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
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
that the time of her revenge was drawing on The Dutchess being oblig'd by this ill usage to reflect upon the irregularity of her Tongue was so much the more afâ—aid of the effects of Diana's hatred by how much the less she was in a condition to avoidx'em For instead of managing to her advantage the Duke d' Estampes her Husband whose humour insensible and little subject to the pleasures of Love might have been amus'd by slight marks of the King's liberality and vain employments provided he had receiv'd 'em when he stood in need of 'em she had displeas'd him to that degree as to incense him beyond the bounds of decency out of the strangest capricio's that ever jealousy infus'd to publish his own dishonour by a judicial enquiry into the behaviour of his Wife as we have already said This way of proceeding put the Dutchess out of all hopes of ever returning to her Husband and reduc'd her to that misery that the Seneschal's Wife after the King's Death made use of the jealous Duke as an instrument to torment her till her revenge was fully satiated These inducements of terror that could not be either more powerful nor more probably grounded oblig'd the Dutchess to seek out for an expedient to secure her from the impending storm And that which seem'd to her to be best and the most easie altogether was to shroud her self under the Duke of Orleance's protection and to set up a faction at Court so powerful in his favour as to equal that which Diana had form'd for the Dauphin The Dutches's aim was to seek for some great establishment for the Duke of Orleance without the Kingdom where she might find that repose and security which she stood in need of Nor was there any other establishment which he could pretend to then what the Emperor had so many times propos'd which was the investiture of the Dutchy of Milan or the Low Countries upon two conditions The one was that he should marry the Emperors Daughters or his Niece The other was to prevent the Reunion of what ever should be given in favour of either of these two Matches to the Crown of France All the difficulty lay in the last Condition to which the pretended sterility of the Dauphiness was an invincible obstacle That Princess had been marry'd ten Years yet never had any signs of a great Belly and let the cause be what it would from whence the defect proceeded the Duke of Orleance would be ne'er the less presumptive Heir to the Crown nor by consequence less capable in the Emperors judgment to hold the fiefs of Milan and the Low Countries Fernelius the Physitian after he had sounded the Dauphinesses temper took a fancy that he could cure her indisposition and whither it were that the Physick that he gave her wrought effectually or that his secret consisted only in revealing to the Dauphin the particular minutes wherein his Wife was most capable to conceive the whole Court perceiv'd in a few Months after that the Dauphiness was big with Child The Dutchess's surprizing joy upon the news would not allow her so much liberty of thought at first as to know the advantages that she might draw from thence but afterwards she order'd the Emperor to be sounded whether he had any mind to engage the Duke of Orleans to his Interests or no. He that was entrusted with a Commission so nice as this had all the qualities sufficient to begin so great an affair but not those that were proper to bring it to a conclusion He was of the Illustrious House of Longueval and Count of Bâ—ssu and he had insinuated himself into the friendship of the Dutchess by the care which he took to improve her Estate and give her notice of such opportunities as offer'd themselves to encrease it by begging vacant gratifications of the King And in regard he had Lands in the Low Countries as well as in Picardy he might without being suspected hold a correspondence in both Provinces He had both Wit and Address Resolution and Reservedness but he was extreamly felt interested and in regard he had a greater Estate in Flanders then in France that which he mainly aim'd at was to establish himself in the first of those Countries where his posterity afterwards fix'd themselves and grew numerous This inducement made him accept of the Order to negotiate for the Dutchess because it would render him more considerable to the House of Austria and the Emperor overjoy'd to see so potent a faction among his Enemies that sought to correspond with him look't upon this conjuncture as a favour that Fortune offer'd him for the resettlement of his affairs in the Low-Countries He assur'd the Dutchess that he would give the Duke of Orleance the Duthy of Milan with his Niece or the Low-Countries with his Daughter and for sear she should mistrust he would deceive her because he granted her demand so soon and so readily he added that he reserv'd to himself the choice of the alternative and that he would not be oblig'd to explain himself nor to perform his promise till he should have made an agreement with the King that is to say till he should reap all the effects of that friendship which the Dutchess and her faction could procure him for those remote promises the performance of which depended upon his sincerity The Count of Bossu had understanding sufficient to perceive that the Engagement was not reciprocal but he shut his Eyes and the Dutchess from whom the Allurement of a retreating place took away the sight of the Serpent that lay under the flowers perform'd her part in forming so strict a League with the Emperor that nothing past either at the Court or in the Council of France which was not immediatly conveigh'd to his knowledge In short the first Letter that he receiv'd by the Counts means did him so signal a piece of service that it sav'd both his person and his whole Army And the Emperor knew so well to make his advantage of the intelligence that she gave him that he reduc'd France within two Fingers breadth of utter ruin But Fortune having balanc'd his first successes the Dutchess took an occasion from thence to manage a peace between the two Crowns The reciprocal fears of Francis I. and Charles V. were the foundation of a new intreague between Queen Elenor's and the Emperors Confessors both of 'em Dominican Fryars The first was cal'd Diegos Chiavez and the second Gabriel de Gusman Chiavez by virtue of a private Order which he conceal'd wrote to Gusman as if he had pretended only to impart to him a thought that was come into his Head that the greatest good they could do both the one and the other was to try whither Divine Providence would make use of 'em as Instruments to confound the Wisdom of Men by employing 'em to make that Peace which so many great personages could not conclude Gusman presently apprehended what lay conceal'd in his
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
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
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