his company so madly guest what would happen and said to a person of quality that rode near him Yonder is one going to make both us and himself more trouble than he is aware of And immediately he and the person to whom he spoke spurred on He found the Cornet just ready to shoot and bore up so briskly to him that before he could discover him or defend himself with fire in his eyes he cryed out all on the sudden Down with your arms you Sir This Cornet as much surprized then as the Gentleman was before presently lower'd his Musquetoon and said Ay Sir with all my heart I see you understand your business but this Gentleman thinks to swagger and knows nothing of the matter All this was over in an instant by reason of the mighty haste the Sieur de Pontis made who by this means sav'd the lives of several persons for if the Cornet had shot no doubt a great deal of mischief had follow'd whereas now all the disorder was quieted and presently the Sieur de Pontis found a friend of his among those that were in company with the Cornet and went and embrac'd him asking a thousand pardons for the Gentleman that had begun the quarrel so indiscreetly And the two acquaintance after several compliments and expressions of kindness on both sides drew off their company and went each his own way and had after this a very quiet and prosperous Journey From this single action when he was threescore and ten or twelve years old worn with the hardships of War and full of wounds and scars one may make a judgment how vigorous he was in the youth and flower of his age and what reason Cardinal Richelieu had to court so gallant a man over to his party considering the continual fears he had of his Enemies which all the world knows were very many and very powerful Besides the Sieur de Pontis had so great a reputation in the world not only for Courage but for Wisdom and Experience in all matters and punctilio's relating to War that several years after his retirement there happening a great quarrel to arise in the Regiment of Guards between the Lieutenants and the Captains upon some dispute concerning their particular Commands the former came in a body and begg'd Monsieur Pontis as a man whose great knowledge and experience they were content to abide by to mediate and decide the Controversie between them And tho the retired life he had now engaged in made him a stranger at present to all business of this nature yet the posture of their affairs would not allow him to refuse it and he applyed himself to this accommodation with so much greater success in regard that his integrity and religious life and his great age and experience added weight to all his determinarions and procured him more authority and esteem So after a prudent management of this dispute and frequent conferences with the Officers principally concerned he inclined both sides to agree upon reasonable terms and settled a very good correspondence between them all again Whoever hath read these Memoirs no doubt will be very well satisfied that the Sieur de Pontis was not only a person of great valour and conduct and capable of taking up quarrels by his prudence but also of fitting young Gentlemen for the world and giving them good instructions for the behaving themselves wisely and honourably which people of quality commonly learn too late at their own cost and after having made abundance of false steps Nor can it seem strange if after a long experience of the hardships and pleasures of the world and both by his own and a great many other peoples example having discerned the excellencies and the defects of the different ages of man the vices most peculiar to their several conditions and the dangers incident to their several stations both in Courts and Camps he was able to teach others who had seen less of the world than himself had done This induced a Gentleman of his acquaintance who had the care of two young Noblemen at Court to consult him in his retirement and beg the assistance of his advice for the discharge of that employment And though his modesty made him think himself less qualified to graitfy this request especially when he was now in a manner quite out of the world and above fourscore years old and being a man that had made arms more his business than writing or study yet there appear several excellent strokes in his answer many very useful and wise observations which I suppose the Reader would be well pleased to see in his own words and therefore I have thought fit here to insert this Letter at large as he wrote it to his Friend The Sieur de Pontis his Letter to a Governour of two young Noblemen at Court SIR IF I were in any degree less your Servant than I really am it were very easy to have excused my self from that proof of being so which you now desire of me for I should have made no scruple to own to so good a friend as you that my great age hath put it out of my power to give you satisfaction since even my Experience is almost quite lost and gone and all that is left of that is only the few Ideas of what hath past over most frequently and made the deepest impression upon my memory This is all I am able to present you with and shall think my self very happy if any part of it may be of use to you Tho it were too great a presumption to hope this in me who knows with what wisdom and discretion you educate the young Gentlemen committed to your care and therefore I have great reason to look upon your desires of my advice rather as a complement and an effect of your great civility to me than any argument that you really stand in need of any such thing However in obedience to your commands I shall take my usual freedom in declaring my opinion sincerely since you profess some want of directions how to carry your self to these Gentlemen with regard to the age they are growing into in an easy and gentle way according as you find their temper and inclinations to moderate their passions and desires without rigorous and rough methods so as that you may keep up a fair character and continue acceptable both with them and my Lord their Father and all their Relations of quality that are but too fond and seem to adore them In good earnest I do not only lamâ—nt but bear a part my self in your difficulty and trouble for indeed you have a great many people to satisfy a great many faults and defects to amend and a great many different parts to act in order to the discharging this trust with credit and success And first of all I must freely confess to you that I never could approve the opinion of those people that are against their Childrens having any
that he might take notice of the Offenders he could never discover any one of us Yet was I for all that under some suspicion by reason that I was known to be a little eager of the Chace but having obtain'd my leave in due form they could not well conclude me absolutely guilty and so at last this affair past over without much more talk of it About three months after it fell out that I being upon Duty before the Gate of the Louvre Monsieur de Vitry passing by knew me again and immediately applying himself to me O ho Cadet said he you are my man Do you remember the Stag at Fontain-bleau In good earnest I was very much surpriz'd at his Complement especially in the post I then was which I was by no means to quit so that having no other way left me but that of entreaty and submission I said to him in the most humble and moving Accent that I could form my voice to Ah Sir would you ruine me Have compassion upon a poor Cadet as I am He answer'd me after the most obliging manner in the world 'T is enough that I know you said he and I am so far from being the cause of your ruine that I resolve to serve you Come see me I give you my word upon the faith of a Gentleman no harm shall befall you In the mean time so soon as he was gone from me I not yet having the honour to know him and the apprehension wherein I was not permitting me to repose too much confidence upon his word I made my Corporal believe that I had some inconvenience upon me that would not suffer me to continue any longer upon my Post and withal intreated he would put some other in my place which he did without suspecting any thing and I kept my self afterwards upon my guard I deferr'd three or four days going to wait upon Monsieur de Vitry fearing always and not being able after the fault I had committed to present my self before him but at last I resolv'd to go one morning and took two or three of my Comrades along with me we found him abed and being enter'd the Room I made him my Compliment with a thousand excuses for the misfortune that had befaln me assuring him that I was extreamly troubled that I had carried my self so like a Beast towards a person of his quality and one to whose generosity I stood obliged for my life He was pleased to receive me with great testimonies of affection and embracing me told me with the greatest civility in the world that he was extreamly glad to be acquainted with me and that he would make use of me upon occasions and supposing rightly that I might stand in need of Money he presented me with some Pistols and compell'd me to receive them telling me that a Souldier ought to refuse nothing III. About the same time I had a Contest of an extraordinary kind with a friend of mine and was very near bringing my self into a scurvy circumstance by insisting upon the punctilio's of gererosity and friendship in his behalf His name was Esperance and he was the natural Son of the famous Monsieur de Grillon This Gentleman having fought a Duel after a very severe Edict of the King that expressly Interdicted all Duels he was seiz'd and condemn'd to be shot to death He according to the custom conjur'd me being his intimate friend to be his Godfather as they call it and to give him his first shot but I who could not suffer my friendship to be govern'd by this cruel and false Custom plainly told him That for the very reason that I was his intimate Friend I would not be his Executioner and that absolutely I could not kill the man I lov'd He still urg'd me to do it with great earnestness and importunity and gave me several instances to induce me to give him that last testimony of friendship telling me that it was a Custom and practic'd by the most faithful friends I resolutely reply'd that I did not follow the fashion in my Friendship and that it was in vain to press me to do an act I could not think on without horrour and that I would never do it Our Lieutenant-Collonel Monsieur de Sainte Colombe and Monsieur de Brisac my Captain did both of them command me to do what my friend requir'd but I roundly answer'd them That the friendship I had for him would not suffer me to do it They then proceeded to threats telling me That if I did not obey Justice I should be executed in the Criminals stead I made answer with the same constancy That I could not obey in this particular and that I was ready to dye in my friends stead rather than set my hand to his death and thereupon was presently committed to Prison and went without regret for so good a cause But they were satisfied in the end that my refusal in this affair did not proceed from humour or obstinacy but a true foundation of friendship which will not permit a generous man to take away the life of his friend in obedience to a false and ridiculous custom so that I was soon set at liberty and tho the rules of military discipline oblig'd the Officers to reprimand me for my disobedience they made it notwithstanding appear that they had me not in less esteem upon this account but commended the resolution I had manifested in this affair IV. I had after this an opportunity to be known of the King and some of the greatest men of the Court by an accident which though very inconsiderable in it self was not however disadvantageous to such a younger Brother as I. King Henry IV. being at Fontain-bleau had some jealousie of one of the principal Lords of his Court about a Lady then in the Castle and suspected that he went privately to her But he making those visits with so much circumspection that he could never be discovered after the King had contriv'd the means by which he might be surprized he concluded at last to choose out a person that was faithful subtle and bold to execute his design and to deliver him from the disquiet he was in upon that subject He gave order therefore to Monsieur Belingan one of the principal Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber and the great Confident of all his Intrigues to find him out two such as he design'd to plant upon two Avenues where they might stand as Spies upon him of whom his Majesty had the suspicion Monsieur de Belingan having accordingly spoke to Monsieur de Sainte Colombe Lieutenant Collonel of the Regiment of Guards he immediately commanded the eldest Corporal of his own Company to choose him out two Souldiers such as were capable of executing the Kings design The lot fell upon me and the Corporal having chosen me for one that was to be presented to his Majesty he carried me to his Lieutenant Collonel who brought me to Monsieur Belingan who told me
flatly that he would not do it But after this first denial I renew'd my importunity and importun'd him with so great instance assuring him that he could not disoblige me more than by such a refusal that he saw himself compell'd as it were to gratifie my desire He went then tho very unwillingly to attend the King and acquainted him with the humble request I had oblig'd him to deliver in my name The King a little surpriz'd ask'd him what is he dead then to which the Gentleman made answer that I was not but that I would not be satisfied except he would come to his Majesty to acquaint him that his first Physician Monsieur Erouard who had apply'd and taken off the first dressing had found my Leg in such a condition the Gangreen being got into it that he saw no hopes of saving my life but by cutting it off that I could not consent to it being not well assur'd to out-live so violent a remedy and choosing almost as soon to dye as to see my self miserable all the remainder of my life and out of condition of serving his Majesty having thus lost one of my Legs Tell him answer'd the King that I will have him do whatever the Physicians and Chyrurgions appoint that he must not suffer himself to be thus transported by despair and that I will not forsake him that as to what concerns his Command I will not dispose of it till he shall be totally incapable of ever exercizing it again and that I am very sorry to see him reduc'd to such a condition as to make me such a request The Gentleman came back to me and brought me the King's answer at which I was really very much afflicted having a great mind to procure this favour for my Friend and seeing almost no hopes of my self after all that the Chyrurgions had told me of my condition In the mean time I could by no means resolve to have my Leg cut off and I had almost as willingly have died when being thus agitated betwixt fear and desire and the prospect of a present and inevitable death pressing hard upon me I on a sudden remembred I had heard a Chyruryion who had cur'd me of some wound or other boast that he had an infallible remedy to stop a Gangreen and one who liv'd not above fifteen Leagues off at a Town call'd Tournon The affair being pressing I sent my man in post haste to tell him what condition I was in and to conjure him to come with all speed to save my life by reason that I was resolv'd rather to dye than to have my Leg cut off This Chyrurgion who remembred that I had paid him very well the first time he had had me in his hands mounted to Horse in a trice and made all the haste he could to come to me In the mean time the King's Chyrurgions not believing that a Country Chyrurgion could know any particular secret that they were ignorant of and looking upon this hope of mine as a pure allusion that might occasion my death resolv'd to use violence to do me as they thought a very great piece of service and to save my life by cutting off my Leg whether I would or no. So that after they had laid before me the inevitable necessity of doing it and that all my Friends had jointly pray'd and conjur'd me to suffer it seeing me still remain inflexible and obstinate not to suffer it to be done they plainly told me that seeing I would be the cause of my own death they should peradventure be forc'd to proceed after another manner with me Accordingly they came the next day into my Tent with all their preparations of Lints Salves Ligatures and Instruments to make their operation I perceiv'd them through the Curtains of my Bed and was in so great a fright that my Hair stood on end choosing infinitely rather to lose both Arms and Legs in an assault or a battel than to see any of them cut off in cold blood in my Bed especially whilst I was in hopes to preserve them by another way Two Franciscan Fryers presented themselves at the same time to exhort me by a very Christian discourse to suffer this operation with patience giving me to understand that for an hour or two of pain I should preserve my self many years and that though I did not care for this life yet that I ought to do it in consideration of the other seeing that God did as much forbid us to be Murtherers of our selves as of others and that here this perishable life was not only concerned but life eternal to which I was going and where I should soon be obliged to render an account of my life and should be guilty of casting it away if I refus'd the methods proper for preserving it I answered that it was not certain the cutting off my Leg would save my life and that I had much greater hopes from an able Chyrurgion who had a particular secret to stop a Gangreen and would be with me presently The two Fathers regarding more what the Chyrurgions pretended that such a Medicine was impossible than any thing I could say concluded out of an honest but indiscreet zeal that force must be used and I must be held during the operation so that both falling upon me on the sudden they told me they saw they must save my life by violence This proceeding I confess strangely disordered me so that in rage and transport of passion I cry'd out What! will you rob me both of this and the next life too Are you resolv'd to damn me Let me go except you resolve to throw me into a condition more dreadful than the loss of ten thousand lives These amazing expressions so startled and confounded them that they straightway let me go and were much concern'd to find their zeal so unseasonably employ'd They chang'd their note and spoke afterwards to me with great charity and tenderness letting all expressions alone that might any way discompose me and appeasing my mind by all the soft ways they could This return quite won my heart and convinc'd me that what they had done imprudently proceeded from friendship and kindness and I exprest as much gratitude for this last as I had done aversion for their former behaviour to me entreating them that they would visit me often in my illness which they readily engag'd to do and then we contracted such a Friendship as continu'd between us ever after and they have come to see me in the place where I now dwell retir'd a great many years after this accident At last the man I expected with so much impatience and upon whom I depended for my Cure arrived and extraordinary haste he made Assoon as ever I saw him enter the room I cry'd out Oh! how much am I oblig'd to you for coming so quickly and answering all the confidence I reposed in you I have told every hour and every minute and am sensible you could
levity and ingratitude and every body must conclude that after having served a King of France so ill I were very unworthy to serve the greatest Cardinal in Christendom Doubtless Father I have all the reason in the world to believe â—hrt the Cardinal intends only to try me upon this occasion and hope you will have the goodness to represent it to him and add this favour to so many others for which I am already oblig'd to you The Father then taking the opportunity I gave him of coming fairly off seem'd to be very highly satisfy'd with me and having commended me for the due sense I had of his Majesty's favours he went away appearing outwardly as well content as he was inwardly disturbed to see his complement so ill return'd IV. The Cardinal seem'd no less satisfy'd with my answer highly commending the fidelity I had exprest in it and though he could not choose but be vext that so poor an Officer durst refuse entring into his service it is not to be believ'd how many subtle contrivances the ambition of not being defeated in what he had once attempted put him upon to win me over If he spoke of any of the Officers he always preferr'd me above the rest and affected to commend me in the presence of the King and the great men at Court Insomuch that several of my Friends told me I was highly oblig'd to the Cardinal for the advantageous characters he constantly gave of my conduct These complements I receiv'd with seeming submission and acknowledgment but inwardly I had no relish for the affected speeches of a man whose pretences I so well knew One day the King having granted me a favour for one of my Kinsmen bad me go complement the Cardinal upon that account Accordingly I went and told him that since his Majesty had put all things into his disposal he had sent me to ask his consent to a gift he had done me the honour to confer upon me at which I perceiv'd he was mightily pleas'd and said with a smiling countenance that he was very glad of the King's kindness to me that he knew my merit and instead of repining at any thing his Majesty should do for me would with all his heart contribute to it whatsoever lay in his power But the kindness he was pleas'd to shew me did not continue very long for I shall shew before I have done that after having try'd promises and entreaties and all the gentle ways that a Minister so subtle as he could contrive he proceeded at last to methods of severity and violence But now I must proceed to give an account of what past during the Siege of Rochelle and relate the most troublesom business that ever I was eâ—gag'd in in my whole life which I dare affirm to have been just at the beginning however several circumstances of time and place and persons rendred it criminal to the last degree V. Before I give an account of the great difference I had with Monsieur Canaples my Maistre de Camp and the Son of Mareschal Crequi it will not be improper to set down in short the cause of a little coldness toward me formerly It happen'd that being one day at play with Count Saligny the Captain of that Company where I was Lieutenant he had the better and won of my Captain six hundred Pistoles The Count Saligny not knowing what to lay his ill fortune to would needs examine the Dice and finding them false ones he said a Cheat was put upon him and he was robbd of his Money Monsieur Canaples vindicated himself by saying that he plaid fair that he could not answer for the Dice they were what he bought for true ones and since both plaid with the same Dice whatever advantage there was both had it equally Count Saligny went presently out of the house and finding me out told me what had past and that he was resolv'd to be reveng'd not being able to be so cullied by his Maistre de Camp I return'd such an answer as the false honour of the world inspires men with upon such occasions and assur'd him of my service but letting him know withal that I had rather make them friends if that might be and so both preserve his Honour and keep my own Command The Quarrel was soon compos'd but as nothing can be a secret in this world what I had said was told Monsieur Canaples who was furiously incens'd against me yet he always dissembled his displeasure and no resentment appeared outwardly till the occasion of which I shall presently give an account VI. But still notwithstanding the accommodation there remain'd some bitterness in the heart of Count Saligny so that being no longer able to endure to be commanded by one who he thought had affronted him he resolv'd to sell his command He spoke of it to me and promis'd if I would buy it to make me a better bargain than any other man by two thousand Crowns I answer'd I desir'd it of all things in the world but I wanted Money yet that should not hinder my acknowledgment of the obligation I had to him and that I could not hope for any thing but from the Kings bounty who had promis'd to give me a Company as he had already made me a Lieutenant Monsieur Bologne whom I have often mention'd hearing what had past between us was very urgent with me to buy this Command promising to help me to Money and to stand bound for it But I who never car'd to trouble my friends except there was an absolute necessity for it told him the difficulty did not lye in procuring the Money but in paying it again that if he stood bound with me he would run a great hazard and I was not of a humour to make my own fortunes at my friends expence Monsieur St. Preuil coming to see me a little after that Count Saligny had spoke to him about selling his Command but for his part he would never think of it till he knew first whether I had not some prospect of the Commission my self I made answer as I had done to Count Saligny that I could be glad to have it but I would not buy it That is not the thing said he there are enough of your mind all that I have to say to you is that while you have any thoughts of it I will never have any I know very well what just pretensions you have to if and if you 'll buy it I have four thousand Crowns at your service of which I now make you an offer I then very seriously made answer that I was very much oblig'd to him and had much rather he should buy it than any body else because I heartily lov'd him and wisht him as well as I did my self but added withal that since my hopes of a Command were thus lost which I had some right to expect from the Kings bounty as Count Saligny himself had it given freely I begg'd at least he
not think should ever fall into those hands without Witchcraft for I thought my self secure both of the person with whom it was entrusted to convey and of him to whom it was sent but the latter hath protested to me several times since that he never receiv'd it At last not being able to deny my hand nor used to flinch upon these occasions I rather chose to own the whole thing freely and said very bluntly 'T is true Sir I own this Hand and Seal to be mine This Letter I must confess was written by me and consequently I am oblig'd to own all the contents of it thâ— my Head were to pay for it before night Monsieur Noyers was well enough pleas'd with this frank acknowledgment but yet he took me up pretty roundly and spoke with all the vehemence imaginable This is fine said he to me here you have had the impudence to use the Cardinal at this rate who is the greatest and best Genius in the World one that does good to all mankind and one that raises such as are worthy of his favour out of the dust and advances them to the highest and most honourable posts one that is ever labouring and makes it his whole business to satisfie all the Kings Subjects and obliges his very Enemies nay one that at the very time when you were reviling him after this scandalous manner try'd to do you service and begg'd the Government of Coliovre of the King for you And is it possible that little inferiour Officers should fall foul upon the power above them so insolently and so far forget themselves as to reproach and affront those persons that their Prince thinks fit to trust with the care and management of his Kingdoms I answer'd him That I confest my self to blame to use such language of a person to whom I ow'd all possible respect but I begg'd him not to take it ill if a poor Prisoner as I was let fall any indiscreet complaints and cry'd louder than was becoming That this was the only liberty left the afflicted to unload their breasts by lamenting their misfortunes That the world does not think any body the more guilty nor at all resent it if they forget respect a little upon these occasions because then it is not so much the person that speaks as the passion This Sir said I is the only ease poor Prisoners have left Their tongues are not confined they express themselves freely and no body thinks the worse of their cause for it Nature Sir puts us upon complaining when we are hurt and it looks like stupidity to suffer and stand mute all the while In short I own I had not so much temper as I should have had but I dare say you your self have so much goodness as to excuse me in my misfortune when I was sensible of nothing I had done to deserve it and yet saw my self struck to the ground on a sudden and opprest with a load so heavy as that of my disgrace is to me Monsieur Noyers was moved with my way of expressing my self and besides I do not question had secret instructions to make the best of this occasion to invite me into the Cardinals service so he told me he would speak to the Cardinal in my behalf and undertook to make my peace most willingly to shew me by this instance that he rerlly lov'd and was not less my friend now than he had ever been So I took my leave and told him I should acknowledge my obligations to him I went home and was amazed at the several little fetches and politick designs of this great Statesman who hated me for my fidelity to the King and had long waited for a fair pretence to undo me and yet chose rather to improve this occasion that offer'd it self to him into a means of fixing me to himself than of my utter ruine XXII I went several times to Monsieur Noyers and always found so many people waiting upon business that I could never speak with him At last one day I met Mareschal Brezay and Mareschal Melleray who both told me they could not imagine what I had done to gain upon the Cardinal but he was quite another man with regard to me and often spoke of me with a great deal of kindness Monsieur Brezay told me he would introduce me to him Monsieur Melleray said No he would do it So after a small struggle they agreed to carry me to wait on him both together We all went to the Cardinal's Palace and at our entrance into the Chamber they said to him My Lord here is Monsieur de Pontis we have brought him to your Eminence very sorry for having offended you and ready to make a tender of his service to you I will be security for his fidelity said Mr. Brezay And so will I said Mr. de Melleray All this while I said not one word giving them no authority for the engagements they were so ready to make in my behalf nor confirming them no further than by a respectful silence Then the Cardinal directing himself to me said in a jeering insulting tone Well Monsieur Pontis you have stood in your own light all this while You thought to get more and raise your fortunes more effectually from another hand but you had been no loser by the bargain if you had applied your self to me This compliment I own stirr'd a great deal of indignation in me to see my constant devotions to the Kings service made a jest of and that they thought me a man to be corrupted But I must keep in my passion and therefore answered with all the outward demonstrations of respect that were due to him That I was all astonishment at the honour his Eminence had done me in having such a one as me in his thoughts that I must acknowledge my self very unworthy his favour but yet my Conscience did not tax me with having ever been wanting in my obedience to his commands and that I had endeavoured to pay his Eminence all the service in my little power But indeed I thought my self obliged not to forsake the King's service for this would have been the highest ingratitude since his Eminence himself could not but blame me for that as knowing that both my fortune and my life depended upon his royal bounty The Cardinal pretended not to understand me and made answer that what was past should only serve to make us better friends hereafter and that he would have me come and see him again But I who did not understand his Court nor the modes of it resolved to frequent it but very little more for the future than I had done heretofore And I thought it convenient to acquaint the King with the whole matter who would not have been well satisfied to have had me conceal the particulars of an accident in which he was so nearly concern'd Having given him some little hint of it he took me into his Closet and there I gave him
was a poor Cadet but if he would promise him his liberty he would try to gratifie him with fifty Pistoles which he would borrow of Monsieur Vitry for he had the honour of being known to him The Colonel who desired nothing so much as ready Money and perhaps never thought he should find this Man so good a Chapman promised to carry him safe away upon condition he would pay him those fifty Pistoles It was easie for him to find such a Sum and thus he got his liberty He came back into France and betraying a great indifference for him who was left behind Prisoner in a strange Country minded nothing but his own pleasure as if the Money would never have an end Nay when that was gone he found another method of getting fresh Supplies for his Expences and went to the Treasury and there in my Name took up my Pension And when his Friends and Relations reproached him with taking no care to get me my liberty his constant Answer was that I had Friends enough to take care of me and all he could do would signifie nothing Which I take notice of here to put those People out of countenance who are capable of such dirty actions and to shew that a true Friend is often more faithful and more tenderly concerned in such cases than our own Relations XVI After the taking of Rotheuil by the Enemy I and my Companions that fell to the Duke of Bavaria's share were carried to Ausburg As we were upon the Road though I was almost at death's door my self yet I â—ent my fine Horse Millesfleurs to one of the company who pretended to be very sick but instead of restoring him to me that we might take our ease by turns he took no farther care than his own convenience though at my expence and went on a good way before without ever staying for me I was almost quite spent and proposed to five or six of my Comrades to go rest and refresh our selves a little at an Inn hard by But the refreshment I went for cost me very dear For after we had eat and drank and came to pay the Reckoning I took a Crown in gold out of my Pocket and threw it down upon the Table as we use to do in France and said to the Landlady Pay your self out of that and give me the rest again and afterwards taking the remainder and putting it in my Pocket without ever counting it five or six German Troopers who were drinking in the same place observed the indifference I shew's about Money and guessing by this piece of gold which they saw me throw down upon the Table that we might be some of the French Nobility and had a good many Pistoles they were resolved to set upon us and rob us After we were gone a good way these Germans came galloping up to us I had staid a little behind and happened just then to be all alone The Troopers as soon as they came near call'd out Your Purse I who was much surprized at so unexpected a compliment presently leapt a Ditch and drawing my Sword called to my Comrades Here To me Gentlemen to me and then began to defend my self as well as I could without ever considering how many were upon me They shot twice but did not hurt me And for all they could do to get within me still I kept them off with my own motion and the management of my Sword All this while my Comrades and that very man among the rest whom I had lately rescued from the Trooper that would have stript him instead of making up to my relief fled into the Marshes and left me single to the mercy of five drunken Germans armed with Hangers and Musquetoons and Pistols I defended my self after this manner for half a quarter of an hour and it may be at last they might have been tired as well as I if one of them coming behind me and surprizing me had not laid at me with his Hanger to cleave me down the middle I turned about and received the blow upon my Sword which was broken with the force of it and that gave them an opportunity of falling all upon me They rifled me and took away seven or eight Pistoles which I had left and unbuttoning my Breeches searched me for more and took from me the Gold Medal given me by Mareschal Brezay which I spoke of formerly But still they left me that which was most valuable my life being no doubt particularly restrained by God from killing me which in all probability they must needs have done otherwise considering the resistance I made and that they were drunk when they fought with me I found such heat and resolution in this dispute that if my Companions had not deserted me as they did I almost fancy we should have been at least as likely to dismount these Horsemen as to have been robbed by them Upon this I went and made my complaints to Lieutenant Collonel Mirck whose Prisoner I was and told him how I had been robbed and abused by some Troopers who had taken away my money and among other things a Gold Medal â—hich I was more concerned for the loss of than for any thing else He told me I was to blame not to put that into his hand Search was presently made for the Rogues which he ordered more for the sake of the Medal which he had a mind to than for any thing else and one of them was taken and hang'd for an example but I never could get any of my things I had lost any more When we came near Ausburg the Prisoners that were on Horseback had orders to alight and walk and so they led us into the Town by four and four behind our Enemies who marched thus triumphing over us into the Town There was no remedy but this bitter Cup must be drank as well as all the rest which I was not at all prepared or ever lookt for when I surrendred my self upon a promise of our being honourably used Afterwards I presented Collonel Mirck with my pretty Horse They put us all in Cellars where we had no Bed but Straw nor any light but what could come to us through the Chinks and Grates of the Cellars That is in plain terms they threw us into Dungeons to extort from us a higher ransome In this wretched condition did we live three long months and had nothing to subsist upon but the Alms we sent to beg about the Town for poor Prisoners For the people are generally charitable in that Country and there were some good women that would bring us Bread and Beer or Cyder in their Aprons and let it down to us through the Grate by Ropes We sent to ask some Charity of the Monks who could do whatever they pleased in that city But from them we had nothing but hard-heartedness and the Lutherans shewed themselves much kinder and more compassionate than those Monks who value themselves upon acting like great Politicians
generous than obedient after the happy execution of what had been commanded him could not forbear proceeding to what he was forbid and to go with his Sword in his hand upon the Enemy where he received a Musquet shot that laid him dead upon the place which gave me a sensible displeasure in the midst of the joy we had to see our Enterprize perfectly succeed For the Pots I have spoken of wrought so great an effect and the Besiegers push'd the Enemy with so great vigour that without any considerable loss saving that of this brave young man the Half-moon was forc'd and won VII Some days after as I was mounting the Guard the Enemy made a great Sally and they had already begun to nail two pieces of Cannon when I was commanded to repel them with a body that I had rally'd together in which there was a very brave Swiss The Enemy having at this time also thrown some Granadoes which made a sufficient havock amongst us one that fell into a Barrel of Powder gave fire to 't and cut off both the poor Swisse's Legs blew the Heads of one of the barrels against my stomach with much force that I thought my self cut in two and was ready to swoon it put me to the greatest pain that ever I had felt in all my life but being come to my self and having examined my body all over feeling no blood and discovering no wound I confess I was extreamly glad because I thought my self a dead man and though I ventur'd my life as freely as another I had no mind at all to dye That which sav'd me was a Cuirasse I had put on that day which resisted the blow and which by the reverberation caus'd my pain VIII Eight or ten days after this mounting the Guard in a Trench whilst Monsieur de Zamet mounted another on the right hand which belongâ—d to his Regiment as the first of France it hapned that as he was advancing his work very far the Enemy sallied in so great number and with so much resolution that they overturn'd the head of the Trench upon the tail which also gave way Monsieur Zamet having rallied some Souldiers stood firm for some time and made good his ground with his own person till being wounded in the Arm with a Musquet shot and out of condition of fighting he was taken Prisoner and led into a corner at distance with several others of his Officers where he was under Guard whilst the Enemy still pusht the rest of his Regiment In the mean time that of Champagne not being commanded we had our own Trench to guard and I seeing that of Picardy so handled and broken and perceiving the gross of the Enemy at distance drawn up in the corner who there kept these Prisoners without thinking that Monsieur de Zamet was of the number I ask'd leave of Monsieur de Pyolet to go and relieve our Companions before they were carried away assuring him that I would have but fifty chosen men to deliver them and to drive away the Guard that kept them He granted my request and immediately chose out fifty men that I knew to be very brave but above twenty Serjeants out of generosity took the places of so many Souldiers I sent them back and all the Regiment the occasion appear'd so honorable would have been of the Party I made them all take no other Arms but Halberts only and took one my self being I had ever found it the best Weapon when men come to blows After having concluded how we should attack the Enemy we march'd through a little cover'd way that wholly conceal'd us till we were just upon them and charging all together into the middle of this body that kept our people enclos'd we so astonish'd them with this surprize and unexpected attack that thinking they had all the Army upon them they made very little resistance but ran away leaving some of their men behind them IX But I was very much astonish'd to see Monsieur Zamet amongst these Prisoners which also made my joy the greater though it was not without some mixture of fear when I saw him cover'd all over with blood I ask'd him where he was hurt and he gave me comfort by telling me it was only in his Arm. I conducted him back to his Regiment where he embrac'd me several times telling me he would never forget this service I had done him of which that he might give me further assurance he entreated me to come see him the next day so soon as I should be reliev'd from the Guard and I fail'd not to come according to his desire As soon as he saw me he made me lean down upon his Bed that he might embrace me and told me with infinite kindness that he would not only love me so long as he liv'd but would publickly acknowledge that he stood indebted to me for his life and liberty that he could not better manifest his gratitude than by assuring me that I should be Master both of the one and the other as things that belonged to me and to which I had acquir'd an absolute right in preserving them that he would for the future divide with me both his goods and fortune that he would have me from this time forward look upon him as my Brother and that being he could not confer upon me any command that could tye me nearer to him than that of his own Lieutenant he entreated I would accept the offer he made me that I might begin to enter upon my share of whatever belonged to him that he might hereafter advance me and change my Command according as he should rise himself and advance his own fortune To conclude he said all this to me after so tender and affectionate a manner adding withal that he promis'd in the presence of God to make all this good to me that I cannot express the disposition I found my self in after such an obliging discourse I told him to do Monsieur de Pyolet a good Office who had entreated me to lay part of this obligation upon him that I had not only done what I was commanded and that it was in executing the commands of another I had been so happy as to do him this service but that I stuck not from that moment to a man so worthy to be belov'd to engage both my person and my life so that from that very day there was so strict an Union contracted betwixt us as death it self could not dissolve being I still find it so firmly engraven in my heart four and thirty years after the loss of this Friend that I cannot think or speak of it without being movâ—d to a degree that I cannot express I began then from this moment to live with this incomparable Friend not only as with a Brother but as with my own Father having for him the same respect and paying him with all possible assiduity the same duty and the same deference as if I had really
been his Son For all my Duties upon the Guard and the occasions upon which I was commanded excepted I was continually by his Bed side lying with my hand in the stateliest Union that can possibly be imagin'd which also was much augmented upon a new accident which I think my self oblig'd to relate X. The Enemy having made another furious Sally came and set fire to our Powder lam'd the Carriages of two pieces of Cannon to which they set fire also and were endeavouring to nail the rest when I was commanded out with a body of threescore men to repel them where I once more thought I should have been scorch'd to death by a Barrel of Powder they gave fire to in their retreat After having beaten them from this Battery I retir'd with the rest of our Regiment which with great vigour beat the Enemy back even into their own Fort though it could not be done without great loss on our part Amongst the Officers that were kill'd in this action there was one very brave man call'd Captain Robert of whose death the King being inform'd he presently thought of the Officer of Champagne to confer the command upon for besides other occasions wherein I had been particularly taken notice of by his Majesty he had heard of the service I had done Monsieur Zamet and the other Prisoners in rescuing them out of the Enemies hands Calling therefore for Monsieur de Puisyeux he told him that he gave me the Company of Captain Robert commanding him to dispatch my Commission and to send it to me before I knew any thing of it Monsieur de Puisyeux who thought himself highly obligâ—d to me for having without speaking to him or his having entreated me preserv'd a Country House of his that was near the Army from being plundred by the Souldiers by putting into it a Gurrd of six Musqueteers was exceeding glad of this opportunity of serving me to the King and therefore taking the liberty to tell him his opinion concerning the choice his Majesty had made he spoke of me to him the most advantageously that he possibly could so much as unknown to me to acknowledge the little service I had endeavoured to do him The Commission therefore was dispatch'd that night and being deliver'd to me in the morning without my having had the least intimation of it I confess I more valued the King's remembring me of his own accord than I did my preferment to the Command tho I did pretty much covet that too not believing that the Lieutenancy of Monsieur Zamet could be conferr'd upon me so soon I went forth with to carry my Commission to Monsieur Zamet who look'd a little coldly upon it and ask'd me if I had rather have the Company than to be his Lieutenant adding withal that he very well knew that in order and pay a Company was worth more but that he believâ—d it was much more advantageous to me to be Lieutenant to a person who was so absolutely my own as he was who assur'd me no less than his goods and fortâ—ne and therefore entreated me to think onâ—t before I accepted the Command To this I made answer that he very well knew that I had already assur'd him that I was entirely his and that accordingly he should be the absolute Master in this affair that as I had hitherto no hand at all in it being meerly oblig'd to the King's bounty who had thought of me of himself and to the kind remembrance of Monsieur de Puisyeux who had dispatch'd the Commission before I had heard a syllable of it I could not better let him see how much I was at his disposal than by bringing him the Commission to do with it as he himself thought fit He then told me that he had a great mind to inform the King of the particulars that past in that Sally of the Enemy I have mention'd before where I restor'd him his liberty and that being there was no one who had had so great a share in it as my self I was able to give a better account than any one of that action and therefore he should be glad I would go wait upon his Majesty in the afternoon and present him a Letter that he would write I did so where after I had presented Monsieur Zamet's Letter and given an account of his health which his Majesty enquir'd after he immediately fell to speaking of the occasion wherein I had rescu'd him out of the Enemies hands commanding me to tell him the whole story which I accordingly did as well as I could I then took my opportunity to return my most humble thanks for the honour his Majesty had done me in remembring me after a manner so much to my advantage and of which I should retain a profound acknowledgment all the days of my life But the King seeing I took no notice of Monsieur Zamet's design said to me But you have not told me all this while that Zamet would have you for his Lieutenant to which I made answer That I was in the first place bound to let his Majesty know my sence of this very particular favour he had been pleas'd to shew me when I least thought of any such thing and as to the other which Monsieur Zamet sollicited in my behalf it was not for me to mention it to his Majesty and that I should seem not to value the favour he had conferr'd upon me as I ought should I at the same time I came to return my thanks for the one make suit for another But since your Majesty said I obliges me to answer to that affair I can assure you that I am ready with great chearfulness to do whatever your Majesty shall please to command whether in accepting or surrendring the Company in the Regiment of Champagne for the Lieutenancy of Monsieur Zamet which I confess to be to me much more considerable and desireable than many Companies by reason of the tender Friendship I am happy in from a person of his merit which is to your Majesty sufficiently known Being then Sir to receive the one or the other from your Majesties hand I with all my heart resign the Commission your Majesty did me the honour to send me with an humble request that your Majesty would be graciously pleas'd to make for me a choice that I protest I know not how to make for my self At the same time I presented my Commission to the King who very much surpriz'd at my complement and the free manner wherewith I had referr'd my self into his hands for the choice of one of these two Commands left me on a sudden to go to the other end of the room where the Constable de Luines was to whom he told all that I had said to him and shewâ—d him the Commission I had return'd into his hands The Constable had not been very well satisfied with me in the beginning of the War by reason of a little occasion wherein I had not manifested