some of the Ministers of State and from the Weakness and Indiscretion of the others But the King perceiving that his Service was not performed as it ought to be not by reason of any connivance or default of the Cardinal of Rochefoucaut and of M. de Bethunes whom he had deputed as Commissioners but through the Artifices of some of those that managed the Dispatches cast his Eyes upon M. de Berulle chief of the Fathers of the Oratory whom he knew to be in good repute with the Queen his Mother as also with M. d'Espernon and employed him secrerly to treat with the Queen to this end his Majesty caused the Memorials that were prepared in the Council to be brought to him as it were to be perused by the Commissioners and commanded M. Deageant to draw up certain particular Instructions by the means of which and of several other Dispatches and after many Messages too and fro the accommodation was at last agreed upon through the mediation of the said Sieur de Berulle who afterwards communicated his Negotiation to the Commissioners During these Transactions there were many Letters written on both sides and divers Actions happened on which I shall not insist because they are commonly known and have been mentioned by several Writers I shall only add that the King having declared to M. de Luines the Project concerning Metz that he had devised without him because as his Majesty had said he could not keep a Secret he acquainted a certain Person with it who having discovered it to the Cardinal of Guise he speedily gave notice thereof to M. de Valette whom his Father had left to command in Metz he immediately caused all the Inhabitants to be disarmed the greatest part of whom were privy to the Design However they had foreseen this Accident and had provided a Magazine of Arms that they kept in a private place insomuch that notwithstanding their being disarmed one of those that managed the Enterprize came and told the King that if it pleased his Majesty to cause it to be put in Execution they had still sufficient means left by which they could infallibly make themselves Masters of the City and the Person that undertook the Affair of the Citadel assured him also on his behalf that it might be easily accomplished but as the King was just ready to depart on his Journey he was informed by a Courier sent on purpose that the secret Magazine of Arms of the Inhabitants was discovered that they were taken from them and that the Garison was re-enforc'd after such a manner that it would be very difficult if not impossible to cause this Design to take effect It was known that the second disarming proceeded from the same original as the first which obliged his Majesty according to the advice of some of his particular Servants principally to incline to an Acccommodation since it was apparent from the premises that if he design'd to engage in war he would not be so faithfully served therein as he expected But because M. de Berulle in his Negociation met with new difficulties every day proceeding from the artifice of the Abbot of Roucelay and some others that had obtained credit with the Queen since the departure of his Eminency the King took a resolution to recall him the Jealousie of the Ministers of State had caused him to retire to Avignon being enjoyned not to stir from thence without his Majesty's Order who was not ignorant that they would use their utmost efforts to hinder his Re-establishment therefore he thought fit to employ M. Deageant alone in the affair whom he commanded to compose a Letter which his Majesty sign'd and added four or five lines with his own Hand the Tenor of which was That he acknowledg'd that the Cardinal during his residence with the Queen his Mother had by his wholesome Admonitions and prudent Conduct gained an Influence over her Mind and had respectively served their Majesties by frustrating all the Attemps that were made to encrease their differences that he earnestly desired to see him with her again to give her better Counsel than that which was continually suggested to her and to that end he exhorted him by the Affection that he alwaies bore to the Wellfare of their Majesties and the State to appear speedily before the Queen and to endeavour to make her sensible of the great Inclination he had to honour her and to give her all the satisfaction that she could reasonably expect since he never had any Intention to the contrary This Letter was deliver'd to M. du Tremblay the Governer of the Bastille with a passport importing a command to all to permit him to pass freely as also the Horse-men that were ordered to conduct him from Provence to Court with a Prohibition forbidding any to molest them or so much as to enquire who they were Notwithstanding this Pass-port M. d'Alincourt who very well knew the temper of the Ministers to some of whom he was allied and doubting lest this Journey should be made without their advice thought fit to stop his Eminency at Lyons till he had received other express order from the King But when he had shown him the very Letter that he had written to him in which he saw his Majesty's Hand he excused himself and set his Eminency at liberty insomuch that in a few days he arrived at Angoulesme where all manner of Artifices were practised to cause him to be suspected by the Queen-Mother But at last yielding to the sincerity of his Counsels and Actions being also assur'd elsewhere by M. de Berulle that she ought not to expect that the difference could be compos'd unless she re-established him in the same favour and credit to which she had formerly admited him and seeing herself in a condition to be compell'd e're long to submit to any Law that should be imposed on her the Party to whom she had adhered not being able to protect her nor to rescue her from the Troubles and unhappy Circumstances wherein they had involved her she resolved to banish them from her Presence and freely to entertain his Eminency who delayed not to find out expedients to remove the difficulties that obstructed the Accommodation which was at last concluded as hath been above related Upon the Notice that M. d'Alincourt had sent by the Post to one of the Ministers concerning his Eminency's Journey and the Memorials that were delivered to him his Letter was read in the Council of the Dispatches where the matter was aggravated after such a manner that the Counsellers the Secretaries of State and those of the King's Cabinet were engaged in it with an intent to excite them all against M. Deageant whom they knew that his Majesty had employed on this occasion The Chancellor was desired to discourse with him somewhat sharply about it for two ends one was to cause him to disapprove his Eminency's Journey and to advise him to banish him to Rome the other to perswade him
caused by the Jealousies and Fears of being apprehended but that this Blow galled the Wound afresh insomuch that being very melancholy he retreated apart to consider by what means he might make his Escape the most part of the Noble-men that were then at Court knew in less than two Hours that these Words had been spoken by Father Arnoux and heard by a Gentleman that belonged to M. de Lesdiguieres's Family and instantly came to him to exhort him to withdraw himself privately and to get into some place of Safety offering to assist him as far as lay in their Power and M. de Montmorency freely proposed to accompany him in person He thereupon had recourse to some of his Retinue that were zealous Promoters of the Faction and urged him to go directly to Rochell but haveing ruminated and pondered in his mind every thing that had been represented to him on this Occasion he took a Resolution to depart at mid-night towards Dauphine and to take the road through Auvergne judging that being furnished with about two thousand Men being part of the Army of which he was assured that should follow him wheresoever he went and by the help of those Protestant Forces that he should gather by the way and others that would come from Dauphine to meet him he might pass without any Impediment or Molestation M. Deageant who as hath been above said never lost the sight of him but continually attended him according to the express Orders that he had receiv'd from the King having observed an extraordinary hurrying to and fro that Afternoon and that the Countenance of M. de Lesdiguieres was suddainly changed assoon as he could get an Oppotunity to talk with him privately he urged him to declare whether he were well in Health or whether he had received any News that had troubled him at last haveing thoroughly questioned and examined him he disclosed the whole Matter Therefore knowing that the King had so great an Esteem for M. de Lesdiguieres that he alwaies rejected such Propositions as tended to the lest Severity 〈◊〉 him and considering on the other side the great Damage to which his Majesty's Affairs would be obnoxious if M. de Lesdiguieres should retreat after this manner he propounded to him all the Reasons that he thought to be most proper to give him full Satisfaction and desired him to condescend so far as to permit him to go to the King and M. de Luines on this account promising that if he could discover that there was any Design to offer him any Injury he would freely declare it to him and would be Partaker of the same Fortune with him since he had honoured him so far as to come upon the Assurance that he had given him on behalf of his Majesty Thus M. Deageant having acquainted the King with all that had passed his Majesty shewed his high displeasure and indignation at the occasions of Suspicion that were so often given to this good Man If I could believe said he that any should presume to abuse him I would rather lose my Crown than suffer it bring him to me that I may certify him by Word of Mouth This was immediately done insomuch that Monsieur de Lesdiguieres that had a great Affection for his Majesty's Person returned very well satisfied and constantly waited on the King at the Siege of Montauban where they began again to make Parties against him some continually buzzed the King in the Ear that he doted and others that he held correspondence with those of Montauban and the rest of the Rebels and that they were informed by him of every thing that was performed in his Majesty's Army and all concluded that he ought to be seized but I can certainly avouch as being well assured of this Truth that he served his Majesty faithfully and was so much concerned for the taking of that Place that he sought all possible means to effect it I was the Bearer at five several times of as many Directions that he sent to the King by what means he might reduce the City All competent Judges that understand the Art of War and were not possessed with Passion were agreed as to this Point and have since affirmed that if his Instructions had been followed without doubt the King would not have been compelled as he was to raise the Siege I am persuaded that if M. de Luines had been of the same Opinion he would have had a greater Deference to the known Experience of M. de Lesdiguieres for notwithstanding what was maliciously reported of him that he was not willing that Montauban should be taken on the account of his particular Interest it is most true that he was extremely displeased that the Attempt proved ineffectual M. de Luines was so far pre-engaged by certain Persons some of whom as I have already said intended to bring matters to the utmost Extremity and others to cause him to commit some Fault that they might thereby take an occasion to ruin him that he hearkened to no Counsels but theirs to this very purpose they so often inculcated to him the necessity of the Imprisonment of M. de Lesdiguieres that he was in a manner sorced to yield to their Persuasions which was the reason that to find means to avoid this Compulsion he was not sorry when he heard that M. de Mombrun whom the Assembly of Rochel had chosen Lieutenant General of the Churches in Dauphine had taken the Field with an Army that alarmed all those Countries because he thought that his Adversaries would be easily induced to defer their Persecution till some other more convenient time and to consent that he should be sent into Dauphine to appease these new Tumults The King was advised at the end of the Siege of Montauban to return to Paris by the way of Languedoc because the Rebels not having an opportunity to fortify their Places would be easily reduced to their Obedience by his Majesty as he passed without striking a stroke whereas if he gave them time to work therein he would afterwards find it very difficult to suppress them Thereupon an Assembly of all the Noble-men of the Court and of all those that belonged to the Council of War and that of State were gathered together wherein this Affair was debated and it was unanimously concluded that the return through Languedoc was necessary and would be apparently most advantageous The Council being adjourned and the Sieur de Blainville who was not as yet admitted into it and the Sieur le Maine Baron of Chabâ—n Adjutant-General appearing M. de Luines desired them to declare their Opinion concerning their Determination who being both instructed in this Matter gave advice contrary to what had been agreed upon with the general Approbation and Consent of the Convention which prevailed so far that the King took the nearest Road to Paris to the great Detriment of his Majesty's Proceedings for it is certain that no City durst then shut up their Gates against
at London where during the time of my residence in that City above ten thousand English Catholicks received this Sacrament from my Hands at which their Enemies were extremely offended and complained thereof to the King but to no purpose for his Majesty answered them that I did nothing contrary to his Pleasure At this time and at all others wherein I had the honour to see this King he was so well pleased with my Propositions that he freely disclosed his Thoughts to me and if M. d'Effiat were now living he would be my Witness that this good Prince did plainly make it appear that he delighted in conversing with me In our Conferences he told me that next to the Happiness he wished for to be allied with France he desired to be revenged on the Spaniards for the Injury that they had offered to him rehearsing to me all the Particulars thereof with great Indignation to which he added the Interests of his Son-in-Law who was said he as it were banished into Holland with abundance of Children I instantly replyed upon this last Expression and acquainted him that to recover the Palatinate it was requisite that the two Crowns of France and England should be united with a firm Resolution to weaken the Power of Spain and to this end to enter into a League with the Princes of Italy who as I verily believed since they had formerly made an Alliance with France alone in the time of the late King would be so much the more willing to do the like again when they saw that England was also engaged with whom the Pope would easily be persuaded to join since he had reason to fear least the Spaniards should one day force him to submit to their Yoke but to procure this Union he ought to assure the Pope and the other Princes that the Catholick Religion should be indemnified upon this I proposed many Expedients which pleased him extreamly as the Duke of Buckingham afterwards related to me In exhibiting the methods to attain Union I took an Opportunity to represent to him that Liberty of Conscience in England would be one of the the most effectual means to give full Satisfaction to the Pope and the Catholick Princes thereupon the King putting his Hand on mine spake these Words I plainly see that you are the Person appointed by God in whom I ought to confide and to reveal the Secrets of my Heart afterwards he very freely acknowledged the good opinion that he had conceived of the Catholick Faith and so particularly that he omitted nothing protesting to me that during his Minority his Tutors having perceived his Inclination to that Religion he run great hazard of being assassinated As to this Liberty of Conscience he professed that he intended long agoe to grant it in his Dominions and that for this very purpose he designed to summon an Assembly of Prelats and other learned Men of England together with an equal number of Forreigners and on the Decisions therein concluded to found the said Liberty adding that he had already determined what Persons should be chosen amongst the English and that if the Assembly could not meet at Dover he would consent that it should be holden at Boulagne as soon as he should be in a condition to relye on the King of France by the means of the Marriage to which he had agreed on his part and to procure these good Effects he thought it convenient that after the Consummation thereof I should return into England under the pretence of accompanying the Princess at which time he would deliver to me two Letters written with his own Hand one for the King and the other for the Pope containing his generous Resolutions he would also give me a distinct Memorial concerning his Intentions which I should prepare and he would sign to the end that being furnished with these Dispatches I should go to Rome under colour of visiting the Apostolick See where I should treat with the Pope alone for whom he said that he had a great Affection and Respect ever since he understood that he had composed Verses in his Youth on the violent Death of the late Queen of Scotland his Mother in commendation of her and of the Family of the Stuarts which he shewed to me He was pleased further to declare that in case I returned from Rome with his Holiness's Approbation of the said Convention he would cause it forthwith to be assembled whereupon extraordinary and admirable Events would ensue but before he proceeded to discover his purpose as to his own Person he would negociate with the Protestant Princes of Germany and with the principal Puritan Lords of England and Scotland and promised that all things should tend to an happy end and to the great advantage of the Catholick Church This is the substance of all our Discourses at several times on this Subject but for a Testimony of the Trust that this King reposed in me I shall here insert the particulars of my Transactions on account of the Marriage A considerable Progress being made in this Negociation the Duke of Buckingham arrived near London and from one of his Houses wrote to M. d'Effiat that he was ready to treat with him about a new Affair desiring him to come thither and to bring me along with him We went accordingly and the Duke told us that the King remembering the Delays and Artifices of the Spaniards to hinder the procuring of the dispensation during the Treaty with them was sensible that they would endeavour much more to cause it to be refused at the solicitation of France that he was resolved not to incurr the danger of a second Affront and that for this reason it was necessary that the King of France should permit the Marriage to be celebrated before the Dispensation for he was informed that an Absolution for Actions already committed was more easily to be obtained at Rome than a Dispensation to do them Upon this the Ambassador alledged two Points first that the King his Master had altogether as much Power at the Court of Rome as the King of Spain and secondly that his Most Christian Majesty would very willingly grant this Demand however I seemed not to approve the last Answer which the Duke of Buckingham soon perceived and taking an occasion after Dinner to shew me his House he desired me to explain my meaning at large as to this Particular which I did and enumerated to him divers Inconveniencies very prejudicial to England that would ensue upon the Consummation of this Marriage without a Dispensation together with the examples of several Princes insisting that this would grievously offend the Pope that no favour could afterwards be expected from him and that by this means the good Designs that the King of Great Brâ—tain intended to prosecute would be frustrated besides I believed that the King of France would never consent to it The Duke having heard me replyed that since he distrusted his own Ability to relate to the
to declare in his presence the means that they propounded as most effectual to put them in Execution Monsieur de Lesdiguiers approved of these measures that his Majesty had taken and declared that they might prove successful and that a tryal ought to be made but he was of Opinion that the King should lead in Person his principal Forces into Spain the Conquest whereof he judged to be more easie and profitable than that which his Majesty undertook and thus said he by wounding the Beast to the Heart you may overthrow him and having subdued him you may be assured that all that depend on or are protected by him will soon after fall under the Power of your Arms Whereas on the contrary as long as the Spaniards shall remain in praise at home they will be always able to raise Obstacles and great Obstructions against all the Enterprizes that you may elsewhere attempt on the Estates that are under their Dominion or those whom they shall think fit to defend He added further that with an Army of thirty Thousand Men well disciplined and maintained compleat he might perform this Conquest that there would be no Sieges of Places to stop his Progress and that there could be but three Battles fought at most in which his Majesty according to all appearance would obtain the Victory since his Souldiers that were Old and well Exercised in Martial Discipline would encounter with those that were raw and that had very little Experience in Arms and whose Hands were weakened and their Courage rendred effeminate with Peace which they had so long enjoyed in Spain The greatest difficulty that seemed to oppose this Advice and which hath been always objected whensoever a Proposal was made to carry any Forces into Spain consisted in the want of Victuals and other things necessary proceeding from the Barrenness of most part of the Countries through which they must pass But Monsieur de Lesdiguiers made his Majesty sensible that this defect might be supplied by causing the Army to be attended with a sufficient number of Vessels or Carriages laden with all sorts of Provisions requisite for Men and Horses and there were certain Persons that would engage to furnish them therewith whithersoever they should march by Sea or Land provided that the Road might be kept open and free which ought also to be done for their own Security The late Duke of Savoy was one of the chief Incendiaries of this War he pretended that the Estates that belonged to the Spaniards in Italy might be subdued with a great deal of ease and for his part he made thesedemands that he should have the Possession of Bresse which he called the Little Meadow that he should not be molested in making himself Master of Geneva that he should be assisted in Conquering the Franche County and that the Marriage should be concluded which was afterwards solemnized The King agreed to this last Proposition but to none of the others since he did not intend to give him so much as one Foot of Ground on this side the Mountains On the contrary his Majesty desired to have Savoy and to extend the Dominions of this Duke further in Italy by causing him to be Proclaimed King of Lombardy and by this means to satisfie his Ambition that aspired to the Royal Dignity There were Articles drawn up between them to this Effect which might be retrieved and thereby the particulars of this Treaty might more fully appear In the midst of so many great Designs that caused all Europe to be Astonished and in the most flourishing Prosperity of the Affairs of this Great Monarch the Rochellers had the boldness to undertake an Attempt on the City of Brovage and put themselves in a condition to Execute it their Project was to cause two Ships full of Armed Men to get into the Harbour of the said City at break of Day who under colour of Merchants that had Goods to Unload were to seize on the little Door of the Port which for the conveniency of Traffic was usually opened early in the Morning some hours before the great Gates from thence they intended to rush into the City to make themselves Masters thereof and to put to the Sword all they met the Rochellers having promised speedily to send them a Supply of Souldiers that might be sufficient to assist them to obtain the entire Possession of the Place and to maintain it According to this Agreement the two Ships being Arrived at the Port at the hour prefixt found themselves disappointed for the Gate was not unlocked all that Morning by reason that the Governour of the Place had the Night before received an Account by a Courier of the execrable Murther Committed on the Person of the late King Insomuch that these Undertakers having waited till Eight of the Clock and fearing lest they should be discovered were forced to retire and not long after were informed of the cause that the Gates were not opened An Ingenious States-man of Rochel who acted in this Design and was on Board one of the two Vessels being some Years after through my perswasion converted to the Catholic Religion revealed this Plot to me and besides gave other very good Advice that hath since proved advantageous to the Service of the King now happily Reigning He also proposed a way to surprize Rochel which might have succeeded if it had been well managed as shall be shewn in its due place but the glory of Conquering this Proud and in appearance Invincible City was reserved for his Majesty and the Prudent and Generous Conduct of his Principal Minister of State who in personal Abilities and Success hath far surpassed all those that ever had any share in the Administration of the Affairs of this Kingdom In the Year 1615. A little after the departure of the King in his Journey to Guienne one Mrs. Holeman an Ancient Widow came to enquire for me at my House to desire me to go and discourse with a certain Nun who had some Matters of Consequence to impart to me whereupon offering to go along with her immediately she brought me to this Religious Person who told me privately that although I did not know her and she was not conversant in the Affairs of the World nevertheless knowing that I could discreetly manage one of such importance as this that now happen'd she committed it to my Care assuring me that one named Goillier commonly called Moutorier who pretended to be a Physician and whom she described to me to be a perfect Atheist given up to all manner of Vices and Debauchery of a Ruddy Complexion Red Hair of a tall Stature and of a robust and strong Body aged about Fifty Years in a mean Habit wearing amongst other Cloaths an old black Serge Cloak dawbed with abundance of Laces had a Design upon the Life of Monsieur the King's Brother and that if I did not soon find out some means to prevent this wicked Attempt it were to be feared lest this
to be imparted to M. de Luines but so dextrously that if the matter came to light he could not be convicted of having any hand therein M. de Villeroy and President Jeanin acted the same Part with the intelligence that they in like manner had received from others that weretheir particular Friends and indeed all three were continually upon the Watch to get some advantage by this revolution in case it happened according to their expectation However it is certain that none of their expedients were Practised because they spake obscurely and as it were through a Pipe and the design was made so public that it came to the Ears of the Queen Mother and to those of the Marshal and his Wife and of some other Ministers of State but they did not seem much to regard it as well because they did not imagin that they that attended the King were potent enough to undertake such an enterprize as by reason of the orders that his Majesty had given on this occasion for he had subtily introduced into the Presence of the Queen his Mother two Familiar Friends of M. de Luines who igning to give her an account of all that was transacted by him told her that divers Persons had made Propositions to him to drive out the Marshal and his Wife together with the new Ministers of State to recal the old Counsellors and to cause the King to take upon him the Administration of the Government but that M. de Luines through their Advice had rejected all these vain projections which he durst not venture to attempt besides that he desir'd to Advance his Fortune in a fair way under the Protection of the Queen that had already conferred many Favours upon him on several occasions As for the King I am certain that none can truly boast that they received the least intimation from him by which it might be inferred that he had any thoughts tending to such a design or that he had so earnest a desire to Act as a real King on the contrary having taken a resolution ever since the first conference that was managed on this Subject in his Presence to conceal his intentions he affected to be employed in Exercise and Divertisements not agreeable to his Dignity and Disposition demeaning himself after so close and subtil a manner that none could discern his dissimulation only the Sieur Bellier an ingenious and valiant Gentleman of Dauphine who â—as lately come out of his own Country having observed his Majesty advised one of his Friends that had some interest in the Fortune of the Marshal to take care of himself for the King under the colour of mean Actions with which he passed away the time did undoubtedly cover some design of a change and being thus perswaded in regard that he was not in Favour with the Marshal he thought fit constantly to wait on his Majesty to serve him as an opportunity should be offered and indeed without having any knowledge â—f the Affairs in Agitation he was with him when the Marshal was killed as shall be shewed hereafter The Marshal d'Ancre had taken a journey into Normandy intending to reside there for some time As well to cause the Fortifications of Quilleboeus to be finished which he had undertaken for several considerations well known as to dispatch certain Affairs that he had at Roven and to take necessary measures for the securing of of that City and some other Places that he thought to be advantageous to his design but his Majesty of whom he had taken leave for a long time seeing him come back so suddenly and at unawares without being sent for and without any apparent reason of so precipitate a return was easily perswaded to believe that he came upon the Advice of his Wife or of some of his confederates because certain Persons since his departure had taken upon them to inform the Queen that the King intended to act himself and to cause the Marshal and his Wife to be removed as being the principal cause of the present Commotions that were ready to invade all the Parts of the Kingdom The King having embraced this opinion judged that if he did not take care to prevent his further Progress he might attempt to deprive him of the means that he had proposed to stop the course of his irregular and violent Proceedings to take the Government of the Kingdom into his own hands and to put an end to the disorders that were caused therein by his exorbitant ambition therefore his Majesty urged his faithful Friends to prepare all things that were requisite for the immediate executing of the resolution that had been formerly taken They were but few in number that were privy to this design though after it was accomplished many gained advantages thereby the Sieur de Modennes a Kinsman of M. de Luines who was then at Court knew nothing of it till a few hours before it was put in execution however some yet doubted and urged the former Advice that the King ought to go to Soissons but the same reasons that had been already opposed caused it to be again exploded insomuch that it was concluded to proceed without further delay From Sunday at Night to Monday the 24th of April 1617. M. de Luines M. de Vitry and some other that were employed in this Affair took care to give notice to their most intimate Friends that were Men of courage and well affected to his Majesties Person to come into the Court of the Louvre between the hours of eight and nine in the Morning on occasion of a pretended quarrel but the real intent was to make use of them in case of any uproar or tumult because the Marshal d'Ancre was always accompanied with a very strong Guard and that these Persons appearing in the Court might not afford any cause of suspition to the Marshal the Commissioners of the Registry were appointed to be Assembled in the Council-Chamber on Monday Morning to the end that the great Train of Attendants that are usually gathered together at such a time might serve to conceal the others that were ordered to be present The King gave it out that he had taken a Purge that the Great Gate of the Louvre might be kept shut and the little door only opened that by this means the whole retinue of the Marshal d'Ancre might be prevented from following him the Sentinels were assisted with certain resolute and valiant Persons who upon a Word given were to seize on a dozen of Halbards that were under some pretence brought into a little Chamber near the Gate and were to be commanded by a Gentleman that was privy to the design Commeillan Lieutenant of the Gate was charged to attend there and to open the Great Gate when the Marshal came but as soon as he was passed to shut it saying that he would open the lesser which nevertheless he should keep lockt till he had received Orders to open it About Ten of the Clock the Marshal came
unless the consent of Cardinal Aldobrandini could be obtained whose power equalled if not surpassed that of the House of Bourguere that he would not fail to joyn with Spain as soon as he should see this union proposed that the number of the Cardinals of his Faction being augmented with those that were the Subjects of Spain would always prevail in the Conclave and in the Consistory and therefore that they would be continually opposed and over-powered notwithstanding all that might happen to the advantage of France whereas if the King could unite these two Powers nothing could hinder him for the suture from obtaining all manner of Credit and Power in the Court of Rome even to that degree that when the Pope should dye he might cause one to be chosen of the French Nation A promise was made to him to make an attempt upon the hopes of good success and he was assured that it should be his own fault if his party were not strengthned with his Majesties Authority against that of Spain and the Family of Aldobrandini that was almost extinct A Marriage was then treated between Monsieur the Prince of Piedmont and Madam the Kings Sister Monsieur Deageant was one of those whom his Majesty thought fit to employ more particularly therein who took this opportunity to perswade the Duke of Savoy to endeavour to engage Cardinal Aldobrandini in the French Interests without declaring to him any thing that had passed between him and Cardinal Bourguere he was further urged with the hopes that by effecting this he might cause himself to be elected King of the Romans and from thence might be advanced to the Empire James I. late King of Great Britain instead of inciting the Prince Palatine his Son-in-Law disswaded him from it and was of opinion that the Duke of Savoy ought rather to be regarded One of the English Ministers of State imparted this to Monsieur Deageant that he might inform the King thereof and might induce him to prosecute this Design as being the best and most sure means to pull down the House of Austria to establish Peace amongst the Estates of Europe and to prevent the Commotions that were ready to break forth in Germany This Proposition was approved by the Duke of Savoy who wanted neither Courage nor Ambition he therefore resolved to sollicite Cardinal Aldobrandini on this account and promised much from the strict Amity and Friendship that was betwixt them but he feared least he should meet with some difficulty therein because this Cardinal as to his present Condition at Rome was able to hold the Ballance even in the Conclave and in the Consistory but that he might be over-matched by the Faction of Bourguere that would be fortified with the Spaniards as soon as they should see him inclined to France which was the same consideration that had restrained Bourguere with respect to Aldobrandini as hath been already observed A promise was thereupon made to the said Duke that all possible Efforts should be used to gain Cardinal Bourguâ—re It hath been above related that M. Deageant contrived an Enterprize against Rochel with an Officer that had the charge of the Fortifications of that City this Man had given Information to the Inhabitants that for the security of the Place it was necessary to raise a Bulwark on that side next the Harbour and having received orders to take care that a good quantity of Earth should be carried thither for that purpose left a space open through which seven Men might enter in front this gap was filled up at Night with a few Turfs that might be easily trampled upon and overturned but that he might gain time to prepare all things requisite for the Execution of this Design he prolonged the finishing of this Work Another Inhabitant of Rochel that guarded the Tower of the Lantern on the same side treated in like manner with Monsieur Deageant at the same time to open a passage into the City which he had cut through the Stones and afterwards filled with Earth and was so wide that two Men might march therein in front The other Officer and he without knowing one another Intentions insisted that the King having put a strong Garrison into Fort Lewes that was near the City might re-enforce it as occasion required and might without any difficulty at the return of the tide cause a detatchment of a considerable number of Soldiers that might be sufficient to perform this Enterprize to advance by the way that they should shew without being perceived by the Sentinels Monsieur Deageant to be assured of this sent an Engineer in whom he could confide that at two several Nights entered through the above mentioned Passages and reported that the project was infallible and not long after acquainted the King and Monfieur de Luines with it Thereupon a debate arose in the Privy Council whether in case an opportunity should be offered to surprise Rochel the King should lay hold on it and it was carried in the affirmative though at that time there was a full Peace since the Rockellers as to their particular were continually Factious and in Rebellion There were none then privy to the Design but the King Monsieur de Luines the two Undertakers the Workman that was sent to view the Places and Monsieur Deageant but afterwards Monsieur de Luines perswaded the Person that managed the Affair at the Tower of the Lantern to introduce Monsieur de Auriac Quarter-Master of the Army lately deceased to see whether it could be effected forbidding him to make any mention thereof to Monsieur Deageant Monsieur de Auriac declared that he had seen every thing after the same manner as was represented but that so many Soldiers as would be requisite to take the City could not pass through that Tower unless the other Attempt were vigorously prosecuted at the same time this difficulty arose by reason of the absence of the other Officer who was in Rochel and had treated with none but Monsieur Deageant without whom Monsieur de Luines intended that these Enterprizes should be performed that the Honour of them might be attributed to him he feared also if any success should happen upon the Negotiation of Monsieur Deageant lest he should obtain further Credit and Favour with the King Thus all proceedings in this Matter being delayed no other Effect was produced but the Death of him that acted at the Tower by the Lantern who being sent into the City of Monsieur de Luines to endeavour to induce the Officer to treat with none but him and to desist from conferring any longer with Monsieur Deageant was discovered upon the advice that a certain noble Man to whom Monsieur de Luines had revealed this Design had given to the Mayor insomuch that he was Condemned and Executed Upon this account the Officer fled and having related all these Circumstances to Monsieur Deageant departed to Rome not thinking himself safe in France The Jealousy of Monsieur
sent to him on purpose in which he acknowledged him as the Vicar General of Jesus Christ on Earth as the Universal Father of the Christians and the chief of all Catholicks assuring him that after he had taken care of those things to which he had agreed he would openly declare himself in the mean time he promised not to suffer any search to be made in his Kingdom after Priests that were sent by his Holiness or the most Christian King provided they were not Jesuits in whom he protested that he could not confide for divers Reasons principally because he accounted them as the Authors of the Gunpowder Treason by which they had designed to blow him up as he sat in the Parliament-House In his Letter amongst other things he entreated the Pope to vouchsafe that the Goods of the Church that were entred into the Patrimony of the principal Families of England should not be taken from them but on the contrary that they should be permitted to possess them because otherwise great troubles and commotions would ensue he affirm'd moreover that nothing could detain him from making a publick Profession of the Catholick Religion immediately but the desire he had to gain the King of Denmark his Brother-in-law whom he had to that end but under another pretence solicited to come over into England where he hoped to convert him that by doing this he should be able to establish peace in his Dominions which otherwise could hardly be maintained and that they two being joined together in the same design would draw after them almost all the Northern Countries The Duke of Buckingham and the Gentleman whom he sent to Rome were the only persons that were his Subjects to whom he discoursed these Intentions The Duke had promised to follow him and indeed made a considerable progress therein but the Death of King James that happened during this Negotiation prevented the effect at which his Holiness and the King were very much troubled The King of Great Britain always shewed a great aversion to the design of the Prince Palatine his Son-in-law and an extream desire to cause the Duke of Savoy to be made King of the Romans he solicited M. Deageant during his Employment at Court to endeavour to incite the King to this and to persuade him to make use of his Interest with the Electoral Princes that were his Friends as he intended to do with those that were his promising also to raise Forces to assist him in his Election and Enstalment The Affairs of the Low Countries remained in their ordinary course It is true indeed that the Spaniards in Flanders had determined to renew an old Quarrel by digging a certain Channel over Calais in those Lands that were in dispute between the two Estates but the King oppos'd it declaring that he would hinder the work by force of Arms some Conferences were holden on this account by the neighbouring Officers on both sides but they took no effect however the Spaniards desisted from their Undertaking The King of Sweden obtained leave of the King to levy certain French Troops for his Service that were employed in the War in which he was then engaged The Duke of Lorrain who was as yet only Prince of Vaudemont resided some time at Court where he received all manner of demonstrations of the King's Favour and good Will who defended him in a Quarrel that arose between him and the Count of Soissons and took a particular care of all his Affairs in somuch that when he proposed to marry the Heiress of Lorrain His Majesty afforded him his assistance tho some were of a contrary Opinion indeed no Opportunity was offered wherein he could oblige him but he did it affectionately being very much inclined to love him However Divine Justice hath permitted him to be punished for his unparallel'd ingratitude to the King almost assoon as he had arrived to the highest pitch of his power The D. of Vaudemont his Father who never was well affected to France very early implanted the seeds of those pernicious Principles in his mind that have since produced such bitter fruits in his Family and have at last been the cause of its ruin As for the Affairs of Germany when the King took on himself the Administration of the Government of his Kingdom they were sufficiently embroiled the two Parties the Catholick and the Protestant had already harassed one another in several places the Duke of Bavaria hoped to attain to the Empire being animated by the Counsel of the Jesuits who to that end had advised him to engage in his Interest the principal Officers that had served the Emperour and were lately disbanded as also to cause all necessary provisions to be made for the execution of this Design The Prince Palatine on the other side being excited by his own Ambition and by the greatest part of the Protestants and very much importuned by the Duke of Bouillon suffered himself to be decoyed with the same project of aspiring to the Empire and prosecuted it vigorously Both Parties seeing France enjoying a profound Peace and their King ready to mount on Horse-back to turn the Scales to the side that he should think fit to favour diligently sought to make an Alliance with him The King's Council was divided thereupon some thought it convenient that he should promote the Enterprise of the Duke of Bavaria nevertheless without declaring it openly Others on the contrary were of Opinion that he ought to remain Neuter and with the Forces that he had in the Field to march towards Metz that appearing formidable to both Parties he might be ready to lay hold on all advantages that should be offered which consisted amongst other things in counter-ballancing the House of Austria that apparently designed to exalt it self to the detriment of all the Potentates of Europe and in case matters should be disposed to a Peace in endeavouring to become Arbitrator thereof Moreover there happened another occasion that required the King's Presence at Metz an Information had been given of the secret Correspondence between M. d'Espernon and the Queen-Mother that was at last made manifest by her departure from Blois It was known also that the Duke of Bouillon had promised to join with that Party and that under colour of fortifying the Garrison of Metz he intended to cause Soldiers to be admitted therein to the end that in the midst of the Combustions that he saw were ready to break forth with the assistance of them and some other Inhabitants that were at his Devotion he might attempt to make himself Master of the place to annex it to the Principality of Sedan insomuch that the King to secure this City and to rescue it from the power of those that were very industrious in strengthening themselves in their Conspiracies against him was resolved to proceed to the execution of an infallible Enterprise that had been projected at that time when M. d'Espernon began first to be suspected in order to the
him but in the following Year having gained time to fortify themselves they compelled him to bring an Army against them at the cost of vast Expences and Inconveniences that subdued but very few Places and the rest obliged him to undertake another Journey that proved more successful than the former since he finished the War and happily overthrew this Monster of Sedition and Rebellion that had so long raged in France When M. de Lesdiguieres had obtain'd leave to return into Dauphine to suppress the Insurrections of the Protestants the King thought fit to order M. de Bullion to attend him and commanded M. Deageant who had not stirred from him for the space of about two Years to wait upon his Majesty for the future and to serve him as occasion required this redoubled the Jealousies of his Enemies who persecuted him incessantly tho to avoid their Fury he kept himself at as great a distance as he could from the King's Person and from publick Negociations without entring into any of the Councils notwithstanding the new Orders that were lately given by his Majesty that he should be re-admitted into the same Station and Priviledges that he had heretofore enjoyed At the Arrival of M. de Lesdiguieres in Dauphine every one laid down his Arms but the Rebels of Languedoc having taken the advantage of the time that was left them in making good all the Passes and Forts and seeing the King removed far from them began to lift up their Horns ravaging and plundering the Country and in divers places treated the Catholicks very severely which obliged the King to resolve to march thither in the Spring and because the Inhabitants of Bays and le Poussin who took part with the Male-contents obstructed the Communication of the Rhone which was necessary for the convenience of the Army that his Majesty intended to lead into Languedoc he commanded M. de Lesdâ—guieres to raise Forces to besiege these two Places and to keep the Rhone clear having appointed that one moiety of the Charges should be supplied out of the Treasury and the other raised in Dauphine but for want of Money or otherwise these Levies proceeded very slowly tho the King had given express Orders that they should be dispatched with all possible Expedition At last perceiving the Season to decline and the Progress that the Rebels had made in Gascony and Languedoc he sent M. Deageant in post to hasten the execution of his Commands and to accompany M. de Lesdiguieres with M. de Bullion M. de Lesdiguieres at that time erected a Bridg of Boats over the Rhone which was an attempt formerly esteemed exceeding difficult and almost impossible by reason of the violence of the Stream took possession of the two Places above mentioned and kept the Passages open on the side of the River And his Majesty having in this Journey reduced several Cities to their Duty went to besiege Montpelier During this Siege the particular case of M. de Lesdiguieres was considered in the Privy Council it was represented to the King that in the state wherein he was at present he could not be assur'd of his fidelity and constancy for if he should turn his coat and should hearken to the advantageous Propositions that were daily offered to him by the Protestants as it might happen he would so considerably strengthen the Factious Party that his Majesty would hardly be able to overcome them and therefore that there were but two Expedients to prevent these ill Consequences either to cut off his Head or to engage him more firmly in his Majesty's Service by giving him the Office of Constable upon condition that he should change his Religion which if he refused to do he ought immediately to be dispatched out of the way It was concluded to try the more gentle way and instructions were drawn up and directed to M. de Bullion with a Duplicate for M. Deageant tending to perswade M. de Lesdiguieres to finish his Conversion to which the Office of Constable was annexed He seemed at first to scruple it but M. Deageant having put him in mind of the promise that he had formerly made and signed it with his own hand and being fully satisfied as to the controversial points that were in dispute between the two Churches he freely offered to yield an entire obedience to all that his Majesty required of him and within a few days after made publick Profession of the Catholick Religion at Grenoble in the presence of the Arch-Bishop of Embrun and at the same time was invested with the Office of Constable and with the Order of the Holy Ghost Afterwards he went to meet the King at the Camp before Montpelier and was very serviceable in the reduceing of that Place that might have cost his Majesty a great deal more trouble I was there taken sick with a disease that lasted eighteen months the greatest Extremity of which being abated when the King prepared to return to Paris he was pleased to command me to follow him nevertheless during that time I almost continually kept my Bed and Chamber which is the cause that I can give no account of what passed afterwards since I had no knowledge of the ensuing Transactions and Occurrences There were divers Changes and Revolutions at Court and the Ministers of State often played at fast and loose endeavouring to supplant one another The Marquess de la Vieuille was the chief amongst them that in caressing me was the Author of most of the injuries and persecutions that were raised against me and I cannot tell for what reason for to my knowledge I never offended him and always retired as much as I could from the King's Presence and from the Affairs of State his ill will induced him so far that the King having ordered the Marshal d'Ornano to be put into the Bastille for disobeying the Command that his Majesty had given him to repair to his Government of St. Esprit he caused my name to be incerted in the Warrant the Courier that brought it from Compeigne where the Court then resided having declared this to the Deputy of the Sieur Almeras Post-Master General as he received his Ticket to provide Horses the Deputy informed his Master thereof and he revealed it to M. de Guise who being with the King that often laughed at his extravagant humours told him that His Majesty had given an occasion to the Marshal d'Ornano and Deageant to run mad since he had caused them to be confined in the Bastille Deageant replied the King there was no such thing intended It is certainly so said M. de Guise for here stands Almeras who told me that his Deputy received the news from the Courier that carried the Order His Majesty thereupon gave signal demonstrations of his Generosity and Justice which being made known to the Marquess de Vieuille oblig'd him to dispatch another Warrant that only mentioned the Marshal d'Ornano and to send back speedily to countermand the first That I might