means fell into her snare The Queen at first had govern'd the King of Navarr by the Artifices of the Dutchess of Montpensier who had such an ascendant over him that at Court she was call'd nothing but the Syren The Queen was also beholding to this Dutchess for causing the King to desist from his pretensions to the Regency and content himself with the shadow of Authority in accepting the Lieutenancy General of the State that she might enjoy the substance In vain his Friends remonstrated to him that he should want neither Counsel nor power to force obedience to himself but the Dutchess of Montpensier's perswasions prevail'd with him beyond all the remonstrances of Mon moranci Chatillon the Calvinists and the more clear sighted Catholicks But thó the Queen had been so well serv'd by this Princess she was afraid lest her Ambition should infuse into her a desire of sharing her Authority And rather chose to make use of M. de Rouet with whom the King of Navarr took delight to converse after she declar'd her self to be so much Charm'd with his Vertues The King therefore quite tyr'd with the long resistance which the Dutchess's Virtue had made to his desires thought he might quit her without being accus'd of inconstancy that he might devote himself to a person with whom in all probability he should better employ his assiduities and where he should meet with as much Wit and Beauty year 1561 Some time after Ambition had like to have broken off the intercourses of those two Ladies For the Catholick King by Manriquez whom he sent to him on purpose made a proposal to the King of Navarr which upon a slight examination only seem'd very advantageous to him The substance of it was that he should put himself at the head of the zealous Catholicks who were about to banish Calvinism out of France that he should dissolve his Marriage with Joan d'Albret under pretence of Heresie and marry Mary Stuart the wife of Francis II. who would bring him in Dowrie the Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland M. de Roouet Who was fall'n in love with the King while she only sought to intangle him in her snares being inform'd of this Negotiation by d' Escars one of her Favourites was extreamly allarum'd at it Thereupon she sought an opportunity to speak in private with the King of Navarr and having met with one she never left him till she had made him promise her to send back Manriquez without concluding upon any thing But thô the King of Navarr were prone enough of himself to do what she desir'd and that he abhorr'd the proposal of a Divorce he forbore not however to make M. de Rouet sensible of a valuable Sacrifice which he had made her of the fairest Queen in Europe and drew a promise from her that she would not refuse the requests of his Love So that now there wanted nothing but to find out opportunities which it was no difficult thing to meet with For the Court being then at Fontain-bleau the same Evening he bestow'd a Consort of Violins upon the Ladies near the Caual and while they were busie in hearkning to the Musick or else a Dancing he went aside with M. de Rouet and manag'd so well the favourable inclination to which he had prepar'd her that she became big of a Prince who was call'd Charles of Bourbon and afterwards was made Archbishop of Rouen But the Prince of Coudè had not that great success with M. de Limeuil For as she had declar'd at first a dislike of that Prince's humour she was oblig'd to observe certain outward formalities of disdain and to make shew of an indifferency which however was far from real the more to fire her Lover which was the reason that it was less trouble to her Virtue to hold out so much the longer These two Ladies that liv'd together in perfect Union were not a little troubl'd to see the two Brothers engag'd in different Parties while the eldest Brother commanded the Catholick the youngest the Calvinist Army The King of Navarr being wounded at the Siege of Rouen was carry'd into the City after it was taken and was there frequently visited by M. du Rouet and in regard their conversation was a little too vigorous the King's wound fester'd to that degree that it became mortal The Queen Regent seeing how little hopes there was of saving his life admonish'd him to prepare himself for death he took the advice of that Princess and renouncing all of a suddain his inclinations both to Honour and Pleasure he admitted no more visits from the Ladies and declar'd to Chantonay the Spanish Ambassador and Brother of Cardinal Grandvelle that he thought no farther of Sardigna which the King of Spain offer'd him in exchange for Navarr After he had confess'd himself to the Official of Rouen and receiv'd both the Sacraments he so earnestly desir'd to he carry'd down the River to his House at St. Maur where the Air was incomparably much better then at Rouen that they were forc'd to transport him thither and at first he seem'd to be much better upon the water but a cold Sweat that seiz'd him at Andilli enforcing him to make a stop there he dy'd the 7th of Octob. 1562. in the Two and fortieth year of his age and deliver'd the Regent from her continual fears lest he should change his Party 'T would be a difficult thing to express the extream sorrow that overwhelm'd Mademoiselle de Rouet for the loss of a Prince whom she dearly lov'd and by whom she was no less tenderly belov'd more especially being conscious to her self that she had contributed to his death year 1563 The next year the Queen Regent found a way to conclude a Peace with the Calvinists and to draw the Prince of Condè to Court where he was so well treated that he forgot for some time his warlike humour The Honours paid to the deceased King of Navarr his Brother to retain him in the Catholick party were nothing in comparison of those that were conferr'd upon him to bring him off from Calvinism He was every Day with the Queen who heap'd civilities upon him Nothing of importance was debated in Council nor in any other place but in his presence he generally obtain'd whatever he desir'd and all occasions of giving him offence were carefully avoided 'T was not believ'd however that he suffer'd himself to be amus'd with promises which he saw frustrated of their principal effect since they delay'd to give him the Lieutenancy General of which the Queen had put him in hopes for fear as was given out lest the Catholicks who were dissatisfi'd with the Peace should take from thence the pretence they sought for to break it but Love sided with the party and seconded the Artifices of the Queen For the Prince of Conde's passion for M. de Limueil was not quite extinguish'd thô it had lain dormant for some time as being benumm'd by the fatigues of
Thibaut Count of Blois But some time after she was brought to Bed the King being inform'd of all Eleonor's Galantries resolv'd to vacate his Marriage To which purpose he assembl'd the Clergy of France at Boisgency where Alegrin his Chancellor set forth the reasons that mov'd the King to desire a separation and easily obtain'd what his Master desir'd because the Queen made no opposition However Lewis that he might come off with Honour surrendred back to her the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earldom of Peitou which she brought him in Dowry and only kept the two Daughters which He had by her Eleonor after this Divorce retir'd to Poitiers where she was visited by Henry Duke of Normandy the King of England's Son Who thô he were a Prince whose Person was no way inviting and had the worst colour'd Hair in the world yet she fail'd not to admit of his sedulities and to hearken to the proposals of Marriage which he made her because he was Heir presumptive to the Crown of England Henry was well inform'd of all the disorders of her past life but his eager desire to joyn Guyenne and Peitou to the rest of those Dominions which he was to inherit prevail'd over all other Considerations He espous'd Eleonor which so enrag'd Lewis that he suffer'd no opportunity of Revenge to escape him So that a War was kindl'd between the two Princes so soon as Henry came to the Crown which lasted till an end was put to it by the Marriage of Henry the King of England's eldest Son with Margaret the Daughter of Lewis and Elisabeth of Castille his second Wife And thô the affianc'd Princess were but five years of Age she was put into the hands of the King of England for a farther confirmation of the Alliance When she came to be of age proper for the consummation of the Nuptials the King of England refus'd to deliver her to his Son for fear he should become too potent and go about to dethrone him with the assistance of France Thereupon Henry impatient to enjoy his youthful Spouse that was to secure him his Succession to the Crown of England the Princess being design'd to the Heir of the Kingdom he stole her away and fled into France to the King his Father-in law From thence he wrote to his own Father demanding England or the Dutchy of Normandy as an Earnest of his Succession and upon the King's refusal resolv'd to obtain his Pretensions by force of Arms. Queen Eleonor also engag'd Richard Duke of Aquitain and Jeoffrey Duke of Bretagne her Brothers to take part with Henry and Lewis oblig'd William King of Scotland to invade England on that side while he sent Robert Earl of Leicester with a powerful Army to make a descent into the Island out of France So that a Man would have thought that the King of England assail'd on every side must have been overwhelmed by so many Enemies But Heaven protected him His Son Henry dy'd in a short time after and Peace was concluded between England and France and the Marriage of Richard who was become Heir to the Crown by the death of Henry with Alice the Daughter of Lewis was the Seal of that Union But in regard the Princess was very young she was put into the hands of the King of England as her Sister had been till she came to years of maturity and Queen Eleonor was shut up in close imprisonment to prevent her contriving new troubles at Court. In the mean time King Henry shew'd himself so extreamly complaisant to the Princess Alice that it was look'd upon to be an effect of love and the Princess answer'd him with a frankness pardonable as her years however Richard grew jealous to that degree that he could not find in his heart to marry her when he came to the Crown Queen Eleonor also whom he set at liberty so soon as he saw himself seated upon the Throne confirm'd him in his aversion and negotiated a Match between him and Beranguelle the Daughter of Don Garcias King of Navarre whom she carry'd to Richard then in Palestine where he espous'd her This anger'd Philip surnam'd the August King of France who at the same time had made a voyage to the Holy Land but he would not shew his resentment there for the injury done his Sister because he would not give the Infidels an opportunity to take advantage of the division of the Christians But so soon as he return'd into France he enter'd the Territories of the King of England in revenge At length Eleonor after she had been the cause of many mischiefs in both Kingdoms where she had worn the Crown ended her days at Poitiers in the Fourscore and fourth year of her age Mary of Moravia Mistress to Philip surnamed the August Anno 1192. PHILIP the August after the death of Isabella of Hainault his first Wife marry'd Isembourg or Eudelberge the Daughter of Waldemar the Great King of Denmark but found so little pleasure in the enjoyment of her that after the first Night he never would Bed her again However he endeavour'd a long time to combat this aversion but not being able to surmount it he imparted the secret of his disgust to William Bishop of Beauvais who told him that in regard there was a near affinity between him and the Queen it would be no difficult thing for him to disannul the Marriage if he would summon an Assembly of the Prelats of his Kingdom The King relish'd this Proposal and having sent for all the Bishops of France and amongst the rest for the Archbishop of Rheims who presided in the Assembly the sentence of Separation was pronounc'd Some time before the King had seen the Portraicture of Mary Agnes the Daughter of Bertol Duke of Moravis which appear'd so charming to him that he had always the Idea of her in his sight Therefore when he saw himself at liberty he sent to demand her in Marriage and having obtain'd his desires he espous'd her with a more then ordinary Magnificence Anno. 1198. Isemburg would not be present at the Nuptial Ceremony but secretly left the Court with a design to retire into Denmark But when she came to the Frontiers of France she bethought her self of the fault she was about to commit in abandoning the Justice of her Cause she return'd back again and shutting her self up in a Convent sent an account of her misfortune to King Conuie her Brother He being astonish'd at Philip's inconstancy sent to his Ambassador then residing in Rome to make his complaints to Pope Celestin and to demand Justice of him Celestin immediately dispatch'd away two Cardinals the one a Priest and the other a Deacon to make inquiry into what had past in the dissolution of the Marriage and to make use of all the Authority of the Holy See to oblige the King to take Isemburg again in case he had no lawful cause of separation So soon as the two Legates arriv'd at Paris
found himself near a Lady who was ready to be stifl'd in the croud he took care of her and put her into the hands of one of his Gentlemen who threw Water in her Face and after he had fetch'd her again from the swoon into which she was fallen carry'd her home to his own house Some few days after the Duke calling the Lady to mind ask'd his Gentleman what was become of her and understood that she was the Wife of Raoulet d'Auteville who had been Treasurer of France upon the recommendation of Philip Duke of Burgundy With that he remember'd that he had been the occasion of displacing him from his employment for several misdeameanors and believ'd that the little service he had done his Wife would not countervail to extinguish that aversion which without question she had for him Nevertheless in these contrarieties it is that Love takes delight to shew his capricious humours as the Duke soon after found by experience For one day that he was at Mass in St. Pauls Church he there observ'd the fame Lady who as she pass'd by saluted him with an obliging smile The Duke was too much a Courtier to be ignorant what that meant and he was too great a Lover of adventures to fall of the opportunity of making the best of ' em Thereupon he sent a Page to delite Madam d'Auteville to meet him in the Evening in the Garden of the Palais des Touruelles where he should be glad to speak with her and the Lady accepting the Assignation fail'd not to meet him at the time appointed And then it was that in her melting Breast the Duke soon met with sentiments far opposite to those of that same hatred with which he thought her prepossess'd against him and engag'd her without much trouble to come to him to his Palace the next Morning Nor did she fail of being punctual to her hour and being introduc'd into the Princes Chamber by a back pair of stairs she gave him no cause to complain of her cruelty This visit was attended by several others by means of which the Duke of Orleans understood that she was very intimate with the Duchess of Burgundy and that she had understood by her discourses that 't was none of her fault if he were not belov'd by her The Duke open'd his Ears to this Proposal For besides that the Princess had charms sufficient to inflame his amorous desires she might prove advantageous to him in the rearing of his Fortune by drawing from her Lips the secrets of the Duke her Husband who was declar'd Regent of the Kingdom during the King's distemper and with whom he thought he had a right to dispute the Government of the Realm He therefore left Madam de Auteville to manage the intreague who carry'd it on with so much address that in a short time she accomplish'd his desires year 1406 This Intreague lasted several Years and was carry'd with that privacy that no body had the least inkling of it but at length it was discover'd through the imprudence of the Duke himself For he had hung up in his Cabinet the Portraitures of all his Mistresses and he was wont to say that all those whose pictures were there to be seen had never been cruel to him The Duke of Burgundy likewise had often heard him say the same thing tho' he never minded it at first But one day coming into that fatal Cabinet he there beheld his Wife's picture and then calling to mind the Dukes unlucky rallery it gave him no small disturbance Thereupon he resov'd to be satisfy'd in his suspitions and at last discover'd that the Duke had frequent meetings with his Wife by the means of Madam d' Autevil1e whom she had made her confident but then the jealousie of Love joyning Forces with the jealousie of hatred he thought it behov'd him to be reveng'd upon a Prince who was doubly his Rival To this purpose he discover'd his design to d' Auteville who having a share in the affront was easily induc'd to have a part in the revenge and promis'd to serve the Duke according to his intentions Next Morning therefore the prâ—fligate undertaker corrupted several Ruffians needing only the temptation of Money and among others William and Thomas Courtois and John de la Mothe who promis'd him upon their words to second his pernicious design to the utmost of their power He also gain'd one of the King 's Valet's de Chambre who was sent to tell the Duke of Orleans at that time gone to the Palais de Tournelles to visit the Queen it being St. Cecilia's day in the Evening that the King desir'd to speake with him at the Hostel de St. Paul Immediately the Duke got a Horseback attended only by some of his Lacqueys without any weapons and one that carry'd a Flambeau before him But when he came to the gate Barbette before the house of Marshal d' Eurex out comes d' Auteville from a Tavern where he waited the Dukes coming with about fifteen or twenty of his accomplices and flew upon him with his drawn sword and having cut off his Bridle hand threw him off his Horse and deliver'd him to the rest of his Confederates who stab'd him in several places When they had done they set fire to a house adjoyning on purpose to amuse the People and made their escapes through by Lanes and Alleys The Duke was carry'd into the Marshal de Fires house where he expir'd and thence to the Benedictin's Convent The Parliament took cognisance of this Murder and order'd a Councellor to take the Informations He presently issu'd forth a Warrant against the squire of the Duke of Burgundy's Kitchin who was charg'd by the witnesses and in regard he never stir'd out of the Hostel d' Artois where the Duke lodg'd and whence they could not fetch him out by force without his Masters permission the Councellor who had took the Information went to demand him of the Duke at the Hostel de Nesle where the Duke of Berry lay and where the Council was kept Louis de Anjon King of Sierly being then present when the Councellor made his compliment to the Duke of Burgundy took notice that he turn'd pale and that a sudden disturbance seiz'd upon his mind Upon which he drew him aside and having made him confess that the Duke of Orleans had been assasinated by his order he advis'd him to retire The Duke took his advice and departing the Hostel de Nesle without any noise went home took horse and never stop'd till he came to Dâ—jon However he could not escape the punishment that Heaven had prepar'd for him The Dauphin resolv'd to revenge the Death of the Duke of Orleans year 1419 and contended for the regency during his Fathers sickness On the otherside the Duke of Burgundy enter'd into a League with the King of England and France was in a strange combustion Persons of high quality interpos'd to accommodate the difference and the Duke was
did the Spaniards make between your Majesty and the King of Castille upon your thread-bare Cap and your Leaden Agnus Dei instead of one beset with Diamonds The King was so amaz'd at this Curtain Lecture that he had not the power to interrupt her However as he was a great dissembler he did not discover his disgust tho he thought it high time to get him a more complaisant Mistress To that purpose having heard much talk of a young Lady of Dijon whose name was Huguette de Jaqueline that was well descended but very poor he sent for her to Court and having taken her for his Mistriss he had a Third Daughter by her whom he bestow'd upon Amà nd of Poitiers Lord of St. Valier Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Charles VIII Anno 1483. LEWIS Duke of Orleans had the misfortune to be belov'd by Ann of France the Daughter of Lewis XI I say the misfortune because the Passion of that Princess was in good part the cause of all the crosses that befell him during his life She gave him to understand her Inclinations toward him and thô the Duke did not comply with her but in terms rather of Respect then Tenderness yet she surceas'd not to interpret 'em favourably and to believe she was belov'd because she deserv'd to be so She refus'd for love of the Duke of Orleans a Match which her Father would have made for her with Nicholas of Anjou Duke of Lorrain and acknowledg'd to that Prince that it was the only reason of her refusal He answer'd with so much indifferency to what she spoke to him the most obligingly in the world upon that occasion that she began at length to open her Eyes and to understand that she had flatter'd her self to little purpose when she thought he had comply'd with her tenderness which was the reason that she resolv'd to marry Peter of Bourbon Duke of Beaujou Upon the first proposal of it that the King her Father made her as she was unwilling to be unfortunate alone she perswaded Lewis XI over whom she had a powerful Ascendant to marry the Duke of Orleans to Joan of France his Daughter who was neither beautiful nor of an agreeable temper The Duke would fain have excus'd himself but the King laid his Commands upon him so imperiously that he was forc'd to obey 'T is true that the Marriage was not consummated whether it were that he had an aversion for the Princess or that she had some natural defects as it was afterwards pretended which hinder'd her having of Children After the death of Lewis XI the Duke of Orleans demanded the Regency during the minority of Charles VIII who was not above Thirteen years of age but the Dutchess of Beaujou carry'd it before him But thô she had got this advantage yet for all that she could not chuse but seek the Duke of Orleans's friendship whom she had not the power to hate notwithstanding his indifferency and she offer'd him a share in the Government if he would but live in a friendly correspondence with her but he return'd those Answers that ill became him to her civilities Thereupon the Dutchess exasperated by his Contempt studied nothing so much as which way to be reveng'd She grounded her pretence upon a quarrel which the Duke of Orleans had had with the Duke of Lorraine while he was playing at Tennis with him and would have had the Duke apprehended but he withdrew to the Duke of Bretagne In whose Court while the Duke of Orleans resided he waited most sedulously upon the Princess Ann his Daughter and fell so deeply in love with her that he preserv'd his Passion for her till his death In the mean time he enter'd into a strict confederacy against the Duchess Regent of which himself and the Duke of Bretagne were the Heads They betook themselves to Arms on both sides and they came to the decision of a Battle in the Plain of St. Aubin where the Confederate Princes were defeated and the Duke of Orleans being taken pris'ner was afterwards lock'd up in the Tower of Bourges nor was he releas'd till after Charles VIII had espous'd Ann of Bretagne and at the same time that the King was preparing for his expedition into Italy Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Lewis XII LEWIS of Orleans being come to the Crown made it his whole study to marry the Princess Ann Widow of Charles VIII his Predecessor He caus'd the Reasons for the dissolving of his Marriage with the Princess Joan to be laid before Pope Julius as being uncapable of ever bringing forth Successors to the Crown and desir'd a Dispensation from his Holiness to marry the fair Queen whom he dearly lov'd Nor would his impatience permit him to stay till he receiv'd the Dispensation 't was enough to hear by the Legate's Secretary whom he had gain'd to his side that it was allow'd and drawing up Yet for all this the love of that Princess surceas'd not to cause him new disturbances She became jealous of Louise of Savoy Countess of Angoulesme Mother of Francis the First and their hatred brake forth to that degree of exasperation that it divided the whole Court into Parties Lewis XII had a design to marry the Princess Claudia his Daughter with the young Count of Angoulême whom he look'd upon as his Successor but the Queen oppos'd it to the utmost of her power Therefore to cross this design she resolv'd to marry her with Charles of Austria who was already call'd Prince of Spain and to give him Bretagne in favour of that Alliance To this purpose she sent privately a Gentleman of the House of Rieux into Flanders and thence into Germany This Gentleman made the Proposal to the Emperor Maximilian the Prince's Grandfather by the Father's side and to Chieuvres his Governour They agreed upon the Articles which were Sign'd and there remain'd nothing but the Ceremony of the Nuptials which had been solemniz'd unknown to the King had not the tender age of the Parties been an obstacle to the Consummation and had it been in the power of the Queen to have dispos'd of her Daughter as she would her self to which end fortune sometime after gave her an opportunity of which she try'd to make her advantage The King falling sick at Paris his distemper increas'd to that degree that the Physicians gave him over for lost and while the whole Court was in a consternation upon the desperate condition of the King's health the Queen took her opportunity privately to send away her Daughter by water down the River Loire to Nantes But passing through Angiers she was stop'd by the Marshal de Gi◠who was Governor of that place The Marshal was one that took part with the Countess of Angoulême and in regard he was not ignorant that the Queen oppos'd the King's design of marrying Claudia with the Son of that Princess he soon conjectur'd the reason that his masters
Daughter was sent away by that private conveyance during his Sickness Nor was he ignorant how prejudicial the conjunction of Bretagne to the Dominions of Spain would be to France which was the reason that without many more to do he resolv'd to cross a contrivance so dangerous notwithstanding he was assur'd that the Queen would never forgive him should the King happen to die of his Sickness Thereupon he stopt the Princess with most respectful protestations of his sorrow for being constrain'd to come to that extremity This action of the Marshal was commended by the King and all good French men and the Queen her self feign'd to applaud it however when the King was recover'd she made use of her credit to ruin that faithful subject Nevertheless she could not prevent the marriage of her Daughter with the Count of Angoulême because it was generally desir'd But it was such an inward vexation to her that sinking under the weight of her corroding anguish she dy'd in the thirty seven Year of her age 'T is true the King did not express that sorrow for her death as 't is thought he would have done considering the passion he had for her as long as she liv'd whither it were that his mind was taken up with his cares of the Wars of Italy or that the Queen's attempts against his authority had cool'd the heat of his Love However after that he liv'd such a reserv'd life that no body believ'd he would ever have thought of a third Marriage but the Duke of Longueville was the occasion of reviving that desire in him That Prince having rashly engag'd himself in a battle against the English year 1514 lost the battle of Spurs and became a prisoner to Henry VIII of England To repair this fault he undertook during his imprisonment to bring off that Prince from his confederacy with the Emperor nor did he find any great trouble to perswade him to it For thô he were very young he was very thrifty and he was a weary of paying the Emperours Troops who was extreamly poor and of furnishing him a hundred Crowns a day for his table There only wanted therefore a plausible pretence to break the Confederacy and there was not a better at that time to be found then a more strict alliance between France and England Henry VIII had a Sister whose beauty was a domestick mischief to him as we shall find in the sequel of this history She was born after another Daughter so much unprovided of the graces of the body that the King of Scotland had never marry'd her but because the King would not marry the youngest before the eldest The youngest being come of Age the Duke of Milan and several other Sovereign Princes sought her in vain because 't was not then the custom to marry the King's Daughter out of the Island This custome which had not been alter'd for four Ages together had infus'd into the young English Lords of the highest Quality a confidence to pretend to the Princess and the King gave way to it lest he should be accus'd of too much severity toward his Sister tho' he had no design to have marry'd her to any of his subjects for fear of drawing a civil War upon himself not unlike to those wherein several of his predecessors had miscarry'd Nevertheless in regard it is a difficult thing for a Woman to hold out any long time against Love when she makes it her business to allure the Princess of England after she had entangl'd in the snares of Love all those that could give any cause of jealousy to her Brother was her self smitten with one whom he had little reason to fear There was introduc'd into the Court of England a young English Gentleman whose name was Charles Brandon without any other recommendation then that of the King's Nurse whose Son he was He was extreamly handsome well proportion'd in his person and very active in all manner of exercises He had the air of a person of Quality and there was observ'd in him that sweetness of temper and that discretion that he was welcome into all societies and chiefly into the Ladies company who were altogether prevalent at Court The King took him for his second in all his matches at Tenis and made him the confident of all his most secret pleasures He conferr'd upon him the office of his chief Huntsman and lest his name should remind the Courtiers of the meaness of his Birth he caus'd him to assume the title of the Counts of Suffolk illustrious for the merit and quality of the persons who had born it for above two hundred years It is not certainly known whether this new title had convinc'd the Princess that she might bestow her affection without any dishonour upon the person whom the King her Brother had honour'd with it since the English Histories are full of presidents of several Earls of Suffolk that have pretended to the marriage of the Sisters and Daughters of their King 's or whether the Love which she already had for him had imprinted that Idea in her mind in his favour but it was observ'd that in a short time after the Princess lookt upon Suffolk with a more passionate glance then she was wont to do Nor wat it so much to be wonder'd at that the Earle should make her suitable returns with Eyes no less inflam'd and sparkling And the Courtiers in a little time were so us'd to it that they took little notice of it whether it were the custome at that time to love at well beneath as above their quality or whether it were that the Courtiers thought it not proper to be more concern'd about it then the King himself was who only laught at the business and made himself merry with the two lovers so soon as he discover'd their reciprocal affection Not that he approv'd it in the main or that he had so high a value for Suffolk as to make him his Brother in Law thô he had a greater kindness for him then for the rest of his Courtiers But he was in hopes to draw some advantage from the inequality of this Amour which he thought would exasperate the English Lords against her and cause 'em to desist from looking any more after her besides that he assur'd himself that he should be so much the master of his Sister and Suffolk that nothing should be acted between them two but by his consent This was the posture of the Court of England when the Duke of Longueville made a proposal as from himself of a match between the Princess and Lewis XII The King of England listen'd to him with those marks of respect and approbation which suficiently discover'd what he had in his Heart He was importun'd to bestow his Sister out of the way and he met with the most lucky means that Fortune ever could have offer'd him 'T is true he could not without some trouble to himself put an end to a War so advantageous to him
length allow'd him to beg of the King the Cardinal of Tournon and Admiral Chabot to redeem his Life and Liberty at the price of the vast Wealth which he had acquir'd Nothing more manifestly prov'd him unworthy of his high fortune then his extream desire to survive his disgrace His carriage quite chang'd that fear and aversion which People had against his Person into a contempt which was no way advantageous to him seeing that they left him for some years in the Tower of Bourges without so much as thinking of him At ength he was so importunate with the Ministers of State that they order'd him to be brought to his Trial but not after such a method as he expected For they appointed Commissioners to try him chosen out of all the Parliaments of the Kingdom However they did him this justice to make choice of the most able and the most honest Nor were there ever in France any Judges whose Probitie and Abilities were more universally known then those of Peter Raymund President of the Parliament of Rouen who was order'd to draw up the Informations They were willing to give him that satisfaction whether it were that his enemies thought that they had more prooâ—s then they needed to ruin him or that the King who had no mind to pardon him as he had forgiven Admiral Chabot had taken all the precautions requisite to prevent any thing that might be spoken against the severity which he intended to inflict upon the chief Magistrate of the Kingdom However it were the Process lasted till the year 1545. because the Party accus'd finding himself abandon'd by all the world and ready to sink unrder the same Artifices with which he had oppress'd others made use of all the tricks that long experience had taught him and summon'd up all his cunning and his parts to defend himself He led his Judges through all the by-paths of Subterfuge and Evasion that Cavil could invent to elude or at least to delay his Condemnation He puzzl'd alike both his Judges and his Witnesses that were brought Face to Face against him and made so good a defence that he sav'd his Life whither it were that his Judges after a long debate did not find reasons enough to condemn him to Death or that the too open animosity of the prosecutors had infus'd compassion into those Magistrats by perswading 'em he was Innocent because his Enemies were so violent in seeking his ruin He heard bare-Headed the Decree pronounc'd that depriv'd him of his Dignities and Estate and confin'd him to perpetual Imprisonment for having Rob'd the Treasury fold Offices and traffick'd in several bargains misbecoming his quality The King surpriz'd at the mildness of the Decree could nor forbear testifying his resentment against the Judges and threw upon 'em those reproaches that extended even to accusations of being corrupted However his Majesty remitted the punishment of Imprisonment and Poyet was constrain'd for a Livelyhood to resume his first employment of Chamber-Counsellor in the Palace deeming himself happy that he had got himself out of the Bryars at any rate before Judges of approv'd integrity for that indeed there was as many persons convinc'd that he deserv'd Death as there were People that knew him The Dutchess d' Estampes after she had ruin'd all those that dar'd to obstruct her credit year 1587 seem'd to fear nothing but the Death of the King which was the only disturbance of her mind For thô the Duke d' Estampes her Husband had made a judicial enquiry into her behaviour since her Marriage yet she was well assur'd that he could make no use of it so long as the King liv'd however he was not immortal and the time would come when that cruel separation would happen The Dutchess also to her sorrow beheld the misfortune at a distrance and was sensible of the approaches of it For Francis I. decay'd insensibly in his Health and whither it were that his Physicians were ignorant of the true cause of his disease or whither they durst not discover it or whither they despair'd that His Majesty would submit to violent Remedies which could only correct the malignity of it they only put a stop in some measure to the outward effects which were most incommodious without ever going to the root of the Disease So that the King perceiving himself grow more unweildy every Day then other and loosing that vigour and Address which had formerly been the cause that he delighted with so much passion in the sports of Hunting and other laborious exercises liv'd a kind of morose Life of which the Dutchess was forc'd to bear all the inconveniencies at the same time that on the otherside she was afflicted and disturb'd to think what would become of her after the King's Death who in all probability could not be long Liv'd She was in some hopes of reassuming that place in her Husbands affection from whence jealousy had expel'd her in regard she was yet young and was the Mistress still of that same ravishing Beauty which had formerly charm'd him Nor was it unlikely but that compassion might overrule her Husbands Heart after the King's death had extinguish'd the cause of his jealousy by producing these effects therein which are expected from Love However it were Diana of Normandy's hatred seem'd to be much more formidable to her she was to be what she her self had been and it was to be presum'd that she would make use of all her credit to ruin her Enemy Diana was the Dauphin's Mistress as the Dutchess was the King's but there was no other resemblance between 'em either in their persons or their Wit The Dutchess was never more Beautiful then she was at that time nor had she lost any thing of that lustre which had caus'd her to be look'd upon by the most curious Eyes even by the Emperor himself as the most accomplish'd Beauty in Europe whereas the she-Seneschal had none of those Allurements which at one and twenty Years of Age had sav'd the Life of her Father Sr. Valier The Dutchess was not above thirty and the she Seneschal was suspected to be above threescore for she had caus'd her name to be torn out of the Register of the Christ'nings The Dutchess commanded naturally Diana of Poictiers by art and those different Empires were preserv'd by opposite means The Dutchess who fear'd not her being degraded till the King began to decay in his health stood less upon her guard and never laid any constraint upon her self when she spoke of Diana whereas the other conceal'd under feign'd demonstrations of respect and compliance the despite to see her self contemn'd and was in company when that terrible expression fell from the Dutchess's Lips that she was born the same Day that the Seneschal's Wife was marry'd Nevertheless she dissembled her resentment so long as the King was strong and lusty but she no sooner perceiv'd that His Majesty began to decline but she began to make the Dutchess sensible
Project it could not be kept so secret â—â—t that the persons concern'd had an inkling of it The first person who had notice of it was the Count of Buquoy Grand Master of the Ordinace in Flanders who carri'd the news to the Archduke and Spinola Immediately a Council was held wherein it was resolv'd that under some fair pretence the Princess should be invited to lodge in the Palace with the Archduke and the Infanta This was propos'd to the Prince of Conde without discovering the mistery to him withall they insinuated into him that in regard there was some unkindness between him and his Wife 't would be the best way to separate a while that he might have time to recover himself from his disgust To which the Prince consented without any scruple upon those assurances that the Archduke and the Infanta gave him not to part with her out of their Custody without his Consent Nor durst the Princess nor Coeuvres oppose it not having any manifest pretence to excuse themselves besides that hey were in hopes of executing their designs before the change of her lodging Nevertheless because they could not adjust all their Measures during the time that the Princess was to stay in the Prince of Orange's Palace therefore 't was thought convenient for the gaining of three or four days more that the Princess her self with whom he faign'd to be in Love should entreat Spinola to give her a Ball at his House the but crafty Genoese who smelt the design excus'd himself neatly However Coeuvres no ways discourag'd by this unlucky accident resolv'd to carry away the Princess upon Saturday night being the 13th of Feb. 1610. because she was to remove into the Palace the next day being Sunday She pretended she was ill for fear her Husband should lye with her which was a thing that very rarely happen'd and hinder from making her Escape The Archduke who was inform'd of every thing by Buquoy gave notice of it by Spinola to the Prince of Conde to whom they had never made any discovery till then for fear he should make a noise to no purpose and it was resolv'd that the Archduke should be requested to order the Prince of Orange's House to be guarded all the Night Conde was so alarum d at what Spinola had told him that not being able to keep the secret after he had taken sufficient care to disappoint the enterprize he brake out into frivolous complaints As for Coeuvres he deny'd every thing because he had as yet done nothing to convict him and because there was nothing more to be done he dispatch'd away a Courrier to the King for new Orders upon this unexpected Change The King perceiving that Artifice had nothing avail'd him resolv'd to make use of Force to get the Princess of Conde out of the hands of the Archduke and to declare War against the most Catholick King To which purpose he sounded James VI. who after the Death of Queen Elizabeth succeeded to the Crowns of England Ireland and Scotland and endeavour'd to oblige him to break with the Spaniards But he being already grown in years was unwilling to engage in a War of that consequence Upon which Hen. IV. made a League with the Duke of Savoy the Venetians and the States of the United Provinces who were most concern'd to humble the Pride of the House of Austria The Death of the Duke of Cleves upon which a difference arose between the Elector of Brandenbourgh and the Duke of Newburgh about the Succession furnish'd the Most Christian King with a specious pretence to take Armes and he began to send his Forces toward the Low Countries but the tragical end of that Prince disappointed all his vast designs For Hen. IV. going in his Coach to the Arsenal with the Dukes of Montbason and Epernon Ravaillac attempted to kill him as he went out of the Louvre but could not execute his design in that place because he found himself posted on that side where the Duke of Epernon sate The King moreover had not order'd his Guards to follow him as he was wont to do so that when his Coach enter'd into the Ironmongers Street and that his Footmen passâ—d through St. Innocents Church-yard by reason of a stop that hinder'd the Coachman from driving on the Ruffian had an opportunity to get upon the fore-wheel and give the King two Stabs with a broad Knife the first between the second and third Rib which was of little consequence the second between the fifth and sixth Rib which peirc'd his Lungs and cutt the veiny Artery near the left Valvule of the Heart which last wound prov'd Mortal Thus this great Monarch ended his days when he was about to have made all Europe Tremble The Intreagues of France under the Reign of Lewis XIII THE Amours of Lewis XIII afford but little matter because that if he cast a particular eye upon any Lady of the Court 't was rather a Pastime then any real Passion Nevertheless there were Intreagues wherein the Ladies bore a part which I shall endeavour to relate with as much conciseness and clearness as the Thing will give me leave The Duke of Buckingham a Favorite of Charles I. King of Great Britain was come to Paris to conduct Madam Henrietta of France whom his Master had marri'd into England but intruth to set up a Faction in the Kingdom which might prevent the King from putting his design against the Hereticks in execution To which purpose he thought it necessary to acquire some familiarity among the Lady's who had most Credit at Court as being perswaded that 't was a difficult thing for persons of their Sex to conceal the greatest secrecies from those who are once so happy as to have touch'd their Hearts The Daughter of the Duke of Montbason who after the death of the Constable de Luynes marry'd in second Wedlock to the Prince of Joyinville and who was then call'd the Duke of Chevreuse was she whom Buckingham deem'd the most proper to second his designs Her Beauty had purchas'd her an absolute power over all the great Lords of the Kingdom She had a most persuasive Eloquence a boundless Ambition and a wanton Humour which made her covet the Conquest of all those whom she thought worthy of particular distinction Buckingham who had a penetrating judgment quickly understood her Character and perceiv'd that the Grand Prior natural Son to Henry IV. and the Count of Chalais were the most assiduous to pay her homage and the two persons likewise for whom she had the greatest value but that she treated 'em with so much equality that they could not discover which way her heart most enclin'd Buckingham having insinuated himself into their confidence offer d 'em to make the Dutchess explain her self and tho a man would have thought a Confident so lovely as the Duke a very improper person to fulfill the Trust which they had repos'd in him yet they never suspected any thing because that being a
the Fidelity of her good Friend Maâ—â—moisâ—lle d' Enclos who thought it a stain to her Honour to have above one Lover at a time and tho she were not so lovely as Marâ—â—n de Lorme yet she had a much wit plai'd so delicately upon the Lute and was so sincere that many prefer'd her before her friend These happy talents induc d the Marquiss of Villarceaux who had always a good Relish and a true Judgment to league himself strictly with her Upon which the Marchioness grew so jealous that she never heard her name mention d but she fell into a passion This occasion'd a pleasant Story She had by the Marquiss a pretty young Lad to her Son who began to learn Latin and one day it came into her head to ask his Master whither the Boy were likely to be a Schollar The Master to satisfie her curiosity bid him decline Ninus in his Mothers hearing The Boy began Ninus Nini Nino and at length he came to Ninum But then the Mother knitting her brows told the Master he was an Impudent Fellow to teach her Son the name of such a Punk 'T was in vain for the poor man to protest that he never thought of Ninon and that he never knew her the Mother in her fury would hear of none of his excuses but drove him out of the Rome with great indignation and disdain Whether this be true or no I know not but I had the story from the Abbot of Bois-Robert Toward the end of Lewis the Thirteenth's Raign there appear d a certain Prince by the name of Zagachirst who said he was one of the Kings of Ethiopia he had an excellent Talent at Courtship and made a world of Conquests in Paris Madam Saulnier was so violently in love with him that she gave him all she could wrap and rend out of her House-keeping Which was a very great accommodation to that Prince whose Subjects were not very exact in supplying him with Bills of Exchange Monsieur Saulnier who was a Counseller in Parliament could not brook the duration of this Intreague which dishonour'd him and was a very great disturbance to his Affairs he put in an Information against him for debaushing his Wife and obtain'd a Capias utlegatum against Zagachrist who was carrid Prisoner to the Chastelet The Lieutenant Criminal Tardieu drew up the Inditment against him and when he askt him any question observ'd all the Decorum that was due to the Majesty of his Character the Party accus'd being always sitting and cover'd while the Judge stood up and with his hat off However the Abyssiman Monarch dy'd in Prison nor did his Subjects ever send any splendid Embassy to demand his Carkass since they could not have his Person Intreagues of the Court of France under the Raign of Lewis the XIV till the Death of Cardinal Mazarin year 1643 IN regard the present King was but five years of Age when he came to the Crown the Regency was granted to Ann of Austria his Mother and the Lieutenancy General of the Kingdom to Gaston of Orleance his Uncle The Queen made choice of Cardinal Mazarin for her Prime Minister as having manag'd several successful Negotiations for her in Italy and fit for the Employment But the Duke of Beaufert in whom the Queen put a great Confidence while she was the Object of Richlieu's Persecutions lookt upon her choice with an envious eye because he was in hopes of governing the Queen during the Regency or perhaps for other reasons which his enemies attributed to him The Queen who endeavour'd to prevent division did all she could to soder disunited minds and to oblige the Grandees of the Kingdom to live in friendly manner with the Cardinal For there were then no less then three Factions at Courâ— Monsieurs who was govern'd by the Abbot 〈…〉 Riviere that of the Princes of the House of Bourbon which comprehended Lewis Prince of Conde the Prince of Conti and the Duke of Longueville who but a little before had married their Sister Mademoiselle de Bourbon The third was compos'd of the House of Vendosme and the Lorrain Princes who were alii d to the Duke of Vendosme the Duke d' Elbeauf being his Brother-in-Law The Ladies govern'd these Caballs the Prince of Conde being engag'd with Madam de Coligni afterwards Dutchess of Chastillon Sister to the Marquiss of Bouteville which had hinder'd the Prince from chastizing the presumption of Coligni her Husband for making his addresses to Madam de Longueville Coligni who was proper and goodly had expell'd the Duke of Beaufort from her Heart and she had rudely broken off with him tho she had written very tender Letters to him but a little before The Duke therefore to make himself amends for the infidelity of Madam de Longueville intreagu'd himself with the Dutchess of Mombason Daughter of the Countess of Vertus who might well be thought the greatest Beauty of France and sacrific'd to her the Letters of the Dutchess of Longueville This was the posture of the Court of France when all the Exiles were recall'd The Duke of Epernon return'd out of England the Counts of Montresor Fonterailles and Aubijous being assur'd of the Duke of Orleance's protection began to shew themselves publickly Mesdames de Senelay and Hautefort were restored to their places and the Duke of Guise who had quitted Brussells came to pay his vows to Madam de Monbason The Dutchess of Cheuvreuse who was one of the Gang at the same time appear'd at the Louvre but was coldly receiv'd by the Queen and commanded to withdraw to Dampierre not that she had any real design to banish her but she would have her be beholding to the Cardinal for her being restor'd into Favour that she might be oblig d to live amicably with him In short he went to see her the next day and gave her five and twenty thousand Crowns and made her great offers of his Service Immediately the Dutchess put him upon the proof of his sincerity by demanding two very important things of him The one that he should satisfie the Duke of Vendome for his pretentions to the Government of Bretagne in reference to which he had as yet been only fed with words and the next was that the Duke of Epernon should be restor d to his Emploment of Collonel of Foot and his Government of Guinne The Cardinal carri'd himself in both very obligingly and offer'd the Duke of Vendome the Admiralty in lieu of his Government The Duke of Epernon was restor'd to all his Honours and nothing was omitted to get the Government of Guienne out of the Count de Harcourt's hands Madam de Cheuvreuse after she had obtain'd these two Favours demanded a third which the Cardinal at first was very unwilling to grant but at length he gave his consent This was that he would confer the Government of Havre de Grace upon the Prince of Marsillac whom she had a desire to engage effectually in her Interests After two
the Appartment which Bouteville had hird and furnish'd for her Their first enterview was very tender and passionate and at night they parted very well satisfi'd the one with the other But when she was a bed she was astonish'd to hear the door open and an unknown person come into her Chamber She ask'd him what he would have but he went out again without answering so much as one word presently she call'd her Maids but they could give her no account of this adventure But the next morning she was inform'd that the Chamber where she lodg'd had been hird by an Italian Fencing Master who had a pretty woman to his Wife of whom he was jeaous that being to ride a little way out of Town he had carri'd the Key along with him thinking to surprize his Wife at his return and discover whither she had not some peculiar favourite besides himself Thereupon not knowing that his Wife was remov'd he open'd the Door softly with his Key but was in so great amaze to see the Chamber so richly furnish'd and to hear a strange voice speak to him that he made all the hast he could out again Madam de Pons told Bouteville the Story who came in a short time after and the Fencing Masters jealousie prov'd the subject of their merriment for several days together At the beginning of Autumn Madam de Pons went to the Spa where she saw the Rhine-Grave and gain'd a new Conquest He carri'd her home to his Palace after she had been drinking the Waters and there she contracted a most intimate friendship with her admirers Wife who was no less innocent then beautiful and reported up and down that she was highly oblig'd to Mademoiselle de Pons who had infus'd good humours into her Husband but there were some that were careful to disabuse her so that Madam de Pons dreading the effects of that Ladies jealousie return'd to the Hague where she heard that Malecorne lay dangerously sick which oblig'd her to return into France 1656. She came to Charleviâ—le where the King s Lieutennant who commanded in the absence of the Duke of Noitmoutier who was Governour receiv'd her after a most obliging manner and fell so passionately in Love with her that he offer d to deliver up Charleville and Mount Olympus into the hands of the Spaniards if by that means she could procure to her self a considerable Establishment at Brussels but she refus d his Offers Malicorne who had by this time recover'd his Health came to see her Charleville and after he had stay'd with her some few days return'd to Paris to prepare a Lodging for her where she might remain Incognito till she could reconcile herself to the Court. At his departure she gave him a Letter directed to Mademoiselle Le Fevre which he made use of by adding some lines in a counterfieited hand to get out of her hands the little Box wherein were all the Letters from all the Lovers of his unfaithful Mistress by which he understood her complacency for the Marshalls d' Aumont and d' Albret during their Intreagues and deeming her unworthy of a real Passion he resolv'd to forsake her utterly broke off with her and never saw her more As for the Duke of Guise he Intreagu'd himself with Mademoiselle de Gorce who was not of so illustrous a Family but who lov'd him more cordially and faithfully so that after his death she retir'd into the Convent of Carmelites where at length she took the Habit upon her 1656. The same Year the Queen of Sweden arriv'd in France the King sending the Duke of Guise to meet and receive her upon the Frontiers Love had oblig'd that Princess to quit her Crown for she was in Love with Count Magnus de la Gardia and because he refus d to Raign with her nor could find in his heart to love her because he had devoted all his Inclinations to the Sister of Charles Prince Palatine the Father of the present King after she had made use of all her address to procure the consent of the States of the Kingdom she resign'd her Scepter and the Throne of Sweden to the Prince Palatine upon condition that he should marry his Sister to the Count du la Gardia This Queen was perfectly learned in all the Sciences spoke the greatest part of the Languages of Europe and with as much ease as she did the Swedish Tongue Now in regard she had a great Reputation among all the European Nations she strove to conceal the real Motive of her Abdication and would have People believe that Religion was the pretence She had been bred up in the Lutheran and was desirous to embrace the Roman-Catholick-Faith To which purpose she came into France and took into her Service none but Foreign Officers and Roman-Catholicks Among the rest she made the Marquiss de Monaldeschi descended from a very mean Family in Italy her Squire and did him the Honour wholly to confide in him After she had spent the remainder of the Year at Paris she remov'd to Fontain Bleau at the beginning of the next where she discover'd that Monaldeschi from whom she had had complacencies a little too familiar for a Princess to have with one of her Officers had boasted of 'em to the disadvantage of her Reputation She had also intercepted Letters which he wrote to his Friends in Italy for which she first upbraided him with his Ingratitude but seeing that he obstinately persever'd in denying his Crime she convicted him by the Testimony of witnesses that were not to be contradicted and then deliver'd him to three of her Officers who killd him in the Stagâ—-Gallery after she was withdrawn Nor did the Marquiss dye like a Roman but like a Modern Italian that is to say like a Coward not making so much as one struggle to defend his Life nor striving otherwise to save it but by imploring the Queen's Pardon which he beg'd the Priests that confess'd him and the Queen's Almoner who came into the Gallery at the time they were just preparing for the fatal stroak to sue for The King was highly offended at this act of Violence and sent to the Queen of Sweden to let her understand that she would have done more prudently to have addrest herself to him and to have demanded Justice against the Marquiss since she had no Priviledg to exercise any Soveraign Authority within his Dominions The Queen thus reprimanded made but little stay in France but went to Rome where she was kindly receiv d by Innocent X. and took into her Service a French-man whose name was Alibert the Son of one of the deceased Duke of Orleance's Super-intendents She continud at Rome till her death and kept a very modish Court the Roman Ladys that came to visit her relaxing in respect to her Grandeur much of that severity which is usually practis'd in Italy Before I finish these Memoirs I think my self oblig'd to give some account in this place of an Intreague
procur'd great Preferments and advantages to those for whom she had a kindness Madam de Montespan who saw that no body could be ignorant any longer of the Kings extream Affection for his new Mistress became so highly exasperated that she began to rail against it openly which very much offended the King Some time after Madenâ—oiselle de Fontange was brought to bed but her Lying-in prov'd mortal to her She fell into such a Consumption that they who knew her before hardly knew her when they saw her which was still attended with such a Flux of Blood that every body gave her over for lost All people believ'd her to have been Poyson'd and all people accus'd Montespan So far were all the Remedy's from doing her good that her languishment continu'd every day The King Visited her duly and manifested after a most tender manner the excess of his Grief to see her reduc'd to that condition But in regard she knew there was no cure for her Distemper she besought the King that she might retire from the Court adding with tears in her Eyes that she had nothing more to do in this world but to prepare herself for Death The King who was sensibly touch'd and disorder'd by his being present with her in her affliction granted her Request Thereupon she retir'd into a Convent in St. James's Subburbs where the Duke of Fueillade went to Visit her from the King two or three times a Week But in a little time after she dyd leaving after her death more visible marks of her being Poyson'd then were to be discover'd during her sickness by the report of the Physâ—tians The King's Grief was so extream that he could not refrain from shewing it and certain it is that he had taken his revenge upon Madam de Montespan after a more then ordinary manner had he not had prevailing Reasons to dissemble his Resentment For he was fully convinc'd that Madam de Fontange had been sacrific'd to the Jealousie and despair of that Ambitious Woman who had flatter'd herself that she should still enjoy the King's Affection In the mean time to let the world see that he was really sorry for the loss of Fontange and that the Esteem and Tenderness he had for her was not extinguish'd by her Death he gave a rich Abby to one of her Brothers marry'd one of her Sisters to great advantage and did an infinite number of other things in favour of her Family which did not a little mortifie Madam de Montespan who imagin'd that she being deliver'd from her Rivaless the King might take a new Fancy to her But she deceiv'd herself The King never went to see her but upon a Politick Accompt and resolv'd for the future to renounce all manner of Amorous Intreagues A little time after Madam Fontange's death Mademoiselle de Monpensâ—â—r who was still in love with the Court of Lansan threw herself at the Kingâ—s feet and obtain'd her Lover's Liberty after ten Years Imprisonment 'T would be a hard matter to express the joy of that Princess when the understood from the King 's own Mouth that Lansan was at Liberty nor the Extasies she was in when he arriv'd at Paris However he did not lodge in her House tho' he were permitted to go when he pleas'd to see her So that he was wich her from Morning till Night This Familiarity continu'd for some Month's and Madam de Montpensier was so charm'd with him that she settl'd upon him two considerable Lordships with the King's consent Nor could Lausun be more assiduous then he was in waiting upon her But in regard he lov'd that Princess in hopes of espousing her when he found it impossible for him to marry her because the King had positively declar'd against it he took a distast against his Mistress and he took himself to a Lady that wanted neither Youth nor Beauty and whom he found to be nothing flinty hearted Mademoiselle de Montpensier was not long before she found that Lausun was unfaithful to her Presently therefore she set Spies upon him in the Country and was soon inform'd that he frequently Visited a Young Widow with whom several Persons of Quality in Paris were deeply in Love She complain'd to him of his Insidelity nor did Lausun altogether disown it and whereas Mademoiselle upbraided him that tho' a Princess she had debas'd herself to a willingness to make him her Husband he vow'd to her after he had begg'd her a thousand Pardons that he would never see the Lady more and he was as good as his wordâ— for for five or six Weeks he was her most diligent Servant But one Evening as he was walking alone in one of the Allies of Luxembâ—â—gh Garden while Mademoiselle was in another talking about some affaires with a Minister a Lacquiey without a Livery deliver'd him a Billet wherein he was desir'd in the name of a Lady of great Quality to meet her the next day at eleven a Clock in such a Church Monsieur de Lausun fail'd not to meet and the Lacquey who waited for him at the Church door carry'd him to a House that was not unknown to him Presently he understood the Mistery The Lady receiv'd him blushing but immediatly recovering herself she told him that being endow d with such extraordinary Qualities he ought no to wonder that others made the first advances and that she should esteem her self happy if she had not been so forward in vain The Lady had so much wit and so many Charms that M. de Lausun who never dreamt of such good Fortune stood like one in a Trance But being recover'd from his surprize he spoke as the Lady desir'd and swore a thousand Oaths that he had been enchanted with her Person above six Weeks together but that the profound respect he had for all Persons of her Sex and for those especially that held that Rank in the world as she did had kept him from declaring his Passion Some days after Lausun gave the Lady a Visit But Mademoiselle who was become extreamly jealous and watch'd him where ever he 〈◊〉 had presently discover'd this new Intreague which he must renounce or else there was no longer Peace with Her It may be said that Lausun was got clear of one dreadful Prison to be confin'd to another mo less loathsome for in short he had no longer any kindness for Mademoiselle but there was a necessity for him to live in torment upon more then one account He was at his wits end with his unhappy rate However he was resolv'd to torment himself and to ingage himself no more in Amorous Intreagues This Resolution lasted for some Weeks and Mademoiselle was proud of her self that she had fix'd him at length Never had he appear'd so full of Passion nor so affectionate to her The Princess never stept a step but Lausun follow'd her He was with her at her uprising and he never parted from her till Midnight and he shew'd her so many testimonies of his