sufficient to beget new distastes in the King against him yet was he not so much master of himself nor had so much command over his own Nature but that he must put those affronts upon Crequy or rather upon the King who made this business his own By these disputes which in another time might have turn'd very much to the Duke's prejudice he got nevertheless this advantage that the King to satisfie him for the future in the interests of his Command made a kind of agreement with him if a largess from a Master to his Servant may be so call'd which was That his Majesty would indeed really and effectually reserve to himself the nomination of Camp-Master to the Regiment of Guards as also to the other old Regiments but with this condition that the Colonel should swear them that they should be conceiv'd to have their admission from him without which they were not to be receiv'd into the employment That his Majesty having provided for one Company in the Regiment of Guards he was content the Duke should in turn do the same for the next at his own appointment That of all the Foot Companies of the other Regiments new and old the Duke when ever any should be vacant should have the naming of the Captains to the King to fill them up and that no Captain soever whether of the Regiment of Guards or any other Regiment should be admitted into or establish'd in his Command till first his Commission was Sign'd by the Colonel But for what concern'd those Offices that depended upon the Duke's Command as Lieutenants Ensigns Colonel-Ensigns Serjeants and Serjeant-Majors Martials Provost-Martials Quarter-Masters and other Officers that he should place and displace them by his sole Authority without any order from the King or his Majesties taking any notice thereof According to which Agreement the Duke proceeded so regularly and undisturb'd in the Priviledges of his Command that there was never after during this Kings Reign the least Dispute betwixt them saveing once that the King thinking it fit to add two Companies more to his Regiment of Guards and having appointed their Captains the Duke interpos'd his Majesties Royal Promise humbly beseeching him to do him right an Argument so powerful to this equitable Prince that of two Captains he had nam'd he only provided for one which was the Sieur de la Courbe who had but the second Company neither the first being given to the Sieur de Bourdet by the Duke's Recommendation whose turn it was to name the first vacant Company yet did not the business pass without some dispute though at last the King was pleas'd rather to give way to his Servant's just desires than to fail in the least Article of his Word I shall here add since I am upon this discourse of the Office of Colonel a thing that time has sufficiently justified to all France which is that the Duke was so exceeding cautious in the dispensation of Commands whether meerly depending upon his own Authority or in his nomination only that his Majesty would often say he never had better Foot Officers than those of the Duke's preferring And in truth the French Infantry whilst the Duke was permitted to execute his charge were kept in so good order that perhaps no Militia in Europe were better Disciplin'd nor better Officer'd than they a truth to this hour confirm'd by an infinite number of persons yet living who have commanded under him and who were witnesses of his conduct To which I shall further add and to his great commendation a thing not to be contradicted which is that he neither directly nor indirectly ever made the least benefit of any Command he dispos'd of which I think had they been set to sale would in the long course of his life have amounted to above two Millions of Gold after the rate they are sold now adays And I do very well remember that towards his latter end when he saw the selling of Offices began to grow in fashion he did all he could and that the condition of the time would permit to oppose it representing to the King with very convincing Arguments what a prejudice such an abuse would be to his Service although in the end seeing he could not prevail with the Council to alter that toleration he also gave some of his own Servants though very few leave to make mony of the Offices he had conferr'd upon them but I am certain that for his own particular he never converted any the least employment to his own pâ—ofit A thing perhaps such as thought him solicitous of his own Interest will hardly be perswaded to believe as indeed he was enclin'd to the saving side and wary enough when it was fit for him to be so but never upon any occasion where his Honour was concern'd that ever taking with him the upperhand of all other considerations The business of Crequy how troublesome and how hard soever to digest was not yet the last of the same nature the Duke was to wrestle withal in this years revolution another following immediately after which as it nearer concern'd him pierc'd deeper to the quick neither had it so happy an issue as the first The Duke having in the year 1582. been by King Henry the III. establish'd in the Government of Metz he conferr'd the Lieutenancy of the City and Country upon Moncassin his Kinsman and the Command of the Cittadel upon Sobole but in process of time which hapned in the year 1585. having withdrawn Moncassin from this employment to continue about his own person Sobole whom he had bred a Page and in whom he had an entire confidence was by his bounty rais'd to that degree that he conferr'd upon him the command of the City and Country together with that of the Cittadel also which was effectually one of the bravest entertainments in France Metz being at that time the most considerable place of the Kingdom and the noblest member of the Duke's Command In the Year 1594. the King undertook the Siege of Laon to which as to an occasion wherein he expected to meet with great difficulties he invited many of his Servants of the neighbouring Provinces Amongst these Sobole was one who by the Authothority the Duke had given him in Metz having got a great interest in the Country might with great facility raise a considerable party of Horse as he did and at the Head of sixscore Light-Horse very well appointed and fourscore Carabins went to serve his Majesty at this Siege The King receiv'd him with great demonstrations of favour and not being well satisfied with the Duke of Espernon who being at that time in Provence where he did not behave himself to his Majesties liking after he had as he conceiv'd cut him out work enough there he took occasion to raise him greater difficulties about Metz by lessening the Authority he had till that time ever had over Sobole And to that purpose after he had reduc'd Laon to
his obedience and about to dismiss those Auxiliaries who had come in to serve him in that Action his Majesty sent Sobole word That after so great a satisfaction as he had receiv'd from his Services he was as well dispos'd to gratifie him as he himself could desire which nevertheless the present condition of his Affairs not permitting him to do at so honourable a rate as he could wish it was for him to look out for something he had a mind to which should be as readily conferr'd upon him Those who had order to make this overture to Sobole were further intrusted to represent unto him That being Governour of Metz meerly by the Duke's toleration he was subject upon the first capricio to be remov'd after which from the honourable condition wherein he had liv'd for many years he would find himself reduc'd to a very moderate fortune That though he could be assur'd the Duke's humour would continue constant to him yet ought the declining posture of his Affairs in Provence to give him a reasonable Alarm That all things in that Country were so averse to him it was all the Duke could do to keep his head above water and that his Affairs coming to an absolute ruine as they evidently declin'd he would be in danger to be left in Metz without any support or any colourable claim either to command or recompense That the King conceiving a Gentlâ—man of his Valour and Merit worthy a more certain fortune did voluntary offer to make him his own Lieutenant in the Government of the Place and Country under the Duke whose Authority being kept inviolate he could have no just reason to reproach him for seeking to establish his own Fortune without doing any prejudice to his It was no hard matter to perswade Sobole into a thing he believ'd would settle his Affairs so much to his advantage so that he greedily swallow'd the bait and receiving a new Commission from the King retir'd very well satisfied with his Majesties bounty into his Government But as the first step into a fault makes men subject to stumble into another after having once fail'd in his Faith he had now no more regard to his Duty and conceiving he had good title for the future to Lord it over the Inhabitants of Metz with greater Authority than he had formerly done he grew insolent to the last degree Complaints whereof were soon brought to the Duke where to him they accus'd Sobole for having rais'd mony upon them by his own private Authority and to have committed many other insolencies against them The Duke was at this time disingag'd from the trouble of his Affairs in Provence and the residence he had since that time made at Court having inform'd him of Sobole's deportment he was questionless possess'd with an indignation proportionable to the offense but he very well foresaw that the King who had in design rais'd Sobole against him would doubtless uphold him and justifie his own Commission so that he durst by no means act any thing in publick against him not go about by open force to displace him but on the contrary dissembled as much as in him lay both the knowledge and the trouble of his fault and when continually importun'd by reiterated complaints from the Inhabitants of Metz a people he ever had in great consideration he only admonish'd him to behave himself with greater moderation towards them but Sobole was deaf to all those admonitions and so far from slackning his hand that on the contrary to render the Duke's good Offices fruitless to them he contriv'd with himself to accuse many of the principal among them to the King for having as he said endeavour'd to betray the Town and Cittadel of Metz to Count Mansfield Governour of Luxenbourg for the King of Spain Which he did to the end that his Majesty being prepossess'd with so black an accusation no one not so much as the Duke himself might dare to speak in their behalf The business was very strictly examin'd and in the end discover'd to be a meer calumny which made all the world conclude it had been invâ—â—â—ted by Sobole in spite to deprive the Inhabitants of their Lives and Estates a malice so notorious that the Duke could no longer endure a people whom he lov'd and had ever protected should be so ill us'd by a man he himself had appointed to govern but not to destroy them Which made him openly undertake their protection against Sobole's violence against whom the hatred the people had conceiv'd having provok'd them into arms they besieg'd him in the Cittadel a thing the Duke was not sorry for hoping this would counsel the King to remove him and that he being out the place could be supply'd by none from whom he might not promise to himself better things than from Sobole What the Duke had so prudently foreseen fell out exactly as he imagin'd it would for the King alarm'd at the danger of so important a place it being very much to be fear'd his ill neighbours would take the advantage of the evil intelligence betwixt the Governour and the people to seize the Town resolv'd to go thither in person and accordingly with the Queen and all the Court set forward in the beginning of the year 1603. A journy in which the Duke of Espernon was too much concern'd to stay behind and in the issue whereof Sobole was depos'd from his Government with a pardon for all that was pass'd which his ill carriage had made the reward of his Service and all the recompense he receiv'd for so brave a Command After his departure his Majesty resolv'd himself to dispose of his places a thing wherein the Duke of Espernon's interest did most of all consist who till that time had ever had the disposition of all Offices inferiour to his own in that Government and by that means had been absolute over the City but his Authority being suspected to the King who would have no other than his own acknowledg'd in his Kingdom his Majesty gave the Duke to understand that Sobole having resign'd unto him his Lieutenancy to the Government of the City and Cittadel of Metz and the Messin Country which his Majesty had formerly seated him in he was now resolv'd to settle men of Condition and approv'd Fidelity in his room always reserving which his Majesty would by no means diminish for the Duke his Authority in the place that in order thereunto he had cast his eye upon the two Brothers les Sieurs de Montigny and d' Arquien to the first of which he would give his Lieutenancy to the City and Country and to the other the command of the Cittadel but that the one and the other should render him an obedience equal to his own person The Duke having well enough foreseen how things would be had nothing to oppose against his Majesties Royal Pleasure but without coâ—â—â—adiction gave way to necessity and with patience the only remedy
places The first intimation of this design the Duke receiv'd from the Queens own mouth who by a favour never before or since granted to any permitted him to take a number of select Souldiers in his own Livery for the Guard of his Person to attend him in all places so much as into the Louvre it self which favour was highly improved to him when for his greater security she moreover gave way that he should chuse some Gentlemen of Quality of his most confident Friends to enter with him arm'd even into her own Cabinet Those whom the Duke made choice of for this purpose were Chetin Brother to the Mareschal de St. Geran Sauue-Baeuf Bonneval the Count de Maillé Castelbaiart and Marillac all men of approved Valour a Grace which though it gave great jealousie and distaste to the Princes and Grandees of the Court who were the Duke's Adversaries her Majesty thought it fit notwithstanding to give him leave to defend his own life against whomsoever would make any attempt against it Amongst these many and great disputes wherein the Duke saw himself involv'd he forgot not the care of his Childrens Education whom he brought up to the most laborious Exercises and for whom after a foundation of Letters not only of a bare knowledge in the Latine Tongue but in the Principles of Philosophy also he took care to provide the greatest man without contradiction in Europe for the Exercises of the Body especially that of Riding which was the Sieur de la Broâ—e formerly in the Constable de Montmorencies entertainment after whose Death the Duke gain'd him to himself by so great Benefits that he gave him at one clap ten thousand Crowns in Gold with an Annuity of a thousand Crowns issuing out of the Hostel de Ville of Paris the most certain Revenue at that time in France Neither did he here limit his Bounties Under this Gentleman's excellent Discipline his two eldest Sons arriv'd to such a perfection in their exercises that no young Lords of their condition in the Kingdom went before them When they had acquir'd as much by precept as seem'd necessary he conceiv'd it time they should establish that knowledge by experience and by observing the manners and ways of living of other Countries to which purpose having put them into an Equipage suiting their quality he sent them into Germany to the end that by the different Governments of the several little Republicks of which the vast body of that Empire is compos'd they might be better enabled to judge of good and evil customs and extract a more certain knowledge for their own future conduct in the Employments to which they were by him design'd They arriv'd in that Country in a very troublesome time when all ways were very difficult and unsafe but the illustrious name of the Father in greater repute in any part of Europe than in France it self present vertues being for the most part less consider'd did not only open all ways and secure all passes to them but made them also receiv'd with great respect and honour'd with many civilities and favours by all the Princes and Republicks of both parties After having staid some time in Germany and visited at leisure the Cities and most eminent places there they went from thence into Italy where they made a considerable stay and where for the greatest part they made their residence at Rome continuing still their Exercises from whence they went to visit the most eminent Cities of that sweetest part of Europe where having made an acquaintance with most of the Princes and Lords of that Nation they return'd into France Whilst the two eldest were thus forming their minds and bodies to such qualities as were either necessary or at least becoming their condition Lewis the youngest of the three design'd for the Church was with no less care brought up in the knowledge of Letters whom so soon as the Duke his Father conceiv'd to be of a fit age he sent him to La Flesche to the Colledge of the Father Jesuits where the discipline requisite for the profession he was to take upon him was in very great repute He there continued several years and came not thence till he had first run through all the degrees by which men climb to the highest pitch of knowledge and in effect when he was call'd thence to come to Court he had made so happy a progress that Cardinal Perron a great friend of his Fathers having been by him intreated to discourse with his Son had an exceeding great opinion of him and believ'd him likely to make one of the greatest men of that age if he proceeded in his profession with a diligence proportionable to the great parts wherewith he enter'd into it The three Brothers arriving almost all at the same time at Court the Duke their Father began to think of establishing the greatness of his Family upon the surest foundation and thereupon consider'd each of them by himself for the dividing his Estate amongst them wherein though they were all embellish'd with so many excellent qualities that it could hardly be discern'd which had the greatest merit yet the Duke having design'd to confer his own name upon the second that consideration enclin'd him a little more to him than the other two By Article at his Marriage with Margaret de Foix Countess of Candale his eldest Son was to carry the name of Foix and to inherit his Mothers Estate clear'd and augmented by the Duke's mony and his own name was also so great what by the vertue of his Ancestors and what by his own that he would not leave him on whom it was conferr'd inferiour either in Reputation or Estate to any whomsoever of his condition in the Kingdom He had already by his Service obtain'd from the Queen Regent the Reversion of all his Offices viz. of that of Colonel General of the Infantry of France of first Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber an Office he had ever kept since his first Favour of Governour of the City and Cittadel of Metz and of the Messin Country of the Provinces Cities and Castles of Xaintes and Angoulesme of the City and Government of Rochelle the Country of Aulins with the higher and lower Limousin of the City Castle and Territory of Boulogne and of the City Country and Castle of Loches all which he at this time thus divided amongst his three Sons To his eldest the Count of Candale he assign'd in present causing him forthwith to be admitted into it the Office of first Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber with the Governments of Angoumois Xaintonge Aulins and Limousin in Remainder to which he added the whole Estate of the House of Candale amounting to above fourscore thousand Livers yearly revenue in goodly Lordships as also the Dutchy of Espernon with the Earldom of Montfort together with other Lands arising to above fifty thousand Crowns a year to which the Duke having obtain'd an assurance of a Mareschal's Staff for this Son so
ready to return upon the first orders he should receive That except what concern'd the interest of his Majesties Service he was Monsieur de la Force's Friend and Servant That he had not sought that employment against him and that he should be exceeding glad to hear his Majesty was satisfied with his submissions But that till then he should not delay a minute the execution of the Orders he had receiv'd no consideration either of his own his friends or any other person under the Sun being of force to divert him in the least from his Duty This first Embassy having therefore taken no effect it was soon seconded by another of which one Charles the principal Minister of Bearne was the Bearer This person in the quality of a Deputy from the Countrey was sent to represent to him the sterility of the Countrey the poverty of the Inhabitants and difficulty of the ways and the resolution of the people to make a smart resistance should they who were at present in as good a disposition as could be desir'd be urg'd to the last extremes but the Duke having flatly told him that the end of his expedition was to cause the King to be obey'd and to chastise all those that should rebel against him He was sent back very much astonish'd at so brisk a reply The Marquis de la Force that perhaps expected no better a success from his deputations having been well enough acquainted with the Duke of Espernon to know he was not a man easie to be impos'd upon would therefore make what preparation he could to oppose him but he found so general a fear and astonishment among the people that he evidently saw it was to hazard his own ruine should he expect the Duke's coming into his Government The Bearnois had no sooner heard the Duke's name but that they gave themselves for lost their haughty and declar'd insolence with which they had a few days before overthrown the King's Order and trodden his Authority under foot and their high Vaunts that they would defend their Religion and their Countreys liberty to the last man were converted into a Panick terror so that on a sudden whole Cities were left desolate men of the best quality among them with their Wives and Families seeking their safety in their flight out of a just apprehension of all the punishments an offended Prince might reasonably inflict upon a mutinous and disobedient people In this general consternation of the Bearnois the Duke drew near to Ortez the first City in Rebellion he met upon his way the Castle whereof was of it self very strong and had of late been moreover fortified and furnish'd with all necessaries of War which also shut up the pass of the whole Countrey and was of so advantageous a situation as was very easie to be defended but those within what countenance soever they had before put on of a resolute defense no sooner heard the Duke had sent for Cannon from Navarrens to force them but they presently surrendred without staying till they could be brought up This success was of no little importance to the Duke who had he met with much opposition in this first enterprize having but ten Foot Companies wherewith to form a Siege no Officers to serve his Artillery little Ammunition no Victual Money or any other means to subsist four days in a place had been in great danger of being stop'd from making any further progress into the Countrey All which difficulties though he had beforehand very well consider'd and foreseen he would notwithstanding try the experiment knowing very well that in matters of War all was not always to be expected from an enemy he either could or should do And from this success he took his measures of what he might promise to himself in reducing the other Garrisons nothing doubting from that time forwards but he should bring all his other enterprizes to an honourable and successful issue As the business of Ortez had given the Duke very good hopes of his expedition so it totally overthrew those of the Marquis de la Force who no sooner had intelligence of the surrender of this place but that he made haste to be gone that he might not be hemm'd in with the Duke's Forces whilst the Duke on the other side to make his advantage of the astonishment the Marquis his flight must of necessity leave the whole Country in advanc'd with all diligence from Ortez to Olleron where some fortifications had lately been made which were also at his appearing deserted without the least shew of opposition An unfortunate fellow a Souldier and a Provençal had been the main director in this work where he suffred himself to be surpriz'd so that the Duke who was oblig'd to make some example was not sorry this wretch should expiate for all the rest as accordingly he did being condemn'd by a Council of War and hang'd at his own Barricado where the poor fellow at his death lamented the ill fortune he had to be born a Provençal declaring he was sacrific'd to the Duke's antiquated hatred to those of his Countrey and that his Bitth was his greatest Crime though it was nevertheless altogether untrue After this there being neither judgment to be pass'd nor execution to be done the Duke went to Nay to Salies to Sauveterre and lastly to Pau where the fear of his severity that had before frighted every one from his habitation being converted into an absolute confidence in his Clemency and Goodness every one return'd to his own home The Cities which at his coming had been almost totally deserted were on a sudden re inhabited insomuch that from that time forward all the Duke had to do was only to receive the tenders and protestations of their obedience and to set down some Rules for their Civil Regiment which was order'd with so much Justice and Wisdom or so fortunately at least the equality of all things was so entirely preserv'd and he took such care to reconcile the Interests of Religion wherein the incompatibility had been so great before and had with so much heat fomented their divisions that both parties were satisfied with the equal shares he divided betwixt them in the publick administration since which time there has been no revolt nor commotion in that Province it having ever since continued in peace and obedience under the Justice of the Duke's Discipline which is there inviolately observ'd to this day And all this was perform'd in less than three weeks time his Journey thither his stay there and his return thence being in all not two months expedition neither did it cost the King twelve thousand Livers I having seen the Accompt of the Army which did not in all arise to that little summe 'T is true withal that the Duke reckon'd nothing upon his own account contenting himself with causing some Officers to be paid that at his instance had serv'd upon this occasion So that by the influence
design to draw from the City a large Contribution he threatned the Citizens to destroy their Houses and Fruits in the Countrey of which he thought himself without contradiction the absolute Master if they did not speedily ransome them with a very considerable Summe As he himself press'd the City on the one side he had of another caus'd Verger Malagnet a Gentleman of his party to come ashore at a little point of Land in the River of Bordeaux that divides the Rivers of Garonne and Dordongne call'd Bec-Dambez hoping by that means to cut off the Commerce of those two Rivers from the City and by streightning it both by Land and by Water the sooner to perswade the Inhabitants to give him his demand This design which was not ill projected if it had been as well executed alarm'd both the Parliament and the people to such a degree that a greater confusion was hardly any where to be seen they knew not which way to turn them for their defense and though they had but too many Forces within themselves to defend their City from the threatned mischief yet had they no mind to examine their own strength that they might not be oblig'd to put them to the Test In this extremity the first President though upon no very good terms with the Duke notwithstanding the late Accommodation made no difficulty to have recourse to him to implore his Assistance for this time laying aside all Animosities and Aversions but it was only to assume them again when the Duke had deliver'd him from this fear as will hereafter appear At the first intelligence the Duke receiv'd of Soubize his landing in Medoc though he could not himself leave the work he had begun without infinite prejudice to the King's Service yet would he not omit his care to the preservation of the principal City in his Government He therefore in all haste dispatch'd away le Plessis to Bordeaux to advise with the Parliament what course was to be taken for the relief of the City and Countrey against Soubize his attempts giving him order withal to draw out part of the Garrison of Bergerac and to raise new Forces within his own Territories to serve himself withal upon this occasion writing moreover to his Friends and Servants in the Countrey to joyn with him and to Toiras who lay in the Isle of Ré entreating him to advance with all the men he could conveniently draw out of the Regiment of Champagne of which he had the Command Instructions that were so well observ'd by le Plessis and he so well seconded by the Parliament and Iuratts who were very ready to concur in an Affair that so much concern'd their common safety that all things were in a short time put into a very good Posture By which means the Duke without suffering himself to be diverted from the employment he had before Montauban not only frustrated the Enemies design but also extracted thence the opportunity of obtaining the honour of a second Victory Soubize being shamefully repuls'd his Forces routed the few that escap'd the Victors hands and with much ado recover'd their Ships leaving their Dead Arms Artillery and Baggage as infallible testimonies of a total Defeat The War was carried on in all places so much to the disadvanvantage of the Hugonot Party that the principal Heads and best Cities of their party apprehending a continuation of those evils they had already suffer'd thought fit to sue to the King for Peace Which was accordingly granted them but upon conditions far different from those they were us'd to insist upon in former times Rochelle if self not being in this Treaty able to obtain that they might be freed from the slavery of Fort-Loüis but on the contrary for an augmentation of their grief constrain'd by the Articles to admit of a Chief Justice set over them by the King oblig'd to slight all their new Fortifications to receive his Majesty with all due honor and respect so oft as he should please to honor them with his Presence and to keep no more Ships of War in their Haven The Rochellers would never have submitted to these hard Conditions had not the other Cities of their party and above all the rest Montauban positively declar'd they would no more expose themselves to those Miseries they had suffer'd in the burning up of their Countrey so that if we will consider the Duke's conduct throughout the whole business we shall find it more than a little conducing to the general Peace the King granted upon conditions so disadvantageous to his Hugonot Subjects But this Peace to the acceleration of which the Duke had so highly contributed begot a new War betwixt the Parliament and him and upon this following accompt The King's Declaration in favour of the Hugonots was by his Majesty sent to the Duke to cause it to be publish'd with express order nevertheless not to do it till after those of Montauban had accepted the Grace in all due forms of Submission which were the very words of the Dispatch dated the 18. of February 1626. But the first President having receiv'd a Copy of the same Declaration without ever acquainting the Duke who was come no further than Cadillac caus'd the Peace to be openly proclaim'd and that with so much precipitation that he would not forbear so long as till he could hear from Montauban to know whether they had there accepted the Peace or no. This impatience the Duke could not but interpret purposely put on to affront him 't is true that had no unkindness pass'd betwixt him and the President before the business was of it self so light that it might well enough have pass'd without any great notice taken but the preceding Differences giving him to understand that it must needs be done out of design he not only complain'd of it to those Friends he had in the Parliament but moreover writ about it to Court and gave the President plainly to understand that he would no more suffer such Contempts This proceeding of the first President 's was by no means approv'd at Court it was there look'd upon as an occasion of noise and bustle maliciously and unseasonably sought and for which he receiv'd a little rebuke but this spirit not much delighted with rest having met with another that was never tir'd out either in War or Business it was almost necessary that successive differences should continually arise betwixt them This at the last proceeded so far that the publick Peace was therein no little concern'd the Parliament pass'd many Acts and the Duke as many Ordinances to contradict those Acts. From Acts and Ordinances they proceeded to Invectives and from words to some untoward effects Some of the Presidents Servants were ill us'd and himself threatned whereupon the Palace was shut up and a cessation of Justice decreed The Duke's Friends and Servants fear'd to fall into the Parliaments hands and those who were affectionate to the Parliament were not
Majesties Justice That if he should be so fortunate as to obtain a second life for his friend he would with all his heart become his Security that for the future it should never be employ'd but in his Majesties Service and that his Blood should serve for no other use than to wash away the Stain and for ever to obliterate the memory of his Offense The King with great patience and without once offering to interrupt him gave the Duke free liberty to continue his discourse to the end seeming moreover to hearken to him with some kind of hopeful attention but that favourable audience was also the only fruit of his address for his Majesty having from the beginning of the Duke's Speech fix'd his eyes upon the ground never lifted them from thence so much as once to look upon the Duke who was speaking to him neither when he had concluded did he answer him one word by which silence the Duke perceiving the ruine of his friend to be absolutely decreed he spoke again and said Sir since I am so unhappy as not to hope to obtain your Majesties Pardon for Monsieur de Montmorency I humbly beg leave that I may retire When though the King had been dumb to the first he found words to make answer to this last request by telling him Yes you have free leave neither do I intend my self to stay long in this City Whereupon the Duke afflicted to the last degree that he had been able to obtain nothing more though indeed he had not expected much better success presently withdrew himself to go wait upon the Princess of Condé in the Suburbs of Tholouze to which place she was retir'd there to condole with her their common misfortune He found at his coming thither that Cardinal Richelieu was but newly parted thence whose visit by giving her no satisfaction having put her into the last despair the Duke 's hapned to be exceeding seasonable for the composing of her mind agitated with so violent a Passion Though the Duke from that very day prepar'd himself for his departure yet had he time enough before he went totally to reject a proposition made to him on the Cardinal's behalf presently after the King's arrival at Tholouze He had caus'd the Duke to be treated withal to quit the Government of Metz in his favour offering him in exchange the survivancy of that of Guienne for the Duke de la Valette his Son who was already seiz'd of that of Metz in reverson Bullion newly created Sur-Intendant des Finances was chosen by the Cardinal as a person most acceptable to the Duke to make to him this Overture a proposition at which the Duke having serv'd the King so well as he had done in the last occasion was not a little surpriz'd and the rather because his Services having been of great â—â—portance to the Cardinal's Fortune which was much more strook at in the late Rebellion than any thing that concern'd either the King or the Kingdom he had reason besides the satisfaction the King had been pleas'd to manifest of his performance to expect also a very grateful return from the Cardinal himself It was the belief of many at that time that the Cardinal's design was to accommodate himself with the Bishoprick of Metz together with five or six great Abbeys in that City of above an hundred thousand Livers a year Revenue besides the Bishoprick which was worth twice as much and to add thereunto the Government of the City and Countrey with those of the Cities and Cittadels of I houl and Verdun to the end that by providing for himself so certain and secure a retreat he might in time be arm'd against all disgrace to which others have added an opinion that he had a project to reunite all the Provinces that had formerly been members of the Kingdom of Austratia in his own person to hold them in the quality of a Sovereign Prince whereof Lorain and Alsatia which were in his Majesties possession together with the three forenamed Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun made up the greatest part it had been a matter of no great difficulty for the Cardinal to have possess'd himself of this Estate by any title he would have desir'd of the King So that if he ever had this thought it is not to be wondred at if he was sensibly offended that the Duke refus'd to treat and to comply with him in a thing he had set his heart upon for the establishment of his Fortune However it was it is concluded by all that this Affair made the Cardinal take up a resolution absolutely to break with the Duke of Espernon whom he saw to be too stiff to stoop to his Authority and look'd upon as the only person of the Kingdom who had either the power or the spirit to mate his greatness Wherein nevertheless though the Duke appear'd to be very averse yet did he not absolutely reject the Cardinal's proposal but conceiving he did not offer enough demanded moreover a Mareschal's Staff for the Duke de Candale his eldest Son This was a Dignity that could not indeed be deny'd to his merit though it had never been laid in the balance against the Government of Metz but if the Duke had a kindness for this Son the Cardinal had no less aversion who it was said having been wounded to the quick with some smart touches of the Duke de Candale's Wit as pleasant a one indeed as any of his time but withal as tart as pleasant he could by no means forget it but would rather choose to leave a thing of so great importance to the establishment of his Fortune imperfect than to be instrumental to the advancement of a person by whom he conceiv'd himself so highly offended Having therefore broke off with the Duke upon these terms it is to be presum'd he only for the future waited an occasion or at least a pretense wherewithal to colour his revenge Wherein though the Duke's haughty humour was likely enough to furnish him with as good as he could desire it appear'd nevertheless that fortune who will ever have a hand in all humane Affairs seconding the Cardinal's passion produc'd him one much sooner than he expected It was in truth at this time contrary to the Duke's intention who although he would not discover a weakness in condescending below his own Dignity had no desire notwithstanding to provoke the Cardinal's Almighty power by insisting upon any thing he might irreproachably do After that by the death of the Duke of Montmorency the King thought he had absolutely appeas'd the storm in Languedoc his Majesty thought of nothing more than by the nearest way and with a very slender train of returning back to Paris The Queen who was attended by the Council and all the Court two days after the King's departure began her Journey towards Bordeaux at greater conveniency to send away her equipage down the River Garonne where being arriv'd her Majesty was pleas'd to
have procur'd the Equipages necessary for my departure From the time that I have been in a condition to move I have been in motion having never had the least repugnancy to your Majesâ—ies command I shall ever have the same inclimation to obey them and in the last moments of my Life make it my glory to manifest to your Majesty that I have never swerv'd from the absolute Obedience that was vow'd to you from your birth by Sir Your c. And being he conceiv'd it not enough to give the King this account only unless at the same time the Cardinal was also satisfied with his Conduct he wrote to him in like manner and almost in the same words he had done to the King Whilst these Letters were posting to Court he by very short Journeys was still advancing towards Loches where notwithstanding all the delays he could make having the hazard of his Liberty ever present to his imagination he thought he should but too soon arrive With these melancholy thoughts going on to Poictiâ—rs the compassion which the principal Officers and the people of that City manifested for his present Adversity did much augment his Grief and suspicion of some future mischief He there receiv'd from all the Orders of the City the same Honours and Respect as if he had still stood in the highest degree of his Prosperity and Favour and every one making the same reflections upon his present condition that he himself did the people ran from all parts to see so great an example of the Injustice Viciâ—â—itude and Extravagancy of Fortune which occasion'd so great a crow'd even in his own Lodgins as put him upon a resolution to go out on foot into the Market-place of the City which was also near to his Inne to satisfie the curiosity they had to behold him but he was thereby in so great danger to be stifled by the multitude that he had no way to free himself but by the favour of his Coach that he was of necessity constrain'd to send for to disingage him From Poictiers he continued his way to lâ— Tricherie but he had made so little haste withal as had given his Courrier time to go to Court and to return whilst he had been advancing twelve or fifteen Leagues of his Journey only so that he found him still upon his way when he brought him this Dispatch from the King Cousin I was very well pleas'd to find by your Letter that you had put your self upon your way to Loches so soon as your health would permit neither did I doubt but you would upon this occasion conform your self unto my desires and I do moreover assure my self you will ever do the same whereby you will oblige me to continue to you the testimonies of my Affection upon which assurance I pray God c. From Rhemes the 21. of Iuly 1641. That of the Cardinal was couch'd in these terms Monsieur The King is very well satisfied with your Obedience to his Commands which he also has laid upon you in order to your own particular good and I for my part have receiv'd a very high contentment in understanding by this Gentleman the good disposition wherein you now are a continuation whereof I heartily wish you as being c. To add yet something more to the satisfaction the Duke had receiv'd by these two kind Letters the Gentleman that brought them moreover assur'd him that he had observ'd at Court no other than Serene and Auspicious Countenances and that there was nothing which for the future threatned any worse usage than what he had already receiv'd Insomuch that even his best Friends there and those who were most solicitous of him did believe that had he not already receiv'd a Command to depart from Plassac they would not now have enjoyn'd him that trouble the Cardinal being reassur'd by the Death of the Count de Soissons but seeing that Order had been already sent him they would rather choose to have it executed contrary to all reason than to revoke it with any kind of Justice These Dispatches and this news from Court being so much better than the Duke had expected did a little quiet his mind so that in the end he arriv'd at Loches with much less apprehension and far greater chearfulness than he had parted from Plassac This satisfaction was improv'd to him by the extraordinary Acclamations wherewith all the people receiv'd him at his arrival there which was upon the third of August there being no kind of Honours nor any evidences of Publick Joy omitted at his Reception All the Persons of Quality of which there are a very great number thereabouts came to visit him The City of Tourâ—s paid him the same Respect and the Archbishop having given the example to the rest of the City the Chapter and President also sent to Complement him besides which Civilities from the Body in general and the several Societies and Fraternities in particular almost all the Magistrates and Officers at least the most considerable of them came in their own persons to wait upon him insomuch that it seem'd whilst Courted and Complemented at this unexpected rate he was nothing fall'n from his former Prosperity and Greatness All these Honours of which he was as sensible as any having reviv'd his Spirits and consequently quickned and rais'd his Wit and Fancy he made himself to be highly admir'd by an infinite number of the Curious who being continually asking him a thousand Questions concerning the State Secret of past Transactions he clear'd them of several important Doubts which few men living could unriddle and explain'd to them many passages in d' Avila's History which at this time was so new in France that it was in the hands of very few He had a complacency for all sorts of people far above what till now he had ever had and a gracious and winning sweetness for his own Servants they had never known before by which obliging and free fashion together with the antient esteem annext to his Person and Vertue he in an instant won the Love and Applause of all the world In this publick and universal Favour and Reputation and in the assurance had been given him from Court that nothing â—inister was to be apprehended thence the memory of his antient Authority began again to revive in his mind and that put him upon a desire to exercise it in this little Government which that he might the better do he particularly inform'd himself of all the Affairs of the City and Country about it he caus'd all the Courriers that pass'd that way to come immediately to himself and suffer'd nothing of Publick Business to be determin'd without first giving him an account so that in a place where it seem'd he had nothing at all to do he was ingenious enough to find himself employment and to create himself some diversion and delight Who is it but must be astonish'd in this condition of the Duke's and after
other men usually give for their Follies in such cases will nevertheless serve perhaps to satisfie such as are kindest to me and who will not render themselves over-hard to be satisfied in a thing wherein I presume they would themselves be content to see me justified It was not therefore out of any ambition I had to be again in Print I having suffer'd too much that way already nor to be reputed a good Translator the best whereof sit in the lowest Form of Writers and no one can be proud of the meanest Company neither shall I pretend to be put upon it by my Friends for that would tacitly imply something of opinion they must have of my ability that way and I must be so just to 〈◊〉 my worthy Acquaintance as to decâ—â—re them men of better judgments than to be so deceiv'd besides the greater part of them being better Frenchmen than I pretend to be such as have read the Original could never wish to see it blemish'd by so unskilful a hand neither was I prompted to it by any design of advantage that consideration being ever very much below my thoughts nor to oblige the world that being as much above my expectation but having an incurable humour of scribling upon me I believ'd I could not choose a braver Subject for my Friends diversion and my own Entertainment than this wherein I thought at least I discover'd as much Variety of Revolution and accident as is any where in no larger a Volume to be found besides something of utility here being a general account of the most important Transactions of Europe for above threescore years together and in one continued series of Discourse which are otherwise only to be pick'd up out of several Authors and most of them â—mitted in all but that which gave me the greatest invitation besides the Character of Honour that continues throughout the whole thred of his Life was the great example of uncorrupted Loyalty the Duke of Espernon ever retain'd in all his Exigencies and Disgraces a Vertue which though none of the Nobility of this Kingdom for whom this is chiefly design'd need to be informed in 't is nevertheless a glorious Record and ought to be in History that succeeding times may see after what manner a good Subject â—ow powerful soever ought to behave himself how or how unkindly soever his Prince shall please to dispose of his Person and Fortune This consideration it was that after a first and second reading of this brave life though every year of it contains variety enough to furnish out a History which I must confess to have been the greatest temptation that decoy'd me into this undertaking especially when I reflected upon the times we our selves have too lately seen when Loyalty was not very much in fashion or not to be owned withouâ— manifest ruine And although I know very well we have Examples enow of Vertue Bravery Wisdom Fidelity and Honour in persons of our own Nation as well Kings as Subjects Princes of the Blood Generals Ecclesiasticks and Statesmen both of Former and the present Age and the meanest of those Lives sufficient to create as beautiful a Story yet of those the Dead are many of them already recorded beyond my imitation and to Write in Praise of the Living besides the danger of standing suspected either of Flattery or Design were to offend the modesty natural to all generous minds In the next place I am to acquaint my Reader that the Author of this History Monsieur Girard was Secretary to the Duke of Espernon and a very extraordinary person in himself as you will find in the Texture Disposition and Elegancy of the whole in despight of my ill handling by which advantages he must doubtless be able to give the best and truest account of any wâ—â—ever both of his Masters private Affairs and the general Transactions of that time he being especially in the Duke's later Years continually employ'd by him and the Duke himself being so eternally upon the Scene of Action that we shall seldom find him retir'd and alone in the whole course of his Life And although his dependence upon this great person may render his testimony suspected to some he is however so generally allow'd by the most Intelligent and such as are best read in the Affairs of that Kingdom for a faithful Historian that the truth of the Story ought to Balance any other defect of the work Lastly in the behalf of my Bookseller Mr. Brome to whose Kindness I owe more than I can pay him by this Impression I am to say that although I dare not answer how far this History may suffer by my Oversights or Mistakes or by the Faults escap'd the Press which I know not by what accident are very many and some of them very considerable yet I dare pronounce it one of the best things I have seen in that Language I do not mean for the Excellency or Harmony of the Stile which in the Original it self though the words there be very Significant Elegant and admirably well chosen is notwithstanding none of the smoothest I have read but for the importance of the Subject wherein you will find much of the Policy of that time not only of France it self but moreover of the Courts of England Rome Spain Savoy Germany Sweeden and the States of the United Provinces together with a Narrative of all the most celebrated Battles Skirmishes Rencounters Combats Sieges Assaults and Stratagems for above threescore years together with the Descriptions of the Strengths Situations and distances of Cities Towns Castles Cittadels Forts Rivers Countries Seigneuries Iurisdictions and Provinces and all this collected and deliver'd by a Iudicious and Impartial Hand an exâ—raordinary effect of a French Pen that Nation especially in Records that immediately concern their own Honour having been commonly observ'd to be very civil to themselves So that methinks the Dignity of the Subject and the Ingenuity of the Author consider'd a work how unhappily soever perform'd by me undertaken nevertheless meerly for the common benefit and delight ought not to be discountenanc'd nor very ill receiv'd Yet do I not though in the foregoing Paragraph I have discover'd something of the Charlatan in the behalf of my Bookseller hereby intend to beg any favour for my self or by these large promises to bribe my Reader into milder Censures neither do I think it fit to provoke him by a defiance for that were to be an ill Man as well as an ill Writer I therefore franckly and without condition expose my self to every mans Iudgment of which such as appear civil to me are my Friends and I shall owe them the same respect when it shall be my turn to Iudg as it is now to be censur'd Those who will not be so I shall threaten no further than to put them in mind that if ever they attempt any thing of the same nature they will then lie under the same disadvantage I now do and consequently may
sudden danger neither the Town being intrusted in the hands of valiant and faithful friends had it been convenient even when he was most remote from it to provoke him lest a place of that importance should have taken part in his disgrace and follow'd the humour of his discontents It was therefore by the taking of this Town that the League would begin to labour the Duke's ruine and in that the advancement of their own Affairs The most considerable Forces the League had then on foot were those of the Duke of Lorain a Prince who having till this time contain'd himself Neuter in all the Affairs of France upon this occasion thought fit it seems to declare himself partial to his Family in hopes nevertheless to joyn Metz Toul and Verdun to his own Dukedom neither was his design unlikely to succeed for the two last having made no great difficulty of receiving the Duke of Guise he had reason considering the intelligence he had in the City to expect the same from Metz had not the Duke of Espernon by his vigilancy prevented him seasonably re-inforcing the Garrison with divers Gentlemen his particular Servants and a good number of Souldiers by whose coming it was so well secur'd that the League thought it not fit to attempt it This great storm thus blown over the Duke alarm'd by the late hazard this City had run resolv'd to establish himself in that important possession so as that for the future it might be secur'd from the like danger and to that purpose some of his friends having rendred the Governour suspected to him by some carriage of his at such time as the Army of the League were approaching towards him though the grounds of this mistrust were not in the Dukes opinion clear enough to countenance an open rupture with him yet were they sufficient to make the Duke remove him from that trust and to call him about his own person instituting Sobole who before was only Lieutenant of the Cittadel in the absolute authority both of the City Cittadel and Messin Countrey adding withal ten thousand Crowns in Gold to mend his Equipage that he might with the more honour support the honourable charge he had seated him in a bounty we shall hereafter see how Sobolâ— requited but that being the business of another time I shall refer it to another place and pursue my former Subject The Leaguers not contenting themselves with those petty successes in Lorain and being made wise and active by the example of the Kings ruinous supineness who sate still in vain expecting the arrival of his Foreign Forces almost at the same time by the several Captains they had dispos'd into divers Provinces surpriz'd a great many of the chief Cities of the Kingdom and made no light attempts upon the rest The Duke of Guise after the taking of â—oul and Verdun which I have spoke of before possest himself yet of Meziere by which he assur'd to himself the whole Countrey of Champagne The Duke of Mayenne took the City and Castle of Dijon which made him Master of the Dâ—tchy of Burgundy la Chartre seiz'd of Bourges Entragues of Orleans the Count de Brisac of Angiers and many other Cities of that Province Vaillack had hop'd to have done as much by Bordeaux by the neighbourhood of Chasteau-Trompette of which he was Governour but the Mareschal de Matignon broke his design and Marsâ—lles by the Loyalty of her good Inhabitants maintain'd it self against the Faction of some who labour'd to betray it into the power of the League but the enterprize of the Cittadel of Lions succeeded better with Mandelot who was Governour of the City and one of the Duke of Guise's firmest Adherents who having been formerly awed into his duty by the Cittadel in which le Passage had been plac'd by the Duke of Espernon to preserve a City so important to his Majesties Service he who before-hand had been made privy to the Duke of Guise's Designs as soon as ever he heard they were in Arms failed not suddenly to begirt the Cittadel and being assisted by the people who naturally hate to be bridled by a Fortress having surpriz'd le Passage who little suspected any such thing made himself Master of the place and immediately raz'd it to the ground It was upon this occasion that the ill will which had so long been conceal'd yet had continually been fostering in the Bosoms of the Duke of Espernon and Mounsieur de Villeroy broke out from which quarrel in the succession of time sprung so many and so important consequences as do not only take up a large share of the Dukes Life but also make up a considerable part in the general History of that time which obliges me in this place to discourse both what I have receiv'd from the Dukes own mouth and what I have gather'd from the Commentaries of Mounsieur de Villeroy himself Mounsieur de Villeroy had been from the Dukes infancy Secretary and Minister of State a friend to Mounsieur de la Valette the Father and a man of great Credit and Interest in the King's Council he had seen the beginning and encrease of the Dukes Favour at which he ought not in reason to repine but on the contrary had cause to believe that such a friend as he would fortifie him with the King and be no little assisting to support that Trust he already possest in the management of Affairs And in effect the Duke had a true affection and esteem for him who as he was ever very respective and constantly fix'd to all his Fathers Interests whose memory he had in the greatest veneration it is certain had a particular consideration for all his Friends of which number Mounsieur Villeroy being one the first years of the Duke's Favour were past over in a strict correspondency with him but at last Villeroy perceiving the Dukes Credit proceeded so far as wholly to possess that interest in the Kings Bosom he pretended to share he began in the end to grow jealous of a Prosperity he ought so much the more to have cherish'd by how much it was likely to be more useful to him and thenceforward began openly to thwart all his opinions in Council rais'd up a party against him to lessen his Reputation there and the Queen Mother nettled to see her Authority weakned with the King by the great power the Duke had with him desiring nothing more than to have him remov'd that she might recover her former possession could find no one so ready as Mounsieur de Villeroy to second her Passion and the animosity she had conceiv'd against him They joyntly advis'd that it was necessary to sacrifice the Duke to the malice of the League and that the King ought to abandon him for the general satisfaction a Counsel that had been voluntarily follow'd by the Duke himself and I have heard him say he would as willingly have retir'd then from Court as he did not long after could he have
himself to look into the state of those Provinces newly committed to his charge where by establishing such order as he thought convenient by the dispatch of his Levies and by disposing his men into the most important places he prepar'd himself betimes to encounter such Accidents as the severity of the time was likely to produce Soon after the Duke's departure the King went his Journey into Normandy where the greatest Obstacle being now remov'd the Treaty of Peace went on without any further impediment and was presently after concluded the King who had already determin'd how to dispose of the Duke of Guise making no great difficulty to grant him what he was resolv'd he should not long enjoy The Peace concluded the Edict of Union was publish'd first at Rouen and then in all parts of the Kingdom after which they immediately fell to the raising of Arms for the utter suppression of the King of Navarre and his Party But above all things the King was careful to hasten the necessary Dispatches for the Convocation of the States General at Blois in the beginning of October next ensuing an Assembly equally desir'd by the King and the Duke of Guise but to different ends The Duke hoping there by the joynt suffrages of the several Orders of the Kingdom to see himself plac'd in that degree of height to which his great Spirit and vast Ambition had so long aspir'd and the King resolving there and at that time to quench his restless and inordinate Ambition in a torrent of his own Blood Thus do we often see the purposes of the greatest Politicians deluded who when they think they have brought their Designs by the most infallible Rules and Maxims of Humane Prudence to an almost certain Issue find themselves deceiv'd and usually meet with effects quite contrary to their expectation giving us to understand that we ought not to commit our actions to the blind conduct of our own frail and erroneous foresight but into the hands of Providence that governs all and that brings all things to their determinate end The Edict of Union being sworn the Duke of Eâ—pernon remov'd from Court and the King â—atisfied at least in apparence with the Duke of Guise's and the Parisians excuses the Duke confident in the Queen Mother who was of late become absolutely powerful with the KIng had nothing now to hinder his coming to Court so that upon his Majesties return out of Normandy he immediately repair'd to him and having found him at Chartres he there in person deliver'd the same Apologies he had not long before presented by the Mediation of others All which his Majesty received with a Dissimulation that was not only natural to him but that by a long Practice and by the continual traverses and difficulties of his Reign was grown to such a habit in him that it was no hard matter for him to put on any kind of Language or Behaviour on any occasion wherein he was most likely to be surpriz'd So that in outward shew the King was so well pleas'd with no Company as indeed it was almost all he had as with the Duke's his Relations and Confederates Amongst which the Cardinal of Bourbon who was now also come to Court was entertain'd with extraordinary marks of Favour and Respect neither was there any Commands or Offices Military or Civil granted to any but by their recommendation insomuch that some have thought the Duke of Guise by winning and submissive carriage had made some real impression upon the Kings Inclinations and that his Majesty was dispos'd really to love him as he had formerly done if he could have moderated his Ambition and would have laid aside those designs which rendred him suspected to him In a conjuncture so favourable to their Designs neither the Duke of Guise nor those of his Faction slept in their Business but with all possible industry still more and more labour'd the Duke of Espernon's total Ruine as a thing that imported most of all to the confirmation of that Authority and Trust to which they saw themselves by his removal already advanc'd So that the King being daily afflicted with a thousand Accusations against him and wearied by their importunities was at last so far overcome as to consent that many of his Offices should be taken away being not yet to be prevail'd upon for his absolute Ruine Whilst the Duke was present he continually by his good Services fortified his Masters mind against all impressions of calumny his Enemies could invent to the prejudice of his Fidelity and Honour and had ever triumph'd in his Majesties good Opinion over the Envy and Malice of his Detractors but he was no sooner remov'd out of his Eye than that Confidence began to stagger his detractors representing him for an Enemy to the Crown a Friend to the King of Navarre and one that seducing daily all the Garrisons in his Government to a Revolt was upon the point to Proclaim open War against the King himself In the mean time the Duke had very good Intelligence of all that pass'd at Court he very well knew that his Enemies made use of all imaginable ways to destroy him that the King was by them perpetually socilited against him and that consequently it concern'd him in common discretion to frustrate their Designs and to provide for his own safety in the strength of those places he possess'd Neither was he much surpriz'd at the unexpected news of what the King had consented to against him he was very well acquainted with the constitution of the Court and had very well foreseen what would certainly be attempted against him but he could hardly perswade himself that his Majesty could ever forget his Fidelity and good Services yet did he not for all that neglect his own preservation that he might live to do him one day more and better Service the only revenge this faithful honest Servant meditated for the ingratitude of his Master He fell therefore presently into Consultation with his Friends what course he were best to take a Debate wherein Opinions were very different some there were who advis'd him to return to Court representing that his presence would infallibly disperse all those shadows of mistrust which by his absence his Adversaries had had opportunity to possess the King's mind withal that his tried Fidelity would soon recover its former place in his Majesties Opinion and that then he would soon be in a condition to return the mischiefs had been intended against him upon the heads of the first contrivers Others there were who gave him counsel to put himself into Metz others to make immediately for Provence and some of those there to joyn with the King of Navarre That to that purpose he should first go into Angoumois whither he might suddenly and with great facility convey himself where he had a strong City to retire unto and where he would be in a Country very convenient to favour his Passage into Provence by the way of
punctually observ'd to them without the least injury or violence though the Consul died of his Wounds before the end of the Action yet as soon as he had them in his power he order'd them to write to those of the City what danger their lives were in should they any more offer to assault the Castle A Policy that oblig'd their Relations so to importune the Sub-Consul to conclude the Treaty that he again return'd to the Castle to intreat the Duke that Ambleville and D' Elbene might come into the City to Treat with them which Ambleville absolutely refus'd to do it being as he conceiv'd inconsistent with his Honour to abandon the Duke in a time of so great danger So that the Abbot sufficient Hostages being first deliver'd in for his security was fain to go out alone and was immediately conducted to the Town-Hall The Abbot had by his dexterity brought things to so good a forwardness that the Accommodation was upon the point to be concluded to the Duke's Honour and satisfaction when le Meré who would by no means lose so fair an opportunity of sacrificing the Duke to his Master the Duke of Guise's hatred broke off the Treaty by promising the people a speedy and infallible succour from the Vicount D' Aubeterre who as he said having receiv'd express Orders from the King was with all possible diligence coming in to their assistance The Abbot then must return to the Castle which he did not without some danger so high was the insolence of the people rais'd by this little beam of hope though false and impos'd upon them Every one now ran again to his Arms which they employ'd with greater violence than before the Drums the Tocquesain and the clamours of the Seditious rabble indifferently compelling as well the Nobility and Gentry as the Commons as well those who were averse to the League as the Leaguers themselves to joyn in the common mischief The hop'd by a Petard which they intended to apply to a part of the Castle-Wall they knew to be very weak to make a sufficient breach to enter at which accordingly playing and having wrought some effect the Gentry and the people presented themselves with great courage to the Assault buâ—â—hey found greater in the Defendants who though very few in comparison of the Assailants after a long dispute forc'd them to retire with the loss of a great many very resolute men The next day about three of the clock in the morning the Inhabitants heard the Trumpets of the Duke's Cavalry who were led by the Sieur de Tagent to his Relief the report of whose arrival having put life into the Commanders and Souldiers of the Cittadel they began to shoot against the City which till then they had never done And if the arrival of this succour encouraged the one party it no less coold the fury and obstinacy of the other who now began submissively to sue for a conclusion of the Treaty which they had so insolently broken off the day before and sent again to entreat that the Abbot D' Elbene might once more come out to that purpose a request the Duke made then some difficulty to grant though in truth he had the greatest reason to desire it The Abbot nevertheless went out the second time into the City but as vainly as before for the Baron de Touverae with many other Gentlemen of the League being arriv'd and amongst others La-Caze Quarter-Master to the Vicount D' Aubeterre's Company of Cuirassiers put new vigour into the Inhabitants La-Caze assuring them that the next morning the Vicount would infallibly come to their succour with three hundred Horse and five hundred Foot by which the Citizens being re-assur'd they now breath'd nothing but War the common people being ever as forward to entertain rash and giddy resolutions as they are usually backwards and cowardly in the execution of them The Abbot was therefore again to recover the Castle and that with greater danger than before being first carried to the Gates of the Cittadel and there constrain'd with a Dagger at his Throat to forbid the Souldiers from shooting any more against the City which nevertheless they did not forbear to do The Duke press'd upon now more than ever by those of the City having found means from the high Tower of the Castle to give a sign to the Commanders of the Cittadel who might easily see it to shoot continually so to divert the fury of the Enemy that so violently assaulted him a Command so well understood and so readily obey'd that the confusion was now far greater in all parts of the City than hitherto it had ever been Neither had it ceased so soon had not the Sieur de Nesmond chief Justice of the place a man of great authority amongst them and no less considerable for his quality than his Employment with such of the principal Magistrates as had not consented to this tumult resolv'd to joyn all their interests together to put an end to the business To that purpose therefore they assembled at the Bishops Palace This Prelate Charles de Bony by name an Italian by birth having long govern'd that Diocess with great reputation of Vertue and Piety could not without infinite sorrow behold these confusions though authoriz'd by the League and palliated with the pretext of Religion so that in this Assembly he the Magistrates and some well dispos'd Citizens having consider'd the peril the City was in as also their own particular danger who were likely to be involv'd in the common ruine uniting themselves against the seditious with some Gentlemen of Quality of the Country who being come in at the noise of this disorder had stood neuters during the whole Action sent two of the most eminent amongst them to the Duke to entreat him that he would please to consent that the Capitulation which had been agreed upon the day before with the Abbot D' Elbene might be Sign'd and Raâ—ified by Tagent who was with his Cavalry in the Suburbs a request was readily granted by the Duke who was now no longer in a condition had he been so dispos'd to refuse it It had now been above forty hours since the Duke or any of those who were with him in the Castle had either drank or eaten their powder was all spent the men for the most part wounded and those who were not so worn out with watching fasting and continual labour that it was their courage only that did support them a support that would soon have fail'd them with their lives had the Besiegers known their necessities which were such as flesh and blood could no longer endure But God who reserv'd the Duke for better occasions was pleas'd to deprive them of that knowledge and so to order things that the impatience of two short hours deliver'd him from that eminent and apparent danger The Abbot D' Elbene therefore went out the third and last time into the City and together with the Inhabitants
repair'd to Tagent who to the Duke 's great astonishment had all this while stood an idle Spectator without once endeavouring to enter the Town to his succour 'T is true he sign'd the Capitulation which was all the share he had in this business But the Articles were no sooner Sign'd than they immediately fell to breaking down the Barricadoes the people retir'd every one to their own Houses and the Dutchess of Espernon was conducted to the Castle by the aforesaid Abbot Where being come after she had given the Duke her Husband some tender and affectionate testimonies of joy for his deliverance the first thing she did in return of the barbarous usage she had receiv'd was to mediate their Pardons by whom she had been so ill us'd with the Duke who though he had meditated a severe Revenge upon them who had committed so great an outrage against him was notwithstanding content to surrender his Animosities to the generous intercession of this Vertuous Lady He moreover set those he had taken Prisoners with the Consul at Liberty consented that Meré with the other Gentlemen of his Party should retire to their own Houses giving them a Convoy of Light Horse for their defense and by a notable effect of Generosity and good Nature having restor'd the dead Bodies of the Consul and his Brother to their Relations and Friends he permitted them to be buried with publick Obsequies Lastly he so franckly pardon'd all the rest of the Citizens that not any one of them who would afterwards live in Peace could ever perceive in him the least memory of any former unkindness but on the contrary receiv'd from him all the good Offices and gentle Usage they could expect from a man they had never offended by which exceeding Clemency and by the protection both the City and Country receiv'd from him for the space of fifty years which he afterwards held that Government he so won the hearts of that people that there was not one of them who would not chearfully have ventur'd Life and Fortune for his Service and who have not to this hour his memory in great Veneration as the Father Protector and Restorer of their Country The King of Navarre who was ever so intent upon his own Affairs as to let no occasion slip that he conceiv'd might any way serve to advance them foreseeing that after the Assembly which was to be holden at Blois he should certainly have all the Forces both of the King and the League bent joyntly against him had not fail'd to send to the Duke upon his retirement from Court a time very proper to have taken his Resentments in the heat had he been a Male-content with offers of as high and honourable conditions as he himself could possibly have propos'd if he would joyn with him To which the Duke equally firm in his Religion and Loyalty made answer that he did beseech his Majesty to reflect upon the infinite obligations he had to the King his Master and then he did assure himself that his own generosity would for ever condemn him of ingratitude should he abandon his Service for any persecution his Enemies could practice against him After which and many humble and respective thanks for his gracious offer he gave him plainly and freely to understand that he would rather perish than to live oblig'd to any other for his protection than to him who was the sole Author of his Fortune But this Prince not checking at this first refusal would yet try if in the business of Angoulesme by his own Actions and Presence he could not work more effectually upon the Duke than by the mediation of Agents he had hitherto done and to that purpose being advertis'd of this enterprize though at a time when he was upon the point to fall upon the City and Castle of Clisson in the lower Poictou very considerable places and which in all apparence he was likely to carry he nevertheless gave over the Design to come to the Duke's Relief A deliberation that some have believ'd was not so much intended to rescue the Duke from the danger he was in as to make use of that occasion in the Confusion the City then was to seize upon it to his own use and to reduce so considerable a place into the hands of his own Party But whatever his Design was he met intelligence by the way that the Duke had already disingag'd himself from his Enemies and was settled in a posture of safety by which though he found he should come too late to do the Duke any Service unwilling nevertheless to lose the thanks of his good intention he sent to congratulate with him for his happy Deliverance which he said was so much the more glorious to him as it was wrought out of himself and effected by his own Valour and Constancy advising him withal to consider how many of the like attempts he was to expect from his Enemies malice withal once more offering to joyn his Interests with his and to run the same Fortune with him in all hazards But the Duke answering still with the same civility and respect he had done before without suffering himself to be tempted from the duty he ow'd to the King his Master continued constant in his Resolution never to take part with any who were his open and declared Enemies In this place methinks the Duke of Espernon is chiefly to be consider'd to make thence a right judgment of the greatness and constancy of his mind He had scarce been seven years a Favourite when he saw the prodigious Engine of the League ready to fall upon him a body so formidable and so great as having already constrain'd the King himself to bow before it made all those of the Reformed Religion to tremble at its motion no Authority was able to stop it no Power to resist it yet could it never startle this young Dukes constancy But on the contrary though he saw himself forsaken by the King and expos'd to the malice of his Enemies though he saw the people in his own Governments rais'd in mutiny against him and all things as it were conspiring together to his Ruine yet could he not even in these extremities ever submit to the King of Navarre's Protection though offer'd and so handsomely offered to him but though alone in his own Quarrel at least without other assistance than of his Friends and Servants he had yet the courage to defend his own Interests and the Service of his Prince even against his Prince himself who was now become General of his own Enemies Yet had he ever so excellent a Government over himself as to do nothing contrary to his Conscience or his Duty So that not being to be mov'd either by the Menaces of the League or by the Hopes he might reasonably conceive from the assistance of those of the Reform'd Religion he subdu'd those two Passions that exercise the most absolute Empire over the minds of men
from the beginning and had retir'd themselves from Aix the seat of Parliament from the time the City had revolted to the Duke of Savoy in some place of safety For this purpose he could find no place so fit for strength and conveniency as Manosque where he seated them in great security and honour And that the time might not pass away without some shew of Action whilst the season would not give him leave smartly to follow the War he in this dead time of the year with a strong party of Horse scour'd the Country all over the whole Province Neither was this an unnecessary or an unprofitable diligence by which he confirm'd those Cities already declar'd for the King in their duty and also frighted those inclining to a Revolt into better Resolutions But the greatest advantage he reap'd by it was that by this means he inform'd himself upon the particular places themselves of the general estate of the whole Province and moreover kept his men in action like a Captain that very well understood Order and Discipline to be the only things that establish and support an Army and the pest of great Bodies to be sloath and liberty which debauch Souldiers from their Duty and have often been observ'd to dissolve and disperse the greatest Armies when the Souldier has been suffer'd to enrich himself by idleness and license upon the plunder of his Quarters He therefore provided for the subsistence of his men by imposing Contributions upon the Province which nevertheless was not done without the advice and consent of the Officers of Parliament by whose Authority as well as his own he order'd a certain rate of all things in the Markets and that at so indifferent a price that the Commons found a greater convenience in the Quartering of Souldiers than in being without so quick a return they had for their Corn and other Provisions and so certain was their pay To this the Assessments design'd to defray these Provisions were so equally laid upon the whole Country that no man could complain he was opprest nor was there any who did not find his advantage in this necessary evil In fine all things were settled so much to the general conveniency and satisfaction of all that I have an hundred times heard the Duke wish for such an establishment in Guienne but the contagion was there already spread too far and had taken too deep root to admit so happy a reformation By this prudent disposition of things the Souldier found himself provided of his share of all things necessary where ever he came according to the order prescrib'd Neither was he to exact more upon pain of death a penalty that without mercy follow'd the offense by which severe Discipline the King's Party in those parts were in a short time observ'd to be very much encreas'd The Duke solicitous to maintain this Reputation of the Royal Arms by some notable enterprize resolv'd to make an attempt upon the City of Arles neither did he herein make an ill choice it being one of the most considerable places of Provence seated upon the Banks of Rosne and inhabited by above three hundred Families of very good quality who here made their ordinary residence besides a vast number of Citizens and inferiour people This City like all others which are situated upon Navigable Rivers and daily expect to be supply'd with fresh Provisions kept very little before-hand in store which the Duke being well enform'd of contented himself with shutting up the River only above and below and cutting off the Succours of the adjacent Countrey by Quartering several Troops on both sides the River by which means without much trouble or any considerable loss in a month or five weeks time this strong City was reduc'd to a necessity of surrender and to shake hands with the League for whom they had hitherto been zealous to the highest degree They came therefore to a Capitulation in which the Duke was content to accept of thirty Hostages for their future good behaviour and with that caution to ease them of the burthen of a Garrison which in truth at that time before he was well settled in his Government he could not well have spar'd nor without manifest prejudice to his Majesties and his own private Affairs Nevertheless what good security soever the Duke thought he had taken to bind them to their Duty the Inhabitants made no scruple afterwards in the Revolt of the Cities of Provence by their Rebellion to expose the lives of so many men of Quality who had generously stak'd their persons for the good of their fellow Citizens to the Duke 's just indignation though he by a clemency much more extraordinary than the severity he had shew'd at Montauron dismiss'd the Hostages to their own houses without so much as putting them to ransome which in an occasion of this nature is no usual Favour After this success the Duke yet undertook the Siege of Antibe a place wonderfully well fortifi'd seated upon the Sea shore and favour'd with a very good Port which the Duke of Savoy since his last taking of it to assure his possession had so fortified and mann'd that he thought it impossible to be taken The Duke of Espernon notwithstanding presented himself before it where having summon'd the Governour to a surrender and his Trumpet being sent back with a scornful answer he proceeded to a formal Siege advancing by Tâ—enches raising of Batteries and duly observing whatever the Method and Discipline of War prescribe in the most difficult attempts The Town was defended for a while but the Governour in the end retir'd into his Foâ—t where he thought he should be in a condition to make the Duke spend his time and consume his Army unprofitably and to no purpose This place had besides its own strength and advantageous situation this further convenience that every night by the Duke of Savoy's order a Gally set out from Nice that brought all the refrâ—shments to the besieg'd they could desire carried away their Sick and Wounded brought them in fresh Souldiers and provided all things necessary for them which so continual Succour and seasonable Supplies swell'd the Governour with an opinion that the Duke could never force him Neither was the Duke displeas'd at his confidence hoping that this security of his would at one time or another contribute to the success of his Design He therefore continued his approaches and try'd all ways imaginable to effect his enterprize when at last his Cannon having batterd the Curtain in a place not much frequented he perceiv'd that those within kept no guard there by which he believ'd they had not observ'd that breach and immediately resolv'd to make his advantage of that negligence To this purpose therefore he sent a Serjeant to discover the breach who accordingly having gone in and return'd by a hole big enough for a man to pass at his â—ase he made his report to the Duke that there was
begin with that of Aix as appearing the easier to be accomplish'd Aix wanting those Succours by Sea which Marselles upon occasion was certain to have But his Forces being too few to form a regular Siege against so great a City he was fain to supply that defect by erecting many Forts against it which shutting up the Avenues were notwithstanding his want of men sufficient to block up the City Betwixt these Forts in a place of advantage he caus'd a Grand to be erected that is to say a greater Fort after the form of a new City opposite to and within a Musquet-shot of the old where the greatest part of his Infantry were bestow'd with great convenience and from whence the Duke could so perfectly discover whatever could be practis'd against him by the Enemy that it was impossible so to surprize him but that he would be ever ready to relieve any of his Quarters with great facility should any thing be attempted against them The Cavalry that could by no means subsist in the same place were dispos'd into several Garrisons some nearer some further off according as there was convenience of Quarters of which those under the command of Chastelliers du Passage de Buous and de Ramefort were the nearest where they wanted no opportunities of signalizing their Vigilancy and Valour An order so admirably establish'd as in time reduc'd the City of Aix to such extremities that they must certainly have fall'n into the Duke's hands had not the Inhabitants declar'd a resolution of submitting themselves to none but the King where notwithstanding the Duke was the only Author of their submission as he was of all other advantages the King obtain'd in Provence though still the artifice of his Enemies so skreen'd his merits from his Majesties observation that he receiv'd very little thanks for his labour The Duke began to build his Fort in Iune 1593. The Count de Carces near ally'd to the Duke of Mayenne being Son by a former Husband to the Dutchess his Wiâ—e commanded in the City where the Inhabitants under his command back'd by some Foot Companies belonging to the Duke of Savoy which yet remain'd in that Country were so brisk as at the Duke's first sitting down by frequent Sallies to disturb his Building but were ever beaten back with so great loss that they were at last content to sit still and suffer what they found they were not able to oppose And here I find my self upon a Scene of Honour where the best Pen might be worthily employ'd where notwithstanding should I make particular mention of all the Skirmishes Combats and brave actions that hapned upon this occasion I should fall into the error which of all others I most pretend to shun and trouble my Reader with a long and perhaps a tedious Narrative though some of them are of so shining a Reputation as can by no means be pass'd over in silence Whilst the Duke therefore was very busie about raising his Fort the Count de Carces who would try all possible ways to hinder that work sallied out of the Town at broad noon-day with 400 Gentlemen of which number was the Count de Suze Bezaudun Camp-Mareschal S. Marcelin and Reglanette with many more Gentlemen of Quality who followed by 2000 men what of the Inhabitants and what of the Companies in Garrison went with a design to overthrow the Works already begun and if possible to compel the Duke to retire A Design that as it was brave in it self so was the time wherein it should be executed as prudently chosen for at so unexpected an hour most part of the Duke's Souldiers were either sleeping in their Huts or gone abroad to Forrage so that the Duke had very few about him Neither if the Infantry were in such disorder were the Horse in a greater readiness which constrain'd the Duke who had mounted at the first noise of the Alarm being able to get but very few together with those few to expose himself to withstand the first fury of the Enemy Chastelier whom we have already begun to call the Baron d' Ars hearing in his Quarters a noise and uproar such as is usually occasion'd by tumultuous Sallies with the Sieur de Buous were the first who with their Troops came in to the Duke's succour whom as soon as come he commanded to charge the Enemy whilst himself who had soon rallied all who were in a condition to fight following them close at the heels fell so furiously into the Body of the Assailants as made all give way before him The Count de Carces seeing his men so roughly handled endeavour'd to recover an Hospital in the mid-way betwixt the Fort and the City with an intent there to rally his men and to make good the place but the Duke falling in pell-mell amongst them forc'd him to continue his flight to the very Graffe of the City where many of his men were slain by which ill success the Enemy having lost above 400 men they were for the future better advis'd than to make any more such sallies and suffer'd the Duke in great security to continue his work under their noses Whilst every one thought the Duke wholly intent upon this Design of Aix and that mens minds were suspended in expectation of the event of that enterprize he conceiv'd there was an advantage to be made of this general belief that seem'd to falicitate an attempt upon Marselles it self which as it was very improbable by open force to take any good effect so was it to be carried on with great prudence and secresie to make it succeed He therefore gave private Instructions to all such Commanders as he intended to make use of in this Enterprize to make ready 3000 chosen Foot and 400 Light Horse as also to prepare three Petards with which in the beginning of a very dark night he silently rose from his Quarters marching his men the direct Road to Marselles He had not as yet discover'd his Design to any when being advanc'd about half a League on his way and thinking it now high time to put his Friends out of suspense who knew nothing whither they were to go he call'd all the Chief Officers of his Party about him and in a short Harangue told them That if he had not sooner discover'd his Design unto them it was not for any diffidence he had of their fidelity which was already sufficiently known unto him that after the many testimonies they had upon all occasions given him of their Worth and Valour he had more reason to seek opportunities wherein he might manifest his gratitude than to expect any further proof from them but that as secresie was the great promoter of all Enterprizes of the nature of this wherein he now intended to employ them he would not should any disaster happen that the least colour of blame should reflect upon any of them but much rather be wholly imputed to Fortune but nevertheless all things
being so well order'd as he conceiv'd they were there was no doubt to be made of a successful issue That he therefore conjur'd them resolutely to undertake an action of the greatest advantage to the King to his Majesties Affairs and to their own particular benefit and honour that could possibly be propos'd That every one there knew Marselles to be one of the most important Cities whether consider'd in the commodity of its Haven or in its vicinity to Foreign Countries in the whole Kingdom That this City reduc'd by the King of Spain's promises and the Duke of Savoy's together had already put her self into their protection and persisting in her obstinacy was ready to open her Gates to Strangers to receive their Garrisons and to give away her liberty to them after having violated her Faith and Duty to her lawful Sovereign That should strangers once get entire possession of that City it would be lost for ever and that there would be no hopes ever to drive them from so advantageous a post what attempts soever could be made against a place so strong and so easie to be reliev'd That next to the publick concern he consider'd the reducing of this City as a certain and firm establishment of his own interest in Provence and that they themselves ought to look upon it as a pledge whereby that fair and rich Province would be assur'd unto them and that would give them an entire authority over the people who after so brave an exploit would no more be able to vie Merit or Valour with them as they had formerly done That such as had undertaken Enterprizes of this nature were wont to animate their companions with hopes of Booty but that for his part he should take a contrary way That it was not his intent to ruine Provence nor the City of Marselles but to preserve both the one and the other for the King to establish himself there in order to his Majesties Service and to procure for them other advantages and by other means suiting to their great merit and the service they had perform'd That this City once taken there could be no more fear of wanting provisions for the Army the conveniency of the Port bringing in all things necessary in great abundance that the evil-affectedness of the people would for the future be able to produce nothing to their prejudice they having in their own hands either the Keyes of the Province to let in all necessary Succours or otherwise the Chains that would tye them fast to their duty That above all things therefore he most earnestly desir'd them to restrain the insolence of the Souldier whom notwithstanding he did not thereby intend to hinder of the benefit they might justly make of the Inhabitants Estates which were already forfeited to them by by their Rebellion and of which they should soon be possess'd by the Victory but that he desir'd they might be fairly divided amongst them that they might the longer enjoy what they got and not lose and destroy the spoil as it otfen falls out in the sack and plunder of great Cities That he would not upon this occasion suggest unto them the remembrance of their accustomed Valour that he knew by good experience such exhortations were altogether unnecessary to them in bold and dangerous attempts and that he only conjur'd them to follow his example now as hitherto they had follow'd his Person and Fortune The Duke having thus prepar'd his Friends for the Enterprize continued on his way when being come within sight of the place he himself with those that had charge of the Petards advanc'd up to the Gate Of these the first Petard play'd to as good effect as was to be expected having made a hole in the Gate wide enough for a man easily to get through which though made wider by the second yet did not the Gate fall down being supported by a great iron Bar behind The Duke therefore call'd for the third Petard but in vain no Petard being to be heard of no more than the man to whose trust it was committed which made them try to break the Bar with Axes that they might have the passage more free to relieve some of their men who were already got in by the hole of the Gate But the Inhabitants rouz'd at the first noise of the Petards running to their Arms made a stout opposition where having but few to deal withal the Assailants were with great ease beaten back and the Gate as suddenly Barricado'd up It is not to be imagin'd how infinitely the Duke was afflicted at this ill success and the more because he thought he had made himself as it were Master of the event by the prudent conduct of his Design though he has since thought himself happy in failing of his purpose so much should men susspect their own desires in the choice of things that concern the conduct of their lives it being to be fear'd that had the Duke been establish'd in the power tâ—e winning of this City would have seated him in and receiv'd those affronts and that ill usage from Court he afterwards did in the revolutions of Provence the sense of those injuries might have prompted him to do things no ways suiting with his Duty as we shall see he was soon after tempted to do I do much wonder that none of our Historians have so much as mention'd this Enterprize who have some of them been very particular about many others of the Duke 's of much less importance whose omission of this has engag'd me to insist longer upon it than otherwise I should have done that so brave an Action might not be buried in oblivion of which the bare Project could not have been meditated by a mean courage nor the Design carried on so far by an ordinary prudence The Duke being retir'd to his Fort very much discontented at his evil success would revenge himself of that disgrace by new and brisker attempts upon the City of Aix Wherefore having intelligence that the Inhabitants already began to feel themselves straightned for want of Victuals he to take from them all future hopes of supply immediately fell to destroying all the Fruits and Corn of the Country round about and not content to do them this mischief without plai'd so many Cannon-shot into the Town that not a man durst appear in the streets or abide in the upper rooms of their houses But the besieg'd ingenious in their Revenge contriv'd a way to pay him back some of his Balls by a Counter-battery from the great Tower of the Church of Nostredame a Pile of great note and fame as well for its exceeding height as for the excellency of its Architecture and Beauty To the top therefore of this Tower they made shift to crane up two Culverines and had a Cannoneer so expert as not only levell'd them right against the Fort but even against the Duke's own Tent within it where he made the strangest shot that perhaps ever
of Savoy that he was nothing startled at his other losses as supposing this City to be an inexpugnable Bulwark against whatever could be attempted against him A confidence wherein he found himself very much mistaken for the Duke of Espernon having the command of one quarter at this Siege as Biron and L' Esdiguieres had of the other two whilst they were on all hands busie in their approaches found opportunity sometimes to confer with the Count de Brandis Governour of the place interviews that being frequent and allow'd by the King wrought at last so good an effect that the Governour promis'd to surrender the City to the King if within a month the Duke of Savoy did not raise the Siege A Capitulation of that dangerous importance to the Duke that he labour'd by all possible ways during the limited term to perswade the Governour into a better resolution and had so wrought upon him what by entreaty promises and threats that he was grown infinitely wavering and uncertain what to do which notwithstanding the Duke of Espernon who had drawn the first plot of this great design happily brought it to perfection in the end he absolutely confirm'd by his perswasion the anxious Count in the terms of his first Treaty and thereupon receiv'd new Hostages from him by which dexterity he rendred himself the principal and most effectual instrument of his Majesties victories in that Country as also of the Peace which immediately follow'd the Surrender of this important City Whilst the King's Designs succeeded at this fortunate rate in this little Dukedom the Princes of Italy apprehending that after the ruine of the Duke of Savoy the sweetness and facility of that Conquest would tempt the King to advance further into the Country to seek new Victories were instant with the Pope to interpose his Authority with the King to dispose his Majesty to accept of satisfaction from the Duke of Savoy for what had past that an Accommodation might ensue to which his Holiness being enclin'd both by his own interests which could by no means admit of a War in Italy and by the importunity of the Princes of the Country he dispatch'd away Cardinal Aldobrandino his own Nephew to the King to be in his name the Mediator of this Peace as the Cardinal de Medicis had been before of that which had been concluded with Spain Never Prince came from that Country in a prouder Equipage nor with a more honourable train than did this Cardinal a Magnificence to which his Majesty being willing to hold proportion both in regard to his own greatness as also to express thereby a greater respect to the Pope to whom he was highly oblig'd in the person of a Kinsman so near and dear unto him he made choice of the Duke of Espernon amongst all the other Grandees of his Court to be the man should receive him and that because he both knew him to be a person very acceptable to the Holy Sea as also one who knew as well how to behave himself for his Masters honour as any whoever that was about his person Neither did the Duke deceive his Majesty in his choice he receiv'd the Cardinal at the head of the Army which before had been drawn up into Battalia for that purpose accompanied with the most sprightly and gay Nobility and Gentry of the Court conducting him with infinite demonstrations of Honour and Respect through the several divisions until he brought him into the presence of the King himself and though I must tell you by the way that the Duke 's imperious and haughty humour was naturally very averse to the humility of Complement and the submission of excessive Civilities yet when such an occasion as this oblig'd him to it no man of his time could perform such a Ceremony with a better grace and doubtless if at ordinary times he would have been more liberal of his courtesie and have added that to those other excellent qualities which made him admir'd by all he might have acquir'd thereby what Friends and Servants he had pleas'd Soon after the Legat's arrival the Peace of Savoy was concluded wherein a Prince whose interest it was to recover his own Dominions almost entirely over-run by the King 's Victorious Arms was now to redeem his own with what he had surreptitiously and contrary to the publick Faith snatch'd from the King during the disorders of his Kingdom and which his Majesty was now also ready to force from him as he had already done the greatest part of his own hereditary Territories in pursuit of that Quarrel So that the Duke of Savoy bought his Peace at a cheap rate through the Pope's timely mediation and all things were accommodated that were in dispute betwixt the King and him although his Majesty who very well knew what little trust was to be repos'd in the Faith of this Prince a man that would never keep his word when it was for his advantage to break it would by no means be perswaded to withdraw his Army out of his Dukedom till first the Articles of the Treaty were perform'd But it neither suiting with decency nor the dignity of his Majesties Royal Person himself to attend the execution of a thing already concluded he return'd into France leaving the command of his Army to the Count de Soissons offering at the same time the command of Lieutenant General to the Duke of Espernon who excus'd himself having taken up a resolution never to serve under less than the Person of a King as hitherto he had never done nor ever after did in the whole course of his life He therefore went back with the King whom he attended as far as Grenoble from whence when his Majesty departed for Lyons to consummate his Marriage he at the same time took his leave to return again into his Governments of Xaintonge and Angoumois The Duke's journey into that Country gave him opportunity to pass over into Gascony to view the Progress of his Building there of which he had laid the foundation at Cadillac in the year 1598. For the King after he had concluded the Peace with Spain from that time forwards not only wholly bent his own thoughts to the Embellishment of his Kingdom in which his principal design was first to Build his Houses and to Beautifie Paris with many great and noble Structures for at this time the Buildings of the Louvre Fountain-bleau and other Royal Palaces were begun as also the designs of the Pont-neuf the Place Royal with other proud and stately AEdifices were continued but would likewise that other men should fall in love with the same humour and whether it were that his Majesty had a mind his greatest Subjects should by his example employ themselves in the same designs or that he intended as some have suppos'd insensibly to drein their purses by this chargeable employment fearing perhaps that too great abundance of wealth might make them more apt to entertain thoughts
and practices that might discompose the calm of Peace his Kingdom was now settled in but so it was that for one or both these reasons he engag'd the greatest part of his Nobility whom he knew to be monied men in vast designs of this kind amongst whom his Majesty conceiving the Duke of Espernon to be one the most at his ease he was so importunate with him as to cause a plot for Cadillac to be design'd in his own Presence order'd the charge of the whole to be cast up and made one of his own Architects to undertake for an hundred thousand Crowns to begin and perfect the work upon which assurance the Duke as has been said in the year 1598 began the foundation conceiving that such a summe as that he might without inconvenience spare to gratifie his Masters humour though time afterwards gave him to understand how hard a thing it is to contain a man's self within a determinate charge after he has once set his hand to so tempting a work as Building this Pile before it was finish'd having cost him above two millions of Livres 'T is very true and which seldom happens to undertakers of such vast designs that with this infinite expense he brought the greatest and most stately pile of Building the Royal Houses excepted in France very near to perfection the whole body of the Building being perfected before his death and nothing save some few Ornaments left to finish neither had he left those to his Successors had not the disgrace of being withdrawn from his Government which still afflicted him diverted his thoughts from the sole care of that design The Duke as has been said being come into Guienne to take a view of his Building arriv'd at the City of Bourdeaux in the beginning of August where he found the Mareschal d' Ornano but newly there establish'd Lieutenant for the King by the decease of the Mareschal de Matignon who died of an Apoplexy and where their old Animosities though great were nevertheless on both sides so well dissembled as not to hinder a mutual Civility betwixt them no more than these civilities could hinder past jealousies from breaking out upon the first occasion into a new and open rupture This Mareschal though an Alien born had yet by his Valour and Fidelity acquir'd so great a reputation in France as in the Reign of Henry the III. to be a great confident to that Prince to whom the Duke of Espernon having been a principal Favourite it is nothing strange that a man of inferiour credit should envy another in a higher degree of Favour neither if the Mareschal were prepossess'd with this antiquated jealousie was the Duke on his part insensible of the recent traverses he had in Provence receiv'd from him the greatest part of the disgraces he had met with in that Country having been laid in his way by the opposition of l' Esdiguieres and him all which put together it may easily be imagin'd were likely to beget no very good blood between them To this the Mareschal a man of an imperious and haughty temper and who only under a forc'd smoothness conceal'd a natural arrogance could with no patience endure a Superiour an humour that made him with great anxiety look upon the Honours which at the Duke's arrival at Burdeaux he receiv'd from the Parliament with the other Orders of the City and which were also continued to him by the Nobility at Cadillac who from all parts came in to do him Honour But if his impatience were great before it was rais'd up to the height when he knew the Duke who well enform'd of his dissatisfaction to make it yet more had invited all the Nobility and Gentry of the Country to Bordeaux to a publick running at the Ring a solemnity that being there to be kept where he was in Supreme Command the Duke knew would much more nettle and afflict him It is very true that the Duke might have forborn this Bravado to a man whom he knew to be so tender of his Honour as the Mareschal d' Ornano was and perhaps it was not well done to offer that to another he himself would never have endur'd from any man living in a place where he had commanded in Chief but having once engag'd in the business his great spirit whatever might succeed would by no means give him leave to desist especially when he knew the Mareschal was resolv'd by open force to oppose him This was that which made what was before only a private discontent to break out into open quarrel which grew so high that the Mareschal address'd himself to the Parliament where in the presence of them all he complain'd what a commotion the Duke went about to stir up amongst the people to the prejudice as he pretended of his Majesties Affairs acquainting them at the same time with his resolution to make his Garrison stand to their Arms to play his Cannon and in fine to do what in him lay with all the power and authority he had to break that appointment and to drive the Duke from the City This declaration from a man of his furious spirit as it very much troubled the whole Assembly so it gave the first President D' Affis one of the greatest men that Society ever had since its first institution and a particular friend of the Duke's having by him in his times of favour been rais'd to that dignity occasion to make use of his Eloquence in the best Arguments he could contrive to disswade the Mareschal from that determination but all in vain he had already given out his orders and summon'd the Gentry to come in to his assistance though not a man save only one call'd Ruat would appear a thing which though perfectly true appears almost incredible that a Governour of so great Authority and Repute should be able to procure no more than one single man to serve him against the Duke of Espernon in his own Government Neither were the people better dispos'd than the Nobility and Gentry to take Arms against the Duke all men on the contrary of any note both within and without the City so manifestly appearing for him that the Governour was forc'd to arm his Garrison of Corses and to call his Company of Gens-d ' Armes out of their Country Quarters into the Town which were yet apparently too weak to execute the Mareschal's design And this was in effect the main cause that hindred things from proceeding into a greater disorder the Duke satisfied with the advantage every one plainly saw he had over his Enemy being the more easily enclin'd to the Parliaments solicitations who had sent their second President Nesmond to him to entreat he would not persist in his first resolution at whose instance and being loath to disturb the Peace of his Country as also to expose the great number of Gentlemen of Quality who were about him against a Garrison in his own particular quarrel and having a greater
inclination to decide it in his own person when it might be done with less noise and tumult with the Mareschal man to man he was content to let things rest till a fitter opportunity and quietly departed the City to his own house In this Journey to Cadillac he was accompanied with President Nesmond a Gentleman of great merit and his particular friend for whom after the death of President D' Affis he obtained the Dignity of first President during the Regency of the Queen Mother with many other Principal Members of that Parliament and City whither he was no sooner come but that the Gentry of the Higher Gascony at the report of this Quarrel flock'd to him in so great a number that scarce any occasion could have hapned wherein his interest in that Country could have been more manifestly seen And here the Duke environ'd with so many of his Friends pass'd his time in that jollity and mirth and appear'd so little concern'd at any thing that had pass'd betwixt the Mareschal d' Ornano and him as made every one certainly believe all had been absolutely forgot where after having spent some days and his company being retir'd to their own houses he himself also departed to go visit his paternal estate and from thence to Tholouse From hence it was that whilst every one thought him more intent upon his recreations than mindful of his quarrel he dispatch'd away a Page of his call'd Talanges who continued long after in his Service to the Mareschal d' Ornano with a Challenge which I will here present my Reader word for word as I transcrib'd it from the original draught under the Duke 's own hand wherein though there be no studied stile there is nevertheless something of a natural and easie bluntness that methinks sounds better than if it had been couch'd with greater care and art the words are these Sir I make no doubt but that when the toy took you to commit the action and to make the bustle you did against me at Bordeaux the last of August you did then believe knowing me for such as the men of Honour of this Kingdom know me to be that that Carriage of yours must needs give me a just desire to talk with you as indeed I passionately do and that after the manner commonly practis'd by men of honour of my Profession which is the reason I have sent this Page on purpose to let you know that I am going to Court where I shall wait four months in expectation either by return of this Bearer or by what other honourable way you shall think fit of an assignment from you of a day and place where I may have the happiness to embrace you in your Shirt with the Arms of a Cavalier which are a Sword and Poignard that I may there let you see it is not in the power of a Corse to affront a Gentleman of France who remains yours to serve you as much as by the courtesie you have shew'd to him he stands oblig'd From Tholouse the 7th of September Sign'd I. Lewis de la Valette And in a Postscript I do assure you upon my Faith that no one living knows a syllable of what I have written to you not the Page himself and I do believe you to be so much a man of Honour as to carry it with the same secresie The Page arriv'd in a disguise at Bordeaux where he found opportunity to deliver his Letter and without being discover'd by any return'd to seek out his Master at Paris but the Mareschals action had made such a noise that what secresie soever could be us'd it was hardly possible but it must come to the King's knowledge and accordingly at the Duke's arrival at Court his Majesty question'd him about it when although the Duke made a shew of being wholly unconcern'd yet his Majesty having had intelligence by other hands than either by the Duke or any of his people of the Challenge that had pass'd positively commanded him to engage his word that things should proceed no further promising him withal that he should have all satisfaction he could himself in Honour desire a thing the Duke in obedience to his Masters absolute pleasure could by no means refuse though by some Libels that came out after in the Mareschals name he was infinitely exasperated and desir'd nothing more than to come to the decision of Arms. The Mareschal was soon after summon'd to Court where being arriv'd and his Majesty having heard both parties concerning the occasion of their Quarrel order'd for the Duke this satisfaction which Writing I found in the same bundle with the Challenge That which was said by the Mareschal d' Ornano in the presence of the King to the Duke of Espernon My Lord To explain my self and to satisfie you concerning what lately pass'd at Bordeaux I shall in the first place assure you that I never knew or esteem'd you for other than his Majesties most faithful Subject and Servant that such I ever have and ever shall declare you to be It is very true that a jealousie some flying rumours which I too easily believ'd possess'd me withall made me do things which having found those reports altogether false I have since been very much afflicted at I never having any intention to offend you and I could wish I had given a great deal I had never done them I do therefore entreat you to excuse me and to believe me to be your Friend and one that has a desire to do you Service As for the Manifesto I am so far from approving any such thing that I never so much as saw it never caus'd it to be writ and ever have and do now disown the man that did it This was that which was said in the presence of the King by the Duke of Espernon to the Mareschal d' Ornano Sir Since the King is pleas'd to think what you have said to be a sufficient satisfaction that you entreat me to forget what is past and desire my friendship I rest satisfied and shall be as I have been heretofore your friend to serve you At St. Germans en Laye the 25. of March 1601. Sign'd Henry and below Potier It was not without many difficulties that matters were thus compos'd betwixt them the Duke desiring something more for his satisfaction and the Mareschal on his part ill digesting the distinction the King had made betwixt to serve you and to do you service but that which touch'd him most to the quick was that his Majesty by one of the conditions of Accommodation gave the Duke liberty when ever he thought fit to call together the same Assembly in Bordeaux which had begot the former dispute commanding the Mareschal not to oppose it A Licence without which the Duke conceiv'd his affront could not be wip'd off And accordingly he some time after return'd to Bordeaux to have made use of his Priviledge though it was then also interrupted by an accident of which
Rucellay's good Offices that he receiv'd them who though they had not parted very kindly as you may have observ'd could not nevertheless forbear upon all occasions to magnifie the Duke's generosity and vertue and to manifest the desire he had to be reconcil'd to his good opinion Rucellay had great interest at Court the Duke de Luines repos'd â— great confidence in him and was the rather enclin'd to credit all the good things he said of the Duke by how much his testimony upon the terms they then stood was no ways to be suspected The Duke anticipated by so many good Offices was as careful to let Rucellay know how exceeding kindly he took them at his hands so that from a violent feud their hot spirits being re-united in a very particular friendship the Duke receiv'd very great assistance from Rucellay in an Affair wherein he was very highly concern'd And that was the re-establishment of those Captains who had forfeited their Commands by putting themselves into Metz with the Marquis de la Valette The Court could not suffer an act of that dangerous example to escape unpunish'd and on the contrary the Duke press'd an oblivion of that Affair with greater fervency than he had ever done any concern of his own wherein I have often heard him acknowledge his obligation to Rucellay by whose solicitation he at last obtain'd his desire Courbon Reals Verdelin Boussonniere and some others of very great merit were restor'd to their Commands though it was but to deprive the Duke the sooner of so many worthy friends who were scarce re-establish'd in their Commands when willing to make amends for the fault they had committed by some notable testimony of their fidelity and valour upon the first occasion should present it self they unfortunately perish'd in that brave design leaving the Duke infinitely afflicted that he could not oblige them but to their ruine From Xaintonge the King pass'd over into Guienne wherein though his Majesty had no resolution of proceeding so far as Bearne yet was it necessary he should advance to Bordeaux to dissolve the powerful Faction was form'd in that Province in favour of the Duke of Mayenne which had sufficiently discover'd it self in the great Leavies and Provisions of War that had there been made In this Voyage the Duke had hopes of seeing his Majesty at his house of Cadillac and indeed the Duke of Luines had promis'd him he should a favour he ought so much the more to covet as it would manifest to all the world his perfect reconciliation with the King his Master So that he whom every one the year before concluded utterly lost in the Queen Mothers Affairs seeing him now restor'd to a greater degree of reputation and favour than perhaps he had ever been could not but admire his Conduct and attribute as much to his Prudence as his Fortune which it should seem had only strew'd those difficulties in his way that they might by him be the more gloriously overcome His Majesty conâ—nuing his way through Guienne took occasion to call at Blaye from whence he remov'd Lussan Vicount de Aubeterre to recompense him with the staff of a Mareschal of France placing Brantes since Duke of Luxembourg in the right of his Wife in his stead Whilst these things were in doing the Duke of Espernon who attended his Majesty in this Voyage took the opportunity to go prepare his house for his reception wherein he order'd all things so admirably well and with such magnificence that his Majesty could hardly have been better entertain'd in any part of the Kingdom The noble Furniture wherewith this house did abound was now all brought out The Kings Apartment hung round with Hangings emboss'd all over with Gold as also ten Chambers more were furnish'd with the same to which the Beds of Cloth of Gold and Embroidery were richly suited neither was the delicacy rarity or plenty of provisions inferiour to this outward Pomp. All the Favourites Ministers and others of the greatest quality at Court were commodiously lodg'd in this stately House and the Provisionary Officers there found what was not elsewhere to be seen in the Kingdom which was a vast series of Offices under ground so large and so well fitted with lights that they were astonish'd at so prodigious an extent of Accommodations which are indeed if not the chiefest ornament at least the greatest convenience of a Building After his Majesty had ftaid two days at Cadillac where his whole Court had been magnificently treated he parted thence to continue his Journey towards Bearne He was made to believe that the Council of this little Countrey would think fit to submit to his Royal pleasure without obliging him to perform that Voyage to quicken which resolution his Majesty had pass'd the River of Garonne which though when on the other side he was advanc'd no more than a League only beyond Cadillac he thought nevertheless he had done a great deal in passing so great a River with an Army and all the equipage of his Court The Ministers who had a great aversion to this ugly journey would have been very glad that Affairs might have been concluded there without going any further but in the end how averse soever they were to it they must undergo the trouble The King went thither where his presence produc'd the same effect it had done in other places he overran all this little Province seizing as he pass'd of Navarrens the strongest place in it as he did also of Ortez and Olleron principal Cities of that Countrey he subverted all their ancient customs restor'd the Bishop and other Ecclesiasticks to their Estates and Dignities took away the administration of the Affairs of the Country from those of the Reform'd Religion and re-establish'd his own Authority but he left the Government of the Province in the hands of the Marquis de la Force since Mareschal of France who impatient to see his Authority cut so short by these alterations could hardly forbear till the King was got back to Paris from reducing things again to the same posture they were in before He was very confident that his Majesty who had already try'd the ill ways of Bearne would never be advis'd by his Ministers to undertake a second Journey into that Countrey for the resettlement of his Affairs He knew that the Hugonot Faction were ready to find his Majesty enough to do nearer home and did not believe that without his immediate presence they could compel him to any thing he had not a mind to in his own Government where his Authority was establish'd not only by a long habitude he had there contracted but much more by a passionate concurrence of the whole Body and of all the Orders of the Province who agreed with him in the same Religion He therefore labour'd all Winter to drive out the Garrisons of Ortez and Olleron so that excepting Navarrens that was kept by the Marquis de Poianne
himself before Rochelle so diligent he was in the execution of his Charge He had only four thousand Foot and six hundred Horse wherewithal to block up this great City whereof the Regiment of Estissac which soon after fell to the Count de Bury of the old but one of the least of the old Regiments was one the others were all new rais'd men and commanded by le Chevalier de la Valette Chasteliers Barlot Castelbayart and Saint Geme The Horse were indeed exceeding sprightly and good and those compos'd of the Company of the Queens Gens d' Armes commanded by the Baron de Chantal of that of the Camp Master to the Light-Horse commanded by Viantais of the Company of the Duke 's Gens-d ' Armes and some other very good Troops He had for Mareschaux de Camp d' Auriac Cousin to the Duke de l' Esdiguieres a Gentleman of great valour and experience Biron Brother to the late Mareschal of France Sauveâ—oeuf and le Massé Lieutenant to the Company of Gens-d ' Armes The Duke finding he should stand in great need of an Intendant de Iustice to ease him in part of the trouble and care of his command he cast his eye upon Monsieur de Autry Nephew to President Seguier his very intimate friend for that purpose whom he recommended to the King paâ—sionately beseeching his Majesty to invest him with that Employment a person that we have since seen rais'd to the supreme Dignity of Chancellor of France an Office that he does at this day discharge with so unblemish'd a repute as is nothing inferiour to the greatest men of those who have preceded him in that charge though at this time he had been but lately admitted into the Council in the quality of Master of Requests He had not long continued with the Duke before he gave as favourable a Character of his worth and merit as could possibly belong to a man of his condition judging him thence forward worthy and capable of all the great preferments a man of his Robe and Profession could reasonably expect or pretend unto So soon as the Troops appointed for this Service could be drawn together the Duke appointed the Rendezvous to be about Surgeres a house belonging to the Baron de Montendre which he took up for his own Quarter and without giving the Enemy further respite brought them two days after before the City to try if the Rochellers who had had time enough to prepare themselves would be so brave as to receive him in the Field though they contented themselves with bestowing upon him some Volleys of their great shot only which did no body any hurt at all without once offering to stir out of their Walls At his return from this little piece of bravery the Duke came to take up his Quarters in two great Burroughs a quarter of a League distant from one another whereof that he made choice of for his own Post was called la Iarrie and the other Croix-Chapeau where he dispos'd the rest of his Army as eldest Camp-Master under the command of d' Auriac The distance of the Quarters from the City was a League or thereabouts far enough to discover the Enemy a great way should he attempt to disturb him and not so far neither as to leave him too much liberty of the Field Having thus settled his Quarters he began to plant Garrisons upon all the Avenues of the City as well to keep the Enemy in as also to cut off from them all Commerce with the adjacent Countrey In such places as he found either Castles or Churches he lodg'd them there making shift elsewhere with Mills and private houses Which Garrisons in some places consisted of an hundred in others of fifty men but scarce any above an hundred To these he gave particular instructions to take especial notice of all things within the observation of their own Quarter to stop all such as would either offer to go into or come out of the City and to hinder the Enemy from gathering in their Harvests of Corn and Wine The Foot being thus order'd he caus'd the third part of the Cavalry to mount every day to Horse to scour the Field even to the very Gates of Rochelle So that should any thing by chance pass by the Foot it was almost impossible to escape the Horse by which means those few Forces being carefully provided for and so advantageously quarter'd did in a few months so incommodate the Rochellers that they found themselves absolutely depriv'd of all manner of Relief by Land insomuch that had any Shipping at the same time been employ'd to block up the Channel they could not without all doubt long have wrestled with those necessities they must have apparently fallen into but this was a Victory too glorious to be reserv'd for any other than the King himself Of all these little Garrisons which though they had drawn no lines of Communication made shift nevertheless to make up the Circumvallation of the City there was never any one forc'd by the Enemy 't is very true that they had attempted upon some of them both by day and by night but the Duke having ever been seasonably alarm'd alwayes came in time enough to relieve his own men and to make the Enemy with loss to retire Losses that were at last so frequent and considerable as that it is most certain they lost in several engagements betwixt twelve and fifteen hundred men Whereof some of those Skirmishes had been so brisk as that therein sometimes two sometimes three hundred men were left dead upon the place besides a great number of Citizens and Officers of note taken Prisoners whose Ransomes were very considerable The Duke every week duly twice sometimes thrice mounted on horseback in his own person to visit his Quarters which could not be done without coming very near the Town and this commendation is due to the Rochellers that they never saw the Duke's Horse approach their City without sallying out to Skirmish but it is also as true that they never return'd with the least advantage They were sometimes so bold as to attempt upon the Duke 's own Quarters but they were no more fortunate in assaulting than when they were themselves assaulted I shall not undertake a Narrative of all the several actions that pass'd in the beginning of this Siege though very remarkable in themselues forasmuch as they did not determine the business There was one great engagement at la Moulinette another at la Font another at Tadon and so many others that the Duke and the Marquis de la Valette his Son who alwayes made one upon all occasions ran very often very great hazard of their lives The first whereof had the brims of his Hat bor'd through with a Musquet-shot in one Encounter and the truncheon he carried in his hand broke all to pieces with another Musquet-shot in another the Marquis had one of his Stirropâ—leathers carried away and his Horse kill'd under
without the least opposition an action that nevertheless he undertook with great reluctancy so great an affection and esteem he had for the Governour but his Duty ever carried it with him above all considerations The Chevalier de Valette was therefore establish'd in this Isle and very opportunely for had not the Duke taken this course and that the Rochellers who had a design to seize it had once got footing there great force and vast expense must have been employ'd to remove them but the Duke by this foresight sav'd the King that charge and labour Certainly never was War carried on at greater convenience for the Souldier than in this Countrey which by its situation and vicinity to the Provinces of Poictou Xaintonge and Angoumois lay so exceeding conveniently for the bringing in of all sorts of Provision and other necessaries that they were scarce to be had in greater abundance or at cheaper rates in the best Cities of the Kingdom than they were in the Camp continually to be sold as also the people came in with their commodities with as great confidence and security as to the publick and ordinary Markets and they might do so the least violence to any Higler Sutler or other Provisionary Person being a crime so capital as never escap'd unpunish'd By which we may judge how much the continuation of our civil dissentions has impair'd the flourishing condition the Kingdom was then in and how much the constitution of War by being grown older is alter'd from what it us'd to be in those better times Whilst the Duke thus bravely acquitted himself of his Command before Rochelle his Majesty had also with extraordinary vigour prosecuted his designs in Guienne where he had compell'd most of the places possess'd by those of the Religion in that Province to submit to his Authority and Power Of which he had reduc'd Bergerac Saint Foy Puimirol Tournon Monflanquin with several others besieg'd and taken Clerac and at last laid Siege to Montauban though herein he had not been so successful as in his other enterprizes so that the year ending with this variety of Events his Majesty was constrain'd to return to Paris to let the stormy quarter blow over that he might in a more favourable season recommence the interrupted progress of his Arms. In his Majesties return to Paris a little paltry place situated upon the banks of the River Garonne call'd Monhurt had the impudence to stand out against the Royal Army an insolence which though it receiv'd its due reward prov'd notwithstanding fatal to the Duke de Luines who by a burning Feaver there ended his days by whose decease both the place he possess'd in the King's favour as also the Office of Constable of France became void The Duke of Mayenne had likewise a few days before left a vacancy in the principal Government of the Kingdom which was that of Guienne by a Musquet-shot he receiv'd in his head before Montauban by the fall of which two great Ministers the King as we shall hereafter see had means to recompense the Services of the Duke of Espernon and the Mareschal de l' Esdiguieres two of the eldest and best deserving Servants of his Crown The Winter was no sooner a little abated of its fury but that those of the Religion more elevated with the raising of the Siege of Montaubon than they had been dejected with the loss of so many other places as the King had taken from them took the field to give his Majesty a new and greater provocation than before Of these Soubize was the first that fell in his Majesties way who having fortified himself in the Isle of Reé and some other Islands of Poictou thought the difficulty of their access would protect him from the Royal Power but he soon found that all places are firm Land to Kings when his Majesty overcoming all difficulties that oppos'd his way pass'd over the Marshes and his own Fortifications within them to fall upon him where he gave him so notable a defeat that he could not of a long time after recover that blow nor put himself again into any tolerable posture of War So soon as the Duke of Espernon had intelligence of the King's motion towards those Provinces where he had the honour to command he design'd a Journey to his Majesty to give him an accompt of those discoveries he had made whilst he lay before Rochelle that were of greatest importance to his design a desire he had no sooner acquainted his Majesty withal but that he gave him leave to come to him to Poictiers where he accordingly arriv'd in the beginning of the year 1622. He could not possibly desire a more favourable reception than his Majesty was here pleas'd to give him who openly declar'd himself infinitely satisfied with his Service neither indeed could it by any one have been perform'd with greater fidelity or to better effect so that the King being resolutely bent to punish the Rochellers disobedience had a great desire that the Duke should still pursue the Siege as he had begun But the Count de Soissons a young Prince of great courage and expectation having been prompted by his friends to ask some employment he was not handsomly to be denied any thing almost he could demand every thing he would pretend to seeming justly due to his Birth and merit Amongst all the Commands of the Kingdom that the Duke had before Rochelle was without all dispute the most honourable and the Duke had notice given him a few days after his return to his Camp of the importunate suit the Count de Soissons made to have the Command of the Army under his charge conferr'd upon him an intelligence that perhaps the informer presum'd would have been very unwelcome to him but if the Duke knew how to stand upon his punctilio and to hold his own amongst his equals he also better understood than any man of the Kingdom what deference was due to the Princes of the Blood He was therefore no sooner advertis'd of the Count's desire but that he was himself the first man to second it representing to his Majesty in his dispatches how much it stood him upon to favour the inclinations of this young Prince that he might the sooner be made capable of performing those Services his Majesty was one day to expect from his Valour and Conduct He also renew'd the same instances by word of mouth when his Majesty came a few days after out of Poictou into Xaintonge though when all was done he himself would never be prevail'd upon to serve any more in this Army under this new General Monsieur d' Herbaut Secretary of State his old and particular friend was commanded by the King to speak to him about it who represented to him That his Majesties intention herein was not in the least to diminish his Authority in the Army nor to cut him off in the least from the exercise of his Command That if they took
extended the limits of our own Kingdom Two days after he came to Perpignan Here it was that the Duke first perceiv'd how fruitless all his caution to conceal his person had been he finding at his arrival there the Garrison already drawn out to receive him and the Governour so soon as he was alighted coming to his Lodging to kiss hands and to offer him admittance into the Cittadel though the Duke making no other advantage of his Complement than in such a case he ought to do after having return'd his thanks in the most civil terms so obliging an invitation requir'd would still remain in the Town He parted thence the next morning before day it being necessary to avoid the excessive heats of the Countrey and the season to end his Journey by six of the clock in the morning and to repose himself the rest of the day And here he was likewise constrain'd either for fear of wanting forage for Horse or with less difficulty to pass the Mountains and Rocks to leave his Horses and to mount upon Mules The Gates were set open for him at the appointed hour and two Troops of the Garrison Horse were found ready to convoy him two Leagues from the City he was moreover saluted by all the Artillery at his departure A complement so loud as the adjacent Countrey being thereby given to understand that so unusual an honour was not paid to a person of ordinary condition he found at Stelrie at Girone at la Roque and the other places through which he pass'd that the Spanish pride hindred not their gravity from paying all due honour and respect to Vertue He came at last to Barcelona where the Duke de Alcala Vice-Roy of Catalognia so soon as he heard of his arrival came in person to visit him excusing himself in that he had not had timely notice of his coming that he might have come out to meet him and to receive him without the City as he said he had order from the King his Master to do Being return'd home it was not long before he sent the Duke his Coach of Ceremony drawn by six great and very beautiful Gennets for him to go abroad and take the Aire A sight at which the Duke who had ever been and who continued to his death a great lover of the Horses of Spain was almost impatient that so noble Creatures should be subdu'd to so mean a use nevertheless so great is the contagion of example especially where the glory of emulation seems to be concern'd that he was afterwards himself the first who show'd such another set of Horses in France he being a few years after very often observ'd in the Cours at Paris in a very rich Coach drawn by six dapple-Gray Spanish Horses to which I could add that it was in the company of Ladies too and that at the age of threescore and ten he was content to be seen playing the young man upon the greatest Theatre of Europe He staid two whole days at Barcelona during which time he view'd at leisure the greatness and beauty of the City The Viceroy invited him to his Palace where he had assembled the best company of men to wait upon him and the finest women in the Town to entertain him which was a very extraordinary favour This civility was moreover attended with a Ball a Comedy and a noble Banquet and from hence the Viceroy carried him to the Cours which extends it self in very great length upon the Sea-shore and where we could not but wonder at the delicacy of that people the Ghing of all the Gallies in the Harbour being drawn out every night to water this Cours which is above two thousand paces long We at first thought it an extraordinary thing done only in favour of the Duke but we were soon dispossess'd of that error when we understood that the Inhabitants to defend themselves from the dust and to qualifie the excessive ardours of the Sun had impos'd this new task as an addition to the other intolerable labours of their miserable slaves From Barcelona the Dâ—ke went at last to Monserrat where he continued three days entire at his Devotion not without admiring the excellent Oeconomy observ'd in this Abby where there are ordinarily above two thousand five hundred persons provided for every day for which all the provisions so much as wood and water must be fetch'd a great way off upon Mules the Rock being so dry and unfruitful as neither to afford the one nor the other of these much less the other necessaâ—ies of life The Duke presented the Abby with many very rich and noble Ornaments adding to his Presents an Almes of five hundred Crowns of Gold for three thousand Masses and so return'd into France The Religious Governours of this Abby never take any mony for their Hospitality which they in Charity bestow upon all Pilgrims indifferently of what condition soever for three days together but they also never refuse how much soever any one is dispos'd to give for Masses During the Duke's abode in this place those of his followers who were nimblest of Foot had the curiosity to climb the top of the Mountain to see the Hermitages which being thirteen in number are situated upon the most inaccessible precipices of the Rock and inhabited by so many devout persons who subsist upon almost no other nourishment than Herbs and Fruit. Though we met with great difficulty and danger in this attempt and had very much ado to satisfie our desires we saw nevertheless that one of the most unwieldy and unready footed Animals that is to say a Mule went twice a week the same way alone and without being guided to carry these good people their allowance and could with great security set his four feet in very narrow paths where we had much ado to dispose of our two so great a priviledge has Custom but what we thought the most strange of all was to see Birds of all sorts and of those kinds which with us are the most wild and untractable so familiar with these Holy men as to peck meat out of their mouths and suffer themselves to be handled living in as great security with them as amongst us those of more docile natures which we have reclaim'd and made tame with the greatest diligence and art At his return from this Voyage the Duke found the Treaty absolutely broken off and the King ready to sit down before Unel an Enterprize wherein his Majesty was pleas'd to make use of the Duke's person and particular Servants as he did afterwards at the Siege of Somnieres at both which Leaguers the Duke lost many Gentlemen of great Valour and Desert Of which number Pâ—igeolet a Captain in the Regiment of Guards and who had but lately quitted a Lieutenancy in the Regiment of Piedmont for this preferment was one as also Courbon l' Enchere Brouls and some other Officers of name who depended upon him These two places having given but a
difference betwixt a Governour and a Lieutenant of Guienne He therefore began imperiously to cancel and overthrow all his Orders A Consul of Agen who had been created so at his recommendation was displac'd by the Duke's command for no other reason but because he had been preferr'd at his request such of the Gentry or the People as were known to be affectionate to the Mareschal were certain to obtain little favour with the Governour if any order was presented him sign'd by the Mareschal he would presently issue out another to supersede the first whatever carried the name of Themines was invalid and whatever he own'd as his act must signifie nothing at all And moreover to let him see he had the same Authority over him in his own particular Countrey he had in other places the Duke prepar'd himself to go to Cahors whither the Mareschal was retir'd and accordingly went The Mareschal's House stood near this City he was moreover invested with the Seneschalsy of the Countrey his chiefest Relations Friends and Acquiantance inhabited there notwithstanding all which at the Duke's arrival the Mareschal quitted him the place and retir'd to his own house where seeing himself as it were shut up without Reputation without Authority and almost without Friends he began though something with the latest to see the error he had committed He then plainly saw himself so overmatch'd that he could not contend but to his ruine nor longer stand out to other purpose than thereby to make the advantages of his Superior more manifestly appear and then it was that he rendred himself more facile to his friends perswasions who had before been fruitlesly importunate with him to reconcile himself to his Duty to acknowledge the Duke's Authority and to seek his friendship He therefore sent to the Duke to make an Apology for what had pass'd and to let him know that if he had hitherto fail'd of paying the respect due to his Quality and Command it had not proceeded from any dislike he had of his person which he had in as high reverence and esteem as any man living and that he should have look'd upon it as a very great honour to obey him had not the sweetness of some years Authority wherein he had commanded in Chief and the assurances had been given him he should do so still blinded his Judgment from seeing his duty That he did therefore beseech him he might be permitted to come tender his excuses for what had pass'd and to assure him of his obedience for the time to come The Duke was very well pleas'd to find to this Lord a man full of years and honour in so good a disposition neither had he begun to justle him till after having expected the return of his good humour with the extremest patience so that he sent him word he should be infinitely glad to see him and that he might be confident for the future of as civil usage as he had hitherto found rough and perverse dealing in the exercise of his Command A day for their interview being agreed upon by their friends the Duke would by no means suffer it to be in the Capital City of his Government being unwilling to expose the Age and Person of the Mareschal to so publick a satisfaction but appointed it to be at Saint-Foy whither he himself accordingly came accompanied with many persons of Quality of the Province thither the Mareschal also came to wait upon him when coming into the Duke's Lodgings he receiv'd him without stirring out of his Chamber for which he made his being surpriz'd at Play his excuse It had been concluded that the Mareschal at their meeting should say as he did My Lord I am yoâ—r very humble Servant and am come to give you an assurance that I am so and that I shall be proud of any opportunity â—herein I may by a better testimony manifest it to you and therein satisfie the King's Command and my own Duty To which the Duke return'd for answer in as few words which had also been set down in writing Sir you oblige me with your Friendship you and I are both of us in a capacity of advancing his Majesties Service in this Province I shall gladly concur with you in any thing that may be conducing to it and embrace any occasion wherein I may let you see that I have ever had an esteem for your Valour and Merit and that I am your Servant This first visit continued but very little longer when the Mareschal taking his leave the Duke brought him only to the top of the â—tairs without going any further by which he would let him see that he both understood his place and knew how to keep it The Mareschal having after this first complement continued two days at Saint-Foy in perfect intelligence with the Duke at last frankly told him That he had us'd him according to his desert that he had made â—im know his duty and that he took it for a greater honour to be subservient to him than to any other person of France And in truth he afterwards continued both whilst he staid in the Government and when he was made Governour of Brittany which hapned a few years after to render him so much honour and respect and to give him so many testimonies of friendship that I do not think the Duke had a truer friend in the Kingdom Yet did not all this pass in the order it is here set down there having been some years of interval betwixt their coldness and their reconciliation But I chose rather to record these passages all together than to disperse them into several pages of my History conceiving such a division would more have intangled the thred of my discourse than would have been recompens'd by the order in a more exact observation of the succession of time This Quarrel with the Mareschal de Themines was not yet compos'd when the Duke who had never enough to do resolv'd to come to an open rupture with the first President de Gourgues without dissembling any longer his resentment of the ill Offices he had receiv'd at his hands I have already given an accompt of the Injury which was the Presidents proposing a diminution of Honours at the Duke's reception a thing that bearing with it a shew of contempt pass'd in the Duke's opinion for an irreparable offense Neither could he forbear at his first visit to give him some hints of his displeasure nor from manifesting a little reservedness towards him and as heated spirits never want occasion of new offense his passion making the lightest pretenses to pass for reason and just causes there soon after fell out new accidents which animated the Duke against the first President to the last degree This man subtle and dextrous as the best very well foreseeing that without the concurrence of his Brethren he should never be able to withstand the power of the Duke he had so highly provok'd began betimes to think
would also cause his Authority to be acknowledg'd and obey'd here as it had done in other places He sent order therefore to the Duke to take Arms and to wast the Countrey all about Montauban in order whereunto though the King in his own judgment thought it an Enterprize of great difficulty he notwithstanding allow'd him no more than 3000. men in three new rais'd Regiments to wit that of St. Croix d' Ornano Foncaude and Maillé wherewithal to effect it He receiv'd a Command withal to make some Leavies his own Company of Gens-d ' Armes and four more of Light Horse were also drawn into the Field for this Expedition With these Forces he departed from his House Cadillac to advance to Moissac a little Town about four Leagues distant from Montauban the appointed Rendezvous for the Volunteer-Troops and Gentry of the latter whereof the number was so great that there was an appearance of above six hundred Gentlemen It was said that there had hardly been seen so great a conflux of Gentry under any Governour as frequently attended this he having never any occasion to mount to Horse for his Majesties Service that there was not more complaints of unkindness taken that they had not been summon'd to their Duty than excuses made because they did not come It will perhaps seem strange that the Duke's humor enclin'd rather to austerity than sweetness should acquire him so many lovers and friends for certainly he was serv'd out of affection it being impossible that fear could ever have drawn after him so many free and voluntary persons Such as have before me reflected upon this observation have conceiv'd that this universal love was deriv'd from his Justice of all others the most popular vertue as in truth the Duke was a man of most unblemish'd equity or that it might proceed from the infinite number of Employments Offices and Benefits he had dispers'd throughout the whole Province of Guienne wherein there were very few Families of any note that stood not highly oblig'd either immediately to him or to his Interest for some signal favour To which they have moreover added the generous disposition he had to do all good offices for his Friends who although he was not apt to be familiar was nevertheless very civil constant in his friendships and always the same insomuch that one good word from his mouth or one gracious undissembled look prevail'd more upon those who receiv'd those petty favours than the larger promises and more winning behaviour of some others who in two days would no more know the very man to whom they had so lately before vow'd the Friendship of their whole lives The Duke came to Moissac in Iune and removed thence towards Montauban in the beginning of Iuly with a Commission equally extending as well into Languedoc as Guienne by reason that City which is situated upon the Confines of both those Provinces has a great part of its Territory lying in Languedoc He took up his Quarters at Montleigh and Castelsarrazin from whence as occasion serv'd advancing with his Forces still nearer the City he executed the King's Command whereever he went with so much vigour and severity that the footsteps of this expedition were to be seen a long time after Yet was not this perform'd without great resistance those of Montauban had had early intelligence of the preparations against them neither had they neglected any thing that might conduce to the defense of their fruits or to the support of the Reputation they had acquir'd in the preceding War Besides the great number of warlike Inhabitants they had within their City they were moreover reinforc'd with a strong Garrison without commanded by Montbrun a Gentleman of great Quality in Dauphiné and a man of very great Valour sent thither for that purpose by the Duke of Rohan to which they had also call'd in several of their Neighbours to their assistance so that the Duke never approach'd their Walls which notwithstanding he did almost every day but that there follow'd very smart Engagements with great loss of men on the Enemies side In some whereof there were left sometimes 200. sometimes more dead upon the place wherein certainly the numerous Gentry that attended the Duke in this expedition were of infinite great use for the place being environ'd almost on all sides with Plains of very large extent and the Enemy having many more and much better Foot than the Duke had not those brave Troops of Horse continually repell'd them it had been to be fear'd that Victory would not always have been so partial to the Royal side The Duke perhaps never expos'd his person more than in these frequent Engagements the precincts of the City were so great that they requir'd above a months time totally to destroy their fruits of all which time few days pass'd as has been said without an Encounter and in all those Encounters the Duke was ever in person at the head of his Troops encouraging his men not so much by his voice as by his example How great soever the faults of those of Montauban might be it was not nevertheless without great reluctancy that the Duke executed his Majesties Order upon the fruits of the Countrey with so great severity and certainly he must have had a very obdurate heart that would not have been touch'd with compassion at the sight of so many lamentable objects as were every where to be seen I remember that from Pickqueros a place famous for having been the King's Quarter during the Siege of Montauban and from whence the whole Plain betwixt the Rivers Tarn and Vaïran lay open to the view so soon as the obscurity of the night gave colour to the Fire that had been kindled by day one might see a thousand Fires at once the Corn Fruit-Trees Vines and Houses were the Aliments that nourish'd this Flame a sadder sight I never saw neither can I imagine that the horrors of War can be represented in a more dreadful form Yet was not this severity altogether unprofitable even to those upon whom it was inflicted I having heard several of them since confess that nothing so much dispos'd them to the acceptation of Peace as this austere usage and they were indeed the first that embrac'd it and who serv'd for a leading example to the other rebellious Cities of their Party to do the same While the Duke was thus taken up at Montauban Soubize thinking either to divert him from his Enterprize or to make use of his absence and the great number of Gentry who were gone along with him for the effecting some notable exploit in the lower Gascony was landed with three thousand five hundred Foot and some few Horse in the Countrey of Mâ—doc This little Countrey which is almost all the Duke's environs a great part of the Metropolis of Bordeaux extending it self to the very Gates of the City many of the richest Inhabitants whereof having possessions there and Soubize having a
own perswasion who had born Arms amongst them with great Reputation and Valour and who having upon very good considerations reconcil'd himself to this Duty was the more fit to perswade them to do a thing wherein he had himself been a leading example So soon as these and the rest of their Party had declar'd the King seeing the War kindled in almost all the Provinces of his Kingdom sent away the Prince of Condé into Languedoc in the quality of Lieutenant General of his Armies not only in Languedoc and Guienne but likewise in some other adjoyning Provinces to whom he also deliver'd two Commissions of Lieutenant Generals under him for the Dukes of Montmorency and Espernon The latter of these had no sooner intelligence of the Prince's arrival at Tholouze but that he immediately posted thither to pay him the respect due to a Prince of the Blood and from his own mouth to receive his Majesties Commands He was there receiv'd by the Prince with all the tenderness and manifestation of entire confidence he could possibly expect or desire but how kindly soever he took this entertainment he could not nevertheless force his complacency so far as to accept of the Commission the Prince had to give him of Lieutenant General under his Command He at first defended himself from it by several very civil and respective excuses telling him amongst other things That being his most humble Servant and he was effectually so no condition whatever could more subject him to his Commands than the respect he had for his Quality and Person had already done and that for any thing else the power he had as Governour of Guienne giving him of it self sufficient Authority to cause him to be obey'd in whatever he should please to command within that Province he did not stand in need of any further Commission for that end But at last the Prince unwilling to understand his excuses and still pressing him to receive it the Duke with his usual liberty franckly told him That from his youth till that time he had ever been honour'd with such Commands immediately under the King 's his Masters without having ever accepted that quality under any other than themselves and that he did therefore beseech him he would please to permit him in this last Act of his Life to retain a priviledge he had for so many years and under so many glorious Masters enjoy'd After so candid a Declaration the Prince would no more importune him neither did he discover the least offense or unkindness at the Duke's refusal which he had the more reason to be satisfied withal as he very well knew he had formerly rejected the same Employment under the Count de Soissons The Duke had no sooner taken leave of the Prince but that he return'd back in all diligence towards Bordeaux to take order for the raising of such Forces as he was to set on foot He had at present no more than the same Regiments of Foot and the same Troops of Horse that had serv'd before in the like occasion and those the Marquis de Monferrat whom he had lately made Lieutenant of his own Company of Gens d'-Armes had order to draw into the field but these small Forces were scarce ready when the Duke receiv'd intelligence that a little Town call'd Caussade near to Montauban had had the confidence to declare for the Hugonot Party Upon this news the just apprehension he had lest the other Cities of his Government that were inclin'd this way should follow this ill example and lest in the end instead of Montauban alone he should find thirty good Cities oppos'd against him made him hasten that way to chastize these first Rebels but he was hardly there arriv'd when he understood both by several Letters from the Prince and by other pressing intelligence from the Court it self that the Duke of Rohan had gather'd together a considerable body of an Army in Sevennes where he was still rallying so many other Forces of his Party that of them he doubted not to make up such an Army as would be able by some notable attempt to divert the King from the Enterprize of Rochelle It was therefore necessary for him to strive with all his endeavour to obstruct his passage wherein consisted the main concern of the whole Affair and accordingly he went about it though not without great reluctancy that he should approach so near to Caussade and not stay to besiege it but on the other side he durst not do it lest whilst he should be taken up with an Enterprize of so little importance the Duke of Rohan might take that opportunity to execute his design I heard many of his Servants murmur that he was not more eager of this Siege and he himself knew very well that the Prince had writ something unhandsomely of him to the Court about it but he was nothing moved at all that noise and having good reason for what he did nothing had power to alter his determination Whilst he was thus vigilant about Montauban to obstruct the Duke of Rohan's passage the Prince of Condé who had made a very considerable progress in Languedoc by the taking of Pamieres Realmont and several other places resolv'd to pursue his Victories into Guienne There was a little corner in the lower Roüergue and bordering upon the Sevennes that had never yet felt the power of the Royal Arms it was therefore agreed upon betwixt the Prince and the Duke of Espernon that the Army should advance that way their design herein being either to disunite this little Countrey from the Duke of Rohan's Interests or at least by this Enterprize to divert him from the design he had of moving towards Rochelle it being very unlikely he should think of that whilst the Cities of his party should be so dangerously engag'd in the most advantageous Post he had upon any occasion to retire himself unto The Prince of Condé who was very punctual in all his designs at the appointed day which was in the latter end of May presented himself in sight of Vâbres an Episcopal Sea and almost the only Catholick City of all that Countrey to whom the Duke also the next day joyn'd himself with his Forces Their design was suddenly to clap down before Saint Afrique a Town very considerable in those parts and exceedingly well fortified but the success of this Enterprize did by no means answer their expectation they being after a very brisk assault vigorously sustain'd by those within constrain'd to raise the Siege after which the Prince's Forces being very much decreas'd in the preceding Service and infinitely dejected with this repulse as the Duke 's also were it was necessary to dispose them into several Garrisons to refresh them It seem'd as if this baffle at Saint Afrique had hapned for no other end but to justifie the Duke about the business of Caussade wherein the miscarriage of the one caus'd his wisdom to be highly magnified for not
him leave upon his own credit to raise and arm ten thousand Foot and five hundred Horse for the defense of the City of Metz and the Messine Countrey An offer that the King with high commendationâ— of his worth as freely accepted writing him a very obliging Letter thereupon and the Cardinal in his dispatch dated from St. Iean de Morienne the 25 th of Iuly expressing himself thus As concerning the offer you have made the King to advance money for the Levies you desire to set on foot his Majesty looks upon it with such an eye of acknowledgement as the quality of so generous an offer does justly deserve knowing as he does the zeal you have to the success of his Affairs and the power you have as heretofore to serve him for the time to come The Duke to add effects to this promise departed from Metz about the end of Iuly to return to Paris there to raise money for his Leavies and to provide himself of such men of Command as were willing to take employments upon this occasion but the threats of the Imperialists by little and little vanishing at last to nothing they satisfied themselves with having fortified Moyenvic which was soon after taken and demolish'd by the King's Army and the Duke of Lorain not daring at this time wholly to discover his evil intention staid to expect a fitter season which also was not far off wherein to do it as he afterwards did but with very ill success as will in its due place appear The Duke being thus return'd to Paris deliver'd of those apprehensions he had been possess'd withal concerning Metz and satisfied with his present conditon sate still calmly expecting without any disquiet in his own particular concerns the issue of the great Contests at this time on foot in the Court at Lyons where it was said the Queen Mothers animosity against the Cardinal was increas'd to such a degree that in the greatest height of the King's sickness which at this time was exceeding violent she omitted no opportunity of incensing his Majesty against him as the sole author of his Disease wherein her importunities were so great as at last to obtain a solemn promise from the King that so soon as the War of Italy was at an end he would give her the satisfaction she desir'd by removing this great Minister from the Administration of Affairs Though the peril the Cardinal was now in was very great and that the Duke had continual intelligence of all that pass'd at Court yet did he notwithstanding still continue towards him the same civility and respect he writ to him very often and in truth so long as that great cloud of disgrace hung over his head the Duke would have been really sorry that it should have broke upon him though he had by his dexterity no sooner clear'd the sky of Favour but that the Duke who could not brook his excess of Authority and Power converted all his former complacency into testimonies of hatred that fail'd very little as we shall hereafter see of rebounding back upon himself to his own ruine Which till it shall more plainly appear I shall only say this by the way that the Duke had doubtless a very great esteem for the Cardinal never speaking of him so much as in private but with a Character of Honour and respect so that had he not expected from his friends an over servile and submiss regard I do verily believe the Duke's friendship would have been constant and inviolate to him but a civility that went very far with the haughty humour of the one appearing nothing to the excessive ambition of the other the Cardinal enduring no equal and the Duke hardly admitting of any superior it was impossible so to compose things betwixt two so aspiring spirits but that they would at last break out into an open feud Whilst the Court at Lyons was agitated with this Tempest of Division of which we are now speaking the Duke of Espernon in the greatest calm and serenity of repose enjoy'd at Paris the honour and applause that his well known and long continued vertue had acquir'd to his person and name insomuch that as his Coach pass'd through the streets we had continually the pleasure of seeing the people flock together in crowds from all parts of the City to gaze upon him considering with admiration so vigorous a health in so great an extremity of age pursuing him with acclamations wherever he went and the old hatred that the former Factions had stirr'd up against him being now converted into love and esteem gave us to understand that envy is not always the concomitant of Vertue but that there is a certain pitch to which the one being once arriv'd is got clear out of sight of the other which of a mean and earthy composition cannot shoot its darts so far as to reach the Station where Supreme Vertue is enthron'd In this great and undisturbed leisure that the Duke enjoy'd at Paris he who was himself a great lover of Building could find no better entertainment wherewithal to divert himself than by going abroad to see the Houses in and about the City which were then erecting with the magnificence that we now admire in our proud and stately Structures Amongst others going one day in very good company to the Hostel de Luxembourg that the Queen Mother was then finishing they entred the Gallery where she had caus'd the manner of her escape from Blois as the most remarkable passage of her life to be painted in Story One of the most apparent evidences the Duke could possibly receive that that service of his was no more regarded was that he who had been the sole Authour of the whole Action was no where represented in that painting though so much as the very Footmen that opened the Boots of her Coach had not been omitted He had heard before of this injustice that had been done him but though it had touch'd him very near had never manifested the least discontent neither do I believe he would have said any thing upon this occasion if the company who were with him had not provok'd him to it But every one asking him questions of a thing whereof they knew he was able to give them the best accompt at last some one freer than the rest ask'd him how it came to pass that he was only left out of the story to which the Duke modestly reply'd That he did not know who had done him that wrong but that whoever they were that intended to disoblige him in it had doubtless therein more offended the Queen than him That he was very certain however excluded the story that no one could condemn him for having any ways fail'd in the action or in any thing he had undertaken for the Queen upon that occasion his carriage of that business being too generally known for that neither did he believe they would much magnifie her for having deny'd him so poor
and committing every where all the barbarous acts of an inhumane fury Amongst all these horrid Riots those which were committed at Agen were the most extreme La Cour des Aides was at this time establish'd in this City and it was upon the Officers of this Court that they exercis'd the most notable violence all that the people could meet withal being miserably burnt or Massacred for in popular furies we seldom read of ordinary executions the Eleus were handled after the same manner many honest Burgers were by their Enemies put into the number of Gabellers and had the same measure So that had not President du Bernet who was President of the Chambre de l' Edict that had its seat in the same City oppos'd this Torrent of popular fury with greater vigour than was to be expected from a man of his profession it is certainly believ'd that not one man of condition would have been left alive in the whole City Neither had the disorder been less at Perigueux had it not been for the presence of Vertamont Intendant de la Iustice for the Duke knowing the humour of this people enclin'd to Licence had entreated Vertamont to go thither under colour of some Commission of his Intendancy where he was scarcely arriv'd when the people rose in Commotion as in other places falling upon some Officers of the Election and other innocent persons to make a horrid Massacre And then it was that Vertamont abandoning the care of his own person encourag'd the Magistrates boldly to oppose the popular Fury and putting himself in the head of them made no difficulty to reâ—cue some poor people who were going to be sacrific'd to their barbarous cruelty out of the hands of the insolent rabble So that with an extraordinary fortune the effect of his generous resolution he contain'd this City in its Obedience giving in himself at the same time a great Example of Justice and Moderation in so dangerous an occurrence Though the Duke had enough to do in the City of Bordeaux yet did he not fail however even in the midst of these confusions with incredible diligence and care to disperse his Orders throughout all parts of the Province in the remotest parts whereof the report being spread that all things continued quiet at Bordeaux by the respect to the Dukes Authority and Person the other Cities that had taken Arms by the example of this quieted themselves also by the same consideration by which means the Licence of the people was kept within some moderate bounds a moderation nevertheless that hung by so slender a thred that upon the least occasion worse and more dangerous Commotions were to be expected The Duke had no Forces neither was any to be hop'd for out of any part of the Province and it was a matter of extraordinary difficulty to send him any from any other place so that he was constrain'd in so great an exigency to have recourse to other means and to cause some of the promoters of this Sedition to be treated withal for the bringing about of that which he saw no other possible way to effect Wherein he also succeeded so well that these people allur'd by promises of Indemnity and some hopes of reward gave themselves up absolutely to his dispose so that it was by this politick way of proceeding he in the end totally secur'd both the City of Bordeaux and the whole Province of Guienne The disorder had continued so long and with so much noise that there was few of the Incendiaries who were not in every quarter particularly known of which there were very many who had formerly born Arms in the King's Regiments of Foot and who being grown weary of that profession were return'd again to their old Trades These men wrought upon by the Duke's Exhortations and the greatest part of them moreover touch'd with the sence of the moderation he had exercis'd towards them notwithstanding the greatness of their offences promis'd him that nothing should pass amongst the people of which he should not have continual notice and they were as good as their words giving him by their constant intelligence means and opportunity to prevent those evils which otherwise would infallibly have given the last blow to the publick Peace The Commotions of the City were no sooner in some measure appeas'd but that the madness diffus'd it self into the Villages of the adjacent Country These people having in the time of one of the foremention'd Mutinies taken occasion to rifle some Houses of the City were return'd with their Booty to their own homes by whose ill example their Neighbours were so excited to Rapine that in a moment all the Boors threw away the instruments of their labour and betook themselves to Arms. In this posture they rob'd the Country houses they assembled themselves in great numbers in all the Suburbs of Bordeaux and would attempt to make their way into the City it self where they were so much desired by the basest of the people that they did their endeavours also to let them in The greatest appearance of them was in the Suburb de Saint Surin to which place the Duke's house was near enough for him to hear their clamours and hideous yells and from his Chamber Window that look'd into the Fields to see the Fire they had kindled in several houses of which the greatest part were miserably consum'd At the sight of these barbarous Riots it was impossible to detain him but although he was at last fall'n into an almost unintermitted indisposition he got out of his bed mounted to Horse by night and with forty or fifty Gentlemen his Guards and some of the Town Companies went out towards these Mutineers They had fortified themselves in several places of the Suburb had Barricado'd the Church and made a countenance of resolution to defend themselves nevertheless at the Duke's arrival they almost all disbanded and ran away none saving those in the Church making any resistance who also at the first Volley was discharg'd upon them fled after their fellows when the Cavalry putting themselves in pursuit of those who had recover'd the Fields some forty or fifty of them were miserably slain It is not to be imagin'd how strangely the Duke was afflicted at the death of these wretched people This little evil nevertheless conduc'd very much to a far greater good for the report of this Execution dispersing it self in a moment throughout the whole Province the other Country people who sate expecting the good or evil success of their fellows made themselves for this year wise by the example of their misfortune and without engaging in the folly of the greater Cities were content to sit spectators of their Tumults and Disorders There were indeed hardly any more after this action for the Duke de la Valette coming presently after to the Duke his Father they bent their joynt endeavours to the healing of some secret discontents that yet
noise a thing of little or no moment and that notwithstanding had like to have turn'd very much to his own prejudice After therefore the Duke had rejected the proposal of one of his own Souldiers who offer'd to stab Briet and to do it after such a manner that he could never be suspected for the Murther he commanded four of his Footâ— men to kill his Coach-Horses in the open Street This Command was executed one day that Briet was returning out of the City to his own House when his Coach-man being assaulted by these four Foot-men they first pull'd him out of his Coach-box and afterwards thrust their Swords into the Flancks of the Horses whereupon the poor Beasts enrag'd with the smart of their Wounds ran away full speed hurrying the Coach and their Master in it three or four hundred paces along the Streets till at last at one and the same instant upon the pavement they fell down and dy'd Briet who had at first been terribly frighted with the sight of the Swords was not much less afraid of his Horses precipitous Career which was also all the harm he receiv'd the Coach stop'd and overturn'd at the death of the Horses giving him time to come out half dead with Fear and to retire to his own House The Relation of this business was immediately carried to the Duke which shadow of Revenge was to him matter of entertainment and laughter for an hour after But the Parliament took it after a quite contrary manner who offended to the height at the Injury done to one of their Robe the next day assembled their several Chambers to enquire into the Fact There was none of them who were not very well satisfied with the Justice of the Duke's resentment and who would not have approv'd of his Revenge had it proceeded a great deal further but there was also hardly any one of them who did not interest himself in the offence offer'd after so publick a manner to the Dignity and Honour of the Assembly Without doubt the business would have gone very ill with the Duke had matters continued upon these terms and those of the Parliament after having declar'd themselves Parties remaining still Judges would neither have spar'd the Duke's Footmen nor any other could have been prov'd concern'd in the Action they had already prepossess'd the Cardinal by representing to him that neither the King's Autâ—ority nor that of his Eminency had been sufficient to protect an Officer in the Execution of his Duty in the most honourable Body of the Province but besides that the Cardinal ever very ill satisfied with the Duke who on his part also did not much study to please him was of himself sufficiently dispos'd to do him a mischief had not the occurrences of the time involv'd the Court in the greatest disorder wherein perhaps it had ever been The Enemy after having long threatned the Kingdom was in the end with a powerful Army entred into Picardy and at their first coming had carried la Capelle and le Catelet assaulted Corbie which they also took and alarm'd Paris it self to such a degree as is sufficiently known to all They were likewise enter'd into Burgundy and were preparing for the like attempt upon Languedoc and Guienne was not to be spar'd neither was it a little while after So that the great Minister wholly taken up with concerns of so high importance had no leisure to look after the Duke's Affairs neither did he think it convenient to nettle him in a time when his services were so necessary to the Kingdom and the Chancellor who still retain'd his old affection to the Duke's Interests seeing himself absolute Master of this business concealing it from the Parliaments knowledge referr'd it to the ordinary Justice where being animated with very little passion it soon fell of it self At this time of all others the Greatness of the Duke of Espernon seems especially to appear by the important Employments and Commands wherewith his whole Family were invested The Duke de Candale his eldest Son was Generalissimo to the Armies of the Republick of Venice an Ally to this Crown The Duke de la Valette his second Son was in the Army of Picardy wherein though he had not in truth the Principal Command the Count de Soissons being General there yet had he the honour to be chosen out by the King to infuse life and vigour into that Army the Souldiers whereof by some ill successes had befall'n them being exceedingly dejected which were the express terms wherewith his Majesty allur'd him to that Service The Cardinal de la Valette was also employ'd against Galas in Burgundy into which Province the Enemy being entred with a formidable Army had already made some Conquests before his arrival there Mirebeau had been taken Saint Iean de Laonne was besieg'd and the best Cities of the Country were highly threatned the fear there was exceeding great and the danger had been no less if the Cardinal de la Valette by opposing himself to their designs had not stop'd the progress of their Arms. He fought them with advantage in five or six several Engagements and without ever being able to tempt them to a Battel with all the provocation he could use forc'd them in the end to retire with the ruine and dissolution of their whole Army that unprofitably mouldred away to nothing As for the Father his business lay in Guienne a Province that as it made up a principal part of the Kingdom of how great utility must the Service necessarily be that preserv'd it from disorder in so critical a time A thing nevertheless fortunately effected by his Wisdom so moderating the discontents of the people as to keep them in so dangerous a Juncture of Affairs from lashing into those extremes whereinto by their former behaviour it might reasonably be apprehended should they find an opportunity of this nature they would precipitously run This was indeed one of the most important but not the only Service he did the King upon this occasion The Spanish Council having as has been said determin'd to invade the Kingdom in several places at once principally hasted to enter into Guienne to come to which Province they were to pass through the Country of Labourt which is that of Biscaye and by the way highly threatned the City of Bayonne They knew very well the Duke of Espernon had no Forces to send into that Country neither had he had them durst he indeed have done it without the consent of the Inhabitants lest being a cholerick and impatient people as they naturally are any thing he should do of that kind out of care to preserve them should put them upon desperate resolutions and make them wilfully lose themselves They had before they came so despis'd the Enemies Forces that they would not endure any one should think of contributing to their preservation a security that did nor a little afflict the Duke who had been of old
acquainted with the humour of this people and knew them to be as timorous and dejected when any danger was near at hand as they were stout and haughty when it was remote and out of the prospect of their fear Not daring therefore to rely upon the valour and Fidelity of such a people in an Affair of so high importance and moreover importun'd by the intelligence he receiv'd from all parts that the Enemy was ready to enter the Country he departed from Bordeaux the 6 th of October arriv'd the tenth at Nerac and the sixteenth aâ— Bayonne with a diligence so much above the strength of a man of his Age that at his arrival there he was surpriz'd with a sharp and a dolorous distemper so violent a Fever accompanying his pain that for some days his Friends and Servants knew not what to hope would be the issue of his Disease Though the Duke had with him no other Forces save only his Company of Gens d' Armes his Guards and an hundred or sixscore Gentlemen Volunteers he notwithstanding stuck not boldly to expose his Person for the security of that Frontier in the preservation whereof consisted the safety of the whole Country He was scarcely there arriv'd when the people came running in crowds with news that the Enemy was upon the point to enter who also on their part follow'd the intelligence so close that there was scarce any interval betwixt the report of their coming and their being come The Duke though exceedingly ill would by no means that in an Affair of this Consequence they should conceal any thing from his knowledge neither did he upon the first intimation fail to take order for all things with as much diligence and care as if he had been in the greatest vigour of health wherein his instructions were also such as had they been duly executed and observ'd the Enemy would have met with greater difficulties than they did and their Entry into this little Country though open on all sides would have cost them both more time and more blood then they laid out upon this occasion But what he had order'd with so much prudence and foresight was very ill obey'd and the people of the Country no sooner saw the Enemy appear than they fled before them none of their Leaders being able to prevail with them to stand or so much as once to face about in any place of what advantage soever The Duke sometime before he advanc'd towards this Frontier foreseeing what work and trouble the invasion of a Forein Army was likely to create him had intreated the King to send the Duke de la Valette his Son who also had the Government of Guienne settled upon him in reversion to his assistance who accordingly came to him to Bayonne the same day the Enemy entred the Country and who having as he pass'd by Bordeaux heard of the Sickness of the Duke his Father was by that ill news oblig'd to take Post and was but newly alighted when intelligence was brought that the Enemy was entring and that thereupon had followed a great confusion amongst our own people The Duke at this news was not a little distracted betwixt two contrary Passions by which he was at one and the same time assaulted either of paying the assistance to which he was in Nature and Duty bound to a good and languishing Father or of pursuing what his Honour and Bravery exacted from him for the Service of his Prince and Master But that debate betwixt his Piety and Honour was soon determin'd by the Father himself and the mutual tenderness they had for one another was soon overcome by the Affection they both had to their common duty It was in the close of the Evening when the Duke de la Valette arriv'd at Bayonne and the night was no sooner pass'd when mounting on Horseback with some persons of on Condition who had there waited in expectation of his coming he went out to discover the Countenance of the Enemy but neither his Presence Exhortations nor Example could work any effect upon the common people whose Spirits had by the first days fright been so strangely subdu'd that it was impossible to raise them the next to any tolerable degree of resolution so that in this general Consternation all he could possibly do was to retreat without disorder which also was not to be done without a very great deal of danger The Duke de la Valette engag'd his Person so far to make good this Retreat and to preserve the little Honour he had to manage in this Encounter that he very often ran a very great hazard of his life and certainly expos'd himself more than he was any way oblig'd to do when being in the end retir'd himself always the last man he commanded la Roche Captain of the Duke his Fathers Guards and also of his own to make good the Bridge which separates the Bourg of Siboure from that of Saint Iean de Luz against the Enemy that follow'd very close in his Rear This Order was not to be executed without infinite danger but the Duke de la Valette well enough knew that he to whom it was given would not bely his former Actions neither did la Roche deceive his expectation who with forty Musketeers only which he had under his Command stop'd the torrent of a Victorious Army and after having kill'd two hundred of their men upon the place amongst whom were eight or ten of their best Officers and having by that means given our Foot time to put themselves into a place of safety after he had sufficiently manifested his own Conduct with the Valour and Dexterity of his Souldiers he drew up the Draw-Bridge that lay over the middle of the River and with very little loss retir'd to the Duke de la Valette's Troop who staid to make good his Retreat After this manner the Spanish Forces possess'd themselves of the Country of Labourt and our men were no sooner retir'd on this side Saint Iean de Luz but that the Enemy seiz'd it and the same day presented themselves before Socoa This Socoa was a little point of Land jetting out into the Sea convenient and proper enough for Fortification but those of the Country would never consent to have it fortified Which notwithstanding the place of it self was of so advantageous a situation that they had ventur'd to put into it two hundred Souldiers who having had leisure to cast up some Works made a countenance before the arrival of the Spanish Army there bravely to defend themselves but their Resolution was of no long continuance the fear of the people soon infected the Souldier and some Gentlemen who upon other occasions had given testimony of their Valour having been appointed to command them were so unhappy as not to preserve the same Reputation here So that to be short contrary to the opinion of the two Dukes the Father and the Son and of all the men of Command
where he arriv'd in the beginning of Iuly and where the first thing he did after his arrival was to commit the pretended Maire of Libourne to prison he having been advanc'd to that Magistracy in contempt of the King's Order The first President had herein his hearts desire neither did he fail to make use of this occasion to interest the whole Body in the affront which he said was the greatest violence imaginable upon their Authority a high Complaint whereof was immediately sent away to the Council The King though very much dissatisfied with the first President would not nevertheless absolutely countenance the Duke in the Justice he had executed in his own behalf but writ to him to set the Prisoner at liberty though that Letter could not prevail the Duke pretending to believe that this Command had been procur'd either at the importunity of some of the interested party or negligently granted as many times a Letter under the Privy Seal was not hard to obtain But the Cardinal become now as has been said all powerful in Affairs having undertaken to establish his Majesties absolute Authority which was in effect the establishment of his ownâ— upon the contempt of this order caus'd a positive sentence to be pass'd in the Council bearing date the 12th of August wherein it was order'd That the Prisoner should immediately be enlarg'd By which magisterial proceeding it was then believ'd as it was very likely that the Cardinal would exercise this severity towards the Duke that his will might no more be disputed not doubting but that after an example like this all the other great men of the Kingdom would acquiesce in his Commands This Arrest was directed to the Chief Justice d' Autry to cause it to be put into speedy execution without so much as forbearing to hear any Reasons the Duke could represent to justifie the demur he had given to his Majesties first Order His Sons who were at Court and le Plessis whom he had sent thither not long before upon several accompts us'd their utmost endeavour that the sending away of this Arrest so highly prejudicial to the Duke's Honour might be some time deferr'd they were vehemently importunate with the Queen Mother and the Cardinal to that purpose but all to no effect the Queen in so light though nevertheless so sensible an Affair totally abandoning the Duke's Interest who had so passionately embrac'd hers in so important occasions and the Cardinal being obstinate in his resolution all the favour they could obtain in this business was from d' Autry himself who was perswaded not to produce the Order but it was upon condition the Duke should enlarge the Prisoner as he immediately did and that too the Court would have him understand to be a special Grace After this manner then they began to reward the Duke's and his Sons Services they gave them things of no moment for the highest obligations and most current pay they were continually us'd at this rate and it is not to be believ'd what prejudice these inconsiderable things were to the Duke 's more important Affairs nor what encouragement it gave little people frequently to offend him It had therefore been to have been wish'd either that he could have supported these affronts in his Administration with a better temper or totally have retir'd himself out of their way but his great spirit that had never encountred any difficulty it had not overcome was impatient to be resisted by men who as they were single incapable of contesting with him being embodied would neither relent nor obey The Cardinal stung no doubt with the Conscience of having in so trivial a thing disoblig'd a man who had formerly been serviceable to him in so many important occasions would make himself Mediator betwixt the Duke and the Parliament and consequently dispatch'd away Guron to Bordeaux for that end with Instructions that joyntly with d' Autry he should labour an Accommodation betwixt them By Guron the Cardinal writ to the Duke that his Journey was absolutely upon his accompt and in his favour offering withal his Service in this and in all other occasions but these Complements were accompanied with no marks of honour and respect the Cardinal doubtless nettled at the little Ceremony the Duke had observ'd with him in his congratulatory Letter at his promotion to the Ministry leaving by his example but a very little space above the first line and concluding his Letter with only Your affectionate Servant Before Guron's arrival the difference had been already compos'd by the mediation of d' Autry but the Duke touch'd to the quick at the ill usage he had receiv'd from Court was not to be appeas'd with so light a satisfaction and I have ever thought that the injury he apprehended upon this occasion was perhaps the first if not the only motive that totally alienated his heart from the Cardinal's Interests which as you may have observ'd he once had in as high consideration as his own The Peace that had been concluded before Montpellier in the year 1622. had hitherto continued the Affairs of the Kingdom in some repose and though those of the Reform'd Religion express'd great dispositions to a new Commotion there was as yet no manifest breach so that men rather liv'd in expectation of fresh Alarms than in any disorder of open War When Soubize by an attempt he made upon the King 's Shipping at Blavet began first to break the Ice All the rest of the Party broke into Arms at the same time and the Duke of Rohan who had long been known to be the head of that Faction infecting all parts of the Kingdom which were affectionate to his cause with his discontents stirr'd them into Insurrection without ever moving from Sevenues and without meeting the least contradiction A promptitude in his Partizans so much the more to be wondred at as he commanded a sort of people whose obedience was only voluntary and from which every one conceiv'd himself to be dispens'd by all both Divine and Humane Laws Montauban was one of the Cities not only of Guienne but also of the whole Kingdom that engag'd the deepest in this Revolt the Inhabitants whereof by having had a Siege rais'd from before their Walls and by having baffled a Royal Army even when animated by the presence of the King himself being elevated to such a degree of Vanity as to think themselves invincible and their City a place not to be taken A presumption that it was nevertheless very necessary should be corrected and the people by some exemplary Punishment made sensible of their Crimes It should seem that the Duke of Espernon was by his Destiny call'd into Guienne only for this end he had formerly subdu'd the pride of Rochelle neither did the King doubt but that he would be as successful at Montauban and that his Vertue which had ever been fatal to the Capital Cities of those of the Religion assisted by his powerful Arms