Court as she had us'd She had a sight of Monsieur de Nemours at the Queen-Dauphins she had a sight of him at Monsieur de Cleve's where he frequently came with other Persons of Quality of his age that no notice might be taken of it but where-ever she saw him it gave her trouble and put her into some disorder which he easily perceiv'd As careful as she was to shun his looks and speak less to him than any other she could not prevent some sudden escapes of her passion that gave Monsieur de Nemours cause to believe she had more than indifferent inclination for him A Man perhaps less discerning than he could not have perceiv'd it but he had been already so often belov'd it was easie for him to know when one lov'd him He knew the Chevalier de Guise was his Rival and the Chevalier de Guise as clearly saw Monsieur de Nemours was his Not one of the whole Court but the Chevalier de Guise had made the discovery his interest render'd him more clear-sighted than the rest The knowledge they had of one anothers designs made them cross one another in all things and they could not forbear expressing their spight on every occasion though it broke not out into open enmity At the Runnings at the Ring at Combats at the Barrier and all Divertisements the King call'd them to they were always of different Parties and their emulation was so great it could not be hid Madam de Cleve could not forbear thinking frequently of the Affair with England she believ'd Monsieur de Nemours would not resist the King's Advice and the Instances of Lignerolles it troubled her to see Lignerolles was not yet return'd and she expected him every hour with the greatest impatience Her inclinations sway'd her strongly to inform her self exactly of the state of that Affair but the same thought that rais'd her Curiosity immediately suggested to her she was oblig'd to conceal it and she enquir'd only of the Beauty the Wit and Humour of Queen Elizabeth The King had one of her Pictures brought him Madam de Cleve thought it far handsomer than she hop'd to have found it and she could not forbear saying the Picture-drawer had flatter'd the Queen in drawing her so beautiful I do not think so says the Queen-Dauphin that Princess is reputed extraordinary handsome and witty and I am sure she hath been propos'd to me for an Example all my Life she must be very lovely if like Anne Bullen her Mother Never had a Lady so charming a Person or so bewitching a sweetness and lovliness in her humour I have heard say she had a singular sprightliness in her Countenance and not like the common English Beauties I think says Madam Cleve I have been told she was born in France They that fancy so are mistaken replys the Queen-Dauphin and I will tell you the Story of her in a very few words She was of a good Family in England Henry the 8th had been in love with her Mother and Sister and it was suspected she might be his Daughter She came into France with Henry the 7th's Sister who was marry'd to King Lewis the 12th This Princess being youthful and gallant was loth to leave the Court of France at the death of her Husband Anne Bullen whose love for the French Court was equal to her Mistresses resolv'd not to quit it The late King fell in love with her and she was made Maid of Honour to Queen Claudia This Queen dying the Lady Margaret the King's Sister Duchess of Alanson and since Queen of Navarr took her into her Service where she receiv'd some Tincture of the reformed Religion Afterwards she return'd into England and charm'd all that saw her she sung well and danc'd excellently They made her one of Queen Katherine's Maids of Honour and Henry the 8th fell desperately in love with her Cardinal Wolsey his Favourite and prime Minister was ill satisfi'd with the Emperour for not having favour'd his pretensions to the Papacy and to be reveng'd of him resolv'd to unite the King his Master to the French To effect this he suggested to Henry the 8th that his Marrriage with the Emperour's Aunt was Null and propos'd for a Wife to him the Duchess of Alanson whose Husband was lately dead Anne Bullen had Ambition enough to look upon the Divorce of King Henry from Katherine as a means to make way for her into the Throne She began to give the King some Impressions of the Lutheran Perswasion and engag'd the late King here to favour at Rome the Divorce of Henry in hopes of his marrying the Duchess of Alanson Cardinal wolsey to have opportunity to treat of this Affair prevailed with King Henry to send him into France on other business but he was so far from giving him power to propose that Marriage that he sent him express Order to Calais not to speak of it At his return from France Cardinal Wolsey was receiv'd with honours equal to those they would have done to the King Never did Favourite carry on Pride and Vanity to so high a Pitch He mannag'd an Enterview between the two Kings at Bulloigne Francis the 1st would have given the upper-hand to Henry the 8th but he would not take it they treated one another by turns with extraordinary Magnificence and presented each other with Habits equal to those they had caus'd to be made for themselves I have heard it said those the late King sent the King of England were of Crimson-Sattin beset all over with Pearls and Diamonds and a Robe of white Velvet embroider'd with Gold After some days stay at Bulloigne they went to Callis Anne Bullen was Lodg'd in Henry the 8th's Court with the Train of a Queen and Francis the 1st made her the same Presents and did her the same Honour as if she had been actually so At last after a Passion of nine years continuance Henry the 8th married her without staying for the dissolution of his first Marriage which he had a long time demanded at Rome The Pope hastily thunder'd Excommunications against him which provok'd the King so highly that he declar'd himself Head of the Religion and drew England after him into the Change ye now see Anne Bullen enjoy'd not her Grandeur long for when she thought it surest by the death of Queen Katherine one day as she was seeing with the whole Court a Match made by the Viscount Rochfort her Brother to run at the Ring the King was suddenly struck with so furious a jealousie that he hastily left the Show and went straight to London having left order for arresting the Queen the Viscount Rochfort and several others whom he thought Lovers or Confidents of that Princess though in appearance this jealousie of the Kings seem'd to owe its Birth to that moment the truth is it had been inspir'd into him some time before by the Viscountess Rochfort who was not able to bear with patience the great intimacy between the
were Plenipotentiaries for the King the Duke of Alva and the Prince of Orange for philip the Second the Duke and Duchess of Orleans were the Mediators The principal Articles were the Marriage of the Princess Elizabeth of France with Don Carlos the Infanta of Spain and his Majesties Sister with the Monsieur of Savoy The King during the Treaty continued upon the Frontiers where he received the first news of the Death of Queen Mary of England His Majesty forthwith dispatcht the Earl of Randan to Queen Elizabeth to congratulate with her Majesty her Assumption to the Crown she received him honourably her affairs were in so ill a posture at that time she was not a little satisfied that so great a Prince was pleased to pay his first respects to her The Court discoursed she was well read in the interest of the Court of France and the merit of those that had the honour to compose it But for none she seemed to express so great a value as the Duke of Nemours she was pleased to speak with that Honour of this Prince that the Ambassadour upon his return took the Liberty to declare he thought no Person more valuable in her esteem than the Duke And did not question upon his addresses the Queen might do him the Honour to entertain a Passion for him The King the same Evening communicated it to the Prince where he commanded the Count de Randan to give him the Relation to confirm the Duke in the respect the Queen had for him which he was pleased to conclude with his advice not to neglect the favourable opportunity that seemed to court him to so much happiness The Duke received it at first as a piece of raillery till his Majesty was pleas'd to undeceive him If Sir says the Duke in obedience to your Majesties commands and for your service I shall embark my self upon so extravagant a design as to presume a Princess whom I have never yet had the honour to know should admit me to her Royal Bed I hope your Majesty will be pleased not to divulge the vanity of the attempt till the success may justifie me to the Publick The King was pleas'd to give him his Royal word that he would depose it in the knowledge of no other Breast but the Constable's concluding with the Duke that Secresie might facilitate the design The Count advised the Duke to take a Journey for England which he refused and dispatch't Monsieur Lignerolle a sprightly Gentleman his Favourite to sound the Queens inclinations and to endeavour to fix some obligation upon her In the interim he takes a Journey for Bruxells to give a visit to the Duke of Savoy who was there with the King of Spain The death of Queen Mary gave several difficulties to the Treaty which about the end of November broke up and his Majesty return'd to Paris At last there broke forth a Beauty in the Court which drew all its Eyes upon her and I cannot without injustice rank her amongst the indifferent that could purchase such admiration in a place that was so richly stored She was of the Family of the Viscount de Chartres and one of the greatest Heiresses of France She had the misfortune to bury her Father in her infancy by which unhappy accident she was left to the Guardianship of Madam de Chartres her Mother She was a Lady of those great Accomplishments that Fortune Vertue and Merit seem'd to have conspired to compleat her fair model After her Husbands death she had for some years made her recess from Court. During her retirement she was not wanting to give her Daughter an Education suitable to her Quality in which she did not so much labour to improve her Person as her better part which she endeavour'd to embellish with Vertue which renders a Lady truly noble The generality of Mothers imagin it sufficient to forbear to discourse of the vanity of Love left their Children should be invited to stray out of the paths of Vertue Madam de Chartres was of a contrary opinion She was pleased to paint out love to her Daughter in all its shapes that she might be the better able to discern that part of her which might be the most dangerous She informs her of the little Sincerity and Candor there is in Man Their Devices their Infidelity and the Domestick Discontents Marriage often plunges those into that alter their condition On the other side she declares the Happiness and Tranquility that attends a Vertuous Wife and what Luster and Esteem Piety in a person of Birth and Beauty may purchase her And concludes in acquainting her with the difficulty to preserve it which cannot be better secured than by a diffidence in our selves and a serious application to those things that can best contribute to our happiness which is to love our Husbands and to merit a return This Lady was at that time one of the greatest Matches of France and notwithstanding she was but in her greener years she wanted not her choice of Proposals Madam de Chartres who was an ambitious Lady scarce thought the noblest worthy her consideration She having now arrived to the sixteenth year of her Age she brought her to Court The first that paid his respects to her upon her arrival was the Viscount who was not a little surprised and you cannot blame him at the Beauty of the fair Lady The delicacy of her Meen in which York and Lancaster seem'd to have contended which of the two should be the most prodigal of his Charms was the Subject of his admiration The Day following the young Lady went to a famous Italian to purchase a Set of Jewels This Gentleman came along with the Queen from Florence and he had raised himself to that prodigious wealth by his Industry that his House appeared rather to be the Palace of a Prince than the Being of a Merchant When she was there in comes the Prince of Cleve He was so transported at the sight of this young Lady that he could not dissemble his surprise Madam de Chartres could not forbear to answer the Princes discomposure with a blush after she had a little composed her self she pays her civility to the Prince suitable to the Character she apprehended he might bear The Prince beheld her with admiration but he was not able to judge who this Lady should be having never had the honour to see her before He perceived by her Person and the numerous Retinue that waited on her that she must be of eminent Quality Her youth perswaded him she might be a Maid but seeing no Mother with her and the Italian giving her the Title of Madam he knew not what to think She seemed to receive his Addresses with a disorder more than usual with young Ladies who take no small vanity in the impression their Beauty may happily make upon a stranger The Prince's applications to her gave her some impatience to retire which she suddenly did Monsieur de Cleve was
News says Madam de Cleves I thought Madam de Tournon incapable either of Love or Deceit 'T is not possible any one replyes Mounsieur de Cleve should carry her self with greater dissimulation or cunning Observe that when Sancerre thought her alter'd as to him she really was so and began to love Estouteville telling him he was the only Man could make her forget the death of her Husband and for whose sake she quitted her Retirement when Sancerre thought the while it proceeded from no other Cause but a Resolution to appear less afflicted than formerly she made it matter of favour to Estouteville that she conceal'd their correspondence and seem'd oblig'd by her Father to marry him which she pretended proceeded purely from the care of her reputation when it was in truth a trick to put off Sancerre without leaving him just cause of complaint I must needs return continues Mounsieur de Cleve to see my unfortunate friend and I think you may do well to go with me to Paris 'T is high time for you to appear abroad and Receive those visits you cannot well dispence with Madam de Cleve's agreed to the proposal and return'd on the Morrow she found her self more at ease as to Mounsieur de Nemours than she formerly had been what Madam de Chartres said on her death-Bed and sorrow for the loss of her had so suspended her thoughts of him that she thought she should be no more troubled with them The same Evening she arriv'd the Queen Dauphin gave her a visit and having told her how much she shar'd in her afflictions she said to divert her from those sad thoughts she would inform her of all that had past at Court in her absence and accordingly gave her an account of several particulars But that I have most mind to acquaint you with adds she is that it is most certain Mounsieur de Nemours is passionately in Love and that he is so far from making any the most intimate friend he has his Confident in the case there is not one can guess who it is he is in love with Though he be so deeply in Love it makes him neglect if not quit the hopes of a Crown with that she gave her an account of what concern'd the matter of England What I have told you says she I had from Mounsieur de Anville who told me this morning the King had yesterday sent for Mounsieur de Nemours upon Letters receiv'd from Lignerolles who desires leave to return as not able any longer to excuse to the Queen of England the delays of Mounsieur de Nemours that the Queen begins to take it ill and that though she had not made a positive promise she had said enough to encourage the hazarding a Voyage The King read this Letter to Mounsieur de Nemours who instead of speaking seriously as he had done at first fell a laughing and scoffing at Lignerolles hopes saying all Europe would condemn his imprudence should he undertake a Voyage for England as pretending to Marriage with the Queen without assurance of success Besides adds he I could not time my business worse than to take my Iourney at this Iuncture when the King of Spain makes address to that Queen for Marriage In matter of Gallantry I confess his Catholick Majesty were no very considerable Rival but in a Treaty of Marriage I cannot think your Majesty would advise me to stand in competition with him I would on this occasion replys the King for I know he is otherwise inclin'd and were he not Queen Mary took so little pleasure in the Yoke of Spain I cannot believe her Sister will undergo it or suffer her self to be blinded with the Glittering of so many Crowns on one Head If she yield not to the splendor of so many Crowns says Mounsieur de Nemours 't is probable she will seek her happiness in Love She hath for some years lov'd my Lord Courteney Queen Mary too was in love with him and would have marry'd him and with publick consent of her Kingdom but that she knew him more taken with the youth and beauty of her Sister Elizabeth than ambitious of reigning Your Majesty knows her Jealousie of them made her clap them up Prisoners and afterwards banish my Lord Courteney and prevail'd with her at last to resolve to marry with the King of Spain Elizabeth who now possesses the Throne of her Sister will I believe shortly call home my Lord Courteney and will rather make choice of him for her Husband whom she hath lov'd and who is really amiable and hath been a great sufferer for her than of a Man she hath never seen Were Courteney alive says the King I should be of your mind but I have been certainly inform'd some days since that he is dead at Padua whither he was banished But I see adds the King as he left Mounsieur de Nemours your marriage must be made up just as the Dauphins was and Embassadors must be sent to espouse the Queen of England Mounsieur d' Anville and the Vidame who were with the King when he spoke to Nemours are clearly of opinion nothing could divert him from so great a design but the passion he is so deeply ingag'd in The Vidame who knows him best of any man living hath told Madam de Martignes he finds such a change in Mounsieur de Nemours he scarce knows him And which he most wonders at he cannot observe he hath any private Correspondence nor can he discover any secret haunts he hath or that he is missing at any time which makes the Vidame believe he holds not correspondence with the person he loves and this is the reason he thinks himself so much mistaken in Mounsieur de Nemours to see him in love with a Woman that does not love him again What a poysonous discourse was this for Madam de Cleves How could she choose but know her self the Person whose Name was not known How could she but be deeply affected with gratitude and tenderness at the News she received by a way not at all liable to suspition that this Prince she had so great an inclination for conceal'd his passion from all the World and slighted for love of her the hopes of a Crown it is impossible to describe her sentiments on this occasion and represent to the life the trouble it rais'd in her Had the Queen-Dauphin ey'd her more closely she would have easily discover'd she was concern'd at the discourse But as she had not the least suspition of the truth she proceeded without taking notice of her Mounsieur d' Anville adds she who as I told you acquainted me with all these particulars thinks I know the business better than he and hath so great an opinion of my Charms he believes me the sole person capable to cause so extraordinary alterations in Mounsieur de Nemours These last Words rais'd another kind of trouble in Madam de Cleve's very different from that she was formerly in
Queen and her Husband the Vsicount represented it to the King as criminal and incestuous So that he being already in love with Iane Seymour thought no more of Anne Bullen but to get rid of her In less than three Weeks he caus'd the Queen and her Brother to be try'd had them both beheaded and marry'd Iane Seymour He had afterwards several other Wives whom he put away or put to death and among the rest the Lady Katherine Howard whose Confident the Countess Rochfort was and shar'd in her Fate having her Head cut off with her Mistress's Thus was she punish'd for falsly accusing Anne Bullen and Henry the 8th dy'd being grown prodigiously big and fat All the Ladies present thank'd the Queen-Dauphin for the account she had given them of the Court of England and among the rest Madam de Cleve who could not forbear asking her several Questions about Queen Elizabeth The Queen-Dauphin had Pictures in little drawn for her of all the Beauties of the Court to be sent to the Queen her Mother One day as that of Madam de Cleve's was finishing the Queen-Dauphin spent the Afternoon with her Monsieur de Nemours who let slip no opportunity of seeing Madam de Cleve yet without letting it appear he sought it faild not being there She was that day so beautiful it would have made him in love with her had he not been so yet he durst not fix his Eye upon her as her Picture was a drawing being fearful notice might be taken of the pleasure he took to view her now and then as she sat The Queen-Dauphin ask'd Monsieur de Cleve for a Picture in little he had of his Wife to compare it with that which was newly drawn of her Every one pass'd their Judgment of the one and the other and Madam de Cleve order'd the Picture-drawer to mend something in the Draught of the Head-geer of that which Monsieur de Cleve had brought in The Picture-drawer to satisfie her took it out of the Case and having mended it laid it on the Table Monsieur de Nemours had long wish'd for a Picture of Madam de Cleve when he saw that of her which was Monsieur de Cleve's he could not resist the longing desire he had to steal it from a Husband he believ'd she tenderly lov'd and thought among so many Persons in the Room he might be as little suspected to have done it as another The Queen-Dauphin was set on the Bed and whisper'd to Madam de Cleve who stood before her Madam de Cleve through the Curtains which were but half drawn spy'd Monsieur de Nemours with his Back to the Table at the Beds-feet and perceiv'd him without turning his Face steal something slily that was on the Table She quickly guess'd it might be her Picture and was so troubled at it that the Queen-Dauphin perceiv'd she heard her not and ask'd her aloud what it was she look'd at At those words Monsieur de Nemours turn'd about and saw Madam de Cleve's Eye still fix'd upon him and thought it not impossible but she might have seen what he had done Madam de Cleve was not a little perplext Reason would she should ask for her Picture yet to ask for it publickly was to tell all the World the kindness that Prince had for her and to ask for it privately was to engage him to declare to her the Passion he had for her At last she resolved it the best course to let him carry it away without taking notice of it and was glad to grant him a favour without knowing whether she had done it Monsieur de Nemours having observ'd her disorder and guessing at the Cause came up and whisper'd to her If you have seen what I have ventur'd to do Madam be so good to let me believe you are ignorant of it which is all I dare beg of you With that he withdrew without expecting her Answer The Queen-Dauphin went out a walking attended with all the Ladies and Monsieur de Nemours went home to lock himself in his Closet to enjoy the pleasure he took in having a Picture of Madam de Cleve's which fill'd him with joy too great and too delicate to be express'd in publick It gave him a taste of the highest sweetness Love can afford he was in love with the most amiable Person of the Court and saw she lov'd him though against her will and easily discover'd in all her Actions that trouble and disorder which Love produces in the innocence of Youth That Evening great search was made for the Picture Having found the Case it was us'd to be kept in they never suspected it had been stollen but thought it might have been fallen out by chance Monsieur de Cleve was much troubled at the loss of it and when they had long search'd and without finding it he told his Wife but in such a manner as made it appear he did not think so That she had without doubt some private Lover to whom she had given that Picture or who had stole it and that any other but one in love would not have been content with the Picture without the Case These words though spoken in jeast made a deep impression in Madam de Cleve they troubled her extremely and made her reflect with regret on the violence of her Inclination for Monsieur de Nemours she found she was no longer Mistress of her Words or her Countenance She thought Lignerolles was return'd that there was no further fear of the Affair with England nor any cause to suspect the Queen-Dauphin that in a word there was not any thing to help her against the violence of her Passion and that there was no safety to be expected but by absenting her self from Monsieur de Nemours But leave being requested to be obtain'd for her absence from Court where her Husband resided and a pretence wanting she was in very great extremity and ready to fall into that she thought the worst of misfortunes to let Monsieur de Nemours see the inclination she had for him She thought of all Madam de Chartres on her Death-bed had said to her and the Advice she had given her to undergo any difficulty rather than engage in an Intrigue of Gallantry She remember'd what Monsieur de Cleve had said to her of an ingenuous sincerity when he spoke of Madam de Tournon and she thought it her duty to confess to him the inclination she had for Monsieur de Nemours These thoughts possess'd her a considerable time at length she was astonish'd she could entertain any that appear'd so foolish and relaps'd into her former perplexity not knowing what course to take The Peace was sign'd and the Lady Elizabeth after much resistance resolv'd to obey the King her Father The Duke of Alva had been appointed to Marry her in the Name of His Catholick Majesty and was shortly expected They look'd every day for the Duke of Savoy who had newly marry'd the King's Sister the Nuptials being appointed
de Valentinois having discovered the design was not wanting to throw all the Rubs imaginable in the way She had so prepossest the King that when Monsieur de Anvile came to speak to him in it he was pleased to let him understand how little he approved of it He commands him to signifie as much to the Prince of Montpensier You may easily judge how poor Madam de Chartres resented this sudden Rupture whose unfortunate success gave so great an advantage to her Enemies and so much prejudice to her Daughter The Dauphin Queen was pleased to declare to Madam de Chartres the discontent she had that she could not serve her You see Madam says the Queen that my Interest is but small I stand upon so ill terms with the Queen and Madam Valentinois that it is no wonder that either they or their Dependents endeavour to disappoint all my desires I have made it my indeavours to please them 'T is true they hate me not for my own sake but my Mothers she has formerly given them some jealousie and disquiet The King had his passions before he fixt them on the Duchess of Valentinois and in the first years of his Marriage when he had no Issue and notwithstanding he loved the Duchess he was almost resolved to be divorc'd from the Queen to make room for the Queen my Mother Madam de Valentinois who was jealous of a Lady whom he had formerly loved whose Wit and Beauty were able to lessen her favour joyns her interest with that of the Constable who never wisht it as well as she that his Majesty should marry with the Sister of the Duke of Guise They possest his Majesty deceased with their Sentiments and notwithstanding that he mortally hated the Duchess of Valentinois and loved the Queen yet he laboured with them in the prevention of the Divorce But to divert all his thoughts of my Mother they married her into Scotland They did it as being nearest a Conclusion by which means they disappointed the King of England who the most coveted it This precipitation of theirs had like to have made a Rupture between the two Crowns Henry the Eighth was unsatisfied that he was disappointed of the Queen my Mother or some other French Princess they had propounded to him He has been heard to say that the Worth and Beauty of this Lady was so firmly riveted in his Royal heart the fairest of the Sex must despair ever to remove it thence 'T is true the Queen my Mother was a great but an unfortunate Beauty and that which rendered it the more remarkable was That the Widow of the Duke of Longuevile had been the ambition of three Crowns but her unhappy Fate had appointed her the meanest Lot She had plac'd her in a Kingdom where she converst with nothing but misery and trouble They are pleased to say that I resemble her but I fear in nothing but her unhappy destiny for what good fortune has prepared for me I have not faith to believe I shall enjoy Mademoiselle de Charters was pleased to reply to the Queen that these sad sentiments were ill grounded that she must not two long dwell upon them but that she ought to hope that it would one day answer its appearances No man durst farther pursue the thoughts of Madam de Chartres either fearing to incur his Majesties displeasure or despairing of success in the Affair a Prince of the Blood has miscarried in The death of the Duke of Nevers his Father which immediately followed gave him an intire liberty to gratifie his own inclinations for as soon as he could with modesty dispence with his appearance in publick he was resolved to resign up all his thoughts towards the accomplishment of this Marriage He thought himself happy that he could make his Proposals in a season that had given opportunities of disincouragement to others and some assurance to himself But that which discomposed his Joy was that he feared that his Person had not Merit enough to recommend him to her and he was resolved to prefer her happiness before his own The Chevalier of Guise had given him some jealousie but when he considered that it was rather grounded upon the Merit of that Prince than any Action of Mademoiselle de Chartres he resolved to endeavour to discover if he were so happy but to know whether she was pleased to allow the passion he had for her He had not the happiness to see her but in the Queens Apartment or some publick place so that he found it difficult to have the liberty of a free conversation At last he found out the means he discovered to her his design and the passion that obliged him first to take it up He prest her to let him have the happiness to know her Sentiments of him assuring her that those he had for her were of that nature they would render him eternally miserable if she was resolved wholly to resign up her obedience to her Mothers Will. The young Lady had a generous Soul she was sensibly touch'd with the passion of the Prince of Cleve This acknowledgment aded so great a sweetness to her Words and Answers that it gave him hopes and he began to flatter himself with the success he so much wisht for She gave an account of it to her Mother Madam de Chartres was pleased to tell her that there was that Grandeur and Worth in that Prince and he demonstrated that prudence and discretion in all his actions that in case she had an inclination for him she should not want her consent Mademoiselle de Chartres answered her Mother that she was of the number of the admirers of his eminent qualities that she could marry him with less reluctancy than another but confest the inclination she had for him was not singular The day following the Prince signified his intentions to Madam de Chartres she was pleased to consent and told him she did not doubt but that she gave her Daughter a Husband that would love her when she bestowed her upon him the Articles were concluded the King acquainted and the Match made publick The Prince of Cleve thought himself happy but not content it troubled him to see that the sentiments of Mademoiselle de Chartres were no other than the common returns due to civility and respect He had not as it is usual with the enamoured the vanity to flatter himself that she might have reserved the more obliging for a better season He only considers the terms upon which he stands with her and thinks they may justly dispence with the liberty to discover them without prejudice to her modesty Within few days he finds an opportunity to acquaint her with his resentment Is it possible says the Prince I may be once so happy as to be yours at present I cannot presume to think my self so fortunate you are pleased to treat me with a sort of kindness it neither gives me satisfaction nor content I cannot discover those convincing passions
The Emperour who had a great respect for the Duke of Orleans had often offer'd him the Duchy of Millan and in the Articles of the Peace that was afterwards concluded he gave him the hopes of the seventeen Provinces and his Daughter in marriage with them The Dauphin neither inclined to the Match nor it he employ'd the Constable whom he ever lov'd to make the King sensible of what importance it would be to leave his Successor a Brother so powerful as the Duke of Orleans must be with the advantage of the Imperial Allyance and these Countries The Constable yielded more easily to the Dauphins design in that it was opposite to that of Madam d' Estampes who was his declared Enemy and who so passionately desired the Dukes advancement The Dauphin at that time commanded his Majesties Army in Champagne and had reduc'd that of the Empire to those extremities he had certainly ruin'd it if the Duchess d' Estampes fearing these great advantages might retard the Peace and the honour of the Dukes Allyance with the Emperour had not advis'd the Enemy to surprise Espernay and the Castle of Rierry which was their Magazine they attempted it and succeeded by which means they preserved the Army This Duchess did not long enjoy the success of her Treason Immediately after dyed the Duke of Orleans at Farmoutiers of a contagious disease He was enamoured with one of the greatest Beauties of the Court who was pleased to entertain the flame I shall forbear to name her for she has since lived under so close a retirement and has with so much prudence disguised the passion she had for him we ought in justice to be tender of her honour The death of her Husband and the Duke bore even date together which gave her the freedom to shew those open marks of her grief and sorrow which otherwise she had been enforc'd to hide The King did not long survive the Prince his Son for he dyed within two years after He recommends to the Dauphin the Cardinal of Tournon and the Admiral d' Annebault without the least mention of the Constable whom he had confined to Chantilly notwithstanding his Fathers commands he calls him home and makes him the grand Minister of State Madam d' Estampes was discarded and received all the ill Treatment she could expect from so powerful and inveterate an Enemy The Duchess of Valentinois was not satisfied till she had glutted her self with her revenge upon this Duchess and the rest who had faln under her displeasure Her interest has been more absolute over the King since he came to the Crown than when he was the Dauphin These twelve years since he has reign'd she has been the uncontroulable Mistress of all his Actions she has had the disposal of all Governments and Affairs she has obliged him to bannish the Cardinal of Tournon the Chancellour and Villeray all that have endeavour'd to eclypse her power have perisht in the attempt The Count de Taix Grand Master of the Artillery who had no kindness for her taking the liberty to reflect upon her Gallants and particularly the Count de Brissac of whom the King had a jealousie she so subtilly plaid her Cards that he was in disgrace and divested of his emply and what renders the thing more strange she procured it for the Count de Brissac who by her means had the honour to be since created a Marshal of France The Kings jealousie began to swell to that degree in him he could no longer endure the test of it but that which in another would have appeared more sharp and violent was strangely corrected in him by the great respect he had for this Lady In so much that he durst not if we may presume to use this saucy Dialect with a Prince remove his Rival but under the pretence of preferring him to the Government of Piedmont He has lived there several years and only return'd this last Winter under a pretext of recruiting the Troops under his command and for other necessary supplies for the Army The ambition to see the Duchess of Valentinois and the fear of being forgotten had certainly the greatest share in that Journey The King was observed to receive him coldly the Family of Guise who loves her not but yet dares not declare the cause imploy'd the Viscount his mortal Enemy to obstruct the Grant of what he design'd himself by his Journey 'T was no hard matter to compass it the King hated him and his presence gave him no small disquiet insomuch that he was forc'd to return without having had the happiness to reap the fruits of his Voyage which was only to give him an opportunity to re-kindle the Flame his passion had made in the heart of the Duchess which he feared his absence might extinguish His Majesty wanted no other subjects of his jealousie but they not being known gave him no provocation to complain I know not Daughter says Madam de Chartres if you may not find that I have instructed you in some things more than you are willing to know I am so far from complaining replyes Madam de Cleve that did I not fear to be troublesom to you I would desire you to enlarge upon several Circumstances which I am ignorant of The passion that Monsieur de Nemours had for Madam de Cleve was so violent in its Original that it seem'd to have robb'd him of all his content and the very thoughts of those he had a kindness for nay even such with whom he converst during her absence 't was his care to frame excuses to disingage himself from them he could not allow himself the patience to give Ear to their Complaints nor make returns to their reproaches Madam la Dauphin for whom he had inclinations not ordinarily passionate yet he was scarce able to confine them within his Breast Madam de Cleve had made that impression there His impatience for England began to cool he seem'd not to pursue with much Zeal his necessary dispatches for that Journey He often made his visits to the dauphin-Dauphin-Queen that he might have the happiness to pay his respects to Madam de Cleve who was frequently there neither was he concern'd at the liberty some took to imagin what others thought of the passion he had for that Princess Madam de Cleve was of that value with him he was resolved rather to hide from her the sentiments of his heart than expose her honour to the publick He forbore even to communicate it to the Viscount de Chartres who was his Confident and to whom his Bosome lay ever open He used a Conduct so prudent and which he managed with so much care that the Argus's of the Court could not discover the least symptome of any kindness for this Lady but in the Chevalier de Guise Madam de Cleve her self had continued a stranger to them had not the inclination she had for that Prince obliged her to keep a close Watch on all his Actions