at Portiers where the Prince was excommunicated again But Philip over-constant in his affections set so many Engines at work in Rome that the Pope sent other Legats to rehear the merits of the cause They to that purpose assembled a Council at Bougency where the two Lovers made their appearance and promis'd to separate till they had obtain'd a dispensation from his Holiness Which at length was granted 'em after long sollicitations by Pope Paschat II. who was more indulgent then his predecessors The nuptials also being solemniz'd anew by virtue of that dispensation the King and Bertrade went to pay Foulques a visit who regal'd 'em at Angiers withal the divertisements that could be devis'd Soon after Philip dying Bertrade retir'd to Angiers to the Son of Foulques who had also ended his days and renouncing all manner of amorous courtship apply'd her self to adorn the Castle of that City and caus'd the Church of St. Maurice which was gone very much to decay to be repair'd In a word she employ'd the remainder of her days in acts of Piety to make an attonement for the sins of her Youth Eleoner of Acquitaine the Wife of Lewis the Young KING Lewis the Young year 1148 had marry'd Eleonor the Daughter of William V. Duke of Aquitaine a Princess of surpassing beauty of a lively and sparkling Wit but wanton in her humour and addicted to coquettry The King who as yet had not espy'd that defect in her lov'd her so tenderly that he could not find in his Heart to leave her in France when he undertook his expedition to the Holy-land but engag'd her to be the companion of all his dangers They embarqu'd together at Aigues-Mortes and after several hardships arriv'd at length at Antiossia where Hugo Raymund the Queen's Uncle and Brother to Duke William had obtain'd the Principality He gave the King a most magnificent reception and left nothing omitted to oblige him to make a stop there He laid before him the Noradin the Soldan of Damascus made frequent incursions to the very gates of the City and that 't was greatly to be fear'd that that same place of so great importance would fall into the hands of the Infidels if he were not powerfully assisted by His Majesty But it was not only interest of State and Religion that prevail'd with Raymund to wish that the Court of France might reside for some time at Antioch He had been bred up with Eleonor and he was her Uncle yet was he not much Older then she â—and long familiarity had bred and foster'd in both a passion more tender then became two persons so nearly related neither had Raymund undertaken his voyage to Palestine but to cure himself of his amorous passion when he saw his Neice espous'd to the King of France But the presence of the beloved object rekindl'd his first flames and in regard he found the Queen as favourable to his desires as she was at Bourdeaux he could not find in his Heart to part with her so suddenly However all his artifices prov'd fruitless he could not detain the King but very few days at Antioch Lewis therefore impatient to be at Jerusalem pursu'd his journey notwithstanding all the reasons that could be alledg'd to him neither was Eleonor so sorry as Raymund For she was altogether for present objects and forgot the Prince of Antiochia so soon as she had lost sight of him She had several others that would not permit her to shed tears for his absence and as she never repuls'd any one that sigh'd for Love of her her Court was always well fill'd but tho' in the Court of a Queen yet because it was in a Camp among none but Soldiers the discourse was generally Military and the warlike atchievments of every day produc'd sufficient matter for every days entertainment Nor did they forget their Enemies the Turks whom were signal either for their Birth or Valor so that 't was impossible to pass in silence the noble qualities of Saladin the Soldan of Damascus's Nephew 'T was said of him that he was aâ— person well shap'd nimble in all manners of exercises Valiant Generous Liberal Courtly and in a word that he was endu'd withal the French manners There were also some who added that he was descended from the Count of Ponthieu whose Daughter being taken at Sea was presented to the Soldan of Aleppo the Brother of Moradin who receiving her into the number of his Wives had this Prince by her Now thô ' this story were a meer fable yet it fail'd not to augment the curiosity which the Queen had for Saladin she sought for opportunities and for a beginning to enter into a correspondence with him she wrote to him in the behalf of Sandebrevil Lord of Sauzay who had been taken some days before by a party which that Mahometan Prince commanded Saladin granted the Queen whatever she desir'd and sent her back the Prisoner without Ransome Eleonor had several conferences with Sandebrevil on purpose to inform her self of several circumstances which she desir'd to know concerning the person of Saladin She also made use of him to procure an interview between Saladin and her To that purpose she appointed a Hunting match about two Leagues from Jerusalem where Saladin met her with thirty Horse-Men only So soon as he saw the Queen appear he left his Troop that had made a halt and advancing an easie hand Gallop toward her presently alighted to salute her he made her a compliment in the Italian Tongue which the Queen understood very well and after such a manner as nothing savour'd of the barbarity of the Nation nor was she less taken with his Wit then with his deportment She oblig'd him to mount his Course and so they rode softly together into a Wood of Palm-trees close adjoyning where they were a long time in discourse together Eleonor return'd him thanks in a most obliging manner for what he had done for Sandebrevil at her request and pulling off an embroider'd Scarf that serv'd her instead of a girdle presented it to him desiring him to keep it as a testimony of her esteem and acknowledgment which Saladin afterwards wore upon all occasions of danger But she was discover'd by some Courtiers who gave an accompt of the whole story to the King and others assur'd him that the Queen had given Saladin several other meetings Now tho' there were more of vanity on both sides in this same courtly correspondence the King was extreamly troubl'd at it and would stay no longer at Jerusalem So that after he had taken his leave of King Baldwin he set Sail withal his Fleet but was oblig'd to put into Sicily to refit his Ships which had been but ill handled by Manuel the Emperor of Constantinople's Navy 'T is very probable that the Queen had made her peace in that Island for she grew bigg with Child and lay in upon her return into France of a Daughter nam'd Alice who was marry'd afterwards to
look't upon her only as a jealous Woman that sought to interrupt his pleasures and whose revenge was to be dreaded so that he redoubl'd his scorn of her and oblig'd her to retire into a Convent After the Queen's retirement the jealousie of ambition intermixing with that of Love the two Sisters were emulous each to possess alone the King's inclinations and dispose of all his Favours and their embitterment augmented to that degree that it enrag'd 'em to a quarrel which made a great noise and divided all the Court The King in vain endeavour'd to reconcile and perswade 'em to live peaceably together at least to keep an outward correspondence of civility if they could not love each other as sisters But at length dishearten'd by their transportments and despairing of doing any good he sell again to his old sport of Hunting and left 'em at leisure to quarrel among themselves One day being separated from his Train and very Thirsty Anno 524. he alighted close by a Fountain for want of a glass he took up the Water with the hollow of his hand at what time a young Shepherdess perceiving him drew near him and presented him an earthen Cup. The King took it and observing in her Face all the agreements of proportion and colour that Nature could afford without the help of Art he ask'd her name to which she answer'd that her name was Dandelind and that she was a Farmers Daughter who had a House hard by adjoyning Upon that Cherbert declared who he was and told her withal that he would carry her to Court she excus'd her felf with an ingenuity that charm'd him alledging that Obedience and Duty which she ow'd her Father and the Grief it would be to her to live absented from him Goe then and fetch him hither reply'd the King and I will carry ye along with me both together Immediately away ran the Shepherdess and soon after return'd with the Peasant whom she call'd her Father Presently the good old Man who understood by his Daughter that it was the King who sent for him sell at his Feet and begg'd to know his pleasure 'T is my pleasure reply'd the King to make your Fortune and your Daughter Happy come to morrow morning to me when I rise The Country-man fail'd not to attend upon him and he made him Keeper of his Palace Nor did the King believe he should meet with any reluctancy in the Shepherdess but she shew'd him â—o much Prudence and Virtue in her Conduct that he was afraid of offering any violence and rather thought her worthy of a Crown And the death of Ingoberge that happen'd soon after afforded him an opportunity to fulfil his desire So that he espous'd Dandelind and married his two Mistresses to two great Lords of his Court Cherbert however could not continue faithful to his new Queen for he involv'd himself in so many Courtly intreagues that the young Queen who lov'd him intirely dy'd for grief within two years after her Marriage Cherebeâ—t after that Marry'd Theogedild who was so far from being troubl'd at the infidelity of her inconstant Spouse that she paid him in his own coin And her extravagancies were so notorious that the King having in vain made use of intreaties and Menaces to reclaim her fell into a deadly Melancholy that put an end to his days in the Castle of Blaye whither he retir'd from the World The Amours of Guntran King of Orleans GVNTRAN the Brother of Cherebert Anno 572 to whom the Kingdom of Orleans fell for his share being very young when his Father dy'd disburthen'd himself of the weight of his Government and laid it upon the Shoulders of Rotharic who had been Prime Minister of State under the Reign of Clotair This Rotharic had two Daughters who might well be said to be the Ornaments of the Court The eldest of the two was named Veneranda not above fifteen years of age at most Fame-Rofle the youngest not above eleven years old promis'd much but she was not as yet come to perfection Their Mother was dead so that they liv'd both together in Rotharic â—s House under the care of an ancient Governess The King who often went to visit his Prime Minister was charm'd with Veneranda's Beauty so that he never saw her but he gave her to understand by a tender and passionate Look that she had obtain'd the conquest of his Heart However Veneranda was a stranger to that language or at least she seign'd to be ignorant of it which troubl'd the inamour'd Prince so much the more because he could never have an opportunity to speak to her in regard her Governess would never permit her out of her sight Desirous therefore he was to corrupt the old Woman nor did he think it impossible but he knew not whom to intrust with the secret for fear it should reach Rotharie's ear who having the disposal of all Favours had all the Courtiers â—t his command But while he was in this perplexity fortune gave him a fair opportunity to get rid of it For Rotharie recommended to him for one of his Pages a Nephew of the Governesses who discover'd so great an affection for his Service that the King thought he might impart his Mind to him without danger Thereupon he adventur'd to speak to him and found him well inclin'd to second his designs Accordingly the Page gave his Aunt an account of the King's desires and the great advantages she might justly expect as the Rewards of her faithful Services Presently the old Woman suffer'd her self to be overcome and being well acquainted with Veneranda's Humor which was naturally ambitious she told her that 't would be her fault alone if she did not come to be Queen provided she would but comply with Gontran's Affection but in regard it became her first to be assur'd of Gontran's Heart before Rotharie were acquainted with the business 't was requisite she should admit the King to visit her in private Veneranda firmly believ'd she could never go astray while she follow'd the Counsels of a Woman to whose care and conduct her Father had intrusted her and who had never preach'd to her any other Lessons but those of Virtue So that by her means she saw the King more then once she hearken'd to his Courtship and enter'd into those strict engagements with him that she became the Mother of Prince Gondebaut In the mean time Fame-â—oâ—le's Beauty Anno 574 which augmented as she grew in years arriv'd to so extraordinary a perfection that Gontran fell in love with her at the same time that he began to be tir'd with Veneranda's Favours But Fame-Rafle who was not ignorant how her Sister had engag'd her self by her example had learnt how unsafe it was to relye upon Gontran's protestations and therefore taking better measures she kept her ground and disputed the Conquest inch by inch She oppos'd her Reserv'dness against the Transports of the Prince and neatly and ingenuously gave him to
Thibaut Count of Blois But some time after she was brought to Bed the King being inform'd of all Eleonor's Galantries resolv'd to vacate his Marriage To which purpose he assembl'd the Clergy of France at Boisgency where Alegrin his Chancellor set forth the reasons that mov'd the King to desire a separation and easily obtain'd what his Master desir'd because the Queen made no opposition However Lewis that he might come off with Honour surrendred back to her the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earldom of Peitou which she brought him in Dowry and only kept the two Daughters which He had by her Eleonor after this Divorce retir'd to Poitiers where she was visited by Henry Duke of Normandy the King of England's Son Who thô he were a Prince whose Person was no way inviting and had the worst colour'd Hair in the world yet she fail'd not to admit of his sedulities and to hearken to the proposals of Marriage which he made her because he was Heir presumptive to the Crown of England Henry was well inform'd of all the disorders of her past life but his eager desire to joyn Guyenne and Peitou to the rest of those Dominions which he was to inherit prevail'd over all other Considerations He espous'd Eleonor which so enrag'd Lewis that he suffer'd no opportunity of Revenge to escape him So that a War was kindl'd between the two Princes so soon as Henry came to the Crown which lasted till an end was put to it by the Marriage of Henry the King of England's eldest Son with Margaret the Daughter of Lewis and Elisabeth of Castille his second Wife And thô the affianc'd Princess were but five years of Age she was put into the hands of the King of England for a farther confirmation of the Alliance When she came to be of age proper for the consummation of the Nuptials the King of England refus'd to deliver her to his Son for fear he should become too potent and go about to dethrone him with the assistance of France Thereupon Henry impatient to enjoy his youthful Spouse that was to secure him his Succession to the Crown of England the Princess being design'd to the Heir of the Kingdom he stole her away and fled into France to the King his Father-in law From thence he wrote to his own Father demanding England or the Dutchy of Normandy as an Earnest of his Succession and upon the King's refusal resolv'd to obtain his Pretensions by force of Arms. Queen Eleonor also engag'd Richard Duke of Aquitain and Jeoffrey Duke of Bretagne her Brothers to take part with Henry and Lewis oblig'd William King of Scotland to invade England on that side while he sent Robert Earl of Leicester with a powerful Army to make a descent into the Island out of France So that a Man would have thought that the King of England assail'd on every side must have been overwhelmed by so many Enemies But Heaven protected him His Son Henry dy'd in a short time after and Peace was concluded between England and France and the Marriage of Richard who was become Heir to the Crown by the death of Henry with Alice the Daughter of Lewis was the Seal of that Union But in regard the Princess was very young she was put into the hands of the King of England as her Sister had been till she came to years of maturity and Queen Eleonor was shut up in close imprisonment to prevent her contriving new troubles at Court. In the mean time King Henry shew'd himself so extreamly complaisant to the Princess Alice that it was look'd upon to be an effect of love and the Princess answer'd him with a frankness pardonable as her years however Richard grew jealous to that degree that he could not find in his heart to marry her when he came to the Crown Queen Eleonor also whom he set at liberty so soon as he saw himself seated upon the Throne confirm'd him in his aversion and negotiated a Match between him and Beranguelle the Daughter of Don Garcias King of Navarre whom she carry'd to Richard then in Palestine where he espous'd her This anger'd Philip surnam'd the August King of France who at the same time had made a voyage to the Holy Land but he would not shew his resentment there for the injury done his Sister because he would not give the Infidels an opportunity to take advantage of the division of the Christians But so soon as he return'd into France he enter'd the Territories of the King of England in revenge At length Eleonor after she had been the cause of many mischiefs in both Kingdoms where she had worn the Crown ended her days at Poitiers in the Fourscore and fourth year of her age Mary of Moravia Mistress to Philip surnamed the August Anno 1192. PHILIP the August after the death of Isabella of Hainault his first Wife marry'd Isembourg or Eudelberge the Daughter of Waldemar the Great King of Denmark but found so little pleasure in the enjoyment of her that after the first Night he never would Bed her again However he endeavour'd a long time to combat this aversion but not being able to surmount it he imparted the secret of his disgust to William Bishop of Beauvais who told him that in regard there was a near affinity between him and the Queen it would be no difficult thing for him to disannul the Marriage if he would summon an Assembly of the Prelats of his Kingdom The King relish'd this Proposal and having sent for all the Bishops of France and amongst the rest for the Archbishop of Rheims who presided in the Assembly the sentence of Separation was pronounc'd Some time before the King had seen the Portraicture of Mary Agnes the Daughter of Bertol Duke of Moravis which appear'd so charming to him that he had always the Idea of her in his sight Therefore when he saw himself at liberty he sent to demand her in Marriage and having obtain'd his desires he espous'd her with a more then ordinary Magnificence Anno. 1198. Isemburg would not be present at the Nuptial Ceremony but secretly left the Court with a design to retire into Denmark But when she came to the Frontiers of France she bethought her self of the fault she was about to commit in abandoning the Justice of her Cause she return'd back again and shutting her self up in a Convent sent an account of her misfortune to King Conuie her Brother He being astonish'd at Philip's inconstancy sent to his Ambassador then residing in Rome to make his complaints to Pope Celestin and to demand Justice of him Celestin immediately dispatch'd away two Cardinals the one a Priest and the other a Deacon to make inquiry into what had past in the dissolution of the Marriage and to make use of all the Authority of the Holy See to oblige the King to take Isemburg again in case he had no lawful cause of separation So soon as the two Legates arriv'd at Paris
Dutchess was extreamly allarum'd at her being so ill fearing lest it the Queen should dye the King would Marry some young Person whose Charms might â—oâ— her of his Affection But the distemper which had been so violent at first was but of short continuance for that in eight days the Queen was past danger and her recovery resâ—or'd tranquillity of Mind to all that were concern'd in her preservation year 1549 The Chancellor Olivier because he could not comply with the Dutchess as he ought to have done to preserve himself in the Ministry fell into disgrace Nevertheless because they could not deprive him of his Imployment without taking away his life and for that his integrity would not permit 'em to fasten any accusation upon him the Dutches to suspend him from the execution of his imployment caus'd the King to deliver the Seals into the custody of Commissioners Bertrand whom she had already advanc'd to be first President of Paris and Giles le Maitre a Creature of her own And now the Dutchess to secure her self a Protection both within and without the Kingdom marry'd her two Daughters that she had by the King the eldest who was call'd Diana to Heratio Farnese Duke of Castro the youngest Son of Pope Paul III. and the youngest to Claudius of Lorrain Duke of Aumale she also procur'd the Battoon of Marshal of France for Brissae for whom she had still the same tenderness year 1556 Pope Paul III having embroil'd himself with Philip II. King of Spain sent into France Cardinal Carâ—ffa his Nephew to engage King Henry II. in a League against the Spaniards The Affair was debated in Council where the Duke of Guise maintain'd with great hear that 't was requisite to give assistance to his Holiness with a design to make advantage of it He was in hopes that by sending Forces into Italy he might be able to advance his Brother the Cardinal of Guise to the Pontificate so soon as the See should become vacant and in the mean time to make himself Master of the Kingdom of Naples which as he said belong'd to him as Heir to the House of Anjou The Queen upheld his Opinion in hopes to procure the Command of the Army for her Kinsman Marshal Frotzi The Dutchess of Valentinoiâ— who was in a strict Union with the Guises was of the same Opinion nor durst the Constable Montmoranci oppose her for fear of displeasing her and in hopes that the Guises going into Italy would give him an opportunity in their absence to fix his Credit more stedfastly at Court Thus the League with the Pope being resolv'd upon a numerous Army was rais'd to be sent to the Pope but Davaâ—son the King's Ambassador at Rome a Creature of the Guises who was acquainted with this Intreague explain'd himself so openly upon it that the King who was inform'd of it alter'd his opinion for fear of contributing to their ambitious designs Their credit also receiv'd a kind of check but they recover'd themselves in a short time by the marriage which they negotiated between the Dauphin and Mary Stuart Queen of Scotland their Kinswoman The Dutchess of Valentinois who began to grow jealous of their advancement cross'd this Match as much as in her lay but not being able to prevent it resolv'd to unite her self more strictly with the Constable by marrying her Daughter to his eldest Son she being now the Duke of Castro's Widow who was slain at the Siege of Hedin There was one obstacle in the way which she had much ado to surmount For the young Montmoranci privately and without his Father's consent had marry'd Mademoiselle de Pienne of the House of Alvin The Constable sent his Son to Rome in order to get his Marriage declar'd void by the Rota But Montmoranci after the Affair had been examin'd at several Sittings could obtain no definitive Sentence for the Pope was desirous to make the best of the Dutchess and to tye her to his Interests by keeping her in hopes of a favourable Judgment But the Dutchess tir'd out with these delays took a shorter way obliging the King to make a Law by which all Marriages contracted by Infants under Age without the consent of their Parents were declar'd void After this Ordinance was verify'd upon Montmorancy's averrment that he never gave his Faith to Madana de Prenne but upon condition that his Father would give his consent the Parlament cancell'd all the Engagements that were between 'em and then the young Lord marry'd the Dutchess of Castro The Guises seeing that the Dutchess of Valentinois treated 'em but very coldly and trusted no body but the Constable who was of kin to the Marshal de Brissac her Favourite endeavour'd to revenge themselves The Queen of Scotland had brought along with her into France Madam Hamilton a kinswoman of hers who was Mistriss of all the Graces both of Body and Mind Presently they spread abroad the fame of her Beauty and by their Emissaries cunningly and neatly gave her such frequent commendations in the in the King's Ear that he desirous to know whether her applauders did not flatter her found so much sweetness so much life and gaiety in her Conversation that he could not chuse but love her He had aleady for some time taken some disgust against the Dutchess but she had such an ascendant over him that he durst not give her the least offence and he took as much care to conceal from her his Intreague with Madam Hamilton as if she had been his Wife Moreover his new Mistress proving big with Child he provided for her Lying in with so much privacy that no body at Court knew any thing of it The Prince that she brought into the World was Christen'd Henry and under the ensuing Reigns was Grand Prior of France and Governor of Provence The King that he might shew his activity to Mrs. Hamilton for whom his Passion was much increas'd since she had brought him a Son would needs make one in the Turnaments that were prepar'd in Honour of the Nuptials of Elisabeth the King's Daughter with Philip II. which was a Match concluded in pursuance of the Treaty of Chateau Cambresis Toward the end of the third Day which was the 30th of June 1559 the King who had already broken several Lances with good success would needs Tilt with his Beaver up against the Count of Montgomery the Son of Lorge Captain of the Guards of his Body The Count did all be could to excuse himself but he was at last constrain'd to obey his Master and that Course prov'd so unfortunate that Montgomery's Lance being broken into shivers the Truncheon that remain'd in his hand struck the King above the Brow of the right Eye with that terrible force that the King fell to the ground without either Motion or Sense in which condition they carry'd him to his Bed and notwithstanding all the remedies they could apply to him for eleven days together that Life remain'd in him they
his Amorous Commerce he was discover'd and it cost him his Life One evening returning from the Loâ—â—â—re at eleven a Clock at Night thirty men in Vizards fell upon him in the Street St. Honore stab'd him in a thousand places and laid him dead upon the Stones where he expir'd soon after The King caus'd his Body to be carry'd to 〈◊〉 House ne'r the Bastille from whence he was born in great Pomp to St. Pâ—â—d's Church and there buri'd But there was no pursuite after the Murderers because the Duke of Maâ—â— was known to be at the Head of 'em and for that the King was not ignorant that St. Megrin had drawn that misfortune upon himself by his own imprudence tho his Majesty was wont to make him a familiar Companion of his Pleasures Nor was Bussy dâ—Amâ—oise the Duke of Alenson's Favorite more happy then St. Megrin He lov'd Mademoiselle de Manteran for tho he had engag'd himself in a strict Intreague and private enough too with that Lady by the means of the Lieutenant Criminal of Saumur his Confident who took care to manage their Randevoâ—zes whither she thought by such an act to conceal the dishonour of her miscarriage of whither she began to disgust her Lover However she sent for Bussy to meet her in her Castle where she would be alone but as soon as he was arriv'd there the Marquis of Monteraâ— who kept himself private in the next Room fell upon him with ten more of his Friends Bussy who was stout and brave defended himself like a Lyon while his Sword was whole but when they had broken it he threw a way the Hilâ— and with Barrs and Stools such as he could lay hands on wounded three or four of his Enemies When he had nothing to defend himself he bethought himself of taking his Heels and as he was preparing of leap out of the Window he receiv'd a mortal wound which laid him weltering upon the Floor The Duke of Aâ—â—nson was no way concern'd for his death because his excessive Pride and Vanity had disgusted him Some months after there was great rejoying at Court upon the Marriage of the Queens Sister Mademoiselle de Vaudemont with d'Argues whom the King had made Duke of Joyeuse All the Ladies made their appearances in the place most magnificently adorn'd there were Masquerades Balls Runnings at the Ring and Tournaments Ransard and Baif had each of 'em a thousand Crowns a piece for Epithalamiums and Verses upon the Subject of that Festival All the Princes to collogue with the King treated the new marri'd Couple every one in their turn The Cardinal of Bourbon who lodgd in the Abby of St. Germans prepar'd a great entertainment in that place the 10th of October 1581. He had order'd a most stately Gallery to be erected for their Majesties to pass to the Pre aux Clercâ—â— It was to have been drawn by four and twenty small Boates that were to have been cover'd with painted Skins which were to have made 'em appear at a distance like so many Sea Mousters and they were to have carry'd Trumpets Hautboys and Violins which were to have founded and strook up successively several Consorts of Warlike and Rural Musick But this Machine did not take effect So that the King was forc'd to go in his Coach to the Abby But this defect was repair'd by several other Gallantries among which there was an Artificial Garden adorn'd with all the beautiful products of the Spring tho it were in the depth of Winter When the King treated the same Company at the Louvre he caus'd a Ball to be daunc'd which represented the divertisements of Ceres and her Nymphs This Ball was attented by a Carrousel wherein the Horses trampl'd to the sound of several Instruments and an Artificial Firework which darted forth Rockets that as they fell form'd the Cifers of the Duke and Dutches. The next year upon Shrove Tuesday the King ran in Masquerade till six a Clock the next morning committing a thousand Follies For which the Preachers tax'd him in their Sermons with too much freedom Henry the Third being offended at it seal for Rose a Doctor of the Sorâ—onne who had declar'd against that Cavalcade with more heat then any of the rest nevertheless got off at the expence of a sight reprimand For said the King to him Doctor Rose I have suffer'd you for these ten years together to râ—n roaring about the Streets and never said any thing to ye yet here for one fegary at the end of the Carnaval you have mangled my Reputation in your Sacred Pulpit pray be more discreet another time and do so no more The King was also so good natur'd that sending for him again within a few days after he gave him four hunder'd Crowns and ask'd him whither that â—â—m would suffice to buy him Sugar enough to sweeten the bitterness of his Sermons When Hen. III. took his Progress into Guyenne the King of Navarr who went to meet him at Bourdeaux entred into an acquaintance there with the Countess of Gâ—iche the Widow of Philibert Count of Gramont who was Slain at the Siege of la Fere. He found her very Amiable and paid her several visits during his stay in that Province and her company made him a mends for the infiedlity of Madam de Sauve For he found her altogether as sensible of his affection as his first Mistress when he parted from Bourbeaux and besought her not to take it amiss if he â—et her hear from him by Parabese whom he had taken into his Service and whose Sister who was one of the same Province was one of his great Friends The Countess was overâ—oy'd at her having an opportunity to keep a correspondence with the King of Navarr and continu'd it till he came to the Crown As for Henry III. most certain it is that notwithstanding these irregularities of his youth his Subjects would have liv'd happily under his Reign had he not found 'em divided into two Factions extreamly exaâ—perated one against the other when he succeeded his Brother For he was Couragious Eloquent and Liberal even to profusion he lov'd men of Merit and was so naturally inclin'd to mildness that 't was alwaies a Grief to him when he punish'd Intreagues of the Court of France under the Raign of Hen. IV. THE first Person to whâ—m over Heâ—ry IV gave any mark of his affection 〈◊〉 Antonetta de Ponâ— Marchionesâ— of Gâ—erâ—◠〈◊〉 Widow of Henry de Silly Count of Roâ—â—â—â—guyen He saw her in Normandy and fell so passionately in love with her that he altogether forgot the Countess of Guich◠〈◊〉 whom nevertheless he had always a high esteem and never refuâ—'d 〈◊〉 any Kindness when it lay in his Power There was 〈◊〉 difference between those two Ladies thaâ— the first was a Country Lady that had never been at Court and that the seâ—ond had all the delicacy of Wit and Conversation which usually distinguishes persons of the Highest Quality from others The
Marchioness naturally confident was no way dasht out of Countenance but manag'd the Queen so many ways that she obligd her at length to speak to her Nevertheless because this visit prov d not so successful as the King expected the King laid all the blame upon the Dutchess of Nemours who was no less sourely lookt upon by the Queen Which makes it manifest that how prudently soever people may carry themselves in Court-Intreagues 't is a difficult thing many times to prevent disgraces But some days after a favourable occasion presented it self which surceas'd the exasperation that appear'd between the Queen and the King's Mistress Eleanor who had already made several fruitless efforts to get her self confirm d in the Office of chief Dresser which the Queen had bestow'd upon her address'd herself to the Marchioness and by her means obtain'd what would never have been granted her by any other means The King therefore finding the Queen somewhat appeas'd sent for his Mistress lodg'd her in the Louvre and furnish'd an Appartment on purpose for her Soon after she happen'd to be with Child almost as soon as the â—ueen and all the time of their great Bellies the King diverted himself in a manner equally betwen 'em tho his assiduities were sâ—mowhat more Partial to the Marchioness Elâ—â—nor who still made fair wâ—ather with the Marchioness by the â—ueens coâ—sent still stood in need of her Protection to â—â—tain the King s approbation of her Marriage with Comini who sought it not so much for her Beauty or for any other Ornaments of her mind but because he thought her advantagious to the raising his Fortune and Eleanor had prefer'd him before all her other Suitors because that being born of the dreggs of the people she was glad to marry a Man that had the reputation of a Gentleman in his own Country Nevertheless the King had no kindness for her and all the Queen's Household hated her so that the Queen her self durst not speak for fear of being deny'd and therefore there was a necessity for a Credit no less powerful then the Marchionesses to surmont those obstacles Comini made the first Overture but was rejected Madam de Vennueil also was very unwilling to take the Office upon her because she knew the aversion which the King had for both the persons Nevertheless after Eleanor had besought her and had told her that the Queen would speak to her about it she resolv'd to bring the business to perfection The Queen being inform'd of the assurances which the Marchioness had given Eleanor return'd her a Thousand Civilities and after that time she never receiv'd any Present which she did not share with her and treated her with that signal respect that she made no distinction betwen the Marchiness and the rest of the Princesses which pleas'd the King extreamly Nevertheless there was a necessity for deferring the Marriage till the Queen was brought to bed who was deliver'd of a Dauphin whose Birth was attended with that of the Marchionesses Son who was Henry of Bourbon Duke of Vernueil and dy'd within these few years This enlargement of the Kings Family was solomniz'd with several testimonies of Joy and exultation The Queen gave order for a grand Ball which took up two or three months to practise it and would needs have the Marchioness to dance an Entry with which the King was so highly satifi d that he caus'd the Marriage of Eleanor and Comini to be consummated and regald the new marri'd Couple with several magnificent Presents There was nothing minded but which way to divertise themselves the remainder of the Winter and good part of the Summer and the King was glad to procure his Mistresses content at any rate But an accident happn'd that for some time interrupted the good correspondence of those two Lovers The King had some kind of inclination toward the Dutchess of Villars the Dutchess of Beaufonts Sister and tho there was nothing beautiful about her but her Hair accompani d with a certain lusture of Youth yet she thought the Power of her Charms sufficient to make good for no small time the Illustrious Conquest she had made But when she saw that the King stuck close to the Dutchess of Vernueil it begat within her a violent animosity that grew still the more implacable as the Kings favour to her Rivaless increas'd The Queen on the other side perceiving Madam Villars's jealousie fomented it to the end it might prove serviceable to her Revenge yet so as she might not be seen to be any way contributary toward it Eleanor in whose power it was to have broken the Plot had no knowledge of it and Comini who discover'd something was afraid of medding for fear of drawing some trouble upon himself that might be injurious to his advancement The Dutchess of Villars therefore seeing her self supported by the Queen began to set her hand to the Plough The Prince of Joyinville had â—e the good luck to have won the favour of Madam Vernueil and had receiv'd several tender Letters from her wherein there were some expressions that reflected somewhat too disrespectfull upon the King However the Prince was not so faithful to a person so amiable and so deserving but that he had cast his eyes upon Madam de Vilkars who taking the advantage of his dotage wheedl'd him in to deliver up the Letters of her Rivaless So soon as she had 'em in her Power she went and shew'd 'em to the Queen who importun'd her extreamly to let the King see ' em She made some scruple at first for fear of incurring the dipleasure of so formidable an Enemy as the Marchioness of Vernueil But the Queen prest her so hard to a thing that her own interests sufficiently prompted her to that she could notwithstand her importunities All this while Mademoiselle ' de Guise who had introduc'd Madam de Villars to the Queen could not devise from whence this strict correspondence should proceed because they had not brought her into the Plot for that the discovery of such a secret would have infallibly drawn upon her the whole weight of the Marchioness of Vernueil s hatred a d revenge Madam de Villars then being willing to obey the Queens orders sought all opportunities to discourse the King in private and to that purpose went to find him out at Church whither he was gone to Mass under pretence of speaking to him about some private concern After the sacrifice was over she told him she had had something of importance to communicate to him Upon that every body withdrew and then the Dutchess finding her self alone with the King deliver'd into his hands her Rivalesse's Letters Adding withall that as she had receiv'd a thousand favours from his Majesty and had always a great love for his Person she could not find in her heart to conceal any longer the injury done him by her whom of all Women in the World he had the most oblig'd never considering how much
few days for being constrain'd by a fit of the Gout to keep his Bed he was Visited by Madam d' Angouleme and her Niece and while the Count of Grammont discours'd the Dutchess the King entertain'd Mademoiselle de Montmorency and told her that he would love her as his own Daughter and Lodge her in the Louvre during Bassompierres year of waiting and desir'd her to tell him ingenuously whither she were pleas'd with her Match or no for that otherwise he would break it off and marry her to his Nephew the Prince of Conde Mad. de Montmorancy who did not penetrate the King's design freely answer'd him that since it was her Fathers will she should think her self very happy with the Marquiss Henry IV. faign'd to be extremely glad of it but resolv'd within himself to find her out another Husband The next morning betimes he sent for Bassompierre and after he had caress'd him after an extraordinary manner told him that he had a full intention to marry him The Marquis ignorant of what he aim'd at made answer that had it not been for the Constables Gout his Nuptials had been already consummated That 's not my meaning reply'd the King my design is to marry ye with Mademoiselle de Aumale and in consideration of that marriage to revive the Dutchy of Aumale in her Person Bassompierre interrupting him ask'd his Majesty whether 't was his pleasure that he should have two Wives 'T is requisite reply'd the King that I should speak to thee as a friend I am in Love my self with Mademoiselle de Montmorancy If thou marriest her and she love thee I shall hate thee and if she have an affection for me then wilt thou be my Enemy 'T is better to avoid an occasion that may break our friendship I have a kindness for thee and I should feel a terrible combat within my self should I be constrain'd to remove my favour from thee I am resolv'd to marry that Lady to my Nephew the Prince of Conde She will be the Consolation of my old Age and I will give my Nephew who is young and loves hunting better then Ladies a hunder'd thousand Franks a year for his pastime without desiring any thing more from her that I design for his Wife but an innocent affection Bassompierre who saw well that he should but augment the King's Passion by reluctancy resolv'd to yeild him up chearfully a Blessing which he could not preserve to himself whither he would or no. 'T is a long time Sir said he that I have wisht for an opportunity to let your Majesty see my entire devotion to your Majesties Service and now I have met with one that answers my desires since the sacrifice which I offer to your Majesty is the greatest that Man can be capable of receiving I renounce at the same time for the love I bear your Majesty a splendid Alliance and a Lady altogether lovely for whom I have an affection the fervency and vehemence of which I am not able to express Yet I offer up all these advantages without any trouble to my self or any repining in the least and I wish that this intreague may bring as much joy to your Majesty as the loss of my hopes affliction to my self should I surrender 'em to any other then my Master a Master whose Vertues I no less admire then I reverence his high Extraction These words so mollifi'd the King that he melted into tears embrac'd Bassompierre and promis'd him to take care of his Fortune he also talk d to him of marrying Mademoiselle de Aumale but Bassompierre besought him to be contented with taking from him the person that he lov'd without imposing upon him a person that he could not affect In the Afternoon the King sitting up in his bed to play at Hazard with Bassompierre and some other Courtiers and Madam d'Angouleme together with her Neice coming to give him a visit he caus d the Dutchess to come between the Wall and the Bedside where he discours'd her for some time in private All that while Madam de Montmorency who knew nothing of the alteration of the King's mind talk'd to the Marquiss till the King beckning her to come to him inform'd her of his intentions and then went on with his discourse to the Dutchess while her Neice retiring shrugg'd up her shoulders to let Bassompierre understand the astonishment she was in But tho that Action of Madam de Montmorency discover'd nothing to Bassompierre but what he understood before he could not avoid the assaults of an inward anguish receiving that confirmation of his misfortune He gave over play and went out of the King's Chamber feigning that his Nose bled His Servants brought him his Hat and his Cloak to the Stairs and Betinghen put up his Money which he had left at random upon the Table As for the dispairing Lover he put himself into the Duke of Epernons Coach which he found next at hand not being able to get to his own and caus'd the Coachman to drive him home where be continu'd lockt up up for two or three days together without suffering any Strangers to come at him When he return'd to Court the Prince of Condè who had made a formal demand of Madam de Montmorency desir'd his company in the first visit that he pay'd his Mistress But tho the Marquiss were somewhat recover'd from his affliction and to find some pastime for his love had renew'd his intreague with Madam d' Entragues whom he had met at Madam de Senteny's yet could he not resolve unless by the King 's express command to submit to a compliance that would assur'dly put his heart upon the most severe Tryal that ever a Lover was expos d to The Cermonies of Affiiancing were perform d in the Gallery of the Louvre where the King was pleas'd out of an unlucky wantonness to lean upon Bassompierre's Shouldiers on purpose to make him stay with the affianc'd couple so long as the Ceremony lasted But the unfortunate Lover could notwithstand so many assaults His dispair upon the sight of that fatal Ceremony threw him into a Fever which had like to have cost him his life When he was recover'd Fortune that took delight in persecuting him rais d him a new Adventure which tho of less consequence yet put him to a great deal of trouble Camillo Simoni Esquire to the Queen lodg'd in a little Street right against the Door of the Mint and next door to Madam d'Entragues House and coming home one Evening he found a young man a bed with his Landlady for whom he had a kindness Presently he call'd up the people of the House who gave his Rival several cuts with their Swords and thrust him out of dâ—ors in his Shirt He was so dangerously wounded that after he had gone about fifty Paces he sunk down under Madam d' Entragues windows expecting every moment to breath his last At the same time a Gentleman who had some knowledge of Bassompierre
procur'd great Preferments and advantages to those for whom she had a kindness Madam de Montespan who saw that no body could be ignorant any longer of the Kings extream Affection for his new Mistress became so highly exasperated that she began to rail against it openly which very much offended the King Some time after Madenâ—oiselle de Fontange was brought to bed but her Lying-in prov'd mortal to her She fell into such a Consumption that they who knew her before hardly knew her when they saw her which was still attended with such a Flux of Blood that every body gave her over for lost All people believ'd her to have been Poyson'd and all people accus'd Montespan So far were all the Remedy's from doing her good that her languishment continu'd every day The King Visited her duly and manifested after a most tender manner the excess of his Grief to see her reduc'd to that condition But in regard she knew there was no cure for her Distemper she besought the King that she might retire from the Court adding with tears in her Eyes that she had nothing more to do in this world but to prepare herself for Death The King who was sensibly touch'd and disorder'd by his being present with her in her affliction granted her Request Thereupon she retir'd into a Convent in St. James's Subburbs where the Duke of Fueillade went to Visit her from the King two or three times a Week But in a little time after she dyd leaving after her death more visible marks of her being Poyson'd then were to be discover'd during her sickness by the report of the Physâ—tians The King's Grief was so extream that he could not refrain from shewing it and certain it is that he had taken his revenge upon Madam de Montespan after a more then ordinary manner had he not had prevailing Reasons to dissemble his Resentment For he was fully convinc'd that Madam de Fontange had been sacrific'd to the Jealousie and despair of that Ambitious Woman who had flatter'd herself that she should still enjoy the King's Affection In the mean time to let the world see that he was really sorry for the loss of Fontange and that the Esteem and Tenderness he had for her was not extinguish'd by her Death he gave a rich Abby to one of her Brothers marry'd one of her Sisters to great advantage and did an infinite number of other things in favour of her Family which did not a little mortifie Madam de Montespan who imagin'd that she being deliver'd from her Rivaless the King might take a new Fancy to her But she deceiv'd herself The King never went to see her but upon a Politick Accompt and resolv'd for the future to renounce all manner of Amorous Intreagues A little time after Madam Fontange's death Mademoiselle de Monpensâ—â—r who was still in love with the Court of Lansan threw herself at the Kingâ—s feet and obtain'd her Lover's Liberty after ten Years Imprisonment 'T would be a hard matter to express the joy of that Princess when the understood from the King 's own Mouth that Lansan was at Liberty nor the Extasies she was in when he arriv'd at Paris However he did not lodge in her House tho' he were permitted to go when he pleas'd to see her So that he was wich her from Morning till Night This Familiarity continu'd for some Month's and Madam de Montpensier was so charm'd with him that she settl'd upon him two considerable Lordships with the King's consent Nor could Lausun be more assiduous then he was in waiting upon her But in regard he lov'd that Princess in hopes of espousing her when he found it impossible for him to marry her because the King had positively declar'd against it he took a distast against his Mistress and he took himself to a Lady that wanted neither Youth nor Beauty and whom he found to be nothing flinty hearted Mademoiselle de Montpensier was not long before she found that Lausun was unfaithful to her Presently therefore she set Spies upon him in the Country and was soon inform'd that he frequently Visited a Young Widow with whom several Persons of Quality in Paris were deeply in Love She complain'd to him of his Insidelity nor did Lausun altogether disown it and whereas Mademoiselle upbraided him that tho' a Princess she had debas'd herself to a willingness to make him her Husband he vow'd to her after he had begg'd her a thousand Pardons that he would never see the Lady more and he was as good as his wordâ— for for five or six Weeks he was her most diligent Servant But one Evening as he was walking alone in one of the Allies of Luxembâ—â—gh Garden while Mademoiselle was in another talking about some affaires with a Minister a Lacquiey without a Livery deliver'd him a Billet wherein he was desir'd in the name of a Lady of great Quality to meet her the next day at eleven a Clock in such a Church Monsieur de Lausun fail'd not to meet and the Lacquey who waited for him at the Church door carry'd him to a House that was not unknown to him Presently he understood the Mistery The Lady receiv'd him blushing but immediatly recovering herself she told him that being endow d with such extraordinary Qualities he ought no to wonder that others made the first advances and that she should esteem her self happy if she had not been so forward in vain The Lady had so much wit and so many Charms that M. de Lausun who never dreamt of such good Fortune stood like one in a Trance But being recover'd from his surprize he spoke as the Lady desir'd and swore a thousand Oaths that he had been enchanted with her Person above six Weeks together but that the profound respect he had for all Persons of her Sex and for those especially that held that Rank in the world as she did had kept him from declaring his Passion Some days after Lausun gave the Lady a Visit But Mademoiselle who was become extreamly jealous and watch'd him where ever he 〈◊〉 had presently discover'd this new Intreague which he must renounce or else there was no longer Peace with Her It may be said that Lausun was got clear of one dreadful Prison to be confin'd to another mo less loathsome for in short he had no longer any kindness for Mademoiselle but there was a necessity for him to live in torment upon more then one account He was at his wits end with his unhappy rate However he was resolv'd to torment himself and to ingage himself no more in Amorous Intreagues This Resolution lasted for some Weeks and Mademoiselle was proud of her self that she had fix'd him at length Never had he appear'd so full of Passion nor so affectionate to her The Princess never stept a step but Lausun follow'd her He was with her at her uprising and he never parted from her till Midnight and he shew'd her so many testimonies of his
to take at that time which was to repudiate their Wives contrary to the Prohibitions of the Church and the Holy Canons He put away Plectrude and continu'd his Intreague so publickly with Alpayde that Lambert Bishop of Liege after frequent and severe Admonitions both in private and publick threaten'd to Excommunicate him Alpayde was alarum'd at this and made her Complaints to her Brother Dodon who being a Man Violent and Revengful murther'd the Holy Bishop For which it was not long e're he receiv'd condigne punishment from Heaven for he fell into the Lowzie Sickness which drove him to such a terrible despair that he threw himself into the Meuse Some time after Pepin dy'd and Plectrude made her self Mistriss both of the Government and of the Person of Charles whom she shut up in the Castle of Cologne which was the usual place of her Residence Charles however found a way to make his escape out of Prison and having found a considerable Party in the Kingdom got himself chosen Mayor of the Palace and constrain'd Plectrude to renounce all her Pretensions The Amours of Charlemaigne THO' Charlemaigne had several Mistresses Anno 771. while his four Wives liv'd we know the Names of none but of Reginia and Adelond nor do we know who was the Mother of Pepin the eldest of his Natural Sons This Emperor passing through Mayence as he was going to make War against the Saxons Count Ganelon considerable for his Rank and Quality in that part of Germany besought him to receive Reginia his near Kinswoman into the number of Luigard the Empresse's Maids of Honour who had accompanied him in that Journey Charles consented to it willingly and found the Virgin so amiable that he many times took delight to divertize himself in her company after he had tyr'd himself with the toil of business And at first the Emperor thought of making no more then a Pastime of his Discourses with the young Lady but in a short time he soon perceiv'd that he had another sort of Kindness for Reginia and begg'd her to correspond with his Passion How was it possible to resist the importunities of a Prince who was already the Admiration of all Europe Reginia suffer'd her self to be overcome and grew big with Child Charles afraid lest the Empress should discover the Intreague left her at Aix la Chapelle where she dy'd soon after In the mean time Reginia was brought to Bed of Frogon he was afterwards Bishop of Mets and the next year of another Prince whose Name was Hugh Nor was Reginia ungrateful to her Kinsman Gamelon to whom she was beholding for her Fortune for she procur'd him Preferments and Employments which oblig'd him to follow the Court. And in regard he was frequently in his Kinswoman's Chamber during these marches and journeys he beheld among the rest of her Companions a Lady whose Name was Adelond with whom he fell so deeply in love that he resolv'd to Marry her To which purpose he besought the Emperor's permission so soon as he return'd to Aix la Chapelle who at first readily gave his consent But having better relish'd Adelond's Wit he could not resolve to behold her in the possession of another and having therefore found some pretence to recall his Word he engag'd himself altogether with Adelond and forsook Reginia Nor was this Second Mistriss less fruitful then the First for she made him the Father of Prince Thierry However the Emperor did not give himself up so absolutely to his amorous Pleasures as to forget the Affairs of his Dominions Understanding therefore that Alphonsus King of Leon had made a League against him with Fortune Garsil King of Navarr and with Marsillus the Moorish King of Cordona he cross'd the Pyrenans in order to fight ' em Ganelon thought this an opportunity to be reveng'd of the Emperor for bereaving him of his Mistress and for having dishonour'd his Kinswoman Thereupon he went over secretly and by giving 'em seasonable notice of the march of the Imperial Army was the occasion of the loss of the Battle of Roncèvaux wherein the choice of the French Nobility were slain However the Treason of the Count was discover'd and he receiv'd a punishment proportionable to the enormity of his Crime the marks of which are to be seen by what befell the Tours of Monthlery and de la Queve in Brie that both belong'd to him for they were half demolish'd and so have ever finde remain'd Reginia who had no share in the Conspiracy was no less exempted from any Consequences of his punishment as being all along in high esteem with Charlemaigne who put her Children into his Will year 814 Charles's Galantries had been so publick that they gave an occasion to the Princesses his Daughters for whom he had not been very careful to provide Husbands to seek out for Lovers themselves and tho' the Emperor had notice of their irregular Conduct he did but laugh at it and let 'em live according to their own Fancies But after his death Lewis his eldest Son who was of a different character from his Father and desirous to remedy these disorders gave Commission to the Princes Walon Warner Lambert and Tagobar diligently to enquire into 'em and to punish those that should be found guilty To this purpose he sent 'em before to Aix la Chapelle and follow'd 'em himself with a puissant Army to support the execution of his Orders and oppose the Pretensions of his Sisters who had made a powerful Party against him and with their Arms in their hands demanded their share in the Succession and Inheritance left by their Father The Prisons of Aix la Chapelle were soon fill'd with those who had abus'd the easie Nature of the Princesses or who had favour'd and encourag'd their unchast Amours and they were punish'd according as their Crimes deserv'd Harwin who had been summon'd to answer to the Informations exhibited against him made his appearance but arm'd and well attended and when Warner and Lambert order'd him to be examin'd upon the Interrogatories he drew his Sword and slew the first and dangerously wounded the other in the Thigh However he could not escape death for he was massaker'd with all his followers by the Prince's Officers and Guards When Lewis also arriv'd at Aix la Chapelle he sent for his Sisters and after he had caus'd his Father's Will to be read in their Hearing he unbraided 'em with their loose Conduct and then sent 'em away to the Lands of which Charlemagne had given 'em the Rents and Profits and which he assign'd 'em for their Dowries for term of life only Valdrade Mistress to Lothaire King of Lorraine year 862 AFter the death of Lewis the Debonaire his Dominions were divided among his Children Lothaire was Emperor and King of Italy Lewis obtain'd Germany Charles had Burgundy with Neustria and Pepin enjoy'd Aquitain Lothaire turning Monk left three Male Children Lewis Lothaire and Charles Lewis shar'd Italy together with the Empire
upon Hugo gave him several mortal Stabs before the King's Face thô he made himself known to 'em on purpose to stop their fury out of that respect which was due to his Person and when they had done they threw themselves into a Forrest adjoyning and soon became invisible Several Months find away before the King could discover the Authors of so dating an enterprize but at 〈◊〉 he understood that the Murder was committed by the Queens Order and so far he was from shewing himself either griev'd or displeas'd at it that he lov'd her the more ever after and wholly fortook Almafrede who out of despair retired to a Convent and veil'd her self As for Foulqueâ— he underwent a severe Penance for having contributed to the Homicide being at Jerusalem whither he accompany'd Godfrey of Benillon and others of the Croisado For he caus'd himself to be drawn naked upon a Hurdle with a Rope about his Neck and to be whipp'd till the Blood came crying out with a loud voice Have mercy Lord upon the treacherous and perjur'd Foulques Bertrade Mistress to Philip. Anno 1086. Foulques Rechin going to pay a visit to Amaney Lord of Montfort and condole with him upon the death of his Mother fell in love with his Sister Bertrade He left nothing omitted to procure her Affection during the stay that he made at Montfort and not being able to obtain any Favour from her he resolv'd to marry her thô he were already marry'd to Ermengard the Daughter of Archambaut Lord of Bourbon and that he had a Son by her who was afterwards call'd Jeoffrey Martell To which effect he caus'd his Marriage with Ermengard to be declar'd null under pretence of being near akin and took Bertrade to Wife by whom he had a Son that bore his Fathers Name and who going to the Holy Land was King of Jerusalem In the mean time Foulques Rechin having had a Quarrel with his Brother Jeoffrey about sharing the Succession of their Father Foulques Nera the contest came to a Battle near Brochelac where Jeoffrey was overthrown and taken prisoner but took his being detain'd in Prison so hainously that for meer vexation he run mad Pope Gregory VII being inform'd how hardly Foulques had us'd his Brother and of the unlawfull Marriage which he had contracted with Bartrade excommunicated him Jeffery Martell who by this time was arriv'd to years of maturity taking advantage of the excommunication thunder'd out against his Father took Arms to revenge this Mothers Quarrel and set his Uncle at liberty Bertrade seeing her self so dangerously threatn'd by the ambitious Youth who was already become the head of a potent party sought which way to rid him out of the World and caus'd him to be poyson'd Pope Gregory being dead Foulques sent Embassadors to Vrban VI. who succeeded him to obtain his absolution offering to set his Brother at Liberty and to quit Bertrade Upon which the Pope empower'd Hugo Archbishop of Lion to take off the censure provided the Count perform'd what he had promis'd In the mean time Phillip coming to Tours to give Foulques a visit year 1093 and settle affairs between 'em in reference to the County of Gatinois which the Count had mortgag'd to him during the Wat with his Brother saw Bertrade who appear'd to him most charmingly beautiful notwithstanding those Clouds of sorrow that hung upon her countenance because her Husband was just going to put her away The King therefore having engag'd her to entrust him with the cause of her grief offer'd her his service and promis'd to marry her having under pretence of consanguinity vacated his Marriage with Bertha the Daughter of the Count of Frise whom he had banish'd to Montrevil upon the Sea Bertrade suffer'd her self to be surpriz'd with these alluring hopes and consented to be conveigh'd away by force The King thus satisfy'd after he and Bertrade had consulted upon the ways and means which way to effect their designe departed for Orleans and left behind him at Tours a Gentleman whose name was William Rechin to put the project in execution Bertrade and the Knight having conserted together how to manage the business she her self went to hear Mass at St. Martin's upon Easter-eve and after she had sent away the persons that attended her upon several errands slipt into a by Street where Rechin waited for her with two Horses She made choice of that which went most easily and being got a little way out of the City they met with laid Horses fresh and fresh every six Leagues and made such hast that before Night they reach'd Orleans where the King who had notice of every thing receiv'd 'em with those transports of joy that are hardly to be express'd He carry'd Bertrade to his Palace and by a thousand caresses endeavour'd to alleviate the Fatigues of her journey As for Foulques he did not much trouble himself for the loss of his Wife whom he lookt upon as an obstacle of his reconciliation with the holy See and finding himself well stricken in years he wholly gave off his debauchery Some time after Philip publickly espous'd Bertrade and caus'd her to be Crown'd with extraordinary magnificence He had two Sons by her Philip to whom he gave the Barony of Mang upon the Lâ—ire and whom he Marry'd to the Daughter of Gontier Lord of Montbery Henry who was design'd for the Church and a Daughter named Cecilia who was first marry'd to Tancrede Son of the Sister of Bremond Prince of Antiochia and after his death to Ponce the Son of Beritand Count of Tiral in Stiria descended from the Counts of Thoulouse However several Bishops who where present at the nuptials to which they were invited according to the custom of the Kingdom remonstrated to the King that the Church could not approve a Marriage directly contrary to all the Canons as well by reason of the proximity of Blood between him and Bertrade as for that Bertha was still living as well as Count Foulques But none of 'em took upon 'em to speak with more freedom then Yves Bishop of Chartres which exasperated the King to that degree that he caus'd him to be apprehended However in a short time after he releas'd him again at the sollicitation of the Clergy Pope Vrban VI. being inform'd of these disorders sent away on purpose a Legat into France who assembl'd a Council at Auâ—uâ— where it was decreed that Philip should be excomunicated But the Pope suspended the effect of the Decree till the next Year and then he thunder'd out his Anathema's against the King in the Council of Clermont The King terrifi'd with these censures parted from Bertrade for some time but he recall'd her shortly after by the consent of her Husband Foulques himself over whom she had so powerfull an ascendant that he sigh'd at her feet like the most passionate of Lovers The Popes Legats perceiving that the King had renewâ—d his crminal familiarity assembled another Councill
the important Secret they engag'd 'em to facilitate the means to make 'em happy Nor was it a difficult thing to gain the Usher of the Chamber and the Princesses Ladies of Honour who introduc'd 'em into their Mistresses Chambers at a time when all the world was withdrawn to Rest Every thing favour'd their desires Their Mistresses were the first movers and 't is easie to guess how easie it was to prosper in Rendevouzes of that nature However the Princesses afraid of being at last surpriz'd by their Husbands begg'd leave of 'em to spend the Summer season at Maubuison near Pontoise where they admitted none but persons that were privy to the Intreague and abandon'd themselves wholly to the pleasure of Loving and being Belov'd The two Lovers every night got over the walls of the Garden and slipt into the Chambers of Delight without being seen of any body 'T is true the Princesses had not imparted any thing of their Love to their Maids of Honour in regard that being young they mistrusted their discretion Nevertheless the secret which it so much concern'd 'em to conceal was at length discover'd by her that was able to make the most mischievous use of it Mademoiselle de Morfontaine Maid of Honour to the Queen of Navarr had been a long time intreagu'd with Philip de Launoy who had also promis'd her Marriage but being assur'd of her Mistress he began to neglect her Morfontaine perceiving his coldness and imagining he was become inamour'd of some of her companions resolv'd to watch him more narrowly to the end she might find out her Rivalless There was belonging to the Apartment of the Maids of Honour a pair of Back-stairs that led into the Garden One Evening therefore she slipt down those Back stairs and walk'd the Rounds to see whether or no her perfidious AEneas did not go to visit some of her companions in the night time Nor had she long stood Centinel before she perceiv'd somebody jump over the Wall She accoasted him softly and thô the Moon did not shine she knew or else she fancy'd she knew him to be Launoy whom she follow'd without any noise to the Queen of Navarr's Apartment Upon the sight of this she stood as motionless as a Statue and was sstill more embarrass'd then before not being able to persuade her self that he durst make his Addresses to a Person so far superiour to him She saw the Maid of Honour open the door to him and when he was enter'd she listen'd to try whether she could discover what he was gone to do in that Apartment 'T is easie to guess at her surprize when she understood by the Queen of Navarr's expressions that 't was she her self whom Launoy sought for and that he was belov'd Presently her jealousie chang'd into fury and infus'd into her nothing but desire of Revenge But after the first transports of her Rage were over when she sought in cool blood the ways to satisfie it she found 'em encompass'd with a thousand dangers 'T was as much as her life was worth to accuse her Mistriss without convincing Proofs and it was to be fear'd that in taking measures to prove the Intreague she might give her Mistriss an occasion to suspect her design and expose her to the dire effects of her anger She floated several days in this uncertainty but finding her self at length with Child she thought it her duty to sacrifice every thing to the revenge of her injur'd Honour She had a Kinswoman a Nun at Maubuisson whom she entrusted with the deplorable Estate to which she was reduc'd and so well aggravated the honor of the crime which the two Lovers committed in prophaning the place that enclos'd the Spouses of Jesus Christ that she engag'd the Nun to assist her in surprizing the impious Couple together And they took their measures so truly that the two Launoy's were surpriz'd in Bed with the two Princesses and were stopt in the Convent till the King was inform'd of it They were both sent to prison and upon their impeachment in Parliament their crime being sufficiently prov'd they were both condemn'd to be Flea'd alive to have their guilty Members cut off to be ty'd to the Tails of two wild Horses and in that condition to be dragg'd through a new mow'd Meadow The two Princesses were shut up in Castle Gaillard where the King of Navarr caus'd his Wife in a short time after to be strangl'd with a Sheet The Countess of March obtain'd her liberty after the Prince her Husband had dissolv'd the Marriage under pretence that he was the Godson of Mand of Artois the Mother of that Princess The Usher of the Queen of Navarr's Chamber who was privy to the Intreague was hang'd The Countess of Poitou was also apprehended but in regard there was nothing material prov'd against her the Prince her Husband went himself to fetch her out of prison and by 3 thousand Caresses endeavour'd to make her amends for the Affront she had receiv'd As for Morfontaine after she had thus fully satisfy'd her Revenge she was tormented with most cruel remorses of Conscience that ne'er would suffer her to rest either day or night Every Minute she thought she saw before her Eyes her Lover in the same deplorable condition wherein he lay under the tortures of the Hangman and after she had languish'd in misery for above a year she ended her days detesting with a sincere repentance the disorders of her past Life The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Charles VI. year 1339 CHARLES VI. who fell mad during the journey that he made into Flanders having recover'd his health gave order for a sumptuous Ball which was danc'd at Queen Blanche's Palace in the Fauxbourg St. Marcell upon occasion of the Nuptials of one of that Princesses Maids of Honour The King would make one of the number and danc'd an entry of Savages with five Lords of the Court who were ty'd together with Ropes of Silk The King as he was dancing accoasted the Duchess of Berry whom he caress'd with somewhat a more then ordinary freedom at what time his Brother entering the room and being over curious to know who that person was in Masquerade so familiar with the Countess drew near with his Flambeau and set Fire to the Habit of one of the Savages The flame immediately ran from one to the other so that in an instant they were all in a blaze Charles of Poitiers Count of Valentinois and Hongrinant de Jansay di'd upon the spot The Count of Nantouillet ran to the Cupboard and throwing himself into a Charger full of Water quench'd the Fire that surrounded him The Count Jony and Yves de Foix di'd after they had lain for two days together in a languishing condition But the Duchess of Berry knowing the King threw the skirt of her Gown over him and sav'd him by that means Dureing the confusion which this accident had occasion'd in the assembly the Duke of Orleans
found himself near a Lady who was ready to be stifl'd in the croud he took care of her and put her into the hands of one of his Gentlemen who threw Water in her Face and after he had fetch'd her again from the swoon into which she was fallen carry'd her home to his own house Some few days after the Duke calling the Lady to mind ask'd his Gentleman what was become of her and understood that she was the Wife of Raoulet d'Auteville who had been Treasurer of France upon the recommendation of Philip Duke of Burgundy With that he remember'd that he had been the occasion of displacing him from his employment for several misdeameanors and believ'd that the little service he had done his Wife would not countervail to extinguish that aversion which without question she had for him Nevertheless in these contrarieties it is that Love takes delight to shew his capricious humours as the Duke soon after found by experience For one day that he was at Mass in St. Pauls Church he there observ'd the fame Lady who as she pass'd by saluted him with an obliging smile The Duke was too much a Courtier to be ignorant what that meant and he was too great a Lover of adventures to fall of the opportunity of making the best of ' em Thereupon he sent a Page to delite Madam d'Auteville to meet him in the Evening in the Garden of the Palais des Touruelles where he should be glad to speak with her and the Lady accepting the Assignation fail'd not to meet him at the time appointed And then it was that in her melting Breast the Duke soon met with sentiments far opposite to those of that same hatred with which he thought her prepossess'd against him and engag'd her without much trouble to come to him to his Palace the next Morning Nor did she fail of being punctual to her hour and being introduc'd into the Princes Chamber by a back pair of stairs she gave him no cause to complain of her cruelty This visit was attended by several others by means of which the Duke of Orleans understood that she was very intimate with the Duchess of Burgundy and that she had understood by her discourses that 't was none of her fault if he were not belov'd by her The Duke open'd his Ears to this Proposal For besides that the Princess had charms sufficient to inflame his amorous desires she might prove advantageous to him in the rearing of his Fortune by drawing from her Lips the secrets of the Duke her Husband who was declar'd Regent of the Kingdom during the King's distemper and with whom he thought he had a right to dispute the Government of the Realm He therefore left Madam de Auteville to manage the intreague who carry'd it on with so much address that in a short time she accomplish'd his desires year 1406 This Intreague lasted several Years and was carry'd with that privacy that no body had the least inkling of it but at length it was discover'd through the imprudence of the Duke himself For he had hung up in his Cabinet the Portraitures of all his Mistresses and he was wont to say that all those whose pictures were there to be seen had never been cruel to him The Duke of Burgundy likewise had often heard him say the same thing tho' he never minded it at first But one day coming into that fatal Cabinet he there beheld his Wife's picture and then calling to mind the Dukes unlucky rallery it gave him no small disturbance Thereupon he resov'd to be satisfy'd in his suspitions and at last discover'd that the Duke had frequent meetings with his Wife by the means of Madam d' Autevil1e whom she had made her confident but then the jealousie of Love joyning Forces with the jealousie of hatred he thought it behov'd him to be reveng'd upon a Prince who was doubly his Rival To this purpose he discover'd his design to d' Auteville who having a share in the affront was easily induc'd to have a part in the revenge and promis'd to serve the Duke according to his intentions Next Morning therefore the prâ—fligate undertaker corrupted several Ruffians needing only the temptation of Money and among others William and Thomas Courtois and John de la Mothe who promis'd him upon their words to second his pernicious design to the utmost of their power He also gain'd one of the King 's Valet's de Chambre who was sent to tell the Duke of Orleans at that time gone to the Palais de Tournelles to visit the Queen it being St. Cecilia's day in the Evening that the King desir'd to speake with him at the Hostel de St. Paul Immediately the Duke got a Horseback attended only by some of his Lacqueys without any weapons and one that carry'd a Flambeau before him But when he came to the gate Barbette before the house of Marshal d' Eurex out comes d' Auteville from a Tavern where he waited the Dukes coming with about fifteen or twenty of his accomplices and flew upon him with his drawn sword and having cut off his Bridle hand threw him off his Horse and deliver'd him to the rest of his Confederates who stab'd him in several places When they had done they set fire to a house adjoyning on purpose to amuse the People and made their escapes through by Lanes and Alleys The Duke was carry'd into the Marshal de Fires house where he expir'd and thence to the Benedictin's Convent The Parliament took cognisance of this Murder and order'd a Councellor to take the Informations He presently issu'd forth a Warrant against the squire of the Duke of Burgundy's Kitchin who was charg'd by the witnesses and in regard he never stir'd out of the Hostel d' Artois where the Duke lodg'd and whence they could not fetch him out by force without his Masters permission the Councellor who had took the Information went to demand him of the Duke at the Hostel de Nesle where the Duke of Berry lay and where the Council was kept Louis de Anjon King of Sierly being then present when the Councellor made his compliment to the Duke of Burgundy took notice that he turn'd pale and that a sudden disturbance seiz'd upon his mind Upon which he drew him aside and having made him confess that the Duke of Orleans had been assasinated by his order he advis'd him to retire The Duke took his advice and departing the Hostel de Nesle without any noise went home took horse and never stop'd till he came to Dâ—jon However he could not escape the punishment that Heaven had prepar'd for him The Dauphin resolv'd to revenge the Death of the Duke of Orleans year 1419 and contended for the regency during his Fathers sickness On the otherside the Duke of Burgundy enter'd into a League with the King of England and France was in a strange combustion Persons of high quality interpos'd to accommodate the difference and the Duke was
sight of Magdalen who had been the Widow of Lewis d' Amboise about six months who had marry'd her for her beauty but had no Children by her The Duke was so pleas'd with her conversation that he forgot for some time that he had left the Court to retire to his Government of Bourdeaux and made a proposal to Madam d' Amboise to go along with him but she excus'd her self alledging the injury it would be to her reputation The Duke therefore to vanquish her scruples confer'd upon her the County of St. Severe and oblig'd her by that same generous present to answer his passion The pretence then for her going was to take possession of certain Lands which as she gave out she had purchas'd of the Duke and this serv'd to conceal the Intreague that was between him and her They arriv'd together at Bourdeaux very well satisfi'd with each other and Madam d' Amboise who was not ungratefull for the favours she and receiv'd from the Duke made use of all talents that Heaven had bestow'd upon her to preserve his affection She sung with art and had a charming voice she plaid upon several instruments and had a delicate vain in Poetry so that the hours they spent together ne'r seem'd tedious But in regard that Love is not always satisfi'd with these innocent pastimes Madam d' Amboise was deliver'd of a Daughter that after the death of the Duke her Father was Abbess of St. Paroux in Perigort The Dukes affection for his Mistress also daily increas'd and their happiness would have been a subject worthy of envy had not ambition interrupted their felicities For the Duke of Guyenne held correspondences all a long at Court which made the King jealous He was afraid least his Brother should grow too potent and therefore suborn'd Jourdain Fanre Abbot of St. John de Angeli to poyson him That traytor upon whom the Duke of Guyenne had heap'd his favours readily undertook to sacrifice his life for the hopes of a pitiful reward To which purpose he presented a lovely Peach to Madam d' Amboise which he had envenom'd the Lady gave it her Lover who sliceing it into a cup of wine they eat it both together Madam d' Amboise di'd the same day but the Duke lay languishing for some Months Nevertheless the violence of the poyson was so strong that it fetch'd off his hair the nails of his hands and depriv'd him of the use of his limbs Jourdain was apprehended and the Bishop of Angiers was ioyn'd in Commission with Lewis d' Amboise afterwards Bishop of Albi to prosecute him But the King put a stop to the prosecution and order'd that the impeachment as well as the informations should be sent to him which discover'd to the World the share which he had in the fact But Heaven would not permit so enormous a crime to go unpunish'd for the villain was consum'd by a flash of Lightning that burnt him to ashes at the bottom of the dungeon where he lay in Fetters year 1474 THE Duke of Burgundy took the Field to revenge the death of the Duke of Guyenne and entring Picardy committed great havock in the Country The King on the other side muster'd what Forces he could together to defend the Province and arriving at a Village near Amiens call'd Gigon was accoasted by a Woman all beblubber'd with tears who falling at his feet demanded justice against his Soldiers who making their way by violence to quarter in the Village of which her Husband was the Lord had slain him The King cast his Eyes upon the Widow and perceiv'd so many charms in her countenance that he was dazl'd with the sight of ' em He rais'd her from the ground and assur'd her he would punish the guilty so soon as he came to a place where he made any stay Soon after the King made a Truce with the Duke of Burgundy and returning to Paris carri'd Madam de Gigon along with him he discover'd to her the Passion he had for her and heap'd so many Favours upon her that he soon made her forget her loss Nor was she ungrateful but signaliz'd her acknowledgment at the expence of her Honour She had one Daughter that was afterwards marry'd to the Bastard of Bourbon The custom of that time was for Ladies to adorn themselves with Jewels and they wore Chains of Precious Stones that came three or four times about their Necks The King gave Order to a famous Jeweller whose name was Passefilon to make one of those Chains for Madam Gigon and the Jeweller's Wife carry'd it home to the King's Mistress so soon as it was finish'd The King was then by accident in her Chamber and found the Jewellers Wife so lovely that his Love for Madam Gigon could not protect his Heart against her Charms However he could not discover his Passion in his Mistresses Presence but commanded Landais his Treasurer to send her to him when she came to be paid for the Chain telling him that he would drive the bargain himself which was a usual thing for him to do in regard that being very covetous he would be taking notice of the meanest trifles to hinder his Officers from making any advantage of their Places Mrs. Passefilon then was admitted into his Cabinet and observing her but in an ordinary Dress he told her in plain terms without fetching any great compass about that if she would comply with his Passion she should gain more by him in a year then she could get as long as she liv'd in her Shop The Jewellers Wife who lov'd Money and had been a witness of the raising of Madam de Gigon easily surrender'd to this Royal Temptation and the bargain was presenly concluded In a short time she grew big with Child and brought the King another Daughter that was afterwards marry'd to Anthony de Bueil Count of Sancerre But when Passefilon saw that she had wherewithal to live like a Lady she was as willing as others to tast some high sauce with her amorous Pleasures and was resolv'd to perswade her Royal Paramour to go more neatly drest then he was wont to do One day therefore that the King came to pay her a visit in a homely Suit and a foul Shirt Sir said she When I surrender'd my Heart to a King of France I thought to have sound in the Courtly commerce wherein I had embark'd my self all the Gayeties of Ornament and Gallantry that the Magnificence of the most noble Court in Europe could have afforded nevertheless 't is my grief that when I have an eager desire to abandon my self to to the transports of a tender Passion I smell nothing but slovenly Grease where nothing but Muske and Amber should perfume my Nose In truth should one of my Apprentices accoast me in that same Garb that you are in I would kick him out of my sight What must Forreign Ministers say that see you so ill support the Majesty of your Royal Dignity What Lampoons
Daughter was sent away by that private conveyance during his Sickness Nor was he ignorant how prejudicial the conjunction of Bretagne to the Dominions of Spain would be to France which was the reason that without many more to do he resolv'd to cross a contrivance so dangerous notwithstanding he was assur'd that the Queen would never forgive him should the King happen to die of his Sickness Thereupon he stopt the Princess with most respectful protestations of his sorrow for being constrain'd to come to that extremity This action of the Marshal was commended by the King and all good French men and the Queen her self feign'd to applaud it however when the King was recover'd she made use of her credit to ruin that faithful subject Nevertheless she could not prevent the marriage of her Daughter with the Count of Angoulême because it was generally desir'd But it was such an inward vexation to her that sinking under the weight of her corroding anguish she dy'd in the thirty seven Year of her age 'T is true the King did not express that sorrow for her death as 't is thought he would have done considering the passion he had for her as long as she liv'd whither it were that his mind was taken up with his cares of the Wars of Italy or that the Queen's attempts against his authority had cool'd the heat of his Love However after that he liv'd such a reserv'd life that no body believ'd he would ever have thought of a third Marriage but the Duke of Longueville was the occasion of reviving that desire in him That Prince having rashly engag'd himself in a battle against the English year 1514 lost the battle of Spurs and became a prisoner to Henry VIII of England To repair this fault he undertook during his imprisonment to bring off that Prince from his confederacy with the Emperor nor did he find any great trouble to perswade him to it For thô he were very young he was very thrifty and he was a weary of paying the Emperours Troops who was extreamly poor and of furnishing him a hundred Crowns a day for his table There only wanted therefore a plausible pretence to break the Confederacy and there was not a better at that time to be found then a more strict alliance between France and England Henry VIII had a Sister whose beauty was a domestick mischief to him as we shall find in the sequel of this history She was born after another Daughter so much unprovided of the graces of the body that the King of Scotland had never marry'd her but because the King would not marry the youngest before the eldest The youngest being come of Age the Duke of Milan and several other Sovereign Princes sought her in vain because 't was not then the custom to marry the King's Daughter out of the Island This custome which had not been alter'd for four Ages together had infus'd into the young English Lords of the highest Quality a confidence to pretend to the Princess and the King gave way to it lest he should be accus'd of too much severity toward his Sister tho' he had no design to have marry'd her to any of his subjects for fear of drawing a civil War upon himself not unlike to those wherein several of his predecessors had miscarry'd Nevertheless in regard it is a difficult thing for a Woman to hold out any long time against Love when she makes it her business to allure the Princess of England after she had entangl'd in the snares of Love all those that could give any cause of jealousy to her Brother was her self smitten with one whom he had little reason to fear There was introduc'd into the Court of England a young English Gentleman whose name was Charles Brandon without any other recommendation then that of the King's Nurse whose Son he was He was extreamly handsome well proportion'd in his person and very active in all manner of exercises He had the air of a person of Quality and there was observ'd in him that sweetness of temper and that discretion that he was welcome into all societies and chiefly into the Ladies company who were altogether prevalent at Court The King took him for his second in all his matches at Tenis and made him the confident of all his most secret pleasures He conferr'd upon him the office of his chief Huntsman and lest his name should remind the Courtiers of the meaness of his Birth he caus'd him to assume the title of the Counts of Suffolk illustrious for the merit and quality of the persons who had born it for above two hundred years It is not certainly known whether this new title had convinc'd the Princess that she might bestow her affection without any dishonour upon the person whom the King her Brother had honour'd with it since the English Histories are full of presidents of several Earls of Suffolk that have pretended to the marriage of the Sisters and Daughters of their King 's or whether the Love which she already had for him had imprinted that Idea in her mind in his favour but it was observ'd that in a short time after the Princess lookt upon Suffolk with a more passionate glance then she was wont to do Nor wat it so much to be wonder'd at that the Earle should make her suitable returns with Eyes no less inflam'd and sparkling And the Courtiers in a little time were so us'd to it that they took little notice of it whether it were the custome at that time to love at well beneath as above their quality or whether it were that the Courtiers thought it not proper to be more concern'd about it then the King himself was who only laught at the business and made himself merry with the two lovers so soon as he discover'd their reciprocal affection Not that he approv'd it in the main or that he had so high a value for Suffolk as to make him his Brother in Law thô he had a greater kindness for him then for the rest of his Courtiers But he was in hopes to draw some advantage from the inequality of this Amour which he thought would exasperate the English Lords against her and cause 'em to desist from looking any more after her besides that he assur'd himself that he should be so much the master of his Sister and Suffolk that nothing should be acted between them two but by his consent This was the posture of the Court of England when the Duke of Longueville made a proposal as from himself of a match between the Princess and Lewis XII The King of England listen'd to him with those marks of respect and approbation which suficiently discover'd what he had in his Heart He was importun'd to bestow his Sister out of the way and he met with the most lucky means that Fortune ever could have offer'd him 'T is true he could not without some trouble to himself put an end to a War so advantageous to him
the Count not having any longer before his Eyes the only beloved object that Dayly begg'd the t'others Pardon thought of nothing more but his Revenge To which purpose he enter'd his Wives Chamber with Six Men in disguise and two Chirurgeons who open'd the Veins in her Feet and Legs and so left her to Bleed to Death The King upon his return was all for making examples of the guilty but a new Amour soon blotted out the remembrance of the first Nor was the Count forgetful of his own safety in the excesses to which his jealousy had transported him for he prevented the prosecutions of justice by a voluntary exile and liv'd in Forreign Countries so long as the House of Foix was in a condition to prosecute him At length he address'd himself to the Constable Montmorency who was become a greater Favourite then before by the Death of Bonnivet and Monchenu who shar'd with him in the King 's good will The Count offer'd him a deed of gift of his Royalty provided he could get him out of his Troubles and Montmorency chose rather to purchase Chasteau-Brian by that means then by a Confiscation which would have engag'd him in perpetual quarrels which the House of Laval from whence the Count was decended Some Critiques have pretended that M. de Varillas from whom I drew these Memoirs was ill inform'd and that the Countess of Chasteau-Brian was reconcil'd to her Husband and that she did not Die till ten Years after the King's return But these objections are so well answer'd that I am convinc'd of the Countess's tragical end so that I made no scruple to follow that famous Historian word for word No sooner was Francis I. deliver'd out of the hands of the Spaniards bat he re-enter'd into a new imprisonment which thô more easie and pleasant yet was do less dangerous The Countess of Angoulême going to meet him as far as Mont de Marsan carry'd along with her the young Ann de Pisseleu who was call'd Mademoiselle de Hellé who was entertain'd as a Maid of Honour into the Houshold of that Princess The King found her so amiable that he was not able to defend his liberty against her Charms He marry'd her in a short time to the Duke d' Estampes who conniv'd at her conduct neither willing to approve it for fear of injuring his Reputation nor to condemn her lest he should bring himself into trouble The Dutchess finding her self at liberty to make the best of her good fortune to please the King ne'er minded any longer the avoiding any occasion that might advance her prosperity She had got so much experience at Court as to know that the most dangerous Rock that the King's Mistresses could hazard their Fortune against was to quarrel with the Favourites or Ministers who having often the Prince's Ear may take the advantage of certain moments of disgust and petty fallings out between Lovers to exasperate 'em and perswade 'em to an absolute Rupture This consideration made her resolve to unite Interests with the Constable Montmorency the Admiral Chabot and the Chancellor du Prat who by the Authority of their Imployments and by the King's Indulgence had got possession of the prime Ministry Those three Officers very obligingly corresponded with the first movements which the Duchess made toward the Quadruple League well knowing that notwithstanding the Greatness of their Credit yet it might be shaken if the King's Mistress understood how to make the best of those Favourable Minutes when a Lover can deny nothing to the person upon whom he doats This correspondence between these four Persons prov'd successful during the remainder of time that the Chancellor liv'd because that cunning Minister by his experience and diligence provided so well for all the exigencies of the State that the Favourites had no other care upon 'em but to divertise their Master But after his death the Council wanting a Director the Constable and the Admiral who took no heed to instruct themselves appear'd such Novices in the Government that the King was constrain'd to call up the President Poyet He was one of the most able Magistrates in the Kingdom and his Capacity was equally the same to manage as well great as small Affairs only his Genius led him rather to put things into confusion then bring 'em to a final end So soon as he had taken his place in the Council he propos'd the removal of the two Favourites that only serv'd to fill up the number because the haughtiness of the first was become insupportable to him and he fear'd the resentment of the second by reason of a Suit of great consequence wherein he had caus'd him to be overthrown Fortune seem'd to favour his Designs for the King disgusted at the ill success of his Enterprizes had it put into his Head that he might justify his ill Conduct to posterity if he laid the blame of it upon his Favourites and that their downfal would render 'em guilty of all the false steps which he had trode in the publick management of Affairs The Admiral was the first that was to feel the effects of his ill humour thô he were in friendship vvith the Dutchess of Estampes They who did not dive into the King's more secret Thoughts ascrib'd the Fall of Chabot to his imprudence which had hinder'd his Majesty from utterly despoiling the Duke of Savoy of his Territories The King intrusted Poyet whom he had invested in the Office of Chancellor with his Indignation against the Admiral and consulted with him the best way to proceed against him in due form of Law The Chancellor was overjoy'd to find the King so well dispos'd to favour his designs and made him those Proposals that gave him great satisfaction Nevertheless because he stood in awe of the Dutchess d' Estampes's Anger whose Power he well knew he sought the Protection of Diana of Poictiers Wife to the Seneschal of Normandy and the Dauphin's Mistress That Lady was the Daughter of John of Poictiers Lord of St. Valliere who had preferr'd her very young to the Countess of Angouléme after which she was advanc'd to the service of Queen Claudia as one of her Maids of Honour Neither was St. Valliere deceiv'd in his design of getting some Protection at Court through the power of his Daughter's Charms for it may be said that she sav'd his Life by the secret Engines that she set at work St. Vallier had had a hand in the revolt of the Constable of Bourbon and the misfortune to be apprehended For which he had been Arraign'd and was condemn'd to lose his Head Diana was so astonish'd when she heard the news that she thought her self oblig'd to do her utmost to save her Father from such a threatning danger Thereupon she went and threw her self at the King's Feet all in Tears and begg'd pardon for him to whom she was beholding for her Life And she appear'd to the King in that deplorable condition so amiable and so
length allow'd him to beg of the King the Cardinal of Tournon and Admiral Chabot to redeem his Life and Liberty at the price of the vast Wealth which he had acquir'd Nothing more manifestly prov'd him unworthy of his high fortune then his extream desire to survive his disgrace His carriage quite chang'd that fear and aversion which People had against his Person into a contempt which was no way advantageous to him seeing that they left him for some years in the Tower of Bourges without so much as thinking of him At ength he was so importunate with the Ministers of State that they order'd him to be brought to his Trial but not after such a method as he expected For they appointed Commissioners to try him chosen out of all the Parliaments of the Kingdom However they did him this justice to make choice of the most able and the most honest Nor were there ever in France any Judges whose Probitie and Abilities were more universally known then those of Peter Raymund President of the Parliament of Rouen who was order'd to draw up the Informations They were willing to give him that satisfaction whether it were that his enemies thought that they had more prooâ—s then they needed to ruin him or that the King who had no mind to pardon him as he had forgiven Admiral Chabot had taken all the precautions requisite to prevent any thing that might be spoken against the severity which he intended to inflict upon the chief Magistrate of the Kingdom However it were the Process lasted till the year 1545. because the Party accus'd finding himself abandon'd by all the world and ready to sink unrder the same Artifices with which he had oppress'd others made use of all the tricks that long experience had taught him and summon'd up all his cunning and his parts to defend himself He led his Judges through all the by-paths of Subterfuge and Evasion that Cavil could invent to elude or at least to delay his Condemnation He puzzl'd alike both his Judges and his Witnesses that were brought Face to Face against him and made so good a defence that he sav'd his Life whither it were that his Judges after a long debate did not find reasons enough to condemn him to Death or that the too open animosity of the prosecutors had infus'd compassion into those Magistrats by perswading 'em he was Innocent because his Enemies were so violent in seeking his ruin He heard bare-Headed the Decree pronounc'd that depriv'd him of his Dignities and Estate and confin'd him to perpetual Imprisonment for having Rob'd the Treasury fold Offices and traffick'd in several bargains misbecoming his quality The King surpriz'd at the mildness of the Decree could nor forbear testifying his resentment against the Judges and threw upon 'em those reproaches that extended even to accusations of being corrupted However his Majesty remitted the punishment of Imprisonment and Poyet was constrain'd for a Livelyhood to resume his first employment of Chamber-Counsellor in the Palace deeming himself happy that he had got himself out of the Bryars at any rate before Judges of approv'd integrity for that indeed there was as many persons convinc'd that he deserv'd Death as there were People that knew him The Dutchess d' Estampes after she had ruin'd all those that dar'd to obstruct her credit year 1587 seem'd to fear nothing but the Death of the King which was the only disturbance of her mind For thô the Duke d' Estampes her Husband had made a judicial enquiry into her behaviour since her Marriage yet she was well assur'd that he could make no use of it so long as the King liv'd however he was not immortal and the time would come when that cruel separation would happen The Dutchess also to her sorrow beheld the misfortune at a distrance and was sensible of the approaches of it For Francis I. decay'd insensibly in his Health and whither it were that his Physicians were ignorant of the true cause of his disease or whither they durst not discover it or whither they despair'd that His Majesty would submit to violent Remedies which could only correct the malignity of it they only put a stop in some measure to the outward effects which were most incommodious without ever going to the root of the Disease So that the King perceiving himself grow more unweildy every Day then other and loosing that vigour and Address which had formerly been the cause that he delighted with so much passion in the sports of Hunting and other laborious exercises liv'd a kind of morose Life of which the Dutchess was forc'd to bear all the inconveniencies at the same time that on the otherside she was afflicted and disturb'd to think what would become of her after the King's Death who in all probability could not be long Liv'd She was in some hopes of reassuming that place in her Husbands affection from whence jealousy had expel'd her in regard she was yet young and was the Mistress still of that same ravishing Beauty which had formerly charm'd him Nor was it unlikely but that compassion might overrule her Husbands Heart after the King's death had extinguish'd the cause of his jealousy by producing these effects therein which are expected from Love However it were Diana of Normandy's hatred seem'd to be much more formidable to her she was to be what she her self had been and it was to be presum'd that she would make use of all her credit to ruin her Enemy Diana was the Dauphin's Mistress as the Dutchess was the King's but there was no other resemblance between 'em either in their persons or their Wit The Dutchess was never more Beautiful then she was at that time nor had she lost any thing of that lustre which had caus'd her to be look'd upon by the most curious Eyes even by the Emperor himself as the most accomplish'd Beauty in Europe whereas the she-Seneschal had none of those Allurements which at one and twenty Years of Age had sav'd the Life of her Father Sr. Valier The Dutchess was not above thirty and the she Seneschal was suspected to be above threescore for she had caus'd her name to be torn out of the Register of the Christ'nings The Dutchess commanded naturally Diana of Poictiers by art and those different Empires were preserv'd by opposite means The Dutchess who fear'd not her being degraded till the King began to decay in his health stood less upon her guard and never laid any constraint upon her self when she spoke of Diana whereas the other conceal'd under feign'd demonstrations of respect and compliance the despite to see her self contemn'd and was in company when that terrible expression fell from the Dutchess's Lips that she was born the same Day that the Seneschal's Wife was marry'd Nevertheless she dissembled her resentment so long as the King was strong and lusty but she no sooner perceiv'd that His Majesty began to decline but she began to make the Dutchess sensible
Brothers Letter and shew'd it to Queen Eleonor The Queen held a correspondence with the Dutchess d' Estampes because not having any Issue by the King she expected to be sent back so soon as she should be a Widow and consequently she took no other care but to deserve a favourable reception from the Emperor her Brother when she should return to reside with him by doing him good Service in an Enemies Court whither she had been banish'd under the specious pretence of Matrimony Gusman and the two Ladies labour'd so successfully with Francis I. that that they caus'd him to patch up a Peace very advantageous to the Emperor and to sacrifice to the expectation of an imaginary Alliance several considerable places which enlarg'd the Emperors Frontiers and secur'd 'em in such a manner that for a long time there was no danger on that side 'T is true that the course which the Dauphin took in causing the Constable to be recall'd and putting him at the head of the Army contributed not a little to make the King resolve upon a Peace out of his aversion to the chief Officer of the Crown But the Death of the Duke of Orleans which happen'd some time after disingag'd the Emperor from his promise at a time when he saw himself oblig'd in pursuance of the Treaty of Crepi to resolve upon the giving him his Daughter with the Low-Countries or his Niece with the Dutchy of Milan In the mean time Francis I after he had spun out his Distemper in several places felt his Feaver gather such strength upon him at Rambouilleâ— that he could not reach St. Germains where he thought to repose himself so that after he had lain in a languishing condition for some Days in that House he gave up the Ghost leaving the Seneschal of Normandy's Wife in full power to execute her premeditated revenge upon the Dutchess d' Estampes by means of her Ascendant over the new King The Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Henry II. THE Face of the Court was wholly chang'd after the Death of Francis I. The Cardinal of Tournon and Marshal d' Annebaut who had the supream management of affairs under the preceeding Reign were turn'd out of the Council and â—he Constable who was recal'd from his Exile was admitted in their Room Francis Count of Aumale who was Duke of Guise after the Death of his Father and James d' Albon St. Andrè were the King's Favourites But the chief Authority remain'd in the hands of Diana of Poictiers the Widow of Lewis de Brezé Seneschal of Normandy who was made Dutchess of Valentiuois The Dutchess d' Estampes fearing the effects of her Enemies revenge retir'd to Ville Martin a House of pleasure within a League of the City which bore the Name of her Dutchy There she liv'd for some Years in the exercise of the new Religion which she had embrac'd and to which her example and her Liberality drew a great number of People of both Sexes But thô the Dutchess of Valentinois had reason to be contented with the excess of confidence and affection which the King shew'd her yet could not she not continue faithful to him She was charm'd with the goodly presence of Charles de Cosse Brissac she struggl'd for some time with her sentiments of tenderness for him and at length not being able to extinguish 'em after she had consulted her mirror which perswaded her that she had still beauty enough notwithstanding the alteration that Age had made to her Face to engage that Lord to comply with her passion she resolv'd to that purpose to let him understand what past in her Hearâ— She took an opportunity to do it when he came to congratulate her upon the removal of Madam d' Estampes Are your protestations sincere said she and may I be assur'd that you have a real devotion for my person After he had sworn that she might put him upon the Tryal and that he was ready to sacrifice his Life for her Interests I know pursu'd she that the credit I have at Court engages all those who have any Ambition to offer me their service but I require from you more disinterested sentiments I would have it that you should only Love in me what I hold from nature without considering what I owe to the King's favours I shall not be ungrateful for I will take care of your fortune provided you let me follow my own inclinations and wholly confide in me She accompany'd those words with looks so passionate that Brissac who was no novice in Love readily understood that it would be his fault if he did not enter into a particular Intreague with the Dutchess He was in great danger of incurring the King's displeasure if a familiarity of that nature should come to be discover'd but more of falling under Diana's indignation if she found her self contemn'd after she had met him so far above half the way Thereupon he never scrupl'd which course to take and judging it became him not to neglect so fair an opportunity he made no other answer then by a most passionate kiss which he imprinted upon one of the Dutchesses hands 'T is not known whither Brissac had any real passion for her or whether he feign'd a true affection that he might make the best of her credit but certain it is that they had several meetings Some time after the Court remov'd to Chasteau de Chambert which Francis the I. had built The Dutchess was lodg'd in an Apartment by it self at the end of the Park whither the King went the next Evening when all People had left his Chamber through a Gallery made under Ground and staid all the Night with her One Evening that Brissac had tarry'd somwhat later then ordinary word was brought by some of the Attendants that they had spi'd a light at the entrance into the Vault and that most certainly the King was at hand At which the Dutchess being alarm'd presently sent away Brissac who not far from the separate Apartment met Claude Tais Grand Master of the Ordinance whether it were upon any Assignation hard by or whether his musing thoughts had led him so far that way However it were he knew Brissac and mistrusting the occasion of his Nocturnal visit he accosted him and jested too close upon him Brissac no way pleas'd with his discourse acquainted the Dutchess with it next Day who presently caus'd the indiscreet Frumper to be discarded and obtain'd his employment for her Favourite Tais knew well from whence his misfortune came but durst not speak a word of it to any Living Soul for fear of a worse trouble From Chambort the Court remov'd to Joinville where the Queen was seiz'd with a purple Feaver which swell'd her Tongue to that decree that she lost her speech Immediatly the poor Queen was forsaken by all her Officers who thought her Disease had been Mortal nor did any body remain with her but the Cardinal of Chatillon The
could never recover his Speech and in that manner he expir'd Intreagues of the Court of France under the Reign of Francis I. WHen Queen Catherine de Medicis saw that her Husband was mortally wounded she consulted with her Confidents whether it were her best way to close with the Constable or the Guises For she lookt as well upon the one as the other to be her Enemies in regard they were equally alli'd to the Dutchess of Valentinois whom she mortally hated thô while the King liv'd she carry'd it very fair with her At last she resolv'd to unite with the Guises because they were the Queen her Daughter-in-Law's Uncles and for that somtime they had carry'd themselves but very coldly toward the Dutchess The Constable being inform'd of this Union dispatcht a Courrier to Anthony of Bourbon King of Navarr giving him an invitation to the Court there to assume the degree and Authority which his Birth allow'd him But the King who was afraid lest the Spaniards should possess themselves of his Kingdom during his absence remain'd in his irresolution so long that the Queen and the Guises had leisure to form their Cabal to remove such persons as they suspected and fill up the principal offices with their own Creatures The Duke of Guise had the Command of the Armies and the Cardinal the management of the Treasury The Dutchess of Valentinois was banish'd and forc'd to restore the Jewels and costly moveables that Henry II. had given her and more then all this they took from her the noble House of Chenonceaux which the Queen Mother would neeeds have for her self giving her in Exchange the Castle of Chaumont upon the Loire Bertrandi was depriv'd of the Seals which were restor'd to the Chancellor Olivier and he himself resettl'd as the Head of the Law in all the functions of his Office The Constable had Orders to retire to his House of Escouan and the Cardinal of Tournon was recall'd The Dutchess of Valentinois made her self amends for her misfortune with Brissac's company who continued faithful to her and being reconcil'd to the Guises prevented her being any farther persecuted But the King being arriv'd at Orleance after twelve Days Sickness di'd not without some suspition of being poyson'd in the Eighteenth Month of his Reign which gave occasion to new Intreagues The Intreagues of the Court of France under Charles IX year 1560 THere was great bustling and contending at Court for the Regency during the Minority of Charles IX but at last Queen Katherine obtain'd it and enforc'd the King of Navarr to be contented with the Lieutenancie General of the Kingdom The Queen Mother was a refin'd Politian and one who thought she might make use of illegal as well as legal ways so she might Reign She was magnificent in all her actions and lov'd all manner of divertisements which she made subservient to her Ambitious designs During the troubles that turmoyl'd the State the same Wagons that carry'd the Warlike Ammunition carry'd the Accoutrements for Balls and Masquerades By these Artifices it was that she retain'd the Young Courtiers about her who finding in their attendance upon her pleasures conformable to their Ages and their inclinations and Charm'd with the beauty of her Maids of Honour generally preferr'd her part before others that were set up in contempt of the Royal Authority The Court was then divided into two Factions Huguenots and zealous Catholicks Lewis Prince of Conde headed the first and the Guises govern'd the second The King of Navarr the Constable and the Marshal de St. Andrè seem'd to make a third party and the Queen's aim was to preserve the Authority which the Regency gave her by dividing and balancing these three cabals in such a manner that the one should not oppress the other two The third party which was usually call'd the Triumvirate seem'd to her to be most powerful and she made use of the Dutchess of Valentinois to divide the King of Navarr and the Constable for fear least being united they should leave her no more then the shadow of Government And the Dutchess undertook it so much the more willingly because her Interests agreed best with the Queen 's She feign'd as if she had suffer'd her self to be over-rul'd by the tears of her eldest Daughter and the submissions of the Duke of Aumale her Son in Law to reconcile her self and renew her good correspondence with the House of Guise which had abandon'd her to the mercy of her Enemies and the Court took this reunion for an effect of Heroic Virtue thaô indeed an indispensable necessity was the only motive that induc'd her to it The Dutchess had both Wit and experience enough to Judge that 't was impossible for her to preserve the vast wealth which she enjoy'd but by the support of the House of Guise which was not in a condition to hold up any long time but by a reconciliation with the Constable so that indeed the Dutchess labour'd for her self while the Queen and the Duke of Aumale fancy'd to themselves that she acted for them In a word she made such effectual use of the Authority which she had still over the Constable that she accustom'd him by degrees not to look upon the Guises any longer as his Enemies Thus the Dutchess maintain'd her self till she dy'd in the same flourishing condition wherein Henry II. had left her no body daring to cross her any more when they saw her have such potent protectors But it was not enough for the Queen to have broken the Triumvirate it behov'd her also that she might get all the power into her hands to fasten to her Interests the two Princes of the House of Bourbon And in regard she knew that Love was the most powerful engine to move the inclinations of that Age she made use of the Charms of her Maids of Honour to bring about her design The two most amiable were Mademoiselle du Rouet the Daughter of Lewis de la Berandiere de Guiche Lord of the Island of Rouet in Poitou and Mademoiselle de Limueil The first undertook the Conquest of the King of Navarr and the second to subdue the Prince of Condè To that purpose M. de Rouet wherever she came spoke so highly in praise of the King of Navarr that she infus'd into him a long desire to knoe who it was that so much oblig'd him with her encomiums in all companies Mademoiselle de Limueil on the otherside said nothing that could reflect upon the reputation of the Prince of Condè but still she gave out every where that he should be the last Man that she should make choice of for a Lover because he was naturally unconstant and minding nothing so much as his Ambition he could not condescend to those petty complaisancies that more frequently win upon the affections of Ladies then great Services The Prince of Condè hearing of these discourses thought himself bound in Honour to undeceive M. de Limueil and by that
means fell into her snare The Queen at first had govern'd the King of Navarr by the Artifices of the Dutchess of Montpensier who had such an ascendant over him that at Court she was call'd nothing but the Syren The Queen was also beholding to this Dutchess for causing the King to desist from his pretensions to the Regency and content himself with the shadow of Authority in accepting the Lieutenancy General of the State that she might enjoy the substance In vain his Friends remonstrated to him that he should want neither Counsel nor power to force obedience to himself but the Dutchess of Montpensier's perswasions prevail'd with him beyond all the remonstrances of Mon moranci Chatillon the Calvinists and the more clear sighted Catholicks But thó the Queen had been so well serv'd by this Princess she was afraid lest her Ambition should infuse into her a desire of sharing her Authority And rather chose to make use of M. de Rouet with whom the King of Navarr took delight to converse after she declar'd her self to be so much Charm'd with his Vertues The King therefore quite tyr'd with the long resistance which the Dutchess's Virtue had made to his desires thought he might quit her without being accus'd of inconstancy that he might devote himself to a person with whom in all probability he should better employ his assiduities and where he should meet with as much Wit and Beauty year 1561 Some time after Ambition had like to have broken off the intercourses of those two Ladies For the Catholick King by Manriquez whom he sent to him on purpose made a proposal to the King of Navarr which upon a slight examination only seem'd very advantageous to him The substance of it was that he should put himself at the head of the zealous Catholicks who were about to banish Calvinism out of France that he should dissolve his Marriage with Joan d'Albret under pretence of Heresie and marry Mary Stuart the wife of Francis II. who would bring him in Dowrie the Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland M. de Roouet Who was fall'n in love with the King while she only sought to intangle him in her snares being inform'd of this Negotiation by d' Escars one of her Favourites was extreamly allarum'd at it Thereupon she sought an opportunity to speak in private with the King of Navarr and having met with one she never left him till she had made him promise her to send back Manriquez without concluding upon any thing But thô the King of Navarr were prone enough of himself to do what she desir'd and that he abhorr'd the proposal of a Divorce he forbore not however to make M. de Rouet sensible of a valuable Sacrifice which he had made her of the fairest Queen in Europe and drew a promise from her that she would not refuse the requests of his Love So that now there wanted nothing but to find out opportunities which it was no difficult thing to meet with For the Court being then at Fontain-bleau the same Evening he bestow'd a Consort of Violins upon the Ladies near the Caual and while they were busie in hearkning to the Musick or else a Dancing he went aside with M. de Rouet and manag'd so well the favourable inclination to which he had prepar'd her that she became big of a Prince who was call'd Charles of Bourbon and afterwards was made Archbishop of Rouen But the Prince of Coudè had not that great success with M. de Limeuil For as she had declar'd at first a dislike of that Prince's humour she was oblig'd to observe certain outward formalities of disdain and to make shew of an indifferency which however was far from real the more to fire her Lover which was the reason that it was less trouble to her Virtue to hold out so much the longer These two Ladies that liv'd together in perfect Union were not a little troubl'd to see the two Brothers engag'd in different Parties while the eldest Brother commanded the Catholick the youngest the Calvinist Army The King of Navarr being wounded at the Siege of Rouen was carry'd into the City after it was taken and was there frequently visited by M. du Rouet and in regard their conversation was a little too vigorous the King's wound fester'd to that degree that it became mortal The Queen Regent seeing how little hopes there was of saving his life admonish'd him to prepare himself for death he took the advice of that Princess and renouncing all of a suddain his inclinations both to Honour and Pleasure he admitted no more visits from the Ladies and declar'd to Chantonay the Spanish Ambassador and Brother of Cardinal Grandvelle that he thought no farther of Sardigna which the King of Spain offer'd him in exchange for Navarr After he had confess'd himself to the Official of Rouen and receiv'd both the Sacraments he so earnestly desir'd to he carry'd down the River to his House at St. Maur where the Air was incomparably much better then at Rouen that they were forc'd to transport him thither and at first he seem'd to be much better upon the water but a cold Sweat that seiz'd him at Andilli enforcing him to make a stop there he dy'd the 7th of Octob. 1562. in the Two and fortieth year of his age and deliver'd the Regent from her continual fears lest he should change his Party 'T would be a difficult thing to express the extream sorrow that overwhelm'd Mademoiselle de Rouet for the loss of a Prince whom she dearly lov'd and by whom she was no less tenderly belov'd more especially being conscious to her self that she had contributed to his death year 1563 The next year the Queen Regent found a way to conclude a Peace with the Calvinists and to draw the Prince of Condè to Court where he was so well treated that he forgot for some time his warlike humour The Honours paid to the deceased King of Navarr his Brother to retain him in the Catholick party were nothing in comparison of those that were conferr'd upon him to bring him off from Calvinism He was every Day with the Queen who heap'd civilities upon him Nothing of importance was debated in Council nor in any other place but in his presence he generally obtain'd whatever he desir'd and all occasions of giving him offence were carefully avoided 'T was not believ'd however that he suffer'd himself to be amus'd with promises which he saw frustrated of their principal effect since they delay'd to give him the Lieutenancy General of which the Queen had put him in hopes for fear as was given out lest the Catholicks who were dissatisfi'd with the Peace should take from thence the pretence they sought for to break it but Love sided with the party and seconded the Artifices of the Queen For the Prince of Conde's passion for M. de Limueil was not quite extinguish'd thô it had lain dormant for some time as being benumm'd by the fatigues of
sparkling Glances which she darted from her eyes but was very officious in paying his assiduities to her never valuing the trouble it might be to Madam de Beaufort The Counstable also took delight in her disturbances and jeasted about 'em with Marshal de Biron who solely possess'd the Kings Inclinations But Fortune soon after delivered the Marchioness from so dangerouss a Rivaless for she dy'd in Childbed leaving the Constable two Children Henry afterwards Duke of Montmorancy and Charlote Margarite who was marri'd to Henry of Bourbon Prince of Condè which was the occasion of a very great Intreague towards the end of this Raign Madam de Beaufort had also by the King Katherine Henrietta legitimated of France whom in 1619 marry'd Charles of Lorrain Duke of Elbeuf and Alexander de Vendosme commonly call'd the Grand Prior who ended his days in the Dungeon of the Castle of Vincennes where he had been confin'd by the order of Lewis XIII But the Marchioness was not brought to bed of this Prince till after the Queen was unmarry'd and then it was that finding her self at liberty she made use of all her wit to oblige the King to set the Crown upon her Head The King also over whom she had an absolute ascendant left nothing omitted on his part to have gratifi'd her desires and banish'd Nicholas de Neuville Lord of Villeroy and Secretary of State for presuming with too much liberty to condemn his design Now in regard the King was certain to obtain whenever he pleas'd the consent of Queen Margaret there remain'd no more to do but only to get the Court of Rome to allow the Divorce To which purpose he sent with the Character of his extraordinary Embassador Nicholas Brulard Lord of Sileri then President of the Parliament and afterwards Chancellor of France He was one of the most able Ministers the King had and in regard he was no less Zealous for his Masters Interests then for those of the Marchioness to whom he was beholding for a good part of his Fortune 't was to be presum'd that he would leave nothing uneffected to render his Embassie successful But before we relate the success of his Negotiation it will not be amiss to shew upon what grounds the King demanded the Dissolution of his marriage which cannot be better understood then by the Manifesto that he publish'd upon that occasion The Manifesto of Hen. IV. upon his Divorce from Queen Margaret I Thought my self exempt from giving an accompt to the Publick of the motives that induc'd me after twenty years being wedded together to separate my self from the Sister of the Kings my Predecessors under pretence of being too near in Blood And indeed being above the Laws I did not think my self oblig'd to give an account of my actions to any but God only But in regard that Strangers and several of the French Nation take an occasion from thence to blame my Conduct some calling me Voluptuous others Atheistical and both tother condemning me for ingrateful I thought my self concern'd in honour to satisfie those who have suffer'd themselves to be abus'd and to confound the malice of my secret Enemies by exposing to the Eyes of the World the true causes of the Divorce which I desire For considering the high Station to which God has rais'd me 't is not sufficient that my life should be without reproach it behoves me also to render it free from suspition and to draw the Curtain with which I endeavour to hide the disorder of my Family 'Ts said that Heaven sends admonitions to those who are born to command over others of the misfortunes that will be fall ' em If the bloody Rain that fell at Rome before the Battle of Cannae were a presage of the loss which the Republick was shortly to sustain I may say that the Blood that was shed upon the day of my Nuptials seem'd to foretel the cruel Afflictions that should befall me by reason of this fatal Union But I never minded that unlucky Omen nor the words of Charles the Ninth Brother to this unchast Woman who being better acquainted with her then my self said by way of Raillery that he did not give his Megg for a Wife to the King of Navarr only but to all the Hereticks in his Kingdom I interpreted his meaning another way and imagin'd that he lookt upon it as a knot that would for the future inevitably bind to his Service all the Huguenots nevertheless time has but too plainly discoverd to me the mistery of that Oracle I was so little acquainted with that Princess that I knew not that she had been sensible of love ever since Eleven years of Age that Entragues and Charrins both boasted that they had obtain'd her chiefest favours at that Age. I know not whither a Generous Emulation to dispute the Conquest or the Transports of his Pleasure caus'd Entragues to go beyond his strength but certain it is that his efforts brought him within two fingers breadth of the Grave and made him relinquish his bargain to take a Wife less beautiful but more prudent and reserv'd The Prince of Martignes supplyâ—d the place which Entragues left vacant and having discarded Charrins for whom she had no great kindness he remain'd the sole master of her heart That Prince being naturally vain glorious was so far from making a mistery of his good fortune that there Intreague after it had been the discourse of the whole Court was divulg'd in the Army and passing from mouth to mouth afforded ample matter of Raillery to all the Foot Souldiers of which Martignes was Collonel That indiscreet Lover upon all occasions of greatest danger wore an Embroider'd Scarf and carried with him a little Dog that she had given him which he kept to his dying day as a Pledge of her Friendship The loss of this Favorite drew tears from her which the King endeavour'd to wipe away by marrying her to the King of Portugal But the Duke of Guise who pretended by espousing her to give some colour to his Ambitious Designs cross'd that Match by the cunning of the Cardinal of Lorrain her Uncle who was sent to the King of Spain to condole the Death of Elizabeth of France his Wife In the mean time the Duke insinuated himself into the favours of that Princess by means of the kind Offices which he did Madam de Carnavalet 'T is said that the Dukes of Alenson and Anjou broke off that Intreague and that she had those complacencies for 'em that propinquity of Blood did no way authorize but I cannot believe that her Debauchery ran up to that excess However it were the mark had been hit several times before our marriage and all men will be easily convinc'd that I had no need of any great strength to carry the Ring at the first Course So soon as we were marry'd they who had right to pretend to her familiarity discarded themselves and oblig'd her by their withdrawing themselves to stoop to
whether I have added or diminish'd in any thing choosing rather to omit some Circumstances then to repeat all her Follies For such is the real name that ought to be given to her jealousies and her Extravagant Amorous furies which began with Bonnivet and have continu'd ever since Who could ever have suspected the Daughter of one of the greatest and wisest King 's upon the Earth to have been guilty of so much unworthiness Nevertheless of a Queen she is become a Dutchess and of the Lawful Wife of a King of France a Passionate Lover of one of her meanest Officers But tho' she observes no measures in satisfying her inordinate desires she thinks to dazle the Eyes of the world by prophaneing the most August Mistery of our Religion Three times a Week she approaches the Holy Table with Lipps as much adulterated as her Heart with a Countenance daub'd with Black and Red and her Neck lay'd bare down to her Shouldâ—rs Her Dotage upon Pomeni was attributed to some Charm because she always wore between her Skin and her Shift a Blew Silk Purse hanging in a string from her Neck wherein was a Silver Box upon which several unknown Characters were Engrav'd She opend it in the Presence of some her Friends who saw her own Picture at one end and the Tinker's at the other She told them with Tears in her Eyes that she was never to open it but at such certain Times and to keep it till her death Nor is this the first time that extraordinary things of which we can give no true Reason have been ascrib'd to Supernatural Causes The same thing is reported of the Dutchess of Valentinois that she was only beholding to Magick for the great Ascendant which she had over Henry II. the Queen of Navarrs Father No body knows it better then this Lascivious Woman They who read these Heroick Actions of Hers for she will never want Historians will admire her obstinacy in Vice which neither Age nor the abatement of her Charmes nor the Affronts which she receiv'd could ever vanquish They will agree that so vertuous a Life ought to be enregister'd in the Temple of Paphos to serve as a Model to those who desire to enrol themselves in the Famous Corporation of the Daughters of Cyprus 'T is true that some there were who thinking she had the Purse and soul of a Queen Dedicated Books to her and in their Panegyries ascrib'd those Virtues to her which she never had But they had as good have let 'em alone for long Tradition far more like to last from Father to Son for many Ages will give 'em the lye and convince the world not only of their sordid flattery but their vile Imposture besides the reproach that they are like to undergo from those that shall read their Writings after their Decease But which was worse they did but labour in vain in this Life as being all of 'em frustrated of their great Hopes and Expectations for that never any body boast of her Liberality but all Men complain'd of her Ingratitude Her most favour'd Paramours were never enrich d with her presents and the Prisons are full of those that she has Ruind She has been sometimes seen to have been Prodigal of her Almes but never willingly paid her Debts she had always so little respect for Religion that she never was at a Sermon but she slept at Vespers but she talk'd all the while never at Mass without a Paramour by her side She gives away to my cost the Tenths of her Rents and Pensions to the next Monasteries but she detaines the Wages of her Servants and the price of the Goods which People trust her with for the support of her House-keeping She minds nothing but outward shew and Vanity but in her heart she has not the least Sence either of Honour or Piety I thought to have finish'd this Manifesto with a Description of her Inclinations but Bajomon stops me and enforces me to give him a dash of my Pencil This fellow the greatest sot that ever appear'd at Court was introduc d by Madam Danglure instructed by Madam Roland and Le Maire compleated the Polishing of him This Man she had made her Idol tho' He had been cuft by de Lone the Son of a Procter of Bourdeaux and she had taken care of his fortune to prevent his ending his days in an Hospital I shall not enter any farther into the particulars of their Amours there being nothing in 'em to be observ'd but what is base and below the honour of a Queen It behoves me now to draw the Curtain out of a remainder of value for her and so end this Story that I may not be tedious to the Reader I shall only pray to God to touch their hearts and shed down upon em his effectual Grace without which they can never hope to be recoverd from that blindness which now obscures their understandings Tho' we may well judge by this Manifesto that the King could not be refus'd the Divorce which he demanded yet in regard they are very slow at Rome in the dispatch of Affairs therefore the King to oblige the Countess of Beaufort to awaite the success of that Negotiation with more Patience he erected the Signioriy which bore that Name in a Dukedome and Peerage Sometime after this the new Dutchess became a fourth time quick with Child which encreas'd the King's Love for her and his Impatience to enjoy her under the Justifications of the Law For which reason he wrote very earnestly to Silleri not to omit any thing that might contribute to a quick dispatch of the Affair whe rewith he was intrusted year 1598 Tho' the King had utterly ruin'd the Party of the Leaguers yet the Duke of Mercoeur would not make his Accomodation but throwing himself into the Arms of the Spaniards he headed a Powerful Party in Bretaign where he propos'd to make himself Soveraign but most of his strong holds being reduc d he found there was no way for him to escape but by imploring the Kings Clemency Therefore to obtain his Pardon he had recourse to the Dutchess Beaufort who offer'd him her Protection provided he would give his Daughter to the Young Duke of Vendome her Eldest Son Thereupon the Duke of Mercoeur who expected a higher match for his Daughter sent Mary of Luxemburgh his Wife to Court with orders to offer His Majesty full power to dispose of his Daughter to what Prince he pleas'd in hopes by that Artifice to elude the Pretensions of the Dutchess but she was too cunning to fall into that Snare and prevail d with the King not to give eare to Madam de Mercoeur till the Marriage was concluded Which done she made the Dukes Accomodation who came to kiss the Kingâ—s Hands at Anger 's where the Cardinal de Joyeuse perform'd the Ceremony of Betrothing the Young Couple with great Pomp and Magnificence So soon as the Dutchess had so lay'd her design that she was in
the Duke of Nevers and therefore sent him to Rome to obtain his Absolution but the Dutchess would follow him notwithstanding all that the King could do to hinder her And because the Duke was forc d to stay at Rome about a Year he had time to Cure himself of his Passion and publickly declar'd at the return of the Dutchess that he found her very much alter'd for the worse Nor was she troubl'd in the least at the King 's ill opinion of her Beauty but pay'd him the same Civility s as she had done before 1604. After her departure the King finding himself constrain d to return to his Mistress divided his Heart between the Marchioness of Vernueil and the Countess of Moret and in regard they had each of 'em Favorites the one being belov'd by the Duke of Guise the other by the Prince of Joyinvâ—lle they suffer d the Partition without any Jealousie The King being arriv d at Buzanci after he had reduc d Sedad dispatch d Bassompierre to Queen Margaret to compliment her upon the death of Juliendat whom she tenderly loy'd and withal gave the Marquiss two Letters to his two Mistresses Bassompierre in the discharge of his Trust began with the Marchioness of Vernueil because her Sister with whom he had an Intreague lay at her House and was so indiscreet as to tell her that he had a Letter for the Countess of Moret The Marchioness curious as all Women are would needs see it and order'd Mademoiselle d' Entragues to lay her Commands upon him to give it her What can a Man deny a Woman that he loves Bassompierre therefore betray'd his Master to gratifie his Mistress and deliverd into her hands the Letter which he had for Madam de Moret The Marchioness after she had read it return'd it to him again and told him he might easily save himself from any trouble by causing a Seal to be made like the King 's and so closing up the Letter as it was before Bassompierre follow'd her advice and sent his Valet de Chambre betimes next Morning to a Graver to make a new Seal But as illuck would have it the Servant apply d himself to the very same Workman who had made the King's The Graver suspecting there was some great Mistery in the Business took the Letter under pretence of examining the Impression and at the same time falling upon the Lad took him by the Collor in order to stop him but the Boy being too strong for Turpin that was the Gravers Name rescu'd himself out of his hands and leaving his Hat and Cloak behind him ran away as fast as his Legs could carry him afraid he should have been hang'd had he been taken Bassampierre order'd his Valet to be hid out of the way and immediately hastning too the Countess of Moret told her that he had inadvertently open'd a Letter which he brought her from the King mistaking it for a Billet which he had receiv'd from a Lady and therefore fearing to be accus'd either of design or Curiosity he intended to have Seal'd it again with the imitation of the King's Signet and then up with the story of Tarpin and his Servant and desir'd her to send to the Graver and demand the Letter The Countess never diving farther into the Matter only laught at the Accident and immediately sent to Turpin for the King's Letter but he sent her word that he had parted from it and deliver d it to the President Seguier who was President of the Criminal Court Now in regard that neither the Countess nor Bassumpierre could tell how to deal with the President in whom they had no Interest and astern man besides they thought it convenient to address themselves to Madam Lomenie to the end that by her Credit she might stiffle the business either by getting the Letter out of the Presidents Hands or by obliging her Husband who was then Secretary of State to give such an account of it to the King as might excuse the Marquiss Bassompierre having taken his leave of the King went to Madam de Lomenie whom he found very busie in preparing dispatches for the Court She pray'd him therefore to sit down till she had finish d a Letter which she was writing to her Husband The Marquiss suspecting that that same very Letter might relate to Turpin's Adventure ask'd her if there had happen'd any thing new and so urgent that she could not give him a Minuites time to speak with her to whom Madam de Lomenie made answer that some body had been attempting to Counterfit the King's Signet but that by misfortune the Criminal had made his escape and that all that could be done was to secure the Letter which was Writt'n with the King 's own Hand that she was writing to her Husband that he would understand from the King's Lips to whom it was dire ed and with whom he had entrusted it by which means the mistery would be easily unfolded adding withal that she would have given 2000 Crowns to have had a more certain khowledg of the Truth Bassompierre tell a laughing to see her make such a mighty business of such a Trifle as that wash and told her that he would satisfie her at a cheaper Rate and with that he told her the whole story as he had related it to the Countess of Moret Madam de Lomenie who was Bâ—ssompierre's intimate Friend as well as her Husband promis d to pacifie the Business provided he would go to Villiers Cotret where the King was to be the next Morning and trouble himself with another dispatch which she was sending to her Husband upon the same Subject to give him a particular account of what she had heard Bassompierre accepted the Condition and having got an answer to the Letter which he had deliver'd to Madam Vernueil and to that which the Countess had not receiv'd he departed for Villiers Coâ—ret and found the King already arriv'd and laughing with the Coyntess at the Adventure and the trouble she had put the Marquiss to Some days after the King went to St. Germains with the Queen the Princess of Conti and the Duke of Montpensier and as they were crossing the Water in the Ferry-Boat of Neuilli the Coach overturn'd in the River The King and the Duke escap'd drenching because they leap'd in time out of the Boot but the Ladys were in great danger of being Drown d. The Marchioness of Vernueil being inform'd of the accident told the King by way of Raillery the first time he came to Visit her that so soon as she had seen the King's Person safe she would have cry'd out The Queen Drinks Which unlucky flowt being carry'd to the Queen She was so incens'd at it that in fifteen Days she would not speak to the King so that there was much ado to reconcile ' em After their reconciliation there was a Ball propos d wherein the Queen was desirous to be one of the Masquers herself but upon the King's
the Fidelity of her good Friend Maâ—â—moisâ—lle d' Enclos who thought it a stain to her Honour to have above one Lover at a time and tho she were not so lovely as Marâ—â—n de Lorme yet she had a much wit plai'd so delicately upon the Lute and was so sincere that many prefer'd her before her friend These happy talents induc d the Marquiss of Villarceaux who had always a good Relish and a true Judgment to league himself strictly with her Upon which the Marchioness grew so jealous that she never heard her name mention d but she fell into a passion This occasion'd a pleasant Story She had by the Marquiss a pretty young Lad to her Son who began to learn Latin and one day it came into her head to ask his Master whither the Boy were likely to be a Schollar The Master to satisfie her curiosity bid him decline Ninus in his Mothers hearing The Boy began Ninus Nini Nino and at length he came to Ninum But then the Mother knitting her brows told the Master he was an Impudent Fellow to teach her Son the name of such a Punk 'T was in vain for the poor man to protest that he never thought of Ninon and that he never knew her the Mother in her fury would hear of none of his excuses but drove him out of the Rome with great indignation and disdain Whether this be true or no I know not but I had the story from the Abbot of Bois-Robert Toward the end of Lewis the Thirteenth's Raign there appear d a certain Prince by the name of Zagachirst who said he was one of the Kings of Ethiopia he had an excellent Talent at Courtship and made a world of Conquests in Paris Madam Saulnier was so violently in love with him that she gave him all she could wrap and rend out of her House-keeping Which was a very great accommodation to that Prince whose Subjects were not very exact in supplying him with Bills of Exchange Monsieur Saulnier who was a Counseller in Parliament could not brook the duration of this Intreague which dishonour'd him and was a very great disturbance to his Affairs he put in an Information against him for debaushing his Wife and obtain'd a Capias utlegatum against Zagachrist who was carrid Prisoner to the Chastelet The Lieutenant Criminal Tardieu drew up the Inditment against him and when he askt him any question observ'd all the Decorum that was due to the Majesty of his Character the Party accus'd being always sitting and cover'd while the Judge stood up and with his hat off However the Abyssiman Monarch dy'd in Prison nor did his Subjects ever send any splendid Embassy to demand his Carkass since they could not have his Person Intreagues of the Court of France under the Raign of Lewis the XIV till the Death of Cardinal Mazarin year 1643 IN regard the present King was but five years of Age when he came to the Crown the Regency was granted to Ann of Austria his Mother and the Lieutenancy General of the Kingdom to Gaston of Orleance his Uncle The Queen made choice of Cardinal Mazarin for her Prime Minister as having manag'd several successful Negotiations for her in Italy and fit for the Employment But the Duke of Beaufert in whom the Queen put a great Confidence while she was the Object of Richlieu's Persecutions lookt upon her choice with an envious eye because he was in hopes of governing the Queen during the Regency or perhaps for other reasons which his enemies attributed to him The Queen who endeavour'd to prevent division did all she could to soder disunited minds and to oblige the Grandees of the Kingdom to live in friendly manner with the Cardinal For there were then no less then three Factions at Courâ— Monsieurs who was govern'd by the Abbot 〈…〉 Riviere that of the Princes of the House of Bourbon which comprehended Lewis Prince of Conde the Prince of Conti and the Duke of Longueville who but a little before had married their Sister Mademoiselle de Bourbon The third was compos'd of the House of Vendosme and the Lorrain Princes who were alii d to the Duke of Vendosme the Duke d' Elbeauf being his Brother-in-Law The Ladies govern'd these Caballs the Prince of Conde being engag'd with Madam de Coligni afterwards Dutchess of Chastillon Sister to the Marquiss of Bouteville which had hinder'd the Prince from chastizing the presumption of Coligni her Husband for making his addresses to Madam de Longueville Coligni who was proper and goodly had expell'd the Duke of Beaufort from her Heart and she had rudely broken off with him tho she had written very tender Letters to him but a little before The Duke therefore to make himself amends for the infidelity of Madam de Longueville intreagu'd himself with the Dutchess of Mombason Daughter of the Countess of Vertus who might well be thought the greatest Beauty of France and sacrific'd to her the Letters of the Dutchess of Longueville This was the posture of the Court of France when all the Exiles were recall'd The Duke of Epernon return'd out of England the Counts of Montresor Fonterailles and Aubijous being assur'd of the Duke of Orleance's protection began to shew themselves publickly Mesdames de Senelay and Hautefort were restored to their places and the Duke of Guise who had quitted Brussells came to pay his vows to Madam de Monbason The Dutchess of Cheuvreuse who was one of the Gang at the same time appear'd at the Louvre but was coldly receiv'd by the Queen and commanded to withdraw to Dampierre not that she had any real design to banish her but she would have her be beholding to the Cardinal for her being restor'd into Favour that she might be oblig d to live amicably with him In short he went to see her the next day and gave her five and twenty thousand Crowns and made her great offers of his Service Immediately the Dutchess put him upon the proof of his sincerity by demanding two very important things of him The one that he should satisfie the Duke of Vendome for his pretentions to the Government of Bretagne in reference to which he had as yet been only fed with words and the next was that the Duke of Epernon should be restor d to his Emploment of Collonel of Foot and his Government of Guinne The Cardinal carri'd himself in both very obligingly and offer'd the Duke of Vendome the Admiralty in lieu of his Government The Duke of Epernon was restor'd to all his Honours and nothing was omitted to get the Government of Guienne out of the Count de Harcourt's hands Madam de Cheuvreuse after she had obtain'd these two Favours demanded a third which the Cardinal at first was very unwilling to grant but at length he gave his consent This was that he would confer the Government of Havre de Grace upon the Prince of Marsillac whom she had a desire to engage effectually in her Interests After two
the Appartment which Bouteville had hird and furnish'd for her Their first enterview was very tender and passionate and at night they parted very well satisfi'd the one with the other But when she was a bed she was astonish'd to hear the door open and an unknown person come into her Chamber She ask'd him what he would have but he went out again without answering so much as one word presently she call'd her Maids but they could give her no account of this adventure But the next morning she was inform'd that the Chamber where she lodg'd had been hird by an Italian Fencing Master who had a pretty woman to his Wife of whom he was jeaous that being to ride a little way out of Town he had carri'd the Key along with him thinking to surprize his Wife at his return and discover whither she had not some peculiar favourite besides himself Thereupon not knowing that his Wife was remov'd he open'd the Door softly with his Key but was in so great amaze to see the Chamber so richly furnish'd and to hear a strange voice speak to him that he made all the hast he could out again Madam de Pons told Bouteville the Story who came in a short time after and the Fencing Masters jealousie prov'd the subject of their merriment for several days together At the beginning of Autumn Madam de Pons went to the Spa where she saw the Rhine-Grave and gain'd a new Conquest He carri'd her home to his Palace after she had been drinking the Waters and there she contracted a most intimate friendship with her admirers Wife who was no less innocent then beautiful and reported up and down that she was highly oblig'd to Mademoiselle de Pons who had infus'd good humours into her Husband but there were some that were careful to disabuse her so that Madam de Pons dreading the effects of that Ladies jealousie return'd to the Hague where she heard that Malecorne lay dangerously sick which oblig'd her to return into France 1656. She came to Charleviâ—le where the King s Lieutennant who commanded in the absence of the Duke of Noitmoutier who was Governour receiv'd her after a most obliging manner and fell so passionately in Love with her that he offer d to deliver up Charleville and Mount Olympus into the hands of the Spaniards if by that means she could procure to her self a considerable Establishment at Brussels but she refus d his Offers Malicorne who had by this time recover'd his Health came to see her Charleville and after he had stay'd with her some few days return'd to Paris to prepare a Lodging for her where she might remain Incognito till she could reconcile herself to the Court. At his departure she gave him a Letter directed to Mademoiselle Le Fevre which he made use of by adding some lines in a counterfieited hand to get out of her hands the little Box wherein were all the Letters from all the Lovers of his unfaithful Mistress by which he understood her complacency for the Marshalls d' Aumont and d' Albret during their Intreagues and deeming her unworthy of a real Passion he resolv'd to forsake her utterly broke off with her and never saw her more As for the Duke of Guise he Intreagu'd himself with Mademoiselle de Gorce who was not of so illustrous a Family but who lov'd him more cordially and faithfully so that after his death she retir'd into the Convent of Carmelites where at length she took the Habit upon her 1656. The same Year the Queen of Sweden arriv'd in France the King sending the Duke of Guise to meet and receive her upon the Frontiers Love had oblig'd that Princess to quit her Crown for she was in Love with Count Magnus de la Gardia and because he refus d to Raign with her nor could find in his heart to love her because he had devoted all his Inclinations to the Sister of Charles Prince Palatine the Father of the present King after she had made use of all her address to procure the consent of the States of the Kingdom she resign'd her Scepter and the Throne of Sweden to the Prince Palatine upon condition that he should marry his Sister to the Count du la Gardia This Queen was perfectly learned in all the Sciences spoke the greatest part of the Languages of Europe and with as much ease as she did the Swedish Tongue Now in regard she had a great Reputation among all the European Nations she strove to conceal the real Motive of her Abdication and would have People believe that Religion was the pretence She had been bred up in the Lutheran and was desirous to embrace the Roman-Catholick-Faith To which purpose she came into France and took into her Service none but Foreign Officers and Roman-Catholicks Among the rest she made the Marquiss de Monaldeschi descended from a very mean Family in Italy her Squire and did him the Honour wholly to confide in him After she had spent the remainder of the Year at Paris she remov'd to Fontain Bleau at the beginning of the next where she discover'd that Monaldeschi from whom she had had complacencies a little too familiar for a Princess to have with one of her Officers had boasted of 'em to the disadvantage of her Reputation She had also intercepted Letters which he wrote to his Friends in Italy for which she first upbraided him with his Ingratitude but seeing that he obstinately persever'd in denying his Crime she convicted him by the Testimony of witnesses that were not to be contradicted and then deliver'd him to three of her Officers who killd him in the Stagâ—-Gallery after she was withdrawn Nor did the Marquiss dye like a Roman but like a Modern Italian that is to say like a Coward not making so much as one struggle to defend his Life nor striving otherwise to save it but by imploring the Queen's Pardon which he beg'd the Priests that confess'd him and the Queen's Almoner who came into the Gallery at the time they were just preparing for the fatal stroak to sue for The King was highly offended at this act of Violence and sent to the Queen of Sweden to let her understand that she would have done more prudently to have addrest herself to him and to have demanded Justice against the Marquiss since she had no Priviledg to exercise any Soveraign Authority within his Dominions The Queen thus reprimanded made but little stay in France but went to Rome where she was kindly receiv d by Innocent X. and took into her Service a French-man whose name was Alibert the Son of one of the deceased Duke of Orleance's Super-intendents She continud at Rome till her death and kept a very modish Court the Roman Ladys that came to visit her relaxing in respect to her Grandeur much of that severity which is usually practis'd in Italy Before I finish these Memoirs I think my self oblig'd to give some account in this place of an Intreague
wherein Love had a geeat share which tho' it began before the Year 1657 and held on for a good while after I thought it the best way to put it altogether The two Persons that were most entrusted by Cardinal Mazarin and who were employ d in his most secret Negotiations were Gourville who had been in the Service of the Duke of Rochefoucaut as we have already said and Langlade whom he had made Secretary of his Cabinet These two Men for some time were jealous one of another and did all they could to prejudice each other but understanding that neither of 'em was able to prejudice his Companion they thought it convenient to reunite and act by concert To which purpose they covenanted together equally to share all the profits of their Employments at Court Langlade had been a long time in Love with Madam de St. Loup the Widow of a Collonel of Horse who had been in good request at Court She had set her first Affections upon the Duke of Candale whom she improv'd to that Politeness which afterwards he shew'd in Company for he had but a very ill favour'd Air when he first appear'd at Court but she took care to fashion him These two reconcil'd Enemies thought it convenient to make use of her in the discovery of such matters as it concern'd 'em to know they gave her Money to play with the Queen Mother and engag'd her to give 'em a faithful Account of what she heard that Princess say in reference to their Business Now tho these two Men acted with sincerity enough after their Reconciliation Langlade soon perceiv'd that Gourvilles fortune advanc'd swifter then his which made him covet a more strict Union with him He had a Sister handsome enough which he propos'd to Gourville for a Wife and Gourville would have gladly accepted his Offer had his Heart been at Liberty but he had been privately along time in love with Madam de Parville who had all the Qualities proper to engage the most scrupulous Lover so that he could not find in his Heart to quit her On the other side it was his Interest by no means to disgust Langlade So that he sought for some plausible pretence to avoid the Marriage which wss propos'd to him The most assured and the most agreeable to his Intentions was privately to marry Madam de Parville and he strove to gain her consent But tho' she really lov'd him she could not bring herself to that submission out of a Fantastick Humour common to Persons of her Sex Nevertheless as she was willing to help him out of the Labirinth he was in she gave him leave to tell Langlade they were marry d and to make good this lye she took a Journey into the Country pretending she went to lye in never minding the Prejudice she might do her Reputation Langlade deceiv'd by his Artifice never thought any more of the Marriage of Gourville to his Sistter and some after he also broke off with Madam de Loup whom he found guilty of much Infidelity Before he came to Court he had fallen in Love with a Damsel of Quality in his Country call'd Mademoiselle de Campagnol and tho' he durst not propose Matrimony to her yet he exacted from her a promise never to marry any but himself assuring her that he would send her word so soon as he should have rais'd his Fortune to that degree as to make her happy Langlade entrusted Gourville with the assurance which he had given the Damsel and declar'd with something of Sorrow and Vexation mixt together that he thought himself not rich enough to pretend to that Allyance as not being worth in all above forty thousand Crowns Gourville bid him not be troubled for that and to encourage him to go and accomplish his marriage promis'd to give him as much more Upon that assurance away went Langlade and marri'd Madam de Campagnol who was overjoy'd to see him so faithful to his promise After the Nuptial solemnities were over Langlade returns with his new Wife to Paris where he found that Gourville had hir'd 'em a handsome house and richly furnish'd it The moveables he gave to Langlade and a considerable quantity of Plate and Jewels to his Wife besides the Forty thousand Crowns and Madam de Parville took great care to bring the young Provanssal into good company Thus settl'd together these two fortunate lovers liv'd a long time contented one with the other but poor Gourville lost his Mistress by sickness in the full vigour of his amorous heat That Lady had been so happy as to be violently belov'd by several more especially by â—refortaine the Brother of Lemy Chief Commissary under M. le Tellier Secretary of State who refus'd a pension of sixteen thousand Livres which Mademoiselle de Monpensier offer'd him if he would but have wholly devoted himself to her service But he could not find in his heart to sacrifice to that Princess the Minutes which he desir'd to spend with her that was the sole Soveraigness of his heart tho she had not the same affection for him and corresponded with him only upon the bare account of esteem and friendship 1658. The kindness which the King had for Mazarins two Neices for the Countess of Soissons and her Sister ought rather to be lookt upon as pastimes then any real passion and therefore I shall pass 'em by Mademoiselle de Mancini was convinc'd of the truth of this when she was marri'd to the Constable Colonna Therefore said she to his Majesty You say you love me you are King yet you and I must part Toward the end of the year 1659 the Court remov'd to Lyon under pretence of a marriage in Negotiation between the King and the Princess Margaret of Savoy The Duke repair'd thither with all his Court and great were the rejoycings for a month but the Duke of Savoy having discover'd that while they were amusing him with hopes of that Puissant Alliance Pimantel had concluded the King's marriage with the Infanta of Spain he took post and return'd to Chamberi where he solac'd himself in the Arms of Mademoiselle de Tercesson for the affront which he had receiv'd But tho he had heap'd his Favours upon her she was ne're the more Loyal to him for that for the Marquiss of Fleuri had corrupted the fruit of her first affections and she gave him frequent meetings which the Duke suspecting commanded one of his Lacqueys to attend her with orders never to quit her But the Marquiss to rid himself of that same Spy caus'd him to be thrown into the Po which confirm'd the Dukes suspitions so that he caus'd the Marquiss of Fleuri to be arrested and arraign'd for the death of the Lacquey but all that he pai'd for his folly was a long imprisonment After which the Duke being reconcil'd to Mademoiselle de Tercesson marri'd her to the Marquiss of Cohourre who enjoy d one of the principal Offices in his Household but she shew'd him so
many scurvy tricks that he was forc'd to send her into France where she met with several adventures that deserve a particular History The King's Marriage with the Infanta was solemiz'd in the year 1660 and Cardinal Mazarin dy'd at the beginning of the year 1661. Intreagues of the Court of France under the Raign of Lewis XIV from the death of Cardinal Mazarin to this present time IF the King's affection were no more then his pastime before his marriage 't was not afterwards the same He felt a real passion and that passion took possession of him after an extraordinary manner Madamoiselle de la Valiere who was one of Madam's Maids of Honour perceiv'd the Monarchs humour so agreeable to hers that she fell desperately in love with him She imparted the secret of her inclination to one of her intimate friends and this friend not heing able long to keep the secret with which she was intrusted there were so many persons at Court who were acquainted with it that they made a sport of it to the King Now in regard there is nothing more natural then for a man to know the persons that love and admire him besides that the King was naturally amorous 't was not long before he admitted himself into la Valieres company The first sight of her wrought no great effect for that there was nothing extraordinary in her aspect besides that she limpt a little in a word she had nothing of handsome shape However it cannot be deny'd but that from the very moment that he saw her he had something of an inclination for her yet so limited as only to think of well bestowing her upon some Lord of the Court but he could not resist his Stars Three days after he went to visit Madam who was somewhat indispos'd but there stopping with la Valiere he was so charm'd with her wit that he could no longer curb the violent passion that forc'd him to fall in love with her He stay'd but a little while with Madam but he return'd the next day and continu'd his visits for a month together which made most people believe that he was fallen in love with Madam and Madam to say truth flatter'd herself as if the Conquest had been hers These visits plainly shew'd that the King was passionately in love nevertheless in regard he durst not discover his Passion and for that it was contrary to the rules of decency to be every day at Madams Apartment and never see her he found a way to give it out all over the Court that he was in love with her He talk'd of her continually he extold her Air and her Beauty to the Skies and spoke it openly that since Mancini's departure he had never spent a happy minute but in the company of Madam Nevertheless 't is certain that all the Proofs he gave of his being in love with that Princess were only his being continually with her and his always whispering her in the ear before company when at the same time he talk'd to her only of things indifferent or of la Valiere after which he fell into most dreadful dumps Nor did Madam know what to think not dreaming that the King could ever love a Damsel so far from beautiful that she was the daily subject of the Duke of Roquelaure's jokes and Lampoons But as passionately in love as the King was he was a long time before he durst make known his affection nor did he do it but after an indirect manner One day that he was walking in the Park of Versailles he bemoan'd himself after a manner most extreamly tender that he had not found himself well for some time La Valiere who was present shew'd her self to be very much afflicted at it and gave marks of an extraordinary tenderness The King who perceiv'd it took her aside He told her that she was extremely obliging to be concern'd for his health and at the same time declar'd to her that she was the absolute Mistress of his Life his Death and his Repose La Valiere was at a stand and for a while profoundly silent The King upbraided her with insensiblity But then she made him an answer that altogether charm'd him Their conversation lasted three hours and was only interrupted by a showre of Rain All the rest of the day la Valiere mov'd with a pensive air and the King appear'd to be no less restless in his thoughts The next day they met again and their discourse was still of the same nature The same day the King sent her some Jewels of very great value together with the following Billet D' ye desire my death tell me sincerely Madam It behoves me to satisfie your longing All the World most earnestly seeks my disturbance 'T is given out that Madam is not cruel and that fortune wishes me well but all this while they neither say that I love ye nor that you reduce me to dispair You bear me a kind of tender affection that overwhelmes me For the love of God change your manner of dealing with a Prince that dies for your sake Either be altogether Compassionate or altogether Cruel The King was not satisfi'd with this Billet wherein he had displai d all his tenderness but the next day in the most magnificent apparel that ever he put on in his life he went to visit her at Madams Apartment at what time the Maids of Honour that were with la Valiere withdrew out of respect On the other side the King resolving to know his destiny and to push on his good fortune accosted her in a kind of trembling posture In conclusion he told her all that a tender and violent love could infuse into a person of wit inspir'd by an amorous passion But then Mademoiselle de la Valiere who was already in love with him could no longer hold out against so strong a Battery so that the King return'd happy He went to visit her the next day this familiarity lasted for fifteen days But an accident having discover'd the Intreague the two Lovers no longer dissembled which extreamly perplext Madam who really imagin'd that the King had had a kindness for her Her vexation therefore to see that the King had prefer d on of her Maids before her caus'd her to speak of it to both the Queens however she forbore to signifie any thing of her resentment The Queen Mother who was well acquainted with the King's humour in this particular was terribly alarm'd and resolv'd forthwith to speak of it to la Valiere which she did with so much embitterment that two days after she put her self into a Convent The King who knew nothing of this Adventure was extremely surpriz'd when he heard of it He presently got a Horseback and commanded a Coach to follow him So soon as he came to the House where she was inclos'd he demanded to see her She appear d at the Grate whereafter he had made her a thousand tender Vows and Protestations he bid her immediately come