disguise being there Besieged by the Parliament-Forces and fled to the Scots who shewed him no part of that due reception which belongs to their King but sent him under a strong Convoy to Newcastle to which place also the King of France sends the Sieur de Montreüil to reside neer him and reconcile him to the Parliament On the 9th of May the Comte de Harcour lays siege to Lerida where in our first Attaques we lost the Comte de Chabot and the Marquiss de Gévres Sons to the Comte de Tremes On the 14th of June the Town of Courtray in Flanders was taken by the French Army notwithstanding that Duke Charles Picolomini and Lamboy made a shew of Relief In Italy the Town Orbitello in Tuscany was besieged by the Prince Thomas Here our Admiral Commanding a Fleet on the part of the Besiegers was killed by a Cannon-shot in a Naval fight In fine Prince Thomas was forced to retire the Enemies Forces being augmented by fresh succours July 8th the Prince of Wales Eldest son to the King of England arrived at Caën in Normandy and from thence directly to the Queen his Mother at St. Germain en Laye The 13th of July died Messire Roger de Bellegarde Duke and Pair of France and Grand Escuyer aged 83 years and 7 moneths and the 26th of the same moneth died also his Brother Octavius de Bellegarde Arch-Bishop of Sens. His decease was preceded by two other Prelates viz. Messire Abra de Raconis Bishop of Lavaur in Languedoc and Messire François de Pericard Bishop of Eureux Longuvy the onely place that remained in the Duke of Lorain's Territories was taken about this time by the Marquiss de la Ferté Seneterre The Assembly of the Clergy ending about the 30th of July Messire Jean François Paul de Gondy Arch-Bishop of Corinth and Coadjutor in the Arch-bishoprick of Paris made an Harangue to the King in the name of all the Clergy And now Messire le President Believre was sent Embassador into England where he had favourable Audience by the Parliament at London the 27 of July and the first of August by the King at Newcastle In the beginning of August the Fort of Mardike was Besieged by Monsieur the Duke of Orleans the brisk Attaques which we gave took from us at the very first the Chivalier de la Füeillade le Sieur du Terrail of the same Race with Captain Bayard and three days after the Comte de Fley and the Chevalier de Fiesque The Duke of Nemours was Wounded by a Musquet-shot in his Leg but without hurting the Bone and as favourably the Prince de Marsillac Eldest son to the Duke de la Rochfoucault The 22 of August the Sieur de Grignan had his Head taken off by a Cannon-shot This resistance by the Besieged enflamed the Courage of our party and the mouth of the Channel being stopt by six ships of Holland so that the Besieged were forced to receive all their Relief from Gravelines to which they had been as a Bulwork Mardike finding her self so severely prest began to Parley the Besieged were received to Composition by Monsieur the Duke of Orleans and the chief Articles were that 3000 men then and there in Garrison should come out Life and Baggage safe but should remain Prisoners of War The place thus taken the Sieur de Chalen was made Governour The 6th of September the Comte Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie Embassador extraordinary from Swedeland arrived at Paris where he was extream kindely received by their Majesties and lodged at the Hostel de Vendôme In the mean while News arrives at Court that on the 17th of September his Holiness at the Kings Instance had restored those of the House of Barberins to their Goods conditionally that the two Cardinals should abide some while at Avignon At the same time the Mareschal de Bassompierre aged 68 years dies suddainly at Provins Dunkirk which hitherto had been the receptacle of Pirates who had continually scowred the Seas on all the Coasts of France was Invested by the Duke of Enguien on the 17th of September and assaulted so vigorously by our Souldiers excited by the courage of their Commander that on the tenth of October it surrendered by Composition The Marquiss de Leide the Governour march'd out with 1500 men of which 400 Sick and Wounded and he confest to have lost 600 of his best Souldiers The Mareschal of Rantzau succeeded to the place of Governour for the French Dunkirk was first built 600 years since by Baudoüin Earl of Flanders After that it was burnt down by the English in the year 1388. Rebuilt by the French and after taken by the Spaniards who kept it till the present Conquest The King's Army in Italy commanded by the Mareschals de la Mêleraye take the Town Castle and Citadel of Piambino in Tuscany at which time Monsieur the Marquiss Villeroy the King's Governour received from the hands of their Majesties the Oath of Mareschal of France Portolongona a place scituated in the Isle of Elb lying in the Tuscan-Sea between the Continent of Italy and Corsica which was heretofore usurp'd from its own lawful Lord by a Captain of the Emperour Charles the 5th in the year 1548. after that delivered into the possession of his son Philip the 2d and whose Successors held it ever since was now Besieged and taken by the French Army In the midst of this Island rises a Spring on this account the more admirable that its Waters are observed to hold proportion with the length of the daies of the year in such manner that when they are at the longest the Stream is able to drive a Mill but when at the shortest 't is almost dry Lerida in Catalonia having been besieged by the Comte de Harcour for the space of 7 moneths was relieved the 21 of November in the night by the Marquiss de Leganez General of the Spanish Army who forcing our Lines with 7000 Foot and 3000 Horse our party though at the first they made a stout resistance encouraged by the Valour of their Commander yet finding themselves o'repower'd by the number of the Enemy were constrained to retire but in good order into Cerveres with 6000 Foot and 1000 Horse by that means to secure the Country We lost there the Comte de Origny In revenge of this action the Sieur de St. Colom-Marin Mareschal of the Field took from the Enemy the Town of Arbera the 6th of December following The 26th of the same moneth Madam la Dutchess of Orleans was happily delivered of a second Daughter The same day the 26th of December being the Feast of St. Steven Henry de Bourbon Prince of Condé deceased at Paris aged 58 years and three moneths he left two Sons and a Daughter the * Formerly called Duke of Enguien Eldest of which makes no inconsiderable part in the French History of these last years by reason of his many Renowned Exploits of War Sieges and Battles in which things
retakes Barbesieux Pondesat and la Reole though the Baron of Vatteville was come into the River of Bourdeaux to assist the Princes on the part of the Catholick King who serving himself of the present troubles sent Dom John of Austria to Besiege Barcelona of which with much ease he became Master However the loss was in some sort repaired by the reduction of Mont-rond of which place the Mareschal de Palluau who Commanded at the Siege had order to cast down the Fortifications Towards the end of this Campagne the measure of our disgraces was arrived to that fulness as to loose also Dunkirk and Casal the first to the Spaniards the other to the Duke of Mantua The Cardinal de Rets Coadjutor of Paris having been arrested in the Louvre by the Sieur de Villequier was conducted to the Bois de Vincennes where having been detained for a considerable time was from thence conveyed by the Mareschal de la Mêleraye to the Castle of Nantes from which in the open day he escaped first to Belle-Isle and then to Rome The Marquiss of Vieville Super-Intendant of the Finances being deceased the Sieur de Servient and the Sieur Fouquet Attorney-General were joyntly put into the Office Also the Cardinal Antonio Barberin had the Office of Grand Aumosnier of France confer'd the 8th of April late void by the death of the Cardinal of Lyons Anno 1653. The year 1653. began successfully in Bourgogne Bellegarde is besieged by the Duke of Espernon Governour of that Province and in spite of the Marquiss of Bouteville's resistance who Commanded the place for the Prince of Condé he forced a submission to the Arms of his Majesty Rhetel Mouzon and St. Menehou not long after followed the same fortune But the taking of Rocroy by the Prince abated a little the publick joy for these advantages This Success was followed by the reduction of Bourdeaux and all the other Towns of Guyenne who had taken Arms in the Rebellion As also by the accommodement of the Prince of Conty and the Dutchess of Longueville who came in to the Amnestie but the Princess of Condé refusing to use that favour put her self directly on the way to Flanders with her son the Duke of Enguien Anno 1654. On the 19th of January 1654 the King being seated in his Court of Parliament at which were present a sufficient number of Peers Process was commenced against Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Condé which ended the 27th of March. About the end of May his Majesty took his Journey towards Rheims to be there Crowned and Anointed he arrived the third of June and being received by the Burgesses and Inhabitants with extraordinary testimonials of love he was conducted to the Cathedral of Nostre-Dame where the Bishop of Soissons attended him with the Quire and Canons of the Church The 7th following was performed that admirable Ceremony of his Anointing and Coronation by the said Bishop who in that Office represented the Arch-Bishop of Rheims At the same time the Town of Stenay was Besieged and forced to surrender to the King's obedience though the Prince of Condé did his utmost to relieve it But the Prince acknowledging the loss unavoidable immediately march'd the whole Force of the Spanish Army towards Arras to which he lays siege with 30000 men and all this before our Generals could possibly put into the place any Succours considerable Here he made a Circumvallation that seemed to defie all the force of the World notwithstanding the Lines that compassed it how dreadful soever were so vigorously attaqued by our Army sent to endeavour the relief that the Enemies were constrained to abandon their designes sufficient to intimidate any Nation but the French We gained by this flight of theirs which happened on St. Lewis's day sixty pieces of Cannon and all the Baggage of the Besiegers 'T is also possible they had all found their Graves on the place had not the Prince the Arch-Duke and other Chiefs having left him bestir'd himself more than ordinary to asswage the precipitate violence of the retreat The Mareschal de la Ferte-Seneterre desirous to end the Campagne as gloriously as it was begun and continued this year led the Body which he commanded before Clermont which he Besieges and takes In the mean time our other Chiefs observe the broken condition of the Spanish Army which all the Winter did nothing but onely threaten Quesnoy which place was so well furnish'd by the Marquiss de Chastelnau assisted by the Marquiss de Monpoüillon and the Chevalier de Maupeou that she found her self in no condition to fear her Enemies Anno 1655. The beginning of the year 1655 was remarkable for the decease of Pope Innocent 10th happening on the 7th of January after whose death the Cardinals entering the Conclave the 17th of the same moneth and there continuing till the 7th of April where all the Embassadors were also present to perform their Complements they elected to the Holy Seat Cardinal Chisi a Gentleman of Sienna as the most worthy in the Sacred Colledge he had been in all the considerable Offices belonging to the Chair of Rome and being now in the supreamest took the name of Alexander 7th His inclination to Peace gave hopes that he would procure it to Christendom provided he found the Spaniard as much disposed to it as France which hopes we have at length seen happily effected About this time the Duke of Guise arrived from Naples And the Court thought convenient to send into Portugal to purchase there a certain number of Ships for the King's service In May 1655 Monsieur the Prince of Conty Lieutenant-Generalissimo and Vice-roy for his Majesty in Catalonia took by Assault Cap-de Tiers and in July continuing the course of his Victories he took Chastillon and Saulsone No less glorious success had our Arms in Flanders than in Catalonia by the taking of Landrecy in the face of 35000 men which being all their force our Enemies had united if possible to secure this important place but the event rendered their endeavours to no purpose Following the course of our succesful projects in August the same year we took Condé and St. Guillain the King commanding there in person and having for his Lieutenant-Generals de Turenne and la Ferté-Seneterre In November following Peace was concluded and proclaimed between France and England the Treaty was made at Westminster Monsieur de Bourdeaux being Embassador from his Majesty to the said Republick During this year the Dukes of Mantua and Modena arrived in France to perform to his Majesty their several Homages Then arrived also his Enemy Cardinal Antonio Barberin Nephew to the late Pope Vrban the 8th named by his Majesty for his Grand Aumosnier in place of the decased Cardinal of Lyons Anno 1656. On the third of January being the Feast of St. Geneviefve 1656 Messire Matthew Molé Gardes Sceaux of France deceased about seven in the Morning after three daies sickness in the 72 year of his age during
this for the future to contain the Nobless and Citizens in their duty His Majesty being at Aix with much joy and tenderness received the Prince of Condé at his return from the Low-Countries Their Majesties continuing their Progress through Languedoc were received most magnificently at Thoulouse and then at Bourdeaux passing from thence to Bayonne and so to St. John Luz they arrived in the Isle of Pheasants where was appointed the Interview of the two Kings and the glorious reception of Maria-Theresa d'Austria Inheretrix presumptive to the Estates of his Catholick Majesty The Pomp and Consummation of these so great and splendid Nuptials was very advantageous to the two Crowns The Ceremonies performed their Majesties take the Road of Paris and arrive happily at the Bois de Vincennes where for some daies they rest till the Queens most magnifique entry at Paris the 26th of August And now happens that horrid Earthquake at the Pyrenean-Hills which swallowing the hot Bathes there and several other places caused extraordinary terrour to the Inhabitants of all that Voisinage The decease of the Duke of Orleans at Blois the 2d of February did much abate our publick Joy and Triumphs their Majesties and all the Court being sensible of so great a loss Anno 1661. To put the Treaty of Peace in Execution and to determine the limits of our King's Conquests the Sieurs Courtin Master of Requests Talon Intendant of Artois and Parmentier Substitute to the Attorney-General were commissioned to treat with the Commissioners of Spain Vilteingh Colins and Anglanzey They had laboured much in these particulars a long while first at St. Omers then at Arras and lastly they concluded happily at Metz where they limited the Extents of Flanders Artois Hainault and Luxembourg and having worthily acquitted themselves in their Employ parted the 25th of November 1662. The Cardinal Mazarin did not long enjoy that Peace which he had procured to all France having been almost ever since indisposed The Fire which in the beginning of February happened at the Louvre and consumed the Gallery of Pictures that look'd into the Garden obliged his Eminence to forsake his Bed and retire to his own Palace where his disease continuing he was advised to change the Air which he did to Vincennes but all this was not of force to prevent his death on the 9 of March following to the great regret of the King and all his Creatures But the following Marriages of the Duke of Orleans with the Princess of England and the Prince of Florence with Mademoiselle d'Orleans caused the loss of this great Minister to be almost forgotten The Sieur Fouquet too intent on the encrease of his own Fortune was arrested at Nants the 5th of September and conveyed to Vincennes and from thence to the Bastille He was the first cause of the erection of the Chamber of Justice which has been so advantageous to those people that deal in these affairs by the detection of the wasting of the King's Revenues which they have applied to their own private uses and to the great Purchases which they have made in the Kingdom The extraordinary profusion in the Conduct of this Minister obliged the King to take some pains in the reformation of his own Estate We may say that hereupon he effected two wonderous things and by which he surprized the Polititians The admirable order and Oeconomy which he establish'd in his own house and the Military Discipline in his Armies in all which particulars he raised the Grandeur and Dignity of the Offices and yet made as well the high as low Officers themselves exactly subject to his own Authority and Power who all remain at present in their perfect duty and dependance The other thing is his having made himself so absolute a Master of all the Citadels and Fortresses of his Dominions so that the Princes and Officers of the Crown the Governours of Provinces and of particular places who heretofore made themselves of too great value and consideration are now in a perfect obedience He suppressed the Office of Super-Intendant of the Finances and certain * Officiers de l'Espargue Officers in his Exchequer and establish'd a Council and Treasury Royal where nothing can be proposed nor one single Sol paid out of his Coffers unless it hath been there first resolved and ordered But that which is most admirable is that his Majesty does himself consider and weigh all things as well of great as small concern whether far off or near necessary or superfluous His Manufactures and Buildings at the Louvre Tuilleries and other Houses Royal have found a place in that vast Spirit amidst the Citadels and other important places of his Kingdom War and affairs of State have not absolutely banish'd from his minde Pleasure and Magnificence But having first heard the serious discourses of the Mareschal de Turenne and the Sieur Colbert he is pleased to confer with our Illustrious Artisans le Brun le Nore and all those excellent Spirits who have the very genius and perfection of their several Arts. It seems about this time Spain was minded to try whether his most Christian Majesty's new form of Government would be maintained with force and vigour To this purpose the Baron de Batteville past an affront on the Comte d'Estrade at the entry of the Swede's Embassador Extraordinary at London And the Spaniards being the stronger killed some French on the 10th of October After this perswading the King of England that their Master had always acknowledged him and assisted against Cromwel they endeavoured to draw him into the quarrel of his Catholick Majesty Hereupon our King complains at Madrid and Bruxelles and calls home his Commissioners who were labouring with those of Spain about settling the Limits of Flanders In fine France came off with honour in this action and the Marquiss de Fuentes Embassador extraordinary from Spain made our King reparation and assured him that his Master had given order to all his Embassadors and Ministers to abstain and strive no more with those of France in all such Ceremonies and publick actions where they both happen to assist This was performed in the presence of eight Embassadors and 22 Residents The Nativities of the Dauphin of France and Prince of Spain the first and ninth of November was a new Blessing to both Nations Oh what disputes shall these Illustrious Competitors hereafter manage to maintain the Grandeur and Glory of their Predecessors The King resolving a new promotion of Knights of both his Orders a general Chapter was held at Fontainbleau about the end of December Here to the admiration of all men the Duke of Longueville demanded precedency of him of Vendôme scïlt the next place after the first Princes of the Blood but in regard of those Declarations which Henry the great granted for the Duke of Vendôme the 15th of April 1610 Registred in the Parliament of Paris the 30th of the same the Duke of Longueville's pretensions were utterly defeated The
Princes of Vendôme having by their Legitimated birth and in respect of Marriage priority above all other Princes and a power to succeed to the Crown before the Dukes of Longueville and all this is comprised in the said Declarations On the 30th of December the Novices marching before the ancient Knights the six Ecclesiasticks were first received into the quality of Commandeurs of the Order After them the 66 Knights Laicks The King began with the Princes of Bourbon and Vendôme but his Majesty not able to comprehend the pretensions of the Comte de Soissons and the Duke of Guise they were not received saying he would have them two go together and march with the Dukes of Mercoeur and Beaufort who by right of Birth and by the Declaration of Henry the Great take place after the Bourbons and ought to precede the Princes of Courtenay and Portugal when they are acknowledged and received into this Quality This was adjudged authentickly and with great and mature consideration of the Case and executed in the presence of the most Great and August Assembly of the Kingdom and in the sight of more than 100000 Witnesses all the people that were present at this so gallant action Anno 1662. The next day being the first of January the grand Ceremony was continued at the Augustins the Knights wearing the Collers of the Orders and the second being apparelled in Mourning-Robes they assist at a solemn Service for the Knights deceased at which was a most magnificent Representation a King at Arms placed at the Head and four Heralds at the Corners And now it was that the Portugals had so well defended themselves during this first Campagne that the Spaniards were forced to begin a new War On the 19th of January the Carnaval begun with a Balet consisting of nine entries at the Madame's in which to render it the more excellent was no omission of cost or pleasing objects The grand Ball was danced the seventh of February where the Grandeur and glory of the House of France was most lively represented with the fifteen Alliances which she had contracted in the Imperial Family The Treaty with the Duke of Lorain in which he released all his Estates to our King under divers Conditions reserving however to himself the Possession was verified the 27th of February At this time the Portugals contracted a strict Alliance with England giving their Infanta Tangier and other advantageous Conditions to Charles the second for his defence and assistance against the King of Spain The Succours which they drew from thence France have establish'd that Crown against all the efforts of his Catholick Majesty On the 27th of April Peace and a Renovation of the Alliance betwixt France and Holland was concluded and signed after a Negotiation of eighteen Moneths It was on the 18th of June following that the famous Carrousel or Triumphant Combat on Horseback began It was composed of five Squadrons or Companies That of the King were all apparrelled in the ancient Roman habit That of the Duke of Orleans represented Persians the Prince of Condé Turks the Duke of Enguien Indians and the Duke of Guise the Savages The party of the Prince of Condé gain'd the Prize and received a Diamond from the Queen-Mothers hand The attempt late made at Rome the 20th of August on the persons of the Duke and Dutchess of Crequy by the factions of the * The Pope's Guards Corses and * Serjeants Sbirres against the Law of Nations and the cruel and unjust persecution rais'd against the French caused the Duke Cesarini and the other Partisans and friends of this Crown to oblige the Embassador and his * L' Ambassadrice in the Original Lady to quit the City and retire into the Estates of Tuscany and so return into France The Church and indeed all Europe found themselves much scandalized at so soul an action much blaming the Fauters and adherents of this capital Crime which made so great a noise and in the end was determined in a Treaty The Marquiss Mathei a chief Minister and Plenipotentiary of his Imperial Majesty was expell'd from his service for having unknown to him and without his agreement accepted the Office of Commander of his Holiness's Arms. The Emperour and our King were at this time reconciled by the mediation of the Marquiss de la Fuente the Comte Fuensaldagne having laboured in that affair four years without effect And their Majesties gave mutual testimonies of affection and sincerity by several Letters which this Embassador exchanged in the moneth of September Great joy appeared in France and Spain at the birth of Madame at the Louvre the eighteenth of November This Princess was * Ondoyée Christened privately by the Cardinal Antoine in presence of the whole Court and the 27th of December the publick Ceremony of her Baptism was performed by his Eminence she being named Anne-Elizabeth by the Queen-Mother and the Monsieur She deceased the 30th following and her Body was conveyed to St. Denis About this time a Courier arrived to inform the King of the delivery of Dunkirk the Fort of Mardike and the greater and lesser Fort of Bergue and that his Troops were entred Presently upon this news his Majesty sets out for the place where he made his entry the second of December and returned again the sixth with the same diligence that at first he had taken the Voyage accompanied with the Duke of Enguien and Duke of Beaufort this last but lately landed from giving chase to the Pirates of Barbary This year was made happy in a conclusion of Marriage between the Duke of Savoy and Mademoiselle de Valois The Ballet of the Arts consisting of seven Entries was danced the first time at Madame's where was present the Prince Eldest son to the King of Denmarke Anno 1663. The Duke of Crequy's return into France and the reduction of Benevento in the Estates Ecclesiastick the 14th of March into which place the Prince de la Ricca had retired contrary to his word past to the Vice-roy of Naples for having killed an Artisan and debauched away his Wife had much alarmed the Court of Rome who through a panique fear had made several Levies which again were disbanded as suddainly Which occasioned a certain Cardinal to say * Qu'elle possedoit la Science des Contre-temps That they plaid at cross purposes having raised Arms no-body knows against who and laid 'em down again not considering where they have made Peace The Ceremony of the Nuptials of Mademoiselle de Valois and the Comte de Soissons Proxie to the Duke of Savoy was performed at the Louvre the fourth of March by the Cardinal Antoine the seventh following the Princess departed for Savoy About the eighth of June Dom John who had promised to himself the Conquest of Portugal was beaten in a set Battle at Evora by the Comtes of Villaflora and Schomberg recovering also at the same time the said Town and all the other Conquests of
of May at Marseilles with extraordinary magnificence the like through all the Kingdom till he arrived incognito at Fountainbleau where he was received by the King at the entrance into the Queen-Mothers Cabinet des Bains Afterwards he made his publick entry at Fountainbleau the 18th of July and at Paris the ninth of August and returned to Rome with the same Pomp and magnificence that at first he arrived in France Germany was at this time much Alarmed at the raising the siege of Canise and at the loss of the Fort of Serin The Primier Vizier had defeated the whole force of the Emperour's Army and had it not been for the assistance of the French Forces there commanded by the Comte de Coligny the Consternation of that action had been extream The Comte de la Fueillade signalized his valour on this occasion who arriving the 15th of August defeated more than 10000 Turks on the Raab where they lost 150 Colours and sixteen pieces of Cannon which were planted on the other side of the River and all this notwithstanding the Gross of their Army was not far distant This great success obliged the Turkish General to march towards Gran there to joyn 20000 men and thereby put himself in a condition to repair his said loss and shame and also more effectually to secure that place and Newhausel He call'd back also those Troops which had already past the Vaag to wast the Countries of Moravia and Silesia in order to his designe of extending his Conquests to the very Walls of Vienna and into the Hereditary Countries of the Emperour But this Rout obliged a Truce between the two Empires and the Enemy to decamp the 29th of September The Enterprize of Gigeri did not a little contribute to effect this so also his Majesties designe to render Africa and her Kings free and Christian and to establish in that part of the World Commerce and the Law of Nations This had been truly a most Heroick action and to the great profit of the whole World It had had no doubt a favourable success had the generous resolution of the Admiral Duke of Beaufort been followed For the victorious are always obliged to fight and conquer and they never take root in a strange Country otherwise than by continual Combats and Battles which make 'em fear'd and casts the people into so great a consternation that in fine they are glad to submit to the discretion of their Conquerours The Duke d'Ossonne continuing the War in Portugal with no better success than Dom John the Spaniards strive now to raise a more puissant Force than ever under the command of the Marquiss de Caracene About this time the English offered several acts of Hostility to the Hollanders and prepare for a War The Parliament raise two Millions and a half of pounds sterling to manage it they do much damage on the Coast of Guiny and New-Holland and their Fleet which scour'd the Seas had order to see that no English were aboard any Dutch Vessel and if they found any or if they refuse to be search'd to fight ' em The 16th of November the Queen was delivered of the Princess Mary-Anne of France who deceased the 26th of December This year the Venetians were at rest le Marquiss Ville having visited all the places of that State and left 'em in good order The Chevalier d'Hoquincourt with onely one Ship fought gloriously against 33 Turkish Gallies sunk five and much indamaged the rest The King desirous that Justice should be done in the most remote Provinces of his Kingdom establish'd a Chamber of Justice in Auvergne where the President de Novion did well answer the choice which his Majesty had made of so learned a person to preside there on Grand days Anno 1665. The Ballet of the Birth of Venus was now danced It was the Invention of the Dutchess of Orleans to whose conduct his Majesty had remitted the manage of this affair It consisted of two parts both beginning with excellent Dialogues and Speeches The first by Neptune and Thetis and the second by the Graces It contained also twelve Majestick Entries all which was augmented with a Masquerade of ten Entries The Spanish Army now consisting of 10000 Horse and 20000 Foot that King refuses the Mediation of the King of England as to a Peace with Portugal supposing the War with Holland would sufficiently employ that Prince and prevent his assisting the said Kingdom In the mean time the States of Holland license all private persons to equip out what Vessels they can to cruze about and do what mischief they can to the English whose Regiments they also casheered hoping thereby to repair the damage they sustain by the rupture of Trade The Admiralties on both sides strive who shall equip the most potent Navy and prepare for a vigorous defence The English having made Prize of 160 of their Vessels But that which surprized the whole World was that notwithstanding this they joyn'd their force against those of Alger The Bishop of Munster's taking Arms and the Intelligence he had with many Princes of Germany obliged the Estates of Westphalia to assemble and the Hollanders to stand upon their guard They also desire the Hanse-Towns at the same time not to furnish themselves with any English Merchandise in like manner as his Majesty of Great Britain had obliged them not to receive any out of Holland And the better to defend themselves they oblige Valdee and the Brunswic Troops to secure their Frontiers About this time the House of Austria laboured unsuccessfully to match one of their Princesses to the Duke of Savoy thereby to draw him off from our Alliance on which condition they offered to joyn Alexandrin to his Estates and several other advantages which the Bishop of Laon did not approve He therefore demonstrated to this Prince that solid Goods are of far greater consideration than empty appearances and that his Marriage with Mademoiselle de Nemours would settle his Estate and House which indeed ought never to be separated from the Interests of France He had before this taken much pains to conclude a three and twentieth Alliance between the Houses of Savoy and France of the Duke of Nemours and Mademoiselle de Longueville This Prince did what he could to dis-engage himself and procured the said illustrious Prelate to be Install'd Arch-Bishop of Reims And now it was that the King sent into England the Duke of Verneüil to endeavour a Reconciliation between his two neighbour-Nations and prevent a cruel War But they met the 13th of June and Victory seemed doubtful for a while till at last she declared in favour of the Duke of York the Hollanders loosing their Admiral Opdam and 17 ships At the same time the King Solemnized a great Feast at Versaille After which his Majesty did proscecute with much assiduity a former designe to unite the two Seas by the Rivers of Guyenne and Languedoc The Battle of Villa-viciosa this year did much abate
the Ambition of the Spaniards and no less raise the Courage of the Portugals The Treaty of the King of England with the Bishop of Munster astonish'd the Hollanders and the Troops sent to their succours engaged us in a War with that Crown The Duke of Beaufort took and carried off the ships in the Port of Bougie in spite of all resistance from their Arms Fire or the Artillery of five Forts that commanded the place He burnt the Admiral of Alger and two other Vessels in the very mouth of the Harbour Those of Alger sent out twenty ships to expel him out of their Road he having onely four two of which they perceived this Prince had taken from them They were glad to use the advantage of the Night to fight him in but they were reduced to the utmost Consternation when they perceived they got nothing but blows In fine they were so terrified that they call'd back their Fleet again into their own Port. The 24th of August under Sarcelle he encountered five Vessels of Alger and the order which he gave for their destruction was so admirable that in three hours he became Master of three with the other two he continued fighting when the Powder-room taking fire the Report was heard ashore and of this accident the Pirates made use to fire the Saint Loüisa By this time the Hollanders had recruited and were got to the mouth of the Thames where they waited the motion of the English Navy On the 17th of September arrived the last hour of Philip the 4th of Spain whose decease was followed not long after by that of the Duke of Vandosme the 22 of October Their Majesties and all the Court did attest their Sorrows to the Dutchess his Widow and to the Duke of Mercoeur To that end the King sent the Duke de Saint Agnan apparell'd in a Mourning-Robe born up by two Gentlemen the Corner'd Cap and the Coller of the Order the Ceremony was conducted by the King at Arms and a Herald who having presented him with the Holy-Water he cast it three times on the Sepulchre of the deceased Prince while his Majesty's Musick sing the De Profundis The Comte de Sery performed the same Office on the part of Monseigneur the Dauphin and the Comte du Plessis-Praslin and the Marquiss de Pluvaut for the Dukes of Orleans and Valois which ended the Ceremony The first of December the Mareschals du Plessis d'Aumont and de la Ferté-Seneterre and the Marquiss de Montausier were received into the quality of Dukes and Pairs of France Anno 1666. The decease of the Queen-Mother which arrived the 20th of January was most sensibly resented by their Majesties and the whole Court Not long after insued a Rupture between France and England in pursuance of the League Defensive made by the Crown of France with the Hollanders in the year 1662. And now his Majesty by his Declaration publish'd his Intentions to relieve 'em and joyn his Forces with theirs against the English as well by Sea as Land The Queen of Portugal who had hitherto with so much glory and generosity supported that Crown deceased the 27th of February at whose death the Court of Spain took no small advantage by their many Intrigues and Cabals which they rais'd afresh in that Kingdom The Bishop of Munster who had so far terrified the Hollanders as to occasion them to invoke the aid of France for their defence about this time happily concluded a Peace this occasioned the return of our Troops Those of Holland have now therefore no more to do than to prosecute their Marine affairs and minde their Wars with England The 29th of May the Duke of Beaufort parted from Toulon with his Majestie 's Fleet on designe directly to meet a Squadron of the English and fight 'em in assistance of the Hollanders and this they happily performed at the same time when our Troops by Land defended them from the Insults of the Bishop of Munster Notwithstanding all the endeavours and Menaces of the Porte the Venetians and the Marquiss Ville appeared this year the aggressors of a War by Sea and by Land in Dalmatia and in the Isle of Candy having besieged New-Candy and almost blockt up Canea The Families of Vandosme and d'Estrée received extraordinary joy at the Birth of a Prince of Savoy they having been at no small labour and great expences to prefer the Princesses of Nemours and particularly the Queen of Portugal the ornament and support of that Crown The assistance of France and conduct of the Bishop of Laon in this affair hath defeated the Spanish designes in his intended Conquest of those Dominions which have now by this important Alliance taken fast root and re-establish'd that ancient Kingdom The Fleets of England and Holland being joyn'd the 11th of June there followed a terrible Battle and so resolute that it continued till the 14th at which time the English Ships retiring into the Thames and soon recruiting with fresh men they put out to Sea again and another great fight began the fourth of August which concluded to the equal prejudice of both parties Several of the English pursuing their Enemies into the Vlie fired there a great number of Merchants-ships They had yet another Battle neer Calais where the English having the Wind and the Tempest being great they run their Enemies on the adverse Shore In the mean time the Duke of Beaufort having taken in the Squadron which had conducted the Queen to Portugal sail'd with intentions to joyn the Hollanders at Calais but understanding they were retired for fear to be alone exposed to the Enemy he gained Brest in sight of the English Fleet they not able to prevent it though in this passage some of his ships being separated from the rest by a violent Tempest the Triumph the Mazarin and the Ruby fell among the English where valiantly fighting they were much torn and shattered and forc'd to retire into Havre except the Ruby who was so far engaged that her Captain la Roche grapled with the Admiral of England intending to perish together in fine obtained quarter After the Alliance concluded the 25th of October between the Hollanders and the King of Denmark the Elector of Brandenburg and the Princes of Brunswick certain Propositions of Accommodation were set afoot His Majesty of Great Britain protesting not to have made any act of Hostility against that Republick complain'd that they had taken 200 Vessels before ever the War broke out And in order to assure Navigation to re-establish Commerce and procure a Peace the States made known to his Majesty that it was necessary to appoint some place neutral where to treat as well with them as their Allies The affair of Breme which had so cruelly alarmed the Hanse and Imperial Towns was in fine determined the 25 of Nov. the Swedes contenting themselves with the submission of the Inhabitants The Duke of Valois was Baptized at the Palais Royal the sixth of December and
held over the Font for the King of England by the Duke of Enguien who named him Philip-Charles and by Mademoiselle for the Queen He deceased the eighth ensuing Anno 1667. The Queens happy delivery of a Princess on the second of January was a joyful Newyears-gift to all France and welcomed with the Ballet of the Muses adorn'd with many Entries and Dialogues This served for a pleasing Divertisement all the Carnival appearing always different by reason of continual new Embelishments and Scenes The Grand Seigneur having now resolved and disposed all things necessary for the important Siege of Candy sends the Grand Vizier to make the necessary preparations for the siege and to assemble in the Isle 40000 men and 15000 Pioneers he held it in a manner invested round with Batteries and Attaques in which he wrought from December to the 27th of June at which time it was besieged with great vigour and resolution and extraordinarily well defended by the Marquiss Ville and those Troops and Succours which the Venetians had sent him On the seventh of February the Pope made a promotion of four Cardinals the Duke of Vandôme the Arch-Bishop of Saltsburg the Duke of Monstrate and the Sieur Delphino and names Roberti Spinola Visconti and Caraccioli who were reserved in petto since last year The several Musters of the King's Troops and in particular that of Oüilles the Feasts and Triumphs at Versailles and those noble Divertisements of running in * Courses de Quadrilles Squadrons and such other delights surprized the Spaniards and their Embassador who became perswaded we past a whole Campagne thus And now the War between England France and Holland growing towards an end Breda is chosen for the place of Treaty at which place the several Deputies meeting conclude a Peace the 31 of July On the 20th of April the King went personally to the Palace to cause there to be verified his new Ordinance by which he reforms and regulates Judicial proceedings On the tenth of May deceased the Queen of Poland and on the 22 Pope Alexander the 7th to whom succeeded Clement the 9th both which have sustained the Grandeur and Glory of the Church with much Majesty The Marriage of the Duke of Guise with Mademoiselle d'Alençon was celebrated the 15th of May. The next day the Court departed to put the Queen in possession of her Rights late fallen to her in the Low-Countries the reasons of which are publick in Print The march of our Armies gave the Alarm to Flanders and Holland and obliged the Marquiss de Castel-Rodrigo to demolish several places that wanted sufficient Forces to defend ' em We begun at Armentiers and his Majesty having past as far as Charles-Roy caused the Fortifications to be repaired After this he forces Tournay to surrender the 24th of June and Doüay the sixth of July On Dunkirk-side the Mareschal D'Aumont with another Army takes Bergue and Furne and invests L'isle where the Siege was carried on with much vigour his Majesty being always in action and going the Rounds continually This Town was taken after a Siege of seventeen daies and nine from the first opening the Trenches The Comte de Broüay who demanded four daies was much surprised to finde the King answer with a denial and within three hours after force the place to surrender This proposition from that Governour obliged our Monarch to lie that night at Arlebec He ordered the Comte of Lislebonne to march with the Lorain Forces and joyn the Marquiss de Crequy and Bellefonds and then to meet the Enemy which they did so happily as to defeat the Prince de Ligne and the Comte de Marcin which staggered all Flanders His Majesty was ready to assist and remained about a quarter of a League from Gand sleeping in his Coach that night at the head of the Bridge over the River of Bruges to back and assist his Army in case of occasion The Town and Citadel of Courtray was also taken with Oudenarde and Alost which being retaken by the Enemy was soon after recovered again by the Mareschal de Camp General and demolish'd The Empress being delivered of an Arch-Duke their Majesties sent the Marquiss de Guitry to congratulate the Court of Vienna who notwithstanding enjoy'd not long that happiness The Estates and People of Portugal about this time forced their King to renounce the Government which they conferred on D. Pedro his Brother also Commissaries are appointed to examine the complaints of the Queen as to a Nullity of Marriage The Divertisements of Shrovetide began with a Masquerade call'd the Carnaval consisting onely of seven Entries The first overture was performed by a Speech but the Dialogue between Carnaval and Gallantry with an admirable Consort of Musick gave wonderful satisfaction to the Spectators Anno 1668. On the 21th of January Madame was Baptized at the Tuilleries and named by the Dutchess Dowager of Orleans and the Duke of Enguien Maria-Theresa The same day was the Cardinal Duke of Vandôme conducted to have Audience from their Majesties by the Sieur de Saintot Master of the Ceremonies with a very great Train The King having desired the Pope to be Godfather to Monseigneur the Dauphin the news appeared most agreable to his Holiness who therefore prefer'd this Illustrious Cardinal to those of his own Bloud and Princes extreamly dear to him conferring on him to that purpose with much joy his Power and Authority and that of the Holy Seat which in truth he managed and sustained with great Honour giving the King to understand that it belonged to his Holiness represented in his person to Name the Prince Dauphin and to the Bishops of France to pay to the Holy Seat and to his dignity all due respects and submissions In fine the Dauphin was named Lewis and the Ceremony performed at St. Germains the 24th of March. The Baptismal Honours were carried by the Bourbons and the Duke of Vandôme bore up the Train of the Prince's Mantle-Royal taking place immediately after the Princes of the Bloud The Dispensation which Monsieur the Legat granted for a second Marriage of the Queen of Portugal with that Prince was an extraordinary piece of State and good Fortune France and that Crown have as much cause to praise the Conduct of that action as the Council of Spain just occasion to appear troubled who under colour of giving to that Prince a Daughter of the House of Austria would by that means very subtilly have made themselves Masters of that Kingdom The Duke of Beaufort and the Chevalier de Vandôme in the thirteenth year of his age embarqued themselves with intentions to make a descent into Spain but the ensuing Peace and a violent Tempest concurring put a stop to the designes of our great Admiral who notwithstanding could not but admire the assurance and courage of this young Prince At the same time the Hollanders apprehending some fears from the progress of the King's Arms into their neighbourhood and forgetting all the benefits
Marquiss d'Aietone prepared to fight us and with designe to engage them marches towards Belpouche about three hours journey from Lesborges between Lerida and the Enemy but perceiving them to retreat towards Lerida he sends the Marquiss de la Trousse to intercept their way and follows himself upon their Rear The Enemy who thought of nothing but a safe Retreat to Lerida and now seeing themselves encompast by the Mareschal de Gramont's Forces prepare for fight and they had undoubtedly beat our party had not Monsieur the Prince seeing the hazard advanced and stopt their success but by the favour of the Night which came on apace they repast the Segre with the loss of seven or eight hundred men cut in pieces by our Forces We lost there the Sieur de Lupes St. Remy a Captain de Serre a Cornet and some Common Souldiers The 24th of October Tutavilla Governour of Terragona presenting himself again before Constantin was again beaten off by the Troops of Monsieur the Prince of Condé and the diligence of the Sieur de la Baume Governour of the place This year 1647. concludes with the Duke of Guise's entry into Naples the Neapolitans who of a long time had been opprest with the Spanish Yoak having invited him and put themselves under his protection during his abode at Rome Embarquing then the third of November attended onely with his Aumosnier and the Gentleman of his Chamber he arrived happily at Naples the fifth and was there received with incredible joy of the Inhabitants who had made a shift to defend themselves to that present against the Spanish Domination notwithstanding their many Conspiracies and had also expel'd all those whom they suspected of the Spanish Faction Here the Machinations of the other party were so great and dangerous that the Duke run many hazards From the year 1280 in which happened the Massacre of the French in Sicily under Charles of Anjou first of that Name and Brother of St. Lewis to the time of René d'Anjou Naples had been the constant Field of Battle in all the Contests between the Houses of Anjou and Aragon as is observed in the course of the French History where we may see how Charles the 2d succeeded to his Father in that Kingdom and after his death his son Robert Afterwards about the year 1344 Joan the first of that Name Daughter of Charles a Son of the said Robert succeeded to the Crown of Naples Joan ending her life by a sad and shameful death Ladislaus son to Charles of Durazo succeeded about the year 1387. and remained in possession of the Kingdom of Naples till his death Ladislaus dying Joan the 2d his Sister succeeds in the year 1417. who finding her self continually molested by those of the House of Aragon declares René d'Anjou her Heir and Successor about the year 1435. But whether it was that his own peaceful Inclinations or the Inconstancies of the Neapolitan humour stop'd his designes is uncertain this is apparent he never did any thing effectually towards the Conquest of that Kingdom to which his Birth-right did call him This gave opportunity to Ferdinand son of Alphonso to seize the Scepter notwithstanding John Duke of Calabria son of René attempted though in vain to recover the right of his Grandfathers But Charles the 8th King of France undertook this Enterprize with such a courage that all Italy lay open to his Arms and having first made his entry into Rome he was received at Naples with extraordinary magnificence in the year 1494. Charles after this retiring into France and Lewis the 12th extending his Conquests to Milain Francis the first desiring to extend them still further at such time as he Besieged Pavie divided his Army and sent half for Naples but his being taken Prisoner on the 24th of February in the year 1525 put a period to those designes From that time to the present Naples ever remained under the Dominion of the Spaniards And this last Change being so notorious we have made this short recapitulation of the several vicissitudes of that Kingdom From the time of Francis the first to Lewis 13th and Lewis 14th so happily raigning at present the power of Spain was arrived to that point that in fine it seemed all Europe should speak no other Language than Spanish but God whose Dominion extends over all Monarchies hath in a few years diminish'd the swelling extent of this which now of late begins by little and little to fall within its ancient limits But to return to the Duke of Guise after this little digression and observe some of the principal actions which at that time he performed in those parts we must know then in short This Prince on his arrival perceiving how much the people were oppress'd by the Spanish Dominion in the first place dispatches several Couriers to all those Towns which he conceived most material to contribute to the overthrow of their Authority and after he had duly disposed of all things by his rare Conduct he visits the said places severally and takes an exact view of all their Ammunitions after this he raises 26000 men which he distributes into three Bodies And at the same time Salerne falls off to the Republick Hereupon Dom John of Austria and the Duke of Tursi arrive in Naples with a Counter Force to stop the peoples Mutinies but they having joyn'd Policy and Address to the Arms they had levied the Spaniards could not possibly prevent their Choice of our Prince for Duke of the Republick and Generalissimo of all their Forces But since events of War are so uncertain and what seems most assured often wants success Fortune was so indulgent to the Spaniards that our Duke was taken Prisoner by Tutavilla at the Pass of a little River and this was the utter ruine of the Neapolitans designes Anno 1648. Let us now return to France The King and Queen Regent his Mother having been at Chartres to pay their Vows to our Lady return to Paris the 27th of March 1648. In April the Generals of our Armies prepare for a new Campagne expecting the usual Progress in adding to their former Conquests Accordingly on the 20th of August his Majesty obtained a signal Victory before Lens where the Prince of Condé Commanding in chief took Prisoner the General Bek who died soon after of his Wounds This had filled all France with joy had not an unexpected accident disturbed the Feast On the 26th Te Deum was sung in the Cathedral of Nostre Dame at Paris and on the same day the Sieurs de Broussel and de Blanc-mesnil were Arrested which caused a great disorder through all the City till by the Queens bounty in restoring their Liberty it was appeased In the moneth of January the same year the Rebels of England had the horrid Impudence to Condemn their King to the Scaffold After that forbid the having any other King for the future and changed the Government to a Republick Fairfax was declared General of
their Forces and Cromwel his Lieutenant who soon after on the acquittal of the former took to himself the whole Authority He made himself Master of Scotland Ireland and England he made and unmade the Parliament at his pleasure and in fine under the name of Protector of the Commonwealth of England he most Sacrilegiously usurp'd the Command of a King This year ended with the Peace between France the Emperour and Swede concluded at Osnabruc Anno 1649. In the year 1649 the King Queen and Princes leave Paris in the night between the fifth and sixth of January and retire to St. Germains The Parisians believing they intend to revenge their insolencies committed in the action aforesaid take Arms and rise in Troops by order of the Prince of Conty Hereupon the King seizes St. Denis Meudon Corbeil and Lagny This had no doubt occasioned a publick Ruine had not the Court of Parliament deputed several of their Members to his Majestie and obtained a general Amnestie which once more restored France to her former quiet Anno 1650. In January 1650 the Princes of Condé Conty and Duke of Longueville were Imprisoned in the Château de Vincennes from thence removed first to Marcoussy and then to Havre de Grace and restored to Liberty the 6th of February 1651. The Princess of Condé retired to Bourdeaux with the Duke of Enguien her Son where were also the Dukes of Boüillon Roche-Foucaut and de Turenne In this year the Enemy recovered Piombino and Portolongone le Catelet la Capelle and Vervins as also Mouson and Rethel which notwithstanding they kept not long Anno 1651. Nor was the year 1651 more fortunate to us seeing we lost then Furnes and Bergue in Flanders And now the Prince of Condé retires into his Government of Guienne neglecting to be present at the King's Majority which was magnificently celebrated the 7th of September Presently after his Majesty takes a Journey towards Bourges to stop the ill intentions of the Princes which place upon his approach they quitted with their Forces The King stops not in his designes but marches on towards Poitou takes St. Amand sends the Comte de Harcour to attaque Rochelle which the Comte d'Ognon held at the Prince's devotion and compels him to submit to obedience Anno 1652. In the mean time the Parliament at Paris declares the Cardinal Mazarin guilty of High Treason who retires for a while but not at all to remit ought of his care or occasion to serve his Majesty he raises several Troops and presents them to the King at Poitiers the 25th of January 1652 without having encountered any obstacle After this Anger 's is Besieged by the Duke of Rohan and compel'd to submit to the King's obedience together with le Pont de Cé And now the King intending to justifie his Minister sends a Declaration to the Parliament at Paris commanding that all the proceedings against the Cardinal Mazarin be forthwith brought over to him The King Besieges Estampes in which place the Army of the Princes was shut up but the Issue being not very advantageous to the Royal Army he was forced to draw off and invest Paris Here happened many Attaques on both sides after the arrival of the Lorainers though these last shun'd the Encounter as much as possible in such fort that they came not hand to hand till such time as they met in the Fauxbourg St. Anthoine at which Encounter it is believed there died more than 1000 men on both sides The Fight endured from seven in the Morning till three in the Afternoon The Prince of Condé did all that could be expected from a valiant Captain nevertheless had not Mademoiselle caused the City-Gate to be opened and the Cannon to be discharged from the Bastille the Army of the Princes had been utterly defeated Two days after this the disorder was so great in Paris that all people were forced to wear Straw about 'em as a mark of aversion to the Cardinal Mazarin After this they set fire to the outward Gates of the Hostel de Ville where 300 of the most noted Citizens being Assembled to consult of some means whereby to unite the City with the Parliament the Mutineers in order to destroy them all first Massacre the Sieurs le Gras Master of Requests de Janvry Counsellor in the Parliament Myron Master of the Accounts and several others as they came out from the Assembly The Sieur Doujat Counsellor of the Great Chamber and several other persons of Condition had run the same fortune had they not used Disguizes and by the favour of the night past unknown during this disturbance Two of the Factious were Condemned by the Sentence of the Parliament to be Hanged and were accordingly Executed in the Court of the Palace The Sedition grew to that extremity that even the Priests and Religious Women and Children were forced to wear Straw and thereby secure themselves from outrages nay the very Nuns who to shun the dangers of the Campagne sought refuge in this City if at any time they were seen in the Streets or Churches found themselves obliged to appear with this ridiculous Badge The Duke of Nemours about this time challenged the Duke of Beaufort they met with Sword and Pistol The Duke of Nemours fires but without further execution than onely to singe the Duke of Beaufort's Periwig but he in return fail'd not to kill his Enemy And now the people of Paris being pretty well tired with the effects of War begin to disgust the rule of the Princes and upon this occasion depute several of their Burgesses to Pontoise where the King then was to supplicate his Majesty to honour his good Town of Paris with his return This occasioned the retreat of the Duke of Orleans and flight of the Prince of Condé with his Troops Not long after the King returns to the City followed by the Mareschal de l'Hospital Governour of the place the Prevost des Merchands and the Eschevins who had been all constrained to absent and was there received with all the submissions and blessings which the people could possibly invent After this the King went to the Parliament which he re-unites with that part which he had lately establish'd at Pontoise And then and there also he publishes his Amnestie in favour of all those who had risen provided that by their returning to duty they made themselves capable of such a Grace But the Prince of Condé being retired into the Catholick King 's Dominions appeared in the head of an Army before Rhetel of which soon after he got possession as also of Chasteau-Porcien Sainte-Menchou and Bar. During the troubles at Paris the Spaniards knowing the Mareschal de Grancey to be absent from Gravelines lay siege to that place and take it before it could possibly be succoured on our part Those of Guienne finding themselves in such disorder by reason of the Princes party invite the King's Army to come among them commanded by the Count de Harcour who