this would have against me and that it would be said also there was no Faith in your Majesty who after People had serv'd you with their Purses you paid your Debts with excessive Taxes and sent such People to Hospitals who before had liv'd as handsomly as any in Paris tho' the baseness of their Original was an infallible Proof that they had gotten their Wealth by Rapine and consequently there was no Injustice in obliging them to disgorge it But there was a great deal of difference between what was done during your Minority and what you did your self The one requires that a Prince should make good his Word otherwise he would find none to serve him in his necessity whence would happen greater Inconveniences than any humane Prudence would be able to remedy So that a Prince would be very ill advis'd who should by his ill Conduct deprive himself of that Assistance which sooner or later he shall be sure to want For tho' he may Reign but a little time yet those Things may fall out wich he could not foresee let his Management be never so frugal They may sometimes be of such consequence that the funds which he hath provided are not sufficient to help him There ought to be no greater a Provision of Ready Money than what is proportion'd to the running Cash of a Kingdom otherwise a Prince would bring his own Revenue to nothing by rendring his People unable to assist him with their Purses the Prince himself having all the ready Money in his own Hands A Consequence so dangerous obligeth a Prince to keep his Word but yet he ought not to let his Farmers get so excessively as to ruine his People and himself too for 't is manifest if he doth not manage his Affairs like a good Father of a Family he will be oblig'd to lay Tax upon Tax The Farmers on their side must not think to grow vastly Rich in a short time because then it will be no Injustice to Fleece 'em whereas when their Gain is moderate they
presently take Hagenau but the Prince of Condé having oblig'd them to raise the Siege they attacqued Saverne which they thought to carry with more ease But their Success there was the same they had at Hagenau so that this Campaign which at first threatned your Majesty with a turn of Fortune ended so little to your disadvantage that your Majesty had no cause to fear on that side The Sweeds came not off so well They were at last advanc'd into the Elector of Brandenbourg's Country where they took some Posts of no great consequence but they went on so slowly that they seem'd to act in concert with the Elector he taking as little care to oppose them But the Elector knowing that the King of Sweden being press'd by your Majesty would at last act more vigorously against him made haste out of Holland where he then was to defend his own Country and had the good Fortune as soon as he arriv'd to rout the Swedes at a Pass called Felbeling They lost there the greatest part of their Cannon and Baggage a blow they could not recover during that Campaigne The King of Denmark who with the Princes of the Family of Brunswick took part with the Elector had now an opportunity to do his own business They all at one time fell upon the Swede in the Dutchy of Bremen in the Isle of Rugen and some other of his Frontiers And finding little resistance any where the King of Denmark besieged and took Wismar a considerable Port upon the Baltick Sea Your Majesty having now more Reason than ever to be sensible of the ill Service Monsieur Louvoy had done you in perswading you not to make Peace accepted of the King of England's Mediation which he offer'd to all the Princes engaged in the War in order to make an end of it They all consented as you did and sent their Plenepotentiaries to Nimeghen where yours arriv'd first The Spanyard till now appear'd most averse to the Peace but the Business of Messina had brought down his Pride and he fear'd that you would become Master of the whole Kingdom of Sicily as you already were of the Capital City and of Augusta where the Duke of Vivonne had plac'd a Garrison This last Town was not considerable for its strength but being a Retreat for your Shipping was of great advantage to your Majesty The Dutch on the other side were grown weary of the War which was a very great Charge to 'em by the Subsidies they had paid to those Princes who came to their assistance Beside they began to think they were not so much concern'd in the War your Majesty having quitted their Country and there was now no more to be consider'd but the Interests of the Emperour with those of the Princes of the Empire But those being so different promoted the Peace since it is certain they had less reason to distrust your Majesty than their own Party For as the Emperour's Power which he insensibly increas'd gave great cause of Jealousie to all the Princes so the Emperour on his part could not be well pleas'd to see them maintain a good Correspondence one with another and often confer together concerning their Interests without calling him to their Councils Things being in this condition at the beginning of the Year 1676 Monsieur Louvoy who had still a Spleen against me about the business of the Routes endeavour'd to be even with me in an Affair relating to the Finances wherein he suspected I had been tampering But I made it appear to your Majesty as clear as the day that I was no way concern'd in it and that if any thing had been done which could not be justified Damarets my Nephew was to be called to an Account for it who had had the ordering of the whole business I told your Majesty at the same time I would not be answerable for him knowing him to be a dangerous Person where there was any thing to be got I never trusted him he was so Covetous yet I was one of the first he endeavour'd to deceive Your Majesty was much more kind to him than he deserved you gave him a Hundred Thousand Crowns in the first business he undertook for you but there are some People so insatiable that should your Majesty give 'em half your Kingdom they would not be contented However you were so gracious to him as to pass all by for my sake which is not the only thing for which I am indebted to your Majesty Tho' I can say without boasting I never had recourse to your Favour to be pardon'd for defrauding or robbing your Majesty I have always endeavour'd to walk uprightly and I desie any Person to accuse me of the contrary The Heir of one Named Friois by Nation a Swiss who had got a very considerable Estate in your Kingdom could testifie what I say were he call'd to it Friois dyed very Old and was never Married The Person of whom I speak as Heir to him claimed what he left but was oppos'd by one that Farmed your Majesty's Demesnes who pretended a Title to it in your Majesty's Right because Friois was a Bastard So that according to the Law of your Kingdom all he had got belong'd to him that had got the King's Title This Contest put them upon making Friends He pretended Heir to the Swisse thinking he could find no body that could do him more Service than my self offer'd me Two Hundred Thousand Francks if I would stand by him I told him no Sum were it never so great could tempt me to do any thing that was unjust so that seeing he could do nothing with me he address'd himself to some very near Monsieur Louvoy who for that Summ divided among 'em did his business Villacerf and Pouange had Twenty Thousand Crowns apiece Stouppa and a certain Man whose Name I have forgot had the rest The Farmer of your Majesty's Demesnes made his Complaint to me and pray'd me to inform your Majesty what wrong had been done him but I found your Majesty so prepossest that it was impossible for me to do any thing for him I know many other Cases wherein there hath been the like prevarication and your Majesty may be assur'd that during the War there hath been a base unworthy Trade of Selling vacant Places even so low as Ensigns This hath made one Alexander the Son of a pittiful Scrivener so Rich that he thinks himself a Companion for Persons of the best Quality 'T is by the like abuse Charpentier and Bynot his Brother-in-Law are become so wealthy tho' one but the Son of a little Townsman of Compeigne and the other the Son of a Sergeant of Tonnere Your Majesty may make bold with these Mens Purses when you have occasion for Mony and need not fear any body will find fault with it The one will throw up whole Companies he hath sold and the others will disgorge the Blood of entire Corporations wherewith they have fatted themselves
but 't is not reasonable that more than two thousand Families should perish for the sake of a few The Council is full of instances of the like kind and your People have reason to expect you should favour the oppressed The Books that are brought from Paris are so very dear that poor People are not able to come up to their Price A poor Parson whose living is worth but a hundred Crowns a year hath as much need of Instruction as he who hath two thousand and if it be expected that he should Preach and do his Duty he must not be trod under foot The only thing that can be objected against so good and just a Regulation is that Your Majesty may have reason to lessen the number of Booksellers for Libels are now so frequent and common that Bookselling may be thought a Trade more pernicious than profitable to the Government When there are fewer Book-sellers the Authors of these Libells may be discover'd It may also be necessary to bring all that sell Books to so low a condition as to force them to follow some other Imployments for indeed there is no need of so great a number Learning and Letters will flourish without it But whatever Your Majesty's intention be you may do as is done in Spain where Books are Sold at a Price certain and he that Prints them is not permitted to put such a rate upon them as they that have need of them think unreasonable CHAP. XVI Of Husbandmen and Tillage TIllage and Husbandry being the great Wealth of the Kingdom your Majesty is not only concern'd to contribute all you can to the maintaining of it in its present condition but if possible to put it into a better In many Places of the Kingdom a great deal of Land lyes Untill'd because the People are very poor and have not Beasts or Cattle to Manure it nor any other means to improve it To relieve and help your People in a business so necessary Your Majesty would do well to lessen the Taxes a Burden under which they are ready to sink and lend them Money to buy Cows and Sheep Five or six Millions dispers'd among the Provinces would make them all flourish and Your Majesty would be the first that would reap the benefit of it for as soon as your People are in a better condition they will be the better able to aid and assist you One of the greatest causes of the Sterility of the Earth is the Poverty of those that should cultivate it for we see one and the same Soil produce more or less as it is well or ill Plow'd and Dress'd Therefore it will not be enough for Your Majesty to give Husbandmen Money to buy Cattle if they still want Horses I call such poor Jades as are hardly able to draw a Plow want of Horses For when the Earth is but scratch'd up and not Plow'd deep enough what Crop can it produce your Majesty must therefore give 'em Money to buy better and stronger Horses and the rather because you your self will find the benefit of it Let them have Mares of a good size and they will bring Colts that will serve to mount your Cavalry and then there will be no more need of going into Switzerland or Germany to buy Horses of Stature for that purpose They likewise that keep Stallions must take more care of them than they have done hitherto 'T is therefore my opinion that they should be put into the hands of Gentlemen who know best how to order them and 't is more their business than theirs who now keep them But the Summ which Your Majesty hath hitherto been pleas'd to lay out for this purpose is not sufficient for it Fourscore and four Stallions in the whole Kingdom are but enough for two or three Provinces and there are others which are very proper to keep Races to breed by FINIS Appanage signifies the Portion given to the King of Franc's younger Children * Finances signifie all Taxes and Dutys whatever paid to the King to make up his Revenue * Farmers of the King's Revenue * The Town-House like the Guild-Hall of London * Sixteen Millions of Livres computed At 12 Livres to the Pound Sterling amounts to One Million Three Hundred Thirty Three Thousand Three Hundred Thirty Three Pounds Six Shillings and Eight Pence * A Term in the Church of Rome for the Sacrament which is given to People at the point of death * Judges or Officers of Justice sent by the King into the Provinces * A gentle word for Persecuted but 't is the Author's and must be faithfully render'd He makes some amends for it at the end of the Paragraph * A kind of Hospital in Paris where the Blind are allow'd to beg at their Church-doors and at the corners of Streets * There being a Duty laid on Wine resembling our Excise what is made and consum'd like Beer and Ale brew'd in Private Families is exempt from all Duty But by this Tax there is only an allowance of so much Wine to every Family proportionable to their Number and if they exceed that Allowance the Officer returns Trop bu and they pay Excise for the Overplus †A Tax much like our Toll which is taken at the Gates of Paris and of other Cities for all sorts of Provision and Merchandize that enters therein * The King's Officers who makes the Assessments of all Taxes and Aids within their several Provinces and judge and regulate aâ—l Differences relating thereto * The Lawyers * La Noblesse properly signifies the Ancient Gentry who all call themselves Noble in France * A Monastery for Women of Quality out of which they may Marry or go again into the World * A Word of Ignominy and Reproach in France * Is the Sixtieth part of the Price of any Office in the Law or the Finances which is annually paid to the King by all Officers that they may have leave to sell or to dispose of their Places during that Year and when an Officer dies without paying la Paulette his Heirs lose the Benefit of his place It takes its Name from Charles Paulet who invented it about the Year 1600 and was authoriz'd by an Arrest of the Privy Council the 12th of Dec. 1604.
totally defeated that they have never since been able to recover their loss But without robbing that Prince of any part of his Glory we may say That this success was owing to none but God for had he not taken your Majesty into his Protection the Enemy might have advanced to the head of a narrow Way through which the General must have past in their presence They might also have fallen upon him when by the inconvenience of the Ways he was oblig'd to divide his Army But beside all these Difficulties there was an apparent danger in giving Battel for had it been lost the Enemy might have march'd to the very Gates of Paris But 't is sometimes God's Will that neither Party shall think of doing that which they should do and then he leads those step by step whom he hath resolv'd to protect The happy success of this Battel of Rocroy was follow'd with a Joy that was the more sincere because your Subjects had a tender Love for your Majesty and the Queen your Mother The Persecution she had suffer'd as well as Mary de Medicis during Cardinal Richelieu's Ministry procur'd your Mother a great deal of pity and as Pity is usually accompany'd with Esteem the more unhappy she had been the more People resolv'd to follow her Fortune However it ought to be observ'd it was otherwise with Mary de Medicis for all People saw her departure out of the Kingdom with dry eyes no body was concern'd but her own particular Servants and Domesticks Upon which may be made this very good Reflection That Princes soon lose the Love of their best Subjects by their ill Government She had shewn too much Favour to Mareschal d'Ancre and his Wife both of her own Country to be pity'd by the People And as in France as well as in other Places they do not love to obey Strangers the Grandees murmur'd at it and left the Court because the Queen little regarged their Complaints The King your Father also grew jealous of their Power which caus'd the Assassination of the Mareschal and the tragical end of his Wife However it was very ill digested and God be thanked we have not seen your Majesty's Reign stain'd with any thing like it A King never doth well to dip his Hands in the Blood of his Subjects When they deserve Punishment they ought to be legally prosecuted in a Court of Justice which perhaps sometimes cannot be safely done when a Subject becomes so great that his Master hath just cause to be afraid of him Wallestein was such a one and therefore the Emperour Ferdinand III. was excusable for commanding he should be kill'd Henry III. had the same reason to rid himself of the Duke of Guise when he was upon the point of usurping his Kingdom and shutting him up in a Monastery But except in such cases a Criminal is to be put into the hands of Justice not only for the Prince's own sake but because it is necessary the People should know that the Person is guilty Henry IV. took this course with Mareschal Biron for tho' he fear'd that if Biron perceiv'd his Designs were discover'd he might raise Troubles in the Kingdom yet that did not hinder the King from having a greater regard to what he ought to do for his own sake than for what might thappen The Queen your Mother SIR had done well had she taken example by that which befel Mary de Medicis she had not then brought the State as she did within so near being lost by the choice she made of Cardinal Mazarin to succeed Cardinal Richelieu His being a Stranger made all your Subjects forget the Obedience that was due to their Soveraign It was to no purpose to tell them He had already done great Services to the Crown and was still able to do greater because he understood foreign Affairs better than any other Person which indeed is absolutely necessary for a Publick Minister But they fancy'd these Reasons not so good as their own nor could they be beaten out of their Opinion That he being born a Subject of the King of Spain was never to be trusted And accusing the Queen-Mother of being more a Spaniard than a French-Woman they seem'd to repent the Pity they had had for her which appear'd in their confessing Cardinal Richelieu had reason to persecute her tho' all the Sufferings she had endur'd had no other foundation than a pretended private Intelligence she kept with the King of Spain her Brother But so People might satisfie their Passion they car'd not at what Price they did it I have reason to call all that Passion which was done a little after the Death of the King your Father since it is certain that your Subjects do not alway call Reason to their Aid If they had they would have seen that the Queen your Mother was not so much to be blam'd as they thought seeing she had preferr'd before others a Man that was able to keep up the Reputation the Crown had gotten in foreign Countries and knew what course was to be taken to meet there with success 'T is that which all the World doth not know tho' it be a thing of very great Consequence My Brother whom your Majesty Honour'd with making him Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs took the liberty many times to represent it to your Majesty but the Marquess Louvoy who hath Maxims very contrary to those Great Men's who have preceeded him in the Administration of the Kingdom destroy'd in a moment all that he strove to do But I know not whether the Marquess will always have Reason on his side because he makes use of the Strength only of your own Subjects which Cardinal Richelieu who knows as much as he did not do when he carried the War into Germany made Catalonia and Portugal revolt and led the way to the low'ring of the House of Austria Indeed tho' your Kingdom be very powerful and your Majesty hath a third part at least increas'd its Strength by your Conquests yet 't is contrary to good Sense to exhaust all its Forces Your Majesty will be better able to maintain the War by arming other Princes in your Favour But to do that you must treat them like Soveraigns as they are and not pretend as Monsieur Louvoy doth because they are your Majesty's Inferiours they ought to look upon themselves as Slaves Your Majesty perhaps knows not what Answer he made to the Elector Palatine's Envoy who complaining at the beginning of the Holland War That his Master was no better treated than those who were actually in Arms against you the Marquess told him That it did not become such a petty Prince as his Master to make so great a Noise about so small a Matter That your Majesty was not bound to give an account to any Man of your Actions And That the Elector's standing so much on his Points was the way to lose the Honour of your Friendship Such great Words SIR may
But you took from him la Bassée and Lens where you lost Mareschal Gassion who was there Mortally wounded Your Majesty who had been the last Year on the Frontiers came thither again this Year and inspired Courage into your Souldiers by giving 'em great marks of your Liberality But the Arch-Duke hindering you from making any further Conquests in that Country your Majesty was very well pleased with the great Success your Arms had in Germany The Duke of Bavaria was forced to accept of a Neutrality as the Duke of Saxony had done some time before so that the Emperour had at that Instant concluded a Peace had not the Spaniards disswaded him from it their Reasons were the appearance of some Sparks of the Civil-War which soon after broke out but the Mischief they wish'd us fell more upon them than upon us and the Revolt which hap'ned at Naples put them into strange Confusion Your Majesty supported that Commotion with all your Forces and equip'd a brave Fleet to carry Succors thither But the Duke of Guise who had thrown himself into the Place acting there independently from your Majesty Cardinal Mazarin who did not love him took occasion to recall the Fleet without furnishing him with the Necessaries he wanted The Cardinal was inexcusable since it was a capital Crime not to lay hold of so fair an Opportunity if your Majesty had not been in full Minority you had been better served Notwithstanding the Duke of Guise maintain'd things with a great deal of good Fortune and Courage while the Duke d' Anguien who had now after his Father's Death taken the Name of the Prince of Condé saw the Laurels he had gather'd in Flanders and Germany wither by his ill Success before Lerida which he had besieged I wish I could pass over in silence the Year 1648. a Year Fatal to our Monarchy and wherein the greatest part of your Subjects began to fail in their Obedience to your Majesty you know the pretence they had for it were the many Taxes wherewith they were burdened but the real Cause was the Ambition of the Parliament which pretended to enlarge its Authority they began to examine all that your Majesty did in your Cabinet and tho' you commanded them not to assemble about any other Business than to judge and determine the differences and Law-Suits depending between your Subjects yet they regarded not your Commands but condemned your Edicts whereof the necessity of your Affairs required the publication This put the Kingdom into so ill a Condition that the Arch-Duke took Furnes Ettere and Lens The Prince of Condé whom your Majesty sent against him having taken Ypres the beginning of the Campagne retook Ettere and at Lens gave the Arch-Duke Battel and beat him This Success encourag'd your Majesty to try to suppress the Sedition you caused the chief Rebels to be seized at their going out from the Te Deum sung at Notredame for the Victory but instead of having by this brisk Action the Success you had reason t' expect it heightened the Rebellion to such a degree that you had cause to be surpriz'd at it The Parisians took Arms in Favour of the Prisoners and having made Barricadoes in all the Streets within an Hundred Paces of your Pallace they oblig'd you to release them I draw a Curtain over the remembrance of an Action so displeasing to you and so shameful in them if the Queen could have prevailed she wou'd never have consented to it for she maintain'd it would be such a Blow to your Authority as would be of dangerous consequence I think she was in the right and indeed this Condescention served only to increase the Boldness of the Mutineers so that they were not long without making new Demands However this did not hinder the Emperour from concluding a Peace with your Majesty who by having gain'd the Battel of Sommerhausen reduced him to such a condition that he and those that had taken up Arms in his Favour had been lost without it You took care of the Interest of your Allyes whom the Spaniards by their Intriegues endeavoured to separate from you but what is more remarkable you shewed your self the Protector of the Catholick Religion though all your Allyes are Protestants and which might very well have embroyled you with them But the Emperour minded only his own Interests and quite forgot those of Religion which he had many times during the War made a shew of maintaining but there is great difference between Words and Deeds which teacheth us that if we will not be deceiv'd it is much better to trust to the one than to the other This Treaty wherein your Majesty shew'd your self more firm to the Interest of your Allyes than to your own procur'd you the Friendship of all the Princes of the Empire who begun to look upon you as their Protector They did no longer fear the Emperour's bereaving them of their Liberty or that for the future there would be any more Princes who like Charles V. would endeavour to subject them What mischief hath Monsieur Louvoy done to trouble a Harmony so necessary to both Parties from which the Emperour could never hope for any good It may also be said that this Minister's Imprudence hath been very great seeing notwithstanding the just Fears all the Empire ought to have of his Imperial Majesty's Power yet he hath so very ill treated all its Members that they are now again ready to unite against your Majesty many Politicians wonder at it and say that seeing they have more Reason to fear the Emperour than your Majesty they will take the wrong side if they joyn again with the Emperour But to be of their Opinion it ought to be known what this Minister of yours requires of them he never speaks to them but with a Cudgel in his Hand and since Soveraigns are not used to be so treated they think if Chains are to be avoided they are those which are presented with so much rudeness Your Majesty carry'd the War into Italy notwithstanding you had so much to do in the Heart of your own Kingdom But the Spaniards having taken the Duke of Guise Prisoner and pacified the troubles of Naples they made the Duke of Modena rise from Cremona which he had besieged after his taking part with your Majesty But the Spaniards fail'd in the Design they had upon Marseilles where they intended to burn your Majesty's Ships wich were in that Port and to seize upon the Town where many of the Inhabitants held Intelligence with them Your Majesty to whom this was of extream great Consequence caus'd those that were most guilty to be punisht and pardon'd others that by your Goodness they might be induced not to fail for the future in the Obedience they ow'd you But the continual Attempts of the Parliament being of very ill Example to those that were dis-affected in many Places People lost all respect due to your Majesty so that the Hollanders whom your
certain that Ambiton was not the sole cause of this Voyage and that Love had a great part in it For he had given up his Heart to the Dutchess of Chatillon and the desire he had to see her made him lose the Advantage he might have drawn from this Victory This was a Fault which many great Princes commit and 't is a Miracle if they conquer their Passion The Prince of Condé is not the only Person that hath been faulty in this kind and your Majesty knows that there is a Prince beside him whose Reputation is much greater than his that is fallen into the same Fault A Man may be in Love and yet do his Duty for tho' it be dificult yet 't is but to remember that every one hath his Eyes upon what he doth and nothing can stop their observation A Prince who hath care of his Honour will never suffer such hold to be taken of him he will rather conquer himself for a time than give the least Stain to his Reputation Beside an Opportunity once lost is not easily retriev'd whence we are to conclude that when a thing can be done it never ought to be put off till to Morrow The Prince of Condé's Absence gave your Majesty an Opportunity to recruit your Army with ease so that in some time after it was again in a Condition to be fear'd The Duke of Orleans who had wholly declar'd himself against your Majesty fearing to be run down sent to his Brother-in-Law the Duke of Lorrain for his Assistance and the Spaniards who every Year hir'd his Troops consented to it He enter'd France and march'd toward Estampes which Viscount Turenne had besieg'd The Place of it self was not considerable but being defended by a good Garrison it held out longer than People thought it wou'd so that the Duke of Lorrain might have come time enough to have reliev'd it which much troubled your Majesty but according to his ordinary Practice being more us'd to Plunder than to Fight he made such little Marches that the Place was taken before he came to it Viscount Turenne in perfect spite march'd against him and forc'd him to repass the Seine he encamp'd at Villaneue St. Georges where without great disadvantage he could not be forc'd to fight he pillag'd all Brie as well as the plain Country about Paris for which he had the Curses of the Parisiens who flatter'd themselves he was come to relieve and not to Plunder 'em But all their Complaints were to no purpose your Majesty who was as much concern'd as they seeing they cou'd not be ruin'd without your being sensible of it endeavour'd to gain the Duke of Lorrain that he might cease pillaging the Country there was some appearance of prevailing with him your Majesty having wherewith to tempt him for you were possest of his Country which you offer'd to restore upon reasonable Conditions But he lov'd ready Money better than Offers so advantagious to him your Majesty having granted him a Pass he went out of the Kingdom to their great astonishment who called him in Your Majesty was likewise much surpris'd not believing a Prince of his Birth cou'd act in such a manner upon so base an Account But Kindness to his Children which he had by the Princess de Cantecroix made him think of nothing but getting Money seeing he cou'd not settle the Country of Lorrain upon 'em for two Reasons the one was because it was his Wife's Inheritance the other was he had those Children not by his Wife and therefore being incapable of succeeding him he resolv'd to give them Portions in Money for their Maintenance The King of England the unfortunate Son of a more unhappy Father who was come to seek Refuge and Relief from your Majesty serv'd you perfectly well in this Treaty which troubled you very much till it was ended For if the Duke of Lorrain wou'd he might have put Viscount Turenne hard to it whom you thought for some time in great danger because he was come too near his Camp but he happily got out of the Briars by his admirable Conduct which gain'd him a great deal of Reputation as well with the Enemy as among his own Souldiers Your Majesty having made a good end of so difficult an Affair gave no leisure to the Rebels and by your Presence so encourag'd your Army that the Prince of Condé saw himself and his Troops ready to fall into your Hands For you pursued him so hotly that he was forced to possess himself of the Bridge of St. Cloud by which he thought to avoid a Battel but your Majesty having laid a Bridge over the Seine he saw himself ready to be attaqu'd in Front and Rear he then got under the Walls of Paris and march'd round it to get to Charenton Viscount Turenne who observ'd it follow'd him so close that he begun to charge his Reer near Port du Temple and Port St. Martin which oblig'd him to hasten his March and being come to the height of the Fauxbourg St. Antoin he made use of some Retrenchments which Chance afforded him they having been made to secure the Citizens against the Thievery of the Duke of Lorrain's Troops There he lodg'd his Foot in better Order than the shortness of the time seem'd to permit and drew in his Cavalry he sent the Duke of Beaufort into the City to perswade the Citizens to let in and secure his Baggage and declare for the Prince But the Fear the Parisiens had to be pillag'd made them shut and place Guards at their Gates The Prince of Condé when he saw this rang'd all his Baggage along the Ditch and caus'd Holes to be made through the Houses where he saw your Forces advance Your Majesty was posted at Menill to see this Attack which would have rejoyc'd your great Heart had it been to fight with your Enemies and not against your Subjects The Onset was furious and your Troops having forc'd the Retrenchments Vicount Turenne brought up his Canon to a Place call'd the Throne because one had been there erected to receive your Majesty when after your Marriage you made your entrance into the City The Prince of Condé did all he cou'd to sustain your Peoples Efforts who encourag'd by your Presence did Wonders and God who would not suffer the Rebellion to continue gave your Majesty an entire Victory so that the Prince of Condé had been utterly lost if Paris had not open'd its Gates to him where he sav'd his remaining Troops Mademoiselle Montpensier did the Prince this Service and caus'd the Canon to be discharg'd upon your Majesty and your Minister who was very near you This Victory astonish'd the Parisiens and those who were of the Prince of Condé's Party your Majesty having some faithful Subjects in this great City who made People sensible how much they had fail'd in their Duty to your Majesty so that they were a long time in suspence before they agree'd to give the Prince that Assistance he
so much wanted This occasion'd an Assembly which met two Days after at the Town-House where were a great many Persons who in some manner represented the States general of whom a Convocation had been demanded of your Majesty and which you had promis'd to free your self of their Importunities But as you had there your Creatures as well as the Prince had his while they were disputing what Resolutions to take the Mutineers broke open the Doors and kill'd some of the Deputies an only Son of a Councellor of the great Chamber a considerable quality in that time was with some others slain This Murder having caus'd great Confusion those of your Majesty's Party put Paper in their Hats to be known by one another the other Party wore Straw in theirs which Mark some of the greatest Lords in your Court were forc'd to wear as well as others in Paris They that put Straw in their Hats quickly became the stronger Party and falling upon those that wore Paper the Mareschal de L' Hopitall Governour of the City had much ado to save himself Many were of Opinion that it was the Prince of Condé who stir'd up this Tumult and wou'd have charg'd it on Cardinal Mazarin to render him the more Odious but whether the truth were discover'd or People begun to be weary of disobeying their Master every one thought of making Peace with your Majesty the Duke of Orleans made Propositions to you and so did the Parliament but you found them so high and so void of that respect which was due to you that instead of hearing them you were so angry with the Parliament that you remov'd it to Ponthoise This Action accompany'd with many other of the like Nature quite astonish'd the Mutineers the Prince of Condé nevertheless endeavour'd to warm his Party again who were ready to leave him But the Parliament being upon the point of turning their backs upon him as well as your Uncle the Duke of Orleans he threw himself into the Arms of the Spaniards Your Majesty made a prudent use of this Conjuncture and to unite all Parties you feign'd to send Cardinal Mazarin away a second time whom many made the pretence of their Rebellion so that no longer having a Cloak to cover it they all resolv'd to return to their Duty provided your Majesty would grant them a general Act of Oblivion you did not think sit to refuse it and the Duke of Orleans being retir'd to Blois a Town assign'd him for part of his Appanage your Majesty had now no more to do but to return to the Capital City of your Kingdom You were humbly importun'd to do it by your Parliament and in the Name of the Clergy by the Coadjutor who according to the promise given him had been made a Cardinal and who came expresly to wait upon you at Compiegne your Majesty call'd a Council there to be advis'd whether you should not cause him to be Arrested to punish him for his breach of Faith in not performing the Promises he had made you But it was thought sit first to make a firm settlement of your Authority and when that was done you would be much better able to do what you thought good 'T is indeed Prudence to let things ripen and to do a thing out of season is to spoil all Some blame the Prince who might have had your Majesty's Pardon had he sought it in a decent manner because he took a fancy to follow the Duke of Lorrain's example who pillag'd and plunder'd Friends and Enemies without any distinction but it is not to be believ'd that a Prince of his Birth and great Mind cou'd have any Thoughts unworthy of the one or the other yet he ransack'd the Frontier of Campagne as he went off and after he had taken Rhetel and St. Menehout he retir'd to Namur He had there some Conference with a Minister of the Arch-Duke's who before he wou'd let the Prince come to Bruxells would know whether he would give him the Hand This Proposition made the Prince sensible to what Displeasures he had expos'd himself by his Disobedience but his great Courage not suffering him to hesitate what answer to make he sent the Arch-Duke word that the Honour he had to be the first Prince of the Blood of France had too well taught him what was his Right for him ever to part with it He therefore pretended to take place of the Arch-Duke were he not in the Low-Countries where he represented his Catholick Majesty in that Quality he would give him the upper Hand when he went to visit him but when the Arch-Duke in his turn came to see him he expected the same The Arch-Duke was not pleas'd with so haughty an Answer and believing that after what the Prince had done there was no more returning for him into France he insisted upon the Prince's giving him place every where to which the Prince wou'd never consent The thing at last went so far that he caus'd the Arch-Duke to be told that unless he accepted the Offer he made him he would in eight Days be gone and that he was not yet so to seek but he knew very well where to go the Arch-Duke was then forc'd to let him have his Will but seeing it was much against the Arch-Duke's it shew'd the Prince what Inconveniences attend a Man's forsaking his own Country and going into a Foreign Court especially when a Man is look'd upon as a Rebel and is oblig'd to buy his Protection whatever the Price be he must pay for it He had the same dispute with the Duke of Lorrain who liv'd for the most part at Bruxells and many times 't was thought they wou'd come to Blows but 't was hinder'd by their Friends without undertaking to decide the Difference about eithers Pretentions for the Duke of Lorrain wou'd not endure any Competition and the Prince of Condé cou'd not hear of giving place without falling into great Passion but that which gave him the greatest Distaste in that Court was that Prince Francis the Duke's Brother did likewise dispute Precedency with him which caus'd such Heats as were not like to end without Fighting That which most anger'd the Prince of Condé was that the Arch-Duke wou'd not regulate the business tho' the Prince pray'd him to do it confiding in the Justice of his Cause The Arch-Duke had a mind to mortify the Prince of Condé and would not disoblige Prince Francis whom he resolv'd to keep still with him especially at that time when he fear'd he wou'd be gone into France where many endeavours were us'd to gain him See what unexpected Displeasures Men meet with when they put themselves into the Service of a Foreign Prince but 't is otherwise when a Man stays in his own Country where the Place due to his Quality is not only regulated but it is also the Sovereign's Interest to do nothing to the prejudice of a Prince of his Blood 'T is but just a Man should do
While this pass'd your Majesty being convinc'd that since it was the Duke of Lorrain's Interest to live in Amity with you he would avoid all occasions of giving you Distast and that he could no longer retain the Suspicion he had that you would take his Country from him yet instead of dealing sincerely with you he grew jealous of your endeavouring to get his Nephew out of the Emperour's Hands believing still it was to keep him in awe His Trouble was so great that tho' the thing did not succeed yet without considering what would follow he begun to fortifie Chaté and Epinal contrary to the Treaty he had made with your Majesty He was likewise so bold as to take away the Posts upon which were plac'd your Majesty's Arms for a Testimony of your Jurisdiction there which he would by no means allow Beside your Majesty knew that he rais'd Forces in Germany and that he still kept up those Regiments which he pretended to disband Your Majesty being no longer able to bear this sent the Marquess Fourilles into his Country where he miss'd but a Quarter of an Hour of taking the Duke who as soon as your Troops appear'd had notice given him time enough to get on Horseback and being conscious of what he had done sav'd himself in the Mountains of Voges where not thinking himself secure to avoid your Displeasure he went wandring up and down sometimes not daring to tell who he was A strange condition for a Prince to be brought to who might have liv'd at his own ease if he had been Wiser which shews us what difference there is between the Fortune of a Wise Man and a Fool 's Your Majesty then took Possession of his Country which made little resistance and having demolish'd the Places you suspected you acquainted the Dyet of Ratisbone with those just Reasons you had for what you did because you thought he would endeavour to make the Empire jealous of you and consequently take Arms against you You proceeded in this manner to prevent his evil Design and that Europe might not attribute that to your Ambition which was but the Effect of your Justice Thus all Wise and Prudent Princes use to do for should they be silent and not justifie themselves the World would say they knew themselves to be Faulty or that they presum'd upon their Power and would not vouchsafe to give any Account of those Actions which might be justly suspected especially when they carry Two Faces and Ambition so plainly discovers it self that People must be blind not to see it The Duke after having been some time a Fugitive retir'd to Collen where he stay'd brewing new Mischief against your Majesty and in perfect spite to you counsell'd the Town to receive a Dutch Garrison He likewise treated with the Spaniards to let them have some Regiments he had still on Foot giving the command of them to Prince Vaudemont his Son by the Princess of Cantecroix to whom he would willingly have given Lorrain and disinherited his Nephew Your Majesty who had now more mind than ever to make War with the Hollanders seeing the Duke not satisfied with what he had done but still endeavouring to league the Princes of the Empire against you you sent Ministers thither to counter and oppose all his Designs and knowing that nothing could be a greater advantage to you than the breaking of the Triple League which still continu'd you drew near to England upon pretence of visiting the Places which belong'd to you on the Sea-Coast and when you were there Madam the Dutchess of Orleans being now not far from England was so desirous to see the King her Brother that she ask'd your Majesty's Leave to go thither You could not refuse her all Things being before concerted between you particularly that when she was with her Brother she should endeavour to draw him off from the Triple League and perswade him to espouse your Interest She carry'd with her a very pretty Woman called Madam Kerouel who had done all she could to make your Majesty in Love with her but her Stars being averse to your liking her so well as she wish'd she descended to content her self with the Conquest of the King of England whose Weak Side was the Fair Sex The Dutchess of Orleans who knew his Constitution had Madam Kerouel gloriously drest and to make her Shine the more presented her with fine Jewels The Dutchess took her time when her Brother was in a good Humour to make her Propositions Madam Kerouel by her Mistress's Order very dextrously slides into the Room and promis'd the King she would come back to him as soon as your Sister-in-Law was return'd into France if he would grant what her Mistress desir'd Thus did this Prince sacrifice the Dutch to his new Passion renounc'd the Triple League and took new Measures with your Majesty to humble that Commonwealth The Marquess de Vitry whom at the same time you sent into Sweden in the Quality of your Embassador extraordinary prevail'd also with his Swedish Majesty to quit the Triple League he being as much in Love with your Money as the King of England was with Madam Kerouel Every thing contributed to your good Fortune and Satisfaction The Elector of Collen who had a good while been your Friend endeavour'd to make the Dutch recall the Garrison they had in the Capital City of his Electorate which was very difficult because the Inhabitants pretended to a greater Power there than the Elector which is the Reason they are still jealous of him But while this was a doing your Sister-in-Law the Dutchess of Orleans dyed in an Hour's time after she had drunk a glass of Succory-water This sudden Accident considering her Constitution which in all appearance was very good together with her Youth made many suspect she did not dye a natural Death she her self saying before she dyed that she was poyson'd This was thought Probable because your Brother the Duke of Orleans kept a sort of People about him who made it their Business to make him jealous of her Your Majesty did all you could to find out the Truth of the Matter For as you were concern'd to punish so foul a Crime if it had been prov'd so you had Reason to fear it might have made a Breach between your Majesty and the King of England Beside it was necessary to search this Business to the Bottom to discover from whence this Poyson came whereof the Consequences were very dangerous Especially when many begun to talk of the like Accidents in Paris where People every Day dyed suddenly which could not be imputed to any Natural Cause Your Majesty caus'd the Dutchess's Body to be open'd by your Surgeons your Physicians were likewise sent for to declare their Opinions in the Presence of the English Embassador whom you had also desir'd to be there But tho' they narrowly inspected all her Entrails they said they saw nothing upon which to ground a Suspicion of her being
degrees to insensible correction The revolt of Messina render'd the Enemy's Victory in Rousillon of little or no advantage to them for being obliged to leave that Province and go where there was most danger their absence gave Your Majesty an opportunity to drive them next year quite out of the Country by retaking the Castle of Bellegard The disgrace which your Troops receiv'd in Catalonia was so largely recompenced by the prosperous success of your Arms the next Campaign in Germany and Flanders that your Majesty had all the reason in the world to be well pleas'd Your Army had twice triumph'd under Viscount Turenne and tho in the Battel of Seneff the Prince of Condé lost many brave men yet it produc'd a very good effect One thing I forgot to speak of till now which was of great advantage to you the Baggage of Count Monteri Governour of the Spanish Flanders was taken in that Battel and some Papers found which discover'd a Conspiracy that was hatching in your Kingdom to deliver up certain places upon the Coast of Normandy they at least made mention of some such thing but for my own part I cannot believe there was really any such Conspiracy the person suppos'd to be chief in it and all his Accomplices were people of so little credit that I rather think it was a trick to get Money from the Spaniards by one not worth a Groat and who was up to the ears in debt The principal Conspirator was the Chevalier de Rhoan who was a very handsom well made man but so extreamly debauch'd that he lost the good opinion your Majesty once had of him he us'd all his Relations and his own Mother so ill that she not long ago complain'd to your Majesty that he had robbed her and many times after that so abused her that she was about to pray your Majesty to do her the favour to send him to the Bastille To compleat his imprudence he parted with his place of chief Huntsman of France by which he subsisted so that not knowing how to live he did that of which I am now speaking The business concern'd your Majesty too much to be neglected for had he design'd nothing but the getting a little Money yet he deserv'd to be punish'd that it might not be an ill example to your Subjects Whatever it was he intended your Majesty order'd he should be seis'd and sent to the Bastille and the Major of your Guards went to Rouan to take one of his Confederates called Lautremont The Major surpriz'd him in his Bed and though he should have immediately brought him away bound Hand and Foot yet because he had some acquaintance with him he gave him leave to go into his Closet where he had two Pistols ready Charged one he fired upon the Major but miss'd him one of your Guards that went with him shot Lautremont with a Musquetoon through the Body which displeas'd Your Majesty because he being kill'd you could not come to the knowledge of several things which you hoped he might have confest for it was he that was trusted with the management of the whole Intrigue and who had sent into Flanders a School-master that was a Stranger and had a Lodging in the Suburbs of St. Antoine this Fellow would have run away but you gave Order that he the Marchioness de Villars and the Chevalier de Preaux should all three be seised If the Chevalier de Rhoan had known what pass'd he certainly would not have confest any thing for no body but he that was kill'd at Rouen knew that he was in the Conspiracy When the School-master was examin'd he said what he had done was by Lautremont's direction The Marchioness de Villars and the Chevalier de Preaux likewise said they knew nothing But he that Interrogated the Chevalier de Rhoan by promising him Your Majesties Pardon made him confess that none but he knew any thing of the business which promise being made without any order from Your Majesty you did not think your self oblig'd by it so that the Chevalier de Rhoan was condemn'd to have his Head cut off He beginning to think matters did not go well with him because for some days he was not suffer'd to have a Knife at Table which was formerly allow'd him he pray'd that Father Bourdalouë the Jesuit might come and confess him In two and twenty years he never received the Sacrament but now on the sudden became so alter'd that no body would have thought him the same man He was very penitent humble and with great resignation submitted himself to God's will so that when the Executioner came to bind him and ask'd whether he should take off a Ribband from his Coat to do it he said no take a Rope for so great a sinner as he was could not be too rigorously used He shew'd so many signs of Humiliation that he drew tears from the eyes of divers Spectators Being come out of the Bastille to the place of Execution just before it he stood still and shew'd so much courage that many pitied his sad condition Before he mounted the Scaffold he asked Father Bourdaloué whether any body had taken care to comfort his Mother he beg'd her pardon in a very passionate Letter he had written to her he spoke a few words to the Marchioness de Villars and to the Chevalier de Preaux who were to suffer with him Then stretching out his neck to the Executioner he cut off his head at one blow His body was carry'd in a mourning Coach to St. Paul's where it remain'd till it was remov'd from thence to the Abby of Souars where he desired to be buried The Marchioness de Villars and the Chevalier de Preaux were likewise executed and after them the Schoolmaster who was hanged a warning to all that waste and spend their Estates never thinking what shall become of them and when God hath forsaken them make no scruple of committing any kind of Wickedness Let Libertines also learn who live as if there were no God that there will come a time when he will suffer them to fall into the Hands of Justice and they shall then know tho' too late how much mistaken they have been in not serving him whose Grace given to them as it was to this Person of whom I have now spoken can only make them Happy I now return again to tell your Majesty what pass'd in Flanders where the Prince of Orange having besieg'd Oudenard the Prince of Condé march'd to relieve it But the Imperialists not coming to assist the Prince of Orange as they were to have done he was forc'd to raise the Siege and leave Count Souches with whom he was so much displeas'd that he complain'd of him to the Emperour charging him with being the Cause that the Affairs of the Campaign had no better Success The Emperour to content the Prince of Orange would not for some time see General Souches but he after a while finding an Opportunity to
justifie himself was again restor'd to the Emperour's Favour The Siege of Graves lasted till now and there was no likelyhood that it should end having still some Out-Works which were not taken Beside the ill Weather was now coming on so that there was little hope of reducing a Garrison which without receiving any Relief had been the Death of so many Men For Rabenhaut had the ill luck still to be beaten in all the Salleys made by Count Chamilli But for a greater Mortification to him one of your Majesty's Colonels of Seventy Years of Age came purposely from Maestricht and carry'd away the best part of the Fruit he hop'd to reap by taking the Town When your Majesty withdrew your Forces from Holland you demanded a great Summ of Money of them and the Towns which could pay down but part of what you requir'd gave you Hostages to be security for the rest These Hostages were in Graves as in a Place of Safety and Rabenhaut who had besieg'd it made account that by taking it he should save Holland a very considerable Summ for which they were still accountable He had good ground to believe he should not be deceiv'd in his Expectation because Ruremond and Venlo which belong'd to the Spaniards hinder'd your Majesty from relieving the Place But Melin Mestre de Camp of the Cavalry came as I have already said with a party from Maestricht past through Rabenhaut's Guards enter'd the Town took away the Hostages and went back to his own Garrison by the same way he came General Rabenhaut hereby lost so much of his Reputation that the Prince of Orange had not that esteem for him he had before and he concluded he must not rely upon him for the taking the Town The Prince therefore with some Troops he had drawn together out of Flanders went to Graves himself and became Master of the Place Graves being fallen into the Hands of the Prince of Orange the Campaign ended on that Side but continued still with a great deal of Heat in Germany The great Force which the Enemy power'd into Alsatia did a little astonish your Minister Monsieur Louvoy who being afraid the Province could not be sav'd advis'd your Majesty to give Viscount Turenne Order to leave it and go to some other Place where his Presence was more necessary This was a Pill which your Majesty could not well swallow and to lose a whole Country at once which had cost you so much Blood to conquer was very hard to be digested But Marquess Louvoy representing to you the necessity of it and that otherwise you would lose Lorrain whither the Duke of that Name was marching with great hopes to enter again into it you consented that General Turenne should be recall'd but he knowing things were not in so ill a Condition as they were thought to be sent Monsieur Louvoy word that some body must have given your Majesty ill Counsel in advising you to take such a Resolution That he being on the Place saw better than others how things were and therefore prayed him to deliver a Letter to you which he had done himself the Honour to write wherein he had given your Majesty such Reasons for changing your Resolution that he hop'd you would do it as soon as you had read his Letter Marquess Louvoy thought it great vanity in this General to believe he knew more than he and without shewing his Letter to your Majesty sent him new Orders expresly the same with the first This great Man suspecting that your Majesty was not privy to these repeated Orders and that if his Letter had been deliver'd you would have done him the Honour to have answer'd it he resolv'd before he would do what was commanded him by the second Orders to write again to your Majesty and sent the Letter to Cardinal Bouillon his Nephew to be by him safely deliver'd The Confidence which your Majesty had in the Wisdom and Prudence of this General as soon as you had cast your Eyes on his Letter made you conclude that Monsieur Louvoy had not given you good Counsel and that you were best to follow your General 's Advice and not your Minister's You therefore wrote a Letter with your own Hand to Viscount Turenne wherein you told him that you referr'd your self wholly to his Judgment and that he should use his own Discretion to do what he thought best This was Vexation enough to your Minister whose Custom it was to be Absolute but believing he knew more than any Man concluded if things fell out ill as he had predicted Viscount Turenne must then lose the good Opinion your Majesty had of him and consequently you would for the future confide wholy in the Marquess But he reckon'd without his Host and found that the General preserved both Savern and Hagenau which the Enemy besieged one after another He likewise broke the Design they had upon Brisac which they had begun to shut up so close that it being in great want they hoped they should quickly have it without blows Tho' these Actions were very considerable yet they were the least wherewith the General ended this prosperous Campaigne for feigning to go and take Winter Quarters in Lorrain he Marched through by-ways and fell unexpectedly upon the Enemy who had separated the better to subsist and went on beating them one after another till they made a stand at Turquem but he likewise drove them from thence and forced them to pass the Rhine He took from the Inhabitants of Strasbourg what Effects they had abroad because they let the Enemy pass over their Bridge contrary to the Promise they made him Your Majesty who doth not use to let any Service of this Nature remain unrewarded sent the General the very next day after he came to Paris a Hundred Thousand Crowns in Louysd'ors and gave him many other marks of your Favour You sent Marquess Louvoy to him to ask his Pardon for many things for which the General had just cause of Complaint against him Monsieur Turenne upon this occasion Treated him as we see a great Mastiff uses to do a little Cur he heard his Complement without shewing him any respect or sign of Anger and sent him away with an Answer which 't is supposed did not please him The Prince of Condé came to see Monsieur Turenne and to know of him what past at this Enterview Viscount Turenne having given an Account of it to the Prince of Condé who had no reason to love your Minister the Prince pray'd Monsieur Turenne that they might go both together to undeceive your Majesty in many things which possest you with so good an Opinion of him Viscount Turenne promis'd the Prince he would but Monsieur Tellier having notice of it came to the Prince of Condé and beseech'd him to pardon his Son who should for the future pay him all the Respect he could desire so that pacifying the Prince by fair Promises he prevented his Son's Ruine which
Part for your Majesty commanded me to quit my Pretensions and gave that honourable Office to Monsieur Tellier The Prince of Orange's Marriage wrought a real Change in England it begot such contentious debates that the King of England was in a manner forc'd to sign a League against your Majesty He re-demanded his Troops which not being able to refuse you sent back to him But by so long a way about that Monsieur Louvoy had time to debauch the greatest part of ' em For instead of suffering them to imbarque at Calais or some Port near their Country he chose one that was farthest off pretending that his Britanick Majesty had no just cause to complain because no particular place was nam'd in your Treaty with him Which may serve for a Lesson to all publick Ministers when they treat with a foreign Prince For if the least thing be omitted in their Negotiation they may be sure it will be made use of against their Master and when a Fault is once done 't is too late to think of mending it This Change in your Majesty's Affairs oblig'd you to quit Messina where there was no longer any safety for your Troops For if the English joyned their Forces with the Dutch it was impossible to resist them This was what I long ago foresaw and I took the liberty to tell your Majesty that you would be necessitated to augment your Fleet by building more Ships but Monsieur Louvoy who would if he could have destroy'd the Marine Establishment always oppos'd it pretending two Reasons for it The First That no cause of Jealousie was to be given to England The other That your Kingdom was not able to support so great a Charge He made use of the same Pretence to dissuade your Majesty from the making a Harbour upon the Coast of Normandy which you will want in case you ever have a War with England For if your Ships at any time should receive much Damage where shall they find a Retreat 'T is a long way out of the Channel to Brest and Rochefort which ought to be seriously consider'd by your Majesty 'T is not long ago I gave you my Opinion concerning such a Port. The Bay of Colville seems a Place to have been expresly design'd by Nature for it I thought your Majesty when you had heard my Reasons was so well satisfied that you would presently have given order to begin the Work But I since understood that Monsieur Louvoy put by the Business tho' so absolutely necessary for the good of your Kingdom insinuating that the Place I have mention'd was not so sit as I represented it And that the Reason why I did so much commend it was because I was willing to oblige the House of Matignon to which my Son was ally'd whose Lands lying near the Place and they having the King's Lieutenancy in that Country it would both increase their revenue and augment their Credit What Poyson there is in Malice and what dangerous Effects it doth produce I leave your Majesty to judge But it seems very difficult for a great King who sees with other Mens Eyes to defend himself against the Artifice of those that would deceive him especially when they have done him such Services as may incline them to think their Intention is good I know but one way for a Prince to secure himself in such cases which is to trust no body but strictly to examine things himself and rather be upon the Place to see what is done than be deceiv'd by being too credulous for in trusting a third Person there are many Inconveniences There are few Princes but must rely upon a Minister in most of their Affairs and tho' it is not so in your Majesty's Court where there are two or three Persons who will not bend and submit to Monsieur Louvoy's Authority yet for certain there is a secret Jealousie still retain'd in the Heart which commonly works the very Effects that are fear'd Your Majesty's Prudence which never forsakes you in the reverse of Fortune seem'd to increase you were not at all daunted with the Change of his Britanick Majesty but on the contrary rather made it serviceable to you in bringing the Dutch to a Peace You put such Jealousies into their Heads that they wrote to their Embassadors they should endeavour to remove all Difficulties that would obviate a Peace Your Majesty knowing that the way to make them more desirous of it was to terrifie them by some new Conquest you besieg'd the City of Gand which made little resistance You knew so well how to blind your Enemies by pretending to attack some other Place that the Town was in a manner taken before they perceiv'd your Design You afterward made your self Master of Ypres and of Fort Lewen which by its advantageous Scituation was thought impregnable But was surpriz'd one clear Night by the Garrison of Maestricht and taken by Scalado Such prosperous proceedings should in all appearance have made the Spaniards as desirous of a Peace as the Dutch But they knowing that what had pass'd in England had already made your Majesty quit Messina and inferring from thence the League they had made with that Crown would do Miracles in their Favour they endeavour'd to keep the Dutch from making a Peace but your Maiesty remov'd all those Obstacles by a piece of Policy which Posterity will admire You concluded a separate Peace with Holland But before the Prince of Orange was inform'd of it he concluded if he fell upon your Army which then block'd up Mons and could give it a Blow he should hinder the conclusion of the Treaty he very furiously charg'd your Troops The Duke of Luxembourg who had heard the Peace was concluded and imagin'd the Prince of Orange likewise knew it relying upon it was not in such a Posture of Defence as he should have been so that he and the Intendant had like to have been taken The Spaniards and the Emperour were after this so happy as to come to an accomodation with your Majesty but the Northern Princes were unwilling to restore to the King of Sweden what they had taken from him Your Majesty oblig'd them to it by the Treaty you had sign'd in consideration of which you restor'd Maestricht to the Hollanders and several Places to the Spaniards from whom you had lately taken Puicerda Prince Charles of Lorrain who was this Year come again into Germany where he made no better a Campaign than he did the Year before because Mareschal Crequi not only prevented his design of retaking Fribourg but beat a party of his Troops in the Plain of Rhinfield took Sekinghem Offembourg the Fort of Kell burnt the Bridge of Strasbourg and did so many other Exploits in that Country as made him pass for another Turenne The Prince of Lorrdin I say was comprehended in the Emperour's Treaty by which your Majesty was oblig'd to restore to him his Country but under such hard conditions that rather than submit
be said that can better please you Many Churches rebuilt at your Charge others to which you have added more Maintenance to supply their wants Blasphemers severely punish'd the Poor relieved and many things of the like kind which for brevity's sake and not to be thought a Flatterer I do not mention are all convincing Testimonies that the Glory of God is your Majesty's chief care Though in this you have done no more than what all the World is bound to do yet I say 't is your Majesty's Duty more than another Man's not only because as you are a Soveraign you are oblig'd to give good Example to your Subjects but because you cannot omit the doing of it without being very ingrateful to God If your Majesty will but cast your Eyes on the Favours you have receiv'd from him you will see many things which require an Eternal Acknowledgement I do not speak of such things as are common to you with all men but reflect if you please on those Blessings which God's Providence hath in so particular a manner pour'd out upon your Majesty How are you bound to thank him for your Miraculous Birth his giving you Being to fill the noblest Throne upon Earth is one of the least of his Favours and to draw you doubly I may say out of nothing as he did after the Queen your Mother had been Barren three and twenty Years is a Blessing that cannot be forgot without double Ingratitude If you follow step by step what God hath done for you you will find his Protection over your Person hath been very singular Remember that almost universal Rebellion of your Kingdom that Confederation of the Parliaments against your Authority the insolence of your People and how easily you quell'd these Monsters You will then confess this was not the Work of Man but the Hand of God If after this you call to mind the Fidelity of your Commanders and Souldiers even to the prejudice of their Ancient Rights and that Victory still wedded to your side forc'd the Spaniards to yield to the Peace of the Pyrenees notwithstanding their great aversion to it You will see that this likewise was a Favour of Divine Providence which never forsook you How can you chuse but be thankful for the Miracle it wrought in recovering you from that terrible Sickness which I have already mention'd I know God made use of Natural Causes to which impious Men attribute all that is extraordinary but by their leave there was something more in that recovery for you were not only given over by your Physicians who I confess are many times mistaken but you were more than half dead as those that were present did verily think and can testifie I spoke Truth when I said your Curtains were drawn If your Majesty please let us follow the course of your Life and see whether that which happen'd after this be Natural Do you in good earnest believe that so regular and mature a Judgment as appear'd in you presently after the Cardinal's Death notwithstanding the ill Education he gave you was only the Gift of Nature 'T is to God alone you are indebted for it and to whom you are to return thanks 'T was not in your Power to make your self wise especially in a Court where you were suffer'd to do what you would and where none but Women had the care of your Education What shall I now say of the Wars wherein you have been engag'd by evil Counsel and if I may dare say so by your own Ambition And yet how happily are you come off All these Miracles are from Heaven God having sent you into the World that you might Glorifie him by your Actions and hath more particularly engaged you to praise him by many Obligations heap'd upon one another If you do not do that which God expects from you what will all the World say that know the Chararacter of a good Man is to be Grateful As it is your Majesty's Obligation so 't is your Interest to be thankful For if a Prince take no care to give to God that which is his due how can he expect his People should do their Duty to him whose greatest Glory is to be the living Image of God upon Earth If he thinks to be obey'd because as a Master he commands others and believes his Subjects must Love or fear him because Reward and Punishment are in his Hands he is much mistaken For the Power of a Prince be it never so great would quickly be brought to nothing if those that obey him did not do it for God's sake who is greater than he 'T is Religion that first made Subjects fear their King and still continues that Fear As a Tree which doth not continually receive Nourishment from the Earth grows dry and withers by degrees so take away Religion in a Kingdom the Respect and Fear of a Soveraign which Subjects suck in with their Milk insensibly decays till it be quite Dead whence follow a thousand Mischiefs greater than can be Imagin'd or express'd and then neither Hope of Reward or Fear of Punishment can prevail with Subjects to do their Duty A Wretch that doth not believe in God thinks there is much more to be got by Disobedience and Rebellion than ever he could expect from his Prince and what Effect can the fear of Punishment have upon him who believes there is no other World beside this and that one quarter of an Hour will put an End to all his Pain Not to give God his due is to open a Door to all manner of Wickedness and a Prince thereby exposes himself to the Hazard of being driven out of his Kingdom Look but upon the Ottoman Empire which is much more subject to revolutions than any other Kingdoms because the greatest part of its Subjects think the Religion they profess to be meer humane Invention and when a Man once comes to that Belief 't is a very hard matter to conquer his Prejudice and raise him up to the Knowledge of the true God Besides such an Opinion blinds and makes Men so brutish as to attribute all things to Nature and 't is extremely difficult for 'em to find the way out of their error Let us come a little nearer and see what hath been done in England the want of Religion in that Kingdom was the cause of all that happen'd there since the time of Henry the 8th the introducing of so many Sects brought the People at last to dip their hands in their King's blood Come we now to your own Kingdom where we may observe the same disorders in the reign of three or four Kings one after another If you would know the reason read but their History One was a Blasphemer instead of punishing that sin in his Subjects Another was an Atheist and so of the rest So that their Subjects who had very little more Religion than they attempted to dethrone ' em These Confusions lasted till the Reign of the Deceased
offer'd to absolve you from your Oath but the tenderness of your Conscience would not suffer you to grant what he desir'd You thought that when once People believ'd your Pardon might be obtain'd by Mediation those disorders would never cease to which your Majesty was fully resolv'd to put an end Beside you would not let it be said that Recommendation had a greater Power over you than Justice Your Majesty could not endure your People shou'd give Law to you concerning your Mininister Cardinal Mazarin's return You retir'd a second time from Paris The Duke of Orleans your Uncle would not follow you neither would the Prince of Condé who a few Days after possest with a Panick Fear he should be Arrested left the City and being gone to his House at St. Maur you did all you could to cure him of this Suspicion but because when a Man knows himself guilty he never thinks himself secure from Punishment he went into the Country and retir'd to Montrond The Prince of Conti the Prince Marsillac and some others at the same time took up their Quarters in Guyenne The Duke of Rochefoucaut having stir'd up some Troubles in Poitou you had those two Provinces to reduce as well as the City of Paris which openly declar'd against your Majesty The Pretence of all these Revolts was that you would have Cardinal Mazarin return against your Word given to the contrary But seeing most of the Heads of this Party had promis'd you to consent to his Return for Favours done them you could not believe that was the true Reason You plainly saw that Ambition had a greater share in their Disobedience than the Hatred they had for the Cardinal It was easie for the Spaniards at this time to do their Business They re-took most of the Places you had conquer'd since you ascended the Throne But your Majesty thought the safety of your Kingdom to be of greater Consequence to you than any thing else You ran to the Place where there was most Danger you went into Poitou after you had in Person reduc'd Berri where the Prince of Condé had rais'd some Troubles You declar'd him a Rebel and a Disturber of the publick Peace with all his Adherents But this made none of 'em return to their Duty and your Authority was so little regarded that in two Months time the Parliament wou'd not register your Declaration tho' their Interest were different from the Prince of Condé's and with whom they did not act in concert The strongest Cabal which took part with your Majesty was that of the Duke of Vendosm and the Coadjutor But you were necessitated to buy both which was by giving one the place of Admiral of France and by promising the other you would nominate him for a Cardinal's Cap at the next promotion that should happen You thought these Favours nothing in comparison of the Services these Men cou'd do you in so nice a Conjuncture especially in relation to Paris which had not yet declared for the Prince of Condé and where they had many Friends Your Presence in Poitou quickly suppress'd the Rebellion there the capital City of that Province open'd its Gates to you and the Cardinal being come thither to you with some Troops which he had rais'd in Germany you forced the Rebels to quit the Siege of Coynac you drove them also out of some Posts they had possest but could not reduce 'em in Bourdeaux for the Prince of Condé who was come thither had infus'd new Courage into those who before seem'd dispos'd to submit to your Majesty In the mean time Paris which went nearer your Heart than any thing else seeing Cardinal Mazarin return publickly declar'd for the Prince of Condé Monsieur the Duke of Orleans likewise acted against your Majesty tho' he had many times said he was not to be suspected for his not being at Court But how cou'd he clear himself from Suspicion who had hearken'd to evil Counsel all his Life and alway had near him the Bishop of Langres who was enrag'd to miss the Cardinal's Cap which had been so often promis'd him Beside Mademoisolle de Montpensier who had a great desire to be Marry'd feeding her self with the hope the Prince of Condé gave her she should have his Son spoke for him to her Father without making any Reflection that she was old enough to be the Mother of him she had a mind to make her Husband Among so many declared Enemies there were some secret ones whom your Majesty did not distrust but on the contrary had reason to think them your most Faithful Subjects The Duke of Beaufort for a time was one of this Number notwithstanding all you had done for him and his Family But weary of wearing the Foxes Skin he put on the Lions and took the Field against your Majesty The Coadjutor did not declare himself so openly but vex'd to see that by Cardinal Mazarin's Return he was never like to come into his place did underhand all he could to ruin him tho' he was sure it would very much displease your Majesty The Jealousie which arose between the Duke of Beaufort and the Duke of Nemours who were both joyntly to command an Army gave your Majesty an Opportunity to draw near to them that you might take some Advantage of their division But the Prince of Condé prevented you by passing incognito through all the Provinces beyond the Loire and by putting himself at the Head of the Army where his Presence was necessary to settle a right understanding between the two Princes of whose disagreement the only cause was their Ambition to command singly and exclusively to one another Your Majesty did all you could to have taken the Prince in so long a March and where there were so many Rivers to pass you set guards upon all the Fords and sent out many Parties into the field which was all you could do But since all the care in the World is to no purpose where Men will be false and treacherous Bussy Rabutin let him pass so that he came safe to his Army which was then near Chatillon upon Loin Your Majesty who knew not at first in what manner he had escap'd thought to repair this Blow by a Battel wherein you hop'd to have the better The two Armies join'd near Bleneau where the Avantguard of yours commanded by Mareschal Hoquincourt was so ill treated that if Viscount Turenne had not come to his Relief your Majesty who was at Gergeau had been in danger of being taken But his Experience having placed you Beyond a narrow Pass he defended it with so much Courage till Night came on that the Prince who promis'd himself an entire Victory could he have pass'd the Defile was oblig'd to be contented with that advantage he had gotten Your Majesty was happy that the Prince had then so great a desire to go to Paris where he thought this new beam of Glory would procure him a Reception with some kind of Triumph 'T is
you fell in Love with the Eldest of Cardinal Mazarin's four Nieces then at Court you lov'd her so desperately that they who had not the Honour to know you believ'd your Passion would make you forget your Duty to your self This Niece fomented your Passion cunningly enough and every day more and more to enflame you us'd those Arts which crafty Women practise who are proud of their Conquests But your Majesty instead of running into the Snares she laid for you consented she should be Marry'd and saw her part notwithstanding all her tender Reproches and tho' your own Heart told you you were cruel to your self in resolving not to enjoy in the Condition you then were the sweetest of all the Pleasures of this Life This Victory over your self was follow'd by another relating to the same Person The Pleasures which she had tasted at Court and perhaps also the Remembrance of your Majesty which she could not blot out of her Mind having made her not live so very well with her Husband she quickly return'd into France Many believ'd that she had great Hopes that the Fire which had been so quick and ardent would be easily rekindled She was therefore returning to Court with full Sailes but your Majesty having Notice of it sent a Courrier to tell her she must retire into a Monastery I know very well Sir I have antedated the time when this past and to do things in order I should not have spoken of this in this Place but the connexion which is between this Circumstance and the other I have mention'd would not suffer me any longer to forbear speaking of it I do not undertake to write your History in due Method therefore this Transposition may be pardon'd Your Majesty having no confidence in the inconstant and unquiet Humour of the Duke of Lorrain and fearing he might enter into Cabals which might be to your prejudice you design'd to Marry his Nephew Prince Charles who was right Heir to the Dukedom of Lorrain and Bar to some Person in France His Father who stay'd in Paris was ravish'd that your Majesty had so good Intentions for his Son whose Uncle without you could never be brought to do him right He propos'd to you his Son 's Marrying Mademoiselle Montpensier and your Majesty consented to it because it was indifferent to you what Lady he chose provided he put it out of the Duke of Lorrain's Power to do you any mischief Mademoiselle who had willingly hearkend to the Proposal that had been made her of the Duke d' Anguien who was then but a Boy was much more pleas'd with this of a Handsom Prince and of an Age more suitable to hers She grew so much in Love with him that she became jealous of her Sister whom the Prince of Lorrain could have better lik'd had she not been design'd by your Majesty for another you had indeed promis'd her to the Duke of Tuscany eldest Son to the Duke of Florence who not long after Marryed her She and the Prince of Lorrain tho' both knew they were not born for one another could not refrain from being often together and the Prince growing daily more and more enamour'd of her gave her a Picture which he had from Mademoiselle Montpensier The Vanity which all Women have to boast of their Conquests especially when they think they can vex a Rival made her discover what the Prince had given her tho' it concern'd her very much to have kept the thing secret Your Majesty did not like it and she being to go so speedily into Italy to be married it was not fit her Husband should suspect her guilty of any amorous Intriegue but all those Reflections did not hinder her from making this false step So true is it that Youth Prudence and Love very seldom keep Company Mademoiselle Montpensier no sooner knew this but she broke with Prince Charles his Father who was extreamly troubled that his Son should miss in all respects so considerable a Match did what he could to bring the Business about again but Mademoiselle whose high Spirit was answerable to the greatness of her Birth despis'd all the Promises which were made to appease her Your Majesty would not force her tho' you thought this Marriage necessary for the good of your State In the mean time Prince Charles having lost so good a Fortune by his own Fault some body propos'd to him the Dutchess of Longueville newly become a Widow and who was very Rich Were it that the Prince could not forget the Dutchess of Tuscany or that the Widow had some Defects he did so little relish the Proposition that he could not make one Step towards her The Duke of Lorrain who could not part with his Dukedom was much troubled that his Nephew should marry Mademoiselle Montpensier tho' it appear'd 't was a thing to which he had given his consent But knowing his aversion to the Dutchess of Nemours he press'd him to marry her purposely to clear himself from the Suspicion your Majesty had of his playing a Thousand Tricks to hinder the other Match with Madam Montpensier But the more Pains he took to bring him to it the further was Prince Charles from it yet he felt in himself an Inclination for Mademoiselle Nemours the Dutchess's deceas'd Husband's Niece who had somewhat more than her Aunt to engage the Prince so that at last he became so entirely hers that he quite forgot the Dutchess of Tuscany Your Majesty being told of it by the Prince's Father who at first did not approve of this Match because he valued Wealth more than Beauty your Majesty made him consent to it and there was no Qestion of your making the Duke of Lorrain do the same But the little disposition he had to give him his Estate made him make a thousand Excuses which your Majesty finding very frivolous and without any Foundation you told the Duke if he did not take a Resolution conformable to your Will and to Reason the thing should be done without consulting him any further This Declaration was like a Clap of Thunder to him and believing it was impossible to prevail with your Majesty to altar your Resolution he offer'd to declare you Heir to all his Dominions if you would grant him the Honour of your Protection against his Nephew His Design in making this Proposition was to deceive your Majesty and having cunningly insinuated that his Nephews Right and Title to the Dukedoms of Lorrain and Bar was not so firmly establish'd but that he could dispute it with him and quoting some Precedents to prove the Salique-Law was still in force in his two Dutchies your Majesty treated with him and left the Prosecution of the Marriage with Mademoiselle Nemours which wanted nothing but Consummation all the Ceremonies having been perform'd by Proxy See how Interest sometimes works upon great Souls as well as upon those of meaner Quality which yet is not so pardonable in them because they ought to have more care