he was dead in that manner there was a great Alarm in the House and the Woman was in such a confusion and consternation she knew not what to do But when she had recover'd herself a little she sent to find out the Marquiss Del Monte and falling upon her knees with Tears trickling down besought him to procure the Queen's Protection for her This Princess being inform'd of the Accident hindred Justice from taking cognisance of the matter and the rather because he was one of her Domesticks and dead in her Quarter The Corps of the Count was carry'd to the Parish-Church of St. Dorothy and there interr'd without any Ceremonies And as for this miserable Woman the Queen put her among the Penitents where she entred voluntarily chusing to be shut up there rather than return to her Husband from whom she had no reason to expect a kind Reception after such an injury to his Bed The Marquiss who would do nothing but upon Interest pretended to obtain some Favours for his Pains but she was so afflicted she could not so much as hear him and so he pass'd it by having otherwise wherewithal to recompence himself But he did so many Exploits and injurious things and the Complaints against him came so fast to the Queen that she was oblig'd to turn him out at least in appearance from being Captain of her Quarter and to give it to Count Vasenau who was Captain of her Suiss Guards Count Vasenau was Natural Son to Ladislaus King of Poland and a Polish Damosel He had a delicate and forcible Wit a Soul fill'd with Greatness and Integrity and you might see something Noble in all his Manners which corresponded to the Nobility of his Birth but he had nothing handsome in his Face which however is no mighty Fault in a Man's Phisiognomy He cloath'd so fine for he follow'd none but the Modes of France of which he had generally the first notice that the most Genteel Persons did always imitate him but commonly adding something of their own spoil'd what was good in the Inventions of the others He had a German Gate and was a little heavy on Horseback which made some People difficult to believe that he was so perfect at the Exercises of the Body as he was reported to be I should easily agree to his Bravery and there are none but those who are either malicious or misinform'd and have been at Madrid or Holland that can dispute it and there is none of them perhaps will say they had measur'd Swords with him as the Gascon Captain who was in the Spanish Service did His great Patience in suffering Affronts which pass'd for Insensibility and Cowardise has given occasion to some to form injurious Sentiments concerning him But however it is not always insensibility in a Man to suffer it is Prudence to dissemble that which the necessity of Affairs will not sometimes permit him to revenge If Fortune had not been addicted to persecute the Count without doubt he had took fire as soon as another upon the least Injury done him If he was at any time complaisant towards a Person it was rather out of Policy than Baseness of Mind Nor was it that he lov'd the making of his Fortune more than his Fame for we do not see that he made any great Business of the Queen's Service which he might have done perhaps if he had not had so nice a Conscience 'T is well known what Temptations were offer'd him by a Jew of Hamburgh who was gain'd by the Marquiss Del Monte to corrrupt him when he went into Sweden to receive the Queen's Revenues as we shall find in the ensuing History Having lost the King his Father when as yet he had done nothing for him he took a Fancy to travel to the Northern Parts by his own Natural Inclination but they perswaded him and that with Reason that he might find that elsewhere which was not to be found amongst them He passed first into England where he had the Honour to insinuate himself into the Favour of King Charles the II. and receiv'd several Obligations from him but he was not long there for he happen'd into some Quarrels which oblig'd him to repass suddenly into Holland where Fortune did not declare her self in his Favour So he went into Spain and had good Success at the first for his Air and Manners being very agreeable gave him an Entrance into all Places and his way of Address pleas'd many and particularly Don John of Austria declared himself in his Favour But a certain Gallantry he had with a Spanish Lady brought him into fresh Trouble so that he was constrain'd for his own Safety to depart out of the Estates of the Crown of Spain From thence he came into France where he found a good Establishment and a Fortune worthy of himself Casimir King of Poland after his Abdication chose France preferrably to all others to pass the rest of his days in This Religious Prince took Count Vasenau near his Person and bestow'd so many Kindnesses upon him that he was quickly envied And some even among the Rank of Princes would have supplanted him at the same time the King of Poland thought to advance him And for this purpose because the King would go upon sure grounds he propos'd to acknowledge him for his Nephew in the Parliament of Paris but however it was not difficult to turn this inconstant Prince from his Design or at least to cause him to deferr the Execution of it And it was deferr'd so long that in the Interim the King died in the Abbey of St. Germain de pre so that these good Projects quickly vanished and instead of an Establishment he was forc'd to be content with a small Matter the Prince of Conde gave him of what the King left at his Death Afterwards he came to Rome to Queen Christina who own'd him for one of her Family and put him into the number of her Domesticks Cardinal Azzolini and the Marquiss who were afraid of these Marks of Distinction would willingly have seen him far enough of suspecting that this Kinsman and New-comer would become the chief Favourite and obtain the highest Reward However they made fair Weather to him at first though in the mean time they thought of nothing more than how to get rid of him The Queen made him Captain of her Swiss Guards and a little while after Captain of her Quarter But he had this last Charge only in appearance for the Marquis perform'd all the Functions of the Office so that we ought not to impute those disorders to the Count which afterwards happen'd in the Queen's Quarter He spent his first two or three Years in great Tranquillity and without any thing remarkable except some small petty Amours Madam de Chalais was the first of his Inclinations but seeing she was enclos'd in a Convent of Nuns of St. Mary or of the Visitation at Langara this was only an Amour of an Iron-Gate I
convenience of a Fountain and a Garden being near the Monastery of St. Cecilia over against the Working-Shop of the French Accademy Every body knows that the French King maintains an Academy in Rome for Twelve French Youths who there learn fine Arts with intention to become capable of the better Service of their Country when they come home This Academy is compos'd of six Painters four Gravers and two Architects whose Business it is to Copy and imitate the finest Paintings and Sculptures in Rome and to Measure the finest Palaces and other Edifices both Ancient and Modern Monsieur Errard Director of the Accademy liv'd with his Pupils in the old Palace near St. Andre de la Valle but because he had not room enough for Marble and other Materials for Sculpture he had a Working-Shop as I said before in Trastevera near St. Cecilia where the Gravers of the Accademy Wrought and Din'd every day for their greater Convenience A young French Graver called Theodon who was already very skilful in his Art and besides a well Shap'd Person having upon occasion seen Angelica at a Window and and as she went to Church became Charm'd with her Merit and endeavour'd to make her understand it by Signs His Perseverance touch'd her at last and she permitted him to see her sometimes which pleas'd him extreamly but he was so often cross'd by other Pretenders that it gave him mortal Alarms fearing one or other of them would ravish away his Mistress's Heart The Fame of Angelica encreas'd daily as well as her Voice and Beauty Her Mother often brought her among the Religious and Ladies of the first Quality where she Charm'd them all by her Singing and her address in touing of Instruments This encreas'd the multitude of her Lovers among which were many Persons of high Birth this oblig'd her Mother to keep her shut up closer than usual and to watch her Conduct more narrowly This proceeding did nothing but augment the crowd of her Adorers and their Quarter was more frequented than ever to have the pleasure of seeing her at her Window which she kept open more than ordinary to cross the Jealousie of her Mother and above all in Carnival time where the finest Masquerades would forsake their Course to come and walk up and down about her House Her Mother being Cunning and Intriguing made a great advantage of the Presents made her in giving some hopes to all People without engaging her self too much and obtain'd what Favours she pleas'd from the Great ones who Sigh'd and Languish'd for her Daughter Prince Columbiere propos'd to Marry her to one of his Gentlemen to get her into his House But her Mother discovering the Intrigue would hear of it by no means and besides expected a more considerable Match for her Daughter Angelica whose proper Merit was her Misfortune desir'd to match with one of an equal Condition with her self out of fear that if she Married above her self her Husband should come to Despise her if a fit of Sickness or any other Accident should cause her to loose her Beauty or her Voice Among all that sought after her none pleas'd her so well as Theodon the Graver He was a well shap'd Person and they had a Sympany in their Humours He excell'd in his Art and did the Office of Director of the Accademy instead of Monsieur Errard whose decrepid Age had made him unfit for Business Catherine who was more ambitious than her Daughter would hear nothing of it and in the mean time making advantage of the Gifts which the greatest Lords in Rome Presented her to obtain the promise of hearing Angelica Sing though they did not end their Pretensions there But she not seeming to penetrate their Thoughts and agreeing to their Demands was contented to keep her Daughter in her Sight fearing otherwise there might happen some Accident which might loose her Reputation and ruine her Fortune Angelica who did not like this Management and could not find poor Theodon in all the Crowd became so Melancholy that she fell Sick and was in danger of Death Her Parents were much Alarmed and the Prelate told her Mother that if she did not drive away this Multitude that Besieg'd his Daughter he would take her out of her Hands and put her into a Convent As he was a severe Man and had Authority they must obey him and so they sent her into the Country where the Air quickly re-establish'd her Health Being return'd to Rome some time afterwards she was invisible to all the World except Theodon who saw her at a Window and spoke to her by Signs Signora Caterina sent Angelica to the first Mass upon Sundays and Holy-days and made her keep within all the rest of the Day But this constraint being very uneasie to Theodon he spoke to a Friend of his who was the Father of Inventions and he promis'd him to find out some way or other to have a sight of his Beloved He search'd round about the House and sound a small House just by it which had a Court yard well stor'd with Fowls he got acquainted with the good Woman that kept them and under the pretence of buying of Eggs and a Present obtain'd Permission to come into the Court-yard every Night with his Friend Theodon because a back Window of Angelica's Chamber look'd into it They advertis'd the Fair one of this Discovery and she promis'd at a certain Signal to appear at that Window but she was so high they could not hear her unless she spoke aloud which she durst not do for fear of a Discovery Then they tied Billets deux to the end of a Packthread and she drew them up and some time after sent back an Answer the same way Her Billets were so Spiritual and Tender that one might see that her Heart and Love dictated them but besides these she had something in store for the happy Theodon that was more Charming Whereas in Rome other Lovers Serenade their Mistresses at their Windows in the Night and endeavour to express their Torments in tender and passionate Airs here on the contrary this Charming Virgin would Sing to her Harpsical pieces of an Opera which agreed so well to the Subject of Love that one would think they were made on purpose You may believe that Theodon and his Friend did not fail to be at the Rendezvouse where they always found new Pleasures and they carried also little Collations and served her always with the best things which they put into a little Basket and the Lovely Prisoner drew it to her self and so participated of the Feast telling them that she eat these Fruits and other Trifles with more appetite than a Hawker or those Solider Viands her Mother was so often Regal'd with for she could not hinder her self from receiving part of that which the most illustrious of her Pursuers would privately bring into their House There was two among the rest who were very considerable both in their Quality being Princes and
Vannini who perpetually courted her but to no purpose For she was extreamly angry that her own Mother should so often expose her to the Outrages of this rash Man insomuch that she protested she would no more go out of her Majesty's Palace whose Sickness encreas'd daily and at the same time the Fears of the House The Abbot notwithstanding all the Disdain of Angelica was neither asham'd nor dejected but thought to obtain that by Presents and Importunity which he could not by Personal Merit but he advanc'd nothing at all that way for all his Presents were rejected and his Sighs despis'd At last being provok'd by such a Resistance as he expected not to find he undertook one of the rashest and most dangerous Actions that could fall into the Imagination of so contemptible a Person as himself which was to do Violence to the Honour of Angelica even in the Palace of the Queen her self To this end and purpose he gain'd a Neapolitan who was one of the Queens Valet de Chambres with his Brother an Anspassade and they brought him privately into Angelica's Chamber with the consent of her Mother Angelica was then with the Queen scarcely ever forsaking her because her Sickness was very dangerous But coming into her Chamber by chance to do something she was extreamly surpriz'd to find a great Collation and the Abbot Vannini who invited her to eat with her Mother and those honest People that were of the Plot. But she seeing her self Betray'd by her Mother was perfectly Astonish'd and set up a great Cry The Abbot threw himself upon his Knees and endeavour'd to assure her by good Words but in the mean time they all slipt out of the Chamber and left them alone and one may easily imagin that the Abbot being Master did not loose time The Chamber was so high that Angelica's Cries could not be hear'd but there was other Signs of the resistance of this Generous young Woman for the Table and Chairs were all overturn'd and at last so great a noise was made her Chamber being just over the Queen's that her Majesty complain'd they had lost their Respect One of the Gentlemen run up and saw this fine Farce and cry'd out for help to some Auspessades and Foot men who were upon the Guard Her Friend Theodon ran up at the Noise and she Embracing him begg'd that he would have Compassion of her He presently took him by the Throat and would have Strangl'd him if he had not been forced out of his hands They then sent to seek out Monsieur Pompey Azzolini the Cardinal's Nephew to know what they must do with this impudent Person His first thought was that he should be hewed in Pieces and in so doing he had followed the Queen's Genius and highly reveng'd the Injury done to her Majesty But considering that the Queen was Sick and the Abbot well Allied he thought it convenient for fear of making himself Enemies to suffer him to Escape He sav'd himself at the Cardinal D'Estes and the two Neapolitans Fled and were never heard of since They told the Queen that the noise came from Cats who had overturn'd the Utensils of the Chamber and caus'd this Alarm Poor Angelica after so bloody an Affront abandon'd her self to Despair and was a long time in a Swoon and amaz'd not knowing what to do Her Sister coming up at the Noise put her to bed for the Traytress her Mother was as invisible as the rest and Angelica was seiz'd with a Fever and sick of Grief for a long time In the mean time the Queen began to be better and all People rejoyc'd for her Recovery For she was well Belov'd in Rome because she gave much in Charity towards the Subsistance of the Poor and Maintain'd a great many People The Nation of the Marca d' Ancona made a fine Feast at the Church of St. Saviour du Lauâ—ier in honour of the Queen and fine Illuminations in the Street of Coronari which is near it with Bonfires and other Rejoicings of Drums and Trumpets Count Alibert also made a very Magnificent Feast at Jesus where a Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin was Sung in a Thanksgiving for the Queen's Health and he had the most excellent Musicians in Rome and the Church was hang'd with the richest Tapistry her Majesty had and all People crowded into testifies their joy But at last she perceiv'd that Angelica fail'd in her Duty and asked for her very often but they always told her she was Sick Cardinal Azzolini had forbidden any body to speak of this Scandal which had happened in the Queen's Palace But a certain Woman who help'd Bandiere in his Operations of Chymistry whom they call'd Sybil for the reasons we shall afterwards mention told the Queen either by Accident or out of Malice that Angelica was Well The Queen sent presently to call her in all haste and the poor Girl being frighted because she was forc'd to appear before her whom she believ'd to be inform'd of all the Affair cast her self at her Feet pouring out abundance of Tears and could not speak for Grief The Queen press'd her to tell the reason of her Tears and she answer'd that her Misfortune was but too publick Her Majesty order'd her to Explain her self but Sobs interrupted her every Moment and therefore the Queen desir'd Cardinal Azzolini who was then come to her to inform her of all the Affair Azzolini being troubled at the unseasonableness of the time palliated the Matter and told her only what he thought convenient to discover for fear she should fall into an excessive Passion which might make her relapse But this did not satisfie her for she saw well enough that he hid the greatest part of the Circumstances from her and therefore could not be quiet till she had learn'd the whole Story from her Domesticks by Questions and Threatning What he had foreseen fell out for the Queen presently fell into an horrible Passion against this infamous Abbot and against all those that suffer'd him to Escape After she had comforted Angelica about the Disgrace she was no way guilty of sent for Captain Merula her Bravo and commanded him to bring her the Head of the Abbot Vannini and to observe him so narrowly that he did not Escape and because she would be sure of her Blow she order'd what Men and Money he had need of promising him a good Reward and protection against all his Enemies It is not known whether this Assassin by Profession did himself discover her Orders or that it came to be known some other way But Vannini fled from Rome to Subjacco an Abbey of Cardinal Charles Barberini in one of his Eminence's Coaches but absconded often by the way and at last when he came there look'd more like Dead than Alive so true it is that Vice is its own Executioner He pass'd from thence into Abruzzo a Province of the Realm of Naples where he remain'd till the Queen's Death In the mean
time Merula sought him every where or pretended so to do for 't is believ'd that the two Cardinals who were the Abbot's Protectors presented him with a thousand Crowns to hold his Hand Besides that he might fear their resentment if the Queen should Die quickly of which there was great likelyhood The Queen being impatient often demanded from Merula the effects of his Promises But one day he own'd without thinking on 't that the Criminal had scap'd out of his Hands and had refug'd himself within the Realm of Naples At these words the Queen was in such a Rage that she Scratch'd him in the Face and gave him twenty blows with her Fist reproaching him with Perfidiousness and had certainly Strangled him if she had not wanted Strength But she kill'd her self in the Effort which she made for this Agitation brought her Feaver on her again and sent her into her Grave in a little time to the great damage of the Domesticks for whom she had no time to provide No body got more by her Death than Angelica For if the Queen had liv'd a a little longer she had been confin'd in a Convent all her Life as Scandalous though she had more misfortune than fault in her Conduct For the Queen had promis'd the Pope who was irritated by the frequent Stories brought him concerning her that she would put her among the Religious of St. Ruffinus in Trastevera The best way Angelica could take in this unhappy Conjuncture was to put her self under the Protection of the Duke of Medina Celi Ambassador of Spain And he came to take her at the Queen's Palace Gate just as she was Expiring before they had forc'd her into a Convent He plac'd her under the Dutchess his Lady where she lives yet at this present time in Quality of her first Lady of Honour being equally dear both to the Husband and the Wife who know very well by long Experience that she has given no occasion for those false Reports which have almost tarnish'd her Reputation and that her Merit only has been the cause of all her Persecutions There run a Report that Monsieur the Ambassador had Married her to a Spanish Gentleman in his Service but it is not true for she is not yet engag'd in that Sacrament no more than her Sister Barbara who is also Maid of Honour to Madam the Ambassadress of Spain The Sieur Theodon being convinc'd that Angelica was not ordain'd for him has Married another who has neither the Gifts nor Reputation of Angelica yet notwithstanding is not inferior to her in Wisdom She brought him a considerable Portion and he lives with her like an honest Man and has obtain'd by Merit to be Director of the Works of Architecture and Painting of the Basilique of St. Peter at the Vatican which is very Gainful We must not forget before we finish this History that the Duke of Mantua made another Voyage to Rome incognito towards the end of the Queen's last Sickness and as the common Vogue goes to carry away Angelica with her Mother's Consent but being prevented by the Spanish Ambassador he was so angry that he had been twice cheated by that Interested Woman that he slit both her Husband 's and afterwards her Son's Nose who is a Glasier and keeps a Shop in the Bouchi They are so disfigured that they will carry the Marks as long as they live which will testifie to all the World that Georgina having Perfections enough to Charm many Princes and great Lords had not yet the happiness to please them all The Queen had some Pre-sentiments of her Death which made her apprehensive she should not live long Six Months before her Sickness or thereabout she made her a Habit of Sattin white Ground stitch'd with Flowers and other works of Gold garnish'd with Lace and Buttons set in Gold and Fringe of the same below This Habit was Invented by her self and serv'd for a Manteau and Body together It was close before without a Tail and round at the bottom and the Queen tried it on upon Christmas Eve and took many turns in her Closet without speaking a Word She look'd upon her self often both before and behind in a couple of Looking-glasses which were set opposite one to another and then walked again in profound Silence Her Taylor who thought he had done better than ordinary rejoic'd within himself And there was none but him the Marquiss Caponi and two Maids there when Sybil entred This Sybil was a Woman well skill'd in Chymical Operations and had served the Queen for some time Cardinal Azzolini brought her in to counter-check Bandiere Her Name was Julia and she was Daughter to an Apothecary a good Simpler who taught her his Trade which she improv'd by the Invention of a certain number of fine Secrets She had something Marvelous in her Person and her Birth was Extraordinary For when her Mother Lay in of her which was upon the 3d. of November 1665 she was seven Hours in Travel with great Pains and was not Deliver'd but by an horrible Clap of Thunder The Lightning that accompanied it made her Chamber seem all on Fire and the Fright made such an Impression upon her that it threw out the Child Her Sex was doubtful at first and though time made it appear she was a Girl yet she always had the inclinations of Men flying Girls Company and seeking after Boys She would throw Stones as they did and fight with her Fists and shewed a Masculine Spirit in all things She learn'd Latin and made a a great Progress not only in Pharmacy but Chymistry besides this she touch'd Instruments well But she had yet a Quality beyond these which pleas'd the Queen better than all which was that of the foretelling of things to come and for this reason the Queen gave her the name of Sybil. I have been inform'd she had once an Husband a Distiller but he died after he had been Married about six Months The Queen who was foolish in the belief of all vain and curious Sciences as Chymistry Astrology the Divining-Rod and loved those who pretended to possess them believ'd all that Astrologers said and particularly the Abbot Massoni who us'd to flatter her with the promise of living Fourscore Years and by these deceitful hopes he drew a good deal of Money from this credulous Princess and afterwards Laugh'd at her I could tell you a great many Stories of this nature if this Book were not too big already Sybil coming to congratulate the Queen upon her fine Garment exaggerated the fineness of the Stuff its Beauty and Fashion which very well suited her Majesty's Person Well Sybil says the Queen does this Habit please you Yes Madam repled she it is perfectly well made Upon this the Marquiss Caponi took up the Discourse and said you are come very luckily for we are here acting the Comedy of the Mutes It is true says the Queen that no body has said any thing nor I my self but