it then unsafe to trust that Prince but Madam de Giack came in purposely to dissipate all his apprehensions She gave him to understand that he would be accountable for all the Evils that might happen to France if upon idle apprehensions he refused an Interview which would be of great advantage to the publick and that in fine he did wrong to distrust the Dolphins word who being reconciled to him in good earnest might probably break off again when he percieved that he had to do with a Jealous and diffident Prince These words wrought more upon him than all the Counsels that his friends gave him to shun the Resentment of that Prince He sent him a Courier by whom he gave him advice that he would not fail to come to Montereau-faut-yonne the day prefixed in effect it was his destiny which he could not avoid and with some Guards he took his Journey but it was sadly fatal to him for he was killed by some of the Dolphins Servants just as he alighted to Salute that Prince who waited for him on thc Bridge All France was surprised at the death of the Duke of Burgundy for which the Dolphin was generally blamed by all and by the great disturbances that upon that occasion happened shortly after he well percieved how dear it cost him for having followed so bad Counsels Madam de Giack was ravished to hear that her revenge had so well succeeded but Unfortunate Tudor who foresaw the consequences of that accident was no sooner informed of it but that it struck him to the Heart he had not left the Duke of Burgundy untill he went to Montereau and he took that time to go see the Princess to whom he had written twice without receiving any answer He could not Imagine the reason of that silence and desiring to know the cause of it he went to her Apartment so soon as he came to Troyes where the Court was then He found the Princess alone in her Closet and expected his usual Reception when Catharine looking fiercely on him with eyes that darted out the anger that she was in Begone Traitour said she and go take your advantage of the death of the Duke of Burgundy He will no more now interrupt your Amorous engagements and I am much afraid that the hinderance he gave to your pleasures has cost him his Life It is impossible to express the effect that these words had on the Soul of Unfortunate Tudor He was long without knowing where he was or what was become of him but coming a little to himself again he desired to know of the Princess what she had to lay to his charge but she gave him no time to ask the question for rising from her Couch Once more begone said she and know that I will reason the Case no more with you At the instant she opened the Door and that passionate Lover seeing himself thus banished by his Mistress was obliged to obey her without being able to perswade her to hear one word for his Justification The truth is the sad condition that he was in spoke enough to have convinced the Princess of his Innocence had she not been prepossessed with an Opinion of his Infidelity but she had by her that which was enough to overcome all the Scruples that she might have had on that matter and on a time when she was a little too much urged by him she pulled out of her Pocket the fatal Letter that we have spoken of and casting her Eyes upon it All this said she is written to my sincere Lover and at the same time that he gives me the greatest Protestations of kindness he endeavours to perswade another that all his Carriage with me is but a design of Policy No no Traitour you shall deceive me no more and least I may be again surprised by your Artifices I know I should distrust my own weakness and that the surest way to Guard against it is to break off all farther commerce with thee Whilst the Princess persisted in such like Discourses and Tudor gave way to despair Philip Duke of Burgundy who succeeded his Father contrived a terrible revenge against the Dolphin He called together all that he thought favoured him and having taken Counsel of the most judicious he sent one of his confidents to the King of England to negotiate the League with him which put France within a Fingers breadth of utter ruin Most of the Grandees sided that way and were the more easily inclined to it in that the Duke made use of the Kings name to authorise his actions The truth is he disposed of that Prince according to his pleasure and made it very well appear by what he undertook and accomplished sometime after For he not only concluded the Marriage of Henry with Catharine but was likewise the cause that the King declared the Dolphin incapable of succeeding to the Crown and to compleat the Dukes revenge that King banished his own Son by a Decree of Parliament and acknowledged the King of England for his lawful Heir After these astonishing and furious proceedings Henry came to Troyes where the Court was he took upon him the Government made sure of Paris and the chief Cities of the Kingdom and afterward prepared for the Marriage of the Princess who procured him so much grandure Tudor sometime before was advertised by the Duke of Burgundy of all that passed and knowing how little power he had to hinder it he desired to be comprehended in the Treatie and seeing as he lost the hopes of his Love he set no value upon all the advantages of Fortune he chose rather to remit his pretensions than to see himself obliged to leave those places where he might still hope to enjoy the sight of his Lovely Princess He led as sorrowful a Life as can be imagined but when he himself was a witness of the Marriage of Henry and Catharine at Troyes no despair was like to his and all that I can say of it would be far short of the severity of his sufferings He was almost dead for grief and he had never out-lived his affliction if it were not evident by daily experience that the greatest Crosses have indeed power enough to over-burthen us but seldome the force to end our days In the mean time Catharine was in as bad a Condition as Tudor and though she was haughty enough to Curb the Sentiments that she still entertained for him yet she could not look upon him when they met without speaking many things in his favour Yea and sometimes she thought that she had done amiss in judging him guilty and to her it seemed that the Melancholy he was in since the time that she had used him so ill might serve far more to justifie him than the Letter we have spoken of was able to condemn him But she was much more confirmed in her thoughts when she saw that that Prince continued no more commerce with Madam de Giack and that so far
left him that he might go to the Dolphin and having found him in the same disposition that he had left the Duke of Burgundy in he made them Friends in appearance and retarded for some time at least his own misfortune The reconciliation of these two Princes put France in some hopes again Yet it hindered not but that the two Kings upon a cessation of Arms attended by the chief of their Court met in the Park of Meulan where they resolved to have a conference for facilitating the peace The Queen followed after and carried the Princess with her The English beheld her with admiration and there were but few of them that found not by experience how dangerous it is too narrowly to consider an amiable person But amongst all those who admired her Beauty no man was certainly more sensibly smitten than the Duke of Glocester that Prince who was Brother to the King of England and by his Rank and Quality at Court had the greatest share in the management of Affairs no sooner viewed Catharine but was charmed by her perfections He resolved at first to acquaint her with the Sentiments he entertained for her and seeing the marriage of the Princess was to be one of the first Articles of the Treaty then in agitation he thought he had no time to lose in taking a good resolution And therefore having rendred a visit to the Queen he discoursed with Catharine in a place where their conversation could not be overheard It is so hard Madam said he to her to see you and not to feel some particular emotion that I think I shall not much surprise you when I tell you that you have before you a Prince who is absolutely at your disposal It is not added he by the multitude of words that I pretend to make good what I say my actions shall far better make known to you my Sentiments than all the discourses that I can make Consider only Madam wherein you think fit to employ me and believe that I have so much authority in the Conference that is held to day as to sway matters to what side I shall incline The Princess was surprised at that Compliment and having expected no such thing nor well understood the meaning of it she was for some time put to a plunge what answer to make to the Duke But having at length paused upon it a little Really Prince said she you are the most obliging person alive It is seldom found that enemies offer to turn their arms against themselves however you run no Risk on this occasion I am none of those that will to your cost make advantage of your civilities and study the interest of my Country by an action which would somewhat diminish your glory I perceive Madam answered the Duke that I have not expressed my self so as to be understood It is not in favour of the King your Father that I have offered you my Services in this place and I am less concerned for the Interests of my Princes Crown than for those of his heart It is needless I think to explain my self more clearly consult about that which may affect yours and if the designs which Henry hath on your person have nothing in them that can flatter you I make no difficulty Madam to tell you I know how to satisfie you and a Prince who would give his life to contribute in the least to your content will not find great difficulty to divert the blow which may render you unhappy I am still more obliged to you than I thought replied the Princess since you confine to me alone the Sentiments which I extended to others But in fine Prince though my inclinations were contrary to the Alliance that is in agitation to day you know that it would be undecent for me to discover them and that a Princess of my quality ought with pleasure sacrifice her self to the publick good Have a care Madam of being mistaken replyed the Prince and embrace not the shadow of virtue for virtue it self I know very well added he that when one hath once made a choice all pains are to be endured rather than to give any mark of repentance but the case is not a like in a matter that is not as yet concluded and untill it be finally ended we may forbear such things as would cost us the repose of our Life if we did them contrary to our inclination There is nothing Sir an-answered Catharine which is inconsistent with the inclination of a Princess and the hearts of Persons of that quality should be of the nature of Wax whereon Princes may stamp all that they judge advantageous for the grandure of their Crowns These are indeed brave Sentiments Madam replied the Duke of Glocester but Destiny sometimes opposes so great generosity and seeing it inspires into us Love and Aversion according as it pleases we find often in our selves hatred for that which is appointed for us and have often also an inclination for the thing we are denied It were far better Madam added he to render your self Mistress of your own fortune and without seeming to affect any thing in particular as you may do to day to make use of the assistance that is offered you that you may perhaps thereby prevent your own misfortune How Prince replied Catharine have I nothing but appearances to answer for and can a Princess be satisfied with her self when she can upbraid her self with such an escape In fine Madam answered the Duke I see you are not to be convinced by my reasons and that it is as easie for you to overcome me in conversation as it was to triumph on my heart but consider a little what I have said to you and think not that so small a matter from which you are to expect all the happiness or misery of your Life As he made an end of these words he rose and having made a low reverence retired to the Camp and left Catharine in a musing fit into which the discourse of that Prince had cast her She bethought her self what it might be that could make him speak in that manner and making no doubt but that it was some small esteem that he had for her She found her self in great perplexity what course to take in that conjuncture For on the one hand she would not have been vexed if there had been no progress made in the Conference and on the other she would have been glad to have had no obligation to the Duke and not to have been exposed to a complaisance which he would certainly have expected from her if he had once found himself in a condition of doing her service She would not trust her own Judgment as to the resolution which she ought to take concerning that but writ an account to Tudor who was obliged to stay at Paris of the conference she had had with the Duke Though that Lover had ground to praise the carriage of Catharine yet he could not forbear at
the fame mutual affection for one another without proceeding farther and that I should by that means preserve one who is dear unto me and not expose him to the destiny wherewith he is threatned by my embraces Ah! Madam replied the Prince if any of the two ought to tremble it should only be Tudor and he it is that must die but he sets no such value on Life as to refuse to give it if it be by that Sacrifice alone that he can deserve so great a Blessing as that which you have promised him and I should not pay enough for that I prise though I should end my days an hour after that you had given me real proofs of your kindness Ah! Tudor answered the Queen put me not in mind that I am to lose you that is a thing that represents it self so cruelly to me that I cannot but at present feel the sensible effects of it and can one be separated from what they Love and survive their grief Have you still these thoughts Madam and do you believe the predictions of Pavini replied Tudor Do you not remember that you are not to be the least troubled at my death I am not so unjust to my Princess as to believe it and considering the goodness she has been pleased to testifie to me I am perswaded on the contrary that her Fate would depend on mine and that if she should not die by the same blow that sent me to my grave she would at least lye under so great affliction and sorrow that such a Life as she would afterward lead should be reckoned a real death You do me right Tudor answered the Queen and what you have now said to me fully confirms me No Pavini is Dim-sighted as to the future and the Prince of Wales cannot meet with the least misfortune but that I shall resent it as bitterly as he Let us compleat what Destiny intends for us and let us endeavour to render our Fortune happy by preventing those things which may replunge us into Crosses such as those that we have lately past Whilst the Queen was so well disposed for Tudor Fortune prepared new impediments to their Love The Duke of Glocester who was still taken up in the Wars since the conference at Meulan was chosen for the Command and Government of Affairs in England during the minority of Henry the Sixth his Nephew who was but as yet an Infant in the Cradle That Prince accepted the Commission with Joy and the more willingly inclined to the Journey in that he retained still for the Queen the same Sentiments that he felt at first sight of her In effect he no sooner saw her again but that his flames were powerfully revived in his Breast She seemed more beautiful to him than all that ever he had seen and seeing his quality of Regent obliged him to speak frequently with her these many Conversations made him quickly passionately in Love He prevented that Princess in granting all that he thought she might desire and became in a word so civil and obliging that it was very hard not to entertain an esteem for him Nevertheless the Queen was so far from being pleased with that complaisance that she was much troubled at it so soon as she discovered the cause and she observed such a Conduct with him that she always endeavoured to avoid the occasions which he sought to discourse to her of his Love But all that Circumspection was unprofitable and on a day when they had had a conference concerning some matters of State wherein the Queen told the Duke that he had very well discharged his duty You give me said he Madam praises which are not due to me and I have contributed far less than you to the success of what I have told you The Queen not knowing what to make of that How Prince replied she unfold to me that Riddle and what hand can I have had in a matter whereof I did not so much as know That hindered not Madam answered the Duke but that you wished that it might succeed as it did and it was enough for the Duke of Glocester knowing your intentions fully to comply with them I am much obliged to you replied the Queen but I shall refer all that if you please to the Zeal which you have for the Service of the King and I shall like it as well You are in the wrong Madam answered the Duke not to take it as done for your sake alone and you should believe that Love will be always more powerful in my Heart than all the Sentiments of Nature and Duty I am forced to tell you continued he that I am nothing changed from what you saw me at Meulan But be not alarmed at this Madam I have no thoughts that may give you cause of complaint and I know very well that that which hath happened since my fatal departure hinders me from having any thing to pretend to more However I Love you not with less Sincerity than if I had ground to believe that you would one day render me happy Pitie so wretched a Lover Madam who though his Passion be so violent yet is still so respectful as to conceive nothing contrary to the virtue of a Princess whom I shall adore with such Sentiments as long as I live These words gave the Queen some comfort and having considered a little what answer she should give him she at length in this manner broke her silence You ought not to doubt Sir but that the knowledg you give me of your passion causes me much trouble and you oblige me to have so great an esteem for you that I cannot forbear to wish you a better Fortune than that to which you expose your self Consider what it is to Love without hope and I am assured that if you reflect upon it as you ought you will ease your self of a great many troubles that you are about to create both to your self and me if you persist in that unhappy passion I am not now Madam replied the Duke to make that reflection I have used all arguments with my self to overcome my own weakness But to be short it is too hard for me and after a Thousand attempts all that I can gain upon my self is to admire you as a Lover full of tender affection and to speak to you as a man who is hindered by sacred ties to tell you all he thinks Believe it Madam I can reconcile most respectful words with most languishing looks and nothing but my Eyes shall ever testifie to my Princess that the Unfortunate Duke of Glocester is born to love her with extream Passion Ah! Prince answered the Queen banish those Sentiments which abuse you and do you not percieve that you already begin a discourse contrary to the resolution you have taken and that you declare your Love at the same time you promise me never to speak more of it I had not been aware of it Madam replied the Duke if you
always to decieve a Lover and a Lover that is Unfortunate the Duke began to suspect that Tudor had a greater share than he in the favours of the Queen and though that Prince knew nothing but what his suspicions made him conjecture yet he grew fearfully Jealous He never met Tudor but that he beheld him with threatning looks and at length he observed so few measures in his Resentment that our Lovers easily percieving it redoubled their Circumspection to conceal their Marriage But Fortune which delights in Inconstancy was weary of showring her Favours on them and resolved to make them feel her cruelty after that she had Crowned them with her kindness The Duke of Glocester entertained many spies in the Countrey and these Blades who observed all things with great care could not hitherto find any thing that might confirm their Master in his thoughts Sometimes he upbraided them with Carelesness sometimes with Treachery and that they conspired with the Queen to deceive him In the mean time all these Reproaches being unprofitable he resolved to set to Work himself and laboured to corrupt the Loyalty of those whom he knew to be most Privie to the Secrets of the Queen But he found them all so firm to their duty that he began to lose hopes of succeeding in his designs when Fate alone in a Trice compleated that which the Duke could not perform with the Assistance of all whom he had employed The Queen made use of one of the Chamberlains of her House to send her Letters by to Tudor she had intrusted him to carry one to him and that faithful Servant who was glad punctually to discharge what he was ordered to do by the Queen waited till Night that he might go securely to the House of Tudor and so soon as it grew Duskish he took his Journey that he might perform his Message He was not far from the House when he found himself set upon by Six Robbers He defended himself as well as he could but the Foot-man that was with him having forsaken him he received suddenly several wounds which made him fall dead upon the place In the mean time that murther was committed with much Rumour and the Lackey who fled called together a great many for his Masters Assistance with whom he came back but too late for the Murtherers had already saved themselves Some went in pursuit of them and the rest carried the Body of the Gentleman into the next House where making an Inventory according to the good Custome of some of all that the dead Man had about him they found there the Letter which he carried to Tudor They presently knew the Queens Signet and seeing the Letter had no address and that they doubted not but that it was of consequence The Constable took the charge of it and went instantly with it to the Regent to whom he told what had happened The Duke presently dismissed him and having looked upon that Letter Three or Four times without daring to open it at length he broke it up and found these words in it THE QUEENS LETTER TO TUDOR ALL that can be done is done to discover if I love you and there is nothing omitted to draw from my Servants a Confession of what they might know of our Secrets but they have not falsified the Opinion that I had of their fidelity and our Jealous observer shall keep watch long in vain if I mistake not At present I find some abatement of my fears come as soon as you can my Dear and make your advantage of the Serenity we now enjoy and I shall give my Dear Tudor proofs that I Love him more than my self THe Duke grew stark staring mad upon reading of that Letter he was sometime before he would resolve what to do but at length having uttered great threats against these two Unfortunate Lovers he resolved to shew them what a slight was able to produce in the Breast of a Man prepossessed with a strong passion He imagined every thing that might animate him to revenge and when he found that some remains of Affection put a stop to his rage Is it for that infamous Princess then that thou dost solicite me and art thou still so base as to be willing to observe measures with one who not content to put me into despair stains likewise the honour of the Royal Family by a shamefull Commerce which she holds with a Prince so far beneath her Ah! too happy Tudor cried he immediately afterward thy death must expiate the Crimes that thou committest against the Memory of thy Prince and the Duke of Glocester shall revenge him at the same time that he resents the Indignity that you offer to his Love He was at least an hour in making such useless complaints and thinking that he would receive great ease if he might utter in the Queens presence what he had been saying all alone he went to her appartment The Queen was surprised to see him at that time but she had far greater reason to be so when that Prince after a terrible look I am not at all amazed Madam said he to her at the trouble I put you in when one expects to see a Lover and finds a furious man one has reason to change colour but I shall be exceedingly changed my self if I produce not shortly more surprising revolutions and I hope that the deceitful Eyes which I behold shall shortly weep for the same things that have hitherto made them laugh What do you mean Prince replied the Queen half angry at that discourse and half shaking for fear I mean Madam answered the Duke that to see you one would never have believed that you could Joyn such modest looks with so bad and Irregular a Conduct But I know your secret practices and it is no time to dissemble when I have so good proofs to confound you Here is the thing continued he showing her the Letter that we have mentioned that will put you out of your measures and ought you not to blush at these shameless words whereby you express your passion If the Queen was astonished at the Dukes discourse ye may Judge what case she was in when she saw her Letter in his hand She stood sometime speechless but finding that it was no longer time to dissemble By what means Prince said she have you come by my Letter I see not what right you have to censure my actions and may not I write to my Husband what I think good but that the Duke of Glocester must find fault with it Tudor your Husband Madam said the Duke immediately interrupting her Yes Prince replied the Queen Tudor is my Husband and I would have you know besides that I have Three Children by him These words almost killed the Duke with despair and renewing his discourse after he had made some reflexion on what the Queen had told him A Queen of England said he Daughter of a King of France has Married Tudor and has Three Children