many Arrests as he would without examining any thing that being the Kings Tutors they would at their pleasure dispose of their Pupils Estate that they would hazard every thing for his Service on condition that he would suppress the Semestre reduce the Company to their antient State The Primier President and the Advocate-General finding that they could do the King no Service went to St. Germains to give an account how little Power they had In the interim Monsieur de Longueville who saw himself sure of the People and the Parliament thought of nothing but raising an Army And though he had yet laid no Foundation he would always be distributing Offices to amuse the People and they began to Marshal an Army which was but then in imagination The most Considerable of them being Assembled he gave them thanks for the Zeal they testifi'd in his Service that for his part He would all his Life acknowledge the Affection of those that did adhere to his Fortune and in the mean time That he might oblige them by Essential Favors he was ready to confer upon them the most important Imployments that he had At these sweet Words all those Illustrious Persons made their profound Reverences Some time after was spent in Complements which insensibly ended in assurances of Fidelity and Protestations to spill the last drop of their Blood Afterwards there pass'd many fine Discourses of the present state of Affairs and some possessed with a zeal for the Party proposed this weighty Advice Why said they should we not strike the Iron while it is hot You have Sir a great many of the Nobility about you and a great many young Men in the City you may make a Body of Gentlemen another of their Valet de Chambres to which you may joyn the Cinquantain and your Guards two great Battalions of the best Burgesses and with these Troops surprise the King at St. Germains Yes answered Monsieur de Longueville it shall be so but being it is our principal Enterprise we must consider how to carry it on well we will talk of it in our first Consult In the interim to avoid Confusion which ordinarily ruines all Parties we must distribute the Offices that every one may be assured of his Imployment Varricarville refused to take any having read in a Rabby who advised him to feed upon Herbs That a Man should not embarass himself with any business notwithstanding his aversion to the Favorites not suffering him to be useless upon these occasions he would needs take care of the Politick part and regulate all things according to the Memoirs of the Prince of Orange But as there always happens a hundred Misfortunes he had forgot at Paris a Manuscript of Count Maurice from whence he took all his great Notions for the Artillery and Provisions which probably was the reason that there was neither Ammunition nor Bread in this Army Saint-Ibal beg'd the honor of bringing in Enemies into France and 't was answer'd That the Generals of Paris would reserve it for him He demanded a full Power to treat with the Polanders Tartars and Moscovites and the entire disposal of all Chimerical Affairs which was granted him The Count de Fiesque fertil in Military Visions besides the charge of Lieutenant General which he had from the Parisians obtain'd a particular Commission for the beating up of Quarters and other suddain and brisk Exploits which might be resolved on with singing of a Ballet or Dancing a step or two The Marquess de Beuvron was made Lieutenant General on condition that he would stay at the Old Palais the Place and Government both being of so great Importance that they could not be preserved with too great care The Marquess de Matignon always remarkable for his Conceitedness and at present famous for the memorable Siege of Vallongne commanded the Troops of Constantine saying That he would have his little Army depend upon Monsieur de Longueville no more than Walsten did on the Emperor The Marquess d'Hectot begged the Command of the Cavalry which was given him because he was better Mounted then the rest and was about the age of Monsieur de Nemours when he Commanded it in Flanders and had an embroider'd Coat exactly like his Ansonville was chosen Governor of Roan because he was a Man that very civilly understood War and as fit to harangue the People Soldier-like as le Plesis-Besanson The Governor was made Marshal de Camp that he might not be under the Command of others and the Marshal de Camp was made Governor that he might not be obliged to leave the City so that one of his Maxims was That he ought not to stir out upon any account whatsoever alledging That a great many considerable Towns were lost by their Governors absence Hannerick and Cumenil desired to be made Marshals de Camp Hannerick claimed a right to it because he had like to have been Ensign in the Kings Army Cumenil because he narrowly miss'd being Maistre de Camp in the Regiment of Monsieur de Bocaule he could not say that he had ever seen an Army in the Field but he alledg'd That he had been a Hunter all his Life and that Hunting being an Image of War according to Machiavel forty years Hunting were as good as thirty Campains at least he would be a Marshal de Camp and he was so Flavacourt said That to be a good Captain a Man must have run away as well as have gained Victories as Barriere observed out of the Book of Monsieur de Rohan this being so he pretended that no body could dispute with him the advantage of his own Experience and all the World remember'd very well the Disorder he was in when d'Estartè was taken Prisoner they would have given him the Command of the Artillery at St. Euremont and to say truth out of an Inclination for Monsieur St. Germain he had a mighty desire to serve the Court by undertaking a considerable Charge which he understood nothing of but since he promis'd the Count d'Harcourt not to take any Employment he kept his Promise as well for his Honors sake as that he might not resemble the Normans who had all of them broken their word These Considerations made him generously refuse the Money that was offer'd him which indeed was never paid him Campion was not ambitious of great Employments he only begg'd to be Marshal of a Squadron to learn the Trade confessing ingeniously that he had no skill in it but valued himself mightily for his knowledge of the Country even to the little Brooks and By-ways which Knowledge he arrived to by Hunting with Monsieur de Vendosme Sevigny was content with such another Office but he was gull'd by his moderation when he saw there was no necessity of being a skillful man to be a Marshal de Camp beside he set up for a Buffoon and had the honor to make his Highness laugh Rucqueville an ancient Servant would do nothing and his long
of by all the Court. This Departure or rather Escape was joyful News to the Factious and was by no means approved of by wise Men who esteem'd it unbecoming Sovereign Dignity which Princes ought to be jealous of since the splendor of the name of King is the chief thing that awes the People into Respect The Parisians were not so much startled as was imagined they would be on the contrary as if they had taken courage from the condition they were in they declared That they were prepared for all the Consequences that threatned them and fear did not keep them from railing against the Cardinal Monsieur le Prince the Queen and all those whom they believed to have advised this departure which they called a Rape of the King The Parliament appeared less constant in this accident because they foresaw the Consequences of it better and after the first Assembly they deputed some of the Kings Council to carry their Submissions and Offers which though very advantagious yet were sent back without being heard so much was all the Court possessed with a vain hope that the Parisians would yield too with a blind obedience upon the first Alarm of the Siege but they were quickly undeceived for the day after which was the eighth of January that the King's Council had made their Report so that they could no longer question the design of the Court the Parliament declared the Cardinal an Enemy to the Government and issued out Commissions to levy Soldiers the Companies voluntarily taxed themselves they laid in abundance of Provisions and the people with a great deal of ardor stood to defend the City So true is it that Fear oftentimes begets Courage and that nothing Arms the Hand more powerfully than Despair Notwithstanding Monsieur le Prince with six or seven thousand Men who were the remainder of the Army of the last Campaign block'd up Paris possessing themselves of Laigny Corbeil Saint Cloud St. Denis and Charenton a thing Posterity will admire but never believe That he should by his Conduct and Vigilance block up the greatest and most populous City in Europe when at the same time there were so many Princes and Lords in it with an Army stronger than his Now as the Court never wants Malecontents the Duke d'Elbeuf his three Sons the Duke of Brisac and the Marquiss de la Boulaye first offered themselves to the Parliament who had no sooner installed the Duke d'Elbeuf in the Office of General of the Army but news was brought them that the Prince de Conty and the Duke de Longueil accompanied with the Prince de Marcillac and Normonstier were that night privately come from St. Germains and lighted at the Hotel de Longueil who came to declare themselves for the Parisians according to the Agreement which they had made with the Coadjutor This their sudden arrival gave occasion to some controversy which was ended by the nomination of the Prince of Conty for Generalissimo and of the Duke d'Elbeuf for General with whom the Duke de Bouillion and Marshal de la Motthe were joined in equal power Monsieur de Longueil would not take any Employment but of assisting the Prince of Conty by his Counsels esteeming himself above the last and not able to be equal to the first The Prince of Conty had great difficulty to justifie the sincerity of his Intentions because the Publick who were ignorant of the misunderstanding betwixt him and Monsieur le Prince who was the real head of the Enterprize against Paris could not think themselves secure of him even Provost a Counsellor of the great Chamber gave himself the liberty as if this mutual Confederation against their Duty inspired him with boldness to be disrespectful to a Prince of the Blood Nevertheless Madam de Longueville was required to live in the Hotel de Ville to be an Hostage for the Fidelity of her Brother and Husband to the People who naturally distrust great Men because they are ordinarily the Victims of their Interest This departure of Monsieur le Prince de Conty and of Monsieur de Longueil from St. Germains was a mighty surprise in it self but became much greater by raising a jealousie that Monsieur le Prince was of the Party which put the Queen and the Cardinal into extraordinary fears though they were quickly removed by his return from Charenton He storm'd and was incensed against them with the greater heat in this quarrel that he might be reveng'd on his Relations who he believed ought to depend absolutely on his Will 'T was said That at this time the Cardinal resolved to leave France thinking it impossible for him to be safe in the midst of all these Tempests and destitute of support But the Prince encourag'd him and engaged his honour to the Queen That he would perish or bring him back to Paris triumphant over his Enemies In the mean time the Party in the City got no small strength by the Declaration of a Prince of the Blood whose quality was of great consequence in the Kingdom and of another Prince who was almost absolute in his Government of Normandy the Marshal de la Motthe also rendred himself considerable in the Army and the Duke of Bouillion incomparably more so by the great Knowledge he had in the affairs of the World and his strict Alliance with his Brother Marshal Turenne who commanding at this time the Army in Germany it was presumed would Sacrifice his Duty to the raising of his Family and to the Peak he had against the Cardinal Monsieur le Prince indeed who took these two Brothers for his Friends wrote to the Duke de Bouillion fearing lest he should think that the retreat of the Prince de Conty and of Longueil was contrived with his consent and therefore he was willing to undeceive him and conjured him to return to St. Germains where he would procure him all the satisfaction possible to his Interests Monsieur de Bouillion shewed this Letter to the Parliament and the Ministers being informed That Marshal Turenne stood ill affected the King and Monsieur le Prince who had great Interest amongst the Troops in Germany wrote to the Colonels to observe his Commands no further and to abandon him which took effect and was the safety of the Court. At this time likewise the Duke of Beaufort arrived at Paris He had absconded in the Provinces beyond the Loire since his escape out of Vincennes and found this favourable occasion to set him up again in the World He came to offer his service to the Parliament who cleared him from the Accusation of having conspired against the Life of Cardinal Mazarin admitted him Peer of France and made him one of their Generals Now although his Genius was none of the most raised yet his Presence his Language and his popular Air with a Conduct adroit enough gain'd him the love of the People of Paris and the rather because they thought him irreconcileable to the Cardinal for
might afterwards break out with the greater Violence On the contrary upon his return from Burgundy to Paris before he had seen the Court he powerfully sollicited his Friends to receive the King with the Cardinal and testified the same earnestness as if it had been for his own Interests it may be because he took a pride to perfect so glorious a Work as that of re-establishing him or because he vainly flatter'd himself that so great a Service would be always present to the Eyes of the Queen He staid till the Court returned to Compeigne where he receiv'd more Demonstrations of Friendship than when he went from thence either to make him remit something of his averseness to the Marriage which was the fatal cause of their division or rather that he might act with his wonted vehemency at the Kings return to Paris which was look'd upon by all the Provinces as the Seat of the Empire When the King made his Entry with the Queen and all the Royal Family in the same Coach the Cardinal was in one of the Boots with Monsieur le Prince who by his Presence encouraged him against those Fears which he might justly apprehend when he saw himself in the midst of an incredible Croud of People who had so much horror for his Person but only the joy of seeing the King again possessed every mans mind whence they banished all thoughts of the late Troubles and Enmities When their Majesties were come to the Palais Royal they accepted the Submissions of the Duke de Beaufort and the Coadjutor and Monsieur le Prince concluded so fair a Journey with telling the Queen That he thought himself happy since he had now fulfill'd his promise which he made to bring the Cardinal back to Paris Her Majesty answer'd Sir This Service that you have done the State is so great that the King and my Self would be ungrateful if we should ever happen to forget it A Servant of Monsieur le Prince's who heard this Discourse said That he trembled to think of the Greatness of this Service and feared that this Complement would one day be look'd upon as a Reproach Monsieur le Prince answer'd I don't doubt it but I have done what I promis'd The Retreat of the Duke de Longueville to his Government of Normandy during the War of Paris 1649. AS the Duke de Longueville was going into the Old Palais he met with Monsieur de St. Luc who was sent to St. Germains to the Marquess d'Hectot to endeavor to bring him over again to the Court Interest He told him with a Countenance full of Joy St. Luc It is not long since I hated you mortally and I Sir answered St. Luc hate you no less at present than you then hated me If I had not been deceived You would not have been here and if you had not been deceived first I should not have been suffer'd there This short Discourse being ended Monsieur de Longueville design'd to go to the Parliament which was met to consult whether they should receive him or no. Some of his Friends were against his going alledging That he both expos'd himself and the Party some were sent up to the top of a high Tower to observe how the People stood affected and when it was told him that they heard shouts of Joy on every side he immediatly went out accompanied with those that attended him and presented himself at the Palais After having received a thousand Acclamations all the way as he pass'd he surprised the Gentlemen of the Parliament who never thought of so unexpected an Adventure and after having taken his Place spake after this manner Having always very much honored and loved you I am come with all the Danger that a Man of my Quality can expose himself to to offer you my Estate and my Life for your preservation I know that the greatest part of Governors do not use to do so but when they have reaped all the Benefits of your Services that they could get from you in a time of Peace they abandon you as soon as they see you in Danger As for me who have a thousand Obligations to you I pretend here to acknowledge them both as a Governor and as a Person sensibly obliged I come to do you all the Service I am capable of in a Conjuncture so dangerous The Primier President making no answer to this Speech and shewing by the trouble in his looks how much the Presence of the Duke afflicted him all the Gentlemen gave him Testimonies of their Joy who were animated by the mouth of a Counsellor of the Great Chamber called Monsieur who made him this fine Speech The same difference which was betwixt the Wolf and the Shepherd Most Courteous Prince is observable betwixt the Count d'Harcourt and your Highness on such occasions as these the Count d'Harcourt came either like a Wolf or like a Lion but always like a ravenous Beast to devour us we would not open the Doors to him for fear of receiving an enemy into our Bowels we in favor let him take a turn about our Walls which he did casting on us Eyes all sparkling with anger tanquam Leo rugiens For you Great Prince you are come like a true Shepherd to shelter all your Flock Bonus pastor ponit animam pro ovibus suis It is too true that you do so atque ideo Mon Seigneur we commit to you the keeping of this City and the safety of all the Province it is your part to be careful of our Preservation and ours to help your Cares with all the assistance that is in our power The Speech being ended Monsieur de Longueville rose up and after he had saluted every one in particular with his ordinary Affableness went out of the Palais accompanied by his Friends and followed by the People who conducted him with new Acclamations The Gentlemen of the Parliament reflecting upon the Joy which the Burgesses expressd to see their Governor began to fear an absolute Slavery and to hinder this Calamity designed to make their terms with him but whether Monsieur de Longueville perceived their Intention or because he would bring them into an intire confidence in him he was willing to prevent and to assure them That they should always have the disposal of every thing He told them That the Affairs he was about were properly the Parliaments and not his own that he desired not nor ought to have any other Imployment then to lead an Army for the good of the State and their particular Services that all the Taxes should be made by their Orders that they themselves should establish Commissioners of their Company for the Receipt and Distribution of the Publick Treasure and in fine as they had the principal Concern in the success of Affairs it was reasonable that they should have a share in all the Counsels These Gentlemen gave him Thanks for the Honor he had done them assured him That they would issue out as
as we shall see anon Now though Monsieur le Prince disavow'd that he ever made any such promise yet there is very great probability that he would have made himself head of the Frondeurs upon hopes of reducing them to the Court Interest to which he as zealously adhered as ever whatever he pretended but when he perceived that they would give him no Authority over them but what was destructive of the Power he design'd to support he pretended to forget himself and to have never had any correspondence with them III. The departure of the Prince de Conty the Dukes de Longueville and de la Rochefoucault and of the Marquis de Noirmoustier from St. Germain was an effect of those Measures which were taken at Noisy But Monsieur le Prince who was altogether for the Court Party made his Brother joyn with it the Duke de Longueville also rendred himself as well because he is naturally irresolute as because he hoped that things would be soon accommodated But being the Duke de la Rochesoucault and the Marquis de Noirmoustier were interressed by their League with the Frondeurs to make him stand to his word they at last constrained him to follow the Prince de Conty to Paris It is true that they came not thither at the time appointed and this delay obliged the Parliament to review the Offers of the Duke d'Elboeuf and confer upon him the Office of General who presently made so strong a party in the Parliament and amongst the People that it was in his power to cause the Prince de Conty and all those who accompanied him to be arrested accusing them of holding intelligence with the Court and of coming with the consent and contrivance of Monsieur le Prince who had abandoned them This went so far that they set a Guard upon the Hotel de Longueville and at last constrained the Prince de Conty and the Dutchess de Longueville to go to live at the Hotel de Ville But that which brought this suspicion upon them was because the Engagement they had made to be of the Parliament party was entrusted only with a few particular Persons of this company who durst not declare till the presence of the Prince de Conty and those that were with him gave them liberty to publish this secret IV. The Provisions which were permitted to be brought into Paris were not the effect of any Intelligence which Monsieur le Prince had with his Relations who were shut up there for there were never so great Quarrels amongst them as at this time but it was because the Court desired extreamly to conclude a Peace speedily before the arrival of the Archduke and his Army and a general Insurrection of all the Provinces And the entrance of Provisions was a condition without which they would not begin the Conference V. Here we must explain the second Point because it was after the War of Paris that the Prince of Condy and Cardinal Mazarin fell out The principal occasion of their Misunderstandings proceeded from the Cardinals throwing the hatred of the People upon the Prince de Condy and making him to be reputed the Author of all the Violences which they suffered insomuch that Monsieur le Prince who believed he could not better raze out this Impression than by the means of the Frondeurs whose Affections and Sentiments the People espoused resolved to reconcile himself to them by making an open Breach with the Cardinal and letting them see that he did not depend upon the Court so much as they imagin'd Not that he intended by doing this to declare himself their Head but to become more formidable to the Court to regain the Peoples affections and to make his Conditions more advantageous And forasmuch as he was sensible of the mischief which the Divisions in his Family had brought upon him he ardently desired to be reconciled to the Prince of Conty the Dutchess of Longueville and the Duke de la Rochefoucault who at that time was the sole Confident of the Prince de Conty and the Dutchess de Longueville Therefore it was for all these Reasons that he took an occasion to break off with them upon their refusal of the Government of the Pont de l'Arche to the Duke de Longueville but because he would not long continue ill at Court he quickly thought that he had done enough and was reconciled to the Cardinal within eight days This lost him the Frondeurs and the People again and brought him no advantage but the reunion of his Family VI. Monsieur le Prince supported the Interests of Bourdeaux cheaply to oblige a great Parliament and a strong City that this might render him more considerable at Court and put him into a better condition of making advantages by it VII The League betwixt the Prince de Conty and the Abbot de la Riviere was agreed upon without Monsieur le Prince's being made a Party in it that is to say That Monsieur le Prince had no further to do in it then barely to consent that the Abbot de la Riviere should upon the Peace with Paris procure the Prince de Conty's re-establishment in his Governments Monsieur de Longueville's in his and over and above the Government of Danvilliers upon condition that the Prince de Conty should wave his Pretensions to the Cap in favor of the Abbot de la Riviere In was the Duke de la Rochefoucault who treated about this Affair because the Prince de Conty had no mind to be an Ecclesiastick and because he judged that so long as the Abbot de la Riviere was in hopes of being Cardinal he would engage Monsieur always to take such Measures as the Prince de Gonâ—â— desired and so he did till the Imprisonment of the Princes that the Abbot de la Riviere was discharged â—ith the consent of these Gentlemen VIII The fifth Point explains this as well as the second and therefore it will be needless to speak any more of it IX The Affair of Jolly was never so well discovered as to give a Man ground to speak positively of it But what I believe is that la Boulage who raised the Sedition in the morning with the Confederacy of the Duke de Beaufort attempted to raise another in the Evening to alarm the Court and thereby shelter himself from the danger he was in for the first Likewise the Cardinal who had of a long time sought an occasion to set the Prince de Condè at open War with the Frondeurs made use of this Accident to divide them irreconcileably He made the Prince of Condè believe that they meant it against his Person The Declaration which he made thereof to the Parliament at last gave occasion to the Frondeurs to reconcile themselves to the Court and to lay the Design of Imprisoning the Princes which was soon after executed and which produced all the mischiefs that have since befallen us The Princes de Condè de Conty and the Duke de
a time when the Peoples minds were unresolved and wavering the Dukes d'Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault hang'd up the Commander of the Isle Saint George which was also rendred them at discretion This Action astonish'd the Court heartned the People of Bourdeaux and so disposed things in the City that they were resolved to stand the Siege and to defend themselves couragiously confiding in their own strength and the promises of the Spaniards who assur'd them of a speedy and powerful Supply With this design they hastned to make a Fort of four little Bastions at the Bastide The Bastide is over against Bourdeaux on the other side of the River They diligently made other Fortifications to the City but because a great many Citizens had Houses in the Fauxbourg de St. Surin they would not consent to the burning or pulling down any of them so that all that could be done was to shut up the Avenues and make the Windows of the Houses strong which was done only to content the People and not out of any hopes of defending a place of so little strength with the Citizens and so few Souldiers as remain'd which were not above Seven or eight hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse Notwithstanding because all depended on the People and the Parliament we must satisfie them though contrary to the Rules of War and undertake the defence of the Fauxbourg de St. Surin it lies open on every side the Gate of the City nearest to it is Dijos which was weak being defended with nothing and because they may walk to it on even ground that it was thought convenient to cover it with a Half-moon but every thing being wanting they made use of a little Dung-hill before the Gate which being raised into a Scarpe in fashion of a Half-moon without a Parapet or a Trench proved notwithstanding the greatest Defence of the City Whil'st the King stay'd at Bourg Cardinal Mazarin came to the Army which consisted of Eight thousand Foot and near Three thousand Horse they resolv'd to attack the Fauxbourgh de St. Surin so much the more readily because the Avenues only being garded they might without danger gain the Houses enter that way into the Fauxbourg and also cut off that which defended the Barricado's and the Church without their being able to retreat into the City They believed also that the Half-moon being impossible to be defended they should be possessed of the Gate de Dijos after the first day for this end Marshal de la Meilleray attacked the Barricado's and the Houses at the same time and Palluau also had Orders to enter by the Palais Galien and to cut betwixt the Faubourg and the City directly to the Half-moon but the Marshal de la Meilleray having begun the Assault before Palluau came found more resistance then he expected The Skirmish begun assoon as the Kings Troops drew near They had lined the Hedges and Vineyards which covered the Fauxbourg with a great many Musquetiers who presently put a stop to the Kings Troops with a great loss Choupes Marshal de Camp was wounded there and many Officers kill'd The Duke de Bouillon was in the Church-yard of S. Surin with all the Burgesses he could get to recruit the Posts and the Duke de la Rochefoucault was at the Barricado where the principal Assault was made it was presently won Beauvais Chafferat and the Chevalier de Todias were taken there The Fight was very hot on both sides there were One hundred or sixscore men kill'd of the Dukes Party and Seven or eight hundred of the Kings notwithstanding the Fauxbourg was carried but they yet pass'd no further and therefore they resolv'd to open the Trench for to take the Half-moon and to make another Assault by the Alleys de l'Archevesch's I have already told you that there was no Ditch to the Half-moon so that it being easie to be taken the Burgesses would not come upon the Guard but contented themselves with shooting from behind the Walls the Besiegers attack'd it thrice with their best Troops they enter'd also within but were beaten back by the Duke de la Rochefoucault who brought thither the Prince de Condè's and his own Guards just at the time when those that defended it began to give back Three or four of Navailles Officers were taken Prisoners and the rest put to flight or kill'd the Besieg'd made three great Sallies in each of which they clear'd the Trenches and burnt the Lodging thirteen days after the Trench was open'd the Seige was no more advanc'd than on the first day But because those of Bourdeaux had not Foot Souldiers enough to relieve the Guard of the Ports that were attacked and those who were not kill'd or wounded were almost unable to fight because of the fatigue of keeping Sentry for thirteen days together the Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault refresh'd them with the Cavalry who quitted their Horses and they themselves staid there the four or five last days without stirring thence that they might by their Example keep more of the People there In the mean time the Deputies of Monsieur and of the Parliament of Paris arrived at Bourg to make Propositions of Peace Le Coudray-Montpensier entred into Bourdeaux with two Counsellors of Paris le Meusnier and Bitaud The Court desired a Peace fearing the event of the Siege of Bourdeaux whose resistance was the more obstinate because they hoped for the Supplies of Spain and of Marshal de la Force who was upon the point of declaring himself but the Parliament wished for a Peace the Court Party and the Duke d'Espernons acted vigorously to dispose the rest of the City to it The Infantry was ruin'd and the Supplies I spoke of had fail'd them too often to give them any reasonable assurance of them now All this together made the Parliament resolve to send Deputies to Bourg they incited Madam la Princess the Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault to send also but because both of them had no other Concerns than the Liberty of the Princes and could not desire a Peace but upon this condition They were contented not to oppose a thing which indeed they could not hinder they refused to send any and only desired the Deputies to Treat for their Safety and the Liberty of Madam la Princess of the Duke d'Anguien and all of their Party with the re-establishment of every one The Deputies went to Bourg and there concluded the Peace without communicating the Articles thereof to Madam la Princess or to the Dukes de Bouillon and de la Rochefoucault Madam la Princess and the Duke d'Anguien were permitted to go to Montrond where the King would keep a little Garrison for the safety of Madam la Princess which should be of her own choosing The Duke de Bouillon retired to Turennes and the Duke de la Rochefoucault who was as I have said Governor of Poictou to his own House without exercising the Office of
who really endeavor'd to support himself by the Presence and Authority of Monsieur le Prince to possess the place the Cardinal de Rets held with the Duke de Orleans he hoped as I said before to make himself not onely equally considerable to these two Princes in perswading of them both that he was the real cause of their Union but believing that that was the easiest way to succeed in the project which he had laid with Faber therefore he press'd Monsieur le Prince to come to Paris to oppose all the Attempts that Cardinal de Rets made upon Monsieur as also to increase the good will of the Parliament who had by an Act which they made set a price upon Cardinal Mazarin's head Whatsoever esteem Mounsieur le Prince had of Chavigny's Advice he still followed it he was receiv'd in Paris with so many Acclamations and Testimonies of publick Joy that he believ'd he had no reason to repent himself of his Journy Things remain'd in this state for some time but the Army wanting Forrage about Chastillon and Mountargis and not daring either to come nigher or go farther off from Paris it march'd to Estampes where they believed it might remain some considerable time with surety and abundance of all things The Duke de Nemours was not cur'd of his Wounds when news was brought to the Prince of Condy that some of the Kings Troops commanded by the Count de Moissens and the Marquis de St. Mesgren Lieutenant Generals were marching from St. Germains to St. Cloud with two pieces of Canon with design to beat off a hundred men of the Regiment de Condy which had Fortified themselves upon the Bridge by breaking down one Arch of it this news made Monsieur le Prince get on Horseback and go thither with only those who were about him The noise of which being spread through all Paris all the People of Quality came after him to Boulogne who were follow'd by eight or ten thousand Citizens in Arms. The Kings Forces contented with Firing some few Shots with their Canon retired without ever attempting to make themselves Master of the Bridge The Prince of Condy who was resolv'd to make an advantage of this good disposition of the Citizens having given them Officers marched them to St. Denis where he heard there was a Garrison of Two hundred Swisses He arrived there just about the closing in of the Day Those who were in the Town having taken the Alarm instantly yielded it up to the Besiegers Monsieur le Prince being in the middle of Three hundred Horsemen consisting of those he believ'd the bravest and most couragious of his Party the Swisses indeavored to defend some Baracado's in the Town but being too violently press'd they retreated into the Abby where two hours after they yielded themselves Prisoners of War There was no manner of rudeness offered either to the Inhabitants or the Convents Monsieur le Prince retir'd to Paris leaving Deslandes a Captain in the Regiment de Condy with Two hundred men in St. Dennis which was retaken the same night by the Kings Forces but Deslandes retir'd into the Church where he held out three days though there was nothing in this Action very considerable in it self by any Circumstance yet it increased the Citizens affections to Monsieur le Prince and they were so much the more liberal of their praises to him as every one thought himself a witness of his Courage and of the Danger which he believed he ran on that occasion The Duke de Rohan and Chavigny notwithstanding still pursu'd their first Design and took the advantage of so favourable a juncture to make propositions of Peace they believ'd that the Court would fulfill with all sincerity those things which they knew Faber had only made overtures to them of to ingage them with the Cardinal who indeavoured to make use of them to draw the Duke of Orleans and Monsieur le Prince into that abysse of negotiations whereof the bottom was never seen and alwayes proved the means of his preservation as it was the ruin of his enemies to say truth from the very first day of Monsieur le Princes Arrival Intrigues and Cabals were received on every side and whether he was weary of maintaining so laborious a War or that staying at Paris had given him both an inclination and a hope of Peace at length he quitted for a time all other thoughts but only to seek all means to conclude it as advantagiously as he had designed The Duke de Rohan and Chavigny gave him great hopes to oblige him to lay upon them the care of this negotiation and to permit them to go with Goulas alone to St. Germains Loaded with his and the Duke de Orlean's interests it was also proposed to send the Duke de la Rochefoucault and Monsieur le Prince desired it for many reasons but he excused him in that he believed the Peace to be already concluded between Monsieur and the Court by the secret meditation of Cavigni without Monsieur le Princes having any share in it or that it would not be then concluded not only because Monsieur le Princes pretencions were great but also that the Duke de Rohan and Chavigny would secure their own whereof I have already spoken preferring it before the rest So the Duke de Rohan Chavigny and Goulas went to St. German with express command not to see Cardinal Mazarin nor treat of any thing with him Monsieurs demands consisted Principally of the expulsion of the Cardinal but those of Monsieur le Prince was of greater extent because having engag'd both the City Parliament of Bourdeaux a great number of persons of Quality in his party he made many particular treaties with them in which he engaged himself not to make any with the Court without comprehending their interests in the manner that I shall relate to you hereafter there was no body doubted of these Gentelmens success in their Journey besides there was no likelyhood that a man so capable as Chavigny was and so knowing both in the Court and the Cardinal by so much experience would ingage himself in so weighty a Negotiation having managed it three Months without being assur'd of the Success But this opinion lasted not long for they found by the return of the Deputies that they had not only treated with Cardinal Mazarine against the express order that had been given them but also in stead of demanding for the Prince of Condy what was in their Instructions they insisted Principally upon establishing a necessary Councel in form almost like that which the late King ordered just before he dyed only with this addition that they should perswade Monsieur le Prince to give his consent that Cardinal Mazerin should go instead of himself with Chavigny to treat about the generall Peace and that he might return again into France after it was concluded as these Propositions were far both from the Interest and intentions of Monsieur
remove him in that he knew he should then have a greater liberty to make his particular Treaty Though all things were thus in confusion they did not interrupt the ordinary course of the Negotiations for at the time that Cardinal Mazarine left France in hopes to root out all pretences of a Civil War or to shew that Monsieur le Prince pursued other aimes than his removal he sent Anglade Secretary to the Duke de Bouillon to the Duke de la Rochefoucault and whether it was that he had really a design to treat in hopes to make his return more easie or that he design'd to draw some advantage by shewing the World that he desir'd a Peace at length Anglade brought much more ample conditions than any before and almost the same that Monsieur le Prince had demanded but they were also refus'd and his destiny which drew him into Flanders never let him see the Precipice till it was no longer in his power to retire at length he departed with the Duke de Lorrain after having in vain contrived with the Duke d'Orleans to oppose the Queens being received into Paris but his reputation was not then in a condition to lye in ballance with the Court he received orders to leave Paris the day that the King was to make his entry into it which he instantly obeyed that he might not be a witness of his enemies triumphs and of the publick joy Cardinal Mazarin's Letter to Monsieur de Brienne SIR THE Queen as far as I understand believes that you should have only sent me a Letter from the King as it is usually done to all National Cardinals when news is brought from Rome that the Pope is in danger and that I had a particular Priviledge granted me since besides the first from the King and the Duplicate I have received another and three from you all conceived in terms so pressing to make me without any delay depart from Rome that I confess I was surprized to the last degree being not able to imagine wherein I have been so deficient in my Duty to their Majesties that they should press me to take a Journey with so much Ignominy and Danger and without any means of subsisting To think that a Letter of Recommendation to the Pope would satisfie all as if they knew the World so little at Rome that they could not infer what sort of Protection I was to expect there since I was abandoned to the Persecution of my Enemies in France where the King is Master Nevertheless if I had had the honor to receive a word from the Queen to signifie that it was the Kings and her pleasure that I should go thither as she had the goodness to let me know it when she was pleased that I should go out of the Kingdom and remove as far as the Rhine I do assure you that after having put my Nieces into a Monastery and turn'd off my Family I would have gone thither with two Servants only to confirm their Majesties upon all occasions that my obedience is blind and my Fidelity of Proof I am really ready to do without any reply whatever the Queen shall command me though I cannot receive a greater mortification than to take this Journy in the condition I am in which besides cannot but be prejudicial to the Kings honour Nay which is another unhappiness in this affair they have had the Address to make it pass with the Queen for an act of Grace which was done me that I might yet feel some effect of the publick joy for the Kings Majority All this hath loaded me with sorrow when I see to what height my friends have prevailed by my disgrace and with what success they have employed their Arts to make me receive such rude usage at a time when I might justly hope that they would give some comfort to the Persecutions which I have suffered for eight Months together with so much Violence and with so notorious an Affront to the Royal Dignity But all this is not comparable to the excess of sorrow which I groaned under after having seen in all the Letters from a great many of my Friends both at Paris and elsewhere the great pleasure they take at the Contents of the Kings Declaration which was Registred in Parliament and cry'd about the City All of them without having consulted together agreeing that since the Monarchy there was never so bloudy a thing contriv'd against any body what Crime soever he had committed No body durst send it me and I may swear to you that I never saw it But to know that the King hath declared that I hinder'd the Peace and was the cause of all the Injuries done to the Allies of France is enough to perswade me that my Master would have me look'd upon as the most infamous and villanous Man that ever was and as the scourge of Christianity and after this they send me to the place of my Nativity to make a parade amongst my Kindred and Friends of the fine Titles which I have brought back with me as a Reward for the 23 years as faithful and advantagious Service as ever was done by the most zealous and disinteressed Minister that ever was All my Enemies have for these six Months laboured with an Industry visible to every body sending Commissaries all over applying themselves to all imaginable contrivances and some of them raising false Witnesses to see if they could blacken me with some Crimes who justifying to the people the oppression they laid upon me did more and more establish their hatred against me though all this produced nothing but very advantageous effects to undeceive them and let them see my Innocence and the Injustice wherewith it was attacked At this time my aforesaid Enemies despairing to do any thing by other ways found the means to perswade their Majesties to declare me without being heard in a most authentick and publick form a Rogue and to impute the hindrance of the Peace to me alone After this methinks they should rather counsel me to hide my self from the sight of Men and bury my self for ever than to go to Rome since I have reason not only to apprehend the people of France but all those who suffer by the continuation of the War have reason to stone him that is the cause thereof I am confident that their Majesties could not have a particular knowledge of every thing that was contained in the Kings Declaration they are too just to be thought by any means that they would consent to declare me the most wicked and abominable of Men and a Traitor And it is a great misfortune to the Kings service that there should not be one who would let him know of what advantage it was to the Enemies of France that all Europe by his Majesties Declaration was perswaded that his chief Minister hindred the Peace The Spaniards can have no greater advantage than to be able to throw upon France the hatred of Christianity