may say she so much set off the grandeur of her Birth by her natural beauty and by her engaging and courteous deportment that all France was sensibly grieved to lose her One of the first persons that took the freedom to speak to the Queen and give her advice was a Religious Theatin called Father Vintimiglia He was born in Sicily of an Illustrious Family and was Brother to the Count de Prade who happened to be Governour of Palermo at the time when that City revolted in the late troubles He had been seized and people thought it would have cost him his head but he got the favour to be sent to Madrid to justifie himself his Brother the Theatin went along with him to assist him with his credit He was a bold hardy adventurous man and devoted himself entirely to Don Iuan and his zeal for that Prince carried him so far that in some of his Sermons he spoke of the Queen Mother with very little respect This Father departed from Madrid in company with the Duke d' Ossone and tho he had not now any hopes of being made the Queens Confessor as he had before the death of Don Iuan yet he could not forbear to go as far as Bayonne to salute her his deportment his birth and his knowledge of the French tongue which he spoke perfectly well because he had resided a long time at Paris procured him access enough to the young Queen to take his opportunity of prepossessing her with some suspicions and jealousies against the Queen her Mother in Law and the French Ambassador By this piece of conduct he did not only design to injure those persons who had formerly been enemies to Don Iuan but he had a particular aim that personally respected himself and wherein his ambition had by much the upper hand of his discretion and that was to perswade the Queen to endeavour the erecting of a Iunta that was to depend solely upon her He told her that in order to bring this design about she was to chuse the Duke d' Ossone to be a member of it because he was a person of consummate abilities and besides had a great zeal for her Majesty he took care to reckon himself in the number of the Ministers and could not forbear to write a Scheme of the Government the memoirs of which he gave to the Duke d' Harcourt to the end that he might present them to the Queen but 't is very probable he never showed them to her Majesty The Queen was now advanced as far as St. Iohn-de-Luz and she departed from thence about one a clock in the afternoon on the third of November followed by the Guards an Corps of the King She came to a wooden house that was purposely prepared for her it was gilded and painted within and without there was a great Hall in it a Chamber and a moveable Closet of Crimson-Damask with Galloon and a rich Lace of Gold and Silver This house was scituate upon the brink of the River de Bidassoa which parts France from Spain As soon as the Queen arrived there she put on a most sumptuous Habit then coming into the Hall she took part of a noble Collation There she staid a little and afterwards retired into her Chamber after this she ascended a Scaffold and placed her self in a Chair of State under a noble Canopy at this very moment she was seized with an air of melancholy which shewed what a regret she had to be so near leaving France The Prince d' Harcourt placed himself at her right hand the Princess d' Harcourt at her left the Mareshal Clerambaut's Lady and Madam de Grance behind her Chair Monsieur de Saintot went to inform the Marquess d' Astorgas of it who was Major Dâ—no to the Queen He was in a Boat upon the River near a little Island which the Treaty of the Pyrantes has rendred since so famous and which was joyned to the Queen's House by a Bridge of Communication The Guards de Corps formed themselves into several Squadrons in this place The Marquess was waiting for his orders in this Boat which was very magnificent and was prepared on purpose to carry her Majesty over to the other side As soon as he was informed that the Queen expected him he set foot upon the ground and fourscore persons Gentlemen Pages or Valets marched on foot before him he threw himself immediately at the feet of the Queen kissed her hand made her a Complement got up again and covered himself without staying for the Queen to say any thing to him The Prince d' Harcourt covered himself likewise at the same time The Marquess spoke to her all the while in Spanish and presented her Majesty with two Letters from the King and Queen Mother but before he gave them he touched them upon his Forehead his Eyes his Mouth and his Heart as the fashion is The Queen told him she was extreamly glad that the King her Husband had given him the charge of conducting her After this the old Marquess turned himself towards the Prince d' Harcourt and made him a Complement who answered that he had orders from the King his Master to deliver the Queen of Spain into his hands Monsieur de Chateanneuâ— Counsellor of the Parliament of Paris read the Act of Deliverance in French and Don Alançon Caruero Secretary of State read the Act of Reception in Spanish The Marquess presented several persons of Quality to her Majesty who kissed her hand kneeling down upon one Knee The Bishop of Pampelune kissed her hand but did not kneel The Queen did not press to depart but the Marquess informed her that it was high time to march she immediately arose placing him on her right hand and a Mâ—nin of Honour on her left upon whose shoulder she leaned for he was a young Boy and thus she advanced towards the Bridge The Dutchess de Terra Nova met her just about the middle and kissed her hand with the Ladies of the Palace that followed her who threw themselves all at her feet After the Dutchess had made her Complement she presented several Spanish Ladies to the Queen Monsieur de Repaire Lieutenant of the King'sGuards duCorps who carried the Queens Train gave it to the Dutchess The Queen entred into the Boat along with her her Chamber was glazed all over and thus being all alone with this old Dame she cast her eyes frequently towards that side of the Kingdom which she had quitted and her languishing air sufficiently testified by what commotions she was agitated within Twenty four Seamen placed in two Barques drew the Boat along and the Spanish Horse discharged their Musquetoons and Pistols as soon as it began to move the artillary of Fontarabia answered them with a great firing The Prince and Princess d' Harcourt the other Ladies and all the Queens Attendants passed over in Boats that were prepared on purpose The Queen setting foot upon the Ground towards the evening found
command his Ambassadors and that they would obey him in every thing that if the King was not willing to have them assist at his Marriage he ought to signifie to them by an order in writing that they were not to be there The Camarera ravished with joy that she had an opportunity to show her zeal for the King of Spain altho this was a very improper time for it was so far transported with the matter and spoke several things so incoherent and so fierce that the Ambassadors left her and addressed themselves to the Marquess d' Astorgas he patiently listned to them and told them ingenuously that he would immediately dispatch a Gentleman to the King to know his pleasure herein This Gentleman found him on the way and he consented that the Messieurs d' Harcourt and Villars should assist at the Ceremony In short it was occasioned by the industrious diligence of some persons who had no inclination to the French that this thought was insinuated into the King They were of opinion that so August a Marriage ought not to be Celebrated in a poor Village where there were not above a dozen Houses and their Spanish vanity was so extreamly offended at it as to desire that the Ambassadors of so great a King might not be witnesses of so great a negligence not to say misery And now to excuse the matter they gave out that the King was young and amorous that every thing that hastned the pleasure of seeing his Spouse touched him so sensibly that he even forgot the magnificence and grandeur of his Rank that love alone made up the Honours of his Feast and that the King thought this alone sufficient The Queen having passed the night at Quintanapalla about ten a clock in the morning was told that the King was arrived this news caused a small emotion in her and spread a colour upon her Cheeks that made her still appear more beautiful and lovely She went to receive him in her Spanish dress and having met him as he was just going to enter her Anti-Chamber she would have thrown her self several times at his feet and kissed his hand but he hindered her still and saluted her after the Spanish fashion that is without kissing her but pressing her arms close with his two hands and calling her often Mireina Mireina my Queen my Queen They discoursed together a long time without being able to understand one another and this was certainly no little pain to them Monsieur Villars who perceived it advanced forward to serve as an Interpreter if he did not say every thing they said it is at least very certain that he spoiled nothing of their conversation and that he mingled a great deal of tenderness and passion with it The King was drest a la Scombergue which is properly after the French mode and all his attendants were clad after the same manner For the campagne habits of the Spaniards somewhat resemble ours The Marquess de Villars having observed that the Grandees of Spain took the right hand spoke to the King about it and represented to him the rank the Marquess de los Balbazez had given to him at Fountainbleau when the Queen was espoused there This reason prevailed so the King ordered the Ambassadors of France to be treated after the same manner The Constable of Castile could not be brought to quit his place without some trouble he had still a small dispute upon the point which continued a little time between the Ambassador and him however civility was still preserved on both sides and the rest of the Grandees placed themselves behind the King Don Antonio de Benavidez y Bazan Patriarch of the Indies and Grand Almoner gave them a second benediction the Ceremony was performed incognito in the Queens Anti-Chamber If the Arch-Bishop of Burgos had not been indisposed he had performed this Office Whilst Mass was saying they put a Ribbond of black Taffaty about the King and Queen tied up in a true Lovers knot and a white Gauze with a Silver Fringe upon the King's Shoulders and over the Queens Head The Dutchess de Terra Nova held up her Train When the Ceremony was over the King and Queen withdrew into a Chamber by themselves where they continued two hours alone they dined afterwards in publick and parted from thence to go and lie at Burgos There was no body with them in the Coach and since they did understand one another but very little one can scarce imagine what they said however the King appeared very amorous and affectionate several Grandees of Spain went before their Majesties with very stately Liveries and accompanied them to the Palace where a Comedy was acted and artificial Fireworks were to be seen The next day the King came to a rich Abby of Nuns that are called Las Huelgas which is not much beyond the Suburbs of Burgos She dined there and about three a Clock made her entry on Horseback being drest after the Spanish mode but appeared so beautiful and charming that she ravished the hearts of all the spectators Three Grandees marched before her the Marquess d' Astorgas followed her a Canopy was carried over her head the Old Dutchess de Terra Nova rode upon a Mule and the Maids of Honour accompanied her on Horseback On the twenty second of November Prince d' Harcourt made his entry and had Audience of the King and Queen after Dinner there was a Bull-feast which pleased the Queen exceedingly because the Cavaliers showed extraordinary dexterity and courage in the performance The day following she saw the Parejas that is to say an Horserace in which nothing is observeable but that two men who start together ride even without going a step one before the other altho they ride full speed Sixty Gentlemen clad in Silver Brocard ran after this manner After they had thus spent three days in different pleasures and diversions it was high time to think of going to Madrid most of the French Gentlemen and Ladies that followed the Queen took leave of her in this place so that the greatest part of the Houshold went back to France but this was not done without shedding abundance of Tears The Queen had the liberty still to keep with her her two Nurses two Women of the Chamber some Valets de Chambre a Gentleman to look after five or six English Horses she had ordered to be brought with her and some other Officers for her Table She presented the Prince and Princess d' Harcourt the Mareshal Clerembaut's Lady and Madam de Grance with her Picture enriched with Diamonds of different prices according to the Quality of the persons to whom she gave them and the obliging manner wherewith she knew how to accompany her liberalities augmented the price of them exceedingly They pretend that the present the King made the Prince d' Harcourt was worth twenty hundred thousand Crowns but it fell much short of it the Queen got a Pension of two thousand Crowns
desired of him and returned back again to the Palace very suddenly As soon as he believed himself to be safe he ordered Six Souldiers to be sent to Prison and their Tryals to come on speedily He reformed all the Cavalry together with the Captains and the other Officers as well as the Lieutenant General This Body of Horse consisted of Seven Troops and had been kept up above Fifty Years He pretended That he had received Orders from Madrid to reform them after this manner but the real Truth is he was not in a condition to pay them The King of Spain hereupon was exceedingly grieved to behold the Misery to which all his Kingdoms were reduced But all this evil News was ballanced when they knew that the Plague was intirely ceas'd in Andaluzia and that the Chief Magistrate of Cales finding the Port of St. Mary free from the Infection had taken off the Prohibition of Commerce After this they immediately begun to load the Gallions On the Fifth of September there were great rejoicings at Court because it was the Birth-day of his Most Christian Majesty A Comedy was Acted there and all the Ambassadors and Grandees of Spain were present at it The Queen appeared so covered with Jewels that her Diamonds cast a greater Light than six large Flambeaux as big as Torches did that were lighted in the Great Hall A few days after this the King and the Two Queens went solemnly to Chappel where the Anniversary of Philip IV. was celebrated with great Ceremonies The Queen being returned to the Palace found a Sealed Letter in her Pocket having the same Superscription with that which she formerly received and seeing written on the out-side For the Queen alone she would not open it and almost distracted her self in thinking what Person it was that could find the means to come so nigh her as to slip this Letter into her Pocket Towards Evening she went along with the King to the Queen-Mother's Palace to make her the usual Complements of Condolance upon the Death of the late King her Husband The Dutchess de Medina Celi told the King That she had received a Letter from Ispaham the Capital City of Persia which had great Curiosities in it The King replied That he was desirous to hear it All the Company being gone out of the Room she placed her self near him to read it The Queen took her Advantage of this Opportunity and told the Queen-Mother That she had a great desire to see a Picture of Titian which she had lately bought As she said these Words she advanced towards the great Closet of the Queen-Mother whither she follow'd her When they had entred into it the Young Queen gave her the Letter which she had found in her Pocket and desired her to keep it or burn it as she thought most convenient I don't know says she but it may come from the Dutchess de Terra Nova but she shall be clearly mistaken in her Project The Queen-Mother told her That she had best open the Letter to see what was contained in it Ah Madam replied the Queen I would never by my good Will see any such Letters The Queen-Mother admired the prudent Conduct of this Young Princess and bid her not disquiet her self about the matter for she would take care to keep it sealed by her And some time after she recounted this Adventure to the Marchioness de Mâ—rtare and show'd her the first Letter saying she believed it proceeded from the Malice of some Persons who designed to do the Queen a Mischief It was through this Lady's Means that my Cousin and I came to know all that I have written concerning this Affair The Queen and the Queen-Mother did not tarry long together but came to find the King who told them That the Dutchess de Medina Celi had read a Letter to him wherein was contained a very Tragical surprising Accident and that they would by no means think their time lost to hear it The Dutchess immediately read the Letter it was dated from Ispahan the 18 th of March 1680. and gave an Account how That on the 23 d of Ianuary in the same Year the City of Masulipatan which is the greatest Scale of Trade in the Kingdom of Golconda had been overflow'd by the Sea and by extraordinary Rains accompanied with a furious Hurricane That above Twenty five thousand Persons were drowned there and that the Loss of the Goods and Merchandize amounted to Twenty Millions That it had Rained Blood for the space of Two Hours in the Village of Sobou near Deli where the Great Mogul keeps his Residence and that part of the City of Sougean near Daera had been over-whelmed by an Earthquake That the Englâ—sh having received Advice That the Raja Sevagi after he had pillaged the City of Danga threatned to besiege Bombay which is a Place that was yeilded up by the Portugueses to them together with Tangier upon occasion of the Marriage of the Infanta Catharina Queen of England had sent some Men of War to Bombay to defend it but that it was very much questioned whether they would be able to hold it out against a Prince who continued to make his Conquests with so prodigious a Swiftness and who had already defeated Cercan Loudi a Prince dependant upon the King of Visiapour He had possessed himself in less than Two Years of all the Territory scicuate upon the Coasts of Coromandâ—l The King of Visiapour being concerned at the Misfortune of this Prince who was just upon the point of Marrying the Princess Famika his Sister designed to assist him and sent his Forces under the Command of Famika who was as brave as an Amazon Beautiful and Haughty The Prince Sevagi knowing that she marched against him advanced with his Army and met her towards the Kingdom of Golconda She sent a Zagay to him with a Sabre and writ to him That in case he was so pleased they would decide the Quarrel by a single Combat He accepted the Challenge took the Arms she sent him and returned her other The Two Armies were drawn out in Battel with Orders not to make the least movement as long as the Combat continued The Princess was vanquished and surrendered her self Prisoner The Prince Cercan Londi who was with her was driven into Despair when he saw his Mistress taken away from him he threw himself with his Forces upon those of Sâ—vagi and after a long Combat Cercan was taken Prisoner and the Prince remained Master of the Field After this he still carried Famika along with him and she appeared so charming to him that he told her If she was willing to marry him he would restore to Cercan Loudi all that he had taken from him by way of Conquest The Princess haughtily replied That she would never sacrifice her self to one that was a Subject to the King her Brother Sevagi who was deeply in Love with her dispatched an Envoy to the King of Visiapour to demand Famika of him
so important an occasion he would always remember him for his Services and that if he did not govern by himself he should at least govern by his Friend In this he found both Repose and Security together he flattered himself with disposing of Favours and being defended from the Aversion of the People These Reflections engaged him to employ all his Wit and all his Credit with the King to declare the Duke his Chief Minister But for all this Obligation which was transcendent and for which he was highly indebted to him he did not act fairly with relation to the Daughter of the Duke de Montalte for altho the Count de Oropeza was her Uncle yet he knew nothing of her Marriage The Marchioness de Los Velez Grand-Mother to this young Lady was no better informed of it they were married privately without any Ceremony for fear least any one should come to disturb the Feast The King and Queen being willing to divert themselves went to Prado to hunt there till St. Andrews Day they came back from thence by reason the Queen-Mother had a slight indisposition upon her and they were desirous to visit her every day About this time Don Philip Vinzani an able Chymist who came from Naples to Madrid with Don Pedro de Arragon received Orders from the Chief Minister to examine the Money which had been cried down some Months before in order to separate the Silver from the Brass It was pretended that the King by this means would get Six Millions of Peices of Eight and that he would employ them to send considerable Forces to Sea for the Pope was willing that the Money which was to be collected by the Bulls of the Crusade should be laid out to equip a Fleet to make War against the Corsairs of Barbary At the same time they were apprehensive that the Vessels sent to the Indies had suffered Shipwrack because they had received Advice that one of them arrived very much shattered at Barbadoes and they could not hear any News of the rest Although it is the Custom of Spain for the King to dine with the Knights of the Golden Fleece on St. Andrew's day his Majesty dispensed with it to take the diversion of Hunting As he came back from Prado towards the Evening the two Queens went out to meet him and conducted him to the Admiral of Castile's House where they had passed the time ever since Noon This Nobleman who was always generous and magnificent being informed that he was to receive this Honour ordered the Basons of several Fountains to be encompassed with large silver Pots filled with all manner of Victuals Flowers and Fruits as the Season produced and the diversity joyned to the Order had a very agreeable effect upon the Eye In all the Summer-houses which terminated the walks there were little Tables set out with pieces of Cristal Agate Cornelian Tapistry of Gold and Vermilion having all sorts of things in Basons after the same manner as the Tables had He got all sorts of Fruit counterfeited particularly of Grapes which hung with their Leaves and Branches in the Grottas they were composed chiefly of little Carbuncles of a Pomgranet colour Topazes and Amethysts and nothing could look finer or prettier The two Queens received a mighty satisfaction at this walk As soon as the King was arrived they went into the House where fifteen Ladies and as many Cavaliers immediately appeared drest after the fashion of the Country The Ladies came at first in their Mantles Tabados that is to say all their Face was covered except one Eye The Cavaliers for their part wore their Cloaks up to their Noses and their Hats over their Eyes this was a sort of Masquerade and to divert their Majesties they talked with their Fingers and by signs for some time with all the several turns and Jestures that are used in this kind of dumb Conversation Afterwards the Ladies quitted their Mantles and the Lords their Cloaks and began to dance a Saraband after the Moorish fashion holding one another with Taffata Skarfs of different colours and quitting them sometimes to carry Flambeaus in their hands The Women wore little Caps on their Heads covered with Plumes that were raised up on the sides very high When the Saraband was finished the Ladies kissed the Queens Hand and the Cavaliers the King 's their Majesties were pleased to declare that they were extreamly satisfied with this pretty Entertainment The Duke de Medina Celi and the Constable of Castile knowing what Honour the King had done the Admiral desired him that he would condescend to come and divert himself at their Houses whither he went along with the two Queens There were Comedies there and Artificial Fire-works and a noble Collation they omitted nothing that might testifie their Joy upon this Occasion and their acknowledgment of so great a Favour On the second of December the King demanded a supply of Mony of all the Councils and a hundred thousand pieces of Eight of the Council of Italy He proposed to fell some Places to raise this Summ because it was impossible to be raised any other way The King being informed that abundance of People died of several Distempers at Port St. Mary which were chiefly occasioned by the great scarcity of Provisions told the Duke de Medina Celi that some way or other must be found out to remedy these Miseries and that he could not endure to hear any more talk of them that they had been of a long standing which made him inclined to believe that all this proceeded from meer negligence The Duke replied that he would not lose one moment to redress them and that if his Life would do the People any good he was free to sacrifice it He went home very melancholy and having retired into his Closet with his Dutchess I have a great desire says he to her to abandon every thing I slave and kill my self here with business and after all meet with nothing but Reproaches for my Pains When you have once brought things into a good Condition says she you may quit them if you please but if you leave them at present all the World will conclude that it is through weakness She added so many reasons to these that she made him take Courage again altho' he was mightily dejected The Marquiss de Priego his Son-in-law being come to Madrid to see him as he entred the Room hit himself a little blow on the Temples against the Edge of a Cabinet he was immediately seized with a bleeding at the Nose and died of it within a short time after Our Ambassador prevailed with the King to give his consent to appoint a Judge Conservator whose only business should be to look after all Affairs relating to the French Nation The business was decided at last in Madrid in favour of Constable Colonna upon the difference he had with the Roman Knights Subjects to the King of Spain about the Priority they pretended to dispute with
him in the Cavalcade which is every year performed to present the Pope with a white Mare and a common Scedule for the Kingdom of Naples which the King of Spain holds in fief of the Holy See His Catholick Majesty's Council had delay'd to regulate this Affair ever since the year 1668. When the Roman Barons perceived that it was not determined in favour of them they searched new occasions to get the sentence revoked and to succeed in their designs they united themselves with the Heads of the Papal Families to write all of them together to Madrid about the Matter When the King was told of it he only answered What is judged is judged The Marquis de Liche Ambassador from Spain at Rome fell sick he sent immediately for the Pope's Physician to come to him and when his Friends demanded of him why he chose him before his own I am so weary of my Life says he that I purposely send for one who will soonest kill me if it were only to please his Master The Pope being informed of this answer sent one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber to visit him and ordered him to tell the Marquis that he desired his Health as much as he did his absence and by that he might judge whether he wished his recovery or no. About the beginning of December there was a great Earthquake in the Province of Salerne as also at Naples and the Places about it nevertheless it did no damage It was commonly said at Madrid that the Queen-Mother had engaged the King to nominate Cardinal Nitard to be Vice-Roy of Naples and that she hoped in a short time to see her two Favorites with her The Cardinal was the first and the Marquiss de Valenzuela the second The Marquiss de los Velez who had no desire to quit his place sent the King in order to six himself in his good Graces a stately Coach of admirable Sculpture and Embroidered all over most delicately But although the King had so many fine Coaches by him I never saw him in any of them he just cast his Eyes upon them and then they were shut up in a Coach-house where time and the dust absolutely spoiled them the King rather loves to ride in great Coaches of green Linnen waxed over made after the same fashion with ours and which a simple Citizen of Paris would not vouchsafe to go in The Marquiss de los Velez sent him likewise some Neapolitan Horses but so finely shaped that nothing certainly ever came near them Few days passed wherein the King and Queen did not go a hunting or else to see a Play they went to Buen Retiro to behold some Dutchmen skate upon the Ice after the fashion of their Country Some Ladies sent to acquaint the Queen that if her Majesty would permit them to appear masked because they had no mind to be known they would show her better sport than she had hitherto seen They were told that they might come if they pleased and immediately they went upon the Ice in short Petticoats fine Shooes and Stockings and Pattins after the Dutch manner they danced a Saraband with Castanets to admiration moving as nimbly as the dance would allow them but the Ice not being equally thick in all Places broke under one of them and let her fall into the water where she had certainly been drowned if People had not come to her help immediately Having lost her Mask by this Mischance they saw she was a veâ—y deformed old Woman who was near threescore years old When the Queen was told of it she smiled and answered That at that Age it was lawful for any one to go masked The two Queens on St. Nicholas's day made a Present of precious Stones to the Dutchess d' Albuquerque because it was her Birth-day She offered them in way of return some Curiosities of great Value and particularly a Prayer-book to the young Queen which was incomparably well painted with golden Clasps and adorned with Diamonds It being now towards the end of the Year I went according to the Custom to wish her Majesty a happy New Year she was drest in a slight Stuff of white Wool and had a prodigious quantity of large Pearls about her she sat near a great Vessel full of Olive stones and turning over the Leaves of the Prayer-book which the Dutchess d' Albuquerque had given her did me the honour to shew it me See says she here are Henry the Fourth and Mary de Medicis on their Knees stretching out their Arms in their Oratory it is certain that this Book was made for one of them I was desirous to know by what accident it came into Spain and told her that perhaps Queen Elizabeth brought it thither Upon this she called for the Dutchess d' Albuquerque and asked her how she came by it The Dutchess told her she could not tell but only that she had received it of her Mother The Queen said to me afterwards Are you not surprized to find me drest in white Wollen 'T is a small sort of Devotion which the King and I perform but no body shall know the reason of it Ab Madam reply'd the Dutchess de Pastrane we all of us take the liberty to divine How says the Queen without mistaking No I am not positive said the Dutchess And for you said she to me have you guess'd at the true cause Yes Madam very easily reply'd I and all Spain joyns its Vows with yours Don't you know says the Queen smiling that this is none of the best Places in the World to play the Sorceress in and that we have a horrible Inquisition here The King entred the Room at that moment so the Queen rising up told him with a chearful Air that she had two Sorceresses to shew him and that the Dutchess de Pastrane and I had divined the Mystery of her white Habit. The King although in all appearance he seemed to be in a good Humour looked so angrily upon us and particularly upon my self whom he knew to be a French-Woman that I made a profound Reverence and went immediately out of the Queen's Apartment An Order was here published to raise the price of Money which was reduced to a fourth part of its value Although the Duke de Medina Celi was indisposed yet he did not neglect to inform himself diligently of every thing that happened and he was not a little troubled to hear that the Plague began to rage again at Port St. Mary The Scarcity and Poverty of this Country was so extreamly great that several Persons died daily for Want And the Duke de Medina-Cidonia was obliged to send Corn from Andaluzia thither The Misery was not less at Naples The Pope's Nuncio by his Holiness's Order Summoned the Superiours of all the Regular Houses hither to oblige them to give the City some Relief in Corn. They granted two in a hundred of their Revenue and it was hoped that what with this Money and what with the
both their minds prepossessed against each other But at last when they could speak in cold Blood and came to examine what had been said on both sides they were sensible that some ill Persons had endeavoured to disunite them in order to Fortifie their own Party which was equally contrary to them both They gave one another an Account of the measures that had been taken of the Persons that were concerned in them of â—hose whom they ought to suspect for the tiâ—e to come and they resolved to employ all their Interest to destroy the opposite Cabal They staid together till it was Night and on the next day which was the fifth of February the Constable of Castile gave the King and the two Queens a Magnificent Collation accompanied with Musick The King's Dwarf who is one of the prettiest Creatures in the World whom the Constable brought with him from his Government of Flanders where he succeeded Don Iuan danced a Passa Cailla along with a young Girl whom the Queen had taken to her Service and was newly redeemed out of Slavery They were both of them dress'd after the Indian Fashion covered with Feathers of Birds of different colours they had little Tabors and played prettily upon them This Feast was followed by another at the House of Don Pedro d' Arragon where the Queen danced before the King which she had never done before although she acquitted her self that way to admiration She had purposely learned the Canaries and a Saraband so that the King was perfectly charmed to see her so expert in the Spanish Dances and told her several times as he pressed her Arms with his two Hands Mi Reina Mi Reina ere 's la mas perfeta de todo el Orbe That is to say My Queen My Queen you are the most accomplished Person in the whole World The Queen-Mother sent her that Evening a Watch all adorned with Diamonds and a Gold Chain of exquisite Work she writ a Letter to her wherein she wished that this Watch would only shew her happy and pleasant Hours The Queen returned her this Answer That they would be always so if she would continue to love her She afterwards desired the King to tell her some tender thing that she might send it to the Queen-Mother The King told her immediately No tengo que desir How Sir says the Queen have you nothing to say to the Queen your Mother I beseech you to give me a Complement that may please her The King studied a long time what to send her and at last said Ponga os mi Reina que jo tongo busna salud That is to say Write my Queen that I am well The King dispatched an Order to Prince Alexander Governour of the Low-Countries to make a grand Reform amongst the Officers of War and Justice He gave at the same time the Vice-Roy-ship of Navar to the Great Prior of Castile The Count de Fuen Salida who possessed that Post went to Gallicia whereof he was made Vice-Roy The Count de Palma Nephew to Cardinal Portocarero had the Government of Malaga and the Coasts of Granada in the room of the Count de Cifuentes and the Duke de Hijar Son-in-law to the Dutchess de Terra-Nova obtained the Vice-Roy-ship of Arragon This Dutchess had not appeared at Court ever since she had quitted it with so great a Disgust But her Son-in-law having now received this new Favour she was resolved to go and visit the Queen on the tenth of February She had already sent to her Majesty to demand her Permission and the Queen sent her word that she should be glad to see her The Dutchess at her entrance into the Queen's Chamber seemed at first a little disordered She excused her not coming to Court upon the account of a long Fit of Sickness and then added I assure your Majesty I did not think I should have been able to live after my misfortune to be separated from you The Queen told her that she had been informed of her Indisposition but that this was not a place for her to speak of what made her uneasie and in effect passed to some other Discourse The Dutchess de Terra Nova fixed her Eyes continually on the Dutchess d' Albuquerque as if she had a mind to devour her and the Dutchess d' Albuquerque whose Eyes were neither better nor sweeter than hers looked askew upon her and they let fall every other moment some Expressions that were a little eager One of the Footmen belonging to the Venetian Ambassador had committed some Insolence and the Justices ordered him to be Apprehended for it but this Minister pretending that it was against the Priviledge of Ambassadors complained of it to the Duke de Medina Celi but did not receive so favourable an Answer from him as he expected This so much disgusted him that he went to acquaint the rest of the Ambassadors with it who all agreed to represent the Consequences of such an Action to the Duke de Medina Celi in a large Memorial conceived in very harsh terms which they sent to him all at the same time The Chief Minister carried it to the Council of State who after they had maturely deliberated upon the Affair were of Advice that they should set the Footman immediately at liberty The Ambassadors were resolved in case they had refused them this Satisfaction to have forced the Prison to fetch him out Constable Colonna came back to Madrid in February The most important Affair that brought him thither was his desire to Accommodate Matters with his Lady and to find out a way for both of them to live in peace The Marriage of his Son with the Daughter of the Duke de Medina Celi did also take him up very much The Queen was concerned at the Misfortunes of his Wife and it was no small trouble to her to understand what ill Usage a Person of her Quality received in Prison Nay she was particularly obliged to protect her by reason of the Promise the Duke had made her and the Confidence the Constable's Lady reposed in it These Reasons engaged her to charge her Confessor to do all he could with the Constable in order to Negotiate an Accommodation and see whether he would carry her into Italy or suffer her to stay in some Religious Convent at Madrid as she had already been But the Constable and his Wife were strangely exasperated against one another She resented to the Life the unworthy Treatment she had received and the mutual occasions they had to complain hindered them from consenting to what might contribute to their common Satisfaction At last the Constable being earnestly importuned by the Queen and advised by the Marquess de Los Balbazez proposed that his Wife should turn a Religious and that he for his part should take the Habit of a Knight of Malta This at first appeared very surprising to all the World but indeed was more strange to the Constable's Lady than to any one for 't is
tenderness and importunity she was not able to succeed in her desires He diverted himself every day with hunting and seeing Comedies either at Pardo or Zarzuela which are two Houses of Pleasure belonging the King of Spain The Opera d' Alcine was represented before him it cost a world of mony but was miserably performed There was likewise a Bull-feast kept where two young Cavaliers unfortunately perished On the following day there was running at the ring About this time the Prince de Ligne arrived and a day or two after kissed his Majestys hand and took his place at the Council of State Father Francis de Relux a Dominican came likewise from Salamanca where he had been Professor of Divinity and was chosen by Don Iuan to be the Kings Confessor The Duke of Alva had engaged that he should submit himself intirely to Don Iuan's will who accepted him upon his parole At this time the Cardinal de Portacarero Archbishop of Toledo returned from Rome The Court at Madrid was very full and numerous On the twentieth of Ianuary the King of France named the Marquess de Villars to be his Ambassador in Spain who was at that time under the same Character at Savoy He was known to the Court of Spain for in the year 1673. he resided there in quality of Ambassador he arrived at Madrid on the seventeenth of Iune and those persons that were well acquainted with the disposition of Don Iuan very much doubted whether he would meet with that reception which he might reasonably promise himself they knew well enough that the natural haughtiness of Don Iuan would never comply with the instructions of that Minister who to be sure would never go to visit the Prince unless he were assured beforehand of receiving the honour of the Hand the Step and the Chair that Don Iuan would never consent to this proposal because it was not to be imagined that he would easily give up the rights he had obtained over the other Ambassadors and that it would be an inconvenient thing for him of France not to treat directly with the chief Minister What people surmised upon this occasion really happened for the Prince would not bate him an ace and the Marquess de Villars kept fast to his instructions Therefore they looked upon one another with great coldness but nevertheless this did not hinder the Ambassador from having a private Audience of the King on the eighth of Iuly and a publick one a little after upon the conclusion of his Marriage with Mademoiselle Don Iuan had three fits of a Tertian Ague towards the beginning of Iuly On the thirteenth the Secretary of the Marquess de los Balbazez arrived who brought word that the King had consented to the marriage of Mademoiselle with the King of Spain Nothing is equal to the joy that he shew'd upon this account for he had expected the news with the greatest impatience He ordered Te Deum to be sung at our Ladies d' Atocha all the Houses in the City were illuminated with white Wax Tapers and Bonefires were to be seen in every street An hundred and fifty Cavaliers of the best Families in the Kingdom performed a Masquerade on horse-back that consisted only of some embroiderie Tiffany Ribbons and Feathers for they were apparalled in black as they used to be but were not masqued at all After this manner they ran all night every man carrying a Flambeaux in his hand all these divertisements lasted three days and three nights A Courier arrived soon after who brought the contract of the King's marriage this was soon communicated to the Queen Mother who exprest a great deal of joy at it The Ratification was presently sent back and Bonefires were made as before While the people did thus endeavour to express their zeal to the King the servants of the Queen Mother were busied in finding out some means or other to advance her return The Marquess de Villars had refused to follow the example of the other Ambassadors in the conduct they used towards Don Iuan upon the occasion of those new customs which they suffered him to establish and this seemed a favourable opportunity to perswade the enemies of the Prince that Monsieur de Villars had some secret instructions which were not favourable to him They flattered themselves immediately with the hopes of making him one of their party and believed it would extreamly strengthen their own side if they could once bring him over to them Upon this consideration the greater part of the Courtiers applauded him mightily for his constancy and made him abundance of complements upon that score He was respected at Madrid and had the good fortune to find out several of his friends again and the Queen Mother shewed a particular esteem for him She gave him a very obliging proof of this when he came to wait upon her at Toledo for after publick Audience was over she was pleased to entertain him in private about her own Affairs and testified what an entire confidence she reposed in him But altho several proposals were made to him to be of a party against the Prince and besides his own natural disposition led him to espouse the quarrel of those persons who opposed a Minister whose civilities he had no great reason to applaud yet he was of opinion that in this present conjuncture it would be his best way to remain Neuter He considered still that the marriage of the King of Spain with Mademoiselle would bring along with it some agreements that were not to be expected before the arrival of that Princess that it was a sure unfailing way to oppose one power to another that this young Princess would never suffer theMinister of France to be run down in that Court where she was to become the Mistress and sole delight that it was certain she would link her self to the interests of the Queen Mother that the most Christian Queen who loved both the one and the other very affectionately would be sure to give her this in charge before her departure amongst the other counsels which she was always to observe that their credit being united together and seconded by all those persons that desired another Government Don Iuan would without question find himself obliged to give way Most persons reasoned after the same manner upon this affair and encouraged one another to stand firm against the Favourite they now began to speak those things aloud which before they were almost afraid to mutter in private they complained of him and importuned the King to call the Exiles home and openly promoted the return of Queen Mother Don Iuan was now more disquieted than ever the appearance only of his fall had prevailed with several persons who ought to have been his Creatures to abandon him for good and all and as for those that remained they had neither authority nor merit enough to support him He could scarce find any comfort but when he was alone but this sort of conduct
receive Orders of the Queen Mother and being returned to Madrid he departed from thence with a dozen Postillions and six Trumpeters clad in green Velvet embroidered with Gold He had several Gentlemen and Pages with him and his two Brothers Don Ioseph and Don Gaspar de Silva accompanied him in his journey Donna Catarina de Mendoza his Mother gave him twenty thousand Pistoles and five thousand to each of his Brothers He was descended in a right line from Father to Son of Rui Gomez Prince a' Eboli who was made Duke de Pastrane by King Philip II. whose Privado or principal Favourite he was as his Wife whose beauty has made so great a noise in the world was his Mistress The King named the Marchioness de Mortare the Marchioness del Fresno the Countess de Santorcas the Countess Dayala and the Marchioness de Castra Forte to be Ladies of Honour to the Queen and for Maids of Honour the Daughters of the Dutchess de Sessa de Frias those of the Marchioness d' Alcanisa of the Countess de Villambrosa of the Marchioness de Villa Franca of the Marchioness de Villa Manriquez those of the Dukes d' Hijar and d' Albe of the Counts de Paredes and d' Arcos the Sisters of the Duke de Vareguas and the Marquess de Godar the Daughters of the Duke d' Hijar and Pastrane were to be Menines or young Ladies of Honour they are not above ten years old and are the prettiest Ladies I have seen in Spain Donna Laura d' Alarçon was named to be the Mother of the Maids of Honour the Sons of the Marquess de Villa Manriquez and of the Count of St. Stephen to be Menins or Pages to the Queen the Marquess d' Astorgas Major Domo Major the Dutchess de Terra Nova to be Camarera Major of the young Queen All these Ladies went to Toledo to take their leave of the Queen Mother and at their return they went strait down to the Palace where the took possession of those Chambers that were alotted to them The King presented a thousand Pistoles to every Maid of Honour to bear the expence of their journey with a pension of a thousand Ducats He gave the title of Grandee to Don Francis Maria Spinola a Gentleman of Genoa Duke de S. Pierre and Son in Law to the Marquess de los Balbazez He was a young Lord very well shaped and accomplished At the same time the Count de Talara brought the King a resignation of his Office of Master of the Horse the aversion between him and the Admiral of Castile made him unwilling to execute his Orders and since he saw himself recalled from banishment he thought it the best way to leave the Court. A Courier arrived from Cales on the twenty-second of August who brought the news of the safe arrival of the Gallions thaâ— were computed to be worth thirty Millions but above half the treasure belonged to the Merchants They were once minded to seize the whole Cargo to defray the charge of the Marriage and to serve for other occasional expences However after a long consideration the Council finding it would utterly ruin all commerce desisted from the design The Ministers and Grandees went to complement the King on St. Lewis's day because it was the Birth-day of the young Queen he received them with with a more pleasant air than was his usual manner and having abundance of precious Stones in his Hat he told them that he wore them for the sake of the Queen The Cardinal Portocarero came to wait upon his Majesty he went from Madrid to Toledo very much discontented and told some persons that if the King did not receive him with more honour than he did the first time he would never come back again to Court but he had reason enough now to be satisfied for as he came out of the Coach he found the Halberdiers of the Guards under their Arms touching the pavement with their Halberds as they always use to do when the King passes by So great and so welcom a reception made him resolve not to give the right hand to Ambassadors and to the Grandees which at first a little displeased some people but the Dukes de Medina Celi d' Ossone and Alva the Popes Nuncio and the Venetian Ambassador having made him a visit were pleased to submit to the new regulation he had established which some others followed after their example When it was known at Madrid that our King was to swear to the Peace at Fountainbleaâ— on the last day of August the King of Spain came about four a clock in the afternoon to the great Gilded Hall of the Palace to perform this Ceremony on his side The Marquess de Villart came to the Palace where he was received by the Master of the Ceremonies the Constable of Castile followed by all the Maâ—â—â— Dâ—â—â—'s received him at the Gate of the â—â—â—st Hall he passed through several rooms each more magnificent than the other and hung with the richest Tapistry in the world At the upper end of the Hall there was a Scaffold erected covered with Persian Tapistry gounded with Gold it was ascended by three steps the King's Throne was placed upon it all imbroidered with large Pearls and precious Stones of admirable beauty and splendâ—r The Cardinal Portâ—carero sate upon a Chair of State the Constable of Castile upon a little low Stool our Ambassador seated himself upon another Bâ—nch the Patriarch of the Inâ—ies continued standinâ— The King came followed by his Grandees and sate down and those wâ—ose right it was to sit down and be covered did it Don Pedro Colonna Secretary of State read with a loud voice the Commission which our King had sent to the Marquess de Villars to assist at this Ceremony in his stead A little Silver Table was set before the King on which a Crucifix and the Gospel was placed The King kneeling set his right hand upon the Book all the while that the Cardinal read aloud the Oath which his Majesty took to keep peace with France When this was over the Ambassador approached and made a Complement to the King who briefly answered him according to the custom and returned presently to his Apartment All the Court was now filled with joy A Masquerade on Horseback was kept in the great Courâ— of the Palace it was divided into two Squadrons which ran against one another Prince Alexander Faâ—â—ese Brother to the Duke of Parma led one and the Duke de Medina de las Torres led the other The King named the Constable of Castile and the Duke de Medina Celi to be Judges and Arbitrators of the Course The Marquess Defiat arrived at Madrid from the part of Monsieur to make his Complements to the King of Spain He received him very kindly and as a person of his merit deserved he went to Toledo to wait upon the Quâ—en Mother and came back immediately On the ninth of August a Courier from the Marquess
is pretended to be unjustly judged by the Parliaments of Vailladolid and Granada which are the two Parliaments of Castile When the President of Castile goes out of the Council the Counsellors follow him to his Chair he never makes any Visits never gives the Right hand to any at his House he is to give the King an account of the most important affairs that pass in Council where they name a Council every Week to report them When the King comes there they all uncover themselves and kneel down Afterwards they cover themselves and sit When Audience is over the King retires into his Cabinet with the President who discourses him about business of the greatest moment for which the King gives his Orders and this does not return any more to the Chamber for the Counsellors to deliberate upon it In the Year 1609. all Castile was divided into five Districts and every District is under a Counsellor of the Council Royal who takes cognizance of the conduct of the Judges the Lords Ecclesiasticks and other secular Persons Besides this there is a particular Council that is called the Council of the Chamber of Castile the President is the Chief and the King names a certain number of Counsellors of the Council Royal whether they be three or four that compose it Here it is that they dispatch all Benefices in the King's Nomination Titles and Patents for the most considerable Places Letters of Naturalization and the Ratification of Orders to arrest the Grandees of Spain and the Graces and Favours to which his Majesty is pleased to give his Consent The King receives prodigious Sums of Money for the Places that are sold by the means of these Counsellors He gives likewise the Patents and Commissions of several places of Justice and 't is commonly pretended that in the two Castiles the Kingdom of Leon Guypuscoa Biscay the Province de Hana and in Navarr there are above 72 thousand places of Judicature Secretary of State and of the Vniversal Dispatch This Secretary is in a condition to serve or injure people according as he stands affected to them for all the Requests and Petitions which they call Memorials here and are presented to the King or Chief Minister pass through his hands 'T is he who sends them to his Counsellors who are to give their advice concerning them After the consult is made for this is their Phrase in Spain these Petitions are sent back again to the Secretary of State and when he reports them to the King His Majesty orders what pleases him and this is called a Decree This Decree is expedited by persons proposed for that Office so that when these Requests are carried to the King they say the Memorial is mounted and when they are answered they say the Memorial falls down or else the Consult ascended and the Decree descended Without counting the Secretary of State whom I have been speaking of there are two more that enter the Council one of them dispatches the Affairs of Arragon of Italy and Sicily the other those of Castile and the North. One of these is named Don Manuel de Lira who was formerly Master of the Ceremonies and Envoy Extraordinary in Holland he was made at his return Secretary of State The other is called Don Pedro Colonna he is descended of a good Family and those of his House have always possest great places They may give their advice in writing in matters of consequence The King sends the Decrees to them and through their hands Affairs go to the Council of State They make a Report of them there and gather the voices and give an account of all to his Majesty who at last orders it as he thinks fit They have power to assemble the Council out of the appointed days when they judge it convenient and when the King has a mind that they should have any extraordinary meeting they send the Order immediately to all the Counsellors Every Secretary of State has a Chief Commissary who is called the Official Mayor and exercises his Masters Office when he happens to be absent The Secretary of State for Italy has eight Commissaries reckoning him that is the principal the King pays them And the Secretary of State for the North has seven under him They chuse them themselves and the King gives his consent These dispatch all Patents and generally those persons that get into these Employments advance their fortunes in the world The Council of War This began as soon as the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon were erected under King Pelagius in the year 720. It assembles on Mundays Wednesdays and Fridays As for what concerns the Government of it the King is always President of it and the Counsellers are men of the Sword They must be men of experience and service the number of them is not fixed and it depends upon the King's pleasure to augment or to diminish them Their places are not regulated in the Council but they sit as they they come It is indeed true that when the Counsellors of State are called thither they have the upper end but then they never come but at a time when a full Council of War is held They have two Secretaries who have each of them two Commissaries under them one of these is for the Sea-affairs and the others for those at Land When they debate about matters of justice an Assessor of the Council Royal makes a report of them who has likewise the priviledge to give his opinion before the Dean of the Council The King comes there almost most every day There are besides some other Chambers that depend upon this Council such as those of the Flota's the Gallies and the Garrisons The King nominates the Officers for these Chambers The Councils are the same with those of the Council of War and 't is the Chief Minister or the President of Castile that presides there Alcaldes of the Court. The word Alcalde signifies a Judge of any place This Tribunal is full as ancient as the Council Royal whoever is judged to be a criminal by it can make no appeals but is executed immediately For this reason it is named the Quinta Sala that is to say the fifth Hall Here they determine both Civil and Criminal Affairs but when these Councils were established in Castile the Judges thereof were reduced to four Alcaldes They have been augmented since and are nine at present two Reporters and four Registers Their Jurisdiction is divided into two parts one as I said before relates only to Criminal Matters the other is like that of ordinary Judges and is to direct the management of Civil Affairs The Supream Council of the Inquisition This Council was erected in the year 1483. by Don Ferdinand and Donna Isabella King and Queen of Castile to defend and preserve the Catholick Religion altho it is certain that this Tribunal of the Inquisition was established ever since the year 1478. The President of this Council is called the Inquisitor
told him that the Ministers might now very well forbear to use them any longer like Children that if there had been any important Reasons why they should not go to Aranjuez they ought to have given them timely notice of it but to put them off and speaking properly to fool them after this insufferable rate was never to be endured The King was vexed and told the Queen That this should be the last time he would suffer such things at their hands and that they should direct themselves for the future only by his Will and Pleasure This Discourse was over-heard by some of the Gentlemen of the Bed-Chamber who went presently to acquaint the Duke de Medina Celi with it to make their Court by this means He was terribly disheartned and feared least the Queen who was charming and witty might come to get a greater Ascendant over the King's Inclinations than he desired and therefore that he might not displease the King any more used all imaginable diligence to provide a Fund sufficient to bear the Expences of going to Aranjuez and the Escurial Till this very moment he had resolved to break off these Two Journeys but he apprehended a great deal of danger from the Queen's dissatisfaction and so to get a Sum necessary for the occasion he sold Two Offices of the Contador Major for Twenty five thousand Crowns and received Forty more for a Government in the Indies He took Fifty thousand Crowns out of an Hundred thousand that were to be laid out in Equipping of the Gallions He made use of the Money gathered for Custom that was to have paid off the the Rights of the Franchises and the Revenues of the Town-Hall In a word every thing was got ready by that time the Court came back from Aranjuez for them to go to the Escurial However the King was not able to go as soon as he desired by reason that the ill Weather increased ever since the beginning of September never a day passed without violent Tempests accompanied by dreadful Claps of Thunder The Lightning struck abundance of Persons in several Places and the Hail fell so thick and in such prodigious quantities in the Forrest of the Pardo which is an House of pleasure belonging to the King that it broke the Branches of the greatest Trees and killed so many Birds and Wild Fowl that both the Fields and the River of Mancanarez were covered with them and it was the most surprising sight in the World to behold the Ancient Bridge de Aranda de Ducro was carried away by the Waters of that River and the Tagus over-flow'd its Banks with that Impetuosity that it did an incredible Mischief to the pleasant Walks at Aranjuez So many Accidents of which they received fresh News daily troubled the Court exceedingly for there was scarce a place in Spain exempt from these continual Tempests One of them happened on the 26 th of September in so out-ragious a manner that the Gardens of the Countess de Ognate which are the finest in Madrid were overflown in a moment the Water entred into the lower Apartments of her House where she kept her Noblest Italian Paintings and her richest Moveables and all was intirely spoiled by this Inundation The Torrent to work out its passage threw down the Garden-Walls and broke into that belonging to our Ladies de Atocha The next Night we all thought that Madrid would be beaten down about our Ears by the Thuder claps the Lightning the Wind the Rain and the Hail I don't believe any body went to Bed in the whole City the Churches were full of People who confessed as if the hour of Death were approaching The Water of the Mancanarez swelled exceedingly and spread it self on all sides The King and the Queen who impatiently waited for day light went in Devotion to our Ladies de Atocha but at their return they found the Prado overflown And thoâ—gh a Coach had been overturned a little before by the Rapidity of the Torrent the King believed that his might pass it well enough and commanded the Coachman to advance speedily forward towards the Bridge of the bare-legged Augustines Within a few Paces of the Bridge the two fore Mules which in Spain are at a pretty distance from the hindmost were overturned by the Impetuosity of the Water The Postillion that led them 'scaped very narrowly the Mules recovered themselves twice and were thrown down as often The King was all alone in the Coach wiâ—h the Queen very much concerned and telling her that he was in pain only for her sake In the mean time some People got hold by the Traces and so drew out the Coach by meer Strength By this means the Mules got out of the Water but their Majesties could not reach the Palace and being affrighted at the great danger they had just escaped were obliged to go to Buen-Retiro where they tarried till mid-night and waited for the Waters to fall The Marquess de los Velez Vice-Roy of â—â—â—ples dispatched a Courier to Court to give them Advice That the Pope had demanded of them to send the Marquess Sera a Geroesâ— to him who was Excommunicated for falling foul upon the Apostolick Nuncio's Courier on Maunday Thursday The Brief specified That hâ—s Holiness grounded his Pretensions upon the Right of Soveraignty the Holy See had to the Kingdom of Naples The Officers of all the Courts of Judicature Assembled upon it and resolved not to comply with the Popes Desires by Reason of the ill Consequences that might attend such an Affair But the King and the Ministers here could not forbear to wonder that his Holiness spoke of renewing his Pretensions which seemed to be adjusted a long time ago The only Son of the Marquess de Castel-Rodrigo died about the beginning of October as did also Don Rui Gomez de Silva Brother to the Duke de Hijar We may say they were two of the most handsome and hopeful Lords at Court This last was mightily devoted to Donna Isabella de Mendoza a Lady of great Beauty who was not compleatly Seventeen Years old She took the Death of her Lover so much to heart that without acquainting her Mother with it she got out of her House covered in a Mantle and went to the Descalsas Reales there to take upon her the Religious Habit. Their Majesties parted from Madrid on the 7 th of October to go to the Escurial The King only carried with him the Duke de Medina Celi the Grand Master of the Houshold with two Masters of the House in Ordinary the Great Forrester and the First Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber and two other Lords in the same Office Don Geronimo de Eguya Secretary of State and the Marquess de Grana Ambassador from the Emperour The Admiral of Castile who was Master of the Horse did not arrive there till Fourteen Days after the King he was naturally so lazy even when he was obliged to make his Court that he could not resolve in a less
time to go to the Escurial All the Ladies of the Court and Six Women of the Bed-Chamber Accompanied the Queen The Marquess de Villa Maina Chief Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber and the Marquess de Astorgas Grand Master of the Houshold went along with her As for the Duke de Ossone who was Master of the Horse to her he tarried at Madrid upon the Account of a New Disgust he had received at Court The King was willing that the Queen should ride on Horse-back to take a few turns in the Walks of the Meadows and to meet him as he came from hunting She had Four Fits of an Ague but the following ones were so gentle that she was able to get up a few days after and divert her self as she had used to do ever since her Arrival to the Escurial The King who was altogether taken up with the Pleasures of hunting pursued the Sport from Sun rising till Night One day he ordered a Chase to be prepared after the German manner they had Toils which inclosed a great quantity of Ground and here with their Guns they killed above two hundred Bucks or Does The Queen was at first desirous to be there but being informed after what manner they used these poor Creatures she imagined that such a sight would rather give her occasion to employ her Pity than afford her any Pleasure The King in all his Chases generally took no more with him than the first Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber and the Great Forrester he loved to find himself alone in vast Solitudes and sometimes it was a long while before they could find him When he hunted after the German manner he would be accompanied by the Duke de Medina Celi and the Marquess de Grana At his return the Chief Minister following the King to the Queen's Apartment found that her Majesty did not cast her Eyes upon him he immediately penetrated into the Reason of this Alteration he found in the Queen's Behaviour for to say the truth she was displeased with him for disswading his Majesty to expedite a Parent for a Government in the Indies which he had granted to her But when the Duke knew it he told the King That the Queen begged this Grace of him at the intreaty of one of the Women of her Bed-Chamber who was a French Woman who would get considerably by it when in the mean time twelve thousand Pistols were offered for it The King thought it was the best way to take this Sum and after this would not hear the least Word of dispatching the Patent as he had promised But what provoked the Queen infinitely more was the Conduct he had used in her Absence towards the Constable Colonna's Lady The Dutchess de Medina Celi had passed her Word to the Queen as in her Husband's Name That during the stay her Majesty made at the Escurial nothing should be done to the prejudice of this Lady Notwithstanding these Assurances upon which she depended she was carried away from Madrid and by an Order from the King confined to the Casâ—le of Segovia To begin this Story from its Original the Reader is to know that this Lady was Niece to the late Cardinal Mazarine She brought a very considerable Fortune with her at her Marriage and perhaps the Family of the Colonna's had sunk very low without this seasonable Relief After she had passed the happiest and most pleasant part of her Life at Rome where she always appeared in great Pomp and Splendor having the liberty to live after the French Fashion and according to all Appearances seeming to be content with her Fortune She withdrew all on the sudden without so much as knowing the Reason of it her self through the ill Counsels of some Persons who hazarded not a little upon her Account in making her hazard every thing on her side So that she departed privately with the Dutchess of Mazarine her Sister They had disguised themselves so well that none knew them when they took Shipping And thus they arrived safely in France The Constable Colonna's Lady hoped to find here a Sanctuary against her Husband and some vain flattering Idea's that were not as yet perfectly extinguished in her Heart served to perswade her that she should be well received at Court but so far was she from meeting any Encouragement to make her Appearance there that she was prohibited by the King to come there I have heard her say That she resented this Treatment with so sensible a Grief that she was like to have died of it After this she went to Turin where she made a short stay and the uneasiness of her Mind led her at last to Flanders There she happened to find the Marquess de Borgomaine of the House of Este in whom she reposed an intire Confidence without remembring that he was rather a Friend to her Husband than to her self He flattered her in all her Projects in order to amuse her and to gain time till he might receive Advice from the Constable how to dispose of her for he had sent him a Letter by a Courier for that purpose to inform him that his Wife was at Brussels and in Answer to it the Constable earnestly desired him to Seize and Apprehend her He acquitted himself immediately of his Commission and carried her to a Convent from whence she was not to depart unless she would consent to be Shipt for Spain as they desired her When she was at Madrid she delay'd upon several Pretences to take the Religious Habit upon her she loved her Liberty and was desirous still to enjoy it But The Constable being informed of her Arrival sent Don Fernand de Colonna his Natural Brother with Letters to the King and the Ministers wherein he beseech'd them that either by fair means or Violence they would oblige his Lady to enter into a Convent This Necessity seemed very hard to her nevertheless she submitted to it and retired to the Monastery de Santo Domingo el Real upon Condition That if she happened to come out of it she would consent that the King should restore her to her Husband She continued there a long time and sometimes in an Evening she escaped out with one of her Women and often went to walk on Foot in a White Mantle in the Prado where she met with several pleasant Adventures because most of the Women that come there are Ladies-Adventurers and some Ladies of the best Quality at Court take a mighty pleasure when they can go thither and are not known The Constable Colonna being come to Madrid in his way to Arragon whereof he was Vice-Roy went every day to entertain her at this Grate and I have seen him show those Gallantries to her which a Lover may show to his Mistress He departed in a very good understanding with her but when the Queen made her Entry she having a great desire to behold her Majesty did not imagine they would hold her so strictly to the Word she had given the King